📘 The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church (1798), with Notes by Coke and Asbury

1. What Methodists Believe: The Twenty-Five Articles of Religion

The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, with Explanatory Notes by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury, 10th ed. (Philadelphia, 1798), Chapter I, Section II: “Articles of Religion,” Articles I–XXV with the bishops’ notes. OCR lines 332–1459 (Internet Archive item doctrinesanddis18churgoog). Primary source; the interpretations are the authors’.

CTS note: John Wesley abridged the Church of England’s Thirty-Nine Articles to twenty-four for the American Methodists in 1784; the American church added Article XXIII on the civil rulers of the new nation. In 1798 the bishops placed scripture proofs (“Notes”) under each article; the numbers (1), (2) and so on point to the clauses of the article being proved. Old terms: “preventing” grace means grace that goes before us; “quick” means living; “fond” means foolish; “want” means lack; “asseveration” is a solemn affirmation; “experimental” religion is religion known by experience. The bishops’ polemic against Roman Catholic teaching reflects its own century. The Church of the Nazarene and other Wesleyan bodies later wrote their own Articles of Faith; this is the historical Methodist text. Article XIX’s note breaks off at a page turn in the scan, marked [illegible].

SECTION II. Articles of Religion.

I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this God-head, there are three persons of one substance, power, and eternity;—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

NOTES.

This article is proved from the following scriptures, viz. (1) John iv. 24. God is a Spirit. Ephes. iii. 9. God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. (2) John i. 14. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. viii. 54. Jesus answered,—it is my Father that honoureth me. x. 29. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all. (3) John i. 1. The Word was God. Isai. ix. 6. Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and his name shall be called The mighty God. John xx. 28. Thomas said unto him [Christ], My Lord and my God. Acts xx. 28. Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Rom. ix. 5. Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Phil. ii. 6. Who [Christ Jesus] being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Tit. ii. 13. The glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Heb. i. 8. Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. 1 John v. 20. His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (4) John xiv. 26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,—shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. xv. 26. When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,—he shall testify of me. xvi. 8. When he [the Comforter] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. (5) 1 John v. 7. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. Matt. xxviii. 19. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Luke iii. 22. The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, like a dove, upon him [Christ], and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

II. Of the Word, or Son of God, who was made very Man.

The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man’s nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the God-head and manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.

NOTES.

This article is proved by many of the above-quoted, as well as by the following scriptures, viz. (1) John i. 14. And the Word [who was God, ver. 1.] was made flesh. Phil. ii. 7, 8. Christ Jesus [who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, ver. 5, 6.] was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 1 Tim. iii. 16. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh. (2) Col. i. 14. In whom [God’s dear Son] we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Ephes. ii. 13, 16. Now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace,—that he might reconcile both [Jews and Gentiles] unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. 1 Tim. ii. 6. Who [Christ Jesus] gave himself a ransom for all.

III. Of the Resurrection of Christ.

Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day.

NOTES.

Matt. xxviii. 6. He [Jesus] is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Luke xxiv. 39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Handle me, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. Mark xvi. 19. After the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

IV. Of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

NOTES.

(1) John xiv. 16, 17. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. John xiv. 26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, &c. (2) Rom. viii. 9. Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you: now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Gal. iv. 6. Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. (3) 2 Cor. iii. 3. The Spirit of the living God. 2 Cor. iii. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 1 Pet. iv. 14. The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.

V. The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, or may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the church.

The Names of the Canonical Books.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher, Cantica, or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the greater, Twelve Prophets the less.

All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.

NOTES.

2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Pet. i. 19, 20, 21. We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation; for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Isai. viii. 20. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 1 Pet. iv. 11. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. Psalm cxix. 72. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. Ver. 97. O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm cxxxviii. 2. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

By the word canonical is meant whatever respects, or is confirmed by, the laws of the church; and here it particularly refers to the decisions of the councils in the first and purest ages of christianity concerning the holy scriptures; in which times the inspired writings were collected into one volume. The scriptures of the Old Testament had indeed been published in one volume long before by the Jews; but the scriptures of the New were then added to them.

We could enter minutely into the proofs of the divine authority of each book, both of the Old and New Testament, and into an account of the times in which they were written, and the persons by whom: but it would require a treatise of itself, to do justice to so extensive a subject.

VI. Of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and man. Wherefore, they are not to be heard, who feign that the old Fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet, notwithstanding, no christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments, which are called moral.

NOTES.

(1) Luke xxiv. 27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he [Christ] expounded unto them, in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself. John v. 39. Search the scriptures [of the Old Testament, which alone were then in being]; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me. (2) Job xix. 25–27. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though, after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. Psalm xvii. 15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. (3) Matt. xxii. 40. On these two commandments [the love of God, and love of man] hang all the law and the prophets. Matt. vii. 12. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

VII. Of Original or Birth Sin.

Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.

NOTES.

Gen. vi. 5. God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Psalm xiv. 3. They are all gone aside; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Psalm liii. 3. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Rom. iii. 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. Psalm li. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Eph. ii. 1–3. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom also we all had our conversation, in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Mark vii. 21–23. From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

VIII. Of Free-Will.

The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and works to faith, and calling upon God: wherefore, we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

NOTES.

(1) 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved). Ver. 8, 9. By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. (2) John xv. 5. Without me [Christ] ye can do nothing. Phil. ii. 12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.

IX. Of the Justification of Man.

We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings:—wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

NOTES.

(1) Rom. iii. 24–26. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: to declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Rom. v. 18. Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so, by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Rom. x. 4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Gal. ii. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (2) Psalm xxxii. 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Rom. v. 1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

X. Of Good Works.

Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by its fruit.

NOTES.

(1) Gal. v. 6. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. James ii. 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his [Abraham’s] works, and by works was faith made perfect? Ver. 26. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (2) Heb. xiii. 16. To do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. James i. 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Tit. iii. 8. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.

XI. Of Works of Supererogation.

Voluntary works, besides, over and above God’s commandments, which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety. For by them men do declare, That they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

NOTES.

Job xxii. 2, 3. Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect? 1 Cor. iv. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou, which thou didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

XII. Of Sin after Justification.

Not every sin willingly committed after justification, is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification: after we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, who say they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

NOTES.

(1) 2 Sam. xii. 13. David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Matt. xxvi. 75. Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly [and Peter certainly was pardoned]. (2) Jer. iii. 22. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Hosea xiv. 4. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely. 1 John ii. 1. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not: and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

XIII. Of the Church.

The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered, according to Christ’s ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

NOTES.

Matt. xviii. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Rom. xvi. 5. Greet the church that is in their house. 1 Cor. xvi. 19. The churches of Asia salute you. 1 Cor. xi. 18. When ye come together in the church, &c.

XIV. Of Purgatory.

The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshipping, and adoration, as well of images as of reliques, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant of scripture, but repugnant to the word of God.

NOTES.

(1) Exod. xx. 4, 5. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, &c. Matt. iv. 10. Jesus said unto him,—It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Col. ii. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of angels, &c. 1 Tim. ii. 5. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Rev. xix. 10. I [John] fell at his feet to worship him; and he said unto me, See thou do it not; I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God. Rev. xxii. 8, 9. I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. (2) Luke xvi. 26. Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulph fixed; so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. John viii. 21. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. (3) Mark ii. 5, &c. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit, that they so reasoned within themselves [he did not deny the justness of their reasoning, in ascribing to God only the power of forgiving sins, but] he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man [he does not add, and the pope and his priests] hath power on earth to forgive sins. He saith to the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, &c. See also Matt. ix. 2, &c. and Luke v. 18, &c.

XV. Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the People understand.

It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God, and the custom of the primitive church, to have public prayer in the church, or to minister the sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people.

NOTES.

1 Cor. xiv. 11. If I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian; and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. Ver. 14. If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. Ver. 16. When thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned, say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? Ver. 19. In the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. See the whole chapter.

XVI. Of the Sacraments.

Sacraments ordained of Christ, are not only badges or tokens of christian men’s profession; but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God’s good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him.

There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.

Those five commonly called Sacraments; that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have partly grown out of the corrupt following of the Apostles; and partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, because they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God.

The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about; but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves condemnation, as St. Paul saith.

NOTES.

(1) Matt. xxviii. 19. Mark xvi. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Acts ii. 38. Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. viii. 12. When they believed Philip preaching,—they were baptized, both men and women. Ver. 16. As yet he [the Holy Ghost] was fallen upon none of them; only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. xvi. 15. When she [Lydia] was baptized, and her household, &c. xix. 5. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. xxii. 16. And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, &c. Rom. vi. 3, 4. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 1 Cor. i. 16. I baptized also the household of Stephanas. 1 Pet. iii. 21. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (2) Luke xxii. 19. He [Jesus] took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 1 Cor. xi. 24–26. When he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Chap. x. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (3) Chap. xi. 27. Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. See also the 29th verse.

In respect to the five additional sacraments, which the church of Rome has been pleased to adopt, there is not the least imaginable authority from the word of God to consider them as such. They want the essential requisites of a sacrament; and have been imposed on a considerable part of mankind by a most corrupt priesthood, whose only aim was to enrich and aggrandize themselves.

And from the same corrupt fountain sprung the gaudy, superstitious custom of carrying about the Host, that the poor blinded multitude might gaze at it, and worship it, to the degradation of human nature, as well as the dishonour of God.

XVII. Of Baptism.

Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it is also a sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the church.

NOTES.

Matt. iii. 11. I [John the Baptist] indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me—shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. John iii. 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Mark x. 13–16. They brought young children to him [Christ], that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.—And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

The preceding scripture evidently demonstrates, that the little children were entitled to all the privileges of the kingdom of glory, and, of necessary consequence, to all the privileges of the kingdom of grace. They must, therefore, be entitled to the benefit of that ordinance, which initiates the members of Christ’s kingdom into his church below. See also the texts concerning baptism, on the preceding article, particularly those which respect the baptizing of whole households or families.

XVIII. Of the Lord’s Supper.

The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ’s death: insomuch, that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the Supper of our Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions.

The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is faith.

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was not by Christ’s ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.

NOTES.

Matt. xxvi. 28. This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Mark xiv. 24. This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many. Luke xxii. 19. This is my body, which is given for you. 1 Cor. xi. 24. This is my body, which is broken for you. v. 7. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. See the texts on the 16th article.

In respect to the doctrine of transubstantiation, or the change of the bread and wine in the Lord’s supper into the real body and blood of Christ, so that the divinity as well as humanity of Christ is contained in the transubstantiated elements, we have little hopes of convincing those of their error, who can hold so absurd a notion. If they can credit the assertion, that a man can put his God into his mouth and swallow him down his throat, or that he can even swallow the whole humanity of the blessed Jesus, “whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things” (Acts iii. 21), they must indeed be prepared to receive any error, which a corrupt and interested clergy may think proper to impose upon them, however absurd or monstrous it may be. Nor do we know of any opinion of the heathen mythologists, concerning their Jupiters, Junos, and Venuses, so astonishingly monstrous as the doctrine of transubstantiation.

At the same time, we are well assured that the true believer does, in a spiritual manner, feed upon the body and blood of Jesus Christ: and in this spiritual sense we take those words of our Lord, John vi. 51–58. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him:” and faith is the grand instrument, whereby we thus spiritually discern the Lord’s body, and spiritually eat his flesh, and drink his blood.

XIX. Of both Kinds.

The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay-people: for both the parts of the Lord’s Supper, by Christ’s ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all christians alike.

NOTES.

It is indubitable, from the 11th chapter of St. Paul’s 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, that the Lord’s supper was administered in both kinds to all the communicants in the apostolic age. The apostle, addressing himself to the Corinthians, observes in the 20th, 21st, and 22d verses, “When ye come together, therefore, into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating, every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in?” Here St. Paul does not complain of their drinking the wine at the Lord’s supper, which he certainly would, if the cup was to be confined to the ministers; but of their both eating and drinking most intemperately. He adds, in the 26th verse, &c. “As often as ye [Corinthians] eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man [any christian, not a priest only, for neither priest nor minister is here mentioned] examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup,” &c. The whole passage removes all possibility of dispute, where the scripture is the rule of judgment. And indeed the refusal of the cup to the people is, even in the church of Rome, of very late date: however, it shews much of that wisdom which is from beneath; for it requires much more faith to believe in the transubstantiation of the wine after consecration, than of the wafer which has little or no [illegible]

XX. Of the one Oblation of Christ, finished upon the Cross.

The offering of Christ once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in the which it is commonly said that the priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable, and dangerous deceit.

NOTES.

Heb. vii. 26, 27. Such an high priest became us,—who needeth not daily, as those high priests [of the tribe of Levi], to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. Heb. x. 11–14. Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man [Christ], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God.—For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. John xix. 30. He [Jesus] said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The sacrifice of masses, in which Christ is supposed to be offered again, is wholly grounded on the doctrine of transubstantiation: and it must be granted, that if the wafer, after consecration, be the real body of Christ, the priest may offer it, or crucify it, or do what he please with it.

XXI. Of the Marriage of Ministers.

The ministers of Christ are not commanded by God’s law either to vow the estate of single life, or to abstain from marriage; therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other christians, to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve best to godliness.

NOTES.

1 Tim. iv. 1–3. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;—forbidding to marry, &c. 1 Cor. ix. 5. Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Heb. xiii. 4. Marriage is honourable in all.

XXII. Of the Rites and Ceremonies of Churches.

It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be the same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men’s manners, so that nothing be ordained against God’s word.—Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely doth openly break the rites and ceremonies of the church to which he belongs, which are not repugnant to the word of God, and are ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear to do the like, as one that offendeth against the common order of the church, and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren.

