Wesley Corpus

3. But you create divisions in private families.“ Accidentally, we do. For instance, suppose an entire family to have the form, but not the power of godliness; or to have neither the form nor the power; in cither cale, they may in some sort agree together. But iuppole, when these hear the plain word of God, one or two of them are convinced, „This is the truth. And I have been all this time in the broad way that leadeth to destruttion : ** these then will begin to mourn after God ; while the rest remain as they were, Will they not therefore of consequence divide, and form themselves into separate parties? Must it not be so, in the very nature of things? And how exactly docs this agree with the words of our Lord? “ Suppolc ye that I came to send peace upon earth? I tell you nay: but rather division, For from henceforth there shall be five divided in one houle, three against two, and two against three, The father shall be divided " against the jon, and the son against the father: the mo- ther against her daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against the daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law, Luke xu. 51, 52, 53.) And the foes of a man, shall they of his own houschold,“ (Matt. x. 36.) Thus it was from the very beginning. For is it to be fupposed, that a heathen parent, would long endure a christian child? Or that a heathen husband would agree with a chiistian wife? Unlels either the believing wife could' gain her huibana ; or the unbelieving husband prevailed on the wife to renounce her way of worshipping God: at least, unless she would obey him in going no more to those Societies or Conventicles, (irawpias) as they termed the Christian Assemblies,