The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 11 (of 32)

by John Wesley

Or summers noon-tide air.”

He had not, it must be acknowledged, at least he had but little made use of, the art of preaching: not indeed that he was ignorant of such rules as, orators lay down for ordering, and conducting public discourses. His knowledge both of Logic and Rhetoric was far from being inconsiderable. He had both read, and in some good degree, digested the principles of both. But the eagerness with which he proceeded in his work; and the rapid flow of his soul, sending forth its good matter, not like the distilling of a water-pot, but as a plentiful shower from the heavens, watering deep and wide all around, did not suffer him to attend, with exactness, to such niceties in composition or delivery: nay, even prevented that moderation, as to the length, and manner of delivering his discourses, which would have been much more easy to himself, and to his audience, many of them being often in pain for him.

*Yet afterwards, when the repeated advice of his friends, and the necessity of his constitution, obliged him to a more slow, and deliberate manner, some ascribed it to (what they called) his want of power; such is the folly and weakness of many, in their sentiments with regard to this particular! How common is it to imagine, that the presence and power of the Spirit of God, and that influence by which souls are awakened, justified, or built up in holiness, depends upon the loudness of the preacher’s voice, or the swiftness of his expression? In other words, upon the strength of a man’s lungs, and it may be, the assurance of his gesture and utterance. A sentiment not more strange to the truly wise, than it is common with many. As though noise, and animal activity should be dignified with the names of spirit and power, and the want of them ascribed to dryness, deadness and formality! Strictly speaking indeed, there is no necessary divine power in any man’s manner of speaking, whether loud or low, swiftly or softly. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, and as he pleaseth; and it may be questioned, whether effects that have been sometimes produced, by a loud, vehement, and overbearing manner of speaking, were not in great measure merely mechanical, if not of Satan himself, to cast an odium upon the work of God. In truth the most substantial, genuine effects of the gospel ministry, arise from its delivery, not with noise and human vehemence, (which often rather calls off the mind from the inward life and communion with God:) but with distinct calmness, and wise deliberation.

There may often be a strong wind, an earthquake, and fire; but the Lord is in the still, small voice, (1 Kings xix. 11. 12.) and those are only in order to this. His word, it is true, is a sword, and a hammer, which wounds and breaks human hearts in pieces; and any one’s manner of speaking contributes towards this so far as it is to be commended. But considered independently of this (which is too often the case) the loudness of a man’s voice is in reality no better than the blowing of a trumpet, or the sound of a drum. Not by might, or by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. What is here intended, is nakedly to represent a common mistake, in order to its removal.

His sermons were seldom less than an hour long; and yet, had in them such an agreeable variety, that they were rarely, if ever tedious, unless to such as wanted a savour for the things of God.

He was always at the conclusion, in a bath of sweat. And the place of preaching being often at some distance from his lodging, his suddenly growing cold again, was one reason of the frequency of the fevers which he had from time to time, during his whole life of public labour.

He often resolved before he began to preach, to restrain the rapidity of his spirit, but in vain: “The sword (as he once said to me) being too keen for the scabbard.” The fervour of his soul broke through all his resolutions, but wasted at the same time, the very springs of life, which he felt immediately afterwards.

With regard to the manner of his preparing for sermons, he seemed to keep between the two extremes, neglect of all actual, previous preparation, and a dry scholastic composition of exact materials. To have no regard to the matter, and manner of his discourses before hand, under the pretence of dependance upon heaven, for immediate influence and utterance, he judged to be rank enthusiasm; and often, a cloke for a lazy, indolence of spirit; on account, of which, nonsense has been too often dignified with the sacred names of inspiration and power. And yet, he judged it alike culpable, to seek after and trust to mere dry human skill, in fixing upon heads, and taking such measures, as to preach only ones self, independant as it were, on the quickening, enlighting presence of the Holy Ghost, without which all preaching and all hearing are vain.

*He prayed and studied, and studied and prayed again, going always (unless necessity prevented) from his closet and off his knees, into the pulpit. But when he came there, he gave himself up wholly into the hands of God, to be actuated and used by him, in all respects, as might be most for his glory. And it was glorious and wonderful, to see the good effects, which were produced at those times, by the words of God flowing from his lips, and entering into the heart, without indeed the ornaments of studied eloquence, but in their native majesty and simplicity; such as they are in themselves, and as he himself relished them. One circumstance relating to his manner, was, that he almost always begun, and in general concluded his sermons with a text of scripture: but so judiciously chosen, as seldom failed to touch the heart, and frequently to cast light on the whole subject.

One might easily gather from his way of preaching, how sensible he was of a mistake in many preachers, who content themselves, supposing there be but demonstration in their sermons, that they have spoken things which cannot be gainsay’d. Whereas if there be nothing more than clearness of demonstration, it may indeed be said to the preacher, thou preachest well; but what then? Who are quickened in their pursuit of God and heaven? Who hates his sins? Or who loves God the more for your discourse? Now where these are not to be found, may not a sinner as well be hearkening to a mathematician demonstrating Euclid’s elements, as to a preacher preaching thus?