約翰.衛(wèi)斯理英文講道第3篇

1、Charles WesleySERMON 3(text from the 1872 edition)AWAKE, THOU THAT SLEEPESTPreached on Sunday April 4, 1742, before the University of Oxford, by the Rev. Charles Wesley, M.A. Student of Christ-Church. Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Eph. 5:14.In

2、discoursing on these words, I shall, with the help of God, -First. Describe the sleepers, to whom they are spoken:Secondly.Enforcethe exhortation,Awake, thou thatsleepest,and arisefrom the dead: And,Thirdly. Explain the promise made tosuch asdo awake and arise: Christshall give thee light.I.1.And fi

3、rst,as to thesleepersherespoken to.By sleepissignifiedthenaturalstateofman; thatdeep sleep ofthe soul,intowhich thesinof Adamhath cast allwho springfrom hisloins:That supineness,indolence,and stupidity, that insensibility of his real condition, wherein everyman comes Intotheworld,and continuestillth

4、e voiceof God awakes him.2. Now, they that sleep, sleep in the night. The state of nature is astateof utterdarkness;a state wherein darknesscovers theearth,andgross darkness the people.The poor unawakenedsinner,how muchknowledgesoever he may have as to other things, has no knowledge of himself: inth

5、is respect he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. he knows notthat he is a fallen spirit, whose only business in the present world, isto recoverfrom hisfall,to regainthatimage ofGodwherein he was created.he sees no necessityforthe one thingneedful ,even that inwarduniversalchange, that birth fr

6、om above, figured out by baptism, which is thebeginningof thattotalrenovation.thatsanctificationof spirit,soul,and body, without which no man shall see the Lord.Full of all diseases as he is, he fancies himself in perfect health. Fast bound in misery and iron, he dreams that he is at liberty. he say

7、s, Peace! Peace! while the devil, as a strong, man armed, is in fullpossession of his soul.he sleeps on stilland takes his rest,though hellis moved from beneath to meet him; though the pit from whence there isno returnhath opened itsmouth to swallow him up. A fireis kindledaroundhim, yet he knoweth

8、itnot;yea, itburns him, yet he lays itnot to heart.By one who sleeps, we are, therefore, to understand (and would to God we might all understand it!) a sinner satisfied in his sins; contentedto remain in his fallen state, to live and die without the image of God; one who is ignorant both of his dise

9、ase, and of the only remedy for it;one who never was warned, or never regarded the warning voice of God, to flee from the wrath to come; one that never yet saw he was in danger of hell-fire, or cried out in the earnestness of his soul, What must I doto be saved?If this sleeper be not outwardly vicio

10、us, his sleep is usually thedeepest of all: whetherhe be ofthe Laodicean spirit,neither cold norhot, but a quiet, rational, inoffensive, good-natured professor of thereligionof his fathers; or whether he be zealousand orthodox,and, afterthe most straitest sect of our religion, live a Pharisee; that

11、is,accordingtothe scripturalaccount, one thatjustifieshimself;one thatlabours to establish his own righteousness, as the ground of hisacceptance with God.6. This ishe, who, havinga form of godliness,deniesthe power thereof;yea, and probably reviles it, wheresoever it is found, as mereextravaganceand

12、 delusion.Meanwhile, the wretched self-deceiverthanksGod, thathe is notas other men are; adulterers,unjust, extortioners:no, he doeth no wrong to any man. he fasts twice in a week, uses allthe means of grace,is constantat church and sacrament, yea,and givestithes of all that he has; does all the goo

13、d that he can touching therighteousness of the law, he is blameless: he wants nothing ofgodliness, but the power; nothing of religion, but the spirit; nothing of Christianity, but the truth and the life.7. But know ye not, that, however highly esteemed among men such a Christian as this may be, he i

14、s an abomination in the sight of God, andan heir of every woe which the Son of God, yesterday, to-day, and for ever, denounces against scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites? he hath madeclean the outside of the cup and the platter, but within is full of allfilthiness.An evil diseasecleavethstillunto him

15、, so thathisinwardparts are very wickedness. Our Lord fitly compares him to a paintedsepulchre, which appears beautiful without; but, nevertheless, isfull of dead mensbones, and ofall uncleanness.The bones indeedareno longer dry; thesinews and fleshare come upon them, and theskincoversthem above: bu

