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service of it no more, and to advise all our societies to take the same steps. I judged this to be a matter of great importance, and would therefore do nothing hastily; but referred it to the body of preachers then met in conterence. We had several meetings, in which he proposed all his reasons for it at large. They were severally considered and answered, and we all determined "not to leave the church."

9. A year ago Dr. Coke began officiating at our chapel in Dublin. This was no more than had been done in London for between forty and fifty years. Some persons immediately began to cry out, "This is leaving the church, which Mr. Wesley has continually declared he would never do." And I declare so still. But I appeal to all the world, I appeal to common sense, I appeal to the Observer himself, could I mean hereby, "I will not have service in church hours," when I was doing it all the time? Could I, even then, deny that I had service in church hours? No. But I denied, and do deny still, that this is leaving the church, either in the sense of Bishop Gibson, or of Mr. Smyth at the Dublin Conference! Yet by this outery many well meaning people were frightened well nigh out of their

senses.

10. But see the consequences of having Sunday service here. See the confusion this occasioned! Some time since, while a popular preacher was preaching at Leeds, one cried out, "Fire.! fire!" The people took fright-some leaped over the gallery; and several legs and arms were broken. But upon whom were these consequences to be charged? Not on the preacher, but on him that made the outcry. Apply this to the present case. I have kindled no more fire in Dublin than I did in London. It is the Observer, and a few other mischief-makers, who fright the people out of their senses: and they must answer to God for the consequence.

11. This is my answer to them that trouble me, and will not let my gray hairs go down to the grave in peace. I am not a man of duplicity: I am not an old hypocrite, a double tongued knave. More than forty years I have frequented Ireland. I have wished to do some good there. I now tell a plain tale, that "the good which is in me, may not be evil spoken of." I have no temporal end to serve. I seek not the honour that cometh of men. It is not for pleasure, that at this time of life, I travel three or four thousand miles a year. It is not for gain,

No foot of land do I possess,
No cottage in this wilderness,
A poor way-faring man :
I lodge awhile in tents below,
Or gladly wonder to and fro,
Till I my Canaan gain.

J. WESLEY.

P. S. At the desire of a friend, I add a few words in answer to one or two other objections.

First. When I said, "I believe I am a scriptural Bishop," I spoke on lord King's supposition, that bishops and presbyters are essentially one order.

Secondly. I did desire Mr. Myles to assist me in delivering the cup. Now be this right or wrong, how does it prove the point now in question, "That I leave the church?" I ask, 2. What law of the church forbids this? and, 3, What law of the primitive church? Did not the priest, in the primitive church, send both the bread and wine to the sick by whom he pleased, though not ordained at all? Thirdly. The Observer affirms, "To say you will not leave the church, meaning thereby all the true believers-in England, is trifling." Certainly but I do not mean so when I say, "I will not leave the church." I mean, unless I see more reason for it than I ever yet saw, I will not leave the Church of England as by law established while the breath of God is in my nostrils.

:

The above letter was published in the Dublin Chronicle, Thursday, June 11, 1789.

LETTERS TO MR. SAMUEL WESLEY.

THE following letters written in the early part of Mr. Wesley's life, appeared in a small collection of letters by Mr. Wesley and his friends; published in the year 1791, by Dr. Priestley.

DEAR BROTHER,*

LETTER I.

I RETURN you thanks for your favourable judgment on my sermon, and for the alterations you direct me to make in it: yet, in order to be still better informed, I take the liberty to make some objections to some of them, in one or two of which I believe you misunderstood me.

The reason why I conceive the Samaritans to have been idolaters, are, 1st. Because our Saviour says of them, "Ye worship ye know not what," which seems to refer plainly to the object of their worship; and, 2dly. Because the old inhabitants of Samaria, who succeeded the Israelites, were undoubtedly so, and I never heard that they were much amended in after times: "These nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children and their children's children." 2 Kings xvii. 41.

II. Were the Jews obliged to love wicked men? And is not our commandment extended to some cases to which theirs did not reach? To the excluding some instances of revenge, which were indulged to them?

We are doubtless to love good men more than others: but to have inserted it, where I was only to prove that we were to love them, and not how much, would not, I think, have been to my purpose.

This letter is without a date, but it appears to have been written from Oxford:

Where our Saviour exerts his authority against his opposers, I cannot think it safe for me to follow him. I would much sooner, in those cases, act by his precepts than example; the one was certainly designed for me, the other possibly was not. The author had power

to dispense with his own laws, and wisdom to know when it was necessary; I have neither.

No one would blame a man for using such sharpness of speech as St. Stephen does, especially in a prayer made in the article of death, with the same intention as his.

What you understand as spoken of rulers, I expressly say of private men: "As well every ruler as every private man must act in a legal way; and the latter might, with equal reason, apply the civil sword himself, as use violent means," by which I hear mean reviling, studiously and unnecessarily defaming, or handing about ill stories of wicked men, "to preserve the church.”

I believe it to be, more especially, the duty of governors, to try to amend scandalous offenders. 2. That flagrant immorality is a sufficient reason to shun any one. 3. That to the weak and private Christian, it is an unanswerable reason for so doing. 4. That in many cases a private Christian, in some, a clergyman is not obliged to admonish more than once. But this being allowed, still, the main argument stands, that the Scripture no where authorizes a private person to do more than to shun a heretic, or (which I expressly mention) an obstinate offender. I had not the least thought of any retrospect in them, neither when I wrote or spoke those words: “If Providence has pointed you out, &c."

