Some that might be fat and well looking,' cry out, my leanness! my leanness !' And many sleep in a spiritual grave, the easy prey of corruption and sin.” Such is this holy man's account of the state of the ministry in his day. Let us hear him a little further, while he more largely describes the influence of such a ministry on the churches. "To speak the melancholy truth, how few individuals are free from practical Antinomianism? Setting aside their attendance on the ministry of the word, where is the material difference between several of our genteel believers and other people? Do not we see the sumptuous furniture in their apartments, and fashionable elegance in their dress? What sums of money do they frequently lay out in costly superfluities to adorn their persons, houses, and gardens? "Our Lord, whose garment does not appear to have been cut in the height of the fashion, as it was made without seam, informs us, that they who wear soft clothing, and splendid apparel, are in king's houses. But had he lived in our days, he might have found them in God's houses; in our fashionable churches and chapels. There you may find them professing to believe the Bible, who so conform to this present world, as to wear gold, pearls, and precious stones, when no distinction of office or state obliges them to it; in direct opposition to the words of two Apostles: Let not their adorning be,' says St. Peter, 'that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel.'Let them adorn themselves in modest apparel,' adds St. Paul, not with curled hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. "Multitudes of professors, far from * We know of no difference that the Bible makes between one class of persons and another in this matter. The passage quoted above, that "they who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses," is the simple statement of a fact. The Saviour does not say that it was right for any to do so whether they lived in kings' houses or not. We cannot conceive how any distinction of office or state should make it necessary to wear gold or pearls, or soft extravagant clothing either. ED. being convinced of their sin in this respect, ridicule Mr. Wesley for bearing his testimony against it. The opposition he dares to make to that growing branch of vanity, affords matter of pious mirth to a thousand Antinomians. Isaiah could openly reprove the 'haughty daughters of Zion, who walked with stretched forth necks, wanton eyes, and tinkling feet: he could expose the bravery of their fashionable ornaments, their round tires like the moon, their chains, bracelets, head bands, rings, and ear-rings; but some of our humble Christian ladies will not bear a reproof from Mr. W. on the head of dress. They even laugh at him, as a pitiful legalist; and yet, O the inconsistency of the Antinomian spirit! they call Isaiah the evangelical Prophet! "Finery is often attended with an expensive table, at least with such delicacies as our purse can reach. St. Paul kept his body under, and was in fastings often; and our Lord gives us directions about the proper manner of fasting. But the Apostle did not know the easy way to heaven (so much frequented at present;) and our Lord did not approve of it, or he would have saved himself the trouble of his directions. In general, we look upon fasting (he might have said, and every degree of abstinence or self-denial) much as we do upon penitential flagellation. Both equally raise our pity; we leave them both to popish devotees. Some of our good old church people will yet fast on Good Friday; but our fashionable believers begin to cast away the last scrap of self-denial. Their faith, which should produce, animate, and regulate works of mortification, goes a shorter way to work; it explodes them all.** "But perhaps we wrestle not with flesh and blood, because we are en * Christ did not command his people to fast, that I am aware; though he gave them directions how to fast, if they should find fasting a duty. The Christian rule respecting food is, that we should be strictly temperate, that we should not gratify the lusts of the flesh, that we should eat and drink for health and strength and mental power and activity; in short, that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God,-do all with a view to please God, and fit us for his service. But how little is this rule regarded. ED. tirely taken up with wrestling against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places.' "Alas! I fear this is not the case. Few of us know what it is to cry out of the deep, to pray and believe, till, in the name of Jesus, we force our way beyond flesh and blood, come within the reach of the internal world, conflict in an agony with the powers of darkness, vanquish Apollyon in all his attacks, and continue wrestling till the day of eternity break upon us, and the God of Jacob bless us with all spiritual benedictions in heavenly places. John Bunyan's Pilgrim, the old Puritans, and the first Quakers had such engagements, and gained such victories; but they soon got over the edge of internal activity, into the smooth, easy path of Laodicean formality: most of us called Methodists have already followed them; and when we are in that snare, Satan scorns to conflict with us; puny flesh and blood are more than a match for us. We fall asleep under their bewitching power, and we dream strange dreams: Our salvation is finished, we have got above legality, we live without frames and feelings, we have attained Christian liberty, we are perfect in Christ, we have nothing to do, our covenant is sure,' &c. True! But unhappily it is a covenant with the flesh Satan, who is too wise to break it by rousing us in the spirit, leaves us to our delusions; and we think ourselves in the kingdom of God, when we are only in a fool's paradise. "At midnight, I will rise and praise thee,' said once a pious Jew; but we pious Christians, who enjoy both health and strength, are imprisoned within our bed-curtains, long after the sun has called the diligent to their labour. When the fear of the Lord was in us the beginning of wisdom, we durst not so confer with flesh and blood. We had then a little faith; and so far as it went, it showed itself by our works. We believed there was some truth in those words of our Lord's, Except a man forsake all that he hath, deny himself, and take up his cross daily, he cannot be my disciple. He that will