Wesley Corpus

God, in allotting us our several portions of all these, is solely for our sanotification ; our re covery from the vile bondage, the love of his creatures, to the free love of our Creator. All his providences, be they mild or severe, point at no other object than this ; they are all de signed either to wean us from what is not, or to unite us to what is, worthy our affection. Are they pleasing ? then they are intended to lift our hearts to the Parent of all good. Are they painful ? then they are means of eradicat ing those passions that forcibly withhold us from him : so that all lead the same way, either directly or indirectly, either by gratitude, or disappointment ; for to those who have ears to hear, every loss, especially of what was nearest and dearest to us, speaks as clearly as if it were an articulate voice from heaven, " Little chil dren, keep yourselves from idols " every sor row, every pain, every mortification, " Love not the world, neither the things of the world " and every pleasure, with a small still voice, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." To the same end are all the internal dis«