Give Me The Book

            I am a creature of a day, passing through life, as an arrow through the air.  I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God; just hovering over the great gulf till a few moments hence, I am no more seen!  I drop into an unchangeable eternity!

            I want to know one thing, the way to heaven: how to land safe on the happy shore.  God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end Jesus came from heaven.  He hath written it down in a book!  Oh, give me that Book!  At any price, give me the Book of God!  I have it.  Here a knowledge enough for me.  Let me be homo unius libri (a man of one book).

            Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men.  I sit down alone; only God is here.  In His presence I open, I read this Book, for this end, to find the way to heaven.  Is there a doubt concerning the meaning of what I read?  Does anything appear dark or intricate?  I lift up my heart to the Father of lights.  Lord, is it not Thy Word.  “If any…lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth…liberally and upbraideth not..”  “If any man will to do his will, he shall know.”  I am willing to do; let me know Thy will.

            I search after, and consider parallel passages of Scripture, “comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”  I meditate thereon, with all the attention and earnestness in the things of God, and then, the writings whereby, being dead, they yet speak.  And what I thus learn, that I teach.

--John Wesley