carrier can bring it to you, if you please to direct him. After an introduction chiefly directed against the fasionable scheme of the Infidel Deists, it attempts to extract every thing in religion from the oracles of God, and to comprehend the marrow and substance of what I think proper for ministers to preach, or sinful men to hear for promoting their eternal salvation. As plain Scripture texts bid fairer to fix themselves on man's consciences than any human reasoning, I have dealt plentifully in those which, with us, students are requested to repeat on their being quoted to them, in order to oblige them to become mighty in the Scriptures. Candour, I thought required me to transcribe one copy without reserve, which occasions a few hints towards the close, in favour of our church government and worship in this country. These, I hope, will be so far from giving offence with you, that it will occasion you a delightful satisfaction to observe how extensive and inportant the agreement, and how small the difference of religious sentiments, there is between a professedly staunch Presbyterian and a truly conscientious Episcopalian, if they both cordially believe the doctrine. of God's free grace, giving unto men eternal life of holiness and happiness through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord. The hearty belief of this doctrine would unite us in the warmest affection to one another. Perhaps compassion to my rashness may require your Ladyship to conceal how you came by the manuscript, till by yourself or your learned friends you see whether it will be any way useful to your Theological Society; and, if it is thought to be no way useful, it may be returned to the care of Mr. James Hastil, carpenter, in Portland-street, Cavendish-square, London, No. 72. If it is found to be any way useful to your students, I, as a distinguished debtor to the free grace of God, heartily dedicate it to their service as a token of my affection to them as friends of the Gospel of this grace, and as a token of my bidding them 'God speed,' though they follow not with us. And I leave it to your Ladyship to direct the presentation of it to them in what manner you judge best. Only, in such a case, it might be proper that one of them who hath a good hand should write out a plain copy of it, for the more easy perusal. I intended to have sent along with it a dozen or two of the catechism that comes with this, as a present to the boys and girls in your family service, but could not presume to trouble the bearer with any more bulk; but if I could get the smallest hint that they would be acceptable, I should see to get them conveyed by another. But, dropping the superficial chat concerning my poor books, let us have a word concerning that great, that glorious, that truly original Book of God-GOD MADE MANIFEST IN THE flesh. Blessed be God for our English translations of his oracles, and of our safe and casy access to peruse them. Blessed be God for the Hebrew and Greek originals of the Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ. blessed be above all blessings, and praised be God for that Original Bible, Jesus Christ, of which he himself hath engraved the engraving. O for grace to regard it day and night till we go to see him, and God in him, as he is, and know him even as we are known! O, to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord! How delightfully wonderful is God made manifest in the And feh! The man who is God's fellow, and in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead Lodily! How sturen lons his person-God man! How marvellous the union af leommunion of Lis Lature! How bright how amiable, an image Le is of the invisible God! How fragrant and Lean-cheering, how wonderful his unnumbered names, like ointment poured fortil, and all full of grace, mercy, and love, towards men! How answerable his offices to promote the glory of God to the highest in the rich, the free, the eternal salvation of sinful man! How deep, how kind, his thoughts to usward! How gracions, powerful, and quickening his words! How marvellous all his works in the room of and towar is men! Howanbounded his fulness of righteousness, grace, and glory! And, to augment the wonder more, all that he is, all that the Las, and all that Le doth, is for men, for sinful men-for above many, sinful, wretched. worthless you,-for, above all, sinful, worthless wretched me. What shall we say to this? of God we are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Astonishing! Are we, who are altogether born in sin, and dead in trespasses and sins-we, who so richly deserve to be in hell, in CHRIST JESUS? Hath God, whom we offended; God, whom we attempted to murder; God, whom we hated with our whole heart and soul, and mind and strength, put us into Christ, instead of putting us into the lowest Leli? in answerableness to our infinitely wicked and destructive fully and ignorance-guilt and crimes-baseness, sinful pollution, and ungodliness-bondage, and danger, and misery -is Christ Jesus made to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption? Is he made all this to us? Is he made all this to us by God, who maketh nothing in vain? Why do we not stir up our souls to possess what the Lord our God giveth us? Why are we slack to