The Sermons of John Wesley
1872 Edition
(Thomas Jackson, editor)
SERMON FOURTEEN
The Repentance
of Believers
"Repent ye,
and believe the gospel." Mark 1:15.
1. It is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the gate
of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our Christian
course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom. And this may seem
to be confirmed by the great Apostle, where, exhorting the Hebrew Christians
to "go on to perfection," he teaches them to leave these
first "principles of the doctrine of Christ;" "not laying again
the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God;"
which must at least mean, that they should comparatively leave these, that
at first took up all their thoughts, in order to "press forward toward
the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
2. And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith,
which are, more especially, necessary at the beginning: a repentance, which
is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and helplessness;
and which precedes our receiving that kingdom of God, which, our Lord observes,
is "within us;" and a faith, whereby we receive that kingdom, even
"righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
3. But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking
the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different)
which are requisite after we have "believed the gospel;" yea, and
in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot "run
the race which is set before us." And this repentance and faith are full
as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth in grace,
as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering into
the kingdom of God.
But in what sense are we to repent and believe, after we are justified? This
is an important question, and worthy of being considered with the utmost attention.
I. And, First, in what sense are we to repent?
1. Repentance frequently means an inward change, a change of mind from sin
to holiness. But we now speak of it in a quite different sense, as it is one
kind of self-knowledge, the knowing ourselves sinners, yea, guilty, helpless
sinners, even though we know we are children of God.
2. Indeed when we first know this; when we first find the redemption in the
blood of Jesus; when the love of God is first shed abroad in our hearts, and
his kingdom set up therein; it is natural to suppose that we are no longer
sinners, that all our sins are not only covered but destroyed. As we do not
then feel any evil in our hearts, we readily imagine none is there. Nay, some
well-meaning men have imagined this not only at that time, but ever after;
having persuaded themselves, that when they were justified, they were entirely
sanctified: yea, they have laid it down as a general rule, in spite of Scripture,
reason, and experience. These sincerely believe, and earnestly maintain, that
all sin is destroyed when we are justified; and that there is no sin in the
heart of a believer; but that it is altogether clean from that moment. But
though we readily acknowledge, "he that believeth is born of God,"
and "he that is born of God doth not commit sin;" yet we cannot
allow that he does not feel it from within: it does not reign,
but it does remain. And a conviction of the sin which remains in our
heart, is one great branch of the repentance we are now speaking of.
3. For it is seldom long before he who imagined all sin was gone, feels there
is still pride in his heart. He is convinced both that in many respects
he has thought of himself more highly than he ought to think, and that he
has taken to himself the praise of something he had received, and gloried
in it as though he had not received it; and yet he knows he is in the favour
of God. He cannot, and ought not to, "cast away his confidence."
"The Spirit" still "witnesses with" his "spirit,
that he is a child of God."
4. Nor is it long before he feels self-will in his heart; even a will
contrary to the will of God. A will every man must inevitably have, as long
as he has an understanding. This is an essential part of human nature, indeed
of the nature of every intelligent being. Our blessed Lord himself had a will
as a man; otherwise he had not been a man. But his human will was invariably
subject to the will of his Father. At all times, and on all occasions, even
in the deepest affliction, he could say, "Not as I will, but as thou
wilt." But this is not the case at all times, even with a true believer
in Christ. He frequently finds his will more or less exalting itself against
the will of God. He wills something, because it is pleasing to nature, which
is not pleasing to God; and he nills (is averse from) something, because it
is painful to nature, which is the will of God concerning him. Indeed, suppose
he continues in the faith, he fights against it with all his might: but this
very thing implies that it really exists, and that he is conscious of it.
5. Now self-will, as well as pride, is a species of idolatry and both
are directly contrary to the love of God. The same observation may be made
concerning the love of the world. But this likewise even true believers
are liable to feel in themselves; and every one of them does feel it, more
or less, sooner or later, in one branch or another. It is true, when he first
"passes from death unto life," he desires nothing more but God.
He can truly say, "All my desire is unto Thee, and unto the remembrance
of Thy name:" "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none
upon earth that I desire beside Thee." But it is not so always. In process
of time he will feel again, though perhaps only for a few moments, either
"the desire of the flesh," or "the desire of the eye,"
or "the pride of life." Nay, if he does not continually watch and
pray, he may find lust reviving; yea, and thrusting sore at him that
he may fall, till he has scarce any strength left in him. He may feel the
assaults of inordinate affection; yea, a strong propensity to "love
the creature more than the Creator;" whether it be a child, a parent,
a husband, or wife, or "the friend that is as his own soul." He
may feel, in a thousand various ways, a desire of earthly things or pleasures.
