■\f,'!
W.^^ ../---^ ^//7^-
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e,u^
FROM THE LIBRARY OF
REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D.
BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO
THE LIBRARY OF
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Section /^/3f
■/
T ti E
MAR 30 1932
ENTHUSimM
O F
ME T H O D I STS
AND
PAP IS T S,
C O Ivl P A R*D.
— -= — ■ ■ f- • ' • ' ■
Thefe Preacher^ and Menciicants-^^ov fome time rambled uncon-
troulM, taking upon them to Confefs and Preach wherever
they came, without the confent of the Bjjhop, utterly dc-
fpifmg all Canom and Ecclejiajiical Rules : and profeffing \o-
\\inf3iry Poverty, 2iX\d Contempt of Riches, wandering like .S/r^/-
iers from place to place, under a pretence of Piety, the/
chous'd the fiUy People of their Money.
Hc-wePs View of the Ppntificate, page 406.
LONDON:
Printed for J. and P. K n' a p t o n, in Likiiate-Slreat
mdCcxlix.
PREFACE.
E V E R A L Excellent
"Treatijes have been al-
ready publidied againft
that Enthufiajlic and Fa-
natical Spirit now working in a fef
of pretended Reformers among us,
call'd Mtthodijls: Which, though
they have not been able to fupprefs
it, have effedually fhewn its evil
nature and tendency^ and (as the
Methodijis themfelves confefsj given
fome check to its progrefs. Nor
need I any Apology, if I own a
fort of impulfe and imprejlion upon
A me.
PREFACE.
nie, and think myfelf ohltgd to
throw in my mite towards diicover-
ino- the delufion of this dangerous
aiul p?'efumptuous SeSr.
'Tis my principal dejign^ as a
caution to all Protefiants^ to draw
a Comparifon between the wild and
pernicious Enthtifiafms of fome of
the moft eminent Saints in the
Popi/Jj Communion^ and thofe of the
Mcthodijls in our Q'wn Cou?ttry.
BifKop Stillingfleet hath clearly
prov d^ and fufficiently expos' d^ the
Fa7taticifm of the Romijh Churchy
m his Incoraparahle Difcourfe can-
cer 7wtg their Idolatry ; hath fliewn
to what Extravaga?2t heights it
has been carried, how peculiarly
encouraged by the Popes ; hath been
the foundation of their feveral Re-
ligious Orders^ and Societies ; and
the engine for introducing their
falfcy fuperjlittous^ and Idolatrous
DoEirineSy a?id PraBifes. More of
this
P R E F A C R
this nature will appear in the fol-
lowing Treatife ; together with plain
and full evidence^ that our modern
ltinera7it Knthufiajls are treading in
their fteps^ and copying their exam-
ph ; their whole conduct being but
a Coimter-paj^t of the mojl wild Fa-
naticifms of the moji abomiimble Co7n-
mti7iion^ in its moJi corrupt Ages.
But as the Spirit of Enthufiafm
is alw^ays the fame, operating in
much the fame manner, in all SeSis
and Profefftons of Religion^ and dif-
covering itfelf in fimilar peculi-
arities of notions, and behaviour ;
I fhall take the liberty to produce
firft of all a remarkable inftance of
this in the Seel of the Montanifls :
which arofe towards the latter end
of the fecond Century ^ before Po-
pery had a beings or Chriflianity
an Eflablifjjme?2t. The Hijlory of
Montanifm was written by the late
learned Dr. Lee^ of St. Jolms
i\ 2 Colleo'e^
PREFACE.
College^ Oxford ; compiled with
great diligence and exadnefs ; and
publifli'd with Dr. Hicks s Enthu-
fiafm Exorctsd^ in the year 1709 :
and herein a large account is given,
from all the Records q{ Antiquity^
of the riie, progrefs, difperfion,
pretenfions and tenets of that over-
hearincr SeB. And I am much
miftaken if our MethodiJIs (though
not vet arriv'd to the fame height
of madnefs) may not here fit for
their PiBure^ and be traced in all
their lineaments,
'Tis indeed a misforttme that the
Writings of the Mmitanifis are lofl^
and never came down to our hands:
what accounts and Extra(3;s we have
of them being colleded from the
beft Hifiorians cf thofe times. But
it may be reckon'd a happy Cir-
cumftaiice^ that v/e have the mod
foinmg parts of the Lives^ Charac-
ters^ Sentiments aitd A8lio7is of the
PREFACE.
Methodtjls from themfehesy and that
too by a fandion from Heaven.
They have, if they may be credit-
ed ; been fo preffed i?i Spirit^ re-
ceiv'd fuch Divine direEiions^ to
preach a7id prints and God has
given them fuch favour in the Ryes
of the Pri?tter ; — that the Prefs
has cramm'd the PubHc with their
Jour?2ah^ Letters^ and other Worh
even to a Surfeit. Without
thefe confefftons from their own
mouths we might have wanted
evidence for a great p:!rt of our
Charge ; and been ftrangers to ma-
ny of their fanSiifyd fiftgularitiesy
low fooleries y a?id high pretenfions.
And yet, for want of leifure,
opportunity or incHnation, there are
feveral of their worh which I have
never feen. Their Journals are what
I have chiefly confulted, and referr'd
to ; and in my Rotations (which I
hope ^xtjufl and fair) have not al-
ways
PREFACE.
ways taken notice from what Edi-
tion they are taken. Mr. Wejleys
two jirji yournals are of the fecond
Edttio7t : all the reft are, I think of
the firjl. M^hat few Citations are
made from their ColleSiioit of Let-
ters (which I confefs I have not
perus'd, or feen) are taken from
' Obfe7^vations on the Co?idtici of the
Methodifls ; and the jujinefs of thofe
references were never, that I know
or believe, cali'd in queftion. Thefe
Citations have only, in the margi7iy
the word Letters.
'Tis certainly matter of juft con-
cern, when Men of a good under-
itanding, acquir'd Learning and
knowledge of Scripture^ embarafs
themfelves and others in fuch Chi-
mericaly but pernicious^ projeBs.
One at leaft of the Methodift-
Preachers muft be allov^M to have
tliefe qualifications for doing real
Service to Religion : And did not
Ex-
PREFACE.
Experience convince us how ftrange-
ly Men are loft to all reafon as to
fome particular^ wherewith the
head is touch' d^ who yet can dif-
courfey and write^ aiid aSl ratioit-
ally enough in other refpecls ;- —
one would wonder fuch a perfoa
iliould quite loofe himfelf, when
carried away into the Extravagant
freaks of Met hod fm.
That fuch freaks they are, will
eafiily appear. And if in proving it
I am fometiaies guilty of a levity of
exprejftony 'tis to be hop'd fome al-
lowance vvill be made in conddera-
tion of the 77ature of the SubjeB :
it being no eafy matter to keep
one's countenance, and be fteadily
feriousy where others are ridiculous.
As true Religion however is the
mofl ferious thing in the world ], I
cannot but fmcerely lament the
progrefs of Infidelity and hniitora-
///;^ among us : I cannot but ear-
neftly
PREFACE.
neftly defire, and pray for an effec-
tual Reformatt07t of ?nanners and
Propagation of the Gofpel^ by all
fober and Chriftian Methods : but
may venture to foretel, without
pretending to the Spirit of Prophe-
cy y that this Great work will never
be accomplilli'd by an Enthujiaflic
and Fanatical head.
End of the Preface.
T H E
THE
ENTHUSIAS M
O F
Methodists, &c.
S E C T. L
jin Extradl fro?n the Hiftory of Montanifm,
being what I proposed in the fir ft place to
lay before the Reader ; I have taken care
to do tt without any variation, / a?n fure
without any material variation, from The
Author's own Words : that I may not be
accused of forcing a likenefs, or warping
any circiimftance, or exprefjion^ to the dij-
advantage of the Methodilts.
" A/fO NTANUS, in his outward ap- Page 74.
<c IVl pearance, had all the formofgod-
'' linefs and fpirituality j and got the re- 79-
" putation of no mean Sandity, by his.
*' Jujleritics
Page 7:
78.
79'
So.
Si.
( 2 )
Aufieritics and extraordinary way of
living. — Had a zeal for Religion —
and would needs let up for a mighty
Refonner in the Church : but wanting
Iblidity of Judgment, and coolnefs of
Thought, was driven away by every im-
pulfe that feiz'd him ;— being tranfport-
ed with an immoderate and irregular
zealj he was poiTefs'd with a ftrcmge
Spirit : — Many doubting whether it
were a good Spirit^ or a bad one. Hence
he fets up preteniions to Prophecy and
Miracles, Some indeed faw through
him, — and took him for what he after-
wards prov'd to be, a falfe Prophet ^ —
and one agitated by a Spirit of Deliifion :
— and thefe oppos'd, and reprov'd him,
— not haflily, but upon fober and ma-
ture deliberation, after trial m.ade of his
Spirit^ — which appeared very much like
the fit of a Frenzy^ or dijlemper'd Melaji-
choly,
'' Others deem'd what they faw in
Monta7ius as the true efFed of the Holy
Ghojt : — and were hereby lifted up with
an extreme vaiiity and confidence^ as if
nothing could be greater and higher than
this Difpenfation of Montanus : — who
being ravifli'd with the Honour of fee-
ing himfelf fo efteemed and liflened to
ufcd divers Artifices and St rat agejns to,
" draw
( 3 )
^' draw in others, and did fome fober and
<< fmcere Chriftians. P^S^ ^4-
*' He look'd on the Governors of the
*' Church as much degenerated, inverted
'' onl}^ with an outward CharaBer : — /j^ S8.
*' had more of the Spirit than all of them ;
«' and by virtue of his pretended extraor-
*' dinary Miffion would be exempted kom the
^' infpedlion of his rightful Superiors : — 114-
'' whofe {landing rules muft give way to
'' whatever was taken for a Prophetic irnpe- 89-
«' tus, Montanus^ intoxicated with thefe
^' high Notions, went up and down and
^' drew after him feveral religious Melan-
*' cholifts. Several of the weaker S^x, ex-92.
"' cited by his high pretenfions were feized
'' upon— by the fame Spirit ^ —as Prifcilla
" and Maximilla — who no fooner were
'' touch'd by the Power in Montanus, but 93-
" immediately they left their Hujbands ;
'' fancying,— that henceforwards they were
" to be efpoufed to none but Chrift^ —
«' eloping from their Hufbands to follow
" an infamous Cheat, — Htucz they fancied 157-
'^ themfelves Heave7ily Virgins, efpoufed by 94.
'' Chrifi, who perfonallyi^^^^^ them, con-
'' veriing with them as one Friend converfes
" with another.
^' Thus, led on with 2ifalfe Faith — and 95-
*' puffd up beyond meafure, — they fell into
" fundry Snares, and eafily miftook the
** imaginations of their own Hearts, or the
B 2 " fug-
( 4 )
*' fuggcflions of the old Impoftor, for the
" pure Infpirations of the Divine Spirit,
Pare 1C2. '' The lame Spirit fell upon fome of the
" Men alfo, — highly efteem'd, — as extra-
^' ordinarily commiflion^d by God to raife
103. '* up this pre -ended ncvj Difpenfation : —
'' though fome of them were clearly con-
'^ vinc'd of havino: been all the while under
** the Condud of a dtxeiving Spirit, that
'' had ufurp'd the Name of the Holy Ghofi,
iC2-ico. '' They divide into P<^r//V^, under difFe-
" rent Leaders — and continue under thefe
" novel and ftrange Influences to diftradt
'' unwary Minds. — Different in fundry
"- l^oints, but all agrceiiig in pretences to
*' hifpi ration^ and a heavenly MiJJion.
,ic. " Montaniis begins to fet up his little
" AJJemblies : — they give forth many good
" exhortations to Holinefs, rigoroufly pref-
*' fing a Reformation of Difcipline and
** Manners j — their Spirit imitates nearly
'' the Properties of the Divine Spirit, in
'^ producing good Works — difcerning
*' the Secrets of the Heart — by Infpi-
*' ration reproving fome prefent for their
*' hidden Faults — with fuch a fhew of the
'^ Life and Spirit of Christianity, as made it
** hard to think all a mere Connterjeit.
* 2 4. * * Thefe new Lights fet u p a 72ew Church: — .
" fomething doubtful whether they firfl
^\feparated from the Church, or vj^vt forced
^' oiit. But with a ftrange air of Confidence
■^ they,
( 5 )
*' they, or rather thofe deluding Spirits
" which fpoke through them, did re-
" proach and vihfy the Church-, — becaufe
'^ (lie every where rejeded their 72ew order of
'• "^Frophecy.
" They are not able to bear with the Page 126.
" deadnefs and the formality of the Catholics^
"who are only the natural or criminal 135-
" Men ; but themjelves the Spiritual : —
'* they looked on the Catholics as carnal and
'• out fide Chri/iians^ that had not the true
'' tafte of the Spirit : and the Chrijtian
" Priefthood was undermined by thefe Pre- 142.
** tenders to an extraordinary and unlimited
'' Mifion,
'' They were eagerly defirous oi Perfecu^
« tion ', — provoking and irritating the Ltfi- 144.
<« dels^ — to draw it upon themfelves: but
*' this vain oftentation did often in the 206.
" hour of Trial moft wretchedly betray
*' itfelf.
«' By their rigorous Difcipline they 14^.
''brought many, to defpair : but yet are
" charg'd by the Catholics with a Morality 156.
" exceedingly loofe and fcandalous, painting
*' the Chiefs of this new order of the Infpir d
'' in very black Charadlers ; — which muft
*' depend on the fairnefs of the Accounts
" tranfmitted to us: — fuch as making their
" markets with pretended Revelations and
'' Converfatiom with God — fcraping up all
^^ they could get under the pretence of
'' Charity^
1/
/:>'
20I
A
■■^^■
( 6 )
«^ Charity, and voluntary Oblations 5 — un-
^' der the Mafk of Godlinefs, defiled with
" Impunities, 0c.
*' They diftinguilli*d themfelves by an
'' affeded fingularity, — againft the moft in-
*' nocent Recreation of Mind or Body —
'' againft Games, Sports and Plays s Drefs,
*' Furniture, ^c,
'' But all knew the Pretenfions of the
" Mo?2ta?ttfts, and that the Foundation of
*' all the Extravagancies they run into, was
*' the pretext oj a Divine Spirit and Fewer ^
'' extraordinarily, and even vifi])ly ading
'' them. —And they took themfelves to be
*-' pe7^fe5l, having the Perfedion or Con-
*' fummation of the Spirit.
" They cali'd themfelves the Infpird,
'' the Pure, the Saints, the Ek^, the A-
'' poftolical : while the Orthodox, who
'' could not bear their Trefimption, gave
*' them generally other fort of Names,
*' which they thought they better de-
" fcrved.
*' In the Progrefs of Montanifm they pro-
'^ ceeded from one Degree to another, never
** flopping, or knowing w^here to ftop : —
" Hence giving themfelves up to the un-
*' certain Didates and Imptdfes of a ftrange
" Spirit, they were infenfibly led on whi-
*' ther they leaft fufpedled : — and all man-
'' ner of Extravagancies were committed by
" them, as if tliey had an exprefs Com-
'^ mand
{ 7 )
^ mand for fo doing from Heaven, — And
' the firiBnefs of the Monfanifi DifclpHne
' at firft, was the Means of introducing
^ the Mahometan kofenejs in the end.
^yThtM Knthujiafm had the van too, and Pi»ge 303.
^ was very confident with Atleljm, And
' there is a flirewd fufpicion that fome got
' in among them from the very beginning,
^ and managed the weak well-meaning
' People, who were of no Religion them-
' felves, but put on a mafk to deceive.
*^ After an Account how Montanifm af-.
* terwards was blended and interwoven
^ with the moft abominable Herefies ; we
' come to its Declenfion in the fifth Cen-
' tury, and Extindion in the fixth — which
' made way for ajiother ?iew pretended Dif- 317,
^ pen fat ion ^ tint oi Mahomet -^ rifing as out
' of its Allies ; and founded chiefly upon
' fome Principles of Montanifm.
■* In the Cojjchifiony the Author fays^ we
' have feen how a well-meant, but indif- 33S,
' creet Zeal was furprifed by the cunning
' Artifices of Satan ; and led on from flep
' to ftep, for want of being guarded by
^ Humility ; till at length it fell into the
' contrary extreme. How from an affeBa-
' tion cf Spiritual Gifts — the Deceiver
' eafily infinuated himfelf with moil fair
' Pretences, and led both hi?n and his Jilly
* JVomen captive,
^c xhey
( 8 )
Page 3|2.
350.
348.
cc
They were accounted by the Malti-
' tildes that were converted to them as the
' very Apojtles of the Lamb -, they expedted
' nothing lefs than that the JVorld fhould be
' brought to own them, and that then the
' ?iew yeriifalem out of Heaven fhould
' come down upon Earth,
" Whether the Enthiifiaftic Fajfion be
' confider'd as a Difcafe of the Mind and
'Spirits, 7:atiiralox Jiipernatwal^ ox mix' d^
^ or as properly prcetcrnatural \ — it appears
' manifeftly from this Account — that it
' is now the fame as it was then ; as much
' as a Fever is now the fame as it was in
* the Days of Hippocrates,
" But if any one, through Tride or
' Vain-glory, through Rafhnefs or Curio-
' fity, or the like, be really acceffary to his
' own delufion ;— let him not feek to caft
' the blame upon God-, but be content to
' take all the Shame to himfelf. And if
' this fhould not work any good in the
' end to him ; but he fhould be totally de-
' liver'd up to the Devices of his own
' Hearty and the lying hifpirations of trea-
' cherous Spirits ; yet it may be a Means flill
* of much good to others, and a warning
' to take heed, lefl they be alfo overtaken
' with the fame Temptation/'
Thus far this learned Writer ; whofc en-
tire Difcourfe deferves well to be perufed
by every Pcrfon, as a proper Antidote
againfl:
( 9 )
againft the bane oiEnthufiafm, It cannot in-
deed be faid, that the madnefs and prefump-
tion of our modern Enthtifmjis come up to the
MontanijU^ in all refpeBs, and to fo high
a degree ; but ftill the Reader may eafily
difcern the general Nature and Effefts of
Rnthiifiafm -, and a conformity, in moft
Particulars, between thofe former Fanatia
and our Methodifls and Moravians.
§. 2. But 'tis time to come to a more di-
rect Comparifon between Popiflo and Me^
thodifiical Enthufiafis, And if the Reader
has fome Account of the moft wild and ex-
travagant^ the moft ridiculous^ flroling^ fa-
?2atical, fra?itic, delirious^ and mifchievotis of
all the Saints in the Romijh Conuniinion ; he
muft confider, that otherwife the Parallel
would not hold ; but come off lame and
defedive. They are however, fome of the
moft favourite and magnified Saifits among
them, and moft of whom had the Honour
of being Canonized. — As for inftance, the Se-
raphic Father St. Francis, Founder of the
Fryers Minors, thought at firft only a well-
meaning, but weak Enthnjiaft, but after-
wards turning out a mere Hypocrite and
Impoflor : St. Dominic, Founder of the
preaching Fryers, a Man of more defign,
ferocity and pride ; the contriver and man-
ager of that bleifed Inftrument of Conver-
iion, the In qui fit ion : — St. Ignatius Loyola,
C ' thai
( lO )
that errant lliatter-brain'd vifionary Fanatic ^
Founder of the moft Holy Order of the Je-
JuitSy profefiedly inflkuted to extirpate the
Reformation : — That }?nrroiir of PerfeBion,
St. Anthony of Padua: — together with
variety oi female Saifits^ Catherine of Sienna^
*Terefay Clara, Magdalen ofPazzi, &:c.
I would not be underflood to accufe the
Methodi/ls directly of Popery ; though I am
perfuaded they are doing the Paplfts work
for them, and agree with them in feme of
their Principles; — defigning only to fliew
how uniformly both adl upon the fame
Tlan^ (as far as Enthiifafm can be faid to
carry on any Plan:)- — their Heads fill'd
with much the fame grand ProjeBs, driven
on in the fame wiid Manner ; and wearing
the fame badge of Peculiarities in their
Tenets : -— not perhaps from compaB and
defign > but a fimilar Configuration and
Texture of Brain^ or the fumes oi Imagi^
nation producing fimilar EfFeds.
§. 3. From a commiferation, or horrourj
arifing from the grievous Corruptions cf
the World, perhaps from a real Motive of
fincere Piety, they both fet out with warm
pretences to a Rifonriation. Wherein the
Papifis ftand at leaft upon an equality, if
they have not the Advantage 3 it being im-
pofliblc for any Methodifi to exceed the
ftrong Declarations of fervent Love to God
and man, of burning zeal for the iialva-
tion
(II )
tion of Souls, which the Legends of the
Saints afford in abundance. The Metho-
diji, if he pleafeth, {hall apply to himfelf
the moft flaming Characters on this Score :
though he ihould " burn with unquench-
able zeal of love to God a7id man, like St.
Francis ; or be inflamed, like St. Ignatius, Bonaven-
with a zeal of promoting God's honour ; ^^^' ^^^'
referring all his aftions and purpofee to cap 9.
G<?/s greater glory : this being his Holy Ribade-
Ambition, the life and foul of all hisL^^^^; ^f
aCtions". Nor do I believe that ^;^j)' £/2- the Saints.
thujiaft ever fet out otherwife than uponP^^- 5^9-
a zealous pretence of this Godly nature,
§. 4. For the better Advancement of
their purpofes, both commonly begin their
Adventures with field-preaching. In which
particular, though the pradife of the Me^
thodifts be notorious, it may not be amifs to
produce fome of their ov^n words -, were
it only for the fake of the Cofnparifon,
METHODISTS.
Mr. Whitefield fays, " I never was more 3. Journ.
acceptable to my Mailer, than when I w^as^^^^ ^^*
ftanding to teach ni the opeji Fields,
'' I always find I have mofl: Poivcr,
when 1 fpeak in the open Air, A proof
this to me, th it God is pleafed with
this way of Preachiiig. P^g- 69.
Preached at Kennington, But fach a
C 2 Sight
f 12 )
Sight never were mine eyes blefled with
before, — fifty thoufand People, — near
fourfcore Coaches, — great number of
Horfes. — I find myfelf more and more
under a neceffity of going out into the
Pag- r- Fields.
I defired to know what Law could
be produced againfl my preaching : In
my opinion there could be none ; becaufe
4 Journ. there 7ieve?^ was any fuch thing as Field-
pag. 27. preaching before.
A frefh inroad made into Satan'^ Ter-
Pag. 5. ritories by Mr. Wejlef^ following me in
Field-preaching,
And Mr. Seward acquaints us, how
Journ. Whitefield preached from a balcony, —
P3gs— 7.from a fcafFold, — from a horfe-block." —
Mr. Wepy fays, ' Had the Minijler of
the Parifd preached like an Angela it
had profited them nothing : For they
heard him not'. But when one came
and faid, ' Yonder is a man preaching
on the top of the mountains', they
ran in droves to hear. — Had it not been
for Field-preaching, the Vncommonnefs of
which is the very circumftance that
App^el ^c(^^^n77iends it, they muft have run on in
pag. 119. error".
T A p I ^ t: s.
" Peter of Verona, mirrour of Sandity,
of the Holy Order of Friars Preachers^
had
( 13 ) _
hed a Divine talent in preaching ; neither
Churches, nor Streets, nor Market-places
could contain the great concourfe that
reforted to hear his Sermons. — He was
the hammer and thunderbolt to break and L,'vefof
crufli Heretics, ~~ and made Inqnifitor to the Saints,
puniih and perfecute them/ ^F^- ^9-
St. Nicolas of Nolafco^ one day as he
v/as recolleded in prayer, heard a Voice
from Heaven^ Crying) ' this is not the Place,
in which I would have thee to be ; but that
thou go forth into the 'Sield^ and treat with
men, to the end that I may be glorified in Id.i;)ec.6.
thee;.
St. Anthony cf Padtca was forced to
preach in the open fields and largeji meadows^
becaufe the people followed in fuch num-
bers, from cities, villap;es, and camps, that
no Church could contain them. They got l«J- June
up before day, and flocked to get places conformi-
betimes. — The tradefmen all fliut up their tatum.
fcops, till his Sermon was ended. And ^^^* ^'^•
he was guarded by fome ftrong and flout
men, — He was miraculoufly heard at two
leagues diflance.
St. Ignatius preached in the open fields^
as the Churches could not hold the multi-
tudes who flock'd, feveral miles, to hear
him. Where it v/as obferved, as a thing
more fhan human, that though he could
not raife his voice, which was weak, every
word
( 14- )
Oriandius word of his Scrmon was heard by every
^ifiib!^!. ^^^y *^bove a quarter of a mile".
No. 1 1 6.
[I think Mr. Whitefield fpeaks fome-
where of being heard plainly, at a greater
difl.ince, and by above twenty thoufand
People.]
Upon this Article I would make a cur-
fory remark or two. How comes Mr.
JVhite field to fay, there was never any fiicb
thhig as Field-preaching before ? Was it
from the mere Vanity of being thought
the jRj^W^r of it ? Or was he ignorant of
the pradice feveral years ago, and even in
our own nation ?
Have not the Mefhodijl-Preachers^ as
well as St. Anthony^ been attended with a
fliirdy fet of Followers^ as their Guards,
armed with clubs under their cloaths, me-
nacing and terrifying fuch as fliould dare
to fpeak lightly of their Apojtle ? I have
heard it. often affirmed. So that Mr.
Whitefield may well boaft of preaching
^jcurn. '^^^'^^ irrefijtible Tower ^ and Jinking all
peg. 24. Oppofers dumb. 'Tis plain he feems him-
felf to be aware of this tiirbtilent Spirit ^
this fighting Fjithufiafm, when idly ' fup-
pofing his enemies fliould think they did
God fervice to kill him\ he adds, ' I dread
nothing more than the falfe Zeal of my
pal'^ri. ^'^'ic^ids in ^xjuffering hour\
Again.
( 15 )
Again. 'Tls highly probable, that if
any Parochial Minijier fliould acquaint his
Parijloy &c. that next Sunday he would
preach on yonder mountain^ he would have
a larger congregation than in bis Church ?
But would this do any real good? or could
he juftify the irregularity ? But Mr-
Wejley argues for the fpecial advantage of
Field-preachings on the very account of
its irregularity ; ^ the uncommonnefs being the
very circumflancethat recommends it\ Some-
thing incojifijlently : for he feeins to forget
what he had faid, but a Page or two be-
fore > ' we are notjuffered to preach in the *
Churches ; elfe we fliould prefer them to aI\^\.
any places whatever*. pag. 117.
Mr. Whitefield too * highly approves of
our excellent Li^turgy, would Minifters 4 Jo^rn.
lend him their Churches^ to ufe it'. ^^^* ^'
They are, you fee, never more accepta-
ble to their Majier than in the fields,
Ciod is pleafed with this way of preaching,
— they have raofl Power there. — But
however, that's no matter : they would
not mind tliat : Churches are preferable^ —
if they could get them.
§. 5. After the Methodifts had traduced
the Clergy s as long as they were permitted
to do it, in their own Churches and Pulpits,
in order to feduce their flocks, and colled:
a flaring rabble | they fet about this pious
work
( i6 )
work of Defamation more heartily rn {\\c
fields. Give me leave to 2;ather fome of
their flowers on this occafion, \vhich are
publilhed in their own Journals, &c.
" Went to St. Pciurs, and received the
Blcfjed Sacrame?if\ [He might have add-
ed, and within a few hours undertook the'
hkfled ofice of hlackcn'mg the Clergy ; for]
*' Preached in the Evcjiins; at Kenninzton^
Common : God gave me great Power, and
I never opened my Mouth fo freely a-
gainft the Letter-learned Clergymen of the
Whitf. Church of E?2gland. — I Ihould not die in
4 journ. Peace, unlefs I bore my Teftimony again ft
P^s- :)2' them. — My power and freedom of Speech
encreafed daily ; and this afternoon I was
carried out much again iT the TJnchrifian
principles and pradlices of the generality of
our Clergy, If I want to convince
Church of England "'Proteftants^ I nmli
prove that the generality of their Teachers
. do not preach, or live up to the truth, as
5 Journ. . . . V /^ ^
p.ig. 32. It IS in J ejus.
Woe be unto fuch blind leaders of the
blind. — How can you efcape the Dam-
Indwell- nation of Hell ? — Wolves in Sheep^s
Y"^}- cloathing. — Numbers of fuch as would
tell the people, that a decent^ genteel^ and
fapionahle religion ^ is fufficient to carry
them to Heaven'',
II, 12
4 Joorn
pig. 8.
Th<
( 17 )
*^ The Scribes and Thar [fees of this ge- Seward^s
neration (I mean xh^ Learned Rabbi' s ^pag!iY
the Church of England) will perfecute the
Preachers and Followers of our Lord, j
Our Brother {JVhitefield) expeds to fufFer
many things, to be fet at nought by the
Rabbi's of our Churchy and perhaps at laft P^g. lu
to be kiltd by them.
The Scarlet ^whore of Babylon is not
more corrupt, either in principle, or prac- Pag. 45.
tice, than the Church of England, — A
fecond Letter againft the Traytor Arch^
bifljop Tilloifon, — fudas fold his Lord for
thirty pieces of Silver : the Archbijhop got
a better price, perhaps thirty bags oj gold^ ^^' ^'
or more".
For the Abufes of the Clergy from Mr.
We fey (which are not fo grofs^ but more
artful ) I refer the Reader to Mr. Church' i
farther Remarks, Pag. 1 o 5 — 198.
But what a wickednefs is it, to throw
out {o much gall of bitter nefs againft per-*
fons^ whofe chief Pov/er of doing any good^
and promoting the conunon Salvation^ de-
pends upon their CharaBer ? And how
much greater, to impute this black art of
Calumny to the Spirit y and Power given
from God ?
§. 6. But though thtk/lrolling Predicants
have allured fome itching earSy and drawn
them afide by calumniating their proper
D Taflors',
( i8 )
^djiors ; they have Senfe enough to know
the itch will go off, and their trade not
continue long, unkfs they can produce
fomething /lOvely. or uncommon ; what the
wandering Sheep have not been ufed to
in their Churches. Therefore they muft
find out, or ratlier revive fuch peculiarities^
as have formerly attended EnthuftafmSy and
are moft likely to captivate the Vulgar.
Hence their afFeded phrafes, fantaftical
and unintelligible notions, whimfical ftrid:-
iieiTes, loud exclamations againft fome tri-
fling and indifferent things ; which are
matters of Pxiere difcretion 3 things innocent,,
and perhaps fometimes iifefid ^ and only
jinful when carried into excefs. And great
zeal is here employed. Accordingly, if
diverfc particuiars of no great moment in
themfelves are here draw^n together -, 'tis
only to difcover that Family4ikenefs^ even
in the fmalkji features, which has diftin-
guifhed the Ejitbufiajh and pretended Pie--
tifts of all Ages ; particularly thofe nov/
under Comparifon. It may be fome trou-
ble to run over the whole Bead-roll of the
Saint's Rofary. But it will appear to con-
Sft of ten Ave Mary's to one Pater-^iofter :
i. e. abundance oi fooleries in proportion to
any fingle y^omX. profitable,
§. 7. The firft necefjary point for draw-
ing followers is to put on a fandlified ap-
pearance y
( 19 )
pearnnce 3 by a demure look, precife be-
haviour, in difcourfe or filence, apparel
and food ; and other marks of external
Piety. For which reafon Mr. Wejley very-
wifely made, and refiewed^ that noble
'' refolution, not willingly to indulge
himfelf in the leaft levity of behaviour,
or in laughter^ no, not for a momefii. — To
fpeak no word, not tending to the GZ?ry 2 Joum.
of God : and not a tittle of worldly things r P^S- 1^-
Which may ferve to ihew what ufeful
members of Society fuch perfons would
make ; though from human Infirmity the
Refolver himfelf has fometimes forgot his
vow. But perhaps he may be provoked
to a more exacl conduct, when he reads,
'^ how grievoufiy the Seraphic Mechtildis }^^f^
difciplin'd and tortur'd herfelf for having cap.\ 6.*
once fpoke an idle word ; and what a hei- Buiiar. Pii
nous Sin (he deem'd it to laugh : — that ^'^""'^•
not a word ever fell from St. Catharine of
Siennay that was not religious and Holy : —
That the lips of Magdalen of Pazzi w^re
never opened, but to chant th^ prai/es cf
God. — That a certain Aiiot refufed to
afiift his friend in getting his Ox out of a
quagmire, for fear of meddling with world- Marul.liK
/y tbi77zs ; — and a Monk would not difco- ^ ^^^ /'
1 ' r 1 r 1 1 r \ r 1 Dauroult.
ver a tmej that jtole a horje, becaule then cap. 7.
he muft {"^^dk. oi fecular matters''. Tit. So.
D 2 As
_ ( 20 )
As laughter is a faculty peculiar to the Hu-
man Species, the Refolution of a Religions
Melancholijt entirely to difcard it may be
reckon'd a little EJjay towards putting away
' the Properties of a rational Creature.
§. 8. At firft the Methodijls, as lajhew of
Humility., made it a point not to ride^ either
on Horfeback, or in a Coach : though occa-
fionally, and for Conveniency fake, they
have fince thought proper to deviate from
Dealing's their Rule. " I could no longer, fays Mn
^ eatings, ^/^/^^^/^^ ^.^[j^ oufoot, as ufual ; but was
conftrained to go in a Coach, to avoid the
Hofanna's of the Multitude." Very pro-
fane, unlefs it be a falfe print for Huzza's,
Conform. So was it one of St. ir^^^m's i?z//^^, ''ne-
foi. ,14, ver to ride, but only in Cafes of manifeft
''^- Neceffity, or Infirmity." St. Ignatius
Loyola, and his meek Society of J^T^/Vj, al-
ways walk'd on foot 5 and could never be
nir^efui"' ^"^^^'^ .^^ ^^^ ^"y ^^^^^ ^f Carriage, — To
"^^^^."^'ufe Chairs, and Chariots was a grievous
Sin, and abhor'd by the Society.""
§. 9. Upon the fame Account/;/^ Cloaths,
and rich Furniture, ftand abfolutely con-
demned-, though in many Cafes they may
be proper and right, as fuitable to People^s
Rank, Condition, and Station. And when
the Cynic, Diogenes, trod difdainfully upon
^fne Carpet of Plato' ^, faying, ' ' fee how I
trample
( 21 )
tmmple upon TIato's Pn{ie\ -^The Philo-
fopher iufdy anfvver'd, ' but with greater
* Pride of thy oim,'
Mr. JVeJley gives us this as the general Charaaer
Character of a Methodlft, '' He cannot ""^^^l^'
adorn himfelf, on any pretence^ with Gold^ No. 15'.
Or cojtly Apparel'" Hence he undertook
that unfuccefsful Difpute with a ^laker^
" v/ho could not be convinced of any harm - foumal
'' in coftly Apparel, or Furniture, fo that it page 58. '
'' were Plain,'',
" St. Francis would always wear Appa- Conform.
rel of the vileft fort • never any thing that ^"^^^ "J-^-
was Siunptiious 5 that being an exti?iBion of
Grace, — A certain Jefuit had fuch in-pranc.An-
fluence on the Ladies^ that they threw "^1. Jefuit.
away all their I'ain Garments^ and whatever^' ^^'^*
might help to fet off their Beauty''
St. IgnatiuSy by preaching powerfully g,j.^^iyj_
againfly?;?^' Cloaths, made the Women weep, taignat.
tear their Hair, and charming Faces, and P' ^'^^'
throw away their vain Ornaments, — Mag- Life, No.
d^alen of Pazzi^ when but a Child, would -•
rejedt all foft and delicate Clcathi?ig^ and
wear only what was coaffe and ugly.
§. 10. But oh! (as a part, or confe-
quence of this) how good, and Saint-like it
is, to go dirty, raggedy and fovenly ? And
how pioujly did Mr. " Whitefield therefore id journ,
take Care of the outward Man ? My Ap- ^^a. z.
parel was mean — thought it unbecoming a
Penitent
( 22 )
Penitent to have powder d Hair : — I wore
Woollen Gloves, a patched Gown^ and J/>/y
Shoesr
Rib-^den. Thus his PrcdecefTor in Saintjfhip " ^-
Vjt.lgnat. natius lov'd to appear abroad with old dirty
Shoes, us'd no Comh, let his Hair clot, and
would never pair his Nails, — A certain
Jefuit was fo holy that he had above a hun-
dred and fifty patches upon his Breeches,
and proportionably on his other Garments.
Franc. An — Another had almofl three hund^td patches:
nal. Jeruit. ^j^(j j^jg Garments after his Death were
35^.^ ' hung up to public View, as an incentive to
imitation J' And was there not a Reafon ?
Conform. For ^' St. Fraucis found by certiin expc-
fol.243. rience, that the Devils were frighted away
by coarfe rough Garments ; but were ani-
mated by foft Raiment to tempt the wearers.
And Friar Bartholomew hath laid it down
as a Ruky that Men muft have dirty Bodies,
if they would have pure Soids,''
§. II. Of this nature likewife is their
utter condemnation of all Recreation and
Diverfion, in every kind and degree, Mr.
iftDeal- Whitefield laments that, in his younger
*"^'^*'^' Days, *'he was not yet convinced of the
ahjolute tinlawfulnefs of playing at CardSy
and of reading and feeing Plays'", But
afterwards, in his Letter from New Briinf-
page 7. wick he declares, " that 7io Recreations,
confider'd as fuch, can be innocent. — I now
began
( 23 ) _
began to attack the Devil in \\\% Jlrongefl 4 Journal,
holds^ and bore Teftimony againft the de- ^' ^°*
tefliable DiveiTions of this Generation. —
Dancers pleale the Devil in every ftep — lb. p. -]-].
Some were very ftrenuous in defence of
what they call'd innocent Diver fions^ —
but are contrary to the "whole tenour of the
Gofpel : — not only fo many trifling Amufe- ^ journal,
ments, but Things v^^hich fhew that theP-5S>59-
Heart is ^ivholly ahenated from the Life of
God, — I hoped we had demolifhed Satan s Steward's
ftrongeil hold in Philadelphia-, the Dancing- J^'^'""- P-
School^ A(jemhltes, and Mufic-meetings^ thofe
Houfes of Baal
And v/hat fays the Fapijl ? " St. Do-
viinic f v/ho had fuch Power of Adjuration
over the Devil, as to compel him to anfwer
truly to all his Queftions) afked him what
was his Opinion concerning the place of
Recreations ; who anfwer'd, with a loud
and fcornful laugh, * all this Place is my Ribaden.
own : for here they tell impertinent News, "^" ''" ^
^c, — St. Ignatius by declaiming againft ^^if^^^'
Cards and Dice prevailed upon a whole p. X^q.
Town to throw them into the River :* — and
there was no more play there for three
Years.''
Our love of Recreations and Diverfons
has indeed confeffedly exceeded all bounds ;
and calls loudly for fome redrefs. But to
break out wildly againft every inftance and
degree of them, is the diredl way to render
our
( 24 )
our Complaints fruitlefs and ridiculous. It
has neither Reafon nor Scripture, to fup-
port it. But Moderation^ Reafon and Scrips
ture are Things unregarded by Enthiifiajis ;
who muft ad in Charader. They cannot,
they dare not allow any thing that carries
the name or face of Recreation and Chear^
fidnefs ', for fear of difperfing a little of that
black bile, that gloomy humour, which is
the moil: efjential Ingredient^ in their Re-
ligion.
§. 12. As to the fee?ning contempt of
Money, you may fee, if you pleafe, and
admire Mr. IVejley^ Declamatory rant ;
'' As to Gold and Silver I count it dung and
drofs : I trample it under my Feet. I
efteem it juft as the mire in the Streets,
— It muifl indeed pafs tlirough my Hands j
but (liall only pafs through : it ihall not
ifi Appeal ^^^ there. None of the Accurfed thing
Ko. i8. fi:ia!l be found in my 'Tent, when the Lord
calleth me hence, £ft\"
But even this falls fhort of St. Francis,
*^ He had fuch a deteflation of Money, that,
if by chance he found any in the way, he
would not permit himfelf, or Brethren, fo
much as to touch it. Once the Devil, to
tnfnare him, laid a Twrfe in his way,
fcemingly full o't Money, But he knowing
it was a DeviN trick ibthids his Companion
10 take it up : who ftrongly preffing to do
it
( 25 )
k for the (like of giving to the Poor^ St.^onform,
'Francis affcnted : and upon opening the^*^^"
Purfe out iiarts the Derail in the fhape of
a Serpent^ and fuddenly difappear'd^ Purfe
and all. — Hence he folemnly refolv'd to
ftick to Poverty as long as he liv'd.— ikfow^^fol 217^
was to him the mofl execrable of things ;
he gave it a hearty ciir[e^ and fled from it
as from the Devil, Ditng^ and Money ^ and
Satan were the fame Thing to him. — He
orders a Friar ^ who had placed in a Win-foi.219.
dow fome Money collected at the Altar ^
to take it in his Month, [for the Rule would
not permit to touch it with his Fingers^
and go out and throw it upon the dung of
an Afs.'' — St. Ignatius indeed (as well as
the Metbodifts) " would fometimes con- Bart. Vit.
defcend to accept of fome fmall pieces of ^"g^^*!*'
Money, to give to the Poor. — But St.
PbiL Neriics was fuch a lover of Poverty,
that he frequently befought Almighty God
to bring him to that State as to ftand in
need of a Penriy^ and find no body that Ribaden,_
would give him one." "^^Z^l 9".
The Profefjion of Poverty^ as well as
Chajlity^ is indeed the common Vow of all
the Monaflic Orders ; the Inflitution of
which is call'd the 7nojl perfeB State of Life.
But either by means oi papal Relaxations
and Indulgencies^ or their own carnal Af-
feBions^ both thefe Vows are commonly
obferv'd alike. One ConjiitiUion of the fe^
E fiiits
C 26 )
fuitsm particular is — Food, Raiment, and
Conft. 25/Bed of the vileft fort, for their gYt^lQV fpi-
ritual Profxie?2C)\
^. 13. Another bait to catch Admirers,
and very common among Enthiijiajh, is a
reftlefs impatience and inlatiable thirft of
travellings and undertaking dangerous Vcy-
a^esy for the Converfion of Infidels 5 toge-
ther with a declared Coyiterapt of all dangers^
pains, and Sufferings. They muil defire^
lo-ce and pray for ill Ufage, Perfccution:,
MarUrdom^, Death and lielh
Accordingly, our Itinerant Metkodifis arc
fond of expreffing their Zeal on this Ac-
count. Mr. IVhitefield, fays, ''when Letters
came from Meffrs. Wefieys, and Ingham,
their Fellow-Labourer, — their Accounts
fired my Soid, made m.e even lo-ng to go
abroad for God too : — though too v/eak ia
body — I felt at times fuch a ftrong Attrac-
tion in my Soul towards Georgia^ that E
thought it almoft irrcfijtible. — The
Thoughts of it crowded continually in upon
me.— Upon reading this {Letters from
Partner abroad for jnore Labourers) my Heart leaped
Dealings, ^yithln me, and as it 'WC7r ecchoed to the
\i^,\%^' Call : — was impatient to go abroad.''
Mr. Wefiey fcts forth pathetically ^ and
not without feme Degree of ijifult on the
rcgidar Minificrs who ftay at home, - — •
*'' their Defire of going on in toil, in wea-
rinefs-
( 27 )
rinefs, in painfulnefs, in cold and hunger,
— Summer-fun, and winter-rain and wind.,,
upon the naked head 3 perils by land,
perils by water,; — hurried away to America^
— a readinefs to go to Abyjjinia or China.
And much more in the Spirit of rambling
Sifff-eri?igs^ and Martyrdom J '
But all this only fliews the natural un-
fettled humour, the rapid motion of En-
ihufiajlic heads. And we may affure them
that the zealous impatience^ and real wand-
rings and fufferings of Popijh Fanatics^ are
by all Accounts greatly fnperior, " Oh ! Life^N©.
how many times have the Nuns feen their 5°-
Sifler of Pazzi drunk with Zeal for the
Can ver lion of Sinners and Irifidels. — run
about the Cloyflers and Gardens^ and other
places^ bemoaning herfelf that fhe was not
a Man — to go abroad^ and gain erring
Souls."
The Wind-mill is indeed in all their
Heads. And in fa^ 'tis almoft incredible
what Miferies were endur'd by St. Francis^
in his Heroic Voyage to convert the Sultan
of Egypt y in that of St, Anilmiy into
Africa^ to convert the Moors^ and of St,
Ig72atius to convert the Turks: Exploits
much more dangerous and terrible than a
Voyage to the Weft-Indies^ &cc.**
As to their love of difgrace ; it mull
fairly be owned, in a great meafure, to
be true, Otherwife they would never have
E z Tu
( 28 )
Publijled that CoIIccHqji of their cum Fool-
eries and faults, extravagant v/himfies, and
prefumptions, pretenfions, &c, in their
'journals. —
Sometimes indeed we find Mr. Wejley
bitterly and feelingly complaining " of the
Sccffs, both of the Great Vulgar^ and the
fmall ; contempt and reproach of every
kind ; fometimes more than verbal affronts,
ftupid, brutal violence ; — and (in a moft
elegant flyle) from the Scum of Cornwal,
ike rabble of Bilfton a72d Darlefton, the
/pp/pag. 'zcvY^ beafts of Walfal, and the Turnkeys of
119, 13^- New^gate". But, at other times, the note
is changed^ — *' and with regard to con-
tempt, hate, calumny, Ferfecution^ &c.
— till he is thus defpifed, no man is in
a State of Salvation, — Being defpifed is
abfolutely neceffary to our doing good in
3 journ. the world. — God forbid that you Hiould
P- 35—7- be otherwife than generally fcandaloiis 5 I
^^' had almoft fiiid iiniverfally\
3 Journ. " Mr. Whitefield rejoices exceedingly at
P- 45- the thought, that they fhould one day be
fent to Prifon, — Refreflied with the news,
that the Landlord would not let us flay
under his roof 3 — and at the fv/eets of op-
pofition ; — receiving a blow from a Cud-
4 Journ. gel-player with the utmoft love'\ Again,
p. 8. he- is quite in hafte for Terfeciition^ call-
ing upon the Devil to bring it on. " The
hour of Perfecution is not yet come. I
k really
( 29 )
really wonder it comes no fafter. Satan^ 4 Journ.
why Jlecpejl thour' ^''^/^'
Mr. Seimrd - trufts that, for the Brr- ^^^^-P^^'
threij^s Hike, he could leap into a burning
Jiery furnace^ without fear of the flames,
which would ferve as a fiery Chariot to
carry his Soul to God",
l^he f\me love of contempt, abufe and
injury ; the fame arde?2t thirft after Perfe-
cution and Martyrdom pofTcffed their Com-
petitors in propagating true Religion,
" St. Francis wiflies, and gives orders, ^^"^^''^^
that he may be difgraced by all. He ^o/Rjb'a-
was not able to reft for the burning defire den. pag.
oi Martyrdom" , ^62.
St. Ignatius defired to be mock'd, and
laugh'd at by all ; — in the fervour of his
mind would have gone about the fl:reets
naked, and like a fool ; that the boys of
the Town might have made fport with
him, and thrown dirt upon him. — St. Ribaden,
Dominic defired to be contemned, and pag. 535-
trampled upon by all the world j — took
great pleafure in vifiting the Villages^ where
he was affronted and abufed j — had a
longing to die for Chrijl by the moft ex- ^^^'^; P^^'
quifite and bitter pains. — St. Anthony
moft earneftly begged of Almighty Gody the ibid. pag.
favour and grace oi Martyrdom. 393-
The zealous Magdalen of Pazzi made a Life
Protefiaticn to delight in contempt arid con- ^^40.
fufion^ as God delights in himfelf. For
<' that
( 30 )
"^ that confufion is iny Centre ^ as God is his
cuon Centre,
St. 'Terefa ftrongly burns for Martyr-
dom at Jix or y^i;^;; years of age ^ — and
afterwards for many years had wifhed,
that her whole hfe were full of Sufferings
Ibid- psg. and Perfecr.tions. And the yefuits have,
' ' 'in an eipeclal manner, with great alacrity
devoted themfelves (and I wifh they had
never devoted any but themfelves) to the
VYzncAn-fMmeSy th^fword, or any fpecies of Perfe-
xial.p. i4.cution".
'Tis obvious here to remark, — how
httle the Aiethodijh know of their ow?i
Spirits^ and what danger they would be in
oi failing (which may be proved too in
fah ) in a fnffering hour : — - That they,
who are of fuch an iinfteady temper, and
fo often fall into fears^ de'jeBions^ defers
tions^ defpondcjicies^ &c, are fome of the
laft men living that ihould be fo impor-
tunate for expofing themfelves : — And
that this condu6l may well be looked upon
as a falfe ojtefitatmi of zeal^ and high pre^
fumption in any of the moft fteady Chrif-
tians ', feeing the Lord hath commanded
* to watch and pray, left ye enter into
Temptation ; to pray, that God would not
lead us into Temptation, but deliver us
from evil ', and, when ye are perfecuted in
one Cityy fly unto another'.
( 31 )
§. 14. The pious cruelty of Corporal
Severities, or mortification by tormenting
the flefh, is another common method of
gaining a reputation for SanBity, Such as
long and rigorous faftings ; gafliing and
flaying the body with fcourges, and thofe
armed with rowels and £l:iarp tags 5 rolling -
naked in thorns and thirties, G?c. The
accounts we have of thefe unnatural ex-
ercifes among PopiJJo Fanatics are of that
nature and degree, as fcarce to be credit-
ed, or exceeded \ and what our own D//^
ciplinariam cannot, in any tolerable mea-
fure, pretend to come up to. Something
however of this kind we have from their
own relation.
Mr. Whitefield fays of the Methodijfs in /• ^eal-
general at Oxford^ that " they kept their ^"^^" ^'^*
bodies under, even to an extreme, — And
of himfelf, — though I fometimes fell in- y
X.0 Senfuality \ — I left of reating fruits, and
the like ; — I faded twice a week. — In
Le7it eat nothing (except on Sunday) but
[age tea w^ithout fugar, and coarfe bread,
— eat the word fort of food y conftantly
walked out in the mornings, till part of
one of my hands was quite black. This,
with continued abftinencc and inward con-
flii^s, fo emaciated my body, — that I
could fcarce creep up flairs, — and wasib. Sea. 2.
obliged to have a Fhyfician\^
Under
( 32 )
Builar. Under fuch a high principle of mortifi-
''°'-^\, cation, *' St. Bridget refolved to eat no-
^* ' thing but bread and water, and (becaufe
that was not bitter enough) would needs
hold Gentian-root commonly in her mouth.
gj.g^^ . — St. Alcantara chofe wormwood for his
Rom. diet. — A Francifan would always dip
mu" Fol. l^is bread in wormwood-water. — St. Francis
64. of Rome would eat bitter herbs without
Ribaden. -yy
St. Ignatius was always exercifing fuch
kind of aujierities, and always dangerouf-
ly ill by them. He, and many others,
brought themfelves to death's door ; and
were compelled to have recourfe to Thy-
ficians and Surgeons.
Mr. Wejley oftentatioufly boafls, ' of
bearing heat and cold on the naked head,
rain and wind, froft and fnow, as fome of
Laft App theiryk^//^ inconveniencies'. — And ano-
pag. 119. ther time he tells us, ' Our bed being
wet, I laid me down on the floor ^ and
flept found till morning. And I believe
I {hall not find it needful to go to bed^ as
1 journ. *tis called, any more". But his old Friends
jan.^ 30, Q^t.fli-ip hin^^ St. Ignatius ufed no other
bed than a boards or the bare growid. St.
liominic the fame ; and fifty others of the
chojen AnticbrijUan Saints.
St. Francis happening once to ufe a
pillow^ on account of illnefs, the Demi
got into his pillow^ and made him uneafy
all
53-
( 33 ) ^
all night. But upon his ordering the />//- Confo^-
loWy with the Devi/ in it, to be carried "^' ' ^^'
away, he prefently recovered".
Whether Mr. Wejley has not went to
I?ed fince that time others may know as
well as himfelf. But 'tis eafy to forefee,
that in fome future Cale?2dar, or Legend of
the Saints^ with what probability it may
be inferted, Jan. 30, 1735. * From this
day Mr. J, Wejley never went to bed any
more ; but always lay on the bare ground^
in imitation of the Saints^ Ignatius^ Fran-
cis^ &c.'
And however ridiculous or improbable
this may be thought ; I am fully per-
fuaded that /7/^;/y, if not mojl^ of the
Stories^ with which the Pope's Religious
Romances are fluffed, have been raifed upon
a Jlighter fciindation. Other inftances of
this nature will come afterwards.
But hov^ever that may happen ; the
Apofilcy I am fure, condemns, as ujelefs and
fiiper/litioiis^ that a.:^tiyict cco{/,ct70iy the not
/paring of the body. And it has frequently
proved nothing lefs than Self-fmirther.
But 'tis requifite this voluntary falfe fhew
of humility fhould be fometimes kept up,
that common Chrijtians may be thought to
walk according to the flefl^ ; and the ncm^
Reformers alone be prefumed as followers
of an abftemious and Spiritual life,
F §, 15.
( 34 )
§. 15. To theie fufferings may be added-
— the ftraggles and pangs of the 72ew
birth, almoft to^^jLiX to \ht torments of Hell y.
— dereliffions, terrors^ defpairings, com-
bats with Saia?2, &c\ Of v/hich more in
the Sequel.
A word or two at prefent of their will-
ingnefs, and ardent delire to endure pam-
and torment y even Hell itfelf for the Love
of God^ and advancement of his Glory.
Among fome Enthiifiaftic Ranters^ Pa-
ptftical Myftics, and others, fuch an ex-
ceffive and difmterefted hove of God has
been infiiled on, as Ihould oblige us to
love him.j though w^e were fure of being
damned 'j and even to keep up that love
during the whole eternal State of damiia*
tion.
As I have been no great dealer in fuch
Authors, I fhall let the Jefuit Niere?nberg
De Ado- fpeak for all ; who makes this a neceiiary
cao. s'^' '' GonfeJJion of a true Penitent. *^ I would
willingly for the lighteft and moft venial
Sin fufter the torments of Helly — and even
for another's Sin. — I dejire to go to Helly
and he at the feet of Lucifer^ JudaSy &c.
But am fo great a Sinner, as to be unworthy
even of a place there. — There is ?w per-*
^>b. 3. fe^ Love, or repentance, unlefs for the
^''^' ^' leaft Sin you are willing to bear the tor-
tures oj Hell".
Mr..
{ 35 )
■ Mr. We/ley plainly adopts this doclrine
for his own, when he fa3'S, *' I was fur- pj^^g"*
prifed to find one of the moft controvert-
ed Queflions in Divinity, difaiterefted LovCy
decided by a poor old man, v/ithout edu-
cation, or learning, or any inftrudor ; but
the Spirit of God, I asked him what he
thought of Fnradife ? — He faid, to be
fure, it is a fine place. But I do not
mind that. I do not care what place I
am in. Let God put me ipjhere he will,
or do with me what he will, fo I may
fet forth his honour and glory".
One might here obferve, how eafy a
thing it is for perfons, who deem them-
felves Favouf'ites of Heaven, in the heat of
imagination to talk at this rate. But does
the DoBrine of Afjurances convince them,
that they could dwell in Everlafting bur?!"
ingSy without complaining, or any abate-
ment of the Love of God ? And befides,
how idle is it to be putting an impoJHbk
cafe J and to fuppofe it corififtent with the
glory of God, his efjential good?iefs, and
good^iefs to mankind^ that any true Penitent
and true hover of God fliould finally be
condemned to Hell-torments'?
Mr. Wefley in that exorbitant flrain,
4 Journ.
T>oom, if thou canft, to eiidkfs painSy
And drive me from thy face ^
F 2 feems
( 36 )
leems daringly and prefumptuoufly to bid
defiance to the power or Juftice of God.
^'^2 37- But in his Anfwer to Mr, Church he ex-
plains himfelf thus ; " If thou can'ft de-
ny thyfelf, if thou can'ft forget to be gra-
cious, if thou can'ft ceafe to be truth and
!ove\ All thefe amiable Attributes it
feems mufl be forfeited, if Heaijeji could
doom to punifliment fuch a precious Soul.
But this explanation of his looks like eva-
fwfty and could fcarce be his original mean^
Ing : But God's power ^ or juftice muft be
intended -, becaufe he fpeaks of God's
Love, in the very next lines, by way of
dijiinBiofi^ or as the oppojite altemmtive^
But ij thy ftronger love conjlrains^
Let me be faved by Grace,
§. 1 6. We find other expreffions and
notions, which imply either a Stoical in-^
fenfihility under pain and torture 5 or elfe
a deflre of them ; not the leaft defire of
having them removed^ or ajjuaged^ though
felt in the highell degree. As that of Mr.
IVefiey, produced for " ^n inftance of that
XlT'lo, ftrange truth, ih^^t the fervaitts of God fuffer
\u nothing, — I dined with one, who told me
in all fimplicity, ' Sir, I thought laft week
tPiere could be no fuch rcfi as you defcribe^
none in the world, wherein we fhould be
fo free as not to defire cafe in pain* But
God
( 37 )
God has taught me better. For on Friday
and Saturday^ when I was in the firongeft
pairiy I never once had one moment's defire
ofeafe'\
Mr. Wejley^ having difcourfed of this,
and defcribed it to the perfon concerned,
fufficiently lliews it to have been his
dodrine. Let us fee if it cannot be paral-
lelled from the Papacy,
*' St. Francis vifited with the moft grie-
vous fufFerings would by no means allow
them to be called pains-, and throv^ing
himfelf on the ground with a violence,
that almoft broke his bones, begs of G(?i^;^"^''^"'
to addx.o bis fufFerings an hundred fold ^ — i^.' ^^^*
deiires a continuance and reneival of tor- ^ r
1 7 r ' t 7 J' Confor-
ment, — and even to dejpair and derelic- m\t. Foi.
tion''. — At another time, hovi^ever, he is 4^, 4^-
in a quite different m.ood -, and his zeal
tempered with prudence^ when a real and
very fenfible torture was before his eyes.
For '' being obliged to undergo a Caute-
rizing for a difeafe in his eyes, he was fo
frighted v/ith the Sight of the red-hot iron^
that he commanded the iron in the name
of Chrift fo to temper its heat, that he
might jfe;^^//)' feel the burning. And v/hen
the hijfing iron was plung'd into his ten-
der flefh, he cried out exultingly, * Bleffed
be God', for to fay the truth, the burning ^^^^•
fire gave me no moleflation, nor did any F°!!Jcirc.
pain of the flefh affed: me, oa. lo.
St,
( 38 )
Bartol. St. Ignatius felt and experienced the
Vit.ignat. ^1^^^^^^ of regeneration to be as bad as
Tit'ssa Hell; and yet is all on fire to promote
God's glory, though at the lofs of all the
earth, and even Heaven,
Ribaden. St. Tcvefa was under great aridifies^ for
FS-799- 2 2 years; yet never in all that time did it
come into her thoughts to defire more com-
fort, and fhe asked of the Lord, that fhe
might never be v^ithout pain. She even
bore the pangs of the new birth for ano-
ther, a new Convert ; ' v^ho having at her
perfuafion left certain abominable Sins, but
fuch Temptations frill remaining, that he
knew himfelf to be in Hell-, — She be-
fought the Lord to aiiuage the pains of
that poor Soul ; and that the Devils, who
were the caufes of it, might come and
torment her. — And (lie fuffered for the
fpace of a month the mojt furious and
Ibid, fir ange pains, — And we have a Fope's Bull
to affure us, that Catharine of Sienna was
Eullar. often fo carried beyond herfelf, that when
Vol. i. prick'd, or beaten, flie had not the leaft
I^'2-29i-/^^//;;^of pain".
M, Magdalen of Pazzi (a Canonized
Saint) carries this point fo far, that " Ihe
defires and entreats her Saviour to grant
her fuch a fuffering as is pure gall, the
bottom of the cup mixed with wormwood,
myrrh and vinegar, which he drank on
the Crofsj without the leaft confolation ei-
ther
( 39 )
ther from Heaven or earth, — And flie re-
peated often, ^ I am not forward and in
haft to go to Paradife ^ for that is not a gee her
place of ftifferingy but delight. This, in Lire.
my opinion, is what is '^joanting i?i the State ^^^' ^
cf the Bk[jU\
With refpedl to all tliis patient enduring^
or rather love of hardlliips, dangers, pain,
&c, — it hath been remarked by learned
Authors^ that fome perfons from* conjtitii^
tional temper and complexion have even
been fond of bearing the worft that could
befall them ; could not be eafy and con-
tented without them : — that otiiers from
a flurdy kiirnour and pertinacious refolution,
egg'd on by the force of education, emu-
lation, a point of honour or obflinate pride,
have brought themfelvcs to make light
of the moft exquifite fufterings and tor-
tures; fcarce feeming to feel them, and
even laughing at them : — That when £;/-
thiijiafm comes in, in aid of this natural or
acquired fturdinefs; and Men fancy they
are upon God'i work^ and entitled to h.is
rewards ; they are immediately all on fire
for ruihing into fufterings and pain ; and
forrow is turned into joy before them. The
Iblid and juft comforts, v^^hich a true Mar-
tyr receives from above are groundielly
applied to the Counterfeit,
And, at beft, whatever degree of 7nerit
our Mcthodifs may clain) on this fcorc;
all
( 40 ) _
:J! is but an humble imitation of the
moft Fafiatical Deceivers in the moft cor-
7'upt Commimion in the Chrijlian world.
It may moreover be obferved^ that
both antient and modern Ejithiifiaft s al-
ways take care to fecure fome advantage
by their Sufferings 5 and thereby prove
their Love of God not fo very difmterefted.
For they brag of receiving larger favours^
and freer' Conimunicatiom with God under
their preffures, or have fuller Manifefta-^
tio?2s of his goodnefs immediately after.
And efpecially their chief Security lies in a
pretended arrival, or approach to a State
of PerfcBion^ and to an Affurance of Sal-
vation. And v^ho then fhall be afraid ?
A man need not much fcruple throwing
out fome expreffions of a readinefs to un«
dergo pains equal to Hell^ or Hell itfelf ;
who is afiired, knows and feels that he is
going into PerfeBion^ and may depend
upon Salvation.
§. 17. But previous to this elevated
State, (that we may not wander too far
from the Saijifs progrefs) comes their Con-
'verfim ; which, as another inftancc of Fa-
natical peculiarities^ they reprefent ':L^fudden
and inftantaneous ; and prepare their FoU
lowers to expeft it.
And
( 41 )
, And though I do by no Means deny that
the Holy Spirit may, or fometimes doth, by
fome extraordinary Adl of Grace, throw
fuch a light and influence on the Mind of
Man, as fuddenly to arrefl him, as it were,
in the midft of a wicked and unbelieving
courfe : Yet furely this is not to be ex-
peded of courfe ; the ordinary Method of
Heaven being that of drawing us by gradual
M^ans, good Education and Initru(fLion \
improvements by Learning, Reading and
Studying the Holy Scriptures; which di- /
reft, in an honcft and good Heart, to/
^ grow i?i Grace, and build up ourf elves irv
our holy Faith 3 and not prefume that v/e
fhall ftart up perfeB Men at once."
Thus " Faith, and being borji of God:, We/ley,
are faid to be an Inflantaiieous work, at 2 Jo^^n.
once, and in a tnoment, as lig-ht-ning-, yulti- \^^' !^'
jication, the lame as Regeneration, and hav-
ing a livi72g faith,— in\^ always in a moment, xb. p. 39.
— My being born of God was an Inftanta-
neous ad, enabling me from that moment to
be more than Cojiqueror over thofe Corrup- 3 journa?,
tions, which before I w^as always a fiave to. P- J^-
— Very many Perfons chang'd in a mo-
ment, — always fuddenly, as far as I have lb. p. 49.
known. —
By the Words, being faved by Faith, ^TiAppi.
we mean, that in the moment a Man re- ^^^' ^'''
ceives that Faith, be is fav'd from doubt,
G fear,
(42)
fear, forroiv, from all his Sins, vicious
Defires, &c,''
And how ftands the cafe of Topiflo En-
Rrb".der. thufiafts as to this Article? ^' After St.
pag. 750. f^.^^ja had long tried to be Holy to no pur-
pofe, the Lord of hearts did it all m a mo-
ment y and (he was from that time effedtu-
ally changed. ■ —
St. Ignatius, by a fiidden light receives
Faith, and the complete Pej^feBion of Di-
vine Sand:ity : — fo that he rifeth up a 7jew
Orland. ]^an—2i pcrfeB Man in Chrijt.^ — The fame
fuit.hb^'i. ^^int, by a vifit from the Virgin Mary and
cap. 22. "Jejiis Ckrift, has all Images of obfcurity
fui'T^' wiped from his Heart, and from that i7jftant
Kbaden, finds no morc any fenfe of Luft. — Another
P^S- 391- of their Converts is iiiftantly dehver'd from
Concupifcence by putting on St. Anthony's
Garment. — St. Conrade^ a Domiizican^ after
having cruelly difciplin'd himfelf to extin-
guifh his irregular Emotions, by the Virgin
Mary's, coming, and anointing his Reins,
never more felt the Thorn in the Flejh. —
TJallngh. Tho?n. Aquinas had a ^cijion of Angels bind-
ing his Loins, and thence forward had not
Brev. the leaft feeling of Concupifcence. — And I
mT- could produce feven or eight of his Holi-
nefs's, Sai^its^ who Vv^ere cur'd of the fame
defire by vijioiis of Angels appearing, and
caitrating them with proper Inftruments.*'
It
( 43 )
tt muft indeed be confefs'd, that moH of
the above mention'd Inftantanecii^ Converfio72S
were from carnal ConcupifceijceMut unfortu-
nately, no fuch violent Meafures have been
taken with fome of our eminent McthodiftSy
and their behaviour has been fuch, as to
hinder the Comparifon frorii tallying in this ..
particular.
§. 1 8. After thefe fiiddcn Cojiverjions ufj-
ally they receive their Ajjiirances of S ah a- j
tion ;— and thefe (as alfo the proofs of their '
Co?2verfon) are certainly kjiown^ beard ^ feen •
or felt 'y they can afcertain the particular
time and place of their receiving them j as
fo many Seals of the Spirit,
" All this while I was afjurd God had 7;''^^*-
forgiven me. — It is a dreadful mifcake to \z^^^i^,
deny the Dodrine of Afjuranccs : — all
ought to labour after it.— I know numbers,
whofe Salvation is written upon their hearts,
as it were with a Sim-beatn, — Prayer for
Ajjlirance oj eternal Salvation. — Oh ! (fays '^- P- ^^*
another) I cannot be freed from doubting, ^'
till I have more Infallible Afjurances : — ^ ,pi ^^
till I bear Chrift fpeaking to me, fo that I Whitfield's
may be fenfible in that very hour^ that it is ^^^'^\ ^
he that fpeaketh." L. p. 2.
Then for Mr. Wejley^ " I felt Faith in ^ Journal,
Chri/iy and an Afjurajice was given me, P^S- 3o-
that he had taken away my Sins, even 7nine,
—The ufual method of the Spirit is to give
•G 2 at
( 44 )
at one and the fame time the forgivefiefs of
Sins, and the Jull AJ]ura?2ce of that forgive-
2 lourn. ri^fs : yet thefe not always given together.
p, '60. — In that moment (fays a Moravian) I be-
held the Lamb of God taking away my Sins.
Jb. p 66. ^i^d from that time I have had Kedemption^
c
74
^ee?-/^» -^nd full j^/Jiira?2ce of it, — admitting 720
doubt, or Jear, — My Si/ier receiv'd the
- Jcurn. Atonement on St, Peter's Day, — At that
P^g-^7- hour ont v/ho had long continued in Sin,
from a dejpair of finding mercy, receiv'd a
pill clear fenfe of his pardoning love, and
lb. p. 42. pocii^er to fin no ?j2ore. One Perfon could
Seward's neither eat, nor fleep, nor read, till Cbrift
journ.p9. haJ afured him of his Salvation"'
Bonaven- By Way of Parallel to thefe Trefumptu-*
tur. Vit. ^^j i7naginatio22S, we read, that St. Francis^
cap.'s. & bewailing his Sins in the bitternefs of his
Conform, heart, was by the Holy Ghojt fully certified
346.^^' ^^ ^^-^^ ple72ary remifjion of all his Sins. —
And once deiiring a Barber to fiave him
gratis, for the love of God, the Barber re-
Conforin. fus'd, till the Sai?2t had given him full af
Fol. 238. furance of Salvation,— Anothei' holy manjelt
himfelf lo vehemently mov'd and illumi-
Mannlfel natcd, that many fecrets of God were re-
H.rt. pag. ^,^^/y ^Q j^lj^^ ^^^ YxQ was certified of his
forglvenefs and Salvation. — AJefuit, who
had much commerce with God a?2dthe Saints,
was afjur'd of his Salvation before the Image
of the Virgin Mary, by an interior voice ;
filling him with fo much joy, that he
could
(45 )
could fcarce contain himfelf. And another Franc.
had all poffible Security of it/' ^""- J^'
288, 417.
§. 19. No marvel then, if the Prefump-
iion'nitth ftill higher into a fancy o{ Per- -^
JeBion, an unfmning State and iinfpotted^
while other wretched mortals lye grove-
ling in the mire of Vice, or at leaft in an
imperfeB way. To fuch a high -flown
pitch may a frantic Imagination be carried.
This conceited notion feems, in a great
nicafure, to have crept into Mefhodifm from
the Moravian Secfl 5 one of whom tells Mr.
Wejley, '' I received that rjitjiefs of the Spi- 2 Jo'^™-
rit, that///// ajjiirance of Faith, which is a P'^' ^"^^
deliverance from every flefiily defire, and
fi'om every outward and inv/ard Sin."
Other Moravians tell him, '' The moment
a man is jiiflified he is a ne^.v Creature ; yet
ftill remains the old heart, corrupt and abo-
minable. — Is there then (fays Wejley) cor-
ruption in your heart ? Yes, there is corrup-
tion in my old man, but not in my ne^u)
man, — This fort of corruption they affirm
to be the Experience of the Moravian
Church, But Mr. Wejlef^ People declare
their Experiences to the contrary (viz.)
that Corruptions are taken away 5 — Mr.
Wejley urgeth, « was there then inward
Corruption in our Lord? or, cannot the
Servant be as his Mafter ?" — It muft be
cjwn'd, that xMr. IVePy contends againft
the
(46)
the Moravlam for the ufe oi external means ^
for Frayer^ Sacraments^ reading the Scrip-^
tiircy &CC, And for this reafon he fays,
** I met with a furprifing inftance of the
Tower of the Devil -^ Mrs. J — s on a fud-
den threw away the Bible y faying ; 1 am
good enough. I will never read, or pray
more. — I don't defire to be any better than
I am. — I am fav'd.— I ail nothing ; fhe
fpoke many things to the fame effect,
-->_ plainly fhewing that the Spirit of Pride
4Tourn. ^"^ ^^ -^^^^ ^^^ ^^^1 Dominion over
pag. 66. her.''
I fhall make a few JlriBures upon this
Article, By that fiibtle diJUnSiicn of the
Moravians we may be drawn into a conceit,
that any Perfon may indeed Sin^ and be
obnoxious to Divine wrath^ when he con-
siders only the old man in him ; but by
pleading that his new man is innocent and
guiltlefs^ he is in no danger. Juft as if one
among ourfelves fliould allow himfelf to
Jwear^ or drink^ as he is a Gentleman ; but
not as he is a Clergyman,
In the difpute whether or no Corruptions
are taken away^ Experiejtcies are produced
on both fides of the Queftion : we have
'Experiences againft Experiences -, thofe of
the Moravians againfl thofe of the JVefleyans.
Which tallies exadly with the Revelation
and Miracles alledg'd by both Parties among
the Tapijis^ in their grand Controverfy
between
( 47 )
between the 'Dominicans and Fr and [cans y
concerning the Immaculate Conception of the
Virgin Mary.
Again; the Moravians have no regard to
outward fforksy Prayer, Sacrament, &c.
but yet are zealous for fome remainders of
Corruption neceffarily fticking to us. The
Wejleyans contend ftrongly for outward
Works ', but at the fame time are eagerly
maintaining the poffibility of an iinfinning
TerfeBion. A rare choice, take which you
pleafe.
Mr. Wefiefs Text of Scripture brought
in proof of fuch a perfefl: ftate (cannot the
Servant be as his Majler?) is evidently
mi [applied. For it relates only to outward
Sufferings^ which our Lord's Dijciples were
to undergo as well as himfelf -, but has no
relation to freedom from inward Corruption^
to a finlefs Perfeciion ; which belongs to
Chrift alone. But on this head I refer the '
Reader to Mr. Church'^ Remarks on V/efley^
Journal, page 30 — and 60. — Efpeciaiiy to
jF^rZ/^^T Remarks, page 11 4. —
But not to forget our Parallel 'Tis faid Erev.Fr.
« I U I " I
in the Pcpifrj Liturgies of St. Francis (and conform.
indeed oi feveral others) ' This man Foi. 89,5.-
tranfgreiTed not one jot or tittle of the '^''''
Gojpel'y — t\\2iX. Ada7n did not Sin inhim-,
he being fo perJeB, And this purity of
bis is given as a reafon why he fometimes
appears in public fa?'k naked ^ without
being
( 4:8 )
being afhamedy for had he been polluted]
Fd^r-^: he muft have had fome fenfe of fiame. —
' ' His twelve Jpoftles too (v^hom he chofe
in imitation oi .Chrift) tranfgreffed not a
Trithem. tittk of the GofpcL Noi did Adajn fin in
^h' ^5^4- St. EG72aventiire'\
" The Fratricelli^ or little Brothers^ a
branch of the Francifcans^ ftifHy main-
tained the Dodrine of PerfeBion ; affert-
ing, that a man may in this life attain to
fo great perfedion, as to live without Sin 5
— and then he is above Ordinances in
Church and State''. See Stillingfleet of
Idolatry. Page 255. —
Almoft all the Sai?2ts and Founders of
their Societies and Orders gained the Sum-
mit of Evangelical "FerfeBion : as a foun-
dation for ?72erit, and adoration. Nor do
I fee but that their modern Imitators may
one day or other be advanced to thefe
infolent claims.
§. 20. And where will thefe bold En--
thufiafts flop ? For we find them next
fearing above the earth, taking a flight to
Heaven^ and ftealing thence the facred
light and fire ; in order to compafs efieftu-
ally their own, and other's delufion- No-
thing lefs than Infpirations^ Revelations^
IlluminatiofiSy and all the extraordinary and
immediate aBions of all the Perfons in
the Sacred Trinity will ferve their turn.
So
( 49 )
So that now every flcifi of zeal and den)o^
tion 3 every 'wild pretmfion^ fcheme^ tenet ^
and over-bearing dilate ; impidfes^ im-
preffiG?2S, feelings, impetuous Tranfports and
Raptures', intoxicating valours and fumes
of Imagination ; Phantoms of a crazy brain ^
and uncouth effedls of a diflemperd mind^
or body 5 their fleepifig, or waking dreams ;
their actions and pafficns, &cc, — all are af-
cribed with an amazing Prejumption to
the extraordinary interpofition of Heaven^
fctting its Seal to their Miffton. In fhort,
whatever they think, fay, or do, is from
God, and whatever oppofeth, and ftands
in their way, is from the DeviL
Here we have the true Spirit, and
very Efence of Enthuflafm, that unground-
ed pretence to Infpiration -, which of courfe
makes men peremptory and pertinacious,
fets them above car72al reafonings, and all
convidion of plain Scripture ; and oblig-
eth them upon their own Principles to af-
fume an Infallibility. This is what the
whole Tribe of Fanatics have caught hold
of, as the moft fpecious Engine to delude
the credulous, fimple and unwary, and
what is neceffary for carrying on their En-
terprifes in the moft dextrous and fure
manner. For though Enthufiafm may
fometimes, or ufually, fet out with an in-
nocent and well-meaning hearty yet fuch
a fimplicity is of no long continuance :
H Proje^s
\ y
(50)
Projecfs increafe, and oppofition arifetb 5
and then it quickly takes to its affiftance
the feveral artitices of management and
eraft.
PRESENCES, &c.
§. 21. The ipecial and extraordinary
^refences of God lb much boafted of by
the Methodifts^ efpecially Mr. Whitefield,
are almoft v^^ithout number : So that 'tis
needlefs to mention particulars. Such as,
*' The Prejence of the Lord was with me
wonderfully : — I felt more than common
of the Divine Pr^/t';2(:^ ; — Felt an efpecial
Prefence of God in my private bufinefs'^j
But they fometlmes give us fuch gj'-cfs
accounts, and fuch ftrong expreflions, as
if God were perfonally attending upon them
in a vijihle and corporal manner.
Letters. << Qod was indeed there, riding in the
Congregation, and breathing life and cou-
rage into his Lambs. — ^efus has been with
me much to-day ^ — at another time he was
with me on the road: — but Oh! how was
he with me at Ahergave?i?iy? — I en-
treated him to meet again, and he ca?ne'\
Orlandin. In like manner, *' Brother Ledefma (a
(Uifp^^' y^'^^^O ^^'^'^ ^^^ mind flrongly confirmed by
a.pag, 15 frequent experiences of God's indulgences.
God
( 50
God was with him at Cohgn, then at
Aiifburg, then at BruJJels^ next at Rof?2e.
More grofly ftill. *' In the morning,
fays Mr. Whitefield^ I talked with God in
the garden, as a man t-alketh with his
friend". And would you have the Coun-
terpart of this ? " St, Patric abfolutely Meffing-
refufed to go forth to preach, till the Lord'^^'^'^'''^^-
met him face to face ; — and the Lord
did fo, — Chrijt fpoke to the beloved face Brev. Mo-
of St, Gertrude, as a man is wont to^^l^^^^^'
/peak to his friend, — St. Ignatius adually
faw Jefus walking before him. — And G^JJ^^^S-^^"^^
often talked with him face to face, as ^^84.
man fpcaketh unto his friend".
See again how God attends them in their
Sermons, '* The Lord gave me the Text
I preached upon ; — and direded me to a
method, as I was going up the Pulpit f air s"\ 7^°^'^"'
So fays IVhiteficld of himfelf. And we ^ ^'
have as good Authority, that '"^ the Virgin
Mary came and held the Book for a Donii-
7ncan while he read his Sermon ; and that
{h^fuggefted every w^ord to another, as he Baiingb.
was preaching an Extempore Serjmn. — A ^^^' '^^
certain Jefuit, ^ who had enjoyed God's p^anc.
