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The Works of John
Wesley (1872 ed. by Thomas
Jackson), vol. 11, # 29, pp. 366-446.
A
Plain Account of Christian Perfection
As
Believed and Taught by The Reverend Mr. John Wesley,
From the Year 1725, to the Year 1777.
It is not to be understood, that Mr. Wesley's sentiments concerning
Christian Perfection were in any measure changed after the year
1777. This tract underwent several revisions and enlargements
during his life-time; and in every successive edition the date
of the most recent revision was specified. The last revision appears
to have been made in the year 1777; and since that period, this
date has been generally continued on the title-page of the several
editions of the pamphlet. -- EDIT.]
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 truth 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, endeavouring 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, and actions; being
thoroughly convinced, there was no medium; but that every part
of my 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. I 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
affection," 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 Perfection"
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 sensible of;) to be all-devoted
to God, to give him all my soul, my body, and my substance
Will any considerate man say, that this is carrying matter
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?
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 Christ also walked;"
even of having, not some part only, but all the mind which was
in him; and of walking as he 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 an uniform following
of Christ, an entire inward and outward conformity to our Master.
Nor was I afraid of anything more, than of bending this rule to
the experience of myself; or of other men; of allowing myself
in any the least disconformity to our grand Exemplar.
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. V., p. 203.)
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 perfection, and glory, and happiness: The royal
law of heaven and earth is this, `Thou shall love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind, and with all thy strength.' The one perfect good shall be
your one ultimate end. One thing shall ye desire for its own sake,
-- the fruition of Him who is all in all. One happiness shall
ye propose to your souls, even an 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 creature,
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." (Ibid., pp.
207, 208.)
I concluded in these words: "Here is the sum of the
perfect 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 continually 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 heart, a steadfast regard to his glory in
all you actions.' For then, and not till then, is that `mind in
us, which was also in Christ Jesus,' when in every motion of our
heart, in every word of our tongue, in every work of our hands,
we `pursue nothing but in relation to him, and in subordination
to his plea sure;' when we too neither think, nor speak, nor act,
to fulfil `our own will, but the will of Him that sent us;' when,
`whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do,' we do it all `to
the glory of God."' (Ibid., p. 211.)
It may be observed, this sermon was composed the first
of all my writings which have been published. This was the view
of religion I then had, which even then I scrupled not to term
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?
What can he deny, without flatly contradicting the Scripture?
what retrench, without taking from the word of God?
7. In the same sentiment did my brother and I remain (with
all those young gentlemen in derision termed Methodists)
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!
O may thy love possess me whole,
My joy, my treasure, and my crown !
Strange fires far from my heart remove;
My every act, word, thought, be love!
I never heard that any one objected to this. And indeed who can
object? Is not this the language, not only of every believer,
but of every one that is truly awakened? But what have I wrote,
to this day, which is either stronger or plainer?
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 me, in writing, a definition
of "the full assurance of faith," which he did in the
following words: --
Requies in sanguine Christi; firma fiducia in Deum,
et persuasio de gratia divina; tranquillitas mentis summa, atque
serenitas et pax; cum absentia omnis desiderii carnalis, et cessatione
peccatorum etiam internorum.
"Repose in the blood of Christ; a firm confidence
in God, and persuasion of his favour; the highest tranquillity,
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 I 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 these we declared our sentiments
strongly and explicitly. So, page 24, --
Turn the fall stream of nature's tide;
Let all our actions tend
To thee, their source; thy love the guide,
Thy glory be the end.
Earth then a scale to heaven shall be;
Sense shall point out the road;
The creatures all shall lead to thee,
And all we taste be God.
Again, --
Lord, 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. (Page 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! (Page 125.)
Once more, --
Heavenly Adam, life divine,
Change my nature into thine;
Move and spread throughout my soul,
Actuate and fill the whole. (Page 153.)
It would be easy to cite many more passages to the same effect.
But these are sufficient to show, beyond contradiction, what our
sentiments then were.
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 indifferent 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 without any
alteration: --
"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? and there is none upon earth whom I desire besides thee.'
My God and my all! `Thou art the strength of my heart, and my
portion for ever.' He is therefore happy in God; yea, always happy,
as having in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting
life, and over-flowing his soul with peace and joy. Perfect love
living 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 everything 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, after `making' his `request known
to him with thanksgiving.'
"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 my 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 neighbour 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 ceases not to `pray for them,'
though they spurn his love, and still `despite. fully use him,
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 indeed 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 remembrance of his name.'
"Agreeable to this his one desire, is this 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 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 `holiness 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 iii all
points `a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards
man.' Whatever God has forbidden, he avoids; whatever God has
enjoined, he does. `He runs the way of God's commandments,' now
He bath 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 proportion
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 refreshments, as well as his
prayers, all serve to this great end. 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 labour, or eat and drink, or divert
himself from too wasting labour, 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 neighbour, 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? 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-thirty years ago? 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. I do not know that any writer has made any objection
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 religions men, who affirmed, not that I stated perfection
wrong, but that "there is no perfection 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 of salvation to the mere grace of God. But what most
surprised us, was, that we were said to "dishonour Christ,"
by asserting that he "saveth to the uttermost;" by maintaining
he will reign in our hearts alone, and subdue all things to himself.
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, lie may have
free leave." I answered, "My Lord, I will;" and
accordingly wrote and published the sermon on Christian perfection.
In this I endeavoured to show, (1.) In what sense Christians
are not, (2.) In what sense they are, perfect.
"(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 understanding, irregular quickness or
heaviness of imagination. Such in another kind are impropriety
of language, ungracefulness of pronunciation; to which one- might
add a thousand 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? Observe,
we are not now speaking of babes in Christ, but adult Christians
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? We cannot infer from
hence, that `all Christians do and must commit sin as long as
they live.'
"But does not the Scripture say, `A just man sinneth
seven times a day?' 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, here is no mention
of falling into sin at all. What is here mentioned, is, falling
into temporal affliction.
"But elsewhere Solomon says, `There is no man that
sinneth not.' Doubtless thus it was 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 the law, we may safely
affirm, with St. John, that, since the gospel was given, `lie
that is born of God sinneth not.'
"The privileges of Christians are in nowise to be
measured 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 revelation 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 standard 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. 12:8.)
``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
sufficient 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? Why, those `many
masters' or teachers whom God had not sent; not the Apostle himself,
nor any real Christian. That in the word we, used by a figure
of speech, common in all other as well as the inspired writings,
the Apostle could not possibly include himself, or any other true
believer, appears, First, from the ninth verse, `Therewith bless
we God, and therewith 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 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 we first mentioned did; from
whom therefore he is professedly contradistinguished, and pronounced
a `perfect man.'
"But St. John himself says, `If we say that 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 fixes the sense of
the eighth: `If we say we have no sin,' in the former, being explained
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 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 affirmed, The blood of Christ
cleanseth from all sin.' And no man can say, `I need it not; I
have 110 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 faithful 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, though he be but a babe in Christ. But it is only of grown
Christians it can be affirmed, they are in such a sense perfect,
as, Secondly, to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers.
First, from evil or sinful thoughts. Indeed, whence should they
spring? `Out of the heart of man,' if at 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. Every 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
liveth in me,' and, `I live not,' are inseparably connected. For
what communion hath light with darkness, or Christ with Belial?
"He, therefore, who liveth in these Christians hath
`purified their hearts by faith;' insomuch that every one that
has Christ in him, `the hope of glory, purifieth 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 his 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 offence 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,' say some, `but not till death, not in this world.' 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 Christians, 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
chapter: `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 confounding 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 outward, holiness, necessarily previous to justification.
For if the cleansing here spoken of is no other than the cleansing
us from the guilt of sin, 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 unrighteousness;
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 favourite 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 Christians at all,) should give no small offence. Many
answers or animadversions, therefore, were expected; but I was
agreeably disappointed. I do not know that any appeared; so I
went quietly on my way.
13. Not long after, I think in the spring, 1741, we published
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 themselves 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 glass, the
glory of the Lord, they are changed into the same image, from
glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord.'
"And `where the Spirit of the Lord 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 `born of God,' from
that great root of sin and bitterness, pride. They feel that all
their `sufficiency 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, [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."]
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. Whensoever they pour out their hearts
in a more immediate manner before God, they have no thought of
anything past, [This is far too strong. See the sermon "On
Wandering Thoughts."] or absent, or to come, but of God alone.
In times past, they had wandering thoughts darted in, which yet
fled away hike smoke; but now that smoke does not rise at all.
They have no fear or doubt, either as to their state in genera],
or as to any particular action. [Frequently this is the case;
but only for a time.] The `unction from the Holy One' teacheth
them every hour what they shall do, and what they shall speak;
[For a time it may be so; but not always.] nor therefore have
they any need to reason concerning it. [Sometimes they have no
need; at other times they have.] They are in one sense freed from
temptations; for though numberless temptations fly about them,
yet they trouble them not. [Sometimes they do not; at other times
they do, and that grievously.] 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.' For they `are sealed
by the Spirit 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 all who are
saved from sin; many of them have not attained it yet.]
