ther Bowers confessed his errors; and we rejoiced and triumphed in the name of the Lord our God."

June the 19th, Mr. Wesley was at Lambeth, with the archbishop, who treated him with much severity. His Grace declared he would not dispute; nor would he, AS YET, proceed to excommunication. It does not appear that the archbishop condemned the doctrines Mr Wesley preached, but the manner of preaching them: it was irregular, and this was judged a cause sufficient for condemning him. Regularity is undoubtedly necessary, in the government both of church and state. But when a system of rules and orders purely human, is so established for the government of the Church, as to be made perpetual, whatever changes may take place in the state of the people; it must, in many cases, become injurious rather than useful. And when conformity to such an establishment, is considered as comprehending almost all virtue, and made the only road to favor and preferment in the Church; and a deviation from it, is marked with disgrace; it becomes an idol, at whose altar many will be tempted to sacrifice their judgment, their conscience, and their usefulness. Civil government knows nothing of this perpetual sameness of its regulations and laws, in all circumstances of the people. And why should the Church, in regulations which are purely human, and prudential? The end of regularity, or conformity to a certain established order in the government of the Church, is, the propagation of christian knowledge, and the increase of true religion; but if a minister be so circumstanced, that regularity, would obstruct, rather than promote his usefulness in these respects, irregularity becomes his duty, and ought not to be condemned by others, when no essential principle of religion is violated, nor any serious inconvenience follows from it. In this case, the end to be attained, is infinitely more important than any prudential rules to direct the means of attaining it: which should always admit of such alterations as circumstances require, to promote the end intended.

Mr. Wesley bore the archbishop's reproof with great firmness, while in his presence; but after leaving him, he fell into great heaviness, and for several days suffered a severe inward conflict. He perceived that it arose from the fear of man. Mr. Whitefield urged him to preach in the fields the next Sunday; by this step he would break down the bridge, render his retreat difficult or impossible, and be forced to fight his way forward in the work of the ministry. This advice he followed. June 24th, "I prayed," says he, "and went forth, in the name of Jesus Christ. I found near a thousand helpless sinners, waiting for the word in Moorfields. I invited them in my Master's words, as well as name; Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' The Lord was with me, even me, the meanest of his messengers, according to his promise. At St. Paul's, the psalms, lesson, &c., for the day, put new life into me: and so did the sacrament. My load was gone, and all my doubts and scruples. God shone on my path, and I knew this was his will concerning me. walked to Kennington-common, and cried to multitudes upon multitudes, Repent ye and believe the gospel.' The Lord was my

I

strength, and my mouth, and my wisdom. O that all would therefore praise the Lord, for his goodness!"

June 29th, he was at Wickham, in his way to Oxford. "Here," says he, "I heard of much disturbance occasioned by Bowers' preaching in the streets." Thus early, it appears that lay-preaching had commenced, even beyond the societies in London, though not with the consent of any of the clergymen. The next day he reached Oxford, and waited on the Dean, who spoke with unusual severity against field-preaching, and Mr. Whitefield, who may be called the author or founder of field-preaching; it is perhaps on this account, that he has so often been supposed to be the founder of Methodism. July 1st, he preached a sermon on justification, before the university, with great boldness. All were very attentive: one could not help weeping. July 2d, Mr. Gambold came to him, who had been with the vice-chancellor, and well received. "I waited," says Mr. Wesley, "on the vice-chancellor, at his own desire. I gave him a full account of the Methodists, which he approved, but objected to the irregularity of doing good in other men's parishes. He charged Mr Whitefield with breach of promise, appealed to the Dean, and appointed a second meeting there. All were against my sermon, as liable to be misunderstood. July 8d, Mr. Bowers had been laid hold of, for preaching in Oxford. Today the beadle brought him to me. I talked to him closely; he had nothing to reply, but promised to do so no more, and thereby obtained his liberty. At night I had another conference with the Dean, who cited Mr. Whitefield to judgment.* I said, Mr. Dean, he shall be ready to answer the citation.' He used the utmost address to bring me off from preaching abroad, from expounding in houses, and from singing psalms. He denied justification by faith, and all vital religion."

