The Works of the
Rev. John Wesley, M.A.
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THE WORKS OF THE
Rev. JOHN WESLEY, M.A.
Late Fellow of _Lincoln-College_, OXFORD.
VOLUME XV.
BRISTOL:
Printed by WILLIAM PINE, in _Wine-Street_.
MDCCLXXII.
THE CONTENTS
Of the _Fifteenth_ Volume.
⭘ _A farther appeal to men of reason and religion._ Part II.
⭘ _A farther appeal to men of reason and religion._ Part III.
⭘ _A plain account of the people called Methodists_
⭘ _The nature, design, and general rules of the United
Societies_
⭘ _Minutes of some late conversations between the_ Rev. Mr.
Wesleys _and others_
⭘ _Minutes of some late conversations between the_ Rev.
Messieurs John _and_ Charles Wesley, _and others_
⭘ _The character of a Methodist_
⭘ _A short history of Methodism_
Illustration: (‡ decoration)
A farther APPEAL
To MEN of
REASON _and_ RELIGION.
PART II.
I. 1. IT is not my present design to touch on any particular _opinions_,
whether they are right or wrong; nor on any of those smaller points
of practice, which are variously held by men of different persuasions:
but first, to point out some things which on _common_ principles
are condemned by men of every denomination, and yet found in all;
and secondly, some wherein those of each denomination, are more
particularly inconsistent with _their own_ principles.
And, first, it is my design, abstracting from _opinions_ of every
kind, as well as from disputable points of practice, to mention such
of those things as occur to my mind, which are on _common_ principles
condemned, and notwithstanding found, more or less, among men of every
denomination.
2. But before I enter on this unpleasing task, I beseech you, brethren,
by the mercies of God, by whatever love you bear to God, to your
country, to your own souls; do not consider _who_ speaks, but _what_
is spoken. If it be possible, for one hour lay prejudice aside; give
what is advanced a fair hearing. Consider simply on each head, Is this
true, or is it false? Is it reasonable, or is it not? If you ask, “But
in whose judgment?” I answer, in your own; I appeal to the light of
your own mind. Is there not a faithful witness in your own breast?
By this you must stand or fall. You cannot be judged by another man’s
conscience. Judge for yourself by the best light you have. And the
merciful God teach me and thee whatsoever we know not!
Now, as I speak chiefly to those who believe the scriptures, the method
I propose is this, first, To observe what account is given therein of
the _Jews_, the ancient church of God, inasmuch as _all these things
were written for our instruction_, who say, we are _now_ the visible
church of the God of _Israel_. Secondly, To appeal to all who profess
to be members thereof, to every one who is called a Christian, how far,
in each instance, the parallel holds? And how much _we_ are better than
_they_?
3. First, I am to observe what account the scriptures give of the
_Jews_, the ancient church of God. I mean, with regard to their moral
character; their tempers and outward behaviour.
No sooner were they brought out of _Egypt_, than we find them
_murmuring against_ God, (Exodus xiv. 12.) Again, when he had just
brought them through the _Red Sea with a mighty hand and stretched out
arm_, (chapter xv. 24.) And yet again, quickly after, in the wilderness
of _Zin, your murmurings_ (saith _Moses_) _are not against us, but
against the_ Lord. (chapter xvi. 8.) Nay, even while he was _giving
them bread from heaven_, they were still _murmuring and tempting_ God,
(chapter xviii. 2, 3.) and their amazing language at that season was,
_Is the_ Lord _among us or not_? (chapter xvii. 4.)
The same spirit they shewed, during the whole forty years, that he
_bore their manners in the wilderness_: a solemn testimony whereof,
_Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel_, when
God was about to take him away from their head; _They have corrupted
themselves_ (saith he) _their spot was not of his children; they are
a perverse and crooked generation. The_ Lord _led Jacob about; he
instructed him; he kept him as the apple of his eye_, (Deuteronomy
xxxii. 5, 10.) _He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that
he might eat the increase of the fields: then he forsook_ God _which
made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation_, (chapter v.
11, 13, 15.)
In like manner God complains long after this, _Hear O heavens, and give
ear, O earth! I have nourished and brought up children, and they have
rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s
crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful
nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children
that are corrupters, have forsaken the_ Lord, _they have provoked
the Holy One of Israel_, (Isaiah i. 2, 3, 4.) _Can a maid forget her
ornaments, and a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number_, (Jeremiah ii. 32.)
4. And _as they did not like to retain_ God _in their knowledge_, so
they had small regard to the ordinances of God. _Even from the days of
your fathers_, (saith God by his prophets) _ye are gone away from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them_, (Malachi iii. 7.) _Ye have said,
it is vain to serve God; and, what profit is it that we have kept
his ordinances?_ (verse 14.) _Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob,
but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel: Thou hast not brought me my
burnt-offerings, neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices_,
(Isaiah xliv. 22, 23.) And so the prophet himself confesses, _Thou
meetest those that remember thee in thy ways――But there is none that
calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee_,
(Isaiah lxiv. 5, 7.)
