Scriptural Christianity · §31 · John Wesley

Triflers

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May it not be one of the consequences of this, that so many of you are a generation of triflers, triflers with God, with one another, and with your own souls? For how few of you spend, from one week to another, a single hour in private prayer? How few have any thought of God in the general tenor of your conversation?

Who of you is, in any degree, acquainted with the work of his Spirit, his supernatural work in the souls of men? Can you bear, unless now and then in a church, any talk of the Holy Ghost? Would you not take it for granted, if one began such a conversation, that it was either hypocrisy or enthusiasm, a wild religious heat?

In the name of the Lord God Almighty I ask, what religion are you of? Even the talk of Christianity you cannot bear, and will not bear. Oh, my brothers, what a Christian city is this? It is time, Lord, for you to lay your hand to the work.

1771 text

10. May it not be one of the consequences of this that so many of you are a generation of Triflers? Triflers with God, with one another, and with your own souls? For how few of you spend, from one week to another, a single hour in private prayer? How few have any thought of God in the general tenor of your conversation? Who of you is, in any degree, acquainted with the work of his Spirit, his supernatural work in the souls of men? Can you bear, unless now and then, in a church, any talk of the Holy Ghost? Would you not take it for granted, if one began such a conversation, that it was either Hypocrisy or Enthusiasm? In the name of the Lord God Almighty, I ask, what religion are you of? Even the talk of Christianity ye cannot, will not bear. O my brethren! what a Christian city is this? It is time for thee, Lord, to lay to thine hand!

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About this text

Preached at Oxford in 1744 on Acts 4:31: Christianity as it began at Pentecost, as it spread, and as it will one day fill the earth, with a hard look at Oxford itself.

EditionPreached at Saint Mary's, Oxford, 24 August 1744. The panel is the 1771 Works

Wesley's own sermon in updated English wording. The 1771 panel is the text of the Works Wesley himself had printed in 1771. It is public domain.

Reference

Sermon 4 in the 1771 Works. Saint Mary's, Oxford, 24 August 1744. Acts 4:31.

We have not yet re-checked this work against its source. We put this English text into updated wording with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open the 1771 text under any part to compare.

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