believed to be the truth, I was preserved from any discomposing fears, or undue disquietude of mind. I sat down very coolly to search for the truth, I proceeded very gradually, and with extreme caution; I took no one opinion upon trust; I gave up none of my sentiments, until the arguments by which I had learned to defend them were satisfactorily answered; nor did I admit any new articles into my creed, till either every objection was obviated, or I was pressed with such as were still more unanswerable. Much, very much, prayer and meditation preceded every change of sentiment; and I was nearly three years, from the beginning of my enquiry, before I came to a determination what was truth. So long, deliberately, and step by step, I examined the premises, before I finally proceeded to draw my conclusion. I perceive much cause to be ashamed of my unteachable temper: for with such opportunities as were afforded me, if I had improved them, I might have attained to the knowledge and belief of the same truths in a much shorter time. But the Lord, I trust, led me in this way, and left me thus far to my own natural pride of heart; that it might more evidently appear, I received not my doctrines from man, but that indeed, in the first instance, I learned them from the word and Spirit of God.

III. I would observe, that I changed my religious views, without any teaching from the persons to whose sentiments I have now acceded. For a considerable time after the commencement of my enquiries, I would not so much as read what they had to urge in their own behalf. I entered indeed into a correspon

dence with Mr.: my intention, however, was not to learn from him, but to dispute with him; and when he waved controversy, I dropped the correspon dence, and utterly neglected his letters. From that time I avoided his company, and all the while I de clined hearing him preach. I would not be under stood to insinuate, that Mr. has not been useful to me: he has been, and continues to be, eminently so; and I continually see great cause to bless God for giving me such a friend, to be so near at hand on all occasions. But this I assuredly believe, that had I never seen him, at least from the time that his example had put me upon considering my conduct, I should have arrived at the same views of evangelical truth which I now have. His usefulness to me, has all along been in those matters in which we were in some measure agreed, not in those wherein we differed; for as to these my proud heart scorned to have him for a teacher.

At the same time, though I had the offer of several books written by Dissenters and Methodists, I declined it; and did not, for nearly two years, peruse any of them with sufficient attention to recollect any thing of consequence which they contained. I say not this, as slighting these books; for, justice requires me to acknowledge, that many, which then I ignorantly despised, contain as solid, judicious, and excellent divinity, as hath been written since the days of the apostles. But I did not get my system from them; for that was nearly completed before I was prevailed upon to read them. My studies, besides the Bible, were chiefly confined to authors of allowed reputation in VOL. L O

the Church of England, several of which I have men tioned. When they differed from each other, (as certainly Tillotson and Hooker, Jortin and Beveridge, Bull and Hall do differ very much indeed,) I endeavoured to judge for myself, comparing all of them with the word of God, and with the articles, homilies, and liturgy of the Church of England: and from such authors thus compared, as far as the writings of uninspired men have been instrumental to this change, I have received the greatest part of my present opin

ions.

But let it be observed, that the further these streams are traced upwards towards the fountain of the refor mation, the purer they flow, according to my present judgment and it may easily and undeniably be proved, that there is nothing material preached by many regular clergymen of the establishment, under the scandal of Methodistical, which was not expressly taught by those excellent persons, who, having laid the foundation of our church, gave their bodies to be burned in confirmation of their doctrine. It is greatly to be wished that their lives and discourses, living and dying, and their remaining writings, were more generally known among us; and did not remain locked up from the world, in large folios, in the learned languages, and in books out of print, or exceedingly scarce. In consequence of this the members of our national church are in general utterly ignorant of its standard-doctrines, and ignorantly brand those as Methodists and Enthusiasts, who preach zealously the very doctrines, of the first Reformers.

IV. I would observe the great influence which

the study of the Scriptures had in producing this change.

We are all too apt, without careful examination, to take things for granted, especially in respect of re-, ligion. We often collect our scheme of divinity from other authors, or from our own reasonings and imaginations; and only seek for a few detached texts which appear to countenance our pre-conceived opinions; neglecting, or very slightly considering, such parts of the word of God as seem incapable of being made use of to our purpose. We are likewise too prone, in availing ourselves of the labours of criticks and expositors, to resign up ourselves implicitly to their guidance, and to imagine that we have proof enough of our doctrines, if we can produce the sanction of some great name that has espoused and maintained them, without carefully examining whether they be right or wrong: but this is to pay that deference to the human interpretation, which is only due to the divine book commented on. We ministers especially, though at ordination we solemnly promise to turn all our studies, as much as may be, into this channel, are very apt to suffer our time and thoughts to be engrossed with such studies and employments, as are foreign to our profession, and interfere with it, and which leave at most but a secondary attention for the study of the word of God. And who can deny, that many do not bestow so much pains in meditating upon the Bible, and in comparing spiritual things with spiritual; or one part of Scripture with another, and every part with what they experience in their own hearts, and what they hear and see in the world around them, 215915

as they do about matters of far less consequence: So that probably should they at any time sit down to a diligent examination of the whole word of God, they would find it a very different book than they expected. Thus at least it has been with me, and possibly it may be so with many others.

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The word of God informs us that true wisdom, thẻ saving, practical, and experimental knowledge of divine things, is not to be acquired without earnest and diligent seeking: "My son, if thou wilt receive my "words, and hide my commandments with thee; so " that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply "thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest af"ter knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding: if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest " for her as for hid treasures; then thalt thou under"stand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge " of God." (Prov. ii. 1—6.) If then our wisdom has been acquired without any of that eagerness and painful diligence, with which the covetous man desires and seeks for his riches; it is a shrewd conjecture, that it is not of the genuine sort. Once I had in my own esteem a sort of wisdom, which seemed to offer itself to me spontaneously, and to be found with little seeking. But now I am persuaded it was a mere counterfeit, a fair-seeming pernicious foolishness.

That, which I now esteem to be true wisdom, if I could but attain unto it, is not to be acquired in so easy a manner. When I first began to desire and seek this wisdom, I set out with the assurance, that it was to be found in the Holy Scriptures, and no where clse; they alone being able to make us wise unto sal