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PLAIN ACCOUNT 
 
 or 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 
 
 AS BELIEVED AND TAUGHT 
 
 BY THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, 
 
 To WHICH IS ADDED AN ACCOUNT OF WeSLEy's PERSONAL 
 
 Experience of Lntire Holiness. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REV. A. SIMS, 
 UXBRIDGE, ONT. 
 
 179386 
 
'0 
 
 
PLAIN ACCOUNT OF 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 
 
 AS BELIEVED AND TAUOHT 
 
 BY THE REV. JOHN WESLEY, 
 
 FROM THE VEAR 1725 TO THE YEAR 1777. 
 
 1. What I purpose in the following papers is to give a 
 plain and distinct account of the steps by which I was led, 
 during a course of many years, to embrace the doctrine of 
 Christian perfection. This I owe to the serious part of 
 mankind, those who desire to know all " the trufeh as it is 
 in Jesus." And these only are concerned in questions of 
 this kind. To these I would nakedly declare the thing as 
 it is, endeavoring all along to show, from one period to 
 another, both what I thought, and why I thought so. 
 
 2. In the year 1725, being in the twenty-third year of 
 my age, I met with Bishop Taylor's " Rule and Exercises 
 of Holy Living and Dying." In reading several parts of 
 this book, I was exceedingly affected ; that part in particular 
 which relates to purity of intention. Instantly I resolved 
 to dedicate all my life to God, all my thoughts, and words. 
 
 Foot-note. — Without making any changes in "The Plain Ac- 
 count," as originally published in Mr. Wesley's works, we have 
 taken the liberty of dividing it by headings, which we think makes 
 it more readable. 
 
CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 and actions ; being thoroughly convinced, there was no 
 medium ; but that every part of uiy life (not some only) 
 must either be a sacrifice to God, or myself, that is, in 
 effect, to the devil. 
 
 Can any serious person doubt of this, or find a medium 
 between serving God and serving the devil ? 
 
 3. In the year 1726, I met with Kempis's "Christian's 
 Pattern." The nature and extent of inward religion, the 
 religion of the heart, now appeared to me in a stronger 
 light than ever it had done before. 1 saw, that giving even 
 all my life to God (supposing it possible to do this, and go 
 no farther) would profit me nothing, unless I gave my 
 heart, yea, all my heart to Him. 
 
 I saw that " simplicity of intention and purity of affec- 
 tion," one design in all we speak or do, and one desire ruling 
 all our tempers, are indeed " the wings of the soul," without 
 which she can never ascend to the mount of God. 
 
 4. A year or two after, Mr. Law's "Christian Perfec- 
 tion " and " Serious Call " were put into my hands. These 
 convinced me, more than ever, of the absolute impossibility 
 of being half a Christian ; and I determined, through His 
 grace (the absolute necessity of which I was deeply sensi- 
 ble of), to be all devoted to God, to give Him all my soul, 
 my body and ray substance. 
 
 Will any considerate man say that this is carrying mat- 
 ters too far ? or that anything less is due to Him who has 
 given Himself for us, than to give Him ourselves, all we 
 have, and all we are 1 
 
 5. In the year 1729, I began not only to read, but to 
 study the Bible as the one, the only standard of truth, 
 and the only model of pure religion. Hence I saw in a 
 clearer and clearer light, the indispensable necessity of 
 having " the mind which was in Christ," and of ** walking 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 as Christ also walked ; " even of having, not some part only, 
 but all the mind which was in Him ; and of walking as Ho 
 walked, not only in many or in most respects, but in all 
 things. And this was the light wherein at this time I 
 generally considered religion, as a uniform following of 
 Christ, an entire inward and outward conformity to our 
 Master. Nor was I afraid of anything more, than of bend- 
 ing this rule to the experience of myself or of other men ; 
 of allowing myself in any the least disconformity to our 
 grand Exemplar. 
 
 Sermon on "The Circumcision op the Heart," before 
 THE University at Oxford. 
 
 6. On January 1, 1733, I preached before the University, 
 in St. Mary's Church, on "The Circumcision of the Heart;" 
 an account of which I gave in these words : " It is that 
 habitual disposition of soul which, in the sacred writings, 
 is termed holiness; and which directly implies the being 
 cleansed from sin, ' from all filthiness both of flesh and 
 spirit ; ' and, by consequence, the being endued with those 
 virtues which were in Christ Jesus; the being so 'renewed 
 in the image of our mind,' as to be * perfect as our Father 
 in heaven is perfect.'" — Vol. i., p. 148. 
 
 In the same sermon I observed, " • Love is the fulfilling 
 of the law, the end of the commandment.' It is not only 
 * the first and great ' command, but all the commandments 
 in one. ' Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are 
 pure, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise,' they 
 are all comprised in this one word, love. In this is perfec- 
 tion, and glory, and happiness : the royal law of heaven and 
 earth is this, ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all 
 thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and 
 
6 
 
 CHRISTIAN PEHFE(^TION, 
 
 with all thy stn.'Uf^th.' Tho one perfect good shall he your 
 one ultimate end. One thinji; shall ye desire for its own 
 sake — the fruition oi Him who is all in all. One happiness 
 shall yo propose to your souls, even a union with Him that 
 made them, the having ' fellowship with the Father and the 
 Son,' the being 'Joined to the Lord in one Spirit.' One 
 design ye are to pursue to the end of time — the enjoyment 
 of God in time and in eternity. Desire other things, so far 
 as they tend to this; love the creuture, as it leads to the 
 Creator. But in every step you take, be this the glorious 
 point that terminates your view. Let every affection, and 
 thought, and word, and action, be subordinate to this. 
 Whatever ye desire or fear, whatever ye seek or shun, 
 whatever ye think, speak or do, be it in order to your 
 happiness in God, the sole end, as well as source, of your 
 being."— /6., pp. 150, 15L 
 
 I concluded in these words : " Here is the sum of the per- 
 fect law, the circumcision of the heart. Let the spirit 
 return to God that gave it, with the whole train of its 
 affections. Other sacrifices from us He would not, but the 
 living sacrifice of the heart hath He chosen. Let it be con- 
 tinually offered up to God through Christ, in flames of holy 
 love. And let no creature be suffered to share with Him, 
 for He is a jealous God. His throne will He not divide 
 with another ; He will reign without a rival. Be no design, 
 no desire admitted there but what has Him for its ultimate 
 object. This is the way wherein those children of God 
 once walked, who being dead still speak to us : * Desire not 
 to live but to praise His name ; let all your thoughts, 
 words, and works tend to His glory.' 'Let your soul be 
 filled with so entire a love to Him, that you may love 
 nothing but for His sake.' ' Have a pure intention of 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 heart, a steadfast regard to His glory in all our actions.' 
 ' For then, and not till then, is that mind in us, which was 
 also in Christ Jesus, when in every motion of our h«art, in 
 every word of our tongue, in every work of our hands, we 
 pursue nothing hut in relation to liim, and in subordina- 
 tion to His pleasure;' whan we too neither think, nor 
 speak, nor act, to fulfil 'our own will, but the will of Him 
 that sent us ; ' when, ' whether wo eat or drink, or what- 
 ever we do,' wo do it all *to the glory of (iod.'" — lb., p. 153. 
 
 It may be observed, this sermon was composed the first 
 of all my writings which have been puVjlished, This was 
 the view of religion I then had, which even then I scrupled 
 not to tertn perfection. This is the view I have of it now, 
 without any material addition or diminution. And what 
 is there here, which any man of understanding, who believes 
 the Bible, can object to 1 What can he deny, without 
 flatly contradicting the Scriptures? What retrench, with- 
 out taking from the Word of God ] 
 
 In the same sentiment did my brother and I remain 
 (with all those young gentlemen in derision termed Metho- 
 dists), till we embarked for America in the latter end of 
 1735. It was the next year, while I was at Savannah, that 
 I wrote the following lines : 
 
 Is there a thing beneath the sun, 
 That strives with Thee my heart to share ? 
 
 Ah ! Tear it thence, and reign alone, 
 The Lord of every motion there ! 
 
 In the beginning of the year 1738, as I was returning 
 from thence, the cry of my heart was : 
 
 O grant that nothing in my soul 
 
 May dwell, but Thy pure love alone ! 
 
8 CHIUHTIAN I'EUKEcmoN, 
 
 may Thy love poMeas me whole, 
 
 My joy, my treasurt;, and my crown ; 
 Strange fires far from my heart remove, 
 
 My every act, word, thought, bo love I 
 
 I never hourd tliat anyone ohjectod to tfuH. And, indeed, 
 who can object 1 Is not this the language, not only of 
 every believ<!r, but of everyone that ia truly awakened? 
 But what have I wrote, to this day, which is either stronger 
 or plainer 1 
 
 8. In August following, I had a long conversation with 
 Arvid Gradin, in Germany. After he had given me an 
 account of his experience, I desired him to give mo, in writ- 
 ing, a definition of " the full assurance of faith," which he 
 did in the following words : 
 
 Requies en sanguine Christi ; fir ma fiducir in Deum et 
 pemuoaio Je yratia Divina ; tranqniUitaa mentis 8umma, 
 atque serenitas et pax ; cum absentia omnia desiderii carnaliSf 
 et cessatione peccatorum eliam internorum. 
 
 " Repose in the blood of Christ ; a firm confidence in God, and 
 persuasion, of His favor; the highest tranquility, serenity, and 
 peace of mind, with a deliverance from every fleshly desire, and a 
 cessation of all, even inward sins." 
 
 This was the first account 1 ever heard from any living 
 man, of what I had before learned myself from the oracles 
 of God, and had been praying for (with the little company 
 of my friends), and expecting, for several years. 
 
 9. In 1739, my brother and I published a volume of 
 " Hymns and Sacred Poems." In many of those we declared 
 our sentiments strongly and explicitly. So, page 24, — 
 
 Turn the full stream of nature's tide ; 
 
 Let all our actions tend 
 To Thee, their source ; Thy love the guide, 
 
 Thy glory be the end. 
 
AS TAUOHT BT JOHN WESLKY. 
 
 Earth then • scalti to heaven nhall ho ; 
 
 •Senae nhall point out the road ; 
 The creatures all Hhall lead to Thee, 
 
 And all we taate bu Uod. 
 
 Again,- 
 
 [jord, arm me with Thy Spirit's might, 
 Since I am call'd by Thy great name ; 
 
 In Thee my wand'ring thoughts unite, 
 Of all my works be Thou the aim ; 
 
 Thy love attend me all my days, 
 
 And my sole business be Thy praise, (p. 122. 
 
 Again,- 
 
 / 
 
 Eager for Thee I ask and pant, 
 
 So strong the principle Divine. 
 Carries me out with sweet constraint, 
 
 Till all my hallow 'd soul be Thine ; 
 Plunged in the Godhead's deepest sea, 
 
 And lost in Thine immensity ! (p. 125.) 
 
 Once more, — 
 
 Heavenly Adam, life Divine, 
 Change my nature into Thine ; 
 Move and spread throughout my soul, 
 Actuate and fill the whole, (p. 153.) 
 
 It would be easy to cite many more passages to the same 
 effect. But these are sufficient to show, beyond contradic- 
 tion, what our sentiments then were. 
 
 The First Tract He Wrote on Christian Perfection. 
 
 10. The first tract I ever wrote expressly on this subject 
 was published in the latter end of this year. That none 
 might be prejudiced before they read it, I gave it the indif- 
 
10 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 ferent title of "The Character of a Methodist." In this I 
 described a perfect Christian, placing in the front, " Not as 
 though I had already attained." Part of it I subjoin with- 
 out any alteiation : 
 
 " A Methodist is one who loves the Lord his God with all 
 his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind, and with all 
 his strength. God is the joy of his heart, and the desire of 
 his soul, which is continually crying, ' Whom have I in 
 heaven but Thee 1 and there is none on earth whom I desire 
 besides Thee.' My God and my all! 'Thou art the 
 strength of niy heart, and my portion forever.' He is there- 
 fore happy in God ; yea, always happy, as having in him a 
 well of water springing up into everlasting lifo, and over- 
 flowing his soul with peace and joy. Perfect love having 
 now cast out fear, he rejoices evermore. Yea, his joy is 
 full, and all his bones cry out, ' Blessed be the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His 
 abundant mercy, hath begotten me again unto a living hope 
 of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, reserved in 
 heaven for me.' 
 
 " And he who hath this hope, thus full of immortality, in 
 every thing giveth thanks, as knowing this (whatsoever it 
 is) is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning him. 
 From Him, therefore, he cheerfully receives all, saying, 
 * Good is the will of the Lord ; ' and whether He giveth or 
 taketh away, equally blessing the name of the Lord. 
 Whether in ease or pain, whether in sickness or health, 
 whether in life or death, he giveth thanks from the ground 
 of the heart to Him who orders it for good ; into whose 
 hands he hath wholly committed his body and soul, ' as into 
 the hands of a faithful Creator.' He is, therefore, anxiously 
 ' careful for nothing,' as having ' cast all his care on Him 
 that careth for him ; ' and 'in all things' resting on Him, 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 11 
 
 after ' making ' his ' request known to Hira with thanks- 
 giving.' 
 
 "For, indeed, he 'prays without ceasing;' at all times 
 the language of his heart is this, ' Unto Thee is my mouth, 
 though without a voice ; and ray silence speaketh unto 
 Thee.' His heart is lifted up to God at all times, and in all 
 places. In this he is never hindered, much less interrupted, 
 by any person or thing. In retirement or company, in 
 leisure, business or conversation, his heart is ever with the 
 Lord. Whether he lie down or rise up, 'God is in all his 
 thoughts : ' he walks with God continually ; having the 
 loving eye of his soul fixed on Him, and everywhere ' seeing 
 Him that is invisible.' 
 
 " And loving God, he ' loves his neighbor as himself ; ' he 
 loves every man as his own soul. He loves his enemies, 
 yea, and the enemies of God. And if it be not in his power 
 to ' do good to them that hate ' him, yet he cepses not to 
 'pray for them,' though they spurn his love, and still 
 ' despitefully use hii^ and persecute him.' 
 
 "For he is 'pure in heart.* Love has purified his heart 
 from envy, malice, wrath and every unkind temper. It has 
 cleansed him from pride, ' whereof only cometh contention;' 
 and he hath now 'put on bowels of mercies, kindness, 
 humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering.' And, in- 
 deed, all possible ground for contention, on his part, is cut 
 off. For none can take from him what he desires, seeing 
 he ' loves not the world, nor any of the things of the 
 world ; ' but ' all his desire is unto God, and to the remem- 
 brance of His name.' 
 
 " Agreeable to this his one desire is the one design of his 
 life, namely, ' to do not his own will, but the will of Him 
 that sent him.' His one intention at all times and in all 
 places is not to please himself, but Him whom his soul 
 
12 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 loveth. He hath a single eye ; and because his * eye is 
 single, his whole body is full of light. The whole is light, 
 as when the bright shining of a candle doth enlighten the 
 house.' God reigns alone; all that is in the soul is 'holi- 
 ness to the Lord.' There is not a motion in his heart but 
 is according to His will. Every thought that arises points 
 to Him, and is in 'obedience to the law of Christ.' 
 
 " And the tree is known by its fruits. For, as he loves 
 God, so he ' keeps His commandments ; ' not only some or 
 most of them, but all, from the least to the greatest. He 
 is not content to ' keep the whole law and offend in one 
 point,' but has in all points ' a conscience void of oflfence 
 toward God and toward man.' "Wliatever God has forbid- 
 den, he avoids ; whatever God has enjoined, he does. ' He 
 runs the way of God's commandments,' now He hath set his 
 heart at liberty. It is his glory and joy so to do ; it is his 
 daily crown of rejoicing to 'do the will of God on earth, as 
 it is done in heaven.' 
 
 "All the commandments of God he accordingly keeps, 
 and that with all his might; for his obedience is in propor- 
 tion to his love, the source from whence it flows. And 
 therefore, loving God with all his heart, he serves Him 
 with all his strength ; he continually presents his soul and 
 'body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God;' entirely 
 and without reserve devoting himself, all he has, all he is, 
 to His glory. All the talents he has he constantly employs 
 according to his Master's will ; every power and faculty of 
 his soul, every member of his body. 
 
 " By consequence, ' whatsoever he doeth, it is all to the 
 glory of God.' In all his employments of every kind, he 
 not only aims at this, which is implied in having a single 
 eye, but actually attains it ; his business and his refresh- 
 ments, as well as his prayers, all serve to this great end. 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 13 
 
 Whether he 'sit in the house, or walk by the way,' whether 
 he lie down or rise up, he is promoting, in all he speaks or 
 does, the one business of his life. Whether he put on his 
 apparel, or labor, or eat and drink, or divert himself from 
 too wasting labor, it all tends to advance the glory of God, 
 by peace and good-will among men. His one invariable 
 rule is this, ' Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do it all 
 in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, even 
 the Father, through Him.' 
 
 "Nor do the customs of the world at all hinder his 
 ' running the race which is set before him.' He cannot, 
 therefore, ' lay up treasures upon earth,' no more than he 
 can take fire into his bosom. He cannot speak evil of his 
 neighbor, any more than he can lie either for God or man. 
 He cannot utter an unkind word of any one, for love keeps 
 the door of his lips. He cannot 'speak idle words; no 
 corrupt conversation ' ever ' comes out of his mouth ; ' as is 
 all that is not ' good to the use of edifying,' not fit to 
 'minister grace to the hearers.' But 'whatsoever things 
 are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things 
 are' justly 'of good report,' he thinks, speaks and acts, 
 ' adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.' " 
 
 These are the very words wherein I largely declared, for 
 the first time, my sentiments of Christian perfection. And, 
 is it not easy to see, (1) That this is the very point at 
 which I aimed all along from the year 1725; and more 
 determinately from the year 1730, when I began to be 
 homo unius libri, "a man of one Book," regarding none, 
 comparatively, but the Bible 1 Is it not easy to see, (2) 
 That this is the very same doctrine which I believe and 
 teach at this day ; not adding one point, either to that 
 inward or outward holiness which I maintained eight-and- 
 
14 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 thirty years ago 1 And it is the same which, by the grace 
 of God, I have continued to teach from that time till now, 
 as will appear to every impartial person from the extracts 
 subjoined below. 
 
 11. 1 do not know that any writer has made any objec 
 tion against that tract to this day ; and for some time I did 
 not find much opposition upon the head, at^ least, not from 
 serious persons. But after a time, a cry arose, and, what a 
 little surprised me, among religious men, who affirmed, not 
 that I stated perfection wrong, but that " there is no per- 
 fection on earth ; " nay, and fell vehemently on my brother 
 and me for affirming the contrary. We scarce expected so 
 rough an attack from these ; especially as we were clear on 
 justification by faith, and careful to ascribe the whole sal- 
 vation to the mere grace of God. But what most surprised 
 us was, that we were said to "dishonor Christ" by as.sert- 
 ing that He " saveth to the uttermost ; " by maintaining 
 He will reign in our hearts alone, and subdue all things to 
 Himself. 
 
 His Sermon on Christian Perfection. 
 
 12. I think it was in the latter end of the year 1740, 
 that I had a conversation with Dr. Gibson, then Bishop of 
 London, at Whitehall. He asked me what I meant by 
 perfection. I told him without any disguise or reserve. 
 When I ceased speaking, he said, " Mr. Wesley, if this be 
 all you mean, publish it to all the world. If any one then 
 can confute what you say, he may have free leave." I 
 answered, " My lord, I will ; " and accordingly wrote and 
 published the sermon on Christian perfection. 
 
 In this I endeavored to show, (1) In what sense Chris- 
 tians are not, (2) In what sense they are, perfect. 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 15 
 
 "(1) In what sense they are not. They are not perfect 
 in knowledge. They are not free from ignorance, no, nor 
 from mistake. We are no more to expect any living man 
 to be infallible, than to be omniscient. They are not free 
 from infirmities, such as weakness or slowness of under- 
 standing, irregular quickness or heaviness of imagination. 
 Such in another kind are impropriety of language, ungrace- 
 f ulness of pronunciation ; to which one might add a thou- 
 sand nameless defects, either in conversation or behaviour. 
 From such infirmities as these none are perfectly freed till 
 their spirits return to God ; neither can we expect till then 
 to be wholly freed from temptation ; for ' the servant is not 
 above his master.' But neither in this sense is there any 
 absolute perfection on earth. There is no perfection of 
 degrees, none which does not admit of a continual increase. 
 
 "(2) In what sense then are they perfect 1 Observe, we 
 are not now speaking of babes in Christ, but adult Chris- 
 tians. But even babes in Christ are so far perfect as not 
 to commit sin. This St. John affirms expressly ; and it 
 cannot be disproved by the examples of the Old Testament. 
 For what if the holiest of the ancient Jews did sometimes 
 commit sin 1 We cannot infer from hence, that, ' all Chris- 
 tians do and must commit gin as long as they live.' 
 
 " But does not the Scriptures way, * A just man sinneth 
 seven times a day 1 ' It does not. Indeed, it says, ' A just 
 man falleth seven times.' But this is quite another thing ; 
 for, First, the words a day, are not in the text. Secondly, 
 there is no mention oi falling into sin at all. What is here 
 mentioned, is /ailing into temporal affliction. 
 
 " But elsewhere Solomon says, * There is no man that 
 sinneth not.' Doubtless thus it wa.s in the days of Solomon; 
 yea, and from Solomon to Christ there was then no man 
 that sinned not. But whatever was the case of those under 
 
16 
 
 CHKISTIAN PERFECTION , 
 
 the law, we may safely afBrm, with St. John, that, since the 
 Gospel was given, 'he that is Ijorn of God sinneth not.' 
 
 "The privileges of Christians are in nowise to be meas- 
 ured by what the Old Testament records concerning those 
 who were under the Jewish dispensation ; seeing the fulness 
 of time is now come, the Holy Ghost is now given, the 
 great salvation of God is now brought to men by the reve- 
 lation of Jesus Christ. The kingdom of heaven is now set 
 up on earth, concerning which the Spirit of God declared 
 of old time (so far is David from being the pattern or stan- 
 dard of Christian perfection), ' He that is feeble among 
 them, at that day shall be as David, and the house of David 
 shall be as the angel of the Lord before them,' Zech. xii. 8. 
 
 " But the apostles themselves committed sin : Peter by 
 dissembling, Paul by his sharp contention with Barnabas. 
 Suppose they did, will you argue thus : ' If two of the 
 Apostles once committed sin, then all other Christians in 
 all ages, do and must commit sin as long as they live *? ' 
 Nay, God forbid we should thus speak. No necessity of 
 sin was laid upon them ; the grace of God was surely suffi- 
 cient for them. And it is sufficient for us at this day. 
 
 "But St, James says, *In many things we offend all.' 
 True, but who are the persons here spoken of 1 Why, those 
 many masters or teachers whom God had not sent ; not the 
 apostle himself, nor any real Christian. That in the word 
 ive, used by a figure of speech, common in all other as well 
 as the inspired writings, the apostle could not possibly in- 
 clude himself, or any other true believer, appears. First, 
 from the ninth verse, ' Therewith bless we God, and there- 
 with curse we men.' Surely not we apostles ! not we 
 believers ! Secondly, from the words preceding the text : 
 ' My brethren, be not many masters,' or teachers, 'knowing 
 that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 17 
 
 many things we offend all.' We! Who'? Not the apostles 
 nor true believers, but they who were to * receive the 
 greater condemnation,' because of those many offences. 
 Nay, thirdly, the verse itself proves, that, ' we offend all,' 
 cannot be spoken either of all men or all Christians. For 
 in it immediately follows the mention of a man who 'offends 
 not,' as the ue tir.>!t mentioned did ; from whom therefore 
 he is professedly contiadistinguished, and pronounced a 
 ' perfect man.' 
 
 " But St. John himself says, 'If we say we have no sin, 
 we deceive ourselves ; ' and, ' If we say we have not sinned, 
 we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.' 
 
