deeds of the law fhall no flesh be juftified," Rom. iii. 20. Gal. ii. 16. The Law came by Mofes, but grace and truth by Jefus Chrift; and there is but one name given under heaven by which we can be faved, and that is the name of the LORD JESUS. His grace is freely offered to us, and unless we accept it, we cannot be his difciples; and if we difown him for a Saviour, we cannot expect to be partakers of that Redemption which He has purchased for all who believe in him. Befides, if we confider that without Faith it is impoffible to please God, we muft furely applaud the labours of those preachers who, like St. Paul, have refolved to preach nothing but JESUS CHRIST and him crucified. "By grace we are faved through faith, faith the Apostle, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God," Eph. ii. 8. The Methodists. therefore fo far from depreciating the ncceffity of moral obligation, are amongst its most ftrenuous and powerful advocates; they place it on the only foundation on which it can exift, and they hold faith as the strongest incentive to the practice of it.

Much fevere cenfure has of late years been paffed upon certain vehement expreffions made ufe of in our Preaching Houses; and the people who have thus given way to their feelings, by crying aloud for mercy when they have been convinced of fin, have been made the fubjects of ridicule and contempt. Before I became a Methodist, I was equally as inimical to thefe proceedings as any other person could be; but when 1 recollect the emotions of my own mind at the time I was first converted to God, I can no longer be furprized at the fame feelings in others, causing them to break out into loud and repeated ejaculations, and giving rife to fuch outward figns and expreffions, as can only be the effect of ftrong internal agitation. When in the ordinary affairs of life we are oppreffed with grief, or elated with joy, do not our counte nance, our words, and our geftures evidently befpeak the state of our mind? And fhall we wonder that a man juft made fenfible of his ruined condition by nature, and feeing himself guilty before God, fhould be fo filled with terror and alarm, as to fall proftrate at the throne of grace, and pray aloud for pardon and mercy? And on the other hand, when the finner thus awakened experiences the pardoning love of God, and feels within him the power of God unto falvation, is it matter of aftonishment if such a one, awhile forgetful of the place wherein he is, break out fuddenly into exclamations of praife and thanksgiving, and in the language of the Pfalmift, call upon the people to give thanks unto the Lord for his goodnefs, to exalt him in the affembly of the elders, to ferve him with gladness, and come before his prefence with thankfgiving; For he hath brought me out of darknefs and the fhadow of death, he hath broken my bonds afunder; he hath redeemed me from the hand of my enemy; he hath visited me with his falvation. O! that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the chil dren of men! Pfalms 100. 106, 107.

Whoever

Whoever reads the accounts of conviction recorded in the New Teftament, particularly those mentioned in the A&ts, will find that when men were converted under the preaching of the Apoftles, their diftrefs of foul was very great, that "they were pricked in their hearts," Acts ii. 37; that they came "trembling and fell down," importunately crying out, "Sirs, what must we do to be faved," Acts xvi. 30.

I would not be underftood from what I have faid, to approve, altogether, much less to encourage these vociferous meetings; for I believe the grand work of converfion may be carried on with equal effect in perfect filence; but I have adduced the above in. ftances only to prove that fuch expreffions of fervour, are not as many have fuppofed, inconfiftent with true Religion, and do not originate merely from an heated imagination. And it is my real opinion, founded on good authority, that they have often been. the fruits of a fincere repentance, and that in many cafes if these meetings have not immediately produced, they have at least preceded a total reformation of life and manners, amongst numbers of the inferior claffes of fociety.

It appears however to me, that when these fudden converfions happen in a public place of worship, it is far more eligible, where it can be done, for the perfon fo affected to retire into a private house, accompanied by one or two of his friends, who may exhort and pray with him till his foul be fet at liberty, and his mind made happy. Mean time, let us remember that we have different ways of expreffing the fame feelings; and we fhould make allowances for the difference of difpofition, of conftitution, of education and of habit.

