The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 01 (of 32)

by John Wesley

MALACHI iii. 7.

Ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them.

I. 1. BUT are there any ordinances now, since life and immortality were brought to light by the gospel? Are there under the Christian dispensation, any means ordained of God, as the usual channels of his grace? This question could never have been proposed, in the apostolical church, unless by one who openly avowed himself to be a Heathen; the whole body of Christians being agreed, that Christ had ordained certain outward means, for conveying his grace into the souls of men. Their constant practice set this beyond all dispute; for so long as all that believed were together, and had all things common, (Acts ii. 44.) they continued stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers, ver. 44.

2. But in process of time, when the love of many waxed cold, some began to mistake the means for the end, and to place religion, rather in doing those outward works, than in a heart renewedafter the image of God. They forgot, that the end of every commandment is love, out of a pure heart, with faith unfeigned: the loving the Lord their God with all their heart, and their neighbour as themselves; and the being purified from pride, anger, and evil desire, by a faith of the operation of God. Others seemed to imagine, that though religion did not principally consist in these outward means, yet there was something in them wherewith God was well pleased, something that would still make them acceptable in his sight, though they were not exact in the weightier matters of the law, in justice, mercy, and the love of God.

3. It is evident, in those who abused them thus, they did not conduce to the end for which they were ordained. Rather, the things which should have been for their health, were to them an occasion of falling. They were so far from receiving any blessing therein, that they only drew down a curse upon their head: so far from growing more heavenly in heart and life, that they were twofold more the children of hell than before. Others clearly perceiving, that these means did not convey the grace of God to those children of the devil, began from this particular case to draw a general conclusion. “That they were not means of conveying the grace of God.”

4. Yet the number of those who abused the ordinances of God, was far greater than of thosewho despised them, till certain men arose, not only of great understanding, (sometimes joined with considerable learning) but who likewise appeared to be men of love, experimentally acquainted with true, inward religion. Some of these were burning and shining lights, persons famous in their generations, and such as had well deserved of the church of Christ, for standing in the gap against the overflowings of ungodliness.

It cannot be supposed, that these holy and venerable men, intended any more at first, than to shew that outward religion is nothing worth, without the religion of the heart: that God is a spirit, and they who worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth: that therefore external worship is lost labour, without a heart devoted to God: that the outward ordinances of God then profit much, when they advance inward holiness, but when they advance it not, are unprofitable and void, are lighter than vanity: yea, that when they are used, as it were, in the place of this, they are an utter abomination to the Lord.

5. Yet it is not strange, if some of these, being strongly convinced, of that horrid profanation of the ordinances of God, which had spread itself over the whole church, and well nigh driven true religion out of the world; in their fervent zeal for the glory of God, and the recovery of souls from that fatal delusion, spake asif outward religion were absolutely nothing, as if it had no place in the religion of Christ. It is not surprising at all, if they should not always have expressed themselves with sufficient caution. So that unwary hearers may believe, they condemned all outward means, as altogether unprofitable; and as not designed of God to be the ordinary channels of conveying his grace into the souls of men.

Nay, it is not impossible, some of these holy men did at length themselves fall into this opinion: in particular, those who, not by choice, but by the providence of God, were cut off from all these ordinances: perhaps wandering up and down, having no certain abiding-place, or dwelling in dens and caves of the earth. These experiencing the grace of God in themselves, though they were deprived of all outward means, might infer, that the same grace would be given to them, who of set purpose abstained from them.

6. And experience shews, how easily this notion spreads, and insinuates itself into the minds of men: especially of those who are throughly awakened out of the sleep of death, and begin to feel the weight of their sins, a burthen too heavy to be borne. These are usually impatient of their present state, and trying every way to escape from it. They are always ready to catch at any new thing, any new proposal of ease or happiness. They have probably tried mostoutward means, and found no ease in them: it may be, more and more of remorse and fear and sorrow and condemnation. It is easy therefore to persuade these, that it is better for them to abstain from all those means. They are already weary of striving (as it seems) in vain, of labouring in the fire: and are therefore glad of any pretence to cast aside that, wherein their soul has no pleasure; to give over the painful strife, and sink down into an indolent inactivity.