Wesley Corpus

“One effect of this has been, to make me think I have not yet met with any set of people, whose practice is not, in several remarkable particulars, inconsistent with this good principle. But I will not suffer myself to be fully persuaded of this, as to one set of men, till I have the happiness to “meet with your brother and you, and talk over some particulars, which ‘you will allow me calmly and impartially to lay before you. May the Holy Ghost lead you into all truth, and into every right way. * As to outward communion with those in whom your characteristic is found, “J. Is it not our duty and theirs, to keep that communion together, as far as we can without sin? And except in that case, is not separating from each other, even in outward communion, a sin? Consequently, is it not a sin in any of us, to set outward communion on such a foot, that others who have this characteristic, cannot join in that communion without sin in them? Is it not also our duty, not to stumble them, by our way of insisting on our particular opinions? And is it not a sin in them, to be easily stumbled at us on that account? “2. Is it not far wrong in any of us to teach our particular opinions, (especially to those whom we are to instruct in the essentials of religion,) so as to lead them into such an association of ideas between these essentials and those opinions, which want of judgment, narrowness of thought, and impatience of spirit, are so apt to lead even the strong into? Do we not often see, how almost incurably this prejudices the weak against their brethren in Christ, and perplexes their minds about those opinions, and takes them off from the serious consideration of the essentials: Nay, have we not seen even the strong in grace, as well as learning, mistake the Lord’s shining on their souls, on account of their receiving and applying the essentials, for an approbation of their particular opinions? And have we not seen such hereby led to bear persecution from, and in June, 1745. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. | 337