Every particular church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification.

NOTES.

(1) Heb. xiii. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief. 1 Cor. xi. 16. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. (2) Rom. ii. 8. Unto them that are contentious,—indignation and wrath. xvi. 17, 18. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 1 Cor. i. 10. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. iii. 3. Ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? Tit. iii. 9. Avoid—contentions. (3) 1 Cor. xiv. 33. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Ver. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order. Col. ii. 5. Though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order.

From these texts, we may observe, 1. That the word of God requires that the members of a church should shew obedience and submission to those who have the pastoral care and superintendence over them. In essential points they should make no sacrifice to the judgment of others; but in unessential matters (as all rites and ceremonies are, which are not repugnant to the word of God) they are required to obey, and submit to, their chief pastors. And if the contentious are determined to censure this doctrine, they must lay the blame at the proper door, and criminate the scriptures themselves. 2. The texts which are produced to shew the great sin and dreadful consequences of strife, contention, and division, should place every good man on his guard against a practice so injurious to the work of God. Well is Satan represented as the spirit of division! It is the great work of Christ to unite God to man, and man to man; and the great work of the devil to divide man from God, and man from man. And, alas! this great enemy of mankind has been but too successful!—so successful, that we doubt whether greater injury has not been done, in the different ages of the world, to the cause of religion, by this grand engine of the evil one, than by all the gross vices committed by mankind! The unregenerate are under the wrath of God, whether they be formalists or open sinners: but the spirit of division enters within the vail—enters into the sanctuary, and eats up the very vitals of religion: it changes the peace and concord and union of religious societies, into jealousy, evil surmisings, malice, and envy: and too often concludes with every evil word and work.

3. And how is it possible to bring the discipline of a church to any degree of perfection, or even to preserve that order in it, which is essentially necessary for its peace and prosperity, if every member has a right to oppose or despise its laws, and to set up his judgment or fancy against the united wisdom of those, who, by common consent, have exercised the government thereof? It is this miserable spirit which has broken the most lively christian societies into parties, and given their enemies such plausible grounds to despise and ridicule the great truths of experimental religion. O that the Prince of peace and concord may preserve us from this schismatic spirit!

XXIII. Of the Rulers of the United States of America.

The president, the congress, the general assemblies, the governors, and the councils of state, as the delegates of the people, are the rulers of the United States of America, according to the division of power made to them by the general act of confederation, and by the constitutions of their respective states. And the said states ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction.

NOTES.

Rom. xiii. 1–7. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation: for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore, ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For, for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render, therefore, to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Tit. iii. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates. 2 Pet. ii. 9–11. The Lord knoweth how—to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities: whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. Jude 8. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, and for all that are in authority.

XXIV. Of Christian Men’s Goods.

The riches and goods of christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

NOTES.

(1) Acts v. 3, 4. Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Charge them that are rich in this world [not that they throw their property into a common stock with the other members of the church to which they belong, but] that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. (2) Matt. xxv. 34–40. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

XXV. Of a Christian Man’s Oath.

As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ, and James his apostle; so we judge that the christian religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the prophet’s teaching, in justice, judgment, and truth.

NOTES.

(1) Matt. v. 34–37. I say unto you, Swear not at all:—But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Jam. v. 12. Above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. (2) Matt. xxvi. 63, 64. The high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: [or, as St. Mark expresses it, ch. xiv. 62.] Jesus said, I am. [Jesus answered the high priest on being solemnly adjured or sworn by him in the name of the living God; though he would not answer him when questioned without an oath: and we may also observe, that the Jews always considered themselves upon oath, when thus adjured by the high priest. Why then should our Saviour give sanction to an oath by answering the adjuration, if no person ought to swear or take an oath before a magistrate?] 2 Cor. i. 18. As God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. Ver. 23. Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. Gal. i. 20. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. [St. Paul, in each of these instances, calls God to witness the truth which he asserted, which has in it the nature and properties of a solemn oath.] Heb. vi. 13. When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself. Ver. 16, 17. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.

When we candidly compare together the texts quoted above, we do not see the possibility of reconciling them, but by allowing, on the one hand, that it is sinful (it “cometh of evil”) to use any asseveration in common discourse, stronger than the simple yes and no; and, on the other hand, that it is perfectly lawful to make oath before the magistrate on all important occasions.

Nevertheless, we do not object to any of our brethren, who still have doubts on this subject, and demand, where it can be obtained, an affirmation instead of an oath.

2. Conferences and Bishops: The Connexional Government of 1798

The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, with Explanatory Notes by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury, 10th ed. (Philadelphia, 1798), Chapter I, Sections III–IV: “Of the General and Yearly Conferences” and “Of the Election and Consecration of Bishops, and of their Duty,” with the bishops’ notes. OCR lines 1460–2344 (Internet Archive item doctrinesanddis18churgoog). Primary source; the interpretations are the authors’.

CTS note: “Connexion” (or “connection”) is the whole network of Methodist societies and preachers bound together under one conference. A “travelling” or itinerant preacher moved from circuit to circuit at the bishop’s appointment; a “located” preacher had settled in one place. “Stationing” means assigning preachers to their circuits. Preachers were first received “on trial” and later “into full connection.” “Superannuated” means retired through age; a “supernumerary” is defined in the footnote. The general conference met every four years; the yearly (annual) conferences met each year. In this OCR text, words the scan did not allow us to recover are marked [illegible]. This is the historical Methodist Episcopal plan; the Church of the Nazarene and other Wesleyan bodies govern themselves through their own Manuals and Disciplines.

SECTION III. Of the General and Yearly Conferences.

IT is desired that all things be considered on these occasions, as in the immediate presence of God; that every person speak freely whatever is in his heart.

Quest. 1. How may we best improve our time in the conferences?

Answ. 1. While we are conversing, let us have an especial care to set God always before us.

2. In the intermediate hours, let us redeem all the time we can for private exercises.

3. Therein let us give ourselves to prayer for one another, and for a blessing on our labour.

Quest. 2. Who shall compose the general conference?

Answ. All the travelling preachers who shall be in full connection at the time of holding the conference.

Quest. 3. Who shall attend the yearly conferences?

Answ. All the travelling preachers who are in full connection, and those who are to be received into full connection.

Quest. 4. Who shall appoint the times of holding the yearly conferences?

Answ. The bishops.

Quest. 5. What is the method wherein we usually proceed in the yearly conferences?

Answ. We inquire, 1. What preachers are admitted on trial?

2. Who remain on trial?

3. Who are admitted into full connection?

4. Who are the deacons?

5. Who are the elders?

6. Who have been elected by the unanimous suffrages of the general conference to exercise the episcopal office, and superintend the Methodist episcopal church in America?

7. Who are under a location, through weakness of body, or family concerns? 8. Who are the supernumeraries?* 9. Who have died this year? 10. Are all the preachers blameless in life and conversation?

* A supernumerary preacher is one so worn out in the itinerant service, as to be rendered incapable of preaching constantly: but, at the same time, is willing to do any work in the ministry, which the conference may direct and his strength enable him to perform.

11. Who are expelled from the connection?

12. Where are the preachers stationed this year?

13. What numbers are in society?

14. What has been collected for the contingent expences?

15. How has this been expended?

16. What is contributed towards the fund for the superannuated preachers, and the widows and orphans of the preachers?

17. What demands are there upon it?

18. Where and when shall our next conference be held? Quest. 6. Is there any other business to be done in the yearly conferences?

Answ. The electing and ordaining of elders and deacons.

Quest. 7. Are there any other directions to be given concerning the yearly conferences?

Answ. There shall be six conferences in the year: as follows, viz.

1st. The New-England conference, under the direction of which shall be the affairs of our church in New-England, and in that part of the state of New-York, which lies on the east side of Hudson’s river: Provided, That if the bishops see it necessary, a conference may be held in the Province of Maine.

2. The Philadelphia conference, for the direction of our concerns in the remainder of the state of New-York, in New-Jersey, in all that part of Pennsylvania which lies on the east side of the Susquehannah river; the state of Delaware, and all the rest of the peninsula.

3. The Baltimore conference, for the remainder of Pennsylvania, the remainder of Maryland, and the Northern neck of Virginia.

4. The Virginia conference, for all that part of Virginia which lies on the south side of the Rappahannock river, and for all that part of North-Carolina which lies, on the north side of Cape-Fear river, including also the circuits which are situated on the branches of the Yadkin.

5. The South-Carolina conference, for South-Carolina, Georgia, and the remainder of North-Carolina.

6. The western conference, for the states of Kentucky and Tennessee; Provided, That the bishops shall have authority to appoint other yearly conferences in the interval of the general conference, if a sufficiency of new circuits be any where formed for that purpose.

Quest. 8. How are the districts to be formed?

Answ. According to the judgment of the bishop.

N. B. In case that there be no bishop to travel through the districts, and exercise the episcopal office, on account of death, the districts shall be regulated in every respect by the yearly conferences and the presiding elders, till the ensuing general conference (ordinations only excepted).

NOTES.

It is indispensably necessary for every great body of people, whether united by civil or religious bonds, to have among them a select number, invested with the authority of making regulations, for the government of the society. It is of small importance by what name this select body is distinguished. The name which our venerable father in the gospel, the late Mr. Wesley, preferred, in respect to our society, was that of Conference; and we have, therefore, continued to use it. Indeed the name is perfectly scriptural. In the Acts of the Apostles we are informed, that Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem to consult the apostles and elders, in respect to the dispute concerning circumcision. But after they had delivered their message, “and declared all things that God had done with them,— there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying, that it was needful to circumcise them [the gentiles] and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” See the 15th chapter of the Acts. This very meeting is called, by St Paul, Gal. ii. 1–10, a conference: “For they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me.” It is impossible for any discerning person who attentively compares the two chapters together, not to see that the conference here spoken of respected the meeting of the apostles and elders with Paul and Barnabas [illegible]. St. Paul seems to use the word as if it was well known, and frequently applied to such meetings.

Our societies are scattered over a vast country, extending about fourteen hundred miles from north to south, and from five to eight hundred from east to west. We could not, therefore, in justice to the work of God, nor from the state of our finances, hold our general conferences oftener than once in four years. If they were more frequent, the long absence of so many ministers from their respective circuits and districts, would be an irreparable loss to the societies and congregations. Nor do we think, that the nature of a religious constitution renders it necessary to revise more frequently the regulations by which it is governed. But there are various particulars, which do not come under the name of laws, which require more frequent assemblies or conferences for their consideration. The admission of preachers on trial and into full connection, the ordination of elders and deacons, the examination of the characters of the ministers and preachers, and the stationing of them all, as well as the management of the fund for the superannuated preachers, &c. are points of the strictest moment, and call for frequent meetings. On this account, the general conference has appointed yearly conferences, divided in the best manner they were able; to be composed, as far as possible, of at least one bishop— the presiding elder of each district within the controul of those conferences, respectively — the elders, deacons, and the preachers in full connexion. These men, who have been travelling the preceding year among all the societies in those districts and circuits, respectively, can give the fullest, the completest information on all the subjects which come under the cognizance of the yearly conferences.

But it may be asked. Why are not delegates sent to these conferences from each of the circuits? We answer, It would utterly destroy our itinerant plan. They would be concerned chiefly, if not only, for the interests of their own constituents. They could not be expected, from the nature of things, to make the necessary sacrifices, and to enter impartially into the good of the whole. They would necessarily endeavour to obtain the most able and lively preachers for their respective circuits, without entering, perhaps at all, into that enlarged, apostolic spirit, which would endeavour, whatever might be the sacrifice, to make all things tally. The difference of gifts in the ministers, and the opposing interests of the delegates, would produce conflicts, of a pernicious tendency; and, in many instances, improper means would be used for obtaining the desired point. Frequently the delegates, if unsuccessful in their application for their favourite preacher, would probably make him secret offers to settle among them; and if unsuccessful in every point, and the preacher, appointed for them and their constituents, was not agreeable to their wishes, they might grow indignant, and, through resentment, and by their unfavourable reports, on their return, might cause a separation from the general body. And those who imagine this to be a mere chimera, shew, we think, but little knowledge of human nature: they do not consider how easily and powerfully the heated passions would plead in favour of a settled ministry—how easily disappointment and jealousy would present the purest and most disinterested conduct in the most unfavourable light: to say nothing of the labour and expence of such a plan. Whilst, on the other hand, the present members who compose our conferences, who know not, when they meet, what may be their next sphere of action, and are willing to run any where on the errands of their Lord, are not nearly as much exposed to the temptations mentioned above.*

The following portions of the Word of God are pointed out in support of the itinerant plan for the propagation of the gospel; which plan renders most of the regulations contained in this section, essential to the existence of our united society: Matt. x. 5–11. “These twelve [apostles] Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go— to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire,” &c. Matt. xxii. 8–10. “Then saith he to his servants. The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore, into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways,” &c. Matt. xxviii. 19. “Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations.” Mark vi. 7–12. “And he calleth unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two, and commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only.—And he said unto them. In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide, till ye depart from that place.— And they went out, and preached that men should repent.” Luke x. 1–9. “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.—And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you,—say unto them. The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” Luke xiv. 23. “And the lord said unto the servant. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Acts viii. 4. “They that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” Ver. 40. “Philip—preached in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea.” xv. 36. “Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord,” &c.

* We are very far from making these remarks out of any disrespect to our located brethren. On the contrary, we are very conscious that many of them equal any of us, and perhaps much exceed us in grace and wisdom. We have made these observations only on account of their located situation, well knowing that our people would on no occasion choose any for their delegates who were not wise and good men, But such is the nature of man, and perhaps such is the duty of man, that he will always prefer the people for whom he acts, and to whom he is responsible, before all others. We should, probably, act in the same manner ourselves, if we were delegates for a single circuit or district.