5. But they called upon his name by vain oaths, by perjury and
blasphemy. So _Jeremiah_, _Because of swearing the land mourneth_,
(chapter xxiii. 10.) _And though they say, the Lord liveth, surely
they swear falsely_, (chapter v. ♦2.) So _Hosea_, _They have spoken
words, swearing falsely in making a covenant_: So _Ezekiel_, _They say
the Lord seeth us not, the Lord hath forsaken the earth_. So _Isaiah_,
_Their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the
eyes of his glory_. (chapter iii. 8.) _They say, Let him make speed
and hasten his work that we may see it, and let the counsel of the Holy
One draw nigh and come that we may know it_, (chapter v. 19.) And so
_Malachi_, _Ye have wearied the Lord with your words; ye say, every one
that doeth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in
them_; and _where is the_ God _of judgment_? (chapter ii. 17.)
♦ “ii.” replaced with “2.” for consistency
6. And as they _despised his holy things_, so they _prophaned his
sabbaths_, (Ezekiel xxii. 8.) Yea, when God sent unto them, saying,
_Take heed unto yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day,
neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded
your fathers:――Yet they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear,
but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive
instruction_. (Jeremiah xvii. 21, 22, 23.)
Neither did they honour their parents, or those whom God from time to
time appointed to be rulers over them. _In thee_ (in _Jerusalem_, saith
the prophet) _they have set light by father and mother_, (Ezekiel xii.
7.) And from the very day when God brought them up out of the land of
_Egypt_, their murmurings, chiding, rebellion and disobedience; against
those whom he had chosen to go before them, make the most considerable
part of their history. So that had not _Moses stood in the gap_, he had
even then destroyed them from the face of the earth.
7. How much more did they ♦afterwards provoke God, by drunkenness,
sloth and luxury? _They have erred through wine_, (saith the prophet
_Isaiah_) _and through strong drink they are out of the way_; (chapter
xxviii. 7.) which occasioned those vehement and repeated warnings,
against that reigning sin; _Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, them that
are overcome with wine_, (verse 1.) _The drunkards of Ephraim shall
be trodden under foot_; (verse 3.) _Woe unto them that rise up early
that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till
wine inflame them――But they regard not the work of the Lord, neither
consider the operation of his hands_, (chapter v. 11, 12.) _Woe unto
them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle
strong drink_; (verse 22.) _Woe to them that are at ease in Zion,――that
lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches,
and eat the Lambs out of the flock, and their calves out of the midst
of the stall, that chaunt to the sound of the viol, and invent to
themselves instrument of musick,――that drink wine in bowls, and anoint
themselves with the chief ointments; but they are not grieved for
the affliction of Joseph_, (Amos vi. verses 1, 4, 5, 6.) _Behold this_
(saith _Ezekiel_ to ♠_Jerusalem_) _was the iniquity of thy sister
Sodom; fulness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in
her daughters_, (chapter xvi. 49.)
♦ “aftewards” replaced with “afterwards”
♠ “Jerusalemn” replaced with “Jerusalem”
8. From _sloth_ and _fulness of bread_, _lewdness_ naturally followed.
It was even while _Moses_ was with them, that _the people began to
commit whoredom with the ♦daughters of Moab_: yea, of the daughters
of _Zion_ _Isaiah_ complains, _They walk with stretched forth necks
and wanton eyes_, (chapter iii. 16.) And of his people in general
God complains by _Jeremiah_, _When I had fed them to the full, they
assembled themselves by troops in the harlot’s houses. They were as fed
horses in the morning, every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife_,
(chapter v. 7, 8.) _They be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous
men_, (chapter ix. 2.) _The land is full of adulterers_, (chapter
xxiii. 10.)
♦ “daughthers” replaced with “daughters”
Yea, and some of them were given up to _unnatural lusts_. Thus we read,
_Judges_ xix. 22. _The men of Gibeah, beset the house_, wherein the
stranger was, _and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the
house, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we
may know him. And there were also_ long after _sodomites in the land_,
in the days of _Rehoboam_ and of the following kings: _The very shew of
whose countenance witnessed against them, and they declared their sin
as Sodom, they hid it not_, (Isaiah iii. 9.)
9. This was accompanied with _injustice_ in all its forms. Thus all
the prophets testify against them, _The Lord looked for_ judgment, _but
behold_ oppression; _for righteousness, but behold a cry_, (Isaiah v.
7.) _Thou hast taken_ usury _and increase; thou hast greedily gained of
thy neighbour by_ extortion――_Behold, I have smitten my hand, at thy_
dishonest gain _which thou hast made_, (Ezekiel xxii. 12, 13.) _The
balances of deceit are in Jacob’s hand; he loveth to_ oppress, (Hosea
xii. 7.) _Are there not yet the_ scant measure _that is abominable;
the wicked_ balances, _and the bag of_ deceitful weights? (Micah vi.
10, 11.) _He that departeth from evil, maketh himself a prey_, (Isaiah
lix. 15.) _And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him, that there was
no judgment. The wicked devoureth the man, that is more righteous than
he. They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their
net, and gather them in their drag_, (Habakkuk i. 13, 14, 15.) _They
covet fields and take them by_ violence, _and houses, and take them
away_, (Micah ii. 2.) _They pull off the robe with the garment, from
them that pass by securely_, (verse 8.) _They have dealt by oppression
with the stranger; they have vexed the fatherless and the widow_,
(Ezekiel xxii. 7.) _The people of the land have used_ oppression _and
exercised_ robbery; _and have vexed the poor and needy, yea, they have
oppressed the stranger wrongfully_, (verse 29.) _Their works are works
of iniquity, and the act of_ violence _is in their hands_, (Isaiah lix.
