Wesley Corpus

Now they see all the hidden abominations there, the depths of pride, self-will, and hell; yet having the witness in themselves, ‘Thou art an heir of God, a joint heir with Christ, even in the midst of this fiery trial;’ which continually heightens both the strong sense they then have of their inability to help themselves, and the inexpressible hunger they feel after a full renewal in his image, in ‘righteousness and true holiness.’ Then God is mindful of the desire of them that fear him, and gives them a single eye, and a pure heart; He stamps upon them his own image and superscription; He createth them anew in Christ Jesus; He cometh unto them with his Son and blessed Spirit, and, fixing his abode in their souls, bringeth them into the “rest which remaineth for the people of God.’” Here I cannot but remark, (1.) That this is the strongest account we ever gave of Christian perfection; indeed too strong in more than one particular, as is observed in the notes annexed. (2.) That there is nothing which we have since advanced upon the subject, either in verse or prose, which is not either directly or indirectly contained in this preface. * Is it not astonishing, that while this book is extant, which was published four-and-twenty years ago, any one should face me down, that this is a new doctrine, and what I never taught before ?-[This note was first published in the year 1765.-EDIT.] So that whether our present doctrine be right or wrong, it is however the same which we taught from the beginning. 14. I need not give additional proofs of this, by multiplying quotations from the volume itself. It may suffice, to cite part of one hymn only, the last in that volume: Lord, I believe a rest remains, To all thy people known; A rest where pure enjoyment reigns, And thou art loved alone; A rest where all our soul's desire Is fix'd on things above; *”here doubt and pain and fear expire, Cast out by perfect love. from every evil motion freed, (The Son hath made us free,) On all the powers of hell we tread, In glorious liberty. safe in the way of life, above Death, earth, and hell we rise; Me find, when perfected in love, Our long-sought paradise.