WHEN the great St. Paul, in his epiſtle to the Romans, had a mind to lay a ſolid foundation for the grand diſtinguiſhing doctrines of the goſpel, I need not inform you, that, like a wiſe maſter-builder, he takes care to dig deep into the corruption of human nature; and, after having given us a lively portraiture of the univerſal depravity of the Gentile world, proceeds, in a moſt maſterly manner, to bring down the proud thoughts and high imaginations of the ſelf-righteous and formal Phariſees, by proving, to a demonſtration, that the Jewiſh profeſſors, notwithſtanding all their peculiar advantages of external revelation, circumciſion, near affinity to Abraham, and ſuch like, were all equally included under ſin, were all equally guilty before God, had all equally fallen ſhort of his glory, conſequently were all upon an equal level with the reſt of mankind, and ſtood as much in need of the free grace of God in Chriſt Jeſus, and the ſanctifying operations of his Holy Spirit, as the moſt ſavage Barbarians or diſputing Greek. This was acting like the forerunner or harbinger of our bleſſed Lord: for when he ſaw many of the Sadducees and Phariſees (the infidels and profeſſors of that age) coming to his baptiſm, diſregarding, as it were, the former, in a very pungent, and, what ſome would term, a very unpolite manner, he thus addreſſeth himſelf to the latter: O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to free from the wrath to come? And think not to ſay within yourſelves, We have Abraham for our father: for I ſay unto you, God is able of theſe ſtones to raiſe up children unto Abraham. But why ſpeak I of acting like the forerunner? I ſhould rather have ſaid, this was imitating our common Lord himſelf, who, in his glorious and divine ſermon, (when, to uſe the words of the ſeraphic Hervey, a mount was his pulpit, and the heavens were his ſounding-board), employs himſelf chiefly in detecting the falſe gloſſes and corrupt interpretations of the then maſters of Iſrael, withal adding this cutting aſſertion, viz. Unleſs your righteouſneſs exceeds the righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no caſe enter into the kingdom of heaven.

WHAT a pity is it, my dear friend, that our modern defenders of Chriſtianity, in their elaborate and undoubtedly well-meant treatiſes, have not been more ſtudious to copy after ſuch bright and unerring examples! Many of theſe I know you have read; and am perſuaded, out of your uſual candour, will do them ſo much juſtice as to acknowledge, that, in reſpect to the out-works of religion, ſuch as clearing up the prophecies of the Old, and vindicating the miracles of the New Teſtament, againſt the attacks of Infidels and Freethinkers, they have ſhewn themſelves, as far as bare human learning, added to external revelation, can carry them, to be maſters of ſtrong reaſoning, nervous language, and concluſive arguments. But then, as I have often heard you lament, one thing they ſeem to lack, viz. a deeper and more experimental knowledge of themſelves and Jeſus Chriſt. Hence it is, that when they come to touch upon the internals and vitals of Chriſtianity, they are quite grappled, and write ſo unguardedly of the all-powerful influences of the Holy Ghoſt, as to ſink us into a ſtate of downright formality; which, if the apoſtle Paul may be our judge, we had need as much to be cautioned againſt, as fanaticiſm, ſuperſtition, or infidelity itſelf: For, in his ſecond epiſtle to Timothy, after giving us a dreadful account of the abounding of wicked men in the laſt perilous times, ſuch as lovers of their own ſelves, covetous, boaſters, proud, blaſphemers, diſobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, falſe accuſers, incontinent, fierce, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleaſures more than lovers of God; he brings up the rear in this awful manner, having a form of godlineſs, but denying the power thereof,—from ſuch, ſays he, turn away;—for, to uſe the words of our Lord, publicans and harlots enter into tne kingdom of God before them.

