"were the doctrines that they openly profeffed "and maintained. And, I will add, if these be "Prefbyterian doctrines, then the Church of England herfelf presbyterianifes in her Articles

and Homilies." We have only to change the term Presbyterian into Methodist, to make the reprefentation exactly apply to the present times.

God forbid! then, I repeat, that I fhould be withheld, by fear of a name, from bearing the molt ample teftimony to the truth and importance of thofe doctrines of Chriftianity, which it would be my duty to proclaim on the fcaffold, or at the ftake!

To refcue the present fubject from liability to miftake, permit me to obferve, before I conclude this Preface, that there are two ways of teaching even the real doctrines of the gofpel, perfectly diftin&t from each other, and equally fo in the effects which they produce; (for I do not think it worth while to notice thofe perfons who inculcate mere unmixed heathenifm, with scarcely a tincture either of the law or the gospel.) One of thefe ways may be termed the fcentific mode; as it confifts in bringing forward the doctrines as revealed truths,----in defending them by critical and other fcholaftic arguments,----in anfwering learned or philofophical objections; in fhewing the doctrines to have been generally received as orthodox; and there leaving them. When the duties of common life are enforced by writers or preachers of this defcription, they are treated as fubjects perfectly separate

Vol. I. page 44•

a

separate from the doctrines The arguments by which they are fupported are fuch as might have been urged in a Heathen temple, or a Turkifh mofque, with far greater propriety, than in a Chrif tian church. Hence has arifen the unfcriptural and pernicious diftinction between doctrinal and practical fermons, as though doctrines and practice had little or nothing to do with each other. If it were allowable to jeft on fo very serious fubject, I would rather call them doctrinal and impracticable fermons; being firmly convinced, that the practice of true morality is impoffible to fo fallen and corrupt a being as man, except by a real experimental knowledge of those divine influences, which the gospel encourages him to feek. The way in which this incongruity between the duties, and the powers of the agent, is, alas! too frequently reconciled, is, by lowering the eternal obligations, of moral duty, according to the diminutive standard of carnal unregenerate nature. Hence, many parts of conduct will be excused as impoffible to be avoided, and others omitted, as equally impoffible to be performed, because to the unrenewed man they really are fo. The principles of action will be fafhioned on the fame moral bed of Procruftes; and in the hands of teachers of this description; and thus, however they may abound with the doctrines of chriftianity, in the way of fpeculation, the law and the gofpel will become equally impure. The real POWER of religion will be neither obtained nor fought for; the morality, which will be practised, will feldom extend further

than to a few external decencies, and even thefe will be too frequently neglected. The fcientific mode of inftruction will very rarely excite any offence. On the contrary, the teacher, whether by word of mouth or in print, will be generally efteemed as a man of science, and his fanction for the difregard of real fpiritual religion, and a line of conduct conformable to the maxims and cuftoms of the world, will recommend him to many, who are refolved to feek falvation in fome other way, than by the felf-denying doctrines of the crofs.

But, on the contrary, when the other mode of inculcating the doctrines of the gospel, which may be called the experimental way, is adopted, the effects will be altogether different. The teacher, in this cafe, makes no difplay of his own talents, and learning, for perfons, as critics, to pafs an unconcerned judgment on his performances, which might be equally gratifying to their felf-im-portance, and his thirft of applaufe. He fuffers not his hearers or readers to remain unmoved. The thoughts of their hearts are made manifeft, and Thou art the man," appears in every fentence. He awakens the confciences of men, and brings them before the bar of God. They view themselves in the glafs of God's holy laws as condemned criminals. Many speedily turn away their eyes difgufted and offended. long accustomed to confider their (if they confidered it at all) as દ creafed with goods, and having

Having been fpiritual ftate rich and inneed of no"thing,"

thing," they cannot endure to open their eyes to the mortifying conviction, that they are "wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind, and " naked." They henceforth regard the teacher, "as their enemy; the deftroyer of their peace. They will hear or read no more of his doctrine. He is an offence to them; they are ever ready to fhoot out their arrows against him, even bitter words t," being the foremost to excite or join in a popular outcry; and, happy is it for fuch a teacher, that he is protected by the good and wholefome laws of our free conflitution, from much more painful effects of their refentment. The difference between the opposers of vital Chriftianity, in former times, and of the greateft perfecution, in the prefent day (to adopt the phrase of a late pious author) is "only the difference between a lion loofe, and a lion chained."

They, on the other hand, who cordially receive the experimental doctrines of the gospel, are led to feek and experience the real power of godlinefs, with the various influences of God's bleffed Spirit, and confequent holiness of heart and life. The practice of true morality, that of God's pure extenfive and fpiritual law in this cafe generally prevails. Virtue, though not without much oppofition, raises her drooping head, and vice is confounded. Their Teacher's words flow from his heart, and reach the hearts of others; fince," as 4 in water face answereth to face, fo the heart of ❝ man

*Rev. iii. 17.

C 2

Pfalm lxiv.

"man to man *." He has himself purfued, and is pursuing, the way which he points out to them; and numbers are led to follow his example. They know that he is not one of them who "fay and do "not," and they therefore become followers of him as he is of Chrift t."

This experimental method of inftruction is that which I have endeavoured to pursue in the following very imperfect difcourfes. My object has been, in the language of one of our prelates above cited, to fhew mankind, plainly and honeftly, ❝what they are, and what they ought to be." The general principle which I have conftantly fought to. keep in view, may be thus expreffed in the words of another Bifhop; to fhew "how much the due "difcharge of a chriftian's moral duty depends "upon the liveliness and ftability of his faith;" and that "every principle of christian duty, every "exercife of faith, of hope, and of charity in all "its branches, every motive to the love of God, "and of our neighbour, is connected with the "great religious doctrines of the gospel." This connexion it has been my aim to point out, and urge in fuch a manner, that perfons may thereby afcertain the true ftate of their own fouls, and how far they are really difciples of our crucified Redeemer. It is natural to expect, that fome offence may be taken, by the favourers both of formalifm, and antinomianifm, at this mode of treating religious fubjects. The true chriftian faith appears to me a principle equally diftinct from the fyftem of

both;

Prov. xvii. 19. Matt. xxiii. 3. 1 Cor. xi. *.