Rules of the Bands
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
ing, unless by the Church they mean themselves, i.e. that part of the clergy who accuse us of preaching false doctrine. And it is sure we do herein separate from them by maintaining the doctrine which they deny. g. 11. But do you not weaken the Church?
A. Do not they who ask this by the Church mean themselves? We do not purposely weaken any man's hands, but accidentally we may thus far: they who come to know the truth by us will esteem such as deny it less than they did before. But the Church in the proper sense, the congregation of English believers, we do not weaken at all. g. 12. Do not you entail a schism on the Church? That is, is it not probable that your hearers after your death will be scattered into all sects and parties, or that they will form themselves into a distinct sect? a. 1. We are persuaded the body of our hearers will even after our death remain in the Church, unless they be thrust out.
2. We believe, notwithstanding, either that they will be thrust out or that they will leaven the whole Church.
3. We do, and will do, all we can to prevent those consequences which are supposed likely to happen after our death.
4. But we cannot with good conscience neglect the present opportunity of saving souls while we live for fear of consequences which may possibly or probably happen after we are dead.
Thursday, June the 28th, were considered other points of discipline.
The substance of the questions and answers was as follows: g. 1. How are the people divided who desire to be under your care? a. Into the United Societies, the Bands, the Select Societies, and the Penitents.
Q. 2. How do these differ from each other? a. The United Societies (which are the largest of all) consist of awakened persons. Part of these, who are supposed to have remission of sins, are more Closely united in the Bands. Those in the Bands who seem to walk in the light of God compose the Select Societies. Those of them who have made shipwreck of the faith meet apart as Penitents.
Q. 3. What are the Rules of the United Societies?
A. Those that follow. (Then they were read.) 7° Q. 4. What are the Rules of the Bands? a. They are these (which were read and considered).17
16. See below, p. 177 ff.
17. See below, p. 180 f.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
What are the Rules of the Select Societies?
A. The same [as above], and these three:
I. Let nothing spoken in this Society be spoken again; no, not even to the members of it.
. Every member agrees absolutely to submit to his minister in all indifferent things.
. Every member, till we can have all things common, will bring once a week, bona fide, all he can spare towards a common stock.
- [Q. 6-11 omitted. ] Q. 12. What is the best way of spreading the gospel?
A. To go a little and a little farther from London, Bristol, St. Ives, Newcastle or any other Society. So a little leaven would spread with more effect and less noise, and help would always be at hand.
Q. 13. What is the best general method in preaching?
To invite.
To convince.
To offer Christ; and, lastly, To build up — and to do this (in some measure) in every sermon. is lbs 2.
Friday, June the 29th, we considered:
Are Lay Assistants allowable?
Only in cases of necessity.
What is the office of our Assistants?
In the absence of the minister,'® to feed and guide, to teach and govern the flock:
. To expound every morning and evening.
. To meet the United Societies, the Bands, the Select Societies, and the Penitents every week, . To visit the classes (London 1° excepted) once a month.
. To hear and decide all differences.
. To put the disorderly back on trial, and to receive on trial for the Bands or Society.
. To see that the Stewards and the Leaders, schoolmasters and housekeepers, faithfully discharge their several offices.
18. I.e. the ordained rector or curate; cf. Wesley's distinction between "priests" and "preachers" in his sermon "On the Ministerial Office," Works, VII, 273-77.
19. A later note of Wesley's adds, "and Bristol."
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
To meet the Stewards, the Leaders of the Bands and Classes weekly, and overlook their accounts.
. What are the Rules of an Assistant?
1. Be diligent. Never be unemployed a moment, never be triflingly employed, never while away time; spend no more time at any place than is strictly necessary.
. Be serious. Let your motto be, "holiness unto the Lord." Avoid all lightness as you would avoid hell-fire, and laughing as you would cursing and swearing.
. Touch no woman. Be as loving as you will but hold your hands off 'em. Custom is nothing to us.
. Believe evil of no one. If you see it done, well. Else take heed how you credit it. Put the best construction on every thing. You know the judge is always supposed to be on the prisoner's side.
. Speak evil of no one, else your word especially would eat as doth a canker. Keep your thoughts within your own breast till you come to the person concerned.
Tell everyone what you think wrong in him and that plainly and a as soon as may be; else it will fester in your heart. Make all haste, therefore, to cast the fire out of your bosom.
. Do nothing "as a gentleman." You have no more to do with this character than with that of a dancing-master. You are the servant of all; therefore . Be ashamed of nothing but sin; not of fetching wood or drawing water, if time permit; not of cleaning your own shoes or your neighbour's.
. Take no money of any one. If they give you food when you are hungry or clothes when you need them, it is good. But not silver or gold. Let there be no pretence to say we grow rich by the gospel. ro. Contract no debt without my knowledge.
11. Be punctual: do everything exactly at the time. And, in general, do not mend our rules but keep them, not for wrath but for conscience' sake.
12. Act in all things not according to. your own will but as a son in the gospel. As such, it is your part to employ your time in the manner which we direct: partly in visiting the flock from house to house (the sick in particular); partly, in such a course of reading, meditation and prayer as we advise from time to time.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Above all, if you labour with us in our Lord's vineyard, it is needful you should do that part of the work which we direct, at those times and places which we judge most for his glory.
. [Q. 4-5 omitted. ] . What is the office of a Steward?
. To manage the temporal things of the Society.
. To receive the weekly contributions of the Leaders of the classes.
. To expend what is needful from time to time.
. To send relief to the poor.
. To see that the public buildings be kept clean and in good repair.
. To keep an exact account of receipts and expenses.
. To inform the Helpers if the rules of the house, of the school, of SI Amn BW WN the Bands, or of the Society, be not punctually observed: and 8. If need be, to inform the minister hereof. g. To tell the Helpers in love if they think anything amiss in their doctrine or life.
10. If it be not removed, to send timely notice to the minister.
. To meet his fellow Steward weekly, in order to consult together II on the preceding heads.
. What are the Rules of a Steward?
. Be frugal. Save everything that can be saved honestly.
. Spend no more than you receive. Contract no debt.
. Do nothing rashly. Let every design be thoroughly weighed beWw N fore you begin to execute it.
. Have no long accounts. Pay everything within the week.
- . Give none that ask relief an ill word or ill look. Do not hurt them if you cannot help them.
6. Expect no thanks from man.
. Remember you are a servant of the Helper, not his master; therefore speak to him always as such...
. [Q. 8-13 omitted. | 14. What books may an Assistant read?
Sallust, Caesar, Tully,?° Erasmus, Castellio,21 Terence, Virgil, HorVida," Buchanan, G. Test.,?4 Epictetus, Plato, Ignatius, Ephraim
A. ace; Marcus Tullius Cicero.
20.
21. Sebastian Castellio (1515-1563); cf. his De haereticis, an sint persequendi (1554).
22. Marco Giralomo Vida (c. 1489-1566); cf. his Ars Poetica (1527).
23. George Buchanan (1506-1582), Scottish humanist and jurist whose Latin translations of the Psalms were much admired in the eighteenth century.
24. Greek Testament; cf. Wesley Historical Society, Proceedings, I, 29.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
Syrus, Homer, Greek Epigrams, Duport,"® Bp. Ussher's Sermons, Arndt,?é Boehm,?" Nalson,?® Pascal, Francke,2® R. Gell,8° our Tracts.21 ... [Q.
15-18 omitted, as well as minutes for Saturday, June 3o.] * & Tur Seconp ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bristol, Thursday, August 1, 1745 The following persons being met together at the New Room
— John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Hodges, Thomas Richards, Samuel Larwood, Thomas Meyrick, James Wheatley, Richard Moss, John Slocombe,
Herbert Jenkins, Marmaduke Gwynne — it was inquired: g. 1. Should we still consider ourselves as little children, who have everything to learn?
A. Yes, so far as to have our minds always open to any farther light which God may give us.
Q. 2. What general method may we observe in our following conferences? a. 1. To read and weigh at every conference each article of those preceding.
