Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/150

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many objections to that liturgy, which we approve of, beyond all others; many doubts concerning that form of Church-government, which we esteem both apostolical and scriptural. Perhaps he may go farther from us yet: he may, from a principle of conscience, refrain from several of those, which we believe to be the ordinances of Christ. Or if we both agree, that they are ordained of God, there may still remain a difference between us, either as to the manner of administring those ordinances, or the persons to whom they should be administred. Now the unavoidable consequence of any of these differences, will be, that he who thus differs from us, must separate himself, with regard to those points, from our society. In this respect therefore he followeth not us: he is not (as we phrase it) of our church.

5. But in a far stronger sense, he followeth not us, who is not only of a different church, but of such a church as we account to be in many respects antiscriptural and antichristian: a church which we believe to be utterly false and erroneous in her doctrines, as well as very dangerously wrong in her practice, guilty of gross superstition as well as idolatry. A church that has added many articles to the faith, which was once delivered to the saints: that has dropt one whole commandment of God, and made void several of the rest by her traditions: and that pretending the highest veneration for, and strictest con-