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THE

DOCTRINES

AND

DISCIPLINE

OF THE

Methodist Episcopal Church,

IN

AMERICA.

WITH

EXPLANATORY NOTES,

BY

THOMAS COKE and FRANCIS ASBURY.

THE TENTH EDITION.

PHILADELPHIA:

PRINTED BY.HENRY TUCKNISS,

SOLD BY JOHN DICKINS, No. 41, MARKET-STREET, BETWEEN
FRONT AND SECOND-STREETS, AND BY THE METHODIST
MINISTERS AND PREACHERS THROUGHOUT
THE UNITED STATES.

1798.

110. k. 464.

ence of a long feries of years; as alfo on the observations and remarks we have made on ancient and modern churches.

We wish to fee this little publication in the house of every Methodist, and the more fo as it contains our plan of Chriftian education, and the articles of religion maintained, more or lefs, in part or in the whole, by every reformed church in the world. We would likewife declare our real fentiments on the fcripture doctrine of election and reprobation; on the infallible, unconditional perfeverance of all who ever have believed, or ever fhall; and on the doctrine of Christian perfection.

Far from wishing you to be ignorant of any of our doctrines, or any part of our difcipline, we defire you to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digeft the whole. We know you are not in general able to purchase many books: But you ought, next to the word of God, to procure the Articles and Canons of the church to which you belong. This prefent edition is fmall and cheap, and we can affure you that the profits of the fale of it fhall be applied to charitable purposes.

We remain your very affectionate brethren and paftors, who labour night and day, both in public and private, for your good,

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THOMAS COKE,

FRANCIS ASBURY.

Advertisement to the Reader.

THE laft General Conference defired the Bishops to draw up' Annotations on the Form of Difcipline, and to publifh them with the prefent edition: -The Bishops have ac cordingly complied, and have proved or illuftrated every thing by quotations from the Word of God, agreeably, alfo, to the advice of the Conference; and they fincerely pray that their labour of love may be made a blessing to many.

1797.

CHAP. I.

SECTION I

Of the Origin of the Methodist Epifcopal

Church.

HE preachers and members of our fociety in ge

TH neral, being convinced that there was a great

deficiency of vital religion in the church of England in America, and being in many places deftitute of the chriftian facraments, as feveral of the clergy had for faken their churches, requested the late Rev. John Wefley to take fuch meafures, in his wifdom and prudence, as would afford them fuitable relief in their diftrefs.

In confequence of this, our venerable friend, who, under God, had been the father of the great revival of religion now extending over the earth, by the means of the Methodists, determined to ordain minifters for America; and for this purpose, in the year 1784, fent over .three regularly ordained clergy: but preferring the epifcopal mode of church-government to any other, he folemnly fet apart, by the impofition of his hands, and prayer, one of them, viz. Thomas Coke, Doctor of Civil Law, late of Jefus-college in the univerfity of Ox ford, and a prefbyter of the church of England, for the epifcopal office; and having delivered to him letters of epifcopal orders, commiffioned and directed him to fet apart Francis Afbury, then general affiftant of the Methodist fociety in America, for the fame epifcopal office, he the faid Francis Afbury being firft ordained deacon and elder. In confequence of which, the faid Francis Afbury was folemnly fet apart for the faid epifco pal office, by prayer and the impofition of the hands of the faid Thomas Coke, other regularly ordained minifters affifting in the facred ceremony. At which time the ge

neral conference held at Baltimore, did unanimoufly receive the faid Thomas Coke and Francis Afbury as their bishops, being fully fatisfied of the validity of their epifcopal ordination.

NOTE S.

It cannot be needful in this country, to vindicate the right of every chriftian fociety, to poffefs, within itself, all the privileges neceffary or expedient for the comfort, inftruction, or good government of the members thereof. The two facraments of baptifm and the Lord's fupper have been allowed to be effential to the formation of a chriftian church, by every party and denomination in every age and country of christendom, with the exception only of a fingle modern fociety: and ordination by the impofition of hands has been allowed to be highly expedient, and has been practifed as univerfally as the former. And these two points as above described, might, if need were, be confirmed by the Scriptures, and by the unanimous teftimony of all the primitive fathers of the church for the three first centuries; and, indeed, by all the able divines who have written on the subject in the different languages of the world down to the present times.

