The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)

Name: The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)
Author: Wesley, John

Wesley, John

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

9. O that sinners would give up their own wisdom, and become fools,
that they may be made wise! Cannot the Lord do a great work in a
little time? In the hour that he convinced _me_ of the necessity of
it, before that hour was expired, I was justified. Thirteen months
after (as I before observed,) I was convinced of the necessity of full
sanctification. That night, before I slept, God gave me the blessing.
And is he a _respecter of persons_? Who then would not cry unto him?
Who would not spend a few hours in fervent prayer? O let your hearts
yield! Draw near unto the Lord, and he will draw near unto _you_. He
will draw you after him by the cords of his love, and you will begin
to _smell the sweet odour of his ointments_. Then open your hearts to
my beloved; for _his voice is sweet, and his countenance comely. Let
my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruit._ He says,
_Arise, my love, and come away!_ I will chide thee no more for thy
past follies. Only now _give me thy heart_. Thou shalt then find, _the
winter is past, the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the
turtle is heard in the land_. Then will you get new eyes, new hearts,
new delights, and every thing will have a satisfying relish. Then will
you chide yourselves, for having been so long in pursuit of the things
that perish in the using! Then will he give you the pearl that _Adam_
lost, that heart-felt union with God, whereby you shall steadily enjoy
his immediate presence: and his presence makes our paradise. You shall
walk in the light, having his bright beams ever shining upon you. So
that

                Not a cloud shall arise,
                To darken the skies,
            Or hide for a moment the Lord from your eyes.




                           An EARNEST APPEAL
                               TO MEN OF
                         REASON and RELIGION.


                             JOHN vii. 51.

            _Doth our law judge any man BEFORE it HEAR him,
                        and KNOW WHAT HE DOTH?_

ALTHOUGH it is with us a _very small thing to be judged of you or of
man’s judgment_, seeing we know God will _make our innocency as clear
as the light, and our just dealing as the noon-day_; yet are we ready
to give any that are willing to hear, a plain account, both of our
principles and actions: as having _renounced the hidden things of
shame_, and desiring nothing more, _than by manifestation of the truth
to commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of_ God.

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

Opening the text

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)Wesley, John

Religion

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)

Wesley, John

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

9. O that sinners would give up their own wisdom, and become fools,
that they may be made wise! Cannot the Lord do a great work in a
little time? In the hour that he convinced _me_ of the necessity of
it, before that hour was expired, I was justified. Thirteen months
after (as I before observed,) I was convinced of the necessity of full
sanctification. That night, before I slept, God gave me the blessing.
And is he a _respecter of persons_? Who then would not cry unto him?
Who would not spend a few hours in fervent prayer? O let your hearts
yield! Draw near unto the Lord, and he will draw near unto _you_. He
will draw you after him by the cords of his love, and you will begin
to _smell the sweet odour of his ointments_. Then open your hearts to
my beloved; for _his voice is sweet, and his countenance comely. Let
my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruit._ He says,
_Arise, my love, and come away!_ I will chide thee no more for thy
past follies. Only now _give me thy heart_. Thou shalt then find, _the
winter is past, the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the
turtle is heard in the land_. Then will you get new eyes, new hearts,
new delights, and every thing will have a satisfying relish. Then will
you chide yourselves, for having been so long in pursuit of the things
that perish in the using! Then will he give you the pearl that _Adam_
lost, that heart-felt union with God, whereby you shall steadily enjoy
his immediate presence: and his presence makes our paradise. You shall
walk in the light, having his bright beams ever shining upon you. So
that

                Not a cloud shall arise,
                To darken the skies,
            Or hide for a moment the Lord from your eyes.




                           An EARNEST APPEAL
                               TO MEN OF
                         REASON and RELIGION.


                             JOHN vii. 51.

            _Doth our law judge any man BEFORE it HEAR him,
                        and KNOW WHAT HE DOTH?_

ALTHOUGH it is with us a _very small thing to be judged of you or of
man’s judgment_, seeing we know God will _make our innocency as clear
as the light, and our just dealing as the noon-day_; yet are we ready
to give any that are willing to hear, a plain account, both of our
principles and actions: as having _renounced the hidden things of
shame_, and desiring nothing more, _than by manifestation of the truth
to commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of_ God.

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

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)

The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)

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