In what sense are we to repent?

In what sense are we to repent?

THE PORCH OF RELIGION

In what sense are we to repent?

Repentance frequently means an _ inward change, a change of mind from sin to holiness.

But we now speak of it in quite a different sense, as it is one kind of self-knowledge, the knowing ourselves sinners, yea, guilty, helpless

My) sinners, even though we know we are children

of God.

Indeed when we first know this; when we ie first find redemption in the blood of Jesus; when

% the love of God is first shed abroad in our hearts, ia and his kingdom set up therein; it is natural to ; suppose that we are no longer sinners, that all

Vy, our sins are not only covered but destroyed. my:

As we do not then feel any evil in our hearts, i we readily imagine none is there. Nay, some wellmeaning men have imagined this not only at i that time, but ever after; having persuaded them__ i selves that when they were justified, they were entirely sanctified: yea, they have laid it down as ¥ a general rule, in spite of Scripture, reason, and :

experience. These sincerely believe, and earnestly maintain, that all sin is destroyed when we are y justified; and that there is no sin in the heart v of a believer; but that it is altogether clean from that moment. But though we readily acknowl- ~.

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BY JOHN WESLEY

edge, "he that believeth is born of God," and "he that is born of God doth not commit sin"; yet we cannot allow that he does not feel it within: it does not reign, but it does remain. And a conviction of the sin which remains in our heart, is one great branch of the repentance which we are now speaking of.

For it is seldom long before he who imagined all sin was gone, feels there is still pride in his heart. He is convinced both that in many respects he has thought of himself more highly than he ought to think, and that he has taken to himself the praise of something he had received, and glorified in it as though he had not received it; and yet he knows he is in the favor of God. He cannot, and ought not to, "cast away his confidence." ""The Spirit" still "witnesses with" his

"spirit, that he is a child of God."

Nor is it long before he feels self-will in his heart; even a will contrary to the will of God. A will every man must inevitably have, as long as he has an understanding. This is an essential part of human nature, indeed of the nature of every intelligent being. Our blessed Lord himself has a will as a man; otherwise he had not been a man. But his human will was invariably subject to the will of his Father. At all times,

THE PORCH OF RELIGION

and on all occasions, even in the deepest affliction, He could say, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt."

But this is not the case at all times, even with a true believer in Christ. He frequently finds his will more or less exalting itself against the will of God. He wills something, because it is pleasing to nature, which is not pleasing to God; and henills [sic] (is averse from) something, because it is painful to nature, which is the will of God concerning him. Indeed, suppose he continues in the faith, he fights against it with all his might: but this very thing implies that it really exists, and that he is conscious of it.

Now self-will, as well as pride, is a species of idolatry; and both are directly contrary to the love of God. The same observation may be made concerning the love of the world. But this likewise even true believers are liable to feel in themselves; and every one of them does feel it, more or less, sooner or later, in one branch or another. It is true, when he first "passes from death unto life,' he desires nothing more but God. He can truly say, "All my desire is unto

Thee, and unto the remembrance of thy name"; "Whom have I in heaven beside Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee."

will feel again, though psi es An for a fe moments, either "the desire of the flesh," or, "the desire of the eye," or "the pride of life." Nay, if he does not continually watch and pray, he may find lust reviving; yea, and thrusting sore at him that he may fall, till he has scarce any strength left in him. He may feel the assaults of inordinate affection; yea, a strong propensity to "love creature more than Creator"; whether it be a child, a parent, a husband, or wife, or "the friend that is as his own soul." He may feel, in a thousand various ways, a desire of earthly things or pleasures. In the same proportion he will forget

God, not seeking his happiness in Him, and consequently being a "lover of pleasure more than a lover of God."

If he does not keep himself every moment, he will again feel the desire of the eye; the desire of gratifying his imagination with something great, or beautiful, or uncommon. In how many ways does this desire assault the soul! Perhaps with regard to the poorest trifles, such as dress,

or furniture; things never designed to satisfy the appetite of an immortal spirit. Yet, how natural it is for us, even after we ites) 'tasted o: the powers of the world to come," to sink again in

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those foolish, low desires of things that perish in the using! How hard it is, even for those who know in whom they have believed, to conquer but one branch of the desire of the eye, curiosity; constantly to trample it under their feet; to desire nothing merely because it is new!5

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Without repentance and resulting forgiveness, one cannot approach the door of religion which, in Wesley's view, is faith. This faith, which is God's gift to man, is the sole condition by which man may be pardoned for his sinfulness. So, salvation by grace through faith becomes "the fundamental doctrine of the Church."

And man is "justified," that is, accepted by God, even though of himself man would be unacceptable. Here again, Wesley has a number of questions.

What faith is it through which we are saved?

Faith, in general, is defined by the Apostle [Paul] as "an evidence," a divine evidence and conviction (the word means both) of things not seen; not visible, not perceivable either by sight, or by any other of the external senses. It implies both a supernatural evidence of God, and of the things of God; a kind of spiritual light exhibited to the soul, and a supernatural sight of percep-

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tion thereof. Accordingly, the Scripture speaks of God's giving sometimes light, sometimes a power of discerning it. So St. Paul: "God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

And elsewhere the same Apostle speaks of "the eyes of" our "understanding being opened." By this twofold operation of the Holy Spirit, having the eyes of our soul both opened and enlightened, we see the things which the natural "eye hath not seen, neither the ear heard.'' We have a prospect of the invisible things of God; we see the spiritual world, which is all round about us, and yet no more discerned by our natural faculties than if it had no being. And we see the eternal world; piercing through the veil which hangs between time and eternity. Clouds and darkness then rest upon it no more, but we already see the glory which shall be revealed.

Taking the word in a more particular sense, faith is a divine evidence and conviction not only that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself," but also that Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me.

It is by this faith, (whether we term it the essence, or rather a prop-

ceive Him in all his offices, as our Prophet, Priest, and King. It is by this that He is "made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

But is this the faith of assurance, or faith of adherence? The Scripture mentions no such distinction. The Apostle says, ""There is one faith, and one hope of our calling'; one Christian, saving faith; ''as there is one Lord," in whom we believe, and 'one God and Father of us all."" And it is certain, this faith necessarily implies an assurance (which is here only another word for "evidence," it being hard to tell the difference between them) that Christ loved me, and gave

Himself for me. For "he that believeth" with the true living faith "hath the witness in himself":

"the Spirit witnesseth with his spirit that he is a child of God."

But let it be bewea. that, in the very nature of the thing, the assurance goes before the confidence. For a man cannot have a childlike confidence in God till he knows he is a child of God.

Therefore, confidence, trust, reliance, adherence, or whatever else it be called, is not the first, as some have supposed, but the second branch or act of faith.

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o ak o It is by this faith we are saved, justified, and sanctified; taking that word in its highest sense.,

God does undoubtedly command us both to repent, and to bring forth fruits meet for repentance; which if we willingly neglect, we cannot reasonably expect to be justified at all: therefore both repentance and fruits meet for repentance, are, in some sense, necessary to justification. But they are not necessary in the same sense with faith, nor in the same degree. Not in the same degree; for those fruits are only necessary conditionally; if there be time and opportunity for them. Otherwise a man may be justified without them, as was the thief upon the cross .

. he cannot be justified without faith; this is impossible .

. Repentance and its fruits are only remotely necessary; necessary in order to have faith; whereas faith is immediately and directly necessary to justification.?

[Faith] is the free gift of God, which He bestows, not on those who are worthy of his favor, not on such as are previously holy, and so fit to be crowned with all the blessings of his goodness; but on the ungodly and unholy; on those who till that hour were fit only for everlasting destruction; those in whom there was no good thing, and whose only plea was, "God, be merci-

BY JOHN WESLEY

ful to me, a sinner!" No merit, no goodness in man precedes the forgiving love of God. His pardoning mercy supposes nothing in us but a sense of mere sin and misery; and to all who see, and feel, and own their wants, and their utter inability to remove them, God freely gives faith, for the sake of Him in whom He is always "well pleased."'3

Only beware thou do not deceive thy own soul, with regard to the nature of this faith. It is not, as some have fondly conceived, a bare assent to the truth of the Bible, of the articles of our

Creed, or of all that is contained in the Old and New Testament. ... But it is, over and above this, a sure trust in the mercy of God, through Christ Jesus. It is confidence in a pardoning God.

It is a divine evidence or conviction that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself," not imputing to them their "former trespasses''; and, in particular, that the Son of God hath loved me, and given Himself for me; and that I, even I, am now reconciled to God by the blood of . the cross\#) But what is it to be justified?

. It is not the being made actually just and righteous. This is "sanctification''; which is, indeed, in some degree, the immediate fruit of justification, but, never- » .

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theless, is a distinct gift of God, and of a totally different nature. The one implies, what God does for us through his Son; the other, what He works in us by his Spirit. So that, although some rare instances may be found, wherein the term "'justified" or "justification" is used in so wide a sense as to include "'sanctification" also; yet, in general use, they are sufficiently distinguished from each other, both by St. Paul and the other inspired writers.5

What is salvation?

Grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvaPOTS iss.

It is a present salvation. It is something attainable, yea, actually attained, on earth, by those who are partakers of this faith. For thus saith the Apostle [Paul] to the believers at EpheSs sus, and in them to the believers of all ages, not "Ye shall be" (though that also is true) but "Ye are saved through faith."

Ye are saved (to contain all in one word) from sin. This is the salvation which is through faith.

This is that great salvation foretold by the angel, before God brought his First-Begotten into the world: "Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for He

chee any imtation or restriction. All fee) people, or, as it is elsewhere expressed, "all that _ believe in Him," He will save from all their sins; h from original and actual, past and present sin,

"of the flesh and of the spirit." Through faith that is in Him, they are saved both from ole guilt and from the power of it.