The only point which can be disputed by any sensible person, is the epifcopal form which we have adopted; and this can be contefted by candid men, only from their want of acquaintance with the hiftory of the church. The most bigotted devotees to religious eftablifhments (the clergy of the church of Rome excepted) are now afhamed to fupport the doctrine of the apoßolic, uninter rupted facceffion of bishops. Dr. Hoadley, bifhop of Winchester, who was, we believe, the greatest advocate for epifcopacy, whom the proteftant churches ever produced, has been fo completely overcome by Dr. Calamy, in respect to the uninterrupted fucceffion, that the point has been entirely given up. Nor do we recollect that any writer of the proteftant churches has fince attempted to defend what all the learned world at present know to be utterly indefenfible.

And yet nothing but an apoflolic, uninterrupted fucceffion can poffibly confine the right of epifcopacy to any particular church. The idea, that the fupreme magiftrate or legiflature of a country, ought to be the head of the church in that nation, is a position, which, we think, no one bere will prefume to affert. It follows, therefore, indubitably, that every church has a right to choose, if it pleafe, the epifcopal plan.

The late reverend John Wesley recommended the epifcopal form to his focieties in America; and the general conference, which is

the chief fynod of our church, unanimously accepted of it. Mr. Wesley did more. He first confecrated one for the office of a bishop, that our epifcopacy might defcend from himself. The general conference unanimoufly accepted of the person fo confecrated, as well as of Francis Afbury, who had for many years before exercised every branch of the epifcopal office, excepting that of ordination. Now, the idea of an apostolic fucceffion be ing exploded, it follows, that the Methodist church has every thing which is fcriptural and effential to justify its epifcopacy. Is the unanimous approbation of the chief fynod of a church neceffary? This it has had. Is the ready compliance of the members of the church with its decifion, in this refpect, neceffary? This it has had, and continues to have. Is it highly expedient, that the fountain of the epifcopacy fhould be refpectable? This has been the cafe. The most respectable divine since the primitive ages, if not fince the time of the apostles, was Mr. Wesley. His knowledge of the sciences was very extenfive. He was a general scholar: and for any to call his learning in question, would be to call their own. On his death the literati of England bore teftimony to his great character. And where has been the individual fo useful in the spread of religion? But in this we can appeal only to the lovers of vital godlinefs. By his long and inceffant labours he raifed a multitude of focieties, who looked up to him for direction and certainly his directions in things lawful, with the full approbation of the people, were fufficient to give authenticity to what was accordingly done. He was peculiarly attached to the laws and customs of the church in the primitive times of chriftianity. He knew, that the primitive churches univer fally followed the epifcopal plan: and indeed bishop Headley has demonftrated that the epifcopal plan was univerfal till the time of the reformation. Mr. Wefley therefore preferred the epifcopal form of church government; and God has (glory be to his name!) wonderfully bleffed it amongst us.

To the observations above made, we would add, that it must be evident to every difcerning reader of the epiftles of St. Paul to Timothy and Titus, that Timothy, who was appointed by St. Paul, bishop of the Ephefians, and Titus, who was appointed by the fame apostle, bishop of the Cretians, were bishops in the proper epifcopal fenfe, and that they were travelling bishops. The epifcopal office in all its parts was invested in them. Timothy is charged (1) to be attentive to the teachers, refpecting the purity of their doctrine, and to regulate every thing with due authority: "I befought thee to abide ftill at Ephefus,-that thou mightest charge fome, that they teach no other doctrine, &c." 1 Tim. i. 3, &c.thefe things command and teach." iv. 11. (2) To fuperin tend the elders of the church: "Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father," v. . "let the elders that rule well, be counted

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