Wesley Corpus

“Thus it was with me. I led a good life from a child: and this was the great hinderance to my coming to Christ. For, abounding in good works, and diligently using all the means of grace, 1 persuaded myself for thirteen or fourteen years, that all was well, and I could not fail of salvation. And yet, I cannot say my soul was at rest, even till the time when God showed me clearly, that my heart was as corrupt, notwithstanding all my good works, as that of an adulterer or murderer. Then my self dependence withered away. I wantod a Saviour and fled naked *o him. And in him I found true rest to my soul; being fully assured that all my sins were forgiven. Yet I cannot tell the hour or day when { first received that full assurance. For it was not given me at first, neither at once; but grew up in me by degrees. But from the time it wag confirmed in me, I never lost it; having never since doubted, no, not for a.moment.” What Wensext Neusser said was as follows :--“ From a child I had many fits of seriousness, and was often uneasy at my sins: this uneasiness was much increased about fifteen years since by the preaching of Journal I.--7 © ~ 94 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Aug. 1738. Christian David. I thought the way to get ease, was, to go and live among the Lutherans, whom I supposed to be all good Christians. But I soon found they, as well as the Papists, were carnal, worldly-minded men. About thirteen years ago I came from among them to Hernhuth ; but was still as uneasy as before: which I do not wonder at now; (though I did then ;) for all this time, though I saw clearly I could not be saved but by the death of Christ, yet I did not trust in that only for salvation ; but depended on my own righteousness also, as the joint condition of my acceptance.