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breaking the law, no man, by his own acts, words, and deeds' seem they never so good, can be justified before God, and saved. (Hom. of Salvation). He says that all our moral righteousness and our forms of godliness are but fig-leaves, with which we cover the desperate pride and wickedness of our hearts, if, trusting to them for justification, in whole or in part, we do not flee as naked, poor, miserable, and blind sinners, to Jesus alone, put. off, by repentance, the filthy rags of our own righteousness, and put on, by faith, the robe of our Saviour's merits."

"But the other recommends, in general, virtue, benevolence, relative duties, &c. and gives us to understand that this is by far the plainest and most rational way of salvation.

"The one tells us, that if we never felt godly sorrow for sin, we never truly repented; that if we never enjoyed, and consequently were sensible of, or felt, the peace and love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, we have great reason to examine whether we be really in the faith-whether Christ be in us of a truth. Rom. v. 1-5.; 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

"But the other discountenances such doctrines, as leading to despair and enthusiasm: he represents feelings, without distinction, as the consequences of people's constitutions, as owing to the weakness of their nerves, the lowness or height of their animal spirits; and he is so far from wishing to have us be uneasy, if we feel neither the burden of our sins nor the refreshment which Christ offers to those that are heavy laden, neither peace nor joy in the Holy Ghost; that he thinks our good nature, benevolence, diligence in business, &c. exclusive of those feelings, are the most rational way to happiness and heaven."

I find myself, then, under a necessity, Sir, as I value the souls of my parishioners, and regard the success of my ministry among them, to lay before those, who asked me what I had to say to your discourse, the reflections contained in these sheets; but would not do it before I had laid them at your feet, in hopes that if I have mistaken your meaning, you will be so kind as to acquaint me with it; or that, if I am in the wrong myself, by preaching such doctrines, you will condescend to convince me of my errors, and by that means stop the mischief I might do in propagating them. With an entire readiness to lie at your feet for instructions or reproofs, agreeable to the Word of God, and the doctrine of our Church, I am, reverend Sir, yours, &c.

J. FLETCHER.

ON THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

MY DEAR SIR,

Should you think the following extracts, on the Resurrection of our Blessed Lord, worthy a place in your useful Magazine, they VOL. XLIV. FEBRUARY, 1821.

*N*

may be of service to those who have no opportunity to consult larger works on the subject. I am, my dear Sir, your's, &c. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, 1820. JOHN RABY.

The character of the apostles proves the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ; and there are nine considerations which give their evidence sufficient weight, viz.

1. The condition of these witnesses-They were not men of power, riches, eloquence, or credit, to impose upon the world: they were poor, and mean, and despised: they were also incredulous of the fact itself. It is evident that though our Saviour foretold his resurrection, yet, after his death, the disciples did not expect it, and therefore were with difficulty convinced of its reality. But as it was a subject of the highest importance to them, and to the world, they obtained the fullest satisfaction of its truth. Intimately acquainted with his person, after his resurrection, they felt his body, frequently examined his person, renewed the private conversations which he had had with them before his decease, and enjoyed an intimacy with him, that removed the possibility of their being deceived.*

2. The number of these witnesses-this was more than sufficient to establish any fact.+ When St. Paul published a defence of our Lord's resurrection, he declared to the world that Jesus appeared to five hundred witnesses at one time, and he appealed to a number of them, who were then alive, for the truth of his assertion. Could all those men agree voluntarily to mention a vile falsehood, not only altogether unprofitable, but also such as involved them in certain dishonour, poverty, persecution, and death? According to their own principles, either as Jews or

NOTES. (Translated by Mr. Robinson, Vol. II, Sermon 8.)

Dr. Greaves, in his Essay on the Character of the Apostles, (page 32-39,) has shown, with much force of argument, that their belief in their Lord's resurrection, and in the subsequent manifestations of his Diviue power, was not imputable to enthu siasm.

+ Not fewer than eleven distinct appearances of Christ, after his resurrection, and previously to his ascension, are enumerated by the sacred writers of the New Testament, viz.

1. To Mary Magdalen alone, (Mark xvi. 9,) who saw Jesus standing, (John xx. 14.) 2. To the women who were returning from the sepulchre to announce his resurrection to his disciples. "Behold Jesus met them, saying all hail! and they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Matt. xxviii. 9, 10.

3. To the two disciples who were going to Emmaus, with whom he conversed and brake bread, and then made himself known to them. Luke xxiv. 18-31.

4. To Simon Peter alone. Luke xxiv. 34.

5. To the apostles at Jerusalem, excepting Thomas, who was absent. John xx. 19, 20. 6. Eight days afterwards to the disciples, Thomas being present. John xx. 26—29. 7. At the sea of Tiberias, when seven of his disciples were fishing, with whom he ate food. John xxi. 1-15.

8. To the eleven apostles, on a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus had appointed to meet them. Matt. xxviii. 16, 17.

9. "After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once." 1 Cor. xv. 6. 10. "After that he was seen of James." 1 Cor. xv. 7.

11. And, lastly, by all the apostles," (1 Cor. xv. 7,) on Mouut Olivet, on the day of his ascension into heaven, (Luke xxiv. 51; Acts i. 9.)

Christians, if this testimony, to which they adhered to the last moment of their lives, had been false, they exposed themselves to eternal misery. Under such circumstances, these men could not have persevered in maintaining a false testimony, unless God had wrought a miracle in human nature to enable impostors to deceive the world.

3. The facts, which they themselves avow-not suppositions, distant events, or events related by others, but real facts, which they had seen with their own eyes. "That which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of Life, declare we unto you." 1 John i. 1-3.

4. Observe the tribunals before which they gave evidence. The members of these tribunals were Jews and Heathens, Philosophers and Rabbies, Courtiers and Lawyers. If they had been impostors, the fraud would certainly have been discovered.

