in undeviating uprightness and inflexible integrity, he had his conversation in the church and in the world.

The principles which governed his own conduct, he justly expected ought to govern that of others; hence wilful deviation from the line of rectitude, he reproved with becoming severity; and nothing so completely roused his honest indignation, or called forth the sternness of his character, as the practice of deception. Even the appearance of it he could not tolerate., Proverbially sincere himself, to hypocrisy in all its forms, and most especially when shrouded behind the mask of a religious profession, he never shewed the least mercy. Errors and infirmities, the common lot of humanity, he had; but these, through the honesty of his intentions and the simplicity of his soul, he had neither the art nor the inclination to conceal; and even they, in the judgment of those best qualified to decide, might probably, in most cases, be traced to a physical rather than a moral source; and, at all events, they were in general so closely controuled by salutary discipline, and so efficiently chastised by Divine grace, that, to those who might view his conduct through the deceptive medium of prejudice, or call in question the purity of his motives, he could reply, in the language of holy writ," My record is on high, my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God."

Such was the character of John Barber; the contemplation of it must lead the church to adore, with deep reverence and humble gratitude, the wisdom and goodness of God, as exemplified in the selection, call, and qualification of his ministering servants; a more striking display of which will rarely be found than in the instance here recorded; wherein a rude, unlettered, and untoward youth, in the humblest rank in society, and in circumstances the most unfavourable to piety, a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a slave to sin, impiously daring by his systematic rebellion, the wrath of God, is arrested by distinguishing grace, in the height of his profane career, yields obedience to the heavenly calling, and in the short space of three or four years, is thrust forth into the vineyard of the Lord; in which, by the due and diligent cultivation of his natural powers, by his steady piety, unwearied exertions, and undeviating fidelity, throughout the whole progress of his long and laborious ministry, he not only secures the respect and affection of his brethren, and the church at large, but also exhibits a bright example for the guidance and imitation of those who may be called to succeed him as preachers of righteousness. To those unacquainted with the history and economy of Methodism, or accustomed to form their estimate of personal worth and respectability, from extrinsic circumstances, rather than to measure it by its legitimate standard, it may

prove a source of surprize and mortification to learn that the subject of this memoir, so deservedly respectable and extensively useful, could boast no other than the humblest origin, and, in early life, held no higher a vocation than that of a farmer's servant. Galling as this disclosure must prove to the feelings of human pride, the writer has long considered it as honourable to the character of our connexion, that not a few of the most illustrious names which adorn the annals of Methodism, have been "raised from the ranks." These excellent men, however, not only recommend, by their exemplary piety, the cause for which they lived and died, and confer on their relative connections a much higher and more substantial dignity than "all the blood of all the Howards," but also consecrate their own memories with posterity, by an imperishable monument of honourable distinction-the most exalted Christian beneficence. Whilst, at the same time, the very circumstance of their lowly origin, combined with their extraordinary usefulness, affords no mean proof of the reality of their Divine call to the work of the ministry. And where, it may be inquired, is there a body of men to be found whose labours have been more generally owned, and more uniformly crowned with success, by the great Head of the Church? Should, however, the Lord Jesus require "all the learning of the schools," in order to carry on his work, " he can," as was well observed on a recent occasion, "lay even that under contribution." Not that there is, in the present day, any lack in this respect; for the Methodist preachers, as a body, not only possess as large a fund of solid, useful, and valuable information, on the great subjects of their ministry, as is, probably, to be found in any other body of Christian ministers equally numerous; but they also have amongst them men of profound and extensive literary acquire

ments.

This, however, is the least of their excellence; the learning which they possess, sanctified and pressed into the service of truth, is considered by them as no farther useful or valuable than as it can be rendered subservient to the promotion of the glory of God in the salvation of mankind. Being sent forth to preach the everlasting gospel to the poor, the ignorant, and the outcasts of society, in strict accordance with the indispensable obligations and awful responsibility of their high and holy calling, they endeavour to use all "plainness of speech;" and thus each is enabled, in the language of the great apostle of the Gentiles, to say to his hearers, "My speech and my preaching are not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

DIVINITY.

To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.
REV. SIR,

Ir has for some time been my intention to copy the following article for the Methodist Magazine; but a number of engagements have prevented till you may think part of its reasonings superseded. It appeared in the Biblical Magazine of 1801, under the signature of GAIUS, and is unquestionably the production of the late Rev. Andrew Fuller, (see his life by Dr. Ryland.) That the ultimate tendency of the opinion it combats is Sabellianism, is not merely apparent as matter of reasoning, but within the circle of my acquaintance has received practical illustration; L cannot, therefore, think, with some, that you lay too much stress upon this subject. As however, some of the respectable writers who deny the Eternal Sonship of Christ, cannot admit that arguments which merely prove His Divinity, at all affect their opinion; and as such arguments have a tendency to make an impression unfavourable to the general sentiments of the persons against whom they are employed, they should certainly be avoided.

OF THE SONSHIP OF CHRIST.

F.

