Flavel ' s Fountain of Life and Method of Grace have taught thousands how to commit the keeping of their souls to Christ . Baxter ' s Reformed Pastor has proved a blessing to many who desire a revival of the work of God , and 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 favourite 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 favour 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 endeavours 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 endeavours a sufficient ground of hope ? Would he rob me of my endeavours ? I have nothing else to trust to ." --John Whitehead , Life of the Rev . Charles Wesley , page 102 . Such was the dense darkness 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 salvation--the 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 endeavoured 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 desired--that holiness which could secure the favour of God . But they did not obtain the object which they sought . In vain were their endeavours 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
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