The Rev. Mr. Whitefield's answer. To the Bishop of London's last pastoral letter. Whitefield, George, 1714-1770. Approx. 33 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2008-09. N03645 N03645 Evans 4457 APW8106 4457 99014276

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Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 4457. (Evans-TCP ; no. N03645) Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 4457) Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 4457) The Rev. Mr. Whitefield's answer. To the Bishop of London's last pastoral letter. Whitefield, George, 1714-1770. [2], 21, [1] p. ; (8vo) London printed, and re-printed by William Bradford in New-York,, [New York] : 1739.

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eng Gibson, Edmund, 1669-1748. -- Bishop of London's pastoral letter to the people of his diocese. Enthusiasm. 2006-11 Assigned for keying and markup 2007-03 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2007-10 Sampled and proofread 2007-10 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

THE Rev. Mr. WHITEFIELD's ANSWER. TO THE BISHOP of LONDON's LAST PASTORAL LETTER.

LONDON Printed, and Re-printed by William Bradford In NEW-YORK, 1739.

THE Rev. Mr. WHITEFIELD's ANSWER To the BISHOP of LONDON's LAST PASTORAL LETTER. My LORD,

I NEED make no Apology for troubling your Lordſhip with this. As your Lordſhip was pleaſed to make me the chief Subject Matter of your laſt Paſtoral Letter, I think it my Duty to anſwer it in the beſt Manner I can.

Your Lordſhip is to be highly commended, for the Care you have taken in Watching over the Souls of thoſe, who are committed to your Lordſhip's Charge.—Luke-warmneſs and Enthuſiaſm are the two Rocks, againſt which even well-meaning People are in Danger of ſplitting All ought to be thankful to that Pilot, who will teach them to ſteer a ſafe and middle Courſe—I would gladly hope, that, a Zeal for God in the Diſcharge of your Duty, and a hearty Concern for the Safety of Souls moved your Lordſhip to write.—Theſe are the Principles, I truſt, which now excite me, to direct this Anſwer to your Lordſhip. And, bleſſed be God, that I can write with ſomewhat of that Love and Meekneſs which becomes a Diſciple of Jeſus Chriſt, and with all that Humility and Reverence, which is due from a Preſbyter to a Biſhop of the Church of God.

Lukewarmneſs and Enthuſiaſm, my Lord, are certainly the Bane of true Chriſtianity. I thank your Lordſhip again for your kind Cautions againſt them. The only Query is, Whether there was any Occaſion for your Lordſhip's warning the People of your Dioc •• s, againſt running into either of theſe Extremes, upon account of any thing I have either ſpoken or wrote? Your Lordſhip thinks there was; And you quote Paſſages out of my Journal to prove it; if it can be proved, I will ask publick Pardon, both of your Lordſhip and Them, with all my Heart.

As for your Cautions againſt Lukewarmneſs, I am not much concerned in them. You do not ſeem to point at me in particular; unleſs it is, where your Lordſhip, (Page 10) informs your People, That a diligent Attendance on the Duties of the Station wherein Providence has placed them, is, in the ſtricteſt Senſe, the ſerving of God. None but thoſe, who condemn Me unheard, can juſtly charge Me with affirming to the contrary.

However, I beg Leave to obſerve, that your Lordſhip, (Page 8.) calls that a very imperfect State of Chriſtianity, which is no State of Chriſtianity at all. St. Paul writing to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. Chap. 13. v. 5. ſays, Examine your ſelves, whether ye be in the Faith; Prove your own ſelves. And that they might have a certain Rule, whereby to judge whether they were in the Faith, truly ſo called, or not; he immediately adds, Know ye not your ownſelves, how that Chriſt Jeſus is IN you, except ye be Reprobates? So that, according to St. Paul's Rule, He that finds, he has hitherto contented himſelf with a bare bodily Attendance upon the Publick Worſhip of God, and following his daily Employment on other Days, and with abſtaining from the more groſs and notorious Acts of Sin, and from doing any Hurt or Injury to his Neighbour, and has reſted finally upon theſe as the Whole of that Chriſtianity requires of him; is ſo far from being in a very imperfect State, as your Lordſhip is pleaſed to affirm, (Page 8) that he is in no State of Chriſtianity at Al . No, My Lord, he is a Reprobate, i. e. one who at preſent is out of a State of Salvation, nor can he ever have any Aſſurance that he is in a State of Salvation, till he Knows that Jeſus Chriſt is IN Him, by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. If I have miſtaken your Lordſhip's Expreſſion, I will freely beg your Pardon.