Inftead therefore of cenfuring as prepofterous and abfurd, thofe actions in others which do not accord with our own ideas and feelings upon the fubject, let us rather bear with one another's failings, caft a veil over their imperfections; and howfoever we may differ from fome of our brethren in matters of fmall moment, let us "put away from us all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil fpeaking, with all malice," Eph. iv. 31.. and endeavour as far as we can, to live peaceably and amicably with all men.

SECTION III. Of the general Character of the PREACHERS.

Our bleffed Lord previous to his death, animated his Apoftles with an encouraging promife of divine affiftance, requifite for all their future engagements, affectionately affuring them that he would not leave them comfortless. "I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth. He fhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you," John xiv. 16,-26. Accordingly we read, "that when the day of Pentecoft was fully come, they were all with one ac cord in one place. And fuddenly there came a found from heaven, 3 Da

as

as of a rufhing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were fitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it fat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghoft, and began to fpeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance," Acts ii. 1, 2, 3, 4.

In confequence of this divine influence, the Apoftles were infpired with the knowledge of different languages, went into various countries, fpake the word with boldnefs, and were enabled to confirm their miffion by miracles and other fpiritual gifts. Now, although these miraculous powers were confined to the early ages of Christianity, yet the faving and fanctifying graces of the Spirit ftill remain; "For the manifeftation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal," 1 Cor. xii. 7. But there is a diverfity of gifts, or different operations of the fame Spirit. To fome is given in a more remarkable degree the Spirit of faith; to others the Spirit of prayer, and to others the Spirit of refignation.

Some are gifted with fhining talents, whofe light may illumine those who fit in darkness; whilft others in humble and obfcure ftations are made happy in the love of God, and enjoy in filence a fweet ferenity of mind, which can only arife from the fecret workings of God's Spirit upon their fouls. Again, fome are called in a more efpecial manner to preach the Gofpel, and are endowed with gifts which enable them to discharge the duties of their miniftry, with boldnefs and with effect.

And that this gift proceeds immediately from God, or the particular operation of the Spirit, is evident from many paffages of the New Teftament. We find in the tenth chapter of the Acts, both Jews and Gentiles were converted under the preaching of Peter, and that as foon as the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured upon them," they fpake with tongues, and magnified God," ver. 45, 46. And if, as we are informed, holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Spirit, 2 Pet. i. 21; fo it is equally certain that at this day "no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft," 1 Cor. xii. 3.

It is not neceffary that a Preacher of the Gofpel fhould be a man of extensive knowledge, of a polifhed education, or naturally ftrong parts. So far is this from being required, that the Apoftle tells us, "the wifdom of this world is foolifhnefs with God," 1 Cor. iii. 19. "Where is the wife? where is the fcribe ? where is the difputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the things of this world?" 1 Cor. i. 20. "Out of the mouths of babes and fucklings, God hath ordained ftrength. Which things alfo we fpeak not in the word man's wifdom teacheth; but which the Holy Ghoft teacheth," 1 Cor. ii. 13. Many of our preachers are men of mean birth, without education, accustomed to earn their livelihood by manual labour, and have enjoyed few of thofe advantages of reading and converfation, which are fo amply afforded to the higher claffes of fociety. Their manners may be unpolifhed, their language coarfe, the found of their voice unharmonious, and

their expreffion vulgar, yet with all thefe defects, they may preach with power, and be inftrumental in bringing many fouls to repentance, and to the knowledge of the true God.

The qualifications therefore which the rules of our fociety require, for a preacher to be received into full connection, are the following: He must have experienced the pardoning love of God. He must have the love of God abiding in him. He must feek and defire nothing but the glory of God, and be holy in all manner of converfation. He must have read and ftudied the Scripture, and have a juft conception of falvation by faith, and the fanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit. He must have a tolerable degree of utterance. He muft fpeak juftly, readily and clearly; and evidence must be given that fome have been truly convinced of fin, and converted to God by his preaching. "As long as these marks concur in any one, we believe he is called of God to preach. These we receive as fufficient proof, that he is moved thereto by the Holy Ghoft."*

