Remarks on Pamphlet Entitled The State of Religion, Text
SOME REMARKS On a late PAMPHLET Intitled, The State of Religion in New-England, ſince the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield's Arrival there.
By George Whitefield, A. B. Late of Pembroke-College in Oxford.
In a LETTER to a Miniſter.
The Second Edition.
Glaſgow: Printed by William Duncan, and ſold by the Bookſellers in Edinburgh and Glaſgow. 1742.
BOSTON: N. E. Re-printed and Sold by S. Kneeland and C. Green in Queen-Street. 1743.
SOME REMARKS ON A Late PAMPHLET, intitled, The State of Religion in New-England, ſince the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield's Arrival there, &c.
Cambuſlang, Auguſt 31ſt. 1742. Rev. and dear Sir,
I Have read the Pamphlet, intitled, "The State of Religion in New-England, ſince the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield's Arrival there, in a Letter from a Gentleman in New-England to his Friend in Glaſgow"—I think the Contents no Way anſwer the Title-Page—It rather ought to be intitled, The State of Religion falſly Stated—For I am perſwaded ſome Things are therein aſſerted without ſufficient Evidence to prove them, and many more Things ſet in a very wrong Light:—The Deſign of the Pamphlet itſelf is baſe and wicked—It's intended if poſſible, to eclipſe the late great and glorious Work, begun and carried on for ſome Time in New-England, to invalidate the Teſtimonies that have been given of it, and thereby of Conſequence to bring a Reproach upon, and to hinder the ſpreading of a like glorious Work, which GOD of his infinite Mercy has for ſome Time been carrying on in this Land—Give me Leave to ſend you a few Obſervations upon this Anonymous Pamphlet. I call it Anonymous, becauſe the Publiſher has not thought proper to put down the Name of the Writer of the firſt Letter Mr. A. M. at length, which I think he was bound in Duty to do—The Publiſher indeed in the Advertiſement prefix'd to the Letter tells us, The Reader may depend upon it, that the following Letter is Genuine, from a Gentleman who hath always had a good Character for ſound Underſtanding, Integrity, Sobriety of Manners, Piety, and notwithſtanding his Engagements in ſecular Affairs, has never been an unconcern'd Spectator of any Thing that might affect the State of Religion. But I muſt beg the Publiſher's Pardon, if I tell him▪ That I am one of thoſe Readers who cannot depend upon all this merely upon his deſiring me to do ſo.—For really there is one Thing in the Letter which makes me ſhrewdly ſuſpect, that the Letter itſelf is not Genuine, at leaſt that there has been ſome Additions made to it ſince it came to Scotland—For the ſuppoſed Writer of this Letter, Page 15, ſays, In the Preface to the Sermon publiſhed by Mr. Edwards of Northampton, which I ſee is reprinted among you. Now, how this Gentleman May 24th could ſee at Boſton, that Mr. Edwards's Sermon was reprinted in Scotland, which was not done 'till the June following, I know not. If it be ſaid, that by the Words among you he means in Britain, I ſee that the printed Advertiſement in the London Weekly Hiſtory, of the Publication of Mr. Edwards's Sermon in England, is dated May 1ſt, and ſays, "This Day is publiſhed"—I myſelf was one that was chiefly concern'd in publiſhing of it—I ſent the firſt Copy to Scotland, and to my certain Knowledge it was never publiſhed in Britain 'till May 1ſt.—Is it probable that People at Boſton ſhould know of this May 24?—What a Character this Gentleman has always had for "ſound Underſtanding, Integrity, Sobriety of Manners and Piety," I will not take upon me to determine; nor does the Publiſher give us Opportunity to know what Character the Gentleman really has had, ſince he does not publiſh his Name: But however that be, I fear he has forfeited his good Character "for found Underſtanding, Integrity and Piety," by writing this Letter. And tho' he may not be altogether an "unconcern'd Spectator of any Thing that might affect Religion," yet, I fear he has been ſo taken up with his Engagements in ſecular Affairs, that he hath not given himſelf ſufficient Time to enquire into Matters of Fact, has heard with others Ears, and ſeen with others Eyes, and has not himſelf attended as he ought, to the one Thing needful.
He ſays in the Beginning of his Letter, Page the 3d, I am ſorry you have had ſuch Accounts of Perſons, and Things tranſmitted you from this Country, as you mention in your Letter; they are far from being true, & muſt come from Men of narrow Minds, and great Bigotry, or from ſuch as baſely affect Popularity, or well-meaning weak Chriſtians, of little Knowledge of human Nature, or the Hiſtory of Mankind. What Accounts this Gentleman refers to I know not—If he means the Accounts in the Weekly Hiſtory, as I ſuppoſe he does; I think this Gentleman is ſadly miſtaken. Moſt of the Accounts were tranſmitted by the Honourable Mr. Willard, Secretary of the Province—The Rev. Dr. Colman—The Rev. Mr. Prince—The Rev. Mr. Cooper: Perſons I am intimately acquainted with, and who are by no Means Men of narrow Minds, great Bigotry, or little Knowledge of human Nature, or the Hiſtory of Mankind: But have deſervedly had a good Character for ſound Underſtanding, Integrity, Sobriety of Manners & Piety.
