Letters, 1815

Letters — To Rev. T. Thomason on the American Miadonaries — Rev. D. Corrie — On cloeing the Jews’ Chapel — Hon. Dr. Ryder, Bishop of Gloucester — Death of Bishi Middleton — Appointed again select Preacher — Martjrn’s Papers — To Dr. Ryder on his appointment to the See of Gloucester — The conduct of Religious Professors — Dr. Ryder’s Reply — To Mr. Thomason on preaching fipr the Jews — Meeting at Brititol — of health — Journey to Carlisle — Bible meeting there — Tour in Scotland — Missbnaries to India — Rev. D. Corrie — Professor Farish — The sermons at St. Mary’s — Continued trial from his People — Secessions from the Church — Ordination refused to two Younff Men — Letters to Rev. W. Carus Wilson on the occasion — Remarks ontlw trials from his Religious Society.

1815.

CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

To Rev. T. Thomason.

«K.C.,M»yl9, 1815.

“My beloved Brother, —

I showed the American Missionaries’ letters to Lord T., Mr. G., and Mr. W. ... I do not think they went at all too far; in my judgment, they united consummate wisdom with the most elevated piety. I really think their letters a masterpiece of ministerial fidelity: and I trust they have long since reaped the fruit of their firmness.

“Dear Air. Corrie is not yet arrived: with what joy shall I welcome him the moment I see him! Truly, he is an honored servant of our blessed Lord; and I honor him the more, because when he went out, I had too low an opinion of his talents. His proficiency confirms me in the opinion, that if situations are improved by ministers, so are ministers by situations; they have a reciprocal influence upon each other.... The Jews’ chapel is

shut up, and Mr. is silenced; with these two steps, I have

had nothing to do. But, I hope, God will bring good out of both.

I hope the chapel may one day be licensed; and Mr. will

improve his time in some other way. Nevertheless, I would not

myself have paid so great a compliment, either to or to — — .

W hatever was personal, I would willingly sacrifice to either: but God’s work I would sacrifice to none. However, this has been done by wise heads, and pious hearts: and therefore I must con* dude that it is all right; and, I verily believe, God will overrule it for good. I am no pope, and therefore gladly unite with others in doing all that I can, even though they do some things that I would not.

OHAP. ZVn.] 8SEM0NS AT ST. MART’b. 235

I hope to preach for the society in less than seven weeks, in Scotland, whither I am about to take my dear boy. My first object is, to show James to all his relations at Scaleby. and Carlisle, and then to show him some of the chief manufactures of the kingdom.... Since I began this, tidings have come that Dr. Ryder, Lord Harrowby’s brother, the Dean of Wells, is made Bishop of Gloucester. This is a wonderful event. He is truly, and in every respect, a man of God. I am happy to say, also, that he is my particular friend. He preached for me at Trinity not two years ago, and I for him at Lutterworth, not half a year ao. Does it not appear that God is with us of a truth? Look at this as connected with the different societies now existing in England, and it will surely excite thankfulness in all our hearts. But we have a report that Bishop Middleton, afler being landed about a fortnight, is dead. Is it true? It fills us all with deep concern. But, if we can send you Bishop D in his stead, our consolations will exceed our affliction.

Yesterday, I engaged to preach a month at St. Mary’s, in November next. My subject will be, * I speak as unto wise men; judge ye what I say.’ My first will be, on a just and candid examination of divine truth: and the others, on all the fundamental doctrines of religion, appealing to them for the truth and importance of my statements, and against the misconceptions and misstatements of our adversaries. I hope God will enable me to form and execute my plan, so as to commend myself, t. e.^ my subject, to the judgment and the consciences of all. You will probably receive this about the time I am preaching them.

Death has made dreadful ravages amongst us lately. Dr. Buchanan died rather suddenly. His correction of the Syriac Testament will go on under Mr. Lee; he is a prodigy of learning, for a person in his circumstances. In my mind, I have rather destined him for the great wheel, to put into activity all your schools in India: but Mr. Pratt and Lord Teignmouth are not willing to spare him.

Another dreadful loss is Mr. Henry Thornton; and another, whose name is probably not known to you, Mr. Bowdler. But I hope God will raise up others in their stead. In another line also, changes have taken place. Dr. Craven is dead, and Mr. Wood has succeeded to the mastership of St Johns.