 "I answer, (1) The tenth verse tixes the sense of the 
 eighth; ' If we say we have no sin,' in the former, being ex- 
 plained by, ' If we say we have not sinned,' in the latter 
 verse ; (2) The point under consideration is not whether 
 we have or have not sinned, heretofore ; and neither of these 
 verses asserts that we do sin, or commit sin now ; (3) The 
 ninth verse explains both the eighth and the tenth : 'If we 
 confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our 
 sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' As if He 
 had said, 'I have before aHirmed, the blood of Christ clean- 
 seth from all sin.' And no man can say, ' I need it not ; I 
 have no sin to be cleansed from.' ' If we say, we have no 
 sin,' that, ' we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves,' and 
 make God a liar ; but, ' if we confess our sins. He is faith- 
 ful and just,' not only 'to forgive us our sins,' but also 'to 
 cleanse us from all unrighteousness,' that we may ' go and 
 sin no more.' In conformity, therefore, both to the doctrine 
 of St. John, and the whole tenor of the New Testament, we 
 fix this conclusion : A Christian is so far perfect, as not to 
 commit sin. 
 
 " This is the glorious privilege of every Christian, yea. 
 
18 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 though lie be V)ut a babe in Christ. But it is only of grown 
 Christians it can be artirrned, they are in such a sense per- 
 fect, as, Secondly, to be freed from evil thoughts and evil 
 tempers. First from evil or sinful thoughts. Indeed, 
 wlience should they spring? 'Out of the heart of man,' 
 if it all, 'proceed evil thoughts.' If, therefore, the heart 
 be no longer evil, then evil thoughts no longer proceed out 
 of it : for ' a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.' 
 
 "And as they are freed from evil thoughts, so likewise 
 from evil tempers. Eveiy one of these can say, with St. 
 Paul, ' I am crucified with Christ ; nevertheless I live; yet 
 not I, but Christ liveth in me ; ' — words that manifestly 
 describe a deliverance from inward as well as from outward 
 sin. This is expressed both negatively, 'I live not,' my evil 
 nature, the body of sin is destroyed; and positively, 'Christ 
 liveth in me,' and, therefore, all that is holy, and just, and 
 good. Indeed, both these, ' Christ live'h in me,' and, 'I live 
 not,' are inseparably connected. For what communion hath 
 light with darkness, or Christ with Belial 1 
 
 " He therefore, who liveth in these Christians hath 'puri- 
 fied their hearts by faith ; ' in.somuch that anyone that has 
 Christ in him, ' the hope of glory, puritieth himself even as 
 He is pure.' He is purified from pride ; for Christ was lowly 
 in heart ; he is pure from desire and self-will ; for Christ 
 desired only to do the will of the Father ; and he is pure 
 from anger, in the common sense of the word, for Christ 
 was meek and gentle. I say, in the common sense of the 
 word ; for He is angry at sin, while He is grieved for the 
 sinner. He feels a displacency at every oflfence against 
 God, but only tender compassion to the offender. 
 
 •' Thus doth Jesus save His people from their sins ; not 
 only from outward sins, but from the sins of their hearts. 
 ' True,' says some, ' but not till death, not in this world.' 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 19 
 
 Nay, St. John says, ' Herein is our love made perfect, that 
 we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because, as 
 He is, so are we in this world.' The apostle here, beyond 
 all contradiction, speaks of himself and other living Chris- 
 tians, of whom he flatly affirms, that not only at or after 
 death, but 'in this world,' they are *as their Master.' 
 
 " Exactly agreeable to this are his words in the first chap- 
 ter: 'God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we 
 walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship 
 one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son 
 cleanseth us from all sin.' And again : ' If we confess our 
 sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to 
 cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Now, it is evident the 
 Apostle here speaks of a deliverance wrought in this world ; 
 for he saith not. The blood of Christ will cleanse (at the 
 hour of death, or in the day of judgment), but it 'cleanseth,' 
 at the time present, us living Christians 'from all sin.' And 
 it is equally evident, that if any sin remain, we are not 
 cleansed from all sin. If any unrighteousness remain in the 
 soul, it is not cleansed from all unrighteousness. Neither 
 let any say that this relates to justification only, or the 
 cleansing us from the guilt of sin : first, because this is con- 
 founding together what the Apostle clearly distinguishes, 
 who mentions first, ' to forgive us our sins,' and then ' to 
 cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Secondly, because 
 this is asserting justification by works, in the strongest 
 sense possible ; it is making all inward, as well as all out- 
 ward holiness, necessarily previous to justification. For if 
 the cleansing here spoken of is no other than the cleansing 
 us from the guilt of ein, then we are not cleansed from 
 guilt, that is, not justified, unless on condition of walking 
 ' in the light, as He is in the light.' It remains, then, that 
 Christians are saved in this world from all sin, from all 
 
20 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 unrighteousnoss ; that they are now in such a sense perfect, 
 as not to commit sin, and to be freed from evil thoughts 
 and evil tempers," 
 
 It could not be but that a discourse of this kind, which 
 directly contradicted the favorite opinion of many, who 
 were esteemed by others, and possibly esteemed themselves, 
 some of the best of Christians (whereas, if these things were 
 so, they were not (Miristians 'it all), sliould give no small 
 ofl'ence. Many answers or animadversions, therefore, were 
 expected ; but J was agreeably disappointed. I do not 
 know that any appeared ; so I went quietly on my way. 
 
 The Preface of His Second Volume op Hymns. 
 
 13. Not long after, I think in the spring, 1741, we pub- 
 lished a second volume of hymns. As the doctrine was still 
 much misunderstood and, consequently, misrepresented, I 
 judged it needful to explain yet farther upon the head, 
 which was done in the preface to it as follows : — 
 
 " This great gift of God, the salvation of our souls, is no 
 other than the image of God fresh stamped on our hearts. 
 It is a ' renewal of believers in the spirit of their minds, 
 after the likeness of Him that created them.' God hath 
 now laid ' the axe unto the root of the tree, purifying their 
 hearts by faith, and 'cleansing all the thoughts of their 
 hearts by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit. Having this 
 hope, that they shall see God as He is, they 'purify thenr 
 selves even as He is pure,' and are ' holy, as He that hath 
 called them is holy, in all manner of conversation.' Not 
 that they have already attained all that they shall attain, 
 either are already in this sense perfect. But they daily ' go 
 on from strength to strength, beholding' now, 'as in a 
 
 I 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 21 
 
 glass, the glory of the Tx)r(l, tliey are changed into the same 
 image, froni glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord.' 
 
 "And 'where the Spirit of the TiOrd is, there is liberty ;' 
 such liberty 'from the law of sin and death,' as the children 
 of this world will not believe, though a man declare it unto 
 them. 'The Son hath made them free,' who are thus 'Imrn 
 of God,' from that great root of sin and bitterness, pride. 
 They feel that all their ' suthciency is of God,' that it is He 
 alone who 'is in all their thoughts,' and ' worketh in them 
 both to will and to do of His good pleasure.' They feel 
 that ' it is not they ' that 'speak, but the Spirit of' their 
 'Father who speaketh ' in them, and that whatsoever is 
 done by their hands, * the Father who is in them, He doeth 
 the works.' So that God is to them all in all, and they are 
 nothing in His sight. They are freed from self-will, as 
 desiring nothing but the holy and perfect will of God : not 
 supplies in want, not ease in pain,* nor life, or death, or 
 any creature ; but continually crying in their inmost soul, 
 ' Father, Thy will be done.' They are freed from evil 
 thoughts, so that they cannot enter into them, no, not for a 
 moment. Aforetime, when an evil thought came in, they 
 looked up, and it vanished away. But now it does not 
 come in, there being no room for this in a soul which is full 
 of God. They are free from wanderings in prayer. When- 
 soever they pour out their hearts in a more immediate 
 manner before God, they have no thought of anything past,t 
 or absent, or to come, but of God alone. In times past 
 they had wandering thoughts darting in, which yet fled 
 
 * This is too strong. Our Lord Himself desired ease in pain. 
 He asked for it, only with resignation : "Not as I will," I desire, 
 "but as Thou wilt." 
 
 t This is far too strong. See the sermon "On Wandering 
 Thoughts." 
 
22 
 
 CHFIISTIAN PEHFECTION, 
 
 away like siiutkn ; hut now that Kiiioko (Uwh not rise at all. 
 Tlipy hav(^ no ffar or doubt, t-itlicr us to their HtnU* in 
 general, or as to any partitnilar action.* The ' unetion from 
 thn Holy One' teacheth thoiii every hour what tliev shall 
 do, and what they shall Hpeak ;t nor, therefore, have thoy 
 any ne<'d to reason eoncerning it.}; They are irj one gens<» 
 freed from temptations ; for though numherlesH temptations 
 lly about then), yet they trouble them not.§ At all times 
 their souls are even and calm, their hearts are steadfast and 
 unmovable Their peace, flowing as a river, 'passeth all 
 understanding,' and 'they rejoice with joy unspeakable and 
 full of glory.' Kor they 'are sealed by the Hpirit unto the 
 day of redemption,' having the witness in themselves, that 
 •there is laid up for' them a 'crown of righteousness, which 
 the Lord will give them in that day.'|| 
 
 "Not that every one is a child of the devil till he is thus 
 renewed in love : on the contrary, whoever has ' a sure con- 
 fidence in God that, through the merits of Christ, his sins 
 are forgiven,' he is a child of God, and, if he abide in Him, 
 an heir of all the promises. Neither ought he in anywise 
 to cast away his confidence, or to deny the faith he has 
 received, because it is weak, or because it is ' tried with 
 tire,' so that his soul is ' in heaviness through manifold 
 temptations.' 
 
 * Frequently this is the case, but only for a time. 
 
 t For a time it may be so, but not always. 
 
 X Sometimes they have no need, at other times they have, 
 
 § Sometimes they do not, at other times they do, and that griev- 
 ously. 
 
 II Not all who are saved from sin ; many of them have not attained 
 it yet. 
 
AH TAlIOilT MY JOHN' WKSLEY. 
 
 28 
 
 in 
 III 
 
 til 
 
 ns 
 
 1(>8 
 
 Not Fully Savki) at (Jonvkrhion. 
 
 '• Neither dare wo aflirm, as some have doii''. that all this 
 salvation in given at once. Tlirre is, indfed, nf> instanla- 
 neous, as well as a gradual, work of (iod in His children ; 
 and there wants not, we know, a cloud of witnesses, who 
 have received, in one inoinent, either a clear sense of the 
 forgiveness of their sins, or the ahiding witness of the Holy 
 .Spirit. But we do not know a single instance, in any 
 place, of a person's receiving, in one and the same moment, 
 remission of sins, the abiding witness of the Spirit, and a 
 new, a clean heart. 
 
 "Indeed, how (Jod may work, we cannot tell; but the 
 general manner wherein He does work, is this : those who 
 once trusted in them.selves that they were righteous, that 
 they were rich, and increased in goods, and had need of 
 nothing, are, by the Spirit of God applying His word, con- 
 vinced that they are poor and naked. All the things that 
 they have done are brought to tlieir remembrance and set 
 in array before them, so that they see the wrath of God 
 hanging over their heads, and feel that they deserve the 
 damnation of hell. In their trouble they cry unto the 
 Lord, and He shows them that He hath taken away their 
 sins, and opens the kingdom of Heaven in their hearts — 
 'righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' 
 Sorrow and pain are fled away, and ' sin has no more 
 dominion over' them. Knowing they are justified freely 
 through faith in His blood, they 'have peace with God 
 through Jesus Oil rist ; ' they 'rejoice in hope of the glory 
 of God,' and ' the love of God is shed abroad in their 
 hearts.' 
 
24 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 What comes Subsequent to Conversion. 
 
 " In this place they remain for days, or weeks, or months, 
 and commonly suppose they shall not know war any more ; 
 till some of their old enemies, their bosom sins, or the sin 
 which did most easily beset them (perhaps anger or desire), 
 assault them again, and thrust sore at them, that they may 
 fall. Then arises fear that they shall not endure to the 
 end ; and often doubt whether God has not forgotten them, 
 or whether they did not deceive themselves in thinking 
 their sins were forgiven. Under these clouds, especially if 
 they reason with the devil, they go mourning all the day 
 long. But it is seldom long before the Lord answers for 
 Himself, sending then' the Holy Ghost to comfort them, to 
 bear witness continually with their spirits that they are the 
 children of God. Then tliey are, indeed, meek, and gentle, 
 and teachable, even as a little child. 
 
 Depravity in the Converted Heart. 
 
 " And now first do they see the ground of their heart,* 
 which God before would not disclose unto them, lest the 
 soul should fail before Him, and the spirit which he had 
 made. Now they see all the hidden abominations there, 
 the depths of pride, self-will and hell ; yet having the wit- 
 ness in themselves, 'Thou art an heir of God, a joint heir 
 with Christ even in the midst of this fiery trial ; ' which 
 continually heightens both the strong sense they then have 
 
 * Ih it not astonishing, that while this book is extant, which was 
 published fourand twonty years ago, any one should face me down, 
 that this is a new doctrine, and what I never taught before? — [This 
 note was first published in the year 1765. — EniT.l 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY, 
 
 25 
 
 of their inability to help themselves, and the inexpressible 
 hunger they feel after a full renewal in His image, in 
 'righteousness and true holiness.' 
 
 The Second Blessing. 
 
 "Then Goa is mindful of the desire of them that fear 
 Him, and gives them a single eye, and a pure heart ; He 
 stamps upon them His own image and superscription ; He 
 createth them anew in Christ Jesus ; He eometh unto them 
 with His Son and blessed Spirit, and, fixing His abode in 
 their souls, bringeth them into the ' rest which remaineth 
 for the people of God.' " 
 
 Here I cannot but remark, (1) That this is the strongest 
 account we ever gave of Christian Perfection — indeed, too 
 strong in more than one particular, as is observed in the 
 notes annexed. (2) That there is nothing which we have 
 since advanced upon the subject, either in verse or prose, 
 which is not either directly or indirectly contained in this 
 preface. So that whether our present doctrine be right or 
 wrong, it is, however, the same which we taught from the 
 beginning. 
 
 14. I need not give additional proofs of this, by multiply- 
 ing quotations from the volume itself. Tt may suffice to cite 
 part of one hymn only, the last in that volume : 
 
 Lord, I believe a rest remains, 
 
 To all Tliy people known ; 
 A rest where pure enjoyment reigns, 
 
 And Thou art loved alone. 
 
 A rest where all our soul's desire 
 
 Is fixed on things above ; 
 Where doubt and pain and fear expire, 
 
 Cast out by perfect love. 
 
26 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 From every evil motion freed, 
 
 (The Son hath made us free,) 
 On all the powers of hell we tread, 
 
 In glorious liberty. 
 
 Safe in the way of life, above 
 
 Death, earth, and hell we rise ; 
 We find, when perfected in love, 
 
 Our long-sought paradise. 
 
 Ob, that I now the rest might know, 
 
 Believe and enter in ! 
 Now, Saviour, now the power bestow, 
 
 And let me cease from sin ! 
 
 Remove tiiis hardness from my heart. 
 
 This unbelief remove ; 
 To me the rest of faith impart. 
 
 The Sabbath of Thy love. 
 
 Come, my Saviour, come away ! 
 
 Into my soul descend ! 
 No longer from thy creature stay, 
 
 My author and my end. 
 
 The bliss Thou hast for me prepared, 
 
 No longer bo delayed : 
 Come, my exceeding great reward, 
 
 For whom I first was made. 
 
 Come Father, Son and Holy Ghost, 
 
 And seal me Thine abode ! 
 Let all I am in Thee be lost ; 
 
 Let all be lost in God ! 
 
 Can any thing be more clear than, (i) That here, also, is 
 as full and high a salvation as we iiave ever spoken of? 
 (2) That this is spoken of as receivable by mere faith, and 
 as hindered only by unbelief ? (3) That this faith, and 
 consequently the salvation which it brings, is spoken of as 
 given in an instant 1 (1) That it is supposed that instant 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 27 
 
 may be now? that we need not stay another moment ] that 
 "now," the very " now is the accepted time? now is tlie 
 day of " this full " salvation ? " And, lastly, that, if any 
 speak otherwise, he is the person that brings new doctrine 
 among us? 
 
 The Preface of His Third Volume of Hymns. 
 
 15. About a year after, namely, in the year 1742, we 
 published another voluMie of hymns. The dispute being 
 now at the height, we spoke upon the head more largely 
 than ever before. Accordingly, abundance of the hymns in 
 this volume treat expressly on this subject. And so does 
 the preface, which, as it is short, it may not be amiss to in- 
 sert entire : 
 
 , IS 
 
 of? 
 iud 
 md 
 as 
 ant 
 
 "(I) Perhaps the general prejudice against Christian 
 perfection may chiefly arise from a misapprehension of the 
 nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, 
 there is no such perfection in this life, as implies either a 
 dispensation from doing good, and attending all the ordi- 
 nances of God, or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temp- 
 tation, and a thousand infirmities necessarily connected with 
 flesh and blood. 
 
 " (2) First. We not only allow, but earnestly contend, 
 that there is no perfection in this life, Avhich implies any 
 dispensation from attending all the ordinances of God, or 
 from doing good unto all men while we have time, though 
 'especially unto the household of faith.' We believe, that 
 not only the babes in Christ, who have newly found redemp- 
 tion in His blood, but those also who are ' grown up into 
 perfect men,' are indispensably obliged, as often as they 
 have opportunity, ' to eat bread and drink wine in reraeni- 
 
28 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 braiico, of Him,' and to 'search th9 Scriptures ; ' by fasting, 
 as well as temperance, to ' keep their bodies under, and 
 bring them into subjection ; ' and, above all, to pour out 
 their souls in prayer, both secretly and in the great congre- 
 gation. 
 
 " (3) We secondly believe that there is no such perfection 
 in this life, as implies an entire deliverance, either from igno- 
 rance, or mistake, in things not essential to salvation, or 
 from manifold temptations, or from numberless infirmities, 
 wherewith the corruptible body more or less presses down 
 the soul. We cannot find any ground in Scripture to sup- 
 pose, that any inhabitant of a house of clay is wholly exempt 
 either from bodily infirmities, or from ignorance of many 
 things ; or to imagine any is incapable of mistake, or falling 
 into divers temptations. 
 
 " (4) But whom, tlien, do you mean by ' one that is per- 
 fect V We n»ean one in whom is ' the mind which was in 
 Christ,' and who so ' walketh as Christ also walked'; a man 
 ' that hath clean hands and a pure heart,' or that is ' cleansed 
 from all filthiness of flesh and spirit '; one in whom is 'no 
 occasion of stumbling,' and who, accordingly, ' does not com- 
 mit sin.' To declare this a little more particularly : we un- 
 derstand Ijy that sci'iptural expression, 'a perfect man,' one 
 in whom (iod hath fulfilled His faithful word, ' From all 
 your filthiness and from all your idols I will cleanse you : 
 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses.' We un- 
 derstand, hereby, one whom God hath ' sanctified throughout 
 in body, soul and spirit ' ; one who ' walketh in the light 
 as He is in the light, in whom is no darkness at all ; the 
 blood of Jesus Christ His Son having cleansed him from all 
 sin.' 
 
 " (5.) This man can now testify to all mankind, ' I am 
 crucified with Christ : nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 29 
 
 Pl 
 
 md 
 
 lout 
 
 rre- 
 
 Christ liveth in me.' He is 'holy as God who called' him 
 ' is holy,* both in heart and ' in all manner of conversation.' 
 He * loveth the Lord his God with all his heart,' and serveth 
 Him 'with all his strength.' He ' loveth his neighbor,' every 
 man, ' as himself; yea, 'as Christ loveth us '; them, in par- 
 ticular, 'that despitefully use Him and persecute Him, be- 
 cause they know not the Son, neither the Father.' Indeed, 
 his soul is all love, tilled with 'bowels of mercies, kindness, 
 meekness, gentleness, long-suffering.' And his life agreeth 
 thereto, full of ' the work of faith, the patience of hope, the 
 labor of love.' ' And whatsoever ' he ' doeth either in word 
 or deed,' he ' doeth it all in the name,' in the love and power, 
 'of the Lord Jesus.' In a word, he doeth ' the will of God 
 on earth, as it is done in heaven.' 
 
 " (6.) This it is to be a perfect man, to V)e ' sanctified 
 throughout :' even 'to have a heart so all flaming with the 
 love of God ' (to use Archbishop Usher's words), ' as contin- 
 ually to offer up every thought, word and work, as a spiritual 
 sacrifice, acceptable to God through Christ.' In every thought 
 of our hearts, in every word of our tongues, in every work 
 of our hands, to ' show forth His praise, who hath called us 
 out of darkness into His marvellous light.' O that both 
 we, and all who seek the Lord Jesus in sincerity, may thus 
 * be made perfect in one !' " 
 
 
 He Denies any Change of His Views. 
 
 This is the doctrine which we preached from the V)egin- 
 ning and which we preach at this day. Indeed, by viewing 
 it in every point of light, and comparing it again and again 
 with the word of God on the one hand, and the experience 
 of the children of God on the other, we saw farther into 
 the nature and properties of Christian perfection. But still 
 
30 
 
 CHllISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 thero is no coiitraric^ty at all between our first and our last 
 siMitiinents Our first conception of it was, it is to have 
 " the mind which was in Christ," and to " walk as He 
 walk(Ml ;" to have all th»' mind that was in Him, and always 
 to walk as He walked : in other words, to he inwardly and 
 outwardly devoted t(j (Jod ; all devoted in heart and life. 
 And we have the same conception of it now, without either 
 addition or diminution. 
 
 H). The hymns concerning it in tins volume are too 
 numerous to transcribe. 1 shall only cite a part of three : — 
 
 Saviour from ain, I wait to prove 
 
 That Jesus is Tliy healing name ; 
 To lose when perfected in love, 
 
 Whate'er I have, or ean, or am ; 
 I stay me on Thy faithful word, 
 " The servant shall be as his Lord." 
 
 Answer that gracious end in me 
 
 For which Thy precious life was given : 
 
 Redeem from all iniquity, 
 Restore, and make me meet for heaven. 
 
 Unless Thou purge my every stain, 
 
 Thy suffering and my faith is vain. 
 
 Didst Thou not die, that I might live, 
 No longer to myself but Thee ? 
 
 Might body, soul, and spirit give 
 To }lim who gave himself for me ? 
 
 Come then, my Master and my (Jod, 
 
 Take the dear purchase of Thy blood. 
 
 Thy own peculiar servant claim, 
 
 For Thy own truth and mercy's sake ; 
 
 Hallow in me Thy glorious name ; 
 Me for Thine own this moment take ; 
 
 And change and thoroughly purify ; 
 
 Thine only may I live and die. (p. 80.) 
 
too 
 
 AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLKY. 
 
 Chose from thv world, if now I stand, 
 Adorn'd with rightoousness Divine ; 
 
 If, brought into the promised land, 
 I justly call the Saviour mine ; 
 
 Tlie sanctifying Spirit pour, 
 
 To quench my thirst and wash me clean, 
 Now, Saviour, let the gracious shower 
 
 Descend, and make me pure from sin. 
 
 Purge from me every sinful blot : 
 
 My idols all be cast aside : 
 Cleanse me from every evil thought. 
 
 From all the ^^Ith of self aniF pride. 
 
 The hatred of the carnal mind 
 Out of my flesh at once remove ; 
 
 Give me a tender heart, resign'd 
 And pure, and full of faith and love. 
 
 Oh, that I now, from sin releas'd. 
 Thy word might to the utmost prove. 
 
 Enter into that promised rest ; 
 The Canaan of Thy perfect love ! 
 
 Now let me gain perfection's height ! 
 
 Now let me into nothing fall ; 
 Be less than nothing in my sight, 
 
 And feel that Christ is all in all. (p. 258.) 
 
 31 
 
 M 
 
 Lord, I believe Thy work of grace 
 
 Is perfect in the soul : 
 His heart is pure who see Thy face. 
 
 His spirit is made whole. 
 
 From every sickness, by Thy word. 
 
