"Who but a set of mad and frantic minds, would ever have
deserted a Church, where all the necessaries to salvation are
so constantly preached and practised, for the sake of following
some fiery zealots, who have withdrawn themselves from the
communion of the Church of England, more for want of her
preferments, than her want of the principles and practices of
Christianity?"
One of the most virulent pamphlets, published against Whitefield in
1740, bore the following title: "The true Spirit of the Methodists,
and their Allies fully laid open." (8vo. 98 pp.) The pamphlet is
an over-heated defence of Dr. Trapp, but the writer also takes the
opportunity of abusing the Methodists in general, and Whitefield
in particular. A _few_ of the sentences and passages in which
Whitefield is personally attacked are as follows:--
"In a confused huddle of stuff, he (Whitefield) abuses Dr.
Trapp." "What he says about the beast with seven heads coming
out of the sea, and Solomon's seven abominations in the heart,
is perfect _Quakerism_, enthusiastic madness and malice." "This
is some of Whitefield's nonsensical and malicious jargon." "What
can one say more to this notorious slanderer, and liar, who says
just what he pleases to abuse the clergy with all the malice
of hell, without alleging the least appearance of one single
proof?" "Whitefield's cant and nonsense again!" "He concludes
with his ungodly jumble of _railing_ and _praying_." "He is
both impious and ignorant; and his labours tend not to the
salvation, but to the damnation of souls." "All the world knows
the pride, impudence, and insolence of Whitefield." "Whitefield
has, within these three years, gathered more money than one of
the generality of the clergy receives, from his preferment, in
twenty."
Another publication must be noticed, "The Trial of Mr. Whitefield's
Spirit. In some Remarks upon his Fourth Journal. London, 1740."
(8vo. 55 pp.) This is a cleverly written pamphlet; and, from
the author's standpoint, not particularly unfair. No doubt, it
is scathing; but that, perhaps, arises from the faultiness of
Whitefield's published Journals. The writer declares, that, he has
never seen Whitefield, and has no ill-will towards him. Indeed,
he had been "rather prejudiced in his favour; and, at his first
appearance, he had thought, his diligence in his ministry was
truly commendable." By reading his Journals, however, his now
anonymous censor had become "convinced that he was actuated by a
high degree of enthusiasm, which had prompted him to say many things
inconsiderate, uncharitable, and even blasphemous."
A few extracts from this able pamphlet must suffice.
"Mr. Whitefield is more positive, more contemptuous, and fierce
in his expressions [in his fourth Journal] than heretofore: More
assuming and bold in applying to himself what can never belong
to any one but the Son of God: And his censures of persons,
_civil_ and _sacred_, who do not _confess and own him_, as
he daringly expresses it, are opprobrious and unchristian in a
higher degree than in the former Journals."
"Such affected expressions as these sufficiently mark out the
disposition of this man's heart--a solicitude about what the
crowd thinks or says of his preaching, a self-satisfaction and
complacence in his own performances, with an impotence of mind
unable to conceal its pleasure, when at any time it fancies it
has performed beyond the common degree of its abilities."
"The conduct of this gentleman, in publishing the daily
occurrences of his life, is without example, and unjustified
by any precedent among the saints of God. As the Holy Spirit
Himself, in recording even the life of the blessed Jesus, has
comprised it in a very short and compendious narrative, and
observed a surprising modesty and reserve (if we may so express
it) in giving us the account of His deeds and doctrines; it
must infallibly follow that Mr. Whitefield's pompous history
of his ministry, and of the smallest circumstances relating to
his affairs, can never proceed from the same Spirit, which has
recorded with so sparing a hand the memorials of the Author and
Finisher of our salvation."
"The Holy Spirit has nowhere in Scripture been pleased to be so
particular as these modern casuists in marking out precisely
what exercise, amusement, or diversion is criminal. It is only
Mr. Whitefield and his brotherhood, who denounce damnation to
men on their appearing at a horse-race, a ball, or an assembly;
whither persons, who live in a habit of virtue, and keep their
passions under due subjection, may no doubt as safely go, as to
any other places of public resort. And even these gentlemen may
possibly be conscious to themselves, that _their_ unrestrained
resort to their _women-societies_ may subject them to the same
sorts of hazards and trials, that are supposed to beset people
at balls and assemblies."
In addition to these publications, another must be noticed,
the vilest of the vile, and, in many places, so polluted, that
it would be a crime to quote it, "The Expounder Expounded; or,
Annotations upon that incomparable piece, entitled, A Short Account
of God's Dealings with the Rev. Mr. G----e W----f----d. By R----ph
J----ps----n, of the Inner Temple, Esq. London, 1740." (8vo. 85
pp.) For the sake of decency, the mere mentioning of this filthy,
obscenely jocular, and blasphemous publication must suffice.
To all these must be added the _Weekly Miscellany_, which continued
to entertain its readers with leading articles, denouncing
Whitefield, and full of Mr. Hooker's characteristic banter.
