on you, brethren, to consider on what that expectation is founded. Few, perhaps, will avow that it is founded on themselves: but if founded upon God, recollect that he works in his people according to his revealed word. What mean you then by denying his word, which warrants his believing people to trust in him that he will guide them by his counsel and afterwards receive them to his glory," -while at the same time you talk of trusting in him for the work?

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But I dare say that some of you ere now have been ready to cry out as I know is too often the language of your preachers and your writers," this man conceals the cloven foot of reprobation behind the fair cloak of election and final perseverance: remove the cloak, and you will see behind it, in the representation which he gives of God-a gloomy and cruel tyrant, arbitrarily saving a few and damning a multitude."--Ah, brethren, these are rash and awful expressions though but a small specimen of the language in which some in your Society have indulged themselves without fear, in order to excite in the people a horror of Calvinism and Calvinists.--The observations that I shall make on the objection must be but few and brief; but I hope will be made with more attention to the word of God, and more reverence for his sacred name, than the objection is often stated with.

I would observe in the first place, (and the observation, though apparently verbal, is not unimportant) that the term reprobate, where it occurs in scripture, is used in a signification altogether different from that, in which you and some others apply it. It is employed simply to denote a thing or person which cannot stand the test, by which we try whether it be really what it profeses to be. See for instance Jer. vi. 30, and 2 Cor. xiii. 5. According to the language of Scripture, every sinner is a reprobate till he is a genuine believer; for till then, tried by the word of God, he will be found wanting. If some name therefore be thought necessary as a watch-word of alarm against Calvinism, invent some other term, and forbear to pervert and misapply the language of the Bible.

I would observe in the next place, that I no more than you believe that the destruction of those who finally perish is the act of God, except so far as it is the execution of his righteous sentence against their wilful sin. Their sin (the cause of their destruction) is their own; while the salvation of those who are saved from their sins is his.

Again I would observe, that as to the number of those who shall be saved, I know not any difference between John Wesley and John Calvin, if the former did not hold the unscriptural doctrine of universal restoration. All I know from the Bible upon the subject (and I know nothing of it but from the Bible) is this,-that it will be "a great multitude which no man can number;"-while all in the countless multitude will ascribe their "salvation unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb."

Whether their salvation be the fruits of their own deserts, or the work of the Redeemer's grace; the condemnation of those who perish will be, in either case alike, the righteous consequence of their own sin. How then, brethren, do I represent the Almighty as cruel, in maintaining that "the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord ?"

I would observe in the last place, that to charge God with cruelty for not extending the same grace and saving mercy to others, is in effect to deny the existence of his mercy altogether. The very idea of mercy is, that it is gratuitous. That is not the gift of mercy which may not justly be withheld; which it would be cruelty to withhold. So that if you look wth a more enlightened eye at the objection, which is so clamorously and rashly put forward by some of your society, you will find that it resolves itself into this-that God cannot justly punish sin in any of his creatures with everlasting destruction from his presence.-Does that assertion shock you? It will shock every sober and truly awakened mind. Then if God be "just when he judgeth," he is merciful when he saveth a sinner; and if the salvation of any be of his mere mercy, who is the proud worm that will dare to arraign him of cruelty for not saving all?

Do you ask why God does not extend his saving mercy to more? Many such questions, I know, may be rashly started, and as rashly determined by poor purblind creatures. But, dear brethren, let me beseech you to observe that the Scriptures have been given to "make us wise unto salvation;" not to satisfy presumptuous curiosity and I do discern as striking characters of divine wisdom, marking the word of God, in what is concealed, as in what it reveals. Every thing that a sinner can need to be informed of for his own salvation is discovered as with a sunbeam. Am I a sinner? the word of God testifies against my sin, warns me of its consequences, but at the same time declares that God "has no pleasure in the death of a sinner," and proclaims a 'great salvation." Do I ask where is that salvation?-the word of God points to the "Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." To him Moses in the law, to him all the prophets, to him all the apostles bear witness, that "whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life." In the word of God I hear the voice of his invitation," whosoever will, let him come :"—I hear the voice of his promise," him that cometh unto me I will in nowise cast out." Do I reject the revealed counsel of God against myself, and stand enquiring into his everlasting purposes concerning me,―enquiring whether I am among the number of his elect or not? Impenetrable darkness graciously rests upon the question; but the warning voice is heard," except ye repent ye shall perish." Do I believe, and turning to the Lord, enquire-" what wouldst thou have me to do?" the word of God abounds with every gracious consolation for my encouragement, with every gracious admonition for my safety, with every gracious instruction for my guidance, with all that I need to know, for maintaining a happy and a holy walk with the God of my salvation.

