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 1 
 
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 3 
 
 1 
 
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 6 
 
DIGEST 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 OP 
 
 THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 KY THE 
 
 
 REV. PRINCIPAL SHAW, D.I)., LL.D. 
 
 Wesi.evan THiioroGicAi, College, Montreal. 
 
 a 
 
 TORONTO : 
 WILLIAM BRIGGS, WESLEY BUILDINGS. 
 
 C. W. COAXES, Montreal, Que. S. F. HUESTIS, Halifax, N.S. 
 
 1895. 
 
 uy 
 
 h 
 
 h 
 
^m^^^mi^. 
 
 6A%'i''^^ 
 
 c: ^ 
 
 2155 
 
 Entered, accordinsf to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one 
 thousand eiKht hundred and ninety-five, by William Biuuoh, Toronto, in the 
 Office of the Minister of Agriculture, Ottawa. 
 
PRE PA OK. 
 
 This work is prepared witli the lio[)C that it may be 
 of (service to ^fethodism in Canada and elsewhere in 
 pieseiitinir in concise form the substance of Stan(hirds 
 reconni/A'd with more or less le<,^al authorization in all 
 branches of Methodism. 
 
 It has been prepar<'d chie% for students and pro- 
 bationers for the nnnistry, with the prayer that the 
 doctrines herein collated may, as in the past, be 
 attested by^ the Holy Spirit in the conversion of 
 sinners and entire sanctitication of believers. 
 
 William I. Shaw. 
 
 
 it' 
 
COjS'^TENTS. 
 
 Introddction . 
 
 Paob 
 ix 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 History ok Methodist Standards 
 
 14 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SofRCES OK RKMtilons KNOWLEDGE 
 
 1. Nature ..... 
 
 2. Revelation . . . . . 
 
 3. Inspiration .... 
 
 4. Canon . . . . . 
 
 23 
 23 
 24 
 
 2r> 
 
 2(i 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 <iOD 28 
 
 1- Unity 28 
 
 2. Divine FIssence 28 
 
 3. Divine Attributes 30 
 
 4. The Trinity . .32 
 
 5. The Father im 
 
 6. The Son 34 
 
 7. The Holy Ghost 36 
 
 8. Creation ......... 38 
 
 9. Spirits ......... 39 
 
 10. Law 40 
 
 11. Providence ........ 4I 
 
 
VI 
 
 (•ON'IENTS. 
 
 CHAl'TKR IV 
 
 Man 
 
 I. I'riiiiiil StaU; . 
 
 •J. Sill 
 
 'A. Ktlccts of tlie Fall . 
 
 4. ()iij,'iii i)f till' Smil 
 .'). Marriage 
 
 (). Society 
 
 7. Civil (JfiveniiiKUit 
 
 5. ()atll^s . 
 
 CHAPrKR V 
 
 Till; Saia ATii>N (IK Man 
 
 I. The Atoiiement 
 
 •2. Kxteiit of the Atoneiiieut 
 '•i. Rei)entaiicc 
 4. Faith .... 
 .-). W'nik.s .... 
 (i. Justiticatioii 
 
 7. Regeiieration . 
 
 8. Kntirc Sanetiticatioii . 
 
 9. Aj)ostasy 
 
 10. The Witness of the Spirit 
 
 II. The Church . 
 lv>. The Ministry 
 
 13. The Means of (irace 
 
 {(i) Ha|)tisni . 
 {h) The Eucharist 
 (<•) Prayer 
 ((/) Fasting 
 
 14. The Sabbath 
 
 I'AdK 
 
 4,S 
 
 45 
 47 
 
 .">() 
 51 
 .-)» 
 .").") 
 
 58 
 
 58 
 
 1)2 
 
 64 
 
 ()7 
 
 71 
 
 74 
 
 7« 
 
 82 
 
 87 
 
 89 
 
 92 
 
 98 
 
 lOO 
 
 102 
 
 107 
 
 110 
 
 112 
 
 112 
 
CUNTKNTS. 
 
 \ 11 
 
 CII.M'TKK Vl. 
 
 Last 'Iiiisos (Ks<ii.\T(>i-i":v) . 
 
 1. 'I'lic Milleiiiiimii 
 
 2. Iliiclfs. 
 
 'A. 'I'liu Secoiul Advent 
 
 4. 'I'lie (ieiiL'ial lifwiii ri'cliiiii 
 
 .">. Tlu' <ii'iuMiil Judgiiu'iit , 
 
 0. H.-11 .... 
 
 7. Ih'avi'ii .... 
 
 lU 
 I III 
 
 lis 
 
 1-_M 
 1-J4 
 I'ir. 
 1-JS 
 l.SU 
 
 CHAITKR VII. 
 
 Ckkkds -I'kisis iiK .\(;ki:i;mi;nt vsn I>iikki!i;n('k 
 
 i;{- 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
INTKODrCTlON. 
 
 S(»MK sort ol' creed is cssciitiiil to eM-i-y rcliuioiis or 
 cccU'siiistical or^fjuiizution. .A ■ ^ci.stic Club announces 
 its floctrinul tests in tlie sinulc i(ro|iositioi), I believe 
 in (!o(l: (I HtiinunitiH-iiin (Mul\ :n liie declai-ation, I 
 Itelievo in Man. An independent conj^re^ation, un- 
 traninielled hy any external aiitlioi-ity, lays down its 
 platform, possibly, in three or four brii f articles, 
 acceptance of whidi in form or substance is implied 
 in mendiership. Harmony witli principles held in 
 common is essential to all orfranization. There is, 
 therefore, no need of ajjolon^izinfj^ for creeds. They 
 are a simple and j)alpable necessity. 
 
 No creed contain.s the whole truth. It is (dven to 
 different branches of the Catholic Church to bear 
 testimony to different truths as it is to develop dif- 
 ferent types of Christian life. It is not claimed by 
 any Protestant Church that in creed it is inerrant. 
 At best its creed is jiresumably an honest attempt to 
 condense into symbolic form such ti'uths as it feels 
 
 •^ 1 
 
 't m 
 
m^ 
 
 X 
 
 INTHUDICTION. 
 
 called upon to emphasize. Naturally the aim is to 
 comleiiHe the most truth into smallest compass. On 
 the whole, liowever, the briefest creeds have occa- 
 sioned the most dissension. It has often been the 
 case that the l)riefer the form the more uncertain has 
 been its meanin<^. This is owin^' to the faltering 
 weakness and inadecjuacy of language. The whole 
 period of creed formation, from the Augsburgh Con- 
 fession, lo^iO, to the Westminster Confession, 1()47, 
 inclusive — an age most prolific in creeds — is a run- 
 ning connnentary on these statements. 
 
 It is sometimes said in pleasantry that the Method- 
 ists have the longest creed in Christendom, in the Ser- 
 mons, Notes and Articles hereafter anal^'zed. There 
 are certainly some advantages in such a mode of de- 
 claring our faith. First, it is more easily understood, 
 because of explicit statement : and second, it is more 
 free from shibboleths, and is not so likely to create a 
 blind, narr(jw j^rejudice for a human form of words. 
 The meaning is explained rather than condensed. 
 The Standards under consideration, it is to be remem- 
 bered, are of autliority only for the ministry. A 
 member's relation to the Church is determined only 
 by spiritual life and by character. As to creed, he 
 may be a Calvinist or a Baptist or a Pre-Milleiniial 
 Adventist without imperilling his membership. But 
 
inThodcction, 
 
 XI 
 
 for agreeiiu'iit of faith on the pui't of the ministry 
 tliese Standanls aiv autliori/od. 
 
 It should be oksui'ved that in no Pi'otestant Church 
 ai-e creeds exalted above the Holy Scriptures, or even 
 made co-ordinate with tiie Scriptures. Tfje W(M{I) 
 OK God is srPHEME. There is mudi force in tlu' 
 position of Kev. Dr. Brings, in his defence befoi-e the 
 Presbytei-y of New York, that if his vitsws can l)e 
 shown to be scriptural, even though conflicting with 
 the Westminster Confession, they must be accepted 
 by tlie Presbyterian Church, inasnuich as in that case, 
 though opposing one part of the Confession, still 
 " they nuist be I'eceived, because the Scriptures are 
 the Word of CJod." (Conf. C. 1, iv.) So we say that if 
 a doctrine be scriptural, it must be Methodist, foi- 
 according to our Standards the BibU> is the sole rule 
 of faith and practice. At the same time it is a moral 
 certainty that, whaievei- procedure an ecclesiastical 
 court would follow, any civil coui't having to deal 
 with a case of what is called heresy, would decline to 
 go into the exegetical, critical, and theological merits 
 of the views concerned, but would declare that our 
 own chosen Standards must be taken as our author- 
 ized interpretation of the doctrines of Holy Scripture. 
 Hence the importance and convenience of a thorough 
 analytic study of these Standards. 
 
 ">,!| 
 
 -'4 ' 
 .0. 
 
 i:m 
 
w 
 
 \ . 
 
 Xll 
 
 IMTRODUCTION. 
 
 '^ 
 
 III 
 
 Tire point must be einplutsized a^ain tliat the Scrip- 
 tures are of supreme authority in faith, and that no 
 disparagement is oti'ered to this supremacy by the 
 following analysis. The object is not to string to- 
 getiier Scripture texts which can easily be had in 
 catechisms and compends, but to ascertain the atti- 
 tude of our human standards as to Christian doctrine. 
 The method pursued is to condense the teaching of 
 the Standards on each doctrinal point, to cite authori- 
 ties therefor, and add any historical and explanatory 
 matter that may be relevant. Some doctrinal issues 
 may be passed over in silence in this analysis. If so, 
 it is because they are left as open (juestions in our 
 Standards. (3ur object is not Jbo develop a system of 
 Dogmatics, but to aid in the study of these Standards, 
 confident that a revival of interest in them must be 
 beneficial to the Church, and must lead to the acknow- 
 ledgment of how comprehensive these Standards are 
 as a doctrinal system. 
 
DIGEST 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE METHODIST CHURCH, 
 
 ''The Doctrines of the Method- 
 ist Church are declared to be those 
 contained in the twenty-five Arti- 
 cles of Rehgion, and those taught 
 by the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., 
 in his Notes on the New Testa- 
 ment, and in the first fifty-two 
 Sermons of the first series of his 
 discourses, published during his 
 lifetime." 
 
 —Discipline of The Methodist Church, Par. r. 
 
 1 1 
 
' i 
 
 14 
 
 DIGEST OF THK DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 lliSTOliV OF MKTIIODIST 
 S'lWXDAKDS. 
 
 1 
 
 
 1.— THE ARTICLES OF RELKaoN. 
 
 'riu' close rolatioiis between tlie An<;liean Reforinei-.s 
 of t]i<' sixteenth century and the Calvinists of the 
 C/Ontinent are matters of historic certainty and 
 ^ratifyin^' familiarity. The names and works of 
 Petei- ^lartvr, Oehino, IJucer, Calvin and Bullinoer 
 were most ])otent in Kn<'land in favour of evanoelical 
 religion. Calvin's Institutes and Catechism were text- 
 books at Oxford and Cambridov. 1?, Eliz., C. XII., 
 
 C^ 7 1 
 
 provided foi- the appointment of Presbyterian minis- 
 ters to Anglican jtarishes without reordination, and 
 no calamity followed the many appointments made 
 under this statute. John Knox was a chaplain of 
 Edward VI., and was offered the bishopric of Roches- 
 ter, which, however, he declined. Bishop Jewel in 
 \')()2 wi'ote to Peter Martvr concerning the Thirty- 
 nine Articles, "We have pared everything to the very 
 4|uick, and <lo not ditt'ei- from you bv a nail's breadth." 
 This was in the final revision of the Articles, and just 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH, 
 
 15 
 
 before their ratification by Queen Elizabeth in 1563. 
 The chief elements in these Articles, as to the 
 Eucharist and Soteriology, are Calvinistic. At the 
 same time all traces of Latin theolo<^y were not elimi- 
 nated. The Articles were reallj'^ abridged from the 
 forty-two published in the reign of Edward VI., 1553, 
 " by royal authority." The Thirty-nine Articles have 
 deservedl}' connnanded the highest praise from Prot- 
 estant Christendom. But we do not hesitate to say 
 that the abridgement by John Wesley in 1784 to the 
 twenty-five Methodist Articles has greatly improved 
 them by eliminating both types of error — Calvinistic 
 Predestination and Antinomianism on the one hand, 
 and Sacramentarianism on the other — and has formu- 
 lated for Methodism a body of traditional dogma 
 which is most helpful to Christian faith. Fourteen 
 Anglican Articles are omitted, seven are modified, and 
 eighteen are adopted unchanged. 
 
 The occasion of preparing this symbol was as fol- 
 lows : Wesley, in 1784, anxious for the welfare of 
 the American Societies, ordained Coke as Superin- 
 tendent, and connnitted to him for the churches in 
 America the Anglican Liturgy revised and the twenty- 
 five Articles just mentioned. These were accepted by 
 the M. E. Church at its organization at the " Christ- 
 mas Conference," 1784. The use of the Liturgy was 
 very soon discontinued, being suspected to sa\our of 
 British Toryism, which was in the young republic 
 very odious. It is to be observed that this disuse 
 was effected without legislation. According to Stevens 
 
^1 
 
 IG 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDAltDS 
 
 M 
 
 ("Hiskny M. E. Clmrcli," Vol. II., p. 197), "This 
 organic provision has never been formally repealed," 
 that is, the provision of Articles and Liturgy. " Public 
 opinion alone has rendered the revised Liturgy obso- 
 lete in the United States." As to the Articles, they 
 hold their place in the Discipline of the M. E. Chin'cli 
 to this day, and from this source they have been 
 transferred to Canadian Methodism. 
 
 It is of importance to notice that in the Model Deed, 
 by which in Canada the tenure of Methodist Church 
 property is determined, no mention is made of the 
 Articles. This is to be accounted for, as we shall see, 
 by the fact that this Model ])eed is, in this particular, 
 drafted after the form of the British Wesleyan Model 
 Deed, which mentions only the Sermons and Notes, 
 and not the Articles. However, tlie Disciplines both 
 of the former W. M. and M. E. Churches in Canada 
 reipiired conformity to the Articles, as shown, first, 
 by the ordination vows ; and second, by a process 
 provided for dealing with ministers teaching doctrines 
 " contrary to the Articles." It is admitted that in tiie 
 former Methodist Church of Canada, change in doc- 
 trinal Standards was prohibited by a "restrictive 
 rule." However, since, as we have seen, the Articles 
 were practically an existing Standard, they were 
 admitted, by action of the General Confei-ence of 
 1878, to the formal recognition they now have. 
 Whether this action was constitutional or not is now 
 of little account, as the four contracting bodies, consti- 
 tuting in 1884 "The Methodist Charch," accepted the 
 
 '1 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 Mil 
 
OF THE MKTHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 17 
 
 principle of the tlii-oe Standarfls as they found it then 
 framed, although the Model Deed is still silent on this 
 .subject. The Model Deed does, however, re(|uire 
 trustees to withhold the use of church property from 
 any minister under suspension or expulsion, whether 
 for divergence from oui- doctrinal Standards or for 
 immorality ; that is, they are to admit to ou]- churches 
 only such ministers and preachers as are sent undei- 
 provision of Discipline, whose teachings must there- 
 fore be in harmony with the three Standards. This 
 matter is one of nmch practical coiisequence, as in one 
 instance in which a minister was charged with error 
 in Trinitarianism, he pleaded that Wesley's sermon 
 on the Trinity was not in the series specified in the 
 Model Deed, which contention Avas true : and further, 
 that the Articles from which he acknowledged he 
 had diverged were not Standards, not being men- 
 tioned in the Model Deed. This was before the action 
 of the General Conference in 1878. The latter part 
 of this plea was pronounced insufficient, for reasons 
 above stated, and he was convicted. The Articles, 
 more than the Notes and Sermons, bring Methodism 
 into harmony with catholic faith. 
 
 lii 
 
 2.— WESLEY'S NOTES ON THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 Owing to illness Wesley was compelled to spen«l 
 the first six months of 1754 (cet. 51) in retirement 
 and comparative silence. Like Luther in Wartburir 
 
 '.I 
 
: '! 
 
 18 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTUINAL STANDARDS 
 
 preparing the German Bible, Wesley, now in Bristol, 
 began his Notes on the Holy Scriptures. In ten 
 weeks, notwithstanding his disability, he had his 
 Notes on the Gospels ready for the printer. In 1755 
 the Notes on the New Testament wei'e published, and 
 in 1765 the Notes on the Old Testament. The former 
 is very largely, especially in the Apocalypse, a repro- 
 duction of Bengel's Gnomon. Wesley acknowledges 
 in his Preface this indebtedness, also his indebtedness 
 to Doddridge, Heylin and Guyse. 
 
 3. -THE FIFTY-TWO SERMONS. 
 
 These were published by Wesley in four volumes 
 in 1771, although many of them we're delivered in 
 the earliest years of his ministry, after his retiu'u 
 from America — one as early as 1788, and another 
 (XVII.) in 178'i, two years before starting for 
 America. The series was published first in 1740, 
 with forty-three .sermon.s. This was afterwards 
 enlarged to fifty-three. The fifty-third being the 
 funeral sermon for Whitefield, in 1770, is almost 
 entirely biographical, and is not included in the doc- 
 trinal series. A survey of their .subjects will indicate 
 their practical and experimental character. They 
 contain not a single di.scoui"se which is speculative or 
 simply dogmatic. About two-thirds of them are 
 spiritual and experimental, and the remainder ethical. 
 They are characteristic of the man and the work of 
 
!i» 
 
 ! n 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 19 
 
 God in which he was so signally honoured, the great 
 result of which was spiritual renovation producing 
 moral reformation. 
 
 In 1749, when most of these sermons were pub- 
 lished, the first Model Deed was drafted, and one of 
 its requirements was: "Provided always that the 
 said persons preach no other doctrine than is con- 
 tained in Mr. Wesley's Notes upon the New Testa- 
 ment and Four Volumes of Sermons." This law is 
 in force to this day in the British Wesleyan Church, 
 from which it has been transferred to Canadian 
 Methodism and perpetuated through the various 
 unions which have taken place. 
 
 An able argument has been conducted by the Rev. 
 Richard Green and others in England to prove that 
 only the first forty-three sermons are authorized as 
 Standards. In Canada this question is obviated by 
 the tei-ms of the first paragraph in the Discipline as 
 above quoted. 
 
 XoTE.— The edition of the Sermons prepared by the Rev. Chancellor 
 Burwash, S.T.l).. Toronto, containing convenient analyses and intro- 
 ductory matter to the several sermons, will be found of very great value 
 to the student. 
 
 THE FIFTY-TWO SERMONS. 
 
 DATES WHEN KNOWN, AND TOPICS. 
 
 I. "Salvation by Faith." Nature of Faith and of 
 Salvation. 1738. 
 
 11. "The Almost Christian." A Christian almost and 
 altogether. 1741. 
 
 m 
 
 ,-i.i 
 
 i..ufl 
 
 1^^ 
 
 1 ^a 
 
 I 'ii 
 
 
 1^ . 
 
 11' 
 
 m 
 
'Ml 
 
 20 
 
 DKJEST OF THK DOCTIUNAL STAN'PAHDS 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 V. 
 VI. 
 
 VII. 
 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 
 X. 
 
 XI. 
 
 XII. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 XIV. 
 XV. 
 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 
 XVIII. 
 XIX. 
 
 " Awiiku Thou tliHt Sluopust." Tliu sleep aiul the 
 (iwiikiny. 1742. 
 
 "Scriptmiil Cliristiaiiity." Pursttnal and expan- 
 .sivo. 1744. 
 
 "Ju.stiticatidn by Faith.'' Nature and condition. 
 
 "Tlio Rigliteousness of Faith." Legal righteous- 
 ness and rigliteousness by faith. 
 
 "The Way to the Kingdom." True religion and 
 the way thereto. 
 
 " First Fruits of the Spirit." Marks of a Christian. 
 
 "The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption." The 
 natural man, The man under law, and The 
 man under grace. 
 
 " The Witness of die Spirit." Nature of, and dis- 
 tinguished from presumption. 
 
 "The Witness of the Spirit." Importance of the 
 doctrine, and proof. 1767. 
 
 "The Witness of our own Spirit." A good con- 
 iscieuce. 
 
 "Sin in Believers." Regeneration does not imjily 
 freedom from all sin. 
 
 "Repentance of Believers." Reasons for. 1767. 
 
 "The Great Assize." The general judgment, with 
 preceding and succeeding circumstances. 1758. 
 
 "The Means of Grace." Defined and obligatory. 
 
 "The Circumcision of the Heart." State defined. 
 Holiness. How determined. 173.3. 
 
 " Marks of the New Birth." Faith, hope, love. 
 
 "Privilege of the Regenerate." Doth not commit 
 sin. 
 
OF TMK MKTHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 21 
 
 XX. "The Lord our Ui<,'liti!()iiHiifH.s." ChriHt's right- 
 e(>iisjiu8.s iiiipiitud to us. 17<)5. 
 
 XXI. "Sonnon on tlio Mount.' Ei;j;Iit nmrks of true 
 religion. 
 
 XXII. "Sermon on the Mount." Eiglit murks of true 
 religion. 
 
 XXIII. "Sermon on the Mount." Eight nmrks of true 
 
 religion. 
 
 XXIV. "Sermon on tiie Mount." Eight marks of true 
 
 religion. 
 
 XXV. "Sermon (m the Mount." Eight marks of true 
 religion. 
 
 XXVI. "Sermon on the Mount." Pure intentions in 
 almsgiving and prayer. 
 
 XXVII. "Sermon on the Mount." Fasting. 
 
 XXVIII. "Sermon on the Mount." Service in worldly 
 employment. 
 
 XXIX. " Sernum on the Mount." Worldliness and 
 anxiety. 
 
 XXX. "Sermon on the Mount." Hindrances to true 
 religion. 
 
 XXXI. "Sermon on the Mount." The Inoad and nar- 
 row ways. 
 
 XXXII. "Sermon on the Mount." False proi)het.s. 
 
 XXXIII. "Sermon on the Mount." The sand and the 
 
 rock. 
 
 XXXIV. "The Law." Original, nature, properties and use. 
 
 XXXV. "The Law established by Faith." How to make 
 void the law. 
 
 m 
 
 ' 111 
 
 
 f ,'.3 
 
r 'ii 
 
 22 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 !J 
 
 XXXVI. "Tho L»iw eHtiiltliNhcd by Faith." How tu cstiiJ)- 
 IihIi tho hiw. 
 
 XXXVII. "Tho Natmo of Enthusiasm." Various forms of 
 untliusiasm. 
 
 XXXVIII. "Caution against Bigotry." 
 
 XXXIX. "A Catholic Spirit." Described and guarded. 
 
 XL. "Christian Perfection." Negative and positive. 
 1741. 
 
 XLI. " Wandering Tlioughts." Explained. Which are 
 sinful stated. 
 
 XLII. " Satan's Devices. " Stated. How resisted. 
 
 XLIII. "Scripture Way of Salvation." Salvation de- 
 scribed, and faith and the method of salva- 
 tion by faith. 
 
 XLIV. "Original Sin." Historical evidence and the 
 remedy. 
 
 XLV. "The New Birth." Nature and necessity, and 
 relation to baptism. 
 
 XLVI. "The Wilderness State." Nature, causes and cure. 
 
 XLVII. " Heaviness through Manifold Temptations." Na- 
 ture, causes and objects. 
 
 XLVIII. "Self-denial." Nature and obligation. 
 
 XLIX. " The Cure of Evil Speaking. " Three methods. 
 
 L. "The Use of Money." Gain, save, and give all 
 you can. 
 
 LI. "The Good Steward." Stewardship, its tenure 
 and responsibility. 
 
 LII. "Reformation of Manners." Objects and method 
 of work. 1763. 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 23 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 SOUE(^ES OF RKLIG lOTs 
 IvjS^OW^LKlXiK. 
 
 l.—NATl^RE. 
 
 Natural religion includes all religious truth 
 which it is possible to apprehend without a 
 revelation. This includes a limited knowledge 
 of God and immortality and a system of future 
 rewards and punishments. It gives no know- 
 ledge of any method of deliverance from sin 
 and its penalty. In the exercise of reason in 
 natural religion, recognition must bo given to 
 the universal operation of God's unlimited 
 grace, without which in man's natural blind- 
 ness and corruption even the knowledge of 
 natural religion becomes impossible. 
 
 Notes.— Matt. xi. 27 : As to the revelation by Christ, "none 
 can know it by natural reason." John i. 9: Who ligliteth 
 «very man, " By what is vulgarly termed, natural C(mscience." 
 
 'I 
 
 M 
 
 t% 
 
^M 
 
 Ml 
 
 u 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 " This liiihf. If )nitii (lid not hhule.r, iroidd .shine more and more 
 to the. perfect ddij." Acts xvii. 24, Rom. i. 20, Rom. ii. 14, 15 : 
 " Thontjh this also, drietly apeidciHtj, is inj piereiitinfi (jrarey 
 Rom. iii. 0, 19. 
 
 Skr.moss.— I,, I., 1, X., I., 2, XXVII., II., 11, XLIII.. i., 2, 
 XLIV., II., 3 : Tliis paruj^raph statos the possibility of knowing 
 God from His works (Rom. i. 20), but as revealed ni Christ, 
 " We cannot know Him by any of our natural faculties." 
 
 NoTK.— Students reading this work should specially note, (1) the sub- 
 stance of the Digest under each head, and (2) the representative phra.scs 
 from the Standards given in italics; also, added historical and explana- 
 tory matter. 
 
 2.— REVELATION. 
 
 lievelation discloses the supernatural, par- 
 ticularly ill the special intervention of the 
 Trinity for human redemption. The term is 
 frequently applied to the entire Scriptures 
 which form the Word of God. This is given 
 to us by iiippired men, and constitutes an 
 infallible rule of faith and practice. It is 
 supreme and absolute in its authority. 
 
 Artk'LEs. — V. : The Holy Scriptures contain all things neces- 
 sary to salvation ; so tliat whatsoever is not read therein, nor may 
 be proved thereby, is not to be retjuired of any man that it 
 should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought i'e(juisite 
 or necessary to sjilvation. 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 25 
 
 Notes. — 1 Cor. vii. 25 : " Tlie Apostles wrote uuthing which 
 was not divinely insjiired ; but with this dift'erence — {sornvtlniet, 
 thvij hud a purtirnliir leci'lution and a special counuandnient ; 
 at other times they invte from the hiriiie li<jht nhirh iiliode irith 
 t/ie»i, the standing treasure of the Spirit of God." This note 
 seems to inij)ly, in the latter instau''?, *^he normal exercise of 
 judgment under Divine illumination. 1 Tliess. v. 21, 2 Tim. iii. 
 1(5, 2 Peter i. 20, 21. 
 
 SERMO^S. — XII., (). 
 
 3.— INSPIRATION. 
 
 Inspiration is the supernatural Divine in- 
 fluence controlling and directing the sacred 
 writers in the normal exercise of tlieir natural 
 powers to record, first, facts of history and of 
 common experience and moral principles as 
 ordinarily apprehended hy reason ; and second, 
 the contents of revelation which could he dis- 
 cerned only by special Divine illnniination. 
 
