PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)
Wesley, John, 1703-1791 · 79,981 words · 102 reading sections
Part 61
10. Many of those who are perhaps as zealous of good works, as you, think I have allowed you too much.――Nay, my brethren, but how can we help allowing it, if we allow the scriptures to be from God? For is it not written, and do not you yourselves believe, _Without holiness no man shall see the Lord_? And how then, with…
691 wordsSECTION 62Part of it ran (nearly, if not exactly) thus:
“There is great indiscretion in preaching up a sort of religion, as the true and only Christianity, which in their own account of it, consists in an enthusiastic ardor, to be understood or attained by very few, and not to be practised without breaking in upon the common duties of life.” O my Lord, what manner of words…
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_A._ My notions are, “True religion is the loving God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves; and in that love abstaining from all evil, and doing all possible good to all men.” Now, it is not possible in the nature of things, that any should be _led by these notions_, into either a disregard or disesteem o…
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I answer. 1. There is no manner of need to set the one in opposition to the other: Seeing we continually exhort all who attend on our preaching, to attend the offices of the church. And they do pay a more regular attendance there, than ever they did before. 2. Their attending the church did not, in fact answer those en…
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5. Query the fifth. “Whether those exalted strains in religion, and an imagination of being already in a state of _perfection_, are not apt to lead men to spiritual pride, and to a contempt of their fellow christians; while they consider _them_ as only going on in what they call the _low_ and _imperfect_ way, (_i. e._ …
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_A._ A better foundation than _that――That!_ What? To what substantive does this refer? According to the rules of grammar, (for all the other substantives are in the genitive case, and consequently to be considered as only parts of that which governs them) you must mean, “A better foundation than that foundation which i…
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Whatever public worship, therefore, people may have attended, or whatever ministry they have lived under from their infancy, they must, at all hazards, be convinced of this, or they perish for ever: yea, though that conviction at first _unhinge_ them ever so much; though it should in a manner, _distract_ them for a sea…
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You then undertake to shew, that confessing our sins, is a condition of justification, and that a confidence in the love of God, is not a condition. Some of your words are, “This, good Sir, give me leave to say, is the greatest nonsense and contradiction possible. It ♦is impossible you can understand this jargon yourse…
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I went on, “Hear _Thomas_, when having seen he believed, crying out my Lord and my God.” Hereon you comment thus, “The meaning of which is that St. _Thomas_ makes a confession, both of his faith and repentance.” I agree with you. But you add, “in St. _Thomas_’s confession there is not implied an assurance of pardon,” y…
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“All these therefore have great cause to be full of joy, and not to fear death nor everlasting damnation. For death cannot deprive them of Jesus Christ, death cannot take him from us, nor us from him. Death not only cannot harm us, but also shall profit us and join us to God more perfectly. And thereof a christian hear…
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This is flat and plain. Here is a fact positively averred: and a reason also assigned for it. Now do you take yourself to be a man of candor, I had almost said, of common honesty? My very words in the place referred to, are, “A visible church is a company of faithful people. This is the essence of it. And the _properti…
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3. Are you not convinced, Sir, that you have laid to my charge things which I know not? I do not gravely tell you (as much an _enthusiast_ as you over and over affirm me to be) “That I _sensibly feel_ (in _your_ sense) the motions of the Holy Spirit.” Much less do I “make this, any more than convulsions, agonies, howli…
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Will you reply? “Well, but this is the original promise _made by our_ Lord.” I answer, not so neither, for it was before this, Jesus himself _stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink, he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. And t…
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Now, How does your Lordship prove that this promise belongs only to the primitive church? Why, 1. You say, “It is very clear from the bare recital of the words.” I apprehend not. But this is the very question, which is not to be begged, but proved. 2. You say, “_The Spirit’s bringing all things to their remembrance, wh…
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Yet your Lordship’s mind is so full of this, that after repeating the 14th and 15th verses (_as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: for ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear: but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father!_) you add, “in the form…
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10. St. _Paul_ begins the 8th chapter of his Epistle to the _Romans_, with the great privilege of every Christian believer, (whether _Jew_ or _Gentile_ before) _There is now no condemnation for them that are in |Christ Jesus|_, engrafted into him by faith, _who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For_ now e…
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Here is a circumstance highly needful to be observed, before we enter upon this question. Your Lordship undertakes to fix the meaning of an expression used by St. _Paul_, in the 14th chapter of his first epistle to the _Corinthians_. And in order thereto, you laboriously explain part of the 8th chapter of the _Romans_.…
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13. “I go on (your Lordship adds) to another passage of scripture, that has been entirely (page 27.) misapplied by modern _enthusiasts_. 1 Corinthians ii. 4, 5. _And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power; that your faith should not s…
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“If those words, _He shall teach you all things_, relate only to a _miraculous_ gift of the Holy Ghost, then these words, _The same anointing teacheth you of all things_, relate to the _miraculous_ gift: “But those words relate only to a _miraculous_ gift: “Therefore these relate to the same.” I conceive, it will no…
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Do these words confirm that “sense of those passages that your lordship had assigned?” Rather do they not utterly overturn it? And prove, (as above) that although this promise of our Lord, _primarily_ belongs to the apostles, yet in the _secondary_ sense, it belongs (according to _Origen_’s judgment) to all Christians …
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“He brings yet another proof of the superiority of those who had _this Spirit of adoption. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of |God|._ I prove this, says he, not only from the voice itself, but also from the cause whence that voice proceeds. For the Spirit suggests the words wh…