We have already shewn, that Timothy and Titus were travelling bishops. In short, every candid person, who is thoroughly acquainted with the New Testament, must allow, that whatever excellencies other plans may have, this is the primitive and apostolic plan. But we would by no means speak with disrespect of the faithful located ministers of any church. We doubt not, but, from the nature and circumstances of things, there must have been many located ministers in the primitive churches: and we must acknowledge, with gratitude to God, that the located brethren in our church are truly useful and of considerable consequence, in their respective stations. But, on the other hand, we are so conscious of the vast importance of the travelling plan, that we are determined, through the grace of God, to support it to the utmost of our power: nor will any plea which can possibly be urged, however plausible it may appear, or under whatever pretence proposed, induce us to make the least sacrifice in this respect, or, by the introduction of any novelty, to run the least hazard of wounding that plan, which God has so wonderfully owned, and which is so perfectly consistent with the apostolic and primitive practice.

We will now humbly beg leave to drop a few hints (for laws or regulations we have no authority to make) as explanatory of those words in the introduction to this section, “It is desired, that every person speak freely whatever is in his heart:” and we propose them the more readily, as they are extracted from the minutes drawn up by our elder brethren, the members of the British conference:

I. Be tender of the character of every brother; but keep at the utmost distance from countenancing sin. 2. Say nothing in the conference but what is strictly necessary, and to the point.

3. If accused by any one, remember recrimination is no acquittance; therefore avoid it.

4. Beware of impatience of contradiction; be silent; but be open to conviction. The cause is God’s, and he needs not the hands of an Uzzah to support his ark. The being too tenacious of a point, because you brought it forward, may be only feeding self. Be quite easy, if a majority decide against you.

5. Use no craft or guile to gain any point. Genuine simplicity will always support itself. But there is no need always to say all you know or think.

6. Beware of too much confidence in your own abilities; and never despise an opponent.

7. Avoid all lightness of spirit, even what would be innocent any where else.—Thou, God, seest me.

The appointment of the times for holding the yearly conferences must necessarily be invested in the bishops, otherwise they cannot possibly form their plans for travelling through the continent, so that they may be enabled to attend each of the conferences. But the right of fixing the places rests with the conferences.

We cannot omit noticing, before we conclude this section, the strict examination which the characters of the preachers pass through, in the yearly conferences. When that eminent saint of God, and great writer, John Fletcher, was once present, in the British conference, at the examination of the characters, he seemed astonished, and expressed his surprise and approbation in very strong terms. The examination is equally strict in all the conferences throughout the connection. And we know of no church where the purity of the morals, the orthodoxy of the doctrines, and the usefulness of the lives and labours of the ministers (for all these are included in the examination) are more strictly attended to than in ours.

In respect to the division of the continent, for the purpose of holding the yearly conferences, we may observe, that for several years the annual conferences were very small, consisting only of the preachers of a single district, or of two or three very small ones. This was attended with many inconveniences. 1. There were but few of the senior preachers, whose years and experience had matured their judgments, who could be present at any one conference, 2. The conferences wanted that dignity which every religious synod should possess, and which always accompanies a large assembly of Gospel ministers. 3. The itinerant plan was exceedingly cramped, from the difficulty of removing preachers from one district to another. All these inconveniences will, we trust, be removed on the present plan; and at the same time the conferences are so arranged, that all the members, respectively, may attend with little difficulty.

To all which may be added, that the [illegible] unmarried preachers may move on a larger scale [illegible] blessed gospel far more extensively through the sixteen states, and other parts of the continent; whilst the married preachers, whose circumstances require them, in many instances, to be more located than the single men, will have a considerable field of action opened to them; and also the bishops will be able to attend the conferences with greater ease, and without injury to their health. The regulation concerning those who are to attend the conferences, is made, that our societies and congregations may be supplied with preaching during the conferences. We would, therefore, wish to have a few of the travelling preachers among our dear flocks at those times. But as we desire to make the conferences as respectable and weighty as possible, we can spare none at those important seasons, except the preachers upon trial. They, also, will be absent from the yearly conferences only for one year, as they must be present on the second to be admitted into full connexion.

SECTION IV. Of the Election and Consecration of Bishops, and of their Duty.

Quest. 1. How is a bishop to be constituted in future?

Answ. By the election of the general conference, and the laying on of the hands of three bishops, or at least of one bishop and two elders.

Quest. 2. If by death, expulsion, or otherwise, there be no bishop remaining in our church, what shall we do?

Answ. The general conference shall elect a bishop; and the elders, or any three of them, who shall be appointed by the general conference for that purpose, shall ordain him according to our office of ordination.

Quest. 3. What is the bishop’s duty?

Answ. 1. To preside in our conferences.

2. To fix the appointments of the preachers for the several circuits.

3. In the intervals of the conferences, to change, receive, or suspend preachers, as necessity may require.

4. To travel through the connection at large.

5. To oversee the spiritual and temporal business of the societies.

6. To ordain bishops, elders, and deacons.

Quest. 4. To whom is the bishop amenable for his conduct?

Answ. To the general conference, who have power to expel him for improper conduct, if they see it necessary.

Quest. 5. What provision shall be made for the trial of an immoral bishop, in the interval of the general conference?

Answ. If a bishop be guilty of immorality, three travelling elders shall call upon him, and examine him on the subject; and if the three elders verily believe that the bishop is guilty of the crime, they shall call to their aid two presiding elders from two districts in the neighbourhood of that where the crime was committed, each of which presiding elders shall bring with him two elders, or an elder and a deacon. The above mentioned nine persons shall form a conference, to examine into the charge brought against the bishop: and if two thirds of them verily believe him to be guilty of the crime said to his charge, they shall have authority to suspend the bishop till the ensuing general conference, and the districts shall be regulated in the mean time as is provided in the case of the death of a bishop.

Quest. 6. If the bishop cease from travelling at large among the people, shall he still exercise his office among us in any degree?

Answ. If he cease from travelling without the consent of the general conference, he shall not hereafter exercise any ministerial function whatsoever in our church.

N. B. The bishops have obtained liberty, by the suffrages of the conference, to ordain local preachers to the office of deacons, provided they obtain a testimonial from the society to which they belong, and from the stewards of the circuit, signed also by three elders, three deacons, and three travelling preachers.

NOTES.

In considering the present subject, we must observe, that nothing has been introduced into Methodism by the present episcopal form of government, which was not before fully exercised by Mr. Wesley. He presided in the conferences; fixed the appointments of the preachers for their several circuits; changed, received, or suspended preachers, wherever he judged that necessity required it; travelled through the European connection at large; superintended the spiritual and temporal business; and consecrated two bishops, Thomas Coke and Alexander Mather, one before the present episcopal plan took place in America, and the other afterwards, besides ordaining elders and deacons. But the authority of Mr. Wesley and that of the bishops in America differ in the following important points: 1. Mr. Wesley was the patron of all the Methodist pulpits in Great Britain and Ireland for life, the sole right of nomination being invested in him by all the deeds of settlement, which gave him exceeding great power. But the bishops in America possess no such power. The property of the preaching-houses is invested in the trustees; and the right of nomination to the pulpits, in the general conference — and in such as the general conference shall, from time to time, appoint. This division of power in favour of the general conference was absolutely necessary. Without it the itinerant plan could not exist for any long continuance. The trustees would probably, in many instances, from their located situation, insist upon having their favourite preachers stationed in their circuits, or endeavour to prevail on the preachers themselves to locate among them, or choose some other settled minister for their chapels. In other cases, the trustees of preaching-houses in different circuits would probably insist upon having the same popular or favourite preachers. (Here, then, we see what we observed in our notes on the last section concerning the sending of delegates to our conferences.) We have a great respect for our trustees. We consider them as men, to whom the connexion is greatly obliged. They fill up an important province in our church, and have a claim to a high rank among us. Humanly speaking, the work could not be carried on without them to any extent in the cities and towns. Their responsibility for the debts of our buildings, and the disinterested zeal which must necessarily influence them when they make themselves responsible, lay our societies under very great obligations. We both love and honour them. But still they are located men. They cannot be expected to act impartially for the whole. They will think it their duty, and perhaps it is their duty, to prefer the interests of their own congregations before any other. We should probably act in the same manner [illegible]. Here lies the grand difference between Mr. Wesley’s authority, in the present instance, and that of our American bishops. The former, as (under God) the father of the connection, was allowed to have the sole, independent nomination of preachers to all the chapels: the latter are entirely dependent on the general conference.

* We must repeat nearly the same observations concerning trustees, [illegible]

But why, may it be asked, does the general conference lodge the power of stationing the preachers in the episcopacy? We answer, On account of their entire confidence in it. If ever, through improper conduct, it loses that confidence in any considerable degree, the general conference will, upon evidence given, in a proportionable degree, take from it this branch of its authority. But if ever it evidently betrays a spirit of tyranny or partiality, and this can be proved, before the general conference, the whole will be taken from it: and we pray God, that in such case the power may be invested in other hands! And alas! who would envy any one the power? There is no situation in which a bishop can be placed, no branch of duty he can possibly exercise, so delicate, or which so exposes him to the jealousies not only of false but of true brethren, as this. The removal of preachers from district to district and from circuit to circuit, very nearly concern them, and touches their tenderest feelings: and it requires no small portion of grace for a preacher to be perfectly contented with his appointment, when he is stationed in a circuit, where the societies are small, the rides long, and the fare coarse. Any one, therefore, may easily see from the nature of man, that though the bishop has to deal with some of the best of men, he will sometimes raise up to himself opposers, who, by rather over-rating their own abilities, may judge him to be partial in respect to their appointments: and these circumstances would weigh down his mind to such a degree, as those who are not well acquainted with the difficulties which necessarily accompany public and important stations among mankind, can hardly conceive.

May we not add a few observations concerning the high expediency, if not necessity, of the present plan. How could an itinerant ministry be preserved through this extensive continent, if the yearly conferences were to station the preachers? They would, of course, be taken up with the sole consideration of the spiritual and temporal interest of that part of the connection, the direction of which was intrusted to them. The necessary consequence of this mode of proceeding would probably, in less than an age, be the division of the body and the independence of each yearly conference. The conferences would be more and more estranged from each other for want of a mutual exchange of preachers: and that grand spring, the motion of the whole at large, by which, under divine grace, the work is more and more extended through this vast country, would be gradually weakened, till at last it might be entirely destroyed. The connection would no more be enabled to send missionaries to the western states and territories, in proportion to their rapid population. The grand circulation of ministers would be at an end, and a mortal stab given to the itinerant plan. The surplus of preachers in one conference could not be drawn out to supply the deficiencies of others, through declensions, locations, deaths, &c. and the revivals in one part of the continent could not be rendered beneficial to the others. Our grand plan, in all its parts, leads to an itinerant ministry. Our bishops are travelling bishops. All the different orders which compose our conferences are employed in the travelling line; and our local preachers are, in some degree, travelling preachers. Every thing is kept moving as far as possible; and we will be bold to say, that, next to the grace of God, there is nothing like this for keeping the whole body alive from the centre to the circumference, and for the continual extension of that circumference on every hand. And we verily believe, that if our episcopacy should, at any time, through tyrannical or immoral conduct, come under the severe censure of the general conference, the members thereof would see it highly for the glory of God to preserve the present form, and only to change the men.

2. Mr. Wesley, as the venerable founder (under God) of the whole Methodist society, governed without any responsibility whatever; and the universal respect and veneration of both the preachers and people for him, made them cheerfully submit to this: nor was there ever, perhaps, a mere human being who used so much power better, or with a purer eye to the Redeemer’s glory, than that blessed man of God. But the American bishops are as responsible as any of the preachers. They are perfectly subject to the general conference. They are indeed conscious that the conference would neither degrade nor censure them, unless they deserved it. They have, on the one hand, the fullest confidence in their brethren; and, on the other, esteem the confidence which their brethren place in them, as the highest earthly honour they can receive.

But this is not all. They are subject to be tried by seven elders and two deacons, as prescribed above, for any immorality, or supposed immorality; and may be suspended by two-thirds of these, not only from all public offices, but even from being private members of the society, till the ensuing general conference; This mode subjects the bishops to a trial before a court of judicature, considerably inferior to that of a yearly conference. For there is not one of the yearly conferences which will not, probably, be attended by more presiding elders, elders, and deacons than the conference which is authorized to try a bishop, the yearly conferences consisting of from thirty to sixty members. And we can, without scruple, assert, that there are no bishops of any other episcopal church upon earth, who are subject to so strict a trial as the bishops of the Methodist episcopal church in America. We trust, they will never need to be influenced by motives drawn from the fear of temporal or ecclesiastical punishments, in order to keep from vice: But if they do, may the rod which hangs over them have its due effect; or may they be expelled the church, as “salt which hath lost its savour, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men!”

3. Mr. Wesley had the entire management of all the conference-funds and the produce of the books. It is true, he expended all upon the work of God, and for charitable purposes; and rather than appropriate the least of it to his own use, refused, even when he was about seventy years of age, to travel in a carriage, till his friends in London and Bristol entered into a private subscription for the extraordinary expense. That great man of God might have heaped up thousands upon thousands, if he had been so inclined; and yet he died worth nothing but a little pocket money, the horses and the carriage in which he travelled, and the clothes he wore; But our American bishops have no probability of being rich. For not a cent of the public money is at their disposal: the conferences have the entire direction of the whole. Their salary is sixty-four dollars a year; and their travelling expenses are also defrayed. And with this salary they have to travel about six thousand miles a year, “in much patience,” and sometimes “in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,” through “honour and dishonour, evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold,” they “live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing and yet possessing all things;” and, we trust, they can each of them through grace say, in their small measure, with the great apostle, that “they are determined not to know any thing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified; yea, doubtless, and count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord: for whom they have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that they may win Christ.”