SORRY am I to ſend you word, that a writer of this unhappy ſtamp now lies upon my table; a writer, who, although he intitles his book, The Offices and Operations of the Holy Ghoſt vindicated from the Inſuits of Infidelity and Abuſes of Fanaticiſm, yet, in his great zeal againſt the latter, and to the no ſmall encouragement of the former, as far as perverted reaſon and diſguiſed ſophiſtry could carry him, hath, in effect, robbed the church of Chriſt of its promiſed Comforter, and thereby left us, upon whom the ends of the world are come, without any ſupernatural influence or divine operations whatſoever. Often have I heard you obſerve, that there never was an age in which the ſtewards of the myſteries of Chriſt were more loudly called upon to vindicate the offices and operations of the Holy Spirit than that wherein we live. And for my own part, I cannot help thinking, that the moſt accompliſh'd and duly qualified perſon in the univerſe, could he write or ſpeak ſo extenſively, that the whole world might hear or read him, could not poſſibly expreſs his love to mankind, in general, and the church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own blood, in particular, in a more neceſſary, commendable, and uſeful way, than by declaring, upon the houſe-top, that the Holy Ghoſt, like its almighty purchaſer, is the ſame to-day as he was yeſterday; that he is now, as well as formerly, in the uſe of all inſtituted means, appointed to convince the world of ſin, of righteouſneſs, and judgment; to lead them into all truth, by ſpiritually opening their underſtandings, that they may underſtand the Scriptures; and to renew a clean heart and right ſpirit within them here, in order that they may be thereby prepared for the full enjoyment of a triune and ever-bleſſed God hereafter. This, you will judge, my dear friend, is what any one might have reaſonably expected to have met with in a book bearing ſuch a promiſing title. But, alas! how was I diſappointed! and how will you be equally ſurpriſed, when I tell you, that, upon peruſing the book itſelf, I found that the author, inſtead of vindicating or aſſerting, rather denies and ridicules the ſtanding and unalterable operations of the Holy Ghoſt. For, having ingeniouſly taken a great deal of learned pains againſt the inſinuations of Dr. Middleton, to prove that there once was a Holy Ghoſt; that he did once actually deſcend upon the apoſtles on the day of Pentecoſt; and further, that he did once inſpire the ſacred writers to ſettle the canon of Scripture; he then, in order to tear up ſuperſtition, and, what he calls, fanaticiſm, by the roots, takes infinitely greater pains, (as well he might, being a moſt arduous taſk indeed), to ſhew, that what true believers, in all ages, have always looked upon to be the ſtanding and ordinary operations of the Spirit, viz. Such as manifeſt themſelves in grace and knowledge, and which adminiſter aid in ſpiritual diſtreſſes, are to be accounted and called miraculous, as much as thoſe which extended outwards, in the gifts of healing, and the relief of other corporeal infirmities; and theſe miraculous powers being now, upon the perfect eſtabliſhment of Chriſtianity, totally withdrawn, it conſequently muſt be ſuperſtitious and fanatical to look for, or pretend to be poſſeſſed of, any of thoſe operations which manifeſt themſelves in grace and knowledge, and which adminiſter aid in ſpiritual diſtreſſes. Pages 75.82.83. octavo edition. Strange aſſertions theſe, you will ſay, for a vindicator of the offices and operations of the Holy Ghoſt, againſt the inſults of infidelity and the abuſes of fanaticiſm! Alas! what could a Middleton ſay more? Nay, I could almoſt add, where hath he expreſsly ſaid ſo much? But if it be ſuperſtition to look for, if it be fanaticiſm to ſeek after, and not reſt till we are actually and experimentally poſſeſſed of, the ſupernatural influences of the Bleſſed Spirit, manifeſting themſelves in grace and divine knowledge, and affording aid in ſpiritual diſtreſſes; then may you and I, my dear friend, become more and more ſuperſtitious and fanatical every day: for I am perſuaded, that without ſuch divine manifeſtations as exceed the powers of humanity, were we to be ſigned with the ſign of the croſs, in baptiſm, a thouſand times over, we could never ſucceſsfully fight under its banner againſt ſin, the world, and the devil, and conſequently not ſo much as truly commence, much leſs continue to be, Chriſt's faithful ſervants and ſoldiers, even to the end of our lives.

