though otherwise Diffenters by Name, and perhaps of feveral Denominations.

THE World then calling them Methodists, nay perhaps the very diffenting Congregations to which they belong giving them that Title, Cuftom obliges me to do the fame, though ftrictly speaking they are. not of the first Order, but rather what we may call Methodistical than Methodift.

If I take Notice of any of thefe People, or their Writings it is in this fecondary Character, as they are connected with Methodists: For in their old Character as Diffenters; fince they meddle not with me, I give them no Disturbance, they are tolerated by the Laws of the Land to diffent from us, and are, or fhould be, under the Direction of their proper Paftors.

Who if they may be Men of Prudence, and concerned for the general Credit of Religion, will think it their Duty, as we think it ours, to prevent fuch Delufions from paffing under the Name of Cbriftianity, as may bring it into utter Contempt, and hinder every wife Community from giving it either Eftablishment or Toleration.

To compass that End, was the Labour of all those Infidel Books, which for the last thirty Years, learned and pious Chriftians have been employed in answering, fo that it would be a Circumftance deplorable indeed, if what Atheifts and Infidels begun, nominal and deluded CHRIST IANS fhould have Permiffion, to combine, to finish.

And thus much of the Origin and Name, and the more general Divifions of the Methodists, appearing as Churchmen or Diffenters, and of the Marks whereby they may ufually be diftinguished.

If any of the FOUNDERS of this Sect, affifted by a greater Share of Learning and Sagacity than the Reft, or happier Mutability of Genius, or the Advantage of independent Circumftances, which will enable Men to speak the Truth, have found a fair Opportunity to renounce and difclaim the Opinions with which they once were charged, I think as they depart from the Notions, they may be permitted, if they defire it, to lay afide the Name, and take another.

While on the contrary, the Snakes in our Bofom, who

whether

whether by Neglect or Collufion are crept into our Churches, as they fhall appear by their Conversation and Writings to be of that Tribe; notwithstanding their double Dealing, in denying it, ought conftantly to be comprehended under that Denomination, and fhewn to the World in their proper Character.

For these are all Methodists: And rather more dangerous, as they raife no Sufpicions of that Sort among the deluded common People, while they affume legal Titles, and pass with them for Rector of Vicar of-Mafter of&c. and add, that they only preach the true Golpel, and are the true Minifters of the Church of England.

No wonder then, that they should be fo much disturbed at the Author's Pamphlet, which charges them with fuch Doctrines, as he proves to be contradictory to the Gospel, contradictory to the Church of England, full of Blafphemy, and Impiety, and ending in downright Atheism.

This leads me to the 4th Thing, which I propofed to fpeak to, in the Preface, namely the Matter of the Charge, which was brought against them in the Articles, propoled to the SALTERS, which Charge they fay, has no Proof, or Foundation.

I have received fome anonymous Letters, and one almost anonymous Pamphlet from the Methodists, very exprefs to this Purpose. They ftyle themfelves indeed Members of the Church of England, as I have juft obferved to be their Practice: But befide that their Speech, or Doctrine all along betrays them, the very Occation of their Writing discovers their real Character. For they would never have wrote to me, if it had not been in Defence of a Perfon, whom I treated as a Methodist, and as they have given themselves fo much Trouble to defend a Methodist, it is a Proof fufficient, that they are People of the faine Perfuafion.

Having thus difcovered to the Reader, who thefe Objectors are, it may not be amifs to acquaint him with the principal Articles of the Charge, which they object to ; and then he will foon be able to determine, whether that Charge be at all weakened by their Outery, or whether, on the contrary, it be not totally confirmed from the very Papers, that contain their Objections. C 2

I Among

I. Among other Things then, I had faid in the Pamphlet, aforementioned" that the Methodists openly opposed a "fundamental Article of the Church of England by fo "expounding Scripture as to make it contradict itself".

II. I had charged them likewife with "Blafphemy and "Impiety, or diabolical Phrenzy in daring to contradict "our Saviour's Authority, and that too in a Paffage, "which comprehends fuch an effential Article of Re"ligion, as the Judgment of the World."

III. Further I had obferved," that to contradict our Saviour in the Doctrine there advanced, concerning the "Nature of a future Judgment, was not only fuch an "Offence to him, as was before mentioned, but that it tended likewife to deftroy the effential Attributes of God and tuin his Character as Judge of the World.

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In Support of the firft Accufation, I had said, it was notorious, that the Methodifts to explained the Word Faith, as it ftands in fome of St. Paul's Writings in a "Manner fo different from the clear Declaration of St. James, as to make the Doctrine of one Apostle, a flat "Contradiction to the other and that they affirmed it to "be the Doctrine of Scripture, that a Man fhall be faved "by Faith alone exclufive of good Works; by which we mean VIRTUE and MORALITY."

