II. The theological doctrines of Wesleyan IMethodism are, with perhaps two or three modifications, the same aa those which, by common consent, are at present deemed ' evangelical. 'I'he articles of religion drawit up by Wes- ley for his immediate followers, and substantially adopted by all Methodist bodies since, are but slightly modified from those of the Established Church of England. They were originally prepared for the churches in the States. See Articles, Twesty-five. The sermons of John Wesley, and his notes on the New Testament, are rec- ognised by his followers in Great Britain and America as the standard of Methodism, and as the basis of their theological creed. The unity of the Godhead, and the coequal divinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; the death, resurrection, ascension, and interces-
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sion of Jesus Christ ; salvation by faith ; the sufficiency and divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; a final day of jnilj^inent, and the eternity of future rewards and pun- ishments, are doctrines held in common with other evan- f^elical branches of the Church of Christ. Maintaining man's total depravity throuf^h the fall of xVdam, and his utter inability, unless aided by divine grace, to take one step towards his recovery, Methodists hold that this grace is free, extending itself equally, by virtue of the atone- ment, to all the children of men. Hence they deny the doctrine of special election, with its counterpart, repro- bation, as taught in Calvinistic formularies, and main- tain, in opi)osition to those who hold to a limited atone- ment, that Jesus Christ, " by his oblation of liimself once oflercd, made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world." They recognise two sacraments as ordained by Clirist — 15ai)tisin and tiie Lord's Supper. Infant children and believing adults liave a riglit to the former; and peni- tent seekers of salvation, as well as professing Chris- tians, are invited to partake of the latter, Iwth being regarded not only as "badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but as certain signs of grace and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invis- ibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him." As to the mode of bap- tism, so that the ceremony be performed by an author- ized minister in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, it is optional whether the water be ap- jilied by sprinkling or pouring, or by the immersion of the candidate ; and although kneeling is the usual mode of receiving the elements at the Lord's table, those wlio prefer may partake of them in a standing or sitting post- ure. They deny the doctrine usually styled the " per- severance of the saints," believing that a true child of God may fall from grace and finally perish ; but they hold the doctrine of assurance, in the sense that it is the privilege of the justified sinner now to know his sins forgiven. The Holy Spirit, they teach, bears wit- iirss of I lie fact of present pardon and aeceptancc; but tlii- i< deemed to be the privilege of believers, not the indi^lHiisable evidence of regeneration. "It does not follow,' says Wesley, "that all who do not know their sins forgiven are children of the devil." iMelhodism teaclies also that it is the privilege of believers in this life to reach fliat maturity of grace, and that conformity to t]u> divine nature, which cleanses the heart from sin. and fills it with love to God and man — the being filled, as Paul phrases it, with all the fulness of (iod. This tliey call Christian perfection, a state which they de- clare to be attainable through faith in Christ. Wesley says on this subject, and none of his authorized follow- ers have gone beyond him, "Christian perfection implies the being so crucified with Christ as to be able to testify, ' I live not, but Christ liveth in me.' It does not imply an exemption from ignorance or mistake, infirmities or temptations. I believe," he adds, "there is no such per- fection in this life as excludes these involuntary trans- gressions, whicli I apprehend to be naturally consequent on tlie ignorance an(l mistakes inseparable from mortal- ity. Tiierefore 'sinless perfection' is a plirase I never use, lest I should seem to contradict myself. I believe a person tilled with the love of (iod is still liaiilf lo ilicsc involuntary transgressions. Such transgro-i.ins y..u may call sins, if you please: I do not. for the rc,i>oiis above inculioned." This doctrine Wesley calls "the grand dcposiinm whicli (Jod has given to the people called Mcihodists;" and he gives it as his opinion that God raised them up chiefly to preach, and exemplify, and propagate it. Sec Wi;slf,yanism.
III. As to Ike rjofernment and usdfjcK of J\felliodism, they are similar, but not entirely uniform, in all its branches and divisions. In the parent body, the Wes- leyan Methodists of Ijigland, the ecclesiastical govern- ment is entirely in the hands of the ministry. "The Conference," originally instituted, as we have seen, by Wesley, has the power of making rules and regulations