17 A Farther APPEAL To MEN of REASON and RELIGION. By JOHN WESLEY, M. A. PART II. The THIRD EDITION. Cry aloud, pare not, lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet, BRISTOL: Printed and fold by FELIX FARLEY; fold alfo by J. [Price One Shilling Unbound.] A FARTHER APPEAL To MEN of REASON and RELIGION. I. I. "I' PART II. T is not my Prefent Design to touch on any Particular Opinions, whether they are Right or wrong; nor on any of those finaller Points of Practice, which are variously held by Men of different Perfuafions: But first, to point out fome Things which on Common Principles are condemn'd by Men of every Denomination, and yet found in all; and fecondly, Some wherein thofe of each Denomination, are more particularly inconfiftent with their own Principles. And, Firft, it is my Defign, abftracting from Opi nions of every kind, as well as from difputable Points of Practice, to mention fuch of thofe Things as occur to my Mind, which are on Common Principles condem ded, and notwithstanding found, more or lefs, among Men of every Denomination. 2. But before I enter on this unpleafing Tafk, I befeech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of GOD, by whatever Love you bear to GoD, to your Country, to your own Souls; do not confider who fpeaks, but what is fpoken. If it be poffible, for one Hour lay Prejudice afide; Give what is advanced a fair Hearing. Confider fimply on each Head, Is this True, or is it false ? Is it reasonable, or is it not? if you afk, "But in whofe A 2 whofe Judgment?" I answer, In your own; I appeal to the Light of your own Mind. Is there not a Faithful Witnes in your own Breaft? By this you must fland or fall. You cannot be judged by another Man's Confcience. Judge for yourself by the beft Light you have. And the merciful GOD teach Me and Thee whatfoever we know not! Now, as I fpeak chiefly to thofe who believe the Scriptures, the Method I propofe is this, Firft, To obferve what Account is given therein of the Jews, the antient Church of Gon, inafinuch as all thefe Things were written for our Inftruien, who fay, we are now the Vifible Church of the GoD of Ifrael. Secondly, To appeal to All who profefs to be Members thereof, to every one who is called a Chriftian, How far, in ach Inftance, the Parallel holds ? And how much we are better than they? 3. First, I am to obferve what Account the Scriptures give of the Jerus, the antient Church of God. I mean, with regard to their Moral Character; Their Tempers and Outward Behaviour. No fooner were they brought out of Egypt, than we find them murmuring against GOD, (Exod. xiv. 12.) Again, when he had just brought them thro' the Red Sea with a mighty Hand and a firetch'd-out Arm, (c. xv. 24.) And yet again, quickly after, in the Wilderness of Zin, your Murmurings (faith Mofes) are not against us, but against the LORD, (C. xvi. 8.) Nay, even while he was giving them Bread from Heaven, they were ftill murmuring and tempting GOD, (c. xvii. 2, 3.) and their amazing Language at that Scafon was, Is the LORD among us or not? (c. xvii. 4.) The fame Spirit they fhew'd, during the whole forty Years, that he bore their Manners in the Wilderness : A folemn Teftimony whereof, Mofes fpake in the Ears of all the Congregation of Ifrael, when GOD was about to take him away from their Head; They have corrupted themselves (faith he) their Spot was not of his Children ; they are a perverfe and crooked Generation. The LORD led Facob about; he inftructed him; he kept him as the Apple of his Eye, (Deut. xxxii. 5, 10.) He made him ride on the bigh Places of the Earth, that he might eat the |