Prefn-ce continually, fees Chrijt in the Pal- Hiit- je-
pit lifting up his hands, and blejjing him. "^^^^^ P'
Then for the Divine Prejence at their
Love-Feafts : " The Lord came, brought
us into his Banqueting-houfe, and fet his
Banner over us, that the Enemy could not
H z come
( 52)
come nigh us." And in an account the
moji grofsj * at a general Lovefeaft our
Dear Maftcr being Invited, cnme^ and fat
Letters, ^f fjj^ jj^^^ qJ ffj^ 'Tabky and bid me give
his people to eaf\ Would one think fuch
Stuff could be paralleled ? But, among
the Papi/ts, Bzovins affarcs us, that J ejus
^ being invited comes and eats v/ith Tome
cap. 3. Children, and invites them again to his
Heavenly Tabled — And the Author of the
Life of St. Veronica^ a modern Entbufiajtic
P3g. 5^- Saint (publifl^ed by Dr. Geddes) fays, that
Veronica at a Banquet Jaw cur Saviour jcat
himjelf at the bead of the Table in a
chair' \
Nor is one egg more like another than
this Parallel \ except that the Methodifi
expreffeth the thing more ftrongly and
circumftantially.
And feeing I am upon the Subjed of
God's Prefence '^ one thing more may be
added, tending to encourage the notion of
the real corporal prefence in the Sacrifice of
3 journ. ^hc Mafs. '' A " Wethodift, fays Mr.
p. 16, 17. Wejley^ went to receive the 5^ct^;;7£';?^5 but
with a heart as hard as a Hone 3 — when
God was pleafed to let him fee a Crucified
Saviour: — I faw the fountain opened in
his fide, — At the evening Sacraments^ —
pag. 22. cified^ and evidently let forth before us ?"
And
( 53 )
And why is not this as good an Argu-
ment for iranfuhji antiation as the feveral
flefily appearances produced by the Papijfs^
by Bellarmin^ and others ? Or, as the De Sa-
reafon of inflituting the Fealt of Corpm^'^^^i^'^''
ChrijU (the Body of Chrifl) by Pope Ur- lib. 3/
ba?2 IV. Becaufe he was aflured it had cap. 8.
been revealed to certain Catholics ? Which ^fb^j^*
was only to two fanatical Wonmt in a Coniiitut,
Vifion. — Or v/hat more is there in the ^•
account that ' St. T ere fa often faw Chrift Ribaden.
in the Sacrament ? — Or that, while St. p- 797-
Hugo was celebrating Mafs^ the Sacred ^'^JJ- ^«-
'Rojt being elevated appeared plainly inAngi.pag,
the form of ChrijY ? 1 84. '
One can hardly Indeed believe, that
our Methcdifts in thefe grofs expreffions
intend to be underflood in a Literal Senfe :
But we know not what eftcd: they
may have upon weak, credulous, and fu-
perftitious minds -, efpecially when improv-
ed by future Comments^ or the help of
tradition. 'Tis certain that diverfe Rhe-
torical flourifhes of this fort, and other little
Super jtitions^ have gradually fwelled into
the moft falfe and abfurd Dodlri?ies^ as
well as into rank Idolatry ; and the world
is covered with a deluge of monftrous Le-
gefidary tales, which were derived from as
fmall a fountain.
§. 22.^
( 54 )
§.22. Clofely connefled with Prefences
are th oie familiar Commimicatio?2S and Con-
verjcitiom with the Deity -, full of the mofi:
fweet, tender, amorous Sentiments and
expreflions.
" Oh ! what fweet Communion, fays
Mr. Whitefield^ had I daily vouchfafed
from God ? — I cannot tell how tenderly
I am carried by our Dea?- Saviour from
day to day : — I lean on Jefus's kofom from
morning to night 3 yea, all the daylong. —
I fweetly leaned on my Saviour s bojom^
zv\d. fucked out of the breafls of his Confo-
lafion'\ And how wonderfully Poetical
and morcing is that Divine imitation of fome
earthly rapturous Lover ? *' Early in the
morning, at noon-day, evening and mid-
night, nay all the day long did the Blefed
Saviour vifit and refrefh my heart. Could
the trees of a certain wood near Stonehcufe
fpeak^ they would tell what fweet Commu-
nion I and fome more Dar Soids en-
joyed with the ever Blefed God there.
For thefe five days, fays Mr. Seward^ I
have kept my bed, had every day fweet
• 7» Communion with my Dear Lord fefuSy
' who filled me with his fulnefs. — Went
to reft in the arms of my Lord JefuSy —
of my Jweet Saviour ^ — in his bofojn. —
Went to reft full of a Senfe of my own
Jiothingnejs^
( 55 )
nothirignefs, and fighing for the prefence of Page 32.
my Dear Lord Jefus'\
This bids fair for coming up in due time
to his Rival Saints, For Chrift appeared
to St. Francis and his Brethren ; and giv-
ing them his Blejjing they felt fuch a jpoj" ^^l^'
fweetnefs as quite ravijhed them. — He
was indeed often vifited, and recreated by
our Lord with ineffable fweetnefs ; — had
many fuch Viftations^ Illuftrations, and
Cherifnngs. — St^ Ig?iatius receiving a vifit. R^baden.
from the Father and the Son, — The Fa- P'^^^"*^*
ther turning to the Son recommends to his
favour Ignatius and his Brethren -, which
the Son promifeth locking Jweetly and a- ^^i^'lJ^^'
Pliably upon Ignatius,
St. Felix, a Francifcan, burned with
fjch an exceffive love towards the Virgin
Mary and Jefus, that not able to bear it,
he requefted her to come to him, and
bring her Son. She did fo : and it cannot
be expreffed what a power of Heavenly
Confolations he felt.—- St. Anthony had often Ballngh.
familiar Converfations with God, — recre- ^^^y *8-
ating him with extraordinary comforts, and
Divine Vifitations. — The little Jefus would
come fometimes and lit upon his Booky
fometimes be under his arms ; whom the ^l ^
holy man embraced with wonderful De- p.' 3^^"*
votion'*. 394-
^' The fefuit Berman for a relief in ^^^Z^'l
all his complaints takes refuge in the & 20.
brcalt
Idem
( 56 )
breaft and bofom of the Virgin Mary. For
fhe was fometimes plealcd to come and
give her Votaries Suck, Once Ihe brought
her Son, and put him into bed to St.
SfarJJIaus, which cured him of his ill-
r>eis ; comforting and recreating her Cli-
ent, and refrefhing him with a very co-
Aug. 14. j)iciis fuavity, — Nor was it any uncommon
thing for her to bring the beloved Child to
fome of her precious Saints^ to be dandled^
kijjed and e?nbraced in bed, which quite
overcame them v/ith joy: as it did St.
Lticiay who had him with her for three
nights together". See Brevinfs Samuel
and Said, Pag. 396. For it was not ufual,
or fit, to deprive the Female Devotees of
this delightful Communion. Accordingly
we are affured, that '' once Chrift came,
in company with St. Dominic^ to vifit Te-
refa : thrift foon withdrew, and bad her
recreate herfelf with his friend Dominic -^
Ribaden. -^j^q flayed with her two hours, took her
^ '^ '^' by the hand, and fpoke many comfortable
words to her. — J^l^^ indeed was her
Spoufe-y — and fhe had certain enjoyments
of great gufts and confolations, — and cried
out to him, O my Lord, and my Spoufe,
'tis now time for us to fee one another ;
and fhe fpoke to him fuch high, f'iveefy
Id. p.8oz. ^^2d amorous things, &c."
Such is the language and effeB of fpiri-
tual love among Poptfh Fanatics^ in the
very
i 57 )
very words of their applauded and Licenfid
JVritei-S', enough to give one a furfeit^
and a thorough diflaile of their Mdhodif-
iical imitators,
§.23. I cannot here forbear tranfcribing
that Seraphic Rhapfody of Divine Love Pag. 19,
from Mr. Wejleys Third Journal, ( though
I am not certain whether he is defcribing
his own cafe, or that of another Saint)
wherein he fo pathetically paints out the
TKvyMiTiKrj.v^'^l-^jou the Sweet-hitter of love y
the alternate languifhments and exultations,
the finkings and nfings of the animal.
Spirits 3 the fighings and fingings ; the
decent and elegant mixture of a facrcd
and profane amour, attended with a rap-
ture aiid ecftacy, and every Symptom, wliich
feizes the Adepts in this Paiiion, deeply
fmitten and diflraftcd Inamoratos, either
ipiritual, or fenfual.
" The Love of God was flied abroad in
my heart, and a flame kindled there, with
pains fo violent, and yet Ho very ravif^in^,
that my body w^as almoft torn afunder.
I lov'd. The Spirit cried ftrong in my
heart. I fweated. I trembled. I fainted. ■'
I fung. — My Soul v^as got up into the
Holy Mount. I had no thoughts of coming •
down again into the body. — Oh ! I ^
thought my head was a fountain of water.
I w^as diffolved in Lov-e. My beloved is
I mine.
A
( 58 )
mine, and I am his. He lias ail charms-
He has raifed my heart. — He is now in
the Garden, feeding among the LilHes.
Oh ! I am fick of Love'\ With more of
this ranting flame.
This defcription is fo ftrongly expreffed,
and fo many particulars contained in clofe
concife pericdsy as may feem incomparable.
But many of the Symptoms may be gather-
ed from the account of St. Catharine of
Sienna under the fame affedions. " Fler
burning Love for Chrijl^ her moil fweet
Stou[e^ was fo intenfe, exceffive, and Bi-
^ine^ — that flie was ahnoft always /'c;J,
langiiijling, faint ^. and in a manner con-
fumed with pure love and aitecftion. — She
had fo great ccnfolation in her foul, that
flie wondered how it could abide in her
body. And the fire burning in her breaft
was io exceeding great and violent, that
in refpeft of it material f re feemed cold and
frozen. Once this fire was fo intenfe, that
it took away her life for four hours ; in
Ribrden which time fhe had a Vifion of Heaven^
Apr. 30. HelU and Pu?^gatory'\
St. Tere[a\ heart was inflamed v/ith fo
great a love of Gody fo high a fire, that
flie was even burnt up, and ready to die
out of defire of feeing him^ and after-
wards fl^.e had thofe torrents and inunda-
tions of love with more force, and greater
rapti than before", Nay, the Authority
of
la. oa
( 59)
of the Roman Church affures us, that " her
heart burn'd with fuch a fire of Divme
Love, that ihe defervedly had a Vi/ion of
an Angel piercing her bowels with a dart
tip*d with fire ; and of Chrijl taking her
by the hand, and making her his Spou(e ;
— and file died not fo much by the force
of any diftemper, as the intolerabie burning Brcv.
of uWrnc Love".-— '' St. Gertrude a72d ^^''^^'^:
Chriji vjtxt^ mutually fmitten with the ar-
rows of Love, — and ihc died of this amo- ^^V'Yl^'
^ ,, ' -^ nail. May
rousjire . 27.
'* 'Tis true indeed, as the Legendaries
own, that St. Catharine was flandered as a
fond and light ivoman ; and Terefa kept ^i--^--^-
fuch bad company^ that mofc perfons con-
cluded that Cekjiial vijions were not com-
patible with her kind of life'\ — ^\M all
may be reconciled. For tfeefc exceffes of
the fpiritual and carnal afFeclions are near-
er ^//i^^ than is generally thought^ a'rifing
from the fame irregular emotions of the
blood and animal Spirits. And the Pa-
tient is hurried on either way according to
the nature of the ObjeEi. And I am m.uch
miftaken, and fo is Hiftory too, if fome
of the warmeft and niofl Enthufiajtic Pre--
tenders to the Love of God have not enter-
tained the fame violence of Pafjion (not
quite fo Jpiritual) for jo7ne of their neigh-'
hours.
I 2 §. 24.
( 6o )
v/ §-24. Let us proceed to that fnoft pre-'
Jtimptiicus claim to Infpiration \ to Extra-
cr dinar y Revelaticns^ emanatiom^ direBions,
fo^iocrs^ and affifta?Kcs of the Holy Gkoji ;
i?i their Preachi?ig and DoBrine, iinpuljes
and impreJjiGns, This hath always been
the chief and moft effe&ual deceit^ wherc^
by Enthiifiafts have impofed upon them-
felves and followers. They jcel fuch
fallies of a tumultuous imagination, fuch
ftrong emotions within ; as eafily to per-
luade thcmfelves this can be nothing lefs
than the ^wor kings cf the Holy Spirit -, and
fome Madme7i have carried it fo far, as to
think they were the "oery Holy Ghojl them-
felves.
Nor can it be a difficult matter to fix
a perfuafion of this nature upon their eager
and credulous Admirers^ who have neither
judgment nor inclination to difprove or exa-
mine \ but are violently, though voluntari-
ly and fweetly, carried away by their
teacher's good words ^ and fair Jpeeches ;
by their eloquent, elevated, affuming and
confident difcourfes, zealoufly and fervent-
ly poured out.
Hence, no doubt, they talk fo confi-
dently of '* fome great, unufual, extraor-
dinary and wonderful work, which God is
vGw^ even now\ beginning to work over all
the earth, whereof they are to be the
Inftru^.
.( 6i )
In[iriimentSy the trumpets to proclaim it
in the name of the Lord'*,
Mr. JVhit (field , in particular, is ever
flying upon the wings of lufpiratiofi^ and
talking iubhmely in the Apofiolic ^.V. 5 1^"/^^
" I experience frelh teachings, and com-
munications from God's Holy Spirit^ —
from himfelf. — I felt the Power of God
come upon me, and I fpoke with De-
monftration of the Spirit, — I felt the Holy Pag. 72,
Ghoft come upon me at that time. — I
fear I Ihould quench the Spirit^ did I not 3 journ^
go on to fpeak as He gives me utter ance'\ p- »7-
The fame extraordinary Infpiration is
poured out, or rather the Holy Spirit de-
fcends upon their Followers, Societies and Letters.
Bands, ^' Such as had Tublic gifts were
fettled as Siiperiiztendants over the reft. —
Heard of one, favs Mr. Whitefield, that
received the Holy Ghoft immediately upon
my Preaching. — A moft remarkable out- ^^^J^^
pouring of the Spirit has been feen in this
Afjmibly. — The Power of God was in an 5 1°^''";
pag. 4
\
unufual manner prefent at the meeting of weil
the Bands, — God mightily confirms the Jo^^rn- P-
words I fpeak, by the Holy Ghoft given ^^'
unto thofe that hear them. — The Power of P^g- S^-
the Lord came upon the Congregation^ and Whuf. 6
the Holy Ghofi overfhadowed them". ^,3"'"' P*
There is fomething in the following
Rotations ^ which deferves particular no-
tice. " The Holy GhgP" feemed to come
into
( 62)
^ Journ. into the Congregation like a mighty riifbing
P* 5^' "wind"'. Here he fpeaks fomething dubionf--
l\K But elfewhere he is more po/uive and
peremptory. *^ The Spirit at length came
down like a 7nighty rujloi?ig wind, and car-
7 Journ, ried all before it. — In my Prayer the
F^S-57- ^ower of God came do%vn, and gave a great
JJ^Gch — Such an abiding icniverfal ^jock I
never knew before. — In the afternoon
again the ficck was very great, — The
place was almofl rent by the Power and
Letter;, prcfence of God'\
Some of thefe latter Exprefllons imply,
that the Holy Ghoff dejcended on the Me-
thodifts in the fame manner as upon the
Apojtles at Pentecojt, V/hich, without
much better proof than they have given of
their Infpiration^ I v/ill by no means un-
dertake to excufe from Blafphemy, Other
expreilions imply fom.e ftrange tum.ultuary
fhaking of the Fabric, or elfe of the Preach-
er and Hearers, like a violent Hurricane,
And yet perhaps after all the fock was
only in the Preacher's own brains.
'Tis hard to know what to make of
thefe Jlmks and Jl:aki?igs, if truly repre-
fcnted by the Meihcdifis, We know how-
ever, that fuch focks and concufjlons of
Hoifes have been reprefented by Heathen
Authors^ as indubitable y^;^^ of {ovncjuper-
natural Tower and Prejence, either of a
Celeftial
( 63 )
Celejlicil or Infernal Diitj. At the Pre-
fence of PlutGy
"Jam mihl cernuntur irepidis Delubra movcri
Sedibiis^ & chrcim difpergere ciihnina lucem^
Jdvenium ieftata Dei.
Claud. Rapt. Proferpin. lib. I. vcr. 7.
At the Prefencey or by the efficiency of
Bacchus y
Tc5fa repent} qiiatu
Cvid. Metam. lib. IV. ver. 402.
At confulting the Oracle of Apollo at
Delphos,
Et locus^ i^ Lanrus^ & qua$ hahet ilia, pharet-ra
Iniremuere fmml — —
Ibid. lib. XV. ver. 634.
In a Poetical reprefentatlon of Apollo'^
coming and Infpiration,
Oiov T~ ''7roh?-^c-y.o? Id^ccLjo cTct^r/cTo? c'prjj;
oTct cT oKQv TO lAhct^^ov ; —
Kxi S'f] irz 70'. 9/p?Tpit }ia,KU> 'TTOtPl ^oT^O-: 'Z^'1t7H.
Callimach. Hymn, in Apoll. ver. i, — •
Vix ea fatus erain^ trern're omnia vifa repenie
LimiJiaqiie Laurufqiis Dei, iotufque 7noveri
Mons circum.'^ —
Virgil, ^neid. IIL ver. 90.
You
( 64 }
You fee houfes, temples, dens, moun-
tains — all fliaking, and trembling from
their foundation 3 in atteflation of the Pre-
fence of their Deities ,
After fuch accounts given by the Me-
thodijisy and efpecially when confirmed by
PaganSy it would be fomething like a Mi-
racle ^ liPcpery fhould not afibrd a ParalkL
Accordingly the Writers cf St. Ig7iatius^%
Life inform us, that '' while the Saint was
at Prayers, and dedicating himfelf to the
Blejjed Virgin J the whole Hoiife trembled
with a fuddcn concuffion ; but mod: of all
Ignatius^ own Chamber ^ the windows be-
ing broke, and many chinks open'd, — ^
Rut. Vit. and that this was generally believed to pro-
J^^natii, ^gg^ fj-Q^ ^}^g ^^gg of ^he Dra//' — And in
cap. 9. another place he relates a ftory of the fame
Lib. 5.C. nature, and afcribes it to the fame canje,
Ribadeneira, in the Li-ves of the Saint s^
Pag 518, relates the fame jlory of Ignatius , but with-
out mentioning what might be the caufe.
But in his Life of St, Anthofiy he tells us,
that '' the Devil threatning to fall upon this
Saint with great fury, at his voice all the
room was (Imken, the walls cpend, and
many Devils ruflied in".
As to Papiflical pretenfions in generd to
Infpiration, they are without number or
end. There is fcarce any part of their Re-
ligious (i. e. Irreligicus) Worfnip^ and DgC"
trine ;
( 65 )
trine 'y fcarce a Monaftry, Nunnery, Order
or Society ; fcarce a petty faintUng of their
Com77mnion^ — that was not taught^ and In-
fpired by the Holy Ghojt.
" St. Francis was not only Infpir'd him- Conform:
felf in Teaching, but all the Rules of his'°^^-^^°-
Order were didated by Heaven, He v/as a
mofl wonderful Preacher , by virtue of the
Holy Ghoft.~M\ heard the Voice oi Chrift
in the air, faying, ' Francis, there is no-
thing of your own in your Thile, but all is
7nine\ St. ^Paid propheffd of it, and un- FoL no:
derftood his ov/n words as belonging ,to
this Rule of St. Francis, ' Whoever walketh ibid, fo!*
according to this Ride, peace he o?i them.'- — ^^7*
Which paflage being the very fame that
' Mr. Wefley open'd upon, when he confult-
ed the Oracle by lot, and begged an anfwer 3 Jo«^n»
of peace', may perhaps afford him no fmallP^^^"^*
comfort 5 as having, the fame honour with
St. Francis, and his Ride equally eO-ablifli
ed. St. Ig7iatius was carried on by a ftrong
hifpiration, and guidance of the Holy Ghojly
which fpoke thfougli him. And his Spiri-
tual Exercifes had the famxC Sandtion. Fcpe
Paid III, indeed (fays Dr. Geddes) fyfdk^
modeftly of Igjiatius and his Companions, Trads,
Spiritu 'SanBo, ut creditur, aflati, hifpir'd, v^^- 3;
as is believed, by the Holy Spirit. But Ju-
lius III. leaves out, as is believ'd, and-
roundly pronounceth they were Infpir^d.
And Gregory XIII. iliith exprefsly, that
K Ignatius
( 66 )
Ignatius was Lifpir'd in modelling the So-
ciety of the Jefnits'\ So that it fcems there
are degrees of Infallibility^ fome Popes being
more hifallible than others.
De Rem. Bellarmin affirms, that the Orders of Be-
^°^p. 18. nedidi^ Romualdus^ Bruno ^ Dominic^ Fran*
cis^ "were from the Holy Ghoft. — Pope Hil*
debrand adually faw Chritl himfelf fitting
Brev. Mo- by St. Hugo iu Chapter J approving all his
naftic. May jj^^^^^g ^^^^ a jiod, and fuggefting the
Rules of the Prcetnonjiratenfians brought
from Heaven by St. Auftin. It were eafy
to produce a hundred Inftances. But what
need we more, when Popes^ and the Church
ofRo77ie have affur'd us of thefe }
§.25. The claim oi Extraordinary Af-
fiftancey and Tower from above y ftands fo
much upon the fame footing, and is fo fre-
quent in the Methodiji's Mouths, that I
fhall mention but a few Inftances.
" I felt more and more of the Divine
Affiftance to Day, fays Mr. Whitefield : —
The Lord endowed me with Power from
on high. — In the midft of my Difcourfe the
Power of the Lord Jefus came upon me.—
5 Journal* God cnablcd me to fpeak with fuch irre^
440?' ^°' fiftible Power y that the Oppofers were quiet
ftruck dumb, and confounded''. — And af-
3 Journal, tcrwards he makes this infolent demand on
p. 24, 114. ii^^<^Qj^^
Pad
( 67 )
Paft is thy word : I here demand y
And confident expedl thy aid.
A confidence and imperioufiiefs fufficient 3
a Parallel to which I do not remember
among Fopip Saints,
§.26. Upon fpecial Diredlwts^ MiJJiom
and Calk, by immediate Revelation^ I fliall
dwell a little longer.
" I ajjuredly felt — I knev) it was "Jefiis wiiitef.
Chri-ll that reveatd himfelf unto my Soul, i dealing.
— I Iznow^ and am ajjur'd that God fent ^gfley's
forth his light and his truth. — It was re- iiijourn.
'veal'd to me that nothing griev'd Satan fo P^S- 34-
much as the private Societies, — Our glo-
rious Soid-brother had it reveal d to hirn
thefe two years, that fome fiich as him Letters,
would be fent into thefe parts''.
More particularly as to MiJJions and Calls,
" Bleffed be God, fays Mr. TVhiteJield,
he fhews we are Teachers fent by him.
For [modeftly comparing themfelves with
Chrijil ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^f^ "Things, except 3 journal,
God were with him, — I told the People God P^g^ 38.
call'd me, and I mull away. — Intended to
preach at Fort'Sif?2ons, — but,, Lord, thou
called'ft me elfe where. — God fhewed me
and my Friends, that it was his Will that I
fhould return for a while to England. — To 2 Journal,
preach the Gofpel at Frederica alfo > for P^^'^'''^'
K 2 therefore
( 68 )
1 Journal, therefore am I fent. — The Eternal Ahnighty
psg^S- I AM hath fent me".
See now how clofely they have copied
Ribaden, their great exemplars, " St. Igjiatius^ and
P^g-529- his Companipns, Vv^ent to Ro7ne^ whether
God called him to fettle his new Order and
Society. — St. Peter and St. Taid bring, one
a Staff] the other a Book^ to St. Dominic^
faying, begin thy journey ; go, exercife
the Office which God hath given thee ;
preach the GofpeL — -His friends perfuading
. ,.. him to ftay, St. IDominic full of the Holy
Ribaden, Gho/l anfwer'd, — Let no body go about to
pag. 595- flay me. God co-mmands^ and his orders
muft be obey'd. St. Francis returned from
the Infideh^ whom he was unable to con-
vert, warn'd by 2, Divijie P^ei: elation, — A
tur. Vit. venerable Brother and St. Clare^ having con-
Franc, fultcd the Will of God^ are agreed by the
C2P-9' ^-- Revelation of the Spirit, that the Holy' man
fliould go forth to preach the Gofpel",
Some fpecial UireBions are as follows,
'' Truftcd to God, fays Mr. WhiteficJd, to
direft me to a 'Text ;— and God flievv'd me
tiag.46.' what I fliould do. — The hord gave me a
7 jouiii. Text, and dire^cd me to a Method, — I have
pag- ^^'- \^^i^x\ direBcd in this manner, ( reading
Scripture on the knee) even, in the minutefi:
circumftanccs, as plainly as the Jews were
!iL^l^rli. ^^y ^^'''l^^^ and Thummi'nu — The directions^
lays Mr. Wefiey, I received from God this
day.
iTig:. b«JC;l.
( 69 )
day, touching an affliir of the greateft ^ Journal,
importance''.
Let me mention a few Dh^eBions com-
ing by way of Command^ and I affure you of
no fmall importance. " I am going to the
Houfe of a wealthy Goitleman^ fays Mr. journal,
Wbitejield^ whom God has commanded to re- P- 29* 32.
ceive me. — How does he every where
command fome or other to receive me ?
— Indeed Mr. Seward affirms, that the Journal,
Lord commandeth Perfons every where toP^S^*^*
provide for us. — Mr. Wejley^ not to be
left unprovided for, " came to Mr. De-
lamotte's^ — where I expedled a cool re-
ception. But God had prepar'd the way
before me — I was welcomed in fuch a 2 Journ.
manner — '*. P^2- 7-
Nor is this cafe without a proper Prece-
dent. For we read, that ' An Honourable
Matron was commanded by an interior Voice
to reverence St. Ignatius^ and provide him
with a Ship. — And Hkewife a Noble Senator ^ , ,.
- . f TO- 1 • Orlandin.
at yenice heard a yoice — directing him to Hift. je-
entertain the Saint hofpitably at his houfe'\ Tuit. lib. ^i
In what manner the Entertainers are"'^^*^^'
convinced, and whether they are convinc'd,
of this Divine Command^ I cannot fay.
But I perceive it is convenient for the Itine-
rants to give it out that it is Goi^ Tleafure
and Command, Otherwife they would not
order what they want at a Public-hotife^
and then tell the Landlord^ that he will be
damn'd
(70)
damrid if he takes any thing of them. This
{hall be prov'd, if required.
As I have mentioned internal Voices^
perhaps the feveral Impiilfes and hnprejjions
of the Methodijis may be of this Nature.
4 Journal, But that inftauce of *' an old hardened Sin-
P^g-S-- ner (given by Mr. Wejley) feems rather of
the external kind. '' The Saviour of Sin-
7iers has faved me. He told me fo on Sun-
day morning. And he faid, I fliould not
die till I had heard his Children preach his
2 journal, GofpeL — And that of " the Moravian^ who
pas^ 7 '• deilring God to fliev^ him whether he flhould
leave his Wife and Children, immediately
hears a loud Voice faying, Fort^ Forty Forty
Go on^ go 071 \
We can 77Jatch thefe inftances too from
Popip Fanatics, '* Brother Buftamantiiis
was admonifhed by a vehement Lnpuljey
and interior Voice y to go to Gutpufciia,
This Voice of God was fo efficacious and
vehement in his ears, that inftantly he left
obnd. his Houfe and Bufinefs. — G(?;72;^^^ hears a
peg. 394. clear and manifeft Voice from Gody direding
B'ilingh. him into the Society of the fejidts,—K boy,
Aug- 13- about twelve years old, hears conflant in-
ward Voices calling him to PerfeBiony and
Orlandin. the Society. — God^ fpeaking inter7ially to the
vol. 2. heart of St. AlcxiiiSy told hirn that he
Kibad/r/* ^*^^il^ i^ot touch his Spoufcy but leave her.
pag. 484, — And he left his wife the very firft day
-._ ^ - - of
( 71 )
of marriage, by the peculiar warning ^/^^
God, Jul. 17,
One may here be allowM to ajfk what
fort of Voice that was, which direBed the
Methodifl-preacher at Salijhury to ' debauch
oncy at leaft, of his Congregation, to run
away with her, and leave his own Wife.
And in general, with refped to Extraordi-
7iary influences of the Spirit^ and pretences
to hifpiration 5 whether Mr. Wefley might
not as well have been warned, as offended
by his friends the Moravians, " for talking 4 Journal,
much againft mixing 72ature with Grace, P^§* '°^'
againft imagination, and concerning the
Animal Spirits mimicking the Pov/er of the
Holy Ghoji.
§.27. Should the preceeding Gifts of
Infpiration , Revelation , and Dire5lions
fail ; they have another way of know-
ing the Divine will, which is by cafl-
ing Lots-, and particularly by openiiig the
Bible, where the firji paffage that offers it-
felf to the Eye is to be their Rule.
The Methodifls probably learned this Be-
termination by Lot of the Moravians 5
who, fays Mr. Wefley, " have a peculiar
efteem for Lots to decide points of im- 2 Joumalp
portance -,- — as the only way of fetting afide P- ^'•
their own will, and clearly knowing what
hih^willofGod\
Sometimes
(72) ■
Sometimes Lots in general are fpoken, of
without 2Siy Jpecification of what /or/, or in
5 Journal, what manner, *' What we were in doubt
pag- 5- about, after prayer, we determined by Lot^
fays Mr. Whitejield, — I am come to know
2 Journal, affuredly, fays Mr. Wejley^ that where
P- 7' ^* Reafon failsy God will diredl our Paths, by
Lof\
Reafon certainly may fail them ; nor do
I think they can be ajjured of God'^ Direc-
tion by Lot : but may be under the fame
perplexity with their Relation St. Ignatius ^
who being on his Adventures^ and *^ com-
ing to a place where two ways met, flood
doubting whether he fhould follow a Moor
that had blafphem'd the Virgin Mary^ and
Jtab liim ; or elfe take the other way to-
Orlandin. wards Montferrat. In this great perplexity
lib. I. n". he took counfel, Vv^hich the fimplicity of a
Maff. Vit. P^^^^ ^^^^"^ '^oxx^ could excufe ; namely,
jgn.iib. I. to lay the bridle loofe on his Mide^ and let
«3p-3- him go which way he would''.
But opening the Bible for direftion
feems to be their general way. Thus Mr.
Wejley under feme doubt, *' I deiir'd my
Majtcr to anfwer for me, and open'd his
2 Journal, Book. — when tempted by Satan^ ' All thefe
P- 3i> 33- days I fcarce remember to have open'd the
Tejlamcnt, but upon fome great and pre-
cious promiife. — In great perplexity, about
being weak in the Faith ; — and in trouble
and doubt concerning his own State, and
whether
{ 73 )
whether he fhould wait mfilejice and retire-
ment, the Oracle oiGod is confulted twice. 3 journii.
' — Under great concern for thofe who were ^' ^' ^""^
driven about with [ira?2ge DoBrines^ I be- 4 Journal,
feeched God to fhew me where this would ^^^' ^°'
end. — Whether he fhoald take a Journey
to Brlfiol^ and what would be the Con-
fequence ; defiring not to be accounted Su-
perjiit ions' \ 3 Joui-n.
' The Moravians caft Lots, whether one, ^^^' ^^'
over whom Satan had almoft orot the
maftery, fhould be admitted to the Lord's 2 Journal,
Table-, are direded to admit him'\ P'S- ^9»
This Method of being directed by Lot^
hath been much in vosiue in feveral A^es,
and parts or the World -, making no fmall
fhare of their Siiperjtition, The Heathens
had various ways of doing it : — as by
jumbling together loofe Letters, or Wordsj
in an Urn, and making what Senfe they
could of fuch as were taken out by chance;
— by dipping into fome Book of high
efleem, as Homer, or Virgil, and then ap-
plying to their purpofe the firfl paffage that
offered itfelf, Gfc,
Reland tells us, that among the Mahome- Rel. Mo-
tans, the Alcoran is fo confulted by way ^^"^^^^^5,
oi Lot, — ^And the fame Cuflom crept in ^'^^^'
among the Chriftians, and efpecially in the
worfl Ages, about the i ith and 12th Ceji-
furies, by dipping in the Bible, which was
called the Saint Lots. Hence, '^St, Francis^,
L after
( 74 )
after betaking himfelf to Trayer, was in-
Ipired by the Oracle of God, to open the
Gofpel y which being opened three times,
always lighted on the TaJJion of Chrift y
whereby the Saint was prepared (as by a
Bonavent. prophetic Wanting) to receive xh^fve marks
cap.! 3. qJ- Jefus, exadlly anfwering thofe of his
F0LT72. Ma/ter^ by the hand of an ^/^^r/". —
So again, The f^vnt precious Saint ^ ** be-
ing refolved upon taking up the Rule of £-
*va?igelical Perfection in conjundlion with
Friar Barnard, goes to Prayers, and thrice
opening the Gofpel was confirmed in his pur-
Bonavent. pofe, by luckily hitting on thefe theje three
cap. 3- parages, — If thou wilt be perfeB, go and fell
fX T-tT. ^^^ — ^^^^ 7iothing with you on the way : — If
anyman will come after me, let him deny himfelf.
St. Francis, you fee, managed the matter
fo well, that he opened upon I^exts of
Scripture much more to his purpofe'than
any of our Methodifts have done.
This pradlife has generally been con-
demned by grave Authors and Councils, as
juperjtitious and unwarrantable: And if the
^ Methodifts will pretend to juftify themfelves
from the Example oi Matthias, (the only
inftance in the ISew Teftament^ and that
divinely direded ) they only incur that
almoft conftant Prefumption of fetting them-
^'- 115-4- felves upon an equality with the Apojtles, &c..
Let me here add the Obfervation of Mr.
Church, in his Farther Remarks on Mr.
y, Wefley. " The Refledions of your friend
Mr.
( 75 )
Mr. Whitefield on this occafion were worth
your obferving. Having mentioxned your
drawing a Lot about preaching on free
Grace^ and receiving the Anfwer Preach
and Prints he adds, ' I have often quef-
tioned, as I now do, whether in fo doing
you did not ws^ tempt the Lord, A due ex-
ercife of Religious Prudence^ without a Lot,
would have directed you in that Matter'.
Afterwards he mentions your drawing ano-
ther Lot^ about his returning to London 5
which in a Letter to him you after v/ards
fuppofed might have been a wrong one.
This therefore he rightly calls an i?naginary
Warrant > and well obferves, that the
wrong Lot was juftly given you, becauje
you tempted God in drawing onj'\
A movQ judicious Sentiment perhaps never
idropt from Mr. Whitefield's pen : and yet
he may be taxed with an inconfiftency in
thus declaring againft what had been his
■own praBife, Had thefe two Lots turn'd
out agreeably to his own Dodlrine and in-
tentions^ they might have been allow'd to
come from God. But as they were for
Jree Qrace (not fuiting with his Calva--
nijti^al notions) and for taking a journey
he did not like ; they are become of no
Authority with him. Which puts me \\\
mind of the condufl: of Pope Honorius to-
wards St. Fraficis, ** The Saint had ob-
;ain'd a grant Jro?n Chrijt^ that whoever at
L 2 any
( 76 )
any time ihould enter his Chapel^ fhould
have the Benefit of Plenary lndulge?7ce ; or-
dering him however to go to his Vicar the
Pope for his Corjirmation,
The Holy Father allows the order of Chrift
in the cafe, but thinks the Grant is too
large ; and accordingly confirms indeed the
Plenary and free Indulgence^ but curtails the
' time, and confines it to one fjigle Day in a
year, and no more." A ftrange inflance
either of the Pcpe'^ inconfftency ^ or of
fetting himfelf above our Lord,
You have the Account in one of the
Le[jons in their Eftablifjed Liturgy, Brev,
Rom. Francifc. Aug. 2. and more fully
in the Book of Conformities , fol. 197.
§. 28. Though I had fome Reafons for
referring to another place their Exftacies
and Raptures, Apparitions and Vifons
(reprefentations to the imagination either
in Sleep, or in a 'Trance \) yet, as thefe have
fome pretenfion to a Divine direction, \
ihall fay fomething of them here,
r^Deal- IVhitefield, " God fill'd me with fuch
■Z^'V-^^- icnfpeakable raptures, particularly once in
St. Johis Churchy that I was carried out
beyond myfelf.
loarnal, Se^ucard. ' I was fo fill'd with the
Spirit, — that I was carried beyond myfelfj
and
_( 11 )
and had fuch things Revealed to me as I
never had before.
Wefley, ' My Soul was got up into 3 journal,
the Holy Mount. I had no thoughts of P- »9-
coming down again into the body. " The
Lord reveal' dhimMi to her (a girl of about
feven years old) in an amafing manner :
and for fome Hours (he was fo wrapt up in
his Spirit^ that we knew not where fhe -x
was, — finking to Jiotbing in the difcovery
of his Majejty and Glory, — Many fuch
inftances of the out-pouring of the Spirit we Letters,
have among us'\
Tales of this nature are fo numerous
among the Popi/lo Saints, efpecially the
Female, that fome of their Lives confifl
of little elfe.
Mary of Agreda was not a year old, be-
fore fhe had fuch Raptures that flie funk
down to the Centre of her own nothiiignefs. Lire.
-—Magdalen of Pazzi's Life was almoft
one continued Ecftacy. — And St. Gertrude, Breviar.
who confecrated her Virginity to Chriji \^''^{^^'..^,
wdien only five years old, was illuminated
by 7na?2y Revelations and Vifions,
St. Alcantara at fix years of age was fo ^^rcv,
contemplative, that frequently he was ^°"'-
wholly abjorpt in God, a7id carried into ^^^ *^'
Raptures. — He caufed his Followers to be
in an Ecjlacy at the Sacrament, — and often
enjoyed the Prefence of ChriJl, the Virgin
Mary, and St, Francis^ &c. "" oa. 2->
§.29.
( 78 )
j. 29. If you want any thing more
particularly concerning Apparitioits and
Vi/ims', the laft mentioned Saint, " Al-
cantara^ was conduced by the admirable
oa. 25. Apparition of a new Star, when he was
1 Dealing, going to cojnfort St. Terefa''. Something,
P2g- 49- yQ^ j^^y fuppofe, hke that of Mr. V/hite-
journ. fields " After a long night of defer tion, the
pag- 47* Star, which I had feen at a diftance
before, began to appear again''. And Mr.
Seward may be deemed fuch a Vifionary^
when " though fo weak, fo mean, fo
vile, fo nothing an Inftrument, yet fur-
rounding the Throne of his Dear fejus^
he thought he faw his Siflers as bright
Seraphims in the manfions of blifs^ — -with
a refulgent Splendor above the reft of the
Heavenly Hoji'\
Conform. Juft ^s a Francifcau Fryar was feen by
l^ol. 84. ^ Brother fhining in glory and brightness
with St. Francis among Choirs of Angels :
Life, No. — Or, as Magdalen of Pazzi faw a Nun^
V-' ^^» and other Souls, which flie had gained,
^' raifed upon a Throne oj Glory. We have
^'^''* again infallible proof, that *' Alcaiitara
oa 2" "^^^ invited to the Heavenly Marriage by
all the Holy Trinity, appearing to him in
the utmoft clearnefs and brightnefs ^ — and
ht died at the very horn foretold' \ And
we find in moft of their Legends, that
fcarce a Saint died without previous no-
tkc
( 79 )
fice from above ; the Mejfenger too com-
monly difFufing a light over all the room.
Which may help to give fome Credit to
that relation of Mr. Wejley concerning Vet,
Wright. '' In bed, but broad awake, I i journ.
heard one calling aloud, Feter I Peter P^S- ^S-
Wright ! And looking up, the room v^as
as bright as day. And I faw a man in
bright cloaths, v^ho faid, ' Prepare your-
felf, your end is nigh'. — He recovered
from the illnefs -, but died Vv^ithin a month''.
As to the Authority which fuch fort of
Revelations carry, Mr. Wejley fays this 5
" God does now give remijjion of Sins^ and
the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft 3 and often ^ ^^^^.^
in dreams and vifons of God'\ But after- Pag. 49.
wards he fpeaks more dijtruji fully : "I
told them they were not to judge of the
Spirit — by any dreams^ vifons^ or revela^
tions ; — v^hich were of a doubtful and dif-
putable nature, — might be from Gody and ji,. p. r.^
might 7iof\
This might be a caution to themfelves
never to be over confident. For my own
part, I will not deny that fuch DireBions
may fometimes come from God: but am
perfuaded that moft of our late ones are
the effect of imagiiiation or dijtemper^, and
fome of them mere counterfeits and impojiures.
Many, I know, even of Popiflj Enthiifiajls^
have fufpeded worj\\ and alcribed them to
Diabolical
( 8o )
biabclical delujiom. Bat more of this
hereafter.
§. 30. Our Methodifts talk much of
" the great work^ which God is ?2ow be-
ginning to work over all the earth. If
you had been told, fays Mr. IVeJley, that
t Appeal, the jeakus God woiild foon arife, that he
§. 98, 99. would pour dovvn his Spirit from on highy
and re?2ew the face of the earthy — would
you not defire to fee that day ? — Behold,
the day of the Lord is come : he is again
vifiting and redeeming his people. — • At
this very hour the Lord is rolling away our
reproach".
Parted with full conviclion, fays Mr,
, Journal, J'^hitcfeld, that God was going to do great
pag. 6.^ * things among us. — Oh ! that we may be
any way injlrumental F'
I am far from queftioning the truth of
that happy State to come, having fuch
ftrong Authority from the [acred Writings.
But it may be asked, how they hiow this
prefent time to be the day of that great
work ; whether from Infpiration, or inter^
pretation of Trophetic Scripture : — and
they may be reminded, that diverfe warm
and Enthufiafiic heads, as Madam Boiirig-
nouy the French Prophets, &c. have all
fet out upon this pretence, have pronounc-
ed it to be coming in their own days, and
tkemjelves
( Si )
themfehes to be the happy Inflriwients.
And how have they been deceived ?
About the middle of the 1 3/i Century
was publKhed a Book by the Mendicant
Fryers^ called, the Eternal Gojpel^ or Gof-
pel of the Spirit 'y afferting, that the Reign
of the Spirit was to commence within fix
years. The Book was full of many wicked
and blafphemous fancies, which I lay not to
the charge of the Methodifls : but leave
them at liberty to ruminate upon the Cha-
raBer given of them many years ago by
Mr. Howely which they may fee in the
Title-fia^e,
§31. I fliall now relieve myfelf and
reader ; referving what remains for a fe-
cond Part, I have already made fome
exciife for quoting and comparing feveral
little 2inA trifling things, in themfelves too
light to deferve our attention ; and am
afraid, that in the Sequel, a frefli Apology
will be requifite -, as I fliall be obliged to
relate fome things too horrid and flocking
to the mind.
It will however, I perfuade myfelf, ap-
pear, — that this new difpcnfation is a Compo-
Jition of Entbufiafm, Superftition, and Im^
poflure. When the blood and fpirits run
/6%/', inflaming the brain and imagination ;
it is moit properly Enthifwf?n ; which is
Religion run mad : -r- when lew and de-
jccicd^ caufing groundlefs terrors, or the
M placing
( 82 )
placing the great duty of man in little Ob«
fervances ; 'tis Superj}itio?iy which is Re-
ligion feared out of its Senfcs : —when any
fraudulent dealings are made ufe of, and
any wrong projeds carried on under the
mask of piety , 'tis Impofture^ and may be
termed Religion turned Hypocrite,
Should any thing I can offer make fome
improvement of a ferious and fiber Senfe of
true Religion among us, free from Enthu-
fiaftic Delufions^ with regard both to Faith
arid good works, it will be fufficient fatis-
faftioji : And the benefit will be doubled^
if by means of the Cotnparifin with Popery^
a juft deteftation of that wicked Communion
be prefervedy and efpecially if encreafed.
The END of the First PART*
ERRATUM.
^*g« %<)y in the Note, fcr, 4 Journ. p. 24, rW, p. at'-
3Frd/>r, Ibtd, p. 21, r«?«s/, p. 24.
THE
ENTHUSIASM
O F
METHODISTS
AND
PAPISTS
C OMPARED.
PART II.
Vanity or Self-Conceit is another Circumjiance that for the moji Part prevails
in the CharaBer of an Enthufiaft. It leads Men of a •warm Temper ^ and
Eeiigicus Turn, to think themfehes ivorthy of the fp(c:al Regard^ and extraor-
dinary Favours of God ; and the Breath of that Infpiration to ivhich they pre--
tend is often no more than the Wind of this Vanity, ivhich pufFs them up to
fuch Extravagant Imaginations. This flrongly appears in the Writings and
Lives of fame Enthufiaftical Heretics, in r^e Myftics both Antient and Modern,
in many Founders of Orders, and SaintF, both Male and Female, among the
Papifts, tn feveral Vxot&^Sint Sectaries f the laji AgCy and even in fame of the
Methodifts «ow. ^////->f Divine Communications, Illuminations, <:«</ Ecftacies,
to ivhich they pretended, evidently fprung from much Self-Conpeit, ivsrking
together ivitb the Vapours of Melancholy upon a warm Imagination, &c.
L V T T E J. T N on the Converfion of St. Pa u r..
LONDON^
Printed for J. and P. K n a p t o n, in Ludgate-Strest,
M.DCC.XUX.
!_
( iv )
Your firft Objetlion is to my Manner of
Page 6. Writing ; that '' If I am a Clergyman^ the
whole Strain of my T^erjormance difcovers a
Le'-jity unbecoming my Charafter.'* And
here I am afraid you have the Advantage \
as writing with a Le^oity quite becoming your
Character y i. e. with that Sort of Levity ,
which confifis in a Privation of Weighty
and exemplifies (to ufe your own Expref-
lion) "what Feathers ive all are. Nor could
you have been more light and infignificant,
unlefs your Name had been Ferronet,
As to the Force of the Objedlion of r/V/-
cuhus and irreligious Banter 3 — I read that
one of Bifiop Stilling feef s Fopifio An-
iagoni[ls called him '^ a 'Theological Bufoon^
impioufly and profanely employing his Wit
in deriding and blajpheming the Saints.'"
And yet, fuch is m.y Modefiy, and humble
Imitation oi your Humility^ I defire to fuc-
ceed no better a2;ainft Metbodijm than he
did againl!: Popery.^ — But here, it feems, I
\tiA. am greatly miftaken.- For, *' By irreligious
.Banter y I have unhappily fixed upon a mofl
improbable and ineffeBual Remedy for re~
.covering tht IVletbqdip out of their Extra-
•vagant Freaks," If fo, why are you fo
pettilTa ? Why lb wrathful ? I might rather
cxped an Addrefs of Flanks from White-
field and Compa72y\
But, to compound tfee Matter with you
by a plain Truth, nay Manner of writing
(whether
(V)
(whether with Levity^ or Graijify) afFe<S$
not in the leaft the Merits of the Caiife,
The Enthujiafm is exadtly ihtfamey neither
more nor lefs, better or worfe. The only
^eJUon to the Purpofe is, whether I have
made my Rotations jiiftly and fairly ? Let
this be /uppofedy till 'tis difprovcd. — Some-
thing however more jerioiiSy horrible and
Jhocking, will appear toward the End of
this Second Part, and efpecially in the
Third 'y where the Nature of the SiibjeEl
will be apt to raife Abhorrence and Indigo
7iation rather than Laughter. For, con-
trary to my Intention, I am forced upon
a Third Party your Enthufiajms are fo
many. Nor had I exadly enough com-
puted the Number^ or confidered the Vir"
flics y of your Confec rated Beads.
Before you Attack my Comparifon in
Form, I find you fiibbling at my Title-
Page : In one Place, " 'Tis ?20t rejirained^- 7-
enough to Anfwer my Principal Defign : "
In another Place, " 'tis too much reftrained >P- 20^
you would have me make an Addition to it,
and let it run thuSy The Enthufiafm and Im-^
pojlure^ &c." I ftand corredled, and have
no Objed-ion to your Amendment. Con*
iider however, that before you meddled
w^ith my Title-Page^ you fhould have con-
fulted your Grammar^ and made Senfe of
vour own.
A 2 But
( vi )
But I fhall not fo eafily give up my
Parallel of the Montanifts, I find it (ticks
too clofe, is pinching, and makes you
Wriggle. You want fadly to get rid of
it ; for which you affign fome doughty
P. 8.. Reafons, " Ton omit^ you fay, .making
any Repiy fo my Account of the Montanifts^
becaufe 'tis quite foreign to my "Title-Page^
and alfo to my Principal Defign% " that of
Comparing you with Papijis. You know
that J introduced tlie Montanifts^ to fhew
that the Spirit of Enthufiafm is always the
fame. And though the Montanifts were no
Papijls, they were Heretics, full of //;/-
pojhires and Impieties ; in a Word, the
'Methodifts of their Times. And why
-fhould you turn away your Face from your
Cdcn Likenefs ? But you have another
^t,ij. Reafon 3 '' The Account of the Montanifts
beifjg not founded on Writings of their own \
and- fo at the befl very Precarious."
Did I fiy, the Account was not founded
"on their own Writings? Did I not
•exprefsly fay, that our Accounts and
ExtraBs of their own Wr-itings were col-
"leded from the heft Hiftorians of thofe
'Times? And fnppofing they had ;^^^ been
founded on their own Writings 3 mufl they
therefore of Courfe be Precarious ? Doth
-no Hiftory d'eferve Credit, but what was
written by the ABors ? What then be-
comes of the Faith of almofi all Hiftory ?
And is every Thing right and true which
Men
( vli )
Men write concerning Themfehes ? Well
then ! Tour Accounts^ "Journals^ &c. are
wrote by your Faithful Self: Therefore
not fre carious and iincertai?j. But yet,
you now own you have written Things
worfe than Precarious -, Things abjolutely
and confefjedly Jalfe. And had you died,
and the Myjlic Dove fled away to Heaveny
before your Recantation-^ thefe Falfities
muft have paffed upon the World for ///-
fallible Truths^ Revealed from above.
In the fame Page you catch me tripping,
and even falling into an Inconfifiency. I
had charitably fuppofed, that the Methodijis
might perhaps fet out from real Motives
of foicere Piety, adding afterwards, " their
fetting out with warm Preteiices to Re-P.s-
formation." Your Remark is, " If by
'Pretence I mean a mere Hypocritical Pre-
tence^ I am then guilty of a Self-Contra-
didrion/' But may not your M^^/rj^'^ be
fmcere ; and yet your Pretences to Reformat
tion be idle^ and vai7i, and ahfurd? (For
I did not fay Hypocritical.) And is not
-the World fully fenfible -Lvhat Sort of Re-
formation has always been the Aim of En-
thufafls ? As to your ^ejlion^ how can
Pretence and Reality be reco?2ciled? We are
agreed : my whole Comparifon has proved
they cannot ; and your Recantation has con-
firmed it.
But I am like to be in a ivorfi Condition: p. ^■
^' having faid what I can't prove^ and con^
f^fedly
{ ^'iii )
fejjedly exceeded the Bounds ofTrutL'' And
how fo ? Why it feems I have faid that
*' the Methodifts began their Adventures
with Field-Treaching ; and yet quite the
Contra?'}' is notorious from my own Words,
yifter the Methodijls had traduced the
Clergy in their own Churches and Pulpit s^
they fet ahout this pious Work of Defama-
tion more heartily in the Fields. Here^ you
fay, viy Parallel fails at jirjl Jetting outy
my feJf being Judge.''
And was I not, my good Friend, ki72d
and candid in not reckoning your Pulpit-
Abiifes among your idld and extravagant
Adventures ; in not laying the Adventures
to your Charge, *till you broke into Open
Irregularities by inviting a Rabble into the
Fields? And was I not right in dating
the Commencement of your Adventures from
P. 15, 15. that Time? You fay, No. " That in
Reality the Methodijl Adventures were be-
gun in the Churchy before you took the Field.'*
Be it fo. But this is your own frank Con-
ffjion-y and no Part of ;;a' Charge.
Do you think the PopiJJo Field-Preachers
did not firft learn their Lefon^ took no
previous Steps, mLidc no Trovifion, before
they fet out upon their Expeditions ? Read
their Legendsy and be convinced. Read
but the Beginning of the Hiftory cf that
Renoiiued Knight-Errant Den ^ixote, (a
good Catholic too) and you will find, how
'' he
( ix )
" he prepared himfelf by reading Books of
Chivalry^ for which he had an Extravagant
Fondnefs ; filled his Head with wild Fro^
jedls^ which turned his Brain-, had fre-
quent Difpiites with his Fanfld^Friejl %
furbiilied up his Armour^ and buckled it
on : — All this, before he adlually fallied
forth upon his Adventures^ in order to re-
drefs all Grievances, and correft all Ex-
orbitances : bejore he defperately encountred
the Windmill y or combated the Devils in
the Shape of Cats-y or (as Sa72C0 brags)
lodged at the Inns, all at Difcretion, and
the D — 1 a Farthing to pay.'*
And now, Sir, how have I been guilty
oi 2iV\ Untruth ', or how doth my Parallel
fail, myfeJf being Judge ? The FaB you
own, both of Fopifo and Methodiftical
Field'F reaching ; you glory in it. And of
what Moment is the precife Time of the
■Commencenient of your Adventures ? What
h?iVt you gained? Unlefs it be throwing
Duft into the Air, to blind the Eyes of
your Followers 5 or maintaining your Right
to a Litigious and Cavilling Humour.
; '.' Ton thank me for ififorming you, that^
Field-'Preaching was Jormerly praBifed in
this^ Nation : you are glad it was fo ; and
immediately ajiz. Why then fuch a Noife about
it now"" This Pradice, Sir, occafioned
an A^t^ or ABs^ againft Field-Fr cachings
(and I conceive not yet formally, or vir-
tually.
II.
tually, Repealed) becaufe fuch Meetings
were Entbu[iaftical^ Seditious, and Mif-
chinjcus. You indeed are glad of this :
but it affords fufficient Reafon for making
Jh?ic Noife about it ?iow. Obferve only the
Weight and Tendency of your Argument :
The Dominicans, Jefuits, Francifcans, &c.
did formerly, in a IVild, Fanatical and Ir-
regular Manner, employ their Talents in
corrupting and deceiving Mankind with
many falfe, Jcandalous, and wicked Tenets,
to the prodigious Injury of the Public and
True Religion : This Havock they made
of Civil and Religious Truth and Happinefs,
under the Majk of Sanclity -, by Blafphe-
mous Pretenfions and Claims to Inspiration,
Divine Calls and DireBions, and Variety
of other Frauds, Why then fuch a Noife
about them now ? Or what Occafion of
any Oppofition to thofe, who are 720W Re-
viving the Method, and are compaffing the
fame B^d by the Jame Means ? Thus Fotent
is your Way oi Reafoning : and fo effeclually
you get clear of thefe unlucky Papifls.
P- "• As to " fo?ne Degrees of VaJiity, unob-
ferved Vanity, which you fay you cannot now
remember j" have but a little Patience, and
your Memory will foon be refrefhed.
In Defence of your Condudt, ycu aik,
P. 12. " Can you recolledl no earlier, or rnore
** unexceptionable Field-Preachers than the
'' Papijh ? What think you of Jefus Chriji,
'' and
(xi)
" and his Apoftles f Were they not Field*
*' Preachers ?*' And will you never leave
off your inexcufable Pride in comparing
yourfelf to Chriji, and his ApoftUs ? Will
you ftill perfift in this Pjejumptuous Sin?
Will you do it again and again in this very
Pamphlet y wherein you have fadly bewailed
your Speaking iii a Stile too Apojlolical ? You
have owned your Pretences to Infpiratlon^
and fpeaking from the Spirit of God^ to be
Falfe : and if you own^ their Infpiration and
Divine MiJJion to be True % your Com--
parijon fails in the moft EJJential Point.
You have but Two Ways of making your
Parallel ftand ; and you may take your .
Choice. You muft prove, either that you
are Infpired and Comniiffiofjcd from on Highy
hke Chriji and his Apoftles ; — or that They
were fuch E?2thufajis as yourfelf.
Your Attempt to wipe off the Black Art?. lyiZ.
of Calumny^ and even to retort it upon
rnyfelf is really a Mafier-piece. " You own
your Speaking againft the Clergy was not
in the Spirit of ChriJ}^ or with the like
Divine Authority, and that there was too
much Severity in youx firjl Zeal, All there-^
fore you would infer is this, that what
fome may term Gall of Bitter nefs and black
Art of Calumny, may be Nothi?ig but an
Honeji TeJ}imo?iy againft the Corruptions of
a Degenerate Church, And you juftify
your Zeal by the Exa?nples of John Baptiji
a and
( xii )
and St. Stephen, who called the impenitent
and hardened Jews, A Generation of Viper s^
jiiff-necked, and imcircumcifed in Heart and
Ears, always refifting the Holy Ghojl : — of
our Saviour y denouncing no lefs than Thir-
teen Woes again ft the Scribes and Pharifees :
— oi Ifaiah and Jeremiah, condemning the
wicked Men of thofe Days.
Truely, Sir, you have much mended the
Matter -, and drawn a moft Conclujlve In-
ference, from your Confeffiofi of 7iot fpeak-
inc; againft the Clergy with a Chrijl-like or
Apoflolical Spirit, — of too much Severity in
your Zeal ; and when you fay '^ The
Methodijis for fome Time have laid down
a Trade, which I am taking up.
And how am I taking up this Trade of
?.\j, i%.Calu?nny} To prove this, " You gather
fome of my Flowers on this Occafion ; —
This Dangerous and Prefumpttious Se6l —
Strolling Predica?2ts — Itinerant Enthu/iajis
— Methodijtical Enthufiafis."" To which
I anfwer-y If this be Calumny, it comes out
of your own Mouth : you have confefjed, or
hoajled of, every Word and Syllable of it.
^•3', 33, r— You have Confrffed '' mingling Wild-
'^'>- Fire with your Zeal : to groundlefs Pre-
tences to Injpiration, to impofmg your own
Spirit upon the World inftead of the Spirit
of God (the very Efjence of Enthufiafm)
you pkrd guilty : Prefumption among fome
<bf vcnr Sed: you readily grant : — And
you
( xiii )
you boaj} of wanderinginto fevcral Parts of the P- n» 4 J-
World, 2iS 2i Preacher : Yon glory tn taking
the Field,'' And now I readily agree, that
*' thefe Flowers (growing in your own Gar-?. i8.
den) are not of a very Scriptural Scent,'*
But you afk, " why muft I dijliirb the?. i8, 19.
Dead^ rake into their very AJloes^ and call
up Mr. Seward's Ghoft in order to terrify
the Reader?" If this be fuch ^Tc?^rible
Crime, who has done it more than the
Methodijls? Who more, than yourfelf ? You
have treated the Author of the whole Duty
of Man, and Archbifhop 'iillotfon, in a
moft Scurrilous Manner : in this very
Pamphlet you have raked into the Afhes of
Luther, Calvin, Zuinglius, Cranmer, Rid-
ley, a?2d Hooper -, nay of Paul and Bar- p. 45.
nabas'y and have freely cenfured their
Faults, You urge, " that Flowers enough?. ,'8.
might have been gathered out of Mr. Wef-^
leys ^Journals and yours : and I might let
your dear warm Friend, your Fellow--
traveller Seward, lie undifturbcd. What
hath he done?'* I doubt. Sir, your have
been dabbling in a Play, and learned your
Reafoning from the Facetious Knight ;
** No, my good Lord, banifh Peto, banifh
'^ Bardolph, banifli Poins ; but for fweet
'' Jack Fnljhff, kind fack Faljfaff, true
<* Jack Faljtaff, valiant Jack Fcdflaff,-^
*' banifh not him,
a 2 In
( ^iv )
In plain Truth, (for I beg Pardon for
rafhly touching upon a Play) Mr. Seward
V\ih\\(htd 2i Journal iu\\ oi Calumny^ En-
thujiafm, dangerous and prefiwiptuous Tenets^
ftill working warmly in the Methodijis :
but he muft not be touched, becaufe he is
dead. And your Ride muft be acknow-
ledged a very Expedient one. For then, had
yonr good Self died before your Reca?ttationy
all your Confejj'ed Falfities and Impoflures
muft have paffed for Sacred Truths, with-
out any Examination or ContradiBion. Then
no Antient Heretic, no Infidel, no Enthu-
Jiafl, no Broacher of the moft wicked Doc-
trines, could ever be called in ^efiion.
And (to the great Comfort of your Heart)
then the Fanatical wandering Ghcfis of St.
Francis and Ignatius had not been called up,
to 7:?^^;^/ and fi are you in the Face, To
make you as eafy as I can ; — Seeing I fhall
have Occafion to call up the fame Ghcfis
again -, I give you previous Notice, that
you may not he frighted.
In the mean Time you don't coniider
what a Fright you have put me into. For,
befides '' leaving me to Mr. Wefiefs Cor-^
reEilcn,'' you bolt out fuddenly with
30. " Something S O Extraordinary in my
17th Se5iion, that it calls for ^Remark:'
You fiartle me 5 you put me in a Panic.
But I muft ftand the Shock. — Out it
comes, that '' I have called Inflantaneom
Converfion
( X'^ )
Converfion a Fanatical Peculiarity,'' Is this
your Something S O Extraordi?iary ? I fup-
pofe not. It mull lie in your following
Remark; '' I prefiime Inftantaneous Re-
*' generation muft be a Fanatical Teculiari-
" ty alfo. What then becomes of that
^' Diana of the prefent Age, Baptijmal
*' Regeneration, which muft be Injlantane-
'' ous? " By this Time I begin to recover
my SenfeSy and be able to fpeak, ToUy Mr.
Whitejield^ may be as Prefumptuous as you
pleafe : / prefiimed not to fay any fuch
Thing : I neither mentioned, nor thought
of, Baptijmal Regeneration, But IF I
had ; Oh! how you would chaftife me? —
I anfwer very Laconically^ IF. — Moreover
I ajk you, why you will talk at this idle^
and even v^icked Manner ? What St. Paul Titus,
exprefsly calls the Wajloing^ or Laver^ of^' 3-
Regeneration, you profanely Chriflen by the
Heathenijh Name of Diana, '' Baptifmal
Regeneration is the Diana of the prefent
Age/' Take again therefore your own
Words, Tretty Language this. Sir ! Such P. 15.
as ought once more to bring you to
your Penitentials^ and extort another Alas !
Alas!. ^
Again, you charge me with " calling p, .,.
Afjurances of Salvation another Trefumptu-
ous Imagination,'' I did fo. And you
return to your old prevaricating Trick of
making me Jay,, what I did 7wt fay ; and
changing
( xvi )
changing the Term by flipping in the Word
Faith inftead of Salvation^ you immediate-
ly aflc, " Is Affarance of Faith then, in
" your Opinion, a Prefumptiious Imagina-
" tionV Whence you run on Arguing^
— as wifely as you did before.
As I have chiefly confulted your ^oiir-
p. 33, 34. nahy you tell me, '' that in this I have afted
wifely enough for my Purpofe, but not
candidly 3 fince there were Later Writings
of yours, which might as eafily have been
procured.** Indeed, Sir, I did not care to
loofe fo much Time, Nor probably would
your hater Writings turn out much to
your Advantage, But fuppofing the beft,
mind the Prettinefs of your Argument : —
It was the Comparer's Purpofe to difcover
Mr. Whiteficld's Enthufiajrns 3 and therefore
he ought not to look for them where
they were to be founds but where they were
not.
So much for your acute and judicious
Remarks, Let us proceed to your Confejfion,
^•9' and Recantation. For '' undcferving as my
Pamphlet was, it has ferved a good Purpofe^
and been the Meajis of your reBifying Some
Miftakes,'' And you have kindly given us
a Lick of the " Hofiey that came out of the
Eater:'
After you have rcBified your Miflakes^
P. ^4. and Confefjed them, you fay indeed, '' that
this
( xvii )
this was not extorted from you by rr?y
Pamphlet:'* Which a Captious Pcrfon
might take f®r a Sort of Self'Co7itradi5lion.
But I regard not that ; feeing either Way
the fame^W Turpofe is ferved.
Accordingly, a Regard to the Common
Benefit inclines mc to enumerate your Re-
traced Mijlakes^ and Common 'Jujiice to
acknowledge a great Appearance of your
Ingenuous and Sincere Mind, and Conduct.
*^ You confefs too ?nuch Severity in yourp ,-, iq,
^^ iirft Zeal, by far too much againft Arch-
" bifliop Tillotfon : — Young awakened Per- P. 22, 34.
'^ fons are apt to run into Extremes, which
'' fall off when they have received the
" Spirit of Adoption ', — your Journals wcro
^' fome of your moft early Performances,
^* in the very Heights of your firft Popu^
^' larity ; which is apt to make \h^firongefi
'' Head run giddy ^ and do Things, which
'* After -Experience and riper fudginent
'' teach them to correB and amend, — You p. 27.
*^ retra<fl with all your Heart your having
" defined or prayed for IH-Ujage, Terje-
*' cution, Martyrdom, Death, &c. as pro-
'' ceeding from an Irregular, though welU
" meant, Zeah, now finding yourfelf no
'' Ways fo difpofed, — As to the Dodtrine of P. jt.
'' Affuranccs, you readily grant that fome
" of the Mcthodifts who really had not this
'' Ajjiirance, have Prefumptuoufty imagined
^* they had it -, there being Counterfeit as
'* well
( xviii )
P- 3S. « well as Current Coin. — You confefs, you
*' were followed with the Hofannas of the
" Multitude ; and your too ftrong Ex-
" preflions concerning Abfoliite Reproba-
" tion-, — and your expofing your Friend
P. 59. " Mx.Wefky: — that in the ColkBion of
" Letters (written by the Methodifts) many
" Things were very Exceptionable ; which
" therefore have been SuppreJJed for fome
** Years: — that you don't now approve of
*' making a Lottery of the Scriptures : —
P, 40, 41." that your Miflakes and Blunders have
*' ht^\\ frequent ', and when you are made
" fcnftbk of any more, they fliall be pub-
** lickly acknowledged and reiraBed : — that
" when you carried high Sail, running
" through a whole Torrent of Popularity
** and Contempt^ you have been in Danger
P- 42. " of overfctting: — that you mentioned
'' Divine Communications with fome De-
P. 43. " grees of Vanity : Something of our own
** Imagination may pofjibly be ble?ided with
*^ Methodifm j nay, that Imagination has
** mixed itfelf with the Work cannot be
P' 45- *' denied: — You confefs many Offences and
" Divifions among yourfelves, and own it
" mufl needs be that fuch Offences come."
— Laftly, when I charged the Methodifts
with ftealing the Sacred Fire from Heaven,
by bold Pretences to Revelations, Infpira-
tions^ 6cc. and afked where will thefe bold
E?ithufiajls fop? ( Compar, p. 48. ) your
Reply
( xix )
Reply isj " I anfwer for one^ even here,
" Sir, And I will freely and readily ac-
" knowledge y that you and others have had
" too much Occafion for RefleBion, by
" feveral Things that have been unwarily
" dropped up and down in my Journals J*
Remember then, that by Jiopping here
you gi''oe up the remaining Parts, and plead .
guilty to the moft Capital Articles of my
Charge 5 which were, •* Divine PrefenceSy
particularly Chrift vijible in the Sacrament,
fitting at the Head of the l!able^ and talk--
ing to Mr. Whitefield -, — familiar Communi-
cations, a?id amorous Conversations with God%
— Extraordinary Revelations, Lifpiration 5
Special DireBions^ MiJJions, and Calls -^
Ecjlacies a?id Vifions, &c/*
I would now proceed to your famous.
7e7iitential Letter of Retractations : but
delire firft to make a few Obfervations upon
the above ConfeJJions.
As to thofe Extremes common in your
young Perfons, and falli?ig off when they
receive the Spirit of Adoption ; pray ac-
quaint us with the precife "Time of your own
receiving it, that we may be certified when
you got clear of all fuch Extremes, and
attained a Jujl Medium.
When you make Excufes for your
groundlefs Pretences to hfpiration, a Di-
vine CommiJJion, &c. on Account of your
moft early DaySy and in the Height of your
b firft
(XX)
firft Topularity^ when your Head was
giddy y you hereby confefs^ that you was
mojl Topular^ when you was the greatejl
Liar ; be ft loved and admired ^ when you
feduced the Multitude by Cheat and //;/-
pojlure. And what a fine Compliment is
this to yoUr Folloivers Jlnderflanding^ and
your cic';? Integrity ? What F^(?/j have
you made of thej}?^ and what a i&/ — of
yonrfelf ?
When you received the Hofanna's of the
Multitude^ I really thought it an Error of
the Prefs for Huzza's. But you confefs
that ^' Hdfanna was your ow^n Word :
wro7ig and unguarded^ but not intended to
convey a Prcfane Idea,'* Wrong and un-
guarded ! What a tender Expreffion of this
great Offence? And how poffibly could
your own Mind abftraft from Trofanenefs
— an Application to yourfelf of the Divtne
Hcnoiir .^'^xd to the Adorable Redeemer of
Mankind? The Word indeed hatfi for-
merly been ufed in Acclamations to fome
cutragecus Enthufafis. And particularly,
Sir James Ware (Hunting of the Romijh
Pox, P. 229 — ) 'relates of *' one Anth,
Ni^gcnt, a Popifi Prieji^ that he was one
of Jafncs Naylor's Difciples, and went
before him through the Streets of Bri/lol^
crying out Hcfannar I prefume yqu again
'/ tbaiik me for acquainting you with thefe
former
( xxi )
former Injiatices, and are glad they \ver,e
pradifed in our Nation feveral Years ago."
Whereas you was in Danger of cwr-
fetting from a Torrent of Popularity and
Contempt ^ — I congratulate you on your
pre fen t lefs dangerous Situation : your Popu-
larity is pretty well over 5 for the other^^
you rnuft take your Chance.
Whereas you fay, " The Offences and
DIvifions among yourfelves were about
fome Non-Ejjentials 3 '' — Is this the 'Truth t
And will yow Jland to your Words? Can
differing about Non-Ejjentiah be reconciled
to your accufing each other of preaching
Damnable and EJ/hitially-Erroneous Doc-
trines, — horrid BlafphemieSy another Gofpel^
&c? (Which will appear anon.) This
being the Cafe, 'tis plain you quarrelled
about Ejjentials^ or elfe you are mutually
Falfe udccufers of your Brethren, Either
Way, there is fomething Ejfentially Un^
chrtjiian among you.
But come we now to your Penitential
Letter^ wherein fome of your Cant is Re--
canted^ and we are taught to confefs your
ingenuous and fine ere Dealing. *^ To con-p^
vince me that this is the real Language of
your Hearty and not extorted by my
Pamphlet^ you produce an Extra5f of a
Letter to a worthy Friend in South Ca--
rolina-^ and publifhed, with very little
b 2 Jilteration^
34'
( XXll )
"Alteration^ in Scotland Months ago. Dated
June 24, 1748." Whereby I am indeed
convinced of your Temper. You will do
nothing by Compulfion : nothing fhall be
extorted from you. But let you alone;
and you will confefa as much Enthiifiafrn
and Impojlure as one could wifh. May I
have the Liberty, Sir, to alk. Why this
Confejjion was fent privately to a Friend in
Carolina^ and not to your own Countrymen ?
Why did you fuffer your Followers to lie fo
long under a Delufion ? And not publifli
your Recantation immediately, as foon as
you found yourfelf both deceiving^ and
being deceived'? Why publiihed in Scotland
rather than in England ? And who knows
whether this Part of the Nation would have
been bleffed with any Publication, unlefs
it had been extorted by my Tamphlet ?
That you may have full Jujlice done
you, and as your farther Refra5lation will
appear cleareft in your own Words, it may
be proper to reprint the Letter^
O:.
( Xxili )
On Board the Bngg Betfey, Captain p. 35—
Efteen Cojn?nander,
Jtme 24//^, J 748.
Reverend Sir^
" \7"Efterday I made an End of revifing
" j[ all my Journals — Bleffed be God
" for letting me have Leifure to do it — I
" purpofe to have a new Edition before I
" fee America — Alas ! Alas ! in how
*^ many Things have I judged, and adted
" wrong ! I have been too rafh arKi hafty
*' in giving Characters both of Places and
" Perfons — Being fond of Scripture Lan-
'^ S^^^S^^ I ^'^^^ often ufed a Style too
*' ApoJlolicaU and at the fame Time I have
" been too bitter in my Zeal — ^Wild-fire
*' has been mixed with it; and I find I
*' have frequently wrote and fpoke too
" much in my own Spirit, when I thought
" I was writing and fpeaking entirely by
" the Affiftance of the Spirit of God — I
*^ have likewife too much made Impref-
*' fions, without the written Word my
*^ Rule of afting ; and too foon, and too
^* explicitely, publifhed what had bettdr
*' been kept in longer, or left to be told
*' after my Death. By thefe Things, I
^S have given fome "ucrong Touches to God's
'' Ark
{ xxiv )
" Ark, hurt the bleffed Caufe I would
" defend, and ftirred up needlefs Oppofi-
*' tion — This has humbled me much fince I
*' have been on Board, and made me think
" of a Saying of Mr. Henrfs^ Jofeph had
" more iionefiy than he had Volicy\ or he
<c ^f,^^^ Hx)Oidd have told of his Drearm — At
*' the fame Time, I cannot but blefs, and
*' praife, and magnify that good and graci-
" ous God, who imparted to me fo much
" of his holy PirCy and carried me, a poor
" weak Youth, through fuch a Torrent
" both of Popularity and Contempt ^ and
'^ fet fo many Seals to my unworthy Mi-
*' niftrations — I blefs him for ripening my
" Judgment a little ^nore^ for giving me to
'' fee, confefs, and I hope in fome Degree
«* to correS and ame?id fome of its Miftakes
^' — I thank God for giving me Grace to
*' embark in fuch a ble(]ed Caufe y and pray
'' him to give me Strength to hold on,
^' and increafe in Zeal and Love to the
" End Thus, dear Sir, I have un-
" burdened my Heart to you — I look
" upon you to be my F:diis Achates^ and
'' therefore deal thus freely. — If I have
^' Time and Freedom before wc land, I
" think to begin and write a ihort Account
of what has happened for thefe fcven
Years laft paft ; and when I get on Shore,
God willing, I purpofe to revife and
corred the iirft Part of my Life/' —
The
<%
(C
( XXV )
The Principal Point here, and what im-
mediately ftrikes the Eye, is your free Con-
fejjion, and doleful Lamentation of having
frequently Impofed upon the World, and
fediiced your Followers^ by Falpcod and
Deceit ; and that too in a Matter of the
higheji Concern^ the Salvation of their Souls.
You have Confefled yourfelf an Enthufiafi^
and confequently juftijied me in bringing
fuch a Charge, " In many Things adled
and judged wroiig, been bitter, particularly
in giving CharaBers:" Which proves your
Trade of Calmmiy. '' Often ufed a Style
too ApoftolicaW And why will you con-
tinue it, and fo often, again in this very
Pamphlet? " Wild-fire has been mixed
with your Zeal, and with God's Holy
pire J — you have wrote and fpoke in your
own Spirity and put it upon the World
entirely for the Spirit of God : — have made
ImpreJJionSy and not the written Word of
Gody your Rule of ABing:' And this I
hope you will own to be Ge^mifie Enthu^
flafm, and in the bad Senfe of the Word.
Thefe Things you have Acknowledged^
Bewailed, ajid Retraced: and would be
thought, no Doubt, to aft Ingenuoufiy^
and fpeak Sincerely*
Confidering therefore all your Confefiiom
and Retradlatiom of your Fanatical Sallies,
had I the Honour and Happinefs of being
one of your SeB^ I (hould propofe an Ad-
drefs
( xxvi )
drefs to vou (with great Submiffion) m the
following Manner. '' We are, Sir, of the
" Number of thofe, who have attended
*' your Terfon and DoBrinc -, allured by
" yom fan&ifiedT^rcfaices^ and high Claims.
'^ Being perfwaded firft into a bad Opinion
'*^ oi onii prope?' P a/lor s and Churches^ w^e
" followed you into the Streets, the Fields
*' and Defarts. We crowded^ hugged ^ kijjed
" you ; made you Trefents and Eiitertain
*' ments receiving you as an Apojlle^ or
" Angel from Heaven. And this too at the
" very Junfture of 7/W, when you was
'^ the rnoft Deceitful Worker^ and grievouf-
"'^ ly feducing your precious Lambs, For
*' at length we find you declaring, that
^'^ your Infallible JnfiruBions^ and which
*' we devoured as fo many Oracles^ were
•" but {o many Mijlakcs, Blunders^ or L/Vi.
'^ Your being guided by Impulfes and 7;^;-
•'* prefjiojis,^ and teaching ^/^ to depend upon
\" them as certain^ is now acknowledged
'^ to be a precarious and even j/^^ i?w/^,
" Oiurping the Place of God's IVord:
' Though you once affured us, it was as
'' eafy to know when the Spirit made an
^' Imprefjlon on the 5oul^ as to feel and
'' know when the Wi?2dm2kt^ an Impref-
'' fion on the Body, You taught, that
'' our Afurance of Salvation was clearly
'' written upon the Heart, as by a Sun*
'* Bcamx v/hereas now, Alas! Alas! we
^' only
{ xxvil )
'' only PrefumptiioiiJIy imagined that wc
'' had it. You made your Boaft of a
" Divine Mijjion ; Special Calls and Di-
" regions from Heaven-, Infpirations, Com-
" municatiom, Converfations Face to Face
" with God ', which by your later Account y
'' and ConfeJJion, were all mere Fancy, and
'' FiBion, and the Produd: of a fertile In-
" vention. You have climbed up, and
" Jiole the facred Fire from Heaven ;
" have everf Deified yourfelf, and put
" your own Spirit in the Seat of the
'« Holy Ghoft, You confefs you have
" fcattered Wildfire among us, whereby
" we felt ftrange and unufual Burnings,
^' and fome of us have been terrified out
'' of our Senfes ; without any Warning to
'' keep our Difiance, out of the Reach of
*' this dangerous Coinpofition, Seeing then
" you have thus (hammed us off with
" Counterfeit Coin inftead of true Sterlingy
** and have owned yourfelf a Cheat and
*' Impoftor-, what remains, but to leave
<' you to yourfelf, and return to our native
" Fold ? A Stranger will we not follow,
'' but will flee from him -, who Confefjedly
*' came not in by the Door, but clim&ed up
'' fome other Way, Remember, that at beft
*' you are now but a common Mortal, upon
•' a Level with ordinary Churchmen : ftrip-
'' ped of your Extraordinary Cekfiial
" Endowments, and Superjjatural Powers,
,c '' vou
( xxviii )
" you can henceforth only make a Figure
" from your natural or acquired Abilities ^
Oh ! what a Fall is there ?