Now whether they, or this anonymous Writer are to be credited moſt, I leave any reaſonable Man to judge. Indeed he boldly aſſerts, That theſe Accounts are not true: But what Proofs does he bring of the Falſity of them? None at all—Let us but know who this Writer is, I am perſwaded my honoured Friends at Boſton will ſoon bring him to the Teſt of theſe Aſſertions.
He goes on thus, Indeed, ſays he, ſome Perſons of very good Senſe were once inclined to think GOD was doing Wonders in this Place viz. Boſton—And I am perſwaded theſe very ſame Perſons have not alter'd their Opinion yet, but actually believe that GOD has done Wonders, if turning People from Darkneſs to Light, and making them new Creatures, is doing Wonders.
But that was a Time when a ſuperſtitious Pannick run very high, and bore down every Body, that was not well fix'd and eſtabliſh'd; either by a natural Steddineſs of Temper, or by ſtrong Reaſoning and Reflections—But as ſoon as the Paſſions of the People ſubſided, and Men could cooly and calmly conſider, almoſt every one of but tolerable Senſe & Underſtanding in religious Matters, in great Meaſure changed their Opinions of the Spirit that prevailed here, and had been raiſed by Whitefield and Tennent.
What! Had been raiſed by Whitefield and Tennent! GOD forbid that either Mr. Tennent or I ſhould aſcribe any of that Work to ourſelves.—No, it was raiſed by the Holy Spirit of God—It was no ſuperſtitious Pannick, but a plentiful Effuſion of the Holy Ghoſt. It's true, it did run high; Glory be to GOD for it! and did bear down every Body, except thoſe who would not ſubmit to the Redeemer's Scepter, through Self-righteouſneſs and Unbelief; which I am afraid this Writer terms, Natural Steddineſs of Temper, ſtrong Reaſoning and Reflection. Nor is it true that almoſt every one of but tolerable Underſtanding in religious Matters, in a great Meaſure have changed their Opinions of the Spirit that prevail'd at that Time. No, dear Sir, They yet believe it to be a glorious Work of GOD, as is evident from the late Writings of ſome of theſe eminent Miniſters in New-England, mention'd in the Title-Page of the Pamphlet.
What the Writer ſays of me in the following Paragraph, p. 4th, is not worthy Notice. He is welcome to make as free with my Character as he pleaſes, and I freely forgive him—However I thank him for doing me the Juſtice to ſay, "That I collected Money for the Orphan Houſe in Georgia—It was not then for myſelf: Nor does he charge me with embezzling the 5 or 600l. He could not do this juſtly, becauſe before the writing of this Letter an Account came to Boſton how I had expended it. And as for being "a bold and importunate Beggar", I acknowledge that I learn'd that from the wiſe Man who tells me, Whatever thou findeſt in thy Hand to do, do it with all thy Might; and from the Apoſtle Paul, who in the ſecond Epiſtle to the Corinthians, Chap. viii. 9. ſh…ws himſelf to be the moſt bold, inſinuating and importunate Beggar for pious Uſes that I ever yet met with.
I think I am much oblig'd to the Writer for what he ſays concerning me in this Reſpect. But I wiſh he had not made ſo free with the Character of my honoured Friends. He cries out againſt Slander in others, at the ſame Time thro' the whole Letter, he is guilty of the moſt palpable Slander himſelf—He is pretty favourable to the Rev. Mr. Webb, and the Rev. Mr. Cooper of Boſton. He only calls them, p. 7th, "Two great Admirers of Whitefield and Tennent, flaming Zealots, for certain favourite Opinions and Tenets."—And ſo indeed they are bleſſed Champions, I know them well, for certain favourite Opinions, and Tenets of the Church of Scotland—Such as Original Sin, imputed Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, Election, and other glorious Goſpel Truths. But as for Mr. Tennent he ſeems quite angry with him.