2. To speak freely and hear calmly touching each, that we may either retract, amend or enlarge it.
Q. 3. Should not the time of this conference be a time of particular watching and self-denial?
25. James Duport (1606-1679), Cambridge classical scholar, best known for his collection of Homeric aphorisms, Homeri gnomologia (1660).
26. Johann Arndt (1555-1621), early and influential Lutheran pietist; cf. his Wabre
Christentum (1606-1610); in English, True Christianity, trans. by A. W. Boehm (1712).
27. Anthony William Boehm (1673-1722), German chaplain at St. James; author of Discourses and Tracts (1716). See below, p. 162.
28. Valentine Nalson (1683-1723), vicar of St. Martin's York; author of Twenty Sermons preached in the Cathedral of York (1724; 2d ed., 1737). See below, p. 163.
29. August Hermann Francke (1663-1727), greatest of the German pietists. Cf. his
Nicodemus, or a Treatise on the Fear of Man (1706) and The Marvellous Footsteps of Divine Providence (1706).
30. Robert Gell (1595-1665), chaplain to Archbishop of Canterbury, Rector of St.
Mary, Aldermanbury, London; author of Remains; or Select Scriptures of the New Testament (1676).
31. Cf. a newly discovered letter from Wesley to Peard Dickinson, in Mrs. John Warnick, "Four Unpublished Letters of John Wesley," The Perkins School of Theology Journal, XIII (1960), No. 2, 28-32. See also Wesley Historical Society,
Proceedings, I, 28-29.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
A. It should.
Q. 4. Should we not desire all who can of the Society to join with us tomorrow in fasting and prayer?
A. We will desire them so to do.
Q. 5. Ought not every question which shall be proposed to be examined from the foundation?
A. Without question it ought. If there was any defect herein at the last conference, let us amend it now. g. 6. How can we effectually provide that everyone may speak freely whatever is in his heart? a. By taking care to check no one either by word or look, even though he should say what was quite wrong. ga. 7. How shall we provide that every point may be fully and thoroughly settled?
A. Let us beware of making haste or showing any impatience, whether of delay or of contradiction.
About seven, it was proposed to review the Minutes of the last conference with regard to justification:
Q. 1. How comes what is written on this subject to be so intricate and obscure. Is this obscurity from the nature of the thing itself, or from the fault or weakness of those who have generally treated of it?
A. We apprehend this obscurity does not arise from the nature of the subject, but perhaps partly from hence: that the devil peculiarly labours to perplex a subject of the greatest importance; and partly from the extreme warmth of most writers who have treated of it. g. 2. We affirm faith is the sole condition of justification. But does not repentance go before that faith? Yea, and (supposing there be an opportunity for them) fruits or works meet for repentance?
A. Without doubt they do.
Q. 3. How then can we deny them to be conditions of justification?
Is not this a mere strife of words? But is it worth while to continue a dispute on the term "condition"?
A. It seems not, though it has been generally abused. But so the abuse cease, let the use remain.
Q. 4. Shall we read over together Mr. Baxter's Aphorisms concerning justification? *?
32. Cf. An Extract of Mr. Richard Baxter's Aphorisms of Justification, published by John Wesley, etc. (1745). The original had been published in 1649 and represents
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
A. By all means (which were accordingly read). And it was desired that each present would in the afternoon consult the Scriptures cited therein and bring what objections might occur the next morning.
Friday, August 2nd, the question was proposed:
Q. 1. Is an assurance of God's love absolutely necessary to our being in his favour, or may there possibly be some exempt Cases?
A. We dare not positively say there are not.
Q. 2. Is such an assurance absolutely necessary to inward and outward holiness?
A. To inward, we apprehend it is: to outward holiness, we incline to think it is not.
Q. 3. Is it indispensably necessary to final salvation? Suppose in a papist or a Quaker, or, in general, among those who never heard it preached?
A. Love hopeth all things. We know not how far any of those may fall under the case of invincible ignorance.
Q. 4. But what can we say of one of our own Society who dies without it, as John Warr at London?
A. It may possibly be an exempt case (if the fact was really so). But we determine nothing. We leave his soul in the hands of him that made it.
Q. 5. Does a man believe any longer than he "sees" God? a. We conceive not. But we allow there may be infinite degrees in seeing God; even as many as there are between him who sees the sun when it shines on his eyelids closed and him who stands with his eyes wide open in the full blaze of its beams. g. 6. Does a man believe any longer than he loves God?
A. In no wise. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails without "faith working by love" [Gal. 5:6].
Q. 7. Have we duly considered the case of Cornelius? Was not he in the favour of God when his prayers and his alms came up for a memorial before God, i.e. before he believed in him [cf. Acts 10:2]?
A. It does seem that he was. But we speak not of those who have not heard the gospel. a principal source of Wesley's covenantal theology in opposition to "high" Calvinism. See Richard Baxter, Aphorisms, No. XIX-XLV, and compare them with Wesley, Predestination Calmly Considered, below, pp. 456-58.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
g. 8. But were those works of his "splendid sins'? 33 a. No, nor were they done without the grace of Christ.
Q. 9. How then can we maintain that all works done before we have a sense of the pardoning love of God are sin, and as such, an abomination to him?
A. The works of him who has heard the gospel and does not believe are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done. Therefore, they are sinful. And yet we know not how to say that they are an abomination to the Lord in him who feareth God and, from that principle, does the best he can. g. 10. Seeing there is so much difficulty in this subject, can we deal too tenderly with them that oppose us? a. We cannot unless we give up any part of the truth of God. g. 11. Is a believer constrained to obey God? a. At first he is. "The love of Christ constraineth him" [cf. 2 Cor.
5:14]. After this he may obey or he may not, no necessity being laid upon him. g. 12. Can faith be lost but through disobedience? a. It cannot. A believer first inwardly disobeys— inclines to sin with his heart. Then his intercourse with God is lost, i.e. his faith is lost, and after this he may fall into outward sin, being now weak and like unto another man.
Q. 13. How can such a man recover faith?
A. By repenting and doing the first works.*4 g. 14. Whence is it that the majority of those that believe fall more or less into doubt or fear? a. Chiefly from their own ignorance or unfaithfulness, often from their not watching unto prayer; perhaps sometimes from some defect or want of the power of God in the preaching they hear. g. 15. Is there not a defect in us? Do we preach as we did at the first?
Have we not changed our doctrines? a. 1. At first we preached almost wholly to unbelievers. To these, therefore, we spake almost continually of remission of sins through the death of Christ and the nature of faith in his blood.
And so we do still, among those who need to be taught the first elements of the gospel of Christ.
33. See below, p. 440, cf. Oxford English Dictionary, X, for a citation of this phase from Richard Fiddes (1714).
34. [Au.] Rev. 2:5.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
2. But those in whom the foundation is already laid we exhort to go on to perfection; which we did not see so clearly at first, although we occasionally spake of it from the beginning.
3. Yet we now preach, and that continually, faith in Christ as Prophet, Priest and King,*® at least as clearly, as strongly and as fully as we did six years ago.
Q. 16. Do we not discourage visions and dreams too much, as if we condemned them toto genere?
A. We do not intend to do this. We neither discourage nor encourage them. We learn from Acts 2:19, &c., to expect something of this kind
"in the last days." And we cannot deny that saving faith is often given in dreams or visions in the night, which faith we account neither better nor worse than if it come by any other means.
Q. 17. Do not our Assistants preach too much of the wrath and too little of the love of God?
A. We fear that they have leaned to that extreme and hence some may have lost the joy of faith.
Q. 18. Need we ever preach the terror of the Lord to those who know they are accepted of him?
A. No. It is folly so to do, for love is to them the strongest of all motives.
Q. 19. Do we ordinarily represent a justified state so great and happy as it is?
A. Perhaps not. A believer walking in the light is inexpressibly great and happy.
Q. 20. Should we not have a care of depreciating justification in order to exalt the state of full sanctification?
A. Undoubtedly we should beware of this, for one may insensibly slide into it.
Q. 21. How shall we effectually avoid it? a. When we are going to speak of entire sanctification, let us first describe the blessings of a justified state as strongly as possible.
