The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 05 (of 32)

by John Wesley

It is strange want of thought to imagine, that an enquiry is ever the better, because it is taken up in Greek and Latin. Why is it not as wise and reasonable for a scholar to dwell in the kitchen and converse with cooks, as to go into his study, to meditate upon the Roman art of cookery, and learn their variety of sauces?

*A grave doctor in divinity would perhaps think his time very ill employed, that he was acting below his character, if he was to be an amanuensis to some modern poet. Why then does he think it suitable with the weight of his calling, to have been a drudge to some ancient poet, counting his syllables for several years, only to help the world to read what some irreligious, wanton, or epicurean poet has wrote?

It is certainly a much more reasonable employment to be making cloaths, than to spend one’s time in reading or writing volumes upon the Grecian or Roman garments.

VIII. If you can shew me a learning that makes man truly sensible of his duty, that fills the mind with true light, that reforms the heart, that disposes it right towards God, that makes us more reasonable in all our actions; that inspires us with fortitude, humility, devotion, and contempt of the world: that gives us right notions of the greatness of religion, the sanctity of morality, the littleness of every thing but God, the vanity of our passions, and the misery and corruption of our nature, I will own myself an advocate for such learning. But to think that time is well employed, because it is spent in such speculations as the vulgar cannot reach, or because they are fetched from antiquity, or found in Greek or Latin, is a folly that may be called as great as any in human life.

They who think that these enquiries are consistent with a heart entirely devoted to God, have not enough considered human nature; they would do well to consult our Saviour’s rebuke of Martha. She did not seem to have wandered far from her proper business; she was not busy in the history of house-wifery, or enquiring into the original of the distaff; she was only taken up with present affairs, and cumbered about much serving: but our blessed Saviour said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful.

Now if scholars and divines can shew, that they only apply to such studies as are serviceable to the one thing needful; if they are busy in a philosophy and learning that have a necessary connection with the devotion of the heart to God, such learning becomes the followers of Christ; but, if they trifle in Greek and Latin, and only assist other people to follow them in the same impertinence, such learning may be reckoned amongst the corruptions of the age. For all the arguments against pride, covetousness, and vanity, are as good arguments against such learning; it being the same irreligion to be devoted to any false learning, as to be devoted to any other false good.

A satisfaction in any vain ornaments of the body, whether of cloaths or paint, is no greater a mistake, than a satisfaction in the vain accomplishments of the mind.

IX. A man that is eager and laborious in the search and study of that which does him no good, is the same poor, little soul, as the miser who is happy in his bags that are laid by in dust. A ridiculous application of our money, time, and understanding, is the same fault, whether it be found amongst the finery of fops, the hoards of misers, or the trinkets of virtuoso’s. It is the same false turn of mind, the same mistake of the use of things, the same ignorance of the state of man, and the same offence against religion.

*When we see a man brooding over bags of wealth, and labouring to die rich, we do not only accuse him of a poor littleness of mind; but we charge him with great guilt; we do not allow such a one to be in a state of religion. Let us therefore suppose that this covetous man was on a sudden changed into another temper; that he was grown polite and curious; that he was fond and eager after the most useless things, if they were but ancient and scarce; let us suppose that he is now as greedy of original paintings, as he was before of money; that he will give more for a dog’s head, or a snuff of a candle done by a good hand, than he ever gave in charity all his life; is he a wiser man, or a better Christian than he was before? Has he more overcome the world, or is he more devoted to God, than when his soul was locked up with his money? Alas! his heart is in the same false satisfaction; he is in the same state of ignorance, is as far from the true good, as much separated from God, as he whose soul is cleaving to the dust; he lives in the same vanity, and must die in the same misery, as he that lives and dies in foppery or covetousness.

X. Here therefore I place my argument for Christian perfection. I exhort thee to labour after it, because there is nothing else for thee to labour after; there is nothing else that the reason of man can exhort thee to. The whole world has nothing to offer thee in its stead; chuse what other way thou wilt, thou hast chosen nothing but vanity and misery; for all the different ways of the world are only different ways of deluding thyself: this only excells that as one vanity can excel another. If thou wilt make thyself more happy than those who pursue their own destruction, if thou wilt shew thyself wiser than fops, more reasonable than sordid misers, thou must pursue that happiness, and study that wisdom which leads to God; for every other pursuit, every other way of life, however polite or plausible in the opinion of the world, has a folly and stupidity in it that is equal to the folly and stupidity of fops and misers.