A
LETTER
TO
The Reverend the President, and Professors, Tutors, and Hebrew Instructor, of Harvard-College in Cambridge;
In Answer to
A TESTIMONY
Published by them against the
Reverend Mr. George Whitefield, and his Conduct.
2 Corinthians vi. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.—As deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known: as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
A
LETTER, &c.
Boston, January 23, 1745.
Reverend and honoured Gentlemen,
WHEN the great Apostle of the Gentiles was accused before the Governor of Cæsarea, Acts xxiv. by Tertullus, (employed 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 thought it his duty (being beckoned to by the Governor) to answer for himself; and in his answer proved, that he was in no wise guilty of the things that were laid to his charge. You, Gentlemen, seem to view me in the same light, wherein Tertullus, Ananias, and the Elders viewed Paul; and accordingly have thought proper to publish a testimony against me and my conduct, wherein you have undertaken to prove, page 4, that “I am an enthusiast, a censorious, uncharitable person, and a deluder of the people.” Will you give me leave, since I think the great Governor of the church beckons to me by his providence so to do, without minutely criticising upon the diction 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, page 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, persuading and inclining him thereby to such and such actions, though he hath no proof that such persuasions or impressions are from the Holy Spirit.” This definition of an enthusiast, (whether exactly right or not) you are pleased to apply to me; and accordingly at the bottom of the aforementioned page you 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 “that this is Mr. Whitefield’s manner, is evident both by his life, his Journals, and his sermons.” “From these pieces (you add, page 5.) it is very evident that he used to govern himself by his dreams: one instance of this we have in his life, page 12. ‘Near this time I dreamed that I was to see God on mount Sinai. This made a great impression upon me.’ Another like instance we have, pages 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, page 43. ‘I dreamed I was talking with the Bishop; and that he gave me some gold, which chinked in my hands:’ and, page 44. ‘The guineas chinking 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? In writing a brief account of God’s dealings with me from my infancy to the time of my ordination, I have mentioned three particular dreams; but how does this prove, that I conduct myself (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, persuading and inclining him thereby to such and such actions, though he hath no proof that such persuasions 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 termed one that acts or conducts and governs himself according to dreams?
[♦] The author consistently uses “goal” for “gaol”.