Wesley Corpus

“The Church of Moravia was oncea glorious Church. But it is now covered with thick darkness. It is about sixteen years ago that I began to seek for light. I had a New Testament which I constantly read; upon which I often said to myself, ‘This says, I ought to be humble, and meek, and pure in heart. How comes it that Iam not so?’ I went to the best men I knew, and asked, ‘Is not this the word of God? And if so, ought I not to be such as this requires, both in heart and life? They answered, ‘The first Christians were such ; but it was impossible for us to be so perfect.’ This answer gave me no satisfaction. I knew God could not mock his creatures, by requiring of them what he saw it was impossible for them to perform. Tasked others, but had still the same answer, which troubled me more and more. * About fourteen years ago, I was more than ever convinced that I was wholly different from what God required me to be. I consulted his word again and again; but it spoke nothing but condemnation ; till at last I could not read, nor indeed do any thing else, having no hope and no spirit left in me. I had been in this state for several days, when, being musing by myself, these words came strongly into my mind, ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, to the end that all who believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life. I thought, ‘ All? ThenIam one. Then he is given for me. But] amasinner. And he came.to save sinners.’ Immediately my burden dropped off, and my heart was at rest. “ But the full assurance of faith I had not yet; nor for the two years I continued in Moravia. When I was driven out thence by the Jesuits, I retired hither, and was soon after received into the Church. And here after some time it pleased our Lord to manifest himself more clearly to my soul, and give me that full sense of acceptance in him, which excludes all doubt and fear.