George Whitefield's The Method of Grace: The Classic Work on Receiving True, Lasting Peace

by Max McLean

George Whitefield is considered the greatest evangelist of the 18th century and was a major contributor to the ‘Great Awakening’ in Colonial America. Born in 1714 of humble origins, he grew up to become a very popular preacher. Churches were packed, bubbling over with eager anticipation to hear him. His preaching was described as apostolic, bold, purely gospel, with an immensity of pathos. His voice was so powerful that 30,000 people could hear him at once, and yet, so musical and well-toned that some have said, “he could raise tears by his pronunciation of the ‘Mesopotamia.’” In his sermon, The Method of Grace, Whitefield shows the way for a person to receive true, lasting peace in his soul.

Genres: Religion

Audible Audio

First published September 13, 1741

About the author

Narrator

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and cut to the point talk about Christ and reconciliation of sinners through the Spirit and by the gospel.
May we use such words as we plead with sinners!

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can one experience true peace with God? The famous English evangelist of the eighteenth century George Whitefield answers this question and since it is biblical and spiritual, it remains relevant for people today.
This was originally a sermon delivered by the famous preacher and is based upon Jeremiah 6:14 in which the Prophet Jeremiah mentioned that there are those who preach a false peace. With the awareness that there can be a false peace (saying peace, peace, when there is no peace) Whitefield goes over several things that must be true before one can speak peace to one’s own heart as the focus of the first half of the message and then the second half Whitefield addresses different kinds of listeners in terms of where they are at spiritually. This includes listeners who are true believers, those who have no peace and those who are backsliders. The booklet ends with God’s invitation which is an evangelistic call.
As a preacher myself knowing how God has used Whitfield to bring many to Christ, this booklet was instructive of how to be an evangelistic preacher. The reality of hell is real to Whitefield; but so is the reality of God’s grace. I know Christians can easily give false assurance to people in terms of their salvation and the three things Whitefield lays out as has to be true of one’s heart before one can think they have the peace of God in terms of reconciliation with Him is very helpful to keep in mind when one evangelize or engage in biblical counseling. This involves a right view of oneself self in relations to sinning against God’s law, the sinfulness of unbelief and how one lay hold of Christ by faith.
I had this booklet as an assigned reading to the kids in my church’s Sunday school. I thought it was a perfect read since we are going through the Ten Commandments and there was so much law, this balances that by showing what the law should lead us to: Christ as Savior of us from our sins. While the title lead me to think this was going to be about the ordinary means of grace such as prayer and reading the Scripture, yet this disappointment is not with the content within the booklet itself which is great for the soul and evangelistic. I recommend this work.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whitefield was a prolific public speaker and he had the uncanny ability to speak to men and women on whatever level they were. His sermons were generally short and to the point, and he was able to do what the goal of every speaker should want, that is to leave his audience with a firm grasp of his topic as well as with unforgettable summaries. People would ask those who had attended his sermons if they remembered what he said days, weeks, or even months later and they would reply "Remember? How could one forget?"

[Jim Sandman · Rating 5 out of 5]

(audio version)