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obliged to sit up nearly all day, and was supported by leaning on some person present. He could say but little. About six o'clock he wished to lie down; for some time after, he was very restless, and wished to be turned from one side to another, and at last on his back, supported by pillows. I went to him just after he had got into bed, and asked him how he was. He shook his head and said, Just in death, just in death,' and could say no more. Mr. Wilson soon after came in, and said to him, I shall sit up with you to-night.' He said, 'It is very kind of you.' I do not recollect that I heard him say any thing after this. I sat by him for a little while, and he seemed to become more easy and still. I then went down stairs for a little while, and when I was absent the nurse moved him again, and he said, 'Come, Lord Jesus; she answered, Come quickly,' he said, Amen,' which I believe were his last words. He afterwards lay very still, and seemed to breathe more easy, but took little notice of any thing. When the doctor came into the room about nine o'clock, he turned his head and looked at him, but took no notice of any thing afterwards; only he breathed shorter and shorter, till, a few minutes past ten, he breathed his last, April 30, 1813.

"But O what words can tell, what tongue declare,

The last, last parting of a friend?"

Mr. Wilson adds, that several times during his confinement to his room, he asked me, when alone, to pray for him. At other times, he would say, I hope you pray for me. At one time, in particular, he requested I would pray for him, that his spirit might be softened and prepared to receive all the image of God. Sometimes in the night, when pains prevented his repose, I have heard him pray and give thanks to God; and never in the whole of his great affliction did I hear him utter a murmuring word against the dispensations of Providence. He seemed to rest on Omnipotence and more so in times of greatest affliction. The night before his death he solemnly lifted up his hands and eyes towards heaven, and declared, Thine, Lord, thine in death, and thine for ever.'

Mr. Williams was not an ordinary man. His mind was evidently of a superior cast, remarkably clear and logical. He could not bear any thing, in a sermon or a book, that was obscure, crude, or unappropriate. His own discourses were generally well studied, judiciously arranged, and impressively delivered. His language was perspicuous and forcible, and his elocution manly and graceful. A mere harrangue, however learned or eloquent, had, in his views, no beauty, it being a fixed point with him, that a preacher's constant aim should be the salvation, and not the entertainment, of his hearers. To this end, he conceived every part of every sermon should have a natural and direct tendency; and therefore, though evidently qualified to shine and

excel, he sought not the praise but the souls of his hearers. Great was his disgust at any mean artifices employed by any preacher to excite the wonder of the multitude; and often would he say, "I am sick of the pride of sermonizing. The spirit in which we preach is every thing. A public speaker usually communicates his feelings to his hearers. How necessary then that our hearts should be right. What a poor thing is popularity! Usefulness is all! These are very different the one from the other. I never knew a more popular man than Mr. and I never

knew one less useful." He was so far, however, from thinking that mental indolence is at all favourable to usefulness, that he would say, "A preacher should be always studying the Scriptures, and at the same time preach with as much ease and freedom as though he never studied."

Mr. Williams was no monopolist. Having benefited by the free communications, remarks, and criticisms of others, especially of the late Mr. Bradburn, he was ever ready freely to give what he had, from God and man, so freely received. Much was our dear brother delighted when sitting in the house, or walking by the way, with one or more of his brethren, composing sermons, laying plans for increasing usefulness, reconciling apparent contradictions in the Bible, and, in short, labouring to acquire and communicate correct views on all the essential doctrines of revelation. Often has he said, "What a profitable academy is the society of Methodist preachers; I love to talk on the subject of Christian perfection, it always does my heart good. O how unwise is it for any minister of the gospel to say, or seem to say, any thing against holiness." Much did he despise the mean and indolent policy which would lead a preacher to say or to think, when going first into a circuit, either, "I will preach my best sermons first, that I may make a favourable impression at the beginning, or I will preach my worst that I may gradually improve in the eyes of the people." Rather he would advise," Understand as soon as possible the wants of the people, and feed them with portions, as God shall give you ability." Nor did he ever, by precept or example, recommend the preaching of the same ser mons year after year, unaltered and unimproved.

Many of his brethren most readily acknowledge with gratitude to God, the advantages they have received from his intelligent, pious, and improving conversation. Well would it be for the church of God were his example in this respect more generally followed.

It will be easily perceived, from what has been already said, that the disposition of brother Williams was open and generous. Large stores, except those of the mind, were not his portion. But whatever he did possess he considered as entrusted to him for the good of others. His natural quickness and warmth of

temper, led him, sometimes, to express himself in a manner not quite consistent with the meekness and gentleness of Christ; but no sooner was he aware of his fault, than he acknowledged it in such a spirit and language, as insured immediate forgiveness, except from the malignant. Nor was he less ready in forgiving others, than in seeking reconciliation, when he conceived himself to be the offender.

But the excellence most conspicuous in the character of our dear departed brother was, zeal for the honour of God in the salvation of souls. When he entered a new circuit, his first concern was to improve it by endeavouring to promote the revival and extension of the work of God. He would number the towns and villages within his reach, then the houses, and having calculated the number of inhabitants in each place, and ascertained their moral and spiritual condition, he would try to spare some opportunity for preaching to them the word of life. In his prayers he has often been heard to mention different places by name, especially the most wicked and destitute. Once, when walking with a preacher about a mile from a town where there had long been a famine of the word, he suddenly stood still and said, "Let us pray for the inhabitants of that place, and that God may open our way into it." God did open the way, and his word continues to be preached there. In short, he made no account of labours, sacrifices, and persecutions. He seemed to say, "None of these things move me." And frequently he did say, And frequently he did say, "I would rather be at the raising of a poor circuit, than travel in the best circuit in the connexion." But where is he! When it was fondly hoped that only the dawn of his usefulness had been witnessed, he was suddenly removed to a brighter world; his death thus enforcing a text which he often quoted and urged, "Be ye also ready," &c. But though dead, may his example speak as effectually as loudly, to the hearts of his surviving and succeeding brethren in the Christian ministry, and of all to whom it shall be made known.

