regard to which not even angelic intelligence might confidently pronounce, but which are never very far away from-much less opposite to the substance of His ordinary and known working,) there is a range of more equivocal and questionable operation which the human intelligence and conscience, enlightened and sanctified, refuses to own as the work of the Spirit. Or, if it can be construed into that work at all, it is but that work in an incipient stage; and the work of "the Spirit of bondage to fear" is not to be mistaken for the work of "the Spirit of adoption." What, then, is more likely to grieve the Holy Spirit, and prevent or limit His genuine work, than that those who are thus blessed with superior discernment should, for any reasons of timidity, or conscience, or fear of man, or of any consequences whatever, own that as His work which is not His work, or, by withholding their faithful testimony, connive at its recognition as such by others?—thus dishonouring the Holy Ghost; leaving those in error and mistake, who, with timely instruction and advice, might be brought to the comfortable and saving knowledge of the truth; allowing precious souls to build even on Christ "wood, hay, stubble," instead of "gold, and silver, and precious stones."

Now, what people better know the Spirit's truth, and the Spirit's work, than the Methodist people? What people will allow a more liberal margin within which they think 'He may work, although they do not very clearly discern Him? What is there that they will not allow, of all that may be intelligently and scripturally defended or excused? (and what can there be beyond this, but mistake and fanaticism?) Do they not advance, heedless of complaint and contempt, to the utmost verge of Scripture, and common sense, and honest charity? And is it not the duty, the interest, and the safety of those who can go so far, to go no further; but boldly and faithfully to point out the danger that lies beyond? Does not the Holy Spirit claim this? and does not the love of souls demand it? Let then the Methodist people (if they would be prosperous, would be blessed, would be enlarged) faithfully guard, as well as truly exhibit, the Spirit's work. Let them see to it that it be never misrepresented, much less caricatured, under their notice, or with their concurrence or connivance. Let no mistaken and misleading charity come in here, no love of effect, no ambition of immediate and striking success, no desire to enlarge, or swell out, or restore a church or community; no false tenderness to sinners, to warp the judgment, or supply an apology for that which of all else must be most grievous in the sight of God,-an error, a delusion, on the vital point of His regenerating work, received with countenance or acquiescence by those whose first duty it was to expose and denounce it. On the contrary, with a noble courage, and a greater love, let us act up to our light and responsibility at all hazards, and in all our religious meetings, as we come into contact with those whom God has touched, faithfully distinguish between the converted and the unconverted; between those who are only seeking Christ, with differing degrees of concern and contrition, and those who have found Him to their joy and comfort, and are regenerate and born

anew of the Spirit of God. Let us hold up every man to himself in his true character, keeping the mirror of the Gospel steadily before him, and urging him not to stop short of a full assurance that God for Christ's sake hath pardoned all his sins, and that he, even he, is reconciled to God. And all this, not only from the pulpit, but in class-meetings, and prayermeetings, and all meetings for religious edification. We may safely assure ourselves that, however painful, and disappointing, and partially discouraging, (and not agreeable to flesh and blood on either side,) this is the true way, the honest way, the Holy Spirit's way, to bring men to Christ; the way that He will bless with more extended and abiding results than any other. That church has the greatest elements of prosperity in it, which has, not the greatest number of members, but the greatest number of truly converted people, active in character, and growing in grace. Look at the value of their aggregate faith, their prayers, their holy living, their ready zeal, and their corporate aspect to the Holy Spirit, inviting His descent! How will they uphold, encourage, and excite their Ministers, and honour their teachings with holy tempers and holy ways! How peaceably will they dwell together, and stimulate each other to every good work!-Churches may be patched up and kept together in many ways, and filled with the lame and the halt, the blind and the feeble; and the numbers eked out, possibly increased: but a church of converted, loving, holy, zealous people, with sinners trembling in the presence of their goodness, can be replenished and extended by the Spirit's grace only. To that end He must be sought, conciliated, honoured, exhibited and glorified in His own work; and simplicity, truth, honesty, straightforwardness, and love must pervade everything.