Q. 22. Does not the truth of the gospel lie very near both to Calvinism and antinomianism?
A, Indeed it does; as it were, within a hair's breadth. So that 'tis altogether foolish and sinful, because we do not quite agree either with one or the other, to run from them as far as ever we can.
35. Cf. John Deschner, Wesley's Christology, an Interpretation (Dallas, 1960), chap. IV-VI.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Q. 23. Wherein may we come to the very edge of Calvinism?
A. 1. In ascribing all good to the free grace of God.
2. In denying all natural free-will and all power antecedent to grace.
And, 3. In excluding all merit from man, even for what he has or does by the grace of God.
Q. 24. Wherein may we come to the very edge of antinomianism?
1. In exalting the merits and love of Christ.
2. In rejoicing evermore.
Q. 25. What can we do to stop the progress of antinomianism?
A. 1. Pray without ceasing that God would speak for himself.
2. Write one or two more dialogues.
Q. 26. Doth faith supersede (set aside the necessity of) holiness or good works?
A. In no wise. So far from it, that it implies both, as a cause does its effects.
About ten, we began to speak of Sanctification, with regard to which it was enquired: g. 1. When does inward sanctification begin?
A. In the moment we are justified, the seed of every virtue is then instantaneously sown in the soil. From that time the believer gradually dies to sin and grows in grace. Yet sin remains in him, yea, the seed of all sin, till he is sanctified throughout in spirit, soul and body.
Q. 2. What will become of a heathen, a papist, or a Church of England man, if he dies without being thus sanctified?
A. He cannot see the Lord. But none who seeks it sincerely shall or can die without it, though possibly he may not attain it till the very article of death. g. 3. Is it ordinarily not given till a little before death?
A. It is not to those who expect it no sooner nor probably ask for it.
Q. 4. But ought we to expect it sooner?
A. Why not? Although we grant:
1. That the generality of believers [whom we have hitherto known] °° are not so sanctified till near death;
2. That few of those to whom St. Paul wrote his Epistles were so at that time he wrote; 36. Wesley's handwritten interpolation.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
3. Nor he himself at the time of writing his former Epistles. Yet this does not prove that we may not today.
Q. 5. But would not one who was thus sanctified be incapable of worldly business?
A. He would be far more capable of it than ever, as going through all without distraction. g. 6. Would he be capable of marriage? a8? We cannot well judge. But supposing he were not, the number of those in that state is so small, it would produce no inconvenience.
Q. 7. Does the Scripture mention any living men who were wholly sanctified? a. Yes: St. John and all those then with the apostle in whose name he speaks those words, 1 Jn. 4:17: "Herein (or through him) is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world." g. 8. Can a justified person judge of a sanctified? a. Not without a peculiar gift of God, for the spiritual man is judged of no man.
Q. 9. Should we not then beware of bearing hard on those who think they have attained? a. We should, and the rather, because if they are faithful to the grace they have received, they are in no danger of perishing at last
— no, not even if they remain in luminous faith for many months or years, perhaps till within a little of their spirits returning to God. g. 10. In what manner should we preach entire sanctification? a. Scarce at all to those who are not pressing forward; to those who are, always by way of promise, always drawing rather than driving.
9. 11. How should we wait for the fulfilling of this promise? a. In universal obedience, in keeping all the commandments, in denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily. These are the general means which God hath ordained for our receiving his sanctifying grace. The particular are prayer, searching the Scripture, communicating and fasting.
On Saturday, August 3rd, were considered points of discipline: g. 1. Can he be a spiritual governor of the Church who is not a believer, not a member of it?
37. Later Wesley added this note: "M* is H in all," a cryptic reference to Heb. 13:4:
"Marriage is honorable in all."
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
A. It seems not, though he may be a governor in outward things by a power derived from the King.
Q. 2. What are properly the laws of the Church of England?
A. The rubrics; and to those we submit, as the ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake.
Q. 3. But is not the will of our governors a law?
A. No; not of any governor, temporal or spiritual. Therefore, if any bishop wills that I should not preach the gospel, his will is no law to me.
Q. 4. But what if he produce a law against your preaching?
A. Iam to obey God rather than man.
Q. 5. Is Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Independent church-government most agreeable to reason?
A. The plain origin of church-government seems to be this. Christ sends forth a preacher of the gospel. Some who hear him repent and believe the gospel. They then desire him to watch over them, to build them up in the faith and to guide their souls in the paths of righteousness.
Here then is an independent congregation, subject to no pastor but their own, neither liable to be controlled in things spiritual by any other man or body of men whatsoever. But soon after some from other parts, who are occasionally present while he speaks in the name of him that sent him, beseech him to come over and help them, also. Knowing it to be the will of God, he complies, yet not till he has conferred with the wisest and holiest of his congregation and, with their advice, appointed one who has gifts and grace to watch over the flock till his return.
If it please God to raise another flock in the new place, before he leaves them he does the same thing, appointing one whom God has fitted for the work to watch over these souls also. In like manner, in every place where it pleases God to gather a little flock by his Word, he appoints one in his absence to take the oversight of the rest and to assist them of the ability which God giveth. These are deacons, or servants of the church, and look on their first pastor as their common father. And all these congregations regard him in the same light and esteem him still as the shepherd of their souls.
These congregations are not strictly independent. They depend on one pastor, though not on each other.
As these congregations increase, and as the deacons grow in years and grace, they need other subordinate deacons or helpers, in respect of whom they may be called "Presbyters," or elders, as their father in the Lord may be called the "Bishop" or Overseer of them all.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
Q. 6. Is mutual consent absolutely necessary between the pastor and his flock? a. No question. I cannot guide any soul unless he consents to be guided by me. Neither can any soul force me to guide him if I consent not.
Q. 7. Does the ceasing of this consent on either side dissolve the relation?
A. It must in the nature of things. If a man no longer consent to be guided by me, I am no longer his guide; I am free. If one will not guide me any longer, I am free to seek one who will.
Q. 8. But is the shepherd free to leave his sheep, or the sheep to leave their shepherd? a. Yes, if one or the others are convinced it is for the glory of God and the superior good of their souls.
Q. 9. How shall we treat those who leave us?
A. 1. Beware of all sharpness, or bitterness, or resentment.
2. Talk with them once or twice at least.
3. If they persist in their design, consider them as "dead" and name them not unless in prayer.
. .*° % Tue Tump ANNUAL CONFERENCE Monday, May 12, 1746 The following persons being met at the New Room in Bristol — John
Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Hodges, Jonathan Reeves, Thos. Maxfield, Thos. Westell and Thos. Willis — it was inquired: g. 1. Who are the properest persons to be present at any conference of this nature? a. 1. As many of the preachers as conveniently can.
2. The most earnest and most sensible of the Band Leaders where the conference is. And, 3. Any pious and judicious stranger who may be occasionally in the place. g. 2. Might it not be useful to read over one or more of our Tracts at each conference?
38. The remaining questions and answers (Q. 10-19), plus a section on the role of the "assistants," @. I-14, are omitted, as having more to do with practical details than with any significant doctrinal issues.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
A. Doubtless it might, were it only to correct what is amiss and explain what is obscure in each.
Q. 3. Which shall we read now?
A. The New England Narrative and the Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God (which were read).%° g. 4. Would it not be proper to send these to each of the Bishops?
A. Let them be sent as soon as possible.
Tuesday, May 13, 1746, the same persons being present, it was inquired: g. 1. Can any unbeliever (whatever he be in other respects) challenge anything of God's justice?
A. Absolutely nothing but hell. And this is a point which we cannot too much insist on. g. 2. Do we empty men of their own righteousness, as we did at first?
Do we sufficiently labour when they begin to be convinced of sin, to take away all they lean upon? Should we not then endeavour with all our might to overturn their false foundations? a. This was at first one of our principal points, and it ought to be so still, for till all other foundations are overturned, they cannot build upon Christ.
Q. 3. Did we not then purposely throw them into convictions, into strong sorrow and fear? Nay, did we not strive to make them inconsolable, refusing to be comforted?
