Answer to Pamphlet Upon the Conduct and Behavior of Methodists, Title page 1 – Conclusion
ANSWER To the FIRST and SECOND PART of an Anonymous Pamphlet, ENTITLED, Obſervations upon the Conduct and Behaviour of a certain Sect uſually diſtinguiſhed by the Name of METHODISTS. IN TWO LETTERS TO THE RIGHT REVEREND The BISHOP of LONDON, And the other the Right Reverend the BISHOPS concern'd in the Publication thereof.
The TWO PARTS of the OBSERVATIONS herein anſwered, are prefix'd.
By GEORGE WHITEFIELD, A.B. Late of PEMBROKE-COLLEGE, OXFORD.
BOSTON: Printed and Sold by ROGERS and FOWLE in Queen-ſtreet, near the Priſon. 1744.
PREFACE TO THE READER.
AS the Miniſters of JESUS CHRIST are ſet for the Defence of the Goſpel, they are often obliged like the Builders of the Temple in Nehemiah's Time, to hold a Sword in one Hand and a Truel in the other — This I have found and do find true by Experience, and though I deſire at all Times to write of nothing but JESUS CHRIST and him crucified, yet in ſome Caſes I am conſtrained to anſwer for my ſelf, leaſt by my being altogether ſilent, the Hands of many ſhould be weakened, and their Hearts become ſad — This was one Reaſon why I thought it my Duty to anſwer the Right Reverend the Biſhops; and that the Reader may ſee the whole of the Controverſy, I have prefixed thoſe Parts of the Obſervations which I have anſwered — I have alſo made ſome Alterations in the Anſwer to the Firſt Part becauſe I was not willing to ſtrive about Words — There is a Third Part which I have begun to Anſwer, but cannot yet have Leiſure to finiſh — May GOD give this his Bleſſing, and give all a Heart who wiſh well to Zion, to pray for the Unworthy Author, but their
Affectionate Brother and willing Servant in the Kingdom and Patience of JESUS CHRIST, George Whitefield. BOSTON, Jan. 10. 1744, 5.
OBSERVATIONS UPON THE CONDUCT and BEHAVIOUR. OF A Certain Sect, Uſually diſtinguiſhed by the Name of METHODISTS.
OBSERVATIONS Upon the Conduct and Behaviour of a certain Sect, uſually diſtinguiſhed by the Name of METHODISTS.
IT does not appear, that any of the Preachers among the Methodiſts have qualified themſelves and the Places of their Aſſembling, according to the Act of Toleration; which Act warrants ſeparate Aſſemblies for the Worſhip of God, that before were unlawful.
The unbounded Licentiouſneſs in holding Aſſemblies for Divine Worſhip, both as to Perſons and Places, which had prevailed for ſome Years before the Reſtoration, and of which our Hiſtories are full; was a ſufficient Warning to the Legiſlature, to have a watchful Eye over that Spirit, which had cauſed ſo much Confuſion in the Kingdom; and particularly in the publick Worſhip of God. And the Methods taken from Time to Time to keep-under that Spirit, and to prevent and ſuppreſs all ſuch irregular Aſſemblies, are a plain Evidence, that the Government, in thoſe Days, ſaw the miſchievous Conſequences of them, and the Neceſſity of putting early and effectual Reſtraints upon them. And though, at the Revolution, the Wiſdom of the Nation, for ſome Eaſe to ſcrupulous Conſciences in the Exerciſe of Religion (as the Words of the Act are) granted an Exemption from the Penalties of former Laws, both to Preachers and People; yet it is plain, that they ſaw the miſchievous Conſequences of granting that Indulgence, without ſuch Conditions and Limitations, as would be a Security to the Eſtabliſhed Government and Religion, againſt the Advantages it might otherwiſe give to the Enemies of both.
And therefore the Act of Toleration provides, as to the People, that none ſhall have the Benefit of it, but ſuch as will take the Oaths to the Government, and ſubſcribe the Declaration againſt Popery (30 Car. II, c. 1;) and as to the Preachers, it obliges them, not only to take the ſaid Oaths and ſubſcribe the Declaration, but alſo to ſubſcribe the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion; thoſe excepted, which relate to Ceremonies, Homilies, the C…nſecra… of Biſhops, and Infant Baptiſm.
II. But now, this new Sect of Methodiſts have broken-thro' all theſe Proviſions and Reſtraints; neither regarding the Penalties of the Laws which ſtand in full Force againſt them, nor embracing the Protection which the Act of Toleration might give them in Caſe they comply'd with the Conditions of it. And if this be not an open Defiance of Government, it is hard to ſay what is.
