1778-1779 MSs SERMONS. Berwick-Upon-Tweed Methodist - Great Awakening Sermons. Excellent.

A superb 64pp, complete, and very legible series of discourses, seemingly Methodist.

The Presbyterians had removed their church out of the city gates of Berwic-Upon-Tweed during the Jacobite Rebellion and had no church there during the period. They did not return until the early 19^th century.

Our author appears almost certainly to be a dissenter and in the flow of Great Awakening / Methodist thinking. The discourse on the Devil is lively, very much in the spirit of other Methodist writers who deeply personalize Satan. Also, the first discourse has language on the metaphysics of death which appear almost word for word after Wesley’s descriptions. And our author's understanding of being Born Again could be lifted straight out of Wesley or Whitefield.

Wesley preached in Berwick Upon Tweed for the first time in the early 1750’s if I recall, and was a regular there for decades. But it was only during the latter years of his travel there that he recalled the work as being successful and commented positively on the health of the Methodist church there.

If I understand correctly, in later years [just previous to Wesley’s positive assessment] many of the circuit preachers for the Berwick-Upon-Tweed were supplied by Edinburgh, where it seems a group of more educated Methodist circuit preachers were centered. They came for a season rather than alternating. Our preacher was either a very earnest self-educator, or classically educated. He isn’t a simple “exhorter,” but deals with questions of metaphysics, quotes Luther, uses proper theological terminology, and neatly orders his MSs discourses. He seemingly would have been consistent with the Edinburgh group, and this would be the kind of preaching that would be sturdy and sustained enough to build up a community of followers Wesley positively comments on.

The first and second discourses are on the surety and nature of death and judgment, the third and fourth discourses [from Hosea] on the covenants of works and grace and Christ as the second Adam. The next on John 5 is excellent: Christ Wiling to Save, but Men Willing to Perish. The fifth is on the enmity between the devil and the woman’s seed [largely on the reality of Satan in the life of Christians and the church]. Sixth is an excellent discourse on what it means to be “born again,” [very much a Great Awakening understanding]. And the final on the lifting up of Christ as the predecessor to his drawing all men unto Himself.

Excerpts as follows:

Index of Texts fr. Berwic upon Tweed.

Hebrews IX.27. Page 1 = 16. Delivered Decr. 27, 1778. Janr. 3. 1779.
Hosea VI.7. 17 = 32. Janr. 10. 17.
John V.40. 33 = 40. Febr. 10.
Gen. III.15. 41 = 44. 53 = 56. Feb. 7.
John III.3. 45 = 52. Janr. 31.
John XII.32. 57 = 64. Feb. 14.

Decr. 27. 1778 = Febr. 14 1779.

************************

Heb. IX. 27. – It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the Judgment.

There are few truths of a more alarming nature and more fitted to humble the proud hearts of men than these two in the text, that it is appointed unto them once to die &c, after death to be judged. And yet to tell they can hear & think of them with seeming indifference, and they can speak of them to one another with as much coldness as if they were events of no consequence & uninteresting.

Sin hoodwinks the soul [and] prevents it from seeing the evils that are coming upon [them], lulls it asleep & wraps it up in security lest it should be disturbed or roused by approaching danger; hardens the heart lest being pierced it should be impressed with fear & seek for deliverance. But O that the Spirit of Christ would open the eyes of our understanding which are shut, engrave the truths of Religion upon our hearts, awaken us that we may evidence to ourselves & others that we are alive & that the life which we lead is a life of faith. I must not conceal it from. You, but publish to the young as well as to the old among you, to the strong as well as to the weak, to the healthy as well as to the sickly, to the rich as well as to the poor, to the beautiful as well as to the deformed, to the gay as well as to the slovenly it is appointed unto all of you once to die & after death to be judged.

In discoursing further upon the two events in a humble dependence upon the Spirit of divine grace, we shall:

I. Lay before you a few thoughts which in our meditations upon death merit our serious attention.

II. Offer a few directions for the improvement of its solemnly awful subject.

III. State the Scripture doctrine with regard to the future judgment.

IV. & Lastly conclude with some improvement & application.

We return to the first of these, namely to lay before you a few things. First The Nature of death or what death is deserves our attentive consideration. Death is that great event wherein it is that our souls are separated from our bodies. Eccl. 12.7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: And the Spirit it shall return to God that gave it. During the natural life the Soul & body continue united. They are knit for they do operate upon one another in a manner that no man is able to point out & explain. Their union is so close and intimate that tho the nature of each is quite distinct yet they are both as one. The Welfare & happiness of each one, or its misery depends much upon & contributes not a little to the other. There is a harmony & agreement in the objects of their pursuit, actions, enjoyments & pleasure. There is a strong attachment in the on to the other & the utmost endeavor is exerted to maintain & prolong their union. Satan tho a liar from the beginning yet spoke once the truth of God when he said (Job 2.4) skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life. But in spite of all their endeavors, their intimate acquaintance, these hearty friends must be separated the one from the other. The body must return to the dust from whence it was taken & out of which it was formed & which will form again one undistinguishable mass, whilst the soul must wing its flight to the spiritual world & join the rowd of beings to which in its nature it is akin. Nor is that all, but whilst death continues you’re their separation shall continue. And such will it be until the morning of the resurrection. For then again their reunion shall take place, never to be dissolved. O what an affecting truth is this that these bodies which are carried about with us & which are animated, influenced, & activated by our Souls & & yet our souls which in in their turn are influenced & directed by our bodies, shall be separated from one another & it may be continue separated for many generations.

Etc.,

64pp. Very good, clean, and legible with minor authorial emendations.