CONTROVERSY is generally complained of, and peace is earnestly sought; but often in a way, which denies to all others the liberty we claim for ourselves. The revealed will of God is the only perfect law of liberty; but how little is it believed and obeyed by mankind. Both the Hebrew and Christian churches, were to be wholly governed by it; and when the first King of Israel presumed to violate a plain command of God, and then thought to atone for it by acts of worship, he was guilty of rebellion, which is as the sin of witchcraft. 1 Sam. xv. 23. And in like way Mystery Babylon, by her sorceries, has deceived all nations, and in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Rev. xviii. 23, 24. Yet these extensive terms are so limited by carnal reasoners, that none of them, in any nation, will allow themselves to be of that bloody city. And at the same time they are for extending general words of grace, beyond any li­mits; and are ready to accuse us with making God deceitful, if we hold that he did not design the merits of his Son, equally for all mankind. If we enquire then, why all are not saved? the general [Page 4]answer is, that they would not receive that salva­tion; or if they did for a while, and then turned away from it, God rejects and destroys them there­for. We readily grant that God always rewards the righteous, and never destroys any for any thing but sin and iniquity; but this cannot content many, without we will allow that grace hath put power into the wills of all mankind, to become righteous, and to obtain salvation, when they shall please to set about it in earnest. The fruit of which is, that men neglect the great salvation, because they love dark­ness rather than light. Yea, every one that doeth evil, hateth the light. Heb. ii. 3. John iii. 19, 20. And when any are brought to obey the truth, and so come to the light, every art is made use of, to get them into darkness again, if possible.

This has been remarkably the case in the south­ern parts of America. Many of their teachers were so dark as to swear profanely, drink to excess, and follow gaming; and at the same time to preach up do and live to their people. But the light of the pure gospel, produced some reformation among them above forty years ago; and it has greatly in­creased since 1768, as I was well informed, when I was called to travel and preach in Virginia and North-Carolina, last winter. But after this refor­mation had spread extensively, the followers of Mr. John Wesley introduced his writings against par­ticular election and final perseverance, and thereby greatly obstructed the work. I was therefore re­quested to publish a brief answer thereto. His first piece on that subject, was published above fifty years ago, under the title of Free grace, and it was closed with a hymn called, Universal redemption, and therein he says,

He denied that man had any natural liberty of will left, after the fall, until it was restored by grace. This he more explicitly did in a pamphlet on pre­destination, election and reprobation, published in 1776; and said upon it, "We believe, that in the moment Adam fell, he had no freedom of will left; but that God, when of his own free grace he gave the promise of a Saviour to him and his poste­rity, graciously restored to mankind a liberty and power to accept of proffered salvation." P. 16. But if the fall took all natural liberty of choice from man, until grace restored it, then the fall released him from the authority of the law of God, as it was first given to him, and he never hath been under it since, but under grace. The beasts are not under that law, because they never had the powers of thinking and choice, as rational creatures have; and if men are not under that law, what are they better then beasts? Yea, do they not corrupt them­selves [Page 6]more than brute beasts, that know and obey their owners? Jude, 10. Isaiah i. 2—4. And if all freedom of will is from grace, then it is only by grace that any have power to sin against God, as none can sin against him who have no natural li­berty of will. This opinion is most plainly con­futed by the case of the fallen angels, who ne­ver had any grace revealed to them; yet the de­vil sinneth from the beginning, and all wilful sinners are children of the devil, in opposition to all those who are born of God. John iii. 8—10. In the same book Mr. Wesley says,

• "1. God's love was the cause of his sending his Son to die for sinners.
• 2. Christ's dying for sinners is the cause of the gos­pel's being preached.
• 3. The preaching of the gospel is the cause (or means) of our believing.
• 4. Our believing is the cause or condition of our justification.
• 5. The knowing ourselves justified through his blood, is the cause of our love to Christ.
• 6. Our love to Christ is the cause of our obedience to him.
• 7. Our obedience to Christ is the cause of his becoming the author of eternal salvation to us."

P. 8.

And is not this a going about to establish our own righteousness? For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man who doth those things, shall live by them. This is a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Rom. x. 2—5. Mr. Wesley goes on to say, "I shall now briefly shew the dreadful absurdities that follow from saying Christ died only for the elect.