6.) Judgment _is turned away backward, and_ justice _standeth afar off;
for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter_, (verse 14.)
10. _Truth_ indeed was fallen, as well as justice. _Every mouth_,
saith _Isaiah, speaketh folly_, (chapter ix. 17.) _This is a rebellious
people_, lying _children_, (chapter xxx. 9.) _Their lips have spoken_
lies _and muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any
pleadeth for_ truth; _they trust in vanity and speak lies_, (chapter
lix. 3, 4.) This occasioned that caution of _Jeremiah_, _Take ye heed
every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother; for every
brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with
slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not
speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary
themselves to commit iniquity_, (chapter ix. 4, 5.)
11. And even those who abstained from these gross outward sins, were
still inwardly corrupt and abominable. _The whole head was sick, and
the whole heart was faint; yea, from the sole of the foot even unto
the head there was no soundness, but wounds and bruises, and putrifying
sores_, (Isaiah i. 5, 6.) _All these nations_ (saith God) _are
uncircumcised; and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart_,
(Jeremiah ix. 26.) _Their heart is divided_, (Hosea x. 2.) _They have
set up their idols in their heart; they are all estranged from me thro’
their idols_, (Ezekiel xiv. 3, 4.)
Their soul still _clave unto the dust_. They _laid up treasures upon
earth. From the least of them_, saith _Jeremiah_, _even unto the
greatest, every one is given to_ ♦covetousness, (chapter vi. 13.)
_They panted after the dust of the earth_, (Amos ii. 7.) _They laded
themselves with thick clay_, (Habakkuk iii. 6.) _They joined house to
house_, and _laid field to field, until there was no place_, (Isaiah v.
8.) Yea, they _enlarged their desires as hell_: They were _as death and
could not be satisfied_, (Habakkuk ii. 5.)
♦ “coveteousness” replaced with “covetousness”
12. And not only for their covetousness, but for their _pride_ of
heart were they an abomination to the Lord. _The_ pride _of Israel_,
saith _Hosea_, _doth testify to his face_, (chapter vii. 10.) _Hear ye,
give ear_, saith _Jeremiah_, _be not proud――――Give glory to the Lord
your God_, (chapter xiii. 15.) But they would not be reproved; they
were still _wise in their own eyes_, and _prudent in their own sight_,
(Isaiah v. 21.) and continually saying to their neighbour, _Stand by
thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou_! (Isaiah lxv.
5.)
They added _hypocrisy_ to their pride. _This people_, saith God himself,
_draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but
have removed their hearts far from me_, (Isaiah xxix. 13.) _They have
not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds_,
(Hosea vii. 14.) _They return, but not to the Most High; they are like
a deceitful bow_, (verse 16.) _They did but flatter him with their
mouth, and dissemble with him in their tongue_, (Psalms lxxviii. 36.)
So that herein they only _prophaned the holiness of the Lord. And
this have ye done again_, saith _Malachi_, _covering the altar of the
Lord with tears, with weeping and with crying out, insomuch that he
regardeth not the offering any more_, (chapter ii. 11, 13.)
13. This God continually declared to those formal worshippers. That
their outward religion was but vain. _To what purpose is the multitude
of your sacrifices_, saith the Lord? _I am full of the burnt-offerings
of rams, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs or of
he-goats. Bring no more vain oblations: Incense is an abomination unto
me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot
away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting――――When you spread
forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make
many prayers, I will not hear_, (Isaiah i. 11, 13, 15.) _He that
killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as
if he cut off a dog’s neck_, (chapter lxvi. 3.) _When they fast, I will
not hear their cry; and when they offer an oblation, I will not accept_,
(Jeremiah xiv. 12.) _Go ye, serve your idols, if ye will not hearken
unto me; but pollute ye my holy Name no more with your gifts_, (Ezekiel
xx. 39.)
14. Yet all this time were they utterly _careless_ and _secure_; nay
_confident_ of being in the favour of God. They were _at ease_; they
_put far away the evil day_, (Amos vi. 1, 3.) _Even when God had poured
his anger upon_ Israel, _it set him on fire round about, yet he knew it
not; It burned him, yet he laid it not to heart_, (Isaiah xliii. 25.)
_A deceived heart had turned him aside, that he could not say, Is there
not a lie in my right hand?_ (chapter xliv. 20.) So far from it, that
at this very time they said, _We are innocent, we have not sinned_,
(Jeremiah ii. 35, 37.) _We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with
us_, (chapter viii. 8.) _The temple of the Lord! the temple of the Lord
are we._ (chapter vii. 4.)
15. Thus it was that they hardened themselves in their wickedness.
_They are impudent children_, saith God, _and stiff-hearted_, (Ezekiel
ii. 4.) _Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay
they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush_, (Jeremiah iv.
