976
THE KING’S BUSINESS
o f inward joy, peace, or communion with God—and above all, that we may be moral in life, and laborious in good works, with out being true believers in Christ, or fit to die and meet God. Well would it be for the churches if truths like these were pro claimed from every pulpit, and pressed on every congregation! Thousands, for lack . o f such truths, are walking in a vain shadow, and totally ignorant that they are yet dead in sins. If anyone wants to know how far a man -may go in outward good ness, and yet not be a true Christian, let him carefully study the experience o f John Wesley. I am bold to say that it is emi nently truth for the times. A man hungering and thirsting after righteousness, as Wesley was now, was not left long without more light. The good work which the Holy Ghost had begun within him was carried on rapidly after he landed in England, until the sun rose on his mind and the shadows passed away. Partly by conference with Peter Bohler, a Moravian, and other Moravians in London, partly by study o f the Scriptures, partly by special prayer for living, saving, justify ing faith.as the gift o f' God, he was brought to a clear view o f the gospel, and found out the meaning o f joy and peace in simply believing. Let me add—as an act o f justice to one o f whom the world was not worthy—that at this period he was, by his own confession, much helped by Martin Luther’S preface to the Epistle to the Romans. This year, 1738, was beyond doubt the turning point in Wesley’s spiritual history, and gave a direction to all his subsequent life. It was in the spring o f this year that he began a religious society at the Mora vian Chapel in Fetter Lane, London, which was the rough type and pattern o f all Methodist societies formed afterwards. The rules o f this little society are extaht still, and with some additions, modifica tions, and improvements, contain the in ward organization o f Methodism in the present day. It was at this period also that he began preachingHhe new truths he had learned, in many o f the pulpits in London,
and Soon found; like Whitefield, that the proclamation o f salvation by grace, and justification by faith, was seldom allowed a second time. It was in the winter o f this year, after returning. from a visit to the Moravian settlement in Germany, that he began aggressive - measures on- home heathenism, and in the neighborhood o f Bristol followed Whitefield’s example by preaching in the open air, in rooms, or wherever men could be brought together. A STRAIGHT LINE We have now reached a point at which John Wesley’s history, like that o f his' great contemporary Whitefield, becomes one undeviating, uniform narrative^ up to the time o f his death. It would be use less to dwell on one year more than another. He was always occupied in one and the same business, always - going up and down -the land preaching, and always conducting evangelistic measures o f some kind and description. For fifty-three years — from 1738 to 1791—he held his course, > always busy, and always busy about one thing—attacking sin and ignorance every where, preaching repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ everywhere—awakening open sinners, lead ing on inquirers, building up saints—never wearied, never swerving from the path he had marked out, and never doubting o f success. Those only who read the Journals he kept for fifty years can have any idea o f the immense amount o f work that he got through. Never perhaps did any man have so many irons in the fire at one time, , and yet succeed in keeping so many hot. Like Whitefield, he justly regarded preaching as Gqd’s chosen instrument for doing good to souls, and hence, wherever he went, his first step was to preach. Like him, too, he was ready to preach anywhere or at any hour—early in the morning or late at night, in church, in chapel, or in room—in streets, in fields, o f on commons and greens. Like him, too, he was always preaching more or less the same great truths sin, Christ, and holiness—ruin, redemption, and regeneration—the blood o f Christ and the work o f the Spirit—
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