 Notes. — Acts xv. 7 : " How really soever the Apostles were 
 inspired, we need not suppose their inspiration was always so 
 inst<int<iiieo>(s find ej'prexx as to superaede kiiij dclilicrittlon hi their 
 aim miiidn or any eou.siilti(tion irith curli other.'' 1 Cor. vii. 25, 
 2 Tim. iii. 10, 2 Peter i. 21 : The sacred writers were "moved, 
 literally csarried. They were pinvly passive therein." This note 
 seems to favour the mechanical theory of inspiration, l)ut taken 
 in the light of other .statements, it cannot consistently l)e so 
 
 
 
26 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 interpreted. Notwithstanding the positi\'e character of the 
 latter sentence, may it not be simply an emphasizing of the 
 literal sense of the original, carried, (pFpouEvot alluding to the 
 marked, but not irresistible, energy of the spirit of inspiration. 
 
 4.— THE CANON. 
 
 The Canon or Kule of Holy Scripture is the 
 authorized list of documents regarded by the 
 Church, from satisfactory internal and ex- 
 ternal evidence, as constituting the Word of 
 God. It includes the commonly received 
 thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and 
 the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. 
 
 Articles. — V. : In the name of the Holy Scripture we do 
 understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testa- 
 ment of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church. 
 The names of tlie canonical books are : Genesis, Exodus, 
 Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The 
 First Book of Sanmel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First 
 Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of 
 Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, 
 The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, 
 The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastb.., or the Preacher, Can- 
 ticles, or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the greater. Twelve 
 Prophets the less. All the books of the New Testament, as 
 they are commonly received, we do receive and account canon- 
 ical. VI. : The Old Testament is not contrary to the New, for 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 H 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 1 
 't 
 
1 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 27 
 
 both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is ottered to 
 mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and 
 man. 
 
 It is to be observed that what entitles a sacred 
 book to a place in the Canon is not, according to 
 Protestant theology, any ecclesiastical action. The 
 Council of Carthage, 397, which determined the 
 Canon as it is now, had no more Divine authority 
 than the latest session of any Methodist Conference, 
 Anglican Synod or Pi-esbyterian Asseml)ly. The 
 authority was in the book before the Council of 
 Carthage. The recognition of this authority was 
 gradual. Article V. following the Anglican Article 
 VI., complacently speaks of canonical books as those 
 " of whose authority was never any doubt in the 
 Church." It is well known by every student of 
 history that not only befoi'e the Council of Carthage, 
 but even after and to our own day, there are several 
 books in the Bil)le to which canonicity has been denied. 
 The Methodist Church, however, formally accepts the 
 Catholic faith as to the extent of the Canon. 
 
 It is to be observed that the Old Testament Apoc- 
 rypha, consisting of a valuable collection of literature, 
 mostly historical, and written in Greek during three 
 centuries before Clirist, was declared canonical by the 
 Council of Carthage, and again by the Council of 
 Trent, 1545. All Protestnnt churches and tho Jews 
 deny their canonicity. 
 
 
 :m 
 
28 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 GO I). 
 
 1._[N1TV. 
 
 There is one God. 
 
 Articles.— I.: " Tlirrc is hut tmc llfimj awl true God.'' 
 Notes.— Mark xii. 2!); .John viii. 1(5; John x. 30. 
 
 From Hebrew i'aitli tliere is transmitted to the 
 Christinn dispensation the great truth which is in 
 conflict witli all Polytheism — God is one. It is a 
 Semitic peculiarity that Jew and Christian and 
 Mohanunedan alike on this subject clearly witness 
 for this truth. Monotheism is as much a characteristic 
 of Christian as it is of Hebrew faith. 
 
 2.— DIVINE ESSENCE. 
 
 The Divine Essence, while indefinable, 
 necessarily implies personality, intelligence, 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHl'RCH. 
 
 2n 
 
 TJi 
 
 moral qualities, will, self-existeiiee, and a 
 spiritual nature without body or parts. 
 
 Articlks. — T. : " There is hut oiiu living aiul true (!otl, ever- 
 lusting, witliuut body or [larts, of infinite power, wisdom and 
 goodness." 
 
 Notes. — John iv. 24: "Ood is a S])irit, not oidy remote 
 from hody and all tlie pro|)erties of it, but likewise full of all 
 spiritual ])erfeotions. " Rom. ix. 5: "(Jod is a self-existent, 
 independent Being, who was, is, and is to o;)me." 
 
 The Divine nature, lik(! liunian nature, i.s mys- 
 terious and incomprehensible, ^till, it has in modei-n 
 history been a prominent theme in controversy. The 
 personality of (Jod has been, in this century, the chief 
 point of attack by uidx-Iief. The opposino- forms of 
 error have been Pantheism, Materialism, Positivism 
 and Au-nosticism. Pantheisu) sublimates all matter 
 into what is called the Absolute, and declares that all 
 thinj^s constitute (Jod. Its modern development is 
 chiefly due to Spinoza, a Jew of Holland {oh. 1()77). 
 Materialism recognizes in the universe only matter 
 and force, and refuses to impiire as to the orio-in of 
 the one or source and guidance of the other. It has 
 received a ^reat impetus from the marvelhais de- 
 velopment of physical sciences and the widespread 
 tendency to underestimate what is not of mati-rial 
 utilit}'. Positivism recoj^nizes only phenomena, ami 
 utterly rejects causality as a myth. A(,niosticism is 
 indifferentism, and hauf^htily declares the impossi- 
 
 :,+■■ 
 
30 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 bility of any satisfactory knowledge of God. It has 
 been closely identified with atheistic Evolution. At 
 tlie same time some of its ablest representatives 
 have admitted the exi.stence of some unknown power 
 which works for righteousness. From these four 
 forms of error there is now a very marked reaction. 
 The3'^ are so utterly unsatisfactory to both our reason 
 and our spiritual nature, that thoughtful men are 
 reverently accepting the doctrine of Theism, even 
 though stumbling at the supernatural in Christianity, 
 forgetting that when you have uttered the word GoD 
 you have expressed the possibility of the supernatural, 
 as well as Divine personality and intelligence. 
 
 It is to be observed that the Standards are silent 
 on the nunc stuns arguw.enfum,, the speculative ques- 
 tion as to the mode of the Divine existence, whether 
 by duration, as with finite beings, or in " one eternal 
 now," except as this silence is affected by the note on 
 1 Peter i. 2, which denies that with God there is either 
 foreknowledge or after-knowledge, and 1 John i. 1, 
 where eternity is spoken of as " one continued, un- 
 successive <lay." 
 
 .S.— DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 
 
 Without adopting any of the many classifi- 
 cations made, the following may be accepted 
 as the Divine attributes or qualities distinct 
 
 AV'-'i 
 
m] 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 31 
 
 from essence by which God manifests him- 
 self: Spirituality, Infinity, Self-sufficiency, 
 Immutability, Perfection, Freedom, Omnipo- 
 tence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Eternity, 
 Holiness, Truth, Goodness, Wisdom, Eiglit- 
 eousness and Love. 
 
 Articles. — I.: "God is of infinite power, wisdom and good- 
 ness." 
 
 Notes. — John iv. 24 : "Power, wisdom, love and holiness." 
 John vi. 04: Here is declared the unlimited knowledge of Ood, 
 so that ''^ (iod (ttii's fiirisi'i- fiitiu'c conlliuicwirs." So, also, Acts 
 XV. 18. Rom. i. 24, and Rom. v. 9, attribute to fJod *" rindii tire 
 jn.stici:" Rom. iii. 2(J, Rom. viii. 28, 2 Peter iii. 8. The 
 Standards generally presume the existence of above-mentioned 
 attributes. 
 
 The Bible gives u.s no classiticatiou of the Divine 
 attribxitos. Indeed they are regarded by some as 
 mere anthropomorphic accommodation to oiir ignor- 
 ance of the mystery of God. It is better to regard 
 them as actually and eternally existent in (iod, and 
 to consider similar (jualities in us as but confirming 
 the view of man being created in God's imagt; and 
 likeness. Among Latitudinarians there is a sti'ong 
 tendency to exalt the Divine love at the expense of 
 Divine justice, accepting the view of the Valentinian 
 Gnostics that justice simply means honesty or recti- 
 tude, instead of, as well, what Wesley calls l)y the 
 3 
 
82 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 stron<^ term of vindictive justice, by which we under- 
 stand avenjfinjjf justice. 
 
 4.— THE TRINITY. 
 
 The doctrine of the Trinity implies the 
 unit}^ in essence and distinctness in person- 
 ahty of the three persons in the Godhead. 
 
 Akticles. — I.: '•/)( iiuitii of this Godhead their arc thne 
 perxoiis, of < Die siihstnnri\ poirer and eternitij, the Father, the Son, 
 and the Uolii Ghost." 
 
 Notes. — Mark xii. 20 : "The Lord, the God of aW men, is 
 one Gail, ensentiallij. thoiajh- three persitn/i." Luke iv. 18, Jolin 
 iii 12, .John x. :J0, 1 Cor. ii. 8, 1 John v. 8. Doubtless Wesley 
 would have admitted this last-named passage to be an interpo- 
 lation had lie possessed the critical ajiparatus of the Greek 
 Testament which has liappily come to us in the latter half of 
 this century. His comments, of course, must be accepted as 
 showing his faith in the doctrine of the Trinity. 
 
 Sermons. — XXVI., in., 7 : In this passage more is made 
 of the plural form, "Let us make man," tiian conservative 
 criticism now allows. 
 
 As to the doctrine of the Trinity, Methodism takes 
 its place side by sifle with Latin, Greek, Anj;lican, 
 Luth(U"an and Reformed communions. It, of course, 
 on the one hand rejects the gross error of Tritheism, 
 whicli has had no place in scientific theology, and on 
 

 OF THE METHODIST ( HUUCH. 
 
 33 
 
 the other it resists wlifit is more dangerous, the in- 
 sidious advance of the error of a Modalistic or Sabel- 
 lian view of the Trinity, wliich, while emphasizing 
 the unity of the Divine essence, it^nores the scriptural 
 teaching of distinctnt.-ss of personality, and regards 
 tile three persons as but tliree manifestations of the 
 one God. The practical tench'iicy of this ei-ror is to 
 iijuore the essential deitv of Christ, and make Him 
 one, not of three, but of many human media for the 
 Divine manifestation. It is to be borne in mind that 
 the trinity of the Godhead is not a special adaptation 
 of the Divine existence to tlio economy either of crea- 
 tion or of redemption. The principle being scriptural 
 represents God as He is eternally and universally. 
 
 6.— THE FATHER. 
 
 God the Father, the first person of the 
 adorable Trinity, is so designated, not only as 
 the Father of the human race and of all other 
 finite intelligences, but especially and eter- 
 nally as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 With this agree Article 1. and Notes on Matt. vi. 9 and Eph. 
 i. 3. In the latter case the comment is : " He is tlie (Jod of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ as man and mediator : Hi- is His Father 
 primarily, with respect to His Diriup tidtitre, ((s His (Ddij Ijeijotteii 
 Sun; and secnnditriiii, icith respect to His hxnuiii nature, as that 
 is personalhj united to the Divine." 
 
34 
 
 DICiEST OF THE DOCTKINAL STANDARDS 
 
 «;.— THE SON. 
 
 The Sou of God, tlie second person of the 
 adorahle Trinity, is such hy eternal f,'enera- 
 tion, having this filial relation to the F'ather 
 from all eternity, and at the same tune He is 
 one with the Father in essence. In His incar- 
 nation He is known as the Messiah, or the 
 Christ, and by the human name of Jesus. As 
 such He combines in one person two perfect 
 natures, the Divine and the human. 
 
 Articles.- -II. : The Son, who is the Word of the Father, 
 the very and eternal God, of oiw Hubstinicc with tlic Futlin; took 
 man's nature in the womb of the ))lessed Virgin ; so that twn 
 whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the GoiUiead <ind inua- 
 hood, irere joined together in one person, never to Ite divided, 
 whereof is one Christ, verij (rod cthil very man. 
 
 Notes. — Luke x. 22, John i. 1 : " Unitij of issenee." John 
 i. 18, John iii. 12 : "The eternity of the Son, and the unity of 
 the Father, Son and Spirit." John iii. 13, John v. 18, 19, 23, 
 26 : " He hath given life to the Son by etermd yeneration." John 
 vii. 25) : " ' I am from Him ' by eternal ye)ierati(>n. His mission 
 follows frf)m His generation." John viii. 16, 24, 28, 58, John 
 X. 30 : " 'I and the Father are one,' not by consent of will only, 
 but by unity of poire r and conseipiently of \u(ture. 'Are.' Tliis 
 word confutes Sabellius, proving the plurality of persons. 
 *One.' This word refutes Arius, proving the unity of nature 
 in God." .John xiv. 28, John xvii. 6, 1 Cor. ii. 8, 1 Cor. xi. 3, 
 1 Cor. XV. 28, Eph. i. 3, Eph. iv. 9, Phil. ii. 6, 10, Col. i. 15, 17» 
 
^Pl 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 m 
 
 <J()l. ii. '.(, ("ol. iii. 1(», Hoi), i. .'5, 5: I Imvo l)ug<)ttL'ii Thee from 
 etornity, wliich l)y its uiuiltuiiiblu punimnence of (liiratioii is oiu' 
 coutinuo 1 uuHiiocL'Hsivu iljiy. Hob. i. H, Hoi), v. "»: " His ijiniia- 
 tlon irosfnuii vtirnitij." 1 John i. 1. 
 
 Skkmo.ns. — XXI.: Intro. 2,!). 
 
 Ah to the Divine nattire of Christ, the only cU'iacnt 
 of tmditioiiiil theolo^^y lackinjf from the ahove state- 
 ment is that of suhoi'dination. This is an element 
 which has oeeasionecl no little op[)osition. Developed 
 first by Origen, of Alexandria, in the third century, it 
 was thoii<^ht to be largely responsible for the subse- 
 (pient appearance of Arianism. By very many it is 
 opposed as imjH'rillin.; the doctrine of tlic^ eipiality of 
 the Son with the Fatlu'r. This, howevei-, is met by 
 recognizing the e(piality, or rather the unity, of 
 essence, while showino- that Sonship neces.sai'ilv im- 
 plies subordination: in othei- woi'ds, that the subordi- 
 nation is one of hypostasis and not of substance. 
 Wesley, on John xiv. 28, says : As to His Divine nature, 
 God the Father is " neither greater nor less than the 
 Son." This is the only reference he makes to the 
 question, and this niay po.ssibly be explained as refer- 
 ring only to the Divine substance. 
 
 The principal errors in Christology are as follows: 
 Docetism, denying Christ's humanity, and considering 
 His bodily appearance as an illusion. Monophj'.sitism, 
 denying His dual nature. Nestorianism, denying the 
 unity of His person. Arianism, denying His consub- 
 stantiality with the Father, and representing Him as 
 
30 
 
 DKJEST OF THE DOrTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 a unit|U(f creuturc, hy wlioiii the rest of o'catioii 
 was iiiadc!. Seini-Arianisni, considcviiij^ that in 
 esHoncc He was like tlu' Father, n/io/oi'aio?, of slinihir 
 .substance, but o)>j)()sin<j,- the Nieene view that He was 
 consnbstantial, of i<l(Mitieal essence, with the Father, 
 o/.o>ov(fio;. Ajtollinarianisni, •lenyini'' the eonipU-te 
 hninanitv of Christ, recooiii/iiH' Him as Inuiian in 
 (Td^fta and i/'i\xtf, but considei-in*; that the Divine 
 Loj^os took th(! })hice of the human nvfiViAc/. Mono- 
 thelitism, maintaining^ that Christ had a complete 
 human nature except will. Foi' this error Pope 
 Honorius and others were anathematized by the sixtli 
 Ecumenical Council. Socinianism, maintaining.^ that 
 Christ was no more than a man. By the more evan- 
 gelical win<4' of Unitarianism, represented, foi- example, 
 by Channinjjj, His miracles and supernatural en<low- 
 ments are recogni/icd. 
 
 7.— THE HOLY GHOST. 
 
 The Holy Cbost, the third person in the 
 blessed Trinity, lias a distinct personahty, i3 
 consnbstantial vvith the Father, and proceeds 
 from the Father and the Son. 
 
 ARTieLE.s.^IV. : "The HolyGhost, proceed inii from the Father 
 and the Son, is of one unhdnnce, majesty and glory with the 
 Father and the Son, very and eternal God." 
 
r 
 
 OF THK METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 37 
 
 NoTKs.— Acts V. 4 : " III It,; till (IikIIku'I ,>/ flu Uuhj (Ihod 
 t'vklciitlii <if>iii<ii:s.'' 
 
 A.s soon as by the Council ot* Nice, •i'2-), the con- 
 Hul)stjiMtiulity oF the Son with the KatlitT was (U'tcr- 
 niiui'd, the necessity of t'ornuihitin^- the docti'int! of 
 tile Holy (Ihost appeaiTMl. ThereU[)on an hei'etical 
 party, the Macetlonians (followers of Macedonns), de- 
 nied the divinity of the Holy (Jhost. The Nicene 
 Creed, which simply declared, as <lid afterwards the 
 so-called Ajwstles' Creed. "I helieve in the Holy 
 ({host." was enlar<^e<l at the secoml Ecumenical Coun- 
 cil, 881, at Constantinople, to declare, "I believe in 
 the Holy Chost, the Lord and (Jivei- of life, who pro- 
 ceedeth from the Father (£« rnv Tratfjo^; in Latin, ex 
 P(itre), who with the Father and Son together is wor- 
 shi])ped and <ifloritied, who spake by the prophets." This 
 creed, thouo-h ecvunenical, was chang-ed by the Synod 
 of Toledo, 589, in Spain, in adding to the phrase ex 
 Patre, Fiiwque, so declaring the ecjual procession of 
 the Holy Spirit from the Fatlier and the Son. This 
 view has been perpetuated in all branches of Western 
 Chi'isteiHlom — Latin, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed 
 and Methodist. Though the point may .seem abstract 
 and not of practical conse([uence, it is one on which 
 the Greek Church feels most acutely to thi.s day, in 
 its estrangement from the Western churches. 
 
 ii.'il 
 
38 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 lli!^ 
 
 LIST OF HERESIES. 
 
 The following tabular view of leading heresies in 
 Trinitarianisni and Christology may be of service : 
 
 1st Century — Uocetit;. Denied reality of Christ'.s human nuture. 
 2nd " — Ebionitea. Held Humanitarian view of Christ. 
 
 256 — Sabellians. Denied personal distinctions in the Trinity. 
 
 318 — Arians. Regarded Christ as a uni((ue creation. 
 
 358 — Semi-Arians. Regarded Christ as in substance similar to 
 tlie Father. 
 
 3(50 — Macedonians. Denied the Divine personality of the 
 Holy Ghost. 
 
 370 — Apollinarians. Denied human rational powers in Christ. 
 
 429— Nestorians. Denied the oneness of Christ's personality. 
 
 444 — Monophysites or Eutychians. Denied Christ's twofold 
 nature. 
 
 638 — Monothelites. Denied human will in Christ. 
 
 792 — Adoptionists. Regarded Christ as God's Son by adoption. 
 1565 — Socinians. Held Humanitarian view of Christ. 
 
 8. —CREATION. 
 
 The universe, that is, all that is objective to 
 God, was created by the sovereign exercise of 
 His will. 
 
 Article I. and many brief references in the other Standards 
 clearly recognize God, as the tirst Article says, as "the maker 
 and preserver of all things visible and invisible." 
 
 The attributing of creation by Scripture respec- 
 tively to the Fath(»r, tlie Son and the Holy Ghost can 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 39 
 
 only be explained by the unity, the identity of sub- 
 • stance, of the three persons in the blessed Trinity, 
 and is itself le^-itiniately used as an arf^unient for the 
 Deity of eaeli. 
 
 The method of creation or formation of tin; uni- 
 verse has received in the last twenty-five years nmch 
 attention, first through a form of Atheistic Evolution, 
 and more i-ecently and to a wider extent through 
 Theistic Evolution, which recoi>nizes God as initiating 
 each order of existence, inorganic, oi-ganic, intelligent 
 and moral. The Mosaic narrative of creation is now 
 almost univei-sally regarded as figurative in its refer- 
 ence to the six davs of the work of creation. 
 
 0.— SPIRITS. 
 
 There exist in the universe intelligences 
 not Divine or human, of superior endowments. 
 Some of them are of high moral excellence, 
 and others of deep depravity ; tlie former 
 active as angels of goodiu^ss, the latter as 
 t'.ngels of evil. 
 
 NoT.;s. — M;itt. x. 8 : Recognition of powor of evil spirits for 
 the injmy of Miu ))o(ly. Mat . xii. "22 : Demon i.icfil pos-iession. 
 " iloir nininj dit^onln's scoiilinihi natund niai/ rri'ii nmr he ()H'in(i 
 to the Hiimc rdUKc!" Mutt, xviii. 10 : Aogels having charge over 
 the little ones. Matt. xxii. oO, Acts xix. 12, Col. i. IT) : Anjiels 
 not to he worshipi)ed. Col. ii. IS. 
 
 j.f.. 
 
 m 
 
40 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 10.- LAW. 
 
 The Divine existence implies government 
 and Iciw, which law may be variable and tem- 
 porary, as in the case of ceremonial require- 
 ments, or permanently based upon obligations 
 which are universal. The Moral Law con 
 tinues operative independently of any Di^ iue 
 plan mercifully devised for the expiation of 
 guilt. 
 
 NoTEH. — Matt. V. 17, Rom. vii. 12. 
 
 Sekmons. — XXV., I., 2 : " The Moral Lain contauicd in the 
 Tell ('ominaialhients and enforced bij the prophets, He a' not 
 t((ke airaii. It iras not the design of His cominy t> revoke any 
 part of this. This is ii law which stands fast as the faithful wit- 
 ness in heaven." XXXIY., i., 1 : " We may trace the oriijinal 
 of the Mond Lair higher still (than Enoch, Noah or Moses), 
 eren beyond the foundation of the n-orld." XXXIV., i., 2 : "To 
 employ all the faculties which He had given them (the angels), 
 particularly their understanding and liberty, He (jare them a 
 lair, a eonqilete model of all truth, so far as intelligible to a finite 
 being." XXXIV., i., 3 : He gave to this free intelligent crea- 
 ture (man) the same law as to His firstborn chil Iren. XXXV., 
 II., 6 : Univei'sality and excellence if this Moral Law. XXXV., 
 in., 0, 7 : These j)aragraj)hs show, as to the basis of Moral Law, 
 viz., the eternal fitness of moral priiicii)les or the Divine will, 
 that these considerations cannot be logically separated. What 
 makes right eternal is the Divine nature, and that the Divine 
 nature should be divergent from righteousness is inconceivable. 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 41 
 
 One of the great doctrinal benefits of the Wesleyan 
 revival was to resist the advance of Antinoniianisni, 
 and to rescue the Moral Law from being ignored and 
 treated Avith contempt even in evangelical circles. 
 Tliis will appear further from the study of Works 
 and their relation to the Christian life. In the mean- 
 time, the truth is noted here that the Moral Law, the 
 Decalogue, is operative now, has always been opera- 
 tive, and ever will be throughout the universe, so far 
 as varying circumstances make it applicable. It is in 
 force in heaven just as well as on earth. The law 
 against murder holds good among villains, among 
 reclaimed criminals, as well as among the purest and 
 most amiable family circles in the community who 
 are morally certain never to commit murder. That 
 Christians should ignore their obligations to observe 
 the Moral Law, simply because of Christ's merit, would 
 be incredible were it not a matter of authentic his- 
 tory. At the present day Plymouthism is chiefly 
 iciponsible for this destructive delusion. 
 
 -fi '.: 
 
 K\ 
 
 11.- PROVIDENCE. 
 
 Providence is the direct intervention of 
 God in the guidance of natural events for the 
 furtherance of the ends of His government, 
 beneficent and restrictive. It mercifully 
 takes cognizance of the minutest wants of 
 
 i,r,i-(l 
 
 i; 
 
42 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 God's creatures. At the same time it may 
 bring to pass the methods and instruments of 
 retribution. It is general or special, accord- 
 ing as it is universal or personal. Faith in 
 Providence does not preclude our obligation 
 A all possible means for our protection 
 ana He furtherance of our interests. 
 
 Providential intervention is not necessarily 
 miraculous. The Maker of the mechanism of 
 the universe can direct its movements with- 
 out varying its laws ; while for special pur- 
 poses of authenticating revelation He has at 
 times departed from the normal operations 
 of Nature. 
 
 Notes. — Matt. x. 29 : " The particular proridour of God 
 e.rtondu to thv rrrii smallest things. If He lias such care over the 
 most inconsiderable creatures (the sparrows), how much more 
 will He take care of you." Matt. xvii. 27, Acts xxvii. 24, Acts 
 xvii. 28, Ac's xxvii. 31: "We may hence learn to use the 
 most proper means for security and success even while we 
 de{)end on Divine ])rovidence and wait for the accomplishment 
 of (Jod's own purpose. He never desicpied any promise slandd 
 enciiuraije ratioiud, creatnres to art In an irrational manner, or to 
 remain Inactire vhen He has giren them natural eapacities of 
 doing something at least for their on-n benefit." Acts xxviii. 4, 
 Rom. viii. 28. 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 43 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 M A ]sr 
 
 1. -PRIMAL STATE. 
 
 Man in bis primal state was pure and per- 
 fectly free. He was possessed of such mental 
 and moral powers unimpaired by sin as are 
 represented by the phrase, God's likeness and 
 image. According to Wesley the constituent 
 parts of man are body and soul, the spiritual 
 nature being superadded as the gift of God. 
 
 W 
 
 Notes. — Mutt. xiii. 28: " (t(k? made m'li as Hi d!il rnif/c/.s, 
 intell'un'nt creatures, ami ennseiiuentUi free eitlier to ctioose (jootl or 
 evil; but He implanted no evil in the human .soul." i The.ss. 
 V. 23: "'Your spirit and soul and body.' He denominates 
 them fi'om their spiritual state. The spirit, that it may be 
 preserved whole and entire ; then from their natural state, the 
 soul and the body {fur these tiro mahe tip the irhale nature of 
 man)" [for which he cites Matt. x. 28]. "To explain this a 
 little further : of the three here mentioned onlif the tiro last are 
 the natural constituent parts of ntau. The Jirst is ad rent it ions 
 and the siipernatvral ijift of God, to lie found in Christians only. 
 That man cannot possihlii consist of three parts appears, hence 
 the soul is either matter or not matter ; there is no medium. 
 
 MM 
 
44 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 But if it is uuitter, it is pait of the body ; if not matter, it 
 coincides with the spirit." 
 
 Sekmons. — v., I., 1 : "In the ituage of God was man made, 
 holy as He tliat created him is holy ; merciful as the Author of 
 all is merciful ; perfect as his Father in heaven is perfect, (iod 
 made him to be an image of His own eternity, an incorrujjtible 
 picture of the God of glory." XLV., i., 1 : "God created man 
 in His own image, not barely in Hi.i natural imitiji', o pktnrc of 
 His airn immortulit]!, a npirUxdl hvimj endued with understand- 
 ing, freedom of will, and various affections, but chiefly in His 
 moral imtujc, which, according to the apo.stle, is righteousness 
 and true holiness." LI., I., 2 : "(Jod has entru.sted us with 
 ,'iiir S'lil, an immortal spirit, made in the imaije of God, together 
 with all the faculties and powers thereof." 
 