A. We did, and so we should do still. For the stronger the conviction, the speedier is the deliverance; and none so soon receives the peace of God as those who steadily refuse all other comfort. g. 4. Let us consider a particular case. Was you, Jonathan Reeves, before you received the peace of God, convinced that, notwithstanding all you did or could do, you was in a state of damnation?
A. J. R. I was convinced of it as fully as that I am now alive. g. 5. Are you sure that conviction was from God?
A. J. R. can have no doubt but it was. g. 6. What do you mean by a state of damnation?
A, J. R. A state wherein if a man dies, he perishes for ever.
Q. 7. How did that conviction end?
A. J. R. I had first a strong hope that God would deliver me, and this 39. See above, pp. 15-16.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
brought a degree of peace. But I had not that solid peace of God till Christ was revealed in me.
Q. 8. But is not such a trust in the love of God, though it be as yet without a distinct sight of God reconciled through Christ Jesus, a low degree of justifying faith?
A. Perhaps it is. But this abides for a short time only: nor is this the proper Christian faith.
Q. 9. By what faith were the apostles clean before Christ died?
A. By such a faith as this, by a Jewish faith, for the Holy Ghost was not then given.
Q. 10. Of whom then do you understand those words "Who is there among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?" *° a. Of a believer under the Jewish dispensation; one in whose heart
God hath not yet shined to give him the light of the glorious love of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Q. 11. Who is a Jew (inwardly)? a. A servant of God,*! one who sincerely obeys him out of fear.
Whereas a Christian (inwardly) is a child of God, one who sincerely obeys him out of love.
Q. 12. But was you not sincere before Christ was revealed in you? a. J. R. It seemed to me that I was in some measure.
Q. 13. What is sincerity?
A. Willingness to know and do the will of God. The lowest species thereof seems to be "faithfulness in that which is little" [cf. Lk. 19:17]. g. 14. Has God any regard to man's sincerity? a. So far that no man in any state can possibly be accepted without it, neither indeed in any moment wherein he is not sincere.
Q. 15. But can it be received that God has any regard to the sincerity of an unbeliever? a. Yes, so much that if he persevere therein, God will infallibly give him faith. g. 16. What regard may we conceive him to have to the sincerity of a believer? a. So much that in every sincere believer he fulfills all the great and precious promises.
4o. [Au.] Isaiah 50:10.
41. For the distinction between the "faith of a servant" and the "faith of a son," cf. sermon "On Faith" (Works, VII, 199-200).
15 8
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
g. 17. Whom do you term a sincere believer?
A. One that walks in the light as God is in the light.
Q. 18. Is sincerity the same with "a single eye" [cf. Mt. 6:22]?
A. Not altogether. The latter refers to our intention, the former to our will or desires.
Q. 19. Is it not all in all?
A. All will follow persevering sincerity. God gives everything with it, nothing without it. g. 20. Are not then sincerity and faith equivalent terms?
A. By no means. It is at least as nearly related to works as it is to faith.
For example, who is sincere before he believes? He that then does all he can; he that, according to the power he has received, brings forth "works meet for repentance" [Acts 26:20]. Who is sincere after he believes? He that, from a sense of God's love, is zealous of all good works.
Q. 21. Is not sincerity what St. Paul terms a willing mind, zpobvpia, 2 Cor. 8:12?
A. Yes, if that word be taken in a general sense, for it is a constant disposition to use all the grace given.
Q. 22. But do we not then set sincerity on a level with faith?
A. No, for we allow a man may be sincere and not be accepted, as he may be penitent and not be accepted (not as yet); but [he] cannot have faith and not be accepted. The very moment he believes, he is justified.
Q. 23. But do we not give up faith and put sincerity in its place, as the condition of our acceptance with God?
A. We believe it is one condition of our acceptance, as repentance likewise is. And we believe it a condition of our continuing in a state of acceptance. Yet we do not put it in the place of faith. It is by faith [that] the merits of Christ are applied to my soul; but if I am not sincere, they are not applied.
Q. 24. Is not this that "going about to establish your own righteousness" whereof St. Paul speaks: Rom. 10:3?
A. St. Paul there manifestly speaks of unbelievers who sought to be accepted for the sake of their own righteousness, We do not seek to be accepted for the sake of our sincerity but through the merits of Christ alone. Indeed, as long as any man believes, he cannot go about (in St.
Paul's sense) to "establish his own righteousness."
Q. 25. But do you consider that we are under the covenant of grace and that the covenant of works is now abolished?
A. All mankind were under the covenant of grace from the very
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
hour that the original promise was made. If by the covenant of works you mean that of unsinning obedience made with Adam before the fall, no man but Adam was ever under that covenant, for it was abolished before Cain was born. Yet it is not so abolished but that it will stand, in a measure, even to the end of the world: i.e. if "we do thus," we shall live; if not, we shall die eternally. If we do well, we shall live with God in glory; if evil, we shall die the second death [cf. Rev. 20:6, 14; 21:8]. For every man shall be judged in that day and rewarded according to his works, Q. 26. What means then, "To him that believeth, his faith is counted for righteousness" [cf. Gal. 3:6; Rom. 4:5]?
A. That God forgives him that is unrighteous as soon as he believes, accepting his faith instead of perfect righteousness. But then observe, universal righteousness follows, though it did not precede, faith.
Q. 27. But is faith thus "counted to us for righteousness" at whatsoever time we believe? a. Yes. In whatsoever moment we believe, all our past sins vanish away. They are as though they had never been, and we stand clear in the sight of God.
Tuesday, ten o'clock, Mr. Taylor of Quinton being added, it was inquired: g. 1. Are not the assurance of faith, the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and revelation of Christ in us, terms nearly of the same import? a. He that denies one of them must deny all, they are so closely connected together. g. 2. Are they ordinarily, where the pure gospel is preached, essential to our acceptance? a. Undoubtedly they are, and as such, to be insisted on in the strongest terms.
Q. 3. Is not the whole dispute of salvation by faith or by works a mere "strife of words" [cf. 1 Tim. 6:4]?
A. In asserting salvation by faith we mean this:
1. That pardon (salvation begun) is received by faith producing works; 2. That holiness (salvation continued) is faith working by love,
3. That heaven (salvation finished) is the reward of this faith. If you, who assert salvation by works, or by faith and works, mean the same thing (understanding by faith, the revelation of Christ
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
in us— by salvation, pardon, holiness, glory), we will not strive with you at all. If you do not, this is not a "strife of words," but the very vitals; the essence of Christianity is the thing in question. q. 4. Wherein does our doctrine now differ from that we preached when at Oxford? a. Chiefly in these two points:
1. We then knew nothing of the righteousness of faith in justification; nor . Of the nature of faith itself as implying consciousness of pardon."
Pd Q. 5May not some degree of love of God go before a distinct sense of justification?
A. We believe it may. g. 6. Can any degree of sanctification or holiness?
A. Many degrees of outward holiness may; yea, and some of meekness and several other tempers which would be branches of Christian holiness.
But they do not spring from Christian principles. For the abiding love of God cannot spring but from faith in a pardoning God, and no true Christian holiness can exist without that love of God for its foundation.
Q. 7. Is every man as soon as he believes a new creature, sanctified, born again, pure in heart? Has he then a new heart? Does Christ dwell therein? And is he a temple of the Holy Ghost?
A. All those things may be affirmed of every believer, in a low sense. Let us not therefore contradict those who maintain it. Why should we contend about words?
On Wednesday, 14th, were considered points relating to discipline.
- [Q. 1-7 are omitted, having to do with practical details and local circumstances. ] g. 8. How shall we try those who believe they are moved by the Holy
Ghost and called of God to preach?
A. Inquire:
1. Do they know in whom they have believed? Have they the love 42. Cf. Journal, V, 338; Tyerman, Life, I, 193; Letters, III, 305; Justification by Faith, Pt. Il, par. 4; Pt. IV, par. 2 (below, pp. 201, 205); The Scripture Way of Salvation, Pt. Il, par. 1 (below, p. 275); "The Law Established by Faith," Discourse
Il, Pt. Ill, par. 3 (below, pp. 229-30).
