Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/90

 Likewise when Felix sent for Paul, on purpose that he might hear him concerning the faith in Christ; instead of preaching Christ in your sense (which would probably have caused the governor either to mock, or to contradict and blaspheme) ''he reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come, till Felix (hardened as he was) trembled''. (ch. xxiv. ver. 24, 25.) Go thou and tread in his steps. Preach Christ to the careless sinner, by ''reasoning of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come''!

9. If you say, "But he preached Christ in a different manner in his epistles;" I answer, He did not there preach at all: not in that sense wherein we speak: for preaching in our present question, means, speaking before a congregation. But waving this, I answer, 2. His epistles are directed, not to unbelievers, such as those we are now speaking of, but to the saints of God in Rome, Corinth, Philippi and other places. Now unquestionably he would speak more of Christ to these, than to those who were without God in the world. And yet, 3. Every one of these is full of the law, even the epistles to the Romans and the Galatians: in both of which he does what you term preaching the law, and that to believers as well as unbelievers.

10. From hence 'tis plain, you know not what it is, to preach Christ, in the sense of the apostle. For doubtless St. Paul judged himself to be ''preaching Christ, both to Felix, and at Antioch, Lystra'',