 There are many who will dis.sent from Wesley's 
 very strong statement of the principle of Dichotomy. 
 In this position he is supported -by Tertiillian and 
 Augustine, the latter of whom, in his commentary on 
 the Psalms (Psa. xxxviii. 10: "For my soul is filled 
 with illusions, and there is no soundness in my flesh "), 
 says, " Whei'e there is the whole man there we have 
 soul and flesh; and with both of these distressed, 
 what does there remain that can give joy V Wesley, 
 on 1 Thess. v. 28, is somewhat aided by the original : 
 "May your whole oAoHh/poy, spirit (acquired by 
 grace), be preserve'!, and your soul and body. It 
 must be recognized that oAoHAt/pov is neuter, and 
 seems to modify nvivixa only. However, the view 
 of Trichotomy, which is Platonic in its origin, is now 
 almost universally received. It is patent that the 
 statement of Wesley on 1 Thess. v. 23 does not fully 
 
'TFTTl'' 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 45 
 
 harmonize with the (juotations fijiven above from his 
 Sermons. The possession by man (jf body and soul 
 i'h'X'f) ori^y i"e<hices him to a level with tht; brute far 
 removed from the Divine image. See J])elitzsch on 
 Biblical Psychology. 
 
 The natural immortality of man is very clearly 
 stated in the Standards in opposition to the orroi- of 
 Conditional Innnortality. 
 
 2.— SIN. 
 
 Sin is a wilful transgression of the law of 
 God. 
 
 In the use of the word " sin " nuich confusion arises 
 from its double sense. First, it implies an evil voli- 
 tion. Secondly, it is iised to express an evil state, 
 even though this state be perfectly passive. With the 
 primary meaning above agrees Wesley's statement, 
 Sermon XXXIX., i., 5 : "all guilt mud suppose some 
 concurrence of the ivill." So Sermon VIII., ir., 11. 
 This suggests again a double sense of the word 
 "guilt," which means either personal culpability, as 
 in the case of Adam, or amenability to penalty, as in 
 the case of an infant, which, like the child of a traitor, 
 comes into the world with name dishonoured and 
 estate forfeited. The confusion arising from the dual 
 sense of each of these terms, sin and guilt, has aided 
 the erroneous doctrine of inherited guilt in the sense 
 of inherited culpability. It is true that all the world 
 
40 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTIUNAL STANDARDS 
 
 is <;'iiilty before God in the sense of liability to penalty 
 in the form of depraved nature and mortality, but not 
 as implying personal culpability or j^uilt on the part 
 of the infant. Let not the cavilling- objector contenni 
 the moral law that " the ini(}uities of the fathers are 
 visited upon the children. ' The atheist must recog- 
 nize in nature the very .same principle. Penalty may 
 be hereditary, but not blameworthiness; and sin in 
 its primary sense implies the culpability of an evil 
 volition. It is wrongly claimed by Ho Ige that such 
 a view of sin is Pelagian, and that an evil volition 
 necessarily proceeds from a corrupted nature. To 
 this we answer, first, it is not clear how Adam's first 
 sin proceeded from a corrupted nature, for his first 
 sin was not the taking of the forbidden fruit, but 
 the consent of his will to the seductive influences of 
 evil : in other words, to the corrupting of his nature. 
 Secondly, we disavow all sympathy with Pelagianism 
 and agree most fulh^ with Hodge in recognizing, as 
 against the Pelagians, the complete perversion of 
 man's s[)iritual and moral nature. At the same 
 time, while we join in the custom of predicating sin 
 of a state, it rs primarily and more correctly predi- 
 cable only of an evil volition. It is significant tiiat 
 Wesley, in revising Anglican Article IX. (Article All. 
 above), omits the word " fault," as associated with 
 original sin or the depraved condition in which we 
 are born. It is certainly no " fault " of the infant 
 that he is born with his moral nature perverted ; that 
 is, in the sense of personal demerit. 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHUllfH. 
 
 47 
 
 ;).— EFFECTS OF THE FALL. 
 
 The effects of the sin of our first parents 
 are : 
 
 First, — By the incurring of guilt the for- 
 feiture of the Divine favour and all which that 
 implies of peace and happiness. 
 
 Second, — The complete perversion and cor- 
 ruption of man's nature, so that the will has 
 become perfectly impotent towards goodness, 
 the affections are diverted from God to sin, 
 and the intellect is so impaired that it is 
 biased by unbelief, and so darkened as to be 
 incapable of apprehending aright spiritual 
 and moral truth. This condition is some- 
 times called original sin. 
 
 Third, — The death of the body as a uni- 
 versal penalty upon the human race. 
 
 Articles. — VII. : " Original sin stiindeth not in the follow- 
 ing of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the co/- 
 ruptioti of the nature of everj' man, that naturally is engendered 
 of the offspring of Adam, wliereby man is very far gone from 
 original righteousness, and of his own nature indincd to evil, 
 and tlud vontinHulbj." VIII.: "The condition of man after 
 the fall of Adam is such that lie (■(uiiiot tnr)i end prepnir himself, 
 
48 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTUIXAL STANDARDS 
 
 by his own natural strength and works, tn faitli, and calling 
 upon (Jdd ; wherofore wo have //<< /xnrfr ta dn ijitntl irnrh.s, 
 jiloasant and accu[)tal)lo to (iod, without the grace of (Jod by 
 Christ preventing us, tlmt iir in<iii hnvv a ijood u-ill, and working 
 with us, when we have that good will. 
 
 Notes. — John i. 14 : " Wi- mr nil Inj milnrc liars mid rhil- 
 ilri'ii of iiu'dth, to irliinii lioth (jrnrc totd hutli arc nnkiioii-n." .John 
 iii. [{, Rom. i. 18 : " TIk' hnr rondi'inns <d.l mcti ns Iwimj uiidi'r 
 ain." Rom. iii. 10, Rom. iii. 12: "They are beccmie unprofit- 
 able," " HelidesH, ini/iofnit." Rom. iii. 2.'i : ".1// hnri' slniK'd 
 in Aditm, mid in flicir oim persons In/ sinful nofinr, sinful hin- 
 pers <t)id sinful ncfions." The last point Wesley would not 
 predicate of irresponsible jjcrsons. Rom. v. 12 : "Sin entered 
 into the world, nrfinil sin, mid its consvifiienrr, <i sinful natnir." 
 Rum. V. 13, 14, 19. Rom. vi. 0: "Our old man, a strong and 
 beautiful expression for that mtiir dcprnrity mid corruption 
 U'liirh hij niitiiir spri'itds itsrlf orer the irlmlc nimi, U'lirinij no juirt 
 nninfrrted." R(mi. vi. 23 : "The wages of sin is death — tem- 
 poral, sj)iritnal and eternal." Rom. vii. 23, 25, 2 Cor. v. 14, 
 Cial. iii. 22, Eph. ii. 1 : "Dead, al)solutely void of all spiritual 
 life, and as incap<dih' of qtiirkeninij iioiirsdres as persons litendbj 
 dead.'' 
 
 Sermons. — III., i., 1, 8, V., i., 6 : "All are dead ; dead to 
 God, dead in sin, dwelling in a corruptible mortal body, shortly 
 to be dissolved, and under the sentence of death eternal.'' IX., 
 II., 7 : " (Shc/i is the freedom of mmi's irill, free onlij to evil, free 
 to drink in ini(£uity like water, tt) wander farther and farther 
 frtmi the living God, and do more despite to the Spirit of grace." 
 XVII., I. , 3 : ^^ It is as impossible for us to think n (jood thonyht 
 niithont the supernatural assistance of God's Spirit as to create 
 ourselves, or to renew our whole souls in righteousness and true 
 holiness." XLIV., <m Original Sin, i. , 3, 4, 6, ii., 5, iii., 1, 2, 
 XLV., I., 4. 
 
OF THK METHODIST CHUUCH. 
 
 49 
 
 From the fon^^oinn- citation.s it will a[)pt'ar tluit 
 
 First, — The coinph'te moral iiii]K)teiioy of man is as 
 much a j)art of Wcsleyari Arminianism as it is of 
 Calvinism. We say oF Wadeyan Ai-minianisn), for 
 there has hcen a type of Ai-miniaiiistii in Holland 
 and in Scotland which is confessedly Pelagian : but 
 Wesley, with the conservative care by which he was 
 characterized, i-epudiated all connection with Pela- 
 jrianism, For example, i)i Article VTI., above cited. 
 It has been concisely said that as to our moral nature 
 Calvinism teaches that man is dead, Pelagianism that 
 there is nothing the matter with liim, and Semi- 
 Pelagianism that he is sick l)ut not utterly disable(|. 
 Methodism accepts the first alternative, but proclaims 
 a universal life-giving power which stirs the con- 
 science to life, and which if not resisted will revive 
 and restore our wliole spiritual nature. 
 
 Second, — The doctrine of entire depravity does not 
 mean that every child of Adam is as bad as lie can 
 be, but, in harmony with universal experience and 
 history, that in every man, with the bright exception 
 of the Nazarene, there are tendencies which, if not 
 neutralized by grace, operate to his complete spiritual 
 ruin. 
 
 Third, — The physical death of man is clearly repre- 
 sented by Scripture as a part of the penahy -^f Adam's 
 sin. This may seem opposed, first, to tl^ f.ict of the 
 physical death of lower forms of animal life for ages 
 antex'ior to Adam's sin : and second, to the inevitable 
 tendency of all organic matter to dissolution and 
 
)0 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTUIN'AL STANDARDS 
 
 V 
 
 death iiuU'ix'ndcntly of iiioral conditiiais. It eun 
 be conjt'ctiircMl that ha<l our first parents rem i 
 
 obedient, some otlier mode of transition I'rom this 
 state of being could have been appcjinted if such were 
 necessary, some mode very difierent from th(^ horrors 
 and vileness of death, which instinctively all men in 
 some way associate with moral irregularity. 
 
 4.— ORIGIN OF THE SOUL. 
 
 The standards are not positive on this ' h- 
 ject. The only reference to it is in the N 
 Heb. xii. 9. It is as follows : " Perhaps these 
 expressions, 'fathers of our flesh' and 'Father 
 of spirits,' intimate that our earthly fathers 
 are only the parents of our bodies, our souls 
 not being originally derived from them, hut 
 created by the innnediate power of God ; per- 
 haps at the beginning of the world." 
 
 The three theories on this subject are : 
 First, — Pre-existence, a short-lived theory which 
 was advocated by Origen, of Alexandria, in the 
 third century. Wesley seems to favour the theory, 
 though not positively. 
 
OF THE METHODIST <'HURC1I. 
 
 61 
 
 Second, — Tra lucifuiisin, dt'VflojJiMl hy 'I'ci'tulliau 
 in tlif tliii'd century, which taueht tiie ))r()i)a<j^ati(m 
 by |)aronts of tlieir cliildren in all their powers, 
 physical uieutal and moral. Thi.s theory, thonnfh 
 suspected of Materialism, accounts for all the phe- 
 nomena of hereditv, including the facts of moral 
 depravity and death, and has been made to do service 
 for the erroneous conception of hereditary <,niilt. 
 
 Third, — Creationism, which, althou((h we ai'e told 
 that God rested from all His works, teaches that 
 creation is in progress, and at the birth of every child 
 a new spirit is called into being. Calvin among the 
 Reformers, and Bellarmine, one of the greatest of 
 Roman Catholic theologians, defended this view. The 
 former, though believing in imputed guilt, cotisidenMl 
 that by the sovereign jirerogative of (»od the guilt of 
 Adam could be Justly imputed even to a new-made 
 spirit. The Traducian theory is now most wiilely 
 accepted, especially as co-ordinating with the results 
 of the scientific study of heredity. 
 
 5.— MARRIAGE. 
 
 Marriage is a Divine institution as well as a 
 civil contract. It is opposed to polygamy, 
 and constitutes the only proper basis of the 
 family. Celibacy may be observed, but only 
 
lii 
 
 52 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 for very special reasons, and is not incumbent 
 on the Christian ministrv. Christians should 
 inarry Christians. The wife shciild submit 
 to the authority of the husband " unless where 
 God forbids." Adultery is the only scriptural 
 ground of divorce. 
 
 Articles. — XXL: "The ministers ni Christ are not com- 
 manded by God's law either to vow the estate of single life, or 
 to iibstain from maxTiage : therefore it is lawful for them, as for 
 all other Christians, to marry at their own discretitm, as they 
 shall judge the same to serve best to godliness." 
 
 Notes. — Matt. v. 32 : Marriage succeeding divorce obtained 
 for insutticient cause is adultery. Matt. xix. 11, 12: Occasions 
 for celibacy. Mark x. 11 : ^' All poliiijm'ny is here totaUy con- 
 demned." 1 Cor. vii. 2: '■^ C}irixti<(nitii ulloirs no pvli/ijamij." 
 1 Cor. vii. 11 : " Let not the husband put away his wife v.vce2)t 
 for the cause of adulter]/." 2 Cor. vi. 14: Christians should nut 
 viarry Jens or heathens. Eph. v. 22: "■ llie Jni.-iband luts 
 uuthorifii ocer the irife." 
 
 Sermons. — XXIIL, i., 5: "I/i that ouhj cuse (adultery) 
 there is no Scripture which forbids to marry ayain." 
 
 The principle that adultery ahjiie justifie.s divorce is 
 one tliat is regarded hy some as oppressive, in view of 
 the manifold forms of evil treatment and wicked con- 
 duct disoracing conjugal life. On^the other hand, the 
 flimsy pretexts upon which in some countries divorce 
 is sought and easily ol)tained cause the greatest 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 53 
 
 anxiety to all true friends of humanity. The plan is 
 to be commended of a suitable court making proper 
 investigation, and in case of cruelty, for exauiple^ 
 allowing, not divorce, but Neparation de corps et de 
 liens. In Canadian practice divorce is obtained only 
 by an Act of Parliament. 
 
 6.-S0C1ETY. 
 
 Social obligations imply coiiuiiunity of in- 
 terest and sympathy ; not comnnuiity of goods, 
 but continuance of the spirit of love that in 
 the early Church occasioned community of 
 goods. They also imply the proper use of 
 money, and its accumulation, not for luxury, 
 nor for miserly hoarding, but for the common 
 good of society. Our giving is to be deter- 
 mined in the spirit of charity, according to 
 our ability, and must not be limited by the 
 Jewish principle of tithing. 
 
 Akticles. — XXIV. : " The jvV/m'.s' and (jdods of Christ inns are 
 not couinion, as touching tho right, title and i)t)S8es.si(>n of the 
 same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, en-rij vi«n 
 oiiijht, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to ijin: alms to 
 the poor, ittrordimi to his aliility. 
 
 .■",4)1 
 

 m^^r 
 
 54 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 NoTEH. — Luke xii. .'5.3: Sell what ye have. "This ia a 
 direction not given to all the multitude, much less is it a stand - 
 inij mil' for all Christians." Acts ii. 45: "Not that tia'tr loas 
 anij positive comnKtnd for so doin<j (distribution of goods) ; it 
 needed not, for love constrained them. If the whole Christian 
 Church had continued in this spirit, this u.s.u- ist have con- 
 tinued through all ages. To athrm, therefore, liat Christ did 
 not design it should continue is neither more nor less than to 
 attirm that Christ did not design this measure of love should 
 continue. I see no proof of this." 
 
 Sekmons. — XXIV., I., 1 : " Christianity is I'ssentialUj a sovial 
 religion." XXVIII., 12: "Whosoever, being already in these 
 circumstances (of competency), seeks a still larger portion on 
 earth, he lives in an open, habitual denial of the Lord that 
 bought him." XXVIII. 17: Sell all that thou hast. ''He 
 never hud this doioi as a general rule to all rich men in all snc- 
 ceediny generations.''' XXVIII. 23 : "\ou cannot find so mis- 
 chievous a manner of throwing away your 'goods as either the 
 laying them up for your posterity, or the laying them out upon 
 yourselves in folly and supertiuity." L., i., 4 : The sermon 
 on the Use of Money here condennis riiining our neighbour by 
 ^'selling goods hebur the market price" ; i., 3 condennis extrava- 
 gance ; III. 2 states the doctrine of human stewardshij) for God ; 
 and III. (5 states the principles of giving. "Do not stint your- 
 self, like a Jew rather than a Christian, to this or that propor- 
 tion. Render unto (rod not a toUli, not a third, not h<df, but all 
 that is God's, he it more or less." 
 
 We.sley anticipated some oi: the best points in the 
 reeentlj^ developed Science of Sociology. He by some 
 to-day would indeed be counted very advanced in 
 strongly opposing the amassing of fortunes. He is 
 conservative, however, in opposing Communism, fol- 
 
.'fl'f'TT!' 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 55 
 
 lowing in tliis respect the Anglican Article which he 
 adopted in his series. In this matter, as generally, he 
 strongly inculcated the spirit of charity. 
 
 7.— CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 The civil authority is supreme in its own 
 realm, and demands loyal obedience to its 
 requirements, even to tlie extent of readily 
 paying such customs duties as it imposes. 
 Capital punishment for certain offences is of 
 Divine appointment. 
 
 Articles. — XXIll. : " We believe it is tlie (hitij of all CJirla- 
 tians to be subjert to the poirrrs tli<(t lie; for we iiie CDinniiinded 
 by the Word of (Jod to rc.ipcct a)u1 oticii the C'Iril (JorcriWK'iit. 
 We should therefore not only fear (Utd, but honour the King." 
 
 Notes. — " We are under no obligation as Christians to give 
 up our civil privileges (which we are to receive and prize as the 
 gift of God) to every insolent invader." Rom. xiii. 1, Rom. 
 xiii. 5 : " Tfn' (tnthorltii of ))i<nilstr(it<'s, bi'lmj in cffi'rt (rod's, 
 deiwnuLs ()ttrc(t)i!>i'ieiiti()iis obediou'c."' Rom. xiii. 4 : The sword, 
 '■'■ T1\c, instrvment of rapitnl punislniicnt iclnili. (htd authorizes 
 him to injlirf." Rom. xiii. 7 : Tribute, " Taxrs on iioxr persons 
 or estates, enstonis for ijoods, exported or imported." 
 
 Sermons. — L., i., 2 : " We may not engage in any trade that 
 is contrary to the law of fJotl or of our country. Such are all 
 
 MM 
 
56 
 
 di(!p:st of the doctrinal standards 
 
 that necessarily im|tly (*»//• rnhhiiui or defrandiiKj the ling of his 
 btwftil cimtoms, for the limj httn full as imieJi riijht to his rnstoms 
 a.s tee h<ive to oirr h'tiiaes (oid appKrel." 
 
 Tlie respect of Wesley for the constitutional 
 authority of the State shows itself very strongly in 
 the above citations as in the Rule of the Church 
 against snniggling. Many difficult problems arise as 
 to the abstract rights of kings, justitiable rebellion, 
 etc., but tlie Standards are silent on such, and, accept- 
 ing constituted authority as it is, inculcate loyalty 
 and patriotism. The doctrine of the Vatican Council, 
 of the subordination of the secular to the spiritual 
 power, is repugnant to Scriptui-e, and is disastrous 
 both to society and to the Church. 
 
 8.— OATHS. 
 
 Oaths administered by competent authority 
 are to be recognized as a solemn and appro- 
 priate method of attesting the truth of a state- 
 ment. Oaths otherwise used nnist be con- 
 dennied as irreverent and profane. 
 
 Articles. — XXV.: "As we confess that rain and r<(8h 
 sirc<iriii<i is forhidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ 
 and Jauies His apostle ; so we judge tliat the Christian religion 
 
■'irni'i 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 57 
 
 doth not prohibit, but that<( num iikuj mvear irhcn the mail i at rate 
 reqidrfth. in a cause of faith and cliarity, so it bo done according 
 to the prophet's teaoliing, in justice, judgment and truth." 
 
 Notes. — Matt. v. 83 condemns the improper use of oaths. 
 2 Cor. i. 23 : "Can a more solemn oath be conceived ! (than St. 
 Paul's). Who till' a ran 'niudjitie that Christ ever (.Icniiined to fur- 
 hid all siiT<n-i)Ki'!"' James v. 12 : ^' But Janwa does not fortrkl 
 the takiiuj (t tsolenui, ordh tu'fori' a nutgi.strati'." 
 
 Sermons.— XXllI., i., 10 : "That our Lord does not forbid 
 the swearing in truth and judgment when we are required so to 
 do by a magistrate " appears from six reasons specified. 
 
 'V.,. -■, 
 
58 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE SALYAI^IO^^ OF MAN. 
 
 1.— THE ATONEMENT. 
 
 The saving work of Christ is represented 
 under three phases, Kedemption, Reconciha- 
 tion and Expiation. The gracious work is 
 one, but in these different aspects it is pre- 
 sented in Holy Scripture. The first impHes 
 the payment of a price, the precious blood of 
 Christ, as a ransom {Xvrpov), not to Satan, 
 but to the Divine government, to redeem man 
 who is guilty, and legally held under sentence 
 of the law. The second represents a gracious 
 intervention of Christ to bring into reconcilia- 
 tion {H(XTdXXa-)nj) God and our rebellious race. 
 Thereby both are reconciled. The third ex- 
 presses neither the commercial idea of the 
 first nor the mediatorial idea of the second, 
 
 ■■ 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 59 
 
 but the temple idea of sacrifice to expiate 
 sin (iXcifffAos or iXaaTt'ipiov), as in the pnbhcan's 
 prayer, ** God be merciful to me," be propitiated 
 (aorist iinj)erative passive, ilaadi'jTi). In this 
 is involved the penal siifferinj^- of Christ — not 
 penal in the sense of His being an offender, 
 nor of His being regarded as an offender, but 
 as making such a sacrifice as satisfies the 
 Divine nature, both justice and love, and can- 
 cels the moral penalty of sin in the case of all 
 who accept the benefits of the sacrifice. In 
 this sense alone did Christ "bear the weight 
 of the wrath of God." The work being fin- 
 ished, and being sufficient, Christ intercedes 
 on behalf of our race, and no other mediator 
 is needed, and no other is found worthy to 
 share His priestly office. 
 
 Articles. — II.: Christ truly suffered, was crucified, dead 
 and buried, to reconcile His Father to i(s, and to lie <( sacrifier, 
 not only for oriijiital ijnilt, but aluo for the nctiial .s//(,s of ineti. 
 XX.: The offering of Chiist once made, is that perfect redemp- 
 tion, propitiation mul siitisf((cfio)t for (dl the sins of the u-hole 
 H-ortd, both ori<jinid and <ict\i(d ; and there is none other satis- 
 faction for sin but that alone. 
 
 Notes. —Luke xxii. 44: Christ in the agony, "■ feelin-j the 
 
iiO 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 i| 
 
 iri'itiht iif fill' v'yoHi of (hxl." Rom. iii. 25 : A projjitiiitiou 
 ('i/nnri/jtiin'), ""* lit appease an offended God." To (leclfire His 
 lighteousness. To tlomonstrate not only His clemency hut His 
 justice, even thnt rlndlrHre justice whose essential clifiracter and 
 principal office is to pimish sin." Rom. iii. 2(5 : "The attiihute 
 of justice must he {)reservecl inviolate, and inviohite it is {n'e- 
 serveil li there a-ax a real injlietioii of piinlslime)it on oar Sarioirr. 
 On this ))lau all the attrihutes harmonize." l»om. v. 6, 2 Cor. 
 V. 21, (ial. iii. !.'{ : Being made a curse for us. " Taklnfi the 
 curse upon himself that ire rni<j}it he ilelicereil from it." Phil. ii. 
 6: Christ was willing " /o suffer the punistiment due to Die 
 meintest and rilest." Col. i. 14 : The voluntary passion of our 
 Lord appeased the Falher\s irrath, and ol)tained pardon and 
 accejjtance for us." 1 Tim. ii. 5, 0: "This ransom from the 
 dignity of the person redeeming was more than e(|uivalent to 
 all mankind." Heb. ii. 10, Heb. v. 7 : "What Christ most 
 exceedingly feared (in the agony) was the ireiijlit if infinite 
 justice, the being i)ruised and put to grief by the hand of God 
 himself." Heb. viii. 8, Heb. ix. 15, 2(>, Heb. xii. 2, 24, 
 1 Peter ii. 24 : Who himself bore our sins. " That is, the 
 punishment due to them." 2 Peter i. 1 : " It is this ak)ne (tlm 
 righteousness of Christ) by which the justice of God is sati.sfied." 
 1 John i. 7, !>, 1 John ii. 2: He is '^ the atoning sacrijice b\i 
 vhich the a-rath of God is appeased," 
 
 Sekmons. — v., II , 2 : Satan's claims denied as regards any 
 right to satisfaction. XVI., II., 4, XX., i., 4 : The distinction 
 between Christ's active and passive obedience held not to be 
 taught in the scriptural presentation of Christ's atoning work. 
 
 There is no theory of the Atonement of any repute 
 without some element of truth. The Socinian theory 
 i8 correct in recognizing the moral influence of Christ's 
 sacrificial death. The Grotian theory, which has 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 61 
 
 always seemed to us like the Sociiiiaii ciilaroH'd, is 
 correct in the tliou<;'ht tliat the dejith of Christ im- 
 presses the uiiiversL' with the iiiexornbU' reijuiremeiits 
 of law, and in some way maintains the dignit}' and 
 inte<^rity of law in the s\<rht of the nniverse. The 
 Anselmic theory is correct in g'ivin<^- an important 
 place to the scriptural element of vicariousness, 
 though by giving undue prominence to the thought 
 of sin as a debt, it is in danger of reducing the work 
 of Christ to a mere commercial transaction, espeeiall^- 
 where this theory is associated with the Augus- 
 tinian doctrine of election. So with other theories, 
 they have each some conspicuous element of truth. 
 Weslej^an soteriology emancipated from Augustinijin 
 restriction, and steering clear of initial tendencies to 
 Pelagianism in Dutch Arminianism, has, in an eclec- 
 tic spirit, combined the truthful elements already 
 illustrated in the great historic theories, emphasizing 
 possibly, more than most of them, the temple idea of 
 sacrifice and expiation. It must be admitted that in 
 the Latin and other great prelatic churches the 
 expiatory sacripce of Christ, is the favourite method 
 of stating His atoning work. This is doubtless owing 
 to the connection M'hich they find between this view 
 and the repeated and '■ bloodless sacrifice " of the 
 Mass. 
 
(52 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTllINAL STANDARDS 
 
 i; 
 
 2. -EXTENT OF THE ATONEMENT. 
 
 The efficacy of the Atonement avails for the 
 sins of all men, and it is the positive and re- 
 vealed will of God that none should perish, 
 but that all should to the utmost enjoy its 
 benefits. Those who accept these benefits 
 and who He foreknew would accept them, 
 constitute the elect who are predestinated to 
 be conformed to the image of His Son. There 
 is besides an election to privilege — for exam- 
 ple, of the Hebrew people as the Messianic 
 ra,ce — which depends solely upon Divine sov- 
 ereignty. 
 
 Notes. -Mark iii. 13 : Divino sovereignty determines condi- 
 tions apart from eternal destiny. John i 25), John iii. Ifi : 
 "(Jol so loved the world— ^/k(/ ks, <iU mm tinder Heaven, even 
 tliose tliat despise His love, and will for that canse finally 
 perish. Otherwise not to believe would be no sin for them. 
 For what should they believe >. Ought they to Ijelieve that 
 Christ was given for them ? Then He was given for them." 
 John xvii. 2 : '* Chrid desujned His aitrnjire tihonld avail for all, 
 yea, that all Hesh, every man, should partake of everlasting 
 life." Rom. v. 14, 1(J, Rom. ix. : Wesley, like all Arminiaiis, 
 interprets this chapter to have reference to the election of the 
 Hebrew people to Messianic privileges, and gives several 
 reasons for the statement that '' Faul had nut here the least 
 
 w\w 
 
OF THE METHODIST ClIUUCII. 
 