I was going on ; but am fuddenly
flopped by your feafonable Monition 5
P. 20. " But hold, Sir : And before you run
" yourfelf quite out of Breath, I intreat
** you to flop a little, while I put to you
" a few Sluejtions. Believe you that I am
" perfeftly in earnejl^ and have made an
" Abfolute Recantation'? Do not I infert
" divers Softenings^ Referves^ Salvo's^ and
" Exceptions to my general Confejfion V —
I cry your Mercy, Sir; 'tis very true. And,
to fave you the Trouble, I fliall recoUeft
■fome of them : But then, I fear, fome
Doubts may arife about your Sincerity.
Accordingly here follows an imperfe^ and
rough Draught of what you might triiely
endjujlly plead ; and to which I fhall not
have the Face to make a?iy Objedfion,
" Whereas I George Whitefield have
•* made ample ConfeJJion and Retra^lation
*' oivny E?ithu/jafms and I?npofiures\ I do
•^ hereby (to prevent all MifconJlruBion)
** claim the Privilege of explaining myfelf,
*' m what Se?ife^ and how far ^ my Words
•' are to be underftood. Saving to myfelf
" likewife the Benefit of futwe Ex-
" ccptiojiSy &c. In general I plead, that
*'m
( xxix )
'' ill my deepeji Confeffions of my moft
" hei?2oiis Offences, I only acknowledge
" Mi/iakesy or Blunders, fpeaking and
<' writing fome wrong and unguarded
" Things, Things unwarily dropped up and
^' down, Want of Caution, with other tender
'' and ge?2tle Expreffions. And Malice
" itfelf muft allow thefe Softenings to be
*' an Extenuation of Guilt. — Moreover,
« even of thefe Miftakes, &c. I have not
«' relinquifiied, nor defired to relinquifli,
« All ; but only a Part of them \ and that
*^ Part too not Entirely. For my 'u^r;^
*^ Words are, ' I blefs God for ripening my
« Judgment a /////^ ;;2or^, for giving me to
'^ /2'^ and Confefs, and I A^/>^ mfome Degree
<^ to corred: and amend fome of my Mif-
'^ takes/ And am I not here fufficiently
'' upon the Referve ?— 'Tis true, I confefs
'' and lament many Faljlmds and Enthuji--
'' (ifms publifhed in my Journals : but 'tis
*' true alfo, that I am only forry for doing
^< this ' too foon, and too explicit ely ; and
-** declare that what I am now afhamed of
'<- had been better kept in lojiger, or left to
^' be told after my Death: And hereby
'*' I mi^ht have avoided this Shame of a
*' Recantation; a noble L^^^O' ^^^ t)een
*< left to the Bands and Societies-, who
<« would have been entitled to the Honour
" and Pr^//i arifing from my pious Fal-
" lacies: my Untruths Sind Deceits had never
c 2 bec^
( ^xx )
*' been known 5 becaufe no Candid Perfon
" would have raked into my Afoes to con-
" tradid: me 3 and I coidd not have con-
'' tradidled myfelf,-—! do indeed publickly
'^ acknowledge that my Dreams were not
" from Heaven^ but mere llliifiGnsqf Fancy :
** and yet obferve how Artfully I compare
" my Cafe with that of Jofeph ; and fay,,
*^ that my publifhing them as Divine
" might perhaps be Impolitic^ but was no
" Impeachment of my Honejly. —
" To be more particular. As to Vanity
" and Pride,— -I have often confelTed and
*^ bewailed the Naught inefs of my proud
" Heart', and when //■tyZif^//£7///7j Thoughts
^' ufed to crowd in upon me, have Prayed
" to God^ ' Give me Humility, or I peiifli.*
" — But pray remember how I fojten this
'' into fome Degrees of V'anity, and thofe
" either unoifervcd Qv forgotten : and that I
'* flill dcfirc to retain a proper Share ofdecejzi
Dealing/^ Pride. For when my Heart was ftirred
'^^' ''up to pray againft Spiritual Pride, my
'' exprefs Words w^ere, that God would
*' always keep me humbled only in fome
" Menfure. The very worf and higheji
" Inftance of Vanity, that of applying
'' Hfannas to my dear Self, which too
*' hath laid me low before God and Man ^
'' — this I have brought down to a Thing
• 3^^ " wrong and unguarded, but not intended
^' to convey a "Profane Idea,
'' I have
( xxxi )
" I have inaintained the Dodlrine of
*' Abfolute Reprobation iojiijly, and to that
" Degree^ as to be charged by Mr. Wejley
" with horrid Blajphemy j and my 'Enemies
*^ fay, he hath confuted me in a fiirong
" and majierly Manner. But by my Con-
*■ JW^^ ^^is dwindles away into my having
" dropped fome too jlrong ExprrJJions. —
*' If I am forced to own that I have
'^ traduced the Clergy ; but for fome Time
*' laid down the iLr^dc oi Dejamation *, you p. 15-ig.
" fee how foon I take it up again ; and
*' defend myfelf by the Example of the
" Apofdes j (though I own not with the
" fame Spirit ^ or Authority) and make
" them as great Sla?2derers as myfelf.
" If I lamentably acknowledge my hav-
" ing often ufed a Style too Apoftolical y
*' you fee how quickly and frequently
*' I ftart up again in the Form of an
" Apoftle.
'• One of my moft important 2ind glaring
*^ Recantations is this. The Author of the
'' Comparifon afking, ' Where will thefe
** hoX^Enthufiafls^X.o'^V Proceeds to our
" moft a\ vwed but moft: Prefumptuous
*' Claims of Infpiration^ Revelations^ Com'-
" munications with God^ Special Calls y
'^ Divine Miffio72s^ and the like. Here I p. 33.
" in^2iU.\\y flop Jhort ', am pricked in Con-
** fcience, howl and cry, renounce and
'' give up thefe Blafphemous Pretences*
Bui
( xxxii )
*' But then fail not to obferve with what
*' Softening and Rcferve I make my Re-
" treat. They are Things unwarily drop-
" ped up and down in my Jourjtah, And
P. 41,42.*' I pofitively infift, that fome of my In-
'' fpirations, &c. are not groundlefs and
" pretended^ but really from above, Ac-
*' cordingly mind how I have confounded
'' the Ingenious Author of Conf derations on
" the Converfion aiid Apoftlcfoip of St, Paul;
*' who has ventured roundly to Aflert that
" ALL the Divine Communications^ II-
''' hani nations and Efiacies of the Methodifts
*' fprung from no other Sources but Self-
" Conceit^ Vapours^ and Imagination, I
" fay, this is quite unbecoming fo Young
*' a Convert. Nor fhall I regard any
*' Reply, as if this were a malicious or un-
" mannerly Reflexion upon an Excellent
*' Terjon ; or quite milbecoming me, who
^* was fo Young a Convert to Enthufiajm, and
*' but fo Young a Convert again to fome
*' fmad Share of Common Senfe, This is a
*' mere 7r//?t% in Comparifon of the Ad-
*' vantage I gain by my Referves and Eat-
*' ceptions: whereby it lies ftill in my
•' Power to fix what Portion Ipleafeof my
'' Fancies and Trgtences upon Heaven ;
*' and henceforward to put the fame Trick
*' again upon the Dear Innocent Lambs.
*' Nor can the Comparer himfelf efcape
*' the EfFefts of my Saint-like Artifice and
'• Management .
( xxxiii )
'' Management, I own the Enthujiafms
'* which he has ferretted out of my
" 'Journals: but then I have cunningly
" fent him to an e7npty Bitry\ my later
" Writings, where he can find nothiiig, —
" I own too, fome of his PopiJJ: Taralleh
'' are exadt enough. But what am I the
*^ worfe for treading in a Popifh Track ?
^' Once, or twice, however, I have fairly
*' caught him without any Parallel at all ^
^' and fo left him to that poor Excuje^
'' that fome of our Entbiifiafim are im-
" exampled,
" What Wounds I have given to Mc^
*^ thodifm by , my ConfeJJmiSy I endea-
*' vour to bind up again, and heal.
*' Have I given any liTong Touches to God's
'' Ark ? Still I fay, it is God's Ark. Me-
" thodifm is ftill Gcd's Caiifi, the Bleffed
" Caufe, I ftill glory in having taken the
" Field, continue the Trade, and will con-
*^ tlnue it, while I can get Cuflomers, If
*^ our Zeal be Irregular , 'tis like wife well-
" meafjt. If Counterfeit Coin be ftirring
" amongft us, we deal in fome True
" Sterli72g, Though I have been throw- P. 43.
^' ing about my Wild-fire, 'tis qualified
" with a Mixture of God's holy Fire.
" Though I confefs it Undeniable that
*^ Imagination has mixed itfelf with the
" /Fori ^^ Methodifm ; yet in the very pre-
*^ ceding Words it comes with a ^(J/^^/^-
** PeradventurCy
( xxxiv )
*' Ter adventure y ' Something of our own
** Imagination may pojjibly be blended
" with it.'
<* As to the grievous ^{arreh and Bf^oih
'' among ourfelves ; — 'tis true, we accafed
" each other of teaching Damnable Doc-
*' trines, DoBrines Ejjentially -Erroneous,
'' a New, and Another Gofpel, Gfc. But
*' I have now 'whittled ^c'-^-^^ all thefe rough
" and hard Names, and fmoothed them
P- 45- " down into ' Offences and Divifions about
'' fome JSlon'Ejjentials, fuch as muft ;/£W^
*' be among good Men/ And however
'' intemperate and raging our i/^^^/^ may
'' be fuppofed, I prove they were not
*' properly the EfFeds of our own Spirit -^
P. 46. ^' becaufe Satan flood clofe by us, blow-
'' ing up the Coals, in order to raife a
** 5;;/i?/^Y', to blacken the Work of God,
'* And whatever be xht Guilt, I have taken
'* Care that our Firjl Reformers, and even
*' Barnabas and Paul, fhall come in for
" Snacks, and be as /^^i as ourfelves.
" Judge now, my Friends, whether
" the Spirit of Whitefield is not Jlill the
" fame ? Whether by thefe Saving ClaufeSy
*' Softenings and Exceptions, I have not
" in Jo me Me a fur e Unconfefjed my ConfeJJions^
" and Retraced fny RetraBations ? My
" Enemies perhaps may be fo very un--
*' rcafonable, as to charge me with Saying
" and Unfaying, Prevarication and Incon-'
''fifiency.
( XXXV )
*^*' fijlency, Difingeniiity and Injincerify.
*' But when the Way of Duty is the Way P. 37.
*' of Safety y I regard not Confeqiiences, I
^' have plainly proved, that at prefent Ip. 25.
*' am too Serious to make Sport v^ith my
" own Deceivings ; and they are very wel-
*^ come to confer what T'itle upon me
*^ they pleafe.'*
I am, Sir, a little afraid that fome
Doubts may arife about your Sincerity.
But for my Part, I acknowledge your Plea
to be true^y and fhall keep my Word and
Promife of making no ObjeBion. How-
ever, for this Inftance of my Love and
FricndJJjip^ I may exped you to pay fome
Regard to my Advice, as to the following
Particulars : ( wherein too all Metbodifis
have Reafon and Right to join) efpecially
as you fay, and your Demi -Recant at ion
proves, that *' you are not altogether lu-
corrigible.''
You begin your Penite?itial Epiftle thus :^- Vr^^'^^
*' Yefterday I made an End oi Revifing all
'* my "Journals.'' May it not be Expedient
to revife them again^ and again 3 that all
Mijlakes may be Rectified, For you add,
" Alas ! Alas ! in how many Things have
" I judged and acled wrong." For the
Sake of Truth and Right, fpecify exadly
in what Particulars. " I have been too
" rajh and ka/ly in my CharaBers of Places
" andTerfons." Take care to do Jufiic^
d to
( XXXV i )
to fuch as may have loft their good Name ;
and make Rejlitutio?!^ as becomes a "True
Penitent, '' I have often ufed a Style too
'^ Apojlolicaiy Be PiinBual^ in relating
fairly when you fpoke as an Apoftle, and
when not, " I have been too bitter J'
Let nothing but Honey drop from your
Pen, '' I have mixed Wild-fire with my
*' Z^^/, and with God's Holy Firer A
^72^ Com f fit ion ^ Sir, this ! But diftinguijh
precifely the Proportions -, fay when and
where you were this Da7igeroiis Incendiary ;
feparate your Sulphur and other Combuftible
Ingredients \ Extinguifld the Flames ; rcc/
^'^wr Brain, and meddle no more with
Wildfire, " I have frequently wrote and
" fpcke in my (Ji^^/z Spirit, when I thought
*' it entirely the Spirit of God,'" An jE/^
fentially-Enthifiafiic 2ir\A fatal Prefu7nption !
Be therefore very Exadi and Explicit in
determining what came from God, and
what from the Delufion of Fancy. And
when you have done this, your Readers
and Followers will expert fome clear and
dijiinguijlnng Marks, how they may judge
for the future between Divine Injpiration,
and the Operations of your own Mi?id,
Retire into your Mint-Office', call in all
your Counterfeit Coin ; melt it down ;
Circulate no more bafe Money, Let your
new Coinage be all true Standard, and with
a Mark that may certainly be depended
upon.
( xxxvii )
upon. — To this End, perufe diligently and
calmly my Comparijon^ which will afford
you fome gejitle but ufefid Hints towards
your CorreBions and Emendatwis, Thumb
it by DaVy and dream of it by Night, —
'^ I have too much made hjipre/Jioits, with-
^^ out the Written Word^ my Rule of acS-
*' ing.'' Invert your Rule; The Written
Word without hnpreffions, " I have Fiib^
" liJJoed too foon what had better been kept
" in longer.'" Take the preceding Ad-
vice, A^^ Lnprejfion, ^' By thefe Things
" I have given Ibme wrong Touches to
" God's Arkr This was Vzza'^ Offence.^ Sam. vi.
He was fmitten for his Raflinefs : fo are ' ^*
you. He was an Intruder ; and meddled
(however pious might be his Intention)
where he had no Bujinejs :■ io have you.
But as you have farther Dejigns ^ our
Advice fliall attend you. " I think of p. 37.
" writing a fhort Account of what has
'^ happened for thefe Seven Tears laft
'' paft.'* Take at leaft Seven Tears in
doing it. You have ktn the Fate of your
former Journah : and if the reft appear
abroad in the fame Exceptionable Drefsy
you may occafion fome needle fs Merriment^
and fo be guilty of a moft Horrible Sin.
You know how warmly you have declared
againft Diver/ions of all Kinds. And think
you an Account of more Adventures will
jiot caufeyi;;;^ Diverfwn? You may not
d 2 perhaps
( xxxviii )
perhaps inteiid fuch a Confequence; but
remember Mr. Wejley has proved Laughing^
Fits to be fometimes Irreji/lible, Cafes hap-
pening when 720 Mortal can help it,
p _ »« I purpofe to revife and corredl The
" Firjl Tart of my Life.'' An arduous
Labour I confefs. But fend up a Petition
to Hercules^ to come and help you cleanfe
this Augean Stable. And when this Dung
is eieded, I am afraid your Second Tart
will want cleanfmg as much : and likewife
the &c. &c. &c. of your ^journals. If
you fliould happen not to \yt debarred the
Ufe of Pen, Ink, and Taper, and my
Advice would be kindly received ; I would
put you in Mind of the Toef% Sentence, —
Una litura potefl : One Univerfal Blot will
ferve ; and ferve better than fo much blot-
ting and blurring, as will otherwife be
needful. Or, for another Effedlual JVay^
you may Purify your Works by Fire, And
as you have already Confejjed, and Jhewed
your Deeds ; it might be of Service to the
Aas, xix. Gofpel (tho* not to Methodijrn) to bring
' * '^ ycur Curious Books together, and burn them
before all Men. Your Method was fome-
p. 39. thing of this Nature, when you '' Sup-^
prefed your Letters -, becaufe many Things
in them were very Exceptionable, though
good in the Main.''
But hold ! I had bcft Retrad: this Ad-
vice, fo impertinent, fo hafty, fo unnecef-
fary.
( xxxix )
fary, fo detrimental to the Public. For
'' After ^Experience and riper Judgment?, ^s^^n,
have taught you to correal and amend all
your Performances, : and for the future you
are to come out in a more imexceptionable
Drcfs:" What a defnable and delightful
Spe^acle I I almoft long to have a Peep at
you in your Unexceptionable Drefs. — I begin
to be in an Ecftacy. — Now methinks I fee
you, hke a Player after he hath ABed his
Part, ftripping off the dazzling Tinfel^ in
which he f rutted upon the Stage : — Now
like Prejbyter John tearing away your
Points, Tags, Ribbands, Fringe, Lace and
Embroidery : — Now again (Paulo major a,
canamusj methinks I fee you diverting
yourfelf of your Celejlial Garments and Or-
naments-, plucking off your appropriated
Blojjoms of Aaron'^ Rod, flipping off the
Child Samuel'^ Linen Ephod, throwing
Elijah Mantle from your Shoulders ; and
modeffly ftanding forth in the ordinary
Attire of a plain Gown and Cafjock,
And here I am carting about for fom.e
of my Popifo Parallels. But Alas ! they
all prove DefeSfive, I find indeed, in
turning over the Legends^ the Virgin and
other Celejlial Inhabitants often defcending,
and bringing Flowers^ Ribbands., and Gar-
lands to adorn their Male and Female De-
'uotees on Earth. I find too Copes^ Cowles^
and other Veflmeuts fent down from Heaven^
( xl )
for Founders of Orders, and Favourite
Saints, But I find not that Humility and
Simplicity in any of them, as to furrender
up, and fend back their Heavenly Prefents,
and condefcend to make their Appearance
in Mortal Raiment.
This Particular being fo much to your
Honour, I had a fair Opportunity of taki?ig
my Leave decently. But a certain Critical
Friend, pulling me by the Sleeve, would
needs put me in Mind of an Omi[]ion of a
Pajjage or two, wherein you difcovered
fomething of Management, and Incon-fijiency .
P. 12. " When you begun your Adventures of
Field-Preaching, you had (you fay) in
your Eye the Apojlles^ St. Paul, Peter
and John : you exprefsly call thefe Field-
Preachers, becaufe one of them Preached
an Excellent Sermon from a Place called
Adis.xvv.. Mars-Hill', and the Two others in Solo-
^^' mon's Torch"' Now my Friend remarks,
that this fame Mars-HtU was the Court of
the Areopagites, the higheft Court of Jujiice
in Athens J before w^hich St. Paul was
brought by Force. Which you might
have feen in the Margin of the Bible ; nor
could your Profound Learning fufter you
to be Ignoratit of it. Nor was Solomon s
Porch a Field, but a Part of the temple.
John, X, cc fefus walked in the Temple in Solomon's
^^' Porch:\ This Sort of Management he
looks
( xli )
looks upon as an Impqfition upon your
Readers.
He obferves again, that you often make
yourfelf a Champion in Defence of our
Liturgy, Articles, and Canons -, of the
Canons particularly in thefe very "Remarks.
But afterwards, fpeaking againfl " thofe p. 47, ^g.
who are for clipping the Wings of the Myjlic
Dove, you blefs God that there are Men
of greater Latitude, among whom you
are fure of finding hearty Friends and
Well-wiihers -, though your Work be not
according to the exad: Meafure of Canonical
Fitnefs,'' This he looks upon as an In--
confijiency : and adds, that you yourfelf (by
your Recant atio7i) have effedtually clipped
one Wing of the Myjlic Dove, and that any
future Attempt to^ mud be very ridiculous
and auk'ward.
But, to wind up my Bottoms*, — whatever
Lnthufiafms you have given up, ftill you
tenacioufly adhere (in Opinion and Prac-
tice) to Field-Preaching, And v^\r3X candid
Peribn can expert otherwife ? To be the
Head of a SeB, diflinguiflbed by a Peculiar
Denomination, and notable Singularities j
— to frifk in the Air of Popiilarity^ be
hugged, and followed with wijhful Looks,
— Digito 7nonfrari, et dicier Hie ef -, —
This is too fweet a Morfel to be thrown
up at once -, a Phrenzy too Delegable to be
willingly,
( xlii )
willingly cured of; a Devil too bewitching
to be Injfantaneciifly cajl out. But as you
have declared a Month's Mind to get feme
good Churchy if you can ; 'tis poffible your
Diftemper may go oft" in Time.
In the mean While, Let your Enemies
envy the Glory you get by Fi eld -T re aching :
You have an Unexceptionable Parallel from
the high Encomium given by a Fope to one
of your Fredecejjors. No Doubt but you
have every Thing relating to St. Francis
at your Fingers Ends : and muft have {^tn
the Bull of Gregory IX. in his Favour.
But that the F^ublic may be acquainted
what a proper Example and Incitement juftly
provoke your E^nulation^ I fliall fet down
the Tope's own Words, " The Lcr^/raifed
" up St. Francis, to demolifh the Phi-
*' Itftines who were deftroying his Vine-
" yard. Who hearing inwardly a Voice
^^ calling him, courageoufly flarts upj
*^ like another Sampfon, the Spirit of Fer-
" vour coming upon him, he breaks the
" Cords that bound him, and fnatching
*^ up the Jaw-Bone of an Afs, that is to
** fay, his own Simple Preaching, not
" adorned with the perfwafive Colours of
^' human Wifdom, but w^ith Divine
" Tower, which chufeth weak Things to
** confound the firong: and he who
'^ toucheth the Mountains, and they
*^ fmoke,
( xliii )
" fmoke, enabling him 5 he deftroyed
*' manyT^houfandVhiliJlines. AnA from the
*' JaW'Bone itfelf went out a copious Water ;
" refrefhing, wafhing and fruftifying the
*' Lapfed, the Sordid, and the Arid."
Cherubin, Bidlar, Vol. I. in Gregor. IX.
Con/lit. 2.
If your Peregrinations (hould lead you to
Romey (whither you feem to be fetting
your Faces) fail not to kifs his Holinefs's
Slipper for this Honourable Teflimony of
an Itinerant Field-Preacher.
You continue likewife a Refolution to
Write on. But take care : Be upon your
Guard. No more of your Miftakes^ Blunders^
Want of Caution y tmguarded Tubings dropped
lip and down^ your Referves and P)oublings,
Don't do Things by Halves. Be open and
fincere, confiftent and uniform. Aifed
not Jefuitifms. Wafte not your Time in
making Patch-Work, or Loop-Holes. Steal
not into the Game of Brag while you are
Writing.
Remember, Grand and Important is the
Work you have undertaken. The Eyes
of all Europe are upon you. The World
fiands a-tip-toe in ExpecSation. And fhould
Failure and Fallacy again be the Refult;
fome jnalicious Perfon will certainly have
a Stroke at you, or fome kind Friend ^ like
me^ put you in Mind of it.
e /^ Thus
( xliv )
" Thus, Dear Sir, (for I zm fond of
your Expreffions) I have unburdened my
Heart to you : and as I have dealt thus
freely w^ith you, I hope you will look upon
me to be your
Fidus Achates.
55
THE
THE
ENTHUSIASM
O F
Methodists, &c.
PART IL
SECTION I.
IN order to difcharge a Promife^ and in
hopes of doing fome little Service
to the Caufe of true Religion, I have ven-
tured to publifh a Second Part againft the
Methodijis: Wherein I fhall farther con-
fider fome of the Cfrcumftances attending
their Nenju Minifiration ; its Tendency, In-
fluence and Effe^fs : not forgetting to ho-
nour them with the Company of their
correfponding Friends, the Entkufiajiic Saints
of the Papacy.
B What
( 2 )
What firft occurs to my Thoughts is
the boafied Succcfs of their "breaching ^
proved by the Numbers of their FolIowerSy
and Co?rjerts.
Here they triumph beyond Meafure :
and perhaps not without fome Degree of
Foundation. For confidering how incon-
fiderate and injudicious^ how unlearned
and unjiabky a large Portion of Mankind
is, together with their various Infirmities
and Difeafes of Mind and Body 5 it muft
be allowed that — The OJierttation of a fanc-
tified Look, fpecious Addrefs, fantaftical
Oddities, Innovations in Dodfrine and
Places of Teaching, zealous Profeffions of
Piety, AfFeftation of Godly and Scripture
Phrajes, and high Pretenfions to Infpi-
ration, &c. will hardly fail of drawing
and deceiving the Multitude. Whoever
is endowed with (uch fuitable Salifications
need not fear gaining an Audience, and
leading Numbers into a hundred Delufions.
He may find Perfons enough not difpofedy
or not able, to diftinguifh " the Illapfcs
and Infpirations of the Holy Ghoft from
the Illufions, Inftinfts and Suggeftions
of the unclean Spirit ; from natural and
Fanatical Enthufiafm, from the Swel-
lings and Vapours of a difeafed Spleen
and heated Melancholy, and' from the
extravagant Rovings of a dijiemper*d
Imagiruition.'^
We
cc
cc
( 3 )
We may too reafonably hope and believe^
that fome very profligate and wicked
Wretches have been prevailed upon by tha
Methodijts to relinquifh their evil Courfes,
and ferioufly repent. But then, if v^e fub-
du6l from the Account — fuch of their Fol-
lowers as went only out of Cimofity^ or
Derijion ; — fuch as were well- difpo fed arid
pious Perfons (though I can't fay judicious)
before ; — fuch as have left and bad them
adieu upon good and jufl Reafons ; — fuch
as have been led into grievous Perplexities^
DiftraBion^ and Defpair ; — fuch as were
fcarce in their Senfes when they went a-
mong them, and have quite lofl their
Senfes fince ; — fuch as have efpoufed con-
felTedly dangerous and wicked 'Tenets y-^
and confider the Danger all the reft are in,
of being betrayed into Notions and Evils,
which they don't perhaps fufpeft : — after
thefe, and other DeduBions which might
be named, the Number of their Converts
will be confiderably lejjened ; and the Good
they do nothing like an Equivalent for
the Mifchief.
But let us hear themfelves. Mr. White-
field fays, " Thoufands and Ten Thoufands
" follow us : — the Fire is kindled ; and I
" know that all tht Devils in Hell fliall not 3 joura.
*' be able to quench it.— Well may the jD^-Pag. 40.
" vil and his Servants rage horribly : their
" Kingdom is in Danger. — I could think ofPag. 6r.
B 2 *' nothing
( 4 )
^^ nothing {o much, as yojhua going from
^' City to City, and fubduing the devoted
?flg. 69. ?^ Nations. — With what Efficacy and Suc-
Letters. " ccfs I have been enabled to preach
" T'ongue can't exprefs!'
Mr. Seward : *' Our Enemies, like the
'' CanaaniieSj feem to have no Spirit left
*' in them j but fail every where becauib
Toarn. *' oi US ; — afiiamcd, as it were, to fliew
Pag. 61. *^ their guilty Heads."
See with what a magnificent Air Mr.
Wejley boafts of " converting the Drunks
^^ ard^ the Whoremonger , the OppreJJbr^ the
Farth. ^^ Swearer^ the Sluggard , the Mijer ; and
^Pf'^^g?" elfewhere, (cvtml common Pro/ikutes. — •
^ *' No Work has been wrought (o fwiftl}\
*' y& extenjively^ fince Conflantine the Great J'
This is a Specimen (for I might recite
fifty times as much) of their Succefs in
Converjions, And yet we can match them
among their Elder Brethren.
" St. Ignatius y faid Gregory XV, was
like yc>pjua^ Z^^^^y according to his Name,
for Jai>ij2g the EleB of God -, (Ecclus.
46. I.) He was fo ardent^ [iot Ignatius
fignifies fery) that when he fent forth
his MiJJicnaries to gain Souls, he ufu-
Bart. vit. ally faid, Go, Jet on fire, and inflame
320! ^ every Thing''
" St. Francis ufed to call People toge-
ther with blowing a Horn, (as the Me^
tbcdijis by Advert ijements) when he was
to
( 5 )
to preach ; and his Preaching was fo
wonderfully moving, — that prodigious
Multitudes of Men and Women, ^^^^^ qq^^
all Number and Computation, and thepoi. ,4^;
very Harlots were converted. — Many 54-
inflamed with Devotion, and Defire of
PerfeBion, contemning all mundane /^^- Bonavent.
nities, followed his Footfteps 5 andy^itv//'- J^^'^^^"^'
ly did this Succefs increafe to the Ends
of the Earthr
" St, Anthony had fuch a Power over Men
and Women, that he converted j/Z/^r^j ^/Conform.
Sinners, even Ufurers, and com??wn Stru?n^^[ ^^:
pets, — A ccvtsiin jejmt went to the otewSyUia.jQf.
and made a furprizing Converiion of ^^^f- 2.
Multitudes of Proftitutesr ^' ^^*
" St. Francis of Sales brought over fe-
venty- two thoufand Heretics to theBrev. Mo-
Catholic Faith. — St. Dojninic fo ftrangely"^^-
aftoniihed and fet on fire the Minds of ^"* ^^'
his Auditors, his Difcourfes were fp forci-
ble and ravifjing 3 -r- that he converted
almoft an hundred thoufand Souls, thatj^jbajen.
were flrayed and loft.'* pag. 519.
§. 2. And if we duely weigh Matters,
how can the Methodifi-'ieachers be other-
wife than powerful Converters ? What
Heart can ftand out againft their perfuafive
Eloquence, their extravagantly fine Flights
and Allufions ? Where is any thing fo fub-
lim? and elevated f or fometimes what fo
melting.
( 6 )
meltings tender and amorous^ fo foft and fo
fweet ? You will be in a Rapture by read-
ins; their own Words, — In the Stiblimey
" God gives them a Text^ diredts them
*' to 2. Method on the Tulpit-Stairs -^ the
*' Lamb of God opens their Mouth, and
*' loofeth their Tongue ; and Sijier Wil-
'* liamsy who is near the hord^ opens her
** Mouth to confirm it : — fo that all Op-
" pofers are ftruck dumb and confounded.
" Jefiis rides from Congregation to
*' Congregation, breathing Courage and
*' Strength into his Lambs^ and carrying
" all before him. — He rides in the Chariot
" of his Gofpel moft triumphantly in-
*' deed: — And the Preacher fits in the
■^ Chariot of his Lord's dear Arms^ lean-
" ing every Day on his Bofom^ and fucking
*' the Breafl:s of his Confolation ; while
" his Bajiner of Love is fpread over him :
*' — the Arrows of the Lord fly through
" the Congregation, and Mr. Wbitefield
*' gives them a home Stroke, — Heavily in-
" deed do they drive, when God takes off
*' their Chariot-wheels, But when God is
" anointing the Wheels of their Souls ; —
" 'tis fweet to be at fidl Stretch for God -,
*' — to come to a faving Clofure with
" Chrifi 'y to lay all their Concerns on his
*' Shoulders ; — or leap into a burning fiery
'^ furnace without Fear, which would ferve
" as a fiery Chariot to carry their Souls to
" Heaven.
( 7 )
" Heaven. While they fee poor Sinners
" hanging as it were by a fingle Hair, in-
" fenfible of their Danger, over the Flajnes
" of Helir
How pretty is it, when " the Infants^
" Babes, and Weaklings of Grace require
*' dayly to be born on the Sides of Chrifl^
*' and be dandled upon his K?2ees — till they
*' come to walk continually under the
" Droppings of his Blood ? They fee the
" fweet Jefus fhewing his lovely Face ;
*' and his Favours and precious Promifes
^' drop down his Lily-lips like fweet-fmel-
" ling Myrrh. They know that his Arms
'' are round them • for his Arms are like
" the Rain-bow.''
To which may be added Part of a
Sacred Lilliputian Hymn, compofed by
Count Zi?2zendorf, the Moravian's Infallible
Bijhop :
Chicken blejjedy Hymn s^,
And careffed.
Little Bee on Jefus' Breajl^
F^-om the Hurry
And the Flurry
Of the Earth thoiCrt now at reft.
What tender, fweet, and endearing Ap-
pellations ? '' Our glorious Soul-brothers^
" and Societies of Women 5 fweet, precious,
** choice Love-Feafls', poor Souls under
•' Concern, fweet Societies of feeking
'' Souls ^
( 8 )
^' Souls ; — dear, precious, poor little
" fweet Lambs ; — among them a gra-
" cious Melting is vifible. — Their alf^
'' fenf Friends they hope are on the Top
*' of Pifgah, and they fend them a thou-
" Jhid Kiffes : — their deceafedy in their
*^ filent Grave, fweetly fleep in that Bed
*' perfumed by cur Dear Lord, — The
*^ Hearers (fays one) were melted into
*' Tears ; my Heart was full of Love 5
*^ theirs alfo were much affefted : — they
*' would run and flop me in the Alleys^
*^ hug me in their Arms, and follow me
*' with wip^ful Looks. — They had an over^
" weening Fond?iefs for me. — Many faid,
*^ where thou goejt I will go : where thou
*' lodgefl I will lodge. — Brother Whitejield
*' preach 'd ; — 'twas enough to melt the
" hardcfl heart -, for the Smiles of a Cheru*
*^ bim were in his Countenanced
Can you then think it poffible fuch CZy-
Brev.Fran.;-//^/^ Charms^ and fuch fublimated and per^
Bon'avtnt./^''^^^^'^ Eloquence can be refifted ? Or can you
Leg. Fr. blame the Methodijls, if they vie with the
'^P- 4- Seraphic St, Francis ? — '' who appeared to
" his Followers in the Form of a Jiery
" Cljariot, whirling up and down 3 — and
*' was indeed ordained of God, like EliaSy
" to be the Chariot and Charioteer of Spi-
*' ritual Men : — his Soul rambling thro'
Id. cap. 9." the World, as bright as the Sun, like
*' Phaeton in his Father's Chariot : — Chriji
- Jefus
(9 )
*^' Jeftis remaining in the Bofom of his - .^
'' Mind, like a Hajidjul of Myrrh. — In- Leg. Fran;
" flamed both Men and Women with an^^^'^-
^' ardent Defire to follow his Footfteps *
*' and particularly St, Clara, that Virgin Cap. 4.
'' dear , to God converted to Celibacy, the
" firft Plant and\ beautiful white Flower-;
" gave a Jweet O^fe^r, and fhined as a Star
^^ above the. reft. — ^ One was fo in- Conform,
" ftariied by hearing him, as to fay, that^"^^ '^^
'' none ought to mention the TSluvie (k
'' that Blejed Man without h'cki?7g their
*' Lips for Joyr .
Nor need We think it at all Grange,
that " Divine Ma?rifeJt'atio?is come in fo
*' faft, that the Lamb's are fcarce able to
" contain themfehes ; they flow in fo fait,
''\ that their yrj// Tabernacle is fcarce able
" to fufl:ain them. — They know not whe-
^\ ther they are in the Body, or out. of the
" Body :—■ know .hot ^-s^Afr^ they are, and
*' fink into Nothing.— -The Soul makes fucH
" Sallies, as if it would go out of theif
*^ Body, conftraining therh to throw them-
" felves upon the Ground. — The Love
*^ of God fo kindles in the Heart, with
*^ Pai?2s fo violent, and yet fo ravi/hing-
" that the Body is almbft torn afunder.''
Such are the ecfiatic Raptures and Ra-
vifhments of the Methodifts, in their own
Words : which we may compare with
thofe of Philip Nerim, a Canonized Saint -,
Ov " who
( lo )
*^ who was fo full of Heavenly lltapfes, and
'Divine Love^ that oftentimes he threw
himfelf upon the Grd?«W, and was forced
to cry out, it is enough ^ my Dear
JjOrd^ it is enough c Withold a little^ — '
/ am not able to endure fuch Abundance
of Celeftial Sweet nefs. Whereupon the
Lord in fome medfure abated the Vio-
lence of his Heat. But ftill wounded
with the Love of Gody he inceflantly
languifhed, and his Heart was fo agi-
tated with the impetuous Motion of
the Spirit^ that it fell a beating and
leaping with fuch Violence, as muft
Ribaden. have killed him, without a Miracle.
^^^y^* But the Lord miraculoujly enlarged his
May 6, Breafi^ broke and elevated two of bis
Ribsy to give the Heart Room to play^
More correjponding Circumftances occur
in the Life of M. Magdalen of Tazzi ^
whom Clement IX, infpired with the
Lights of the Holy Spirit ^ canonized^ April
28, 1669. '' The Spirit of God threw
her upon the Ground in an Ecfiafy^
when her Countenance was fhining like
that of an Incarnate Seraphim. — *- Chrifi
gave her fo large a Share of the Myrrh^
pofy of his Paffion, that frequently un-
der an Aliejiation of her Senfes fhe would
throw herfelf on her Back on the
Ground, exclaiming, O JefuSy I can
endure no longer ^^ I cannot partake any
more
( " )
more of thy Pains. — Often in thefe
amorous Tranfports fhe would join her-
felf clofe to a: Crucifix^ and fuck a di-
vine Liquor thence, which filled her
Soul with unfpeakable Sweetnefs, — rHer
Heart was fo inflamed, that fhe feemed
to be difjohed^ and about to return to
her Jirjt Nothing.^ — Her private familiar
Entertainments, and Communications with
God, fo fired her Breaft, that Ihe
would exclaim, O Lovcy I can no
longer fupport your Flames^ — my Heart
is not able to contain you : — and
flie was oblig'd to fetch a Bafon of JVa-r
ter, and pour it into her Bofom to cool
herfelf. — Her dead Body was beautiful^^^^^^^'
as a precious Rehc of Taradijcy ex-^o. 26,
haling an agreeable Odour: and the Bull S7» 69*
of her Canonization begins with the^°' ^'*
Incorruption and fweet Odour of her^^.
Body 3 ufually term'd the Odour of Sanc^
tityr
We are tolA hy Spinellus^ « ihzt Chrifi^^^^^^
himfelf came and performed the Funeral- •pz^^^eo.
OJice for a holy Virgin at her Death :
and that he anointed with the facred Oyl
St. Lyduina when fhe was dying." And
'tis obfervable, (and I could bring a hun-
dred Inflances) that mofl of the Popijh
Saints dead Bodies always remain odorous
and uncorrupted (while thofe of the Wickr
cd flink and rot) tho' ever fo many hi^n-
C 2 ired,
( 12 )
dred, Years after their Burial. This Mi-
rack) I fuppofe, in due Time will be re-
newed on the Body of the Methodifiy
*' who in her filent Grave fweetly fleeps
in that Bed perfwiied by our dear Lord''
For how can a Body be otherwife, which
Chrifl hath perfumed and fpiced with his
own Hands ? Let her Grave be opened, I
dare engage fome of t\it Believers will at-
teft it. 'Tis certainly a greater Honour
than the Topijh Graves receive by being
fprinkled with Holy Water and Ince?jfe :
and may be the Effed: of fome Prayer^
like that in their OJice of the Sick for the
life of the Carmelite Sy ^^ O moft merciful
Lord^ let her Soul joyfully expire in
thy mo[i ' delicious Embrace^ and 7?2o/i
fweet Kifsr
Through this whole Parallel you fee
all is Rapture and Ecftafy ; Divine Love
infupportably violent, but ravifhing ; all
Infpiration, all Heavenly^ all ^i7iteffencey
all Nothingnefs. And why do not the
Methodijis equally merit a Canonization?
Either fomething like this is their Due, or
elfe they m'uft be thought to be adluated
by a Diabolical lllufio?!,- — or innocejit Mad-
mc7i, — or i?]famo,us Cheats.
§. 3. And ijiay not Perfons io highly
loved, favoured, and' valued by God and
the World be allowed a little decent Pride,
and
( 13 )
an4 be jtiftly vain of their own Worth ?
Such indeed has been the Cafe with the
Methodijis -, and their great /welling Words
of Vanity^ and proud Boa/iingSy have been
carried to a rnoft immoderate and infuffera-
ble Degree.
Firft for Mr. Whitefield. His firft Ac-
count of God's Dealings with him (befide$
a deep Tiadure of Super jlition^ Enthu^
Jiaf?n^ a?id Fain-glory } is fuch a boyifh,
ludicrous, filthy, naily, and fhamelefs Re-
lation of himfelf, as quite defiles Paper,
and is Shocking to Decency and Modefly.
'Tis a perfedl Jakes of Uncleannefs. And
yet he alSures us, that " he was much
'' preffed in Spirit to publifh it,— the Holy^^''''^''^'
** Spirit bringing Things to his Remem-
" brance j— he had for three Years prayed
'' for Strength to write it, and at laft hadpag^V".'
" Tower given, and was q/^Jled in it.*'
What any Man in his Senfes would be
ajljamed to own, is pioujiy afcribed to the
Holy Ghojl, In Conformity with the wild
and Fanatical Terefa, who having pub-
Hihed her own Life, with all her Faults
and Vanities, faith of it, " I make this Preface to
" Relation^ — which to my Knowledge our^^^ ^^^^•
" Lord himfelf defired long fince, but I
" durft not undertake it. And her other
*' Writings the Lord exprejjly commanded
*' her to publifh. — And becaufe Our
•* Lord told it me, I make a great Scruple
*« of
( H )
'^ of either adding, or fubftrafting, one
" only Syllabkr
His fecond Dealings is fuch a thorough
and fulfome Strain of VaiJi-glory and Boafl-
ing^ Self-conceit^ Self-applauje, and Self-
(tifficiency^ — as fhews Spiritual Pride in full
Length, and in its true Colours. The
fame Spirit runs through all his "Journals^
&c. And I verily believe it hath not its
^Parallel in the World. Many have been
fo bloated with a Conceit of their own
Perfections, as highly to be delighted with
the moft naufeous Flatterers : but fuch an
Inundation of Commendation from a Man's
own Mouth is furely unexampled. No Man
ever fo bedaubed himfelf with his own
Spittle.
It iTiews fome Degree of Modefty and
Humility, when " he thinks himfelf not
' ^^!^1"^''' ^^ f^^ Orders, — till a worthy Friend told
P^s 37. cc }^jj^^ ^^^ jf 5^^ -p^^i ^gj.g ^^ Gloucefler
*' he would ordain him.-^-Or when God
" gives him Favour in the Printer's
" Sight, or in the Sight of t\it Jaylor -;'
and it furnifheth him too with a Scripture
Phrafe. But he has fome Grounds for
Elevation y " when liis Name is firft in the
News-Papers, though he can't tell upon
what Occafion ; — began to grow popu-
lar, and had Honour even in his own
iT>€^ymg. Country : — when Sifter Sermon Enquiry
Ts! zi".' was made vvho he wa^, and there was
fuch
( i5 )
fuch Crdwding to hear him : —- Wh«n ^
bearfy G?^oa?2 runs through the Congrcga-*
tion, when he fpeaks any Thing affeB^
ing ; — and he owns the Pleafure of hearing
the Succefs of his Difcourfe upon two
little Children^ whom he made to cry^^
and go Home to their Prayers ; — and
when a little Girl of thirteen comes to
enquire about the State of her Soul, and
fays flie was priclced through and through 3 Jou^n,
with the Power of the Word.'' l,^^' ^'
All through his Joiirnah he oftenta-
tioully difplays the y^pplaufes^ Accla7jiations'y
and Huzzas of the People. ' ' The Tide
'^ of Popularity began to run very high :
" — I carried high Sails, Thoufands and
*' ten Thoufands came to hear me, — my
*' Sermons were every- where called for, —
'' when I preached, one might walk upon
" People's Heads : — God fuffered them
*' (the Oppofers) not to move a Tongue
^^ againft me : — Trees and Hedges full^
" all hufh'd when I began. — God only
*' can tell how the Hearers were melted
** down : — they would have plucked
" put their own Eyes, and have given
" them unto me. — I was crowded, ad*
*^ mired, — faluted, Hands kiffed, hugged,
<< — they melt, weep, hang upon me,
*' want to falute me ; — receive me as
an Angel of God : — their Hearts leap
for Joy, — Bells ring, — - cxprefs their
'' Love
(C
<c
<c
C 16 )
" Love to me many Ways. All agreed
^' it was never feen on this wife before.
« — Great Shouts of Rejoicing at my
" Staying."
But what a fad Tartiiig is it ialways be--
tween him and his Admirers? " Strong
" Cries and Tears, Sighs and Groans j
" — ready to break their Hearts, and
^/j.*— ^Youhg and Old burft into a Flood
of Tears, like Water giifhing out of the
ftony Rock. — 'Twould melt every one
down to fee it. — Tongue can*t ex-
prefs the Sorrow : they weep aloud and
forely , as though mourning for the Death
of their Firji-born'' .
What Bragging of Favours, Entertain-
ments, Liberalities and Prefents, from
Gentlemen, and efpecially Ele^l Ladies^
and Honour able Women ? — '^ A Bank-bill of
" ten Pounds, as a Prefent to myfelf : This
*^ I took as a Hint frOfnTrovidence to go on:
[very rightly judged] — ** and ^various Pre-
3 Journ. " fents as Tokens of theif Love. — Thus
pag. 66. «c jj,^ii If ^^ ^^^^ f^ fjj^ j^^^^ ^i^Q^^ Q^J
" delight eth to honour,"
What Proclamations of ViSfory and
Triumph ? *' They go on conquering^ aJid
" to conquer y — and fee Satan like Light-
** ning fall from Heaven ; — the Devil m^d
" his Servants rage horribly.**
Mr. Seward is Witnefs, that as to
y Entertainments^ they find good MeafiirCy
*^ frejjed
( yj )
«"' prc[jed dow72, aJid i^u?ining over : — that
** /Zt^'// trembles before om Brother Whiter
" field wherever he comes 5 the Kingdom !<'"''"• ^
*' of Dark?2efs toiitxs, and is fliaken ^ and 73,*^'^
*' Vice fculks its guilty Head, and retires
" to iecret Corners."
Whitefield again, flu(hed with Succefs ; 4 Jo^^rn.
" Come ye Pharijces, come and fee the P^^* '"
*' Lor^ Je'/^/i getting himfelf the ViBory,
*' Every Thing falls before me : — Dear 3 Jo'^^n.
*' Brother Harris reminded me, — and G^^^^d Le^
" f^gg^ft^d to me, that now I was like ters.
" Jojhiia, fubduing the devoted Nations,
*' and dividing the Land."
But all this will rather remind others
of SacheverePs triumphmit Progrefs through
the Land, difpenfing his KilTcs, and col-
leding his Prefents, &c. — or of a Royal
Ocidiji undertaking infallibly to cure all
Dcfedis of the Eyes, — or to make them
ftark blind.
Whether their Treatment be ff?iooth,
or rough ; all is Food for their Vanity.
" Blc[jed be God, — who difpofed the Re-
" verend Mr. Penrofe, and others, to 3 journ.
'' lend me their Pu/pits. — Forbid toP-32-
*' preach in a Churchy which rejoiced me
*' greatly. Lord, why doji thou thus ho-
" 7702ir me!''
He has indeed the Grace to feel, and
be afjured of, this fpiritual Pride, and often
makes 'Confejjion of it.
V " HypQ-
( i8 )
1 Dc.il. " HypGcrify crept into every A6lion : •—
P- -^» 38, '' Self-love, ^Selj'WilU Pride and Envy, fo
-^9' 40. jc i^uffeted me in their Turns : — Proud
*' Hdlijh Thoughts uicd to crowd in
** upon me. — Out of Tride put down in
" my Diary what I gave avvay : — find
*' Pride creeping in at the End of alrnofl
,' journ. '' every Thought, — frequent! v enhghten-
F- '4- " ed to fee the Pride and Seljijhnefs of my
'' Heaft."
Whatever Liberty the Sahiis may have
to boall fuch great Things, and, as the
Propbcif fpeaks, to burn Incenfe imto Va-
vaH ; or however coniiftent it be with
the Characler of an E?itbufia/i ) it is per-
fectly inconfiftent with that Charity, the
Love of God and Man, whicli vaunteth
not itfelf, is not puff ed-up, doth not be-
have itfelf iinfecmly.
In com.paring the Popifi Fanatics on
this Article, the Parallel will be a little
defective, becaufe they were not fuch con-
llant and naufeous Trumpeters of their own
Praifes 3 leaving that Work to their Bre-
thren and Legendary TVriters : from whom
we may pick up enough.
** St. Bernardin was the vi^oik £imous
Preacher in all Italy ; the Hearers hung
upon his Lips, — they are perfedlly afto-
niflied, immoveable, — admire him as ano^
CiZc.Ord.^hcr Apofile fent from God, — Both Sexes
^/"* ^^ come before Djy into the open Places, to
get
( 19 )
get a Place to hear him, — cry and figh at
his Diicoiirfes/'
Brother Syhejtcr ( a Jcfuit ) run up
and down every-where hunting for Souls ^
— all Sores of People flocked from Towns
and Villages, offering tbemfehcs and their Orlardln.
W'Thi?2(rs. Such Stren2:th did God 2\ve ^^^' ^•
, . '^ ^ ^ p- 260.
him.
St. Francis'^ Words were not empty, ^^^ev.
and meriting Laughter ; but perfumed q^^V
with the Odour of Divine Revelation^ and
turning his diidience into a vehement Stu-
por and Admiration : Young and Old,
Small and Great, both Sexes crowded af-
ter this new Man fent down from Heaven^
this frefh Flower of the World 3 — not
Room to hold the Company, — no tread-
ing on the Ground, — His Words were a
burning Fire^ — iliarp Arrows drawn from
ih^^nverofGody piercing the Heart. —
God fo exalted him with Glory, and made
him to be honoured wherever he came 3
that all came out to meet him, to re-
ceive him with the utmoft Reverence and
Devotion, not as a Mau^ but as an Angela
— making him valuable Frefcnts^ and
begging him to ftay with them. — And Conform.
happy were they, who could hear^ or fee^ ^si' "^"*
jpeak to him, ox touch him. — Even Dr^-
tures void of Rcajhn, Sheep and AJJes,
would run to hear him preach in the
Fields.
P 2 The
( 20 )
Ibid. Fol. The Saint can't help owning Ids Pride,
'^^' and particularly in giving a Majitle to a
Woman out of Vanity \ and that when
the People honoured him for his SanBitj\
and kijjed his Hands, he received it with
great Delight. — Their Refpea: to him,
he fays, is nothing in refpedt of what they
ought to fhevv ; — they are Gainers by it,
becaufe they hereby recognife God, and
honour him in his Creature,
Ribaden. St. Anthony's Words were as Flames
^J,^ ^^'' kindliftg the Heart, — drew Sobs and Tears
from his Auditors, — who were happy
could they but kijs his Hand, or touch his
Garment,
St. Ignatius was remarkable for his fre-
quent Relapfes into his old Strain of Vain-
Ribacci. glory, — St. Peter of Verona was reverenced
^- ^^'^ through all Italy like an Apoftie -, received
every-where with public and jblernn Joy,
• — with Throngs who came to kiJs his
Hand, and his Habif\
As to the Methodijts being the chief
Objed of the Devih Hatred, becaufe they
are to deftroy his Kingdom, their Boafting
comes too late; that having been effedled
Conform, before by their Elder Brethren, For
^ol. 52. cc jj^^j.^ ^^^ ^ horrid Commotion in Hell
at St. Frajicis'^ Birth, becaufe the Devils
knew that Hell was to be deftroyed by
him, and his Society : For which Reafon
they aimed their Spite principally againft
him.
( 21 )
him. — The Devil was enraged with Spite
and Hatred againft St Ig?iatius for the fame
Realon ; and they often declared in what
Fear and Awe they ftood of him ; know-
in*^ that he was to demohfh their King- ^'^^'^^n-
dom : — they acknowledged that no ScB Gomez.
in the Univerfe was more odious to them ^^^^S- J«-
than the Jefuitsr Js'/'S-
Mr. JVejfle\\ I confefs, is not fo nau-
feous and conftant in this Strain of Vain-
glory : He feems to lay his Plot deeper^
relating moftly what may redound to his
Honour, and then leaving his Projelytes
and others to judge. Some times, how-
ever, he can't help breaking out into this
fame ConJide72ce of Boafting, '' I think
'^ verily, if the G(5/^^/ be true, I am fafe :
" for I give all my Goods to feed the
" Poor, — give my Body to be burned^,
" drowned, or whatever God (hall ap-
*' point, — I fJ:ew my Faith by my Works,
*' by ftaking my All upon it 3 — therefore i Joum.
" are ?ny Ways not like other Men's ,L^7» 68,
" Ways." — Again, '' Are they read in
*' Philofophy? So was I. In antient or
/' modern Tongues? So vv^as I alfo.'' —
With a long String of Self-Commenda-
tion.
^' I left London, — went to Brijlol, — 4 joum.
*' furprized when I went into the Room, P- ^5-
'' juft after my Brother had ended his
" Sermon. Some wept alpud : Some
" clafped
( 22 )
^* ckfped their Hands: Some- fhou ted ;
*' the reft ilmg Praife. — Art thou come,
Pag ^6. *' fays another, thou BkJJed of the Lord.''
A ftrange Sort of tumultuous Triumph at a
religious Meeting to hear the Word, But
— fuch Honour have all the Saints,
*' In applying which my Soul was fo
^' enlarged, that methought I could have
'" cried out (in another Senie than poor
'* vain Archifnedes ) Give me where to
p.ir"' '" ft^nd> ^^^'^-d I will (hake the Earth."
Were Archimedes alive, furely he would
fee Reafon to return the Compliment.
But, high as this Boaft is of his Abilities^
I think there remains a higher Inftance of
his Stifficieiicy and Prefumption^ in fpeak-
ing of himfelf and his Brother. " The
^' Wifdom of God has for many Years,
*' in a remarkable Manner, guarded againft
" this pretence, (i, e, of not employing
" Jit Injirume72ts ) wath Refpeft to my
*' Brother and me in particular. — What
*' Perfons could, in the Nature of Things,
*' have been (antecedently) lefs liable to
*' Exception, with Regard to their moral
'* CharaBer at leaft, than thofe the AlU
*' wife God hath now employed? Indeed
^' I cannot devile what Manner of Men
^"''^^^'" " could have been more unexceptionable
114, 115. " on all Accounts.''
One might here well ask the Queftion,
which himfelf puts to the Infidels^ " May
'' you
( 22 )
^^ you not dlfcover, through a thoufand p^rther
'* Diiguiies, Pride^ Vanity, Thirji ofFraife^ App.
''even (who would believe it?) ofP^S-7i-
'' Knaves and Fools?" Or, do you think,
that if any Regular Clergy??ian (hould vaunt
at this Rate, and proclaim himfelf the
Jit t eft on all Accounts for the higheft Em-
ployments, he would not foon loofe his
Charader ; perhaps become the public
Laughter, and be hijjed out of his Place ?
I can at prefent think of no Comparifon
adequate to this of Mr. Wejley and his
Brother^ but that of St. Francis and St.
Dominic ; the Story of whom we have in
many authentic Writers. '' When Chriji Ribaden.
" had lifted up his Hand, with three BaHngh!*
" Lances in it, ready to deftroy Mankind Aug. 4.
'' for their Wickednefs, the Virgin Mary xom!^
" prevailed upon him to flop his Hand, Aug. 5.
*' till two Servants and Clients of hers^
" St, Dominic and St. Francis^ ihould be
" fent to Reforjn the World by their La-
" hours and Preaching''. They are the
fame Pair of Saints., whom the Pope in a
Vifion faw manifcftly fupporting the tot-
tering Lateran on their Shoulders : Where*
by his ifjfallible Holinefs found himfelf im-
mediately dircBed by Heaven to cotifirni their
rcfpedlive Orders and Rules^ though averfe
to it before. Brev. Roman. Odl. 5. Led:.
6. & Ribaden. pag. 574.
Mr.
1 Journ.
pag. 64.
Pag.
10.
Pag. 85,
88, 94.
( 24 )
Mr. Whitefield, I obferved, often owns
his own Pride : and Mr. ^Fi^ey fays,
<^ By the moft infallible of Proofs, in-
" ijDard Feeling ; 1 am convinced of Pride^
'' &c/\ I fliall take their Word for it,
and proceed to obferve, how their Followers
ibon catch the Contagion, and are naurally
and t^G\y pufj-'ed-tip with a fancied fuperior
Knowledge, Gifts, and Graces ; after being
cajoled by their Leaders with ample PrO'^
mifes, ExpeBations and Jfjurances,
' The accurate Author of Obfer'vations on
/^^/r Cc;?^/?/^ juftly asks, " Whether thofe
" exalted Strains in Religion, and an
" Irriagination of being already in a State
^' oiPerfeBion, are not apt to lead Men
*' into Spiritual Pride, and to a Contempt
'' of their Fel/ow-Cbri/lians ; while they
" confider them as only going on in the
'' low and imperfeB Way, — and into a
" Difefteem of thc'w: Superiors, as in a much
'' lower DifpefifationV" And Mr. Law
(whom they fo much adm/ire on other
Accounts ; and whom I fliall have Occalion
to quote af>;ain) in his Treatife of Regeriera-
tion, " Now who may be thought the
moft likely to come into this Religion ?
[He is fpeaking of the Methodifts, and
tb.eir DoBrines] Not he, who is deeply
humble, that abhors Selfjuftification. —
Is, there not likely to be Self-feeking,
Self-confidence, Self-truft, Self-deceit ?
'' — Par-
<<
<c
( 25 )
— Particular Imprejjmis^ fenfible Con^
viBions, ftrong Taftes^ high Satisfac-
tions^ — if much fought for, or refted
in, they minifter Food to a Spiritual
Self-love^ — and lay the Foundation of
*' Spiritual Pride. — They may fill us with
*' Self-fatisfaBion^ and Self-ejteem^ and
*' prompt us to defpije others that want
" them,- as in a poor, ?nean, and repro*
^^ bate State,'' With much much more
well deferving the ferious Confideration of
the Methodifts.
Of fuch a 'Tendency to Pride^ exemplified
in Fad:, Mr. Wefley himfelf gives us feveral
Injtances, " I met with one, who hav-
" ing been lifted up with the Abundance
'' of Joy which God had given her, had
'* fallen into fuch Blafphemies and *vain
'' Imaginations, as are not common to
" Men. In the Afternoon I found ano-
'' ther Inftance, nearly, I fear, of the
*'\fame Kind: One, who after much of
" the Love of God fhed abroad in her 4 Jo«rn-
" Heart, was become wife far above what ^^^* ^'^'
*' is written. — I earneftly befought them
*' all to keep clear of vain Speculations, —
" While we were in the Room, Mrs.
*^ y — s took the Bible to read : But on a
" fudden threw it away, faying, I am
" good efiough, 1 will never read or
" pray more : — / don't dejlre to be any
*' better than I am. She fpoke many
E '' Things
( 26 )
4 Journ. " Things to the fame Effeft ; plainly
pag. 66. ,, {hewing that the Spirit of 'Pride, and
*' of Lyes, had the full Dominion over
" her. —
I was with one, who told me, '' that
" hitherto Ihe had been taught of Man,
*' but now llie was taught of Gcd only^
She added, '' that God had told her, not
^' to partake of the Loris Supper any
'' more, fince ihe fed upon Chriji continu-
^'^^^' «' ally'' O who is fecure from Satan's
^^* ^* transforming himjelf into an Angel of Light. ?
It were to be wiflied, that the Teachers
themfelves w^ould duely weigh their own
RefleEiions ; and that all others would ab-
ftain from fuch a Bifpenjatlon, which con^
feffedly leads People into thefe horrid Ex-
periences of Blafphemy and Pride.
The famous Enthufiait Mrs, Bowignony
who affumed the Charader of an Infpired,
(with whofe Writings I find fome of the
Metbodifts are not unacquainted ; as if they
had not Wildnefles enough in their own
^ fj ^v Brains ;) has theAcutenefs to obferve, " that
Solid Vir- ^ ' , • r ACT ' ^\. T\
tue.p.iio." the Prejumptwn oj Ajjnrances is the De-
" vil's Device, deluding People by fenfible
** Cojifolations and S^vcetnefs, and bringing
*' them into the iitmofi Peril: — that the
«« Devil faftens Men to thefe Senfibilities^
«' and makes them t'lereby W/^ and proud,
" —When we take Pleafure in them, we
" turn
( 27 )
" turn from God, — 'Tis the Devil's
" Snared
§ 4. One would think their Bladder of
Pride and Vain-glory were now fufficiently
/welled : but it feems it muft be blown up
more. One of their Preachers efpecially,
and fometimes others of them, are fo pre-
fumptuoiis as to be fond oi comparing them-
felves with Patriarchs^ Prophets^ and A-
poflles ; and even with Chrijl himfelf.
They cannot open the Bible ^ and there-
by turn the Holy Scriptures into a Lottery ^
but they are fure of a Prize y fome Pane--
gyric upon themfelves and Profelytes ; or
fome fpecial DireBion and Injlrudfion,
They cannot read, or hear, LeJjhnSy Pfahis,
Epi/iles and Gofpels ; but they have Saga-
city enough to find fomething peculiarly
concerning themfelves. And they feem to
be intent upon this very Pufpofe. As if
the whole Bible were a fort of Prophecy
(defigned at leaft by way of Accommodation^
of their MiJJion ; and entirely intcrefted in
the Honour and Advancement of their va-r
luable Perjons^ and important Whims.
Former Fanatical Saints will fupply us
with fufficient Parallels of this Nature ;
particularly the ilime Mrs. Bourigjion^
whofe Sagacity found out '' many Things
in Scripture which were fulfilled in her ;?— »
fhe was the Woman foretold in the Apoca-
E Z lypfe.
( 28 )
lypfe, that had the Church m herfelf, chaih-
ed with the SuJiy and having the Moon iin^
der her Feet, She made herfelf equal to,
if not greater than, the ylpo/iles, who
iindei-jtood only in Fart, J^fa^ was but
partly the Seed of the Woman ; with fome
A Hints that j}:)e and her Works were com-
pletely fo A
But for this Sort of Frcfumption I don't
know a fuller Cornparifon than The Book of
Conformities between the Lives of Jefus
Chrift and St, Francis. 'Tis a large Folio,
written by Barthclomceiis de TifiSy applying
moft of the magnificent Tredi5lions in the
Bible to St. Francis, making him better
than feveral of the ApoftleSy and even fu-
perior to Chrift as to Miracles, The Book
was printed at Milan, i5io> with the
Licence and Approbatio7i of the General
Chapter of the Francijcans , as written by
the Favour of God, a?2d wanting no Cor^
re5lion. From this Edition was extracted
The Alcoran of the Francijcans, But it
feems CorrcBion was afterwards found ne-
ceffary 5 and the Book was re-piiblijhed at
Bononia, in 1590, (which is the Edition
I ufe) wherein many of its extravagant
Fables and Blafphefnies are omitted,
I Dealing. To begin then. " God, fays Mr. White-*
Pag- «i- *^ fildy feparated me even from my M?-
" thers Womb for the Work, i. e. Metbo-
*' difmr
( 29 )
'' difm.'" As he did Ijaiahy Ch. xlix. i.
and Jeremiah^ i. 5.
Cbriji 10 loved Magdclen of Pazzi\ Life. §. i.
that he chofe her for his Spoufe from her
Mother's Womb.
'' My Sufierings were of an uncommon i Dealing.
'* Nature -^-^Satan feem'd to have defired ^^' ^
*' me in particular, to Jift me as Wheat.''
Becaufe Chriji faid this of St. Peter,
When he is ill, " fully convinced that jbid. p. 3^.
" Sata72 had as full a Poffeffion given over
*' my Body, as he had once over Joi's/'
When ftupid, and '' unable to compofeibid.p.67.
" any Thing, — I found a Quotation out
** of Ezekiely that Young Prophet^ Thou
" Jhalt be dumb ; hut ivben 1 /peak unto
*' thee^ then jldalt thou fpeak. Which
*' made me quite eafy." The fame was^^^/i^;
St. Fra?7cis'^ Cafe.
When in his Surplice to be Ordained^ \ Dealing,
he is like Samuel jtanding before the Lord^^^' ^^'
in a Linen Ephod,
After Ordination, " I feel thei7^/v Ghoft3 Jo^n.
" as much as Elifia did when Elijah dropt^^^' ^^'
*' his Mantle, — A double Portion of his
" Spirit is upon me indeed,'' — St. Francis Conform.
was like Eli/ha, by poffeffing a double Pro-^"^^' ^'^^'
phetic Spirit.
With a Rabble at his Heels, '' he is
*' like Jofiua^ conquering the devoted Na-
^' tions, and dividing the Land/'
With
( 30 )
With refpcd to the EftabliJJoed Clergy^
" Though we are but few, and fland as it
*^ were alor-e, Hke Elijah -, and though,
" Hke the Priefts of Baal^ they are many
5 Journ. " in Number; yet I doubt npt but the
P- 5'* *' Lord will appear for us."
In one of his Reveries, '' he walks with
God in the Garden — and fees him Face to
Face:* — Ks. Adam and Mofes did. — " Bro^
ther Sylvefter^ a FranciJcaUy talked with
God as one Friend doth with another,
like another Mofes, Mrs. Bourignon
had Communion with God, as familiar as
one Child with another :'
On reading the jirft LeJJon, '' about
3 Journ. <f the Oppofition to Aaron s Triefthcod ;
p. 3o- t: Qq^ determining who was in the right,
*^ by caufing his Rod to blojjm, when the
*' other Rods produced nothing. So let it
" happen, O Lord^ to 7ne, thine unworthy
" Servant:'
On reading the fecond LefTon, " where
*' St. F^aul recounted his Sufferings for
*' Chrift, againft the Infinuations of the
" Falfe Apoftles ; Blefed be God,— I have,
" in mojl Takings there recorded, in fome
" Jmall Degree had Fellcwf:)ip with the
" Apojtle ; and before I dye, I doubt not
*' but I fiall fympathize with him in moft
Ibid. " ^^^^^^ Articles. — The People were intent
** upon me ; their Eyes belpoke the Lan-
" guage
( 31 )
" guage of their Hearts : Each feem*d to
*« fay, Thou art the Man.'*
*' The Lefjons, you fay, Sir,, were fo
very remarkable^ that in reading you could
not forbear hlii[}ding much','' which fhews
that you made the Application, The Clergy
are the Rebels againft Aaron's Minifiryy
the Clergy are the Falfe Prophets : you are
Aaron^ you St. Paul. And did not you
blujh in writing this ? The Infinuation is
as modeft as your Prayer is charitable^ that
no Teacher's Labours and Preaching may
produce any Thing, except your oison.
You was obferved to be a Cherubim in Conform,
preaching : and St Francis one of the aS^--^^^* ^^^'
raphims.
And yet this will not fuffice : you muft
even co?npare yourfelf with Chrifty and
boldly apply to your own Reverence what
was fpoken of hi?n.
Thus, '^ At my firft fetting out — I grew i Deal.
in favour both with God and Man," ^^^' 33-
At fome Oppofition from the Clergy you 3 Journ.
fay, " Had another came in his own NamCy^^^' ^^'
him they would have received." They have
no Mi[jion, come when they are not called ;
you are the Sent of God.
Accordingly, " Lord ttou caJledft me.jbjd,
" Lo ! 1 come to do thy Will. And, bleffedp^g- 64.
" be God, there is one coming after me" — •
Meaning, I fuppofe, Mr. Ifejley.
In
( 32 )
3 Journ. In preaching, " my Heart was full of
pag. los. <c Q^j^ ^„j lypake as one having Autbo-
" rityr Spoken of Chrift, Matt. vii. 29.
Ribaden. So alfo St. Ignatius fpoke, tanquam potej-
P3g- 549- /'^/^f/;/ babensy as one having Authority.
3 Journ. " Had the Pleaiiire of feeing my Au-
P^g- 55- *^ dience fo much increafed — no lef? than
*' twenty ThGufand prefent. Blejjed are tbe
*' Eyes wbicb fee the Things "which we fee''
Words pecuHar only for thofe who Jaw
Chrift in the Flefi. Luke x. 23.
So the Difciples of St. Francis^ fore-
knowing his Destination to Honour, were
Conform, like Abraham^ who rejoiced to fee Chrift' s
fol. 3^- Day^ and were glad -^ and this foretold
their feeing St. Fra?icis,
During his Attendance on publick Jfor^
floip ; " In the fecond Leffon were thefe
Tourn " remarkable Words, And the High TrieftSy
pag. 50. '^ a72d the Scribes^ and tbe Chief oj the
" People fought to deftroy him^ but they
" could not find what they might d^ to him :
" For all the Teople were attentive to hear
'' bimr
In Expeftation of meeting his Difciples ;
— ** V/hen Jefus was returned ^ the People
Journ. *' gladly received him -, for they were all
pag. 18. " waiting for him, Thefe laft Words
'* were remarkably pref'ed upon me^ when
'' I was confultin'^ God^ — whether I fhould
«c jr^fiiyji to England.
In
( 33 )
In the melancholv Hour oi parting from 3 Jou^n.
his DijUples ^ — '' th^ weep for Mr.P"--^^*
Whttejield as though they were mourning
for the Death of their Firfl-borny — " At
" the Thoughts of parting, fays Mr. Se^
*' ward, with ib dear a Companion as Bro-
*' //j(fr IVhitefeld, I could think of no-
*' thing, but ChrijVs parting from his Dif- joum,
^' cip/es, and his telling them, It is expe^?- ^S> ^^*
*' ^'/V;2^ yir j)'^/^ //6^/ 1 go away : for if I
" go not away^ the Comforter will not come :
*' hit if I depart y I will fend him unto you.
*' And Jefus Chrift was not worfe than
^^ his Word. — I was comforted for the
^' Abfence of Brother Whitefield by this
^' Tiext^ A little While , afid ye pall fee me^
*^ and again a little While ^ and ye Jk-all not
'' fee mer
Had any one but a Saint thus applied
our Lord's Words, it would have looked
like profane Drollery, But luckily it jumps
in with St. Dominic''^ Words, at whofe
Beck the Devils trembled^ when he was
leaving this World -, *' Weep not, my dear-
" eft Friends, nor let my corporeal De-
" parture trouble you : I ftall be more
'^ ufeful to you in the Place whither I
^ am going, than I was here : and yoa
*' will have me a ^^^/^r .^^i;^^/?/^ after my
" Death, than you could have me in this
'' Life.'* Anthonin, Florentine Sec Mor-
nai Myflerium Iniquitatis. Pag. 346.
F '' One
( 34 )
" One Day perceiving an uncommon
Droughty and difagreeable Clammmefi in
my Mouth, and ufing Things, bat in
vain, to allay my Thirjl, it was fuggeflcd
to me, that when Chrift on the Crofs cried
out, I thirft^ his Sufferings were near at
an End. Upon which I cried out, /
^Vi^sW^Z.thirJi ! I thirft I — foon after I Was deliver-
^^^* "^ * ed/' Is not this enough to make one's
E^rs tifigle ?
But there is worfe ftill. He prefumes
to rob our Saviour of his very Offce of
1 Deal. Redee?ner, " Tho' Satan for fome Weeks
pag. 46. c< Y\:i^ been bitifig my Heel, God was
" pleafed to fliew me, that /fhould foon
" iruife his Head,'* In another Place
indeed he allows his Brother- Metbodifts
3 lourn. a Share of this Prerogative : '' Though
I'^S- ^- <« (Si^^^;.? is permitted to bruife cur Heel,
" yet ^^-e fhall in the End bruife his
'' Head/' But in both Places this Rob-
bery is committed without any Allow-
ance to Chri/ly or Intimation of his
doing it by Mr. Whitefidd's Meajis, or 7;?-
ll}'umentality oj the Methodijls, The Pa--
pijis affign this favi?ig Office to the Virgin
Mary, ipja center et ferpentis caput, (he fhall
bruife the Serpent's Head : And Madam
Bourignon is vain enough to publifli, that
yefns Chrifi was partly the Seed of the
Woman, but that her Do5frines and Wri-
tings v/ere to be fo in the full AccompUPd"
ment.
( 35 )
ment. Bat at kngth, it feems, the Ho-
nour belongs to Mr. V/hitejield and Com'
party.
Nor is this much unlike the blafphe^
mous Saying of the Francifcans, *^ that
'' Jefus Chrijt faved the World before St,
'^ Francis came, but he afterwards''
Whatever Excufs may be made, 00
however Mr. Whitefieid may diiclaim any
iuch exalted Intention-, to this high De^
^ree of Prefumption the Words, as they
fland m his fournals^ do in Reality ar-
mount. And v^e may reafonably think,
that fuch Perfons by iuch Expreffions ei-
ther are burlefquing the Scriptures, — or run
mad with Tride. According to a very
favourable Conftru(^ion, " Va^iity of Va-
'' nities : all is Vanity J" And feeing not
another, but their own Lips thus extol
them, it brings to Mind the CharaBer of
that Antichriflian Power (Rev, xlii. 5, 6.)
To whom was given a Mouth fpeaking
great Tubings, — and he opened his MoutJ?
in Blajphemy,
Upon oar charging thci Mcthodifts " with Farther
*' making themfelves like the ApoftJcs, Mr. ^PP^"'
*' Wefey calls this a ///y Objedlion, — • be-^^^
^^ caufe every Man ought in fome RefpeBs
^Mo be like ApoftleSy — in holy Tempers,
'^ Exemplar inefs of Life, Labours for th^
'' Good of Souls." Who doubts it ? or
flames any Mortal for it ? 'Tis not for
F 2 making
06,
( 36 )
,■ making the Apoftks 2in Example of HoIh
^'nefi^ &c, that we fix our Charge on the
Methodifts ', but for XJjihoUnefs, in proud
BoaJii?2gs of a like Dig?2ity and Authority ;
for Pretenfions to Infpiratmz^ and other
extraordinary Gifts, and miraculous P.owers^
(as will farther appear anon ) and even
comparing themfelves with our Lord.
Inftead oi cm OhjeBion h^mg filly ^ their
Solution of it \% Jhujfling and prevaricating.
The Wind hath bound them up in her V/ings,
and carried them away into the Regions
of Vanity^ to the Borders of Blafphemy.
§. 5. Another prefumptuous Flight ufu-
^ ^mong Eftthufiafts IS the Affe6ration of
Prophefyijig, and other miraculous Gifts and
Operations : A fuppofed ' Power of this
Nature not only fwelling their Vanity^
but promoting their Caife ; as it gratifies
a natural Itch of peeping into Futurity^
and tends to induce a Belief of their jD/-
vine Infpiration, And this a!fo is an Ar--
tide in Charge againft Methodifm.
Fir ft for Prophecy. Mr. White field was a
very early Nibhler at this, and a great
Dealer in Omens, Prefages, and other Z)/-
vi?iations concerning himfelf and his 7iew
Difpenfation. Nor can we read the Lives
of any great Men, but we find fuch Kin4
of Auguries, relating to their Birth, Ex^
ploits^ and Fortunes. And although what
• Ifhall
i 37 )
1 ftiall mention may feem trivial and ri-
diculous ; it will however JJoew the Man^
and has no doubt had a due Influence
on his Followers,
Firil: in Order 's the " Circumftance of
" his being borfi in an Inn^ the Bell -Inn
" at Gloucefter^—\Nh\c\\ was of great Ser-
*' vice to me, fays he, and excited my
'' Endeavours to follow the Example of
" my dear Saviour , who was born in a i Dealing,
" Manger belonging to an Inn^ /. e. Be- P^^' ^*
ing boj-n in an Inn makes him Hke Ckrift^
who was 72ct born in an Lm ; — nor, that
I, or he, can tell, in a Manger belonging
to an Inn, From the Circum.flance of the
Sign of the Bell he might more aptly
have frcphefied^ that in Time he fhould
become as founding Brafsy — or the Bells
every-where ring for him, on making his
public E?2tra72ce,
His Gfnefi however correfponds to that
of the famous Tope Hildebrand^ whofe
Father being a Carptnter^ it was thence
prefaged, that he fhould htChriffs Vicar y
and have univerfal Ijominion,
And no lefs a Man than the Pope's Ar\n^\^
Champion^ Baronius^ hath aflbred us, that^°j''3-
his being like his Saviour^ the Carpenter s
Son ; and his carving out merely by Chance
before he knew Letters^ Dominabitur a
mari ad mare^ he JI:all rule from Sea to
Sea^
( 38 )
Sea^ were certainly divine Oftcnts.
To compleat the Comparifon too, it is
poffib^e Mr. TVbitefield may have been fo
happy as to write this Frefage, before he
kne\V Letters,
Anna!. xhe Other Circumftance, that " his
N°^i6. " Mother ufed to fay, while he was an
" Infant y that (he expedled more Comfort
^' from him than any other of her Chil-
*^ dren,'* has Variety of Parallels in the
Pcpijh Legends y where the Mother s
Dreams are fo often made Prophecies of
Conform, the Sor's Grandeur, " When St. Francis
^^^•^7 .^^g t^ut \y^ ^ fecular State, his Mother
by divine Influence faid. What do you
think that Son of mine will turn out ? By
Grace he will be a Child of God. — — St.
Ribaden. St. Dominic's Mother^ befides her Dream
p3g- 570- of having a Dog in her Womb, with a
burning Torch in his Mouth, had the
good News by Revelation, that fhe fhoulc}
have a Son endowed with many Gifts and
Virtues.''
Ibid. pag. " One Morning I faid to my Sifter^ —
'^' " G<5^ intends fomething for mCy^-^wiW
'^ provide for me fome Way that we
*^ cannot apprehend. How I came to
" fay thefe Words, I know not. But
" God afterwards fhewed m.e they came
^' from hi7n. — I dreamed^ that I was tp
" fee God on Mount Sinai : — this made a
" great Imprefjion upon me, and a Gen^
" tleivoman^
( 39 )
'' tlewoman, to whom I told it, faid,
'' George^ this is a Call from God, — One Ribaden.
" Night an unaccountable, but very ftrong P^S- ^^•
'' ImpreJJion was made upon my Heart,
*' that I fliould preach quickly. — G^<^ has
*' fince (lie wed whence that Impreffioa
'* came.'* A notable Impreffion truly,
that one defigned for a Scholar jfhould
come to preach. But in th^ fecond Edi-?z%. 13.
tio7i of his Dealings, when he recolled:s
that he was now in Frint, he cunningly
flips in by Way of Amendment to his
Dream,/' that I fliould preach ^nd print
*' quicky", which \% prophejying of a Thing
after it came to pafs.
He has prophetic Notice of a future Gon-
verfation with a hord, and of his Money
jingling in his Hand. '^ God was pleafed i Dealing.
'' to give me previous Notice of it. — I
" dreamed that I was talking.; with his
'^ Lordfjip^ and that he gave me fome
*^ Gold^ which feemed to found again in
" my Hands. — Afterwards he made me a
" Prefent oifive Guineas, which did found
" again in my Hands." —
You hereby fee the Man^ and his fu*
perftitioufy Enthufiajlic Head. Otherwife
it would be as tdle a Thing- to repeat, aS
in him to write, thefe frivolous Omens ^
Dreams, ImpreJ/ions, Revelations, — all pro^
pheticaL
There
( 40 )
There is a plain Intiniation alfo of
this prophetic Spirit in Mr. Wefley.
