The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 08 (of 32)

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THE
WORKS
OF THE
Rev. JOHN WESLEY, M.A.
Late Fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford.

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Volume VIII.

* * *

BRISTOL:

Printed by WILLIAM PINE, in Wine-Street.

MDCCLXXII.

Chapter VI

Of the joy of a good conscience.

THE glory of a good man is the testimony of a good conscience.

Have a good conscience, and thou shalt ever have joy.

Thou shalt rest sweetly if thy heart condemn thee not.

Never rejoice but when thou hast done well.

Sinners have never true joy, nor feel inward peace; because There is no peace to the wicked, saith the Lord.

2. To glory in tribulation is no hard thing for him that loveth; for to glory so, is to glory in the cross of our Lord.

That glory is short which is given and received from men.

Sorrow always accompanieth the glory of the world.

The glory of the good is in their consciences, and not in the tongues of men. The gladness of the just is of God, and in God; and their joy is of the truth,

*He enjoyeth great peace of mind, that careth neither for the praise nor dispraise of men.

3. He will easily be content, whose conscience is pure.

Thou art not the more holy, though thou art praised; nor the less, though thou art dispraised.

*What thou art, thou art; neither canst thou be said to be greater than thou art in the sight of God.

If thou considerest what thou art within, thou wilt not care what men say of thee.

Man seeth the face, but God looketh into the heart.

Man considereth the deeds, but God weigheth the intention.

To do always well, and to dis-esteem himself, is a sign of an humble soul.

4. He that seeketh no witness for himself from without, doth shew that he hath wholly committed himself unto God.

For not he who commendeth himself is approved, saith St.
Paul; but whom God commendeth.

*To walk inwardly with God, and not to love any thing without, is the state of a spiritual man.

* * *

Chapter VII

Of the love of Jesus.

BLESSED is he that understandeth what it is to love Jesus, and to despise himself for Jesus.

Thou oughtest to leave what thou hast loved hitherto, for the sake of Jesus; for he will be loved alone.

The love of things created is deceitful and inconstant: the love of Jesus is faithful and constant.

*He that cleaveth unto a creature, shall fall when it falls: he that embraceth Jesus, shall stand firmly for ever.

Love him, and keep him for thy friend, who, when all go away, will not forsake thee.

*Thou must one day be left of all whether thou wilt or no.

2. Keep close to Jesus, both in life and death, and commit thyself unto his faithfulness, who, when all fail, can alone help thee.

Thy beloved will not admit of a rival, but will have thy heart alone, and sit like a king in his own throne.

*Whatsoever affection thou reposest in men out of Jesus, is all no better than lost.

*Trust not, nor lean upon a broken reed; for all flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof shall wither away.

3. Thou shalt quickly be deceived if thou regardest only the outward appearance of men.

If in them thou seekest comfort and profit, thou shalt often feel loss.

If thou seekest Jesus in all things, thou shalt surely find Jesus.

*If thou seekest thyself, thou shalt also find thyself, but to thy own destruction.

For if a man doth not seek Jesus, he doth more hurt to himself than the world and all his adversaries could do.

* * *

Chapter VIII

Of familiar friendship with Jesus.

*WHEN
Jesus is present, all is well; but when Jesus is absent every thing is hard.

When Jesus speaketh not inwardly, we have no true comfort: but if Jesus speak but one word, we feel much consolation.

Did not Mary presently rise from the place where she wept, when Martha said unto her, The master is come and calleth for thee?

Happy the hour when Jesus calleth from tears to spiritual joy!

How dry and cold art thou without Jesus! How foolish and vain if thou desirest any thing out of Jesus!

*Is not this a greater loss, than if thou shouldest lose the whole world?

2. What can the world profit thee without Jesus?

To be without Jesus is a grievous hell; and to be with Jesus a sweet paradise.

If Jesus be with thee, no enemy can hurt thee.

He that findeth Jesus, findeth a good treasure, yea, a good above all goods:

And he that looseth Jesus, looseth too much, and more than the whole world.

*He is most poor, that liveth without Jesus: and he is most rich that is well with Jesus.

3. It is a great skill to know how to converse with Jesus, and great wisdom to know and keep Jesus.

Be humble and peaceable, and Jesus will be with thee.

Be devout and quiet, and Jesus will stay with thee.

Thou mayest soon drive away Jesus, if thou turnest aside to outward things.

And if thou shouldest drive him away, unto whom wilt thou fly, and what friend wilt thou seek?

*Without a friend thou canst not live well,
and if Jesus be not above all friends unto thee, thou shalt be very sorrowful and desolate.

Thou dost therefore foolishly, if thou dost trust or rejoice in any other.

It is better for thee to have all the world against ♦thee,
than Jesus offended with thee.

Therefore of all things that are dear to thee, let Jesus alone be peculiarly thy beloved.

*Love all for Jesus, but Jesus for himself.

Jesus Christ alone is to be beloved; who alone is faithful above all friends.

For him, and in him, let as well friends as foes be dear unto thee; pray to him for all these, that all may know and love him.

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