cowardly mind, if it do not arise from them. It has occasioned greater evils to the church of Christ, than all the persecutions that ever happened. It is this principle of worldly prudence, that has induced some Ministers to adulterate the most important doctrines of grace, with the prevailing philosophy of the age in which they have lived, to make them pleasing and palatable to the more polite and learned part of their congregations. By this means the Preacher has gained reputation, but his ministry has lost its authority and power, to change the heart and reform the life: the natural powers of man have been raised to a sufficiency for every duty required of him, and the gospel has been sunk into a mere collection of moral precepts, enforced by the certain prospect of future rewards and punishments. In this way the true doctrine of faith, and of a divine supernatural influence, accompanying the means of grace, have been gradually lost sight of, and at length denied; and the gospel thus mutilated has never been found of sufficient efficacy to accomplish the purposes for which it was promulgated to the world. It is remarkable, that in every great revival of religion, these doctrines have been parti-` cularly insisted upon, and have generally occasioned some opposition, both from the wise and ignorant among mankind. And when the professors of religion of any denomination, wishing to avoid persecution and become more respectable in the eyes of men, have either concealed the truth, or debased it by philosophical explanations, the offence of the cross indeed ceased, but the glory of the gospel departed from them they became lukewarm, and gradually dwindled away, unless held together by some temporal consideration, having a name to live but were dead. We cannot, on the contrary, commend the rash intemperate zeal of some young converts in religion, who who have often, both in ancient and modern times, invited persecution by their own imprudence; either by ill-timed reproofs, or an improper introduction of their religious sentiments in discourse. Nor can we approve of the rude vulgarity, which has sometimes been used both in conversation and in the pulpit, under a pretence of speaking the plain truths of the gospel. There is a medium between these extremes medio tutissimus ibis, the middle path is the safest, though perhaps the most difficult to keep on some trying occasions. 66 Had Mr. Wesley and his brother listened to the Syren song of ease and reputation, they would never have been the happy instruments of so much good as we have seen produced by their means. On this occasion Mr. Wesley said to Mr. Chapman, "I believe every doctrine of God, must have these two marks, 1. It will meet with opposition from men and devils : 2. It will finally triumph and prevail. I expressed my readiness to part with him, and all my friends and relations for the truth's sake. I avowed my 66 liberty and happiness, since Whitsunday; made a bridge for a flying enemy, and we parted tolerable. "friends." July 24th, He preached on justification by faith, at Mr. Stonehouse's, who could not yet conceive how God can justify the ungodly, upon repentance and faith in Christ, without any previous holiness. He seemed to think that a man must be sanctified before he can know that he is justified. It is probable Mr. Stonehouse did not consider, that, to justify, in the language of St. Paul, is to pardon a repenting, believing sinner, as an act of grace; not for the sake of any previous holiness in him, but in and by Jesus Christ, with whom he is then united by a living faith, and entitled to such gospel gospel blessings as may lead him on to true holiness of heart and life. This day Mr. Wesley agreed with Mr. Stonehouse to take charge of his Parish, under him as Curate; after which, he read prayers at Islington almost every day, and had frequent opportunities of conversing with Mr. Stonehouse, and of explaining the nature of justification, and of justifying faith. July 26th, Mr. Wesley was at Blendon. Here Mrs. Delamotte called upon him to rejoice with her in the experience of the divine goodness. She then confessed, that all her desire had been to affront, or make him angry; she had watched every word he spake; had persecuted the truth, and all who professed it, &c.