1740. August 8th. Mr. Wesley addresses an Epistle to the Moravian church at Hernhutt, expostulating with them, in the spirit of Christian fidelity, on the Antinomian and licentious tendency of various tenets they had recently embraced.

September 22d. Mr. Charles Wesley succeeds in repressing a riot among the colliers of Kingswood; which, but for his interference, would, in all probability, have led to calamitous results. In this he is assisted by many of the Methodist colliers, whom the rioters had forced to go with them; who by their advice and example restrained the fury of the others.

The Wesleys issue from the press a fourth Hymnbook, bearing the same title as the two volumes published the preceding year: several of the hymns are translations from the German; others, which are original,* are represented as some of the finest compositions of the kind in the English language, combining with deep pathos, the greatest energy of thought.

November 6th. Mr. Charles Wesley, whose labours had hitherto been restricted to London and Bristol and their immediate vicinities, visits Wales: he finds that, chiefly through the instrumentality of Howel Harris, a pious and devoted layman, a remarkable revival of religion had taken place in the principality. Here, for nearly a fortnight, he preaches with great enlargement and with much success.

December 12th. Much dissension having arisen in the society at Kingswood, in consequence of John Cennick, one of the first masters of the school there, having become a decided Calvinist, and contradicted the tenets of the Wesleys in their own pulpit, Mr. Wesley hastens from London to "repair the breaches which had been made."

*The Rev. Thomas Jackson, in his "Life of the Rev. Charles Wesley," one of the most interesting and valuable biographies ever published, and which ought to be in the possession of every Wesleyan family, observes, "The most remarkable hymn in the volume is the one entitled, 'The just shall live by faith;' which describes Mr. Charles Wesley's religious history up to this period of his life." In the first volume of Mr. Jackson's work, this interesting composition is given entire. See p. 243-246.

1740. December. Mr. Wesley preaches at Bristol, and subsequently publishes his celebrated sermon on Free Grace; "the most powerful and empassioned of all his compositions ;" to which is affixed a hymn by Mr. Charles, of thirty-six stanzas, on God's universal love." To Mr. Whitefield, who in America had recently embraced the doctrinal peculiarities of Calvin, the publication gives great offence.

Christmas. John Nelson, the stone-mason of Birstal, one of the most successful instruments in the establishment of Methodism in the west of Yorkshire, having, whilst in London, obtained "the pearl of great price," returns about this period to his native village, declaring to his neighbours "the great things" which God had done for him, and that "he himself was as sure his sins were forgiven as he could be of the shining of the sun :" much inquiry is excited, and proof demanded of the truth of his assertions. Being thus led “to quote, explain, compare, and enforce several parts of Scripture," he unwittingly becomes a Preacher of the truth, and under God is instrumental in the conversion of many.

1741. January. Mr. Whitefield, having published, in America, what he terms, An Answer to Mr. Wesley's Sermon, under the title of "A Letter to the Rev. John Wesley,” embarks a second time for England, his principal object being the raising fresh supplies on behalf of the Orphan-house in Georgia.

Tuesday, February 24th. Under this date the first notice of society-tickets occurs in the Journal of the venerated Wesley. After instituting a careful investigation of the members of the "United Society" in Bristol, he observes, "To those who were sufficiently recommended, tickets were given on the following days."

Friday, March 6th. The first division in the WesleyanMethodist society takes place in Kingswood. Mr. Cennick and his party, fifty-two in number, renounce all connexion with the Wesleys; leaving upwards of ninety under the care of their former Pastors. From this period the Wesleyan and the Calvinistic Methodists become two distinct bodies.

March. Mr. Whitefield separates entirely from Mr. Wesley and his friends. "Here" observes the latter,

was

the first breach which warm men persuaded Mr. Whitefield to make merely for a difference of opinion."

1741. Mr. Charles Wesley publishes his "Hymns of everlasting Love;" the greater part of which were subsequently inserted in the general Hymn-book of the Wesleyan Connexion. P.

EVENING COLLOQUIES.

BETWEEN A FATHER AND HIS CHILDREN.