claim, to take, to live on, all that God hath made ready for us, and by free grants in the Gospel, and by effectual influence, Lath made our own? If Christ Jesus is then so much to us-made of God so much to us why should any thing but Christ and God in Christ, get such room in our hearts-why should not the Leart and mind be thoroughly widowed to all things but Jesus Christ? Alas! why should we, as though we were half beasts, half devils, attempt to live on dust and sin, rather than on Jesus Christ? However, this sad life will soon be over with you and me, I hope. Death must soon break down our prisonwalls and let us fly to God, as our exceeding joy. Our body of death must give place to perfection in holiness. Our vain and wicked thoughts must give place to thoughts fixed only upon the Lord. Our twilight and transient blinks of the glory of God must give place to seeing him as he is in the face of Jesus Christ. And O, how we will admire and adore the grace that brought us thither! and how we will sing songs to our well-beloved, to the tune of For his mercy endureth for ever; or, shall I say to the tune of Thou art my God, and I will exalt thee; my God, and I will praise thee? May this, your husband Christ, guide you with his counsel, while here, and afterwards bring you to his glory! This from, Right Honourable Lady, your most humble servant, "JOHN BROWN. "P.S.-As I have Lad so little acquaintance with persons in high station, I hope your Ladyship will forgive whatever expressions or freedom unsuited to your dignity and outward station, you discern in any hints of mine. Though it is chiefly in your high character of a redeemed bride, the Lamb's wife, that I address you, I would not choose to use any freedom unsuited to the dignity of the Countess of Huntingdon." CHAPTER LI. Labours of the Students-Extract from Lady Huntingdon's Letters-Itinerant Preaching Circular Letter from Lady Huntingdon-Letter to the Committee of Mulberry Gardens-Journals of Messrs. Wills, Glascott, Taylor, and Piercy-Success of thefr Labours-Out-of-door Preaching-Secession_ Observations on Toleration-Letter to the Bishops-Dr. Lowth-First Ordination at Spafields Chapel-Particulars of the Ceremony-Articles of Belief. THE work of God, by means of the Connexion, now became greatly extended. From all parts of the kingdom the most earnest applications for assistance were received, so that, about this time Lady Huntingdon wrote to one of her ministers in America, "The bearer will inform you of the great and blessed honour my poor labours receive from the Lord's gracious hands, and the scores of thousands now walking in the path to glory, together with multitudes dying in the faith, and these called over the greatest part of both England and Wales. Your old beloved house, the College, flourishing with grace in their hearts, and much glory upon their labours." To another student she writes thus: "Our work is so blessed-the Lord so honours every part of the plan, and the new students in an amazing manner, that we are all bound to say Great and glorious are thy works, thou King of saints; who would not love thee? Our opening in Lincolnshire promises great things, and the West, where you laboured, and are dearly beloved, blossoms as the rose. Vast numbers of congregations are gathered. I shall go down at the end of the year to settle them all. In Wales, where you are often asked after, and as much beloved, the work spreads far and wide; and remarkable and most awful visitations attend all that do in any measure oppose, which seems to stop the present persecutions from all quarters. I could enlarge on your various blessings. Mr. Glascott, Mr. Shirley, and Mr. Peckwell, are blessed, honoured, and owned of the Lord gloriously. The latter has gone to London to preach on Hampstead Heath, and elsewhere, out of doors. It seems to be the prevailing spirit of the present students to do this everywhere. ** The gift of awakening seems much continued to our plan and work. The spread is astonishing? The College does not yet fill equal to our calls, but the fewer the more useful. They appear like Gideon's army; only those that had the right cap were to have the victory, and the thousands of others had neither part nor lot in the spoils." Students from Trevecca were now labouring in almost every county of England, and with very considerable success. One method of exciting attention to the Gospel, planned about this time, and which proved eminently successful, was that of sending at least once every year some minister of superior abilities and zeal to preach in every city, town, and larger village, throughout the kingdom." The clergymen commissioned by Lady Huntingdon sent regular reports to her Ladyship, which were afterwards published with an interesting account by Mr. Pentycross, Rector of Wallingford. *We add a copy of a Circular Letter from Lady Huntingdon to her societies relative to the intended tour of Messrs. Glascott, Wills, Taylor, and Piercy, to preach through the towns and villages in different parts of the kingdom "My worthy Friends,-From the various calls of many of the counties in England, it appears an important consideration to us, and alike to all, that every means in our power should be engaged for those many thousands lying in