had that sense of pardon. And so bave I frequently had.

Again. The assertion, that justifying faith is a sense of pardon; is contrary to reason it is flatly absurd. For how can a sense of our having received pardon, be the condition of our receiving it?

"IV. "If you object, 1. J. T. St. Paul, &c. had this sense:' I grant they had; but they were justified before they had it.-2. We know fifteen hundred persons who have this assurance.' Perhaps so : but this does not prove, they were not justified till they received it.-3. We have been exceedingly blessed in preaching this doctrine.' We have been blessed in preaching the great truths of the gospel; although we tacked to them, in the simplicity of our hearts, a proposition which was not true. 4. But does not our church give this account of justifying faith?' I am sure she does of saving or Christian faith I think she does of justifying faith too.. But to the law and to the testimony. All men may err: but the word of the Lord shall stand for ever."

In the spring and summer of this year, Mr. Wesley, and the Preachers were invited into many parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Cheshire, where they had not been before. Mr. John Bennet,* was a most indefatigable and successful labourer, for several years, in these parts of the country. He was a man of sound judgment, and of considerable abilities as a preacher. From a letter which he wrote to Mr. Wesley, sometime after this period, we may form some notion of the labours of the Preachers. "Many doors (says he) are opened for preaching in these parts, but cannot be supplied for want of Preachers.

• Father of the late Rev. Mr. Bennet, Minister to a congregation on the stones in Moorfields.

Preachers. I think some one should be sent to assist me, otherwise we shall lose ground.-My circuit is one hundred and fifty miles in two weeks; during which time I preach publicly thirty-four times, besides meeting the societies, visiting the sick, and transacting the temporal business. I think the above is too much for me, considering my weak constitution."

This was great labour; but Mr. Wesley, and his brother Mr. Charles, laboured still more. They preached as often, did all the other business, and frequently travelled near treble the distance in the same space of time. Hitherto they had been enabled to labour, and form societies with the assistance of the other Preachers, in most part of England, though frequently at the peril of their lives: but now their fine was stretched a little further. One of the LayPreachers, had gone over to Dublin, and after preaching there for some time, formed a society. He wrote an account of his success to Mr. Wesley, who determined to visit Ireland immediately. Accordingly, August 4, he set out from Bristol, and passing through Wales, arrived in Dublin on Sunday the 9th, about ten o'clock in the forenoon. Mr. Wesley observes," Soon after we landed, hearing the bells. ringing for church, I went thither directly.-About three I wrote a line to the curate of St. Mary's, who sent me word he should be glad of my assistance. So I preached there, another gentleman reading prayers, to as gay and senseless a congregation as ever I saw. After sermon Mr. R. thanked me very affectionately, and desired I would favour him with my company in the morning. Monday 10, Between eight and nine I went to Mr. R. the curate of St. Mary's: he professed abundance of good-will, commended my sermon in strong terms, and begged he might see me again

the

the next morning. But at the same time he expressed the most rooted prejudice against Lay-Preachers, or preaching out of a church; and said, the archbishop of Dublin was resolved to suffer no such irregularities in his diocese."

In the course of the day Mr. Wesley went to wait on the archbishop; but he was gone out of town. The next day he waited upon him at New-Bridge, ten miles from Dublin. He had the favour of conversing with the archbishop two or three hours; in which time he answered abundance of objections. In the evening he returned to Mr. Lunell's, at whose house he was hospitably entertained.

On the 14th, Mr. Wesley observes, "I procured a genuine account of the great Irish massacre, in 1641. Surely never was there such a transaction before, from the beginning of the world! More than two hundred thousand men, women, and children, butchered within a few months in cool blood; and with such circumstances of cruelty as make one's blood run cold! It is well if God has not a controversy with the nation, on this very account to this day."-May the gracious Providence of God superintend our public affairs in such a way as to prevent the return of a like calamity.

Saturday the 15th, he staid at home, and spake to all who came to him. "But (says he) I found scarce any Irish among them. At least ninety-nine in an hundred of the native Irish, remain in the religion of their fore-fathers. The Protestants, whether in Dublin or elsewhere, are almost all transplanted from England. Nor is it any wonder, that those who are born Papists, generally live and die such; when the Protestants can find no better ways to convert them, than penal laws and acts of parliament."—I never understood, (observes

(observes Dr. Whitehead) that, penal laws and acts of parliament, were intended as the means of converting the Papists; but as means of preventing, or hindering them from breaking the peace, from murdering their neighbours who think differently from them, and from making proselytes to opinions subversive of the government. The Bulls of the Popes, their Decretals, and the oaths of the Romish bishops, taken even at present, will not allow us to doubt for a moment, that principles subversive of every Protestant government, enter into the essence of every establishment of the Roman-Catholic* religion; and will infallibly produce their natural effects, as opportunities offer. And therefore the creed, or public professions of individuals in that church to the contrary, are of no avail; they ought to weigh nothing with the legislature in Protestant countries, until the Pope of Rome annul, abrogate, and totally disavow the bulls and decretals, which infringe on the rights of Kings, and of all civil governors; and change the oaths of the bishops acting under his authority.-But, perhaps, Mr. Wesley intended no more, by the sentence quoted above, than a reproach either on the church or state, for not appointing proper methods of diffusing knowledge among the native Irish; most of whom are kept by their Priests in a state of the grossest ignorance.

The house wherein they preached at this time, was originally designed for a Lutheran church, and contained about four hundred people: but abundantly more might stand in the yard. Mr. Wesley preached morning and evening to many more than the house could contain; and had more and more reason to

hope,

• There never was a more indecent abuse of words, than in the church of Rome assuming the title of the Catholic Church

hope, they would not all be unfruitful hearers. Monday the 17th, he began to examine the society, which contained about two hundred and fourscore members, many of whom had found peace with God. "The people in general, (says Mr. Wesley) 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."

Mr. Wesley proceeds. "Sunday the 23d, I began in the evening before the usual time; yet were a multitude of people got together, in the house, yard, and street: abundantly more than my voice could reach. I cried aloud to as many as could hear, All things are ready; come ye to the marriage. Having delivered my message, about eleven I took ship for England, leaving J. Trembath, then a burning and a shining light, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, to water the seed which had been sown. Wednesday 26, about two in the afternoon we landed at Holyhead. Saturday 29, I preached at Garth, in Brecknockshire, in the evening, where I met my brother, in his way to Ireland.*-The remaining part of this year, Mr. Wesley spent in Bristol, London, Salisbury, and the neighbouring places.

The following letter, written in November, may shew us how careful Mr. Wesley was, to guard the Preachers against a party spirit in their public labours.

My dear brother, (says he) in public preaching speak not one word against opinions of any kind. We are not to fight against notions but sins. Least of all should I advise you, once to open your lips against Predestination. It would do more mischief

* See vol. i. page 296.

than