]^r. Martyn’s papers are ail safe. We have his journals till within a few days of his death. What a glorious life will his be! I hope it will be published within a year, now all the materials are collected. It is scarcely worth while to occupy a single line in my letter to tell you that my brother is made a baronek.. Love to my sister. C. S.**

286 TO HON. DR. STDEB ON HI8 APPOINTMENT. [cHAP. ZTU.

To the Hon. Dr. Ryder, Dean of Wells,
On his appointment to the Bishopric pf Gloucester.

“May 24, 1815.

“My Dear Sir, —

Whilst all your friends are congratulating you on the attainment of your new dignity, I, though not worthy to be ranked in that number, take the liberty of expressing to you my feelings on the occasion. There are two grounds only on which I consider the congratulations of your friends due personally to yourself; the one is, that when God has given to you so strong a desire to serve him. He has now enlarged your means of glorifying His name: and the other is, that this honor has not been obtained by any sacrifice of principle, or dereliction of duty on your part; so that you may assuredly expect the blessing of God upon all your exertions in his service. In all other points of view, especially when I consider the difficulties which you will have to encounter through life, so far beyond those which attach to the discharge of the pastoral office in a lower sphere, I feel inclined to think my congratalations due to the Church, rather than to you.

“That tender and enlightened conscience, with which you have executed the ministerial office hitherto, will, I doubt not, conduct you safely through the arduous duties which you are now called to perform: but in many respects, your circumstances will be altogether new; especially with regard to what I may call the religious world. You have hitherto seen religion only as on the day of Pentecost: but now you will on some occasions be constrained to see it rather as portrayed in the Epistles to the Galatians and Corinthians; and there is danger lest the pain occasioned by these discoveries should have an unfavorable influence upon your mind. Indeed, the very fidelity which, through the grace of God, you have hitherto displayed, will probably expose you to a larger measure of assaults from this quarter, than would, under other circumstances, have fallen to your share. Professions of religion may be expected to be made with a view of conciliating vour regard: and in some cases an irreverent and disrespectful boldness may take occasion, from your very condescension, to show itself; similar to that which the apostle refers to when he charges servants * not to despise their masters, because they are brethren.’

“You have hitherto seen religion as it exists in a Wilberforce, and a Babington; but you will now have to behold it with rrany sad mixtures of human infirmity. Sometimes it will require a great degree of charity to admit its existence at all; as when it shall appear connected with disingenuousness and duplicity. And where its existence cannot well be doubted, it will often be found to operate to a far less extent than might be reasonably expected. Its eflfects are very gradual; it does not leaven the whole lump at once; it will not immediately give -wisdom to one who is naturally weak, or prudence to one of a sanguine temperament, or meek* OBAP. XVII.] T1IAL8 TO BE BXPBCTED. 237

ness to one who is naturally bold and forward. The very circumstance of its operating powerfully on the human mind will frequently occasion it to produce an unfavorable course of action, where the judgment ia not sufficiently enlightened to decide between apparently opposite and conflicting duties. All this, and far more, you will now have to see, to feel, to regulate, to correct: and, after all your labors, you will have little else from man than a comment on that proverb, (to which you are already no stranger,) bene facere et male audire regium est.

Nor will you be without trials even from some of your dearest friends: for piety is not always attended with discretion; and you may be sometimes urged to things which, though desirable in themselves, are not expedient: and if you will not see with their eyes, they may manifest, in a way painful to your feelings, their disappointment and chagrin; and constrain you to seek your comfort in the testimony of your own conscience, and in the approbation of your God.

As for the offence that will be taken at the most wise and prudent exercise of your own discretion, by the men of this world, ou have already shown that you are well armed on that side: ut on the other sides, the assaults have not yet been made, nor the necessity for armor been experienced., But I trust that ’ as your day is, so will your strength be;’ and that the same high principle which has guided you hitherto, of acting to God only, will still serve, like the mariner’s compass, to conduct you through all the difficulties and dangers of your course. My prayers, such as they are, will, I hope, be incessant for you, that God may guide you by His counsel, and strengthen you by His grace, and make you long a blessing to the world, and give you to see abundant fruits of all your labors. It was with prayers to this eflfect that I first received the tidings of your appointment; and, I doubt not, but that similar petitions are, and will continue to be, ofiered for you by all * who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.’

Forgive, my dear sir, this free communication of my sentiments, and believe me,

“With most respectful and most affectionate regard,

“Your obedient servant, C. Simeon.”

Dr. Ryder’s reply.

“Lutterworth; May 31, 1915.

