،، That method of strengthening faith," says Addison, “ which is more persuasive than any other, is an habitual adoration of the Supreme Being, as well in constant acts of mental worship, as in outward forms. The devout man does not only believe, but feels there is a Deity; he has actual sensations of him; his experience concurs with his reason; he sees him more and more, in all his intercourses with him; and, even in this life, almost loses his faith in conviction." (Spect. No. 465.) Is there, then, any comparison, on the whole, between the merely rational, and the spiritual Christian? between the cold, superficial, unsuccessful strivings of the one, and the animating, heart-engaging, efficacions devotion of the other ? How weak, on the one hand, is that man's support, how limited his resources, who knows no aid, beyond the natural effect of his own reasonings and his own exertions ! How consolatory his views and reflections, who knows, from his own experience, that, if he be not wanting to himself, his habitual sense of divine things is always capable of being so quickened, as to make him equal to any trial, superior to any calamity; and that his faithful and earnest prayers for such assistance can never be wholly ineffectual! He is, on the contrary, accustomed to such happy excitations; therefore, he goes with filial confidence to the divine mercy-seat, for " grace to help him," whether against sin or suffering; and the results are such as to satisfy him, more and more, that he is actually within the sphere of God's paternal influences, and a participant of that divine, unextinguishable, beatific life, whose source is hid with Christ in God.' Vol. I. pp. 43-45.

We have not been able to refrain from making these copious extracts from this admirable paper, in which we find scarcely an expression to object to. The doctrine of Christian perfection, thus Scripturally and philosophically unfolded, must commend itself to every pious believer, whether he be a follower of St. Austin and Calvin, or of Chrysostom, Macarius, and Wesley. This paper is dated January, 1805. The order of time has not been attended to in the arrangement of the contents of these volumes, for the next article is dated June, 1816. We pass it over for the present, to introduce some remarks in accordance with the above views, which occur in the first letter to Mr. Butterworth, (an epistle occupying 100 pages,) dated Sept. 1807.

This communication appears to have been drawn forth by a remonstrance from his correspondent, occasioned by Mr. Knox's having (as was supposed) used his influence in bringing over a Methodist class-leader to the Establishment. His explanation leads him to enter into a full exposition of his sentiments respecting Methodism as a system, and of his personal obligations to Mr. Wesley and Methodist teaching. Mr. Knox states, that, for his first religious impressions, he was indebted, not to the teaching of the Methodists, but to his own mother, who, when severe affliction came upon him, urged him to pray, and to read the "Pilgrim's Progress."

‹ Thus,' he says, a feeling grew up in me, which years of subsequent deviation did not wholly destroy. When this feeling was more strongly revived in me, it was through the hand of God himself; who, without the intervention of human means, wakened me from the sleep of my soul in a moment. Then, I own, I received some aid, not to be forgotten, through a Methodist preacher. In deep misery of mind, I went to talk with one who was near, and while he talked with me, the painful hardness I felt within relaxed, and a disposition to pray sprung up in me, which I have never since lost. After this, I often attempted to get good by means of the Methodists; but in that single instance (only) could I note any express benefit. Indeed, it seemed to me rather to be otherwise. The methods of Methodist piety were so much pointed to present effects, to the producing something now, that they seemed, when at all resorted to, to disturb my animal spirits too much.' Vol. I. p. 70.

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Giving the Methodists all credit for making first impressions,' Mr. Knox says, I cannot regard them as equally fitted 'for leading the true Christian onward. In theory, I own, they 'maintain Christian perfection'; but they seem to me to have 'been much better witnesses for the truth of the thing, than guides to the possession of it.' The Methodist system he conceives to have in it too much of a kind of bellows-blowing me'thod, which is always in danger of degenerating into selfpleasing, and which also, perhaps, retards the progress to perfection, by infusing an infectious and excessive preference of 'social piety. This, we must recollect, is the language, not, indeed, of an unsocial recluse, but of one who, nevertheless, was intellectually separated from the very society he mixed with; a literary hermit, dwelling alone in the retirement of his thoughts, and coming forth, not to converse with men, so much as to talk to them; a man whose feelings and opinions seem to have been in a very small degree governed by his sympathies. To such an individual, social worship and public instruction might seem to be not so well adapted to impart either pleasure or profit, as to the generality of persons, who need both the excitement and the aid of the public institutions and the communion of saints.' Mr. Knox speaks of feeling something of comparative exterioration ' in most of the more public means.' They ought not, on this account, he admits, to be disrelished; but to a person much occupied in inward converse with God, they will seem like recreations and pleasant exercises, than means of grace.'

