PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 03 (of 32)
Wesley, John, 1703-1791 · 88,317 words · 128 reading sections
Part 61
3. That expression may mean, thirdly, he differs from us, in our _religious opinions_. There was a time, when all Christians were of one mind, as well as of one heart. So great grace was upon them all, when they were first filled with the Holy Ghost. But how short a space did this blessing continue? How soon was that u…
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7. I do not indeed conceive, That the person of whom the apostle speaks in the text (altho’ we have no particular account of him, either in the context, or in any other part of holy writ) went so far as this. We have no ground to suppose, That there was any material difference between him and the apostles; much less th…
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8. “But what was the practice of the apostolic age?” You may easily see in the _Acts of the apostles_. In the 8th chapter we read, _There was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem: and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles_, ver. 1. _Ther…
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2. *Do _you_ beware of this. Take care, 1. That you do not convict yourself of _bigotry_, by your unreadiness to believe, that any man does cast out devils, who differs from you. And if you are clear thus far, if you acknowledge the fact, then examine yourself, secondly. Am I not convicted of _bigotry_ in this, in forb…
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CATHOLIC SPIRIT. 2 KINGS x. 15. _And when he was departed thence, he lighted on_ Jehonadab _the son of_ Rechab _coming to meet him. And he saluted him and said, Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart? And_ Jehonadab _answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand._ 1. IT is allowed even by those who do not…
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The very first thing we may observe in these words, is that here is no enquiry concerning _Jehonadab_’s opinions. And yet ’tis certain, he held some which were very uncommon, indeed quite peculiar to himself: and some which had a close influence upon his practice; on which likewise he laid so great a stress, as to inta…
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8. But even among men of an upright heart, men who desire to _have a conscience void of offence_, it must needs be, that as long as there are various opinions, there will be various ways of worshipping God: seeing a variety of opinion necessarily implies a variety of practice. And as in all ages, men have differed in n…
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13. Dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God _over all blessed for ever_? Is he _revealed in_ thy soul? Dost thou _know Jesus Christ and him crucified_? Does he _dwell in thee, and thou in him_? Is he _formed in thy heart by faith_? Having absolutely disclaimed all thy own works, thy own righteousness, hast thou…
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2. I do not mean, “embrace my modes of worship; or, I will embrace yours.” This also is a thing which does not depend either on your choice or mine. We must both act, as each is fully persuaded in his own mind. Hold you fast that which you believe is most acceptable to God, and I will do the same. I believe the _Episco…
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7. I mean, lastly, Love me not in word only, but in deed and in truth. So far as in conscience thou canst (retaining still thy own opinions, and thy own manner of worshipping God) join with me in the work of God, and let us go on hand in hand. And thus far, it is certain, thou mayst go. Speak honourably wherever thou a…
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4. *But while he is steadily fixt in his religious principles, in what he believes to be the truth as it is in Jesus; while he firmly adheres to that worship of God, which he judges to be most acceptable in his sight, and while he is united by the tenderest and closest ties, to one particular congregation: his heart is…
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CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. PHIL. iii. 12. _Not as tho’ I had already attained, either were already perfect._ 1. THERE is scarce any expression in holy writ, which has given more offence than this. The word _perfect_ is what many cannot bear. The very sound of it is an abomination to them. And whosoever _preaches perfectio…
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4. No one then is so perfect in this life, as to be free from ignorance. Nor, secondly, from mistake, which indeed is almost an unavoidable consequence of it; seeing those who _know but in part_, are ever liable to err, touching the things which they know not. ’Tis true, the children of God do not mistake, as to the th…
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8. Nor can we expect till then, to be wholly free from temptation. Such perfection belongeth not to this life. It is true, there are those who being given up to work all uncleanness with greediness, scarce perceive the temptations which they resist not, and so seem to be without temptation. There are also many whom the…
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4. The very least which can be implied in these words, is, that the persons spoken of therein, namely, all real Christians or believers in Christ, are made free from outward sin. And the same freedom which St. _Paul_ here expresses in such variety of phrases, St. _Peter_ expresses in that one (_1 Pet._ iv. 1, 2.) _He t…