• If Christ died not for all, then unbelief is no sin in them that finally perish; seeing there is not any thing for those men to believe unto salvation for whom Christ died not.
• 2. If Christ died not for all men, [Page 7]then it would be a sin in the greatest part of man­kind to believe he died for them; seeing it would be to believe a lie.
• 3. If Christ died not for those that are damned, then they are not damned for un­belief; otherwise you say, that they are damned for not believing a lie.
• 4. If Christ died not for all, then those who obey Christ, by going and preaching the gospel to every creature, as glad tidings of grace and peace, of great joy to all people, do sin thereby, in that they go to most people with a lie in their mouth.
• 5. If Christ died not for all men, then God is not in earnest in calling all men every where to repent; for what good could repentance do those, for whom Christ died not?
• 6. If Christ died not for all, then why does he say, He is not willing that any should perish? Surely he is willing, yea resolved that most men should perish; else he would have died for them also.
• 7. How shall God judge the world by the man Christ Jesus, if Christ did not die for the world? or how shall he judge them according to the gospel, when there was never any gospel or mercy for them?"

P. 14.

Answer, If Christ died with a design to save all men, why are not all saved? Can the devil cheat him of a great part of his purchase? Or can men defeat his merciful designs? No, say many, he died for all, and he will finally save all. Others go farther, and conclude that a God of infinite goodness could not give existence to any creature that shall be miserable without end; but that he will finally deliver every child of Adam from hell, though many of them will be tormented therein for ages of ages. But how is their deceit here dis­covered? Fallen angels were as really the creatures of God, as fallen men; yet no salvation was ever [Page 8]revealed for them, but they are reserved in ever­lasting chains under darkness, unto the judgement of the great day. And this is a clear evidence against ungodly men, who turn grace into lascivi­ousness. Jude 4, 6. God was so far from ever proclaiming atonement to all men, without any exception, that he said, The soul that doth ought presumptuously, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. And for such presumption, Korah and his company pe­rished most terribly. Num. xv. 30. xvi. 1—3, 31—34. And teachers who privily brought dam­nable heresies into the Christian church, were pre­sumptuous and self-willed, under the name of liber­ty. They despised government, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 2 Peter, ii. 1, 10, 19. Jude 11. For if the inability of debtors and criminals, could release them from the authority of the laws, until rulers would give them power to bring the government to their own terms, how would all dominion be despised! These filthy dreamers have now filled the world with Babylonian confusion. Jude 8. The Jews called it heresy in Paul, to be­lieve in and obey Jesus, as a lawgiver above Moses. Acts xxiv. 14. And this is the first place where the word heresy is used in the Bible; and if we observe what is said in the last chapter in it, of ev­ery man who shall add to, or take from its words, must we not conclude that all men who do so, and violently impose their inventions upon others, are guilty of heresy? The head of the church of Rome assumed God's place in the church, and exalted himself above God, who never could violate his promise or his oath, or entice any into sin; and how justly are all those given up to strong delusion, who [Page 9]practise either of these evils? 2 Thess. ii. 3—12. Heb. vi. 18. James i. 13—15. And how happy should we soon be, if these iniquities were exclud­ed from our land?

True believers are so far from presuming upon the secret designs of God, that when the same are revealed, they dare not make his designs, but his laws, the rule of their conduct. Though his de­sign of removing Saul, and making David King over Israel, was clearly revealed, yet David refused to kill Saul, when greatly provoked thereto, because he had no direction to do it. Neither did David assume the regal power over Israel, until each tribe freely received him as their King by a solemn covenant. But the envious Jews, no sooner had it declared to them, that Jesus was to die for that nation, than from that day forth, they took counsel together for to put him to death. John xi. 53. Hereby we may see the plain difference between true believers and reprobates. For unto the pure all things are pure; but unto the defiled and un­believing, is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Titus i. 15, 16. In this way, teachers who turn grace into lasciviousness, deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 4. But many are deceived by them, because in words they profess to know him. Since Christ was exalted to the right hand of the Father, his only priests upon earth, are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sancti­fication of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprink­ling of the blood of Jesus Christ.—Being born [Page 10]again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for­ever. These are a chosen generation, a royal priest­hood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that they should shew forth the praises of him who hath call­ed them out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Peter, i. 2, 23. ii. 5, 9. But Mr. Wesley, in his piece on predestination, election, and reproba­tion, says, "They were chosen through belief of the truth, and called to believe it by the gospel; therefore they were not chosen before they be­lieved, much less before they had a being." P. 5. And in his sermon from Rom. viii. 29, 30, he says, "Good looking on all ages from the creation to the consummation as a moment, and seeing at once whatever is in the hearts of all the children of men, knows every one that does or does not believe in every age or nation. Yet what he knows, whether faith or unbelief, is in no wife caused by his knowledge. Men are as free in be­lieving or not believing, as if he did not know it at all." P. 6.

