Whitefield sermon

I read my first George Whitefield sermon this morning: “The Method of Grace” on Jeremiah 6:16: "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace."

This is wonderful material. Whitefield is said to be the greatest preacher of the 17th century. To summarize, he says that false prophets heal wounds lightly, making light of sin to make their parishioners feel better right away. They cover over wounds that need deep cleaning, causing them to fester and not bringing God’s peace to the soul. Here is a sample:

“I am grieved with the loose walk of those that are Christians…. There is so little difference betwixt them and other people, that I scarce know which is the true Christian. Christians are afraid to speak for God – they run down with the stream; if they come into worldly company, they will talk of the world as if they were in their element; this you would not do when you had the first discoveries of Christ’s love; you could talk then of Christ’s love for ever…. But now you can go into company and hear others speaking about the world bold enough, and you are afraid of being laughed at if you speak for Jesus Christ. A great many people have grown conformists now in the worst sense of the word; they will cry out against the ceremonies of the church, as they may justly do; but then you are mighty fond of ceremonies in your behavior; you will conform to the world, which is a great deal worse…. Christians should be singularly good, bold for their Lord, that all who are with you many take notice that you have been with Jesus. I would exhort you to come to a settlement in Jesus Christ, so as to have a continual abiding of God in your heart.”

(Select Sermons of George Whitefield, Banner of Truth, 1958, Pages 88-89.)