My dear Sir, —

“Your truly valuable letter only reached me this morning. I hope and desire to undertake the awful office, about’ probably to be committed to my charge, with the exact views which you recommend, and with the expectations which your unusual degree of experience in these matters enables you to lay before me. Persevere, my dear sir, in your prayers for your friend, about to be so severely tried. Pray that I may ever have inward

288 jbwb’ mbetino at Bristol. {chap. xvii.

peace — peace by the blood of the Cross, applied by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that I may be enabled to spread the knowledge of it; and then all will be well.

“Domestic calamities, united with grief for my approaching departure from those I have so long loved, and fears on account of my approaching connection with those whom I do not know — these things, with an immense load of business, almost weigh me down, but Sursum corda. I shall treasure up your written counsel, and hope to have it often confirmed by personal intercourse.” Believe me, dear bir,

With cordial respect and regard, Your sincere friend, “And Oh 1 that I may ever say, Brother in Christ, H. Ryder.”

To the Rev. T. Thomason.

“Bourn, July 3, 1815..

My beloved Brother, —

The first question is. What can have brought me hither? and the answer to it will amaze you. Within these three weeks I have been so strengthened, that I hesitated not to undertake to preach in the evening at Bourn a sermon for the Jews, after having preached a farewell sermon to my people in the morning at Trinity; and I am now waiting for the arrival of the people to meet in the church, at two o’clock, in order to establish an Association for the villages round this place. Havinc received no injury, and, I would hope, done some little good fc)y my exertions yesterday, I take up my pen to give you some account of the preparatory steps, which have led to this.

In my last, I informed you of the change which had taken place in the Jews’ Society; it being now committed to the exclusive management of the members of the establishment. I think that I informed you also of the manner in which that change had been effected. The assets, with, the debts (£12,500), were de-* livered over to us. Mr. Way gave the thousands, and a few friends gave the hundreds, so that the whole debt is paid. Now we could apply to the friends at Bristol; and a goodly company of us went down thither. Mr. Basil Woodd, Mr. Hawtrey, and Mr. Ruell, (the three secretaries,) Mr. Marsh, Mr. Way, Mr. Grimshawe, and myself, went down thither. Churches were open to us; but in some the congregations were but small, the notices not having been distinctly given. There was a meeting in the Guildhall, (the mayor in the chair,) and, except that the speeches were too numerous, the day went oflT very well. A Ladies’ Association was formed.

From thence I went to Frome, a large manufacturing town in Somersetshire; and preached there twice in one day. 1 had en- ’ gaged the curate to ‘preach in the evening,if I should be unable to take a second sermon; but God strengthened me so wonderfully

(I dare not use the word miraculously, but in my eves, and in the eyes of all who knew me, the change might well oear even that term,) that I preached in the morning to 2000, and in the evening to 3000, with all the energy of my best days, and sustained no injury whatever, notwithstanding my sermons were each an hour long. It was but nine days before, that at Reading I dared not attempt to yead a portion of Scripture, or to spend a few minutes in prayer, on account of my weakness; and yet I was so strengthened for this great work. To you I may say, that I had put myself into the Lord’s hands, and was willing to break down entirely in His service, if He should so ordain; or to trust Him for strength to carry me through this great and extraordinary exertion; and He did indeed surpass all my hopes. I preached several times in Bristol also, (seven times in about ten days,) and returned with’ increased health and strength. It must be remembered that I abstained from all exertions in the family, that I might carry all my force into the pulpit; and at this hour I am better, /ar better, than at any period since I broke down. I do not intend to presume upon this, and to let out canvas till I am overset again: but I shall enlarge my labors occasionally, as they may be required; and happy shall I be, if God in his mercy may yet do something by me before I die.

It is in consequence of this, that I undertook to preach at Bourn, where* Mr. m used to minister, and to establish a society here. This has delayed me one day in my journey to the north. On Tuesday morning your mother and Esther and my dear James are to take me up at Lady Olivia SpaiTow’s,near Huntingdon, when we proceed together to Carlisle, Scotland, &c.”

“Scaleby Castle, July 18.

‘’ I intended to h$Lve gene on with some little regularity, but I really cannot; and must leave it to your mother and little James to supply my lack of service. I came here on the 12th, and was met by Dr. Milner, Mrs. Lodge, and Mrs. Bowes, Mr. John Fawcett, and others. Your dear boy improves drfily by means of the journey; the improvement is exceeding manifest; for though he was well and stout before, he now assumes all the appearance of a strong English constitution. I am chiefly anxious to enlarge his mind T)y showing him all the manufactories. Yesterday at Carlisle, I showed him the making of hats, and whips, and nshhooks. As for myself they find me full employ; quite as much as I think expedient for me.