First, from the guilt of all past s sin: for, whereas — all the world is guilty before God, insomuch that should He "be extreme to mark what is done

- amiss, there is none that could abide it': and Syl "by the law is" only "the knowledge of : sin," but no deliverance from it, so that "by" fulfilling "the deeds of the law, no flesh can be justified in his sight': now, "the righteol ea of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, is i manifested unto all that believe.' Now, "they" are justified freely by his grace, ebay pee Test

_demption that is in Jesus Christ.".

And, being saved from guilt, thee are saved : from fear. Not indeed from a filial fear of offe nd- :

Be ing; but from all servile fear; from that fear _which hath torment; from fear of punishment;

' from fear of the wrath of God, whom they now no longer regard as a severe Master, but |

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indulgent Father.

. They are also saved from the fear, though not from the possibility, of falling away from the grace of God, and coming short of the great and precious promises.

Again: through this faith they are saved from | the power of sin, as well as from the guilt of, it.

So the Apostle declares, "Ye know that He was _ manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin...

. He that is, by faith, born of God habitual sin is sin reigning: but sin cannot reign in any that believeth. Nor (2) by any willful sin; for his will, while he abideth in the faith, is utterly set against all sin, and abhorreth it as deadly poison. Nor (3) by any sinful desire; for he continually desireth the holy and perfect will of God; and any tendency to an unholy desire, he by the grace of God, stifleth in the birth. Nor (4) doth he sin by infirmities, whether in act, word, or thought; for his infirmities have no concurrence of his will; and without this they are not properly sins.

This then is the salvation which is through faith, even in the present world: a salvation from sin, and the consequences of sin, both often

/expressed in the word "justification"; which, 'taken in the largest sense, implies a deliverance

BY JOHN WESLEY

from guilt and punishment, by the atonement of Christ actually applied to the soul of the sinner now believing on Him, and a deliverance from the (whole body) of sin, through Christ formed in his heart. So that he who is thus

Justified, or saved by faith, is indeed born again.

He is born again of the Spirit unto a new life, which "is hid with Christ in God." (He is a new creature: old things are passed away: all things in him are become new.) And as a newborn babe he gladly receives the "'sincere milk of the word, and grows thereby'; going on in the might of the Lord his God, from faith to faith, from grace to grace, until at length, he comes unto "a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."® How does salvation begin?

Salvation begins with what is usually termed |(and very properly) "preventing grace"; includ- 'ing the first wish to please God, the first dawn

'of light concerning his will, and the first transient conviction of having sinned against Him.

AI these imply some tendency toward life; some degree of salvation; the beginning of a deliverance from a blind, unfeeling heart, quite insensible of God and the things of God.

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Salvation is carried on by "convincing grace," usually in Scripture termed, "repentance''; which brings a larger measure of self-knowledge, and a farther deliverance from the heart of stone.

Afterwards we experience the proper Christian salvation; whereby 'through grace," we "are saved by faith"; consisting of those two grand branches, justification and sanctification.

By justification we are saved from the guilt of sin, and restored to the favor of God; by sanctification we are saved from the power and root

'of sin, and restored to the image of God.

All experience, as well as Scripture, shows this . salvation to be both instantaneous and gradual.

It begins the moment we are justified, in the holy, humble, gentle, patient love of God and man. It gradually increases from that moment, as "a grain of mustard seed, which, at first, is the least of all seeds," but afterwards puts forth large branches, and becomes a great tree; till, in another instant, the heart is cleansed from all sin, and filled with pure love to God and man.

But even that love increases more and more, till we "grow up in all things into Him that is our head"; till we 'attain the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."7

We are to observe that great and important

BY JOHN WESLEY

truth which ought never to' be out of our remembrance: "It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do his good pleasure."

The meaning of these words may be made more plain by a small transposition of them:

"It is God that of his good pleasure worketh in you both to will and to do." This position of the words, connecting the phrase "of his good pleasure" with the word "worketh" removes all imagination of merit from man, and gives God the whole glory of his work. Otherwise we might have had some room for boasting, as if it were our own desert, some goodness in us, or some good thing done by us, which first moved God to work. But this expressly cuts off all such vain conceits, and clearly shows his motive to work lay wholly in himself, in his own mere grace, in his unmerited mercy.

It is by this alone He is impelled to work in man both to will and to do. The expression is capable of two interpretations; both of which are unquestionably true.

First, "to will," may include the whole of inward, ''to do," the whole of outward religion. And if it be thus understood, it implies that it is God that worketh both inward and outward holiness.

Secondly, "to will," may imply every good desire; "'to do,"

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whatever results therefrom. And then the sentence means, God breathes into us every good desire, and brings every good desire to good effect.8,'

God worketh in you; therefore, you can work: otherwise it would be impossible for you to work out your own salvation.

. Yet this is no excuse for those who continue in sin, and lay the blame upon their Maker, by saying, "It is God only that must quicken us; for we cannot quicken our own souls." For allowing that all the souls of men are dead in sin by nature, this excuses none, seeing there is no man that is in a state of mere nature; there is no man, unless he has quenched the Spirit, that is wholly void of the grace of God. No man living is entirely destitute of what is vulgarly called "natural conscience." But this is not natural; it is more properly termed "preventing grace."' Every man has a greater or less measure of this, which waiteth not for the call of man.

. .

. So that. no man sins because he has not oe but _because he does not use the grace which he hath. 9

Can it be denied that something of this [conscience] is found in every man born into the 'world? And does it not appear as soon as the understanding opens, as soon as reason begins

BY JOHN WESLEY

to dawn? Does not everyone then begin to know | that there is a difference between good and evil; how imperfect soever the various circumstances of this sense of good and evil may be? ...

'This faculty seems to be what is usually meant by those who speak of natural conscience; an expression frequently found in some of our best authors, but yet not strictly just. For though in one sense it may be termed natural, because

it is found in all men; yet properly speaking, it is not natural, but a supernatural gift of God, above all his natural endowments. No; it is not nature, but the Son of God, that is "the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh_ into the world." So that we may say to every human creature, "He," not nature, "hath showed _ thee, O man, what is good." And it is his Spirit

"who giveth thee an inward check, who causeth thee to feel uneasy, when thou walkest in any instance contrary to the light which He hath given thee?

What is justification by grace through faith?

The plain scriptural notion of justification is pardon, the forgiveness of sins.

. To him that _ is justified or forgiven, God "will not impute

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'sin' to his condemnation. He will not condemn him on that account, either in this world or in that which is to come. His sins, all his past sins, in thought, word, and deed are covered, are blotted out, shall not be remembered or mentioned against him, any more than if they had not been. God will not inflict in that sinner what he deserved to suffer, because the Son of his love hath suffered for him.} [Faith] "is the gift of God." No man is able to work it in himself. It is a work of omnipotence. It requires no less power thus to quicken a dead soul, than to raise a body that lies in the grave. It is a new creation.

No merit, no goodness, in man precedes the forgiving love of God. His pardoning mercy supposes nothing in us but a sense of mere sin and misery; and to all who see, and feel, and own their wants, and their utter inability to remove them, God freely gives faith, for the sake of Him in whom He is always "well pleased.'"22

Faith in general jis a divine, supernatural evidence or conviction, "of things not seen," not discoverable by our bodily senses, as being either past, future, or spiritual. Justifying faith

implies, not only a divine evidence or conviction

BY JOHN WESLEY

'that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world ' unto Himself," but a sure trust and confidence

that Christ died for my sins, that He loved me, _and gave Himself for me. And at what time soever a sinner thus believes, be it in early childhood, in the strength of his years, or when he is old and hoary-headed, God justifieth that ungodly one.33

Christian faith is, then, not only an assent to ithe whole gospel of Christ, but also a full realiance on the blood of Christ; a trust in the merits of his life, death, and resurrection; a recumbency upon Him as our atonement and our life, as given for us, and living in us. It is a sure confidence which a man hath in God, that through the merits of Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he is reconciled to the favor of God, and, in consequence hereof, a closing with Him, and cleaving to Him, as our "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," or, in one word, our salvation.

This then is the salvation which is through faith, even in the present world: a salvation from sin, and the consequences of sin, both often expressed in the word "justification"; which, taken in the largest sense, implies a deliverance from guilt and punishment, by the atonement

| THE DOOR OF RELIGION

of Christ actually applied to the soul of the sinner now believing on Him, and a deliverance from the whole body of sin, through Christ formed in his heart. So that he who is thus justified, or saved by faith, is indeed born again.

For all our works, all our righteousness, which were before our believing, merited nothing of God but condemnation; so far were they from deserving faith, which therefore, whenever given, is not of works. Neither is salvation of the works we do when we believe; for it is then God that worketh in us: and, therefore, that He giveth us a reward for what He Himself worketh, only commendeth the riches of his mercy, but leaveth us nothing whereof to glory.14)

Let not any man infer from this long-suffering of God, that he hath given any one a license to sin. Neither let any dare to continue in sin, because of these extraordinary instances of divine mercy. This is the most desperate, the most irrational presumption, and leads to utter, irrecoverable destruction. In all my experience, I have not known one, who fortified himself in sin by a presumption that God would save him at the last, that was not miserably disappointed, and suffered to die in his sins. To turn the } % > ay ay | we "ai

grace of God into an encouragement to. the sure way to the nethermost hell!15

What is the new birth?

If any doctrines within the whole compass of Christianity may be properly termed "fundamental," they are doubtless these two—the doctrine of justification, and that of the new birth: the former relating to that great work which God does for us, in forgiving our sins; the lat_ter, to the great work which God does in us, in renewing our fallen nature.

In order of time, neither of these is before the other; in the moment we are justified by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in - _ Jesus, we are also "born of the Spirit'; but in order of thinking, as it is termed, justification

precedes the new birth. We first conceive his wrath to be turned away, and then his Spirit to work in our hearts.

[The new birth] is that great change which _ God works in the soul when He brings it into life; when He raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness.

It is the change wrought in the whole soul by the almighty Spirit of God when it is "created anew in Christ

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Jesus"; when it is "renewed after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness"; when the love of the world is changed into the love of God; pride into humility; passion into meekness; hatred, envy, malice, into a sincere, tender, disinterested love for all mankind. In a word, it is that change whereby the earthly, sensual, devilish mind is turned into the "mind which was in Christ Jesus." This is the nature of the new birth: "so is everyone that is born of the Spinks ts".

Except he be born again, none can be happy in this world. For it is not possible, in the nature of things, that a man should be happy who is not holy.

. The reason is plain: unholy tempers are uneasy tempers: not only malice, hatred, envy, jealousy, revenge, create a present hell in the breast; but even the softer passions, if not kept within due bounds, give a thousand times more pain than pleasure. Even "hope," when "deferred" (and how often must this be the case!) "maketh the heart sick"; and every desire which is not according to the will of God is liable to "pierce" us "through with many sorrows'': and all those general sources of sin— pride, self-will, and idolatry—are, in the same proportion as they prevail, general sources of

BY JOHN WESLEY

misery. Therefore, as long as these reign in any soul, happiness has no place there. But they must reign till the bent of our nature is changed, that is, till we are born again...

Be you baptized or unbaptized, you must be | born again; otherwise it is not possible you should be inwardly holy; and without inward as — well as outward holiness, you cannot be happy,

— even in this world, much less in the world to | come. Do you say, "Nay, but I do no harm to any man; I am honest and just in all my dealings; I do not curse, or take the Lord's name in | vain; I do not profane the Lord's day; I am no drunkard; I do not slander my neighbor, or live | in any willful sin'? If this be so, it were much

to be wished that all men went as far as you do. But you must go farther yet, or you cannot

| be saved: still "you must be born again."

Do you add, "I do go farther yet; for I not only do no harm, but all the good I can'? I doubt that fact: I fear you have had a thousand opportunities of doing good which you have suffered to pass unimproved, and for which therefore you are accountable to God. But if you had improved them all, if. you really had done all the good you possibly could to all men,

yet this does not at all alter the case: still "you must be born again."

"Nay, but I constantly attend all the ordinances of God: I keep to my church and sacrament." It is well you do; but all this will not keep you from hell, except you be born again.

Go to church twice a day; go to the Lord's table every week; say ever so many prayers in private; hear ever so many good sermons; read ever so many good books; still "you must be born again"; none of these things will stand in the place of the new birth; no, nor anything under heaven.16) How did Wesley experience the new birth?

When I met Peter Bohler again, he consented i to put the dispute upon the issue which I desired, namely, Scripture and experience. I first consulted the Scripture. But when I set aside the glosses of men, and simply considered the words of God, comparing them together, endeavoring in ' a :: to illustrate the obscure by the plainer passages;

I found they all made against me, and was forced to retreat to my last hold, "that experience would never agree with the literal interpretation of those Scriptures. Nor could I therefore ae > e = S am te e

allow it to be true, till I found some livi nesses of it." i He replied, he could show me such any time; if I desired it, the next day. And accordingly, the next day he came again with three others, all of whom testified, of their own personal experience, that a true, living faith in Christ is inseparable from a sense of pardon for all past, and freedom from all present, sins. 'They added with one mouth, that this faith was the gift, the free gift, of God; and that He would surely bestow it upon every soul who earnestly and perseveringly sought it.

I was now thoroughly convinced; and by the grace of God, I resolved to seek it unto the end:

(1) By absolutely renouncing all dependence, in _ whole or in part, upon my own works or righteousness; on which I had really grounded my

hope of salvation, though I knew it not, from -my youth up. (2) By adding to the constant use _ of all the other means of grace, continual prayer for this very thing, justifying, saving faith, a full reliance on the blood of Christ shed for me; a trust in Him as my Christ, as my sole justification, sanctification, and redemption?

I think it was about five this morning that I opened my Testament upon these words: "There x ba, Se APS « are

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are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, even that ye should be partakers of the divine nature' (2 Peter 1:4). Just as I went out, I opened it again on these words, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."

In the afternoon I was asked to go to St.

Paul's. The anthem was: "Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord:

Lord, hear my voice. O, let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint. If Thou, Lord, will be extreme to mark what is done amiss,

O Lord, who may abide it? For there is mercy with Thee; therefore Thou shalt be feared. O Israel, trust in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his sins."

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ,

Christ alone, for salvation: and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death!18

i, math temptations; 'bist cee out, 'gael they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often

— lifted up my eyes, and He "sent me help from his holy place." And herein I found the dif

ference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all

- my might under the law, as well as under grace.

But then I was sometimes, if not often, con_ quered; now I was always conqueror/19)

" What is the work of Christ?

When He was incarnate and became man, He recapitulated in himself all generations of mankind, making Himself the center of our salvation, that what we lost in Adam, even the image and likeness of God, we might receive in Christ

Jesus. By the Holy Ghost coming upon Mary, and the power of the Highest overshadowing

— her, the incarnation of Christ was wrought, and a new birth, whereby man should be born of God, was shown; that as by our first birth we

: d inherit death, so by this birth we Bi inherit life.?° eet is the righteousness of Christ? a

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es we nature.

. Now this is his eternal, essential, immutable, holiness; his infinite justice, mercy, and truth: in all which, He and the Father are one.) .

.!.

The human righteousness of Christ belongs to Him in his human nature; as He is the "Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." This is either internal or external. His internal righteousness is the image of God, stamped on every power and faculty of his soul.

It is a copy of his divine righteousness, so far as it can be imparted to a human spirit. It is a transcript of divine purity, the divine justice, mercy, and truth.

It includes love, reverence, resignation to his Father; humility, meekness, gentleness; love to lost mankind, and every other holy and heavenly temper; and all these in the highest degree, without any defect, or mixture of unholiness.

ee It was at least part of his external righteousness, that He did nothing amiss; that He knew not outward sin of any kind, neither was "guile found in his mouth"; that he never spoke one improper word, nor did one improper action.

Thus far it is only a negative righteousness, though such a one as never did, nor ever can, wa Sea eee == >

belong to any one that i is por ofa woman, gave Himself alone.

But even his outward righteousness was positive too: He did all things well: in every word of his tongue, in every work of his hands, he did precisely the "will of him that sent him.".

. But _ his obedience implied more than all this: It implied not only doing, but suffering; suffering the whole will of God, from the time He came into the world, till '"He bore our sins in his own body upon the tree''; yea, till having made a full atonement for them, "He bowed his head and gave up the ghost." This is usually termed the passive righteousness of Christ; the former, his active righteousness.?}) What are the flaws in predestination?

[Grace] is free only for those whom God hath _ ordained to life; and they are but a little flock.

The greater part of mankind God hath ordained to death; and it is not free for them. Them God hateth; and therefore, before they were born, decreed they should die eternally because it was his sovereign will.

This is that. decree A predestination.

. Is not this what you mean by the election of grace? | ee

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If it be, I would ask one or two questions: Are any who are thus not elected, saved? Or, were any, from the foundation of the world? Is it possible any man should be saved, unless he be thus elected? If you say, "No," you are but where you were: you are not got one hair's breadth farther: you still believe, that in consequence of an unchangeable, irresistible decree of God, the greater part of mankind abide in death, without any possibility of redemption; inasmuch as none can save them but God, and he will not save them... and what is this but decreeing to damn them?

It is, in effect, neither more nor less: it comes to the same thing: for if you are dead, and altogether unable to make yourself alive; then, if God has absolutely decreed he will make only others alive, and not you, he hath absolutely decreed your everlasting death; you are absolutely consigned to damnation. So then, though you use softer words than some, you mean the selfsame thing; and God's decree concerning the election of grace, according to your own account of it, amounts to neither more nor less than what others call, "God's decree of reprobation.".

4 'If this be so, then is all preaching vain. It is —

BY JOHN WESLEY

needless to them that are elected; for they, whether with preaching or without, will infallibly be saved. 'Therefore the end of preaching, to save souls, is void with regard to them.

This, then, is a plain proof that the doctrine of predestination is not a doctrine of God, because it makes void the ordinance of God: and God is not divided against Himself...

It directly tends to destroy that holiness, which is the end of all the ordinances of God...

. You say, "But he knows not whether it is life or death,"' What then? This helps not the matter: for if a sick man knows that he must unavoidably die, or unavoidably recover, though he knows not which, it is unreasonable for him to take any physic at all. He might justly say (and so I have heard some speak, both in bodily sickness and in spiritual), "If I am ordained to life, I shall. live; if to death, I shall die: so I need not trouble myself about it." So directly does this

doctrine shut the very gate of holiness...

This doctrine tends to destroy the comfort of religion, the happiness of Christianity, This is evident as to all those who believe themselves to be reprobated; or who only suspect or fear it.

All the great and precious promises are lost to

ea they Beord. them no > ray of pNP als for they are not the elect of God. ...

This witness of the Spirit, experience shows to be much obstructed by this doctrine; and not only in those who, believing themselves reprobated, by this belief thrust it far from them, but even in them that have tasted of that good gift, who yet have soon lost it again, and have fallen back into doubts, and fears, and darkness—horrible darkness that might be felt...

