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
4. Know you not, that your body is, or ought to be, the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you? Know you not, that you are not your own?
For you are bought with a price. And, O how great a price! You are
not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold: but with
the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot. O when will you glorify God, with your body and your spirit,
which are God’s!
5. Ah poor wretch! How far are you from this? How low are you fallen?
You yourself are ashamed of what you do. Are you not? Conscience, speak
in the sight of God? Does not your own heart condemn you at this very
hour? Do not you shudder at the condition you are in?――――Dare, for once,
to lay your hand upon your breast, and ask, “What am I doing? And what
must the end of these things be?” Destruction both of body and soul.
6. Destruction of body as well as of soul! Can it be otherwise? Are
you not plunging into misery in this world, as well as in the world to
come? What have you brought upon yourself already! What infamy? What
contempt? How could you now appear, among those relations or friends,
that were once so loved, and so loving to you? What pangs have you
given them? How do some of them still weep for you in secret places?
And will you not weep for yourself? When you see nothing before you,
but want, pain, diseases, death? O spare yourself! Have pity upon your
body, if not your soul. Stop! Before you rot above ground and perish!
7. Do you ask, what shall I do? First, Sin no more. First of all,
secure this point. Now, this instant now, escape for your life. Stay
not. Look not behind you. Whatever you do, sin no more: starve, die,
rather than sin. Be more careful for your soul than your body. Take
care of that too: but of your poor soul first.
8. “But you have no friend: none, at least, that is able to help you.”
Indeed you have: one that is a present help in time of trouble. You
have a friend that has all power in heaven and earth, even Jesus Christ
the righteous. He loved sinners of old: and he does so still. He then
suffered the publicans and harlots to come unto him. And one of them
washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her
head. I would to God _you_ were in her place! Say, Amen! Lift up your
heart, and it shall be done. How soon will he say, “Woman be of good
chear! Thy sins which are many, are forgiven thee.――Go in peace. Sin
no more. Love much; for thou hast much forgiven.”
9. Do you still ask, but what shall I do for ♦bread? For food to eat,
and raiment to put on? I answer, in the name of the Lord God, (and mark
well! His promise shall not fail) seek thou first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto thee.
♦ “read” replaced with “bread”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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