To the Church of God Which Is in Herrnhut
X. — TO THE CHURCH OF GOD WHICH IS IN HERNHUTH, John WesUy an unworthy Presbyter of the Church of God in England wisheth all grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.
October 14, 1738.
Ctlory be to God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his unspeakable gift! for giving me to be an eye-witness of your faith, and love, and holy conversation in Christ Jesus! I have borne testimony thereof with all plainness of speech, in many parts of Germany, and thanks have been given to God by many on your behalf.
We are endeavouring here also, by the grace which is given us, to be followers of you, as ye are of Christ. Fourteen were added to us since our return, so that we have now eight bands of men, consisting of fifty-six persons, all of whom seek for salvation only in the blood of Christ. As yet we have only two small bands of women; the one of three, the other of five persons. But here are many others who only wait till we have leisure to instruct
40 WfiSLEY’S SELECT LETTERS.
them how they may most effectually build up one another in the faith and love of Him who gave himself for them.
Though my brother and I are not permitted to preach in most of the churches in London, yet (thanks be to God!) there are others left, wheivin we have liberty to speak the truth as it is in Jesus. Likewise every evening, and on set evenings in the week at two several places, we publish the word of reconciliation, sometimes to twenty or thirty, sometimes to fifty or sixty, sometimes to three or four hundred persons met together to hear it. We begin and end all our meetings with singing and prayer; and we know that our Lord heareth our prayer, having more than once or twice (and this was not done in a comer) received our petitions in that very hour.
Nor hath he left himself without other witnesses of his grace and truth. Ten ministers I know now in England, who lay the right foundation, “The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” Over and above whom I have found one Anabaptist, and one, if not two, of the teachers among the Presbyterians here, who, I hope, love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and teach the way of God in truth.
O cease not, ye that are highly favoured, to beseech our I^ord that he would be with us even to the end; to remove that which is displeasing in his sight, to support that which is weak among us, to give us the whole mind that was in him, and teach us to walk even as he walked! And may the very God of peace fill up what is wanting in your faith and build you up more and more in all lowliness of mind, in all plainness of speech, in all zeal and watchfulness; that he m.ay present you to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that ye may be holy and unblameable in the day of his appearing.