PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 04 (of 32)
Wesley, John, 1703-1791 · 87,043 words · 135 reading sections
Part 121
And till we do thus universally deny ourselves, our lives will be a _ridiculous mixture_ of I know not what; _sober_ and covetous, proud and _devout_, _temperate_ and vain, _regular_ in our forms of prayer, and irregular in our passions, circumspect in _little modes_ of behaviour, and careless of tempers the most essen…
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When we see people _drunk_, or in a violent passion, we own they are so long in a state of delusion, thinking, saying, and doing irregular things, by the mere force of their blood and spirits. Here we all see the power of our bodies over our reason; and never suppose a man capable of judging or acting wisely, so long a…
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In like manner, you are not, it may be, in the same height of passion that another man is. You are at _some uncertain distance_ from his state. But if you fancy you are not corrupted with self-love, not weakened by prejudices, not vain in your imaginations, not disordered in your tempers, because you are not in that _e…
440 wordsSECTION 124CHAP. IV.
_THE necessity of divine grace, another general ground of self-denial._ I. I come now to another great doctrine of our religion, namely, the _absolute necessity of divine grace_: which is another constant reason for universal _self-denial_. The invisible assistance of God’s Spirit, by which we are disposed to that wh…
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When we are left to consider our duty with relation to the express commandments of God, there are many ways of life, which we think ourselves at liberty to follow, because they seem to be no plain breach of any express commandment. But we are to look to a farther rule, and to consider our pleasures and cares, our desig…
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_Eusebius_ would read prayers _twice_ a day in his _parish_; he would be often with the poor and sick, and spend much time in charitable visits; he would be wholly taken up with the _care_ of souls, but that he is busy in studying the _old grammarians_, and would fain _reconcile_ some differences amongst them before he…
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XII. We are true members of the kingdom of God; when the kingdom of God is within us; when the spirit of religion is the spirit of our lives; when seated in our hearts, it diffuses itself into all our motions; when it is the principle of all our thoughts and desires, the spring of all our hopes and fears; when we like …
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XVII. A man may be said to have some regard for religion, who is _regular_ at places of divine worship; but he cannot be reckoned of a _religious spirit_, till it is his Spirit in every place and on every occasion, till he lives and breathes by it, and thinks, and speaks, and acts according to its motions. A man may f…
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When a clergyman preaches, he is for the most part considered as doing that which all clergymen do, whether _good_ or _bad_. But if he is the same wise and virtuous man in his communication, that he is in the _pulpit_; if his speech be always _seasoned with salt_, that it may _minister grace unto the hearers_; if the _…
739 wordsSECTION 130CHAP. V.
_THE necessity of divine grace, obligeth all Christians to a constant purity and holiness of conversation; wherein is shewn the great danger and impiety of reading vain and impertinent books._ I. I have shewn that the _necessity of divine grace_ is a mighty argument for an universal exactness of life and conversation.…
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If you must amuse yourself with a volume of _plays_, because you are laid up with a _broken leg_, or have _lost a friend_, you are as far from wisdom as a child that is to be made quiet with _a rattle_, and as far from religion as those who worship _idols_; nay, to seek to such things for relief and refreshment, is lik…
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VIII. Suppose a person had _lame_ feet, and _bad_ eyes, and that he had an _oil_, that was an infallible cure for them both, when applied to both; if you saw him only using it for his _eyes_, you would not wonder that it had not cured his _feet_; you would know that his anointing his _eyes_ could only cure his _eyes_; …
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X. *We reckon a man sufficiently _mad_ that fancies himself a _king_, and governing his subjects, at the same time that he is tied on a bed of _straw_: now a _Christian_ repeats every day, _I believe the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting_; he thanks God _for the redemption of Je…
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XIV. Consider again to what a miserable state you are reduced, when you are forced to have recourse to foolish books to get rid of your time. Your fortune perhaps has removed you from the necessity of labouring for your _bread_; you have been politely educated in softness; you have no trade or employment to take up you…
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XVI. *It is a doctrine of scripture, and highly agreeable to reason, _That unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required_. Consider therefore that a life of leisure and freedom from want and hardships is as much as can well be given you in this world, as it is giving you an opportunity of living wholly t…
556 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.