[that moment] fall into temptation:" yea, a deep gulf of temptation, out of which nothing less than almighty power can deliver them. "They fall into a snare ;"-the word properly means a steel trap, which instantly crushes the animal taken, to pieces;-"and into divers foolish and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and perdition." You, above all men, who now prosper in the world, never forget these awful words! How unspeakably slippery is your path! How dangerous every step! The Lord God enable you to see your danger, and make you deeply sensible of it! Oh may you "awake up after his likeness, and be satisfied with it !"

17. Permit me to come a little closer still. Perhaps I may not trouble you any more on this head. I am pained for you that are "rich in this world." Do you give all you can? You who receive five hundred pounds a year, and spend only two hundred, do you give three hundred back to God? If not, you certainly rob God of that three hundred. You that receive two hundred, and spend but one, do you give God the other hundred? If not, you rob him of just so much. Nay, may I' not do what I will with my own?" Here lies the ground of your mistake. It is not your own. It cannot be, unless you are lord of heaven and earth. "However, I must provide for my children." Certainly. But how? By making them rich? Then you will probably make them heathens, as some of you have done already. "What shall I do then ?" Lord, speak to their hearts! else the preacher speaks in vain. Leave them enough to live on, not in idleness and luxury, but by honest industry. And if you have not children, upon what scriptural or rational principle can you leave a groat behind you more than will bury you? I pray consider, what are you the better for what you leave behind you? What does it signify, whether you leave behind you ten thousand pounds, or ten thousand shoes and boots? Oh leave nothing behind you! Send all you have before you into a better world! Lend it, lend it all unto the Lord, and it shall be paid you again. Is there any danger that his truth should fail? It is fixed as the pillars of heaven. Haste, haste, my brethren, haste! lest you be called away before you have settled what you have on this security! When this is done, you may boldly say, "Now I have nothing to do but to die! Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit! Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly." Bristol, September 21, 1790.

SERMON CXXXI.-True Christianity Defended.

[THE following sermon was found in a mutilated manuscript among Mr. Wesley's papers. It is dated June 24, 1741. A Latin copy of the same discourse has also been discovered. Mr. Pawson, with great care, copied the former, and I have supplied the deficiencies out of the latter. On collating both sermons, I find several variations, and though not of any great importance, yet sufficient, in my judgment, to vindicate the propriety of translating and publishing the Latin one, not merely as a matter of curiosity, but of utility. The sermon, no doubt, was written with the design of being preached before the university of Oxford; but whether it ever were preached there, cannot be determined. A. CLARKE.]

"How is the faithful city become a harlot !" Isa. i, 21.

1. WHEN I bring the sword upon a land, saith the Lord, if the watchman blow the trumpet, and warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword

come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand," Ezek. xxxiii, 2-6.

2. It cannot be doubted, but that word of the Lord is come unto every minister of Christ also. "So thou, oh son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, Oh wicked man, thou shalt surely die: if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

3. Nor ought any man therefore to be counted our enemy because he telleth us the truth: the doing of which is indeed an instance of love to our neighbour, as well as of obedience to God. Otherwise few would undertake so thankless a task: for the return, they will find, they know already. The Scripture must be fulfilled. "Me the world hateth," saith our Lord," because I testify of it that the deeds thereof are evil.” 4. It is from a full, settled conviction, that I owe this labour of love to my brethren, and to iny tender parent,* by whom I have been nourished for now more than twenty years, and from whom, under God, I have received those advantages, of which, I trust, I shall retain a grateful sense, till my spirit returns to God who gave it: it is, I say, from a full conviction, that love and gratitude, as well as that dispensation of the gospel wherewith I am entrusted, require it of me, that even I have undertaken to speak on a needful, though unwelcome subject. I would indeed have wished that some more acceptable person would have done this. But should all hold their peace, the very stones would cry out, "How is the faithful city become a harlot !"

5. How faithful she was once to our Lord, to whom she had been betrothed as a chaste virgin, let not only the writings of her sons, which shall be had in honour throughout all generations, but also the blood of her martyrs, speak; a stronger testimony of her faithfulness than could be given by words, even

"By all the speeches of the babbling earth."