We have drawn this comparison between our venerable father and the American bishops, to shew to the world that they possess not, and, we may add, they aim not to possess, that power which he exercised and had a right to exercise, as the father of the connexion: that, on the contrary, [illegible] dependent; that their power, their usefulness, themselves, are entirely at the mercy of the general conference; and, on the charge of immorality, at the mercy of two-thirds of the little conference of nine.

To these observations we may add, 1. That a branch of the episcopal office, which, in every episcopal church upon earth, since the first introduction of christianity, has been considered as essential to it, namely, the power of ordination, is singularly limited in our bishops. For they not only have no power to ordain a person for the episcopal office till he be first elected by the general conference, but they possess no authority to ordain an elder or a travelling deacon, till he be first elected by a yearly conference; or a local deacon, till he obtain a testimonial, signifying the approbation of the society to which he belongs, countersigned by the general stewards of the circuit, three elders, three deacons, and three travelling preachers. They are, therefore, not under the temptation of ordaining through interest, affection, or any other improper motive; because it is not in their power so to do. They have, indeed, authority to suspend the ordination of an elected person, because they are answerable to God for the abuse of their office, and the command of the apostle, “Lay hands suddenly on no man,” is absolute: and, we trust, where conscience was really concerned, and they had sufficient reason to exercise their power of suspension, they would do it, even to the loss of the esteem of their brethren, which is more dear to them than life; yea, even to the loss of their usefulness in the church, which is more precious to them than all things here below. But every one must be immediately sensible, how cautious they will necessarily be, as men of wisdom, in the exercise of this suspending power. For unless they had such weighty reasons for the exercise of it, as would give some degree of satisfaction to the conference which had made the election, they would throw themselves into difficulties, out of which they would not be able to extricate themselves, but by the meekest and wisest conduct, and by reparation to the injured person.

2. The bishops are obliged to travel, till the general conference pronounces them worn out or superannuated: for that certainly is the meaning of the answer to the 6th question of this section. What a restriction! Where is the like in any other episcopal church? It would be a disgrace to our episcopacy, to have bishops settled on their plantations here and there, evidencing to all the world, that instead of breathing the spirit of their office, they could, without remorse, lay down their crowns and bury the most important talents God has given to men! We would rather choose that our episcopacy should be blotted out from the face of the earth, than be sullied with such disgraceful conduct. All the episcopal churches in the world are conscious of the dignity of the episcopal office. The greatest part of them endeavour to preserve this dignity by large salaries, splendid palaces, and other appendages of pomp and splendour. But if an episcopacy has neither the dignity which arises from these worldly trappings, nor that infinitely superior dignity which is the attendant of labour, of suffering and enduring hardship for the cause of Christ, and of a venerable old age, the concluding scene of a life, devoted to the service of God, it instantly becomes the disgrace of a church and the just ridicule of the world! Some may think, that the mode of travelling, which the bishops are obliged to pursue, is attended with little difficulty, and much pleasure. Much pleasure they certainly do experience, because they know that they move in the will of God, and that the Lord is pleased to own their feeble labours. But if to travel through the heat and the cold, the rain and the snow, the swamps and the rivers, over the mountains and through the wilderness, lying for nights together on the bare ground and in log-houses open to the wind on every side, fulfilling their appointments, as far as possible, whatever be the hinderance, if these be little difficulties, then our bishops have but little to endure.

We have already quoted so many texts of Scripture in defence of episcopacy and the itinerant plan, that we need only refer our reader to the notes on the 1st and 3d sections. The whole tenor of St. Paul’s epistles to Timothy and Titus clearly evidences, that they were invested, on the whole, with abundantly more power than our bishops: nor does it appear that they were responsible to any but God and the apostle. The texts quoted in the notes on the 3d section, in defence of the itinerant plan, we would particularly recommend to the reader’s attention; as we must insist upon it, that the general itinerancy would not probably exist for any length of time on this extensive continent, if the bishops were not invested with that authority which they now possess. They alone travel through the whole connexion, and, therefore, have such a view of the whole, as no yearly conference can possibly have.

One bishop, with the elders present, may consecrate a bishop who has been previously elected by the general conference. This is agreeable to the Scriptures. We read, 2 Tim. i. 6. “I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands:” here we have the imposition of the hands of the apostle. Again, we read, 1 Tim. iv. 14. “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery:” here we have the laying on of the hands of the elders. And by comparing both passages, it is evident that the imposition of hands was, both in respect to the apostle and the elders, for the same gift. Nor is the idea, that [illegible] consecrate a bishop, grounded on any authority whatever, either from the Scriptures, or the practice of the apostolic age.

The authority given to, or rather declared to exist in, the general conference, that in case there shall be no bishop remaining in the church, they shall elect a bishop, and authorize the elders to consecrate him, will not admit of an objection, except on the supposition that the fable of an uninterrupted apostolic succession be allowed to be true. St. Jerome, who was as strong an advocate for episcopacy as perhaps any in the primitive church, informs us, that in the church of Alexandria (which was, in ancient times, one of the most respectable of the churches) the college of presbyters not only elected a bishop, on the decease of the former, but consecrated him by the imposition of their own hands, from the time of St. Mark, their first bishop, to the time of Dionysius, which was a space of about two hundred years: and the college of presbyters in ancient times answered to our general conference.

3. The Preacher in Charge: Circuit Duties and the Trial of Those Called to Preach

The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, with Explanatory Notes by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury, 10th ed. (Philadelphia, 1798), Chapter I, Sections X–XI: “Of the Duties of those who have the Charge of Circuits” and “Of the Trial of those who think they are moved by the Holy Ghost to preach,” with the bishops’ notes. OCR lines 3674–4519 (Internet Archive item doctrinesanddis18churgoog). Primary source; the interpretations are the authors’.

CTS note: A “circuit” was a round of preaching places served in turn by one or more travelling preachers. Quarterly “tickets” were small printed cards showing that a member was in good standing. “Bands” were small groups of believers who met for closer mutual confession and prayer; “love-feasts” were simple fellowship meals of bread and water with testimony; “watch-nights” were late-evening services of prayer. “Stewards” handled money and the care of the poor; “exhorters” were licensed lay speakers. “Ejaculations” are short prayers. The notes sometimes refer to sections of the 1798 book that are not included in this textbook. The numbers in the notes follow the numbered duties in the rules.

SECTION X. Of the Duties of those who have the Charge of Circuits.

Quest. 1. What are the duties of the elder, deacon, or preacher, who has the special charge of a circuit? Answ. 1. To see that the other preachers in his circuit behave well, and want nothing.

2. To renew the tickets quarterly, and regulate the bands.

3. To meet the stewards and leaders as often as possible.

4. To appoint all the stewards and leaders, and change them when he sees it necessary.

5. To receive, try, and expel members according to the form of discipline.

6. To hold watch-nights and love-feasts.

7. To hold quarterly meetings in the absence of the presiding elder.

8. To take care that every society be duly supplied with books.

9. To take an exact account of the numbers in society, and bring it to the conference.

10. To send an account of his circuit every quarter to his presiding elder.

11. To meet the men and women apart in the large societies once a quarter, wherever it is practicable.

12. To overlook the accounts of all the stewards.

13. To appoint a person to receive the quarterly collection in the classes.

14. To see that public collections be made quarterly, if need be.

15. To raise a yearly subscription in those circuits that can bear it, for building churches, and paying the debts of those which have been already erected.

16. To choose a committee of lay-members to make a just application of the money, where it is most wanted.

Quest. 2. What other directions shall we give him? Answ. Several.

1. To take a regular catalogue of the societies in towns and cities, as they live in streets.

2. To leave his successor a particular account of the state of the circuit.

3. To see that every band-leader have the rules of the bands.

4. To enforce vigorously, but calmly, all the rules of the society.

5. As soon as there are four men or women believers in any place, to put them into a band.

6. To suffer no love-feast to last above an hour and a half.

7. To warn all, from time to time, that none are to remove from one circuit to another, without a note of recommendation from a preacher of the circuit in these words: “A. B. the bearer has been an acceptable member of our society in C.” and to inform them, that, without such a certificate, they will not be received into other societies.

8. To recommend every where decency and cleanliness.

9. To read the rules of the society, with the aid of the other preachers, once a year in every congregation, and once a quarter in every society.

10. On any dispute between two or more of the members of our society, concerning the payment of debts or otherwise, which cannot be settled by the parties concerned, the preacher who has the charge of the circuit, shall inquire into the circumstances of the case; and, having consulted the stewards and leaders, shall, if agreeable to their advice, recommend to the contending parties a reference consisting of one arbiter chosen by the plaintiff, and another chosen by the defendant; which two arbiters so chosen shall nominate a third; the three arbiters being members of our society.

But if one of the parties be dissatisfied with the judgment given, such party may apply to the ensuing quarterly meeting of the circuit, for allowance to have a second arbitration appointed; and if the quarterly meeting see sufficient reason, they shall grant a second arbitration; in which case, each party shall choose two arbiters, and the four arbiters shall choose a fifth, the judgment of the majorities of whom shall be final; and any party refusing to abide by such judgment, shall be excluded the society.

And if any member of our society shall refuse in cases of debt or other disputes, to refer the matter to arbitration, when recommended by him who has the charge of the circuit, with the approbation of the stewards and leaders; or shall enter into a law-suit with another member before these measures are taken, he shall be expelled.

The preachers who have the oversight of circuits are required to execute all our rules fully and strenuously “against all frauds, and particularly against dishonest insolvencies; suffering none to remain in our society, on any account, who are found guilty of any fraud.”

11. The preacher who has the charge of a circuit, shall appoint prayer-meetings wherever he can, in his circuit.

12. He shall take care that a fast be held in every society in his circuit, on the Friday preceding every quarterly meeting; and that a memorandum of it be written on all the class-papers.

13. He shall also take care, that no unordained local preacher or exhorter in his circuit shall officiate in public, without first obtaining a licence from the presiding elder or himself. Let every unordained local preacher and exhorter take care to have this renewed yearly: and let him who has the charge of the circuit, insist upon it.

NOTES.

When we consider the duties of the office described in this section, we shall feel no difficulty in allowing, that it is an office of no small importance.

I. The person who holds it, is to watch over the other travelling preachers in his circuit, not with the eye of a severe judge, but with that of a tender elder brother. He should indeed be faithful to his colleagues, and tell them all their faults: but he has no power to correct them. He is to bear an equal share with them in the toils of a travelling preacher, besides having upon him the care of all the churches in his circuit. But if his colleagues will not observe his reasonable directions, or behave grossly amiss, he must inform his presiding elder, whose duty it is, as soon as possible, to judge of and rectify every thing. He is also to use his influence with the people, that his fellow-labourers may stand in need of nothing for the simple conveniences or at least necessities of this transitory life. They want but little, and that little they ought to have. This also implies, that if his colleague be married, he should take care that neither he nor his family stand in need of any of the necessaries of life. For his performance of this duty, as well as all the rest, he is bounden to God, as well as to the church of which he is a member. “Jesus called them [the twelve] unto him, and said, ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,” Matt. xx. 25–28.

2. He is to deliver tickets quarterly to each member of the society, with a portion of the word of God printed on them. This is of no small moment for the preservation of our discipline and the purity of our church. To admit frequently unawakened persons to our society-meetings and love-feasts, would be to throw a damp on those profitable assemblies, and cramp, if not entirely destroy that liberty of speech which is always made a peculiar blessing to earnest believers and sincere seekers of salvation. Besides, this regulation affords the preacher who holds the office now under consideration, an opportunity of speaking closely to every person under his care on the state of their souls. “I know thy works,” says our Lord, “and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil:— and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted,” Rev. ii. 2, 3. The other duty of regulating the bands is also of great consequence, as will appear when we come to enlarge on the 3d section of the 2d chapter.

3. He is to watch over the stewards and leaders of his circuit. He should meet them weekly, when in the towns, and as often as may be in the country. He is to recommend to the stewards the poor of their societies, to lay before them, if necessary, the wants of his colleagues, and to stir them up to fidelity and activity, in their office: but above all, he is to exhort the leaders, to instruct them in the best mode of addressing their classes, and to set before them the inestimable value of the precious souls respectively intrusted to their care. His whole soul should say, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them!” Numb. xi. 29.

4. As he is the least likely to be influenced by the various circumstances arising from neighbourhood, long acquaintance, affection, consanguinity, or any other motives than spiritual talents, he is to appoint the stewards. And as he is, or should be, the best judge of the gifts and experience of the members of society, he also is to select the men, from time to time, who are to fill up the weighty office of leader. And again, as he is the only person in the circuit, who is responsible to the yearly conference for the decline of the work of God in his circuit, and the only one the conference can make responsible, he has the authority invested in him of changing leaders, when they have lost the life of God, or are incapacitated for or negligent of their duty. But if he ever use this power in a capricious or tyrannical manner, the people may lay their grievances before the bishops or presiding elders, who have authority to suspend him for ill conduct; or, before the yearly conference, which may proceed even to his expulsion, if he grossly offend against that wisdom which is from above, “and which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Jam. iii. 17.