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Not but that sermons of a wise advanced Christian, into which the rational warmth of his own heart would be transfused, and in which the depths of experimental holiness would be feelingly laid open, would be most noble aids; but how rare are these instances! And even these would have their chief effect, by whetting the appetite for that yet more interior work which the mature Christian car^ries on for himself, in the secret of his own heart.'

p. 67.

The true character and end of the work of the ministry could not be more accurately described; and the infrequency of the requisite qualifications in those who sustain the pastoral office, makes nothing against the adaptation of the public means of grace to its proper design. That there is a considerable degree of force in Mr. Knox's remarks upon the effects of the Methodist system, we cannot but strongly suspect; nor is the danger confined to any one section of the religious world, of an excessive preference of social piety, to the neglect of the interior work of the closet. We cannot, however, but remark, that had Mr. Knox been better acquainted with the system and the practice of the English Nonconformists, he would not have been at a loss for illustrations of a ministry specifically directed to the perfecting of the believer in every spiritual attainment.

The methods of Methodist piety,' we can easily conceive to have been ill suited to a man of Mr. Knox's independence of mind, to his habit of self-direction,' or his intellectual taste. On the other hand, his theological views almost identified him with the Wesleyan Methodists. I never,' he says, 'called Mr. 'Wesley Rabbi'; and he mentions having addressed to his 'old friend,' so far back as about the year 1793, a long letter on what he deemed crude and intelligible in the Methodist mode of speaking of faith.

• Still,' he says, I must express my persuasion that, in the very pith and marrow of Mr. Wesley's views, and in matters which through life he most prized, most dwelt upon, and which lay nearest his heart, there is not one of his own nominal followers who agrees with him more identically than I do; and I must add, that at this day there are none I meet, except a few of my own intimate friends, that agree with me more perfectly than wise, pious, experimental Methodists.' p. 72.

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Mr. Knox cites with approbation a remark of Mr. Wesley's, that the same teachers have hardly ever equally excelled in teaching first principles and in leading on to perfection. In fact,' he says, 'I think the two departments have required 'hitherto two sets of workmen,-foundation men and superstructure men; the former teaching how to become Christians,. 'the latter teaching what Christians should become.' John Smith, and divines of his stamp, he considers as coming under the latter description: and he characterises that learned writer a noble superstructure man, but a poor layer of foundations.? We need not say that in this we agree with him; but we must protest strongly against the justness of the remark connected with it, that the Puritan Nonconformists were, though good 'foundation men,' 'poor hands at superstructure work.' The assertion must be regarded as indicating either the strength of

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the Writer's prejudices, or his superficial acquaintance with Nonconformist divines. Yet he appears to have read many of their works. Baxter, indeed, he appears highly to appreciate, though he complains of his love of metaphysical subtilty. (Vol. I. p. 248.) Owen, we do not recollect that he even notices, nor Bates. The

dry, metaphysical, yet often sublime John Howe,' is spoken of in a manner by no means worthy of Mr. Knox's discernment or candour. To say, (as he does at p. 249,) that 'Howe, among 'the Nonconformists, stands next to Baxter,'-to characterise the Author of the Living Temple as ' a valuable writer,'—would indicate, in most cases, only an incompetent judgement, a mind incapable of appreciating the lofty reach and peculiar attributes of Howe's master intellect; but we must find another reason for Mr. Knox's under-valuation of a writer who, above all others, unites clear views of justification with entirely just notions of sanctification, and in whose pages, the heavenly philosophy of the Christian life is exhibited in its most attractive aspect. Howe is, in fact, pre-eminent in superstructure work, yet without ever losing sight of the foundation or first principles. In the following passage, Mr. Knox gives his opinion, more distinctly, of the Nonconformist divines.

