1. IT is not easy to reckon up the various accounts which have been given of the people called _Methodists_: very many of them as far remote from truth, as that given by the good gentleman in _Ireland_. “_Methodists!_ Ay, they are the people, who place all religion in _wearing long beards_.”
2. Abundance of the mistakes which are current concerning them, have undoubtedly sprung from this: men lump together under this general name many who have no manner of connexion with each other: and then whatever any of these speaks or does, is of course imputed to all.
3. The following short account may prevent persons of a calm and candid disposition from doing this: although men of a warm or prejudiced spirit will do just as they did before. But let it be observed, this is not designed for a _defence_ of the _Methodists_ (so called) or any part of them. It is a bare _relation_ of a series of naked facts, which alone may remove abundance of misunderstandings.
In _November 1729_, four young gentlemen of _Oxford_, Mr. _John Wesley_, fellow of _Lincoln_-College, Mr. _Charles Wesley_, student of _Christ-Church_, Mr. _Morgan_, commoner of _Christ-church_, and Mr. _Kirkham_, of _Merton_-College, began to spend some evenings in a week together, in reading, chiefly the _Greek Testament_. The next year two or three of Mr. _John Wesley_’s pupils desired the liberty of meeting with them: and afterwards one of Mr. _Charles Wesley_’s pupils. It was in 1732, that Mr. _Ingham_, of _Queen_’s-College, and Mr. _Broughton_, of _Exeter_, were added to their number. To these, in _April_, was joined Mr. _Clayton_, of _Brazen-nose_, with two or three of his pupils. About the same time Mr. _James Hervey_ was permitted to meet with them, and in 1735 Mr. _Whitefield_.
5. The exact regularity of their lives, as well as studies, occasioned a young gentleman of _Christ-church_ to say, “Here is a new set of _Methodists_ sprung up:” alluding to some antient physicians who were so called. The name was new and quaint: so it took immediately, and the _Methodists_ were known all over the university.
6. They were all zealous members of the church of _England_, not only tenacious of all her doctrines, so far as they knew them, but of all her discipline, to the minutest circumstance. They were likewise zealous observers of all the university-statutes, and that for conscience sake. But they observed neither these nor any thing else any further than they conceived it was bound upon them by that one book, _the bible_; it being their one desire and design to be downright _bible Christians_: taking the bible, as interpreted by the primitive church and our own, for their whole and sole rule.
7. The one charge then advanced against them was, That they were _righteous overmuch_; that they were ♦abundantly too scrupulous, and too strict, carrying things to great extremes. In particular, that they laid too much stress upon the rubrics and canons of the church; that they insisted too much on observing the statutes of the university: and that they took the scriptures in too strict and literal a sense: so that if they were right, _few_ indeed would _be saved_.
♦ “abundanly” replaced with “abundantly”
8. In _October 1735_, Mr. _John_ and _Charles Wesley_, and Mr. _Ingham_, left _England_, with a design to go and preach to the _Indians_ in _Georgia_. But the rest of the gentlemen continued to meet, till one and another was ordained and left the university. By which means, in about two years time, scarce any of them were left.
9. In _February 1738_, Mr. _Whitefield_ went over to _Georgia_, with a design to assist Mr. _John Wesley_; but Mr. _Wesley_ just then returned to _England_. Soon after he had a meeting with Mess. _Ingham_, _Stonhouse_, _Hall_, _Hutchings_, _Kinchin_, and a few other clergymen, who all appeared to be of one heart, as well as of one judgment, resolved to be _Bible-Christians_ at all events, and, wherever they were, to preach with all their might, plain, old, Bible-Christianity.
10. They were hitherto perfectly regular in all things, and zealously attached to the _church_ of _England_. Meantime they began to be convinced, that _by grace we are saved through faith_; that justification by faith was the doctrine of the church, as well as of the bible. As soon as they _believed_, they _spake_; salvation by faith being now their standing topic. Indeed this implied three things, 1. That men are all by nature _dead in sin_, and consequently _children of wrath_. 2. That they are _justified by faith alone_. 3. That faith produces inward and outward holiness. And these points they insisted on, day and night. In a short time, they became popular preachers. The congregations were large wherever they preached. The former name was then revived. And all these gentlemen, with their followers, were intitled _Methodists_.