hope it will to me; for, by the blessing of God, provoke me to it as much as you please, I do not think ever to enter the lists of controversy with you on the points wherein we differ. Only I pray to God, that the more you judge me, the more I may love you, and learn to desire no one's approbation, but that of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ."

These feelings are creditable to Whitefield, but he was not consistent in pursuing the course of conduct which he thus advised. Two months only after this letter was written, he followed it with another in a different strain. "Honoured Sir," it began, " I cannot entertain prejudices against your conduct and principles any longer without informing you. The more I examine the writings of the most experienced men, and the experiences of the most established Christians, the more I differ from your notion about not committing sin, and your denying the doctrines of election and the final perseverance of the saints. I dread coming to England, unless you are resolved to oppose these truths with less warmth than when I was there last. I dread your coming over to America; because the work of God is carried on here, and that in a most glorious manner, by doctrines quite opposite to those you hold.-God direct me what to do! Sometimes I think it best to stay here, where we all think and speak the same thing: the work goes on without divisions, and with more success, because all employed in it are of one mind. I write not this, honoured Sir, from heat of spirit, but out of love. At present I think you are entirely inconsistent with yourself, and therefore do not blame me if I do not approve of all that you say. God himself, I find, teaches my friends the doctrine of election. Sister H. hath lately been convinced of it; and if I mistake not, dear and honoured Mr. Wesley hereafter will be convinced also. Perhaps I may never see you again till we meet in judgment; then, if not before, you will know, that sovereign, distinguishing, irresistible grace brought you to Heaven." Wesley received this letter in a kindly spirit, and thanked him for it. "The case is quite plain," he said in reply. "There are bigots both for predestination and against it. God is sending a message to those on either side, but neither will receive it unless from one who is of their own opinion. Therefore, for a time you are suffered to be of one opinion, and I of another. But when his time is come, God will do what men cannot, namely, make us both of one mind."—Soon afterwards Whitefield writes to one of his friends in England, "for Christ's sake desire dear brother Wesley to avoid disputing with me. I think I had rather die than see a division between us; and yet how can we walk together,

if we oppose each other?" And again to Wesley himself, he says, "for Christ's sake, if possible, dear Sir, never speak against election in your sermons: no one can say that I ever mentioned it in public discourses,* whatever my private sentiments may be. For

*Yet it appears by Whitefield's Journal, that on his last voyage to America he had been confirmed in his Calvinistic opinions, and had resolved in consequence upon preaching them. "This afternoon was exceedingly strengthened by perusing some paragraphs out of a book called The Preacher, written by Dr. Edwards, of Cambridge, and extracted by Mr. Jonathan Warn, in his books entitled The Church-of-England-man turned Dissenter, and Arminianism the Back-door to Popery. There are such noble testimonies given before that University of Justification by Faith only in the imputed Righteousness of Christ, our having no Free Will, &c., that they deserve to be written in letters of gold. I see more and more the benefit of leaving written testimonies behind us

Christ's sake, let us not be divided amongst ourselves: nothing will so much prevent a division as your being silent on that head."

While Whitefield from America was thus exhorting to forbearance from controversy, the Calvinistic Methodists in England were forcing on the separation which he had deprecated, while he foresaw. One of the leading members in London, by name Acourt, had disturbed the society by introducing his disputed tenets, till Charles Wesley gave orders that he should no longer be admitted. John was present when next he presented himself, and demanded whether they refused admitting a person only because he differed from them in opinion. Wesley answered no, but asked what opinion he meant. He replied, "that of election. I hold that a certain number are elected from eternity, and these must and shall be saved, and the rest of mankind must and shall be damned."-And he affirmed that many of the society held the same; upon which Wesley observed, that he never asked whether they did or not; only let them not trouble others by disputing about it."-Acourt replied, " Nay, but I will dispute about it.". "Why then," said Wesley, "would you come among us, who you know are of another mind.". "Because you are all wrong, and I am resolved to set you all right.' "I fear,' said Wesley," your coming with this view would neither profit you nor us. "Then," rejoined Acourt, "I will go and tell all the world that you and your brother are false prophets. And I tell you in one fortnight you will all be in confusion."

