Wesley Corpus

“‘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. I believe, if you coolly consider this account, you will not find, either that it is inconsistent with itself, or that it lays you under any necessity of speaking in the following manner: “What charms there may be in a demure look and a sour be haviour, I know not. But sure they must be in your eye very extraordinary, as they can be sufficient to cover such a multi tude of errors and crimes, and keep up the same regard and affection for the authors and abettors of them. I doubt your regard for them was not lessened, till they began to interfere with what you thought your province. You was influenced, not by a just resentment to see the honour of religion and virtue so injuriously and scandalously trampled upon, but by a fear of losing your own authority.” (Remarks, pp. 18, 19.) I doubt, there is scarce one line of all these which is consistent either with truth or love.