They began with Evening-Meetings at private Houſes; but they have been going on, for ſome Time, to open and appoint publick Places of Religious Worſhip, with the ſame Freedom, as if they were warranted by the Act of Toleration. And, not content with that, they have had the Boldneſs to preach in the Fields and other open Places, and by publick Advertiſements to invite the Rabble to be their Hearers; notwithſtanding an expreſs Declaration in a Statute (22 Car. II. c. 1.) againſt aſſembling in a FIELD, by Name. And how big with Miſchief that Practice in particular is, may be abundantly ſeen in the paſt and preſent Accounts of it in a neighbouring Nation; and may be ſenſibly felt in our own, when it will be too late to remedy it, if not attended to in Time.
III. It muſt be confeſſed, that in moſt other Steps which the Methodiſts take, the Act of Toleration would be a Security againſt the Penalties of former Laws, if they would but qualify themſelves according to the Direction of it; but in the Caſe of Field-preaching, it is conceived that it would not ſecure them. For that Act not only requires the Qualifications of Oaths and Subſcriptions as above, but alſo provides, That no Congregation or Aſſembly for Religious Worſhip ſhall be there…y permitted …r allowed, until the PLACE of ſuch Meeting ſhall be certified to the Biſhop of the Dioceſe, or to the Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry, or to the Juſtices of the Peace at their General or Quarter Seſſions.
And it would be a ſtrange Conſtruction to give any other Meaning to the Word PLACE in that Clauſe of the Act, than a particular Houſe opened for Religious Worſhip, and a fix'd Place to be repaired-to by a Congregation of Diſſenters; in which Senſe it has been univerſally underſtood. And indeed the Act of Toleration itſelf plainly leads to this Meaning, when it forbids any Aſſembly of Perſons, diſſenting from the Church of England, to be had in any PLACE for Religious Worſhip, with the Doors lock'd, barr'd, or bolted. Nor has it been known, that a Diſſenting Teacher of any Denomination whatever, has thought himſelf warranted, under the Act of Toleration, to preach in Fie…s, or Streets.
IV. But notwithſtanding ſuch open Inroads upon the National Conſtitution; theſe Teachers and their Followe… affect to be thought Members of the National Church, and do accordingly join in Communion with it; though in a Manner that is very irregular▪ and contrary to the Directions laid down in the Rubrick before the Communion-Service; which is eſtabliſhed by the Act of Uniformity. This Rubrick directs, as follows:
So many as intend to be Partakers of the Holy Communion, ſhall ſignify their Names to the Curate, at leaſt ſome Time the Day before.
And if any of thoſe be an open and notorious evil Liver, or have done any Wrong to his Neighbours by Word o… Deed, ſo that the Congregation is thereby offended; the Curate, having Knowledge thereof, ſhall call him and advertiſe him, that in any wiſe he preſume not to come to the Lord's Table, until he hath openly declared himſelf to have truly repented, and amended his former naughty Life, that the Congregation may thereby be ſatisfied, which before were offended: and that he hath recompenſed the Parties to whom he hath done Wrong, or at leaſt declare himſelf to be in full Purpoſe ſo to do, as ſoon as he conveniently may.
The ſame Order ſhall the Curate uſe with thoſe betwixt whom he perceiveth Malice and Hatred to reign; not ſuffering them to be Partakers of the Lord's Table, until he know them to be reconciled.
It is plain, by the whole Tenor of this Rubrick, that by the Word Curate, is meant the proper Miniſter who h…s the Cure of Souls (according to the uſual Meaning of the Word throughout the Book of Commom-Prayer,) or ſome other officiating under him; and that by Neighbours, and thoſe whom he is to forbid to come to the Lord's Table till they amend their Lives, and till they be reconciled, are meant his Pariſhioners, overs whom he is placed as their Guide and Inſtructor, and, as ſuch, is ſuppoſed to have Knowledge of their Behaviour, and a Right to interpoſe in their Spiritual Concerns.
Upon the like Conſiderations of the Fitneſs and Reaſonableneſs of every one's receiving the Holy Sacrament with his own Pariſhioners, and from the Hands of his own Miniſter, the 28th Canon of our Church requires the Church-wardens, to mark whether any Strangers come often and commonly from other Pariſhes to their Church, and to ſhew the Miniſter of them; leſt perhaps they may be admitted to the Lord's Table among others; which they ſhall forbid, and remit ſuch home to their own Pariſh-Churches and Miniſters, there to receive the Communion with the reſt …f their Neighbours.