"Not that every one is a child of the devil, till
he is thus renewed in love: On the contrary, whoever has a sure
confidence 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 fire,' so that his soul
is `in heaviness through manifold temptations.'
~~"Neither dare we affirm, as some have done, that
all this salvation is given at once. There is indeed an instantaneous,
as well as a gradual, work of God in his children; and there wants
not, we know, a cloud of witnesses, who have received, in one
moment, either a clear sense of the forgiveness of their sins,
or the abiding 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 God may work, we cannot tell; but the
general manner wherein he does work is this: Those who once trusted
in themselves 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, convinced that they are poor and naked.
All the things that they have done are brought to their 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
Christ;' they `rejoice in hope of the glory of God,' and `the
love of God is shed abroad in their hearts.'
"In this peace 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 their
Lord answers for himself, sending them the Holy Ghost to comfort
them, to bear witness continually with their spirits that they
are' the children of God. Then they are indeed meek and gentle
and teachable, even as a little child. And now first do they see
the ground of their heart; [Is it not astonishing, that while
this book is extant, which was published four-and-twenty 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 EDIT.]] 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 leaving the witness
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 of their inability to help
themselves, and the inexpressible hunger they feel after a full
renewal in his image, in `righteousness and true holiness.' Then
God 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 cometh 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 multiplying
quotations from the volume itself. It may suffice, to cite part
of one hymn only the last in that volume: --
Lord, I believe a rest remains,
To all thy people known;
A rest where pure enjoyment reigns,
And thou art loved alone;
A rest where all our soul's desire
Is fix'd on things above;
Where doubt and pain and fear expire,
Cast out by perfect love.
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.
O that I now the rest might know,
Believe, and enter in!
Now, Saviour, now the power bestow,
And let me cease from sin!
Remove this hardness from my heart,
This unbelief remove:
To me the rest of faith impart,
The sabbath of thy love.
Come, O 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 be delay'd:
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 anything be more clear, than, (1.) That here also is as full
and high a salvation as we have 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 aninstant? (4.) That
it is supposed that instant may be now? that we need not stay
another moment? that "now," the very "now, is the
accepted time? now is the day of" this full "salvation?"
And, Lastly, that, if any speak otherwise, he is the person that
brings new doctrine among us?
15. About a year after, namely, in the year 1742, we published
another volume 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 insert entire : --
"(1.) 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 ordinances of God, or a
freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, 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, which 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 redemption 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 remembrance
of Him,' and to `search the 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 congregation.
"(3.) We Secondly believe, that there is no such perfection
in this life, as implies an entire deliverance, either from ignorance,
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 suppose, 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 then do you mean by `one that is perfect?'
We mean 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 commit sin.' To declare this a
little more particularly: We understand by that scriptural expression,
`a perfect man,' one in whom God 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 understand
hereby, one whom God lath `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
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 neighbour,' every man, `as himself;'
yea, `as Christ loveth us;' them, in particular, that `despitefully
use him and persecute him, because they know not the Son, neither
the Father.' Indeed his soul is all love, filled with `bowels
of mercies, kindness, meekness, gentleness, longsuffering.' And
his life agreeth thereto, full of `the work of faith, the patience
of hope, the labour 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 be `sanctified
throughout;' even `to have a heart so all-flaming with the love
of God,' (to use Archbishop Usher's words,) `as continually 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 bath 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!'"
This is the doctrine which we preached from the beginning,
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 there is no contrariety at
all between our first and our last sentiments. Our first conception
of it was, It is to have "the mind which was in Christ,"
and to "walk as He walked;" to have all the mind that
was in Him, and always to walk as he walked: In other words, to
be inwardly and outwardly devoted to God; all devoted in heart
and life. And we have the same conception of it now, without either
addition or diminution.
16. The hymns concerning it in this volume are too numerous
to transcribe. I shall only cite a part of three : --
Saviour from sin, I wait to prove
That Jesus is thy healing name;
To lose, when perfected in love,
Whate'er I have, or can, 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 Him who gave himself for me?
Come then, my Master and my God,
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 throughly purify;
Thine only may I live and die. (Page 80.)
Chose from the world, if now I stand,
Adorn'd with righteousness divine;
If, brought into the promised land,
I justly call the Saviour mine;
The 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 me from every sinful blot:
My idols all be cast aside:
Cleanse me from every evil thought,
From all the filth of self and pride.
The hatred of the carnal mind
Out of my flesh at once remove:
Give me a tender heart, resign'd,
And pure, and fall of faith and love.
O that I now, from sin released,
Thy word might to the utmost prove,
Enter into thy 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. (Page 258.)
Lord, I believe, thy work of grace
Is perfect in the soul;
His heart is pure who sees 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:
He walks in glorious liberty,
To sin entirely dead:
The Truth, the Son hath made him free,
And he is free indeed.
Throughout his soul thy glories shine,
His soul is all renew'd,
And deck'd in righteousness divine,
And clothed and fill'd with God.
This is the rest, the life, the peace,
Which all thy people prove;
Love is the bond of perfectness,
And all their soul is love.
O joyful sound of gospel grace!
Christ shall in me appear;
I, even I, shall see his face,
I shall be holy here!
He visits now the house of clay,
He shakes his future home; --
O would'st thou, Lord, on this glad day,
Into thy temple come!
Come, O my God, thyself reveal,
Fill all this mighty void;
Thou only canst my spirit fill:
Come, O my God, my God!
Fulfil, falfil my large desires,
Large as infinity!
Give, give me all my soul requires,
All, all that is in thee ! (Page 298.)
17. On Monday, June 25, 1744, our First Conference began; six
Clergymen and all our Preachers being present. The next morning
we seriously considered the doctrine of sanctification, or perfection.
The questions asked concerning it, and the substance of the answers
given, were as follows: --
"QUESTION. What is it to be sanctified?
"ANSWER. To be renewed in the image of God, `in righteousness
and true holiness.'
"Q. What is implied in being a perfect Christian?
"A. The loving God with all our heart, and mind, and
soul. (Deut. 6:5.)
"Q. Does this imply, that all inward sin is taken away?
"A. Undoubtedly; or how can we be Said to be `saved
from all `our uncleannesses?' (Ezek. 36:29.)"
Our Second Conference began August 1, 1745. The next morning
we spoke of sanctification as follows : --
"Q. When does inward sanctification begin?
"A. In the moment a man is justified. (Yet sin remains
in him, yea, the seed of all sin, till he is sanctified throughout.)
From that time a believer gradually dies to sin, and grows in
grace.
"Q. Is this ordinarily given till a little before
death?
"A. It is not, to those who expect it no sooner.
"Q. But may we expect it sooner?
"A. Why not? For, although we grant, (1.) That the
generality of believers, whom we have hitherto known, were not
so sanctified till near death; (2.) That few of those to Whom
St. Paul wrote his Epistles were so at that time; nor, ~(3.) He
himself at the time of writing his former Epistles; yet all this
does not prove, that we may not be so to-day.
"Q. In what manner should we preach sanctification?
"A. Scarce at all to those who are not pressing forward:
To those who are, always by way of promise; always drawing, rather
than driving."
Our Third Conference began Tuesday, May 13, 1746.
In this we carefully read over the Minutes of the two preceding
Conferences, to observe whether anything contained therein might
be retrenched or altered on more mature consideration. 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 this, it was asked,
"How much is allowed by our brethren who differ from
`is with regard to entire sanctification?
"A. They grant, (1.) That every one must be entirely
sanctified 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.
"Q. What do we allow them?
"A. 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. Paul
to all that were justified. (3.) That by this term alone, he rarely,
if ever, means `saved from all sin.' (4.) That, consequently,
it is not proper to use it in that sense, without adding the word
wholly, entirely, or the like. (5.) That the inspired writers
almost continually speak of or to those who were justified, but
very rarely of or to those who were wholly sanctified. [That is,
unto those alone, exclusive of others; but they speak to them,
jointly with others, almost continually.] (6.) That, consequently,
it beloves us to speak almost continually of the state of justification;
but more rarely, [More rarely, I allow; but yet in some places
very frequently, strongly, and explicitly.] `at least in full
and explicit terms, concerning entire sanctification.'
"Q. What then is the point where we divide?
"A. It is this: Should we expect to be saved from
all sin~ before the article of death?
"Q. Is there any clear Scripture promise of this,
-- that God will save us from all sin?
"A. There is: `He shall redeem Israel from all his
sins.' (Psalm 130:8.)
"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 filthiness and from all your idols will
I cleanse you: I will also save you from all your uncleannesses.'
(Ezek. 36:25, 29.) No promise can be more clear. And to this the
Apostle plainly refers in that exhortation: `Having these promises,
let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' (2 Cor. 7:1.) Equally
clear and express is that ancient promise: `The Lord thy God will
circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.' (Deut. 30:6.)
"Q. But does any assertion answerable to this occur in the
New Testament?
"A. There does, and that laid down in the plainest
terms. So 1 John 3:8: `For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil;' the works of the
devil, without any limitation or restriction; but all sin is the
work of the devil. Parallel to which is the assertion of St. Paul:
`Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might
present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle,
or any such thing, but that it might be holy and without blemish.'
