siastical drones, should be expelled from the Lord's vineyard. An established religion, where the foundation is good, (as in ours,) I consider a great blessing; but it is liable to this continual abuse, which nothing but careful and rigid ecclesiastical discipline can either cure or prevent. If our high priests, our archbishops and bishops, do not their duty, the whole body of the clergy may become corrupt or inefficient. If they be faithful, the Establishment will be an honour to the kingdom, and a praise in the earth."*

For a clergyman, like Mr. W. to praise the Established Church, is what will readily be pardoned by the Dissenters, and applauded by its members. Not satisfied, however, with this, Dissenterism must be viewed as destructive of Christianity. Hence, it is affirmed, "A multiplicity of insulated sects, are, as they obviously must be, prejudicial to the interests of the gospel of Christ."+ As the Methodists are associated with those sects which are prejudicial to the interests of the gospel, a word or two may be necessary on the subject. Mr. W. can perceive no medium between a man's exertions to aid his own cause, and a design to oppose that of others. Certainly Certainly a person may attend to the domestic concerns of his own family, and cultivate his own plot of ground, without troubling his next door neighbour. He may use a different mode of discipline, and may work his ground in a different manner; but while the members of his family conduct themselves with propriety, and he brings his proper proportion of grain to the market, we are not warranted to say, that domestic peace is destroyed, or that the agricultural interests are injured, merely because of a little variation in the government of the one, and of the management of the other. Where the essentials of religion remain unimpaired, the different religious sects are so far useful to the general "interests of the gospel of Christ," as to provoke each other to love and good works. Never, perhaps, was Christianity more aided in this way, than at present. Mr. W. is unfortunate enough, and yet prefers the charge against the Methodists, to view the Established Church as the only true Church, and the means employed by her, as the only legitimate means to be employed for the diffusion of knowledge. On this subject he will find a diversity of opinion. Let us not quarrel with others because they do not immediately follow our track. Italy, you will recollect, Sir, produced, almost at the same time, three eminent poets, Dante, Petrarch, and Bocaccio. These men received from nature a different direction of genius. To ascend Parnassus, they took three roads so distinct from each other that they reached the summit without ever meeting; and we enjoy their productions at this day, without those of the one + Page 8, 9.

Dr. A. Clarke's Notes, 1 Sam. ii. 36.

being capable of giving an idea of, or of being preferred, or even compared to, the rest. He who entered on the journey last of the three seemed to rise to a less point of elevation than his predecessors; but it is the style in which he excelled that is less elevated. And cannot the different sects ascend, I do not say different eminences, but the same mount-the Mount of God, without coming in contact with each other, or at ali endangering their individual safety? I do not here include those who deny the most important doctrines of Christianity; though they are not altogether without their use. This is strikingly illustrated by Leslie; "You see multiplicity of sects and divisions," says he, "which our blessed Saviour foretold should come, for the probation of the elect: as some Canaanites were left in the land to teach the Israelites the use of war, lest by too profound a peace they might grow lazy and stupid, and become an easy prey to their enemies. So might Christianity be lost among us; if we had nothing to do it would dwindle and decay, and corrupt by degrees, as water stagnates by standing still: but when we are put to contend earnestly for the faith, it quickens our zeal, keeps us upon our guard, trims our lamp, and furbishes the sword of the Spirit, which might otherwise rust in its scabbard. And it gives great opportunity to shew us the wonderful providence and protection of God over his church, in preserving her against a visibly unequal force. And in this contest, to some this high privilege is granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also suffer for his sake. These go to make up the noble army of martyrs and confessors, for ever triumphant in heaven. Others conquer even here on earth, that God's wonderful doings may be known to the children of men."* Every new sect affords truth an additional conquest; controversies are agitated, and truth flourishes. Southcottarianism was not altogether uninstructive, though beneath the dignity of an intelligent controvertialist: it served to make us ashamed of our common nature. Had Mr. W. only learned to make the best of what cannot well be avoided in a mixed state of things, his censures would have been less frequent.

While every excellency is associated with the Established Church, not any thing can be beheld in others worthy of unqualified approbation, or even of what is deserving the name of toleration. It is granted, Mr. W. observes, "The real friends of our venerable hierarchy cannot feel themselves justified in wishing that it should be invested with coercive powers, or that its weapons of defence should be any other than argument and persuasion." But this is not without its corrective. He hesi

Short and Easy Method with the Deists, page 85, 86. + Page 10, 194. VOL. XLII. JANUARY, 1819. *D*

tates not to applaud Lord Sidmouth's Bill, to whom his work is respectfully dedicated, and ridicules the "groundless apprehensions" of the Dissenters on the occasion.* He even attempts to prove, that toleration is not incompatible with restriction, and that its "principles" would not have been violated by the plan recommended to be carried into effect by his Lordship. Hence it turns out, that law is to be converted into " argument," restriction into "persuasion." Though he objects to the fire and the wheel, yet he has no objection, in some other way, to the free exercise of civil power. Thus, as it respects the act of 1812, in favour of Protestant Dissenters, "There are some members of the church," he states, "who conceive that too great a latitude has been given to the principles of dissent, and who lament the absence of other securities, less liable to objection, to supply the place of those removed."+ On the merit or demerit of Lord Sidmouth's measure, I shall say nothing. To adopt the language of Lord Stanhope in reference to it "I would not talk of the Bill that is dead and gone; and it would be beneath a man of sense to quarrel with the carcase."+