 63 
 
 HidUfihf iif pn-siniiil I'hrUnn or r<iii-(i))(ift(iii." Roin. ix. KJ, Roiii. 
 xi. 5, Rom. ix. 27 : " This singlo tuxt nifiy yivo iih ji just iiDtioii 
 of till) ncriidund docirinf of dfd'uni <nul irpnihnllon, imd ciciii'ly 
 sliow.-i us tliMt piirflfiiliir pirsoii.'i Ki'f not in llohi Writ rrprrstutcil 
 (IS clccfi'il ilh.siiliitrhi luiil lllic<ili(lilii)ti<lll.il in rfcyitdl life, i>r jiVvilvH- 
 tiiKilcil iilisidiilelij (ind iincdnditlonidlii tn iffnud dintli, hut tlmt 
 hdlirir.i in (lenend nrv dertril to ciijaii tlic Cfiridiioi pvit'ileijvK on 
 ('((fth, wliioli, if tlicy abuse, those very elect porsiuis will 
 become re])robate." 2 Cor. v. 15, 1 Tun. i. 15, 1 Tim. ii. li, 4 : 
 ^' Hlio irillctli sfrioiit<lii all nu')i, not a pari out ij, tinnl, has tlic 
 smcdh'st part, to hr sored rtrrwdlii." Heb. ii. i>, Heb. viii. 8, 
 1 Peter i. 2 : The .scrijiturfil doctrine of election stated, with 
 five .strong objections to the Augustinian view. 2 Peter ii. 1 : 
 The Lord that bouglit them with His own l)lood ;' " Yi-t tlirsr 
 perish vrcrlostimjhj. Thcrefori' i'lirist homilit mn tlirm. tlod 
 pcrisli." 1 John ii. 2. 
 
 The CJreek sotoi'iolo<;y, which was certiihily pre- 
 dominant in the sub-apostolie and patristic periods up 
 to Aujijitstino (oh. 430), is conspicuous in Weslcj^an 
 theology. To Dean Stanley it seemed an anomaly 
 that this type of doctrine, characteristic of what are 
 known as the High Church Anglicans, should Vie so 
 conspicuous in such an evangelical .system as Meth- 
 odism. It is explained by some by tiae pronounced 
 High Church tendencies which are .said to have 
 marked Wesley's early career. Howe\'er that may 
 be, it is enough to know that these doctrines, including 
 the Universality of the Atonement, the Freedom of 
 the Will and a proper view of Election, are impreg- 
 nably fortitied hy Scripture. The fact is recognized 
 that the opposite type of doctrine, Augustinian or 
 
G-1 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 Calvinist, has clmnictcriztMl most inediMfvul ref'onns, 
 iui<l almost entirely at first tlie Reformation of tlie 
 sixteenth century. Tlie explanation of this is that 
 these movements were a rehoun<l from the eri'oneous 
 doctrines of the Latin Church as to merit of woi'ks, 
 and so led to exa^';;<'rate(| views of liuman imjxjtency 
 and ])ivine sovei-eioiity. 
 
 A featm-e of Wesleyan soteriolo^y of much intei'est 
 in these days of missionary (-xpansicju is tlie uni\ersal 
 operation of orace on the human heart. The condng 
 of the missionary of the Cross is anticipated hy the 
 cominj;- of tlu' S])ii-it to pre])nre the way of the Lord. 
 No human heini; is without Divine lifjht and heaven- 
 ward impulse, and the scriptural and meiriful pro- 
 vision of the (Mjuation of Innnan I'esponsihility to 
 human privile<^e <;'ives rea.sonable (^'round for hope 
 that l)y the ^race of God some may be .saved without 
 any knowledge of the historic Christ, of whom they 
 could never hear. 
 
 :i— REPENTANCE. 
 
 iiepentaiice implies (1) convict 'on r re- 
 morse, i.iET(xixtX£iot, for violating law of 
 God; (2) /.uTayoitv, change of mi. i and nur- 
 pose to turn from sin to righteousnes.>- ; (3) 
 
«HP 
 
 OF THE METHODIST ('Hl'IKH. 
 
 «)') 
 
 the prac'ticjil ])i'()()f, when possihU', of tlio 
 geiiuiiioness of siicli siil)jt'('tiv(' experience by 
 works meet for repentuiice ; (4) iij tlie case of 
 believers, conviction and remorse in the con- 
 sciousness of pi'oneness to sin where this 
 proneness is not completely eradicated. 
 
 NoTKS. — Mntt. xii. H ; " Ropoiitaiicu is nf two sorts^-tlidt 
 whicli is termed iugal, ami tiiat whieii is stylud evan<,'ulical 
 repuntauco. Thu fonnor, wliidi is tho same that is si)t>keii of 
 here, is a thorougli conviction of sin. The latter is a change of 
 heart, and conseciuently, of life, from all sin to holiness." 
 Matt. V. ,'{ ; "They wiio are nnfeignedly penitent are they who 
 are truly convinced of sin, who sue and feel the state they are 
 in by nature, being deeply sensible of their sinfulness, guilti- 
 ness and helples,sness." 1 Peter iv. 11 : " //<- tlitif trmts of 
 faith and leaves out irpt'tifmin', or does not enjoin practical 
 holiness, does not speak as the oracles of (iod." 
 
 
 I • 
 
 Sermons. -VII., ii., 1, VIII., ii., 11, XIV., Intro., ii -. 
 
 ^^ Repentance and fait li are neee.istd-ij in order to oxr eontinn- 
 anee and (jrowtlt in (jrare." XIV., i., 1(5: "A conviction of 
 their nniltiness is another branch of that repentance whicli 
 belongs to the children of (Jod. But this is cautiously to l)e 
 understood, and in a jjcculiar sense. For it is certain, ' there 
 is no condenmation to them that are in Christ .Jesus,' that 
 believe in Him, and, in the power of that faith, ' walk not after 
 the flesh, but after the Spirit.' Yet can they no more bear the 
 strict jnst ire of (iod now than before they believed. This pro- 
 nounces them to lie still u-ortli II «/ death, tm all the preceding 
 accounts. And it would absolutely condenui them thereto, 
 were it not for the atoning Wood." XLIII., in., 2 : Both 
 
66 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 r('pi'iit(()ifi\, iiiid frnil.'i ini'if fur rcinnhtncr, fire, in somo sense, 
 liccesxitni to just IJic<tli(iii. Hut tliey iirc nol iiccf.tudrii in the 
 sdtiif fii'uai' «■///( /(m7/(, Udi' in the sunw (Icijnr. Not in tlie .sd/nc 
 define, for tljoso fruits are only /iC'cssK/-;/ coHdUimndUi ; if there 
 be time anil opportunity for them. Otiierwise a man may be 
 justified without them, as was tiie tliiif upon the cross." 
 XLlll., III., 8 : Rei)entance of IjeHevers is "pi'opei'ly a convic- 
 tion wrought by the Holy (jhost, of the .sin irhii-h .still rcnuiinif 
 in our heart ; of the <;>i>i>i'//ii<i mi/i/ioc, ///, r<irn<il nniid, whicli 
 ' (U)es still remain,' (as our Church s[)eaks), 'even in them that 
 are regenerate ; ' although it does no longer fei<i)i ; it has not 
 now dominion over them. // i.s n funrirlion nf occ pioiivncss 
 to eril, of a heart bent to backsliding, of the still continuing 
 tendency of tlu; tlcsh to lust against the Spirit." 
 
 Tlie .spot'iiil IV'atnres of Wesleynn tlioolof^y on the 
 siil)je'ct ol' Rcpentiincc aiv : 
 
 First, — A^fiiiiist Antiuoniiaui.sni it ivc'()<''iii/es uni- 
 versal o])li^iitioii to obey the law of GoJ. If this 
 obligation is removed by the merit of Christ, so that 
 whatever be our sins, His [)erfect righteousness is 
 ini[)ute(l to us, and oui" guilt is iin[)ute(l to Him, the 
 logical tendency is to underrate repentance, and faith 
 becomes a mere assent to an absti-act statement. 
 
 Second, — It gives pi'ominence to repentance in 
 believers, which, under the Antinomian view, is 
 utterly out of place, and the very offering of the 
 Lord's Prayer is pronounced improper on the part 
 of Christians. Such logical outcome of the doctrine 
 of imputed righteousness mentioniul does not charac- 
 terize all its representatives. The moral excellence 
 of the Calvinistic churches conunands universal recog- 
 
' flTf'"?! ' 
 
 OF THE METHOD rST CHURCH. 
 
 67 
 
 nition. It is in Plymontliism chiefly these practical 
 results of Antinomianism appear. 
 
 4.— FAITH. 
 
 Faith which brin^^s to man spiritual bene- 
 fits, implies assent to revealed truth, submis- 
 sion to Divine authority, and the trust of the 
 heart in Christ as a personal Saviour. 
 
 Faith for temporal benefits recognizes the 
 care and guidance of Divine Providence as 
 well as the obligation to use all natural means 
 available for securing these benefits. No de- 
 gree of faith or of consecration can make the 
 believer infallible either in judgment, speech 
 or action. 
 
 Notes. Luku vii. TiO, .Inln! iii. ;{, Acts xxvii. ;U : " IfV 
 
 nuiij li'drn Iwixw In itsr tlif iiiimt pro/n-r )tiri(tts for sicnn'tij and 
 nHcrt'.ss, nrn whilv iiv (IcjhikI d,, Dlrinr I'lDciilriur iinil wait for 
 tlio acoum|)lishiiiont of (Jod's own pimnisy. Flu iiovor desiyiioil 
 any i)i'oniise slioiiid eiu'()iira<,'e rational creaturos to act in an 
 irrational manner, or to remain inactive when Hi' lias given them 
 natural cajiacities of doing something, at least for tiioir own 
 benutit. 7\i n.r/x'ci //((• iirrinii/ili.ihiih'iif of ninj prtDiiisr iiHthoiit 
 exertintj these is, <tf hcM, niiu and ((nuiji,;i\it< pnsiiiiijtHoii, if all 
 
1 ■ •!! 
 
 !| 'ii 
 
 68 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 y 
 
 pretence of rolying upon it bo not profane hypocrisy. Rom. 
 iii. 27, Rom. iv. 5, 9, (lal. iii. (i, (iiil. v. (i, E|)li. ii. 8, HoV). x. 
 20, Hel). xi. 1, James v. 14: "Anointing with oil was the 
 whole ])rocess of physic in the Christian Church till it was lost 
 through unbelief." 1 Peter i. 5. 
 
 Skrmons. — I., I., 5: "Christian faith is, then, not only an 
 assent to the whole Gospel of Christ, but also a full reliance on 
 the blood of Christ, a trust in the merits of His life, death and 
 resurrection, a recumbency upon Him as our atonement and our 
 life as given for us, and living in us, and in C(jnse(juence hereof 
 a closing with Him and cleaving to Him as our wisdom, right- 
 eousness, sanctitication and redem[)tion, or. in one word, our 
 salvation." I., iii., 3 : S<tlv<(fi<>ii is liiifdifli, not Inj ii-urks, soV., 
 IV., 2, VI., I., 8, Vn., II., 9 ; "Faith is a Divine evidence or 
 conviction that God was in Christ reconciling the world to him- 
 self, not impviting to them their former trespasses, and in 
 pdrticidtir, tli<tt the Son of God Jtnth lored nn' and ijiroi hlnmvlf 
 for t)u\ and tli(d I, crcu J, «7a ircoiicilvil to (lod Inj tJic lilood <f 
 the Cross." XVHL, i., 3, XX., ii., 1 : "There is no true 
 faith, that is, justifying faith, which hath not the righteousness 
 of Christ for its object," so XX., ii., 5, (i, ',), in the last passage 
 a statement is (pioted from Wesley's treatise on Justification, 
 pu))lished in 17<)4, as follows : " If we take the ])hrase of 
 im[)uting Chri.st's righteousness for the bestowing, as it were, 
 uf the righteousness of Christ, inchuling His obedience, as well 
 passive as active in the return of it, that is, in the privileges, 
 blessings and i)enetita purchased by it, so a l)eliever may be 
 said to be justified by the righteousness of Christ iiii])uted. 
 The meoniiui is, (roit jiistijies the lietierer for the sal;e of Christ's 
 righteousness, <(nd >u)t for anij riijhteonsness of his num." So in 
 paragraph 1:5, XXXVII., 1!>, 20, 21, 24, 2G, 27 : They are 
 enthusiasts " who imagine that God dictates the very words 
 they sjjcak, and that coMseifUently it is impossible they should 
 speak anything amiss, either as to the matter or manner of it." 
 "How many impute things to God, or expect things from Him, 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 69 
 
 without any rational or scri])tural groiin<l ! Siicli are they wlio 
 imagine that eitlier they do or shall receive [jarticiilar direction, 
 not only in jioints of importance, hut in things of no moment ; 
 in the most trifling circumstances of life. Whereas, in tlu'se 
 cases Giiil Ims <iircii w.s aur mint rcitsmt far <i ijniih' ; tliuiujli in'nr 
 exdudimi tin' nc<'irt ((.■mlstioicc of His l^jiirit." As to those who 
 claim s])ecial and infallihle guidance by dreams, etc., " How 
 are they misled by {)ride ami a warm imagination, to a.scribe 
 such imjjulses or imi)ressions, dreams or visifms, to (iod, as are 
 utterly unworthy of Him I Noirthls is <il' pure ciitlms'usDi ; nil 
 (IS iridt' of rfHijioii as if is of fnitli and sohfnirss." In deternun- 
 ing a ([uestion of business or social condition, this is to l)e done 
 " partly by reason and i)artly by experience.'' At the sinie time 
 we are to seek that the Holy Spirit enligliten and overrule our 
 judgment. "Considering what a Hood of enthusiasm must 
 needs break in on those who endeavour to know the will of 
 God by unscriptural, irrational ways, it were to be wished that 
 the expression itself were far more sparingly used. The using 
 it, as some do on the most trivial occasions, is a |)lain breach 
 of the Third C mnnandment. It is a iposs n-ioi (f takinri tlie 
 'uame of God in niin, nml lud nnis iinnf inrrfrrKci' ton-ards Him." 
 "A third very roiiuiKDi sort <f I'lithnsinsm, is tlint of tliosf who 
 think to otto in Ihr rnil ifilhoitt usinif fh<' nudiis, Inj the iiHtiwdiatc 
 poire r of God. If, indeed, tlmse means were providen*^'ally 
 withheld, they would not fall un^ler this charge, (iod can, and 
 sometimes does, in ca^es of this nature, exert His own innne- 
 diate power. But they who exjjcct this when they have those 
 means, and will not use them, are jn-oper enthusiasts. Such 
 are they who expect to understand the Holy Scriptures without 
 reading them and meditating thereon ; yea, without using all 
 such liel[)s as are in their [xiwer, and may |)rnbal)ly conduce to 
 that end. Such are they who designedly speak in tlie public 
 assembly without any piemeditation. XLIII., ii., 1, 2, iii., 1. 
 XLVII., III., 2: "Faith does not overturn the course of 
 nature; natural causes still produce natural efiects." 
 
m^^ 
 
 70 
 
 DICiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 The position above outlined is one which gives to 
 every intelligent Wesleyan much satisfaction, for 
 these reasons : 
 
 P^irst, — It recognizes the scriptural doctrine rescued 
 by the Reformation of justilication by faith only, 
 articulum eccleshi: cadentin aut atantifi. 
 
 Secontl, — It protects this doctrine from the perils 
 and errors of Antinomianism, as will further appear 
 in the presentation of the doctrine of works. 
 
 Third, — It gives a rational and scriptural statement 
 of the precious truth of the imputation of Christ's 
 righteousness, not as mechanically transferred to us 
 to conceal a nature still corrupt : not as a perfect life 
 credited to us to reduce or destroy the obligation of 
 our obedience : but as the cause and fountain of all 
 the benefits of the Atonement, pardon and holiness 
 and heaven. 
 
 Fourth, — It condemns the fanaticism which has 
 unfortunately appeared periotlically through the 
 whole history of the Clnu'ch, of demanding of (iod 
 by faith the end of temporal benefit without the use 
 of the means, for example, in what is called tlie Faith 
 Cure ; further, of claiming such a measure of Divine 
 guidance as rendei's the believer infallible. As to the 
 anointing of the sick, the view of Wesley seems to be 
 that with it there was the exercise of a nuraculous 
 power known as the gift of healing, similar to the 
 gift of tongues. Such seems to be the meaning of 
 the notes on Mark vi. 18 and James v. 14. This is 
 very ditterent botii from the anointing which is some- 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 71 
 
 times practised in Faitli Cure and the anointing- 
 observed by the Roman Catholic C'imrch in the so- 
 called sacrament of extreme unction. 
 
 5.— WORKS. 
 
 There is a twofold jnstitication, the first by 
 faith in the merits of Christ's sacrifice only for 
 pardon. In this respect good works are of no 
 avail, and by God's grace the believer is freed 
 from the penalty of the law. The second is a 
 vindication of the believer in his relation to 
 God and maintenance of tlie Divine favour in 
 life and in the day of judgment, which vindi- 
 cation is manifested and attested by good 
 works. The moral law is obligatory upon 
 all believers, and only as obedience to this 
 law is maintained, along with faith, is there 
 the continuance of the Divine favour. Works 
 of supererogation are impossible. 
 
 ARTicLf:s. — X.: Although goofl works, which Jiro t lie fruits 
 of faith, ami follow after justitication, cainiot put dinn/ oitr sins, 
 and oudure the sevority of (lod s judgments, yet are they 
 pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out ;)f a 
 
72 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 tniu and lively faitli, iiifsonmch that hu them a lively faith mini 
 til' ii.s rriilciilhi Inioirn US ii trot! is discoriKjil l)y its fruit. XI.: 
 Vnluiitary works Itesidos ovur and al)()ve Ood's comniand- 
 munts wliicli art- called works of stijiorfrogation, cannot he 
 taught without arrogancy and inii)iety. For by them niun do 
 duclaro tha thoy do not only render unto (iod as much as they 
 are hound to iio, liui iliat they do more for His .sake than of 
 houndeu duty is re<juired ; whereas Chri.st .saith plainly, When 
 ye have done all that is connnanded you, say, We are unpnjfit- 
 al)le servants. 
 
 NoTE.s. -Matt. V. 17, Matt. .\xv. 3'), Lidte vii. 47, Horn. i. 18, 
 (Jal. ii 1(1, (!al. v. 18, Eph. ii. 10, James ii. 21, '22, 24, 1 Peter 
 iv. 11 : " He that treats of faith and leaves out repentance, (*;■ 
 (loea not I'lijnln prKctinil li()tiiif,'<s fit lielli'ri'vs, dot's imt xpi'ul; us the 
 urarlcs of (rod." 
 
 Skkmons.- 1., III., 1, 3, IT., II., 4 : "It is diligently to he 
 nolad, the faith whicli hringeth not forth repentance, and love, 
 and al! good works, is not that right living faith, hut a dead 
 and devilish one." (Quoted from the Anglican homily on 
 the Sahation of Man.) VI., Intro., .'3 : Explains how Adam 
 could he saved only under a covenant of works, hut now the 
 penitent may he saved, justified, freed from penalty l)y grace, 
 irnspoctive of works. VII., ii., 5. VIII., ii.^ 4, XL, v., 3 : 
 " L''t none I'ViT pfi'siiiuc to rest in lOiif supposed testimoini of the 
 Spirit ii-hii'h is sepnrnte from the fruit of if." XVII., ii., 7, 
 .\XV., iii., 8 : i/c is a hetrinjcr of Christ " who preaches faith 
 in such a manner as either directly or indirectly tends to set 
 aside any hranch of oljedience, n^ho preitrhes Christ so as to 
 ilisinimd or ireid^en in tinij n^ise the Iritst of tlie ronimanttnients of 
 (rod." XXXIV., IV., 3, 7: "Therefore I cannot spare the 
 law one moment, no more than I can spare Christ ; seeing I 
 now want it as much to keep me to Christ as I ever wanted it 
 to bring me to him. Otherwise, this ' evil heart of unbelief ' 
 wiiultl innnediately ' dejiart from the living Ciod.' " XXXV., 
 
^i^ 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 7a 
 
 II., 1, 4, L., I., 4 : Sinful works of viiiious kinds coiidoiimed,. 
 including the trafficking in strong di'ink, as follows : " Thero- 
 fore we may not sell anything which tends to impair health. 
 Such is, eminently, all that li(|uid tire, conuiionly called drams, 
 or spirituous licpiors. It is true, these may have a place in 
 medicine ; they may he of use in some Ixxlily disordei's, although 
 there would rarely l»e occasion for them were it not for the 
 unskilfulness of the invictitioner. Therefore, such as pre])are 
 and sell them only for this end may keep tlieir coriscienc>^ clear. 
 But who are they ! Who |)repare them only for this end ! Do 
 you know ten such di-tillers in England ! Then excuse these. 
 But all who sell them in tlie common way, to any tiiat will l)uy, 
 are pf)isoners general. They murder His Majesty's subjects hy 
 wholesale, neither does their eye pity or spare. They drive 
 them to hell like sheep. And what is their gain ! Is it not the 
 Wood of these men ^ Who then would envy ■' eir large estates 
 and sunijituous j)alaces ! A curse is in the un.ist of them ; the 
 curse of God cleaves to the stones, the timlter, the furniture of 
 them I The curse of (iod is in their gardens, their walks, their 
 groves ; a fire that burns to the netheruKJst hell '. Blood, 
 blood is there ; the foiuidation, the tloor, the walls, the roof, 
 are .stained with blood ! And canst thou hope, O thou man of 
 blood though thou art 'clothed hi scarlet and fine linen, and 
 farest sum)»tuously every day;' canst thou hope to deliver 
 down thy frld.s of hloixl to the third generation ! Not so ; for 
 there is a God in heaven: therefore, thy name shall soon be 
 rooted out. Like as those whom thou hast de.stroyeil, l)ody 
 and soul, ' thy memorial shall perish with thee ! ' " LI., v., 3, 
 LII., I., 5: Liquor traffic c(mdenuied. LIL, li., 8, (I. 
 
 The ;i(lviincr(l p(.),sition of Wesh'V on tlu' Tcuipor- 
 ance question is a most si^niticunt fact in the liistoi y 
 of moral reform. His followers have in <reneral 
 readil}' accepted his teachino, and Methodism, the 
 largest form of Anglo-Saxon Christianity, is thus 
 
74 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 committed to a position of determined hostility to the 
 liciuor traffic. 
 
 6.— JrSTlFICATION. 
 
 Justification is n forensic act of God by 
 which, for the sake of Christ oiil_y, on our re- 
 pentance and faith, He absolves us from all 
 guilt and regards us as righteous. 
 
 'il\ 
 
 Akticles. — IX.: "We Jire nccuunted rifildcona hrfarfi God 
 only for the merit of our Lord antl Saviour Jesus Christ by 
 ffiith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, 
 tliat we are justified l)y faith <inly, is a niDst wholesome doctrine, 
 and very full of comfort." 
 
 Notes. — John xx. 23 : Sacerdotal absolution not essential 
 to justification. Rom. iii, 24, Rom. iv. 9 : " We may observe 
 here, fiynjivi' nenti, not impHtitoj ttin and inLpiithuj riijhteinisiiesfi tire 
 all one." Rom. v. 18, 1 Cor. i. 30, Gal. ii. 21, Phil. ii. 13. 
 
 Sermon.s II., II., 5 : The ju.stificaticm of the believer is that 
 operation of grace whereby " tinougli tlie merits of Christ, his 
 sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God ; 
 whereof dotii followaloving heart, to obey His commandments." 
 (Quoted from the Anglican honuly on the Salvation of Man.) 
 v., II., 5 : The plain srriptnml notion of justification i',s pardmi, 
 the fonilrevcHH of ains." With reference to doers of the law 
 being justified, it is stated, '■''Here t)ie Apostle appears to refer 
 our justification to the sentence if tlie great datj." Y., iii., 5 : 
 W%)rks before justification carniot be good and accejjtable to 
 
 l\ 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHLlUni. 
 
 75 
 
 God, " iimsniucli its tliuy iire not done us God hatli willed iiud 
 commanded them to l)e done." V., iv., 2. 
 
 Wesleynn theolooy is one with the Reformed tlie- 
 ology in reo^ardino- justitication as an ohjective and 
 forensic act bv wliich a man tliouo-h ouilty is, for the 
 sake of Christ, accounted I'ioliteous. Such a use of 
 the \er\) facere, to make, to constitute, is justified hy 
 the custom of all languaoe. Here, however, there is 
 divergence from the Rfunan Catholic theolooy, which 
 vejj^iivds j list Ificatio as the same as Justus /(ice re, to 
 make righteous suhjectively, thus ignoring the scrip- 
 tural place given to sanctiticaticm as distinct from jus- 
 titication. In the Latin theology the initial work of 
 grace in the sacraments is begun by virtue of the 
 merit of Christ. From the viei'itum de eovdifjyio 
 following obedience, there come further operations of 
 grace in the process of justitication. The thought of 
 pardon is almost ignored, being relegated to the exer- 
 cise of sacerdotal absolution. The close relation of this 
 view to the doctrine of merit of works accounts for 
 much that is deemed erroneous in the practice of the 
 Roman Catholic Church, and brino-s us with comiate 
 doctrines to what we regard as the weakest or most 
 unscriptural part of the theology of the Latin Church. 
 Whatever errors Protestantism tinds in that theoloirv 
 concentrate largely in soteriolog^y here. Outside of 
 these there is a grand system of doctrine common to 
 universal Christianity. For comparison of creeds, 
 see Chapter VIL 
 
76 
 
 UIOEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 The trac'liina' li'i^'^'ii fibovc IVoiii Soniion V., to tlu^ 
 etteet that all woi'ks bei'ore justitication are .sinful, is 
 taken bodily from the Anjijlican symbols. By many 
 this view will be controverted as not harmonizing 
 with the universal operation of prevenient grace so 
 pnnninent in Arminianism. The meaning, however, 
 may be that as the whole career of a rebel who is in 
 constiint detiance of his (lovernnient must be deemed 
 criminal, however relieved by acts of kindness to his 
 fellows, .so with a siinier in relation to ( iod. This 
 interpretation may ])erhaps bi' satisfactory. In any 
 ca.se it is certain that, taken by themselves, prayer, 
 repentance, and the gocRl works accompanying re- 
 pentance, all preceding justitication, cannot be pro- 
 nounced .sinful, nor can it be said of them that they 
 are " not done as (Jod hath willed and commanded 
 them to be done." 
 
 7.— REGENERATION. 
 
 Kegeueratioii is a grace of the Holy Spirit 
 whereby a penitent believer is spiritually 
 created anew, or born from above into the 
 Christian life. Where in the case of unbap- 
 tized adults this work of grace is effected, it 
 should be accompanied by baptism. In order 
 
OK THE METHUUIST CHIHCII. 
 
 77 
 
 of thought, jiistitic-fition precedes regeneration. 
 In reaUty, the two operations are sinmltaneoiis. 
 Regeneration is instantaneous ; sanctifieation, 
 wliich it initiates, is progress! \u'. 
 
