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shed abroad in their hearts, which they enjoy to this day. They "love him, because he first loved us ;" and this love constrains them to love all mankind, and inspires them with every holy and heavenly temper, with the mind which was in Christ. Hence it is that they are now uniform in their behaviour, unblamable in all manner of conversation; and in whatsoever state they are, they have learned therewith to be content. Thus they calmly travel on through life, never repining or murmuring, or dissatisfied, till the hour comes that they shall drop this covering of earth, and return to the Father of spirits."

6. This revival of religion has spread to such a degree, as neither we nor our fathers had known. How extensive has it been! There is scarce a considerable town in the kingdom, where some have not been made witnesses of it. It has spread to every age and sex, to most orders and degrees of men; and even to abundance of those who, in time past, were accounted monsters of wickedness.

Consider the swiftness as well as extent of it. "In what age has such a number of sinners been recovered in so short a time from the error of their ways? When has true religion, I will not say, since the reformation, but since the time of Constantine the great, made so large a progress in any nation, within so small a space? I believe hardly can either ancient or modern history afford a parallel instance.

7. "We may likewise observe the depth of the work so extensively and swiftly wrought. Multitudes have been throughly convinced of sin; and shortly after, so filled with joy and love, that whether they were in the body, or out of the body, they could hardly tell; and, in the power of this love, they have trampled under foot whatever the world accounts either terrible or desirable, having evidenced, in the severest trials, an invariable and tender good will to mankind, and all the fruits of holiness. Now so deep a repentance, so strong a faith, so fervent love, and so unblemished holiness, wrought in so many persons in so short a time, the world has not seen for many ages.

8. "No less remarkable is the purity of the religion which has extended itself so deeply and swiftly: I speak particularly as to the doctrines held by those who are the subjects of it. Those of the church of England, at least, must acknowledge this: for where is there a body of people, who, number for number, so closely adhere to the doctrines of the church?

"Nor is their religion more pure from heresy than it is from superstition. In former times, wherever any unusual religious concern has appeared, there has sprung up with it a zeal for things that were no part of religion. But it has not been so in the present case: no stress has been laid on any thing, as though it was necessary to salvation, but what is plainly contained in the word of God. And of the things contained therein, the stress laid on each has been in proportion to the nearness of its relation to what is there laid down as the sum of all,— the love of God and our neighbour. So pure, both from superstition and error, is the religion which has lately spread in this nation.

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9. "It is likewise rational. It is as pure from enthusiasm as from superstition. It is true, the contrary has been continually affirmed: but to affirm, is one thing; to prove, is another. Who will prove, it is enthusiasm to love God, yea, to love him with all our heart? Who is able to make good this charge, against the love of all mankind? (I

do but just touch on the general heads.)-But if you cannot make it good; own this religion to be sober, manly, rational, divine.

10. "It is also pure from bigotry. Those who hold it are not bigoted to opinions. They would hold right opinions; but they are peculiarly cautious, not to rest the weight of Christianity there. They have no such overgrown fondness for any opinions, as to think those alone will make them Christians; or to confine their affection, or esteem, to those that agree with them therein. Nor are they bigoted to any particular branch even of practical religion: they are not attached to one point more than another: they aim at uniform, universal obedience. They contend for nothing circumstantial, as if it were essential to religion; but for every thing in its own order.

11. "They dread that bitter zeal, that spirit of persecution, which has so often accompanied the spirit of reformation. They do not approve of using any kind of violence, on any pretence, in matters of religion. They allow no method of bringing any to the knowledge of the truth, except the methods of reason and persuasion: and their practice is consistent with their profession. They do not, in fact, hinder their dependents from worshipping God, in every respect, according to their own conscience."

But if these things are so, may we not well say, "What hath God wrought!" For such a work, if we consider the extensiveness of it, the swiftness with which it has spread, the depth of the religion so swiftly diffused, and its purity from all corrupt mixtures, we must acknowledge, cannot easily be paralleled, in all these concurrent circumstances, by any thing that is found in the English annals, since Christianity was first planted in this island.

