Wesley Corpus

15. Brethren, are you of this number, who are now here before God Do you see "Him that is invisible" Have you faith, living faith, the faith of a child Can you say, "The life that I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" Do you "walk by faith" Observe the question. I do not ask, whether you curse, or swear, or profane the Sabbath, or live in any outward sin. I do not ask, whether you do good, more or less; or attend all the ordinances of God. But, suppose you are blameless in all these respects, I ask, in the name of God, by what standard do you judge of the value of things by the visible or the invisible world Bring the matter to an issue in a single instance. Which do you judge best, -- that your son should be a pious cobbler, or a profane lord Which appears to you most eligible, -- that your daughter should be a child of God, and walk on foot, or a child of the devil, and ride in a coach-and-six When the question is concerning marrying your daughter, if you consider her body more than her soul, take knowledge of yourself: You are in the way to hell, and not to heaven; for you walk by sight, and not by faith. I do not ask, whether you live in any outward sin or neglect; but, do you seek in the general tenor of your life, "the things that are above," or the things that are below Do you "set your affection on things above," or on "things of the earth" If on the latter, you are as surely in the way of destruction, as a thief or a common drunkard. My dear friends, let every man, every woman among you, deal honestly with yourselves. Ask your own heart, "What am I seeking day by day What am I desiring What am I pursuing earth or heaven the things that are seen, or the things that are not seen" What is your object, God or the world As the Lord liveth, if the world is your object, still all your religion is vain.