Another Thing, My Lord, to me ſeems darkly expreſſed in (Page 8) (Oh! let not your Lordſhip be angry, for indeed I will endeavour to ſpeak with all Gentleneſs and Humility!) Your Lordſhip's Words are theſe. Nor need they any other Evidence beſides thoſe Good Diſpoſitions they find in their Hearts, that the Holy Spirit of God cooperates with their honeſt Endeavours to ſubdue Sin and grow in Goodneſs. If by Good Diſpoſitions, your Lordſhip only means Good Inclinations or Deſires, I deny That to be a ſufficient Evidence, that the Spirit of God co-operates with their honeſt Endeavours to ſubdue Sin and grow in Goodneſs For there is a great Difference between Good Deſires and Good Habits. Many have One, who never attain to the Other. Many have good Deſires to ſubdue Sin, and yet, reſting in thoſe good Deſires, Sin has always had Dominion over them. A Perſon ſick of a Fever! may deſire to be in Health, but that Deſire is not Health it ſelf. In like Manner many have good Diſpoſitions or deſires to be Good, but That is not Goodneſs it ſelf. And conſequently Men need more Evidence than good Depoſitions, to prove to Themſelves or Others, That the Holy Spirit of God co-operates with their honeſt Endeavours to ſubdue Sin. If by good Diſpoſitions, your Lordſhip means Good Habits wrought in the Heart by the Spirit of God, ſuch as Peace, Love, Joy, Long-ſuffering, Goodneſs, Truth, &c. I then agree, a Man needs no other Evidence. For theſe are the proper and genuine Fruits of the Spirit it ſelf.

Your Lordſhip immediately adds, Nor that, perſevering in their Courſe, and praying to God, for his Aſſiſtance, and relying upon the Merits of Chriſt for the Pardon of all Such Sins, Failings, and Imperfections, as are more or leſs unavoidable in this mortal State. I beg leave to ask your Lordſhip, whether this does not favour too much of the common Divinity, viz. That we are to do ſome thing for ourſelves; or, in other Words, that we have partly a Righteouſneſs of our own, and that Jeſus Chriſt is o make UP the Deficiencies of That Righteouſneſs? What elſe can your Lordſhip mean, by ſaying, That we muſt rely on the Merits of Chriſt, for the Pardon of all Such Sins as are more or leſs unavoidable in this mortal State? Did Jeſus Chriſt come into the World, My Lord, only to ſave us from the Guilt of Such Sins, as are more or leſs unavoidable in this mortal State? The Scriptures every where affirm, That Man hath no Righteouſneſs of his own, That there is none Righteous, no not one: That all Our Righteouſneſs is as filſhy Rags; and that Jeſus Chriſt died not only to ſave us from the Guilt of all ſuch Sins, Failings, and Infirmities, as are more or leſs unavoidable in this mortal State, but from all willful Sins, and alſo from that original Corruption, which every Man naturally engendred of the Off-ſpring of Adam, brings into the World with him. I hope, I have not miſunderſtood or overſtrained your Lordſhip's Expreſſion.

I come now to your Lordſhip's Caution againſt Enthuſiaſm. For that I ſuppoſe your Lordſhip intended more particularly againſt me.

And here, my Lord, I beg Leave to obſerve, That, in my Opinion, your Lordſhip has by o Means been clear enough in your Definition of the Word Enthuſiaſm.

According to the fair Rules of Writing was it not firſt Incumbent on your Lordſhip to ſhew, that the Word Enthuſiaſt had a good as well as bad Meaning: That it ſignifies no more than a Perſon in God, and conſequently every Chriſtian, in the proper Senſe of the Word, is an Enthuſia t? For St Peter writes, That to us are given exceeding great and precious Promiſes, that by theſe we might be Partakers of the divine Nature.