save his life shall lose it, and he that will lose his life for my sake shall find it. If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out; it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for I say unto you, many shall seek to enter in, and not be able.' But now, 'We know better,' say some of us, we have got over our scruples and legality.' We can conform to this present world; cleave to, instead of forsaking all we have, and even grasp what we have not. What a strange way this of growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ crucified! "Daniel informs us that he made his petition three times, and David that he offered up his praises seven times a day. Once also, like them, we had fixed hours for private prayer and self-examination, for reading the Scriptures and meditating upon them, perhaps upon our knees; but we thought this was legality too, and under the specious pretence of going beyond forms, and learning to pray always, we first threw away our form, and soon after our endeavours to watch unto prayer: now we scarce ever, for any length of time, solemnly bend the knee before our Father, who sees in secret. And instead of leaning on Christ's bosom in all the means of grace, we take our graceless rest in the bosom of that painted Jezebel, Formality. "If we are backward in performing that leading work of PIETY, secret prayer; is it a wonder, if, in general, we are averse to every work of MERCY, that costs us something, besides a little of our superfluous money? And would to God some did not even grudge this, when it is pressed out of their purse, by the importunate addresses of those who beg for the poor! However we give yet at the door of a church, or at the communion: whether with indifference or joy, whether out of custom, shame, or love, we seldom examine. But that important branch of St. James's pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father, which consists in visiting the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, is with many almost as much out of date, as a pilgrimage to our Lady of Loretto. cellars, without fire in winter, desti- "Alas! you sometimes find more compassion and assistance in your extremity, from those who never name the name of Christ, than from our easy Antinomian believers. Their wants are richly supplied; that is enough; they do not inquire into yours, and you are ashamed or afraid to trouble them with the dismal story. Nor, indeed, would some of them understand you if you did. Their uninterrupted abundance makes them as incapable of feeling for you, as the warm inhabitants of Ethiopia are to feel for the frozen Icelanders. "While the table of some believer (so called) is alternately loaded with a variety of delicate meats, and rich wines, what have ye to sustain sinking nature? Alas! One can soon see your all of food and physic. A pitcher of water stands by your bedside upon a stool, the only piece of furniture left in your wretched apartment. The Lord God bless the poor widow that bought it you, with her two mites! Heaven reward a thousand-fold the loving creature that not only shares with you, but freely bestows upon you all her living, even all that she has; when they forget to inquire after you, and to send you something out of their luxurious abundance! The Son of Man, once forsaken by all the disciples, and comforted by an angel, make her bed in the time of sickness! And a waiting band of celestial spirits carry her charitable soul into Lazarus's bosom in the awful hour of dissolution! I had rather be in her case, though she should not confidently profess the faith, than in yours, O ye caressed Believers, who let your affluence overflow to those that have more need to learn frugality in the school of scarceness, than to receive bounties which feed their sensualities, and indulge their pride. as the "And ye women professing godliness, who enjoy the comforts of health and abundance, in whose streets there is no complaining, no decay, whose daughters are polished corners of the temple; when did you ever want visitors? Alas! ye have too many, for the good they do you, or that you do them. Does not your conversation, which begins with the love of Jesus, terminate in religious scandal; as naturally as your soul which once began in the spirit, ends now in the flesh? O that your visitors were as ready to attend workhouses, gaols, infirmaries, and hospitals, as they are to wait upon you? O that at least, like the Dorcases, the Phebes. and Priscillas of old, you would teach them cheerfully to work for the poor, to be the free servants of the Church, and tender nurses of the sick! O that they saw in you. all, how the holy women, the widows who were widows indeed,' formerly' entertained strangers, washed the saints' feet, instructed the younger women, and continued night and day in prayer!' But alas! The love of many, once warm as the smoking flax, is waxed cold instead of taking fire and flaming: they who once began to seek the profit of many, now seek their own ease or interest; their own honour, or indulgence." Such is the description given by this holy, heavenly man, of the state of the religious world in his day. How lamentably does the picture correspond with what we see around us now? God grant that the faithful admonitions of his servant, may not be lost upon us! God grant that we may all arise from our guilty slumbers, shake ourselves from the dust, inquire with intense solicitude what is our Heavenly Father's will, and ceaselessly employ our every energy in obedience to our Father's word! Amen. EXTRACT FROM WESLEY'S THOUGHTS ON METHODISM. "It nearly concerns us to understand how the case stands with us at present. I fear wherever riches have increased (exceeding few are the exceptions) the essence of religion, the mind that was in Christ has decreased in the same proportion. Therefore I do not see how it is possible, in the nature of things, for any revival of true religion to continue long. For religion must necessarily produce both industry and frugality. And these cannot but produce riches. But as riches increase, so will pride, anger, and love of the world in all its branches. "How then is it possible that Methodism, that is, the religion of the heart, though it flourishes now as a green bay tree, should continue in this state? For the Methodists in every place grow diligent and frugal: consequently they increase in goods. Hence they proportionably increase in pride, in anger, in the desire of the flesh, in the desire of the eyes, and in the pride of life. So although the form of religion remains, the spirit is swiftly vanishing away. "Is there no way to prevent this? This continued declension of pure religion? We ought not to forbid people to be diligent and frugal: we must exhort all Christians to gain all they can, and save all they can, that is, in effect, to grow rich! What way then (I ask again) can we take, that our money may not sink us to the nethermost hell? There is one way, and there is no other way under heaven. If those who gain all they can, and save all they can, will likewise give all they can, then the more they gain, the more they will grow in grace, and the more treasure they will lay up in heaven."