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
of God in their hearts? 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? Have they a right judgment in the things of God? Have they a just conception of the salvation by faith? And has God given them any degree of utterance? Do they speak justly, readily, clearly?
3. Have they success? Do they not only so speak as generally either to convince or affect the hearts, but have any received remission of sins by their preaching —a clear and lasting sense of the love of God? As long as these three marks undeniably concur in any, we allow him to be called of God to preach. These we receive as sufficient reasonable evidence that he is moved thereto by the Holy Ghost.
Q. 9. But how shall we know, in the case of a particular person, whether there is this evidence or no?
A. 1. We will send one of our helpers to hear him preach and to talk with him on the preceding heads.
2. We will hear him preach and talk with him ourselves.
3. We will examine thoroughly those who think they have received remission of sins by his preaching.
4. We will desire him to relate or to write down the reasons why he believes he is called of God to preach.
5. We will desire the congregation to join with us in fasting and prayer, that we may judge and act according to the will of God. g. 10. Should we not use the same method of fasting and prayer on other occasions also?
A. Without doubt we should use it:
1. At the receiving any fellow labourer in our Lord's vineyard; 2. At going ourselves, or sending any, to a new place,
3. Before publishing any book. g. 11. Why do we not use more form and solemnity in receiving a new labourer?
A. We purposely decline it:
1. Because there is something of stateliness in it, whereas we would be little and inconsiderable; 2. Because we would not make haste. We desire barely to follow
Providence as it gradually opens.
. [Q. 12-13 omitted. ] g. 14. In what light should your assistants consider themselves?
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
a. As learners rather than teachers, as young students at the university for whom, therefore, a method of study is expedient in the highest degree.
Q. 15. What method would you advise them to?
A. We would advise them:
1. Always to rise at 4.
2. From 4 to 5 in the morning and from 5 to 6 in the evening, partly to use meditation and private prayer, partly to read the Scripture (2 or 3 verses, or 1 or 2 chapters), partly some close practical book of divinity, in particular The Life of God in the Soul of Man,*? Kempis,44 The Pilgrims Progress, Mr. Law's
Beveridge's Private Thoughts," Heylin's Devotional Tracts,8 The Life of Mr. Halyburton*® and Monsieur De
3. From 6 in the morning (allowing one hour for breakfast) to 12 to read in order slowly, and with much prayer, Bishop Pearson
On the Creed, Bishop Fell On the Epistles,°? Mr. Boehm's and 43. Henry Scougal (1650-1678), Scottish theologian and mystic. Cf. Wesley's abridgment of The Life of God in the Soul of Man (1744); see also Winthrop S.
Hudson's modern edition (Philadelphia, 1948).
44. Wesley's third publication was an English edition of a Kempis's De Imitatione
Christi, under the title, The Christian Pattern (1735). Cf. Green, Bibliography, #3,
#26.
45. John Bunyan (1628-1688), cf. Works, X, 385, 387.
46. William Law (1686-1761); see above, p. 7.
47. William Beveridge (1637-1708); see above, p. 12.
48. John Heylyn (1685?-1759), rector of St. Mary-le-Strand, London, and later prebend of Westminster; author of Theological Lectures ...to which are added
Select Discourses ... (1749).
49. Thomas Halyburton (1674-1712), Scottish theologian and professor at St.
Andrews; author of a famous autobiography (Memoirs .
. [Edinburgh, 1715; London, 1718]), abstracted and published by Wesley in 1739. In his Preface Wesley says: ". .
. I cannot but value it next to the Holy Scriptures, above any other human composition, excepting only The Christian Pattern and the small remains of Clemens
Romanus, Polycarp and Ignatius."
50. The Holy Life of M. de Renty, a late Nobleman of France ..., Written in French by John Baptiste Saint-Jure and faithfully translated into English, by "E. S.,
Gent." (1658). Wesley published an "extract" of this in 1741; later, he included it in A Christian Library (1749-55), X XIX, 212-75.
51. John Pearson (1613-1686), bishop of Chester, adjudged by Gilbert Burnet "the greatest divine of the age." His An Exposition of the Creed (1659; gth ed., 1710) remains a landmark in Anglican theology.
52. John Fell (1625-1686), dean of Christ Church, bishop of Oxford. His greatest work was a critical edition of the epistles of St. Cyprian (Oxford, 1682) but he also had an editorial hand in A Paraphrase and Annotations upon the Epistles of St. Paul
(1675; 3d ed. 1684). The reference here might be to either book, since we know that Wesley set great store by Cyprian.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
Mr. Nalson's Sermons,®? Mr. Pascal's Thoughts, our other tracts and poems, Milton's Paradise Lost, Cave|'s],°4 and Fleury's Primitive Christianity,°> and Mr. Echard's Ecclesiastical History.*®
Q. 16. Have we in anything altered our manner of preaching for the worse since we set out?
A. Perhaps we do not preach so much concerning the blood of atonement as we did at first.
Q. 17. What inconvenience is there in speaking much of the wrath and little of the love of God?
A. It generally hardens them that believe not and discourages them that do.
Q. 18. What sermons do we find by experience to be attended with the greatest blessing?
1. Such as are most close, convincing and practical.
2. Such as have most of Christ the Priest — the atonement.
3. Such as urge the heinousness of men living in contempt or ignorance of him.
Q. 19. Should we preach in Moorfields?
A. It is not clear to us that we should, as we have a more convenient place ** which contains as many as can hear.
. [Questions for Thursday, May 15, are omitted. ] te Tse Fourth ANNUAL CONFERENCE Monday, June 15, 1747 The following persons being met at the Foundery
— John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Westley Hall and Charles Manning — it was inquired:
53See above, p. 147.
54. William Cave (1637-1713), rector of Allhallows, London, canon of Windsor; author of Primitive Christianity, or the Religion of the Ancient Christians in the First Ages of the Gospel (1672).
55. Claude Fleury (1640-1723), French court chaplain and distinguished church historian. The reference here is to an English translation of the first two volumes of his Histoire ecclesiastique (Paris, a 1721, in 20 v.), Discourses on Ecclesiastical
History (1721).
56. Laurence Echard (1670?-1730), 'prebend of Lincoln; author of a controversial
History of England (1707, 1718). The reference here is to A General Ecclesiastical
History from the Nativity of Our Blessed Saviour to the First Establishment of Christianity by Human Laws under the Emperor Constantine the Great ... (1702; sth ed., 1719).
57. The Foundery, near Finsbury Square; cf. Journal, Il, 316, 371; see also citations in Wesley's diaries in ibid., 349, 351-52, 418, 438.
I 64
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
1. Which of our brethren shall we invite to be present at this conference? a, John Jones, Thomas Maxfield, Jonathan Reeves, John Nelson, John
Bennet, John Downes, Thomas Crouch, Robert Swindells and John Maddern (who were accordingly brought in).
Q. 2. How may the time of this conference be made more eminently a time of prayer, watching and self-denial?
A. 1. While we are in conference, let us have an especial care to set God always before us.
2. In the intermediate hours, let us visit none but the sick and spend all our time that remains in retirement.
3. Let us then give ourselves unto prayer for one another, and for the blessing of God on this our labour.
Q. 3. Should we at every conference read over all the conferences we have had from the beginning? a. That immediately preceding, and so much of the rest as we may find needful from time to time. g. 4. In our first conference it was agreed to examine every point from the foundation. Have we not been someway fearful of doing this? What were we afraid of? Of overturning our first principles? a. Whoever was afraid of this, it was a vain fear. For if they are true, they will bear the strictest examination. If they are false, the sooner they are overturned the better. Let us all pray for the willingness to receive light, an invariable desire to know of every doctrine whether it be of God.
Q. 5. [a.] It was then inquired, "How far does each of us agree to submit to the unanimous judgment of the rest?
[a.] And it was answered, "In speculative things, each can only submit as far as his judgment shall be convinced, in every practical point, as far as we can without wounding our several consciences." °8
[g. 5. b.] Can a Christian submit any farther than this to any man, or number of men, upon earth?
