Wesley Corpus

“¢ 1. None can be ignorant of the religion of our ancestors, who have read the history of John Huss. Some of his followers endeavoured to repel force by force. The rest, having better learned Christ, obtained leave of George Podibrad, king of Bohemia, to retire and live apart. Retiring, accordingly, in the year 1453, to a place on the borders of Silesia and Moravia, they lived in peace, till the time of Luther and Calvin, with both of whom, as with their followers, they maintained a friendly intercourse; especially when, by the providence of God, they were placed among those of either opinion. «¢2. In the year 1699, David Ernest Jablonsky, grandson to Amos Comenius, the last bishop of the Moravians, was consecrated bishop of the United Brethren in Moravia, Bohemia, and Poland, in a synod regularly assembled. To him Count Zinzendorf signified, that several of the Moravian brethren, having escaped from the tyranny of the Papists, were so joined to the Lutherans, whose doctrine they approved, as nevertheless to retain their ancient discipline. His entire approbation of this, Bishop Jablonsky testified to the Count in several letters. «3. It must be acknowledged that many of our ancestors, about the beginning of the Reformation, from fear of man, did not openly confess the truth: and hence it was that the Romish pastors bore with them; being little concerned what their private opinions were. But hence it also was, that continually using dissimulation, and not walking in simplicity, they were no longer fervent in spirit, as of old time, neither could they find any peace to their souls.