(Eph. 5:25-27.)
"And to the same effect is his assertion in the eighth
of the Romans, verses 3, 4: `God sent his Son, that the righteousness
of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit.' [Rom. 8:3, 4]
"Q. Does the New Testament afford any farther ground
for expecting to be saved from all sin?
"A. Undoubtedly it does; both in those prayers and
commands, which are equivalent to the strongest assertions.
"Q. What prayers do you mean?
"A. Prayers for entire sanctification; which, were
there no such thing, would be mere mockery of God. Such in particular
are, (1.) `Deliver us from evil.' Now, when this is done, when
we are delivered from all evil, there can be 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 I in thee, that they also may be one
in us; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect
in one.' (John 17:20-23.) (3.) `I bow my knees unto the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would grant you, that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend,
with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and
height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge;
that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God.' (Eph. 3:14,
&c.) (4.) `The very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And
I pray God, your whole spirit, soul, and body, may be preserved
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' (1 Thess.
5:23.)
"Q. What command is there to the same effect?
"A. (1.) `Be ye perfect, as your Father who is in
heaven is perfect.' (Matt. 5:48.) (2.) `Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind.' (Matt. 12:37.) But if the love of God fill all the
heart, there can be no sin therein.
"Q. But how does it appear that this is to be done before
the article of death?
"A. (1.) 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 heart,' 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 peculiar people, zealous of good works.'
(Titus 2:11-14.)~ (ii.) `He hath raised up an horn of salvation
for us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers; the oath
which he sware to our father Abraham, 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 before
him, all the days of our life.' (Luke 1:69, &c.)
"Q. Is there any example in Scripture of persons who
had attained to this?
"A. Yes; St. John, and all those of whom he 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.'
(1 John 4:17.)
"Q. Can you show one such example now? Where is he
that is thus perfect?
"A. To some that make this inquiry one might answer,
If I knew one here, I would not tell you; for you do not inquire
out of love. You are like Herod; you only seek the young child
to slay it.
"But more directly we answer: There are many reasons
why there should be few, if any, indisputable examples. What inconveniences
would this bring on the person himself, set as a mark for all
to shoot at! And how unprofitable 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.'
"Q. Are we not apt to have a secret distaste to any
who ~say they are saved from all sin?
"A. 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 attainments than
our own; and partly from our natural slowness and unreadiness
of heart to believe the works of God.
"Q,. Why may we not continue in the joy of faith till
we are perfected in love?
"A. Why indeed? since holy grief does not quench this
joy; since even while we are under the cross, while we deeply
partake of the sufferings of Christ, we may rejoice with joy unspeakable."
From these extracts it undeniably appears, not only what
was mine and my brother's judgment, but what was the judgment
of all the Preachers in connexion with us, in the years 1744,
45, 46 and 47. Nor do I remember that, in any one of these Conferences,
we had one dissenting voice; but whatever doubts any one had when
we met, they were all removed before we parted.
18. In the year 1749, my brother printed two volumes of
"Hymns and Sacred Poems." As I did not see these before
they were published, there were some things in them which I did
not approve of. But I quite approved of the main of the hymns
on this head; a few verses of which are subjoined : --
Come, Lord, be manifested here,
And all the devil's works destroy;
Now, without sin, in me 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 God! (Page 247.)
Thy pris'ners 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 for ever.
Partner of thy perfect nature,
Let me be Now in thee
A new, sinless creature. (Page 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. (Page 162.)
Come in this accepted hour,
Bring thy heavenly kingdom in!
Fill us with the glorious power;
Rooting out the seeds of sin. (Page 168.)
Come, thou dear Lamb, for sinners slain,
Bring in the cleansing flood;
Apply, to wash out every stain,
Thine efficacious blood.
O let~ it sink into our soul
Deep as the inbred sin:
Make every wounded spirit whole,
And every leper clean! (Page 171.)
Pris'ners of hope arise,
And see your Lord appear:
Lo! on the wings of love he flies,
And brings redemption near.
Redemption in his blood
He calls you to receive:
"Come unto me, the pard'ning God:
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 for ever save. (Page 188.)
Jesu, our life, in us appear,
Who daily die thy death:
Reveal thyself the finisher;
Thy quick'ning Spirit breathe!~
Unfold the hidden mystery,
The second gift impart;
Reveal thy glorious self in me,
In every waiting heart. (Page 195.)
In Him we have peace, In Him we have power!
Preserved by his grace Throughout the dark hour,
In all our temptation 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, O Love, in my heart! (Page 324.)
A second edition of these hymns Was published in the year 1752;
and that without any other alteration, than that of a few literal
mistakes.
I have been the more large in these extracts, because hence it
appears, beyond all possibility of exception, that to this day
both my brother and I maintained, (1.) That Christian perfection
is that love of God and our neighbour, which implies deliverance
from all sin. (2.) That this is received merely by faith. (3.)
That it is given instantaneously, in one 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.
19. At the Conference in the year 1759, perceiving som~e
danger that a diversity of sentiments should insensibly steal
in among us, we again largely considered this doctrine; and soon
after I published "Thoughts on Christian Perfection,"
prefaced with the following advertisement: --
"The following tract is by no means designed to gratify
the 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 apprehension, include, and what it does
not; and to add a few practical observations and directions relative
to the subject.
"As these thoughts were at first thrown together by
way of question and answer, I let them continue in the same form.
They are just the same that I have entertained for above twenty
years.
"QUESTION. What is Christian perfection?
"ANSWER. The loving God with all our heart, mind,
soul, and strength. This implies, that no wrong temper, none contrary
to love, remains in the soul; and that all the thoughts, words,
and actions, are governed by pure love.
"Q. Do you affirm, that this perfection excludes all
infirmities, ignorance, and mistake?
"A. I continually affirm quite the contrary, and always
have done so.
"Q. But how can every thought, word, and work, be governed
by pure love, and the man be subject at the same time to ignorance
and mistake?
"A. I see no contradiction here: `A man may be filled 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 believe this to be a natural consequence of the soul's dwelling
in flesh and blood. For we cannot now think at all, but by the
mediation of those bodily organs which have suffered equally with
the rest of our frame. And hence we cannot avoid sometimes thinking
wrong, till this corruptible shall have put on incorruption.
"But we may carry this thought farther yet. A mistake
in judgment may possibly occasion a mistake in practice. For instance:
Mr. De Renty's mistake touching the nature of mortification, arising
from prejudice of education, occasioned 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 properly a sin. However, it cannot bear the rigour of God's
justice,~ but needs the atoning blood.
"Q. What was the judgment of all our brethren who met~ at
Bristol in August, 1758, on this head?
"A. It was expressed in these words: (1.) Every one
may mistake as long as he lives. (2.) A mistake in opinion may
occasion a mistake in practice. (3.) Every such mistake is a transgression
of the perfect law. Therefore, (4.) Every such mistake, were it
not for the blood of atonement, would expose to eternal damnation.
(5.) It follows, that the most~ perfect have continual need of
the merits of Christ, even for their actual transgressions, and
may say for themselves, as well as for their brethren, `Forgive
us our trespasses.'
"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 judgment. But they
do not know, or do not observe, that this is not sin, if love
is the sole principle of action.
"Q. But still, if they live without sin, does not this exclude
the necessity of a Mediator? At least, is it not plain that they
stand no longer in need of Christ in his priestly office ?~
"A. 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.'
"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 his purchase, merely in consideration of the
price he paid. (3.) We have this grace, not only from Christ,
but in him. For our perfection is not like that of a tree, which
flourishes by the sap derived from its own root, but, 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 therefore 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 mistakes in judgment and practice, and their defects of
various kinds. For these are all deviations from the perfect law,
and consequently 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. 13:10.) Now, mistakes, and whatever infirmities
necessarily flow from the corruptible state of the body, are noway
contrary to love; nor therefore, in the Scripture sense, sin.
"To explain myself a little farther on this head:
(1.) Not only sin, properly so called, (that is, a voluntary transgression
of a known law,) but sin, improperly so called, (that is, an involuntary
transgression of a divine law, known or unknown,) needs the atoning
blood. (2.) I believe there is no such perfection in this life
as excludes these involuntary transgressions which I apprehend
to be naturally consequent on the ignorance and mistakes inseparable
from mortality. (3.) Therefore sinless perfection is a phrase
I never use, lest I should seem to contradict myself. (4.) I believe,
a person filled with the love of God is still liable to these
involuntary transgressions. (5.) Such transgressions you may call
sins, if you please: I do not, for the reasons above-mentioned.
"Q. What advice would you give to those that do, and
those that do not, call them so?
"A. Let 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 confound
these defects with sins, properly so called.
"But how will they avoid it? How will these be distinguished
from those, if they are all promiscuously called sins? I 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.
"Q. But how can a liableness 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?
"A. I answer, (1.) Many mistakes may consist with
pure love; (2.) Some may accidentally flow from it: I mean, love
itself may incline us to mistake. The pure love of our neighbour,
springing from the love of God, thinketh no evil, believeth and
hopeth all things. Now, this very temper, unsuspicious, ready
to believe and hope the best of all men, may occasion our thinking
some men better than they really are. Here then is a manifest
mistake, accidentally flowing from pure love.
