Wesley Corpus

As soon as they believed, they spake; salvation by faith being now their standing topic. Indeed this implied three things: (1.) That men are all, by nature, “dead in sin,” and, consequently, “children of wrath.” (2.) That they are “justified by faith alone.” (3.) That faith produces inward and outward holiness: And these points they insisted on day and night. In a short time they became popular Preachers. The congregations were large wherever they preached. The former name was then revived; and all these gentlemen, with their followers, were entitled Methodists. 11. In March, 1741, Mr. Whitefield, being returned to Eng land, entirely separated from Mr. Wesley and his friends, because he did not hold the decrees. Here was the first breach, which warm men persuaded Mr. Whitefield to make merely for a difference of opinion. Those, indeed, who believed universal redemption had no desire at all to separate; but those who held particular redemption would not hearof any accomodation, being determined to have no fellowship with men that “were in so dangerous errors.” So there were mow two sorts of Methodists, so called; those for particular, and those for general, redemption. 12. Not many years passed, before William Cudworth and James Relly separated from Mr. Whitefield. These were pro perly Antinomians; absolute, avowed enemies to the law of God, which they never preached or professed to preach, but termed all legalists who did. With them, “preaching the law” was an abomination. They had “nothing to do” with the law. They would “preach Christ,” as they called it, but without one word either of holiness or good works. Yet these were still denominated Methodists, although differing from Mr. White field, both in judgment and practice, abundantly more than Mr. Whitefield did from Mr. Wesley. 13. In the mean time, Mr. Venn and Mr. Romaine began to be spoken of; and not long after Mr. Madan and Mr. Berridge, with a few other Clergymen, who, although they had no connexion with each other, yet preaching salvation by faith, and endeavouring to live accordingly, to be Bible Christians, were soon included in the general name of Method ists. And so indeed were all others who preached salvation by faith, and appeared more serious than their neighbours.