wrote to me as follows: meetings and because of the
20. In the year 1762, there was a great increase of the work of God in London. Many who previously had no interest in any of these things were deeply convinced of their lost condition. Many found redemption in the blood of Christ. Not a few backsliders were healed.
And a considerable number of people believed that God had saved them from all sin. Easily anticipating that Satan would be striving to sow weeds among the wheat,' I took great pains to warn them of the danger, particularly with regard to pride and enthusiasm. pride: having too high an opinion of the self and its powers. Pride is a danger to the soul because it causes one to believe that he or she is selfWhile I stayed in town, I had reason to hope they remained both humble and sensible. 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 from there they began to believe that they will never die. They caused much noise and confusion while working sufficient and does not need God.
Pride leads to self-centeredness, which leads ultimately to rebellion against God and rejection of grace. to bring others into the same belief. Soon after, the same people along with a few more developed other excesses: thinking that they could not be tempted, that they would feel no more pain, and that they had the gift of prophecy and of discerning of spirits. enthusiasm: a religious fervor that is often coupled with powerful emotional experience. This experience often leads to ardent religious devotion that tends toward arrogance, self-righteousness, and fanatacism. For this reason, Wesley When I returned to London in autumn, some of them stood corrected while others were beyond instruction. In the meantime I was flooded with criticism from almost every quarter. The Londoners were unhappy because I was restraining them on all occasions. Others, outside of London, were angry because I did not check them. However, the hand of the Lord was not hindered. More and more sinners were convicted, some were converted to God almost daily, and others were enabled to love him with all their heart. later warns that pride often leads to enthusiasm.
The early Methodists were often accused of being enthusiasts because of the emotional response that accompanied society and class meetings and because of the disciplined lives supported by the class meeting and bands.
21. About this time, a friend at some distance from London wrote to me as follows:
Do not be unduly alarmed that Satan sows weeds among the wheat of Christ. It has always been so, especially on any extraordinary outpouring of his Spirit. And it will always be so, until Satan is chained up for a thousand years.' Until then, he will always imitate and work to counteract the work of the Spirit of Christ.
One lamentable effect of this has been that a world, which 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 real Christians: those who have act worthy of themselves, they should (1) pray that every deluded soul may be delivered; (2) strive to reclaim them in the form and the power of Christian religion. They keep the General Rules and practice the means of grace.
They earnestly love God with all the spirit of humility; (3) lastly, take the utmost care, both by prayer and watchfulness, that the delusion of others may not lessen their zeal in pursuing that universal holiness of soul, body, and spirit "without which no man shall see the Lord."* their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and they love their neighbors as themselves. Real Christians do all in Indeed this complete new creation is mere insanity to an insane world. But it is, nevertheless, the will and wisdom of God. May we all seek after it! their power to grow in that love.
The contrasting term Wesley used was almost Christians, those who have the form without the power.
They attend the services of the But some who completely affirm this doctrine are frequently guilty of limiting the Almighty. God dispenses gifts exactly as God pleases. Therefore, it is neither wise nor modest to affirm that a person must be a believer for any length of time before he or she is capable of receiving a high degree of the Spirit of holiness. church but do not participate in the means of grace or seek actively to grow in their God's usual method is one thing, but God's sovereign will love of God and neighbor. is another. God has wise reasons both for speeding up and slowing God's work. Sometimes God comes suddenly and unexpectedly and sometimes not until we have sought for God for a long time.
Indeed it has been my belief for many years, that one great reason people make so little improvement in the spiritual life
Saviour from sin, I wait to prove That Jesus is thy healing name, is their own coldness, negligence, and unbelief. And yet I speak here of believers.
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.
May the Spirit of Christ give us a right judgment in all things and "fill us with all the fullness of God"* so that we may be "perfect and complete, wanting nothing."*
Answer that gracious end in me, 22. About the same time, five or six honest enthusiasts predicted
Redeem from all iniquity, the world was to end on the 28th of February. I immediately opposed
For which thy precious life was given:
Restore, and make me meet for them by every possible means, both in public and private. I preached heaven. specifically upon the subject, both at West-Street and Spitalfields. I Unless thou purge my every stain, warned the society again and again, and spoke personally to as many
Thy suffering and my faith are vain. as I could. I saw the fruit of my labor. They made few converts—I believe barely thirty in our whole society. Nevertheless, they made much noise, gave significant aid and comfort to those who opposed
Didst thou not in the flesh appear Sin to condemn and man to save?
