Wesley had begun the discussion, but Whitefield persevered in it, when he would fain have pressed it no farther; 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 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 ser

vants 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 feel the 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!

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."

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 expences 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 Allwise 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 casting 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 devils. 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 strait 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