---London, Aug. 4, 1786. In his sermon on the Danger of Riches, to give all you can is explained thus: "I do not say, be a good Jew, giving a tenth of all you possess. I do not say, be a good Pharisee, giving a fifth of all your substance. I dare not advise you to give half of what you have, no nor three-quarters, but all!---1st. Provide things needful for yourself; food to eat, raiment to put on ; whatever nature moderately requires for preserving you both in health and strength. 2nd. Provide these for your wife, your children, your servants, or any other who may pertain to your household. If, when this is done, there be an overplus left, then do good to them that are of the household of faith.' If there be an overplus still, as you have opportunity, do good unto all men.' In so doing, you give all you can."" Such is John Wesley's opinion,such, according to him, is the only course that can preserve Methodism in existence. To do no harm, is an honour which is common to a stone, or a clod of clay. If this were all the excellency you aim at, you had better never have been born, for then you certainly could have done no harm.-Baxter. It is not through the goodness of the great ones of this world, but the cowardliness of their own hearts, that ministers of Christ are not ordinarily martyrs.-Baxter. No man that is not a martyr in resolution and disposition can be saved. - Baxter. THE USE OF PROPERTY. LAYING UP FOR OURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH. Continued from p. 408, Vol. I. In the former article on the use of property, I endeavoured to show that to lay up treasures for ourselves on earth is wrong. The arguments which I employed were:-1. That it is expressly forbidden by Christ. 2. That we are commanded by Christ to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. 3. That we cannot lay up for ourselves treasures on earth without having our hearts on earth. 4. That treasures laid up for ourselves on earth are not secure; and, 5. That to lay up for ourselves treasures on earth is not at all necessary. I was engaged with the last argument when I concluded the article. I was endeavouring to show, that if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, our needful food and raiment are secured to us by the promises of God. I referred to a number of instances in which God had fulfilled his promises to his people in a very remarkable manner. Before I go on to other arguments, it may not be amiss to put down a few of these instances. When the Moravian Missionaries first went to labour in Greenland, they had neither stores of wealth, nor the patronage of the great to rely upon. When they reached the boundaries of their own country, they had but a few shillings; but Providence gave them fresh supplies, and helped them forward on their way. When they reached Greenland, they were almost constantly threatened with famine; but in the darkest hours God always appeared, in some way or other, for their help. On one occasion, when they had nothing left on which they could subsist but some old tallow candles, he disposed a Greenlander, a perfect stranger to them, to travel forty leagues to sell them some seals, the flesh of which served them for a length of time. At another time, when they had just returned from a toilsome excursion, in which they could obtain no food, a Greenlander brought them word that a Dutch ship was lying at some distance to the South, the captain of which had letters for them. On sending to the ship, they found a E cask of provisions sent for them by a kind friend at Amsterdam, along with an offer that he would send more if they needed. And in such ways as these did God supply their wants, time after time. Their whole history is one long proof that those who make it their business to please God, and who rely on his promises for a supply of their wants, shall never be allowed to lack any thing truly needful. The following is related of Edward Coleston, a Bristol merchant. He was remarkable both for his liberality to the poor, and for his trust in God; and God as remarkably favoured him. He never insured a ship, except in the Insurance Office of Heaven, and yet he never lost one. Once, indeed, a vessel belonging to him, on her voyage home, struck on a rock, and immediately sprang a leak, by which so much water was admitted that there was no prospect but that the ship would speedily go down. Means were instantly employed to save the vessel, but all seemed ineffectual; the water rose rapidly higher and higher. In a short time, however, the leak stopped, without any apparent cause, and the vessel reached Bristol in safety. How was this done? You shall hear. God himself, whom the pious merchant honoured both by his liberality and confidence, had interposed for the preservation of the vessel. On examining the ship's bottom, a fish, said to be a dolphin, was found fast wedged in the fracture made by the rock when she struck, which had prevented any water from entering during the remainder of the voyage. The following account of a minister of Christ is given by John Newton. What his income was, is not stated; but he appears to have laid up no treasures for his family. When dying, he was advised to make his will, but he replied, "I have nothing to leave but my wife and children, and I leave them to the care of my gracious God;" and, soon after, he died, happy in God. Did his family perish? Did God forget his promise? You shall hear. When there appeared no prospect that the minister's widow and orphan would be supported, the Lord disposed a man, who had always attended the departed minister's preaching, to feel |