Asbury was still striving to render an attachment to the church yet more firm and permanent. For this end he had brought with him Mr. Wesley's twelve reasons against a separation from the church, which are as follow:

REASONS

Against a separation from the Church of England.

"Whether it be lawful or no (which itself may be difputed, being not fo clear a point as Some may imagine) it is by no means expedient for us to feparate from the established church :

"1. Because it would be a contradictionto the folemn and repeated declarations, which we have made in all manner of ways, in preaching, in print, and in private conversation :

"2. Because (on this as well as many other accounts) it would give huge occafion of offence to thofe who feek and defire occafion, to all the enemies of GOD and his truth.

3. Because it would exceedingly prejudice against us many who fear, yea, who love GOD, and thereby hinder their receiving fo much, perhaps any, farther benefit from our preaching:

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4. Because it would hinder multitudes of thofe who neither love nor fear GOD, from bearing us at all, and thereby leave them in the hands of the devil :

5. Because it would occafion many bundreds, if not fome thousands of those who are now united with us, to feparate from us; yea, and fome of thofe who have a deep work of grace in their fouls:

"6. Because it would be throwing balls of wild-fire among them that are now quiet in the land. We are now fweetly united together in love. We moftly think and speak the fame thing. But this would occafion inconceivable ftrife and contention, between those who left, and thofe who remained in the church, as well as between those who left us, and those who remain with us: Nay, and between thofe very persons who remained, as they were variously inclined one way or the other:

7. Because, whereas controverfy is now afleep, and we in great measure live peaceably with all men, fo that we are ftrangely at leifure to spend our whole time and strength, in enforcing plain, practical, vital religion, (O! what would many of our forefathers have given, to have enjoyed fo blessed a calm?) This would utterly banish peace from among

us,

and that without hope of its return. It would engage me for one, in a thousand controverfies, both in public and private; (for Ifhould be in confcience obliged to give the reasons of my conduct, and to defend those reafons against all oppofers) and fo take me off from thofe more useful labours, which might otherwife employ the fhort remainder of my life:

"8. Because to form the plan of a New Church would require infinite time and care, (which might be far more profitably bestow'd,) with much more wisdom and greater depth and extenfiveness of thought, than any of us are masters of:

9. Because from some having barely entertained a distant thought of this, evil fruits have already followed, such as prejudice against the clergy in general; an aptness to believe ill of them; contempt (not without a degree of bitterness) of clergymen as such, and a fharpness of language toward the whole order, utterly unbecoming either gentlemen or christians:

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"10. Because the experiment has been fo frequently tried already, and the fuccefs has never anfwered the expectation. GOD has

Since the reformation raised up from time to time many witnesses of pure religion. If thefe liv'd and died (like John Arndt, Robert Bolton and many others) in the churches to which they belonged, notwithstanding the wickedness which overflow'd both the teachers and people therein; they spread the leaven of true religion far and wide, and were more and more useful, till they went to paradife. But if upon any provocation or confideration whatever, they separated and founded diftinct parties, their influence was more and more confined; they grew lefs and lefs useful to others, and generally lost the spirit of religion themselves in the Spirit of controversy :

"II. Becaufe we have melancholy inftances of this, even now before our eyes. Many have in our memory left the church, and formed themfelves into diftinct bodies. And certainly fome of them, from a real perfuafion, that they fhould do GOD more fervice. But have any feparated themfelves and profpered? Have they been either more holy, or more ufeful than they were before?

"12. Because by fuch a feparation we Should not only throw away the peculiar glorying which GOD has given us, That we do and will fuffer all things for our brethren's fake, though the more we love them, the lefs we be

loved: but should act in direct contradiction to that very end, for which we believe God bath raifed us up. The chief defign of his Providence in fending us out, is undoubtedly, to quicken our brethren—and the first message of all our preachers is, to the loft Sheep of the church of England. Now would it not be a flat contradiction to this defign, to separate from the church? These things being confidered, we cannot apprehend, whether it be lawful in itself or no, that it is lawful for us : were it only on this ground, that it is by no means expedient."

These, no doubt, he read, and commented on.-And who would suppose, that, before the close of this same year, he and the whole body of Methodists broke off from the church, at a single stroke!—What mighty magic was able to effect so great a change in one day!-It was certainly the greatest change (apparently at least) that ever was known to take place, in so short a time, since the foundation of a christian church was laid. They embraced a new faith, and it shewed itself by their works, for from that memorable period, old things were done away-their old mother, to whom they had avowed so much duty and fidelity, was discarded, and violently opposed.