The PRINCIPLES of a METHODIST.
Written in 1740.
Occasioned by a late pamphlet, intitled, A brief _history of the principles of_ METHODISM.
_To the READER._
1. I _HAVE often wrote on_ controverted points _before; but not with an eye to_ any _particular person. So that this is the first time I have appeared in_ controversy, _properly so called. Indeed I have not wanted occasion to do it before. Particularly when after many stabs in the dark, I was publicly attacked, not by an open enemy, but by_ my own familiar friend. _But I_ could _not answer_ him. _I could only cover my face and say,_ Καὶ σὺ εἶ ἐκείνων: Καὶ σὺ, τέκνον; _Art thou also among them? Art thou, my son?_
2. _I now tread an untried path with fear and trembling; fear, not of my adversary, but of myself. I fear my own spirit, lest I “fall, where many mightier have been slain.” I never knew one (or but one) man write controversy, with what I thought a right spirit. Every disputant seems to think (as every soldier) that he_ may _hurt his opponent as much as he can; nay, that he ought to_ do his worst _to him, or he cannot_ make the best _of his own cause: that, so he do not bely or wilfully misrepresent him, he_ must expose _him as far as he is able. It is enough, we suppose, if we do not shew heat or passion against our adversary. But, not to despise him, or endeavour to make others do so, is quite a work of supererogation._
3. _But ought these things to be so? (I speak on the Christian scheme.) Ought we not to love our neighbour as ourselves? And does a man cease to be our neighbour, because he is of a different opinion? Nay, and declares himself so to be? Ought we not, for all this, to do to him as we would he should do to us? But do we ourselves love to be_ exposed, _or_ set in the worst light? _Would we willingly be treated with contempt? If not, why do we treat others thus? And yet who scruples it? Who does not hit every blot he can, however foreign to the merits of the cause? Who, in controversy, casts the mantle of love over the nakedness of his brother? Who keeps steadily and uniformly to the question, without ever striking at the person? Who shews in every sentence that he loves his brother, only less than the truth?_
4. _I have made a little faint essay towards this. I have a brother who is as my own soul. My desire is, in every word I say, to look upon Mr._ Tucker, _as in his place; and to speak no tittle concerning the one in any other spirit, than I would speak concerning the other. But whether I have attained this or no, I know not; for my heart is_ deceitful and desperately wicked. _If I have spoken any thing in another spirit, I pray God it may not be laid to my charge! And that it may not condemn me in that day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest! Mean while my heart’s desire, and prayer to God is, that both I and all who think it their duty to oppose me, may_ put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering: forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us.
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1. THERE has lately appeared in the world a tract intitled, _A brief history of the principles of Methodism_. I doubt not, but the writer’s design was good, and believe he has a real desire to know the truth. And the manner wherein he pursues that design, is, generally, calm and dispassionate. He is indeed in several mistakes: but as many of these are either of small consequence in themselves, or do not immediately relate to me, it is not my concern to mention them. All of any consequence which relates to me, I think, falls under three heads:
First, That I believe justification by faith alone;
Secondly, That I believe sinless perfection: and
Thirdly, that I believe inconsistencies.――――Of each of these I will speak as plainly as I can.
2. First, that I believe _justification by faith alone_. This I allow. For I am firmly persuaded, that every man of the offspring of _Adam_ is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature, inclined to evil: that this corruption of our nature, in every person born into the world, deserves God’s wrath and damnation, that therefore if ever we receive the remission of our sins, and are accounted righteous before God, it must be only for the merit of Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings of any kind. Nay, I am persuaded, that all works done before justification, have in them the nature of sin: and that, consequently, till he is justified, a man has no power to do any work which is pleasing and acceptable to God.