I readily grant that his knowledge does not cause any sin, which is altogether of the creature. The angels who fell, kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation. Jude 6. And those who stood were elect angels. 1 Tim. v. 21. And sin came into human nature by violating a known command; and Adam was a figure of Jesus Christ, and therefore death reigned over all his posterity, many of whom never committed any actual trans­gression, as he did. And the word as, so often used in this affair, cannot be true in any sense, if both Adam and Christ were not heads and repre­sentatives of all the seed of each. It is certain that [Page 11]Adam was not a figure of Christ, as he conveyed death and ruin to his posterity by a just sentence of law; for Christ conveys life and salvation to souls by a free gift of grace. Neither could Adam be a figure of Christ, in the great things that he did by one offence; for Christ atoned for many offences; therefore where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Rom. v. 12.—21. Even to the resur­rection of the dead. 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22. I say the word as cannot be true in these places, unless those two men acted for all their seed. Many would have it, that this word cannot be true unless Christ atoned for as many as fell in Adam; but certain death came upon all Adam's race, while multitudes hold that salvation by Christ is uncer­tain, and depends upon the wills of individuals. In this view they would make Christ vastly infe­rior to Adam, whose doings were efficacious, and the doings of Christ exceeding precarious, upon their plan. And they who hold that Christ will finally save all the race of Adam from hell, yet imagine that the creature's sufferings must save them, and not the efficacy of the death and grace of Christ. Or if they hold that he will save all from future sufferings, they hold also that he hath now saved them from the authority of the law of God, which Adam never did. By the sentence of it, every child of Adam returns to the dust, the righteous as well as the wicked; so that if the do­ings of Christ are not efficacious for the final sal­vation of his seed, it cannot truly be said that as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Adam was made upright; but Solomon could not tell how many inventions his children would seek out. Eccle. vii. 29. A darling one [Page 12]in our day is, that a man cannot be worthy of re­ward or punishment, unless he hath power in his will to become righteous when he pleaseth. And if so, then faith would be of himself, and not the gift of God, directly against the truth of his word. Eph. ii. 8. Boasting could not be excluded in such a case, as it is by the law of faith. Rom. iii. 27. So that this controversy is not with poor worms, but with the eternal God. His will was as really exercised in raising up Pharaoh and others, and suffering them to go far in their rebellion, and in oppressing the saints; as it was in finally destroy­ing the former and saving the latter. But the ob­jection against this doctrine, was and is, Why doth he yet find fault? for who hath ever resisted his will? This was the language of those who followed after the law of righteousness, but did not attain to it, because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. Rom. ix. 16—32. Yea, and those who do so are exceeding partial in the law.

Mr. Wesley, in his book called, Predestination calmly considered, says, "I believe election to be conditional, as well as the reprobation opposite thereto. I believe the eternal decree concerning both, is expressed in those words, He that believeth shall be saved: he that believeth not, shall be damned. And this decree without doubt God will not change, and man cannot resist." P. 10. But where did he make any such decree? In the gos­pel commission, he says, He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved. Mark xvi. 16. But men have presumed to alter that decree, ever since the third century; before which no man hath proved that infant baptism was ever named in the world. [Page 13]By baptism believers put on Christ. Gal. iii. 27. Which no one can do for another, any more than one can be saved or damned for another in eternity. Christ is the only lawgiver to his church, and when Kings shall become nursing fathers to her, they will bow down to his authority therein. Isaiah xlix. 23. And how great is the difference betwixt a nurse and a whoremaster. The good tidings to Zion is, Thy God reigneth. And with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth con­fession is made unto salvation. Isaiah III. 7. Rom. x. 10, 15. And none will be owned by him in the last day, who are now ashamed to confess him before men. Mat. x. 32, 33. And if God look­ed on all ages as a moment, how could he elect per­sons, and then reject them again in that moment? Yet Wesley says, "One who is a true believer, or, in other words, one who is holy or righteous in the judgment of God himself, may nevertheless finally fall from grace." P. 49.

His first argument to prove this assertion is taken from God's saying, When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth ini­quity, in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Ezek. xviii. 24. From whence Wesley says, "One who is righteous in the judgment of God himself, may finally fall from grace." P. 51. Answer, God never promised to support any one in an unrighteous way; neither will he destroy any true penitent, for his own sins, or for the iniquity of his fathers; and if God cannot speak of these things in a conditional way, without having the final event uncertain in his own infinite mind un­til the creature decides it, then this argument may [Page 14]stand, and not else. And if the creature could disappoint the Creator, then we should fear man more than God. A horrible evil! A second ar­gument is drawn from 1 Tim. i. 18, 19, from whence it is said, "Observe,

• 1. These men had once the faith that produceth a good conscience, which they had, or they could not have put it away.
• 2. They made shipwreck of the faith, which necessarily implies the total and final loss of it."