And our Church ſays. If we receive the Sacrament worthily, We are one with Chriſt and Chriſt with us, We dwell in Chriſt and Chriſt in us. For which ſhe has ſufficient Warrant from our Lord's Prayer, John 17. 20. Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall believe on Me through their Word. Ver. 21. That they all may be one, As Thou Father art in me, and I in Thee, that they alſo 〈◊〉 be one in us. Ver. 23. I in them and they in Me, that they may be made perfect in one. Ver. 26. that the Love wherewith Thou haſt loved me, may, be in them and I in them.

But, indeed your Lordſhip's Definition of Enthuſiaſm, when examined, does not convey any ill Idea at all. Enthuſiaſm, is a ſtrong Perſwaſion on the Mind that they are guided in an extraordinary Manner, by immediate Impulſes and Impreſſions of the Spirit of God. Had your Lordſhip ſaid, a ſtrong but Groundleſs Perſwaſion, that they are guided in an extraordinary Manner, it would have been to your Lordſhip's Purpoſe. But to affirm, without any Reſtriction, that a ſtrong Perſwaſion that we are guided man extraordinary Manner by immediate Impulſes, is Enthuſiaſm in the worſt Senſe of the Word, when your Lordſhip yourſelf ſays, (Page 54) There is, no doubt, but God, when He pleaſes can work upon the Minds of Men by extraordinary Influences, to me ſeems a little inconſiſtent.

Your Lordſhip proceeds thus. And this is owing chiefly to the Want of diſtinguiſhing aright between the ordinary and extraordinary Operations of the Holy Spirit. The extraordinary Operations were thoſe, by which the Apoſtles and Others, who were entruſted with the firſt Propagation of the Goſpel, were enabled to work Miracles, and ſpeak with Tongues in Teſtimony, that their Miſſion and Doctrine were from God.

I ſuppoſe, by extraordinary Operations, your Lordſhip means the ſame as being guided in an extraordinary Manner juſt above. And if ſo, according to your Lordſhips own Definition, I am no Enthuſiaſt. For I never did pretend to thoſe extraordinary Operations of working Mirac ••• , or 〈◊〉 with Tongues, in Teſtimony, that my Miſſion and Doctrine were from God; I only ſay Claim to the ordinary Gifts and Influences of the Spirit, which your Lordſhip, (Page 20) ſays, 'Still continue': And what Need was there then, my Lord, that the People of your Lordſhip's Dioceſe ſhould be cautioned againſt Enthuſiaſm upon my Account?

But your Lordſhip farther adds, the ordinary Gifts, However real and certain in themſelves, are no otherwiſe diſcernible, than by their Fruits and Effects. Had your Lordſhip ſaid, No otherwiſe diſcernible to others, than by their Fruits and Effects it would have been right. But if your Lordſhip means they are no otherwiſe diſcernible to ourſelves, in my Opinion it is wrong; for it is poſſible, my Lord, for a Perſon to feel and diſcern theſe ordinary Gifts and Influences of the Spirit in himſelf, when there is no Opportunity of diſcovering them to others. For inſtance, on Suppoſition that your Lordſhip was aſſiſted by the bleſſed Spirit, in writing your Paſtoral Letter—might not your Lordſhip be ſenſible of an inward Joy and Complacency, wrought by that felt ſame Spirit, which was not then diſcernible to others? So likewiſe it is poſſible for another to feel Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, with the reſt of his Fruits, which at that Time may not be diſcernible to others; and which they who have never experienced the like, may not believe, though a Man d c a e i unto them. I hope, my Lord, theſe R •• ſonings carry with them their own Evidence.