 From every foul disease. 
 Saved, and to perfect health restored, 
 
 To perfect holiness : 
 
32 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 He walks in glorious liberty, 
 
 To sin entirely dead : 
 The Truth, the Son hath made him free, 
 
 And he \a free indeed. 
 
 Throughout his soul Thy glories shine, 
 
 Mis soul is all renew'd. 
 And decked in rigiiteousness Divine, 
 
 And clothed and filled with (Jod. 
 
 This ia the rest, the life, the peace. 
 
 Which all Thy j)eople prove ; 
 i^ove is the bond of pcrfectness, 
 
 And all their soul is love. 
 
 O joyful sound of (iospel grace ! 
 
 Christ shall in me appear ; 
 I, even I, shall see His face, 
 
 1 shall be holy here I 
 
 He visits now the house of clay. 
 
 He shakes his future home ; 
 O wouldst Thou, Lord, on this glad day. 
 
 Into Thy temple como ! 
 
 Come, my God, Thyself reveal, 
 Fill all this mighty void ; 
 
 Thou only canst my spirit fill : 
 Come, my (Jod, my (Jod ! 
 
 Fulfil, fulfil my large retiuires, 
 
 Large as infinity ! 
 Give, give me all my soul desires. 
 
 All, all that is iu Thee ! (p. 2{>8. 
 
AS TAUdHT HY .lOHN WKSI-EY. 
 
 33 
 
 I 'It 
 
 m 
 
 The Minutes of His First, Second and Tiiird 
 confeuenceh. 
 
 17. On Monday, June 25, 1744, our first oonfenmce 
 l)o<^at\ ; six clergynKui and all our preachers being present. 
 The next niorninj^ we seriously considered the doctrine of 
 sanctitication, or perfection. The (juestions asked <ron(;(!rn- 
 iiig it, and the substance of tlie answers given, were as 
 follows : — 
 
 " Wliat Is it to he sanctified ? 
 
 " To be renewed in the image of CJod, ' in righteousness 
 and true holiness.' 
 
 " What is implied in heinf/ a perfect Christian ? 
 
 "The loving God with all our heart, and mind, and soul. 
 (Deut. vi. 5.) 
 
 " Does this imply that all inward sin is taken arnay ? 
 
 " Undoubtedly ; or how can we be said to be ' saved from 
 all our uncleannesses ■? ' (Ezekiel xxxvi. 29.)" 
 
 Our second conference began August 1, 1745. The next 
 morning we spoke of sanctitication as follows : 
 
 " When does inward sanctification begin 1 
 
 " In the moment a man is justified. (Yet sin remains in 
 him, yea, the seed of all sin, till he is sanctified through- 
 out.) From that time a believer gradually dies to sin, and 
 grows in grace. 
 
 "Zs this ordinarily given till a little before death? 
 
 "It is not, to those who expect it no sooner. 
 
 " But may we expect it sooner ? 
 
 "Why not ■? For, although we grant, (1) that the gener- 
 ality of believers, whom we have hitherto known, were not 
 3 
 
:u 
 
 cnmsTiAN i'ekkk(;ti()N, 
 
 Ko saiu'titicd till near doatli ; (2) tluit few of tluisc? to wlioni 
 St. Paul wrote his Kpistlea woro so at that tiino ; nor, (3) 
 h(! liiiiisclf at tho timo of writinj^ hi.s formor epistlos ; yet 
 all tliisdocs not provcj that we may not be so today. 
 " hi ii'hitt manner should we preach nanclijicat'wn f 
 " Scarce at all to those who are not pressing forward ; to 
 tlio.se who are, always by way of promise: always (h'uwing, 
 rather than driving." 
 
 Our third conference began Tuesday, May -G, 1710. 
 
 In this wo carefully read over the minutes of the two 
 preceding conferences, to observe whether anything con- 
 tained therein might be retrenched or altered on more 
 mature considtiration. But we did not see cause to alter in 
 any respect what we had agreed upon before. 
 
 Our fourth conference began on Tuesday, June the 16th, 
 1747. As several persons were present who did not believe 
 the doctrine of perfection, we agreed to examine it from the 
 foundation. 
 
 In order to do this, it was asked, 
 
 " Hotv much is allowed by our brethren who differ from 
 us with regard to entire sanctijication ? 
 
 "They grant, (1) That every one must be entirely sanc- 
 tified in the article of death. (2) That till then a believer 
 daily grows in grace, comes nearer and nearer to perfection. 
 (3) That we ought to be continually pressing after it, and 
 to exhort all others so to do. 
 
 " What do we alloio them ? 
 
 " We grant, (1) That many of those who have died in 
 the faith, yea, the greater part of those we have known, 
 were not perfected in love till a little before their death. 
 (2) That the term sanctified is continually applied by St. 
 
AS TATfJUT HY lOllN WKSLKY. 
 
 35 
 
 to 
 
 I'aul to 111! that were justified. (3) That hy this t<'rm alono 
 ho rarely, if ever, means ' savfd from nil sin.' (\) That, 
 conse(|U('ntly, it is not proper to uso it in that .sense, with- 
 out adding the word ir/io//i/, fiitircfy, or (he like. (.*>) That 
 the ins])ired writers almost continually speak of, or to, those 
 who wore Justified, l)ut very rarely of, or to, those who were 
 wholly sanctified.* (6) That, consefiuentiy, it behooves u 
 to sp(!ak almost continually of tlu; state of justificatioii ; 
 but more rarely, f 'at least, in full and explicit terms, con- 
 cerning entire sanctitication.' 
 
 " What, then, is the point where we divide? 
 
 " It is this : should we expect to bo saved from all sin 
 before the article of death 1 
 
 The Doctrine Proved from the Scriptures. 
 
 " Is there any clear Scripture promise of this — that God 
 vnll save us from all sin / 
 
 " There is ; ' He shall redeem Israel from all his sins,' 
 Psalm cxxx. 8. 
 
 *' This is more largely expressed in the prophecy of 
 Ezekiel : 'Then will I .sprinkle clean water upon you, and 
 ye shall be clean ; from all your tilthiness, and from all 
 your idols, will I cleanse you ; I will also save you from all 
 your uncleannesses,' xxxvi. 35, 29. No promise can be 
 more clear. And to this the Apostle plainly refers in that 
 exhortation : ' Having these promises, let us cleanse our- 
 selves from all tilthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holi- 
 ness in the fear of God,' 2 Cor. vii. i. Equally clear and 
 
 * That is, unto those alone, exclusive of others ; but they speak 
 to them, jointly with others, almost continually. 
 
 + More rarely, I allow ; but yet in some places very frequently, 
 strongly and explicitly. 
 
'M\ 
 
 « IIIUSTIAN l'EI{FK(rn()N, 
 
 «fXpr«'Hs is tliiit iincinit protnisi! : 'Tfu' l/)rfl tliy (Jod will 
 circiiiiKisc tliy liciirt, jukI the hcmt of thy s«'(!(l, to love tlni 
 lioril thy (lod witii all tliy hciut iiiiil with .ill thy soul,' 
 
 |)('Ut. XXX. <). 
 
 " Hut (Iocs mil/ <tHin'rlioiiy (niHUcrtihh to thin, ocntr in the 
 Nf.ir Tistfutifivt t 
 
 " 'rhcrcMlocs, ;iii(l thai laid (lowri iit \\w phiiiicat torrns. 
 So I .lohii iii. S: ' Tor this piirposi! th<> Hon of (Jod was 
 iiiiiiiifcstcd, th.it lie iiii^dit destroy the works of the dovil ;' 
 llm works of the (hnil, without any limitation or restric- 
 tion ; liut Jill sin is the work f)f the devil. Parallel to 
 which is the assertion of St. Paul : 'Christ loved the Churcli, 
 and ^ave Himself for it, that He mi^ht present it to Him- 
 self, a j,dorious Chureh, not having spot or wrinkle, or any 
 such thinpT, hut that it uiiyht be holy and without blemish,' 
 Eph. V. 25 27. 
 
 " And to the same efiect is liis assertion in the eighth of 
 the Romans, verses W and 4 : (lod sent His Son, that the 
 rif^hteousne.ss of the law luif^ht he fullilled in us, who walk 
 not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' 
 
 *' Does thv Neiv Testavicnt nfjord any farther (/round for 
 expfi,' thiff to be saved from all sin 'I 
 
 " Undoulitedly it does ; both in those prayers and com- 
 mands, which are equivalent to the strongest assertions. 
 
 " Wliat prayers do yoii mean? 
 
 " Prayers for entire santification ; which, were there no 
 such thing, would be a mere mockery of God. Such in par- 
 ticular, are, (l) ' Deliver us from evil.' Now, when this is 
 done, when we are delivered from all evil, there can ))e no 
 sin remaining. (2) ' Neither pray I for these alone, but for 
 them also who shall believe on Me through their word ; that 
 they all may be one : as 'Thou, Father, art in Me, and T in 
 'I'liee, that they also may b(> one in us : I in the:;., and 
 
AS l,\l'(iHT IIY .litllN WKSI.KY 
 
 ••{7 
 
 'lliDii III .Ml', lliiit tlicy iiiii)' Im- iiiiidt' I'll (Vet ill one, .loliii 
 xvii. 'JU •_';{, (.'{) ' I l»()\v my kiu'csunto th«'(in(i iiiid KiitliiT (if 
 our liord .Icsu.s Christ, that lit' wouM jiniiit you, that y«', 
 hL'iiij» rooted and grouiuh-d in hive, iii;i\ lie .iKhf to <'()iiij»i('- 
 h«;nd, with nil Kiiiuts, what is th«? hrt'H iili mid Imigtli, jiiid 
 d«'pth, and h<'ij,dit, and to know the Iunc of Christ, which 
 passoth kiiowlcdj^r ; tliat yv may l»<! tilled with all the ful- 
 ness of (Jod.' Kph. iii. I I, etc ( I) ' TIh' very (Jod of poac«? 
 saiiL'tify you wholly. And I piay ( lod, your whole spirit, 
 soul, and liody, may \>o prcsorvctl lilainelcss unto tlit! coming 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ,' I Thess. v. 23. 
 
 " What coiiunawl is there to fhti same pjf'ect / 
 
 "(1) 'lie ye perfect, as your Father wiio is in heaven is 
 perfect,' Matt. v. 18. (2) 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
 (Jod with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all 
 thy mind,' ^L-itt. xxii. 37. liut if the love of (lod fill all 
 the heart, there can be no sin therein. 
 
 " /hit how docs it appear that this in to be done be/ore the 
 article of death I 
 
 " From the very nature of a command, which is not given 
 to the dead, but to the living. Therefore, ' Thou shalt love 
 God with all thy heait' cannot mean 'thou shalt do this 
 when thou diest,' but, while thou livest. 
 
 "(2) From express texts of Scripture: (i.) 'The grace 
 of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men ; 
 teaching us that, having renounced ungodliness and worldly 
 lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this 
 present world ; looking for the glorious appearing of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might 
 redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a pe- 
 culiar people, zealous of good works,' Titus ii. 11-14. (ii.) 
 ' He hath raised up a horn of salvation for us, to perform 
 the mercy promised to our fathers ; the oath which He 
 
3S 
 
 CIllUSTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 swaro to ouf fatluir Abiahaiii, that He would grant unto 
 us, that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, 
 should serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness 
 V»efore Him, all the days of our life,' Luke i. 09, etc. 
 
 ^^ Is thi've any examplr. hi Scr'ijtturc^ of persons who had 
 atlaineil to this ! 
 
 " Yes ; St. John, and all thos(^ of whom he says, ' Herein 
 is our love made perfect, that we ii)ay have boldness in the 
 day of judgment ; because, as He is, so are we in tliis world,' 
 1 John iv. 17. 
 
 " Can you shuu) one such example nOto ? Where is he that 
 is thus perfect 1 
 
 " To some that make this incjuiry, one might aitf wer, If I 
 knew one here, T would not tell you ; for you do not enquire 
 out of love. You are like Herod ; you only seek the young 
 child to slay it. 
 
 " l>ut more directly we answer : There are many reasons 
 wliy there should be few, if any, indisputalile examples. 
 What inconvenieces would this bring on the person him- 
 self, set as a mark for all to shoot at ! And how unprofit- 
 able would it be to gainsayers ! ' For if they hear not Moses 
 and the Prophets,' Christ and His Apostles, ' neither would 
 they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.' 
 
 '■'•Are M?e not apt to have a secret distaste to any who say 
 they are saved from all sin ? 
 
 " It is very possible we may, and that upon several 
 grounds ; partly from a concern for the good of souls, who 
 may be hurt if these are not what they profess; partly from 
 a kind of implicit envy at those who speak of higher attain- 
 ments than our own ; and partly from our natural slowness 
 and unreadiness of heart to believe the works of God. 
 
 '^Why may tee not continue in the joy of faith, till we are 
 perfected in lore / 
 
\ad 
 
 1 
 
 AS TAUGHT BY JOFIN WESI.FY. 
 
 W.) 
 
 " VV liy indeed '? since lioly grief does not (lucnch this joy ; 
 since even while we are under tlie cross, while we deeply 
 partake of the suH'erings of Christ, we may rejoice with joy 
 unspeakalile." 
 
 From these extracts, it undeniably ai)pears, not only what 
 was mine and my brother's judgment, but what was the 
 judgment of all the preachers in connection witli us, in tlu; 
 years 1741, 45, 4G and 47. Nor do I remember that, in any 
 one of these conferences, w(! had one dissenting voice ; but 
 whatever doubts any one had when we met, they were all 
 removed before we parted. 
 
 Hymns Published in 1749. 
 
 In the year 1749, my brother printed two volumes of 
 " Hynnis and Sacred Poems." As I did not see these before 
 they were published, there were some things in them which 
 1 did not approve of. But I quite approved of the main of 
 the hymns on this head ; a few verses of which are sub- 
 joined : — 
 
 Come, Lord, be manifested here, 
 
 And all the devil's works destroy ; 
 Now, without sin, in nie appear, 
 And fill with everlasting joy ; 
 Thy beatific face display ; 
 Thy presence is the perfect day. (Vol. i. , p. 203. ) 
 
 Swift to my rescue come. 
 Thy own this moment seize ; 
 
 Gather my wand'ring spirit home, 
 And keep in perfect peace. 
 
 Suffer'd no more to rove 
 
 O'er all the earth abroad, 
 Arrest the pris'ner of Thy love, 
 
 And shut me up in (^od ! (p. 247.) 
 
40 
 
 CUKISTIAN I'liKKKCTION, 
 
 'J'hy pria'ner 8 release, vouchsafe us Thy peace ; 
 
 And our sorrows and sins in a moment shall cease. 
 
 That moment be now ! Our petition allow, 
 
 Our present Redeemer and Comforter Thou ! ^Vol. ii., p. 124. 
 
 From this inbred sin deliver ; 
 Let the yoke now be broke ; 
 Make me Thine forever. 
 
 Partner of Thy perfect nature. 
 Let me be now in Thee 
 
 A new, sinless creature, (p. 156.) 
 
 Turn me. Lord, and turn me now, 
 To Thy yoke my spirit bow ; 
 Grant me now the pearl to find 
 Of a meek and quiet mind. 
 
 Calm, O calm my troubled breast ; 
 Let me gain that second rest ; 
 From my works for ever cease, 
 Perfected in holiness, (p. 168.) 
 
 Come in this accepted hour, 
 
 Bring Thy heavenly kingdom in ! 
 
 Fill us with the glorious power, 
 
 Rooting out the seeds of sin. (p. 162.) 
 
 Come, Thou dear Lamb, for sinners slain. 
 
 Bring in the cleansing flood ; 
 Apply, to wash out every stain. 
 
 Thine efficacious blood. 
 
 let it sink into our soul 
 
 Deep as the inbred sin ; 
 Mn.ke every wounded spirit whole. 
 
 And every leper clean ! (p. 171.) 
 
AS TALMJirr I'.Y JOHN wKsi.r.v 
 
 41 
 
 !4. 
 
 I'lisncrs of hopo, arise, 
 Ami see your Lord apixjar ; 
 Lo ! on the wings of love lie flies, 
 
 And brings redemption near. 
 
 Redemption in Hia blood 
 He calls you to receive ; 
 "Come unto Me, the pard'ning (iod ; 
 Believe," He cries, " believe ! " 
 
 Jesus, to Thee we look, 
 Till saved from sin's remains. 
 Reject the inbred tyrant's yoke, 
 And cast away his chains. 
 
 Our nature shall no more 
 O'er us dominion have ; 
 By faith we apprehend the power, 
 
 Which shall forever save. (p. 
 
 188.) 
 
 Jesus, our life, in us appear, 
 Who daily die Thy death ; 
 
 Reveal Thyself the finisher ; 
 Thy (juick'ning Spirit breathe ! 
 
 Unfold the hidden mystery. 
 
 The second gift impart ; 
 Reveal Thy glorious self in me, 
 
 In every waiting heart, (p. 195. ) 
 
 M 
 
 In Him we have peace, In Him we have power 1 
 Preserved by His grace Throughout the dark hour 
 In all our temptations He keeps us, to prove 
 His utmost salvation, His fulness of love. 
 
 Pronounce the glad word. And bid us be free ! 
 
 Ah, hast Thou not, Lord, A blessing for me? 
 
 The peace thou hast given, This moment impart. 
 
 And open Thy heaven, Love, in my heart ! (p. 324.) 
 
 
 
42 
 
 (•mUST'AN I'EilFECTION, 
 
 A second edition of llieso hymns was published in the 
 yciii' ITT)!'; and that without any other alteration, than that 
 of a few literal mistakes. 
 
 I hav(! been the more large in these extracts, because, 
 hence, it apptuirs, beyond all possibility of exception, that 
 to this day, both my brother and 1 maintained, (1) That 
 Christian ]»(!rfection is that love of God and our neighbor, 
 which implies deliverance from all sin. (2) That this is 
 received nuirely l)y faith. (3) That it is given instantane- 
 ously, in on(! moment. (4) That we are to expect it, not 
 at death, but every moment; that now is the accepted time, 
 now is the day of this salvation. 
 
 "TiioiKMiTs ON Christian Perfection," Published in 
 
 1759. 
 
 19. At the conference in the year 1759, perceiving some 
 danger that a diversity of sentiments should insensibly steal 
 in among us, we again largely considered this doctrine ; and 
 soon aft<!r I publisluHl "Thoughts on Christian Perfection," 
 [)refaced with the following advertisement : — 
 
 "The following tract is by no means designed to gratify 
 th(f curiosity of any man. It is not intended to prove the 
 doctrine at large, in opposition to those who explode and 
 ridicule it ; no, nor to answer the numerous objections 
 against it, which may be raised even by serious men. All 
 I intend here, is, simply to declare what are my sentiments 
 on this head ; what Christian perfection does, according to 
 my apprehtuision, include, and what it does not ; and to 
 add a few practical observations and directions relative to 
 t)ie subject. 
 
 " As these thoughts were first thrown together, by way 
 of (jue-stion and answer, I let them conl;inue in the same 
 
 
AS TAIKJUT 15V JOHN WESI.KV. 
 
 4.S 
 
 IN 
 
 form. Thoy aro just th(( samo tliat I have entoi'tainctl for 
 aliovo tw(Mity yeans. 
 
 " jr/t«< is Christvm perfpftioii. ? 
 
 **Th(! loving God witli all (jur lioatt, iniiid, soul, aiul 
 stren^'th. This implies that no wrong toniper, nono con- 
 trary to love, remains in the soul ; and tluit all the thoughts, 
 words and actions, are governed by pure love. 
 
 "Z)o yoiiaffinn that this perfect ion erclwies (ill itijirtiiities, 
 ignorance, (tnd mistakes ? 
 
 "I continually atlirm tjuite the contrary, and always have 
 done so. 
 
 " But how can every thoiiyht, ivurd and work, be (joverned 
 by pure love, and the man be subject, at the same time, to 
 ignorance and mistake ? 
 
 " I see no contradiction here : ' A man may be HUed with 
 pure love, and still be liable to mistake.' Indeed, I do not 
 expect to be freed from actual mistakes, till this mortal puts 
 on immortality. I lielieve this to be a natural consecjuence 
 of the soul's dwelling in ilesh and blood. For we cannot 
 now think at all, but by the mediation of those bodily 
 organs which have suflered equally with the rest of our 
 frame. And hence we cannot avoil souu^times thinking 
 wrong, till this corruptible shall h;ive put on incorruption. 
 
 " But we may carry this thought farther yet. A mistake 
 in judgment may possibly occasion a mistakt; in practice. 
 For instance : Mr. l)e Renty's mistake touching the nature 
 of mortification, arising from prejudice of education, occa- 
 sioned that practical mistake, his wearing an iron girdle. 
 And a thousand such instances there may be, even in those 
 who are in the highest state of grace. Yet, where every 
 word and action springs from love, such a mistake is not 
 openly a sin. However, it cannot bear the rigor of God's 
 justice, but needs the atoning blood. 
 
44 
 
 CHUISTIAN PEItFK' TION, 
 
 " Wh(U ivas the judf/metd of all our brethren who met at 
 Bristol iyi August, 17-'»H on thU head ? 
 
 " It was expressed in tliese words : (1) Kvery one may 
 mistake as long as lie lives. (2) A mistake in opinion m;iy 
 occasion a mistake in practice. (3) Every such mistake is 
 a transf^ression of tlu; perfect law. Therefore, (4) Every 
 such mistak(i were it not for the l>lood of atonement, would 
 expose to eternal damnation. (5) It follows, that the 
 most perfect have continual need of tlie merits of Christ, 
 even for their actual transgressions, and may say for them- 
 selves, as well as for their brethren, ' Forgive us our tres- 
 passes. ' 
 
 " This easily accounts for what might otherwise seem to 
 be utterly unaccountable ; namely, that those who are not 
 offended when we speak of the highest degree of love, yet 
 will not hear of living without sin. The reason is, they 
 know all men are liable to mistake, and that in practice as 
 well as in iudgment. But they do not know, or do not ob- 
 serve, that this is not sin, if love is the sole principle of 
 action. 
 
 " Hut still, if they live without sin, does not this exclude 
 the necessiti/ of a Mediator? At least, is it not plain that 
 they stand no longer in need of Christ in His priestly office ? 
 
 "Far from it. None feel their need of Christ like these ; 
 none so entirely depend upon Him. For Christ does not 
 give life to the soul separate from, but in and with. Himself. 
 Hence His words are equally true of all men, in whatsoever 
 state of grace they are ; ' As the branch cannot bear fruit of 
 itself, except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except 
 ye abide in Me ; without (or separate from) ' Me ye can do 
 nothing.' 
 

 AS TAlUiHT i'.Y .lUlIN \VESLP:Y, 
 
 45 
 
 TnoHK Kntiukly Sanctified Nked tiik Atonkmknt. 
 
 " In every state we need Christ in the following respects, 
 
 (1) Whatever grace we receive, it is a free gift from Him. 
 
 (2) We receive it as I[is purchase, merely in consideration of 
 the price He paid. (U) We have this grfice, not only from 
 Christ, l)Ut in Hitn. For our perfection is not like that of 
 a tree, which Hourislies l)y the sap derived from its ov/n root, 
 hut, as was said before, like that of a branch which, united 
 to the vine, bears fruit ; but, .severed from it, is dried up and 
 withered. (4) All our blessings, temporal, spiritual and 
 eternal, depend on His intercession for us, which is one 
 branch of His priestly office, whereof theiefore we have 
 always equal need. (5) The best of men still need Christ 
 in His priestly office, to atone for their omissions, their 
 short-comings (as some not improperly speak), their mis- 
 takes in judgment and practice, and their defects of various 
 kinds. For these all are deviations from the perfect law, 
 and v'lonsequently need an atonement. Yet that they are 
 not properly sins, we apprehend may appear from the words 
 of St. Paul, ' He that loveth, hath fulfilled the law ; for 
 love is the fulfilling of the law,' Rom. xiii. 10. Now, mis- 
 takes, and whatever infirmities necessarily flow from the 
 corruptible state of the body, are no way contrary to love ; 
 nor therefore, in the Scripture sense, sin. 
 
 u 
 
 Involuntary Transgressions and Sinless Perfection. 
 
