A collection of John Wesley's Sermons as published at The Wesley Center Online
Preached at St. Mary's Oxford, before the university, on June 18, 1738
"By Grace are ye saved through faith." Ephesians 2.8
Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the university, on July 25, 1741.
"Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26.28.
Preached 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.
Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the university, August 24, 1744.
[This Sermon was originally published in a separate pamphlet, accompanied by the following address "to the reader," to which was affixed the author's signature: "It was not my design, when I wrote, ever to print the latter part of the following Sermon: But the false and scurrilous accounts of it which have been published, almost in every corner of the nation, constrain me to publish the whole, just as it was preached; that men of reason may judge for themselves.--EDITOR]
"To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:5.
"Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: That is, the word of faith, which we preach." Rom. 10:5-8.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1
"Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father." Romans 8:15.
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom. 8:16
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom. 8:16
"This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." (2 Cor. 1:12.)
Preached at the Assizes held before the Honorable Sir Edward Clive, Knight, one of the Judges of His Majesty's Court of Common Pleas, in St. Paul's Church, Bedford, on Friday, March 10, 1758; published at the request of William Cole, Esq., High Sheriff of the county, and others.
"We shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ." Rom. 14:10
Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, on January 1, 1733.
"Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter." Romans 2:29.
Preached at the Chapel in West-Street, Seven Dials, on Sunday, November 24, 1765
"This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." Jer. 23:6.
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: And when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, `Blessed are the poor in spirit: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: For they shall be comforted." Matt. 5:1-4.
"Blessed are the meek: For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: For they shall obtain mercy." Matt. 5:5-7
"Blessed are the pure in heart: For they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers: For they shall be called the children of God. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: For great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you." Matt. 5:8-12.
"Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. "Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light to all that are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:13-16
"Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you: Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: Otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. "Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: And thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.
"Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: And thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:16-18.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matt.
"`No man can serve two masters; For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. "`Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment Behold the fowls of the air: For they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in threat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:13, 14.
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7:15-20.
"Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Rom. 7:12
"Do we then make void the law through faith God forbid: Yea, we establish the law." Romans 3:31.
The Sermons of John Wesley 1872 Edition (Thomas Jackson, editor)
Do we then make void the law through faith God forbid! Yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31.
"And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name: and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not." Mark 9:38, 39.
"And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him, and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart And Jehonadab answered: It is. If it be, give me thine hand." 2 Kings 10:15.
"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect." Phil. 3:12.
"Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. 10:5.
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen. 6:5.
"Ye now have sorrow: But I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22.
"Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." 1 Pet. 1:6.
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23
"If thy brother shall sin against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear, take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he will not hear them, tell it to the Church. But if he does not hear the church, let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican." Matt. 18:15-17
"I say unto you, Make unto yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into the everlasting habitations." Luke 16:9.
"Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward." Luke 16:2.
Preached before the Society for Reformation of Manners on Sunday, January 30, 1763 at the Chapel in West-Street, Seven-Dials
"Who will rise up with me against the wicked" Ps. 94:16.
Preached at the Chapel in Tottenham-Court Road on Sunday, November 18, 1770 and at the Tabernacle, near Moorfields, on Friday, November 23, 1770.
"Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!" Num. 23:10.
ADVERTISEMENT Some days since I was desired to preach on this text. I did so yesterday morning. In the afternoon I was pressed to write down and print my sermon, if possible, before I left Cork. I have wrote it this morning; but I must beg the reader to make allowance for the disadvantages I am under; as I have not here any books to consult, nor indeed any time to consult them. Cork, May 8, 1775. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: And these three are one." 1 John 5:7
"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Gen. 1:31.
"Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son: -- Whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Romans 8:29, 30.
Original sermon from John Wesley, focused on Romans 5:15 First line: "Not as the offence, so also is the free gift."
"The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that subjected it: Yet in hope that the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now." Rom. 8:19-22.
