the great controversy-第47章

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describing　the　change　which　the　Spirit　of　God　works　in　the　heart　of　the
believer。　As　Wesley　listened；　faith　was　kindled　in　his　soul。　〃I　felt　my
heart　strangely　warmed；〃　he　says。　〃I　felt　I　did　trust　in　Christ；　Christ
alone；　for　salvation：　and　an　assurance　was　given　me；　that　He　had　taken　away
my　sins；　even　mine；　and　saved　me　from　the　law　of　sin　and　death。〃　Ibid。；
page　52。

Through　long　years　of　wearisome　and　comfortless　striving　years　of　rigorous
self…denial；　of　reproach　and　humiliation　Wesley　had　steadfastly　adhered　to
his　one　purpose　of　seeking　God。　Now　he　had　found　Him；　and　he　found　that　the
grace　which　he　had　toiled　to　win　by　prayers　and　fasts；　by　almsdeeds　and
self…abnegation；　was　a　gift；　〃without　money　and　without　price。〃

Once　established　in　the　faith　of　Christ；　his　whole　soul　burned　with　the
desire　to　spread　everywhere　a　knowledge　of　the　glorious　gospel　of　God's　free
grace。　〃I　look　upon　all　the　world　as　my　parish；〃　he　said；　〃in　whatever　part
of　it　I　am；　I　judge　it　meet；　right；　and　my　bounden　duty；　to　declare　unto　all
that　are　willing　to　hear；　the　glad　tidings　of　salvation。〃　Ibid。；　page　74。

He　continued　his　strict　and　self…denying　life；　not　now　as　the　ground；　but
the　result　of　faith；　not　the　root；　but　the　fruit　of　holiness。　The　grace　of
God　in　Christ　is　the　foundation　of　the　Christian's　hope；　and　that　grace　will
be　manifested　in　obedience。　Wesley's　life　was　devoted　to　the　preaching　of
the　great　truths　which　he　had　receivedjustification　through　faith　in　the
atoning　blood　of　Christ；　and　the　renewing　power　of　the　Holy　Spirit　upon　the
heart；　bringing　forth　fruit　in　a　life　conformed　to　the　example　of　Christ。

Whitefield　and　the　Wesleys　had　been　prepared　for　their　work　by　long　and
sharp　personal　convictions　of　their　own　lost　condition；　and　that　they　might
be　able　to　endure　hardness

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as　good　soldiers　of　Christ；　they　had　been　subjected　to　the　fiery　ordeal　of
scorn；　derision；　and　persecution；　both　in　the　university　and　as　they　were
entering　the　ministry。　They　and　a　few　others　who　sympathized　with　them　were
contemptuously　called　Methodists　by　their　ungodly　fellow　studentsa　name
which　is　at　the　present　time　regarded　as　honorable　by　one　of　the　largest
denominations　in　England　and　America。

As　members　of　the　Church　of　England　they　were　strongly　attached　to　her　forms
of　worship；　but　the　Lord　had　presented　before　them　in　His　word　a　higher
standard。　The　Holy　Spirit　urged　them　to　preach　Christ　and　Him　crucified。　The
power　of　the　Highest　attended　their　labors。　Thousands　were　convicted　and
truly　converted。　It　was　necessary　that　these　sheep　be　protected　from
ravening　wolves。　Wesley　had　no　thought　of　forming　a　new　denomination；　but　he
organized　them　under　what　was　called　the　Methodist　Connection。

Mysterious　and　trying　was　the　opposition　which　these　preachers　encountered
from　the　established　church；　yet　God；　in　His　wisdom；　had　overruled　events　to
cause　the　reform　to　begin　within　the　church　itself。　Had　it　come　wholly　from
without；　it　would　not　have　penetrated　where　it　was　so　much　needed。　But　as
the　revival　preachers　were　churchmen；　and　labored　within　the　pale　of　the
church　wherever　they　could　find　opportunity；　the　truth　had　an　entrance　where
the　doors　would　otherwise　have　remained　closed。　Some　of　the　clergy　were
roused　from　their　moral　stupor　and　became　zealous　preachers　in　their　own
parishes。　Churches　that　had　been　petrified　by　formalism　were　quickened　into
life。

In　Wesley's　time；　as　in　all　ages　of　the　church's　history；　men　of　different
gifts　performed　their　appointed　work。　They　did　not　harmonize　upon　every
point　of　doctrine；　but　all　were　moved　by　the　Spirit　of　God；　and　united　in
the　absorbing　aim　to　win　souls　to　Christ。　The　differences　between　Whitefield
and　the　Wesleys　threatened　at　one　time　to　create　alienation；