This uncomfortable doctrine directly tends to_ destroy our zeal for good works, And this it does, first, as it naturally tends (according to what was observed before) to destroy our love to the greater part of mankind, namely, the evil and 'unthankful. For whatever lessens our love, must so far lessen our desire to do them good. This it does, as it cuts off one of the strongest motives to all acts of bodily mercy, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and the like... .—

This doctrine manifestly and directly tends to overthrow the whole Christian revelation

. for it is grounded on such an interpretation of some texts (more or fewer, it matters not) as flatly contradicts all other texts, and indeed the __ whole scope and tenor of Scripture.

. This | a doctrine represents our blessed Lord, "Jesus —

Christ, the righteous," "the only begotten the Father, full of grace and truth," as a hypo_ crite, a deceiver of the people, a man void of | _ common sincerity. For it cannot be denied that + he everywhere speaks as if he was willing that all men should be saved.

But there is more yet behind; for just as it honors the Son, so doth this doctrine honor the Father. It destroys all his attributes at once: it

overturns both his justice, mercy, and truth: yea, it represents the most holy God as worse than

'the devil, as both more false, more cruel, and "more unjust.

This is the blasphemy contained in the horrible decree of predestination. And here I fix my foot. On this I join issue with every assertor of it) What are the fruits of the Spirit?

Let none ever presume to rest in any supposed testimony of the Spirit, which is separate from the fruit of it. If the Spirit of God does really testify that we are the children of God, the immediate consequence will be the fruit of the Spirit, even "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temper-

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ance." And however this fruit may be clouded for a while, during the time of strong temptation, so that it does not appear to the tempted person, while Satan is sifting him as wheat; yet the substantial part of it remains, even under the thickest cloud. It is true, joy in the Holy Ghost may be withdrawn, during the hour of trial; yea, the soul may be "exceeding sorrowful," while "the hour and power of darkness" continue; but even this is generally restored with increase, till we rejoice "with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

Let none rest in any supposed fruit of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of joy, of peace, of love, and those not delusive, but really from God, long before we have the witness in ourselves; before the Spirit of God witnesses with our spirits that we have

"redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins." Yea, there may be a [degree] of long-suffering, of gentleness, of infidelity, meekness, temperance (not a shadow thereof, but a real degree, by the preventing grace of God), before we "are accepted in the Beloved," and consequently before we have a testimony of our acceptance: but it is by no means advisable to rest here; it is at the peril of our souls if we do.

Blah wee.

BY JOHN WESLEY

If we are wise, we shall be continually crying to God, until his Spirit cry in our heart, "Abba,

Father!"

This is the privilege of all the children of God, and without this we can never be assured that we are his children. Without this we cannot retain a steady peace, nor avoid perplexing doubts and fears. But when we have once received this Spirit of adoption, this "peace, which passeth all understanding," and which expels all painful doubt and fear, will "keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." And when this has brought forth its genuine fruit, all inward and outward holiness, it is undoubtedly the will of him that calleth us, to give us always what he has once given: so that there is no need that we should ever more be deprived of either the testimony of God's Spirit or the testimony of our own, the consciousness of our walking in all righteousness and true holiness.?3

How does He "bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God'?

I rejoice because his Spirit beareth witness to my spirit, that I am bought with the blood of the Lamb; and that, believing in Him, "I am a

ot As

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a 'member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheri- | tor of the kingdom of heaven." I rejoice, because the sense of God's love to me hath, by the same

Spirit, wrought in me to love Him, and to love for his sake every child of man, every soul that He hath made.

Such is the ground and the nature of that joy whereby an adult Christian rejoiceth evermore.

And from all this we may easily infer, first, that this is not a natural joy. It does not arise from any natural cause: not from any sudden flow of spirits. This may give a transient state of joy; but the Christian rejoiceth always.

It cannot be owing to bodily health or ease; to strength and soundness of constitution; for it is equally strong in sickness and pain; yea, perhaps far stronger than before. Many Christians have never experienced any joy, to be compared with that which then filled their soul, when the body was well-nigh worn with pain, or consumed away with pining sickness. Least of all can it be ascribed to outward prosperity, to the favor of men, or plenty of worldly goods; for then, chiefly, when their faith has been tried by fire, by all manner of outward afflictions, have the children of God rejoiced in Him, whom unseen they loved, even with joy unspeakable.

We may, secondly, enter that ne joy of th ; _ Christian does not arise from any blindness of conscience, from his not being able to discern good from evil. So far from it, that he was an utter stranger to this joy, till the eyes of his understanding were opened; that he knew it not, until he had spiritual senses, fitted to discern spiritual good and evil.

Neither does the joy of the Christian arise, thirdly, from any dullness or callousness of conscience.

. On the contrary, a Christian has the most exquisite. sensibility; such as he could not have conceived before. He never had such a tenderness of conscience as he has since the love of God has reigned in his heart(2# How can the believer be sure of the witness of the Spirit?

How does it appear, that we do love God and our neighbor, and that we keep his command- - ments?

Observe that the meaning of the question is, How does it appear to ourselves, not to others?

I would ask him, then, that proposes this question, How does it appear to you, that you are alive, and that you are now in ease, and not in

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pain? Are you not immediately conscious of it?

By the same immediate consciousness, you will know if your soul is alive to God; if you are saved from the pain of proud wrath, and have the ease of a meek and quiet spirit. By the same means you cannot but perceive if you love, rejoice, and delight in God. By the same you must be directly assured if you love your neighbor as yourself; if you are kindly affectioned to all mankind, and full of gentleness and long-suffering.

And with regard to the outward mark of the children of God, which is, according to St. John, the keeping his commandments, you undoubtedly know in your own breast, if, by the grace of God, it belongs to you. Your conscience informs you from day to day, if you do not take the name of God within your lips, unless with seriousness and devotion, with reverence and godly fear; if you remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; if you honor your father and mother; if you do to all as you would they should do unto you; if you possess your body in sanctification and honor; and if, whether you eat or drink, you are temperate therein, and do all to the glory of God.

Now this is properly the testimony of our own spirit; even the testimony of our own con- . ane aa

heart a holy in juewand convenan Hone consciousness of our having received, in and by the Spirit of adoption, the tempers mentioned in the Word of God, as belonging to his adopted children; even a loving heart toward God, and toward all mankind; hanging with childlike confidence on God our Father, desiring nothing but ' him, casting all our care upon him, and embracy ing every child of man with earnest, tender affection (so as to be ready to lay down our life for our brother, as Christ laid down his life for us) a consciousness that we are inwardly conformed, by the Spirit of God, to the image of his Son, and that we walk before him in justice, mercy, and truth, doing the things which are pleasing in his sight.

But what is that testimony of God's Spirit, which is superadded to, and conjoined with, Hs this? How does he "bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God'? It is hard to - find words in the language of men to explain

"the deep things of God." Indeed, there are none that will adequately express what the children of God experience. But perhaps one might ay

(desiring any who are taught of God to corre to soften, or strengthen the expression), the |

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mony of the Spirit is an inward impression on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God directly wit-_ nesses to my spirit, that I am a child of God; that Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given Himself for me; and that all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God.

That this testimony of the Spirit of God must ! needs, in the very nature of things, be antecedent to the testimony of our own spirit, may appear from this single consideration. We must be holy of heart, and holy in life, before we can be conscious that we are so; before we can have the testimony of our spirit that we are inwardly and outwardly holy. But we must love God, before we can be holy at all; this being the root of all holiness. Now we cannot love God, till we know

He loves us. "We love him, because he first loved us." And we cannot know his pardoning love to us, till his Spirit witnesses it to our spirit. Since, therefore, this testimony of his Spirit must precede the love of God and all holiness, of consequence, it must precede our inward consciousness thereof, or the testimony of our spirit concerning them.

Then, and not till then—when the Spirit of God beareth that witness to our spirit, "God hath loved thee, and given his own Son to be oes t ee ee

. ae loved thee, and hath aves thee from thy bg sins in his blood''—"we love God, because he first loved us"; and, for his sake, we love our brother also. And of this we cannot but be conscious to ourselves; we "know the things that are freely given to us of God." We know that we love God, and keep his commandments; and "hereby also we know that we are of God." This is that testimony of our own spirit, which, so long as we continue to love God and keep his commandments, continues joined with the testimony of God's Spirit, "that we are the children of God."

Not that I would by any means be understood, by anything which has been spoken concerning it, to exclude the operation of the Spirit of God, even from the testimony of our own spirit. In no wise. It is He that not only worketh in us every manner of thing that is good, but also shines

upon his own work, and clearly shows what He _has wrought. Accordingly, this is spoken of by St. Paul, as one great end of our receiving the Spirit, "that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God": that he may strengthen the testimony of our conscience, touching our

"simplicity and godly sincerity"; and give us to"

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discern, in a fuller and stronger light, that we now do the things which please him.

Should it be inquired, "How does the Spirit of God 'bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God,' so as to exclude all doubt, and evince the reality of our sonship?''—the answer is clear from what has been observed above. And first, as to the witness of our spirit: the soul as intimately and evidently perceives when it loves, delights, and rejoices in God, as when it loves and delights in anything on earth.

And it can no more doubt, whether it loves, delights, and rejoices or no, than whether it exists or no.25

Three-s

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After the believer gets the personal assurance of forgiveness, through the witness of the Spirit, he is ready, as Wesley sees it, to enter into the house of religion, which is holiness of heart and life. This is perfection or sanctification and, although Wesley changed his mind about some of the details, he used the terms interchangeably. As some of his questions will suggest, he thought of this as social as well as personal.

What is the beauty of holiness?

The beauty of holiness, of that inward man of the heart which is renewed after the image of God, cannot but strike every eye which God hath opened—every enlightened understanding.

