r4%<r(i^

.^ ,^' .*♦ *t -**• }

•*f «* - • v

•*<< -^i •% r f^" »>• -*v J* K

4--*\* " <• 4 ' A- 4v -iy N^:

t,v •■:;?, »; t'; -t^ :^:;^iC ^j ^; ;; ;: 't\ <n's< ^; s

it Mi- •■ V ^' V-^ f^ ^'> '

4-- *' ^ ' <-^ fi, »'* J^ i* r

i -o^-Jt^^i « ^•

i* ^'A.+J f «f

•4-5 jv ^^ 4^^.*>•i^V^i

■\f,'!

W.^^ ../---^ ^//7^-

«^i>c ^'^

e,u^

FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D.

BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO

THE LIBRARY OF

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Section /^/3f

■/

T ti E

MAR 30 1932

ENTHUSimM

O F

ME T H O D I STS

AND

PAP IS T S,

C O Ivl P A R*D.

— -= — ■ ■ f- • ' • ' ■

Thefe Preacher^ and Menciicants-^^ov fome time rambled uncon- troulM, taking upon them to Confefs and Preach wherever they came, without the confent of the Bjjhop, utterly dc- fpifmg all Canom and Ecclejiajiical Rules : and profeffing \o- \\inf3iry Poverty, 2iX\d Contempt of Riches, wandering like .S/r^/- iers from place to place, under a pretence of Piety, the/ chous'd the fiUy People of their Money.

Hc-wePs View of the Ppntificate, page 406.

LONDON:

Printed for J. and P. K n' a p t o n, in Likiiate-Slreat mdCcxlix.

PREFACE.

E V E R A L Excellent "Treatijes have been al- ready publidied againft that Enthufiajlic and Fa- natical Spirit now working in a fef of pretended Reformers among us, call'd Mtthodijls: Which, though they have not been able to fupprefs it, have effedually fhewn its evil nature and tendency^ and (as the Methodijis themfelves confefsj given fome check to its progrefs. Nor need I any Apology, if I own a fort of impulfe and imprejlion upon A me.

PREFACE.

nie, and think myfelf ohltgd to throw in my mite towards diicover- ino- the delufion of this dangerous aiul p?'efumptuous SeSr.

'Tis my principal dejign^ as a caution to all Protefiants^ to draw a Comparifon between the wild and pernicious Enthtifiafms of fome of the moft eminent Saints in the Popi/Jj Communion^ and thofe of the Mcthodijls in our Q'wn Cou?ttry. BifKop Stillingfleet hath clearly prov d^ and fufficiently expos' d^ the Fa7taticifm of the Romijh Churchy m his Incoraparahle Difcourfe can- cer 7wtg their Idolatry ; hath fliewn to what Extravaga?2t heights it has been carried, how peculiarly encouraged by the Popes ; hath been the foundation of their feveral Re- ligious Orders^ and Societies ; and the engine for introducing their falfcy fuperjlittous^ and Idolatrous DoEirineSy a?id PraBifes. More of

this

P R E F A C R

this nature will appear in the fol- lowing Treatife ; together with plain and full evidence^ that our modern ltinera7it Knthufiajls are treading in their fteps^ and copying their exam- ph ; their whole conduct being but a Coimter-paj^t of the mojl wild Fa- naticifms of the moji abomiimble Co7n- mti7iion^ in its moJi corrupt Ages.

But as the Spirit of Enthufiafm is alw^ays the fame, operating in much the fame manner, in all SeSis and Profefftons of Religion^ and dif- covering itfelf in fimilar peculi- arities of notions, and behaviour ; I fhall take the liberty to produce firft of all a remarkable inftance of this in the Seel of the Montanifls : which arofe towards the latter end of the fecond Century ^ before Po- pery had a beings or Chriflianity an Eflablifjjme?2t. The Hijlory of Montanifm was written by the late learned Dr. Lee^ of St. Jolms i\ 2 Colleo'e^

PREFACE.

College^ Oxford ; compiled with great diligence and exadnefs ; and publifli'd with Dr. Hicks s Enthu- fiafm Exorctsd^ in the year 1709 : and herein a large account is given, from all the Records q{ Antiquity^ of the riie, progrefs, difperfion, pretenfions and tenets of that over- hearincr SeB. And I am much miftaken if our MethodiJIs (though not vet arriv'd to the fame height of madnefs) may not here fit for their PiBure^ and be traced in all their lineaments,

'Tis indeed a misforttme that the Writings of the Mmitanifis are lofl^ and never came down to our hands: what accounts and Extra(3;s we have of them being colleded from the beft Hifiorians cf thofe times. But it may be reckon'd a happy Cir- cumftaiice^ that v/e have the mod foinmg parts of the Lives^ Charac- ters^ Sentiments aitd A8lio7is of the

PREFACE.

Methodtjls from themfehesy and that too by a fandion from Heaven. They have, if they may be credit- ed ; been fo preffed i?i Spirit^ re- ceiv'd fuch Divine direEiions^ to preach a7id prints and God has given them fuch favour in the Ryes of the Pri?tter ; — that the Prefs has cramm'd the PubHc with their Jour?2ah^ Letters^ and other Worh

even to a Surfeit. Without

thefe confefftons from their own mouths we might have wanted evidence for a great p:!rt of our Charge ; and been ftrangers to ma- ny of their fanSiifyd fiftgularitiesy low fooleries y a?id high pretenfions.

And yet, for want of leifure, opportunity or incHnation, there are feveral of their worh which I have never feen. Their Journals are what I have chiefly confulted, and referr'd to ; and in my Rotations (which I hope ^xtjufl and fair) have not al- ways

PREFACE.

ways taken notice from what Edi- tion they are taken. Mr. Wejleys two jirji yournals are of the fecond Edttio7t : all the reft are, I think of the firjl. M^hat few Citations are made from their ColleSiioit of Let- ters (which I confefs I have not perus'd, or feen) are taken from ' Obfe7^vations on the Co?idtici of the Methodifls ; and the jujinefs of thofe references were never, that I know or believe, cali'd in queftion. Thefe Citations have only, in the margi7iy the word Letters.

'Tis certainly matter of juft con- cern, when Men of a good under- itanding, acquir'd Learning and knowledge of Scripture^ embarafs themfelves and others in fuch Chi- mericaly but pernicious^ projeBs. One at leaft of the Methodift- Preachers muft be allov^M to have tliefe qualifications for doing real Service to Religion : And did not

Ex-

PREFACE.

Experience convince us how ftrange- ly Men are loft to all reafon as to fome particular^ wherewith the head is touch' d^ who yet can dif- courfey and write^ aiid aSl ratioit- ally enough in other refpecls ;- — one would wonder fuch a perfoa iliould quite loofe himfelf, when carried away into the Extravagant freaks of Met hod fm.

That fuch freaks they are, will eafiily appear. And if in proving it I am fometiaies guilty of a levity of exprejftony 'tis to be hop'd fome al- lowance vvill be made in conddera- tion of the 77ature of the SubjeB : it being no eafy matter to keep one's countenance, and be fteadily feriousy where others are ridiculous. As true Religion however is the mofl ferious thing in the world ], I cannot but fmcerely lament the progrefs of Infidelity and hniitora- ///;^ among us : I cannot but ear-

neftly

PREFACE.

neftly defire, and pray for an effec- tual Reformatt07t of ?nanners and Propagation of the Gofpel^ by all fober and Chriftian Methods : but may venture to foretel, without pretending to the Spirit of Prophe- cy y that this Great work will never be accomplilli'd by an Enthujiaflic and Fanatical head.

End of the Preface.

T H E

THE

ENTHUSIAS M

O F

Methodists, &c.

S E C T. L

jin Extradl fro?n the Hiftory of Montanifm, being what I proposed in the fir ft place to lay before the Reader ; I have taken care to do tt without any variation, / a?n fure without any material variation, from The Author's own Words : that I may not be accused of forcing a likenefs, or warping any circiimftance, or exprefjion^ to the dij- advantage of the Methodilts.

" A/fO NTANUS, in his outward ap- Page 74. <c IVl pearance, had all the formofgod- '' linefs and fpirituality j and got the re- 79- " putation of no mean Sandity, by his.

*' Jujleritics

Page 7:

78.

79'

So.

Si.

( 2 )

Aufieritics and extraordinary way of living. — Had a zeal for Religion — and would needs let up for a mighty Refonner in the Church : but wanting Iblidity of Judgment, and coolnefs of Thought, was driven away by every im- pulfe that feiz'd him ;— being tranfport- ed with an immoderate and irregular zealj he was poiTefs'd with a ftrcmge Spirit : — Many doubting whether it were a good Spirit^ or a bad one. Hence he fets up preteniions to Prophecy and Miracles, Some indeed faw through him, — and took him for what he after- wards prov'd to be, a falfe Prophet ^ — and one agitated by a Spirit of Deliifion :

— and thefe oppos'd, and reprov'd him,

— not haflily, but upon fober and ma- ture deliberation, after trial m.ade of his Spirit^ — which appeared very much like the fit of a Frenzy^ or dijlemper'd Melaji- choly,

'' Others deem'd what they faw in Monta7ius as the true efFed of the Holy Ghojt : — and were hereby lifted up with an extreme vaiiity and confidence^ as if nothing could be greater and higher than this Difpenfation of Montanus : — who being ravifli'd with the Honour of fee- ing himfelf fo efteemed and liflened to

ufcd divers Artifices and St rat agejns to,

" draw

( 3 )

^' draw in others, and did fome fober and

<< fmcere Chriftians. P^S^ ^4-

*' He look'd on the Governors of the *' Church as much degenerated, inverted '' onl}^ with an outward CharaBer : — /j^ S8. *' had more of the Spirit than all of them ;

«' and by virtue of his pretended extraor-

*' dinary Miffion would be exempted kom the ^' infpedlion of his rightful Superiors : — 114- '' whofe {landing rules muft give way to '' whatever was taken for a Prophetic irnpe- 89-

«' tus, Montanus^ intoxicated with thefe

^' high Notions, went up and down and ^' drew after him feveral religious Melan- *' cholifts. Several of the weaker S^x, ex-92. "' cited by his high pretenfions were feized '' upon— by the fame Spirit ^ —as Prifcilla " and Maximilla — who no fooner were '' touch'd by the Power in Montanus, but 93- " immediately they left their Hujbands ; '' fancying,— that henceforwards they were " to be efpoufed to none but Chrift^ — «' eloping from their Hufbands to follow " an infamous Cheat, — Htucz they fancied 157- '^ themfelves Heave7ily Virgins, efpoufed by 94. '' Chrifi, who perfonallyi^^^^^ them, con- '' veriing with them as one Friend converfes " with another.

^' Thus, led on with 2ifalfe Faith — and 95-

*' puffd up beyond meafure, — they fell into

" fundry Snares, and eafily miftook the

** imaginations of their own Hearts, or the

B 2 " fug-

( 4 )

*' fuggcflions of the old Impoftor, for the " pure Infpirations of the Divine Spirit, Pare 1C2. '' The lame Spirit fell upon fome of the " Men alfo, — highly efteem'd, — as extra- ^' ordinarily commiflion^d by God to raife

103. '* up this pre -ended ncvj Difpenfation : — '' though fome of them were clearly con- '^ vinc'd of havino: been all the while under ** the Condud of a dtxeiving Spirit, that '' had ufurp'd the Name of the Holy Ghofi, iC2-ico. '' They divide into P<^r//V^, under difFe- " rent Leaders — and continue under thefe " novel and ftrange Influences to diftradt '' unwary Minds. — Different in fundry "- l^oints, but all agrceiiig in pretences to *' hifpi ration^ and a heavenly MiJJion.

,ic. " Montaniis begins to fet up his little " AJJemblies : — they give forth many good " exhortations to Holinefs, rigoroufly pref- *' fing a Reformation of Difcipline and ** Manners j — their Spirit imitates nearly '' the Properties of the Divine Spirit, in '^ producing good Works — difcerning *' the Secrets of the Heart — by Infpi- *' ration reproving fome prefent for their *' hidden Faults — with fuch a fhew of the '^ Life and Spirit of Christianity, as made it ** hard to think all a mere Connterjeit.

* 2 4. * * Thefe new Lights fet u p a 72ew Church: — . " fomething doubtful whether they firfl ^\feparated from the Church, or vj^vt forced ^' oiit. But with a ftrange air of Confidence

■^ they,

( 5 )

*' they, or rather thofe deluding Spirits " which fpoke through them, did re- " proach and vihfy the Church-, — becaufe '^ (lie every where rejeded their 72ew order of '• "^Frophecy.

" They are not able to bear with the Page 126. " deadnefs and the formality of the Catholics^ "who are only the natural or criminal 135- " Men ; but themjelves the Spiritual : — '* they looked on the Catholics as carnal and '• out fide Chri/iians^ that had not the true '' tafte of the Spirit : and the Chrijtian " Priefthood was undermined by thefe Pre- 142. ** tenders to an extraordinary and unlimited '' Mifion,

'' They were eagerly defirous oi Perfecu^ « tion ', — provoking and irritating the Ltfi- 144. <« dels^ — to draw it upon themfelves: but *' this vain oftentation did often in the 206. " hour of Trial moft wretchedly betray *' itfelf.

«' By their rigorous Difcipline they 14^. ''brought many, to defpair : but yet are " charg'd by the Catholics with a Morality 156. " exceedingly loofe and fcandalous, painting *' the Chiefs of this new order of the Infpir d '' in very black Charadlers ; — which muft *' depend on the fairnefs of the Accounts " tranfmitted to us: — fuch as making their " markets with pretended Revelations and '' Converfatiom with God — fcraping up all ^^ they could get under the pretence of

'' Charity^

1/

/:>'

20I

A

■■^^■

( 6 )

«^ Charity, and voluntary Oblations 5 — un- ^' der the Mafk of Godlinefs, defiled with " Impunities, 0c.

*' They diftinguilli*d themfelves by an '' affeded fingularity, — againft the moft in- *' nocent Recreation of Mind or Body — '' againft Games, Sports and Plays s Drefs, *' Furniture, ^c,

'' But all knew the Pretenfions of the " Mo?2ta?ttfts, and that the Foundation of *' all the Extravagancies they run into, was *' the pretext oj a Divine Spirit and Fewer ^ '' extraordinarily, and even vifi])ly ading '' them. —And they took themfelves to be *-' pe7^fe5l, having the Perfedion or Con- *' fummation of the Spirit.

" They cali'd themfelves the Infpird, '' the Pure, the Saints, the Ek^, the A- '' poftolical : while the Orthodox, who '' could not bear their Trefimption, gave *' them generally other fort of Names, *' which they thought they better de- " fcrved.

*' In the Progrefs of Montanifm they pro- '^ ceeded from one Degree to another, never ** flopping, or knowing w^here to ftop : — " Hence giving themfelves up to the un- *' certain Didates and Imptdfes of a ftrange " Spirit, they were infenfibly led on whi- *' ther they leaft fufpedled : — and all man- '' ner of Extravagancies were committed by " them, as if tliey had an exprefs Com-

'^ mand

{ 7 )

^ mand for fo doing from Heaven, — And ' the firiBnefs of the Monfanifi DifclpHne ' at firft, was the Means of introducing ^ the Mahometan kofenejs in the end.

^yThtM Knthujiafm had the van too, and Pi»ge 303. ^ was very confident with Atleljm, And ' there is a flirewd fufpicion that fome got ' in among them from the very beginning, ^ and managed the weak well-meaning ' People, who were of no Religion them- ' felves, but put on a mafk to deceive.

*^ After an Account how Montanifm af-.

* terwards was blended and interwoven ^ with the moft abominable Herefies ; we ' come to its Declenfion in the fifth Cen- ' tury, and Extindion in the fixth — which

' made way for ajiother ?iew pretended Dif- 317, ^ pen fat ion ^ tint oi Mahomet -^ rifing as out ' of its Allies ; and founded chiefly upon ' fome Principles of Montanifm.

■* In the Cojjchifiony the Author fays^ we ' have feen how a well-meant, but indif- 33S, ' creet Zeal was furprifed by the cunning ' Artifices of Satan ; and led on from flep ' to ftep, for want of being guarded by ^ Humility ; till at length it fell into the ' contrary extreme. How from an affeBa- ' tion cf Spiritual Gifts — the Deceiver ' eafily infinuated himfelf with moil fair ' Pretences, and led both hi?n and his Jilly

* JVomen captive,

^c xhey

( 8 )

Page 3|2.

350.

348.

cc

They were accounted by the Malti- ' tildes that were converted to them as the ' very Apojtles of the Lamb -, they expedted ' nothing lefs than that the JVorld fhould be ' brought to own them, and that then the ' ?iew yeriifalem out of Heaven fhould ' come down upon Earth,

" Whether the Enthiifiaftic Fajfion be ' confider'd as a Difcafe of the Mind and 'Spirits, 7:atiiralox Jiipernatwal^ ox mix' d^ ^ or as properly prcetcrnatural \ — it appears ' manifeftly from this Account — that it ' is now the fame as it was then ; as much ' as a Fever is now the fame as it was in

* the Days of Hippocrates,

" But if any one, through Tride or ' Vain-glory, through Rafhnefs or Curio- ' fity, or the like, be really acceffary to his ' own delufion ;— let him not feek to caft ' the blame upon God-, but be content to ' take all the Shame to himfelf. And if ' this fhould not work any good in the ' end to him ; but he fhould be totally de- ' liver'd up to the Devices of his own ' Hearty and the lying hifpirations of trea- ' cherous Spirits ; yet it may be a Means flill

* of much good to others, and a warning ' to take heed, lefl they be alfo overtaken ' with the fame Temptation/'

Thus far this learned Writer ; whofc en- tire Difcourfe deferves well to be perufed by every Pcrfon, as a proper Antidote

againfl:

( 9 )

againft the bane oiEnthufiafm, It cannot in- deed be faid, that the madnefs and prefump- tion of our modern Enthtifmjis come up to the MontanijU^ in all refpeBs, and to fo high a degree ; but ftill the Reader may eafily difcern the general Nature and Effefts of Rnthiifiafm -, and a conformity, in moft Particulars, between thofe former Fanatia and our Methodifls and Moravians.

§. 2. But 'tis time to come to a more di- rect Comparifon between Popiflo and Me^ thodifiical Enthufiafis, And if the Reader has fome Account of the moft wild and ex- travagant^ the moft ridiculous^ flroling^ fa- ?2atical, fra?itic, delirious^ and mifchievotis of all the Saints in the Romijh Conuniinion ; he muft confider, that otherwife the Parallel would not hold ; but come off lame and defedive. They are however, fome of the moft favourite and magnified Saifits among them, and moft of whom had the Honour of being Canonized. — As for inftance, the Se- raphic Father St. Francis, Founder of the Fryers Minors, thought at firft only a well- meaning, but weak Enthnjiaft, but after- wards turning out a mere Hypocrite and Impoflor : St. Dominic, Founder of the preaching Fryers, a Man of more defign, ferocity and pride ; the contriver and man- ager of that bleifed Inftrument of Conver- iion, the In qui fit ion : — St. Ignatius Loyola, C ' thai

( lO )

that errant lliatter-brain'd vifionary Fanatic ^ Founder of the moft Holy Order of the Je- JuitSy profefiedly inflkuted to extirpate the Reformation : — That }?nrroiir of PerfeBion, St. Anthony of Padua: — together with variety oi female Saifits^ Catherine of Sienna^ *Terefay Clara, Magdalen ofPazzi, &:c.

I would not be underflood to accufe the Methodi/ls directly of Popery ; though I am perfuaded they are doing the Paplfts work for them, and agree with them in feme of their Principles; — defigning only to fliew how uniformly both adl upon the fame Tlan^ (as far as Enthiifafm can be faid to carry on any Plan:)- — their Heads fill'd with much the fame grand ProjeBs, driven on in the fame wiid Manner ; and wearing the fame badge of Peculiarities in their Tenets : -— not perhaps from compaB and defign > but a fimilar Configuration and Texture of Brain^ or the fumes oi Imagi^ nation producing fimilar EfFeds.

§. 3. From a commiferation, or horrourj arifing from the grievous Corruptions cf the World, perhaps from a real Motive of fincere Piety, they both fet out with warm pretences to a Rifonriation. Wherein the Papifis ftand at leaft upon an equality, if they have not the Advantage 3 it being im- pofliblc for any Methodifi to exceed the ftrong Declarations of fervent Love to God and man, of burning zeal for the iialva-

tion

(II )

tion of Souls, which the Legends of the Saints afford in abundance. The Metho- diji, if he pleafeth, {hall apply to himfelf the moft flaming Characters on this Score : though he ihould " burn with unquench- able zeal of love to God a7id man, like St. Francis ; or be inflamed, like St. Ignatius, Bonaven- with a zeal of promoting God's honour ; ^^^' ^^^' referring all his aftions and purpofee to cap 9. G<?/s greater glory : this being his Holy Ribade- Ambition, the life and foul of all hisL^^^^; ^f aCtions". Nor do I believe that ^;^j)' £/2- the Saints. thujiaft ever fet out otherwife than uponP^^- 5^9- a zealous pretence of this Godly nature,

§. 4. For the better Advancement of their purpofes, both commonly begin their Adventures with field-preaching. In which particular, though the pradife of the Me^ thodifts be notorious, it may not be amifs to produce fome of their ov^n words -, were it only for the fake of the Cofnparifon,

METHODISTS.

Mr. Whitefield fays, " I never was more 3. Journ. acceptable to my Mailer, than when I w^as^^^^ ^^* ftanding to teach ni the opeji Fields,

'' I always find I have mofl: Poivcr, when 1 fpeak in the open Air, A proof this to me, th it God is pleafed with this way of Preachiiig. P^g- 69.

Preached at Kennington, But fach a C 2 Sight

f 12 )

Sight never were mine eyes blefled with before, — fifty thoufand People, — near fourfcore Coaches, — great number of Horfes. — I find myfelf more and more under a neceffity of going out into the Pag- r- Fields.

I defired to know what Law could

be produced againfl my preaching : In

my opinion there could be none ; becaufe

4 Journ. there 7ieve?^ was any fuch thing as Field-

pag. 27. preaching before.

A frefh inroad made into Satan'^ Ter- Pag. 5. ritories by Mr. Wejlef^ following me in Field-preaching,

And Mr. Seward acquaints us, how Journ. Whitefield preached from a balcony, — P3gs— 7.from a fcafFold, — from a horfe-block." —

Mr. Wepy fays, ' Had the Minijler of the Parifd preached like an Angela it had profited them nothing : For they heard him not'. But when one came and faid, ' Yonder is a man preaching on the top of the mountains', they ran in droves to hear. — Had it not been for Field-preaching, the Vncommonnefs of which is the very circumftance that App^el ^c(^^^n77iends it, they muft have run on in pag. 119. error".

T A p I ^ t: s.

" Peter of Verona, mirrour of Sandity, of the Holy Order of Friars Preachers^

had

( 13 ) _

hed a Divine talent in preaching ; neither Churches, nor Streets, nor Market-places could contain the great concourfe that reforted to hear his Sermons. — He was the hammer and thunderbolt to break and L,'vefof crufli Heretics, ~~ and made Inqnifitor to the Saints, puniih and perfecute them/ ^F^- ^9-

St. Nicolas of Nolafco^ one day as he v/as recolleded in prayer, heard a Voice from Heaven^ Crying) ' this is not the Place, in which I would have thee to be ; but that thou go forth into the 'Sield^ and treat with men, to the end that I may be glorified in Id.i;)ec.6. thee;.

St. Anthony cf Padtca was forced to preach in the open fields and largeji meadows^ becaufe the people followed in fuch num- bers, from cities, villap;es, and camps, that no Church could contain them. They got l«J- June up before day, and flocked to get places conformi- betimes. — The tradefmen all fliut up their tatum. fcops, till his Sermon was ended. And ^^^* ^'^• he was guarded by fome ftrong and flout men, — He was miraculoufly heard at two leagues diflance.

St. Ignatius preached in the open fields^ as the Churches could not hold the multi- tudes who flock'd, feveral miles, to hear him. Where it v/as obferved, as a thing more fhan human, that though he could not raife his voice, which was weak, every

word

( 14- )

Oriandius word of his Scrmon was heard by every ^ifiib!^!. ^^^y *^bove a quarter of a mile".

No. 1 1 6.

[I think Mr. Whitefield fpeaks fome- where of being heard plainly, at a greater difl.ince, and by above twenty thoufand People.]

