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did not so easily rid themselves of it. "God thrust us out," says Wesley, speaking of himself and his brother," utterly against our will, to raise a holy people. When Satan could no otherwise prevent this, he threw Calvinism in our way, and then * Antinomianism, which struck at the root both of inward and outward holiness." He acknowledged that they had, unawares, leaned too much toward both; and that the truth of the Gospel lies within a hair's breadth of them: "So," said he, "that it is altogether foolish and sinful, because we do not quite agree either with one or the other, to run from them as far as ever we can." The question, "Wherein may we come to the very edge of Calvinism ?" was proposed in the second Conference; and the answer was, "In ascribing all good to the free-grace of God; in denying all natural free-will, and all power antecedent to grace; and in excluding all merit from man, even for what he has or does by the grace of God." This was endeavouring to split the hair."Wherein may we come to the edge of Antinomianism?" was asked likewise; and the answer was less objectionable, "In exalting the merits and love of Christ; in rejoicing evermore."

In endeavouring to approach the edge of this perilous notion, Wesley went sometimes too near. But his general opinion could not be mistaken; and when any of his followers fell into the error, he contended against it zealously. It was a greater hindrance, he said, to the word of God, than any, or

*This pernicious doctrine was well explained in the first Conference: Q. What is Antinomianism?

A. The doctrine which makes void the law through faith.

Q. What are the main pillars thereof?

A. 1. That Christ abolished the moral law :

2. That therefore Christians are not obliged to observe it :

3. That one branch of Christian liberty is liberty from obeying the commandments of God:

4. That it is bondage to do a thing, because it is commanded; or forbear it because it is forbidden :

5. That a believer is not obliged to use the ordinances of God, or to do good works:

6. That a preacher ought not to exhort to good works; not unbelievers, because it is hurtful; not believers, because it is useless."

all others put together: and he sometimes complains, that most of the seed which had been sown during so many years, had been rooted up and destroyed by "the wild boars, the fierce, unclean, brutish, blasphemous Antinomians." From this reproach, indeed, which attaches to many of his Calvinistic opponents, he was entirely clear, and the great body of his society has continued so. But his disposition

to believe in miraculous manifestations of divine favours, led him sometimes to encourage an enthusiasm which impeached his own judgment, and brought a scandal upon Methodism.

Among the converts to Methodism at this time were Mr. Berridge, vicar of Everton, in Bedfordshire, and Mr. Hickes, vicar of Wrestlingworth, in the same neighbourhood. These persons, by their preaching, produced the same contagious convulsions in their hearers, as had formerly prevailed at Bristol; and though time had sobered Mr. Wesley's feelings, and matured his judgment, he was so far deceived, that he recorded the things which occurred, not as psychological, but as religious cases. They were of the most frightful and extraordinary kind. An eye wit

* The annexed extract from Wesley's Journal will show that this language is not too strong: "I came to Wensbury. The Antinomian teachers had laboured hard to destroy this poor people. I talked an hour with the chief of them, Stephen Timmins. I was in doubt whether pride had not made him mad. An uncommon wildness and fierceness in his air, his words, and the whole manner of his behaviour, almost induced me to think God had, for a season, given him up into the hands of Satan. In the evening I preached at Birmingham. Here another of their pillars, J. -W- -, came to me, and looking over his shoulder, said, 'Don't think I want to be in your society; but if you are free to speak to me, you may.' I will set down the conversation, dreadful as it was, in the very manner wherein it passed, that every serious person may see the true picture of Antinomianism full grown; and may know what these men mean by their favourite phrase of being perfect in Christ, not in themselves. 'Do you believe you have nothing to do with the law of God?' 'I have not. I am not under the law. I live by faith.'

Have you, as living by faith, a right to every thing in the world?' 'I have. All is mine, since Christ is mine. May you then take any thing you will any where? Suppose, out of a shop, without the consent or knowledge of the owner?' I may, if I want it; for it is mine; only I will not give offence. Have you also a right to all the women in the world? Yes, if they consent. And is not that a sin?" "Yes, to him that thinks it a sin: but not to those whose hearts are free.' The same thing that wretch, Roger Ball, affirmed in Dublin. Surely these are the first-born children of Satan!"

