11. In 1744, all the Methodist preachers had their first conference. But none of them dreamed, that the being called to preach gave them any right to administer sacraments. And when that question was proposed, "In what light are we to consider ourselves?" it was answered, "As extraordinary messengers, raised up to provoke the ordinary ones to jealousy." In order hereto, one of our first rules was, given to each preacher, "You are to do that part of the work which we appoint." But what work was this? Did we ever appoint you to administer sacraments; to exercise the priestly office? Such a design never entered into our mind; it was the farthest from our thoughts: and if any preacher had taken such a step, we should have looked upon it as a palpable breach of this rule, and consequently as a recantation of our connection. 12. For, supposing (what I utterly deny) that the receiving you as a preacher, at the same time gave an authority to administer the sacra ments; yet it gave you no other authority than to do it, or any thing else, where I appoint. But where did I appoint you to do this? No where at all. Therefore, by this very rule you are excluded from doing it. And in doing it, you renounce the first principle of Methodism, which was wholly and solely to preach the Gospel.

13. It was several years after our society was formed, before any attempt of this kind was made. The first was, I apprehend, at Norwich. One of our preachers there yielded to the importunity of a few of the people, and baptized their children. But as soon as it was known, he was informed it must not be, unless he designed to leave our connection. He promised to do it no more; and I suppose he kept his promise.

14. Now, as long as the Methodists keep to this plan, they cannot separate from the Church. And this is our peculiar glory. It is new upon the earth. Revolve all the histories of the Church, from the earliest ages, and you will find, whenever there was a great work of God

in any particular city or nation, the subjects of that work soon said to their neighbours, "Stand by yourselves, for we are holier than you!" As soon as ever they separated themselves, either they retired into deserts, or they built religious houses; or at least formed parties, into which none was admitted but such as subscribed both to their judgment and practice. But with the Methodists it is quite otherwise: they are not a sect or party; they do not separate from the religious community to which they at first belonged; they are still members of the Church; -such they desire to live and to die. And I believe, one reason why God is pleased to continue my life so long is, to confirm them in their present purpose, not to separate from the Church.

15. But, notwithstanding this, many warm men say, "Nay, but you do separate from the Church." Others are equally warm, because they say I do not. I will nakedly declare the thing as it is.

I

I hold all the doctrines of the Church of England. I love her liturgy. approve her plan of discipline, and only wish it could be put in execution. I do not knowingly vary from any rule of the Church, unless in those few instances, where I judge, and as far as I judge, there is an absolute necessity.

For instance, (1.) As few clergymen open their churches to me, I am under the necessity of preaching abroad.

(2.) As I know no forms that will suit all occasions, I am often under a necessity of praying extempore.

(3.) In order to build up the flock of Christ in faith and love, I am under a necessity of uniting them together, and of dividing them into little companies, that they may provoke one another to love and good

works.

(4.) That my fellow labourers and I may more effectually assist each other, to save our own souls and those that hear us, I judge it necessary to meet the preachers, or at least, the greater part of them, once a year.

(5.) In those conferences we fix the stations of all the preachers for the ensuing year.

But all this is not separating from the Church. So far from it, that, whenever I have opportunity, I attend the Church service myself, and advise all our societies so to do.

16. Nevertheless, as the generality even of religious people, who do not understand my motives of acting, and who on the one hand hear me profess that I will not separate from the Church, and on the other that I do vary from it in these instances, they will naturally think I am inconsistent with myself. And they cannot but think so, unless they observe my two principles: the one, that I dare not separate from the Church, that I believe it would be a sin so to do; the other, that I believe it would be a sin not to vary from it in the points above mentioned. I say, put these two principles together, First, I will not separate from the Church; yet, Secondly, in cases of necessity, I will vary from it, (both of which I have constantly and openly avowed for upwards of fifty years,) and inconsistency vanishes away. I have been true to my profession from 1730 to this day.

17. "But is it not contrary to your profession to permit service in Dublin at Church hours? For what necessity is there for this? or what good end does it answer?" I believe it answers several good ends, which could not so well be answered any other way. The First is, (strange as it may sound,) to prevent a separation from the Church. Many of our society were totally separated from the Church; they never attended it at all. But now they duly attend the Church every first Sunday in the month. "But had they not better attend it every weck?" Yes; but who can persuade them to it? I cannot. I have strove to do it twenty or thirty years, but in vain. The Second is, the weaning them from attending dissenting meetings, which many of them attended constantly, but have now wholly left. The Third is, the constantly hearing that sound doctrine which is able to save their souls.