Upon this Article I would make a cur- fory remark or two. How comes Mr. JVhite field to fay, there was never any fiicb thhig as Field-preaching before ? Was it from the mere Vanity of being thought the jRj^W^r of it ? Or was he ignorant of the pradice feveral years ago, and even in our own nation ?

Have not the Mefhodijl-Preachers^ as well as St. Anthony^ been attended with a fliirdy fet of Followers^ as their Guards, armed with clubs under their cloaths, me- nacing and terrifying fuch as fliould dare to fpeak lightly of their Apojtle ? I have heard it. often affirmed. So that Mr. Whitefield may well boaft of preaching ^jcurn. '^^^'^^ irrefijtible Tower ^ and Jinking all peg. 24. Oppofers dumb. 'Tis plain he feems him- felf to be aware of this tiirbtilent Spirit ^ this fighting Fjithufiafm, when idly ' fup- pofing his enemies fliould think they did God fervice to kill him\ he adds, ' I dread nothing more than the falfe Zeal of my pal'^ri. ^'^'ic^ids in ^xjuffering hour\

Again.

( 15 )

Again. 'Tls highly probable, that if any Parochial Minijier fliould acquaint his Parijloy &c. that next Sunday he would preach on yonder mountain^ he would have a larger congregation than in bis Church ? But would this do any real good? or could he juftify the irregularity ? But Mr- Wejley argues for the fpecial advantage of Field-preachings on the very account of its irregularity ; ^ the uncommonnefs being the very circumflancethat recommends it\ Some- thing incojifijlently : for he feeins to forget what he had faid, but a Page or two be- fore > ' we are notjuffered to preach in the * Churches ; elfe we fliould prefer them to aI\^\. any places whatever*. pag. 117.

Mr. Whitefield too * highly approves of our excellent Li^turgy, would Minifters 4 Jo^rn. lend him their Churches^ to ufe it'. ^^^* ^'

They are, you fee, never more accepta- ble to their Majier than in the fields,

Ciod is pleafed with this way of preaching, — they have raofl Power there. — But however, that's no matter : they would not mind tliat : Churches are preferable^ — if they could get them.

§. 5. After the Methodifts had traduced the Clergy s as long as they were permitted to do it, in their own Churches and Pulpits, in order to feduce their flocks, and colled: a flaring rabble | they fet about this pious

work

( i6 )

work of Defamation more heartily rn {\\c fields. Give me leave to 2;ather fome of their flowers on this occafion, \vhich are publilhed in their own Journals, &c.

" Went to St. Pciurs, and received the Blcfjed Sacrame?if\ [He might have add- ed, and within a few hours undertook the' hkfled ofice of hlackcn'mg the Clergy ; for] *' Preached in the Evcjiins; at Kenninzton^ Common : God gave me great Power, and I never opened my Mouth fo freely a- gainft the Letter-learned Clergymen of the Whitf. Church of E?2gland. — I Ihould not die in

4 journ. Peace, unlefs I bore my Teftimony again ft P^s- :)2' them. — My power and freedom of Speech

encreafed daily ; and this afternoon I was carried out much again iT the TJnchrifian principles and pradlices of the generality of

our Clergy, If I want to convince

Church of England "'Proteftants^ I nmli

prove that the generality of their Teachers

. do not preach, or live up to the truth, as

5 Journ. . . . V /^ ^

p.ig. 32. It IS in J ejus.

Woe be unto fuch blind leaders of the

blind. — How can you efcape the Dam-

Indwell- nation of Hell ? — Wolves in Sheep^s

Y"^}- cloathing. — Numbers of fuch as would

tell the people, that a decent^ genteel^ and

fapionahle religion ^ is fufficient to carry

them to Heaven'',

II, 12

4 Joorn pig. 8.

Th<

( 17 )

*^ The Scribes and Thar [fees of this ge- Seward^s neration (I mean xh^ Learned Rabbi' s ^pag!iY the Church of England) will perfecute the

Preachers and Followers of our Lord, j

Our Brother {JVhitefield) expeds to fufFer many things, to be fet at nought by the Rabbi's of our Churchy and perhaps at laft P^g. lu to be kiltd by them.

The Scarlet ^whore of Babylon is not more corrupt, either in principle, or prac- Pag. 45. tice, than the Church of England, — A fecond Letter againft the Traytor Arch^ bifljop Tilloifon, — fudas fold his Lord for thirty pieces of Silver : the Archbijhop got a better price, perhaps thirty bags oj gold^ ^^' ^' or more".

For the Abufes of the Clergy from Mr. We fey (which are not fo grofs^ but more artful ) I refer the Reader to Mr. Church' i farther Remarks, Pag. 1 o 5 — 198.

But what a wickednefs is it, to throw out {o much gall of bitter nefs againft per-* fons^ whofe chief Pov/er of doing any good^ and promoting the conunon Salvation^ de- pends upon their CharaBer ? And how much greater, to impute this black art of Calumny to the Spirit y and Power given from God ?

§. 6. But though thtk/lrolling Predicants

have allured fome itching earSy and drawn

them afide by calumniating their proper

D Taflors',

( i8 )

^djiors ; they have Senfe enough to know the itch will go off, and their trade not continue long, unkfs they can produce fomething /lOvely. or uncommon ; what the wandering Sheep have not been ufed to in their Churches. Therefore they muft find out, or ratlier revive fuch peculiarities^ as have formerly attended EnthuftafmSy and are moft likely to captivate the Vulgar. Hence their afFeded phrafes, fantaftical and unintelligible notions, whimfical ftrid:- iieiTes, loud exclamations againft fome tri- fling and indifferent things ; which are matters of Pxiere difcretion 3 things innocent,, and perhaps fometimes iifefid ^ and only jinful when carried into excefs. And great zeal is here employed. Accordingly, if diverfc particuiars of no great moment in themfelves are here draw^n together -, 'tis only to difcover that Family4ikenefs^ even in the fmalkji features, which has diftin- guifhed the Ejitbufiajh and pretended Pie-- tifts of all Ages ; particularly thofe nov/ under Comparifon. It may be fome trou- ble to run over the whole Bead-roll of the Saint's Rofary. But it will appear to con- Sft of ten Ave Mary's to one Pater-^iofter : i. e. abundance oi fooleries in proportion to any fingle y^omX. profitable,

§. 7. The firft necefjary point for draw- ing followers is to put on a fandlified ap- pearance y

( 19 )

pearnnce 3 by a demure look, precife be- haviour, in difcourfe or filence, apparel and food ; and other marks of external Piety. For which reafon Mr. Wejley very- wifely made, and refiewed^ that noble '' refolution, not willingly to indulge himfelf in the leaft levity of behaviour, or in laughter^ no, not for a momefii. — To fpeak no word, not tending to the GZ?ry 2 Joum. of God : and not a tittle of worldly things r P^S- 1^- Which may ferve to ihew what ufeful members of Society fuch perfons would make ; though from human Infirmity the Refolver himfelf has fometimes forgot his vow. But perhaps he may be provoked to a more exacl conduct, when he reads, '^ how grievoufiy the Seraphic Mechtildis }^^f^ difciplin'd and tortur'd herfelf for having cap.\ 6.* once fpoke an idle word ; and what a hei- Buiiar. Pii nous Sin (he deem'd it to laugh : — that ^'^""'^• not a word ever fell from St. Catharine of Siennay that was not religious and Holy : — That the lips of Magdalen of Pazzi w^re never opened, but to chant th^ prai/es cf God. — That a certain Aiiot refufed to afiift his friend in getting his Ox out of a quagmire, for fear of meddling with world- Marul.liK /y tbi77zs ; — and a Monk would not difco- ^ ^^^ /'

1 ' r 1 r 1 1 r \ r 1 Dauroult.

ver a tmej that jtole a horje, becaule then cap. 7. he muft {"^^dk. oi fecular matters''. Tit. So.

D 2 As

_ ( 20 )

As laughter is a faculty peculiar to the Hu- man Species, the Refolution of a Religions Melancholijt entirely to difcard it may be reckon'd a little EJjay towards putting away ' the Properties of a rational Creature.

§. 8. At firft the Methodijls, as lajhew of Humility., made it a point not to ride^ either on Horfeback, or in a Coach : though occa- fionally, and for Conveniency fake, they have fince thought proper to deviate from Dealing's their Rule. " I could no longer, fays Mn ^ eatings, ^/^/^^^/^^ ^.^[j^ oufoot, as ufual ; but was

conftrained to go in a Coach, to avoid the Hofanna's of the Multitude." Very pro- fane, unlefs it be a falfe print for Huzza's, Conform. So was it one of St. ir^^^m's i?z//^^, ''ne- foi. ,14, ver to ride, but only in Cafes of manifeft ''^- Neceffity, or Infirmity." St. Ignatius Loyola, and his meek Society of J^T^/Vj, al- ways walk'd on foot 5 and could never be

nir^efui"' ^"^^^'^ .^^ ^^^ ^"y ^^^^^ ^f Carriage, — To "^^^^."^'ufe Chairs, and Chariots was a grievous Sin, and abhor'd by the Society.""

§. 9. Upon the fame Account/;/^ Cloaths, and rich Furniture, ftand abfolutely con- demned-, though in many Cafes they may be proper and right, as fuitable to People^s Rank, Condition, and Station. And when the Cynic, Diogenes, trod difdainfully upon ^fne Carpet of Plato' ^, faying, ' ' fee how I

trample

( 21 )

tmmple upon TIato's Pn{ie\ -^The Philo- fopher iufdy anfvver'd, ' but with greater * Pride of thy oim,'

Mr. JVeJley gives us this as the general Charaaer Character of a Methodlft, '' He cannot ""^^^l^' adorn himfelf, on any pretence^ with Gold^ No. 15'. Or cojtly Apparel'" Hence he undertook that unfuccefsful Difpute with a ^laker^ " v/ho could not be convinced of any harm - foumal '' in coftly Apparel, or Furniture, fo that it page 58. ' '' were Plain,'',

" St. Francis would always wear Appa- Conform. rel of the vileft fort • never any thing that ^"^^^ "J-^- was Siunptiious 5 that being an exti?iBion of Grace, — A certain Jefuit had fuch in-pranc.An- fluence on the Ladies^ that they threw "^1. Jefuit. away all their I'ain Garments^ and whatever^' ^^'^* might help to fet off their Beauty''

St. IgnatiuSy by preaching powerfully g,j.^^iyj_ againfly?;?^' Cloaths, made the Women weep, taignat. tear their Hair, and charming Faces, and P' ^'^^' throw away their vain Ornaments, — Mag- Life, No. d^alen of Pazzi^ when but a Child, would -• rejedt all foft and delicate Clcathi?ig^ and wear only what was coaffe and ugly.

§. 10. But oh! (as a part, or confe- quence of this) how good, and Saint-like it is, to go dirty, raggedy and fovenly ? And how pioujly did Mr. " Whitefield therefore id journ, take Care of the outward Man ? My Ap- ^^a. z. parel was mean — thought it unbecoming a

Penitent

( 22 )

Penitent to have powder d Hair : — I wore Woollen Gloves, a patched Gown^ and J/>/y Shoesr Rib-^den. Thus his PrcdecefTor in Saintjfhip " ^- Vjt.lgnat. natius lov'd to appear abroad with old dirty Shoes, us'd no Comh, let his Hair clot, and would never pair his Nails, — A certain Jefuit was fo holy that he had above a hun- dred and fifty patches upon his Breeches, and proportionably on his other Garments. Franc. An — Another had almofl three hund^td patches: nal. Jeruit. ^j^(j j^jg Garments after his Death were 35^.^ ' hung up to public View, as an incentive to imitation J' And was there not a Reafon ? Conform. For ^' St. Fraucis found by certiin expc- fol.243. rience, that the Devils were frighted away by coarfe rough Garments ; but were ani- mated by foft Raiment to tempt the wearers. And Friar Bartholomew hath laid it down as a Ruky that Men muft have dirty Bodies, if they would have pure Soids,''

§. II. Of this nature likewife is their

utter condemnation of all Recreation and

Diverfion, in every kind and degree, Mr.

iftDeal- Whitefield laments that, in his younger

*"^'^*'^' Days, *'he was not yet convinced of the

ahjolute tinlawfulnefs of playing at CardSy

and of reading and feeing Plays'", But

afterwards, in his Letter from New Briinf-

page 7. wick he declares, " that 7io Recreations,

confider'd as fuch, can be innocent. — I now

began

( 23 ) _

began to attack the Devil in \\\% Jlrongefl 4 Journal, holds^ and bore Teftimony againft the de- ^' ^°* tefliable DiveiTions of this Generation. — Dancers pleale the Devil in every ftep — lb. p. -]-]. Some were very ftrenuous in defence of what they call'd innocent Diver fions^ — but are contrary to the "whole tenour of the Gofpel : — not only fo many trifling Amufe- ^ journal, ments, but Things v^^hich fhew that theP-5S>59- Heart is ^ivholly ahenated from the Life of God, — I hoped we had demolifhed Satan s Steward's ftrongeil hold in Philadelphia-, the Dancing- J^'^'""- P- School^ A(jemhltes, and Mufic-meetings^ thofe Houfes of Baal

And v/hat fays the Fapijl ? " St. Do- viinic f v/ho had fuch Power of Adjuration over the Devil, as to compel him to anfwer truly to all his Queftions) afked him what was his Opinion concerning the place of Recreations ; who anfwer'd, with a loud and fcornful laugh, * all this Place is my Ribaden. own : for here they tell impertinent News, "^" ''" ^ ^c, — St. Ignatius by declaiming againft ^^if^^^' Cards and Dice prevailed upon a whole p. X^q. Town to throw them into the River :* — and there was no more play there for three Years.''

Our love of Recreations and Diverfons has indeed confeffedly exceeded all bounds ; and calls loudly for fome redrefs. But to break out wildly againft every inftance and degree of them, is the diredl way to render

our

( 24 )

our Complaints fruitlefs and ridiculous. It has neither Reafon nor Scripture, to fup- port it. But Moderation^ Reafon and Scrips ture are Things unregarded by Enthiifiajis ; who muft ad in Charader. They cannot, they dare not allow any thing that carries the name or face of Recreation and Chear^ fidnefs ', for fear of difperfing a little of that black bile, that gloomy humour, which is the moil: efjential Ingredient^ in their Re- ligion.

§. 12. As to the fee?ning contempt of Money, you may fee, if you pleafe, and admire Mr. IVejley^ Declamatory rant ; '' As to Gold and Silver I count it dung and drofs : I trample it under my Feet. I efteem it juft as the mire in the Streets, — It muifl indeed pafs tlirough my Hands j but (liall only pafs through : it ihall not ifi Appeal ^^^ there. None of the Accurfed thing Ko. i8. fi:ia!l be found in my 'Tent, when the Lord calleth me hence, £ft\"

But even this falls fhort of St. Francis, *^ He had fuch a deteflation of Money, that, if by chance he found any in the way, he would not permit himfelf, or Brethren, fo much as to touch it. Once the Devil, to tnfnare him, laid a Twrfe in his way, fcemingly full o't Money, But he knowing it was a DeviN trick ibthids his Companion 10 take it up : who ftrongly preffing to do

it

( 25 )

k for the (like of giving to the Poor^ St.^onform, 'Francis affcnted : and upon opening the^*^^" Purfe out iiarts the Derail in the fhape of a Serpent^ and fuddenly difappear'd^ Purfe and all. — Hence he folemnly refolv'd to ftick to Poverty as long as he liv'd.— ikfow^^fol 217^ was to him the mofl execrable of things ; he gave it a hearty ciir[e^ and fled from it as from the Devil, Ditng^ and Money ^ and Satan were the fame Thing to him. — He orders a Friar ^ who had placed in a Win-foi.219. dow fome Money collected at the Altar ^ to take it in his Month, [for the Rule would not permit to touch it with his Fingers^ and go out and throw it upon the dung of an Afs.'' — St. Ignatius indeed (as well as the Metbodifts) " would fometimes con- Bart. Vit. defcend to accept of fome fmall pieces of ^"g^^*!*' Money, to give to the Poor. — But St. PbiL Neriics was fuch a lover of Poverty, that he frequently befought Almighty God to bring him to that State as to ftand in need of a Penriy^ and find no body that Ribaden,_ would give him one." "^^Z^l 9".

The Profefjion of Poverty^ as well as Chajlity^ is indeed the common Vow of all the Monaflic Orders ; the Inflitution of which is call'd the 7nojl perfeB State of Life. But either by means oi papal Relaxations and Indulgencies^ or their own carnal Af- feBions^ both thefe Vows are commonly obferv'd alike. One ConjiitiUion of the fe^

E fiiits

C 26 )

fuitsm particular is — Food, Raiment, and Conft. 25/Bed of the vileft fort, for their gYt^lQV fpi- ritual Profxie?2C)\

^. 13. Another bait to catch Admirers, and very common among Enthiijiajh, is a reftlefs impatience and inlatiable thirft of travellings and undertaking dangerous Vcy- a^esy for the Converfion of Infidels 5 toge- ther with a declared Coyiterapt of all dangers^ pains, and Sufferings. They muil defire^ lo-ce and pray for ill Ufage, Perfccution:, MarUrdom^, Death and lielh

Accordingly, our Itinerant Metkodifis arc fond of expreffing their Zeal on this Ac- count. Mr. IVhitefield, fays, ''when Letters came from Meffrs. Wefieys, and Ingham, their Fellow-Labourer, — their Accounts fired my Soid, made m.e even lo-ng to go abroad for God too : — though too v/eak ia body — I felt at times fuch a ftrong Attrac- tion in my Soul towards Georgia^ that E thought it almoft irrcfijtible. — The Thoughts of it crowded continually in upon me.— Upon reading this {Letters from Partner abroad for jnore Labourers) my Heart leaped Dealings, ^yithln me, and as it 'WC7r ecchoed to the \i^,\%^' Call : — was impatient to go abroad.''

Mr. Wefiey fcts forth pathetically ^ and not without feme Degree of ijifult on the rcgidar Minificrs who ftay at home, - — • *'' their Defire of going on in toil, in wea-

rinefs-

( 27 ) rinefs, in painfulnefs, in cold and hunger, — Summer-fun, and winter-rain and wind.,, upon the naked head 3 perils by land, perils by water,; — hurried away to America^ — a readinefs to go to Abyjjinia or China. And much more in the Spirit of rambling Sifff-eri?igs^ and Martyrdom J '

But all this only fliews the natural un- fettled humour, the rapid motion of En- ihufiajlic heads. And we may affure them that the zealous impatience^ and real wand- rings and fufferings of Popijh Fanatics^ are by all Accounts greatly fnperior, " Oh ! Life^N©. how many times have the Nuns feen their 5°- Sifler of Pazzi drunk with Zeal for the Can ver lion of Sinners and Irifidels. — run about the Cloyflers and Gardens^ and other places^ bemoaning herfelf that fhe was not a Man — to go abroad^ and gain erring Souls."

The Wind-mill is indeed in all their Heads. And in fa^ 'tis almoft incredible what Miferies were endur'd by St. Francis^ in his Heroic Voyage to convert the Sultan of Egypt y in that of St, Anilmiy into Africa^ to convert the Moors^ and of St, Ig72atius to convert the Turks: Exploits much more dangerous and terrible than a Voyage to the Weft-Indies^ &cc.**

As to their love of difgrace ; it mull fairly be owned, in a great meafure, to be true, Otherwife they would never have E z Tu

( 28 )

Publijled that CoIIccHqji of their cum Fool- eries and faults, extravagant v/himfies, and prefumptions, pretenfions, &c, in their 'journals. —

Sometimes indeed we find Mr. Wejley bitterly and feelingly complaining " of the Sccffs, both of the Great Vulgar^ and the fmall ; contempt and reproach of every kind ; fometimes more than verbal affronts, ftupid, brutal violence ; — and (in a moft elegant flyle) from the Scum of Cornwal, ike rabble of Bilfton a72d Darlefton, the /pp/pag. 'zcvY^ beafts of Walfal, and the Turnkeys of 119, 13^- New^gate". But, at other times, the note is changed^ — *' and with regard to con- tempt, hate, calumny, Ferfecution^ &c. — till he is thus defpifed, no man is in a State of Salvation, — Being defpifed is abfolutely neceffary to our doing good in 3 journ. the world. — God forbid that you Hiould P- 35—7- be otherwife than generally fcandaloiis 5 I ^^' had almoft fiiid iiniverfally\

3 Journ. " Mr. Whitefield rejoices exceedingly at P- 45- the thought, that they fhould one day be

fent to Prifon, — Refreflied with the news, that the Landlord would not let us flay under his roof 3 — and at the fv/eets of op- pofition ; — receiving a blow from a Cud-

4 Journ. gel-player with the utmoft love'\ Again, p. 8. he- is quite in hafte for Terfeciition^ call- ing upon the Devil to bring it on. " The hour of Perfecution is not yet come. I

k really

( 29 ) really wonder it comes no fafter. Satan^ 4 Journ. why Jlecpejl thour' ^''^/^'

Mr. Seimrd - trufts that, for the Brr- ^^^^-P^^' threij^s Hike, he could leap into a burning Jiery furnace^ without fear of the flames, which would ferve as a fiery Chariot to carry his Soul to God",

l^he f\me love of contempt, abufe and injury ; the fame arde?2t thirft after Perfe- cution and Martyrdom pofTcffed their Com- petitors in propagating true Religion,

" St. Francis wiflies, and gives orders, ^^"^^''^^

that he may be difgraced by all. He ^o/Rjb'a-

was not able to reft for the burning defire den. pag. oi Martyrdom" , ^62.

St. Ignatius defired to be mock'd, and laugh'd at by all ; — in the fervour of his mind would have gone about the fl:reets naked, and like a fool ; that the boys of the Town might have made fport with him, and thrown dirt upon him. — St. Ribaden, Dominic defired to be contemned, and pag. 535- trampled upon by all the world j — took great pleafure in vifiting the Villages^ where he was affronted and abufed j — had a longing to die for Chrijl by the moft ex- ^^^'^; P^^' quifite and bitter pains. — St. Anthony moft earneftly begged of Almighty Gody the ibid. pag. favour and grace oi Martyrdom. 393-

The zealous Magdalen of Pazzi made a Life Protefiaticn to delight in contempt arid con- ^^40. fufion^ as God delights in himfelf. For

<' that

( 30 )

"^ that confufion is iny Centre ^ as God is his cuon Centre,

St. 'Terefa ftrongly burns for Martyr- dom at Jix or y^i;^;; years of age ^ — and afterwards for many years had wifhed, that her whole hfe were full of Sufferings

Ibid- psg. and Perfecr.tions. And the yefuits have,

' ' 'in an eipeclal manner, with great alacrity devoted themfelves (and I wifh they had never devoted any but themfelves) to the

VYzncAn-fMmeSy th^fword, or any fpecies of Perfe-

xial.p. i4.cution".

'Tis obvious here to remark, — how httle the Aiethodijh know of their ow?i Spirits^ and what danger they would be in oi failing (which may be proved too in fah ) in a fnffering hour : — - That they, who are of fuch an iinfteady temper, and fo often fall into fears^ de'jeBions^ defers tions^ defpondcjicies^ &c, are fome of the laft men living that ihould be fo impor- tunate for expofing themfelves : — And that this condu6l may well be looked upon as a falfe ojtefitatmi of zeal^ and high pre^ fumption in any of the moft fteady Chrif- tians ', feeing the Lord hath commanded * to watch and pray, left ye enter into Temptation ; to pray, that God would not lead us into Temptation, but deliver us from evil ', and, when ye are perfecuted in one Cityy fly unto another'.

( 31 )

§. 14. The pious cruelty of Corporal Severities, or mortification by tormenting the flefh, is another common method of gaining a reputation for SanBity, Such as long and rigorous faftings ; gafliing and flaying the body with fcourges, and thofe armed with rowels and £l:iarp tags 5 rolling - naked in thorns and thirties, G?c. The accounts we have of thefe unnatural ex- ercifes among PopiJJo Fanatics are of that nature and degree, as fcarce to be credit- ed, or exceeded \ and what our own D//^ ciplinariam cannot, in any tolerable mea- fure, pretend to come up to. Something however of this kind we have from their own relation.

