BibleWare/BibWare.bin/bibref/wesley/serm_017.txt

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John Wesley


SERMON 17


(text from the 1872 edition)


THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART

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.

1. It is the melancholy remark of an excellent man, that he who now
preaches the most essential duties of Christianity, runs the hazard
of being esteemed, by a great part of his hearers, "a setter forth
of new doctrines." Most men have so lived away the substance of that
religion, the profession whereof they still retain, that no sooner
are any of those truths proposed which difference the Spirit of Christ
from the spirit of the world, than they cry out, "Thou bringest strange
things to our ears; we would know what these things mean:"--Though
he is only preaching to them "Jesus and the resurrection," with the
necessary consequence of it,--If Christ be risen, ye ought then
to die unto the world, and to live wholly unto God.

2. A hard saying this to the natural man, Who is alive unto the world,
and dead unto God; and one that he will not readily be persuaded
to receive as the truth of God, unless it be so qualified in the
interpretation, as to have neither use nor significance left. He
"receiveth not the" word "of the Spirit of God," taken in their plain
and obvious meaning; "they are foolishness unto him: Neither" indeed
"can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned:"--They
are perceivable only by that spiritual sense, which in him was never
yet awakened for want of which he must reject, as idle fancies of
men, what are both the wisdom and the power of God.

3. That "circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not
in the letter;"--that the distinguishing mark of a true follower
of Christ, of one who is in a state of acceptance with God, is not
either outward circumcision, or baptism, or any other outward form,
but a right state of soul, a mind and spirit renewed after the image
of Him that created it;--is one of those important truths that
can only be spiritually discerned. And this the Apostle himself intimates
in the next words,--"Whose praise is not of men, but of God." As
if he had said, "Expect not, whoever thou art, who thus followest
thy great Master, that the world, the one who follow him not, will
say, `Well done, good and faithful servant!' Know that the circumcision
of the heart, the seal of thy calling, is foolishness with the world.
Be content to wait for thy applause till the day of thy Lord's appearing.
In that day shalt thou have praise of God, in the great assembly
of men and angels."

I design First, particularly to inquire, wherein this circumcision
of the heart consists; and, Secondly, to mention some reflections
that naturally arise from such an inquiry.

I. 1. I am, First, to inquire, wherein that circumcision of the heart
consists, which will receive the praise of God. In general we may
observe, it is that habitual disposition of soul which, in the sacred
writings, is termed holiness; and which directly implies, the being
cleansed from sin, "from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit;
" and, by consequence, the being endued with those virtues which
were also in Christ Jesus; the being so "renewed in the spirit of
our mind," as to be "perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect."


2. To be more particular: Circumcision of heart implies humility,
faith, hope, and charity. Humility, a right judgment of ourselves,
cleanses our minds from those high conceits of our own perfection,
from that undue opinion of our own abilities and attainments, which
are the genuine fruit of a corrupted nature. This entirely cuts off
that vain thought, "I am rich, and wise, and have need of nothing;
" and convinces us that we are by nature wretched, and poor, and
miserable, and blind, and naked. "It convinces us, that in our best
estate we are, of ourselves, all sin and vanity; that confusion,
and ignorance, and error reign over our understanding; that unreasonable,
earthly, sensual, devilish passions usurp authority over our will;
in a word, that there is no whole part in our soul, that all the
foundations of our nature are out of course.

3. At the same time we are convinced, that we are not sufficient
of ourselves to help ourselves; that, without the Spirit of God,
we can do nothing but add sin to sin; that it is He alone who worketh
in us by his almighty power, either to will or do that which is good;
it being as impossible for us even to think a good thought, without
the supernatural assistance of his Spirit, as to create ourselves,
or to renew our whole souls in righteousness and true holiness.

4. A sure effect of our having formed this right judgment of the
sinfulness and helplessness of our nature, is a disregard of that
"honor which cometh of man," which is usually paid to some supposed
excellency in us. He who knows himself, neither desires nor values
the applause which he knows he deserves not. It is therefore "a very
small thing with him, to be judged by man's judgment." He has all
reason to think, by comparing what it has said, either for or against
him, with what he feels in his own breast, that the world, as well
as the god of this world, was "a liar form the beginning." And even
as to those who are not of the world; thought he would choose, if
it were the will of God, that they should account of him as of one
desirous to be found a faithful steward of his Lord's goods, if haply
this might be a means of enabling him to be of more use to his fellow-
servants, yet as this is the one end of his wishing for their approbation,
so he does not at all rest upon it: For he is assured, that whatever
God wills, he can never want instruments to perform; since he is
able, even of these stones, to raise up servants to do his pleasure.


5. this is that lowliness of mind, which they have learned of Christ,
who follow his example and tread in his steps. And this knowledge
of their disease, whereby they are more and more cleansed from one
part of it, pride and vanity, disposes them to embrace, with a willing
mind, the second thing implied in circumcision of the heart,--that
faith which alone is able to make them whole, which is the one medicine
given under heaven to heal their sickness.

6. The best guide of the blind, the surest light of them that are
in darkness, the most perfect instructor of the foolish, is faith.
But it must be such a faith as is "mighty through God, to the pulling
down of strong-holds,"--to the overturning all the prejudices of
corrupt reason, all the false maxims revered among men, all evil
customs and habits, all that "wisdom of the world which is foolishness
with God;" as "casteth down imaginations," reasoning, "and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."


7. "All things are possible to him that" thus "believeth." "The eyes
of his understanding being enlightened," he sees what is his calling;
even to glorify God, who hath bought him with so high a price, in
his body and in his spirit, which now are God's by redemption, as
well as by creation. He feels what is "the exceeding greatness of
this power," who, as he raise up Christ from the dead, so is able
to-quicken us, dead in sin," by his Spirit which dwelleth in us."
"This is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith;"
that faith, which is not only an unshaken assent to all that God
hath revealed in Scripture,--and in particular to those important
truths, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners;" "He bare
our sins in his own body on the tree;" "He is the propitiation for
our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole
world;" [N.B. The following part of this paragraph is now added to
the Sermon formerly preached.]--but likewise the revelation of
Christ in our hearts; a divine evidence or conviction of his lov