*

Children. In our last conversation you pointed out to us a sentence from the volume we had then before us, on which we should wish you to make a few more observations. We are not sure that we sufficiently understand it.

Father. What was it?

C. The sentence, which, in pointing it out to us, you evidently approved, was, "When we candidly wish to ascertain if selfishness or vanity enter into the motives which induce us to do good, we should ask ourselves, Whether it would afford us equal pleasure to see that same good performed by some other person?"

F. And have you any doubt on the subject?

C. We have thought, Why should we not be best pleased to have to remember, not only that good was done, but that we did it?

F. Well, the only way to settle the question is thoroughly to analyze the whole subject, and especially to use the scalpel in reference to our own feelings, to lay them bare. I have no objection to this. It would be well if we did it more frequently in reference to our feelings generally; especially as such a process is continually going on. Words of a similar character to the allusion I have now employed, are used by the Apostle to describe that notice of us which is taken by our Ruler and Judge. Read the passage, Heb. iv. 12, 13.

C. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and

• Vide p. 130.

marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do."

F. Thus, then, does God ever notice us. But now to the case in hand. One or two things must be premised. We are not speaking of a case in which, by the evident indications of Providence, the good, whatever it is, that is done by another, ought to have been done by ourselves. If we feel rightly, we shall rejoice that it is done; but there will, now, be regret that we have not done it, because by not doing it, duty has been neglected, and thus guilt incurred. You will easily perceive this.

C. We have no difficulty here.

F. Well then, let us take a second step. Doing good to others is not our whole duty. We take the law of God. We find a variety of duties. And if our hearts be right, we shall say, with the Psalmist, "Therefore I esteem all thy precepts, concerning all things, to be right." There are duties of religion, temperance, righteousness; public duties, private duties. Need I enlarge on this?

C. No; the subject is sufficiently plain.

F. I take another step, then. An individual Christian needs much, wisdom, and much watchfulness and care, to know what his own personal duties are, and what are the duties which are called for at any particular time. There are duties which some persons are never required to perform at all. His heart is to be so subject, indeed, to God, as to be always disposed to render that which God requires; but in many instances this general disposition is all that is required in reference to some particular duties. The Christian Magistrate, and the Christian subject, master, servant, husband, wife, rich, poor; all these have their own specific duties. Each is to do his own; and is not each to rejoice in witnessing the fidelity of the other?

C. Undoubtedly.

F. And to rejoice, too, in his conscience, that his own task has been fulfilled without any drawback,-that he has not likewise had the additional task of others to perform?

C. Certainly.

F. And as there are thus the particular duties of particular stations, so of particular times and seasons. Generally speaking, and only as by way of instance, we have our closet duties to perform; we have, according to providential opportunity, to do good to others; we have the duties of public worship; we have the duties imposed on us by our own. situation in life. Perhaps we have to perform the duty of patiently waiting on God in doing nothing, but suffering much. John was cast into prison, and from great public usefulness was cast into the dungeon. We may be taken from public life, and thrown into the bed of lingering weakness, where we only seem to live to exercise the kindness and patience of others. St. Paul refers to this general subject when he speaks of knowing how to be full and how to be empty. "I can do all things," he says, "through Christ which strengtheneth me." Look at Philippians iv. 11-13, and you will see that his all things is a phrase which refers rather to the variety of duty than to the number of duties. Whatsoever I am called to do by the varying indications of Providence, by the grace of Christ I can do all.

C. His meaning is quite obvious.

F. We are prepared, then, to take an individual Christian, in whose heart the law is written, and whose care is to walk continually before God. His rejoicing relates, not to the particular character of the duty he performs, but to the fact that it is his duty. Suppose him to be in a dungeon, as John was, and that he is enabled to maintain his trust in God, and still to joy in the God of his salvation: is he not to glorify the strengthening grace of God?

C. Assuredly he is.

F. Supposing him from his dungeon-window to see, say, Peter, at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, healing the lame man is he to rejoice less in the benefit which the man enjoys, because he was not the instrument of it? Is he to wish that they were to be in prison, and he at liberty to work such effects? Is he to repine at the mysteries of Providence?

C. We cannot answer you but in one way.

F. Certainly you cannot. Here is a case in which good is