15.) _I have spread out my hand all the day to a rebellious people,
that provoketh me to anger continually to my face_, (Isaiah lxv. 2, 3.)
_They will not hearken unto me, saith the Lord, for all the house of_
Israel _are impudent and hard-hearted_, (Ezekiel iii. 7.) _Since the
day that their fathers came forth out of the land of_ Egypt _unto this
day, I have sent unto them all my servants the prophets, rising up
early and sending them; yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined
their ear, but hardened their neck; they did worse than their fathers_,
(Jeremiah vi. 25, 26.)
They were equally hardened against mercies and judgments. When he
_gave them rain, both the former and the latter in his season_; when
_he reserved unto them the appointed weeks of the harvest_, filling
their hearts with food and gladness, still none of this _revolting and
rebellious people said, Let us now fear the Lord our God_, (Jeremiah
v. 23, 24.) Nor yet did _they turn unto him_ when _he smote them_,
(chapter ix. 9, 13.) _In that day did the Lord call to weeping and
to mourning: and behold joy and gladness, eating flesh and drinking
wine; let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die_, (chapter
xxii. 11, 12.) Although _he consumed them, yet they refused to receive
instruction; they made their faces harder than a rock――None repented
him, but every one turned to his course, as a horse rusheth into the
battle_, (Jeremiah v. 3. chapter viii. 6.) _I have given you want of
bread in all your places, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the
Lord. I have also with-holden the rain from you when there were yet
three months unto the harvest――I have smitten you with blasting and
mildew: your gardens and your vineyards, the palmer worm devoured.――I
have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of_ Egypt; _your
young men have I slain with the sword――I have overthrown some of you,
as God overthrew_ Sodom _and_ Gomorrah, _and ye were as a firebrand
plucked out of the burning; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith
the Lord_, (Amos iv. 6‒11.)
16. In consequence of their resolution not to return, they would not
endure sound doctrine, or those that spake it. They _said to the seers,
see not, and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things――Speak
unto us smooth things――Cause the Holy One of_ Israel _to cease from
before us_, (Isaiah xxx. 10, 11.) But _they hated him that rebuked in
the gate, and they abhorred him that spake uprightly_, (Amos v. 10.)
Accordingly, _thy people_, (saith God to _Ezekiel_) _still are talking
against thee, by the walls, and in the doors of the houses_, (chapter
xxxiii. 30.) _And_ Amaziah _the priest sent to_ ♦Jeroboam, _king of_
Israel, _saying_, Amos _hath conspired against thee in the midst of the
house of_ Israel; _the land is not able to bear all his words. Also_
Amaziah _said unto_ Amos, _Go flee thee away into the land of_ Judah,
_and prophesy there. But prophesy not again any more at_ Bethel, _for
it is the king’s chappel, and it is the king’s court_, (chapter vii.
10, 12, 13.) From the same spirit it was that they said of _Jeremiah_,
_Come and let us devise devices against him――Come and let us smite
him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words_,
(chapter xviii. 18.) Hence it was that he was constrained to cry out,
_O Lord, I am in derision daily; every one mocketh me. Since I spake,
the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily:
For I heard the defaming of many, Fear on every side: Report, say they,
and we will report it: All my familiars watched for my halting; saying,
Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him,
and we shall take our revenge on him_, (chapter xx. 7, 8, 10.) And
elsewhere, _Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of
strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent
on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth
curse me_, (chapter xv. 19.)
♦ “Jereboam” replaced with “Jeroboam”
17. But _if a man walking in the spirit of falshood, do lie_ (saith the
prophet _Micah_) _saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and strong
drink, he shall even be the prophet of this people_, (chapter ii. 11.)
And God gave them pastors after their own hearts: such were those sons
of _Eli, sons of Belial, who knew not the Lord_, (1 Samuel ii. 12.)
rapacious, covetous, violent men, (verses 14, 15, 16.) by reason of
whom _men abhorred the offering of the Lord_, (verse 17.) who not only
_made themselves vile_, (chapter iii. 13.) but also _made the Lord’s
people to transgress_, (chapter ii. 24.) while they _made themselves
fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of_ Israel, (verse 29.)
Such were those of whom _Isaiah_ says, _The priest and the prophet have
erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up of wine_, (chapter
xxviii. 7.) _Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill
ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and
much more abundant_, (chapter lvi. 12.) Therefore (saith he) _the Lord
hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your
eyes: the prophets and the seers hath he covered; and the vision of all
is become unto you, as the words of a book that is sealed_, (chapter
xxix. 10, 11.) Such also were those of whom he saith, _His watchmen are
blind, they are all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs; they cannot bark,
sleeping, laying down, loving to slumber_.
_Greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that
cannot understand. They all look to their own way, every one for his
gain, from his quarter_, (chapter lvi. 10, 11.)
Little better were those of whom the prophets that followed have left
us so dreadful an account; _Both prophet and priest are prophane; yea,
in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. And from the
prophets of_ Jerusalem, _is prophaneness gone forth into all the land_,
(Jeremiah xxiii. 11, 15.) _Her priests have violated my law, and have
prophaned my holy things: they have put no difference between the holy
and the prophane, and I am prophaned among them_, (Ezekiel xxii. 26.)
