The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)

Name: The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)
Author: Wesley, John

Wesley, John

Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century

And it is this setting out, this false judgment, and indiscreet use of
her fortune, that has filled her whole life with the same indiscretion,
and kept her from thinking of what is _right_, and _wise_, and pious
in every thing else.

If you have seen her delighted in _plays_ and _romances_, in _scandal_
and _backbiting_, easily _flattered_, and soon _affronted_; if you
have seen her devoted to _pleasures_ and _diversions_, a slave to
every _passion_ in its turn, nice in every thing that concerned
her _body_ or _dress_, careless of every thing that might benefit
her _soul_, always wanting some new entertainment, and ready for
every _happy_ invention in _shew_ or _dress_, it was because she had
_purchased_ all these tempers with her yearly revenue.


11. She might have been _humble_, _serious_, _devout_, a lover of
_good books_, an admirer of _prayer_ and retirement, careful of her
time, diligent in _good works_, full of _charity_ and the love of
God; but that the imprudent use of her estate forced all the contrary
tempers upon her.

And it was no wonder that she should turn her _time_, her _mind_, her
_health_ and strength to the same uses that she turned her fortune. It
is owing to her being wrong in so great an _article_ of life, that you
can see nothing wise, or pious, in any other part of it.


12. And as _Flavia_ is undone by the unreasonable use of her fortune;
so the _lowness_ of most peoples virtue, the _imperfections_ of their
piety, and the disorders of their _passions_, are generally owing to
their imprudent use of lawful things.

More people are kept from a true sense of religion, by a _regular
kind_ of sensuality than by gross _drunkenness_. More men live
regardless of the great duties of piety, through too _great a concern_
for worldly goods, than through _direct injustice_.


13. This man would perhaps be devout, if he was not a _virtuoso_.
Another is deaf to all the motives to piety, by indulging an _idle_,
_slothful_ temper.

Could you cure this man of his _curiosity_ and _inquisitive_ temper,
or that of his _false_ satisfaction and thirst after _learning_, you
need do no more to make them both become men of great piety.

If this _woman_ would make _fewer visits_, or that not be _always
talking_, they would neither of them find it hard to be affected with
religion.

Would we therefore make a real progress in religion, we must not only
abhor _gross_ and _notorious_ sins; but regulate the _innocent_ and
_lawful_ parts of our behaviour, and put the common actions of life
under the rules of discretion and piety.




                              CHAP. VII.

    _How the wise and pious use of an estate carrieth us to
      all the virtues of the Christian life; represented in the
      character of |Miranda|._

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)Wesley, John

Religion

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)

Wesley, John

Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century

And it is this setting out, this false judgment, and indiscreet use of
her fortune, that has filled her whole life with the same indiscretion,
and kept her from thinking of what is _right_, and _wise_, and pious
in every thing else.

If you have seen her delighted in _plays_ and _romances_, in _scandal_
and _backbiting_, easily _flattered_, and soon _affronted_; if you
have seen her devoted to _pleasures_ and _diversions_, a slave to
every _passion_ in its turn, nice in every thing that concerned
her _body_ or _dress_, careless of every thing that might benefit
her _soul_, always wanting some new entertainment, and ready for
every _happy_ invention in _shew_ or _dress_, it was because she had
_purchased_ all these tempers with her yearly revenue.


11. She might have been _humble_, _serious_, _devout_, a lover of
_good books_, an admirer of _prayer_ and retirement, careful of her
time, diligent in _good works_, full of _charity_ and the love of
God; but that the imprudent use of her estate forced all the contrary
tempers upon her.

And it was no wonder that she should turn her _time_, her _mind_, her
_health_ and strength to the same uses that she turned her fortune. It
is owing to her being wrong in so great an _article_ of life, that you
can see nothing wise, or pious, in any other part of it.


12. And as _Flavia_ is undone by the unreasonable use of her fortune;
so the _lowness_ of most peoples virtue, the _imperfections_ of their
piety, and the disorders of their _passions_, are generally owing to
their imprudent use of lawful things.

More people are kept from a true sense of religion, by a _regular
kind_ of sensuality than by gross _drunkenness_. More men live
regardless of the great duties of piety, through too _great a concern_
for worldly goods, than through _direct injustice_.


13. This man would perhaps be devout, if he was not a _virtuoso_.
Another is deaf to all the motives to piety, by indulging an _idle_,
_slothful_ temper.

Could you cure this man of his _curiosity_ and _inquisitive_ temper,
or that of his _false_ satisfaction and thirst after _learning_, you
need do no more to make them both become men of great piety.

If this _woman_ would make _fewer visits_, or that not be _always
talking_, they would neither of them find it hard to be affected with
religion.

Would we therefore make a real progress in religion, we must not only
abhor _gross_ and _notorious_ sins; but regulate the _innocent_ and
_lawful_ parts of our behaviour, and put the common actions of life
under the rules of discretion and piety.




                              CHAP. VII.

    _How the wise and pious use of an estate carrieth us to
      all the virtues of the Christian life; represented in the
      character of |Miranda|._

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)

No reviews yet