"Q. How shall we avoid setting perfection too high
or too low?
"A. By keeping to the Bible, and setting it just as
high as the Scripture does. It is nothing higher and nothing lower
than this,--the pure love of God and man; the loving God with
all our heart and soul, and our neighbour as ourselves. It is
love governing the heart and life, running through all our tempers,
words, and actions.
"Q. Suppose one had attained to this, would you advise
him to speak of it?
"A. 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 torrent.
But afterwards he might; and then it would be advisable, 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.
"Q. But would it not be better to be entirely silent,
not to speak of it at all?
"A. 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, there-
fore, such a one were to confer with flesh and blood he would
be entirely silent. But this could not be done with a clear conscience;
for undoubtedly he ought to speak. Men do not light a candle to
put it under a bushel; much less does the all-wise God. He does
not raise such a monument of his power and love, to hide it from
all mankind. Rather, he intends it as a general blessing to those
who are simple of heart. He designs thereby, not barely the happiness
of that individual person, but the animating and encouraging others
to follow after the same blessing. 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 they believe to have
experienced a still higher salvation. This places that salvation
full in their view, and increases their hunger and thirst after
it; an advantage which must have been entirely lost, had the person
so saved buried himself in silence.
"Q. But is there no way to prevent these crosses which
usually fall on those who speak of being thus saved?
"A. 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.) Labour to prevent the
unjust or unkind treatment of those in favour of whom there is
reasonable proof.
"Q. What is reasonable proof? How may we certainly
know one that is saved from all sin?
"A. We cannot infallibly know one that is thus saved,
(no, nor even one that is justified,) unless it should please
~God to endow us with the miraculous discernment of spirits. But
we apprehend those would be sufficient proofs to any reasonable
man, and such as would leave little room to doubt either the truth
or depth of the work: (1.) If we had clear evidence of his exemplary
behaviour for some time before this supposed change. This would
give us reason to believe, ~he would not `lie for God,' but speak
neither more nor less than he felt; (2.) If he gave a distinct
account of the time and manner wherein the change was wrought,
with sound speech which could not be reproved; and, (3.) If it
appeared that all his subsequent 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 justified.' Now, if I have
nothing to oppose to this plain testimony, I 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 therefore is no proof at all, that the person so speaking
is not perfect.
"Q. But is it not a proof, if he is surprised or fluttered
by a noise, a fall, or some sudden danger?
"A. It is not; for one may start, tremble, change
colour, or be otherwise disordered in body, while the soul is
calmly stayed on God, and remains in perfect peace. Nay, the mind
itself may be deeply distressed, may be exceeding sorrowful, may
be perplexed and pressed down by heaviness and anguish, even to
agony, while the heart cleaves to God by perfect love, and the
will is wholly resigned to him. Was it not so with the Son of
God himself? Does any child of man endure the distress, the anguish,
the agony, which he sustained? And yet he knew no sin.
"Q. But can any one who has a pure heart prefer pleasing
to unpleasing food; or use any pleasure of sense which is not
strictly necessary? If so, how do they differ from others?
"A. The difference between these and others in taking
pleasant food is, (1.) They need none of these things to make
them happy; for they have a spring of happiness within. They see
and love God. Hence they rejoice evermore, and in everything give
thanks. (2.) They may use them, but they do not seek them. (3.)
They use them sparingly, and not for the sake of the thing itself.
This being premised, we answer directly, -- Such a one may use
pleasing food, without the danger which attends those who are
not saved from sin. He may prefer it to unpleasing, though equally
wholesome, food, as a means of increasing thankfulness, with a
single eye to God, who giveth US all things richly to enjoy: On
the same principle, he may smell to a flower, or eat a bunch of
grapes, or take any other pleasure which does not lessen but increase
his delight in God. Therefore, neither can we say that one perfected
in love would be incapable of marriage, and of worldly business:
If he were called thereto, he would be more capable than ever;
as being able to do all things without hurry or carefulness, without
any distraction of spirit.
"Q. But if two perfect Christians had chil~dren, how
could they be born in sin, since there was none in the parents?
"A. It is a possible, but not a probable, case; I
doubt whether it ever was or ever will be. But waving this, I
answer, Sin is entailed upon me, not by immediate generation,
but by my first parent. `In Adam all died; by the disobedience
of one, all men were made sinners;' all men, without exception,
who were in his loins when he ate the forbidden fruit.
"We have a remarkable illustration of this in gardening:
Grafts on a crab-stock bear excellent fruit; but sow the kernels
of this fruit, and what will be the event? They produce as mere
crabs as ever were eaten.
"Q. But what does the perfect one do more than others? more
than the common believers?
"A. Perhaps nothing; so may the providence of God
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 externally: He neither speaks so many words, nor does
so many works. As neither did our Lord himself speak so many words,
or do so many, no, nor so great works, as some of his Apostles.
(John 14:12.) But what then? 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
than them all.' Verily, this poor man, with his few broken words,
hath spoken more than them all. Verily, this poor woman, that
hath given a c~up of cold water, hath done more than them all.
O cease to `judge according to appearance,' and learn to `judge
righteous judgment!'
"Q. But is not this a proof against him, -- I feel
no power either in his words or prayer?
"A. It is not; for perhaps that is your own fault.
You are not likely to feel any power therein, if any of these
hinderances lie in the way: (1.) Your own deadness of soul. The
dead Pharisees felt no power even in His words who `spake as never
man spake.' (2.) The guilt of some unrepented sin lying upon the
conscience. (3.) Prejudice toward him of any kind. (4.) Your not
believing that state to be attainable wherein he professes to
be. (5.) Unreadiness 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? But do not others feel
it? If they do, your argument falls to the ground. And if they
do not, do none of these hinderances lie in their way too? 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.
"`But he does not come up to my idea of a perfect Christian.'
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 therein, or, however, something 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 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 according to Scripture,
but their own imagination, in their idea of one that is perfect;
and then readily deny any one 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.
"Q. When may a person judge himself to have attained
this?
"A. When, after having been fully convinced of inbred
sin, by a far deeper and clearer conviction than that he experienced
before justification, and after having experienced a gradual mortification
of it, he experiences a total death to sin, and an entire renewal
in the love and image of God, so as to rejoice 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 believe that the work is done, till there
is added the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing his entire sanctification,
as clearly as his justification.
"Q. But whence is it, that some imagine they are thus
sanctified, when in reality they are not?
"A. It is hence; they do not judge by all the preceding
marks, but either by part of them, or by others that are ambiguous.
But I know no instance of a person attending to them 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 inbred sin; if he then experience a gradual mortification of
sin, and afterwards an entire renewal in the image of God; 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 I know to be a man of veracity
testify these things to me, I ought not, without some sufficient
reason, to reject his testimony.
"Q. Is this death to sin, and renewal in love, gradual
or instantaneous?
"A. A man may he dying for some time; yet he does
not, properly speaking, die, till the instant the soul is separated
from the body; 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 different 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 stills
grows iii 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.
"Q. How are we to wait for this change?
"A. Not in careless indifference, or indolent inactivity;
but in vigorous, universal obedience, in a zealous keeping of
all the commandments, in watchfulness and painfulness, in denying
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 deceive his own soul. It is true,
we receive it by simple faith: But God does not, will not, give
that faith, unless we seek it with all diligence, in the way which
he hath ordained.
"This consideration may satisfy those who inquire,
why so few have received the blessing. Inquire, how many are seeking
it in this way; and you have a sufficient answer.
"Prayer especially is wanting. Who continues instant
therein? Who wrestles with God for this very thing? So,`ye have
not, because ye ask not; or because ye ask amiss,' namely, that
you may be renewed before you die. Before you die! 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 on fire
To be dissolved in love!
"Q. But may we not continue in peace and joy till we are
perfected in love?
"A. Certainly we may; for the kingdom of God is not
divided against itself; therefore, let not believers be discouraged
from `rejoicing in the Lord always.' And yet we may be sensibly
pained at the sinful nature that still remains in us. It is good
for us to have a piercing sense of this, and a vehement desire
to he delivered from it. But this should only incite us the more
zealously to fly every moment 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.
"Q. How should we treat those who think they have
attained?
"A. Examine them candidly, and exhort them to pray
fervently, 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.
"Q. But what hurt can it do to deal harshly with them?
"A. 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 mistaken, it
may grieve those 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 is doing
no little despite to the Spirit of grace. Hereby, likewise, we
feed and increase in ourselves evil surmising, and many wrong
tempers. To instance only in one: What self-sufficiency is this,
to set ourselves up for inquisitors-general, for peremptory judges
in these deep things of God! Are we qualified for the office?
Can we pronounce, in all cases, how far infirmity reaches? what
may, and what may not, be resolved into it? 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 voice? If we can, doubtless we are `the men, and wisdom shall
die with us.'
"Q. But if they are displeased at our not believing
them, is not this a full proof against them?
"A. 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.
