Sermons on Several Occasions -

SERMONS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS by THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, A, M. Some ttmc Fellow of Lincoln College Oxford. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL 1. Originally published in 1806. THE two volumes now before the reader, it is presumed, contain all the sermons that have ever been published m Mr. Wesleys name, either by himself, or by those persons who had access to his papers after his decease. In the first volume are comprised all the sermons that were published in four volumes in the duodecimo size, in the year 1771, to which reference is made in the trust deeds of the Methodist chapels, as containing, with Mr. Wesleys Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, the standard doctrines of the religious connexion, of which that eminent man was the founder. It is to these sermons, that the general preface, which immediately succeeds this advertisement, pro pcrly belongs. The aix discourses, which immediately succeed, were published by M r. Wesloy in a separate form, and do not appear to have been embodied, during his life time in any of those collections of sermons with which ho favoured the Christian world. Among these discourses will be found two of peculiar interest. One of them relates to the work of God in North America. It bears the date of 1778 but was reprinted about twenty years afterwards, with a few alterations. The other discourse is on the subject of earthquakes. It was first published in 1750 In all probability within a few weeks of the memorable eighth day of March in that year, on which the shock of an earthquake was strongly felt in the metropolis of Great Britain, and excited general consterna. tion and alarm. Although this impressive sermon was published ano nymously, no doubt can be entertained as to its being the production of Mr. Wesleys pen. The sentiments and manner are purely Wesleyan and it is also advertised for sale, among his other single sermons, in several of Mr Wesleys old catalogues. Both these sermons have long been extremely rare and were overlooked by the late editor of Mr. Wesleys works in sixteen octavo volumes, The first part of the second volume haa fifty-five discourses, which first appeared in the Arminian Magazine they were afterwards revised by Mr. Wesley, and published in four duodecimo volumes, in the year 1788 To these four volumes was prefixed the laconic and character, istic preface of the author, which will be found at the commencement of the sacend volume of this present edition. The sermons contained in these volumes were very incorrectly printed and as no table of errata was ever published, the errors with which they abound have been either perpetuated in succeeding editions, or superseded by conjectural emendations. In the edition now before the reader, those errors are all carefully expunged, and the true reading of every pannage, is given on the best possible authority, that of Mr. Wesley himself, from a copy of his sermons, corrected with bin own hand, and now deposited in his library at City Road, London. By the aid of this invaluable document, several passages in those interesting and instructive dis courses, which before were sqarcely intelligible, are now published in a form worthy of their excellent author. To these fifty-five discourses are added seventeen others, which were also drawn up by Mr. Wesley for insertion in the Arminian Magazine. After appealing in that period, ical work, they were reprinted in a small duodecimo volume, bearing the date of 1800, and forming the ninth volume of Mr. Wesleys WT. mows in that convenient size. Some of these were left by their author in manuscript and none of them were revised by him after they had appeared in print...