Wesley Corpus

We ought not so to do. Let them all their life long rejoice unto God, so it be with reverence. And even if light ness or pride should mix with their joy, let us not strike at the joy itself, (this is the gift of God,) but at that lightness or pride, that the evil may cease and the good remain. Q. 19. Ought we to be anxiously careful about perfection, lest we should die before we have attained ? A. In nowise. We ought to be thus careful for nothing, neither spiritual mor temporal. Q. 20. But ought we not to be troubled on account of the sinful nature which still remains in us? A. It is good for us to have a deep sense of this, and to be much ashamed before the Lord: But this should only incite us the more earnestly to turn unto Christ every moment, and to draw light, and life, and strength from him, that we may go on conquering and to conquer. And, therefore, when the sense of our sin most abounds, the sense of his love should much more abound. Q. 21. Will our joy or our trouble increase as we grow in grace? A. Perhaps both. But without doubt our joy in the Lord will increase as our love increases. Q. 22. Is not the teaching believers to be continually poring upon their inbred sin, the ready way to make them forget that they were purged from their former sins? A. We find by experience it is; or to make them under value and account it a little thing : whereas, indeed, (though there are still greater gifts behind,) this is inexpressibly great and glorious. Of IT is desired, that all things be considered as in the imme diate presence of God; that every person speak freely whatever is in his heart. Q. 1. How may we best improve the time of this Conference? A. (1.) While we are conversing, let us have an especial care to set God always before us. (2.) In the intermediate hours, let us redeem all the time we can for private exercises. (3) Therein let us give ourselves to prayer for one another, and for a blessing on this our labour. Q. 2. Have our Conferences been as useful as they might have been.” A. No : We have been continually straitened for time.