5. He is also to receive members upon trial, and into society, according to the form of discipline. If this authority were invested in the society, or any part of it, the great work of revival would soon be at an end. A very remarkable proof of this was given several years ago, by a society in Europe. Many of the leading members of that society, were exceedingly importunate to have the whole government of their society invested in a meeting composed of the principal preacher, and a number of lay elders and lay deacons, as they termed them. At last, the preacher who had the oversight of the circuit, was prevailed upon, through their incessant importunity, to comply with their request. He accordingly nominated all the leaders and stewards as lay elders and lay deacons, with the desired powers. But alas! What was the consequence? The great revival which was then in that society and congregation, was soon extinguished. Poor sinners, newly awakened, were flocking into the church of God as doves to their windows. But now, the wisdom and prudence of the new court kept them at a distance, till they had given full proof of their repentance: “if their convictions be sincere,” said they, “they will not withdraw themselves from the preaching of the word on account of our caution; they themselves will see the propriety of our conduct.” Thus, whilst the fervent preacher was one hour declaring the willingness of Christ immediately to receive the returning sinners, the wisdom of the lay elders and lay deacons would the next hour reject them even from being received upon trial, unless they had been before painted sepulchres, inwardly full of dead men’s bones and rottenness. The preacher who had the charge of the circuit nearly broke his heart, to see the precious souls which God had given him, kept at a distance from him, and thrown back again upon the wide world by the prudent lay elders and deacons. However, at his earnest entreaty, he was removed into another circuit by the conference, under whose controul he acted, to enjoy the blessings of the Methodist economy. The revival of the work of God was soon extinguished; and the society, from being one of the most lively, became one of the most languid in Europe.

Glory be to God, all our societies throughout the world, now amounting to upwards of 160,000, have been raised, under grace, by our ministers and preachers. They, and they only, are their spiritual fathers under God; and none others can feel for them as they do. It is true, that on great revivals, the spiritually halt, and blind; and lame, will press in crowds into the church of God; and they are welcome to all that we can do for their invaluable souls, till they prove unfaithful to convincing or converting grace. And we will not throw back their souls on the wicked world, whilst groaning under the burden of sin, because many on the trial quench their convictions, or perhaps were hypocritical from the beginning. We would sooner go again into the highways and hedges, and form new societies as at first, than we would give up a privilege so essential to the ministerial office and to the revival of the work of God;

“The master of the house [God]—said to his servant. Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.” He obeys his God, without asking permission of any society, whether he should obey him or not. “And the Lord said unto the servant. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in that my house may be filled,” Luke xiv. 21–23. The servant answers not to his God, I will comply with thy command as far as my society, or my leaders and stewards will permit me. Again, the Lord says to Ezekiel, ch. xxxiv. 1–10, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them. Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds, Wo be to the shepherds of Israel.—The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again, that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost.—And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock — Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock.” &c. Now, what pastors, called and owned of God, would take upon themselves this awful responsibility, if others could refuse to their spiritual children the grand external privilege of the gospel, or admit among them the most improper persons to mix with and corrupt them. Truly, whatever the pastors of other churches may do, we trust that ours will never put themselves under so dreadful a bondage. It is in vain to say, that others may be as tender and cautious as themselves: for [illegible] the pastors are responsible to God, and, therefore, should by no means be thus fettered in their pastoral care. And those who are desirous to wrest out of the hands of ministers this important part of their duty, should rather go out themselves to the highways and hedges, and preach the everlasting gospel, or be contented with their present providential situation.

Besides, the command of our Lord, Matt. xxviii. 19. “Go ye, —and teach all nations, baptizing them,” &c. is addressed not only to his disciples, and through them to all his ministering servants to the end of the world. But if ministers are to be the judges of the proper subjects of baptism which is the grand initiatory ordinance into the visible church, how much more should they have a right to determine, whom they will take under their own care, or whom God has given them out of the world by the preaching of his word. For ministers to spend their strength, their tears, their prayers, their lives for the salvation of souls, and to have both themselves and theirs under the controul of those who never travelled in birth for them, and, therefore, can never feel for them as their spiritual parents do, is a burden we cannot bear. Thus it is evident, that both reason and scripture do, in the clearest manner, make the privilege or power now under consideration essential to the gospel-ministry.

The other duty, mentioned under this article, of regulating the band-society, is of great consequence, as will appear when we come to enlarge upon the 3d section of the 2d chapter.

6. As the Lord is a God of order, and not of confusion, it is highly necessary that one person should be invested with the regulation of the watch-nights and love-feasts: and who would be so proper, in the absence of the presiding elder, as the preacher who has the oversight of the circuit? As to watch-nights, we may observe, Did our Lord spend whole nights in prayer? Matt. xiv. 23–25. Mark vi. 46–48. Luke vi. 12. “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Did St. Paul also employ whole nights in instruction and praying with the church of God? Acts xx. 7–11. “When he [Paul] had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.” And shall not the ministers and people of God in these days imitate such great examples? Shall the dissipated and profane revel and watch, night after night, in the service of Satan, and shall we think it too much to watch and pray sometimes for a few hours together?

Our venerable leader, Mr. Wesley, was in this, as in most of his rules, led on by divine Providence. “When informed, about the year 1740, that the congregation at Kingswood, near Bristol, frequently continued in exhortation and prayer till midnight, he had thoughts of suppressing such meetings: but when, after sufficient inquiry, he found that the power of God was remarkably present on those occasions, and that many were awakened, justified, or sanctified, he bowed under the hand of God, and not only permitted the continuance of them in Kingswood, but introduced them through the connexion, and was, to his dying hour, fully convinced of their blessed effects.”

In respect to our love-feasts, we shall speak of them in our notes on the 4th section of the 2d chapter.

7. Though the presiding elder is far more proper to preside at the quarterly meetings than any other who regularly attends, yet the preacher, who has the oversight of the circuit is, next to him, the most likely to be impartial.* It is on this principle, that the twelve judges of England make it a rule, that no one of them shall take that circuit which includes the place where he was born. Besides, every thing is finally determined by a majority of votes. On those extraordinary occasions, therefore, when through sickness, or any other unavoidable hindrance, the presiding elder is absent, the next to him in office must be the moderator of the meeting. See the notes on the 5th section of this chapter. Let us all be willing to submit to that due subordination, which is necessary to the good order of the whole, “yea, all of you be subject one to another,” 1 Pet. v. 5.

8. Next to the preaching of the gospel, the spreading of religious knowledge by the press, is of the greatest moment to the people. The soul, whilst united to the body, must be daily fed with pious ideas, otherwise it will lose ground in the divine life. Though the Lord is wonderfully kind to those of his children who are so unfortunate as not to be able to read, yet we are to use all the means in our power. And though the bible be infinitely preferable to all other books, yet we are, even on that very account, to study the writings of those spiritual and great divines, who have by their comments, essays, sermons, or other labours, explained the bible: otherwise, we ought not to attend the preaching of the gospel; for what is that but an explanation and application of the great truths contained in the bible. He, therefore, who has the charge of the circuit, is to be diligent in the sale of those books, which, according to the judgment of our conferences and bishops, are deemed profitable for the souls of our people. St. Paul had need of books, otherwise he would not have carried them with him in his extensive travels. “The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments,”* 2 Tim. iv. 13. And to minds which are influenced by the love of God and man, the consideration that the profit of these books is wholly applied to the work of God, will be a further inducement to them to purchase our books.

* We do not mean that he is likely to have more grace or more integrity than the other members of the quarterly meeting; but only that he is not so much exposed to the temptations of prejudging a cause through consanguinity, affection, or a variety of other interests as the other members are. We have a high esteem for all our official members, and would not intentionally offend them on any account.

9. It is necessary that the yearly conference should have an exact account of the numbers in society, and of every thing material relating to each circuit under its controul, otherwise it could not possibly judge of the progress of the work, and the fidelity of the preachers: nor could the episcopacy have otherwise such complete knowledge of every thing for the stationing of the preachers. “Let all things be done,” says St. Paul, “decently, and in order.”

10. It is also necessary, that the presiding elder should receive regular details of the proceedings of those who have the oversight of circuits, that he himself may have such a clear knowledge of the state of the district, as may enable him to fill up his important trust, and to give such information of his district to the bishops, as may afford them a complete view of the whole. Thus are many eyes opened upon the great work, and the wisdom of many united for the good of the whole. “In the multitude of counsellors,” says the wise man, “there is safety.”

11. The people of our special charge want all the advice we can give them: and their stations and circumstances are so different, that the rule of meeting the men and women apart, and, when the society is large, and the time will admit of it, the married and single men apart, and the married and single women apart, has been attended with many blessings. Mr. Wesley, from happy experience, considered this as a very profitable means of grace.

* i. e. The books, written on parchment, the art of printing not being discovered in those days.

Ministers of the gospel should think no labour lost, or means in vain, by which they may be enabled to give their whole flock their due spiritual portion. “The Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, That he will make him ruler over all that he hath,” Luke xii. 42–44.

12. As the public money should be applied with the greatest fidelity, the accounts should be examined with the strictest scrutiny: and, therefore, the preacher who has the charge of the circuit is to examine the stewards’ accounts, as a preparative to their being laid before the quarterly meeting: and this not out of disrespect to the stewards, whom we highly esteem for their disinterested labours of love, but to prevent, as far as possible, even any plausible pretence for suspicion. “It is required in stewards,” says the apostle, “that a man be found faithful.” No person of integrity (and such we have reason to believe all our stewards are, without exception) will object to this rule.

13 & 14. The quarterly collections in the classes, &c. according to the abilities of our friends, are the chief support of the work.

15 & 16. One of the greatest charities upon earth is the raising of buildings for public worship and the preaching of the gospel. “How shall they call on him,” says the apostle, “in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things,” Rom. x. 14, 15. But the preachers who are sent of God, must have a place to assemble their hearers, otherwise they can but seldom deliver their message. Little good will be done, if they can have only the open air to preach in: because the Lord will not work unnecessary miracles. Where a few persons, or many, have raised a house for God, and continue to live to God themselves, they will receive from the nature of distributive justice, a proportionable share of the reward for all the souls saved in or by the means of that building and the ordinances administered there, as long as the building lasts. And though no finite being could make the due distribution in so intricate a case, yet he who is infinite Wisdom can do it, and will do it, when he sits on his great white throne. And the preacher who has the charge of the circuit will also have his share of the reward, by using all his influence on such occasions, to set on foot and recommend the necessary subscriptions and collections.

We are now to give the reasons for the further directions given in this section to him who has the charge of the circuit.

I. A Catalogue of the members of the society in towns, is highly necessary to enable the preachers to perform the great duty of visiting our people from house to house. But concerning this duty see the 15th section of this chapter.

2 & 3. If his successor have not an exact account left him of the state of the circuit, it will be impossible for him to be so extensively useful for a considerable time as he otherwise might be. Every preacher should enter upon his work on the fairest ground and with the completest view possible of what was before him. “Behold,” says the prophet, speaking of the Messiah, “his work is before him,” Isa. lxii. 11. And so should it be with every minister of Christ, in his measure and degree.

4. The fourth direction is exceedingly weighty. It makes the principal part of his office. But on the rules of the society we shall speak largely, when we consider the 1st section of the 2d chapter.

5. He is also to regulate all the bands in his circuit. See chap. 2. sect. 3.

6. In every thing there must be order; though frequently what the world calls confusion, is order in the sight of God. However, the zeal of happy, pious souls may carry them to many extremes, if not under proper restriction. “Let your moderation be known unto all men,” Phil. iv. 5.

7. We are but one body of people, one grand society, whether in Europe or America; united in the closest spiritual bonds, and in external bonds as far as the circumstances of things will admit. And as our numbers have increased exceedingly both in Europe and America, it is necessary we should be particularly cautious in receiving strangers into our society, under the pretext of their having been members in other places; as the one end of our whole plan is to raise a holy people. On this account all our conferences throughout the world mutually require, that every member of our society who changes his place of abode, shall previously obtain a certificate from the preacher who has the charge of his circuit who is most likely to be acquainted with his character, his own relations excepted; and that without such certificate he shall not be received into any other society. Even in the primitive church, St. Paul saw it necessary to write to his Philippians, “Brethren,—mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an ensample. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,” Phil. iii. 17, 18. How much more then is it our duty to use every precaution to preserve the purity of our church, in these days, when persecution has ceased, and it is the interest of many to be united to a religious party. Nor is it sufficient for the person removing to carry his ticket with him, as he might have been expelled from our communion, and yet have preserved his ticket.

8. The 8th direction is of great moment, especially to professors of religion, that the gospel be not blamed — that the world may not have it in their power to accuse pure religion with making men careless or negligent of themselves. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God? and ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s,” 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.

9. We do nothing secretly. We wish the whole world to know every part of our economy, and more especially the rules of our society, so necessary for every member of it at least to be thoroughly acquainted with. We have also enacted this rule, that christian fellowship in general, and particularly that mode of christian communion which has proved so beneficial to ourselves and to myriads now in glory, may be strongly and repeatedly recommended to all who truly fear God. “Ye know,” says the apostle to the elders of the church of Ephesus, “how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you,” Acts xx. 18–20. where the apostle by the word you means the whole church, of whom the elders were the chief organs.

10. For christians to appeal to the judges of the world in matters of controversy or litigation, is strongly censured by the word of God. “Dare any of you,” says the apostle, “having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now, therefore, there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another: why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?” 1 Cor. vi.

1–7. But as we would by no means wish that ministers of the gospel should interfere as judges of such affairs, it is directed, that the preacher who has the oversight of the circuit shall (after consulting the leaders and stewards, if agreeable to their advice) recommend a scriptural arbitration to the contending parties: and as our rules declare that “Brother shall not go to law with brother,” he shall exclude that party which refuses so equitable a proposal. And we will take the liberty of adding, that when the [illegible] parties are of two different religious [illegible], the best method we know of, on which they could proceed, would be for each of them to choose an arbiter out of his own society, and for those two to choose a third; or to proceed on some similar plan.