 " To explain myself a little farther on this head : (1) Not 
 only sin, properly so called (that is, a voluntary transgres- 
 sion of a known law), but sin, improperly so called (that is, 
 an involuntary transgression of a Divine law, known or 
 unknown), needs atoning blood. (2) I believe there is no 
 
j 
 
 46 
 
 CIIIMSTIAN I'KUFKiJTloN, 
 
 such perfection in I his life !is excludes these involuntary 
 transgressions whicth I aj)prehen(l to Ite naturally consc'(iuent 
 on the i<;nf)riince and mistakes inseparaltle from mortality. 
 (.')) Therefore si/dens jtrr/'irtion is a phrase I never use, lest 
 1 should seem to contradict myself. (I) I l)eliev(! a per- 
 son filled with the love of (iod is still lial)le to these invol- 
 untary transgressions. (5) Such transgressions you may 
 call sins, if yon please : I do not for the reasons above 
 mentioned. 
 
 " What ftdvice ivould yon give ti> those that do, and those 
 that do not, end them so ? 
 
 " liet those that do not call them sins, never think that 
 themselves or any other persons are in such a state as that 
 they can stand before infinite justice without a Mediator. 
 This must argue either the deepest ignorance, or the highest 
 arrogance and presumption. 
 
 "Let those who do call them so, beware how they con- 
 found these defects with sins, pj'operly so called. 
 
 " But how will they avoid it ? How will these be distin- 
 guished from those, if they are all promiscuously called 
 sins 1 1 am much afraid if we should allow any sins to be 
 consistent with perfection, few would confine the idea to 
 those defects concerning which only the assertion could be 
 true. 
 
 " But how can a liahhness to mistake consist with perfect 
 love ? Is not a person who is perfected in love every moment 
 under its influence ? And can any mistake flow from pure 
 love? 
 
 "I answer, (1) Many mistakes may consist with pure 
 love ; (2) Some may accidently flow from it ; I mean, 
 love itself may incline us to mistake. The pure love of our 
 neighbor, springing from the love of God, thinketh no evil, 
 believeth and hopeth all things. Now, this very temper, 
 
AS TAU(JMT HY .lollN WESLEY. 
 
 47 
 
 unsuspicious, rojuly to believe and liope tlie host of all men, 
 may occasion our thinking some men liettcr than they really 
 are. Here, then, is a uumifest mistake, uocidentally llowing 
 from pure love. 
 
 " //o<f shall ive avoid setting i>crfectioii too hiijli or too 
 low? 
 
 " By keeping to the Bible, and setting it just as high as 
 the Scri{)ture does. It is nothing highiir and nothing lower 
 than this, — the pure love of (4od and man ; the loving (Jod 
 with all our heart and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves. 
 It is love governing the heart and life running through 
 all our tempers, words and actions. 
 
 On Pkofessinc; Holiness. 
 
 " Suppose one had attained to this, would you advise him 
 to speak of it ? 
 
 "At first perhaps he would scarce be able to refrain, the 
 fire would be so hot within him ; his desire to declare the 
 loving-kindness of the Lord carrying him away like a tor- 
 rent. But afterward he might; and then it would be advis- 
 able not to speak of it to them that know not God (it is 
 most likely it would only provoke them to contradict and 
 blaspheme); nor to others, without some particular reason, 
 without some good in view. And then he should have 
 especial care to avoid all appearance of boasting ; to speak 
 with the deepest humility and reverence, giving all the 
 glory to God. 
 
 *' But would it not be better to he entirely silent, not to 
 speak of it at all ? 
 
 " By silence, he might avoid many crosses, which will 
 naturally and necessarily ensue, if he simply declare, even 
 among believers, what God has wrought in his soul. If, 
 
48 
 
 CHHISTIAN l'KI{KK<"ll<)N, 
 
 tlufrcfoH', such a one wen* to coiifpr with fh'sh and blood, 
 ho would bo entirely silent. I Jut this could not be done 
 with a clear ('onscionce ; for undoul)tedly he ou<,'ht to speak. 
 Men do not lif,'ht u candle to put uiuh'ra busiml ; much less 
 does the all-wise (lod. Ho docs not raise such a monument 
 of his power and love, to hide it from all mankind. Jtather, 
 he intends it as a j^'cneral blessinj^ to those who are simple 
 of heart. He (lcsi<,'ns tlieiei)y, not l)arely the happiness of 
 tliat individual person, but the aniniatini^ and encouraging 
 others to follow after the sann; bles.sing. His will is, ' that 
 many shall see it' and rejoice, 'and put their trust in the 
 Lord.' Nor does anything under heaven more quicken the 
 desires of those who are justified, than to converse with 
 those whom tliey believed to liave experienced a still higher 
 salvation. This places that salvation full in their view, 
 and increases their hunger and thirst after it ; an advan- 
 tage which nuist have been entirely lost, had the person so 
 saved buried himself in silence. 
 
 ^^But is there no ivay to prevent these crosses which usually 
 fall on those who speak of being thus saved? 
 
 *' It seems they cannot be prevented altogether, while so 
 much of nature remains even in believers. But something 
 might be done, if the preacher in every place would, (1) 
 Talk freely with all who speak thus ; and, (2) Labor to 
 prevent the unjust or unkind treatnient of those in favor of 
 whom there is reasonable proof. 
 
 The Evidences of Being Entirely Sanctified. 
 
 " What is reasonnhle jn'oqf? FIoiv may toe certainly know 
 one that is saved from, all sin ? 
 
 "We cannot infallibly know one that is thus saveJl (nor 
 even one that is justified), unless it sliould please God 
 
AS TAlfJUT HY roHN WKSI.EY. 
 
 4J> 
 
 Mlt 
 
 kcr, 
 of 
 
 to ftiulow (18 witli tlu! miraculous fliscpninient of spirits. 
 Hut we apprehend those would he suHificiit proofs to any 
 reasonnhle man, and Hucli as would leave little room to 
 douht either the truth or (lej)th of th«' work: (1) If we 
 had clear evidence of his exemplary hchaviour f'^r some 
 time before this supposed clianj^j*. This would yive us 
 reasot\ to helieve, he would not 'lie for (iod,' hut s})eak 
 neither more nor less than he felt ; (2) If he i^ave a dif- 
 tinct account of the time and manner wherein the change 
 was wrought, with sound speech which could not he re- 
 proved ; and, (;{) If it appeared that all his suhse<iuent 
 words and actions were holy and unblamable. 
 
 "The short of the matter is this: (1) I have abundant 
 reason to believe this person will not lie ; (2) He testifies 
 before God, 'I feel no sin, but all love; I pray, rejoice 
 and give thanks without ceasing ; and I have as clear an 
 inward witness that I am fully renewed, as that I am 
 justilied.' Now, if I have r jthing to oppose to this plain 
 testimony, T ought in reason to believe it. 
 
 "It avails nothing to object, 'But I know several things 
 wherein he is quite mistaken.' For it has been allowed, 
 that all who are in the body are liable to mistake ; and that 
 a mistake in judgment may sometimes occasion a mistake 
 in practice ; though great care is to be taken that no ill use 
 be made of this concession. For instance : Even one that 
 is perfected in love may mistake with regard to another 
 person, and may think him, in a particular case, to be more 
 or less faulty than he really is. And hence he may speak 
 to him with more or less severity than the truth requires. 
 And in this sense (though that be not the primary meaning 
 of St. James), ' in many things we offend all.' This, there- 
 fore, is no proof at all that the person so speaking is not 
 perfect. 
 
no 
 
 CIIKI.sTIAN I'F.|JKF:< ilo.N, 
 
 " Ittit /v // mil It in'oof, if h>' in mirjtriHi'd or thilt»'rfiii hy n 
 nmsr, (I /iill, or nimiH sitilihn (Inuiffr ! 
 
 " It is not ; for one muy stiiit, trt'iiililf, rlmnt,'*' oolor, or 
 lit' otlit'iwist' (lisoidiTfd ill Itody, while tlir soul is talinly 
 stiiycil (III <ii»(l, ;ui(l nMiiiiiiiH in perfecit ppac«. Nay, tho 
 iiiiiid ils<'U' iii.'iy III' df'fjily (listrcsst'd, may bo exnu-diii^ 
 sorrou fill, may lie iMT])lcx('d mid jiressod down by lieaviiiess 
 and angiiisli, cvt-n (o a:,'oMy, wliilo tlir licart cleaveH to (iod 
 by jteifcit love, iiiul the will is wholly resi^^ncd to Him. 
 Was it not io with th(! Son of (iod Himself? Does ayy 
 child of man enduic the distress, the anj^uisli, tho a<^ony 
 whiih Me sustained } And yet He knew no sin. 
 
 '■ /)'//< voti (Diif o)ir ivlio Ikih a /Hire /wart jire/'er p/easin;/ 
 to 7nij)/rasi)itj food; or use any pleanure of senne tv/ilch 
 is not strict/// iinci'ssary? If ko, /tow do t/iey differ from 
 
 Ol/lOVH ? 
 
 "The difVerence bi'tweeii these and others in taking plea- 
 sant food is, ( 1 ; I'hey need none of those things to make 
 tliem happy, for they have a spring of happiness within, 
 Thev see and lo\(' (Jod. Hence thev rejoice evermore, and 
 in everything giv(^ thanks. (L') They may use them, but 
 they do not seek them. (3) They use them sparingly, and 
 not for th(! sake of the thing itself. This being premised, 
 we answer dii cctly — ' Such a one may use pleasing food 
 without tlu; danger which attends those who are not saved 
 from sin. Ilt^ may pref(!r it to an unpleasing, though 
 equally wholesome food, as a means of increasing thankful- 
 ness, witli a singUi eye to God, who giveth us all things 
 richly to (■nio^■. On the same principle, he may smell a 
 flower, or eat a bunch of grapes, or take any other pleasure 
 which does not le.ssen l)ut increases his delight in God. 
 Therefoi-e, neither can we say that one perfected in love 
 would be incapable of marriage and of worldly business ; 
 
AS TAL'fillT HY JOHN WKSI.KV. 
 
 :.l 
 
 if ho wer? calN'd thon'tt*. he would !»<' tuoro ciipaMj' tlian 
 ♦•vpr ; as lij-inj,' aide to do all tliint;s without liuii v or ciin'- 
 fulru'ss, without any distraftioii ot" spirit. 
 
 " lint if fini prr/fi't C/irisfimm hnU c/ii/i/niiy /n'H' andd 
 thi'if (»' I'lii'ti in Kiriy nincfi therp ii'nn nonf in the fHimifs ? 
 
 "It is a poHsihlc, Imt not ii |trol)al)l(' case. I doubt 
 whethf-r it tni-r was or cvor will lie. Hut waiviiij^ this, I 
 answer, 'Sin is entailed upon nio, not by imniodiato genera- 
 tion, but l»y my Hrst parent' ' In Adam all died ; by the 
 disobedience of one all men were nuule sinners ; all men, 
 without exception, who were in his loins when he at(! the 
 forbidden fruit. 
 
 " VV'e have a remarkable case of this in gardening; ; grafts 
 on a crab stalk bear excellent fiuit ; but sow the kernels of 
 this fruit, and what will b(! the event ? Tiify product! as 
 mere crabs as ever were eaten. 
 
 TlIK OUTWAUI) LiFK OF THIC RKdKNKUATK AND KVTIltKLY 
 
 .Sanctifiki) TiiK Samk. 
 
 " liut what does the perfect one do more than othcru I more 
 than the common believers ? 
 
 " Perhaps nothing ; so may the providence of (rod have 
 hedged him in by outward circumstances. Perhaps not 
 so much ; though he desires and longs to spend and be 
 spent for God ; at least, not e.xternally : he neither speaks 
 so many words, nor does so many works. As neither did 
 our liOrd Himself speak so many words, or do so many, no, 
 nor so great works, as some of His apostles, John xiv. 12. 
 But what then 1 This is no proof that he has not more 
 grace ; and by this God measures the outward work. Hear 
 ye Him : 'Verily, I say unto you, this poor widow has cast 
 in more tlian them all.' V^erily, this poor man, with his few 
 
 m 
 
1 
 
 52 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 broken words, hath spoken more than them all. Verily, 
 this poor woman, who hath given a cup of cold water, hath 
 done more than them all. Oh, cease to 'judge according to 
 appearance,' and learn to 'judge righteous judgment !' 
 
 " lint is not this a prou/' ayaiust him, — I feel no power i 
 eitJiar in his coords or praj/er ? 
 
 " It is not : for perhaps that is your own fault. You are 
 not likely to feel any power therein, if any of those hin- 
 drances lie in the way : (1) Your own deadness of soul. 
 The dead Pharisees f^t no power even in His words who 
 ' spake as never man spake.' (2) The guilt of some unre- 
 pented sin lying upon the conscience. (3) Prejudice to- 
 ward him of any kind. (4) Your not believing that state 
 to be attainable wherein he professes to be, (5) Unreadi- 
 ness to think or own he has attained it. (6) Overvaluing 
 or idolizing him. (7) Overvaluing yourself and your own 
 judgment. If any of these is the case, what wonder is it 
 that you feel no power in anything he says 1 But do not 
 others feel it 1 If they do, your argument falls to the 
 ground. And if they do not, do none of these hindrances 
 lie in their way too 1 You must be certain of this before 
 you can build any argument thereon ; and even then your 
 argument will prove no more than that grace and gifts do 
 not always go together. 
 
 " ' Hut he does not come up to ray idea of a perfect Chris- 
 tian.' And perhaps no one ever did, or ever will. For 
 your idea may go beyond, or at least beside the scriptural 
 account. It may include more than the Bible includes 
 tliPi-ein, or, however, soniething which that does not include. 
 Scripture perfection is, pure love filling the heart, and 
 governing all the words and actions. If your idea includes 
 anything more or anything else, it is not scriptural ; and 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 )3 
 
 then no wonder, that a scripturally perfect Christian does 
 not come up to it. 
 
 " I fear many stumble on this stumbling-block. They 
 include as many ingredients as they please not accoixling to 
 Scripture but their own imagination, in their idea of ouc 
 that is perfect ; and then readily deny anyone to be such 
 who does not answer that imaginary idea. 
 
 " The more care should we take to keep the simple, 
 scriptural account continually in our eye. Pure love 
 reigning alone in the heart and life, — this is the whole of 
 scriptural perfection. 
 
 Thk Spirit Witnesses to our Sanctification as Cleaiu.y 
 AS He does to our Justification. 
 
 " When may a person judge himse!/ to have attained this? 
 
 " When, after having been convinced of inbred sin, by a 
 far deeper and clearer conviction than that he experienced 
 before justification, and after having experienced a gradual 
 mortitication of it, he experiences a total death to sin, and 
 an entire renewal in the love and image of God, so as to re- 
 joice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and in everything 
 to give thanks. Not that ' to feel all love and no sin ' is a 
 sufficient proof. Several have experienced this for a time 
 before their souls were fully renewed. None, therefore, 
 ought to belie\e that the work is done, till there is added 
 the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing his entire sanctifi- 
 cation, as clearly as his justification. 
 
 M 
 
 We may be Deceived. 
 
 '* But ivhence is it, that some imagine they are thus sancti- 
 fied, when in reality they are not ? 
 
54 CHRISTIAN I'KHFECTION, 
 
 "It is lionoe ; they do not judge l)y all t\ui preceding marks, 
 but either by part of them, or by others that are ambiguous, 
 liut I know no instance of a person attending to tlu'm all, 
 and yet deceived in this matter. I believe there can be none 
 in the world. If a man be deeply and fully convinced, after 
 Justification, of inl)red sin ; if he then experience a gradual 
 mortification of sin, and afterward, an entire renewal iu 
 the image of Ood ; if to this change, immensely greater 
 than that wrought when he was justified, be added a clear, 
 direct witness of the renewal ; I judge it as impossible this 
 man should be deceived herein, as that God should lie. And 
 if one whom 1 know to be a man of veracity, testify these 
 things to mo, I ought not, without some sufficient reason, to 
 reject his testimony. 
 
 (juadual or Instantaneous. 
 
 "/s this death- to sin, and renewal in love, (/radnal or 
 instantaneous t 
 
 " A man may be dying for some time ; yet he does not, 
 properly speaking, die, till the soul is separated from the 
 l)ody ; and in that instant, he lives the life of eternity. In 
 like manner, he may be dying to sin for some time ; yet he 
 is not dead to sin, till sin is separated from his soul ; and in 
 that instant, he lives the full life of love. And as the change 
 undergone, when the body dies, is of a ditlerent kind, and 
 infinitely greater than any we had known before, yea, such 
 as till then, it is impossible to conceive ; so the change 
 wrought, when the soul dies to sin, is of a different kind, 
 and infinitely greater than any before, and than any can 
 conceive, till he experiences it. Yet he still grows in grace, in 
 the knowledge of Christ, in the love and image of God ; and 
 •will do so, not only till death, but to all eternity. 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 iJO 
 
 " JI(nn are v^e to wait for this chomje / 
 
 "Not ill careless indifference, or indolent inactivity ; hut 
 in vigorous, universal obedience, in a zealous keepinjj; of all 
 the coniinandnients, in watchfulness and painfuliiess, in de- 
 nying ourselves, and taking up our cross daily ; as well as 
 in earnest prayer and fasting, and a close attendance on all 
 the ordinances of God. And if any man dream of attaining 
 it any other way (yea, or of keeping it when it is attained, 
 when he has received it even in the largest measure), he 
 deceivetli his own soul. It is true, we receive it liy simple 
 faith ; but God does not, will not, give that faith, unless 
 we seek it with all diligence, in the way which ITe hath 
 ordained. 
 
 "This consideration may satisfy those who enquire, why 
 so few have received the blessing. Enquire how many are 
 seeking it in this way ; ,; - 1 you have a sutHcient answer. 
 
 " Prayer especially i.' v\ i' g. Who continues instant 
 therein'? Who wrestle, ■ . God for this very thing'? 
 80, ' ye have not, because ye ask not ; or because ye ask 
 amiss,' namely, that you may be renewed before you die. 
 Jiefore you die I Will that content you '? Nay, but ask that 
 it may be done now ; to-day, while it is called to day. Do 
 not call this 'setting God a time.' Certainly, to-day is His 
 time, as well as to-morrow. Make haste, man, make haste ! 
 Let 
 
 Thy soul break out in strong desire 
 
 The perfect bliss to prove ; 
 Thy longing heart be all 011 lire 
 To be dissolved in love ! 
 
 " lint may we not continue in peace and joy, till we are 
 •perfected in love i 
 
 " Certainly we may ; for the kingdom of God is not 
 divided against itself; therefore, let not believers be dis- 
 
56 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 couraged from ' rejoicing in the Lord always.' And yet we 
 may bo sensiV)ly pained at the sinful nature that still re- 
 mains in us. It is good for us to have a piercing sense of 
 this, and a vehement desire to l)e delivered from it. But 
 this should only incite us the more zealously to fly every 
 monjent to our strong Helper, the more earnestly to 'press 
 forward to the mark, the prize of our high calling in Christ 
 Jesus. And when the sense of our sin most abounds, the 
 sense of His love should much more abound. 
 
 How TO Treat Those who Profess Holiness. 
 
 I 
 
 " IIo\i) should we treat those who think they have attained ? 
 
 ** Examine them candidly, and exhort them to pray fer- 
 vently, that God would show them all that is in their 
 hearts. The most earnest exhortations to abound in every 
 grace, and the strongest cautions to avoid all evil, are given 
 throughout the New Testament, to those who are in the 
 highest state of grace. But this should be done with the 
 utmost tenderness ; and without any harshness, sternness, or 
 sourness. We should carefully avoid the very appearance 
 of anger, unkindness or contempt. Leave it to Satan thus 
 to tempt, and to his children to cry out, * Let us examine 
 him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his 
 meekness, and prove his patience.' If they are faithful to 
 the grace given, they are in no danger of perishing thereby ; 
 no, not if they remain in that mistake till their spirit is 
 returning to God. 
 
 " B'at 7vhat hurt can it do to deal harshly with them ? 
 
 *• Either they are mistaken, or they are not. If they are 
 it may destroy their souls. This is nothing impossible, no, 
 nor improbable. It may so enrage or so discourage them, 
 that they will sink and rise no more. If they are not 
 
I 
 
 AS TAUGHT KY JOHN WESLEY 
 
 IS 
 
 mistaken, it may grieve tliose whom God has not grieved, 
 and do much hurt unto our own souls. For, undoubtedly, 
 he that toucheth them, toucheth, as it were, the apple of 
 God's eye. If they are indeed full of His spirit, to behave 
 unkindly or contemptuously to them ia doing no little 
 despite to the Spirit of grace. Hereby, likewise, we feed 
 and increase in ourselves evil surmisinsf, and many wronji 
 tempers. To instance only in one : What self-sutticiency is 
 this, to set ourselves up for inquisitors-general, for peremp- 
 tory judges in these deep things of God 1 Are we qualitied 
 for the office 1 Can we pronounce, in all cases, how far 
 infirmity reaches'? what may, and what may not, be resolved 
 into it 1 what may, in all circumstances, and what may not, 
 consist with perfect love] Can we precisely determine, how 
 it will influence the look, the gesture, the tone of the voice 1 
 If we can, doubtless we are 'the men, and wisdom shall die 
 with us.* 
 
 *^But if they are displeased at our not believing them, is 
 not this a full proof against them ? 
 
 "According as that displeasure is. If they are angry, it 
 is a proof against them ; if they are grieved, it is not. They 
 ought to be grieved, if we disbelieve a real work of God, 
 and thereby deprive ourselves of the advantage we might 
 have received from it. And we may easily mistake this 
 grief for anger, as the outward expressions of both are much 
 alike. 
 
 *^ But is it not well to find out those who fancy they have 
 attained, when they have not? 
 
 " It is well to do it by mild, loving examination. But it 
 is not well to triumph even over these. It is extremely 
 wrong, if we find such an instance, to rejoice as if we had 
 found great spoils. Ought we not rather to grieve, to be 
 deeply concerned, to let our eyes run down with tears 1 
 
oH 
 
 (!HHISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 Horn is one who seemed to l)e a living proof of God's power 
 to save to the utmost ; but, alas ! it is not as we hoped. 
 Ife is weighed in the halfince, and found wanting ! And 
 is this matter of joy f Ouglit we not to rejoice a thousand 
 times more, if we can find nothing but pure love? 
 
 " ' l>ut he is deceived.' What then '? It is a harmless 
 mistake, while he feels nothing but love in his heart. It is 
 a mistake which generally argues great grace, a high degree 
 both of holiness and happiness. This should be a matter of 
 real joy to all that are simple of heart ; not the mistake 
 itself, hut the height of grace which for a time occasions 
 it. I rejoice that this soul is always happy in Christ, 
 always full of prayer and thanksgiving. I rejoice that he 
 feels no unholy temper, but the pure love of God continu- 
 ally. And I will rejoice, if sin is suspended till it is totally 
 destroyed. . 
 
 " /s there no danger then in a man's being thus deceived? 
 
 " Not at the time that he feels no sin. There was danger 
 before, and there will be again when he comes into fresh 
 trials. But so long as he feels nothing but love animating 
 all his thoughts, and words, and actions, he is in no danger; 
 he is not only happy, but safe, ' under the shadow of the 
 Almighty ; ' and, for God's sake let him continue in that 
 love as long as he can. Meantime, you may do well to warn 
 him of the danger that will be, if his love grow cold and 
 sin revive ; even the danger of casting away hope, and sup- 
 posing, that because lie hath not attained yet, therefore he 
 never shall. 
 
 "/Jut u'hat,if none have attained it yet? What, if all 
 who think so are deceived? 
 
 " Convince me of this, and I will preach it more. But 
 understand me right ; I do not build any doctrine on this or 
 that person. This or any other man may be deceived, and 
 
AS TAtrjHT 15V ,M)H\ WESLKY. 
 
 .-)!) 
 