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but　as　they　learned　meekness　in　the　school　of　Christ；　mutual　forbearance　and
charity　reconciled　them。　They　had　no　time　to　dispute；　while　error　and
iniquity　were　teeming　everywhere；　and　sinners　were　going　down　to　ruin。

The　servants　of　God　trod　a　rugged　path。　Men　of　influence　and　learning
employed　their　powers　against　them。　After　a　time　many　of　the　clergy
manifested　determined　hostility；　and　the　doors　of　the　churches　were　closed
against　a　pure　faith　and　those　who　proclaimed　it。　The　course　of　the　clergy
in　denouncing　them　from　the　pulpit　aroused　the　elements　of　darkness；
ignorance；　and　iniquity。　Again　and　again　did　John　Wesley　escape　death　by　a
miracle　of　God's　mercy。　When　the　rage　of　the　mob　was　excited　against　him；
and　there　seemed　no　way　of　escape；　an　angel　in　human　form　came　to　his　side；
the　mob　fell　back；　and　the　servant　of　Christ　passed　in　safety　from　the　place
of　danger。

Of　his　deliverance　from　the　enraged　mob　on　one　of　these　occasions；　Wesley
said：　〃Many　endeavored　to　throw　me　down　while　we　were　going　down　hill　on　a
slippery　path　to　the　town；　as　well　judging　that　if　I　was　once　on　the　ground；
I　should　hardly　rise　any　more。　But　I　made　no　stumble　at　all；　nor　the　least
slip；　till　I　was　entirely　out　of　their　hands。　。　。　。　Although　many　strove　to
lay　hold　on　my　collar　or　clothes；　to　pull　me　down；　they　could　not　fasten　at
all：　only　one　got　fast　hold　of　the　flap　of　my　waistcoat；　which　was　soon　left
in　his　hand；　the　other　flap；　in　the　pocket　of　which　was　a　bank　note；　was
torn　but　half　off。　。　。　。　A　lusty　man　just　behind；　struck　at　me　several
times；　with　a　large　oaken　stick；　with　which　if　he　had　struck　me　once　on　the
back　part　of　my　head；　it　would　have　saved　him　all　further　trouble。　But　every
time；　the　blow　was　turned　aside；　I　know　not　how；　for　I　could　not　move　to　the
right　hand　or　left。　。　。　。　Another　came　rushing　through　the　press；　and
raising　his　arm　to　strike；　on　a　sudden　let　it　drop；　and　only　stroked　my
head；　saying；　'What　soft　hair　he　has！'　。　。　。　The　very　first　men　whose　hearts
were　turned　were　the　heroes　of　the　town；　the　captains　of　the　rabble　on　all

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occasions；　one　of　them　having　been　a　prize　fighter　at　the　bear　gardens。　。　。　。

〃By　how　gentle　degrees　does　God　prepare　us　for　His　will！　Two　years　ago；　a
piece　of　brick　grazed　my　shoulders。　It　was　a　year　after　that　the　stone
struck　me　between　the　eyes。　Last　month　I　received　one　blow；　and　this　evening
two；　one　before　we　came　into　the　town；　and　one　after　we　were　gone　out；　but
both　were　as　nothing：　for　though　one　man　struck　me　on　the　breast　with　all
his　might；　and　the　other　on　the　mouth　with　such　force　that　the　blood　gushed
out　immediately；　I　felt　no　more　pain　from　either　of　the　blows　than　if　they
had　touched　me　with　a　straw。〃John　Wesley；　Works；　vol。　3；　pp。　297；　298。

The　Methodists　of　those　early　dayspeople　as　well　as　preachersendured
ridicule　and　persecution；　alike　from　church　members　and　from　the　openly
irreligious　who　were　inflamed　by　their　misrepresentations。　They　were
arraigned　before　courts　of　justicesuch　only　in　name；　for　justice　was　rare
in　the　courts　of　that　time。　Often　they　suffered　violence　from　their
persecutors。　Mobs　went　from　house　to　house；　destroying　furniture　and　goods；
plundering　whatever　they　chose；　and　brutally　abusing　men；　women；　and
children。　In　some　instances；　public　notices　were　posted；　calling　upon　those
who　desired　to　assist　in　breaking　the　windows　and　robbing　the　houses　of　the
Methodists；　to　assemble　at　a　given　time　and　place。　These　open　violations　of
both　human　and　divine　law　were　allowed　to　pass　without　a　reprimand。　A
systematic　persecution　was　carried　on　against　a　people　whose　only　fault　was
that　of　seeking　to　turn　the　feet　of　sinners　from　the　path　of　destruction　to
the　path　of　holiness。

