Wesley Corpus

6. Religion itself (I choose to use the very words wherein I described it long ago) we define, ‘The loving God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves; and in that love abstaining from all evil, and doing all possible good to all men.’ The same meaning we have sometimes expressed a little more at large, thus, -- ‘Religion we conceive to be no other than love: the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God “with all our heart and soul and strength,” as having “first loved us,” as the fountain of all the good we have received and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every soul which God hath made, every man on earth, as our own soul. ‘This love we believe to be the medicine of life, the neverfailing remedy for all the evils of a disordered world, for all the miseries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness going hand in hand. There is humbleness of mind, gentleness, longsuffering, the whole image of God, and at the same time a peace that passeth all understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory. ‘This religion we long to see established in the world, -- a religion of love and joy and peace; having its seat in the heart, in the inmost soul, but ever showing itself by its fruits; continually springing forth, not only in all innocence (for love worketh no ill to his neighbor), but likewise in every kind of beneficence, spreading virtue and happiness all around it.’ [An Earnest Appeal. See Works, viii. 3-4.] If this can be proved by Scripture or reason to be enthusiastic or erroneous doctrine, we will then plead guilty to the indictment of ‘teaching error and enthusiasm.’ But if this be the genuine religion of Christ, then will all who advance this charge against us be found false witnesses before God in the day when He shall judge the earth.