Another, published in September 1732, was inclosed by a deep border of
black, and is strongly demonstrative of religious eccentricity, or, if
you please, religious frenzy.
"Just published, Divine Inspiration; or a Collection of Manifestations
to make known the Visitation of the Lord, and the Coming of his Kingdom
in great power and glory, according to the Scripture promise, by the
preaching of the everlasting Gospel, as Rev. xix. &c.
"Also, that the righteousness of God in his express sovereign power,
wisdom, and love, may be known in the Divine word, the Sent of God to
manifest and execute Divine will both in mercy and judgment, the two
great witnesses, the messengers of God in this approaching day of the
Lord upon us.
"Lastly, this is the earnest prayer of them that have known and tasted
the power of the Divine word, and who, as a testimony of their knowing
God, in his out-speaking word immediately revealing, and from universal
love and charity wishing true knowledge may descend, and increase and
multiply in and upon man of every order and every degree, and to be the
voice and word of God, do here give and set their hands, believing
he that now speaks will come, and that suddenly, according as hath
been the voice of the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter in the
Anointed, saying, So come, O Lord."
This strange effusion is signed by twelve persons, four of whom were
women.
"By the mouth of Hannah Wharton at Birmingham and Worcester."
Master Henley thus informed the publick in October 1732: "Before any
person casts an imputation on me, in reference to the Oratory, wherein
I know no fault but one, that it is a pattern of the truest principles
of Religion, with the most various and assiduous endeavour to merit,
in the capacity of a scholar and a clergyman, that is, or ever was in
this island, or in the world; before I am reflected upon for this, I
would desire every man who educates a son to orders, and him who is so
educated, to consider this case, and to make it his own.
"I waited some years ago on a certain Prelate with a solicitation of
a pulpit in town, signifying my resolution to cultivate and exert the
talent of preaching which God had given me, in the most complete and
public manner. His answer was, that I might be of use; but, before
he could do for me, he must have a _pledge_ of my attachment to the
government. I was an entire stranger to politicks; but gave him that
_pledge_.
"A pledge demanded, given, and accepted for a consideration, is a
contract for that consideration; the hinge of my interest and fortune
very much turned upon it. It was the year 1721-2, a tender crisis;
and, doubtless, he made a job of it to the Government. When I applied
for the consideration, he shifted off. Had he any possible exception
to my intellectual or moral qualifications (though nothing can be more
immoral, or sooner make the world Atheists than a perfidious prelate),
he should, before he drew me in, have told me, that if he met with
any such exception, he would not do what I solicited; and that he
would take time to examine. This would have been fair. He assigned no
exception at all during a whole year, till I had sacrificed my interest
to him on his own demand; and it is easy to frame exceptions, if a
person be inclined to break his word. My judgment is, he and his clergy
even envied me in the pulpit, and were jealous of my advancement,
timorous that at Court there might be a patron, or a patroness of
learning, and apprehensive that I might outstrip them there. Was I on
my death-bed, I would take the Sacrament, that I know the former part,
and believe the latter part (without the least vanity for so poor a
triumph as excelling them would be) of this advertisement to be a
matter of fact.