John and Charles Wesley led the Methodist revival that swept eighteenth-century England and America and changed the face of Christianity forever. Their spirituality synthesized a unique blend of elements from the church fathers, Catholic mystics, and Protestant Reformers. This selection includes John's incisive writings on the spiritual life as well as the famous hymns of Charles, giving vibrant expression to the faith of the Wesleys.

"About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." -- John Wesley

This HarperCollins Spiritual Classic collects the significant writings of the Pietists, whose influence continues to shape Christianity today.

"Perfection is nothing other than faith in the Lord Jesus and is not in us or ours but in Christ or of Christ for whose sake we are considered perfect before God and thus his perfection is ours by ascription."--August Hermann Francke

Although the movement was relatively brief, the longstanding influence of Pietism reaches many aspects of our intellectual, political and religious culture today. Originating in late sixteenth and early seventeenth-century, Pietism spread to influence Lutheran, Reformed and Wesleyan churches throughout Europe and North America, forever changing the face of Christianity. Preaching, which had previously been dense theological discourse, suddenly became directed toward the moral and religious life of the people in the pew. For the first time, congregants desired to grow their spiritual lives and devotional writing was born. The Pietists' emphasis on conversion through personal religious experience, heartfelt union with Christ, and the importance of Scripture as a guide in spiritual life, are still evident today in churches across the country. This classic collection of writings from the most prominent and important Pietists is essential to understanding our history as a religious people.

Foreword by Phyllis Tickle

Edited by Emilie Griffin and Peter C. Erb