41. "The Methodists: a Humorous Burlesque Poem; addressed to the
Rev. Mr. Whitefield and his Followers: proper to be bound up
with his Sermons, and the Journals of his Voyage to Georgia,"
etc.
42. "The Life and particular Proceedings of the Rev. Mr. George
Whitefield. By an Impartial Hand."
43. "Observations on the Remarks of the Rev. Mr. Whitefield's
Journal, and on the Rev. Mr. Tristram Land's Letters," etc.
44. "The Dreadful Degeneracy of a great part of the Clergy, the
Means to promote Irreligion, Atheism, and Popery; to which is
prefixed a Letter to the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield."
45. "Judging for Ourselves; or, Free-thinking, the great Duty of
Religion. Displayed in two Lectures, by P. Annet. Addressed to
the New Sect of Methodists, all Faith-mongers, and Bigots. With
a Poem to the Rev. Mr. Whitefield."
46. "Observations and Remarks on Mr. Seagrave's Conduct and
Writings. In which his Answer to the Rev. Dr. Trapp's four
Sermons is more particularly considered."
47. "A faithful Narrative of the Life and Character of the
Rev. Mr. Whitefield, B.D., from his Birth to the Present Time:
containing an Account of his Doctrines and Morals, his motives
for going to Georgia, and his Travels through several parts of
England."
48. "An expostulatory Letter to the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, and the
rest of his Brethren, the Methodists of the Church of England;
wherein the Rites and Ceremonies of that Church are considered;
and the partiality of those Gentlemen, with regard to the
practice of them, condemned."
49. "A Defence of the Rev. Mr. Whitefield's Doctrine of
Regeneration, in Answer to the Rev. Mr. Land. Designed to
correct his Mistakes, to wipe off his Aspersions, and to prevent
his doing Mischief among the People. By a Member of one of the
Religious Societies."
This long list of publications, all issued in the year 1739, is
abundant proof of the commotion created by young Whitefield and
the Methodists. A few, but only a few, were written in defence
of Whitefield. The last mentioned was one. In the same category
must be placed the two pamphlets by Mr. Seagrave, one of which
has been already noticed. No. 47 in the list is also favourable
to Whitefield, and is a well-written production. No. 21 is an
extravagant eulogium on Whitefield, and a violent attack on the
clergy of the Established Church. "Whitefield," says the writer,
"has set them an example, which they must, in some measure, follow.
But for him, they could have gone on in their old way as well as
ever; and their corn, and their wine, and their pigs, and their
eggs, and their apples would have come in as usual. All besides is
unnecessary trouble; and they detest the man who has put them upon
it." No. 27 also is favourable, but contains little that is worth
noticing. "Dr. Trapp Tried and Cast," by Jonathan Warne, tells the
Doctor that "there is more profound divinity in one of Whitefield's
sermons, than in the whole of his four discourses." "The Letter to
the Bishop of London," by Philalethes, was also a mild, but not
remarkable, defence of Whitefield. No. 43 is a rather elaborate
apology for some of Whitefield's unguarded sayings, and is ably
written. "The Dreadful Degeneracy of a great part of the Clergy," by
Jonathan Warne, is a long production of more than a hundred octavo
pages. It is, however, more a defence of the doctrines Whitefield
preached, than of Whitefield himself.
Out of the forty-nine publications, whose titles have been given,
not more than about ten can be regarded as at all favourable to the
young preacher. The rest were antagonistic, and, in many instances,
extremely virulent. In illustration of this, a few extracts, almost
promiscuously selected, must suffice.
Tristram Land, after declaring that Whitefield "cannot be exceeded
by the warmest-headed Quaker in the kingdom," proceeds to say:
"It is commonly reported you seldom converse with the clergy of
the Church of England, though you are pleased to visit Dissenting
teachers, and often mix with the younger part of the laity of all
denominations." Mr. Land further accuses Whitefield of "rudeness
to the whole body of" the Clergy; of "bringing contempt upon the
Liturgy;" of "creating misunderstandings between the parochial
clergy and their people;" of "raising causeless doubts and scruples
in the minds of some well-disposed Christians;" and of "encouraging
the practice of _conventicling_ in several parts of London."