Monday, May 21, 2007

Some Favorite John Wesley Quotations

John Wesley was one of the greatest Christians ever to live. What you will find here are some things he said or wrote about a variety of topics.

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LOVE. For how far is love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth itself without love. We may die without the knowledge of many truths and yet be carried into Abraham's bosom. But if we do without love, what will knowledge avail?
Works (Bic Ed 1.107.

MONEY. Gain all you can without hurting either yourself or your neighbor, in soul or body, by applying hereto with uninterrupted diligence, and with all the understanding God has given you. Save all you can. by cutting off every expense which serves to indulge foolish desire, to gratify either desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life. Waste nothing, living or dying, on sin or folly, whether for yourselsf or your children. And then, Give all you can, or in other words give all you have to God.
Works (Bic Ed) 2.278f.
[In another work, Wesley amplifies the use of money to include what is needed for one's business or profession and to provide for necessities of you children (which would include college and other sustaining expenses.--ca]


Scripture. I want to know one thing, the way to heaven--how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book!
Works (Bic Ed) 1.105


Field Preaching. George Whitfield persistently urged Wesly to engage in preaching outdoors; but Wesley did not think it proper. Finally, on April 2, 1739, he wrote in his journal: "At four in the afternoon, I submitted to be more vile, and proclaimed in the highways the glad tiding of salvation, speaking from a little eminence in a ground adjoining the city (Bristol), to about three thousand people." Albert Outler believes this experience was as important as the Aldergate experience, for Wesley had finally found his vocation.
Quotation from Journal II (Jackson Ed.), 172-173.



Disagreements. Every wise man, therefore, will allow others the same liberty of thinking which he desires they should allow him; and will no more insist on their embracing theirs. He bears with those who differ from him and only asks him with whom he desires to unite in love that single question, "Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart?"
Albert Outler, John Wesley, 1964, p. 95.