THE LIFE

OF THE

REV. JOHN WESLEY, A.M.

BOOK THE EIGHTH.

CHAPTER I.

THE DEED OF DECLARATION-MR. WESLEY'S ORDINATIONSSHORT ACCOUNT OF DR. COKE.

THE year 1784 is remarkable in the annals of Methodism, (1.) For the solidity given to its affairs by the Deed of Declaration, enrolled in Chancery, whereby the numerous chapels of the connexion were secured to the people, for the purposes for which they had been built: And, (2.) For the advancement of its spiritual privileges, by giving a full Christian ministry to the Societies in America, just then become independent of the mother country.

The Founder and chief instrument, in the hand of God, of this great work, had often, before this time, been importuned to take those steps, which, to the generality of our people, seemed necessary for those great purposes, and thus to quiet the minds of many who dreaded the dissolution of this social compact, whenever they contemplated the death of the venerable Founder. But he was not hasty to listen to those fears. He never forgot, that the work was the Lord's,

and that he need not, and ought not, to be anxious about the circumstances of it, but to wait the Lord's time.

How exceedingly men have mistaken the character of Mr. Wesley! Because he held, what the Scriptures teach concerning religious affections, it has been confidently said, and published too, that he was wholly led by impulses and inward feelings. In the whole compass of thought, there could not be a greater mistake respecting him. What his father used to observe of him, when he was a boy, was true to the last moment of his life: "As for Jack, he will have a reason for every thing he is to do. I suppose, he would not do any thing, (non etiam crepitare) unless he had a reason for it." Mr. Wesley observed to me one day, "Count Zinzendorff was mistaken in his notion of the way in which the Lord leads his servants; viz., by a divine impression. His account suits only one kind of men, and it is safe to them only while they continue entirely devoted. The Lord, on the contrary, has three ways of guiding them, suited to the different construction of men's minds :-(1.) To some he gives a divine impression, that what is proposed in any particular case, not expressly defined in Holy Scripture, is of Him.-(2.) To others, who are more sober in their mental constitution, he gives an apt and convincing Scripture.-(3.) To others he gives a clear reason for that particular line of duty which they should then adopt. He has chiefly led me in this last way, though I have found at times all the three concur." I had myself observed this in him. When I have spoken of the probable utility of any proposed measure, he would say, in his usual kind way, "Come, Henry, hoc age! Mind the point in hand. Give me a reason.”—The reason why he should act, as already intimated, was now very apparent; and he hesitated no longer.

With respect to the chapels, which were then greatly multiplied, the call was imperative. They were safe during his life, as the various deeds specified, that he, by name, should

Some of those deeds

appoint the Preachers from time to time. The generality of those deeds specified also, that, after his death, the CONFERENCE OF THE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS should appoint the Preachers in like manner. had no reference to any posthumous appointment, and so would have been completely in the power of the Trustees, at Mr. Wesley's decease. Several even of those Trustees, where the chapels were settled according to the Methodist plan, did not scruple to say, "That the CONFERENCE was not an assembly that the law would recognize, and that, therefore, they would, after Mr. Wesley's death, appoint whom they should think proper." One of these said to me, "They might appoint a Popish Priest, if they should it think proper."

That there could be but little hope, that the work should continue to be a work of God, where such a power should be assumed, was very clear to all who were the subjects of that work. Upon Mr. Wesley's mind, it lay with great weight. That men, not a few of whom had departed from the society, (and some had been expelled from it,) should merely, by virtue of their legal authority over the premises, appoint Preachers to feed and guide the flock, exhibited a distressing prospect. Even where the Trustees continued members of the society, and attached to its interests, what could be expected, in a matter of such vital concern, from men SO much engaged in worldly business? This has often been proved in religious communities. It was the chief cause of the decline of religion among the latter Puritans: Their lay-elders assumed, after some time, the whole authority From this proceeded that worldly spirit and political zeal, which so greatly dishonoured that work in its last days; and which had previously overthrown both Church and State. We see also, in our day, in the sufferings of the excellent Scott, as detailed in his Memoirs lately published, what both ministers and people have to expect from such a system of Lay-Government.

The evil shewed itself in prominent overt-acts, previous to this period. Mr. Wesley having striven to prevail on some Trustees, in Yorkshire, to settle their chapels, so that the people might continue to hear the same truths, and be under the same discipline as heretofore, was assailed with calumny, and with the most determined opposition, as though he intended to make the chapels his own! Another set of Trustees, in the same county, absolutely refused to settle á lately-erected chapel; and, in the issue, engaged Mr. Wesley's Book-Steward in London, who had been an Itinerant Preacher, to come to them as their Minister. This man, however, was wise in his generation; and insisted upon having an income of sixty pounds per annum, with the Chapel-house to live in, settled upon him during his life, before he would relinquish his place under Mr. Wesley. What will not party-spirit do! I was a witness, when, after Mr. Wesley's death, it was found, that the Preachers continued united and faithful in their calling, how deeply those men repented of their conduct in this instance. In vain they represented to the man of their unhappy choice, how lamentably their congregations had declined, and how hardly they could sustain the expences they had incurred. The answer was short: They might employ other Preachers, if they should think it proper; but the dwelling-house and the stated income belonged to him!

We need not wonder, that Dr. Whitehead should speak with such deep concern, and indulge such a spirit of calumny, concerning this important measure of settling the chapels. The Doctor, and many others who had departed from the work, had, through that wise measure, but little prospect of succeeding, like his friend the Book-Steward, to occupy chapels, built for the people by Mr. Wesley's influence, and the labour of the Preachers. The favour of those Trustees, who might be disposed to forget their sacred obligations, and incur such an awful responsibility, held out but little hope to such men, now that a legal definition was given to the phrase

THE CONFERENCE: And, in fact, every appeal made to Equity has fully succeeded, on this very ground.

In that day of uncertainty and surmise, there were not wanting some, even among the Itinerant Preachers, who entertained fears respecting a settlement of this kind. They had but little hope, that the work would continue, after Mr. Wesley's death, as it had during his life; and they thought it probable, that the largest Societies and, of course, the principal chapels would become independent. In such a case, the favour of the chief men, and especially of the Trustees, would insure considerable advantages to those Itinerants, who might wish to become settled Ministers. Of all this Mr. Wesley was fully aware, and he determined to counteract such wisdom. He found it, however, very difficult to do so, without breaking with them, which love forbade; or assuming, in a questionable case, an authority contrary to that of a father in Christ. One of those Preachers, and of considerable eminence, attacked the Deed of Settlement, and declared, that Mr. Wesley might as justly place all the dwellinghouses, barns, workshops, &c., in which we had preached for so many years, under the authority of the Conference, as he had done the chapels; and that he thus assumed an authority that the Lord had not given him. This seemed far too strong to be generally received, and it was quickly answered. A Preacher, in reply, observed, "that, certainly, there was as much justice in the one case as the other, provided those dwelling-houses, barns, workshops, &c., had been built in consequence of the preaching, and by the subscriptions of the connexion; and in order that those erections might continue to be used for the purposes for which they were thus built!" This closed the debate for that time; but the Preacher firstmentioned, soon after he got to his circuit, rallied again, and wrote Mr. Wesley a long and earnest expostulation on the same subject, which I read to him in course. To this, Mr. Wesley thus shortly replied: