what he says about the subject:
17: Questions and Answers on the Doctrine of Sanctification
"When does inward sanctification begin?
"In the moment a man is justified. (Yet sin remains in him, yea, the seed of all sin, till he is sanctified throughout). From that time a believer gradually dies to sin, and grows in grace."
19: Thoughts on Christian Perfection
"Is this death to sin, and renewal in love, gradual or instantaneous?
"A man may be dying for some time; yet he does not, properly speaking, die, till the soul is separated from the body; and in that instant, he lives the life of eternity. In like manner, he may be dying to sin for some time; yet he is not dead to sin, till sin is separated from his soul; and in that instant, he lives the full life of love. And as the change undergone, when the body dies, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any we had known before, yea, such as till then, it is impossible to conceive; so the change wrought, when the soul dies to sin, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any before, and than any can conceive, till he experiences it. Yet he still grows in grace, in the knowledge of Christ, in the love and image of God; and will do so, not only till death, but to all eternity."
25: "Farther Thoughts on Christian Perfection"
"25. But is not this the case of all that are justified? Do they not gradually die to sin and grow in grace, till at, or perhaps a little before, death, God perfects them in love?
"I believe this is the case of most, but not all. God usually gives a considerable time for men to receive light, to grow in grace, to do and suffer His will, before they are either justified or sanctified; but He does not invariably adhere to this; sometimes He 'cuts short His work'; He does the work of many years in a few weeks; perhaps in a week, a day, an hour. He justifies or sanctifies both those who have done or suffered nothing, and who have not had time for a gradual growth either in light or grace. And 'may He not do what He will with His own? Is thine eye evil, because He is good?'
"It need not, therefore, be affirmed over and over, and proved by forty texts of Scripture, either that most men are perfected in love at last, that there is a gradual work of God in the soul, or that, generally speaking, it is a long time, even many ears, before sin is destroyed. All this we know; but we know likewise, that God may, with man's good leave, 'cut short His work,' in whatever degree He pleases, and do the usual work of many years in a moment. He does so in many instances; and yet there is a gradual work, both before and after that moment; so that one may affirm the work is gradual; another, it is instantaneous, without any manner of contradiction."
26: Brief Summation of Wesley's Views
"(10) It [Christian Perfection] is constantly both preceded and followed by a gradual work.
"(11) But is it in itself instantaneous or not? In examining this, let us go on step by step.
"An instantaneous change has been wrought in some believers. None can deny this.
"Since that change, they enjoy perfect love; they feel this, and this alone; they 'rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.' Now this is all that I mean by perfection; therefore, these are witnesses of the perfection which I preach.
"But in some, this change was not instantaneous.' They did not perceive the instant when it was wrought. It is often difficult to perceive the instant when a man dies; yet there is an instant in which life ceases. And if ever sin ceases, there must be a last moment of its existence, and a first moment of our deliverance from it.
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In addition to the quotes, above, Wesley takes up this same issue in his sermon, (54) The Scripture Way of Salvation. In that sermon he says:
"18. 'But does God work this great work [of Entire Sanctification / Christian Perfection] in the soul gradually or instantaneously?' Perhaps it may be gradually wrought in some. I mean in this sense - they do not advert to the particular moment wherein sin ceases to be. But it is infinitely desirable, were it the will of God, that it should be done instantaneously; that the Lord should destroy sin 'by the breath of his mouth' in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And so he generally does, a plain fact of which there is evidence enough to satisfy any unprejudiced person. Thou therefore look for it every moment. Look for it in the way above described; in all those 'good works' whereunto thou art 'created anew in Christ Jesus'. . . . Look for it then every day, every hour, every moment. Why not this hour, this moment? Certainly you may look for it now, if you believe it is by faith. And by this token may you surely know whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done first, before you are sanctified. You think, 'I must first be or do thus or thus.' Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you may expect it as you are: and if as you are, then expect it now. It is of importance to observe that there is an inseparable connection between these three points - expect it by faith, expect it as you are, and expect it now! . . .
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From the above quotes, it should be clear that, for Wesley, sanctification includes both, a process and an instantaneous crisis moment. It seems that the issue that many stumble over is a lack of clear distinction between the larger process of sanctification and the more specific moment (instantaneous crisis) of entire sanctification, which takes place within that larger process. It has been the case that many within the Holiness tradition, the larger Wesleyan/Methodist tradition, and John Wesley, himself, have fallen into the trap of failing to be precise in their language. Very often "sanctification" (without any qualification) is used when specifically meaning "entire sanctification." Nevertheless, for Wesley, sanctification is a process in which the crisis moment of entire sanctification takes place. And, indeed, God may "cut short" the process that leads up to entire sanctification when we seek it by faith. Further, even after the experience of entire sanctification, we continue to grow in grace. - Thanks be to God for His sanctifying grace!
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