The ornament of a meek, humble, loving spirit will at least excite the approbation of all those who are capable, in any degree, of discerning spiritual good and evil. From the hour men begin to emerge out of the darkness which covers the giddy, unthinking world, they cannot but

Res

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perceive how desirable a thing it is to be thus transformed into the likeness of Him that created us. This inward religion bears the shape of God so visibly impressed upon it, that a soul must be wholly immersed in flesh and blood when he can doubt its divine original.

We may say of this, in a secondary sense, even as of the Son of God himself, that it is "the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person''—the beaming forth of his "eternal glory"; and yet so tempered and softened, that even the children of men may herein see God and live; "the character, the stamp, the living impression of his person," who is the fountain of beauty and love, the original source of all excellency and perfection.

If religion, therefore, were carried no farther than this, they would have no doubt concerning it; they should have no objection against pursuing it with the whole ardor of their souls.

"But why," say they, "is it clogged with other things? What need of loading it with doing and suffering? These are what damps the vigor of the soul, and sinks it down to earth again. Is it not enough to 'follow after charity'; to soar upon _ the wings of love? Will it not suffice to worship

God, who is a Spirit, with the spirit of our

minds, without encumbering ourselves with out- -ward things, or even thinking of them at all?

Is it not better, that the whole extent of our thought should be taken up with high and heavenly contemplation; and that instead of busying ourselves at all about externals, we should only commune with God in our hearts?"

Many eminent men have spoken thus; have advised us "to cease from all outward action"; wholly to withdraw from the world; to leave the body behind us; to abstract ourselves from all sensible things; to have no concern at all about outward religion, but to work all virtues in the will; as the far more excellent way, more perfective of the soul as well as more acceptable to God.

- It needed not that any should tell our Lord of this masterpiece of the wisdom from beneath,

'this fairest of all devices wherewith Satan hath ever perverted the right ways of the Lord! ...

But has our Lord been wanting on his part? Has He not sufficiently guarded us against this pleasing delusion? Has He not armed us here with armor of proof against Satan "transformed into an angel of light'? Yea, verily: He here defends, in the clearest and strongest manner, the active, patient religion He had just described. What

isd Oe Lt ee Peete: toes eA oe 'ie Un

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can be fuller and plainer than He had said of doing and suffering? "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid...

When I say, this [Christianity] is essentially a social religion, I mean not only that it cannot subsist so well, but that it cannot subsist at all without society—without living and conversing with other men. ... Not that we can in any wise condemn the intermixing solitude or retirement with society. This is not only allowable, but expedient; nay, it is necessary, as daily experience shows, for every one that either already is, or desires to be a real Christian. It can hardly be, that we should spend one entire day in a continued intercourse with men, without suffering loss in our soul, and in some measure grieving the Holy Spirit of God. We have need daily to retire from the world, at least morning and evening, to converse with God, to commune more freely with our Father which is in secret.

Nor indeed can a man of experience condemn even longer seasons of religious retirement, so they do not imply any neglect of the worldly

BY JOHN WESLEY

employ wherein the providence of God has placed us.

Yet such retirement must not swallow up all our time: this would be to destroy, not advance, true religion. For, that the religion described by our Lord in the foregoing words [the Sermon on the Mount] cannot subsist without society, without our living and conversing with other men, is manifest from hence, that several of the most essential branches thereof can have no place if we have no intercourse with the world.

There is no disposition, for instance, which is more essential to Christianity than meekness, Now altogether this, as it implies resignation to God, or patience in pain and sickness, may subsist in a desert, in a hermit's cell, in total solitude; yet as it implies (which it no less necessarily does) mildness, gentleness, and long-suffering, it cannot possibly have a being, it has no place under heaven, without an intercourse with other men: so that to attempt turning this into a solitary virtue is to destroy it from the face of the earth, Another necessary branch of true Christianity is peacemaking, or doing of good. That this is equally essential with any of the other parts of the religion of Jesus Christ, there can be no

stronger" argument to evince (and therefore it would be absurd to allege any other), than that — it is here inserted in the original plan He has laid down of the fundamentals of his religion.

Therefore, to set aside this is the same daring insult on the authority of our Great Master as to set aside mercifulness, purity of heart, or any other branch of his institution. But this is apparently set aside by all who call us to the wilderness; who recommend entire solitude either to the babes, or the young men, or the fathers in Christ. For will any man affirm that a solitary

Christian (so called, though it is little less than a contradiction in terms) can be a merciful man— that is, one that takes every opportunity of lbs all good to all men? .

, "But is it not Br eedient. however," one might naturally ask, ''to converse only with good men— only those whom we know to be meek and merciful, holy of heart, and holy of life? Is it not expedient to refrain from any conversation or intercourse with men of the opposite character—men who do not obey, perhaps do not believe, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?"

The advice of St. Paul to the Christians at Corinth may seem to favor this: "I wrote unto

_ you in an epistle not to company with fornica-

BY JOHN WESI

tors."

But the Apostle dee not f : have intercourse at all even with the that know not God: 'For then," says he, "ye must needs go out of the world'; which he could never advise them to do.

... But he subjoins, "If any man that is called a brother," that professes himself a Christian, "be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, now I have written unto you not to keep company" with him; "with such a one not to eat." This must necessarily imply, that we break off all familiarity, all intimacy of acquaintance, with him. "Yet count him not," saith the Apostle elsewhere, "as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother"; plainly showing that even in such a case as this, we are not to renounce all fellowship with him. So that here is no advice to separate wholly even from wicked men. Yea, these very words teach us quite the contrary.

Much more the words of our Lord; who is so far from directing us to break off all commerce with the world, that without it, according to his account of Christianity, we cannot be Christians at all. It would be easy to show that some intercourse even with ungodly and unholy men is" absolutely needful, in order to the full exertion —

sj iis, Ns dan Lae 49 Sea

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of every temper which he has described as the way ta the kingdom; that it is indispensably necessary, in order to the complete exercise of poverty of spirit, of mourning, and of every other disposition which has a place here, in the genuine religion of Jesus Christ.

Yea, it is necessary to the very being of several of them: of that meekness, for example, which, instead of demanding "an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth,' doth 'not resist evil," but causeth us rather, when smitten "on the right cheek, to turn the other also'; of that mercifulness, whereby we "love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us"; and of that complication of love and all holy tempers which is exercised in suffering for righteousness' sake. Now all these, it is clear, could have no being, were we to have no commerce with any but real Christians.

Indeed, were we wholly to separate ourselves from sinners, how could we possibly answer that character which our Lord gives us in these very words? "Ye'' (Christians, ye that are lowly, serious and meek; ye that hunger after righteousness, that love God and man, that do good to all, and therefore suffer evil; ye) "are the salt of the

BY JOHN WESLEY

earth': it is your very nature to season whatever is round about you...

. This is the great reason why the providence of God has so mingled you together with other men, that whatever grace you have received of God may through you be communicated to others; that every holy temper and word and work of yours may have an influence on them also\, istian be perfect?

Christian perfection, therefore, does not imply (as some men seem to have imagined) an exemption either from ignorance, or mistake, or _ infirmities, or temptations.

Indeed, it is only another term for holiness. They are two names for the same thing. Thus, every one that is holy, is in the Scripture sense, perfect.

Yet we may, lastly, observe that neither in this respect is there any absolute perfection on earth.

There is no perfection of degrees, as it is termed; none which does not admit of a continual increase. So that how much soever any man has attained, or in how high a degree soever he is perfect, he hath still need to "grow in grace," and daily to advance in the knowledge and love of God his Savior ...

eh eh sense, then: are Christians perfect?

. .

All real Christians, or believers in Christ, are made free from outward sin. And the same freedom, which St. Paul expresses in such a variety of phrases, St. Peter expresses in that one, "He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live to the desires of men, but to the will of God." From this ceasing from sin, if it be interpreted in the lowest sense, as regarding only the outward behavior, must denote the ceasing from the outward act, from any outward transgression of the law...

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: .

Thus doth Jesus "'save his people from their sins'; and not only from outward sins, but also from the sins of their hearts; from evil thoughts, and from evil tempers. "True," some say, "we are thus saved from our sins; but not till death; not in this world.'"' But how are we to reconcile

this with the express words of St. John —' nerein } 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 (as though he had foreseen this very evasion, and set himself to overturn it from the foundation) he flatly affirms, that not only at or after death, but in this world, they are their

Master (I John 4:17).

Exactly agreeable to this are his words in the first chapter of this epistle. .

. It is evident that _the Apostle here also 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 present time "us" living Christians, "from all sin." And it is equally evident, that if any sin remain in the soul, it is not cleansed from all unrighteousness. Neither let any sinner against his own soul 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 —

fy aa a ea Sa wn

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this is asserting justification by works, in the strongest sense possible; it is making all inward as well as 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, are 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 jand evil tempers.?

What is sanctification?

The righteousness of Christ is, doubtless, necessary for any soul that enters into glory. But so is personal holiness, too, for every child of man.

But it is highly needful to be observed that they are necessary in different aspects. The former is necessary to entitle us to heaven; the latter to qualify us for it. Without the righteousness of Christ we could have no claim to glory; without holiness, we could have no fitness for it. By the former we become members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. By es

What then is hae holiness, which is the true 'wedding garment, the only qualification for glory? .. . It first, through the energy of God, worketh love to God and all mankind; and by — this love, every holy and heavenly temper. In ~ particular, lowliness, meekness, gentleness, tem- : perance, and long-suffering.

. In a word, holiness is having the mind that was in Christ, and the "walking as Christ walked."

, @) [Holiness is] the loving God wie 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...

But how can every thought, word, and work _be governed by pure love, and the man be sub_ ject at the same time to ignorance and mistake?

