HOW TO ATTAIN IT

Mr. Wesley's views on this point exhibit no inconsistency, though they become more clearly defined after the commencement of the great revival. They may be stated briefly: 1. A deep conviction of depravity is necessary. 2. An entire devotion of the whole man to God's service, and a hearty obedience to his whole will. 3. Simple and direct faith, expecting it every moment.

The conviction "implies no guilt, no sense of condemnation, no consciousness of wrath of God. It does not suppose any doubt of the favor of God, or any 'fear that hath torment.' It is a conviction wrought by the Holy Ghost, of the sin which still remains in our heart; of the carnal mind which 'does still remain even in them that are regenerate;' although it does no longer reign, it has not now dominion over them. It is a conviction of proneness to evil, a heart bent to backsliding; of the still continuing tendency of the flesh to lust against the Spirit; of the tendency of our heart to self-will, to atheism, or idolatry, and, above all, to unbelief; of the sin still cleaving to all our words and actions; of our helplessness, of our utter inability to think one good thought or to form one good desire." -- Vol. i, p. 389.

When thus convinced, we must give ourselves unreservedly to the whole will of God, and at once and constantly hold ourselves "a living sacrifice." We must look for the sanctifying Spirit, "not in careless indifference or indolent inactivity, but in vigorous, universal obedience; in denying ourselves, and taking up our cross daily, as well as in earnest prayer and fasting, and a close attendance on all the ordinances of God." -- Vol. vi, p. 505. That is, in the path of duty we shall find it. But "all who expect to be sanctified at all, except to be sanctified by faith. Meantime, they know that faith will not be given but to them that obey. Remotely therefore, the blessing depends on our works, although, immediately, on simple faith." -- Vol. vi, p. 716. Like justification, "it is not of works, lest any man should boast. It is the gift of God, and is to be received by plain, simple faith. Suppose you are now laboring to 'abstain from all appearance of evil,' 'zealous of good works,' and walking diligently and carefully in all the ordinances of God; there is, then, only one point remaining. The voice of God to your soul is, 'Believe and be saved.' " -- Vol. ii, p.224.

His enemies would have it that he taught that holiness was to be obtained by works. But he replies: "I have continually testified (for these five and twenty years,) in private and in public, that we are sanctified as well as justified by faith. And, indeed, the one of those great truths does exceedingly illustrate the other. Exactly as we are justified by faith, so are we sanctified by faith. Faith is the condition, and the only condition of sanctification, exactly as it is of justification. No man is sanctified till he believes; every man when he believes is sanctified" -- Vol. i, p. 388. "But what is that faith whereby we are sanctified? It is a Divine evidence and conviction, first that God hath promised it in the Holy Scripture. Till we are thoroughly satisfied of this there is no moving one step further. secondly, that what God hath promised He is able to perform. Thirdly, that he is able and willing to do it now. To this confidence, that God is both able and willing to sanctify us now, there needs to be added one thing more: a Divine evidence and conviction that He doeth it. In that hour it is done: God says to the inmost soul, 'According to thy faith be it unto thee!' Then the soul is pure from every spot of sin; it is clean 'from all unrighteousness.' "Vol. i, p.390.

We find many illustrative facts. "Inquiring (in 1781) how it was that in all these parts we have so few witnesses of full salvation, I constantly receive one and the same answer: 'We see now we sought it by our works: we thought it was to come gradually: we never expected it to come in a moment, by simple faith, in the very same manner as we received justification?' What wonder is it then, that you have been fighting all these years as one that beateth the air." -- Vol. vii, p.377.

He strongly urges all believers to look for full salvation new without regard to the time that has elapsed since conversion. "Every one, though born of God in an instant, yea, and sanctified in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows, by slow degrees, both after the former and latter change. But it does not follow from thence, that there must be a considerable tract of time between the one and the other. A year or a month is the same with God as a thousand. It is therefore our duty to pray and look for full salvation every day, every hour, every moment, without waiting till we have either done or suffered more. Why should not this be the accepted time?" -- Vol. vi. p. 764. In the Journal we read: "Many (at Macclesfield) believed that the blood of Christ had cleansed them from all sin. I spoke to these (forty in all) one by one. Some of them said they received that blessing ten days, some seven, some four, some three days after they found peace with God, and two of them the next day." -- Vol. iv, p. 135. A remarkable instance is that of Grace Paddy, who was "convinced of sin, converted to God, and renewed in love, within twelve hours." -- Vol. iv, p.219. Once more: "With God one day is as a thousand years. It follows that the quantity of time is nothing to Him. Centuries, years, months, days, hours and moments are exactly the same. Consequently He can as well sanctify in a day after we are justified as a hundred years. There is no difference at all, unless we suppose Him to be such a One as ourselves. Accordingly we see, in fact, that some of the most unquestionable witnesses of sanctifying grace were sanctified within a few days after they were justified." -- Vol. vii, p. 14. No wonder that he exclaims: "O, why do we not encourage all to expect this blessing every hour, from the moment they are justified;" -- Vol. iv, p. 451.

The question of its instantaneousness, Mr. W. meets with clearness. Speaking of the large numbers who entered into "the rest of perfect love" about 1760, he says: "Not trusting to the testimony of others, I carefully examined most of these myself; and every one (after the most careful inquiry, I have not found one exception either in Great Britain or Ireland) has declared that his deliverance from sin was instantaneous; that the change was wrought in a moment." -- Vol. ii,

p.223. But, "be the change instantaneous or gradual, see that you never rest till it is wrought in your own soul, if you desire to dwell with God in glory." -- Ib "As to the manner, I believe this perfection is always wrought in the soul by a simple act of faith; consequently, in an instant." --Vol. vi, p. 532, in 1767. At another time he says: "Perhaps it may be wrought gradually in some; I mean in this sense, they do not advert to the particular moment wherein sin ceases to be. But it is infinitely desirable, were it the will of God, that it should be done instantaneously, that the Lord should destroy sin by the breath of His mouth, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And so He generally does; a plain fact, of which there is evidence enough to satisfy any unprejudiced person. Thou, therefore, look for it every moment! Look for it in the way above described; in all those good works whereunto thou art created anew in Christ Jesus. Look for it every day, every hour, every moment! Why not this hour, this moment? Certainly you may look for it now, if you believe it is by faith. And by this token you may surely know whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done first, before you are sanctified. You think, I must first be or do thus or thus. Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you may expect it as you are; and if as you are, then expect it now. It is of importance to observe that there is an inseparable connection between these three points. Expect it by faith, expect it as you are, and expect it now! To deny one of them is to deny them all." -- Vol. i, p.391.