The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 03 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 03 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
II. 1. And the very reason why many of these go on so securely in the
_broad way_, is because it is broad: not considering that this is the
inseparable property of the way to destruction. _Many there be_, saith
our Lord, _who go in thereat_: for the very reason why they should
flee from it; Even _because strait is the gate, and narrow the way that
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it_.
2. This is an inseparable property of the way to heaven. So narrow
is the way that leadeth unto life, unto life everlasting; so strait
the gate, that nothing unclean, nothing unholy can enter. No sinner
can pass thro’ that gate, until he is saved from all his sins, not
only from his outward sins; from his evil _conversation received by
tradition from his Fathers_. It will not suffice, that he hath _ceased
to do evil_, and _learned to do well_. He must not only be saved
from all sinful actions, and from all evil and useless discourse;
but inwardly changed, throughly renewed in the spirit of his mind.
Otherwise he cannot pass thro’ the gate of life, he cannot enter into
glory.
3. For _narrow is the way that leadeth unto life_: the way of universal
holiness. Narrow indeed is the way of poverty of spirit, the way of
holy mourning: the way of meekness, and that of hungring and thirsting
after righteousness. Narrow is the way of mercifulness, of love
unfeigned; the way of purity of heart; of doing good unto all men, and
of gladly suffering evil, all manner of evil for righteousness-sake.
4. _And few there be that find it._ Alas! how few find even the way of
Heathen honesty? How few are there, that do nothing to another, which
they would not another should do unto them? How few, that are clear
before God, from acts either of injustice or unkindness? How few, that
do not _offend with their tongue_; that speak nothing unkind, nothing
untrue? What a small proportion of mankind, are innocent even of
outward transgressions? And how much smaller a proportion have their
hearts right before God? Clean and holy in his sight? Where are they,
whom his all-searching eye, discerns to be truly humble? To abhor
themselves in dust and ashes, in the presence of God their Saviour?
To be deeply and steadily serious, feeling their wants, and _passing
the time of their sojourning with fear_? Truly meek and gentle, never
_overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good_? Throughly athirst
for God, and continually panting after a renewal in his likeness? How
thinly are they scattered over the earth, whose souls are inlarged in
love to all mankind? And who love God with all their strength, who have
given him their hearts, and desire nothing else in earth or heaven? How
few are those lovers of God and man, that spend their whole strength in
doing good unto all men? and are ready to suffer all things, yea, death
itself, to save one soul from eternal death?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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