and produced a card for his pretended commission. They caused him to be committed to prison for such an affront. Here he lay for some months, till, with much ado, at last he got his enlargement: then he returned to England; and, quickly getting his commission renewed, makes with all speed to Ireland again; but, before his arrival there, he was prevented with the news of Queen Mary's death." Mr. W. may, if he pleases, enlarge his "Appendix” with this story, and insert it in a future edition of his work, as a proof of the weakness and credulity of the Methodists, for conjuring up such relations, and for supposing that God had any hand in preventing a torrent of blood streaming from the veins of his people.

Leaving the affairs of the Church, let us again take a look into the world, and see whether some historical fact cannot be found in evidence of what has been advancedthat God actually thwarts the proceedings of some, to suc ceed those of others. Dr. Robertson gives us a case in point, "When Columbus," says he, " arrived at St. Domingo, he found eighteen ships ready loaded, and on the point of departing for Spain. Columbus immediately acquainted the Governor with the destination of his voyage, and the accident which had obliged him to alter his route. He requested permission to enter the harbour, not only that he might negotiate the exchange of his ship, but that he might take shelter during a violent hurricane of which he discerned the approach from various prognostics, which his experience and sagacity had taught him to observe. On that account he advised him likewise to put off, for some days, the departure of the fleet bound for Spain. But Ovando refused his request, and despised his counsel. Under circumstances in which humanity would have afforded refuge to a stranger, Columbus was denied admittance into a country of which he had discovered the existence, and acquired the possession. His salutary warning, which merited the greatest attention, was regarded as the dream of a visionary prophet, who arrogantly pretended to predict an event beyond the

reach of human foresight. The fleet set sail for Spain. Next night the hurricane came on with dreadful impetuosity. Columbus, aware of the danger, took precautions against it, and saved his little squadron. The fleet destined for Spain met with the fate which the rashness and obstinacy of its commanders deserved. Of eighteen ships, two or three only escaped. In this general wreck perished Bovadilla, Rolan, and the greater part of those who had been the most active in persecuting Columbus, and oppressing the Indians. Together with themselves all the wealth which they had acquired by their injustice and cruelty, was swallowed up. It exceeded in value two hundred thousand pesos; an immense sum at that period, and sufficient not only to have screened them from any severe scrutiny into their conduct, but to have secured them a gracious reception in the Spanish court. Among the ships that escaped, one had on board all the effects of Columbus, which had been recovered from the ruins of his fortune. Historians, struck with the exact discrimination of characters, as well as the just distributions of rewards and punishments, conspicuous in those events, universally attribute them to an immediate interposition of Divine Providence, in order to avenge the wrongs of an injured man, and to punish the oppressors of an innocent people."* This, Sir, is the most natural conclusion; a conclusion to which Mr. W. himself might possibly have been brought to submit, had the circumstance only occurred twelve or fourteen hundred years more early. It is difficult to account for the incredulity of some men, unless it proceeds from a persuasion—that we are to reject every thing as an extraordinary interposition of Providence in the present day, because there are no prophets-no evangelists-no apostles, appointed by Heaven to write a Bible suitable to the times, in which every thing is specifically pointed out, with the names of the persons concerned, and noticed as special, with-"Thus saith the Lord." But

* Hist. Amer. vol. i. p. 200-202, duo, edit.

do not the facts themselves speak? Are not similar things ascribed to God in Scripture, and interpreted as remarkable instances of his interference? Unless we are really doubtful of the truth of that to which God has already set his seal, our incredulity is unreasonable. The word of an honest man will be relied upon, without constant repetition.

