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alarmed by the noise, supposing that the house was beset by robbers, rose up caught up the fire-irons of his study, and began to throw them with violence on the stairs, calling out Tom! Jack! Harry, &c. as loud as he could bawl; designing thus to intimidate the robbers. Who the man was that received the blow (or who were his accomplices) was never discovered. His companions had carried him off: footsteps and marks of blood were traced to some distance, but not far enough to find who the villains were, nor from whence they came.'

I give this story just as I received it, which, though respectably related, I have not been able to trace to any authentic

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Mrs. Susanna Wesley, the person here spoken of, was the daughter of Dr. S. Annesley, and appears to have been a woman of superior attainments and of serious piety. Her mode of instructing her children was in some respects peculiar, but well calculated to impress them deeply with true religion. All her children received the rudiments of their education under her care; and she was led, from the providential deliverance of Mr. John Wesley when the house at Epworth was burnt, to pay especial attention to his improvement. He continued under her care till he was eleven years of age; when he was placed at the Charter-house, under Dr. Walker. Dr. Clarke's account of, and observations on, Mrs. Wesley's mode of instructing her children, are among the most valuable parts of his book, and may be studied with great advantage by Christian parents in general.

We insert the following extract, in order to enter our most decided protest against the levity which could suggest or approve of such a plan, and to express our astonishment that Dr. C. could give it pub

licity without recording one syllable of disapprobation.

was

Mr. Wesley had a clerk, a well-meaning, honest, but weak, and vain man. He believed the Rector, his master, to be the greatest man in the parish, if not in the county; and himself, as he stood next to him in church ministrations, to be next to him in worth and importance. He had the advantage and privilege of wearing out Mr. Wesley's cast clothes and wigs, for the latter of which his head was by far too small; and the figure he cut in it most ludicrously grotesque. The Rector finding him particularly vain of one of those canonical substitutes for hair, which he had lately received, formed the design to mortify him in the presence of that congregation before which John wished to appear in every respect what he thought himself, the next person in importance to his master. One morning before church time Mr. W. said, "John, I shall preach on a particular subject today; and shall choose my own Psalm, of which I shall give out the first line, and you shall proceed as usual." John was it was wont to do till they came to the pleased; and the service went forward as singing, when Mr. Wesley gave out the following line,

"Like to an owl in ivy bush." This was sung;-and the following line, John peeping out of the large canonical wig in which his head was half lost, gave out with an audible voice and appropriate connecting twang,

"That rueful thing am I!" The whole congregation, struck with John's appearance, saw, and felt the similitude, and burst out into laughter. mortified, and his self-conceit lowered.— The Rector was pleased; for John was Clarke, pp. 231, 232.

Surely the house of God was not the place for such conduct; and little good could result from a sermon preached after such preparation.

Mr. Moore, in conjunction with Dr. Coke, published a memoir of Mr. Wesley immediately after his death, which certainly did not advance the reputation of any party. The present Life is, however, a very different and superior production, and its preface affords a satisfactory apology for the defects of the former work. It cannot, indeed, on literary grounds, compete with Southey's Life of Wesley, but it is free from those lax and dangerous

positions with which Mr. S.'s production abounds. Mr. Moore is, in sentiment, strictly a Methodist; but we are happy to observe, that he has avoided in his narrative many of those enthusiastical and unguarded sentiments and expressions, which so frequently occur in the early productions of Methodism.

The work consists of two volumes, and is divided into eight books; the first of which is occupied in the account of Mr. Wesley's family, and the other seven contain the memoirs of Messrs. J. and C. Wesley, with the history of Methodism to the time of Mr. W.'s decease. Of their contents we have not room to present even an abstract, but they may be read with pleasure and advantage by persons who in various respects differ in sentiment from Mr. W. and his biographer.