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 im. mortality. I believe this to be a natural conseteenie of the soul's dwelling in flesh an 'i

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gl If they live without sin, does this exclude the necessity for a Mediator?

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. Here 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."'# From the time of our being born again, the gradual work of sanctification takes place. We are enabled "by the Spirit" to "mortify the deeds of the body," of our evil nature; and as we are more and more dead to sin, we are more and more alive to God. We go on from grace to grace, while we are careful to 'abstain from all appearance to evil,' and are "zealous of good works," as we have opportunity, doing good to all men; while we walk in all his ordinance blameless, therein worshiping Him in spirit and in truth; while we take up our cross, and deny ourselves every pleasure that does not lead us to God.

It is thus that we wait for entire sanctification: for a full salvation from our sins—from pride,

Get

BY JOHN WESLEY —

self-will, ag unbelief; or, as the Apostie ex: presses it, "go on unto perfection." . . ()

As to the means: 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.

As to 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 have no conclusion against to the contrary/®) [Perfect love] 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.

It is amissible [sic], capable of being lost, of -which we have numerous instances. But we were not thoroughly convinced of this, till five or six years ago.

It is constantly both preceded and followed by a gradual work,7) Those who are sanctified by the blood of ii

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covenant may so fall from God as to perish everlastingly. For thus saith the Apostle, "If we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries."'® What ts the love of a Christian?

Remembering that God is love, he [the Christian] is conformed to the same likeness. He is full of love to his neighbor; of universal love; not confined to one sect or party; not restrained to those who agree with him in opinions, or in outward modes of worship; or to those who are allied to him by blood, or recommended by nearness of place. Neither does he love those only that love him, or that are endeared to him by intimacy of acquaintance. But his love resembles that of Him whose mercy is over all his works.

It soars above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies; yea, not only the good and gentle, but also the forward, the evil and unthankful. For he loves every soul that God has made; every child of man, of whatever place or nation. And yet this

BY JOHN WESLEY

universal benevolence does in no wise interfere with a peculiar regard for his relations, friends, and benefactors; a fervent love for his country; and the most endeared affection to all men of integrity, of clear and generous virtue.

His love, as to these, so to all mankind, is in itself generous and disinterested; springing from no view of advantage to himself, from no regard to profit or praise; no, nor even the pleasure of loving. This is the daughter, not the parent, of his affection. By experience he knows that social love, if it means the love of our neighbor, is absolute different from self-love, even of the most allowable kind; just as different as the objects at which they point. And yet it is sure that, if they are under due regulations, each will give additional force to the other, till they mix together never to be divided.

And this universal, disinterested love is productive of all right affections. It is fruitful of gentleness, tenderness, sweetness; of humanity, courtesy, and affability.

It makes a Christian rejoice in the virtues of all, and bear a part in their happiness, at the same time that he sympathizes with their pains, and compassionates their infirmities. It creates modesty, condescen-

sion, Brae peter with calmness and evenness of temper. It is the parent of generosity, openness, and frankness, void of any jealousy and suspicion. It begets candor, and willingness to believe and hope whatever is kind and friendly of every man; and invincible patience, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good.

The same love constrains him to converse, not only with a strict regard to truth, but with — artless sincerity and genuine simplicity, as one in whom there is no guile...

. The same love is productive of all right actions.

It leads him into an earnest and steady discharge of all social offices, of whatever is due to relations of every kind; to his friends, to his country, to any particular community whereof he is a member. It prevents his willingly hurting or grieving any man. It guides him into a uniform practice of justice and mercy, equally extensive with the principle whence it flows. It constrains him to do all possible good, of every possible kind, to all men; and makes him invariably resolved, in every circumstance of life, to do that, and that only, to others, which, supposing he were himself in the same situation, he would desire they

should do to him.®

BY JOHN WESLEY

What assurance can the Christian have?

Those who are thus by faith born of God have also strong consolation through hope .

. even the testimony of their own spirit with the Spirit which witnesses in their hearts that they are the children of God. Indeed it is the same Spirit

— who works in them that clear and cheerful confidence that their heart is upright toward God; that good assurance, that they now do, through his grace, the things which are acceptable in his sight; that they are now in the path which _leadeth to life, and shall, by the mercy of God, endure therein to the end. It is He who giveth them a lively expectation of receiving all good things at God's hand; a joyous prospect of that crown of glory which is reserved in heaven for them.

By this anchor a Christian is kept steady in the midst of the waves of this troublesome world, and preserved from striking upon either of these fatal rocks—presumption or despair.

He is neither discouraged by the misconceived severity of his Lord, nor does he "despise the riches of his goodness." He neither apprehends the difficulties of the race set before him to be greater

— than he has strength to conquer, nor expects <4

Ss is she ay NX

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them to be so little as to yield in the conquest till he has put forth all his strength.1°

That this testimony of the Spirit of God must needs, in the very nature of things, be antecedent to the testimony of our own spirit, may appear from this single consideration. We must be holy of heart, and holy in life, before we can be conscious that we are so; before we can have the testimony of our spirit, that we are inwardly and outwardly holy. But we must love God, till we know He loves us. '"'We love Him, because He first loved us." And we cannot know his pardoning love to us, till his Spirit witnesses it to our spirit. Since, therefore, this testimony of his Spirit must precede the love of God and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our inward consciousness thereof, or the testimony of our spirit concerning them.14 eh ee te "5

By justifying faith, I mean that faith which whosoever hath not is under the wrath and curse of God. By a sense of pardon I mean a distinct, explicit assurance that my sins are forgiven.

I allow (1) that there is such a thing as explicit assurance; (2) that it is the common privilege of real Christians; (3) that it is the proper Christian faith which purifies the heart and overcomes the world. ry we

BY JOHN WESLEY

But I cannot allow that justifying faith is such an assurance, or necessarily connected therewith.

Because if justifying faith necessarily implies such an explicit assurance of pardon, then every one who has it not, is under the wrath and curse of God. But this is a supposition contrary to Scripture as well as to experience\!?

I believe a consciousness of being in the favor of God (which I do not term "full assurance" since it is frequently weakened, nay, perhaps interrupted, by returns of doubt and fear) is the common privilege of Christians, fearing God and working righteousness. Yet I do affirm there are no exceptions to this general rule. .

. Therefore, I have not, for many years, thought a consciousness of acceptance to be essential to justifying faithi13

What ts a "good conscience toward God'?

"A good conscience" is what is elsewhere termed by the Apostle [Paul] ''a conscience void of offense." So, what he at one time expresses thus, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day"; he denotes at another by that expression, "Herein do I exercise myself, to

have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men."

Now in order to do this there is absolutely required, first, a right understanding of the Word of God, of his "holy, and acceptable, and perfect will" concerning us, as it is revealed therein. For it is impossible we should walk by a rule, if we do not know what it means. There is, secondly, required (which how few have attained!) a true knowledge of ourselves; a knowledge both of our hearts and lives, of our inward tempers and outward conversation: seeing, if we

: know them not, it is not possible that we should compare them with our rule. There is required, thirdly, an agreement of our hearts and lives, of our tempers and conversation, of our thoughts, and words, and works, with that rule, with the written Word of God. For, without this, if we have any conscience at all, it can be only an evil conscience. There is, fourthly, required, an inward perception of this agreement with our rule: and this habitual perception, this inward consciousness itself, is properly a good conscience; or, in the other phrase of the Apostle, "a con- .

7 science void of offense toward God, and toward

BY JOHN WESLEY

What is the Church?

Here, then, is a clear unexceptionable answer to that question, What is the Church? The catholic or universal church is all persons in the universe, whom God hath so called out of the world, .

. having "one faith, one hope, one — baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in them all." ...

This account is exactly agreeable to the nineteenth article of our church, the Church of England: "Of the Church: The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments be duly administered."

. 5) The article mentions three things as essential to a visible Church. First: Living faith; without which, indeed, there can be no Church at all,

— neither visible nor invisible. Secondly: Preaching, and consequently hearing, the pure word of God, else that faith would languish and die.

— And, thirdly, a due administration of the sacra- — ments—the ordinary means whereby God in- — creaseth faith.

. (16 ; This Church has "a perpetual succession of q pastors and teachers divinely appointed and divinely assisted." And there has never been —

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wanting in the Reformed Churches such a succession of pastors and teachers, men both divinely appointed and divinely assisted; for they convert — sinners to God—a work none can do unless God himself appoint them thereto and assist them therein; therefore every part of this character is applicable to them.

Their teachers are the proper successors of those who have delivered down through all generations the faith once delivered to the saints; and their members have true spiritual communion with the "one holy society of true believers."" Consequently, although they are not the whole "people of God," yet they are an undeniable part of his people.1"

I dare not exclude from the Church catholic all those congregations in which any unscriptural doctrines, which cannot be affirmed to be "the pure word of God," are sometimes, yea, frequently preached; neither all those congregations in which the sacraments are not "duly administered." Certainly if these things are so, the Church of Rome is not so much as a part of the catholic Church; seeing therein neither is "the pure word of God" preached, nor the sacraments "duly administered." Whoever they are that have "one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one a ——

BY JOHN WESLEY

faith, one God and Father of all,' I can easily bear with their holding wrong opinions, yea, and superstitious modes of worship: Nor would

on these accounts, scruple still to include them within the pale of the catholic Church; neither would I have any objection to receive them; if they desired it, as members of the Church of England\28 The Church is called "holy," because it is holy: because every member thereof is holy; though in different degrees; as he that called them is holy. How clear is this! If the Church, as to the very essence of it, is a body of believers, no man that is not a Christian believer, can be a member of it. If this whole body be animated by one Spirit, and endued with one faith, and one hope of their calling; then he who has not that Spirit, and faith, and hope, is no member of this body. It follows, that not only no common swearer, no sabbath breaker, no drunkard, no whoremonger, no thief, no liar, none that lives in any outward sin; but none that is under the power of anger, or pride; no lover of the world; in a word, none that is dead to God, can be a member of his church?