Do I begin to enquire about others? Every needful and profitable question is resolved for the regulation of my conduct and tempers towards them; but every question unprofitable and vain is stopped, -with "what is that to thee?" Such glimpses of discovery are afforded into the dealings of God even with other orders of intelligent creatures, besides those of the human race, as are calculated for our profit, for our admonition, and for the enlargement of our

minds with grander views of his majesty and his works. But we may ever estimate the clearness, with which we may expect to find any question resolved in the word of God, by the immediate importance of that question to the enquirer, and the usefulness of the information which he seeks. Alas! what a different book would he Bible be, if systematic divines,—if uninspired men of any sect or party-had the compilation of it!

Wherefore do I urge those remarks? To call your attention to that solemn declaration of our Lord," whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." The little child may ask many questions of the tender parent. Every kind and degree of information which the parent gives, the child receives with implicit credence; and where information is withheld, acquiesces with implicit submission in the parent's wisdom. Let us "GO, AND DO LIKEWISE."

Alterations from the First Edition.
Page 7, line 19, of many among you-for, of most among you.
Page 23, line 9, and all other ways-for, all the ways.

A

SERIES OF LETTERS

ΤΟ

ALEXANDER KNOX, Esq. M. R. I. A.

OCCASIONED BY HIS REMARKS ON THE AUTHOR'S EXPOSTULATORY

ADDRESS TO THE

METHODISTS OF IRELAND.

By manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God.-2 Cor. vi. 2.

Wisdom is justified of her children.-Mat. xi. 19.

[First Published Dec. 1802.]

ADVERTISEMENT.

It is very contrary to my own expectation, that I am obliged to publish my Answer to Mr. Knox's Remarks in a series of separate letters. But I find that if I should reply to the whole of his pamphlet at once, as I originally intended, I must either treat the subject more superficially than its importance demands; or else must allow a longer interval to elapse before publication than I think expedient, and produce in the end a larger work than many readers would be willing either to purchase or peruse.

In the letter, which I now send into public, and hope to follow shortly by a second, the reader will perceive in what manner I aim at handling the controversy. I wish to clear away all disputes about the characters of men, and about modes of expression; in order to bring forward and discuss with plainness the infinitely important principles, which are concerned in it.

In one respect, I can confidently predict the issue of the discussion; and the Vindicator of the reputation of the Methodists may look at it with satisfaction. Their reputation in the world will rise, in proportion as the attention of the public is directed to the differences between them and me. The world will progressively discover-what I intimated in more than one passage of my address -that its creed approaches much nearer to the system of Methodism, than to that called Calvinistic; and will therefore become much more favourably disposed to the sentiments of a body, which it finds

strenuous in maintaining opinions that are generally current in the world.

Impressed with the certainty of this result, I must be either strangely fond of reproach, or strongly persuaded of the importance of the truths for which I contend, in wishing to continue the contest. The former, I know, some are ready to suppose, who cannot believe the latter. However that be, I confess that I view all the reproach which can be heaped upon me as a matter of perfect indifference, in comparison to the object of being blessed to win one soul-either in or out of the Methodist Society-to the knowledge of that glorious Gospel, which is the wisdom and the power of God to them that believe.

I beseech the reader to give a serious consideration to the topics handled in the following pages; and to excuse the unadorned garb in which they appear, for the sake of their intrinsic importance.

J. W.

Dec. 23, 1802.