The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 13 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 13 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
I grieve for the sin you fell into. Had the temper of your mind been
really charitable, you certainly could not lightly have spoken evil
of any one. Nothing is more contrary to the true spirit of the gospel,
than this want of universal love. And yet there is nothing so common
even among those who in most other respects are unblameable. How ought
we every moment to watch! Oh when shall we indeed be renewed after the
image of Christ! _Adieu._
* * * * *
WHAT, my dear companion, can I write so animating as your present
circumstances? God seems, I think, in a most peculiar manner to watch
over your soul for good. What interesting, what heart-affecting scenes
have you gone through? The account I had of your **** death, has made
me see the goodness of God to you in the strongest light, and I am
ready to shudder, when I think that it is possible, even after all this,
that you should again be ungrateful. Oh watch every moment! Think what
horrors and agonies you must feel, if you should now suffer your heart
to turn aside from this tender and merciful God! The circumstances you
are now in are like five talents given to your care. Remember ♦you are
to gain with them five talents more, or expect to hear these dreadful
words――_Thou slothful and wicked servant_. Your heavenly Father seems
to be making a plain way before your face. I see you in a light almost
_prophetical_. I rejoice, and yet I tremble. You seem pointed out, I
think, as an instrument in the hands of God for the conversion of Miss
****; but here you will be in danger from your old enemies, pride, and
love of teaching, and above all that self-setting-up which you have
found so difficult to overcome. O my dear love, fail not every hour
of the day to pray particularly for humility. I trust you are not in
danger from any increase of fortune. No surely. The heart of my beloved
friend cannot be so mean and low, as to pride itself in dross and
dirt. Perhaps you will find some difficulties in regard to the tempers
of your ****; how necessary will it be for you in this case to place
constantly before your eyes the meekness and lowliness of the Lamb of
God? And fear not, you will in all these things be more than conqueror
through him, who has loved you.
♦ “your” replaced with “you”
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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