think, it would be the direct way to caufe it.

While we are

with them, our advice has weight, and keeps them to the Church. But were we totally to withdraw, it would be of little or no weight. Nay, perhaps Refentment of our Unkindnefs (as it would appear to them) would prompt them to act in flat Oppofition to it. "And will it not be the fame at your death? I believe not: for I believe there will be no Refentment in this cafe. And the last advice of a dying Friend, is not likely to be fo foon forgotten.

3. But "was there no inconfiftency in your vifiting Mr. V. as a Minifter of the Gofpel, when you do not give up your People to him?" My vifiting him as a gospel Minister, did not imply any Obligation fo to do.

4. "If that was not the defign of the Vifit, you should not have visited him at all." Does that follow, I vifited him as a Brother and a Fellow-labourer, because he defired it.

5. "Does not this Conduct on the whole, favour of a party Spirit? And fhew a defire to please the Methodists, as Methodifts?"

I am not conscious of any fuch Spirit, or of any defire but that of pleafing all men, for their good, to Edification. And I have as great a defire, thus to pleafe you, as any Methodist under Heaven.

:

You add one thing more, which is of deep Importance, and deferves a particular Confideration. "You fpake to Mr. Vowler of your being as one Man. Nothing is fo desirable. But really before it can be effected, fomething must be done on your part, more than paying us Vifits, which as far as I can fee, can ferve no other purpose in the prefent Circumftances, than to bring us under needlefs Difficulties."

I did indeed speak to Mr. V. of our being as one man. And not to him only, but to feveral others; for it lay much upon my heart. Accordingly I propofed that queftion to all who met at our late Conference, "What can be done, in order to a close union with the Clergy, who preach the Truth?" We all agreed,

G 2

agreed, that nothing could be more defirable. I in particular have long defired it; not from any view to my own Ease or Honour, or temporal Convenience in any kind: but because I was deeply convinced, it might be a bleffing to my own Soul, and a means of increasing the general work of God.

But you fay, "Really before it can be effected, fomething must be done on your part." Tell me what, and I will do it without delay; however contrary it may be to my ease, or natural inclination: provided only, that it confifts with my keeping a Confcience void of offence toward God and toward Man. It would not confift with this, to give up the Flock under my care, to any other Minifter, till I and they were convinced, they would have the fame advantages for holiness under him, which they now enjoy. But "paying us Vifits, can serve no other purpose, than to bring us under needlefs Difficulties." I will speak very freely on this head. Can our conversing together serve no other purpose? You feem then not to have the leaft concern of your own wanting any fuch thing! But whether you do or not, I feel I do : I am not in memet totus teres atq; totundus. I want more light, more strength, for my perfonal walking with God. And I know not, but He may give it me through you. And whether you do or no, I want more light and ftrength, for guiding the Flock committed to my charge. Lord fend this alfo, by whom he will fend? probably as by any other. It is not improbable that he may by you give me clearer light, either as to Doctrine or Difcipline. And even hereby, how much comfort and profit might redound to thousands of thofe for whom Chrift hath died? Which I apprehend would abundantly compensate any Diffieulties that might arife from fuch Conversation.

May not the And by you as

But what Difficulties are thofe? All that are the neceffary Confequence of sharing our Reproach. And what Reproach is it which we bear? Is it the Reproach of Chrift, or not?

It arofe firft, while my Brother and I were at Oxford, from our endeavouring to be real Chriftians. It was increased abundantly when we began to preach Repentance and Remiffion of Sins; and infifting, that we are justified by Faith. For this caufe were we excluded from preaching in the Churches: (I fay, for this: as yet there was no Field preaching.) And this Exclufion occafioned our preaching elsewhere, with the other Irregularities that followed. Therefore all the Reproach consequent thereon, is no other than the Reproach of Christ.

And what are we worse for this? It is not pleafing to flesh and blood: but is it any hindrance to the work of God? Did he work more by us when we were honourable men? By no means. God never ufed us to any purpose, till we were a proverb of reproach. Nor have we now a jot more of dishonour, of evil Report, than we know is necessary both for us and for the people, to ballance that honour and good Report, which otherwise could not be borne.

"

You need not therefore be fo much afraid of, or so careful to avoid this. It is a precious balm: it will not break your head, neither lessen your usefulness. And indeed, you cannot avoid it, any otherwise than by departing from the work. You do not avoid it by ftanding aloof from us; which you call chriftian, I worldly Prudence.

I fpeak as a fool: bear with me. I am clearly satisfied, that you have far more faith, more love, and more of the mind which was in Chrift than I have. But have you more gifts for the work of God? Or more fruit of your labour? Has God owned you more? I would he had, a thousand fold! I pray God, that he may! Have you at prefent more expe rience of the Wifdom of the World and the Devices of Satan? Or of the manner and method wherein it pleases God to counter-work them in this period of his Providence? Are you fure, God would add nothing to you by me, (beside what He might add to me by you? Perhaps when the time is

flipt out of your hands, when I am no more seen, you may wish you had not rejected the Affiftance of, even

Your affectionate Brother,

J. W.

LETTER

ER XCVII.

[Mr. Toplady's Remarks on Imputed Righteousness, in a Letter to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.]

Rev. Sir,

Dublin, Sept. 13, 1758.

IT

THANK you for your fatisfactory Letter; particularly for your kind Caution against trifling Company. I do not vifit three persons in the whole College, except one or two of the Fellows. It is indeed Sodom epitomized: for I do not believe there is one that fears God in it, from top to bottom.

Your Remarks on Mr. Hervey's ftyle are too juft: and I think a Writer would be much to blame for imitating it; or, indeed, the flyle of any other; for if he has abilities of his own, he ought to use them; if he has not, he would be inexcufable for writing at all. I believe Mr. Hervey's mentioning the active, exclufive from the paffive Obedience of Chrift, is rather a cafual than intentional omiffion: but an Author cannot be careful enough how he expreffes himself on a point of fo much importance. I have long been convinced, that Self-righteoufnefs and Antinomianifm are equally pernicious; and that to infift on the imputation of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, as alone requifite to Salvation, is only frewing the way to Hell with Flowers. I have myself known fome make fhipwreck of faith, and love, and a good conscience, on this fpecious Quickfand. The Doctrine feems to fet the Crown fo entirely on Chrift's head, and is, at the fame time, fo very agreeable to corrupt nature, that it would make univerfal

havock in the Church, if the almighty power of God did not preserve his children from the infection; and keep many from ever thinking about it. My heart's defire, and prayer is, that Chrift would grant me to keep clofe to Him, with meek, fimple, fteady love: and though I have not at all times an equal feeling of his prefence, he has, nevertheless, hitherto, enabled me always, even in the darkest hour, (of which I have had many) to retain my Hope and Reliance on Him.

I think, of late, the ftudies I am unavoidably engaged in, have done me some harm; I mean, have abated that fervency with which I used to approach the Throne of Grace; and this by infenfible degrees. My chariot wheels have drove heavily for a month past, but I have reason to hope that I am recovering my ufual joy. I can attribute its declenfion to nothing else but affiduous application to my college business; which prevents my attending the preaching fo often as I would. I depend on your candour to excufe this trouble given you, by Rev. Sir,...