Mr. Williams was buried May 7, 1813, in a vault inthe chapel at Hammersmith, at which town the family of the superintendant preacher of the Brentford circuit then resided. It being the time of the district-meeting many of the preachers belonging to the district attended the funeral, and a numerous concourse of people from London and elsewhere. His friend, Mr. W. Jenkins, preached a sermon on the occasion of his death, from Rev. xiv. 13; and the following Sunday Mr. Joseph Benson further improved the mournful event in two sermons, one in the morning from 1 Pet. i. 3, 4; and one in the evening from Rev. xx. 11, 12. Mr. Robt. Newton likcwise preached a sermon on the same ocasion, at Brentford, from Numb. xxiii. 10.

DIVINITY.

THE WISDOM OF GOD IN THE GOSPEL REVELATION. DISCOURSE ON 1 CORINTHIANS i. 21. (Concluded from page 97.)

II. We now proceed to the second assertion of the apostle in the text, "It pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe." This assertion implies principally three things: 1. That the scheme of salvation, through faith in the revelation of the gospel, is a wise one: 2. That it is an effectual one: and, 3. That the execution of it is a chief object of Divine Providence. Let us consider each of these in their order.

1. As to the first. The apostle, indeed, in the language of the conceited pretenders to wisdom in those days, calls it foolishness; yet, at the same time, he plainly intimates, that what they called foolishness, was, in reality, the most perfect wisdom; and, in the verses following the text, he expressly calls it the wisdom of God. It must be obvious at first sight, that the exhibition of the wisdom of this scheme in the most extensive view of it, as laid before the foundation of the world, and as carried on in a continued progress, and an amazing variety of steps, from the first apostasy till the restitution of all things, is an undertaking to which none of the sons of men are equal. The full display of the beauty and marvellous wisdom of it in its wonderful contrivance and wonderful execution, from the beginning, to its final accomplishment, must be reserved for a fund of everlasting entertainment to the regions of perfect knowledge. It is our duty, in our present state, to contemplate the obvious and striking wisdom of those great lines of it, which are clearly revealed, and are easily comprehended. Every one knows, that wisdom consists in choosing the most proper means to accomplish the best ends. The great end proposed by the gospel, is the deliverance of mankind from a state of darkness, corruption, and guilt; and raising them to a state of light, purity, and favour with God.

Whether we consider the matter of this revelation, or the method of communicating it, and confirming its truth, we shall discern all possible marks of the highest wisdom.

1. The matter of this revelation may be summed two heads, of doctrines and precepts.

up

under the

With regard to the doctrines, let it be observed, that it is not the intention of them to instruct us in the knowledge of every thing that may be really useful to us with respect to the interests of this present life; far less of every thing which, from curiosity, we may have a desire to know. The gospel considers mankind in

their highest capacity, as the rational and accountable subjects of God, and as capable both of present and future happiness or misery, according to their behaviour: and it is the chief, if not the sole design of it, to give us those views and impressions of our nature, of our state, of the perfections, the counsels, the laws, and the government of God, which, under the influence of Divine grace, are the immediate means of the purity, of the comfort, and of the moral order and perfection of our souls. As we are corrupted and disordered, our natures are incapable of their true happiness till they are purified, and restored to order. As we are guilty and mortal ereatures, we can have no true consolation without the hopes of pardon and immortality. It is evident, therefore, that the chief use and excellence of the doctrines of revelation must lie in the influence they have upon the sanctification and consolation of our hearts: and, indeed, the whole strain of the Scriptures shews us, that these are the great ends of all the doctrines of the gospel, which meet exactly the present state of mankind, and are admirably adapted, with the concurrence of Divine influence, which we are encouraged to ask, to cure every disorder of the human heart, and to establish our souls in peace and joy. The bounds prescribed for this discourse prevent a consideration of all the doctrines of Christianity; but a few instances may be mentioned for the illustration of the point. Thus, it is a certain fact, that mankind are, at present, in a state of corruption, and, at the same time, apt to be insensible of the misery and danger of it under the government of God. Surely nothing can be conceived more fit to awaken them to a just sense of their condition than a messenger from heaven, clothed with the authority of God, setting before them the intrinsic malignity and misery of sin, and the certain, the dreadful, and eternal consequences of continuing in the love and practice of it.

Again. Are mankind in a state of guilt? Is there a sense of guilt, and dread of the Divine displeasure, so universal among mankind, in some degree or other, that it may be considered a characteristic of the species? Are the minds of all sorts of men, from the most learned philosophers down to the greatest savages, subject, on some occasions, and in some serious moments, to such remorse, as makes them wish for some method of expiating their offences? Does not this sense of guilt sometimes rise to such a degree of anxiety as greatly to disturb, and sometimes even to distract the minds of men? Have atonements of one sort or another, for averting the displeasure of Deity, been established in all national religions in all ages of the world? What can be conceived more admirably fitted to give relief and consolation to the heart of man, alarmed with the fears of deserved punishment, than the doctrines of the gospel, "that God is in Christ, reconVOL. XLI. MARCH, 1818.

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