 NoTEH.— M;itt. xviii. 4, .Folin iii. .'5: "Our Lnid sliows that 
 no ceroiiioiiiiil onliiuiiices or inivilojii-s of l)irth (.oiild entitle 
 any to the blo.sKinj^s of the Messiah's kingdom, tliat an entire 
 change of lieart as well as of life was necessary for that iturpose, 
 and that this could only he wroiiglit in man liy tiie almighty 
 power of (iod." .lohn iii. ,"> : " lyiri'pl n hkhi vxpn-iinri- that 
 iiri'iit imritrd cIihikii' hij tin' S/iirif nml /;c Implr.id (irlini'ri'r 
 haptl-'im ridi hf had) as the outward sign and means of it," he 
 
 To I 
 
 )e 
 
 cannot enter into the kingdom of (Jod. ,Iohn iii. 7 
 born again is to Ije inwardly eliange<l from all sinfulness to all 
 Itolliicss." [It is presunu'd in the light of otiur statements that 
 these words are to he understood as comprehending the whole 
 work of grace initiated hy regeneration.] Rom. iv. .5: "We 
 see how groundless that opinion is tliat holiness or sanctilicat loii 
 is previous to our Justitica'ion." "On the jjardon of our sins tiio 
 Holy (jhost ' Hii'ii hi'jiiiis the iiirat iforl: i>f unrnrd stnifl ijiriitinn. 
 If a man couhl jiossihly he made holy before he was justified, it 
 would entirely set his justification aside, seeing he could not 
 in the very nature of the thing be justified if he were not at 
 that very time ungo.ily." See note on 1 Cor. vi. 11. 
 
 Sermons. — 1., n., (i : " He that is, by faith, horn of (iod, 
 sinneth not (1) by any habitual sin ; for all habitual sin is sin 
 reigning : But sin cannot reign in any that believeth. Nor (2) 
 by any wilful sin ; for his will, while he abideth in the faith, is 
 utterly set against all sin, and abhorreth it as deadly poison. 
 Nor (3) by any sinful desire; for he continually desireth the 
 holy and perfect will of God ; ind any tendency to an unholy 
 
78 
 
 DKiKsT oi'" rm: doctiunal stanhakhs 
 
 dusiri', lu', liy lliegnico <tf (iod, .stitlutli in tin- hii'fli. Nor (4) 
 tlittli lio .sill by iiiHniiitit'.s, whetlior in net, wnnl m- tlii)ii;,'lii ; 
 for liis intiniiitiuH hiivu no cnuoiirronci) of his will; iiiid witliont, 
 this tliL-y iiri! not iproporly sins. Tiiiis, ' hu th;it is horn of (iod 
 doth not connnit sin :' And thonudi In^ caiMiot say, ho Imtli not 
 sinnod, yut now ' ho sinnoth not.'" So in Vlil., ii., (i, VIII., 
 II., 7 : *' AlthiMij^h tiiu rci,'uniM'fito iiro continually convinuud of 
 sin clt'(ivin,t( to ail tlu-y do, yut thtTo is no condcnniation to 
 tliuni still oithor from (Jodor from thi'ir own heart. " So iu 
 XIV., II., 4, XIX., Intro. 1 : " Both thosu yifts of God, 
 jiisl ijiciil Idii iiiid fr(finri-iil'niii, (III' iiirni tn vririj hrllvirr lit oiii' 
 mill llii' suiiir iiiiiiiinil. In ono jxiint of tiniu his sins are Itlottud 
 ont and he is l)orn ag.iin of («od." XLV., Intro. 1 : "If any 
 doctrinuH within thu whole coin|)ass of Christianity may bo 
 properly termed " funihimontal," thoy ai'o doubtless theso two 
 — tho doctrine (tf justitication, and that of the new Itirth : tho 
 former relating to that (/(■(■((/ imrl; ii-hirh (rml ilmsfin- us, in for- 
 ilirimi uiir sins ; the latter, to t\ni ijrciif imrl: irliirli (fnil iIdch in 
 IIS, in iriifirinii our fnllni niituri'. In nrilir uf tiinr, iii'itlu'i' of 
 these, is heforr llif ntlirr; in the moment we are justified by the 
 grace of Grod, through the redumption that is in Jesus, we are 
 also 'born of tho S|)irit'; but in onler nf tJiinhin<j. as it is 
 termed, justitic I'ion precedes the new i)irtli. We first conceive 
 His wrath to be turned away, and then His Spirit to work in 
 our hearts." XLV., ii., 5: " From hence it manifestly appear.s 
 what is the nature of the new birth. It is that great change 
 which (jod works in the soul when He brings it into life ; when 
 He raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. 
 It is the change wrougiit in the whole soul l)y the almighty 
 Spirit of (Jod when it is created anew in Christ Jesus. In a 
 word, it is that change whereby tho ' e irthly, sensual, devilish 
 mind' is tiu'ned into the 'mind which was in Christ Jesus.' 
 This is the n.'iture of the new birth: 'so is every one that is 
 born of the Si)irit. ' " XLV., iv., ;? : "The new birth is not the 
 same with .sanctification. Regenoratifui is sometimes spoken 
 
OF THE METironiST <HUHrH. 
 
 7?» 
 
 <it' lis a |H(ii,'ri'ssivii work, ciirriiMl on in tlic smil by sluw di'^ifes, 
 frniu tliu tiuu! nf oiir first turniii!^ tuCJod, Tiiis is io('/< ;m«//i/(/ 
 trill i)f siitii'l ijinil Inn ; Imf nf rriii'iimil inn, tlir iii'ir liirHi, if /.-< nut 
 trill. Tliis is H luirt of sfiiictiliciitioii, imt thu wliolo ; it isiiio 
 j,'.'itr to it, till' c'litruiK'i' into it. W'lii n irr iiii liiirn minin. tlun 
 Dtir fidnrlitiriiliiin, our inward and mitward JHpiiiu'ss, liiiiiiia ; and 
 tlii-ncfforward \\c arc ^radnally ti> 'i^rnw up in iliin wlm is kmv 
 Head.'" 
 
 Tlir roi'cifoiiio- ])r{'.scMtiiti()ii ol" the ilocti'iiic of the 
 new liii'tli is iiiiii'ked hy some pnictical IV-atuns of 
 nnu'li iiii|)()rt!Uiee. It (exalts the siniiificatice (i' this 
 •loctrine ai»'ainst tlie (U'pi'eeiatofv iiilliienct' of soino 
 unwise ])reachei's of entire sanctitieation, who so 
 ein})hasi/,(^ theif favourite theme as quite to dispara^fe 
 the m-eat bleHsinii's of iustitication aii<l retfeiieration. 
 On the otlier hand, the statement of the Standanls 
 does not so exalt reii'eneration as to iinioi'e sin in 
 l)elievers. While "there is no condemnation to them 
 who are in Christ .Jesus," and " He that is hoiMi of 
 (Jod sinneth not, ' as loni; as 1)\' faith and fidelity lie 
 riitains the Divine favour, there is at the same time 
 the consciousness of evil teiulencies from habit or 
 temperament, which lead to humiliation and repent- 
 ance, and neetl the fulness (jf the Spirit for their 
 
 removal. 
 
 rn 
 
 The relation of the infant to the subject before us 
 i.s one made mysterious by fori»etfulness of th(i fact 
 that the gospel call to "repent and be converted" is 
 meant for responsible adults, and becomes impiously 
 <^rotes(jue when addressed to infants. This is clear, 
 6 
 
80 
 
 DIGEST OF THK DOC'I'RINAL STANDARDS 
 
 first, tliiit l»y nature aiitl lieredity infants come into 
 the world, apart from the Atonement, witli a eoniplete 
 forfeiture of the Divine favour: second, that by the 
 Atonement this penalty is removed, and so " the free 
 j^ift came upon all unto justification of life." Thus 
 far by revelation we are ujxjn certain (ground. J>ut 
 if it is asked, for instance, when in the case of a 
 deceased infant has tlie subjective work of the Spirit 
 taken plac«' correspondinji;' to what we call r<\i;enera- 
 tion :' when were evil ten<lencies neutralized and 
 <lestroyed :' was it at birtli, or at baptism, or at 
 death, (,r somewhere between :* we can onlv «av we 
 do not know, it is not revealed. We are satisfied of 
 the salvation of the child. Free from ^uilt in the 
 sense of personal culpability, and with the penalty of 
 Adam's sin removed so far as its objective relation to 
 Go<l is concerned, wi' are certain it has (••ained celes- 
 tial bliss, but how or when its nature has been har- 
 monized with the purity and holiness of that state wo 
 cannot tell, and it is not n(!cessary to know. Condng 
 into life in such uracious relations to God through 
 Chi'ist so that the Divine declaration is made, "Of 
 such is the kint^'dom of heaven," we cannot doubt the 
 possibility of the child c()ntiiuiin<^ in such a state into 
 years of manhood, a state which is lost only by its 
 own choice of evil. Yet to keep the matter eveidy 
 balanced, the fact cannot be ignored that befoi'e the 
 Wesleyan I'evival the tendency was to make too 
 much of this initial work of o-race, especially in 
 connection with ba]>tism, and to i<i;noiv the !ieed of 
 
OF THE METHODIST fHTRCH. 
 
 SI 
 
 conscious re<(t'neration. We are in (hinder of this 
 error always. 
 
 Whedon (Bihliot/i. Sacra, 1862, p. 258) says : " Under 
 the redemptive system the man is born into the world, 
 Irom Adam, a dejira^ od bein^. It is as a <le[)raved 
 being he becomes an ego. But instantly after he is 
 met by the provisions of Atonement." Of this doc- 
 trine of prevenient grace Pope says: " 'i'heiv is no 
 doctrine which so iri'esistibly and iniivei'sally appeals 
 for its confirmation to the coniinon con.scienc* and 
 judgment of mankind." Whedon further says in the 
 same article : " That the dying infant is saved, and 
 saved by Atonement, we all agree. But his precise 
 condition as affected by the Atonement, while a living 
 infant, seems to be a somewhat undecitled matter. 
 Probably a lai'ge majority of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church have, foi' some time past, held, without much 
 <liscussion, that the living infant was l)oth unjustified 
 and TUU'egenerate, and yet upon his death he obtained 
 l)oth blessings. This making death the condition 
 of j..'stification and regeneration appears to many 
 };ar(lly logical, and not without danger. Mr. Wesley's 
 earlier expressions of opinion indicated a holding 
 <)f the Churchly doctrine of ba))tismal regeneration 
 in infancy. His later indications of opinion show 
 that he held all infants to be mend)ers of the king- 
 dom of heaven, and he also held that regeneration 
 is a condition to nuunbership in thi' kingdom of 
 heaven, but he does not expressly di-aw the infer- 
 ence that all infants are regenerate. Fletcher main- 
 
82 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 taiiK'd the doctrine both of infant justitication and 
 regeneration." 
 
 We again suljiiiit tliat on the subject of regenera- 
 tion of infants, Fii.st, we liave no revelation. It is 
 among " tlie secret things '" whicli belong unto (Jod. 
 Second, revelation is unnecessaiy, as the gospel mes- 
 sage is neces.sarily aildressed to responsilile adults. 
 The method of restoring to the infant his forfeited 
 inheritance is i-evcsaled, but not the subjective process 
 of his spiritual renovation. 
 
 The relation oF baptism to regeneration is further 
 stateil under the title of the Sacraments. 
 
 The gi'ace of adoption, which is connected with the 
 regenerate state rather than with justitication, will 
 be illustrate*! under the title of the Witness of the 
 Spirit. 
 
 8.— ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION. 
 
 Sanctificatioii is the process of rendering 
 holy the entire life. It begins with regenera- 
 tion and justitication, and may be consutn- 
 niated gradually or instantaneonsly. Entire 
 sanctification implies : 1. The perfect cleans- 
 ing of the sonl from sin. "2. The maturing of 
 the Christian life and character in the com- 
 
OF THK METHODIST CHURCH, 
 
 83 
 
 plote (leveloi)iiient of all the ^^races of the 
 Holy Spirit. 'A. (.'oiii])loten(>ss of coiisccra- 
 tiou \vhi(;h could not mark the less developed 
 spiritual life of the heliever at the time of his 
 Justification. Ijcyond this maturity there are 
 decrees of spiritual advaiicenieut ad iiijiiiitiint, 
 with increasing knowledge and hroadening 
 views of God and truth and destiny, and corre- 
 sponding experience of grace and glory. 
 
 NoTKs. —Rom. iv. 5 : In reguneratiou. " tlie Holy (Jliost 
 
 Iti'ijiiis till' ijniif ii-iirl: of linnird siiiirfijir<iti<iii 
 
 Cor. vii. 1 : 
 
 Purfectiiii; holiness — *' Ciirryintf it to the heiglit in all its 
 branches and enduring to the end in the loving fear of (Jod, the 
 .sure foundation of all holiness." E[)h. iii. U) : Being tilled 
 witli all the fulness of God — " A i)erfection far heyond . 'oare 
 freedom from sin." Kph. iv. l.'i : "A .4i(ti of .s/x'/'iYi «/ nimi- 
 liiml holii in understanding and strength." " .i muttnitii <\f 
 (Uji' niiil siiiritiiiil shitiii-i' wherein we shall he tilled with Christ 
 .so that He will he all in all." Col. iv. 12: " Eiidiwil. irith iri'nj 
 ClirlMidti i/r((ci'." "No longer l)ai)L's, hut grown up to the 
 measure of the stature of Christ, being full of His liglit, grace, 
 wisdom and lioliness." 1 Thess iv. ;», 1 Thess. v. Ki, 2[i, Heb. 
 vii. in : "To be of one spirit with (iod, this is true i)erfection." 
 Heb. ix. 2± 
 
 Sermons. VIII., ii., (i : "Although believers feel the tlesh, 
 the evil nature in them, althougii they are more sensil)le, day 
 l)y day, that their "heart is deceitful and desperately wicked," 
 yet, so long as they do not yield thereto, so long as they give 
 no |(lace to the di-vil, so long as they maintain a c(jntiiiual war 
 
84 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 with all sin, with ])ri(le, aiiguv, ilesiie, st) that, the tlesh hath not 
 dominion ovor thoiu, l)nt thoystill "walk aftertho Spirit,'' thore 
 is " no ciindonniation to thcni which arc in Christ .Jusus." So 
 in par. 7. XIII., i., 5 : "To avoid this oxtrunie. many well- 
 meaning men, particnlarly those nnder the direction of the late 
 Count Zinzendorf, ran into another, affirming that ' all true 
 believers are not only saved from the ibnii'midn of sin, but from 
 the }tfln<j of inward as well as outward sin, so that it no longer 
 ri'iiKiin-s in them ;' and from them, about twenty years ago, 
 many of our countrymen imbibed the same opinion, that even 
 the corru])tion of natuie is na inorc in those who believe in 
 Christ." Wo in XIII.. in., 1. XIII., iii , JO: "I cannot, 
 therefore, l)y any means, receive this assertion, tliat there is no 
 sin in a believer from the moment he is justified: First, because 
 it is contrary to the whole tenor of Scripture; secondly, because 
 it is contrary to the ex[)erience of the children of (Jod; thirdly, 
 l)ecause it is absolutely new, never heard of in the worUl till 
 ye.sterday ; and, lastly, because it is naturally attended with the 
 most fatal couse([uences, not only grieving those whom (Jod 
 had not grieved, but perhajts dragging them into everlasting 
 l)erdition." So in XIII., v., 1, XIV., in., 1. XL. : Christian 
 j)erfection does not imply — {a) Perfection in knowledge ; (!>) 
 Freedom from eiroi' of judgment : (c) Freedom from error in 
 the interpretation of Scripture; (7) Freedom from intirmities ; 
 (e) Freedom from temptation. XL., i., !> : " We uiay, la.stly, 
 observe that neither in this respect is there any absolute per- 
 fection on earth. The;, "s no fwrfcctiini of di'ijvt'i'n, as it is 
 termed, mim' irhidi (/(»\s imf ad in It of <( ••ontinuid liirirusr. So 
 that, how much soever any man has attained, or in how higli a 
 degree soever he is perfect, he hath still need to ' grow in 
 grace,' and daily to advance in the knowledge and love of (Jod 
 his Saviour." XL., ii., 21, 1.'2, 24: C'hristian jierfectiou implies 
 freedom from evil thoughts and evil tempers. XL., ii., 2<S : 
 " For he saith not the blood of Christ will cleanse at the hour 
 of death or in the Day of .ludgment, but it ' rhoiisrfli ' at tlic 
 
OF THK METHODIST CHUUCH. 
 
 S5 
 
 //;/(( ii,''S"ill ' /».s,' liriiiij Cliii!<l ill IIS. \fiiiiii nil sill ' And it is 
 e<nially evidunt tliat, if mni sin rtMiinin, wo ;u'o not eleanseil 
 from ((// sin; if (oii/ unrigliteousnes.s I'omiiiu in tliu soul, it is 
 not cltiiinsed from nil unrigliteoiisness. Noitlior let any sinner 
 against his own soul say that this relates to jnstitication only oi' 
 the cleansing us from the guilt of sin ; first, because this is 
 confounding together what the apostle clearly distinguishes, 
 who mentions, first, tu fiirijiri' ks nnr sins, and then to rlninsr ns 
 fmiii 1(11 iniriiiliti'iiiisiii'ss; seconiUy, because this is asserting 
 justification l>y works in the strongest sense possible. It is 
 making all inward as well as outward holiness necessarily 
 j>revious to justification. F(U- if the cleansing liere spoken of is 
 no other than the cleansing us from the guilt of sin, then we 
 are not cleansed from guilt : that is, are not justified, unless on 
 condition of 'walking in the light, as He is in the light.'" XLI., 
 III., 5, 7 : Wandering thoughts resulting from mental infirmity 
 nnd not from s|)iritual defect are not inconsistent with perfect 
 love. XLIII., I., 4 : '" At the same time that we are justified, 
 yea, in tlnif vrni munirn.t siiiirtifiraiiuH ln'iiiiis." So in par. 8 : 
 " Fi'Diti fhf tinii' of nnr hiimj horn ininin llir ijfiidiinl imrk nf 
 snnt'Ujiriitinn fnb's plnn." XLIII., I., !> : "But what is ])er- 
 fection ! The word has various senses : In'rr If nwiuts pn'fi'ct 
 lure. It Is Inn- r.rri mil nij sin, love filling the heart, taking up 
 the wh(»le ca})acity of the soul. It is love 'rejoicing evei'more, 
 jmiying without ceasing, in evcj ything giving thanks.' " X L! 1 1., 
 III., li : '''Fnitli is fill' ninilifiiiii nnil fill' I'lilil I'liiiilifiini nf snnr- 
 tijii'iifinn exactly as it is of justification. " It is then shown 
 that this faith implies reju'iitance, as in the case of justification 
 — repentance occasioned ]>y the consciousness of sin marring 
 our best service, "so that we ai'e now more ashamed of our 
 best duties than we formerly were <if our worst sins. ' This 
 re|)entance is ])roved i)y " works of piety which ai'e necessary 
 to full sanctification." XLIII., iii., L'i : ■"Though it bo 
 allowed th.ir i)oth this repentance and its fruits are nc'ccssary 
 to full .salvation, yi't they are not neces.saiy either in tlie Hanio 
 
80 
 
 DUiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 Men.sf with f;iitli or in tlio jsaiiio ilegifu : md in /Ac .•<initf ili'iinr, 
 for these fruits iiro niihi //ctcswr/'i/ rdiidiliiiiuill ij if there he time 
 iiiul n[)[(orhiiiity for tiiein ; otiierwise ;i man may l)e sanetitied 
 without tliem. liiit lie cannot he sanctified without faith. 
 Likewise, let a man liave ever so much of tliis repentance or 
 ever so many grioil w(jrks, yet ail this does not at all avail : he 
 is not sanctified till he believes, But the moment he believes, 
 with or witiiout those fruits, yea, with more or less of this 
 re[ientance, he is sanctitieil. Not in the .vdiiv smt-ti-, for this 
 repentance and these fruits are onl^' rriiKihl ij necessary — neces- 
 sary in order to the continuance of his faith, as well as the 
 increase of it, whereas faith is imiiti'didtclii and (///vc//;/ necessary 
 to sanctitication. It remains that faith is the only conditi(Ui 
 which is innnediately and proxiinately necessary to salvation." 
 XLIH., III., 14, 15, 1(5, 17: The faith which brings entire 
 sanctitication is "a Divine evidence and conviction" — -First, 
 That (jrod hath promi.sed it ui the Holy Scrijjture ; secondlj'. 
 That what God hath promised He is able to perform ; thirdly. 
 That He is able and willing to do it now; fourthly, That He 
 doeth it." XLIH.. III., 18: "But does (iod work this great 
 work in the soul gradually or instantaneously ! Perltnim it nuni 
 hi- ijniihiidUf irnimilit in .siDiif; I mean in this sense, they do not 
 mh-i'it til till' paitii nhir nunucnt wherein sin ceases to be. But 
 it is inhnitely desirable, were it the will of fiod, that it should 
 be done instantaneously, that the Lord should destroy sin 'by 
 the breath of His mouth ' in a moment, in the twinkling of an 
 eye. And an Hr ijrni'vidlij dura, a j)lain fact of which there is 
 evidence enough to satisfy any unprejudiced person." 
 
 The doctrine of entire sanctitication has been 
 marred in the history of the Churcli at various 
 pt'i'iods lud'oiv and after tlie Reformation by being 
 compromised with various fanatical parties of Perfec- 
 tionists. Metliodism has not been free from tlie same 
 excesses. However, in no degree is Wesle}' responsilile 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 S7 
 
 tlu'ivi'oi-, iiiasiMUfli as with most vio-ilaiit care he 
 opposed every eviileiu-e of i!xtrava<i:aiice. 
 
 -lust as Calvin iiiter[)i-ete(l tlie scriptural teaeiiiu^- 
 of Divine sovereioiity, and loo-ically carried out his 
 interpretation to all its consecpiences, ncxi'i- sln'inkiiijj,- 
 from any conclusion however startlinn- to Chi'istian 
 consciousness, so Wesley, we thiidc on a more sctrip- 
 tural hasis, unfolded the teacln'no-s of Scrii)ture as to 
 Christ's atonino' work, both in its fulness and frerness. 
 Instead of shi'inkino' from what his views of these 
 teachinos implied, he hailed the consecjuences and 
 proclaimed to all men a vlelivei'ance fi'om the <>uilt 
 and power and penalty of sin, and ri<;htly concluded 
 that what God connnands and promises for the present 
 life nuist be attainable here and now. As to the pro- 
 fession of this o-race, it is well to remember that he 
 said, " Let modesty mark all your words aiul actions." 
 He also emphasized the ethical side of thi.s doctrine, a 
 point which some of its advocates, especially to-dav, 
 are in great <lano-er of overlooking- in the emphasizing- 
 of the subjective aspect of the doctrine. 
 
 !>.~AP()STA.SV. 
 
 A believer may fall from any attainment of 
 grace in this life and be eternally lost. 
 
 Articlks— XII. : After wo Iiuve rt'coiviMl the Holy (i host, 
 we may depiU't from <^race given iind fall into win. 
 
ss 
 
 DICEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 NoTKs. .Matt, xviii. 'M, Lukt! xi. 2(1 : Tliu last .statu of 
 that man is worse than the first. " Tliis is fiillilleil in all who 
 totally and finally apostatize from true faith." Lnke xii. o, 
 Rom. \iii. .'!(>: "I'aiil iloe.s not duny that a helievi'r may fall 
 away and he cut off tietween his s|)ecial calling and his glorifi- 
 catioji. Neither does he deny that many are called who never 
 are justified. I'om. xiv. lo, 1 Cor. ix. '27 : "This single text 
 may give us a just notion of the scriptural doctrine of election 
 and ii^piohation. Tt shows that Ijeiiijvers in general are ( lected 
 to enjoy the Christian i)rivileges on earth, which, if they ahuse, 
 //(o.sc (■(■/•;/ fli'ft iK'rsotiH irill hec.oiiir icjtnihide. St. T'aul declares 
 it was possible lie lilmscif in'uilit hccumc <i rcprnfiiiti-." Heh. vi. 
 <■> : "Of these wilful total apostates, he declares it is imjtossihle 
 to renew (Heb. x. ii(i) them again to lepentance tliough they 
 were renewed once." 
 
 Skkmons. — I., II., 4 : " Believers are saved from the fear, 
 though not from the possibility, of falling away from the grace 
 of (lod and coining short of the great and precious promises." 
 
 The absolute eei'tiiiiity of the filial perseverance of 
 tlie saints is a neeessaiy outcoiiie of the Au<;'ustinian 
 doctrine of Divine sov^ereignty and election, and the 
 possiliility of final apostasy is a corollary of the (Jreek 
 and Arininian view of the freedom of the will. It is 
 accordint.:^ to expectation that the Anolican Article 
 XVII., "Of predestination and election," has been 
 expnnocd by Wesky. This Article is a clear illu.stra- 
 tiou of the influence of Calvin in the Knu'lish Reforina- 
 tioii in the departuient of soteriolo<>-y, as is Article 
 XXVIII., on the Lords Supper, on the subject of the 
 sacraments. It is only l)y a .strained interpretation 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHUUtMI. 
 
 .S!> 
 
 that Article XVII. is siil>,scril)c(i to l)y tlit« Anniiiiaii 
 or Hi oh Clmi-c'h Aiiulicjtii. 
 
 10. THK WITNESS OF THK SIMIlIT. 
 
 By the gmce of adoption the justitied and 
 regenerated believer is made a member of God's 
 spiritual family. This relationship is attested, 
 first, by the witness of the Holy Spirit, and 
 second, by the testimony of consciousness. 
 This experience is the privilef,fe of every be- 
 liever. Tlie Divine testimony " secures us 
 from all delusion," ;ind is invariably accom- 
 panied by the fruits of the Spirit. The wit- 
 ness of the Spirit gives us full assurance, 
 which is followed by confirmed confidence in 
 God. There may be given to the believer also 
 an assurance of his ultimate salvation. 
 
 Notes— Roui. viii. Ki : The Spirit bcaretli witues.s witli the 
 spirit of every true l)eliever hij ,, fr^tiinoinj ilifiHiirt fn,,,, flmf nf 
 hin own apiiit, or the testiinoiiy of ;i gddd conscience." 1 Tliess. 
 i. 5, Heh. vi. Jl : "The full iissurance of f.iith rehites to [jre.sent 
 piirdou ; 'the full jissuranc(! of hope,' to future ylory. The 
 former is the highest degree of Divine evidence that God is 
 reconciled to nie in the Sou of His love : the latter is the same 
 
•90 
 
 DKitST OF Tin: DOCTRINAL STANDAItDS 
 
 (U'Ljri'i' iif l)iviiu! uvidt'iK'i.' of piM'scvcriiii,' ;,'riici' and of I'ttTiiiil 
 t^loiv." 1 .Inliii iii, 24. 
 
 Si;ilM(lNS. \,, I., 1 : rniniiijiTii): I, slldWll to illllplvu dnlllllt.' 
 
 and riiiicm relit tfstiiiKHiy in rviTV liuliuvcr, of (iod's spirit and 
 the l)oliuvoi''.s .spirit. X., i., 5. : Tcstiiiiony of coii.scioii.sue.s.s 
 t'Xplaiiiud. X., 1., 7: "The testimony of the Spirit is an 
 inward iiii|irussioii on tiie soul, whereliy tlie Sfi'nit <if (ioil 
 ilirffllij iril iii'ssr.'i til itni .■i/iiiil llml J mil n rliilil of (lull \ tliat 
 .lesiis Clirist liatli loved me and <.;iven himself for me, and that, 
 fill my sins are hlotti'd out, and 1, even 1, am reeonciled to 
 God." Ko XI., II., •_', X., I., VI: "The Spirit of (Jod does 
 <,d\'o a Ix'liever such a ti'stimoiiy of his adojitioii, that while it 
 is ])resent to the soul liv ran no wore dniilif the niililij uf liis smi- 
 shlji tliiiii III' ran iloiilif of the shiiiliKj of tin' nun while he stands 
 in the full hlaze of liis l>eams." X., ii., 8, it : The witness of 
 the Spirit must be accoiii})anied liy fruits of the Spirit, and is 
 to he distiiiujuished from ])resumption. XI., II., (5: "The 
 inillnrt witness or testimony that we are the ehililreii of (lod is 
 nearly, if not exactly, the same with the testimony of a good 
 conscience towards Cjod, and is the result of reason or reHection 
 on what wo feel in. our own souls. Strictly speaking, it is a 
 conclusion drawn partly from the Word of (Jod and partly from 
 our own experience. The Word of (Jod says: Everyone who 
 has the fruit of the Spirit is a child of (Jod ; experience or 
 inward consciousness tells me that I have the fruit of the 
 Sjiirit, and hence 1 rationally conclude, tlieref(.)re, I am a child 
 of Ood." XI., IV., .'{ : "The direct witness may shine clear, 
 even while the indirect one is under a cloud." XI., v., 2 : 
 " The Spirit of (Jod witnessing with our spirit, (/ot'.s sec k/v ».s 
 from (tU ilfhisioii. Ami lastly, we are all liable to trials wherein 
 the testimony of our own spirit is not sufticient ; wherein 
 nothing li-ss than the direct testimony oi God's s])irit can 
 a.ssure us that we are His children." XI , v., 3, 4 : " Two infer- 
 ences may be drawn from the whole : The first, let none ever 
 
OF Tin: MKTHODIST CUUIU'H. 
 
