fure more uncharitably than Dr. Stebbing. This is a fine Excufe for Mr. Whitefield, an admirable Vindication of his Innocence; 'tis just as plaufible an Excufe as a Criminal would make in a Court of Juftice, by Taying he was not the only Offender. As for Mr. Whitefield's Affemblies, view them before and after the Harangue, and I fancy 'twould be no Slander to call them Tumultuous: But as moft of his Audience, I perfume, come out of Curiofity to hear a Man of Mr. Whitefield's Fame, that fame Curiofity muft induce them to be Silent whilst the Speech lasts, otherwise they would be difappointed.

Concerning FASTING, I think, and I believe all the Minifters of the Church will allow, Dr. Stebbing we know does, that 'tis very Commendable, as far as 'tis a help to Devotion, and is confiftent with our honest Concerns of Life; but 'tis no where enjoin'd as neceflary to Salvation. But by Mr. Whitefield's boasting of the frequent Obfervation of it in himself, it seems as if he thought it fo. And fhould People be perfwaded to believe that a frequency of it, and such a conftant heat of Devotion was neceffary, 'tis hardly probable but that many Families muft fuffer by it. Mr.Whitefield, he tells us, "is as much for Rule and Order as Dr.Stebbing, "but does not cant upon the common String of Priestly Authority,anduninterrupted Succeffion." This is expreffing Mr. Whitefield's Thoughts of Church Government in very light Terms, and feems very strongly to intimate, that he agrees with it whilft it is confiftent with his Humours and Notions, and no longer; and his Field Preaching, his Rambling like a Knight-Errant in queit of Adventures, his intruding into other Mens Labours, as if they knew not how to preach the Gospel, does not express any great regard for Order, Rule, or Decency.

To his laft Objection I answer, That no Man of the Church of England imputes any Merit to human Actions, but nevertheless theyare indifpenfably neceffary Conditions to Salvation. The Fountain of our Happiness is the Mercies of God; the Means by which it is deriv'd to us, the Sacrifice of Chrift; the Condition on which we are finally to enjoy it, Faith in every Perfon of the Holy Trinity, and every Article of Divine Revelation, with a pious and virtuous Practice built on fuch a Faith. He that is conscious to himself of Sincerity in this Faith and Practice, is in a State of Salvation, and cannot poffibly mifs of it, if the Scriptures be true, tho' he does not fenfibly feel the Motions of the Spirit within him. To enter into a particular Proof of this, tho' to a reafonable Man I think it needs none, is more than my prefent Defign will admit of; and, indeed, Mr. Urban, I believe that what I have already wrote, will require more room in your Collection than you can well afford me: I therefore conclude myfelf your humble Servant,

Mr. Urban,

A

R. T.

Holderness, Sept. 24. 1739

S no Perfon has been more talked of here of late than Mr.Whitefield, fo there is no Perfon concerning whom People have been more divided in their Sentiments about him. From your Magazines and his firit Journal (for I have not read his other Journals or his Sermons) I learn, that he is a Clergyman, educated in the University, that he was Ordain'd

* See Vol. IX. p. 238, &cą

Ordain'd by one of our Bifhops, that he preach'd in many Pulpits in London with great Applaufe, and was much admired by serious People of all Denominations; that he went to Georgia with a defign to inftruct, not only the Colony, but the native Indians, in the great Concerns of their Souls and Eternity; that while on Board he took uncommon Pains in Catechifing, Praying, Preaching, Expounding, and vifiting the Sick, without any profpect of Reward; that being return'd for Priest's Orders, and deny'd the Pulpits in and about Town, he was forc'd to exercise the Gifts God had beftow'd on him for the good of Souls, in Church-yards, Fields or Commons; that he preaches no novel Doctrines, but fuch as are confonant to the Scriptures of Truth, and to the Articles of the Church of England; that the chief scope of his Preaching is to turn Men from a vicious courfe of Life, and to make them good and holy, telling his Hearers, that no Whoremongers, nor unclean Perfons, nor Drunkards, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor profane Swearers, nor Murderers, can be admitted into God's heavenly Kingdom; but muft, without a feasonable Repentance and Amendment, go to a Place a Court-Preacher dares not name, for fear of affrighting his Auditory, and being thought Unpolite and Ill-bred; and that many vicious and profane Perfons, by attending his Ministry, have been vifibly reform'd.

From this Account of Mr. Whitefield, I confefs, I had entertained very favourable Thoughts of the Man, and was ready to bid him God speed. But of late your Magazines inform me, that most of the Clergy, both the Dignified and Inferior, violently oppose him, and agree to deny him their Pulpits; that they call him a Calvinist, an Entbufiaft, and an Hypocrite; that they reproach him with fometimes ufing extempore Prayers, like the Diffenters, with being Righteous over-much, and recommending both in his Preaching, and by his Example, Aufterities which few can practise.

