that they may be fit to stand in the presence of that God, who is himself a consuming fire !".

But have we indeed been thus duly afraid? This is now to be considered. And because we cannot see the hearts of others, let us form our judgment from their actions, which will be best done by a plain relation, of which every one that hears it, can easily tell whether it be true or false.

In the day following that, on which the voice of God had so dreadfully commanded us to exchange our mirth for sadness, the diversion which that had broken off, was as eagerly begun anew: crowds of people flocked out of that very town, where the destruction had been wrought the day before; and rushed by the place of desolation, to the place of entertainment! Here you might see the ground covered with heaps of ruins, mingled with yet unquenched fire. A little way off, as thickly covered with horses and men, pressing on to see another new sight. On this side were the mourners bewailing the loss of their goods, and the necessities of their families. On the other, the feasters delighting themselves with the sport they had gained. Surely, such a mixture of mirth and sadness, of feasting and mourning, of laughing and weeping, hath not been seen from the day in which our forefathers first came up into this land, until yesterday.

Such is the fear we have shown of the wrath of God! Thus have we been afraid after he had blown his trumpet among us! These are the signs we have given of our resolution to avoid whatever is displeasing in his sight! Hereby we have proved how we design to avoid that diversion in particular, which he hath given as so terrible a reason to believe is far from being pleasing to him! Not that this is the only reason we have to believe so. Besides this last melancholy argument against it, we have so many others, as any serious Christian would find it a hard task to answer. But I have only time to mention slightly a few of the consequences that were never yet separated from it.

Before I mention these, it is not necessary for me to say, whether the diversion is sinful in itself, simply considered, or not. If any one can find a race which has none of these consequences, let him go to it, in the name of God. Only till he finds one which does not give occasion to these, or the like villanies, let him who nameth the name of Christ, have a care of any way encouraging them.

One thing more I would have observed: That it is so far from being uncharitable to warn well-meaning people of the tendency of these diversions, that the more clearly and strongly any one represents it to them, the more charitable to them he is. This may be made plain by a very easy comparison. You see the wine when it sparkles in the cup, and are going to drink of it; I tell you, There is poison in it! and, therefore, beg you to throw it away. You answer, The wine is harmless in itself: I reply, perhaps it is so: but still, if it be mixed with what is not harmless, no one in his senses, if he knows it, at least, unless he could separate the good from the

bad, will once think of drinking it. If you add, "It is not poison to me, though it be to others. Then I say, Throw it away for thy brother's sake, lest thou embolden him to drink also. Why should thy strength occasion thy weak brother to perish for whom Christ died? Now let any one judge which is the uncharitable person; he who pleads against the wine or the diversion, for his brother's sake, or he who pleads against the life of his brother, for the sake of the wine or the diversions.

All the doubt there can be is this: Is there poison in this diversion which is supposed to be harmless in itself? To clear this up, let us, first, observe, The notorious lying that is always joined with it; the various kinds of over-reaching and cheating! the horrid oaths and curses that constantly accompany it, wherewith the name of our Lord God, blessed for ever, is blasphemed. When or where was this diversion ever known without these dreadful consequences? Who was ever one day present at one of these entertainments, without being himself a witness to some of these? And surely these alone, had we no other ill consequences to charge upon this diversion, are enough, till a way is found to purge it from them, to make both God and all wise men to abhor it.

But over and above these, we charge it, secondly, with affording the fairest means to exercise and to increase covetousness. This is done by the occasion it gives to all, who please to lay wages with one another which commonly brings so strong a desire of possessing what is another's, as will hardly cease when that one point is decided; but will be exceeding likely to leave such a thirst in the mind, as not all the winning in the world will satisfy. And what amends can the trifling sport of a thousand people make, for one soul thus corrupted and ruined? Therefore, on this account too, till a way is known to secure all that frequent it from this danger, well may this sport itself be an abomination to him who values one soul more than the whole world.

May we not well fear, that it is an abomination to the Lord, because of a third effect of it? because it is so apt to inflame those passions which he so earnestly commands us to quench? Because many people are so heated on such occasions, as they never ought to be on any occasion. Supposing it possible that a man might be angry and not sin; yet hardly upon such occasions, or in such a degree as those who are angry on such occasions commonly are. This consequence, too, let him separate from such a diversion, who would prevent its being displeasing to God.

Till this be done, let no one say, What harm is there in a horserace? But if any should still ask that question, we can answer yet more particularly: Are you a young person who desire to go to it? Then it is likely you go either to see or to be seen; to admire other fine sights, or to be admired yourself. The hurt of this is, it nourishes that friendship which is enmity with God. It strengthens those affections which are already too strong, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life. All such diversions as these are the noblest instruVOL. 7.-H h

ments the Devil has, to fill the mind with earthly, sensual, and devilish passions; to make you of a light and trifling spirit: in a word, to make you a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. Are you, who desire to go to it, advanced in years, and, therefore, less subject to such temptations? Take heed that your hearts deceive you not. But be it as you suppose, hath it not done you hurt enough, if it has hindered any of you from partaking of the blessed sacrament? If by preventing either that serious examination, or that private devotion which you wisely use before you come to it, it has occasioned your neglecting to come to this holy table; and so not only disobeying a plain command of God, but likewise losing all those inestimable advantages which are there reached out to them who obey him. Are you a rich man that desire to go? Then you have probably given something towards it. That is, you have thrown away that seed, which might have borne fruit to eternity! You have thrown away a part of that talent, which, had you rightly improved, you might have been an everlasting gainer by it! You have utterly lost what God himself, had you lent it to him, would richly have repaid you; for you have given to those who neither need, nor perhaps thank you for it; which, if you had bestowed upon your helpless brethren, your blessed Redeemer would have esteemed it as done unto himself, and would have treated you accordingly at the great day. Are you a poor man who have gone, or given any thing to this diversion? Then it has done you most hurt of all. It has made you throw away for an idle sport abroad, what your wife and family wanted at home. If so, you have denied the faith, and are far worse than an infidel. But suppose it cost you no money, was it not hurt enough, if it cost you any of your time? What had you to do to run after trifling diversions, when you ought to have been employed in honest labour? Surely if the rich think, that God hath given them more than they want, (though it will be well if they do not one day think otherwise ;) yet you have no temptation to think so. Sufficient for your day is the labour thereof.

