"Why should we condemn that in religion, which we applaud in every other profession and pursuit? He had a vigor and elevation of mind, which nothing but the belief of the Divine favor and presence could inspire. This threw a lustre round his infirmities, changed his bed of sickness into a triumphal car, and made his exit resemble an apotheosis rather than a dissolution.

"He was qualified to excel in every branch of literature: he was well versed in the learned tongues, in metaphysics, in oratory, in logic, in criticism, and every requisite of a christian minister. His style was nervous, clear, and manly; his preaching was pathetic and persuasive; his Journals are artless and interesting; and his compositions and compilations to promote knowledge and piety, were almost innumerable.

"I do not say he was without faults, or above mistakes; but they were lost in the multitude of his excellences and virtues.

To gain the admiration of an ignorant and superstitious age, requires only a little artifice and address; to stand the test of these times, when all pretensions to sanctity are stigmatized as hypocrisy, is a proof of genuine piety, and real usefulness. His great object was, to revive the obsolete doctrines, and extinguished spirit of the Church of England; and they who are its friends, cannot be his enemies. Yet for this he was treated as a fanatic and impostor, and exposed to every species of slander and persecution. Even bishops and dignitaries entered the lists against him; but he never declined the combat, and generally proved victorious. He appealed to the Homilies, the Articles, and the Scriptures, as vouchers for his doctrine; and they who could not decide upon the merits of the controversy, were witnesses of the effects of his labors; and they judged of the tree by its fruit. It is true, he did not succeed much in the higher walks of life; but that impeached his cause no more, than it did the first planters of the gospel. However, if he had been capable of assuming vanity on that score, he might rank among his friends some persons of the first distinction, who would have done honor to any party. After surviving almost all his adversaries, and acquiring respect among those who were the most distant from his principles, he lived to see the plant he had reared, spreading its branches far and wide, and inviting not only these kingdoms, but the Western world, to repose under its shade. No sect since the first ages of Christianity, could boast a founder of such extensive talents and endowments. If he had been a candidate for literary fame, he might have succeeded to his utmost wishes; but he sought not the praise of man; he regarded learning only as the instrument of usefulness. The great purpose of his life was doing good. For this he relinquished all honor and preferment; to this he dedicated all the powers of body and mind; at all times and in all places, in season and out of season, by gentleness, by terror, by argument, by persuasion, by reason, by interest, by every motive and every inducement, he strove with unwearied assiduity, to turn men from the error of their ways, and awaken them to virtue and religion. To the bed of sickness, or the couch of prosperity; to the prison, the hospital, the house of mourning, or the house of feasting, wherever there was a friend to serve, or a

soul to save, he readily repaired; to administer assistance or advice, reproof or consolation. He thought no office too humiliating, no condescension too low, no undertaking too arduous, to reclaim the meanest of God's offspring. The souls of all men were equally precious in his sight, and the value of an immortal creature beyond all estimation. He penetrated the abodes of wretchedness and ignorance, to rescue the profligate from perdition; and he communicated the light of life to those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death. He changed the outcasts of society, into useful members; civilized even savages, and filled those lips with prayer and praise, that had been accustomed only to oaths and imprecations. But as the strongest religious impressions are apt to become languid, without discipline and practice, he divided his people into classes and bands, according to their attainments. He appointed frequent meetings for prayer and conversation, where they gave an account of their experience, their hopes and fears, their joys and troubles: by which means they were united to each other, and to their common profession. They became sentinels upon each other's conduct, and securities for each other's character. Thus the seeds he sowed sprang up and flourished, bearing the rich fruits of every grace and virtue. Thus he governed and preserved his numerous societies, watching their improvement with a paternal care, and encouraging them to be faithful to the end.

"But I will not attempt to draw his full character, nor to estimate the extent of his labors and services. They will be best known when he shall deliver up his commission into the hand of his great Master.”

The following description of Mr. Wesley's person, will be agreeable to most readers now; and certainly will be more so, when those who personally knew him are removed to their eternal habitations.