But to proceed: (Page 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) your Lordſhip has taken Pains to collect ſeveral Paſſages out of the publick Liturgy, to prove the Doctrine of Regeneration or our New Birth, to be the Doctrine of the Church of England. Your Reaſon for ſo doing, appears (Page 25.) to arm your People againſt any Suggeſtions, as if our Church were regardleſs of the Doctrine of Regeneration and New Birth, as if there were Need for any Member of it, to ſeek elſewhere for a more Spiritual Service. If this, my Lord, was intended to arm your People againſt any ſuch Suggeſtions made by me; indeed, your Lordſhip does not do me Juſtice. As your Lordſhip, I find, has done me the Honour, to peruſe my third Journal, your Lordſhip may remember this Obſervation, (Page 39) that, after I had baptized an Adult, I proved the Neceſſity of the New Birth, from the Office of our Church.

In my Sermon, upon the Indwelling of the Spirit of God, which I have made bol to •• nd your Lordſhip with this Letter, you will find. I have quoted the Expreſſions of our own Church Offices, to prove the Doctrine of the New Birth, as your Lordſhip does in your Paſtoral Letter. My conſtant Way of preaching is, firſt, to prove my Propoſitions by Scripture, and then to illuſtrate them by the Ar •••• s and Collects of the Church of England. Thoſe that have heard me, can witneſs, how often I have exhorted them to he conſtnat at the Publick Service of the Church. I attend on it my ſelf, and would read the Publick Liturgy every Day, if your Lordſhip's Clergy would give me Leave. What further Satisfaction can your Lordſhip require, that I do not ſuggeſt to your Lordſhip's People, as if our Church were regardleſs of the Doctrine of Regeneration and New Birth, and as if there were Need for any Member of it, to ſeek elſewhere for a more Spiritual Service.

In the following Paragragh, your Lordſhip has the ſame Inſinuation, as though I wanted to introduce Extempore Prayer, and to lay aſide the publick Liturgy of our Church. For after your Lordſhip had been ſpeaking againſt praying by the Spirit, and affirming that the Scripture no where tells us, that Prayer is the ſingle Work of the Spirit, your Lordſhip ſays to your People, You have great Reaſon to be thankful to God, for a publick Service prepared to your Hands. My Lord, I never ſaid to the Contrary. But does not your Lordſhip ſeem to inſinuate at the ſame Time, that we are not to depend on the Spirit of God to enable us to pray extempore, either in Publick, or private? That Prayer is not the ſingle Work of the Spirit, without any Co-operation of our own, I readily confeſs. But that the Spirit of God does aſſiſt true Chriſtians to pray extempore, now, as well as formerly, is undeniable, if the Scriptures be true. For what ſays the Apoſtle? We know not what to pray for, as we ought, but the Spirit it ſelf helpeth our Infirmities, and maketh Interceſſion for us with Groanings, that cannot be uttered. And this is founded upon a general Promiſe, made to all God's People. Zacharias 12. 10, I will pour upon the Houſe of David, and upon the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, the Spirit of Grace, and of Supplication. And I believe, my Lord, we may appeal to the Experience of all true Chriſtians, whether or no they did not find the spirit of Supplication, or a Power of praying without a Form, encreaſe in Proportion to the Encreaſe of God's Grace or Holy Spirit in their Hearts. This is all, my Lord, that I pretend to: And where is the Impropriety of this, when your Lordſhip confeſſes in the ſame Page, that the Spirit of God does particularly aſſiſt us, in a due Performance of Religious Offices?

