Wesley Corpus

_ Sun. 8.--After preaching at Bristol, on the abuse and the right use cf the Lord’s Supper, I earnestly besought them at Kingswood to beware of offending “ in tongue,” either against justice, mercy, or truth. After sermon, the remains of our society met, and found we had great reason to bless God, for that, after fifty-two were withdrawn, we had still upward of ninety left. O may these, at least, hold “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!” I will shut up this melancholy subject with part of a letter wrote by my brother about this time :-- “Tf you think proper, you may show Brother C---- what follows.” (N. B. I did not think it proper then.) “My dearest brother John C , in much love and tenderness I speak. You came to Kingswood upon my brother’s sending for you. You served under him in the Gospei as a son. I need not say how well he loved you. You used the authority he gave you, to overthrow his doctrine: you every where contradicted it; (whether true or false is not the question;) but you ought first to have fairly told him, ‘I preach contrary to you. Are you willing, notwithstanding, that I should continue in your house gainsaying you? If you are not, I have no place in these regions. You have a right to this open dealing. JI now give you fair warning: shall I stay here opposing you, or shall J depart ”’ “My brother, have you dealt thus honestly and openly with him? No; but you have stolen away the people’s heart from him. And when some of them basely treated their best friend, God only excepted, how patiently did you take it? When did you ever vindicate us, as we have you? Why did you not plainly tell them, ‘ You are eternally indebted to these men. Think not that I will stay among you, to head a party against my dearest friend--and brother, as he suffers me to call him, having humbled himself for my sake, and given me (no bishop, priest, or deacon,) the right hand of fellowship. If I hear that one word more is spoken against him, { will leave you that moment, and never see your face more.’