Atheists are a sad lot. On Usenet, most of them delight in provoking
Christians with insults, personal attacks, etc. Such foolish behavior on
their part. Which isn't at all surprising since God considers them as
fools.
John Wesley's sermon below centers on living without God as atheists do
and
the fact they can not know true joy as God give His Children.
May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
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On Living Without God
by John Wesley
"Without God in the world." -- Eph. 2:12
1. Perhaps these words might be more properly translated, Atheists in the
world. This seems to be a little stronger expression than "without God in
the world," which sounds nearly negative, and does not necessarily imply
any
more than the having no fellow****p or intercourse with God. On the
contrary,
the word Atheist is commonly understood to mean something positive, - the
not only disclaiming any intercourse with him, but denying his very being.
2. The case of these unhappy men may be much illustrated by a late
incident,
the truth of which cannot reasonably be doubted, there having been so
large
a number of eye-witnesses. An ancient oak being cut down, and split
through
the midst, out of the very heart of the tree crept a large toad, and
walked
away with all the speed he could. Now how long, may we probably imagine,
had
this creature continued there? It is not unlikely it might have remained
in
its nest above a hundred years. It is not improbable it was nearly, if not
altogether, coeval with the oak; having been some way or other enclosed
therein at the time that it was planted. It is not therefore unreasonable
to
suppose that it had lived that strange kind of life at least a century. We
say, it had lived; But what manner of life! How desirable! How enviable!
As
Cowley says:
O life, most precious and most dear!
O life, that Epicures would long to share!
Let us spend a few thoughts upon so uncommon a case, and make some
improvement of it.
3. This poor animal had organs of sense; yet it had not any sensation. It
had eyes, yet no ray of light ever entered its black abode. From the very
first instant of its existence there, it was shut up in impenetrable
darkness. It was shut up from the sun, moon and stars, and from the
beautiful face of nature; indeed, from the whole visible world, as much as
if it had no being.
4. As no air could penetrate its sable recess, it consequently could have
no
hearing. Whatever organs it was provided with, they could be of no use;
seeing no undulating air could find a way through the walls that
surrounded
it. And there is no reason to believe that it had any sense analogous to
those either of smelling or tasting. In a creature which did not need any
food these could have been of no possible use. Neither was there any way
whereby the objects of smell or taste could make their approach to it. It
must be very little, if at all, that it could be acquainted even with the
general sense, - that of feeling: As it always continued in one unvaried
posture amidst the parts that surrounded it, all of these being immovably
fixed could make no new impression upon it. So that it had only one
feeling
from hour to hour, and from day to day, during its whole duration.
5. And as this poor animal was destitute of sensation, it must have
equally
been destitute of reflection. Its head (of whatever sort it was,) having
no
materials to work upon, no ideas of sensation of any kind, could not
produce
any degree of reflection. It scarce, therefore could have any memory, or
any
imagination. Nor could it have any locative power, while it was so closely
bound in on every side. If it had in itself some springs of motion, yet it
was impossible that power should be exerted, because the narrowness of its
cavern could not allow of any change of place.
6. How exact a parallel may be drawn between this creature (hardly to be
called an animal) and a man that is "without God in the world!" Such as
are
a vast majority of even those that are called Christians! I do not mean
that
they are Atheists, in the common sense of the word. I do not believe that
these are so numerous as many have imagined. Making all the inquiry and
observation I could for upwards of fifty years, I could not find twenty
who
seriously disbelieved the being of a God; nay, I have found only two of
these (to the best of my judgment) in the British Islands: Both of these
then lived in London, and had been of this persuasion many years. But
several years before they were called to appear before God, both John S--
and John B-- were fully convinced that there is a God; and, what is more
remarkable, they were first convinced that he is a terrible, and then that
he is a merciful God. I mention these two accounts to show not only that
there are real literal Atheists in the world; but also, that even then, if
they will condescend to ask it, they may find "grace to help in time of
need."
7. But I do not mean such as these when I speak of those who are Atheists
or
"without God in the world;" but of such as are only practical Atheists; as
have not God in all their thoughts; such as have not acquainted themselves
with him, neither have any fellow****p with him; such as have no more
intercourse with God, or the invisible world, than this animal had with
the
visible. I will endeavour to draw the parallel between these. And may God
apply it to their hearts!
8. Every one of these is in exactly such a situation with regard to the
invisible as the toad was in respect to the visible world. That creature
had
undoubtedly a sort of life, such as it was. It certainly had all the
internal and external parts that are essential to animal life; and,
without
question, it had suitable juices, which kept up a kind of circulation.
This
was a life indeed! And exactly such a life is that of the Atheist, the man
"without God in the world." What a thick veil is between him and the
invisible world, which, with regard to him, is as though it had no being!
He
has not the least perception of it; not the most distant idea. He has not
the least sight of God, the intellectual Sun; nor any the least attraction
toward him, or desire to have any knowledge of his ways. Although His
light
be gone forth into all lands, and His sound unto the end of the world, yet
he heareth no more thereof than of the fabled music of the spheres. He
tastes nothing of the goodness of God or the powers of the world to come.
He
does not feel (as our Church speaks) the working of the Holy Spirit in his
heart. In a word, he has no more intercourse with a knowledge of the
spiritual world, than this poor creature had of the natural, while shut up
in its dark enclosure.
9. But the moment the Spirit of the Almighty strikes the heart of him that
was till then without God in the world, it breaks the hardness of his
heart,
and creates all things new. The Sun of Righteousness appears, and ****nes
upon his soul, showing him the light of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ. He is in a new world. All things round him are become new,
such as it never before entered into his heart to conceive. He sees, so
far
as his newly-opened eyes can bear the sight,
The opening heavens around him ****ne,
With beams of sacred bliss.