11. The authority of appointing prayer-meetings will not, we think, be disputed by any. Many of our greatest revivals have been begun and chiefly carried on in our prayer-meetings. We wish that the utmost zeal might be manifested by those who have the charge of circuits in the execution of this direction. The sacred writer describing the effects of the day of Pentecost, observes, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers,” Acts ii. 41, 42. There is no doubt but those words refer to social worship. O that every family in our connexion had occasionally a prayer-meeting at stated times for the benefit of their neighbours! There would be no danger of wanting persons to pray: God would pour forth the spirit of grace and supplication; and soon the flame of divine love would glow through every civilized part of this vast continent. The Lord hasten the day!

12. Public fasts are to be appointed by him at the regular times, and he is of course to take care, that himself and his helpers not only set the example, but also render those days peculiarly profitable by public meetings for the service of God. 2 Chron. xx. 3. Jehoshaphat—proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Ezra viii. 21. Ezra proclaimed a fast at the river Ahava. Isa. lviii. 3. In the day of your fast ye find pleasure. Jer. xxxvi. 9. They proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem. Joel i. 14. Sanctify a fast, call an assembly: and ii. 15. Jonah iii. 5. The people of Ninevah believed God, and proclaimed a fast. Matt. ix. 15. Jesus said unto them, can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. See also Mark ii. 18–20. and Luke v. 33–35.

13. The whole organization of our church depends on an exact attention to all its distinctions and orders. “I am with you in the Spirit,” says St. Paul to his Colossians, “saying and beholding your order,” Col. ii. 5. The Lord wills that we should fight in his great cause lawfully. “If a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully,” 2 Tim. ii. 5. Therefore the church of God is compared to an army with banners; Cant. vi. 4. “Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.” It has been, we doubt not, the close order and discipline of our church, under the grace and providence of God, which has enabled us to resist all the shocks we have lately felt from the satanical spirit of division, and to remain firm as a rock.

We may just add, that it is customary for the presiding elders, or in their absence the preachers who have the charge of circuits, to hold quarterly, or half-yearly conferences with the local preachers and exhorters respectively under their care, to examine into their grace, gifts, and usefulness, and into the state of the work of God; a custom of exceeding great utility, and, therefore, such as, we trust, will never be neglected.

SECTION XI. Of the Trial of those who think they are moved by the Holy Ghost to preach.

Quest. 1. How shall we try those who profess to be moved by the Holy Ghost to preach? Answ. 1. Let the following questions be asked, viz. Do they know God as a pardoning God? Have they the love of God abiding in them? Do they desire and seek nothing but God? And are they holy in all manner of conversation?

2. Have they gifts (as well as grace) for the work? Have they (in some tolerable degree) a clear, sound understanding, a right judgment in the things of God, a just conception of salvation by faith? And has God given them any degree of utterance? Do they speak justly, readily, clearly?

3. Have they fruit? Are any truly convinced of sin, and converted to God, by their preaching?

As long as these three marks concur in any one, we believe he is called of God to preach. These we receive as sufficient proof that he is moved by the Holy Ghost.

NOTES.

We have enlarged on the present subject in our notes on the 8th section of this chapter. Every reader may from hence perceive the care we take in receiving our preachers and [illegible]. As the presiding elders, or those who have the charge of circuits, are attentive to the examination of the local preachers and exhorters, so the yearly conferences are attentive to the gift, grace, and usefulness of all the travelling preachers and ministers. Nothing will do for us without the life of God. Brilliant parts, fine address, &c. are to us but tinkling cymbals, when destitute of the power of the Holy Ghost.

At the same time we are far from despising talents which may be rendered useful to the church of Christ. We know the worth of improved abilities; and nothing can equal our itinerant plan, in the opportunity it affords of suiting our various societies with men of God, who are endued with gifts agreeable to their respective wants.

The following texts may illustrate the present subject. Gal. i. 15, 16. “When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood.” You may here observe, that Christ was revealed in St. Paul, that he might preach. This is an essential requisite for every preacher of the gospel: and he who attempts to enter into the sheepfold by any other door, than Christ—Christ revealed in him, and moving him by his Spirit to preach the word, is a thief and a robber; but, blessed be God, “the sheep will not follow him, but flee from him!” See the 10th chapter of St. John. Again, St. Paul desires his Ephesians to pray “always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and to watch thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me,” adds he, “that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak,” Eph. vi. 18–20. If the apostle had need of the prayers of the saints, that he might have the spiritual gift of utterance how much more need, alas! have we? Once more, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men; forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart,” 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3. Here was fruit! The Lord grant us much of this fruit!

4. The General Rules of the United Societies: Classes and Membership

The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, with Explanatory Notes by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury, 10th ed. (Philadelphia, 1798), Chapter II, Section I: “The Nature, Design, and general Rules of the United Societies,” with the bishops’ notes. OCR lines 6916–7721 (Internet Archive item doctrinesanddis18churgoog). Primary source; the interpretations are the authors’.

CTS note: The General Rules were first issued by John and Charles Wesley in 1743; the American church kept them with small additions, such as the rule against buying or selling human beings “with an intention to enslave them.” A “class” was a weekly meeting of about twelve members under a lay “leader”; the class meeting was the basic unit of Methodist membership and pastoral care. “Enthusiastic” here means fanatical. The bishops’ notes are numbered to follow the rules, and their numbering is not always continuous. One page of the scan cannot be read; the gap is marked in the text.

CHAP. II.

SECTION I. The Nature, Design, and general Rules of the United Societies.

1. In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons came to Mr. Wesley in London, who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin, and earnestly groaning for redemption. They desired (as did two or three more the next day) that he would spend some time with them in prayer, and advise them how to flee from the wrath to come; which they saw continually hanging over their heads. That he might have more time for this great work, he appointed a day when they might all come together, which from thence forward they did every week, namely on Thursday in the evening. To these, and as many more as desired to join with them (for their number increased daily) he gave those advices from time to time which he judged most needful for them; and they always concluded their meeting with prayer suited to their several necessities.

2. This was the rise of the United Society, first in Europe and then in America. Such a society is no other than “a company of men having the form and seeking the power of godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation.”

3. That it may the more easily be discerned, whether they are indeed working out their own salvation, each society is divided into smaller companies, called classes, according to their respective places of abode. There are but twelve persons in every class; one of whom is styled The Leader. It is his duty,

1. To see each person in his class once a week at least, in order,

(1.) To enquire how their souls prosper;

(2.) To advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require;

(3.) To receive what they are willing to give, towards the relief of the preachers, church and poor.*

2. To meet the minister and the stewards of the society once a week; in order,

(1.) To inform the minister of any that are sick, or of any that walk disorderly, and will not be reproved.

(2.) To pay to the stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding.

4. There is one only condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies, a desire “to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins.” But wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will be shewn by its fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue therein, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

First, By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind: especially that which is most generally practised: such as

The taking the name of God in vain:

The profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work thereon, or by buying or selling.

Drunkenness: or drinking spirituous liquors, unless in cases of necessity:

The buying or selling of men, women, or children, with an intention to enslave them:

Fighting, quarrelling, brawling, brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil; or railing for railing: the using many words in buying or selling:

The buying or selling goods that have not paid the duty:

The giving or taking things on usury, i. e. unlawful interest:

* This part refers wholly to towns and cities, where the poor are generally numerous, and [illegible]

Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation: particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers:

Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us:

Doing what we know is not for the glory of God: as

The putting on of gold and costly apparel:

The taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus:

The singing those songs, or reading those books, which do not tend to the knowledge or love of God:

Softness and needless self-indulgence:

Laying up treasure upon earth:

Borrowing without a probability of paying; or taking up goods without a probability of paying for them.

5. It is expected of all who continue in these societies, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

Secondly, By doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their power, as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and as far as is possible, to all men:

To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison.

To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, that “we are not to do good, unless our hearts be free to it.”

By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith, or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to others, buying one of another, helping each other in business: and so much the more, because the world will love its own and them only.

By all possible diligence and frugality, that the gospel be not blamed.

By running with patience the race which is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and offscouring of the world; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them falsely for the Lord’s sake.

6. It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies, that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation.

Thirdly, By attending upon all the ordinances of God: such are

The public worship of God:

The ministry of the word, either read or expounded;

The supper of the Lord;

Family and private prayer;

Searching the scriptures; and

Fasting or abstinence.

7. These are the general rules of our societies: all which we are taught of God to observe, even in his written word, which is the only rule, and the sufficient rule both of our faith and practice. And all these we know his Spirit writes on truly awakened hearts. If there be any among us who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let it be known unto them who watch over that soul, as they who must give an account. We will admonish him of the error of his ways. We will bear with him for a season. But then, if he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered our own souls.

NOTES.

The present section forms, perhaps, one of the completest systems of christian ethics or morals, for its size, which ever was published by an uninspired writer. We speak this the more readily, because it was the work of the first divine, we believe since the time of the apostles, the late Mr. Wesley, after matured experience, with only a small addition, which the circumstances of these states required. The rules are so clear, and so obviously approve themselves to every candid mind, that we need only touch briefly upon them, proving them by quotations from the sacred writings.

I. Of class-meeting we shall speak hereafter: We would here only explain a few particulars concerning the office of a leader.

“We have found it necessary in innumerable instances to enlarge the number of the class, from the impossibility of providing a sufficiency of class-leaders, if the number were always limited to twelve. The office is of vast consequence. The revival of the work of God does perhaps depend as much upon the whole body of leaders, as it does upon the whole body of preachers. We have almost constantly observed, that when a leader is dull or careless or inactive— when he has not abilities or zeal sufficient to reprove with courage though with gentleness, and to press a present salvation upon the hearts of the sincere, the class is, in general, languid: but, on the contrary, when the leader is much alive to God and faithful in his office, the class is also, in general, lively and spiritual. This arises from the nature of the christian plan of salvation. It is the same, in general, with a minister and his flock; and every leader, as we have before intimated, is, in some degree, a gospel minister: though we may add, that among us a spiritual body of leaders may counteract the otherwise pernicious consequences of a languid ministry.”

At the beginning of Methodism, the leader called weekly upon each of his class, in which case twelve were quite sufficient for his inspection. But very soon it was found abundantly preferable for the whole class to meet the leader together, not only for the sake of the leader, but for the good of the people, who, by that means, enjoy the unspeakable advantages of christian fellowship. At the same time the leader is expected to visit the members of his class at their own houses, especially when they are sick or confined, as often as his circumstances will admit.

Numb. xi. 14–17. “I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.” Ver. 24, 25. “And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle: and the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.” Exod. xviii. 21. “Moreover, thou shalt provide, out of all the people, able men, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” [It is, we think, evident from the context, that these men were appointed not only to determine on civil questions, but in respect to every difficulty relating to the ceremonial law, and “all the statutes of God, and his laws,” ver. 16. In short, to act in every thing in the place of Moses, except in matters of great moment.] 1 Cor. xii. 28. “God hath set some in the church; first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” See the whole chapter. Ephes. iv. 11. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers.”

2d. The desire “to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins,” is expressed as the single condition of being admitted into our society, because these two are inseparably united. There never was a soul which truly desired to flee from the wrath of God, but at the same time desired real salvation. They both come from God: and his Spirit never gives the sacred wish to avoid the one, but he bestows an equally ardent desire to obtain the other. The nature of God and the whole plan of salvation by Jesus Christ require this. The creation and redemption of man, and all the operations of the Divine Spirit, have no other end but the making us like to God, and preparing us for his service, and for the eternal enjoyment of himself. Matt. xi. 28. “Come unto me,” says Christ, “all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Luke xviii. 13, 14. “The publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other.”

3d. The soul which sees its danger, and longs for salvation, will not intentionally offend the God it fears — the God it desires to love. At least, if it have not power over inward sin, it will abhor the vices and criminal amusements of the world. All its former pleasures are embittered to it. It now seeks a happiness which the world cannot afford it, and, therefore, loaths every thing which tends to keep it from the object of its wishes. Matt. iii. 8. “Bring forth fruits meet for repentance.” See also Luke iii. 8. 2 Cor. vii. 10. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of.”

1. The taking of God’s name in vain is so gross a vice, that those must be wholly given up to Satan, who will commit it. Exod. xx. 7. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” See also Deut. v. 11. Lev. xix. 12. “Neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God.” See also the scripture-references taken from the New Testament in the notes on the 25th article of religion.

2. Sabbath-breaking is a vice which may be committed under various specious pretences, though it is the forerunner of all evil. In this day especially it is a vice inexcusable in those who make the least profession of christianity; when the entire rejection of the sabbath is looked upon by the enemies of revealed religion, in general, as the most effectual means to destroy christianity itself. O let us all come out to the help of the Lord against the mighty (Judges v. 23.) and love the sabbath for the sake of its Divine Founder and the inestimable blessings flowing from the due observance of it. It has been already honoured by the divine rest from creation, and is an emblem of that spiritual and eternal rest which remains for the people of God. (Heb. iv. 9.) See particularly the numerous scripture-references in the notes on the 15th section of the first chapter, as also the references on the 23d section.

3. The sin of drunkenness should be particularly guarded against in a country where the materials for distilled liquors so much abound. Sensuality, alas! of every kind, but particularly that which arises from intemperance in the use of distilled liquors, soil and defile the soul, fills it full of impure desires, and turns the human nature, capable of the image of God, into a loathsome beast. Luke xxi. 34, “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” Rom. xiii. 13. “Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness.” 1 Cor. v. 11. “— A drunkard — with such an one no not to eat.” vi. 10. “— Nor drunkards — shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal. v. 19–21. “Now, the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: — drunkenness, &c.” Ephes. v. 18. “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” 1 Thess. v. 7. “They that be drunken, are drunken in the night.” Tit. ii. 1–3. “Speak thou, — that the aged women [be] not given to much wine.”

