Overview

‘The Method of Grace’ is a quintessential sermon by the Anglo-American evangelist George Whitefield, a leading figure in the 18th-century Great Awakening. Based on the text from Jeremiah 6:14, the sermon is a powerful articulation of Calvinistic Methodist soteriology, detailing the process by which God brings a sinner to salvation. Whitefield argues against superficial religious experiences, insisting that true conversion requires a profound and often painful conviction of sin before one can experience the joy of divine grace and the 'new birth'. He outlines a spiritual journey from being 'wounded' by God's Law to being healed by Christ's gospel. As a masterful piece of revivalist rhetoric, the sermon exemplifies the theological principles and passionate homiletic style that fueled one of the most significant religious movements in the modern era. It remains a foundational text for understanding the evangelical emphasis on a personal conversion experience.

Summary

George Whitefield’s sermon, ‘The Method of Grace,’ is structured around the verse Jeremiah 6:14: 'They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.' Whitefield begins by indicting ministers and religious guides who offer false comfort and superficial solutions to the deep spiritual problem of sin. He argues that such 'slight' healing creates a false peace, leaving people damned while believing they are saved. He then lays out what he considers the true 'method' of God's grace. The first step is a necessary and painful wounding. The Holy Spirit must first convict a person of their sin, not just their actions but their fallen nature inherited from Adam. This work of the law brings a person to despair, stripping them of all self-righteousness and hope in their own efforts. Only when a sinner is brought to this point of helplessness, seeing themselves as utterly lost and deserving of damnation, are they prepared for the second step. At this lowest point, the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented as the sole remedy. The soul, having been emptied of self, is then able to receive by faith the free gift of grace, justification, and the 'new birth,' resulting in a true and lasting peace with God.

Historical Context

This sermon was delivered and published during the First Great Awakening (c. 1730s-1740s), a period of intense religious revival that swept through Great Britain and its North American colonies. George Whitefield was its most prominent itinerant preacher, a transatlantic celebrity whose dramatic preaching drew massive crowds. The sermon's content reflects the central theological debates of the era. It is a robust defense of 'New Light' or revivalist theology against the more formal, less experiential 'Old Light' establishment. Whitefield’s insistence on the necessity of a 'new birth' and a felt conversion experience was a hallmark of the movement. Furthermore, the sermon is deeply rooted in the Calvinist tradition, emphasizing divine sovereignty, human depravity, and salvation by grace alone. This placed Whitefield in alignment with figures like Jonathan Edwards but created a friendly yet firm theological division with his contemporary and fellow Methodist founder, John Wesley, who held to Arminian views on free will and grace. The sermon is therefore a primary source document for understanding the theology, passions, and controversies of the Great Awakening.

Why It Was Excluded from the Canon

As an 18th-century sermon, 'The Method of Grace' was never a candidate for inclusion in the biblical canon, which had been formally closed by all major Christian traditions for over a millennium. Its authority and function are entirely different from that of scripture. However, the sermon achieved a quasi-canonical status within the evangelical and revivalist movements it helped to shape. For generations of evangelicals, it served as a definitive and authoritative exposition of the doctrine of salvation (soteriology). It was not considered divinely inspired scripture, but rather a masterful and Spirit-anointed explanation of scriptural truth. Its reception history shows it being printed, circulated, and studied as a model of effective preaching and a reliable guide to the process of conversion. While the Bible remained the ultimate authority, texts like 'The Method of Grace' functioned as essential secondary documents, shaping the theological identity and spiritual practices of the evangelical tradition for centuries.

Key Themes

Key Passages

Reading Tips

When reading 'The Method of Grace,' be prepared for the passionate, direct, and highly emotional rhetoric of 18th-century revivalist preaching. The language can be archaic, so focus on the underlying argument. It is helpful to understand the sermon's structure: first, a diagnosis of a spiritual disease (false peace); second, the painful but necessary surgery (conviction of sin); and finally, the only cure (faith in Christ). Pay attention to how Whitefield uses scripture to build his case and how he addresses his audience directly. Reading this alongside a sermon by an 'Old Light' contemporary or by the Arminian John Wesley can highlight the unique theological and stylistic points Whitefield is making. Remember, this was designed to be heard and to provoke an immediate emotional and spiritual response, not just to be read as a theological treatise.

Influence & Legacy

The influence of 'The Method of Grace' is immense, particularly within the evangelical tradition. It effectively codified the 'morphology of conversion' for the Great Awakening, providing a template for both preachers and potential converts to understand the journey to salvation. This model of conviction, despair, and subsequent joyful faith became a hallmark of American revivalism for the next two centuries. Whitefield's status as a transatlantic celebrity ensured the sermon's wide dissemination, influencing countless subsequent preachers, including those in the Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian traditions. The sermon's emphasis on a personal, datable conversion experience, as opposed to inherited or formal church membership, fundamentally reshaped the religious landscape of America and contributed to the rise of denominational pluralism and religious individualism. Its legacy is visible today in any church that calls for sinners to recognize their need for a savior and make a personal decision for Christ.

Manuscript Information