PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The works of the Reverend George Whitefield, M.A., Vol. 5 (of 6) : Containing all his sermons and tracts, etc.
Whitefield, George, 1714-1770 · 189,652 words · 269 reading sections
Part 61
We may, indeed, atheist like, ascribe all these things to natural causes, and say, “Our own skill and foresight has brought us hither in safety.” But as certainly as JESUS CHRIST, the angel of the covenant, in the days of his flesh, walked upon the water, and said to his sinking disciples, “Be not afraid, it is I,” so …
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Fulfil you then my joy, by continuing thus minded, and labour to go on to perfection. For I shall have no greater pleasure than to see, or hear, that you walk in the truth. Consider, my good friends, you are now, as it were, entering on a new world, where you will be surrounded with multitudes of heathens; and if you …
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When I have seen you preparing for a storm, and reefing your sails to guard against it; how have I wished that you and I were as careful to avoid that storm of GOD’s wrath, which will certainly, without repentance, quickly overtake us? When I have observed you catch at every fair gale, how have I secretly cried, O that…
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To you, my companions and familiar friends, who came over with me to sojourn in a strange land, do I in the next place address myself. For you I especially fear, as well as for myself; because as we take sweet counsel together oftner than others, and as you are let into a more intimate friendship with me in private lif…
699 wordsSECTION 65SERMON VIII.
The Necessity and Benefits of Religious Society. ECCLESIASTES iv. 9, 10, 11, 12. _Two are better than One, because they have a good Reward for their Labour._ _For if they fall, the One will lift up his Fellow: But woe be to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up._ _Again, if Two l…
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Many other instances might be given of the necessity of society, in reference to our bodily, personal, and national wants. But what are all these when weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, in comparison of the infinite greater need of it, with respect to the soul? It was chiefly in regard to this better part, no dou…
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The primitive christians were fully sensible of this, and therefore we find them continually keeping up communion with each other: for what says the scripture? They continued stedfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, _Acts_ ii. 42. _Peter_ and _John_ were no sooner dismissed by the great council, than they h…
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Let us consider ourselves in another view before mentioned, as persons travelling to a long eternity; as rescued by the free grace of GOD, in some measure, from our natural _Egyptian_ bondage, and marching under the conduct of our spiritual _Joshua_, through the wilderness of this world, to the land of our heavenly _Ca…
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But, on the contrary, knowing his own interest is strengthened by society, he would first persuade us to neglect the communion of saints, and then bid us “stand in the way of sinners,” hoping thereby to put us into the seat of the scornful. _Judas_ and _Peter_ are melancholy instances of this. The former had no sooner …
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Observe, the wise man supposes it as impossible for religious persons to meet together, and not to be the warmer for each other’s company, as for two persons to lye in the same bed, and yet freeze with cold. But now, how is it possible to communicate heat to each other, without mutually stirring up the gift of GOD whic…
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1. And first, if “two are better than one,” and the advantages of religious society are so many and so great; then it is the duty of every true christian to set on foot, establish and promote, as much as in him lyes, societies of this nature. And I believe we may venture to affirm, that if ever a spirit of true christi…
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Labour, therefore, my beloved brethren, to let your practice correspond to your profession: and think not that it will be sufficient for you to plead at the last day, LORD have we not assembled ourselves together in thy name, and enlivened each other, by singing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs? For verily, I say…
344 wordsSECTION 73SERMON IX.