SURELY, was the apoſtle Paul to riſe from the dead, and read over, or hear of, ſuch ſtrange poſitions, his ſpirit, as once at Athens, would again be ſtirred in him, to ſee a writer thus attempting to erect an altar for the worſhip of an unknown God. I ſay an unknown God. For how is it poſſible, in the very nature of the thing, for us, who are by nature carnal and ſold under ſin, ever to worſhip God, who is a ſpirit, in ſpirit and in truth, without ſome inward manifeſtations of grace and ſpiritual knowledge, ſuperadded to the light of external revelation, to enable us ſo to do? For, to apply what this apoſtle obſerves upon a like occaſion, he is not a real Chriſtian who is only one outwardly; but he alone is a true Chriſtian, who is one inwardly, whoſe baptiſm is that of th • heart, in the ſpirit, and not merely of the water, whoſe praiſe is not of man, but of God. And yet (would you think it?) this writer is ſo unwary as to attempt to preſs this very apoſtle, that true aſſertor of the doctrine of grace, that genuine irrefragable vindicator of the offices and operations of the Holy Spirit, into his miſtaken ſervice. Never, I believe, were the ſaint and the ſcholar, the gentleman and the Chriſtian, more ſweetly blended together than in the character and writings of this favourite of heaven. How often, my dear friend, in our more retired moments, when converſing together concerning the lively oracles of God, have you called upon me to take notice of this truly great man's pertinent and powerful preaching before Felix the governor, as well as his inexpreſſibly polite and perſuaſive addreſs to King Agrippa? And how have you again and again read over to me, and made remarks upon, thoſe ſtriking images, and thoſe divine characteriſtics, which this accompliſhed maſter of human and divine rhetoric lays before us in the 13th chapter of his 1ſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, of that moſt excellent grace of charity or love of God? A grace ſo abſolutely neceſſary to the Chriſtian life, that without it, to uſe the inimitable language of this inſpired writer, though we had a miraculous faith ſo as to remove mountains, nay though we ſhould give all our goods to feed the poor, and even our bodies to be burnt, it would profit us nothing. A grace, that never faileth, but a ſacred ſomething that we ſhall eternally remain poſſeſſed of, and increaſing in, even when faith ſhall end in the viſion, and hope in the endleſs fruition of the ever-bleſſed God. Oh, my dear friend, how frequently have our hearts burnt within us, under the glowing warmth of ſuch an animating proſpect? And yet, incredible as it may ſeem to you, I aſſure you, that this very chapter is ſingled out by our hapleſs author, to prove that ſupernatural manifeſtations of grace and knowledge of ſpiritual aids in ſpiritual diſtreſſes, were the miraculous gifts of the primitive church, and were totally withdrawn on its perfect eſtabliſhment. Surely a more pertinent one could not be ſelected out of the whole New Teſtament, to prove directly the contrary. For let any man impartially examine the glorious inſeparable properties and concomitants of this divine grace and gift of charity, recorded in this chapter, and then make the leaſt doubt whether any perſon living can poſſibly be poſſeſſed of this moſt excellent gift, without thoſe very ſupernatural manifeſtations of grace and knowledge, and thoſe divine influences of the Holy Spirit exceeding the powers of humanity, which this unhappy writer would fain perſuade us are now abated or totally withdrawn. Charity (ſays our apoſtle) ſuffereth long, and is kind—Charity envieth not —Charity vaunteth not itſelf, is not puffed up—ſeeketh not her own—is not eaſily provoked—thinketh no evil—rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth—beareth all things — hopeth all things—endureth all things. Now, can human reaſon, with all its heights; can calm philoſophy, with all its depths; or moral ſuaſion, with all its inſinuating arts; ſo much as pretend to kindle, much leſs to maintain and blow up into a ſettled habitual flame of holy fire, ſuch a ſpark as this in the human heart? Sooner might one attempt to extinguiſh the moſt rapid and devouring flames, by reading a lecture upon the benefit of cold water, or reach out one's preſumptuous hand to create a new heaven and a new earth, than to dream of extinguiſhing thoſe innate fiery paſſions of envy, ſelfiſhneſs, or malice, which this charity or love of God is here ſaid to militate againſt; or to work or form the ſoul into any of thoſe divine tempers here ſpoken of, as the genuine effects and fruits of the love of God. No, my dear friend, theſe are flowers not to be gathered in nature's garden. They are exotics; planted originally in heaven, and in the great work of the new birth, tranſplanted by the Holy Ghoſt, not only into the hearts of the firſt apoſtles or primitive Chriſtians, but into the hearts of all true believers, even to the end of the world. For doubtleſs of all ſuch St. Paul ſpeaks, when he ſays, Tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, experience hope, and hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe the love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoſt which is given unto us. And hence, doubtleſs, it is, that we were all in general lately directed, in one of the collects of our church, to pray to that Lord who hath taught us, that all our doings without charity are nothing worth, that he would ſend the Holy Ghoſt, and pour into our hearts that moſt excellent gift of charity. So that, according to our reformers, ſupernatural influence and manifeſtations of grace and knowledge are ſo far from being totally withdrawn, that they, in the end of this very collect, teach us to confeſs, that without them, or, which is the ſame, without the love of God poured into the heart by the Holy Ghoſt, whoſoever liveth is counted dead before him. But if we will believe our author, charity ſignifies little more than the outward eſtabliſhment of the Chriſtian church, and conſequently that the apoſtle means no more in this chapter than to ſhew us, that prophecies, myſteries, knowledge, (i. e. according to this writer, all ſupernatural knowledge), were to ceaſe when Chriſtianity arrived to a perfect eſtabliſhment. Page 82.— Nay, ſcorning to tread in the ſteps of Whitby, Hammond, Burkit, and every conſiſtent ſpiritual expoſitor of holy writ, our new commentator, out of his paradoxical genius, labours to prove, that when the great apoſtle aſſerts, that charity never ſails, and therefore hath the preference over faith and hope, he means nothing leſs than to aſſert its eternal duration, and that conſequently his true meaning hath hitherto eſcaped every unwary reader but himſelf. Pages 75, 6, 7. Conſcious, no doubt, of this ſingularity, and juſtly aware of its needing ſome apology, he very properly adds, page 82. that ſuch an uncommon interpretation inſtructs the unwary reader with what caution and application he ſhould come to the ſtudy of that profound reaſoning with which all St. Paul's epiſtles abound. And may I not, at leaſt with as great propriety, ſubjoin, that this may alſo inſtruct every unwary reader with what caution he ſhould come to the ſtudy of that profound reaſoning with which this treatiſe abounds? ſo very profound, that I believe it exceeds the power of humanity to fathom its depths, ſo far as to draw out of it any true, conſiſtent interpretation of the apoſtle's reaſoning on this chapter at all.

