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lot. Since then, say they, our portion in this life is so limited, it behoves us attentively to improve the present moment; seeing our pleasures pass so quickly, we ought to give up ourselves unto them, that we may enjoy all they are capable of yielding, and anticipate whatever can be anticipated. St. Paul reverses the conclusion, as it regards the righteous, "But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and those that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use the world as not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passeth away." This world is an exhibition, a play, representation, or public spectacle. This exhibition or spectacle is passing away, earthly things are leaving us; let us therefore, by a prudent foresight, detach ourselves from them, and close our eyes betimes on those deceitful objects which are about to disappear. "Looking not at the things which are seen."

Finally. We ought not to look at the things which are seen, so as to bound our views and wishes by them, and rest in them as the end which terminates our pursuits, because they are temporal. Their transitory nature teaches us that we are destined for something higher; and the shorter their duration, the more ought we to be weaned from them. Yes, my brethren, the consideration that these things are temporal, sufficiently convinces me that man is created for nobler enjoyments; for how can we conceive that he who is endowed with powers so capacious, and gifts so eminent, shall in a few days be no more? What, shall man, whose vast mind grasps the whole world, forms immortal projects, runs through the past, the present, and the future, and reaches into eternity? Man, who penetrates and unfolds the mysteries of Providence, the wonders of nature, and the greatness of divinity itself; who, lord of the inferior creation, by his conception penetrates the intellectual world;-Man, who after having passed the weakness of infancy, and with so much labour at length begun to live like a rational creature, that is, to love God and to adore him.-Shall he view all his vast projects, bounded by the duration of a moment, his illimitable schemes suddenly disappear, his researches and meditations serve only to abridge his days, and all his virtues sink into eternal oblivion? God forbid, my brethren, that we should attribute to the Deity a conduct so unworthy of his wisdom! for on this supposition the beasts would enjoy a greater share of felicity than man. Therefore, from visible and temporal things we ought to raise our thoughts to an end more perfect, a state beyond the bounds of time, where our just projects shall be accomplished, our light be enlightened, and our virtues take a character more noble and sublime. The more the things of earth are transitory, the teore

ought we to fix our thoughts on the felicity which shall succeed them, as the shorter our time is, the nearer is eternity. In this state, penetrated by the view of the infinite blessings which we discover before us, we forget the things that are behind; far from considering the present world as our final state, we regard it merely as an inferior and subordinate means to acquire that good which our hopes place before us. What do I say? we look upon it as an obscuring cloud, which darkens and hides from our view our future felicity. We are only strangers here, far from our own country; we have here no continuing city or permanent habitation. The men of the world build; we only have tabernacles: in short, we are men who, losing sight of visible and sensible objects, turn our attention and care solely to the things that are invisible: "Looking not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

(To be continued.)

THE TRUTH OF GOD DEFENDED.

REMARKS on the Rev. LATHAM WAINEWRIGHT'S "Observations on the Doctrine, Discipline, and Manners of the Wesleyan Methodists:" in Four Letters, addressed to the Rev. JOSEPH BENSON. By JAMES EVERETT.

"I do not know that it is in any degree true, that the influence of religion is the greatest, where there are the fewest Dissenters." PALEY'S EVID. Vol. 2. p. 389.

REV. SIR,

LETTER I.

THE "Observations" of Mr. Wainewright, which you sent me, have been carefully perused; and it appears to me, in unison with yourself, that several particulars stated by that gentleman demand animadversion and refutation, as militating against some of the most important truths of Christianity. The treatment which an author receives from his opponent, depends in some measure upon himself. Ability, learning, and integrity, will ever command respect; vanity provokes all the keenness of satire; ignorance excites compassion; and it is sometimes necessary to laugh folly out of countenance. The latter, however, should be resorted to but sparingly. Were an innocent smile to be occasionally indulged in the present instance, Mr. W. would be one of the last to censure; since he so ably advocates the cause of laughter, as one of the distinguishing privileges of man.' To trace Mr. W. through every track he has taken, is foreign

* Page 157.

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to my present purpose; or even to follow him, as you will perceive by the first quotation, exactly in the same order. It may be proper to classify many of his scattered thoughts, and enbody them in separate letters. The first will contain various miscellaneous remarks. Though several minor points will purposely remain unnoticed, it is not to be taken for granted that they are conceded; and you, Sir, who know the basis upon which we build, will be far from concluding them unanswerable. The ground of attack assumed by Mr. W. is the obstinate adherence of the Methodists to their former system.* He confesses that their doctrines, &c. have been "frequently and satisfactorily exposed;" but still, it should seem, that it ought not to deter him from entering his protest, and again refuting their errors. This is an honest confession; and while it proves his way to have been perfectly easy, it evinces to the world that his work was unnecessary. He proceeds with the impression, that he is refuting what has been refuted-that he is accomplishing what has been already effected; in a word, that to shew his prowess, he is trampling upon the slain! What there is so catching in Mr. W.'s manner of writing, to make an old refutation produce a new effect, is a theological problem which has yet to be solved. It is possible, contrary to every thing we may now anticipate, that distant ages, from the same work in his hands, may experience different results. With our present light we are inclined to think, that it would have been preferable to have adopted the plan which he so justly recommends in a similar case, where he shews, that opposition only tends to increase the number of partisans to a sect; whereas if abandoned to themselves, they would sink into insignificance and contempt. The sequel will demonstrate that Mr.W.'s " Observations" are of a very accommodating cast; and that to build up with the one hand, and pull down with the other, he displays considerable dexterity.

