"The innumerable temptations, that attend a popular life,
sometimes make me think it would be best for me to withdraw.
But then, I consider that He who delivered Daniel out of the
den of lions, and the three children out of the fiery furnace,
is able and willing to deliver me also out of the fiery furnace
of popularity and applause, and from the fury of those, who,
for preaching Christ and Him crucified, are my inveterate
enemies. In His strength, therefore, and at His command, when
His providence shall call, I will venture out again. As yet, my
trials have been nothing. Hereafter, a winnowing time may come;
and then we shall see who is on the Lord's side, and who dare to
confess Christ before men."
"REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,--The Christian world is in a deep
sleep. Nothing but a loud voice can awaken them out of it. It
would rejoice me to hear of your success in the Lord. In about
a twelvemonth, I purpose to return to England. I long to die
unto myself, and to be alive unto God. Methinks, I would always
be upon the wing; but, alas! I have a body of sin, which, at
times, makes me cry out, 'Who shall deliver me?' I thank God,
our Lord Jesus Christ will deliver. But I never expect entire
freedom till I bow down my head, and give up the ghost. Every
fresh employ, I find, brings with it fresh temptations. God
always humbles before He exalts me. Sometimes I speak and write
freely, at other times I am comparatively barren; one while on
the mount, another while overshadowed with a cloud; but, blessed
be God! at all times, at peace with Him, and assured that my
sins are forgiven. I want to leap my seventy years. I long to be
dissolved, and to be with Christ. But I must be made perfect by
sufferings. I expect no other preferment."
In a letter to Mr. Hutchins, one of the Oxford Methodists,
Whitefield wrote:--
"And how does my dear Mr. Hutchins? Is he yet commenced a
field-preacher? I am persuaded my dear friend is under the
guidance of God's Spirit, and, therefore, am convinced he will
be directed for the best. Ere now, I trust, he has been upon
many a mount, stretching out his hands, and inviting all that
are weary and heavy-laden to come to Jesus Christ. In about a
twelvemonth, I think of returning to England. I should rejoice
if you would come and supply my place at Savannah. If not, I
must resign the parsonage, and take upon me only the care of the
orphans. I intend bringing up two or three, who are with me, for
the ministry: more, no doubt, will shortly be added to their
number. If you could come and teach them the languages, for an
hour or two in the day, we could serve both the Orphan House
and Parsonage together. Great things I trust will come out of
Georgia."
"I know so much of the corruption of my heart, that, were God
to leave me to myself but one moment, I should with oaths and
curses deny my Master. As for my final perseverance, I bless
God, I have not the least doubt thereof. The gifts and callings
of God are without repentance. Whom He loves, I am persuaded, He
loves to the end. But then, I fear lest, being puffed up with
abundance of success, I should provoke the Lord to let me fall
into some heinous sin, and thereby give His adversaries reason
to rejoice. A public life is attended with innumerable snares;
and a sense of my unworthiness and unfitness so weighs me down,
that I have often thought it would be best for me to retire.
But I know these are all suggestions of the enemy. Why should I
distrust Omnipotence? Having had a legion of devils cast out of
my heart by the power of Christ, why should I not tell what He
hath done for my soul, for the encouragement of others? By the
help of God, I will speak. The more Satan bids me hold my peace,
the more earnestly will I proclaim to believing saints, that
Jesus will have mercy on them. Oh! had I a thousand lives, my
dear Lord Jesus should have them all."
The following seems to have been written to certain students at
Oxford:--
"Look round, look round, my brethren, and, in imitation of your
common Lord, weep over the desolations of the University wherein
you live. Alas! how is that once faithful city become a harlot!
Have pity upon her, ye that are friends; and, whatever treatment
you may meet with from an ungrateful world, endeavour to rescue
some of her sons out of that blindness, ignorance, bigotry, and
formality, into which she is unhappily fallen. Arise, ye sons of
the prophets. Shine forth, ye who are appointed to be the lights
of the world. The rulers of this world will endeavour to put you
under bushels; but, if your light is of God's kindling, all the
devils in hell shall not be able to extinguish it. How will you
be apt to teach hereafter, unless you begin to teach now? All
God's people will wish you God speed. I am sure I do with all my
heart."
The next extract is from a letter addressed to the students of a
Dissenting college--perhaps Dr. Doddridge's:--
"As God has been pleased to bless my ministry to your souls, I
think it my duty to watch over you for good. I heartily pray
that you may be burning and shining lights in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation. Though you are not of the
Church of England, yet, if you are persuaded in your own minds
of the truth of the way wherein you walk, I leave it. Whether
_Conformists_ or _Nonconformists_, our main concern should be,
to be assured that we are called and taught of God; for none but
such are fit to minister in holy things. It rejoiced me much to
see such dawnings of grace in your souls; only I thought most of
you were bowed down too much with a servile fear of man: but,
as the love of the Creator increases, the fear of the creature
will decrease. Unless your hearts are free from worldly hopes
and worldly fears, you will never speak boldly, as you ought to
speak. The good old Puritans, I believe, never preached better
than when in danger of being taken to prison as soon as they
had finished their sermons; and, I am persuaded, unless you go
forth with the same temper, you will never preach with the same
demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. Study your hearts
as well as books. Ask yourselves, again and again, whether you
would preach for Christ, if you were sure to lay down your lives
for so doing. But enough of this. I love to hope well of you
all."
The following was addressed to Howell Harris, and shews that
Whitefield was now a Calvinist. While Harris was preaching at
Pontypool, in the month of June, an officious official came and read
the Riot Act, though there was not the least likelihood of a riot
taking place. Harris asked him if he was accustomed to read the Act
at "cock-matches"? This increased the man's anger, and Harris was
arrested, carried before a magistrate, and committed for trial, at
Monmouth Assizes, in August following. Having procured bail for
his appearance, he surrendered himself at the proper time; but no
evidence whatever was produced against him, and, of course, he was
dismissed.
"I congratulate you on your success at Monmouth. God has yet
further work for you to do, ere you are called before rulers
and governors, for His name's sake. In about a twelvemonth, I
hope to make a second use of your field-pulpits. Our principles
agree, as face answers to face in the water. Since I saw you,
God has been pleased to enlighten me more in that comfortable
doctrine of _election_, etc. At my return, I hope to be more
explicit than I have been. God forbid, my dear brother, that we
should shun to declare the whole counsel of God!"