Wesley Corpus

To Miss March Date: LONDON, April 7, 1763. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- The true gospel touches the very edge both of Calvinism and Antinomianism; so that nothing but the mighty power of God can prevent our sliding either into the one or the other. The nicest point of all which relates to Christian perfection is that which you inquire of. Thus much is certain: they that love God with all their heart and all men as themselves are scripturally perfect. And surely such there are; otherwise the promise of God would be a mere mockery of human weakness. Hold fast this. But then remember, on the other hand, you have this treasure in an earthen vessel; you dwell in a poor, shattered house of clay, which presses down the immortal spirit. Hence all your thoughts, words, and actions are so imperfect, so far from coming up to the standard (that law of love which, but for the corruptible body, your soul would answer in all instances), that you may well say till you go to Him you love: Every moment, Lord, I need The merit of Thy death. To a Friend [4] [LONDON, May] 1763. At your instance I undertake the irksome task of looking back upon things which I wish to forget for ever. I have had innumerable proofs (though such as it would now be an endless task to collect together) of all the facts which I recite. And I recite them as briefly as possible, because I do not desire to aggravate anything, but barely to place it in a true light. 1. Mr. Maxfield was justified while I was praying with him in Baldwin Street, Bristol. [For his conversion, see letter of May 28, 1739.] 2. Not long after, he was employed by me as a preacher in London. 3. Hereby he had access to Mrs. Maxfield, [Miss Elizabeth Branford, one of the firstfruits of Whitefield’s ministry in London. She died on Nov. 23, 1777.] whom otherwise he was never likely to see, much less to marry; from whence all his outward prosperity had its rise.