AN APPEAL TO THE GOSPEL, OR AN INQUIRY INTO THE JUSTICE OF THE CHARGE, ALLEGED BY METHODISTS AND OTHER OBJECTORS, THAT The Gospel is not preached by the National Clergy: IN A SERIES OF DISCOURSES DELIVERED BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD IN THE YEAR 1812, At the Lecture founded by THE LATE REV. J. BAMPTON, M. A. CANON OF SALISBURY. BIBL BY RICHARD MANT, D. D. RECTOR OF ST. BOTOLPH'S BISHOPSGATE, DOMESTIC CHAPLAIN TO "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of "Quod nos appellant hæreticos, est illud crimen ita grave, ut nisi SIXTH EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON, No. 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH- YARD; AND J. PARKER, OXFORD: By R. & R. Gilbert, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND JOHN RANDOLPH, D. D. LORD BISHOP OF LONDON. MY LORD, THE following Discourses are the fruit of ftudies, commenced when I had the benefit of your Lordship's inftructions from the theological chair. They are defigned as a humble tribute to what I believe to be the truth of that Gospel, a difpenfation 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 pleafed 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 refcue from mifreprefentation 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 inscribed 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 Chriftianity, I am, My Lord, Your Lordship's much obliged and very dutiful Servant, RICHARD MANT. ORIEL COLLEGE, 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 controversy, as fuch, and efpecially an enemy to the bitterness of controverfy, it has been my earnest desire to abstain from all intemperance of manner and of language. Firmly perfuaded of the truth of thofe 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 fentiments of thofe, whofe allegations I have undertaken to examine, I have principally had recourfe to the A S |