In the same proportion he will forget God, not seeking his happiness in him,
and consequently being a "lover of pleasure more than a lover of God."
6. If he does not keep himself every moment, he will again feel the desire
of the eye; the desire of gratifying his imagination with something great,
or beautiful, or uncommon. In how many ways does this desire assault the soul?
Perhaps with regard to the poorest trifles, such as dress, or furniture; things
never designed to satisfy the appetite of an immortal spirit. Yet, how natural
is it for us, even after we have "tasted of the powers of the world to
come," to sink again into these foolish, low desires of things that perish
in the using! How hard is it, even for those who know in whom they have believed,
to conquer but one branch of the desire of the eye, curiosity; constantly
to trample it under their feet; to desire nothing merely because it is new!
7. And how hard is it even for the children of God wholly to conquer the
pride of life! St. John seems to mean by this nearly the same with
what the world terms "the sense of honour." This is no other than
a desire of, and delight in, "the honour that cometh of men;" a
desire and love of praise; and, which is always joined with it, a proportionable
fear of dispraise. Nearly allied to this is evil shame; the
being ashamed of that wherein we ought to glory. And this is seldom divided
from the fear of man, which brings a thousand snares upon the soul.
Now where is he, even among those that seem strong in the faith, who does
not find in himself a degree of all these evil tempers? So that even these
are but in part "crucified to the world;" for the evil root still
remains in their heart.
8. And do we not feel other tempers, which are as contrary to the love of
our neighbour as these are to the love of God? The love of our neighbour "thinketh
no evil." Do not we find anything of the kind? Do we never find any jealousies,
any evil surmisings, any groundless or unreasonable suspicions? He
that is clear in these respects, let him cast the first stone at his neighbour.
Who does not sometimes feel other tempers or inward motions, which he knows
are contrary to brotherly love? If nothing of malice, hatred, or bitterness,
is there no touch of envy; particularly toward those who enjoy some
real or supposed good, which we desire, but cannot attain? Do we never find
any degree of resentment, when we are injured or affronted; especially
by those whom we peculiarly loved, and whom we had most laboured to help or
oblige? Does injustice or ingratitude never excite in us any desire of revenge?
any desire of returning evil for evil, instead of "overcoming evil with
good?" This also shows, how much is still in our heart, which is contrary
to the love of our neighbour.
9. Covetousness, in every kind and degree, is certainly as contrary
to this as to the love of God; whether, _philargyri_, the love of money,
which is too frequently "the root of all evil;" or _pleonexia_,
literally, a desire of having more, or increasing in substance. And
how few, even of the real children of God, are entirely free from both! Indeed
one great man, Martin Luther, used to say, he "never had any covetousness
in him" (not only in his converted state, but) "ever since he was
born." But, if so, I would not scruple to say, he was the only man born
of a woman (except him that was God as well as man,) who had not, who was
born without it. Nay, I believe, never was any one born of God, that lived
any considerable time after, who did not feel more or less of it many times,
especially in the latter sense. We may therefore set it down as an undoubted
truth, that covetousness, together with pride, and self-will, and anger, remain
in the hearts even of them that are justified.
10. It is their experiencing this, which has inclined so many serious persons
to understand the latter part of the seventh chapter to the Romans, not of
them that are "under the law," that are convinced of sin, which
is undoubtedly the meaning of the Apostle, but of them that are "under
grace;" that are "justified freely through the redemption that is
in Christ." And it is most certain, they are thus far right, -- there
does still remain, even in them that are justified, a mind which
is in some measure carnal (so the Apostle tells even the believers
at Corinth, "Ye are carnal;") an heart bent to backsliding,
still ever ready to "depart from the living God;" a propensity to
pride, self-will, anger, revenge, love of the world, yea, and all evil: a
root of bitterness, which, if the restraint were taken off for a moment, would
instantly spring up; yea, such a depth of corruption, as, without clear light
from God, we cannot possibly conceive. And a conviction of all this sin remaining
in their hearts is the repentance which belongs to them that are justified.