'Animated and impressive writers there have been, and none more so than among English Nonconformists; but, it is in what concerns conversion they excel. The substance of piety they well explain; but, in no instance that I know of, do they do full justice to its maturity. They write, in general, as to a weak and comfortless people ; and seldom dare to look beyond a mediocrity of virtue and happiness. They, doubtless, recommend, urge, and highly value private duties; but, except Baxter, and a few like him, they do not give them their due eminence in the Christian life, nor dwell sufficiently on the happiness of having a secret converse with God, daily maintained, with which even fellow-Christians, the most nearly connected, in a sense do not intermeddle. Joseph Alleine, who had perfectly attained this himself, would fain have led others to it ;-so would Richard Alleine, less seraphic than his namesake, but scarcely less sincere; so would Shaw; so would Matthew Mead (in a measure), in his "Almost Christian;" and so would the dry, metaphysical, yet often sublime John Howe. But, somehow or other, it was not their province; their sphere of teaching was a lower one. They rose, sometimes, to the very top of it, but could not go beyond it. Baxter, as I said, I always except; but, as to all the rest, (viewing them as teachers,) either what they valued was so outward and open, as not to give the necessary supremacy (necessary in order to perfection) to what is inward and secret; or they so adhered to the mediatory views which belonged to their notion of justification, as not to become sufficiently possessed of those ultimate truths which are essential to sanctification. They have, generally, had but partial views of the divine analogy of God's great plans; they have had low ideas of human nature; they have not understood, nor equally studied, the Scriptures. Therefore, though they have done what can

not be too much valued, other workmen, who could do less in a way of main strength, but much more in a way of skill, have ever been requisite; and, through Divine wisdom and goodness, have never been wanting.' Vol. I. pp. 109-111.

In illustration of his too sweeping remark, that the same persons have rarely been equally clear in their views respecting justification and sanctification, Mr. Wesley has instanced Martin Luther, on the one hand, as uniting clearness respecting the former, with extreme darkness' respecting the latter; while ' two eminent Romish spiritualists', Francis de Sales and Juan de Castaneza, are referred to as exhibiting just the reverse. In a subsequent letter, Mr. Knox says:

I am acquainted with no modern writers by whom the energies of Christianity are so directly applied to their true purpose, as by thoroughly spiritual writers of the church of Rome They continually turn the view of the mind to our blessed Redeemer; and they point to him as an inward and spiritual saviour. They advert to him with as much cordiality as the most pious Calvinists; while they do so for a far higher purpose. It is his vitally influential Spirit within them, not his righteousness imputed to them, which they look for: they have no idea of any other salvation than that which frees from the slavery of sin, and gives the pledge and earnest of heaven to a man within his own purified bosom.' Vol. I. p. 245.

In this point of view, the Romish spiritualists may be considered as bearing a near resemblance to the followers of Barclay and Penn among the Protestants; and Mr. Knox himself, though at the antipodes of Quakerism in his tastes and habits, approached on all points, excepting the sacraments, very nearly, to the theological views of the Quakers. We say this not by way of reproach or depreciation, for assuredly that sect of Protestants are fully entitled to share in the encomium which Mr. Knox pronounces upon the teachers of sanctification within the Romish Church, while they are chargeable with the same deficiency.

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This fact, however, ill accords with Mr. Knox's fanciful notion, that, of the two distinct classes of Christians, the teachers of 'sanctification have, at all times, and with few exceptions, been 'found in distinct individual saints' living within the pale of Popery or less corrupt establishments'; while the teachers of justification have almost as uniformly either been found in, or have proceeded from, or been connected with some' detached sect or body of associated Christians.' That the history of the Church affords some countenance to the ingenious remark, we may admit; but what is the true explanation, or rather, the correct statement of the fact? Popery, nay, Mohammedism has produced its saints, but has left the multitude involved in moral bondage and darkness. The teachers of sanctification may have

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