[a.] It is undeniably plain he cannot: either to pope, council, bishop or convocation. And this is the grand principle of every man's right to private judgment — in opposition to implicit faith in man—on which Calvin, Luther, Melanchthon and all the ancient Reformers, both at home and abroad, proceeded: "Every man must think for himself, since every man must give an account for himself to God."
58. Cf. above, p. 136.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
Q. 6. Shall each of us read over all the tracts which have been published before our next conference, and write down every passage we do not approve, or do not fully understand?
A. Every one answered in [order]: "I will endeavour so to."
Tuesday, [June] 16th, Mr. [Richard] Bateman of St. Bartholomew's, Mr. [Henry] Piers, Howel Harris and Thomas Hardwick *® being added, it was inquired: g. 1. Is justifying faith a divine assurance that Christ loved me and gave himself for me?
A. We believe it is.
Q. 2. What is the judgment of most of the serious Dissenters concerning this?
A. They generally allow that many believers have such an assurance and that it is to be desired and prayed for by all. But then they affirm that this is the highest species or degree of faith, that it is not the common privilege of believers. Consequently, they deny that this is justifying faith, or necessarily implied therein. g. 3. And are there not strong reasons for this opinion? For instance, if the true believers of old had not this assurance, then it is not necessarily implied in justifying faith. But the true believers of old had not this assurance. a. David and many more of the believers of old had undeniably this assurance. But even if the Jews had it not, it would not follow that this is not implied in Christian faith. g. 4. But do you not know that the apostles themselves had it not till the day of Pentecost?
A. The apostles themselves had not the proper Christian faith till after the day of Pentecost.
Q. 5. But were not those Christian believers in the proper sense, to whom St. John wrote his first Epistle? Yet to these he says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may [know that ye] have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." ® 59. All these men disagreed with Wesley on the point of "assurance" and each eventually went his separate way apart from the Wesleyan Revival. This accounts for the change in form and tone of the "minutes" of this session.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
A. This does not prove that they did not know they had eternal life any more than that they did not believe. His plain meaning is, "I have written unto you that you may be the more established in the faith."
Therefore it does not follow from hence that they had not this assurance, but only that there are degrees therein. g. 6. But were not the Thessalonians true believers? Yet they had not this assurance; they had only a good hope.** a. The text you refer to runs thus, "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." This good hope does not exclude, but necessarily implies, a strong assurance of the love of God.
Q. 7. But does not St. Paul say of himself,® "I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified"?
A. He does not say of himself here that he was not justified or that he did not know it, but only that though he had a conscience void of offence, yet this did not justify him before God. And must not every believer say the same? This therefore is wide of the point. g. 8. But does he not disclaim any such assurance in those words,® "I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling"?
A. By no means. For these words do not imply any fear either of death or hell. They express only a deep sense of his utter insufficiency for the great work wherein he was engaged.
Q. 9. However, does he not exclude Christians in general from such an assurance when he bids them work out their salvation with fear and trembling? "
A. No more than from love, which is always joined with filial fear and reverential trembling. And the same answer is applicable to all those texts which exhort a believer to fear. g. 10. But does not matter of fact prove that justifying faith does not necessarily imply assurance? For can you believe that such a person as J. A. or E. V.— who have so much integrity, zeal and fear of God and walk so unblamably in all things —is void of justifying faith? Can you suppose such as these to be under the wrath and under the curse of God, especially if you add to this that they are continually longing, striving, praying, for the assurance which they have not?
A. This contains the very strength of the cause and sometimes inclines 61. [Au.] 2 Thess. 2:16.
62. [Au.] 1 Cor. 4:4.
63. [Au.] 1 Cor. 2:3.
64. [Au.] Phil. 2:12.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
us to think that some of these may be exempt cases. But however that be, we answer:
It is dangerous to ground a general doctrine on a few particular I. experiments.
. Men may have many good tempers and a blameless life (speaking in a loose sense) by nature and habit, with preventing grace, and yet be utterly void of faith and the love of God.
. "Tis scarce possible for us to know all the circumstances relating to such persons, so as to judge certainly concerning them.
But this we know that [if] Christ is not revealed in them, they are 4. not yet Christian believers. g. 11. But what becomes of them then, suppose they die in this state?
A. That is a supposition not to be made. They cannot die in this state.
They must go backward or forward. If they continue to seek, they will surely find righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost [cf. Rom.
14:17]. We are confirmed in this belief by the many instances we have seen of such as these finding peace at the last hour. And it is not impossible but others may then be made partakers of like precious faith and yet go hence without giving any outward proof of the change which God hath wrought.
Wednesday, [June] 17 How much is allowed by our brethren who differ from us with Q.
I. regard to entire sanctification?
A. They grant:
I. That every one must be entirely sanctified in the article of death, 2. That till then a believer daily grows in grace, and comes nearer and nearer to perfection, 3. That we ought to be continually pressing after this, and to exhort all others so to do. g. 2. But what do we allow them?
A. We grant:
1. That many of those who have died in the faith, yea, the greater part of them we have known, were not sanctified throughout
— not made peciece in love — till a little before death.
2. That the term "sanctified" is continually applied by St. Paul to all that were justified — were true believers,
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
3. That by this term alone he rarely (if ever) means saved from all sin.
4. That consequently it is not proper to use it in this sense, without adding the word "wholly," "entirely," or the like.
5. That the inspired writers almost continually spoke of or to those who are justified but very rarely either of or to those who were wholly sanctified.
6. That consequently it behooves us to speak almost continually of the state of justification, but rarely, at least in full and explicit terms, concerning entire sanctification.
Q. 3. What then is the point wherein we divide?
A. It is this — whether we should expect to be saved from all sin before the article of death? g. 4. Is there any clear Scripture promise of this
— that God will save us from all sin?
A. There is. "He shall redeem Israel from all his sins." ® This is more largely expressed in the prophecy of Ezekiel, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you.
. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses." ®° No promise can be more full and clear. And to this the apostle plainly refers in that exhortation, "Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." ®& Equally clear and express is that ancient promise,
"The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul." 6
Q. 5. But does any assertion answerable to this occur in the New Testament? a. There does, and that laid down in the plainest terms. So 1 John 3:8:
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" — the works of the devil without any limitation or restriction. But all sin is the work of the devil. Parallel to which is that assertion of St. Paul,®® "Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish." And to the same effect is his assertion in the eighth of the Romans, 3-4, "God sent his Son .
. that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
I 69 Q. 6. Does the New Testament afford any further ground for expecting to be saved from all sin?
A. Undoubtedly it does, both in those prayers and commands which are equivalent to the strongest assertions.
Q. 7. What prayers do you mean?
A. Prayers for entire sanctification, which, were there no such thing, would be mere mockery of God. Such in particular, are, "Deliver us from evil," or rather "from the evil one" [cf. Mt. 6:13]. Now when this is done, when we are delivered from all evil, there can be no sin remaining. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word: that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us
. J in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one."
. "I bow my knees unto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ .
. that he would grant you .
. that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
"The very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole body, spirit, soul, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ." 72 g. 8. What command is there to the same effect? a. "Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind." "4 But if the love of God fill all the heart, there can be no sin there.
Q. 9. But how does it appear that this is to be done before the article of death? a. First: from the very nature of a command, which is not given to the dead but unto the living. Therefore, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart" cannot mean, "Thou shalt do this when thou diest, but not while thou livest."
Secondly: from express texts of Scripture. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, having renounced (dpyycdevor) ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the yo. [Au.] Jn. 17:20-23.
71. [Au.] Eph. 3:14, 16-19.
72. [Au.] 1 Thess. 5:23.
73. [Au.] Mt. 6, last. [Ed.] Intended citation: Mt. 5:48.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
"He hath raised up an horn of salvation for us .
. to perform the mercy promised to our fathers . .. the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life." 7° g. 10. Is there any example in Scripture of persons who had attained this? a. Yes. St. John and all those of whom he says in his first Epistle
[4:17]: "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world." g. 11. But why are there not more examples of this kind recorded in the New Testament?