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Some time before, Wesley had received a letter in which he was reproached for not preaching the Gospel, because he did not preach the doctrine of election. According to his usual presumptuous practice at that time, instead of consulting with his friends, or even advising with himself upon the prudence of engaging in controversy, he drew a lot for his direction, and the lot was preach and print.' So he preached a sermon against this deplorable doctrine, and printed it. Whitefield was then in England, and at his desire the publication was for a while suppressed; but it was sent into the world soon after his departure for America. The rising sect was thus disturbed by a question which had so often carried discord into the schools of theology, which had unhappily divided the Protestant world, and which, when it had risen in the bosom of the Catholic church, neither the Popes with their bulls, nor the Kings of France with their power, nor the Jesuits with all the wisdom of the serpent, could either determine or lay to rest. Wesley had begun the discussion, but Whitefield persevered in it, when he would fain have pressed it no further; and he assumed a tone of superiority which Wesley, who was as much his superior in intellect as in learning, was little likely to brook. "Give me leave," said he, "with all humility to exhort you not to be strenuous in opposing the doctrines of election and final perseverance, when by your own confession you have not the witness of the spirit within yourself, and consequently are not a proper judge. I am assured God has now for some years given me this living witness in my soul. I can say I

concerning these important points. They not only profit the present, but will also much edify the future ages. Lord, open thou my mouth, that I may henceforward speak more boldly and explicitly as I ought to speak."

have been on the borders of Canaan, and do every day, nay almost every moment, long for the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, not to evade sufferings, but with a single desire to see his blessed face. I feel his blessed spirit daily filling my soul and body, as plain as I feel the air which I breathe, or the food which I eat. Perhaps the doctrine of election and of final perseverance hath been abused, (and what doctrine has not ?) but notwithstanding, it is children's bread, and ought not in my opinion to be withheld from them, supposing it is always mentioned with proper cautions against the abuse. Dear and honoured Sir, I write not this to enter into disputation. I hope at this time I feel something of the meekness and gentleness of Christ. I cannot bear the thoughts of opposing you: but how can I avoid it if you go about, as your brother Charles once said, to drive John Calvin out of Bristol? Alas, I never read any thing that Calvin wrote my doctrines I had from Christ and his Apostles; I was taught them of God; and as God was pleased to send me out first, and to enlighten me first, so I think he still continues to do it.—I wish I knew your principles fully; did you write oftener and more frankly, it might have a better effect than silence and reserve."

Whitefield indeed was frequently indulging sometimes in such exaggerated expressions of humility, and at others in such ebullitions of spiritual pride, that it is no wonder the suspicion of hypocrisy should have attached to him, till time and death had placed his sincerity beyond all dispute. "I have now," he says, "such large incomes from above, and such precious communications from our dear Lord Jesus, that my body sometimes can scarcely sustain them."

"I have a garden near at hand, where I go particularly to meet and talk with my God, at the cool of every day. I often sit in silence, offering my soul as so much clay, to be stamped just as my heavenly potter pleases; and whilst I am musing, I am often filled, as it were, with the fulness of God. I am frequently at Calvary, and frequently on Mount Tabor, but always assured of my Lord's everlasting love."-" Our dear Lord sweetly fills me with his presence. My heaven is begun indeed. I feast on the fatted calf. The Lord strengthens me mightily in the inner man." At other times he "abhors" himself "in dust and ashes." He is "a worm and no man." He deserves to be the outcast of the people.' "Why do so many of my Lord's servants take notice of such a dead dog as I am?" Then again he would pamper his imagination with the hopes of persecution and martyrdom. "Dear brother," he says to one of his American coadjutors, "both you and I must suffer, and that, great things before we enter into glory. My work is scarce begun; my trials are yet to come. What is a little scourge of the tongue ? What is a thrusting out of the synagogues? The time of temptation will be when we are thrust into an inner prison, and feelthe iron entering even into our souls. Then perhaps even God's people may be permitted to forsake us for a while, and none but the Lord Jesus to stand by us. But if thou, O dearest Redeemer, wilt strengthen me in the inner man, let enemies plunge me into a fiery furnace, or throw me into a den of lions!" And he writes as if he really believed, or affected to believe, that persecuting rulers were again about to employ lions' dens and burning fiery furnaces! "I am

now looking," he says, "for some strong attacks from Satan." "Let us suffer for Jesus with a cheerful heart! His love will sweeten every cup, though never so bitter. Let us pledge him willingly, and continue faithful even to death! A scene of sufferings lies before us. Who knows but we may wade to our Saviour through a sea of blood? I expect (Oh pray that I may be strengthened if called to it!) to die for his great name's sake. Twill be sweet to wear a martyr's crown."-" Suffer we must, I believe, and that, great things. Our Lord by his providence begins, to show it. Ere long perhaps we may sing in a prison, and have our feet set fast in the stocks. But faith in Jesus turns a prison into a palace, and makes a bed of flames become a bed of down."

