The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 02 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 02 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
*O trust in him for happiness as well as for help. All the springs of
happiness are in him. Trust _in him who giveth us all things richly
to enjoy_, παρέχοντι πλουσίως εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν· Who of his own rich and
free mercy, holds them out to us, as in his own hand, that receiving
them as his gift, and as pledges of his love, we may _enjoy all_ that
we possess. It is his love gives a relish to all we taste, puts life
and sweetness into all, while every creature leads us up to the great
Creator, and all earth is a scale to heaven. He transfuses the joys
that are at his own right-hand, into all he bestows on his thankful
children: who having fellowship with the Father and his Son _Jesus
Christ_, enjoy him in all and above all.
22. Thirdly, seek not to _increase in goods_. _Lay not up for thyself
treasures upon earth._ This is a flat positive command, full as clear,
as _thou shalt not commit adultery_. How then is it possible for a rich
man to grow richer, without denying the Lord that bought him? Yea, how
can any man, who has already the necessaries of life, gain or aim at
more, and be guiltless? _Lay not up_, saith our Lord, _treasures upon
earth_. If in spite of this, you do and will lay up, money or goods,
which _moth or rust_ may _corrupt, or thieves break through and steal_:
if you will add house to house, or field to field, why do you call
yourself a Christian? You do not obey _Jesus Christ_. You do not design
it. Why do you name yourself by his name? _Why call ye me_ Lord, Lord,
saith he himself, _and do not the things which I say_?
23. *If you ask, “But what must we do with our goods, seeing we have
more than we have occasion to use, if we must not lay them up? Must
we throw them away?” I answer, if you threw them into the sea, if you
were to cast them into the fire and consume them, they would be better
bestowed ♦than they are now. You cannot find so mischievous a manner of
throwing them away, as either the laying them up for your posterity, or
the laying them out upon yourselves, in folly and superfluity. Of all
possible methods of _throwing them away_, these two are the very worst;
the most opposite to the gospel of _Christ_, and the most pernicious to
your own soul.
How pernicious to your own soul the latter of these is, has been
excellently shewn by a late writer. “If we waste our money we are
not only guilty of wasting a talent which God has given us, but we do
ourselves this farther harm, we turn this useful talent into a powerful
means of corrupting ourselves; because so far as it is spent wrong, so
far it is spent in the support of some wrong temper, in gratifying some
vain and unreasonable desires, which as Christians we are obliged to
renounce.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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