The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 02 (of 32)

by John Wesley

3. It is true, men who love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, will take all possible pains to prove, that the light which is in you is darkness. They will say evil, all manner of evil, falsely, of the good which is in you: they will lay to your charge that which is farthest from your thoughts, which is the very reverse of all you are and all you do. And your patient continuance in well-doing, your meek suffering all things for the Lord’s sake, your calm, humble joy in the midst of persecution,your unwearied labour to overcome evil with good, will make you still more visible and conspicuous than ye were before.

4. *So impossible it is, to keep our religion from being seen, unless we cast it away: so vain is the thought, of hiding the light, unless by putting it out. Sure it is, that a secret, unobserved religion cannot be the religion of Jesus Christ. Whatever religion can be concealed, is not Christianity. If a Christian could be hid, he could not be compared to a city set upon an hill; to the light of the world, the sun shining from heaven, and seen by all the world below. Never therefore let it enter into the heart of him whom God hath renewed in the spirit of his mind, to hide that light, to keep his religion to himself; especially considering it is not only impossible, to conceal true Christianity, but likewise absolutely contrary to the design of the great Author of it.

5. This plainly appears from the following words: neither do men light a candle to put it under a bushel. *As if he had said, as men do not light a candle, only to cover and conceal it, so neither does God enlighten any soul with his glorious knowledge and love, to have it covered or concealed, either by prudence, falsely so called, or shame, or voluntary humility: to have it hid either in a desert, or in the world; either by avoiding men, or in conversing with them. But they put it on a candlestick, and it giveth light toall that are in the house. In like manner, it is the design of God, that every Christian should be in an open point of view: that he may give light to all around, that he may visibly express the religion of Jesus Christ.

6. Thus hath God in all ages spoken to the world, not only by precept but by example also. He hath not left himself without witness in any nation, where the sound of the gospel hath gone forth, without a few who testified his truth, by their lives as well as their words. These have been as lights shining in a dark place. And from time to time they have been the means of enlightning some, of preserving a remnant, a little seed, which was counted unto the Lord for a generation. They have led a few poor sheep out of the darkness of the world, and guided their feet into the way of peace.

7. One might imagine, that where both scripture and the reason of things speak so clearly and expresly, there could not be much advanced on the other side, at least, not with any appearance of truth. But they who imagine thus, know little of the depths of Satan. After all that scripture and reason have said, so exceeding plausible are the pretences for solitary religion, for a Christian’s going out of the world, or at least hiding himself in it, that we need all the wisdom of God to see through the snare, and all the power of God to escape it: so many and strong are the objections which have been brought against being social, open, active Christians.

III. 1. To answer these was the third thing which I proposed. And, first, it has been often objected, that religion does not lie in outward things, but in the heart, the inmost soul: that it is the union of the soul with God, the life of God in the soul of man: that outside religion is nothing worth; seeing God delighteth not in burnt offerings, in outward services, but a pure and holy heart is the sacrifice he will not despise.

I answer, it is most true, that the root of religion lies in the heart, in the inmost soul: that this is, the union of the soul with God, the life of God in the soul of man. But if this root be really in the heart, it cannot but put forth branches. And these are, the several instances of outward obedience, which partake of the same nature with the root; and consequently, are not only marks or signs, but substantial parts of religion.

It is also true, that bare outside religion, which has no root in the heart, is nothing worth; that God delighteth not in such outward services, no more than in Jewish burnt-offerings, and that a pure and holy heart is a sacrifice, with which he is always well pleased. But he is also well pleased with all that outward service, which arises from the heart: with the sacrifice of our prayers, (whether public or private) of our praises and thanksgivings: with the sacrifice of our goods, humbly devoted to him,and employed wholly to his glory: and with that of our bodies, which he peculiarly claims; which the apostle beseeches us, by the mercies of God, to present unto him, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.

2. A second objection, nearly related to this, is, that love is all in all: that it is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment, of every commandment of God: that all we do and all we suffer, if we have not charity, or love, profiteth us nothing: And therefore the apostle directs us, to follow after charity, and terms this, the more excellent way.

I answer, it is granted, that the love of God and man, arising from faith unfeigned, is all in all, the fulfilling of the law, the end of every commandment of God. It is true, that without this whatever we do, whatever we suffer profits us nothing. But it does not follow, that love is all in such a sense, as to supersede either faith or good works. It is the fulfilling of the law, not by releasing us from, but by constraining us to obey it. It is the end of the commandment, as every commandment leads to and centers in it. It is allowed, that whatever we do or suffer, without love, profits us nothing. But withal whatever we do or suffer in love, though it were only the suffering reproach for Christ, or the giving a cup of cold water in his name, it shall in no wise lose its reward.