leave the Church? Are there not thousands of Methodists who have, in fact, left the Church? Who never attend the Church-service? Never receive the Lord's Supper there? Nay, who speak against the Church, even with bitterness, both in public and private? Yea, who appoint and frequent meetings for divine service at the same hour? How then can you affirm, that the Methodists do not leave the Church ?"

I am glad of so public an opportunity of explaining this: in order to which, it will be necessary to look back some years. The Methodists at Oxford were all one body, and, as it were, one soul; zealous for the religion of the Bible, of the primitive church, and in consequence, of the Church of England; as they believed, it came nearer the scriptural and primitive plan, than any other national Church upon earth.

When my brother aud I returned from Georgia, we were in the same sentiments. And at that time, we and our friends were the only persons to whom that innocent name was affixed. Thus far, therefore, all the Methodists were firm to the Church of England.

16. But a good man, who met with us when we were at Oxford, while he was absent from us, conversed much with Dissenters, and contracted strong prejudices against the Church; I mean Mr. Whitefield: and not long after, he totally separated from us. In some years, William Cudworth and several others separated from him, and turned Independents: as did Mr. Maxfield and a few more, after separating from us. Lastly, a school was set up near Trevecka, in Wales: and almost all who were educated there, (except those that were ordained, and some of them too,) as they disclaimed all connexion with the Methodists, so they disclaimed the Church also. Nay, they spoke of it, upon all occasions, with exquisite bitterness and contempt.

Now let every impartial person judge, whether we are accountable for any of these! None of these have any manner of connexion with the original Methodists. They are

branches broken off from the tree: if they break from the Church also, we are not accountable for it.

These, therefore, cannot make our glorying void, That we do not, will not form any separate sect, but from principle remain, what we always have been, true members of the Church of England.

Are

17. Brethren, I presume, the greater part of you also are members of the Church of England. So at least you are called: but you are not so indeed, unless you are witnesses of the religion above described. And are you really such? Judge not one another; but every man look into his own bosom. How stands the matter in your own breast? Examine your conscience before God. Are you a happy partaker of this scriptural, this truly primitive religion? you a witness of the religion of love? Are you a lover of God and all mankind? Does your heart glow with gratitude to the Giver of every good and perfect gift? The Father of the spirits of all flesh, who giveth you life, and breath, and all things? Who hath given you his Son, his only Son, that you "might not perish, but have everlasting life." Is your soul warm with benevolence to all mankind? Do you long to have all men virtuous and happy? And does the constant tenor of your life and conversation bear witness of this? Do you "love, not in word only, but in deed and in truth?" Do you persevere in the "work of faith, and the labour of love?" Do you “walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and gave himself for us?" Do you, as you have time, "do good unto all men ?" And in as high a degree as you are able? Whosoever thus "doeth the Will of my Father which is in heaven," said Jesus, "the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Whosoever thou art, whose heart is herein as my heart, give me thine hand. Come, and let us magnify the Lord together, and labour to promote his kingdom upon earth. Let us join hearts and hands in this blessed work, in striving to bring glory to God in the highest, by establishing peace and good-will among men, to the uttermost of our power. First, let our hearts be joined herein: let us unite our wishes and prayers: let

our whole soul pant after a general revival of pure religion and undefiled, the restoration of the image of God, pure love, in every child of man. Then let us endeavour to promote, in our several stations, this scriptural, primitive religion let us, with all diligence, diffuse the religion of love among all we have any intercourse with: let us provoke all men, not to enmity and contention, but to love and good works: always remembering those deep words, (God engrave them on all our hearts!) "God is love: and he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him!"

SERMON LV.

ON FREE GRACE.

ROMANS VIII. 32.

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

1. HOW freely does God love the world! While we were yet sinners, "Christ died for the ungodly." While we were "dead in sin, God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." And how "freely with him does he give us all things." Verily, Free Grace is all in

all!

2. The Grace or Love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is free in all, and free for all.

3. First: It is free in all to whom it is given. It does not depend on any power or merit in man; no, not in any degree, neither in whole, nor in part. It does not, in any wise, depend either on the good works or righteousness of the receiver: not on any thing he has done, or any thing he is. It does not depend on his endeavours. It does not depend on his good tempers, or good desires, or good purposes and intentions. For all these flow from the free grace of God: they are the streams only, not the fountain. They are the fruits of free grace, and not the root. They are not

the cause, but the effects of it. Whatsoever good is in man, or is done by man, God is the author and doer of it. Thus is his grace free in all, that is, no way depending on any power, or merit in man; but on God alone, who freely gave us his own Son, and "with him freely giveth us all things."

4. But is it free for all, as well as in all? To this some have answered, "No: It is free only for those whom God hath ordained to life; and they are but a little flock. The greater part of mankind God hath ordained to death; and it is not free for them. Them God hateth; and, therefore, before they were born, decreed they should die eternally. And this he absolutely decreed, because so was his good pleasure; because it was his sovereign will. Accordingly they are born for this, To be destroyed, body and soul, in hell. And they grow up under the irrevocable curse of God, without any possibility of redemption. For what grace God gives, he gives only for this, To increase, not to prevent their damnation.*" tar

5. This is that decree of Predestination. But methinks I hear one say, "This is not the predestination which I hold. I hold only, The Election of Grace. What I believe is no more than this, That God, before the foundation of the world, did elect a certain number of men, to be justified, sanctified, and glorified. Now all these will be saved, and ́none else. For the rest of mankind God leaves to themselves. So they follow the imaginations of their own hearts, which are only evil continually, and waxing worse and worse, are, at length, justly punished with everlasting destruction.

6. Is this all the Predestination which you hold? Consider. Perhaps this is not all. Do you not believe, "God ordained them to this very thing?" If so, you believe the whole decree; you hold Predestination in the full sense, 'which has been above described. But it may be, you think you do not. Do not you then believe, that God hardens the hearts of them that perish? Do not you believe, He (literally) hardened Pharoah's heart, and that for this end