"Q. But is it not well to find out those who fancy
they have attained when they have not?
"A. 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? Here is one who seemed to
be a living proof of God's power to save to the uttermost; but,
alas, it is not as we hoped. He is weighed ill the balance, and
found wanting! And is this matter of joy? Ought we not to rejoice
a thousand times more, if we can find nothing but pure love?
"`But 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, an 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, but 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 continually. And I will rejoice, if sin is suspended
till it is totally destroyed.
"Q. Is there no danger then in a man's being thus
deceived?
"A. 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 supposing, that, because he hath not
attained yet, therefore he never shall.
"Q. But what, if none have attained it yet? What,
if all who think so are deceived?
"A. Convince me of this, and I will preach it no 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 I am not
moved. But, if there are none made perfect yet, God has not sent
me to preach perfection.
"Put a parallel case: For many years I have preached,
`There is a peace of God which passeth all understanding? Convince
me that this 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.
"`O, but several persons have died in that peace.'
Perhaps so; but I want living witnesses. I cannot indeed be infallibly
certain 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 death. But I was not certain
that their former testimony was true till some hours before they
died.'
"You had not an infallible certainty then: And a reasonable
certainty you might have 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.
"Q. But what does it signify, whether any have attained
it or no, seeing so many scriptures witness for it?
"A. 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.'"
20. In the year 1762, there was a great increase of the work
of God in London. Many, who had hitherto cared for none of these
things, were deeply convinced of their lost estate; many found
redemption in the blood of Christ; not a few backsliders were
healed; and a considerable number of persons believed that God
had saved them from all sin. Easily foreseeing that Satan would
be endeavouring to sow tares among the wheat, I took much pains
to apprize them of the danger, particularly with regard to pride
and enthusiasm. And while I stayed in town, I had reason to hope
they continued both humble and sober-minded. But almost as soon
as I was gone enthusiasm broke in. Two or three began to take
their own imaginations for impressions from God, and thence to
suppose that they should never die; and these, labouring 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 discerning of spirits. At my return to London, in autumn, some
of them stood reproved; but others were got above instruction.
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 convinced; 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 London
wrote to me as follows: --
"Be not over alarmed that Satan sows tares among the
wheat of Christ. It ever has been so, especially on any remarkable
outpouring of his Spirit; and ever will be so, till he is chained
up for a thousand years. Till then he will always ape, and endeavour
to counteract, the work of the Spirit of Christ.
"One melancholy effect of this has been, that a world,
who is always asleep in the arms of the evil one, has ridiculed
every work 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.) Endeavour 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 lessen their
zeal in seeking after that universal 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 wisdom
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 dispenses his
gifts just as he pleases; therefore, it is neither wise nor modest
to affirm that a person 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
pleasure 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 improvement in the divine
life is their own coldness, negligence, and unbelief. And yet
I here speak of believers.
"May the Spirit of Christ give us a right judgment in all
things, and `fill us with all the fulness of God;' that so we
may be `perfect and entire, wanting nothing.'"
22. About the same time, five or six honest enthusiasts
foretold the world was to end on the 28th of February. I immediately
withstood them, by every possible means, both in public and private.
I preached expressly upon the subject, both at West-Street and
Spitalfields. I warned the society, again and again, and spoke
severally to as many as I could; and I saw the fruit of my labour.
They made exceeding few converts: I believe scarce thirty in our
whole society. Nevertheless, they made abundance of noise, gave
huge occasion of offence to those who took care to improve to
the uttermost every occasion against me, and greatly increased
both the number and courage of those who opposed Christian perfection.
23. Some questions, now published by one of these, induced
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 dispensation?
If not, in what sense was the Spirit not given before Christ was
glorified? (John 7:39.)
"(2.) Was that `glory which followed the sufferings
of Christ,' (1 Peter 1:11,) an external glory, or an internal,
viz., the glory of holiness?
"(3.) Has God anywhere in Scripture commanded us more
than he has promised to us?
"(4.) Are the promises of God respecting holiness
to be fulfilled in this life, or only in the next?
"(5.) Is a Christian under any other laws than those
which God promises to `write in our hearts?' (Jer. 31:31, &c.;
Heb. 8:10.)
"(6.) In what sense is `the righteousness of the law
fulfilled in those who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit?' (Rom. 8:4.)
"(7.) Is it impossible for any one in this life to
`love God with all his heart, and mind, and soul, and strength?'
And is the Christian under any law which is not fulfilled in this
love?
"(8.) Does the soul's going out of the body effect
its purification from indwelling sin?
"(9.) 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? 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 be
done on earth, as it is done in heaven?' And is it not done perfectly
in heaven?
"(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
wholly, and preserved' (in this world, not the next, unless he
was praying for the dead) `blameless in body, soul, and spirit,
unto the coming of Jesus Christ?'
"(17.) Do you sincerely desire to be freed from indwelling
sin in this life?
"(18.) If you do, did not God give you that desire?
"(19.) If so, did he not give it you to mock you,
since it is impossible it should ever be fulfilled?
"(20.) If you have not sincerity enough even to desire
it, are you not disputing about matters too high for you?
"(21.) Do you ever pray God to `cleanse the thoughts
of your heart, that' you `may perfectly love him?'
"(22.) If you neither desire what you ask, nor believe
it attainable, pray you not as a fool prayeth?
"God help thee to consider these questions calmly
and impartially!"
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 a 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 her own letters, containing 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. 5:5, 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 view, and I was enabled to follow hard after
it. I was kept watching unto prayer, sometimes in much distress,
at other times in patient expectation of the blessing. For some
days before you left London, my soul was stayed on a promise I
had applied to me in prayer: `The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly
come to his temple.' I believed he would, and that he would sit
there as a refiner's fire. The Tuesday after you went, I thought
I could not sleep, unless he fulfilled his word that night. I
never knew as I did then the force of these words: `Be still,
and know that I am God.' I became nothing before Him, and enjoyed
perfect calmness in my soul. I knew not whether he had destroyed
my sin; but I desired to know, that I might praise Him. Yet I
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. But I found
all these pleas to be nothing worth; and that if He saved me,
it must 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 God alone.
On Friday my distress was deepened. I endeavoured 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 16:6, 7: `Be not affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth.
Go your way; tell his disciples he goeth before you into Galilee;
there ye shall see him.' I was encouraged, and enabled to pray,
believing I should see Jesus at home. I returned that night, and
found Mrs. G. She prayed for me; and the Predestinarian had no
plea, but, `Lord, thou art no respecter of persons.' He proved
he was not, by blessing me. I was in a moment enabled to lay hold
on Jesus Christ, and found salvation by simple faith. He assured
me, the Lord, the King, was in the midst of me, and that I should
see evil no more. I now blessed Him 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. 13.,) and compared
my heart and life with it. In so doing, I feel my shortcomings,
and the need I have of the atoning blood. Yet I dare not say,
I do not feel a measure of the love there described, though I
am not all I 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 archangel, I should veil my face before him,
and let silence speak his praise!"
The following account is given by one who was an eye and
ear witness of what she relates: --
"(1.) In the beginning of November, she seemed to
have a foresight of what was coming upon her, and used frequently
to sing these words: --
`When pain o'er this weak flesh prevails,
With lamb-like patience arm my breast.'
And when she sent to me, to let me know she was ill, she wrote
in her note, `I suffer the will of Jesus. All he sends is sweetened
by 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 asked 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 small-pox,
I said to her, `My dear, you will not be frighted if we tell you
what is your distemper.' She said, `I cannot be frighted at His
will.'
"(3.) The distemper was so very heavy upon her; but
so much the more was her faith strengthened. Tuesday, November
16, she said to me, `I have been worshipping before 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 sacred 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?' 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.'
"(5.) Mr. M. asked, what she thought the most excellent
way to walk in, and what were its chief hinderances. She answered:
`The greatest hinderance 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 ever 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, Thou
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 C. said, `My
dear, you are more than conqueror through the blood of the Lamb.'
She answered: 'Yes, O yes, sweet Jesus! O death, where is thy
sting?' She then lay as in a doze for some time. Afterwards, she
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, I did not
know 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?' 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 all 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 differs 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 labour to be found of him in
peace, without spot.'
"(10.) Saturday morning, she prayed nearly as follows:
`I know, my 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 twelvemonth: Man liveth not by
bread alone. I praise thee that there is not a shadow of complaining
in our streets. In that sense we know not what sickness means.
Indeed, Lord, neither life, nor death, nor things present,
nor things to come, no, nor any creature, shall separate us from
thy love one moment. Bless these, that there may be no lack
in their souls. I believe there shall not. I pray in faith.'
"On Sunday and Monday she was light-headed, but sensible
at times. It 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 God.' She answered: `Altogether.' A person asked her: `Do you
love me?' She said, `O, I 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 perfect 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, `My 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 needful to publish,
chiefly for their use, "Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection:"
--
"QUESTION 1. How is `Christ the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth?' (Rom. 10:4.)