I might here add, my dear friend, ſome other ſpecimens of our author's manner of explaining Scripture by his human reaſon: for inſtance, "keeping ourſelves unſpotted from the world," he ſays, page 157. ſignifies only our uſing the means of grace. And again when the apoſtle informs us, Epheſ. v. 9. that the, fruit of the Spirit is in all goodneſs, righteouſneſs, and truth, he tells us, that truth refers to Chriſtian doctrine, goodneſs to Chriſtian practice, and by righteouſneſs is meant the conduct of the whole to particulars, and conſiſts in that equal gentleneſs of government, where church-authority is made to coincide with the private rights of conſcience; and this refers to Chriſtian diſcipline How much more pertinent is Mr. Clark's interpretation? —According to him, goodneſs is an inclination to do good to others, truth is freedom from hypocriſy and diſſimulation righteouſneſs is juſt dealing. Eph. v. 9.; with ſeveral ſuch like inſtances, which even the moſt unwary reader, without much ſtudy or application, may meet with ſcattered up and down this author's performance: but this would be too great a digreſſion: And indeed I ſhould not have dwelt ſo long even upon this extraordinary interpretation of the thirteenth chapter of the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, had not this writer himſelf called it this deciſive paſſage, and given it as his opinion, that this is the only expreſs declaration recorded in Scripture, p. 76. to prove, that all ſupernatural knowledge or divine influence was to ceaſe, when Chriſtianity was perfectly eſtabliſhed, or the world arrived at a perfect Chriſtian ſtate. But every day's experience, nay, this author's very book, proving beyond all doubt, that Chriſtianity is not as yet thus perfectly eſtabliſhed, we may, at leaſt as yet, according to his own principles, expect divine manifeſtations of grace and knowledge, and ſpiritual aids under ſpiritual diſtreſſes, without juſtly incurring the imputation either of ſuperſtition or fanaticiſm.

BUT to proceed—However profound and intelligible our author's comments may be, yet, when he comes to ſhew the reaſonableneſs and fitneſs of this thing, viz. an abatement or total withdrawing of divine influence in theſe laſt days, (and wo to the Chriſtian world if he ſucceeds in his unhallowed attempt), he ſpeaks intelligibly enough:—For thus writes our author.—On the Spirit's firſt deſcent upon the apoſtles, he found their minds rude and uninformed, ſtrangers to all celeſtial knowledge, prejudiced in favour of a carnal law, and utterly averſe to the dictates of the everlaſting goſpel. The minds of theſe he illuminated, and, by degrees, led into all truths neceſſary for the profeſſors of the faith to know, or for the propagators of it to teach.— True.—Secondly, the nature and genius of the goſpel were ſo averſe to all the religious inſtitutions of the world, that the whole ſtrength of human prejudices was ſet in oppoſition to it.—To overcome the obſtinacy and violence of thoſe prejudices, nothing leſs than the power of the Holy One was ſufficient."—Good.—And, thirdly and laſtly, There was a time when the powers of this world were combined together for its deſtruction. At ſuch a period nothing but ſuperior aid from above, could ſupport humanity in ſuſtaining ſo great a conflict as that which the holy martyrs encountered with joy and rapture, the horrors of death and torment."—Excellent.—But what follows?—According to our author, Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. But now, adds he, (and a dreadful but it is), the profeſſion of Chriſtianity is attended with eaſe and honour; and we are now, it ſeems, ſo far from being rude and uninformed, and utterly averſe to the dictates of the everlaſting goſpel, that whatever there may be of prejudice, it draws another way.— Conſequently, a rule of faith being now eſtabliſhed, the conviction which the weight of human teſtimony, and the concluſions of human reaſon afford 〈◊〉 of its truth, are abundantly ſufficient to ſupport us in our religious perſeverance; and therefore it muſt certainly be a great mark of fanaticiſm to expect ſuch divine communications, as though no ſuch rule of faith was eſtabliſhed; and alſo as highly preſumptuous or fanatical to imagine that rule to be ſo obſcure as to need the f • rther aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit to explain his own ;meaning. Pages 85.86.87.88. This, you will ſay, my dear friend, is going pretty far. And, indeed, ſuppoſing matters to be as this writer repreſents them to be, I do not ſee what need we have almoſt of any eſtabliſhed rule at all, at leaſt in reſpect to practice, ſince corrupt nature is abundantly ſufficient of itſelf to help us to perſevere in a religion attended with eaſe and honour. And I verily believe, that the Deiſts throw aſide this rule of faith entirely, not barely on account of a deficiency in argument to ſupport its authenticity, but becauſe they daily ſee ſo many who profeſs to hold this eſtabliſhed ſelf-denying rule of faith with their lips, perſevering all their lives long in nothing elſe but an endleſs and inſatiable purſuit after worldly eaſe and honour. But