"The figure of Mr. Wesley was remarkable. His stature was low: his habit of body in every period of life, the reverse of corpulent, and expressive of strict temperance, and continual exercise: and notwithstanding his small size, his step was firm, and his appearance, till within a few years of his death, vigorous and muscular. His face, for an old man, was one of the finest we have seen. A clear, smooth forehead, an aquiline nose, an eye the brightest and most piercing that can be conceived, and a freshness of complexion scarcely ever to be found at his years, and impressive of the most perfect health, conspired to render him a venerable and interesting figure. Few have seen him without being struck with his appearance: and many, who had been greatly prejudiced against him, have been known to change their opinion the moment they were introduced into his presence. In his countenance and demeanor, there was a cheerfulness mingled with gravity; a sprightliness, which was the natural result of an unusual flow of spirits, and yet was accompanied with every mark of the most serene tranquillity. His aspect, particularly in profile, had a strong character of astuteness and penetration.

"In dress, he was a pattern of neatness and simplicity. A narrow plaited stock, a coat with a small upright collar, no buckles at

his knees, no silk or velvet in any part of his apparel, and a head as white as snow, gave an idea of something primitive and apostolic: while an air of neatness and cleanliness was diffused over his whole person."

SECTION II.

A SHORT VIEW OF MR. WESLEY'S WRITIngs and contROVERSIES.

MR. Wesley's writings, like his other labors, in the design and execution correspond with the general review of his character before given. He never wrote merely to please, or to get money. His object constantly was, to inform the understanding, and mend the heart: to discourage vice, and promote virtue. He never published anything with a view to promote a party-spirit. A great degree of candor and liberality runs through all his publications: and in matters of mere speculation, he endeavored to show the necessity of christian love, and mutual forbearance among those who differ in opinion. In his controversies, he combatted opinions, not men. And this he did, in general, with great moderation. He maintained, that even right opinions make but a small part of religion: that, a man may hold the truth in unrighteousness, and therefore perish with the greater condemnation. But, a man whose heart, from a living faith in Christ operating as a practical principle, influenced to the love of God and man, and whose life is correspondent to it, cannot err dangerously, though he may hold some erroneous opinions. And he thought, that we ought to contend for this christian temper and practice, much more earnestly, than for any speculative notions, not essentially necessary to obtain them. This made him earnest to contend for practical truth; and had a happy influence on all his writings.

I do not mean to enter into a critical review of Mr. Wesley's writings; this would far exceed my present limits. I intend only to point out the chief of his own works, show his design in publishing them, and how far the execution corresponds with the design. For if an author well and duly accomplishes all he undertakes, it is the utmost that ought to be expected from him.

The following is an abridgment of his own words, in explaining the general design he had in publishing his Notes on the New Testament. "It will be easily discerned-from the Notes themselves, that they were not principally designed for men of learning, who are provided with many other helps; but I write chiefly for plain unlettered men, who understand only their mother-tongue, and yet reverence and love the word of God, and have a desire to save their souls.

"I have endeavored to make the Notes as short as possible, that the Comment may not obscure or swallow up the Text: and as plain as possible in pursuance of my main design, to assist unlearned readers. For this reason I have studiously avoided not only all curious and critical inquiries, and all use of the learned lan

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guages, but all such methods of reasoning and modes of expression, as people in common life are unacquainted with. For the same reason, as I rather endeavor to obviate than to propose and answer objections, so I purposely decline going deep into many difficulties, lest I should leave the ordinary reader behind me.

"I once designed to write down, barely what occurred to my own mind-But no sooner was I acquainted with that great light of the christian world, Bengelius, than I entirely changed my design, being thoroughly convinced, it might be of more service to the cause of religion, were I barely to translate his Gnomin Novi Testamenti, than to write many volumes upon it. Many of his excellent Notes I have therefore translated; many more I have abridged. Those various readings which he has shown to have a vast majority of ancient copies and translations on their side, I have without scruple incorporated with the text; which after his manner, I have divided (though not omitting the common division into the chapters and verses) according to the matter it contains, making a larger or smaller pause, just as the sense requires. And even this, is such an help in many places, as one who has not tried it can scarcely conceive.-I am likewise indebted for some useful observations to Dr. Heylin's Theological Lectures: and many more to Dr. Guyse, and to the Family Expositor of the late pious and learned Dr. Doddridge. I cannot flatter myself so far as to imagine that I have fallen into no mistakes in a work of so great difficulty. But my own conscience acquits me of having designedly misrepresented any single passage of Scripture, or of having written one line with a purpose of inflaming the hearts of Christians against each other. Would to God, that all party names, and unscriptural phrases and forms, which have divided the christian world, were forgot: and that we might all agree to sit down together, as humble, loving disciples, at the feet of our common Master, to hear his word, to imbibe his Spirit, and to transcribe his life in our own."