The Methodists, I believe, Sir, will generally be found to have acted on the defensive. Were they to take up offensive weapons against the members of the Establishment, it would only be to return the compliment. When speaking of the Baptist Missionaries in India,-men whom I can never name but with feelings of gratitude and sentiments of respect,-Mr. W. remarks, "We may very consistently admit, that their active perseverance has tended to meliorate the moral condition of the natives, without relinquishing our resolution to oppose them within the sphere of our influence. The same remark may be with equal justice applied to the Methodists." And why are the Methodists to be resolutely opposed? Because "the system they have embraced is founded upon an erroneous interpretation of the Sacred Writings, is a needless deviation from the principles of the Established Church, and affords a most pernicious encouragement to the increase of fanaticism."|| How far this statement is correct will appear as we proceed. Mr. W. cites the opinion of Dr. Paley, with peculiar satisfaction, and seems to place implicit confidence in his judgment. One of his quotations he ushers in with, "The following remarks of an admirable writer, in whom sagacity and judgment were happily blended, amply merit the attention of every reflecting mind." Remote, indeed, is it from me, to deprive the Dr. of this meed of praise. Were his admirer to advert to the opinion he entertained of that people, whom it is his "resolution to oppose," it would perhaps have some influence in inducing him to "relinquish" his purpose. * Page 12, 13. + Page 15. Speech in the House on the Bill. § Page 20. Page 20, 127. £ Page 4, 78.

After men became Christians," says the Dr. " much of their time was spent in prayer and devotion, in religious meetings, in celebrating the eucharist, in conferences, in exhortations, in preaching, in an affectionate intercourse with one another, and correspondence with other societies. Perhaps their mode of life, in its form and habit, was not very unlike the Unitas Fratrum, or that of modern Methodists."*

Notwithstanding the very unfavourable opinion Mr. W. entertains of Methodism, he admits that it has been productive of good among "the lower classes" of society. He scruples not to say, "The indefatigable zeal of the preachers certainly produced a reform in the external conduct of many whom they addressed, and contributed to subdue their barbarism and excesses into comparative self-command and decency of deportment." But even this he saps the foundation of afterwards, by stating, "All they have accomplished,-too much, alas! for the comfort of society.-has been to delude thousands by the dissemination of unfounded tenets" He continues, " And the only credentials to which they venture to refer, are the narratives of the calls they affect to have received from heaven to dispense the consolations of Methodism to a degenerate world, and the register of unhappy beings, in whom their unwearied efforts have produced an instantaneous conversion; a conversion which, in the estimation of all who retain possession of their sober faculties, can be designated by no other terms, than a sudden advancement from weakness to fanaticism, or from folly to madness." In other places he tells us, that Methodism has been of no utility to Christianity, that the good has only been incidental, and of no advantage to the community at large. From hence it may be inferred, that though Methodism has effected "a reform," that reform is "too much;" that the people had better have remained in a state "of barbarism and excess," than have been blessed with "self-command," and manifested "decency of deportment;"-that their “barbarism” was "weakness," and their "conversion" to " selfcommand," "fanaticism ;"-that their "excesses" were "follies;' and their change to "decency of deportment," madness;" and that this "advancement" to "self-command and decency of deportment" is of no "real advantage."s

Without taking advantage of Mr. W.'s inconsistencies, of the astonishing facility he manifests in building and destroying, I shall take it for granted, that he is sincere in asserting, "that he is not of the number of those who deny that the exertions of the Methodists have, in any shape whatever been productive of good." That good, he states, is confined to the lower orders. These, he proceeds, Require a different mode of treatment

66

* Evidences of Christianity, vol. i. p. 27, 28, Edinburgh Edit. 1810, t Page 18, 19, 132. Page 186, 167. Page 18, 19, 20. . . Page 132

Page 18.

from that which is adopted with the more fortunate part of the species."-" Hence we may readily allow, without making any unreasonable concessions, that to persons of the character here described, incapable of feeling the mild persuasives of a more polished eloquence, and unable to appreciate the deductions of reason, the vehemence, the coarseness, and the over-strained ardour of the Methodistical teachers, might be accompanied with advantages in vain to be expected from any other source."* Four particulars are here observable: 1. That the state of the poor demands aid. 2. That they have derived good from the ministry of the Methodists. 3. That the Methodist teachers are particularly qualified to instruct the poor. And, 4. That they may look in vain for such advantages from any other source,-from even" the mild persuasives of the more polished eloquence" of the clergy. Would Mr. W. deprive "the poor," who "have the gospel preached to them," of the instructions of the only persons qualified to teach them? And though they are of the "lower orders," to whom the Methodist preachers are said to direct their attention, have they not, in common "with the more fortunate part of the species," immortal spirits? Are those spirits not in danger of everlasting perdition? Did not Christ lay down his life for them? The more barbarous the lower classes are, the greater their excesses, the more imperious is the necessity of prompt and effectual relief. To this work "the Methodistical teachers" have no objection to apply themselves; leaving the higher orders to the clergy, for whose peculiar case their "polished eloquence" is so well adapted. The opinion which Mr. W. has been pleased to express on the remarkable fitness between the mode of instruction among the Methodists, and the moral condition of the poor, is not novel. I recollect meeting with it some years ago, in Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson; only expressed in more gentleman-like terms. After obsesving, "That the Established Clergy, in general, did not preach plain enough," the Dr. said, "Something might be necessary to excite the affections of the common people, who were sunk in languor and lethargy, and therefore he supposed the new concomitants of Methodism might probably produce so desirable an effect." This sentiment, from the pen of Mr. W. is intended as a reproach; from the lips of Johnson, the highest compliment. It appears from the Dr.'s statement, that the clergy "did not preach plain enough," and consequently could not be understood; that the people were sunk in languor and lethargy," and required reforming; and that the probability in favour of reformation was on the side of the Methodist Preachers. That this was the confirmed opinion of the Dr. is evident from another conversation which he had with Boswell, on the preaching and success of the