Now I must confefs, Mr. Urban, I was forry to find these things laid to the Charge of a Man I was ready to think was defigned by Providence for a publick Bleffing. Is there any dangerous Error which he holds, or any fecret Vice which he indulges, tho' not yet publifh'd to the World, that is the Caufe of that violent Oppofition he meets with from Perfons devoted to the fame holy Miniftry with himself? I have waited, Month after Month, to fee fomething of this kind charged upon him: But the Silence of his Enemies upon thefe Heads is a fufficient Vindication both of his Orthodoxy and his Moral Life.

Surely Perfons that have taken upon them the holy ministerial Office, can't be fuppos'd to envy his great Succefs in his Mafter's Work! Does his Self-denial, his unwearied Labours for the good of Souls, make those Blush who indulge themselves in Luxury and Idlenefs? Charity wou'd hope there are not many of this number, not many who are afraid of

being Righteous over-much.

But to come to the Accufations brought against Mr. Whitefield: As to his being an Hypocrite, that I am no Judge of; but God is, who will judge both him and thofe who accufe him. And when I hear of his dancing a long Attendance, bowing and cringing at a great Man's Levee, until he has got fome fat Preferment in the Church, then putting in a aeedy Curate to perform all his Duties in his stead, and starving him by

whole

whofe Labours his Grandeur and Luxury are maintain'd, it may then be foon enough to call in queftion his Integrity.

As for his preaching in the Fields, and ufing extempore Prayer, if they admit him into their Churches again, perhaps he will leave them off.

Does he enjoin a too great Strictnefs and Self-denial? That is fo rare an Error in our Days, that a moderate share of Charity may cover it. Few Auditories live up to what they hear; therefore if his fall a little fhort, they may make excellent Chriftians. When the bent of the Nation is to too much Looseness, bending Men a little the other way may be a means to make them ftrait.

I fhall not contend with the Difputers of this World, whether Mr. Whitefield be justly chargeable with Enthusiasm or not; but am afraid that the Deifts of the prefent Age may make a bad use of such a Charge, and be ready to call that noble Spirit which influenced the primitive Chriftians to deny themselves, to devote their Lives to painful and useful Services, to bear up bravely under Reproaches and Sufferings, and to despise Death itself, a Spirit of Enthusiasm.

Do our Clergy acknowledge that it was by a fupernatural and divine Affiftance St. Paul and the other Apoftles were carried through their painful Labours, and bore up under their heavy Sufferings? And do they own that Mr. Whitefield denies himself of Ease, and Rett, and Pleasure; that he is Sober, Chafte, and Temperate; that his Life is exemplarily Pious; that he is abundant in Labours for the good of Souls; that he has despised Dangers, travelled into diftant Climates, and expofed his Life among favage Indians for the fake of faving their Souls? And will they fay that he has been influenced to all this by a Spirit of Enthufiafm? Wou'd to God there were more of the fame Enthusiasm in all the Clergy round about us! we hou'd not then fee them fo oft in Taverns or Alehouses, at Horfe- Races, at Gaming-Tables, or spending whole Nights at Cards. Then they would not content themselves with coldly reading once a Week only a moral Lecture of 15 Minutes long, without fpeaking one Word of God or another World, from Sunday to Sunday. But we fhould find them, more like the primitive Clergy, frequent in Prayer, pathetick in Preaching, grave in their Behaviour, fober in Life, and pious and exemplary in the whole of their Converfations.

I wish, Mr. Urban, there were more of this Enthufiasm in me and you, it wou'd make me a better Man, and you a better Author; your monthly Performances would be Magazines of Loyalty, Truth, Virtue, and Goodnefs. I thank you for many things of this kind. These in the review will afford you the greatest Satisfaction.

In fhort, Mr. Urban, I cannot but think (until I fee fomething more prov'd against him than I have yet met with) that Mr. Whitefield is an honeft Man, influenc'd by a commendable Zeal for the Honour of his great Master, and a benevolent defire to ferve Men in their best Interests, and is prepared to meet any Sufferings in fo good a Caufe. He may have his Miftakes and Infirmities, which is only laying, in other Words, He is a Man. Has Mr. Whitefield his Fauks? Let him that is without throw the firft Stone at him. But that must be neither you nor I, Mr. Urban. But whatever Reproaches thofe who are zealous for God and Religion may meet with in this World, bleffed be God! there is a Day and a World approaching, when good Men shall be dealt with, not according to the

Cenfurcs

Cenfures of partial and unjust Men, nor according to their unwilling Miftakes, but according to the Integrity of their Hearts, and the Uprightnefs of their Intentions!

FIDO.

A Vindication of God's Prefcience concerning buman Actions.

pur

IVE Months have pass'd fince there appear'd a Letter in the Gentleman's Magazine (Vid. Vol. 8. p. 188, 189.) figned Philalethes, containing feveral Remarks on mine printed in the Magazine for July 1737, upon the careful perufal of which, as I did not think the Author's Argu, ments and Criticisms contain'd any thing either new or much to the pofe, I therefore laid afide the thoughts of making any Reply to them: But fince that time feveral Gentlemen have exprefs'd their defire and expectation to have my Thoughts of the faid Letter publifh'd; in compliance with whom I have once more undertaken to vindicate the Prescience of God concerning human Actions, and in this I hope the Publick will indulge me, for I promise it shall be the last time of my appearing on the Subject: Not that I am any more wearied out by my Adverfaries, than our Readers; but I think the continuance of the Debate is likely to answer no good Use or Purpose, till the Managers of it have used themfelves to more Reflection and Reading.

