WHEN the great Apostle of the Gentiles was accused before the Governour of Cesarea, Acts 24. by Tertullus (employ'd for that Purpose by Ananias the High-Priest, and the Elders) as a pestilent Fellow, a Mover of Sedi­tion among all the Jews throughout the World, and a Ringleader of the Sect of the Nazarenes, he tho't it his Duty (being beckned to by the Governour) to answer for himself, and in his Answer prov'd that he was in no wise guilty of the Things that were laid to his [...] Gentlemen seem to view me in the same Light wherein [...] Ananias and the Elders view'd Paul; and accordingly [...] it proper to publish a Testimony against me and my [...] wherein you have undertaken to prove, Page 4. that I am ‘an Enthusiast, a censorious, uncharitable Person, and a [...] of the People.’ Will you give me Leave, since I think the great Governour of the Church beckons to me by his Providence so to do, with: minutely criticising upon the Dictiion and Method of your Testimony, to answer for myself, and in the Spirit of Meekness examine the Proofs you bring to make good your Charges against me.

‘By an Enthusiast (you say p. 4.) we mean one that acts, either according to Dreams, or some sudden Impulses and Impressions upon his Mind, which he fondly imagines to be from the Spirit of God, perswading and inclining him thereby to such and such Actions, tho' he hath no Proof that such Perswasions or Impressions are from the holy Spirit:’ This Definition of an Enthusiast (whether exactly right or not) you are pleas'd to apply to me, and accordingly at the Bottom of the aforementioned Page assert that I am ‘a Man that conducts himself according to his Dreams, or some ridi­culous and unaccountable Impulses and Impressions on his Mind’ and [Page 4] ‘that this is Mr. Whitefield's Manner is evident (you say) both by his Life, his Journals and his Sermons’—From these Pieces (you add p. 5.) ‘It is very evident that he used to govern himself by his Dreams; one Instance of this we have in his Life, p. 12. Near this Time I dream'd that I was to see God on Mount Sinai. This made a great Impression upon me. Another like Instance we have p. 39, 40. I prayed that God would open a Door to visit the Prisoners; quickly after I dreamed that one of the Prisoners came to be instructed by me; the Dream was impressed much upon my Heart; in the Morning I went to the Door of the Goal— Once more, a like Instance we have p. 43. I dreamed I was talking with the Bishop and that be gave me some Gold, which chinked in my Hands; and p. 44. The Guineas thinking in my Hand put me in mind of my Dream.’ Now say you in the next Paragraph, ‘If we consider these Instances, we must suppose him conducting himself by Dreams,’ But, Gentlemen, how will these Premises admit of such a Conclusion? I in writing a brief Account of God's Dealings with me from my Infancy to the Time of my Ordina­tion, have mentioned three particular Dreams. But how does this prove that I conduct my self (i. e. I suppose you mean in the general Course of my Life) by Dreams, or that this denominates me an Enthusiast, who (according to your Definition) acts according to Dreams or ‘some sudden Impulses and Impressions upon his Mind which he fondly imagines to be from the Spirit of God perswading and inclining him thereby to such and such Actions, tho' he hath no Proof that such Perswasions or Impressions (I humbly apprehend to make up the Sense there should be added, or Dreams) are from the holy Spirit’? May not a Person in a few Instances of his Life have some remarkable Dreams which may be explained by subsequent Pro­vidences, without being an Enthusiast, or justly term'd one that acts or conducts and governs himself according to Dreams?

Besides, ought you not to have quoted the Passages as they stand in my Life, and then every one must see I was far from acting according to Dreams, even in these Instances. The first I men­tioned because it was a Means under God of awakening me in some Degree, as I suppose hath been the Case of many; and is this a con­ducting myself by a Dream? As for the second the Case was thus, as I used to visit the Prisoners at Oxford, so upon my coming to Glou­cester, my Compassion for the poor Prisoners here, and the Hopes I had [Page 5] of being Serviceable to them, inclined me to visit them also; for which Reason I prayed most earnestly that God would open a Door for me to visit them; quickly after I dreamed that one of the Prisoners come to be instructed by me: The Dream was impressed much upon my Heart. In the Morning I went to the Door of the Goal. This Dream was no further a Reason of my going thither, than as it was a Means of exciting me to pursue the reasonable Incli­nation I had before. And subsequent Providences made me after­wards judge that God directed the Dream for that Purpose. As to the third I was so far from being conducted by it, that as I have said in the Account I gave of it, which Gentlemen, you would have done well to have observed, I always check'd the Impression it made upon me.—These are the only Dreams I think that are mentioned in any of my Writings; and all these are in the Account of my Life: tho' you are pleas'd to say (p. 5.) "From these Pieces [namely my Life, Journals and Sermons] it is very evident that he us'd to govern himself by Dreams".

