life as an arrow through the air; I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God, just hovering over the great gulf, till a few moments hence I am no more seen! I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, the way to heaven, how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came down from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price give me the book of God! I have it: here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be homo unius libri. Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone, only God is here. In his presence I open, I read his book; for this end, to find the way to heaven. Is there a doubt concerning the meaning of what I read? Does any thing appear dark and intricate? I lift up my heart to the Father of lights. Lord, is it not thy word, 'If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God?' Thou givest liberally, and upbraidest not?' Thou hast said, 'If any be willing to do thy will, he shall know.' I am willing to do, let me know thy will. I then search after, and consider parallel passages of Scripture; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. I meditate thereon with all the attention and earnestness of which my mind is capable. If any doubt still remain, I consult those who are experienced in the things of God; and then the writings, whereby, being dead, they yet speak. And what I thus learn, that I teach." It was in the same spirit that the first Methodist preachers examined into the doctrines of the book of God. When the first conference was held, at which was present the Rev. John Wesley, the Rev. Charles Wesley, the Rev. John Hodges, rector of Wenvo, and several others, it is evident that they entered on the subject of Christian doctrine in that spirit which was likely to draw down the divine blessing on their consultations. They resolved that all things should be considered as in the immediate presence of God; that every point which was proposed should be examined to the foundation; and that every question which might arise should be thoroughly debated and settled. Having entered on their work in that blessed spirit, and with a single eye to the glory of God, we may reasonably expect that they would be led into all truth. The truths which they thus learned they faithfully preached. Divine power accompanied the word; thousands of persons were awakened to a sense of their guilt and of their danger; and being directed to the Lord Jesus Christ as their only, but all-sufficient Saviour, they found redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of their sins. Their lives became holy and happy, and many of the first Methodists are now safely landed on the heavenly shore. Through the peculiar providence of God, Mr. Wesley was long spared as a father to the growing societies; and at various times was led to write on almost every subject connected with divinity. His Notes on the New Testament, though concise, are clear and full. His Sermons are probably unrivalled for a clear statement of divine truth, and a practical and powerful application of that truth. His controversial pieces are on some of the most important truths of the Bible, which are defended in a masterly manner. In them truth is triumphant. His hymns, with those of his brother Charles, and a selection from some other authors, form a volume which, for real excellence, is probably the first in the English language. The whole of his works taken collectively form a full statement of Scriptural truths, properly explained, and practically applied. On the ground which was laid during his life, Methodism has continued to prosper in an extraordinary manner, and hitherto has suffered no decay. On the present system of sound doctrine and proper discipline we have reason to expect that it will continue to prevail till the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God; yea, till suns shall rise and set no more. As a member of the Methodist body, I feel anxious that we may ever preserve the purity both of our doctrine and our discipline; and the purport of my addressing you, especially at this time, is to state the peculiar necessity of our continuing to abide by our former truths, and of guarding the sacred deposite which God has committed to our care. There are two theories that have been advanced which appear to militate against our views of the important doctrine of regeneration, as stated in the writings of Mr. Wesley, and more especially in the book of God. One of these theories is, that baptism, when properly administered, is regeneration. That the apostles 'were not of that opinion is evident; for when St. Peter went to Samaria he found Simon (generally termed Simon Magus) among the newly formed society of Christians who had been baptized. But so far was Peter from considering him as regenerated, that he said to him, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." That our reformers* did not consider baptism as regeneration is evident from the Catechism which they compiled, where they say that "baptism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace." And that Mr. Wesley was not of that opinion is also evident from all his writings, but especially from his Sermon on the New Birth, where he says, " And, first, it follows that baptism is not the new birth; they are not one and the same thing." Again: "For what can be more plain than that the one is an external, the other an internal work? that the one is a visible, the other an invisible thing, and, therefore, that they are wholly different from each other-the one being an act of man, purifying the body; the other, a change wrought by God in the soul. So that the former is just as distinguishable from the latter as the soul from the body, or water from the Holy Ghost." The other theory is, that all professing Christianst are, in the same sense in which the New Testament writers use the expressions, regenerate, born again, justified, and members of Christ's body. Strange as this doctrine may appear, it has had its advocates; but if we examine into the writings of the reformers, of Mr. Wesley, and also of those who were inspired by the Holy Ghost, we shall find that this novel theory is without foundation. Mr. Wesley is remarkably clear on this subject. In his Sermon on the Marks of the New Birth he says, "But it is not a barely notional or speculative faith which is here spoken of by the apostle. It is not a bare assent to this proposition, 'Jesus is the Christ,' nor indeed to all the propositions contained in our creed, or in the Old and New * The compilers of the Book of Common Prayer.-EDs. Testament. It is not merely an assent to any or all these credible things as credible. To say this, were to say (which who could hear?) that the devils were born of God, for they have this faith. They, trembling, believe both that Jesus is the Christ, and that all Scripture, having been given by inspiration of God, is true as God is true, &c., yet, notwithstanding this faith, they are still 'reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day." In his Sermon on the Way to the Kingdom, his expreslons are equally strong and equally proper. "A man may be orthodox in every point; he may not only espouse right opinions, but zealously defend them against all opposers; he may think justly concerning the incarnation of our Lord, concerning the ever blessed Trinity, and every other doctrine contained in the oracles of God; he may assent to all the three creeds, that called the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian; and yet it is possible he may have no religion at all, no more than a Jew, Turk, or Pagan. He may be almost as orthodox as the devil, &c., and may all the while be as great a stranger as he to the I religion of the heart." We must be careful not to anathematize those persons who do not think with us. To their own Master they stand or fall. But we, as a body of people whom the Lord has graciously raised up as out of the dust, and whom he has honoured with almost unexampled prosperity in the revival of his work, must be careful to "walk by the same rule, and mind the same things." Of Methodism, as to purity of doctrine, soundness of discipline, and true Christian experience, I would ever say, "Esto perpetua." G. MARSDEN. In addition to the above, we need only observe that to the young preacher, the sincere inquirer who wishes to know what were Mr. Wesley's own views of Scripture doctrine, and to every Methodist, as a book of reference, Wesleyana will always be an acceptable and useful companion. EDITORS. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LATE REV. JOHN WESLEY, A. M. THE name of John Wesley has long been known and honoured by thousands, in every part of the world where the English language is spoken or understood. An extensive and growing society, in England and her dependencies, and a flourishing church in this country, of which he undesignedly became the founder, appreciate his labours, and venerate his memory. Beyond the circle of his immediate connection, however, little has been known till recently respecting the real history and sentiments of this extraordinary man. The publication of "The Life of Wesley," by Mr. Southey, attracted much of public attention, and excited a pretty general desire to know something respecting an individual whose labours have produced a revolution in the moral world, the effect of which has been felt by the antipodes. Among those who have appeared as the biographers of Wesley, some," says Mr. Southey, "have wanted the heart to understand his worth, or the will to do it justice; others have not possessed freedom or strength of intellect to perceive wherein he was erroneous. Nor are these the only difficulties which have interposed themselves in the way of an impartial and just biography of the founder of Methodism. To delineate the character of one so opposing and opposed calls not only for the utmost candour, and the strictest impartiality, but also for a clear apprehension and a deep conviction of the importance of those subjects, the interests 66 |