viii. 15, and further illustrated and coufirmed, Gal. iv. 1-7. Mr. Wesley observes in a note on Rom. viii. 15, that, "The Spirit of bondage, here seems directly to mean, those operations of the Holy Spirit, by which the soul on its first conviction, feels itself in bondage to sin, to the world, to satan, and obnoxious to the wrath of God." He has printed a sermon on the same text, in which he explains it in the same way. He was not singular in this interpretation, as might easily be shown from respectable authority. But, though it be most true, that a person under conviction for sin, is in a state of bondage and fear, it does not follow that this is the direct meaning of the Apostle, or that the distinction between a servant and a son of God, ought to be immediately fixed on this foundation. Many among the most learned and pious persons in the christian church, have understood the spirit of bondage to fear, as referring to that servile spirit, or spirit of servitude, which the whole Mosaic economy tended to produce.* And this seems most agreeable to the tenor of the Apostle's discourse, and most comformable to his grand design of establishing and illustrating the truth and excellency of the gospel, as a more perfect dispensation of mercy and favor from God. We must not however suppose, that, because the faithful under the Old Testament, had a spirit of bondage to fear, they were not therefore children of God; or that they had not the spirit of God. In every age of the world, since the first promise of a Redeemer, those who have placed their confidence in the mercy of God, manifested through a promised Saviour, have become children of God, heirs of the heavenly inheritance, and experienced some degree of divine grace. But under the Mosaic dispensation, the faithful themselves, were children held in a state of servitude, which produced fear, rather than filial confidence, or the spirit of adoption, crying Abba, Father. The reason of this was, the nature of that economy under which they lived, which was wonderfully adapted to the state of the Israelites in that age of the world, and only preparatory to the introduction of a more perfect dispensation of the Divine favor. The Mosaic economy, taking it in a loose and general sense, may be considered in three points of view, corresponding to the ends it was intended to answer. The first view of it, regards those laws it contained, which related only to external things, and were merely literal or carnal, as the Apostle calls them. The intention of these was, to separate the whole body of the people from idolatry, and all mixture with other nations: to preserve the worship of the true God in the world: to make the Israelites the depositaries of the promises, prophecies, and the whole word of God: and to keep their own tribes and families distinct: that as the Messiah was to descend, according to the flesh, from the seed of Abraham, the tribe of Judah, and the family of David, his introduction into the world might be more strongly marked, the prophecies concerning him be distinctly fulfilled, and his character be clearly ascertained. These laws required no more than a mere external obedience, the *See Doddridge; and Pole's Synopsis. + Heb. vii. 16; ix. 10. reward of which was, the land of Canaan, with protection, prosperity, and long life. The second view of it, is typical. The promise made to Abraham, being continued through this economy, the laws and institutions established for the purposes above mentioned, were so ordered as to become typical representations of Christ and the benefits of his kingdom. They gave a new modification to the promulgation of the promise of a Redeemer, the object of faith and hope in true believers, by which they obtained a foretaste of the grace and blessings of the gospel. All these laws and institutions were peculiar to Moses, purely external and temporary; being preparatory to the coming of Christ, when they were to be abolished. The third view of this economy, regards those moral precepts introduced into it, to regulate the moral principles, as well as conduct of the people towards each other, for the well-being of the state: and also such other commands as tended to give them a higher and more spiritual notion of their duty to God, and of the nature of sin, than the Mosaic code suggested. These were intended to raise the minds of the people to something higher than the mere external economy of Moses: to awaken in them a sense of their depravity; to show them the spiritual nature of sin; its power, dominion, and guilt; that conscious of their wants, they might more ardently desire their great Deliverer, and be better prepared to receive him. These precepts and commands, being of a general and permanent nature, were not peculiar to Moses, nor to be done away with his institution; but additions to his economy, they were highly necessary and useful. That the promise before made, was continued through this dispensation, is manifest. For as circumcision was not of Moses, but of the fathers, so the promise of grace and life by Christ, was not given by him, but found by him already existing. It is not said, That the promise was added to the law; but, That the law was added to the promise.* The law of Moses, therefore, did not disannul, or do away the promise of salvation by a Redeemer, or any way alter the method of a sinner's justification before God, and acceptance to eternal life, as exemplified in the case of Abraham: nor yet change, or lessen the obligation to those duties men owe to God, and to one another, founded on the permanent relations of things. It follows, that these, and the law of Moses, though different in their nature, and designed for very different purposes, were associated together in this economy, until, "In the fulness of time," God should send forth his Son. But though the promise still existed under the law, which was intended to bring men ultimately to Christ; yet the Mosaic economy exhibited the Messiah, and the nature and benefits of his kingdom, through a kind of veil. These appeared in it, like objects placed in the back-ground of a picture, distant, obscure, and diminished from their natural size. This representation best suited that age of the world, the state and circumstances of the Israelites, and the future designs of Providence. The prophets, indeed, as the * Gal. iii. 19. fulness of time when Christ should appear, drew nearer and nearer, often brought forward these important objects into a stronger light, and gave them a more bold and full appearance, directing the minds of the people to look through their external and temporary economy, to blessings more general, permanent and satisfactory. Under this economy, God assumed the character, and had the title of King of Israel, jealous of his prerogatives and glory. The people were prone to idolatry, which was rebellion against their King; and all the laws tended to produce a "spirit of bondage to fear," for their subjugation, that the external purposes of this dispensation might be obtained. So terrible was the appearance of the Divine majesty at the giving of the law, that the people said, "Let not God speak to us, lest we die."