 LV 
 '(1. 
 
 rid 
 1(1 
 
 I am not moved. But, if thew. mc none made jxTtV-ct yet, 
 (Jod has not sent me to preach perfection. 
 
 " Put a pai'alh'l case. For many years 1 have preached, 
 'There is a peace of God which passeth all understanding.' 
 Convince me that tliis word has fallen to the ground ; that 
 in all these years none have attained this peace; that there 
 is no living witness of it at this day ; and I will preach it 
 no more. 
 
 " * Oh, but several persons have died in that peace.' Per- 
 haps so ; but I want living witnesses. 1 cannot, indeed, be 
 infallibly cer*"ain that this or that person is a witness ; but 
 if I were certain there are none such, I must have done 
 with this doctrine. 
 
 " ' You misunderstand me. I believe some who died in 
 this love, enjoyed it long before their deatli. But \ was not 
 certain that their former testimony was true till some hours 
 before they died.' 
 
 "You had not an infallible certainty then ; and a reason- 
 able certainty you might liave had before ; such a certainty 
 as might have quickened and comforted your own soul, and 
 answered all other Christian purposes. Such a certainty as 
 this any candid person may have, suppose there be any 
 living witness, by talking one hour with that person in the 
 love and fear of God. 
 
 " Jiut what does it signify whether any have attained it or 
 no, seeing so many scriptures witness for it i 
 
 " If I were convinced that none in England had attained 
 what has been so clearly and strongly preached by such a 
 number of preachers, in so many places, and for so long a 
 time, I should be clearly convinced that we had all mistaken 
 the meaning of those Scriptures ; and, therefore, for the 
 time to come, I too must teach that * sin will remain till 
 death.' " 
 
60 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 Fanaticihm was Manifkst in London in 1702. 
 
 20. Ill the year 17G2, there was a great increase of the 
 work of (iod in liOtidon. Many, who had liithcMto cared for 
 none of these things, were deeply convinced of their' lust es- 
 tate; many found redemption in the blood of Christ; not a few 
 backsliders were healed ; and a considerable number of per- 
 sons believed that God had saved them from all sin, Easily 
 foreseeing that Satan would be endeavoring to sow tares 
 among the wheat, I took much pains to apprise them of the 
 danger, particularly with regard to pride and enthusiasm. 
 And while 1 stayed in town, I had reason to hope they con- 
 tinued both humble and sober-minded. But almost as soon 
 as I wiis gone, enthusiasm broke in. Two or three began to 
 take their own imaginations for impressions from Cxod, and 
 thence to suppose that they should never die ; and these, 
 laboring to bring others into the same opinion, occasioned 
 much noise and confusion. Soon after, the same persons, 
 with a few more, ran into other extravagances ; fancying 
 they could not be tempted ; that they should feel no more 
 pain ; and that they had the gift of prophecy, and of dis- 
 cerning of spirits. At my return to London, in autunni, 
 some of them stood reproved ; but others were got above in- 
 struction. Meantime, a flood of reproach came upon me 
 almost from every quarter ; from themselves, because I was 
 checking them on all occasions ; and from others, because 
 they said I did not check them. However, the hand of the 
 Lord was not stayed, but more and more sinners were con- 
 vinced : while some were almost daily converted to God, 
 and others enabled to love Him with all their heart. 
 
 21. About this time, a friend at some distance from Lon- 
 don, wrote to me as follows : — 
 
AS T'VOHT BY .JOHN WESLEY, 
 
 61 
 
 " He not over-alarmed that Satan sows tares anions; the 
 wheat of (.'hrist. \t ever has been so, especially on any re- 
 niarkalde outpouring of His Spirit ; and ever will he so, till 
 he is chained up for a thousand years. Till then he will 
 always ape, and endeavor to counteract, the work of the 
 Spirit of Christ. 
 
 " One me ancholy effect of this lias been, that a world 
 who is always asleep in the arms of the evil one, has 
 ridiculed every woi'k of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 " But what can real Christians do ? Why, if they would 
 act worthy of themselves, they should (1) Pray that every 
 deluded soul may be delivered ; (2) Endeavor to reclaim 
 them in the spirit of meekness ; and, lastly, take the utmost 
 care, both by prayer and watchfulness, that the delusion of 
 others may not lesson their zeal in seeking after that uni- 
 versal holiness of soul, body and spirit, * without which no 
 man shall see the Lord.' 
 
 " Indeed, this complete new creature is mere madness to 
 a mad world. But it is, notwithstanding, the will and wis- 
 dom of God. May we all seek after it ! 
 
 "But some who maintain this doctrine in its full extent 
 are too often guilty of limiting the Almighty. He dis- 
 penses His gifts just as He pleases ; therefore, it is neither 
 wise nor modest to affirm that a persen must be a believer 
 for any length of time before he is capable of receiving a 
 high degree of the Spirit of holiness. 
 
 " God's usual method is one thing, but His sovereign pleas- 
 ure is another. He has wise reasons both for hastening and 
 retarding His work. Sometimes He comes suddenly, and 
 unexpected ; sometimes, not till we have long looked for 
 Him. 
 
 " Indeed, it has been my opinion for many years, that one 
 great cause why men make so little impraven^ent in the 
 
62 
 
 ( lllflsriAN I'EKKKrTMKN, 
 
 Divino lif<i is their own coUhifss, iiogligfino, aiul unbelief. 
 And ynt I lioro speak of helievers. 
 
 " May th(; Spirit of (!lirist j,'iv(' us a rij,'ht juflj^niont in all 
 tliin<,'s, and '(ill us with all the ftilness of (iod ;' tluit so 
 we may he ' perfect and entire, wantin^Tf nothinfif.' '' 
 
 2'J. Altout the HauK* time, five or six honest enthusiasts 
 foretolil the world was to end on the 28th of Kehriuiiy. I 
 immediately withstood them, by every possil)le means, both 
 in publie and pr-ivate. I preached expressly on the sub- 
 ject, both at West Street and SpitalHelds. I warned the 
 society, again and again, and spoke severally to as many as 
 I could ; a!ul I saw the fruit of my labor. They made ex- 
 ceeding few converts. I believe; scarce thirty in our whole 
 society. Nevertheless, they made abundance of noise, gave 
 huge occasion of ott'ense to those who took care to improve 
 to the uttermost every occasion against me, and greatly in- 
 creased both the number and courage of those who opposed 
 Christian perfection. 
 
 QUKRIES TO ThoSK who DeNY PERFECTION AtTAINAHLK IN 
 
 THIS Life. 
 
 23. Some questions now published by one of these, in- 
 duced a plain man to write the following : — 
 
 " Queries, humbly proposed to those who deny perfection 
 to be attainable in this life. 
 
 "(1) Has there not been a larger measure of the Holy 
 Spirit given under the Gospel, than under the Jewish dis- 
 pensation ? [f not, in what sense was the Spirit not given 
 before Christ was glorified 1 John vii. 3d. 
 
 " (2) Was that ' glory which followed the sufferings of 
 Christ,' 1 Peter i. 11, an external glory, or an internal, viz., 
 the glory of holiness '{ 
 
AS TAI'fiHT l?Y .inUN WF.sr.KV. 
 
 H3 
 
 in- 
 
 "(.'5) Hiis (rod aiiywlicrc in Scripture t'oiiiiii.iiult'tl us 
 iiioni than lie has promised to U8 ! 
 
 "(4) A r« th«> promise's of (lod respet'tiiii,' holiness to Ik^ 
 fulfilled in this life, or only in the next t 
 
 "(5) Is a (Miristiaii under any other laws thuM those 
 which (rod prouiises to ' write in our hearts'' .ler. xxxi. 'M, 
 etc. ; Hel). viii. 10. 
 
 " (6) In what sens(> is the ' rij^hteousness of the law ful- 
 filled in those who walk not after the tlesh, Itut after the 
 Spirit'? RoMi. viii. 1. 
 
 " (7) Is it impossible for any one in this life to ' love 
 God with all his heart, and mind, and soul, and streiij^th '? 
 Aiul is the Christian under any law which is not fuKilhfd in 
 this love 1 
 
 " (H) Does the soul's /.joing out of the body ellect its 
 purification from indwelling sin 1 
 
 '■({)) If so, is it not something else, not 'the blood of 
 Christ, which cleanseth 'it * from all sin ' '! 
 
 "(10) If His blood cleanseth us from all sin, while the 
 soul and body are united, is it not in this life ? 
 
 "(11) If, when that union ceases, is it not in the next 1 
 And is not this too late ? 
 
 "(12) If in the article of death ; what situation is the 
 soul in, when it is neither in the body nor out of it? 
 
 "(13) Has Christ anywhere taught us to pray for what 
 He never designs to give? 
 
 "(14) Has He not taught us to pray, 'Thy will bo done 
 on earth, as it is done in heaven ? ' And is it not done per- 
 fectly in heaven 1 
 
 " (15) If so, has He not taught us to pray for perfection 
 on earth? Does He not then design to give it? 
 
 " (16) Did not St. Paul pray according to the will of God, 
 when he prayed that the Thessalonians might be 'sanctified 
 
 ■■fr 
 
(14 
 
 cmUSTIAN I'KKKKCTION, 
 
 wholly aiul prcHfrved ' (in this world, not the next, unless 
 ho was [traying for the dead) ' hlatneless in Itody, soul and 
 .s{)irit, unto thf coniinjj of Jesus Christ'? 
 
 "(17) l)o you sincerely desire to he freed from indw«^lling 
 sin in this lift; '{ 
 
 "(IH) If you do did not (Jod give you tliat desire? 
 
 "(1!)) If so, did He not give it to you to mock you, since 
 it is impossible it should ever bo fulfilled ? 
 
 "(20) Tf you have not sincerity enough even to desire it, 
 are you not disputing about matters too high for you? 
 
 "(21) Do you ever pray to (lod to 'cleanse the thoughts 
 of your h(^art,' that you may perfectly love Him? 
 
 " (22) If you neither desire wliat you ask, nor believe it 
 attainable, pray you not as a fool prayeth ? 
 
 " (lod help thee to consider these questions calmly and 
 impartially ! " 
 
 •.'• Some Witnesses. 
 
 24. In the latter end of this year, God called to Himself 
 that burning and shining light, Jane Cooper. As she was 
 both a living and dying witness of Christian perfection, it 
 will not be at all foreign to the subject to add a short 
 account of her death, with one of lier own letters, contain- 
 ing a plain and artless relation of the manner wherein it 
 pleased God to work that great change in her soul : — 
 
 May 2, 1761. 
 
 " I believe, while memory remains in me, gratitude will 
 continue. From the time you preached on Gal. v. 5, I saw 
 clearly the true state of my soul. That sermon described 
 my heart, and what it wanted to be ; namely, truly happy. 
 
 You read Mr. M 's letter, and it described the religion 
 
 which I desired. From that time the prize appeared in 
 
AH TAUGHT HY lOHN WKSI.KY, 
 
 (ifi 
 
 '"'« 
 
 view, and I wns piuil>U*<| to follow Imrd aftt-r it. I was 
 kept wat«;l»ii);r unto prayer, sometimes in nmrh distrcHH, at 
 other times in patient expectation of the hlessini,'. F'or some 
 days before you left London, my soul was stayed on a pro 
 mise 1 had applied tome in prayer: 'The liord wlmin ye 
 seek shall suddeidy come to His teni[)le.' 1 helieved He 
 would, and that He would sit there as a refiner's Hre. The 
 Tuesday after you went, I thought I could not sU'ep unless 
 He fuiniled His word that night. I never knew, as I did 
 then, the force of these words : ' Be still and know that 1 
 am (Jod.* I became nothing before Him, and enjoyed per- 
 fect calmness in my soul. I knew not whether He had de- 
 stroyed my sin ; but I desired to know, that I might praise 
 Him. Yet J soon found the return of unbelief, and groaned, 
 being burdened. On Wednesday I went to London, and 
 sought the Lord without ceasing. I promised, if He would 
 save me from sin, I would praise Him. I could part with 
 all things, so I might win Christ, fiut F found all these 
 pleas to be nothing worth ; and that if He saved me, it 
 nm.st be freely, for His own name's sake. On Thursday, I 
 was so much tempted that I thought of destroying myself, 
 or never conversing more with the people of God ; and yet 
 I had no doubt of His pardoning love; but, — 
 
 ' 'Twas worse than death my God to love, 
 And not my (tod alone.' 
 
 On Friday, my distress was deepened. I endeavored to 
 pray, and could not. I went to Mrs. D., who prayed for 
 me, and told me it was the death of nature. I opened the 
 Bible on, ' The fearful and unbelieving shall have their part 
 in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.' I could 
 not bear it. I opened again, on Mark xvi. 6, 7 : ' Be r' t 
 affrighted ; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth. Go your way ; tell 
 
66 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 His disciples He goeth before you into Galilee ; there ye 
 shall see Him.' I was encouraged, and enabled to pray, be- 
 lieving I should see Jesus at home. I returned that night, 
 and found Mrs. O. She prayed for me ; and the predesti- 
 narian had no plea but, 'Lord, Thou art no respector of per- 
 sons.' He proved He was not, by blessing me. I was in a 
 moment enabled to lay hold on Jesus Christ, and found sal- 
 vation by siujple faith. He assured me, the Lord, the King, 
 was in the midst of me, and tliat I should see evil no more. 
 I now blessed IHm who had visited and redeemed me, and 
 was become my ' wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and 
 redemption.' I saw Jesus altogether lovely ; and knew He 
 was mine in all His offices. And, glory be to Him, He now 
 reigns in my heart without a rival. I find no will but His. 
 I feel no pride ; nor any affection but what is placed on 
 Him. I know it is by faith I stand ; and that watching 
 unto prayer must be the guard of faith. I am happy in 
 God this moment, and I believe for the next. I have often 
 read the chapter you mention (1 Cor. xiii.), and compared 
 my heart and life with it. In so doing, I feel ir.y short- 
 comings, and the need I have of the atoning blood. Yet I 
 dare not say T do not feel a measure of the love there de- 
 scribed, though I am not all J shall be. I desire to be lost 
 in that 'love which passeth knowledge.' I see 'the just 
 shall live by faith ;' and unto me, who am less than the 
 least of all saints, is this grace given. If I were an arch- 
 angel, I should veil my face before Him, and let silence 
 speak His praise ! " 
 
 The following account was given by one who was an eye 
 and ear witness of what she relates : — 
 
 "(I) In the beginning of November, she seemed to have 
 a foresight of what was coming upon her, and used fre- 
 quently to sing these words : — 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 67 
 
 ye 
 
 be- 
 ght, 
 esti- 
 per- 
 in a 
 Bal- 
 ing, 
 lore, 
 and 
 and 
 Iv He 
 
 ' When pain o'er this weak flesh prevails, 
 With lamb-like patience arm my breast.' 
 
 And when she sent to me, to let ine know she was ill, she 
 wrote in her note, ' I suffer the will of Jesus ; all He sends 
 is sweetened hy His love. I am as happy as if I heard a 
 voice say : — 
 
 ' For me my elder brethren stay, 
 And angels beckon me away, 
 And Jesus bids me come ! ' 
 
 "(2) Upon my telling her, ' I cannot choose life or death 
 for you,' she said, ' I ask the Lord, that, if it was His will, 
 I might die first. And He told me, you should survive me, 
 and that you should close my eyes.' When we perceived it 
 was the smallpox, I said to her, ' My dear, you will not be 
 frightened if we tell you what is your distemper.' She 
 said, ' I cannot be frighted at His will.' 
 
 "(3) The distemper was soon very heavy upon her ; but 
 so much the more was her faith strengthened. Tuesday, 
 November 16. she said to me, ' I have been worshipping be- 
 fore the throne in a glorious manner ; my soul was so let 
 into God ! ' I said, ' Did the Lord give you any particular 
 promise ? ' ' No,' replied she ; ' it was all 
 
 ' That secret awe that dares not move, 
 And all the silent heaven of love. ' 
 
 "(4) On Thursday, upon my asking, ' What have you to 
 say to me 1 ' she said, ' Nay, nothing but what you know 
 already ; God is love." I asked, ' Have you any particular 
 promise]' She replied, ' I do not seem to want any ; I can 
 live without. I shall die a lump of deformity, but shall 
 meet you all glorious ; and meantime, I shall still have 
 fellowship with your spirit.' 
 
68 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 "(5) Mr, M. asked, what she thought the most excellent 
 way to walk in, and what were its chief hindrances. She 
 answered: 'The greatest hindrance is generally from the 
 natural constitution. It was mine to be reserved, to be 
 very quiet, to suffer much, and to say little. Some may 
 think one way more excellent, and some another ; but the 
 thing is to live in the will of God. For some months past, 
 when I have been particularly devoted to this, I have felt 
 such a guidance of His Spirit, and the unction which I 
 have received from the Holy One has so taught me of all 
 things, that I needed not any man should teach me, save 
 as this anointing teacheth.' 
 
 " (6) On Friday morning she said, ' I believe I shall die.' 
 She then sat up in her bed and said, ' Lord, I bless Thee, 
 that Thou art fever with me, and all Thou hast is mine. 
 Thy love is greater than my weakness, greater than my 
 helplessness, greater than my unworthiness. Lord, Thou 
 sayest to corruption, 27iou art my sister ! And glory be to 
 Thee, O Jesus, Thou art my brother. Let me comprehend, 
 with all saints, the length, and breadth, and depth, and 
 height of Thy love ! Bless these ' (some that were present); 
 ' let them be every moment exercised in all things as Thou 
 wouldest have them to be.' 
 
 " (7) Some hours after, it seemed as if the agonies of 
 death were just coming upon her ; but her face was full of 
 smiles of triumph, and she clapped her hands for joy. Mrs. 
 0. said, ' My dear, you are more than conqueror through the 
 blood of "the Lamb.' She answered, * Yes, O yes, sweet 
 Jesus ! death, where is thy sting ? ' She then lay as in a 
 doze for some time. Afterward, shf strove to speak, but 
 could not ; however, she testified her love by shaking hands 
 with all in the room. 
 
 " (8) Mr. W. then came. She said, ' Sir, 1 did not know 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 69 
 
 ent 
 
 She 
 
 the 
 
 be 
 
 that I should live to see you. But I am glad the Lord has 
 given me this opportunity, and likewise power to speak to 
 you. I love you. You have always preached the strictest 
 doctrine ; and I loved to follow it. Do so still, whoever is 
 pleased or displeased.' He asked, ' Do you now believe you 
 are saved from sin 1 ' She said, ' Yes ; I have had no doubt 
 of it for many months. That I ever had, was, because I 
 did not abide in the faith. I now feel I have kept the 
 faith ; and perfect love casteth out fear. As to you, the 
 Lord promised me, your latter works should exceed your 
 former, though I do not live to see it. I have been a great 
 enthusiast, as they term it, these six months ; but never 
 lived so near the heart of Christ in my life. You, sir, 
 desire to comfort the hearts of hundreds by following that 
 simplicity your soul loves.' 
 
 " (9) To one who had received the love of God under her 
 prayer, she said, ' I feel I have not followed a cunningly 
 devised fable ; for I am as happy as I can live. Do you 
 press on, and stop not short of the mark.' To Miss M — s 
 she said, ' Love Christ ; He loves you. I believe I shall 
 see you at the right hand of God : But as one star differeth 
 from another star in glory, so shall it be in the resurrection. 
 I charge you, in the presence of God, meet me in that day 
 all glorious within. Avoid all conformity to the world. 
 You are robbed of many of your privileges. I know I shall 
 be found blameless. Do you labor to be found of Him in 
 peace, without spot.' 
 
 " (10) Saturday morning, she prayed nearly as follows : 
 ' I know, ray Lord, my life is prolonged only to do Thy will. 
 And though I should never eat or drink more ' (she had not 
 swallowed anything for near eight-and-twenty hours), ' Thy 
 will be done. I am willing to be kept so a twelve-month : 
 Man liveth not by bread alone. I praise Thee that there is 
 
 
70 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 not a shadow of complaining in our streets. In that sense 
 we know not what sickness means. Indeed, Lord, neither 
 life, nor death, nor thinys present, nor things to come, no, nor 
 any creature, shall sejmrtite us/rom Thy love one moment. 
 Bless these, that there be no lack in their souls. I believe 
 there shall not. I pray in faith.' 
 
 " On Sunday and Monday s)ie was light headed, but sen- 
 sible at times, [t then plainly appeared, her heart was 
 still in heaven. One said to her, ' Jesus is our mark.' She 
 replied : ' I have but one mark ; I am all spiritual.' Miss 
 M. said to her, * You dwell in Ood.' She answered : 'Alto- 
 gether.' A person asked her, ' Do you love me '? ' She said, 
 ' O, 1 love Christ ; I love my Christ.' To another she said, 
 ' I shall not long be here ; Jesus is precious, very precious 
 indeed.' She said to Miss M., ' The Lord is very good ; He 
 keeps my soul above all.' For fifteen hours before she died, 
 she was in strong convulsions : her sufferings were extreme. 
 One said, ' You are made pertect through sufferings.' She 
 said, ' More and more so.' After lying quiet some time, she 
 said, ' Lord, Thou art strong ! ' Then pausing a considerable 
 space, she uttered her last words, ' Jesus is all in all to me : 
 glory be to Him through time and eternity.' After this, she 
 lay still for about half an hour, and then expired without a 
 sigh or groan." 
 
 25. The next year, the number of those who believed 
 they were saved from sin still increasing, I judged it need- 
 ful to publish, chiefly for their use, 
 
 "Fartiikr Thoughts on Christian Perpkotion." 
 
 " 1. How is ' Christ the end of the law for righteousness to 
 every one that believeth ? ' Rom. x. 4. 
 
 " In order to understand this, you must understand what 
 
AS TAUnHT nV JOHN WESI,EV. 
 
 71 
 
 law is here spoken of; and this, 1 apprehend, is, (1) The 
 Mosaic law, the whole Mosaic dispensation ; which St. Paul 
 continually speaks of as one, thouj^h containing three parts, 
 the political, moral and ceremonial. (2) The Adamic law, 
 that given to Adam in innocence, properly called ' the law 
 of works.' This is in substance the same with the angelic 
 law, being common to angels and men. It required that man 
 should use, to the glory of God, all the powers with which he 
 was created. Now, he was created free from any defect, either 
 in his understanding or his affections. His body was then 
 no clog to the mind : it did not hinder his apprehending all 
 things clearly, judging truly concerning tliem, and reasoning 
 justly, if he reasoned at all. I say, if Jm reasoned ; for 
 possibly he did not. Perhaps he had no need of reasoning, 
 till his corruptible body pressed down the mind, and im- 
 paired its native faculties Perhaps, till then, the mind saw 
 every truth that offered as directly as the eye now sees the 
 light. 
 
 " Consequently, this law, proportioned to his original 
 powers, required that he should always think, always speak, 
 and always act precisely right, in every point whatever. 
 He was well able so to do : and God could not but require 
 the service he was able to pay. 
 
 " But Adam fell ; and his incorruptible body became cor- 
 ruptible ; and ev^sr since, it is a clog to the soul, and hinders 
 its operations. Hence, at present, no child of man can at 
 all times apprehend clearly, or judge truly. And where 
 either the judgment or apprehension is wrong, it is impos- 
 sible to reason justly. Therefore, it is as natural for a man 
 to mistake as to breathe ; and he can no more live without 
 the one than without the other ; consequently no man is 
 able to perform the service which the Adamic law requires. 
 " And no man is oV)liged to perform it ; God does not 
 
72 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 
 require it of any man ; for Christ is the end of the Adamic, 
 as well us the Mosaic, law. By His death He hath put an 
 end to both ; ITe hath abolished both the one and the other, 
 with regard to man ; and the obligation to observe either 
 the one or the other is vanished away. Nor is any man 
 living bound to observe the Adamic, more than the Mosaic, 
 law. (I mean, it is not the condition either of present or 
 future salvation.) 
 
 " In the room of this, Christ hath established another, 
 namely, the law of faith. Not everyone that doeth, but 
 every one that believeth, now receiveth righteousness, in the 
 full sense of the word ; that is, he is justified, sanctified 
 and glorified. 
 
