Most of the quotes I hear or read from Charles Wesley are the same ones. Over and over. I don’t think that’s right.
Here are ten more unknown quotes from Charles Wesley. These quotes show a lesser known side of Charles that should be more widely known.
If you missed the first post, you can read it here.
1. Gobble Gobble
Lodged at Mr Hollis’s, who entertained me with his French Prophets—equal, in his account, if not superior, to the Old Testament ones. While we were undressing, he fell into violent agitations, and gobbled like a turkey-cock. I was frightened and began exorcising him with “Thou deaf and dumb devil,” etc. He soon recovered out of his fit of inspiration. I prayed, and went to bed, not half liking my bedfellow.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Monday, December 11, 1738, bold added.
Charles would have a number of encounters with these so-called prophets. While most were unpleasant, this one stands out.
I’m not sure how you’d respond if you were bunking with someone who unexpectedly started gobbling like a turkey. Charles didn’t much care for it!
2. Schemes Of Satan
Satan by all this would frighten me from preaching the gospel to publicans and harlots, but I am not ignorant of his device.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Saturday, March 17, 1739.
This quote is largely unknown because some published versions of Charles’s journal do not include this entry.
Charles wrote this in response to another controversial situation. He was being discouraged from having any conversation with a particular woman.
Charles affirmed that he would continue to encourage her to repent. He refused to withhold the gospel from people for fear of his own reputation being tarnished.
3. Natural Temper
He had appeared, and strongly withstood me, and vindicated that Jezebel. I gave no place to him; no, not for a moment. My natural temper was kept down, and changed into a passionate concern for him, which I expressed in prayers and tears. All besides him were melted down. I kissed him, and testified my love, but could make no impression.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry June 10, 1739.
Charles was reading his account to a Methodist society about one of the modern prophetesses who were causing a stir. He was opposed by a friend.
Charles Wesley has been accurately described as a passionate and emotional man. In this case, he was pleasantly surprised by the grace of God restraining his natural temper and replacing it with compassion for his opponent.
4. Forsaking All For Christ
Retired, and prayed for particular direction, offering up my friends, my liberty, my life, for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s. Somewhat less burdened, yet could not be quite easy till I gave up all.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Saturday, June 23, 1739.
Charles is often mischaracterized as nothing more than the hymnist of the Methodist movement. This quote shows his devotion to Christ and the gospel.
Charles was first and foremost a minister and preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was resolved to offer up everything for the sake of this calling.
For more, check out my post about Charles’s quotes on the gospel.
5. Uninterrupted Temptation
That the world, and their god, abhor our manner of acting, I have too sensible proof. This whole week has the messenger of Satan been buffeting me with uninterrupted temptation.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Saturday, June 30, 1739.
Charles is speaking in the context of complaints and arguments he has been hearing. These are against his emphasis on inward religious conversion. They are against his railing against dead, external religion. They are against his preaching in the open-air.
He summarizes all of these complaints as the views of the devil. His proof is that the more he does these things, the more he is faced with temptation in order to knock him off the path of righteousness.
6. A Continual Storm
Never knew till now the strength of temptation, and energy of sin. Who that conferred with flesh and blood would covet great success? I live in a continual storm. My soul is always in my hand. The enemy thrusts sore at me, that I may fall. And a worse enemy than the devil is my own heart. Miror aliquem praedicatorem salvari!
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Sunday, July 22, 1739, bold added.
The Latin phrase at the end means, “I marvel that any preacher is saved!”
Success in ministry was being accompanied by great trial, tribulation, and temptation. He described it as living in a continual storm.
This glimpse into the heart and difficulty of a preacher may give reason to be more sympathetic toward prominent ministers who have fallen into sin. It is not an excuse for sin. But the struggle is real.
Pray for your pastors and leaders. If they are being faithful in the ministry of the gospel, it is likely that they, too, live in the midst of a continual storm.
7. Pride Before The Fall
Too well pleased with my success, which brought upon me the buffetings of Satan.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Tuesday, August 7, 1739.
Charles understood spiritual warfare. He also believed that the buffetings of the enemy could be for his own spiritual well-being.
When Charles began to walk down the path of pride, he was restrained. The working of the enemy in his life helped put him back in a state of humility and dependence upon his Lord and Savior.
8. Strengthened By Scoffers
The scoffers gave me new life. For two hours I preached the law… We could not depart before eleven [pm].
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Sunday, September 2, 1739.
Many Christians are discouraged by scoffers. In this case, Charles was revitalized by them.
As people scoffed at his preaching, Charles found his strength growing. He preached the law for two hours while they scoffed at him.
Charles had already preached at two different locations that day to about 9,000 hearers. He was understandably very tired by the time he arrived to preach this final time. Thank God for the scoffers!
9. Losing Count
They come to me daily, who have found Christ, or rather are found by him, so that I lose count of them.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Monday, September 17, 1739.
What a testimony of the amazing work of God!
Charles preached the gospel to vast multitudes. He was used by God to see the salvation of so many that he began to lose count.
Day by day, God was adding to His kingdom those who were being saved under the preaching ministry of Charles Wesley.
How can his preaching ministry be forgotten or neglected?
10. A Peculiar Blessing
I look upon this instance as a peculiar blessing to me, for I had scarce any faith for old people. They are so strong in self-righteousness, so entrenched in their own works, so hardened by the abuse of means. Surely the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, if they can pull down such strongholds.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Wednesday, October 3, 1739.
People who witness the gospel regularly may experience that certain groups of people are harder to minister to than others. For various reasons.
I know one brother in Christ who finds it incredibly difficult to witness to business men wearing suits. That’s pretty specific. But for him, it’s a reality. They shut him down seemingly every time.
For Charles Wesley, he had begun to lose hope that any older person could be saved. His mind was changed by the peculiar blessing of hearing about a 73-year old woman coming to repentance under his preaching.
This testimony renewed Charles’s confidence in the power of the gospel. He was strengthened in his conviction that the gospel can break through even the hardest of hearts and tear down the strongest of strongholds.
The gospel truly is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.
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