Mr. Wesley went about his work in this way. He had little idea of patching up either churches or believers. He scrutinized everything; put his people through the sieve of Divine truth intelligently and lovingly applied by himself and his co-adjutors, with a view to give reality to his own convictions, to please the Holy Spirit, to lay the foundation of a genuine work of grace, and nurture and mature it, and to secure the general advancement, the general harmony and stability, by the intercourse of persons most of whom were renewed in the spirit of their minds, and the rest thoroughly in earnest to become so. The effect of this was, that he lost many equivocal persons, many triflers, many who did not wish to be pushed too far; and, possibly, (we do not say that it was so,) now and then lost some whom more gentle or more dexterous management might have led on to goodness and holiness. He was occupied exclusively with raising and rearing a select and spiritual people, and took into no consideration subordinate points;—for instance, who would be reputable members, who would be creditable, who would be money-giving, who would build meetinghouses and pay debts, and how his Societies should early become so extended and consolidated as to command respect for him and his followers. All this he left behind, to take its chance, while with holy industry, and fidelity, and faith, he built up the church of the living God; laying upon

the true foundation "gold, and silver, and precious stones," which might "abide the fire,”-any and every test of men or devils. If he could not build up a spiritual house, he wanted nothing else: he relied upon it, that this success would involve all others. His was a grand experiment to ascertain whether the Holy Spirit would give effect to a course of ministrations and activities to which he was prompted by the Spirit's own grace in himself, to see whether the Spirit would concur and co-operate to the whole length of the teaching which he had himself received; casting aside entirely all human views, and prejudices, and limitations, and all regard to self in respect to shame or honour, good or evil. With simplicity of mind, and thoroughness of purpose, he threw himself altogether on truth and grace, and in the love of Christ said, "The world is my parish," and went to work. How far he succeeded, is, matter of history. But Mr. Wesley was no enthusiast; that is, no fanatic. Enthusiast he was in compassion, in love, in labours, in perseverance; but in his faith, his hope, his expectation, his teaching, he was guided and limited by the holy Scripture. No man was more sober-minded. He had a reason (to candid minds generally unanswerable) for everything; even for his charity, his forbearance, his faith, his half-belief in some mysterious things that involved the agencies of the other world. The facts on which he founded his judgment of doubtful things were obstinate; or it was difficult to believe the contrary, and more difficult to defend it. Where he found himself bewildered, he would not pronounce any way, but leave the mystery or the ambiguity where he found it. Least of all would he give way to public prejudice, or adopt in fear the common opinion. Others-multitudes-were likely to be led by his opinion or non-opinion; (he has, in fact, become a monument to all posterity;) and he must appear what he was. For aught he knew, God might be speaking by him. How, then, could he suppress anything, or appear otherwise than himself? Of the highest faith and the noblest enthusiasm, (be it said again,) he was eminently sober-minded. Because he would not go at large into a wide and unknown country further than the Bible led, the real fanatic was cross with him, quarrelled with him, forsook his leadership. He had taken Mr. Wesley for a bold man, but he was disappointed in him. He found him not sufficiently "exalted." He wished to soar into the clouds, and expatiate in the open firmament beyond; but Mr. Wesley declined: the Bible did not lead so far. Beyond pitying this man, and feeling a godly sorrow for him, Mr. Wesley heeded not his disappointment, nor his forsaking,-nor the forsaking of a thousand, or of ten thousand. All this, rather than lose for himself and others the safe guidance of the Holy Spirit of Christ. He who went so far beyond others, and occasioned so great a wondering, and so many complaints, because the Spirit led, knew well that he must go no further than his Guide. Methodists as we are, and loving and venerating that most honoured man as our father in the Gospel, we may surely say that his character, his works, and his century of Christians and Christianity (all glory to God alone!) form a monument for the emulation of mankind,-a monument which even his

