“The voice of one, who truly loves God, surely is,—
‘’Tis worse than death my God to love,
And not my God alone.’
“Such an one is certainly ‘as much athirst for sanctification as he was once for justification.’ You remember, this used to be one of your constant questions. It is not now; therefore, you are altered in your sentiments: and, unless we come to an explanation, we shall inevitably contradict each other. But this ought not to be in any wise, if it can possibly be avoided.
“I still think, to disbelieve all the professors” [of sanctification] “amounts to a denial of the thing. For if there be no living witness of what we have preached for twenty years, I cannot, dare not, preach it any longer. The whole comes to one point: is there, or is there not, any instantaneous sanctification between justification and death? I say, yes. You often seem to say, no. What arguments brought you to think so? Perhaps they may convince me too.
“There is one question more, if you allow me there is such a thing; can one who has attained it fall? Formerly I thought not; but you, with Thomas Walsh and John Jones, convinced me of my mistake.
“On Monday I am to set out for Norwich. Divide the men and women at once: so we do in London. I shall not be in town again till this day fortnight.
‘Oh for a heart to praise my God!’
“What is there beside? Παντα γελως και παντα κονις. Adieu!
“John Wesley.”[693]