OR, A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF

WESLEYAN THEOLOGY;

3730

SELECTED FROM THE WRITINGS OF

THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, A. M.

AND SO ARRANGED AS TO FORM A MINIATURE BODY OF DIVINITY,

(FROM A LONDON PUBLICATION.)

REVISED, ENLARGED, AND AN INDEX ADDED.

NEW-YORK:

PUBLISHED BY G. LANE & C. B. TIPPETT,
FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
200 MULBERRY STREET.

J. Collord, Printer.
1846

PREFACE TO WESLEYANA

THE opposers of Methodism have, both in their oral teachings and in their writings, often misrepresented its doctrines: some, perhaps, ignorantly and very bunglingly; some artfully and very ingeniously; and some, we fear, wickedly. By some we have been represented as teaching that man makes the first step toward his recovery from sin; that we are to expect justification by the merit of works; that in so doing we rob Christ of his crown, and set aside the agency of the Holy Spirit; while not a few suppose that we believe and teach the doctrine of absolute and immaculate perfection. As an answer to the first part of this charge, viz., "that man makes the first step toward his recovery from sin," we would say, Read our hymns. "What are our works but sin and death.

Till thou thy quick'ning Spirit breathe;
Thou giv'st the power thy grace to move :
O wondrous grace! O boundless love!"

As an answer to the second, viz., "that we are to expect justification by works," let the following be noticed :

"Thou all our works in us hast wrought,

Our good is all divine;

The praise of every virtuous thought

And righteous word is thine."

"Look unto him, ye nations; own

Your God, ye fallen race;

Look, and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace."

To the third charge, viz., that of "robbing Christ of his crown," we must say, Read the following:

To the fourth charge, viz., "setting aside the agency of the Holy Spirit," we reply, Look at this :

"Mercy and grace are thine alone,
And power and wisdom too:
Without the Spirit of thy Son
We nothing good can do.
We cannot speak one useful word,
One holy thought conceive,
Unless, in answer to our Lord,

Thyself the blessing give."

To the fifth charge, viz., that "the Methodists believe in absolute perfection as attainable in this life," we reply, We never taught, or even dreamed, of such a perfection as excludes all farther attainments, or higher degrees of love to God and man in this life, much less of such a state of grace from which it is impossible to fall. On this subject our language is,—

On the subject of the Methodist doctrines we are happy to give the views of one who has long been acquainted with them, and who is able to judge.

To the Editor of the [Wesleyan] Methodist Magazine.

I have lately been taking a view of the origin of Methodism, and of the manner in which it has pleased God so graciously to carry on that great work which has proved a source of good to hundreds of thousands of precious souls, and which still continues so graciously to prevail.

When it pleased God to raise up the Rev. John Wesley to be the founder of Methodism, he resolved, through divine help, to make the BIBLE his only guide in all the important doctrines which he embraced, and which he faithfully delivered to the people. His own language was, "I design plain truth for plain people: therefore, of set purpose, I abstain from all nice and philosophical speculations, from all perplexed and intricate reasonings, and, as far as possible, from even the show of learning, unless in sometimes citing the original Scriptures."

The following sentiments are also truly worthy of that great man :-"I am a creature of a day, passing through