Wesley Corpus

6. "And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy upon me!" -- I do not remember, in all the Bible, any prayer made to a saint, but this. And if we observe who made it, -- a man in hell, -- and with what success, we shall hardly wish to follow the precedent. O let us cry for mercy to God, not to man! And it is our wisdom to cry now, while we are in the land of mercy; otherwise it will be too late! -- "I am tormented in this flame!" Tormented, observe, not purified. Vain hope, that fire can purify a spirit! As well might you expect water to cleanse the soul, as fire. God forbid that you or I should make the trial! 7. And "Abraham said, Son, remember:" -- Mark, how Abraham accosts a damned spirit: And shall we behave with less tenderness to any of the children of God, "because they are not of our opinion" -- "Thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things." O, beware it be not your case! Are not the things of the world "thy good things" -- the chief objects of thy desire and pursuit Are they not thy chief joy If so, thou art in a very dangerous state; in the very condition which Dives was in upon earth! Do not then dream that all is well, because thou art "highly esteemed among men;" because thou doest no harm, or doest much good, or attendest all the ordinances of God. What is all this, if thy soul cleaves to the dust; if thy heart is in the world; if thou lovest the creature more than the Creator 8. How striking are the next words! "Beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed; so that they who would pass from us to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." This was the text which occasioned the epitaph on a right honourable infidel and gamester: -- Here lies a dicer; long in doubt If death could kill the soul, or not: Here ends his doubtfulness; at last Convinced; -- but,ah! the die is cast!