The Revd Dr John Wesley (1703-1791)

IN our Gospel this week (The Sixth Sunday After Trinity), Jesus cautions us “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20-26).

SEE, first, that thy righteousness fall not short of the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Be not thou as other men are (Lk 18:11)! Dare to stand alone; to be, “against example, singularly good.” If thou follow a multitude at all, it must be to do evil (Lk 17:23). Let not custom or fashion be thy guide; but reason, and religion. The practice of others is nothing to thee: “every man must give an account of himself to God” (Rom 14:12). …

Secondly: let not thy righteousness fall short of theirs, with regard to the ordinances of God. If thy labour or bodily strength will not allow of thy fasting twice in the week, however deal faithfully with thy own soul, and fast as often as thy strength will permit. Omit no public, no private opportunity of pouring out thy soul in prayer. Neglect no occasion of eating that bread and drinking that cup, which is the communion of the body and blood of Christ.

Be diligent in searching the Scriptures; read, as thou mayest, and meditate therein day and night. Rejoice to embrace every opportunity of hearing “the word of reconciliation” declared by the “ambassadors of Christ” (2 Cor 5:20), the “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor 4:1).

In using all the means of grace, in a constant and careful attendance on every ordinance of God, live up to (at least till thou canst go beyond) “the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.”

Thirdly: fall not short of a Pharisee in doing good. Give alms of all thou dost possess (Lk 11:41). Is any hungry? Feed him. Is he athirst? Give him drink. Naked? Cover him with a garment (Mt 25:31-46). If thou hast this world’s goods, do not limit thy beneficence to a scanty proportion. Be merciful to the uttermost of thy power. …

BUT rest not here. Let thy righteousness “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.” Be not thou content to “keep the whole law, and offend in one point” (Jas 2:10). Hold thou fast all his commandments, and “all false ways do thou utterly abhor” (Ps 119:128 [Coverdale]). Do all the things, whatsoever he hath commanded, and that with all thy might. Thou canst do all things through Christ strengthening thee (Phil 4:13); though without him thou canst do nothing (Jn 15:5).

Above all, let thy righteousness exceed theirs in the purity and spirituality of it. What is the exactest form of religion to thee? The most perfect outside righteousness? Go thou higher and deeper than all this! Let thy religion be the religion of the heart.

Sixth Discourse On The Sermon On The Mount (Sermon XXVI)

See more by John Wesley.

Thomas Gisborne (1758-1846), with his wife

THOMAS Gisborne (1758-1846), an associate of anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce MP, preached at a time when many seemed to be losing sight of their priorities.

It was argued by some that “we have been indulgent husbands, careful parents, kind neighbours, useful members of society”. What need is there of public worship or a troublesome piety? After all, “mercy is better than sacrifice”.

But Gisborne drew quite different lessons from the Parable of the Great Supper, our Gospel for the Second Sunday After Trinity (Lk 14:16-24).

WHERE has your heart been fixed? Can you think that the life which you have led has been to live unto God and unto Christ? Has your life been that of a man who seeks first the kingdom of God and his righteousness?

The decencies and occupations of society are not of themselves the commandments of Christ. We must pursue our righteousness in the Gospel method.

WHEN we had no claim to be delivered from the punishment, which by our sins we deserved, much less to extend our views to an eternity of happiness, the God of mercy was pleased, of his own infinite goodness, freely to offer to us both these blessings.

He offered them to us, through the blood of his own Son Jesus Christ. His own Son undertook, for our sakes, to come down upon earth; to assume the nature of man; and to die upon the cross, that he might make atonement for our sins, and purchase immortal glory, for all, who would accept him as their Saviour, and faithfully obey his commandments.

This is the appointed method of salvation, by which alone we may be saved. It is in vain for any man to hope, that he may be justified in any other method, or be rendered meet for glory through the attainment of any other qualifications, than those which are plainly stated in the Gospel.