18. I wish all of you who are vulgarly termed Methodists would seriously consider what has been said. And particularly you whom God hath commissioned to call sinners to repentance. It does by no means follow from hence, that ye are commissioned to baptize, or to administer the Lord's Supper. Ye never dreamed of this, for ten or twenty years after ye began to preach. Ye did not then, like Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, "seek the priesthood also." Ye knew, "no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." O contain yourselves within your own bounds; be content with preaching the Gospel; "do the work of evangelists; proclaim to all

the world the loving kindness of God our Saviour; declare to all, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel!" I earnestly advise yon, abide in your place; keep your own station. Ye were, fifty years ago, those of you that were then Methodist preachers, extraordinary messengers of God, not going in your own will, but thrust out, not to supersede, but to "provoke to jealousy," the ordinary messengers. In God's name, stop there! Both by your preaching and example provoke them to love and to good works. Ye are a new phenomenon in the earth,-a body of people who, being of no sect or party, are friends to all parties, and endeavour to forward all in heart-religion, in the knowledge and love of God and man. Ye yourselves were at first called in the Church of England; and though ye have and will have a thousand temptations to leave it, and set up for yourselves, regard them not; be Church-of-England men still; do not cast away the peculiar glory which God hath put upon you, and frustrate the design of providence, the very end for which God raised you up.

19. I would add a few words to those serious people who are not connected with the Methodists; many of whom are of our own Church, the Church of England. And why should ye be displeased with us? We do you no harm; we do not design or desire to offend you in any thing; we hold your doctrines; we observe your rules, more than do most of the people in the kingdom. Some of you are clergymen. And why should ye, of all men, be displeased with us? We neither attack your character nor your revenue; we honour you for " your work's sake!" If we see some things which we do not approve of, we do not publish them; we rather cast a mantle over them, and hide what we cannot commend. When ye treat us unkindly or unjustly, we suffer it. Being reviled, we bless ;" we do not return railing for railing. O let not your hand be upon us!

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20. Ye that are rich in this world, count us not your enemies because we tell you the truth, and, it may be, in a fuller and stronger manner than any others will or dare do. Ye have therefore need of us, inexpressible need. Ye cannot buy such friends at any price. All your gold and silver cannot purchase such. Make use of us while ye may. If it be possible, never be without some of those who will speak the truth from their heart. Otherwise, ye may grow gray in your sins; ye may say to your souls, "Peace, peace!" while there is no peace. Ye may sleep on, and dream ye are in the way to heaven, till ye awake in everlasting fire.

21. But whether ye will hear, or whether ye will forbear, we, by the grace of God, hold on our way; being ourselves still members of the Church of England, as we were from the beginning, but receiving all that love God in every Church, as our brother, and sister, and mother. And in order to their union with us, we require no unity in opinions, or in modes of worship, but barely that they "fear God and work righteousness," as was observed. Now, this is utterly a new thing, unheard of in any other Christian community. In what Church or congregation beside, throughout the Christian world, can members be admitted upon these terms, without any other conditions? Point any such out, whoever can: I know none in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America! This is the glory of the Methodists, and of them alone! They are them

selves no particular sect or party; but they receive those, of all parties, who "endeavour to do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with their God."

CORK, May 4, 1789.

SERMON CXL.-The Trouble and Rest of Good Men.*

Preached at St. Mary's, in Oxford, on Sunday, Sept. 21, 1735. Published at the request of several of the hearers.

"There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest," Job iii, 17.

WHEN God at first surveyed all the works he had made, "behold, they were very good." All were perfect in beauty; and man, the lord of all, was perfect in holiness. And as his holiness was, so was his happiness. Knowing no sin, he knew no pain; but when sin was conceived, it soon brought forth pain, The whole scene was changed in a moment. He now groaned under the weight of a mortal body, and, what was worse, a corrupted soul. That "spirit" which could have borne all his other "infirmities" was itself "wounded,” and sick unto death. Thus, “in the day” wherein he sinned, he began to "die;" and thus "in the midst of life we are in death;" yea, "the whole creation groaneth together," being in bondage to sin, and therefore to misery.

The whole world is, indeed, in its present state, only one great infirmary. All that are therein are sick of sin; and their one business is to be healed. And for this very end, the great Physician of souls is continually present with them; marking all the diseases of every soul, and "giving medicines to heal its sickness." These medicines are often painful too: not that God willingly afflicts his creatures, but he allots them just as much pain as is necessary to their health; and for that reason,--because it is so.

The pain of cure must, then, be endured by every man, as well as the pain of sickness. And herein is manifest the infinite wisdom of Him who careth for us, that the very sickness of those with whom he converses may be a great means of every The very wickedness of others is, in a thousand ways, conducive to a good man's holiness. They trouble him, it is true; but even that trouble is "health to his soul, and marrow to his bones." He suffers many things from them; but it is to this end, that he may be "made perfect through” those "sufferings."

man's cure.

But as perfect holiness is not found on earth, so neither is perfect happiness.† Some remains of our disease will ever be felt, and some physic will be necessary to heal it. Therefore we must be, more or less, subject to the pain of cure, as well as the pain of sickness. And, accordingly, neither do "the wicked" here cease from troubling," ner can "the weary be at rest."