what a total ignorance of human nature, and of the true unalterable genius of the everlaſting goſpel, doth our author's arguing diſcover? For ſuppoſing, my dear friend, that this or any other writer ſhould undertake to prove that the ancient Greeks and Romans were born with ſickly, diſordered, and crazy bodies, but that we, in modern days, being made of a firmer mould, and being bleſſed with the eſtabliſhed rules of Galen and Hippocrates, need now no further aſſiſtance from any preſent phyſician, either to explain or apply thoſe rules to our preſent ails and corporeal diſtreſſes, though we could not, without the help of ſome linguiſt ſuperior to ourſelves, ſo much as underſtand the language in which thoſe authors wrote: — Suppoſing, I ſay, any one was to take it into his head to write in this manner: Would he not be juſtly deemed a dreaming enthuſiaſt or real fanatic? And yet this would be juſt as rational as to inſinuate, with our author, that we, who are born in theſe laſt days, have leſs depravity in our natures, leſs enmity to, and leſs prejudice againſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and leſs need of the divine teachings of the Bleſſed Spirit to help us to underſtand the true ſpiritual meaning of the Holy Scriptures, than thoſe who were born in the firſt ages of the goſpel. For as it was formerly, ſo it is now, the natural man diſcerneth not the things of the Spirit. And why? Becauſe they can only be ſpiritually diſcerned. But when is it that we muſt believe this author? For, page 73. he talks of ſome of the firſt Chriſtians, who were in the happy circumſtance of being found innocent, when they were led into the practice of all virtue by the Holy Spirit. And what occaſion for that, if found innocent? But how innocent did the Holy Spirit find them? Doubtleſs juſt as innocent as it finds us, viz. conceived and born in ſin; having in our fleſh, i. e. our depraved nature, no good thing; bringing into the world with us a corruption which renders us liable to God's wrath and eternal damnation; with a carnal mind, which is enmity againſt God, and a heart, the thoughts and imaginations of which are declared to be only evil, and that continually; and whoſe native and habitual language, though born and educated under a Chriſtian diſpenſation, is identically the ſame as that of the Jews, viz. We will not have the Lord Jeſus to reign over us. This, and this alone, my dear friend, is all the innocence that every man, naturally engendered of the offspring of Adam, whether born in the antediluvian, patriarchal, Moſaic, apoſtolic, or preſent age, can boaſt of. And if this be matter of fact, (and who that knows himſelf can deny it?), it is ſo far from being ſuperſtitious or fanatical to aſſert the abſolute neceſſity of a divine influence, or a power ſuperior to that of humanity, that it is a moſt irrefragable argument for its continuance without the leaſt abatement or withdrawing whatſoever. Since daily experience proves, that, without ſuch a power, our underſtandings cannot be enlightened, our wills ſubdued, our prejudices and enmity overcome, our affections turned into a proper channel, or, in ſhort, any one individual of the apoſtate fallen race of Adam be ſaved. And if ſo, what becomes of our author's arguments to ſhew the fitneſs of an abatement or total withdrawing of divine influence in theſe goſpel-days? Might he not, with as great conſiſtency, have undertaken to ſhew the fitneſs of an abatement or total withdrawing of the irradiating light and genial warmth of the natural ſun? For, as the earth, on which we tread, ſtands as much in need now of the abiding influence of the genial rays of that great luminary in order to produce, keep up, and complete the vegetative life in graſs, fruits, plants, and flowers, as it did in any preceding age of the world; ſo our earthly hearts do now, and always will, ſtand in as much need of the quickening, enlivening, transforming influences of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt, that glorious Sun of righteouſneſs, as the hearts of the firſt apoſtles; if not to make us preachers, yet to make us Chriſtians, viz. by beginning, carrying on, and completing that holineſs in the heart and life of every believer in every age, without which no man living ſhall ſee the Lord. And the Scriptures are ſo far from encouraging us to plead for a diminution of divine influence in theſe laſt days of the goſpel, becauſe an external rule of faith is thereby eſtabliſhed, that, on the contrary, we are encouraged by this very eſtabliſhed rule to expect, hope, long, and pray, for larger and more extenſive ſhowers of divine influence than any former age hath ever yet experienced. For, are we not therein taught to pray, that we may be filled with all the fulneſs of God, and to wait for a glorious epocha, when the earth ſhall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the ſeas? Do not all the ſaints on earth, and all the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect in heaven, nay, all the angels and archangels about the throne of the moſt high God, night and day, join in this united cry, Lord Jeſus, thus let thy kingdom come.