* And Moses himself said, "I exceedingly fear and quake." The punishments under this government were exceedingly severe; so that an error through inadvertency was sometimes punished with immediate death, which made the most pious among them afraid. The body of the ceremonial law, was minute, expensive, and laborious, and required the most servile obedience. Peter calls it a yoke, which neither they nor their fathers could bear:§ and Paul, a yoke of bondage. The yearly sacrifices brought their sins to their remembrance, the repetition showing they were not expiated. The people were kept at a distance from God in their worship; even from the symbol of his presence in the holiest of all, to which the high priest alone was admitted, and that but once a year.** And even at the burning of incense morning and evening, the people stood praying without.†† In their approaches to God in prayer, they addressed him as a Sovereign; under the title of God, or Lord; Jesus Christ being the first who taught us to say, "Our Father who art in heaven;" himself procuring for us this agóyola, or freedom and openness of access to the presence of God. It was given in charge of Moses, that he should not let the priests, and the people, Biateodwoαv,|| break through the described limits in their approaches to God, nor invade a place deemed too holy for them to enter. This was never allowed under the ceremonial law. How different is our liberty! "From the days of John the Baptist," says our Lord,§§ the "kingdom of heaven, Baterai, suffereth violence," or rather, is invaded by violence; that is, in violation of the commands and prohibitions of the ceremonial law: and the fences being broken down, which had shut out the Gentiles from it; and the formalities done away, which kept the Jews at a certain distance in bondage and fear, the Biasa, invaders, regardless of the solemnities and restrictions prescribed by the law, άρπαζεσιν αυτην, seize upon it with eagerness and confidence, having boldness to enter into the holiest by a new and living way. The very word which the Seventy had used with a negative particle expressing prohibition, our Lord uses in the affirmative, thereby showing the prohibition was taken off.— *Exod. xx. 19. § Acts xv. 10. + Heb. xii. 21. ** Levit. xvi. 2. Heb. ix. 7. ++ Luke i. 10. SS Matt. xi. 12. Heb. x. 19, 20. #2 Sam. vi. 7, 9. Indeed, the whole of the old economy was full of prohibitions, severities, and hardships; to which the most faithful and pious were subject, as well as the most wicked and profligate. It tended to produce bondage and fear, particularly the fear of death, to which the Jews were then, and are even now, remarkably subject. The apostle compares those under it, to persons shut up in a strong place of custody,* like criminals who had not obtained the full privileges of a free pardon. Afterwards, comparing the condition of the faithful under the law of Moses, with the privileges of believers under the Gospel, he finely illustrates what is said, Rom. viii. 15, and fully establishes the distinction between a servant and a son-"Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father: even so, when we were children”—that is, under the Mosaic economy "we were in bondage under the elements of the world "-to which the ceremonial law may fitly be compared.—“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son-to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son."-It appears then from what has been said, that the distinction Mr. Wesley made, is scriptural and just, so far as it relates to the different state of believers under the Old and New Testament. It must be observed however, that there is a low degree of christian experience, in which a person is in a state similar to the condition of believers under the Mosaic dispensation, subject to bondage and fear, particularly the fear of death; and in the latter part of life, he judged this to have been his own state when he went to America, and returned 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. In the above quotation from the Seventy, we may observe, that they translate the Hebrew word by the Greek word Brace, Exod. xix. 24. The Hebrew verb occurs, in one form or other, about thirty-two 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 Bao, but in this one place. Our Lord, by using the very same word without the negative particle, seems to intimate that a 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. 768. February 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 him the christian faith, and the true christian temper. After about ten years of painful labor, 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, excoquenda 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 had produced in his 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 behavior. 1. To use absolute openness and unreserve, with all he should converse with. 2. To labor after continual seriousness, not willingly indulging himself in any the least levity of behavior, or in laughter, no, not for a moment. 3. To speak no word which did not tend to the glory of God; in particular, not to talk of worldly things. "Others 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 unbelief, of the want of that faith 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 separated 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 |