Sermons Vol. I. Sermon IX: On the Nature and the Consequences of Excuses for not giving up the Heart to Religion

St John The Evangelist

ST JOHN said gently to his spiritual charges,

MY little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. (1 Jn 2:1)

And our Collect today stresses the continued importance of keeping the commandments.

O GOD, the strength of all them that put their trust in thee, mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping of thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The First Sunday After Trinity

Our Epistle, too, stresses the commandment of brotherly love. “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 Jn 4:21).

While it is true that we are not saved by works, equally, we are not saved without them (Jas 2:14-26), or at any rate barely (1 Cor 3:13-15).

Living a life of virtue, of good works, keeping the commandments of Christ, is still the goal of the Christian life: indeed, more so than ever (Mt 5:20, 48). Christ’s grace allows us to achieve what Adam’s nature frustrates (Rom 8:1-4).

WHOSOEVER is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 Jn 3:9)

So we pray in the Te Deum,

VOUCHSAFE, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

And then in the Third Collect at Morning Prayer,

GRANT that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight.

John Fletcher (1729-1785) listed the many Collects of the Prayer Book which preach the same message of hope.

Not that this is consistently realised in this life. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:8). But it is possible. St John would not cruelly tease us with an impossibility.

ALL things are possible to them
That can in Jesus name believe:
Lord, I no more thy truth blaspheme,
Thy truth I lovingly receive;
I can, I do believe in thee;
All things are possible to me.

2. The most impossible of all
Is that e’er from sin should cease;
Yet shall it be, I know it shall:
Jesus, look to thy faithfulness!
If nothing is too hard for thee,
All things are possible to me.

3. Though earth and hell the word gainsay,
The word of God can never fail;
The Lamb shall take my sins away,
‘Tis certain, though impossible;
The thing impossible shall be;
All things are possible to me.

4. All things are possible to God,
To Christ, the power of God in man,
To me, when I am all renewed,
When I in Christ am formed again,
And witness, from all sin set free,
All things are possible to me.

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Vandalised gate, Chudleigh, Devon. © Paul Dickson, Geograph. Used under licence.

TODAY is the first of the three ‘minor’ Rogation Days, which fall on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension Day. You can find helpful information on the Rogation Days, major and minor, at Wikipedia.

From the late fifth century onwards, litanies were said in procession on these minor days.

This practice was abolished in 1547, but Queen Elizabeth I rather liked processions, and on her accession ordered perambulations of the parish at Rogationtide to be resumed “as they were accustomed”, with the saying of Ps 103 Benedic, anima mea and other common prayers for the harvest (Injunctions, 1559. Nos 18 and 19).

Saying (or rather singing) the Litany from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer in procession at the conclusion of this event is not required, then, but arguably it is implied. And the seriousness with which Rogationtide was taken is indicated by the presence of a two-part Homily for Rogationtide in the Second Book of Homilies (1571).

Part Two, the “Exhortation” to be read as part of beating the bounds, focuses (as Elizabeth required it to) on the idea of respecting the rights of others, and on consideration for others.

IF now, therefore, ye will have your prayers heard before Almighty God, for the increase of your corn and cattle, and for the defence thereof from unseasonable mists and blasts, from hail and other such tempests; love equity and righteousness, ensue mercy and charity, which God most requireth at our hands.

It is a strict warning against the erosion of property rights in defiance of the injunction not to move thy neighbour’s landmark (Deut 19:14; see also Article XXXVIII), whether by defrauding competitors, or by exploiting the poor.

IT is lamentable to see in some places, how greedy men use to plough and grate upon their neighbour’s land that lieth next them: how covetous men now-a-days plough up so nigh the common balks and walks, which good men beforetime made the greater and broader, partly for the commodious walk of his neighbour, partly for the better shack in harvest-time, to the more comfort of his poor neighbour’s cattle. … These strange encroachments, good neighbours, should be looked upon. These should be considered in these days of our perambulations; and afterward the parties admonished and charitably reformed, who be the doers of such private gaining, to the slander of the township, and the hindrance of the poor.

