by which they, without revelation, are a law unto themselves, ch. ii. 14, 15. The light of revelation gave force to the Jaw in St. Paul's mind, his conscience acknowledged it to be the law of God. The authority of this law in the man was opposed by the authority of finful paffions ruling in his members. These kept him in perpetual bondage to fin. This is expreffed in this verse in a most emphatical manner: "I find another law in my members warring against the law of my mind;" not in dubious conflict, in which the law of the mind prevails, and in which corruption struggles for the mastery in vain, (as is pofitively afferted by thofe who maintain that this was a conflict between grace and corruption in St. Paul after his conversion.) It is impossible that an opinion can be more contradictory to the express declaration of the inspired author; for, faith he of corruption in his members, "it bringeth me into captivity to the law of fin." He doth not speak of an occafional advantage which corruption obtained, it was a complete and final victory. The original word (bringing me into captivity,) is very expres five; not only warring, but also carrying him away captive with irresistible force. This is the confequence of being overcome; 'the enemy was carrying away the vanquished into captivity; he was in the hands of the foe as the victor's lawful captive; this is the import of the word. The verb is ufed by Chrift to denote the state of the Jews after their dispersion: "They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations," Luke xxi. 24. St. Paul ufeth the fame verb to denote the manner in which the word and Spirit of God brings the thoughts into fubjection to the law of Chrift, 2 Cor. x. 5. “ And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chrift." The power which accomplished this he calls "mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds," and carrying with irrefiftible force into captivity. The fame thing is here faid of corruption.

Though the fenfe of this paffage be expreffed in the clearest language, yet there is not one fentence in it which is not inter

preted

preted into a sense altogether foreign to the real fignification of the words, by all those who apply it to the apoftle's character after his converfion. The commentators alfo maintain, that the paffage is perfectly fimilar to Gal. v. 16-18. Whereas the difference is exceeding great.

1. The persons mentioned in the Galatians are fuch as were led by the Spirit, and walked in the Spirit, ver. 16, 18. the perfon mentioned here is fold under fin; fin dwelleth in him, and ruleth in his members, ver. 14, 20, 23.

2. They crucify the flesh, with the affections and defires, Gal. v. 24. St. Paul was carnal, led captive by corruption, and ferved with his flesh the law of fin.

3. The conflict in the Chriftian, as mentioned in the Gala tians, is between the Spirit in the man operating upon his mind, and ensuring victory, on the one fide; and the remains of corruption in its broken state, on the other. The conflict in St. Paul was between his mind, on one part, and corruption in its ori ginal vigour, on the other.

4. The iffue of the Christian's conflict is victory on the Spi rit's fide; they are more than conquerors through him: only in proportion to the ftrength of corruption, the mind was obstruct ed in doing good; he was not able, on account of this oppofition, to do all that fhe would. A final and complete conqueft was the iffue of St. Paul's conflict on the fide of corruption; he was led captive to the law of fin, and neither could do good nor avoid evil. Two cafes more diffimilar are hardly to be found among men on earth.

[To be continued.]

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LVII.

4.

was feveral years after our Society was formed, before any attempt of this kind was made. The first was, I apprehend, at Norwich. One of our Preachers there, yielded to the importunity of a few of the people, and baptized their children. But as foon as it was known, he was informed, it must not be, unless he defigned to leave our connexion. He promised to do it no more: and I fuppofe he kept his promise.

14. Now as long as the Methodists keep to this plan, they cannot separate from the Church. And this is our peculiar glory. It is new upon the earth. Revolve all the hiftories of the Church, from the earliest ages, and you will find, whenever there was a great work of God in any particular city or nation, the fubjects of that work, foon faid to their neighbours," Stand by yourselves, for we are holier than you!" As foon as ever they feparated themselves, either they retired into defarts, or they built religious houses; or at least formed parties, into which none was admitted but fuch, as fubfcribed both to their judgment and practice. But with the Methodists, it is quite otherwife. They are not a Sect or Party. They do not feparate from the Religious Community, to which they at first belonged. They are ftill members of the Church: fuch they defire to live and to die. And I believe, one reason why God is pleased to continue my life fo long, is to confirm them in their prefent purpose, Not to separate from the Church.

15. But, notwithstanding this, many warm men fay, "Nay, but you do feparate from the Church." Others are equally

warm, "Because, they say, I do not." I will nakedly declare the thing as it is.

I hold all the Doctrines of the Church of England. I love her Liturgy. I approve her plan of Discipline, and only wish, it could be put in execution. I do not knowingly vary from any rule of the Church, unless in those few inftances, where I judge, and as far as I judge, there is an absolute neceffity.

For inftance. As few Clergymen open their Churches to me, I am under the neceffity of preaching abroad.

2. As I know no Forms that will fuit all occafions, I am often under a neceffity of praying extempore.

3. In order to build up the flock of Chrift in faith and love, I am under a neceffity of uniting them together, and of dividing them into little Companies, that they may provoke one another to love and good works.

4. That my fellow-labourers and I may more effectually affift each other, to fave our own fouls and thofe that hear us, I judge it neceffary to meet the Preachers, or at least, the greater part of them, once a year.

5. In those Conferences we fix the flations of all the Preachers for the enfuing year.

But all this is not feparating from the Church. So far from it, that whenever I have opportunity, I attend the Church Service myself, and advise all our Societies fo to do.

16. Nevertheless as the generality even of religious people, who do not understand my motives of acting, and who on the one hand hear me profefs that I will not separate from the Church, and on on the the other, that I do vary from it in thefe inftances, they will naturally think, "I am inconfiftent with myself." And they cannot but think fo, unless they obferve my two principles. The one, that I dare not separate from the Church, that I believe it would be a fin, fo to do the other, that I believe it would be a fin, not to vary from it, in the points aboye mentioned. I fay, put these two principles

together,

together, firft, I will not feparate from the Chruch; yet, fecondly, In cafes of neceffity, I will vary from it (both of which I have conftantly and openly avowed, for upwards of fifty years,) and inconsistency vanishes away. I have been true to my profession from 1730 to this day.

17. "But, is it not contrary to your profeffion to permit Service in Dublin at Church hours? For what neceffity is there for this? Or what good end does it answer ?" I believe it answers feveral good ends, which could not fo well be answered any other way. The firft is, (ftrange as it may found) to prevent a feparation from the Church. Many of our Society were totally feparated from the Church: they never attended it at all. But now they duly attend the Church every first Sunday in the month. "But had they not better attend it every week?" Yes; but who can perfuade them to it? I cannot. I have ftrove to do it, twenty or thirty years; but in vain. The fecond is, the weaning them from attending Diffenting Meetings, which many of them attended constantly ; but have now wholly left. The third is, the constantly hearing that found doctrine, which is able to fave their fouls.

18. I wish all of you who are vulgarly termed Methodists, would seriously consider what has been faid. And particularly you, whom God hath commiffioned, to call finners to repentance. It does by no means follow from hence, that ye are commiffioned to baptize, or to adminifter the Lord's Supper. Ye never dreamed of this, for ten or twenty years, after ye began to preach. Ye did not then, like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, feek the priesthood alfo. Ye knew, No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. O contain yourselves within your own bounds. Be content with preaching the gofpel. Do the work of Evangelifts. Proclaim to all the world the loving kindness of God our Saviour: declare to all, The kingdom of heaven is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel. I earnestly advise you, abide in your place: keep your own ftation. Ye were