Posted on 07/30/2002 10:30:45 PM PDT by xzins
"Most atrocious things have been spoken about the character and spiritual condition of John Wesley, the modern prince of Arminians. I can only say concerning him that, while I detest many of the doctrines that he preached, yet for the man himself I have a reverence second to no Wesleyan; and if there were wanted two apostles to be added to the number of the twelve, I do not believe that there could be found two men more fit to be so added than George Whitfield and John Wesley" (p. 176).
Just thought I'd post something that will cause everyone to scratch their head.
Wonder what he liked about Wesley. Also, apparently Spurgeon didn't think wrong doctrine in one area made other areas automatically wrong. Also didn't assume "heresy" necessarily voided one's salvation.
Sorta like your wake up coffee.
******
"And these words did past the Lips of a Caivinist!"
I did find this
Thank God, there are many workers here tonight, and maybe they will put themselves down as feeble. May the words I utter be an encouragement to them, and to feeble workers collectively. When a church begins, it is usually small; and the day of small things is a time of considerable anxiety and fear. I may be addressing some who are members of a newly-organised church. Dear brethren, do not despise the day of small things. Rest assured that God does not save by numbers, and that results are not in the spiritual kingdom in proportion to numbers. I have been reading lately with considerable care the life of John Wesley by two or three different authors in order to get as well as I could a fair idea of the good man; but one thing I have noticed--that the beginnings of the work which has become so wonderfully large were very small indeed. Mr. Wesley and his first brethren were not rich people. Nearly all that joined him were poor. Here and there, there was a person of some standing, but the Methodists were the poor of the land.
And his first preachers were not men of education. One or two were so, but the most were good outdoor preachers--head preachers, magnificent preachers as God made them by his Spirit; but they were not men who had had the benefit of college training, or who were remarkable for ability. The Methodists had neither money nor eminent men at first, and their numbers were very few. During the whole life of that good man, which was protracted for so many years, the denomination did not attain any very remarkable size. They were few, and apparently feeble; but Methodism was never so glorious as it was at first, and there never were so many conversions, I believe, as in those early days. Now I speak sorrowfully. It is a great denomination. It abounds in wealth: I am glad it does. It has mighty orators: I rejoice it has. But it has no increase, no conversion. This year and other years it remains stationary. I do not say this because that is an exceptional denomination, for almost all others have the same tale. Year by year as the statistics come in, it is just this. "No increase--hardly hold our ground." I use that as an illustration here. This church will get in precisely the same condition if we do not look out--just the same state. When we have not the means we get the blessing, and when we seem to have the might and power, then the blessing does not come. Oh! may God send us poverty; may God send us lack of means, and take away our power of speech if it must be, and help us only to stammer, if we may only thus get the blessing. Oh! I crave to be useful to souls, and all the rest may go where it will. And each church must crave the same. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." Instead of despising the day of small things, we ought to be encouraged. It is by the small things that God seems to work, but the great things he does not often use. He won't have Gideon's great host--let them go to their homes--let the mass of them go. Bring them down to the water: pick out only the men that lap, and then there is a very few. You can tell them almost on your fingers' ends--just two or three hundred men. Then Gideon shall go forth against the Midianites; and as the cake of barley bread smote the tent, and it lay along, so the sound of the sword of the Lord and of Gideon at the dead of night shall make the host to tremble, and the Lord God shall get to himself the victory. Never mind your feebleness, brethren, your fewness, your poverty, your want of ability. Throw your souls into God's cause, pray mightily, lay hold on the gates of heaven, stir heaven and earth, rather than be defeated in winning souls, and you will see results that will astonish you yet. "Who hath despised the day of small things?"
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DEPRESSED __________
A Sermon Published on Thursday, December 9th, 1915. Delivered by C.H. SPURGEON,
Dont consider it "heresy" just because a few jokers around here call it that - clearly Spurgeons comment holds them in a high degree of reverence.........and grace
................something frankly lacking around here
But think of the enormity of what Spurgeon says here. He says that Wesley was at an apostolic level and had won Spurgeon's undying admiration. He was calling Wesley an EFFECTIVE TOOL in the hands of God; effective in bringing souls into the kingdom.
I simply don't know Spurgeon well, but it seems he considered evangelism & mission critical areas of obedience that overrode a host of errors.
Humility, the trait of a great Christian, and an open mind to the things of God, plus an awareness that he didn't have the whole picture. That is for God alone. Thank you x. You have helped me this week.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.