The Rev. J. Wesley was born in 1703. In 1714 he was placed at the Charter-house; and in 1719 removed to Oxford, where he was elected, in the following year, Scholar of Christ-church. Here he became deeply impressed with the importance of religion, and led a most strict and studious life. In 1726 he was elected Fellow of Lincoln College, where shortly after he became Greek Lecturer; and in 1729 began, with three other gentlemen, to spend some evenings every week in reading the Greek Testament for mutual advantage. This gradually led to visiting the prisoners in the Castle, and sick persons in the city and neighbourhood; to weekly attendance upon the Sacrament, &c. whence they received the name of Methodists.

Mr. W. continued at Oxford till 1735, when he was induced to embark as Missionary to Georgia. In this voyage he met with some of the Moravian Brethren, which eventually led to a change in his religious sentiments, &c. but which does not appear to have been fully effected until after his return to England in 1738 In the following year, being

excluded from most of the churches, he began preaching in the open air; and in 1741 appears to have formed the first distinct society. Lay preachers soon appeared, and the whole system of Methodism was established. The first meeting of Conference took place in 1744. In 1751 Mr. W. married, and consequently resigned his Fellowship. In 1784 he enrolled in Chancery a deed of declaration in favour of the trustees of the chapels, and ordained Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury as Bishops for America. In 1787 he lost his brother, the Rev. C. Wesley; and was himself removed by death March 2, 1791, aged 87.

It were easy to insert various interesting extracts from the volumes before us; but our limits compel

us to pass over most of those which we had marked. The following, however, shews that Mr. W. more correctly distinguished between faith and assurance, than the generality of his followers. It is part of a letter to his brother Charles.

Negatur. It is denied.
Is justifying faith a sense of pardon?

1. Every one is deeply concerned to understand this question well: but preachers most of all: lest they either make them sad whom God hath not made sad; or encourage them to say Peace where there is no peace.

Some years ago we heard nothing of that when we did hear of them, the theme justifying faith, or a sense of pardon; so was quite new to us; and we might easily, especially in the heat and hurry of controversy, lean too much either to the one hand or to the other.

which whosoever hath not, is under the 2. By justifying faith I mean, that faith, wrath and the curse of God. By a sense of pardon, I mean a distinct explicit assurance that my sins are forgiven.

I allow, (1.) That there is such an explicit assurance. (2.) That it is the com.. mon privilege of real Christians. (3.) That it is the proper christian faith, which 'purifieth the heart' and 'overcometh the

world.'

But I cannot allow, that justifying faith is such an assurance, or necessarily

connected therewith.

3. Because, if justifying faith neces sarily implies such an explicit assurance of pardon, then every one who has it not, and every one, so long as he has it not, is

under the wrath and under the curse of God. But this is a supposition contrary to Scripture, as well as to experience. Contrary to Scripture; to Isaiah 1. 10, Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.'

Contrary to Acts x. 34,

"Of a truth

I perceive, that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.'

Contrary to experience: for J. R. &c. &c. had peace with God, no fear, no doubt, before they had that sense of pardon. And so have 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?

4. If you object, (1.) ‘J. T., St. Paul, &c. had this sense:' I grant they had: but they were justified [or rather had justifying faith] before they had it.-(2.) We know fifteen hundred persons who have this assurance.' Perhaps so: but this does not prove, they had not justifying faith, 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. Moore, vol. ii. 109, 110.

The following extract deserves especial notice at the present moIt contains an account of a letter sent by Mr. W. to the Public Advertiser.

ment.

In this letter, after premising, that persecution had nothing to do with the matter, and that he wished no man to be persecuted for his religious principles; he lays down this general proposition, That no Roman Catholic does or can give security to a Protestant Government, for his allegiance and peaceable behaviour. He rested the proof of this proposition on the following arguments:

(1.) It is a Roman Catholic maxim, established not by private men, but by a public Council, that No faith is to be kept with heretics.' This has been openly avowed by the Council of Constance; but it was never openly disclaimed. Whether private persons avow or disavow it, it is a fixed maxim of the Church of Rome.

(2.) One branch of the spiritual power of the Pope is, and has been for ages, the power of granting pardons for all sins past, present, and to come! But those who acknowledge him to have this spiritual power, can give no security for their allegiance.

