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of Exeter , and Mr. James Ilervey, and in 1735 by the celebratedMr. George Whitelield. They began now to move in a morepublic sphere, appropriating a part of their lime for instructing theprisoners, and visiting the sick. They also instituted a fund forthe relief of the poor; and in order to accomplish their benevolentdesign, Mr. John Wesley not only abridged himself of all the su-perfluities, but even of many of the necessaries of life. Theiriioly deportment soon attracted the attention of the college cen-sors and students, who discountenanced their proceedings, brand-ed them with many opprobrious epithets, denominated them Sa-cramentarians, the Godly Club, and afterwards Methodists; whichname was first given them by a fellow of Merton College, in allu-sion to a certain college of physicians who flourished at Rome about the reign of Nero , and were remarkable for putting theirpatients under regimen. In 1735, Mr. John Wesley sailed alongwith his brother Charles, Mr. Ingham, and Mr. Delamotte, forGeorgia, in order to preach the gospel to the Indians. The pietyand devotion, which they manifested during- the vovage, washighly commendable, and such as bespoke their minds impressedwith a due sense of their important undertaking; but failing intheir grand design, and some oilier disagreeable circumstancesarising, Mr. John Wesley returned to England, after having beenabsent near two years, and was succeeded by his valuable friend,the Rev. George Whitelield, a man every way qualified to pleaseand profit his hearers. Upon Mr. Wesley ’s return to England hewas invited to preach in several churches, but the concourse ofpeople w ho followed him was so great, that the churches in gene-ral were soon shut against him. However his labours were not invain; the minds of many were religiously impressed; and abouttitty persons agreed to meet together for free conversation, to be-gin and end witli'siiiging and prayer. These he left upon the 13lhJune, 1738, on a visit to the Moravian Brethren in Germany ,from whence he returned upon the lbth Sept. It was yet his de-sire and design to preach in the e-tablished church, as he ever entertained a sincere regard for it ; but for the cause above assignedhe was not permitted. He therefore preached in Newgate, insome dissenting chapels in London , and in different places in thecountry where lie could obtain admission. He also visited Ox-ford and Bristol, and had the happiness to see his labours blessed.It was at this early period of Methodism, when most of his valua-ble friends forsook him, among whom was that justly celebratedcharacter before mentioned, the late Rev. George Whitelield,who, during this lime, had been chiefly employed in America ,where he imbibed certain doctrines contrary to those taught byMr. Wesley . Upon his return to England, in 1741, a temporaryseparation took place betwixt them, although Mr. Wesley usedevery possible means to prevent it. Not long after this \\ illiamCud worth and Janies Kelly separated from Mr. Whitelield.'These two gentlemen were Antinomians , avowed enemies to theLaw of God, and termed all who preached it Legalists. Withthem preaching the Law was an abomination. They would preachChrist , as they termed it, though they neither inforced holinessnor good works. r I liese were still denominated Methodists,though differing so widely from them both in the principle andpractice. But though Mr. Whitefield and Mr. Wesley differed insemiment, they lived and died united in heart; for ’Mr. White-field, in his will, written by his own hands, inserts as follows: “Ileave a mourning ring to my honoured and dear friends, and dis-interested fellow-labourers, the Rev. Messrs. John and CharlesWesley , in token of my indissoluble union with them in heart andChristian affection, and notwithstanding our difference in judge-ment about some particular points of doctrine. The doctrinestaught by Mr. Weslev and his follow ers are these : 1st, They teachthat man is fallen ; asserting, that when he came forth out of the handsof his Maker, lie was pure, and that through his disobedience tothe divine command he lost his original rectitude, and subjectedhis body to pain and death: Sin