After such a declaration as this in the Preface, the reader ought not to feel himself disappointed, if he find no deep and learned discussions of abstruse subjects in Mr. Wesley's Notes on the New Testament. They are what he intended they should be, briefly explanatory and practical: but, at the same time, judicious and pertinent. I have sometimes thought, that if most of the very short Notes were inserted in the text by some judicious hand so as to form a paraphrase, and the rest be retained, the work would be more useful to common readers than in its present form.—Mr. Wesley's Notes on the Old Testament, taken chiefly from Henry, and Poole, are not held in the same degree of estimation, as those on the New Testament.

Mr. Wesley's sermons in eight volumes, were written in the same spirit, and with the same benevolent design as the Notes just mentioned. He tells us in the Preface, "I design plain truth for plain people. Therefore, of set purpose I abstain from all nice and philosophical speculations, from all perplexed and intricate reasonings; and as far as possible from even the show of learning, unless in sometimes citing the original Scripture. Nothing appears

here in an elaborate, elegant, or rhetorical dress. I mention this, that curious readers may spare themselves the labor of seeking for what they will not find."-The first four volumes were written in the early part of Methodism: several of the sermons being preached before the University of Oxford, while he held his Fellowship. The subjects are important, and the discourses written with great animation and strength of language.

The last four volumes were written chiefly for the Arminian Magazine, and collected and republished in 1788. These are generally more practical than the others; and have been admired for their composition, and for the simplicity, accuracy, and ease, of the style in which they are written.

His "Appeals to Men of Reason and Religion," have great merit. The pious and learned Dr. Doddridge intimates, that he read them with great emotion; and tells us, that having gone through them, he wrote on the back, "How forcible are RIGHT WORDS." Mr. Wesley wrote them in the fulness of his heart, viewing and lamenting the wretched state of the world with regard to religion and morality. It is almost impossible for any well-disposed, unprejudiced person to read them, without strongly feeling the force and justness of the observations they contain: and they have been the means of convincing some, even men of learning, who before were utterly opposed to the Methodists.

Mr. Wesley's treatise on "Original Sin," is, perhaps, the most labored performance that he published. He knew and respected the abilities and character of Dr. Taylor, his opponent. He bestowed much time and attention in a careful investigation of the subject; but avoided entering into minute and metaphysical disquisitions. He knew that nothing could be affirmed in this way of reasoning, however true, but what another might deny with some degree of plausibility. His treatise therefore is, an animated defence of the orthodox doctrine, in a deduction from the actual state of morality in all ages, and under every kind of restraint from evil that has been imposed on mankind: or, as he expresses it, "from Scripture, reason, and experience." And if we may be allowed the same mode of reasoning in morals, which the most approved philosophers have adopted in explaining the system of the world; if, from an uniform series of facts, we may deduce a certain principle sufficient to account for them, then Mr. Wesley has proved his point beyond contradiction. It seems as if Dr. Taylor had felt the full force of this way of reasoning, as he never would answer Mr. Wesley, and always spoke of him with respect. In historical compositions Mr. Wesley did not excel. His general habit of generalizing and reducing to a few heads, every subject of which he treated; and the too great confidence he had, in the authority of his own assertions when he himself was convinced, in some degree indisposed him to enter into that detail of evidence from facts, so highly necessary to establish a general principle in history and biography. His works, therefore, of this kind, have not the same merit as his compositions.

In none of his publications, are instruction and entertainment more happily combined, than in the work entitled, "A Survey of