5. The place in which they bore testimony-It was not at a distance, where it would have been difficult to detect them if they asserted a falsehood; but at Jerusalem, in the synagogue, in the prætorium.

6. The agreement of their evidence-These witnesses were separated from one another: many of them were imprisoned, separately examined, severely tried, and cruelly tortured; yet they all agreed in every part of their testimony: in no instance whatever did they contradict either themselves or one another; but cheerfully sealed with their blood this truth-that they saw and conversed with Jesus after he was risen from the dead. Every person, possessed of common sense, must see the absolute impossibility of this agreement among the witnesses, if the subject of their testimony had been falsehood.

7. The time when this evidence was given-It was not after the lapse of several years, but only three days after our Saviour's crucifixion, that they declared he was risen; yea, even before the rage of his enemies was quelled, and while Calvary was yet dyed with the blood they had shed. If the resurrection of Christ had been a fraud, it is not likely that the apostles would have come forward in open day, and thus publickly have affirmed it.

8. Consider the motives which induced them to publish the fact of Christ's resurrection-It was not to acquire fame, riches,glory, or profit-by no means. On the contrary, they exposed themselves to sufferings and death, and proclaimed the truth from a conviction of its importance and certainty.

9. Lastly. The miracles performed by these witnesses in the name of Jesus, and in confirmation of their declaration concerning the resurrection of Jesus, are God's testimony to their veracity. No subject was ever more publick, more investigated, or better known, than the transactions of the apostles. St. Luke, an historian of great character, who witnessed many of the things

which he relates, published the Acts of the Apostles among the people who saw the transactions. It would have blasted his character to have published falsehoods, which must instantly have been detected: it would have ruined the credit of the Church to have received as facts notorious falsehoods. Now the Acts of the Apostles were written by St. Luke, received by the Church, and no fslsehood was ever detected in that book by Jew or Gentile. The primitive fathers attest its truth and authenticity, and heathen authors record some of the important facts which are related by the sacred historian. In the second chapter we are informed, that the apostles, who were known to be unlearned fishermen, began to speak the several languages of those people who at that time were assembled at Jerusalem from different countries. When the people were astonished at this undoubted proof of inspiration, the apostles thus addressed the multitude:-"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:-this Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses." To the gift of tongues, as a proof of inspiration, was added, a number of undoubted miracles, in confirmation of this testimony concerning Jesus Christ, which are related in the Acts of the Apostles, and were published among the people who witnessed them.

"Collect," says the eloquent Saurin, "all these proofs together; consider them in one point of view; and see how many extravagant suppositions must be advanced, if the resurrection of our Saviour be denied. It must be supposed that the guards, who had been particularly cautioned by the officers, sat down to sleep; and that, nevertheless, they deserved credit when they said the body of Jesus Christ was stolen. It must be supposed that men, who had been imposed on in the most odious and cruel manner in the world, hazarded their dearest enjoyments for the glory of an imposture. It must be supposed, that ignorant and illiterate men, who had neither reputation, fortune, nor eloquence, possessed the art of fascinating the eyes of all the Church. It must be supposed, either that five hundred persons were all deprived of their senses at a time, or that they were all deceived in the plainest matters of fact; or that this multitude of false witnesses had found out the secret of never contradicting themselves or one another, and of being always uniform in their testimony. It must be supposed, that the most expert courts of judicature could not find out a shadow of contradiction, in a palpable manner. It must be supposed, that the apostles, sensible men in other cases, chose precisely those places, and those times, which were most unfavourable to their views. It must be supposed, that millions madly suffered imprisonments, tortures, and crucifixion, to spread an illusion. It must be supposed, that ten thousand miracles were

wrought in favour of falsehood, or all these facts must be denied. And then it must be supposed, that the apostles were idiots, that the enemies of Christianity were idiots, and that all the primitive Christians were ideots."-Saurin's Sermons.

THE WORD OF GOD ILLUSTRATED.

REMARKS ON ECCLESIASTES XII. 5. BY W. WELBORNE.
To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.

DEAR SIR,

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I have read in your number for November, "Remarks on Ecclesiastes xii. 5," which contains some strictures upon a few observations of mine in a former number. The writer seems afraid of the article I presented to you and the publick being a caricature. Do permit me, sir, by the medium of your Magazine, to assure him and your readers, that nothing could be more remote from my design than to caricature old age, or satyrize infirmity. I venerate old age, and greatly desire that the infirmities of it may be accompanied with the consolations of religion. I rest assured that the love of God, shed abroad in a person's heart, will soften his cares, prevent his being a burden to himself, reconcile him to his lot, and prepare him for heaven. It was with this view of the subject I united with Solomon to furnish incentives to early piety.

A caricature is a distorted sarcastic representation of a person; or, according to Dr. Johnson, "a ludicrous and droll picture:" but what is there ludicrous or droll in likening man to a grasshopper? The Holy Ghost, speaking of the God of Israel, represents him as one who "sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers." Isa. xl. 22. This is said without reference either to internal depravity or bodily infirmity. When the spies returned from viewing the land of Canaan, they said, "We saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Num. xiii. 33.

The scriptures abound with striking figures of speech, which instruct, humble, and improve men's minds. The Psalmist saith, when speaking of himself, "I am like a pelican of the wilderness -an owl of the desert-as a sparrow alone upon the house-top." Our Saviour saith, "I am the door-I am the shepherd," &c. Far be it from me to conclude that there is any comparison between the majestic imagery of the East and the caricature prints of this country.

C. L. does permit the almond-tree, casting off its white flowers, to represent the aged person shedding or casting off its white locks. Why not suffer a portion of animated nature to represent

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