P. 51. But in the same chapter it is said, The end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned; from which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. And if men cannot be greatly enlightened and reformed by the Spirit of truth, and yet afterwards swerve from it and put it away, without ever being born again, then this argument may stand, and not otherwise. His third argument is framed from Rom. xi. 17, &c. Upon which he says, "Those who are grafted into the spiritual, invisible church, may nevertheless finally fail." P. 53. To which I reply, That the unbelieving Jews failed from the visible church, and saving faith was necessary to graft the Gentiles into it, who ought not to be high-minded, but fear, as is very evident from this passage; and God says, I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Jer. xxxii 40. And who will dare to contradict him! Mr. Wes­ley takes his fourth argument from John xv. 1—6, from whence he infers, "That true believers, who are branches of the true vine, may nevertheless fi­nally fall." P. 55. But as Christ is the only head [Page 15]of the true church, many may be visible branches in him, and yet be cast into the fire for their un­fruitfulness, while living branches are purged and made more fruitful. And to such Christ said in the same chapter, Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. Afterwards he said to the Father, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. John xviii. 9. Yet, fifthly, Mr. Wesley brings 2 Peter ii. 20, 21, to prove that "Those who by the inward know­ledge of Christ, have escaped the pollutions of the world, may yet fall back into those pollutions and perish everlastingly." P. 56. But all ought to know, that the dog who returns to his vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire, never had their natures changed, though their behaviour was so for a while. Therefore we are warned against giving the holy things of the church to dogs, swine or wolves, as far as we can discover them by their fruits. Mat. vii. 6, 15. His sixth argument is taken from Heb. vi. 4—8. p. 56. But we may see that the persons here spoken of, are like ground which beareth thorns and briars, and are entirely distinct from souls who receive the seed into good ground. Mat. xiii. 23. Our author takes his seventh argument from Heb. x. 38, which he says, if rightly translated, is, "If the just man that lives by faith draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." P. 58. But we ought to know, that living by faith, and drawing back, are too opposite things; and the first is here urged as an effectual guard against the last. Eighth­ly, our opponant brings Heb. x. 26—29, to prove "That those who are sanctified by the blood of [Page 16]the covenant, may yet perish everlastingly." P. 62. But though persons who sin wilfully against the laws, blood and Spirit of Christ, will have a much sorer punishment than they who died without mer­cy under the law of Moses, yet this cannot prove that any such person was ever truly regenerated. However, after quoting many more scripture warn­ings against disobedience and apostacy, Mr. Wes­ley lets us know, that he would not have us con­sider this doctrine by itself, "but as it stands in connection with unconditional reprobation, that mill-stone which hangs about the neck of your whole hypothesis." P. 65.

From whence we may see, that the plain lan­guage of revelation is of no avail with him against his horrid ideas of reprobation. When any try to put that terrible word out of their minds, he says, "To think about a certain number of souls, whom alone God hath decreed to save, in that very thought reprobation lurks: it entered your heart the mo­ment that entered: it stays as long as that stays; and you cannot speak that thought, without speak­ing reprobation. True, it is covered with fig-leaves, so that a heedless eye may not observe it to be there. But if you narrowly observe, uncondi­tional election cannot appear, without the cloven foot of reprobation." P. 9. Answer, We well know that the doctrine of particular election, im­plies, that the rest of mankind are left to perish in their sins, as God might justly have dealt with us all. But this idea is rejected by Mr. Wesley. And when it was said, "You know in your own consci­ence, God might justly have past by you," he said, "I deny it. That God might justly, for my un­faithfulness to his grace, have given me up long ago, [Page 17]I grant: but this concession supposes me to have had that grace, which you say a reprobate never had." P. 18. Answer, We are far from believ­ing that all the natural liberty of men is by grace, as he hath asserted; for God says, In the last days perilous times shall come; for men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blas­phemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unho­ly, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.—These resist the truth; reprobate concerning the faith. 2 Tim. iii. 1—8. This is a most exact description of the reprobates of our day. But I am far from thinking that grace gave them a power to love themselves above God and their neighbours, and to run into all this wicked­ness under a form of godliness, while they deny the power thereof. Yea, do not all those deny the power of it, who deny particular election and final perseverance? Mr. Wesley says, "I have heard, that God the Father made a covenant with his Son, before the world began, wherein the Son agreed to suffer such and such things, and the Father to give him such and such souls for a recompense: that in consequence of this, those souls must be sav­ed, and those only, so that all others must be damn­ed." This idea of the covenant he rejects, and says, "The tenor of it is this; Whosoever believeth unto the end, so as to shew his faith by his works, I the Lord will reward that soul eternally: but whosoever will not believe, and consequently dieth in his sins, I will punish him with everlasting de­struction." [Page 18]P. 44, 45. And what difference is there between this and saying, The man that doth them shall live in them? They who turn the gospel into this sense, are bewitched. Gal. iii. 1, 12. As to the covenant, Jesus said, I lay down my life for the sheep.—Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them me, is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. Jesus lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. John x. 15, 26—29. xvii. 1, 2. If particular election, and final perseverance, are not contained in these passages, I know not what can be intended therein. And as Mr. Wesley and his followers are so vehement against that doc­trine, and tell of shewing their faith by their works, it is needful to examine some of their works con­cerning America.