And theſe general Rules, both in the Rubrick and Canon, as they are founded upon Reaſons evidently good and wiſe in themſelves; ſo are they, in their Effect and Operation, when duly obſerved, the beſt and ſureſt Means of preſerving Order and Regularity in the publick Adminiſtration of Divine Offic…s, and of av…iding all that … which th…y w…re d…ſigned to p…vent. At the ſame Time, …t muſt be admitted, that th…ſe good …nds may be ſuff…ciently anſwer'd, and the Rules ſaid to be duly …, tho' Allowance b… made to ſuch reaſonab… … as evidently ariſe from the Nature and Circumſtances of P…rſons and Things. But though ſuch Exceptions are always admitted in the Conſtruction and Application of General Rules▪ nothing thing can juſtify either a wilful Neglect, or an open Contempt, of the Rules themſelves.
V. But now theſe wholſom Rules are not only broken-thro', but notoriouſly deſpiſed by the new Sect of Methodiſts; who, leaving their own Pariſh-Churches where they are known, come from ſeveral Quarters, in very great Numbers, to receive the Communion at other Churches, where they are not known; and between whom & the Miniſter there is no Manner of Relation.
This is a Practice which may juſtly be complained of by the Miniſters of the Churches to which they reſort in that irregular Manner; as it puts ſuch Miniſters under the Difficulty, either of rejecting great Numbers as unknown to them, or adminiſtring the Sacrament to great Numbers, of whom they have no Knowledge.
VI. I know but one Thing that can be pleaded in Behalf of this Practice: by ſuch, I mean, of them as deſire to receive the Communion every Lord's Day; and that is, That there is not a weekly Communion in their own Pariſh-Church. But may not this End be attained in a more quiet and inoffenſive Way, tho' not ſtrictly regular, if particular Perſons, who are ſo diſpoſed ſhould repair privately to the Church neareſt to their own where the Sacrament is adminiſtred every Lord's Day▪ having firſt ſignify'd their Names to the Miniſter, as the Rubrick directs? Which, ſurely, no Perſon can ſcruple to do, who profeſſes himſelf a Member of the Church of England, and who, as ſuch, is obliged to come up, at leaſt as near as may be, to the Rules which it preſcribes. But in this Way, our Methodiſts would not have the vain Pleaſure of appearing together in a Body and as a diſtinct Sect. And this Suggeſtion, that there may be in that Part of their Conduct ſome Mixture of Vanity, will appear to be neither unjuſt nor uncharitable, if it be conſidered, that though in the Churches of London and Weſtminſter there is uſually a Sacrament on the firſt Sunday of every Month, I doubt it will be found, that however that may leſſen, it d…es not hinder the Reſort, on that Day, to the Churches where they have uſually appeared in a Body on other Days.
It appears from the foregoing Obſervations, that the Leaders of theſe People would act a far more conſiſtent and uniform Part, if they would either r…n…unce C…mmunion with the Eſtabliſhed Church, or oblige themſelves and their Followers to have a great Regard to the Rules and Orders of it.
VII. Beſides our …, there is another S…t ſprung up and known by the Style and … …f M…RAVIANS. The Heads of them have been … Time from Moravia, a Country in Germany of that … ſeveral …f …ur Methodiſts have gone in Perſon, to … perfectly with the Principles and Practices of that People. It is not eaſy to come at a certain Knowledge of their Tenets; but in their Teachings, they are ſaid to reſt the Whole of Religion upon the ſingle Point of BELIEVING, and to diſclaim the Moral Law as no Part of the Chriſtian Diſpenſation. They are alſo ſaid to decry all †In Fact, ſeveral of thoſe who perform the Offices of Prayer and Preaching in their Aſſemblies, are common Mechanicks.human Qualifications for the Miniſtry, and all human Helps and Preparations towards the Converſion and Conviction of a Sinner; ſo that they ſhould ſeem to reſolve all into the immediate Teachings and Workings of the Spirit. However, my preſent Concern is not with their Principles, but with that which is more certain, I mean their Proceedings; particularly, their ſetting up publick Places of Aſſembly, with as much Openneſs as thoſe of our Diſſenters, which are ſet up under the Act of Toleration. At firſt, their Numbers were inconſiderable; but having been joined by many of our own Methodiſts, (by ſome of their Clergy, and by many more of their Laity, who have forſaken their firſt Leaders,) they are grown into a conſiderable Body, and, both in City and Country, are multiplying Bands and Societies in the Moravian Way. Which uncommon Zeal in their Leaders to carry on this Work, may probably proceed from a ſtrange Notion they have got, That (in the Words of one of them) our Saviour is, NOW, about gathering his Sheep out of all Nations, out of all Profeſſions, out of all Parties, out of all National Churches; into little Flocks which he governs with his Word and Spirit.' *See Part III. Qu. 3.A Notion, which muſt be conſidered by all ſober and uninfected Minds, as merely Enthuſiaſtical; and it will be great Blindneſs in their Followers, if they do not call upon them for Proofs from the Goſpel, or from a well atteſted Revelation made to themſelves, of what our Saviour, as they pretend, is now about to do, and of their Commiſſion to be the authoris'd Doers of it.