The Folly and Danger of being not righteous enough. ECCLESIASTES vii. 16. _Be not righteous over-much, neither make thyself over-wise: why shouldst thou destroy thyself?_ NOTHING is more frequent, than while people are living in a course of sin, and after the fashion and manner of the world, there is no notice taken…
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By receiving the Spirit of GOD, is not to be understood, that we are to be inspired to shew outward signs and wonders, to raise dead bodies, to cure leprous persons, or to give sight to the blind; these miracles were only of use in the first ages of the church; and therefore christians (nominal christians, for we have …
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This writer tells us, “It is against common-sense to talk of the feeling of the Spirit of GOD.” Common-sense, my brethren, was never allowed to be a judge; yea, it is above its comprehension, neither are, nor can the ways of GOD be known by common-sense. We should never have known the things of GOD at all by our common…
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We are commanded to “abstain from the appearance of evil,” and that “whatsoever we do, whether we eat or drink, we shall do all to the glory of GOD.” The writer upon this text tells us, “That it will be accounted unlawful to smell to a rose:” no, my dear brethren, you may smell to a pink and rose too if you please, but…
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My dear brethren, I speak of these things, these innocent diversions, as the polite part of the world calls them, by experience; perhaps none, for my age, hath read or seen more plays than I have: I took delight in, and was pleased with them. It is true, I went to church frequently, received the sacrament, and was dili…
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This is not the Spirit of CHRIST, my dear brethren; I had not come to have thus preached; I had not come into the highways and hedges; I had not exposed myself to the ill treatment of these letter-learned men, but for the sake of your souls: indeed, I had no other reason, but your salvation; and for that (I speak the t…
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The late preacher upon this text, runs into great extremes, and charges us with saying and acting things, of which we never thought; but I do not regard what he said of me: I do not mind his bitter invectives against my ministry; I do not mind his despising my youth, and calling me novice and enthusiast; I forgive him …
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It is with grief I speak these things, and were not the welfare of your souls, and my Redeemer’s honour at stake, I would not now open my mouth, yea I would willingly die (GOD is my judge) for the person who wrote such bitter things against me, so it would be a means of saving his soul. If he had only spoken against me…
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The imputed righteousness of JESUS CHRIST is a comfortable doctrine to all real christians; and you sinners, who ask what you must do to be saved? how uncomfortable would it be, to tell you by good works, when, perhaps, you have never done one good work in all your life: this would be driving you to despair, indeed: no…
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Can you bear to think of a bleeding, panting, dying JESUS, offering himself up for sinners, and you will not accept of him? Do not say, you are poor, and therefore are ashamed to go to church, for GOD has sent the gospel out unto you. Do not harden your hearts: oppose not the will of JESUS. O that I could speak to you…
506 wordsSECTION 83SERMON X.
A Preservative against unsettled Notions, and want of Principles, in regard to Righteousness and Christian Perfection. Being a more particular Answer to Doctor _Trapp_’s Four Sermons upon the same Text. To all the True Members of Christ’s Holy Church. _Dear Fellow Christians_, THE great, and indeed the only motive …
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RIGHTEOUS over-much! may one say; Is there any danger of that? Is it even possible? Can we be too good? If we give any credit to the express word of GOD, we cannot be too good, we cannot be righteous over-much. The injunction given by GOD to _Abraham_ is very strong: “Walk before me, and be thou perfect.” The same he a…
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I. To come at the true sense of the text in question, it will be necessary to look back, to the preceding verse, where the wise man, reflecting on the vanities of his youth, puts on for a moment his former character. “All things, have I seen in the days of my vanity: (and among the rest) there is a just man that perish…
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Is not the meaning of this text plain to the weakest capacity? I have here given it to you, as I have it from the mouth of the royal preacher himself. I have made use of no “philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after CHRIST,” to impose a fleshly sense upon you…
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II. The character of the persons, who are to be supposed speaking here in the text, is in a word the same with the character of those whom _Solomon_ here personates: who, as is already shewn, are a vain set of men, neither righteous enough to have an habitual desire of improving virtue to its perfection, nor quite so f…
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“Pride is a great sin” even with these worldlings, inasmuch as the external excesses of it, may obstruct the way to many ambitious terminations of view, and its internal agitations are the destruction of that peace, to which even self-love aspires; besides, the frequent extravagancy of its motions may not only be preju…
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“The vice of intemperance in eating, and drinking, is plain to every body,” they own. And, therefore, they give it up as an excess which cannot but tend to the impairing of health, and shortening of life: nay, it drowns the very relish of pleasure in actual eating and drinking. Hence will every refined debauchee exclai…
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Thus far, then, may suffice to shew clearly with what dangerous views the worldly-minded men, whom _Solomon_ personates in the text before us, lay siege to your souls in fair speeches. What I have said, is enough to convince you, that their character is that of the beast, whom St. _John_, in the Revelations, “saw comin…
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When the clergy, whom CHRIST has appointed to teach his people “to walk before him and be perfect,” become teachers of worldly maxims, what can be expected from the laity? It is notorious, that for the moralizing iniquity of the priest, the land mourns. They have preached and lived many sincere persons out of the churc…
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Neither am I insensible, brethren, how offensive my words will be to worldlings in general, who loving falsehood better than truth, and the flesh before the spirit, will still prefer the doctor’s sin-soothing doctrines to the plain gospel verities preached by me. O how my soul pities them. But I have done my duty, I wa…
372 wordsSECTION 93SERMON XI.
