my system of it. We all by nature had interest in Adam, and were condemned in or by his condemnation, for his disobedience, unto temporal death. (This certainly we all suffered on account of Adam's sin, who thereby became mortal, and propagated a mortal progeny; though all other consequences were best attributed to each person's actual transgressions.)-Even so we all may spiritually, being by faith united unto him, as branches of the true vine, have interest in Christ, and be justified in his justification, for his perfect obedience, unto eternal life. See Rom. v, vi.-I am persuaded, if you carefully examine, you will find this not only St. Paul's doctrine, but, in general, the doctrine of the New Testament. The only fault the Methodists commit is, in laying so much stress on this, as to derogate from the necessity of personal righteousness, or holiness. And here indeed they are very unscriptural; for nothing can be plainer than that, if any man be by faith united unto Christ, that union will assuredly make him bring forth much fruit: (see John xv:) and that nothing can more effectually dissolve that mystical union, than a wicked and immoral life.-3. The methodists attribute all to the grace of God's Holy Spirit, even faith itself: and so do the scriptures. And yet in this they are more exceptionable than in any other point; because they thereby totally and avowedly overthrow our agency, and turn us into machines, and render God a respecter of persons, and indeed what I do not choose to say. * In short, to every Christian God hath promised his Holy Spirit, if he sue for it, and is more ready to give than we to pray; and doth, in the sinner's conversion, prevent his prayers: but we may resist, grieve, quench, do despite unto this Holy Spirit.....I say nothing of their notions of election, predestination, assurance of the elect, and others, which are all implied, as far as doctrinal,† in what I have said; though as mere speculative notions they are not; and are too abstruse, and unimportant, and perplexing, to be worth treating of.-The doctrines of regeneration, or the new birth, and original sin, and free grace, are all more or less scriptural: but under such interpreters are generally carried much beyond the truth, and degenerate into fanaticism, and partake of their other notions....."

*It need not be said what his own subsequent opinion was of these charges. They fall under the censure implied in the first sentence of this letter, concerning the doctrines of "the methodists."

tQuery: practical?

The birth of my father's two eldest children, at Ravenstone, has been already mentioned. Perhaps I shall be excused, if, for the sake of introducing a characteristic paragraph, I bring myself a little more distinctly into notice. The next letter to his sister, dated April 15, 1777, contains the following passage:

"As to my boy, he is already dedicated to the ministry, if it please God to spare his life, and mine, and to give him a head and heart meet for so sacred and important a function. Should he be defective in either one or the other, he shall be any thing or nothing rather than that. Bad ministers we have enough, and much more than enough: but good ones are a sort of black swans, mighty great rarities. It was with this intent that I wished the child to be a boy; and with this intent I shall, God willing, always educate him: and, if he lives to be a pious, faithful, able, and useful minister of the gospel, I ask no higher preferment for him, than I now have myself: so contented am I with my own lot, and so totally indifferent about these lesser matters."

"At this time," my father proceeds in his memoir, "I had not the most distant prospect of preferment; my expectation of adding to my scanty income by pupils was terminated; and, considering the character of my vicar, and the determined opposition of my former rector, I had little prospect of retaining my curacy. Yet, with an increasing family, I seldom felt any anxiety about a provision: and my wife, who had married with different prospects, fully concurred with me. She would say, 'Only act according to the dictates of your conscience; we shall doubtless be provided for: yet, when she saw, as she frequently did, that my eager spirit and violent temper were hurrying me into wrong measures, she uniformly checked me: and, though often not till after much opposition on my part, she always carried her point with me; to my unspeakable benefit.

“After I had written my sermons for the Sunday, I, for a long time, constantly read them to her before they were preached: and, at her instance, I altered many things, especially in exchanging words, unintelligible to laborers and lace-makers, for simpler language. This induced a habit of familiar speaking in the pulpit, which has since been censured, probably with justice, as too colloquial."

It may here be added, that my father's practice of extemporary preaching commenced from these private rehearsals of his sermons before they were preached. Some

thing had occurred in the parish to which he thought it right to allude in the pulpit: but, on his reciting to my mother the sermon which he had prepared, she objected to it, and brought him over to her opinion. He in consequence laid aside the discourse, and was thus, on the Saturday evening, left without one for the next day. This induced him to address his congregation without written preparation; and, succeeding in the attempt, he repeated it, and by degrees discontinued the use of written sermons. This change, however, was not made without severe effort. An old parishioner at Weston (lately deceased,) mentioned well remembering his sitting down in a kind of despair, and exclaiming, 'It does not signify, it is impossible that I should ever be able to preach extempore.'

CHAPTER V.

TO THE PERIOD OF THE PUBLICATION OF THE FORCE OF TRUTH.

