Your objections, concerning my favourable opinion of some particular quakers that I have conversed with; and also about some particular promises, which I think have been made me, you may find satisfied in my “Answer to the Bishop of London’s last Pastoral Letter,” and in a “Letter to the Bishop of Gloucester.”
I am no friend to casting lots; but I believe, on extraordinary occasions, when things can be determined no other way, God, if appealed to, and waited on by prayer and fasting, will answer by lot now, as well as formerly.
Do not condemn me for preaching extempore, and for saying, I am helped often immediately in that exercise; when thousands can prove, as well as myself, that it has been so. Neither should you censure me as one that would lay aside reading. I am of Bishop Sanderson’s mind: “Study without prayer, is atheism; prayer without study, presumption.” Blame not me, for the warmth of some of my adherents, as you call them. One of your ministers knows, how sharply I rebuked one of them for his warmth, at Forks-Manor. I am for loving as brethren, and wish all would copy after the lowly Jesus. But then I cannot discommend those (supposing they do it in the spirit of meekness) who exclaim against dry, sapless, unconverted ministers. Such surely are the bane of the christian church. But my other affairs will not permit me to enlarge.
Some of the latter part of your queries, for your own, and not my own sake, I shall not mention. I hope I can say with more sincerity than Hazael, “Is your servant a dog, that he should do” what you suggest! But I pray God to forgive you. He knows my heart. My one design is to bring poor souls to Jesus Christ. I desire to avoid extremes, so as not to be a bigot on the one hand, or confound order and decency on the other. And I could heartily wish the reverend presbytery, when they advised you to publish your queries, had also cautioned you against dipping your pen in so much gall. Surely your insinuations are contrary to that charity, which hopeth and believeth all things for the best. And I appeal to your own hearts, whether it was right, especially since you heard the constant tenor of my preaching in America has been calvinistical, to censure me as a Papist or Arminian, because a few unguarded expressions dropped from my pen, just as I came from the university of Oxford. Could Archbishop Tillotson, or the Author of The Whole Duty of Man, say so? But I have done. The Lord be with you! I am a poor frail creature. And as such I beseech you to pray for
Your affectionate friend and servant,
George Whitefield.
A
LETTER
To the Reverend
Mr. JOHN WESLEY:
In Answer to his
SERMON,
ENTITULED
FREE-GRACE.
But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the Face, because he was to be blamed.
Galatians ii. 11.