Never was a Man more wrongfully repreſented. This Letter-writer ſays, "He has often heard that Mr. Tennent had always been remarkable in the Jerſeys, for his Uncharitable and diviſive Courſes," But does the hearing of this prove the Truth of it? I have the Happineſs of being perſonally & very intimately acquainted with Mr. Tennent. I ſcarce know a Man of a more catholick Spirit. "He is a Man of no Learning." His Writings prove the contrary. His Antagoniſts abroad dare not ſay they have found it ſo. His great Buſineſs in his Sermons is either to puzzle, or to fright the Hearers, but eſpecially the laſt, which he did by roaring out, and bellowing Hell and Damnation, Devils, and all the dreadful Words he could think of. Indeed, to the Honour of the Grace of GOD be it ſpoken, he is a Son of Thunder, eſpecially in his Application, and when he is preaching the Law; at ſuch Times, under him, People cannot eaſily ſleep: But with… he is a Workman that needs not be aſhamed, and is taught of God rightly to divide the Word of Truth. As for puzzling his Hearers, I fear that Mr. A. M. thinks he did ſo, becauſe he generally inſiſts much on the New-Birth, Imputed Righteouſneſs, Divine Faith, and the other peculiar Doctrines of the Goſpel. Theſe Things are all Fooliſhneſs to the natural Man, and puzzled Nicodemus himſelf, when diſcourſed of by our bleſſed Lord. John iii. 9. Nicodemus anſwered and ſaid unto him, How can theſe Things be? Miniſters in general, he calls Carnal, Unconverted, Blind-leaders of the Blind, Rational, Moral, Dry, Huſky Preachers, that were leading the People to Hell. I ſuppoſe Mr. Tennent ſaid, That carnal blind Preachers who preach Morality, without due Regard to Goſpel Grace and Motives; who do not preach Juſtification by Faith, Regeneration, &c. they who do not preach Chriſt as All in All, were Blind-leaders of the Blind, and were leading the People to Hell. But it is abſurd to ſuppoſe he thought that all Miniſters in general were ſuch. I know a great Body of Miniſters, that he thinks moſt highly of. But, he exhorted People to leave them, to go about exhorting one another, and telling their Experiences. This I cannot believe is truly repreſented; for I have now a Letter by me publiſhed by Mr. Tennent, againſt Perſons going about in the Character of Exhorters. But if he only exhorted Chriſtians not to for ſake the aſſembling of themſelves together, to provoke one another to Love, and good Works, and to tell one another what GOD had done for their Souls, he did no more than what every Goſpel Miniſter ſhould do. He ſays, "He was followed by all ſorts of People." This I think was a Proof that he was of a catholick Spirit, and not of a diviſive uncharitable Temper. "As much as Whitefield was"—And I pray GOD he may be followed a thouſand Times more! And by many preferred to him—Very juſtly—"He was moſt Cenſorious and Uncharitable, every one that was not exactly of his Mind he damn'd without Mercy.—This is Calumny indeed.—I know many Miniſters who do not think as Mr. Tennent does in all Reſpects whom he notwithſtanding highly values. But I ſuppoſe the Writer was angry with him, becauſe he pronounced all damn'd that were not born again, and that did not believe in, and lay hold on the imputed Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt.—His Maſter authorizes him to pronounce ſuch damn'd—He that believeth not ſhall be damn'd.—His Sermons were ſometimes as confuſed and ſenſeleſs as you can imagine—It is well they were not always ſo. He ſeem'd to have a particular Quarrel with Reaſon, Learning and Morality; for he ſeldom finiſhed a Sermon without ſaying ſomething againſt them—Never I believe, but when theſe Things are magnified to the Prejudice of divine Revelation, Illumination, or Chriſt's imputed Righteouſneſs—For Mr. Tennent is a ſolid, learned, rational, and not only a moral but truly holy Man. The Rev. Doctor Colman in a Letter to me, publiſhed in the firſt Weekly Paper printed at Glaſgow, writes thus of him—We received him juſt as we did you, as an Angel of Chriſt—He was abundant and fervent in Labours, and GOD has been pleaſed to own his Labours with abundant Succeſs—The honourable, and truly pious Secretary Willard, writes thus, There has been ſo evidently the Finger of GOD in directing you into this Province, and (after your Departure) the Rev. Mr. Tennent, through your earneſt and importunate Requeſt to him, and in the wonderful Succeſs that has attended both his and your Miniſtry; as alſo the Labours of our own Miniſters for ſome Months paſt, that many that like not the Work are ſadly put to it, to keep their Eyes ſhut againſt the Evidences of it.
The Rev. Mr. Cooper in a Letter printed in the Weekly Hiſtory No. 2d, which the Printer has miſtaken for Colman, calls him, "Dear Mr. Tennent—He came" ſays he, In the Fullneſs of the Bleſſing of the Goſpel indeed. He was with us ſeveral Months. Many Thouſands were awakened, and I believe many truly converted. There is quite another Face of Religion in this Town, as well as in many Places in the Country. Many Miniſters as well as People greatly quickened. Bleſſed be God who put it into your Heart to move him to come, and inclined his Heart to come, and help us. I could bring a Cloud of Witneſſes to teſtify the Falſeneſs of the Character given Mr. Gilbert Tennent by this Letter-Writer: The Account which he gives of himſelf to me in a Letter publiſhed in the Weekly Hiſtory No. is admirably ſweet. His Book intitled the Preſumptous Sinner detected, and his many printed Sermons, and his Preface to his deceaſed Brother's Treatiſe upon the New-Birth, which is now in the Country, which I wou'd recommend, ſhew him to be a Man of great Learning, Solidity and Piety. And I am not without ſome diſtant Hopes that, the People of Scotland will have an Opportunity of hearing him ere long, and then they may judge for themſelves.