11. But we should likewise be convinced, that as sin remains in our hearts,
so it cleaves to all our words and actions. Indeed it is to be feared,
that many of our words are more than mixed with sin; that they are sinful
altogether; for such undoubtedly is all uncharitable conversation;
all which does not spring from brotherly love; all which does not agree with
that golden rule, "What ye would that others should do to you, even so
do unto them." Of this kind is all backbiting, all tale-bearing, all
whispering, all evil-speaking, that is, repeating the faults of absent persons;
for none would have others repeat his faults when he is absent. Now how few
are there, even among believers, who are in no degree guilty of this; who
steadily observe the good old rule, "Of the dead and the absent, nothing
but good!" And suppose they do, do they likewise abstain from unprofitable
conversation? Yet all this is unquestionably sinful, and "grieves
the Holy Spirit of God:" Yea, and "for every idle word that men
shall speak, they shall give an account in the day of judgement."
12. But let it be supposed, that they continually "watch and pray,"
and so do "not enter into" this "temptation;" that they
constantly set a watch before their mouth, and keep the door of their lips;
suppose they exercise themselves herein, that all their "conversation
may be in grace, seasoned with salt, and meet to minister grace to the hearers:"
yet do they not daily slide into useless discourse, notwithstanding all their
caution? And even when they endeavour to speak for God, are their words pure,
free from unholy mixtures? Do they find nothing wrong in their very intention?
Do they speak merely to please God, and not partly to please themselves? Is
it wholly to do the will of God, and not their own will also? Or, if they
begin with a single eye, do they go on "looking unto Jesus," and
talking with him all the time they are talking with their neighbour? When
they are reproving sin, do they feel no anger or unkind temper to the sinner?
When they are instructing the ignorant, do they not find any pride, any self-preference?
When they are comforting the afflicted, or provoking one another to love and
to good works, do they never perceive any inward self-commendation: "Now
you have spoken well?" Or any vanity -- a desire that others should
think so, and esteem them on the account? In some or all of these respects,
how much sin cleaves to the best conversation even of believers! The
conviction of which is another branch of the repentance which belongs to them
that are justified.
13. And how much sin, if their conscience is thoroughly awake, may they find
cleaving to their actions also! Nay, are there not many of these, which,
though they are such as the world would not condemn, yet cannot be commended,
no, nor excused, if we judge by the Word of God? Are there not many of their
actions which, they themselves know, are not to the glory of God? many, wherein
they did not even aim at this; which were not undertaken with an eye to God?
And of those that were, are there not many, wherein their eye is not singly
fixed on God -- wherein they are doing their own will, at least as much as
his; and seeking to please themselves as much, if not more, than to please
God? -- And while they are endeavouring to do good to their neighbour, do
they not feel wrong tempers of various kinds? Hence their good actions, so
called, are far from being strictly such; being polluted with such a mixture
of evil: such are their works of mercy. And is there not the same mixture
in their works of piety? While they are hearing the word which is able
to save their souls, do they not frequently find such thoughts as make them
afraid lest it should turn to their condemnation, rather than their salvation?
Is it not often the same case, while they are endeavouring to offer up their
prayers to God, whether in public or private? Nay, while they are engaged
in the most solemn service, even while they are at the table of the Lord,
what manner of thoughts arise in them! Are not their hearts sometimes wandering
to the ends of the earth; sometimes filled with such imaginations, as make
them fear lest all their sacrifice should be an abomination to the Lord? So
that they are now more ashamed of their best duties, than they were once of
their worst sins.
14. Again: How many sins of omission are they chargeable with! We
know the words of the Apostle: "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth
it not, to him it is sin." But do they not know a thousand instances,
wherein they might have done good, to enemies, to strangers, to their brethren,
either with regard to their bodies or their souls, and they did it not? How
many omissions have they been guilty of, in their duty toward God! How many
opportunities of communicating, of hearing his word, of public or private
prayer, have they neglected! So great reason had even that holy man, Archbishop
Usher, after all his labours for God, to cry out, almost with his dying breath,
"Lord, forgive me my sins of omission!"
15. But besides these outward omissions, may they not find in themselves
inward defects without number? defects of every kind: they have not
the love, the fear, the confidence they ought to have, toward God. They have
not the love which is due to their neighbour, to every child of man; no, nor
even that which is due to their brethren, to every child of God, whether those
that are at a distance from them, or those with whom they are immediately
connected. They have no holy temper in the degree they ought; they are defective
in everything, -- in a deep consciousness of which they are ready to cry out,
with M. De Renty, "I am a ground all overrun with thorns;" or, with
Job, "I am vile: I abhor myself, and repent as in dust and ashes."
