LIVING THOUGHTS OF JOHN WESLEY.

A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF THE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS.

(THE following letter was written by Mr. Wesley in 1748. He was then forty-five years old. It was addressed to Rev. Mr. Perronet, Vicar of Shoreham and Kent. It appears to have been published immediately, and to have produced a deep impression upon the public mind. A friend abroad, writing to Mr. Wesley in 1749, says: "Your letter to D. Perronet (A Plain Account, etc.) I have not so much read as devoured; and all things have so pleased me that I can scarcely restrain myself from flying to London, that I may come and see the order of your society. . . . So soon as possible I will translate and print that letter, together with that little tract, The Character of a Methodist. Perhaps it will excite some, if not many, of the clergy or laity to follow more fully the gospel way. It pleases me much that you attach yourself neither to any sect nor to the peculiar dogmas of sects, nor act as the patron of those dogmas, but leave to each one the liberty of believing what he will concerning them, provided only he have true faith in God and his beloved Son, love God with all his heart, abstain from sin, and lead a life worthy of the gospel calling.")

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR: 1. Some time since desired an you account of the whole economy of the people commonly called Methodists. And you received a true (as far as it went), but not a full account. To supply what I think was wanting in that I send you this account, that you may know not only their practice on every head, but likewise the reasons whereon it is grounded, the occasion of every step they have taken, and the advantages reaped thereby.

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2. But I must premise that as they had not the least expectation, at first, of any thing like what has since followed, so they had no previous design or plan at all; but every thing arose just as the occasion offered. They saw or felt some impending or pressing evil, or some good end necessary to be pursued. And many times they fell unawares on the very thing which secured the good or removed the evil. At other times they consulted on the most probable means, following only common sense and Scripture; though they generally found, in looking back, something in Christian antiquity likewise very nearly parallel thereto.

I. 1. About ten years ago my brother and I were desired to preach in many parts of London. We had no view therein but, so far as we were able (and we knew God could work by whomsoever it pleased him), to convince those who would hear what true Christianity was and to persuade them to embrace it.

2. The points we chiefly insisted upon were four: First, that orthodoxy or right opinions is, at best, but a very slender part of religion, if it can be allowed to be any part of it at all; that neither does religion consist in negatives, in bare harmlessness of any kind; nor merely in externals, in doing good, or using the means of grace, in works of piety (so-called) or of charity; that it is nothing short of or different from "the mind that was in Christ;' the image of God stamped upon the heart; inward righteousness, attended with the peace of God; and "joy in the Holy Ghost." Secondly, that the only way under heaven to this religion is to "repent and believe the Gospel;" or (as the apostle words it), repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." Thirdly, that by this faith "he that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, is justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ." And, lastly, that "being justified by faith we taste of the heaven to which we are going; we are holy and happy; we tread down sin and fear, and "sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus."

3. Many of those who heard this began to cry out that we brought "strange things to their ears;" that this was doctrine which they never heard before, or at least never regarded. They "searched the Scriptures whether these things were so," and acknowledged "the truth as it is in Jesus." Their hearts also were influenced as well as their understandings, and they determined to follow "Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

4. Immediately they were surrounded with difficulties; all the world rose up against them; neighbors, strangers, acquaintances,

relations, friends, began to cry out amain, "Be not righteous overmuch; why shouldest thou destroy thyself?" Let not "much religion make thee mad."

5. One and another and another came to us, asking what they should do, being distressed on every side; as every one strove to weaken, and none to strengthen, their hands in God. We advised them, "Strengthen you one another. Talk together as often as And pray earnestly with and for one another, that you may 'endure to the end and be saved."" Against this advice we presumed there could be no objection; as being grounded on the plainest reason, and on so many scriptures, both of the Old Testament and New, that it would be tedious to recite them.

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6. They said, "But we want you likewise to talk with us often, to direct and quicken us in our way, to give us the advices which you well know we need, and to pray with us, as well as for us." I asked, Which of you desire this? Let me know your names and places of abode. They did so. But I soon found they were too many for me to talk with severally so often as they wanted it. So I told them, "If you will all of you come together every Thursday, in the evening, I will gladly spend some time with you in prayer and give you the best advice I can."

7. Thus arose, without any previous design on either side, what was afterward called a Society; a very innocent name, and very common in London, for any number of people associating themselves together. The thing proposed in their associating themselves together was obvious to every one. They wanted to "flee from the wrath to come," and to assist each other in so doing. They therefore united themselves "in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they might help each other to work out their salvation."

8. There is one only condition previously required in those who desire admission into this society-" a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins." (See the Rules of the United Societies.) They now likewise agreed that as many of them as had an opportunity would meet together every Friday, and spend the dinner-hour in crying to God, both for each other and for all mankind.

9. It quickly appeared that their thus uniting together answered the end proposed therein. In a few months the far greater part of those who had begun to "fear God, and work righteousness," but were not united together, grew faint in their minds and fell back into what they were before. Meanwhile the

far greater part of those who were thus united together continued "striving to enter in at the strait gate," and to "lay hold on eternal life."

10. Upon reflection I could not but observe, This is the very thing which was from the beginning of Christianity. In the earliest times, those whom God had sent forth "preached the Gospel to every creature." And the oɩ åκpoaтαι, “the body of hearers," were mostly either Jews or heathens. But as soon as any of these were so convinced of the truth as to forsake sin and seek the gospel salvation they immediately joined them together, took an account of their names, advised them to watch over each other, and met these κατεχουμενοι, "catechumens" (as they were then called), apart from the great congregation, that they might instruct, rebuke, exhort, and pray with them, and for them, according to their several necessities.

11. But it was not long before an objection was made to this which had not once entered into my thought: "Is not this making a schism Is not the joining these people together, gathering churches out of churches?"

It was easily answered, "If you mean only gathering people out of buildings called churches, it is. But if you mean dividing Christians from Christians, and so destroying Christian fellowship, it is not. For, (1) These were not Christians before they were thus joined. Most of them were barefaced heathens. (2) Neither are they Christians from whom you suppose them to be divided. You will not look me in the face and say they are. What! drunken Christians! cursing and swearing Christians! lying Christians! cheating Christians! If these are Christians at all, they are devil Christians, as the poor Malabarians term them. (3) Neither are they divided any more than they were before, even from these wretched devil Christians. They are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform every office of real kindness toward them. (4) If it be said, "But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them," I answer, That which never existed cannot be destroyed. But the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it cannot be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any such fellowship with these? Who watched over them in love? Who marked their growth in grace? Who advised and exhorted them from time to time? Who prayed with them and for them, as they had need? This, and this alone, is Christian fellowship; but, alas! where is it to be