Even in our predominantly urban civilisation today, there is a manifest benefit from a traditional Rogationtide. Unsightly developments, ill-maintained roads, no-go areas, vandalism: a yearly perambulation would reveal it, and those responsible for it.

Moreover, by beating the bounds, seeing the wrongs for ourselves, seeing the people who have been wronged, and putting up our repentance and petitions before almighty God, we take these things to heart in a way with which cold and impersonal “Health and Safety” compliance simply cannot compete.

Christ Pantocrator (Christ the Almighty)

THE second reading at Evensong tonight continues the theme of Christian liberty from the law (Gal 5:13-21). This time, the message is that we should use our liberty wisely.

FOR, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

We live today in times when some who believe themselves liberated by the gospel, even if they do not use their liberty for a cloke of maliciousness (1 Pet 2:16), at any rate have let it become a stumblingblock to them that are weak (1 Cor 8:9-13).

The Revd Dr Christopher Wordsworth (1774-1846) gave a sermon, in which he spoke eloquently of our duties towards Jesus, our “freewill offering” to him, in terms of the three chief roles in which he came to us: as Prophet, as Priest, and as King.

AS he is a Prophet, ye are bound to listen to his words, to sit meekly, as Mary did, at his feet, to follow after the example of his perfections; as he is a Priest and a sacrifice, ye are bound to call to mind his precious blood-shedding, to weep over his cross, to receive him by faith in all those holy ordinances which he hath appointed.

As he is a King, let us remember to obey all his commandments, to bring before him the homage and tribute of a free will offering of thankful, loyal hearts, and pure bodies, to be his soldiers and subjects, to fight under his banners against sin, the world, and the devil.

So only can a man hope on earth to obtain that blessed promise, “My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him:” so only can we hope that at his second coming, as our Judge, he will receive us for his own, to eat bread in the kingdom of God, to feed, and lead us unto living fountains of waters, and to wipe away all tears from our eyes.

Sermon VIII, “Jesus Is The Christ”

Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)

IN our second reading at Evensong tonight (Mk 12:13-34), we hear the Summary of the Law:

AND Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

The recitation of all Ten Commandments in the Administration Of The Lord’s Supper (here) has gradually fallen into disuse, but Bishop Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) shows us how they should be creatively and positively seen.

They are indeed not a legal imposition. They are a sacrifice upon the altar of the heart.

O ETERNAL GOD, who dwellest not in Temples made with hands, the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain thee; and yet thou art pleased to manifest thy presence amongst the sons of men with special issues of thy favour and benediction; make my body and soul to be a temple pure and holy; apt for the entertainments of the holy JESUS; and for the habitation of the holy Spirit.

LORD be pleased with thy rod of paternal discipline to cast out all impure lusts, all worldly affections, all covetous desires from this thy Temple, that it may be a place of prayer and meditation, of holy appetites and chast thoughts, of pure intentions, and zealous desires of pleasing thee, that I may become also a Sacrifice as well as a Temple, eaten up with the zeal of thy glory, and consumed with the fire of love, that not one thought may be entertained by me but such as may be like perfume, breathing from the altar of incense; and not a word may passe from me, but may have the accent of heaven upon it, and sound pleasantly in thy ears.

Dearest GOD, fill every faculty of my soul with impresses, dispositions, capacities and aptnesses  of religion, and do thou hallow my soul, that I may be possessed with zeal and religious affections, loving thee above all things in the world, worshiping thee with the humblest adorations and frequent addresses, continually feeding upon the apprehension of thy divine sweetness, and consideration of thy infinite excellencies, and observations of thy righteous commandments, and the seal of a holy Conscience as an antepast of eternity, and consignation to the joyes of Heaven, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen.

The Great Exemplar. Section XI: Of The Religion Of Holy Places.

See also the hymn O Thou Who Camest From Above. More prayers by Jeremy Taylor here.