Wesley Corpus

“J find it necessary to follow after perfection in every thing, every place, and in every hour. There are many thoughts I think, many words I speak, and many of my works, I find are now perfect in their kind ; that is, thought, spoke, and done, with a single eye to the glory of God. I cannot think I ought to look for perfection in the future, and so sit still and be idle at present. I received the grace of God, which I now must occupy, or suffer loss. Certainly God is pleased or displeased with all my thoughts, words, and actions; which is manifested to me by the convictions of his Holy Spirit. And the more I obey God, the more holy I am; and the more holy I am, the more I please God. Or, as one expresses it, ‘ The more I deny myseif in thought, word, and deed, of pride, lust, anger, self will, worldly mindedness, the more the good Spirit will dwell and abide in me; for where sin is, it drives the good Spirit away.’ When my conscience is void of offence, I enjoy a continual sense of my justification ; from which flow unspeakable peace, love, and happiness. “| find more and more, I must deny myself. Whatever others may do, I find no peace, (nor do I desire it,) while my thoughts,.words, or actions, are agreeable to nature. This is my misfortune. Nature has still a part in me, andI often yield to evil thoughts, trifling words, or foolish actions ; works done not in faith, which grieve the Spirit of God, and bring me into misery and trouble. Yet I have a good hope I shall go on from strength to strength, from conquering to conquer.