‘As plain it is (you add pa. ibid.) that he usually governed himself by some sudden Impulses and Impressions on his Mind, and we have one Instance that may satisfy us, that his first setting out upon his itinerant Business, was from an enthusiastick Turn. Journal from London to Gibraltar, p. 3. He says he will not mention the Reasons that perswaded him that it was the divine Will that he should go abroad, because they might not be deem'd good Reasons by another; but faith, he was as much bent as ever to go tho' strongly solicited to the contrary, having ask'd Direction from Heaven about it for a Year and half.’ And does not this prove, Gentlemen, that I acted cautiously in the Affair, and took Time to consider of the Step I was about to take? and conse­quently was not governed herein by some sudden Impulse or Impression on my Mind, and without consulting Providence, continuing instant in Prayer, and conferring with Friends on the Occasion, for the Space of a Year and half, as you well observe?—And what if I did not men­tion the Reasons that perswaded me it was the divine Will that I should go abroad, because they might not be deemed good Reasons by another; Does it therefore follow that I was governed in the Affair by Im­pulses and Impressions, or that I had no good Reasons to give? Besides Gentlemen, how does it appear that this Passage refers to my first setting out upon my itinerant Business? I think I mention only going Abroad, viz. to Georgia, whither I was then bound, and where I intended to [Page 6] settle.—At this Time I had no thought of being an Itinerant.—It did not appear to be my Duty to set out upon that Business for a con­siderable Time after. How I was induced at Length to set out upon it, I promised in the latter End of my Life to give an Account of in a future Tract.—And 'till that be published, how can any one fairly de­termine whether my first setting out upon this itinerant Business was from an enthusiastical Turn or not?

‘Other Instances (you say, p. ibid) there are wherein he shews it to be his Custom to attribute any common Turn of his Mind to a Motion of the Holy Spirit upon him, without any more Reason than any Man may, any Recollections of his Memory, or sudden Sugges­tion of his own Understanding. Such a one you have, Journal from Gibraltar to Savanna, p 3d. I went to Bed with unusual Thoughts and Convictions that God would do some great Things at Gibraltar.’ But Gentlemen, If I say, I went to Bed with unusual Thoughts and Convictions, how is this an Instance of my attributing any common Turn of my Mind to a Motion of the Holy Spirit. You endeavour to prove it further, p. 6. by a second Passage taken out of another Journal from Savanna to England, p. 22. where he says, ‘That the Lesson before he left Savanna, being St. Pauls Shipwreck: and that before his leaving Charlestown being the first of Jonah, made such a deep Impression upon him, that he wrote to his Friend to acquaint him he was apprehensive he should have a dangerous Voyage, and it happning to be bad Weather accordingly, He says, God hath now shew'd me wherefore he gave those previous Notices.’ But Gentlemen, How is this an Instance of my attributing any common Turn of my Mind to a Motion of the Holy Spirit? Was it a com­mon Turn of my Mind to have Paul's Shipwreck, and the first of Jonah powerfully pressed upon me? I don't know that it was. But you are pleased to draw this further Inference from the Quotation page ibid. viz. ‘So that every Scripture that came to his View was receiv'd as the Bath-Kol of the Jews, and he plainly shews himself as much directed by this Way of finding out the Will of GOD as he calls it, as the old Heathens were by their Sortes Homericae Virgilianae.’ But how does this prove, that every Scripture that came to my View was receiv'd as the Bath Kol &c. I think I mentioned only the first of Jonah and the 27th of Acts: But you say of this ( viz. my receiving every Scripture that came to my View as the Bath Kol) ‘we have a very full Instance, same Journal pa. 38. where you [Page 7] have a particular Application of the Words which appeared upon the Doctor's first opening the Common-Prayer, viz. The Lord hath visited and redeemed his People.’ But how is this a very full Instance, when these Words did not appear to my View at all, but the Doctor's. It was he that was reading, not I; only as you are pleased to express your selves, wisely observed that so it was, for about eight o' Clock the Men saw Land. Was there any Thing unwise in such an Observation? Or was there any thing enthusiastical in saying that God had visited and redeemed his People when after we had been pinched with Hunger and almost starved, he was pleased to give us a Sight of Land?

