THE

WORKS

OF THE

REV. JOHN WESLEY.

IN TEN VOLUMES.

VOLUME VIII.

CONTAINING,

A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION; THE
APPEALS TO MEN OF REASON AND RELIGION;
PRINCIPLES OF THE METHODISTS, &c.

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION.

New-York:

PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. & J. HARPER,

No. 327 PEARL-STREET.

1827.

TRACT

CONTENTS OF VOLUME VIII.

TRACTS.

I. A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

II. An Address to the Clergy

III. A Collection of Forms of Prayer for every Day in the

Week

IV. A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Families

V. A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Children

PAGE

5

67

83

112

129

X. 5. A Word to a Smuggler

XI. 6. A Word to a condemned Malefactor

XII.

7. A Word in Season; or Advice to an Englishman 153

XIII. 8. A Word to a Protestant

XIV. 9. A Word to a Freeholder

XV. 10. A Word to a Soldier

Part II. .

XVI. Serious Thoughts, occasioned by the Earthquake at

XVII. The Principles of a Methodist

XVIII. An Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion

XIX. A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion,

Part I.

XX. A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion,

XXI. A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion,

Part III.

336

XXII. An Answer to Mr. Church's Remarks on Mr. Wesley's

XXIII. The Principles of the Methodists farther explained, oc-

casioned by Mr. Church's Second Letter to Mr.

Wesley

XXIV. A Letter to the Bishop of London, occasioned by his

Lordship's Charge to the Clergy

XXV. A Letter to an Irish Clergyman

XXVI. A Letter to the Author of the Enthusiasm of Methodists

and Papists compared

PAGE

405

. 455

469

XXVII. A Second Letter to the Author of the Enthusiasm of

Methodists and Papists compared, introduced by a

Letter to the Bishop of Exeter

XXVIII. A Second Letter to the Bishop of Exeter, in Answer to

his Lordship's late Letter

XXIX. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Potter, in Answer to his Ser-

mon, “On the pretended Inspiration of the Metho-

dists"

XXX. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Free, in Answer to his late

Tract against the Methodists

XXXI. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Downes, occasioned by his

late Tract, entitled "Methodism examined and ex-

posed"

XXXII. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Horne, occasioned by his

Sermon preached before the University of Oxford

XXXIII. Remarks on Dr. Erskine's Defence of the Preface to

the Edinburgh Edition of Aspasio Vindicated

XXXIV. A Letter to Dr. Erskine

XXXV. A Letter to the Rev. Dr Rutherforth, in Answer to his

Charges against the Methodists

XXXVI. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Baily, of Cork, in Answer

to a Letter to Mr. Wesley

471

481

516

519

525

528

538

543

550

552

562

MISCELLANEOUS WORKS.

A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION;

As believed and taught by John Wesley, A. M. from the year 1725. to the year 1777.

1. WHAT I purpose in the following pages is, to give a plain and distinct account of the steps, by which I was led, during a course of many years, to embrace the doctrine of Christian Perfection. This I owe to the serious part of mankind; those who desire to know all the truth as it is in Jesus. And these are only concerned in questions of this kind. To these I would nakedly declare the thing as it is, endeavouring all along to show, from one period to another, both what I thought, and why I thought so.

2. In the year 1725, being in the 23d year of my age, I met with Bishop Taylor's Rules and Exercises of Holy Living and Dying. In reading several parts of this book, I was exceedingly affected: that part in particular, which relates to purity of intention. stantly I resolved to dedicate all my life to God; all my thoughts, and words, and actions; being thoroughly convinced, there was no medium, but that every part of my life, (not some part only) must either be a sacrifice to God, or to myself; that is, in effect, to the Devil.

Can any serious person doubt of this, or find a medium between serving God, and serving the Devil?

3. In the year 1729, I met with Kempis's Christian Pattern. The nature and extent of inward religion, the religion of the heart, now appeared to me in a stronger light than ever it had done before. saw that giving even all my life to God, (supposing it possible to do this, and go no farther,) would profit me nothing, unless I gave my heart; yea, all my heart, to him. I saw, that "simplicity of intention, and purity of affection," one design in all we speak or do, and one desire ruling all our tempers, are indeed " the wings of the soul," without which she can never ascend the mount of God.

4. A year or two after, Mr. Law's Christian Perfection, and VOL. 8.-B