" For fome Time I had vifited a Soldier
*^ in Prifon every Day. But — I told
"him, Do 770t expeB to fee ??ie any
" more^ — 1 believe Sa<-an imill fep urate us
" for a Seafon. Accordingly^ the next
" Day I was informed, that the G?//7-
4 Journ. <c yyi^nding Officer had given flrict Orders,
pag-30' cc ti^^t neither Mr. P/efiey, nor any of his
" People, ihould be admitted. *'
•But in the Trogrefs of their Miniilry
they rife higher^ and come to Prediclions
cf greater Things, with regard to them-
[elves, and Increafe and Dilatation of the
2 Journ. Faniily of Mcthodifni.— Hence " the great
p. 19. 35. <c Work, which God intends^ and is now
" beginnmg to work over all the Earth/'
3 Journ. — Hence, fays Mr. Whitefield, '' God will
p. 3> '6> " make his Power to be known in me,—
^^' " And y^t I Poall fee greater Things than
" thefe. — -I fall he exalted, - — There cer--
" tainly will be 2i fulfilling of thofc Things
** which dod by his Spirit hath fpoken
" unto my Soul. — There are many Pro-
" mifes to be fu^lfilled in me, — This, I
" know; what I have fpoken from God
" will come to pafs : Lo ! it will ! —
Letters. " ^^^ glorious Soul - Brother had it
*^ revealed to him iri^ Spirit, thefe two
" Years, that fome fuch as he {hould be
*' fent of God into thefe Parts.''
^' The
( 41 )
^* The Lord revealed himfelf to a Child
" about feven Years old in an amazing ._i .
^^ Manner: — in a Rapture^ and by the
" uncommon Earneflnefs the Spirit gave
^' her to vvreftle for the Churches^ fhe
'' thought that an uncommon Work would
" be wrought on the Earth. Many fuch
" Inftances of the Outpouring of the Spirit
" we have among us."
Sometimes Mr, Wbitefield throws out
his PrediBiom of the Perfecutions he is
to undergo, and (according to his ufual
Modefty) in Analogy to the Sufferings of
Cbrift^ " Yet a Httle while, and a fuf- ^ y^^^^^
*' fering Time will come. 1 cannot follow Wy 12.,
^' him noWy hut I Pmll follow him hereafter. ^5» 9o»
^' — My Hour is not yet come. — - 1 find
^' the iiifinite Wifdom of God in fending
^' me to England. But God will manifeft
*' his mighty Arm in the Salvation of
" Georgia''
Where, befides the Gift of Prophecy^
we have a new Argiime^it for the Infinity
of God's Wifdom^ which I hope all future
Writers on the divine Attributes will re-
member, {viz,) the fending of Mr. George
Wbitefield from Georgia into England,
PopiQi Legends are fluffed with Boafis
of this Sort. " St. Francis riling frona
Steep in great Joy, and being asked the
Reafon of fuch a Tranfport, anfwered
prophetically y ' / know that l/J^all be a great
G PrifJceJ
( 42 )
TrinceJ Another Time being in Prifon^
yet highly exulting, cries out, * What do
Conform, y^^ think cf mz ? I jhall yet be adored over
^^^' all the Earth,' — One Day he prophefied
with a loud Voice — of a Church which
fhould hereafter become a Monajlery of
Females, by whom God fhould be glori-
fied. And it was fulfilled to a Letter^
ibid. becoming in Time the Mo?2aftery of St.
Clara. Once being in a Rapture, and the
Bofom of his Mind dilated, he faw clearly
what {hould happen in Futurity to him-
felf and Children. — Be comforted, and
Bonavent. ^gjrjice in the Lord,* my Dearejt, nor be
Cap'. 3,* dejeBed or afraid^ becaufe we are few and
fimple ; becaufe it has ver-ily been fjew?i me
from the Lord, that he will i?icreafe us into >
a great Multitude, midtiply and enlarge
lis,
God gave the Gift of Prophecy to St^
Ribaden. Anthony ', — he foretold to a certain Lady^
P^§- 593- that God would give her a Son that fliould
be great in the Lord's Church, a Frafi-
cifcan Friar, and a Martyr, And fo it
happened.
Orhndin. A holy Nun declared, that while flie
!?af i^^ ^^^ praying for the Good of the Churchy
pag.'37o. and Reformation of Manners^ God fore-
fiiewed her from above, that the Society
of ^cfuits (liould arife, who, as 7iew Apo^
Jlles, fhould take Pains in working Co7i-
verjions over all tlie World*"
Num-
( 43 )
Numbers of young female Prophefeffes
are eafily fupplied out of the To[>e's Bud-
get^ (as St. Bridget, Gather 1726 of Sienna y
Hildegard^ St. Rofa^ Terefa^ Sec.) who all
foretold wonderful Things of themfelves,
and the feveral Religious Orders, The
Light of Prophecy is indeed one of their
boafted Marh of the true Churchy of
which they give a hundred Inflances, and
challenge Protefta?its to produce the like.
Would they but come among the Metho-
diflsy they might fee their Challenge an-
fwered, and perhaps be induced to em-
brace them as Brethre?!, or even to give
them the right Hand of Fellowpip,
§. 6. The fame may be faid with regard
to MiracleSy another Mark of the true
Church, which their Enthufiaftic ImpofiorSy
and moft others, have been fond of, as
one of the chief and moft awful Proof of
their Pretenfions, They know the Vul-
gar are ever delighted, amazed and drawn
by any Thing of the Marvellous^ efpecially
if heightened into the Miracidous ^ and
thereby ealily perfuaded of the Wonder^
monger- s divine MiJ/ion.
Here alfo the Methodijh have been
dabbling> — Some Inftar.ces of an extraor-
dinary Nature y procured by the Me-rits and
Intercejfion of the Methodijis, I fliall re-
l^rve for another Chapter ; and (hall here
Q ? only
Seward
Journ.
pag. S6.
Ribaden.
pag. 360.
Meffingh.
Vit. Sana,
pag. 175-
Whitef.
5 Journ.
P- 34-
FranciAn-
nal. pag.
361.
3 Jcurn.
pag. 4.
( 44 )
only point out a few Cafes, containing the
miraculciis Favours of Heaven towards
themfelves : fufficient however to prove a
Claim oj Miracles among them.
Thus, when *' Mr, Seaward fell from
his Horfe without the leaft Hurt, not fo
much as of his Foot againft a Stone -, the
Reafon given is, — God' $ jending bis Angel
to preserve him,'' Which is much fuch
a Favour as Philip Nerius received, ?' who
falling into a deep Ditch, was miraculoujly
held partly in the Air by an Angel ^ and
partly drawn forth by the Hairs of his
Head, without any Harm f* — Or that of
St. Columb, '' who feeing a Boy falling from
the Top of a Houfe, commanded a?! Angel
to fly in the Twinkling of any Eye, and
hold him up before he could touch the
Ground. The Angel obeyed ; and the
Boy was unhurt ^
" Loft in a Wood : — God fent a Guide
'' to dired us right," fays Mr. White-
field, In the fame Manner, '' God, pity-
ing a certain holy Jefuit who had loft his
Way, immediately fent him, a Guide,''
In order to receive Power to preachy
and preach the more effeBually ; — Mr.
IVhitejield Hiys, *' I had a great Hoarfnefs,
" and was dcferted before I went up into
" the Tulpit, hut God Jlrengthe?2ed mCy fq
as to be heard by all. — -God took away my
" Hoarfnefs^
IC
( 45 )
'< Hoarfnefs , that I could lift up my 3 W^^-
" Voice like a Trumpet/'
Mr. Wcjley in the fame Cafe is fuper-
naturally cured feveral Times. '' So weak
'' that "l could hardly ftand, — or get out
*' of Bed, — at length made a Shift to drag
'' myfelfto Short's Gardens, — read thofe
'' Words (tho^ fcarce intelligibly, for my
'' Voice too was ahnoft gone) l^Vhom he did 4 Joum.
^'foreknow, he did alfo pre deft inate. In a ^'S- 79-
*' Mojnent both my Voice and Strength
'' returned. From' that Time I found
^' fuch bodily Strength. — My bodily
•' Strength quite failed-, — yet my Weak-
'' r.efs was fufpended, while I was calling Pag. 83.
'' Sinners to Repentance. — At our Love-
'' Feaft, befides the Pain in my Back and
'' Head, and a Fever, I was feized with
«' fuch a Cough, that I could hardly fpeak.
»< At the fame time came ilrongly
«« into my Mind, Tbefe Signs fh all fol-
<« low them that believe, I called on Jefus ^
'' aloud to increafe my Faith. — While I
«< was [peaking vay Pain vanifbed. The
«' Fever left me. My bodily Strength
'« returned. And for many Weeks I felt
«< neither Weaknefs nor Pain. — Another ibid.
<« Time feized with fuch a Pain, that I P'^S- 77-
<' could not jpeak. I knew my Remedy,
" and immediately kneeled down. In a
" Moment the Pain was gone. — I quite
" loft my Voice : But it vi^as immediately
" rcftored;
4 Journ.
( 46 )
*^ reilored ; and I fpent half an Hour in
*^ Exhortation and Prayer without any
Pag. 92. '' Hoarfnefsy
Some Obfervations concerning thefe Pre-
tences to infiantaneom and fupcrnatural
Cures will follow hereafter. I Ihall here,
as ufually, fubjoin the Parallel^ as to the
Cure of xhz Hoarfnefs,
Brev.Rom '' St. Bemardin^ a Francifcan^ finding
^^ ^°' himfelf unfit to preach on account of the
Weaknefs of his Voice ^ and Hoarjnefs,
by imploring the Afllftance of God, was,
not without a Miracle, relieved from that
Impediment. — A religious Nun devoted to
St. Xavier, famed for Skill in Mu/ic and
a Jine Voice, had her Voice loft by a
Iloarfnefs for ten Years, At laft deter-
mined to fing on St. Xavier's Feftival,
Francl fhe declares, that the Saint would reftore
Ann Tef . n , ^
P ' J3 ' her Voice* Behold a Minacle I On the
Morning of his Feftival her Voice is re-
covered to its antient Sweetnefs, and fhe
never fung better in her Life.'' — -St Rofa,
I confefs, did not come off quite fo welL
For '' being very ill of a fore Ihroat,
yefus Chrift her Spoufe came to vtjit her,
and invited her to play with him to di-
'vert her Pain, She infifted that the
Winnings fhould be whatever the Winner
pleafed. The Cards were played, and fhc
won the firft Game ; and demanding in-
ftantly a Relief of her fore 'Throat -, it was
( 47 )
fo immediately. But her Spoufe infifting to Vit Rofe,
play another Game^ flie loft it, and the ^^^" '^'
Pain of her Throat returned and in^
ere a fed J'
The fame Accounts we have of God's
clearing up the Weather, for the Sake of
the Methodifts and Company,
*' — It rained 'very hard: — but upon Whitef.
'' Prayer that G^^' would be pleafed to ^ j;"^'3";
'^ withold the Rain, it was done imme^
'^ diately.
" Preached at Kennington : — not above Pag. 94.
" ten thoufand People, and thirty Coaches.
" — Rained moft Part of the Day : — *
*' However God was pleafed fo mfibly to
" interpofe in caufing the Weather to
" clear up, and the Sun to fhine out juft
*' as I began, that I could not avoid tak--
'' ing Notice of it to the People in my
" Difcourfe/'
Does he think the Weather would not
have cleared up, and the Sun fhone, if
he had not preached ? But a Sort of Mira--
cle muft be made of it. And yet, it feems,
the Miracle is much the fame, if it hap-
pens to rain. For, '' preached at Ken-^^'"^-
*' nington, and God was pleafed to fend^^^"^ '
" Rain : — and as foon as the Rain came,
*' / received uncommon Strength from a^
" bover
— Mr. Wefey too fays, " A t)iolent 4 Jou.m,
" Storm of Rain began about the Middle P^S- ^^•
" of
<c
u
( 48 )
" of the Sermo?t. But fo much the more
" was his Tower prefent to heal, • — Our
" Hearts danced for Joy."
4 Journ. Mr. IFeJley " travelling on Foot in the
pag. 69. <« Nighty in a /6^^'z;j i?^/;;, weary ^ and not
" knowing his ^^^, — has a Gr^^^/) ij/' i\^/-
^' r^<:fo to relieve him in each Particular.
'" O that thou wouldfi ftay the Bottles of
'* Heaven ! Or^ at leaft, give 7ne Lights
or an honefi Guides or feme Help in the
Manner thou hioweft ! Prejently the
Rain ceafed ; the Moon broke out ; and
a friendly Man overtook me, who fet
^' me on his own Horfe, and walked by
^' my Side, 'till we came to Mr. Gani-
" hold's Door."
A4r. Wejley being reproved by Mr*
Church for this Enthufiajm and Frefumf-
iion^ fays, " he would not have us look
" upon it as miraculous, — but a (ignal
'' lnfta72ce oiGod'^ particular Providence*'
But notwithftanding this Diftinfrion, if
this fignal In fiance of particular Provi-
dence be effeded in a tniraculous Manner,
where is the Difference ? He adds, how-
ever, with a feeming Submiffion, " Let it
*' pafs then as a Trife not worth re^
*' latingy We Unbelievers may deem it a
Trifle ', but he has a better Security in the
Faith of his Followers.
By Way of Comparifon we might pro-
duce hundreds of Inllances oi Popiflj Sai?jts
beine
( 49 )
being quite dry in the Midft of Rain ; or
no Rain falling where they are preachings
though Showers all around them ; or
Storms turned into Calms by their Prayer,
&c.
Ealinghem (in his Calendar of the Virgin Ballngh.
Mary) gives us two Inftances togethers J""* *2'
one'^of St Anthony^ " who being on a
Journey, arrd a heavy Shower falling, he
puts the Rojary on his Head, and prays
for Succour to the Virgin ; and inftantly,
the Words fcarce out of his Mouthy the
Rofary becomes a complete Cover , and he
gets to the City without being touched by
the leaft Drop of Rain. — Another, of one
Brother George^ who being in a violent
Storm of Rain without a Cloak, no fooner
repeats his Rofary, but he goes on to his
Monajiery perfedlly dry.
St. Edmund preaching in the open ^/>,Henri-
a black Cloud, hanging over the Company, ^[Jfj]; y\'
threatened a terrible Storm ; but he, mak-P. 424.
ing the Sign of the Crofs^ commanded the
malignant Spirit of Water to depart, and
not to diflurb his Audience, Prefently it
rained ail-about, but not a Drop fell upon
them.
St. Aridius, (whofe Name is adapted ^o^^^^f^^^^
Lis Miracles) and his Society f often were Tom. 4. '
perfeO:ly dry in the Midft of prodigious P- 95-
Shoivers, — And St. Beuno had always the Fieet-
1^^^ Works,
P. 623,
( so )
fame Privelege ; for which Reafon he was
called Dry-Coatr
You fee the peculiar Privileges of fuch
conceited Fa'vourites of Heaven. The com-
inon Courfe of Trovidence muft be altered
for their Sake ; and all Nature be made
fubfervient to their iMmfical Dijpenfation,
" St. Terefa having obtained of the
Lord, that a Well of very bad Water fiiould
become fweet, and be conveyed too into
her Monaftery by a feemingly impoffible
Current, has the fame prevaricating Plea
with Mr. Wejley : I reckon ?iot this for a
Miracle, hut 'to Jljew our ftrong Faith ; for
the Thing happened jujt as I have related
itr
But as to thefe, and fuch-like Miracles,
it were to be wi(hed that the Methodifls
would be clear ^ and, in exprefs Words,
either claim or renounce their Pretenfions,
We fbould then know upon what Foot
the Argument with them (lands. But they
are manifeftly Evafve, And though,
when hard preffed, they feem to difclaim
Miracles, and declare them unnecejjary, and
the like ; yet, in the above-mentioned In-
ftances, xhty feem alfo to retain them : The
Stories are evidenty told with that Air, as
if they would have them thought mira-
culous 5 often with Words plainly implying
it : And they well know their eager Fol-
lower Sy for the Credit of their Caufe, ftand
ready
( 51 )
ready to fwallow any Thing 5 and are as
willing to ifuprovey as to believe, any tnar-
vellous Tale. They are fo well trained-iip^
that they eafily acknowledge the Authority
God has given their Teachers from above.''
§. 7. Hitherto wc have confidered the
ConduB of the Methodijis under their moft
plaiijible Appearances, highefi FretenfionSy
and a Flow of Exultation, But they do not
always go on fo frnoothly and fwimmingly j
meeting with various Rubs and ObftruC"
tions, and grievous Enemies and Sufferings^
in their Way. I obferved before, that
whatever favours and promotes their Caufe
is from God 5 whatever Oppofition or 0^-
JlruBion they meet with, from the DemL
I fliall therefore now give fome Account,
or rather they themfelves, of their grievous
ConfliBs and Combats with Satan: Who,
though the Enemy to all Truth and Good-
nefsy and therefore their Enemy, and fure
to be conquered at laft, yet perfecutes and
opprefjeth them in a moft grievous Manner;
by Force and Fraud ; in Body and Mind.
To begin with Mr. Whitefield, St. Conform.
Francis once faid, '' that if his Brethren Fol- 25 j.
did but know what Tribulations he en-
dured from Satan, there is none of them
who would not greatly compafGonate his
Cafe.''- And Mr. Wbitefield fays, " Go^i Dealing,
'' only knows how many -Nights I have ^ag- 3 8»
H2 "lain
( 52 )
*^ kin groaning, — and bidding Satan dc-
*^ part from me/'
1 Dealing, <« I had then Tower over my fecret and
?ag. 2 1. cc Jarling Sin, But being fome Time after
*' overtaken in Liquor — Satan gained his
«' ufual Advantage over me. An experi-
*' mental Proof to my poor Soul, hov7
'^ that mcked One makes ufe of Men as
<' Machines, working them up to juft
" what he pleafes." Which is an art-
ful Way of throwing the Blame upon
Safan^ and making Sin an involuntary
Thing; when the Man was led av:ay
voluntarily by his own Lufi and Intempe-
rance. And Satanh^.^ Reafon to complain
of Injuftice done him.
We have next a grievous Complaint of
a bodily Opprejfwn from the wicked One. At
Ibid. Vag.Oxford.— " *The Comforts oi fenfible De-^
37, 38. u r^^otion were withdrawn, and a horrible
*' Dread overwhelmed my Soul, — One
*< Morning, riling from my Bed, I felt an
*' unufual Impreffion and Weight upon my
" Breafl : — In a fliort Time the Load
'' gradually increafed, and almoft v/eighed
" me down, and fully convinced me that
' i**' Satan had as real a PoflefTion of my Body^
*' as once of Job's, All Power of thinking
■ " was taken away, — my Memory quite
•^i* failed, — my Soul barren and dry. — I
»^' fancied myfelf like a Man lacked up in
. -^^ Jrm -Armour . — I felt great Heaving: in
''my
( 53 )
^* my Body ; prayed under the Weight
*' till the Sweat came. How many Nights
*' did I ViQ groa?itng under the Weighty bid-
" ding Satan depart from me in the Name
" oiJefusV
Here again, I doubt, he has charged
Satan wrongfully 3 in laying his diabolical
Weight upon the Body, while it under-
goes but the ufual Effeds of a common
natural Diftemper^ called the Incubus^ and
Night-Mare, To prove this, the Devils
in Revenge, might perhaps tempt him to
borrow the Defcription of his Cafe from
Chambers'^ DiEionary under thofe two
Words; which I fhail fubjoin : " Incubus^ i^c\ih\i^.
" Night-Mare^ a Difeafe coniifting in an Night-
" OppreJJion of the Breajfy fo very violent, ^^^'
*' that the Patient can't Jpeak, or even
" breathe. — The Senfes are not quite lojty
'* but drowned and a/io72iJJjed *, as is the
*' Under (iandi?7g and Imagi?jation, So that
*'■ the Patient thinks fome huge Weight
*' thrown on him, ready to Jirangle him:
*' And frequently imagines fome Spe6ire^
*' or Fhant07n^ flopping his Breath,''
The fame Author afcribes *' to the
Hypochondriac PaJJion (Spleen, or Vapours)
the fame Symptoms of a Tain in the Stomachy
a ConftriBion of the Breafl, Difficulty of
Breathing ; — as likewife Wakefulnefs^ In--
quietudes^ Fear^ Sifpicions^ Delirioufnefs j
— afFefting
( 54 )
— affeding the Patient more in Mind than
Body:'
Nor is it to be doubted, but the greateft
Part of thefe ({range Feelings and Sufferings^
D ejections of Miftd and dreadful Appre-
henfionsy &c. proceed from Difeafe^ caufed
perhaps by a Flatulency from much Faftingy
or the Fumes of Indigejlion, or Want of
Exercife^ deep Intention of Thought^ and
various Affediions and Fafjions ; which
^hyficians can much better account for
than myfelf. And we may eafily conceive
that the Effedls of fuch Difeafe muft of
Courfe be ftronger^ when the indifpojed
Body wears a melancholic and enthujiaftic
Head', Strength of Imagination and Di-
fiemper concurring. — For a Cure, Mr.
Wbitefield '' applied to his Friend, Mr.
Charles Wefley, who advifed him to keep
upon his Watch, and referred to a Chapter
in Ketnpisy Had he applied to a Fhyfi^
cian, he w^ould perhaps have prefcribed,
befides Flebotomy, Cathartics, Carjninatives,
and Emetics. And one may the rather
think fo, becaufe both Naturalijts and
Divines have aflbred us, that the Devil
often goes out of the Bodies of the Fojjeffed
in a Vomit or a SiooL Gregory of 'Tours
fays, '^ a mofl atrocious Devil having pof-
*^ iefled a certain Perfon, by the Help of
** Oil he went out of his Body by the
" Draughty
( 55 )
^'Draught', per jiuxum ventrisy* Glor.
Confeff. Cap. 9.
'' We read in the Malleus Maleficarum^
^' (Tom. 4. Pag. 25.) that the Devil
^' fornetimes rumbles about the Intejlines in
" the Shape of a Pill (for lb I conftrue the
*' Words in fimilitudinem pilc^e) until he
" goes out by xht Draught 5 per fecejjum:"
" Thyrceiis^ (de Damoniacis^ Cap. 52,
& 54. j gives us feveral Inftaiices of Devih
being caft out by Vomit and Stool ; and then,
tlie learned Author wifely obferves, — that
thefe Paflages are the fitteft for the Egrefs
of fuch unclean Spirits ; — and that (tho'
Devils commonly go out with a Stench)
in thefe Cafes they are expelled with a more
than ordinary fetid Sinelir 'Tis true thefe
Authorities are taken only from Fopiff:>
Writers^ and therefore may not obtain
Credit from a Protejiant Reader ; but the
Patient, who hath fo often followed their
Example, might for once have taken their
Prefcription,
Hence again we may account for what
Allows in Mr. Whitefield. " At this Time i^ Dealing,
*' Satan ufed to terrify me much; and '^S* 38.
'^ threatened to punifh me, if I difcovered
" his Wiles.— 1 thought the Devil would
*' appear to me every Stair I went up. —
" And he \o troubled me when I lay down
" to Rejt, that for fome Weeks I fcarce
^- flept above three Hours at a Time. —
'^ Wanted
( 56 )
" Wanted to fee Sm as it was^ but feared
*' left the Sight fhould terrify me to Death,
1 Dealing, u — Satan fo impofed upon my Under--
^g^ 39- a Jlanding^ that he perfuaded me to Jhut
" myfelf up in my Study ^ till I could do
^^ Good with a fmgle Eye.'' This Mr.
3 journ. //^/6/V^^/^ explains clfewhere, ^' Satan kept
Page 84. a j^^^ jj^ ^^^^ C/^^^^ near fix Weeks, becaufe
" I could not do any Thing with a /ingle
" I?2tention : ** /. ^. was a Hypocrite.
Why &/y7;2 fliould endeavour to cure
him of his Hypocrify I can't conjecture. —
But if that infernal Fiend did really ufe the
poor Man fo unmercifully, or if a wrong
Caufe be afiigned for his Diforders; 'tis
certain he has fiiared with many Saint-like
Perfons in thefe Calamities.
Ribadoi. As to Suffocation, &c. '* One Night the
^^^■h^i' wicked Fie?2d did what he could to choak
St. Anthony, prefling his Paw upon his
ihA. Throat. — At Ro??2e this malignant Spirit
Bartoi. * vvould have choaked St. Ignatius in his
Vit.ignat.SJeep: the fo/v M:7;2 awaking, called upon
ag 409- |.jjg Nanne of Jefus ; but he was fo hoarfe,
and liis Throat fo fore, that he could hard-
ly fpeak for a Fortnight. At another Time
two Devils whipt him cruelly in his Bed. —
•Ribaden. The wickcd Fiend would often throw him-
Pag 180. felf upon St. i^^;;7Z/^A///^, as he was lying in
his Bed, kneeded him with his Knees, and
prefled fo heavily upon him, as almofl to
/mother him. — He would often cry out —
S^
( S7 )
^0 thou malignant Serpent. — A ^^^^^'^ ^""*^- j^^
Jefuit, being in a haunted Hpufe, had p^g"'^^!/
Icarce fhut his Eyes, but he felt the De-
i)iN Hand taking him by the Throat".—
" The Prince of Darknefs ufed to fall Mcffingh.
upon St. Pdtric m his Sleep, and to lay a^^^;^^^^"^'
heavy Stone upon his Breaft^ — fo as to de-
prive him of all Motion and Senfation ; and
bring a Darknefs and Torpor upon him
for feveral Days, till the Saint, by calling
upon Elias^ the Prince of the Prophets, was
at length relieved".
Nor will the cruel Enemy fpare the
tender Sex. " I was,- fays St. Elizial^eth, vit. Eliz.
" that Spiritual Virgin, fo fhut up by the ^^P- 7-
^' Adverfary, that I could fcarce fpeak,-^^
'^ I felt my Throat fo violently comprejjed
«' by his Hand, that my Breath was al-
*^ mod flopped." —^ " Mary of AgredaUkom,
was never free from bodily Infirmities, and ^S^^^*
fome painful Diftemper. The Devil too
had a Commiffion to torment her * — and
fometimes he would lie upon her with fo
heavy and infupportable a Weight, that
her Breath was ready to go out of her
Body." The Confeffion of her Diftempers
explains what the Devil was.
The Want of Sleep is a Circumftance
belonging to Variety of Diftempersj and
if the Devil would allow Mr. Whitefield
but little ; he ferved '' one Thomas the "f^^^^^
Simple as bad^ who was all Day dirtying ^^^^, ^^l
I his
( 58 )
his Body, in order to have a pwe Heart :
For feeing fo much Piety in fuch 2. Ji?nple
Man, he was perpetually plaguing him
with 72oBur?ial Terrors, Noifes, Dread of
Conform. Thieves, &c:' And " he ufed St.
Fol 54. pj^ancis in the fame Manner, always dif-
turbing his Reft 171 the Shape of Mice and
Ratsr
As Satan threatened Mr. WbitcficJd with
Punifliment, if he ever difcovered his
' Ibi^- Wiles j fo he " threatened St. Francis,
^*^^' that unlefs he would defift from his pious
Method, he would make him crooked, and
clap a Hump upon his Back."
Lib. 2. In the romantic Life of St. Bernard,
^^P- • 2i Woman grievoufly oppreffed by an In-
cubus, who had applied to St. Bernard to
beTcIieved, is terribly menaced by the De-
vil what he would do to her, as foon as
the Saint was gone out of tl>e Country,"^
Hibadcn. — Terefa too he *' threatened to be re-
2g- 797- venged on, belides giving her many griev-
ous Blows."
Did Satan, as it were, lock np Mr,
IVhitefield in Armour, and Jlmt him up in
Conform. ^^^^ Clojet ? He ferved a religious Francifcan
FoL 66. the fiune Trick, ". not only took away
his Speech, but got' upon his Back, and
heavily weighed him down -, and thruji
him into a Hole, fo narrow that he could
xiQi ftir-, till by the Help of a Y\it\t Holy^
water he put tlie Devil to Flight."
Nor
C S9 )
Nor do we want Inftances among the
moj? refo/ute Popifh Fanatics of over-power^
ing Fears ^ and Apprehenfions of the De-
vif^ appearing to them : wherever they
are, efpecially if in the Dark^ whatever
Object xhty feey or thi?2k they fee, be it
Man or Beaft, it is immediately their HelU
ijh Enemy ; and they are plucking up their
Courage to fight with him, or calling upon
Divine Help to fend him packing.
'' Five furious Devils attacked M, of^^^^^ N°.
Pazzi one after another -, - — and this hor- ^*' ^^'
rible Sight terrified, haunted and purfued
her in all Places. Sometimes they throw
her down Stairs, — bite her, — and feem to
devour her • fo that flie had no Manner of
Repofe Day or Night. She armed herfelf
againft thefe furious AfTaults with the
Buckler of Prayer," But St. RonmalduSy
as became a Alan^ had moi'e Courage,
'^ The Devil lay upon his Feet and Legs Stillingfl.
ail Night, that he could not eafsly ftir ^1^%^
himfelf ; and he was fo poiTeffed with the or,
Thoughts of him, that a Mojtk could not ^- ^^"^*'
knock at his C>//, but he asked the Devil, Romuai.
What he did there 3 and was ready to e?j^ cap. 15 —
counter him. — All the Crows and ugl^
Birds he faw in the Wilderncfs, he fancied
to be Devils, and chaUe?2ged them to fight
with him ; and. exceedingly triumphed,
when at his loud Cries they flew away.*'
I 2 " The
/^
( 6o )
Bartol. « The Devils^ who had declared they
Vitignat. j^^^^^ none more than Ignatius, haunted
his Bed-chamber with terrible Noifes and
Spedres, to {hake his Conllancy. He
was grievoufly frighted j but by Degrees
recoUefting himfelf^ he boldly defied them,
and called them a Pack of Cowards, for
coming in fuch Numbers to difturb one
Man's Reftr
But notwithftanding thefe bodily Afaults
of the Devil upon Mr. Whitefield, the
worft is ftill to come ; as you will fee by
his following perplexed and inconfijient Ef^
fujions.
I Deal. *^ Henceforward he transformed him-
p. 40. cc fgif jj^|.Q ^^ Angel of Light s and worked
^' fo artfully, that I imagined the good, and
'' not the evil. Spirit fuggefted to m^
'' every Thing that I did. — His main
** Drift was to lead me into a State of
" ^ietifm, ( he generally plowed with
*' God's Heijer) and when i\\(tIioly Spirit
*' put into my Heart good Thoughts or
** Convictions, he always drove them to
" Extremes. For In/lance-, having c?^^ of
*' Fride put down in my Diary what I
*' gave away, Satan tempted me to lay
" my Diary quite afideJ" Afluredly a
moft malicious Devil I who would rob us
of that Treajury, which has furniihed the
World with fuch incomparable Dealings
and Journals. But ferioully, Sir, did the
Holy
( 6i )
Holy Spirit put it into your Heart to fet
down your Charities out of Pride? And did
Satan tempt you to the contrary ? The very
Reverfe of both fhould have been the Cafe.
" When Cajlaniza (the Author of The ' Deal.
'' Spiritual Combat) advifed to talk but '^^^' '^'^'
" little^ Satan faid I muft not talk at alL
" So that I, who ufed to be the moft
*' forward in exhorting my Companions,
'' have fat whole Nights ahiioft ^without
'' /peaking at ally Where a fullen Hu-
mour^ perhaps a Lownefs of Spirits^ is im-
puted to Satan's attempting to lead him
into ^ietifm. I find too, that not only
Mr. Whitefield^ but Mr. Wefley^ was ad-
vifed by a Spiritual Cafuift to obferve a
very high Degree of Silence, The latter
" was often and earneftly prefled to make 4>^''n.
an Experiment of this Nature, — and he ^'
fpoke to none at all for two Days, and
travelhng fourfcore Miles together/' —
The fame Whim has run through the
My/licSy and feveral of the Religious Orders^
who have enjoined abfolute Silence ( I
think too, bound it on the Confcience by
P^ow) except at fome Jlated Times ; as a
Point greatly tending to PerfeBion, Hence
St. Bonaventura fays, " that Silence in all DeP«rfca.
" the Religious is ncceflary in order to ^^^' ^'
" PerfeBion : ^nd that in order to obferve
*' it, you ought to do as St. Agatha did,
" who
( 62 )
" who held a Stone in his Mauth for three
'^ Years, till he could learn Taciturnity :'
^oZ^T " ^"^ ^^' Alcantara carried leveral
Tebbles in his Mouth for three Years like-
wife, and for the fame Reafon. — Theon
obferved a continual Silence in his Cell for
Conform, thirty Tears, St. Fraizcts obferved it him-
• ^74- ^^ijT g,^^ enjoined it upon his Brethren,
The Rule of Silence was moft reli-
gioufly obferved by St. Do^ninic -, which
provoked the Bevil to put a Trick upon
him. Accordingly he appears in the Shape
of a Monk, and tranfgreffing one of the
Orders of the Saiizt, The Saint fome-
thing haftily chides him for Difobedience.
LocT' '^^''^ '^^''!^ immediately fell a /^z/^/:^% at
feii. pag. St. Do7ninic, and upbraided him for the
136. Violation of his Rule of Sileijcey
But our Pair of Methodifts were not to
befo caught. Neither the Spiritual Ca-
fuifts, nor Satan, could bring them to any
long State of Silence, but were both mif-
taken in their Men. For their Enthufiafm
is of that loquacious Nature, that it mujl
have Vent ; and the black Humour be dif-
charged, either through a %///, or at the
\Mouth ; — or they would bur ft,
I Dealing. *' Again, adds Mr. iVhitejield, when
Pag. 4c. <c Cajlaniza advifed to endeavour after a
*' ^lent Recoiled ion, and waiting upon God ;
" Satan told me, I muft leave off all
'' Forms, and not ufe my Voice in Prayer
'' at
( 63 )
" at ally — Where are we now? But
a few Lines before, Sataiis, main Drift
was to lead you into ^ietifm ; and now
your Spiritual Guide joins with him, ad-
vifing the very Ejjence of ^ietifm. You
obey; " leave oif keeping your DiaryJ^^^^-
ufing FormSy fcarce a Voice in Prayer^ vi-^^^ *
iiting the Prifoners^ &c. till better advifed
by Meffieurs Wejley, and God was pleafed
to make an open Shew of thefe diabolical
Devices,''
And it muft be allowed, that the Wejleys
generally difclaim this Dod:rine of the
Moravians, '' Our old Friends, Mr. Gain-
" bold and Mr. liall^ came to fee my Bro-
^^ ther and me. The Converfation turned
" wholly xx^onfilent Prayer^ and quietWait-
" ^'^g fo^ God y which, they faid, was the
" only pofible Way to attain living, favifig
'^ Faith. Weiley.
4 Journ.
Sire72um cantus^ & Circes pccula nofli? ^nlVeeV
113.
" Was there ever fo pleafing a Scheme ?
" But where is it written ? Not in any of
" thofe Booh, which I account the Oracles
''of God, s^cr
We may eafily imagine, that much Jt^
lent Prayer, and quiet U aiting, are Doc-
trines not likely to recommend themfelves
to our rambling, warm-headed, Itinerant
Teachers.
Thefe
(64 )
Thefe Moravian Myfiics are the Perfons,
whom ( by an unaccountable Inconfijtency
of Condud: not to be reconciled ) Mr.
Wejley reprefents by Viciflitudes as the beft^
and as the iDorft, of Men. Who has fo
much Fondnefs for them, or Averfion to
them? Who fo high in their Commenda*
tion 'y or who fo eager in running them
down, and difgracing them ? Who fa
loves^ efteems and encourages them \ or who
fo effedually expofes and confutes them ?
Who fo ardently defires to join them >
and yet who produceth fuch {lFt)ng Rea-
fons againft joining them, *— as Mr. "J 4
Wepy ?
1 Dealing, But to return to Mr. Whitefield. *' The
pag-4J' <c j)gyii ^Ifo f^diy impofed upon me in
" the Matter of my College Exercifes, —
*' I had no Power to eompofe or write- a
** Word, — had a violent inward Check not
*^ to go down into the Hall. -^ The next
<' Week he ferved me foagain. — My
*^ Tutor y as well he might, took me to
*' be really w^J.-— Being urged with the
" Command in Scripture, to be fnbje^ to
" the Higher Powers 5 I anfwered, Yes ;
" but 1 had a new Revelation. Lord,
« What is Man?"
What is Man indeed ? When he muft
charge upon Satan his own moody Ter-
verjenefs^ or Inability to eompofe j and pre-
tend
( 65 )
tend a new Revelation againft Obedience^
enjoined by the old?
" After leaving off my Diary ^-^^Fnrms » Dealing,
and Voice in Prayer ; and vifiting the ' ^^" *
Prifons, nothing remained for me to -
leave, hut public Worjhipy and my religious
Friends, Nov^ it vidisfuggejied (by Satan^
as an A7igel of Light) that I muft leave
them alfo for Chriji's Sake. — A fore
Trial, — but rather than not be Chriji's
Difciple, I refolved to renounce them.
Accordingly, inftead of meeting my Bre--
thren as ufual, I v^ent into the Fields^
and ^vzyQA/llently by my f elf. Our Even-
ing'Meeti?ig I negledled alfo -, and went
not to Breakfaji, according to Appoint-
ment. — 'Till at length by Mr. J, Weflefs
excellent Advice and Management, un-
der God^ I w^as delivered from thofe
Wiles of Satan : — and took up my £x-
ternals again.'*
I fliall omit many fuch Appearances of
Sat any like an Angel of Light , to the Pcpijh
Saints-, and be contented with 2.Ji?2gle In-
fiance attended Wuhfrnilar Circumftances,
" Brother Rufin, before he arrived at Conform,
his full State ot Sa?i5lity and Grace, was ^'^^^^ ^3*4:
tempted of the Devil no more to follow the
Footfteps of St. Fra?2cisy who was but a
fimple Man, and under Pretence of fending
them among the Hofpitah drew the Bre--
thren away from their Prayers 5 but that he
K mould
( 66 )
Ihould live Jolitarily in the Dejert. Thus
Satmt, appearing as an Angel of Light, fug-
gejiing this to Ruffm confirmed him in his
Purpofe. And he retired into the Woods to
pray ; would not come to St. Francis at
Eating-Hours as ufual, — would not come to
Slipper, — nay would not come to the Sa-
crament ^ — and fent Word to St. Francis,
that he had a better Way to Salvation than
by following his Simplicities ; and fo the
hord had revealed to him. This he affirmed
again, and again. At length St. Francis,
deeply concerned, and defirous to bring him
back to the Community, goes to him him-
felf, and afks who perfuaded him to this ?
Rtiffin anfwered, he had a Divine Revelation
by an AngeL I will Jloew you, fays Francis,
who this Angel is, that fuggejled it to you ;
and prefently, by Prayer, the Angel ap-
peared in a moft amazing Beauty and Splen^.
dor 3 which made Ruffin rejoice and exult.
Then Francis, by Prayer again, command-
ed the Angel to appear vi/ibly who, and what
he was. And prefently he was transformed
into fuch a horrible Shape, and made fuch
a horrible Stink, that Ruffin fell to the
Ground as dead ; but was rajfed-up by St.
Francis, comforted, and confirmed in
Righteoufnefs.''
I would afk now, with Refpedl to Mr.
Whitejield, what otherwife than has hap-
pened could be expciSed from one v^ho Jets
cut
( 67 )
mty and begins his new Difpenfafion with
fuch Phrenzies, as himfelf has publifhed ?
Touth, Impious Intention, fancied OpprciTion
of Satan, 2iX\i real Indifpofition of Body, —
rnay perhaps be pleaded in his Excufe, And
no doubt very juftly ; had not his whole
future Condud:, his uncharitable Characters
and Accufations of his Brethren, his inde-
cent and rude Treatment of his Superiors
and Governors^ his Vanity arid proud Boajt-
ings, his unwarrantable and high Prefiwip^
tions, his obtruding upon the World his
own Panciesfor Divine Inspirations, carrying
on all along a New Revelation againjt the
Old in facred Writ, and thereby deceiving
many, Qc. — had not all this, and more,
rendered him inexcufable, Excufes are fcarce
allowable to fuch Exorbitances,
His Companion, Mr. Seward, has like-
wife great ConfiBs with Satan, " He often jQ^^n.
" turned himfelf into an Angel of Light,?- ?;, zg.
" and made me think Brother Whitef eld's ^9^ 4o.
*^ Zeal was not fo great as my own ; — which
" Mr. Whitefield faid was Impetuofity, —
" Was exercifed \^\th. ftro?2g inward Trials ^
" fuch as I ncvQi- felt bcforc—Satan darti?ig
'* infuch horridThoiightS',—\\trc\idi^ me en-
*' tertain hard Thoughts of my Brother-, —
** exercifed again with /;2W^7r<iQ?;?/?/^jj and
*' could not pray for my Friends. There
" feemed a Cloud of evil Spirits hovering
" round me, and brought my Soul to the
K 2 " Depth
( 68 )
" Depth of HelL — O ! the horrid Sug-
*' geftions, that Satan has. Day after Day,
^' followed me with ! He has endeavoured
*' to caft a Cloud over all the Manifcftations
*' I have had of the Divine Favour. — Tho*
" the Lord has a Thoufand Times over
" told mcy that he loved me with an Ever^
" lajting Love y yet Satan had the Impu^
*' dence to tell jne^ in the Midft of my
*' Prayers, that I was not one of God's
*^ EieB^ — that I was Hke JudaSy — and
*^ fhould betray Chrift, — He is generally fo
" bufy with me in Prayer , that my Time
'* is chiefly fpent in keeping him off. —
"-^ TThus has my poor Soul been toffed'A^ in a
*' Tempefty till brought almofl to Defpair^
" — Satan bad me worfliip hirriy or Stocks^
" or StoneSy or any Thing but God. — -On^
^' remarkable Temptation was, that know-
*' ing how little jS/f^/) I allowed myfelf —
'' he terrified me with this Scripture y It is
" but loft Labour that you rife up early y and
'■^ fit up late, and eat the Bread of CarefuU
" nefs. Here he flopped, — for it was 5^-
*^ tan'^ Bufinefs now to hide xhz latter Part
^^ of the Text from me."
This is the fame Mr. Sewardy of whom
Mr. Whitefield gives fuch a particular Ac-
3journ. count, " whofe Circumftauces, ho\h before
*^ and in his Converfion, much refemble
<^ thofe of St. Paul — It pleafed God to re*
*^ veal
( 69 )
" veal his Son unto him, and to caft him
" down to the Earth — by eight Days Sick-
*' nefs ; in which Time he fcarce ever eat,
*^ or drank, or flept, and underwent great
" hiward Agonies and Tortures : — When
" God fent a poor travelling Woman^ that
*' came to fell Straw Toys^ to inftrud: him
" in the Nature of our Secoijd Birth'' And
what better than Straw Toys did fhe fell to
him ? Of what did flie deliver him, after
going through the Tangs of the New Birthy
and what has he brought forth, but a mod
weak and extravagantly wild Journal?
What other Proof need we bring of a weaky
or disordered Read, than his being fo ter-
rified by that remarkable Temptation of Sa-
tan^ alledging only a Fart of a Scripture
Paffage ? As if the leaft Degree of Thought,
or turning to the Place, might not eafily
have fupplied the Defedt, — for Jo he givetb
his Beloved Sleeps
IvA I could tell him, from a Book of Au-
thority, of a vaoxt fagacious Saiiit, who out^
witted the Devil in a like Cafe. " The
Devil onct told St. Bernard, that he knew
certain Vejjes in the "TJaltery that whofo
fayeth fliail not perifh ; and fhall know the
Day of his Death. But the Fiend refufed
to name them. Theny faid the Saint, I
will fay the whole Pfalter daily. The Fiend
confideiing how much more Good that
would
( 70 )
would do him, fhewed him the Verfes.'*
Hora- B, Virgifiisfec, tifum Sacrum, P. 124.
P^^'^f' 1534-
In Reference to the other Al&iilts of
Satan upon Mr. Seward, I fhall only men-
tion one Popijh Inftance among a Thou-
fand ; which is that of St. Guthlac, agree-
able in divers Circumftances. '' The Ene-
Aasana.^^y ^^ Mankind envying the Humility of
Vol. 3. the Man of God, by the Force of his
Pag. 271. Temptations almoft drove him to the Pit of
Defpair, — One Night an infinite Multitude
of Devils furrounded him^ filling all the
Air with their ugly Forms, as i^o many black
Clouds 'y threaten him with Death, and car-
ry him away to the very Jaws ofHelL 'Till
at length St. Bartholomew comes to his Af-
fiftance, and commands them to carry him
fafe Home." Nov, Legend, AngL FoL 169.
Nor can Mr. Wejley efcape the Attacks of
jjourn. t\{is infernal spirit, '' Soon after receiving
' * "^ ' ' ' *' an Afurance of Forgivenefs,- — The Ene-
^ my fuggefted, This cannot be Faith : for
*' where is thy foy ? — I was much buffeted
*' with Temptations 5 but cried out, and
they fled away. They returned again,
and again. — The Enemy injedted a Fear,
If thou doft believe, why is there not a
more fenfible Change? — lanfwered, (yet
" not I) That I know not. — But is not any
*' Sort of Fear, continued the Tempter, a
*^ Proof that thou doft not believe .?• '*
You
<i
€C
( 7^ )
You obferve here a regular Converfa^
tiotiy and Difcourfe, between Satan and
Mr. WeJIey : — that Satan /poke to Mr.
Whitefield^ and threatened hnn: — had the
Impudence Xo /peak to Mr. Seward^ and ter-
rify him with a PafTage in Scripture, And
elfewhere " the Devil pe?juades them to go
no farther ; — and they have great Rea/on^ Letters,
ing "with Satan.''
And does not this give too much En-
couragement to the many fabulous Tales y
with which Popijh Legends are fluffed, of
vifible and perfonal Appearances of Devils to
their Saints, of their Combats Hand to Hand,
and Difcourfes in an articulate Voice , &c ?
True Catholicks, i, e. ignorant and credulous
People, firmly believed thefe Tales. The
Methodifs perhaps are not much wifer\
and may be equally ready to conilrue fuch
Expreflions in a literal Senfe.
One more Satanical Operation I fhall
mention in this Place, becaufe Mr. Wefley
was concerned in it : He relates the Cafe
of " feverai breaking-out into horrid Fits ^joum.
of Laughter -, — buffeted by Satan by fuch a^'^S- 94-
Spirit of Laughter^ as they could in nop. 3^7"^ 5 g.
Wife refift, though it was Pain and Grief
unto tliem : — one laughing, till almoil
fir angle d '.-—{ovciQ. "wtvQoffndedy and would
not believe but they could help laughing., \i
they would : — but God fuffered Sata?i to
teach them better. They were fuddenly
feized
( 72 )
feized in tlie fame Manner, laughing almoft
without cealing. Thus they continued for
two DaySy a Spedlacle to all. — And both
himfelf and Brother had been buffeted in the
fame Manner, when they walked out to
fing Pfahm in a Meadow. Nor could they
poffibly refrain, though ready to tear them-
felves in Pieces 5 but were forced to go
Home, without finging another Line."
Though I am not convinced that thefe
Fits of Laughing are to be afcribed to Satan -,
I entirely agree with Mr. ^ejley, that they
are involuntary and unavoidable ; and don't
in the leaft queftion the Facls. Phyfical
Writers tell us, that Laughi?ig-Fits are one
Species of a Delirium, attending on fome
Diprnpersy-iwdi particularly on the Hypochon-
dria, or Spleen, {i\\Q principal higredient of
Enthuliafm) called by fome the Organ of
Laughter ; whence laughing People are faid
to vefit their Spleen,
I don't remember any of thefe Laughing-
Fits among Papijis. But they were very
common among the French Prophets m
their Agitatiojis. Mr. Aubrey, in his Mif-
cellanies, (Page 117) relates the fame Thing
of Oliver Cromwell " Oliver, fays he,
" had certainly this Afflatus, One that
" was at the Battle of Dunbar told me that
" Oliver was carried on with a Divine Im-
** pulfe: he did laugh fo exceflively as if
•• he had been drunk — The fame Fit of
Laughter
( 7Z^ )
" Laughter feized him juft before the Bat-
*' tie of Nafeby:' ■ 'Tis a Qoeftion unde-
cided, whether Olher was more of the
Enthu/iaft^ ov the Hypocrite : and I prefume
the Fits are no Proof of a good Caufe either
in the ProteBor^ or the Methodijl,
I took Notice before how the Methodijls .
make Hell tremble^ and Satan s Kingdom
totter. No wonder -therefore if he rage
horribly y and ftir up all poffible Oppofitivn
to their Progrefs. Hence Mr. Whitefield
aflures us, that, . " the Devil painted him in 3 Jo«rn.
mofl horrible Colours; and raifed a Report ^^^' '^^'
that he was mad'^ — that when he went ^4 Joum.
attack the Devil in his ftrongejl Holds ^ the ^^^' ^*^*
Devil would not permit the People to give
him Audience; — and that Satan endeavour- 5 Joum.
ed to interrupt his Preaching, by fending a^'^' 2^*
Tannic upon his Audience in the Midft of
his Difcourfe."
Hence too Mr. Wefiey fays, that while
he was preaching, '' the Devil knew his y^y^^^
*' Kingdom (hook, and therefore ftirred pag. 37.
*' up his Servants, to ring Bells^ and make
^^ 2iNoife. — The Trince of the Air madepag. 57
*^ another Attempt in Defence of his totter-
'* ing Kingdom ; great Numbers of Men
" beyan to fpeak big, fvvelling Words : —
'^ The many-headed Beaji began to roar pag. 60
*^ again: — The Devil's Children fought
^^ valiantly for their Af^^r. — One Azr^^Pag. 82,
" Stone (many of which they threw) went
L ' juft
( 74 )
" jull: over my Shoulder. But no one was
p. 6q!" " h^^'^ ^^ ^^y Degree. For thy Kingdom
3 journ. «^ rulcth ovcv all. — One Man took up a
pag. 91. cc great Stojte^ which he many Times at-
" tempted to throw. But that he could
'' not do."
To pafs over at prefent thefe Intimations
of a miraculous Deliverance-, — we find the
Spirits of Darknefs oppofing themfelves to
• Fanatical Popijh Saints, and for the fame
Reafon, " The Devils confelTed, that St.
^ra^afc^ jFr^^;?m was the Man in the World whom
Jan. 3, they moft feared ; the Man fenf of God (on
the Reformation of Mankind-, for which
Reafon they plagued him to the utmoft of
their Power ; — and that feveral Councilsh.2idi
been fummoned in Hell, to confider how
to deftroy, or put a Stop to, the Francif-
Conform. ^^^^^' — The Dcvils knowing that Hell was
Fol.53.54. to be deftroyed hy him, and his Society, —
perfecuted him a Thoufand Ways, by
Terrors, Calumnies, perfonal Combats with
him Hand to Hand ; once by flinging a
large Piece of a Rock at his Head, which
the Sai7it made foft as Wax, by a Miracle,
Fol. 140. tl^^t it could not hurt him, &c. — Another
Time a noify Woman difturbed his Preaching
by beating a Cymbol -, but St. Francis bad
the Devil take her ; and inflantly he came,
and carried her Way."
Ribaden. *' The Devils looked upon the pious
?3g- 544* Ignatius as their irreconcilable Enemy, for
refcuing
( 75 )
refcuing Souls out of their Hands, and
made War with all his Foliowers,"' — I could
add Hundreds of Inftances of fuch Diaboli-
cal Attempts againft the Religious Orders
among Tapijls, on Account of their doing
fo much Good in the World, What Good they
have done can be no Secret to a Protejiant,
But 'tis to be hoped, our Jejiiitical Me-
thodifts will fall very fhort of fuch goodly
Co7jfequences, Satan can't poffibly be their
Efiemy, if they proceed in the fame
Method,
§. 8. Another Rub in the Methodijl's
Way, and partly owing to the fame evil
Spirit^ is their frequent Complaint of Spi-
ritual Defer tionSy inward Deadncjjes, Dark-
nefjes, Drynefsy Barrennefs^ and in general
a deflate and uncomfortable State. Their
fancied Illumination^ Infpiration^ Vrefences^
Calls^ DireBions and Afijlances of God^ &c.
Thefe have rendered their Enthufafm vio-
lent and fiery, made their Breaft like a
burning Furnace^ with a vehement Rapidity
confuming all before it. But as the Furnace
can't always be kept up to fuch an uncom*
won Heat -, when the Fewel fails, and before
frefli Recruits are collefled ; a Drynefs and
Coldnefs foon fucceed : all is a Sort of Caput
mortuum within, a dead infipid Lump^
when the volatile 6^/>/Viareexhaufl:ed.
L 2 This
( 76 )
This State of Defolation they fometimes
barely relate, and fometimes impute it to
the Efficiency of the Gooci^ or of the Evil
Spirit,
1 Dealing, " Comforts^ fays Mr. Whitefield, were
pag- 37- '^ foon withdrawn, and a horrible Fear-
*' fulnefs and Dread permitted to over-
'' whelm my Soul, — attended with inward
*' Darknefs ; my Soul barren and dry. —
" Sometimes I perceive myfelf deferted 5
pag°4!%, " on a fudden deferted, and ftruggled like
24» o> " one in the laft Agonies, — without any
°' '' Life or Power — quite friut up. — Satan
'' withftood me greatly ; for on a fudden I
" was deferted. I thought it was the
4 journ. <« Devil's doing. — Quite fhut up: my
p^g- 23. cc jjg^^f and Head were as dead as a Stone.
" — God being pleafed to withdraw him-
" felf. — For two Days God has brought me
" low by Spiritual Defer tioiisy
2 Journ. Wefley, " For three Days I was forrow-
p. 19, 29. «c fui 3j^(j y^ry heavy; could not read,
" meditate, fing, pray, or do any Thing.
3 Journ. " — Continued to feek it (Faith) but v>^ith
pag. 60. <« ftrange Indifference, Dulnefs, and Cold-
" nefs; and unufually fi'equent Relapfes
" into Sin.— Had no Life or Spirit in me.—
" Our Society met : but cold, weary, heart-
Icurn " '^^^ ^^^^ dead. Nothing of brotherly
pag. 34. '' Djve among them ; but a harfli, dry,
*^ heavy, ftupid Spirit; — looking as if
( n )
" one Half of them was afraid of the
" other.''
" I have found, (fays Mr. Seward ) ]o\\xn.
" during thefe "temptations, a general P^S- 4o-
" Withdrawing of G(?/^ %>///'
The fame State of Dereli^hn, &c. was
the common Lot of their tvtv faithful Allies.
" The feraphic St. Francis was reduced (>^^f^^^^
to fo great Tribulation by Satan's Tempt a^ Vol, 53,
tiom, and the Lord's withholding his^SS-
ufual Confolations, that he thought he was
forjaken by Chrifi -, — and that for feveral
Months together. — The fiery St. Ignatius Bartol.
often found all the liquid Pleafures of the^''^''^°'
inward Man quite dried away. A Woman ibid,
quite deferted, and the Fein of her Spiritual '^^^' 44i-
Delicioufnefies dried up in her Aridities^ fo
that ihe could not pray, or do any Thing
to recover her Sweetneffes, was reftored by
Ignatius to her amorous Motio?2S towards
God, — A Jefuit under Defolations and De-Balingh.
relrdions was reftored by flying to the^^S- *3-
Bofom of Jefus ajid Mary. — M. of Tazzi Br. Man.
had a long Combat with the Princes oJ^^y^S-
Darknefs -, was dry, defolate, and deferted.
St. Terefa for Two and Twenty TearsKihz^tti.
had great Aridities ; — yet never in all thatP^S- 799-
Time defired more Comfort. Mary ofuk.
Agreda was under fuch 2i Spiritual Defer tion^
that God for fome Years did hide himfelf
from her, withdrawing the Regalo's and
Joys of his Prefence."'
The
( 78 )
The Methodijh^ who complain (o often
of their Dejertions^ and other occafional
DejeBions^ and gloomy Apprehenfions,
would be very unwilling that we fhould
take Advantage of Mr. Whitefield's Affer-
3 Journ. tion, " Let Men but love Chrijt^ and fpend
pag- 72- tc ^/;^/^ whole Time in his Service^ and they
*' will find no dull ^ melancholy Hours. Want
'' of the Love oj Gody I take to be the chief
*' Caufe of Indolence and Vapours'' Nor
need we haftily recur to the immediate
Efficiency oi 2i [up ernatural Agtricy^ celeftial
or infernal. The Force of Diftemper and
bodily Diforder will eafily account for moft
fuch dark and difconfolate Thoughts. A
difeafed Melancholy alone will fuffice, to
which many pious and well-meaning Peo-
ple are fubjed:. Mr. Mhitefield himfelf in
5 Journ. Effed: imputes it to Difeafe ; " I was de-
p. 24, 25.cc fei-ted, and then taken very /// in Body,
" vomited, went to Bed, — quite fliut up,
*^ my Indifpofition ftill continuing. After
*' this my Spirits revived, Body was
" ftrengthened, and God gave me Ut-
Life. *' terance — ." '^ Mary of Agreda^ hefides
*' Spiritual Defer tions^ and direful Tempt a-
" tations^ w^as never free from one painful
" Diftemper or other.'' The Defertion in
both Cafes is conneded with the Difeaje,
But even this Caufe is not wanted : after
the Spirits have been wound up too high,
and put upon extraordinary Efforts, a
Weaknefs
( 79 )
Weaknefs and Depreflion of Courfe fucceed.
And we may look upon Enthufiafm as a
Kind of Drimkennefs^ filling and intoxicat-
ing; the Brain with the heated Fumes of
fpirituous Particles ; but no fooner do the
inebriation and Incalefcence go off, but a
Sinking of the Spirits, a Coldnefs and Dul-
nefs, take Place: and the lower is the
Deprejfion in proportion to the preceding
Elevation,
And yet thefe very Defertions they can
turn to Account ; and create a ftronger
Notion among their Followers, that at
other Times^ and in their high Flights^ they
are more immediately infpired^ and receive
extraordinary Supplies from Heaven.
For a clearer and fuller Account of
thefe occafional Defertions, Ehbings and
FlowingSy Succejftons of hot and cold Fits,—
I would recommend to the Reader Dr.
Henry Mores Difcourfe of Enthufiafm.
Sed:. 1 8. — This T^ra^; fo truly defcribes
the Nature^ Caufes^ and Kinds of Enthu-
fiafmy that (were not this Difie?nper general-
ly attended with the fame Symptoms) one
would think it a Trophecy of our Fanatical
Meihodifis.
§. 9. Of the fame Nature, as an Inter-
ruption to their Progrefs, and genuine
Confequmce of Enthufiafm, may be reckon-
ed their great Inequality and JJnflcadinejs of
Temper
( 8o )
Temper and Condu6l ; their Ebbings and
Plowings of Sentiments and A<ftions ; their
Joys, Prefumptions, AJfurances, &cc. con>
trailed with various Torme72ts and Scruples
of Confcience, Relapfes, Defpairiitgs, &c.
Whereby they are loft and perplexed in
endlefs Mazes ; and their Cajiles in the Air
Shattered to Pieces.
As to Mr. Whitejield, — after \i\spameful
(I mean Jhamelefs) Account of his Strug-
gles between Nature and Grace, and his
Viciffitudes of the Pra5lice of Piety and
Senfuality ; — and his preaching wath more
or lefs Power, &cc, — I fee not much of his
doubting Confcie?2ce, He fwims fo fecurcly
on the Bladders of his Vanity, as to be in
little Danger oi finking. Something, how-
ever, of this Nature appears in his Fifth
Journal, pag. 17 — 19. But Mr. Wejley,
a Man of deeper Refledion, is much more
embarraffed, and toffed up and down with
alternate Ri/ings and Fallings,
4 journ. And he has often *' taken Occafion to
P^g- 3c. defcribe that wildcjvjefs State, that State of
Doubts and Fears, which fo many go
through after they have received Remiffion
of Sins.'* Two horrible Inftances of this
iwA A, Cafe he 2;ives, ** of Pcrlbns who, after
many Years mourning, were filled with
Peace and Joy in believing ; but fuddenly
fuch a Cloud overwhelmed them, that they
could not believe their Sins were forgive7i
at
( 8i )
at all, or that there was any fuch Thing
as Forgivenefs of Si/iSy any Heaven or Hell^
&c/' Whether they ever returned to their
Faith and Peace we have no Account. -—
But let us fee what he foys of himfelf,
and the Dijiracfions of his own Mind.
— " My Spirit revived ; fo that fi^om i Journ.
this Day I had no more of that Fearful- ^^S- ^^•
nefs and Heavijiefs, which before almoft
continually weighed me down.*' And
yet he writes in the very fame Page, " I
went to America to convert the Indiafis :
But oh ! who fhall convert me ! Who,
what is he, that will deliver me from
this evil Heart of Unbelief I — I think
verily, if i\\q Gofpel be trtie^ I am fafe,
"^Ifhew my Faith by my Worh, — But
in a Storm I think, what if the Gofpel
be not true ? — I have learned, that I,
who went to America to convert others^
was never converted 7nyfelf, — If it be Pag 67—
faid, that / have Faith ; I anfwer, fo /o.
have the Devils, — Thrown into great
Perplexities. — I cannot find in myfelf
the Love of God, or of Chri/l, Hence
my Deadnefs and Wanderings in Pub-
lic Prayer, Hence* it is, that even in
the Holy Communion I have rarely any
more than a cold Attention. — When I
hear of the higheft Inftances of God's
Love^ my Heart is ftill fenfelefs and un-
affeded. Yea, at this Moment, I feel 2 joum.
M " noP- ^''^''
( S2 )
^ * no more Love to hiniy than to one I had
*^ never heard of. — Troubled at what
" fome faid, — doubtful of my own State. — •
2 journ. " By Feter Bohler (a Moravian) clear-
p. II, 16. <c jy convinced of Unbelief; — immediate-
" ly it ftruck into my Mind, Leave off
" Preaching. — I asked Bohler, whether
** he thought I iliould leave it off, or
" not ? He anfwered, by no Means. I
" asked, but what can I preach ? He faid,
*' preach Faith, 'till you have it. — My
'' Soul ftarted back: — I asked P. Bohler
^' again. —
" All the Time I was at Savannah I
" was thus beating the Air, — I had wiU
*' lingly ferved Sin : 7iow it was unwil-
*' lingly : but ftill I ferved it. I fell, and
*' rofe, and fell again. Sometimes I was
^' overcome, and in Heavinefs ; fometimes
" I overcame, and was in Joy, — This
** Struggle between Nature and Grace con-
" tinned above ten Tears'' — At length,
" my Heart was ftrangely warmed, — had
" an Afjurance of Forgivenefs, — The Ene-
*' my fuggefted, this cannot be P'aith, —
" was much buffeted with 'temptations :
" but cried out, and they fled away.
<* They returned again, and again, &c.
** I asked Mr. Telchig, the Moravian ^
*' what to do ? — I have now conjlant
*' Feace : not one uneafy Thought. And
*' I have Freedom from Sin : not one un-
" hcly
( 83 )
" holy Defire. Yet on Wednefday did I
" grieve the Spirit of God : — continued
" in this Heavinefs till the next Morning.
<« -^ Again ftrongly af]aulted, — but afte-r
'^ I had prayed faintly, the Temptation
*' vanifhed away. — Had ftill more Comr
" fort and Peace, and Joy ; on which, I
** fear, I began to prefume, — was thrown
" into Perplexity by a Letter, afTerting,
** that no Doubting or Fear could conftfl
*' with true Faith. — Begging of God to 2 Journ*
" dired me, I opened my Teflament. — P^S- ^1-
" My weak Mind could not bear to be
" xSxM^fawn a/under,"' — Once more, " I 3 Joum-
*' preached, — but had no Life or Spirit ^^^" °'
*' in me ; and was much in Doubt, whe-
" ther God would not lay me afide, and
*' fend other Labourers into his Harveji.
" I came to the Society full of this
" Thought/' — In another Place he readi- Pag 7S.
ly owns his frequent Relapfes into Sin for
near twice ten Tears, &c.
Such is the Cafe of a Perfon, who tells
us, that " he carefully confidered every
Step he took : — that he knows ajjuredly,
that where Reafon fails, God will direct
our Path by Lot, or other Means ; — one,
who was almoft perpetually dipping into
the Bible for fuch Diredtion -, and one of
intimate Communication with the Deity '^
And is it not flrange, that fuch a one
(hould be deilitute of Means to rejohe his
M 2 Scruples?
( 84 )
Scruples, ? Should be ever at Variance with
himfelfy and find no Place to fix his Foot ?
But this is the Nature of his Difeafe ; and
I could run the Parallel through Num-
bers of Fanatical Papijis ; but fhall be
contented with only two. And if the
Reader will pleafe to recoiled what was-
faid before of the Methodijls ConfiiBs with
Sat an ^ their Spiritual Defertiom, their un-
equal Temper and JJujleadinefs in this Ar-
ticle \ ™ and alfo take in what will be
farther faid of their general Intanglements
and Inconfijiency in Sentiment and Condufl:^
i^c. he will find a pretty exaB Agreement -^
and probably conclude the Methodijl to be
as true a Saint as the Papiji ; and like to
produce as ufeful a Society,
My -firfi: Parallel fliall be the glorious
Founder cf the Jefuits^ taken from his
Bart. Vit. Lije by Father Bartolus. ^' Manifold
Jgnat. cc ^£j.g I^natius's Experiences of Perils :
pag. 20. ^ K .
'' but none more capital, or more trou-
" blefome, than his Scruples, It fo pleafed
*' God, that 5^/<?;^ fliould fill and vex his
" Mind with infinite Doublings, He flood
" in Fear of {^vi\% great Sin in whatever
" he did. The liquid Joys too of his in-
^.' ward Man were dried up ; bis Mind
" difturbcd and tofiTcd with Perplexities ;
" rendered unfit for tliofe divine Draughts^
" which in its ferene Sti^te it had drawn
" from Heaven, Moreover he was then
*' more
( 85 )
*' more grievoufly anxious^ when hfe
*' thought upon heavenly mngs. And
*' this was his Occupation by Day and
*' Night, to litigate^ wrangle^ and be per-
'' plexed with himfelf ; whether this and
*' t'other were not Sins^ and he guilty
** of any. And the more he ftrove to
*' extricate himfelf, the more was he in-
*' tangled, — His Confefjor forbad him to
'' give Ear to Scruples -, but what was to be
*' reckoned a Scruple afforded new Matter
^' of 2iJcrupulous Enquiry : every Thing to
*' Minds thus ill-affeBed affording Scruple
*' and Doubt, So that he thought God
'^ was turned from him-, and, as is ufual
*' in thefe Streights, would eternally de^
^^ Jiroy him. — Thus did the Devils wound
** him, as with fo many Arrows -, demo-
" iiihing his holy Reft by anxious ThoughtSy
*^ and depriving him of his calm and fiill
*' Confidence in God ^ and filial Love, But
** this was their chief Aim, to drive him
*^ into Defpair^ and make him put an End
*' to his Life. So that he was ftrongly
*' led to throw himfelf out of the Win-
*' dow. Then he would needs fiarve
" himfelf, till his Confefjor made him re-
*' turn to his ufual Kefrejhments, — And
*' now he began to rejoice as a Conqueror :
" but fcarce were two Days elapfed, when
" a new unfbrefeen Te?72pefi arofe^ ofScrU"
" ^les^ Diffidence^ Sadnefs and Defpair^
'' not
( 86 )
*^ not more gentle than the Torments o^
^^ \ht Damned. — But in a lif tie Time this
*' fecond Hemp eft ceafed. The Heaven of
** his Mind became calm and bright^ and
*' his Alaaity was more copious than be-
" fore. — God gave him thefe Experiences ^
*' the Difcipline of which he was to de^
" //wr ^0 others. Certainly from thefe fo
" different and oppofite Viciffitiides of Soul,
*' the irriguous and dry, the anxious and
^^ fecure, the fad and the chearful-, he be-
" came fo well skilled in thofe alternate
" Motions, wherewith the Divine Goodnefs
** aBuates his own, that when others were
*' to be inJlruBed in them, they might
" transfer the beft Example from him-
- felfr
The other Parallel is the Seraphic
Virgin St. Terefa ; who was not indeed
troubled with fuch a very fcrupuloiis Con-
fcience as the former, but was a Lady of
a very dubious CharaBer, of very unequal
and defultory ConduB, generally wavering
between the Saint and the Sinner ; — and
that according to the Account of Popifh
Authors. What follows of her is tran-
fcribed from her Life written by Riba-
deneira.
Ribaden. " At fix, or feven. Years of Age fhe
oa. 15. <c took great Delight in reading the Lives
P^g- 788. a ^j ^/^^ Saints ; which inflamed her with
'' a Defire of Martyrdom : at twelve, her
" Mother
( 87 )
'' Mother dying, (he chofe the Virgin
" Mary to be her Mother, But the Devil
'^ envying thefe happy Beginnings made
" her re/ax her holy Fervour, by reading
^' Roma?2ces, vain Companiofis, trimming
" her Hair, and ufing Perfumer. But our
" Lord did not long permit thefe Vanities,
" but ordered her into a Monajlery ;
*' where fhe began to re fume her pious
'' Cujioms ; prayed much, defired the Pray-
*' ers of the Religious, but did not wljolly
" defire to be one herfelf. — Being twenty
" Years of Age, ilie enters into the Order
" of the Carmelites ; but with great Con-
" tradidion of her Soul, Grief, Refent-
*' ment and Pain. As foon as fhe had
" taken the Habit, immediately flie had
'' great and lafting Joy, and the Aridity
" of her Soul went off. At the End of
*' the Year (he made her Profeffion with
'' Joy and Contentment, but not without
*' Difficulty, on account of rude Ajj'aidts
" from the DeviL She had not been
" long in Religion, before fhe grew fami-
*' liar with Perfons of dangerous Conver-
'' fation, and lejt off her Prayer : A Year
'^ after fhe returns to her Prayer, but did
*' not leave off her acciijlomed Converfa^
*' tion. — A Vifwn of Chriji wounded, and
" Hell opened, helped her towards leaving
^' off her bad Converjation 3 but not infant^
" /y, nor entirely. — But even before her
" full
( 83 )
^^ full Converfion, fometimes (he would be
" careful of offending God for a Month,
" or a Year. — She was thus about twenty
<«^ Tears falling, and rifmg again, without
" fully enjoying the Confolations of God,
<c — She has a new Fear^ that her Sweet-
" nefs in Prayer^ and Sufpenjion of her
" Soul, were llliilions of the Devil, And
" fome Servants of GW judged it was fo
" indeed, by Reafon of her ImperfeBions ;
" God's Favours being incompatible with
«' her Kind of Life: — and it augmented
«' their Sufpicion, that tho' ilie had been
«' twenty Years in Prayer, fhe was never
« fufficientiy changed. Some Jefiiits how-
« ever affure her all was from God, After
« this file was in a Rapt^ wholly tranf-
" Jported out of herfelf and heard a Voice
" from the Bottom of her Soul, 1 will
" that thou leave the Familiarity with Men,
" and converfe with the Angels, From
" that Time flie was wholly changed in a
*' Moment^ had many fublime Fi/ions and
" Fifits from Chrift ; but ftill many fuf-
•^ pedled all was from the Devil, Things
" were faid greatly prejudicial to her good
" Na?ne ; and (he went on, — under great
" Oppofition from Men aiid Devils, —
" Now under great Aridities for twenty-
" two 7ears, without defiring Comfort ;
« — then feeling high Gufts and Conflations^
" called Unions ; amorous^ jweety raging
" Tor-
(89 )
^^ Tormeiits of Divine Love ; taken by the
" Ha?2ci, and dandled by St. Dominic ; -^
*' {iies by the Force of Divine Love, — is
" canonized, G?^."
Thus ftands the Account from as true a
Catholic, and zealous Jefuit, as ever wrote.
And what follows has a more authentic
Sealy attefted by Infallibility in the Roman
Breviary, 051, 1 5 ; and efpecially in The
A5is of her Canonization by Gregory XV.
'Tis in the Bullarium Cherubini, Vol. III.
Pag. 306. — Rom. 1638. And though
it may feem a Digrefjion 3 it affords, alto^
gethery a juft Notion of a compleat Topi/Ij
Saint ; and helps on the Comparifon with
Methodijiical Saititpip.
" At the Time fore -ordained by Gody
" he raifed up a new Deborah, xht perpe^
" tual Virgin Terefa, the Holy and EleB,
*' to be worfipped and venerated by Vapal
*' Apojiolical Authority : — Godh^Vmg pour-
'^ ed out the Abundance of his Spirit upon
*' his Handmaid. — When but a Child, by
" reading the ABs of the Martyrs, ihe
*' burned with Defire to go into Africa,
" and fhed her Blood for Chrift. At
'' twe?7ty, fhe efpoufed herfelf to Chrifl -^
" and for twenty-two Years bore with in-
** vincible Patience the mofl grievous Dif-
" eafes and Temptations, without any Re-
^' frefhment oi fupernal Confolatio?2s, She
" was fo fully convinced of the Truth of
*' the Catholic Church, and all the Doc-
N ** tri?2es
( 90 )
*^ trines of Popery^ that (lie often faid, it
^^ was not pqffiblc to have a greater Certi-
" titude of any Thing. By this Faith ^
'' fhe had fuch a ckar Sight of ChrijTs
^^ real Prefence in the -Eiicharifl, that (lie
*' envied not thofe who had feen him on
*^ Earth. — She was often in Ecjlacies,
^'' and fnatched up to the Fruition of
*' Heaven upon Earth, Chrijl wonder-
*^ fully filled her with Vifiojis and Revela-
^^ tions ; he came and efpoiifed her, by a
" Ri?7g ; and faid, Henceforth J am wholly
■' ^yoiirSy and you wholly mine, — Nothing
**' could exceed her hove of God:, for fhe
^^ died by the intolerable Fire of it. Nor
*' could any Thing exceed her Love of
^' Man, — She fo ftridly obferved her Vow
^' of Obedie7tce^ that as a remarkable Ex^
*^ ampky when her Superiors fufped:ed her
*^ Vifits from Jefus to be diabolical Delu-
^^ fions, by their Command ihe humbly de-
*' rided and contemned her Heavenly Spot fey
'^ when he made heraVilit: — not with-r
*^ out being rewarded for this profound
'' Obedience : and fhe was wont to fay,
*^ Thatfje might be deceived as to difcern^
^ ^ ing a Vifion^ or Revelation 5 but could not
'^ be deceived in obeying her Superiors, —
'f She was fuch a Lover of Poverty^ that
*^ fhe always chofe the vilejl Habit ; and
*-^ if at any Time fhe wanted IS ecefjaries^
'^ fhe would marvellouflv rejoice ^ exult y
^^ and give Thanks, — rShe excelled particu-
''■ lar{y
( 91 )
^•^ larly in the Virtue of imdefiled Chajlity -
'' preferving an Angelical Purity^ unfpomdy
** from Childhood to Death. -^ Such was
" her Humility^ that when filled with the
'^ fat Tubings of Dhine Graces ^ fhe would
'' often cry out to God to put an End to
" thefe Bleffings^ and not fo foon to for-
*' get her Sins, She moil: ardently thirft-
'' ed after Contumelies^ Derifwns^ and Suf-
^'- ferings', it being her Motto ^ Either to
^' fufer or die. — She was fo watered with
'' the Showers of Celefial JVifdom, that ill©
" wrote Books of Myjlic Theology ; and un-
" dertook the Reformation of Women and
^' Men, — She kiilds Monajieries without
'' Money ^ or hicome ; — works numerous
'' Miracles by her Merits and Inter ceffions 5
" curing Fevers^ &c, in a Moment ; dies
" with a Crucifix in her Hand 5-^ her Soul
" is feen flying out of her Mouthy in the
" Shape of a little white Dove^ and mount-
^^ ing up to Heaven ; — ^ many Nuns and
'' Religious faw her in a high Degree of
^^ Glory above ; as another had feen the
" Lord Chrifi fitting by her Be d- fide ^ while
*' alive. — Her dead Body was furprifingly
" beautiful and odoriferous^ by the Odour
'* of the Ointments wherewith her moft Holy
*' Body was perfiwied by our Lord -, and
*' it remains odorous and imcorrupt to this
'' Day,'' So glorioufly ends the Struggle
het%veen Carnality and Enthufiafn.
N 2 §. 10. But
( 92 )
§. lo. But that the Saints may not be
left comfortlefs under the State either of
Dejertion^ or Incertitude -, we are to con-
fider what Advantages and Benefits are
drawn from them, and their Confejjions
of being thus topd. I took Notice before
of their creating by Defertions an Opinion
of being extraordinarily infpired^ and at-
tended by Heaven^ when free from them ^
and now fubjoin their own Accounts of
receiving fach Spiritual Succours and Ad-
vantages, either duriiig their fevere Trials,
or very foon after. For, as Mr. Seward
elegantly expreffeth it, *' I was much
" humbled and oppreffed by the Ridings
" of my Beloved: but lo ! the Goodnefs
" of our God : if he feems to withdraw
''"for a Moment, it is only that his Re-
*^ turn may be x\\e fweeterJ'
3 Journ. Mr. Whitefield is often declaiming in
pag.3,4- ^j^jg Strain. " My Body was weak, but
" I found 2ifupernatural Strength, — again
'' a little oppreffed with Drowfinefs. —
'^ When 1 am weak, then I am firong. —
<' Deferted for a little while, and much
" oppreffed, efpecially before Breaching -,
" hvii CovcAoxX. foon after ilows in. — Had
^* a Hoarfnefs, and was deferted before I
'' went up into the Bulpit -y but God
" ftrengthened me to fpeak. — Taken illy
^•i%' v- '' but God flrengthened me to preach to a
'' great
( 93 )
'' great Congregation. — I was very fickl Jouro.
'' and weak', but fuch Power was given^^^' ^^"'
'' me from above, that — . At firft getting ^ joum.
" up I was weak and dry, but God rd'-P^g-3S-
" newed my Strength,
'' We have not had fuch a continued 3 J^^urn.
" Prefence of God, as fince I -^n^.^ threatened zz, ' ^ *
*^ to be excommunicated, — I never am fo
*^ much ajjifled^ as when Perfons endeavour
*^ to blacken me ; Numbers of Hearers in-
" creafe by Oppofition, — Ever fince I was 4 Joum.
" abiifed at Bafingj%ke I have had great P''^' ^''
*' Communicatiojis with God. — The more I
*' am contemned^ the more God delights to
*^ honour me'' Again, on the other Side,
*' I obferve thefe imoard Trials always fol- 5 joum.
