A BLOW AT THE ROOT
OR, CHRIST STABBED IN THE HOUSE OF HIS FRIENDS
by John Wesley
"Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?"
Luke 22:48.
1. "Without holiness no man shall
see the Lord," shall see the face of God in glory. Nothing under heaven can be
more sure than this; "for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And though
heaven and earth pass away, yet his word shall not pass away." As well therefore
might God fall from heaven, as his word fall to the ground. No, it cannot be;
none shall live with God, but he that now lives to God; none shall enjoy the
glory of God in heaven, but he that bears the image of God on earth; none that
is not saved from sin here can be saved from hell hereafter; none can see the
kingdom of God above, unless the kingdom of God be in him below. Whosoever will
reign with Christ in heaven, must have Christ reigning in him on earth. He must
have "that mind in him which was in Christ," enabling him "to walk as Christ
also walked."
2. And yet as sure as this is, and as clearly as it is taught in every part of
the Holy Scripture, there is scarce one among all the truths of God, which is
less received by men. It was indeed acknowledged in some degree, even among the
wiser Heathens. Some among them allowed, that nothing would please God, but the
sancti recessus mentis, et incoctum generoso pectus honesto; "a virtuous, holy
mind, and an heart deep-dyed with generous honesty." But though they could not
deny, yet how easily and effectually did they evade this! They fancied something
else would do as well; that some rites or ceremonies, some external forms, or
glorious actions, would supply the place of inward holiness. So the famous Roman
entitles to future happiness, not only the good and virtuous, but all
Ob patriam pugando vulnera passos, Quique pii
vates, et Phaebo digna locuti; Inventas aut qui vitam excoluere per artes.
So, to fight for their country, to write good verses, or to invent useful arts,
was abundantly sufficient, in the judgment of the wisest Heathens, to give men a
place in heaven!
3. But this would not pass with modern Romans. They despised such gross
imaginations. But though they did not allow these, they found out another way to
get to heaven without holiness. In the room of them they substituted penances,
pilgrimages, praying to saints and angels; and, above all these, masses for the
dead, absolution by a Priest, and extreme unction. And these satisfy the
Romanists full as well as lustrations did the Heathens. Thousands of them make
no manner of doubt, but, by a diligent use of these, without any holiness at
all, they shall see the Lord in glory.
4. However, Protestants will not be satisfied thus; they know this hope is no
better than a spiders web. They are convinced, that whoever leans on this,
leans on the staff of a broken reed. What then can they do? How shall they hope
to see God, without holiness? Why, by doing no harm, doing good, going to the
church and sacrament. And many thousands sit down content with this, believing
they are in the high road to heaven.
5. Yet many cannot rest here. They look upon this as the very Popery of
Protestantism. They well know, that although none can be a real Christian,
without carefully abstaining from all evil, using every means of grace at every
opportunity, and doing all possible good to all men; yet a man may go thus far,
may do all this, and be but an Heathen still. They know this religion is too
superficial; it is but as it were skin-deep. Therefore, it is not Christianity;
for that lies in the heart; it is worshipping God in spirit and in truth; it is
no other than "the kingdom of God within us;" it is the life of God in the son
of man; it is the mind which was in Christ Jesus; it is "righteousness, and
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
6. Besides, they see that, be this religion shallower or deeper, it does not
stand on the right foundation; since "other foundation" for true religion "can
no man lay, than that which is laid, even Christ Jesus;" since no one can have
the mind which was in Christ, till he is justified by his blood, till he is
forgiven and reconciled to God through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.
And none can be justified, they are well assured, but by faith, even faith
alone; seeing "to him" Only "that believeth on God who justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted to him for righteousness."
7. What evasion now? What way could Satan take to make all this light of none
effect? What could be done when that grand truth, "By grace ye are saved through
faith," was more and more generally received? What, indeed, but to persuade the
very men who had received it, to "turn the grace of God into lasciviousness?" To
this end Simon Magus appeared again, and taught, "that Christ had done, as well
as suffered, all; that his righteousness being imputed to us, we need none of
our own; that seeing there was so much righteousness and holiness in him, there
needs none in us; that to think we have any, or to desire or seek any, is to
renounce Christ; that from the beginning to the end of salvation, all is in
Christ, nothing in man; and that those who teach otherwise are legal Preachers,
and know nothing of the gospel."
8. This is indeed "a blow at the root," the root of all holiness, all true
religion. Hereby Christ is "stabbed in the house of his friends," of those who
make the largest professions of loving and honoring him; the whole design of his
death, namely, "to destroy the works of the devil," being overthrown at a
stroke. For wherever this doctrine is cordially received, it leaves no place for
holiness. It demolishes it from top to bottom; it destroys both root and branch.
It effectually tears up all desire of it, all endeavor after it. It forbids all
such exhortations as might excite those desires, or awaken those endeavors. Nay,
it makes men afraid of personal holiness, afraid of cherishing any thought of
it, or motion toward it, lest they should deny the faith, and reject Christ and
his righteousness: So that, instead of being "zealous of good works," they are a
stink in their nostrils. And they are infinitely more afraid of "the works of
God," than of "the works of the devil."
9. Here is wisdom! though not the wisdom of the saints, but wisdom from beneath.
Here is the masterpiece of Satan: Farther than this he cannot go. Men are holy,
without a grain of holiness in them! holy in Christ, however unholy in
themselves; they are in Christ, without one jot of the mind that was in Christ;
in Christ, though their nature is whole in them. They are "complete in him,"
though they are, in themselves, as proud, as vain, as covetous, as passionate as
ever. It is enough: They may be unrighteous still, seeing Christ has "fulfilled
all righteousness."