July 4th, Mr Wesley returned to London. On the 8th, he preached to near ten thousand hearers, by computation, in Moorfiel ls, and the same day at Kennington-common. His labors now daily increased upon him; and his success, in bringing great numbees from darkness to light, and in rousing the minds of vast multitudes to a serious enquiry after religion, was beyond anything we can, at present, easily conceive. In such circumstances as these, it is almost impossible for a minister to keep his mind quite free from all thoughts of self-applause. He will be led, at first almost insensibly, to think more highly of himself than he ought, to attribute some part of his success to his own superior excellences, and to think too meanly of others. If his judgment be rightly informed, and his conscience tender, he is shocked when he discovers these workings of his mind, and endeavors to suppress them; but he soon finds that the thoughts and propensities of his heart, are not under the control of his judgment; they present themselves on every occasion against his will, and are not a little strengthened by the commendations and praises of those who have been benefited by him. The natural temper of the mind, is sometimes so far awakened on these occasions, as to produce a severe

* I suppose for some breach of order.

inward conflict, bring on great distress, and make a man ashamed of himself in the presence of God. Mr. Wesley felt the full force of the temptations which arose from the success of his ministry. July 22d, he says, "Never, till now, did I know the strength of temptation and energy of sin. Who, that consults only the quiet of his own mind, would covet great success? I live in a continual storm; my sou is always in my hand; the enemy thrusts sore at me that I may fall, and a worse enemy than the Devil, is, my own heart. Miror quemquam prædicatorem salvari. I wonder any preacher of the gospel is saved. August the 7th, I preached repentance and faith at Plaistow, and at night expounded on Lazarus dead and raised, in a private house. The next day, called on Thomas Keen, a mild and candid Quaker. Preached at Marybone.-Too well pleased with my success, which brought upon me strong temptations. August 10th, I gave Mr. Whitefield some account both of my labors and conflicts."

"DEAR GEORGE,

"I forgot to mention the most material occurrence at Plaistow; namely, that a clergyman was there convinced of sin. He stood under me, and appeared throughout my discourse, under the greatest perturbation of mind. In our retu n we were much delighted with an old spiritual Quaker, who is clear in justification. Friend Keen seems to have experience, and is right in the foundation. I cannot preach out on the week days, for the expense of coach-hire: nor can I accept of dear Mr. Seward's offer, to which I should be less backward, would he follow my advice; but while he is so lavish of his Lord's goods, I cannot consent that his ruin should in any degree seem to be under my hand. I am continually tempted to leave off preaching, and hide myself like J. Hutchins. I should then be free from temptation, and have leisure to attend to my own improvement. God continues to work by me, but not in me, that I perceive. Do not reckon upon me, my brother, in the work God is doing; for I cannot expect that he should long employ one, who is ever longing and murmuring to be discharged.”

"To-day," says Mr. Wesley, "I took J. Bray to Mr. Law, who resolved all his experience into fits, or natural affection or fits; and ,desired him to take no notice of his conforts, which he had better be without, than have. He blamed Mr. Whitefield's Journal and way of proceeding; said, he had great hopes that the Methodists would have been dispersed by little and little, into livings, and have leavened the whole lump. I told him my experience: then,' said he, 'I am far below you (if you are right) not worthy to wipe your shoes.' He agreed to our notion of faith, but would have it, that all men held it. He was fully against the laymen's expounding, is die very worst thing both for themselves and others. he was my school-master to bring me to Christ; but the reason why I did not come sooner to Christ was, I sought to be sanctified before I was justified. I dished 11 expectation of becoming some GREAT ONE. Among other things he said, 'Were I so talked of as Mr. Whitefield is, should run away, and hide myself entirely.' I answered, you night, bet God would bring you back like Jonah.'

told him

He told me, joy in the Holy Ghost was the most dangerous thing God could give. I replied, but cannot God guard his own gifts?" He often disclaimed advising us, seeing we had the Spirit of God: but mended on our hands, and at last came almost quite over to us." It is really wonderful that Mr. Law should talk in this manner! He who wrote the spirit of prayer, the spirit of love, and an address to the clergy, besides many other pieces, in which he shows, with great force of reasoning, that a person can have no true religion, without a supernatural influence of the Spirit of God upon his mind; in which he certainly lays a foundation for christian experience.

