Wesley Corpus

But until ye know every one ‘the plague of his own heart, there is no hope of your recovery. Why will ye not believe the plain testimony of Scripture? Alas! that is the nature of your disease. ‘Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Lord, open their eyes, before they lift them up in hell, and see what they will not see now ! “Meantime, let us have a special eye upon the corruption and sin of our nature. What avails it to take notice of other sins, while this mother sin is unnoticed? This is a weighty point; in speaking to which, I shall, “1. Point at some evidences of men's overlooking the sin of their nature. As (1.) Men's being so confident of themselves, as if they were in no danger of gross sins. Many would take heinously such a caution as Christ gave his Apostles: ‘Take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness.’ They would be ready to cry out, ‘Am I a dog?’ It would raise the pride of their heart, not their fear and trembling. And all this is a proof that they know not the corruption of their own nature. (2.) Untender ness toward them that fall. Many, in this case, cast off all bowels of compassion; a plain proof that they do not know, or ‘consider themselves, lest they also be tempted.” Grace, indeed, does make men zealous against sin, in others as well as in them selves. But eyes turned inward to the corruption of nature, clothe them with pity and compassion, and fill them with thank fulness, that they were not the persons left to be such spectacles of human frailty. (3.) Men’s venturing so boldly on temptation, in confidence of their coming off fairly. Were they sensible of the corruption of their nature, they would beware of entering on the devil’s ground; as one girt about with bags of gunpowder would be loath to walk where sparks of fire were flying. “2. I shall mention a few things in which ye should have a special eye to the sin of your nature. (1) In your application to Christ. When you are with the Physician, O forget not this disease!