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I believe all rational men will observe from hence, that _Origen_ is so far from confirming, that he quite overturns your Lordship’s interpretation of the 16th as well as the 26th verse of this chapter: seeing, in his judgment, both _that testimony of the spirit and this prayer_ belong to all Christians in all ages. 2…
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His words are, “The Holy Spirit is called, and is, the unction and the seal. For _John_ writes, _The anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man should teach you, but as his anointing_, his Spirit, _teacheth you of all things_. Again, it is written in the prophet _Isaiah_, _The…
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“The third part of this office is, To lead, direct and govern us in our actions and conversations. _If we live in the Spirit_, quickened by his renovation, we must also _walk in the Spirit_, following his direction, led by his manuduction. We are also animated and acted by the Spirit of God, who giveth _both to will an…
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In her daily service, she teaches us all to _beseech_ God, _to grant us his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life may be pure and holy_: To pray for _our Sovereign Lord the King_, that God would _replenish him with the grace of his Holy Spirit_; for _al…
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“It is the office of the Holy Ghost to sanctify; which the more it is hid from our understanding” (_i. e._ the particular manner of his working) “the more it ought to move all men, to wonder at the secret and mighty workings of God’s Holy Spirit which is within us, for it is the Holy Ghost that doth _quicken_ the minds…
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For instance, I assert that “till a man _receives the Holy Ghost_, he is without God in the world; that he cannot know the things of God, unless God _reveal_ them unto him by the Spirit: no, nor have even one holy or heavenly temper, without the _inspiration of_ the Holy One.” Now should one who is conscious to himself…
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29. I have now considered the most material objections I know, which have been lately made against the great doctrines I teach. I have produced, so far as in me lay, the strength of those objections, and then answered them, I hope, in the Spirit of meekness. And now I trust it appears, that these doctrines are no other…
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The text which is generally cited on this occasion, is _Matthew vii. verse 15._ But how unhappily chosen! In the preceeding chapters, our Lord had been describing, that _righteousness_ which _exceeds the righteousness of the_ Scribes _and_ Pharisees, and without which we cannot _enter into the kingdom of heaven_: Even …
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32. I cannot conclude this head without one obvious remark. Suppose we really were _enthusiasts_; suppose our doctrines were false and unsupported either by reason, scripture, or authority: Then why hath not some one, _who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you_, attempted at least, to shew us our fault _in…
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*Be pleased to observe. 1. That I was forbidden, as by a general consent, to preach in any church (though not by any judicial sentence) “for preaching such doctrine.” This was the open, avowed cause: there was at that time no other, either real or pretended; (except that the people crouded so:) 2. That I had no desire …
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You go on, “One of those laws so recited (viz. _22 Charles II. chapter 1._) is that which forbids _field-preaching_ by name; and was evidently intended, not only to _suppress_, but also to _prevent_ sedition. As the title of the _act declares_, and as the preamble expresses it, _to provide farther and more speedy remed…
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How then come “the bishops and clergy, to _countenance_ and _encourage_” unlawful assemblies? If it be said, “They meet in a private, inoffensive way;” that is nothing to the point in hand. If those meetings are _unlawful_ in themselves, all their inoffensiveness will not make them lawful. “O, but they behave with mode…
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But before those words, which you suppose to imply such a _restraint_, as would condemn all the bishops and clergy in the nation, were those spoken without any _restraint_ or _limitation_ at all, which I apprehend to convey an indelible character, “Receive the Holy Ghost, for the office and work of a priest in the chur…
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“But it is plain, peace is broke and disturbances do arise, in consequence of your preaching.” I grant it. But what would you infer? Have you never read the bible? Have you not read, that the Prince of peace himself was, in _this_ sense, a disturber of the public peace? _When he came into |Jerusalem|_, (Matthew xxi. 10…
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*4. Do you think now, I have an eye to _your_ case? Doubtless I have; for I do not fight as one that beateth the air. “Why have not I a right to hinder my own wife or child, from going to a conventicle? And is it not the duty of wives to obey their husbands? And of children to obey their parents?” Only set the case sev…
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6. Every reasonable man is convinced of this. And perhaps you do not concern yourself so much about the doctrine, but the mischief that is done, “How many poor families are starved, ruined, brought to beggary!” By what? Not by _contributing_ a penny a week (the usual contribution in our societies) and _letting that alo…
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Thirdly, It is written, that _those who received not the mark of the beast, either on their fore-heads, or in their right hands_, either openly or secretly were not permitted _to buy or sell any more_. Now whatever the mystery contained herein may be, I apprehend the plain mark of the beast is wickedness; inward and ou…
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I immediately began reading prayers and expounded the second lesson, both in the morning and evening. The morning service began at five, and ended at, or before six: the evening service began at seven. Now supposing all the grown persons in the town, had been present every morning and evening, would this have _made th…
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You have overshot yourself now to some purpose. These are the very words of our own church. You may read them, if you are so inclined, in the first part of the _homily on fasting_. And consequently, what you have peremptorily determined to be _mere lunacy and destruction_, is that _repentance unto life_, which, in the …
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What is the event of this? Sometimes the Spirit of God is quenched and departs from him. Now you have carried the point. The man is easy as ever, and sins on without any remorse. But in other instances, where those convictions sink deep, and the arrows of the Almighty stick fast in the soul, you will drive the person i…
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1 BEHOLD the servant of the Lord! I wait thy guiding eye to feel, To hear, and keep thine every word, To prove, and do thy perfect will: Joyful from all my works to cease, Glad to fulfil all righteousness. 2 Me if thy grace vouchsafe to use, Meanest of all thy creatures me, The deed, the time, the manner chuse; Let al…
173 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.