" low inward Communications. For thefe P- 15*^^^
'' two Days I have been much ajjijled.^'^'
" Left I fhould be pnffed-up, and to pre-
^^ pare me for greater Degrees of Lights
" God has fent me a Thorn in the Flejh, —
" God took off my Chariot-Wheels^ I drove'
" exceeding heavily, but this latter Part of
" the Week he has reftored me the Light
" of his Countenance, — Had a fiveet Sacra-
" ment a?2d Lcve-Feajf, felt unfpcakable
" Comfort a?id IVarmth -, but at Night a
" Senfe of my Sins weighed me down again,
<f — Was much te?}2pted : a Mercy this from
^' God, to prepare me for future Blefji?igs.
'^ — Much Jlrengthe?jed afid qffifted ; an
^' ample Recomficnce for the Trials of laft
^' Week.
( 94 )
^^ Week. — Deferted ; which I always look
" upon as a certain Preparative for fome
" approaching Mercy,''
As to thefe ViciJ/ittides of Weaknefi and
Strength^ &c, 'tis common and natural for
Clergymen, when out of Order, to be fome-
thing low at the Beginning of a Sermon ^
but to get Strength and Spirits as they go
on, and mend by Exercife and Aftion. I
have found it fo myfelf, and fo have a
Hundred others.— The Change and Emo-^
tions in Mr. Whitejield, after being threateii^
ed and abiifed, may only fhew that his
Spirit ivas provoked^ a7id Paffions raifed, — -
When the Spirits have mounted by Tranf-
ports of Joy, we know they will naturally
, Jink, — And whenever Providence removes
any of our Troubles and Sorrows, we hope
we are not infenfible, or unthankfuL But
in all thefe Cafes, we leave to the Methodifts
the Prefu?nption of bragging oi jiiper natural
Stre?7gth, and a Sort oiiniraculous Atteftation
Ribaden. to their peculiar MiJJion, 2iV\di favoured Per '^
pag- ^9l'fons; — after the Model of their old Affociates,
" St. Catheri^ie being tempted by Satan
with foul Images and impure Dreams ^ our
Lord afterwards (hewed himfelf to her*
To whom fhe moft lovingly complained^
Wider e were you, O deareft Spoufe, that you
did fo abandon 7?ie? She was a long Time
afflided with thefe abfurd and impure
Images ; — and by the Devil's Injligation a
wicked
( 95 )
wicked Woman gave out, that St. Catherine
was a fond and light Woman, But her
Heavenly Spoufe foon came, and brought
her- a viBorioiis Crown^ and the falfe
Accufer v^as compelled to acquit the Saint^
and beg Pardon for the Slander^ having ^"|^^-'''
feen a Vifioii of her in Brightnefs and Ma--^^^, 291,
jejly. — The Devil ftill found Means of
troubling her anew ; but Ch?^iji always comes
in to deliver and recreate her, — On which
Account, as the Fope himfelf affures us, Ribaden.
fhe would fay, JVhen 1 am weak^ then am P^^' ^^^'
Jlrong'' — " The Devil raifed terrible Storms
and Oppofitions againll: Igjiatiiis ; but his
Injiitntion took deeper Root by thefe Con-
traditions : — and when he was moft weary
and/ickly, then did he appear moft courage- Spinell.
oils and jlrong-, and the Force of God did^^Jp
more clearly manifcft itfelf." — " Father pag. 524.
Laynez a Jefiiit, being to preach on the
Immaculate Cojiception^ was forced to mount
the Pulpit, though very ill of a Fever -^ but
the Virgin Mary fo ajjijled him, that he Conform,
came down ftronger than he went up/'—
*' St. Francis's Life was nothing elfe but a
Chain of Temptations and Confolations^ one
Link blacky the next white J"
§. 1 1 . Were not the Talk too tedious^
one might trace out this Inequality and Un-
feadinefsy merely from their own Writings^
in Refpedt of their whole Conduct, in Sen-
timent and Pra&ice, I fliall inftance in
fome Particulars, as briefly as I can.
'' Sometimes
( 96 )
*' Sometimes they defire, love, and pray
for Difgrace, Hatred, all Manner of ///
TJfage ; complain of civil 'Treatment and
kind Reception from their Friends ; can't
be Chrijliaju^ unlefs they are generally^ and
almoft tiniverjally hated^ &c. At other
Times boafting of, and thanking God for,
their Prefents, Entertainments, Benevolence,
Bank-Bills, and comfortable Receptions ^
and uncommon Atfcdlions towards them :
— that the Number of their Enemies is in-
confiderable, but their Friends cannot be
numbered. Not virithout feeling and bitter
Complaints of/// Ufage''
Sometimes '' they forefee Succefs in
Preaching becmife they meet with fo much
Oppofition : The Devil and his Agents are
enraged, and endeavour to obflrudt them -,
therefoi-e they hope, and know, that God
has Work to do in this Place, ^c. Again
at other Ti?nes^ they depend upon Succefs^
becaiife they have little or no Oppofition :
and nothing confirms them more in their
Opinion, that God is ^working a great Work
upon Earthy than finding Perfons of all
'Denominations ftruggling for them. — -God
has much People in this Place."
One of them muft take a JVild-Goofe-^
Chace to hunt for Chrifi in Germany among
the Moravians^ and is going to the Country
of the Chri/iians. Returns, and is con-
vinced, that one need not travel thither
for
{ 97 )
for Chrijiianity. — He reprefents them in.
general in the hlackejl Colour Sy — dares in no
wife join with them ; — becaufe thtw Scheme
is in eve?y 'Point refined immeafurahly be-
yond the plain Gof[>el. Darknefs, and
Clofenefs,' and Guile, in almofi all their
Words and Behaviour ; teaching for Doc-
trines the Commandments of Men; Dealers
in Sopbifiry ; and of all Men living the
wifejt in their Generation -, — by no' Meaiis
zealous of good Works ; utterly defpiung
and trampling upon Self-denial \ zealoufly
cautioning us againft the natural Love of
one another ; and having in Truth well-
nigh deftroyed Brotherly Love from among
US; — holding many deteftable and per-
nicious Opinions. G?r. '' And yet, not
only doth Mr. Whitefield " admire their o^ Joum.
great Simplicity ;" but Mr. Wepy himfelfP^S- 79^
declares that " in the main, they are fome
of the beft People in the World, only
wrong in a few Points. — They love God,
and love one another, and excel in Sweet-
nefs of Behaviour: — trample under the
Luft of the Flelli, the Luft of the Eye,
and the Pride of Life. His Love and
Efteem of them increafes more and more :
he even marvels how he can abfiain from
joining them, 'His own Difciples among
the Metbodilh go over to them in Crowds.
But ftill Methodifm is the ftrongeft Barrier
againft the Moravian Dodrines and Prin*
O ciples/
( 9^ )
ciples." The Moravians juftly charge him
with this Inconpjlency of Behaviour : and
we may fafely defy him, with all his Subtle-
ties and DiJiinBiom, to clear himfelF.
How commonly do we find our Mcthodif.s
full-fwelled with Vanity and Pride, Boaft-
ings, Haughtincfs and Arrogance? In a
little Time they feel a CompiinBion ; the
Bladder is pricked, llirinks and flirivels ;
and they fall into the moft lowly and ab-
jed: State of Vikfiefs and Nothingnefs.
Books are publiflied, (as The CharaBer
of a Methodijt, &c.) wherein thofe of this
Se5i are defcribed as having all the Virtues
and Graces that can adorn or exalt the
Chrijlian Profeffion j 'as the mildefl arid
meekeft, the moft humble, loving, charita-
ble, and innocent Creatures upon Earth.
And on the contrary, read but their own
Accounts in their Journals ^ and you find
them wafpifh and peevifh, cenfuring and
condemning all the World except the??i"
fehes', and among themfehes, Jealoufies,
Envyings, Divifions, Quarrel?, perpetual
Broils, Confufions, and mutual Condemna-
tions ; with various other Irregularities ancf
Vices. — And fuch is the Cafe with the
Religious Orders in the Romijlo Commiuiiori :
each of them is the defl, fuileft of Sai?2tSy
and moft adapted to promote God's Glory :
all are hateful and hating one another : Srtd
all firmly united in the Spirit of Enthufafjity
and
( 99 )
mid carrying on the^ Fanatical Fopperies and
Errors of Popery ; to the infupportable
Injury of Chriftendom.
They fet out upon the Footing of un^
common SanBity^ and carrying the Duties
of Religion ,to the highejl Pitch. But
neverthelefs are fond of publifliing their
Faults^ and declaring themfelves the Greateji
of Sinners, Which muft beget, ^ in their
Believers an exalted Notion of their Humility,
— Juft like Mary of Tazzi ; '' v/ho, tho* Life,
the Ahms were fully fatisfied of her Per-^'"^^'
feBions^ loved to tell her Weakfieffes and
Faults^ to fhew her Hiunility'' — Or St. Bonavent
Francis^ " who delighted in blazing a-^'''P
broad his Faults^ and calling himfelf the
greateji Sinner in the World ; whereby his
Brethren flood amazed at his marvellous
Humility J'
Sometimes they will vapour apd heftor,
and their Courage is io /l^arp^%vhettedy that
in exprefs Words, they proclaim *^ ^" w fl
offenfive War againft Satan i and fear i j( '
ourn.
neither Men nor Devils : are ready to leap P^S- ^7-
into a iurning Furnace^ or Den of Lions ;
and go to M>yf}inia or China -^ are fo far
from fearing Deaths that they "imfl^ for it.
But the Keennels of the Fdge isfoon blunted.
They are every Moment afraid of meeting
the Devil j are full of dreadful Apprehen-
fions of Defigjis againjl their LiveSy and
that the Clergy intend to murther them,- — In
O 2 Tim©
( 100 )
Time of Danger^ they' have fo Utile Faith
as to be afraid. Let Death look me in
the Face, and my Spirit is troubled. In
a Calm flout enough ; but in a Storm
returns a Fearfumefs , Gh ! who will de-
liver me from this Fear of Death ! "
iMv^ne Dav, *' Their Preachments are fo
powerful as to be Irrefiftible^ —a Hammer
that breaks the Rock in Pieces^ — a mighty
Wefley, Wind caufing- a prodigious Shock ; — they
i •^^"'"' fancy they can fhake the Earth Qut of its
^ ] Place. — God fends them to preach, and it
is their bounden Duty." The next Day
perhaps, " they preach with great ReliiC'^
tance^ have no Power, Life, or Spirit. —
They propofe fliaking themfelves out of
their Places^ intend to leave off] and fear
that God has dropt them. Ch, Wejley in-
tended to preach no more, and actually
left off; ibr which his Enemies jeered
him, as becoming JiilL But he re-afjumed
his Office ; according to his Brother's Pro^
phecy^ that he fhould roufe himfelf like
Sampjon, and be avenged on his Enemies."
Agreeable to this are their alternate Fits
of Loquacity and Silence : Dumb, till the
Ceremony is over of opening their Mouths,
'^v^\ " ^ ^^^ r^r^//?^^ by God from Writing
P. b(ft(). " and Preaching. I mentioned my Cafe
^* to a Clergyman, He fa id, I was an
" Enthufajl, — At lafl this Paffageof Scrip-
*' ture was preiTed much upon my Heart,
" We
( loi )
^:We a fayed to go to Bythinia, but the,
\fr- Spirit fuffered us not. — And i found a
i^ Quotation out of Ezekiel^ that yowig
'-'- Pt-ophet^ Thou JJjalt he dumb j hut when
*' / [peak unto thee, then fialt tkou fpeak._
" This made me quite eafy, — The next
'' Morning, Speak out Pnuly came with
" great Power to my Soul. Immedictre-
'' ly God fpake to me by his Spirit ^^ and I
" W2l^ 720 longer duf7ih J' giuiufi^-br
-)[ Thus, vou fee, he is quite my^S ftands
^'Clear of Enthuliafm-^ and no doubt too of
Prefumption^ in comparing himfelf with
Prophets and Apojiles, -^i^9 Again with- 5 Jo"^"-
'-* /&f /J from Writing, — at length r^/V^^,— ^'
' •*' to write freely J' 'Tis one Comfort,
that his talkative Fits have been much the
commoneft^ and the longejl, — Mr. Wejley ' Journ.
^Ifo is fometimes *' utterly unwilling to^* ^'3—4-
fpeak, quite averfe from fpeaking j '' and
then perplexed with the Doubt, *' Is it a
Prohibition from the Good Spirit ? Or a
Temptation from Nature^ and the Evil
oneV
'Tis a general Thing to fee them car^
ried up to Heaven^ by Gufts and Tranf-
ports of Divine Joy ; — and immediately
down again to the Deep, almoft fwallowed
up with Darknejs afid Sorrow. And I
could bring Troops of eminent Popifh
Saints to bear them Company, befides
thofe before mentioned.
A large
( 102 )
' A large Share of thefe Vicijitudcs of
Ebbings and Flowings no doubt proceeds
from the very Nature of E?2thi{fMfm, which
can never be at Refi ; but is diverfe in dif-
ferent Perfons, and inconflant in the fame
•Perfon; fubjeift to numberlefs Variations^
according to the Kind and Degree of that
Diforder of Body, or Paffion of the Mind,
which creates the Enthufiafm^ and which
is fo frequently caufed by Indifcretion^ and
increafed by Indulgence. The Behaviour
changes, in proportion as the HumourSy
the Melancholy, the Phleg?natic, the Chole-
ric, the Sanguine, are more or lefs predo-
minant. And therefore the Cafe may be
thought rather to deferve Compajjion. than*
Blame. ^ v :
§. 12. But the Methodifts muft excufe
me, if the fame Allowance is not made,
where Art and Cunning, and Sophijlry
manifeftly appear ; when, hard preffed by
Argument and ObjeSlions, they run them-
felves into Inconfiflency and Self -contra-
diSion, merely toferve a prejent Turn ; and
occafionally either defend^ or give up,
fome of their Favourite Notions, and Prin-
cipal Points,
'Tis a Matter of no great Moment, if
Mr. Wefley at one Time declares for a
difinterefed Love of God -, and in arguing
againil
ourn.
Pag. 9.
( 103 )
agalnftthe Mcraviafis declares, that " there4 Joum,
is no one Caution in all the Bible againft
Self/hLcveofGod.''
' But 'tis a confiderable Offence to charge
another ^rojigjully, and contradict himjelf^
about the Dodfrine of JJ/urances. " l3j
" went to the Reverend Mr, Bedford^ to
'' tell him of the hjury he had done
'' both to God and his Brother, by Preach-
*' ing and Printing that ^oery weak Sermon
•' c?72 Jfjurance, which is 2Si Ignoratio
^' Elenchi (an Ignorance of the Point in
" QiieRion) from Beginning to End. See-
" ing the Affurance W E preach is of quite
«' another Kind from that he writes againft.
*« We fpeak of an Affurance of our Prefent
*' Pa?'don -y not (as /;(f does) of our Final
*' P er fever ancey Mr. /F(y?t7 might have
confidered, that when they talk in ge-
neral of Afjurance of Pardon and Salva-
tion, the World will be apt to underftand the
Words in their iifual and obvious Meaning,
as extending to our Eternal State ; and
indeed that Prefent Pardon and Salvation
are of fmall Moment, if we zst finally to
perilh. — But after all, how ftands the
Fa^ ? Mr. Tflntefield, in exprefs Words,
prays for '' an Affurance of Eternal SaU'^ Jo^rn.
vation, as one of the Privileges of Chrijl's P^^ 9-
Followers.'' And I have a more Unexcep-
tionable Evidence, even Mr. Wejley him-
feif • who in his Sermon on Free Grace
allows
( I04 )
§• Ms i4> allows and teaches, that ^^ ma7i)\ very
^^' man)\ have that Witnefs of the Spirit^ that
A[jurance of Faith^ which excludes all
Doubt and Fear concerning their Future
F erf ever ance ; that a fall Affurance of
Faith doth not necefjarily imply a Full Af-
furance of our Future Perfeverance -, but
he owns, and afferts, that Affurance of the
future is foffietimes joined to that of prefent
Pardon ; and that fome have /70th the one,
3 Journ. ^i^j ^i^Q Other. One, who long continued
^^' "^ ' in Sin, received a full, clear Senfe of God's
pardoning Love, with Power to fin no
morey And now what becomes of his
Charge againfl Mr, Bedford ? And is it
not mere Evaflon to fay afterwards, *'- This
is not properly an Affurance of what is
Future ? "
With what pertinacious Confidence have
Impulfes, Impreffions, Feelings, Tranfports
of fenfible Joy, ^c. been advanced into
Divine Calls, Commiffions, Directions,
and certain Rules of Condudl ; Proofs of
Sins forgiven, fufiificationy and Salvation
cnfured ? How have they been convinced^
by inward Feelings the mofl Infallible of all
Proof ? And yet they have been compelled
by Argument to bring this down to a
* Sort oi inward Confcioufnefs, which no Body
Wefley. dcnics : To tell their Societies, " that they
3 Journ. vvere not to judge of the Spirit whereby
'. ' any one fpoke, by their own inward Feel-
i77gS ;
( ^^5 )
ifjgs ;— nor by Dreams^ Vifions^ or Revelu^
tionsy fuppofed to be made to their Souls j
— being all of a doubtjul, difpiitable Na-
ture : might come from Gody and might
notr — To complain of '' a Spirit of En-^
thufafm breaking out among themfelves j
many charging their own Imaginations on
the Will of Gody and that not written,
but imprefed on their Hearts, — If thefe Im" -^
prejjions be received as the Rule of A5tton^
inftead of the Written Wordy I know no-
thing fo wicked and abfurd but we may fall
into, and that without Remedy"' Thefe
are Mr. Wejl&ys Words, who likewife ac-
cufeth the MoravianSy " of fubftituting 4 Jo'^rn-
" an uncertain, precarious, inward Motiony • ^° "9*
" in the Place of the plain written Word.'*
And thus InipreJJioiiSy Feelings, &c. are
fometimes y^r^'G^^/J^^ and infallible 'Proofs:
fcmetimes again, not only uncertain, pre-
carious and Enthiifiaftic y but unavoidably
productive of the utmofi Wickednefs and
Abfurdity. And what muft their Followers
do, among whom thefe Things have been
fo much inculcated, who have been taught
to depend upon them ?
" Mr. Hammond, ( another of their
'' Teachers) after he had at large pleaded
" for feeling the Holy Spirit, yet owned
" at laft. That fome People are filled
" with a great deal of Joy, and experience
'' fudden Flajhes of Co?? forty which they
P ^' take
( io6 )
*' take to be from the Spirit of God. Bat
•' how frequently do they deceive them-
" felves ? Thofe warm Rmotiom of the
*' Mind often proceed from the State and
" Difpojition of the Body, — the Tempera-
" ture of the Blood and Animd Spirits, —
^^ Toimg Converts are very apt to afcribe
" to the Operation of the Holy Ghofi what
^' is owing to the Mechanifm of the Body,
^' — The Hafly^ the Carelefs and Unguarded
** are in mofi Danger of being carried
" away with jalfe Joys, and imaginary
^' Tranfports:' See Churcff^ Farther Re-
marks y Page 128, 129.
You fee here how the Force of Truth
will fometimes break out, among other
'Eruptions of thefc Fanatical Heads -^ and
extort a Confefion of the very Things, of
which their Adverfaiies have accufed
them, {viz,) impofing mere Imagination
and Diftemper upon the World for the
Sacred Dilates of the Holy Gho/l. They
tell you, " The Hajly, the Carelefs and
Unguarded are mof in I) anger of doing it."
Who then among them can be fafe ? For
who, but Perfons of fuch a Charafter, 01'
a "worfe^ can ever be of their SeB ?
§.13. Among fo much Saying and U?i^
faying, would you believe likewife that
Infpiration, and the Extraordinary Calls
and Guidances of the Holy Ghofi^ fliould be
• '• given
( 107 )
given lip? And the Corne^'-jlone of their
Spiritual Tretences be removed by their
own Hands ? This, however, feems to be
the Cafe. We have Mr. Whitefield\ Con-
fejjion ill the follov^^ing Words. " As to 7 Jo"f"'
" an Extraordinary Call, I claim none,
^^ otherwife than the Apojlle'^ Injundion,
" As we have Opportunity^ let us do Good
" unto all Men'" What he hath claimed
was fully flieu^n before : what he gives
i^^ry^ appears now. *' I know too much Letter to
'' of the Devices of Satan, and the def- Lo^^P„f
" perate Wickednefs and Deceitfulnefs of p. 14. '
^' my own Hearty not to be fenfible, that
" I am a Man of likePaffions with others;
^' and confequently may have fometimes
'^^ millaken Nature for Grace, Imagina-
*' tioii for Revelation, and the Fire of
'^ my own Temper for the pure and facred
'' Flame of holy Zeal, which cometh from
" God's Altar/' Sufficient Acknowledg-
ment this, that he has fometimes been mi{^
taken as to his high Pretenfions-y that he
can't be Jure, when he is miftaken, and
when not ; nor confequently be fure that
he is not always miftaken. And what an
igiiorant and blind Guide has he been to
his Followers ? But farther,
In his laft Perfonnance he has clearly Remarks,
andexprefsly given up the Point, " — -Wild- ^^S- 3^'
" Fire has been mixed with my Zeal y
^^ and I find I \\2mz frequently wrote and
. P 2 '■ fpoke
( io8 )
^' fpokc too much in my own Spirit,
'* when I thought I was writing and
" fpeaking entirely by the Affidance of
" the Spirit of God. — I have Hkewife too
*' much made ImpreJJionSy without the
" written Word, my Rule of Ading. — ''
Here you fee Mr. Whitejield's direft Con-
feffion of his being a Deceiver -, of having
drawn away People by Variety of Untruths,
and in Cafes of the lajl Concern, And will
they ftill adhere to him ? Or is he to be
believed in any Thing ? But more of this
in the Preface.
Chinch '^ ^^* JVefley's Concefions on this Head are
p, 38^ .'^. not indeed iq^^A'^r and exprefs, but rather
ambiguous end evafive, without confeffing
or denying- Being cSiarged with Enthu^
fiafm, he fays, '' You are 10 prove (what
^' I conceive you have not done yet) that
'^ 7J7y Condu(ft is fuch, as is only to be
'' juftified by the Suppofition of an Ex^
'^ traordinary Divine Affiftaiice. — I claim
*' no other DireBion of God's, but what
*' is common to all Believers, — No other-
" wife infpired than you are, if you love
" God, — I never faid, that what I do is to
'' be accounted the JVork of God,'' Being
charged with alledging a miraculous Inter-
pofition of Providence in his Favour, he
?ag. 42. replies, '' Let it pafs then as r. Trife not
*' worth relating.'*
I am
( 109 )
I am far from thinking that in thefe
dubious Expreflions he defigns to give up
any of his high Claims, And 'tis eafy to
fee what Shifti?igs and Referves may be
ready at Hand either Way, as Occafion
fhall require : what diffei'e?2t Conftrucftions
may be put upon the Words, among his
own Society, and when engaged in Co7i-
iroverfy. But refer ving miraculous Gifts
for their more proper Place, I fliall leave
him to {hake Hands with his Friend St.
Ignatius 5 who, after fome Ramblings up
and down under the Colour of Injpiration^
was clofely quejlioned by Authority at Sala-
manca^ '' Whether he was really infpired by
the Holy Ghoft, or not ?" Some Writers fay,
that he did then own himfelf 720t Injfired.
The Jefuits will not allow fo much ; but
that he would give no other Anfwer than
this, " We have talked enough of it/'
[ See Dr, Geddes, of the Orders, &c.
P. 102— 3.]
This Defultory Conduct puts one in
Mind of the Man in Martial, who would
often furreptitioully intrude himfelf into the
Seats in the Theatre belonging to the Order
of Knighthood to which he had no Right ;
and was as often ferreted out by the Beadle^
and taught to Jiatid among the Populace.
At length he cunningly gets a Sort of Half-
. Seat at the End of a Bench ; where he
boafts
Lib. V.
Ep. 14.
( ^10)
boafts to the Knights that he fat ; and pre-
tends to the Beadle that \iz flood,
SubfclUoqiie femifidtus extremOy
Et 7nale receptus altero genu^ jaBat
Equiti federCy Lecfioque fe Jlare,
§. 14. To the Moravian and Methodijli-
cal Injiitiition belong alfo, either as con-^
flitnent Parts^ or genuine Confequeijces, —
Scepticifm^ and Infidelity ; Doubts and
Denials of the Truth of Revelation, and
fometimes Atheifm itfelf. This, together
with their Declarations of having no Senfe
of God, or Religion, will appear from their
own Narratives,
" Put upon confidering 7ny own State j-^—
3 jouTri. " I cannot find in myfelf the Love of God,
pag. II. «« or of Chrifi. Hence my Deadnefs and
" Wandering in Public Prayer. Hence
*^ even in the Holy Communion I have rarely
'*' any more than a cold Attention, Hence
'' when I hear of the higheft Inftances of
" God's Love, my Heart is ftill fenfelefs
""^ and unaffefted. Yea, at this Moment,
*' I feel 120 more Love to him than to one I
^^ had fzever heard of '* Obferve, Reader,
by the Way, this is the Man who
.Farther chargcs oiir Religion as no better than '' the
Appeal, " Turkifh Pilgrimages to Mecca, or the
pag. 82. <c popijh Worfhip of our Lady at Loretto.
'^ What elfe, adds he> can be foid even
'' of
( III )
" of Prayer (Public or Private) in the '
" Manner wherein you generally perform
'' it? Asa Thing of Courfe, n/«;2/;7g'r(?//;2i _
** and rounds in the fame dull Track, with-
*^ out either the K?20wledge, or the Love of
" God; without one Heave?ily Temper: '—
But what Sort of Heavenly Temper is his ?
How can he pojibly, confidently with
Charity, call this our general Performance ?
How pofjibly, without being Omnifcient^
affirm that we pray ^without one Heavenly
Temper ? Or know any Thing at all of our
Private Devotions? How mo7iflrous is all
this from the Man, who owns that he
himfelf even in the Holy Communion has
rarely no more than a cold Attention, — in
the Highejl Liflances no Senfe of God's
Love? Let bis own Exclamation be the
Jnfwer, " Oh ! what Mockery of God is ^
'' this !"
To proceed. Upon the People's ill
Ufage (or fuppofed ill Ufage) of Mr. PFefle)^
at Georgia, and their fpeaking all Manner
of Evil falfely (as he fays) againft him ;
and trampfing under Foot the Word, after
having been very attentive to it;- — what
an Emotion in him is hereby raifed ? " I j journ.
" do hereby bear witnefs againft myfelf — p^g 14-
*' that I could farce refrain from giving
*' the Lie to Experience, and Reafon, and
'' Scripture all together, — -When Holy Men 3 joura.
*' have told me, / had no Faith, I have P^S- »-
" often
2 Journ.
pag. 60—.
Ibid.
pag. 6^-.
( X12 )
often doubted, whether I had or no.-
-In
(C
a Storm I think, what if the Go/pel be
not true ? a Dream^ a cunningly devifed
" Fable? &c/'
And to fliew that this^ or worfe, is no
uncommon Cafe among this Species of Re-
ligionijis } one of the Teachers among the
Moravians fays of himfelf, '' Sin no longer
' reigned over me. But foon after I fell
^ into grievous Tempt atio?is, Then it
^ came into my Mind, I take all this Pains
' to ferve God, What if there be ?20 God?
' How do I knov^ there is .? And on this
' I mufed more and more, 'till I faid in
' my Hearty There is no God. Every
* Day for a full Year, from Morning to
' Night, I groaned under this Unhelief\ —
* I then faid to myfelf, / nvilly and do
* fuppofe there is a God, Immediately I
' felt a ftrange Sweetncfs in my Soul;
' which lafted for fix Weeks, I then fell
' into Doubts of another Kind, I believed
' in God^ but not in Chrifi, Yox above
' four Tears I found no Rcfty by Reafon
' of this Unbelief, 'Till one Day—."
Soon after another Moravian owns, " See-
ing the great Diverfity of SeBs^ I began
to doubt whether any Religion was true ?
For Half a Year thefe Doubts perplexed
me greatly; and I was juft upon the
Point of cafting off all Religion''
" Mr,
( "3 )
*^ Mr. Seward too had fuch wicked Journ-
Siiggejlions^ that he could not pray for his?_^^^' "^^^
Friends: — tempted to worJJjip Stocks and
Stones ; any Thing kit God : — fometimes to
think he had fome Fahh, at other Times
none J" And this was long after his Con-
verfion.
Doubts fomething lifcp thefe fo horribly
got Pofleffion of St. Ignatius ( whofe Ex-
ample is fo often followed 'by our Methodijls)
that '' they fucked up al^the Juice of his ^^^^"'^^'n*
Piety J — his 'Pr^^^r was dry and barren jjvf'c*'
his Contemplations had no Savour inefs ; to
f peaky or hear^ any Thing ofGod^ was a loath- Bartol.
fome and odious Thing." — We read in the^^^* ^^'
Life of M. of 'Tazziy " that fhe ufed toN«. 35.
approach the Holy Table with Dijgtijls
and Diifatisfadions ; " in the Life of St,
Veronica, '' that a Holy Nun died in hor-
rible Convidfions and Dijiortions, becaufe
at that Time the Devil was urging her to
deny fefus Chrijh She appeared after her
Death to fome of the Holy Sifters, aifu-
ring them of this Fadl, adding, that fhb
was now happy,''
Nor need we at all wonder at fuch
wicked and unbelieving Thoughts arifing
in the Minds of {mc\\ ftuBuating and in-
conftftent Perfons. 'Tis but a genuine and
ufual EfFed of Enthifiajjn. Cool Reafon
and plain Scripture are laid afide : Variety
of wild Fancies and Opinions croud iti,
Q^ and
' ' ( "4)
and dlftradt the Head ; Mpreffiom and
Feelings require to be liftened to, and made
a Ride, Men, who in Imagination ^XQjhit
ofGod^ and about his grand Work^ are in
Times of Z).^«^^r and Dijlrefs particularly
alarmed : Things not going to their Mind,
and Heaven feeming to fail them, pre-
fently ftart up Doubts and Diftrufts of the
Beings or Providence of God^ who jnain-
tains ?iot his own Caufe, So that the moft
impious Siiggejliofis will in their Turn get
uppermoft, and reynain uppermoft too, and
even make the Jlronger and more lajiing
Lodgment, as 'tis the very Nature of En^
thufiafm to be head-jlrong and pofjtive. Our
Methodijis may reckon thefe AlTaults of
hijidelity for a Part of the Throws of Rege--
neration^ and all to be done away by fettled
Belief and AJjiirai^ces of Salvation, But
they will certainly be apt to return, ac-
cording to the Variation and Succeffion of
their Fancies, Humours, Difeajes and Paf-^
fions. The Methodifis fometimes tell us>
that Satan, is very bufy in driving them
Pag- 22. ^Q Extremes. Bartolus fays, *' That the
Devil '■ fent his Lifc-Gitards, the Affec-
tions of the black Bile ( i. e. melancholy
Enthufiafm) to impel St» Ignatius upon
Meaiures co72trary to the Love oj God,
&c/* Msiny learned ffriters hsiVG ihewn,
that as Entkifiaftic and Superftitious Per-
fons are^ in many Cafes, prone to Atheifni:
fo
( 115 )
fo Atheifm often partakes of Enthufiafm
und Superfiition \ — and that, like Ice and
Water^ they beget one another. Dr. H.
More's firll Se5iion againft Rnthufiafm
£hews '' the great Affinity and Correfpond-
ency betwixt Enthufiafm and Atheifm ;
which though they feem extremely oppo^
fite^ yet in many Things very xi^^sX^ agree -^
and are commonly entertained fuccejjively
in the fame Breaft. For that Temper
which difpofes a Man to liften to the
magifterial Didlates of an overbearing Fa?!-
cyy — very eafily gives Harbour to this ;;2/7^
chievous Gz^6^;— and will as confidently
reprefent to their Fan<:y\ that there is No
Gody as ever it was reprefented that there
is oney — '^ Si non ftatim rekvantur. faith p,^7^" ?^
Merjennus^ dubitant an fit Deus : n they
be not relieved forthwith, they queftion
whether there be any God 5 becaufe they
have not, as they think, their Dejerts'^
§. 15. All that oppofe themj however^
are like to have their Deferts -, if we may
depend upon the Denunciations of that
Uncharitable Spirit ; the next Thing I
ihall confider as conne6led with Methodifm j
and as no fmall ObjeBion and Objlacle to
their Progrefs in other People's Opinion,
whatever it may be in their own.
Read Mr. IVtflefs CharaBer of a Me-,
tbodifi, " And the Love of God has pu- §. ro, i^
0^2 rifled
(ii6)
rifled his Heart from every unkind Tem-
per and malign Affection ; from all re-
vengeful Paffions, Envy, Malice and Wrath.
— He cannot utter an unkind Word cf tiny
one.'' But read his Controverfial Writings
with his Oppofers, and all thefe fine Pro-
feffions are vanifhed, and contradifted ; and
that in fome of his latefl •Ferjormances,
4 Jo^^rn. One of the WejJeys, when his Dodlrine
^' '^^' was contradicted, fays, " While I in the
" m-ean time was as a deaf Man that
" heard not^ neither anfwered a Word."
Farther jhe Other fays, " We have behaved with
pig^^ii6, *' all Meeknefs and Tendernefs towards all
u7- <« Men, — efpecially with om Brethren the
" Clergy. — When a Clergyman had vehe-
" mently accufed me (of doing the con-
" trary) I kept my Mouth as it were with
" a Bridle, and committed my Caufe to
Bonav^ent. x. ^ hig^^r Hand.'* A perfedl Copy of
^^' ^* St. Francis, " who being infiilted and a-
bufed, pajjed through them all as a deaf
Manr -^'di o3
As a Proof however that Mr. Wejley
can fpeak, and in bitter Words too, in the
f Journ Fiii^^f^ ?/ ^^'^ Heart, he brings himfelf to
pag. 64! Confeffion. " By the mod infallible of
" Proofs, Inward Feeling, I am convinced
" of Unbelief — of Pi^ide, — of grofs Fre-
" colleBion, — of Levity and Luxurianey of
*' Spirit, — by fpeaking Words not tend-
^' ing to edify; but moft, by my Manner of
" fpeaking
( 1^7 )
'f [peaking of my Enemies.'' Such Con-
fejjions m^ght be confidered as the Efi^dt
of tender Co?jfdences, frequently apt to
overcfjarge themfelves ; if their Writings
did not fufnciently prove the Charge.
For, not to repeat their Calmnnies again ft
their Brethren , — nor to foreftall their
Rancours among tbemfehes ; — nor to re-
gard Mr. m:it\field's R^nU that '^ all Mo-
ra/ity fet up in Oppofition to bis, pall
Jink, ^dcith its Trofejjors, into Hell, &c." —
Let any one but look into the latter Part
of Mr. J'FeJlef^ Farther Appeal, and he
will find Q,nongh oi iincha7'i table and dam-
natory Claufes *^ difpatching all Mankind to
Hell (as far as lies in hcnian Power) who
are not Methodijls, — Not thofe in general,
as they would pretend, who are void of a
due Love to God and Man, who believe
not in Chriji, and keep not his Com-
mandments, and promote not Repentance
and Refortnation : But all v/ho fubmit ;not
to their fpecial Difpenjation oj Methodifm.
'' Tliey are infpired, taught of God, fent
by God, upon God's Errand, to make a
Tender of his laft Offers, his lajl Call tp a
guilty hand. The Apparatus of Provi-
dence m employing the two kVefeys is fur-
prizing ; thev can't devife what Manner
of Men would be more unexceptionable on all
Accounts, — All their Oppofcrs are labour-
ing heartily in the Caiife of HelL Thofe
who
( iiS )
who would hinder People from joining
them, or would bring them hack^ are
mojl inexcufable j they are Blafphemers^
openly fight againfl God, fight under the
DeviTs Banner, are taking Part with the
Droil againjl God, — Some Honourable Op-
poferSy whom they defire to be excuied
fi:om naming^ are ivorje than the Scum of
Coniivall, the Rabble of Bilfon and Dar^
lefion, the wild Beafts of IVaifal, and the
Turnkeys of Neicgatc.
Th ofe who have iih-nt out from them^
and left them, are iaid to return to their
Vomit again, are called Apofiate^^ two-
fold more the Children of Hell than be-
fore. — Thcfe who can €'::en doubt of
Mtthodifm being God's Work, or of their
Divine Mifjion^ are inexcufably infatuated,'*
This furely, befides high Prefumption^
and Sclffiifficiency, is Uncharitablenefs with
a Vengeance. But fuch always is the Ef^
Wefley fed of Infallibility : The Popif fuch, the
pag°7o-, M-Oravian fuch, and the Metbodi/lical fuch.
ic8. And yet, notvvithftanding their dealing out
Hell-fire with fuch a liberal Hand, I am
not in the leaft difcouraged from giving
them what Oppofition I can. Thofe that
herd not with them may be as good as they
'Will without it; and fuch as have left
them, have not done it, I know, with-
out ////^ Reafon. Mr. JVefley feems aware
of this, when he fays, That '' they who
were
(119)
were with us, bat went out from us, will
aiTcrt Thins^s that may caufe your Ears to
tingle,'" That fuch Things are among
them, I make no doubt : and if this doth
not appear already, it may before I have
done.
§. 1 6. Of the fame Uncharitable and
Prefianptucwi Nature is their Application
of Divine Judgments, and accounting di-
verfe Misfortunes and AffiiBions, which be-
fall private Perfons, or the Nation, as fo
many extraordinary Puni/h?nents, zn A penal
Trodigies, for their Oppofition to thein-
fihes, or their Caufe, They are the Fa-
vourites, for whom all is done.
Whether Mr. Whitefield has often taken
upon him this Direclion of God's Judg-
ments, I don't recoiled : But Mr. Wefiey
will fally make amends. The former in-
deed, hearing of one Great Oppofer' s be-Whitef.
ing given over, and the Death of another, \}Ti^'''-x
immediately cries out, ** That they are go-
ing to give an Account of their hard Speeches
and Writings again fl the Methodijls'' But
-the latter more peremptorily and plainly:
** Mr. Molther [once his Spiritual Giiide'^^'^^^y
and Confejjur, but afterwards q^^cirrelliiig^^^^^J^'
with him J '' was taken ill this Day, 1
" believe it was the Hand of God upon
'^ him. — I was informed of an awful Pro-
" vidence, A Wretch curfing and blaf-
*' pheming,
p. 238-9.
( 120 )
Wefley. *' phcming, and labouring with all his
'^^T'eo " Might to biTider the Word of God -^ and
'^'' " threatening to do it again. But God
" laid his Hand upon him, and on Sunday
V he was buried y Some of his Judg-
ments attended with Miracles I referve
for their proper Place : and fliall only men-
tion a remarkable Inftance of God's fend-
ing Judgments on the Land, in proportion
to the Oppofition made to the Methodifts.
This was at the Time of the late Wars,
Farther and Rebellion. " I cannot but believe,
t^V^ly " ^^ ^^ ^^^^fly ^" ^^^^ Account (oppofing
'' the Metbodijh) that God hath now a
•' Controverfy ivith our Land, — You can-
" not poffibly help obferving, that when-
^' ever there has been any Thing like a
^' Public Attempt to fupprefs this iiew
*' SeB, another, and a7iother Public Trou-
" ble arofe. This has been repeated fo
'^ often, that 'tis furprizing any Man of
'' Senfe can avoid taking Notice of it. —
*' What remains but the Fulfilling of that
" dreadful Fy^ord — .^"
Bold and confident as he is, I can't
imagine how it was poffihle any one (hould
obferve what never was, i, e, any Public
Attempt to fupprefs the Methodifts, And
'tis fur prizing any Man of Senfe can a-
void taking Notice of fuch rank E^ithufafm,
and groundlefs Application of Judgmefits.
Suppofe one (hould ask him, What Pub-
lic
( 121 )
lie Attempt there v/as, or a?2y Thing like
it^ to raife up or favour the MethodiJiSy be-
fore the Nation was blefled, and relieved by
the Battle of Cullodcn ? What tolerable
Anfwer could he make ? This is the Way
of them. All Heaven mud be interefted
and paflionately concerned to fupport their
ivild Freaks, to gratify xhtir four Humours^
and bring forth its Artillery at their Beck.
The Fly, fitting upon the Chariots-wheel y
cries out, What a Duft do I raife ? And
if a Fly-flapper be held up to blow it eft,
it rcm^fake 'Nations,
But to return to the Comparifon, This
Uncharitable and Prefumptuous Sin of de-
nouncing Damnation^ and applying Judg-
ments, has been the general Method and
Mark of EnthufiaftSy efpecially the cruel
ones of the Papacy. Their Damning all
out of the Pale of their own Communion is
a known Truth. And Bellarmi?i's FouT" De No$;
teenth Mark of the True Church is, " The^^^^^^^-
unhappy Death, or End of thofe who"^^^ ''''
oppofe it.'* Where he does not forget that
tjnpudent Lie concerning Calvin, that he
died calling upon the Devil, curfmg and
hlafphetning. It were eafy to produce
Legions of Popijl^ Saints packing away
t(>eir Enemies to Hell, and feeing Vijlons
of them there in Tormejit -, and none of
their Oppofers ever profpered. In the Book
of Ccnformitics we have " a Lift of thofe, FoI. ijr
R upon
( 122 )
upon whom the Judgments of Godj and
MalediBion of Chrijl^ fell for oppugJiaWig
St. Francis, and his Order^ and turning
Apojlates from it. Oi fourPreacberSy who
declaimed intcmperately againft tlie 5^-
ciety^ one fell down dead in going up
into the Pulpit, another was killed by a
Fall from his Mule, a third died a mijera-
ble Death, and the fourth begged Pardon
on his Knees, — "Tuoo Trebendaries, 2ind fome
Bijbofs, underwent God's Judgfne?2ts for
perfecuting them, v/hofe Names (fays the
Author) I conceal, becaufe they are lately
Fol. 273. dead." '' St. ivj^/^m likewifc foretold the
Vengeance that was com.ing upon foine
Soldiers, who diflurbed his Preachings — -
and upon the Prebendary Gedeon for re-^
Pas- Az^yturjjing to his Vomit:' — In the Franci/can
436, ^i>^' Martyrology we have a full Detail of
Deaths temporal and eternal, with other
Judg?7ie?2ts, inflicted on the Holy Itifierant
Order oj the Mendicants-, particularly of a
Bijl:}0p in Englajid, who publified feveral
Things againll them, fummoned a Con-
venticle of his Brethren to confult how to
eradicate them, and ibon after w^^sfnatched
away by Death:" And as to National
judgments, 'ti$ every where the fame :
with Refped to the Church of England in.
Arh. 740. particular, the great Baronius remarks,
" That ihe was over-run witli Herefies
and
( 123 )
and Schifms, as foon as (he ceafed to pay
the Pope his Tribute oi Petef^-pe?2ceJ'
Defiring the Reader to keep thefe Ap*
plications of Judgments in Mind, 'till we
come to confider miraculous Judgments^
§.17. I pafs to the Methodijis auda«
clous Cuftom of fummoning their Oppo-
nents to the Bar of Judgmetit ; and place
it to the fame Account of an Uncharitable
Prejumption. ** Where ( fhocking as it
muft appear to all difcerning Readers) Mr.
Whitefield feems fure, that every Thing
will be determined in his owfi Favoury
and' that Judgment fhall pafs againft all
thofe he is pleafed to condemn/' [See
the Trial of Mr. Whitefield'5 Spirit,
Pa«:. 19— ]
But, enter the Man himfelf. " If thou 2 Dealing.
^' thinkeft, that either I have not told ^^Z- -7-
*^ Truth, or wrote out of a vain-glorious
" View, Jefus iTiall decide the Queftion.
'' At his Tribunal fhall we meet, and
'^ there thou fhalt know what is in my
'^ Heart. — ThenJImll my himcence be made 3 Journ.
'' clear as the Lights But as to thofe P^^* ^^*
who oppofe him, " I here cite them to an- Pag. 74.
^' fweu it to our common Mafier. — I fhall 4 journ.
" rife up againft you at the Great Day, P* ^7» 29.
" and be a f'loift IVitnefs againft you.^ —
" At his dreadful Tribunal I will meet
^* you 3 and then youihal! fee— There, there
R 2 " will
yrancifc.
p. 29, 30,
( 124 )
Indwell. « Will I mcct you. There Jtfiis CbriJI
P ii» 12' <c fl^^ii determine, who are the Faife Pro^
*^ /fe/j, the Wolves in Sheefs Chathingy
Mr, Wejfley hkewife muft ad: his Part.
4 Journ. <c J ^j^e Alderman Beacher to anfwer ~ at
f joui '■ the Judgment^Seat of Chrijl. ~ I cite
pag' 75- " you all before the Judge of ail the
'' Earth."
Here you have the true Spirit oj an
Enthtifiajiy flufhed with a modeji AfTurance
of his own Salvation^ and the charitable
Profpeft of the 'Damnation of others.
We have an Inftance of this Kind of
Martyr. Summons in one Walter Bruges^ a Francif--
can ; who being twhtx depojed, ox jujpended^
by Pope Clement V. wrote a formal Cita-
tion of his HoUneJs to appear at the Tribu-
nal of Chrifi precifely on fuch a Day ; and
on his Death-Bed ordered himfelf to be
buried with this Citation in his Hand.
And behold a Miracle I The Citation could
by no Force be pulled out of his Hand. —
The Pope died on the Day prefixed.
§. 18. And may I not be allowed to
mention, as fome Qbje^lion to Methodifm^
and Stumbling-Block in its Way, their Vio-
lation and Contempt of Order and Autho-
rity 5 their Vfurpation of the Powers^
wherewith their Superiors are legally in-
vefted, and fetting up an Independency ?
They fet out originally with Decency and
CJrder
( 125 )
Order ; asked Leave for the Pulpit \ had it
and might have kept it ftill, had not their
Reproachings of the Lender^ their Enthzt-
Jia/iic and dangerctis Peculiarities^ &c,
made it neceflary to refufe it. Hence
they are refolved to be revenged-, and
holding forth in un!ice??fed Places, and
without a Licenfe themfelves, fay, *' they
can't die in Peace, without bearing Tes-
timony again ft the Vnchriflian Principles
and Prad:ices of thofe Priejis of Baal^ the
Generality of our Clergy ^ "This, fayssJoum.
" Mr. Whitefield, puts me in Mind of FS- 79-
*' the Children of Ifrael iirft intreating
*^ Leave of Og^ Sihon, &c. to go quietly
*' through their Land -, but fighting their
*' Way through, when Leave was denied,
" Like them, by the Strength of my D/--
** vine Leader, I fhali be more than Con-
'* qiieror over all the Canaanites and carnal
" Teachers:' — Greatly faid, and in the
true Spirit of Martial Enthufiafm ; in Con-
formity to the true Spirit oi Contumacy and
CofitradiSion, when he declares, " The Ib^d.
*' more I am bid to hold my Peace, the^^S* -^-
" more earneftly will I lift up my Voice
" like a Trumpet r
Ask Mr. Wefiey, by what Authority
he preaches, lie replies, *' By the Autho-
rity of Jefus Chrifi, committed to m.e by
the Archbijhop of Canterbury, Take thou 5 Jouru.
Authority to preach the Gofpel.'' And foP'^' S^-
far
Ibid.
( X26 )
far all is welL But put him in Mind of
the Limitation in the following Words,
" in the Congregation where thou /halt
be lawfully appointed thereto/' away flics
the Archbijhofs Commiffiony and you foon
have him burfting out into an Enthufmjiic
" my Pari/k : — This is the Work which
'^ I know God has called me to/' — [See
Condu5i of the Methodifs^ Pag. ii, 12.]
And what figniiies a limited Commifion to
the brave Mr. Whit ef eld, " when God
(hews him it is his Duty, not to fix in
any particular Place f '* What fignihes
any Subordination, when he can affume
5 Jouf"- the Dignity of a Prijnate ; " If a Bifijop
FS'- 37- « commit a Fault, I will tell him of
" it ?"
Hence they commence a new aiid inde-
pendent Govcr?27ne7it ; appointing Bands and
SocietieSy with Superintendants, Exhorters,
Moderators^ and Vifitors,
Wefley. Hence they take upon them, I do not
p, 7-^ lay to Ofjdainy but to appoint, and give
Authority to, Perfons, who (in their own
Words ) are neither Bifloops, Prie/ls, or
Deacons f to preach the Word : Common
Mechanics, Wojnen and Boys, are aftually
employed in this Miniftry of Public Preach--
ingy without any human Salifications, Mr.
Farther Wefiey fays, that " We cannot but own,
t^lTt " ^^^^ ^^^ S^'^^ Wijdom from above to
. '' thefe
( 127 )
^' thefe iinJearfied and ignorant Men ; io
" that the Work of the Lord profpered in
*' their Hands/' But it requires no extras-
ordinary Gift of difcerni?2g the Spirits to
fee, how eafily fuch Perfons, by Means of
proper Difciplifie, learning the Cant of the \
Party^ a tolerable good ^JJurance, and
Fluency of Words, — may f^t up for Cir-
ciimforaneoiis Holders forth ; and (what in ,
Fact is true) make no Scruple of making
their BoafI: of being Injpired ; thereby col-
lecting a Maintenajice^ and chouiing the
Ignorant of their Money,
Hence, laftly, upon Occafion they can
pronounce the Sentence of Excommunica-
tion^ and with an Authority equal to the
Papal: " I fohn Wefley^ by the Con fen 1 4 Jo«2rn.
" and Approbation of the Batid-Soctety in^^^' "3'
" KijigfwGod^ do declare the Perfons above-
" mentioned to be 710 longer Men-ibers
'' thereof:'
I might here take Notice of the irre-
gular and imjuftifiable Behaviour of fome
of their Folloivers at the Holy Communion.
I fpeak from perfonal Kfiowledge^ and can
produce other Evide?2ce, that fometimes, a
little before the delivering of the Elements^
three or four together will take it in their
Heads to go away : — that fometimes,
while the Sentences of the Offei'tory were
reading, they have called out to the A//-
nifer^ whofe Duty it was to carry about
the
( 128 )
the^ Bafofiy (though they were at Liberty
to givey or not give) reproaching him for
asking Alms of them : — that Ibmetimes,
when the Minifler has delivered the Bread
into their Hands, inftead of eating it, they
would flip it into their Pockets, This
was often the Cafe, unlefs they were well
^watched. Whether they tailed the Wine^
or no, I can't fay.
Thefe, I prefume, are Perfons, who
(after the Rxample of their Teacher) " can't
find in themfelves the Love of God^ or of
Ckrift ; that rarely even in the Holy Com--
mtmion have any more than a cold At-
tent 1071 ; or, like M. cj Pazziy come to
the Lord's Table with Difgufts and Difa-
tisf anions''
4 journ. From feveral of thefe Particulars we
P2g- 43- ihould be juftified in turning Mr. Wefef%
own Expreffion upon the Methcdijls :
" This is to afFefl:, not Freedom^ but Inde^
pendency y And yet, notwithftanding fuch
Misbehaviour y they bitterly complain of
the Clergy and TJniverfties, for oppofing
their Proceedings ; and are furprized that
every Man in his Senfes don't, without
the leafl Hefitation, join them.
Let us now fee whether they have not
Precedents^ according to Cuftom, among
their old Friends.
Pope
(129)
Pope Gregory relates in his Dialogues^ Lib. t,
*' That St. Equitius being reprehended for ''^P* "^^
running about every where, and' preaching
without Orders^ or a Licenfe^ proved his
Licenfe from a /'^/yfo;? f/' an Angela putting
a Lancet into his Mouthy and faying,
Behold y 1 have put my Words into thy Mouth j
go forth and preach'' From that Time
he could not hold his Peace,— "it, Francis Conform;
at iirft was fo modeft, and fubmiffive to^g//^^'
Authority^ that he was refolved himfelf,
and enjoined his Brethren^ never to preach
without Leave of the Dio\:efan:, and Mi--
Jiijler of the Parif\ They denying him,
his Brethren advifed him to get a Faculty
from the Pope^ for the Salvation of Souls.
But the &/;;^ told them, "he intended
to convert the 'whole }Vorld ; which would
be eftedled by their SanBity^ Humility
and Obedience.'' But this humble Pofture
of Mind did not laft long : " For he ibid,
called a Chapter , and appointed Preachers Fo^- ^47r
for every Province ; and fent thto out to ^^^'
their refpeftive Plicc^\, giving them a Z/-
cenfe^ whether Clerics or Layr^eny whoever
of tJiem had the Spirit of God, and Gift
of Preachi?2g, — -And after v/ards he en-
larged their CommiJJion, appointing them to
preach in India y and through the whole
World. For it Vv^as revealed to him from
the Lordy th:-d- every Ccr7icr of the Earth
was to hear the Sound of their Preaching."
S At
( 130 )
Bonavent. At length, hovvever, " he thought proper
Leg. Fr. ^^ apply to the Pope, who confirmed his
Order, and commanded little Crowm to
be made for his Lay-Brethren, that they
might free/y preach the Word oj God. — It
had indeed been likewife revealed to him,
Conform, that the poifonous Iniquity of the Clergy
rViJi (hould oppofe, and endeavour to trample
upon, his Order. Accordingly he was
vilified both by Seculars and Prelates ; who
difregarding St. Francis'^ Monitio?is, drew
away his Followers: — but how, and why,
will appear in the End."
Nor could the Devil be idle, where his
Ribaden. Kingdom was at Stake 5 *' but raifed up
pag. 472. furbulejit Spirits in the Vniverfities, to op-
pofe the Holy Orders oj St. Dominic and
St. Francis, and to write Books againft
them:'
The pious Founder of the Jefiiits met
with the like Harraffings ; and particularly
at \htXJ?iiverfity of Paris, could fcarce efcape
a Whipping in the Public Hall. — Several
Bijhops publillied FdiBs, forbidding either
hirn, or his, to preach in their Diocefe ^
and the fl inking black Cloud of the Sor-
bone burft upon them. — And as few can
bear a Cetijor of their Manners, the Minds
of the Clergy were alienated from the So-
ciety, as intruding itfelf into their FunElions,
and of their own Will contriving to eredt
a Seminary, ungrateful and prejudicial to
the
( 131 )
the Minijlry, and intercepting their H^
7iours and Profits,
But Ignatius and Cojnpany, by the fpe-
cial Favour and DireBion of Heaven y were,
too cunriing for them ; and by profeffing
themfelves entirely at the P^/^'s Devotion^
and his Standard-Bearers againji Heretics^
they gained their Ends ; and obtained of
Gregory XIII. that Golden Bull, allowing
the Religious among them, who were
Priejls, to hear Confejfions, and even thofe
not in Orders to preach wherever they
pleafed. Attend, while the Bull is fpeak-
ing. '' In Virtue of the Pr/i;//^^^ granted BuHar.
" to your Society by Paul III, that who- Vol. ri.
*' ever of you \s>Jit, and deputed by the^' ^•'*"^*
*' ReBor of the Society, may publickly
^^ preach the Word of God-, and thofe,
*' who are Pr lefts, may hear the Confef-
'' fions of the Faithful of both Sexes-, from
'' which Time your Religious, Vv^ho were
^^ fit to preach, though 770t initiated into
'■• Holy Orders^ -have preached here, and
*' there, and every where : Yet, becaufe
'^ a!i impertinent Doubt has arofe, whe-
'' ther the Privikge of Treachi?ig compre-
'' hends '^thdfe- \\4i6 are not Ordained -,
'.' We,- \h ,<^der to remove this Scruple,
'* by the -Authority of thefe Prefhits, de-
" ciare^and' decree, That every one of
'^'- you, though not promoted to Holy
*.* Ordcr^jhoxKhad Power, ?.nAhave Power,
':- S 2 " ia
( 132 )
f' in Virtue of that Privilege, to exercife
" the Office of a Preacher: Stridtly /;2-
" hibiting all and fingular Ordifmries, and
" all others inverted with any Kind of
" Power y not to dare to hinder or ;7;(9/g/?
^^ any one of you, upon any Pretence.
" With a Ngu ohjlante to all Apojiolical
" Conjlitiitions and Ordinations^ decreed by
** General, ox '^Provincial Councils''
You may perhaps endeavour to clear
the Jefuits of UJiirpation, as adling by
Papal Authority, The Methodi ft -Teachers
will put in the fame Plea ; each of them
being, the law.kfs One, a Pope to himfelf.
Having mentioned the Irregularities of
fome Methodifis at the Communion \ I muft
in Jujlice own, that the mojt Part of
them behaved verv fericiifly and devoutly,
Some indeed carrying Matters to an Rx^
trerne, and into a Sort of Ecftacy ; fo as
to be quite infenfible of the Minifler'^
Tender of the Bread and Wine^ 'trll fpo-
ken to, or pulled by the Sleeve, Which I
find to be.no uncommon Thing among
the Pcpijl: Enthnfia/ls, And we have au^
thentic Tejlirnony concerning St. Alcantaray
Br. Rom. that he not only was in fuch Ardour of
' ^ ^^' Spirit himfelf, but induced others to be
in a Rapture and Ecjiacy at the Sacra-*
7nent, As to the Irreverence of pocketing
the Bread, indead of eating it; — we read
in their Books of Dcemonology, and parti-
cularly
( 133 )
cu\2ix\y in tht Malleus MaleficaniWy " 'tis'^*'"^* i-
to be remarked, that Witches, or Sorce-^^^'
reffeSy when they Coimmmicate have this
Ciijiofn, if they can do it without being
pbfervedy to hide the Body of the Lord iin^
der their Tongue , inftead of [wallowing it ;
w^ith a wicked Purpofe, and to referve the
Hojl for wicked Vfesy But I drop the
Comparifon any farther than as to the ir-
reverent Faoi y and affure the Methodijisy
that I would by no Means fo much as in-
finuate a Sufpicion of their being WitcheSy
or Sorcerers 3 or employing the Bread to
bad Ufes.
Under this Head may not improperly
be confidercd their undutiful Behaviour to
the Civil Powers, and even flying in the
Face of the Higheji Authority in the Na-
tion, One of Mr. Wejley's Hearers was,
it feems, prejjed for a Soldier : Upon
which Mr. Wefey breaks out into this
hideous Outcry; ** Ye Learned in the 3 joum.
** Law, What becomes of Magna ChartayV^Z- ^^*
" and of Englij?j Liberty and F roper ty ?
" Are not thefe meer Sounds y while, on
" a?2y PretencCy there is fach a Thing as
'' a Prcis-Gang fufFered in the Land?"
Tlie Legijlaturey as the Exigencies of the
Government have required, lias, at feveral
Times, made Atis for prefjing Men into
his Majeffs Service. But no Matter for
that 3 touch but a Methodifly and imme-^
diately
( 134 )
diately Liberty and Property, the Church
and State y the ISJation^ All may perifli,
rather than a Soldier be preffed. He will
not allow it, on any Fretence, He^ the
lame Perlbn, who had before bound him-
felf with that repeated Refolution, not to
fpeak a 'Tittle of ^worldly Things ^ is now
bawling for Liberty and Property,
§. 19. Pafs we on to another Cofife-
quencey indeed natural Tendency ^ of Metho-
difniy and an Impediment in its Courfe ; —
their mutual yealoiifi<'s and Envyings, their
manifold Divijions, fi^rcQ and rancorous
parrels y and Accnfations of one another
of heinous Crimes, I fay a natural Ten^
dency 'y becaufe Vanity y Confidence y a hot-
headed and intolerating Spirit y always en-
ter into the Conipofition of Enthufiafmy and
crciue the above-mentioned hitter EffeBs :
— befides fuch Numbers of ApoJlateSy as
they term it, f-oni them,
Obferve but the t'jrA' Days oi Metho-
d'lfm. The Teachers are fcarce fiedgedy
but out they fiy through the Air of To-
pulcrity 'y each pluming himfelf upon the
i^iimber oi jiaring Admirers at :his fine
FeatberSy and high Flights.
Hence mutiv^[' EiPMlat ion y E/rtj, and
Grudging, Mr. V/hitefieldy " I was not
» *' without Oppftion from Friends y who
i- 2). .t \\T^rQ jealous over me with a Godly
'' yealot/Jj\
( 135. )
^' Jcaloufy. For I carried high Sail ;
^' Thoufands and ten Thoufands came ^
" hear.'*
Excellent Godly Jealoufy indeed ! To
oppofe God's Special Work^ becaufe Mr.
Whitefield got fo much Glory ; to enter the
Lift in the Conteft of Vanity, and preach
for a Hat and Feather, " Perceived 3 Jo^\'""-
foniething a little bordering on Envy to ^^^' ^'
my Brother H ."
Mr. Wejley too " in his old Room at
Oxford fits mufing, and refieding, Hovv^4journ.
many that came after me were prejerred^'^'^-^^'
before me ;" — and then he religioufiy
opens his Teftament^ by Way of Lot, to
find the Reafon, — Nor is it long e're this
lovely loving Pair come to Daggers draw-
ing, Mr. JVeJley having heard much of
Mr. Whitefield'^ unkind Behaviour, fays,
he told me, " He and I preached two Ibid.
" different Gofpels j that he would not Join^' ^^' 7^'
'^ me, or give m.e the right Hand of Fcl-
" low/Ijip y but would publickly preach
*' againft 7ne and my Brother'' — They
adlually write and publifli againft each
other i '' Mr. Wef.cy charges White-
field with ImpriidincCy for publifhing at
all, as putting Weapons into their Hands
who loved neither of them -, — with pub-
liOiing a 7nere Burlefque ; — for making aa
open, and probably, an irreparable Breach
betweei) tb.em, by a ireachercus JVound^
and
( 136 )
and bewraying of Secrets J* Hence 'tis
well known they divided, and formed fe^
par ate Parties, Mr. Wejley^ in his Sermo7t
Prasf. and q^^ Pj^^g Gracc, '* Is indifpenfably obHged
^' ^^"' ■ to oppofe the other, for the horrible Blaf-
phemies of his horrible DoElrine,^' — *' I
" went to my Friend ( that was ! ) Mr.
p. "^"50/' Stonehoufe at Ijlington\ but found in him
" all the Deceiveabtenefs of Unrighteoujnefs,
Pag. 63 <c — Mr. C told me plainly, he could
^^ not agree with me, becaufe I did not
" preach the ^ruthy
And here, for Fear I fhould again be
accufed " of laying afide the New 'Tejia--
Rlml^rk«= ^^^^^^> "^ht!^ Writing my Famphlet," I fhall
pag. 15/ put them in Mind of the Apoftle's Direc-
tion, Let us not be defirom oj Fain^glory,
provoking one another ^ envying one another.
Gal. V. 26.
Again, let us fee fome of the rancorous
Contentions between Mr. Wefey and the
Moravians^ whom he defcribes as fome of
the worft of Men, both in Principle and
Practice ; and yet ( fuch is his Motley--
Mixture of Antipathy and Sy77ipathy with
Regard to them) he defires an Union with
them above all Things under Heaven.
What Scurrility of Language do the
Moravians throw out again (l Mr. Wefy ?
3 Jonrn. *' The Foundation on which he ftands is
P''£- '4- as different from the true, as the right
Hand from the left -, and they have no
Hope
( 137 )
Hope for him in this State. They are4Jo"''n-
apamed of his Company: — They charge ^'^^^^/^^^l
him with putting Darknefs for Lights and 92, 102.
Light for Darknefs -, preaching falfe Doc-
trine : — They have often^ heard both him^t
and his Brother^ preach Popery : — They
are both Falfe Prophets : — Inftrudling poor
Souls in fuch Errors, that they will be
damned at laft : — having Eyes full of Adul--
tery, and leading unftable Souls in the
Way of Damnation : — They are, like
Satan, making War with the Saints : —
Mr. Wejley is a Child of the Devil, the Ser-
vant of Corruption, for whom the Miji of
Darknefs is referved for ever.'*
And how does Mr. Wefey turn their
own Artillery upon them ? — " Their Doc- 4 joum.
trine is a New Gofpel, occafiohing grievous P- 35»68,
Confufions '.-^Iheir Way differs as much ^o%]V\\.
from the Bible Way, as Light from Dark-
nefs : — Other DoBrine than what we have
received : They are tenacious of their
moft Efentially - erroneous Dodfrifies 3 fo
much Guile in their Words, that we can
fcarce tell what thev really hold, and
what not : — Their Difcipline is as widely
different from Mr. Wejleys, as the Heavens
are from the Earth : — Their Church infal-
lible, — no true Church on Earth but theirs,
and no true Chrijlians out of it ; they re-
quire implicit Faith and Obedience,''
T Prone
( 138)
Prone as thefe Gentlemen arc to Wrath,
they will give Leave, I hope, to ask a
S^uejlion^ or two. Is this Methodijm ? — ^
Tantcene animis CcelejYihus hcz ?
And reign fuch Mortal Fsuds in Heavenly Minds ?
What are we to think of thefe Charges
of Whitefield, Wejle\\ and the Moravians^
againft one another ? Some Perfons, from
a candid Opinion of their Veracity^ might
be inclined to believe them all. But I am
rather difpofed to inquire, Are thefe Things
fo ? Are they true ? Or are they not true ?
If not true^ they are grievous Caliimnia'^
tors. If true^ they are deteflable SeBariJts,
Whether true^ or falfe^ the Allegation
ftands good of their Envy^ fierce and ran-
corous ^iarrels, and mutual, heinous yfc^
cufattons.
All is in Conformity to the Conduft of
the feveral Religiozis Orders of the Papacy 5
envying, hating one another, befpattering
one another, furioufly contending which
is the beji ; I mean which is the worji :
— but unanimoufly agreed in Fanaticijm
&nd Impojliire.
And how (lands the Matter amon.^ their
Difciples? Why, one Tarty fticks to
Wbitejieldy whofe another Gcfpel is better
than Wejleys another Go [pel; a (econd Party
(licks to JVeJIey for juil as good a Reafon.
r—Some
ourn*
( 139 )
— Some are fo loft to GracCy that tliey
renoimce both of them, leaving Methodifm
totally in the Lurch. — Others in great
Numbers fall away to the Moravians j and
into dangerous and wichd Tenets. In
general, they are all together by the Ears,
embroiled and broken with Unchrijlian
parrels and Confiifions.
Mr. WhitefieU fadly laments " the D/-
vifiom that arofe amongft God's "People ; —
how many^ who continued amongft them
for a while, /;; Time of Temptation fall
away: how thofe, who v/ould have
plucked out their Eyes^ and given them
to him. become his Enemies : — how two ,
young Men in particular, once Leaders ofp. 23!'
the Religious Society ^ are fince fallen back :
and our Brethren^ who have fallen into p. g,.
Errors^ have left us voluntarily/'
The impetuous Mr. Seward complains
of the impetuous Mr. Wathen ; " whojourn,
being too eager in teaching others, and^* ^^'
reproved for it, was influenced by Satan
of a fudden to cafl away his Confideftce^ as
if all the Work of God in his Soul had been
a Deliiflon, — And Mr. B. a Follower ofp. j^,
Mr. Whitefieldy was fadly fallen away, and
oppofed him ; and many were off'erided."
Mr. Wejley runs more in this Strain :
his Fourth Jourfjal being moftly taken up
in enumerating their IVrath^ DiJJentionSy
and Apojlacies. — '^ At Oxford^ but a few^ 3 Jwjm. .
T 2 '' whoP-^4, 8^
C 140 )
" who had not forfaken them ; — many, m
*' whom the Seed had withered away : —
4joum. <^ Out of twenty-five or thirty only two
^■^'* " left, 7iot one continued to attend daily
*' Prayers I the i^w 072ce imitcd now torn
*' afunder, and jcattered abroad, At
'' London, The poor Brethren at Fetter-^
P. 34. 36. '^ lane in great Confiijion 3 — the P/^^z/^ w^j
P. 8. '' Spread to the fo/Z? Society, — Mz^ were
" induced to deny the Gift of God, and
" affirm they never had any Faith at all
" — Many of our Sifter s\xt Jhaken, —
P. 17, 18.'' grievoufly torn by Reafonings : but
" few come to Fetter-lane till near Nine
*' o'clock ; and then, after their Names
" are called over, they prefeittly depart.
'' Our Brethren here have neither Wifdom
" enough to guide, nor Prudence enough
" to let it alone. — They have much con-*
^^ founded fome of our Sifters. — I fuppofe
*' above half oi our Brethren are on their
" Side ; but they are fo very confufed, they
" don't know how to go on. Here I
*' found every Day the dreadful Effecfls,
*' — fcarci one in ten retained his firft
" Love: And moil of the reft were in
'' the utmofl Confifion, biting and devouriiig
P. 21, 22. ct 07ie afiother. — Many wholly iinfettled, and
"loft in vain Reafonings, and doubtful
" Difputations, — not likely to come to
P- 47. '' any true Foundation. — I went to the
'^ Society. But I found their Hearts were
quite
( HI )
" quite eftranged. K little Handful of thtm
'' flood in the old Paths." — At Briftol,
*' and King/wood^ — " I had many un-
" pleafing Accounts of the Little Societyy
" Breaches, Jealoujies, Coldnefs, — Went
" to preach at Kingfwood : but (except a
*' few from Brijiol) I had not above two
^^ or three Men, and as many Women \
" the fame Number once or twice before.
" — Many of our Brethren had no Ears to^ journ.
'^ hear^ having difputed away both their ^' ^2-65.
*' Faith and Love ; — in conthiual Difputes,
" Divijions, and Offences: — they breakp -q-.
'* out afrefh ; Meetings of the Bands cold
" and uncomfortable, — endlejs Strife and
^' Confufwn, Separations, Back-bitings, Evil-
*' fpeaking, mutual Charges of teaching
*' falje DoBrines, Supplanting, Scoffings at
'' the two Wefeys Preaching : —hifty-two
" leave them, and again about Forty:
" — The j righted Sheep gaze and fly, as if
'' they had no Shepherds
What fhall we fay now ? Are thefe the
Fruits of Methodijm P Thefe the EfFeds of
their Sweet Love-Feafls ? Thefe the Dear,
Precious, hifiocent Lambs ? Thefe the
Partakers of the New Birth, of Peace, and
Love, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft ? Thefe
their boa/led Converfions, thefe Candidates
for TerfeBion ? — Their own Words bear
Witnefs againft thtm.-^Sorex fuo indicia
per it. And we may juftly remind them'
of
Farther
Appeal,
p. 132-5.
Wefley,
4 Journ.
pajUm.
( 142 )
of their own Expreffions ; '' When the
Reformation began^ what ?nountainous Of-
jences lay in the Way ? Such Failings
in thofe two great Men, Luther and
Calvin ! [ Wejl.ey and Whitefield ] Their
vehement Tenacioufnefs of their own
Opinions ; their Bitter?iefs toward all who
differed from them 5 their Impatience of
Contradidion, and utter Want of For-
bearance even with their own Brethren''
This IS bad enough : but 'tis not the
nioorjl. For confider what becomes of thofc
that leave them-, among whom fo many
of their Defer ters lift ; and into what Sort
of Difcipline and Principles they enter :
nothing lefs than *' into a New GofpeL'" —
' Three of our Chriflian Brethren driven
' by Satan to deny Chrijl's vifible Church
' on Earth. — Multitudes to embrace a
' falfe unfcriptural Stibiefsy cealing from
' outward Worh^ and all Means of Grace ;
' all fuch Ordinances as running to Church
^ and Sacrament^ Prayer Public and
'- Private^ reading the Scriptures: — and
' further, to make a mere Jeft of going
* to Churchy Sacrament^ Sec. - — a geiteral
' Temptation prevailing to leave off Good
' Works ^ in order to iccreafe their Faith ;
' — to cry out, no Works, no Law, no
' Commandments: — to throw av/ay the
' Bible^ and fay, I will never read, or
^ pray more : — the Trayers of the Church
" are
( H3 )
*' are full of ho?'rid Lies, — I was with one, 4 Joum,
'' who told me,— that God had told herP'^''-
'' not to partake of the Lord's Sufpe?' any
** more, fince fhe fed upon Cbrifi con-
'' tinually." '' At the Nottingham-^^ ^7.
*' Society, the Room not half full, which
'^ ufed to be crowded : — not one Perfon
'* who came in ufed any Grayer at all ;
'' but every one began either talking to
** his Neighbour, or looking about him :
*' when I began to pray, there was ^
*' general Surprize, none once offering to
** kneel, but all ftanding in the mojl eafy
" and indolent Foflure, I afterwards look-
'* ed for one of our Hymn-Books, upon
'' the Dejk: — but both that, and the
** Bible, were vanified away. And in the
*^ Room lay. The Moravian Hyjnns^ and
" th^ Count's Sermons,'' [i.e. Count Zin^
" zendorf, the Moravians Bifl:)op,'] — One
Thing laid to the Charge of the Moravians
is as follows ; " Some of our Englijh Bre*?. 106.
*' tbren, who are joined with you?^s, have
'* faid openly, you will never have Faith^
** till you leave off running about to Churchy
*^ and Sacraments, and Societies, Another
" of them has faid, in his Tublic Ex^
'^ pounding, as many go to Hell by Fraying
*' as by Thieving, Another, I knew one,
" who leaning over the Back of a Chair,
'* received a great Gift. But he muft
" kneel dov:n to give Gods Thanks* So he
loft
( 144 )
'' loft it immediately : and I know not
whether he will ever have it again.
And yet another; you have loft your
'^ fi^fi Joy 'y therefore you pray : That is
the DeviL You read the Bible : That
is the Devil, You Communicate : That
is the Dm/."
Thefe are fome ( for I could produce
many more) of the Moravian Te?iets, And
what can be more grating to a Chriflian
Ear^ or more ftiocking to the Mind?
What more Impious^ than to pronounce
all the Ordinances oj Religion^ Prayers,
Thankfgivings, Sacraments, reading the
Bible^ &c. to be Diabolical Terformances ?
One would imagine they really believed
the Dreams of thofe Popijh Fanatics^ who
tell us, that the Devil has fometimes fub-
Mengi mitted to thefe Ordinances ; that he has
p^l'^^^'^^'even perfwaded People to go to Mafs and
ConfeJJiony — has been found out finging
p. 86: ' ^t Mafs among the Monks:, and (as
Madam Bourignon relates) that the Devil^
, °g* ^^' concealed in the Shape of a Monk^ preached
p. ii;. a moft excellent Sermon on the ^oys of
Heaven^ and 'Torments oj Hell. But being
difcovered before he went off, and afked
the Reafon of his Preaching jo welly gave
this Reafon ; that he was fure the Auditors
would not be perfwaded by it, and fo would
-\ more efFedtually be damned,
Mr.
( H5 )
Mr. IVeJley will probably fay, What is
all this to me ? Muft I be anfwerable for
the Moravians^ againft whom I have fo
often, and zealoully, preached and written?
And this Plea is true in a great Meafure ;
efpecially fince he and the Moravians
quarrelled. But, Who at the fame Time
gives the Moravians a Box on the Ear
with one Hand, and embraceth them with
the other ? Who firft brought over this
wicked Generation, and encouraged them
afterwards ? Who made a Moravian his
own Spiritual Guide and Confejjor ? Who
fo highly commended them among his
own Followers? Who fo Fanaticized his
own Followers, and gave them fo many
and ftrong Dofes of the Enthufiajlic
TinBure, as turned their Brains^ and de-
prived them of their Senfes ? Whofe Soci--
eties and Congregations (by his own Confeffi-
on) run over in Shoals to Moravianifm, forty
or fifty at a Time P And would they have
fplit upon this Rock, if they had not been
firft Methodijis? Who is it, that wonders
why himfelf doth not join them 3 and can
then be in the leaft furpri.zed at his Dif-
a/Z^i joining them ? Where, laftly, is the
Spawn of Meravianifm fo ftrongly working,
as in the Children of Methodijm ?
§.20. Enthujiafm being a ^h'mg by no
Means inconfiflent with Immorality, and
U frequently
( h6 )
frequently the immediate Caufe of it ; we
may mention as another Effedl of Me--
thodifm^ its Te?idency to undermine Morali-
ty and Good Works ; and that fome of its
DoBrijies give Encouragement to Im7norality
and Vice. Whether this be any Impedi-
ment to Methodifm, I don'c determine ; but
'tis evidently an Impediment to true Religion
and Virtue,
It would be thrufting my Sickle too
much into another Man's Harveft, and
doing what has been done better already
by abler Hands, to ihew what an ill Afped:
and Influence fome of their Peculiarities
and Tenets have 'upon virtuous Pra5lice, —
Such as thofe fudden and injlantaneous Calls
and Converjions, which the Methodijls arc
trained up to expedl, and wait for in
C^ietnefs; whence they are naturally led
to negled: the Means of Salvation^ all
gradual Improvement, and Growing in
Grace: — The prefumptuous Dodtrine of
Ajjiirances of Pardon and Salvation, prefent
and future ; a ftrong Imagination and fup-
pofed Feeling of which v^ill fill the Head
•with fpif^itual Pride ; and induce a falfe
and fatal Security ^ to the Negled of future
Endeavours. — Lnpulfes, Impreffions^ fancied
Infpiration and Revelations: which being
made the Rule of Duty, will make them as
confident in wrong Pradlice, as in right -^
and prefamed upon, as certainly coming from
Heaven^
{H7)
Heaven^ will of Courfe lead them into
dangerous Errors of Jadgn^iCnt and Be-
haviour. — That Sumfjijf of ArTogayice^ a
Claim of unfmning 'PerfeBion^ and abfolute
Freedom from Corruption j which is the
'Frivelege of our Redeemer alone -, and from
which I may fafely affirm the Methodifls
are at a wide Diftance : whence thofe warm
'Heads which in Imagination have attained
it, or are juft laying hold of it, will arrive
only to the moft Enthufiaftic Phrenfies ;
and thofe of a lefs fanguine Spirit, will be
tempted to give over the Purfuit^ become
defperate, or turn Libertines. —
To which may be added, — that the
Followers^ perfwaded that their Teachers
fpeak from God^ and are immediately fent
upon bis Worky will find little Inclination
to difpute any of their Do^rines^ or boggle
at their Rx ample s^ how immoral or iin--
fcriptural foever. The Mountebank' s lu"
jallibie Prefcriptions muft be fwallowed,
whatever be the Confequence, though they
dye for it. Let us fee if there be no
Danger. Tht Moravian Mifhodijis ftand
confejiedly guilty, beyond all Meafure and
Modefly^ of trampling down Morality ;
teaching jufjfication by Faith alone^ not
only to the Exchfion, but Condemnation^
oi Good JVorks', and Multitudes of the
IVefteyans have been infeded with the
Plague,
U ^ Mr:
( 148 )
Ml'. Wejley often accufeth the Mora-
4 Journ. i^ians " of ufing Giiile^ and defending
^'z^^^^o^thQ Lawfulnefe of it^ of teaching, 720t to
do temporal Good, nor to attempt doing
fpiritual Good-, — as not likely to come to
any true Foundation ; — grounded on a
Faith which is W/fo^// ^^r/(^j ;-*-of faying,
that good Works are the greate/i Hindrance
of coming to Chriji-, — and that, till thefe
Works are laid afide, no Man can receive
Faithr
Among the Societies of Methodifts, he
"P- 39» 40' finds '' a general Temptation prevail of
" leaving off good Works ', — the poor, con-
*^ fufed, {hattered Society had erred from
" the Faith ; — a Woman of Deptfordy
^' fent (as (he faid) from God, fpoke great
*' Words, and true ^ — (he ordered Mr.