But how is she now become a harlot! How hath she departed from her Lord! How hath she denied him, and listened to the voice of strangers; both

I. In respect of doctrine, and

II. Of practice.

I. In respect of doctrine. 1. It cannot be said that all our writers are setters forth of strange doctrines. There are those who expound the oracles of God by the same spirit wherewith they are written; and who faithfully cleave to the solid foundation which our church hath laid agreeable thereto; touching which we have his word who cannot lie "That the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." There are those also, (blessed be the Author of every good gift,) who, as wise master builders, build thereon not hay or stubble, but gold and precious stones, but that charity which never faileth.

2. We have likewise cause to give thanks to the Father of lights, for that he hath not left himself without witness; but that there are those

The university of Oxford.

who now preach the gospel of peace, the truth as it is in Jesus. But how few are these in comparison of those (o xaяnλɛuovτes) who adulterate the word of God! How little wholesome food have we for our souls, and what abundance of poison! How few are there that, either in writing or preaching, declare the genuine gospel of Christ, in the simplicity and purity wherewith it is set forth in the venerable records of our own church! And how are we inclosed on every side with those who, neither knowing the doctrines of our church, nor the Scriptures, nor the power of God, have found out to themselves inventions wherewith they constantly corrupt others also!

του

3. I speak not now of those (WTоTOXOS TOU Zarava) first-born of Satan, the deists, Arians or Socinians. These are too infamous among us to do any great service to the cause of their master. But what shall we say of those who are accounted the pillars of our church, and champions of our faith; who indeed betray that church, and sap the very foundations of the faith we are taught thereby?

4. But how invidious a thing it is to show this! Who is sufficient to bear the weight of prejudice which must necessarily follow the very mention of such a charge against men of so established a character? Nay, and who have indeed, in many other respects, done great service to the church of God? Yet must every faithful minister say, " God forbid that I should accept any man's person." I dare not give any man flattering titles, nor spare any that corrupt the gospel. "In so doing my Maker would soon take me away."

5. Let me, however, be as short as may be upon this head; and I will instance only in two or three men of renown, who have endeavoured to sap the very foundation of our church, by attacking its fundamental, and indeed the fundamental doctrine of all the reformed churches, viz. justification by faith alone.

One of these, and one of the highest station in our church, hath written and printed, before his death, several sermons, expressly to prove, that not faith alone, but good works also, are necessary in order to justification. The unpleasing task of quoting particular passages out of them is superseded by the very title of them; which is this: "The necessity of regeneration, (which he at large proves to imply holiness both of heart and life,) in order to justification."*

6. It may appear strange to some, that an angel of the church of God, (as the great Shepherd terms the overseers of it,) and one so highly esteemed both in our own and many other nations, should coolly and calmly thus speak. But, oh what is he in comparison of the great bishop Bull! Who shall be able to stand, if this eminent scholar, Christian, and prelate, in his youth wrote and published to the world, and in his riper years defended, the positions that follow :

"A man is said (ε egywv dixaιouras) to be justified by works; because good works are the condition, according to the divine appointment, established in the gospel covenant, requisite and necessary to a man's justification; that is, to his obtaining remission of sins through Christ," Bulli Harm. Apost. p. 4.

A little after, being about to produce testimonies in proof of this proposition, he says, "The first class of these shall be those who speak of good works in a general sense, as the requisite and necessary condition

* Tillotson's sermons, vol. 1, &c

of justification." Then follow certain texts of Scripture, after which he adds; "Who does not believe that in these scriptures there is an abundance of good works required, which if a man do not perform, he is altogether excluded from the hope of pardon, and remission of sins," ibid. p. 6.

Having introduced some other things, he adds," Besides faith, there is no one but may see, that repentance is required as necessary to justification. Now, repentance is not one work alone, but is, as it were, a collection of many others: for in its compass the following works are comprehended: 1. Sorrow on account of sin. 2. Humiliation under the hand of God. 3. Hatred to sin. 4. Confession of sin. 5. Ardent supplication of the Divine mercy. 6. The love of God. 7. Ceasing from sin. 8. Firm purpose of new obedience. 9. Restitution of ill gotten goods. 10. Forgiving our neighbour his transgressions against us. 11. Works of beneficence or alms giving. How much these things avail to procure remission of sins from God is sufficiently evident from Dan. iv, 24, where the prophet gives this wholesome advice to Nebuchadnezzar, who was at that time cleaving to his sins; Redeem* your sins by alms giving, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor," ibid. p. 10.

