Wesley Corpus

(Preached before the University of Oxford.) He that winneth souls is wise. Prov. xi. 30. In a place where philosophy or the love of wisdom is so universally professed and so care, fully cultivated, where so many are obliged by their office to study and practise this particular sort of wisdom, and where more are designed and endeavouring to qualify themselves for the same sacred function, it cannot but be highly proper to make that wisdom the subject of our consideration, which so great a part of us are engaged by such peculiar ties to recommend both by our lives and doctrines ; and to explain and enforce this important truth, " He that winneth souls is wise." He that winneth souls that draweth them from vice to virtue, from rebellion against God to obedience to his holy laws that recovers them from darkness and the shadow of death to the paths of light and peace that disentangles them from the fatal snare from which they had no hope, nay, no desire of escaping that disappoints the de stroyer of his prey, even when he said, " there is none to help them " he is wise indeed ! as will be evident if we consider : First, the end he proposes ; Secondly, the means that lead to it. First, the end he proposes. Winning souls may be considered first as bringing glory to God. It is true, no action of any created being can do this in a strict sense, can at all add to that essen tial glorywherewith hisCreator was clothed from eternity : yet, in a lower sense, whatever we do may be done to the glory of God; that is, may at least remotely tend to manifest his glory, to increase the honour paid to him by his creatures,