Mr. Whitefield fays of the Methodijfs in /• ^eal- general at Oxford^ that " they kept their ^"^^" ^'^* bodies under, even to an extreme, — And of himfelf, — though I fometimes fell in- y X.0 Senfuality \ — I left of reating fruits, and the like ; — I faded twice a week. — In Le7it eat nothing (except on Sunday) but [age tea w^ithout fugar, and coarfe bread, — eat the word fort of food y conftantly walked out in the mornings, till part of one of my hands was quite black. This, with continued abftinencc and inward con- flii^s, fo emaciated my body, — that I could fcarce creep up flairs, — and wasib. Sea. 2. obliged to have a Fhyfician\^

Under

( 32 )

Builar. Under fuch a high principle of mortifi-

''°'-^\, cation, *' St. Bridget refolved to eat no-

^* ' thing but bread and water, and (becaufe

that was not bitter enough) would needs

hold Gentian-root commonly in her mouth.

gj.g^^ . — St. Alcantara chofe wormwood for his

Rom. diet. — A Francifan would always dip

mu" Fol. l^is bread in wormwood-water. — St. Francis

64. of Rome would eat bitter herbs without

Ribaden. -yy

St. Ignatius was always exercifing fuch kind of aujierities, and always dangerouf- ly ill by them. He, and many others, brought themfelves to death's door ; and were compelled to have recourfe to Thy- ficians and Surgeons.

Mr. Wejley oftentatioufly boafls, ' of

bearing heat and cold on the naked head,

rain and wind, froft and fnow, as fome of

Laft App theiryk^//^ inconveniencies'. — And ano-

pag. 119. ther time he tells us, ' Our bed being

wet, I laid me down on the floor ^ and

flept found till morning. And I believe

I {hall not find it needful to go to bed^ as

1 journ. *tis called, any more". But his old Friends

jan.^ 30, Q^t.fli-ip hin^^ St. Ignatius ufed no other

bed than a boards or the bare growid. St.

liominic the fame ; and fifty others of the

chojen AnticbrijUan Saints.

St. Francis happening once to ufe a pillow^ on account of illnefs, the Demi got into his pillow^ and made him uneafy

all

53-

( 33 ) ^

all night. But upon his ordering the />//- Confo^- loWy with the Devi/ in it, to be carried "^' ' ^^' away, he prefently recovered".

Whether Mr. Wejley has not went to I?ed fince that time others may know as well as himfelf. But 'tis eafy to forefee, that in fome future Cale?2dar, or Legend of the Saints^ with what probability it may be inferted, Jan. 30, 1735. * From this day Mr. J, Wejley never went to bed any more ; but always lay on the bare ground^ in imitation of the Saints^ Ignatius^ Fran- cis^ &c.'

And however ridiculous or improbable this may be thought ; I am fully per- fuaded that /7/^;/y, if not mojl^ of the Stories^ with which the Pope's Religious Romances are fluffed, have been raifed upon a Jlighter fciindation. Other inftances of this nature will come afterwards.

But hov^ever that may happen ; the Apofilcy I am fure, condemns, as ujelefs and fiiper/litioiis^ that a.:^tiyict cco{/,ct70iy the not /paring of the body. And it has frequently proved nothing lefs than Self-fmirther. But 'tis requifite this voluntary falfe fhew of humility fhould be fometimes kept up, that common Chrijtians may be thought to walk according to the flefl^ ; and the ncm^ Reformers alone be prefumed as followers of an abftemious and Spiritual life,

F §, 15.

( 34 )

§. 15. To theie fufferings may be added-

— the ftraggles and pangs of the 72ew birth, almoft to^^jLiX to \ht torments of Hell y.

— dereliffions, terrors^ defpairings, com- bats with Saia?2, &c\ Of v/hich more in the Sequel.

A word or two at prefent of their will- ingnefs, and ardent delire to endure pam- and torment y even Hell itfelf for the Love of God^ and advancement of his Glory.

Among fome Enthiifiaftic Ranters^ Pa- ptftical Myftics, and others, fuch an ex- ceffive and difmterefted hove of God has been infiiled on, as Ihould oblige us to love him.j though w^e were fure of being damned 'j and even to keep up that love during the whole eternal State of damiia* tion.

As I have been no great dealer in fuch Authors, I fhall let the Jefuit Niere?nberg De Ado- fpeak for all ; who makes this a neceiiary cao. s'^' '' GonfeJJion of a true Penitent. *^ I would willingly for the lighteft and moft venial Sin fufter the torments of Helly — and even for another's Sin. — I dejire to go to Helly and he at the feet of Lucifer^ JudaSy &c. But am fo great a Sinner, as to be unworthy even of a place there. — There is ?w per-* ^>b. 3. fe^ Love, or repentance, unlefs for the ^''^' ^' leaft Sin you are willing to bear the tor- tures oj Hell".

Mr..

{ 35 )

■ Mr. We/ley plainly adopts this doclrine for his own, when he fa3'S, *' I was fur- pj^^g"* prifed to find one of the moft controvert- ed Queflions in Divinity, difaiterefted LovCy decided by a poor old man, v/ithout edu- cation, or learning, or any inftrudor ; but the Spirit of God, I asked him what he thought of Fnradife ? — He faid, to be fure, it is a fine place. But I do not mind that. I do not care what place I am in. Let God put me ipjhere he will, or do with me what he will, fo I may fet forth his honour and glory".

One might here obferve, how eafy a thing it is for perfons, who deem them- felves Favouf'ites of Heaven, in the heat of imagination to talk at this rate. But does the DoBrine of Afjurances convince them, that they could dwell in Everlafting bur?!" ingSy without complaining, or any abate- ment of the Love of God ? And befides, how idle is it to be putting an impoJHbk cafe J and to fuppofe it corififtent with the glory of God, his efjential good?iefs, and good^iefs to mankind^ that any true Penitent and true hover of God fliould finally be condemned to Hell-torments'?

Mr. Wefley in that exorbitant flrain,

4 Journ.

T>oom, if thou canft, to eiidkfs painSy And drive me from thy face ^

F 2 feems

( 36 )

leems daringly and prefumptuoufly to bid defiance to the power or Juftice of God. ^'^2 37- But in his Anfwer to Mr, Church he ex- plains himfelf thus ; " If thou can'ft de- ny thyfelf, if thou can'ft forget to be gra- cious, if thou can'ft ceafe to be truth and !ove\ All thefe amiable Attributes it feems mufl be forfeited, if Heaijeji could doom to punifliment fuch a precious Soul. But this explanation of his looks like eva- fwfty and could fcarce be his original mean^ Ing : But God's power ^ or juftice muft be intended -, becaufe he fpeaks of God's Love, in the very next lines, by way of dijiinBiofi^ or as the oppojite altemmtive^

But ij thy ftronger love conjlrains^ Let me be faved by Grace,

§. 1 6. We find other expreffions and

notions, which imply either a Stoical in-^

fenfihility under pain and torture 5 or elfe

a deflre of them ; not the leaft defire of

having them removed^ or ajjuaged^ though

felt in the highell degree. As that of Mr.

IVefiey, produced for " ^n inftance of that

XlT'lo, ftrange truth, ih^^t the fervaitts of God fuffer

\u nothing, — I dined with one, who told me

in all fimplicity, ' Sir, I thought laft week

tPiere could be no fuch rcfi as you defcribe^

none in the world, wherein we fhould be

fo free as not to defire cafe in pain* But

God

( 37 )

God has taught me better. For on Friday and Saturday^ when I was in the firongeft pairiy I never once had one moment's defire ofeafe'\

Mr. Wejley^ having difcourfed of this, and defcribed it to the perfon concerned, fufficiently lliews it to have been his dodrine. Let us fee if it cannot be paral- lelled from the Papacy,

*' St. Francis vifited with the moft grie- vous fufFerings would by no means allow them to be called pains-, and throv^ing himfelf on the ground with a violence, that almoft broke his bones, begs of G(?i^;^"^''^"' to addx.o bis fufFerings an hundred fold ^ — i^.' ^^^* deiires a continuance and reneival of tor- ^ r

1 7 r ' t 7 J' Confor-

ment, — and even to dejpair and derelic- m\t. Foi. tion''. — At another time, hovi^ever, he is 4^, 4^- in a quite different m.ood -, and his zeal tempered with prudence^ when a real and very fenfible torture was before his eyes. For '' being obliged to undergo a Caute- rizing for a difeafe in his eyes, he was fo frighted v/ith the Sight of the red-hot iron^ that he commanded the iron in the name of Chrift fo to temper its heat, that he might jfe;^^//)' feel the burning. And v/hen the hijfing iron was plung'd into his ten- der flefh, he cried out exultingly, * Bleffed be God', for to fay the truth, the burning ^^^^• fire gave me no moleflation, nor did any F°!!Jcirc. pain of the flefh affed: me, oa. lo.

St,

( 38 )

Bartol. St. Ignatius felt and experienced the

Vit.ignat. ^1^^^^^^ of regeneration to be as bad as Tit'ssa Hell; and yet is all on fire to promote God's glory, though at the lofs of all the earth, and even Heaven, Ribaden. St. Tcvefa was under great aridifies^ for FS-799- 2 2 years; yet never in all that time did it come into her thoughts to defire more com- fort, and fhe asked of the Lord, that fhe might never be v^ithout pain. She even bore the pangs of the new birth for ano- ther, a new Convert ; ' v^ho having at her perfuafion left certain abominable Sins, but fuch Temptations frill remaining, that he knew himfelf to be in Hell-, — She be- fought the Lord to aiiuage the pains of that poor Soul ; and that the Devils, who were the caufes of it, might come and torment her. — And (lie fuffered for the fpace of a month the mojt furious and Ibid, fir ange pains, — And we have a Fope's Bull to affure us, that Catharine of Sienna was Eullar. often fo carried beyond herfelf, that when Vol. i. prick'd, or beaten, flie had not the leaft I^'2-29i-/^^//;;^of pain".

M, Magdalen of Pazzi (a Canonized Saint) carries this point fo far, that " Ihe defires and entreats her Saviour to grant her fuch a fuffering as is pure gall, the bottom of the cup mixed with wormwood, myrrh and vinegar, which he drank on the Crofsj without the leaft confolation ei- ther

( 39 )

ther from Heaven or earth, — And flie re- peated often, ^ I am not forward and in haft to go to Paradife ^ for that is not a gee her place of ftifferingy but delight. This, in Lire. my opinion, is what is '^joanting i?i the State ^^^' ^ cf the Bk[jU\

With refpedl to all tliis patient enduring^ or rather love of hardlliips, dangers, pain, &c, — it hath been remarked by learned Authors^ that fome perfons from* conjtitii^ tional temper and complexion have even been fond of bearing the worft that could befall them ; could not be eafy and con- tented without them : — that otiiers from a flurdy kiirnour and pertinacious refolution, egg'd on by the force of education, emu- lation, a point of honour or obflinate pride, have brought themfelvcs to make light of the moft exquifite fufterings and tor- tures; fcarce feeming to feel them, and even laughing at them : — That when £;/- thiijiafm comes in, in aid of this natural or acquired fturdinefs; and Men fancy they are upon God'i work^ and entitled to h.is rewards ; they are immediately all on fire for ruihing into fufterings and pain ; and forrow is turned into joy before them. The Iblid and juft comforts, v^^hich a true Mar- tyr receives from above are groundielly applied to the Counterfeit,

And, at beft, whatever degree of 7nerit our Mcthodifs may clain) on this fcorc;

all

( 40 ) _ :J! is but an humble imitation of the moft Fafiatical Deceivers in the moft cor- 7'upt Commimion in the Chrijlian world.

It may moreover be obferved^ that both antient and modern Ejithiifiaft s al- ways take care to fecure fome advantage by their Sufferings 5 and thereby prove their Love of God not fo very difmterefted. For they brag of receiving larger favours^ and freer' Conimunicatiom with God under their preffures, or have fuller Manifefta-^ tio?2s of his goodnefs immediately after. And efpecially their chief Security lies in a pretended arrival, or approach to a State of PerfcBion^ and to an Affurance of Sal- vation. And v^ho then fhall be afraid ? A man need not much fcruple throwing out fome expreffions of a readinefs to un« dergo pains equal to Hell^ or Hell itfelf ; who is afiired, knows and feels that he is going into PerfeBion^ and may depend upon Salvation.

§. 17. But previous to this elevated State, (that we may not wander too far from the Saijifs progrefs) comes their Con- 'verfim ; which, as another inftancc of Fa- natical peculiarities^ they reprefent ':L^fudden and inftantaneous ; and prepare their FoU lowers to expeft it.

And

( 41 )

, And though I do by no Means deny that the Holy Spirit may, or fometimes doth, by fome extraordinary Adl of Grace, throw fuch a light and influence on the Mind of Man, as fuddenly to arrefl him, as it were, in the midft of a wicked and unbelieving courfe : Yet furely this is not to be ex- peded of courfe ; the ordinary Method of Heaven being that of drawing us by gradual M^ans, good Education and Initru(fLion \ improvements by Learning, Reading and Studying the Holy Scriptures; which di- / reft, in an honcft and good Heart, to/ ^ grow i?i Grace, and build up ourf elves irv our holy Faith 3 and not prefume that v/e fhall ftart up perfeB Men at once."

Thus " Faith, and being borji of God:, We/ley, are faid to be an Inflantaiieous work, at 2 Jo^^n. once, and in a tnoment, as lig-ht-ning-, yulti- \^^' !^' jication, the lame as Regeneration, and hav- ing a livi72g faith,— in\^ always in a moment, xb. p. 39. — My being born of God was an Inftanta- neous ad, enabling me from that moment to be more than Cojiqueror over thofe Corrup- 3 journa?, tions, which before I w^as always a fiave to. P- J^- — Very many Perfons chang'd in a mo- ment, — always fuddenly, as far as I have lb. p. 49. known. —

By the Words, being faved by Faith, ^TiAppi. we mean, that in the moment a Man re- ^^^' ^''' ceives that Faith, be is fav'd from doubt, G fear,

(42) fear, forroiv, from all his Sins, vicious Defires, &c,''

And how ftands the cafe of Topiflo En- Rrb".der. thufiafts as to this Article? ^' After St. pag. 750. f^.^^ja had long tried to be Holy to no pur- pofe, the Lord of hearts did it all m a mo- ment y and (he was from that time effedtu- ally changed. ■ —

St. Ignatius, by a fiidden light receives Faith, and the complete Pej^feBion of Di- vine Sand:ity : — fo that he rifeth up a 7jew Orland. ]^an—2i pcrfeB Man in Chrijt.^ — The fame fuit.hb^'i. ^^int, by a vifit from the Virgin Mary and cap. 22. "Jejiis Ckrift, has all Images of obfcurity fui'T^' wiped from his Heart, and from that i7jftant Kbaden, finds no morc any fenfe of Luft. — Another P^S- 391- of their Converts is iiiftantly dehver'd from Concupifcence by putting on St. Anthony's Garment. — St. Conrade^ a Domiizican^ after having cruelly difciplin'd himfelf to extin- guifh his irregular Emotions, by the Virgin Mary's, coming, and anointing his Reins, never more felt the Thorn in the Flejh. — TJallngh. Tho?n. Aquinas had a ^cijion of Angels bind- ing his Loins, and thence forward had not Brev. the leaft feeling of Concupifcence. — And I mT- could produce feven or eight of his Holi- nefs's, Sai^its^ who Vv^ere cur'd of the fame defire by vijioiis of Angels appearing, and caitrating them with proper Inftruments.*'

It

( 43 )

tt muft indeed be confefs'd, that moH of the above mention'd Inftantanecii^ Converfio72S were from carnal ConcupifceijceMut unfortu- nately, no fuch violent Meafures have been taken with fome of our eminent McthodiftSy and their behaviour has been fuch, as to hinder the Comparifon frorii tallying in this .. particular.

§. 1 8. After thefe fiiddcn Cojiverjions ufj- ally they receive their Ajjiirances of S ah a- j tion ;— and thefe (as alfo the proofs of their ' Co?2verfon) are certainly kjiown^ beard ^ feen • or felt 'y they can afcertain the particular time and place of their receiving them j as fo many Seals of the Spirit,

" All this while I was afjurd God had 7;''^^*- forgiven me. — It is a dreadful mifcake to \z^^^i^, deny the Dodrine of Afjuranccs : — all ought to labour after it.— I know numbers, whofe Salvation is written upon their hearts, as it were with a Sim-beatn, — Prayer for Ajjlirance oj eternal Salvation. — Oh ! (fays '^- P- ^^* another) I cannot be freed from doubting, ^' till I have more Infallible Afjurances : — ^ ,pi ^^ till I bear Chrift fpeaking to me, fo that I Whitfield's may be fenfible in that very hour^ that it is ^^^'^\ ^ he that fpeaketh." L. p. 2.

Then for Mr. Wejley^ " I felt Faith in ^ Journal, Chri/iy and an Afjurajice was given me, P^S- 3o- that he had taken away my Sins, even 7nine, —The ufual method of the Spirit is to give •G 2 at

( 44 )

at one and the fame time the forgivefiefs of Sins, and the Jull AJ]ura?2ce of that forgive-

2 lourn. ri^fs : yet thefe not always given together.

p, '60. — In that moment (fays a Moravian) I be- held the Lamb of God taking away my Sins.

Jb. p 66. ^i^d from that time I have had Kedemption^

c 74

^ee?-/^» -^nd full j^/Jiira?2ce of it, — admitting 720

doubt, or Jear, — My Si/ier receiv'd the - Jcurn. Atonement on St, Peter's Day, — At that P^g-^7- hour ont v/ho had long continued in Sin, from a dejpair of finding mercy, receiv'd a pill clear fenfe of his pardoning love, and lb. p. 42. pocii^er to fin no ?j2ore. One Perfon could Seward's neither eat, nor fleep, nor read, till Cbrift journ.p9. haJ afured him of his Salvation"' Bonaven- By Way of Parallel to thefe Trefumptu-* tur. Vit. ^^j i7naginatio22S, we read, that St. Francis^ cap.'s. & bewailing his Sins in the bitternefs of his Conform, heart, was by the Holy Ghojt fully certified 346.^^' ^^ ^^-^^ ple72ary remifjion of all his Sins. — And once deiiring a Barber to fiave him gratis, for the love of God, the Barber re- Conforin. fus'd, till the Sai?2t had given him full af Fol. 238. furance of Salvation,— Anothei' holy manjelt himfelf lo vehemently mov'd and illumi- Mannlfel natcd, that many fecrets of God were re- H.rt. pag. ^,^^/y ^Q j^lj^^ ^^^ YxQ was certified of his

forglvenefs and Salvation. — AJefuit, who had much commerce with God a?2dthe Saints, was afjur'd of his Salvation before the Image of the Virgin Mary, by an interior voice ; filling him with fo much joy, that he

could

(45 )

could fcarce contain himfelf. And another Franc. had all poffible Security of it/' ^""- J^'

288, 417.

§. 19. No marvel then, if the Prefump- iion'nitth ftill higher into a fancy o{ Per- -^ JeBion, an unfmning State and iinfpotted^ while other wretched mortals lye grove- ling in the mire of Vice, or at leaft in an imperfeB way. To fuch a high -flown pitch may a frantic Imagination be carried.

This conceited notion feems, in a great nicafure, to have crept into Mefhodifm from the Moravian Secfl 5 one of whom tells Mr. Wejley, '' I received that rjitjiefs of the Spi- 2 Jo'^™- rit, that///// ajjiirance of Faith, which is a P'^' ^"^^ deliverance from every flefiily defire, and fi'om every outward and inv/ard Sin." Other Moravians tell him, '' The moment a man is jiiflified he is a ne^.v Creature ; yet ftill remains the old heart, corrupt and abo- minable. — Is there then (fays Wejley) cor- ruption in your heart ? Yes, there is corrup- tion in my old man, but not in my ne^u) man, — This fort of corruption they affirm to be the Experience of the Moravian Church, But Mr. Wejlef^ People declare their Experiences to the contrary (viz.) that Corruptions are taken away 5 — Mr. Wejley urgeth, « was there then inward Corruption in our Lord? or, cannot the Servant be as his Mafter ?" — It muft be cjwn'd, that xMr. IVePy contends againft

the

(46)

the Moravlam for the ufe oi external means ^ for Frayer^ Sacraments^ reading the Scrip-^ tiircy &CC, And for this reafon he fays, ** I met with a furprifing inftance of the Tower of the Devil -^ Mrs. J — s on a fud- den threw away the Bible y faying ; 1 am good enough. I will never read, or pray more. — I don't defire to be any better than I am. — I am fav'd.— I ail nothing ; fhe fpoke many things to the fame effect, -->_ plainly fhewing that the Spirit of Pride

4Tourn. ^"^ ^^ -^^^^ ^^^ ^^^1 Dominion over

pag. 66. her.''

I fhall make a few JlriBures upon this Article, By that fiibtle diJUnSiicn of the Moravians we may be drawn into a conceit, that any Perfon may indeed Sin^ and be obnoxious to Divine wrath^ when he con- siders only the old man in him ; but by pleading that his new man is innocent and guiltlefs^ he is in no danger. Juft as if one among ourfelves fliould allow himfelf to Jwear^ or drink^ as he is a Gentleman ; but not as he is a Clergyman,

In the difpute whether or no Corruptions are taken away^ Experiejtcies are produced on both fides of the Queftion : we have 'Experiences againft Experiences -, thofe of the Moravians againfl thofe of the JVefleyans. Which tallies exadly with the Revelation and Miracles alledg'd by both Parties among the Tapijis^ in their grand Controverfy

between

( 47 )

between the 'Dominicans and Fr and [cans y concerning the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

Again; the Moravians have no regard to outward fforksy Prayer, Sacrament, &c. but yet are zealous for fome remainders of Corruption neceffarily fticking to us. The Wejleyans contend ftrongly for outward Works ', but at the fame time are eagerly maintaining the poffibility of an iinfinning TerfeBion. A rare choice, take which you pleafe.

Mr. Wefiefs Text of Scripture brought in proof of fuch a perfefl: ftate (cannot the Servant be as his Majler?) is evidently mi [applied. For it relates only to outward Sufferings^ which our Lord's Dijciples were to undergo as well as himfelf -, but has no relation to freedom from inward Corruption^ to a finlefs Perfeciion ; which belongs to Chrift alone. But on this head I refer the ' Reader to Mr. Church'^ Remarks on V/efley^ Journal, page 30 — and 60. — Efpeciaiiy to jF^rZ/^^T Remarks, page 11 4. —

But not to forget our Parallel 'Tis faid Erev.Fr.

« I U I " I

in the Pcpifrj Liturgies of St. Francis (and conform. indeed oi feveral others) ' This man Foi. 89,5.- tranfgreiTed not one jot or tittle of the '^'''' Gojpel'y — t\\2iX. Ada7n did not Sin inhim-, he being fo perJeB, And this purity of bis is given as a reafon why he fometimes appears in public fa?'k naked ^ without

being

( 4:8 )

being afhamedy for had he been polluted]

Fd^r-^: he muft have had fome fenfe of fiame. —

' ' His twelve Jpoftles too (v^hom he chofe

in imitation oi .Chrift) tranfgreffed not a

Trithem. tittk of the GofpcL Noi did Adajn fin in

^h' ^5^4- St. EG72aventiire'\

" The Fratricelli^ or little Brothers^ a branch of the Francifcans^ ftifHy main- tained the Dodrine of PerfeBion ; affert- ing, that a man may in this life attain to fo great perfedion, as to live without Sin 5 — and then he is above Ordinances in Church and State''. See Stillingfleet of Idolatry. Page 255. —

Almoft all the Sai?2ts and Founders of their Societies and Orders gained the Sum- mit of Evangelical "FerfeBion : as a foun- dation for ?72erit, and adoration. Nor do I fee but that their modern Imitators may one day or other be advanced to thefe infolent claims.

§. 20. And where will thefe bold En-- thufiafts flop ? For we find them next fearing above the earth, taking a flight to Heaven^ and ftealing thence the facred light and fire ; in order to compafs efieftu- ally their own, and other's delufion- No- thing lefs than Infpirations^ Revelations^ IlluminatiofiSy and all the extraordinary and immediate aBions of all the Perfons in the Sacred Trinity will ferve their turn.