7. To instance in one point more. All the liturgy of the church is full of petitions for that holiness without which, the Scripture every where declares, no man shall see the Lord. And these are all summed up in those comprehensive words, which we are supposed to be so frequently repeating: "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name." It is evident, that in the last clause of this petition, all outward holiness is contained: neither can it be carried to a greater height, or expressed in stronger terms. And those words, "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts," contain the negative branch of inward holiness; the height and depth of which is purity of heart, by the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit: the remaining words, "That we may perfectly love thee," contain the positive part of holiness seeing this love, which is the fulfilling of the law, implies the whole mind that was in Christ.

8. But how does the general stream of writers and preachers (let me be excused the invidious task of instancing in particular persons) agree with this doctrine? Indeed, not at all. Very few can we find who simply and earnestly enforce it. But very many who write and preach as if Christian holiness or religion, were a purely negative thing; as if, not to curse or swear, not to lie or slander, not to be a drunkard, a thief, or a whoremonger, not to speak or do evil, was religion enough to entitle a man to heaven! How many, if they go something farther than this, describe it only as an outward thing! As if it consisted chiefly, if not wholly, in doing good, (as it is called,) and using the means of grace! Or should they go a little farther still, yet what do they add to this poor account of religion? Why, perhaps, that a man should be orthodox in his opinions, and have a zeal for the constitution in church and state. And this is all? This is all the religion they can allow, without degenerating into enthusiasm! So true it is, that the faith of a

The bishop translates pp, peruk, with the Vulgate, redeem, or buy off; but the proper and literal meaning is break off. A. C.

devil and the life of a heathen, make up what most men call a good Christian!

9. But why should we seek farther witnesses of this? Are there not many present here who are of the same opinion? Who believe that a good moral man and a good Christian mean the same thing? That a man need not trouble himself any farther, if he only practises as much Christianity as was written over the heathen emperor's gate: "Do as thou wouldst be done unto:" especially if he be not an infidel, or a heretic, but believes all that the bible and the church say is true.

10. I would not be understood, as if I despised these things, as if I undervalued right opinions, true morality, or a zealous regard for the constitution we have received from our fathers. Yet what are these things being alone? What will they profit us in that day? What will it avail to tell the Judge of all, "Lord, I was not as other men were; not unjust, not an adulterer, not a liar, not an immoral man?" Yea, what will it avail, if we have done all good, as well as done no harm? If we have given all our goods to feed the poor, and have not charity? How shall we then look on those who taught us to sleep on and take our rest, though "the love of the Father was not in us?" Or who, teaching us to seek salvation by works, cut us off from receiving that faith freely, whereby alone the love of God could have been shed abroad in our hearts?

To these miserable corrupters of the gospel of Christ, and the poison they have spread abroad, is chiefly owing,

II. Secondly, That general corruption in practice as well as in doctrine. There is hardly to be found, (oh tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon,) either the form of godliness, or the power! So is "the faithful city become a harlot !"

1. With grief of heart I speak it, and not with joy, that scarcely is the form of godliness seen among us. We are all indeed called to be saints, and the very name of Christians means no less. But who has so much as the appearance? Take any one you meet: take a second, a third, a fourth, or the twentieth. Not one of them has even the appearance of a saint, any more than of an angel. Observe his look, his air, his gesture! Does it breathe nothing but God? Does it bespeak a temple of the Holy Ghost? Observe his conversation: not an hour only, but day by day. Can you gather from any outward sign, that God dwelleth in his heart? That this is an everlasting spirit, who is going to God? Would you imagine that the blood of Christ was shed for that soul, and had purchased everlasting salvation for it, and that God was now waiting till that salvation should be wrought out with fear and trembling?

2. Should it be said, Why, what signifies the form of godliness? We readily answer, nothing; if it be alone. But the absence of the form signifies much. It infallibly proves the absence of the power. For though the form may be without the power, yet the power cannot be without the form. Outward religion may be where inward is not: but if there is none without, there can be none within.

3. But it may be said, we have public prayers both morning and evening in all our colleges. It is true, and it were to be wished that all the members thereof, more especially the elder, those of note and character, would, by constantly attending them, show how sensible they