TO THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND

JOHN RANDOLPH, D. D.

LORD BISHOP OF LONDON.

MY LORD,

THE following Difcourses are

the fruit of studies, commenced when I had the benefit of your Lordship's inftructions from the theological chair. They are designed as a humble tribute to what I believe to be the truth of that Gospel, a dispensation of which was committed to me by your hands; and for my fidelity in the preaching of which, my present fituation in your diocese makes me responsible, under CHRIST, to your epifcopal jurifdiction.

These confiderations induced me to fignify a wish, with which you have been graciously pleased to comply, that I might be permitted

to fend my Lectures into the world under the fanction of your Lordship's patronage; affured, at the fame time, that an attempt, which has for its object to rescue from mifrepresentation fome important articles of our holy Faith, and to vindicate the great body of the national Clergy from much unmerited afperfion, cannot be fo properly infcribed as to one, whose high dignity is accompanied with corresponding exertions for promoting the welfare of our pure and apoftolical Church, and, therein, of genuine Christianity.

PREFACE.

HAVING in the following Inquiry ventured on a subject, in itself perhaps of an invidious character, I am anxious to avoid all unneceffary occafion of offence; and would therefore befpeak the candour of my readers on two or three particular points.

An enemy to controverfy, as fuch, and efpecially an enemy to the bitterness of controversy, it has been my earnest defire to abstain from all intemperance of manner and of language. Firmly perfuaded of the truth of those doctrines, which I have been defending, I have endeavoured to plead for them with firmness, but without afperity. If I have been occafionally betrayed into an oppofite conduct, and induced to employ expreffions, unworthy of my Chriftian profeffion, I beg that fuch language may be looked upon as never uttered; or at leaft may be regarded with indulgence, as the effect of human weakness, and not of a deliberate intention to offend.

In order to ascertain the sentiments of those, whose allegations I have undertaken to examine, I have principally had recourse to the

writings of the Founders of Methodism, and of the most eminent among thofe Minifters of the Establishment, who, like the profeffed Methodists, have been distinguished (I think unduly) by the appellation of Evangelical or Gospel Preachers. From the writings of these authors, to which have been added, as neceffary to the fame purpose, fome of the works of Auguftin and of Calvin, my quotations are neither few nor fcanty. In making them, I trust it will appear that I have acted honestly; and that I am not answerable for the guilt of mifrepresenting or perverting the fentiments of others, for the benefit of my own cause. At the fame time, it may be proper to add, that, as there are probably comprised under the general descriptions of our accufers, many individuals, who do not fubfcribe to the opinions which their brethren have avowed, I request that my remarks may not be understood to apply to any man, farther than as he efpoufes the sentiments of thofe, whofe works are particularly noticed.

As to my filence concerning a late publication by a learned Prelate, and the obfervations to which it has given occafion, it appears refpectful to ftate, that the materials of the following Lectures were collected, and indeed the Lectures themselves were nearly completed in their present form, before the "Re