“Do you seem to be a great way off? You are not out of God’s reach; not farther from being healed than the man covered with leprosy was, the moment before Christ said, ‘I will; be thou clean.’ Jesus heals all diseases as well as one. He does not expect you to bring Him fruit in order to fetch the root. All you want, He will give with a new heart; all He asks of you is, to claim your right. Do you seek a sacrifice beside? Oh, He is all-sufficient! He has paid the full debt for both actual and original sin. By His stripes you are healed. Why should you be without the blessing any longer? It is His will that, from the time you read this, you should never sin against Him any more. Now believe, and His blood shall so flow over your soul, that no spot shall be found there. He will keep your heart, as with a garrison, that it shall never open to anything but His love. There needs but one grain of faith, and the mountain shall be removed. All you say of wanting desire and earnestness, I can still say, with regard to a farther blessing,—that constant uninterrupted intercourse with God, of which Lopez speaks, when he says that, for thirty-six years, he had never discontinued one moment, making an act of love with all his strength. For want of this, I do not keep quite clear of idle reasonings. I never had a clear abiding witness, that I was saved from sin; but I feel my soul hangs on Jesus, and I do believe He will keep me for ever. My peace is more solid than it was at first, and my soul seems more sunk into God. But what I judge more by, is the change I feel; my one desire is to do His will: and I feel nothing but love to every creature, let them use me well or ill. Oh pray for me, and stir up all you can, to seek all my Saviour has to give.”[455]
This extract is given, not because it contains no unjustifiable expressions, but because it establishes the fact already mentioned, and because it is a fair specimen of the loose language which came into use at this important juncture. It was addressed to Wesley, and was published by him in one of his earliest magazines, in which he also inserts a large number of other letters, on the same subject, received by him at and about the period of which we are now writing. The following are extracts taken from the correspondence, dated 1761.
“M. W.” writes to him:
“The Lord has graciously given me a clean heart; and I hope to use it in His service. I find I speak less than I did, and what I do speak I know is according to the will of God. Mr. Edward Perronet questioned me much yesterday. I simply answered him; and he, at last, prayed that he might feel what we enjoyed. Before you left town, I was agonizing with excess of desire to love God alone. I knew the power was ready, whenever I asked for it in faith. I found it was like throwing myself into a rapid stream, where I must swim or perish. The Lord gave me faith, and a sweet serenity. Prayer is sweet. I would not accept the empire of the world, to keep me from that food of immortal souls.”
“Mr. J. C. M.” writes:
“From the time Jesus cleansed my heart from sin, I was ever happy in His love; though, at times, I was much tempted. Satan did, indeed, sift me as wheat; but he gained no advantage over me. His chief temptation was, to deny the work of God; not to believe I was sealed with His Spirit. I cried earnestly to the Lord, that, if it was not done yet, He would do it; and, on Easter Monday, at chapel, I found I had access unto the Father through the Son; and He showed me, He had made with me an everlasting covenant. I then knew, my soul was sealed in heaven with the blood of Jesus. I could say, ‘I am the Lamb’s wife’; and was answered, ‘the spotless bride.’ From this time, I never found a doubt that God had taken away the root of sin; but yet, as the light shined clearer, I saw many things lacking in my soul. I wanted to have my whole mind, and to have all my thoughts fixed on God. Above all, I wanted to live every moment in a spirit of sacrifice. My peace increased; but I found Satan had power to inject wandering thoughts, and thereby cloud my understanding, so that I could not clearly discern the state of my soul. On April 30, for near two hours, my cry was, ‘Let my whole mind be fixed on Thee!’ I trust to Thy faithfulness, to keep my mind, as Thou hast kept my heart. I will believe, and according to my faith it shall be unto me.’ At first indeed, this faith was weak; but it grew stronger and stronger. The next day Satan assaulted me on every side, to draw my mind from God; but I am enabled to stand on my watchtower, and to keep the eye of my soul continually fixed on the Lamb of God.”
Another correspondent, who professed entire sanctification, was questioned by Wesley concerning wandering thoughts, and answered:
“Useless, unedifying thoughts pass through, though they do not lodge in, my mind. Therefore, I judge I have not received the blessing which others have; but I have a clear witness, that my heart never departs from God, and am enabled to discern, that I do offer unto the Lord an uninterrupted act of love. Still, I live too much without, not enough within. My life is not sufficiently a hidden life. I would find, in the whole creation, nothing but God and my own soul.”
Another says:
“In the latter end of February, my wife wrote me concerning the work
God was doing in London; adding, that one of my acquaintance had
gotten a clean heart. I started when I read that word; but I hastened
home. My soul thirsted for God, and most of the day was spent in
prayer. I called God my Father; and knew He could save me now.
Meantime, Satan was ready to tear me in pieces, till I cried vehemently,
‘Lord! wouldst Thou have me believe Thee?’ As soon as I spoke, He
answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.’
My soul fell upon Him; I did believe, and peace sprung up like a river in
my soul. I cannot tell you, what a glorious liberty I was now brought
into. I hung upon Him, and loved Him with all my heart. Since then,
my heart has been continually burning with love to God and all mankind.
I laid at His feet, and loathed myself. He talked with me all the day
long. I found Him building up the ruined places, and making my soul as
a watered garden. After a while, however, I found my mind wandering as
I walked in the street. I told brother Biggs of it. He said, ‘You want
to have your mind stayed upon God, as well as your affections.’ I saw
the thing clearly. It was not long before some of our brethren spoke of