Consider the dreadful consequences of affirming that wicked ministers do no good: that the

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ordinances administered by them do not convey saving grace to those that attend them. If this be so, then well nigh all the Christians from the time of the Apostles, to that of the Reformation, are perished! ..

Still there is reason to fear, that even those who now minister in holy things, who are outwardly devoted to God for that purpose, (yea, and in Protestant, as well as Romish countries)

are, nevertheless, far more devoted to the world, to riches, honor or pleasure (a few comparatively i excepted) than they are to God; so that in truth

they are as far from Christian holiness as earth is from heaven. If then no grace is conveyed by the ministry of wicked men, in what a case

is the Christian world! How hath God forgotten to be gracious! How hath he forsaken his own

_ inheritance!

Oh, think not so! Rather say with our own _ church (though in direct opposition to the church of Rome, which maintains, "If the priest does not minister with pure intention, which no wicked man can do, then the sacrament is no sacrament at all'') the unworthiness of the mince doth not hinder the ee of God's ordi-

BY JOHN WESLEY

Ri from him that ordains it. He does not, will not suffer his grace to be intercepted, though the messenger will not receive it himself,2®

What is the Christian's spirit in business?

The generality of Christians, after using some prayer, usually apply themselves to the business of their calling. Every man that has any pretense to be a Christian will not fail to do this: seeing

3) it is impossible that an idle man can be a good man: sloth being inconsistent with religion.

But with what view? For what end do you undertake and follow your worldly business? "To +i provide things necessary for myself and my fami ily." It is a good answer, as far as it goes; but hy it does not go far enough. For a Turk or a Heathen goes so far; does his work for the very same ends. But a Christian may go abundantly farther: his end in all his labor is, to please God; to do, not his own will, but the will of Him that "th sent him into the world; for this very purpose, to do the will of God on earth, as angels do it in heaven. He works for eternity.

Again: in what manner do you transact your worldly business? I trust with diligence; whatever your hand findeth to do, doing it with your j ; ,

Aya

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might: in justice, rendering to all their due, in every circumstance of life; yea, and in mercy, doing unto every man what you would he should do unto you. This is well: but a Christian is called to go still farther, to add piety to justice; to mix prayer, especially the prayer of the heart, with all the labor of his hand. Without this, all his diligence and justice only show him to be an honest Heathen; and many there are who profess the Christian religion, that go no farther than honest Heathenism.?!

Two and forty years ago, having a desire to - furnish poor people with cheaper, shorter, and plainer books than any I had seen, I wrote many small tracts, generally a penny apiece; and afterwards several larger. Some of these had such a sale as I never thought of; and by this means,

I unawares became rich. But I never desired or endeavored after it. And now that it is come upon me unawares, I lay up no treasures upon earth: I lay up nothing at all. My desire and endeavor, in this respect is, to "wind my bottom round the year." I cannot help leaving my books behind me whenever God calls me hence. But in every other respect, my own hands will be my executors.22

BY JOHN WESLEY

What marks a Methodist?

The distinguishing marks of a Methodist are not his opinions of any sort. His assenting to this or that scheme of religion, his embracing any particular set of notions, his espousing the judgment of one man or of another, are all quite wide of the point. Whosoever, therefore, imagines that a Methodist is a man of such or such an opinion, is grossly ignorant of the whole affair; he mistakes the truth totally...

We do not place our religion, or any part of it, in being attached to any peculiar mode of speaking, any quaint or uncommon set of expressions.

The most obvious, easy, common words, wherein our meaning can be conveyed, we prefer before others, both on ordinary occasions, and when we speak of the things of Gad...

Nor do we desire to be distinguished by actions, customs, or usages, of an indifferent nature. Our religion does not lie in doing what God has not enjoined, or abstaining from what He hath not forbidden. It does not lie in the form of our apparel, in the posture of our body, or the covering of our heads; nor yet in abstaining from marriage, or from meats and drinks, which

107° ne all good if received with thanksgiving. . iy tek

What then is the mark? Who is a Methodied according to your own account?

I answer: A Methodist is one who has ''the love of God shed — abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost given unto | him"; one who "loves the Lord his God with all

his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength." God is the joy of his heart, and the desire of his soul; which is) constantly crying out, "Whom have I in heaven

but thee? and there is none upon earth that I _ desire beside thee! My God and my all!" .

- And while he thus always exercises his love al of God, by praying without ceasing, rejoicing — y, evermore, and in everything giving thanks, this

" _ commandment is written in his heart, '"That he who loved God, love his brother also,"'*8

' i What is Christian neigh borliness?

' i .

- —How excellent things are spoken of the love | an ' of our neighbor! It is the "fulfilling of the law," vy "the end of the commandment." Without this, all we have, all we do, all we suffer, is of no value bly in the sight of God. But it is that love of our

neighbor which springs from the love of God: otherwise itself is nothing worth. It behooves us,

app 8 at

BY JOHN WESLEY

: eet | therefore, to examine well upon what foundation our love of our neighbor stands; whether it is really built upon the love of God; whether we do

"love Him because He first loved us"; whether Ps, we are pure in heart: for this is the foundation

which shall never be moved/24,'

Your holiness makes you as conspicuous, as Me the sun in the midst of the heaven. As ye cannot go out of the world, so neither can ye stay in it without appearing to all mankind. Ye may not flee from men; and while ye are among them, it is impossible to hide your lowliness and meekness, and those other dispositions whereby ye — aspire to be perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Love cannot be hid any more than light; and least of all when it shines forth in action, when ye exercise yourselves in the _ labor of love, in beneficience of every kind 25)

Can you use his [the Pharisee's] first plea with God—which is, in substance, "I do no harm: I ; live in no outward sin: I do nothing for which

my own heart condemns me." an Do you not? Are you sure of that? Do you live in no practice for which your own heart conVe demns you? If you are not an adulterer, if you o: are not unchaste, either in word or deed, are you not unjust? The grand measure of justice, as

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well as of mercy, is, "Do unto others as thou wouldst they should do unto thee.'"' Do you walk by this rule? Do you never do unto any what you would not they should do unto you?

Nay, are you not grossly unjust? Are you not an extortioner? Do you not make a gain of any man's ignorance or necessity? Neither in buying nor selling? Suppose you were engaged in trade: do you demand, do you receive, no more than the real value of what you sell? Do you demand, do you receive, no more of the ignorant than of the knowing—of a little child, than of an experienced trader?

If you do, why does not your heart condemn your...

Indeed, you do not come up to the righteousness of the Pharisee. . .

But still the righteousness of a Christian exceeds all this righteousness of a scribe or Pharisee by fulfilling the spirit as well as the letter of the law; by inward as well as outward obedience.

In this, in the spirituality of it, it admits of no comparison. This is the point which our Lord so largely proved, in the whole tenor of this discourse [the Sermon on the Mount]. Their righteousness was external only; Christian righteousness is in the inner man.

Thus, to do no harm, to do good, to attend the lon

BY JOHN WESLEY

ordinances of God (the righteousness of a Pharisee) are all external: whereas, on the contrary, poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst after righteousness, the love of our neighbor, and purity of heart (the righteousness of a Christian) are all internal. And even peacemaking (or doing good) and suffering for righteousness' sake, stand entitled to the blessings annexed to them, only as they imply these inward dispositions, as they spring from, exercise, and confirm them...

Be thou a lover of God, and of all mankind.

In this spirit, do and suffer all things\2® How does the Christian reprove his neighbor?

In what manner, then, shall we reprove our brother, in order that our reproof may be most effectual?

Let us first of all take care, that whatever we do, may be done in "the spirit of love'; in the spirit of tender good will to our neighbor; as for one who is the son of our common Father, and one for whom Christ died, that he might be a partaker of salvation. Then, by the grace of God, love will beget love. The affection of the

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speaker will spread to the heart of the hearer; and you will find, in due time, that your labor hath not been in vain in the Lord.

Meantime, the greatest care must be taken, that you speak in the spirit of humility. Beware that you do not think of. yourself more highly than you ought to think. If you think too highly of yourself, you can scarce avoid despising your brother. And if you show, or even feel, the least contempt for those whom you reprove, it will blast your whole work, and occasion you to lose all your labor. In order to prevent the very appearance of pride, it will often be needful to be explicit on the head; to disclaim all preferring yourself before him; and at the very time you reprove that which is evil, to own and bless

_ God for that which is good in him.

Great care must be taken, in the third place, to speak in the spirit of meekness, as well as lowliness. The Apostle assures us "that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."

Anger, though it be adorned with the name of zeal, begets anger; not love or holiness. We should therefore avoid, with all possible care,

the very appearance of it. Let there be no trace of it, either in the eyes, the gesture, the tone of

BY JOHN WESLEY

voice; but let these concur in manifesting a loving, humble, and dispassionate spirit.

But all this time, see that you do not trust in yourself. Put no confidence in your own wisdom, or address, or abilities of any kind. For the success of all you speak or do, trust not in yourself, but in the great author of every good and perfect gift. Therefore, while you are speaking, continually lift up your heart to Him that worketh all in all. And whatsoever is spoken in the spirit of prayer, will not fall to the ground,??

Who 1s a gospel minister?

Not every one that preaches the eternal decrees (although many suppose this is the very thing); that talks much of the sovereignty of God, of free, distinguishing grace, of dear electing love, of irresistible grace, and of the infallible perseverance of the saints.

A man may speak of all these by the hour together; yea, with all his heart and with all his voice; and yet have no right at all to the title of a gospel minister.