darkness, and in the shadow of death, that the voice of the Gospel by our faithful ministers should, by every means in our power, reach them also. For this best end it was concluded, at a late meeting, that the only means effectually, to reach the multitudes, was, that the four principal ministers, Mr. Glascott, Mr. Wills, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Piercy, should for three months visit universally, in four different departments, and, thus severally taken, preach through the towns, counties, and villages of the kingdom, by a general voice or proclamation of the glorious gospel of peace to lost sinners. My dear Friends, you and I have tasted the blessedness that is to be found in such a Saviour for our lost and perishing souls, and how know you but you may have many scattered friends and relations in various parts of the land, where these faithful servants of God areproclaiming the glad tidings of salvation, and that this glorious sound of heavenly and everlasting peace may reach their precious, though perhaps, yet guilty souls, and who, in the great day of the Lord, shall eternally rejoice with you? It therefore calls upon us loudly to use all diligence for the thousands that know not our God. The trifling contributions of many, may render this a universal blessing to all, and, by a free and liberal engagement in this matter, thousands may be made to rise up to praise the Lord, through your means, at the great day. The expense of the ministers as given in, will be before you, for any that may choose to examine them. The contributions of the various congregations will be transmitted to our worthy Committee at Spafields; and wishing to share in the blessings attending the glorious and universal intention of serving many, many thousands, allow me to cast in my poor mite of fifty pounds, with your much more, begging our gracious Lord to accept it from you and from me, for his glorious Name's sake. Let us ever remember that it is not constraint, but the willingness of a cheerful giver he only delights in. May you share many consolations in your own souls, by many being called by this means out of darkness into his marvellous light! I make this request in my own name to you all: as it is the first request, so my few remaining days may make it the last from me, for my dear Master's sake, but in which we shall have jointly and alike cause to rejoice over sinners converted, with the angels in heaven. A few short extracts may serve as specimens of the exertions and success of these men of God. "I am engaged, (says Mr. Glascott,) to preach this week at Darlaston, Walsal, Dudley, Bromwich, and Birmingham. In almost all these places, if the weather is favourable, a table will be my pulpit, the canopy of the heavens my sounding board; and oh! that Jesus may preside in our assemblies !"* The crowds attracted by these means were truly astonishing. "At Darlaston, we had at least fifteen hundred poor colliers and nailers." In the streets of Dudley the congregation was computed to be two thousand. At Nottingham, "at eight in the morning, we had at least two thousand; and in the evening, at the Market-cross, at a moderate computation, there were not less than five thousand." The journals of Mr. Wills, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Piercy, recording their labours, shew that crowds, by no means inferior to those assembling in the northern counties, thronged to hear the word of life during their tour. "At Bosveal, not less than ten thousand assembled in a large, deep hollow ground, rendered convenient for the preacher and hearers by circular benches cut out of the sides from top to bottom." On preaching again at Bosveal, a few weeks after," a large multitude assembled, the largest congregation I ever beheld, and judged to be about twelve thousand; an universal solemnity and awe sat on every countenance, and the Lord was in the midst of us. Even the people of the world were reminded of the judgment-day, from beholding this innumerable and deeply affected assembly." The seriousness and attention of these out-door congregations was in general exceedingly encouraging. Sometimes the vicar of the parish would stand amidst the people with his hat off, thus setting an example to the rest. At others, the joy depicted on the countenances of the crowd is not to be conceived. writing about Wolverhampton, Mr. Glascott says, "The people came pouring down from all quarters, and I think we had the largest congregation I have yet seen since I left Bristol. Instead of riot and confusion, we had silence and attention." When The results of these labours were also very pleasing; "many were affected under the word, some appeared to be broken • This plan of preaching in the open air has the sanction of our Lord and of his apostles, and though, since the period now under consideration, the numerous places erected for preaching the Gospel, in almost every town and village, may seem to supersede the necessity of resorting to streets and commons, yet while multitudes are found in our highways who scarcely ever enter a place of worship, it cannot be questioned whether the most likely way to come in contact with such persons would not be to resort anew to the sounding board and pulpit of the text. VOL. II.-FF |