He sees that he has "an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous;" and that he has "redemption in his blood, the remission of his
sins." He sees "a new way that is opened into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus;" and his "light ****neth more and more unto the perfect day."
10. By the same gracious stroke, he that before had ears but heard not is
now made capable of hearing. He hears the voice that raiseth the dead, -
the
voice of Him that is "the resurrection and the life." He is no longer deaf
to his invitations or commands, to his promises or threatenings; but
gladly
hears every word that proceeds out of his mouth, and governs thereby all
his
thoughts, words, and actions.
11. At the same time, he receives other spiritual senses, capable of
discerning spiritual good and evil. He is enabled to taste, as well as to
see, how gracious the Lord is. He enters into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, and tastes of the powers of the world to come. He finds Jesus' love
far better than wine; yea, sweeter than honey or the honey-comb. He knows
what that meaneth: "All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia."
He
feels the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is
given unto him; or, as our Church expresses it, "feels the workings of the
Spirit of God in his heart." Meantime, it may easily be observed, that the
substance of all these figurative expressions is comprised in that one
word
faith, taken in its widest sense; being enjoyed, more or less, by everyone
that believes in the name of the Son of God. This change, from spiritual
death to spiritual life, is properly the new birth; all the particulars
whereof are admirably well expressed by Dr. Watts in one verse:
Renew my eyes, open my ears,
And form my soul afresh;
Give me new passions, joys and fears,
And turn the stone to flesh!
12. But before this universal change there may be many partial changes in
a
natural man, which are frequently mistaken for it, whereby many say,
"Peace,
peace!" to their souls, when there is no peace. There may be not only a
considerable change in the life, so as to refrain from open sin, yea, the
easily besetting sin; but also a considerable change of tempers,
conviction
of sin, strong desires, and good resolutions. And here we have need to
take
great care, not, on the one hand, to despise the day of small things; nor,
on the other, to mistake any of these partial changes for that entire,
general change, the new birth; that total change from the image of the
earthly Adam into the image of the heavenly, from an earthly, sensual,
devilish mind, into the mind that was in Christ.
13. Settle it therefore in your hearts, that however you may be changed in
many other respects, yet in Christ Jesus, that is, according to the
Christian institution, nothing will avail without the whole mind that was
in
Christ, enabling you to walk as Christ walked. Nothing is more sure than
this: "If any man be in Christ," a true believer in him, "he is a new
creature: Old things," in him, "are passed away; all things are become
new."
14. From hence we may clearly perceive the wide difference there is
between
Christianity and morality. Indeed nothing can be more sure than that true
Christianity cannot exist without both the inward experience and outward
practice of justice, mercy, and truth; and this alone is given in
morality.
But it is equally certain that all morality, all the justice, mercy, and
truth which can possibly exist without Christianity, profiteth nothing at
all, is of no value in the sight of God, to those that are under the
Christian dispensation. Let it be observed, I purposely add, "to those
that
are under the Christian dispensation," because I have no authority from
the
Word of God "to judge those that are without." Nor do I conceive that any
man living has a right to sentence all the heathen and Mahometan world to
damnation. It is far better to leave them to him that made them, and who
is
"the Father of the spirits of all flesh;" who is the God of the Heathens
as
well as the Christians, and who hateth nothing that he hath made. But
meantime this is nothing to those that name the name of Christ: - all
those,
being under the law, the Christian law, shall undoubtedly be judged
thereby;
and, of consequence, unless those be so changed as was the animal above
mentioned, unless they have new senses, ideas, passions, tempers, they are
no Christians. However just, true, or merciful they may be, they are but
Atheists still!
15. Perhaps there may be some well-meaning persons who carry this farther
still; who aver, that whatever change is wrought in men, whether in their
hearts or lives, yet if they have not clear views of those capital
doctrines, the fall of man, justification by faith, and of the atonement
made by the death of Christ, and of his righteousness transferred to them,
they can have no benefit from his death. I dare in no wise affirm this.
Indeed I do not believe it. I believe the merciful God regards the lives
and
tempers of men more than their ideas. I believe he respects the goodness
of
the heart rather than the clearness of the head; and that if the heart of
a
man be filled (by the grace of God, and the power of his Spirit) with the
humble, gentle, patient love of God and man, God will not cast him into
everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels because his ideas
are
not clear, or because his conceptions are confused. Without holiness, I
own,
"no man shall see the Lord;" but I dare not add, "or clear ideas."
16. But to return to the text. Let me entreat all of you who are still
"without God in the world," to consider with all your humanity,
benevolence,
virtue, you are still
lnclusi tenebris, et carcere caeco:
Inclosed in darkness and infernal shade.
My dear friends! you do not see God. You do not see the Sun of
righteousness. You have no fellow****p with the Father, or with his Son,
Jesus Christ. You never heard the voice that raiseth the dead. Ye know not
the voice of your Shepherd. Ye have not received the Holy Ghost. Ye have
no
spiritual senses. You have your old, natural ideas, passions, joys, and
fears; you are not new creatures. O cry to God, that he may rend the veil
which is still upon your hearts; and which gives you occasion to complain,
-
O dark, dark, dark, I still must say,
Amidst the blaze of gospel-day!
O that you may this day hear his voice, who speaketh as never man spake,
saying, "Arise, ****ne, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is
risen upon thee!" Is it not his voice that crieth aloud, "Look unto me,
and
be thou saved?" He saith, "Lo! I come!" Even so, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!
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