12. It may throw considerable light upon the nature of this work, to mention one circumstance more, attending the present revival of religion, which, I apprehend, is quite peculiar to it. I do not remember to have either seen, heard, or read of any thing parallel. It cannot be denied, that there have been several considerable revivals of religion in England since the reformation. But the generality of the English nation were little profited thereby; because they that were the subjects of those revivals, preachers as well as people, soon separated from the established church, and formed themselves into a distinct sect. So did the Presbyterians first; afterwards the Independents, the Anabaptists and the Quakers. And after this was done, they did scarce any good, except to their own little body. As they chose to separate from the church, so the people remaining therein separated from them, and generally contracted a prejudice against them. But these were immensely the greatest number; so that, by that unhappy separation, the hope of a general, national reformation was totally cut off.

13. But it is not so in the present revival of religion. The Methodists (so termed) know their calling. They weighed the matter at first, and, upon mature deliberation, determined to continue in the church. Since that time, they have not wanted temptations of every kind to alter their resolution. They have heard abundance said upon the subject, perhaps all that can be said. They have read the writings of the most eminent pleaders for separation, both in the last and present century. They have spent several days in a general conference upon this very question, "Is it expedient, (supposing, not granting, that it is lawful) to separate from the established church?" But still they could see no

sufficient cause to depart from their first resolution. So that their fixed purpose is, let the clergy or laity use them well or ill, by the grace of God, to endure all things, to hold on their even course, and to continue in the church, maugre men or devils, unless God permits them to be thrust out.

14. Near twenty years ago, immediately after their solemn consultation on the subject, a clergyman, who had heard the whole, said with great earnestness, " In the name of God, let nothing move you to recede from this resolution. God is with you of a truth; and so he will be, while you continue in the church: but whenever the Methodists leave the church, God will leave them." Lord, what is man! In a few months after, Mr. Ingham himself left the church, and turned all the societies under his care into congregations of independents. And what was the event? The same that he had foretold!They swiftly mouldered into nothing.

Some years after, a person of honour told me, "This is the peculiar glory of the Methodists: however convenient it might be, they will not, on any account or pretence whatever, form a distinct sect or party. Let no one rob you of this glorying." I trust none will, as long as I live. But the giver of this advice entirely forgot in a very short time, and has, almost ever since, been labouring to form independent congregations.

15. This has occasioned many to ask, "Why do you say, the Methodists form no distinct party; that they do not leave the church; are there not thousands of Methodists who have, in fact, left the church; who never attend the church service; never receive the Lord's supper there; nay, who speak against the church, even with bitterness, both in public and private; yea, who appoint and frequent meetings for divine service at the same hour? How then can you affirm, that the Methodists do not leave the church?"

I am glad of so public an opportunity of explaining this; in order to which, it will be necessary to look back some years. The Methodists

at Oxford were all one body, and, as it were, one soul; zealous for the religion of the Bible, of the primitive church, and, in consequence, of the church of England; as they believed it came nearer the scriptural and primitive plan than any other national church upon earth.

When my brother and I returned from Georgia, we were in the same sentiments. And at that time, we and our friends were the only persons to whom that innocent name was affixed. Thus far, therefore, all the Methodists were firm to the church of England.

16. But a good man, who met with us when we were at Oxford, while he was absent from us, conversed much with dissenters, and contracted stong prejudices against the church; I mean Mr. Whitefield; and not long after he totally separated from us. In some years, William Cudworth and several others separated from him, and turned independents; as did Mr. Maxfield and a few more, after separating from us. Lastly, a school was set up near Trevecka, in Wales; and almost all who were educated there, (except those that were ordained, and some of them too,) as they disclaimed all connection with the Methodists, so they disclaimed the church also: nay, they spoke of it, upon all occasions, with exquisite bitterness and contempt.

Now let every impartial person judge, whether we are accountable for any of these? None of these have any manner of connection with VOL. I.

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the original Methodists. They are branches broken off from the tree : if they break from the church also, we are not accountable for it.

These, therefore, cannot make our glorying void, That we do not, will not form any separate sect, but from principle remain, what we always have been, true members of the church of England.

