try to go into Orders. For as for the Living, were it vacant, I have no mind to it, because I think I could preach with more fruit in my country and in my own tongue. I am in fufpence for on the one fide my heart tells me I must try, and it tells me fo whenever I feel any degree of the Love of God and man: but on the other, when I examine whether I am fit for it, I fo plainly see my want of gifts, and especially of that foul of all the labours of a Minister of the Gofpel, Love, continual, univerfal, flaming Love, that my confidence disappears, I accuse myself of pride, to dare to entertain the defire of fupporting one day the Ark of the Lord, and I conclude that an extraordinary punishment will fooner or later overtake my rashness: as I am in both those frames fucceffively, I must own Sir, I do not fee plainly which of the two ways before me I can take with fafety, and I fhall be glad to be ruled by you, because I trust God will direct you in give ing me the advice you think will beft conduce to his glory, the only thing I would have in view in this affair: I know how precious is your time, I defire no long answer, perfift or forbear will fatisfy and influence. Sir, Your unworthy Servant, JOHN FLETCHER. LETTER XCVI. [The Rev. Mr. Wefley to the Rev. Mr. Walker, on his advifing to give up the Methodil Societies to their several Minifters.] Rev. and dear Sir, N Helfton, Sept. 16, 1757. OTHING can be more kind than the mentioning to me whatever you think is amifs in my Conduct. And the more freedom you ufe in doing this, the more I am indebted indebted to you. I am throughly perfuaded, that you "wish me well:" and that it is this, together with a "Concern for the common Interefts of Religion,", which obliges you to fpeak with more plainness than otherwise you would. The fame motives induce me to lay afide all Referve, and tell you the naked Sentiments of my heart. Two years fince, eleven or twelve Perfons of Falmouth were Members of our Society. Laft year I was informed, that a young Man there had begun to teach them new Opinions, and that soon after, Offence and Prejudice crept in, and encreased till they were all torn asunder. What they have done fince, I know not; for they have no Connection with us. I do I do "exert myself" fo far, as to separate from us, those that separate from the Church. But in a thousand other Inftances I feel the want of more Refolution and Firmnefs of Spirit. Yet fometimes that may appear Irrefolution which is not fo. I exercife as little Authority as poffible, because I am afraid of People's depending upon me too much, and paying me more Reverence than they ought. But I proceed to the Subftance of your Letter. You fay, 1. "If you fill hold the Effence of juftifying Faith to be in Affurance, why did you encourage J. H. to believe his State good?" Affurance is a word I do not use, because it is not fcriptural. But I hold, that a divine Evidence or Conviction, that Chrift loved me, and gave himself for me, is effential to, if not the very Effence of justifying Faith. J. H. told me he had more than this; even a clear Conviction that his Sins were forgiven: altho' he said, that Conviction was not so clear now, as it had been in times past. 2. "If you believed Mr. V. to be a gracious Perfon, and a gospel Minister, why did you not in juftice to your People, leave them to him?" J. H. affured me, That Mr. V. alfo had a clear Conviction of his being reconciled to God. If fo, I could not deny VOL. III. G his 8 1 1 And I heard him preach the But had it been the whole, why I did not give up the his being a gracious Person. true, tho' not the whole Gofpel. there are feveral Reasons ftill, People to him. 1. No one mentioned or intimated any fuch thing, nor did it once enter into my Thoughts. But if it had, 2. I do not know, that every one who preaches the Truth, has Wifdom and Experience to guide and govern a Flock: I do not know that Mr. V. in particular has. He may, or he may not. 3. I do not know, whether he would or could give that Flock, all the Advantages for Holiness which they now enjoy: and to leave them to him, before I was affured of this, would be neither Juftice nor Mercy. 4. Unless they were alfo affured of this, they could not in confcience give up themfelves to him. And I have neither Right nor Power to difpofe of them, contrary to their Conscience. "But they are his already by legal Establishment." If they receive the Sacrament from him thrice a year, and attend his Miniftrations on the Lord's Day, I fee no more which the Law requires. But, to go a little deeper into this matter of legal Eftablishment. Does Mr. Canon or you think, that the King and Parliament have a right to prefcribe to me, what Paftor I fhall use? If they prefcribe one which I know God never fent, am I obliged to receive him? If he be sent of God, can I receive him with a clear Confcience till I know he is? And even when I do, if I believe my former Paftor is more profitable to my Soul, can I leave him without fin? or has any man living a right to require this of me? I "extend this to every gofpel Minifter in England." Before I could with a clear Confcience, leave the Methodist Society even to fuch an one, all these Considerations must come in. And with regard to the People: far from thinking, that "the withdrawing our Preachers" from fuch a Society without their confent, would prevent a Separatiou from the Church, I |