So

( 49 )

So that now every flcifi of zeal and den)o^ tion 3 every 'wild pretmfion^ fcheme^ tenet ^ and over-bearing dilate ; impidfes^ im- preffiG?2S, feelings, impetuous Tranfports and Raptures', intoxicating valours and fumes of Imagination ; Phantoms of a crazy brain ^ and uncouth effedls of a diflemperd mind^ or body 5 their fleepifig, or waking dreams ; their actions and pafficns, &cc, — all are af- cribed with an amazing Prejumption to the extraordinary interpofition of Heaven^ fctting its Seal to their Miffton. In fhort, whatever they think, fay, or do, is from God, and whatever oppofeth, and ftands in their way, is from the DeviL

Here we have the true Spirit, and very Efence of Enthuflafm, that unground- ed pretence to Infpiration -, which of courfe makes men peremptory and pertinacious, fets them above car72al reafonings, and all convidion of plain Scripture ; and oblig- eth them upon their own Principles to af- fume an Infallibility. This is what the whole Tribe of Fanatics have caught hold of, as the moft fpecious Engine to delude the credulous, fimple and unwary, and what is neceffary for carrying on their En- terprifes in the moft dextrous and fure manner. For though Enthufiafm may fometimes, or ufually, fet out with an in- nocent and well-meaning hearty yet fuch a fimplicity is of no long continuance : H Proje^s

\ y

(50) Projecfs increafe, and oppofition arifetb 5 and then it quickly takes to its affiftance the feveral artitices of management and eraft.

PRESENCES, &c.

§. 21. The ipecial and extraordinary ^refences of God lb much boafted of by the Methodifts^ efpecially Mr. Whitefield, are almoft v^^ithout number : So that 'tis needlefs to mention particulars. Such as, *' The Prejence of the Lord was with me wonderfully : — I felt more than common of the Divine Pr^/t';2(:^ ; — Felt an efpecial Prefence of God in my private bufinefs'^j

But they fometlmes give us fuch gj'-cfs accounts, and fuch ftrong expreflions, as if God were perfonally attending upon them in a vijihle and corporal manner. Letters. << Qod was indeed there, riding in the

Congregation, and breathing life and cou- rage into his Lambs. — ^efus has been with me much to-day ^ — at another time he was with me on the road: — but Oh! how was he with me at Ahergave?i?iy? — I en- treated him to meet again, and he ca?ne'\ Orlandin. In like manner, *' Brother Ledefma (a (Uifp^^' y^'^^^O ^^'^'^ ^^^ mind flrongly confirmed by a.pag, 15 frequent experiences of God's indulgences.

God

( 50

God was with him at Cohgn, then at Aiifburg, then at BruJJels^ next at Rof?2e.

More grofly ftill. *' In the morning, fays Mr. Whitefield^ I talked with God in the garden, as a man t-alketh with his friend". And would you have the Coun- terpart of this ? " St, Patric abfolutely Meffing- refufed to go forth to preach, till the Lord'^^'^'^'''^^- met him face to face ; — and the Lord did fo, — Chrijt fpoke to the beloved face Brev. Mo- of St, Gertrude, as a man is wont to^^l^^^^^' /peak to his friend, — St. Ignatius adually faw Jefus walking before him. — And G^JJ^^^S-^^"^^ often talked with him face to face, as ^^84. man fpcaketh unto his friend".

See again how God attends them in their Sermons, '* The Lord gave me the Text I preached upon ; — and direded me to a method, as I was going up the Pulpit f air s"\ 7^°^'^"' So fays IVhiteficld of himfelf. And we ^ ^' have as good Authority, that '"^ the Virgin Mary came and held the Book for a Donii- 7ncan while he read his Sermon ; and that {h^fuggefted every w^ord to another, as he Baiingb. was preaching an Extempore Serjmn. — A ^^^' '^^ certain Jefuit, ^ who had enjoyed God's p^anc. Prefn-ce continually, fees Chrijt in the Pal- Hiit- je- pit lifting up his hands, and blejjing him. "^^^^^ P'

Then for the Divine Prejence at their

Love-Feafts : " The Lord came, brought

us into his Banqueting-houfe, and fet his

Banner over us, that the Enemy could not

H z come

( 52)

come nigh us." And in an account the moji grofsj * at a general Lovefeaft our Dear Maftcr being Invited, cnme^ and fat

Letters, ^f fjj^ jj^^^ qJ ffj^ 'Tabky and bid me give

his people to eaf\ Would one think fuch

Stuff could be paralleled ? But, among

the Papi/ts, Bzovins affarcs us, that J ejus

^ being invited comes and eats v/ith Tome

cap. 3. Children, and invites them again to his Heavenly Tabled — And the Author of the Life of St. Veronica^ a modern Entbufiajtic

P3g. 5^- Saint (publifl^ed by Dr. Geddes) fays, that Veronica at a Banquet Jaw cur Saviour jcat himjelf at the bead of the Table in a chair' \

Nor is one egg more like another than this Parallel \ except that the Methodifi expreffeth the thing more ftrongly and circumftantially.

And feeing I am upon the Subjed of God's Prefence '^ one thing more may be added, tending to encourage the notion of the real corporal prefence in the Sacrifice of

3 journ. ^hc Mafs. '' A " Wethodift, fays Mr.

p. 16, 17. Wejley^ went to receive the 5^ct^;;7£';?^5 but with a heart as hard as a Hone 3 — when God was pleafed to let him fee a Crucified Saviour: — I faw the fountain opened in his fide, — At the evening Sacraments^ —

pag. 22. cified^ and evidently let forth before us ?"

And

( 53 )

And why is not this as good an Argu- ment for iranfuhji antiation as the feveral flefily appearances produced by the Papijfs^ by Bellarmin^ and others ? Or, as the De Sa- reafon of inflituting the Fealt of Corpm^'^^^i^'^'' ChrijU (the Body of Chrifl) by Pope Ur- lib. 3/ ba?2 IV. Becaufe he was aflured it had cap. 8. been revealed to certain Catholics ? Which ^fb^j^* was only to two fanatical Wonmt in a Coniiitut, Vifion. — Or v/hat more is there in the ^• account that ' St. T ere fa often faw Chrift Ribaden. in the Sacrament ? — Or that, while St. p- 797- Hugo was celebrating Mafs^ the Sacred ^'^JJ- ^«- 'Rojt being elevated appeared plainly inAngi.pag, the form of ChrijY ? 1 84. '

One can hardly Indeed believe, that our Methcdifts in thefe grofs expreffions intend to be underflood in a Literal Senfe : But we know not what eftcd: they may have upon weak, credulous, and fu- perftitious minds -, efpecially when improv- ed by future Comments^ or the help of tradition. 'Tis certain that diverfe Rhe- torical flourifhes of this fort, and other little Super jtitions^ have gradually fwelled into the moft falfe and abfurd Dodlri?ies^ as well as into rank Idolatry ; and the world is covered with a deluge of monftrous Le- gefidary tales, which were derived from as fmall a fountain.

§. 22.^

( 54 )

§.22. Clofely connefled with Prefences are th oie familiar Commimicatio?2S and Con- verjcitiom with the Deity -, full of the mofi: fweet, tender, amorous Sentiments and expreflions.

" Oh ! what fweet Communion, fays Mr. Whitefield^ had I daily vouchfafed from God ? — I cannot tell how tenderly I am carried by our Dea?- Saviour from day to day : — I lean on Jefus's kofom from morning to night 3 yea, all the daylong. — I fweetly leaned on my Saviour s bojom^ zv\d. fucked out of the breafls of his Confo- lafion'\ And how wonderfully Poetical and morcing is that Divine imitation of fome earthly rapturous Lover ? *' Early in the morning, at noon-day, evening and mid- night, nay all the day long did the Blefed Saviour vifit and refrefh my heart. Could the trees of a certain wood near Stonehcufe fpeak^ they would tell what fweet Commu- nion I and fome more Dar Soids en- joyed with the ever Blefed God there.

For thefe five days, fays Mr. Seward^ I have kept my bed, had every day fweet • 7» Communion with my Dear Lord fefuSy ' who filled me with his fulnefs. — Went to reft in the arms of my Lord JefuSy — of my Jweet Saviour ^ — in his bofojn. — Went to reft full of a Senfe of my own

Jiothingnejs^

( 55 )

nothirignefs, and fighing for the prefence of Page 32. my Dear Lord Jefus'\

This bids fair for coming up in due time to his Rival Saints, For Chrift appeared to St. Francis and his Brethren ; and giv- ing them his Blejjing they felt fuch a jpoj" ^^l^' fweetnefs as quite ravijhed them. — He was indeed often vifited, and recreated by our Lord with ineffable fweetnefs ; — had many fuch Viftations^ Illuftrations, and Cherifnngs. — St^ Ig?iatius receiving a vifit. R^baden. from the Father and the Son, — The Fa- P'^^^"*^* ther turning to the Son recommends to his favour Ignatius and his Brethren -, which the Son promifeth locking Jweetly and a- ^^i^'lJ^^' Pliably upon Ignatius,

St. Felix, a Francifcan, burned with fjch an exceffive love towards the Virgin Mary and Jefus, that not able to bear it, he requefted her to come to him, and bring her Son. She did fo : and it cannot be expreffed what a power of Heavenly Confolations he felt.—- St. Anthony had often Ballngh. familiar Converfations with God, — recre- ^^^y *8- ating him with extraordinary comforts, and Divine Vifitations. — The little Jefus would come fometimes and lit upon his Booky fometimes be under his arms ; whom the ^l ^ holy man embraced with wonderful De- p.' 3^^"* votion'*. 394-

^' The fefuit Berman for a relief in ^^^Z^'l all his complaints takes refuge in the & 20.

brcalt

Idem

( 56 )

breaft and bofom of the Virgin Mary. For fhe was fometimes plealcd to come and give her Votaries Suck, Once Ihe brought her Son, and put him into bed to St. SfarJJIaus, which cured him of his ill- r>eis ; comforting and recreating her Cli- ent, and refrefhing him with a very co-

Aug. 14. j)iciis fuavity, — Nor was it any uncommon thing for her to bring the beloved Child to fome of her precious Saints^ to be dandled^ kijjed and e?nbraced in bed, which quite overcame them v/ith joy: as it did St. Lticiay who had him with her for three nights together". See Brevinfs Samuel and Said, Pag. 396. For it was not ufual, or fit, to deprive the Female Devotees of this delightful Communion. Accordingly we are affured, that '' once Chrift came, in company with St. Dominic^ to vifit Te- refa : thrift foon withdrew, and bad her recreate herfelf with his friend Dominic -^

Ribaden. -^j^q flayed with her two hours, took her

^ '^ '^' by the hand, and fpoke many comfortable words to her. — J^l^^ indeed was her Spoufe-y — and fhe had certain enjoyments of great gufts and confolations, — and cried out to him, O my Lord, and my Spoufe, 'tis now time for us to fee one another ; and fhe fpoke to him fuch high, f'iveefy

Id. p.8oz. ^^2d amorous things, &c."

Such is the language and effeB of fpiri- tual love among Poptfh Fanatics^ in the

very

i 57 )

very words of their applauded and Licenfid JVritei-S', enough to give one a furfeit^ and a thorough diflaile of their Mdhodif- iical imitators,

§.23. I cannot here forbear tranfcribing that Seraphic Rhapfody of Divine Love Pag. 19, from Mr. Wejleys Third Journal, ( though I am not certain whether he is defcribing his own cafe, or that of another Saint) wherein he fo pathetically paints out the TKvyMiTiKrj.v^'^l-^jou the Sweet-hitter of love y the alternate languifhments and exultations, the finkings and nfings of the animal. Spirits 3 the fighings and fingings ; the decent and elegant mixture of a facrcd and profane amour, attended with a rap- ture aiid ecftacy, and every Symptom, wliich feizes the Adepts in this Paiiion, deeply fmitten and diflraftcd Inamoratos, either ipiritual, or fenfual.

" The Love of God was flied abroad in my heart, and a flame kindled there, with pains fo violent, and yet Ho very ravif^in^, that my body w^as almoft torn afunder. I lov'd. The Spirit cried ftrong in my heart. I fweated. I trembled. I fainted. ■' I fung. — My Soul v^as got up into the Holy Mount. I had no thoughts of coming • down again into the body. — Oh ! I ^ thought my head was a fountain of water. I w^as diffolved in Lov-e. My beloved is

I mine.

A

( 58 )

mine, and I am his. He lias ail charms- He has raifed my heart. — He is now in the Garden, feeding among the LilHes. Oh ! I am fick of Love'\ With more of this ranting flame.

This defcription is fo ftrongly expreffed, and fo many particulars contained in clofe concife pericdsy as may feem incomparable. But many of the Symptoms may be gather- ed from the account of St. Catharine of Sienna under the fame affedions. " Fler burning Love for Chrijl^ her moil fweet Stou[e^ was fo intenfe, exceffive, and Bi- ^ine^ — that flie was ahnoft always /'c;J, langiiijling, faint ^. and in a manner con- fumed with pure love and aitecftion. — She had fo great ccnfolation in her foul, that flie wondered how it could abide in her body. And the fire burning in her breaft was io exceeding great and violent, that in refpeft of it material f re feemed cold and frozen. Once this fire was fo intenfe, that it took away her life for four hours ; in Ribrden which time fhe had a Vifion of Heaven^ Apr. 30. HelU and Pu?^gatory'\

St. Tere[a\ heart was inflamed v/ith fo great a love of Gody fo high a fire, that flie was even burnt up, and ready to die out of defire of feeing him^ and after- wards fl^.e had thofe torrents and inunda- tions of love with more force, and greater rapti than before", Nay, the Authority

of

la. oa

( 59)

of the Roman Church affures us, that " her heart burn'd with fuch a fire of Divme Love, that ihe defervedly had a Vi/ion of an Angel piercing her bowels with a dart tip*d with fire ; and of Chrijl taking her by the hand, and making her his Spou(e ; — and file died not fo much by the force of any diftemper, as the intolerabie burning Brcv. of uWrnc Love".-— '' St. Gertrude a72d ^^''^^'^: Chriji vjtxt^ mutually fmitten with the ar- rows of Love, — and ihc died of this amo- ^^V'Yl^'

^ ,, ' -^ nail. May

rousjire . 27.

'* 'Tis true indeed, as the Legendaries own, that St. Catharine was flandered as a fond and light ivoman ; and Terefa kept ^i--^--^- fuch bad company^ that mofc perfons con- cluded that Cekjiial vijions were not com- patible with her kind of life'\ — ^\M all may be reconciled. For tfeefc exceffes of the fpiritual and carnal afFeclions are near- er ^//i^^ than is generally thought^ a'rifing from the fame irregular emotions of the blood and animal Spirits. And the Pa- tient is hurried on either way according to the nature of the ObjeEi. And I am m.uch miftaken, and fo is Hiftory too, if fome of the warmeft and niofl Enthufiajtic Pre-- tenders to the Love of God have not enter- tained the fame violence of Pafjion (not quite fo Jpiritual) for jo7ne of their neigh-' hours.

I 2 §. 24.

( 6o )

v/ §-24. Let us proceed to that fnoft pre-' Jtimptiicus claim to Infpiration \ to Extra- cr dinar y Revelaticns^ emanatiom^ direBions, fo^iocrs^ and affifta?Kcs of the Holy Gkoji ; i?i their Preachi?ig and DoBrine, iinpuljes and impreJjiGns, This hath always been the chief and moft effe&ual deceit^ wherc^ by Enthiifiafts have impofed upon them- felves and followers. They jcel fuch fallies of a tumultuous imagination, fuch ftrong emotions within ; as eafily to per- luade thcmfelves this can be nothing lefs than the ^wor kings cf the Holy Spirit -, and fome Madme7i have carried it fo far, as to think they were the "oery Holy Ghojl them- felves.

Nor can it be a difficult matter to fix a perfuafion of this nature upon their eager and credulous Admirers^ who have neither judgment nor inclination to difprove or exa- mine \ but are violently, though voluntari- ly and fweetly, carried away by their teacher's good words ^ and fair Jpeeches ; by their eloquent, elevated, affuming and confident difcourfes, zealoufly and fervent- ly poured out.

Hence, no doubt, they talk fo confi- dently of '* fome great, unufual, extraor- dinary and wonderful work, which God is vGw^ even now\ beginning to work over all the earth, whereof they are to be the

Inftru^.

.( 6i )

In[iriimentSy the trumpets to proclaim it in the name of the Lord'*,

Mr. JVhit (field , in particular, is ever flying upon the wings of lufpiratiofi^ and talking iubhmely in the Apofiolic ^.V. 5 1^"/^^ " I experience frelh teachings, and com- munications from God's Holy Spirit^ — from himfelf. — I felt the Power of God come upon me, and I fpoke with De- monftration of the Spirit, — I felt the Holy Pag. 72, Ghoft come upon me at that time. — I fear I Ihould quench the Spirit^ did I not 3 journ^ go on to fpeak as He gives me utter ance'\ p- »7-

The fame extraordinary Infpiration is poured out, or rather the Holy Spirit de- fcends upon their Followers, Societies and Letters. Bands, ^' Such as had Tublic gifts were fettled as Siiperiiztendants over the reft. — Heard of one, favs Mr. Whitefield, that received the Holy Ghoft immediately upon my Preaching. — A moft remarkable out- ^^^J^^ pouring of the Spirit has been feen in this Afjmibly. — The Power of God was in an 5 1°^''";

pag. 4

\

unufual manner prefent at the meeting of weil the Bands, — God mightily confirms the Jo^^rn- P- words I fpeak, by the Holy Ghoft given ^^' unto thofe that hear them. — The Power of P^g- S^- the Lord came upon the Congregation^ and Whuf. 6 the Holy Ghofi overfhadowed them". ^,3"'"' P*

There is fomething in the following Rotations ^ which deferves particular no- tice. " The Holy GhgP" feemed to come

into

( 62)

^ Journ. into the Congregation like a mighty riifbing

P* 5^' "wind"'. Here he fpeaks fomething dubionf--

l\K But elfewhere he is more po/uive and

peremptory. *^ The Spirit at length came

down like a 7nighty rujloi?ig wind, and car-

7 Journ, ried all before it. — In my Prayer the

F^S-57- ^ower of God came do%vn, and gave a great

JJ^Gch — Such an abiding icniverfal ^jock I

never knew before. — In the afternoon

again the ficck was very great, — The

place was almofl rent by the Power and

Letter;, prcfence of God'\

Some of thefe latter Exprefllons imply, that the Holy Ghoff dejcended on the Me- thodifts in the fame manner as upon the Apojtles at Pentecojt, V/hich, without much better proof than they have given of their Infpiration^ I v/ill by no means un- dertake to excufe from Blafphemy, Other expreilions imply fom.e ftrange tum.ultuary fhaking of the Fabric, or elfe of the Preach- er and Hearers, like a violent Hurricane, And yet perhaps after all the fock was only in the Preacher's own brains.

'Tis hard to know what to make of thefe Jlmks and Jl:aki?igs, if truly repre- fcnted by the Meihcdifis, We know how- ever, that fuch focks and concufjlons of Hoifes have been reprefented by Heathen Authors^ as indubitable y^;^^ of {ovncjuper- natural Tower and Prejence, either of a

Celeftial

( 63 )

Celejlicil or Infernal Diitj. At the Pre- fence of PlutGy

"Jam mihl cernuntur irepidis Delubra movcri Sedibiis^ & chrcim difpergere ciihnina lucem^ Jdvenium ieftata Dei.

Claud. Rapt. Proferpin. lib. I. vcr. 7.

At the Prefencey or by the efficiency of Bacchus y

Tc5fa repent} qiiatu

Cvid. Metam. lib. IV. ver. 402.

At confulting the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos,

Et locus^ i^ Lanrus^ & qua$ hahet ilia, pharet-ra

Iniremuere fmml — —

Ibid. lib. XV. ver. 634.

In a Poetical reprefentatlon of Apollo'^ coming and Infpiration,

Oiov 0 T~ ''7roh?-^c-y.o? Id^ccLjo cTct^r/cTo? c'prjj; oTct cT oKQv TO lAhct^^ov ; —

Kxi S'f] irz 70'. 9/p?Tpit }ia,KU> 'TTOtPl ^oT^O-: 'Z^'1t7H.

Callimach. Hymn, in Apoll. ver. i, — •

Vix ea fatus erain^ trern're omnia vifa repenie LimiJiaqiie Laurufqiis Dei, iotufque 7noveri Mons circum.'^ —

Virgil, ^neid. IIL ver. 90.

You

( 64 }

You fee houfes, temples, dens, moun- tains— all fliaking, and trembling from their foundation 3 in atteflation of the Pre- fence of their Deities ,

After fuch accounts given by the Me- thodijisy and efpecially when confirmed by PaganSy it would be fomething like a Mi- racle ^ liPcpery fhould not afibrd a ParalkL Accordingly the Writers cf St. Ig7iatius^% Life inform us, that '' while the Saint was at Prayers, and dedicating himfelf to the Blejjed Virgin J the whole Hoiife trembled with a fuddcn concuffion ; but mod: of all Ignatius^ own Chamber ^ the windows be- ing broke, and many chinks open'd, — ^ Rut. Vit. and that this was generally believed to pro- J^^natii, ^gg^ fj-Q^ ^}^g ^^gg of ^he Dra//' — And in

cap. 9. another place he relates a ftory of the fame Lib. 5.C. nature, and afcribes it to the fame canje,

Ribadeneira, in the Li-ves of the Saint s^ Pag 518, relates the fame jlory of Ignatius , but with- out mentioning what might be the caufe. But in his Life of St, Anthofiy he tells us, that '' the Devil threatning to fall upon this Saint with great fury, at his voice all the room was (Imken, the walls cpend, and many Devils ruflied in".

As to Papiflical pretenfions in generd to Infpiration, they are without number or end. There is fcarce any part of their Re- ligious (i. e. Irreligicus) Worfnip^ and DgC"

trine ;

( 65 )

trine 'y fcarce a Monaftry, Nunnery, Order or Society ; fcarce a petty faintUng of their Com77mnion^ — that was not taught^ and In- fpired by the Holy Ghojt.

" St. Francis was not only Infpir'd him- Conform: felf in Teaching, but all the Rules of his'°^^-^^°- Order were didated by Heaven, He v/as a mofl wonderful Preacher , by virtue of the Holy Ghoft.~M\ heard the Voice oi Chrift in the air, faying, ' Francis, there is no- thing of your own in your Thile, but all is 7nine\ St. ^Paid propheffd of it, and un- FoL no: derftood his ov/n words as belonging ,to this Rule of St. Francis, ' Whoever walketh ibid, fo!* according to this Ride, peace he o?i them.'- — ^^7*

Which paflage being the very fame that ' Mr. Wefley open'd upon, when he confult- ed the Oracle by lot, and begged an anfwer 3 Jo«^n» of peace', may perhaps afford him no fmallP^^^"^* comfort 5 as having, the fame honour with St. Francis, and his Ride equally eO-ablifli ed. St. Ig7iatius was carried on by a ftrong hifpiration, and guidance of the Holy Ghojly which fpoke thfougli him. And his Spiri- tual Exercifes had the famxC Sandtion. Fcpe Paid III, indeed (fays Dr. Geddes) fyfdk^ modeftly of Igjiatius and his Companions, Trads, Spiritu 'SanBo, ut creditur, aflati, hifpir'd, v^^- 3; as is believed, by the Holy Spirit. But Ju- lius III. leaves out, as is believ'd, and- roundly pronounceth they were Infpir^d. And Gregory XIII. iliith exprefsly, that K Ignatius

( 66 )

Ignatius was Lifpir'd in modelling the So- ciety of the Jefnits'\ So that it fcems there are degrees of Infallibility^ fome Popes being more hifallible than others. De Rem. Bellarmin affirms, that the Orders of Be- ^°^p. 18. nedidi^ Romualdus^ Bruno ^ Dominic^ Fran* cis^ "were from the Holy Ghoft. — Pope Hil* debrand adually faw Chritl himfelf fitting Brev. Mo- by St. Hugo iu Chapter J approving all his naftic. May jj^^^^^g ^^^^ a jiod, and fuggefting the Rules of the Prcetnonjiratenfians brought from Heaven by St. Auftin. It were eafy to produce a hundred Inftances. But what need we more, when Popes^ and the Church ofRo77ie have affur'd us of thefe }

§.25. The claim oi Extraordinary Af- fiftancey and Tower from above y ftands fo much upon the fame footing, and is fo fre- quent in the Methodiji's Mouths, that I fhall mention but a few Inftances.