You proceed pag. 6, to lay something more to my Charge: ‘Some­times you say, He speaks as if he had Communications directly from the Spirit of God.’ And is it a Crime for a Believer, much more a Minister of Jesus, to speak of his having Communications directly from the Spirit of God? I thought that was no new Thing to the Ministers and People in New-England, especially since such a remarka­ble Revival of Religion has been vouchsafed unto them.—How are Believers sealed; or how is the divine Life begun and carried on, if there be no such Thing as having divine Communications directly from the Spirit of God?

Again, (p. ibid.) You bring a fresh Accusation against me, ‘Some­times and indeed very frequently he (in a most enthusiastic Man­ner) applies even the historical Parts of Scripture particularly to himself, and his own Affairs; and this Manner he endeavours par­ticularly to vindicate, Sermon of Searching the Scriptures, p. 246. of his Sermons. It is this Application of the historical Parts of Scripture, when we are reading, that must render them profitable to us; and ap­peals to the Experience of the Christian, that if he hath so consulted the Word of God, he has not been plainly directed how to act as tho' he had consulted the Urim and the Thummi [...]. For in this plain and full Manner he says, p. 38. of his Life; The holy Spirit hath form Time to Time let him into the Knowledge of divine Things, and hath directed him in the minutest Circumstances. And no Doubt hence it is, that he says, forementioned Sermon, p. 247, That God at all Times, Circumstances and Places, tho' never so minute, never so parti­cular, will if we diligently seek the Assistance of his Holy Spirit, apply general Things to our Hearts: Which tho' it may be true in some Measure as to the doctrinal and preceptive Parts of Scripture, yet it is evidently enthusiastick to say so as to the historical Parts of it.’ [Page 8] But however to say so may appear evidently enthusiastical to you Gen­tlemen, after maturely weighing the Case, it does not appear in that Light to me: For does not the Apostle tell Timothy, 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. That ALL Scripture (therein, undoubtedly, including the historical as well as doctri­nal & preceptive Parts) is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction and Instruction in Righteousness, to make the Men of God perfect; thoroughly furnished to every good Work. And does not the same Apostle speaking of Scripture Histories, say, 1 Cor. 10. 11. Now all these Things happened unto them for Ensamples, & they are written for our Admonition upon whom the Ends of the World are come. And if it be evidently enthusiastical thus to apply the historical Parts of Scripture to our own Cases in private, is it not equally enthusiastical to preach upon and apply the historical Parts of Scripture to particular Cases oor Persons in Public? And further, if it is evidently enthusiastical to apply the historical Parts of Scripture to our selves and to our Affairs, then supposing such Words as these, Go in Peace, Be whole of thy Plague, Son be of good Cheer; or that historical Passage in Joh. 7. 37. should be applied to a particular Soul in deep Distress, (as no doubt they have often been) must not that Soul reject them entirely for Delusions? And if so, how many that are real Believers, must be brought into unspeakable Bondage?

