Wesley Corpus

O let your heart be toward him; seek him from the heart | Fear sin, more than want, more than death. And cry mightily to Him who bore your sins, till you have bread to eat that the world knoweth not of; till you have angels' food, even the love of God shed abroad in your heart; till you can say, “Now I know that my Redeemer liveth, that he hath loved me, and given himself for me; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God!” I. “WHAT is smuggling?” It is the importing, selling, or buying of run goods; that is, those which have not paid the duty appointed by law to be paid to the King. 1. Importing run goods. All smuggling vessels do this with an high hand. It is the chief, if not the whole, business of these to bring goods which have not paid duty. 2. Next to these are all sea Captains, Officers, sailors, or passengers, who import anything without paying the duty which the law requires. 3. A third sort of smugglers are all those who sell anything which has not paid the duty. 4. A fourth sort, those who buy tea, liquors, linen, hand kerchiefs, or anything else which has not paid duty. II. “But why should they not? What harm is there in it 2 * 1. I answer, open smuggling (such as was common a few years ago, on the southern coasts especially) is robbing on the highway; and as much harm as there is in this, just so much there is in smuggling. A smuggler of this kind is no honester than an highwayman. They may shake hands together. 2. Private smuggling is just the same with picking of pockets. There is full as much harm in this as in that. A smuggler of this kind is no honester than a pickpocket. These may shake hands together. 3. But open smugglers are worse than common highway men, and private smugglers are worse than common pick pockets. For it is undoubtedly worse to rob our father than one we have no obligation to. And it is worse still, far worse, to rob a good father, one who sincerely loves us, and is at that very time doing all he can to provide for us and to make us happy.