Treatise Plain Account Of Christian Perfection
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-plain-account-of-christian-perfection-008 |
| Words | 388 |
It is
his glory and joy so to do; it is his daily crown of rejoicing,
to ‘do the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven.’
“All the commandments of God he accordingly keeps, and
that with all his might; for his obedience is in propertion to his
love, the source from whence it flows. And therefore, loving
God with all his heart, he serves him with all his strength; he
continually presents his soul and ‘body a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God;’ entirely and without reserve devoting
himself, all he has, all he is, to his glory. All the talents he
has, he constantly employs according to his Master’s will;
every power and faculty of his soul, every member of his body. “By consequence, ‘whatsoever he doeth, it is all to the
glory of God.” In all his employments of every kind, he not
only aims at this, which is implied in having a single eye, but
actually attains it; his business and his refreshments, as well
as his prayers, all serve to this great end. Whether he ‘sit
in the house, or walk by the way, whether he lie down, or
rise up, he is promoting, in all he speaks or does, the one
business of his life. Whether he put on his apparel, or labour,
or eat and drink, or divert himself from too wasting labour, it
all tends to advance the glory of God, by peace and good-will
among men. His one invariable rule is this: “Whatsoever
ye do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God, even the Father, through him.’
“Nor do the customs of the world at all hinder his
‘running the race which is set before him.’ He cannot
therefore “lay up treasures upon earth,’ no more than he can
take fire into his bosom. He cannot speak evil of his neigh
bour, any more than he can lie either for God or man. He
cannot utter an unkind word of any one; for love keeps the
door of his lips. He cannot ‘speak idle words; no corrupt
conversation” ever ‘comes out of his mouth;’ as is all that is
not “good to the use of edifying, not fit to ‘minister grace
to the hearers.