Page 8. You go on thus,— ‘To mention but one Instance more, tho' we are not of such Letter-learned as deny, that there is such a Union of Believers to Christ, whereby they are one in him, as the Fa­ther and he are one, as the Evangelists speaks, or rather the Spirit of God by him; yet so Letter-learned we are, as to say, that that Pas­age in Mr. W d's Sermon of the indwelling of the Spirit, p. 311. Vol. of Sermons, contains the crue Spirit of Enthusiasm, where he says, to talk of any having the Spirit of God without feeling of it, is really to deny the Thing. Upon which we say, That the Believer may have a Satisfaction, that he hath the Assistance of the Spirit of God with him in so continual and regular a Manner, that he may be said to dwell in him, and yet have no feeling of it.’ But Gentle­men, Is not this in effect to deny the indwelling of the Spirit? For how is it possible that the Believer can have a Satisfaction, that he hath the Assistance of the Spirit of God with him in so continued and re­gular a Manner, that he may be said to dwell in him, and yet the Be­liever have no feeling of it? For my Part I cannot comprehend it.—I could as soon-believe the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, and therefore [Page 9] cannot retract what you are pleas'd to say contains the true Spirit of Enthusiasm, viz. To talk of any having the Spirit of God without feel­ing it, is really to deny the Thing. The Reason you give why the Spirit of God may dwell in a Believer, and yet the Believer himself have no Feeling of it; in my Apprehension carries no Proof and Conviction with it at all. I think you reason thus, p. ibid ‘For the Metaphor is much too gross to express this (however full) Satisfaction of the Mind, and has led some to take the Expression literally, and hath (we fear) given great Satisfaction to many an Enthusiast among us since the Year 1740, from the swelling of their Breasts and Stomachs in their re­ligious Agitations, which they have thought to be feeling the Spirit, in its Operations on them.’ Who these Enthusiasts, and what these re­ligious Agitations are which you are pleas'd to mention, I cannot tell Neither do I know by whom this Metaphor of feeling the Spirit has been misunderstood, or taken in too gross a Sense. But such a Way of speaking and writing is very common amongst the most eminent Di­vines, as well as the Articles of the Church of England. In her 17th Article she speaks thus, ‘As the godly Consideration of Predesti­nation and our Election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant and un­speakable Comfort to godly Persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ&c.’ Mr. Guthrie in his Trial of a saving Interest in Christ, p. 109. and which used to be Dr Owen's Vade Mecum, hath this remarkable Paragraph, ‘I speak with the Experience of many Saints, and I hope according to Scripture, if I say there is a Communication of the Spirit of God which is let out to some of his People sometimes, that is somewhat beside, if not beyond that wit­nessing of a Sonship spoken of before. It is a glorious Manifestation of God unto the Soul, shedding abroad God's Love in the Heart. It is a Thing better felt than spoken of It is no audible Voice, but it is a Flash of Glory filling the Soul with God, as he is Life, Light, Love and Liberty, contervailing that audible Voice, O Man greatly beloved, Dan. 10. 19. putting a Man in a Transport with this on his Heart, It is good to be here, as Math. 17. 5. It is that which went out from Christ to Mary, when he but mentioned her Name, Joh. 20. 16. Jesus saith unto her Mary. she turneth herself & saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. He had spoken some Words to her before, and she understood not that it was he. But when he uttereth this one Word, Mary, there was some admirable divine [Page 10] Conveyance and Manifestation made out unto her Heart, by which she was so satisfyingly filled, that there was no Place for arguing and disputing whether or no that was Christ, and if she had any In­terest in him.—That Manifestation made Faith to itself; and did purchase Credit and Trust to itself, and was equivalent with, thus faith the Lord. This is such a Glance of Glory, that it may in the highest Sense be called the Earnest, or first Fruits of the Inheritance, Epb. 1. 14. for it is a felt Arm full of the holy God.’—Worthy Mr. Baxter in his Gildas Salvianus, p. 40. speaking of the Danger of Mini­sters preaching an unknown and unfelt Christ, writes thus,— ‘O S [...], all your preaching & persuading of others will be but dreaming and trifling Hypocrisy, 'till the Work be thoroughly done upon your­selves. How can you set yourselves Day and Night to Work that your carnal Hearts are averse from? How can you call out with serious Fervour upon poor Sinners with importunate Sollicitations, to take heed of Sin, and to set themselves to a holy Life, that never felt yourselves the Evil of Sin, or the Worth of Holiness? I tell you, these Things are never well known till they are felt, nor well felt till possessed: And he that feeleth them not himself, is not so like to speak feelingly to others, nor to help others to the feeling of them.’—Thus wrote Mr. Guthrie, and Mr. Baxter: And even the Rev. President himself, in his Sermon before the Convention, May 28th 1741, p. 34. hath these Words; ‘Not but that the Saints may feel this very sensibly, and it is a Joy unspeakable and full of Glory.’

But if such a Way of writing displeases you now, and you are of the Opinion, ‘That a Believer may have a Satisfaction, that he hath the Assistance of the Spirit of God with him, in so continual and regular a Manner, that he may be said to dwell in him, and yet have no feeling of it,’ I cannot wonder, Gentlemen, that my Wri­tings are offensive; because as you observe at the End of this Paragraph pa. 8th, my Compositions are, and I hope always will be, full of these things.

You close your Proofs of my being an Enthusiast with these Words,— ‘The whole tends to perswade the World (and it has done so with Respect to many) that Mr. W. hath as familiar a Converse and Communion with God as any of the Prophets and Apostles, and such as we all acknowledge to have been under the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost.’ What Tendency my Writings may have to make [Page 11] People think so highly of me, I cannot determine. But this I affirm, that I would not have undertaken to preach the Gospel for ten thou­sand Worlds, had I not been fully perswaded that I had a Degree of that Spirit, and was admitted to a Degree of that holy & familiar Converse and Communion with God, which the Prophets and Apostles were fa­voured with, in common with all Believers. And if the had not been the Case, should I not Gentlemen, have lied to God as well as unto Man, when I declared at my Ordination, that I was inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost, who I believe according to Christ's Promise, will be with every faithful Murder (and so as to be felt too) even to the End of the World.

