Wesley Corpus

This we may defy any man living to get over, if he allows there is another world. For there is no reward in heaven for laying out your money in ornaments, or costly apparel; whereas you may have an eternal reward for whatever you expend on earth. 4. Consider this more closely: Here are two ways proposed of laying out such a sum of money. I may lay it out in expensive apparel for myself, or in necessary clothing for my neighbour. The former will please my own eye, or that of others; the latter will please God. Now suppose there were no more harm in one than in the other; in that which pleases man, than in that which pleases God; is there as much good in it? If they were equally innocent, are they equally wise? By the one, I gratify the desire of the eye, and gain a pleasure that perishes in the using; by the other I gain a larger share of those pleasures that are at God’s right hand for evermore. By the former, I obtain the applause of men; by the latter, the praise of God. In this way I meet with the admiration of fools; in that, I hear from the Judge of all, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” 5. Brethren, whatever ye are accounted by men, I would not have you fools in God’s account. “Walk ye circum spectly, not as fools, but as wise;” not in those ways which God may possibly forgive, (to put things in the most favour able light,) but in those which he will certainly reward. “In wickedness be ye children” still; “but in understanding be ye men.” I want to see a visible body of people who are standing examples of this wisdom; patterns of doing all things, great and small, with an eye to God and etermity. 472 ADVICE To METhonists, V. l. But we may be assured, the wisdom of the world will find out abundance of objections to this. Accordingly, it is objected, First, “If God has given us plentiful fortunes, if we are placed in the higher ranks of life, we must act suitably to our fortune.