_If I be a Father, where is mine honour; and if I be a master, where is
my fear? Saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my
name_, (Malachi i. 6.)
Yea some of them were fallen into the grossest sins. _The company of
priests, saith_ Hosea, _commit lewdness: There is whoredom in_ Ephraim,
Israel _is despised_, (chapter vi. 9, 10.) _I have seen also in the
prophets of_ Jerusalem (saith God by _Jeremiah_) _an horrible thing;
they commit adultery and walk in lies_, (chapter xxiii. 14.)
18. And those who were clear of this, were deeply covetous. _Who is
there among you, that would shut the doors for nought? Neither do ye
kindle fire on my altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith
the Lord of hosts_, (Malachi vi. 10.) _The priests of_ Zion _preach
for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money. Yet will they lean
upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us?_ (Micah iii. 11.)
_Thus, saith the Lord, the prophets bite with their teeth, and cry
peace: and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare
war against him_, (chapter iii. 5.) Therefore _the word of the Lord
came unto_ Ezekiel, _saying, Prophesy against the shepherds of_ Israel,
_and say, Woe be to the shepherds of_ Israel _that do feed themselves:
Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat and ye cloath
you with the wool; but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not
strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have
ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that
which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost, but
with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered,
because there is no shepherd, and they became meat to all the beasts of
the field. Yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth,
and none did search or seek after them_, (chapter xxxiv. 1‒6.)
19. To the same effect do the other prophets declare, _Ye are departed
out of the way, ye have caused many to stumble.――――Therefore have I
also made you contemptible and base before all the people_, (Malachi
ii. 8, 9.) _From the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth
falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people
slightly, saying Peace, Peace, when there is no Peace_, (Jeremiah vi.
13, 14.) _They prophesy lies in my name_, (chapter xiv. 14.) _They say
still unto them that despise me, the Lord had said, ye shall have peace;
and they say unto every man that walketh after the imagination of his
own heart, no evil shall come upon you_, (chapter xxiii. 17.) _The
prophets of_ Jerusalem _strengthen the hands of the evil-doers, that
none doth return from his wickedness_, (verse 14.) _They have seduced
my people, and one built up a wall, and lo others daubed it with
untempered mortar_, (Ezekiel xiii. 10.) _With lies they have made the
hearts of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened
the hands of the wicked, that he shall not return from his wicked way,
by promising him life_, (verse 22.) _Many pastors have destroyed my
vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot; they have made my
pleasant portion a desolate wilderness_, (Jeremiah xii. 10.) _There is
a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst of her, like a roaring lion,
ravening the prey. They have devoured souls_, (Ezekiel xxii. 25.) _Thus
saith the Lord, Feed the flock of the slaughter whose possessors slay
them, and hold themselves not guilty, and they that sell them say,
Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich; and their own shepherds pity them
not_, (Zechariah xi. 4, 5.)
II. 1. Such is the general account which the scriptures give of the
_Jews_, the antient church of God. And since all these things ♦were
_written for our instruction_, who are now the visible church of the
God of _Israel_, I shall in the next place appeal to all who profess
this, to every one who calls himself a _Christian_, how far in each
instance the parallel holds? And how much _we_ are better then _they_?
♦ “was” replaced with “were” per Errata
And first, were they _discontented_? Did they _repine_ at the
providence of God? Did they say, _Is the Lord among us or not_?
When they were in imminent _danger_, or pressing _want_, and saw no
way to escape? And which of us can say, _I am clear from_ this sin:
I have washed my hands and my heart in innocency? Have not we who
_judge others, done the same things_? _Murmured_ and _repined_ times
without number? Yea, and that when we were not in pressing _want_ nor
distressed with imminent _danger_? Are we not in general, (our own
writers being the judges) have we not ever been from the earliest ages,
a _repining, murmuring, discontented people_, never long satisfied
either with God or man? Surely in this we have great need to humble
ourselves before God; for we are in no wise better than they.
But _Jeshuron forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock
of his salvation_. And did not _England_ too? Ask ye of the generations
of old, enquire from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof,
whether there was ever a people called by his name, which had less of
_God in all their thoughts_? Who in the whole tenor of their behaviour
shewed so _light_ an _esteem for the rock of their salvation_?
Could there ever be stronger cause for God to cry out, _Hear, O heavens,
and give ear, O earth_! For hath he not _nourished and brought_ us
_up_ as his _children? And_ yet, how _have_ we _rebelled against_ him!
If _Israel_ of old _did not know God_; if his antient people _did not
consider_; was this peculiar to them? Are not we also under the very
same condemnation? Do we, as a people, _know_ God? Do we _consider_
him as God? Do we tremble at the presence of his power? Do we revere
his excellent Majesty? Do we remember at all times, God is here! He
is now reading my heart: he spieth out all my ways: there is not a
word in my tongue but he knoweth it altogether: is this the character
of us _English Christians_? The mark whereby we are known from the
_Heathen_? Do we thus _know_ God? Thus _consider_ his power, his love,
his all-seeing eye? Rather, are we not likewise a _sinful nation_,
who _have forgotten him days without number_! A people _laden with
iniquity_, continually _forsaking the Lord, and provoking the Holy One
of Israel_.