On the day after my arrival at Carlisle there was a Bible Society meeting, at which I spoke for about half an hour, answering,

paragraph by paragraph, a vehement invective of against

the Sible Society. As the report of it would certainly get to the

Bishop of Carlisle, and probably to himself, I have drawn up

a short report of my speech, to prevent any misrepresentations;

24D MINISTERS FOE INDIA. [cHAP. ZTU.

and it w31 appear with the rest in the next Carlisle paper. But as there is nothing particular in it, I shall not trouble you with it

“On the Sunday (16th) I preached twice; once at St. Cuthbert’s, and once at the parish church. Through mercy I was much helped, and not at all injured. Hence I expounded yesterday evening at Scaleby, and am engaged to preach at the church this evening. This is- contrary to my judgment; but I find it difficult to say NO, when urged by my friends to such a service. I have entreated that I may have a quiet day to-morrow; and the next day I proceed to Glasgow. I purpose to take your mother and James the short tour, by Glenorchy, (i. e. Dalmally,) Tyndrum, Blair Athol, and Dundee, to Edin’burgh.

. “Would you believe it? Four pious ministers are just sent out to you in India, as I before told you, and I am in expectation of sending you immediately three more, besides a teacher for schoolmasters. The three I have all ready; and the last I hope to secure.”

To the Rev. T. Thomason.

«K. C.,Nov.25, 1815.

“My beloved Brother, —

“I highly approve of the zeal with which you co-operate with the bishop in his plans. This will soften a little that prejudice, which if exasperated might produce most fatal effects.

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Corrie are at your mother’s. He should have preached a mission sermon for me a fortnight ago; but I would not let him, for fear it should hurt him. But behold, that very week he went to Birmingham, and preached to a congregation three times as large, twice in one dav; and without any injury. But this I highly disapprove. I think his first duty is to save himself for his people at Agra. Religious, people however have no more consideration than wolves over a lamb; they would have him expend, for thair gratification, the strength he should reserve for India. He is to preach for me to-morrow morning; but I would far rather that he did not. Were he to injure his health, I should bewail it to my dying hour. It is surprising how he is restored. His spirits are so lively, that he says, he is almost afraid that their buoyancy will betray him into foolishness. You may judge from hence what new feelings he has! feelings which he had quite forgotten.

“Our Bible Anniversary was ten days ago. Mr. C. spoke ai it. We had but little foreign help; nevertheless it went off well. Our Bible Associations, &c., in the county increase. Dear Professor Parish is very active about them. He, blessed man, is as full of humility and of love as ever. Mr. Clarkson occupi in my heart, more than any one else, the place that you did. Mr. Scholefield, my assistant, is most laborious, and wholly given up to his work. He is a man of great talent: he has just gained a fellow* ship at Trinity.

I am preachmg this month before the University; ray text is 1 Cor. X. 15; my subjects are 1st, On Candor, &c.; 2nd, On Original Sin; yd, On the New Birth; 4th, On Justification by Faith. The audiences are immense; the attention candid and profound; the effect I hope considerable: to-morrow is my last. The renovation of my strength, by my northern journey, enables me to make the whole assembly hear. My sermon to-morrow will be an hour long; but they hear me patiently, and do not complain of the length.

Mr. Mandell preaches next month, and Mr. Webster in January. What is the world come to? VS^hat tidings shall I ffive you next? I think I told you that Dr. Ryder, the Dean of Wells, is made Bishop of Gloucester. O that we had twenty more such I

“My people have, since my return from Scotland, bewi (some of them at least) in a sad state. The conduct of Mr. — -^- and

Mr. was so exceedingly insulting, that I determined not to

meet them any more. Their exclusion from my societies has induced about five others to secede with them. I have kept the whole account, as before; but do not think it worth while to trouble you with it. I feel little doubt but that the church in general will now

S> on much better; for the influence of and was like at of Barbary-trees, that blighted my whole field. I leave that painful subject, however, because I have no time to enter into it as I could wish.

“I am most delighted that you have dear Mr. Martyn’s picture safe. I never would write you word that I had sent it, lest my letter should arrive before it, and destroy the effect which the first sight of it would have upon you and my dear sister; to whom give my kindest love. Many afflictive thmgs have happened lately in the church. Five pious young men are runninff into Huntingdon’s and Dr. Hawker’s principles, and are leaving the church.... There have also been two most excellent young men refused orders for inclining towards Calvinism, fMr. Wilson’s eldest son, of Casterton Hall, and Mr. Blackburn.) The bishop has acted a most unjustifiable part towards them; but I believe he meant to do right. What will be the issue of it I know not The bishop seems inclined to relax; but it has made a great noise.”