17. Brethren, I presume the greater part of you also are members of the church of England. So at least you are called: but you are not so indeed, unless you are witnesses of the religion above described. And are you really such? Judge not one another; but every man look into his own bosom. How stands the matter in your own breast? Examine your conscience before God. Are you a happy partaker of this scriptural, this truly primitive religion? Are you a witness of the religion of love? Are you a lover of God and all mankind? Does your heart glow with gratitude to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Father of the spirits of all flesh, who giveth you life, and breath, and all things; who hath given you his Son, his only Son, that you "might not perish but have everlasting life?" Is your soul warm with benevolence to all mankind? Do you long to have all men virtuous and happy? And does the constant tenor of your life and conversation bear witness of this? Do you "love not in word, [only,] but in deed, and in truth?" Do you persevere in the "work of faith, and the labour of love?" Do you "walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and gave himself for us?" Do you, as you have time, " do good unto all men?" and in as high a degree as you are able? Whosoever thus "doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Whosoever thou art, whose heart is herein as my heart, give me thine hand! Come, and let us magnify the Lord together, and labour to promote his kingdom upon earth! Let us join hearts and hands in this blessed work, in striving to bring glory to God in the highest, by establishing peace and good will among men, to the uttermost of our power! First, let our hearts be joined herein; let us unite our wishes and prayers; let our whole soul pant after a general revival of pure religion and undefiled, the restoration of the image of God, pure love, in every child of man! Then let us endeavour to promote in our several stations, this scriptural, primitive religion: let us, with all diligence, diffuse the religion of love among all we have any intercourse with: let us provoke all men, not to enmity and contention, but to love and to good works; always remembering those deep words, (God engrave them on all our hearts!) "God is love: and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him!"

SERMON LVI.-Some Account of the Late Work of God in North America.

[First published in the year 1778.]

"The appearance was, as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel," Ezek. i, 16.

1. WHATEVER may be the primary meaning of this mysterious passage of Scripture, many serious Christians, in all ages, have applied it, in a secondary sense, to the manner wherein the adorable providence of

God usually works in governing the world. They have judged this expression manifestly to allude to the complicated wheels of his providence, adapting one event to another, and working one thing by means of another. In the whole process of this, there is an endless variety of wheels within wheels. But they are frequently so disposed and complicated, that we cannot understand them at first sight; nay, we can seldom fully comprehend them, till they are explained by the event.

2. Perhaps no age ever afforded a more striking instance of this kind than the present does, in the dispensations of Divine Providence with respect to our colonies in North America. In order to see this clearly, let us endeavour, according to the measure of our weak understanding, First, To trace each wheel apart: and,

Secondly, To consider both, as they relate to and answer each other. I. And First, We are to trace each wheel apart.

It is by no means my design, to give a particular detail of the late transactions in America; but barely to give a simple and naked deduction of a few well known facts.

I know this is a very delicate subject; and that it is difficult if not impossible, to treat it in such a manner as not to offend any; particularly those who are warmly attached to either party. But I would not willingly offend; and shall therefore studiously avoid all keen and reproachful language, and use the softest terms I can, without either betraying or disguising the truth.

1. In the year 1736, it pleased God to begin a work of grace in the newly planted colony of Georgia; then the southernmost of our settlements on the continent of America. To those English who had settled there the year before, were then added a body of Moravians, so called; and a larger body who had been expelled from Germany by the arch bishop of Saltzburg. These were men truly fearing God and working righteousness. At the same time there began an awakening among the English, both at Savannah and Frederica; many inquiring what they must do to be saved, and "bringing forth fruits meet for repentance.

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2. In the same year there broke out a wonderful work of God in several parts of New England. It began in Northampton, and in a little time appeared in the adjoining towns. A particular and beautiful account of this was published by Mr. Edwards, minister of Northamp ton. Many sinners were deeply convinced of sin, and many truly converted to God. I suppose there had been no instance in America, of so swift and deep a work of grace, for a hundred years before; nay, nor perhaps since the English settled there.

3. The following year, the work of God spread, by degrees, from New England towards the south. At the same time it advanced by slow degrees from Georgia towards the north: in a few souls it deepened likewise; and some of them witnessed a good confession, both in life and in death.

4. In the year 1738, Mr. Whitefield came over to Georgia, with a design to assist me in preaching, either to the English or the Indians. But as I was embarked for England before he arrived, he preached to the English altogether; first in Georgia, to which his chief service was due, then in South and North Carolina, and afterwards in the intermediate provinces, till he came to New England. And all men owned that God was with him, wheresoever he went; giving a general call, to high

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