prejudice against the clergy in general, aptness to believe ill of them, contempt (not without a degree of bitterness) of clergymen as such, and a sharpness of language towards the whole order, utterly unbecoming either gentlemen or Christians.

10. Because the experiment has been so frequently tried already, and the success never answered the expectation. God has since the Reformation raised up from time to time many witnesses of pure religion. If these lived and died (like John Arndt, Robert Bolton, and many others) in the churches to which they belonged notwithstanding the wickedness which overflowed both the teachers and people therein, they spread the leaven of true religion far and wide and were more and more useful till they went to Paradise. But if upon any provocation or consideration whatever they separated and founded distinct parties, their influence was more and more confined; they grew less and less useful to others, and generally lost the spirit of religion themselves in the spirit of controversy.

11. Because we have melancholy instances of this, even now before our eyes. Many have in our memory left the Church and formed themselves into distinct bodies; and certainly some of them, from a real persuasion that they should do God more service. But have any separated themselves and prospered? Have they been either more holy or more useful than they were before?

12. Because by such a separation we should not only throw away the peculiar glorying which God has given us, that we do and will suffer all things for our brethren's sake, though the more we love them the less we be loved, but should act in direct contradiction to that very end for which we believe God has raised us up. The chief design of His providence in sending us out is undoubtedly to quicken our brethren; and the first message of all our preachers is to the lost sheep of the Church of England. Now would it not be a flat contradiction to this design to separate from the Church? These things being considered, we cannot apprehend (whether it be lawful in itself or no,) that it is lawful for us; were it only on this ground, that it is by no means expedient.

Lastly: Whereas we are surrounded on every side by those who are equally enemies to us and to the Church of England; and whereas these are long practised in this

war, and skilled in all the objections against it, while our brethren on the other hand are quite strangers to them all, and so on a sudden know not how to answer them, it is highly expedient for every preacher to be provided with sound answers to those objections, and to instruct the Societies where he labours how to defend themselves against these assaults; it would therefore be well for you carefully to read over the preservative against unsettled notions in religion, together with serious thoughts concerning perseverance and predestination calmly considered and when you are masters of them yourselves it will be easy for you to recommend and explain them to our Societies; that they will no more be tost to and fro by every wind of doctrine, but being settled in one mind and one judgment, by solid scriptural and rational arguments, may grow up in all things into Him who is our Head, even Jesus Christ. JOHN WESLEY.

I think myself bound in duty to add my testimony to my brother's; his twelve reasons against our ever separating from the Church of England are mine also. I subscribe to them with all my heart. Only with regard to the first I am quite clear that it is neither expedient nor lawful for me to separate, and I never had the least inclination or temptation to do so. My affection for the Church is as strong as ever, and I clearly see my calling, which is to live and die in her communion. This therefore I am determined to do, the Lord being my helper. I have subjoined the hymns for lay preachers still further to secure this end, to cut off all jealousy and suspicion from our friends or hope from our enemies, of our having any design of ever separating from the Church. I have no secret, reserve, or distant thought of it: I never had. Would to God all the Methodist preachers were in this respect like minded with

CHARLES WESLEY.

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

IN 1843 Dr. Molesworth preached a sermon in the parish church of Rochdale on the occasion of the baptism of Mr. Philp, formerly minister of the Unitarian Church in Rochdale, whom he had baptised.

Mr. Philp's first movement he recollects was a sense of the unfairness with which his Unitarian education and prejudices led him to dispute or explain away the obvious meaning of such passages as made against his own system. As his consciousness became more vivid and frequent, he said, 'I struggled as much as possible against it.' It is easy to understand this feeling, considering the prepossessions and interest which stood in the way of his enquiry, struggling against a secret sense of the truths and authority of the Church. But Mr. Philp set to the dissenters a faithful example. As soon as the truth became more clear he ceased the struggle and searched the Scriptures, whether those things were so.' Having satisfied himself that they were, he renounced his former errors, though by that act he also renounced his former friends, and his principal means of supporting himself and his family.

He did not wait, as some less firm would do, to attempt stipulations, and to bargain for admission to the Church, as a condition for renouncing dissent. He resigned unconditionally an office in which he could not continue without sin. Then he prayed to be received into the Church.

SERMON

'These were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so' (Acts xvii. 11).

In a comparison of two parties, to whom the Apostles addressed themselves, one is mentioned with preference and honourable distinction.

The Berean hearers are commended as superior to those

of Thessalonica, in being more noble ;—of a more candid and ingenuous disposition. And the evidence of this disposition, adduced by the sacred historian is,—that they ' received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures whether those things were so.'

Our further reflections upon this case will satisfy us, that such evidence fully justified the commendation bestowed on the Bereans, and that a contrary disposition is generally the foundation of the errors and divisions, which too often shipwreck the faith of weak brethren.

St. Paul, according to the rule of addressing the Gospel first to the Jews, went into the Synagogue at Thessalonica on three Sabbath days and reasoned with them out of the Scriptures; that is to say out of the written revelation of the Old Testament. These Scriptures they were at liberty to consult, and thence ascertain whether the types and prophecies to which he appealed did or did not confirm his doctrine. He does not deliver his doctrine as a contradiction to the Scriptures, but as a fulfilment of things foretold, and shadowed forth in them.

Instead of setting anything to be taught in opposition to their Scriptures, he urges them to search the Scriptures for a confirmation of the fact that 'Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ'; or in other words, the Anointed, the King and Priest,-the Messiah, whom their own Scriptures had taught them to expect.

...

The Word of God cannot contradict itself. He does not ask them to believe him merely as an accredited Minister of the Church, contrary to the Scriptures, but he expects them to hear him as such a Minister, candidly and respectfully in the first instance; and not to reject his doctrine, without searching the Scriptures, and finding them actually opposed to it.

He condemns the Thessalonians, not for their veneration of their Scriptures, and for rejecting everything contrary to them; but for blind bigotry and prejudice against the commissioned ambassadors of God, and for a proud refusal to search. They set up their own pride and theories against the Divine commission of Paul, and against the facts of the Scriptures. For examination, reason, and candour, they substitute riot, clamour, and persecution. Luke tells us that the Jews which believed not, moved with envy,

took with them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.'

That is they stirred up the dissolute, idle, and ignorant rabble who are to be found in the streets of most towns and are ready instruments of those moved with envy either against religion or order. They caused a riot. Calumny, the usual engine to excite the turbulent and thoughtless, and to enlist those in power, against the sober and peaceable, was employed in this case.

But though the Bereans were Jews as well as the Thessalonians, and had the same veneration for their Scriptures, they showed a far more noble and reasonable spirit. They could not but see the signs and wonders, which attested the commission of St. Paul, entitled him, at the outset, to at least an examination of his proofs and arguments; especially as he appealed to their own Scriptures. The least they could concede him was to refer to their Scriptures. They, therefore, heard him with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures whether these things were so.' And the result was the honourable mention of their example in the records of inspiration, and also that many believed in the Lord Jesus, and embraced the blessed hope of everlasting life, through the atonement made by His blood for the salvation of the lost world. .

But the Jews of Thessalonica had prejudged the question, and instead of hearing the word of St. Paul' with all readiness of mind,' had conceived a bitter enmity against him. It is evident not only that they did not search the Scriptures, but that, in such a frame of mind, if they had searched the Scriptures they would have received no benefit. For they would have searched, not to see whether those things were so,' but to close their eyes against any evidence of that, and to see only such passages as would give them a colourable pretence for rejecting St. Paul's message, and for maintaining that those things were not so, which they had predetermined should not be so.