The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 11 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 11 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
He had a singular faculty for throwing light upon doubtful cases;
and it was not unusual with him, by two or three words to set to
rights, and entirely quiet the minds of persons, perplexed before,
about points of doctrine, or experience. A most remarkable instance of
this I remember to have known in _Ireland_: a person who was greatly
embarrassed in his mind concerning a point in religion, which appeared
to him of great importance, and who had received no satisfaction from
all his former researches on the head, came to Mr. _Walsh_, and related
the matter to him; which having heard, he only asked one question,
requiring the person to answer. And whether it was, that God, just
then shone upon the man’s soul, and by his immediate light solved
the difficulty; or whether it was through mere rational conviction,
resulting from the arguments implied in his question, I know not; but
he was instantly satisfied, and being convinced of his former mistake,
had no further uneasiness on the head.
His insight into the invisible world, so realized to him things to come,
that he spake of them as one who both heard and saw them. And they had
their proportionable influence on the whole of his behaviour. He acted
as in the immediate presence of God; and thus went on reading and
meditating day and night, in the law of his God; and devouring, like
another _Ezekiel_, the whole divine volume.
CHAPTER VIII.
_His manner of preaching._
AT first his sermons consisted chiefly, of a number of well chosen
texts of scripture, suited to the particular subject on which he
treated, and which, he, for the most part, cited with both the chapter
and verse. He had in this manner formed, as it were, a body of divinity
in his head, which was a kind of store house of his sermons. Time and
experience however, brought him off from the custom of, so particularly
citing the places of the scriptures, he made use of; unless where he
judged it singularly useful, both for the conviction and satisfaction
of the hearers.
*A constant course of reading, much conversation with the children of
God, and the acquaintance, which a life of faith, meditation and prayer,
gave him with God, and with the motions of his own soul, greatly
extended his views into divine things in general; and furnished him
with variety of subjects for the edification and comfort of the church
of God: so that in the last two or three years of his course, his
sermons had in them depth, and solidity, far beyond those of his former
years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account