To be pelted with such paper pellets was far from pleasant; but it
was inevitable. No man can attain to Whitefield's notoriety without
being criticised, by both friends and foes. It is a tax which man
must pay for being popular. Besides, it cannot be denied, that,
_some_ of Whitefield's castigations were not altogether unmerited.
In the midst of all this abuse, however, an encomium was published,
which, as an extremely rare curiosity, may fitly close the present
chapter. This was a curious, but not ill-executed engraving, with
the title, "The Parallel Reformers; or, the Renowned Wickliff and
the Reverend Mr. Whitefield compared; shewing, by many parallel
instances, the great resemblance between the pious Divines in
respect of Christian zeal and fortitude. Improved from some curious
observations lately published at Boston, in New England, and
reprinted at London: Whereunto are added their Effigies curiously
engraved."
Nothing need be said respecting the "effigies," except that, under
Whitefield's, there is the following:
"Champion of God, thy Lord proclaim,
Jesus alone resolve to know;
Tread down thy foes in Jesu's name:
Go--conqu'ring and to conquer go.
"CHARLES WESLEY."
Mr. Lewis's outline of Wickliff's history need not be given; but the
following (especially Mr. Nixon's prophecy) is too curious to be
omitted:--
"There has scarce anything appeared, says our New England
author, in these last ages of the Church, more remarkable than
the conduct and character of this wonderful young minister,
Mr. Whitefield. Were he to escape persecution, he would want
one evidence of his Divine mission, one badge of a disciple of
Christ. Our author leaves it to others to determine whether
what Mr. Fox says of Wickliff can with equal justice be said
of Mr. Whitefield, namely, 'That even as the morning star in
the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full, and as the
bright beams of the sun, so doth this man shine and glitter in
the temple and church of God.' But this he is sure of, that
there is a vast resemblance between the men. For, both were
born in the same country; both educated in the same university;
both ministers in the same Church of England; both champions
for the same faith, even that faith that was at first delivered
to the saints. Wickliff and his followers, (as Bishop Burnet
affirms,) in those early days, like Mr. Whitefield and his
followers in our own time, preached not only in churches, but
also in the open fields, churchyards, and markets, without
license from the Ordinary, etc.; the one a glorious reformer
of the Church from Popery, the other an illustrious restorer
of the doctrines of the Reformation; the one labouring to
reduce the Church to that purity which she attained 200 years
after him, the other endeavouring to revive those truths
which she universally embraced almost 200 years before him:
both men of like zeal, both treated in the same manner. Mr.
Whitefield preaches against, and laments the degeneracy of,
our modern divines, with respect to the doctrines of original
sin, free-will, justification of man, of good works, of the
new birth or regeneration, of works before justification, of
predestination, and election, etc. He militates against moral
preachers and their doctrines, as well as against the immorality
of men's lives. Mr. Wickliff, on the other hand, opposed the
absurd doctrines, visions, lives, and insolent behaviour of
the clergy. He, like his great Master, inculcated the morality
of the gospel, and the study of the Holy Scriptures, instead
of preaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Some of
his peculiar doctrines are said to be these; viz., He not
only denied the Pope's supremacy, but was against any persons
assuming the title and authority of being the _Head of the
Church_, asserting that it is blasphemy to call any one _Head
of the Church_ save Christ alone. He condemned Episcopacy, as
being a creature of princes' setting up; for he asserted that,
in the time of the apostles, there were only two orders, viz.,
priests and deacons, and that a bishop doth not differ from a
priest. He was for having ministers maintained by the voluntary
contributions of the people, and not by tythes settled on them
by law, saying that tythes are pure alms, and that pastors are
not to exact them by ecclesiastical censures. He was not for
giving the Church a _power to decree Rites and Ceremonies_, and
to _determine Controversies of Faith_. For, it is said, that,
he slighted the authority of General Councils, and affirmed
that wise men leave that as impertinent, which is not plainly
expressed in Scripture. He was also against prescribed Forms of
Prayer, but especially against imposing of them. Nay, further,
it is affirmed to be a doctrine of Mr. Wickliff, that baptism
doth not confer, but only signify, grace, which was given
before. And he calls those fools and presumptuous, who affirm
such infants cannot be saved who die without baptism.
"There are not a few who think the following prophecy of _Nixon_
(being as yet, it is supposed, unfulfilled) has a respect to the
Rev. Mr. _Whitefield_ and his followers, and that it will have
its accomplishment in the Christian people called Methodists:--
"_A young new set of men, of virtuous manners, shall come, who
shall prosper, and make a flourishing Church for two hundred
years._"
Among the countless Methodist broad-sheets, issued in the days of
Whitefield and the Wesleys, there are none more curious than this of
J. Lewis, of Bartholomew Close, London.
_WHITEFIELD'S RETURN TO ENGLAND IN 1741._