Wesley Corpus

On January 1, 1733, I preached before the University, in St. Mary’s church, on “the Circumcision of the Heart;” an account of which I gave in these words: “It is that habitual disposition of soul which, in the sacred writings, is termed holiness; and which directly implies, the being cleansed from sin, ‘from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit; and, by consequence, the being endued with those virtues which were in Christ Jesus; the being so ‘renewed in the image of our mind, as to be “per fect as our Father in heaven is perfect.’” (Vol. V., p. 203.) In the same sermon I observed, “‘Love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment. It is not only ‘the first andgreat command, but all the commandments in one. “What soever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, they are all comprisedin this one word, love. In this is perfection, and glory, and happi mess: The royal law of heaven and earth is this, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The one perfect good shall be your one ultimate end. One thing shall ye desire for its own sake,--the fruition of Him who is all in all. One happiness shall ye propose to your souls, even an union with Him that made them, the having ‘fellowship with the Father and the Son,” the being ‘joined to the Lord in one spirit.” One design ye are to pursue to the end of time,--the enjoyment of God in time and in eternity. Desire other things, so far as they tend to this; love the creature, as it leads to the Creator. But in every step you take, be this the glorious point that terminates your view. Let every affection, and thought, and word, and action, be subordinate to this. Whatever ye desire or fear, whatever ye seek or shun, whatever ye think, speak, or do, be it in order to your happiness in God, the sole end, as well as source, of your being.” (Ibid., pp. 207, 208.) I concluded in these words: “Here is the sum of the perfect law, the circumcision of the heart.