COUNSELS TO THOSE WHO HAVE ATTAINED IT

About 1778 Mr. Wesley became convinced that this blessing could be lost. He came to think it an "exceeding common thing for persons to lose it more than once before they are established therein." -- Vol. vi, p. 520. "It is a miracle if they do not, seeing all earth and hell are so enraged against them: while, meantime, so very few, even of the children of God, skillfully endeavor to strengthen their hands." -- Vol. iv, p. 419. "Two things are certain: the one that it is possible to lose even the pure love of God; the other, that it is not necessary: it may be lost, but it may be kept. You must continue to grow if you continue to stand; for no one can stand still." -- Vol. vii, p.43. "To retain this grace is much more than to gain it." -- Vol. vii, p. 206. His letters abound in counsels on this point.

Expect trials. "You were enabled to give Him all your heart, to rejoice evermore, and to pray without ceasing. Afterward He permitted His work to be tried; and sometimes as by fire." --Vol. vii, p.45 "As soon as you had your armor on, it was fit that it should be proved: so God prepared for you the occasions of fighting, that you might conquer, and might know both your own weakness and His strength. Each day will bring just temptation enough and power enough to conquer it." -- Vol. vii, p.102.

"Temptations, indeed, you are to expect. But you may tread them all under your feet; His grace is sufficient for you." -- Vol vii, p. 124. Go forward. "You seem to be only a babe in that state, and have therefore need to go forward continually. It is by doing and suffering the whole will of our Lord." -- Vol vii, p. 221. "It is so far from being incapable of increase that one perfected in love may grow in grace far swifter than he did before." -- Vol. vi, p. 529. He helps one in securing his heart thus: "Is your eye altogether single? Is your heart entirely pure? I know you gave the whole to God once; but do you stand to the gift?" -- Vol. vi, p.728. "There is nothing more sure than that God is able and willing to give always what He gives once. And it is most certainly His design, that whatever He has given you should abide with you forever. But this can only be by simple faith." -- Vol vi, p.761. To another: "Hold fast the beginning of your confidence steadfast unto the end. You are continually apt to throw away what you have for what you want." -- Vol. vi, p.718. To another: "We find there is very frequently a kind of wilderness state, not only after justification, but even after deliverance from sin. The most frequent cause of this second darkness or distress, I believe is evil reasoning. If this be the cause, is there any way to regain that deliverance but by resuming your confidence?" -- Vol. vi, p. 767. "Oh be all Christ's and admit no rival into your heart; but above all, beware of unbelief. Beware of the reasoning devil. In every cloud or shadow of doubt look up, and help, while yet you ask, is given. All you want is ready! Only believe!" -- Vol. vii, p.39 In 1765 he says: "A general temptation now is the denying what God has wrought. Guard all whom you converse with from this, and from fancying great grace can be preserved without great watchfulness and self-denial." -- Vol. vii, p. 28. "If these lose what they have received, nothing will be more easy than to think they never had it; it is so ready a way of excusing themselves for throwing away the blessed gift of God." -- Vol. vi, p.768.

Labor for others is useful. So he writes to Miss Ritchie: "One means of retaining the pure love of God is, the exhorting others to press earnestly after it." "If you use the whole power which is then given, He will not only continue that power, but increase it day by day. Meantime Satan will assault you on every side; but you shall be more than conqueror." -- Vol. vii, p. 174. To Miss Bolton: "Encourage all that know this to aspire after salvation, salvation into the whole image of -God. Beware you do not decline in your zeal for this; let no prudence hinder you. Let prudence guide, not cool its fires." -- Vol. vii, p. 117. Again: "While you help others, God will help you. You must not bury your talent in the earth." -- Vol. vii, p. 1l8. To another: "One reason why those who are saved from sin should freely declare it to believers is because nothing is a stronger incitement to them to seek after the same blessing. And we ought, by every possible means, to press every serious believer to forget the things which are behind, and with all earnestness go on to perfection. Indeed, if they are not thirsting after this, it is scarcely possible to keep what they have; they can hardly retain any power of faith, if they are not panting after holiness." -- Vol. vii,

p.50. To Miss Chapman: "You can never speak too strongly or explicitly upon the head of Christian perfection. If' you speak only faintly and indirectly, none will be offended and none profited. But if you speak out, although some will probably be angry, yet others will soon find the power of God unto salvation." -- Vol. vii, p.254.

As to declaring it, he says: "It requires a great degree of watchfulness to retain the perfect love of God; and one great means of retaining it is, frankly to declare what God has given you, and earnestly to exhort all the believers you meet with to follow after full salvation." -- Vol. vii, p. 13. At the love4east Mr. C. "related the manner how God perfected him in love, a testimony which is always attended with a peculiar blessing." -- Vol. iv, p. 458. To Miss Briggs, who was "but a little child, just a babe in the pure love of Christ," he writes: "Undoubtedly it would be a cross to declare what God has done for your soul; nay, and afterward Satan would accuse you on the account, telling you, 'You did it out of pride.' Yea, and some of your sisters would blame you, and perhaps put the same construction upon it. Nevertheless, if you do it with a single eye, it will be pleasing to God." -- Vol. vii, p. 103. In the "Plain Account" he states it thus: "It would be advisable not to speak of it to them that know not God, (it is most likely it would only provoke them to contradict and blaspheme,) nor to others without some particular reason, without some good in view. And then we should have especial care to avoid all appearance of boasting, to speak with the deepest humility and reverence, giving all the glory to God. By silence he might avoid many crosses which will naturally and necessarily ensue, if he simply declare, even among believers, what God has wrought in his soul. If, therefore, such a one were to confer with flesh and blood, he would be entirely silent. But this could not be done with a clear conscience, for undoubtedly he ought to speak. Men do not light a candle to put it under a bushel, much less does the all-wise God. He does not raise such a monument of His power and love to hide it from all mankind. Rather, He intends it as a general blessing to those who are simple of heart. He designs thereby not barely the happiness of that individual person, but the animating and encouraging others to follow after the same blessing. His will is 'that many shall see it' and rejoice, 'and put their trust in the Lord.' Nor does anything under heaven more quicken the desires of those who are justified, than to converse with those whom they believe to have experienced a still higher salvation. This places that salvation in their view, and increases their hunger and thirst after it; an advantage which must have been entirely lost had the person so saved buried himself in silence." -- Vol. vi, p. 502. -- Tract.