Wesley Corpus

But being fearful of trusting my own judgment, I determined to wait yet a little longer, and so laid it by un finished:-- “‘I CANNOT but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your Conferences and Bands,t of your methods of instructing children; and, in general, of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. “‘But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to * These are the words of the Fourth Journal, Vol. I. page 331, &c. + The Band society in London began May 1, some time before I set out for Germany. remove those doubts, you would, on each of those heads, First, plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, Secondly, consider whether it be right. “‘Is not the Count all in all among you? “‘Do you not magnify your own Church too much 2 “‘Do you not use guile and dissimulation in many cases? “‘Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and beha viour P’ “It may easily be seen, that my objections then were nearly the same as now.” Only with this difference,--I was not then assured that the facts were as I supposed. “Yet I cannot say my affection was lessened at all: (For I did not dare to deter mine anything :) But from November 1, I could not but see more and more things which I could not reconcile with the gospel.” “These I have set down with all simplicity. Yet do I this, because I love them not? God knoweth: Yea, and in part, I esteem them still; because I verily believe they have a sincere desire to serve God; because many of them have tasted of his love, and some retain it in simplicity; because they love one another; because they have so much of the truth of the gospel, and so far abstain from outward sin. And lastly, because their discipline is, in most respects, so truly excellent; notwith standing that visible blemish, the paying too much regard to their great patron and benefactor, Count Zinzendorf.” 6.