the instant of death, the moment before the soul leaves the body.
Some thoughts came to my mind this morning concerning Chris_tian perfection and the manner and time of receiving it, and I believe it may be useful to write them down.
1. By perfection I mean the humble, gentle, patient love of God and our neighbor, ruling our habits, attitudes, 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 that partly express, partly imply, such an impossibility.
And I do not fight for the use of the term sinless, though I do not object against it.
2. As to the manner, I believe that this perfection is always accomplished in the soul by a simple act of faith, consequently in an instant.
But I believe a gradual work both precedes and follows that instant.
3. As to the time, I believe that this instant of perfection is generally the instant of death, the moment before the soul leaves the body.
But I believe that it may be ten, twenty, or forty years before.
I believe that it is usually many years after justification; however, perfection may be within five years or five months after justification. I know of 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? (How many years give sanction to our lines?) And how many days or months, or even years, can anyone allow to be between perfection and death? How far from justification must it be and how near to death?
London, January 27, 1767
For Further Reading John Wesley Wesley and Sanctification, by Harald Lindstr6m (Zondervan Corporation, 1980).
Eight Life-Enriching Practices of United MethodWesley and the People Called Methodists, by Richard P. Heitzenrater (Abingdon Press, 1995). ists, by Henry H. Knight (Abingdon Press, 2001).
John Wesley's Sermons: An Anthology, edited by Covenant Discipleship Albert C. Outler and Richard P. Heitzenrater
(Abingdon Press, 1991).
Accountable Discipleship: Living in God's Household, by Steven W. Manskar (Discipleship
Resources, 2000).
Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials, by Ted Campbell (Abingdon Press, 1999).
Praying in the Wesleyan Spirit: 52 Sermons for Today, by Paul Wesley Chilcote (Upper Room Books, 2001).
Guide for Class Leaders: A Model for Christian Formation, by Grace Bradford (Discipleship
Resources, 1999).
Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology, by Randy L. Maddox (Abingdon Press, 1994).
Guide for Covenant Discipleship Groups, by Gayle Turner Watson (Discipleship Resources, 2000).
Rethinking Wesley's Theology for Contemporary Methodism, edited by Randy L. Maddox (Abingdon
Press, 1998).
Sprouts: Covenant Discipleship With Children, by Edie Genung Harris and Shirley L. Ramsey (Discipleship Resources, 2002).
The New Creation: John Wesley's Theology Today, by Theodore Runyon (Abingdon Press, 1998).
Together in Love: Covenant Discipleship With Youth, by David C. Sutherland (Discipleship
Resources, 1999).
The Wesleyan Tradition: A Paradigm for Renewal, edited by Paul W. Chilcote (Abingdon Press, 2002). ole)