followers, still bearing his name, cannot pull down, or even materially dishonour, by any obliquity or any unfaithfulness. This is a thing done, done for ever,-to the glory of Christ, the honour of Christianity, and the welfare of the human race. The same Spirit who reared this monument will guard it; and, if it ever should be so, (which God forbid!) that Wesley's natural descendants cease to feel honoured by it, or to do credit to it, the world of Christianity, becoming by grace more and more a reflection of his teaching and character, will only gather around it with the greater reverence (when all jealousy shall have ceased, and time shall have illustrated holiness) to admire and to conserve it. While his sermons, and his journals, and his various writings live, and there is a Bible with which to compare them, surely every revival of religion, every advance in religious knowledge and experience amongst mankind, must pay homage to Wesley; must come to those writings and say, "Why, here it all is; it has all been known and done before: this is no new thing!" With all humility we would ask, (and the question often recurs,) What can be produced, in harmony with the Scripture, (and all the Spirit's works must ever be in harmony with His teaching, however diversified His operation: to imagine otherwise is of the nature of fanaticism,) that shall be greatly in advance of Christianity, doctrinal, experimental, practical, and ecclesiastical, as taught and exemplified by John Wesley and his immediate co-adjutors and followers, and called by the world Methodism? What is the "coming" thing that is to exceed every development which Christianity has yet received; which is to be like what has preceded, and yet diverse from it; and yet, come when it may, and as often as it shall, must come out of the Bible, and come down from heaven, or it will not be Christianity at all? What is this coming good, which is to eclipse all other? If there be any such in the mind and purpose of God, we bow to Him; nay, we rejoice in it; we devoutly and ardently desire its immediate appearance; we more earnestly pray, "Let Thy kingdom come." We love Methodist Christianity for its conformity to Christ and His teaching and work: but if there is anything to come more highly conformed to that standard, then let it come; we are willing that this Christianity should give place to that, and we consent to be absorbed in it. To see Christ glorified, to be completely happy ourselves, and to see the greatest number of our fellow-creatures so too, is our highest desire. Whatever moves in this direction, we would follow, unshackled by names, and systems, and modes of Christianity which were before this greater good appeared. In the abstract, therefore, we have no objection to a "coming" good which is to be a greater one: we invite it; we hail it. The whole question turns on its probability. Long before this subject of a "coming" Methodism was publicly mooted, we had often dwelt on its possibility, and asked ourselves, whether between the Christianity revived in the eighteenth century, and the best ideal we could form of Christianity from the Scriptures, there was room for such a thing. We confess that, with such wisdom as ours, and without any conscious bias, we could not discern it. To us it seemed, and still seems, that all we

can hope for is a more thorough and extended application by the Holy Spirit, than has hitherto taken place, of Christianity as taught and exemplified by the Wesleys and their associates. But what a change would take place amongst mankind, if a few hundred millions of the human race (say, every other man and every other woman) were made as truly holy and happy as were a few thousands of those who imbibed Wesley's doctrine and experience, sat at his feet, and walked in his ways; and who attributed all their good to him, under God, as its human source! Many of these were found sunk in the lowest depths of sin; and others of them walked and strutted in the pride of their own righteousness. They were found of every diversity of character, and of every grade and position; and were, fairly, specimens and "first-fruits unto God" of their own classes in évery part of the earth. So that it would seem as if here were the very "truth and grace," which only needed a diversity of application suited to diversity of character and circumstances, and a sufficiently extended area of operation, to produce the mightiest results amongst mankind. Now this is the "coming" GRACE,—not coming Methodism, not new development of Christianity,-which we do anticipate and long for, and which, if it did appear, would perhaps meet the notion of a new dispensation which some anticipate.

We may mistake in attributing to Mr. Wesley so near an approach to the scriptural ideal of Christianity; or we may be deficient in imagination and faith with regard to the future. But we give our own conception just as it is, and leave the reader to judge for himself. We do what we can to give him an idea; and, if we are in error or darkness, we would gladly receive one from him.-But let us look around. There is a coming dispensation, a dispensation in sight.* What mean these “temporary" churches to prepare the way for permanent ones; these Pastoral Aid Societies; these frequent "collections" in churches; these Bible Readers and Town Missionaries? still more, these earnest appeals to working men, this high interest in the religious welfare of the humble classes, these opened halls and cathedrals, these extemporized and accommodated services, this calling in the highways to vagrants and wanderers to "come in," these Bishops and Curates preaching in unconsecrated places, in highways or by-ways, town or village, in doors or out of doors, wherever sinners will listen ?—this adaptation of the Liturgy, these shorter prayers, these sweet hymns, these rather longer and much more earnest sermons, this selection of able and popular Ministers, with good voices and strong minds and ready utterance?—this kindness, gentleness, and persuasiveness of manner; and the attempt by all these means to grapple with the hardfaced, hard-hearted, strong-minded artisan; to compel his attention, to win his interest, to command his reason, to awaken his conscience, and to reform his heart and his ways? Whence is all this? What does it all

* The term "dispensation," it is hardly needful to say, is here used in a qualified

sense.