10. "O ye simple ones, how long will ye love simplicity?" How long will we "seek
death in the error of your life?" "Know ye not," whoever teacheth you otherwise,
"that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" "Be not deceived;
"although there are many lie in wait to deceive, and that under the fair
pretense of exalting Christ; a pretense which the more easily steals upon you,
because "to you he is precious." But as the Lord liveth, "neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God." "Such" indeed "were some of you. But ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified," as well as "justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our God." You are really changed; you are not only accounted, but
actually "made, righteous." "The law" the in and power "of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made" you "free" really, actually free "from the
law" or power "of sin and death." This is liberty, true gospel liberty,
experienced by every believer: Not freedom from the law of God, or the works of
God, but from the law of sin and the works of the devil. See that ye "stand fast
in" this real, not imaginary "liberty, wherewith Christ hath made you free." And
take heed ye "be not entangled again," by means of these vain boasters, "in the
yoke of" that vile "bondage to sin," from which ye are now clean escaped. I
testify unto you, that if you still continue in sin, Christ shall profit you
nothing; that Christ is no Savior to you, unless he saves you from your sins;
and that unless it purify your heart, faith shall profit you nothing. O when
will ye understand, that to oppose either inward or outward holiness, under
color of exalting Christ, is directly to act the part of Judas, to "betray the
Son of man with a kiss?" Repent, repent! lest he cut you in sunder with the
two-edged sword that cometh out of his mouth! It is you yourselves that, by
opposing the very end of his coming into the world, are crucifying the Son of
God afresh, and putting him to an open shame. It is you that, by expecting to
see the Lord without holiness, though the righteousness of Christ, "make the
blood of the covenant an unholy thing," keeping those unholy that so trust in
it. O beware! for evil is before you. If those who name not the name of Christ,
and die in their sins, shall be punished seven-fold, surely you who thus make
Christ a minister of sin, shall be punished seventy-and-seven fold. What; make
Christ destroy his own kingdom? make Christ a factor for Satan? set Christ
against holiness? talk of Christ as saving his people in their sins? It is no
better than to say, He saves them from the guilt, and not from the power, of
sin. Will you make the righteousness of Christ such a cover for the
unrighteousness of man? So that by this means, "the unrighteous" of every kind
"shall inherit the kingdom of God!" Stop! Consider! What are you doing? You did
run well: Who hath bewitched you? Who hath corrupted you from the simplicity of
Christ, from the purity of the gospel? You did know, "He that believeth is born
of God: And whosoever is born of God sinneth not;" but while "he keepeth
himself, that wicked one toucheth him not." O come back to the true, the pure,
the old gospel! that which ye received in the beginning. Come back to Christ,
who died to make you an holy people, "zealous of good works." "Remember from
whence you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works." Your "Father worketh
hitherto:" Do ye work; else your faith is vain. For "wilt thou know, O vain," O
empty "man, that faith without works is dead?" Wilt thou know that "though I
have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing?"
Wilt thou know, that all the blood and righteousness of Christ, unless "that
mind be in thee which was in Him," and thou likewise "walk as Christ walked,"
will only increase thy damnation? "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not
to wholesome words, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is
proud, knowing nothing, but doting about strife of words, whereof come railings,
evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of
the truth." Be no longer afraid of the strongest exhortations either to inward
or outward holiness. Hereby God the Father is glorified, and God the Son truly
exalted. Do not stupidly and senselessly call this legal, a silly, unmeaning
word. Be not afraid of being "under the law of God," but of being under "the law
of sin." Love the strictest preaching best; that which most searches the heart,
and shows you wherein you are unlike Christ; and that which presses you most to
love him with all your heart, and serve him with all your strength.
11. Suffer me to warn you of another silly, unmeaning word: Do not say, "I can
do nothing." If so, then you know nothing of Christ; then you have no faith: For
if you have, if you believe, then you "can do all things through Christ who
strengtheneth you." You can love him and keep his commandments; and to you his
"commandments are not grievous." Grievous to them that believe! Far from it.
They are the joy of your heart. Show then your love to Christ by keeping his
commandments, by walking in all his ordinances blameless. Honor Christ by
obeying him with all your might, by serving him with all your strength. Glorify
Christ by imitating Christ in all things, by walking as he walked. Keep to
Christ by keeping in all his ways. Trust in Christ, to live and reign in your
heart. Have confidence in Christ that he will fulfill in you all his great and
precious promises, that he will work in you all the good pleasure of his
goodness, and all the work of faith with power. Cleave to Christ, till his blood
have cleansed you from all pride, all anger, all evil desire. Let Christ do all.
Let him that has done all for you, do all in you. Exalt Christ as a Prince to
give repentance; a Savior both to give remission of sins, and to create in you a
new heart, to renew a right spirit within you. This is the gospel, the pure,
genuine gospel; glad tidings of great salvation. Not the new, but the old, the
everlasting gospel, the gospel not of Simon Magus, but of Jesus Christ. The God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ give you, "according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ
may dwell in your hearts by faith; that, being rooted and grounded in love, ye
may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the length, and breadth, and
depth, and height; and to know that love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that
ye may be filled with all the fullness of God!"