2. There is indeed a wide difference, in this respect, between the
_Jews_ and us; they _happened_ (if I may so speak) to forget God,
because other things came in their way: but we _design_ to forget
him; we do it of set purpose, because we do not like to remember him.
From the accounts given by _Jeremiah_, we have reason to believe,
that when that people were most deeply corrupted, yet the greatest
men in the nation, the ministers of state; the nobles and princes of
_Judah_, talked of God sometimes, perhaps, as frequently as upon any
other subject. But is it so among us? Rather, is it not a point of
good-breeding to put God far away, out of our sight? Is he talked of
at all among the great? The nobles or ministers of state in _England_?
Among any persons of rank or figure in the world? Do they allow God
any place in their conversation? From day to day, from year to year,
do _you_ discourse one hour of the wonders he doth for the children
of men? If one at a gentleman or a nobleman’s table was to begin a
discourse, of the wisdom, greatness, or power of God, would it not
occasion (at least) as much astonishment, as if he had begun to talk
blasphemy? And if the _unbred_ man persisted therein, would it not put
all the company in confusion? And what do you sincerely believe the
more favourable part would say of him when he was gone? But that――“He
is a little touched in his head!” or, “Poor man! he has not seen the
world.”
You know, this is the naked truth. But how terrible is the thought
to every serious mind! Into what a state is this _Christian_ nation
fallen! Nay the men of eminence, of fortune, of education! Would not
a thinking foreigner, who should be present at such an interview, be
apt to conclude, that the men of quality in _England_ were atheists?
That they did not believe there was any God at all; or, at best but
an _Epicurean_ God, who sat at ease upon the circle of the heavens,
and did not concern himself about us worms of the earth? Nay, but he
understands every thought now rising in your heart. And how long can
you put him out of your sight? Only till this veil of flesh is rent in
sunder. For your _pomp_ will not then _follow you_. Will not your body
be mingled with common dust? And your soul stand naked before God? O
that you would now _acquaint yourself with_ God, that you may then be
cloathed with glory and immortality!
3. Did God complain of the _Jews, Even from the days of your fathers
ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them_? And
how justly may he make the same complaint of us? For how exceeding
small a proportion do we find of those in any place who call themselves
Christians, that make a conscience of attending them? Does one third
of the inhabitants in any one parish throughout this great city,
constantly attend _public prayer_ and the _ministry of his word_, as
of conscience towards God? Does one tenth of those who acknowledge
it is an institution of Christ, duly attend the _Lord’s supper_? Does
a fiftieth part of the _nominal_ members of the church of _England_
observe _the fasts_ of the church, or so much as the forty days in
_Lent_, and all _Fridays_ in the year? Who of these then can cast the
first stone at the _Jews_, for neglecting the ordinances of God?
Nay, how many thousands are found among us, who have never partook of
the supper of the Lord? How many thousands are there, that live and
die in this unrepented disobedience? What multitudes, even in this
_Christian_ city, do not attend any _public_ worship at all? No, nor
spend a single hour from one year to another in _privately_ pouring
out their hearts before God? Whether God _meeteth him that remembereth_
him _in his ways_ or not, is no concern of theirs: so the man eats and
drinks, and _dies as a beast dieth_,
“Drops into the dark and disappears.”
It was not therefore of the children of _Israel_ alone, that the
messenger of God might say, _There is none_ (comparatively) _that
calleth upon thy name, that stirreth himself up to take hold of thee_.
4. Ye have heard, that it was said to them of old time, _Because of_
swearing _the land mourneth_. But if this might be said of the land of
_Canaan_, how much more of _this_ land? In what city or town, in what
market or exchange, in what street or place of public resort, is not
the holy _name whereby we are called_ taken in vain, day by day? From
the noble to the peasant, who fails to call upon God, in this if in
no other way? Whether can you turn, where can you go, without hearing
some praying to God for damnation, either on his neighbour or himself?
Cursing those, without either fear or remorse, whom Christ hath bought
to inherit a blessing!
Are _you_ one of these stupid, senseless, shameless wretches, that call
so earnestly for damnation on your own soul? What if God should take
you at your word? Are you _able to dwell with everlasting burnings_?
If you are, yet why should you be in haste, to be in the _lake of
fire burning with brimstone_? God help you, or you will be there soon
enough, and long enough; for that _fire is not quenched_! But the
_smoke thereof ascendeth up, day and night, for ever and ever_.
And what is that important affair, concerning which you was but now
appealing to God? Was you _calling God to record upon your soul_,
touching your everlasting salvation? No; but touching the beauty of
your horse, the swiftness of your dog, or the goodness of your drink!
How is this? What notion have you of God? What do you take him to be?
_Idcirco stolidam præbet tibi vellere barbam Jupiter――――?_
What stupidity, what infatuation is this! Thus without either pleasure,
or profit, or praise, to set at nought him that hath _all power both in
heaven and earth_! Wantonly to _provoke the eyes of his glory_!
