Press on to perfection

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

Lastly, if in time past you have abused this blessed hope of being holy as he is holy (1 Peter 1:16), yet do not therefore cast it away. Let the abuse cease; the use remain. Use it now to the more abundant glory of God and profit of your own soul. In steadfast faith, in calm tranquility of spirit, in full assurance of hope, rejoicing always for what God has done (1 Thessalonians 5:16), press on to perfection (Hebrews 6:1). Daily growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), and going on from strength to strength (Psalm 84:7), in resignation, in patience, in humble thankfulness for what you have attained and for what you shall attain, run the race set before you, looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2), till through perfect love you enter into his glory!

1771 text

7. Lastly, If in time past you have abused this blessed hope of being holy as he is holy, yet do not therefore cast it away. Let the abuse cease, the use remain. Use it now to the more abundant glory of God and profit of your own soul. In stedfast faith, in calm tranquillity of spirit, in full assurance of hope, rejoicing evermore for what God hath done, press ye on unto perfection. Daily growing in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and going on from strength to strength, in resignation, in patience, in humble thankfulness for what ye have attained, and for what ye shall, run the race set before you, looking unto Jesus, ’till through perfect love ye enter into his glory!

Report a mistake in this passage

About this text

On 2 Corinthians 2:11: how Satan tries to damp the joy and peace of believers pressing on to holiness, and how to resist him.

EditionPrinted in Wesley's 1771 Works, which do not say when he preached it

Wesley's own sermon in updated English wording. The 1771 panel is the text of the Works Wesley himself had printed in 1771. It is public domain.

Reference

Sermon 42 in the 1771 Works. Second Corinthians 2:11.

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We put this English text into updated wording with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open the 1771 text under any part to compare.

Report a mistake