Said　John　Wesley；　referring　to　the　charges　against　himself　and　his
associates：　〃Some　allege　that　the　doctrines　of　these　men　are　false；
erroneous；　and　enthusiastic；　that　they　are　new　and　unheard…of　till　of　late；
that　they　are　Quakerism；　fanaticism；　popery。　This　whole　pretense　has　been
already　cut　up　by　the　roots；　it　having　been　shown　at　large　that　every　branch
of　this　doctrine　is　the　plain　doctrine　of　Scripture　interpreted

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by　our　own　church。　Therefore　it　cannot　be　either　false　or　erroneous；
provided　the　Scripture　be　true。〃　〃Others　allege；　〃Their　doctrine　is　too
strict；　they　make　the　way　to　heaven　too　narrow。'　And　this　is　in　truth　the
original　objection；　（as　it　was　almost　the　only　one　for　some　time；）　and　is
secretly　at　the　bottom　of　a　thousand　more；　which　appear　in　various　forms。
But　do　they　make　the　way　to　heaven　any　narrower　than　our　Lord　and　His
apostles　made　it？　Is　their　doctrine　stricter　than　that　of　the　Bible？
Consider　only　a　few　plain　texts：　'Thou　shalt　love　the　Lord　thy　God　with　all
thy　heart；　and　with　all　thy　mind；　and　with　all　thy　soul；　and　with　all　thy
strength。'　'For　every　idle　word　which　men　shall　speak；　they　shall　give　an
account　in　the　day　of　judgment。'　'Whether　ye　eat；　or　drink；　or　whatever　ye
do；　do　all　to　the　glory　of　God。'

〃If　their　doctrine　is　stricter　than　this；　they　are　to　blame；　but　you　know　in
your　conscience　it　is　not。　And　who　can　be　one　jot　less　strict　without
corrupting　the　word　of　God？　Can　any　steward　of　the　mysteries　of　God　be　found
faithful　if　he　change　any　part　of　that　sacred　depositum？　No。　He　can　abate
nothing；　he　can　soften　nothing；　he　is　constrained　to　declare　to　all　men；　'I
may　not　bring　down　the　Scripture　to　your　taste。　You　must　come　up　to　it；　or
perish　forever。'　This　is　the　real　ground　of　that　other　popular　cry
concerning　'the　uncharitableness　of　these　men。'　Uncharitable；　are　they？　In
what　respect？　Do　they　not　feed　the　hungry　and　clothe　the　naked？　'No；　that　is
not　the　thing：　they　are　not　wanting　in　this：　but　they　are　so　uncharitable　in
judging！　they　think　none　can　be　saved　but　those　of　their　own　way。'〃Ibid。；
vol。　3；　pp。　152；　153。

The　spiritual　declension　which　had　been　manifest　in　England　just　before　the
time　of　Wesley　was　in　great　degree　the　result　of　antinomian　teaching。　Many
affirmed　that　Christ　had　abolished　the　moral　law　and　that　Christians　are
therefore　under　no　obligation　to　observe　it；　that　a　believer　is　freed　from
the　〃bondage　of　good　works。〃　Others；　though　admitting

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the　perpetuity　of　the　law；　declared　that　it　was　unnecessary　for　ministers　to
exhort　the　people　to　obedience　of　its　precepts；　since　those　whom　God　had
elected　to　salvation　would；　〃by　the　irresistible　impulse　of　divine　grace；　be
led　to　the　practice　of　piety　and　virtue；〃　while　those　who　were　doomed　to
eternal　reprobation　〃did　not　have　power　to　obey　the　divine　law。〃

Others；　also　holding　that　〃the　elect　cannot　fall　from　grace　nor　forfeit　the
divine　favor；〃　arrived　at　the　still　more　hideous　conclusion　that　〃the　wicked
actions　they　commit　are　not　really　sinful；　nor　to　be　considered　as　instances
of　their　violation　of　the　divine　law；　and　that；　consequently；　they　have　no
occasion　either　to　confess　their　sins　or　to　break　them　off　by
repentance。〃McClintock　and　Strong；　Cyclopedia；　art。　〃Antinomians。〃
Therefore；　they　declared　that　even　one　of　the　vilest　of　sins；　〃considered
universally　an　enormous　violation　of　the　divine　law；　is　not　a　sin　in　the
sight　of　God；〃　if　committed　by　one　o