After ſuch a falſe and ſcandalous Character given of that great Man of God Mr. Gilbert Tennent, I think I may juſtly ſuſpect the Truth of all that this Writer ſays in the ſubſequent Part of the Letter. From ſuch a Letter-Writer as this, What Truth can we expect?
The Writer himſelf gives me Leave to ſpeak in this Manner—For he ſeems to make the Validity of what follows to depend on the Character he gave of me and Mr. Tennent p. the 6th, From ſuch Men as theſe (Whitefield and Tennent) and ſuch Doctrines and Ways of Preaching as theirs, ſays he, What Fruit can you expect? Now all he ſays about me is, That I collected in New-England 5 or 600 £. Sterl. for the Orphan-Houſe in Georgia. That I was a bold and importunate Beggar &c. This could have no Influence upon the People's Minds, to raiſe a bad Spirit among the People. And as for the Character he gives of Mr. Tennent, I have proved it to be abſolutely Falſe: Conſequently whatever he builds upon the Foundation of Mr. Tennent's bad Character, amounts to nothing at all, ſince he has not proved the Character given of him to be true.
But ſuppoſe Mr. Tennent was the Man he is repreſented to be; Does it therefore follow that all the great and glorious Work carried on in New-England, by other Miniſters, and in other Places where Mr. Tennent and I never were, is Enthuſiaſm and Deluſion? By no Means; and yet this is the whole Drift of the Pamphlet.
Surely the Writer knows not what Spirit he is of: In the 6, 7, 8, 9th and 10th Pages, he repreſents Things in a moſt ridiculous Dreſs, and takes upon him to condemn all the Converts to a Man, tho' he could not poſſibly be acquainted with the hundredth Part of them, as Self-conceited, ſuperſtitious, enthuſiaſtick, cenſorious, Slanderers. At the ſame Time he ſeems to ridicule the Concern the People were under when they were brought to cry out, What ſhall we do to be ſaved". He laughs at them for aſking one another How do you feel? Have you ſeen Chriſt? He boldly aſſerts that the boaſted Converts, not one in a Hundred excepted, make Religion conſiſt, in the Feeling of inward Impulſes, Impreſſions, and in an inexplicable Faith, Joys, Extacys, hearing of Sermons, and ſuch like. In ſhort he by this and the whole Drift of his Letter, ſeems to me to be far from deſerving the Character given him in the Advertiſement affixed to the Title-Page of the Pamphlet.
Page the 11th, He falls foul of Mr. Moorhead, and ſpeaks almoſt as freely of him as of Mr. Tennent—I cannot ſay I was very intimate with Mr. Moorhead when at Boſton: But the Letters that have come from him, and from others concerning him, beſpeak him to be a Man of a good Spirit, and one whom God has bleſſed with Succeſs. And I have great Reaſon to believe that he is a Man not over credulous: Becauſe I have heard from his Friends here, that he did not overmuch favour the Work of God that was at Northampton in New-England ſome Years ago, and therefore probably would not readily favour the late Work in Boſton and other Parts, had he not ſufficient Evidence that it was a Work of God.
Page 14th, The Letter-Writer takes upon him to aſſert that a Pamphlet publiſh'd in Scotland intitled, Chriſt's riding in the Chariot of Salvation, is ſtuffed with abominable Lies. As a Proof of it, he urges That the Students in Boſton, got nothing by Whitefield and Tennent but Enthuſiaſm, Pride, a Contempt of their Betters, &c. What they got by me I know not, but I have great Reaſon to believe they got ſomething that was good, under God, by Mr. Tennent. For Dr. Colman in a Letter to me which was printed in the Glaſgow Weekly Hiſtory No. 1ſt, writes, At Cambridge the College is a new Creature; the Students full of God, and like to come out Bleſſings in their Generations, and to be ſo now to each other. Many of them are now we think truly born again, and ſeveral of them happy Inſtruments of Converſion to their Fellows. The Voice of Prayer and Praiſe fills their Chambers; and the Sincerity, Fervency, and Joy, with Seriouſneſs of their Heart, ſits viſibly on their Faces. I was told Yeſterday that not ſeven of a Hundred remain unaffected. I know how the good Tidings of this will affect and pleaſe you. God give you like Joy every where in the Fruit of your Labours.
And the honourable Secretary Willard about the ſame Time writes to me thus: But that which forebodes a more laſting Advantage, is the new Face of Things at the College, where the Impreſſions of Religion have been, and ſtill are very general, and many in a Judgment of Charity brought home to Chriſt; and divers Gentlemen's Sons, that were ſent there only for a more polite Education, are now ſo full of Zeal for the Cauſe of Chriſt, and of Love to Souls, as to devote themſelves entirely to the Studies of Divinity.