If we confider our preachers in their minifterial capacities, we find them exceeding active and laborious in the discharge of their functions. They feldom pafs over a day without preaching fomewhere; not content with their duty on appointed days at their own chapels, they traverfe the country round, officiating at various private houses, feeking out opportunities of doing good, advifing. exhorting, reproving, and praying with the people, as they fee occafion. Not having the fear of man before them, they fpeak the truth with boldnefs and fimplicity; they adapt their manner and their fubject to the fituation, wants, and difpofition of their hearers; they attack their darling fins, and combat their mot rooted prejudices; their difcourfes are alike calculated to awaken the impenitent finner, and to pour the balm of confolation into the broken and contrite fpirit. And thofe who have already been juftified by faith, and have the love of God fhed abroad in their hearts, are powerfully invited to "ftand faft in that liberty, wherewith Chrift hath made them free," and to bring forth the fruits of "the Spirit, in all goodness, and righteoufnefs, and truth," Eph.

v. 9..

It is the business alfo of the preachers, to meet the claffes occafionally, to be prefent at all the love feafts, and to meet the fo ciety after public fervice on the Sabbath, when opportunity occurs. In the private walks of life, the character of our preachers in general is diftinguifhed by an uniformity of conduct, correfponding to the doctrines they teach. They endeavour to adorn the Gospel of God their Saviour in all things. They are regular and conftant in their devotions, in family prayer and private meditations; their manners fimple, their converfation edifying, their dress plain, and their deportment grave. They are feldom or never triflingly em ployed, they have neither time nor inclination to mix in the giddy

WESLEY'S Minutes,

amufements

amufements of the world: They do not affect to be gentlemen; they look upon themselves as the fervants of all. They are temperate and fober, have no fupernumerary hours to waste in fleep; their chief ftudy is, how to redeem the time, and their greatest pleasure confifts in reclaiming men from fin, in beholding the downfall of the kingdom of fatan, and the diffufion of religious light and liberty. But there is ftill another point of view in which I thall confider them before I clofe this Section, and that is, as vifiters of fick and dying perfons.

Their affectionate exhortations, and fervent prayers in behalf of the unhappy fufferers, are often rendered great bleffings. No time is loft in unneceffary enquiries, in idle fpeculations, or abftract reafonings; if they have lived in wickednefs, they are earneftly folicited to call upon the Lord, faying, "God be merciful to me a finner!" They are directed to fly to that fountain for guilt and fin which is open to all, and by which alone they can be cleanfed from their iniquities, "Believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift and thou fhalt be faved." God defireth not the death of a finner; he invites you, he encourages you to come unto him; he points out a road by which you may find accefs, through faith; 'Chrift has not only died for your fins, but now liveth, making interceffion for you at the right hand of his Father. Give him then your whole heart; caft all your care upon him who careth for you; pray to him to give you faith; cry to him for mercy; remember that Chrift came not to call the righteous but finners to repentance, that "his blood can wath the fouleft clean," that the grace of God is fufficient for you, that his ftrength is perfected in your weakness Look up, be of good cheer, perhaps this night your fins may be forgiven you. God himfelf waiteth to make you happy, the angels of Heaven fhall rejoice in your converfion, and you fhall find joy and peace and reft to your fouls."

When called to vifit thofe who have lived in the fear and love of God, our preachers endeavour to bring to their recollection the. gracious promifes of the Gofpel, and the happy end which awaits. the righteous; they attempt to imprefs upon their minds, thofe paffages of Scripture in particular, where the Deity is reprefented as delighting in mercy, rather than in judgment, as chaftening every fon whom he loveth, as afflicting us only to bring us nearer to himself; to prove our faith, to try our patience, and at last to crown us with a brighter diadem. They tenderly exhort them to hold fast the beginning of their confidence unto the end,' to count the sufferings of this life as gain, to look forwards to that bleffed inheritance which is referved for the faints on high, where forrow, pain, and fickness shall flee away, where thofe that have fown in tears, fhall reap in joy, and where they fhall be as the angels of heaven, finging praifes to God and the Lamb, to, the endlefs ages of eternity.

66

Several are the inftances I myself have witneffed of the happy fruits of thefe vifits. Many a troubled foul has found reft many