Wesley Corpus

“<¢4, Discipline we judge to be necessary in the highest degree, for all those who have any knowledge of divine truth: and we can, therefore, in no wise forsake that, which we have received from our forefathers. Yet if it should ever be (which God forbid) that any of us should speak or act perverse things, we could only say, with St. John, They went forth from us, but were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. «5, The public worship of God at Bertholdsdorf, which we have hitherto frequented, we are the less able now to forsake, because we have there an assembly of true believers, a doctrine free from error, and a pastor who, having laboured much in the word, is worthy of double honour. 'Therefore, we have no cause to form any congregation, separate from this; Aug. 1738. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 89 especially seeing we both use that liberty which Christ hath purchased for us; and so often experience the power of the doctrine which is taught there, and agree with the Evangelical Protestants. (that is, Lutherans,) in all truths of importance. As for the controverted points, which require a subtle wit, we either are ignorant of them or despise them. “<6. The name of brethren and sisters we do not reject, as being agreeable both to Scripture and to Christian simplicity. But we do not approve of being called by the name of any man; as knowing we have one Father, even him which is in heaven. “In 1732, we were again required to give an account of ourselves. This was then done in the manner following :-- “ ¢ An extract of a letter wrote by the Church of Hernhuth, to the President of Upper Lusatia, Jan. 24, 1732.