The ſame Page he would fain tax Mr. Gilbert Tennent with a Lie; for it was he wrote the Account in the Weekly Hiſtory No. 1ſt. In the above-mentioned Pamphlet, ſays he, It is ſaid, When Mr. Gilbert Tennent preached at Marblehead and Charleſtown, his Voice had like to have been drown'd with their Outcries. But he miſtakes: It is not ſaid ſo: For I have ſearch'd narrowly into the Pamphlet and Weekly Hiſtory, and find no Mention of an Outcry but only a great Shock given at Marblehead. It was at Portſmouth where Mr. Gilbert Tennent writing to his Brother ſays, That there were, viz. at Portſmouth & Charleſtown, in Time of Sermon ſuch Outcries that his Voice had like to have been drown'd. I think Mr. Tennent is the beſt Judge of what he heard with his own Ears. Mr. A. M.'s living near Charleſtown, and having never heard a Word of this from the Miniſter with whom he frequently converſed, is no Proof it was not ſo. It might have been ſo, and yet might not come into the Miniſter's Mind to tell Mr. A. M. of it.
In the ſame Page he finds Fault with the Accounts given of ſome young Children who talked of the Things of GOD as if they were People of 70 or 80 Years. Alas! ſays he, How eaſily are Mankind deceived? How fond are they to impoſe on themſelves and others? Some of theſe I have converſed with: But did he converſe with all, or with theſe mentioned in the Pamphlet? If not, How can he urge this as another Lie in the Pamphlet? I take Mr. Abercromby, who ſent the Account of the Children, and who is a Preacher of good Character, to be a better Judge of the Matter than Mr. A. M. But this anonymous Letter-Writer ſeems reſolved to condemn every Thing in the Groſs. Indeed he does ſpeak favourably of the Church of England. I muſt do Juſtice, ſays he, to the Church of England, p. 16th. There are three Congregations of that Way in Boſton: They all live in Love and Peace; their Miniſters ſpeak againſt Enthuſiaſm and Bigotry every Day; not above three or four at moſt, of ſome Thouſands that are of the Epiſcopal Perſuaſion, are taken with this New-Light, as they call it. They all, ſays be, ſtand faſt to the Church, and their Numbers increaſe very faſt.
One would imagine by this Mr. A. M. is a Church of England Man, and it ſhould ſeem a bigotted One too: And then no Wonder he ſpeaks againſt the New-Light. Their Miniſters I believe do preach againſt what I fear he terms Enthuſiaſm, viz. The powerful feeling Operations of the Holy Ghoſt. But I cannot think they preach ſo much againſt Bigotry. For the Head of them, in a Conference*See my Journal. I held with all three of thoſe Miniſters in Boſton, to prove that we ought all to be of the Church of England, brought this Text, Father, I will, that they may be all One, even as thou O Father and I are One. They aſſert baptiſmal Regeneration, deny Perſeverance and free Juſtification by Faith without Works, and ſeem to think of Mr. Gilbert Tennent juſt as this Letter-Writer does. No Wonder then he is ſo friendly to them.
But why ſhould I ſay more? It would be endleſs, as well as take up too much of my precious Time, to be more particular in my Obſervations upon Mr. A. M.'s Letter. There are ſome Matters of Fact mentioned in it, ſuch as "a blind Lad's preaching in Connecticut, p. 12. Mr. D—'s Manner of Preaching in a hot Day, p. 13," and ſome other Things which I cannot take upon me to make Replies to, and which if true, will by no Means prove the late Work of God in New-England to be only Enthuſiaſm and Deluſion. Ere long I hope to ſee Boſton. Then I will endeavour to ſend an impartial Account. Indeed Mr. A. M. p. 17th, ſeems not to care for my Return to Boſton. But I hope to have a proſperous Journey to them in ſome Months, by the Will of GOD, and ſee how they do.
In the mean while give me leave to obſerve, that the Publiſhers of this Pamphlet (for I believe there are more than one concern'd in it) have almoſt ſaved me the Trouble, and have taken an effectual Way to confute themſelves. For they have annex'd to this Letter an Appendix containing Proofs for the Facts in the foregoing Letter, extracted from Sermons preached by ſome of the moſt eminent Miniſters in New-England, lately printed at Boſton. But theſe Extracts by no Means contain Proofs of the Facts recorded in the foregoing Letter, conſequently all the Facts in the foregoing Letter which are not proved by theſe Extracts, we have Reaſon to doubt of. I have not an Opportunity of getting all the Sermons of the Rev. Miniſters mentioned in the Title-Page: But it grieved me when I ſaw Extracts taken out of their Writings, to prove that the Work lately begun and carried on in New-England was Enthuſiaſm and Deluſion. This was the chief Reaſon of my writing you this Letter. It will grieve them to hear that their Writings have been uſed to ſo bad a Purpoſe. The Compilers of the Pamphlet have deal with their Sermons, as the Devil dealt with the Scripture when he tempted our Lord in the Wilderneſs, I mean marred and wholly miſapplied them. The Publiſhers ſtile them at the Head of the Appendix, ſome of the moſt eminent Miniſters in New-England. They depend much upon their Authority, to prove the Facts of Mr. A. M.'s Letter. And I deſire no other Authority than theſe very eminent Miniſters Sermons out of which the Extracts are taken, to prove that the Work lately begun and carried on in New-England is not Enthuſiaſm and Deluſion, but a great and marvellous Work of the Spirit of God.