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9. “But are there not assertions in scripture which prove the same thing, if it cannot be inferred from those examples? Does not the scripture say expresly, _Even a just man sinneth seven times a day_?” I answer, No. The scripture says no such thing. There is no such text in all the bible. That which seems to be intend…
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12. That this great salvation from sin was not given till Jesus was glorified, St. _Peter_ also plainly testifies; where speaking of his _brethren in the flesh_, as now _receiving the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls_, he adds, (1 _Pet._ i. 9, 10, &c.) _Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and …
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16. As this scripture is one of the strong-holds of the patrons of sin, it may be proper to weigh it throughly. Let it be observed then, _first_, It does by no means appear, that this thorn, whatsoever it was, occasioned St. _Paul_ to commit sin: much less laid him under any necessity of doing so. Therefore, from hence…
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18. So clearly does St. _James_, explain himself, and fix the meaning of his own words. Yet lest any one should still remain in doubt, St. _John_, writing many years after St. _James_, puts the matter intirely out of dispute, by the express declarations above recited. But here a fresh difficulty may arise. How shall we…
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22. And indeed, whence should evil thoughts proceed, in the servant who is _as his Master? out of the heart of man_ (if at all) _proceed evil thoughts_ (Mark vii. 21.) If therefore his heart, be no longer evil, then evil thoughts can no longer proceed out of it. If the tree were corrupt, so would be the fruit; but the …
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27. Thus doth Jesus _save his people from their sins_: and not only from outward sins, but also from the sins of their hearts; from evil thoughts and from evil tempers. “True, say some; we shall thus be saved from our sins: but not till death, not in this world.” But how are we to reconcile this with the express words …
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Chose from the world if now I stand Adorned in righteousness divine, If brought unto the promis’d land, I justly call the Saviour mine; Perform the work thou hast begun, My inmost soul to thee convert: Love me, for ever, love thine own, And sprinkle with thy blood my heart. Thy sanctifying Spirit pour To quench my th…
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WANDERING THOUGHTS. 2 COR. x. 4. _Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ._ 1. BUT will God so _bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ_, that no _wandering thought_ will find a place in the mind, even while we remain in the body? So some have vehemently maintained: yea,…
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See how _these Christians_ love one another! Wherein are they preferable to Turks and Pagans? What abomination can be found among Mahometans or Heathens, which is not found among Christians also?” And thus my mind runs off, before I am aware, from one circumstance to another. Now all these are in some sense _wandering …
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8. *These occasions of wandering thoughts lie within, are wrought into our very nature. But they will likewise naturally and necessarily arise, from the various impulse of _outward objects_. Whatever strikes upon the organ of sense, the eye or ear, will raise a perception in the mind. And accordingly, whatever we see o…
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5. But abstracting from these cases, wandering thoughts, in the latter sense of the word, that is, thoughts wherein our understanding wanders, from the point it has in view, are no more sinful than the motion of the blood in our veins, or of the spirits in our brain. If they arise from an infirm constitution, or from s…
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4. Will not the case be the same, with regard to those thoughts that necessarily arise from violent pain? They will, more or less, continue while that pain continues, by the inviolable order of nature. This order likewise will obtain, where the thoughts are disturbed, broken or interrupted, by any defect of the apprehe…
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SATAN’S DEVICES. 2 COR. ii. 11. _We are not ignorant of his devices._ 1. THE devices whereby the subtle _god of this world_, labours to destroy the children of God, or at least to torment whom he cannot destroy, to perplex and hinder them in running the race which is set before them, are numberless as the stars of he…
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2. If he can prevail thus far, if he can damp our joy, he will soon attack our peace also. He will suggest, “Are you fit to see God? He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. How then can you flatter yourself, so as to imagine he beholds _you_ with approbation? God is holy: You are unholy. What communion hath light …
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8. *At the same time that our wise adversary endeavours, to make our conviction of the necessity of perfect love, an occasion of shaking our peace by doubts and fears, he endeavours to weaken, if not destroy our faith. Indeed these are inseparably connected; so that they must stand or fall together. So long as faith su…