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(3.) The power of dispensing with any promise, oath, or vow, is another branch of the spiritual power of the Pope. And all who acknowledge his spiritual power, must acknowledge this: But whoever acknowledges this dispensing power of the Pope, cannot give security for his allegiance to any Government-Nay, not only the Pope, but even a Priest, has power to pardon sins! This is an essential doctrine of the Church of Rome. But they who acknowledge this, cannot possibly give any security for their allegiance to any Government.

Setting then religion aside, it is plain, that, upon principles of reason, no Government ought to tolerate men who cannot give any security to that Government for their allegiance and peaceable behaviour. But this no Romanist can do, not only while he holds, that No faith is to be kept with heretics,' but so long as he acknowledges either priestly absolution, or the spiritual power of the Pope.-Moore, vol. ii. 276, 277.

Mr. Moore dwells at some length on Mr. W.'s deed of declaration, and his ordination of Dr. Coke and Mr. Asbury, which he seems to consider as two of Mr. W.'s most important measures. The deed of declaration has contributed very much to render the Methodists permanently Dissenters, by preparing the way for that entire separation from the Church which has since taken place. Mr. W.'s ordination of Dr. Coke as a Bishop, was most absurd and indefensible. Mr. W.

maintains, indeed, that presbyters and bishops are the same. Then, if such were the case, why ordain Dr. Coke at all? Dr. C. was at that time a regularly ordained Priest, and Mr. W.'s ordination could convey to him no additional authority. If Episcopacy is a distinct order in the church, Mr. W. could not appoint to it: if it is not a distinct order, he was lending himself as a party to perpetuate an formed but conscientious persons. error, and to impose upon less in

Our attention is called, in the third place, to a review of various pamphlets on Methodism, inserted in the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine for July and August, and which occupies no less than nineteen pages:

the chief object of which is to censure, in the strongest possible terms, the Christian Guardian, for inserting, in July 1824, a favourable review of Mr. Mark Robinson's Observations on Methodism. We were perfectly aware that the conductors of the Methodist Magazine would be highly offended with Mr. Robinson's pamphlet, and with our review; and were quite prepared for some sudden burst of indignation; but we did not expect, that, after a whole year's deliberation, so bitter, unchristian, and incorrect an article would have been sent forth to the world.

To enter fully upon the subject would employ far more time and space than we can afford, or than its importance in any way demands; but some few remarks must not be omitted. The Methodist review attributes Mr. R.'s conduct to ill feelings, which have settled themselves in a naturally unyielding mind; to vanity, which has kindled the desire to be the founder of a sect; and to certain occasions, which had served to call forth these latent principles of evil. It represents him as desiring to bring the Methodists under the controul of the Clergy; and states that the Christian Guardian has been duped by this bait, and seduced by high-church and Calvinistic principles of intolerance to assist in this hopeless undertaking. Now all these assertions are not only totally destitute of any evidence, but are absolutely and entirely untrue: nor can we discover a single line, in either Mr. R.'s Observations or our own review, which can for one moment countenance such charges. Mr. Robinson been either the weak man, or the wicked man, which the Methodist Magazine insinuates, his pamphlet would have dropped still born from the press-our review would never have been written and the Methodist Magazine would have either not noticed the subject at all, or found one-fiftieth part of the space they have now filled am

Had

ply sufficient to guard their readers against the possible mischief. The integrity of Mr. Robinson's character, the soundness of his piety, and the correctness of his reasonings, are clearly demonstrated by the strenuous but ineffectual exertions of his adversaries to degrade, contradict, or refute him. We therefore take leave of the controversy, with the full conviction that Mr. Robinson is well able to defend himself without our assistance.