‘As a natural Consequence of the Heat of Enthusiasm by which (you are pleased to say) he was so evidently acted, in a following Paragraph, p. S. You say, In the next Place, we look upon Mr. Whitefield as an uncharitable, censorious and slanderous Man;’ viz.habitually such, for that is the Idea your Words seem to convey. But Gentlemen, does it follow that Peter could properly be stiled a cursing swearing Man, because with Oaths and Curses he denied his Lord? Or David, that Man after God's own Heart, be properly stiled a mur­dering adulterous Man, because he committed Adultery with Bathsheba, and murder'd her Husband Uriah? Or, can a Believer be stiled pro­perly an Hypocrite, because he has yet got a great deal of Hypocrisy remaining in his Heart? I suppose by no Means. No more accord­ing to my Apprehensions can any Man be justly called an uncha­ritable, censorious and slanderous Man, if he be not habitually so, sup­posing it should be proved either from his Writings or Conduct, that he may have been somewhat rash or uncharitable in his Judgment passed upon some particular Persons or Things.

But how Gentlemen, do you prove this Charge, viz. That I am an uncharitable slanderous Man? Why, p 9. ‘From his monstrous Reflec­tions upon the great & good Arch-Bishop Tillotson, (as Dr. Increase Mather stiles him) comparing his Sermons to the conjuring Books which the Apostle persuaded the People to destroy.’ But this I hum­bly apprehend does not prove that I cast Reflections, which you call mon­strous, upon Arch. B. shop Tillotson as to his personal Character, out only his Books, which Dr. Increase Mather himself, as I have been inform'd by the Rev. Mr. Gee, who was brought up under his Ministry,& directed by him in his Studies, constantly warned the Students against. And by the Way, I cannot but observe, that this holy venerable Man of God Dr. Increase [Page 12] Mather, if we may credit the Writer of his Life, dealt as much in impres­sions and inward Feelings, as the Person against whom you are pleas'd to publish this Testimony. And tho' he might call the Arch Bishop a great and good Man for his Eminency in Station, great Generosity and Moderation towards the Dissenters, yet I believe he never called him a great or good Divine, nor do I think he would blame me for what I have said concerning Mr. G— [...], and Mr. H— [...].

But that which affords you the greatest Occasion to denominate me a censorious, uncharitable and slanderous Man, and which I apprehend chiefly stirs up your Resentment against me is; to make Use of your own Expression, ‘My reproachful Reflections, p. 9. upon the Society which is immediately under our Care.’ I think the Reflections are these, ‘And as far as I could gather from some who well knew the State of it [the College] not far superiour to our Universities in Piety and true Godliness. Tutors neglect to pray with and examine the Hearts of the Pupils. Discipline is at too low an Ebb: Bad Books are become fashionable among them: Tillotson and Clark are read, instead of Shepard, Stoddard, and such like evan­gelical Writers.’ And Gentlemen, were not these Things so at the Time in which I wrote? Wherein then in writing thus have I slander­ed Harvard College? But then you say, pa. 10th, he goes further still, when he says, pa. 96th, both of Yale-College as well as ours; ‘As for the Universities, I believe it may be said, Their Light is now become Darkness, Darkness that may be felt.’ And must it not be so when Tutors neglect to pray with and examine the Hearts of the Pupils, &c. And this is all I meant. For I had no Idea of re­presenting the Colleges in such a deplorable State of Immorality and Irreligion as you Gentlemen, in your Testimony p ibid. seem to object. I meant no more, than what the Rev. President meant, when speaking of the Degeneracy of the Times, in his Sermon at the annual Con­vention of Ministers, May 28th, 1741, he adds, ‘But alas, how is the Gold become dim, and the most fine Gold changed? We have lost our first Love: And tho' Religion is still in Fashion with us, yet its evident, that the Power of it is greatly decayed.’ However I am sorry, I publish'd my private Informations, tho' from credible Persons, concerning the Colleges to the World: and assure you, that I should be glad to find the Reverend President was not mistaken when he un­dertook from his own Examination of Things, seven Months after, to ‘assure that venerable Audience on the Day of the Convention, that their Society hath not deserv'd the Aspersions which have of late been made upon’ [Page 14] [...] ‘know nothing of.’ I suppose Gentlemen, you mean Mr. Barber. But do these Contributors know nothing of him? Did I not mention him publickly at the Time of collecting as one of their own Country­men, and one bred up in one of their own Colleges? Was he not with me in Person? And did I not again and again declare, than he was to be intrusted with the Education and spiritual Concerns of the Children and Family? Assuredly I did. But you add, ‘And we ourselves have Reason to believe is little better than a Quaker.’ What Reason Gentlemen, you may have thus to judge of him I cannot tell, but I have great Reason to believe he is a thorough Calvinist and a dear Man of God, much acquainted with the divine Life, and sweetly taught rightly to divide the Word of Truth.—I heartily wish all that had the Care of Youth were like-minded, whatever Name you are pleased to give him. But you say, ‘Furthermore, the Account which Mr. W hath given the World of his Disbursements of the several Contributions, for the Use of his Orphan House (wherein there are several large Articles, and some of about a Thousand Pounds our Currency charged in a very summary Way, viz. For Sundries, no Mention being made therein what the Sum was expended for, nor to whom it was paid) is by no Means satisfactory.’ Would you not Gentlemen, have done well to have said, by no Means satisfactory to us? For, I am well persuaded most of the Contributors depended on my Veracity, & would have been satisfied as to themselves, tho' I had given no Account of the Disbursements at all.—Besides Gen­tlemen, did you ever see an Account of that Nature more particular? Is that of the Society for propagating the Gospel more so? Or would you yourselves, Gentlemen be more particular, supposing an Account of what has been received and disbursed for Harvard-College, should ever be required at your Hands?

