the great controversy-第51部分

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his　Saints'　Everlasting　Rest　has　done　its　work　in　leading　souls　to　the
〃rest〃　that　remaineth　for　the　people　of　God。

A　hundred　years　later；　in　a　day　of　great　spiritual　darkness；　Whitefield　and
the　Wesleys　appeared　as　light　bearers　for　God。　Under　the　rule　of　the
established　church　the　people　of　England　had　lapsed　into　a　state　of
religious　declension　hardly　to　be　distinguished　from　heathenism。　Natural
religion　was　the　favorite　study　of　the　clergy；　and　included　most　of　their
theology。　The　higher　classes　sneered　at　piety；　and　prided　themselves　on
being　above　what　they　called　its　fanaticism。　The　lower　classes　were　grossly
ignorant　and　abandoned　to　vice；　while　the　church　had　no　courage　or　faith　any
longer　to　support　the　downfallen　cause　of　truth。

The　great　doctrine　of　justification　by　faith；　so　clearly　taught　by　Luther；
had　been　almost　wholly　lost　sight　of；　and　the　Romish　principle　of　trusting
to　good　works　for　salvation；　had　taken　its　place。　Whitefield　and　the
Wesleys；　who　were　members　of　the　established　church；　were　sincere　seekers
for　the　favor　of　God；　and　this　they　had　been　taught　was　to　be　secured　by　a
virtuous　life　and　an　observance　of　the　ordinances　of　religion。

When　Charles　Wesley　at　one　time　fell　ill；　and　anticipated　that　death　was
approaching；　he　was　asked　upon　what　he　rested　his　hope　of　eternal　life。　His
answer　was：　〃I　have　used　my　best　endeavors　to　serve　God。〃　As　the　friend　who
had　put　the　question　seemed　not　to　be　fully　satisfied　with　his　answer；
Wesley　thought：　〃What！　are　not　my　endeavors　a　sufficient　ground　of　hope？
Would　he　rob　me　of　my　endeavors？　I　have　nothing　else　to　trust　to。〃John
Whitehead；　Life　of　the　Rev。　Charles　Wesley；　page　102。　Such　was　the　dense
darkness

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that　had　settled　down　on　the　church；　hiding　the　atonement；　robbing　Christ　of
His　glory；　and　turning　the　minds　of　men　from　their　only　hope　of
salvationthe　blood　of　the　crucified　Redeemer。

Wesley　and　his　associates　were　led　to　see　that　true　religion　is　seated　in
the　heart；　and　that　God's　law　extends　to　the　thoughts　as　well　as　to　the
words　and　actions。　Convinced　of　the　necessity　of　holiness　of　heart；　as　well
as　correctness　of　outward　deportment；　they　set　out　in　earnest　upon　a　new
life。　By　the　most　diligent　and　prayerful　efforts　they　endeavored　to　subdue
the　evils　of　the　natural　heart。　They　lived　a　life　of　self…denial；　charity；
and　humiliation；　observing　with　great　rigor　and　exactness　every　measure
which　they　thought　could　be　helpful　to　them　in　obtaining　what　they　most
desiredthat　holiness　which　could　secure　the　favor　of　God。　But　they　did　not
obtain　the　object　which　they　sought。　In　vain　were　their　endeavors　to　free
themselves　from　the　condemnation　of　sin　or　to　break　its　power。　It　was　the
same　struggle　which　Luther　had　experienced　in　his　cell　at　Erfurt。　It　was　the
same　question　which　had　tortured　his　soul〃How　should　man　be　just　before
God？〃　Job。　9：2。

The　fires　of　divine　truth；　well…nigh　extinguished　upon　the　altars　of
Protestantism；　were　to　be　rekindled　from　the　ancient　torch　handed　down　the
ages　by　the　Bohemian　Christians。　After　the　Reformation；　Protestantism　in
Bohemia　had　been　trampled　out　by　the　hordes　of　Rome。　All　who　refused　to
renounce　the　truth　were　forced　to　flee。　Some　of　these；　finding　refuge　in
Saxony；　there　maintained　the　ancient　faith。　It　was　from　the　descendants　of
these　Christians　that　light　came　to　Wesley　and　his　associates。

John　and　Charles　Wesley；　after　being　ordained　to　the　ministry；　were　sent　on
a　mission　to　America。　On　board　the　ship　was　a　company　of　Moravians。　Violent
storms　were　encountered　on　the　passage；　and　John　Wesley；　brought　face　to
face　with　death；　felt　that　he　had　not　the　assurance　of　peace　with　God。　The
Germans；　on　the　contrary；　manifested　a　calmness　and　trust　to　which　he　was　a
stranger。

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〃I　had　long　before；〃　he　says；　〃observed　the　great　seriousness　of　their
behavior。　Of　their　humility　they　had　given　a　continual　proof；　by　performing
those　servile　offices　for　the　other　passengers　which　none　of　the　English
would　undertake；　for　which　they　desired　and　would　receive　no　pay；　saying　it
was　good　for　their　proud　hearts；　and　their　loving　Saviour　had　done　more　for
them。　And　every　day　had　given　them　occasion　of　showing　a　meekness　which　no
injury　could　move。　If　they　were　pushed；　struck；　or　thrown　about；　they　rose
again　and　went　away；　but　no　complaint　was　found　in　their　mouth。　There　was
now　an　opportunity　of　trying　whether　they　were　delivered　from　the　spirit　of
fear；　as　well　as　from　that　of　pride；　anger；　and　revenge。　In　the　midst　of　the
psalm　wherewith　their　service　began；　the　sea　broke　over；　split　the　mainsail
in　pieces；　covered　the　ship；　and　poured　in　between　the　decks　as　if　the　great
deep　had　already　swallowed　us　up。　A　terrible　screaming　began　among　the
English。　The　Germans　calmly　sang　on。　I　asked　one　of　them　afterwards；　'Were
you　not　afraid？'　He　answered；　'I　thank　God；　no。'　I　asked；　'But　were　not　your
women　and　children　afraid？'　He　replied　mildly；　'No；　our　women　and　children
are　not　afraid　to　die。'〃Whitehead；　Life　of　the　Rev。　John　Wesley；　page　10。

Upon　arriving　in　Savannah；　Wesley　for　a　short　time　abode　with　the　Moravians；
and　was　deeply　impressed　with　their　Christian　deportment。　Of　one　of　their
religious　services；　in　striking　contrast　to　the　lifeless　formalism　of　the
Church　of　England；　he　wrote：　〃The　great　simplicity　as　well　as　solemnity　of
the　whole　almost　made　me　forget　the　seventeen　hundred　years　between；　and
imagine　myself　in　one　of　those　assemblies　where　form　and　state　were　not；　but
Paul；　the　tentmaker；　or　Peter；　the　fisherman；　presided；　yet　with　the
demonstration　of　the　Spirit　and　of　power。〃Ibid。；　pages　11；　12。

On　his　return　to　England；　Wesley；　under　the　instruction　of　a　Moravian
preacher；　arrived　at　a　clearer　understanding　of　Bible　faith。　He　was
convinced　that　he　must　renounce　all　dependence　upon　his　own　works　for
salvation　and　must　trust

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wholly　to　〃the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world。〃　At　a
meeting　of　the　Moravian　society　in　London　a　statement　was　read　from　Luther；
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　s