"Wesley and his associates were led to see that true religion is seated in the heart, and that God's law extends to the thoughts as well as to the words and actions. Convinced of the necessity of holiness of heart, as well as correctness of outward deportment, they set out in earnest upon a new life. By the most diligent and prayerful efforts they endeavored to subdue the evils of the natural heart. They lived a life of self-denial, charity, and humiliation, observing with great rigor and exactness every measure which they thought could be helpful to them in obtaining what they most desired—that holiness which could secure the favor of God. But they did not obtain the object which they sought. In vain were their endeavors to free themselves from the condemnation of sin or to break its power. It was the same struggle which Luther had experienced in his cell at Erfurt. It was the same question which had tortured his soul—“How should man be just before God?” Job 9:2 . GC 254.1"
"I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?"
Ellen White directly references Job 9:2 in this passage.
"The fires of divine truth, well-nigh extinguished upon the altars of Protestantism, were to be rekindled from the ancient torch handed down the ages by the Bohemian Christians. After the Reformation, Protestantism in Bohemia had been trampled out by the hordes of Rome. All who refused to renounce the truth were forced to flee. Some of these, finding refuge in Saxony, there maintained the ancient faith. It was from the descendants of these Christians that light came to Wesley and his associates. GC 254.2"
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."
The EGW passage describes the rekindling of divine truth, paralleling the idea of being a light to the world as described in Matthew 5:14. The Bohemian Christians are portrayed as preserving and passing on this light.
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
The EGW passage describes a remnant keeping the faith despite persecution, which aligns with the theme of Revelation 12:17. The remnant in Revelation is persecuted by the dragon, and the Bohemian Christians faced persecution from Rome.
"John and Charles Wesley, after being ordained to the ministry, were sent on a mission to America. On board the ship was a company of Moravians. Violent storms were encountered on the passage, and John Wesley, brought face to face with death, felt that he had not the assurance of peace with God. The Germans, on the contrary, manifested a calmness and trust to which he was a stranger. GC 254.3"
"And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?"
The EGW passage describes Wesley's fear during a storm contrasted with the Moravians' faith. This parallels Jesus's question in Mark 4:40 about the disciples' lack of faith during a storm.