In November 1763, Mr. Wesley said in his Journal, "Many have been convinced of sin, many justified, and many backsliders healed. But the peculiar work of this season has been, what St. Paul calls The perfecting of the saints. Many per­sons in London, in Bristol, in York, and in vari­ous parts both of England and Ireland, have ex­perienced so deep and universal a change, as it had not before entered into their hearts to receive. After a deep conviction of inbred sin, of their total fall from God, they have been so filled with faith [Page 19]and love (and generally in a moment) that sin va­nished, and they found from that time no pride, anger, desire or unbelief. They could rejoice ever­more, pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks. Now whether we call this the destruc­tion or suspension of sin, it is a glorious work of God: such work, as considering both the depth and extent of it, we never saw in these kingdoms before. It is possible, some who spoke in this manner, were mistaken, and it is certain, some have lost what they then received." That many of them were mistaken, can easily be believed; much easier than to believe that any of them were per­fect, and then fell from it. For as long as their controversy in Britain, about taxing America, was carried on by words, Mr. Wesley openly appeared in our favour; but when they came to blows, he shifted sides, and exerted all his extensive influence in that bloody cause; and so did Mr. John Fletcher, an author much esteemed by that sect. Mr. Wes­ley was in the city of Bristol in September 1774, and highly recommended to his friends a pamphlet wrote by M. P. entitled, An argument in defence of the exclusive right claimed by the colonies to tax them­selves. But when the sword was drawn the next year, Mr. Wesley took out the substance of a piece wrote by Dr. J. entitled, Taxation no tyranny, and added some warm reflections of his own, and pub­lished the whole as his own, to inflame all his fol­lowers against us. Therefore a Baptist minister in Bristol, published a brief answer to him, with a men­tion of these facts, under the name of Americanus. Hereupon Wesley reprinted his pamphlet, with a preface, in which he said, "The book which this writer says I so strongly recommended, I never yet [Page 20]saw with my eyes. The words which he says I spoke, never came out of my lips." Two of his friends in Bristol, each wrote to him, that they knew he herein wronged the truth, yet he refused to make any public retraction, until Mr. Caleb Evans, the said Baptist minister, published a letter to him in a newspaper; and then he said,

But did he let go personal reflections? Mr. Evans's reply is before me, wherein he says, "Your insinuating that I have taken more from Mr. P. that you have from Dr. J. is an artifice to cover [Page 21]your own plagiarism, too thin not to be seen through by the most superficial. It is not fact. I have not taken a line from that or any other author without acknowledging it. But when you pub­lished your address, you gave not even a hint of having taken any part of it from Dr. J. or any other writer." Thus did Mr. Wesley exert all his influence, to assist Great-Britain in her at­tempts to bind us in all cases whatever. And had they succeeded therein, we should have been in as bad a case, as he says Adam was before a Saviour was revealed to him. Yea, as much worse as fall­ing into the hands of unmerciful men, is worse than being in the hands of a merciful God. And these men are still pursuing us, with attempts to rob us of our only hope in Christ, and also of the liberty wherewith he hath made us free. For in 1784, M. Wesley and his followers published a book in England, which they call, The Sunday service in North-America. Three orders of ministers are pre­scribed therein, who are to have the whole power of receiving and excluding church members, with­out calling any vote of the brethren; and when the lowest order of those ministers is to be ordained, they say to him, "Will you reverently obey them to whom the charge and government over you is committed, following with a glad mind and will their godly admonitions? Answer, I will endeavour so to do, the Lord being my helper." P. 283. Soon after which they published a pamphlet, entitled, "A form of discipline, for the ministers, preachers, and members of the Methodist episcopal church in America; considered and approved at a conference held at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, on Monday the 27th of December, 1784; in which [Page 22]the reverend Thomas Coke, L. L. D. and the reverend Francis Asbury, presided." In their first section they say,

• Quest. 1. What was the rise of Methodism, so called, in Europe? Answ. In 1729, two young men, reading the Bible, saw they could not be saved without holiness, followed after it, and invited others so to do. In 1737, they saw likewise, that men are justified before they are sanctified; but still holiness was their object. God then thrust them out, to raise an holy people.
• Quest. 2. What was the rise of Methodism, so called, in America? Answ. During the space of thirty years past, certain persons, members of the society, emigrated from England and Ireland, and settled in various parts of this country. About twenty years ago, Philip Embary, a local preacher from Ireland, began to preach in the city of New-York, and formed a society of his own countrymen and the citizens. About the same time, Robert Strawbridge, a local preacher from Ireland, settled in Frederick county, in the state of Maryland, and preaching there, formed some societies. In 1769, Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilman, came to New-York, who were the first regular Methodist preachers on the continent. In the latter end of the year 1771, Francis Asbury and Richard Wright, of the same order, came over.
• Quest. 3. What may we reasonably believe to be God's design, in raising up the preachers called Methodists? Answ. To reform the continent, and spread scripture ho­liness over these lands. As a proof hereof, we have seen in the course of fifteen years a great and glo­rious work of God, from New-York through the Jersies, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, even to Georgia."