-A fine instance of the evidence and power of gospel truth, to subdue a mind blinded by the most obstinate prejudice. Mr. Wesley was now incessantly employed in his blessed Master's service; either in reading prayers and preaching in the Churches, or holding meetings in private houses for prayer and expounding the Scriptures; and the number of persons convinced of sin, and converted to God, by his ministry, was astonishing.August 3, he observes, "I corrected Mr. Whitefield's "Journal for the press; my advice to suppress it, being "over-ruled." In the end of this month he went to Oxford, where he saw and conversed with Mr. Gambold, Mr. Kinchin, and several others of his old friends, who surprised him by their readiness to receive the doctrine of faith. The number of persons who attended their evening meetings in London, were now much encreased. September the 10th, he tells us, that, after preaching at Sir George Wheeler's Chapel in the morning, and at St. Botolph's in the afternoon, he prayed and expounded at Sims's to above three hundred attentive hearers. Saturday, Saturday, Sept. 16th, in the evening, Mr. John Wesley returned from Hernhuth, when he and Mr. Charles Wesley took sweet counsel together, and compared their experience in the things of God. On the 22nd, in expounding the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, at Bray's, a dispute arose, concerning absolute predestination. This is the first time we find any mention of this mischievous dispute. Mr. Wesley says, "I entered my protest against that doctrine.". Mr. Wesley, by the daily exercise of preaching, expounding, exhorting, and praying with the people, had now acquired some degree of boldness in public speaking; the great and leading doctrines of the gospel were become familiar to his mind, and expression flowed natural and easy in conversing on them. He preached at Islington, October 15th, and added to his notes a good deal extempore. On Friday the 20th, seeing few people present, at St. Antholin's, he thought of preaching `extempore. "I was afraid (says he,) yet ventured, "trusting in the promise, Lo! I am with you always. "I spoke on justification, from the third chapter of the "Epistle to the Romans, for three quarters of an hour, "without hesitation. Glory be to God who keepeth "his promise for ever." This day, he and his brother Mr. John Wesley waited on Dr. Gibson, the Bishop of London, to answer the complaints * Dr Edmund Gibson, Bishop of London, was born at Westmorland in 1669. He applied himself early and vigorously to learning, and displayed his knowledge in several writings, which recommended him to the patronage of Archbishop Tennison, who made him his domestic Chaplain. Being now a member of Convocation, he engaged in a controversy, in which he defended his Patron's rights, as President, in eleven Pamphlets. He afterwards enlarged them on a more comprehensive plan, containing a view of the legal duties and rights of the English Clergy, complaints which he had heard alleged against them, respecting their preaching an absolute assurance of salvation. Some of the Bishop's words were, "If by assurance you mean, an inward persuasion, whereby a man is conscious in himself, after examining his life by the law of God, and weighing his own sincerity, "that he is in a state of salvation, and acceptable to God, "I do not see how any good christian can be without "such an assurance." They answered, "We do con"tend for this, but we have been charged with Anti"nomianism, because we preach justification by faith "alone. Can any one preach otherwise, who agrees "with our Church and the Scriptures ?" Indeed by preaching it strongly, and not sufficiently inculcating good Clergy, which was published under the title of Codex Juris Ecclesiastici Anglicani, in folio. Archbishop Tennison dying in 1715, and Dr. Wake, Bishop of Lincoln, being made Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Gibson succeeded him as Bishop of Lincoln; and in 1720, was promoted to the Bishoprick of London. He governed his Diocese with the most exact care, but was extremely jealous of the least privileges belonging to the Church. He approved of the toleration of Protestant Dissenters, but opposed all attempts to procure a repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts. His opposition to those licentious assemblies, called Masquerades, gave great unbrage at Court, and prevented further preferment. His pastoral letters are justly esteemed masterly productions. Beside the Codex above-mentioned, he published, 1. An edition of Drummond's Pacmo Middiana, and James V. of Scotland's Cantilena Rustica, with notes. 2. The Cronicon Saxonicum, with a Latin translation, and notes. 3. Reliqua Spelmanniana. 4. An edition of Quintilian de Arte Oratoria, with notes. 5. An English translation of Camden's Britannia, with additions, 2 vols. folio. 6. A number of small pieces collected together and printed in 3 vols. folio. He died in September, 1748. He was a steady friend to the established Church, but a great enemy to persecution: a great Economist, but liberal and beneficent. Dr. Crow, who had once been his Chaplain, left him two thousand five hundred pounds, the whole of which the Bishop gave to Dr Crow's own relations who were very poor. He corresponded with Dr. Watts, and expressed a friendly concern for the interests of religion, among Dissenters as well as in his own Church. |