Quotes from the founder of Methodism

John Wesley

Here is a compilation of my favorite quotes from John Wesley:

"Gaining knowledge is a good thing; but saving souls is a better." -Jackson VIII, 304.

"But for the proof of every one of these weighty truths experience is worth [a] thousand reasons." -Works XXV, 403.

"But our comfort is, He that made the heart can heal the heart." -Jackson XIII, 125.

"Whosoever will reign with Christ in heaven, must have Christ reigning in him on earth." -Jackson X, 364.

"Go on, in a full pursuit of all the mind that was in Christ, of inward and then outward holiness; so shall you be not almost but altogether a Christian." -Works III, 332.

"It (Christianity) is holiness and happiness, the image of God impressed on a created spirit, a fountain of peace and love springing up into everlasting life." -Jackson X, 75.

"As the more holy we are upon earth the more happy we must be (seeing there is an inseparable connection between holiness and happiness)." -Works II, 431.

"God's design was...not to form any new sect; but to reform the nation, particularly the Church; and to spread Scriptural holiness over the land." -Jackson, VIII, 299-300.

"The Methodist alone do not insist on your holding this or that opinion; but they think and let think. Neither do they impose any particular mode of worship; but you may continue to worship in your former manner, be it what it may." -Jackson, IV, 419.

"By perfection I mean perfect love, or loving God with all our heart, so as to rejoice evermore, to pray with out ceasing and 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 favour with God as long as he believes." -Works II, 227.

"By perfection I mean the humble, gentle, patient love of God and man, ruling all the tempers, words, and actions; the whole heart, and the whole life. -Letters, IV, 187.

"I desire your words may be always the picture of your heart. This is truly plain language." -Works XI, 225.

"The poor are the Christians. I am quite out of conceit with almost all those who have this world's goods." -Works XIII, 71.

"If you cannot relieve, do not grieve, the poor. Give them soft words, if nothing else." -Works XX, 176.

"And indeed our prayers are the proper test of our desires, nothing being fit to have a place in our desires which is not fit to have a place in our prayers." -Works I, 578.

"I know, were I myself to preach one whole year in one place, I should preach both myself and most of my congregation asleep. Nor can I ever believe it was ever the will of our Lord that any congregation should have one teacher only. We have found by long and constant experience that a frequent change of teachers is best." -Jackson VIII, 199.

"I am very rarely led by impressions, but generally by reason and by Scripture." -Jackson XIII, 66.

"All Scripture is inspired of God---The Spirit of God not only once inspired those who wrote it, but continually inspires, supernaturally assists, those that read it with earnest prayer." -Explanatory Notes: 2 Tim. 3:16.

"As a very little dust will disorder a clock, and the least sand will obscure our sight, so the least grain of sin which is upon the heart will hinder its right motion toward God." -Jackson XI, 438.

"Be ashamed of nothing but sin: Not of fetching wood (if time permit) or drawing water; not of cleaning your own shoes, or your neighbor's." -Jackson VIII, 310.

"I shall endeavor to show that Christianity is essentially a social religion, and that to turn it into a solitary religion is indeed to destroy it." -Jackson V, 296.

"Much money does not imply much sense; neither does a good estate infer a good understanding. As a gay coat may cover a bad heart, so fair peruke [wig] may adorn a weak head." Jackson IX, 230.

"Meanwhile redeem the time, catch the golden moments as they fly." -Letters, VII, 241.

"And God's time is always the best time." -Works II, 148.