The Compilers indeed in order to make the World believe they had been impartial, have publiſh'd a Sentence or two wherein Dr. Colman has written favourably of the Orphan-Houſe in Georgia, and ſays the Order of it is admirable, &c. but this is only a Diſguiſe. For they have been far from acting fair in this Reſpect. The Doctor complains in the P. S. of that Letter, p. 44. That ſome of my Friends have made too free with my Letters in printing only Part of them, and mixing them with Part of others without Diſtinction. I think it is my Duty to take all the Blame from off my Friends as to printing only Parts of his Letters, upon my ſelf; for I was the only Perſon concern'd: But as for mixing them with others without Diſtinction, I know nothing of it. The Letters were ſent to me from the Doctor. I thought it would be improper to publiſh any other Parts of the Doctor's Letters than what reſpected the Succeſs of the glorious Goſpel, and that I thought he would gladly have publiſhed: But if the Doctor found Fault with my Friends, I am ſure he juſtly may blame theſe Compilers who have publiſhed only Part of this Letter of his. One would have thought they ſhould have taken a Caution from this very P. S. But they were afraid as it would ſeem, of the Contents of it; for a Friend who has ſeen and read the whole Letter ſends me the following Extract out of it. I hope we are retrenching our Superfluities and Luxury; our young People have thrown by much of their Finery and Gaiety, and ſeem to have Eye and Heart on Things ſpiritual and heavenly; and if God build them up into Families with their preſent prudent pious Diſpoſitions, it promiſes greatly for the next Generation; That Glory will dwell in our Land, and his Work appear to Children's Children. And in that very Part of it they have printed, the Doctor ſays enough to overthrow the whole Deſign of the Pamphlet. All this, P. 42, notwithſtanding, there has been a great and glorious Work of God going on among us, from the Day of Mr. Whitefield's Viſit to us. I have a Sermon of the Doctor's now before me intitled, The Word of God magnified by him, preached April 29. 1742, wherein his Teſtimony is humbly given for the great and wondrous Work of GOD's Grace manifeſt in many Parts of the Land. The laſt Paragraph of that Sermon begins thus, I cloſe with giving Glory to GOD for the great and good Work of his Grace which he hath ſo viſibly begun, ſpread, and is carrying on in every Part almoſt of our Provinces. This very Sermon I believe has been in the Hands of the Compilers of this Pamphlet. How then could they be ſo bare-fac'd, and ſo injurious, to the good Man's Character, as to print any Part of his Letter, to ſubſerve ſo baſe a Deſign? I believe they will not have the Doctor's Thanks for this.
The like Treatment they have given the Revd. Mr. Turell, another of the eminent Miniſters from whom they have taken Extracts to prove the Facts of Mr. A. M.'s Letter. I am perſuaded Mr. Turell will be much concern'd to find any Part of his Sermon thus miſuſed; and how the Compilers of this Pamphlet could dare to make this Uſe of his Writing I cannot imagine; for, in the very firſt Page of the Preface to that very Sermon out of which they have taken their Extracts, he ſpeaks of himſelf as one of the Friends and zealous Promoters of the good Work: Nay he begins his Preface with theſe Words, The Occaſion of my publiſhing this brief Direction to my People, is partly to vindicate my Character which has been injured by a Report ſpread, that of a zealous Promoter of the glorious Work of GOD's Grace and Spirit appearing, I am become an Oppoſer: Which ſhews that Mr. Turell would not care to be repreſented as an Oppoſer of that Work, and conſequently would not chuſe that his Writings ſhould be produced to prove the principal Facts in this Letter of A. M.'s, who would repreſent the whole as Enthuſiaſm and Deluſion.
What Opinion Mr. Turell had of Perſons of this Gentleman's Spirit is evident from the 4th Page of the ſame Preface, which the Compilers of the Pamphlet could not but ſee. His Words are theſe, As for the profane Triumphs of the Oppoſers; (of ſuch I mean) who attribute the Whole of this glorious Scene to the Devil, or wild Enthuſiaſm, a heated Imagination, &c. I deteſt their Opinion, tho' I am far from judging their State. I am confident that of the many that I have diſcourſed with under the common Impreſſions (two or three excepted) they have been all wrought upon in a Way agreeable to the Goſpel: And juſt as I ſhould have deſir'd ſome Years ago. And I muſt teſtify to the Glory of GOD and his ſovereign rich Grace, that I do behold the diſtinguiſhing Marks of GOD's Spirit on many: My Brethren, let us pray for the Preſervation, Revival, Progreſs, and univerſal Spread thereof. In p. 14th of his Directions, he ſays, I charitably believe ſome Scores in this Place have been ſeriouſly wrought upon; and the far greater Part of them have declared, God has made me the happy Inſtrument of their Awakening. And P. 18th, ſays he, The Names of Whitefield and Tennent (tho' liable to err) I have once and again mention'd to you with Honour; they have been raiſed by God to do abundance of Good. How does this agree with the Account Mr. A. M. gives of the Spirit raiſed by us, and with that ſcandalous Character he gives of Mr. Tennent in particular: And when theſe Quotations are Parts of one of the Treatiſes out of which one of the Extracts mentioned in the Appendix is taken, and are written by one of thoſe eminent Miniſters whoſe Writings are referred to, to prove the principal Facts recorded in Mr. A. M.'s Letter.