“ Brought death into the world, and all our woedepraved all the faculties of the mind, and subjected the soul toendless misery. 2d, Restoration by Jesus Christ ; maintainingthat his obedience, sufferings, and death, were efficacious to atonetor the great offence, for “ as by the offence of one,” &c. Rom. v.18- '1 liev also strongly assert, that the merits of Christ are notconfined to any particular elect number, but general, he beingthe propitiation for the sins of the whole world. 3d!y, The nature

and necessity of repentance. Or a cordial renunciation of finarising from a deep sense of its evil nature, and destructive effects;and a sincere seeking for deliverance from it through the Re*deemer Jesus Christ , from a conviction that there is salvation i"no other. 4thlv, Justification by faith; they renounce all worksfrom having any part in a sinner’s justification, asserting that 9man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law, but maintainthat good works will necessarily follow. 'Their zeal for goodworks, as the fruits of faith, has led many to denominate them le-galists. 5th!y, Sanctification, or Christian perfection; provingthat upon the exercise of justifying faith the work of sanctificationis begun, and that if the believer faithfully use the grace received>he will make sensible advances towards holiness, even till he ar-rive at a state of purity ill this life, or meetness for the licavenlVinheritance. Some mistaken persons charge the Methodists wimholding absolute perfection attainable, whereas they neither be-lieve absolute, angelical, nor even paradisiacal, perfection, attain-able in this life; only such a perfection as our state admits offviz. that grace infused into the soul at justification being broughtunto maturity, or loving God with the whole heart, which is inScripture often called being perfect, tilhly, 'The salvation of allinfants dying in nonage. 7tlily, The Trinity of the Godhead withthe equality of the Persons. Having thus stated their doctrine,we shall notice their rules. It would exceed our limits to transcribeevery rule or law which exists for the government of so large 9body, we shall, therefore, only mention a few of the most general:1. Every society is divided into classes consisting of about twelveor fourUen persons, one of whom (who is judged the best quali-fied) is appointed the leader. It is his business, 1st,'To see eachperson in his class once a-week; to inquire how their souls pros-per; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may re-quire; and to receive what they are willing to give towards therelief of the poor. 2d, 'To meet the ministers and stewards of thesociety; to inform them of any who are sick, or walk disorderly; andto pay to the stewards what he has received from his class the week pre-ceding. 2. It is required that all who are received or continue member*of the society should evidence their desire of salvation, 1st, By retrain'ingfrom open sin, c amusements, &c. 2d, By doing all the

good in their power by acts of mercy and benevolence to others'and, 3. By attending diligently to the ordinances of God . 3-Every approved member receives a ticket, having a portion ofScripture and a large letter printed upon it, which will procurehis admission to any society, either at home or abroad. Its chiefuse is to procure admission to the love-feast, a meeting held onceevery quarter, at which most of the members from the differentsocieties in the circuit attend, and to w hich none but members areadmitted. 'This meeting is opened by the superintendant of lh®circuit with singing and prayer, after which a small quantitybread and water is distributed among them ; which after theyhave taken as a token of affection to each other, they are at libertyto speak if they find themselves disposed, respecting the provi'deuces ot God towards them, or the operations of his grace up® 11their minds, observing due order and regularity ; but to preventimposition, these tickets are renewed every three months, wli ftleach member contributes according to the freedom of his O''®mind, for the support of the cause in general. The whole bodyof members is divided into different circuits, and two, three, foU r 'or more ministers are appointed to each, proportioned to its e! Ttent; one of whom has the superintendency. As no ministerhound to stay more than one year in a circuit, or allowed to con'tinue longer than three, a change takes place every year wlii®' 1is almost general ; ami a conference of the ministers is held o» c ®a-year. Mr. Wesley , being excluded the churches, and havingno places for the accommodation of his numerous audiences, "’a 5at last moved to imitate the example which his Lord had set b e 'fore him, by preaching in the streets, lanes, and fields:

“ They stood, and under open air ador’d

“ The God who made both air, earth, heaven, and sky.”The societies being much increased in London , Bristol, and otl>®£places, and having in vain solicited assistance from the establish'’clergy, he was induced to choose out among themselves tl’° swhom he judged the best qualified to instruct the rest. 1 h l Lwere lay-preachers introduced. Having now teachers after h _own heart, they enlarged the sphere of action, and soon formed:*®cieties in the counties of York, Wilts, Gloucester, Leiccsl® >

Warwick