tural, refined in every point above what is written, immeasurably beyond the plain doctrines of the gospel. 2. Because there is darkness and closeness in all their behaviour, and guile in almost all their words. 3. Because they not only do not practise, but utterly despise and deny self-denial and the daily cross. 4. Because they, upon principle, conform to the world, in wearing gold or costly apparel. 5. Because they extend christian liberty in this and many other respects, beyond what is warranted by holy writ. 6. Because they are by no means zealous of good works; or at least, only to their own people. And lastly, because they make inward religion swallow up outward in general. For these reasons chiefly I will rather, God being my helper, stand quite alone than join with them. I mean, till I have full assurance that they will spread none of these errors among the little flock committed to my charge. "O! my brother, my soul is grieved for you: the poison is in you: fair words have stolen away your heart.-No English man or woman, is like the Moravians! So the matter is come to a fair issuse. Five of us did still stand together a few months since but two are gone to the right hand (Hutchins and Cennick) and two more to the left (Mr. Hall, and you;) Lord if it be thy gospel which I preach, arise and maintain thine own cause!" Mr. Maxfield was a layman, and hence we see laymen were already employed by Mr. Wesley in the work. He was remarkably useful, and excited the astonishment of those who heard him. The late Countess Dowager of Huntingdon, was at this time, and for many years after, exceedingly attached to Mr. Wesley, and frequently wrote to him. She heard Mr. Maxfield expound, and in a letter to Mr. Wesley speaks speaks thus of him: "I never mentioned to you, that I have seen Maxfield. He is one of the greatest instances of God's peculiar favour, that I know.-He has raised from the stones, one to sit among the princes of his people.-He is my astonishment.-How is God's power shewn in weakness. You can have no idea, what an attachment I have to him. He is highly favoured of the Lord. The first time I made him expound, expecting little from him, I sat over against him, and thought, what a power of God must be with him, to make me give any attention to him. But before he had gone over one fifth part, any one that had seen me, would have thought I had been made of wood or stone; so quite immoveable I both felt and looked. His power in prayer is very extraordinary. -To deal plainly, I could either talk or write for an hour about him.-The society goes on well here.— Live assured of the most faithful and sincere friendship of your unworthy sister in Christ Jesus." From this time the number of laymen employed, gradually increased, in proportion to the increase of the societies and the want of preachers; the clergy generally standing at a distance from a plan of such apparent irregularity, and so much labour. In June, Mr. Wesley took a journey as far as Nottingham, where he preached at the market-place, to an immense multitude of people. He set out for London, and read over in the way Luther's Comment on the Epistle to the Galatians. He passes a most severe sentence on Luther, for decrying Reason, right or wrong, as an enemy to the gospel of Christ; and for speaking blasphemously of good works, and the law of God. The severity of this sentence perhaps arose from a misconception of the scope and design of Luther's words. That Luther, sometimes spake incautiously, cautiously, and even rashly, we may readily admit, and that his words, on such occasions may be easily understood in a sense he did not intend; which was probably the case in the passages to which Mr. Wesley refers. But some allowance is to be made for Luther's* situation, • Martin Luther, the celebrated German reformer. was born in Saxony, in 1483. He studied at Erford, being designed for a civilian. But an awful catastrophe made such an impression on his mind, that he resolved to retire from the world. As he was walking in the fields with a fellow student, they were struck by lightning, Luther to the ground, and his companion dead by his side. He then entered into the order of Augustine hermits at Erford. From this place he removed to Wertemburg, being appointed by the Elector of Saxony, professor of Theology and Philosophy in the university just founded there by that prince. In 1512, he was sent to Rome, to plead the cause of some convents of his order, who had quarrelled with their vicar-general: this gave him an opportunity of observing the corruptions of the pontifical court, and the debauched lives of the dignitaries of the church; and probably gave him the first disgust to the Romish ecclesiastical government; especially as he had engaged in the monastic life from motives of genuine piety. Upon his return to Wertemburgh, it was remarked that he grew unusually pensive, and more austere in his life and conversation: he likewise read and expounded the sacred writings in lectures and sermons; and threw new lights on obscure passages. The minds of his auditors being thus prepared, a favourable occasion soon offered for carrying into execution his grand plan of reform. In 1517, Pope Leo X. published his indulgencies. Albert, archbishop of Mentz, and Magdeburgh, was commissioner for Germany, and was to have half the sum raised