 " 2. Are we then dend to the laiv ? 
 
 *' We are 'dead to the law, by the body of Christ ' given 
 for us ; Rom. vii. 4 ; to the Adamic, as well as Mosaic, 
 law. We are wholly fieed therefrom by His death ; that 
 law expiring with Him. 
 
 " 3. How, then, are we ' not tvithuut law to God, but under 
 the law to Christ ' i 1 Cor. ix. 21. 
 
 " We are without that law ; but it does not follow that 
 we are without any law ; for (lod hath established another 
 law in its place, even the law of faith ; and we are all under 
 this law to God and to Christ ; both our Creator and our 
 Redeemer require us to observe it. 
 
 Love is the Fulfilling of the Law. 
 
 " 4. h love the fulfilliny of this law / 
 
 " Unquestionably it is. The whole law under which we 
 now are, is fulfilled by love ; Rom. xiii. 9, 10. Faith work- 
 ing or animated by love is all that God now requries of 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 73 
 
 or 
 
 uian. He has substituted (not sincerity, hut) love, in the 
 room of angelic perfection. 
 
 " 5. How is ' love the end of the commandment ' /* 1 Tim. 
 i. 5. 
 
 " It is the end of every conunandniant of God. It is the 
 point aimed at by the whole and every part of the Chris- 
 tian institution. The foundation is faith, purifying the 
 heart ; the end love, preserving a good conscience. 
 
 " 6. What love is this / 
 
 " The loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, 
 soul and strength ; and the loving our neighbor, every man 
 as ourselves, as our own souls. 
 
 " 7. What are the fruits or properties of this love / 
 
 " St. Paul informs us at large, love is long-sutfering. It 
 suffers all the weaknesses of the children of God, all the 
 wickedness of the children of the world ; and that not for 
 a little time only, but as long as God pleases. In all, it 
 sees the hand of God, and willingly submit thereto. Mean- 
 time, it is kind. In all, and after all, it suffers, it is soft, 
 mild, tender, benign. ' Love envieth not ;' it excludes every 
 kind and degree of envy out of the heart ; ' love acteth not 
 rashly,' in a violent, headstrong manner, nor passes any rash 
 or severe judgment ; it ' doth not behave itself indecently ; ' 
 is not rude, does not act out of character : ' seeketh not her 
 own ' ease, pleasure, honor or profit ; ' is not provoked ; ' 
 expels all anger from the heart : ' thinketh no evil : ' cast- 
 eth out all jealousy, suspiciousness, and readiness to believe 
 evil : ' rejoiceth not in iniquity ;' yea, weeps at the sin or 
 folly of its bitterest enemies : ' but rejoiceth in the truth ; ' 
 in the holiness and happiness of every child of man. ' Love 
 covereth all things,' speaks evil of no man ; * believeth all 
 things,' tliat ter.i to the advantage of another's character. 
 It ' hopeth all things,' whatever may extenuate the faults 
 
i; 
 
 74 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 i 
 
 i, 
 
 i 
 
 which cannot he denied ; and it 'endureth all things,' which 
 God can {)erniit, or men and devils inflict. This is ' the 
 law of (Jhrist, the perfect law, the law of liberty.' 
 
 " And this distinction Ix'tween tlu^ ' law of faith ' (or love) 
 and ' the law of works,' is neither a suhtle nor an unneces- 
 sary distinction. Ft is plain, easy, and intelligible to any 
 common understanding. And it is absolutely necessary, to 
 prevent a thousand doubts and fears, even in those who do 
 ' walk in love.' 
 
 *' 8. But do ?re not ' in manif things offend all,' yea, the 
 best of us, even against this law ? 
 
 *' In one sense we do not, while all our tempers, and 
 thoughts, and words, and works, spring from love. But in 
 another we do, and shall do, more or less, as long as we re- 
 main in the body. For neither love nor the ' unction of the 
 Holy One ' makes us infallible : therefore, through unavoid- 
 able defect of understanding, we cannot but mistake in 
 many things. And these mistakes will frequently occasion 
 something wrong, both in our temper, and words, and 
 actions. From mistaking his character, we may love a per- 
 son less than he really deserves. And by the same mistake 
 we are unavoidably led to speak or act, with regard to that 
 person, in such a manner as is contrary to this law in some 
 or other of the preceding instances. 
 
 The Atonement Needed. 
 
 " 9. Do we not then need Christ, even on this account ? 
 
 " The holiest of men still need Christ, as their Prophet, 
 as the ' light of the world.' For He does not give them 
 light, but from moment to moment ; the instant He with- 
 draws, all is darkness. They still need Christ as their 
 King ; for God does not give them a stock of holiness. 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 75 
 
 lich 
 (the 
 
 ►ve) 
 
 ices- 
 
 Jany 
 
 ', to 
 
 do 
 
 the 
 
 But unless they receive a supply every tnoiuent, nothing:; Imt 
 unholinesH would remain. They still need Christ as their 
 Priest, to make atonemei\t for their holy things. Kven 
 perfect holiness is acceptable to God only through Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 " 10. May not, then, the very best of men adopt the dyiny 
 martyr' a confession : ' / aiJi in viyaelf nothing but sin, dark- 
 ness, hell ; but Thou art my light, my holiness, my heaven V 
 
 " Not exactly. But the best of men say, ' Thou art my 
 light, my holiness, my heaven. Through my union with 
 Thee, I am full of light, of holiness, and happiness. But 
 if I were left to myself, I should be nothing but sin, dark- 
 ness, hell.' 
 
 " But to proceed : The best of men need Christ as tlieir 
 Priest, their Atonement, their Advocate with the Father ; 
 not only as the continuance of their every blessing depends 
 on His death and intercession, but on account of their com. 
 ing short of the law of love. For every man living does 
 so. You who feel all love, com})are yourselves with the 
 preceding description. Weigh yourselves in this balance, 
 and see if you are not wanting in many particulars. 
 
 "11. BtU if all this be consistent with Christian perfection, 
 that perfection is not freedom, from all sin ; seeing ' sin is the 
 transgression of the law ' : and the peifect transgress the very 
 law they are under. Besides, they need the atonement of 
 Christ ; and He is the atonement of nothing but sin. Is, 
 then, the term, ' sinless perfection,' proper I 
 
 " It is not worth disputing about. But observe in what 
 sense the persons in question need the atonement of Christ. 
 They do not need Him to reconcile them to God afresh ; for 
 they are reconciled. They do not need Him to restore the 
 favor of God, but to continue it. He does not procure par- 
 don for them anew, but ' ever liveth to make intercession 
 
76 
 
 CHUISTIAN I'EUFECTION, 
 
 for them ; ' and ' by one ofllbring He hath perfected forever 
 them that an; sanctified,' Mel), x. 14. 
 
 " For want of duly considering this, 8on)e deny that they 
 need the atonement of Clirist. Indeed, (exceeding few ; 1 
 do not remenil)er to have found five of them in Kngland. 
 Of the two, I would sooner give up perfection. But we 
 need not give up either one or the other. The perfection 1 
 hold, ' Love rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, 
 and in everything giving thanks,' is well consistent witli it ; 
 if any hold a perfection which is not, they must look to it. 
 
 "12. Does then C/iristian perfection i in pi >/ an;/ more than 
 sincerity 1 
 
 "Not if you mean by that word, love filling the heart, 
 expelling pride, anger, desire, .self-will ; rejoicing evermore, 
 praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks. 
 But I doubt, few use sincerity in this sense. Therefore, I 
 think the old word is best. 
 
 " A person may be sincere who has all his natural 
 tempers, pride, anger, lust, self-will. But he is not per- 
 fect till his heart is cleansed from these, and all its other 
 corruptions. 
 
 "To clear this point a little farther : 1 know many that 
 love God with all their heart. He is their one desire, their 
 one delight, and they are continually happy in Him. They 
 love their neighbor as themselves. They feel as sincere, 
 fervent, constant a desire for the happiness of every man, 
 good or bad, friend or enemy, as for their own. They re- 
 joice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything 
 give thanks. Their souls are continually streaming up to 
 God, in holy joy, prayer and praise. This is a point of fact ; 
 and this is plain, sound, Scriptural experience. 
 
 " But even these souls dwell in a shattered body, and are 
 so pressed down thereby, that they cannot always exert 
 
AS TAUfJHT MY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 77 
 
 rer 
 
 themselves as they would, \>y thinkint;, speaking, and acting, 
 precisely right. For want of better Itodily organs, they 
 must at times think, speak, or act wrong ; not, indeed, 
 through a defect of love, hut through a defect of knowledge. 
 And while tliis is the case, notwith.staiiding that defect, and 
 its consequences, they fulfil the law of love. 
 
 " Yet, as even in this case, there is not a full conformity 
 to the perfect law, so the most perfect do, on this very 
 account, need the hlood of atonement, and may properly for 
 themselves, as well as for their brethren, say, ' Forgive us 
 our trespasses.' 
 
 " 13. lint if Christ has put an end to that law, what need 
 of any atari emeiit for their trauHgrpssiny it ? 
 
 *' Observe in what sense He has put an end to it, and the 
 difficulty vanishes. Were it not for the abiding merit of 
 His death, and His continual ^intercession for us, the law 
 would condemn us still. These, therefore, we still need for 
 every transgression of it. 
 
 Holiness does not Exclude Temptation. 
 
 "14. But can one that is saved from sin he tempted ? 
 
 " Yes ; for Christ was tempted. 
 
 " 15. However, what you call temptation, I call the corrup- 
 tion of my heart. And how will you distinguish one from the 
 other ? 
 
 ** In some cases, it is impossible to distinguish, without 
 the direct witness of the Spirit. But in general, one may 
 distinguish thus : — 
 
 "One commends me. Here is a temptation to pride. But 
 instantly my soul is humbled before God. And I feel no 
 pride ; of which I am as sure, as that pride is not hu- 
 mility. 
 
78 
 
 CHRISTIAN rEHFEC TION, 
 
 "A man strikes mp. Here is a temptation to nnj^fr. But 
 my hf'iirt ovrrMfJWs with lovo. And I fi'fl no nn^cr ftt all ; 
 of which F f!in ho as siiro, as that lov»' and angor are not 
 the same. 
 
 "A woman solicits me. Here is a temptation to lust, 
 liut in an instant, I shrink back. And I feel no desire or 
 lust at all ; of which I can be as sure, as that my hand is 
 cold or hot. 
 
 " Thus it is, if T am tempted by a present object ; and it 
 is the same, if, when it is absent, the devil recalls a com- 
 mendation, an injury, or a woman, to my mind. In the 
 instant, the soul repels the temptation, and remains filled 
 with pure love. 
 
 " And the difference is still plainer, when I compare my 
 present state with my past, wherein I felt temptation, and 
 corruption, too. . 
 
 ■« 
 
 ill 
 
 How We may Know that We are Sanctified. 
 
 " 16. But hoiv do yon know that yoii are sanctified, saved 
 from your inhred corrujttioii ? 
 
 " I can know it no otherwise than I know that I am 
 justified. ' Hereby know we that we are of God,' in either 
 sense, ' by the Spirit that He hath given us.' 
 
 "We know it by the witness and by the fruit of the Spirit. 
 And, first, by the witness. As, when we were justified, the 
 Spirit bore witness with our spirit, that our sins were for- 
 given ; so, when we were sanctified, He bore witness that 
 they were taken away. Indeed, the witness of sanctification 
 is not always clear at first (as neither is that of justifica- 
 tion); neither is it afterward always the same, but like that 
 of justification, sometimes stronger, and sometimes fainter. 
 Yea, and sometimes it is withdrawn. Yet, in general, the 
 
AS TAUiJHT MY JollN WKSI.KY. 
 
 •9 
 
 latter testimony of the Spirit, is tiotli hh clear hiuI as Hteudy 
 as the former. 
 
 " 17. lint irfint neediit there of it^ neehiy anuctijicntiov in a 
 rent r/tatu/e, not a vhidve oufi/, like jnHtificntion t 
 
 " But is the new Itirth a relative change only? Is not 
 this a real change? Therefore, if we need no witness of our 
 sanctitication, hecauso it is a real change, for the same 
 reason, we should need none, that we are born of, or are, the 
 children of (»od. 
 
 "18. Hut does not mnctification s/iine hi/ ita own li;/ht / 
 
 "And does not tlie new birth tool Hometimes it does, 
 and so doe.s sanctitication ; at others, it does not. In the 
 hour of temptation, Satan clouds the work of God, and in- 
 jects various doubts and reasonings, especially in those who 
 have either very weak or very strong understandings. At 
 such times, there is absolute need of that witness, without 
 which, the work of sanctitication not only could not lie dis- 
 cerned, but could no longer subsist. Were it not for this, 
 the soul could not then abide in the love of God ; much less 
 could it rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks. 
 In these circumstances, therefore, a direct testimony that 
 we are sanctified, is necessary in the highest degree. 
 
 " But I have no witness that 1 am saved from sin. And 
 yet I have no doubt of it. Very well ; as long as you have 
 no doubt, it is enough ; when you have, you will n6ed that 
 witness. 
 
 Scripture Proof of the Witness of the Spirit to 
 
 Sanctification. 
 
 " 19. But what Scripture makes mention of any such 
 thing, or gives any reason to expect it "i 
 
 " That Scripture, * We have received, not the spirit that 
 
so 
 
 CHRISTIAN FEKFECTION, 
 
 is of the world, but the 8pirit which is of God ; that we 
 may know the tilings which are freely given us of God,' 
 1 Cor. ii. 1 2. 
 
 "Now, surely sanctitication is one of 'the things which 
 are freely given us of God.' And no possible reason can 
 be assigned why this should be excepted, when the Apostle 
 sayH, 'We receive the Spirit' for this very end, 'that we 
 may know the things which are thus ' freely given us.' 
 
 "Is not the same thing implied in that well-known Scrip- 
 ture, ' The Spirit itself witnesses with our spirit, that we 
 are the children of God 1 ' Rom. viii. 16. Does He witness 
 this only to those who are children of God in the lowest 
 sense? Nay, but those iilso who are such in the highest 
 sense. And does He not witness, that they are such in the 
 highest sense"? What reasor have we to doubt it? 
 
 " What if a man were to affirm (as, indeed, many do) that 
 this witness belongs only to the highest class of Chris- 
 tians 1 Would not you answer, ' The Apostle makes no 
 restriction ; therefore, doubtless, it belongs to all the 
 children of God?' And will not the same answer hold, if 
 any affirm, that it belongs only to the lowest class ? 
 
 " Consider likewise 1 John v. 19 : ' We know that we are 
 of God.' How ? ' By the Spirit that He hath given us.' 
 Nay, 'hereby we know that He abideth in us.' And what 
 ground have we, either from Scripture or reason, to exclude 
 the witness, any more than the fruit, of the Spirit, from 
 being here intended 1 By this, then, also, ' we know that 
 we are of God,' and in what sense we are so; whether we 
 are babes, young men, or fathers, we know in the same 
 manner. 
 
 " Not that J affirm that all young men, or even fathers, 
 have this testimony every moment. There may be intermis- 
 sions, of the direct testimony that they are thus born of God ; 
 
 I ; 
 
AS TAUGHT UV JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 HI 
 
 lich 
 
 can 
 
 itle 
 
 we 
 
 but these intermissions are fewer and shorter as they grow 
 up in Christ ; and some have the testimony both of their 
 justification and sanctification, without any intermission at 
 all ; which, I presume, more might have, did they walk 
 humbly and closely with (»od, 
 
 " 20. May not some of (hem luive a testimony from the 
 Spirit that they shall not finally fali from God f 
 
 "They may. And this persuasion, that neither life 
 nor death shall separate them from Him, far from being 
 hurtful, may, in some circumstances, be extremely useful. 
 These, therefore, we should in no wise grieve, but earnestly 
 encourage them to ' hold the beginning of their confidence 
 steadfast to the end.' 
 
 "21. But have any a testimony fr07)i the Spirit that they 
 shal/ iiever sin 1 
 
 " We know not what (iod may vouchsafe to some particu- 
 lar persons ; but we do not find any general state described 
 in Scripture from which a man cannot draw back to sin. 
 If there were any state wherein this was impossible, it would 
 be that of these who are sanctified, who are ' fathers in 
 Christ, who rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in 
 everything give thanks; ' but it is not impossible for these 
 to draw back. They who are sanctified yet may fall and 
 perish : Heb. x. 29. Even fathers in Christ need that 
 warning: 'Love not the world,' 1 John ii. 15. They who 
 ' rejoice, pray,' and ' give thanks without ceasing,' may, 
 nevertheless, 'quench the Spirit,' 1 Thess. v. 16, e'c. Nay, 
 even they who are ' sealed unto the day of redemption,' may 
 yet ' grieve the Holy Spirit of God,' Eph. iv. 30. 
 
 " Although, therefore, God may give such a witness to 
 some particular persons, yet it is not to be expected by 
 Christians in general, there being no Scripture whereon to 
 ground such an expectation. 
 6' 
 
82 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 Thk Fruit of thk Spirit in Sanctification. 
 
 " 22. Ihj what \fruit nf the Spirit ' may we. ' know that we 
 are of God' even in tlte highest sense f 
 
 " By love, joy, peace, al v.ays abiding ; by invariable long- 
 suffering, patienco, resignation ; by gentleness, triumphing 
 over all provocation ; by goodness, mildness, sweetness, ten- 
 derness of spirit ; by Ht'elity, simplicity, godly sincerity ; by 
 meekness, calainess, evenness of spirit; by temperance, not 
 only in food and sleep, but in all things natural and 
 spiritual. 
 
 " 23. Ihit lohat great matter is there in this ? Have we 
 not all this 7vhen we are jiistijied ? 
 
 " What ! total resignation to the will of God, without any 
 mixture of .self will ? gentleness, without any touch of anger, 
 even the moment we are provoked 1 love to God, without 
 the least love to the creature, but in and for God, excluding 
 all pride 1 love to man, excluding all envy, all jealousy, and 
 ra.sh judging ? meekness, keeping the whole soul inviolably 
 calm 1 and temperance in all things ^ Deny that any ever 
 came up to this, if you please ; but do not pay all who are 
 justified do. 
 
 The Justified Feel Anger, Pride, and Self-Will. 
 
 " 24. But some who are newly justified do. What then 
 will we say to these ? 
 
 *' If they really do, J will say they are sanctified ; saved 
 from sin in that moment ; and that they never need lose 
 what God has given, or feel sin any more. 
 
 " But certainly this is an exempt case. It is otherwise 
 with the generality of those that are justified : they feel in 
 themselves more or less pride, anger, self-will, a heart bent 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 83 
 
 we 
 
 we 
 
 to backsliding. And, till they have gradually mortified 
 these, they are not fully renewed in love. 
 
 " 25. But ix not, this the rns>' of nil that are juatijied f Do 
 they not (jradually die to sin and yroui in grace, till at, or 
 perhaps a little he/ore, death, (rod perfects them in love .<' 
 
 " I believe this is the ca.se of njost, but not all. God 
 usually gives a considerable time for men to receive light, to 
 grow in grace, to do and suffer His will, V>efore they are 
 either justified or .sanctified ; but He does not invariably 
 adhere to this ; sometimes He 'cuts short His work ;' He 
 does the work of many years in a few weeks ; perhaps in a 
 week, a day, an hour. He justifies or sanctifies both those 
 who have done or suffered nothing, and who have not had 
 time for a gradual growth either in light or grace. And 
 ' may He not do what He will with His own ? Is thine eye 
 evil, because He is good 1 ' 
 
 " It need not, therefore, l)e affirmed over and over, and 
 proved by forty texts of Scripture, either that most men are 
 perfected in love at last, that there is a gradual work of God 
 in the soul, or that, generally speaking, it is a long time, 
 even many years before sin is destroyed. All this we know : 
 but we know likewise, that God may, with man's good leave, 
 ' cut short His work,' in whatever degree He pleases, and do 
 the usual work of many years in a n)oment. He does so in 
 many instances ; and yet there is a gradual work, both 
 before and after that moment ; so that one may affirm the 
 work is gradual ; another, it is instantaneous, without any 
 manner of contradiction. 
 
 " 26. Does St. Paul mean any more by being ^sealed with 
 the Spirit,' than being ' renewed in love ? ' 
 
 " Perhaps in one place (2 Cor. i. 22) he does not mean so 
 much ; but in another (Eph. i. 13) he seems to include both 
 the fruit and the witness ; and that in a higher degree than 
 
H4 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 we experience even when we are first ' renewed in love ; * 
 (lod ' sPcalcth us witli the S{)irit of promise,' by giving us 
 'the full assurance of hope ;' such a confidence of receiving 
 all the promises of tiod, as excludes the possihility of doubt- 
 ing ; with that Holy Spirit, by universal holiness, stamping 
 the whole imag(! of God on our hearts. 
 
 " 27. Hut fioiv can those who are thus sealed ^grieve the 
 Holy Spirit of God / ' 
 
 " St. Paul tells you very particularly (1) By such conver- 
 sation as is not profitable, not to the use of edifying, not apt 
 to minister grace to the hearers. (2) By relapsing into bit- 
 terness or want of kindness. (3) By wrath, lasting dis- 
 pleasure, or want of tender heartedness, (4) By anger, 
 however soon it is over ; want of instantly forgiving one 
 another. (5) By clamor or bawling, loud, harsh, rough 
 speaking. (6) By evil speaking, whispering, tale-bearing ; 
 needlessly mentioning the fault of an absent person, though 
 in ever so soft a manner. 
 
 How He Viewed Those in London who were Sancti- 
 fied. 
 
 " 28. What do you think of those in London, who seem to 
 have hfi.en lately ' reneived in love ' i 
 
 " There is something very peculiar in the experience of 
 the greater part of them. One would expect that a believer 
 should first be filled with love, and thereby emptied of sin ; 
 whereas these were emptied of sin first, and then filled with 
 love. Perhaps it pleased God to work in this manner, to 
 make His work more plain and undeniable ; and to distin- 
 guish it more clearly from that overflowing love which is 
 often felt even in a justified state. 
 
 " It seems likewise most agreeable to the great promise ; 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 85 
 
 us 
 ing 
 
 H)t- 
 
 the 
 
 • From all your filthinoss I will cleanse you ; a new heart 
 also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you,' 
 Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26. 
 
 " But I do not think them all alike ; tliere is a wide 
 difference between some of them and others I think most 
 of them with whom I have spoken, have much faith, love, 
 joy, and peace. Some of these 1 believe are renewed in 
 love, and have the direct witness of it; and they manifest 
 the fruit above described, in all their words and actions. 
 Now, let any man call this what he will, it is what I call 
 perfection. 
 
 " But some who have much love, peace and joy, yet have 
 not 'the direct witness ; and others who think they have, 
 are, nevertheless, manifestly wanting in the fruit. How 
 many I will not say ; perhaps one in ten ; perliaps more 
 or fewer. But some are undeniably wanting in long-suffer- 
 ing. Christian resignation. They do not see the hand of 
 God in whatever occurs, and cheerfully embrace it. They 
 do not in everything give thanks, and rejoice evermore. 
 They are not happy, at least, not always happy ; for some- 
 times they complain. They say this or that is hard? 
 
 " Some are wanting in gentleness. They resist evil, in- 
 stead of turning the other cheek. They do not receive re- 
 proach with gentleness ; no, nor even reproof. Nay, they 
 are not able to bear contradiction, without the appearance, 
 at least, of resentment. If they are reproved or contradicted, 
 though mildly, they do not take it well ; they behave with 
 more distance and reserve than they did before. If they 
 are reproved or contradicted harshly, they answer it with 
 harshness ; with a loud voice, or with an angry tone, or in a 
 sharp and surly manrer. They speak sharply or roughly, 
 when they reprove others ; and behave roughly to their 
 inferiors. 
 
 m 
 
86 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. 
 
