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
9. The _serving mammon_ implies, secondly, loving the world: desiring
it for its own sake; the placing our joy in the things thereof, and
setting our hearts upon them: the seeking (what indeed it is impossible
we should find) our happiness therein: the resting with the whole
weight of our souls, upon the staff of this broken reed; although daily
experience shews it cannot support, but will only _enter into our hand
and pierce it_.
10. To resemble, to be conformed to the world, is a third thing we
are to understand by _serving mammon_: to have not only designs, but
desires, tempers, affections suitable to those of the world: to be of
an earthly, sensual mind, chained down to the things of earth: to be
self-willed, inordinate lovers of ourselves: to think highly of our own
attainments; to desire and delight in the praise of men: to fear, shun,
and abhor reproach: to be impatient of reproof, easy to be provoked,
and swift to return evil for evil.
11. To _serve mammon_ is, lastly, to obey the world, by outwardly
conforming to its maxims and customs; to walk as other men walk, in the
common road, in the broad, smooth, beaten path; to be in the fashion,
to follow a multitude; to do like the rest of our neighbours; that
is, to do the will of the flesh and the mind, to gratify our appetites
and inclinations: to sacrifice to ourselves; aim at our own ease and
pleasure, in the general course both of our words and actions.
Now what can be more undeniably clear, than that we _cannot_ thus
_serve_ God _and mammon_?
12. *Does not every man see, that he cannot _comfortably_ serve
both? That to trim between God and the world, is the sure way to be
disappointed in both, and to have no rest either in one or the other?
How uncomfortable a condition must he be in, who having the fear but
not the love of God, who serving him, but not with all his heart, has
only the toils and not the joys of religion? He has religion enough to
make him miserable, but not enough to make him happy: his religion will
not let him enjoy the world; and the world will not let him enjoy God.
So that by halting between both he loses both, and has no peace either
in God or the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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