The Young People's Wesley

s to revive spiritual Christianity, which included justification by faith, entire sanctification, and the wi

ainst every sin, whether in word or deed. He shook off all his trifling acquaintances, and was careful that every moment of his time should be improved. He not only watched over his own heart, but urged others to become religious. He visited those in prison, assisted the poor and sick, and did what he could with his presence and means for the souls and bodies of men. He deprived himself of all the superfluities and many of the necessaries of life that he might help others. He fasted twice each week, omitt

ey's estimate of his own re

discovered to be such as did not edify, especially his manner of speaking of his enemies. By these he was convinced of unbelief and pride. He gives a dark picture of his state at this tim

rder to teach the Georgia Indians the nature of Christianity, but what have I learned myself in the meantime? Wh

e earth-that I am fallen short of the glory of God, alienated

veral qualifying remarks which should not be omitted when his early language is employed. He could not say that he was not converted at this time, or that he was a child

s expression may be gathered from a sermon which he preached some fifty years later. He says: "But what is the faith which is properly saving? what brings eternal salvation to all those that keep it to the end? It is such a divine conviction of God and the things of God as even in its infant state enables everyone that possesses it

f this they are apt to make sad the hearts of those whom God hath not made sad. For they frequently asked those who feared God, 'Do you know that your sins are forgiven?' And upon their saying 'No,' immediately repeated, 'Then you are a child of the devil.' No, that does not follow. It might have been said (and it is all that can be said with propriety), 'Hithe

his, the faith of a servant, 'feareth God and escheweth evil;' or, as is expressed by St. Peter, 'feareth God and worketh righteousness.' In consequence of whic

not that one is accepted by God and the other rejected, but that one has the direct witness of the Spirit that he is a child of God and the other has not. This was Wesley's religious state whe

of B?hler that true faith in Christ was inseparably attended by dominion over sin, and constant peace arising from a sense of forgiveness. He could in no way accept the doctrine until he had first examined the Scriptures and had heard the testimony of three witnesses adduced by B?hler. But what staggered him most was the doctrine of in

oning preaching; but B?hler said: "By no means. Preach faith till you have it, and then because you have it you will preach it." So he began. He uttered strong words at St. Lawrence's and St. Catherine's, and was informed that he could preach no more in either place. At Great St. Helen's he spoke with such plainness that he was told he must preach no more there. At

endorf, says: "Our mode of believing in the Saviour is so easy to Englishmen that they cannot reconci

om of God." Having attended St. Paul's Cathedral in the afternoon, where the anthem was a great comfort to his soul, he went with great reluctance to a society meeting at night at Aldersgate Street. There he found one reading Luther's preface to the Romans; and at about a quarter before nine, while the change which God works in the hear

once to pray for those who had ill-used him, but openly testified to all present what God had done for his

I saw every thought, as well as action or word, just as it was rising in my heart, and whether it was right before God or tainted with pride or selfishness. I never knew before-I mean not at this time-what it was to be still before God. I waked the next morning by the grace of God in the same spirit; and a

same. Ten years after God gave me a clearer view than I had before of the way how to attain it; namely, by faith in the Son of God. And immediately I declared to all, 'We are saved from sin, we are made holy, by

hereof he affirmed. While he advocated strongly the doctrines of Christia

imagine. The more important question is: Did Mr. Wesley believe and teach that such an experience was possible in this life? Did he encourage his people to seek such a blessing, and, when obtained, profess it in a humble spirit? This quest

ly sanctified;' no record of uttering words to that effect. But we have no more doubt that he habitually professed it than that he professed conversion. The relation

fore they were in a situation to make records his position was so fixed t

sanctification, and urg

ttainability in many

sors; told men they had lost it because they did not profess; and said and did so many things, only to be exp

, but soon withdrew from them because of their errors in doctrine. He antagonized the dogma of Zinzendorf, that men are entire