 91 
 
 prusiuno tu rest in any sii|)|i(isi'(l tistinioiiy of tin- Spirit, wliicli 
 is soiiiU'iitL! from tlio fruit of it. 'I'lio si'cnnd infi'ioncc i.s. lut 
 unni' ri'st in an}' supposed fruit of tliu Spirit without tlu' uil- 
 iiusH. Tliui'o Hiay ln' foi'i'taatc's <if joy, nf poaco, of love, and 
 those not dulnsivi!, l»ut really from (iod, lony l)fforc' we have 
 tlu' witness in ourselves, i)efori' thi' Spirit of (Jod witnesses 
 with our sjiiiits tliat we ha\e 'redemption in the lijood of 
 .Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins.' ' XLIII., II., .'!: "'l?eeause 
 he is a son, (Jod hath sent forth the spirit <if His Son into his 
 heart, ei'yin.!,', Aliba, Father,' giving him an assui'ance that he 
 is so, and a ehildlike eontidenee in him. l>ut let it \iv ohsersed 
 that, in the very natiav of the thing, tin- n.i.siiidnrf ijins lufun' 
 llif i-iiiilidiiifv. For a man eainiot have a ehildlike eontidenee in 
 (lod till lie knows he is a ehild of (iod. Therefore, contiileiiee, 
 trust, reliaiiee, adherenee, or whatevei' else it hi^ ealled, is not 
 the first, as some have supposed, hut the seeoml hraneli or aet 
 of faith." 
 
 'V\\v t'Xprcssioii, "witness of tlic Spirit," is most 
 commonly asHocijitcd witli Wesleyan .soterioloj^y, ami 
 the word "assurance'' with that ol' other evaiiu'elica! 
 churches. The word '' a.ssurauce ' is liotli appropi'iate 
 and scriptural, l)ut it has been misused, Hrst, as ex- 
 pressing- the privile<;'e ol" a few, and secondly, as 
 favouring the idea of the impossibility of the believer's 
 apostiisy. 
 
 Can there be absolutt.' knowledoe of personal salva- 
 tion ? It is clear tluit tin Standards teach that the 
 witness of the Spirit ''secures the ludiever from all 
 delusion." On the other hand, it must be admitted 
 thtit a man may inuioinc that he is a child of G(jd 
 when he is not, for fancy kmnvs no limit to its activity. 
 But such a fancy does not affect the reality of the 
 

 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 
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 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 33 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716) 873-4S03 
 

 
 
 i/.s 
 
rrff]^ 
 
 92 
 
 !)IGEST OF THK DOCTRINAL STANDArtDS 
 
 ii^ 
 
 testimony of the Divine Spirit in the case of a man 
 whose life j^ives concurrent evidence tliat he is a child 
 of (Jod. It must also be admitted that in a certain 
 sense consciousness is at the basis of both forms of 
 testimony. Indeed, consciousness unities all our ex- 
 periences, and still we classify these experiences in 
 our philosophy. We are conscious of an impression 
 from without and an experience within. In the evi- 
 dence of our spiritual adoption we have these two 
 testimonies mutually corroborati\'e. 
 
 We have no specific authority in Scripture for the 
 witness of the Spirit attesting our entire sanctifica- 
 tion. Any allusions to such are ver^' remote as com- 
 pared with the fulness and frefjuency with which the 
 doctrine of the witness of the Spirit to our adoption 
 is stated. 
 
 11.— THE CHURCH. 
 
 The Catholic Church inchules all who 
 ticcording to their light fear God and work 
 righteousness, having the spirit of faith proved 
 bv their works. The visible Church is an 
 organization of believers among whom the 
 Word of God is preached, discipline is main- 
 tained and the sacraments are duly adminis- 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHUUCH. 
 
 93 
 
 tered, Christ is the only foundation upon 
 which the Church is estahlished. No par- 
 ticular form of ecclesiastical polity is essen- 
 tial to the Church. 
 
 Articles.— XIII. : "The visible Cliuirh of Chii.st is ;i coii- 
 gregfition of faithful iiicn, in which the pure Word of (Jml is 
 preached, and the sacraments duly administered, according to 
 Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are 
 reipiisite to the same." 
 
 Notes. - Matt. v. 47 : De])recates the divisions into which 
 the Church "has heen crumbled." Tiie wish is ex])ressed "that 
 we might at least advance so far as cordially to endirace our 
 bvethren in Chri.st of whatever party or denomination they 
 lire. ' Matt. xvi. 18 : Christ tiie only fountlation of the 
 Church. Mark ix. .'iS : "To contine religion to them that 
 follow us is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and 
 abhor." So v. 39. Luke xxiii. 2M : I will a|)point unto you, 
 "Not a primacy to one, but a kingdom to eveiy one on the 
 same terms." Acts v. 11 : The Church "a company of men 
 called by the Gospel, grafted into Christ by bajitism, animated 
 hy love, united by all kind of fellowship, and discijtliiied (in 
 this case) by the death of Ananias and Sa|)phira.'' Acts x. ."{5 : 
 Faith in the historic Chri.st not necessary to a place in the 
 Catholic Church. Acts xi. 17: Tho.se condemned who "lay 
 down rules of Christian conununion which exclude any whom 
 God has admitted into the Churcii of the first-born." Acts xv. 
 23: Primacy of Peter repudiated. Rom. viii. .'{3: "The term 
 elect was of old a))plied to all the meud)ers of the visilde 
 Church, whereas in thi' Nev TiMnm<iif if is npiilii-d tinlij to lln- 
 viembers of the iiirixihlc." 1 Cor. i. 10 : No schisms — " No 
 alienation of affection from each other. Is this word ever 
 
94 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 taken in any other sense in Scrii)tuic ?" 1 Cdi'. xi. 18 : " It is 
 plain that by srhimiiK is not mcttiit oinj m'inir<it'nn\ front the 
 CUiiuch, hid inirlKdlhihlc tlirl.sioii.s in it." "The indulging any 
 temper contrary to this tender care of eacli other is thi true 
 scriptural schism. This is, therefore, ([uite a ditferent thing 
 from tliat orderly separation from corrupt cluirches which l^ter 
 ages liave stigmatized as scliisms. " "So wonderfully have 
 later ages distorted the words heresy and schism from their 
 scriptural meaning, heresy is not in all the Iiil)le taken for 
 ' an error in fundamentals,' or in anything else, nor schism for 
 any separ ition made from the outward communion of others. 
 Therefore, l)oth heresy and schism, in the modern sense of the 
 word, are sins that the Scripture knows nothing of.'' So Titus 
 iii. 10. Eph. i. 22 : (.'hri.st the head of the Church. So Col. 
 i. 18. Ei)h. ii. 20: Apostles and prophets the fovnidation of 
 the Church in the sense that "the Word of (Jod declared by 
 them sustains the faith of all believers." Eph. iv. 4 : There 
 is one body, " Tlir rnircrsul t'lnnrli, oil hrlin-fr.'i tlnvKiihont the 
 n-orl,l." 
 
 m 
 
 Sekmons. — XXXVIII., II., 4: We are not to ignore as a 
 Christian a man who "may not approve of that manner of 
 worshii)ping (Jioil which is practised in our congregation ; and 
 may judge that to be more ])roHtable for his soul which took 
 its rise from (Jalvin (»r Martin Luther. He may have many 
 objections to that Liturgy which we aj){)rove of beycmd all 
 others; many doubts concerning that form of church govern- 
 ment which we esteem both a])ost(jlical and scriptural." So 
 XXXVIII., IV., 2. XXXA^IL, iv., 4, fi : "What if I were 
 to see a Papist, an Arian, a Socinian casting out devils / If I 
 did, I could not forbid even hiiu; wifeiout *;onvicting myself of 
 bigotry. Yea, if it could be supposed that 1 shou d see a Jew, 
 a Deist, or a Turk doing the same, were I to forbid him either 
 directly or indirectly, I should be no better than a bigot still.'' 
 "Think not e big«)try of another is any excuse for your 
 
 l! 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 95 
 
 own." XXXIX., Intro. 4 : Inculciites the unity of tlie S|)irit 
 even wlieie there is not un extern.il union of orj^anizfition. 
 XXXIX., I., 8: "But even among men of an upright heart, 
 men wlio de.sire to ' have a conscience void of ofl'ence,' it must 
 needs be that, ((.s loii<i kh then' (tre citrionn tiiiiiilons, tln'ir irill /»c 
 rtirldii.s inaj.s of icorslilppltui ihtil ; seeing a variety of opinion 
 UL'cessarily implies a variety of practice." XXXIX., I., 10, 11: 
 " Although, therefore, every follo.ver of Christ is uhliijiil, by 
 the very nature of the Christian Institution, ^< /«• n lufmhvr of 
 some p<trHciil<(r roiKfri'ijutSoH or oflicr, ■•^oiitr (Jhnirh, as it is 
 usually termed (which implies a particular manner of worship- 
 j)ing God, for ' two cannot walk together unless they i)e agreed'); 
 yet none can be obliged by any power on earth but that of his 
 own conscience, to jjrefer this or that congregation to another, 
 this or that ]»articular manner of worship. I know it is com- 
 m<mly supposed that the place of our birth fixes the Church to 
 which we cjught to belong ; that one, for instance, who is born 
 in England, ought to be a member of that which is staled the 
 Church of England ; and, conse(iuently, to worship God in the 
 particular manner which is prescribed by that Church. I was 
 oHCr i< ::enloiis miiiiiidincr offing; but I Jiiiil »i<iini reiisintK to 
 uhfttv of thin r:c(il." "I dare hot, therefore, presume to impose 
 my mode of worship on any other. I believe it to be truly 
 primitive and apostolical, but my belief is no rule for another." 
 So XXXIX., II., 2. XXXIX., III., 1: "Hence we may 
 learn that (t nifholic uplrit is not ■•^pirnlative Int It ndintiriaimm. 
 It is not an indifterence to all opinions : This is the spawn 
 of hell, not the offspring of heaven. This unsettledness of 
 thought, this being ' driven t(j and fro, and tossed about with 
 every wind of doctrine,' is a groat curse, not a blessing ; an 
 irreconcilable enemy, not a friend, to true Catholicism." " Ob- 
 serve this, you who know not what sjiirit ye are of ; who call 
 yourselves men of a catholic spirit, only because you are of a 
 muddy understanding ; because your mind is all in a mist ; 
 because you have no settled, consistent principles, but are for 
 7 
 
96 
 
 DIGEST OF THK DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 jmublinj,' all opinions together. Be convinced that you have 
 (|uite missed your w.-iy." XXXIX., in., 3, 4: "Hence we may 
 learn that a rutholic -titlrit l.s imt indljft'rciire tti all vtinijvcijutUins. 
 Tiiis is another sort of latitudinarianisni, no less al)surd and 
 unscriptural than the former." "But wlile the Christian is 
 steadily fixed in his religious jtrinciples, in what he believes to 
 he tlie truth as it is in .lesus ; while he Hrmly adheres to that 
 worship of God which he judges to be most acceptable in his 
 sight ; and wiiile he is united by the tenderest and closest ties 
 to one particular congregation — his heart is enlarged toward all 
 mankind, those he knows and those he does not, he embraces 
 with strong and cordial att'ection, neighbours and strangers, 
 friends and enemies. This is catholic or universal love. And 
 he that has this is of a catholic spirit. For love alone gives 
 the title to this character : C>iHi<illr luir in a fathollr nplrit." 
 LTI , Intro. 2: "This is the original design of the Church of 
 Christ. It is a body of men compacted together in order, 
 first, to save each his own soul ; then to assist each other in 
 working out their salvation ; and, afterwards, as far as in them 
 lies, to save all men from present and future misery, to over- 
 turn tlie kingdom of Satan, and set up the kingdom of Christ." 
 
 The word "church," derived from Hi)picnin>, per- 
 tainiujjf to the Lord, necessarily includes all who in 
 spirit and life are Christ's, under varying types of 
 goverinnent, worship and doctrine. The position of 
 the Standards on this subject is unique. While 
 various symbols have defined the Church, Wesley, to 
 make his \ lews clear, has inserted in the Standards 
 two extended statements on the subjects of a catholic 
 spirit and Viigotry, and has reached a generous breadth 
 of view unsurpassed since the days of St. Paul. His 
 catholicity has captured many a heart, especially as 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 97 
 
 it is found side bv side with a ioalous ro<;ard for truth 
 and a protost arrjiinst iudirteri'iitism in faith and 
 practice. His etyinoloi^y of the words "schism" and 
 " heresy " is correct, as he finds in them tlie ideas 
 of cuttinj.^ and rendinjj^ in the .sen.st> of evil feeling 
 manifested in dissensions, and this ineanintj^ he claims 
 to be supported by the scriptui'al use of ffxiff^c and 
 aipecTif. It is a matter of acconnnodation only that 
 in histoiy the word " heresy " has come to mean viola- 
 tion of doctrinal standards, and "schism" violation 
 of orfranization : but by Wesley they were meant to 
 express a contentious spirit. Such a spirit was as far 
 removed as possible from his own life, hence his reluc- 
 tance to leave the Church of England. This reluc- 
 tance so frequently and candidly stated, and stated 
 sometimes with a force not (}uite consistent with his 
 actions, as in fiis oft-cpioted sermon on the sin of 
 Korah, Dathan and Abiram, has led many an Anjrli- 
 can to charge the Methodist Church with being untrue 
 to Wesley's teachings on this subject. Su^h writers 
 forget Wesley's acts, which speak more loudly than 
 his words, in the ordination of presliyters for his 
 churches at home, an<l pre-eminently in the consecra- 
 tion, September 2, 1784-, of a bishop, prudentially 
 called a superintendent — simply preferring the Latin 
 word to the Greek — for the churches in America, 
 three months before the first Anglican bishop (Sea- 
 bury) was con.secrated, and three years ai..i five 
 months before the first Roman Catholic bishop 
 (Carroll) was consecrated for the United States. 
 
08 
 
 DIfJEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 Tbo Ant^Hcfin dctiiiition of the visibk' Churcli i.s 
 adoptt'd in the StandardH — Article XIII. The point 
 of divt'i-genci' Ix'tween Methodists and, for that matter, 
 tlie innnense majority of Protestants on the one side 
 and the prehitieal churches on the other, is as to the 
 phrase, the sacraments being "duly administered." 
 Wliile apostolical succession nuist be regarded, as 
 Wesley said, " as a fable which no man ever did 
 prove or could prove," it is clear that the validity 
 of the administration of the sacraments must not 
 depend on the tactual succession of the ministry from 
 the apostles. This error of apostolical succession, 
 with every element of sacrameutarianism, is strongly 
 repudiated in the Standards. 
 
 Note.— AnioiiK the many works written on the relation of Methodism 
 to the CInireli of England, one of the best is that entitled " ^lelliodisin 
 and Anglicanism," by Uev. T. G. Williams, I).U. Methodist liook 
 Rooms : Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. 
 
 12.— THE MINISTRY. 
 
 The ministry consists of men of suitable 
 gifts called of God, with their call attested by 
 spiritual fruit. Episcopal ordination is not a 
 necessity. There is but one clerical order. 
 In the New Testament the terms "bishop'* 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHUHCH. 
 
 99 
 
 and '^ older" are used interchan^^eably for the 
 sciine office, and tlie duty of deacons is to 
 serve in clinrch temporalities. 
 
 Notes. -Matt. vii. 10; " Tn.o prophets convert .sinners to 
 i'inl, or at least cnHrni and .strengthen then, that are converte.l- 
 False prophets ,lo not. They also are/,r/,sr prophrh who, tho,..rh 
 speakn.j. the very truth, yet „n- not .sntt l,„ the Spirit of Uod, 
 l)iit eonie in their own name to declare it." Matt, vii 18- 
 States tile possii.ility of the preaching of the truth l.y .a bad 
 man don.g good. Acts vi. 2 : "In the first Church the primary 
 busmcss of bishops was to preach, that of deacons to take care 
 of the poor (no mei.tion made of presbyters as .listinct from 
 bishops). If deacons afterward preached, tliey did this not liy 
 virtue of their deaconship, l)ut as evangeli.sts." Acts xx. 28 : 
 Tiie Holy (J host alone can con.stitute true ministers. 1 tIiu. 
 111. 2: A bi.shop, "a pastor of a congregation." 1 Tim iii «• 
 "But where are presbyters .' ]V,rv tlus „nln- rs.sntfn,!!,, ,lisfinrf 
 from that of l„\shop., ,-o„l,l thr Apodlr hurr pas.rd if are,- in 
 .vU'acrr Titus i. 5 : IJishops and elders identitied. 
 
 Skrmons.-XXX., III., G: Duty reoogni.ed under .s.mie 
 
 vvvIm!?""'' "^ '''^'"'"° •"'■"" ^" ""^v-orthy ministers 
 AXX\ III., m., 7 : "I aHowthat it is hi>,hl,i expedient who- 
 ever preaches in His name .shouM have an outward as well as 
 .•m mward call, but that it is nhsoh.trl,, neress.tni I deny " 
 XXXVIII., in., 10: "Tiie refusal of a bi.sh<,p to ordain does 
 not hinder the call of God." 
 
 The Standards are rather limited in their reference 
 to the institution of the ministry. Still they are 
 sufficiently clear to .show that their position is Presby- 
 terian rather than Episcopalian in the crucial point 
 
100 
 
 nif.'EHT OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 of tlio oiK'UfsH oF cU'ricfil onlrr. It is not forjjottcn 
 that IVecjuently Wcsloy ox|nvsHtMl liis cordial admira- 
 tion of the Anglican t'pisco|)acy, necosHarily rcf^ardiny 
 it in the same non-prelatical sen.se as Cranmer. 
 
 13.— THE MEANS OF CJUACE. 
 
 The means of grace are the preacliing of 
 the Word, the sacraments, prayer, fellowship 
 and fasting. The conduct of pnbHc worship 
 should be in the vernacular. Irregularity and 
 want of uniformity in the rites of the Church 
 are to be condennied. The sacraments are 
 outward and visible signs of inward and spirit- 
 ual grace, and are tokens of a covenant made 
 between God and the communicant. The 
 outward emblems nmst not be worshipped. 
 There are two sacraments — Baptism and the 
 Lord's Supper. 
 
 Articles, — XV : "It is a thing plainly repugnant to the 
 Word of (jod and tlie custom of the [n-iniitive Churcli, to have 
 public [)rH3'er in the church, or to minister the sacraments, in 
 a tongue not understo(Kl by the peoj)le." XVI.: Sacraments 
 ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian 
 men's i)rofession, but rather they are certain signs of grace 
 
 S 
 
OF THE MKTHODIST CHLHCH. 
 
 101 
 
 iind (lintrs f{<MHl-\vill towimlH us, l>y the whicli Hu dntli work 
 invisibly in us, smd dotli not only i|uioken, )>ut tilsu sti'fiigtliun 
 and cniiifi>i't iiur fjiitli in Him. Tliuro (iiv t\vi> sjiciaiiuMits 
 nrdiiinod of Christ our Lord in tlie (Jospul, tliiit is to say, 
 Ha|itisni and tliu Su])por of tho Lord. Those tivo ooinnioidy 
 ualled sacraments, tliat is to say, contirniation, penance, orders, 
 matiiniony and extreme unction, are not to he counted for 
 sacraments of tlie (lospel, heinj^ such as have partly ,i,'ro\vn 
 out of the corrupt followinir of tlie Apostles, and partly are 
 states of life allowed in the Scriptiu'es, hut yot have not the 
 like nature of Ba|)tism and the Lord's Supper, because they 
 have not any visible sign or ceiemony ordained of (Jod. The 
 sacraments were not ordained of I'hrist to be gazed upon or to 
 be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in 
 such only as worthily receive the same thoy have a wholesome 
 effect or operation ; l)ut they that receive them unwoithily, 
 purchase to themselves c(mdenniation, as St. Paul .saith. 1 Cor. 
 xi. 2J)." XXIL : '* It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies 
 shouhl in all [daces be the same or exactly alike, for they have 
 always l)een different, and may be changed according ro the 
 diversity of countries, times and men's manners, so that nothing 
 be ordained against God's word. Whosoever, through his 
 })rivate judgment, willingly and purposely doth oponly break 
 the rites and ceremonies of the Chm-ch to which he belongs, 
 which are not repugnant to the Word of God and are ordained 
 and approved by connnon authority, ought to be rebuked 
 openly, that others ujay fear to do the like, as one that otfendeth 
 against the connnon order of the Church and woundeth the 
 eon.sciences of weak brethren. Every particular Church may 
 ordain, change or abolish rites and ceremonies so that all things 
 may be done to edification." 
 
 Sermon.s. — IV., I., 8: The ordinances of God are "the 
 stated channels of His giace to man. ' VII., i., : '" The nature 
 of religion is so far from consisting in forms of worship, or rites 
 
■ 1M 
 
 102 
 
 DKiEST »»F THK DOri'UINAL STANDAHDS 
 
 I i 
 
 I I 
 
 or cofemonii'H, that it does imt pidjioily cmisist jn .my iMitward 
 
 iictions of wliiit kiml .sotner." XVI., it., 1 
 
 >y 
 
 IIU'illlH n 
 
 f 
 
 jjriiei) ' I niuU'i'.stjmd oiitw.iril si;,'iia, words or .icfions oidiiiiied 
 of (iod and a|>|toiiitt'd for tliis I'lid to Ix' tlu' ordinary ilianiieLs 
 wlusroby Hn niiLjht convt^y to niiai pii^viuitinj^, jiistifyin)j; or 
 .sanctifyiiiii yraci'. " 2. "All these nu-ans, when si-parati" from 
 tho end, all' loss than nothing and vanity, tliat if they (hi not 
 .•ictiially conduce to tlie knowlodi,'e and h)ve of TJod, they are 
 n( 
 tioii lu'fore Him." 3. 
 
 )t acceptable in His night ; yea. rather, they are an ahoinina- 
 
 Whosoever, then^foie, ima<(ines tliere 
 is any intrin.sic power in any means what.soevei', does greatly 
 err, not knowing the Scri|»tnres, neither the power of <iod. 
 We know that there is no iidierent power ii\ the words that 
 are spoken in prayer, in tlie letter of Scriptnre read, the sonnd 
 thereof heard, or the hread iind wine received in the Lord's 
 Supper; but that it is (Jod alone who is the Giver of every 
 gooil gift, the Author of all grace, that the whole jiowfi' is of 
 Him wherelty through any of these there is any blessing con- 
 veyed to our souls. We know, likewise, tliat He is al)U' to 
 give the same grace, though there were no means on the face of 
 the earth. In this sense we may altirm that, with regard to 
 (iod, there is no such thing as means, seeing He is ecpially aide 
 to work wliatsoever j)leaseth Him by any or by none at all. 
 Wo XVI., v., 4 and XVII., Intro., .{, XVI., iii., 1 : "Accord- 
 ing to this, according to the decision of Holy W^rit, all who 
 desire the grace of (Jod are to wait for it in the means which 
 He hath ordained ; in using, not in laying them aside." 
 
 (a) — BAPTISM. 
 
 Baptism is a sacrament which implies cove- 
 nant relations between God and the person 
 
 il I! 
 
OF TIIK MKTMODIST CHUH('||, 
 
 103 
 
 l)ai)tiz('(1, ;i pledo-c ,,f rrY■^(.^, oivcii I))- Cod .nid 
 of fjiitlifiil service iciidcicd by tlie Itclievcr. 
 Jt is a si<j[ii oj- the spiritual piirilicMtioii w i-()ii«,dit 
 by faith in tiic heart oi" tlie re^'eiierate. In- 
 fants and all believers are [)r()])er siil)j( cts of 
 baptism, and the mode, whetlier by sprink- 
 liii^% i)()uriii,ir or iinniersion, is not vital as 
 re^mrds the validity of the rite. 
 
 Aktici.ks. XVII.: " l^.iptism is imt ..nly r siuii <.f |.i(.- 
 fo-.sion hikI iiiuik ,,f dirtV-roiici' wlicrrl.y Cliristiiins n\v .li-tiii- 
 guishod froiu others tliat jim" ii -t li!i|iti/,iMl. Ixii / is alsi, it xi<in 
 of )rtji')in-iiti<,„ or Ihr iinr hlrlli. Tlu- h.ipMsin ,.| yomij,' rhildron 
 is to be rotiiiiieil in the Chmcli." 
 
 NoTKs. Matt.iii.O: Asto.Tohn's Ixiptism. "sii.h pr.Mli.,'i(Mis 
 nuinhers could luirdly lie l);ii)ti/,f(l liy iinmeiL'iiii,' tlicir wliolc 
 bodies under wuter, nor can we think they were provided with 
 chiinye of rninient for it, wliicli was scaice practicable tor such 
 vast multitudes. And yet tlin/ rouhl nut !„■ itinni'i-qi-il naked 
 with modesty uor in theii' wearin<,' apparel with safety. It 
 seems, therefore, that they stood in ranks un the ed<,'e <tf tlie 
 river, uiid that Joim, passing ah m<f before them, cast water on 
 their heads or fai'es, by which means lie miyht bajiti/.e many 
 thousands in a day. And this way most naturally si<,'nilied 
 Christ's baptizing them with the Holy (Jhost and with tire." 
 Matt. iii. 15, l«i : Haptism of Christ teaching us to observe all 
 Divine ordinances, bajitism included. Mark vii. 4: "The 
 Greek word, ^r.-r\nii,H, mean.s inditf'erently either washing or 
 sprinkling. The cups, ])ots and v>.ssels were washed; the 
 •ccmches sprinkled." John iii. 5 : " E.veept a man experience 
 
104 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 that great inward change l)y the S])irit and be baptized, 
 wherever baptism can be liad, as the outward sign and means 
 of it,' etc. Acts viii. .'18 : " It does not foHow that the eunuch 
 was l»aptizod by immersion. The text neither affirms nor 
 intimates anytliing concerning it." Acts x. 47 : " He does not 
 say they have tlie l)aptisiu of the S]»irit; therefore, they do not 
 need baptism with water, but just tiie contrary. If they have 
 received the Spirit, tlicn l)ai)tize them with water. " Acts 
 xvi. 16 : " Wlio can believe that in so many families there was 
 no infant!^ or that the Jews, who were .so long accu.stcmied to 
 circumcise their children, would not now devote them to God 
 by baptism !" Rom. ii. 25 : Thy circumcision is l)ec(jme uncir- 
 cumcision. "It is so already in effect. Thou wilt have na 
 more benefit from it than if thou ha'st never received it. The 
 very same ol)servation holds with regard to baptism." Rom. 
 vi. 3 : "In baptism we, through faith, are ingrafted intcj Christ 
 and we draw new spiritual life from this root." Ilom. vi. 4 : 
 We are buried with Him. "Alluding to the ancient manner 
 of l)aptism by immersion." We should walk in newness of life. 
 "This, says the Apostle, our very baptism represents to us." 
 