We must, however, add a few words concerning ourselves and our friends. The Methodists are informed in their Magazine, that "the Christian Guardian represents that part of the Evangelical Clergy who have adopted strict Calvinistic notions;" and that, "where the Evangelical Clergy prevail, whether it be from the deficiency of their theological education, or from other causes, considerable numbers of them are not only Calvinistic, but state their Calvinism in the most crude, indigested, broad, and dangerous form." These assertions are the result of ignorance, and are altogether incorrect. We have both Calvinistic and anti-Calvinistic contributorsand hence expressions may occasionally be found in our pages which approximate to the peculiarities of each;-but strict Calvinism does not prevail either among the Evangelical Clergy in general, or our contributors in particular. In fact, the number of high Calvinists among

It is singular how nearly Mr. Watson, certainly one of the first, if not the very first man among the Methodists, coincides in sentiment with Mr. Robinson. Speaking of a Mr. Cash, he says, "He discovered a radical defect in the old system (Methodism)-a power assumed, not delegated, and exercised without limit and without accountableness; a power which, in the hands of infallible virtue, would have produced the most beneficial effects; but in the hands of fallible men, is often made the instrument of degradation on the one part, and the support of illegal and unCoke also observed, in 1795, “We (rechristian authority on the other." Dr. ferring to the travelling preachers) have all the power, the people none."

the Clergy of the Church of England than such as does, in fact, increase his is very small; and the following damnation, and was designed of God so extract contains very nearly as strong to do. expressions upon Calvinistic points as are usually heard among the Ministers of the Establishment.

"There are three points in debate (1.) Unconditional election. (2.) Irre sistible grace. (3.) Final perseverance. "With regard to the first, unconditional election, I believe,

"That God, before the foundation of the world, did unconditionally elect certain persons to do certain works, as Paul to preach the Gospel :

"That he has unconditionally elected some nations to receive peculiar privileges, the Jewish nation in particular:

"That he has unconditionally elected some nations to hear the Gospel, as England and Scotland now, and many others

in past ages:

"That he has unconditionally elected some persons to many peculiar advantages, both with regard to temporal and spiritual things:

"And I do not deny, (though I cannot prove it is so,)

"That he has unconditionally elected some persons, thence eminently styled the elect,' to eternal glory.

"But I cannot believe,

"That all those who are not thus elected to glory, must perish everlastingly: Or

"That there is one soul on earth who has not, nor ever had, a possibility of escaping eternal damnation.

With regard to the second, irresistible grace, I believe,

"That the grace which brings faith, and thereby salvation into the soul, is irresistible at that moment.

"That most believers may remember some time when God did irresistibly convince them of sin :

"That most believers do, at some other times, find God irresistibly acting upon their souls:

"Yet I believe, that the grace of God, both before and after those moments, may be, and hath been, resisted: And

"That, in general, it does act irresistibly, but we may comply therewith, or may not *.

"And I do not deny,

"That in those eminently styled the elect,' (if such there be,) the grace of God is so far irresistible, that they cannot but believe, and be finally saved."

"But I cannot believe,

"That all those must be damned, in whom it does not thus irresistibly work

Or

"That there is one soul on earth who

has not, and never had, any other grace,

* We do not exactly understand this.

"With regard to the third, final perseverance, I believe,

"That there is a state attainable in this life, from which a man cannot finally fall:

"That he has attained this who is, according to St. Paul's account, a new creature; that is, who can say, Old things are passed away; all things' in me are become new.'

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"And I do not deny,

"That all those eminently styled 'the elect,' will infallibly persevere to the end."-Moore, vol. i. 502, 503.

The sentiments here printed in italics are held by very few, if any, of the Evangelical Clergy; and are scarcely ever on any occasion brought forward.

A large part of the Methodist review is employed in defending the modern Wesleyan system, with reference to the time of service, administration of the sacraments, the ordination of ministers, &c. We have really no inclination to enter into these controversies. All we ask is, that the Methodists will ho nestly avow their real sentiments. Mr. Moore and Dr. Clarke have, in of Methodism as being the same their respective publications, spoken now as in their earlier days.

Methodism (so called) identifies itself liarity, that it is the same this day as it with Christianity in this striking pecuwas in the beginning. Every attempt to mend it has utterly failed, and only served to shew the ignorance and the weakness of the attempt.-Moore, vol. i. xviii.

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