^^ Humphreys to leave off doing Good.''
But Mr. Wejley will fay, '' do not the
Methodift Teachers preach and inculcate the
Doftrine of good Works} Have not I
in particular oppofed the Moravians, and
warmly controverted this Point? Did
not I explain St. JameSy the great An-
tidote againft this Poifon ? Did I not call
the Order to leave off good Works a S?iare
of the Devil ? Do not I fay, concerning
the Moravian DoBri?h\ of Faith being
the only Commandment, that 'tis a palpable
Contr^didion to the whole Tenor of the
Nem
( H9 )
New ^eftamenfy and a fiamelefs Affirma--
tion? &c.'*
All this I allow to be true : and that
you had your Reqfo?2S for laying about you,
and being feemingly in earneft againft the
Moravians^ who have taken fo much
Pains to rob you of your Authority^ your
Reputation^ and your Difcipks, But give
me Leave to (hew your Inconfiflency in the
Cafe J and how often you have thrown
cold Water upon the Duty of good Works ;
and in Quantities fufficient to damp your
Followers Zeal for them ; by Sentiments,
and Expreffions of a ftrong Tendency ta
debafe their Value^ and difcourage :he Per--
jormance. What think we of thefe Words
of Mr. Wejley ? " One indeed in the Faith 3 joum,
*' — no longer judges Holinefs to be anP'^°-
*' outward Thing : to confift either in ^'\
" doing no Harniy in doing Gcod^ or ufing
" the Ordinances of God/' What think
we of his throwing in thofe qualifying
Expreffions? " The doing Good, as 'tisp.sz.
*' called, i. e. the ufing the Means of
" Grace, and helping our Neighbour; — 4 Journ.
" what is called 3. virtuous Life. — Doing Pj^^i^' ^^,
'^ Good, or, ufing the Means of Grace, com
*' in Works of Piety fo called^ or of P' ^'
" Charity.'' Doth not all this tend to
difparage and depreciate good Works, and
to flacken tlie Obligation to Performance
of them ?
As
mt.
( I50 )
As to the ^eftioriy whether we are
juftified and faved by Faith 07ily\ or by
1 Dealing, i^^/^^ (^nd JVorks ; — '' Mr. Whitejield de-
P- 5^- dares for being juflified by Faith only ;
SeeWefl. which was the more extraordinary^ fays he,
4 Journ. becaufe my Friends at Oxford had rather
P-4^- inclined to the Myftic Divinity r [Ob-
ferve by the Way, though this Myfiic
Divinity was once the Methodifts DoBrine ;
2 Journ. yet, fays Mr. Wef^ey, '' I declare in my
p. 26, 27. <^ cool Judgment, and in the Prefence of
" the moft High God, that I believe the
*' Myflic Writers to be one Great Anti^
" chrijir So that the Mcihcdifts, by
their own Confeffion, were at iirfl: a Fart
of the great Afitichrijt. ]
And however Mr. Wejley rnay have ex-
plained St. James ^ as the great Antidote
againft omitting good Works ; I don't find
that either /v, or Mr. Whitejield^ have
ever cited thofe exprefs Paffiges (Chap. ii.
14, 24.) " What doth it profit, though
'^ a Man fay he hath Faith, and have
" not Works? Can Faith fave him? Ye
*^ fee then, how that by Works a Man is
*' j^ft^fi^^-* ^^"^dnot by Faith ojtly.''
If they have nny where cited thefe Faf-
fages, they have only confuted thefnfelves,
4 Journ. For Mr. 'WeJley affirms, that ''the Con-
?• "7- <^ difion of our Juftification h Faith alone, and
3 Journ. « mt Good JVorks : That the mofi deJiruBive
P*75- ic of all thofe Errors, which Rome, the
Mothev
( 15^ )
'' Mother of Abominations, hath brought
'' forth (compared to which, Tranfub-
'' Jiantiation, and a hundred more, are
" Trifles light as Air ) is, that we are
" Jujiifled by Works, or ( to exprefs the
'« Thing a Httk more decently) by Faith
*^ ^W Works."
Upon which Words give me Leave to
make a Remark, Mr. Wefley hath told
us, that '' the Metkodifls, ( and himfelf\ Journ.
among them) had wandered mariy Tears "^^^^ '^^•
m the new Path, of Salvation by Faith
and Works ; before God {hewed them the
old Way, of Salvation by Faith only'\
Whence we may obferve, that during
many Tears of their Methodijiical State^
(which was the Time too of their higheji
Glory and Popularity) they were feducing
their Difaples, according to their own Coii-
fejjion, into the moji DcftruBive Errors ;
Errors, compared to which all the mofl
wicked and Idolatrous Parts of Popery are
Trifles light as Air.
Champion Wbitefield boldly throws down
his Gantlet, '' who dares affert that we 3 joam. --f
" are not Juftified merely by an AB of^^g- 2.
** Faith, — without a?iy Regard to Works
" paft, prefent, or to come ?'* But, I j
apprehend, it requires no high Degree of ;
Courage to alTert it, after fuch Authority
as that of St. James,
Again,
( ^52 )
Again, concerning the nice Dijlinciion
of the Metbodijls m doing good Works, but
not trujling in them 5 — Mr. Wejley men-
tions *^ a Conte?nplati've Man, whofc In-
ftrufirions he received as the Words of God;
but, fays he, I cannot hut 720W obferve,
that he fpoke fo incautioiijly ao^ai nil: iriifling
m outward Works, that he dijcouraged me
from doing the?n at all.'' And have he, or
his Friends^ much mended the Matter?
I Dealing, cc When Mr. Whitefield had refolved to
^^' ^^' leave off Forms, Public WorJJnp, and other
fforks ; Mr. IVeJley advifed him to re-
fume all his Externals, tho' not to depend
on them in the leaft. '' — When the Mo-
t avian Brethren fay, " 'tis impojjible to ufe
the Means of Grace ( as Church, Com-
munion, Prayer, Scripture, &c,) without
trujiing in them ; — and if a Man doth not
friijt in them, why, doth he do them ?
p. {o^zi, Mr. Wejley only contends that 'tis poffible
iQ^. \o life them, without trufing in them.''
And now, are not fuch dijpcjragi?tg Ex-
preffions (not to truft in them in the leaf,
a 7nere To/flbility of ufing them without
trujiing in them) a ereat Difcouragement
to the PraBice? The plain Truth is,
we cannot truft in good Works, nor yet in
Faith, as the meritorious Caufc of our Jufti-
fication and Salvation : The Sacrifice of
Cbrifi alone is fuch : But we muft fo far
truft in both; as the necejjdry Terms arid
Conditions;
( 153 )
c^onditions ', without which we cannot be
faved. And when our Church aflerts our
being jujlijied or faved by Faith alone^ as
diftinguifhed from the Works of the Law^
or mere moral Righteoufnefs ; it means
fuch a Faith, as worketh by Love j Faith
including good Works, or in conjundtion with
them. When St. Paul Hkewife teacheth
Juftijication by Faith only, and not by Works -y
'tis manifeft that he means the Works of
the Mofaic Law, and not the Works of
moral Duties, ox virtuous ABions, " The,j,j^^^j^
" Works of the Law are indeed fometimes Lea.
" named only Works, But the whole P- '^4
" Tenor of the Epifile, (to the Romans)
" and thcContext, always {hews thoft Works
^' to be the Works of the Mofaic Law.
*' Nay, thofe Works are not only diflinguifh"
*' edfrom the Evangelical, which are called
*' Good Works ; but they are exprefsly op^
" pofed to them, as Wrong to Right :—
" as particularly, Ephef ii. 9, 10. Not of
«' Works, [thefe are the Works of the Law]
" leaf any Man flmildboafi. For we are
" created in Chrift Jefus unto Good Works.
<' — [Thefe are the Works of the Gofpel]''
I have this from Dr. Heylin-, who adds,
*^ I have judged it necefiary to take Notice
" of an Error, which has been mif-
^' chievoufly fpread, and incautioufly ad^
" mitted, that the Works of the Law, and
^^ good Works, are the fame."—
X What
( 154 )
What is otherwife Matter of Contro-
verfy, feems to me either wrangling about
Words^ or paving the Way to dangerous
Delufiofts. In the mean Time, 'tis fome-
thing ftrange ( if among Methodijis and
Papijis any.thing can be ftrange) that after
fo many and unanfwerable WriWigs of our
Divines againfi: the Merit of good Works,
we fliould be charged with fetting too high
a Value upon them ; and that the Me-
thodijis^ who, in Agreement with PapiJls^
talk of arriving at PerfcBion^ and an un-
jmning State, ilionid fo undervalue and
di [par age them: — unlels they mean a
Perfe^ion dejiifute of good Works,
We might produce various Jnflances of
Entkifi^/fts among Papijts^ &c. fuch as
thofe Mendicajit Fryers the Fratricelli^ the
Ahmibradd' s or Illiiminati of Spain -, who
were, fiiff Maintainers of Pcrfeclion\ in
which Situation they were above Ordinances
of Church or State^ above the Exercife of
moral Virtues : looked on natural Inclina-
tions as indifferent Things ; and fo deemed
unclean Mixtures as no Sins, 'Tis to be
hoped not many of our Methodifts will be
carried to thefe Lengths. But they may
be pot in Mind of Bifhop Stillingjieef^
" Vof? ^^^"^^^5 *^ 'Tis an eafy Way of Salvation,
A p- 5^/57- " ^^ ^'^ more were required to Mt:n's Hap-
*^' pinefs but a Fancy and ftrong Opinion^
" which they will eafily call Believing,^ —
'\ Such
""* Such as make ?20 other Condition of the
" Gofpel but Believing, and will fcarce
'' allow that to be called a Condition, ought
" to have a great Care to keep their Hearts
" founder than their iJ^^^j : for their only
" Security will he in this, that they are
'' good, though they fee no Necejjity of
'^ being fo. And fuch of all others, I
" grant, have Reafon to acknowledge the
" Irrefijlable Power of Divine Grace,
'^ which enables them to obey the Will
'' of Gc?^/againft the Dilates of their own
" Judg7nents'' There may be Reafon for
fome fuch Caution-, when, befides the
Peculiarities in the Methodifls Notion of
Fchith, they talk with fuch Contempt of
'' your Workers, and good Livers 3" while
they have good Hopes of Perfons of a pro-
feJJ'edly wicked and debauched Life, They
have told us, '' how apt the Devil is to
drive Men into Extremes -,'" they know
from Nature and Experience that one Ex-
treme begets another:, and thence infer,
that, one Time or other, immoderate Vi^
cioufnefs will rebound into their Enthujiajlic
Madnefs,
To proceed. Without infifting, as an
Encouragement to Sin, on Mr. Wefeys
Deicriptlon of '' the State of thofe who^/^'^^"'''^^^
liave horgivenefs of Sins, but 7iot a clean
Heart, even a Heart dejperatcly wicked '^■- —
yet need not doubt, or fear : '' - — Let me
X 2 infert
( 156)
infert here a pretty remarkable Paflage of
his ; which, though perhaps not any Ob^
jlriidllon to Methodifm^ is evidently fo to
Religion^ and a good Life : "I heard a
p- 78r79-" Sermon^ wherein it was allerted, that
" our Repentance was not Sincere, but
" Feigned and Hypocritical, i/?, Ifwere-
" lapfed into Sin foon after repenting :
" Elpecially if, 2^/y', we did not avoid all
" Or<:^/fc;;i of Sin •, or if, 3^/v, "wq relapfed
" frequently ; and moft of all, if, A^thly^ our
" Hearts were hardened thereby/' One
would think this no bad Divinity : but
it feems not a Word of it is true. For he
adds, '* O what a Hyproc?'ite have I been
" (if this be fo) for near "Twice Ten Tears !
^' but I know it is not fo." He is at
Liberty to fpeak for himfelfy but, I appre-
hend, has no Authority to include every
one ; notwithftahding his Pofitivenefs. " I
" know every one under the haw is even as
" I was. Every one when he begins to
*' fee his fallen State, and to feel the
'* Wrath of God abiding on him, relapfes
" into the Sin that moft eaiily befets him>
" foon after repenting of it. Sometimes
*' he avoids, and at }?2any other Times
** cannot perfwade himfelf to avoid the
*^ Occapom of it. Hence his Relapfes are
** frequent^ and of Cunfequence his Heart
" is hardened more and niore. And yet
" all this Time he is Sincerely ftriving
againft
( 157 )
'* againft Sin . Nor can he, with all
^' his Sincerity^ avoid any one of thef©
'' four Marks of Hxpocrify • "till being
" Jujlified by Faith, kc^
Strange Account of the Progrefs into
Method fm, and its peculiar Notions of
Faith, &:c ! — Strange Agreement and Con--
fifteiicy of Sincerity with relapiing Joon, re-
iapfing freqiie?2tly, not avoiding the Occa-^
fions cf Sin, and with hardening the Heart
tnore and more: all without any Danger
of Hypocrify I Near Twice Ten Tears ! (and
God knows many more our Cafiiiji may
grant) a fair Allowance for continuing in
this Sincere, hardened State I All necefjary
and unavoidable ! Thofe Gentle ConfeJJors
the Jefuits could fcarce have granted Sal-
vation upon eafier Terms. Have no Doubt
or Fear, ye Methodifls, though for fuch a
Length of Years ye have an evil and uncle a7i
Heart, Remember your Teacher's Words,
*' Was there ever fo pleajing a Scheme?^*
Pleafing indeed, thus to be going into Per-
feCfion, thus to be Afjured of Salvation I
Hear again a more particular hijlance^
with Refpecl to the Holy Communion. " No^]Qum,
previous 't reparation, fays Mr. Wejley, nov-"^^*^'
Fttnefs is required at the Ti?ne of Commufii-
eating, but a Senfe of our State, of our
utter Sinfulnefs and Helplefnefs : Every
one who knows he is fit for Hell, being
juft lit to come to Cbrif, in this and
all
( 158 )
all other Ways of his Appointment.'*
What a pleajing^ and yet how Incomparable
a Coviment is this upon St. Faid'^ Direction
for a Man to examine himfelf in order to
receive worthily : and not to receive tin-
wort hi ly, which is eating a?id drinking
Dam72ation to himfelf! But hold : let us
hear Mr. Wefeys Reafon againfl any Pre-
paration : *' Becaufe we come to his
*' Table, not to give him any Thing, but
*' to receive whatever he pleafes to give."
A moft excellent Illuf ration by this fri5l
Churchma?! of the Words in our Communion-
Service^ " Here we offer and prefent unto
" Thee^ O Lord, ourfelves, our Souls and
" Bodies, to be a reafonable, holy^ and
" lively Sacrifice unto Thee ! ''
Surely this may juflly be compared with
that Popijlj Dodlrine^ that the Efficacy of
the Sacrament is produced, as it v>^ere, by a
Charm y ex opere operatOy i. e. from the
mere doing of the Work^ without any Re-
gard to the Fitnefs of the Receiver. It
perfectly accords with that of their bold
Champion Gregory de Valentia^ who affirms,
Vol. IV. |.}^^^ <c Contrition fa Sorrow for Sin pro-
ceeding from the Love of God) is not
neceffary towards receiving the Benefit of
the Sacraments : but rather hinders it j and
that it would be abfurd to require it." —
De Pa:nit. And that of Morinus, " That the Excel-
lib. 8. lence and Prerogative of the EvanQ-ellcal
cap. 4. o n
BO. 26. Sacramento
( 159 )
Sacraments above the Legal (hines out prin- ^
cipally in this, that the Evangelical have
delivered us from the mojl grievous Yoke
of Contrition and the hove of God y Oh !
How good a Thing is the Concord of
Brethren ?
Again. Mr. Wejley has taught us, that
Infirmities are no Sins, An Aflertion fome-
thing ftrange from one w^ho hath fo ftrongly
affirmed, " that our whole Heart is alto- * J^*"^"*
gether corrupt and abominable, and con-
fequently our whole Life : — all oiir Works^ 3 Joum.
the moft fpecious of them, our Righteouf-^' ^°'7o-
nefs, 'our Prayers, needing an Atonement
themfelves : — all our Works and Tempers ^ Jcwrn,
evil continually — /' But my Obje(ftion toP*^^*
it is, that 'tis a Loop-hole to creep out of
every Moral and Religious Obligation, By
Means of this Dodrine Mr. V/hitefield
eafily got rid of his Word and Promife ;
'-' He faid, That Promife was only cin^f^^*
Effect of human Weaknefs-, and he was now p. 77.^"*
oi another MiitdJ'
The fame Excuje will ferve on all Oc-
cafions ; efpecially in Sins which more
eafily befet this Se5l^ not very remarkable
for the Gift of Chafiity. Their Famous
Methodifi-Tecicher at Salifi)ury ( whom I
mentioned before. Parti. Page 71.) was in-
deed above making this paltry Excufc, above
the fneaking SubmiJJion of Remorfe and
Repentance^ for his Adulierics, Being de^
te^ed.
( i6o )
iedied^ \it preached publickly in Defence of
Plurality of Wo77ieny under the Name of
Wives, And inftead of taking aSA^;;?^ to him-
felf, hath in a Shmnelefs Manner Printed
and Pnblifjcd his Infamous fiijlification of
Bigamy : Which Treafife ( fuch is his
Modefiy) he difperfeth about, to my cer-
tain Knowledge, with his oisjii Hand, —
A Treatife, not putting in any Decent Plea
for the Lawfulnejs of having a Multiplicity
cf IVojnen ; but audacioufly Condemning
the Defenders of the Alatj-irnonial ContraB
between o?2e and G?ie^ as ^' weak and wicked
Men, Tray tors to God^ guilty of egregious
Folly and Falfliood, — of a Religious Mad-
nefs, — the mofi horrible Delufion that the
Devil aJid his Emifaries can propagate, ' '
At this Rate, if this New Breviary fe^
cundum ufuni Sarum fhould get Ground,
the Methodift - 'Teachers may foon be as
generally Scandalous^ as they have wifldcd^
and prayed. We fliall hence conceive no
very favourable Opinion of their Love-,
Feajis, and Nociurnal Meeti77gs : We (hall
be convinced what Sort of ,Men are too
well acquainted w^ith the weak Side of
human Nature, in more Senfes than one :
And all of us fhould attend to " ChrijV s
Pred'Mion and Warning concerning the
Falfe P7''ophets, who (if poffible) fhould
j^.jj^ deceive the very EleB, Wherefore^ if they
xxir. fay unto ycu^ behold be is in the Pefert, go
^^"^' 7lOt
( i6i )
not forth : behold he is in the Secret Cham-
bers; believe it not''
Many Authors, have fliewn a natural
Connecftion between Enthn/iafm and Im-
purity, And 'tis obfervable in FaEl^ that
a Multiplicity of Wives ^ and prom i feu ous
Ufe of Women, has been the Favourite ^^O
Tenet of moft Fanatical SeBs : — The Nico^ CLVn^tj^jJ-in^
laitans, Gnoftics^ Montanifls^ Valentinians^ -^
&c. Some of whom have maintained it
not merely as Lawful^ but as neceffary to
FerjeBion : — It was the grand Allurement
to embrace Makometifn : — - Was the pro-
fefled Dodlrine of modern Enthu/iajis-, as
yohn of Leyden^ David George, &cc, who Dr- More.
warmly taught that no Man was confined to^^^['
one Woman ; but that Procreation was a
free Thing, in common to all that are born
again, or regenerated by the Spirit of David
George : — Was zealoufly inculcated and
defended in Priiit^ as well as exemplified
in FraBice, by Mr. Lacy, fo famous a-
mong the French Prophets ; whofe Mantle
has been taken up by W — . FL — . And all
of them were fond of employing the Sex
as their Emifaries, to prepare the Minds
of their Acquaintance for Converfion,
How the Cafe ftands in FaB, as to the
Number of Co?7verts among the Methodifts,
and real Reformation oj Life to the certain
and known Duties of the Gofpel, is Matter
of difficult Determination. But, from
Y what
( i62 )
what Enquiry I can make, there is no
Reafon to think them better, for the
GeneraUty, than tlieir Neighbours. Super-
ftitious Zeal for T^rifics^ iinfcriptural Pecu-
liarities^ high Flights in Words^ and Boaft-
ings of PerfeBion as promijed to all, and
the like ; — of thefe there is no Want. But
when we confider their black Art of Ca--
litmny\ and various Kinds of Uncharitable-
nefs in a high Degree -, their exceffive
'Pride aiid Vanity ; their Scepticifms, Doubts
and Disbeliefs of God and Cbrif % their
diforderly Pradices, and Contempt of Au-
thority ; their Divifions, Confufions, bitter
Envyings and inveterate Broils among
themfelves ; Coolnefi, at leaft, for good
Works, and uncommon Warmth for fome
very had, &c. — Of thefe likewife there is
no Want.
If we take Mr. Wejlefs own Account,
it falls very fliort of any Confider able Re-
Farther for77jatio7i. He owns *' among them Sin-
\ppeai, cc j^gj.g (jf every Kind 5 and the gj^edt
" StumbHng-block by them that fay and do
*' 7iot. Such I take for granted, fays he,
'* y/ill be among us, altho' v/e purge them
*' out as faft as we can ; Perfons that talk
*' 7mich of Religion, that commend the
*' Preachers, perhaps are diligent in hearing
^^ them ; read all their Books, and fing their
" Hymns ; and yet ?20 Change is wrought in
^^ their He;;irts. Were they of old Time as
*' Lio7ts.
122
( i63 )
*' Lions in their Houfes? They are the
*' fame ilill. — Slothful, intemperate, trick-
^^ ing or difhoneft, over-reaching or op-
^^ preffive ? The Ethiopian hath not changed
". his Skin. Were they (in high Life)
*' delicate, felf-indulgent, fond of Trijles
^^ or their own dear Perfons ? ^he Leopard
^^ hath not changed her »S/of^.— Others, in
*^ whom there was a real Change, But it
" was only for a Seafon, They are now
" turned back, and are twojold more the
^ ' Children oj Hell than before , ' '
Whence we may infer, that our NeiD
'Reformers have made but a flow and flight
Progrefs in the real Reformation of Man-
ners, We read that '' the jDm/ finding a Franc,
certain fefuit to have an Intimate Com-^^^^
jnunication with God^ endeavoured to cool
his Zeal by throwing a Bucket of Water
upon his Head through the Roof of the
Houfe.'* But whatever Occafion Some of
our Methodifls Ardors and Peculiarities
may have for Water^ the Devil^ I am per-
fwaded, will not be fond of bringing his
Bucket 'y and their Zeal for good Works
having no Need of a Ccokr^ he may fave
himfelf the Trouble. 'Tis well, upon the
whole, if they are not rather Hiiiderers
than '^Promoters of Morality and Virtue,
Their Friend Madam Boiirignon^ who
was engaged in fuch another ProjeB^ not
only confefleth her frequent Relaffes into
Y 2 Sin V
( i64 )
Sin ; but the little Goody or rather much
Solid Harm, all her Inftrudions had done : " I
p.^'178, *' exerciled mylelf about nine Tears in
125. «« teachmg the Ignorant, vjithowt profiting
*' any Thing in the Salvation of their
^^ Souls. On the Contrary, I had the Dif-
'^ fatisfad^ion to hear Ibme of them fay,
*^ to whom I had fl^ev/n the Chriftian
*^ Doctrine and Virtues, That they could
^' now do greater Evils, than they could
*^ do before -, becaufe now they could cover
*^ their Wickednefles with feigned Virtues j
" which they could not do before they
*' learned to talk of Virtue."
§.21. There is however Reafon to
. believe that the good Work of Popery is
carrying on, from fome of their Tenets and
PraBices 5 over and above their Stringing
pne Extravagance upon another, in Con-
formity with the Papal Fanatics \ which
hath been evidently fhewn through the
whole Comparifon.
To this Purpofe it might be remarked
(what is manifcftly true) that in their
feveral Anfwers and Defences, a Strain of
Jefuitical Sophiftry; Artifice and Craft,
• Evafion, Referve, Equivocation, and Pre-
varication, is of conftant Ufe. But to wave
3 journ. this; — '' When a Methodift was receiving
p. 16, 17. tj^g Sacrame?2t, God was pleafed, (fays
•Mr. Wefley) to let him. See a Crucified
Saviour ^
( i65 )
Saviour ^y he faw the Fountain opened in
his Side:' — " How often (fays Mr. White-^^^^^^^
field) at the "Early Sacraments have wep^^2a?^'
feen Jefus Chrift Crucified^ and evidently
fet forth before us ?" Upon this I afked,
" Whether this did not encourage the
Notion of a real Corporal Prefence in the
Sacrifice of the Mafs; and was not as good
an Argument for T^ranfubfiantiationy as the
izwQr3\fieply Appearances produced by the
Papifis ? '' To which I now add, that
Mr. Wbitefield mentions only particular
Times and Places^ when ^* the Sacraments Ibid,
were thus exceeding awfuL It was at
Cripplegate^ St, A?ine's, and Fofier^Lane^
• and early ^ when they faw Jefiis Chrifi
Crucified^ emdently, " Which implieth,
that they had not the Favour of this evident
Corporal Sight of Chrifi at other TifneSy
and Places ; though they mufl have re-
ceived the Sacrament frequently at many
Places befides.
And this perfeftly tallies with the
Papifts ; who had not always a View of
the Corporal Prefince in the Majs ; but
only at Some Places, as a particular Favour ^
on fpecial Occafions *, as to c nfirm the
Doubtful, convert the Unbelieving, &c.
Thus St. Terefa fays, that in a " particular Life.
Monaftery, the building whereof fhe had^°'-.^^'
negociated with God, — among other Fa- "
vours to herjelf and Society^ was the per-
ceiving
( i66 )
geiving the Per/on of 'Jefiis Chrijl in the
Sacrament^ io as to perceive vi/ibly his
Corporal Prefence y fo generally and or-
dinarily, that we found the Blejjed Sacra-
ment never had wrought fuch an Effed:
upon us in any Place^ as here,''
We may fee in Mr. IVeJlefs Writmgs^
that he was once a jiy-iB Churchman^ has
gradually relaxed^ put on a more Catholic
Spirit^ tending at length to Roman Car.
thoUc, People of every Communion are a-
mcng his Difciples ; ^nd he fomewhere
rejeds with Indignation any Defign to
convert others from any Communion : and
confequently not from Popery, On the
Contrary, we find no fmall 'tendency to it.
For Inftance, By Praying for the Dead,--^
In his Prayers for every Day in the Week^
we have thefe Words, " Laftly, I com-
^^ mend to thy Mercy the Souls of all that
^^ are departed this Life in thy true Faith
*^ and Fear." This Doftrine, 'tis trup,
is of pretty early ^?2///yz/% : (I think Ter-
iiillian^ a Montanift, is the firlT: that men-
tions it:) but it was not made an Article
of Faith till the new Papi (Ileal Creed was
invented. And Mr. Wejley^, (who tells
Plain us that " fome Fopperies of the Roman
Account, Qfj^,^^^^ij Yj^xt in feme Meafure countenanced
by Aniiquiff') ihoxAA have never counte-
nanced a Dodrine which is the Foundation
^f Purgatory ; which has introduced Idola-
try,
P- 3 9-
( i67 )
try^ and from prayingyir the Dead brougjit
Bigots to pray to them. He fhould not
propagate one of the Favourite Manche ft er-
Doilrines of Mr, Deacon, leading Men
certainly into 'Jacobitifm^ and probably into
Popery, He ihould not teach People a
Dodlrine, which has no Manner of Founda-
tion in Holy Scripture ; void of Precept
and Exafjiple from the Oracles of God.
Efpecially as he is fo ready to appeal, at
other Times, *^ to the LaWy and to the
T'eflimony :'' — and has declared again and
again, that the Word of God is his c?;;/^ Anfwer to
Rule : ^^"^^^'
.V. ^^cPjs^feven a Word or Look
'r''.,,^^"' *' Do I approve or own,
• -^^^« But by the Model of thy Book,
" Thy Sacred Book alone."
By Private Covfeffion, — " 'Tis one of 2 Journ.
their Fundamental Rules in their Bands y^' ^'^' *^'
that every one fpeak as freely, plainly,
and concifely as he can, the real State
of his Hearty with his feveral Temptations
and Deliverances ; ufing no Kind of
Referve : with the Faults they have
committed in Thought, Word, and Deed,
and the Temptations they have felt : —
to anfwer to as many fearchi?ig ^ejlions^^^^^ ^^^*
as may be/' And what a Scene is hereby^' ^7' ' '
difclofed ? What a filthy Jakes opened ;
when
( i68 )
when the moji fearching ^e ft ions are aiked,
and anfwered, unthont Rejerve ? Such in-
deed, as have made \PopiJh ConfeJJbrs, the
yefiiits efpecially, fcandalous through the
World, — but at the fame Time powerful y
and getting it under their Girdle by a
Knowledge of all the Secrets of the Heart.
Plain Ace. Mr. TFeJley to this will reply, '' That the
p. 1 8. <£ Q^\y Popijh Confeffion is, the Confejion
" made by a fmgle Terfon to a Prieji : —
" whereas that we practice is, the Con-
" feffion of feveral Perfons conjointly, riot
'^ to a Friejl^ but to each other." And
will Mr. Wejley abide by this, and freely
anfwer a ^ejlion j in Anfwer to what has
been affirmed in Print? *' After private
Confeffions taken in their ClaJJes, or Bands;
are not Reports made to Mr. Wejley ? Are
no Delinquents, Male and Female, brought
before himfeparately^ and conjejjed by himV^
And again, doth not fomething of this
Nature appear by his own Words elfe-
Farther where ? *^ Here are Seven Tbotifand Per-
Appeai, cc f^j^g ^perhaps fomewhat more) of whom
I take Care, watching over their Soul?,
as he that muft give Accc^unt. In
order hereto It lies upon me (fo I judge)
at the Peril of my own Salvation, to
know not only their Names, but their
Outward arid Inward States^ their Diffi-
cidties and Dangers, Otherwife how
can I know how to guide them a-
'' right ?
p. 113.
<c
(C
(i69>
" riglit? &c,'' What wicked Ufes have
been made of this E?2gine by VopiJJjGuideSy
made neceflary under Fain of Damnation^ I
jieed not fay : and fhall only tranfcribe an
Account from Matthew Paris, concerning p. 693-—^
the Frandfca?2S, or Fryers Minors, the Edit.
Itiyierant Spiritual Guides of thofe Days/'*^
*' They procured from His Holinefs the
" Fope the Privilege of Preaching, hearing
" Confejjioiis , and enjoining Penances, in
" England; to the great Injury of the
" Parochial Mi f lifters : — Perfons worthy
" of this new Privilege, as being raifed
" up by the Lord, and not fe eking their own ,
" but the Things of Jefus Chrifl. The
*^ Itinera?its, tluHied and exalted hereby,
"demanded to Preach and Coiifefs every-
'* where, without Contradiftion ; and to
^*' be received as Angels of God: They
'' faucily and impudently proclaimed the
" EJiabliJljed Clergy to be blind Leaders
*^ of the Blind I and fay to the People,
** Come to us, who are able to diftinguifh
** Leprofy from Leprofy ; to whom arduous
*^ Difficulties, and the Secrets of God have
" been revealed. Hence Men and Women
^' loft all due Refpedt for their Proper
*^ Pajlors 3 and going to one of thefe ,
*^ Rambling Fryers, whom perhaps they
" might never fee miore, confeffed all to
" them without Shame or Blufhing. By
*^ thefe Means Sin more copioufly abound-
2 ". eds,
p. x;.
( 17^ )
" cd ; and the Itinerajits grew exceffively
^^ Imperious and Infoletity
Another 'Tendency to Vopery appears, by
the Notion of a Single Drop of Chriji's
Shod being a Su£icient Atonement for the
Sim of the ivhole World, For however
pious this may feem ; 'tis ablblutely Falfcy
and TapifticaL Falfe-y and betraying a
Fundamental Ignorance of our Redemption :
becaufe it was the Sacrifice of the Death
of Chrijt that procured our Remiffion
and Atonement. And Papifiical % being
broached by a Fope^ and for a ^wicked.
Purpofe, Mr. We/ley idh of a Methodifl^
3 J^'^J'n- v^'ho '^ knewy and was jure, that if he had^
all the Sins of the World laid upon him,
one Drop oj Chrijl's Blood was fufficient to'
atone for all.',' Which DoBrine comes
from Pope Cle^nent VI. in order to fill his
Magazine oj Pardons and Indulgencies, We.
have the whole in the Papal Canon Law.
Extrav, Com. Lib, V, Cap. 2. Unigenitus.
*' The Son of God^ though a moderate
*' Drop of his Blood would have fufficed
'/ for the Redemption of all Mankind,
'.' yet ibed the ivhok. Th\}X therefore the
'' Remainder of his Blood [all above that
^<[^Drop] might not be unprofitable, vaia*
f.'. and fuperfluous, it was left as a Ireafure
^l to the Church. — V7hich Treafure Chriji-
" did not hide in a Napkin^ or in a Field -^
'I but committed it to St, Peter the Key-
*' keeper
( I70
*' keeper of HeaveJt^ and to his Succeffor^
*' Chrijl's Vicars on Earth, to be difpofed
** of for the RemiJJion of Sins, To which
*' Heap of Treafure tlie Merits of the
*' Blefjed Mother of God, and of all the
*' £/d'(^, from the firf fuft Man to the
*' lafi) are known to make a confiderable
*' Addition^ You fee upon what Founda^
*' ^/c;2 are bullded the Popip DoBrine oj
" Merit, and Market of Indidgencies,
Oialike Tendency is Mr. Weflef^ con-
temptuous T^reatment of 7?/]§;Z?/ Opinions ;
or Orthodoxy s v/hich imports a right and
found Judgment in Matters of Doftrine
and Belief in the GofpeUhflttution, He
exprefsly fays, *' 'Tis a Point we C'^'^^fly ^mvi hzt^
*' infift upon, that Orthodoxy, or Right p. ^,
*' Opinions-, is, at befl, but a 'u^ry fender
** P^rif of Religion, if any Part of it
<« at all/' The plain Conlequence where-
of is, that teaching and believing the Fun"
danwital Errors of Popery, as Trarfub-
fantiation, Worfiip of Saints and Images^
with the whole Train of their Abominatiom
and Idolatries, — are of very little Mo?nenty
if of any. And he fpeaks vQry favourably
of thefe Points, by telling us, " that in 3 jourrti
Comparifon of preaching Jujiif cation byp-TS-
Faith and Works, all the Errors of Popery,
Tranjubliantiation, and a hundred more,
are Trifs light as Air'' Such a ftrange
Exte?2uation of the moft Antichrijlian
Z 2 SorcerieSy
( 172 )
Sorceries y reducing them alrtioft to a mefe
Nothings we find to be the Effe3l of a
tenacious Contention for '\MethodijUcal
Fancies,
Again. The Metkodifl-DoBrine of Im^
prejficns and AJJuranees, &c. holds equally
for Papal Enthiifiajls ^ many of them, par-
ticularly the Heave?!-! alight Tcrefay having
affirmed from the fame Force of Imagina-
SLife- imiy ^' that they could not pojjibly have a
greater Certitude of any one Thing than of
the Truth of the TopiJJj Religion^
Their Sudden and InJ}a?2taneous Conver-*
fions ftand upon the fame Footing with
life of the PopifJj, ** One Donna Catharina beins;
VoLii. ^^^^^i ^^^ ^ good Matchy but cafually
jp. 158. cafting her Eyes on a Crucifix ^ prefently
tlie Lord totally changed her : — and flie
retiFcd into a fecret Place to pray ; where
the Devil exercifed her with notable De-
hifions'*
I fhall mention but one more Thing
(except what properly belongs to my Third
and laji Part) of a Methodijlical Tendency '
to Popery ; which is, the RecG7nme?jdatio?i
cfPopiJl^ Books, Many fuch have of late
Years been Printed in England^ for the
JJfe of Catholics J and Converfion of Heretics z
which (as if by CompaB^ or Sympathy with
Methodijm) are fluffed with Aridities, De<-
folatio7is, and Defertions ; Feelings and Af-
furances ^ "foys^ Raptures y Vifions > Com^
munications.
( 173 )
Tniinicatiom ivith the Dcity^ Infpiratiom^
Miracles^ &c. But I fliall confine myfelf
to one or two, recommended by Mr.
Wejley, One is^ T^he Life of Air, de Renty %
of which Mr. Weflej hath made and Pub-
liflied An ExfraB^ for the Benefit of his
FoUon.ve?'S. I have not feen his ExtraB :
but by perufing the Life itfelf, I can eafily
difcern the Rcafcns of its high Degree of
Favour. For Mr, de Renty ( a Frerxhman
of ^lality) had a ftrong Tinfture of the
EnthiifiajUc Spirit, ^' He hated a Coach ^ Page 25*
and ufed to travel on Foot, — In his Way
towards PerfeBion, in the Morning he
takes Holy-Water^ goes to the Virgin}
Chapel^ places before him an Image of the
Virgiji holding her Son^ as the Lady of
the Houfe-y kifles the Earth before her;
and prays, Monflra te efje Matrcm^ . fhew
that you are. a Mother ; devotes himfelf
and Family to her Service entirely ; pays P. 26.
his Devoirs to St. Jofeph and Terefa: — Goes
forth whither God diredls ; — prays for the
Dead ',' — leaves his Breviary^ ^nd all Forms ;
becaufe they would be a Hindrance to his
coming to God: — has g?^eat Infidelities,
and fees nothing hut Fice and Sin in him :"
—-yet declares, " I bear in me Ordinarily a
Plenitude of the rnofl Holy Trinity : — By a
Love of God I enter into a Heat^ and into
a Fire, and even to my Fingers Ends feel
that all within me fpeaks ior its God.
Again,
( 174 )
P- 29- Again, I have nothing fenjlbk In me,
P. 38. and fall into my own Nothingnefs,'" — He
wears an Iron Girdle with a double Rank
of long Prickles^ a Bracelet of the fame,
continually on his BreaJ} a Crucifix^ fet
P. 66. v^\.th fiarp Nails entering his Flejh, — '' 1
fhould, fays he, have great Pleafure, if
it were permitted me, to go naked in my
Shirt through the Streets of Paris^ to make
myfelf difejleemed^ and taken for a FooL
Go/^fometimes giving to Holy Souls Thoughts
and Defires, fo raifed above the common
Pitch of human Reafon, as to feem Fx^
travagant : As before in our Founder Sti
Ignatius/*
P. 143. By Prayer^ he cures Difeafes the moft
defperate and extraordinary, with unlikely
Remedies :-^is, very diligent in Converting
p. 167. Protefiants to Popery : — in Prayer is fliewa
from God of an Employment defigned for
him in the Indies,
p. i-jz. A Lady difcourfing with him about pro-
curing Relief U7ider great Pain, and find-
ing no Comfort from him, immediately
fhe throws herfelf on her Knees ; and after
Prayer, (lie no longer fees Mr. de Rentyy_
but in him our Bleffcd Saviour, fhining
with great Splendor, and faying, '' Do
what viy Servant direBs thee : *' which
Words, at that very Injlayit, had fuch an
Effed:, that her Pain vaniPded^ and flie
\Ndi^ filled with God, and Converted,
He
( 175)
He could penetrate into the Inward P- 198—.
Recefjes of the Confdefice, and difcover
l?cop\Q's Secrets-, — could fpeak JVords Lt-
fpired at that 'very Hour-, — was Injpired
with great Certitude what was God\ Will.
Cod refided^ [pake, and aBed in him. — God^^ 218.
unites his Soul to himfelf, admits him to
the Communion of the Blejfed Vii^gin^
SaintSy and Angels. — One Day, by the p. 225.
fingular Bounty of God, he had a View of
his Divine Majefiy, of John Baptijl, a7id
Sificr Margaret, clearly reprefented. — The
J?ifa7it Jefus Reveals to Sifter Margaret, that
Mr, de Renty ll:iould thence-forward be
guided by the Spirit cf his Infancy, and
that He was de(cendi?2g to be his Light, —
After the Communion he fees, by an £;z- P. 23a;
lightening, our Saviour entire, i. e. all his
Myfleries from his Incarnation to his State
of Glory. — '' The Divine Goodnefs (faith p. 242;
he) worketh in me what I am not able
to exprefs. I pojjefs even the Blefjed Trinity ;
and find diflin6tly in myfelf the Operations
of the Three Divine Perfons. — / poljefs the p. 299:
Iloly Trifiity with a Plenitude of Verity and
Clearnejs 3 — 'tis a rnofl real Sight of the
Trifiity.
I was never fo hmipi/Ij, both in Body ?• 2S0.
and Spirit, as upon the Feftival of the
Blefjed Sacra?nent : Prefent at Service, Pro-
cefjion, Mafs, Communion ; but like a very
B^aji, fenfelefs (others too afFedted with
' - the
. (^7^ )
the like Sttipefauiion) *till I prayed before
a Criiafix. r Was injlantly cured of a
Rheum by going in a TrocefjiGn^ with Men
and Women foHowi?ig Chrijl with lighted
Torches,'*
P. 194. He rrientions fome pious Souls, who re-
ceive great Co?2folatiom, and tajle ravijhi?7g
Delights ; , — but the Devil deceives them
by thefe Gujls. Though at other Times
they fuffer many Tempe/is and Inward
P. 298. Tumults, Defertions, and Aridities, — Divine
Love produceth the fame Effefts in the
Soul, which Drunkennefs does in the Body i
Mirth, Lofs of Reafon, and Oblivion of all
Things, — Objcurities, Defertions, &cc, being
better than Gi/Jis of Joy and Confolations ;
P. 3C9—. therefore he was dead and annihilated to all
Gujis of Devotion, to all fenfible Graces and
Confolations, of which our Love^fck Souls
are fo greedy. -— Very few, who are not
infected with this Itch, — Laftly, he fays,
?. 3H. '' //^//itfelf fhould be my Paradife, if God
4evoted me thither."
Francis of Sales, a Canoitized Saint, Is
another Papiit much commended by Mr.
Wejley ; and '^ whoj^ he doubts not, is in
Abraharns Bofom,'" Why he is the Me-^
ihodifls Bojoni^Fr.iend may eafily be ittn by
looking into his Life^ publiflied in Englify
about twelve Years ago. " He put him-
feif under the Trote&ion of the Blefj'ed
Virgin-^ ;;Lnd was ze;;ilous in Converting
Heretics i
( ^77 )
Heretics :— was coming over into 'England^
to make a Convert of King "James I. of
whom there was great Hopes 5 but faga-
cioufly found out, it was not God*s Time. —
He was [like Mr. Whitejield] a great Ad-
mirer of Caflaniza's Spiritual Combat y and
has many Combats with the Devil, — Had
his Fits of Joy and Tranquility ; but fuc-
ceeded by Darknefs and Sadnefsy a Drynefsy
and even Dijlrufi of all Truth ; which he
imputes to Satan^ who would perfwade
him that God had decreed his Damnation, —
Hence he is feized with all the Terr or soj Hell y
after being flufhed with the Hopes of en-
joying God : — and is caft into fuch a deej>
Melancholy, that nothing in Nature could
raife him ; — he funk under the Load, had
the Jaundice from Head to Foot, — could
neither eat, drink, or fleep, — Defpair in
his Look, fharp Tains in Mind and
Body.
But the BleJJed Virgin gained his Re*
covery : for, the fame Momoit he ended
a Prayer to her, he felt the Removal of the
Weight. — But afterwards his Blood was fo
heated, that he fell into a Fever and Dyfen-
tery.
He Converted Seventy^ two Thoufand
Heretics. — Miraculoujly cures a Madman
in a Mome?2t -, cures many of the Tooth-ach^
Cbolicy &iQ, in a Mo?nent.
A a Has
( 178 )
Has a Vi/ion of an Order ^ of which he
was to be the Founder : — particularly ad-
mires the Order and Method of the Jefuits^
whofe Holy Founder omitted not the leaft
Thing that might nourifh Piety.'' Hence
probably Mr. Wtjley might learn ^' what
good Order there is even in a Society of
Jefuits."
Such are the Perfojts aiid Lives recom-
mended to the Methodifls : which help to
carry on my Parallel ; and greatly con-
tribute to the Service of Popery, Whether
Mr. Wefley hath inferted any of the proper
Doclrines of Popery in the former of thefe
Lives, or Publified the latter, -— I am per-^
feftly ignorant. But his Followers will
naturally conclude, that fuch a. Religion
can't be very iad, which nurfeth up fuch
devout Saints ; which breathes fuch a true
Spirit of Methodifm, They will entertain
i;i favourable Opinion, if not a high Fflean.^
of a Communion (the Jefuitical Part oi ^
efpecially) where they find the Ge7iuim
CharaBer, in fo many Particulars, of their
own Difpenfation ; fo many JLxtravagant
Flights and Fancies, fuch Miraculous Cures
by the BleJJed Virgin, and other Saints, fuch
Afurances, Ecjiacies, Viftons^ Divine Com-
munications ; together with fuch ^empta^
tions. Infidelities, Defpairings, Hellijh Tor-
ments, and other Pangs of the New Births
This, I thinkj will be the natural Ten^
4ency^
C ^79 )
dency^ when the Heat of the Brain hath
fcorched up their Judgmefit,
The Charge of fome of the angry Mora*
vians againft Mr. M^ejley and Brother for
breaching Topery, is what I don't lay any
Strefs upon. And I allow that Mr. Wejley
hath difclaimed Topery feveral Times j par- 3 Jo«^-
ticularly " its Dijiinguijhing DoBrines, aspJther'
fummed up in the Twelve Articles which Appeal^
the Cou72cil of Trent added to the CreedJ"^' '®''
And then he afks, *' who can find the
** leaft Connexion between any of thefe
•* and the Doctrines of the MethodifisT*
Some Connexion hath been fhewn through
this whole Comparifon. Nor can there be
any Security againft all T^opijh Errors^
while Pretences to Special Revelations^ Ec-
Jiacies^ ImpreJlions^ Miracles, &c. are in
Vogue. For I can cafily fhew, how all
the Dijlinguifking DoBrines of Topery have
been Introduced, and received 2. SanBion^
by the fame Fanatical 'Pretences, And he
will be pleafed to remember, that fefuitSy
and other Roman Emifjaries^ h^ve oftea
mingled^ and been the Ri72gleaderSy among
cur Enthufiafic SeBaries 'y\p\iA\y exclaim-
ing againft the Vope^ and pretending to
Purity and Reformation. He knows we
could produce diners Inflances, At pre-*
fent a fingle Inftance fhall fuffice. 'Tis to
be feen in other Books : but I take it out of
Foxes and Fire-brands^ Page 7—.
A a 2 ," In
( i8o)
• " In the Year 1567, the 9th of Eliza^
hethy one Faithful Commin^ a Dominican
Friar ^ a Perfon generally reputed a zealous
Frotejlanty much admired and followed
by the People for his feeming Piety^ but
mor^- particularly for inveighing in his
Pulpit moft bitterly againft Pius V.
then Pope^ was Accufed of being an Im-
fojlor^ and Examined before the ^een and
P rivy-Counci I y hy M, Parker ArchbiJJoop of
Canterbury. Part of his Examination is as
foUoweth.
^ Archb. Faithful Commin^ of what Pro-
feffion art thou ?
F.Com. Oi Chr if s Order,
Archb. Were you ever Ordained'^
\.:F,Com, Yes, I /z£;<^^ Ordained.
Archb, By whom %^\_ ^^
jP. Com. By the CardinaL ( Meaning
"Poole,)
.^^rchb. Had you not other Certificate
under any of the Bifiops Hands, fince the
Reformation.
F. Com. Not any.
Archb. Wherefore would you dare to
Preachy having not got a Licenfe under
fome of our Bifiops Hands ? How {hall
we be ajGTured that you ^^ not of the Romifi
F, Coin. There are feveral have heard
my. Prayers and my So'mons, and can teftify
tSat I liavg.^fpokcA^ againft RomCy and her
.-. - " •'^" .\.-. "Pope,
( i8i ;
TopCi as much as any of the Clergy hdve,
iince they have fallen from her : I wonder
therefore why I fhould hcfufpeBed,
*.. Arcbh. By your Anfwer, Mr. Commin^
I perceive you would have any one Vreachf
fo that he fpake but ^gainft the Tope in
his SermonSi ' - -r**^,
F.Com. Not every one^ ^tth^ whofd
FunBion it is, and he who hath the Spirit,
Archb, What Spirit is this you mean ?
jP. Com. T^he Spirit of Grace and Truth.
Archb, But is this Spirit that is in you
either the Spirit of Grace^ or 'Truth^ that
doth not comply w^ith the Orders of the
Churchy lately purged and cleanfed from
Schifm and Idolatry ? ^
F. Com. Therefore I endeavour to make
it Turer^ as far as God permits.
:^ Archb, How do you endeavour to make
the Church Purer — ?
^<' F.Com, I endeavour it, when I pray
W God that he would open the Eyes of
Men to fee their Errors : and feveral have
joined with me when I have Prayed among
them : and I have both given and takexi
The Body of Chriji to thofe of tender Con--
jcienceSy who have aflembled with me in
the Fear of the Lord,
Archb. By your Words then you have
a Congregation that follows you,
F. Co?n. I have.
Archb. Of what Tarifk, and in what
Diocefe ? . Ai il:; F- Com.
( iSa )
. F. Com. Neither of any certain Parijh^
nor in any certain Diocefe.
Archb. Where then, I pray ?
F. Co7n, Even in the wide World, among
the Flock of Chriji fcattered over the whole
Earth.
^een. Tour Diocefe is very large, Mr^
Commin.
(ne Witnefles were then called in^ and
■■X ii;rl5 b -examined.)
^een, Mr. Draper^ what have you to
fay to this Faithful Commin ?
Draper. He came to my Houfe at the
Maidenhead in Maidflone, with feveral of
his Followers-, — I fhewed him a Room ;— •
and perceiving feveral to come and enquire
for this Mr. Cofrmin, and by Chance
going up the Stairs I heard one groan and
weep', which caufed me to lift up the
Latch : at firil: I was ftartled, but enquiring
of one of his Followers, what ailed thq
Man ? He replied, do you not fee w^e be
alJ at Trayers? The Maid, wondering
where I was, came to feek me, and can
Teftify the fame.
- Maid, I faw this Faithful Commin, and
thought he was difra^ed when I heard.
him pray. But the People faid, He was
a Heavenly Man, and that it was God's
Spirit made him weep for the Sins of the
World.
^een. Mr. Commin, — Though you have
preached againft the Pope, yet you have
jfuj'pcd
( i83 )
ufiirped over the Power both of Church and
State — .
F, Com. Give me Time to confider, and
prepare myfelf, and I (hall give yQiir Grace
a further Anfwer in a fhort Space.
He was then bound over for his Ap'^
pearanccy for farther Examination, to atio-
ther Day. — But coming from the Council'
he told his Followers that her Majejly and
the Council had acquitted him : and that he
was warned of God to go beyond the Seas,
to InJlruB the Protejlants there ; — that he
had not a FarthiJtg to fupport him, yet
being God's Qaufe he would undertake it
out of Charity y &c. This Speech fet them
a weepings efpecially the JVome?i : and
^3^£' was collected for him; befides
what the Companionate Sex gave him, un*
known to their Hujbands, — His Followers
faid before the Council^ in their Opinions
they had never i^tvi fo Zealous and Heaven*
ly a Man, as htfeemed to be ; and difcover-
ed the particular Sums oi Money ^ of which
this Religious Jugler had cheated thefe
deluded People,
Commin in the mean Time had efcaped
out of Engla7id\ got fafe to Rorne-y and
affured the Pope^ *' that his Spiritual and
Extempore Prayers had io much taken with
the People, whom he InftruEfed^ that
the Church oj England was become as Odious
to that Sort of Peopky as Mafs was to the
Chur(:h of England. Upon which the Pope
gave
( i84 )
gave him a Reward of 2000 Ducats for
his good Service."' The Reader will, no
iDoubt, obferve how faithfully this Ac-
count of Faithful Go7j7ini7t hath been Copied
by the ExpreJ/io?2S^ Sentiments^ and ConduB
of our Brethren of the Order of Methodifm.
There follows in the fame Book a Narra-
five (taken out of the Regijlry of Rochejler^
in the Book beginning 2. and 3. PhiL & M.
and continued to 15. EHz.) too long to
recite, of one Th. Heth, a Jefuit^ " who
Preached much againft Popery^ and particu-
larly his own Order ; laboured to Refjte the
Protejlants^ to take off all Smacks of Popery ^
and fhew his Good-wi/Iin making the Church
purer.— Ht V72isdifcoveredhY a Letter, which
he dropt in the Tulpit, from the Fraterfiity
ef Jefuits '^ and upon fending to his Lodg^
ingSy upon Search, his Beads were found in
his Boots^ with a Licenfe from the Prater-
nityy and a Bull of Pius V. to preach what
Dodlrine that Society pleafed, for Dividing
ProteJlantSy &c/'
This is fufficient Proof, that a Jefuit's^ or
Enthiifiajl's^ declaiming againft Popery is no
"Teji of their Sincerity. And we may ftill have
Reafon to fufped: of Methodifm^ that the
Marks of the Beaft are upon it.
Upon a Review of the Whole the Reader
will be apt to conclude with myfelf, in the
Words of Mr. Whitefield^ Oh I what a
Myjiery is the Divine Life ?
The End of the Second Part.
THE
ENTHUSIASM
O F
METHODISTS
AND
PAPISTS
COMPARED.
PART III.
*' J am apt to lay this down for a Maxim in Politics, tkat tvben they are
htijy in Exorcifmg or DirpofTefling of Devils, '/;i Time fjr our Governors to look
cbout tbem ; there being a ivorje Devil lying bid, than that ivbicb appears upon
tbe Stage. ■ For 'tis Dangerous, tvben a « Under- Party, by tbefe and fucb
liy Cheats of Sanftity, endea'vour to Jirengtben their Ir.tereji by tnaking tbenim
fehcs Popular."
Foulii^s Hiftory of Romi/h Trcafons.
*' Ua'ving been at one of their Exorcifings, I /aid, I doubted ivbetker the
Party ivere a&ually and really PofTeffed. Mr. Thomfon, a.Prieft, and
great Acior in tbofe Matters, anjivered Hucb Catholics as baz-e been prefcnt
at fuch Fits, ha've received it Jot a Trutb, that tbe Parties arc PofTcfled,
And though 1 ivill not make Jt an Article of my Creed, yet I thvnk that Godly
Credulity doth much Good fcr the fartheUng of the Catholic Caufe."
Confi'Jfion of Anthony Tyrrei^ Prlcjl. Ibid.
LONDON:
Printed for J. and P. Knap ton, in Ludgate-Strect *
M. DCC. H.
a 'A 3. Si 3. y 3. Si odi oT
.1 ^ 'A "^ ,iM
H I
r. zlaibbA eirij o1 id-giSi \
s^:i<\v^, iV\^W dY2J\^\ "^. 'Jvi^i^
I'j^'^ nolmqcnoO Ml Id JibS; faiirlT ^
To the Reverend
Mr. TT E S L E r.
SIR,
S you make fo conjiderahk a
Figure in the enfumg Dif-
courfe, you may claim a Sort
of Right to this Addrefs:
lohich at length waits Upon
you (as the Former on Mr.
Whltefield) unjiained ivith the too common
Daub of Flattery 5 and yet paying due Re-^
gard to your Merits.
My Third Part of this Comparifon was
ready for the Prefs above a Twelve-Month
ago : but the Publication was delayed^ on
Account of your Fifth Journal, and your
Letter to the Author of the Enthufiam, ^c.
both of which faw the Light ahut the fame
a 2 "tijne.
P R.E F A C E.S
Time.. This^ with 'varioz{s vthey^ tntety^cf^.
ticns, hath pt^evented ?}iy earlier Appearaficey
(md.like'wife occafio?ied no [mall Additionsirfqol*!
Toti have acquainted us^ "^ thatii^kVm
Journals ^:^^z/ ExtraSs from ydiitll^getcj
Diary: k not .being your D£fign to ?rkte \
all Particulars." The gjxater is the Pity, :
fay^cLx^'^b^ ^vCviricfity hath the World \
It is MatM'-^iv^mEd^cerntoo^
in .geneal, yoiirtfj^Hnpalsvi.f^/;;^ mt (^ut^^\
fooner, ufier/^the F2idLS, mhich they rela^^ol
and partiadarly your Fifth: which ivas'
publilhed in the Winter, ij^gy wid j-e-
latm:<Matters from September j^ s^a i^ tai
Odober 27, 1743. So that feven vr eight\
Tears rntervene. But for this^ no Dmckt^iO^
)'^i/ ■/64?^'^ -good Reafons. For you appeal;
her^^^fck Facls ; . and bring your Evidencep
^jchich. 'might have been brought immediatelyi\>
at the Dijianee ofmzny Years. tVhich mujk\
be. allowed Jo be a cautious and prudent^
Step. Forfome of the Forties concer7ied may
probably have died in the Interval i^^inanj
Circuniilances (as a found Judgment and
good IVIemory doiit often ?neet) may have,.
been. fpx^oXXax.hy ^03/r Difciples. In which'
Qafes you are therefore under noFiaJiger of.
bmig contradicted 3 and may relate, as litde^-
or\^as much, as you /^/^^/J.-^haradlers of
Benfonsyy.and Variety, c/' Incidents may have^-
bi^njo altered, that after a Coiirfe \ oj Tearfs^
yoih^^\find it proper \to change your 'Note.^^1
ani^tJoercby be guilty ^/ fev/erincoiliijftencies;'^'!^';
ProphecieB efpecially may haiie been uttered-^\^'\
in Eeftaric or Raging Fits, of '^Tlmigs ftiortiy
to be fulfilled. And then 'tis perfeBly right \
4o wait the Event ; lejl Wnnt of AccomiiCi
plifliment?\^^^^^/^ occafwn Shame. Prophecjil;
(y(M 'vtkll -hiow) is me of the neeeffary '-In^i<\
gredients of Enthufiafm. jijid the Pre4\
di(3:ions, if put off to a remote Event, would
not ferve a?i Impoftor's Purpofe. His Fol-
lowers are too impatient and eager to ftay?
they mufl he ftruck with fomething near at
Hand. And yet /i?^ precife 'Ti-me^ Day or
Year of it^ mufl be too fun5iually mentio7ied^\
for \ fear of Difappointment. Tour KcAj
quaiQtahce, Madam Bourignony was fo im^ '
prudent^ as to fix " the Millennium, or
Day, of Judgment, within her own Days".^ '
and io near, that within three Years *Z£i^
Jhould fee the Eited: of it^ She hath been
dead about feventy Years, and thereby proved
herfelf a falfe Prophetefs, Tou^ Sir, have
beeUy for fome Tears, a Dealer-oiit of the
/^/?;t' Prophetic Warnings : " Behold! the
Day of the Lord is come,—- ^/^ this very
Hour the Lord is j'olling away our Repronch^^
As your Reproach is not beginning to ie
rolled away, much lefs appears any fuU
Completion; haply you- have obtained an
ln\\ihitiQn*ym^:)ha'Oe Power to adjourn the
Day of th^ 'Lovdi, from "l^inj^ toTime, at
your
lib. 4
ycm- PleaJure:-'By fiich * Artificef ;'^/J^^, may
hope to efiapt /Z?^ Share, tjito which ^ ;^ro-
ther Methodift-Teacher ' fell 5 <who pro-
nou7iced peremptorily, fome Jew Tears ago y
" that the Day of Judgment fLould come
that very Year;;' hut, unluck^^^^^:!:^
c^^;Prophecy hdppeniiig, '^fy^^t^^[ M'
Shame \~l7nean, if he\\z^ m^.~^Tcu will
have the Story a?mu~ '- '. - 1'/ ' '
In the mean Time take fh^ following Story
Annal. from A^ftn^mt.:^^^/^^ \^about
nifie Hundred Tears ago] there was a crazy
Woman, called Theoda, whoy under the
DireBion of a Prieft, for the Sake of Lucre^j
ajid depending on the Credulity of the People^
(ignorant Perfo?2S being always 7nore fup^
ftitlous than religious) fet up for the Gift
of Prophefying. She pretended Heavenly
Vifions, Meetings and Converfations with
the C^leftial Beings : and foretold, that the
Day of Judgment fhould come tliat very
Year. Men, Wo7nen, and Childre?i, frighte?i^
edfmt of their Senfes, flocked about her:^
brought her Prefents, a?id begged her Inter-
ceffion with Heaven ,• followed, adored, and
cjleemed her infpired. But being brought
before fome Bifliops, Jke discovered the whole
Cheat, in which foe was i??fruBed by the
P^eft. ^ For which foe only ufiderwejit the
Difcipline of Whipping ; a?2d was let go, /^
htmierwdrds a public Lau^^hine-StocW'^VvC
- . loi^r
P.R E E,A,Q,E. VII
TcdircwnTollQwers^.^ i?iyour laft Journal,
hMe^'&'Shar^m\yoiirCom^^ " SQ?7ie ^^S^ '•
b^ijiing to ufe ^tkeir Liberty, as. W -Cloak for
Litentloufneis/' / readily helicve. it : and
not only beginning, but running great
Jucb V^i\t^^^ot'%^^^^ infg
your Hea^^to;hnfetve^ ^^^[/ind^hpw. fQi4d
you expeB Mtcr, 'after iheir^Jmg cnu^bt
in j^ur own Wj^les r— -^..grd^x^^^^^
^^ :^^P^/i^.. of.]hme:.of your ^Qno;ctg2ct\ons, .
Mo-lan^e ;zc?/ j^/ Ichown :tlieft Depths^ 7S!l
^^ Preaching at M.^^V'^J^ Qofir^ed^an-^zln^ p4^o/.
fttpid. Attention, /^'l^'i^ * losi
c^vinced of • Sin : J^ C2^,fri ' j'^^^^a^^^^
A^^bation, M& nblblute Oheoncef n,--r
ffr'^tK^hedy i?i the Caftle at Exeter, toju^
a'PcoptKjiilhave rarely fien, void both pf
Anger,"Fear, '^^'Lm^r-^:^j:^ge Peopk
indeed to^ he void of all three! ;—!,^/ another
Eoi^OtV^-^ ^ ftaring, loving
§oci^:'-—Atl imaccom Feopkl
But ?jot a S>uartcr fo unaccGuntahle, as.^uchen
they tome to ^^^^^,mg^
tpur inchanted Wanti;. • -, • 1 v s\
\-Wpat you ibmo cut agahiji^^pke S)€tx^^r^
^ thenif elves . cnfwer, Bid^^^^i)you.]o^
the W^^adjorbldd^n bim^pu excTatm-
horribly^
vni PREFACE.
horribly, " By what Authority am Ifufpend-
edfrom preaching ? By bare-faced Arbitrary
Power." But is there not a Caufe ? Are
there not many ? Do you think them fo in
Love nvith your B'ack Art, as to he fond
of having themfehes, and DoBrines, traduced
in their own Pulpits? Of ferjnitting their
Flock to he llioien, or catch the Murrain ?
— Tou can hardly objeB to Vilions. And
Sale's we are ir formed, " T^kat Mahomet had a
Koran, vifion. wherein he faw his Enemies mount
p. 232. . . Y
his Pulpit, and jump about in it like
Monkies." The Clergy have ojien feen fuch
a Sight, bare-faced, and with their cor-
poreal Eyes.
Another Complaint lies againjl the Curate
p. 84 of Ep worth \ who faid, '^ Pray tell Mr.
Wefley, Ifhall not give him the Sacrament.
For he is not fit." hideed. Sir, I take your
Part here, (For I am determined to a6i
impartially.) The Curate was to blame,
PoJJibly he might not think you arrived to
Perfedion. But, on the other Hand, he
ought to have remembered your Doftrine ^
4 Journ. that *' no Fitnefs is required at the Time
F- 47- «9/Xummunicating, hut a Senfe of our utter
Sinfulnefs; every one, who knows he is fit
for Hell, being fit to come to Chrill in
this Ordinance.''
But your worft Enemies, the mofi hate-
ful of Men, are the wicked Moravians.
There was a Time, when " theirs was the
only
P^R E F A C E. lie
only Country of the Chriftians; — wbe?i
ym coicld not fee any of the?n^ but your Heart
burned withiii you -, they were fome of the
beft of Men; a7id (is it poffMef)- better by
far than yourfelf, C5?r." But 7iow^ at length'^
nothing is fo wicked; nothing fo deteflable.
After you had found out " their Guile,
Hypocrify, Profanation of God's Ordi-
nances, Conformity to this World, Tena-
cioufnefs of their eflentially-erroneous Doc-
trines,- &c,"^then your Difcipline and theirs
are as widely different^ as the . Heavens are
from the Earth. Nor is there any fo ef-^
fiSual B^r in the World againji Moravianifm,
as pure Methodifm," So that 720w^ " the^-e
ri?^>^' Connexion between you\ the Names
6/^ 'Moravians and Methodifts are become
fcandalous to each other T And yet ^ in Spite
of the effectual Bar, you are perpetually com-.
plainifig of Methodifts apoftatizing to the
ftiil Brethren ; going over in great Nimibers
to their .effentially - erroneous Dodlrines.
Which may be called a Proofs that you are
abb to fet Enthufiafm a-going ; but want
the Art ^flopping it at P leaf are.
-^^'■' Let me afk feiioufly y Are the Moravian
Principles and Pradlices {o bad as you de--
fcribe them f Why then do you inake your-
felf fo merry with your own, who are f educed
by- them? Why are they packed away co
Hell with fuch farcaftical Sneers? " A p. gg,
(?/>/, whom I had often obfervedy as being
b in
3: P R E F A C ^E.
in an eminent Degree of a meek ajtd lowly
Spirit, revrjlts to them. Ah, my peer flill
Sifter ! "Thou art an apt Scholar indeed ! I
did not expeB this quite lb foon. — I called
en poor jofeph Hodges, 'wbo, after -ioith-
fianding fo long the Wiles of the Enemy,
has been at laft induced, by his fatal Regard
for Mr, Hall, to renounce both my Brother
and me, in Form. But he had perfedtly
teamed the Exercife of his Arms."
I fee. Sir, you are an errant Joker, a
perfed: Droll. Tcu love to have the Laugh
on your Side, — whoi you can get it, Tou
have a Jeft at their Service, even when they
are in SatanV Clutches.
Plangentls populi currit derifor anubis.
Btit above all, your Gall-bladder chief y
overfloivs upon their Bilhop, Count Zinzen-
dorf: for u'hofe Sake you have drawn a
Parallel ; for idnch I heartily thank you,
?. e-j. «^ / read over that furprizing Book, The
IJfe of Ignatius Loyola : fuj-ely one of the
greateft: Men, that ever was e?7gaged in the
Support of fo bad a Caufe. / wonder any
Man fioidd judge him to be an Enthufiaft.
No, But he knew the People with whom
he had to do. And fitting out, like Count
Z- , ^with a jull Perfuafwn, that he
7night ufe Guile, to promote the G\orj of
God, or (which he thought the fame Thing)
the Intereft of his Church, he aMed in all
Things
PREFACE. xr
Tthings eonfiftent with his Principles." That
you have ?i'ad the Life of Ignatius, and even
made it your Study, the IVorld will eafily
believe ; imicfsyou have aBed wholly by Sym-.
pathy ; — will perhaps be difpofed to acquit
you 2/ Enthufiafm, and for the fame Rea-
fons : — and will certainly fee ^ that the Cap
will fit another Head, befides that of the
Count ; and will call to mind the Story of
the envious Man^ who did not care if he loft
both his own Eyes, fo that he could pick out
one of his Enemy's. But that is of little
Moment, I'he Ambition of being thought a
great Man, and knowing the People with
whom you have to do^ will be fuficient Re-
compence for a bad Caufe, ufing Guile, or
being called a crack-brain a Enthufiaft, by
inifiaken Perfons.
But what is the Quarrel with the Count ?
Only who ft^ all be the greateft. Ton are Ri-
vals, and Competitors. T^he Count will 7iot
allow you to govern. He is the principal
Sheep-flealer i he kidnaps your Followers.
'The Difpute is typified by the Story of the
Battle between Apollo and the Dragon Py-
thon, who Jljould have the Direction of the
Oracle : — or that of three Anti-Popes at
thefa?ne Time^ banning and curfing one ano-
ther for the Sake of the infallible Chair.
Hence thefe inveterate Animofities. Hence
your reciprocal Anathemas " of Preaching
another Gofpel; — leading to Damnation :
b 2 The
XII P R E F A C E.
ne Devil) as Mr, Whitefield ajftires iis^
ftandi7ig clofe by^ and blowing the Coals.'*
Proceed in your Contention^ exereife your
Arms ; try the Pointy ^ivhich of you hath
vioji " Subtlety, Evaiion and Difguife ;"
^hich jhall be the mofi '' clofe, dark and
referved ^" ijohich fiall draw mofi Wood-
cocks into the Snare. The World will foon
he convincd^ that you are all a Pack of wild
Fanatics, — aut illud quod dicere nolo.
Go on^ and build Chapels. One 7nav be
Lucian, dedicated to the God Proteus, (as was i?i
luiz* ^^^^ Days of V^.g'miim) famous for bei?2g a
P . 3 2 5 . j uggling Wonder-monger, afid turni?ig him-
felf into all Shapes : — Another to the God
r^&^Catius, becaife he made Men Hy znd
cunning as Cats. Tcu will find fome Wor-
f hip per s : the People with whom you have to
doe J you know^ will adore you ; for the fame
Macrob. Reafon that " the ^Egyptians did their Bull
Lib L ^pjg . Jyecaufe renowned for Miracles, and
^^" " ' every Hour changing its Colour."
// will 7iot be much Trouble^ to add a few
more Particulars co?icer?ii?2g this fame fur-
FVm. N^t.prizing Beaft, (God, / would fay) Apis.
^f^p'28." He was to have tr^r/^/;; peculiar Marks ;
iSiian. which ^ when complete^ 'z^^'r^' nine and Twen-
^l^'-^,'", ty in Nu?nher : A?id thtfe difiingiiifio able only
II. cap. by the Priefts and holy Prophets; not to
10. _ be under flood ^ or even difcernedbyignoT^inli
rJnTb T'-.^'^^'-^ profane Eyes. \_The precfe Number of
cap. 14.' Methodiftical ^larks w// know befi : and you
have
PREFACE. XIII
have charged me both with Ignorance and
Profanenefs, concerjilng them,^ Wheji his
Holinefs was confecrated, he was provided
with two Apartments^ which they called
the Chambers; in one of which he por-
tends horrible Things, in the other joy-
ful. In this latter y upon Occafion is ad^nit-
ted^ for his Diverfion^ a beautiful Heifer,
havijjg the fame Marks with his own, —
He could do Miracles, and foretel future
Events, by changing his Spots and Colours.
— When led out among the common Herds
he was atte?ided by fome gamefome Boys,
who poured out Prophecies in Virtue of his
Influence^ a?id even the Herds became Enthu-
fiaftic and Prophetical. — He was honour-
ed with Hymns and Sacrifices ; feemed to be
an intelligent Creature ; to love Adoration,
a72d receive Homage with Plecfure, — He
received his Meat from the Ha?ids of his
Worfhippers; but would turn his Tail to
thofe he did not like, [It will be my Fate
to be fo ferved.] One thing was remarkable
in this deify'd Brute -, he mujl be born of a
Heifer that had been ftruck down with Hero^^ot,
Lightning. [This . you, Sir, and Mr, I'^^'s!'
Whitefield, fell us was the Cafe of fever al
Methodift Females.] And when he died,
(for die his Godfhip muji as well as ^^Z/^^r Auguft.
horned Cattle) they were never Io?ig in find-^'^'^ - ^^^»
ing out another with fimilar Marks; /^^caV%*
Dccmons
XIV PREFACE.
Demons foon fupplying them with a Succef-
for."
It would be keeping clofer to my Title Pcigey
if I could fetch a Comparilbn from the
Pope'i Bulls. 'Thfe^ you well hww^ were
literally inere Bubbles ^ the Seals of papal
Cham- Inftmments. " If they be Letters of Grace,
bers, in the Bubble is loiwg on filken Threads ; if
" * they be Letters of Juftice, and Executory,
the Bubble is himg by a Hempen Cord."
Tou are ready ^ 720 doubt ^ to exclaim once
more^ " what is all this to me ? Doth this
prove me to be an Enthuiiaft ?" — And I
begin to fear that my Conimuiiication with
Methodifm hath had bad Effedls 3 that my
Head is thereby fo?nething diforder'd, and
?ny Brains upon the Ramble. But I muft
proceed as well as I can.
More out of this laft Journal (fraught
with the ufual lading of Vanity, great Pre-
tenfions, Exorcifms, and other Oftentati-
on of Miracles) will be brought to the
Touch-ftone in the enfuingTizQi, And^I
hope^ you will take in good part a few gen-
tle Stridures from the Hand of a Stran-
ger ; which will he better than for Rival-
Saints to be hacking and gailiing one ano-
ther fo unmercifully. Be goveriid by the
Siiilingfl. /i&w/;/'^ Example. " O-'/e' Henry, a Clu-
^°^-^- *niac Abbot, iimde a Rule, that the Moyxk.^
^ *^'' flmdd be Jl^aved by a fecular Barber; he--
catfe whn they fiaved themfihes, it was not
jQiaving,
PREFACE. .XV
ihaving, but flaying. Chronic, Cluniac,
p. 1670."
Your Letter to the Author of Enthuii-
afm remains. But I am fimething at a
lofs what to fay to fuch a Medley of Chi-
canery, Sophiftry, Prevarication, Evaiion,
Pertnefs, Conceitednefs, Scurrility, Sauci-
nefs, and Effrontery. Paper and Time
Jhouldmt be wafied on fuch Stziff\ Aiid yet
I begin to feel a Spice of Vanity^ and enter^
tain no mean Opinion of my Pamphlets-^
feeing (as M?\ Whit^fi^XAfpcaks in his own
Cafe) '' they have ferved a good Purpofe;''
by drawing out the true. Spirit of Mr.
John Wefley. hi this Performance your
Temper appears naked and undifguifed ;
fo as abnofi to perfuade the TForld, that you
are no Enthufiaft -, at leaf that there is ?w
Enthuiiafm here. — / a?n not fo clear in
that Point, For Enthuiiafm, however in-
nocent at the firft fetti?2g out, ujually and
naturally runneth into Trick, Bitternefs and
Ferocity; cjpecially where it catcheth a
fuitable Difpoiition. lHoe Choler, by Per-
vientation, willfoon become Aduft ; will turn
black and bitter, overflow and burn, and
boil, and rage, and ftihk, like Pitch.
Such was the Enthufiafm of Madam Bqu-
r Ignon ; (wbof Exprefjions youfeem fend of
Copying) who^ omie niore fieps ,hp,iitf^^mr 'ffi^
Afjiftance, 5&"'Z2;<?i^z\Vomanof a(ihoieri,c, cQi 1
Peevifli and morofe Conflitution ; which
heightened
XVI P^R E F A C E.
heightened /^j^r Enthufiafm eafilyAnt^irAher^
with thofc jnojl excellent Chriftian Senti-
ments, in her Light rifen in Darknefs^^
Part 3. " Many fay\ that I camiot ^^^r Contradic-
^^^'' ^* tion. — And they are ;zi?^ ^^ contradid me
by their Writings. For the Holy Spirit
Part 4. ought not to be controurd."---. " Iivasfiir^.
^^^^' ^^- pri/ed to hear you njoas ofihided at my iifing.
fharp Language againjl Come Perfons. Be-^
lieve me^ I think this. to be one of the greateft.
Graces, that God has given me.-^J blefs
God who has given me Anger to oppofe Evil ;
and I will fight agaijtft it even with An-r
ger and Fury ; not heeding whether ycu^ or
any of you^ approve of my Procedure^ or no,
— If I turn angry, and am fo rude iii my
Words ; thefe very Things are Teftimonies of
the Spirit of God. — A, Soul pojfejfed .with
the Spirit of God ought to have its Paffions
more lively than any other Peifon who is
pojfefed with his own Spirit j who is not
allow'd to fiifter his Paffions to reign.' --^/
would ahiofifay^ what a Vixen hath fet you a
Copy?
Cnidelis mater m.agis, anPuer improbus ille ?