To the Rev. W. Carus Wilson.

K. C^ Oot nth.

1 have but this moment received yours of the yd. This is a great pity, when time was so important.” My very dear Friend, —

J perceive you have not received a copy, or the substance, of my letter to Mr. Blackburn, which I desired him, if he was writing to you, to communicate. My beloved friend, I think you have stumbled over the block which the bishop laid in your

342 ON THE DOCTEINE OF FINAL PERSEVERANCE. [cHAP. XTU.

way, (just as ninety-nine out of a hundred would have done,) by not distinguishing the grounds of perseverance. I think the great mass of Calvinists (though a moderate Calvinist myself) are wrong. They make a believer to possess that which is in itself indefectible. I am persuaded he does not; and have fully considered, and can easily explain, all the passages on which they ground their opmions. Man to the latest hour of his life may fall; nor is there anything in him that warrants him to say, ‘I cannot fall finally.’ He is a child in his Father’s arms; let those arms be withdrawn from underneath* him, and his own weight will precipitate him to destruction. If God have in His secret counsels, unknown to us, determined to keep him from falling, or to restore him when fallen, it will be done: out these secret decrees of God are no rule of action to the believer; the only use he is to make of them is to give God the glory of all the good that is in him, and to encourage him to cleave unto God with full purpose of heart. Were fin your place, I should write to the bishop (as I think you are encouraged to do) to the following effect: —

That on being called upon so suddenly to State your views of that question, it is not to be wondered at that you did not make all the distinctions which a fuller consideration of it would have led you to state, and which would have prevented that unfavorable impression which your statement made on his mind.

That you now, on reflection, consider the question as more properly to be answered thus: —

“1st, A man may fall from a state of grace; i. e. there is nothing in him that is in its own nature indefectible, or that warrants him to say, or any man to say of him, that he cannot faU, yea, and M finally too.

2nd, This beinfi; true of man in his best estate, it must d/ortiori be true when he is fallen.

“yd, That, as to any secret decrees, which God may have formed in his eternal counsels, they are no ground of confidence to any man, any longer than he is actually persevering in the ways of holiness; since they are known only to God himself, and can be Judged of by man no further than they are manifested in their effects.

“4th, That, inasmuch as * known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world,’ the counsels of heaven must stand, the consideration of His past mercies to us may well excite our gratitude, and encourage a hope of their continuance; but, that to take occasion from tnem to relax in our vigilance and circumspection, would at once demonstrate that we had deceived our own souls, and that our religion was vain.

Tell me, my beloved friend, whether this meets your ideas? This is the way I always state things; and you will fmd them so stated in my preface.

I perfectly approve of your not moving an inch till you are

CBAP. XVII.] SCRIPTURAL MSTHOD OF BTATINO DOCTRINES. 243

driven out ‘Let them come themselves and fetch me out,’ says Paul.

**I will endeavor to unite my supplications with yours, that God in his mercy may avert the storm that has thickened so much around you.

Kind love to your wife, and your whole family. If you think it worth while to send it me, before you send it to the bishop, you may; but you so fully comprehend me, that it is not at all necessary. Yours most affectionately,

«C. Simeon.”

To the same.

«K.C.,Od;.30, 1815.

“My very dear Friend, —

There are one or two points to which I wish to call your attention before you send your letter to the bishop.

*’ First There is an undue jealousy, in almost all who hold our sentiments, about expressing the liability of men to fall; whilst there is no jealousy about expressing Gkxl’s determination to save His own elect The former is always qualified, but the latter very seldom. But why is this 7 it is not so in Scripture; of the two, the former is stated most frequently and most broadly.> Why then cannot we speak in the same unqualified way that Scripture speaks? We should not be wiser than God, nor more jealous than Gkpd: nor more attached to one set of truths than another. You aee with me in the’ former, and I agree with .you in the latter; but you lean more to one side than I do. View me on the Calvinistic side, and I am as strong as you could wish; so that my statements are not from fear, or partiality, but from conviction, and from a determination to follow Scripture fully. My beloved brother, turn this in your mind, and see if it be not right; and if it be right, be not afraid to follow it If the following it be right, and have the advantage of cutting off occasion from those who seek occasion against you, so much the better. You are not the less faithful for being more wise, and more scriptural.