" I felt more and more of the Divine Affiftance to Day, fays Mr. Whitefield : — The Lord endowed me with Power from on high. — In the midft of my Difcourfe the Power of the Lord Jefus came upon me.— 5 Journal* God cnablcd me to fpeak with fuch irre^ 440?' ^°' fiftible Power y that the Oppofers were quiet ftruck dumb, and confounded''. — And af-

3 Journal, tcrwards he makes this infolent demand on p. 24, 114. ii^^<^Qj^^

Pad

( 67 )

Paft is thy word : I here demand y And confident expedl thy aid.

A confidence and imperioufiiefs fufficient 3 a Parallel to which I do not remember among Fopip Saints,

§.26. Upon fpecial Diredlwts^ MiJJiom and Calk, by immediate Revelation^ I fliall dwell a little longer.

" I ajjuredly felt — I knev) it was "Jefiis wiiitef. Chri-ll that reveatd himfelf unto my Soul, i dealing. — I Iznow^ and am ajjur'd that God fent ^gfley's forth his light and his truth. — It was re- iiijourn. 'veal'd to me that nothing griev'd Satan fo P^S- 34- much as the private Societies, — Our glo- rious Soid-brother had it reveal d to hirn thefe two years, that fome fiich as him Letters, would be fent into thefe parts''. More particularly as to MiJJions and Calls,

" Bleffed be God, fays Mr. TVhiteJield, he fhews we are Teachers fent by him. For [modeftly comparing themfelves with Chrijil ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^f^ "Things, except 3 journal, God were with him, — I told the People God P^g^ 38. call'd me, and I mull away. — Intended to preach at Fort'Sif?2ons, — but,, Lord, thou called'ft me elfe where. — God fhewed me and my Friends, that it was his Will that I fhould return for a while to England. — To 2 Journal, preach the Gofpel at Frederica alfo > for P^^'^'''^' K 2 therefore

( 68 )

1 Journal, therefore am I fent. — The Eternal Ahnighty psg^S- I AM hath fent me".

See now how clofely they have copied Ribaden, their great exemplars, " St. Igjiatius^ and P^g-529- his Companipns, Vv^ent to Ro7ne^ whether God called him to fettle his new Order and Society. — St. Peter and St. Taid bring, one a Staff] the other a Book^ to St. Dominic^ faying, begin thy journey ; go, exercife the Office which God hath given thee ; preach the GofpeL — -His friends perfuading . ,.. him to ftay, St. IDominic full of the Holy Ribaden, Gho/l anfwer'd, — Let no body go about to pag. 595- flay me. God co-mmands^ and his orders muft be obey'd. St. Francis returned from the Infideh^ whom he was unable to con- vert, warn'd by 2, Divijie P^ei: elation, — A tur. Vit. venerable Brother and St. Clare^ having con- Franc, fultcd the Will of God^ are agreed by the C2P-9' ^-- Revelation of the Spirit, that the Holy' man fliould go forth to preach the Gofpel",

Some fpecial UireBions are as follows,

'' Truftcd to God, fays Mr. WhiteficJd, to

direft me to a 'Text ;— and God flievv'd me

tiag.46.' what I fliould do. — The hord gave me a

7 jouiii. Text, and dire^cd me to a Method, — I have

pag- ^^'- \^^i^x\ direBcd in this manner, ( reading

Scripture on the knee) even, in the minutefi:

circumftanccs, as plainly as the Jews were

!iL^l^rli. ^^y ^^'''l^^^ and Thummi'nu — The directions^

lays Mr. Wefiey, I received from God this

day.

iTig:. b«JC;l.

( 69 )

day, touching an affliir of the greateft ^ Journal, importance''.

Let me mention a few Dh^eBions com- ing by way of Command^ and I affure you of no fmall importance. " I am going to the Houfe of a wealthy Goitleman^ fays Mr. journal, Wbitejield^ whom God has commanded to re- P- 29* 32. ceive me. — How does he every where command fome or other to receive me ? — Indeed Mr. Seward affirms, that the Journal, Lord commandeth Perfons every where toP^S^*^* provide for us. — Mr. Wejley^ not to be left unprovided for, " came to Mr. De- lamotte's^ — where I expedled a cool re- ception. But God had prepar'd the way before me — I was welcomed in fuch a 2 Journ. manner — '*. P^2- 7-

Nor is this cafe without a proper Prece- dent. For we read, that ' An Honourable Matron was commanded by an interior Voice to reverence St. Ignatius^ and provide him with a Ship. — And Hkewife a Noble Senator ^ , ,.

- . f TO- 1 • Orlandin.

at yenice heard a yoice — directing him to Hift. je- entertain the Saint hofpitably at his houfe'\ Tuit. lib. ^i In what manner the Entertainers are"'^^*^^' convinced, and whether they are convinc'd, of this Divine Command^ I cannot fay. But I perceive it is convenient for the Itine- rants to give it out that it is Goi^ Tleafure and Command, Otherwife they would not order what they want at a Public-hotife^ and then tell the Landlord^ that he will be

damn'd

(70)

damrid if he takes any thing of them. This {hall be prov'd, if required.

As I have mentioned internal Voices^ perhaps the feveral Impiilfes and hnprejjions of the Methodijis may be of this Nature. 4 Journal, But that inftauce of *' an old hardened Sin- P^g-S-- ner (given by Mr. Wejley) feems rather of the external kind. '' The Saviour of Sin- 7iers has faved me. He told me fo on Sun- day morning. And he faid, I fliould not die till I had heard his Children preach his 2 journal, GofpeL — And that of " the Moravian^ who pas^ 7 '• deilring God to fliev^ him whether he flhould leave his Wife and Children, immediately hears a loud Voice faying, Fort^ Forty Forty Go on^ go 071 \

We can 77Jatch thefe inftances too from

Popip Fanatics, '* Brother Buftamantiiis

was admonifhed by a vehement Lnpuljey

and interior Voice y to go to Gutpufciia,

This Voice of God was fo efficacious and

vehement in his ears, that inftantly he left

obnd. his Houfe and Bufinefs. — G(?;72;^^^ hears a

peg. 394. clear and manifeft Voice from Gody direding

B'ilingh. him into the Society of the fejidts,—K boy,

Aug- 13- about twelve years old, hears conflant in-

ward Voices calling him to PerfeBiony and

Orlandin. the Society. — God^ fpeaking inter7ially to the

vol. 2. heart of St. AlcxiiiSy told hirn that he

Kibad/r/* ^*^^il^ i^ot touch his Spoufcy but leave her.

pag. 484, — And he left his wife the very firft day

-._ ^ - - of

( 71 )

of marriage, by the peculiar warning ^/^^ God, Jul. 17,

One may here be allowM to ajfk what fort of Voice that was, which direBed the Methodifl-preacher at Salijhury to ' debauch oncy at leaft, of his Congregation, to run away with her, and leave his own Wife. And in general, with refped to Extraordi- 7iary influences of the Spirit^ and pretences to hifpiration 5 whether Mr. Wefley might not as well have been warned, as offended by his friends the Moravians, " for talking 4 Journal, much againft mixing 72ature with Grace, P^§* '°^' againft imagination, and concerning the Animal Spirits mimicking the Pov/er of the Holy Ghoji.

§.27. Should the preceeding Gifts of Infpiration , Revelation , and Dire5lions fail ; they have another way of know- ing the Divine will, which is by cafl- ing Lots-, and particularly by openiiig the Bible, where the firji paffage that offers it- felf to the Eye is to be their Rule.

The Methodifls probably learned this Be- termination by Lot of the Moravians 5 who, fays Mr. Wefley, " have a peculiar efteem for Lots to decide points of im- 2 Joumalp portance -,- — as the only way of fetting afide P- ^'• their own will, and clearly knowing what hih^willofGod\

Sometimes

(72) ■

Sometimes Lots in general are fpoken, of

without 2Siy Jpecification of what /or/, or in

5 Journal, what manner, *' What we were in doubt

pag- 5- about, after prayer, we determined by Lot^

fays Mr. Whitejield, — I am come to know

2 Journal, affuredly, fays Mr. Wejley^ that where

P- 7' ^* Reafon failsy God will diredl our Paths, by

Lof\

Reafon certainly may fail them ; nor do I think they can be ajjured of God'^ Direc- tion by Lot : but may be under the fame perplexity with their Relation St. Ignatius ^ who being on his Adventures^ and *^ com- ing to a place where two ways met, flood doubting whether he fhould follow a Moor that had blafphem'd the Virgin Mary^ and Jtab liim ; or elfe take the other way to- Orlandin. wards Montferrat. In this great perplexity lib. I. n". he took counfel, Vv^hich the fimplicity of a Maff. Vit. P^^^^ ^^^^"^ '^oxx^ could excufe ; namely, jgn.iib. I. to lay the bridle loofe on his Mide^ and let «3p-3- him go which way he would''.

But opening the Bible for direftion feems to be their general way. Thus Mr. Wejley under feme doubt, *' I deiir'd my Majtcr to anfwer for me, and open'd his 2 Journal, Book. — when tempted by Satan^ ' All thefe P- 3i> 33- days I fcarce remember to have open'd the Tejlamcnt, but upon fome great and pre- cious promiife. — In great perplexity, about being weak in the Faith ; — and in trouble and doubt concerning his own State, and

whether

{ 73 )

whether he fhould wait mfilejice and retire- ment, the Oracle oiGod is confulted twice. 3 journii. ' — Under great concern for thofe who were ^' ^' ^""^ driven about with [ira?2ge DoBrines^ I be- 4 Journal, feeched God to fhew me where this would ^^^' ^°' end. — Whether he fhoald take a Journey to Brlfiol^ and what would be the Con- fequence ; defiring not to be accounted Su- perjiit ions' \ 3 Joui-n.

' The Moravians caft Lots, whether one, ^^^' ^^' over whom Satan had almoft orot the maftery, fhould be admitted to the Lord's 2 Journal, Table-, are direded to admit him'\ P'S- ^9»

This Method of being directed by Lot^ hath been much in vosiue in feveral A^es, and parts or the World -, making no fmall fhare of their Siiperjtition, The Heathens had various ways of doing it : — as by jumbling together loofe Letters, or Wordsj in an Urn, and making what Senfe they could of fuch as were taken out by chance; — by dipping into fome Book of high efleem, as Homer, or Virgil, and then ap- plying to their purpofe the firfl paffage that offered itfelf, Gfc,

Reland tells us, that among the Mahome- Rel. Mo- tans, the Alcoran is fo confulted by way ^^"^^^^^5, oi Lot, — ^And the fame Cuflom crept in ^'^^^' among the Chriftians, and efpecially in the worfl Ages, about the i ith and 12th Ceji- furies, by dipping in the Bible, which was called the Saint Lots. Hence, '^St, Francis^,

L after

( 74 )

after betaking himfelf to Trayer, was in-

Ipired by the Oracle of God, to open the

Gofpel y which being opened three times,

always lighted on the TaJJion of Chrift y

whereby the Saint was prepared (as by a

Bonavent. prophetic Wanting) to receive xh^fve marks

cap.! 3. qJ- Jefus, exadlly anfwering thofe of his

F0LT72. Ma/ter^ by the hand of an ^/^^r/". —

So again, The f^vnt precious Saint ^ ** be- ing refolved upon taking up the Rule of £- *va?igelical Perfection in conjundlion with Friar Barnard, goes to Prayers, and thrice opening the Gofpel was confirmed in his pur- Bonavent. pofe, by luckily hitting on thefe theje three cap. 3- parages, — If thou wilt be perfeB, go and fell fX T-tT. ^^^ — ^^^^ 7iothing with you on the way : — If anyman will come after me, let him deny himfelf. St. Francis, you fee, managed the matter fo well, that he opened upon I^exts of Scripture much more to his purpofe'than any of our Methodifts have done.

This pradlife has generally been con- demned by grave Authors and Councils, as juperjtitious and unwarrantable: And if the ^ Methodifts will pretend to juftify themfelves from the Example oi Matthias, (the only inftance in the ISew Teftament^ and that divinely direded ) they only incur that almoft conftant Prefumption of fetting them- ^'- 115-4- felves upon an equality with the Apojtles, &c.. Let me here add the Obfervation of Mr. Church, in his Farther Remarks on Mr. y, Wefley. " The Refledions of your friend

Mr.

( 75 )

Mr. Whitefield on this occafion were worth your obferving. Having mentioxned your drawing a Lot about preaching on free Grace^ and receiving the Anfwer Preach and Prints he adds, ' I have often quef- tioned, as I now do, whether in fo doing you did not ws^ tempt the Lord, A due ex- ercife of Religious Prudence^ without a Lot, would have directed you in that Matter'. Afterwards he mentions your drawing ano- ther Lot^ about his returning to London 5 which in a Letter to him you after v/ards fuppofed might have been a wrong one. This therefore he rightly calls an i?naginary Warrant > and well obferves, that the wrong Lot was juftly given you, becauje you tempted God in drawing onj'\

A movQ judicious Sentiment perhaps never idropt from Mr. Whitefield's pen : and yet he may be taxed with an inconfiftency in thus declaring againft what had been his ■own praBife, Had thefe two Lots turn'd out agreeably to his own Dodlrine and in- tentions^ they might have been allow'd to come from God. But as they were for Jree Qrace (not fuiting with his Calva-- nijti^al notions) and for taking a journey he did not like ; they are become of no Authority with him. Which puts me \\\ mind of the condufl: of Pope Honorius to- wards St. Fraficis, ** The Saint had ob- ;ain'd a grant Jro?n Chrijt^ that whoever at L 2 any

( 76 )

any time ihould enter his Chapel^ fhould have the Benefit of Plenary lndulge?7ce ; or- dering him however to go to his Vicar the Pope for his Corjirmation,

The Holy Father allows the order of Chrift in the cafe, but thinks the Grant is too large ; and accordingly confirms indeed the Plenary and free Indulgence^ but curtails the ' time, and confines it to one fjigle Day in a year, and no more." A ftrange inflance either of the Pcpe'^ inconfftency ^ or of fetting himfelf above our Lord,

You have the Account in one of the Le[jons in their Eftablifjed Liturgy, Brev, Rom. Francifc. Aug. 2. and more fully in the Book of Conformities , fol. 197.

§. 28. Though I had fome Reafons for

referring to another place their Exftacies

and Raptures, Apparitions and Vifons

(reprefentations to the imagination either

in Sleep, or in a 'Trance \) yet, as thefe have

fome pretenfion to a Divine direction, \

ihall fay fomething of them here,

r^Deal- IVhitefield, " God fill'd me with fuch

■Z^'V-^^- icnfpeakable raptures, particularly once in

St. Johis Churchy that I was carried out

beyond myfelf.

loarnal, Se^ucard. ' I was fo fill'd with the

Spirit, — that I was carried beyond myfelfj

and

_( 11 )

and had fuch things Revealed to me as I never had before.

Wefley, ' My Soul was got up into 3 journal, the Holy Mount. I had no thoughts of P- »9- coming down again into the body. " The Lord reveal' dhimMi to her (a girl of about feven years old) in an amafing manner : and for fome Hours (he was fo wrapt up in his Spirit^ that we knew not where fhe -x was, — finking to Jiotbing in the difcovery of his Majejty and Glory, — Many fuch inftances of the out-pouring of the Spirit we Letters, have among us'\

Tales of this nature are fo numerous among the Popi/lo Saints, efpecially the Female, that fome of their Lives confifl of little elfe.

Mary of Agreda was not a year old, be- fore fhe had fuch Raptures that flie funk down to the Centre of her own nothiiignefs. Lire. -—Magdalen of Pazzi's Life was almoft one continued Ecftacy. — And St. Gertrude, Breviar. who confecrated her Virginity to Chriji \^''^{^^'..^, wdien only five years old, was illuminated by 7na?2y Revelations and Vifions,

St. Alcantara at fix years of age was fo ^^rcv, contemplative, that frequently he was ^°"'- wholly abjorpt in God, a7id carried into ^^^ *^' Raptures. — He caufed his Followers to be in an Ecjlacy at the Sacrament, — and often enjoyed the Prefence of ChriJl, the Virgin Mary, and St, Francis^ &c. "" oa. 2->

§.29.

( 78 )

j. 29. If you want any thing more particularly concerning Apparitioits and Vi/ims', the laft mentioned Saint, " Al- cantara^ was conduced by the admirable oa. 25. Apparition of a new Star, when he was 1 Dealing, going to cojnfort St. Terefa''. Something, P2g- 49- yQ^ j^^y fuppofe, hke that of Mr. V/hite- journ. fields " After a long night of defer tion, the pag- 47* Star, which I had feen at a diftance before, began to appear again''. And Mr. Seward may be deemed fuch a Vifionary^ when " though fo weak, fo mean, fo vile, fo nothing an Inftrument, yet fur- rounding the Throne of his Dear fejus^ he thought he faw his Siflers as bright Seraphims in the manfions of blifs^ — -with a refulgent Splendor above the reft of the Heavenly Hoji'\ Conform. Juft ^s a Francifcau Fryar was feen by l^ol. 84. ^ Brother fhining in glory and brightness with St. Francis among Choirs of Angels : Life, No. — Or, as Magdalen of Pazzi faw a Nun^ V-' ^^» and other Souls, which flie had gained, ^' raifed upon a Throne oj Glory. We have

^'^''* again infallible proof, that *' Alcaiitara oa 2" "^^^ invited to the Heavenly Marriage by all the Holy Trinity, appearing to him in the utmoft clearnefs and brightnefs ^ — and ht died at the very horn foretold' \ And we find in moft of their Legends, that fcarce a Saint died without previous no-

tkc

( 79 )

fice from above ; the Mejfenger too com- monly difFufing a light over all the room. Which may help to give fome Credit to that relation of Mr. Wejley concerning Vet, Wright. '' In bed, but broad awake, I i journ. heard one calling aloud, Feter I Peter P^S- ^S- Wright ! And looking up, the room v^as as bright as day. And I faw a man in bright cloaths, v^ho faid, ' Prepare your- felf, your end is nigh'. — He recovered from the illnefs -, but died Vv^ithin a month''. As to the Authority which fuch fort of Revelations carry, Mr. Wejley fays this 5 " God does now give remijjion of Sins^ and the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft 3 and often ^ ^^^^.^ in dreams and vifons of God'\ But after- Pag. 49. wards he fpeaks more dijtruji fully : "I told them they were not to judge of the Spirit — by any dreams^ vifons^ or revela^ tions ; — v^hich were of a doubtful and dif- putable nature, — might be from Gody and ji,. p. r.^ might 7iof\

This might be a caution to themfelves never to be over confident. For my own part, I will not deny that fuch DireBions may fometimes come from God: but am perfuaded that moft of our late ones are the effect of imagiiiation or dijtemper^, and fome of them mere counterfeits and impojiures. Many, I know, even of Popiflj Enthiifiajls^ have fufpeded worj\\ and alcribed them to

Diabolical

( 8o )

biabclical delujiom. Bat more of this hereafter.

§. 30. Our Methodifts talk much of " the great work^ which God is ?2ow be- ginning to work over all the earth. If you had been told, fays Mr. IVeJley, that t Appeal, the jeakus God woiild foon arife, that he §. 98, 99. would pour dovvn his Spirit from on highy and re?2ew the face of the earthy — would you not defire to fee that day ? — Behold, the day of the Lord is come : he is again vifiting and redeeming his people. — • At this very hour the Lord is rolling away our reproach".

Parted with full conviclion, fays Mr, , Journal, J'^hitcfeld, that God was going to do great pag. 6.^ * things among us. — Oh ! that we may be any way injlrumental F'

I am far from queftioning the truth of that happy State to come, having fuch ftrong Authority from the [acred Writings. But it may be asked, how they hiow this prefent time to be the day of that great work ; whether from Infpiration, or inter^ pretation of Trophetic Scripture : — and they may be reminded, that diverfe warm and Enthufiafiic heads, as Madam Boiirig- nouy the French Prophets, &c. have all fet out upon this pretence, have pronounc- ed it to be coming in their own days, and

tkemjelves

( Si )

themfehes to be the happy Inflriwients. And how have they been deceived ?

About the middle of the 1 3/i Century was publKhed a Book by the Mendicant Fryers^ called, the Eternal Gojpel^ or Gof- pel of the Spirit 'y afferting, that the Reign of the Spirit was to commence within fix years. The Book was full of many wicked and blafphemous fancies, which I lay not to the charge of the Methodifls : but leave them at liberty to ruminate upon the Cha- raBer given of them many years ago by Mr. Howely which they may fee in the Title-fia^e,

§31. I fliall now relieve myfelf and reader ; referving what remains for a fe- cond Part, I have already made fome exciife for quoting and comparing feveral little 2inA trifling things, in themfelves too light to deferve our attention ; and am afraid, that in the Sequel, a frefli Apology will be requifite -, as I fliall be obliged to relate fome things too horrid and flocking to the mind.

It will however, I perfuade myfelf, ap- pear,— that this new difpcnfation is a Compo- Jition of Entbufiafm, Superftition, and Im^ poflure. When the blood and fpirits run /6%/', inflaming the brain and imagination ; it is moit properly Enthifwf?n ; which is Religion run mad : -r- when lew and de- jccicd^ caufing groundlefs terrors, or the

M placing

( 82 )

placing the great duty of man in little Ob« fervances ; 'tis Superj}itio?iy which is Re- ligion feared out of its Senfcs : —when any fraudulent dealings are made ufe of, and any wrong projeds carried on under the mask of piety , 'tis Impofture^ and may be termed Religion turned Hypocrite,

Should any thing I can offer make fome improvement of a ferious and fiber Senfe of true Religion among us, free from Enthu- fiaftic Delufions^ with regard both to Faith arid good works, it will be fufficient fatis- faftioji : And the benefit will be doubled^ if by means of the Cotnparifin with Popery^ a juft deteftation of that wicked Communion be prefervedy and efpecially if encreafed.

The END of the First PART*

ERRATUM.

^*g« %<)y in the Note, fcr, 4 Journ. p. 24, rW, p. at'-

3Frd/>r, Ibtd, p. 21, r«?«s/, p. 24.

THE

ENTHUSIASM

O F

METHODISTS

AND

PAPISTS

C OMPARED. PART II.

Vanity or Self-Conceit is another Circumjiance that for the moji Part prevails in the CharaBer of an Enthufiaft. It leads Men of a •warm Temper ^ and Eeiigicus Turn, to think themfehes ivorthy of the fp(c:al Regard^ and extraor- dinary Favours of God ; and the Breath of that Infpiration to ivhich they pre-- tend is often no more than the Wind of this Vanity, ivhich pufFs them up to fuch Extravagant Imaginations. This flrongly appears in the Writings and Lives of fame Enthufiaftical Heretics, in r^e Myftics both Antient and Modern, in many Founders of Orders, and SaintF, both Male and Female, among the Papifts, tn feveral Vxot&^Sint Sectaries f the laji AgCy and even in fame of the Methodifts «ow. ^////->f Divine Communications, Illuminations, <:«</ Ecftacies, to ivhich they pretended, evidently fprung from much Self-Conpeit, ivsrking together ivitb the Vapours of Melancholy upon a warm Imagination, &c.

L V T T E J. T 0 N on the Converfion of St. Pa u r..

LONDON^

Printed for J. and P. K n a p t o n, in Ludgate-Strest, M.DCC.XUX.

!_

( iv ) Your firft Objetlion is to my Manner of

Page 6. Writing ; that '' If I am a Clergyman^ the whole Strain of my T^erjormance difcovers a Le'-jity unbecoming my Charafter.'* And here I am afraid you have the Advantage \ as writing with a Le^oity quite becoming your Character y i. e. with that Sort of Levity , which confifis in a Privation of Weighty and exemplifies (to ufe your own Expref- lion) "what Feathers ive all are. Nor could you have been more light and infignificant, unlefs your Name had been Ferronet,

As to the Force of the Objedlion of r/V/- cuhus and irreligious Banter 3 — I read that one of Bifiop Stilling feef s Fopifio An- iagoni[ls called him '^ a 'Theological Bufoon^ impioufly and profanely employing his Wit in deriding and blajpheming the Saints.'" And yet, fuch is m.y Modefiy, and humble Imitation oi your Humility^ I defire to fuc- ceed no better a2;ainft Metbodijm than he did againl!: Popery.^ — But here, it feems, I

\tiA. am greatly miftaken.- For, *' By irreligious .Banter y I have unhappily fixed upon a mofl improbable and ineffeBual Remedy for re~ .covering tht IVletbqdip out of their Extra- •vagant Freaks," If fo, why are you fo pettilTa ? Why lb wrathful ? I might rather cxped an Addrefs of Flanks from White- field and Compa72y\

But, to compound tfee Matter with you by a plain Truth, nay Manner of writing

(whether

(V)

(whether with Levity^ or Graijify) afFe<S$ not in the leaft the Merits of the Caiife, The Enthujiafm is exadtly ihtfamey neither more nor lefs, better or worfe. The only ^eJUon to the Purpofe is, whether I have made my Rotations jiiftly and fairly ? Let this be /uppofedy till 'tis difprovcd. — Some- thing however more jerioiiSy horrible and Jhocking, will appear toward the End of this Second Part, and efpecially in the Third 'y where the Nature of the SiibjeEl will be apt to raife Abhorrence and Indigo 7iation rather than Laughter. For, con- trary to my Intention, I am forced upon a Third Party your Enthufiajms are fo many. Nor had I exadly enough com- puted the Number^ or confidered the Vir" flics y of your Confec rated Beads.