"ANSWER. In order to understand this, you must understand
what law is here spoken of; and this, I apprehend, is, (1.) The
Mosaic law, the whole Mosaic dispensation; which St. Paul continually
speaks of as one, though 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 them, and reasoning
justly, if he reasoned at all. I say, if he reasoned; for
possibly he did not. Perhaps he had no need of reasoning, till
his corruptible body pressed down the mind, and impaired 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
corruptible; and ever 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 impossible 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 obliged to perform it; God does not
require it of any man: For Christ is the end of the Adamic, as
well as the Mosaic, law. By his death, he hath put an end to both;
he 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 every one 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.
"Q. 2. Are we then dead to the law?
"A. We are `dead to the law, by the body of Christ'
given for us; (Rom. 7:4;) to the Adamic as well as Mosaic law.
We are wholly freed therefrom by his death; that law expiring
with him.
"Q. 3. How, then, are we `not without law to God,
but under the law to Christ?' (1 Cor. 9:21.)
"A. We are without that law; but it does not follow
that we are without any law: For God has 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.
"Q. 4. Is love the fulfilling of this law?
"A. Unquestionably it is. The whole law under which
we now are, is fulfilled by love. (Rom. 13:9, 10.) Faith working
or animated by love is all that God now requires of man. He has
substituted (not sincerity, but) love, in the room of angelic
perfection.
"Q. 5. How is `love the end of the commandment?' (1
Tim. 1:5.)
"A. It is the end of every commandment of God. It
is the point aimed at by the whole and every part of the Christian
institution. The foundation is faith, purifying the heart; the
end love, preserving a good conscience.
"Q. 6. What love is this?
"A. The loving the Lord our God with all our heart,
mind, soul, and strength; and the loving our neighbour, every
man, as ourselves, as our own souls.
"Q. 7. What are the fruits or properties of this love?
"A. St. Paul informs us at large, love is long-suffering.
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 submits thereto. Meantime, 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, honour, or profit: `Is not
provoked;' expels all anger from the heart: `Thinketh no evil;'
casteth 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' that tend
to the advantage of another's character. It `hopeth all things,'
whatever may extenuate the faults which cannot be denied; and
it `endureth all things' which God can permit, or men and devils
inflict. This is `the law of Christ, the perfect law, the law
of liberty.'
"And this distinction between the `law of faith' (or
love) and `the law of works,' is neither a subtle nor `an unnecessary
distinction. It 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.'
"Q. 8. But do we not `in many things offend all,'
yea, the best of us, even against this law?
"A. 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 remain in the
body. For neither love nor the `unction of the Holy One' makes
us infallible: Therefore, through unavoidable 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 person
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.
"Q. 9. Do we not then need Christ, even on this account?
"A. 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 withdraws, all
is darkness. They still need Christ as their King; for God does
not give them a stock of holiness. But unless they receive a supply
every moment, nothing but unholiness would remain. They still
need Christ as their Priest, to make atonement for their holy
things. Even perfect holiness is acceptable to God only through
Jesus Christ.
' Q. 10. May not, then, the very best of men adopt the
dying Martyr's confession: `I am in myself nothing but sin, darkness,
hell; but thou art my light, my holiness, my heaven?'
"A. Not exactly. But the best of men may 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, darkness, hell.'
"But to proceed: The best of men need Christ as their
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 coming short of the
law of love. For every man living does so. You who feel all love,
compare yourselves with the preceding description. Weigh yourselves
in this balance, and see if you are not wanting in many particulars.
"Q. 11. But 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 perfect 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?
"A. 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 favour of
God, but to continue it. He does not procure pardon for them anew,
but `ever liveth to make intercession for them;' and `by one offering
he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.' (Heb. 10:14.)
"For want of duly considering this, some deny that
they need the atonement of Christ. Indeed, exceeding few; I do
not remember to have found five of them in England. Of the two,
I would sooner give up perfection; but we need not give up either
one or the other. The perfection I hold, `Love rejoicing evermore,
praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks,' is
well consistent with it; if any hold a perfection which is not,
they must look to it.
"Q. 12. Does then Christian perfection imply any more
than sincerity?
"A. 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 perfect till his
heart is cleansed from these, and all its other corruptions.
"To clear this point a little farther: I 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 neighbour 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 rejoice 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 themselves
as they would, by thinking, speaking, and acting precisely right.
For want of better bodily organs, they must times think, speak,
or act wrong; not indeed through a defect of love, but through
a defect of knowledge. And while this is the case, notwithstanding
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 blood of atonement, and may properly for themselves,
as well as for their brethren, say, `Forgive us our trespasses.'
"Q. 13. But if Christ has put an end to that law,
what need of any atonement for their transgressing it?
"A. 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, that law
would condemn us still. These, therefore, we still need for every
transgression of it.
"Q. 14. But can one that is saved from sin be tempted?
"A. Yes; for Christ was tempted.
"Q. 15. However, what you call temptation, I call
the corruption of my heart. And how will you distinguish one from
the other?
"A. 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 humility.
"A man strikes me. Here is a temptation to anger.
But my heart overflows with love. And I feel no anger at all;
of which I can be as sure, as that love and anger are not the
same.
"A woman solicits me. Here is a temptation to lust.
But in the 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 I am tempted by a present object;
and it is just the same, if; when it is absent, the devil recals
a commendation, 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.
"Q. 16. But how do you know, that you are sanctified,
saved from your inbred corruption?
"A. 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 forgiven;
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 justification;) 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 latter testimony of the Spirit is both as
clear and as steady as the former.
"Q. 17. But what need is there of it, seeing sanctification
is a real change, not a relative only, like justification?
"A. But is the new birth a relative change only? Is
not this a real change? Therefore, if we need no witness of our
sanctification, because it is a real change, for the same reason
we should need none, that we are born of or are the children of
God.
"Q. 18. But does not sanctification shine by its own
light?
"A. And does not the new birth too? Sometimes it does;
and so does sanctification; at others it does not. In the hour
of temptation Satan clouds the work of God, and injects 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 sanctification
not only could not be discerned, 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 I 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 need that witness.
"Q. 19. But what scripture makes mention of any such
thing, or gives any reason to expect it?
"A. That scripture, `We have received, not the spirit
that is of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we
may know the things which are freely given us of God.' (1 Cor.
2:12.)
"Now surely sanctification 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 says, `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 scripture,
`The Spirit itself witnesseth with our spirit, that we are the
children of God?' (Romans 8:16.) Does he witness this only to
those who are children of God in the lowest sense? Nay, but to
those also who are such in the highest sense. And does he not
witness, that they are such in the highest sense? What reason
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 Christians?
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 5:19: `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? 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 I affirm that all young men, or even fathers,
have this testimony every moment. There may be intermissions of
the direct testimony that they are thus born of God; but those
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 God.
"Q. 20. May not some of them have a testimony from
the Spirit, that they shall not finally fall from God?
"A. 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 nowise grieve, but earnestly encourage them to `hold
the beginning of their confidence steadfast to the end.'
"Q. 21. But have any a testimony from the Spirit that
they shall never sin?
"A. We know not what God `nay vouchsafe to some particular
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 every thing give thanks;' but it
is not impossible for these to draw back. They who are sanctified,
yet may fall and perish. (Heb. 10:29.) Even fathers in Christ
need that warning: `Love not the world.' (1 John 2:15.) They who
`rejoice, pray,' and `give thanks without ceasing,' may, nevertheless,
`quench the Spirit.' (1 Thess. 5:16, &c.) Nay, even they who
are `sealed unto the day of redemption,' may yet `grieve the Holy
Spirit of God.' (Ephesians 4:30.)
"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.
"Q. 22. By what `fruit of the Spirit' may we `know
that we are of God,' even in the highest sense?
"A. By love, joy, peace, always abiding; by invariable
long-suffering, patience, resignation; by gentleness, triumphing
over all provocation; by goodness, mildness, sweetness, tenderness
of spirit; by fidelity, simplicity, godly sincerity; by meekness,
calmness, evenness of spirit; by temperance, not only in food
and sleep, but in all things natural and spiritual.
"Q. 23. But what great matter is there in this? Have
we not all this when we are justified?
"A. 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? love to God, without the least
love to the creature, but in and for God, excluding all pride?
love to man, excluding all envy, all jealousy, and rash judging?
meekness, keeping the whole soul inviolably calm? and temperance
in all things? Deny that any ever came up to this, if you please;
but do not say, all who are justified do.
"Q. 24. But some who are newly justified do. What then will
you say to these?
"A. If they really do, I 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
to backsliding. And, till they have gradually mortified these,
they are not fully renewed in love.
"Q. 25. But is not this the case of all that are justified?
Do they not gradually die to sin and grow in grace, till at, or
perhaps a little before, death God perfects them in love?
"A. I believe this is the case of most, but not all.
God usually gives a considerable time for men to receive light,
to grow in grace, to do and suffer his will, before 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?'
"It need not, therefore, be 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 moment. 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.
"Q. 26. Does St. Paul mean any more by being `sealed
with the Spirit,' than being `renewed in love?'