Farther, as your Lordſhip ſeems to deny the immediate Aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit in our particular Addreſſes at the Throne of Grace, ſo your Lordſhip ſeems to deny it alſo in our particular Actions. In like Manner, your Lordſhip ſays, we are firmly perſuaded in general, that we live under the gracious Influence of God's Holy Spirit, and that he both excites and enables us to do Good. But that this or that Thought or Action is an Effect of the ſole Motion, or immediate Impulſe of the Spirit, without any Co-operation of our own Mind; (My Lord, who ever affirmed, that there was no Co-operation of our own Minds, together with the Impulſe of the Spirt of God? Your Lordſhip adds, Or that the Holy Spirit, and our natural Conceptions, do reſpectively contribute to this or that Thought or Action, in ſuch a Meaſure or to ſuch a Degree; theſe are Things we dare not ſay. Indeed my Lord I dare ſay them. For if there be any ſuch Thing as a Particular Providence, why may we not expect particular Direction from God's Holy Spirit in a particular Caſes? Does not our Church, my Lord teach us to pray, that God's Holy Spirit may in all Things direct and rule our Hearts? But your Lordſhip ſays, we dare not ſay this, becauſe our Saviour has told us, that we know no more of the working of the Spirit, than we know of the Wind, from whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. Neither need we know any more of them: But you muſt allow, that we know as much. Cannot your Lordſhip feel the Wind then? Does not your Lordſhip know when it makes any Impreſſion upon your Body? So eaſy it is for a Spiritual Man to know when the Holy Spirit makes an Impreſſion upon his Soul. Without acknowledging this, all the Expreſſions of being led by the Spirit, walking by the Spirit, and ſuch like, muſt be only ſo many Words without any real Meaning. Your Lordſhip acknowledges, that the Holy Spirit does act in general, and why not n the particular Actions of our Lives alſo? For, can the One be without the Other? Does it not frequently happen, my Lord, that the Comfort and Happineſs of our whole Lives, depend on one particular Action? And where then, my Lord, is the Abſurdity of ſaying, that the Holy Spirit may even in the minuteſt Circumſtance direct and rule our Hearts? I have been the more particular, my Lord, on this Part of your Lordſhip's Letter, becauſe if this be proved, many of your Lordſhip's Objections againſt my Journals, will fall to the Ground.

Page 27. Your Lordſhip has the following Paragraph. God forbid, that in this profane and degenerate Age, every thing that has an Appearance of Piety and Devotion, ſhould not be conſidered in the moſt favourable Light that it is capable of. But at the ſame Time, it is ſurely very Proper, that Men ſhould be called upon for ſome reaſonable Evidence of a Divine Commiſſion.

I take it for granted, that I am one of thoſe Men, whom your Lordſhip thinks ſhould be called upon for ſome reaſonable Evidence of a Divine Commiſſion.

But, my Lord, what reaſonable Evidence does your Lordſhip require? Did I not receive Letters dimiſſory from your Lordſhip's own Hands to be ordained Prieſt? Did I not, when ordained Deacon affirm that I was inwardly moved by the Holy Ghoſt, to take upon me that Office and Miniſtration? Did not my Lord of Glouceſter, when he ordained me Prieſt, ſay unto me, Receive thou the Holy Ghoſt now committed unto thee, by the Impoſition of our Hands, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt? And is not this, my Lord, a reaſonable Evidence that I act by a Divine Commiſſion? If this be not true, muſt not All thoſe whom your Lordſhip, or the other Biſhops ordain, act only by a Human Commiſſion? Nay, (to uſe the Words of Biſhop Burnet in his Paſtoral Letter) Muſt not they who are ordained, Lie not only unto Man but unto God, by ſaying, They are inwardly moved by the Holy Spirit?

If your Lordſhip in any wiſe diſputes my acting by a Divine Commiſſion, you diſclaim your own Divine Right and Authority; nor can you poſſibly avoid the Dilemma, of either allowing my Divine Commiſſion, or denying your own. After your Lordſhip has inſinuated a Demand for the Evidences of my Divine Commiſſion, immediately follows theſe Words, When they tell us of extraordinary Communications they have with God.

If by extraordinary Communications, your Lordſhip means the extraordinary Operations of the Holy Spirit, as working Miracles, and ſpeaking with Tongues; your Lordſhip may aſſure yourſelf, I never pretended to any Such Thing—If, by extraordinary Communications, your Lordſhip means more Aſſiſtances and Comforts from God, at ſome times than I have at others, (which is all I mean by extraordinary Communications) I own the Charge? And what is there, my Lord, extraordinary in that?

Again, your Lordſhip ſays, (Page 28.) When they talk in the Language of th ſe, who have a ſpecial and immedia •• Miſſion from God.

And does your Lordſhip, and the reſt of the Biſhops, ordain any without obliging them firſt to give good Proofs, that they have a Special C •• l or Immediate Miſſion from God to the Work of the Miniſtry? If ever you ſo do, my Lord, do not your Lordſhips lay Hands too ſuddenly upon Men?