What now is becotne of ^^ tk harmlefs
•xr_.Methodifl:? T[he Man who keeps his Mouth
■ -as it were with a Bridie ! The Saint who
faidy ' Let m^Jpeak as a little Child ! Let
my Religion be plain, artlefs^ fimplel
Meek'
PREFACE. XVII
Mecknefs, Temperance, Patience and Love^
— - be thefe my higheft Gifts ! ' — fVhen are
we to fee the real good Fruits of your New
Birth ? Of that * fpotlefs Perfection, that
is fromifcd to you all? * How long are we
to wait for your Noftrum, the grand Ope-
ration, of exalting (through the Furnace)
the bafeft Metals into Gold ? Hitherto you
may join ifj'ue with the dijappointed Jews ;
". \Ve have been with Child, we have
been in Pain, we have as it were brought
forth Wind : we have not wrought any
Deliverance in the Earth, neither have the
Inhabitants of the World fallen." Hitherto
your Progrefs is that of a Crab, dire&ly
backwards. Ncr can I difcern any Per-
fed:lon — but the Perfedion of Jefuitifm^
" Oh ! what a Fall is here ? " How per-
verfy has yciir primitive Saintfhip, your
dove-like Simplicity, been hatching the
Cockatrice Eggs, and weaving the Spider s
Web ? What a Change from pure Nothing-
licfs into f riving to be every Thing ? JVbaf
a Dwindling into a Great Man ? There
Wuj a Time of fuch Mortification and Self-
denial, that you bound ymrfelj by a *' re-2 Journ.
peated Refoiution, never mere to fpeak av- ^^*
Tittle of worldly Things." But " notwith- Letter,
Jiand/ng this, [they are your own Wcrds'\ you^ *3-
bav' often fince engaged therein." — Thci'e
was a Time, when (Uke St. Francis, who
made himfefWivcs and Miftrefles of Snow-
c balls)
XVIII PRE F A CE.
l^aa App. |;^all.s) ym was in Love with ^^, Froft an<f
^' ^^^' Snow ; when you laid you down on the Flbory
andjlcptfoimdly-y when you believed ^yotijhoidi
not need to go tt>-bed any mor&^ di'^tis calledl\
jlt lengthy even a warm Bed wont Jewel
lijlthozit^a eomfortable Bed-FelloW. Bicfj
m^far^iaf I can objWve^ this is the Way of
ymedl.^i^l are of the Family of Love. A?id
tJjus i*' &tan ;?Wi j^'c^ iTzrf fliaking his King-
dom, and making Mothers in Ifrael." Nof
are there wa^tting among you much worfe and
more pregnant Proofs bf venereal Enthli^
fiafm ',• the Jirange -Mixtures of Debauchei^
and SmBity, : - ^ '^'-^
. Toil ha^ve bragged^ with the proud Pha^
1 Journ. rifee,. '' my Ways are not like other M^\
P- ^7- Ways-, — Give me where to Jland, andi''^%iU
3 Journ. ^;^|^ fhc Earth : — ly and my Brother/'-^rc-
P','^^* unexceptionable on alV Accounts: — 0/ Ex-
4 Journ. i i c\ •// /•
p. 8 1. periences, ^i^to //^^ Servant mtght be as m
p/[a&(^'r,' without any Corruption, &c." JB^if
iraiah.xiv.,.^All ihall fpeak, and fay unto thee. Art
thou alfo become weak as we ? Art thou
.,,,^i Jjecome like unto us? Thou haft faid, >X
- 'will afcend into Heaven j I will be like the
- Moft High. They that fee thee iliall nar-
rowly look upon thee, ajid confider thee^
faying, Is this the Man that made the Eardi
JO tremble, that did (hake Kingdoms ? -- -
\v3 But hold! '' I fiall run myfelf owt'x^
fii^th again. I jhall onge more be charged
mthfetting ^de the New' Ti^ftam^nt, i^
A^ii^^'VA;^. \i not
PREFACE. x««
nxtt .adverting tO'it^ in writijig my V2LVcv^\A^X.r
Did I never read thofe Scripture-Inftances,
^y.c^ompaffing Sea and Land to make Pro--
lelytes; — of ftraining at a Gnat, and fwals*
lowing a Camel; — of founding a Trumpefe,;
and then praying in the Synagogues, the
Streets, aad the Market-Places ^'--r devour-
ing Widows Houfes, and for a She\^ jrnak-
ing long Pray^i;^^i-r-of Fafters witha fad
Countenance '; -r-rnoutwardly whited Se-
pulchres, but full of dead Mens Bones,
and;.. all Uncleannefs ? • . JF/// / ;?(?2f WW/^
thefe Jhr Parallels ? -^Upon RecolkBiGny I
Mievp there are jiich Inftances. And J mii
b^fo free with my Friend, as to allow ^ycu to
mah tbe^ ^^l?efij)J' them^ and brings ihem:\tQ : ■•
Account. ;v.,,v^ ' — • -:-i ^ ■ ■. v^%^ ■ ' ■ -'^
^y:^^^(jiy:^\-J.cdoubt^ ^^ I fiall even run intcM '^^f^^l
Self-Contradiftion. For Juftice calls upon " '
7m to^give a frelli Specimen of your Prowefs,
if, 'your Martial Enthufiafm; by producing
thp\ Challenge you. fent me : which may be
good F roof of that Heroic Sandlity, necejjmy
for a Papal Canonization." '' Jt is^I^ijne^ u^x^r, >
Sir^ you jljould leave. your S^ulkijig-^Place.^- 1.*^*
Come out*, and let u$ look, each other in the
Face,"— ~3^z/ may perhaps brand i^ie for a
Coy/ard^^ But really ^ Sir, I am no Her*
aAt'=^:.,xy^QU^knmo the Stoiy of Us fighting
witif ra^i\ Ant^gonidv who hadtlM Gift of
trt^nsfhr?m/?g.hif/lfelfmto:i\\ Shapes. fFhen
ihB-^lQ- thought be bad gothimfafi, keJHps
\r^^ . c 2 through
^ 1 R R R A G E.
^fhrot^h his> Fingers in -tjse. Shape o£ Wate ^
hr:hlaztih.mitin.. the Farm (j/'vFire; ./y6<;%o^^'
^^^oarSy^j^j^y,.m^^ Groundy m^he
figure. of a ^^M3^^^ ia/l/y, befets a-hiffin.g, '
./^rif^ ,to .^forli^ Tongue, /pits all bis
^^B^Myiif^Asi^P'^ S^^^^ <3w^^, in:tbe Shape
\^:^jis§^^l^^ , So that J. may fairly make
plijfy yourielf, and feevpWjThing. -^ :S^^
there is fill niore immediate- Danger. Fpr
'^^tainly ym 'would not, fave your Sincerity
furpeded, ijoben^ mounting your triumphal
Chariot, ym^^'boaf^ and cry ViBoryl in
jian)ing X^x^ ixiQ\i Numbers flat on, the
<3round, by Dint of a few Words ^bytbe
Breath of your Moutb rendering tbemfpec^--
lefs, fenfelefs ; or tortured with inexpref-
iil)|p Agonies." He muf be a bold Man^
that will venture to look you in th^ FaiOit,
though attended with his Seconds.
„ ^^^, ^ . 'Tis true, you are fometimes fo good as to
%^ , %fet yoiir Frietids at Liberty, and reform
them to Pardon, and Peace," But fucb^:^
one as I can hardly hope to merit this Favour
3^r .^our Mm^kl. iLwHl him vm Jo. i>gg
..^, But lam not now entering inta aDttmlif
thefe horrible and {hocking Things. Jfe/
w7/ take up a corf der able Part of the J^^
.,,, lowijjg Pamphlet. ,And if ymr Ofm^:sdi^
t : f$u^ts,be tru?,^^'^ of your Power to thrsm
^o>; ■ J?^r^^.-^c^ Weis into Contorfms,,iKQniyui*
PREFACE. XXI
^/f^'^TanWyj'i^ nti^^ Diforaers^^
Modf'andMM moji h^lWa Tor-
tfaVe^) iind then UrAt:3ik them again y*^
dluf^^e- ii)e^^€afe, and your are- not broUgW fo
^hbld up yoqr Hand at the Bar; ;)'^F'^(?
much(Miged to the 7^;^^ Aft oiF PariaiW8nl,
^^Mcy^tt^At^ the Laws again ft -Wft^fi"-
crafft. HiMt^h, if I mijidke noty- thefe is
iftill an ExG€|)tion as to the White Witches,
the Recoverers j ^ T£;/6(9 lindt) i£'/j^/ Satan and
(he Black Witches ha've donel'^^ With Regdrd
7^ ifi?^^' if/j^ Statute is unrepeali^S. _\
The bare Relation of fuch Miferies, ivhr^)
yki are proud of inflicfting, are jirffidaif .to
w^ make even me (as yoii jfeak) fall ifitu
-Sferioufnefs." And yet perhaps Room enoudj
^iU^be found for you to aft your Mutii-
3:mMes and Farces^ mid make a ridiculcus
One deplombfe'MisferttW^']^^}^!^
^hich I know not how to Jhake qf^^' '^t.l'ir/ Letter,
take your Leave of me, and willik)avJ^\no^'9 44-
thing to fay to fne, unlefs I^m/ffct m^-]:^'Smt
to my 'Third Part." Upon thiv^C^i^ii^,
there is a ProfpeSi of Admifjidn'f^^^yoicf'^^y^
Graces, and I may hope for yott?'^'^fp^Q
Correfpondence^ • -and 'rdc(Wi^9^^%^
Behaviour to'Wafdi' another AAi^tfS^y '^V^
mil db me Honoui' before the Pe^^^^^
puts me in Mhidxffhe Cafe cf one ^' Mi^- Franc.
Hpemas, whahddfirongly oppofed the odgJe^tV ^^''"^'.
-i«t^-idiiits. St.'K^d^wm appeared to hnf'Wk^' ^^ '
i^.^^H. Night,
m^ P R, 15 F A Q E.
Nighty but with his Back turned upon him,-
^0 whom Mafcarenius/^/^, ' My good Sainti
nl'hy dojl thou, not turn thy Face towards nie\^
Xavier repUedy'. ^ Be changed into another
Man, and then I will,^|j^ji^^^^j^;gace^ to
V^5f!Jfv.7^^ *z^^rA'^^^^ ^^M'^m^iM you the
Image of a. Jefuit, j^^c^r^ I\J?;^nt help it,
I.mU be mm-eopm about ;//y, Helpers, (which
giv^s ycu foine ScJIicitude) f^^fy telling yo^^
V^h.Qjhcy cre^A: -^^^^ the^t^ I perfi4ade myfe^^
you ^ will., entj^ftj^f ^po.^m^g^* Opinioriv;^
^f^ /;v'\ :::'"■: -^ ;;. .^v; / "./.^.r
:^^j^t t-hefirji J?lace finnd your good Self ,a^4
Airociatesj:.?^y6a have fupplied me with j^^^^
ample Materials. / have little more HojtoMr^
tk^skn that of beijig an Echo, rebounding
JQg^ own Words. In the fecond Ran^
^f^ my Parallels from Pagan, Hereti-r
cal, and Popifh Enthufiafts and Impoftors.
Get the better oj\ ^o^rjelf and theje^ and I
fubmit. . -
Should Satan tepipt you to break your Rule
of Silence ; or Choler be fo predojninant^ a\
to force you upon another Anfwer; be fo
yfiji^ as p follow my h&v\!Z(^i.^^l^ think. you
^illy.^jb^mufe it hath^ hem .yoy^r^ Manner|
^^fhqtyou, willlifie^tpA^rimd^^^^^
."^O Qui moriet itt facias qti'od jath'facls.
hrvS^'tO'tbemoJl ;m'aterial Objedions, .on nxit
anfwerable Points, take no maimer of Notice
of
# Rf ]^ # j^ ^ fi. xxi^
^ %M? ' 'iSh&i' the Shoe piniches, pretend
yvtc' dont feel, "f hough fometi??ies you via^
he allowed to twlft, wince, wriggle, fhim
dhd prevaricate 5 or wear a Mafk, and'fi^
0>?ri7f Cloak of Sanftity. ;"Y
But be efpecially watchful, and mark^mi
lige?jtlyy "Whuher your . Opponent advamreth
any 'Thing 'that ;^V ' riot in hi^ Title-Page : it
being abfolutefy 'necejfary that the Title-Page
jhoidd contain every Word and Syllable of the
jitbfequent Book' :^-i-'Gr if he Jhoiild happen to
Mtfidke the Page in his Quotations, or no^t
quote it at all: — Or you take it in yotir
Head, to fancy he has offended againfi Gram-
I^S^j!^^ W/y<f:jr not fo good Englidi as your-
W^^^Here ftick clofe upon him. Catch
Wrrfn 07ie of thefe enormous Crimes ; an)i
theft' you ft and clear of all Difficulties ; yotl)^
Atfverfary is entirely confuted 3 and Methb-V
difm is white as Snow. — ■ ,■ -^ •- -■ ,^-^^
Keep up the good Q//?^;^ ' ^ Di^g^ng ISf
your frequent Prayers, of your Miracle^
the Number of your i^dherents, and your
Influence over them. T^hen 'tis likely fonre
Perronet or other ^ will beftow on you the
fame Compliment, with which Father D02M
ikcdrhtedy in his Sermon, the Poundei* (5f
the Jeluits:r '^<* In thefe laft Days God Wat'h
/poken unto -u§ by his Son Ignatius." Or^
if you chufe to govern by Fear^ you may re-
-m^ ti)e Li3tt5di^'^f 'i^rieas Sylvius to Cardinal
njjuo/ .^^^;\^\ UN ^-. .hivu FirmaH 4
XXIV PREFACE ^,^^
Martyrol. Firman : *' Brother John (Caplffran) k
^ncifc. a Man of God: the People of Gtxmzny efteem
him as a Prophet. He could^ whenever he
pkafethy by lifting up a Finger ^ raife a great
Commotion. Tthe Chief Pontiff ought to
reward^ and comfort thofe^ who merit well
of the Roman Church. And that fuch is
this John, with his Brethren, no Body that
hath any Senfe will denyT
Were I to examine all the Writings^ and
whole Behaviour y of the Methodifts, the
Difquifition would carry me into an immoderate
Length: and I could eafily too have doubled
my Parallels. But both your Friends^ and
mine, will think enough hath been faid.
Upon the Whole ^ however^ I reckon it, *S/r,
my bounden Fiuty folemnly to declare,— ^that I
M believe Methodifm (however innocent in its
\ Conception and Birth) to have been gra-
dually a?id diligently nurfed up into a Syilem
of folemn Impofture ; — that I fee 7iotbing
in this Difpenfation thus managed, but
what lies in common with the moft frantic
and peftilent Fanaticifms, that have fo
often poifcned the Chriftian World\ ?iothing
that is not drinking up the very Dregs of
Popery in particular.— -That (nGtwithjtand"
ing your lly IiiUnuations of having to do
with a Middletoniaa and Antifcripturift )
the undoubted Revelation, contamed in the
lively Oracles of Holy Scripture, is my
folc
P^ R, ]| 5; A C, E. XXV
fol^ Rule of FaitS and Mauners; and my^ '
■Reyercnce^r /y^^'facred Writings is hoimd
'about my Heart. For which very Reafon^ I
'woull (as muib'as in me lies) prevent their
flonoixraiid Kn^ontY from beitrg expofed h
,'Scorn by the Mockery, Traveftie, and Biir-
lefque of Me^hodifm. Therefore wherever
^JJind a great Strefs laid upon fonie imagi-
ii&ry, infignificant, or unintelligible Peculf-
aritiesj — /i?^ Word of God turned intj)%
Conjuring Book ; --^ the Divine Ordinafices
l^hef lightly ejleemed^ or irnputed^ to iBe
t)evil i — good Works either undervaluedy h^
trodden under Foot ; — ■ Wild-fire "dangeroicfly
toj^eii about y injiead of that Light wHich. •
tafjle down from Heaven;-— /z^'.Prfi'ifM- ^
Ji^ks to extraordinary Revelations, ' Infpira-
tidh$,' ufurping the Name of the Holy One;
nditf} perfonal Conferences with God, Fat^ '
to''" Face; — enthufiaftic Ranters comparing
thmfehes with Prophets, and Apoftles,'^ ^
not with Q\vi\^himfef \~ihe mojl wiid'anji ^
'extravagant Behaviour^ the Phren^ies of h
dijlurbed Brain,' of' deluded Imagi?mtion\^ the l
EffeSfs ofViUy of 'a weak Head, of difeqjed
Body, all ttirjied into fo mafiy Tt^is and-
Marks of Saintfhip ; — the Spirit" of Prr(|e -,
afid^ Vanity pojfejjing the Leaders * a Spirit '
^ Envy, Rancour,- Broils^ and implacoBie-
K^imofties, dafjing each other in Pieces i%
Sbint of Bitternefsmd XhchaiitaBehelY tb^'
xxvT P R E F A C,iEq
wards the reji of Mankind y ^--n Pro^refi,
through^ Immorality, Scepticifm, Infidelitjrj^
hjiioi^tny jhrough fpiritual Defertions^ De^,
fpair and Madnefs, made the Gate of Pe%
{^Qion y-^an imaginary New Birth to be^
hr^c^gbt^to fafs by Me am ^real Tortures, - gf
j^^.:^'-4^^ :/^ ^^^ifi^^ P^^^gs ^i^d Suffer-
ijigs thflt^caJi:.nffeB.M^ — ^S^h
i£^ere, thgjyare 'Ji3;un^^^ more eqimlly^
horrible^ ane. tr^ay ^afly difcern a wide Dif--
ference betj^cen Juch .a Diip-enfation and
g^f^vuiie R,eligipn \ -^as w^-as the bungling
Hand that is^Juhjiituting the former in the
^loffof'the other. One may eq/ify difcern
•^^/^-,Strangers yi^;^/? jjnoprififtent Ra.mblers
m^ hey to tjoe true Devotion, as , n^§ll ,fi:{
I ^.omforts, of a fedate, compofed Pi^ty^'V^
f; firm Belief of our Maker and Pvedeem^
and confiant ReUa7ice z/^c;r Providence ; to^^
^eady Coiirfe of finccve, habitual, and uu-
affefted Religion -, to the cherijl:ing cf a
*warm Love of God in the Hearty, and wellr-
tempered TLtAfor the Truths of his infpir^d
Word, and this proved by the Love of our
Neighbour :— 21? a general Obfervance and
^^At tendance on the Means of Grace, ^W^
well-grounded Hope of Glory. -— Go^ aj^d
compare the Chaff with the Wheat.
Nor are the evil Tendencies of Metho-
. difm in the leaf diminifrjed by being covered
Mt^:^?^-^lP^i- -ftf S^ndtity, and ornamented
"Witb
^B5^^;?& Trappings'' 'd^^^^^ Artifices,
alifl|fSir Pretences. Tbey may help to fpread
/y5f belufion, hut are a high Aggravation of
the Crime. ^^ '-vi^-^\ , -■ : -^- --;^:
The Cafe is the Jafne\ m the ojlentatid^
Declarations of prophefying, cafting^ t)uj(:^
Devils, the Gift of Healing, or other n\ti^
culous Powers among you. They tend en)P'
dently to render the true Gifts of the Spirit
fufpicious ; to bring a Reprdach and Scan-
dal on the Prophecies, and Miracles, which
eftablifh the Infpiration of the everlafting
Gofpel. But thus it muft be, Thefe are
tifaal and necelTary Engines of hair-brained
Enthufiafts, and crafty Impoftors, for wof^k--
ing upon the Paffions of weak, credulous,
or diftempered People. While there are
any fuch People in the Worlds a deceitful
Worker will fcarce fail of fome Degree of
Succefs, And if great Mifchief be not the
Confequence^ 'tis owing to that Providential
Being, who fruftrateth the Tokens of Liars,
ihd maketh Diviners mad.
^''- ^When you have cojifidered thefe Things 'tho--
'foiighly^ in a fober and difpaffionate State of
Mmdiy''^yoll'' will pave' Rhjdh ^W-^^tid^t
>^^ ^>)x) — .^'ioiO 10 :>!juJFi Dabnrjoig-llivv
V.^\^m^^-^o ^^^^^Ydiii^^eSf and- fSit&ul'^F&a.
d 2 POST^
xxvuT PREFACE.
^'^'^d'l w^*^^ ^^\^ i^sy;*,
Cy^OU may obfernJe, Sir, thiit I ^h&bd.
-JL taken a View of Methodifm on the
V:, brighteft Side, and in the beft Light:
hecaufe I have taken my Materials, almojl
'Wholly.^ from its moft celebrated Preachers.
Were nve to, defend to the Tenets and Aftions
of your Under-Teachers, aiid jnoft obedient
Followers, *' What a Scene would be here
dfclofedV\ A few Inftances of this Nature
mil appear in.. the following Difcourfe. One
7nore^ being an Affidavit, that very lately was
put into my Hands y Ifallherefubjoin, Afid
^ am credibly informed that other fuch I>oc-
4vine§ ahdvTraidls ;;7^^ kefoon colleBed, either
proved upon Oath, jrr otherivife well-attefted,
fiifipefvt Jo make a reafonable Volume. — If
^(^ik right tq Lave a Corgs de.Referve. >.i,;
iv^.-d-iV, mv^vT' : i5)rioBsi*I' The
P R ErF A C^Ei XXIX
« The Information of Thomas Love//, of
sStoke-Damerel in Jhe County, of Devon,
^.Sail'-makery taken before me the 25th
of MaVy A. D. 1747.
' This Infonnant on 'Mp G^^*&okmfarify
faith, that he formerly attended the Meetings
of thofe Perfons who call themfehes Me-
thodifts, being invited fo to do by one of their
Preachers, called Crownley : a?id that they
divide themfelves into different Clafles, where
they meet at private Houfes : that a Huf-
band and Wife carit he of the fame Clafs,
nor Father and Son, nor a Brother and
Sifter. ' That they often pretoid to recciv^e
the Spirit, and they that receive it (as they
fay) jump about the Roomy and afk others if
they dont fee the Spirit. And that he' is
credibly ififormedy that one Jofeph Peters, of
the faid Pariih, {who is, fnce he followed
thefe People, out of his Senfes, but before
was a ve7y reafonable Perfon) reported Ik
was in a Trance, or deep Sleep, when an
Angel appeared to hiin, and told him, })e
fiould go to his Mother, a?2d bf^ing her into
the Society of Methodifts^ and, if Jhe rcr-
fufedy hep:oidd kill her: and that he aBually
attempted to cut her Throat, as he is i?i^
formed. And that the Reader of each Meetr
ingy aftei' they have prayed after their
Manner y and fiing Pfalms, colkutcd Money
from all prefenty for which they accou7it to
^the Preachers, who co7ne at Thnes from
dijlant
y
kxx PREFACE.
diftanf Places. That at fome Meetings he
bath known a7id been prefenty when Women'
have bee?! taken from the Rooms where they
met, and carried into Bed^Chambers, dhd
thrown upon Beds ; where they have lain in
Fits, (7r Swoons, a7id the Preacher has cried
out at the fame T'ime^-I^ thtm aiM^ffW the
Spirit was entering into therri. '^ And thai
he hath known fe^oeral of the'm leave their
Work and Labour^ by which they and their
families were to be fupported^ to attend the
Runnagate Preachers : and that in the
The Dock Yat d * many of them have drawn Workmen
"^^outir* .Z^*^^^^ ^'^^^^ Labour to preach to them^ to the
great Hindrance of xki^ King's Works. That
he hath frequently himfelf contributed to their
Collecftion, but knows not how the Money is
difpcfed of That there are now at Dock
eleven Leaders of fo tjiany different ClalTes.
That he hath frequently heard Cvovj nicy ^ and
William Dr^ke, who is alfo one among theniy
and fever al others^ ajjert^ that after they
have received the Spirit they cannot fin ;
and if they commit any Sin, it is only an
Error in fuch j and let them do whatever
they pleafe after their Adoption, however
finful the Adl is, they are fare to be faved
notwithftanding.
Thomas Lovell/
T-akcn before me^ the Day
and Tear above-mentioned^
J. Snow."
« Mem.
PREFACE. XXXI
^\"v.Menii" . Jofeph Peters, upon talkiJig^
^viih a Clergyman, of the Church of Engr<;
land, loas convinced that his Vifion was a
Piabolical Dclufion, if a?7y 'Thrdg.^.JHs re,^
ceiv^i ihe Sacrament, and fee?ned wjell inr.hji^
^cnits^^fhr-Jkrne time y, but 0lrf4lo'wed^dfh.
Methodift&; W, upon- a fecond Vifion., ^i6^,
again attempted killing his Mother, md
actually fet the Houfe on Ymy.and^^ooas
fent away to a Mad-houfe>^"^^^^Si J, W^^ A'loW
y:\:Tkis may, in a great Meafure, ferve for
^^^•Anfwer to thofe who inquire ^ What is : .
the Religion of Methodifm ? ^.^^ v^q-^\ -'i^^ •»^^«
U ^^\^cJVu ^'■^^ '^r'^;\ \-- -AvX .noiftalloD
Aooa H5a\?^
.fUuoar
nc y'^o ei li ^^^^^ i-- -— — > '^^^ ^i hnu
i3V3j£i{v/ oh insrfj i^I hnB ^ floiil ni ioti3
lav^wori enoi'iqobA ii3r{j laiis cTtBDlq pdj
b^vii 3d oi aiu'i 31b v^rli t8i i!>A adi Ii/intl
.gnihnBflriiiv/joft
MbvoJ 8BrnofIT
"cWoa2 \
THE
ENTHUSIASM
O F
Methodists, &c,
PART III. '
SECTION I.
COMPARISONS, 'tis faid, are
odious. Thofe I have drawn have
probably been fo to the Methodifts-,
and, I am fure, troublefome to myfelf.
But having already traced thefe Pretended
Reformers through feveral of their Enthu-
fiajiic and Fanatic Ways, and marked how
exadly (I know not by w^hat Chance, Fa-
taUty, or Defign) they have trodden in the
Steps of their Popi/h Predecejjors ; I am
now, however weary, to follow them into
B more
( 2 ) _
more of their Delufions, which are the na-
tural Properties^ T'enikncies, and Effe^s of
tbicir ftrange Difpenfation,
The Reader may recollect what was
faid before in their own Words, " of their
*' bitter and uncharitable Spirit towards all
'' not of their Sedtj — their own mutual
" Rancours and Quarrels j their biting and
'' devouring one another j having difputed
'^ avv'ay both their Faith and Love, and
*^ not like to come to any fure Founda-
" tion ; each of their Parti es^ and Leaders
'' of their Parties, charging one another
'' with efpoufing a New Gofpcl, teaching
" the moft wickedy ejentially-erroiietusy
^^ blajphemoiiSy a?id damnable DoBrines y —
" prodigious Numbers ceafing from all
*' Means of Grace, from attending Churchy
^^ SacramentSy Prayer, and reading Scrip-
^' ture, and making a ^efi of it all ; — a ge-
" neral Temptation to leave oS good Works ;
*^ a Cry of, ' No Works y no Law, no Com-
" mandments ; ihocking Moravian Tenets,
'^ that reading the Bible, receiving the
*' Co7n?minion, running to Church, ^c. are
" the Devil 'y — Every-wherc m.ore and
'' more Proofs of their grievous Confu-
** fions and Diftraflions driving them to
" their Wifs End 'y — their Doubts and Rea-
^' fonlngs what Faith is ? Whether there
*' be 2iny Degrees of it ? Whether they have
" any Faith at all ? Whether Faith be not
^* fufficient
( 3 )
*' fufficient without good Works, and doth
" not even require the Exchi/ion of 2;ood
" Works? &c.
Thefe are fome, but thefe not the worft,
of the bleffed Tendencies and Effeds of our
new Reformatio?!', riling in great Variety,
and to a high Degree, within a fliort time
after Methodifm was broached. And it is
eafy to judge how grievoully the Minds
and Confciences of the Followers mufl of
courfe be harrafled and perplexed. What
fliall they do, or think ? Whom, or what
follow, among Teachers, each called and di-
reeled by Heaven, each accufing the other
of infufing damnable Fervors ? Some of their
wild Tenets, and horrid Dodlrines, have
fo harrow'd the Souls of the poor People,
and caufed fuch a vehement Diftradtion,
as to drive them into Dejpair^ Madnefs,
and Bedlam, Let us try, in fome In-
ftances, whether this be not the natural
tendency, and a5iual ConfcqueiiQe,
§. 2. What could be expeded from
their training up their Difciples to the Ex^
peBation of Jmpidfes, Impreffions, Feelings,
Experiences, &c. but that fome fliould be
elated with groundlefs Confidences and Pr^-
fumption -, and others funk into the difmal
and dreadful Gulph oi Defpair ? Perfons of
weak Spirits, or a melancholy Difpofition
(and therefore the more likely to fall into
B 2 Methodifm)
( 4 )
Methodtfm) will naturally be carried into
DefpovJency^ look upon themfelves as re-
probated, ^ni fcrfake?2 of God-, becaufethey
do not feel thefe Effedls in themfelves, nor
come up to the Experiences of others,
3 Journ. Accordingly Mr. Wejley tells us of '' fome,
P^S- 3- ^j^Q utterly refufed to be comforted, till
they fhould feel their Souls at reft — /'
Journ. Even the high-flown Mr. Seward, *' wants
P- 43» 57- to make all defpair^ who have not the feeling
of the Holy Ghoft -;' and yet is '' himfelf
caft down for w^ant of Experiences, enjoyed
by others, — is tofTed almoft to Dclpair"'
On the other hand, thofe of a confident
and bold Temper*, ftirred up by Imagi-
nation and a heated Brain, have daringly
fet up their own groundlefs and wicked
Jrnprefficm for the Will of God, Hence
Mr« IVhiteficld^ in his penitential and re*
canting State, fadly bewails " his making
Impreffions without the written Word,
his Rule of adling''. And Mr. V/efiey^
in his Zeal againft the Moravians^ com-
plains of this Prefumption, as '^ Enthii-
fiafiic^ and tending to produce whatever is
wicked and abfurd, and that without Re^
medyT See Comparifon, 2d Part, page
J 04. — 8.
The Cafe is much the fame from their
Dodtrine of Afjurance of Pardon and Sal-
vation, Mr. Seward is fo charitable as
Journ. ^[ to wifh all Perfons mad^ who were not
Fg' 9. ajjured
( 5 )
ajjiired of Forgivenefs/' Mr. IVhhefield %s,
*' it is a dreadful Miftake to deny the5J^"^"-
Doclrme of Afjiirances ; and that Ajjurniice'^ ' '^' '^'
of Eternal Salvation is one cf the Privileges
of Cbr'fji's Followers.'' And Mr. fi^^'e/Iey
has taken care to pufli the Dodrine home.
For, befides his Writings, you may depend
upon the following Story; and no doubt
but his Practice has been the fame in other
Places. " A fenfible, honeft Woman told
the BiJJjop of Exeter, in Prefence of feve-
ral WitnelTes, that Mr. J, Wefiey came to
her Houfe, and queilioned her, ^ whether
{hQ had an Afjiirance of her Salvation ?
Her Anfwer was, that ^^t hoped ilie fliould
be faved, but had no abfolute Afjurance of
it. Why then, replied he, ' Tou are 4-
in Hell', you are damned already J This fo
terrified the poor Woman, who was then
with Child, that fhe was grievoufly afraid
of mijcarrying, and could not in a long
time recover her right Mind. For this,
and the Methodijls asking her to live upon
Free-Cojl, flie determined to adm.it no more
of them into her Houfe." So much is
her own Account to his Lordfipy on whofe
Authority it is here publiflied. And, had
file been a Perfon of fomething weaker
Spirits, who knows what might have been
the Confequence ? Perhaps, Lofs of her
SenfeSy or of her own a?id Child's Life.
And
( 6 )
And how fhall tender Minds ftand the
Shock of thefe violent Affaults ? When
fuch a confident AJfurance is made a certain
Mark of Gracey and the Wafif of it as
certain a Mark of Damnation 5 what can
the Weak, the Modeft and Humble, the
Melancholy, (who cannot wind themfelves
up to the highefl: Pitch of Self-conceit and
Prefumption) do ? They will of courfe
fall into Fears and Doubts, and Dcfpera-^
iiony as Perfons in a reprobate Condition ;
becaufe they have not the fame Expert^
ences with others, not only of knowmg
z.r\Afeeli?2gy but zdiUdWy feemg Cbrijijakijtg
away their Sins. . r
oi Others indeed, by the Help of a coh-
teited Temper, and prefumptuous Imagi-
nation, will take care to work up their
Brain into an Jljjurance, But are they fure
they are fafe, and ftand upon firm Ground ?
Mr. Whitefield [fee his Anfwer to Enthu^
fiafmy &c. pag. 31.] " readily grants, that
(bme of the Methodifis^ who really had not
this Ajjarancey have prefumptuoufly ima-
gined that they had it'' And doth he
pretend to the Gift oj difcerning the Spirit s^
io as to be clear which^ or whether any of
them, had it ? Thefe are fome of ^' the^
Extremes, into which the Method ifis are apt
to run:" Such the Danger y either of
rifing into PrefUmpti^n] bt" (inking inio^
Dejpair.
§• 3- To
C7'
§. 3. To fpeak more generally. As far as
I can obfcrve, thefe dreadful Apprehenfions
pufliing them upon Defpair, are the commoa
Lot, and almofl effential Part, of Methodifm.
Their Auditors and Profelytes are fo drench-
ed with the Teacher's bitter Fotions^ and
horrid Dodlrines^ and carrying fome Points
oi Religion to an extravagant Height, (I do
not mean good TVorks^ of that they have
fufficiently cleared themfelves ; but fome
triflings abfurd, or groundlefs Peadiari-
ties-,) or fuch is the Fatality flicking clofe
to Enthufia?n, — that they frequently fink
into this terrible State. Some hijia72ces I
have known myfelf; and have heard fo
much of it from others, both Clergy and
Laity ', that I make no doubt of the Fad :
and themfelves own enough of it for a
Foundation of the Charge. Nor is it Mat-
ter of much Wonder, that Perfons of fuch
unfettled Minds, and rambling Brains,
toffed up and down between Tranfports of
Joy and Prefumption, and the Dejedions
of Defolations and Defertions 3 Perfons
over-run with Scepticifm, Doubts and De-
nials both of Natural and Revealed Reli-
gion ; frequent Pvclapfes into thefe, as well
as into the Mire of Sin, [ fee Compar,
Part 2d, §. 14, &c.] — fliould frequently
find themfelves overwhelmed v/ith Dejpe^
ration.
^i 8 )
Wefley ration. Hence one complains, '^ The
^^Journ. Ej^gj^y of Souls laid fo many things to
*cMz,45, my Charge, that fometimes I defpaired of
+4, 92. Heaven.'* Others '^ have nothing but
Devils ready to drag them to Hell-, — are
in Defpair feveral Years ; — in Defpair of
pg° "J4. finding Mercy 5 — fall into the Depth of
Defpair^ roar out, they are damned, -—
One tempted to Self-murder, to hang, or
p. io,*^28.drov^n himfelf, &c.'' In the Account
of the two Hitchens's (which the Metho^
dijis have publifhed) one of them " thought
God had left him a Caft-away ,'* the other ^
*^ by entertaining fome Thoughts of Mar^
riagey the Devil's Snare, found his Heart
quite drawn from God, whereby he was
quickly plunged into Darknefs of Soul,—
would often tell his Brother he was in
Hell." — Nor could Mr. Seward, or White-
Jieldy or Wejley himfelf, efcape this fore
Weflcy Evil. *' Doubtful of my own State; —
2 joam. clearly convinced of JJnbclief-, — immediate-
I^'"* ly it ftruck into my Mind, leave ofF
Preaching. — At length had an AJjurance
of Forgivenefs. — Had more Comfort,
Peace, and Joy, — began to prefume. — Again
thrown into Perplexity ; — much in Doubt
whether God would not lay me ojide. " —
7 jowrn. — Mr. Whiteficld v/as once fo good as to
? 68. take the Honour upon himfelf of caufing
Defpair. *' A Woman defiring me to
baptize her Child, 1, being otherwife en-
gaged,
( 9 )
gag-ed, reftifed. Upon this the Dev/l af-
faulted her in a moft violent manner, and
endeavoured to perfuade her, that all I
told her were Lies. She ivas cafl into
Darkjiefs ; — went to Bed^ where the Devil
would fliin have perfuaded her to cut the
Child's Throat with a Pair of Sci[jars,
But ChriJ} delivered her, and Satan imme-
diately left her." He may have the Glory\
if he pleafeth. But the Difeafe^ called
Methodifm^ is fufficient. [ See Compar.
Part ad'l p. 82.—]
The fame horrible and black Effefts of
diftemper'd Rjithiifwjm are commonly found
among the moft extravagant Fanatics of
the Papacy. A long Lift of Female Suf-
ferers might be produced : Such as M. of
Pazzi^ " whom five furious Devils at- . Life,
tacked, tempting her to Blafphemy and^'^''^^'
Infidelity, to Pride ^nd Prefumption, to
Gluttony and Lafcivioufnefs ; and then to
Dejpair^ fo far that once fhe took up a
Knife to kill herfelf ; but the Virgin Mary
ftepped in, and prevented it." — I might
mention too a fatal Inftance, not indeed
of Defpairy but prejumptiious Ajjiirance of
Salvation : '' A young Woman, who ob- Manni
ferved the Rule of St, Francis, beine afjured'^^'^-^^''^'
(f Salvation , the Devil appears to her in
the Shape of St. Francis^ perfuading her
to make fure of Heaven^ by inftawtly hdfig-
ing herfelf. and ihe did fo."
C Nor
( lo )
Nor is Defperation a more uncommon
Cafe among the mde Saints^ and fuch as
were the faireft Models of Methodifm,
Francis of Sales^ " after his Tranfports of
Spiritual Joy, was reduced to Darknefs and
Sadnefs, and even a Diftrujl of all Truth \ — •
Satan perfuading him that God had de-
creed his Damnation -, - — is caft into a deep
Melancholy— D(?/^^/r in his Look • — but,
. however. Is in a Moment recovered by a
Prayer to the Virgin Mary.'' [Compar,
Part 2d. pag. 177.]
Conform. «« St. Fra?2cis^ m Imitation of Chrljly
M-59>6o.chofe Twelve Apojiles, one of which de.
/paired and hanged himfelf: which gave the
Samt a frefli Advantage, by making him
ftill more like to his Saviour.' '^ — The Grand
Maffei Majler of Popijh Methodlfm, " St. Ignatius^
cap*7^1o '^'^^^ oppreffed fo with Defpalr, that he at-
tempted to deftroy himfelf, and throw him-
felf out of Window. But afterv^^ards more
narrowly examining his Conjclence^ he rofe
into a ftrong Tentation of Valn-ghr-y, For
it ruflied into his Mind, that he was per-
fedly juft^ and need not doubt in the leaft
of his Salvation." And the Author ob-
ferves, " that both his fcrupuhus Defpond-
encles, and confident Vanity of Afjuraiicc^
were fraudulent Suggeftions of the DevlL
By thefe means, however, he obtained of
Martyr. God a wondcrful Science in curing the Co?!-
Prancifc. fdenccs of othcrs:' — '' Friar Rizeriis was
Feb- 7. 1
' teiBptea
( " )
tempted by Satan to the Brink of Defpdir^
and Apprehenfion oiW\t\gforfaken by God ^
*t\\\ St. Francis took him under his Ma-
nagement, Croffed him, and kiffed him,
carried him into Perfedliony and working
of Miracles''
We fliall fee hereafter fiich Favours
granted to our Metbodifts. In the meanAnfw. to
time, Mr. IVe/ley will hardly allow any ^^^^^^^^^^
Inftances of real Defpair among the Mf-
fhodijls ; becaufe they do not make away
with themfelves. And he will tell us,
that *' what the World calls Defpair ^ is a
Conviclton of Sin^ of God' s Wrath, and
Man's Inability, — in which properly con-
fifts that Poverty of Spirit and Mourning, 3 jourri.
which are the Gate ofChriftian PerfeBionJ'v- 82-3.
Not fo, I hope, when under thefe De-4 Jom-n.
fpairings they are uttering Ciirfes and Blaf-^' ^'^' ^^'
phemies : — Not fo, when the Defpair is 3 Joum.
injedled by Satan, or the Effed of diabo-^' '^^'
lical Fojjejfion : — Not fo, in Cafes of a Re- ^ joum.
lapfe ; as in that blafphe?mng De/paireryV- ^^> ^^^
** whofe horrible Dread was immediately
taken away by Prayer, and fhe had fome
Dawnings of Hope 3'* but Vv^ho, as Mr.
Wejley elfewhere confefTeth, " was foon af- Anfw. to
ter, if not at that 'very time^ a co7nmo7i^'^^^^^'
Projlitiite'' — Nor, in general, can I allow,
that what Divines and the World ufually
call Defpair (often a Sin, and always an
Vnhappinefs) fhould be taught as a Duty^
C a and
( 12 )
Light in and tlie Gate of PerfeBion. " I have
Part '3. '^^^^ opprefled (fays A, BourignG?:) Night
Leucr i!c.and Day with Fears of being forfaken, and
with Defpondency of Heart/' The Viciffi-
tudes of Horrors and Comforts, Light and
Darknefs, are the plain EfFedls of the Me-
thodijt's Enfhufiafm -, either caufcd or aiig^
mented by their Teachers chimei'^ical and
jrightful TiGclrines ; who having fubdued
the R.eafon and Underflanding of their
People, put them in Poffeffion of the
Una falus viBis nullam [per are faint em.
The only Security of Salvation is to de-
fpair of it. An Hypochondriac or Melan-
choly Conjiitution (perhaps generally) leads
to the Dijeafe -, naturally creating Fears,
Sufpicions, and Defpair ; the Phyfician fup-
plies Dofcs naturally encouraging and in-
creafing the Difeafe :. The People love to
have it fo, and the magnified Cure is, as
one fays, ciUiqv fjort-Uv'dy or iUfoufided,
§. 4. 'Tls but too notorious, that the
fame E?ithufafm, under the fame Manage-
ment, hath driven Numbers of thefe un-
happy Creatures into dired: Madnefs and
DiftraBion^ either of the moaping^ or the
raving Kind ; or both of them, by lucceflive
Tits ; or into the manifold Symptoms of
a Delirium, and Phrenzy,
Mr.
( 13 )
Mr. Wefley indeed " cannot find io much^^^^- ^^
as one of the MethodiJIs, either Man, Wo- p. ^^^ '
man, or Child, who have been thus driven 3 l^^rn,
to DiflraBion: — and their ikT^^;?^ is a;;^.^'^- ^^'
'uiBion of Sin:' And all of them, doubt-
lefs, fay the fame. But Men fo charged
will not be allov^ed as competent Judges m
their own Cafe ^ efpecially where they are
fuppofed to be touched with the fame
Dife77iper,
Thus much however they muft, and
do, own ', — that they have been looked upon
as mad ( on account of their wild and
frantic Actions) by Friends and Relations^ by
indifferent Perfons, by regular Fhyficians
(the moft proper judges), by the World in
general; and have been fent to Bedlam,
and adjudged there to be Ferfins di[lra5ied.
Nor do I fee how the Judicious and In-
telligent Part of the World can form any
other Notion ; while the genuine Signs of
Mad?iefs are upon the Meihodifis • and the
mofl: abfurd, irregular and frantic Beha-
viour and Imaginations are obtruded as the
Marks and Proofs of true Piety. Any
Perfon in his Senfes will certainly form
fuch a Conclufion even from their own
Narratives^ related, no doubt, in the moft
favourable manner to themfelves.
One would not indeed believe the ^ Re-
port raifed by the Dcvil^ that Mr. U'ljite-
field was mad-," becaufe he is the Father
of
( 14 )
cf Lies ; but we may believe himfelb
i Deal, when he fays, " he might very well h<^
p- 42. 35- taken to he really mad -^ and that his i?e~
lations counted his Life MadnefsJ' — An-
other was aGcounted mad by her Friends
for thefe three Years j who accordingly bled,
blifter'd her, and what not."— IVlr. White-
3 J«"r'^ field relates the Cafe of '' young Feriam^
p. 98-103.^1^^^^^ i7j/-/Yr had fent him to Bedlam for
jflich Symptoms of Madnefs, as fafting for
near a Fortnight ; praying fo as to be
heard four Story high • felling his Cloaths,
and giving them to the Poor. Mr. Seward
and other Metbodijis waited on the Com-
mittee of the Governors of Bedlam ; they
plead for him, and own that young Peo-
ple, under their firft Awakenings, were
ufually tempted by the Devil to run into
fome Extrem.es, The Committee judge
IVhitefield^ Seward^ and all their Followers^
to be as ?nad as the young Man, and
really befide themjehes. And to prove Mr.
Periam to be certainly mad, they alledge,
that vvhen he firft came to Bedlam, he
Jiripped kimfelf to his Shirty and prayed.
But it feems, ^^ he did this to inure him-
felf to Hardnefs at once ; for being brought
from a ivarrn to a cold Place, without Win-
dowSj and a damp Cellar under him, he
thought it beft \.o feafon himfelf at firft."
Are not here fufficient Symptoms of Mad-^
nefs ? And doth not the Rcafon brought
for
( 15 )
for difproviJig the Madnefs xfiViy pfo've it? •
For, who but a Machnaj2 would have done
fo ? There is a parallel In fiance of one of
St. Francis'^ Difciples, *' who would needs ^■^°^';^^""
go out in a cold Winter Night, and pray in his Foi7'i^3n.
^)birt^ though then in a Fever ; for the
lame Reafon of enduring HardfbipJ' And
if the FrajicifcaUy or the Alethodiji, efcaped
with their Lives, it is ftill a flronger In-
dication of Madnefs. For what Dr. Mead
fays, is a known Truth, " 'Tis common Mtdic.
to all Madmen, from Strength of Body, Sacr.
eafily to bear Fafcing, Cold, the Inclemen- ^' ^'
cies of the Heavens, and other Inconve-
niences, beyond what can eafily be cre-
dited." And if the Methodijls would look
into that whole Chapter, they would find,
I think, every particular Symptom of Mad-
nefs^ mentioned by that learned Docior^
(though I do not think myfelf obliged to
fubfcribe to his Opinion, by excluding; a
diabolical Agency in the Scriptiire^T)mno-
niacs) exemplified in their own Difpen-
fation.
Mr. Wefley, and Fhyficians^ eminent in 3 Joum.
their Frofefjion, are fometimes at Va-^'^^^'^^^
riance, whether fom.e of their Methodifl-Y>.2%. c^6.
Fatients are really mad, or not. And other jo^j-n.
In/lances he mentions of Perfons reputed p. "90.
7?2ad by their Relations, treated as if really^ •^°"*'"'
fo, and fent to Bedlam ; only becaufe tliey 5' /oum.
were infeded with Mdhodifm. P- 53-
One
Journ.
•H4.
Journ.
79-
( 16 )
One Cafe he allows of " a Woman really
di/ira5fed, and as fuch tied down to her
Bed/' Which, though contradidlory to
his negative AfTertion above, ferves how-
ever to difplay his miraciiloin Cure. He
hkewife relates '^ another Inftance of ^^-
nuine Enthujiafm. [He might have faid
direa Madnefi,] J- R of raiifield-
Leigh y who had received a Senfe of the
Love of God 2, few Days before, came ride-
ing through the Town, hollowing and
fhouting, and driving all the People before
him, telling them, '' God had told him
he ihould be
and fhould tread his
Nor need we
of them rtm
no ftrange Thing among
a King^
Enemies under his Feet." —
be furprized, fhould fome
7nad ivith Pride ,
them 5 and whereof Mr. IVeJley hath given
us itv^x'A flagrant Specimens, [See Compar.
Part 2d. pag. 25 — ].
Was one of their prime Saints^ Sam,
Hitchens^ mad ? " Who falling under ftrong^
Convictions of Sin, — wandered about in-
the Fields by Night, fecEng Rejl, but find-
i72g none\ and often threw himfelf on the
Earth, and beat his Head againft the
Ground, — and cut himfelfinfeveral Places.'*
Account of 5. H Pag. 4. And, to leave
their own Narratives, The Methodifl Woman
that flung a naked Knife at the Minifier^
while reading the Communion Service^ in-a
Church in London , — was Die mad^ or ma-
licious ?
( 17 )
Ucioiis ? or perhaps groamng in her Pa?7gSy
till ihe was delivered of her Knife ? This
was told me by the Minifler himfelf, who
knew her to be a Methodijl,
Was the Man mady of whom I have
the following Account attefted by the M/-
nijhr^ 2l Difjenting Teacher ? '' On, ' or
near September 27, 1746, as I was about
to adminifter the Lord's Supper y I obferved
among the Communicants one Mr. Thomas
Adams y a vagrant Methodijl Preacher 5 and
as he was a Stranger to me, and I knew
litde or nothing of his Principles^ or Mo-
ral Condu(fl, I fent my Clerk to defire he
would withdraw, till I could get Satisfac-
tion as to thofe Particulars : but he re-
fufed to comply, and faid, he would con-
tinue where he was. Whereupon I pro-
ceeded to adminijler^ but in the Diftribu- '
tion of the Elements carefully paffed him
by. He fat ftill during the Adininijlration^
but as foon as the laft Word was out of
my Mouth, he ftood up, and faid, ^ Dear
Man, what is the Reafon you refufed to
give me the Signs of my Lord's Body and
Blood ? My God will fcourge you for this,
or he is no true God' The next Morning
he came to my Houfe with an 06lavo
Manufcripty which he faid contained the
Revelations he had had from Heaven -,
and that he was come with a particular
Mejjage fro?n the Lord to me -, and then
D read
( i8 )
read the following Paffage : ' Go and tell,
Mr, L — -T-p that I will fcoicrge him for not
\tmn<^i)^t aefpijed Methodijh into his Pw/-
/?/V, and for not giving you the Signs of
viy Boc/y an4 Blood-,' with much .more of
a like Imp-r. ^This I atteft pQ be iv?^.
Sliall I bring tip6n'?fe'^tage another
Madman ? Take the Story^ which may be
depended upon, as related in a Letter from
a Clergyman of Chara^fer^ Nov. 3, 1749*
'* I have lately feen the Gentleman from
whom I firft heard the Story of D — ry
Hack — r, of M — m-Cburch. He confirms
every Word that I mentioned, and fays,
the Story was told at a General Court held
in that Farifld^ D — ry Hack — r himfelf
being prefent, and acknowledging the Truth
of the following Relation, (viz) ' That art
Itinerant Preacher, of the Sefl: of the Me-
ibodijls^ came into that Country, and in his
Sermon affured the Hearers, that the JVorld
would be at an End onfucb a Day : to which
Prophecy the Old Man {D — ^"Z:/— )^gave
full Credit,, let down his Hedges, turned
his Cattle into his growing Corn, and
made no Preparation for any Tillage for
the eniaing Year ; as being wholly taken
up in fitting himfelf for the Day of fudg-
7nent : the Expedlation of which giving thf
Man and his Wife no fmall Anxiety, one
Morning zn Jpire^c^ '^^^^^M.
FamilyV^' informed the Man that he had
had a Fl/ion in the Nighi\ which told him,
that if he would fubmit to it, his Sins
fliould be expiated by Scoirrgijig 5 and that
he hi 7nf elf v^z.^ deputed by the Vijlon to in-
fli6t the Difclpline upon him. The Old
Man complied, and the Apprentice gave
him fo7^ty Stripes fave one on the Buttocks
with a Bundle of Willow-Rods -, and the
Old Man acknowledged, that the Execu^
tioner did not fpare him, but applied the
Scourge of God heartily. The Man's Sins
being thus expiated, the next Night the
Apprentice had a fecond VifioUy diredling
xSxt Woman's Sins to h^ expiated by Fire
and Water. Then the great Kettle was
Jet ony ^ni the Water heated to as great
Degree as the Old Woman could bear. But
whether the ZiZ^r/7//V;i~ vwaso performed
upon ihQ fame Part to wKicK tnc Willoms
were applied, my Friend is not certain.—
The Wofnan is fince dead ; but the Ap--
prentice is flill alive, as well as his Majleny
and (what is furprifing) is ft ill as rigid a
Methodif as before y though he has fuffered
fo much by liftening to the Delufions of
thefe / f retches, 2ind has now out^lived the
Day of Judgment by at leaft three Tears,'^,
Thus it appears what Force the Methodical
Impoftures of Falje Prophets have in turn-
ing the Brain , and of how little avail is
manifeft Failure of PrediBion^ { or any
D 2 other
(. 20 )
Other Argument) to ret^^r an Enthuftaji
to his Senfes. 'rrrvo^rf ylfB^*^ .?'
Mr. JVeJley indeed will reckon the Me-
3 Journ. thodifts to be " no other wife mad, than as
^' ^9* being convinced of Sin."' Can this be
faid in all thefe Cafes ? And is it not a
ft range Sort of ConviBion^ that deprives
People of their 5^;2/(?x, inftead ^{.bringing
them to their Senfes'? He will agree too
Ibid, with his Friend, '' in making noQueftion
P- ^5- but ^atan may exert himfelf on fuch Oc-
cafions, — to difparage the Work of God^ as
if it tended to lead People to DiftraBion^
So Madmn Bourignon fays concerning one
dijordered by reading her Writings^ " The
Devil endeavours to difcredit them as you
do, making fome fufpedl that they might
have occafioned Trouble in your Husband's
Mindr
'Tis eafily faid, that Satan raifeth the
falfe Reports of Defpair and DifiraEHon
among the Methodijis ; and equally eafy to
fay, that he really induceth thofe mife-
rable Affeftions. But one Thing is clear ;
namely, that thofe Difeafes which cauje
Enthiifiafm, as Melancholy, Hyjierics^ Hypo-
chondriacs, have in themfelves a certain
Degree of Madnefs, and that Enthiijiafnt
and Madnefs are but the fame thing in dif-
ferent Words : That violent and diforderly
PaJJions of the Mind, or intenfe "Thought
upon fome particular Thing, &c. naturally
lead
( 21 )
lead into Enthufjoftic Madnefs", and, when
in Excefsy really become fo. For which,
were I'difpofed to fliew my Learning, I
could produce ample Authorities. — That
evil SpiritSy if they are not allowed to caiife
thefe Diftempers of Mind and Body, ^et
make their Advantage of them, -an^: rt;afc&
occafion to infufe into the Sufferers the
moft gloomy and dreadful Appreben/ions
and Terrors ; — this alfo hath the Sanftioii
of numerous and great Authors. AnA. I
leave others to confider how powerful muft
be the Eff^eB, when fuch a dijlemper'd En^
thufiafm is perpetually worked into the
Brain by a warm, affiduous, and beloved
Teacher, The Greeks talk of an Enthu^
fiajlic Dijlemper, called XctAjtoTUTrc^ ^t^ctvfct,
a Madnefs arifing from the Sound of Brafs :
Pythagoras in particular teacheth, that the jambllc.
Noife of Brafs is the Voice of a Dcemon. P- ^4-
The Methodijl^ ihould beware of fuch
Brazen Injlruments, — — After all, Mr.
TFeJley fomewhere defires, that ' at leaft
they fliould be allowed to be hinocent |
Madmen:' But he fliould remember, that ^
Madmen have ftrange Tendency to be
cunning ; and are apt, when Opportunity
ferves, to be mifchievous.
For Fear of being caught again with-
out my Parallel^ out of an hundred In-
ftances of mad Papalins we need only
mention the Seraphic St. Francis^ and
the
( 22 )
Conform, thc Glorious Jgitattus. The former'^^'^zd
I' ^^' chained down in a dark Room by his Pa-
rents, and deemed out of his Senfes by the
Learned and the Vulgar ; loved to ftrip
himfelf naked in proof of his I7t720certce ; or
appear in a fanfajlical and najly Drefs, on
purpofe to be derided, and pelted with Dirt
MalTei by the Rabble. — The latter (as all the
Vit.lgnat. ifTj^if^j.^ of hjg jr^yT^ ^^fl-jfy y ^^g intirely
"^ in the fame Cafe ; and was fo fond of the
Character and Treatment of^y^,' Madman^
that he defired to march out into the
Streets, naked, and with Horns upon his
Head, and counterfeit Madnefs, in hopes
of being befpattered with Dung and Filth.
He was often called to Account by Autho-
rity for Herefy, Fanaticifm, Impojlure and
'^IT\ '«5'^^^V/c;7. And both of them were reck-
oned, by all fiber Papijls, as a Couple of
crack-brain' d Rnthufiajis ; till fome cimjiing
Managers finding what Vfe might be made
of their Enfhzifiafms, they injlantaneoujly
Commence Saints : The Pope, upon their
Oath of Fidelity to him, confirms their
Jnjli tut ions and Societies -, canonizeth them,
and confers vaft Privileges on their Orders,
No Protejiant, I hope, will let thefe pafs
for Innocent Madmen, And if their Follow-
ers were not fo over-driven, like Cattle,
till they run mad, {2iS I am convinced
many of our Methodlfis have been) the
( n )
Difference turns out in Favour of the
PapiJ}.
§. 5. One would gladly get dear of
fuch an unhappy and difag?^eeable Subje^.-
But there is no attending iht Progrefs of
MethodiffTJ^ without taking in other Jhock"
i?ig and horrible Things belonging to the
Hiftory of this Jlrange SeB. Such are
their " Cryings out, Screamings, Shriek-
ings, Roarings, Groanings, Tremblings,
Gnafhings, Yellings, Foamings, Convul-
fions, Swoonings, Droppings, Blafphemies,.
Curfes, dying and defpairing Agonies, Va-
riety of Tortures in Body and Mind."
Give me leave to recite them in Mr..
Wejley% own Wordsy as they occur in his
yoiirnah : '' A Woman fuddenly cried out 3 Jo^rn,
as in the Agonies of Death, continued foP'S- ^s-
for fome Time, with all the Signs of the
fharpefl: Anguilh. — One felt as it were the 27.
piercing of a Sword, and could not avoid
crying out even in the Street. — One cried 40.
out aloud, with the utmoft Vehemence,
even as in the Agonies of Death. Two
others conftrained to roar, feized with great
Pain ', another, as out of the Belly of Hell.
7— A young Man fuddenly feized with vio- 4r.
lent Trembling all over, funk down tp
the Ground.- — One, and another, and ano- 42.
ther funk to the Earth. They dropt on
every Side as Thunder-ftruck. One io
wounded
( 24 )
wounded with the Sword of the Spiritj
that you would have imagined ihe could
3 Journ- not live a Moment. — A Woman broke out
P'^g- 43- ji^^Q fti'ong Cries, great Drops of Sweat
ran down her Face, and all her Bones
fliook A ^laker dropt down as Thun-
der-ftruck, in an Agony terrible to behold,
44- Another Perfon reeled four or five Steps,
and then dropt down. — One fallen raving
mad, — changed Colour, fell off his Chair,
fcreams terribly, beats himfelf againft the
Ground, his Breaft heaving as in the Pangs
of Death, roaring out, ' O ! thou Devil,
Legion of Devils, &fc.' — Three Perfons
46. almofl: at once funk down as dead. — One,
and another, and another, was ftruck to
5^» the Earth, exceedingly trembling. Ano*
ther dropt down, — a little Boy feized in
the fame Manner: A young Man, fixing
his Eyes upon him, funk down himfelf as
one dead, roared, beat himfelf againft the
Ground ; fix Men could fcarce hold him.
Others began to cry out, infomuch that
all the Houfe (and indeed all the Street
^3. for fome Space) was in an Uproar.— Some
funk down to the Earth j others exceed-
ingly trembled and quaked ; fome torn
with a convulfive Motion in every Part
of their Bodies, fo violently, that four or
five Perfons could not hold one of them.
A Woman, greatly oflTended at this, dropt
down in as violent an Agony as the reft.
Twenty-
( 25 )
Twenty-fix of thofe thus afFeded came,
&c, — while I was fpeaking, One dropt 6j,
down as dead, prefently a Second, and a
Third : Five others funk down, moft of •
them in violent Agonies, in the Pains of
Hell, and Snares of Death : One an Hour
in (Irong Pain , one or two more for three
Days.— Sighs and Groans which could not
be uttered, — grievous Terrors of Mindj
with ftrong Trembling. — Three Perfons 62;
terribly felt the Wrath of God : Seven or
eight conftrained to roar aloud. ~-A young e^^
Woman funk down in a violent Agony
of Body and Mind, and five or fix. other
Perfons ; again, eight or nine more 5 a Girl
thus touched, and next her Mother dropt
down, and loft her Senfes in a Moment. —
Mr. Wbitejield preachingy four Perfons 65^
funk down almoit in the fame Moment 5
One lay without Senfe or Motion y a Se-
cond trembled exceedingly ; the Third had
ftrong Convuifions all over his Body; the
Fourth equally convulfed. — Two more ia 6g,'
ftrong Pain, Souls and Bodies well-nigh
torn afunder. Another flruck through as
with a Sword, fell trembling to the Ground,
in Crying and Pain for twelve or lourteen
Hours. — Two feized with flroni Pains, 73.
four the next Evening, the fame Number
on Monday, — The Enemy began to tear
her, fo that (he fcreamed out as in the
Pangs of Death. — A young Woman in a 79.
E deep
( 26 )
^3- deep Agony, her Sorrow and Fear too big
for Utterance, funk down to the Ground.
Only Sighs and Groans (liewed (lie was a-
live. Many roared, utterly refufing to be
comforted. — Others felt the two-edged
Sword; one in great Torment all Night ^
87. — one or two Perfons tormented in an un-
^3. accountable Manner, lunatic and fore vex-
ed-, another flrangely torn by the DeviL
^2. — A young Woman on the Bed, two or
93. three Perfons holding her; Anguifl:), Horror
and Defpair, above all Description^ in her
pale Face. A thoufand Diftortions fliewed
how the Dog^ of Hell were gnawing
her Heart; her Shrieks not to be en-
dured, fhe fcreamed out, * I am damn'd,
damn'd, loft for evxr, ^cJ Another young
Woman began to roar out as loud as fhe
94- had done. — A Woman lay on the Ground
furioufly gnaihing her Teeth, roaring aloud,
— not eafy for three or four Perfons to
hold her ; fcreaming, then breaking out
into a horrid I/aughter, mixed with B!af-
95. phemy and Curfing. — Another Woman
burft out into a horrid Laughter ; — her
Pangs increafed, fo that one would have
imagined, by the Violence of the Throes,
her Body mult have been fliattered to
Pieces. — Two more fell into a ftrange
Agony, and violent Convullions, which
Words cannot defcribe, with Cries and
Groans too horrid to be born; we prayed,
till
( 27 )
till L — y C — r's Agonies fo increafed, that
fhe feemed in the Pangs of Death,
A Woman, who had been much tempt- Weflcy
ed of the DeviL funk down as one dead, 4 Joum,
motionlefs, breathlefs, Pulfe hardly dif- ^"
cernible. — The Spirit of Laughter was fo 38,
among us, that poor L — S — fometimes
laughed till almofl: ftrangled ; then broke
out into Curfing and Blafpheming; then
ftamped and ftruggled with incredible
Strength, fo that four or five could fcarce
hold her ; then cried out, — O that I had
no Soul ! — Two more feized in the fame
Manner, laughing almoft without ceafing,
thus continuing for two Days a Spedacle
to all. — Between two and three in the 51, 52.
Morning I was waked, — and immediately
heard fuch a confufed Noife, as if a Num-
ber of Men were all putting to the Sword,
— " roaring aloud, loud and bitter Cries. —
Others drop down in violent Agonies.
Several dropt to the Ground, as if5 Journ.
ftruck by Lightning; fome cried out in^" ^'^'
Bitternefs of Soul. — While I was fpcaking,
feveral dropt down as dead. — Several 5^, 78.
conflrained to roar aloud. — A Woman roar- 86.
ing in a ftrange Manner, her Tongue hang-
ing out of her Mouth, and her Face dif-
torted into the moft terrible Form."
This, Reader^ is a faithful Collection
of Cafes from Mr. Wejleys Joiirriah, But
(as He fays on another Occafion) '' What 4 ]o«rn.
E 2 a Scene^' ^^'
( 28 )
a Scene is here difclofed ? And again (in
his Account of a Mob) Can you join Heart
or Hands . with thefe any longer ? With
fuch a — Rabble-rout, roaring and raging, as
if they were juft broke loofe, with their
Captain Apolhon, from the hottomlefs Pit ?"
Nor muft Mr. Whitefield pafs without
? Journ. his Contribution : " who (as Mr. V/eJley
^^^* ■^* relates) had fome ObjeBions againft thefe
outward Signs^ &c. but had now an Op-
portunity of informing himfelf better. For
in his Sermon four Ftvfons funk down c\o{e
to him, almofl; in the fame Moment. One
lay without Senfe or Motion : A Second
trembled exceedingly : A Third has Con-
vulfions all over his Body : The Fourth
Whiter, equallv convulfed/' — Whether proper Per-
J^Y"' 28 foi^s were not prefiared to convince him, I
3 8,42, 44. know not. Bat he is afterwards full of
Journ. 7. tj^e f^j^^^ dreadful Cries, Convulfions, and
eo.*^' ^'^^ other bodily Tortures, attending his Ser-
mons,
Mr. Brainerd^ ( a Sort of Scotch Me--
thodij}^ employed to the Indians) gives the
Journ. following Accouut ! " Nor has there been
P- 39-4I- any plaufible Objeftion againft this Work,
in Regard to the Manner. — The Convic-
tions of their Sin and Mifery have indeed
produced many Tears, Cries, and Groans :
but there has been no Appearance of thole
Convulfions^ bodily'- Agonies^ frightful Scream-
ings^ Swoonings^^c^ which have been xc^^
much
( 29 )
much complained of in other Places. —
None frightened with a fearful Noife of
Hell and Damnation ^ — no connjulfive^ ec-^
Jlatic^ or flighty Appearances \ — no boifte-^
roiis Cof/ivictionsJ'
This, no doubt, is a Fli?ig at Mr. Weflef%
Accounts 5 which are in Truth too flock-
ing and terrible to be written, or read,
without Horror and Pain of Mind : And
one would really imagine, that Bedlam
was let loofe, and all the Hypochondriac
afid Hyjiericaly Epileptic, Ccnvidfedy Fevered^
Delirious^ Bewitched^ and Pcffef'ed Perfons
were fummoned from all Quarters of the
Nation,
But to what Catifes fhall we afcribe
thefe furprizing and ftrange Appearances
and Effe^s ? I am perfuaded (and can with
Certainty fpeak for myfelf) that we know
not enough of Nature, and the Ways and
Works of Providence ; — of the Powers^
Extent and Boundaries of Natural Enthti-
fiafm ', of Di [orders in Body or Mind j of
fuperior Spirits^ good and evil 5 of Ecfa-
cieSy Raptures, and Vifions ^ of ( fuppofed
or real) Witchcrafts, and diabolical Pofef
fions ; of Magic and Sorcery ; or even of
Counterfeits, and jugling Jmpofures -, and
the like : — We are not, I fay, fufficiently
acquainted with thefe Things, fo as to de-
termine precifely to what Cauje we fhould
afcribe, and how account for, every Parti-
cular
( 30 )
cqlar of thefe ftrange and amazing Narra-
tives of Mr. Wefley 3 which have fo large
a Share in the Progrefs of Methodifm, But
this I hiow^ and will prove ^ that his whole
Account is all of a Piece with the extra-
vagant Schemes and Conduol of the moft Fa-
natical E?jthujiajls , and wicked Impojlors^
among the Papijls.
TiiC Fa^s and Circum/lafjces are fo many
and extraordinary ; arifing from fuch dif-
ferent CaufeSy and producing fuch Variety
of Effe^ls ; pretendedly ferving to the good
End of Regeneration^ Miracles^ &c. — that
it will be neceffary to confider more dif-
tindly feveral of the Cafes-, which I (hall
mark numerically^ for the Sake of feme
Remarks^ and Parallels^ as I go along.
§. 6. And, becaule a miraculous Interpo-
fition is frequently to be called in, ■ as a
Remedy of thefe fore Evils ; I fhall pre-
vibufly take fome Notice (in Addition to
what I obferved before, Compar, Part 2d.
Pag. 43. — ) of the Methodijls Pretenfions
to Miraculous Gijts, and Supernatural Cures \
obtained by their Merits and Inter cef ions.
Mr. Whitefield indeed hath often and open-
ly difclainied all Power and Pretenfions of
working M/r<^<:7d'5 among them. But Mr.
Wejley, as ufually \x\ fimilar Cafes^ is more
myjlerious and equivocal. Let us fee how^
he mumbles this Thifllel Being called upon'
to
(30
to fliew Miracles in Confirmation of his
fuppofed divine MiJ/ion, Injpirationj Sec,
what is his Plea? " We cannot^ and there- Laft App/
fore we need not, be like xht ApoJileSy inP^S- ^^7.
working outward Miracles. — It is utterly p. 122-4.
unreafonable and abfurd to require or ex^
peft the Proof of Miracles. — Miracles are
quite nee die fs in fuch a Cafe : there rnav
be reparx "^guJy?, Lying Miracles ^ Miracles
wrought in Support of Falfliood." — Being
told, there is no need of fu-ppofing the
Recoveries (of the Metljodi/ls in a Moment
from their Fits) to b^ Miracles, he fhortly
replies, ' Who affirms there is'?' — And Anfw. to.
cannot I be acquitted from Enthiifiafm, tirlp^"^^^'
I prove by Miracles that I am in a State of 45.
Salvation ?'*
This, one would imagine, were giving
up the Claim of Miracles : — In Conformity
with his Acquaintance, Madam Boiirignon^
on whom her Followers would have fixed
the Gift of Miracles j which {li€ renounceth
in the feme Manner, as needlefsy 6c.c, " I
blefe God for her Recovery, We mufl
never attribute fuch Things to Aliracles :
for the greateft Part of thofe that are done
are wrought by the Devil/' They who
feek for Miracles , will undoubtedly find
them with him (tlie Devil.) But the
Chriftian T^ruth^ and Evangelical DoBrine^
want no Miracles. — As to all now called
MiracleSy and evsn ap^^roved as fuch, I
have
( 32 )
have no Opinion of them, being for the
mofl part performed by the Devil^ or at
Jeaft Cheat and DeluJionJ* [Light hi Dark-
nefsy Part 3d. Letter 15, and 23.]
I have, however, always thought and
faid, that Mr. Wejley never "^oMX^fmcerely
renounce the Claim of Miracles ; but only
prevaricate and equivocate. Accordingly
we fhall now fee him begin to turn about ^
and double. Being charged with relating
ra!Si h^^.'f^^^^culom Cures himfelf, he replieth, '* I
p- 123. relate juft what I faw ; — and this is true,
that fome of thofe Circumftances feem to
go beyond the ordinary Coiirfe of Nature.
But I do not peremptorily determine^
whether they \^tVQfuper natural, or no.*'
Anfw. to *' I have fet down the F^^i juft as they
Church, wei-e^ paffing no Judgment upon them my^
felf, and leaving every IVIan elfe to judge as
he pleafes.''
What Judgment will follow from the
Partiality and Credulity of his Admirers^
he cannot be ignorant : For, like Ignatius^
5 Joarn. « he knows the People with whom he
^' ^* has to do." But is it true, that he paffeth
Anfw. tono Judg??2ent? Hear himfelf, " I look
Church, ^pQ^ ^Qj^g Qf ^Yiti^ Cafes (the Diforders
and Removals of People^s falling into Fits)
as wholly nd^tural -, on the reft as mixd-,
both the Diforder and the Removal being
partly natural, and partly not.*' Is this his
710 Judgment ? And is he not got too
half-
( 33 )
half Way Into the miraculous? We fhall
fee him getting over the other half by
large Strides, and laying full Claim to mi^
raculous Operations-, plainly and fully paffing
his own Judgment y even where he fays,
*' he paiTeth none'' And though he may
not ufe the very Word, Miracle y or Mira--
culousy he fpeaks in Terms equivalent^ and
of as well known Significatioii.
Many of his Cures are faid to be " in-
Jlantaneous, and the Patient relieved in
Body and Mind in a Moment \* which is
one Mark of a Miracle, — After mention-
ing fome Metbodifts who were delivered
" from Jirong Pain, — as the Agonies of'^ journ.
Death, — out of the Belly of Hell-,'' heP^g- 4©'
immediately fubjoins, " fo many living
Witnefjes hath God given, that his Hand is
ft ill Jir etched out to heal, and that Signs
and Wonders are even now wrought by his
Holy Child Jefusr — *' When both her Page 43;
Soul and Body were healed in a Moment,
he (a Phyfician) acknowledged the Finger
of God:' Thus faid the Pope of St. Ig- Myaer.
natius, after attentively looking on his Jefuic.
Hands, <' This is the Finger of God, I fee P'^^'
nothing in thofe Hands but the Fifigers of
Godr
What fhall we fay to Mr. Wefey^s own
Cure? " Bcfides the Pain in my Back and 4 journg
Head, — I was feized with fuch a Cough, P* 23*
that I could hardly fpeak. At the fame
F time
( 34 )
time came flrongly into my Mind, thefe
Signs fliall follow them that beheve. — I
called on Jcfus aloud, — and while I was
fpeaking, my Pain vaniilied away; my
Fever left me/'— Thus fays St. Terefay
Vltr5, 8vo. ct Qj^ ^ certain Day giving myfelf to Prayer ^
p. ^05. J ^^j^ ^^ great Pain in my Heady that I
could not pray : then the Lord faid to me,
* Though you could not fpeak to w^, I
was fpeaking to you ;' and the Head^ach
entirely went off/'
Thefe Inftances are fufficient; though
more might be brought ; he having repre-
fented almoft all their Cures as fiipernatiiraU
and with the Air of a Miracle, Upon
the "whoky with Regard to Miracles^ Mr.
Wejley has got a Wolf by the Ears^ which
he cannot fafely either hold^ or let go,
Pop?frj Pretenfions of this Nature are fo
numerous, that we need not be particular :
there is no dipping into a hegei^dy with-
out opening upon a thu?72ping Miracle ;
they are fome of their chief Marks of the
true Church : nor is there any Way to
Saint Pnp and Canonization without them.
And yet modeji and Jenfible Fapijh have
long been afliamed of them, as done out
of Oftentation, Avarice, and Cheat : While
the Methodijls are taking up with their
Leavings, and the very Refuje of their
Inipoftures.
The
( 35 )
lihQjhuffiing Condad of Mr. We/ley^ in
ghnng iipy or maintaming the Power of
Miracles ; his alternate finking and rifing
(like a Duck diving under Water when
in Danger of being caught^ and popping
up its Head again at a proper Diftance)
puts Die in Mind of his Pattern^ the Found-
er oj the Jefuits.
Ribadeneirdy in his Jirfi: Life of Igna- Bartol.
tius, is very fparing of his Miracles^ as be- ^''^- ^2"-
ing not (though he knew the Saint very
well) thoroughly fatisfied of the Truth of ^^^l^''
them 3 and arguing that they were tmne- pag. 37.
ceffary. But fome Years afterwards, when Ribaden.
the Project was formed for his C^;^^;;/^;^- pag. 544-
tion^ and his Order to be exalted for the
Advancement of the Papacy -, immediately
a Brood of Miracles is hatched^ in his fecond
Life^ to the Number of a Hundred^ and
thofe teftified upon Oath.
I remember alfo, ( in Aftalogy to the
occafional Swellings and Sinkings both of
MeJJieurs Whitefield and Wejley, to ferve a
prefent Turn) a wonderful Story recorded
of St. Francis Xavier^ the Jefuited Apoftle Bouhour&'f
of the Indies. *^ In baptizing the converted !j^^^.^^
Indians^ he did manfejlly^ but gradually ^^zg.621.
fwell to a gigantic Size, to the Aflonifmient yf""^^^
of the Spctlators : but as foon as he had pag%9. *
finiflxd his Office, he dwindled again into
his natural Proportion^ finking into him-
felf.'^
F 2 §.7. Were
(36)
§. 7- Were we to furvcy Mr. Wefley in
his magnified Stature^ and arrayed with the
Coriijcation of Miracles^ we fliould take iri
the full Number of his Fits, and their Re-
ChuTch° ^o^'^/^s which, he fays, were about two
p. 43. ' hujidred: — The very fame Number, which
Boiibotirs fays were well-attefted^ ( though
not all upon Oath) of Miracles performed
by Ignatius, And if, fince Mr. Wefiey
gave the above Account, fuch Cafes have
continued in Proportion 5 they may have
rifen by this Time to a Thoufand. As if
he would not barely emulate^ but exceed
both St, Francis and St. Ignatius \ as much
as they have been declared to exceed in
miraculous Operations^ not only Mofes^ but
Chrifi^ and all his Apofiles. But it may
fuffice to produce fome fpecial Cafes ^ which
will afford ample Matter of Oifervation,
Wefley [No. I.] " A zealous Oppofi^r d^fivtd to
^g^'^g'""' fpeak with me immediately. He had all
the Signs oj fettled Dejpair, He faid he
had been enflaved to Sin many Years :
Had long ufed all the Meajis of Grace^
conftantly gone to Church and Sacramefit^
read the Scripture, ufed much private
Prayer^ and yet was nothing profited. I
defired we might join in Trayer. After a
fhort Space his Countenance was no longer
fad. He faid, ' now I know God hath
forgiven my Sins : — Chrift hath fet me
free :'
( 37 )
free :' And according to his Faith it was
unto him"' He hath fuch another Inftance
of the " Converfion of one above mea- Wefley
fure enraged at this new Way : He defires p^ ^5^ '
her to join with him in Prayer ; — (lie falls
into extreme Agonies^ — foon after knows
that Chrifl had forgiven her \ — from that
Hour a Believer ^
Here you fee a notable Fling at all the
Means of Grace ^ Churchy Sacrarnent^ Scrip-
tiire^ Prayer : they prof ted nothifig. No-
thing will do but the good Mr. Weflefs In-
fer cef ion : All the Honour is referved for
this 'Particular Saint: He alone cureth,
and that by a Miracle^ ufing the fame Ex-
prejjion with Chrifl w^hen he worked by a
divine Power.
Thus '* the Devils that infefted ^;2^- Rlb.iden.
tins' ^ College could not be expelled by^' 5*5-
Prayer^ Mafs^ Holy Water ^ Exorcifms^ Re-
licks -^ — but abfolutely and finally drove
away by his Merits. — Again, one John 547.
Paul was fo opprefled, that he could fcarce
breathe , and could find no Peace or Com-
fort from Prayer^ Sacramejits^ or good
Works : but St Ignatius^ by two Words^
wiped away, as it were with his Hands,
all his Trouble and Difquiet/' — In Tur-
felin's Lauretana Hiforia we read of *' ^ Pag. 73.
Woman pofejjcdy who having tried in vain
divers Saints^ and the moft folemn Rites
of the Churchy applies to the Virgin of
Lorctto 3
( 38 )
Loretto ; where the Devils depart with la-
mentable Howlings and Groans^ '^ Mary^
Mary I flie has ejeded us." Indeed 'tis
very common to find fome Dijlempers and
Devih fo obftinate, that they will never
yield, but to aggrandize the Charadler of
fome particular Saint ^ or Order,
Wefley [No. 2.] Here follows another Engine
3 Journ. ^^ j-^if^ ^p ^^.^ Wejley\ Name. " A
^' ^'^' ^aker^ difpleafed at the DiJJimulation of
thefe Creatures, [the Screamers, Droppers,
Gfc] was biting his Lips, and knitting his
Brows, when he dropt down as nu?ider-
Jlruck, His Agony was terrible to behold.
We befought God not to lay Folly to his
Charge. And he foon lifted up bis Head,
and cried aloud, ' Now I know, Thou art
a Prophet of the Lord J"
'Tis very poflible this may be all com^
paB, But, however that be, Mr. Wefley
readily catcheth at his juft 'Title of a Pro-
5 Journ. phet ; and more plainly elfewhere : For " a
P' ^*"' Woman that was a Sinner having lent him
a convenient Place for Preaching, he de-
clares, ' Thou poor Sinner, Thou haft re-
ceived a Prophet in the Name of a Prophet,
and art found of him that fent him,''
This Peft of Vatiity flicks fo clofe, that
he cannot help fhewing what 2i great Man
Ibid, he is ftill farther; '' I obferve, the Poptjh
P- 73-4- prieft. knew well, how much it would be
for the Intcreft of his Church to have m^
accounted
ourn.
( 39 )
accounted a Member of it." — Without
Doubt, the Pope and Cardinals would be
in high Raptures.
Hocltbacus velify & magno mercentur Atridce.
After preaching, the People were ready to
tread me under Foot, out of pure Love r
and Kindnefs : — In going to Church wtXi-y^.xoi.
corned with a hud Huzza. — As I was nj.
preachings a Collier htgocn JJjoutijtg a-main
for Joy 'y their ufual Token of Approbation
was clapping me on the Back'' So potent
are the Proofs of his divine Mijion,
§. 8. [No. 3.] But we may likewife
have a Sight of our Wo7ider-7770nger ^ fitting
in the Seat of the Great Searcher of Hearts,
For thus he maketh out his Claim. " As 4 Journ.
