Wesley Corpus

Hook, a very eminent and a zealous Papist. When I asked him, “Sir, what do you do for public worship here, where you have no Romish service?” he answered, “Sir, I am so fully convinced it is the duty of every man to worship God in public, that I go to church every Sunday. If I cannot have such worship as I would, I will have such worship as I can.” But some may say, “Our own service is public worship.” Yes; but not such as supersedes the Church Service; it pre supposes public prayer, like the sermons at the University. If it were designed to be instead of the Church Service, it would be essentially defective; for it seldom has the four grand parts of public prayer, deprecation, petition, interces sion, and thanksgiving. If the people put ours in the room of the Church Service, we hurt them that stay with us, and ruin them that leave us; for then they will go nowhere, but lounge the Sabbath away without any public worship at all. Q. 46. Nay, but is it not our duty to separate from the Church, considering the wickedness both of the Clergy and the people? A. We conceive not ; (1.) Because both the Priests and the people were full as wicked in the Jewish Church; and yet it was not the duty of the holy Israelites to separate from them. (2.) Neither did our Lord command his disciples to separate from them; he rather commanded the contrary. (3.) Hence it is clear that could not be the meaning of St. Paul’s words: “Come out from among them, and be ye separate.” Q. 47. But what reasons are there why we should not separate from the Church? A. Among others, those which were printed above twenty years ago, entitled, “Reasons against a Separation from the Church of England.” We allow two exceptions: (1) If the parish Minister be a notoriously wicked man. (2.) If he preach Socinianism, Arianism, or any other essentially false doctrine. Q. 48. Do we sufficiently watch over our Helpers?- A. We might consider those that are with us as our pupils; into whose behaviour and studies we should inquire every day. Should we not frequently ask each, Do you walk closely with God? Have you now fellowship with the Father and the Son? At what hour do you rise?