infirmity, defe auía, is confiftent with this, any man may teach, and I fhall not contradict him.

As to irregularity, I hope none of thofe who caufe it do then complain of it. Will they throw a man into the dirt and beat him becaufe he is dirty? Of all men living those Clergymen ought not to complain, who believe I preach the gofpel (as to the fubftance of it.) If they do not ask me to preach in their churches, they are accountable for my preaching in the fields.

I come now directly to your Letter, in hopes of establishing a good understanding between us. I agreed to fufpend, for a twelvemonth, our flated preaching at Huddersfield, which had been there these many years. If this anfwered your end, I am glad: my end it did not anfwer at all. Inftead of coming nearer to me, you got farther off. I heard of it from every quarter: though few knew that I did; for I faw no caufe to fpeak against you, becaufe you did against me. I wanted you to do more, not lefs good, and therefore durft not do or fay any thing to hinder it. And left I fhould hinder it, I will make a farther trial, and fufpend the preaching at Hudders field for another year.

1. To clear the cafe between us a little farther. I must now adopt your words, "I, no less than you, preach Juftification by Faith only, the abfolute neceffity of Holiness, the increafing mortification of fin, and rejection of all past experiences and attainments. I abhor, as you do, all Antinomian abuse of the doctrine of Chrift, and defire to see my people walking even as he walked. Is it then worth while in order to gratify a few begotted perfons, or for the fake of the minute differences between us" to encourage "all the train of evils which follow contention for opinions, in little matters as much as in great ?"

2. If I was as frenuous with regard to Perfection on one fide, as you have been on the other, I fhould deny you to be a fufficient Preacher: but this I never did.

And yet I

affure

affure you, I can advance fuch reafons for all I teach, as would puzzle you and all that condemn me, to answer: but I am fick of difputing. Let Them beat the air, and triumph without an opponent.

3." None, you say, preach in your houses, who do not hold the very fame doctrine with you." This is not exactly the cafe. You are welcome to preach in any of thofe houses: as I know we agree in the main points: and wherein foever we differ, you would not preach there contrary to me. "But would it not give you pain to have any other Teacher come among thofe committed to your charge, fo as to have your plan difconcerted, your labours depreciated, and the affections of your flock alienated?" It has given me pain when I had reafon to fear this was done, both at Leeds, Birstal, and elfewhere. And I was "under a temptation of fpeaking against you" but I refrained even among my intimate friends. So far was I from publicly warning my people against one I firmly believed to be much better than myself.

4. Indeed I truft "the bad blood is now taken away." Let it return no more. Let us begin fuch a correfpondence as has never been yet, and let us avow it before all mankind. Not content with not weakning each others hands, or speaking against each other, directly or indirectly, (which may be effectually done under the notion of expofing this and that error") let us defend each other's characters to the uttermoft against either ill or well-meaning evil-fpeakers. I am not fatisfied with "Be very civil to the Methodists, but have nothing to do with them." No: I defire to have a league offenfive and defensive, with every foldier of Chrift. We have not only one Faith, one Hope, one Lord, but are directly engaged in one warfare. We are carrying the war into the devil's own quarters, who therefore fummonfes all his hofts

to war.

Come then, ye that love him, to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty! I am now

well

well nigh Miles emeritus, Senex, Sexagenarius Yet I trust to fight a little longer. Come and strengthen the hands, till you fupply the place of

Your weak, but affectionate Brother,

JOHN WESLEY.

POETRY.

THOUGHTS on PREDESTINATION and REPROBATION.

[By Dr. Byrom.]

PART I.

LATTER me not with your Predeftination,

FLAT

Nor fink my fpirits with your Reprobation.

From all your high disputes I stand aloof,
Your Pres and Res, your Defin, and your Proof;
And formal Calvinifical pretence,

That contradicts all Gospel, and good sense.

When God declares, fo often, that he wills
All fort of bleffings, and no fort of ills;
That his feverest purpose never meant
A finner's death, but that he should repent:
For the whole world, when his beloved Son
Is faid to do whatever he has done;
To become man, to fuffer, and to die,
That all might live, as well as you, and I:
Shall rigid Calvin, after this, or you,
Pretend to tell me that it is not true?

But that eternal, abfolute decree

Has damned before-hand either you, or me,
Or any body elfe? That God defigned,
When he created, not to fave mankind;

But only fome? The reft, this man maintained,
Were fo decreed, Damnation pre-ordained.
No, Sir; not all your metaphyfic fkill
Can prove the Doctrine, twift it as you will.

I hate the man for Doârine fo accurft,
In Book the third, and Chapter twenty-firfl;
Section the fifth--a horrid, impious lore,
That one would hope was never taught before;
How it came after to prevail away,

Let them who mine the damning matter say;
And others judge, if any chriftian fruit,
Be like to fpring from fuch a pagan root.

Written on a late Declaration of Lord C—, that the Conquest of AMERICA by Fire and Sword is not to be accomplished.

RUE is 'the Patriotic word,

TRU

We never can by fire and fword

The fierce Americans fubdue;"

If we our General's fteps purfue,

His own allies who tears and rends,
And turns his fword againft his friends.

The loyal if he first invite
For Britain and its King to fight,
Promise to fuccour and protect;
He then abandons to neglect,

Or

Thousands, who unconfuméd remain,
He drives out of his camp again;
(While trufting in his treacherous words,)
Gives up the victims to their lords,
To punish in the lingering fire,
By varied torments to expire.

Such faithful Leaders we allow,
Fit to fucceed immortal H-c,
Who fierce Americans fubdued,

And conquered them whene'er he would;
Too generous to pursue his blow,

Or trample on a vanquished foe.

His vanquished foe full oft he reared,
And kindly their defpondence cheered:
Too brave to take them by furprise,
He faw their ftraits with pitying eyes;
And put them out of all their pain,
And gave them back their towns again.

Such Generals never can aspire
Rebels to quell with fword or fire;
But without fire, another can
Accomplish it--an honeft man

Who