PERFECTIBILITY OF CHRISTIANS, a doctrine held by the 'Wesleyan Methodists (see Mryrnowsrs) of a Christian perfection attainable in this life. It is not a perfection of jastilication, but a perfection of sanctification; which John Wesley, in it sermon on Chris tian perfection, from time text Heb. vi. 1, "Let us go on to perfection," earnestly con tends for as attainable in this life by believers, by arguments founded chiefly on the commandments and promisOs of Scripture concerning sanctification; guarding his doc trine, however, by saying that it is neither an angelic nor an _Mantic perfection, and does not exclude ignorance and error of judgment, with consequent wrong affections, such as "needless fear or ill-grounded hope, unreasonable love, or unreasonable aver sion." He admits, also, that even in this sense it is a rare attainment, but asserts that " several persons have enjoyed this blessing, without interruption, for many years, several enjoy it at this day, mid not a few have enjoyed it unto their death, as they have declared with their latest breath, calmly witnessing that God had saved them from all sin, till their spirit returned to Gott." Concerning all which, the general belief of
Protestant Christians is, that these persons were merely more self-complacent and less sensible of their own corruptions than is usual, and that the commands and promises concerning sanctification are all susceptible of an explanation consistent with remaining .corruption in believers, and a need of further sanctification, or a continued going on unto perfection whilst this life endures.
That perfection is attainable in this life is held by the Franciscans, Jesuits, and Molinists in the church of Rome, but denied by the bominicans and Jansenists. In advocating the doctrine, its Roman Catholic supporters generally rest much on the distinction between mortal and venal sins.