The Nature of Christian Perfection Part 2

If you have not read part 1, please read that section first.

To Dr. Dodd, in 1756: —

 

"When I began to make the Scriptures my study (about seven and twenty years ago), I began to see that Christians are called to love God with all their heart, and to serve Him with all their strength, which is precisely what I apprehend to be meant by the Scriptural term 'perfection.' After weighing this for some years, I openly declared my senti­ments before the University, in the sermon on 'The circum­cision of the heart.' About six years after, in consequence of an advice I received from Bishop Gibson, 'Tell all the world what you mean by perfection,' I published my coolest and latest thoughts in the sermon on that subject. I therein build on no authority, ancient or modern, but the Scripture." —Methodist Magazine, 1779, p. 434.

 

To Miss Hain, in 1758: —

 

"The doctrine of perfection, you say, has perplexed you much, since some of our preachers have placed it in so dreadful a light; one of them affirming, 'A believer, till per­fect, is under the curse of God, and in a state of damnation.' Another, 'If you die before you have attained it, you will surely perish.'

 

"By perfection, I mean perfect love, or the loving God with all our heart, so as to rejoice evermore, to pray with­out ceasing, and in everything to give thanks. I am convinced every believer may attain this; yet I do not say he is in a state of damnation, or under the curse of God, till he does attain. No; he is in a state of grace, and in favor with God, as long as he believes. Neither would I say, 'If you die without it, you will perish;' but rather, till you are saved from unholy tempers, you are not ripe for glory. There will, therefore, more promises be fulfilled in your soul before God takes you to himself.'

 

"'But none can attain perfection unless they first believe it attainable.' Neither do I affirm this. I knew a Calvinist In London, who never believed it attainable, till the moment she did attain it; and then lay declaring it aloud for many days, till her spirit returned to God."—

Works, vol. vi. p. 732.

 

To Miss Furly, in 1762: —

 

"Certainly sanctification (in the proper sense) is 'an in­stantaneous deliverance from all sin'; and includes 'an instantaneous power then given, always to cleave to God.' Yet this sanctification (at least, in the lower degrees) does not include a power never to think a useless thought, nor ever speak a useless word. I, myself, believe that such a perfection is inconsistent with living in a corruptible body: for this makes it impossible 'always to think right.' While we breathe, we shall, more or less, mistake. If, therefore, Christian perfection implies this, we must not expect it till after death.

 

"I want you to be all love. This is the perfection I believe and teach. And this perfection is consistent with a thou-sand nervous disorders, which that high-strained perfection is not. Indeed, my judgment is, that (in this case particu­larly) to overdo is to undo; and that to set perfection too high (so high as no man that we ever heard or read of at­tained) is the most effectual (because unsuspected) way of driving it out of the world."—

Works, vol. vi. p. 718.

 

To Mrs. Maitland: —

 

"As to the word perfection, it is Scriptural; therefore, neither you nor I can in conscience object to it, unless we would send the Holy Ghost to school, and teach Him to speak who made the tongue.

 

"By Christian perfection, I mean (as I have said again and again) the so loving God and our neighbor as to 'rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.' He that experiences this is Scripturally perfect. And if you do not, yet you may experience it; you surely will, if you follow hard after it, for the Scripture cannot be broken.

 

"What then does their arguing reprove, who object against Christian perfection? Absolute or infallible perfection I never contended for. Sinless perfection I do not contend for, seeing it is not Scriptural. A perfection, such as en­ables a person to fulfill the whole law, and so needs not the merits of Christ, —I acknowledge no such perfection; I do, now, and always did, protest against it.

 

"'But is there no sin in those who are perfect in love?' I believe not; but be that as it may, they feel none, —no temper contrary to pure love, —while they rejoice, pray, and give thanks continually. And whether sin is suspended, or extinguished, I will not dispute; it is enough that they feel nothing but love. This, you allow, we should daily press after. And this is all I contend for."—

Works, vol. vi. p. 752.

 

To Miss H., in 1758: —

 

"Were you to ask, 'What if I should die this moment?' I should answer, 'I believe you would be saved; because I am persuaded, none that has faith can die before he is made ripe for glory.' This is the doctrine which I continually teach, which has nothing to do with justification by works. Nor can it discourage any who have faith, neither weaken their peace, nor damp their joy in the Lord. True believers are not distressed hereby, either in life or in death; unless in some rare instance, wherein the temptation of the devil is joined with a melancholy temper.

 

"Upon the whole, I observe your great argument turns all along on a mistake of the doctrine. Whatever warm expres­sions may drop from young men, we do not teach that any believer is under condemnation. So that all the inferences drawn from this supposition fall to the ground at once."— 

Works, vol. vi. p. 733.