The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 09 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
4. How then can _you_ escape the damnation of hell? The lake of fire
burning with brimstone? Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched? You can never redeem your own soul. You cannot atone for the
sins that are past. If you could leave off sin now, and live unblamable
for the time to come, that would be no atonement for what is past. Nay,
if you could live like an angel for a thousand years, that would not
atone for one sin. But neither can you do this: you cannot leave off
sin: it has the dominion over you. If all your past sins were now to be
forgiven, you would immediately sin again: that is, unless your heart
were cleansed; unless it were created anew. And who can do this? Who
can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Surely none but God. So you
are utterly sinful, guilty, helpless! What can you do to be saved?
5. One thing is needful: _believe in the_ Lord Jesus Christ, _and thou
shalt be saved_! Believe (not as the devils only, but) with that faith
which is the gift of God, which is wrought in a poor, guilty, helpless
sinner, by the power of the Holy Ghost. See all thy sins on Jesus laid.
God laid on him the iniquities of us all. He suffered once the just
for the unjust. He bore our sins in his own body on the tree. He was
wounded for thy sins; he was bruised for thy iniquities. _Behold the
Lamb of |God|, taking away the sin of the world!_ Taking away thy sins,
even thine, and reconciling thee unto God the Father! _Look unto him
and be thou saved!_ If thou look unto him by faith, if thou cleave to
him with thy whole heart, if thou receive him both to atone, to teach
and to govern thee in all things, thou shalt be saved, thou art saved,
both from the guilt, the punishment, and all the power of sin. Thou
shalt have peace with God, and a peace in thy own soul, that passeth
all understanding. Thy soul shall magnify the Lord, and thy Spirit
rejoice in God thy Saviour. The love of God shall be shed abroad in thy
heart, enabling thee to trample sin under thy feet. And thou wilt then
have an hope full of immortality. Thou wilt no longer be afraid to die,
but rather long for the hour having a desire to depart, and to be with
Christ.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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