16、t there is no breath in them, no Spirit of the living God.And, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Yeare Christs,ifso be thatthe SpiritofGod dwellin you: but,ifnot,God knoweth that ye abide in death, even until now.This is another character of the sleeper here spoken to. he

17、abides in death, though he knows it not. he is dead unto God, dead in trespassesand sins. For, to be carnally minded is death Even as it is written,By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so deathpassed upon allmen; notonlytemporaldeath, butlikewisespiritualandeternal. In that d

18、ay that thou eatest, said God to Adam, thou shaltsurelydie;notbodily(unlessas he then becamemortal),but spiritually:thou shalt lose the life of thy soul; thou shalt die to God: shalt beseparated from him, thy essential life and happiness.9. Thus firstwas dissolvedthe vitalunion of our soul withGod;

19、insomuchthat in the midst of natural life, we are now in spiritual death.And herein we remain tilltheSecond Adam becomes a quickening Spirittous; tillhe raises thedead, thedead insin, in pleasure,richesor honours.But, before any dead soul can live, he hears (hearkens to) the voiceof the Son of God:

20、he is made sensible of his lost estate, and receivesthe sentence of death in himself. he knows himself to be dead while heliveth; dead to God, and all the things of God; having no more power toperform the actions of a living Christian, than a dead body to performthe functions of a living man.10. And

21、 most certainitis,that one dead in sin has notsensesexercisedto discern spiritual good and evil. Having eyes, he sees not; he hathears,and hears not.he doth not tasteand see thatthe Lord isgracious.he hath not seen God at any time, nor heard his voice, nor handledthe word oflife.Invain is the nameof

22、Jesus likeointmentpoured forth,and all his garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia. The soul thatsleepeth indeath hath no perceptionof any objectsof this kind.hisheartis past feeling, and understandeth none of these things.11. And hence, having no spiritual senses, no inlets of spiritualknowledge

23、, the natural manreceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; nay, he is so far from receiving them, that whatsoever is spirituallydiscerned is mere foolishness unto him. he is not content with being utterly ignorant of spiritual things, but he denies the very existenceof them. And spiritualsensat

24、ion itselfisto him thefoolishnessoffolly.How, saith he, can these things be? How can any manknow that he isalivetoGod? Even as you know thatyour body isnow alive.Faithisthelifeofthesoul;and ifye have thislifeabidinginyou, ye want no marksto evidence itto yourself, but _elegchos pneumatos_, that divi

25、neconsciousness, thatwitness of God, which is more and greater than tenthousand human witnesses.12.Ifhe doth notnow bearwitness with thy spirit,that thouarta childof God, O that he might convince thee, thou poor unawakened sinner, byhis demonstration and power, that thou art a child of the devil! O

26、that,as I prophesy, there might now be a noise and a shaking; and may thebones come together, bone to his bone! Then come from the four winds,O Breath! and breathe on these slain, that they may live! And do not yeharden your hearts, and resist the Holy Ghost, who even now is come toconvince you of s

27、in, because you believe not on the name of the onlybegotten Son of God.II. 1. Wherefore, awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.God calleththeenow by my mouth; and bidstheeknow thyself,thoufallenspirit, thy true state and only concern below. What meanest thou, Osleeper?Arise!Callupon thy

28、God, ifso be thyGod willthinkupon thee,that thou perish not. A mighty tempest is stirred up round about thee,and thou art sinking into the depths of perdition, the gulf of Godsjudgements.Ifthouwouldestescape them,castthyselfintothem. Judgethyself, and thou shalt not be judged of the Lord.2.Awake, aw

29、ake! Stand up thismoment, lestthoudrinkat theLordshandthe cup of his fury. Stir up thyself to lay hold on the Lord, the LordthyRighteousness,mighty to save! Shake thyselffrom the dust.At least,let the earthquake of Gods threatenings shake thee. Awake, and cry outwith the trembling jailer, What must

30、I do to be saved? And never resttill thou believest on the Lord Jesus, with a faith which is his gift,by the operation of his Spirit.3. If I speak to anyone of you, more than to another, it is to thee, whothinkestthyselfunconcernedin thisexhortation.Ihave a message fromGod unto thee.Inhis name, Iwar