ness described the church at Everton as crowded with persons from all the country round; "the windows," he says, "being filled, within and without, and even the outside of the pulpit, to the very top, so that Mr. Berridge seemed almost stifled with their breath; yet," the relater continues, "feeble and sickly as he is, he was continually strengthened, and his voice, for the most part, distinguishable in the midst of all the outcries. When the power of religion begun to be spoke of, the presence of God really filled the place; and while poor sinners felt the sentence of death in their souls, what sounds of distress did I hear! The greatest number of them who cried, or fell, were men! but some women and several children, felt the power of the same Almighty Spirit, and seemed just sinking into hell. This occasioned a mixture of various sounds; some shrieking, some roaring aloud. The most general was a loud breathing, like that of people half-strangled, and gasping for life; and, indeed, almost all the cries were like those of human creatures dying in bitter anguish. Great numbers wept without any noise; others fell down as dead; some sinking in silence, some with extreme noise and violent agitation. I stood on the pew seat, as did a young man in the opposite pew, an able-bodied, fresh, healthy countryman; but, in a moment, while he seemed to think of nothing less, down he dropt, with a violence inconceivable. The adjoining pews seemed shook with his fall: I heard afterwards the stamping of his feet, ready to break the boards, as he lay in strong convulsions at the bottom of the pew. When he fell, Mr. B-11 and I felt our souls thrilled with a momentary dread; as, when one man is killed by a cannon-ball, another often feels the wind of it. Among the children who felt the arrows of the Almighty, I saw a sturdy boy, about eight years old, who roared above his fellows, and seemed, in his agony, to struggle with the strength of a grown man. His face was red as scarlet; and almost all on whom God laid his hand, turned either very red, or almost black."

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The congregation adjourned to Mr. Berridge's house, whither those who were still in the fit were carried the maddened people were eager for more stimulants, and the insane vicar was as willing to administer more, as they were to receive it. "I stayed in the next room," says the relater, "and saw a girl, whom I had observed peculiarly distressed in the church, lying on the floor as one dead, but without any ghastliness in her face. In a few minutes we were informed of a woman filled with peace and joy, who was crying out just before. She had come thirteen miles, and is the same person who dreamed Mr. Berridge would come to his village on that very day whereon he did come, though without either knowing the place or the way to it. She was convinced at that time. Just as we heard of her deliverance, the girl on the floor began to stir. She was then set in a chair, and, after sighing a while, suddenly rose up, rejoicing in God. Her face was covered with the most beautiful smile I ever saw. She frequently fell on her knees, but was generally running to and fro, speaking these and the like words: "Oh, what can Jesus do for lost sinners! He has forgiven all my sins! I am in Heaven! I am in Heaven! Oh, how he loves me, and how I love him!" Meantime I saw a thin pale girl, weeping with sorrow for herself, and joy for her companion. Quickly the smiles of Heaven came likewise on her, and her praises joined with those of the other. I also then laughed with extreme joy; so did Mr. Bll, who said it was more than he could bear; so did all who knew the Lord, and some of those who were waiting for salvation, till the cries of them who were struck with the arrows of conviction, were almost lost in the sounds of joy.-Mr. Berridge about this time retired; we continued, praising God with all our might, and his work went on. I had for some time observed a young woman all in tears, but now her countenance changed: the unspeakable joy appeared in her face, which, quick as lightning, was filled with smiles, and became a crim 6on colour. About the same time John Keeling, of Potton, fell into an agony; but he grew calm in about

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a quarter of an hour, though without a clear sense of pardon. Immediately after, a stranger, well dressed, who stood facing me, fell backward to the wall, then forward on his knees, wringing his hands, and roaring like a bull. His face at first turned quite red, then almost black. He rose and ran against the wall, till Mr. Keeling and another held him. He screamed out, Oh, what shall I do! what shall I do! Oh, for one drop of the blood of Christ!' As he spoke, God set his soul at liberty: he knew his sins were blotted out; and the rapture he was in seemed too great for human nature to bear. He had come forty miles to hear Mr. Berridge.

"I observed, about the time that Mr. Coe (that was his name) began to rejoice, a girl eleven or twelve years old, exceedingly poorly dressed, who appeared to be as deeply wounded, and as desirous of salvation, as any. But I lost sight of her, till I heard the joyful sound of another born in Sion, and found, upon inquiry, it was her, the poor, disconsolate, gypsy-looking child. And now did I see such a sight as I do not expect again on this side eternity. The faces of the three justified children, and, I think, of all the believers present, did really shine; and such a beauty, such a look of extreme happiness, and, at the same time, of divine love and simplicity, did I never see in human faces till now. The newly justified eagerly embraced one another, weeping on each other's necks for joy, and besought both men and women to help them in praising God." The same fits were produced by Mr. Hickes's preaching at Wrestlingworth, whither this relater proceeded; and there also the poor creatures, who were under the paroxysm, were carried into the parsonage, where some lay as if they were dead, and others lay struggling. In both churches several pews and benches were broken by the violent struggling of the sufferers; "yet," says the narrater, "it is common for people to remain unaffected there, and afterward drop down in their way home. Some have been found lying as dead in the road; others in Mr. Berridge's garden, not being able to walk from the church to his house,

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