 I Cor. i. 17, 1 Cor. x. 2 : Note favours baptism by sprinkling. 
 Col. ii. 12: "The ancient manner of baptizing by immersion 
 is manifestly alluded t;> here ; the other manner of ba])tizing 
 by sprinkling or jKiuring of water is in Heb. x. 22." 1 Peter 
 iii. 21: Baplisni now saveth us. " That is, through the water 
 of baptism we are saved from the sin which overwhelms the 
 
 world as a flood, not i)ule('ii the Ixtre outn:<tnltii(in,hi(t the Inimrd 
 
 I I race." 
 
 Sermons. — XVII., Intro. 1 : The privileges of adoption 
 "by the free mercy of God are ordinarily annexed to baptism." 
 XVIII., IV., .'5: "Say not then in your heart, 'I irns once 
 baptized, therefore I rn*i noii- a, child of God.' Alas, that con- 
 secpience will by no means hold. How many are the baptized 
 gluttons and drunkards, tlie baptized liars and common 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 105 
 
 swearers, the baptized railers and evil-speakers, the l)aptized 
 whoremongers, thieves, extortioners '. What think you i Are 
 these now the children of God ( Verily, I say unto you, who- 
 soever you are, unto whom any one of the preceding characters 
 belong, ' Ye are of your father the devil, and tlie works of 
 your father ye do.' ' XVIII., iv., 5 : " Lean no more on the 
 start" of that broken reed that ye were born auain in l)aptism. 
 Who denies that ye were then made children of God and heirs 
 of the kingdom of heaven ! But notwithstanding tliis ye are 
 now the children of the devil. Therefore, ye must be born 
 again." XIX., i., 1 : '• Being born of (iod implies not barely 
 the being baptized or any outward cliange whatever." XXXIX., 
 II., 2 : "I believe infants ought to be baptized; and that this 
 may be done either bij dipininj nr .s/»/hA//>m/. If you are other- 
 wise persuaded, be so still, and follow your own persuasion." 
 XLV., IV., 1, 2 : " Baptism is not the new liirth, they are not 
 one and the same thing." "But indeed the reason of the 
 thing is so clear and e.ident as not to need any other authority. 
 For what can be more plain than that tlw our Ix un i.dcni<d, the 
 other <tii ititi'nial imrh; that the one is a visible, the other an 
 invisible thing, and therefore wholly ditt'erent from each other i 
 — the one being nu art of man, ))Uiifying the body ; the other 
 a change wrought by God in the soul : so that the former is 
 just as distinguishable from tlie latter as the soul from the 
 body, or water from the Holy Ghost. From the preceding 
 reflections we may, secondly, oljserve, that as the new l)irth is 
 not the same thing with baptism, so *7 dofn not itiiraiix itrriDti- 
 jm)i)j Ixiptixni : they do not constantly go togetlioi'. A man 
 may [)ossibly be ' born of water,' and yet not be ' born of the 
 Spirit.' There may sometimes be the outward sign, where 
 there is not the inward grace. I do not now speak with regard 
 to infants : it is certain our Church sui){)oses that all who are 
 baptized in their infancy are at the same time born again ; and 
 it is allowed that the whole Ottice for the Baptism of Infants^ 
 proceeds upon this supposition. Nor is it an objection of any 
 
 M 
 
106 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 weiglit Hgfiinst this, that we cannot comprehend how this work 
 can 1)6 wrought in infants. For neither can we comprehend 
 how it is wrouglit in ii person of riper years. But whatever 
 be tlie case with infants, it is sure all of riper yeai's who are 
 baptized are not at the same time born again. ' The tree is 
 known by its fruits.' And hereby it a]jpears too plain to be 
 denied, that divers of those who were children of the devil 
 before they were baptized continued the same after." 
 
 i 
 
 The expression, •' being born again," was in use 
 before the incarnation to exj^ress the change effected 
 in the admission, by baptism and other rites, of a 
 Gentile to the position of a proselyte. The tendency 
 is marked in patristic writing, in harmony with this 
 fact to identify baptism and regeneration, and con- 
 tinues to this day in the prelatical churches. There 
 are some sentences (juoted above from Wesley which 
 seem to countenance this view, and they are indeed 
 sometimes used by sacramentarian authors in the 
 effort to claim Wesley on the side of such teaching. 
 But a simple glance at all his utterances on this sub- 
 ject is sufficient to refute this claim. Indeed the 
 popular estimate of Methodism is a correct one, that 
 one of its most conspicuous features was the preach- 
 ing of the new birth as against all ecclesiastical forms, 
 including the sacraments. 
 
 As to the mode of baptism there is a universal 
 Christian consensus, outside of Anabaptists, that the 
 mode is not essential. Methodism follows the Church 
 of England, whose pra^'^er-book, however, provides 
 for immersion first, and then for sprinkling or pour- 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHUKCH. 
 
 107 
 
 ing. In this latitude the Church of Englfiiid follows 
 the Latin Church. The same view, viz., that mode is 
 not essential, is found in the oriental churches, which, 
 altliough they connnouly baptize by immer.sion, recog- 
 nize the validity of other forms, at least in clinical 
 baptism. The word fiauTiBLo is not a modal term, 
 and its classical, Hellenistic and patristic use shows it 
 implies the application of water by any of the methods 
 employed. 
 
 The baptism of infants is not only appropriate as 
 an act of dedication, but principally as a recognition 
 of their relation to God through Christ and to the 
 covenant of grace, and of their membership already 
 in the Catholic Church. Adults should not be bap- 
 tized if without the grace of regeneration, of which 
 baptism is a sign. 
 
 (/>) — THE EUCHARIST. 
 
 The Eucharist, or Lord's Supper, is a sacra- 
 ment implying a federal relation between God 
 and the believer, expressing reciprocally 
 pledges of special grace and fidelity. The 
 outward emblems are bread and wine, which 
 remain unchanged in their nature. With 
 them is given by faith to the acceptable com- 
 
¥m 
 
 W 
 
 108 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 iiiunicHnt an assiimnce of the actual, but not 
 of the physical, presence of Christ. 
 
 I 
 
 Articles.— XVIII.: " The Supper of tlie Lord is not only a 
 sign of the love that Christians oiiyht to have among themselves 
 one to another, hut rather is a sacrament of our redemption by 
 Christ's death ; insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily and 
 with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a par- 
 taking of the body of Christ, and likewise the cup of blessing 
 is a partaking of the blood of Christ. TransubstKntiation, or 
 the change of the substance of In-ead and wine in the Su])per of 
 our Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to 
 the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a 
 sacrament, and hath given occasion to many 8Ui)erstitions. 
 The body of Christ is given, taken and eaten in the Supper 
 only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means 
 whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, 
 is faith. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by 
 Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up or wor- 
 shii)ped." XIX.: The cuj) of the Lord is not to be denied 
 to the lay ])eople, for both the parts of the Lord's Supper, 
 by Christ's ordinance and conunandment, ought to be admin- 
 istered to all Christians alike." XX.: "Wherefore the sacri- 
 fice of the Mass, in which it is commonly said that the priest 
 doth ofl'er Clu'ist for the (piick and the dead, tj have remission 
 of pain or guilt, is a lilasphemous fable and dangerous deceit." 
 
 Notes.— Matt. xxvi. 2(5, 28 : "This bread is, that is, repre- 
 sents, mil fiixlii, according to the style of the sacred writers." 
 (Three illustrations given.) "Now Christ, substituting the Holy 
 Communion for the Passover, follows the style of the Old 
 Testament, and uses the same expressions the Jews were wont 
 to use in celebrating the Passover." "This is the sign of my 
 blood whereby the new covenant is confirmed." So Luke 
 xxii. 19, 20, John vi. 51. 
 
1 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 109 
 
 There are four different views of the Eucharist, 
 varyino- from the simple idea of a memorial service to 
 the view of trausubstantiatiou : 
 
 First, the Zwinj^diaii, which re(,^ards the rite as 
 merely commemorative of Christ's death. 
 
 Secoml, the Calvinistic, which adds to this the 
 emphasiziutr of the federal character of the rite, 
 which serves as a pledge of s])ecial f,n-ace and of 
 special manifestation of Christ's spiritual j)resence. 
 
 Third, the Lutheran view of consul )stantiation or 
 impanation, which is the same as the Roman Catholic 
 view of transubstantiation, except that it denies any 
 chanj>-e in the nature of the elements at consecration, 
 but teaches that with the bread and wine there is the 
 real presence of Christ's body literally partaken of by 
 the connnunicant. 
 
 Fourth, the Roman Catholic view of transubstantia- 
 tion, which teaches that at the iiKjment of consecra- 
 tion the bread and wine cease to be bread and wine 
 and become the body and blood of Christ, offered by 
 tlie priest as a sacrifice for sin. 
 
 Of the above four views the second, or the Calvin- 
 istic, is that taui,dit in the twenty-eii^-hth Article of 
 the Church of En<,dand, which without chancre is 
 reaffirmed by Wesley in Article XVIII. The marked 
 tendency of Anolicanism is to revert to the view of 
 the Latin Church, but its Articles and homilies are 
 clearly adverse to such tentlency. 
 
 The practice of usinji- unfermented wine in the 
 Eucharist is becoming- very general in Meth(xlist 
 
f - 
 
 110 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 cliurclies, as best lianiioniziny with historical and 
 prudential considerations. 
 
 The sacrament of baptism is, in the case of an 
 adult, a si^n of the initiation of the Christian life, 
 and in the case of an infant a sign of a work of grace 
 already begun, and is therefore not to be repeated. 
 The Lord's Supper is to be frequently used as a means 
 of nourishing and increasing our spiritual life. 
 
 (c) — PRAYER. 
 
 Prayer is the offering up of our desires to 
 God, by the aid of His Spirit, for things agree- 
 able to His will in and through the mediation 
 alone of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 ■i^ i': 
 
 Notes. — Matt. vi. 7, John ii. 4 : Describes the rabsurdity of 
 our addressing the Vii'gin Mary "as if she had a right to com- 
 mand Christ on the throne of His gh)ry. Likewise how inde- 
 cent it is f.)r us to direct His supreme wisdom as to the time or 
 manner in which He shall appear for us in any of the exigencies 
 of life." Eph. vi. 18, 1 Tim. ii. 1. 
 
 11 
 
 The teachings of the Standards on the subject of 
 prayer are found also under the title of Faith, includ- 
 ing the obligation of submission to the Divine will 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 Ill 
 
 in sookino" temporal benetits, and the <luty of using 
 natural nieaiiH for .securinj>; siicli benefits. 
 
 As to liturgical form of worship, it is well known 
 how Wesley esteemed the Book of Common Prayer of 
 the Church of England, and every intelligent follower 
 of Wesley, and every l)road-minded Christian, sh.ares 
 his feeling-. At the same time it is well known that 
 extemporaneous prayer as the spontaneous expression 
 of earnest desire was conspicuous in the VVesleyan 
 revival. The result is that the AFethodi.st Church 
 aims at combining both extemporaneous and liturgical 
 forms of devotion in her worship. The Offices of Bap- 
 tism and the Lord's Supper, and of the Ordination of 
 Ministers, of Solemnization of Matrimony and Burial 
 of the Dead, with somi; changes, are taken from the 
 Anglican Ritual. The abridged Liturgy for Morning 
 and Evening Prayer, though prepared for America, 
 where it was formally adopted but never used, has 
 been conspicuously in use in the Wesleyan Church in 
 England and some of the mi.ssion fields. The result 
 is that on this as on several other questions Method- 
 ism takes a middle ground between the Anglican and 
 Presbyterian Churches, in combining both extempo- 
 raneous and liturgical forms of worship, although the 
 general preference is for extemporaneous prayer 
 except in the Offices above mentioned. 
 
r 1 
 
 V. i 
 
 ■ I 
 
 112 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 (C?) — K ASTING. 
 
 Fasting, which Wesley iaithfiilly practised 
 and enjoined, is clearly explained as a reli- 
 gious duty ill Sermon XXYII., in which, in 
 II. 11, it is declared to be " in the practice of 
 God's children in all ages a means of grace." 
 
 Sermons. — XXVII., in., 1 : "It has been frequently said, 
 ' Let a Christian fast from sin and not from food ; this is what 
 God retiuires at liis hands.' So He does, hut He rctpiires the 
 other also. Tlierefore this ought to be done, and that not leiFt 
 und(me." XXVII., in., 3 : "It is possible either to fast or 
 |>ray in such a manner as to make you much worse than before, 
 more unhappy and more unholy. Yet the fault d<»es not lie in 
 the means itself, but in the manner of using it. Use it still, but 
 use it in a different manner. Do what God commands ax He 
 connnands it, and then, doubtless, His pnmiise shall not fail." 
 XXVII., IV., 2: "Fasting is only a way which God hath 
 ordained, wherein we wait for His unmerited mercy, and 
 wherein, without any desert of ours. He hath promised freely 
 to give us His blessing." 
 
 14.— THE SABBATH. 
 
 The obligation of observing the Sabbath to 
 keep it holy being stated in the Moral Law, 
 
 i.i:; 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 113 
 
 is universal. The change of day t'roin the 
 seventh to the first carries with it nil the 
 authority of the New Testament. 
 
 Notes. -Matt. xii. 8 : The Sen of Man is Lord even of the 
 Sabbath. "Tliis certainly implies that the Sabb.ith was an 
 institution of great and distinguished inij.ortance. It may, per- 
 haps, also refer to that signal act of auth.jrity which Christ 
 afterward exerted over it in changing it from the seventh to the 
 first day of the week." 
 
 Sermons.— LII., ii., 10: "But many are not convinced 
 that buying or selling on the Lord's Day is a sin. If they are 
 not convinced, they ought to be ; it is higli time they should. 
 The case is as plain as plain can be. For if an open, wilful 
 breach both of the law of God and the law of the land is not sin, 
 pray what is ? And if such a breach both of Divine and human 
 laws is not to be punished because a man is not convinced it is a 
 sin, there is an end of all execution of justice, and all men may 
 live as they list! " 
 
I J ll ■ ■ 
 
 hill:: 
 
 m 
 
 114 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 LAST THIKGS. 
 
 The department of Eschatology in Divinity 
 is far from its complete development. We owe 
 it to Athunasius that in the fourth century 
 the scientific statement of the doctrines of the 
 Trinity and the Person of Christ made such 
 advance that the results are permanent to this 
 day. We are similarly indebted in Anthro- 
 pology to Augustine of the fifth century, and 
 in Soteriology to Anselm of the twelfth cen- 
 tury, and to Luther and Calvin in the six- 
 teenth century. But the remaining depart- 
 ment, relating to last things, is now awaiting 
 a similar scientific treatment, and the variety 
 of theories respecting post-mortem conditions 
 indicates such activity of thought as may 
 crystallize into a system of doctrine which 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHUUCH. 
 
 116 
 
 will be syinnietriciil jind free from tlie tradi- 
 tional errors which luive come down to us 
 chiefly throu,n;h the Latin (Mmrch. We are 
 satisfied we have the truth, but the tiuth here 
 does not come to all l)eliev(!rs with the same 
 uniformity as in other departments of theology. 
 It (!annot be claimed that Wesley has given 
 us here the exactness of statement we find 
 elsewhere. The influence upon his thought 
 of Pre-millennial Adventism the impartijd 
 student cannot ignore. The evils resulting 
 from this error were not as conspicuous in 
 his day as since, and his great and deserved 
 esteem for Bengel betrayed him into counte- 
 nancing to some degi-ee, without fully endors- 
 ing, the views of this able and devout scholar. 
 Bengel. born 1687, died 17/51, was an evan- 
 gelical Lutheran, very conservative in his 
 study of the letter of Holy Scripture. His 
 method of literalness led him, as it has led 
 scores since, into notorious error and mis- 
 calculation. Among the results of his system 
 were these : The final rage of Antichrist ex- 
 
 
116 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STAN'DAUDS 
 
 tends for three and a half years, from A.L). 
 1832 to 183G. The figlit with the beast froiii 
 the abyss and his overthrow by Christ's ap- 
 pearing' were to occur on June 18, 183(). 
 From then to A.]). 288() Satan was to be 
 bound, and then loosed for a season until 
 2947. From A.D. 2836 to 3880 would be the 
 millennial reign of saints in heaven, and the 
 latter year the date of the end of the world 
 and the last judgment. History certainly 
 plays havoc with such exposition, whether 
 given by Bengel or the less cultured Millerites, 
 whose date for the consummation was fixed a 
 decade later than Bengel's. Do the Stan- 
 dards, however, favour such views ? We will 
 see as we collate what limited teaching they 
 give us concerning last things. 
 
 t* 
 
 1.— THE MILLENNIUM. 
 
 The millennium is a period of the general 
 prevalence of Christianity in the world, inter- 
 
OF THK METHODIST CIMIJCr 
 
 117 
 
 rupted, hovvovcr, hy the ^reat apostasy and 
 the appearing of the *' man of sin." 
 
 NoTKs. R.mi. xi. 12: Tlio fiiliu'SH or coiivorsioii of the 
 Jews sliiill l)e tlio riches of tlie world. Hoiiv. xi. 2'> : Tlio 
 fulne.ss of the (Jeiitiles shall eoiiie in, in the sen.se thiit the 
 vast heathen nations shall accept Christianity. 2 Thess. ii. .'{ : 
 The man of sin, " Kniinently so called, is not rmnr ijil. How- 
 ever, in many respects, the Pope has an indispiitai)le claim to 
 1-h(«e titles, the man of sin, the son of perdition." In support 
 • f this comment the intolerance, cruel persecution.s, and cor- 
 ruption of the Papacy are cited. 2 Tlies.s. ii. 7 : "The 'mystery 
 of inicpiity' is not wholly confined to the Romish Church, hut 
 extends itself to others also." 
 
 The natui-L' of thf inillcniiiuin is material or .spiritual 
 aecordiii^^ to the sourcL' of (un- ideas eonceniiiio- it. If 
 we allow oui-st'lves to he .-itfeeted hy the .ludaizintr 
 iiiHuences which often dimmL'd the si(rht of the dis- 
 ciples, we may o^o so far as Papias, and revel in the 
 pro.speet of a period of unlimited luxury and material 
 enjoyment. Our jud^nnent will, however, be more 
 correct as well as more .sober if we remember the 
 wealth of spiritual si^niifieance there is in the num- 
 bers so conspicuously used in the Apocalyp.se, and 
 we will not be far astray in associatino- with l.OOO 
 (viiUe, ^/Afoi) the idea of perfection and supremacy 
 as truly prefi^urinj;' in one tiiousand years the oolden 
 age of love an<l virtue and knowledoe to which Chris- 
 tianity is bearing;' us : not tliat then individual free- 
 dom will or can be set aside, but 
 
'T^ 
 
 118 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 " Jesus shall roign where'er the sun 
 Doth lii.s successive journeys run," 
 
 in education, Kcionce, philosophy, Hociety and govern- 
 ment, in the sense of His exercising directly through 
 His Churcli the most act.' e influence in liuman affairs. 
 The demonsti'ation of the Man of Sin in the great 
 apostasy isn fruitful theme for dogmatists in prophecy. 
 Wesley falls in with the habit of applying this title to 
 the Pope, but he is wise enough afterward to admit 
 that the " mystery of inicjuity " is not wholly eon- 
 fined to the Romish Church. Findlay's able work 
 on the Epistles to the Thessalonians — a work truly 
 inidtum in parvo — gives a statement of the dozen 
 individuals or systems claimed by different commenta- 
 tors to fit the designation of the Man of Sin ; but his 
 judgment, as that of all the most -influential authori- 
 ties of our day, is opposed to localizing the signifi- 
 cance of this term in any individual. We do well to 
 study the movements of great influences not by any 
 means confined to Romanism — great forces of evil, 
 infidelity, anarchy, lust, as well as ecclesiastical 
 oppression wherever found, as with growing hatred 
 they mass themselves for "the battle of that great 
 day of Ciod Almighty." 
 
 2.— HADES. 
 
 Hades is the state of incorporeal spirits, 
 good and bad, between death and the resur- 
 
 ill 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHIRCH. 
 
 119 
 
 rection. It is without any disciplinary or 
 purgatorial agency. 
 
 ARTirLEs.^-XIV. : " Tlie Roi„i«h (l.)ctrin.- c...K.,>rniiig pur- 
 gatory, pardon, worshipping, and adoration, as well of iniigos 
 as of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond tiling, 
 vauily invented, and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, 
 but repugnant to the Word of Ciod." 
 
 NoTEs.-Matt. xxii. ;i2: "The soul does not die with the 
 body." Luke xvi. 22 : Abrahams ix.soni — " sothe Jews styled 
 paradise, the place where the souls of g ,od men remain from 
 death to the resurrection." Acts ii. 27 : Thou wilt not leave 
 my soul in hades— "The invisible world. But it does not 
 aiipear that our Lord ever wiit into hell. His soul when it 
 was separated from the bo.ly did not g.) thither, but to para- 
 dise. The meaning is. Thou wilt not leave my soul in its 
 separate stite, nor sull'er my body to lie corrujited." 1 Cor. 
 XV. 55 : " Hades literally means tlu; invisible world and 
 relates to the soul." 2 Cor. v. 8: "The happiiess of the 
 saints is not defened till the resurrection." 2 Cor. xii. 4 : Ho 
 was caught up into paradise— " The seat of happy spirits in 
 their sepamte state between death and the resurrection " Rev. 
 i. 18 : " Hades, that is. the invisible world. In the inteimedi- 
 ate stiite the body abides in death, the .soul in iiades." So 
 Rev. vi. 8. Kev. xx. 13: " //ur/f.s, (!„■ mrptade of sepo.mte 
 souls. " 
 
 Sekmons.-LL, II., 5, 0, 8, !>, 10 : " It cannot be (pies»ioned 
 that separate spirits have some way to communicate their senti- 
 ments to each other, but what inhab.tant of flesh ami lilodd 
 can explain that way ?" "But will not some kind of sight 
 remain, although the eye be closed in death;' And will there 
 not be something in the soul e(iuivalent to the present sense 
 
':|i-J 
 
 120 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 (if heariii<4 ;■ Nay, is it, not probable, that these will not only 
 exist ill a separate state, l)iit exist in a far greater (le<,'ree, in a 
 more eminent manner, than now, when the soul, di-entanglecl 
 from its clay, is no longer ' a dying sparkle in a cloudy place ;' 
 when it no longer ' looks through the windows of the eye and 
 eir;' I)ut rather is all eye, all ear, all sense, in a manner we 
 cannot yet conceive V The seiinon states the view that after 
 death there will be continued activity of memory, consciousness 
 and understanding. 
 
 M 
 
 J 
 
 The Wo.stinin.ster Confession (Article XXXII.), in 
 order to avoid all the errors connected with the doc- 
 trine of the Intermediate State, holds that immediately 
 at death the rijihteous pass into " the highest heavens," 
 and the wicked into hell. The errors thus avoided 
 are strikino- aiid pernicious. The chief one is the 
 doctrine of Purgatory, with all' that it implies of 
 masses and prayers and offerings for the dead. There 
 is also the error of Psychopannychy, or Sleep of the 
 Soul until the Resurrection, supported hy John Locke, 
 llothe and Archbishop Whatoly. 
 
 However, the attitude of the Confession is scarcely 
 justitiable in ignoring a scriptural term with the 
 doctrine which that term so clearly sets forth. Eri-or 
 ^^'ill sufficiently l)e avoided by adherence to the 
 simple meaning of the word before us. Hades, de- 
 rived from n; priv., and eiSfLv, to see, .simplv means 
 the unseen world of disembodied spirits into which 
 Christ passed, of whom it was said, " Thou wilt not 
 leave my soul in Hades," including therefore paradise. 
 VVe read also that " in Hades" Dives "lifted up his 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 121 
 
 eyes, being in torment." The state is, therefore, one 
 both of bliss and suttering: that is, of conscious 
 existence. There is no authority for associating with 
 it any purgatorial element either in the gross material 
 form of Roman Catholic theology, or in the more 
 spiritual form of thought of the Greek Church, or in 
 its inception in the limited extent to which it is 
 taught l)y Dr. Pusey in his able work, " What is of 
 Faith as to Everlasting Punishment i" It is a state 
 rather than a place. The doctrine of Hades Wesley 
 unquestioningly adopts from Anglicanism, at the 
 same time repudiating the errors with which the 
 doctrine has been corrupted. 
 
 3.— THE HECOND ADVENT. 
 
 Christ will come again in visible form in 
 His glorified body to jndge the quick and the 
 dead. His coming will not precede the mil- 
 lennium. 
 
 Articles. -III. : "Christ di.l truly rise agai.i fr.m. the dead, 
 and took again His l)od.y, uith nil tliinys appertaining to the 
 perfection of man's nature, wherevviHi He ascended int.rheaven, 
 and thete sittefh until He n'tiin, to jmhjp all men at the lu-st day.''' 
 
 ^^ Notes. -Matt. xxiv.:5,2!»,3<): Time <.f His coming unknown, 
 "yet it might afterwards be revealeil to St. John." 1 Thess 
 
r^r r--' 
 
 I 
 t 
 
 tf 
 
 I 
 
 122 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 iv. 15, 17 : Tho expoHition given of the order of events in this 
 pji.ssage is that commonly received by representfitives of the 
 post-milleuarifin view, and significantly j)asses by the doctrine 
 of tlio two resin'rections, so conspicuous in Pre-millennial 
 Adventisin. 
 
 In honour the fact must not Ite ij^nored that in one 
 of the three standards, viz., the Notes, the whole Pre- 
 millennial Adventist system of Benj^el is reproduced 
 with a long chronological outline worthy of Miller or 
 Cummings, fixing the Second Advent at June 18, 
 188(), and carrying the Millennium forward to A.D. 
 2836, when Satan would be loosed for a little time. 
 
 Is it legally incumbent to believe this ? No; for — 
 First, history ])roves it is false. The blindness of 
 Roman Catholic faith in accepting the dogma of 
 Papal infallibility, and shutting' one's eyes to the 
 fact imiversally recognized that Pope Honorius was 
 anathematized by a General Council as a heretic, has 
 not happened in part or at all to our Protestant 
 Israel. Second, while Wesley gives his whole exposi- 
 tion of the Apocalypse after Bengel, he states, in his 
 introductory Notes, " Every part of this I do not 
 undertake to defend." So far as his views are legally 
 authoritative, the latitude he here claims for himself 
 is certainly secured legally to us. Again, amid the 
 solemn imagery of the Dragon, the Beast and the 
 False Prophet, in CXX. v. 3, he says: "How far these 
 expressions are to be taken literally, how far figura- 
 tively only, who can tell?" This disclaimer is his 
 own. Nothing like it is found eitlier in Bengel's 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 123 
 
 Gnomon or his Eklidrtc Offenbaninci. Thirdly, tlie 
 brief references in the otlier .standards to the Second 
 Advent are opposed to the pre-niillennial \ie\v, espe- 
 ci.ally the unequivocal and conclusive statement of 
 Article III. of the siniultaneousness of the Genei'al 
 Judgment and of the Second Advent. Chri.st "as- 
 cended into heaven, and THERE .sitteth UXTIL He 
 RETURN TO .JUDGE all men at the Last Day," or, as it 
 is in the Apostles' Creed, " Thence He shall come to 
 judge the cpiick and the dead." 
 
