turned from it. The very learned Buddeus, has observed, that most professing Christians seem content to live in this state, without ever rising into the enjoyment of that full liberty wherewith Christ has made them free.* After Mr. Wesley arrived in London, he waited on the Trustees for Georgia, at several different times, and gave them an account of the colony; but his account was so different from what others had flattered them with, that he supposes they did not soon forgive him. Time however convinced them of Mr. Wesley's fidelity, when complaints pouring in upon. them from all sides, they thought it best to resign their charter into the hands of the King. Feb. 7. "A day much to be remembered," says Mr. Wesley, he met Peter Bohler, and two other persons, teachers in the Moravian church. Hitherto he had reduced his religious principles to practice, in the most scrupulous and rigorous manner, and yet had not attained that victory over the evils of his own heart, and that peace and happiness which he saw the gospel promised. It seems as if he had always supposed, that bodily austerities, and a religious regard to the duties he owed to God and man, would produce In the above quotation from the Seventy, we may observe, that they translate the Hebrew word on by the Greek word Baw, Exod. xix. 24. The Hebrew verb occurs, in one form or other, about thirtytwo times in the Old Testament. It generally signifies to break, throw down, or destroy; and often in opposition to building up: but no where exactly in the connexion it is here used, in reference to the limits prescribed to the people in their approaches to God; and it is remarkable that the Seventy have no where rendered it by the Greek verb Baw, but in this one place. Our Lord, by using the very same word without the negative particle, seems to intimate that freedom of access to God, not allowed under the law, is allowed under the gospel, the prohibition being taken off. Walchius, has hinted at this interpretation of our Lord's words, Matt. xi. 12. See Miscel. Sacra, p. 76g. F 2 produce in him the christian faith, and the true christian temper. After about ten years of painful labour, his experience convinced him, that his notions were not evangelical, that he had considered as causes, things that were only placed as the fruits of faith in the gospel economy; and therefore, that he neither possessed saving faith, nor had a right notion of it.. Having observed, both at sea, and in America, that the Moravian brethren enjoyed a state of peace and comfort in their minds, to which he was almost wholly a stranger, he was well prepared to hear what these messengers of God had to say of faith as the means of obtaining it. He was determined that his conviction should be the result of knowledge; and therefore made continual objections to what Bohler said on the subject. This occasioned Bohler to say, more than once, Mi frater, Mi frater, ercoquenda est ista tua philosophia: My brother, my brother, that philosophy of yours must be purged away. We may observe however, that objections in such cases, are seldom the result of just reasoning, but the mere effects of prejudice, which a previous system has produced in the mind. Feb. 27. He took coach for Salisbury, to see his mother; intending also, to visit his brother Samuel at Tiverton. But March 2, he received a message that his brother Charles was dying at Oxford, and immediately set out for that place. He now renewed and set down his former resolutions respecting his own behaviour. 1. To use absolute openness and unreserve, with all he should converse with. 2. To labour after continual seriousness, rot willingly indulging himself in any the least levity of behaviour, or in laughter, no, not for a moment. 3. To speak no word which did not tend to the glory of God; in particular, "Others particular, not to talk of worldly things. may, nay must, (said he ;) but what is that to me." 4. To take no pleasure, which did not tend to the glory of God, thanking God every moment for what he did take, and therefore rejecting every sort and degree of it, which he felt he could not so thank him in and for it. At Oxford Mr. Wesley again met with Peter Bohler; "By whom, (says he) in the hand of the great God, I was on Sunday the 5th, clearly convinced of un belief, of the want of that fuith whereby alone we are saved."-He afterwards added-" With the full christian salvation." He was now fully convinced, that his faith had hitherto been faith in God, too much separate from an evangelical view of the promises of a free justification, or pardon of sin, through the atonement and mediation of Christ alone; which was the reason why he had been held in continual bondage and fear. It immediately occurred to his mind, "Leave off preaching; how can you preach to others, who have not faith yourself?" He consulted his friend Bohler, who said, " By no means. Preach faith till you have it, and then because you have it, you will preach faith." On the 15th of this month he set out for Manchester, accompanied by Mr. Kinchin of Corpus-ChristiCollege, and a Mr. For. In this journey they lost few opportunities of speaking on matters of religion to those they met with, either on the road, or at the ians. The practice was new, and the success various; some staring with silent astonishment, and others appeared thankful and ready to receive instruction. On the twenty-second they returned to Oxford, and next day Mr. Wesley observes, "I met Peter Bohler again, who now amazed me more and more, by the account he he gave of the fruits of living faith, the holiness and happiness which he affirmed to attend it. The next morning I began the Greek Testament again, resolving to abide by the law and the testimony, being confident, that God would hereby shew me whether this doctrine was of God." About this time he began to pray extempore. March 27, Mr. Kinchin went with him to the castle, where, after reading prayers and preaching on, It is appointed for men once to die, "We prayed, (says he) with the condemned man, first in several forms of prayer, and then in such words as were given us in that hour. He kneeled down in much heaviness and confusion, having no rest in his bones by reason of his sins. After a space he rose up, and eagerly said, "I am now ready to die. I know Christ has taken away my sins, and there is no more condemnation for me. The same composed cheerfulness he shewed when he was carried to execution and in his last moments was the same, enjoying a perfect peace in confidence that he was accepted in the beloved. Mr. Wesley again observes, that on Saturday, April 1, being at Mr. Fore's society, he found his heart so full, that he could not confine himself to the forms of prayer they were accustomed to use there. "Nel ther says he, do I propose to be confined to them any more; but to pray indifferently, with a form or without, as I may find suitable to particular occasion." A few observations have already been made, on the propriety and usefulness of extemporary prayer ;* and here we shall transcribe the words Dr. Wattst Vol. I. page 82. has See his humble attempt towards the Revival of practical Religion P. 161. has quoted from the Marquis of Halifax, who being a Courtier in the reigns of the two brothers, King Charles II. and James II. cannot be supposed to have any partiality for a deviation from the forms of the established church. This noble writer, it seems, in a little book under a borrowed character, has expressed his own sentiments on this subject. "He tells us, says Dr. Watts, he is far from relishing the impertinent wanderings of those who pour out long prayers upon the congregation, and all from their own stock, too often a barren soil, which produces weeds instead of flowers, and by this means they expose religion itself rather than promote men's devotion on the other side, there may be too great a restraint put upon men whom God and nature have distinguished from their fellow-labourers, by blessing them with a happier talent, and by giving them not only good sense, but a powerful utterance too; this has enabled them to gush out upon the attentive auditory with a mighty stream of devout and unaffected eloquence. When a man so qualified, endued with learning too, and above all adorned with a good life, breaks out into a warm and well delivered prayer before his sermon, it has the appearance of a divine rapture; he raises and leads the hearts of the assembly in another manner than the most composed or best studied form of set words can ever do; and the Pray we's, who serve up all their sermons with the same garnishing, would look like so many statues, or men of straw in the pulpit, compared with those who speak with such a powerful zeal, that men are tempted at the moment to believe that heaven itself has dictated their words to them."-We may observe that no man will pray with the energy and force here described, unless his own heart be animated and powerfully quickened, with the most |