The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 04 (of 32)

by John Wesley

XXVI. *It is plain our Saviour intended this brotherly love, to be the governing principle of our lives. But it cannot be so, unless we are content to make no more of this world, than a supply of our necessities, and to look for one only happiness in the enjoyment of God.

I don’t appeal to niggards and worldlings, to the proud and ambitious: let those who think themselves moderate in their worldly desires and enjoyments, deal faithfully with themselves and see whether their prosecution of their worldly affairs, permits them to love all men as themselves.

Perhaps they have not those bitter envyings and hatreds to which ambitious worldlings are subject. But still they have as certainly, in their degree, and in proportion to their love of the world, their envyings and hatreds, and want of sincere love, as other men.

XXVII. For a further proof of this, we need only look into the world, and see the spirit that appears among almost all Christians.

We need not go to wicked and loose people. Let us go into any virtuous family, and we shall find it has its particular friendships and hatreds, its envyings and evil speakings, and all founded in the interests of the world.

And this necessarily springs from hence, that all Christians are busy in attending to their worldly interests, intending only to keep clear of dishonest practices: that is, they use the world as far as honest Heathens or Jews would do, and consequently have such tempers as Jews and Heathens have.

For it is not only cheating and dishonesty, but the bare desire of worldly things, and the placing happiness in them, that lays the foundation of all these unchristian tempers; and divides Christians into more parties than there are families among them.

So that it is purely the engaging so far in the world as sober Christians do: it is their false satisfaction in so many things that they ought to renounce; it is their being too much alive to the world, that makes all, even those who are called religious, subject to tempers so contrary to the love of their neighbour.

Let this therefore teach us that we must renounce the world, if we would live and love like Christians.

XXVIII. By renouncing the world, I do not mean, retiring into a cloister. This would be like laying aside all use of cloaths, to avoid the vanity of dress.