Wesley Corpus

35 To Ann Bolton

AuthorJohn Wesley
Typeletter
YearNone
Passage IDjw-letter-1772-35-to-ann-bolton-000
Words237
Religious Experience Justifying Grace Free Will
To Ann Bolton Date: LONDONDERRY, May 27, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- Do you find as much inward life as ever as close and steady communion with God Do you rejoice evermore In what sense do you pray without ceasing Is your peace constant and unshaken Does nothing ruffle you Do you feel no anger no pride no will of your own contrary to the will of God Do you feel no bent to backsliding in your heart You may find and indeed expect temptations innumerable, even to seek happiness in this or that creature. But is every fiery dart repelled, so as to have no place in you With regard to your question, it is only (in other words), Is there any sin in a believer or, Are we not sanctified throughout when we are justified You have a full answer to this question, which has perplexed so many upright souls, in those two sermons wrote expressly on the head, The Repentance of Believers and Sin in Believers. [See Works, v. 144-70.] Read them carefully, and I believe you will want nothing more to confirm you in the truth. Nevertheless you do well in exhorting all that are justified to hold fast all they have received. And it is certain they need never lose either their love or peace or power till they are fully sanctified. Your affectionate brother.