Wesley Corpus

You have no time to lose; see that you redeem every moment that remains. Remove everything out of the way, be it ever so small, (though indeed gay or costly apparel is not so,) that might anyways obstruct your lowliness and meekness, your seriousness of spirit, your single intention to glorify God, in all your thoughts and words and actions. Let no needless expense hinder your being, in the highest degree you possibly can, “rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to commu nicate,” till you are clothed with glory and immortality. Our carcases will soon fall into the dust; then let the survivors adorn them with flowers. Meantime, let us regard those ornaments only that will accompany us into eternity. 6. You that are in the morning of your days, either your form is agreeable, or it is not. If it is not, do not make your person remarkable; rather let it lie hid in common apparel. On every account, it is your wisdom to recommend yourself to the eye of the mind; but especially to the eye of God, who reads the secrets of your hearts, and in whose sight the incorruptible ornaments alone are of great price. But if you would recommend yourself by dress, is anything com parable to plain neatness? What kind of persons are those to whom you could be recommended by gay or costly appa rel? None that are any way likely to make you happy; this pleases only the silliest and worst of men. At most, it gratifies only the silliest and worst principle in those who are of a nobler character. 7. To you, whom God has entrusted with a more pleasing form, those ornaments are quite needless: The adorning thee with so much art Is but a barbarous skill ; 'Tis like the poisoning of a dart, Too apt before to kill. That is, to express ourselves in plain English, without any figure of poetry, it only tends to drag them into death ever lasting, who were going fast enough before, by additional provocations to lust, or, at least, inordinate affection. Did you actually design to raise either of these in those who looked upon you? What! while you and they were in the more immediate presence of God? What profaneness and inhumanity mixed together ! But if you designed it not, did you not foresee it?