John Wesley

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John Wesley (28 June 1703 - 2 March 1791) was an English preacher, and founder of the Methodist movement.

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I observed, "Love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment." It is not only "the first and great" command, but all the commandments in one. "Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise," they are all comprised in this one word, love.
- Wesley quoting his own sermon on "The Circumsicion of the Heart" (January 1, 1733) in the work A Plain Account Of Christian Perfection (Edition of 1777).

I look on all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty, to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation.
- Journal (11 June 1739).

In returning I read a very different book, published by an honest Quaker, on that execrable sum of all villanies, commonly called the Slave-trade.
- Journal (12 February 1772) after reading Some historical accounts of Guinea by Anthony Benezet.

Are you a man? Then you should have an human heart. But have you indeed? What is your heart made of? Is there no such principle as Compassion there? Do you never feel another's pain? Have you no Sympathy? No sense of human woe? No pity for the miserable? When you saw the flowing eyes, the heaving breasts, or the bleeding sides and tortured limbs of your fellow-creatures, was you a stone, or a brute? Did you look upon them with the eyes of a tiger? When you squeezed the agonizing creatures down in the ship, or when you threw their poor mangled remains into the sea, had you no relenting? Did not one tear drop from your eye, one sigh escape from your breast? Do you feel no relenting now? If you do not, you must go on, till the measure of your iniquities is full. Then will the Great GOD deal with You, as you have dealt with them, and require all their blood at your hands.
- Thoughts Upon Slavery (1774).

Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry.
- Letter (10 December 1777).

I desire to have both heaven and hell ever in my eye, while I stand on this isthmus of life, between two boundless oceans.
- Letter to Charles Wesley.

Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly saved all you can, Then give all you can.
- Sermon 50 The Use of Money
  Popularly summarised as:
  Make all you can,
  Save all you can,
  Give all you can.

Let it be observed, that slovenliness is no part of religion; that neither this, nor any text of Scripture, condemns neatness of apparel. Certainly this is a duty, not a sin. Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.
- Sermon 93 On Dress. Compare: "Cleanness of body was ever deemed to proceed from a due reverence to God", Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning, Book ii (1605).

I believe that He was made man, joining the human nature with the divine in one person; being conceived by the singular operation of the Holy Ghost, and born of the blessed Virgin Mary, who, as well after as before she brought Him forth, continued a pure and unspotted virgin.
- "Letter to a Roman Catholic" (DUBLIN July 18,1749) [1]

The greater the share the people have in government, the less liberty, civil or religious, does a nation enjoy.
- J. H. Plumb, England in the Eighteenth Century (1714 - 1815) (Pelican, 1964),p. 94.

In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church.
- Popery Calmly Considered (1779): The works of the Rev. John Wesley, 1812, London : Printed at the Conference - Office ... by Thomas Cordeux, agent, vol. XV, p. 180 - Google Books

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I am always in haste, but never in a hurry.
- Given as a saying of Wesley, in the "Saturday Review", Nov. 28, 1874.

As to matters of dress, I would recommend one never to be first in the fashion nor the last out of it.

Beware you be not swallowed up in books! An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.

Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.

This is most often attributed to Wesley, however Wesley also writes this:

As to the nature of enthusiasm, it is ,undoubtedly a disorder of the mind; and such a disorder as greatly hinders the exercise of reason. Nay, sometimes it wholly sets it aside: it not only dims but shuts the eyes of the understanding. It may, therefore, well be accounted a species of madness; of madness rather than of folly: seeing a fool is properly one who draws wrong conclusions from right premisses; whereas a madman draws right conclusions, but from wrong premisses. And so does an enthusiast suppose his premisses true, and his conclusions would necessarily follow. But here lies his mistake: his premisses are false. He imagines himself to be what he is not: and therefore, setting out wrong, the farther he goes, the more he wanders out of the way.

and

Beware you are not a fiery, persecuting enthusiast... Never dream of forcing men into the ways of God. Think yourself, and let think. Use no constraint in matters of religion. Even those who are farthest out of the way never compel to come in by any other means than reason, truth, and love. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wesley/sermons.v.xxxvii.html, Sermon 37, The Nature of Enthusiasm, 1872

My guess is he never said that enthusiasm was anything worthy of the Christian. Preferring reason, truth and love to reconcile persons to God.

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
- Statement known as "John Wesley's Rule": Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.
  - According to Richard Heitzenrater, Professor of Church History and Wesleyan Studies at Duke Divinity School, there is no evidence that John Wesley ever wrote the rule that is attributed to him.

Every one, though born of God in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees.

God buries his workmen, but carries on his work.

I desired as many as could to join together in fasting and prayer, that God would restore the spirit of love and of a sound mind to the poor deluded rebels in America.

I value all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.

No circumstances can make it necessary for a man to burst in sunder all the ties of humanity.

Passion and prejudice govern the world; only under the name of reason.

The best of it is, God is with us.

The Church recruited people who had been starched and ironed before they were washed.

The longer I live, the larger allowances I make for human infirmities.

Think and let think.

When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.

When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to me.