But what ſurprizes me moſt of all is, That they ſhould extract any Thing from Mr. Parſons to prove Mr. A. M.'s Matters of Fact. Indeed in the Paſſage cited from him, ſee Page 41ſt of the Pamphlet, to uſe the Words in the Glaſgow Weekly Hiſtory, No. 35. I ſee only a Warning, againſt raſhly concluding Perſons to be in a converted State, becauſe ſome who have been thus well judged of do afterwards full away into Errors, or appear to be deluded or Impoſtors; and the Warning inforced by an Inſtance, and indeed but by one Inſtance, of a Perſon who was Viſionary. Mr. Parſons's Caution to others againſt concluding too raſhly that People are converted, is a Preſumption that he is cautious in that Matter himſelf; yet in this very Sermon of Mr. Parſons, out of which the Extract mention'd in the Appendix is taken, He ſays Page the 44th, I hope not leſs than an hundred and fifty Souls are converted in about nine Months paſt: Tho' his Pariſh is ſmall, conſiſting only of 120 Families. I could heartily wiſh that the whole Sermon was printed. It is directly levelled in many Parts of it againſt Perſons of Mr. A. M.'s Spirit and Sentiments, and is intended as a needful Caution for thoſe lately converted to avoid Extreams, and take Care to walk conſiſtently. He has all along been a great Promoter of this Work: In a Letter dated Decemb. 16th. 1741, to Dr. Colman, and which is printed in the Weekly Hiſtory, he mentions a moſt wonderful Effuſion of the Holy Ghoſt in his Congregation: In that Letter he makes an honourable Mention of Mr. Tennent. I have Reaſon, ſays he, to bleſs the Lord that he ſent him for our Help; and indeed by an Inquiry ſince, I find his Labours were bleſſed to give a more general Shock than appear'd at the very Time.
The other eminent Miniſters Sermons I have not yet met with: But I have great Reaſon to believe they have been treated in the ſame Manner. The Time would fail me, dear Sir, to ſend you all the Vouchers that might be produced for the glorious Work in New-England. Meſſirs. Prince, Webb and Cooper, in a Preface to a Sermon by Mr. M'Gregere, a Preſbyterian Miniſter, and which I hope alſo will be Re-printed, ſpeak nobly of it. Mr. Edwards's Sermon I think is moſt admirable, and anſwers all the Objections that Mr. A. M. or Others can make againſt it. In ſhort, if any Work had all Marks of a divine Signature, this undoubtedly has.
When I conſider how Mr. A. M. ſo quarrels with it, and endeavours to repreſent it in ſo ridiculous a Light, I cannot but wiſh he may conſider Rom. viii. 7. 1 Cor. ii. 14. That the carnal Mind is Enmity againſt God, and the natural Man diſcerneth not the Things of the Spirit of God, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcern'd. The Sum of the of the Matter ſeems to be this; There has been a great and marvellous Work in New-England, but, as it ſhould ſeem, by the Imprudences of ſome, and the overboiling Zeal of others, ſome Irregularities have been committed in ſeveral Places, which Mr. Tennent himſelf in a Letter to Mr. Parſons printed in the Boſton Gazette, has born his Teſtimony againſt, as ſtrongly as any of theſe eminent Miniſters. This, dear Sir, is nothing but what is common. It was ſo in Old-England ſome few Years ago. Many young Perſons there ran out before they were called. Others were guilty of great Imprudences. I checked them in the ſtricteſt Manner my ſelf, and found as they grew acquainted with the Lord Jeſus, and their own Hearts, the Intemperance of their Zeal abated; and they became truly humble Walkers with God. After a gathering there will always be a ſifting Time. And the Church is generally ſhaken before it is ſettled. But muſt the whole Work of God be condemn'd as Enthuſiaſm and Deluſion becauſe of ſome Diſorder? No, I wiſh with all my Soul, that thoſe who had extracted from Mr. Parſons had obſerved what he ſays Page the 41ſt, and 42d. It is very much to be feared, ſays he (ſpeaking to Perſons who cried down a whole Work of God becauſe of the Imprudencies and Miſcarriages of a few) That you are Strangers to the ſanctifying Influence of the Holy Ghoſt, when you can ſo eaſily paſs over the Table of the rich Dainties which God ſpreads for his own Children, which while they feaſt upon, their Souls are drawn out in Rivers of Pleaſure and Love; and like the Crow light upon, and greedily pick up, every Bit of filthy Carrion you can meet with.