"For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8.
"The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters covers the sea." Isa. 11:9.
"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him." Lev. 19:17.
"Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times" Matt. 16:3.
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" Rom. 11:33.
"Brethren, be not children in understanding: Howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." 1 Cor. 14:20.
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" Heb. 1:14.
"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in heavenly places." Eph. 6:12.
"I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Ephesians 4:1-6.
"This I speak -- that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction." 1 Cor. 7:35.
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God Whosoever therefore desireth to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God." Jam. 4:4.
"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And I will be to you a Father, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor. 6:17, 18.
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Cor. 10:13.
"Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:4.
"What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul" Matthew 16:26
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:12-13
"Will the Lord absent himself for ever And will he be no more entreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever And is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore" Ps. 77:7, 8.
"They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition." 1 Tim. 6:9.
"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of -- wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Pet. 3:3, 4.
"Covet earnestly the best gifts; And yet I show to you a more excellent way." 1 Cor. 12:31.
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. 13:1-3.
"Train up a child in the way wherein he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it." Prov. 22:6
"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: For they watch over your souls, as they that shall give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: For that is unprofitable for you." Heb. 13:17.
PREACHED BEFORE THE HUMANE SOCIETY
"Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:34
The following discourse was written above five-and-fifty years ago, for the use of my pupils at Oxford. I have added very little, but retrenched much; as I then used more words than I do now. But, I thank God, I have not yet seen cause to alter my sentiments in any point which is therein delivered. 1788 J.W. "Do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19.
"Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this." Eccles. 7:10.
"When I consider thy heaven, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man" Psalm 8:3, 4.
"What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes" Isa. 5:4.
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:24.
"If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Luke 16:31
"No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Hebrews 5:4.
"Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered" Jer. 8:22.
"Henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we did know Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more." 2 Cor. 5:16
"If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matt. 6:22, 23.
"Even like as a dream when one awaketh; so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city." Ps. 73:20.
"The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: Who can know it" Jer. 17:9.
Preached at St. Mary's in Oxford, on Sunday, September 21, 1735. Published at the request of several of the hearers.
"There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest." Job 3:17.
Preached at Bristol, in the year 1740
"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things" Rom. 8:32
"O come hither, and behold the works of the Lord; what destruction he hath brought upon the earth!" Ps. 46:8.
Preached at St. Matthew's, Bethnal-Green on Sunday, November 12, 1775 for the benefit of the widows and orphans of the soldiers who lately fell, near Boston, in New-England.
"Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: But these sheep, what have they done" 2 Sam. 24:17.
PREACHED ON MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1777
"According to this time it shall be said, -- What hath God wrought!" Num. 23:23.
PREACHED ON THE OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF THE REV. MR. JOHN FLETCHER VICAR OF MADELEY, SHROPSHIRE
PREACHED AT EPWORTH, JANUARY 11, 1726, AT THE FUNERAL OF JOHN GRIFFITH: A HOPEFUL YOUNG MAN.
"Now he is dead, wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back again I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 2 Sam. 12:23.
BENJAMIN CALAMY ABRIDGED AND REVISED BY JOHN WESLEY
[This Sermon was originally written by Benjamin Calamy, D.D., Vicar of St. Lawrence, Jewry, London. It occurs, p. 275, in a volume of Sermons which bears his name, published in 1704; and is here abridged and revised by Mr. Wesley. -- EDIT.]
WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1732
"But some man will say, how are the dead raised up and with what body do they come" 1 Cor. 15:35.
WILLIAM TILLY ABRIDGED AND REVISED BY JOHN WESLEY
WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1733
"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30.
PREACHED AT SAVANNAH, FEBRUARY 20, 1736
"Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. 13:3
"Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it" Amos 3:6.
PREACHED AT ST. MARY'S OXFORD, ON WHITSUNDAY, 1736
"Now the Lord is that Spirit." 2 Cor. 3:17