I have but a few words to add,-and those I speak not to them who are unwilling to hear, whose affections are set upon this world, and therefore their eyes are blinded by it. But I speak to them in whom is an understanding heart, and a discerning spirit :—who, if they have formerly erred, are now resolved, by the grace of God, to return no more to the error of their ways; but for the time to come, not only to avoid, but also earnestly to oppose whatsoever is contrary to the will of God. To these I say, Are you young? So much the rather scorn all employments that are useless, but much more, if they are sinful. For you are they, whose wisdom and glory it is "to remember your Creator in the days of your youth." Are you elder? So much the rather bestow all the time which you can spare from the necessary business of this life, in preparing yourself and those about you, for their entrance into a better life. For your day is far spent, and your night is at hand. Redeem, therefore, the little

time you have left. Are you rich? Then you have particular reason to labour that you may be rich in good works. For you are they to whom much is given, not to throw away, but to use well and wisely; and of you much shall be required. Are you poor? Then you have particular reason to work with your hands, that you may provide for your own household. Nor when you have done this, have you done all. For then you are to labour that you may give to him that needeth. Not to him that needeth diversions, but to that needeth the necessaries of nature; that needeth clothes to cover him, food to support his life, or a home where to lay his head.

What remains, but that we labour, one and all, young and old, rich and poor, to wipe off the past scandal from our town and people. First, by opposing to the utmost, for the time to come, by word and deed, among our friends, and all we have to do with, this unhappy diversion, which has such terribly hurtful consequences. By doing all we possibly can to hinder its coming among us any more. And, Secondly, by showing all the mercy we can to our afflicted neighbours, according as God hath prospered us, and by this timely relief of them, laying up for ourselves a good foundation against the day of necessity. Thirdly, By our constant attendance on God's public service, and blessed sacrament, and our watchful, charitable, and pious life. Thus giving the noblest proof before men and angels, that although even after we were troubled, we went wrong, yet upon more deeply considering, how God hath blown his trumpet among us, we were afraid. We then shall say, with an awakened heart, Behold, the Lord our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. Now, therefore, while time is, let us put away far from us every accursed thing; "For if we hear this voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die."

**Every experienced Christian will readily observe, that Mr. Wesley wrote the preceding Sermon before he was fully acquainted with the power of divine grace. Nevertheless, it evidently discovers a mind under the influence of the fear of God, and a sincere desire to know and please him. The arguments he makes use of to prove the sinfulness of attending public diversions are striking and unanswerable, and demand our most serious regard. We stand upon the brink of eternity! There is only a step between us and the unfathomable gulf! Are not sensual diversions and amusements solely calculated to divert our thoughts from God, and the things of grace and glory? Is it possible then for any one of us to be present at those scenes of riot and dissipation, with a single eye, with a pure intention to please God? Previous to our entrance into the field of folly, can we retire in secret, and kneel down at the feet of the Almighty, and entreat his blessing upon the premeditated madness, that we design, not only as a spectator of, but a party concerned and interested in the success of it? Would not our presence in such de

plorable scenes, harden and darken the minds of those who noticed us? Is it possible to retire from the race ground, or any other place devoted to folly, without a guilty conscience? And could we then deceive ourselves with the imagination, that we had been giving all diligence to be found of Christ, in peace without spot and blameless?

SERMON CXXXVI.

ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The following Sermon was preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, on Whit-Sunday, 1736, and was found among the papers of the late Mr. Wesley.

"Now the LORD is that Spirit."-2 COR. iii. 17.

THE Apostle had been showing, how the gospel ministry was superior to that of the law: the time being now come when types and shadows should be laid aside, and we should be invited to our duty by the manly and ingenuous motives of a clear and full Revelation, open and free on God's part, and not at all disguised by his ambassadors. But what he chiefly insists upon, is not the manner, but the subject of their ministry: "Who hath made us able ministers," saith he, "of the New Testament: not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." Here lies the great difference between the two dispensations: that the law was, indeed, spiritual in its demands, requiring a life consecrated to God in the observance of many rules, but not conveying spiritual assistance, its effect was only to kill and mortify man; by giving him to understand, that he must needs be in a state of great depravity, since he found it so difficult to obey God; and that, as particular deaths were by that institution inflicted for particular sins, so death, in general, was but the consequence of his universal sinfulness. But the ministration of the New Testament was that of a "Spirit which giveth life" a Spirit not only promised, but actually conferred: which should both enable Christians now to live unto God, and fulfil precepts even more spiritual than the former, and restore them hereafter to perfect life, after the ruins of sin and death. The incarnation, preaching, and death of Jesus Christ, were designed to represent, proclaim, and purchase for us this gift of the Spirit: and therefore, says the Apostle, "The Lord is that Spirit, or the Spirit.'