That perfect love might cast out fear? me, and greatly increased both the number and courage of those who opposed Christian perfection.
That I thy mind in me might have, In holiness show forth thy praise, And serve thee all my spotless days?
23. Some questions, now published by one of these opponents, eS orrnotdie that l might live caused a plain man to write the following:
No longer to myself, but thee?
Might body, soul, and spirit give Queries humbly proposed to those who deny that perfection is attainable in this life:
To him who gave himself for me?
Come then, my Master, and my God!
Take the dear purchase of thy blood.
(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)
Collection, #364, stanzas 1-4 (2) Was that "glory which followed the sufferings of Christ" (1 Peter 1:11) an external glory or an internal glory, namely, the glory of holiness?
(3) Has God anywhere in Scripture commanded us more than God has promised to us?
(4) Are the promises of God concerning holiness to be fulfilled in this life or only in the next?
(5) Is a Christian under any laws other than those that God promises to "write in our hearts"? (Jeremiah 31:33 and Hebrews 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"?
(Romans 8:4) (7) Is it impossible for anyone in this life to "love God with indwelling sin: the same all heart, and mind, and soul, and strength"? (Mark as inbred sin. See sidebar on page 48.
12:30) And is the Christian under any law that is not fulfilled in this love?
(8) Does the soul's going out of the body bring about its purification from indwelling sin?
(9) If so, is it not something else, not "the blood of Christ, which cleanses" it "from all sin" ?é (10) If Christ's blood cleanses us from all sin while the soul and body are united, does that not happen in this life?
Quickened with our immortal Head, Who daily, Lord, ascend with thee, Redeemed from sin, and free indeed, (11) If Christ's blood cleanses us from all sin when the union of soul and body ceases, does that not happen in the next life? And is this not too late?
(12) If Christ's blood cleanses us from all sin in the moment We taste our glorious liberty.
Saved from the fear of hell and death, of death, then what is the state of the soul when it is neither in the body nor out of it?
With joy we seek the things above; And all thy saints the Spirit breathe (13) Has Christ taught us anywhere to pray for what he
Of power, sobriety, and love. never intends to give?
(14) Has he not taught us to pray, "Thy will be done on Power o'er the world, the fiend, and earth, as it is done in heaven" (Matthew 6:10)? Is it not done perfectly in heaven?
(15) If so, has he not taught us to pray for perfection on sin, .
We through thy gracious Spirit feel; Full power the victory to win, earth? Does he not then intend to give it?
(16) Did not Saint Paul pray according to the will of God And answer all thy righteous will.
Pure love to God thy members find, when he prayed that the Thessalonians might be "sanctiPure love to every soul of man;
And in thy sober, spotless mind, fied wholly, and preserved" (in this world, not the next, unless he was praying for the dead), "blameless in body,
Saviour, our heaven on earth we gain. soul, and spirit, unto the coming of Jesus Christ" ?'
(17) Do you sincerely desire to be freed from indwelling sin Collection, #407 in this life?
(18) If you do, didn't God give you that desire?
(19) If so, did God give it to you in order to mock you, since you believe it is impossible it should ever be fulfilled?
(20) If you don't even have enough sincerity to desire to be freed from indwelling sin, are you not disputing about matters too high for you?
We "cleanse the thoughts . . .":
This is a reference to the "Collect (21) Do you ever pray that God would "cleanse the thoughts of your heart, that" you "may perfectly love God"? for Purity " from the weekly ; eucharist liturgy of the Book of gus.
(22) If you neither desire what you ask, nor believe it attainable, do you not pray as a fool prays?
Common Prayer. See sidebar (am God help you to consider these questions calmly and completely! on page 23.