Besides, if such proceedings should be continued, (which GOD forbid!) what little credit may we suppose will hereafter be given to future _university-testimonials_, that the bearers of them have behaved studiously, soberly, and piously; and how must we in time be put under a disagreeable necessity of having a new, or at least of altering some part of our present most excellent ordination-office? As it now stands, one of the questions proposed to every candidate for holy orders runs thus: “Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the holy ghost?” But if all students are to be expelled that sing hymns, pray extempore, attend upon, or expound a verse now and then, in a religious church of _England_ society, should it not rather, Reverend Sir, be worded thus, namely, “Do ye trust that ye are NOT inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you the office and administration of the church?”
You will excuse this freedom, Reverend Sir.
_Agitur de vitâ et sanguine turni._
Love to GOD, love to mankind in general, and love to that university, that _alma mater_ where I had the honour of being educated, and, what is infinitely more, where I had the happiness of receiving the witness of the Spirit of GOD in my heart, all together constrain me.
The news of these young mens expulsion hath made, and will make the ears of all who have heard, or shall hear of it, to tingle: and therefore if some do not speak, and use great plainness of speech too, the very stones would, as it were, cry out against us. In respect to myself, Reverend Sir, I hope, that in taking the freedom of troubling you with this, I do not justly incur the censure of acting as a busy-body in other mens matters. For, whatever other pretences may be made, such as disqualification in respect to learning, age, the being of trades, &c. &c. &c. (_Nugæ tricæque calendæ_) it is notorious and obvious to all intelligent persons, that the grand cause of these young mens expulsion was this, namely, that they were either real or reputed METHODISTS. An honour this indeed, unwittingly put on Methodists, whoever or whatever they be; since scarce any now-a days can pray extempore, sing hymns, go to church or meeting, and abound in other acts of devotion, but they must be immediately dubbed Methodists. I say, dubbed Methodists; for it is not a name given to them by themselves, but was imposed on them by some of their fellow students and contemporaries in the university.
I take it for granted, Reverend Sir, that you need not be apprized that I am one of these Methodists; and blessed be GOD I have had the honour of being one of them for about thirty-five years. If this is to be vile, may I be more vile! If this be my shame, upon the most mature and serious reflection I really glory in it. But then, lest any more innocent youths should hereafter suffer barely for the imputation of a nick-name, give me leave simply and honestly to inform you, Reverend Sir, and through you the whole university, what not barely a reputed, but a real Methodist is: “He is one of those whom GOD hath chosen in CHRIST out of mankind, to bring them by CHRIST to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour; wherefore they, who be endued with so excellent a benefit of GOD, are called according to GOD’s purpose by his spirit working in due season: they, through grace, obey the calling; they be justified freely; and made the sons of GOD by adoption: they are conformed to the image of his only begotten Son JESUS CHRIST; they walk religiously in good works; and at length, by GOD’s mercy, they attain everlasting felicity.” This is the true portrait of a Methodist, drawn at full length, drawn to the very life, and that too not by an ignorant modern dauber, but by those good old skilful scriptural limners, _Cranmer_, _Latimer_, _Ridley_, in the xviith article of our church; an article that deserves to be written in letters of gold; and yet, for holding of this very article in its literal grammatical sense, agreeable to his subscription at the time of matriculation, one of these young students, as we have been informed, was expelled. If our information be wrong in this or any other respect, the nation may soon be set right by an authentic publication of the whole judicial proceedings.
If you should desire, Reverend Sir, a definition of _Methodism_ itself, as well as of a Methodist, you may easily be gratified. It is no more nor less than “faith working by love. A holy method of living and dying, to the glory of GOD.” It is an universal morality, founded upon the love of GOD shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost: or, to keep to the exact terms made use of in the last collect of our excellent liturgy, it is “the grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the love of GOD, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost;” which we cannot go to church or chapel on _Sundays_, holidays, or other common days, without praying, not that it may be driven from, but be with us all evermore.