"The meaning of the terms Son of God, only begotten Son of God, is doubtless of importance, secing the belief of the idea signified by them was made a leading article in the primitive professions of faith, John iii. 18, vi. 40, xx. 31; Acts viii. 37; 1 John iv. 15. Whatever disputes have risen of late among Christians, there appears to have been none upon the subject in the times of the apostles. Both Jews and Christians appear to have agreed in this: the only question that divided them was, whether Christ was the Son of God or not? If there had been any ambiguity in the term, it would have been very unfit to express the first article of the Christian Faith

"It is true that our Lord was miraculously conceived of the Holy Ghost, and that such a conception was peculiar to him; but on this account it does not follow that he became the Son, or only begotten Son of God. Whether this appellation be not expressive of his Divine personality, antecedent to all considerations of his being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin, let the following things determine:

"First, The glory of the only begotten of the Father, and the glory of the Word, are used as convertible terms, as being the same: but the latter is used to denote the Divine person of Christ antecedent to his being made flesh; the same, therefore, must be true of the former. The Word was made flesh, and VOL. XLI. MAY, 1818.

we beheld his glory,' i. e. the glory of the Word, The glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, John i. 14. It is true, it was by the Word being made flesh and dwelling among us, that his glory became apparent; but the glory itself was that of the Eternal Word, and this is the same as the glory of the only begotten of the Father.'

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"Secondly. The Son of God dwelleth in the bosom of the Father,' is intimately acquainted with his character and designs, and therefore fit to be employed in making them known to nien. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him,' John i. 18. If this be applied to his Divine person, or that eternal life which was in the Father, and was manifested to us,' 1 John i. 2, it is natural and proper; it assigns his omniscience as qualifying him for making known the mind of God: but if he became the only begotten of the Father' by his miraculous conception, the beauty of the passage vanishes.

"Thirdly. God is frequently said to have sent his Son into the world,' John vii. 16, x. 36, 1 John iv. 9; but this implies that he was his Son antecedent to his being sent. To suppose

otherwise is no less absurd than supposing that when Christ sent forth his twelve disciples, they were not disciples but in consequence of his sending them, or of some preparation pertaining to their mission.

"Fourthly. Christ is called the Son of God antecedently to his miraculous conception, and consequently he did not become such by it. In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son,' &c. Gal. iv. 4. The terms made of a woman, made under the law,' are a parenthesis. The position affirmed is, that God sent forth his Son to redeem the transgressors of the law. This being made of a woman, made under the law,' or covenant of works which man had broken, expresses the necessary means for the accomplishment of this great end, which means, though preceding our redemption, yet follow the Sonship of the Redeemer. There is equal proof that Christ was the Son of God before he was made of a woman, as that he was the Word before he was made flesh. If it be alleged that Christ is called the Son of God on account of his being made of a woman; I answer, if so, it is also on account of his being made under the law,' which is too absurd to admit of a question. God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,' Rom. viii. 3. This is equal to saying, that the Son of God assumed human nature: he must therefore have been the Son of God antecedent to his assumption of it.

"Fifthly. Christ is called the Son of God antecedently to his being manifested to destroy the works of the devil, but he was manifested by taking upon him human nature, consequently he was the Son of God antecedently to the human nature being assumed. There is equal proof from the phraseology of 1 John

iii. 8, that he was the Son of God antecedent to his being manifested to destroy the works of the devil,' as there is from that of 1 Tim. iii. 16, that he was God antecedent to his being manifested in the flesh; or from 1 John i. 2, that that Eternal Life which was with the Father,' was such antecedent to his being manifested to us.

"Sixthly. The ordinance of baptism is commanded to be administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,' Matt. xxviii. 19. The Father and the Holy Ghost will be allowed to be Divine persons; and what good reason can be given for another idea being affixed to the term Son ?

"Seventhly. The proper Deity of Christ precedes his office of Mediator or High Priest of our profession, and renders it an exercise of condescension; but the same is true of his Sonship. "He maketh the Son a High Priest;' Though he was a Son, yet learned,' &c. Heb. vii. 28, v. 8. His being the Son of God, therefore, amounts to the same thing as his being a Divine Person.

"Eighthly. It is the proper Deity of Christ which gives dignity to his office of Mediator, but this dignity is ascribed to his being the Son of God, We have a great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God,' Heb. iv. 14. His being the Son of God, therefore, amounts to the same thing as his being a Divine Person.

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"Lastly. It is the proper Deity of Christ which gives efficacy to his sufferings. By himself he purges our sins,' Heb. i. 3; but this efficacy is ascribed to his being the Son of God, The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin,' 1 John i. 7. His being the Son of God, therefore, amounts to the same thing as his being a Divine Person.

"Those who attribute Christ's Sonship to his miraculous conception, are nevertheless constrained to allow that the term implies proper divinity. Indeed this is evident from John v. 18, where his saying that God was his own father, is supposed to be making himself equal with God. But if the miraculous conception be the proper foundation of the Sonship, why should it contain such an implication? A holy creature might be produced by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, which yet might be merely a creature, i. e. he might on this hypothesis profess to be the Son of God, and yet be so far from making himself equal with God, as to pretend to be nothing more than man.

"It will be alleged that the Holy Spirit expressly attributes the Sonship of Christ to his miraculous conception, Luke i. 35. It has been thought that the Son of God in this passage is used in a peculiar sense; or that it respects the origin of Christ's human nature, as not being by ordinary generation of man, but by