of the servants testified her faith in Christ, and peace with God. A short time afterwards the gardener was made a happy partaker of the same blessings. Mr. Piers also began to see the fruit of his ministerial labours. Being sent for to visit a dying woman despair, because she had done so little good, and so much evil; he declared to her the glad tidings of salvation by grace, and shewed her, that if she could sincerely repent and receive Christ by a living faith, God would pardon her sins and receive her graciously. This opened to her view a solid ground of comfort; she gladly quitted all confidence in herself, to trust in Jesus Christ, and she expressed her faith in him by calm, cheerful, triumphant expectation of death. Her fears and agonies were at an end; being justified by faith she had peace with God, and only entered farther into her rest, by dying a few hours after. The spectators of this awful joyful scene, were melted into tears, while she calmly passed into the heavenly Canaan, and brought up a good report of her faithful Pastor, who under Christ saved her soul from death.

a

The next day, June the 14th, Mr. Wesley returned to London, and was informed that his brother, Mr. John Wesley was gone to Hernhuth. The news, he observes, surprized, but did not disquiet him. He staid only two days in London, and then returned with J. Delamotte to Blendon, and from thence to Bexley. Here his complaints returned upon him, and he was obliged to keep his bed. "Desires of death, (says he) "often rose in me, which I laboured to check, not "daring to form any wish concerning it." His pains abated; and on the 21st, we find him complaining, that several days had elapsed and he had done nothing for God; so earnestly did he desire to be incessantly labouring in the work of the ministry.

In this excursion Mr. Wesley was very successful in doing good; but he met with strong opposition to the doctrine of justification by faith alone, from William Delamotte, whom he calls his scholar, and from Mrs. Delamotte, who was still more violent against it than her son; both were zealous defenders of the merit of good works. Mr. Delamotte supposed, that if men were justified by faith alone, without any regard to works, then sinners obtaining this justification, and dying soon after, would be equal in heaven with those who had laboured many years in doing good and serv

ing God. But, said he, "It would be unjust in God "to make sinners equal with us, who have laboured many years." The Jews of old reasoned in a similar

言

manner concerning the reception of the Gentiles into the gospel church, on the same conditions and to the same privileges with themselves. Their disposition towards the Gentiles is beautifully described, and gently reproved, in the parable of the prodigal son. The cases indeed are not perfectly similar; the one relating to our state in heaven, the other to the blessings and privileges of the gospel in this life. Mr. Delamotte's conclusion however, does not follow from the doctrine of justification by faith. As all men have sinned, so all men must be justified, or pardoned, and be admitted to a participation of gospel blessings, as an act of mere grace or favour; and the condition required of man, is, faith alone; but it is such a faith as becomes a practical principle of obedience to every part of the gospel, so far as a man understands it. Thus far all men, who hear the gospel are equal; they must be pardoned and accepted by an act of grace or favour, and the same condition of receiving these blessings is required of every man, without any regard to his works, which are all sinful. Our state in heaven will

be

ted by a different rule. All who are saved, e treated as equal: Every man will be recording to his works; that is, according to vement in practical holiness, on gospel prinHeaven will undoubtedly be a state of society; ars evident, not only from some passages of but from the faculties of man, which are or social intercourse, in order to obtain the egree of happiness. But in a state of society, bers occupy different ranks and degrees; certain honours and rewards to be bestowed: n these will all be distributed in proportion to s, and the conformity to Christ, to which ttain in this life.

..

elamotte however, thought is conclusion nd was animated with zeal against this new it was then commonly called. He collected g reasons against it, and filled two sheets of th them; but in searching the scripture for to strengthen his arguments, he met with . 5. "Not by works of righteousness which ve done, but according to his mercy he hath us." This passage of scripture cut him to the estroyed all confidence in the specious reasonad used on this subject, and convinced him he He burned his papers, and began to earnest that faith which he had before op

ng.

Delamotte continued her opposition. In readermon, one evening in the family, Mr. Wesley hed the doctrine of faith: Mrs. Delamotte 1. Madam, (said Mr. Wesley) we cannot speak the things we have seen and heard: I ved faith in that manner, and so have more thirty others in my presence." Her passion kindled

I.

M

kindled; said she could not bear this, and hastily quitted the room.-Mr. Wesley here gives us some idea of his success in conversing and praying with the people. A month had now elapsed since his justification. A part of this time he had been confined by sickness, and was not yet able to preach. Notwithstanding this, more than thirty persons had been justified in the little meetings at which he had been present! Mrs. Delamotte was afterwards convinced of the truth, and cordially embraced it.

June the 30th, Mr. Wesley received the following letter from Mr. William Delamotte.

"Dear Sir,

"God hath heard your prayers. Yesterday about "twelve, he put his fiat to the desires of his distressed "servant; and glory be to him, I have enjoyed the "fruits of his holy Spirit ever since. The only un"easiness I feel, is, want of thankfulness and love for "so unspeakable a gift. But I am confident of this "also, that the same gracious hand which hath com

municated, will communicate even unto the end.O my dear friend, I am free indeed! I agonized some time between darkness and light; but God was greater than my heart, and burst the cloud, and "broke down the partition wall, and opened to me the door of faith."

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CHAPTER

CHAPTER VI.

SECTION IV.

Containing some Account of Mr. Charles Wesley's public Ministry, until he became an Itinerant.

If we consider how necessary the gospel is, to the

present and future happiness of men, we shall readily acknowledge that a minister of it, occupies the most important office in society; and hence it becomes a matter of the utmost importance, that this office be filled with men properly qualified for it. Christianity is a practical science, the theory of its principles being only preparatory to the practice of those duties which it enjoins. A preacher therefore should not only understand the doctrines of the gospel, and be able to arrange them according to the natural order in which they are intended to influence the mind, and direct the conduct of life; but he ought to experience their influence on his own heart, and be daily conversant in a practical application of them to every duty which he owes to God and man. Here, as in every other practical art or science, principles and practice must be constantly united; they illustrate and confirm each other. Fundamental principles must first be learned; they must be applied to the heart, so as to awaken the conscience to a sense of the evil of sin, &c. and have a suitable influence on our actions. This first step in christian knowledge will prepare the mind for the second; and so on till we come to the measure of