BUT by this time, my dear friend, I imagine you would be glad to know againſt whom theſe bruta fulmina, this unſcriptural artillery, is levelled.— Our author ſhall inform you.—All modern pretenders to divine Influence in general; and you may be aſſured the poor Methodiſts (thoſe ſcourges and eye-ſores of formal, ſelf-righteous, letter-learned profeſſors) in particular.—To expoſe, and ſet theſe off in a ridiculous light, (a method that Julian, after all his various tortures, found moſt effectual), this writer runs from Dan to Beerſheba; gives us quotation upon quotation out of the Rev. Mr. John Weſley's Journals; and, to uſe his own ſimile upon another occaſion, by a kind of Egyptian huſbandry, draws together whole droves of obſcene animals, of his own formation, who ruſh in furiouſly, and then trample the Journals, and this ſect, already every where ſpoken againſt, under their feet.—In reading this part of his work, I could not help thinking of the Papiſts dreſſing John Huſs in a cap of painted devils, before they delivered him up to the ſecular arm.—For our author calls the Rev. Mr. John Weſley—paltry mimic—ſpiritual empiric—ſpiritual martialiſt—meek apoſtle—new adventurer.—The Methodiſts, according to him, are—modern apoſtles—the ſaints— new miſſionaries—illuminated doctors—this ſect of fanatics.—Methodiſm itſelf is modern ſaintſhip: —Mr. Law begat it, and Count Zinzendorf rocked the cradle—and the devil himſelf is man-midwife to their new birth.— And yet this is the man, my dear friend, who in his preface to this very book lays it down as an invariable maxim, That truth is never ſo groſsly injured, or its advocates ſo diſhonoured, as when they employ the fooliſh arts of ſophiſtry, buffoonery, and perſonal abuſe in its defence. By thy own pen ſhalt thou be tried, thou hapleſs, miſtaken advocate of the Chriſtian cauſe.— Nay, not content with dreſſing up this meek apoſtle, this ſpiritual empiric, theſe new miſſionaries, in bearſkins, in order to throw them out to be baited by an ill natured world, he proceeds to rake up the very aſhes of the dead; and, like the witch of Endor, as far as in him lies, attempts to bring up and diſquiet the ghoſts of one of the moſt venerable ſets of men that ever lived upon the earth; I mean the good Old Puritans.—For theſe, ſays our author, who now go under the name of Methodiſts, in the days of our forefathers, under the firm reign of Queen Elizabeth, were called Preciſians;—but then, as a precious metal which had undergone its trial in the fire and left all its droſs, the ſect, with great propriety, changed its name, (a very likely thing to give themſelves a nickname, indeed), from Preciſian to Puritan.—Then in the weak and diſtracted times of Charles I. it ventured to throw off the maſk, and under the new name of Independent, became the chief agent of all the dreadful diſorders which terminated that unhappy reign.—So that, according to this author's heraidic, genealogical fiction, Methodiſm is the younger daughter to Independency, and now a Methodiſt is an apoſtolic Independent; (God grant he may always deſerve ſuch a glorious appellation); but an Independent was then a Mahometan Methodiſt. Pag. 142.113.144.— What!— an Independent a Mahometan Methodiſt?—What!—the learned Dr. Owen, the great Dr. Goodwin, the amiable Mr. Howe, and thoſe glorious worthies who firſt planted the New-England churches, Mahometan Methodiſts? Would to God, that not only this writer, but all who now profeſs to preach Chriſt in this land, were not only almoſt, but altogether ſuch Mahometan Methodiſts, in reſpect to the doctrine of divine influence, as they were! For I will venture to affirm, that if it had not been for ſuch Mahometan Methodiſts, and their ſucceſſors, the free-grace Diſſenters, we ſhould, ſome years ago, have been in danger of ſinking into Mahometan Methodiſm indeed; I mean, into a Chriſtianity deſtitute of any divine influence manifeſting itſelf in grace and knowledge, and void of any ſpiritual aid in ſpiritual diſtreſſes.—But from ſuch a Chriſtianity, good Lord deliver this happy land.—The deſign our author had in view in drawing ſuch a parallel, is eaſily ſeen through.—Doubtleſs to expoſe the preſent Methodiſts to the jealouſy of the civil government. For, ſays he, p. 142. We ſee Methodiſm at preſent under a well-eſtabliſhed government, where it is obliged to wear a leſs audacious look.