Are you a man of letters, who are sunk so low? I will not then send
you to the inspired writers (so called: perhaps you disdain to receive
instruction by them,) but the old, blind Heathen. Could you only fix
in your mind the idea he had of God, (though it is not strictly just,
unless we refer it to God made man) you would never thus affront him
more,
Ἦ καὶ κυανέῃσιν ἐπ᾽ ὀφρύσι ♦νεῦσε Κρονίων·
Ἀμβρόσιαι δ᾽ ἄρα χαῖται ἐπεῤῥώσαντο Ἄνακτος
Κρατὸς ἀπ᾽ ἀθανάτοιο· μέγαν δ᾽ ἐλέλιξεν Ὄλυμπον.
♦ “νεῦσε” inserted per Errata
Shall not the very Heathen then, _rise up in judgment against this
generation, and condemn it_? Yea, and not only the learned Heathens of
_Greece_ and _Rome_, but the savages of _America_. For I never remember
to have heard a wild _Indian_ name the name of _Sootaleicatee_, (him
that sitteth in heaven) without either laying his hand upon his breast,
or casting his eyes down to the ground. And you are a _Christian_! O
how do you cause the very name of _Christianity_ to be blasphemed among
the Heathen!
5. But is it _light_ swearing only, (inexcusable as that is) because of
which our _land mourneth_? May it not also be said of us, _Though they
say the Lord liveth, surely they swear_ falsely? Yea to such a degree,
that there is hardly the like, in any nation under heaven; that almost
every corner of the land is filled with wilful deliberate _perjury_.
I speak not now of the perjuries which every common swearer cannot
but run into day by day. (And indeed common “swearing notoriously
contributes to the growth of perjury. For oaths are little minded when
common use has sullied them, and every minutes repetition has made
them cheap and vulgar.”) Nor of those which are continually committed
and often detected in our open courts of justice. Only with regard
to the latter I must remark, that they are a natural consequence, of
that monstrous, shocking manner, wherein oaths are usually administered
therein: without any decency or seriousness at all; much less with that
awful solemnity, which a rational Heathen would expect, in an immediate
appeal to the great God of heaven.
I had once designed to consider all the oaths which are customarily
taken by any set of men among us. But I soon found this was a work
too weighty for me: so almost _in infinitum_ are oaths multiplied in
_England_: I suppose to a degree which is not known in any other nation
in _Europe_.
What I now propose is, to instance only in a few, (but those not of
small importance) and to shew, how amazingly little regard is had, to
what is solemnly promised or affirmed before God.
6. This is done, in part, to my hands by a late author. So far as he
goes, I shall little more than transcribe his words. (Mr. _Disney_’s
First Essay, page 30.)
“When a _justice of peace_ is sworn into the commission, he makes
oath――‘That he shall do equal right to the poor and to the rich, after
his cunning, wit and power, and after the laws and customs of the realm
and statutes thereof made, in all articles in the king’s commission
to him directed.’――What those articles are, you will find in the first
assignavimus of the commission: ‘We have assigned you and every one
of you, jointly and severally――_to keep and cause to be kept, all
ordinances and statutes_, made for――the quiet, rule and government of
our people, in all and every the articles thereof, according to the
force, form and effect of the same, and to _chastise and punish all
persons, offending_ against any of them, according to the form of those
statutes and ordinances.’ So that he is solemnly sworn to the execution
of all such statutes, as the legislative power of the nation has
thought fit to throw upon his care. Such are all those (among others)
made against _drunkenness_, _tipling_, prophane _swearing_, _blasphemy_;
_lewd_ and _disorderly_ practices, and _prophanation of the_ Lord’s
_day_. And it is hard to imagine how a justice of peace can think
himself more concerned, to _suppress riots_ or _private quarrels_, then
he is to levy twelve pence on a _prophane swearer_, five shillings on
a _drunkard_, ten shillings on the public house _that suffers tipling_,
or any other penalty which the law exacts ♦on vice and immorality.
The same oath binds him both to one and the other, laying an equal
obligation on his conscience. How a magistrate, who neglects to punish
excess, prophaneness and impiety, can excuse himself from the guilt of
_perjury_, I do not pretend to know. If he reasons fairly, he will find
himself as much _forsworn_, as an evidence who being upon his oath, to
declare _the whole truth_; nevertheless conceals _the most considerable
part_ of it. And his perjury is so much the more infamous, as the ill
example and effects of it will be mischievous.”
♦ “of” replaced with “on” per Errata
7. The same author (in the preface to his second essay) goes on:
“You, gentlemen of the _grand juries_, take a solemn oath, that you
will _diligently enquire_, and true _presentment_ make, of _all_ such
articles, matters and things _as shall be given you in charge_: as also,
that you will (not only present no person for envy, hatred, or malice,
but) not leave any _unpresented_, for fear, favour or affection. Now,
are not the laws against immorality and prophaneness _given you in
charge_, as well as those against riots, felony and treason? Are not
presentment and indictment _one_ method expresly appointed by the
statutes, for the punishment of _drunkenness_ and _tipling_? Are not
houses of _bawdry_ and _gaming_, punishable in the same courts, and
consequently _presentable_ by you? Is not the proclamation for the
punishing of vice, prophaneness and immorality, always read before you
as soon as you are sworn? And does not the judge of assize, or chairman
of the bench, in the charge given immediately after the reading it,
either recite to you the particular laws against such offences, or
refer you for them to that proclamation? ’Tis plain from all this, that
you are bound upon your _oaths_, to _present all vice_ and _immorality_,
as well as other crimes, that fall within your knowledge, because they
are expresly _given you in charge_. And this you are to do, not only
when _evidence_ is offered before you by the _information of others_,
but with regard to all such offences as you or any of you are able of
_your own personal knowledge_ to present: all which you have sworn to
do impartially, without _fear_, _favour_, or affection.”