16. A conviction of their guiltiness is another branch of that repentance
which belongs to the children of God. But this is cautiously to be understood,
and in a peculiar sense. For it is certain, "there is no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus," that believe in him, and, in the power
of that faith, "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
Yet can they no more bear the strict justice of God now, than before
they believed. This pronounces them to be still worthy of death, on
all the preceding accounts. And it would absolutely condemn them thereto,
were it not for the atoning blood. Therefore they are thoroughly convinced,
that they still deserve punishment, although it is hereby turned aside
from them. But here there are extremes on one hand and on the other, and few
steer clear of them. Most men strike on one or the other, either thinking
themselves condemned when they are not, or thinking they deserve to
be acquitted. Nay, the truth lies between: they still deserve, strictly
speaking only the damnation of hell. But what they deserve does not come upon
them, because they "have an Advocate with the Father." His life,
and death, and intercession still interpose between them and condemnation.
17. A conviction of their utter helplessness is yet another branch
of this repentance. I mean hereby two things: first, that they are no more
able now of themselves to think one good thought, to form one good
desire, to speak one good word, or do one good work, than before they were
justified; that they have still no kind or degree of strength of their
own; no power either to do good, or resist evil; no ability to conquer
or even withstand the world, the devil, or their own evil nature. They can,
it is certain, do all these things; but it is not by their own strength. They
have power to overcome all these enemies; for "sin hath no more dominion
over them;" but it is not from nature, either in whole or in part; it
is the mere gift of God: nor is it given all at once, as if they had
a stock laid up for many years; but from moment to moment.
18. By this helplessness I mean, Secondly, an absolute inability to deliver
ourselves from that guiltiness or desert of punishment whereof we are still
conscious; yea, and an inability to remove, by all the grace we have (to say
nothing of our natural powers,) either the pride, self-will, love of the world,
anger, and general proneness to depart from God, which we experimentally know
to remain in the heart, even of them that are regenerate; or the evil
which, in spite of all our endeavours, cleaves to all our words and actions.
Add to this, an utter inability wholly to avoid uncharitable, and, much more,
unprofitable, conversation: and an inability to avoid sins of omission, or
to supply the numberless defects we are convinced of; especially the want
of love, and other right tempers both to God and man.
19. If any man is not satisfied of this, if any believes that whoever is
justified is able to remove these sins out of his heart and life, let him
make the experiment. Let him try whether, by the grace he has already received,
he can expel pride, self-will, or inbred sin in general. Let him try whether
he can cleanse his words and actions from all mixture of evil; whether he
can avoid all uncharitable and unprofitable conversation, with all sins of
omission; and, lastly, whether he can supply the numberless defects which
he still finds in himself. Let him not be discouraged by one or two experiments,
but repeat the trial again and again; and the longer he tries, the more deeply
will he be convinced of his utter helplessness in all these respects.
20. Indeed this is so evident a truth, that well nigh all the children of
God, scattered abroad, however they differ in other points, yet generally
agree in this; -- that although we may "by the Spirit, mortify the deeds
of the body," resist and conquer both outward and inward sin: although
we may weaken our enemies day by day; -- yet we cannot drive them
out. By all the grace which is given at justification we cannot extirpate
them. Though we watch and pray ever so much, we cannot wholly cleanse either
our hearts or hands. Most sure we cannot, till it shall please our Lord to
speak to our hearts again, to speak the second time, "Be clean:"
and then only the leprosy is cleansed. Then only, the evil root, the carnal
mind, is destroyed; and inbred sin subsists no more. But if there be no such
second change, if there be no instantaneous deliverance after justification,
if there be none but a gradual work of God (that there is a gradual
work none denies,) then we must be content, as well as we can, to remain full
of sin till death; and, if so, we must remain guilty till death, continually
deserving punishment. For it is impossible the guilt, or desert of
punishment, should be removed from us, as long as all this sin remains in
our heart, and cleaves to our words and actions. Nay, in rigorous justice,
all we think, and speak, and act, continually increases it.
II. 1. In this sense we are to repent, after we are justified. And
till we do so, we can go no farther. For, till we are sensible of our disease,
it admits of no cure. But, supposing we do thus repent, then are we called
to "believe the gospel."