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11. But while we are reaching to this, as well as to that glorious liberty which is preparatory to it, we may be in danger of falling into another snare of the devil, wherein he labours to intangle the children of God. We may take too much _thought for to-morrow_, so as to neglect the improvement of to-day. We may so e…
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2. Secondly, the more vehemently he assaults your peace with that suggestion, “God is holy, you are unholy. You are immensely distant from that holiness, without which you cannot see God: how then can you be in the favour of God? How can you fancy you are justified?” Take the more earnest heed to hold fast, that, _Not …
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5. And if you thus _taste of the good word and of the powers of the world to come_, you will not murmur against God, because you are not yet _meet for the inheritance of the saints in light_. Instead of repining at your not being wholly delivered, you will praise God for thus far delivering you. You will magnify God fo…
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THE SCRIPTURE WAY OF SALVATION. EPH. ii. 8. _Ye are saved through faith._ 1. NOTHING can be more intricate, complex, and hard to be understood, than religion as it has been often described. And this is not only true concerning the religion of the Heathens, even many of the wisest of them, but concerning the religion …
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6. But it is seldom long, before they are undeceived, finding sin was only suspended, not destroyed. Temptations return and sin revives, shewing it was but stunned before, not dead. They now feel two principles in themselves plainly contrary to each other, _the flesh lusting against the spirit_, nature opposing the gra…
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3. “But is this the _faith of assurance_, or _faith of adherence_?” The scripture mentions no such distinction. The apostle says, _There is one faith, and one hope of our calling_, one Christian, saving faith, as _there is one Lord_, in whom we believe, and _one God and Father of us all_. And it is certain, this faith …
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4. “But is there not a repentance consequent upon, as well as a repentance previous to, justification? And is it not incumbent on all that are justified, to be _zealous of good works_? Yea, are not these so necessary, that if a man willingly neglect them, he cannot reasonably expect, that he shall ever be sanctified in…
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10. Secondly, All works of mercy, whether they relate to the bodies or souls of men: such as feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, entertaining the stranger, visiting those that are in prison, or sick, or variously-afflicted: such as the endeavouring to instruct the ignorant, to awaken the stupid sinner, to quicken …
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17. To this confidence, That God is both able and willing to sanctify us _now_, there needs to be added one thing more, a divine evidence and conviction, That _he doth_ it. In that hour it is done. God says to the inmost soul, _According to thy faith, be it unto thee_! Then the soul is pure from every spot of sin; _it …
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ORIGINAL SIN. GEN. vi. 5. _And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually._ 1. HOW widely different is this from the fair pictures of human nature, which men have drawn in all ages! The writings of many of the antients a…
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2. God _saw all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart_――Of his soul, his inward man, the spirit within him, the principle of all his inward and outward motions. He _saw all the imaginations_. It is not possible to find a word of a more extensive signification. It includes whatever is formed, made, fabricated wi…
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3. We see, when God opens our eyes, that we were before ἄθεοι ἐν κόσμῳ· _without_ God, or rather _Atheists in the world_. We had by nature no knowledge of God, no acquaintance with him. It is true, as soon as we came to the use of reason, we learned _the invisible things of_ God, _even his eternal power and Godhead, fr…
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8. *But pride is not the only sort of idolatry, which we are all by nature guilty of. _Satan_ has stamped his own image on our heart in _self-will_ also. _I will_, said he, before he was cast out of heaven, _I will sit upon the sides of the north_. I will do my own will and pleasure, independently on that of my Creator…
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11. *A third symptom of this fatal disease the love of the world, which is so deeply rooted in our nature, is _the pride of life_, the desire of praise, of _the honour that cometh of men_. This the greatest admirers of human nature allow to be strictly natural: as natural as the sight or hearing, or any other of the ex…
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3. *We may learn from hence, in the _third_ place, what is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. It is Θεραπεία ψυχῆς· God’s method of healing a soul which is _thus diseased_. Hereby the great Physician of souls applies medicines to heal _this sickness_; to restore human nature, totally corrup…