Who, then, will "deliver" us "from the body of this death?" Death will deliver

It

*This appears to have been the first Sermon that Mr. Wesley ever committed to the press. was preached about a month before he sailed for Georgia; and published the saine year by C. Rivington, in St. Paul's Church Yard. After remaining out of print upwards of ninety years, it is here republished as an authentic, and not uninteresting, specimen of his preaching at the time when he left his native country to convert Heathens; and, as he states, learned in the ends of the carth, what he least of all suspected, that he had never been converted himself. The reader will observe that while the Sermon displays great seriousness and zeal, it exhibits a very inadequate view of real Christianity. The preacher attributes the sanctification of human nature, in a great measure, to personal sufferings;-assumes that the body is the seat of moral evil; and that sin exists in the best of Christians till they obtain deliverance by the hand of death. With what ability and success he afterward opposed these unevangelical principles, and taught the doctrine of present salvation from all sin by faith in Jesus Christ, is well known to all who are conversant with his Works, and especially with his Journal and Sermons. Viewed in connection with his subsequent writings, this Sermon is of considerable importance, as it serves very strikingly to illustrate the change which took place in his religious sentiments previously to his entrance upon that aston. ishing career of ministerial labour and usefulness, by which he was so eminently distinguished. As a perfect antidote to the doctrinal mistakes which it contains, the reader is referred to the admirable Sermon, entitled, "The Scripture Way of Salvation," vol. i, p. 384.-EDIT.

† In this life adult Christians are saved from all sin, and are made perfect in love. See Mr. Wesley's "Plain Account of Christian Perfection."-EDIT.

us. Death will set those free in a moment, who "were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Death shall destroy at once the whole body of sin,* and therewith its companion-pain. And therefore, "there the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest."

The Scriptures give us no account of the place where the souls of the just remain from death to the resurrection; but we have an account of their state in these words: in explaining which I shall consider,

I. How the wicked do here trouble good men; and,

II. How the weary are there at rest.

Let us consider, First, how the wicked here trouble good men. And this is a spa. cious field. Look round the world; take a view of all the troubles therein: how few are there of which the wicked are not the occasion! "From whence come wars and fightings among you?" Whence all the ills that embitter society; that often turn that highest of blessings into a curse, and make it "good for man to be alone?" "Come they not hence," from self will, pride, inordinate affection? in one word, from wickedness? And can it be otherwise so long as it remains upon earth? As well may "the Ethiopian change his skin," as a wicked man cease to trouble both himself and his neighbour, but especially good men: inasmuch as, while he is wicked, he is continually injuring either them, or himself, or God.

First. Wicked men trouble those who serve God, by the injuries they do them. As at first, "he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit; even so it is now." And so it must be till all things are fulfilled; "till heaven and earth pass away," "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." For there is an irreconcilable enmity between the Spirit of Christ, and the spirit of the world. If the followers of Christ "were of the world, the world would love its own: but because they are not of the world, therefore the world hateth them." And this hatred they will not fail to show by their words: they will "say all manner of evil against them falsely;" they will "find out many inventions" whereby even "the good that is in them may be evil spoken of;" and in a thousand instances lay to their charge the ill that they know not. From words, in due time, they proceed to deeds; treating the servants as their forefathers did their Master; wronging and despitefully using them in as many ways as fraud can invent, and force accomplish.

It is true, these troubles sit heaviest upon those who are yet weak in the faith; and the more of the Spirit of Christ any man gains, the lighter do they appear to him. So that to him who is truly renewed therein, who is full of the knowledge and love of God, all the wrongs of wicked men are not only no evils, but are matter of real and solid joy. But still, though he rejoices for his own sake, he cannot but grieve for theirs. He hath " great heaviness and continual sorrow in" his "heart, for" his "brethren according to the flesh," who are thus "treasuring up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." His eyes weep for them in secret places; he is horribly afraid for them; yea, he "could wish to be accursed" himself, so they might inherit a blessing. And thus it is, that they who can not only slight, but rejoice in, the greatest injury done to them, yet are troubled at that which wicked men do to themselves, and the grievous misery that

attends them.

How much more are they troubled at the injuries wicked men are continually offering to God! This was the circumstance which made "the contradiction of sinners" so severe a trial to our Lord himself: "He that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me." And how are these despisers now multiplied upon earth! who fear not the Son, neither the Father. How are we surrounded with those who blaspheme the Lord and his Anointed; either reviling the whole of his glorious gospel, or making him a liar as to some of the blessed truths which he hath graciously revealed therein! How many of those who profess to believe the whole, yet in effect, preach another gospel; so disguising the essential doctrines thereof, by their new interpretations, as to retain the words only, but nothing of "the faith once delivered to the saints!" How many who have not yet made shipwreck of the faith, are strangers to the fruits of it! It hath not purified their hearts; it hath not overcome the world. They are yet "in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." They are still "lovers of themselves," lovers of the world, "lovers of pleasure," and not "lovers of God." Lovers of God! No. He "is not in all their thoughts." They delight not in

*This doctrine, that we are saved from sin by death, is no where taught in sacred Scripture, as Mr. Wesley afterward perceived, and demonstrated in the treatise just mentioned, and in seve ral of his Sermons.-EDIT.