The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 07 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 07 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
Again, consider, how was it, that the deep-read _Scribe_, the learned
_Rabbi_, the religious _Pharisee_, not only did not receive, but
_crucified_ their Saviour? It was because they desired no such Saviour
as he was, no such _inward salvation_ as he offered. They desired no
change of their own nature, no destruction of their natural tempers,
no deliverance from the love of themselves, and the enjoyments of their
passions; they liked the gratifications of their old man, their _long
robes_, their _broad phylacteries_, and _greetings_ in the markets.
They wanted not to have their _pride_ and _self-love_ dethroned, their
covetousness, and sensuality subdued. Their only desire was the success
of _Judaism_, to have an _outward_ saviour, a _temporal_ prince, that
should establish their _law_ and ceremonies over all the earth. And
therefore they crucified their Redeemer, and would have none of his
salvation, because it consisted in a change of their nature; a kingdom
of heaven to be opened _within_ them by the Spirit of God.
*Awake, thou that sleepest, thou art called a Christian, and Christ
shall give thee light. Begin to search and dig for this _pearl of
eternity_; it cannot cost thee too much, nor canst thou buy it too dear,
for it is _all_, and when thou hast found it, thou wilt know, that all
which thou hast sold or given away for it, is as meer a nothing, as a
bubble upon the water.
*But if thou turnest from this heavenly pearl, or tramplest it under
thy feet, for the sake of being rich, or great, either in church or
state, if death finds thee in this success, thou canst not then say,
that though the pearl is lost, yet something has been gained instead
of it. For in that parting moment, the things, and the sounds of this
world, will be exactly alike; to have had an estate, or only to have
heard of it, to have lived at _Lambeth_ twenty years, or only to have
twenty times passed by the palace, will be the same good, or the same
nothing to thee.
I will now shew a little more distinctly, what this _pearl of eternity_
is. _First_, It is the light and Spirit of God, which has hitherto
done thee but little good, because the desire of thy heart has been
after the light and spirit of this world. Thy reason, and senses, and
passions, have turned all their attention to the poor concerns of this
life, and therefore thou art a stranger to this principle of heaven,
these riches of eternity. For as God is not, cannot be truly found by
any worshippers, but those who worship him in _spirit_ and in _truth_,
so this light and spirit is not, cannot be found, or enjoyed, but by
those, whose spirit is turned to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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