The Benefits of an Early Piety. Preached at _Bow_ Church, _London_, before the Religious Societies. ECCLESIASTES xii. I. _Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth._ THE amiableness of religion in itself, and the innumerable advantages that flow from it to society in general, as well as to each sincere prof…
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The attaining this real, inward religion, is a work of so great difficulty, that _Nicodemus_, a learned doctor and teacher in _Israel_, thought it altogether impossible, and therefore ignorantly asked our blessed LORD, “How this thing could be?” And, _truly_, to rectify a disordered nature, to mortify our corrupt passi…
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And the first benefit resulting from thence is, that it will bring most honour and glory to GOD. This, I suppose, every serious person will grant, ought to be the point in which our actions should centre; for to this end were we born, and to this end were we redeemed by the precious blood of JESUS CHRIST, that we shoul…
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This is the argument the wise man makes use of in the words immediately following the text: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.” Observe, the time of old age, is an evil time, years wherein there i…
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Believe me, it gladdens my very soul, to see so many of your faces set heaven-wards, and the visible happy effects of your uniting together, cannot but rejoice the hearts of all sincere christians, and oblige them to wish you good luck in the name of the LORD. The many souls who are nourished weekly with the spiritual …
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And now, what shall I say more? To speak unto you, fathers, who have been in CHRIST so many years before me, and know the malignity of worldly-mindedness, and pride in the spiritual life, would be altogether needless. To you, therefore, O young men, (for whom I am distressed, for whom I fear as well as for myself) do I…
535 wordsSECTION 99SERMON XII.
CHRIST the Believer’s Husband. ISAIAH liv. 5. _For thy Maker is thy Husband._ ALTHOUGH believers by nature, are far from GOD, and children of wrath, even as others, yet it is amazing to think how nigh they are brought to him again by the blood of JESUS CHRIST. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entere…
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In prosecuting this design, I will, I. Endeavour to shew, what must pass between JESUS CHRIST and our souls before we can say, “that our Maker is our husband.” II. The duties of love which they owe to our LORD, who stand in so near a relation to him. III. The miserable condition of such as cannot yet say, “their Mak…
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And _First_, In all lawful marriages, it is absolutely necessary, that the parties to be joined together in that holy and honourable estate, are actually and legally freed from all pre-engagements whatsoever. “A woman is bound to her husband, (saith the apostle) so long as her husband liveth.” The same law holds good i…
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This is absolutely necessary in every lawful marriage among men. There must be a joining of hands before witnesses, ere they can be deemed lawfully joined together. Some men indeed of corrupt minds, are apt to look upon this as a needless ceremony, and think it sufficient to be married, as they term it, in the sight of…
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From what has been delivered, may not the poorest and most illiterate person here present easily know whether or not he is really married to JESUS CHRIST. Some indeed, I am afraid, are so presumptuous as to affirm, at least to insinuate, that there is no such thing as knowing, or being fully assured, whilst here below,…
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What think ye? Need I tell any married persons in this congregation, that they must go to the university, and learn the languages, before they can tell whether they are married or not? Or, if their marriage was to be doubted, could they not, think you, bring their certificates, to certify the time and place of their ma…
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All hail, (I must again repeat it) thou Lamb’s bride! for thou art all glorious within, and comely, through the comeliness thy heavenly bridegroom hath put upon thee. Thy garment is indeed of wrought gold; and, ere long, the King shall bring thee forth with a raiment of needle-work, and present thee blameless before hi…
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This is a source and fountain, from whence many domestic evils frequently flow. Women should remember the character that husbands sustain in scripture. They are to them, what CHRIST is to the church. And it is mentioned to the honour of _Sarah_, that she called _Abraham_ “Lord.” “Shall I have a child who am old, _my Lo…