"A. Perhaps in one place, (2 Cor. 1:22,) he does not
mean so much; but in another, (Eph. 1:13,) he seems to include
both the fruit and the witness; and that in a higher degree than
we experience even when we are first `renewed in love;' God `sealeth
us with the Spirit of promise,' by giving us `the full assurance
of hope;' such a confidence of receiving all the promises of God,
as excludes the possibility of doubting; with that Holy Spirit,
by universal holiness, stamping the whole image of God on our
hearts.
"Q. 27. But how can those who are thus sealed `grieve
the Holy Spirit of God?'
"A. St. Paul tells you very particularly, (1.) By
such conversation as is not profitable, not to the use of edifying,
not apt to minister grace to the hearers. (2.) By relapsing into
bitterness or want of kindness. (3.) By wrath, lasting displeasure,
or want of tender-heartedness. (4.) By anger, however soon it
is over; want of instantly forgiving one another. (5.) By clamour
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.
"Q. 28. What do you think of those in London, who
seem to have been lately `renewed in love?'
"A. 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 distinguish 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:
`From all your filthiness I will cleanse you; a new heart also
will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.' (Ezek.
36:25, 26.)
"But I do not think of them all alike: There 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 I 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; perhaps more or fewer. But some are undeniably wanting
in longsuffering, 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 sometimes they complain.
They say, this or that is hard!
"Some are wanting in gentleness. They resist evil,
instead of turning the other cheek. They do not receive reproach
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 manner. They speak sharply or roughly,
when they reprove others; and behave roughly to their inferiors.
"Some are wanting in goodness. They are not kind,
mild, sweet, amiable, soft, and loving at all times, in their
spirit, in their words, in their look and air, in the whole tenor
of their behaviour; and that to all, high and low, rich and poor,
without respect of persons; particularly to them that are out
of the way, to opposers, and to those of their own household.
They do not long, study, endeavour by every means, to make all
about them happy. They can see them uneasy, and not be 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 without
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,
composure, evenness of temper. They are up and down, sometimes
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, and vigour 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 abstinence: Or they prefer (which are so many sorts of intemperance)
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.
"Q. 29. Can those who are perfect grow in grace?
"A. Undoubtedly they can; and that not only while
they are in the body, but to all eternity.
"Q. 30. Can they fall from it?
"A. 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 surrounded with instances
of those who lately experienced all that I mean by perfection.
They had both the 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
or strength of holiness as it is impossible to fall from. If there
be any that cannot fall, this wholly depends on the promise of
God.
"Q. 31. Can those who fall from this state recover
it?
"A. Why not? We 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 that 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.
"Q. 32. What is the First advice [The advices which
follow were published in a separate tract in the year 1762, under
the title of "Cautions and Directions given to the Greatest
Professors in the Methodist Societies," with the following
motto: --
"Set the false witnesses aside,
Yet hold the truth for ever fast."
It was evidently intended to guard the people against the mischievous
extravagances of George Bell and his friends, a particular account
of whom is given in Mr. Wesley's Journal about that period. --
EDIT.] that you would give them?
"A. Watch and pray continually against pride. If God
has cast it out, see that it enter no more: It is full as dangerous
as desire. And you may slide back into it unawares; especially
if you think there is no danger of it. `Nay, but I ascribe all
I have to God.' So you may, and be proud nevertheless. For it
is pride, not only to ascribe anything we have to ourselves, but
to think we have what we really have not. Mr. L---, for instance,
ascribed all the light he had to God, and so far he was humble;
but then he thought he had more light than any man living; and
this was palpable pride. So you ascribe all the knowledge you
have to God; and in this respect you are humble. But 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 be taught, not only by Mr.
Morgan, by one another, by Mr. Maxfield, or me, but by the weakest
Preacher in London; yea, by all men. For God sendeth by whom he
will send.
"Do not therefore say to any who would advise or reprove
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 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 another, `I have no need of thee.'
"To imagine none can teach you, but those who are
themselves saved from sin, is a very great and dangerous mistake.
Give not place to it for a moment; it would lead you into a thousand
other mistakes, and that irrecoverably. No; dominion is not founded
in grace, as the madmen of the last age talked. Obey and regard
`them that are over you in the Lord,' and do not think you know
better than them. Know their place and your own; always remembering,
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. O beware of the appearance,
and the thing! Let there `be in you that lowly mind which was
in Christ Jesus.' And. `be ye likewise 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
fault you have been in. If you have at any time thought, spoke,
or acted wrong, be not backward to acknowledge it. Never dream
that this will hurt the cause of God; no, it will further it.
Be therefore open and frank, when you are taxed with anything;
do not seek either to evade or disguise it; but let it appear
just as it is, and you will thereby not hinder, but adorn, the
gospel.
"Q. 33. What is the Second advice which you would
give them?
"A. Beware of that daughter of pride, enthusiasm.
O keep at the utmost distance from it! Give no place to a heated
imagination. Do not hastily ascribe things to God. Do not easily
suppose dreams, voices, impressions, visions, or revelations to
be from God. They may be from him. They may be from nature. They
may be from the devil. Therefore, `believe not every spirit, but
try the spirits whether they be of God.' Try all things by the
written word, and let all bow down before it. You are in danger
of enthusiasm every hour, if you depart ever so little from Scripture;
yea, or from the plain, literal meaning of any text, taken in
connexion with the context. And so you are, if you despise or
lightly esteem reason, knowledge, or human learning; every 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 chaff, 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 children of God; the expecting
spiritual strength without constant prayer, and steady watchfulness;
the expecting any blessing without hearing the word of God at
every opportunity.
"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 morning preaching. O take warning,
you who are concerned herein! You have listened to the voice of
a stranger. Fly back to Christ, 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.'
"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, (1.) 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 come down among men: (13.) The
being dead to all works: (14.) The not being liable to death,
pain, or 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 experience 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, revelations,
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 is, 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 asking others,
`Have you received this or that blessing?' 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 thirteenth of the Corinthians. [1 Cor. 13] 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 of 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. O keep close
to `the law and to the testimony!'
"Q. 34. What is the Third?
"A. Beware of Antinomianism; `making void the law,'
or any part of it, `through faith.' Enthusiasm naturally leads
to this; indeed they can scarce 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 filled
with love, I need not have so much holiness. Because I pray always,
therefore I need no set time for private prayer. Because I watch
always, therefore I need no particular self-examination.' Let
us `magnify the law,' the whole written word, `and make it honourable.'
Let this be our voice: `I prize thy commandments above gold or
precious stones. O what love have I unto thy law! all the day
long is my 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. O 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 beneficence 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.
O make not this your Shibboleth! Beware of stillness; ceasing
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 judgment 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 repentance, 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 honour 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 this with the greatest propriety: For as `by works faith is
made perfect; so the completing or destroying the work of faith,
and enjoying the favour, or suffering the displeasure, of God,
greatly depends on every single act of obedience or disobedience.
"Q. 35. What is the Fourth?
"A. 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. Particularly, `thou shalt
in anywise reprove thy neighbour, 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 behaviour 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 multitude 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.
"Q. 36. What is the Fifth?
"A. 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 desire 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 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 pleasing him, whether
by doing or suffering; that the constant language of your heart,
with regard to pleasure or pain, honour or dishonour, riches or
poverty, is,
'All's alike to me, so I
In my Lord may live and die!'
Q. 37. What is the Sixth?
"A. 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. 12:25,) 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. Therefore, say not, `I
am of Paul or of Apollos;' 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
above 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 yourself from any
public meeting. These are the very sinews of our Society; and
whatever weakens, or tends to weaken, our regard for these, or
our 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 particular exhortation,
has been the greatest means 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 connexion 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 impatience of 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 ourselves.
"O 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. 1:29.) It
is given! God gives you this opposition or reproach; it is
a fresh token of his love. And will you disown the Giver; 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 will?' Know that these things, far from being
hinderances to the work of God, or to your soul, unless by your
own fault, are not only unavoidable 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, gentleness,
sweetness. Why should not even your outward appearance and manner
be soft? Remember 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 favourable reception which
they would meet with from her.'
"Beware of tempting others to separate from you. Give
no offence which can possibly be avoided; see that your practice
be in all things suitable to your profession, adorning 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 magnificent, pompous words; indeed, you need give it
no general name; neither perfection, sanctification, 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 which 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 modesty and
simplicity.
"And if any of you should at any time fall from what
you now are, if you should again feel pride or unbelief, or any
temper from which you are now delivered; 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.
God will enable him to speak a word in season, which shall be
health to your soul. And surely He will again lift up your head,
and cause the bones that have been broken to rejoice.
"Q. 38. What is the last advice that you would give
them?
"A. 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 light shining in a dark place.' So shall you
daily `grow in grace,' till `an entrance be ministered unto you
abundantly into the everlasting 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 Scriptures: --
"(1.) The sea is an excellent figure of the fulness
of God, and that of the blessed Spirit. For as the rivers all
return into the sea; so the bodies, the souls, 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 He 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.
"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 God'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 befal 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 a right
manner, 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 more clearly show
him the emptiness of what is most lovely and desirable in the
world.
"(2.) True resignation consists in a thorough conformity
to the whole will of God; who wills and does all (excepting sin)
which comes to pass in the world. In order to this we have only
to embrace all events, good and bad, as His will.