The Manner of my Preaching you seem p. 12. ‘as much to dislike and bound to bear a Testimony against, as the Man himself.’ And why? Because it is extempore Preaching. This to use your own Words, p. ibid, ‘We think by no Means proper; for that it is im­possible that any Man should be able to manage any Argument with that Strength, or any Instruction with that Clearness in an extempore Manner, as he may with Study and Meditation.’ But Gentlemen, does extempore Preaching exclude Study and Meditation? Timothy I believe was an extempore Preacher, and yet the Apostle advises him to give himself to reading And I am of Luther's Opinion, that Study, [Page 15] Prayer, Meditation and Temptation, are necessary for a Minister of Christ. Now you say, "Mr. W. evidently shows, that he would have us believe his Discourses are Extempore." And so they are, if you mean that they are not wrote down, and that I preach without Notes But they are not extempore if you think that I preach always without Study and Meditation Indeed Gentlemen, I love to study, and delight to me­ditate, when I have Opportunity, and yet would go into the Pulpit by no Means depending on my Study and Mediation, but the blessed Spirit of God, who I believe now, as well as formerly, frequently gives his Ministers Utterance, and enables them to preach with such Wisdom that all their Adversaries are not able to gainsay or resist. This I think is so far from being a laxy Manner of preaching, and the Preacher in doing thus, in so far from offering that which cost him no­thing, as you object, p. ibid, that I have generally observ'd that Ex­tempore Preachers are the most fervent laborious Preachers, and I be­lieve (at least I speak for myself who have tried both Ways) that it costs them as much if not more, close and solemn Thought as well as Faith and Confidence in God, as preaching by Notes. And however, you are pleased to add, p. ibid, that this Way of preaching, ‘is little instructive to the Mind, still less cogent to the reasonable Powers,’ yet I believe it is the Preaching which God hath much honoured, and has been frequently attended with very great Success in many Ages of the Christian Church. And if we may pray, I see no Reason why we may not preach extempore. The rashness of some of my Expressions, as well as the dangerous Errors which you are pleased to say pa. 13th, have been vented in my extempore Discourses, I humbly apprehend, are no sufficient Objections against extempore preaching itself; because we often see that those who preach by Notes and write too as may be supposed with Study and Meditation, are guilty of as rash Expres­sions, and vent as dangerous Errors, as those who you say, preach either without Study or Meditation. What the dangerous Errors are that have been vented in my extempore Discourses, you have not tho't proper to specify, unless it be that once or twice thro' Mistake I said, ‘that Christ loves unregenerate Sinners with a Love of Complacency; nay and that God loves Sinners as Sinners.’—These were indeed un­guarded Expressions; but I recalled it publickly as soon as I was made sensible of my Mistake, and I think too before your Testimony against me was published.—Were these my settled Principles, I would agree with you in your Inlargement upon it pa. 13th, viz. ‘which if it be not an unguarded Expression, must be a thousand Times worse; [Page 16] for we cannot look upon it as much less than Blasphemy, and shows him to be stronger in the Antinomian Scheme, than most of the Professors of that Heresy themselves:’ But as it was only a lapsus Linguae, and the whole current of my Preaching and Writing was and is directly contrary to such Principles, I would not have you, Gen­tlemen, by thus representing me as Antinomian, enroll your selves in the Number of those that make a man an Offender for a Word, and lay a Snare for them that speak in the Gate. Indeed, Gentlemen, I utterly detest Antinomianism, both in Principle and Practice. And tho' you are pleased to say, ‘that 'tis not unlikely, and that it is to be suspected ( viz. that I am an Antinomian) because the Expression was repeated, and when he was taxed with it, by a certain Gentleman, he made no Retraction;’ yet I did I thought what amounted to it: for when he told me of my Mistake (if we understand the same Gentleman) I bowed and thank'd him for his kind Information; as I would willingly do all who at any Time are so kind as to come in the Spirit of Meekness to tell me of my Faults, and freely converse with me Face to Face.