4. The buying and selling the souls and bodies of men (for what is the body without the soul but a dead carcase) is a complicated crime.* It was indeed, in some measure overlooked in the Jews by reason of the wonderful hardness of their hearts, as was the keeping of concubines and the divorcing of wives at pleasure, but it is totally opposite to the whole spirit of the gospel. It has an immediate tendency to fill the mind with pride and tyranny, and is frequently productive of almost every act of lust and cruelty which can disgrace the human species. Even the moral philosopher will candidly confess, that if there be a God, every perfection he possesses must be opposed to a practice so contrary to every moral idea which can influence the human mind. Nehem. v. 8, 9. “I said unto them, We, after our ability, have redeemed our brethren, the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. Also I said. It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?” Isai. lviii. 6. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” Ezek. xxvii. 13, (This chapter is written on the destruction of Tyrus, and the causes of it.) “Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men.” Acts xvii. 24–26. “God — hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” 1 Tim. i. 9, 10. “Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers, for man-slayers, for men-stealers,” &c. Rev. xiii. 10. “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.” Rev. xviii. (On the fall of Babylon, and the causes of it) ver. 11–13. “No man buyeth their merchandise any more: the merchandise of gold, and silver, and slaves, and souls of men.”

* Are there not many proprietors to be found on this continent who restrain their slaves from enjoying the privileges of the gospel and thereby invade the rights of the souls and consciences of their slaves, as well as their bodies? At the same time we must give the credit due to multitudes who do not thus enslave the minds of their servants, but allow them full liberty to attend the preaching of the gospel wherever they [illegible].

5. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,” Gal. v. 22, 23. These are directly opposite to fightings, quarrelling, brawling, litigiousness, revenge and railing. It is, therefore, impossible for the holy Spirit of God to dwell in a heart which is a cage of such unclean birds — to have any connection with a soul, which indulges those tempers which are so contrary to his own holy nature. Those, therefore, who manifest such dispositions cannot be even under the convictions of the Spirit of God, and are, of consequence, unfit for any christian society. Col. iii. 12, 13. “Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Tit. iii. 1, 2. “Put them in mind [illegible]

[Several lines illegible in the scan.]

[illegible] neighbours, or speaking evil of any. We are not in our conversation to speak evil of another, however true it may be: nothing can justify it, but the cautioning of a friend from some immediate danger. It will, in every other case, be condemned on the day of judgment, not merely as an idle but as a criminal word. If this be the case, it is still more criminal to speak evil of public characters. It is taking the most unjust advantage of them: and we may, perhaps, without intention, ruin the characters and usefulness of much better men than ourselves. This is a vice which we should particularly guard against, because the temptations to it are so frequent and various; and so many professors (we can scarcely say possessors) are guilty of it. Follow always the rule of good bishop Beveridge, “Speak of men’s vices only to their faces, and of their virtues only behind their backs.” Acts xxiii. 5. “It is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.” See the scripture references in the notes on the 23d article of religion, and chap. i. sect. 15.

9. To do to others as we would wish they should do to us (See Matt. vii. 12, and Luke vi. 31) includes in it the whole of our duty to our neighbour — even the disinterested love of man, which can flow alone from the love of God. It is natural for the men of the world to imagine that all mankind are influenced by private motives, because they know nothing of the love of God, and esteem the professors of grace as enthusiasts. It is the love of God alone which can raise the soul above every thing on earth, and crucify it entirely to the world, and, consequently, to every object which could interest it here below. It is only this which can enable us to act to others continually according to that golden rule, on which hang all the law and the prophets. See 1 Cor. xiii.

10. To do all to the glory of God, is the spring of all religion. Every thing is sinful which proceeds from any other principle: but every thing is an acceptable sacrifice to God through Christ, which proceeds from this heavenly motive — the glory of God. He, who thus acts, has found out the philosopher’s stone, the art of turning every thing into the true gold of the sanctuary. He is blessed in his basket and store, in his going out and coming in, and in his lying down and rising up. But the very reverse is the case with all who act from any other principle, however specious their outward conduct may be. Without this, every thing is carnal or devilish, sinful and accursed. 1 Cor. x. 31. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost; which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

The man who acts from this heavenly principle,

(1.) Cannot wear any apparel which tends to feed his own pride, or to prevent his liberality to the poor. See the 7th section of this chapter.

(2.) He cannot indulge himself in the carnal diversions of the world. What blasphemy would it be for men or women, when they were throwing themselves about in a dance, to cry “I do this in the name of the holy Jesus!” What insolence would it be for the card-player, when he is tossing about his cards, or the horse-racer when he is driving furiously, to say, “I do this to the glory of God!” These diversions have been pronounced by the spiritual ministers of Christ of all denominations in all ages, as inconsistent with true religion: and we shall find on the day of judgment, that they were better acquainted with the mind of God in these respects, than the children of Satan, 1 Tim. v. 6. “She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth.” 2 Tim. iii. 1–4. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” Job xxi. 7–11. “Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power: they send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.”

(3.) He sings and reads for the glory of God — for the sole purpose of gaining clearer light in the truths of God, inflaming his heart with more of the love of God, and promoting the temporal, spiritual, and eternal interests of his fellow-creatures. Psal. cxix. 54, “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” Ver. 99. “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Ver. 148. “Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate on thy word.”

(4.) He is well aware, how all that is carnal draws him from God. He therefore daily takes up his cross. He feels a delight (though perhaps mixed with some natural reluctance) to restrain and oppose his fleshly affections. He keeps at a distance from self-indulgence, and draws not too near to the brink of the precipice. He feels his own weakness: and though he lives by faith upon the Son of God, yet he would not presume upon him. Matt. x. 38. “He that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” xvi. 24. “Then said Jesus unto his disciples. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark viii. 34. “And when he had called the people unto him, with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” x. 21. “Come, take up the cross, and follow me.” Luke ix. 23. “And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” xiv. 27. “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

(5.) He is a faithful steward of the manifold blessings of his God. He provides for his family with christian wisdom and christian prudence; and all the rest he lays out for the relief of the poor and afflicted, and for the advancement of the kingdom of God upon earth. He does not wish to have his good things in this world, and afterwards in hell to lift up his eyes in torments: but his highest ambition is to enjoy the sovereign good, the God of his salvation, to the utmost capacity of his renewed nature and to all eternity. Matt. vi. 19–21. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. “They that will be rich fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

(6.) He is strictly honest. He abhors the iniquitous attempt of getting money at his neighbour’s cost. But alas! this is too common a practice even among many who call themselves professors. A man is poor, and wishes to be rich; or he is rich, and wishes to be richer; he accordingly takes up a great quantity of goods to form a large but false capital; or he borrows money of his friends for the same purpose: if he succeed, he has his ambition gratified, and becomes a man of fortune; if he fail, he is only where he was before, or at least suffers but little; whilst those who have in confidence sold him goods, or advanced to him money, are the only or chief sufferers. He is, what he would call tolerably safe at all events. This is an unjust, an iniquitous practice: and the more so, because the whole is carried on under the mask of honour and honesty, of friendship or integrity. Such persons should have no admission among us; or, if they have, should, when discovered, be expelled as some of the greatest enemies of civil society; whose practice has an immediate tendency to break all the bonds of social union, and to destroy all confidence among men. Mark x. 18, 19. “Jesus said unto him. Defraud not.” 1 Cor. vi. 8. “Nay, ye do wrong and defraud, and that your brethren.” Isa. xxi. 2. “A grievous vision is declared unto me; The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth.” xxxiii. 1. “Woe to thee that dealeth treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee; — when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.” See also the scripture references, in the notes on sect. 15th. chap. i.

4th. True conviction of sin and an earnest longing for salvation will also be accompanied with every outward fruit of righteousness. The love of God may not yet have become the governing principle of the whole soul, so as to make obedience flow as from a second nature; but yet the contrite soul will have a constant fear of offending God, and this will be accompanied with a constant desire of pleasing him. Dan. iv. 27. “Break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor,” Matt. iii. 8. “Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance,” See also Luke iii. 8. Acts xxvi. 19, 20. “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; but shewed— that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

1. This principle will make us feel for the infirmities of others, and sympathize with them. We shall delight to afford to the hungry and naked, the stranger, the sick and imprisoned, the necessaries or comforts they stand in need of. And in all this, we shall consider the poor as the representatives of Jesus Christ, and that in doing it to them we do it to him. See Matt. xxv. 31–46.

2. It is a perfect mistake to suppose, that a real penitent cannot or is not called to do good to the souls of others. Many in their awakened state have done considerable good in this respect. But when the love of God is become the reigning principle of the soul, we hunger and thirst for the salvation of others. Our cry is, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul,” Psal. lxvi. 16.

3. Though he does good to all according to his ability, yet he particularly feels for the members of Christ’s mystical body. They are to him as his own soul. With them he experiences an union which the world is utterly unacquainted with. They are like the members of his own family: they are bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. “As we have, therefore, opportunity let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith,” Gal. vi. 10. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren,” 1 John iii. 14.

4. It is frequently one of the devices of Satan, to tempt the children of God to be negligent in their business, under the pretext that they will be able to live more in heaven by having nothing to do with earthly things. But the believer, when called to labour in a profession or trade for the support of his family, or to fill up some useful station in society, may so intermix pious ejaculations with his studies or labours, and improve so many short intervals in private prayer, as not only to preserve his grace, but to increase daily in the divine life. Ejaculations are swift messengers, which soon enter heaven, and soon bring down a gracious answer. Rom. xii. 11. “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” Ver. 17. “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” 1 Tim. v. 8. “If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

5. We have already enlarged on the great duty of taking up our cross, and therefore shall only observe, that if we will be real disciples of our crucified Lord, we must expect to meet with contempt and persecution from the carnal world. Rom. viii. 7. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” John xv. 18–21. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me, before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” O what christian would refuse to suffer for the sake of his Redeemer? Matt. v. 10–12. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

5th. We have also spoken largely on all the ordinances of the gospel, and the necessity of being constant partakers of them; and have proved this by a great variety of scriptures. Although the ordinances are but means of grace, their end, which is the salvation of our souls, cannot be attained without them. Such is the order of God, except when unavoidable hindrances prevent our attending of them; in which case, God will himself be to the sincere soul instead of all ordinances, yea, will turn the very hindrances themselves into the most profitable of all means.

6th. Thus have we briefly explained the regulations by which the members of our society are governed. When these rules were once in a particular suit at law read in a full court of justice, in Europe, “I wish,” said the judge, lifting up his hands, “that all the world kept them.” O what a happy world would it become, if they were written by the Spirit of God on every heart. Surely “the Lord God would then dwell among us,” (Psal. lxviii. 18.) yea, his delight would be among the children of men. “The wolf would then dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid,” (Isa. xi. 6.) “They would not hurt nor destroy in all God’s holy mountain: for the earth would be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea,” (ver. 9.)

5. Ordination, Sacraments and Worship: Elders, Deacons, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and Singing

The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, with Explanatory Notes by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury, 10th ed. (Philadelphia, 1798), Chapter I, Sections VI–VII (election and ordination of travelling elders and deacons) and Sections XXII–XXV (baptism, the Lord’s Supper, public worship, and singing), with the bishops’ notes. OCR lines 2769–3007 and 6278–6667 (Internet Archive item doctrinesanddis18churgoog). Primary source; the interpretations are the authors’.

CTS note: In the 1798 book these sections come before the material of Chapters 3 and 4 of this textbook; they are gathered here by topic and kept in their own source order. An “elder” (presbyter) could administer both sacraments; a “deacon” could baptize and assist at the Lord’s Supper. The rule on baptism leaves the choice of immersion, sprinkling, or pouring to the adult candidate or the parents; the bishops’ own preference stated in the notes is their 1798 opinion, and readers from different traditions will weigh it differently. “Fuge-tunes” (fuging tunes) were hymn tunes in which the voice parts enter one after another. The “one modern society” that did not sing in worship is probably the Society of Friends (Quakers).

SECTION VI. Of the Election and Ordination of Travelling Elders, and of their Duty.

Quest. 1. How is an Elder constituted?

Answ. By the election of a majority of the yearly conference, and by the laying on of the hands of a bishop, and of the elders that are present.

Quest. 2. What is the duty of a travelling elder?

Answ. 1. To administer baptism and the Lord’s supper, and to perform the office of matrimony and all parts of divine worship.

2. To do all the duties of a travelling preacher.

N. B. No elder that ceases to travel, without the consent of the yearly conference, certified under the hand of the president of the conference, shall on any account exercise the peculiar functions of his office among us.

NOTES.

Acts xiv. 23. When they [Paul and Barnabas] had ordained them elders in every church, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Titus i. 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest—ordain elders in every city. See also Acts xv. 2, 4, 6, 22, 23. xvi. 4. 1 Tim. v. 1, 17, 19. Jam. v. 14.

We need not enlarge upon the necessity of an office, which every organized christian church in the world, in all ages, has adopted. We would only remark, that the restriction respecting the elders’ withdrawing themselves from the travelling line, without the consent of the yearly conference, shews the confirmed regard our church has for the itinerant plan, and its determination to support it by every method in its power, consistent with justice and truth. And no elder has a right to complain, as he cannot but be previously acquainted with the conditions on which he accepts of ordination.

SECTION VII. Of the Election and Ordination of Travelling Deacons, and of their Duty.

Quest. 1. How is a travelling deacon constituted?

