Wesley Corpus

“The Count observing this, desired me to go toa neighbouring minister, Pastor Steinmetz, and talk with him fully on that head, ‘ Whether Christ died for all?’ I did so, and by him God fully convinced me of that important truth. And not long after, the Count desired we might all meet together, and consider these things throughly. We met, accordingly, at his house, and parted not for three days. We opened the Scriptures, and considered the account which is given therein of the whole economy of God with man, from the creation to the consummation of all things; and by the blessing of God we came all to one mind; particularly in that fundamental point, that ‘he willeth all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.’ “Some time after the Jesuits told the Emperor, that the Count was gathering together all the Moravians and Bohemians, forming them into one body, and making a new religion. Commissioners were immediately sent to Hernhuth, to examine the truth of this. The substance of the final answer returned through them to the Emperor was as follows :--- “© An extract of the public instrument signed at Hernhuth, m August, 1729. “©* 1. We believe the Church of the Bohemian and Moravian brethren, from whom we are descended, to have been a holy and undefiled Church, as is owned by Luther and all other Protestant divines; who own also that our doctrine agrees with theirs. But our discipline they have not. «°¢2. But we do not rest upon the holiness of our ancestors; it being our continual care to show that we are passed from death unto life, by worshipping God in spirit and in truth. Nor do we account any man a brother, unless he has either preserved inviolate the covenant he made with God in baptism, or, if he has broken it, been born again of God. “<3. On the other side, whosoever they are, who, being sprinkled by the blood of Christ, are sanctified through faith, we receive them as brethren, although in some points they may differ from us. Not that we can renounce or give up any doctrine of God, contained in Holy Writ ; the least part of which is dearer unto us than thousands of gold and silver.