A. It does not become us to be peremptory in this matter. One reason might possibly be because the apostles wrote to the church while it was in a state of infancy. Therefore they might mention such persons the more sparingly, lest they should give strong meat to babes.
Q. 12. Can you show one such example now? Where is he that is thus perfect?
A. To some that make this inquiry one might answer, "If I knew one here, I would not tell you. You are like Herod, you only seek the young child to destroy it" [cf. Mt. 2:8, 16-18]. But to the serious we answer,
"There are numberless reasons why there should be few, if any, indisputable examples. What inconveniences would this bring on the person himself, set as a mark for all to shoot at! What a temptation would it be to others, not only to men who knew not God, but to believers themselves! How hardly would they refrain from idolizing such a person! And yet how unprofitable to gainsayers! For if they hear not Moses and the prophets, Christ and his apostles, neither would they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" [cf. Lk. 16:31].
Q. 13. Suppose one had attained to this, would you advise him to speak of it?
A. Not to them who know not God: it would only provoke them to contradict and blaspheme. Nor to any without some particular reason,
75. [Au.] Tit. 2:11-14.
76. [Au.] Lk. 1:69-75. [Ed.] This was doubly familiar to Wesley as the Benedictus in The Order of Morning Prayer, B.C.P.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
without some particular good in view, and then they should have an especial care to avoid all appearance of boasting
— and to speak more loudly and convincingly by their lives than they can do by their tongues.
Q. 14. Is it a sin not to believe those who say they have attained?
A. By no means; even though they said true, we ought not hastily to believe but to suspend our judgment till we have farther and stronger proof.
Q. 15. But are we not apt to have a secret distaste to any who say they are saved from all sin? a. "Tis very possible we may, and that on several grounds
— partly from a concern for the honour of God and the good of souls who may be hurt, yea, or turned out of the way, if these are not what they profess; partly from a kind of implicit envy at those who speak of higher attainments than our own; and partly from our slowness and unreadiness of heart to believe the works of God. g. 16. Does not the harshly preaching perfection tend to bring believers into a kind of bondage of slavish fear?
A. It does. Therefore we should always place it in the most amiable light, so that it may excite only hope, joy and desire.
Q. 17. Why may we not continue in the joy of faith even till we are made perfect?
A. Why not indeed? — since holy grief does not quench this joy; since even while we are under the cross, while we deeply partake of the sufferings of Christ, we may rejoice with joy unspeakable. g. 18. Do we not discourage believers from rejoicing evermore? a. We ought not so to do. Let them all their life long rejoice unto
God, so it be with reverence. And even if lightness or pride should mix with their joy, let us not strike at the joy itself (this is the gift of God) but at the lightness or pride, that the evil may cease and the good remain.
Q. 19. Ought we to be anxiously careful about perfection, lest we should die before we have attained it?
A. In no wise. We ought to be thus careful for nothing, neither spiritual nor temporal.
Q. 20. But ought we not to be troubled on account of the sinful nature which still remains in us? a. It is good for us to have a deep sense of this and to be much ashamed before the Lord. But this should only incite us the more earnestly to turn unto Christ every moment and to draw light and life and strength from him, that we may go on, conquering and to conquer [cf. Rev. 6:2].
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
And therefore, when a sense of our sins most abounds, the sense of his love should much more abound." g. 21. Will our joy or our trouble increase as we grow in grace?
A. Perhaps both. But without doubt our joy in the Lord will increase as our love increases.
Q. 22. Is not the teaching believers to be continually poring upon their inbred sin the ready way to make them forget that they are purged from their former sins?
A. We find by experience that it is; or to make them undervalue and account it a little thing: whereas, indeed
— though there are still greater gifts beyond — this is inexpressibly great and glorious.
About ten (Mr. Perronet, Vicar of Shoreham, being added), we began to consider points of discipline.
1. What is schism in the Scripture sense of the word?
A. The word only occurs twice in the New Testament:
1 Cor. 1:10, where St. Paul exhorts them that there may be no "schisms" among them
(cyiondra is the word, which we render "divisions"), and 12:25, "God hath mingled the body together, having given the more abundant honour to that part which lacked, that there may be no 'schism' in the body," i.e. in the Church, the body of Christ. In both these places the word undeniably means
(which consequently is the true spiritual notion of "schism'') a causeless breach, rupture, or division, made amongst the members of Christ, among those who are the living body of Christ, and members in particular."® g. 2. Are not the Methodists guilty of making such a schism?
A. No more than rebellion or murder. They do not divide themselves at all from the living body of Christ. Let any prove it if they can.
Q. 3. But do not they divide themselves from the Church of England?
A. No. They hold communion therewith now in the same manner as they did twenty years ago, and hope to do so until their lives' end.
Q. 4. You profess to obey both the governors and rules of the Church; yet in many instances you do not obey them. How is this consistent?
Upon what principles do you act while you sometimes obey and sometimes not?
A. It is entirely consistent. We act at all times on one plain, uniform 77. Cf. "Wandering Thoughts" (Sermons [Sugden], II, 178 ff.); "On Sin in Believers" (ibid., 360 ff.); "The Repentance of Believers" (ibid., 379 ff.).
78. Cf. The sermon "On Schism," Works, VI, 406.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
principle: "We will obey the rules and governors of the Church whenever we can, consistently with our duty to God. Whenever we cannot, we will quietly obey God rather than men."
Q. 5. But why do you say you are thrust out of the Church? Has not every minister a right to dispose of his own church?
A. He ought to have, but in fact he has not. A minister desires I should preach in his church, but the bishop forbids him. That bishop then injures him and thrusts me out of that church.
Q. 6. Does a church in the New Testament always mean "a single congregation"?
A. We believe it does. We do not recollect any instance to the contrary.
Q. 7. What instance or ground is there in the New Testament for a national church?
A. We know none at all. We apprehend it [a national church] to be a mere political institution. g. 8. Are the three orders of bishops, priests and deacons plainly described in the New Testament?
A. We think they are, and believe they generally obtained in the churches of the apostolic age.
Q. 9. But are you assured, God designed the same plan should obtain in all churches throughout all ages?
A. Weare not assured of this because we do not know that it is asserted in Holy Writ. g. 10. If this plan were essential to a Christian church, what must become of all the foreign Reformed Churches? a. It would follow they are no parts of the Church of Christ —a consequence full of shocking absurdity. g. 11. In what age was the divine right of episcopacy first asserted in England? a. About the middle of Queen Elizabeth's reign.' Till then all the bishops and clergy in England continually allowed and joined in the ministrations of those who were not episcopally ordained. g. 12. Must there not be numberless accidental variations in the government of various churches?
A. There must, in the nature of things. As God variously dispenses his 79. By Hadrian Saravia and Thomas Bilson. Cf. A. J. Mason, The Church of England and Episcopacy (Cambridge, 1914), 31-40, 44-52. See also N. Sykes, Old
Priest New Presbyter (Cambridge, 1956), 101; and P. M. Dawley, John W hitgift and the Reformation (New York, 1954), 140-41.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
gifts of nature, providence and grace, both the offices themselves and the officers in each ought to be varied from time to time.
Q. 13. Why is it that there is no determinate plan of church-government appointed in Scripture?
A. Without doubt because the wisdom of God had a regard to this necessary variety.
Q. 14. Was there any thought of uniformity in the government of all churches until the time of Constantine?
A. It is certain there was not, and would not have been then had men consulted the word of God only.
Thursday, [June] the eighteenth Q. 1. Have we not limited field preaching too much?
A. It seems we have:
1. Because our calling is to save that which is lost. Now, we cannot expect the wanderers from God to seek us. It is our part to go and seek them.
2. Because we are more peculiarly called, by going out into the highways and hedges (which none will do if we do not) to compel them to come in [cf. Lk. 14:23].
3. Because that reason against it is not good, "The house will hold all that come." The house may hold all that will come to the house, but not all that will come into the field.
