Upon Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount Discourse IV · §41 · John Wesley

God has joined them

Click or tap any sentence to jump there. The side buttons skip a paragraph.

But suppose the apostle had been speaking of outward as well as inward religion, and comparing them together. Suppose in the comparison he had given the preference ever so much to the latter. Suppose he had preferred, as he justly might, a loving heart before all outward works whatever. Yet it would not follow that we were to reject either one or the other. No. God has joined them together (Matthew 19:6) from the beginning of the world. And let not man put them asunder (Matthew 19:6).

1771 text

But suppose the apostle had been speaking of outward as well as inward religion, and comparing them together: suppose in the comparison he had given the preference ever so much to the latter: suppose he had preferred (as he justly might) a loving heart, before all outward works whatever: Yet it would not follow, that we were to reject, either one or the other. No; God hath joined them together from the beginning of the world. And let not man put them asunder.

Report a mistake in this passage

About this text

The fourth sermon on the Sermon on the Mount, on Matthew 5:13-16: Christians as salt and light, and why Christianity is a social religion that cannot be hidden.

EditionPrinted in Wesley's 1771 Works, which do not say when he preached it

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 24 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 5:13-16.

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.

Report a mistake