(Page 29.) Your Lordſhip writes thus.—When they profeſs to think and act under the immediate Guidance of a Divine Inſpiration.

And does not your Lordſhip think an act by the ſame Rule? Why, otherwiſe does your Lordſhip Pray when you adminiſter the Holy Communion, that God would cleanſe the Thoughts of our Hearts by the Inſpiration of his Holy Spirit?

(Page 31.) Your Lordſhip ſays, When they ſpeak of their Preaching and Expounding, and the Effects of them, as the ſole Work of a Divine Power.

And would your Lordſhip have me aſcribe any thing in the leaſt to my ſelf? The Good that is done upon Earth doth not God do it Himſelf? Does not the Apoſtle ſay, Not that we are ſufficient of ourſelves to think any thing as of ourſelves but our ſufficiency is of God? And where then, my Lord, is the Abſurdity of aſcribing the Effect of Expounding and Preaching to the Sole Work of a Divine Power?

Again, (Page 33) When they boaſt of ſudden and ſurprizing Effects as wrought by the Holy Ghoſt, in Conſequence of their Preaching.

Wh ••• , my Lord, is the Enthuſiaſm of ſuch a Pretenſion? Has your Lordſhip been a Preacher in the Church of England, for ſo many years, and have you never ſeen any ſudden or ſurprizing Effects, conſequent upon your Lordſhip's Preaching? Was this my Caſe, ſhould I not have Reaſon to doubt, my Lord, whether I had any more than a bare Human Commiſſion? Or might I not take up the Prophet's Lamentation, Oh my Leanneſs, my Leanneſs! My Lord, the Goſpel, like it. Author, is the ſame Yeſterday, To-day, and for ever; and, if preached as it ought to be, will prick Numbers to the Heart, and extort the 〈◊〉 of the trembling Goaler, What muſt I do to be ſ v d! as ſurely Now, as it did Seventeen Hundred Y ••• s ago.

Theſe then are the ſudden and ſurprizing Effects, my Lord I always deſire to have, and I 〈◊〉 pray God, your Lordſhip and all your Cl rgy may always ſee Such Effects in Conſequence of 〈◊〉 Preaching.

(Page 34.) When they claim the Spirit of Prophecy.

What I have ſaid about my Succeſs. God has been pleaſed to fulfil already. What I have ſaid about Suffering , they who without Cauſe are my Enemies, are fulfilling daily. And as for the Promiſes mentioned in my Journal, I freely own there are ſome particular Promiſes, which God has ſo ſtrongly impreſſed, and does ſtill impreſs on my Heart, that I verily believe, they will be fulfilled.

(Page 25.) When they ſpeak of themſelves in the Language, and under the Character of Apoſtles of Chriſt, and even of Chriſt himſelf.

If I am not to ſpeak in an Apoſtolical Language, why did my Lord o Gloucester give me an Apoſtolical Commiſſion 〈…〉 thou doſt forgive, they are forgiven; and whoſe Sins thou doſt retain, they are retained? And I hope, my Lord, uſing the Words which Jeſus Chriſt uſed, is not taking upon me the Character of Chriſt.

(Page 36.) When they profeſs to plant and Propagate a New Goſpel, as unknown to the Generality of Miniſters and People, in a Chriſtian Country.

'Tis true, my Lord in one Senſe, mine is a New Goſpel, and will be always Unknown to the Generality of Miniſters and People, even in a Chriſtian Country, if your Lordſhip's Clergy follow your Lordſhip's Directions. For what ſays your Lordſhip (Page 46) I hope, that when Miniſters Preach to you of Juſtification by Faith alone, which is a ••• rted in the ſtrongeſt Manner by our Church, they explain it in ſuch a Manner as to leave no Doubt upon your Mind, whether good Works are a neceſſary Condition of your being juſtified in the Sight of God.