There is indeed, a ſpecial Proviſo in the Act of Uniformity, 'That the Penalties of that Act ſhall not extend to the Foreigners or Aliens of the Reformed Churches, allowed, or to be allowed, by the King's Majeſty, his Heirs and Succeſſors, in England. But do the Methodiſts who join them, conſider that themſelves are not Foreigners and Aliens? Or, do the real Moravians conſider, that they hold, for o…ght appears, open Aſſemblies contrary to the ſaid Law, or rather in Defiance of it? Or, being Foreigners, do they ſo far miſtake our Conſtitution, as to think that this is a Country in which Religious Aſſemblies of every Kind may be ſet up at Pleaſure without any Regard to the Qualifications and Conditions upon which the Laws have allowed them?
The Country moſt noted for an Indulgence to Religious Perſuaſions and Aſſemblies, is HOLLAND; but even there they are put under proper Reſtraints and Regulations; ſuch as the State has thought fit, for its own Security. The Account that Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE gives of it, in his Obſervations upon the United Provinces, in this. After he has obſerved that the Exerciſe of the Popiſh Religion is alone excepted from the common Protection of their Laws, he adds, 'That, of all other Religions, every Man enjoys the fre… Exerciſe in his own Chamber, or his own Houſe, unqueſtioned and uneſpied. And if the Followers of any Sect grow ſo numerous in any Place, that they affect a publick Congregation, and are content to purchaſe a Place of Aſſembly, and to bear the Charge of a Paſtoral Teacher, &c. they go, and *By the foregoing Clauſe in the Act of Uniformity, the Application here in England is to be to the Crown; and the Moravians can beſt tell, whether they have made any ſuch Application, and been favour'd with ſuch Allowance as the Act requires. Hitherto, nothing of this has been made appear; and till they make it appear, the Preſumption muſt be, that they have no ſuch Allowance.propoſe their Deſire to the Magiſtrates of the Place where they reſide, who inform themſelves of their Opinions, and Manners of Worſhip. And if they find nothing in either, deſtructive to Civil Society, or prejudicial to the Conſtitutions of their State, they eaſily allow it. But with the Condition, That one or more Commiſſi…ers ſhall be appointed, who ſhall have free Admiſſion at all their Meetings, and ſhall be both the Obſervers and Witneſſes of all that is acted or preached among them.
To conclude this firſt Part.
VIII. It is eaſily foreſeen, that this and every other Complaint againſt the Irregularities of theſe People, and eſpecially thoſe of our Methodiſts, will be cenſured by them as a Diſcouragement to Piety and Devotion, and particularly to a Religious Obſervation of the Lord's Day. But this Slander is effectually confuted, by looking back to the State of the ſeveral Religious Societies in London and Weſtminſter, for many Years paſt; which has been this. The particular Members of each Society, having attended the publick Duties of the Day together with their Neighbours, as the Laws of Church and State direct, have alſo (by private Agreements among themſelves) their Evening Meetings, to employ the Remainder of the Day in ſerious Converſation, and in Reading good Books, &c. And theſe Societies, having behaved with Modeſty and Decency, and without any Violation of publick Order and Regularity, have received no Diſcouragements, but, on the contrary, have been countenanced and encouraged by the Biſhops and Clergy. And this, God be thanked, ſtill continues to be the Caſe of many of thoſe Societies, and the Members of them; as many I mean, as have not been unhappily miſled into the late Extravagancies, but can be content to provide for mutual Edification and Improvement in a private inoffenſive Way, as their Predeceſſors did.