2. And this also is to be understood in a peculiar sense, different from
that wherein we believed in order to justification. Believe the glad tidings
of great salvation, which God hath prepared for all people. Believe that he
who is "the brightness of his Father's glory, the express image of his
person," is "able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto
God through him." He is able to save you from all the sin that still
remains in your heart. He is able to save you from all the sin that cleaves
to all your words and actions. He is able to save you from sins of omission,
and to supply whatever is wanting in you. It is true, this is impossible with
man; but with God-Man all things are possible. For what can be too hard for
him who hath "all power in heaven and in earth?" Indeed, his bare
power to do this is not a sufficient foundation for our faith that he will
do it, that he will thus exert his power, unless he hath promised it. But
this he has done: he has promised it over and over, in the strongest terms.
he has given us these "exceeding great and precious promises," both
in the Old and the New Testament. So we read in the law, in the most ancient
part of the oracles of God, "The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart,
and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul." (Deut. 30:6.) So in the Psalms, "He shall redeem
Israel," the Israel of God, "from all his sins." So in the
Prophet, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be
clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
And I will put My Spirit within you, and ye shall keep My judgements, and
do them. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses" (Ezek. 36:25,
&c.) So likewise in the New Testament, "Blessed be the Lord God of
Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an
horn of salvation for us, -- to perform the oath which he sware to our father
Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands
of our enemies should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before him, all the days of our life" (Luke 1:68, &c.)
3. You have therefore good reason to believe, he is not only able, but willing
to do this; to cleanse you from all your filthiness of flesh and spirit; to
"save you from all your uncleannesses." This is the thing which
you now long for; this is the faith which you now particularly need, namely,
that the Great Physician, the Lover of my soul, is willing to make me clean.
But is he willing to do this to-morrow, or to-day? Let him answer for himself:
"To-day, if ye will hear" My "voice, harden not your hearts."
If you put it off till to-morrow, you harden your hearts; you refuse to hear
his voice. Believe, therefore, that he is willing to save you to-day.
He is willing to save you now. "Behold, now is the accepted time."
He now saith, "Be thou clean!" Only believe, and you also will immediately
find, "all things are possible to him that believeth."
4. Continue to believe in him that loved thee, and gave himself for thee;
that bore all thy sins in his own body on the tree; and he saveth thee from
all condemnation, by his blood continually applied. Thus it is that we continue
in a justified state. And when we go "from faith to faith, when we have
faith to be cleansed from indwelling sin, to be saved from all our uncleannesses,
we are likewise saved from all that guilt, that desert of punishment,
which we felt before. So that then we may say, not only,
Every moment, Lord, I want
The merit of thy death;
but, likewise, in the full assurance of faith,
Every moment, Lord, I have
The merit of thy death!
For, by that faith in his life, death, and intercession for us, renewed from
moment to moment, we are every whit clean, and there is not only now no condemnation
for us, but no such desert of punishment as was before, the Lord cleansing
both our hearts and lives.
5. By the same faith we feel the power of Christ every moment resting upon
us, whereby alone we are what we are; whereby we are enabled to continue in
spiritual life, and without which, notwithstanding all our present holiness,
we should be devils the next moment. But as long as we retain our faith in
him, we "draw water out of the wells of salvation." Leaning on our
Beloved, even Christ in us the hope of glory, who dwelleth in our hearts by
faith, who likewise is ever interceding for us at the right hand of God, we
receive help from him, to think, and speak, and act, what is acceptable in
his sight. Thus does he "prevent" them that believe in all their
"doings, and further them with his continual help;" so that all
their designs, conversations, and actions are "begun, continued, and
ended in him." Thus doth he "cleanse the thoughts of their hearts,
by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, that they may perfectly love him, and
worthily magnify his holy name."
6. Thus it is, that in the children of God, repentance and faith exactly
answer each other. By repentance we feel the sin remaining in our hearts,
and cleaving to our words and actions: by faith, we receive the power of God
in Christ, purifying our hearts, and cleansing our hands. By repentance, we
are still sensible that we deserve punishment for all our tempers, and words,
and actions: by faith, we are conscious that our Advocate with the Father
is continually pleading for us, and thereby continually turning aside all
condemnation and punishment from us. By repentance we have an abiding conviction
that there is no help in us: by faith we receive not only mercy, "but
grace to help in" every "time of need. Repentance disclaims
the very possibility of any other help; faith accepts all the help we stand
in need of, from him that hath all power in heaven and earth. Repentance says,
"Without him I can do nothing:" Faith says, "I can do all things
through Christ strengthening me." Through him I can not only overcome,
but expel, all the enemies of my soul. Through him I can "love the Lord
my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength;" yea, and "walk
in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of my life."
