Plain Account of Christian Perfection

by John Wesley

Overview

John Wesley’s emphasis on personal and social holiness is one of the hallmarks of historic Methodism. Widely read among the spiritual writers, he encouraged his followers toward a Christ-centered, experiential sanctification encompassing all of life. His views profoundly affected later evangelicalism and Pentecostalism.

Wesley’s impact on the eighteenth century church in England and, indeed, on the worldwide church, is incalculable. Through his long missionary journeys and preaching, his open air meetings, small group Bible studies, and accountability groups, he hoped to help the church of his day rediscover and claim the sanctifying, life-transforming power of God. A Plain Account of Christian Perfection is a short handbook that provides the theological and historical basis for his convictions and offers insights and instruction on what Christian perfection means for each believer.

About the Series:
Hendrickson Christian Classics include the timeless books that generations of believers have treasured. Each volume in the series has been freshly typeset, while thoughtful new prefaces explore their spiritual and historical contexts. For contemporary readers, this is the essential library of Christian wisdom through the ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781546985532
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	05/26/2017
Pages:	132
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.28(d)

About the Author

John Wesley (1703–1791) is known for two things: co-founding Methodism and his tremendous work ethic. In the 1700s, when one’s options for land travel included walking, journeying by horseback, or riding in a carriage, Wesley logged more than four thousand miles a year. During his lifetime, he preached about forty thousand sermons. In 1729, he became a tutor at Oxford University, where he founded a religious club that people nicknamed the Methodists.
In 1738, Wesley’s life was changed while attending a religious meeting in London. Someone gave a reading of Martin Luther’s Preface to Romans. Wesley later said, “I felt my heart strangely warmed.” Afterwards, he became a great preacher, traveling throughout the British Isles.
Although he never intended to form a new church separate from the Church of England, his followers soon began to form their own organization. The Methodists placed great emphasis on living a holy life and they had many travelling preachers. After the American War of Independence, Methodism spread in the U.S. A professed opponent of slavery, Wesley published his Thoughts on Slavery in 1774.
He preached his last sermon on February 23, 1791, and died a week later, on March 2, at age eighty-seven.