Second. You seem to mistake about the nature and operation of Christian simplicity and Christian fidelity. How did our Lord answer those who tempted him about paying tribute to Cssar? Had one Of us answered as he did, you would have been ready to suspect our fidelity to (vod and to conscience; but, if you see a snare laid for you, you are not to go immediately and run your head into it, if you can, consistently with truth and Christian fidelity, avoid it; much less are you to deviate from the plain path marked out in the Scriptures, in order -that you may run into it You should unite the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove. What can you say more Calvinistic than I have said in my letter to you? But I have stated it

2i4 RBWBWED TRIALS. [cHAP. XTII.

80, that your subtle foe ma not have ground of accusation against you. Perhaps you think I have trimmed: perhaps your dear wife may think so too; but the more you consider my preface, the more will you, I think, be disposed to acknowledge that my views are truly scriptural, and at the same time more calculated to unite men of real piety, than the partial statements of either party.

As to the making of this a public matter, I am in ike general most adverse to such a step: I think it better to suffer patiently, and to commit my cause to God. But, in some respects, there will be a peculiar advantage sained in the present case, which cannot be hoped for again. The bishop has committed himself in a way that he will not do again. However, I give no definite opinion upon the matter, but leave you to the counsels of wiser men.. Pray remember me most affectionately to your dear wife, and father and mother, with all of whom I sympathize on this painful occasion. However, this is among the * all things that shall work together for your good.’ Believe me most affectionately yours,

“C. Simeon.**

Extract from a narrative of Mr. Simeon’s, entitled, ‘An Account of what is now taking place in my Church;’ referred to in the last letter to Mr. Thomason:

October 4, 1815.

Having long since committed’ to paper the circumstances that occurred about four years ago, I now think it wise and prudent to do the same in reference to what is now taking place; more especially, as none but God can foresee what shall be the issue of it.

Not being in the habit of ever making such occurrences a topic of conversation, even with my most intimate friends, (because of its exciting painful feelings, which I would wish to avoid,) my people, in the event of my death, would be able to put exactly what construction they pleased on my conduct, and no one would be competent to contradict them. Indeed, it has ever been my custom, in controversies of any kind, to keep duplicates of my letters and statements, (as will be found amongst my books of letters in abundance,) in order to guard against misrepresentations of any kind; and that my executor should have in his possession the means of ascertaining the truth, in the event of any injurious reports concerning me. For though it is to me ‘a small matter to be judged of man’s judgment,’ yet I owe it to the Church of God, and to religion in general, not to suffer the cause of God to be evil spoken of through me, for want of this species of prudent caution. The character of St. Paul himself would have been greatly injured, and Christianity together with it, if his letters to

the churches of Corinth and Galatia had not been preserved, to confront the statements which were circulated by his opponents amon the religious professors of that day. My statements I do not wish to be published, nor do I write them for that end; but only that they may witness for me what spirit I am of, and be of use to counteract, if it should be necessary, any misrepresentations th&t may be made after my decease.**

The details of this painful history are then recorded at length, but need not now be further noticed; especially as the * disorderly spirit,’ which then prevailed, has long since disappeared, and Mr. Simeon had afterwards the joy of ministering to an united and affectionate flock. The conclusion, however, of Mr. S/s statement, and his review of the trial, are worthy of consideration.

“I cannot ascribe the whole of this disorderly spirit to the circumstance of their having been invested by me with a portion of authority: for the same spirit manifested itself, in a far greater degree, among Mr. Robinson’s people at Leicester, where no such society had been formed. There, an hundred went off from his church at once; and many who remained behind, were as thorns in his side for several years. The true state of the case is, that the corruption of human nature will sooner or later show itself in every church. There were those who said to Moses, You take too much upon you;’ whilst the charge was in truth applicable only to themselves. There ever was, and ever will be, some Diotrephes, * who loves to have the pre-eminence, and who will find some occasion or other to manifest and diffuse his own evil dispositions. If even St Paul found this to be the case, yea, and the loving John too, — who am I, that I should minister for thirty-three years, and not find it? This is only a fresh proof that human nature is the same in every country and in every age. I prav God to give them a better spirit, and to endue me, as he did Solomon, with wisdom, that I may go in and out before them with a wise and perfect heart.”

The following memorandum is appended, Nov. 1, 1816.

‘The annexed letters will show what reason I have to bless God that this separation has been made. I now minister, both in

Eublic and private, with as much delight as at anv period’ of my fe. I cease not, however, to pray for the deluded people who have left me.”