Lastly, You are pleased to say pa. ibid. ‘We think it our Duty to hear our strongest Testimony against that itinerant Way of Preach­ing which this Gentleman was the first Promoter of among us; and still delights to continue in.’ Now by an itinerant Preacher (you say) ‘we understand one that hath no peculiar Charge of his own, but goes about from Country to Country, or from Town to Town, in any Country, and stands ready to preach to any Congregation that shall call him to it and such a one is Mr. W.’ I own the Charge; and am willing to put the Case on the same Issue as you do pa. 14th. ‘Indeed if there were any Thing leading to this Manner of Management in the Directions and Instructions given, either by our Saviour or his Apostles, we ought to be silent, and so would a Man of any Modesty, if (on the other Hand) there be nothing in the New-Testament leading to it. And surely (you add) Mr. W. will not have the Face to pretend he acts now as an Evangelist.’ But indeed Gentlemen I do, if by an Evangelist you mean what the Scripture I presume means, viz. one who hath no particular Charge of his own, ‘but goes about from Country to Country, or from Town to Town, in any Country, and stands ready to preach to any Congregation that shall call him to it,’ For does not that general Commission given by our Lord to his Apostles, Go ye into all the World and preach the [Page 18] [...] ‘many the like Considerations, the Ministers in this County resolved to choose out four of the most lively, yet sober, peaceable, orthodox Men, and desire them once a Month to leave their own Congregations, to the Assistance of some other, and to bestow their Labour in the Places where they thought there was most Need; And as we were resolving upon this Work, the Natives of this County, inhabiting the City of London, having a Custom of feasting together once a Year, and having at their Feast collected some Monies by Contributi­on, for the maintaining of a Weekly Lecture in this Country, (besides other good Works) did (by their Stewards) desire us to set up the said Lecture, and to dispose of the said Monies in order thereto: And their Judgments upon Consultation did correspond with our Design. So that the said Money being sufficient to satisfy another that shall in their Absence, preach in their own Places, we employ it accordingly, and have prevailed with some Brethren to under­take this Work.’

