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

by John Wesley

But men of other employments are, in their particular ways, as much obliged to act as the servants of God, and live wholly unto him in their several callings.

This is the only difference between clergymen and people of other callings.

*When it can be shewn, that men may be vain, covetous, sensual, worldly-minded, or proud in the exercise of their worldly business, then it will be allowable for clergymen to indulge the same tempers in their sacred professions. For, tho’ these tempers are most odious and most criminal in clergymen, who, besides their baptismal vow, have a second time devoted themselves to God, to be his servants, not in the common offices of life, but in the service of the most holy things; and who are therefore to keep themselves as separate from the common life of other men, as a church or an altar is to be kept separate from houses and tables of common use: yet as all Christians are by their baptism devoted to God, and made professors of holiness; so are they all in their several callings to live as holy and heavenly persons; doing everything in their common life only in such a manner, as it may be received by God, as a service done to him. For things, spiritual and temporal, sacred and common, must, like men and angels, like heaven and earth, all conspire in the glory of God.

4. *As there is but one God and Father of us all, whose glory gives light and life to every thing that lives, whose presence fills all places, whose power supports all beings, whose providence ruleth all events; so every thing that lives, whether in heaven or earth, whether they be thrones or principalities, men or angels, must all, with one Spirit, live wholly to the praise and glory of this one God and Father of them all. Angels as angels, in their heavenly ministrations, but men as men, women as women, bishops as bishops, priests as priests, and deacons as deacons; some with things spiritual, and some with things temporal, offering to God the daily sacrifice of a reasonable life, wise actions, purity of heart, and heavenly affections.

This is the common business of all persons in this world. It is not left to any women in the world to trifle away their time in the follies and impertinences of a fashionable life, nor to any men to resign themselves up to worldly cares and concerns; it is not left to the rich, to gratify their passions in the indulgences and pride of life, nor to the poor, to vex and torment their hearts with the poverty of their state; but men and women, rich and poor, must, with bishops and priests, walk before God in the same wise and holy Spirit, in the same denial of all vain tempers, and in the same discipline and care of their souls; not only because they have all the same rational nature, and are servants of the same God, but because they all want the same holiness to make them fit for the same happiness. It is therefore absolutely necessary for all Christians, whether men or women, to consider themselves as persons that are devoted to holiness, and to order their common ways of life by such rules of reason and piety as may turn it into a continual service to Almighty God.

5. As the glory of God is one and the same thing; so whatever we do, suitable to it, must be done with one and the same Spirit. That same temper of mind which makes our alms and devotions acceptable, must also make our labour, or employment, a proper offering to God. If a man pursues his business, that he may raise himself to figure and glory in the world, he is no longer serving God in his employment; he is acting under other masters, and has no more title to a reward from God, than he that gives alms that he may be seen of men. For vain and earthly desires are no more allowable in our employments, than in our alms and devotions. For these tempers of worldly pride, and vain glory, are not only evil, when they mix with our good works; but they have the same evil nature, when they enter into our common business. If it were allowable to indulge covetous or vain passions in our worldly employments, it would be allowable to be vain-glorious in our devotions. But as our alms and devotions are not an acceptable service, but when they proceed from a heart truly devoted to God; so our common employment cannot be reckoned a service to him, but when it is performed with the same piety of heart.

6. *Most of the employments of life are in their own nature lawful; and all those that are so, may be made a substantial part of our duty to God, if we engage in them only so far, and for such ends, as are suitable to beings, that are to live above the world, all the time they live in the world. This is the only measure of our application to any worldly business; let it be what it will, or where it will, it must have no more of our hands, our hearts, or our time, than is consistent with an hearty, daily, careful preparation of ourselves for another life. For as all Christians, as such, have renounced this world, to prepare themselves by daily devotion, and universal holiness, for an eternal state of quite another nature, they must look upon worldly employments as upon worldly wants, and bodily infirmities; things not to be desired, but only to be endured till death and the resurrection have carried us to an eternal state of real happiness.

7. Now he that does not look at the things of this life in this degree of littleness, cannot be said either to feel or believe the greatest truths of Christianity. For, if he thinks any thing great or important in human business, can he be said to feel or believe those scriptures which represent this life, and the greatest things of life, as bubbles, vapours, dreams and shadows?

If he thinks figure, and shew, and worldly glory, to be any proper happiness of a Christian, how can he be said to feel or believe this doctrine, Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake? For surely, if there was any real happiness in figure, and shew, and worldly glory; if these things deserved our thoughts and care, it could not be matter of the highest joy, when we are torn from them by persecution and sufferings. If therefore a man will so live, as to shew, that he believes the most fundamental doctrines of Christianity, he must live above the world; he must do the business of life, and yet live wholly unto God. And it is as necessary that people live in their employments with this temper, as it is necessary, that their employment itself be lawful.

8. *The husbandman that tilleth the ground, is employed in an honest business, that is necessary in life, and very capable of being made an acceptable service unto God: but if he labours and toils, not to serve any reasonable ends of life, but in order to have his plough made of silver, and to have his horses harnessed in gold, the honesty of his employment is lost as to him, and his labour becomes his folly.