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THE NEW BIRTH. JOHN iii. 7. _Ye must be born again._ 1. IF any doctrine within the whole compass of Christianity may be properly termed fundamental, they are doubtless these two, the doctrine of justification, and that of the new birth: the former relating to that great work, which God does _for us_, in forgiving our…
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2. But although man was made in the image of God, yet he was not made immutable. This would have been inconsistent with that state of trial, in which God was pleased to place him. He was therefore created able to stand, and yet liable to fall. And this God himself apprized him of, and gave him a solemn warning against …
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2. Not that we are to expect any minute, philosophical account, of the _manner how_ this is done. Our Lord sufficiently guards us against any such expectation, by the words immediately following the text: wherein he reminds _Nicodemus_ of as indisputable a fact, as any in the whole compass of nature: which notwithstand…
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4. Before a child is born into the world, he has eyes, but sees not; he has ears, but does not hear. He has a very imperfect use of any other sense. He has no knowledge of any of the things of the world, or any natural understanding. To that manner of existence which he then has, we do not even give the name of life. I…
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III. 1. It is not difficult for any who has considered these things, to see the necessity of the new birth, and to answer the _third_ question, wherefore, to what ends is it necessary that we should be born again? It is very easily discerned, that this is necessary, first, in order to holiness. For what is holiness, ac…
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1. And, _first_, It follows, that baptism is not the new birth: they are not one and the same thing. Many indeed seem to imagine, they are just the same: at least, they speak as if they thought so: but I do not know, that this opinion is publickly avowed, by any denomination of Christians whatever. Certainly it is not,…
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4. *One point more we may learn from the preceding observations. But it is a point of so great importance, as may excuse the considering it the more carefully, and prosecuting it at some length. What must one who loves the souls of men, and is grieved that any of them should perish, say to one whom he sees living in sa…
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*But perhaps the sinner himself, to whom in real charity we say, “_You must be born again_,” has been taught to say, “I defy your new doctrine; I need not be born again. I was born again when I was baptized. What! Would you have me deny my baptism?” I answer, first, There is nothing under heaven which can excuse a lie.…
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THE WILDERNESS STATE. JOHN xvi. 22. _Ye now have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you._ 1. AFTER God had wrought a great deliverance for _Israel_, by bringing them out of the house of bondage, they did not immediately enter into the land which he had prom…
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3. In consequence of the loss of faith and love, follows, _thirdly_, Loss of joy in the Holy Ghost. For if the loving consciousness of pardon be no more, the joy resulting therefrom cannot remain. If the Spirit does not witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, the joy that flowed from that inward witne…
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4. Perhaps no sin of omission more frequently occasions this, than the neglect of private prayer; the want whereof cannot be supplied by any other ordinance whatever. Nothing can be more plain, than that the life of God in the soul does not continue, much less increase, unless we use all opportunities of communing with…
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10. But it is well to be observed, that the cause of our darkness, (whatsoever it be, whether omission or commission, whether inward or outward sin) is not always nigh at hand. Sometimes the sin which occasioned the present distress, may lie at a considerable distance. It might be committed days or weeks or months befo…
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2. The force of those temptations which arise from within, will be exceedingly heightened, if we before thought too highly of ourselves, as if we had been cleansed from all sin. And how naturally do we imagine this, during the warmth of our first love? How ready are we to believe, That God has _fulfilled in_ us _the_ w…
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4. But perhaps you are not conscious of even any _sin of omission_, which impairs your peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Is there not then some _inward sin_, which as a _root of bitterness springs up_ in your heart to _trouble you_? Is not your dryness and barrenness of soul occasioned by your hearts _departing from the…
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8. One of these is _Isaiah_ l. 10. _Who is among you that feareth the_ Lord, _and obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the_ Lord, _and stay upon his_ God. But how does it appear either from the text or context, that the person here spoke of ever had …
846 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.