Answ. By the election of the majority of the yearly conference, and the laying on of the hands of a bishop.

Quest. 2. What is the duty of a travelling deacon?

Answ. 1. To baptize, and perform the office of matrimony, in the absence of the elder.

2. To assist the elder in administering the Lord’s supper.

3. To do all the duties of a travelling preacher.

Quest. 3. What shall be the time of probation of a travelling deacon for the office of an elder?

Answ. Every travelling deacon shall exercise that office for two years, before he be eligible to the office of an elder; except in the case of missions, when the yearly conferences shall have authority to elect for the elder’s office sooner, if they judge it expedient.

N. B. No deacon who ceases to travel without the consent of the yearly conference, certified under the hand of the president of the conference, shall on any account exercise the peculiar functions of his office.

NOTES.

Acts vi. 1–6. “In those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochoras, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the apostles: and, when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.”

We have in the passage above quoted an account of the institution of the order of deacons; from which it appears, 1. That the primary design of the order was, that the widows, the aged, the infirm, &c. should be sufficiently provided for. For we are not to suppose, that the widows only in this respect were the objects of their care, but all the infirm, and all whose temporal situation required extraordinary attention.

2. Nor can we with any propriety imagine, that the circle of action of men like these, who were full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, was confined to such menial offices. They were men, we doubt not, chosen out of the preachers of the gospel who used the gifts of the Holy Ghost and the wisdom they had received from above not so much for ministering to the temporal wants of the widows, &c. as to the spiritual wants of immortal souls, for which principally such invaluable blessings were bestowed upon them. Accordingly we are informed, Acts vi. 8. that “Stephen [the first of the deacons] full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.” He had also the high honour of being the first christian martyr, by being stoned to death “for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God.”* Again, we read of Philip, another of those deacons, who was commanded by an angel of the Lord to “go toward the south,” to preach the gospel to “an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship;” and after the conversion and baptism of the eunuch, “the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip” (adds the word of God) “was found at Azotus: and, passing through, he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea.” See Acts viii. 26–40. It must be evident to every candid reader of the above-quoted passages, that these two deacons were preachers of the gospel. And we must beg leave to repeat, in respect to the whole of them, that the description which the word of God gives of them, clearly raises them above the private members in general of a christian society, in respect to gifts, and wisdom, and power.

3. The directions which the great apostle gives to Timothy in respect to the deacons are so weighty and solemn, that it is evident the apostle considered those men as of far greater importance than to be limited in their public offices merely to the work of serving tables, or attending on the poor and infirm. 1 Tim. iii. 8–13. “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre: holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers; sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” The last words are certainly descriptive of an office of considerable importance in the church of God.

* Acts vii. 59.

4. All we have said in respect to this office agrees with the accounts given us by the fathers of the church, in the purest ages of christianity. From their writings we are also informed, that the deacons were employed to assist the elder or presbyter in the administration of the Lord’s supper; and also to carry a part of the consecrated elements to the sick, who were not able to attend at the place of public worship. And as we find from the first quoted text that the deacons were set apart for their office by the imposition of hands, but not by the imposition of the hands of the elders, as in other cases; so we endeavour to come as near to the scripture-mode as we can, by confining the ceremony of the imposition of hands to the episcopacy only, in the present instance, without daring to compare ourselves, as some of our enemies could most maliciously assert, to the holy apostles; but simply, and in the fear of God, coming up to the written word as nearly as in our power.

5. This office serves as an excellent probation for that of an elder. No preacher can be eligible to the office of an elder, till he has exercised the office of a deacon for two years, except in the case of missions. For we would wish to shew the utmost attention to the order of elders, and to have the fullest proof of the abilities, grace, and usefulness of those, who shall be, from time to time, proposed for so important an office as that of a presbyter in the church of God. And we judge, that the man who has proved himself a worthy member of our society, as an useful class-leader, exhorter, and local preacher, who has been approved of for two years as a travelling preacher on trial, and has faithfully served in the office of a travelling deacon for at least two years more, has offered such proofs of fidelity and piety, as must satisfy every reasonable mind. But as this continent is exceedingly large, and will continually open to our conferences new missions for the spread of the gospel (perhaps for ages to come), we have, in the case of missions, given a discretionary power to the yearly conferences. We have thus [illegible] the grace and providence of God, to [illegible] in our ministry, as, we trust, will contribute highly to its purity, to the dignity of the ministerial office, and to the advantage of our people.

6. We have here also made the same restriction for the preservation of our important itinerant plan, in respect to the deacons’ withdrawing themselves from the general work, without the consent of the yearly conference, which was made before in the case of the elders, and which has been spoken to in the notes on the former section.

SECTION XXII. Of Baptism.

1. Let every adult person, and the parents of every child, to be baptized, have the choice either of immersion, sprinkling, or pouring.

2. We will on no account whatever receive a present for administering baptism, or for burying of the dead.

NOTES.

1. In respect to the sacrament of baptism, we must refer our reader to our scripture references on the 16th and 17th articles of religion. We need only observe here, that we are conscious that sprinkling, pouring, and immersing have been practised by different churches, in each of which the pure gospel was preached, and the life of God, more or less, experienced; and that all these modes are, more or less, acceptable to God, when administered with sincerity. At the same time, we know well, that as much may be said in favour of sprinkling as of immersion from the account given us in Scripture of the baptism of John himself: and the primitive churches in general, we believe, favoured the practice of sprinkling. However, we would meet the tender mind, and in matters unessential condescend as far as we conscientiously can, to the feelings and sentiments of all. Rom. xiv. 1–5. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not, judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Rom. xv. 2, 3. “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification: for even Christ pleased not himself.” 1 Cor. ix. 22, 23. “To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” x. 33. “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

2. As we have before observed, our aim is to save souls, and not to enrich ourselves: therefore Mr. Wesley and the general conference placed our whole economy as far distant as possible from that of a lucrative ministry. We are determined not to sell the ordinances of God: in this no man shall make our glorying void. Matt. x. 8. “Freely ye have received,” says our Lord, “freely give.” 1 Cor. ix. 11–18. “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. I have used none of these things; neither have I written these things that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die than that any man should make my glorying void. What is my reward then? Verily, that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” 2 Cor. xi. 7. “Have I committed an offence, in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?” 1 Pet. v. 2. “Feed the flock of God which is among you, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.” 3 John 7. “For his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the gentiles.”

SECTION XXIII. Of the Lord’s Supper.

Quest. Are there any directions to be given concerning the administration of the Lord’s supper?

Answ. 1. Let those who have scruples concerning the receiving of it kneeling, be permitted to receive it either standing or sitting.

2. Let no person that is not a member of our society, be admitted to the communion without examination, and some token given by an elder or deacon.

3. No person shall be admitted to the Lord’s supper among us, who is guilty of any practice for which we would exclude a member of our society.

NOTES.

Our readers must here be referred to the scripture-references in the 16th, 18th, and 19th articles of religion, and our observations on the preceding section. [illegible] about the posture of the communicants, we prefer the most humble, whatever our Saviour might have permitted when he instituted the sacred ordinance. Besides, as we always receive the elements in prayer, we for that reason also prefer the kneeling posture. We must also observe, that our elders should be very cautious how they admit to the communion persons who are not in our society. It would be highly injurious to our brethren if we suffered any to partake of the Lord’s supper with them, whom we would not readily admit into our society on application made to us. Those whom we judge unfit to partake of our profitable, prudential means of grace, we should most certainly think improper to be partakers of an ordinance which has been expressly instituted by Christ himself.

1 Cor. v. 11. “Now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one, no, not to eat.” 2 Thess. iii. 6–15. “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us; for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” 1 Tim. iv. 8. “Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

SECTION XXIV. Of Public Worship.

Quest. What directions shall be given for the establishment of uniformity in public worship amongst us, on the Lord’s-day?

Answ. 1. Let the morning-service consist of singing, prayer, the reading of a chapter out of the Old Testament, and another out of the New, and preaching.

2. Let the afternoon-service consist of singing, prayer, the reading of one chapter out of the bible, and preaching.

3. Let the evening-service consist of singing, prayer, and preaching.

4. But on the days of administering the Lord’s supper, the two chapters in the morning-service may be omitted.

5. Let the society be met, wherever it is practicable, on the sabbath-day.

NOTES.

This section needs little more than some pointed texts of sacred writ for its confirmation to all christian persons. Our church insists on the reading of the Scriptures in the congregation, and gives directions accordingly. This is of the utmost consequence, and we trust will be most sacredly observed by all our ministers and preachers. A peculiar blessing accompanies the public reading as well as preaching the word of God to attentive, believing souls. And in these days of infidelity, nothing should be omitted, which may lead the people to the love of the holy bible.

The meeting of the society also, wherever practicable, is of considerable moment. There are various weighty subjects, peculiarly suitable to religious societies, which cannot be so well enlarged upon to a mixed congregation. Brotherly union and fellowship, christian discipline in all its branches, and various other particulars may be enlarged upon and enforced with great propriety and success on such occasions. At these times also we may enter more minutely into the different parts of the relative duties, than we can to unawakened souls, whose whole life is sin, and who are at the best only “like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”

(1) Exod. xx. 24. In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. Isai. lx. 13. And I will make the place of my feet glorious. Mal. i. 11. For from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the sun, my name shall be great among the gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering. Psalm xxii. 25. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. xxxv. 18. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. xl. 9. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation. lxviii. 26. Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. Matt. xviii. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Luke iv. 16, 17. He [Christ] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, AS HIS CUSTOM WAS, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, and stood up FOR TO READ. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. Acts xiii. 14–16. When they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, and sat down. And, after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, &c. Ver. 27. They knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath-day. 1 Cor. xi. 20. When ye come together — into one place, &c. See also the 14th chapter on public prayer, thanksgiving, and prophecy or preaching. Col. iv. 16. When this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans. 1 Thess. v. 27. I charge you, by the Lord, that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren, Rev. i. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.

(2) Acts xi. 26. It came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, &c. xiv. 27. When they were come, and had gathered the church together, &c.

SECTION XXV. Of the Spirit and Truth of Singing.

Quest. How shall we guard against formality in singing?

Answ. 1. By choosing such hymns as are proper for the congregation.

2. By not singing too much at once; seldom more than five or six verses.

3. By suiting the tune to the words.

4. By often stopping short, and asking the people, “Now! Do you know what you said last? Did you speak no more than you felt?”

5. Do not suffer the people to sing too slow. This naturally tends to formality; and is brought in by those who have either very strong or very weak voices.

6. In every large society let them learn to sing; and let them always learn our tunes first.

7. Let the women constantly sing their parts alone. Let no man sing with them, unless he understands the notes, and sings the bass as it is composed in the tune-book.

8. Introduce no new tune till they are perfect in the old.

9. Recommend our tune-book. And if you cannot sing yourself, choose a person or two at each place to pitch the tune for you.

10. Exhort every person in the congregation to sing, not one in ten only.

11. Sing no hymns of your own composing.

12. If a preacher be present, let him alone give out the words.

13. When the singers would teach a tune to the congregation, they must sing only the tenor.

14. The preachers are desired not to encourage the singing of fuge-tunes in our congregations.

15. Let it be recommended to our people, not to attend the singing-schools which are not under our direction.

N. B. We do not think that fuge-tunes are sinful, or improper to be used in private companies: but we do not approve of their being used in our public congregations, because public singing is a part of divine worship in which all the congregation ought to join.

NOTES.

The singing of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs in the congregation, has been allowed by all the churches of God in all ages (one modern society excepted) to be a part of divine worship; and, from its very nature it evidently belongs to the whole congregation. It would be unseemly for the minister alone to sing: but if this be the duty of one member of the congregation, it must be the duty of all who have voices for singing; and there are very few who may not join in the tenor-part, all the defect of their voices being swallowed up in the general sound. Few things can be more pleasing to the Lord, than a congregation, with one heart and one voice, praising his holy name. It is indeed to be feared, that there is seldom a large congregation, where every individual is sincere. However, all who do in sincerity desire a blessing, should strive to join in the general chorus—we mean, in every part of the hymn. If one part of it be above the experience of the singer, he should adjoin a mental prayer, that the Lord may give him the grace he needs; for the Lord listens to hear what the heart speaks, and takes all as nothing, if the heart be silent. Again, when his experience rises above the hymn, his secret prayer should be in behalf of that part of the congregation which it suits: but in the proper hymns of praise he may throw off all reserve, for we are all infinitely indebted to our good God. From these remarks we surely must be sensible of the necessity of confining ourselves to simple tunes, as the fuge-tunes have an unavoidable tendency to confine to a few this part of divine worship, which belongs to the whole. And those, we think, have made few remarks on public worship, who have not observed, on the one hand, how naturally the fuge-tunes puff up with vanity those who excel in them; and on the other hand, how it deadens devotion, and only at the best raises an admiration of the singers, and not of Christ.

When it is recommended in this section to the preacher sometimes to stop and address the people in the course of singing, the substance only of what he should say is mentioned there. It is not intended, that he should speak abruptly on such occasions, but with softness and due respect on the necessity of singing and of performing every act of devotion from the heart.

1 Chron. xvi. 7–9. On that day David delivered first this psalm, to thank the Lord, into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Psalm xcv. 1, 2. O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. xcvi. 1. O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord all the earth. civ. 33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being. Psalm cxxxviii. 1. I will praise thee with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. Matt. xxvi. 30. When they [Christ and his disciples] had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. See also Mark xiv. 26. 1 Cor. xiv. 15. I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Eph. v. 18, 19. Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Col. iii. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts, to the Lord. Jam. v. 13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry [joyful]? let him sing psalms.