Before you Attack my Comparifon in Form, I find you fiibbling at my Title- Page : In one Place, " 'Tis ?20t rejirained^- 7- enough to Anfwer my Principal Defign : " In another Place, " 'tis too much reftrained >P- 20^ you would have me make an Addition to it, and let it run thuSy The Enthufiafm and Im-^ pojlure^ &c." I ftand corredled, and have no Objed-ion to your Amendment. Con* iider however, that before you meddled w^ith my Title-Page^ you fhould have con- fulted your Grammar^ and made Senfe of vour own.

A 2 But

( vi )

But I fhall not fo eafily give up my Parallel of the Montanifts, I find it (ticks too clofe, is pinching, and makes you Wriggle. You want fadly to get rid of it ; for which you affign fome doughty

P. 8.. Reafons, " Ton omit^ you fay, .making any Repiy fo my Account of the Montanifts^ becaufe 'tis quite foreign to my "Title-Page^ and alfo to my Principal Defign% " that of Comparing you with Papijis. You know that J introduced tlie Montanifts^ to fhew that the Spirit of Enthufiafm is always the fame. And though the Montanifts were no Papijls, they were Heretics, full of //;/- pojhires and Impieties ; in a Word, the 'Methodifts of their Times. And why -fhould you turn away your Face from your Cdcn Likenefs ? But you have another

^t,ij. Reafon 3 '' The Account of the Montanifts beifjg not founded on Writings of their own \ and- fo at the befl very Precarious." Did I fiy, the Account was not founded "on their own Writings? Did I not •exprefsly fay, that our Accounts and ExtraBs of their own Wr-itings were col- "leded from the heft Hiftorians of thofe 'Times? And fnppofing they had ;^^^ been founded on their own Writings 3 mufl they therefore of Courfe be Precarious ? Doth -no Hiftory d'eferve Credit, but what was written by the ABors ? What then be- comes of the Faith of almofi all Hiftory ? And is every Thing right and true which

Men

( vli )

Men write concerning Themfehes ? Well then ! Tour Accounts^ "Journals^ &c. are wrote by your Faithful Self: Therefore not fre carious and iincertai?j. But yet, you now own you have written Things worfe than Precarious -, Things abjolutely and confefjedly Jalfe. And had you died, and the Myjlic Dove fled away to Heaveny before your Recantation-^ thefe Falfities muft have paffed upon the World for ///- fallible Truths^ Revealed from above.

In the fame Page you catch me tripping, and even falling into an Inconfifiency. I had charitably fuppofed, that the Methodijis might perhaps fet out from real Motives of foicere Piety, adding afterwards, " their fetting out with warm Preteiices to Re-P.s- formation." Your Remark is, " If by 'Pretence I mean a mere Hypocritical Pre- tence^ I am then guilty of a Self-Contra- didrion/' But may not your M^^/rj^'^ be fmcere ; and yet your Pretences to Reformat tion be idle^ and vai7i, and ahfurd? (For I did not fay Hypocritical.) And is not -the World fully fenfible -Lvhat Sort of Re- formation has always been the Aim of En- thufafls ? As to your ^ejlion^ how can Pretence and Reality be reco?2ciled? We are agreed : my whole Comparifon has proved they cannot ; and your Recantation has con- firmed it.

But I am like to be in a ivorfi Condition: p. ^■ ^' having faid what I can't prove^ and con^

f^fedly

{ ^'iii ) fejjedly exceeded the Bounds ofTrutL'' And how fo ? Why it feems I have faid that *' the Methodifts began their Adventures with Field-Treaching ; and yet quite the Contra?'}' is notorious from my own Words, yifter the Methodijls had traduced the Clergy in their own Churches and Pulpit s^ they fet ahout this pious Work of Defama- tion more heartily in the Fields. Here^ you fay, viy Parallel fails at jirjl Jetting outy my feJf being Judge.''

And was I not, my good Friend, ki72d and candid in not reckoning your Pulpit- Abiifes among your idld and extravagant Adventures ; in not laying the Adventures to your Charge, *till you broke into Open Irregularities by inviting a Rabble into the Fields? And was I not right in dating the Commencement of your Adventures from P. 15, 15. that Time? You fay, No. " That in Reality the Methodijl Adventures were be- gun in the Churchy before you took the Field.'* Be it fo. But this is your own frank Con- ffjion-y and no Part of ;;a' Charge.

Do you think the PopiJJo Field-Preachers did not firft learn their Lefon^ took no previous Steps, mLidc no Trovifion, before they fet out upon their Expeditions ? Read their Legendsy and be convinced. Read but the Beginning of the Hiftory cf that Renoiiued Knight-Errant Den ^ixote, (a good Catholic too) and you will find, how

'' he

( ix )

" he prepared himfelf by reading Books of Chivalry^ for which he had an Extravagant Fondnefs ; filled his Head with wild Fro^ jedls^ which turned his Brain-, had fre- quent Difpiites with his Fanfld^Friejl % furbiilied up his Armour^ and buckled it on : — All this, before he adlually fallied forth upon his Adventures^ in order to re- drefs all Grievances, and correft all Ex- orbitances : bejore he defperately encountred the Windmill y or combated the Devils in the Shape of Cats-y or (as Sa72C0 brags) lodged at the Inns, all at Difcretion, and the D — 1 a Farthing to pay.'*

And now, Sir, how have I been guilty oi 2iV\ Untruth ', or how doth my Parallel fail, myfeJf being Judge ? The FaB you own, both of Fopifo and Methodiftical Field'F reaching ; you glory in it. And of what Moment is the precife Time of the ■Commencenient of your Adventures ? What h?iVt you gained? Unlefs it be throwing Duft into the Air, to blind the Eyes of your Followers 5 or maintaining your Right to a Litigious and Cavilling Humour. ; '.' Ton thank me for ififorming you, that^ Field-'Preaching was Jormerly praBifed in this^ Nation : you are glad it was fo ; and immediately ajiz. Why then fuch a Noife about it now"" This Pradice, Sir, occafioned an A^t^ or ABs^ againft Field-Fr cachings (and I conceive not yet formally, or vir- tually.

II.

tually, Repealed) becaufe fuch Meetings were Entbu[iaftical^ Seditious, and Mif- chinjcus. You indeed are glad of this : but it affords fufficient Reafon for making Jh?ic Noife about it ?iow. Obferve only the Weight and Tendency of your Argument : The Dominicans, Jefuits, Francifcans, &c. did formerly, in a IVild, Fanatical and Ir- regular Manner, employ their Talents in corrupting and deceiving Mankind with many falfe, Jcandalous, and wicked Tenets, to the prodigious Injury of the Public and True Religion : This Havock they made of Civil and Religious Truth and Happinefs, under the Majk of Sanclity -, by Blafphe- mous Pretenfions and Claims to Inspiration, Divine Calls and DireBions, and Variety of other Frauds, Why then fuch a Noife about them now ? Or what Occafion of any Oppofition to thofe, who are 720W Re- viving the Method, and are compaffing the fame B^d by the Jame Means ? Thus Fotent is your Way oi Reafoning : and fo effeclually you get clear of thefe unlucky Papifls.

P- "• As to " fo?ne Degrees of VaJiity, unob-

ferved Vanity, which you fay you cannot now remember j" have but a little Patience, and your Memory will foon be refrefhed.

In Defence of your Condudt, ycu aik,

P. 12. " Can you recolledl no earlier, or rnore ** unexceptionable Field-Preachers than the '' Papijh ? What think you of Jefus Chriji,

'' and

(xi)

" and his Apoftles f Were they not Field* *' Preachers ?*' And will you never leave off your inexcufable Pride in comparing yourfelf to Chriji, and his ApoftUs ? Will you ftill perfift in this Pjejumptuous Sin? Will you do it again and again in this very Pamphlet y wherein you have fadly bewailed your Speaking iii a Stile too Apojlolical ? You have owned your Pretences to Infpiratlon^ and fpeaking from the Spirit of God^ to be Falfe : and if you own^ their Infpiration and Divine MiJJion to be True % your Com-- parijon fails in the moft EJJential Point. You have but Two Ways of making your Parallel ftand ; and you may take your . Choice. You muft prove, either that you are Infpired and Comniiffiofjcd from on Highy hke Chriji and his Apoftles ; — or that They were fuch E?2thufajis as yourfelf.

Your Attempt to wipe off the Black Art?. lyiZ. of Calumny^ and even to retort it upon rnyfelf is really a Mafier-piece. " You own your Speaking againft the Clergy was not in the Spirit of ChriJ}^ or with the like Divine Authority, and that there was too much Severity in youx firjl Zeal, All there-^ fore you would infer is this, that what fome may term Gall of Bitter nefs and black Art of Calumny, may be Nothi?ig but an Honeji TeJ}imo?iy againft the Corruptions of a Degenerate Church, And you juftify your Zeal by the Exa?nples of John Baptiji a and

( xii )

and St. Stephen, who called the impenitent and hardened Jews, A Generation of Viper s^ jiiff-necked, and imcircumcifed in Heart and Ears, always refifting the Holy Ghojl : — of our Saviour y denouncing no lefs than Thir- teen Woes again ft the Scribes and Pharifees : — oi Ifaiah and Jeremiah, condemning the wicked Men of thofe Days.

Truely, Sir, you have much mended the Matter -, and drawn a moft Conclujlve In- ference, from your Confeffiofi of 7iot fpeak- inc; againft the Clergy with a Chrijl-like or Apoflolical Spirit, — of too much Severity in your Zeal ; and when you fay '^ The Methodijis for fome Time have laid down a Trade, which I am taking up.

And how am I taking up this Trade of ?.\j, i%.Calu?nny} To prove this, " You gather fome of my Flowers on this Occafion ; — This Dangerous and Prefumpttious Se6l — Strolling Predica?2ts — Itinerant Enthu/iajis — Methodijtical Enthufiafis."" To which I anfwer-y If this be Calumny, it comes out of your own Mouth : you have confefjed, or hoajled of, every Word and Syllable of it. ^•3', 33, r— You have Confrffed '' mingling Wild- '^'>- Fire with your Zeal : to groundlefs Pre-

tences to Injpiration, to impofmg your own Spirit upon the World inftead of the Spirit of God (the very Efjence of Enthufiafm) you pkrd guilty : Prefumption among fome <bf vcnr Sed: you readily grant : — And

you

( xiii )

you boaj} of wanderinginto fevcral Parts of the P- n» 4 J-

World, 2iS 2i Preacher : Yon glory tn taking

the Field,'' And now I readily agree, that

*' thefe Flowers (growing in your own Gar-?. i8.

den) are not of a very Scriptural Scent,'*

But you afk, " why muft I dijliirb the?. i8, 19. Dead^ rake into their very AJloes^ and call up Mr. Seward's Ghoft in order to terrify the Reader?" If this be fuch ^Tc?^rible Crime, who has done it more than the Methodijls? Who more, than yourfelf ? You have treated the Author of the whole Duty of Man, and Archbifhop 'iillotfon, in a moft Scurrilous Manner : in this very Pamphlet you have raked into the Afhes of Luther, Calvin, Zuinglius, Cranmer, Rid- ley, a?2d Hooper -, nay of Paul and Bar- p. 45. nabas'y and have freely cenfured their Faults, You urge, " that Flowers enough?. ,'8. might have been gathered out of Mr. Wef-^ leys ^Journals and yours : and I might let your dear warm Friend, your Fellow-- traveller Seward, lie undifturbcd. What hath he done?'* I doubt. Sir, your have been dabbling in a Play, and learned your Reafoning from the Facetious Knight ; ** No, my good Lord, banifh Peto, banifh '^ Bardolph, banifli Poins ; but for fweet '' Jack Fnljhff, kind fack Faljfaff, true <* Jack Faljtaff, valiant Jack Fcdflaff,-^ *' banifh not him,

a 2 In

( ^iv )

In plain Truth, (for I beg Pardon for rafhly touching upon a Play) Mr. Seward V\ih\\(htd 2i Journal iu\\ oi Calumny^ En- thujiafm, dangerous and prefiwiptuous Tenets^ ftill working warmly in the Methodijis : but he muft not be touched, becaufe he is dead. And your Ride muft be acknow- ledged a very Expedient one. For then, had yonr good Self died before your Reca?ttationy all your Confejj'ed Falfities and Impoflures muft have paffed for Sacred Truths, with- out any Examination or ContradiBion. Then no Antient Heretic, no Infidel, no Enthu- Jiafl, no Broacher of the moft wicked Doc- trines, could ever be called in ^efiion. And (to the great Comfort of your Heart) then the Fanatical wandering Ghcfis of St. Francis and Ignatius had not been called up, to 7:?^^;^/ and fi are you in the Face, To make you as eafy as I can ; — Seeing I fhall have Occafion to call up the fame Ghcfis again -, I give you previous Notice, that you may not he frighted.

In the mean Time you don't coniider what a Fright you have put me into. For, befides '' leaving me to Mr. Wefiefs Cor-^ reEilcn,'' you bolt out fuddenly with 30. " Something S O Extraordinary in my 17th Se5iion, that it calls for ^Remark:' You fiartle me 5 you put me in a Panic. But I muft ftand the Shock. — Out it comes, that '' I have called Inflantaneom

Converfion

( X'^ )

Converfion a Fanatical Peculiarity,'' Is this your Something S O Extraordi?iary ? I fup- pofe not. It mull lie in your following Remark; '' I prefiime Inftantaneous Re- *' generation muft be a Fanatical Teculiari- " ty alfo. What then becomes of that ^' Diana of the prefent Age, Baptijmal *' Regeneration, which muft be Injlantane- '' ous? " By this Time I begin to recover my SenfeSy and be able to fpeak, ToUy Mr. Whitejield^ may be as Prefumptuous as you pleafe : / prefiimed not to fay any fuch Thing : I neither mentioned, nor thought of, Baptijmal Regeneration, But IF I had ; Oh! how you would chaftife me? — I anfwer very Laconically^ IF. — Moreover I ajk you, why you will talk at this idle^ and even v^icked Manner ? What St. Paul Titus, exprefsly calls the Wajloing^ or Laver^ of^' 3- Regeneration, you profanely Chriflen by the Heathenijh Name of Diana, '' Baptifmal Regeneration is the Diana of the prefent Age/' Take again therefore your own Words, Tretty Language this. Sir ! Such P. 15. as ought once more to bring you to your Penitentials^ and extort another Alas ! Alas!. ^

Again, you charge me with " calling p, .,. Afjurances of Salvation another Trefumptu- ous Imagination,'' I did fo. And you return to your old prevaricating Trick of making me Jay,, what I did 7wt fay ; and

changing

( xvi )

changing the Term by flipping in the Word Faith inftead of Salvation^ you immediate- ly aflc, " Is Affarance of Faith then, in " your Opinion, a Prefumptiious Imagina- " tionV Whence you run on Arguing^ — as wifely as you did before.

As I have chiefly confulted your ^oiir- p. 33, 34. nahy you tell me, '' that in this I have afted wifely enough for my Purpofe, but not candidly 3 fince there were Later Writings of yours, which might as eafily have been procured.** Indeed, Sir, I did not care to loofe fo much Time, Nor probably would your hater Writings turn out much to your Advantage, But fuppofing the beft, mind the Prettinefs of your Argument : — It was the Comparer's Purpofe to difcover Mr. Whiteficld's Enthufiajrns 3 and therefore he ought not to look for them where they were to be founds but where they were not.

So much for your acute and judicious Remarks, Let us proceed to your Confejfion, ^•9' and Recantation. For '' undcferving as my Pamphlet was, it has ferved a good Purpofe^ and been the Meajis of your reBifying Some Miftakes,'' And you have kindly given us a Lick of the " Hofiey that came out of the Eater:'

After you have rcBified your Miflakes^ P. ^4. and Confefjed them, you fay indeed, '' that

this

( xvii )

this was not extorted from you by rr?y Pamphlet:'* Which a Captious Pcrfon might take f®r a Sort of Self'Co7itradi5lion. But I regard not that ; feeing either Way the fame^W Turpofe is ferved.

Accordingly, a Regard to the Common Benefit inclines mc to enumerate your Re- traced Mijlakes^ and Common 'Jujiice to acknowledge a great Appearance of your Ingenuous and Sincere Mind, and Conduct.

*^ You confefs too ?nuch Severity in yourp ,-, iq, ^^ iirft Zeal, by far too much againft Arch- " bifliop Tillotfon : — Young awakened Per- P. 22, 34. '^ fons are apt to run into Extremes, which '' fall off when they have received the " Spirit of Adoption ', — your Journals wcro ^' fome of your moft early Performances, ^* in the very Heights of your firft Popu^ ^' larity ; which is apt to make \h^firongefi '' Head run giddy ^ and do Things, which '* After -Experience and riper fudginent '' teach them to correB and amend, — You p. 27. *^ retra<fl with all your Heart your having " defined or prayed for IH-Ujage, Terje- *' cution, Martyrdom, Death, &c. as pro- '' ceeding from an Irregular, though welU " meant, Zeah, now finding yourfelf no '' Ways fo difpofed, — As to the Dodtrine of P. jt. '' Affuranccs, you readily grant that fome " of the Mcthodifts who really had not this '' Ajjiirance, have Prefumptuoufty imagined ^* they had it -, there being Counterfeit as

'* well

( xviii )

P- 3S. « well as Current Coin. — You confefs, you *' were followed with the Hofannas of the " Multitude ; and your too ftrong Ex- " preflions concerning Abfoliite Reproba- " tion-, — and your expofing your Friend

P. 59. " Mx.Wefky: — that in the ColkBion of " Letters (written by the Methodifts) many " Things were very Exceptionable ; which " therefore have been SuppreJJed for fome ** Years: — that you don't now approve of *' making a Lottery of the Scriptures : —

P, 40, 41." that your Miflakes and Blunders have *' ht^\\ frequent ', and when you are made " fcnftbk of any more, they fliall be pub- ** lickly acknowledged and reiraBed : — that " when you carried high Sail, running " through a whole Torrent of Popularity ** and Contempt^ you have been in Danger

P- 42. " of overfctting: — that you mentioned '' Divine Communications with fome De-

P. 43. " grees of Vanity : Something of our own ** Imagination may pofjibly be ble?ided with *^ Methodifm j nay, that Imagination has ** mixed itfelf with the Work cannot be

P' 45- *' denied: — You confefs many Offences and " Divifions among yourfelves, and own it " mufl needs be that fuch Offences come." — Laftly, when I charged the Methodifts with ftealing the Sacred Fire from Heaven, by bold Pretences to Revelations, Infpira- tions^ 6cc. and afked where will thefe bold E?ithufiajls fop? ( Compar, p. 48. ) your

Reply

( xix )

Reply isj " I anfwer for one^ even here, " Sir, And I will freely and readily ac- " knowledge y that you and others have had " too much Occafion for RefleBion, by " feveral Things that have been unwarily " dropped up and down in my Journals J*

Remember then, that by Jiopping here you gi''oe up the remaining Parts, and plead . guilty to the moft Capital Articles of my Charge 5 which were, •* Divine PrefenceSy particularly Chrift vijible in the Sacrament, fitting at the Head of the l!able^ and talk-- ing to Mr. Whitefield -, — familiar Communi- cations, a?id amorous Conversations with God% — Extraordinary Revelations, Lifpiration 5 Special DireBions^ MiJJions, and Calls -^ Ecjlacies a?id Vifions, &c/*

I would now proceed to your famous. 7e7iitential Letter of Retractations : but delire firft to make a few Obfervations upon the above ConfeJJions.

As to thofe Extremes common in your young Perfons, and falli?ig off when they receive the Spirit of Adoption ; pray ac- quaint us with the precife "Time of your own receiving it, that we may be certified when you got clear of all fuch Extremes, and attained a Jujl Medium.

When you make Excufes for your groundlefs Pretences to hfpiration, a Di- vine CommiJJion, &c. on Account of your moft early DaySy and in the Height of your b firft

(XX)

firft Topularity^ when your Head was giddy y you hereby confefs^ that you was mojl Topular^ when you was the greatejl Liar ; be ft loved and admired ^ when you feduced the Multitude by Cheat and //;/- pojlure. And what a fine Compliment is this to yoUr Folloivers Jlnderflanding^ and your cic';? Integrity ? What F^(?/j have you made of thej}?^ and what a i&/ — of yonrfelf ?

When you received the Hofanna's of the Multitude^ I really thought it an Error of the Prefs for Huzza's. But you confefs that ^' Hdfanna was your ow^n Word : wro7ig and unguarded^ but not intended to convey a Prcfane Idea,'* Wrong and un- guarded ! What a tender Expreffion of this great Offence? And how poffibly could your own Mind abftraft from Trofanenefs — an Application to yourfelf of the Divtne Hcnoiir .^'^xd to the Adorable Redeemer of Mankind? The Word indeed hatfi for- merly been ufed in Acclamations to fome cutragecus Enthufafis. And particularly, Sir James Ware (Hunting of the Romijh Pox, P. 229 — ) 'relates of *' one Anth, Ni^gcnt, a Popifi Prieji^ that he was one of Jafncs Naylor's Difciples, and went before him through the Streets of Bri/lol^ crying out Hcfannar I prefume yqu again '/ tbaiik me for acquainting you with thefe

former

( xxi )

former Injiatices, and are glad they \ver,e pradifed in our Nation feveral Years ago."

Whereas you was in Danger of cwr- fetting from a Torrent of Popularity and Contempt ^ — I congratulate you on your pre fen t lefs dangerous Situation : your Popu- larity is pretty well over 5 for the other^^ you rnuft take your Chance.

Whereas you fay, " The Offences and DIvifions among yourfelves were about fome Non-Ejjentials 3 '' — Is this the 'Truth t And will yow Jland to your Words? Can differing about Non-Ejjentiah be reconciled to your accufing each other of preaching Damnable and EJ/hitially-Erroneous Doc- trines, — horrid BlafphemieSy another Gofpel^ &c? (Which will appear anon.) This being the Cafe, 'tis plain you quarrelled about Ejjentials^ or elfe you are mutually Falfe udccufers of your Brethren, Either Way, there is fomething Ejfentially Un^ chrtjiian among you.

But come we now to your Penitential Letter^ wherein fome of your Cant is Re-- canted^ and we are taught to confefs your ingenuous and fine ere Dealing. *^ To con-p^ vince me that this is the real Language of your Hearty and not extorted by my Pamphlet^ you produce an Extra5f of a Letter to a worthy Friend in South Ca-- rolina-^ and publifhed, with very little b 2 Jilteration^

34'

( XXll )

"Alteration^ in Scotland Months ago. Dated June 24, 1748." Whereby I am indeed convinced of your Temper. You will do nothing by Compulfion : nothing fhall be extorted from you. But let you alone; and you will confefa as much Enthiifiafrn and Impojlure as one could wifh. May I have the Liberty, Sir, to alk. Why this Confejjion was fent privately to a Friend in Carolina^ and not to your own Countrymen ? Why did you fuffer your Followers to lie fo long under a Delufion ? And not publifli your Recantation immediately, as foon as you found yourfelf both deceiving^ and being deceived'? Why publiihed in Scotland rather than in England ? And who knows whether this Part of the Nation would have been bleffed with any Publication, unlefs it had been extorted by my Tamphlet ?

That you may have full Jujlice done you, and as your farther Refra5lation will appear cleareft in your own Words, it may be proper to reprint the Letter^

O:.

( Xxili )

On Board the Bngg Betfey, Captain p. 35— Efteen Cojn?nander,

Jtme 24//^, J 748.

