The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 10 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 10 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
2. Have I laboured to make this day, a day of heavenly rest, sacred to
divine love?
3. Have I employed those parts of it in works of necessity and mercy,
which were not employed in prayer, reading, and meditation?
O MY Father, my God, I am in thy hand; and may I rejoice above all
things in being so: do with me what seemeth good in thy sight: only let
me love thee with all my mind, soul, and strength.
I magnify thee for granting me to be born in thy church, and of
religious parents; for washing me in thy baptism, and instructing me in
thy doctrine of truth and holiness; for sustaining me by thy gracious
providence, and guiding me by thy blessed Spirit; for admitting me,
with the rest of my Christian brethren, to wait on thee at thy public
worship: and for so often feeding my soul with thy most precious body
and blood, those pledges of love, and sure conveyances of strength and
comfort. O be gracious unto all of us, whom thou hast this day [_or
at any time_] admitted to thy holy table. Strengthen our hearts in thy
ways against all our temptations, and make us _more than conquerors_ in
thy love.
O my Father, my God, deliver me, I beseech thee, from all violent
passions: I know how greatly obstructive these are, both of the
knowledge and love of thee; O let none of them find a way into my
heart, but let me ever possess my soul in meekness. O my God, I desire
to fear them more than death; let me not serve these cruel tyrants; but
do thou reign in my breast; let me ever be thy servant and love thee
with all my heart.
Deliver me, O God, from too intense an application to even necessary
business. I know how this dissipates my thoughts from the one end of
all my business, and impairs that lively perception I would ever retain
of thee standing at my right-hand. I know the narrowness of my heart,
and that an eager attention to earthly things leaves it no room for the
things of heaven. O teach me to go through all my employments with so
truly disengaged a heart, that I may still see thee in all things, and
see thee therein as continually looking upon me, and searching my reins;
and that I may never impair that liberty of spirit, which is necessary
for the love of thee.
Deliver me, O God, from a slothful mind, from all lukewarmness, and
all dejection of spirit: I know these cannot but deaden my love to
thee; mercifully free my heart from them, and give me a lively, zealous,
active and chearful spirit; that I may vigorously perform whatever thou
commandest, thankfully suffer whatever thou chusest for me, and be ever
ardent to obey in all things thy holy love.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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