Some Account of the Late Work of God... THE LATE WORK OF GOD IN NORTH AMERICA
"The appearance was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel." Ezek. 1:16.
1. Whatever may be the primary meaning of this mysterious passage of Scripture, many serious Christians, in all ages have applied it in a secondary sense, to the manner wherein the adorable providence of God usually works in gove ...read
Spiritual Idolatry "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:21.
1. There are two words that occur several times in this Epistle, -- _paidia_ and _teknia_, -- both of which our translators render by the same expression, little children. But their meaning is very different. The former is very properly rendered little children; for it means, babes in ...read
Spiritual Worship "This is the true God, and eternal life." 1 John 5:20.
1. In this Epistle St. John speaks not to any particular Church, but to all the Christians of that age; although more especially to them among whom he then resided. And in them he speaks to the whole Christian Church in all succeeding ages.
2. In this letter, or rather tract, (for he wa ...read
The Almost Christian 'Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.'
Acts 26:28.
AND many there are who go thus far: ever since the Christian religion was in the world, there have been many in every age and nation who were almost persuaded to be Christians. But seeing it avails nothing before God to go only thus far, it highly imports us to consider,
First. What ...read
The Almost Christian (text from the 1872 edition)
THE ALMOST CHRISTIAN
Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, on July 25, 1741.
"Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26:28.
AND many there are who go thus far: ever since the Christian religion was in the world, there have been many in every age and nation who were almost persuaded t ...read
The Case of Reason Impartially Considered 'Brethren, be not children in understanding: Howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.'
1 Cor. 14:20.
1. It is the true remark of an eminent man, who had made many observations on human nature, 'If reason be against a man, a man will always be against reason.' This has been confirmed by the experience of all ages. Very many ...read
The Cause and Cure of Earthquakes [First published ~in the year 1750.]
"O come hither, and behold the works of the Lord; what destruction he hath brought upon th~e earth!" Ps. 46:8.
O~f all the judgments which the righteous God inflicts on sinners here, the most dreadful and destructive is an earth~quake. This he has lately brought on our part of the earth, and thereb~y alarme ...read
The Circumcision of the Heart Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, on January 1, 1733. "Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter." Romans 2:29.
1. It is the melancholy remark of an excellent man, that he who now preaches the most essential duties of Christianity, runs the hazard of being esteemed, by a great part of his hear ...read
The Danger of Riches "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition." 1 Tim. 6:9.
1. How innumerable are the ill consequences which have followed from men's not knowing, or not considering, this great truth! And how few are there even in the Christian world, that eit ...read
The Duty of Reproving our Neighbor "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him." Lev. 19:17.
A great part of the book of Exodus, and almost the whole of the book of Leviticus, relate to the ritual or ceremonial law of Moses; which was peculiarly given to the children of Israel, but was such "a yoke," s ...read
The End of Christ's Coming "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8.
1. Many eminent writers, heathen as well as Christian, both in earlier and later ages, have employed their utmost labour and art in painting the beauty of virtue. And the same pains they have taken to describe, in the liveliest colours, t ...read
The First Fruits of the Spirit "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1
1. By "them which are in Christ Jesus," St. Paul evidently means, those who truly believe in him; those who, "being justified by faith, have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." They who thus bel ...read
The General Deliverence "The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that subjected it: Yet in hope that the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For we know that th ...read
The General Spread of the Gospel "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters covers the sea." Isa. 11:9.
1. In what a condition is the world at present! How does darkness, intellectual darkness, ignorance, with vice and misery attendant upon it, cover the face of the earth! From the accurate inquiry made with indefatigable pains by our ingenious countr ...read
The Good Steward "Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward." Luke 16:2.
1. The relation which man bears to God, the creature to his Creator, is exhibited to us in the oracles of God under various representations. Considered as a sinner, a fallen creature, he is there represented as a debtor to his Creator. He is also frequently r ...read
The Great Assize Preached at the Assizes held before the Honorable Sir Edward Clive, Knight, one of the Judges of His Majesty's Court of Common Pleas, in St. Paul's Church, Bedford, on Friday, March 10, 1758; published at the request of William Cole, Esq., High Sheriff of the county, and others. "We shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ."_ Rom. 14 ...read
The Heavenly Treasure in Earthen Vessels "We have this treasure in earthen vessels." 2 Cor. 4:7.
1. How long was man a mere riddle to himself! For how man~y ages were the wisest of men utterly unable to reveal the myster~y, to reconcile the strange inconsistencies, in him, -- the wonderful mixture of good and evil, of greatness and littleness, of nobleness and baseness [barrenness]? T ...read
The Important Question "What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Matthew 16:26
1. There is a celebrated remark to this effect, (I think in the works of Mr. Pascal,) that if a man of low estate would speak of high things, as of what relates to kings or kingdoms, it is not easy for him to find suitable expressions, as he is so l ...read
The Lord Our Righteousness "This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." Jer. 23:6.
1. How dreadful and how innumerable are the contests which have arisen about religion! And not only among the children of this world, among those who knew not what true religion was, but even among the children of God; those who had experienced "the kingdom o ...read
The Marks of the New Birth "So is every one that is born of the Spirit." John 3:8.
1. How is every one that is "born of the Spirit," -- that is, born again, -- born of God? What is meant by the being born again, the being born of God, or being born of the Spirit? What is implied in the being a son or a child of God, or having the Spirit of adoption? That these privileg ...read
John Wesley