sabbath-breakers, drunkards, thieves, fornicators, haying been reclaimed from those outward sins. But it is affirmed, 2. That it has done more harm; the persons. so reclaimed, only changing one wickedness for another and their neighbours, being so provoked thereby, as to become worse than they were before. "Those who have left their outward sins, you affirm, have only changed drunkenness or sabbath-breaking, for backbiting or evil-speaking. I answer, if you affirm this of them all, it is notoriously false: many we can name, who left cursing, swearing, backbiting, drunkenness, and evil-speaking altogether, and who are to this day, just as fearful of slandering, as they are of cursing and swearing. And if some are not yet enough aware of this snare of the Devil, we may hope they will be ere long. Meantime bless God for what he has done, and pray that he would deliver them from this death also. "You affirm further, That their neighbours are provoked hereby, to return evil for evil; and so while the former are no better, the latter are, worse than they were before.' "I answer, 1. These are worse than they were before.' But why? Because they do fresh despite to the spirit of grace: because they despise that long-suffering love of God which would lead them, as it does their neighbours, to repentance. And in laying the blame of this on those who will no longer run with them to the same excess of riot, they only fulfil the seriptures, and fill up the measure of their own iniquity. "I answer, 2. There is still no proportion at all between the good on the one hand, and the harm on the other for they who reject the goodness of God, were servants of the Devil before; and they are but servants of the Devil still. But they who accept it, are brought from the power of Satan, to serve th God." ng and true the North, ching of In April, Mr. Wesley, on his return spent an hour with the same clergyman him to make good his assertion, that the the Methodists had done more harm than ge This he did not choose to pursue; but enlarged on harm it might occasion in succeeding generations. Wesley adds, "I cannot see the force of this ament. I dare not neglect the doing certain present g, for fear of some probable ill consequences, in the seeding century." February 10, 1747. My brother returned fro the North, and I prepared to supply his place there. : "I was wondering at the mildness of the weater, such as seldom attends me in my journeys. But y wonder now ceased the wind turned full North, ad blew so exceeding hard and keen, that when we cane to Hatfield, neither my companions nor I had much use of our hands or feet. After resting an hour, we bore up again through the wind and snow, which drove full in our faces. But this was only a squall. In Baldockfield the storm began in earnest. The large hail drove so vehemently in our faces, that we could not see, nor hardly breathe. However before two o'clock we reached Baldock, where one met and conducted us safe to Potten. About six I preached to a serious congrega. tion. "On the 17th, we set out as soon as it was well light. But it was really hard work to get forward. For the ice would not well bear or break. And the untracked snow covering all the road, we had much ado to keep our horses on their feet. Mean time the wind rose higher and higher, till it was ready to overturn both man and beast. However after a short bait at Bugden, we pushed on, and met in the middle of an open field with so vi had befo a storm of rain and hail, as we had not It drove through our coats, great and small, and every thing, and froze as it fell, even b so that we had scarce either upon oe-brows: strengt/motion left, when we came into the Inn at Stilton ST "how gave up our hopes of reaching Grantham, the falling faster and faster. However we took the antage of a fair blast, and made the best of our Stamford-Heath. But here a new difficulty way! aros from the snow lying in large drifts. Sometimes hor and men were well nigh swallowed up. Yet in les han an hour we were brought safe to Stamford. Bog willing to get as far as we could, we made but a shrt stop here; and about sun-set came, cold and wear, yet well, to a little town called Brig-casterton. On the 18th, our servant came up and said, "Sir, țiere is no travelling to-day. Such a quantity of snow las fallen in the night, that the roads are quite filled up." I told him," At least we can walk twenty miles a day, with our horses in our hands." So in the name of God we set out. The North East wind was piercing as a sword, and had driven the snow into such uneven heaps, that the main road was not passable. However we kept on, a foot or on horseback, till we came to the White Lion at Grantham. Some from Grimsby had appointed to meet us here. But not hearing any thing of them, for they were at another house by mistake, after an hour's rest we set out straight for Epworth. "On the 19th, the frost was not so sharp: so that we had little difficulty till we came to Haxey-Car. But here the ice which covered the dikes and great part of the common, would not bear, nor readily break. Nor did we know, there being no track of man or beast, what parts of the dike were fordable. However we Committed ourselves to God, and went on. We hit all our fords exactly, and without any fall or considerable hinderance came to Epworth in two hours, full as well as when we left London. In the spring and summer of this year, Mr. Wesley and the Preachers were invited into many parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Cheshire, where they had not before travelled. Mr. John Bennet was a most indefatigable and successful labourer for several years, in these parts of the country, a man of sound judgment, and of considerable abilities. From a letter which he wrote to Mr. Wesley, we may form some notion of the labours of the Preachers. "Many doors are opened for preaching in these parts, but cannot be supplied for want of Preachers. I think some one should be sent to assist me, otherwise we shall lose ground. My circuit is one hundred and fifty miles in two weeks; during which time I preach publickly thir ty-four times, besides meeting the societies, visiting the sick and transacting the temporal business. The above is too much for me, considering my weak constitution." This was great labour; but Mr. Wesley, and his brother Mr. Charles Wesley, laboured still more.— They preached as often, did all the other business, and frequently travelled nearly treble the distance in the same space of time. Hitherto they had been enabled. to labour, and form societies with the assistance of the other Preachers, in most parts of England, though frequently at the peril of their lives: but now their mission was stretched a little further. One of the Lay-Ministers had gone to Dublin, and after preaching there for some time, had formed a society. He wrote an account of his success to Mr. Wesley, who determined to visit Ireland immediately. Accordingly, August 4, he departed from Bristol, and passing through Wales, arrived in Dublin on Sunday the 9th, about ten o'clock in the "Soon after we forenoon. Mr. Wesley observes : landed, hearing the bells ringing for church, I went thither directly.-About three I wrote a line to the curate of St. Mary's, who sent me word he should be glad of my assistance. So I preached there, another gentleman reading prayers, to as gay and senseless a congregation as ever I saw. After sermon Mr. R. thanked me very affectionately, and desired I would favour him with my company in the morning. Monday 10, Between eight and nine I went to Mr. R. the curate of St. Mary's: he professed abundance of good-will, commended my sermon in strong terms, and begged he might see me again the next morning. But at the same time he expressed the most rooted prejudice against Lay-Preachers, or preaching out of a church; and said, the archbishop of Dublin was resolved to suffer no such irregularities in his diocese." The next day Mr. Wesley waited upon the archbishop at New-Bridge, and conversed with him two or three hours; in which time he answered many of - his objections. The house wherein they worshipped at this time, was originally designed for a Lutheran church, and contained about four hundred people: but abundantly more might stand in the yard. Mr. Wesley preached morning and evening to many more than the house could contain; and had more and more reason to hope, that they would not all be unfruitful hearers. Monday the 17th, he began to examine the society, which contained about two hundred and fourscore members, many of whom had found peace with God. general," says Mr. Wesley, "are of spirit than in most parts of England: but on that very account, they must be watched over with the more care, being equally susceptible of good and ill impressions." "The people in a more teachable |