Reverend Sir^

" \7"Efterday I made an End of revifing " j[ all my Journals — Bleffed be God " for letting me have Leifure to do it — I " purpofe to have a new Edition before I " fee America — Alas ! Alas ! in how *^ many Things have I judged, and adted " wrong ! I have been too rafh arKi hafty *' in giving Characters both of Places and " Perfons — Being fond of Scripture Lan- '^ S^^^S^^ I ^'^^^ often ufed a Style too *' ApoJlolicaU and at the fame Time I have " been too bitter in my Zeal — ^Wild-fire *' has been mixed with it; and I find I *' have frequently wrote and fpoke too " much in my own Spirit, when I thought " I was writing and fpeaking entirely by " the Affiftance of the Spirit of God — I *^ have likewife too much made Impref- *' fions, without the written Word my *^ Rule of afting ; and too foon, and too ^* explicitely, publifhed what had bettdr *' been kept in longer, or left to be told *' after my Death. By thefe Things, I ^S have given fome "ucrong Touches to God's

'' Ark

{ xxiv ) " Ark, hurt the bleffed Caufe I would " defend, and ftirred up needlefs Oppofi- *' tion — This has humbled me much fince I *' have been on Board, and made me think " of a Saying of Mr. Henrfs^ Jofeph had " more iionefiy than he had Volicy\ or he <c ^f,^^^ Hx)Oidd have told of his Drearm — At *' the fame Time, I cannot but blefs, and *' praife, and magnify that good and graci- " ous God, who imparted to me fo much " of his holy PirCy and carried me, a poor " weak Youth, through fuch a Torrent " both of Popularity and Contempt ^ and '^ fet fo many Seals to my unworthy Mi- *' niftrations — I blefs him for ripening my " Judgment a little ^nore^ for giving me to '' fee, confefs, and I hope in fome Degree «* to correS and ame?id fome of its Miftakes ^' — I thank God for giving me Grace to *' embark in fuch a ble(]ed Caufe y and pray '' him to give me Strength to hold on, ^' and increafe in Zeal and Love to the

" End Thus, dear Sir, I have un-

" burdened my Heart to you — I look " upon you to be my F:diis Achates^ and '' therefore deal thus freely. — If I have ^' Time and Freedom before wc land, I " think to begin and write a ihort Account of what has happened for thefe fcven Years laft paft ; and when I get on Shore, God willing, I purpofe to revife and corred the iirft Part of my Life/' —

The

<%

(C

( XXV )

The Principal Point here, and what im- mediately ftrikes the Eye, is your free Con- fejjion, and doleful Lamentation of having frequently Impofed upon the World, and fediiced your Followers^ by Falpcod and Deceit ; and that too in a Matter of the higheji Concern^ the Salvation of their Souls. You have Confefled yourfelf an Enthufiafi^ and confequently juftijied me in bringing fuch a Charge, " In many Things adled and judged wroiig, been bitter, particularly in giving CharaBers:" Which proves your Trade of Calmmiy. '' Often ufed a Style too ApoftolicaW And why will you con- tinue it, and fo often, again in this very Pamphlet? " Wild-fire has been mixed with your Zeal, and with God's Holy pire J — you have wrote and fpoke in your own Spirity and put it upon the World entirely for the Spirit of God : — have made ImpreJJionSy and not the written Word of Gody your Rule of ABing:' And this I hope you will own to be Ge^mifie Enthu^ flafm, and in the bad Senfe of the Word.

Thefe Things you have Acknowledged^ Bewailed, ajid Retraced: and would be thought, no Doubt, to aft Ingenuoufiy^ and fpeak Sincerely*

Confidering therefore all your Confefiiom and Retradlatiom of your Fanatical Sallies, had I the Honour and Happinefs of being one of your SeB^ I (hould propofe an Ad-

drefs

( xxvi )

drefs to vou (with great Submiffion) m the

following Manner. '' We are, Sir, of the

" Number of thofe, who have attended

*' your Terfon and DoBrinc -, allured by

" yom fan&ifiedT^rcfaices^ and high Claims.

'^ Being perfwaded firft into a bad Opinion

'*^ oi onii prope?' P a/lor s and Churches^ w^e

" followed you into the Streets, the Fields

*' and Defarts. We crowded^ hugged ^ kijjed

" you ; made you Trefents and Eiitertain

*' ments receiving you as an Apojlle^ or

" Angel from Heaven. And this too at the

" very Junfture of 7/W, when you was

'^ the rnoft Deceitful Worker^ and grievouf-

"'^ ly feducing your precious Lambs, For

*' at length we find you declaring, that

^'^ your Infallible JnfiruBions^ and which

*' we devoured as fo many Oracles^ were

•" but {o many Mijlakcs, Blunders^ or L/Vi.

'^ Your being guided by Impulfes and 7;^;-

•'* prefjiojis,^ and teaching ^/^ to depend upon

\" them as certain^ is now acknowledged

'^ to be a precarious and even j/^^ i?w/^,

" Oiurping the Place of God's IVord:

' Though you once affured us, it was as

'' eafy to know when the Spirit made an

^' Imprefjlon on the 5oul^ as to feel and

'' know when the Wi?2dm2kt^ an Impref-

'' fion on the Body, You taught, that

'' our Afurance of Salvation was clearly

'' written upon the Heart, as by a Sun*

'* Bcamx v/hereas now, Alas! Alas! we

^' only

{ xxvil )

'' only PrefumptiioiiJIy imagined that wc

'' had it. You made your Boaft of a

" Divine Mijjion ; Special Calls and Di-

" regions from Heaven-, Infpirations, Com-

" municatiom, Converfations Face to Face

" with God ', which by your later Account y

'' and ConfeJJion, were all mere Fancy, and

'' FiBion, and the Produd: of a fertile In-

" vention. You have climbed up, and

" Jiole the facred Fire from Heaven ;

" have everf Deified yourfelf, and put

" your own Spirit in the Seat of the

'« Holy Ghoft, You confefs you have

" fcattered Wildfire among us, whereby

" we felt ftrange and unufual Burnings,

^' and fome of us have been terrified out

'' of our Senfes ; without any Warning to

'' keep our Difiance, out of the Reach of

*' this dangerous Coinpofition, Seeing then

" you have thus (hammed us off with

" Counterfeit Coin inftead of true Sterlingy

** and have owned yourfelf a Cheat and

*' Impoftor-, what remains, but to leave

<' you to yourfelf, and return to our native

" Fold ? A Stranger will we not follow,

'' but will flee from him -, who Confefjedly

*' came not in by the Door, but clim&ed up

'' fome other Way, Remember, that at beft

*' you are now but a common Mortal, upon

•' a Level with ordinary Churchmen : ftrip-

'' ped of your Extraordinary Cekfiial

" Endowments, and Superjjatural Powers,

,c '' vou

( xxviii )

" you can henceforth only make a Figure " from your natural or acquired Abilities ^

Oh ! what a Fall is there ?

I was going on ; but am fuddenly flopped by your feafonable Monition 5 P. 20. " But hold, Sir : And before you run " yourfelf quite out of Breath, I intreat ** you to flop a little, while I put to you " a few Sluejtions. Believe you that I am " perfeftly in earnejl^ and have made an " Abfolute Recantation'? Do not I infert " divers Softenings^ Referves^ Salvo's^ and " Exceptions to my general Confejfion V — I cry your Mercy, Sir; 'tis very true. And, to fave you the Trouble, I fliall recoUeft ■fome of them : But then, I fear, fome Doubts may arife about your Sincerity. Accordingly here follows an imperfe^ and rough Draught of what you might triiely endjujlly plead ; and to which I fhall not have the Face to make a?iy Objedfion,

" Whereas I George Whitefield have •* made ample ConfeJJion and Retra^lation *' oivny E?ithu/jafms and I?npofiures\ I do •^ hereby (to prevent all MifconJlruBion) ** claim the Privilege of explaining myfelf, *' m what Se?ife^ and how far ^ my Words •' are to be underftood. Saving to myfelf " likewife the Benefit of futwe Ex- " ccptiojiSy &c. In general I plead, that

*'m

( xxix )

'' ill my deepeji Confeffions of my moft " hei?2oiis Offences, I only acknowledge " Mi/iakesy or Blunders, fpeaking and <' writing fome wrong and unguarded " Things, Things unwarily dropped up and ^' down, Want of Caution, with other tender '' and ge?2tle Expreffions. And Malice " itfelf muft allow thefe Softenings to be *' an Extenuation of Guilt. — Moreover, « even of thefe Miftakes, &c. I have not «' relinquifiied, nor defired to relinquifli, « All ; but only a Part of them \ and that *^ Part too not Entirely. For my 'u^r;^ *^ Words are, ' I blefs God for ripening my « Judgment a /////^ ;;2or^, for giving me to '^ /2'^ and Confefs, and I A^/>^ mfome Degree <^ to corred: and amend fome of my Mif- '^ takes/ And am I not here fufficiently '' upon the Referve ?— 'Tis true, I confefs '' and lament many Faljlmds and Enthuji-- '' (ifms publifhed in my Journals : but 'tis *' true alfo, that I am only forry for doing ^< this ' too foon, and too explicit ely ; and -** declare that what I am now afhamed of '<- had been better kept in lojiger, or left to ^' be told after my Death: And hereby '*' I mi^ht have avoided this Shame of a *' Recantation; a noble L^^^O' ^^^ t)een *< left to the Bands and Societies-, who <« would have been entitled to the Honour " and Pr^//i arifing from my pious Fal- " lacies: my Untruths Sind Deceits had never c 2 bec^

( ^xx )

*' been known 5 becaufe no Candid Perfon " would have raked into my Afoes to con- " tradid: me 3 and I coidd not have con- '' tradidled myfelf,-—! do indeed publickly '^ acknowledge that my Dreams were not " from Heaven^ but mere llliifiGnsqf Fancy : ** and yet obferve how Artfully I compare " my Cafe with that of Jofeph ; and fay,, *^ that my publifhing them as Divine " might perhaps be Impolitic^ but was no " Impeachment of my Honejly. —

" To be more particular. As to Vanity " and Pride,— -I have often confelTed and *^ bewailed the Naught inefs of my proud " Heart', and when //■tyZif^//£7///7j Thoughts ^' ufed to crowd in upon me, have Prayed " to God^ ' Give me Humility, or I peiifli.* " — But pray remember how I fojten this '' into fome Degrees of V'anity, and thofe " either unoifervcd Qv forgotten : and that I '* flill dcfirc to retain a proper Share ofdecejzi Dealing/^ Pride. For when my Heart was ftirred '^^' ''up to pray againft Spiritual Pride, my '' exprefs Words w^ere, that God would *' always keep me humbled only in fome " Menfure. The very worf and higheji " Inftance of Vanity, that of applying '' Hfannas to my dear Self, which too *' hath laid me low before God and Man ^ '' — this I have brought down to a Thing • 3^^ " wrong and unguarded, but not intended ^' to convey a "Profane Idea,

'' I have

( xxxi )

" I have inaintained the Dodlrine of *' Abfolute Reprobation iojiijly, and to that " Degree^ as to be charged by Mr. Wejley " with horrid Blajphemy j and my 'Enemies *^ fay, he hath confuted me in a fiirong " and majierly Manner. But by my Con- *■ JW^^ ^^is dwindles away into my having " dropped fome too jlrong ExprrJJions. —

*' If I am forced to own that I have '^ traduced the Clergy ; but for fome Time *' laid down the iLr^dc oi Dejamation *, you p. 15-ig. " fee how foon I take it up again ; and *' defend myfelf by the Example of the " Apofdes j (though I own not with the " fame Spirit ^ or Authority) and make " them as great Sla?2derers as myfelf.

" If I lamentably acknowledge my hav- " ing often ufed a Style too Apoftolical y *' you fee how quickly and frequently *' I ftart up again in the Form of an " Apoftle.

'• One of my moft important 2ind glaring *^ Recantations is this. The Author of the '' Comparifon afking, ' Where will thefe ** hoX^Enthufiafls^X.o'^V Proceeds to our " moft a\ vwed but moft: Prefumptuous *' Claims of Infpiration^ Revelations^ Com'- " munications with God^ Special Calls y '^ Divine Miffio72s^ and the like. Here I p. 33. " in^2iU.\\y flop Jhort ', am pricked in Con- ** fcience, howl and cry, renounce and '' give up thefe Blafphemous Pretences*

Bui

( xxxii )

*' But then fail not to obferve with what *' Softening and Rcferve I make my Re- " treat. They are Things unwarily drop- " ped up and down in my Jourjtah, And P. 41,42.*' I pofitively infift, that fome of my In- '' fpirations, &c. are not groundlefs and " pretended^ but really from above, Ac- *' cordingly mind how I have confounded '' the Ingenious Author of Conf derations on " the Converfion aiid Apoftlcfoip of St, Paul; *' who has ventured roundly to Aflert that " ALL the Divine Communications^ II- ''' hani nations and Efiacies of the Methodifts *' fprung from no other Sources but Self- " Conceit^ Vapours^ and Imagination, I " fay, this is quite unbecoming fo Young *' a Convert. Nor fhall I regard any *' Reply, as if this were a malicious or un- " mannerly Reflexion upon an Excellent *' Terjon ; or quite milbecoming me, who ^* was fo Young a Convert to Enthufiajm, and *' but fo Young a Convert again to fome *' fmad Share of Common Senfe, This is a *' mere 7r//?t% in Comparifon of the Ad- *' vantage I gain by my Referves and Eat- *' ceptions: whereby it lies ftill in my •' Power to fix what Portion Ipleafeof my '' Fancies and Trgtences upon Heaven ; *' and henceforward to put the fame Trick *' again upon the Dear Innocent Lambs.

*' Nor can the Comparer himfelf efcape *' the EfFefts of my Saint-like Artifice and

'• Management .

( xxxiii )

'' Management, I own the Enthujiafms '* which he has ferretted out of my " 'Journals: but then I have cunningly " fent him to an e7npty Bitry\ my later " Writings, where he can find nothiiig, — " I own too, fome of his PopiJJ: Taralleh '' are exadt enough. But what am I the *^ worfe for treading in a Popifh Track ? ^' Once, or twice, however, I have fairly *' caught him without any Parallel at all ^ ^' and fo left him to that poor Excuje^ '' that fome of our Entbiifiafim are im- " exampled,

" What Wounds I have given to Mc^ *^ thodifm by , my ConfeJJmiSy I endea- *' vour to bind up again, and heal. *' Have I given any liTong Touches to God's '' Ark ? Still I fay, it is God's Ark. Me- " thodifm is ftill Gcd's Caiifi, the Bleffed " Caufe, I ftill glory in having taken the " Field, continue the Trade, and will con- *^ tlnue it, while I can get Cuflomers, If *^ our Zeal be Irregular , 'tis like wife well- " meafjt. If Counterfeit Coin be ftirring " amongft us, we deal in fome True " Sterli72g, Though I have been throw- P. 43. ^' ing about my Wild-fire, 'tis qualified " with a Mixture of God's holy Fire. " Though I confefs it Undeniable that *^ Imagination has mixed itfelf with the " /Fori ^^ Methodifm ; yet in the very pre- *^ ceding Words it comes with a ^(J/^^/^-

** PeradventurCy

( xxxiv )

*' Ter adventure y ' Something of our own ** Imagination may pojjibly be blended " with it.'

<* As to the grievous ^{arreh and Bf^oih '' among ourfelves ; — 'tis true, we accafed " each other of teaching Damnable Doc- *' trines, DoBrines Ejjentially -Erroneous, '' a New, and Another Gofpel, Gfc. But *' I have now 'whittled ^c'-^-^^ all thefe rough " and hard Names, and fmoothed them

P- 45- " down into ' Offences and Divifions about '' fome JSlon'Ejjentials, fuch as muft ;/£W^ *' be among good Men/ And however '' intemperate and raging our i/^^^/^ may '' be fuppofed, I prove they were not *' properly the EfFeds of our own Spirit -^

P. 46. ^' becaufe Satan flood clofe by us, blow- '' ing up the Coals, in order to raife a ** 5;;/i?/^Y', to blacken the Work of God, '* And whatever be xht Guilt, I have taken '* Care that our Firjl Reformers, and even *' Barnabas and Paul, fhall come in for " Snacks, and be as /^^i as ourfelves.

" Judge now, my Friends, whether " the Spirit of Whitefield is not Jlill the " fame ? Whether by thefe Saving ClaufeSy *' Softenings and Exceptions, I have not " in Jo me Me a fur e Unconfefjed my ConfeJJions^ " and Retraced fny RetraBations ? My " Enemies perhaps may be fo very un-- *' rcafonable, as to charge me with Saying " and Unfaying, Prevarication and Incon-'

''fifiency.

( XXXV )

*^*' fijlency, Difingeniiity and Injincerify. *' But when the Way of Duty is the Way P. 37. *' of Safety y I regard not Confeqiiences, I ^' have plainly proved, that at prefent Ip. 25. *' am too Serious to make Sport v^ith my " own Deceivings ; and they are very wel- *^ come to confer what T'itle upon me *^ they pleafe.'*

I am, Sir, a little afraid that fome Doubts may arife about your Sincerity. But for my Part, I acknowledge your Plea to be true^y and fhall keep my Word and Promife of making no ObjeBion. How- ever, for this Inftance of my Love and FricndJJjip^ I may exped you to pay fome Regard to my Advice, as to the following Particulars : ( wherein too all Metbodifis have Reafon and Right to join) efpecially as you fay, and your Demi -Recant at ion proves, that *' you are not altogether lu- corrigible.''

You begin your Penite?itial Epiftle thus :^- Vr^^'^^ *' Yefterday I made an End oi Revifing all '* my "Journals.'' May it not be Expedient to revife them again^ and again 3 that all Mijlakes may be Rectified, For you add, " Alas ! Alas ! in how many Things have " I judged and acled wrong." For the Sake of Truth and Right, fpecify exadly in what Particulars. " I have been too " rajh and ka/ly in my CharaBers of Places " andTerfons." Take care to do Jufiic^

d to

( XXXV i ) to fuch as may have loft their good Name ; and make Rejlitutio?!^ as becomes a "True Penitent, '' I have often ufed a Style too '^ Apojlolicaiy Be PiinBual^ in relating fairly when you fpoke as an Apoftle, and when not, " I have been too bitter J' Let nothing but Honey drop from your Pen, '' I have mixed Wild-fire with my *' Z^^/, and with God's Holy Firer A ^72^ Com f 0 fit ion ^ Sir, this ! But diftinguijh precifely the Proportions -, fay when and where you were this Da7igeroiis Incendiary ; feparate your Sulphur and other Combuftible Ingredients \ Extinguifld the Flames ; rcc/ ^'^wr Brain, and meddle no more with Wildfire, " I have frequently wrote and " fpcke in my (Ji^^/z Spirit, when I thought *' it entirely the Spirit of God,'" An jE/^ fentially-Enthifiafiic 2ir\A fatal Prefu7nption ! Be therefore very Exadi and Explicit in determining what came from God, and what from the Delufion of Fancy. And when you have done this, your Readers and Followers will expert fome clear and dijiinguijlnng Marks, how they may judge for the future between Divine Injpiration, and the Operations of your own Mi?id, Retire into your Mint-Office', call in all your Counterfeit Coin ; melt it down ; Circulate no more bafe Money, Let your new Coinage be all true Standard, and with a Mark that may certainly be depended

upon.

( xxxvii )

upon. — To this End, perufe diligently and calmly my Comparijon^ which will afford you fome gejitle but ufefid Hints towards your CorreBions and Emendatwis, Thumb it by DaVy and dream of it by Night, — '^ I have too much made hjipre/Jioits, with- ^^ out the Written Word^ my Rule of acS- *' ing.'' Invert your Rule; The Written Word without hnpreffions, " I have Fiib^ " liJJoed too foon what had better been kept " in longer.'" Take the preceding Ad- vice, A^^ Lnprejfion, ^' By thefe Things " I have given Ibme wrong Touches to " God's Arkr This was Vzza'^ Offence.^ Sam. vi. He was fmitten for his Raflinefs : fo are ' ^* you. He was an Intruder ; and meddled (however pious might be his Intention) where he had no Bujinejs :■ io have you.

But as you have farther Dejigns ^ our Advice fliall attend you. " I think of p. 37. " writing a fhort Account of what has '^ happened for thefe Seven Tears laft '' paft.'* Take at leaft Seven Tears in doing it. You have ktn the Fate of your former Journah : and if the reft appear abroad in the fame Exceptionable Drefsy you may occafion fome needle fs Merriment^ and fo be guilty of a moft Horrible Sin. You know how warmly you have declared againft Diver/ions of all Kinds. And think you an Account of more Adventures will jiot caufeyi;;;^ Diverfwn? You may not d 2 perhaps

( xxxviii )

perhaps inteiid fuch a Confequence; but remember Mr. Wejley has proved Laughing^ Fits to be fometimes Irreji/lible, Cafes hap- pening when 720 Mortal can help it,

p _ »« I purpofe to revife and corredl The

" Firjl Tart of my Life.'' An arduous Labour I confefs. But fend up a Petition to Hercules^ to come and help you cleanfe this Augean Stable. And when this Dung is eieded, I am afraid your Second Tart will want cleanfmg as much : and likewife the &c. &c. &c. of your ^journals. If you fliould happen not to \yt debarred the Ufe of Pen, Ink, and Taper, and my Advice would be kindly received ; I would put you in Mind of the Toef% Sentence, — Una litura potefl : One Univerfal Blot will ferve ; and ferve better than fo much blot- ting and blurring, as will otherwife be needful. Or, for another Effedlual JVay^ you may Purify your Works by Fire, And as you have already Confejjed, and Jhewed your Deeds ; it might be of Service to the

Aas, xix. Gofpel (tho* not to Methodijrn) to bring

' * '^ ycur Curious Books together, and burn them before all Men. Your Method was fome-

p. 39. thing of this Nature, when you '' Sup-^ prefed your Letters -, becaufe many Things in them were very Exceptionable, though good in the Main.''

But hold ! I had bcft Retrad: this Ad- vice, fo impertinent, fo hafty, fo unnecef-

fary.

( xxxix )

fary, fo detrimental to the Public. For '' After ^Experience and riper Judgment?, ^s^^n, have taught you to correal and amend all your Performances, : and for the future you are to come out in a more imexceptionable Drcfs:" What a defnable and delightful Spe^acle I I almoft long to have a Peep at you in your Unexceptionable Drefs. — I begin to be in an Ecftacy. — Now methinks I fee you, hke a Player after he hath ABed his Part, ftripping off the dazzling Tinfel^ in which he f rutted upon the Stage : — Now like Prejbyter John tearing away your Points, Tags, Ribbands, Fringe, Lace and Embroidery : — Now again (Paulo major a, canamusj methinks I fee you diverting yourfelf of your Celejlial Garments and Or- naments-, plucking off your appropriated Blojjoms of Aaron'^ Rod, flipping off the Child Samuel'^ Linen Ephod, throwing Elijah Mantle from your Shoulders ; and modeffly ftanding forth in the ordinary Attire of a plain Gown and Cafjock,

And here I am carting about for fom.e of my Popifo Parallels. But Alas ! they all prove DefeSfive, I find indeed, in turning over the Legends^ the Virgin and other Celejlial Inhabitants often defcending, and bringing Flowers^ Ribbands., and Gar- lands to adorn their Male and Female De- 'uotees on Earth. I find too Copes^ Cowles^ and other Veflmeuts fent down from Heaven^

( xl )

for Founders of Orders, and Favourite Saints, But I find not that Humility and Simplicity in any of them, as to furrender up, and fend back their Heavenly Prefents, and condefcend to make their Appearance in Mortal Raiment.

This Particular being fo much to your Honour, I had a fair Opportunity of taki?ig my Leave decently. But a certain Critical Friend, pulling me by the Sleeve, would needs put me in Mind of an Omi[]ion of a Pajjage or two, wherein you difcovered fomething of Management, and Incon-fijiency . P. 12. " When you begun your Adventures of Field-Preaching, you had (you fay) in your Eye the Apojlles^ St. Paul, Peter and John : you exprefsly call thefe Field- Preachers, becaufe one of them Preached an Excellent Sermon from a Place called Adis.xvv.. Mars-Hill', and the Two others in Solo- ^^' mon's Torch"' Now my Friend remarks, that this fame Mars-HtU was the Court of the Areopagites, the higheft Court of Jujiice in Athens J before w^hich St. Paul was brought by Force. Which you might have feen in the Margin of the Bible ; nor could your Profound Learning fufter you to be Ignoratit of it. Nor was Solomon s Porch a Field, but a Part of the temple. John, X, cc fefus walked in the Temple in Solomon's ^^' Porch:\ This Sort of Management he

looks

( xli )

looks upon as an Impqfition upon your Readers.