III. 1. From what has been said we may easily learn the mischievousness of
that opinion, -- that we are wholly sanctified when we are justified;
that our hearts are then cleansed from all sin. It is true, we are then delivered,
as was observed before, from the dominion of outward sin; and, at the same
time, the power of inward sin is so broken, that we need no longer follow,
or be led by it: but it is by no means true, that inward sin is then totally
destroyed; that the root of pride, self-will, anger, love of the world, is
then taken out of the heart; or that the carnal mind, and the heart bent to
backsliding, are entirely extirpated. And to suppose the contrary is not,
as some may think, an innocent harmless mistake. No: it does immense harm:
it entirely blocks up the way to any farther change; for it is manifest, "they
that are whole not need a physician, but they that are sick." If, therefore,
we think we are quite made whole already, there is no room to seek any further
healing. On this supposition it is absurd to expect a farther deliverance
from sin, whether gradual or instantaneous.
2. On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole; that our
hearts are not fully purified; that there is yet in us a "carnal mind,"
which is still in its nature "enmity against God;" that a whole
body of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed; shows,
beyond all possibility of doubt, the absolute necessity of a farther change.
We allow, that at the very moment of justification, we are born again:
In that instant we experience that inward change from "darkness into
marvellous light;" from the image of the brute and the devil, into the
image of God; from the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, to the mind which
was in Christ Jesus. But are we then entirely changed? Are we wholly
transformed into the image of him that created us? Far from it: we still retain
a depth of sin; and it is the consciousness of this which constrains us to
groan, for a full deliverance, to him that is mighty to save. Hence it is,
that those believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their
hearts, or but slightly, and, as it were, notionally convinced, have little
concern about entire sanctification. They may possibly hold the opinion,
that such a thing is to be, either at death, or some time they know not when,
before it. But they have no great uneasiness for the want of it, and no great
hunger or thirst after it. They cannot, until they know themselves better,
until they repent in the sense above described, until God unveils the inbred
monster's face, and shows them the real state of their souls. Then only, when
they feel the burden, will they groan for deliverance from it. Then, and not
till then, will they cry out, in the agony of their soul,
Break off the yoke of inbred sin,
And fully set my spirit free!
I cannot rest till pure within,
Till I am wholly lost in Thee.
3. We may learn from hence, secondly, that a deep conviction of our demerit,
after we are accepted (which in one sense may be termed guilt,) is
absolutely necessary, in order to our seeing the true value of the atoning
blood; in order to our feeling that we need this as much, after we are justified
as ever we did before. Without this conviction, we cannot but account the
blood of the covenant as a common thing, something of which we have
not now any great need, seeing all our past sins are blotted out. Yea, but
if both our hearts and lives are thus unclean, there is a kind of guilt which
we are contracting every moment, and which, of consequence, would every moment
expose us to fresh condemnation, but that
He ever lives above,
For us to intercede, --
His all-atoning love,
His precious blood, to plead.
It is this repentance, and the faith intimately connected with it, which
are expressed in those strong lines, --
I sin in every breath I draw,
Nor do Thy will, nor keep Thy law
On earth, as angels do above:
But still the fountain open stands,
Washes my feet, my heart, my hands,
Till I am perfected in love.
4. We may observe, Thirdly, a deep conviction
of our utter helplessness, of our total inability to
retain anything we have received, much more to deliver ourselves
from the world of iniquity remaining both in our hearts and
lives, teaches us truly to live upon Christ by faith, not only
as our Priest, but as our King. Hereby we are brought to "magnify
him," indeed; to "give Him all the glory of his grace;"
to "make him a whole Christ, an entire Saviour; and truly
to set the crown upon his head." These excellent words,
as they have frequently been used, have little or no meaning;
but they are fulfilled in a strong and deep sense, when we thus,
as it were, go out of ourselves, in order to be swallowed up
in him; when we sink into nothing, that he may be all in all.
Then, his almighty grace having abolished "every high thing
which exalted itself against him," every temper, and thought,
and word, and work "is brought to the obedience of Christ."
LONDONDERRY, April 24, 1767
Edited by Anita Maendl
with corrections by Ryan Danker and George Lyons for the Wesley
Center for Applied Theology.
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