mind, he envies the superior satisfaction of the inferior animals. 66 Deep in rich pasture, will thy flocks complain ?" This mystery Christianity explains: it is the mercy of God that the creature is not suffered to satisfy the soul, and earth is made uneasy to man, that he may learn to rest on heaven. Mr. Wesley's solution of his own case, which indeed has nothing in it peculiar to himself, is certainly in the spirit of our religion, and it is one by which Mr. Southey may profit. He may also have felt in his younger years the same restlessness and dissatisfaction; and if his philosophy should now determine, that these were the "aspiring presages" of future eminence; that there was a sort of instinctive tendency even in the days of his youth to the Laureatship of England; and that “ powers like his" always produce an inward restlessness "till they find or force their way into action," it may have a good issue if he seriously consider, whether some other, and a higher, power has not had its agency in these feelings, prompting him, as it prompts all, to a commerce of a superior kind than he has held with the powers of song, anxious to convey to his spirit a richer satisfaction than a world which has not been very unfavourable to him can bestow. Mr. Southey may start at the thought of becoming an enthusiast; but he may be assured that in such a conclusion he will make acquaintance not only with the wise and good of every age, but with those of his own church, a numerous band, E with whose names and writings I heartily wish him more familiar. The charges of enthusiasm, which our author fixes upon certain irregularities which appeared in the early part of Methodism, and which now occasionally appear, shall be presently examined. With respect to these occurrences, a rule less severe is to be applied. There are considerations connected with them with which he can scarcely be supposed familiar; and considerable allowance may, and ought to be made for his opinions, though even here he has not always argued so fairly, as his own principles, defective as they are, required. But no such concession is to be made when he resolves into enthusiasm all those hallowed feelings of zeal for God, and tender compassion for men, which appeared so conspicuous in the great instruments of the revival of religion in this country, in the last century. If Mr. Southey must be heard, then I know not what man, in any church, distinguished by more than ordinary ardour of religious sentiment, and for great and persevering efforts in doing good, can escape this charge. Every virtue which shines in the conduct of those who are devoted to their Saviour and his religion, is darkened by the same shadow; and every holy feeling which glows in their hearts must be considered as deriving its warmth, rather from the artificial fermentation of earthly principles, than from the fire of the altar. "Enthusiasm" leads the Wesleys and Whitefield into Georgia: "enthusiasm" prompts them to their excessive labours at home all those who, in the church or out of it, employed themselves in a work which, even Mr. Southey allows, effected "great good both directly and indirectly," is an enthusiast. The early coadjutors of the Wesleys, who went into the darkest and most barbarous parts of this country, to carry forth the light of religion, and exposed themselves to labours and sufferings in their calling, are, for this very reason, aspersed with the same reproach. The excellent Gilbert, who set the first example of bestowing religious care upon their negro slaves to the planters of the West Indies, was a man "enthusiastic by constitution," though this great, and, at that time, hazardous endeavour, for which every man of humanity ought to pronounce his name with reverence, is the only overt act on which Mr. Southey can found the charge. When Mr. Pawson declined going to America, the reason Mr. Southey assigns is, that the "fire of his enthusiasm was spent," as though to impress it upon his readers, that none but enthusiastic men can be expected to undertake the conversion of foreign countries, and to insinuate by this innuendo, that the noble army of modern Missionaries is composed only of visionaries and fanatics. If this self-denial; these unwearied and disinterested labours; this readiness to suffer; this lofty daring of the reproach of worldly men; and the principles which the whole was founded, lively and solemn views of eternal things, and of the perishing state of sinful men: a weeping sympathy for all distress ; jealousy for the honour of Christ; and a conscientious carefulness to fill up life usefully, and to employ and improve the talents committed to them as those who must give account, be enthusiasm,—I ask, where, and what is religion? Let Mr. Southey give us his upon own description of it, and enable us to detect the counterfeit. This I suspect would bring out a singular explanation of his views. The penitence of his system must never weep; nor its joys illuminate the countenance, and fill the tongue with praise. Its zeal must be restrained within the bounds of a carefully measured activity, for a more than common energy would indicate the presence of the enthusiastic principle. His religious man must carefully observe established maxims, for to disregard them would be spiritual pride; he must not make himself conspicuous, for that would be ostentation; he must be careful not to go about in quest of doing good, for that would be religious knight errantry; he must abstain from the indulgence of all great purposes of usefulness, for that would be ambition; he must be specially careful not to put himself to hazard, for that would be an indecent " longing for persecution." He must be as careful of his words also, as of his conduct. He must never pointedly speak of eternal punishment, though a preacher, for he might possibly alarm the ignorant, and throw them into "convulsions;" nor of the doctrine of justification by faith only, "though wholesome and very full of comfort," for that would indicate an approach to "the delirious stage of fanaticism;" nor must he enjoin a too frequent attendance on religious ordinances, for that would be to "apply stimulants to the fever of religious excitement." For such a religionist the world is not likely to be much the wiser or better on account of his having lived in it; and he would certainly run no hazard of being taken for an "enthusiast," though he should not, like Mr. Southey, step forth from his seclusion, contemptuously to write that epithet upon the tombs of men who having "served their generation, according to the will of God, are fallen on sleep." § 4. Assurance. Mr. Southey's more specific charges of enthusiasm are founded on the doctrine of assurance, taught by Mr. Wesley; and on certain irregularities in persons strongly affected under his preaching in the early periods of his ministry. It As to the first, the precise sense in which that doctrine was taught by the Founder of Methodism is fairly stated. It was not the assurance of eternal salvation as held by Calvinistic divines; but the assurance given by the Holy Spirit to penitent and believing persons, that they are "now accepted of God, pardoned and adopted into God's family." was an assurance, therefore, on the ground of which no relaxation of religious effort could be pleaded, and no unwatchfulness of spirit or irregularity of life allowed; for it was taught, that by the lively exercise of the same humble and obedient faith in the merits and intercession of Christ, this assured state of mind could only be maintained. This was Mr. Wesley's doctrine: it was made by him a motive (influential as our desire of inward peace can be influential,) to vigilance and obedience. With Mr. Southey, this doctrine is, nevertheless, enthusiastic; it is the offspring of a disordered imagination. So he determines; as for the Scriptures, our Author does not |