desiring this? Will you be entirely open, using no kind of reserve? Have you any objection to any of our orders (which may then be read.) 9. That when any new member was proposed, every one present should speak clearly and freely whatever objection he had against him. 10. That those against whom no reasonable objection appeared, should be, in order for their trial, formed into one or more distinct bands, and some person agreed on to assist them. 11. That after two months' trial, if no objection then appeared, they might be admitted into the society, 12. That every fourth Saturday should be observed as a day of general intercession, which might continue from twelve to two, from three to five, and from six to eight. 13. That on the Sunday seven-night following, there should be a general love-feast, from seven till ten in the evening. 14. That no particular person should be allowed to act in any thing, contrary to any order of this society; but that every one without distinction should submit to the determination of his brethren; and that if any person or persons did not, after being thrice admonished, conform to the society, they should no longer be esteemed as members. 15. That any person whom the whole society should approve, might be accounted a corresponding member, and as such be admitted to the general meetings, provided he corresponded with the society, at least once a month. The fourteenth rule, to which the ministers were subject as well as the common members, was an excellent preservative against the abuse of power; and some of the others are good guards against the ad mission mission of improper members. It would have been happy for the Methodist societies if these rules had been preserved among them, and rigorously kept: the work would in that case have been more pure than it has been, and much confusion would have been prevented. Wherever Mr. Wesley was now invited to preach in the churches, he boldly offered to all, a free salvation through faith in the blood of Christ. At most of these, he was soon told, Sir, you must preach here no more." To illustrate the reason of the offence which this doctrine gave, he has inserted in his own Journal, part of a letter written by Mr. Gambold to Mr. Charles Wesley, a little after this time. This letter abounds with fine thoughts on the subject, and contains some excellent advice. Mr. Wesley has inserted but a small part; I shall transcribe a little more of it. "I have seen upon this occasion, more than ever I could have imagined, how intolerable the doctrine of faith is to the mind of man; how peculiarly intolerable to the most religious men. One may say the most unchristian things, even down to deism; the most enthusiastic things, so they proceed but upon mental raptures, lights and unions; the most severe things, even the whole rigour of ascetic mortification; and all this will be forgiven. But if you speak of faith, in such a manner as makes Christ a Saviour to the utmost, a most universal help and refuge; in such a manner as takes away glorying, but adds happiness to wretched man; as discovers a greater pollution in the best of us, than we could before acknowledge, but brings a greater deliverance from it, than we could before expect: if any one offers to talk at this rate, he shall be heard with the same abhorrence as if he was going to rob mankind of their salvation, their Mediator, or their highest happiness. I am persuaded, that a Montanist, or a Novation, who from the height of his purity should look with contempt upon poor sinners, and exclude them from all mercy, would not be thought such an overthrower of the gospel, as he who should learn from the author of it to be a friend to publicans and sinners, and to sit down upon the level with them as soon as they begin to repent. But this is not to be wondered at. For all religious people have such a quantity of righteousness, acquired by much painful exercise, and formed at last into current habits, which is the wealth both for this world and the next. Now all other schemes of religion are either so complaisant as to tell them they are very rich, and have enough to triumph in; or else only a little rough, but friendly in the main, by telling them their riches are are not sufficient, but by such arts of self-denial and mental refinement they may enlarge the stock. But the doctrine of faith is a downright robber; it takes away all this wealth, and only tells us, it is deposited for us with somebody else, upon whose bounty we must live like mere beggars. Indeed they who are truly beggars, vile and filthy sinners till very lately, may stoop to live in this dependent condition; it suits them well enough: but they who have long distinguished themselves from the herd of vicious wretches, or have even gone beyond moral men; for them to be told that they are either not so well; or but the same needy, impotent, insignificant vessels of mercy with others, this is more shocking to reason than transubstantiation. For reason had rather resign its pretensions to judge what is bread or flesh, than have this honour wrested from it, to be the architect of virtue and righteousness.-But where am I running? My design was only to give you warning, that wherever you go, this foolishness of preaching will alienate hearts from you, and open mouths against you. What are you then to do, my dear friend? I will not exhort you to courage; we need not talk of that, for nothing that is approaching is evil. I will only mention the prejudice we shall be under, if we seem in the least to lay aside universal charity, and modesty of expression. Though we love some persons more than we did, let us love none less and the rather, because we cannot say any one is bad, or destitute of divine grace, for not thinking as we do. Indignation at mankind, is a temper unsuitable to this cause. If we are at peace with God in Christ, let it soften our demeanor still more, even toward gainsayers.-What has given most offence hitherto, is what perhaps may best be spared: as some people's confident and hasty triumphs in the grace of God; not by way of humble thankfulness to him for looking upon them, or acknowledgment of some peace and strength unknown before, which they hope will be increased to them; but insisting on the completeness of their deliverance already from all sin, and taking to them every apostolical boast in the strongest terms.-Let us speak of every thing in such manner as may convey glory to Christ, without letting it glance on ourselves by the way. Let us profess, when we can with truth, how really the christian salvation is fulfilled in us, rather than how sublimely."This is certainly most important advice, and ought to be daily considered and attended to in practice both by every minister, and by every private Christian, who has any experience of the grace and blessings of the gospel. Mr. Wesley now hungered and thirsted more and more after righteousness, even the righteousness which is of God by faith. He saw the promise of justification and life was the free gift of God through Jesus Christ. The nearer he approached to the enjoyment of it, the more distinctly he perceived, and more strongly felt, his own sinfulness, guilt, and helplessness, which he thus expressed in a letter to a friend. "I feel what you say, though not enough, for I am under the same condemnation. I see that the whole law of God, is holy, just, and good. I know every thought, every temper of my soul, ought to bear God's image and superscription. But how am I fallen from the glory of God! I feel, that I am sold under sin. I know, that I too deserve nothing but wrath, being full of all abominations, and having no good thing in me to atone for them, or to remove the wrath of God. All my works, my righteousness, my prayers, need an atonement for themselves. So that my mouth is stopped. I have nothing to plead. God is holy, I am unholy. God is a consuming fire. I am altogether a sinner, meet to be consumed. "Yet I hear a voice (and is it not the voice of God?) saying, Believe and thou shalt be saved. He that believeth, is passed from death unto life. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. "Olet no one deceive us by vain words, as if we bad already attained this faith! By its fruits we shall know it. Do we already feel peace with God, and joy in the Holy Ghost? Does his Spirit bear witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God? Alas! with mine he does not. Nor I fear with your's. O thou Saviour of men, save us from trusting in any thing but Thee! Draw us after Thee! Let us be |