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
2. But O! how will you stand before God? The great, the holy, the just,
the terrible God? Is it not his own word, _Without holiness no man
shall see the Lord_? No man shall see him with joy: rather he will call
for the mountains to fall upon him and the rocks to cover him. And what
do you think holiness is? It is purity both of heart and life. It is
the mind that was in Christ, enabling us to walk as he also walked. It
is the loving God with all our heart, the loving our neighbour, every
man as ourselves, and the doing to all men, in every point, as we would
they should do unto us. The least part of holiness is, to do good to
all men, and to do no evil either in word or work. This is only the
outside of it. But this is more than you have. You are from it; far as
darkness from light. You have not the mind that was in Christ: there
was no pride, no malice in him: no hatred, no revenge, no furious anger,
no foolish or worldly desire. You have not walked as Christ walked: no;
rather as the devil would have walked, had he been in a body; the works
of the devil you have done, not the works of God. You have not loved
God with all your heart. You have not loved him at all. You have not
thought about him. You hardly knew or cared, whether there was any God
in the world. You have not done to others as you would they should do
to you; far, very far from it. Have you done all the good you could to
all men? If so, you had never come to this place. You have done evil
exceedingly: your sins against God and man are more than the hairs
of your head. Insomuch that even the world cannot bear you; the world
itself spues you out. Even the men that know not God declare, you are
not fit to live upon the earth.
3. O repent, repent! Know yourself: see and feel what a sinner you are.
Think of the innumerable sins you have committed, even from your youth
up. How many wicked words have you spoken? How many wicked actions have
you done? Think of your inward sins! Your pride, malice, hatred, anger,
revenge, lust. Think of your sinful nature, totally alienated from
the life of God. How is your whole soul prone to evil, void of good,
corrupt, full of all abominations! _Feel_, that your carnal mind is
enmity against God. Well may the wrath of God abide upon you. He is
of purer eyes than to behold iniquity: he hath said, _The soul that
sinneth, it shall die_. It shall die eternally, shall be _punished with
everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord and from the
glory of his power_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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