—To know its true character, we ſhould ſee it in all its fortunes.—And doth this writer then, in order to gratify a ſinful curioſity of ſeeing Methodiſm in all its fortunes, deſire to have the pleaſure of ſeeing the weak and diſtracted times of Charles I. brought back again? Or dares he inſinuate, that becauſe, as he immediately adds, our country hath been productive of every ſtrange thing, that we are in the leaſt danger now of any ſuch diſtracting turn, ſince we have a King upon the throne, who, in his firſt moſt gracious ſpeech to both houſes of Parliament declared, he would preſerve the Act of Toleration inviolable? And that being the caſe, bleſſed be God, we are in no danger of any return of ſuch weak and diſtracted times, either from the apoſtolic Independents, Mahometan Methodiſts, or any religious ſect or party whatſoever. My dear friend, if this is not gibbetting up names, with unregenerate malice, to everlaſting infamy, I know not what is. But it happens in this, as in ſimilar caſes, whilſt men are thus buſy in gibbetting up the names of others, they unwittingly, like Haman, when preparing a gallows for that apoſtolic Independent, that Mahometan Methodiſt Mordecai, all the while are only erecting a gibbet for their own.

BUT, methinks, I ſee you now to begin to be impatient to know, (and indeed I have neither inclination nor leiſure at preſent to purſue our author any further), who this can be that takes ſuch gigantic ſtrides?—I aſſure you a perfect Goliath in the retinue of human learning.—Will you gueſs?—Perhaps Dr. T—r of Norwich.—No—he is dead.—Certainly not a churchman?—Yes; a member, a miniſter, a dignitary, a biſhop of the church of England; —and, to keep you no longer in ſuſpenſe, it is no leſs a man than Dr. Warburton, the author of The divine legation of Moſes, and now William Lord Biſhop of Glouceſter.—I know you are ready to ſay, Tell it not in Gath, publiſh it not in the ſtreets of Aſkelon. But my dear friend, what can be done?—His Lordſhip hath publiſhed it himſelf; nay, his book hath juſt now gone through a ſecond impreſſion; and that you may ſee and judge for yourſelf, whether I have wronged his Lordſhip or not, (as it is not very weighty). I have ſent you the book itſelf.—Upon the peruſal, I am perſuaded you will at leaſt be thus far of my opinion, that however decus et tutamen is always the motto engraven upon a biſhop's mitre, it is not always moſt certain, though his Lordſhip, p. 202. ſays it is, that they are written in every prelate's breaſt. And how can this prelate in particular be ſaid to be the ornament or ſafeguard of the church of England, when his principles are as directly contrary to the offices of that church over which he is, by divine permiſſion, made overſeer, as light is contrary to darkneſs? You know, my dear friend, what our miniſters are taught to ſay when they baptize: I beſeech you to call upon God the Father, thro' our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that of his bounteous goodneſs he will grant to this child that thing which by nature he cannot have. But what ſays his Lordſhip?—All influence exceeding the power of humanity is miraculous, and therefore to abate or be totally withdrawn, now the church is perfectly eſtabliſhed. What ſay they when they catechiſe? My good child, know this, that thou art not able to do theſe things of thyſelf, nor to walk in the commands of God, and to ſerve him, without his ſpecial grace. —But what ſays his Lordſhip?—A rule of faith being now eſtabliſhed, the conviction which the weight of human teſtimony, and the concluſions of human reaſon afford, are abundantly ſufficient to ſupport us in our religious perſeverance.—What ſays his Lordſhip himſelf, when he confirms children thus catechiſed? Strengthen them, we beſeech thee, O Lord, with the Holy Ghoſt, the Comforter, and daily increaſe in them thy manifold gifts of grace, the ſpirit of wiſdom and underſtanding, the ſpirit of counſel and ghoſtly ſtrength.—But what ſays his Lordſhip, when he ſpeaks his own ſentiments?—All aids in ſpiritual diſtreſſes, as well as •• oſe which adminiſtered help in corporeal diſeaſes, are now abated, or totally withdrawn.—What ſays his Lordſhip when he ordains? Doſt thou truſt that thou art inwardly moved by the Holy Ghoſt? — Receive thou the Holy Ghoſt.