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_Subjection_, is another duty, that is enjoined married women, in the word of GOD. They are to “be subject to their own husbands in every thing,” every lawful thing: “For, the husband is the head of the wife, even as CHRIST is the head of the church.” And knowing how unapt some base minds would be to submit to the husb…
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But it is time for me to draw towards the close of this head. _Fruitfulness_ was a blessing promised by GOD to the first happy pair; “Increase and multiply, and replenish the earth.” “Lo, children, and the fruit of the womb, (says the Psalmist) are a gift and heritage, which cometh of the LORD.” And so, if we are marri…
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I might run the parallel still further, and also enlarge upon the hints already given; but I fear I have said enough already to reproach most believers; I am sure I have said more than enough to abash and upbraid myself. For alas! how vilely, treacherously, and ungratefully have we behaved towards our spiritual husband…
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♦ “vsit” replaced with “visit” Brethren, my heart is enlarged towards you, and I could dwell a long while upon the many great and precious invitations that are made to backsliders, to return to their first love, and do their first works: but it is high time for me, if, as was proposed, III. I give to every one their …
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But who am I, that I should undertake to recommend the blessed JESUS to others, who am myself altogether unworthy to take his sacred name into my polluted lips? Indeed, my brethren, I do not count myself worthy of such an honour; but since it has pleased him, in whom all fulness dwells, to count me worthy, and put me i…
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Would you match with a _wise husband_? Haste then, sinners, come away to JESUS: He is the fountain of wisdom, and makes all that come unto him, wise unto salvation; “He is the wisdom of the Father: the LORD possessed him in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. When he prepared the heavens, he was there; w…
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And now, Sirs, what say you? Shall I put that question to you, which _Rebecca_’s relations, upon a proposal of marriage, put to her? “Will ye go with the man?” With the God-man, this infinitely great, this infinitely powerful, this all-wise, all-holy, altogether lovely, ever-loving JESUS? What objection have you to mak…
642 wordsSECTION 114SERMON XIII.
The Potter and the Clay. JEREMIAH xviii. 1‒6. _The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was mar…
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“Then,” adds _Jeremiah_, whilst he was in the way of duty――then――whilst he was mentally crying, LORD what wouldst thou have me to do? “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, O house of _Israel_, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the hands of the potter (marred, and …
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Let us take a more particular survey of him, and see whether these things are so or not: and first, as to his _understanding_. As man was created originally “after GOD in knowledge,” as well as righteousness and true holiness, we may rationally infer, that his understanding, in respect to things natural, as well as div…
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This will appear yet more evident, if we consider the _perverse bent of his will_. Being made in the very image of GOD; undoubtedly before the fall, man had no other will but his Maker’s. GOD’s will, and _Adam_’s, were then like unisons in music. There was not the least disunion, or discord between them. But now he hat…
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I am sensible, that many are offended, when mankind are compared to beasts and devils. And they might have some shadow of reason for being so, if we asserted in a physical sense, that they were really beasts and really devils. For then, as I once heard a very learned prelate, who was objecting against this comparison, …
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But this is not all, we have yet more evidence to call; for do the blindness of our understandings, the perverseness of our will, the rebellion of our affections, the corruption of our consciences, the depravity of our reason prove this charge; and does not the present _disordered frame_ and _constitution of our bodies…
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This is the account, which the sacred volume gives us of this interesting point. This, this is that blessed book, that book of books, from whence, together with an appeal to the experience of our own hearts, and the testimonies of all past ages, we have thought proper to fetch our proofs. For, after all, we must be obl…
821 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.