It is with Methodism " at the present day," Mr. W. informs us he has to do: and yet he refers to the Minutes of 1744, and 1745; and appeals to the immediate followers of " the first propagators of Methodism." So careful is he to guard against all mistake, and to impress his readers with his impartiality, that he positively refuses to consult Hampson's Life of Mr. Wesley, and Nightingale's Portraiture of Methodism, "because their testimony has been objected to, as proceeding from personal enemies to the parties in question." That he, therefore, may hereafter be consulted, no doubt as a friend, "the authorities on which he principally relies are Myles's Chronological History of the People called Methodists; Benson's Apology for the Me

Preface, p. 8, 9.
Page 59.

+ Page 11.
Page 74.

Preface, p. 10.
Preface, p. 11.

thodists; the Life of the Rev. John Wesley, by Dr. Coke and Mr. Moore; Wesley's Sermons; Hare's Reply to the charges alleged to be contained in Dr. Magee's valuable work on the Atonement; Reasons for Methodism, by Disney Alexander; and the later numbers of the Methodist Magazine down to the present time."* Notwithstanding, however, his attention to these works, he is not always correct. He observes that the first article in the Magazine is always a biographical sketch of one of their deceased preachers."+ To a person conversant with that work it is well known, that the first article is often devoted to the lives of private characters.

The charity of the Methodists is severely impugned. They are represented as exhibiting themselves as the only religious people in the world, and as reprobating all who are out of the pale of their own community. A reference to their writings will evince that they are not less charitable than their neighbours; that they can give the right hand of fellowship to the truly pious of every Christian denomination. As a testimony that they approve of piety wherever it exists, they have not he sitated to insert in their periodical publication, for the instruction and imitation of their numerous readers, memoirs of Clergymen of the Establishment, Baptists, Calvinists, and Quakers. To enumerate the whole is unnecessary. Take one of each; the vcnerable Bernard Gilpin, the Rev. S. Pearce, of Birmingham, the Rev. Philip Henry, and honest William Penn. Nor is their charity limited to Protestants: they have even published the life of Xavier, and other Roman Catholics, and have circulated them through the three kingdoms. It is not a little singular, that whilst Mr. W. condemns the Methodists for their want of candour, he himself indulges in the most severe reflections. Where the clergy are the objects of it, he censures every species of de traction; and yet his work is a piece of detraction from beginning to end,-detracting from the piety, abilities, and usefulness of Methodists and Methodist Preachers. The system itself is represented as productive of superstition and hypocrisy, and destructive of the interests of pure christianity; and its advocates are ignorant, artful, fanatical, and enthusiastic. In the midst of all, he takes to himself the credit of impartiality.|| It is true, he honours them with the appellation of Christians;¶ but he destroys the character to which that name is attached. When I hear a person descanting on charity without displaying the principle, it reminds me of the efforts of a person intoxicated, endeavouring to impose upon others by the attempt to walk steady. It is no consideration of his, that whatever be his individual condition, others are sober. There are not many but

Preface, p. 10, 11.
Pages 192, 193.

+ Page 65.
Pages 191, 195.

Pages 65, 94, 115.
Preface, p. 7.

will subscribe to the justice of Mr. W.'s introductory remark,"Among the numerous follies and inconsistencies of mankind, there are few more conspicuous than their assumption of qualities which do not belong to them, and the confidence with which they endeavour to persuade the world that the character they have assumed is really their own.”*

After a severe philippic against modern political reformers, t Mr.W. glides into the subject of religious reform, and associates the spirit and proceedings of the Methodists with the former; the one hostile to the state, the other to the church. Dissenters in general, and the Methodists in particular, are beheld as united, though distinct in other things, in their opposition to the Establishment. From both, the clergy meet with nothing but contumely and contempt. It is not for me to stand forth in vindication of slander, however justly the Dissenters might retort. The fact is, the Methodists as a body, do not oppose the Church of England as an Establishment. They consider it the best in the world; though like cards and theatrical amusements, which, according to Mr. W.'s views, are good things, not exempt from abuse. Do not start appalled, my good Sir; I am not going to justify theatrical amusements: I only wish to profit as I proceed by Mr. W.'s observations. As he contends, when pleading so strenuously the utility of the particulars just specified, that the best things may be abused, the Methodists maintain, that the Established Church, though generally speaking a good one, not only may be, but actually has been abused, by permitting men to assume the priestly office within her walls, whose lives have done her great discredit. Ignorant persons, for want of properly discriminating, may possibly have condemned the Establishment, where they ought only to have censured her abuses; and when the whole weight of their indignation ought to have fallen upon the persons who introduce improper characters to her altar; and apon those characters, for eating her bread without promoting her interests. The Methodists are among some of the best friends of the Establishment. On the Established Church and its abuses, the following will be found to be pretty generally the sentiments of the Methodists. "In religious establishments, vile persons who have no higher motive, may, and do, get into the priest's office, that they may clothe themselves with the wool, and feed themselves with the fat, while they starve the flock. But where there is no law to back the claims of the worthless and the wicked, men of piety and solid merit only can find support; for they must live on the free-will offerings of the people. Where religion is established by law, the strictest ecclesiastical discipline should be kept up, and all hireling priests and eccle

* Page 1.

+ Pages 1-6. § Pages 17, 192.

Preface, p. 7; p. 197.
Pages 168, 174.

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