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This was safe boasting and yet if Whitefield had lived in an age of persecution his metal would have borne to be tried in the flames. The temper from which it arose made him as ready now to stand up in opposition to Wesley, as he had formerly been to follow him. "I am sorry," he says to him, "honoured Sir, to hear by many letters, that you seem to own a sinless perfection in this life attainable. I think I cannot answer you better than a venerable old minister in these parts answered a Quaker, bring me a man that hath really arrived to this, and I will pay his expenses let him come from whence he will.' Besides, dear Sir, what a fond conceit is it to cry up perfection, and yet cry down the doctrine of final perseverance? But this and many other absurdities you will run into, because you will not own election; and you will not own election because you cannot own it without believing the doctrine of reprobation. What then is there in reprobation so horrid?" That question might easily have been answered. The doctrine implies that an Almighty and All-wise Creator has called into existence the greater part of the human race to the end that after a short, sinful, and miserable life, they should pass into an eternity of inconceivable torments, it being the pleasure of their Creator that they should not be able to obey his commands, and yet incur the penalty of everlasting damnation for disobedience. In the words of Mr. Wesley, who has stated the case with equal force and truth; "the sum of all is this; one in twenty (suppose) of mankind, are elected; nineteen in twenty are reprobated! The elect shall be saved, do what they will; the reprobate shall be damned, do what they can.” This is the doctrine of Calvinism, for which Diabolism would be a better name; and in the worst and bloodiest idolatry that ever defiled the earth, there is nothing so horrid, so monstrous, so impious as this.

Whitefield continued, "Oh that you would be more cautious in easting lots! Oh that you would not be too rash and precipitant! If you go on thus, honoured Sir, how can I concur with you? It is impossible. I must speak what I know. Thus I write out of the fulness of my heart. I feel myself to be a vile sinner. I look to Christ. I mourn because I have pierced him. Honoured Sir, pray for me. The Lord be with your dear soul." The same week produced a letter in a higher style of assumed superiority: "Dear brother Wesley, what mean you by disputing in all your letters ? May God give you to know yourself, and then you will not plead for absolute perfection, or call the doctrine of election a doctrine of de.

vils. My dear brother, take heed! See that you are in Christ a new creature! Beware of a false peace: strive to enter in at the straight gate; and give all diligence to make your calling and election sure: remember you are but a babe in Christ, if so much! Be humble, talk little, think and pray much. Let God teach you, and he will lead you into all truth. If you must dispute, stay till you are master of the subject; otherwise you will hurt the cause you would defend." And in a subsequent letter he says, O dear Sir, many of God's children are grieved at your principles! Oh that God may give you a sight of his free, sovereign, and electing love! But no more of this. Why will you compel me to write thus? Why will you dispute? I am willing to go with you to prison and to death; but I am not willing to oppose you." And again, "Oh that there may be harmony and very intimate union between us; yet it cannot be, since you hold universal redemption. The Devil rages in London. He begins now to triumph indeed. The children of God are disunited among themselves. My dear brother, for Christ's sake avoid all disputation! Do not oblige me to preach against you: I had rather die.”

He soon, however, began to fear that he had been sinfully silent. The children of God, he thought, were in danger of falling into error: many who had been worked upon by his ministry had been misled, and more were calling loudly upon him to show his opinion also. "I must then show," said he, "that I know no man after the flesh, and that I have no respect to persons any further than is consistent with my duty to my Lord and Master." And therefore he took pen in hand to write against Wesley, protesting that Jonah could not go with more reluctance against Nineveh. "Was nature to speak," said he, “I had rather die than do it; and yet I am faithful to God, and to my own and others' souls, I must not stand neuter any longer." In this letter Whitefield related how Wesley had preached and printed his obnoxious sermon, in consequence of drawing a lot. "I have often questioned," said he, "whether in so doing you did not tempt the Lord. A due exercise of religious prudence without a lot, would have directed you in that matter. Besides, I never heard that you inquired of God, whether or not election was a gospel doctrine. But I fear, taking it for granted it was not, you only inquired whether you should be silent, or preach and print against it. I am apt to think one reason why God should so suffer you to be deceived was, that hereby a special obligation might be laid upon me faithfully to declare the Scripture doctrine of election, that thus the Lord might give me a fresh opportunity of seeing what was in my heart, and whether I would be true to his cause or not. Perhaps God has laid this difficult task upon me, even to see whether I am willing to forsake all for him or not." Thus, while he reprehended Wesley for a most reprehensible and presumptuous practice, did he manifest a spirit little less presumptuous himself. In further proof of the folly of Wesley's practice, he related also the fact of his drawing lots to discover whether Whitefield should proceed to Georgia, or leave the ship which was then under sail and return to London, upon which occasion he reminded him of his subsequent confession that God had given him a wrong lot. "I should never," says he, "have published this private transaction to the world, did not the glory of God call me to it."