He obferves again, that you often make yourfelf a Champion in Defence of our Liturgy, Articles, and Canons -, of the Canons particularly in thefe very "Remarks. But afterwards, fpeaking againfl " thofe p. 47, ^g. who are for clipping the Wings of the Myjlic Dove, you blefs God that there are Men of greater Latitude, among whom you are fure of finding hearty Friends and Well-wiihers -, though your Work be not according to the exad: Meafure of Canonical Fitnefs,'' This he looks upon as an In-- confijiency : and adds, that you yourfelf (by your Recant atio7i) have effedtually clipped one Wing of the Myjlic Dove, and that any future Attempt to^ mud be very ridiculous and auk'ward.

But, to wind up my Bottoms*, — whatever Lnthufiafms you have given up, ftill you tenacioufly adhere (in Opinion and Prac- tice) to Field-Preaching, And v^\r3X candid Peribn can expert otherwife ? To be the Head of a SeB, diflinguiflbed by a Peculiar Denomination, and notable Singularities j — to frifk in the Air of Popiilarity^ be hugged, and followed with wijhful Looks, — Digito 7nonfrari, et dicier Hie ef -, — This is too fweet a Morfel to be thrown up at once -, a Phrenzy too Delegable to be

willingly,

( xlii )

willingly cured of; a Devil too bewitching to be Injfantaneciifly cajl out. But as you have declared a Month's Mind to get feme good Churchy if you can ; 'tis poffible your Diftemper may go oft" in Time.

In the mean While, Let your Enemies envy the Glory you get by Fi eld -T re aching : You have an Unexceptionable Parallel from the high Encomium given by a Fope to one of your Fredecejjors. No Doubt but you have every Thing relating to St. Francis at your Fingers Ends : and muft have {^tn the Bull of Gregory IX. in his Favour. But that the F^ublic may be acquainted what a proper Example and Incitement juftly provoke your E^nulation^ I fliall fet down the Tope's own Words, " The Lcr^/raifed " up St. Francis, to demolifh the Phi- *' Itftines who were deftroying his Vine- " yard. Who hearing inwardly a Voice ^^ calling him, courageoufly flarts upj *^ like another Sampfon, the Spirit of Fer- " vour coming upon him, he breaks the " Cords that bound him, and fnatching *^ up the Jaw-Bone of an Afs, that is to ** fay, his own Simple Preaching, not " adorned with the perfwafive Colours of ^' human Wifdom, but w^ith Divine " Tower, which chufeth weak Things to ** confound the firong: and he who '^ toucheth the Mountains, and they

*^ fmoke,

( xliii )

" fmoke, enabling him 5 he deftroyed *' manyT^houfandVhiliJlines. AnA from the *' JaW'Bone itfelf went out a copious Water ; " refrefhing, wafhing and fruftifying the *' Lapfed, the Sordid, and the Arid." Cherubin, Bidlar, Vol. I. in Gregor. IX. Con/lit. 2.

If your Peregrinations (hould lead you to Romey (whither you feem to be fetting your Faces) fail not to kifs his Holinefs's Slipper for this Honourable Teflimony of an Itinerant Field-Preacher.

You continue likewife a Refolution to Write on. But take care : Be upon your Guard. No more of your Miftakes^ Blunders^ Want of Caution y tmguarded Tubings dropped lip and down^ your Referves and P)oublings, Don't do Things by Halves. Be open and fincere, confiftent and uniform. Aifed not Jefuitifms. Wafte not your Time in making Patch-Work, or Loop-Holes. Steal not into the Game of Brag while you are Writing.

Remember, Grand and Important is the Work you have undertaken. The Eyes of all Europe are upon you. The World fiands a-tip-toe in ExpecSation. And fhould Failure and Fallacy again be the Refult; fome jnalicious Perfon will certainly have a Stroke at you, or fome kind Friend ^ like me^ put you in Mind of it.

e /^ Thus

( xliv )

" Thus, Dear Sir, (for I zm fond of

your Expreffions) I have unburdened my

Heart to you : and as I have dealt thus

freely w^ith you, I hope you will look upon

me to be your

Fidus Achates.

55

THE

THE

ENTHUSIASM

O F

Methodists, &c.

PART IL

SECTION I.

IN order to difcharge a Promife^ and in hopes of doing fome little Service to the Caufe of true Religion, I have ven- tured to publifh a Second Part againft the Methodijis: Wherein I fhall farther con- fider fome of the Cfrcumftances attending their Nenju Minifiration ; its Tendency, In- fluence and Effe^fs : not forgetting to ho- nour them with the Company of their correfponding Friends, the Entkufiajiic Saints of the Papacy.

B What

( 2 )

What firft occurs to my Thoughts is the boafied Succcfs of their "breaching ^ proved by the Numbers of their FolIowerSy and Co?rjerts.

Here they triumph beyond Meafure : and perhaps not without fome Degree of Foundation. For confidering how incon- fiderate and injudicious^ how unlearned and unjiabky a large Portion of Mankind is, together with their various Infirmities and Difeafes of Mind and Body 5 it muft be allowed that — The OJierttation of a fanc- tified Look, fpecious Addrefs, fantaftical Oddities, Innovations in Dodfrine and Places of Teaching, zealous Profeffions of Piety, AfFeftation of Godly and Scripture Phrajes, and high Pretenfions to Infpi- ration, &c. will hardly fail of drawing and deceiving the Multitude. Whoever is endowed with (uch fuitable Salifications need not fear gaining an Audience, and leading Numbers into a hundred Delufions. He may find Perfons enough not difpofedy or not able, to diftinguifh " the Illapfcs and Infpirations of the Holy Ghoft from the Illufions, Inftinfts and Suggeftions of the unclean Spirit ; from natural and Fanatical Enthufiafm, from the Swel- lings and Vapours of a difeafed Spleen and heated Melancholy, and' from the extravagant Rovings of a dijiemper*d Imagiruition.'^

We

cc

cc

( 3 )

We may too reafonably hope and believe^ that fome very profligate and wicked Wretches have been prevailed upon by tha Methodijts to relinquifh their evil Courfes, and ferioufly repent. But then, if v^e fub- du6l from the Account — fuch of their Fol- lowers as went only out of Cimofity^ or Derijion ; — fuch as were well- difpo fed arid pious Perfons (though I can't fay judicious) before ; — fuch as have left and bad them adieu upon good and jufl Reafons ; — fuch as have been led into grievous Perplexities^ DiftraBion^ and Defpair ; — fuch as were fcarce in their Senfes when they went a- mong them, and have quite lofl their Senfes fince ; — fuch as have efpoufed con- felTedly dangerous and wicked 'Tenets y-^ and confider the Danger all the reft are in, of being betrayed into Notions and Evils, which they don't perhaps fufpeft : — after thefe, and other DeduBions which might be named, the Number of their Converts will be confiderably lejjened ; and the Good they do nothing like an Equivalent for the Mifchief.

But let us hear themfelves. Mr. White- field fays, " Thoufands and Ten Thoufands " follow us : — the Fire is kindled ; and I " know that all tht Devils in Hell fliall not 3 joura. *' be able to quench it.— Well may the jD^-Pag. 40. " vil and his Servants rage horribly : their " Kingdom is in Danger. — I could think ofPag. 6r. B 2 *' nothing

( 4 )

^^ nothing {o much, as yojhua going from

^' City to City, and fubduing the devoted

?flg. 69. ?^ Nations. — With what Efficacy and Suc-

Letters. " ccfs I have been enabled to preach

" T'ongue can't exprefs!'

Mr. Seward : *' Our Enemies, like the

'' CanaaniieSj feem to have no Spirit left

*' in them j but fail every where becauib

Toarn. *' oi US ; — afiiamcd, as it were, to fliew

Pag. 61. *^ their guilty Heads."

See with what a magnificent Air Mr.

Wejley boafts of " converting the Drunks

^^ ard^ the Whoremonger , the OppreJJbr^ the

Farth. ^^ Swearer^ the Sluggard , the Mijer ; and

^Pf'^^g?" elfewhere, (cvtml common Pro/ikutes. — •

^ *' No Work has been wrought (o fwiftl}\

*' y& extenjively^ fince Conflantine the Great J'

This is a Specimen (for I might recite

fifty times as much) of their Succefs in

Converjions, And yet we can match them

among their Elder Brethren.

" St. Ignatius y faid Gregory XV, was like yc>pjua^ Z^^^^y according to his Name, for Jai>ij2g the EleB of God -, (Ecclus. 46. I.) He was fo ardent^ [iot Ignatius fignifies fery) that when he fent forth his MiJJicnaries to gain Souls, he ufu- Bart. vit. ally faid, Go, Jet on fire, and inflame 320! ^ every Thing''

" St. Francis ufed to call People toge- ther with blowing a Horn, (as the Me^ tbcdijis by Advert ijements) when he was

to

( 5 )

to preach ; and his Preaching was fo wonderfully moving, — that prodigious Multitudes of Men and Women, ^^^^^ qq^^ all Number and Computation, and thepoi. ,4^; very Harlots were converted. — Many 54- inflamed with Devotion, and Defire of PerfeBion, contemning all mundane /^^- Bonavent. nities, followed his Footfteps 5 andy^itv//'- J^^'^^^"^' ly did this Succefs increafe to the Ends of the Earthr

" St, Anthony had fuch a Power over Men and Women, that he converted j/Z/^r^j ^/Conform. Sinners, even Ufurers, and com??wn Stru?n^^[ ^^: pets, — A ccvtsiin jejmt went to the otewSyUia.jQf. and made a furprizing Converiion of ^^^f- 2. Multitudes of Proftitutesr ^' ^^*

" St. Francis of Sales brought over fe- venty- two thoufand Heretics to theBrev. Mo- Catholic Faith. — St. Dojninic fo ftrangely"^^- aftoniihed and fet on fire the Minds of ^"* ^^' his Auditors, his Difcourfes were fp forci- ble and ravifjing 3 -r- that he converted almoft an hundred thoufand Souls, thatj^jbajen. were flrayed and loft.'* pag. 519.

§. 2. And if we duely weigh Matters, how can the Methodifi-'ieachers be other- wife than powerful Converters ? What Heart can ftand out againft their perfuafive Eloquence, their extravagantly fine Flights and Allufions ? Where is any thing fo fub- lim? and elevated f or fometimes what fo

melting.

( 6 )

meltings tender and amorous^ fo foft and fo fweet ? You will be in a Rapture by read- ins; their own Words, — In the Stiblimey " God gives them a Text^ diredts them *' to 2. Method on the Tulpit-Stairs -^ the *' Lamb of God opens their Mouth, and *' loofeth their Tongue ; and Sijier Wil- '* liamsy who is near the hord^ opens her ** Mouth to confirm it : — fo that all Op- " pofers are ftruck dumb and confounded. " Jefiis rides from Congregation to *' Congregation, breathing Courage and *' Strength into his Lambs^ and carrying " all before him. — He rides in the Chariot " of his Gofpel moft triumphantly in- *' deed: — And the Preacher fits in the ■^ Chariot of his Lord's dear Arms^ lean- " ing every Day on his Bofom^ and fucking *' the Breafl:s of his Confolation ; while " his Bajiner of Love is fpread over him : *' — the Arrows of the Lord fly through " the Congregation, and Mr. Wbitefield *' gives them a home Stroke, — Heavily in- " deed do they drive, when God takes off *' their Chariot-wheels, But when God is " anointing the Wheels of their Souls ; — " 'tis fweet to be at fidl Stretch for God -, *' — to come to a faving Clofure with " Chrifi 'y to lay all their Concerns on his *' Shoulders ; — or leap into a burning fiery '^ furnace without Fear, which would ferve " as a fiery Chariot to carry their Souls to

" Heaven.

( 7 )

" Heaven. While they fee poor Sinners " hanging as it were by a fingle Hair, in- " fenfible of their Danger, over the Flajnes " of Helir

How pretty is it, when " the Infants^ " Babes, and Weaklings of Grace require *' dayly to be born on the Sides of Chrifl^ *' and be dandled upon his K?2ees — till they *' come to walk continually under the " Droppings of his Blood ? They fee the " fweet Jefus fhewing his lovely Face ; *' and his Favours and precious Promifes ^' drop down his Lily-lips like fweet-fmel- " ling Myrrh. They know that his Arms '' are round them • for his Arms are like " the Rain-bow.''

To which may be added Part of a Sacred Lilliputian Hymn, compofed by Count Zi?2zendorf, the Moravian's Infallible Bijhop :

Chicken blejjedy Hymn s^,

And careffed. Little Bee on Jefus' Breajl^ F^-om the Hurry And the Flurry Of the Earth thoiCrt now at reft.

What tender, fweet, and endearing Ap- pellations ? '' Our glorious Soul-brothers^ " and Societies of Women 5 fweet, precious, ** choice Love-Feafls', poor Souls under •' Concern, fweet Societies of feeking

'' Souls ^

( 8 )

^' Souls ; — dear, precious, poor little " fweet Lambs ; — among them a gra- " cious Melting is vifible. — Their alf^ '' fenf Friends they hope are on the Top *' of Pifgah, and they fend them a thou- " Jhid Kiffes : — their deceafedy in their *^ filent Grave, fweetly fleep in that Bed *' perfumed by cur Dear Lord, — The *^ Hearers (fays one) were melted into *' Tears ; my Heart was full of Love 5 *^ theirs alfo were much affefted : — they *' would run and flop me in the Alleys^ *^ hug me in their Arms, and follow me *' with wip^ful Looks. — They had an over^ " weening Fond?iefs for me. — Many faid, *^ where thou goejt I will go : where thou *' lodgefl I will lodge. — Brother Whitejield *' preach 'd ; — 'twas enough to melt the " hardcfl heart -, for the Smiles of a Cheru* *^ bim were in his Countenanced

Can you then think it poffible fuch CZy-

Brev.Fran.;-//^/^ Charms^ and fuch fublimated and per^

Bon'avtnt./^''^^^^'^ Eloquence can be refifted ? Or can you

Leg. Fr. blame the Methodijls, if they vie with the

'^P- 4- Seraphic St, Francis ? — '' who appeared to

" his Followers in the Form of a Jiery

" Cljariot, whirling up and down 3 — and

*' was indeed ordained of God, like EliaSy

" to be the Chariot and Charioteer of Spi-

*' ritual Men : — his Soul rambling thro'

Id. cap. 9." the World, as bright as the Sun, like

*' Phaeton in his Father's Chariot : — Chriji

- Jefus

(9 )

*^' Jeftis remaining in the Bofom of his - .^

'' Mind, like a Hajidjul of Myrrh. — In- Leg. Fran;

" flamed both Men and Women with an^^^'^-

^' ardent Defire to follow his Footfteps *

*' and particularly St, Clara, that Virgin Cap. 4.

'' dear , to God converted to Celibacy, the

" firft Plant and\ beautiful white Flower-;

" gave a Jweet O^fe^r, and fhined as a Star

^^ above the. reft. — ^ One was fo in- Conform,

" ftariied by hearing him, as to fay, that^"^^ '^^

'' none ought to mention the TSluvie (k

'' that Blejed Man without h'cki?7g their

*' Lips for Joyr .

Nor need We think it at all Grange, that " Divine Ma?rifeJt'atio?is come in fo *' faft, that the Lamb's are fcarce able to " contain themfehes ; they flow in fo fait, ''\ that their yrj// Tabernacle is fcarce able " to fufl:ain them. — They know not whe- ^\ ther they are in the Body, or out. of the " Body :—■ know .hot ^-s^Afr^ they are, and *' fink into Nothing.— -The Soul makes fucH " Sallies, as if it would go out of theif *^ Body, conftraining therh to throw them- " felves upon the Ground. — The Love *^ of God fo kindles in the Heart, with *^ Pai?2s fo violent, and yet fo ravi/hing- " that the Body is almbft torn afunder.''

Such are the ecfiatic Raptures and Ra-

vifhments of the Methodifts, in their own

Words : which we may compare with

thofe of Philip Nerim, a Canonized Saint -,

Ov " who

( lo )

*^ who was fo full of Heavenly lltapfes, and 'Divine Love^ that oftentimes he threw himfelf upon the Grd?«W, and was forced to cry out, it is enough ^ my Dear JjOrd^ it is enough c Withold a little^ — ' / am not able to endure fuch Abundance of Celeftial Sweet nefs. Whereupon the Lord in fome medfure abated the Vio- lence of his Heat. But ftill wounded with the Love of Gody he inceflantly languifhed, and his Heart was fo agi- tated with the impetuous Motion of the Spirit^ that it fell a beating and leaping with fuch Violence, as muft Ribaden. have killed him, without a Miracle. ^^^y^* But the Lord miraculoujly enlarged his May 6, Breafi^ broke and elevated two of bis Ribsy to give the Heart Room to play^

More correjponding Circumftances occur in the Life of M. Magdalen of Tazzi ^ whom Clement IX, infpired with the Lights of the Holy Spirit ^ canonized^ April 28, 1669. '' The Spirit of God threw her upon the Ground in an Ecfiafy^ when her Countenance was fhining like that of an Incarnate Seraphim. — *- Chrifi gave her fo large a Share of the Myrrh^ pofy of his Paffion, that frequently un- der an Aliejiation of her Senfes fhe would throw herfelf on her Back on the Ground, exclaiming, O JefuSy I can endure no longer ^^ I cannot partake any

more

( " )

more of thy Pains. — Often in thefe amorous Tranfports fhe would join her- felf clofe to a: Crucifix^ and fuck a di- vine Liquor thence, which filled her Soul with unfpeakable Sweetnefs, — rHer Heart was fo inflamed, that fhe feemed to be difjohed^ and about to return to her Jirjt Nothing.^ — Her private familiar Entertainments, and Communications with God, fo fired her Breaft, that Ihe would exclaim, O Lovcy I can no longer fupport your Flames^ — my Heart is not able to contain you : — and flie was oblig'd to fetch a Bafon of JVa-r ter, and pour it into her Bofom to cool herfelf. — Her dead Body was beautiful^^^^^^^' as a precious Rehc of Taradijcy ex-^o. 26, haling an agreeable Odour: and the Bull S7» 69* of her Canonization begins with the^°' ^'* Incorruption and fweet Odour of her^^. Body 3 ufually term'd the Odour of Sanc^ tityr

We are tolA hy Spinellus^ « ihzt Chrifi^^^^^^ himfelf came and performed the Funeral- •pz^^^eo. OJice for a holy Virgin at her Death : and that he anointed with the facred Oyl St. Lyduina when fhe was dying." And 'tis obfervable, (and I could bring a hun- dred Inflances) that mofl of the Popijh Saints dead Bodies always remain odorous and uncorrupted (while thofe of the Wickr cd flink and rot) tho' ever fo many hi^n- C 2 ired,

( 12 )

dred, Years after their Burial. This Mi- rack) I fuppofe, in due Time will be re- newed on the Body of the Methodifiy *' who in her filent Grave fweetly fleeps in that Bed perfwiied by our dear Lord'' For how can a Body be otherwife, which Chrifl hath perfumed and fpiced with his own Hands ? Let her Grave be opened, I dare engage fome of t\it Believers will at- teft it. 'Tis certainly a greater Honour than the Topijh Graves receive by being fprinkled with Holy Water and Ince?jfe : and may be the Effed: of fome Prayer^ like that in their OJice of the Sick for the life of the Carmelite Sy ^^ O moft merciful Lord^ let her Soul joyfully expire in thy mo[i ' delicious Embrace^ and 7?2o/i fweet Kifsr

Through this whole Parallel you fee all is Rapture and Ecftafy ; Divine Love infupportably violent, but ravifhing ; all Infpiration, all Heavenly^ all ^i7iteffencey all Nothingnefs. And why do not the Methodijis equally merit a Canonization? Either fomething like this is their Due, or elfe they m'uft be thought to be adluated by a Diabolical lllufio?!,- — or innocejit Mad- mc7i, — or i?]famo,us Cheats.

§. 3. And ijiay not Perfons io highly loved, favoured, and' valued by God and the World be allowed a little decent Pride,

and

( 13 )

an4 be jtiftly vain of their own Worth ? Such indeed has been the Cafe with the Methodijis -, and their great /welling Words of Vanity^ and proud Boa/iingSy have been carried to a rnoft immoderate and infuffera- ble Degree.

Firft for Mr. Whitefield. His firft Ac- count of God's Dealings with him (befide$ a deep Tiadure of Super jlition^ Enthu^ Jiaf?n^ a?id Fain-glory } is fuch a boyifh, ludicrous, filthy, naily, and fhamelefs Re- lation of himfelf, as quite defiles Paper, and is Shocking to Decency and Modefly. 'Tis a perfedl Jakes of Uncleannefs. And yet he alSures us, that " he was much '' preffed in Spirit to publifh it,— the Holy^^''''^''^' ** Spirit bringing Things to his Remem- " brance j— he had for three Years prayed '' for Strength to write it, and at laft hadpag^V".' " Tower given, and was q/^Jled in it.*' What any Man in his Senfes would be ajljamed to own, is pioujiy afcribed to the Holy Ghojl, In Conformity with the wild and Fanatical Terefa, who having pub- Hihed her own Life, with all her Faults and Vanities, faith of it, " I make this Preface to " Relation^ — which to my Knowledge our^^^ ^^^^• " Lord himfelf defired long fince, but I " durft not undertake it. And her other *' Writings the Lord exprejjly commanded *' her to publifh. — And becaufe Our •* Lord told it me, I make a great Scruple

*« of

( H ) '^ of either adding, or fubftrafting, one " only Syllabkr

His fecond Dealings is fuch a thorough and fulfome Strain of VaiJi-glory and Boafl- ing^ Self-conceit^ Self-applauje, and Self- (tifficiency^ — as fhews Spiritual Pride in full Length, and in its true Colours. The fame Spirit runs through all his "Journals^ &c. And I verily believe it hath not its ^Parallel in the World. Many have been fo bloated with a Conceit of their own Perfections, as highly to be delighted with the moft naufeous Flatterers : but fuch an Inundation of Commendation from a Man's own Mouth is furely unexampled. No Man ever fo bedaubed himfelf with his own Spittle.

It iTiews fome Degree of Modefty and Humility, when " he thinks himfelf not

' ^^!^1"^''' ^^ f^^ Orders, — till a worthy Friend told P^s 37. cc }^jj^^ ^^^ jf 5^^ -p^^i ^gj.g ^^ Gloucefler

*' he would ordain him.-^-Or when God " gives him Favour in the Printer's " Sight, or in the Sight of t\it Jaylor -;' and it furnifheth him too with a Scripture Phrafe. But he has fome Grounds for Elevation y " when liis Name is firft in the News-Papers, though he can't tell upon what Occafion ; — began to grow popu- lar, and had Honour even in his own iT>€^ymg. Country : — when Sifter Sermon Enquiry Ts! zi".' was made vvho he wa^, and there was

fuch

( i5 )

fuch Crdwding to hear him : —- Wh«n ^ bearfy G?^oa?2 runs through the Congrcga-* tion, when he fpeaks any Thing affeB^ ing ; — and he owns the Pleafure of hearing the Succefs of his Difcourfe upon two little Children^ whom he made to cry^^ and go Home to their Prayers ; — and when a little Girl of thirteen comes to enquire about the State of her Soul, and fays flie was priclced through and through 3 Jou^n, with the Power of the Word.'' l,^^' ^'

All through his Joiirnah he oftenta- tioully difplays the y^pplaufes^ Accla7jiations'y and Huzzas of the People. ' ' The Tide '^ of Popularity began to run very high : " — I carried high Sails, Thoufands and *' ten Thoufands came to hear me, — my *' Sermons were every- where called for, — '' when I preached, one might walk upon " People's Heads : — God fuffered them *' (the Oppofers) not to move a Tongue ^^ againft me : — Trees and Hedges full^ " all hufh'd when I began. — God only *' can tell how the Hearers were melted ** down : — they would have plucked " put their own Eyes, and have given " them unto me. — I was crowded, ad* *^ mired, — faluted, Hands kiffed, hugged, << — they melt, weep, hang upon me, *' want to falute me ; — receive me as an Angel of God : — their Hearts leap for Joy, —