This Practice of theirs I faid was notorious, They upbraid me however for not giving a Special Proof of this Notoriety: But I believe few Men of common Sense ever attempted to prove a Thing that was Notorious, till fuch Time, as contrary to thei: Expectation, they met with People of fuch notorious Impudence, as to deny it. And then Special Inftances may be neceflary; not fo much for the Conviction of others, as for a Reproof of the Delinquents, and that this may have the greater Force, I shall here give the Reader this Man's own Account of the Thing, and enable him, to judge him, by his own Evidence.

You abject (fays he) Pag, 5. of the Articles to the Salters-That, it is notorious, that the Methodists, un"der the Mafk of being true Sons of the Church, do ever explain the Word Faith, as it ftands of fome of St. "Paul's Writings in a Manner to different from the * clear

..

❝ clear Declaration of St. James as to make the Doctrine of one Apoftle a direct and flat Contradiction to the "other"-To this he replies.

"Sir, I affirm this Charge from Beginning to End, to "be notoriously falfe. One Circumftance is wanting "there, the Proof, the Proof Doctor. Where is that "Proof to fupport these Affertions? Which of the Methodifts do this?"

Why he tells me very triumphantly p. 18, that for his own Part, he is one, and I leave it to the Reader to determine, whether he does not fairly comprehend the reft. "Therefore we conclude (fays he) that a Man is jufti"fied (his Sins pardoned, his Perfon accepted to God's "Love and Favour, and his Title to Glory evidenced to him) by Faith, without the Deeds of the Law, either natural, ceremonial, or moral (faith the much admired Burket) &c. If this be not exclufive of good Works no Language can express it.

But was there ever fuch hardened and unfeeling Impudence or Stupidity as this !-For a Perfon to deny a Thing with fuch a Degree of Confidence, and loudly to demand a Proof of it; and then a little after, with his own Mouth, and of his own Motion in such a particular Manner to confefs it to be Fact, and that he himself is of the fame Opinion.

It is no Matter to me whether this Man expreffes his Conclufion in his own Words, or the Words of Burket. If he admires this Profeffion of Burket's, by admiring, it is plain he likes it, and by liking, he makes it his own: And as fuch, it would have been taken by all Men of common Senfe, if (exclufive of the high Admiration) he had only fet it here in Support of his own Opinion. For if it does not exprefs his Opinion, it could not have been cited to fupport it: And therefore if it is cited to fupport it, it expreffes his Opinion. And that it fhould be fo taken, he adds fomething ftronger, the Meaning of which in plain English is, that we are juftified by Chrift, on Account of our Sin and IVickedness; and not by being Holy, Juft, and Righteous Perfons. For which he quotes Rom.

4, 5.

I fay then, the Faith of these People, which they pretend

to

to gather from St. Paul, is quite oppofite or contradictory to that of St. James, for he fays that Faith without Works is dead, and produces no Salvation, they say that it produces Salvation, and is quite alive.

So much in Support of my firft Charge, "that the "Methodists, under the Mask of being true Sons of the " Church, do ever explain the Word Faith, as it stands "in fome of St. Paul's Writings in a Manner (or Senfe) "fo different from that of St. James, as to make the "Doctrine of one Apoftle a direct and flat Contradiction "to the other."

Which is likewife openly and avowedly to oppose a fundamental Article of the Church of England; I fay Fundamental, that they may learn for the future, that the Articles are af very different Importance, and claim more or lefs of our Regard, in Proportion to the Clearness and Importance of their feveral Subjects.

Under the fecond ACCUSATION here mentioned, which charges them with Blafphemy, and diabolical Phrenzy in daring to contradict our Saviour's Authority-I obferved, that our Saviour exprefly declares the Works of Men "to be the Object of his Judgment, the Matter of his "Confideration or Attention, before he rewards or faves "them: But the Methodist for the Perdition of the Souls of "his Followers openly gives our Saviour the Lie, and fays "that the Works of Men are of no Confideration at all."

What I here affirm however is moft devoutly called in Queftion; by one of my anonymous Correfpondents; who with great Simplicity, or very steady Hypocrify, wonders, that I fhould charge the Methodists with denying the Neceffity of good Works, in Order to Salvation, and defires me to retract it, as an unjust Aspersion.

Though at the fame Time another is Blafphemous enough to tell me, that our Works will never be brought to the Bar of God. In direct Oppofition, as I obferved, to our LORD'S Declaration, that at his Tribunal, he ball reward every Man according to bis Works.

If the first mentioned of thefe Gentlemen, doubts the Truth of what is here related, as he feems to be a civil Perfon, he shall have the Perufal of the other's Letter, if he pleases; and then for the Affair of Retracting, he shall

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