And be­fore [Page 23]they admit any man to preach in their society, they say to him, "Have you faith in Christ? are you going on to perfection? do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?" After which they say, "We are all agreed, we may be saved from all sin before death." P. 13, 30. Thus a society, many of whose laws are contrary to the laws of Christ, and whose head is in Great-Britain, are spreading their influence in America, and have al­ready tried to get some of their leaders elected in­to the state Legislature in Virginia, if not in other States.

The law of Christ puts all Elders in the church upon a level, and says to the whole community, All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble. 1 Peter v. 1—5. And when Christ came a light into the world, the only persons that believed on him, were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. John i. 12, 13. iii. 3. But ever since the rise of the man of sin, teachers have claimed a power of office above the church, which none could convey to others but officers; and also a power in their wills to bring children into the kingdom of God, without their own knowledge or choice. And to this day men are exceeding tenacious of this arbitrary power. The followers of Mr. Wesley say, in their form of discipline, "Quest. 1. How is a bishop constituted? Answer, By the election of the majority of the conference, and the laying on of hands of a bishop, and the elders present.—Question 5. If by death, expul­sion or otherwise there be no bishop remaining in [Page 24]our church, what method shall be pursued? An­swer, Let the conference immediately elect a bishop, and let the elders, or any three of them, consecrate him to his office." The Presbyterians hold bishops and elders to be equal, but both above the church, and in this way many hold their succession of of­fice from the old bishops in England. The pre­sident of their university in Connecticut, in a ser­mon before the Legislature of that State, said of the first ministers in New-England, "The induc­tion of the ministers of the first churches, was per­formed by lay-brethren, and this was called ordi­nation, but should be considered what in reality it was, only induction or instalment of those who were vested with official power. These were all ordain­ed before by the bishops in England." ^* Another of their noted ministers said to the Baptists the same year, "To be consistent with yourselves, you can­not look on any of us as Christians, or any church in the world but your own denomination, to be a church of Christ; all the world but yourselves, are in a state of paganism; not one baptized per­son in it except yourselves: not one minister of the gospel, but your own; and when you rebap­tize those in adult years, which we have baptized in their infancy, you and they jointly renounce that Father, Son and Holy Ghost, whom we adore and worship, as the only living and true God, and on whom we depend for all our salvation." ^† And a Presbyterian minister in North-Carolina, though more charitable, yet says of the Baptists, "They made their appearance in Germany soon after the reformation began; but the present race of Bap­tists [Page 25]are happily very unlike the furious and blood­thirsty bigots who wore the name at that time.— Considering that they have no written standard of orthodoxy, and that their preachers are men with­out a liberal education, I have often sat with won­der and pleasure to hear them so sound in doctrine as they really are." ^*

Indeed it may justly be matter of thankful won­der to all, considering the errors of learned mini­sters on every hand. For if our civil rulers should now declare, that they derived their office power from Great-Britain, and that the people of America had only inducted them into their offices to which they had a prior right, what a confusion should we soon be in! But this is not the worst of our case; for all who have renounced the only living and true God, are pagans, and the covenant of circum­cision, on which infant baptism is built, required Israel to destroy all the pagans in Canaan, and to seize upon their estates. And from the bloody imagination, that Christians had a right to do the like, came the late war. The church of Rome acted upon this bloody imagination, un­til England revolted from her in 1533, and set up their king as the head of their church. The inhabitants of Munster in Germany did the like the same year. Yet the madness of Munster, because it was soon defeated, hath been cast upon all believers through the world, who refused to put baptism before faith in Christ. And it is now said, "In church government the Baptists have adopted the independent plan; the inconveniency of which they often experience, as it provides no [Page 26]final and decisive judge of controversy, nor tribu­nal to pronounce in heresy or false doctrine. But the distinguishing characteristic of the baptist pro­fession is their excluding infant, and practising only adult baptism, and making it their great term of communion, excluding all other Christians from the Lord's table among them, and not suffering their members to communicate with other church­es. How they can acknowledge any other people to be a church of Christ, and yet continue this bar of separation, is not to be accounted for; and we must leave them under the weight of this diffi­culty, until themselves are pleased to remove it. ^*