 " Some are wanting in goodness. Tlioy are not kind, 
 mild, sweet, uniiahle, soft and loving at all times, in their 
 spirit, in their words, in their look and air, in tlie whole 
 tenor of their behavior ; and that to all, high and low, rich 
 and poor, without respect of j)ersons ; partictdarly to them 
 that are out of the way, to opposers, and to those of their 
 own household. They do not long, study, endeavor, by 
 every means to make all about them happy. They ean see 
 thejn uneasy, and not lie concerned ; perhaps they make 
 them so ; and then wipe their mouths and say, ' Why, they 
 deserve it ; it is their own fault.* 
 
 " Some are wanting in fidelity, a nice regard to truth, 
 simplicity, and godly sincerity. Their love is hardly with- 
 out dissimulation ; something like guile is found in their 
 mouth. To avoid roughness, they lean to the other extreme, 
 They are smooth to an excess, so as scarce to avoid a degree 
 of fawning, or of seeming to mean what they do not. 
 
 "Some are wanting in meekness, quietness of spirit, com- 
 posure, evenness of temper. They are up and down, some- 
 times high, sometimes low; their mind is not well balanced. 
 Their affections are either not in due proportion ; they have 
 too much of one, too little of another ; or they are not duly 
 mixed and tempered together, so as to counterpoise each 
 other. Hence there is often a jar. Their soul is out of 
 tune, and cannot make the true harmony. 
 
 " Some are wanting in temperance. They do not steadily 
 use that kind and degree of food, which they know, or might 
 know, would most conduce to the health, strength, ant. 
 vigor of the body ; or they are not temperate in sleep ; they 
 do not rigorously adhere to what is best both for body and 
 mind ; otherwise they would constantly go to bed and rise 
 early, and at a fixed hour; or they sup late, which is neither 
 good for body nor soul ; or, they use neither fasting nor 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY 
 
 87 
 
 Hi, 
 
 [eir 
 
 (ole 
 
 ich 
 
 lein 
 
 I eir 
 
 by 
 
 see 
 
 ake 
 
 hey 
 
 abstinence ; or they prefer (which are so many sorts of inteiii 
 perance) that preaching, reading, or conversation, which 
 gives them transient joy and comfort, before that which 
 brings godly sorrow, or instruction in righteousness. Such 
 joy is not sanctified ; it doth not tend to, and terminate in, 
 the crucifixion of the heart. Such faith doth not centre in 
 God, but rather in itself 
 
 *' So far all is plain. I believe you have faith and love, 
 and joy and peace. Yet you who are particularly concerned 
 know each for yourself, that you are wanting in the respects 
 above mentioned. You are wanting either in long-suffering 
 gentleness, or goodness ; either in fidelity, meekness, or 
 temperance. Let us not, then, on either hand, fight about 
 words. In the thing we clearly agree. 
 
 " You have not what I call perfection ; if others will call 
 it so, they may. However, hold fast what you have, and 
 earnestly pray for what you have not. 
 
 Those Perfect in Love can Grow in Grace or Thky 
 CAN Fall from Grace, 
 
 " 29. Can those ivho are perfect grow in grace ? 
 
 •' Undoubtedly they can ; and that not only while they 
 are in the body, but to all eternity. 
 
 "30. Can they fall from it? 
 
 "I am well assured they can; matter of fact puts this 
 beyond dispute. Formerly we thought, one saved from sin 
 could not fall ; now we know the contrary. We are sur- 
 rounded with instances of those who lately experienced all 
 that I mean by perfection. They had both tli' fruit of the 
 Spirit, and the witness ; but they have now lost both. 
 Neither does any one stand by virtue of anything that is 
 implied in the nature of the state. There is no such height 
 
88 
 
 CIIIUSTIAN pp:hkkcti()N, 
 
 or strength of holiness as it is iinpossibU? to fall from. If 
 there be any that cannot fall, this w}joHy depends on the 
 promise of (Jod. 
 
 '* 31. Can those inho fall from thia stafe recover it ? 
 
 " Why not] VVe have many instances of this also. Nay, 
 it is an exceeding common thing for persons to lose it more 
 than once, before they are established therein. 
 
 •' It is therefore to guard them who are saved from sin, 
 from every occasion of stumbling, that I give the following 
 advices. But first I shall speak plainly concerning the 
 work itself. 
 
 " I esteem this late work to be of God ; probably the 
 greatest now upon earth. Yet, like all others, this also is 
 mixed with much human frailty. But these weaknesses are 
 far less than might have been expected ; and ought to have 
 been joyfully borne by all who loved and followed after 
 righteousness. That there have been a few weak, warm- 
 headed men, is no reproach to the work itself, no just ground 
 for accusing a multitude of sober-minded men, who are 
 patterns of strict holiness. Yet (just the contrary to what 
 ought to have been) the opposition is great ; the helps few. 
 Hereby many are hindered from seeking faith and holiness 
 by the false zeal of others ; and some who at first began to 
 run well are turned out of the way. 
 
 Advice to Those Sanctified. 
 
 •' 32. What is the First advice* that you would yive them 1 
 
 "Watch and pray continually against pride. If God has 
 
 cast it out, see that it enter no more ; it is full as dangerous 
 
 * The advices which follow were published in a eeparate tract in 
 the year 1762, under the title of " Cautions and Directions given to 
 the Greatest Professors in the Methodist Societies," with the follow- 
 ing motto : — 
 
AH TAUGHT HY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 89 
 
 If 
 
 the 
 
 >re 
 
 a8(l<!sire. And you m.-iy slide hack into it unawares ; especi- 
 ally if you think there is no danjt^er of it. ' Nay, hut I 
 ascrihe all I have to (iod.' So you may, and he proud never- 
 theless. For it is pride, not only to a.scrihe anythinj^ we 
 have to ourselves, hut to think we have what w(^ n-ally have 
 
 not. Mr. L , for instance, ascril)ed all the lij^ht he had 
 
 to God, and so far he was huinhle ; hut then he thought he 
 had more light than any man living ; and this was palpahie 
 pride. So you ascrihe all the knowledge you have to (lod ; 
 and in this respect you are humble. 15ut if you think you 
 have more than you really have ; or if you think you are so 
 taught of God, as no longer to need man's teaching, pride 
 lieth at the door. Yes, you have need to he taught, not only 
 hy Mr. Morgan, hy one another, hy Mr. Ma.xHeld, or me, 
 but by the weakest preacher in London ; yea, hy all men. 
 For God sendeth by whom He will send. 
 
 " Do not, therefore, say to any who would advise or re- 
 prove you, ' You are blind ; you cannot teach me.' Do not 
 say, 'This is your wisdom, your carnal reason ;' but calmly 
 weigh the thing before God. 
 
 " Always remember, much grace does not imply much 
 light. These do not always go together. As there may be 
 much light where there is but little love, so there may be 
 much love where there is but little light. The heart has 
 more heat than the eye ; yet it cannot see. And God has 
 wisely tempered the members of the body together, that 
 none may say to the other, ' I have no need of thee.' 
 
 " Set the false witnesses aside, 
 Yet hold the truth forever fast. " 
 
 It was evidently intended to guard the people against the mischie- 
 vous extravagances of George Bell and his friends, a particular ac- 
 count of whom is given in Mr. Wesley's Journal about that period. 
 —Edit. 
 
90 
 
 CHKISTIAN PEKFECTION, 
 
 •'To itiia;,'ino none can teach you, but thoso who are 
 themselves saved from sin, is a very great and dangerous 
 mistake. (Jive not place to it for a inoiiient ; it would lead 
 you into a thousiiiid other mistakes, and that irrecoverably. 
 No; dominion is not founded in fjrace, as the madnien of 
 the last age talked. Obey and regard ' them that are over 
 you in the Lord,' and do not think you kn< w better than 
 them. Know their place and your own ; always remember- 
 ing, much love does not imply much light. 
 
 " The not observing this has led some into many mistakes, 
 and into the appearance, at least, of pride. Oh, beware of 
 the appearance, and the thing ! Let ' there bo in you that 
 lowly mind which was in Christ Jesus.' And 'be ye like- 
 wise clothed with humility.' Let it not only fill, but cover 
 you all over. Let modesty and self-diffidence appear in all 
 your words and actions. Let all you speak and do show 
 that you are little, and base, and mean, and vile in your 
 own eyes. 
 
 " As one instance of this, be always ready to own any 
 faidt you have been in. If you have at any time thought, 
 spoke, or acted wrong, be not bacicward to acknowledge it. 
 Never dream that this will hurt thf cause of God ; i\o, it 
 will farther it. Be, therefore, open and frank, when you 
 are taxed with anything ; do not swek either to evade or dis- 
 guise it ; but lot it appear just as it is, and you will thereby 
 not hinder, but adorn the Gospel. 
 
 " 33. What is the Second advice which you would give 
 them ? 
 
 " Beware of that daughter of pride, enthusiasm. Oh, 
 keep at the utmost distance from it ! Give no place to a 
 heated imagination. Do not hastily ascribe things to God. 
 Do not easily s'appose dreams, voices, impressions, visions, 
 or revelations to be from God. They may be from Him. 
 
AS TAT'fiHT MY JOHN WESI.KY 
 
 91 
 
 are 
 rouB 
 lead 
 
 biy. 
 
 |i of 
 
 )ver 
 than 
 ber- 
 
 Thoy may l»e from naturo. Thoy may \)e from the dfvil. 
 Therefore, ' heli<*vfl not every spirit, hut try the spirits 
 whether they l)e of God.' Try all thing's hy the writtt-n 
 word, and let all how down hefore it. You are in danger of 
 enthusiasm every hour, if you depart ever so little from 
 Scripture ; yea, or from the plaiti, literal nioanin;,' of any 
 
 text, taken in connection with the context. And so 
 
 you 
 
 are, if you despise or lightly esteem reason, knowledge, or 
 human learning ; <\ery one of which is an excellent gift of 
 God, and may serve the noblest purposes. 
 
 " I advise you, never to use the words, wisdom, reason, or 
 knowledge, by way of reproach. On the contrary, pray that 
 you yourself may abound in them more and more. If you 
 mean worldly wisdom, useless knowledge, false reasoning, 
 say so ; and throw away the chattj but not the wheat. 
 
 '* One general inlet to enthusiasm is, expecting the end 
 without the means ; the expecting knowledge, for instance, 
 without searching the Scriptures, and consulting the chil- 
 dren of God ; the expecting spiritual strength without con- 
 stant prayer, and steady watchfulness ; the expecting any 
 blessing without hearing the word of God at every oppor- 
 tunity. 
 
 "Some have been ignorant of this device of Satan. They 
 have left off searching the Scriptures. They said, 'God 
 writes all the Scriptures on my heart. Therefore, I have 
 no need to read it.' Others thought they had not so much 
 need of hearing, and so grew slack in attending the morn- 
 ing preaching. Oh, take warning you who are concerned 
 herein ! You have listened to tl voice of a stranger. Fly 
 back to Cnrist, and keep in the good old way, which was 
 ' once delivered to the saints ; ' the way that even a heathen 
 bore testimony of : * That the Christians rose early every 
 day to sing hymns to Christ as God.' 
 
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 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
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 " The very desire of ' growing in grace ' may sometimes 
 be an inlet of enthusiasm. As it continually leads us to 
 seek new grace, it may lead us unawares to seek something 
 else new, beside new degrees of love to God and man. So 
 it has led some to seek and fancy they had received gifts of 
 a new kind, after a new heart, as, (I) The loving God with 
 all our mind ; (2) With all our soul ; (3) With all our 
 strength; (4) Oneness with God ; (5) Oneness with Christ; 
 (6) Having our life hid with Christ in God ; (7) Being 
 dead with Christ ; (8) Rising with Him ; (9) The sitting 
 with Him in heavenly places; (10) The being taken up 
 into His throne; (11) The being in the New Jerusalem; 
 (12) The seeing the tabernacle of God comedown among 
 men; (13) The being dead to all works; (14) The not 
 being liable to death, pain, grief, or temptation. 
 
 " One ground of many of these mistakes is, the taking 
 every fresh, strong application of any of these Scriptures 
 to the heart, to be a gift of a new kind ; not knowing that 
 several of these Scriptures are not fulfilled yet ; that most 
 of the others are fulfilled when we are justified ; the rest, 
 the moment we are sanctified. It remains only to experi- 
 ence them in higher degrees. This is all we have to expect. 
 
 "Another ground of these and a thousand mistakes, is, 
 the not considering deeply, that love is the highest gift of 
 God ; humble, gentle, patient love ; that all visions, revela- 
 tions, manifestations whatever, are little things compared to 
 love ; and that all the gifts above mentioned are either the 
 same with, or infinitely inferior to, it. 
 
 " It were well you should be thoroughly sensible of this, 
 — the heaven of heavens is love. There is nothing higher 
 in religion ; there in, in effect, nothing else ; if you look for 
 anything but more love, you are looking wide of the mark, 
 you are getting out of the royal way. And when you are 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 98 
 
 asking others, ' Have you received this or that blessing 1 if 
 you mean anything but more love, you mean wrong ; you 
 are leading them out of the way, and putting them upon a 
 false scent. Settle it then in your heart, that from the 
 moment God has saved you from all sin, you are to aim 
 at nothing more, but more of that love described in the thir- 
 teenth of Corinthians. You can go no higher than this, till 
 you are carried into Abraham's bosom. 
 
 " I say yet again, beware of enthusiasm. Such is, the 
 imagining you have the gift of prophesying, or discerning 
 of spirits, which I do not believe one of you has ; no, nor 
 ever had yet. Beware of judging people to be either right 
 or wrong by your own feelings. This is no Scriptural way 
 of judging. Oh, keep close to * the law and to the testi- 
 mony ! ' 
 
 " 34. What is the Third ? 
 
 " Beware of Antinomianism ; ' making void the law,' or 
 any part of it, ' through faith.' Enthusiasm naturally leads 
 to this ; indeed, they can scarcely be separated. This may 
 steal upon you in a thousand forms, so that you cannot be 
 too watchful against it. Take heed of everything, whether 
 in principle or practice, which has any tendency thereto. 
 Even that great truth, that ' Christ is the end of the law,' 
 may betray us into it, if we do not consider that He has 
 adopted every point of the moral law, and grafted it into 
 the law of love. Beware of thinking, ' Because I am tilled 
 with love, I need not have so much holiness. Because I 
 pray always, therefore I need not set time for private prayer. 
 Because T watch always, therefore I need no particular self- 
 examination.' Let us ' magnify the law,' the whole written 
 word, * and make it honorable.' Let this be our voice : ' I 
 prize Thy commandments above gold or precious stones- 
 Oh, what love have I unto Thy law ! all the day long is my 
 
94 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 m I 
 
 
 study in it.' Beware of Antinomian books ; particularly 
 the works of Dr. Crisp and Mr. Saltmarsh. They contain 
 many excellent things ; and this makes them the more 
 dangerous. Oh, be warned in time ! Do not play with fire- 
 Do not put your hand on the hole of a cockatrice' den. I 
 entreat you beware of bigotry. Let not your love or bene- 
 ficence be confined to Methodists, so-called only ; much less 
 to that very small part of them who seem to be renewed in 
 love ; or to those who believe yours and their report. Oh, 
 make not this your Shibboleth ! Beware of stillness ; ceas- 
 ing in a wrong sense from your own works. To mention 
 one instance out of many : ' You have received,' says one, 
 ' a great blessing. But you began to talk of it, and to do 
 this and that ; so you lost it. You should have been still.' 
 " Beware of self-indulgence ; yea, and making a virtue of 
 it, laughing at self-denial, and taking up the cross daily, at 
 fasting or abstinence. Beware of censoriousness ; thinking 
 or calling them, that anyways oppose you, whether in judg- 
 ment or practice, blind, dead, fallen, or ' enemies to the 
 work.' Once more, beware of Solifidianism ; crying nothing 
 but ' Believe, believe ! ' and condemning those as ignorant 
 or legal who speak in a more Scriptural way. At certain 
 seasons, indeed, it may be right to treat of nothing but re- 
 pentance, or merely of faith, or altogether of holiness ; but, 
 in general, our call is to declare the whole counsel of God, 
 and to prophesy according to the analogy of faith. The 
 written word treats of the whole and every particular 
 branch of righteousness, descending to its minutest branches ; 
 as to be sober, courteous, diligent, patient, to honor all men. 
 So, likewise, the Holy Spirit works the same in our hearts, 
 not merely creating desires after holiness in general, but 
 strongly inclining us to every particular grace, leading us 
 to every individual part of * whatsoever is lovely.' And 
 
irly 
 
 AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 
 95 
 
 this with the greatest propriety 
 
 : for as ' by works 
 
 faith 
 
 is 
 
 made perft ct,' so the completing 
 
 or de.stroying the 
 
 work 
 
 of 
 
 faith, and enjoying the favor, or 
 
 suffering the displeasure 
 
 of 
 
 God, greatly depends on every 
 
 single act of obed 
 
 ience 
 
 or 
 
 disobedience. 
 
 
 
 
 " 35. What is the Fourth i 
 
 
 
 
 " Beware of sins of omission ; 
 
 lose no opportunity 
 
 of doing 
 
 good in any kind. Be zealous of good works ; willingly 
 omit no work, either of piety or mercy. Do all the good 
 you possibly can, to the bodies and souls of men. Particu- 
 larly, ' thou shalt in any wise reprove thy neighbor, and not 
 suffer sin upon him.' Be active. Give no place to indolence 
 or sloth ; give no occasion to say, 'Ye are idle, ye are idle.' 
 Many will say so still ; but let your whole spirit and 
 behavior refute the slander. Be always employed ; lose no 
 shred of time ; gather up the fragments, that nothing be 
 lost. And * whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with 
 thy might.' Be ' slow to speak,' and wary in speaking. ' In 
 a inultitude of words there wanteth not sin.' Do not talk 
 much ; neither long at a time. Few can converse profitably 
 above an hour. Keep at the utmost distance from pious 
 chit-chat, from religious gossiping. 
 
 " 36. What is the Fifth ? 
 
 ** Beware of desiring anything but God. Now you desire 
 nothing else ; every other desire is driven out ; see that none 
 enter again. * Keep thyself pure ; ' let your 'eye' remain 
 'single, and your whole body shall be full of light.' Admit 
 no desire of pleasing food, or any other pleasure of sense ; 
 no desiring of pleasing the eye or the imagination, by 
 anything grand, or new, or beautiful ; no desire of money, 
 of praise, or esteem ; of happiness in any creature. You 
 may bring these desires back ; but you need not ; you need 
 
^ 
 
 > 
 
 96 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 •j 
 
 feel them no more. O stand fast in the liberty wherewith 
 Christ hath made you free. 
 
 " Be patterns to all of denying yourselves, and taking up 
 your cross daily. Let them see that you make no account 
 of any pleasure which does not bring you nearer to God, nor 
 regard any pain which does ; that you simply aim at pleas- 
 ing Him, whether by doing or suffering ; that the constant 
 language of your heart, with regard to pleasure or pain, 
 honor or dishonor, riches or poverty, is, 
 
 ' All's alike to me, so I 
 In my Lord may live and die ! ' 
 
 " 37. What is the Sixth / 
 
 " Beware of schism, of making a rent in the Church of 
 Christ. That inward disunion, the members ceasing to have 
 a reciprocal love 'one for another' (1 Cor. xii. 25), is the 
 very root of all contention, and every outward separation. 
 Beware of everything tending thereto. Beware of a dividing 
 spirit ; shun whatever has the least aspect that way. There- 
 fore, say not, ' I am of Paul, or of ApoUos ; ' the very thing 
 which occasioned the schism at Corinth. Say not, ' This is 
 my preacher ; the best preacher in England. Give me him, 
 and take all the rest.' All this tends to breed or foment 
 division, to disunite those whom God hath joined. Do not 
 despise or run down any preacher ; do not exalt any one 
 al;ove the rest, lest you hurt both him and the cause of God. 
 On the other hand, do not bear hard upon any by reason of 
 some incoherency or inaccuracy of expression ; no, nor for 
 some mistakes, were they really such. 
 
 " Likewise, if you would avoid schism, observe every rule 
 of the society, and of the bands, for conscience' sake. 
 Never omit meeting your class or band ; never absent your- 
 self from any public meeting. These are the very sinews 
 

 /l 
 
 5with 
 
 igup 
 
 ;ount 
 
 nor 
 
 Iplcas- 
 
 istant 
 
 pain, 
 
 AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 97 
 
 of our society ; and whatever weakens, or tends to weaken, 
 our regard for these, or exactness in attending them, strikes 
 at the very root of our community. As one saith, ' That 
 part of our economy, the private weekly meetings for prayer, 
 examination, and particuhir exhortation, has been the great- 
 est mean« of deepening and confirming every blessing that 
 was received by the word preached, and of diffusing it to 
 others, who could not attend the public ministry; whereas, 
 without this religious connection and intercourse, the most 
 ardent attempts, by mere preaching, have proved of no 
 lasting use.' 
 
 "Suffer not one thought of separating from your brethren, 
 whether their opinions agree with yours, or not. Do not 
 dream that any man sins in not believing you, in not taking 
 your word ; or that this or that opinion is essential to the 
 work, and both must stand or fall together. Beware of im- 
 patience or contradiction. Do not condemn or think hardly 
 of those who cannot see just as you see, or who judge it 
 their duty to contradict you, whether in a great thing, or 
 a small. I fear some of us have thought hardly of others, 
 merely because they contradicted what we affirmed. All 
 this tends to division ; and, by everything of this kind, we 
 are teaching them an evil lesson against themselves. 
 
 " 0, beware of touchiness, of testiness, not bearing to be 
 spoken to; starting at the least word; and flying from those 
 who do not implicitly receive mine or another's sayings ! 
 
 " Expect contradiction and opposition, together with 
 crosses of various kinds. Consider the words of St. Paul : 
 ' To you it is given, in the behalf of Christ,' — for His sake, 
 as a fruit of His death and intercession for you, — ' not only 
 to believe, but also to suffer for His sake,' Phil, i. 29. It is 
 given ! God gives you this opposition or reproach ; it is a 
 
 fresh token of His love. 
 
 7 
 
 And will you disown the Giver ; 
 
98 
 
 (JHKISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 1^' 
 
 or spurn His gift, and count it a misfortune? Will you not 
 rather say, * Father, the hour is come, that Thou shouldest 
 be glorified ; now Thou givest Thy child to suffer something 
 for Thee ; do with me according to Thy wilU ' Know that 
 tliese things, far from l)eing hindrances to the work of Clod, 
 or to your soul, unless, by your own fault, are not only un- 
 avoidable in the course of providence, but profitable, yea, 
 necessary for you. Therefore, receive them from God (not 
 from chance), with willingness, with thankfulness. Receive 
 them from men with humility, meekness, yieldingness, gen- 
 tleness, sweetness. Why should not even your outward 
 appearance and manner be soft ? Remen)ber the character 
 of Lady Cutts. ' It was said of the Roman Emperor, Titus, 
 never any one came displeased from him. But it might be 
 said of her, never any one went displeased to her; so secure 
 were all of the kind and favorable reception which they 
 would meet with from her.' 
 
 " Beware of tempting others to separate from you. Give 
 no offense which can possibly be avoided ; see that yonr 
 practice be in all things suitable to your profession, adorn- 
 ing the doctrine of God our Saviour. Be particularly careful 
 in speaking of yourself. You may not, indeed deny the 
 work of God ; but speak of it when you are called thereto, 
 in the most inoffensive manner possible. Avoid all mag- 
 nificent, pompous words; indeed, you need give it no general 
 name; neither perfection, sanctifi cation, the second blessing, 
 nor the having attained. Rather speak of the particulars 
 which God has wrought for you. You may say, 'At such a 
 time, I felt a change wihich I am not able to express ; and 
 since that time, I have not felt pride, or self-will, or anger, 
 or unbelief ; nor anything but a fulness of love to God and 
 to all mankind.' And answer any other plain question that 
 is asked, with niodesty and simplicity. 
 
 ! '■ ! 
 
 iJi 
 
AH TAUGHT BY JOHN WESf-EY. 
 
