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
*What a folly then to be so often perplexed about the way to God? For
nothing is the way to God, but our heart; God is no where else to be
found; and the heart itself cannot find him, but by its _own love_ of
him, _faith_ in him, _dependance_ upon him, _resignation_ to him, and
expectation of all from him.
*These are short but full _articles_ of true religion, which carry
salvation along with them, which make a true and full offering of
our whole nature to the _divine operation_, and also a true and full
confession of the holy Trinity in Unity. For as they look wholly to the
_Father_, as blessing us with the _operation_ of his _own word_, and
_Spirit_, so they truly confess, and worship the _holy Trinity_ of God.
And as they ascribe all to, and expect all from this Deity _alone_, so
they make the truest and best of all confessions, that there is no God
but one.
*Let then _Arians_, _Semi-Arians_, and _Socinians_, who puzzle their
laborious brains to make paper-images of a Trinity for themselves; have
nothing from you, but your pity and prayers; your foundation standeth
sure, whilst you look for all your salvation through the _Father_,
working life in your soul, by his _own word_, and _Spirit_, which dwell
in him, and are one life, both in him and you.
_Theogenes._ I can never enough thank you, _Theophilus_, for this
comfortable answer to my scrupulous fear. It seems now, as if I could
always know how to find full relief in this humble, meek, patient,
total resignation of myself to God. It is, as you said, a remedy that
is always at hand, equally practicable at all times, and never in
greater reality, than when my own tempers are making war against it in
my heart.
You have quite carried your point with me; the God of patience,
meekness, and love, is the one God of my heart. It is now the whole
bent, and desire of my soul, to seek for all my salvation in, and
thro’ the _merits_ and _mediation_ of the meek, humble, patient,
resigned, suffering Lamb of God, who alone hath power to bring forth
these heavenly virtues in my soul. He is the bread of God, that came
down from heaven, of which the soul must eat, or perish and pine in
everlasting hunger. He is the eternal love and meekness, that left the
bosom of his Father, to be himself the resurrection of meekness and
love, in all the darkened, wrathful souls of fallen men. What a comfort
is it, to think that this Lamb of God, Son of the Father, light of the
world, who is the glory of heaven, and the joy of angels, is as near to
us, as truly in the midst of us, as he is in the midst of heaven. And
that not a thought, look, and desire of our heart, that presses towards
him, longing to catch, as it were, one small spark of his heavenly
nature, but is in as sure a way of finding him, touching him, and
drawing virtue from him, as the woman who was healed, by longing but
to touch the border of his garment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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