 The pre-millennial view implies that the world is 
 growing worse. Methodists, with other evangelical 
 churches, are much encouraged by success in their 
 work to make it better. The pre-millennial view is 
 a reflection on the admiiiistraticm of the Spirit as a 
 failure, needing the reappearance of our Incarnate 
 Lord to .supply the defect. Methodists, with better 
 faiti\ "believe in the Holy Ghost." The jjre-miileiniial 
 view represents Christ as literally enthroned in 
 Jerusalem, or .some such place. Methodists remember 
 with satisfaction His words, " My kingdom is not of 
 this world." Many Pre-millennial Adventists antici- 
 pate the settling of converted Jews in Palestine. 
 Most Methodists consider they would be better off in 
 Christian homes in Anglo-Saxon lands, and prefer to 
 regard the gorgecjus imagery of their restored glory 
 in prophecy as prefiguring what is of infinitely greater 
 importance than any earthly conditions and more 
 appropriate to the broader economy of grace, viz., the 
 widening of the first and typical covenant made to 
 
wrr 
 
 TT- 
 
 124 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTKINAL STANDARDS 
 
 Israel into the riches of Hpiritiial lienefit of priesthood 
 and kingship offered to Jews and Gentiles in the new 
 covenant of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 4.— THE GENERAL RESURRECTION. 
 
 " All that are in their graves shall hear the 
 voice of the Son of God and shall come forth." 
 
 NoTK.s.— Mfuk xii. 27 : If God be the God nob of the dead 
 but of the liviii}^, " there iiuist needs l)e n future state of bless- 
 edness and a resurrection of the body to share with tlie soul in 
 it." Luke XX. 38: " 37ip hodij In loi. rsseittial part of vian." 
 The relation of God as the God of the living implies its resur- 
 rection. 1 Cor. XV. 20 : The resurrection of Clirist is the earn- 
 <j.st, pledge and insurance of their resurrection who slept in 
 Him, even of all the righteous. It is of the resurrection of 
 these, and of these only, that tlie Apostle speaks throughout 
 this chapter." 1 Cor. xv. 38 : To every seed its own body. 
 Not only peculiar to that species, but proper to that individual, 
 and arising out of the substance of that very grain. 1 Cor. xv. 
 42, 44 : The resurrection Ijody is ''utterly incapable of either 
 dissolution or decay." "It is endued with qualities of a 
 spiritual nature, like the angels of God." 2 Cor. v. 4: "Not 
 that we would be unclothed ; not that we desire to remain 
 without a body. Faith does not understand that philosophical 
 contempt of what the wise Creator has given." 
 
 On the doctrine of the re.surrection we obtain from 
 the eastern fathers more spiritual, and from the Latin 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 125 
 
 Church, as on .several other doctrines, more material- 
 izing, interpretation. The foi-iner are prol)ahly the 
 most prevalent anion*,^ more thoughtful Protestants. 
 The idea of exact identity of particles is generally 
 pronounced iirational and iuipos.sihle. It is not 
 taught in the Standards. The certainty of the resur- 
 rection is taught in the Scriptures, hut it forms the 
 culmination in the series of supernatural events. In 
 a certain .sense, at the beginning of the series, we 
 have Christ coming into human life in normal condi- 
 tions. At tlie end we have His people released from 
 the .sufferings of such conditions. At the begimiing, 
 Christ coming from heaven to earth : at the end, His 
 people coming from earth to lieaven, the completion 
 of His work, "to wit, the redemption of our body." 
 The climax of the resurrection can no more be under- 
 stood than the initial miracle of the incarnation. 
 
 6.— THE GENERAL JUDGMENT. 
 
 The general judgment follovv'ing the resur- 
 rection will be both universal and individual. 
 It will be before the universe a vindication of 
 the Divine administration and a determina- 
 tion of individual rewards and punishments 
 according to the deeds done in the body. 
 
n r 
 
 
 126 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 4 ■■ 
 
 Articlkh. - 111 : "ChriHt. iisccndcd into heavon, and tliere 
 
 sitteth until //«' irhitii to judije all men at the Inst (hn/." 
 
 NoTKS. — Roui. ii. 5 : " Whun Clod .shall l)e revealed, then 
 shall also be revealed the secrets of men's hearts." Rom. ii. 
 11 : " He will reward every one according to his works. But 
 tills is well consistent with his di.stril)iitiny advantages and 
 op])ortunities of inij)roveuients according to His own good 
 pleasure." 1 Cor. iii. lo : "The strict process of that day by 
 tire will try every man's doctrines whether they come up to the 
 Scripture standard or not. Here is a plain allusion to the 
 Haming light and consuming heat c^f the general contiagration. 
 But the expression when apjtlied to the trying of doctrines and 
 consuming those that are wrcmg, is cvhltntly fi<jnnitivc, hecanse 
 no nmteriid fire can ]\nve unch an effect on vhat is of n moral 
 nature. This text is so far from establishing the Romish 
 Purgatory that it utterly overthrows it. For the tire here men- 
 tioned does not exist till the day of judgment." Heb. ix. 27 : 
 After this the judgment. " Of the greivt day. At the moment 
 of death every man's tinal state is determined. But there is 
 not a word in Scripture of a particular judgment immediately 
 after death." 
 
 Sermon.s. — XV., II., 2 : "If we consider the number of per- 
 sons who are to be judged, and of actions which are to be 
 inipiired into, it does not appear that a thousand years will 
 suttice for the transactions of that day ; so that it may not 
 improbably comprise .several thousand years. But God shall 
 reveal this also in its .season." XV., ii., 10 11: "It is 
 apparently and absolutely necessary for the full display of 
 the glory of God, for the clear and perfect manifestation of 
 His wisdom, justice, power and mercy toward the heirs of 
 salvation, that all the circumstances of their life should be 
 placed in ojien view, tof^'ether with all their tempers, and all the 
 desires, thoughts and intents of their hearts. Otherwisj, how 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 127 
 
 would it Hitpoiir nut (.f what !i ck-pth of sin jiml uiiseiy tho grace 
 of (Jod had deIi\-ored tlieui >" " It will he abundantly sutti- 
 cient for them that all the transgressions whicli they iiad c<.in- 
 mitted shall not be once mentioned unto them to their disad- 
 vantage, that their sins, and transgressions and iiii((uities 
 shall be remeinl)ered no more to their condenniation." LI., 
 m., 1 : "It now eniains that, being no longer stewards, we 
 give an account of our stewardship. Some have imagined this 
 is to be done innnediately after death, as soon us we enter into 
 the world of spirits. Nay, the Church of Rome does absolutely 
 assert this ; yea makes it an article of faith. And thus nnich 
 we may allow, the moment a .soul drops the body and stands 
 naked before God, it cannot but know what its portion will be 
 to all eternity. It will have full in its view either everlasting 
 joy or everlasting torment, as it is no longer po.ssil)le for us to 
 be deceived in the judgment which we pass uj)on oursclve.s. 
 But the Scripture gives us no reason to believe that God will 
 then sit in judgment upon us. There is no passage in all the 
 oracles of (Jod which attirms any such thing. That which has 
 been frequently alleged fo- this purpose seems rather to prove 
 the contrary, namely, Heb. ix. 27: 'It is appointed for men 
 once to die, and after this the judgment ;' for, in all reason, the 
 word ' once ' is here to be apjjlied to judgment as well as death. 
 So that the fair inference to l)e drawn from this very text is, 
 not that there are two judgments , a particular and a general— 
 but that we are to be judged, as well as to die, once only ; not 
 once immediately after death and again after the general resur- 
 rection, but then only ' when the Son of man shall come in his 
 glory, and all his holy angels with him.' The imagination, 
 therefore, of one judgment at death and another at the end of 
 the world, can have no place with those who make the written 
 Word of God the whole and sole standard (jf their faith.'- 
 
128 
 
 DUiEST OF THK DOCTIUXAL STANDAUDS 
 
 6.— HELL. 
 
 Hell is a place of ooiitirined opposition to 
 God, H place of everlasting sin and of ever- 
 lasting pnnislinient. 
 
 
 li 
 
 Notes. — Matt. iv. 22: Clelienim, or Vulley of Hiniioiii, with 
 its tires Jiiul it.s impurity oxpbiined to l)u "a tit enil)lein of iiell." 
 Mfitt. XXV. 4(5: *' It is particularly observable here, (I) tliat the 
 punishment lasts as loiig as the reward ; and (2) that this pun- 
 ishment is so far from oeasing at the end of the world, that 
 it does n(jt begin till then." Mark ix. 44 : The tire, i-itln-r 
 material or infiiiiichj wio'se, that tormenteth the body, is not 
 (juenched for ever." Luke xii. 4(>, 47: The portion of the 
 unfaithful servant is an everlasting portion. His having much 
 knowledge will increase, not lessen his punishment. John 
 iii. 3 : If men reject Christ, " their eternal aggravated condem- 
 nati(m would be the certain conse(iuence." 2 Thess. i. !): " As 
 there can be no nal «/ thrir .•<iiis (the same enmity against God 
 continuing), so neither of their punishment ; sin and its jiun- 
 ishment running parallel tlnoughout eternity itself. They 
 must of necessity, therefore, ])e cut ott' from all good and all 
 po.ssibility of it." .lames v. 1, 2 Peter i. 12, 2 Peter iii. 7, 
 Jude «i, 7. 
 
 Sermon.s. — IL, 10., v., I.: "Being already dead in .spirit, 
 dead t(j God, dead in sin, min hastened on to death everlasting; 
 to the destruction both of body and soul, in the fire never to 
 be 4uenched." 
 
 Laxity on the .subject of retribution and laxity in 
 one's views of sin are reciprocal in their influence. 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 129 
 
 With <,n-o\vth of luxury uud wisy viow.s of sin and lax 
 conceptiouH of oblij^ntion and law, thciv ari.se.s a 
 denionstrativo prott'.st at^-ain.st eternal retribution. 
 Men beconio restless under restraint, and (Jod is 
 char^jed with tyranny because He maintains His jus- 
 tice. But the doctrine of hell is so clearly revealed 
 in Scripture that its denial means the necessary 
 rejection of the Bible as authoritative. This doc- 
 trine has been prominent in the Methodist as in all 
 other revivals, and must have a prominent place in 
 the thought of all true, loving, faithful ministers of 
 Christ, whose declaration is, " knowing therefore the 
 terrors of the Lord, we persuade men," who are less 
 concerned about saving their creed than about saving 
 souls as brands from the burning. 
 
 As in other departments of eschatology, so here 
 there are the two methods of interpretation— tin* 
 literal and materializing on the one hand, and on the 
 other the figurative. The latter implies no abatement 
 of the severity of the doctrine, and is probably most 
 widely followed. 
 
 The errors on this subject are Universalism, Con- 
 ditional Immortality, Post-mortem Probation and 
 Restorationism. To all of these the Standards are 
 unequivocally opposed. 
 
. rr^ 
 
 130 
 
 DKiEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 HEAVEN. 
 
 Heaven is a place of confiniied harmony 
 witli God, a place of everlasting holiness and 
 
 of everlasting hliss. 
 
 NoTK.s. — Mfitt. V. 5 : " Tho riyhtuouH shall heroiiftor J'^hsusr 
 tho nuw oHitii wliuioin dwelloth rigiitudiisnoss." Matt. xxv. 
 4(i : Tlio lewanl <if tho li^'litooiis \h everlasting life. Rom. viii. 
 21 : Tho oioation itself shall bo deliveiod. " Dostruetion is 
 not deliverance. Therefore, whatsoever is destroyed or ceases 
 to he, is not delivered at all. Will then any part of tho 
 creation be destroyed?" Into the glorious liberty — "the 
 exeellont state wherein they were created." 2 Cor. ix. (i: "God 
 will |)i"o)iortion the reward to the work and the temper whenoe 
 it procoods." 2 IVter iii. 11: "Both tlio dissolution and tho 
 renovation are ascribed, not to tho one luavon which surrounds 
 the earth, l)\it to the heavens in general without any restriction 
 or limitation." 2 Peter iii. 13 : New heavens and a new earth, 
 " raised, as it wore, out of the ashes of the old. We look for 
 an entirely new state of tilings." Rev. vi. 7; "There is an 
 inconceivable variety in tho degrees of reward in the other 
 world." 
 
 Skkmons. — XV., III., :! : Renovation by tiro described, " we 
 cann<tt now either attirni oi < -'uy this, l)ut we shall know here- 
 after." XXVI., III., 8 W' pray for the coming of His evor- 
 histing kingdom, the kiiiji' loni of glory in heaven, which is tho 
 continuation and |)erfectio:a of the kingdom of grace on earth. 
 Consecpiently this, as well as the preceding petition, is ottered 
 up for the whole intelligent creation, wlio are all interested in 
 this grand event, the Jimd irnorafion of nil tliiinjn, Inj troiVs 
 
OF THE METHonrsT f'HrRCH. 
 
 ISl 
 
 piiflinii ini mil tn in !.•<,■, innul si „, to iiijirmitij ,'tul ,l,.,th, takiiij,' 
 uU thirigH int.) His own Imnds, jiu,! .suttiug iif. thu kingdom 
 which ondnruth thron^liout fill fu'es. 
 
 In tilt' interpretati(jii of Scriptuiv rcferonccs to 
 hoiivt'ii tluuv are tlu- nijitfrializin^r nifthod Ijol'ore 
 (lescriluMl, and its opposito, especially in .h'aliiio- with 
 the pir^reoiiH repre.sentations of the 7Vi)ocalyi)He, with 
 its harps and crowns and golden streets. In slighting 
 the former we mnst not, Jiowever, forget th«' strong 
 l)resuniptions there are in favoui- of our renovated 
 world Ijeing literally the ahode of the ransomed ; not 
 the earth al(me, for it must be too small for the multi- 
 tude which no man can number, the great majority 
 of the human race, but the whole creation waiting 
 with us for adoption, the redemption of our body. 
 Wesley, in the passages cited hom the Standards, 
 seems clear on this point, though in Sermon XV. he 
 hesitates : " We cannot now either affirm or deny this, 
 but we shall know hereafter." Still, in general, his 
 statements are positive, and agree with Beet on Rom. 
 vni. 22, "If our exposition be correct, these verses 
 teach plainly that the world beneath our feet will be 
 rescued from the curse of sin to be our eternal home." 
 

 132 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTIUNAL STANDARDS 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Ii 
 
 . I 
 
 PRINCIPAL CREEDS. 
 
 1- ECUMENICAL. 
 
 1. The Apostles' Creed. Developed between the first and 
 
 the eighth centuries, 
 
 2. The Niceno-Constantinopolitan, .325 and 381. 
 
 3. The Chalcedon, 451. 
 
 4. The Athiinasian (not drafted by Athanasius). Western 
 
 formula of about the fifth century. 
 
 2.— GREEK. 
 
 
 1. Tlie Orthodox Confession prepared by Peter Mogilas, 1643. 
 
 2. The Decrees of the Synod of Jerusalem or the Confession 
 
 of Dositheus, 1G72. 
 
 3. The Russian Catechisms, 1839, 
 
 3.— LATIN. 
 
 1. The Canons and Decrees of Trent, 1563. 
 
 2. The Creed of Pius IV., 15()4. 
 
 3. The Koman Catechism, 1566. In favour with the Domin- 
 
 icans but not with the Jesuits, on account of its 
 Thomist or Augustiiiian views. 
 
 H^M 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 133 
 
 4. The Bull Cum orcasioiie, 1()53. 
 
 5. The Bull Uiihjenitxs, 1713. 
 
 The last two condemn the Jansenists, and virtually 
 commit the Roman Catholic Church to Semi-Pela- 
 ^anism. 
 
 6. The Dogma oi the Ininia.ulHte Conception, 1854. 
 
 7. The Papal Syllabus, 18(54. 
 
 8. The Vatican Decrees, 1870. 
 
 4.— LUTHERAN. 
 
 1. Luther's Catechisms, 1529. 
 
 2. The Augsburgli Confession, 1530. 
 
 3. The Confessio Variatx, 1530. The Augsburgli Confession 
 
 enlarged and modified by Melancthon. 
 
 4. The Smalcald Articles, 1537. 
 
 5. Formnla Vnnamlw-, 1577. An attempt to harmonize 
 
 Lutherans and Philipi)istK (followers of Melancthon), 
 more especially as to the Eucharist and Synergism. 
 
 6. The Saxon Visitation Articles, 151J2. Strongly anti-Cal- 
 
 vinistic both as to the Eucharist and Predestination. 
 
 5.— REFORMED OR CALVINISTIC. 
 
 1. The Confession of Basle, 1534 
 
 2. The Fir.sf; Helvetic Confession, 153G. 
 
 3. The Catechisui of Geneva, 1541. 
 
 4. The Zurich Consensus, 154lt. 
 
 5. The Geneva C<m."!;nsus, 1552. 
 
 6. The (rallican Confession, 1550. 
 
 7. The Scotch Confe.ssion, 15()0. 
 
 8. The Belgic Ccmfession, 15(il. 
 
 9. The Heidelberg Catechism, 15o3. 
 
I 
 : I 
 
 i j 
 
 134 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 10. The Second Helvetic Confession, 1566. 
 
 11. The Canons of Dort, 1619. 
 
 12. The Westminster Confession, 1647. 
 
 13. The Cambridge Confession, 1648. 
 
 14. The Savoy Declaration, 1658. 
 
 15. Tlie Boston Confession, 1680. 
 
 16. The Saybrook Platform, 1708. 
 
 The last four are Congregationalist, and represent 
 that type of Church Polity. In the earlier Swiss 
 Confessions, Zwinglian views of the Eucharist appear. 
 With these exceptions the foregoing symbols set forth 
 the Calvinistic view of Predestination, the Eucharist 
 and Church Polity. 
 
 6.— ANGLICAN. 
 
 Strictly speaking, the Anglican Church, so far as it 
 is Protestant, is to l)e associated with the Reformed 
 Churches of the Continent, from which it obtained 
 the teachings which brought about the English Refor- 
 mation. Its connection with the Lutheran Church 
 was very slight. Standard histories locate the Angli- 
 can Church under the head of the Reformed. How- 
 ever, as especially since the days of Archbishop Laud, 
 and increasingly so to-day, its divergence from the 
 Presbyterian Church, both as to Predestination and 
 Clerical Order, is very marked, its symbols are here 
 given in a separate list : 
 
 1. The Ten Articles of Henry VIH. Decidedly Romish, 
 but with the King substituted for the Pope. 
 
 I 
 
 \ 
 
 i 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHITRCH. 135 
 
 2. The Echvardine Articles, 1543. 
 
 3. The Thirty-nine Articles, 15G3. 
 
 4. Tlie Lambeth Articles, 1595. 
 
 5. The Irish Articles, 1615. 
 
 The last two creeds are decidedly Calvinistic as to 
 Predestination and Election. The last is chiefly the 
 work of Archbishop Ussher. 
 
 6. The Anglican Catechisms, 1662. 
 
 7. The Thirty-nine Articles, revised by the Protestant Epis- 
 
 copal Church of the United States, 1801. 
 
 These reaffirm the Thirty-nine English Articles, 
 except that in Article VIII. the mention of the Atha- 
 nasian Creed as co-ordinate with the Nicene Creed is 
 omitted, and Article XXXVII. is made general as to 
 the power of the civil magistrate. 
 
 7.— METHODLST. 
 
 1. Wesley's Notes on Lhe New Testament, 1755. 
 
 2. ^^'esley's Sermons, First Series, 1771. 
 
 3. The Twenty-tive Articles, 1784. 
 
 The Congregational and Baptist Churches have their 
 root in the Puritanism of the seventeenth century. 
 They are Congregational in polity and Calvinistic in 
 doctrine, so far as their early history is concerned. 
 Their independency, however, has allowed the widest 
 divergence in doctrine. It is probable that to-day the 
 
h'.' 
 
 : I 
 
 3i 
 
 136 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 very gioat majority of Congregational Churches are 
 not Calvinistie. The Baptists ai-e more conservative, 
 and are generally Calvinistie. With both the authority 
 of creeds is so lowered that they serve only as an indi- 
 cation of existing harmony of view, and not as restric- 
 tive Standards. The principal Congregational creeds 
 are the f \i'' above mentioned — Cambridge, Savoy, 
 Boston ant "ook. The principal Baptist creeds 
 
 are The Conff n of the Seven Churches in London, 
 1644, The Confession of 1688, and The New Hamp- 
 shire Confession, 1883. 
 
 COMPARISON OF METHODIST STANDARDS 
 WITH OTHER CREEDS. 
 
 In the followhig comparison, agreement when 
 stated cannot be regarded as absolute, as there are 
 divergences on minor points, not materially, however, 
 disturbing the consensus. Moreover, the attitude of 
 a Church, as indicated by its Standards, must some- 
 times be taken to be considerably modified by the 
 views of influential individuals or parties still in 
 communion with the Church. Further, the Stan- 
 dards themselves do not always agree. This is 
 especially true of the Anglican and Roman Catholic 
 Churches. The Methodist and Presbyterian Churches 
 respectively show the greatest doctrinal homogeneity 
 of all the leading: denominations. 
 
 ^1! 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 
 
 137 
 
 Agreement and difference in the doctrines indicated 
 are as follows : 
 
 Inspiration and Au- /All agree, it 1)eing unclerstofKl that in the 
 thoritycf the Holy. Greek and Latin Churches tradition is 
 Scriptures | co-ordinate in authority with the Bible. 
 
 Unity of God All agree. 
 
 The Trinity All agree. 
 
 Creation All agree. 
 
 Providence /-'^^^ agree, Calvinists emphasizing Divine 
 
 i sovereignty more than others. 
 
 Fall and Depravity! m 
 
 f HT -^ [All agree, 
 of Man J ° 
 
 Atonement l)y the) ,,, 
 
 Sacritice of Christ. / " '^S^^*^- 
 
 'Methodism agrees with the Greek Church, 
 with the larger part of the Latin and of 
 tlie Anglican Churches, in general with 
 the Lutherans and the Congregational- 
 ists, with the Free-will Baptists and the 
 Cumberland Presbyterians -in all, with 
 more than three-fourths of Christendom. 
 
 Extent of the Atone- 
 ment 
 
 Faith 
 
 Repentance 
 
 I A 11 agree, it l)eing understood that the 
 -. doctrine is supplemented in tie Latin 
 [ Church l)y the doctrine of merit of works. 
 
 TAll agree, except for the limited influence 
 I of Antinomianism in Protestantism and 
 I for the association of penance with 
 I merit of works in the Latin Church. 
 
138 
 
 DKJEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 <}()od Works 
 
 ''Methodism, Romanism and Calvinism on 
 this siU)ject are at three points of a 
 triangle, Calvinism lowering the signiti- 
 cance of good works not in Christian life 
 but in relation to Justiticution, Method- 
 ism emphasizing this importance, and 
 Romanism differing further in attach- 
 ing expiatory merit to good works. 
 
 W4 
 
 Regeneration , 
 
 Justification 
 
 Entire Sanctifica- 
 tion 
 
 • i 
 
 ' All agree, excei)t where Prelatical Churches 
 and High Church Lutherans teach Bap- 
 tismal Regeneration. 
 
 All Protestants agree. The Latin and 
 Greek Churches imike Justification sub- 
 jectively to be identical with Sanctifica- 
 tion. 
 
 Methodist Standards are alone in the 
 sense tliat their teachings are not pre- 
 sented in any other creed. The doc- 
 trine, h(nvever, has been held in varied 
 form by representative theologians in 
 all ages of the Church. 
 
 /'Methodist Standards are alone with modi- 
 fication above stated, a marked approxi- 
 Witness of the Spirit ■> mation to the Methodist view, however, 
 I characterizing the doctrine of Assurance 
 I ir 
 
 in the Reformed Churches. 
 
 I ■ 
 
 The Church 
 
 j All non-Prelatical Churches are agreed as 
 I to its comprehensiveness. 
 
■ 
 
 OF THE METHODIST CHUKCH. 
 
 130 
 
 The Ministry. 
 
 The Euchcarist 
 
 All non-Preliitical Churches are agreed in 
 
 rejecting Apostolical Succession and in 
 
 . maintaining the unity of Clerical Order. 
 
 'Meth.idisin agrees with the Reformed 
 Churches, including the Anglican, in 
 accepting the Calvinistic doctrine. It 
 rejects the Zwinglian view of the 
 Eucharist heing simply a memorial ser- 
 vice, and the Lutheran view of Consuh- 
 stantiation, and the view of Transuh- 
 stantiation found in the Latin and 
 (xreek Clun-ches, and to a large extent, 
 though inctmsistently, in the Anglican 
 Church. 
 
 Baptism 
 
 1 
 
 Methodism agrees with all tlie Reformetl 
 Churches, except with the Baptist 
 to mode and su})jects. 
 
 as 
 
 The Sabbath |^^^ "g'''-'^' «•' f'"' >^>^ the doctrine has Ijcen 
 
 i. formulated. 
 
 The Post- millennial 
 Advent of Christ. 
 
 All agree, it Ijeing understood, however, 
 that Pre-millennial Adventism is mak- 
 ing some advance in the Presbyterian 
 Church and more among Low Church 
 Anglicans, and tliat it has taken organic 
 form in the Adventist Church of the 
 United States. 
 
 Cieneral Resurrec- 1 .,, 
 , . A 11 ajire 
 
 tion I 
 
 ree. 
 
 General Judgment . . . All agree. 
 
140 
 
 DIGEST OF THE DOCTRINAL STANDARDS 
 
 Hiidus 
 
 'All ugree, excupt that the Calviiiistic 
 Cluirohes studiously ignore the doc- 
 trine, probably because of what is 
 deemed a perversion of it by the accre- 
 tion of the doctrine of Purgatory, and 
 except that in the Latin Church, and in 
 a less materialistic form in the Greek 
 Church, the doctrine of Purgatory is 
 maintained. 
 
 Hell. 
 
 All agree, divergence as to ccmtinuance of 
 retribution characterizing individuals, 
 and not creeds. 
 
 Heaven All agree. 
 
 It thus appears that, taking the above syllabus 
 of twenty-six doctrines, they may approximately be 
 classified as follows : 
 
 In fifteen all standards are agreed, although in six 
 of these the doctrine universally accepted is supple- 
 mented by special views. 
 
 In three, additional to the fifteen, all Protestants 
 are agreed. 
 
 In four there is a cleavage running more or less 
 through all churches, especially in the case of the ex- 
 tent of the Atonement. Amon^; Protestant churches 
 there is marked diversity as to the Eucharist, Bap- 
 tism and the doctrine of good works. 
 
 In two Methodism stands alone. 
 
 To every nian of a catholic spirit the above degree 
 of consensus must be regarded as very gratifying, 
 
OF THE METHODIST CHUHCH. 
 
 141 
 
 even after reeo^mizing tlie fact that outside of this 
 syllabus there is a considerable list of dogmas very 
 conspicuous in Roman Catholic theology but which 
 are rejected by Protestants as unscriptural. Such 
 are the Mediation of Saints, the Primacy of Peter, 
 the number of Sacraments, Prayers for the Dead, the 
 Immaculate Conception of ihe Virgin, and Papal 
 Infallibility. ^ 
 
 It must again be stated that the foregoing is only 
 an approximate comparison. If fulness of detailed 
 statement were given, the work would expand into 
 more than one large volume of historical theology. 
 
 Again must the principle of catholicity be stated as 
 presented by Wesley, that there should be charity 
 independently of differences of opinion. Thus do we 
 secure "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 
 ^ "^''^"y 'i« «re so disposed, even though found 
 
 as 
 
 In 
 
 in different communions 
 answered 
 
 is Christ's prayer already 
 
 they all may be one