Here all may see that it is much easier to charge others with inconsistency, than to act consistently ourselves. For these three last authors profess the doctrine of particular election and final perse­verance, and yet they blame us, because we dare not practically allow, that persons may be brought into the covenant of grace without their own knowledge or choice, many of whom fall away and perish forever. They also condemn the indepen­dent plan of government in the church, though they celebrate it in the state. But there can be no government in the state if officers therein are not invested with power to compel delinquents to sub­mit to their lawful judgments; but the votes of officers in the church, are no more than the votes of the brethren, and the whole community have no more power in this respect than to exclude unwor­thy members from their communion. And to al­low ministers a power of office in any church, which that church could not give, and cannot take away, [Page 27]is to make them lords over God's heritage, instead of being examples to the flock. We are so far from denying the visible Christianity of all who do not see with us about baptism, that we view it as a point of vast importance, that none should be baptised but visible Christians. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Without it they are not Christians; yet many contend with us because we dare not say the contrary in practice. All who have received that Spirit, ought to be bap­tized in water. Rom. vi. 4. viii. 9. Acts. x. 47, 48. I believe that the dispensing with the plain laws of Christ, and the forcibly imposing the in­ventions of men in his worship, is the scarlet col­oured beast which supports the whore of Babylon. It was, and is not, yet is. It will change into all shapes, as circumstances and inclinations carry men. God hath many people in this mysterious city; but his voice from heaven is, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. The writings of the apostles, who have explained the prophets, and all centre in Jesus Christ, is the only foundation of his church; and they will triumph over Babylon when she falls. Eph. ii. 19. Rev. xvii. 3, 5, 8. xviii. 4, 20. Early warning was given, against grievous wolves, and perverse schismatics; to avoid whom God, and the word of his grace is our only securi­ty. Acts xx. 29—32. The perfection of the holy scriptures is held up as what must be continued in, if we would get out of the perils which love to self, under a form of godliness, hath brought upon these last days. 2 Tim. iii. 1—5, 14—17. In those writings we have no mention of any instance [Page 28]of baptism without a personal profession of faith and repentance; nor of any one who was admitted into the Christian church without water baptism.

The followers of George Fox, who have formed a large society without it, have set up a rule in themselves above the holy scriptures. A late writer of theirs, after attempting to excuse George Fox for saying the soul was infinite, and trying to prove their opinion of an inward rule from the first chapter of the gospel of John, without being able clearly to do it, said, "Is not the apostle John's Greek as ordinary as G. Fox's English?" ^* Thus he would set the leader of their sect on a level with the oracles of God! And it is well known that the majority of them held with Great-Britain in her late bloody attempts against American liberty; and also are strongly set against the doctrine of particular election and final perseverance. And can any men be found upon earth, who deny that doctrine, and yet make conscience of obeying the following plain rules of scripture? In Jesus Christ, neither circum­cision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. And they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumci­sion, but a new creature. Gal. v. 6, 23. vi. 2, 6, 15, 16. God calls his covenant with Abraham, The covenant of circumcision. And Abraham had [Page 29]no right to circumcise any stranger, until he had bought him as a servant with money. Acts vii. 8. Gen. xvii. 13. But the gospel says to Zion, Ye shall be redeemed without money. Thy God reigneth. Isaiah lii. 3, 7. Rom. x. 15. He pur­chased the church with his own blood. Acts xx. 28. And after he had done it, he said, Circumci­sion is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men. I have written unto you, not to keep com­pany, if any man that is called a brother, be a for­nicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one, no not to eat. 1 Cor. v. 2. vii. 19, 23. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Eph. v. 6, 7, 11. Every tree is known by his own fruit; for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble-bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke vi. 43—46. When the blade sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.—Let both grow together until the harvest. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one. Mat. xiii. 26, 30, 38.

[Page 30] In these plain scriptures, the covenant of circum­cision is repealed, by the name which God gave to it; and the church and world are clearly distin­guished, as two different judicatories; the one to exclude all who appear by their fruits to be forni­cators, covetous, railers, drunkards, or extortioners, from their fellowship; the other to let them grow together with the children of the kingdom, in the world, until the end of it, only punishing such as work ill to their neighbours. Rom. xiii. 1—10. And fighting and oaths are allowed of in this latter government. John xviii. 36. Heb. vi. 16. And wars will not fully come to an end, until the na­tions shall freely receive the law from Zion, and guile shall be banished from the church. A loud cry will then be heard, Babylon is fallen, is fallen. Mi­cah iv. 1—10. Rev. xiv. 1—8. The covenant of circumcision will no more be called the covenant of grace, nor men be bewitched, as the Galatians were, with the practice of confounding works and grace together. God never injured Cain, in giving saving faith to Abel, nor the Midianites, who were of the seed of Abraham, in electing Israel for his church; neither did he injure Korah, or the child­ren of Reuben, Jacob's first born, in electing Aaron and his lawful seed for priests: and he never in­jured any man in uniting the priestly and kingly offices in Jesus Christ, and in souls who are born again, who are the only kings and priests in the gospel church. Heb. v. 4—6. Rev. i. 5, 6. v. 10. And no others have any right to be members there­in; and they all ought ever to be like little child­ren, instead of striving who should be the greatest. Mat. xviii. 3, 4. None can have a right in the [Page 31]kingdom of God, who do not receive it as a little child. Mark x. 15. Such are glad of gifts. But Mr. Wesley has flatly denied that God could justly have passed him by, and not have given him pow­er in his will to believe, which is his notion of grace. Wages can be recovered by law, but a gift is bestowed on whom, and in what manner the giver pleaseth. Therefore God says, Is it not law­ful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many are call­ed, but few chosen. Mat. xx. 15, 16.