What ſays his Lordſhip when pronouncing the bleſſing? The peace of God, which paſſeth all underſtanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God.—But what ſays his Lordſhip when retired to his ſtudy?—All ſupernatural influence, manifeſting itſelf in grace and knowledge, is miraculous, and therefore to ceaſe under a perfect eſtabliſhment. —What ſays?—But I check myſelf;—for the time would fail me was I to urge all thoſe quotations that might be produced out of the Articles, Homilies, and Public Offices, to confront and invalidate the whole tenor and foundation of his Lordſhip's performance. But how it is conſiſtent with that wiſdom which is from above, (and by which his Lordſhip attempts to arraign, try, and condemn the Rev. Mr. John Weſley, to ſubſcribe to, and make uſe of, public offices in the church, and then as publicly deny and contradict them in the preſs, I leave to his Lordſhip's more calm and deliberate conſideration. Sure I am, if weighed in the ſame balance, his Lordſhip would be found as equally wanting at leaſt. And indeed, during the whole trial, I could ſcarcely refrain breaking out into the language of the eunuch of Queen Candace to Philip the evangeliſt, Speaketh the prophet this of himſelf, or of ſome other man?—I hope, my dear friend, you know me better than to ſuſpect I thus retort upon his Lordſhip, in order to throw duſt in your eyes to prevent your ſeeing what his Lordſhip may juſtly except againſt in the conduct of the Methodiſts in general, or in the Journals of the Rev. Mr. John Weſley in particular. Whatever that indefatigable labourer may think of his, you know I have long ſince publicly acknowledged, that there were, and doubtleſs, though now ſent forth in a more correct attire, there are yet, many exceptionable paſſages in my Journals. And I hope it will be one of the conſtant employments of my declining years, to humble myſelf daily before the moſt high God, for the innumerable mixtures of corruption which have blended themſelves with my feeble, but, I truſt, ſincere endeavours, whether from the preſs or pulpit, to promote the Redeemer's glory, and the eternal welfare of precious and immortal ſouls. And I aſſure you, that if his Lordſhip had contented himſelf with pointing out, or even ridiculing any ſuch blemiſhes or imprudences, or yet ſtill more important miſtakes, in my own, or any of the Methodiſts conduct or performances, I ſhould have ſtood entirely ſilent. But when I obſerved his Lordſhip, through almoſt his whole book, not only wantonly throwing about the arrows and firebrands of ſcurrility, buffoonery, and perſonal abuſe, but, at the ſame time, on account of ſome unguarded expreſſions and indiſcretions of a particular ſet of honeſt, though fallible men, taking occaſion to wound, vilify, and totally deny the all-powerful, ſtanding operations of the Bleſſed Spirit, by which alone his Lordſhip or any other man living can be ſanctified and ſealed to the day of eternal redemption, I muſt own that I was conſtrained to vent myſelf to you, as a dear and intimate friend, in the manner I have done. Make what uſe of it you pleaſe. Perhaps hereafter I may trouble you with ſome further remarks. At preſent, you know, I am on the load to Scotland, in order to embark for America. And therefore I would now only obſerve to you further, that the unguarded-unwary method made uſe of by his Lordſhip to ſtop, will rather ſerve to increaſe and eſtabliſh what he is pleaſed to term a ſect of fanatics. The more judicious Biſhop Burnet, as I heard an acute advocate once obſerve, in the general aſſembly of the church of Scotland, preſcribed a much better (and indeed the only effectual and truly apoſtolic) way to ſtop the progreſs of the Puritan miniſters, when complained againſt to his Lordſhip, by ſome of his clergy, for breaking into and preaching in their parochial charges: Out-live, out-labour, out-preach them, ſaid his Lordſhip. And that the Reverend Mr. John Weſley himſelf (that famed leader of the Methodiſts) and every Methodiſt preacher in England may be thus 〈◊〉 and entirely annihilated, is, and ſhall be, the hearty prayer of one, who, though leſs than the leaſt of them all, begs leave to ſubſcribe himſelf, in great haſte, but greater love and eſteem,