in that country: Tetzel, a Dominican friar, was deputed to collect, with others of his order, for Saxony; and he carried his zeal so far, as to declare his commission was so extensive, that by purchasing indulgencies, not only all past sins, but those intended in future, were to be forgiven. Luther beheld his great success with great concern, and began to preach openly against such vile practices. And thus began the Reformation in Germany, which Luther carried on with astonishing success, through a train of difficulties and dangers, that, to human reason appeared insuperable. He died in 1546, aged 63. Luther's friends and adherents were first called Protestants in 1529, at a Diet held at Spire, in which several Princes of the Empire, and Imperial cities protested against the attempts of the Romanists to obtain a decree, that no change should be made in their religion. The Calvinits have comnionly been call the Reformed churches. situation, the errors he had to oppose, and the provocations he received. He must be more than human, who can walk steadily in the middle path of modera tion, while a host of enemies are pushing and goading him on every side. June 18. Being at Oxford, Mr. Wesley inquired concerning the exercises previous to the degree of Bachelor in Divinity. And though he certainly was well qualified to pass through the various gradations of academical honours, yet he laid aside the thought of proceeding further in them.-Having visited London, he was again at Oxford in the beginning of July ; and on the sixth being in the college-library, "I took down (says he) by mistake, the works of Episcopius ;* which • Simon Episcopius, was born at Amsterdam in 1583. He was one of the most learned men of the 17th century, and chief supporter of the Arminian doctrine. In 1612, he was chosen divinity professor at Leyden, in the midst of the Arminian controversy; which, though it had begun in the universities, scon flew to the pulpits, from whence it spread and inflamed the people. In 1610, the year after Arminius died, his friends, who had espoused his doctrine, presented a Remonstrance to the States of Holland, against the violent proceedings of the Calvinists to injure or suppress them. And from this circumstance, they have since been called in Helland, Remonstrants. In 1617, the King of Great-Britain exhorted the States-General of the United Provinces to call a Synod to put an end to their differences. This advice was seconded by several of the States; and accordingly a Synod was appointed to be held the next year at Dort. The States of Holland having invited Episcopius to take his place in it, he went thither accompanied by some remonstrant ministers; but the synod would not allow them to sit as judges, nor to appear in any other capacity than as persons accused, and summoned before them. The Remonstrants were condemned, deposed from their functions, and banished their country! But the times growing more favourable, Episcopius returned to Holland, and at length was chosen Rector of the college founded by the Arminians, at Amsterdam; where he died in 1643. Some of the foreign divines present at the Synod, afterwards complained, that the Remonstrants had been wronged; that they had been imposed upon, the Moderator and his cabal, who formed a Synod among themselves, which, on opening on an account of the Synod of Dort, I believed it might be useful to read it through. But what a scene is here disclosed? What a pity it is that the holy Synod of Trent, and that of Dort, did not sit at the same time! Nearly allied as they were, not only as to the purity of the doctrine, which each of them established, but also as to the spirit wherewith they acted! If the latter did not exceed." July 15, Mr. Wesley reached Bristol, and tells us he came just in season; "For (says he) a spirit of enthusiasm, was breaking in upon many, who charged their own imaginations on the will of God, and that, not written, but impressed on their hearts. If these impressions be received as the rule of action, instead of the written word, I know nothing so wicked or absurd, but we may fall into, and that without remedy."-We have here full and satisfactory evidence, that Mr. Wesley paid no regard to impressions or inward feelings, if they did not accord with the written word, by which alone we must judge of them. His belief on this subject was plainly this; 1. Without experience of present salvation from our sins, the gospel has no saving influence on our hearts: 2. Such themselves, and concerted in private those things they had a mind to bring to a good issue —It is evident that the Dutch divines were parties concerned, and judges on the trial. What justice or candour could their opponents expect! Synods or Assemblies, that are conducted on such principles as these, are hateful to God, and odious to candid and good men, who fully understand their proceedings.—What is the cause that some men of most denominations, who have been set apart to instruct others in our most holy religion, which teaches us humility, the love of God and man, and a forgiving spirit, should be so much alike, and so much worse than other people, when they have the power of persecuting and distressing those who oppose them, or differ from them in opinion? How highly ought we to esteem the true ministers of Christ, who shew a more Christian temper! |