My mother's reason for my cutting off my hair, is because she fancies it prejudices my health. As to my looks, it would doubtless mend my complexion to have it off, by letting me get a little more colour, and perhaps it might contribute to my making a more genteel appearance. But these, till ill health is added to them, I cannot persuade myself to be sufficient grounds for losing two or three pounds a year. I am ill enough able to spare them.

Mr. Sherman says there are garrets somewhere in Peck-water, to be let for fifty shillings a year; and there are too some honest fellows in college, who would be willing to chum in one of them; and that could my brother but find one of these garrets, and get acquainted with one of these honest fellows he might very possibly prevail upon him to join in taking it; and then, if he could but prevail upon some one else to give him seven pounds a year for his own room, he would gain almost six pounds a year clear, if the rent were well paid. He appealed to me, whether the proposal was not exceeding reasonable? But as I could not give him such an answer as he desired, I did not choose to give him any at all.

In

Leisure and I have taken leave of one another; I propose to be busy as long as I live, if my health is so long indulged to me. health and sickness I hope I shall ever continue with the same sincerity, Your loving brother, J. WESLEY.

My love and service to my sister.

LETTER II.

Gravesend, on board the Simmonds, Oct. 15, 1735.

DEAR BROTHER,

I PRESENTED Job* to the queen on Sunday, and had many good words and smiles; out of what is due to me on that account, I beg you would first pay yourself what I owe you; and, if I live till spring, I can then direct what I would have done with the remainder.

The uncertainty of my having another opportunity to tell you my thoughts in this life, obliges me to tell you what I have often thought of, and that in as few and plain words as I can. Elegance of style is not to be weighed against purity of heart, purity both from the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life. Therefore whatever has any tendency to impair that purity, is not to be tolerated, much less recommended, for the sake of that elegance. But of this sort (I speak not from the reason of the thing only, nor from my single experience) are the most of the classics usually read in great schools: many of them tending to inflame the lusts of the flesh, (besides Ovid, Virgil's Eneid, and Terence's Eunuch,) and more, to feed the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, who would have us holy, as he is holy, that you banish all such poison from your school; that you introduce, in their place, such Christian authors, as will work together with you in building up your flock in the knowledge and love of God. For assure yourself, dear brother, you are even now called to the converting of heathens as well as I.

So many souls are committed to your charge by God, to be prepared for a happy eternity. You are to instruct them, not only in the beggarly elements of Greek and Latin, but much more, in the gospel. You are to labour with all your might to convince them, that Christianity is not a negation, or an external thing, but a new heart, a mind conformed to that of Christ, "faith working by love." We recommend you and your's to God. Pray for us. I am, your affectionate brother and servant in Christ,

J. WESLEY.

LETTER III.

Savannah, Nov. 23, 1736.

O PRAY write, and (if it may be) speak, that they may remem "ber him again, who did run well, but are now hindered.

I think, the rock on which I had the nearest made shipwreck of the faith, was the writings of the mystics: under which term I comprehend all, and only those, who slight any of the means of grace.

I have drawn up a short scheme of their doctrines, partly from conversations I have had, and letters, and partly from their most approved writers, such as Tauler, Molinos, and the author of Theologia Germanica. I beg your thoughts upon it, as soon as you can

* A Folio by his father, in Latin.

conveniently; and that you would give me them as particularly, fully, and strongly, as your time will permit. They may be of consequence, not only to all in this province, but to nations of Christians yet unborn.

"All means are not necessary for all men: therefore each person must use such means, and such only, as he finds necessary for him. But since we can never attain our end by being wedded to the same means, therefore we must not obstinately cleave unto any thing, lest it become a hinderance, not a help.

"Observe, further, when the end is attained, the means cease. Now all the other things enjoined, are means to love and love is attained by them who are in the inferior way, who are utterly divested of free-will, of self-love, and self-activity, and are entered into the passive state. These deified men, in whom the superior will has extinguished the inferior, enjoy such a contemplation, as is not only above faith, but above sight; such as is entirely free from images, thoughts, and discourse, and never interrupted by sins of infirmity, or voluntary distractions. They have absolutely renounced their reason and understanding: else they could not be guided by a divine light. They seek no clear or particular knowledge of any thing; but only an obscure general knowledge, which is far better. They know it is mercenary, to look for a reward from God, and inconsistent with perfect love.

"Having thus attained the end, the means must cease: Hope is swallowed up in love. Sight, or something more than sight, takes place of faith. All particular virtues they possess in the essence, (being wholly given up to the divine will,) and therefore need not the distinct exercise of them. They work likewise all good works essentially, not accidentally, and use all outward means, only as they are moved thereto; and then to obey superiors, or to avoid giving offence; but not as necessary or helpful to them.

"Public prayer, on any forms, they need not; for they pray without ceasing. Sensible devotion in any prayer they despise; it being a great hinderance to perfection. The Scripture they need not read; for it is only his letter, with whom they converse face to face. And if they do read it now and then, as for expounders, living or dead, reason, philosophy, (which only puffs up, and vainly tries to bind God by logical definitions and divisions,) as for knowledge of tongues, or ancient customs, they need none of them, any more than the apostles did, for they have the same spirit. Neither do they need the Lord's Supper, (for they never cease to remember Christ in the most acceptable manner,) any more than fasting, since by constant temperance they keep a continual fast.

"You that are to advise them that have not yet attained perfection, press them to nothing; not to self-denial, constant private prayer, reading the Scriptures, fasting, communicating. If they love heathen poets, let them take their full swing in them: speak but little to them (in the mean time) of eternity. If they are affected, at any time, with what you say, say no more: let them apply it,

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