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

14. *_Young ladies_ must either devote themselves to piety, prayer,
self-denial, and all good works in a _Virgin state_ of life, or else
marry to be holy, sober, and prudent in the care of a family; bringing
up their children in piety, humility, and devotion, and abounding in
all other good works, to the utmost of their capacity. They have no
choice of any thing else; but must devote themselves to God in one of
these states. They may chuse a married, or a single life; but it is
not left to their choice, whether they will make either state, a state
of holiness, humility, and all other duties of ♦the Christian life.
It is no more left in their power, because they have fortunes, or are
born of rich parents, to divide themselves betwixt God and the world,
or take such pleasures as their fortune will afford them, than to be
sometimes chaste and modest, and sometimes not.

  ♦ ‘he’ replaced with ‘the’

*They are not to consider how much religion may secure them a _fair
character_, or how they may add devotion to an _impertinent_, _vain_,
and _giddy_ life; but must look into the _spirit_ and _temper_ of
their prayers, into the _nature_ and _end_ of ♦Christianity; and then
they will find, that whether married or unmarried, they have but one
business upon their hands; to be wise, and pious, and holy; not in
little modes and forms of worship, but in the whole turn of their
minds, in the whole form of their behaviour, and in the daily course
of their common life.

  ♦ ‘Christianiiy’ replaced with ‘Christianity’


15. *_Young gentlemen_ must consider what our blessed Saviour said to
the young gentleman in the gospel; he bid _him sell all he had, and
give to the poor_. Now, though this text does not oblige _all_ people
to sell _all_; yet it certainly obliges all kinds of people to _employ
all_ their estates in such wise and reasonable ways, as may shew, all
they have is devoted to God; and that no part of it is kept from the
poor, to be spent in needless, vain, and foolish expences.

*If therefore _young gentlemen_ propose to themselves a life of
pleasure and indulgence; if they spend their estates in high living,
in luxury and intemperance, in state and equipage, in pleasures and
diversions, in sports and gaming, and such like wanton gratifications
of their foolish passions, they have as much reason to look upon
themselves to be _angels_, as to be disciples of Christ.

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

14. *_Young ladies_ must either devote themselves to piety, prayer,
self-denial, and all good works in a _Virgin state_ of life, or else
marry to be holy, sober, and prudent in the care of a family; bringing
up their children in piety, humility, and devotion, and abounding in
all other good works, to the utmost of their capacity. They have no
choice of any thing else; but must devote themselves to God in one of
these states. They may chuse a married, or a single life; but it is
not left to their choice, whether they will make either state, a state
of holiness, humility, and all other duties of ♦the Christian life.
It is no more left in their power, because they have fortunes, or are
born of rich parents, to divide themselves betwixt God and the world,
or take such pleasures as their fortune will afford them, than to be
sometimes chaste and modest, and sometimes not.

  ♦ ‘he’ replaced with ‘the’

*They are not to consider how much religion may secure them a _fair
character_, or how they may add devotion to an _impertinent_, _vain_,
and _giddy_ life; but must look into the _spirit_ and _temper_ of
their prayers, into the _nature_ and _end_ of ♦Christianity; and then
they will find, that whether married or unmarried, they have but one
business upon their hands; to be wise, and pious, and holy; not in
little modes and forms of worship, but in the whole turn of their
minds, in the whole form of their behaviour, and in the daily course
of their common life.

  ♦ ‘Christianiiy’ replaced with ‘Christianity’


15. *_Young gentlemen_ must consider what our blessed Saviour said to
the young gentleman in the gospel; he bid _him sell all he had, and
give to the poor_. Now, though this text does not oblige _all_ people
to sell _all_; yet it certainly obliges all kinds of people to _employ
all_ their estates in such wise and reasonable ways, as may shew, all
they have is devoted to God; and that no part of it is kept from the
poor, to be spent in needless, vain, and foolish expences.

*If therefore _young gentlemen_ propose to themselves a life of
pleasure and indulgence; if they spend their estates in high living,
in luxury and intemperance, in state and equipage, in pleasures and
diversions, in sports and gaming, and such like wanton gratifications
of their foolish passions, they have as much reason to look upon
themselves to be _angels_, as to be disciples of Christ.

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)

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