If the Governor of the universe never "alters the progressive series of causes and effects," but permits every thing to have its regular course, the use of prayer for preservation, protection, and support, on the part of the righteous, must, to use a popish expression, be a mere work of supererogation; and Mr. W. engages in a very fruitless task, when, in the short forms after the Litany, he prays that God would send "moderate rain and showers,'-turn away the "deserved plague of rain and waters"-let " scarcity and dearth be turned into cheapness and plenty"-" increase the fruits of the earth"-" save and deliver us from the hands of our enemies, abate their pride, assuage their malice, and confound their devices”—and that he would "withdraw from us plague and grievous sickness."* Perfectly to keep his doctrine in countenance, he may omit these, and save himself a great deal of trouble. There may be something, it is true, in his being obliged to read them as a clergyman, though in opposition to his creed; and in that instance his case is truly pitiable; to offer up prayers without the prospect of an answer-with a firm persuasion that the Lord never" alters the progressive series of causes and effects." According to such a scheme, the wicked, who pray not at all, will share equally with the righteous, who, in every thing in supplication and prayer, make their requests known unto the Lord. Ridiculous, indeed, would it be for any man to pray for particular cases, did God never act contrary to general laws-laws never to be suspended.+ And yet it has been the common practice of pious characters. "God Almighty," said Jacob, "give you mercy before the man,

* Prayers and Thanksgivings on Several Occasions.

+ Page 63.

that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin."* From their previous cruelty to Joseph, there was very little ground for mercy; nor is it probable that they would have met with equal kindness, brothers as they were, had not grace reigned in the heart of their benefactor. But Jacob was impressed with the truth of that sentiment, long before it appeared in writing-" And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us."+ This it was that emboldened the prophet to pray as he did: "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth, by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."‡ An example this worthy of imitation, and to which, in other particular emergencies, we are encouraged, from the consideration, that "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are."

It would be placing Mr. W. lower than, in many instances, he has placed himself, to suppose that an objection, so common and so natural, would not occur to him, as that of his scheme rendering prayer unnecessary and ineffectual. He fully anticipates it, and endeavours to give it the meeting in his own way. "It must unquestionably be admitted," says he, "that no human prayers, however devout, no prostration of the soul, however sincere, will ever operate as an inducement with the Deity to violate or suspend those established laws by which the system of the universe is governed and upheld. We can never so far presume upon his benevolence, as to imagine that he will now miraculously interpose in favour of any of his intelligent creatures, whatever may be the difficulty and distress in which they are involved."§ More than once, Sir, I have disclaimed all pretensions to miraculous deliverances, on the part of the Methodist body; and, from Mosaic, prophetic, and apos

* Gen. xliii. 14. +I John v. 14. James v. 17, 18. § Page 71, 72.

tolic miracles, have taken my stand on ground extraordinary -ground, on which there seems to be firm footing. In order to set aside extraordinary cases, Mr. W. is sure to conjure up the term miracle; a term sure to render his statements plausible to the class of people who are most likely to embrace his creed. Nevertheless, though miraculous ground is not strenuously contended for, Mr. W. will complete a task which no individual besides himself can perform, if he can prove, from any declaration of Scripture, that miracles were to cease after the apostolic age-that God has bound himself by any promise or oath never to interrupt the laws of nature-or that it would either be prejudicial to the glory of the Divine perfections, or injurious to the interests of man, to break in upon the established system of inanimate matter for the sake of a redeemed, intelligent, immortal being. I beg leave to propose this, Sir, as his next thesis; for this must be decided before any credit can be attached to his unsupported assertions. Besides, the difficulties and distresses are represented to be such, as to render a miraculous display necessary; whereas, the occasional interpositions for which the Methodists contend, are, in the language of a writer already quoted, "perfectly agreeable to the general laws of nature and of Providence, and only special applications of general laws to particular occasions." From the style adopted by Mr. W. we should be led to imagine, that he was opposing the system of a race of beings who expected that, at their instance, God would convert the heat of summer into the ice of winter-arrest the earth in its course-blot out the sun from the face of heaven-and turn the moon to blood. It must be admitted, in the mean time, that our Lord gives considerable latitude to man to "presume upon his benevolence," in these sentences; "What soever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." Unfortunately, Mr. W. will scarcely be able to apply these passages solely to the