The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)

Name: The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)
Author: Wesley, John

Wesley, John

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

*YOUR letter was exceeding welcome to me, not only as reviving the
remembrance of our old friendship, but also, as bringing me news of
some spiritual good that you received by me, which is the best tidings
that I can receive: For what do I live for, but to be useful to souls
in my generation? *I desire no other business than to please and honour
my God, and serve my generation in that short allowance of time I have
here. Shall I commend to you the lesson that I am about to learn? It is,
_to be entirely devoted to the Lord, that I may be able to say after
the apostle, To me to live is Christ_. I would not be serving God only
for a day in the week, or an hour or two in the day: but every day,
and all the day. I am ambitious to come up to that of our Lord and
Master, _To do always those things that please God_. I plainly see that
self-seeking is self-undoing; and that then we promote ourselves best,
when we please God most. I find, that when I have done all, if God be
not pleased, I have done nothing; and if I can but approve myself to
God, my work is done: I RECKON I DO NOT LIVE THAT TIME I DO NOT LIVE TO
GOD.

*I am fain to cut off so many hours from my days, and so many years
from my life, as I have lived to myself. I find no enemy so dangerous
as myself, and O that others may take warning by my hurt: O that I
had lived wholly to God! Then had every day and every hour that I have
spent, been found upon my account at that day: then had I been rich
indeed, in treasure laid up there, whither I am apace removing; then
I had been every day and hour adding to the heap, and increasing the
reward which God of his mere grace hath promised, even to the meanest
work that is done to him. I perceive I am an eternal loser by acting no
more for God; for what is done to myself is lost; but what is done for
God, is done for ever, and shall receive an everlasting reward. Verily,
if there be a world to come, and an eternal state after this short life,
it is our only wisdom to be removing, and, as it were transplanting and
transporting what we can, from hence into that country to which we are
shortly to be removed, that what we are now doing we may reap the fruit
of for ever.

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

Opening the text

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)Wesley, John

Religion

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)

Wesley, John

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

*YOUR letter was exceeding welcome to me, not only as reviving the
remembrance of our old friendship, but also, as bringing me news of
some spiritual good that you received by me, which is the best tidings
that I can receive: For what do I live for, but to be useful to souls
in my generation? *I desire no other business than to please and honour
my God, and serve my generation in that short allowance of time I have
here. Shall I commend to you the lesson that I am about to learn? It is,
_to be entirely devoted to the Lord, that I may be able to say after
the apostle, To me to live is Christ_. I would not be serving God only
for a day in the week, or an hour or two in the day: but every day,
and all the day. I am ambitious to come up to that of our Lord and
Master, _To do always those things that please God_. I plainly see that
self-seeking is self-undoing; and that then we promote ourselves best,
when we please God most. I find, that when I have done all, if God be
not pleased, I have done nothing; and if I can but approve myself to
God, my work is done: I RECKON I DO NOT LIVE THAT TIME I DO NOT LIVE TO
GOD.

*I am fain to cut off so many hours from my days, and so many years
from my life, as I have lived to myself. I find no enemy so dangerous
as myself, and O that others may take warning by my hurt: O that I
had lived wholly to God! Then had every day and every hour that I have
spent, been found upon my account at that day: then had I been rich
indeed, in treasure laid up there, whither I am apace removing; then
I had been every day and hour adding to the heap, and increasing the
reward which God of his mere grace hath promised, even to the meanest
work that is done to him. I perceive I am an eternal loser by acting no
more for God; for what is done to myself is lost; but what is done for
God, is done for ever, and shall receive an everlasting reward. Verily,
if there be a world to come, and an eternal state after this short life,
it is our only wisdom to be removing, and, as it were transplanting and
transporting what we can, from hence into that country to which we are
shortly to be removed, that what we are now doing we may reap the fruit
of for ever.

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

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)

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