This is the true idea of election, which men have an amazing quarrel against. For if it depends en­tirely upon the will of God, whether he will save any of us, or not, then we can have no encourage­ment to set up our wills against him. If we do so, he can blast all our schemes as he pleaseth; and when we come to die, he may then chuse whe­ther he will hear our cries for mercy or not. Yea, he hath assured us that he will not hear our cries then, if we now delight in scorning, and hate know­ledge. Prov. i. 20—29. Giving diligence in the believing pursuit of virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity, is the only way to make our calling and election sure; while heretics are self-willed, under the name of liberty. 2 Peter i. 5—11. ii. 1, 10, 19. Our Lord hath set before us an example of great faith, which may encourage us in this pursuit. Luke vii. 1—9. Here observe,

• 1. That this Roman centurion took all his encouragement from God, as he revealed himself in his Son, and none of it from any imaginary worthiness in the creature. I [Page 32]am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee. Yet he believed that Jesus, of his own infi­nite mercy, would grant relief.
• 2. He was careful to seek it in a lawful way; and before the death of Christ, it was unlawful for a member of that church to keep company with other nations. Acts x. 28. Therefore he would not violate the law of God, even to save life.
• 3. He believed that Jesus could do it when absent, as well as if he was pre­sent. Say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. Herein his faith was much greater than the faith of Martha, Mary, or of Thomas the apostle. John xi. 21, 32. xx. 29. He clearly acted by faith, and not by sight.
• 4. He made good use of his reason to strengthen his faith, and not to weaken or de­stroy it, as is the case with multitudes.

He said, I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers; and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it. And if an unworthy sinner, with a commission from a heathen power, could be thus obeyed, what can be too hard for the Captain of our salvation!

He took not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage. Every discovery of sin and want should speed our flight to the throne of his grace, that we may ob­tain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For he is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to [Page 33]make intercession for them. Heb. ii. 14—18. iv. 16. vii. 25. His only temple here below is in them who are poor, and of a contrite spirit, and tremble at his word. And if their brethren pretend a regard to the glory of God, in hating of them, and casting them out, yet he says, I shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. Isaiah lxvi. 1—5. The first Christian martyr sealed this testimony with his blood. Acts vii. 48—51. And others overcame the great accuser, by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death. And when their souls shall be raised, the devil will be bound, and be cast into the bottomless pit, out of which the beast came who kills the two witnesses. Rev. xi. 7. xii. 11. xx. 1—4. The word of God, both by Moses and the Lamb, is as clear as glass, and as powerful as fire; and they who obtain the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand and act joyfully upon the sea of glass, mingled with fire. 2 Cor. iii. 18. Jer. xxiii. 29. Rev. xv. 2, 3. Covetousness is idolatry. Col. iii. 5. And to destroy idolatry Elijah said, How long halt ye be­tween two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him; and if Baal, then follow him; which point was decided by fire from heaven. 1 Kings xviii. 21, 39. And way for the first coming of our Lord was prepared by a man who came in the Spirit and power of Elijah. Mal. iv. 1, 2, 5. Luke i. 17. And way for his second coming will be prepared, by the raising of the souls of the old martyrs; which I think means the resurrection of their Spirit and power in the churches. For God gave them not [Page 34]the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a a sound mind. 2 Tim. i. 7. Even such love as to sacrifice their lives, before they would violate any rule of truth or equity.

All the world have now seen, that love is a vastly more powerful principle of action than fear. For as long as the Americans were afraid of destruction or slavery, their union and activity defeated all the attempts of their enemies; but no sooner was that fear removed, than the love of riches, hon­ors and pleasures, prevailed over contracts and oaths, and filled the land with discord, treachery and infidelity. By the love of money, vast num­bers have erred from the truth, and pierced them­selves through with many sorrows. And our only remedy is, Not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That we do good, that we be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come, that we may lay hold on eternal life. 1 Tim. vi. 9—19.

AMEN.