 99 
 
 not 
 Id est 
 hing 
 I that 
 riod, 
 
 un- 
 
 yea. 
 (not 
 
 •'And if any of you should at at any time fall from what 
 you now are, if you should aj^ain I'ocl pride or unhelief, or 
 any temper from which you are now dflivenHJ; do not deny, 
 do not hide, do not disguise it at all, at the peril of your 
 soul. At all events, go to one in whom you can confide, 
 and speak just what you feel. (lod will enable you to speak 
 a word in season, whicli shall l»e health to your soul. And 
 surely He will again lift up your head, and cause the bones 
 that have been broken to rejoice. 
 
 ** 38. What is the last advice that yon mould yive them ? 
 
 " Be exemplary in all things ; particularly in outward 
 things (as in dress), in little things, in the laying out of 
 your money (avoiding every needless expense), in deep, 
 steady seriousness, and in the solidity and usefulness of all 
 your conversation. So shall you be ' a liglit shining in a 
 dark place.' So shall you daily 'grow in grace,' till 'an 
 entrance be ministered unto you abundantly into the ever- 
 lasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.' 
 
 " Most of the preceding advices are strongly enforced 
 in the following reflections, which I recommend to your 
 deep and frequent consideration, next to the Holy Scrip- 
 tures : — 
 
 "(1) The sea is an excellent fig''»e of the fulness of God, 
 and that of the blessed Spirit. 1 or .is the rivers all return 
 into thft sea ; so the bodies, the s uls, and the good works 
 of the righteous,.return into God, to live there in His eternal 
 repose. 
 
 "Although all the graces of God depend on His mere 
 bounty, yet is l£e pleased generally to attach them to the 
 prayers, the instructions, and the holiness of those with 
 whom we are. By strong though invisible attractions. He 
 draws some souls through their intercourse with others. 
 
100 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 ! 
 
 •' The sympathies formed by grace far surpass those formed 
 by nature. 
 
 •'The truly devout show that passions as naturally flow 
 from true as from false love, so deeply sensible are they of 
 the goods and evils of those whom they love for (iod's sake. 
 But this can only be comprehended by those who understand 
 the language of love. 
 
 "The bottom of the soul may be in repose, even while we 
 are in many outward troubles ; just as the bottom of the 
 sea is calm, while the surface is strongly agitated. 
 
 '* The best helps to growth in grace are the ill-usage, the 
 affronts, and the losses which befall us. We should receive 
 them with all thankfulness, as preferable to all others, 
 were it only on this account, — that our will has no part 
 therein. 
 
 " The readiest way to escape from our sufferings is to be 
 willing they should endure as long as God pleases. 
 
 "If we suffer persecution and affliction in the right man- 
 ner, we attain a larger measure of conformity to Christ, by 
 a due improvement of one of these occasions, than we could 
 have done merely by imitating His mercy, in abundance of 
 good works. 
 
 "One of the greatest evidences of God's love to those 
 that love Him is to send them afflictions, with grace to bear 
 them. 
 
 " Even in the greatest afflictions we ought to testify to 
 God, that in receiving them from His hand, we feel pleasure 
 in the midst of the pain, from being afflicted by Him who 
 loves us, and whom we love. 
 
 "The readiest way which God takes to draw a man to 
 Himself is to afflict him in that he loves most, and with 
 good reason ; and to cause this affliction to arise from some 
 good action done with a single eye ; because nothing can 
 
AS TAUOHT nV JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 101 
 
 led 
 
 [flow 
 
 lake. 
 Itand 
 
 more clearly show him the eniptinoHH of what is moat lovely 
 and desirable in the world. 
 
 "(2) True resignation consistfi in a thorough conforniity 
 to the whole will of (»od, who willg and does all (excepting 
 sin) which comes to pass in the world. In order to this 
 we have only to enihraco all events, good and had, as His 
 will. 
 
 "In the greatest afflictions which can befall the just, 
 either from heaven or earth, they remain immovable in 
 peace, and perfectly submissive to Ood, Ity an inward lov- 
 ing regard to Him, uniting in one all the powers of their 
 souls. 
 
 " We ought quietly to suffer whatever befalls us, to bear 
 the defects of others and our own, to confess thom to God 
 in secret prayer, or with groans which cannot be uttered ; 
 but never to speak a sharp or peevish word, nor to murmur 
 or repine, but thoroughly willing that God should treat you 
 in the manner that pleases Him. We are His lambs, and 
 therefore ought to be ready to suffer, even to the death, 
 without complaining. 
 
 *' We are to bear with those we cannot amend, and to be 
 content with offering them to God. This is true resignation. 
 And since He has borne our intirmities, we may well bear 
 those of each other for His sake. 
 
 " To abandon all, to strip one's self of all, in order to seek 
 and to follow Jesus Christ naked to Bethlehem, where He 
 was born ; naked to the hall where He was scourged ; and 
 naked to Calvary, where He died on the cross, is so great a 
 mercy, that neither the thing nor the knowledge of it is 
 given to any, but through faitl) in the Son of God. 
 
 " (3) There is no love of God without patience, and no 
 patience without lowliness and sweetness of spirit. 
 
102 
 
 f'HRISTIAN PEHFKCTION, 
 
 l> 
 
 1 
 
 I ' 
 
 •' Humility »ii»d paticnco aro tho Hurost proofs of th« in- 
 creaH«' of love. 
 
 " Humility alone uuitfis patience with love, without which 
 it is impossibli! to draw profit from KuU'erinx, or, indeed, to 
 avoid complaint, especially when we think w«( have given no 
 occasion for what men make us suHbr. 
 
 "True humility is a kind of self annihilation, and this ia 
 the centre of all virtues. 
 
 " A soul returned to Uod oujj[ht to he attentive to every- 
 thing which is said to him, on the head of salvation, with a 
 desire to profit thereby. 
 
 *' Of the sins which (jod has pardoned, let nothing remain 
 but a deeper humility in the heart, and a stricter regulation 
 in our words, in our actions, and in our sutferings. 
 
 " (4) The bearing men, and suffering evils in meekness 
 and silence, is the sum of a Christian life. 
 
 "God is the first object of our love : its next office is, to 
 bear the defects of others. And we should begin the prac- 
 tice of this amidst our own household. 
 
 " We should chiefly exerci.se our love toward them who 
 most shock either our way of thinking, or our temper, or our 
 knowledge, or the desire we have that others should be as 
 virtuous as we wish to be ourselves. 
 
 " (5) God hardly gives His Spirit even to those whom 
 He has established in grace, if they do not pray for it on all 
 occasions, not only once, but many times. 
 
 " God does nothing but in answer to prayer ; and even 
 they who have been converted to God, without praying for 
 it themselves (which is exceeding rare), were not without 
 the prayers of others, pjvery new victory which a soul 
 gains is the effect of a new prayer. 
 
 " On every occasion of uneasiness, we should retire to 
 prayer, that we may give place to the grace and light of 
 
 ■ Ml 
 
A8 TAUGHT HY JOHN WKSI,EY. 
 
 103 
 
 in- 
 
 liicli 
 
 I, to 
 ri IK) 
 
 N is 
 
 Oo(l, and tijrn form our resolutioiiH. without bein^ in nuy 
 pain about what 8Uc(!08h thoy niiiy hav**. 
 
 " In the greatflst teniptatiotiH, a Hingl<> look to (.'hrlHt, and 
 the barely pronouncing IIih namo, surtices to ovorconie the 
 wicked one, so it bo dune with cotitidcuice and calnmeHs of 
 spirit. 
 
 " God's command to ' pra}* without ceasing,' is founded on 
 the necessity we have of His grace to preserve the life of 
 God in the soul, wliich can no more sul)sist otie moment 
 without it, than the body can without air. 
 
 " Whether we think of, or speak to, (!od, whether we act 
 or suffer for Him, all is prayer, when we have no other 
 object than His love, and the desire of pleasing Him. 
 
 " All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, 
 is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the 
 order of (iod, without either adding to or diminishing from 
 it by his own choice. 
 
 ** Prayer continues in the desire of the heart, though the 
 understanding be employed on outward things. 
 
 " In souls filled with love, the desire to please God is a 
 continual prayer. 
 
 " As the furious hate wfiit h the devil bears us is termed 
 the roaring of a lion, so our vehement love may be termed 
 crying after God. 
 
 " God only requires of His adult children, that their hearts 
 be truly purified, and that they offer Him continually the 
 wishes and vows that naturally spring from perfect love. 
 For these desires, being the genuine fruits of love, are the 
 most perfect prayers that can spring from it. 
 
 " (6) It is scarce conceivable how straight the way is 
 wherein God leads them that follow Him ; and how depend- 
 ent on Him we must be, unless we are wanting in our faith- 
 fulness to Him. 
 
104 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 " It is hardly credible of how great consequence before 
 God the smallest things are ; and what great inconveniences 
 sometimes follow those which appear to be light faults. 
 
 " As a very little dust will disorder a clock, and the least 
 sand will obscure our sight, so the least grain of sin which 
 is upon the heart will hinder its right motion toward God. 
 
 " We ought to be in the church as the saints are in heaven, 
 and in the house as the holiest men are in the church ; doing 
 our work in the house as we pray in the church ; worship- 
 ping God from the ground of the heart. 
 
 " We should be continually laboring to cut off all the use- 
 less things that surround us : and God usually retrenches 
 the superfluities of our souls in the same proportion as we 
 do those of our bodies. 
 
 "The best means of resisting the devil is, to destroy 
 whatever of the world remains in us, in order to raise for 
 God, upon its ruins, a building all of love. Then shall we 
 begin, in this fleeting life, to love God as we shall love Him 
 in eternity. 
 
 "^We scarce conceive how easy it is to rob God of His 
 due, in our friendship with the most virtuous persons, until 
 they are torn from us by death. But if this loss produce 
 lasting sorrow, that is a clear proof that we had before two 
 treasures, between which we divided our hearts. 
 
 " (7) If, after having renounced all, we do not watch in- 
 cessantly, and beseech God to accompany our vigilance with 
 His, we shall again be entangled and overcome. 
 
 " As the most dangerous winds may enter at little open- 
 ings, so the devil never enters more dangerously than by 
 little unobserved incidents, which seem to be nothing, yet 
 insensibly open the heart to great temptations 
 
 " It is good to renew ourselves from time to time, by 
 closely examining the state of our souls, as if we had never 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY, 
 
 105 
 
 jfore 
 pnces 
 
 [least 
 
 i^hich 
 
 }od. 
 
 iven, 
 
 loing 
 
 'ship- 
 
 done it before ; for nothing tends more to the full assurance 
 of faith, than to keep ourselves by this means in humility, 
 and the exercise of all good works. 
 
 " To continual watchfulness and prayer ought to be added 
 continual employment. For graco Hijs a vacuum as well as 
 nature ; and the devil fills whatever God does not fill. 
 
 " There is no faithfulness like that which ought to be 
 between a guide of souls and the person directed by Him. 
 They ought continually to regard each other in God, and 
 closely to examine themselves, whether all their thoughts 
 are pure, and all tiieir words directed with Christian discre- 
 tion. Other affairs are only the things of men ; but these 
 are peculiarly the things of God. 
 
 " (8) The words of St. Paul, ' No man can call Jesus 
 Lord, but by the Holy Ghost,' show us the necessity of eye- 
 ing God in our good works, and even in our minutest 
 thoughts ; knowing that none are pleasing to Him, but those 
 which He forms in us and with us. From hence we learn 
 that we cannot serve Him, unless He use our tongue, hands 
 and heart, to do by Himself and His Spirit whatever He 
 would have us to do. 
 
 '* If we were not utterly impotent, our good works would 
 be our own property ; whereas now they belong wholly to 
 God, because they proceed from Him and His grace : while 
 raising our works, and making them all Divine, He honors 
 Himself in us through them. 
 
 " One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occa- 
 sion of serving God. And, since He is invisible to our eyes, 
 we are to serve Him in our neighbor ; which He receives as 
 if done to Himself in person, standing visibly before us. 
 
 " God does not love men that are inconstant, nor good 
 works that are intermitted. Nothing is pleasing to Him, 
 but what has a resemblance of His own immutability. 
 
106 
 
 f!HRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 h- 
 
 
 >'l 
 
 f: I ■ 
 
 " A constant, attention to the work which God entrusts us 
 with is a mark of solid piety. 
 
 " Love fasts when it can, and as much as it can. It leads 
 to all the ordinances of God, and employs itself in all the 
 outward works whereof it is capable. It flies, as it were, 
 like Fjlijah over the plain, to find (iod upon His holy moun- 
 tain. 
 
 " God is so great that He communicates greatness to the 
 least thing that is done for His service. 
 
 " Happy are they who are sick, yea, or lose their life, for 
 having done a good work, 
 
 "God frequently conceals the part which His children 
 have in the conversion of other souls. Yet one may boldly 
 say, that person who long groans before Him for the con- 
 version of another, whenever that soul is converted to God, 
 is one of the chief causes of it. 
 
 " Charity cannot be practised right?, unless, First, we exer- 
 cise it the moment God gives the occasion ; and, Secondly, 
 retire the instant after to offer it to God by humble thanks- 
 giving. And this for three reasons : First, to render Him 
 what we have received from Him. The Second, to avoid 
 the dangerous temptation which springs from the very good- 
 ness of these works. And the Third, to unite ourselves to 
 God in whom the soul expands itself in prayer, with all the 
 graces we have received, and the good works we have done, 
 to draw from Him new strength against the bad effects 
 which these very works may produce in us, if we do not 
 make use of the antidotes which God has ordained against 
 these poisons. The true means to be filled anew with the 
 riches of grace is thus to strip ouiaelves of it ; and without 
 this it is extremely difficult not to grow faint in the practice 
 of good works. 
 
 *' Good works do not receive their last perfection, till they, 
 
 l> 
 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 107 
 
 bsus 
 
 leads 
 
 |1 the 
 
 i^ere, 
 
 Houn- 
 
 as it were, lose themselves in God. This is a kind of death 
 to them, resembling that of our bodies, which will not attain 
 their highest life, their immortality, till they lose th«>mselves 
 in the glory of our souls, or rather of (iod, wherewith they 
 shall be tilled. And it is only what they had of earthly 
 and mortal, which good works lose by their spiritual death. 
 
 " Fire is the .symbol of love ; and the love of God is the 
 principle and the end of all our good works. But truth 
 surpasses tigure ; and the tire of Divine love has this ad- 
 vantage over material tire, that it can re-ascend to its source, 
 and raise thither with it all the good works which it pro- 
 duces. And by this means it prevents their being corrupted 
 by pride, vanity, or any evil mixture. But this cannot be 
 done otherwise than by making these good works in a 
 spiritnal manner die in God, by a deep gratitude, which 
 plunges the soul in Him as in an abyss, with all that it is, 
 and all the grace and works for which it is indebted to Him ; 
 a gratitude, whereby the soul seems to empty itself of them, 
 that they may return to their source, as rivers seem willing 
 to empty themselves, when they pour themselves witli all 
 their waters into the sea. 
 
 " When we have received any favor from God, we ought to 
 retire, if not into our closets, into our hearts, and say, ' I 
 come. Lord, to reatoi-e to Thee what Thou hast given ; and 
 I freely relinquish it, to enter again into my own nothing- 
 ness. For what is the most perfect creature in heaven or 
 earth in Thy presence, but a void capable of being tilled 
 with Thee and by Thee ; as the air which is void and dark, 
 is capable of being tilled with the light of the sun, who 
 withdraws it every day to restore it the next, there being 
 nothing in the air that either appropriates this light or re- 
 sists it 1 O give me the same facility of receiving and re- 
 storing Thy grace and good works ! I say, Thine ; for I 
 
108 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERrECTION, 
 
 acknowledge the root from which they spring is in Thee, 
 and not in me.' " 
 
 Propositions Written in 1764. 
 
 Mm ! 
 
 i-n 
 
 i 
 
 26. In the year 1764, upon the review of the whole sub- 
 ject, I wrote down the sum of what I had observed in the 
 following short propositions : 
 
 " (1) There is such a thing as perfection ; for it is again 
 and again mentioned in Scripture. 
 
 " (2) It is not so early as justification ; for justified per- 
 sons are to ' go on unto perfection,' Heb. vi. 1. 
 
 " (3) It is not so late as death ; for St. Paul speaks of 
 living men that were perfect, Phil. iii. 15. 
 
 " (4) It is not absolute. Absolute perfection belongs not 
 to men, nor to angels, but to God alone. 
 
 " (5) It does not make a man infallible ; none is infallible ; 
 while he remains in the body. 
 
 " (6) Is it sinless 1 It is not worth while to contend for 
 a term. It is * salvation from sin.' 
 
 "(7) It is 'perfect love,' 1 John iv. 18. This is the es- 
 sence of it ; its properties, or inseparable fruits, are, rejoic- 
 ing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything 
 giving thanks, 1 Thess. v. 16, etc. 
 
 " (8) It is improvable. It is so far from lying in an indi- 
 visible point, from being incapable of increase, that one 
 perfected in love may grow in grace far swifter than he did 
 before. 
 
 " (9) It is amissible, capable of being lost ; of which we 
 have numerous instances. But we were not thoroughly 
 convinced of this, till five or six years ago. 
 
 " (10) It is constantly both preceded and followed by a 
 gradual work. 
 
sub- 
 the 
 
 AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 109 
 
 "(11) But is it in itself instantaneous or not? In ex- 
 amining this, let us go on step by step. 
 
 "An instantaneous change has been 
 
 wrought in some 
 
 believers. None can deny this. 
 
 " Since that change, they enjoy perfect love ; they feel 
 this, and this alone ; they ' rejoice everniore, pray without 
 ceasing, and in everything give thanks.' Now this is all 
 that I mean by perfection ; therefore, these are witnesses 
 of the perfection which I preach. 
 
 " ' But in some, this change was not instantaneous.' They 
 did not perceive the instant when it was wrought. It is 
 often difficult to perceive the instant when a man dies ; yet 
 there is an instant in which life ceases. And if even sin 
 ceases, there must be a last moment of its existence, and a 
 first moment of our deliverance from it. 
 
 " ' But if they have this love now, they will lose it.' They 
 may ; but they need not. And whether they do or no, they 
 have it now ; they now experience what we teach. They 
 now are all love ; they now rejoice, pray, and praise without 
 ceasing. 
 
 " 'However, sin is only suspended in them ; it is not de- 
 stroyed.' Call it which you please. They are all love 
 to-day ; and they take no thought for the morrow. 
 
 " ' But this doctrine has been much abused.' So has that 
 of justification by faith. But that is no reason for giving 
 up either this or any other Scriptural doctrine. 'When you 
 wash your child,' as one speaks, ' throw away the water ; 
 but do not throw away the child.' 
 
 " ' But those who think they are saved from sin, say they 
 have no need of the merits of Christ.' They say just the 
 contrary. Their language is, — 
 
 ' Every moment, Lord, I want, the merit of thy death ! ' 
 
'M 
 
 110 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 m 
 
 
 ■V'l 
 
 iiil 
 
 \i[ 
 
 
 !i 
 
 . , ''i 
 
 " They never before had so deep, so unspeakable a convic- 
 tion of the need of Christ in all His offices, as tliey have now. 
 
 "Therefore, all our preachers should make a point of 
 preachiog perfection to believers, constantly, strongly and 
 explicitly ; and all believers should mind this one thing, 
 and continually agonize for it." 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 27. I have now done what I proposed. I have given a 
 plain and simple account of the manner wherein I first re- 
 ceived the doctrine of perfection, and the sense wherein I 
 received, and wherein I do receive, and teach it to this day. 
 I have declared the whole and every part of what I. mean 
 by that Scriptural expression. I have drawn the picture 
 of it at full length, without either disguise or covering. 
 
 And I would now ask any impartial person, What is there 
 so frightful therein 1 Whence is all this outcry, which, for 
 these twenty years and upwards, has been made throughout 
 the kingdom ; as if all Christianity were destroyed, and all 
 religion torn up by the roots 1 Why is it, that the very 
 name of perfection has been cast out of the mouths of Chris- 
 tians ; yea, exploded and abhorred, as if it contained the 
 most pernicious heresy 1 Why have the preachers of it been 
 hooted at, like mad dogs, even by men that fear God ; nay, 
 and by some of their own childnMi, some whom they, under 
 God, had begotten through the Gospel ] What reason is 
 there for this, or what pretence? Reason, sound reason, 
 there is none. It is impossible there should. But pretences 
 there are, and those in great abundance. Indeed, there is 
 ground to fear that, with some who treat us thus, it is mere 
 pretence ; that it is no more than a copy of their coun- 
 tenance, from the beginning to the end. They wanted, they 
 sought occasion against me ; and here they found what they 
 
 1 
 
AS TAUGHT BY JOHN WESLEY. 
 
 Ill 
 
 )nvic- 
 
 now. 
 
 |nt of 
 
 and 
 
 thing, 
 
 sought. "This is Mr. Wesley's doctrine! lie preaches 
 perfection! ■' He does; yet this is not his doctrine, any 
 more than it is yours, or any one's else, that is a minister 
 of Christ. For it is His doctrine, peculiarly, emphatically 
 His ; it is the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Those are His words, 
 not mine : " Ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father 
 who is in heaven, is perfeet." And who says, ye shall not ; 
 or at least, not till your soul is separated from the body 1 
 
 Look at it again ; survey it on every side, and that with 
 the closest attention. In one view, it is purity of intention, 
 dedicating all the life to God. It is the giving God all our 
 heart ; it is one desire and design ruling all our tempers. 
 It is the devoting, not a part, but all, our soul, body and 
 substance, to God. In another view, it is all the mind 
 which was in Christ, enabling us to walk as Christ walked. 
 It is the circumcision of the heart from all filthiness, all 
 inward as well as outward pollution. It is a renewal of the 
 heart in the whole image of God, the full likeness of Him 
 that created it. In yet another, it is the loving God with 
 all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves. 
 
 28. Now let this perfection appear in its native form, 
 and who can speak one word against it 1 Will any dare to 
 speak against loving the Lord our God with all our heart, 
 and our neighbor as ourselves? against a renewal of heart, 
 not only in part, but in the whole image of God 1 Who is 
 he that will open his mouth against being cleansed from 
 all pollution both of tlesh and spirit ; or against having all 
 the mind that was in Christ, and walking in all things as 
 Christ walked 1 What man who calls himself a Christian, 
 has the hardiness to object to the devoting, not a part, but 
 all our soul, body and substance to God 1 What serious 
 man would oppose the giving God all our heart, and the 
 having one desire ruling all our tempers 1 I say again, 
 
112 
 
 CHRISTIAN PERFECTION, 
 
 '■nin 
 
 let this Christian perfection appear in its own shape, and 
 who will fight against it 1 
 
 Yea, we do believe that He will in this world so "cleanse 
 the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of His Holy 
 Spirit, that we shall perfectly love Hira, and worthily mag- 
 nify His holy name." — Works, vol. vi. p. 483. 
 
 ini 
 
 ■I 
 
 , 
 
 II. ^ 
 
 WESLEY'S EXPERIENCE OF SANCTIFICATION. 
 
 In 1738 (the year in which he received this great bless- 
 ing) I expressed my desire in these words : 
 
 ' ' Oh, grant that nothing in my soul 
 
 May dwell, but Thy pure love alone ! 
 Oh, may Thy love poaseBs me whole — 
 
 My joy, my treaBure, and my crown ! 
 Strange flames far from my heart remove, 
 My every act, word, thought, be love." 
 
 And I am persuaded that this is what the Lord Jesus 
 hath bought for me in His own blood. 
 
 In 1771 he writes : " Many years since I saw that without 
 holiness no man shall see the Lord. I began by following 
 after it. Ten years after God gave me a clearer view than 
 I had before how to obtain it, namely, by faith in the Son of 
 God ; and immediately I declared to all, 'We are saved from 
 sin, we are made holy by faith.' This I testified in public, 
 in print, and God confirmed it by a thousand witnesses." 
 
 In 1761-3, Mr. Wesley wrote to Bell and Owen : "You 
 have over and over denied instantaneous sanctification ; but 
 I have known and taught it above these twenty years. I have 
 continually testified for these five-and-twenty years in private 
 and public, that we are sanctified as Veil as justified by 
 faith.