August 12th, he observes, "I received great power to explain the good Samaritan: communicated at St. Paul's, as I do every Sunday: convinced multitudes at Kennington-common, from, ‘Such were some of you, but ye are washed, &c.' And before the day was past, felt my own sinfulness so great, that I wished I had never been born."

August 18th, Mr. Wesley wrote to Mr. Seward as follows. "1 preached yesterday to more than ten thousand hearers. I am so Isaileted both before and after, that were I not forcibly detained, I should fly from every human face. If God does make a way for me to escape, I shall not easily be brought back again. I cannot love advertising: it looks like sounding a trumpet. I hope our brother Hutchins will come forth at last, and throw away my mantle of reserve, which he seems to have taken up.”

Mr. Whitefield was now on the point of returning to America, and on the 15th of August Mr. Wesley wrote to him. "Let not Cossart's opinion of your letter to the bishop, weaken your hands. Abundans cautio nocet:* it is the Moravian infirmity. To-morrow I set out for Bristol. I pray you may all have a good voyage, and that many poor souls may be added to the church by your ministry; before we meet again. Meet again I am confident we shall, perhaps both here and in America. The will of the Lord be done, with us and by us, in time and in eternity!"

CHAPTER VI.

SECTION V.

CONTAINING SOME ACCOUNT OF MR. CHARLES WESLEY'S LABORS AS AN ITINERANT PREACHER.

AUGUST 16th, Mr. Wesley entered on the itinerant plan. He rode to Wickham, and being denied the church, would have

Too much caution is hurtful. Some persons perhaps may think, that neither Mr. Whitefield, nor any of them stood in need of this admonition; of this, however, we are not very proper judges at this distance of time. It is evident that on many occasions they did use much caution. Mr. Wesley speaks as though be had some thoughts of going again to America, and he mentions such intentions In several places; but they never came to anything fixed and determined

preached in a private house; but Mr. Bowers having been preacning there in the streets, had raised great opposition, and effectually shut the door against him. The next day he went to Oxford, and the day following reached Evesham. After being here two or three days, he wrote to his brother as follows.

"DEAR BROTHer,

"We left the brethren at Oxford much edified, and two gownsmen thoroughly awakened On Saturday afternoon God brought. us hither, Mr. Seward being from home, there was no admission for us, his wife being an opposer, and having refused to see Mr. Whitefield before me. At seven in the evening Mr. Seward found us at the inn, and took us home At eight I expounded in the school-room, which holds about two hundred persons.-On Sunday morning I preached from George Whitefield's pulpit, the wall, on, Repent ye and believe the gospel.' The notice being short, we had only a few hundreds, but such as those described in the morning lesson, These were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind.' In the evening I showed, to near two thousand hearers, their Saviour in the good Samaritan.-Once more God strengthened me, at nine, to open the new covenant, at the school-house, which was crowded with deeply attentive sinners."

He goes on. "August 20th, I spoke from Acts ii. 37, to two or three hundred market people and soldiers, all as orderly and decent as could be desired.- now heard, that the mayor had come down on Sunday, to take a view of us. Soon after, an officer struck a countryman in the face, without any provocation. A serious woman besought the poor man, not to resist evil, as the other only wanted to make a rie He took patiently several repeated blows, telling the officer, he might beat him as long as he pleased." "To-day Mr. Seward's cousin told us of a young lady, who was here on a visit, and had been deeply affected on Sunday night under the word, seeing and feeling her need of a physician, and earnestly desired me to pray for her.-After dinner I spoke with her. She burst into tears, and told us, she had come hither thoughtless, dead in pleasures and sin, and fully resolved against ever being a Methodist. That she was first alarmed about her own state, by seeing us so happy and full of love: had gone to the society, but was not thoroughly awakened to a knowledge of herself, till the word came home to her soul. That all the following night she had been in an agony and distress; could not pray, could not bear our singing, nor have any rest in her spirit. We betook ourselves to prayer for her; she received forgiveness, and triumphed in the Lord her God."

August 23d. "By ten last night we reached Gloucester, through many dangers and difficulties. In mounting my horse I fell over him, and sprained my hand: riding in the dark I bruised my foot: we lost our way as often as we could: there were only two horses between three of us: when we had got to Gloucester, we were turned back from a friend's house, on account of his wife's sickpess⋅ and my voice and strength were quite gone. To-day they