Dear Sir, as I allow you to publiſh my Letter, out of Compaſſion to the Compilers and Publiſhers … the Pamphlet, I cannot but expreſs my Concern, that they may ſeriouſly conſider, whether this mention'd by Mr. Parſons be not directly their Caſe: And that they may take heed leſt the God of this World may have blinded their Eyes. Since they had this and the other Sermons before them, they muſt ſin againſt Light and Knowlege in publiſhing ſuch a Tract. And therefore to uſe the Words of Mr. Parſons in his Sermon Page 42d. It is not poſſible that you ſhould be innocent, but on the contrary plunge yourſelves under amazing Guilt by ſuch a dreadful Conduct. Whilſt you ſtand amazed at the Rings of the Wheels as Things too high and dreadful for you; whil'ſt you know not what to make of the Effuſions of the Holy Spirit, but are blundering at every Thing amiſs, when God is working a Work of his aſtoniſhing Grace before your Eyes which you will not believe; Beware leſt that come upon you, which is ſpoken of in the Prophets, Behold ye Deſpiſers and wonder and periſh! Dear immortal Souls, ſay he, I beſeech and perſuade you, by the Mercies, of God and the aſtoniſhing Love of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that you would not ſacrifice the Operations of the bleſſed Spirit to your own Prejudice, ariſing from our Imperfections: I beſeech and charge you by the coming of the great▪ Jehovah in the Word of his Grace, that you do not deſpiſe his glorious Name, and the Riches of his Mercy now offer'd you. I charge and admoniſh you by the Dignity and Worth of your immortal Souls; by the powerful Impreſſions of an approaching Change; by the certain tremendous appearing of the great Judge▪ by the inexpreſſible Agonies of Hell, and in conceiveable Joys of an everlaſting Heaven, that you do no longer reject, nor once more cavil againſt the glorious Intereſt and Kingdom of the bleſſed Jeſus triumphing at this Day, and inviting the miſerable Slaves of the Devil, to become the happy Subjects of it. I warn and charge you before the great God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Holy Angels, upon your Peril, that you take diligent Heed to theſe Things. And if you reject to hear, if you dare reject or boldly deſpiſe the Admonition, remember you are anſwerable at the great Tribunal, and muſt expect a moſt fearful Share of Torments among the damn'd World, for ſuch unſpeakable Guilt.
Thus ſpeaks this worthy Man: My Heart warm'd, dear Sir, whilſt I was reading his Diſcourſe; 'tis cloſe, ſuccinct and powerful: How could the Publiſhers after reading ſuch a dreadful Warning, print any Thing out of his Sermon, to prove the Work in New-England Enthuſiaſm? I would heartily join with him and the other Miniſters in New-England, was I there, in bearing a faithful Teſtimony againſt any Thing that I might judge to be inconſiſtent with the precious Rules of the holy Scriptures. At the ſame Time, I pray that even the Miniſters themſelves may act with the ſame Caution they recommend to their People, and then I doubt not but we ſhall ſee a happy End put to what may now be irregular or diſorderly. The dear Redeemer has aſſured us, that the Gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt his Church. He will cauſe that all Things ſhall work together for her Good. The Wrath of Man ſhall turn to his Praiſe, and the Remainder of it ſhall he reſtrain. He will bring Order out of Confuſion, and the Church ſhall be more than Conqueror thro' his Love. I will therefore conclude this long Letter with the Words of the Pſalmiſt in the ſecond Pſalm.
WHy rage the Heathen? and vain Things
why do the People mind?
2 Kings of the Earth do ſet themſelves,
and Princes are combin'd
To plot againſt the Lord, and his
anointed, ſaying thus,
Let us aſunder break their Bands,
and caſt their Cords from us.
He that in Heaven ſits, ſhall laugh:
the Lord ſhall ſcorn them all.
Then he ſhall ſpeak to them in Wrath,
in Rage he vex them ſhall.
6 Yet notwithſtanding I have him
to be my King appointed:
And over Sion my holy Hill
I have him King anointed.
Upon this Aſſurance I reſt in Peace, and am, Reverend and dear Sir, in the Kingdom and Patience of Jeſus.—
Your affectionate and oblig'd Friend, Brother and Servant, George Whitefield.
In a few Days will be Publiſh'd,
DIVINE INFLUENCE the true Spring of the extraordinary Work in ſeveral Places in the Weſt of Scotland, illuſtrated in a Letter from the Rev. Mr. ALEXANDER WEBSTER, one of the Miniſters of the City of Edinburgh, to a Gentleman in the Country.—
And as there is a remarkable Uniformity in the Work of GOD, as it has appeared there and in this Country; ſo this Performance is excellently ſuited to vindicate it from many of the Objections made againſt it amongſt Us; and is wrote in ſo ſcriptural and rational, ſo maſterly and polite a Manner, that it is not doubted but it will be read with Approbation by the Judicious and Unprejudiced.
End of the text · George Whitefield, Remarks on Pamphlet Entitled The State of Religion (1743)