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5. Let a fast be observed in all our societies, the last Friday in August, November, February, and May.

"6. Be more active in dispersing the books, particularly the sermon on, The good Steward, on Indwelling Sin, the Repentance of Believers, and the Scripture-Way of Salvation. Every assistant may give away small tracts. And he may

beg money of the rich to buy books for the poor.

soul and body part.'

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"7. Strongly and explicitly exhort all believers, to go on to perfection. That we may all speak the same thing, I ask once for all, shall we defend this perfection, or give it up? You all agree to defend it, meaning thereby (as we did from the beginning) salvation from all sin, by the love of God and man filling our heart. The Papists say, This cannot be attained, till we have been refined by the fire of Purgatory.' The Calvinists say, Nay, it will be attained as soon as the The Old Methodists say, It may be attained before we die: a moment after is too late.' Is it so, or not? You are all agreed, we may be saved from all sin before death. The substance then is settled. But, as to the circumstance, is the change gradual or instantaneous? It is both the one and the other. From the moment we are justified, there may be a gradual sanctification, a growing in grace, a daily advance in the knowledge and love of God. And if sin cease before death, there must, in the nature of the thing, be an instantaneous change. There must be a last moment wherein it does exist, and a first moment wherein it does not. But should we in preaching insist both on one, and the other? Certainly we must insist on the gradual change; and that earnestly and continually. And are there not reasons why we should insist on the instantaneous also? If there be such a blessed change before death, should we not encourage all believers to expect it? And the rather, because constant experience shews, the more earnestly they expect this, the more swiftly and steadily does the gradual work of God go on in their soul: the more watchful they are against all sin; the more careful to grow in grace, the more zealous of good works, and the more punctual in their at

tendance

tendance on all the ordinances of God. (Whereas just the contrary effects are observed, whenever this expectation ceases.) They are saved by hope, by this hope of a total change, with a gradually increasing salvation. Destroy this hope and that salvation stands still, or rather decreases daily. Therefore whoever would advance the gradual change in believers, should strongly insist on the instantaneous.

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What can be done, to increase the work of God

1. Preach abroad as much as possible. 2. Try every town and village. 3. Visit every member in the society at home.

Q. 47.

A.

trustees.

Q. 48.

"Are our preaching-houses safe?

Not at all: for some of them are not settled on
Several of the trustees for others are dead.

"What then is to be done?

A. "1. Let those who have debts on any of the houses give a bond, to settle them as soon as they are indemnified. "2. Let the surviving trustees choose others without delay, by indorsing their deed thus:

We the remaining trustees of the Methodist preachinghouse in do according to the power vested

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in us by this deed, choose

the said house, in the place of

Witness our hands

to be trustees of

"N. B. The deed must have three new stamps, and must be inrolled in Chancery within six months.

Q. 49. "May any new preaching houses be built?

A.

"Not unless, 1. They are proposed at the Conference: no nor 2. Unless two-thirds of the expence be subscribed. And if any collection be made for them, it must be made between the Conference and the beginning of Feb

ruary.

Q. 50. "How may we raise a general fund for carrying on the whole work of God?

A. "By a yearly subscription to be proposed by every assistant when he visits the classes at Christmas, and received at the visitation following.

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Q. 51. "We said in 1744, We have leaned too much toward Calvinism.' Wherein ?

A. 1. With regard to man's faithfulness. Our Lord himself taught us to use the expression, therefore we ought never to be ashamed of it. We ought steadily to assert upon His authority, that if a man is not faithful in the unrighteous mammon, God will not give him the true riches.

"2. With regard to working for life, which our Lord expressly commands us to do. Labour (sgyalisde) literally, work for the meat that endureth to everlasting life. And in fact, every believer, till he comes to glory, works for, as well as from life.

"3. We have received it as a maxim, That 6 a man is to do nothing, in order to justification.' Nothing can be more false. Whoever desires to find favour with God should cease from evil and learn to do well. So God himself teaches by the prophet Isaiah, Whoever repents should do works meet for repentance. And if this is not in order to find favour, what does he do them for?

"Once more review the whole affair:

"1. Who of us is now accepted of God?

"He that now believes in Christ, with a loving obedient heart.

"2. But who among those that never heard of Christ? "He that according to the light he has, feareth God and worketh righteousness.

"3. Is this the same with he that is sincere ?

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"4. Is not this salvation by works?

"Not by the merit of works, but by works as a condition. "5. What have we then been disputing about for these thirty years?

"I am afraid, about words: (namely, in some of the foregoing instances.)

"6. As to merit itself, of which we have been so dreadfully afraid: we are rewarded according to our works, yea, because of our works. How does this differ from, for the sake of our works?

And

And how differs this from Secundum merita operum? Which is no more than, as our works deserve? Can you split this hair? I doubt, I cannot.

"7. The grand objection to one of the preceding propositions, is drawn from matter of fact. God does in fact justify those who by their own confession neither feared God, nor wrought righteousness. Is this an exception to the general rule?

"It is a doubt, whether God makes any exception at all. But how are we sure that the person in question never did fear God and work righteousness? His own thinking so is no proof. For we know, how all that are convinced of sin, undervalue themselves in every respect.

"8. Does not talking, without the proper caution, of a justified or sanctified state, tend to mislead men? naturally leading them to trust in what was done in one moment? Whereas we are every moment pleasing or displeasing to God, according to our works? According to the whole of our present inward tempers and outward behaviour."

CHAPTER IV.

Stating the principal Circumstances of Mr. Wesley's Life and Labours, till after the Conference in 1784: with a Continuation of the History of Methodism to that Period.

SOME

of the Preachers being now in America, and several societies having been formed, they earnestly solicited Mr. Wesley, once more to cross the

Atlantic

Atlantic and give them a visit. In the beginning of this year, he wrote to Mr. Whitefield on this subject, as follows: "Mr. Keen informed me some time since, of your safe arrival in Carolina: of which indeed I could not doubt for a moment, notwithstanding the idle report of your being cast away, which was so current in London. for you to do in Europe, as well as in America. And who knows, but before your return to England, I may pay another visit to the New World? I have been strongly solicited by several of our friends in NewYork and Philadelphia. They urge many reasons; some of which seem to be of considerable weight. And my age is no objection at all: for, I bless God, my health is not barely good but abundantly better, in several respects, than when I was five and twenty. But there are so many reasons on the other side, that as yet, I can determine nothing; so I must wait till I have further light. Here I am; let the Lord do with me as seemeth him good. For the present, I must beg of you to supply my lack of service: by encouraging the Preachers as you judge best, who are as yet comparatively young and unexperienced : by giving them such advices as you think proper : and above all, by exhorting them, not only to love one another, but if it be possible, as much as lieth in them, live peaceably with all men." It is evident from what is here said, that he had a strong inclination once more to visit America. This inclination operated on his mind for many years. And when the people were sometimes tardy in complying with his directions and desires, he would often mention it, as a means of keeping them in order.

I trust our Lord has more work

Mr. Wesley, and those associated with him, were called Arminians, because they maintained that Jesus

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