4. Because we have always found a greater blessing in field preaching than in any other preaching whatever.
Q. 2. What is "respect of persons" [ Jas. 2:1]?
A. The regarding one person more than another on account of some outward circumstances, particularly riches.
Q. 3. Have we not fallen into this by allowing more of our time to the rich than to the poor, by not speaking so plain and home to them and by admitting them into the Bands or Society, though they had never received remission of sins, or had met in Band at all?
A. These are instances of such a respect of persons as we will endeavour to avoid for the time to come.
Q. 4. Would it not be well for the minister to visit the sick on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday?
A. It seems no time could be more profitably employed, either for them or us.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
Q. 5. How shall we keep off unworthy communicants?
A. 1. By being exactly careful whom we admit into the society; and 2. By giving notes [tokens] to none but those who come to us on the days appointed in each quarter.
Q. 6. How shall we thoroughly purge the Bands?
A. 1. In visiting the classes, meet those who are in the Bands every morning before the rest and examine them as strictly as you can both as to their heart and life.
2. Meet the married men and married women apart, the first Wednesday and Sunday after each visitation; the single men and single women apart on the second Wednesday and Sunday.®°
. g. 10. Are our assistants exemplary in their lives? Do we inquire enough into this?
A. Perhaps not. We should consider each of them who is with us as a pupil at the university, into whose behaviour and studies we should therefore make a particular inquiry every day. Might we not particularly inquire: Do you rise at four? Do you study in the method laid down at the last conference? Do you read the books we advise and no other?
Do you see the necessity of regularity in study? What are the chief temptations to irregularity? Do you punctually observe the evening hour of retirement? Are you exact in writing your journal? Do you fast on Friday? Do you converse seriously, usefully and closely? Do you pray before, and have you a determinate end in, every conversation?
Q. 11. How often should our assistants preach? a. Never more than twice a day, unless on a Sunday or an extraordinary occasion, of which themselves are to be the judges. g. 12. Are there any smaller advices concerning preaching, which it may be useful for them to observe?
A. Perhaps these that follow:
1. Be sure to begin and end precisely at the time appointed.
2. Sing no hymns of your own composing.
3. Endeavour to be serious, weighty and solemn in your whole deportment before the congregation.
4. Choose the plainest text you can.
5. Take care not to ramble from your text, but keep close to it, and make out what you undertake.
6. Always suit the subject to the audience.
80. Q. 7-9 omitted; they concern the rosters of the assistants and their appointments.
17 6
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
7. Beware of allegorizing or spiritualizing too much.
8. Take care of anything awkward or affected, either in your gesture or pronunciation. g. Tell each other if you observe anything of this kind.
Q. 13. Is there any part of the work of an assistant wherein only some of our assistants need be employed?
A. There is. Let those and those only to whom we shall write from time to time:
1. Visit the classes in each place and write new lists of all the members.
. Regulate the Bands.
. Deliver new tickets [tokens].
. Keep watch-nights and lovefeasts.
. Take and send us up an exact account of the behaviour of the wm RW WN stewards, housekeepers, schoolmasters and leaders.®!
Editor's postscript. Because they have nothing of distinctive doctrinal interest in them, the Minutes for the Conference of 1748 are omitted.
There were no further published minutes until 1765, when annual publication was begun
— and has been continued ever since. Wesley's manuscript copies of the minutes of the conferences of 1749, 1755 and 1758 were preserved and were published by the Wesley Historical Society in its Proceedings, Vol. IV (Pt. 5), 1904, pp. 63-73. Of these, a passage from the Bristol Conference of 1758 records a brief review of the doctrine of Christian perfection, then being agitated more actively than before both by the Methodists and their critics. The following short passage from the sessions of Monday, August 14, and Tuesday, August 15, is reprinted here (and should be compared with the sermon and "thoughts" on that topic, below, pp. 252 ff.; 283 ff.):
Monday, August 14, 1758 We revised that part of our former conferences [minutes] which relates to Justification and all agreed that there was no need of retracting or altering anything.
81. Q. 14-16 omitted, they cover the appointments and calendar for the ensuing year.
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
Tuesday, August 15, 1758 Q. Did you affirm that perfection excludes all infirmities, ignorance and mistake?
A. We continually affirm just the contrary.
Q. Do you say: "Every one who is not saved from all sin is in a state of damnation"?
A. So far from it that we will not say any one is in a state of damnation that fears God and really strives to please him. g. In what manner would you advise those who think they have attained to speak of their own experience?
A. With great wariness and with the deepest humility and self-abasement before God.
Q. How should young preachers especially speak of perfection in public? a. Not too minutely or circumstantially, but rather in general and scriptural terms. g. Have they that are perfect need of the merits of Christ? Can they pray for forgiveness?
A. 1. Every one may mistake as long as he lives.
2. A mistake in opinion may occasion a mistake in practice (as in [the case of] Mr. De Renty).
3. Every such mistake is a transgression of the perfect law.
4. Therefore every such mistake, were it not for the blood of atonement, would expose to eternal damnation.
5. It follows that the most perfect have continual need of the merits of Christ, even for their actual transgressions, and may well say, for themselves as well as their brethren, "Forgive us our trespasses"
[cf. Mt. 6:12, as in B.C.P. version of the Lord's Prayer]. g. What then does Christian perfection imply? a. The loving God with all the heart, so that every evil temper is destroyed and every thought and word and work springs from and is conducted to that end by the pure love of God and our neighbour. er Tue Rutes or THE Unitep Societies °?
1. In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons came to me 82. See reference to these rules above, p. 143. The copy text here is the first edition, 1743 (cf. Green, Bibliography, #43); see also Works, VU, 269-71.
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
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 I 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 we might have more time for this great work, I appointed a day when they might all come together, which from thenceforward 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) I gave those advices from time to time which I judged most needful for them; and we always concluded our meeting with prayer suited to their several necessities.
2. This was the rise of the United Society, first at London and then in other places. 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.
3That 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 about twelve persons in every class, one of whom is styled the Leader. It is his business: (1) To see each person in his class once a week at least, in order to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to give toward the relief of the poor; (2) To meet the minister and the stewards of the society once a week; to pay to the stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding; and to show their account of what each person has contributed.
4. There is one only condition previously required in those who desire admission into these societies — "a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins." But wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will be shown 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 in every kind; especially that which is most generally practised. Such is 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, buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity; fighting, quarreling, brawling; going to law; returning evil for evil, or railing for
DOCTRINAL SUMMARIES
railing; the using many words in buying or selling; the buying or selling uncustomed goods; the giving or taking things on usury; wncharitable or unprofitable conversation; 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 or 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 treasures upon earth.
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 they have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine of devils, that we are not to do good unless "our heart 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 that 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 that is set before them, "denying themselves and taking up their cross daily" [cf. Lk. 9:23]: 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" [cf. IME Serr |.
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; private prayer; searching the Scriptures; and fasting, or abstinence.
7. These are the General Rules of our societies, all [of] which we are taught of God to observe, even in his written word —the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these, we know, his Spirit writes on every truly awakened heart. If there be any among us who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let it be made known unto him who watches over that soul as one that must
THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
give account. I will admonish him of the error of his ways. I will bear with him for a season. But if he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered our own souls.
RULES OF THE Banps ®% The design of our meeting is to obey that command of God, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed" (Jas. 5:16).
To this end, we intend:
1. To meet once a week, at the least.
2. To come punctually at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason.
3. To begin (those of us who are present) exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer.
4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word, or deed, and the temptations we have felt since our last meeting.
5. To end every meeting with prayer suited to the state of each person present.
6. To desire some person among us to speak his own state first, and then to ask the rest, in order, as many and as searching questions as may be, concerning their state, sins and temptations.
Some of the questions proposed to every one before he is admitted among us may be to this effect:
1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins?
2. Have you peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ?
. Have you the witness of God's Spirit with your spirit that you are Ww a child of God?
. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart?
Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you?
Do you desire to be told of your faults?
Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home?
PW An . Do you desire that every one of us should tell you, from time to time, whatsoever is in his heart concerning you?
9g. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear concerning you?
10. Do you desire that, in doing this, we should come as close as possi83. See reference above, p. 143. The copy text here is the first edition (1744); see also Works, VIII, 272-73.