Treatise Plain Account Of The People Called Methodists
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-plain-account-of-the-people-called-methodists-004 |
| Words | 387 |
They are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform
every office of real kindness towards them. (4.) If it be said,
“But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you
destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them;” I
answer, That which never existed, cannot be destroyed. But
the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it can- O
not be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any - 2. such fellowship with these? Who watched over them in love? | e *
Who marked their growth in grace? Who advised and ex- %-
horted them from time to time? Who prayed with them and t
for them, as they had need? This, and this alone, is Christian - . fellowship: But, alas! where is it to be found? Look east or
west, north or south; name what parish you please: Is this
Christian fellowship there? Rather, are not the bulk of the
parishioners a mere rope of sand? What Christian connexion
is there between them? What intercourse in spiritual things? What watching over each other's souls? What bearing of one
another's burdens? What a mere jest is it then, to talk so
gravely of destroying what never was ! The real truth is just
the reverse of this: We introduce Christian fellowship where
it was utterly destroyed. And the fruits of it have been peace,
joy, love, and zeal for every good word and work. II. 1. But as much as we endeavoured to watch over each
X4. %, other, we soon found some who did not live the gospel. I do
not know that any hypocrites were crept in; for indeed there
• *, was no temptation: But several grew cold, and gave way to the
2, 4. ** sins which had long easily beset them. We quickly perceived
*_* there were many ill consequences of suffering these to remain
‘... among us. It was dangerous to others; inasmuch as all sin is
2 of an infectious nature. It brought such a scandal on their
brethren as exposed them to what was not properly the
reproach of Christ. It laid a stumbling-block in the way of
others, and caused the truth to be evil spoken of. 2. We groaned under these inconveniences long, before a
remedy could be found.