31、n thee to fleefrom the wrath tocome.Thou unholy soul, see thy picture in condemned Peter, lying in the darkdungeon, between thesoldiers,bound withtwo chains,the keepersbeforethe door keeping the prison. The night is far spent, the morning is athand, when thouartto be brought forthto execution.And in

32、these dreadfulcircumstances,thouartfastasleep;thouart fastasleepinthedevilsarms, on the brink of the pit, in the jaws of everlasting destruction!4. O may the Angel of the Lord come upon thee, and the light shine intothy prison! And mayestthou feel thestroke of anAlmighty Hand, raisingthee, with,Aris

33、e up quickly,girdthyself,and bindon thysandals,castthy garment about thee, and follow Me.5. Awake, thou everlastingspirit,outof thy dream of worldlyhappiness!Did not God create thee for himself? Then thou canst not rest till thourestest in him. Return, thou wanderer! Fly back to thy ark, This is not

34、thy home. Thinknot ofbuildingtabernacleshere.Thou art buta stranger,a sojourner upon earth; a creature of a day, but just launching out intoan unchangeable state.Make haste.Eternityis at hand. Eternitydependson this moment. An eternity of happiness, or an eternity of misery!6. In what stateisthysoul

35、?WasGod, while I am yetspeaking,torequireit of thee, art thou ready to meet death and judgement? Canst thou standin his sight, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity? Art thoumeet tobe partakeroftheinheritanceofthe saintsin light?Hast thoufoughta good fight,and keptthefaith?Hast thousecured th

36、eone thingneedful?Hast thou recovered the image of God, even righteousnessand trueholiness? Hast thou put off the old man, and put on the new? Art thouclothed upon with Christ?7. Hast thouoilinthylamp? graceinthy heart?Dost thoulovetheLordthy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind and with al

37、l thy soul,and withallthystrength?Is thatmind inthee,which was alsoinChristJesus? Art thou a Christianindeed,that is,a new creature?Are oldthingspassed away, and all things become new?Art thou a partaker of the divine nature? Knowest thou not, that Christ is in thee, except thou be reprobate? Knowes

38、t thou, that God dwelleth in thee, and thou in God, by his Spirit, which he hath giventhee? Knowest thou not that thy body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which thou hast of God? Hast thou the witness in thyself? the earnest of thine inheritance? Hast thou received the Holy Ghost? Or dost thou start

39、atthe question, not knowing whether there be any Holy Ghost?9. Ifitoffendsthee, be thou assured,thatthou neither arta Christian,nordesiresttobe one. Nay, thyveryprayeris turnedintosin;and thouhast solemnly mocked God this very day, by praying for the inspirationof his Holy Spirit, when thou didst no

40、t believe there was any such thingto be received.10.Yet,on theauthorityof Gods Word, and our own Church,I must repeatthequestion,Hast thoureceivedtheHoly Ghost? Ifthou hastnot, thouart not yet a Christian. For a Christian is a man that is anointed withthe Holy Ghost and with power. Thou art not yet

41、made a partaker of purereligion and undefiled. Dost thou know what religion is? -that it is aparticipation of the divine nature; the life of God in the soul of man;Christformed inthe heart;Christin thee,the hope ofglory;happinessand holiness;heaven begun upon earth;a kingdom ofGod withinthee; notmea

42、t and drink,no outwardthing;butrighteousness,and peace,and joyinthe Holy Ghost; an everlastingkingdom brought intothysoul;a peaceof God that passeth all understanding; a joy unspeakable, and full ofglory?11. Knowest thou, that in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availethanything,noruncircumcision;

43、butfaiththatworkethby love;buta newcreation?Seest thouthe necessityof thatinward change,thatspiritualbirth, that life from the dead, that holiness? And art thou throughlyconvinced, that withoutitno man shallsee the Lord?Art thou labouringafterit?-givingalldiligencetomake thycallingand electionsure,w

44、orkingout thysalvationwithfearand trembling,agonizingtoenterinatthestraitgate?Artthouinearnestabout thysoul?And canstthoutelltheSearcher ofhearts,Thou,O God, artthe thingthat Ilongfor!Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that Iwould love Thee!12.Thou hopestto be saved;butwhat reasonhast thou