This is and shall be my Endeavour, and was so when I was here last, my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost, notwith­standing some of my Expressions have been made to speak Things and convey Ideas which I never intended. And therefore Gentlemen judge ye, whether you have said right in p. 11th, ‘And now is it possible that we should not look upon him viz. Mr. W. as the blameable Cause of all the Quarrels on the Account of Religion which the Churches are now engaged in: And this not only on Ac­count of his own Behaviour, but also as the coming of those hot Men afterwards (who together with the Exhorters that accompanied them, cultivated the same uncharitable Dispositions in our Churches) was wholly owing to his Influence and Example?’ Is this, Gentle­men, a fair Way of arguing? Is it not enough for me to answer for my self, without having the Faults of others that came after me laid to my Charge also? Did not the Papists as justly, who charged Lu­ther with all the Imprudencies of his Adherents, and the Confusions that attended the Reformation? Besides, I do not understand, who you mean by those but Men. Surely you do not include the Reverend Mr. Tennent. Him God did make me an Instrument of sending to New­England. I thank Him for it, as I believe several of Harvard College, many Ministers, and Thousands of the common People, in the seve­ral Parts of New-England, will be found to do thro' the endless Ages of Eternity. As for others, I knew nothing of their coming, neither do I well know who you mean and consequently can be no more justly charged with their Misconduct, than the first Founder of Harvard College can be charged with all the bad Principles and Practices which any of the Members of that Society have been guilty of since his De­cease That our Labours, viz. Mr. Tennent and mine were re­makably bless'd, the Rev. Mr. President himself testified in the fore­mention'd Sermon pa. 23d, wherein are these Words: ‘Indeed these [...] and [...] Men of God, who have been lately [Page 21] labouring more abundantly among us, have been greatly Instrumen­tal in the Hands of God, to revive this blessed Work; and, many, no doubt, have been savingly converted from the Error of their Ways, many more have been convicted, and all have been in some Measure roused from their Lethargy.—And even in this Testi­mony, you are all pleased to say, pa. 3d. That by a certain Fa­culty which he hath of raising the Passions, he hath been a Means of rousing many from their Stupidity, and setting them on thinking, whereby some may have been made really better.’ And if these Things are so; if many have been roused from their Stupidity, made really better;—if the blessed Work of God was revived, and there's no Doubt but many have been savingly converted from the Error of their Ways, many more convicted, and all in some Measure roused from their Lethargy; is it to be wonder'd at that many of the People should be strongly attach'd to such an Instrument, tho' it should be most evident (as you say pa. ibid.) that he hath not any superiour ‘Talent at instructing the Mind, or shewing the Force and Energy of those Arguments for a religious Life, which are directed to in the everlasting Gospel?’ For, is it not natural for People to love their spiritual Father? Would not the Galatians have plucked out even their own Eyes, and have given them to Paul? And is it not the bounden Duty of all that love Jesus, to love those who labour in the Word and Doctrine, and are made greatly Instrumental in the Hands of God to revive his blessed Work amongst them? And sup­posing that they have not any superiour Talent at instructing the Mind &c▪ ought they not the more to thank and adore the Sove­reignty of their heavenly Father, who sends by whom he will send, and chooses the weak Things of this World to confound the strong, and hides those Things from the wise and prudent, which he is pleased to reveal unto Babes?

Gentlemen, I profess my self a Calvinist as to Principle, and preach no other Doctrines than those which your pious Ancestors and the Founders of Harvard College preached long before I was born. And I am come to New England with no Intention to meddle with, much less to destroy the Order of the New-England Churches, or turn out the Generality of their Ministers, or re-settle them with Ministers from England, Scotland, and Ireland, as hath been hinted in a late Letter written by the Reverend Mr. Clap, Rector of Yale-College: Such a Thought never enter'd my Heart; neither as I know of, has my Preach­ing [Page 22] the least Tendency thereunto. I am determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified. I have no Intention of setting up a Party for my self, or to stir up People against their Pastors. Had not Illness prevented, I had some Weeks ago departed out of these Coasts. But as it is not a Season of the Year for me to undertake a very long Journey, and I have Reason to think the great God daily blesses my poor Labours, I think it my Duty to comply with the Invitations that are sent me; and, as I am enabled, to be in­stant in Season and out of Season, and to preach among poor Sinners the unsearchable Riches of Jesus Christ. This indeed I delight in. It is my Meat and my Drink. I esteem it more than my necessary Food. This I think I may do as a Minister of the King of Kings, and a Subject to his present Majesty King George, upon whose royal Head I pray God, the Crown may long flourish. And as I have a Right to preach, so I humbly apprehend the People as Christians, as Men, and New-England Men in particular, have a Right to invite and hear. If Pulpits should be shut, blessed be God, the Fields are open, and I can go without the Camp, bearing the Redeemer's sacred Reproach: This I am used to and glory in; believing that if I suffer for it, I shall suffer for Righteousness sake. At the same Time I desire to be humbled, and ask publick Pardon for any rash Word I have drop'd, or any Thing I have wrote or done amiss. This leads me also to ask Forgiveness, Gentlemen, if I have done you or your So­ciety in my Journal, any Wrong. Be pleased to accept unfeigned Thanks for all Tokens of Respect you shew'd me when here last. And if you have injured me in the Testimony you have published against me and my Conduct (as I think, to say no more, you really have) it is already forgiven without asking, by Gentlemen,

P. S. I have not replied to some particular Passages in your Testi­mony, because I have spoken to them in my Letter to the Rev. Dr. Chauncy lately published. Besides, I have been obliged to be very brief, on Account of the Variety of Business in which I am necessarily engaged, and my daily Calls to preach the ever­lasting Gospel.