Not every one that talks largely and earnestly on those precious subjects—the righteousness and blood of Christ. Let a man descant upon

by halal ieee ee

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these in ever so lively a manner, let him describe his sufferings ever so pathetically; if he stops there, if he does not show man's duty, as well as Christ's sufferings; if he does not apply all to the consciences of his hearers; he will never lead them to life, either here or hereafter; and therefore is no gospel minister.

Not every one who deals in the promises only, without ever showing the terrors of the law; that slides over 'the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteous: ness,' and endeavors to heal those that never were wounded, These promise-mongers are no gospel ministers.

Not every one (very nearly allied to the former) who bends all his strength to coax sinners to Christ. Such soft, tender expressions, as "My dear hearers, My dear lambs," though repeated a thousand times, do not prove a gospel minister.

Lastly, not everyone that preaches justification by faith; he that goes no farther than this, that does not insist upon sanctification also, upon all the fruits of faith, upon universal holiness, does not declare the whole counsel of God, and consequently is not a gospel minister,

Who then is such? Who is a gospel minister, ey.

BY JOHN WESLEY

in the full, scriptural sense of the word? He and he alone, of whatever denomination, that does declare the whole counsel of God; that does preach the whole gospel, even justification and sanctification, preparatory to glory. He that does not put asunder what God has joined, but publishes alike, "Christ dying for us, and Christ living in us." He that constantly applies all this to the hearts of his hearers, being willing to spend and be spent for them; having himself the mind which was in Christ, and steadily walking as Christ also walked; he, and he alone, can with propriety be termed a gospel minister.

Let it be particularly observed, if the gospel be "glad tidings of great salvation which shall be unto all people," then those only are, in the full sense, gospel ministers who proclaim the "great salvation'; that is, salvation from all (both inward and outward) sin, into "all the mind that was in Christ Jesus"; and likewise proclaim offers of this salvation to every child of man. This honorable title is therefore vilely prostituted, when it is given to any but those who testify

"that God willeth all men to be saved," and "to ~ be perfect as their Father which is in heaven is perfect.'¢§

by ay" ty Gate Ro Net |

ay yeh é ts

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eae uit _ What is the harm in costly apparel?

My What harm does it do, to adorn ourselves with gold, or pearls, or costly array; suppose you can

afford it? That is, suppose it does not hurt or - impoverish your family? The first harm it does nt is, it engenders pride; and where it is already,

Mmereases it...

BS Nothing is more natural than to think ourselves better, because we are dressed in better fe clothes. And it is scarcely possible for a man to By wear costly apparel, without, in some measure,

, valuing himself upon it...

Na Secondly: the wearing gay or costly apparel, "

~ naturally tends to breed and to increase vanity.

By vanity I mean, the love and desire of being ar} admired and praised. .

. ih Thirdly: the wearing of gay and costly apui parel, naturally tends to beget anger, and every ca turbulent and uneasy passion. And it is on this

; ie very account that the Apostle places this "outiP ward adorning" in direct opposition to the "ornament of a meek and quiet spirit." ..

. ie | Fourthly: gay and costly apparel directly tends

Rute create and inflame lust.

I was in doubt _ whether to name this brute appetite. Or, in ferder to spare delicate ears, to express it by some

BY JOHN WESLEY

gentle circumlocution. ... But I think it best to speak out. ... The fact is plain and undeniable: it has this effect both on the wearer and the beholder.

Fifthly: the wearing costly array is directly opposite to the being adorned with good works.

Nothing can be more evident than this: for the more you lay out on your own apparel, the less you have left to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, to lodge the strangers, to relieve those that are sick and in prison, and to lessen the numberless afflictions to which we are exposed in this vale of tearsi?9

What are the rules for the use of money?

The first of these is (he that heareth, let him understand!) "Gain all you can." ... It is our bounden duty to do this: we ought to gain all we can gain, without buying gold too dear, without paying more for it than it is worth. But this it is certain we ought not to do: we ought not to gain money at the expense of life, nor (which is in effect the same thing) at the expense of our health. Therefore, no gain whatsoever should ~ induce us to enter into, or to continue in, any z employ, which is of such a kind, or is attended

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with so hard or so long labor, as to impair our constitution. Neither should we begin or continue in any business which necessarily deprives us of proper seasons for food and sleep, in such a proportion as our nature requires.

We are, secondly, to gain all we can without hurting our mind, any more than our body. For neither may we hurt this: we must preserve, at all events, the spirit of a healthful mind...

. To gain money we must not lose our souls.

We are, thirdly, to gain all we can without hurting our neighbor. But this we may not, cannot do, if we love our neighbor as ourselves. We cannot, if we love everyone as ourselves, hurt any one in his substance. We cannot devour the increase of his lands, and perhaps the lands and houses themselves, by gaming, by overgrown bills

(whether on account of physic, or law, or anything else), or by requiring or taking such interest as even the laws of our country forbid.

We cannot, consistent with brotherly love, sell our goods below the market price; we cannot study to ruin our neighbor's trade, in order to advance our own; much less can we entice away, or receive, any of his servants or workmen whom

he has need of. None can gain by swallowing up 2 i ".- o-oo «

BY JOHN WESLEY

his neighbor's substance, without gaining the damnation of hell!

Neither may we gain by hurting our neighbor in his body. Therefore we may not sell anything which tends to impair his health. Such is, eminently, all that liquid fire, commonly called drams, or spirituous liquors. It is true, these may have a place in medicine; they may be of use in some bodily disorders; although there would rarely be occasion for them, were it not for the unskillfulness of the practitioner. ..

Gain all you can, by common sense, by using in your business all the understanding which God has given you. ...

Having gained all you can by honest wisdom, and unwearied diligence, the second rule of Christian prudence is, "Save all -you' can. is

IExpend no part of it merely to gratify the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life...

. Lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life, to gain the admiration or praise of men.

. Men are expensive in diet, or apparel, or furniture, not barely to please the appetite, or to gratify their eye, or their imagination, but their vanity, too....

Nor, indeed, can a man properly be said to have anything, if he only lays it up. You may as

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well throw your money into the sea, as bury it in

the earth. And you may as well bury it in the earth, as in your chest, or in the Bank of England. Not to use, is effectually to throw it away.

If, therefore, you would indeed "make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness," add the third rule to the two preceding. Having, first, gained all you can, and, secondly, saved all you can, then "give all you can."

When the Possessor of heaven and earth brought you into being, and placed you in this world, He placed you here, not as a proprietor, but a steward: as such He entrusted you, for a season, with goods of various kinds; but the sole property of these still rests in Him, nor can ever be alienated from Him. As you yourself are not your own, but his, such is, likewise, all that you enjoy. Such is your soul and your body, not your own, but God's!3° If you have no family, after you have provided for yourself, give away all that remains.

. This was the practice of all the young men at Oxford, who were called Methodists.

For example: one of them had thirty pounds _a year. He lived on twenty-eight, and gave away forty shillings. The next year, receiving sixty

: pounds, he still lived on twenty-eight, and gave foe ae

BY JOHN WESLEY

away two and thirty. The third year he received ninety pounds, and gave away sixty-two. The fourth year he received a hundred and twenty pounds. Still he lived as before on twenty-eight; and gave to the poor ninety-two.

Was not this a more excellent way?3) How shall Protestants and Catholics deal with each other?

O brethren, let us not still fall out by the way!

I hope to see you in heaven. And if I practice the religion above described, you dare not say

I shall go to hell. You cannot think so, None can persuade you to it. Your own conscience tells you the contrary. Then if we cannot think alike in all things, at least we may love alike. Herein we cannot possibly do amiss. For one point none can doubt a moment—''God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him."

In the name, then, and in the strength, of God, let us resolve, first, not to hurt one another; to do nothing unkind or unfriendly to each other, nothing which we would not have done to ourselves. Rather let us endeavor after every instance of a kind, friendly, and Christian behavior toward each other.

i aval We sf k E

THE HOUSE OF RELIGION

Let us resolve, secondly, God being our helper, to speak nothing harsh or unkind to each other.

The sure way to avoid this, is to say all the good we can, both of and to one another: In all our conversation, either with or concerning each other, to use only the language of love; to speak with all softness and tenderness; with the most endearing expression which is consistent with truth and sincerity.

Let us, thirdly, resolve to harbor no unkind thought, no unfriendly temper, toward each other. Let us lay the axe to the root of the tree: let us examine all that rises in our heart, and suffer no disposition there which is contrary to tender affection. Then shall we easily refrain from unkind actions and words, when the very root of bitterness is cut up.

Let us, fourthly, endeavor to help each other on in whatever we are agreed leads to the kingdom. So far as we can, let us always rejoice to strengthen each other's hands in God. Above all, let us each take heed to himself (since each must give an account of himself to God that he fall not short of the religion of love; that he be not condemned in that he himself approveth.

. Let us count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lords?

Notes by Chapters Editor's Note. To avoid needless repetition the following key to sources of John Wesley's works, as used in this Reflection Book, is supplied.

A. Journal of John Wesley, The, ed. by Nehemiah Curnock (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1938; published by Eaton and Mains in 1909)

. Letters of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., The, ed. by John Telford (London: The Epworth Press,

1931) . Sermons of the Spiritual Life, by John Wesley, ed. by Abel Stevens (N. Tibbals & Son, 1875)

. Sermons on Several Occasions, by John Wesley (London: The Epworth Press, 1958) . Standard Sermons of John Wesley, The, ed. by E. H. Sugden (London: The Epworth Press, 1921)

Works of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., The, ed. by John Emory (New York and Cincinnati: Methodist Book Concern,

1916; first published in the United States by Emory and Waugh, New York, 1831)

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