The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 01 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 01 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
a bitter zeal, inciting us to strive sharply and passionately with them
_that are out of the way_? Or is our zeal the flame of love, so as to
direct all our words with sweetness, lowliness, and meekness of wisdom?
9. Once more, what shall we say concerning the youth of this place?
Have _you_ either the form or the power of _Christian_ Godliness? Are
you humble, teachable, advisable; or stubborn, self-willed, heady, and
high-minded? Are you obedient to your superiors as to parents? Or do
you despise those to whom you owe the tenderest reverence? Are you
diligent in your easy business, pursuing your studies with all your
strength? Do you _redeem the time_, crowding as much work into every
day as it can contain? Rather, are ye not conscious to yourselves, that
you waste away day after day, either in reading what has no tendency to
_Christianity_, or in gaming, or in――you know not what? Are you better
managers of your fortune than of your time? Do you, out of principle,
take care to _owe no man any thing_? Do you _remember the Sabbath-day
to keep it holy_; to spend it in the more immediate worship of God?
When you are in his House, Do you consider that God is there? Do you
behave, _as seeing Him that is invisible_? Do you know how to _possess
your bodies, in sanctification and honour_? Are not drunkenness and
uncleanness found among you? Yea, are there not of you, who _glory
in their shame_? Do not many of you _take the name of God in vain_,
perhaps habitually, without either remorse or fear? Yea, * Are there
not a multitude of you that are forsworn? I fear, a swiftly-increasing
multitude. Be not surprized, brethren. Before God and this congregation;
I own myself to have been of that number; solemnly swearing to _observe
all those customs_, which I then knew nothing of; _and those statutes_,
which I did not so much as read over, either then, or for some years
after. What is perjury, if this is not? But if it be, O what a weight
of sin, yea, sin of no common dye, lieth upon us! And doth not _the
Most High regard it_?
10. * May it not be one of the consequences of this that so many of
you are a generation of _Triflers_? Triflers with God, with one another,
and with your own souls? For how few of you spend, from one week to
another, a single hour in private prayer? How few have any thought
of God in the general tenor of your conversation? Who of you is, in
any degree, acquainted with the work of his Spirit, his supernatural
work in the souls of men? Can you bear, unless now and then, in a
church, any talk of the Holy Ghost? Would you not take it for granted,
if one began such a conversation, that it was either _Hypocrisy_
or _Enthusiasm_? In the name of the Lord God Almighty, I ask, what
religion are _you_ of? Even the talk of _Christianity_ ye cannot, will
not bear. O my brethren! what a _Christian_ city is this? _It is time
for thee, Lord, to lay to thine hand!_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account