I leave it now with all reasonable men to consider, how few _grand
jurors_ perform this? And consequently, what multitudes of them,
throughout the nation, fall under the guilt of _wilful perjury_!
8. The author proceeds, (page 8.) “I shall next address myself to you
that are _constables_. And to you I must needs say, that if you know
your duty, ’tis no thanks to us that are _justices_. For the oath we
usually give you is so _short_, and in such _general_ terms, that it
leaves with you no manner of instruction in the particulars of the
office to which you are sworn. But that which ought to be given you,
recites part of your duty in the following words:
“You shall do your best endeavour, that rogues, vagabonds and
night-walkers, be apprehended; and that the statutes made for their
punishment, be duly put in execution: you shall have _a watchful eye_
to such as shall keep any house or place where any _unlawful game_
is used: as also to _such_ as shall _frequent_ such places, or shall
_use_ any _unlawful game_ there or elsewhere. You shall _present all_
and _every_ the offences contrary to the statutes made to restrain the
_tipling in inns, alehouses_, and _other victualling_ houses, and for
repressing of _drunkenness_. You shall once in the year, during your
office, present all _Popish recusants_. You shall well and duly execute
all precepts and warrants to you directed. And you shall well and duly,
according to your knowledge, power and ability, do and execute _all
other_ things belonging to the office of a _constable_, so long as you
shall continue therein.”
Upon this, “I would observe first, that _actors of plays_ are exprest
by name within the statute, to be taken up for vagabonds, and punished
accordingly: and that though a statute of queen _Elizabeth’s excepts_
such companies as have a licence under the hand and seal of a nobleman,
yet a ♦later statute in the reign of king _James_ I. has taken away
that protection from them; by declaring, that _from thenceforth no
authority to be given by any peer of the realms, shall be available to
free or discharge them from the pains and punishments of that former
statute_. Every _constable_ therefore in those parishes, where any of
these _strolling players_ come, is bound by his _oath_, to seize upon,
correct, and send them packing without delay.”
♦ “latter” replaced with “later” per Errata
“The next part of your oath obliges you to keep _a watchful eye_, on
such houses as keep and such _persons_ as use _unlawful gaming_. The
statute directs you _weekly_ or at least _monthly_, to search within
your liberties, all houses or places suspected of this offence, and
upon discovering, to bring them to punishment. Upon this article I
would observe, 1. That the law makes some allowance, for artificers,
husbandmen, apprentices, labourers and servants, _to play in Christmas_,
but at no other time of the year; and 2. That _all sports and pastimes_
whatsoever are made _unlawful_ upon the Lord’s day, by a statute of
king _Charles_ II. You are therefore bound upon _oath_, to bring to
punishment such as are guilty of _prophaning_ that day by any sports
or pastimes whatsoever.”
“The following parts of your oath are, 1. That you shall _present
all_ and _every_ the offences of _tipling_ and _drunkenness_ that
come to your knowledge; 2. That you shall once in the year _present_
all _Popish recusants_. Nay, and by the statute on which your oath
is grounded, you are obliged once a year to _present in session_, all
those within your parishes, who (not being dissenters) come not once
in a month, at least, to church.” And 3. That you shall _well_ and
_duly_ execute _all precepts_ and _warrants_ to you directed. I believe
no _constable_ will pretend to be ignorant of this. How is it then,
that when we send out warrants, to levy on offenders for _swearing_,
_drunkenness_, and the like, those _warrants_ are so ill obeyed? Are
you not _sworn_ to execute _these_ as well as any other, and that
_duly_ too, according to the tenor of your _precept_? Your _precept_
tells you, you shall _demand_ such a sum, and if the offender will
not ♦pay, you shall _levy it by distress of his goods_: and _if no
distress can be taken_, you are _then_ only to set him _in the stocks_;
otherwise you have no authority so to do: nor is the setting him in
the stocks, when you might have distrained, any execution of your
_precept_.”
♦ “pray” replaced with “pay”
“The last part of your oath is in _general_ terms. That you shall
_well_ and _duly_ according to your knowledge, power, and ability, do
and execute _all other things_ belonging to the office of a _constable_.
I shall instance in some things which certainly _belong to your office_,
because you, and none else, can do them. 1. A constable may, _without
a warrant_, apprehend any persons, and carry them before a justice, who
are driving carts, horses or cattle on the Lord’s day: 2. Such as he
shall find at _sports and pastimes_ on that day. 3. Such as he shall
find _tipling_ in public-houses; 4. Shopkeepers _selling_ or _exposing_
goods on the Lord’s day; and lastly, Such as he shall find drunk or
blaspheming, or prophanely swearing or cursing.”