Philalethes has not attempted to answer any one of my Arguments, but only to throw Duft and Confufion upon them, which I fhall endeavour to wipe off as decently as I can. A Man or Agent would go to the Rightband, and yet he might not (or bad the Power not to) have gone to the Right-hand. This to me feems a very, poffible Cafe, but Philalethes fays it afferts two contradictory Properties of the fame thing at the fame time" which is a Discovery beyond my Penetration. He indeed has put a new Syllogifm, which I grant involves a Contradiction; but that Mr. P. T.'s does equally fo, is what I cannot allow; for Philalethes in the minor Propofition plainly afferts the poffibility of a Cafe, which the major makes Impoflible; whereas P. T.'s does no fuch matter. And as to his Explanation of P. T.'s Propofition, instead of making it plainer, to me it makes it quite dark and confused: for I know not what can be meant by the existence of an Action to happen 100 Years hence being now an eternal Truth: This is like faying, It is now always a Truth; which I think is meer Jargon. A Now eternal is as unintelligible to me as an eternal Now. And as to the existence of a future Action being now a Truth, (or that it was always a Truth) I hope he does not mean by it, that it is now true (and was always true) a future Action exifts, or that it did always exift; and if he only means, that it is now true and was eternally fo, that an Action will be, or an Agent will act 100 Years hence, tho' the fame Agent will then (viz. 100 Years hence) have a Power not to act, or to hinder the existence of the Action; this is only to darken Knowledge with many Words, and comes at last, when reduced to Senfe and Meaning, to this plain fhort Propofition, An Agent will aft, and yet will have the power not to act. Which is fo far from making Truth to be Falihood, that it is impoffible for the Cafe to be otherwife: That which has not the Power to hinder Action is no Agent; and confequently

neither

neither will nor can do any thing at all, neither now nor 100 Years hence. If Philalethes, or any body else, can fhew, that because an Agent will not act, that therefore the Agent cannot but act, then indeed I will grant Truth may be hindered from being, or Truth may be Falfhood, or any other Abfurdity he fhall please to affert; but till then I fhall believe, that to fay an Agent will act, and yet may not act, (i. e. will have a Power to refrain acting) is very confiftent Language, and clearly a poffible Cafe: And to fay an Agent will act, and yet may not act (i. e. will have a Power not to act) is not to affert, that in the first part to be unalterable, which in the fecond part is afferted alterable; let Philalethes think as much to the contrary as he pleafes.

Philalethes fays, "what is true is neceffarily true, and cannot but be "true." This I deny, and he ought to have prov'd it; for it is a bold Affertion, and the Confequences of it are highly important. What cannot but be true is phyfically neceffary, and to fay this of all Truth is to introduce an unaccountable and blind Fate, and robs the Deity of all moral Attributes; for inftance, If it is neceffarily true that God will reward every one according to his Works, and cannot but be true, the moral Character of God's Juftice is deftroy'd; here is a fovereign Fate and Neceffity introduc'd, not only to direct but oblige the Deity, from which he cannot swerve. The administration of Rewards and Punishments is Action, and if God cannot but perform this Action (i. e. if he is phyfically obliged to it, without which it is phyfically poffible he may not perform it) then he is over-ruled, bound down, and reduced into an Inftrument and meer Machine; which does not yet appear to be any thing like the truth of the Cafe; and therefore Philalethes's Syllogifm built on this Affertion is of no Confequence, nor needs any Examination.

Philalethes maintains, and I oppose, an absolute Uncertainty in Nature. I wish he had taken notice of the diftinction which I made between phyfical and moral Truth and Certainty; but he seems purposely to have evaded this, for what reasons he knows beft. However, to fupport, or rather illuftrate his Opinion, he supposes a Cafe of Life and Death to be determin'd by the Lot of two Tickets thrown into a Bag, and then one of them drawn by a Perfon who can have no reason, from the nature of Things, for chufing one rather than the other. Now in this Cafe, tho' Philalethes fuppofes an abfolute Uncertainty, he is as far from proving his Point as he was at firft, his bare Word for it is as much a Demonftration as this Inftance, or as that which follows about the piece of Money hid under a Candleftick; all that can be inferr'd from a hundred fuch Suppofitions, is only, That Men are Agents, and can exert their active Principle without motive or foundation of Choice; for all Effects depend upon Caufes adequate to their existence, and where an Action is perform'd by a Perfon without any moving Reafon to determine his Will about it, his Agency is alone a fufficient Caufe to account for that Action; and tho the nature and modus of this Cause, viz. Activity, or the human active Principle is quite unknown to us, yet it is certainly comprehended and throughly known to the Author of our Nature and Being: The Divine Mind is uncapable of being impair'd or improv'd, He is unbounded and perfect, and therefore all Things are at all Times equally Objects of his View and Knowledge, how utterly foever we may be ignorant of them.

Phila