But pray, my Lord, where has the Scripture made good Works a Neceſſary Condition of our being juſtified in the Sight of God? St. Paul ſays, By grace ye are ſaved, thro' Faith, not of Works, and that, leaſt any Man ſhould 〈◊〉 . For Eternal Life is the Gift of God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. your Lordſhip exhorts your Clergy to preach Juſtification by Faith alone, and quotes the 11th Article of our Church, which tells us, we are juſtified by Faith only, and not for our own Works or Deſervings.See the 11th, 12th, and 13th Articles at the End.At the ſame Time, your Lordſhip bids them explain it in ſuch a Manner as to leave no Doubt upon their Minds, whether good Work are a neceſſary Condition of their being juſtified in the Sight of God. Your Lordſhip, in my Opinion, could not well be guilty of a greater inconſiſtency. This, my Lord, is truly a New Goſpel. I am ſure it is not what the Apoſtles Preached; and it is as contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England, and the whole Tenour of the Goſpel, as Light is contrary to Darkneſs. Had your Lordſhip inſiſted on your Clergy's preaching up good Works as a neceſſary Fruit and Conſequënce, inſtead of a neceſſary Condtition of our being juſtified, your Lordſhip would have uſed your Authority aright. For we are commanded to ſhew forth or declare to others, that we have a True Faith by our Works. And the 12th Article of our Church ſays, that 'good Works follow after Juſtification; and how then, my Lord, are they a neceſſary Condition of our Juſtification? No, my Lord, Salvation (if the Goſpel be true) is the Free Gift of God through Jeſus Chriſt. Faith is the Means whereby that Salvation is applied to our Hearts, and good Works are the neceſſary Fruits and Proof of that Faith.

This, my Lord, is the Doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt, This is the Doctrine of the Church of England, And it is, becauſe the Generality of the Clergy of the Church of England do not Preach this Doctrine, that I am reſolved, God being my Helper, to continue inſtant in Seaſon and out of Seaſon, to declare IT unto all Men, let the Conſequences, as to my own private Perſon, be what they will.

As for your Lordſhip's blaming me for raſhly cenſuring the Clergy, for their Practice, none are concerned, but my Indolent, Earthly-minded, Pleaſure-taking Brethren, (Page 39) And ſurely, your Lordſhip will not ſtand up in their Defence. No.—I hope your Lordſhip will not fail to rebuke THEM ſharply. And as for your Lordſhip's Suſpicions, (Page 50.)—(For your Lordſhip's Sake I would not Mention them) I hope my Life and Doctrine will always prove them to be Groundleſs.

Would Time permit, I could now proceed to ſatisfy your Lordſhip more particularly about the Caſe of Mr. Benjamin Seward: But as that is done in a Letter ſent to my Lord of Glouceſter, and publiſhed in my laſt Journal; and as I am now to embark in a few Hours, I hope, your Lordſhip will excuſe me, if I only add my hearty Prayers for your Lordſhip's temporal and eternal Welfare, and ſubſcribe my ſelf,

My LORD, Your Lordſhip's Obedient, Tho' unworthy Son, and Servant, GEORGE WHITEFIELD. London, Monday, Auguſt 13. 1739.
XI, Of the Juſtification of Man.

WE are accounted righteous before God, Only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt by Faith, and not for our own Works, or Deſervings. Wherefore, that we are juſtified by Faith ONLY, is a moſt wholeſom Doctrine, and very full of Comfort, as more largely is expreſſed in the Homily of Juſtification.

XII. Of good Works

ALbeit that good Works, which are the Fruits of Faith, and follow after Juſtification, cannot put away our Sins, and endure the Severity of God's Judgment; yet are they pleaſing and acceptable to God in Chriſt, and do ſpring out neceſſarily of a true and lively Faith, inſomuch that by them a lively. Faith may be as evidently known, as a Tree diſcerned by the Fruit.

XIII. Of Works before Juſtification.

WOrks done before the Grace of Chriſt, and the Inſpiration of his Spirit, are not pleaſant to God, foraſmuch as they ſpring not of Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace, or (as the the School-Authors ſay) deſerve Grace of Congruity: Yea, rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin.

FINIS.