Wesley Corpus

Upon the whole, without disputing whether the married or single life be the more perfect state, (an idle dispute; since perfection does not consist in any outward state whatever, but in an absolute devotion of all our heart and all our life to God,) we may safely say, Blessed are “they who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake;” who abstain from things lawful in them selves, in order to be more devoted to God. Let these never forget those remarkable words: “Peter said, Lo, we have left all and followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you,” (a preface denoting both the certainty and importance of what is spoken,) “There is no man that hath left” (either by giving them up, or by not accepting them) “house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time; and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark x. 28-30.) If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 1. I AM not now about to speak to men of the world, or to them that have only the form of religion; but to you who have experienced, if you do not now, the “faith which worketh by love:” And, in speaking to you, I do not peremptorily 464 A TiiOUGHT UPON MARRIAGE. assert anything. I barely propose a thought that rises in my mind, and beg you to consider it. 2. You have some thoughts of altering your condition; and we know, “marriage is honourable in all men.” But is your eye single herein? This is worthy your most serious consideration. Retire a little into yourself, and ask your own heart : “What is it moves me to think of this?” 3. I will tell you how it was with me: Though I do not know I was ever low-spirited, (my spirits being always the same, whether in sickness or in health,) yet I was often uneasy. Even in vigorous health, in plenty, and in the midst of my friends, I wanted something; I was not satisfied. I looked about for happiness, but could not find it.