"IN the spring, 1777, I removed to Weston Underwood, to a house afterwards well known, under the name of the Lodge, as the residence of the poet Cowper. The ground intended for the garden, when I came to it, more resembled a stone-quarry: but by my personal labor it was brought into order, and several fine fruit trees, now growing in it, were of my planting.

"In August following my father died. He seemed to be well satisfied at my becoming a clergyman: but my new views of the doctrines of Christianity did not meet his approbation. In answer to what I had written on this subject, received a letter very hostile to my sentiments, and full of Socinian principles. This greatly affected me, and I wrote an answer with many tears and prayers: but he never saw it, as he was dying when it arrived. On receiving information of his sickness, I set off immediately to visit him, but I did not reach his house (distant more than a hundred miles,) till after his funeral.

"Every circumstance, on this mournful occasion, concurred to depress my spirits; and I appeared so dejected and melancholy among my relations, and my former neighbors, who had always before been pleased with my cheerfulness, (though alas! it was in great measure as

sumed and affected,) that my religious principles bore the blame, and their prejudices against them were much increased."

In a letter dated April 15th of this year, he had thus adverted to his father's religious sentiments. "I am grieved whenever I think of some notions my father used to hold, which are so directly contrary to true Christian doctrine, and grounded on self-dependence, which most assuredly is destructive of the whole scheme of justification through Christ. He has given me permission to write on these subjects; and I have written several letters already, which must I think convince him, that man has no ground to hope for acceptance with God on his own account, or through his own poor deservings. It is amazing to consider what havoc this self-dependence makes among the Christian duties. Gratitude for abundant mercies received, and praise and thanksgiving in consequence; prayer to God for forgiveness, for assistance, and for acceptance; in short, every part of piety and the love of God suffers exceedingly from these notions: and so doth humility, which is of all others the most needful to our acceptance with God, who resisteth the proud, and giveth his grace unto the humble. Indeed I cannot conceive that a man can become a Christian, who does not feel that he is a poor lost sinner, that has no hope but from God's mercy in Christ. My brother, I am of opinion, disapproves this way of writing: but I do it, I am sure, from the best of motives, and would rather convince my father of his errors in this respect, than acquire a very large sum of money-aye, than obtain any worldly advantage whatsoever."

In the same letter he thus notices his approaching removal to Weston: "I have scarcely room to tell you, that we are to remove to Weston, to a fine house, fit for a squire, and other people are to pay the rent. This (obtaining of a house at Weston) I heartily thank God for, as I am placed in a neighborhood where every body vies in kindness to me; and where I have the pleasing prospect of doing much good. Assure yourself, dear sister, that God will raise up friends, and provide for all who trust in him, and serve him."

The death of his mother took place the 28th of October following. The event appears to have come upon him unexpectedly. He was to have received a visit from her, which he had hoped might promote her spiritual interests, but she was not able to undertake the journey; and it seems

not to have been till the 29th of October, (the day after her decease,) that he was apprized of her danger, or had the opportunity of writing to her on the subject. In a letter to his elder sister of that date, enclosing one to his mother, he says: "God knows my heart, I have no sentiments respecting either you or her, or any of the family, but those of love and affection, and am exceedingly sorry that my undesigned negligence" (he had written a letter which had slipped behind his bureau, and was never sent,) "should cause any uneasiness to one, to whom I wish most sincerely every possible good, and whom I most heartily pray to God to bless with every blessing here and hereafter.. Though I sincerely wish every branch of the family may contend, who shall show our common and only remaining parent the most tenderness and attention, yet I would not have it such a contest as to disturb, in the least, that mutual love and harmony, which I wish, and shall ever endeavor to preserve amongst ourselves.”

About the time of my father's removal to Weston, his intercourse with Mr. Newton, which had been almost wholly broken off since the termination of their correspondence in December 1775, was renewed. "Under discouraging circumstances," he tells us in the 'Force of Truth; he "had occasion to call upon Mr. N., and was so comforted and edified by his discourse, that his heart, being by this means relieved of its burden, became susceptible of affection for him. From that time," he says, "I was inwardly pleased to have him for my friend; though not, as now, rejoiced to call him so."

The narrative proceeds: "About 170l. eventually came to me by my father's death; which, by annual small deductions beyond the interest, was gradually exhausted. Į had indeed, at that time, to struggle with many difficulties; but I met with unexpected helps, and still kept up my credit, though not free from debt.

"I had frequent attacks of sickness; and, after one long and dangerous illness, which had occasioned heavy additional expences, my wife, who was seldom disposed to distrust providence, lamented to me the increase of our debts, as the medical charges amounted to above 10l. It was my turn, on this occasion, to be the stronger in faith; and I answered confidently, 'Now observe if the Lord do not, in some way, send us an additional supply to meet this expence, which it was not in our power to avoid.' I