PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)
Wesley, John, 1703-1791 · 82,523 words · 142 reading sections
Part 121
I have been long and yet I am afraid my letter will be ended before my work is done: how loath am I to leave you, before I have prevailed with you to set to this work? Will you pass your promise, will you give me your hands? Oh that you would? You cannot do me a greater pleasure. Beloved, why should you not give the ha…
756 wordsSECTION 122JOS. ALLEINE.
A WORD to a SABBATH-BREAKER. _Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy._ HAVE you forgotten who spoke these words? Or do you set him at defiance? Do you bid him do his worst? Have a care. You are not stronger than he. _Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth: but woe unto the man that contendeth with …
885 wordsSECTION 123Part 123
Do not ask any more, “Where is the harm, if after church, I spend the remainder of the day in the fields, or in a public-house, or in taking a little diversion?” You know where is the harm. Your own heart tells you so plain, that _you_ can’t but hear. It is a base mispending your talent, and a bare-faced contempt of Go…
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And is not God willing to do this? Surely he is. For God loveth thee. He gave his only Son, that thou mightest not perish, but have everlasting life. Christ died for thee. And he that believeth on him hath everlasting life. Mark that word: he _hath_ it. He hath it now. He hath the beginning of heaven even upon earth: f…
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But it is not so. You are an _enemy_ to your _king_, whom you rob hereby of an useful subject. You are an _enemy_ to your _country_, which you defraud of the service you might do, either as a man or as a Christian. You are an _enemy_ to _every man_ that sees you in your sin; for your example may move him to do the same…
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8. “But you have no friend: none, at least, that is able to help you.” Indeed you have: one that is a present help in time of trouble. You have a friend that has all power in heaven and earth, even Jesus Christ the righteous. He loved sinners of old: and he does so still. He then suffered the publicans and harlots to c…
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6. If you believe the bible, I say to _you_, as St. _Paul_ said to the ancient Christians, _Render unto all their dues_: in particular, _Custom to whom custom is due, tribute to whom tribute_. Now custom is by the laws of _England_ due to the king. Therefore every one in _England_ is bound to pay it him. So that robbin…
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4. “Nay, but my soul is quite happy in the love of God: therefore I cannot think it is wrong.” I answer, wrong it must be, if the bible is right. Therefore either that love is a mere delusion, a fire of your own kindling; or God may have hitherto winked at the times of ignorance. But now you have the means of knowing b…
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2. But O! how will you stand before God? The great, the holy, the just, the terrible God? Is it not his own word, _Without holiness no man shall see the Lord_? No man shall see him with joy: rather he will call for the mountains to fall upon him and the rocks to cover him. And what do you think holiness is? It is purit…
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6. This is the faith that worketh by love, the way that leadeth to the kingdom. Do you earnestly desire to walk therein? Then put away all hindrances. Beware of company: At the peril of your soul, keep from those who neither know nor seek God. Your old acquaintance are no acquaintance for _you_, unless they too acquain…
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5. Add to all these (what is indeed the source as well as completion of all) that open and profess’d DEISM and _rejection_ of the GOSPEL, that _public, avowed_ apostacy from the Christian faith, which reigns among the _rich_ and _great_, and hath spread from _them_ to _all_ ranks and orders of men (the _vulgar_ themsel…
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11. Let them _turn_ every one from his evil way. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. And see that this reformation be _universal_: for there is no serving God by halves. Avoid _all_ evil, and do _all_ good unto _all_ men; else you only deceive your own soul. See also, that it be from the _heart_: lay the axe to the roo…
197 wordsSECTION 133AN HYMN.
REGARD, thou righteous God and true, Regard thy weeping people’s prayer, Before the sword our land go through, Before thy latest plague we bear, Let all to thee their smiter turn, Let all beneath thine anger mourn. The sword, which first bereav’d abroad, We now within _our_ borders see: We see, but slight thy nearer r…
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7. Thirdly, the doctrine of _persecution_. This has been for many ages a favourite doctrine of the church of _Rome_. And the Papists in general still maintain, that “all heretics, (that is, all who differ from them) ought to be _compelled_ to receive what they call the _true faith_; to be _forced_ into the church, or o…
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13. Do you desire to escape the scourge of God? Then I entreat you, first, Be a _real Protestant_. By the Spirit of God assisting you (for without him you know you can do nothing) cast away all that _trust_ in your own righteousness, all hope of being saved by your own works. Own, your _merit_ is everlasting damnation;…
414 wordsSECTION 136HYMN I.
1. WHERE have I been so long Fast bound in sin and night, Mix’d with the blind self righteous throng Who hate the sons of light? 2. O how shall I presume, Jesus, to call on thee, Sunk in the lowest dregs of _Rome_, The worst idolatry! 3. A stranger to thy grace, Long have I labour’d, Lord, To ’stablish my own righ…
315 wordsSECTION 137HYMN II.
1. FORGIVE me, O thou jealous God, A wretch, who on thy laws have trod, And robb’d thee of thy right, A sinner to myself unknown, ’Gainst thee I have transgress’d and done, This evil in thy sight. 2. My body I disdain’d to incline Or worship at an idol’s shrine With _gross_ idolatry: But Oh! my soul hath baser prov’…
181 wordsSECTION 138HYMN III.
1. O THOU who seest what is in man, And shew’st myself to me, Suffer a sinner to complain And groan his griefs to thee. 2. A sinner, that has cloak’d his shame With self-deceiving art, Thy worshipper _reform’d_ in name, But unrenew’d in heart. 3. The servants most unlike their Lord, How oft did I condemn; The pers…
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Perhaps you will say, but I love my country, Therefore I am for the _country-interest_. I fear, you know not what you say. Are you against your king because you love your country? Who taught you to separate your king from your country? To set one against the other? Be assured, none that loves either. True lovers of the…
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2. And are _you_ to be judged? How is this to be? Why, the Son of God shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him; and then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.…
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6. Will you reply to all this, “But I am a soldier, and have therefore nothing to do with these things?” Hold! Have soldiers nothing to do with death? How so? Do soldiers never die? can you fright death away? No, my friend; he will not regard all your big words and looks; nor all the weapons of your warfare. You can ne…
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10. And why should he not? Has a soldier nothing to do with heaven? God forbid that you should think so! Heaven was designed for _you_ also. God so loved _your_ soul, that he gave his only begotten Son, that you, believing in him, might not perish, but have everlasting life. Receive then the kingdom, prepared for you f…
280 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.