Journal of a Voyage from Gibraltar to Georgia, Journal 3 · Part 34
OXON.
Saturday, April 21. Preached in the Morning at Badſey, to a weeping Audience, joyned in Prayer, and ſet out for Oxon, which I reached about Ten at Night. I had been much preſſed in Spirit to haſten hither, and now I found the Reaſon for it. For alas! the Enemy had got great Advantage over three of our Chriſtian Brethren, and driven them to deny CHRIST's viſible Church upon Earth. They had ſo far influenced and deluded Mr. Kinchin, a ſincere and humble Miniſter of JESUS CHRIST, that I found, through their Perſuaſion, he had actually quitted his Fellowſhip, and intended to reſign his Living. — This, I muſt needs confeſs, gave me a great Shock: For I knew what dreadful Conſequences would attend a needleſs Separation from the eſtabliſhed Church.— As for my own Part, I can ſee no Reaſon for my leaving the Church, however I am treated by the corrupt Members and Miniſters of it: For I judge of the State of a Church, not from the Practice of its Members, but its primitive and public Conſtitutions. — And ſo long as I think the Articles of the Church of England are agreeable to Scripture, I am reſolved to preach them up without either Bigotry or Party Zeal. — For I love all that love the LORD JESUS.
Sunday, April 22. Being much concerned about Mr. K—'s Conduct, this Morning I wrote him the following Letter.
Deareſt Mr. K— Oxon, April 22. 1739.
Juſt now have I received the bleſſed Sacrament, and have been praying for you. Let me exhort you, by the Mercies of GOD in CHRIST JESUS, not to reſign your Parſonage till you have conſulted your Friends at London. It is undoubtedly true, that all is not right when we are afraid to be open to our dear Brethren. Satan has deſired to ſift you as Wheat: He is dealing with you as he did with me ſome Years ago, when he kept me in my Cloſet near ſix Weeks, becauſe I could not do any Thing with a ſingle Intention; ſo he would have you no… preach till you have received the Holy Ghoſt in the full Aſſurance of it, and that is the Way never to have it at all: For GOD will be found in the Uſe of Means, and our LORD ſent out his Diſciples to preach before they had received the Holy Ghoſt in that moſt plentiful Manner at the Day of Pentecoſt. Beſides, conſider, my dear Brother, what Confuſion your ſeparating from the Church will occaſion. The Priſon Doors are already ſhut, one Society ſtopped, and moſt afraid almoſt to converſe with us. — I can aſſure you, that my being a Miniſter of the Church of England, and preaching its Articles, is a Means, under GOD, of drawing ſo many after me.— As for objecting about the Habits, &c. good GOD! I thought we long ſince knew, that the Kingdom of GOD did not conſiſt in any Externals, but in Righteouſneſs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt. Oh! my dear Brother, I travel in Pain for you. — Never was I more ſhocked at any Thing than at your Proceedings. I doubt not but you will pray to GOD that you may be kept from Deluſion at the reading of this: For I am not ignorant of Satan's Devices, and I know he never more ſucceſsfully tempts us, than when he turns himſelf into an Angel of Light. Oh! my deareſt Mr. K— do nothing raſhly. — Conſult your Friends, and do not break the Heart of
Your moſt affectionate, though unworthy Brother in Chriſt. G. W.
Viſited two Societies … the firſt of which many Gownſmen did me the Honour of coming to hear. — Before I began, I deſired them to behave like Gentlemen and Chriſtians. — I alſo prayed particularly for them, and applied myſelf in Meekneſs and Love to them at the End of my Diſcourſe. I bleſs GOD, an Awe was impreſſed upon their Minds, and they behaved quietly; — but afterwards they followed me to my Inn, and came uninvited up into my Room.— However, I took that Opportunity of giving them a ſecond Exhortation. — I found great Freedom and Sweetneſs in my Spirit; and though ſome, no doubt, mocked, yet I believe ſome will remember what was ſaid. — Oh how is the faithful City become an Harlot! O that my Head was Water, and my Eyes Fountains of Tears, that I might weep Day and Night for the Members of this Univerſity! LORD ſend forth thy Light, and thy Truth, and make them Scribes ready inſtructed to thy heavenly Kingdom.
Bleſſed be GOD for ſending me hither. — I find now it was his Divine Will. — For our dear Brother K— falling into ſuch an Error, has given ſuch a Shock, that unleſs I had come, in all Probability the Brethren would have been ſcattered abroad like Sheep having no Shepherd. But GOD, I hope, will always have a Remnant here left, which may take Root downward, and bear Fruit upward.— Let all that love the Lord JESUS, ſay, Amen.
Tueſday, April 24. Perceived myſelf much ſtrengthened yeſterday and this Morning, and told my Friends how theſe Words were impreſſed upon me, And more than meet the gathering Storm.— About Nine of the Clock, after I had exhorted the Brethren, and pretty well eſtabliſhed them in the Faith, the Vice-Chancellor came in Perſon to the Houſe where we were aſſembled, having threatned to do ſo ſome Time ago, if they continued to build up one another in that Manner.— He ſent for me down Stairs, being informed that I was in the Houſe. — When I firſt ſaw him, I perceived he was in a Paſſion, which he ſoon expreſſed in ſuch Language as this; Have you, Sir, ſays he, a Name in any Book here? Yes, Sir, ſaid I,; but I intend to take it out ſoon. — Yes, and you had beſt take yourſelf out too, replied he, or otherwiſe I will lay you by the Heels. What do you mean, continued he, by going about, and alienating the People's Affections from their proper Paſtors? Your Works are full of Vanity and Nonſenſe, you pretend to Inſpiration. If you ever come again in this Manner among theſ… People, I will lay you firſt by the Heels, and theſe ſhall follow. Upon this, he turned his Back, and went away.— I deſired the Brethren to joyn in Prayer for him. — Took my Leave, being juſt going to ſet out as the Vice-Chancellor came in. I ſoon found by the Comforts GOD gave me, how glorious it was to ſuffer any Thing for the Sake of JESUS CHRIST.— However, I muſt not forget mentioning, that I exhorted all the Brethren not to forſake the aſſembling themſelves together, though no Paſtor ſhould be permitted to come amongſt them; For ſo long as they continued ſtedfaſt in the Communion of the eſtabliſhed Church, I told them no Power on Earth could juſtify hindring them from continuing in Fellowſhip, as the primitive Chriſtians did, in order to build up each other in the Knowledge and Fear of GOD. Oh what Advantage has Satan gained over us, by our Brother K—'s putting off his Gown! However, though he is permitted to bruiſe our Heel, yet we ſhall, in the End, bruiſe his Head. — The Gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt the Church of JESUS CHRIST, either viſible or inviſible.
About Eight at Night, I, and my Friends, reached Uxbridge, where we were greatly refreſhed by the coming of ſeveral Brethren, and the Receipt of ſome Letters from Savannah. Bleſſed be GOD, all is well; and I ſhall now thing the Time long till I embark for Georgia. LORD, let that People be precious in thy Sight.