"In the greatest afflictions which can befal the just,
either from heaven or earth, they remain immovable in peace, and
perfectly submissive to God, by an inward, loving regard to Him,
uniting in one all the powers of their souls.
"We ought quietly to suffer whatever befals us, to
bear the defects of others and our own, to confess them 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 infirmities, 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
faith in the Son of God.
"(3.) There is no love of God without patience, and
no patience without lowliness and sweetness of spirit.
"Humility and patience are the surest proofs of the
increase of love.
"Humility alone unites patience with love; without which
it is impossible to draw profit from suffering; or indeed, to
avoid complaint, especially when we think we have given no occasion
for what men make us suffer.
"True humility is a kind of self-annihilation; and
this is the centre of all virtues.
"A soul returned to God ought to be attentive to everything
which is said to him, on the head of salvation, with a desire
to profit thereby.
"Of the sins which God 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 sufferings.
"(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 practice
of this amidst our own household.
"We should chiefly exercise our love towards 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.
Every 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 God
and then form our resolutions, without being in any pain about
what success they may have.
In the greatest temptations, a single look to Christ, and
the barely pronouncing his name, suffices to overcome the wicked
one, so it be done with confidence and calmness of spirit.
God's command to "pray without ceasing' is founded
on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of
God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without
it, than the body can without air.
Whether we think of; or speak to, God, 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 God, 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 which 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 strait the way is wherein
God leads them that follow him; and how dependent on him we must
be, unless we are wanting in our faithfulness to him.
"It is hardly credible of how great consequence before
God the smallest things are; and what great inconveniences some
times 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 towards God.
"We ought to he 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; worshipping
God from the ground of the heart.
"We should be continually labouring to cut off all the useless
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 heart.
"(7.) If, after having renounced all, we do not watch
incessantly, and beseech God to accompany our vigilance with his,
we shall be again entangled and overcome.
"As the most dangerous winds may enter at little openings,
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
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 grace fills 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
their words directed with Christian discretion. 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 eyeing
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 honours himself in us through them.
"One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose
no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our
eyes, we are to serve him in our neighbour; 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.
"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 Elijah over the plain, to find God upon his holy mountain.
"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 conversion 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 exercise it the moment God gives the occasion; and, Secondly,
retire the instant after to offer it to God by humble thanksgiving.
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 goodness 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 ourselves 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, 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 themselves
in the glory of our souls, or rather of God, wherewith they shall
be filled. And it is only what they had of earthly and mortal,
which good works lose by this 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
figure; and the fire of divine love has this advantage over material
fire, that it can re-ascend to its source, and raise thither with
it all the good works which it produces. 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 spiritual 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 with all their waters into the sea.
"When we have received any favour from God, we ought
to retire, if not into our closets, into our hearts, and say,
`I come, Lord, to restore to thee what thou hast given; and I
freely relinquish it, to enter again into my own nothingness.
For what is the most perfect creature in heaven or earth in thy
presence, but a void capable of being filled with thee and by
thee; as the air, which is void and dark, is capable of being
filled 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 resists it? O give me the same facility
of receiving and restoring thy grace and good works! I say, thine;
for I acknowledge the root from which they spring is in thee,
and not in me.'"
26. In the year 1764, upon a review of the whole subject,
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
persons are to `go on unto perfection.' (Heb. 6:1.)
"(3.) It is not so late as death; for St. Paul speaks
of living men that were perfect. (Phil. 3:15.)
"(4.) It is not absolute. Absolute perfection belongs
not to man, 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? It is not worth while to contend
for a term. It is `salvation from sin.'
"(7.) It is `perfect love.' (1 John 4:18.) This is
the essence of it; its properties, or inseparable fruits, are,
rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything
giving thanks. (1 Thess. 5:16, &c.)
"(8.) It is improvable. It is so far from lying in an indivisible
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.
"(11.) But is it in itself instantaneous or not? In examining
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 evermore, 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 ever 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
destroyed.' 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!'
They never before had so deep, so unspeakable, a conviction of
the need of Christ in all his offices as they have now.
"Therefore, all our Preachers should make a point
of preaching perfection to believers constantly, strongly, and
explicitly; and all believers should mind this one thing, and
continually agonize for it."
27. I have now done what I proposed. I have given a plain and
simple account of the manner wherein I first received 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 herein? 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? Why is it, that the very name of perfection has
been cast out of the mouths of Christians; yea, exploded and abhorred,
as if it contained the most pernicious heresy? 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 children, 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 countenance, from the beginning to the end.
They wanted, they sought, occasion against me; and here they found
what they sought. "This is Mr. Wesley's doctrine! He 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: Esesthe
oun teleioi, hOsper ho PatEr HymOn ho en tois ouranois teleios
esti, -- "Ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father
who is in heaven is perfect." And who says, ye shall not;
or, at least, not till your soul is separated from the body? It
is the doctrine of St. Paul, the doctrine of St. James, of St.
Peter, and St. John; and no otherwise Mr. Wesley's, than as it
is the doctrine of every one who preaches the pure and the whole
gospel. I tell you, as plain as I can speak, where and when I
found this. I found it in the oracles of God, in the Old and Now
Testament; when I read them with no other view or desire but to
save my own soul. But whosesoever this doctrine is, I pray you,
what harm is there in it? 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 neighbour as ourselves. Now, take it in which of these views
you please, (for there is no material difference,) and this is
the whole and sole perfection, as a train of writings prove to
a demonstration, which I have believed and taught for these forty
years, from the year 1725 to the year 1765.
28. Now let this perfection appear in its
native form, and who can speak one word against it? Will any dare
to speak against loving the Lord our God with all our heart, and
our neighbour as ourselves? against a renewal of heart, not only
in part, but in the whole image of God? Who is he that will open
his mouth against being cleansed from all pollution both of flesh
and spirit; or against having all the mind that was in Christ,
and walking in all things as Christ walked? 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? What
serious man would oppose the giving God all our heart, and the
having one design ruling all our tempers? I say, again, let this
perfection appear in its own shape, and who will fight against
it? It must be disguised before it can be opposed. It must be
covered with a bear-skin first, or even the wild beasts of the
people will scarce be induced to worry it. But whatever these
do, let not the children of God any longer fight against the image
of God. Let not the members of Christ say anything against having
the whole mind that was in Christ. Let not those who are alive
to God oppose the dedicating all our life to Him. Why should you
who have his love shed abroad in your heart withstand the giving
him all your heart? Does not all that is within you cry out, "O
who that loves can love enough?" What pity that those who
desire and design to please him should have any other design or
desire! much more, that they should dread, as a fatal delusion,
yea, abhor as an abomination to God, the having this one desire
and design ruling every temper! Why should devout men be afraid
of devoting all their soul, body, and substance to God? Why should
those who love Christ count it a damnable error, to think we may
have all the mind that was in him? We allow, we contend, that
we are justified freely through the righteousness and the blood
of Christ. And why are you so hot against us, because we expect
likewise to be sanctified wholly through his Spirit? We look for
no favour either from the open servants of sin, or from those
who have only the form of religion. But how long will you who
worship God in spirit, who are "circumcised with the circumcision
not made with hands," set our battle in array against those
who seek a entire circumcision of heart, who thirst to be cleansed
"from all filthiness of flesh and spirit," and to "perfect
holiness in the fear of God?" Are we your enemies, because
we look for a full deliverance from that "carnal mind which
is enmity against God?" Nay, we are your brethren, your fellow-labourers
in the vineyard of our Lord, your companions in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus. Although this we confess, (if we are fools
therein, yet as fools bear with us,) we do expect to love God
with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. 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 him, and worthily magnify his holy name."
____________________________
BRIEF THOUGHTS ON CHRISTIAN PERFECTION
SOME thoughts occurred to my mind this morning concerning Christian
perfection, and the manner and time of receiving it, which I believe
may be useful to set down.
1. By perfection I mean the humble, gentle, patient love
of God, and our neighbour, ruling our tempers, words, and actions.
I do not include an impossibility of falling from it, either
in part or in whole. Therefore, I retract several expressions
in our Hymns, which partly express, partly imply, such an impossibility.
And I do not contend for the term sinless, though
I do not object against it.
2. As to the manner. I believe this perfection is always
wrought in the soul by a simple act of faith; consequently, in
an instant.
But I believe a gradual work, both preceding and following
that instant.
3. As to the time. I believe this instant generally is
the instant of death, the moment before the soul leaves the body.
But I believe it may be ten, twenty, or forty years before.
I believe it is usually many years after justification;
but that it may be within five years or five months after it,
I know no conclusive argument to the contrary.
If it must be many years after justification, I would be
glad to know how many. Pretium quotus arroget annus? [This
quotation from Horace is thus translated by Boscawen: -- "How
many years give sanction to our lines?" -- Edit.]
And how many days or months, or even years, can any one
allow to be between perfection and death? How far from justification
must it be; and how near to death?
LONDON, Jan. 27, 1767.
[Edited by George Lyons for
the Wesley Center for Applied Theology at Northwest Nazarene University
(Nampa, ID).]
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