45、to give ofthehopethat is in thee? Is it because thou hast done no harm? or, because thouhast done much good? or, because thou art not like other men; but wise,or learned, or honest, and morally good; esteemed of men, and of a fairreputation? Alas! all this will never bring thee to God. It is in hisa

46、ccount lighter than vanity. Dost thou know Jesus Christ, whom he hathsent?Hath he taughtthee, thatby gracewe are saved through faith;andthat not of ourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any manshould boast? Hast thou received the faithful saying as the wholefoundation of thy hope, tha

47、t Jesus Christ came into the world to savesinners? Hast thou learned what that meaneth, I came not to call therighteous, but sinners to repentance? I am not sent, but unto the lostsheep? Art thou (he that heareth,lethim understand!)lost,dead, damnedalready?Dost thou know thy deserts? Dost thou feel

48、thy wants? Art thoupoor in spirit? mourningfor God, andrefusing to becomforted? Is theprodigal come to himself, and well content to be therefore thoughtbeside himself by those who are still feeding upon the husks which hehath left? Art thou willing to live godly in Christ Jesus? And dost thoutherefo

49、resufferpersecution? Do men say allmanner ofevilagainsttheefalsely, for the Son of Mans sake?13. O that in all these questions ye may hear the voice that wakes thedead; and feel that hammerof the Word, which breaketh the rocks in pieces! If ye will hear his voice to-day, while it is called to-day, h

50、arden notyour hearts. Now, awake, thou that sleepest in spiritual death, that thou sleep not in death eternal! Feel thy lost estate, and arise fromthe dead. Leave thine old companions in sin and death. Follow thou Jesus, and let the dead bury their dead. Save thyself from this untowardgeneration. Co

51、me out from among them, and be thou separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and the Lord shall receive thee. Christ shallgive thee light.III. 1. This promise, I come, lastly, to explain. And how encouraging aconsiderationis this,that whosoever thou art,who obeyesthis call,thoucanst not seek his f

52、ace in vain! If thou even now awakest, and arisestfrom the dead, he hath bound himselfto givethee light.The Lord shallgive thee grace and glory; the light of his grace here, and the lightof his glorywhen thou receivestthecrown thatfadeth not away. Thy lightshall break forth as the morning, and thy d

53、arkness be as the noon-day.God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shall shine inthy heart;to give theknowledge ofthegloryof God in the face ofJesusChrist.On them thatfear theLordshalltheSun of Righteousnessarisewith healing in his wings. And in that day it shall be said unto thee, Ar

54、ise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For Christ shall reveal himself in thee: and he is the true Light.God is light, and will give himself to every awakened sinner that waiteth for him; and thou shalt then be a temple of the living God, andChrist shall dwe

55、ll in thy heart by faith; and, being rooted and grounded in love, thou shalt be able to comprehend with all saints, what is thebreadth, and length, and depth, and height of that love of Christ which passeth knowledge.Ye see your calling, brethren. We are called to be an habitation of God through his

56、 Spirit; and, through his Spirit dwelling in us, to besaints here, and partakersof the inheritanceof the saintsin light. Soexceeding great arethepromises which aregivenunto us,actuallygivenunto us who believe!For by faithwe receive,notthe spiritof theworld,but the Spirit which is of God -the sum of

57、all the promises- that wemay know the things that are freely given to us of God.4. The Spirit of Christisthatgreat giftofGod, which atsundrytimes,and in divers manners, he hath promised to man, and hath fully bestowedsince the time that Christwas glorified.Those promises,beforemadetothe fathers, he

58、hath thus fulfilled: I will put My spirit within you,and cause you to walk in My statutes (Ezek. 36:27). I will pour waterupon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour MySpirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring (Isa. 44:3).Ye may all be living witnesses of t

59、hese things; of remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. If thou canst believe, all things arepossible to him that believeth. Who among you is there that feareth the Lord, and yet walketh on in darkness, and hath no light? I ask thee,in the nameof Jesus, Believestthou thathis arm is notsho

60、rtened atall?that he is still mighty to save? that he is the same yesterday, to-day,and for ever? that he hath now power on earth to forgive sins? Son, beof good cheer; thy sins are forgiven. God, for Christs sake, hathforgiventhee.Receive this, notas theword of man; butas itisindeed,the word ofGod;