I was expounding the 12th of the ^^^j, P-S^-
a young Man, with fome others, rufhed in,
curfmg and /wearing vehemently; and fo
difturbed all near him, that they put him
out, I obferved it, and called to let him
come in^ that cur Lord might bid his Chaiiu
fall 0^, As fcon as the Sermon was over,
he came and declared before us all, '^ That
he was a Smuggler, then going on in this
Work, as his Difguife, and the great Bag
he had with him, ihewed. But he faid,
he muft never do this more ; for he was
now refolved, to have the Lord for his God.*'
In
( 40 )
In this Cafe *tis evident, either that there
was CrJIuJion and Combinatioriy which Mr.
Ifejley furely will not admit -, or elle that
he knoweth the Secrets of the Man's Hearty.
that he would become a Convert ; as well
as the Mind of Chrijl, who would make
him fuch. And why fhould he fall fhort
Ribaden. of \^\^ Forefathers'? For we read, " that a
•'"" ^^* few^ in the Jejuit's College at Rome^ feemed
once to be converted ; but afterwards be-
came furioiiSy and refolved to be gone,
faying, ' he would not be a ChrifltanJ
The Holy Father Ignatius only called for
him, and faid, ' Stay with us Ifaac^' and
in a Moment he was quieted and gentle as
a Lamb J" — Our next Tnrallel v^'ill be
Specul. cloier. ** St. Do??iimc having convicted
Exemp!. fomePerfonsof iJ^;T/y, and delivered them
T " o C^ Q
Peier* de to the fecular Arm 5 as they were going
Natal, to be burned^ he fpieth one among them,
''' '^^"\\\ Vv^hom dijcerjung g Ray of Predefiina-
tion^ he ordereth him not to be burned,
but to be delivered back to the Holy Office ;
where he fays to him, ' I know^ my Son,
thou wilt yet be a good Man, and a Saint."
He was inftantly illuminated^ and became
of the Order of Fryer' s Preachers ^ — Nor
Bonavent. muft St. Fraucis be omitted, '' who fore-
Legend. fQl^ the Converfion of feveral Perfons, with
'^'^' *'' infallible Truth, to Chr'ijl, who v/ere as yet
Conform, pcrvcrfey — '' Becaufe Saint Francis follow^
Fol. 278. ^^ Chrijl to PerfcBion 5 God, by uniting
himfeif
( 41 )
himfelf to him, and making lilm oi^e Spirit
with him by T?^a?2sfor??2ation^ revealed his
own Senfe to him : not only making him
a Tropbet^ in feeing and knovv^ing future
Tlmigs^ and diflant ^ but Diore than a Pro--
phet^ in relpect of knowing the Secrets of
Mens Hearts. Of which there are divers
hiftancesy — '' By a certain Spiritual Sign he Conform,
knew who would be javed, and who P' ^39-
damned^ and when, — A Brother under a
grievous Te?nptation fancied he fliould be
aired by the Pari?2gs of St, Francis's Nails : 278.
St. Francis^ knowing this at a Diftance,
takes a Fair of SciJJars^ cuts fome Fari?2gSy
and fends them 5 and the Man was i?:-
ftajitly cured of the Temptation/' And
as it would be the utmoft Fartiality to
deny the Fetnale Saints the Knowledge of
{\xch curious Sec?rts -y — We find the i?2'
fpired Bourignon laying in her Claim ;
" If I perceive the moft hidden Thoughts
of your HeartSy whence can this come but
from God alone ? '' Light in Darknefs^
Part I. Letter i. — M. of Pazzi " pene- Life,
trated into the moft hidden Folds of other ^°' 44-'
People's Confciences,'' — " One of St. Cj-Ribaden.
tharine's Prerogatives was, to know whe- ^^^' ^^*
ther other People were in a State of Grace^
or not : She could read their Minds y and
clearly underftand all that was in them.
She knew wicked Perfons bv their fi^iking
Smelir
G That:
( 42 )
That this miraculous Gift was commu-
nicated to the humble Follo-uoers^ both
Methodijls and Papijfs, will be obferved
anon. In the mean time, perhaps Mr.
Wejley hath received the fame Light with
Martyrol. " Fryer Roger, to whom a Francifcan ap-
jaT^3o'^. peered after his Death, and gave him a
Rule how to know whether any Perfon
were in the Number of the Tre'dejiinated^
by a peculiar Sign fecret to common Mor-
tals 3 and revealed to him the Certainty of
his own EleBion:'" — or he may inherit
Foht^""' from St. Francis himfelf, " who knew
who fliould be faved, by a Sign not known
to carnal Men.'' —
§. 9. But more of this, and other t^x/r^^
ordinary Gifts, will come to Light, by
looking into Mr. IVeJlefs Practice of exor-
cifmg Devils, and relieving the Tofjejjed-,
with various Proofs and Inftances of the
7niracuIous Tower of Healing,
Wefley [No. 4.] " One J—n H~n, a M;^a
of a regular Life, conftantly attending the
public Prayers and Sacrament, zealous for
the Church, &c. — laboured above Mea-
fure to convince his Acquaintance, that
the Metkodijls falVwg i?ito jirange Fits at the
Societies, — was a Delufion of the Devil,
We were going home, when one met us,
and informed us, ' that J — n R — n was
fallen raving mad* It feems he had
bee a
3 Journ
( 43 )
been reading a Sennon on Salvation by
Faith ; and in reading the lafl: Tage^ he
changed Colour, fell from his Chair, be-
gan fh'caming terribly, and beati?ig him-
felf againft the Ground. — I came in, and
found him on the Floor ;, the Room full of
People, whom his Wife would have kept
out ; but he cried out, * No ; let them
all come, let all the World fee the jujl
'^Judgment of God' — Fixing his Eyes upon
7726, he cried, ' Ay, this is He, who I faid
was a Deceiver of the People. But God
has overtaken me. I faid it was all a
Delufion -, but this is no Delufon' He
then cried out, ' O thou Devil! Thou
turfed Devil I Yea, thou L^^/r?;/ of Devils.
Thou can'fl: not ftay. Chriji will cafl: thee
out. — Tear me in Pieces if thou wilt, but
thou can'ft not hurt me. He then beat
himfelf againft the Ground again j — Breaft
heaving as in the Vangs of Death, — We
betook ourfelves to 'Trayer^ his l^a?tgs
ceafcdy and both Body and Soul were fet at
Liberty.'* But '^ going away, and after-
ward returning to J — n H — //, we found
his Voice was loft, and his Body weak as
that of an Infant." The laft Words, I
obferve, fhew a Jljort-liv'd and irnperfeSi
Cure. What became of him afterwards
we know not. — I obferve, that no Regu-
larity of Life, or Attendance on the 77J0JI
/acred Ordiua72ceSy will fatisfy Mr. Wejley^
G 2 if
( 44 )
if we think Mcthodifm is a Delufjcn. So
ready is he to decry all the Means of
Grace^ and Good Works, [Comp. 5 Journ,
Page 45—6.]
I oblerve, that upon the Man's reading
Mr. Wejley's Sermon (for he hath printed
one upon Salvation hy Faith) the Devil
felzeth him ; he is ftruck with Madnejs^
of which the proper Symptoms are ex-
prefled : This he declares to be a "Ju-
dicial Sentence for oppofing Mr. We/ley ;
" This is he, who I faid was a De--
ceiver ; but God hath overtaken me. '*
Vv^hich Words, if fpoken by the Man him-
felf as his own Sentiments, are confepdly
fpoken by him under a Fit of Dljiraciion^
and Diabolical Pcljejjion : If fpoken by
Satan, making ufe of the Man's Organs ^,
then Satan is the Methodift's Friend, and
bears Tejtimony to Mr. lVejley% Miffion. —
I obferve, that in order to be true Me-
thodifis, we are to run rnad, and be pojjejfed^
in hope of a pjcrt and imperfeB Cure,
By way of Comparifon, we read of '^ a
7niferable Woman , to whom the Vi?'gin
Mary, jiretching out her Hand, pointed out
Ignatius, and commanded her to addrefs
herfelf to him, B\Mjhe, llruck withfre/b
Yn^T^r2it ^^^^^^ ^''''^^ aloud, ' Pardon me, O
L.V. C.i.5^(;^'^'^ Ignatius! For now I remember I
have often been incredulous, oppofing thofc
who extolled your SanBity 5 and upbraid-
inr
( 45 )
ing my Brother for being oi your Order,'
Acknowledge then, fays the Virgviy that
he is truly a Saint^ that be is your c«/y
J/f/J^, and that you are to Javed by his
Grace.'' — Madam Boiirignon writeth to a
Woman in thefe Words; *' You fay, Light in
Miftrefs, that your jF/wj^^W's III nefs is oc- J^^''^^'^^''
_ -' -^ „_ . . , , Part 4.
cafioned by w^ Writmg^, — Is there not Letter 22.
Ground to doubt, that thofe, who fpeak
evil of them, are poffeffed with the fame
Spirit^ that w^as in the TharifeeSy who
faid of Jefiis Cbrifty that he was one who
feduced the ^People ? — I efteem your Husband
happy for his Child-birth Tains ; — I wifh
many more were fmltten with this Difeafe^
even though they {hould die for it,''
It may occafion a Doubt, whether the
Madman^ or Satan ^ was properly the
Speaker ; becaufe Topifo Writers of Dcemo-
nology tell us, ** that although the TofJ'e[JedT\^yr^\
will fpeak feveral Things from themfelves, D^mon.
in which Spi?^its have no Share; yet moji '^' '^^'
cftenly the whole Difcourfe is the Devil's,"
And in that Cafe, " the Devil will fome-
times fpeak Truth, or feem to depart, in
order to puff up the Exorciji with Vaij2-
glory, " For which Reafon they add, Mall.
^* that the Exorcifl fliould by no means r^^^^^^*
be a Man given to Vanity," p. 17'. 20.
§. 10. [No. 5.] " A yOU77g Woman of Wefley
Nineteen, that could not write or read, 3 J^"^"-
( 46 )
held in Bed by two or three Perfons ; —
Anguifli, Horror, Defpair above Defcrip-
tion in her pale Face. — A thoufand Dif-
tortions (hewed how the Dogs of' Hell were
gnawing her Heart. She fhrieks, fcreams
oat, ' I am damn'd^ damnd. Six Days
ago you might have helped me : but it
is now part. I am the Devil's now : I
have given myfelf to him. His I am.
Him I muft ferve. With him I muft go
to Hell. I will be his. I will ferve him.
I will go with him to Hell. I cannot, I
will not, bcfoved. I mu/l^ I will, I will
be damned/ She then began praying to
the Devil. JVe began,
^ Arm of the Lord, awake, awake.'
She immediately funk down as ajleep :
but as foon as we left off, broke out again
with unexpreffible Vehemence, ' Stony
Hearts break !— I am a Warning to you. —
You ;2^6'^ not be damned, tho' I muft.' —
She then fixt her Eyes on the Corner of
the Cieling, and faid, ' There he is. Ay,
There he is. Come, good Devil, come :
take me away. You faid you will dafli
my Brains out. Come, do it quickly. I
am yours. I will be yours. Come juft
now. Take me away.' We interrupted
her by calling again upon God, — We con-
tinued in grayer till part Eleven : When
God
( 47 )
God in a Moment fpake Peace to her
Soiiir
Here is one of the moft difmal Inftances
of M-iidnefSy PoJJeJIion, and Defpair^ that
can well be conceived -, one among many
that have happened among the Methodijis :
Hovvibly Jljocking, but neceflary to be tran--
fa-il?cdj on account oi fimilar Cafes among
Papijlsy of Parallels in Perfons faid to be
foJJe[jed^ or be%vitcked, and cured by Ex-*
orciJt?2Sy &c.
But before I proceed, it may be proper
juft to mention " the DifiinBion betw^een Mali.
Perfons PoJfeJJed, and fuch as are Bewitched :^^^^^-
The former fuffer purely (as Da:mo?2ologiJls ^^^^^'
write) from tlie Operation of Satan himfelf
or his Lnps : The latter indeed from Satan^
but not without the Intervention of Wi-
zardsy or WitchesJ' — And I would have it
obferved, that I do not make myfelf a
Party in the Controverfy about Dc^mo-
niacs, whether their Cafe be 772ere Dijiem-
per^ or Diftemper caufed by evil Spirits ;
nor yet, whether, hoW often, and how far,
we have Proof of the Power of Witch--
craft. Thus much, however, I fay, that
I am not one of thofe Heroes, who take
upon them to chafe Spiritual Bei?7gs, good
or bad, out of the World ; or to deny
either their Exifence^ or Infliie?i<:e. And
yet I am well aware how many poor
Creatures have unjujlty fufFered under fuch
an
( 48 )
an Imputation ; how frequently Dijlempers
have been conilrued into Foffejjion and
Witchcraft'^ and efpecially what wicked
T^rich and Impojhres Popifh Priejis, Jefuits,
&CQ. have played upon the World by fuch ,
Pretenfiom,
We have feveral Particulars in this Ar--
//V/^*, which are not without their proper
Parallels. Thh poor Creature calling upon
the Devil, I am damned, I have given
myfelf to him, ' Come, good Devil, take
Baling, me away,' &c, — is equalled by ''that
Calendar, (^i^jpjj^jjjing IVretch, pouring out Curlings
p. iS'z. and Execrations, and roaring out, * Come
Devil, come.' The Devil inftantly feizeth
him, and daflieth him againft the Ground,
(yc. All the Holy Amulets of the Catholick
Church are prefcribed. But nothing would ^
do, till by Prayer to the Virgin Mary,
the Evil Spirit in a Momeiit departed.
Again, Mr. Wefley ufcth hard Names y
calling the Devils ' Dogs of Hell -y' and
both he and Whitefield had before called
Satan * a Fool, one that did not under-
ftand his. own BufinefsJ Which fliews
Mill, how carefully they obferve " the Rule pre-
T^m^^* fcribed to Exorcifs by approved Papijis^
p. 29/ namely, to call the Devils opprobrious
NameSy in order to expel them, by taming
their Pride, And 'tis one Form of Co?7Ju^
Mengi rati on y *' I conjure you, ye abominable
iWon, Rebels, ye Ackerontic Dogs, worfe than
p.. 103. ' Common
( 49 )
Common Strumpets^ &c.** And they give
for a Reafojiy ' that the proud Devils can-
not bear Contempt^ but will Ineak away
afloamed.^
We may obferve, that this defpairing
Woman ^ diJiraBed by her Terrors, hath in
Imagnmtion a Sight of the Devil coming to
feize her ; " She fixt her Eyes on the Corner
of the Cielingy faying, ' There he is. Ay,
There he is.' <£?(:.— And (pag. 88.) " An-
other Woman ilrangely torn by the Devil^
upon Deliverance by Prayer^ cried out ve-
hemently, ' He is gone : he is gone.'*
This imaginary Sight y of what none be-
fides can fee, is pretty common among the
Legendary Saints \ who in their defperate
and dijiradted Fits fee him comifig and goings
and enter into Difcourfe with him. — 'Tis
likewife a very ufual Thing with Terfons
thought to be bewitched^ to have a Sight of
their 'Tormentors ^ either Dc^moiis^ or Witches,
Thofe, who are unacquainted with thefe
Things, may fee many Inflances in Mather s
Hiftory of Ne%o -England, Particularly,
Book VI. Ch. 7. Where *' Perfons tor-
mented by Sorcery^ or Witchcraft^ are in
the litmofl Agonies and Cciivulfions^ uttering
the mofl horrid Imprecations and Blaf
phemies'^' fuch as thefe in Mr. Weflefs
Jourfials, One fees a Spirit ftand by her,
and afterwards cries out, ' He is gone.'
Others cry out upon the Dce??2ons^ * They
H are
( so)
are gone ; they are gone ;* and with an
alfer'^i Voice^ fay, * Now I am well/ —
So, (Hiftory oi Witchcraft, Vol. I. p. 50.)
Mrs. Throgmorton's Children cry out, ' See
the Witch there 5 take her away; look
where fhe ftands.' Page 123. The fup-
pofed Wizard is fee n ; ' Oh ! He is come ;
he is come."
The contrary, Joyous Vijions of Chrijl^
Angels, &c. will fall in our Way as we
go on ; as alfo other Circumflances of
Witchcraft.
§. II, [No. 6.] Of equally terrible Na-.
WeHey ture is the next Cafe. " A Woman lay
p qT-ck". ^^ ^^^ Ground, furioufly gnaflding her
Teeth, — and roaring. Not eafy for three
or four Perfons to hold her; efpecially
when the Name oi Jefus was nam.ed. We
prayed ; the Violence of her Symptoms ceafed,
but not a compleat Deliverance.
In the Evening, being fent for again, I
was unwilling, indeed afraid, to go ; think-
ing it would not avail, unlefs fome, who
were Jirong in Faith, were to ivrefle with
God for her. I opened tny Teftament on
thofe Words -, I was afraid, and went and
hid thy Talent in the Earth. I flood re-
proved, and went immediately. She be-
gan Screaming before I came into the
Room ; then broke out into a horrid Laugh^
ter^ mixt with Btafphemy^ grievous to heaf.
One
( 51 )
One^ who from many Circumftances ap-
prehended a preterjiatural Agent^ asking,
* How did'ft thou dare to enter into a
ChriliianV Was anfwered, ' She is not a
Chrifiian : She is mine' ^ * Doft thou
not tremble at the Name of Jefiis T No
Words followed, but ihe Jhriink back^ and
trembled exceedingly. ^ ^ Art thou not
increafing thine own Damnation ?' It was
faintly anfwered, ' Ay, Ay:' which was
followed by frefh Curfing and Blafphemy,
My Brother coming in, fhe cried out,
' Preachery Field-Preacher I I don't love
Field-Preaching* This was repeated two
Hours together, with [pitting^ and all the
Expreffions of ftrong Averfion,
Two Days after we called upon her
again. Now it was, that Go^ {hewed he
heareth the Prayer, All her Pa?2gs ceajed
in a Moment ; — and flie knew that the
Son of Wickednefs was departed from
her/'
Here we fee a confefled diabolical Pof-
fejjion ; Mr. Wejley owns his Talent of ejeB-
ing Satan 3 and adlually doeth it, by the
Prayers of himfelf and Brother, Let us
confider a few of the Circumftances. — In
the firft Place we fhould admire Mr.
JVeJleys excellent Trap to catch FamCy i. e,
an Appearance of profound Humility, He
was unwilling and afraid to venture upon
expelling Satan himfelf carting about for
others frong in the Faith, In this Per-
H 2 plexity
( 52 )
plcxity he dips in the Bibky by Way of
JLottery ; (which Mr. Whitcjield calls tempt-
ing God', and much greater and better Men
have looked upon as little fliort of Conjiir-^
i?2g ) immediately Heaven openly attefts
his Tialent of ejecting Devils. He goes
and fucceeds/' — Again, (even after the
SanBion of Heaven to be an Exorciji, and
We/ley the Rebuke for drawing back) " being in-
5 J^ourn. fQi-^j^^d of a Womau deemed mad, or pof-^
fjjid, and defired to come to her ; he
asketh, ' What Good do you think I can
do ?' But being preffed, he went; performed
his Office ; and left her rejoicing and praif
Plain Ac- ing God/' — Once more : " Mr, JVeJIey hav-
^°""g' ing cured an Old Man of an inveterate
Cough, asketh, (how modeftly, and yet how
artfully? ) Does Humility require me to
deny a notorious Fa5l ? If not, which is
Vanity ? To fay, I, by my o'wn Skill, re-
ftored this Man to Health ? Or to fay,
Gi^^^did it by his own Almighty Power V
In all thefe Inflances Mr. PFeJley well
knows * the Perfons with whom he has
to do,' where the Honour v/ill center, what
Veneration h/s own will conceive for the
wonderful Man, who is fuch a powerful
Operator, and, at the fime time, of fuch
felj-denying Humility, 'Tis our Bufinefs to
remark, how carefully he hath copied bis
^lUi!* ^^W^^^^^ • — As that of the great " ^;7^-
p. 544* ^^^^9 unto whom a Woman pojjejjed with a
Devil
( 53 ) '
Devil being brought, from an Opinion of
his eminent Sandfity^ he anfvvered very
humbly y '' that he deferved not fo much •
Favour at the Lord's Hands : yet he v^^ould
fray for the poor Woman. He did fo 5
and prefently flie v/as freed from her
Trouble." — '^ From the fame Principle ofxhyraeus
Humility^ and Fear of afjuming too much, Daemon.
vniiny ilhijirioiis Saints have with Difficulty J" I'g^
been induced to lend their Operation in
cajiing out Devils. St. Laurentius Juf-
tinian being defired to expel a Devil out
of a Woman^ faid, ' Ask not of me v^hat
I can't do.' Gregory of Lingon gave the
fame Anfwer ; St. Remigius the fame, vv^hen
a Woman pofefed applied to him ; and fo
did Nicetius of Lyons.'* This they found
the moft effectual Way. For the Pride
of the Devils could never refifl the Humi--
lity oj the Exorcijl. *' Tht Devil m full Conform.
PoJjeJJion of a Man, feeing Fryer Ruffin^^^-H-
coming, ran away as faft as he could, and
gave for aReaJbn, * that he could not ftand
the Poverty^ Humility ^ and Prayers of fuch
a Saint.'' — "St. Antony once findingThyr^us
himfelf not powerful enough to expel a Dee- "^"^^^^
nion, fendeth the PcffeJJed to Paul the
Simple ', and then, « 1 go, I go, (faith the
Proud Spirit) the Simplicity and Humility
of Paul drive me away."
Another Thing obfervable is Satan's
fcurrilous Language , and contemptuous
Treat-
(54 )
Treatment of the JVeJIeys, " Preachers !
Field-Preachers ! I don't love Field-Preach^
erSy for two Hours together, with fpittingy
and al- Expreffions of ftrong Averfiony
And who but the Devil^ or his Agents^
would do fo ? And yet this evidently turns
out to the Wejlefs Advantage ; to the In-
creafe of the malicious Spirit's own Dam-
natio72y and their Triumph, For what better
Proof of their divine MiJJion, than Satan's
Averfion to them ; of their Superiority^
than his fiying the Field ?
This hath been of old one of the Devil's
Tricks^ and with the fame Succefs. For
Bartol. " they infulted even the Holy Ignatius with
^"30!"* ^"^^ opprobrious Nick-names^ calling him
cne-eyedy halter ^ baldpate^ &c. They don't
value Ignatius of a Hair^ and will not ftir
a Foot for him. But with their niohole
Thyr. Troop wcre foon forced to fly." — " They
Loclnfeft-thi-Qy;^ out Cart-loads of Blafphemies and
X)Lmon" Railings againft the Saints ; calling the moft
p. 183. fandlified Virgin Euphrafia^ Whore ; and
TheodoruSy Son tf a Whore : They call St.
BenediB, MalediB : St. Syrus and St. Ber-
nardy they diminilh into little Syrulus and
Bernardulus y and call the latter Pork-eater
and Cabboge^-crammer } all with the utmoft
Contumely,"
v^'elley §, 12. We go on in the fame Strain.
p.i7"' \^^' 7-1 '' ^ ^'^^ ^^^^ fo^ ^^ Kingfwood,
to
(55)
to one of thofe who were fo III before. A
violent Rain began jufl as I fet out, fo that
I was throughly wet in a few Minutes.
The Woman^ then three Miles off^ cried
out, * Yonder comes Wejley^ galloping as
faji as he can' When I was come, I
was quite cold and dead, fitter for Sleep,
than Prayer. She burft out into a horrid
Laughter y and faid, * No Power, no
Power : no Faith, no Faith. She is mine.
I have her, and will not let her go.' We
begged of God to increafe our Faith, Mean
while her Pangs increafe d more and more :
fo that one would have imagined, by the
Violence of the Throes, her Body muft
have been fattered to Pieces, One^ who
was clearly convinced this was no natural
Diforder, faid, ' I think Satan is let loofe.
I fear he will not Jlop here,' And added,
* I command thee, in the Name of fefus,
to tell if thou haft Commiffion to torment
any other Soul,' It was immediately an-
fwered, ' I have, L — y C — r, and S — h
y — s \ two who lived at fome Difance^
and were then in perfe(5l Healths This
was on Saturday, But he goes on, " On
Sunday in the Evening, I called at Mrs,
y — 's in Kingfwood, S — -h y s and
L — y C — r were there. It was fcarce a
Quarter of an Hour before L — y C — r fell
into a ftrange Agony , and prefently after,
S — y y — $^ The "violent Couvul/ms all
ov€i:
( 56 )
over their Bodies were fuch as Words can-*
not defcribe. Their Cries and Groans were
too horrid to be born. Till one of them,
in a Tone not to be expreffedy faid, ' Where
is your Faith now ? Come, go to Prayers,
I will pray w^ith you. Our Father ^ &c.'
We took the Advice, from whomfoever it
camey and poured out our Souls before
Gody till L — y C — r's Agonies fo increafed^
that fhe feemed in the Pangs of Death.
But in a Moment God Jpoke ; ftie knew his,
Voicey and both Body and Soul were heal-
ed. We continued in Prayer till near One,
when S — -y J — j's Voice was alfo changed y
and fhe began ftrongly to call upon God.
In the Morning we renewed our Prayers,
while {lie was crying continually, * I hurny
I burn : — I have a Fire within 7ne. I can-
not bear it. Lord Jefus ! Help !.'*
I have tranfcribed this Cafe at large, on
account of Variety of Obfervations and Pa-
rallels that will refult from it.
The fir ft extraordinary Circumjlance is,
that when Mr. Wefley was on the Road,
and upon the Gallop on accountof the Rain,
the V/oman pofle[Jed fhould know and fee
this fo exadly, at three Miles Diftance^
And I allure him, that I do not deny tie
FaB 'y though I cannot comprehend the
Manner, or the Catife. Nor do I doubt
of the Truth of fome Jimilar Cafes y how-
ever unaccountaWe, as to bare Matter of
Faa.
( 57 )
PaB, Whether this will turn to Mr.
Wejley,^ Romiir^ I cannot fay.
Mr. C. Mather (Hifiory of iSlew-'En*^^^^'^'^^
gland) giving an Account of dreadful Sor-- ^^' ''
ceries and Witchcrafts^ has many In fiances
" attcjled by Perfons of the . utmcft Vera--
city^ and unqueflionably well fupported^
of People thus preteryiattirally indifpofed,
who knew Things done at a Diflance^ and
what Perfons were bewitched at diftant
Places." — So in GlanviW% Saddiicifmus Tri- |^e!at,
timphatus^ we have Evidence - upon Oath^ the zd,
" of a Bov bewitched, who would defcribe
cxadly the Clothes and Habit of the Witch
at that Time, though her Houfe was at a
good Diftance^ and this the Conjlable 2.x\di
others, upon repairing to the Witch's
Houfe, found to be true. — A- Girl taken Relat
with ftrange Fits ufually told what Clothes ^^^ 3^*
Elizabeth Style, (the fuppofed JVitch) had
on at the Time, which the hiforrnajit and
others have feen, and found true." —
There is another Cafe, coming nearer to
that of Mr. Wcflcy i^tw upon the Gallops
&c. to be feund in the Hifiory of Witch-
craft. 'Tis in the Account of the Witches Vol. !♦
of Warbois, executed for bewitching the P' ^7-
Children of Mr. Throckmorton 5 and tor-
menting them with grievous Agonies, Fits,
&c,*-^ *' The eldeft Daughter was in her
Fit, fitting at Home in a Parlour; who
Suddenly faid, * Now Uncle, and two
I others.
( S8 )
Others, whom iTie named, are going to
Mother Samuely ( the Witch. ) See, fays
{he, where Mother Samuel goes trotting in
the Streets before them, with her wooden
Tankard, and her Apron tucked up before %
naming the Houfe where fhe went, and all
the Difcourfe that pafled between them.
And it proved true, that ihe repeated ex^
adly every, Word and Paflage between them;
though fhe could not poffibly either hear
or fee any Thing in that Situation, and at
that Diflance.''
PopiJJj Authors are imanimous in a-
fcribing this Knowledge of 'Things^ remote
from the natural Sight, to a diabolical Pof--
^^ p V'f f^ff^^^^' ^^^ ^^^^ ^'^ ^^ particular, when
we have the Authority y of the Ro?nan
Ritual ; that the Difcovery of Thi??gs at a
Dijiance is one Sign of an inmate De^'oil, '*
Unlefs the Glorious Ig7jatius be thought of
better Authority -, one of whofe Privileges
MafFcE. was, " to difcover Things very far remote
P-551' from human Sight:'* Or that Inftance " of
Fryer John^ a Francifcan^ who had a clear
Perception of the Coming of Brother GileSy
irancifc! ^^ twcnty • eight Miles Diftance, by the
Jul. 3. Odour of his Sanctity,'*
The fecond Particular remarkable is an-
other Inllance of the Devil's Impudence^ in
ridiculing Mr. Wejley for his draggled Con-
dition ; and taking Advantage, from hi^
being quite cold a?id dead, to burft out into
a hot-
( 59 )
a homd Laugh ; thereby infulting him
both for want of Power ^ and of Faith.
Mr. Wefley feems fenfible of this DefeB^
and begs of God to increafe their Faith.
The wicked one again taiinteth and upbraid-
eth him, *' Where is your /v7/V/& now^
Come, go to Prayers, I will pray with
you 5 ' Our Father^ &c/' This likewife
is intimated to be a Sneer of the Devil -y
for Mr. ^^^^^ adds, " We took the Ad-
vice, y?-^;;^ whomfoever it came'*
Whoever will look into the Elogia J'e-
fuitarum, (Pag. 489.^ will find how thefe
curfed Spirits took all Opportunities of treat-
ing the holy Men with Derifwn, Scoffs^
Taunts^ Horfe-laugbs ; and how all turned
to a good Account, in raifing theCharadler
of the Jefiiits. — Even Ig^iatius himfelf, St. Ribaden.
Dominic, and all the Mafs-Priefts found j^js^^?;^^'
the fame impudent and fcornful Treatment.
And we are affured, " that when the Holy Franci
Fathers the Jefuits came to relieve any Dee- ^"^J^f"'
moniacsy the Devils at firft would behave p^ j"!j2.
impudently, and infult them ; but were
forced to take to their Heels, as foon as
the PoJJeJJed had purged themfelves by
CofjJeJJion, and tied fome confecrated Wax
round their Necks."
The Circumftance of the Devil's calling
for Prayers puts me in mind of what fome
Papijls fiiy, namely, " that this infernal
Fiend will fometimes relent^ and will bring
I 2 -himfelf
( 6o )
himrelf down fo as to fay Pater Nofter^
but never to fay Ave Mary,''
Specul. f' The Z)£'^v7 too, feeing how Penite?2t$
D>iir6^* "^^^^ whitened by Confejjion, defired a
Cap. 23. Priefl to confefs ^/;;2.'*
As a third Particular we may take No-^
tice of Satan's not flopping at c?w^ Methodijiy
but declaring his Ccm??nffio?2 to torment two
more^ whom he names. This Secret is
drawn from Satan by " One^ who was
clearly convinced this was no jiatiiral Dif-^
order:'' V^h'ich One ^ I prefume, is Mr.
Wejley's Good Self ^ by his fpeaking fo author
ritatively^ " I command thee to tell." —
The Account feems to betray fome Siijpicion
of a Compadi. For I do not find this
^ejlion was ever asked before in any of
the Methodifts that were po[}eJjed : And it
jnuft be zfoolijh Devil, who would fo free-
ly declare into what particular Perfons he
was to enter '^ — unlefs he were compelled ir-r
refijlibly by Mr. PFefiefs fuperior 'Power,
'Tis a lucky Incident too, that thefe '' Two
^'jery Perfons, who lived at a Dijlance^"
/hould happen at that Nick of Time to be
in Company with Mr. Wejle-^ 5 and there on
7l fudden fall into their diabolical Fits, And
it may be thought he was fomething de-
feftive in Power ^ or Charity^ for not pray-
ing to God^ or commanding Satan to tor-
ment no Body befides ; initead of permitting
thein to inflicft his Tortures on others.
But
( 6i )
But perhaps It might more effectually ad-
vance the Exoj^cijVs Honour^ in multiplying
Cures by his Intercejjion.
But, without confidering the Cafe in
this View, I fliall barely relate feme Ta-
rallels of Sat mi s Jlipping out of one V erf on
into another^ from Hiflories of People be-
mtchedy and Topijh Exorcifms, '* A Wo-
man poUefJed by an unclean Spirit was
brought to the Triejl to be exorcifed -, and
the Devil fpoke out of her Mouth, ^ If
I am ejeded from her^ I will inftantly enter
into another Perfon,' naming one Gthmar,
But he could not^ becaufe the Trie ft fent to
Othfiiar to arm himfelf by Tenitence and
Confejfion:' [Should not Mr. Wefey have
-given this Caution?] MabilL AS. BenediB.
,^b Ann. 800. Part 2d. pag. 4. Again,
Ibid, pag. 62, '' Another Woman v/as
brought to St. Probiis to be exorcifedy and
the Devil faid, * I am ejected hence
by the Word of the Lord^ and the Mej^its
of his Saint : But, before you get to Erf eft-
forty I will plague you again, and agah7,'
Accordingly he entered into another Sijler^
and into a Thirdy and tormented them in
a terrible Manner. But they were reftored
to perfeB Sou?2dnefs,'' Ibid. p. 62.
We read of fuch a skipping Devil exor-
cifcd by St. Alalachias ; " for being driven yj^^
out of one Woman, immediately he jumps Maiach,
into another 3 driven out of her, he flies ^^P"^'
back
( 62 )
back again into the firft Woman ; and fo
fliifts often backward and forward, till at
length he is commanded to poffefs nei-
ther of them, nor any other Perfon ; the
Saint not bearing any longer to be thus
illuded."
§.13. The Dcemoniac^ among the Me-
thodifts are ftill carrying us on into farther
Speculation ; arising from the following
Wefley Inftance. [No. 8.] "I met, fays Mr.
4- J^"^*""- Wejley^ with a furprizing Inftance of the
^^' ' Power of the Dm/. Mrs. J— x took the
Bible^ and read ; but on a fudden threw it
away, faying, ' I am good enough, I will
never read, or pray more. — I ufed to think
I was full of Sin, and finned in every
Thing I did. But now I know better.
I never did any Harm in my Life, ^cJ —
She fpoke many Things to the fame Ef-
fed: ; plainly fliewing, that the Spirit of
Pridey and of Lies, had full Dominion
over her. — And yet (lie was in the moft
violent Agofiy, both of Mi?2d and Body,
Upon our beginning to pray^ (lie raged
beyond Meafure, but foon funk down as
dead. In a few Minutes flie revived, and
joined in Prayer, We left her for the pre-
fent in Peace,'*
Such are the tendency and EffeBs of
Methodifiical Spiritual Pride from the Doc-
trine of Perfeilion. But he goes on, " All
the
/
( 63 )
the next Day fhe was in a violent Agony ;
till ftarting up in the Evening, fhe faid,
* Now they have done. They have jiifl
done, C — prayed, and Humphreys preach d.
(And indeed fo they did.) And they are
coming hither as faft as they can.' Quickly
after they came in. She immediately cried
out, * Why, what do yon come for ?
You can't pray : You know you can't.'
And they could not open their Months ; fo
that after a fhort time they were con-
ftrained to leave her as fhe was.
Many came to fee her on I'ziefday -, to
e^jery one of whom flie fpoke concerning
either their adfual, or their Heart Sins -,
and that fo clofely, that feveral of them
went away in more Hafte than they came."
[This, 'tis to be remembered, happened in
Mr. Wcjlef% Ahfence.'] " In the Afternoon
file fent to Kingfwood for 7ne. But faid,
* Mr. We/ley will not come To-Night. He
will come in the Morning. But God has
begun, and he will end the Work by hiin-^
Jelf. Before Six in the Morning I (hall
be well/ And about a garter before Six
the next Morni?2g the Peace of God came
to her Soul."
In this Account (which I thought ne-
ceflary to tranfcribe at large) the three fol-
lowing Points are obfervable^ — Th^feeiftg
Thi?igs done at a Dijlance, — the Kfiowledge
of the Secrets of the Hearty — and Utterance
of
( 64 )
of Prophecies^ — all by a Woman pojjeffed by
the DeviL
But prcvioti/ly I would take notice of an
cdd 6ort of* Circumftance, wherein this
Kno'wkdge cf the Heart confifted. When
fome Metkodijis came to vifit Mrs. J — 5,
you obferve, fhe immediately cries out,
*' What do you come for? You caji't
pray : You kiiow you can't/' This Mr.
Wcjley fays was true, for *' they could
not open their Mouths; and were con-
Jlrained to leave her as fhe was." But here
is the Difi'erence between the Principal^
and his Injmcrs. Mr. TFeJley Tit this time
was ahfcnt. But when the De^vil taunted
Mr. WeJJey himfelf^ as v/anting Faith^ and
unable to pray^ he prefently iLewed that
he could, as in the preceding Number.
For a Comparifon^ I do not remember at
prefent more than two of this odd kind.
Martyr, one happened among the Francifcans, " At
furtf; ^^^ Funeral of St. Achas, the DeProfundis
being fet, none of the Company, with their
many and utmoft Attempts, could pojjibly
utter the Words,"' — The other is the Con-
fefiion of aPerfon fuppofed to be bewitched.
Vol. II. (in the HiJIory of Witchcraft ) : "^"^ Agnes
^'- -^^- Nafmith frequently told the Minijler, that
their Hearts and Tongues were bound up m
fuch a manner, that they could not exprefs
what they would : — upon attempting to
fpeak, their Mouths feenied to be contradl-
( (>5 )
^^. — flie could not exprefs one PFord, even
when on her Knees for the Girl's Reco-
^oeryJ*
The/r/? Point, that oi feeing and know- zt^^o.^,
ing Ferfons and "things nt a Di/hmce, may
be paffed over ; as we have fpoke of it
before, and will fall in our \Vay again.
The fecond is the Knowledge of the Se-
<:rets of the Heart. And of this I have
fpoken too already ; at leaft as for as it con-
cerned the Principals^ whether Methodijisy
or Tapifts: And fliall now confider this
fiipernatural Gift^ as communicated to thofe
of lower Rank. There can't be a plainer
and ftronger Inftance than this before us ;
*' the Woman in her fits, or rather com-
ing out of them, fpoke fo clofely to her
Vifitors, not only concerning their aBiial
Sins, fuch as tliey had in fad committed -,
but their very Heart Sins, fuch as had only
rifen in their Thoughts-, that thereby llie
puts many of them to Shame, -^ind makes
them run haftily away/'
Were I dlfpofed to make a Trife of
this, I might fay, that one natural V/ay of
knowing the Hearts of each other might
proceed from their conftant Cuftom of
mutual Confjjicns in the mod minute Cir-
cumftances and Temptations^ and Anfweis
to the moll: Jearching ^ejliom : Whereby
they come acquainted not only with the
Sins of the Tarty confejfing ; but of thofe
K who
( 66 )
who have made m Confejjion *, but who
have been guilty of Sins in Company with
thofe who have confejjed, &c. And fo by
one cut cfhis Senfes, in a wild Fit, all is /5^-
trayed;^ ^nUith^ confcious Parties 2iVtJhamed
and difgraced. This happened in Mr.
Wefley^ Abfence-, who, had he been there,
might have prevented the Scandal % and
have given the Matter a better Turn, by
fhewing it to be an Artifice of Satan, in
order to calumniate the Society of innocent
Lambs. For Popijh Dcemomlogifts teach,
Malef; '! ^''^^ ^^}\ ^^^ ^^^'^'^ ^f i^^ Devil, to make
Tom. 4. ^'^e ^?/^#^ tell impure and criminal Stories
pag. 18. of the By-fanders, on purpofe to raife
Scandal', and to terrify them fo that they
may run off, and take no more Care of the
Tatie?2tr And fo it happened here.
The Caufe of thus knowing the Heart,
and revealing Secrets, (which fome have
Thvr^us ^^^^'^^^^ ^^ Difem-per, or other Secrets of
LocJnfeii-^^^^^^^'^^y^ the fame Damonohgijls impute
pag. 123. direaiy to the Operation of Satan -, as what
Daemon, diftinguifheth Daemon's Agency from Hu^
P-44- man; zni PoffeJJion from Difeafe. Thus
A G/r/ in a Moiiaflery, being' deeply in
Love, but difappointed by the VnfaithfuU
wier. ;z6^ of her Lover, run ;;W: The D^-u/V
Dinion." ^"^^^'^d i»to her, and difcovered to her all
L.3.c.i3.the Secrets of the Man, his private Dif-
courfcs with his new Mijlrefs -, v/hich made
her ready to hang herjelf But, however,
this
( 67 )
this was imputed to Melancholy for her
Difappointment/'
Popi/lD Parallels are exceeding numerous.
To mention a few. " By virtue of a Conform.
wonderful Light from St, Francis, his Z)//^^°^- ^39>
ciples faw one another's Minds as clearly as
their Bodies -y each one's Confcience being
naked to another." — " P/6. h'crius could Ribaden.
diftinguifli Sinners by the Smell -, could tell^ay 26.
his Penitents their particular Maladies, and
of his own accord dete5l their fever al Vices,''
— Laurent. Ananias fays, " I faw withoeNatur.
my own Eyes a certain pofefed Woman, D^mon.
who was fo petulant, that fhe could fee J^p.^.
nobody, whom fhe would not upbraid
with their moft hidden ignominious IVork-
ings ; from whence no fmall Siijpicions mid
Defamations arofe . ' '
The third Point obfervable was, the Ut-
terance of Prophecies by our Methodijls ; or
their foretelling Things to come. The
Pretenfions of Mr. Whitefield and Mr.
We fey to the Prophetic Faculty, (when, I
take for granted, they would not be thought
Demoniacs) have been related before. Here
we have an Inftance of a Woman prophefy-
ing under a Pojjefion, " Mr. Wefey will Enthuf.
not come to Night : he will come in theP^i'^^d.
Morning. — God will end the Work by him-^' ^ '
felf Before Six in the Morning I ftiall be
well." Whether the Woman herfelf fpeaks,
or the Dcemon through her Organs^ is not
K 2 certain.
( 68 )
Thefaiir. certain. But we are aflured, " the Devil
p.^640."^ is fo C7-aJty, that fometimes he permits the
Popfed to fliew Signs of Devotion -, and
the Wicked One himfelf will utter pious
Things, to perfuade the Exorciji that he is
Thyr. departed : — And, on occafion, he will go out
-gTTi^^ of his own accord, before the Saint comes,
■ to avoid the Dijgrace of being expelled,'*
Wefley We have fuch another PrediBion • " A
p. cs'^'ec.^^^^^^^^' who dropt down, ftruck as was
fuppofed v/ith Death, — declares and knows^
{he Ihould not die, but live." — And,
** Anne Cole, when dying, declares, * I
know my Saviour will rejlore me foon/
And he did, in a few Hours, to Paradife.'"
This is a truly Oracular Prophecy, which
would be verified either by Life or Death.
Had fhe furvived, what a Miracle I She
dieth, and 'tis the lame.
In fuch a Cafe, " One Stephen Bartolus
being defperately ill, St. Ignatius after go-
ing to Mafi declareth, ' Stephen fhall not
die at this Time." — On the contrary.
Solid. *« when a Cartefian in a dying and de-
Im'rod*. ^painng Condition fent to that good Soul
Mrs. Bourignon to pray for him, promif-
ing to turn wholly to God, if he recovered;
ftie pronounceth (with a double Prophecy)
' He (hall not recover, but ht Jhall die-,
for if he did recover, he would fall deeper
into tl)^t pernicious Err or J*
If
( 69 )
If we look into PopiJJd Authors^ par-
ticularly concerning their Exorcifms^ wc
generally find thefe three Faculties^ (feeing
diftant Things, knowing the Pleart, and
foretelling future Events) in one and the
fame Perfon, either under a Tofjejjion^ or an
Ecjlacy ; and afcribed likewife to Satan^ as
the efficient Caufe, " When you hear ig-Thefaur.
norant and illiterate People interpret i^\i^-^^oxc\{m.
cult Points^ difcover the Secrets and Sins^* ^^^'
of others, or fing with a mufical Voice,
foretell Events, &c. this is an undoubted
Sign of a diabolical Prefence. — The Re- Thyc
velation of Secrets, and Prophefying, evi-^°^'^^^^^'
dently dijiingiiijh Damons from Men ; be-^" ^*
caufe 'Dcemom may know. Men cannot."
— Above all, the Authority of the Romip
Ritual determineth, " that a Dcemoniac is ^^
to be diftinguiflied from one troubled with ^^°'^*^^*-
the black Bile^ or other Dijiemper^ by his
difco'oeri7tg dijiant and occult Things,'*
And yet, when they have a mind to
make a Saint y the Proof is brought from
thefe very extraordinary Gifts, Thus- i?/-
badeneiray in his Biblioth. Soc. fefUy extols
*' Jacob RheWy becaufe he was often en- Pag. 21a.
dowed with a Prophetic Light, declared
openly Things future, Things at a Diftance,
and other wife fecret, with ijifallible Vera-
city, — fof Anchieta knew Things abfent,P. 283.
diftant, and future ; and foretold them as »
dlftinftly, ,as if his Mind was the RtfeBing^
Glafs
( 70 )
P. 291 . (^lafs of the Divine JVill.—Manci?2eUm proved
Spirits, caft out Devils, cured the Dif-
eafed, foretold various Things in Futurity,
and told of Things at a Diftance." And,
I believe, there are an hundred Inftances of
this Nature in that Book. And there are
perhaps as many in honour of the Fran--
cijcam in the Francifcan Martyrology\ and
the famous Book of Conjonnities between
Chrijl and St. Francis,
But the moft irrefragable Teflimonies are
in the Roman Breviary 5 where, on the
Feflivals of divers Sai?7ts, all thefe wonder-
ful Gifts are related : moft of them too
were canonized. As of St. Xavier, St.
Frances of Rome^ Ph. Nerius, Alcantara^
Ignatius^ Francis^ Anthony^ Romualdus^ Ca-
tharine of Sienna^ &c. Many of them fore-
knew particularly the 'Time of their Death.
Thus, by an unaccountable Infatuation,
favourite Saiiits are beatified and canonized^
on the very y^;;^^ Account, for which others
are pronounced to be under a diabolical
Pofieffion.
But, after all, 'tis poffible thefe Wonders
may, in a good Meafure, be accounted for
from Dijlemper, a Difturbance of Brain,
Alienation of the Reafon and the Senfes ;
fome Dijorder of Mind or Body. For that
Perfons afflided with natural Difiempers
have frequently, in an Enthufiaflk Man-
ner, uttered Prophecies, and revealed Se-
crets ;
( 71 )
crets ; and when they were cured by na^
tiiral Means^ the Gift of Divination quite
left them, together with the Illncfi ; — I
could prove from Authorities of PhyficianSy
ancient and modern. Nor is it an incre-
dible Thing to me, as being attefted by
Hijiory, and known in fad: to be true,
that thofe, who have little or no Ufe of their
Reajon and Senfes, fliould utter Fredidiions^
and reveal Secrets : As for Inftance, Mad-
men. Idiots, Epileptics, EcJiaticSy &;c.
Nor, again, is there any Room to doubt,
but that wicked Men and Seducers have'
fometimes uttered Things prophetically ^
which came to pafs. And we know, that
in the latter Days Demons fhould be the
Authors of many furprizing Things, feetn-
iiigly at leaft miraculous ; God permitting
Satan to work upon the Affedtions of
falfe Prophets, and evil Men.
§. 14. We have not yet done with the 4 Journ.
Demoniacs. For [No. 8.] Mr. WeJley'^''^T^ '^^'
mentions " a Spirit of Daughter coming
upoji himfelf. Brother, and jeveral others ;
which they could not poffibly help, and
which he imputeth to their being buffeted
by Sat any To what I faid of this before,
[Enthuf. Part 2d. pag. 73] I now add,
that if it really proceeds from Satan, he
worked in the fame Manner long before
the Time of the Go/pel: This being the
^ fame
( 72 )
Dr. James fame as what the Ancients called the '^ Sar-
Sardonius. douiau Laughter ; convulfive and involun-
tary, and a Sort of Madnefs : which Dif-
order hath paffed into a Proverb (Sardo^
nius rifus^ fignifying a forced Laugh) and
to be cured in the fame Manner as Con--
vuljions.'* " One of them, lays Mr. Wejley^
was fo torn of the Evil One^ that fometimes
ihe laughed^ till almoft ftrangled ; then
broke out into Curfing and Blajpheming ;
thtn Jlamped, and ftruggled with incredible
Vol. I. Strength/' — The Htftory of Witchcraft
pag-50' mentions fuch another Cafe, where "Mr.
ThrogmortGn'^ Children are raging and con-
vulfed, as if ready to be torn to Pieces ^
— then of a fudden they can't help laughs
An.' 1 67 2.^'^." — In the ABa Germanica we have a
Obf. 304. Chapter on involuntary Laughter 5 with
mention of divers Women obnoxious to it
from Hyjlerics. And Sennertus imputeth
it to Hyjlerics, Convulfions^ and fometimes
to Frenzy and Alienation of Mind, — Give
me leave to add a Paffage from Mr.
Turner's Hijlory of remarkable Provide?2ces,
(Part. 2. Ch. 36.) '' Platerus fpeaks of
fome, particularly an Abbot y who was
forced involuntarily to laugh, and tofs him-
felf about, to the utter fpending of his
Strength. Which puts me in mind of a
Story related by H. Stephens (in his JVorld
of Wonders ) of a Man, who being at
Church, and feeing a Woman flill down
off
( 73 )
off her Seat while (he was fleeplng, fell
into fo great a Fit of Laughter, that he
continued three Days and three Nights
without giving over/'
§. 15. [No. 9.] To the former Sign of
diabolical PofjeJJio?i we may fubjoin an zm-
ujual and unnatural Voice -, — Singings and
that in a very melodious Manner y and de-
livering out boly Things.
" One fpeaks in a Tone 7iot to be ex- WeHey
prejjed'^ — we continued in Prayer, when^-^°^^"'
another's Voice was alfo changed, — She
cried out, ' Give me the Book, and I
will fmg,' She began giving out Line by
Line, but with fuch an Accent as Art could
never reach.
Why do thefe Cares my Soul divide ?
Heavily moves my damned SouL —
Here we were obliged to interrupt her.'*
In Conformity hereto, Wierus having Pr^crtig.
defcribed xhe Agonies zwA. Convul/ions, &c. P- 425-
of one thought to be in an epileptic Fit,
addeth, '' that at length the Devil was
found out to be the Author^ betraying
himfelf by the Poffefled fpeaking with an
iinufual Voice a?2d Words'' —
Thyrcdus gives the following Inftance:
" While St. Norbert was preaching the -oxmon.
Word of God, and exorcifing a Girl thatp^g- 65.
L was
( 74)
was brought before him ; the Devil, de-
riding him, delivered out through the Girl's
Mouth the Book of Canticles from the
Beginning to the End ; fpeaking it Word
for Word, firft in the Latiriy and then in-
terpret ing it in the German Language.'' —
Book VI. jvir. Mather (in his Hi/lory before cited)
'^' ''* takes notice of the Alteration of Voice in
fome Children bewitched \ — the Devii
throwing one on the Floor, where flie
would whijile and fmg j — fometimes laid
for ^^<^i^, wholly breathlefs and fenfelefs ;
— fometimes yelling, kicking and firikingj
again faying, fhe was dyi72g, and then
' paraphrafing on the thirty frft Pfalm m
Strains that v/txc quite amazutg -^ and ut-
^lief ^^™Z many Prophecies."' — '' Some, when
pofieffed, fng mifically^ and reveal what
Tom. I.
p 227. they could not naturally know ; fometimes
pig''*i3. '^hay are quite flupid and infenfate. —
TiTefaur. Singing mu/ically, Prophefying, arid Doing
Exo^rcif. o\\\zx jiLper natural Things, 2s f Signs of a
10' o. ' Ddemoniac. — Thefe fweet, tuneful and
melodious Warblings manifeflly prove a Per-
, ionpojjfedr—- \
re Mania Phyjicians often obferve thefe Symptoms
^''^' '' to be the EfFed: of Madnefs. Particularly
Sennertus relates divers Cafes^ where Per-
fons under this Calamity have talked L^//;;„
fling Hymns, difcourfed well, ^c. none of
which they" could do in their Senfes.
§. 16.
( 75 )
§. i6. [No. 10.] One more Cafe of a
Damoniac I fhall tranfcribe, pretty largely,
as attended with feveral remarkable Cir-
cumftances. *' At Stratford upon Avon^
— Mrs. K had been for many Weeks
in a Way that no body could iindcrjland -^ (he
had fent for a M'mijler ; but almoft as foon
as he came, flie began roaring in fuch a
Manner ( her T^ongiie at the fame time
hanging out of her Mouth, and her Face
dijlorted into the moft terrible Form) that
ihe cried out, ' It is the Devil^ doubtlefs I
It is the Devil' And immediately went
away. — I asked, ' What good do yen
think I can do?' One anfwered, ' We
cannot tell/ But Mrs. K earneftly
defired you might come, — faying, that
fhe had feen you in a Dream, and Jlmdd
know you immediately. But the Devil faid,
* I will tear thy Throat out before he
comes.' But afterwards his Words were,
* If he does come, I will let thee be quiet;
and thou fhalt be as if nothing ailed thee
till he is gone away.' [Mr. Wejley fays,
* I juft relate what was fpoken to me^
without paffing any Judgment upon it/
Though he fneeringly reflefts upon the
^ Unphilofopbical Minijler ^\2indi zd^s after-
* Wards, * a (Irange Sort of Madnefs this !' —
He then proceeds.] V I walked over about
Noon: But when we came to the Houfe,
L 2 I dc-
(76)
I defired all thofe that were with me to
flay below. One Ihewing me the Way,
I went lip flrait into the Room. As foon
as I came to the Bedfide, fhe fixt her
Eyes, and faid, ' You are Mr. Wejley. I
am very well now, I thank God, No-
thing ails me now : only I am weak.' I
called them up, and we began to fing : —
After finging a Verfe or two, we kneeled
down to Prayer, I had but juft begun,
(my Eyes being (hut) when I felt as if I
had been plunged into cold Water, And
im.mediately there was fuch a Roar^ that
my Voice was quite drowned ^ tho*' I
fpoke as loud as I ufually do, when I
fpeak to three or four thoufand People.
However I pray'd on. She was then
reared in the Bed, her whole Body mov-
ing 'at once^ juft as if it were a Piece of
Stonel Immediately after it was writhed
into all kind of Poftures ; the fame horrid
Yell continuing ftill. But we left her not
till 2ilV iht' Symptoms ceafed, and fhe was
(for the prefent at leaft) rejoicing and praif-
ing Godr
That I may not too often omit fuch
Circumftances as tend to the Glory of Mr,
Wejley\ emulating that of his Familiar^ St.
Ignatius ; I fhould take fome Notice how
carefully he relates the Woman's ~ *^ Dream,
in which flie faw Mr. Wejleyy and fhould
know him immediately." To prevent all
Fallacy,
{ 77 )
Fallacy, and fliew that all was fair, " he
went up into the Room by himfelf, and
flie immediately cries out, ' You are Mr.
Wejleyr
Not to fay, how eafy it was to guefs
it was Mr, We/ley^ by the ExpeBation of
his coming, or fome previous Defcription
of him 5 it was proper fome divine No-
tice fhould be given of fuch a powerful
Man ; that he fhould go alojie into her
Chamber, to prove it true ; even though
contrary to his authoritative Diredlions,
" that above all Things iht Exordji muftcompL
beware of vifiting any* Perfon poffefTed ^^^- ^^-
alone y and without fome Company ; efpc-
cially a Woma?i.''
The fame Honour had that other great Bartol,
Marty St. Ignatius : For " a Woman in a
delirious Fever , and at the Point of Death,
faw in a Dream a veiierable Perfon^ of the
Jefuit's Society, as flie conjedured by a
Relick of his Garment : The Relick of St.
Jgnatius's Garment was brought j and fhe
inftandy crieth out, * I am found ; I am
well/ A PiBure of Ignatius being then
ihewn to her, fhe knew it was the fame,
whom fhe had feen in her Sleep. And
fhe had him in Vencratio7i all her Life. —
" That fuBous Miracle-Monger, John de Nov. Le-
Bridlyngtony and fmgular Secretary of Ce- S^"*^'
leftial Myfteries, was equally honoured by
* five Mariners^ who in a Tempefl at Sea
faw
( 78 )
few a Vtjton of a venerable Perfon deliver-
ing them from their Diftrefs : and after-
wards going into a Monajlery^ they faw
^ohriy and knew him to be the Man that
appeared to them in Vifion:"
The BeviU in terrible Fright at Mr.
WeJJefs being fent for, threateneth cru-
elly 5 " I will tear thy Throat out before
he comes." But afterwards he grows
cooler and amninger^: *^ An 3' 'then his
Words were, If he does come^r will let
thee be quiet-, and thou flialt be as if no-
thing ailed thee, till he is gone.*' ' «f''^'-
A common Clergyman he had put' to
Flight; but defpairing of ferving our Hero
fo, he recurs to his Artifices -, and, per-
haps to avoid the Difgrace of being ejeft-
ed, walks off, and owns Mr. JVeJlef^
F&ioer. — Such an Account we have in the
Story of the Devil of Mafcon ; who would
l£tifiR fometimes tell the Exorcijly " while yoU
^^"^",3 p^fay, I will go and take a Turn in the
Street.''
J^V'ccv Thus the Papijls tell us^^ Satan boaft-
Loc.infeft.^y^, r will not be ejcfled by tHofe little
112. Fellows, ' Syriilus and Bernarduhis. '* —
•Again 3 A: Woman's Daughte^ being pof-
feffed, fhe had a Fifiori of the Perfon whd
was to' cure her .\' What -ftould^^fc
Away fhe fii6s t6 the Momfiery, to find
out the Man. Tlii ^Pr^^<? of the Mo-
naftery .comes out j'bc was not^the Man :
^bDftii
( 79 )
till at length Sabinus coming out, ilie
inftantly knew his Face, and the Dcjil
left her Daughter." •— " The Drj//i have
often confefled, that; they would aot be
ejedted .bu^.oby .fome excellent Perfon.
When feveral had tried. In vain to drive a
Damon QVit oi onz Ethekrj he declared,
I will be expelled by nobody except St.
Swiberty the Apojlle of. the Saxons. — Ano-
ther Damon ididy * I will not go out, un-
lefs the Archdeacon of Lyons will come him-
felf, and ejedl me out this Vefjel^ of which
I have Poireffion.".,,.,,.,r>^
Tht Devil's PromifeV however, of '^ let*
ting the Woman be quiets till Mr. Wefley
was gone, as if nothing ailed herj'* and
her faying, when he came, *^ that flie was
very well, and nothing ailed her,'' are but
fome of the Devil's fly Tricks y if we may
believe the Pope: For, ^' among others of Ritual
the wicked Spirit's Arts and Deceptions, J^^"^-
they fometimes hide themfelves, and leave ^°^^"
the Body as it were free from all Molefta-
tion, that the PoJeJ/ed may think himfelf
quite delivered. But the Exorcifl muft
not ceafe> till he fees jthe .^]g-$w of De-
livery/* ^ -r'X'?^ ^ ^T J '^r":
; Mr. Wejley accordingly obeys the Rule,
!^* not leaving the Woman till all the
Symptoms ceafed j and flic was, for the pre^
fent at leaft, rejoicing /' — noi finally reliev-
ed, that Satan's Prediftion might be ve-
rified,
( 8o )
rifled, of '' nothing ailing her till Mr."
Wejley was gone/'
'Tis another obfervable Circumftance,
that when the Woman " was rear'd in
the Bed, her whole Body moved at once,
not one Joint or Limb bending, juft as if it
were a Piece of Stone ^ and immediately af-
ter it was writhed into all kind of Poftures."
This feems to be that Sort of Diftem-
per, which is called a Catalepjts^ of the
VtV:x?i. convulfive kind j which Wieriis defcribeth
]|^*^^'^.^;?'.much after the fame Manner, and impu-
' & ^^ teth to a diabolical Power j and of which
lib. I.e. 1 1, he brings feveral Inftances, efpecially a-
mong fome Nuns. Dr. "James ( in the
•Words Catalepfis and Spafmus) fays of fuch,
*' that in the convuljive Paroxifrn the Limbs
are furprizingly agitated, and drawn- into
various DireBions ; — at other Times the
whole Body is ftifF, and immoveable as a
•Stone ; — the Limbs Jixed^ but ealily flexi-
hie : — lomctimes the Diforder hath its Ori-
ginal from Mela72cholyy and i$ of the Hypo-
thandriac or Hyjleric Kind; — fometimes
arifeth from a thicks mfcid and impure
Bbcd', fometimes from the Commotions and
Paffions of the Mind ; profound Medita-
tion^ and Workings of the Imagination,
• And he gives Inftances of Pcrfons thus
feized at the Recital of certain Words^ or
iinging of Pfalms^ &c, and 'fometimes the
Diftemper is complicated with a Trance,"
The
( 8i )
The Reader may there fee more of this 5
with feveral other diftempered Coni:ulJiQTis^
Diftortio?is, &c. into which the Methodijls
are fo often falling.
In this Cafe I obferve, that the Opera-
tor himfelf catcheth the Contagion^ feized
with Part of the Tatienfs Malady. For
Mr. Wejley fays, " that after fi^iging^ he
had but juft begun praying, when he
felt as if he had been plunged into cold
Water r
Thus Wierm tells us of ^' a Witch, Pr^gi^
Alice Kaf}iitz, who herfelf was afflidled D^mon,
with Part of the Torments, which fheP'^^^'
was inflidling upon others. But was
thought purpofely to have undergone this
Evil, that Ine might not be thought to
have bewitched the reft.''
The fame Author fays of one fuppofed
to be poflefled, " that the Devil caufed a ?» 124^.
Senfation in her of a cold Humour diftilling
from the Head to the Back.'' — And Sen-
nertus (de Mprbis a fafcino, cap. 6.) men-
tions one thought bewitcbedy who felt fuch
a Chill all over the Back, as if he had
httxi plunged in cold Water,'*
Dr. James (under Spafmus) fays, " one
of the moft confiderable Signs of the Dif-
order is, a Senfe of Formication, [ /. e. a
Senfation like that of the Creeping of Ants^
Formica, on any Part] which alfo feizeth
the Os Cocc)gi^, and like a cold Vapour af-
M cends
, ( 32 )
eends through the Spine of th^ Back ; and
the left Hypochondrium is affe(ll:ed, Gf^:*."
But the Popijh Exorcijh reckon this as
a certain Sigji of a Perfon's being both
^^^'^; /^f^^ and bewitched. For " fometimes
TotB. V ^^^^^^^ ^'^^ Dc^mons enter into human Bodies,
p. 225, it feems as if a Vellel of the coldefi Water
an about their Backs, which fpreadeth it-
228.
felf over the ivhok Bod\\ from Head to
Foot. — Some feel a very cold Wind defcend
tlirough the Shoulders and Reins : and if
the Exorciji would put his Hand upon the
Head of the PcJ]c£ed, he feels a cold Thirig
like Ice under his Hand." Wicrus too tells
PrsEilig. of ^' a Girl, whom the Z)m/ fetting upon
''^^^"'^' began with inducing a Senfatign as of a
Catarrh^ or a cold Defuxion^^^^^^'^i^^^^
from Head to Foot." "rr -x '.->
v^''v\l ^^^' Mather gives much tjh^ fe;pp pj^c^
Ciwp. 7/ count of fome Children bewitched },\\ '^^^
England y " who would complain of being
in a rc^^'/'/i^^* 0^V7/ ; and^f^qn^aft^^. >v:9^1d
complain of having ycpld'^-M'^affr^
Doar. 5. upo^ them." " And li|.^aj^^rt;}in,,§ig^iQf
a DcemofiiaCy (according to^Cpv^/zj^/t:;;^^^^^^ Ar-
tis Exorciji, ) when a //f;7^v* .or a^
pour runs about the Bodv*^ " • t'" '
5^. 17. Here we may b™g;\jp ^aj| jln-
ftance or two ofiLrpng^Lnai^i'^^^ Qt^- •
ccptlon of the Senfef\ Vhich .^lf,;/|^^
fcribcs to tlic Evfl Spirit ^' -and are probably
the
( 83 )
the Effe6ls of Dil}afe. [No. 9.] " I was "^"^'^^^y
defired to meet one who was ill of a ^ i^'y^^-
very uncommon DiJ order. She faid, ' For
feveral Years I have heard, wherever I am,
a Voice contiiuially fpeaking to me, curf-
ing, fwearing, and blafphemlng, in the moft
horrid Manner, and inciting me to all
Manner of Wickednefs. I have applied
to Phyficians, and taken all Sorts of Medi-
cines, but am never the better.' No, nor
ever will, till a better Pbyfician than thefc
bruifes Satan under her Feet/'
The learned Dr. Mead, fpeaking of Medic.
" thofe Perturbations of Mind which af-^^^^P-J^'
fe6l melancholy Perfons in wonderful man-
ners," fays, '' I have known two, who,
even when alone, imagined they heard
Voices of Perfons fpeaking into their Ears."
And Dr. Jajnes obferves, that '' in fome Under.
Depravation oi the Organs of the Ear, or ^^^'^^'.
of the Brain, People perceive Sounds,
which have no Exiftence but in the Imagi-
nation : — it being a Matter of Indifference,
whether the Fibres of the No^ve (the Au-
ditory) be agitated in the Brain, or in the
Ear : that this happens in a Delirium, Ver^
iigo ', and is a Forerunner of bad Diftem-
pers, an Epilepjy, &c,'"
' That this is no new kind of Diforder,
and the Effedt too of diftempered Bile, we
leara from the happy Mad?nan of Horace, ^^i^- 2.
(who had the Story from much ancienter^^^
M 2 Writers)
2.
( H )
Writers) who fancied he heard fome ex-
cellent Tragedians acting their Parts on the
Stage. But, at length, was, to his great
Mortification, cured of hisy^^'f'/ Delirium^
by drinking proper Dofes of HeUebore. — ■
And, if it would be kindly taken, I would
venture to recommend this hmt Hellebore
to my Patients of the. Order of Method? fm.
Gale?! hath another Inftance of fuch
" depraved Imagination ; one who fan-
cied a Company of Trumpeters were in
his Room, and would be calling out to
the Servants to turn them out of Doors
for making fuch a Noife, and breaking
his reft.'* Differ. Sympt. cap. 3.
Compl. Bat the Exorcifti ca J Writcis reckon " a--
eJ^q^^c^ mong the certain Signs of a PoJJeJJion, or
Doa. V. Witchcraft^ the heariyig or feeing preter-
naturally fuch ftrange Things. And one
of them cured a Madman^ who only
thought he had the Evil Spirit in his right
Ear, by pouring a Veflel of Holy Water in-
to his Ear, and upon his Head,''
Prsfrlg. Wierus fays, " The Dcemons enter into
the Phantafy, and infinuate Words either
of Perturbation, or Pleafure ; not indeed
emitting any Voice by Pulfation and Sound,
but injecting their Words without any
Noife, &cr But the fime Author^ in the
P. 2Z9. Chapter '' of the depraved Imagination of
melancholy People, mentions a Fryer guil-
ty of unnatural Vices^ who affirmed he
faw
Daemon.
p.. 74.
( 85 )
faw another Perfon, who lived at many
Miles Diftance, and complained, that every
one he tnet always made a great Noife in
his EarSy and fent to JVierus for Advice.
Some thought the Fault lay in the Organs
of Hearing ; but indeed his Mind was dij^
ordered.''
He has another In fiance in ''a poor Prieftfg,
Countryman^ who had vomited Glafs and^^^^^-
Nails, &CC. for feveral Tears, as if bewitch- l^^^l,
ed', of which being cured, he yet after-
ward always felt and heard in his Belly
the Sound of a Bag oj broken Glafs-, and
-likewife the Clock ftriking, and diftin<f^
Strokes of the Hammer on his Heart.
What People thus hear and fee is owing,
fays he, to the black Bile ; which happens
partly from the Diet, Air, Sorrow and
Fear 'y partly from the Conftitutions of
Heaven, and partly in Agreement with
-other delirious Ferfons.'' But afterwards
he fays, '» Who doth not fee in the Man's P. 395.
Organ (fitted on account of his Si?nplicity
-to the Devil's Illuftons ) the Operation,
Trickings and Vexations of a Dcernon ?
'Tis a common Complaint among Po- Thyrse.
fijh Enthuftafs, that the Devil enters intoj-^^- ^""
all the Senfes, Seeing, Hearing,TaJli?2g, Smell- ^ ' ^' ^^'
ing. Feeling ; and they fhew how.
Accordingly '' he was fo angry with St. Ribaden.
Fraiices oi Rome, for the many Booties fheP- 215.
had fnatched from Hell, — that he was al-
ways
( 86 )
ways plaguing her, — appearing In tlic Shape
of Men and Women in filthy Poflures,
moft unbefeeming Gefture?, and wanton
A(ftions. And he once pla}«ed her a molt
malicious Trick, by trailing about her Room
a rotten Carcafs of a dead Man, which
made fuch an intolerable and lafting Stench,
that {he had for ever an Averfion to Man."
Ribadeneira fays the fame of Cathai-ine of
Ribaden. Sietina ; *' whom the Devils molefted
' ^^ * with foul and abominable Imaginations^ —
reprefenting to her Eyes and Ears moft un-
feemly Things. And fhe was a long Time
thusafflided/'
By comparing thefe Stories together, we
may juftly afcribe the feveral Voices^ in-
ternal and external, which fo many Pa-
pijls and Methodijls hear, as well as their
fuppofed Viftons^ to the P'orcc of dijlernpered
Fancy 'y the Voices being as it were the
Eeho-y and the VifwnsthQ RejkBion^ of their
own Imaghiation.
Weiiey Jn Analogy to this [No. lo.] we find
5 J;^^^"^the EfFea of . Mr. Wefley\ Difcourfe on
Feeling : For, fays he, " It plea fed God
to make this Difbourfe an Occafion of dif-
covering fuch Wiles of Satan^ as it never
entered into my Heart to conceive^-^-^Find-
ingmany had been offended at the Ser-
mon^ — I called them together, and exa-
mijied them feverally concerning their J3x-
ferienciSy v. and. afjjery ■ Circu^^fa?2Cfs\ And
thus
( 87 )
thus far I appro v-ed of their ExpcnerrceSy as
to thek feeling the Working of the Spirit
of God ^ &c. But as to what fome of
them faid farther,- concerning ^' feeling the
Blood of Ckriji running upon their Arms^
or going down their Throaty or poured
like warm Water on their Breafly or Heart},''
I plainly told them, '' the utmoft I could
allow was, that fome of thefe Circum-
ftances might be from God^ (tho* I could
not affirm they were) working in an un-
ufual Manner ; — but that all the refl^ I
muft beheve, to be the mere empty Dreams
of an heated Imagination."
However good Mr. Wejley may be at
his DiJlinBiofjs -, I believe he would find it
difficult to diftinguiffi which of thefe odd
Circumftances might be from God^ and
which were all the refty that were the mere
empty Dreams of an heated Imagination ;
and which difcovered fuch inconceivable
Wiles of Satan, Here we fee the manifeft
Danger of running into Methodifmy in
which fuch Fanatical Super fiitiom and
Diabolical Debt/ions ftand coifefed. And
do thefe Evils flop here ? Hath not Mr.
Wefey himfelf related feveral of a worfe
kind, as SccpticifmSy Infidelity y 2ind Atheifn?
And will he perfuade us, that he hath dif-
covered half of what himfelf knows ? And
is it not evident what Dehifto?is run through
the whole of their flrofige Difpenjaiion ?
( 85 )
T
• ■% •■ , •-.--■ •«,.
§. 1 8. Let us try .the Point in Tome other
^Wefley Caibs. . [No. u.] '' I w^s both farprized
i.-g!^ and grieved at a genuine Inftance of En^
thiifiajm. y-r- B — , of ^anfie Id- Leigh ,
who had received a Scnfe of the Love of
God et few Dav-s before, came riding thro*
the Town, hallowing and Ihouting, and
•Iriving all the People before him, telling
them, ' God had told him he fhould be
a Kn7g, and fhould tread all his Enemies
under hk Feet."
He might have called it an Inftance of
dire^ Madnef^ as well as of genuine E?2-'
thuiiafm : but then perhaps an E?ithii/iajl^
and a Madman^ might have been deemed
the fame 'Thing ; and what would become
^ft<! Aiof 'Metbodifm ? — But to take the Fad as
here .related ; -—We fee a ^vild Methodift^
but a few Days after receiving a &enfe of
God's Love^ coming with all the Claims of
Royalty-, which affords frefh Proof, how
foon thcjF fancied Feelings and L?tpreJjions
are apt to puff up prefumptuous Minds with
Prade and Vain-'Glory ^ as if they were of
'Afupcrior Rank^ and common Mortals of a
hiJirr Dijpenfation, Another Difcovery of
the IViks of Satan among them.. Thus
P, 229, Wieriis tells us, " I knew one of this de-
praved Imagination, who believed himfelf
the Monarch and Efnperor of the whole
World \ and that that Name belonged only
to
(89 )
to him.'' In fuch a mad Tranfport St.
Francis exclaimed, " I know that I fhaIl5<'"form.
•be a Great Prince : — I fliall be adored over
all the Earth/'
In t\\t Acta Germanica we have *' fe- An. 1671.
vera! Examples of iuch high Claims in Per- * *^''''
fons grown nuxd out of Pride ; who ima-
gined therafelves, one a Count of the E?n^
pire^ another Ki?ig of Portugal^ a third
a great ^ecn^ a fourth Czar of Mnf-
€OV)k''
Thefe, however, were innocent mad
People^ in Comparifon of this outrageous
Metkodifi ; and I doubt not their Pretenfions
to Royalty ftand upon as good Foundation^
as the Methodifls Fancies^ or even Afu"
ranees, of Cekjlial Crowns. For (as Plu-
tarch obfervcs) " A p;roundlefs and irra- Ed. Par.
tional foy agitates and alienates the ^^^'^^d ^^ \^'
more than either Sorrow or Fear.''
Nor make I any doubt but the fame De-
ception of the SenfeSy caufed by difiempei^ed
Finthujiafm ever infufed into the Tiead^ pro-
duced the fevcral following prejumptuous
Afurances^ and vifwnary Exidt-ations, *^ One Weflry
in a high Fever cries out, O ! I am happy, ^ J°"^"'
happy, happy: — all ih^ Angels rejoice, —
and I rejoic^e with them ; for I am united
to fejiis, — Smiling and looking up, flie
fays, * There is the Lamb. The Enemy
may come j but he hath no Part in me^
&c."
N '' Sarah
p. 23.
( 9^ )
'^'frn ^'•-' *5jrj/7. TVbiJkin was taken ill of^a^
f^alM^n^lfi^^h^-^f^^^ in tJge .mean
tiroeflie lays,, :^The. Dmhn ^^yjhkxf^
wjith in^,~- But I am iimtched-oiM:^ of^the
^^"^1 9^^^^i JQ^'^^k.iJ^'^(>:..G<id.has -not
.>^^f.^^^^^^¥?«/'elf>^^fP.'.meai yet I^bdieve,
were I to cjie this Niglni. before ;ro--mori^^
IV^^^kM^^^^ have «c^ feen
^•%^;iJ^^rii: B^^rWieve I Jhallfee.
^mj^A\\i^^^:^h^^jim^^^ file %s,
"^^.B)"? :4^4 «^ >5i;<?^, ^iit^ J7 hscve had : the
Zor^^ with me,' , , S^on after,! ^ I fear "I
¥^^ i':^?ffi/^5^r: l«y:^yti J- thoughr the
4^;v^ %>ei> if? ^Jl Heart ; -but I ii^ar
4tisnot.V She fin^s, they pfa,y,r aqdoflie
isJpUv^red from her Fears, -—.Somv after
■^q.vvere gonejhe rafe up, and faid, —
^??R% iti^:^Q|ie.ucfIr-^i3jViaSured myr&ns
are forgiveifi.— Dieth/ .— J. Hxmld hmmohf^
UQfi{ .receiving inftantan^pufly - m filefEng.
Idi^kw. m .^¥othei:,;^at)dti:Brot]ier^fi4
Shifter in ^y Sleep, and they,all -receivcdi a
El^ng in a Moment/' .,.. , ,,r:w i >■-:,■ . io
WAs^.^?ii^^99^ nothing ..9£i::thJi iWomah'i
^}^9:^^.4^!GoAyerfation^ we h^ve,.n6 Reafon
^? S^#io^ her Sah^tiqn,:: tho^iWe maj
9f}?%Pvwhether her A[jltmnm :knd Fi^
MW j.^^i , welUgrounded. , TMo Tliin?^
kern plain : That the Melhodifis ate drained
PP ?R^ bolftered with ExpcOations of 7?r^
^ijvin . '■' vclations.
C $* )
velitiioHs, and oS'^ feeing God prefent with
thmiv^ -wbidh furely is a very prefumptuous
and dangerods Do6lrine : — - And that her
Biieoarfe are^ like the Ramblings of^ ^)ii^
lirioiu /^^':;?ri;^^-'^hich Mr. Wefley acknoW-^
kdgech fhe^had.— • As \o htxVifion of he?
Rehtimsl "m madi '4ike^what 'St. Terefa
fays::'^^. Being much indlfpofed, I took upvfta. 8^.
my Rofary, and infeniibly fell into a Rapt ^P- ^24-
feemed'to ht\\\ Heaven^ and there I faw
bath tnyvF^Wjf^r^^and M(7.^i'^;^^^ I -doubted
wbethciit this, might not be /c:>me lllufiofi^
flio' it did not fo feem to me."
f^rifNo; 12.] We have an Account of ^** a Weficy.
Ray^ Iturned: out of School -^for 'Mi{beha-~s J^"^"'
\5itmr,i'running away from hisTarents, fof-^" ^^*
faring 'Hunger and Cold, three Days with- ,
ou-t Suftenance, hearing Mr. Wefley, gpd
reforming ^'^-^-tempted by the Dm/ tb hing
or^drowh himfelf : — but wreftling- withf
&^ in Prayer, he faw himfelf furroti'ndeS
o^'i'ifuilden 'With an inexprejjibk^ higfot^
rr^'lebed-'With a painful Illnefs, declares^
i. tho' I .am \\(>V'iXi- Heaven yet-^ I am as fare
of it as if I was ; — as fuYe ojf Chrijl^ as if
I had-hiki alfeady.' — One Day his Mother
faid§v>^ yae^'y'^ you have not* been with
yBQr-rSavYodp- To-Njght.' He repfidd,
'^Yea^rl bav^.- .She asked, ' Wliat dii
bfnitiy ?*oH'd anfwated,'^:-He^^^W me nat
be - afmid of thfe " ''Jbevil f ^''for he had no
E&wtt) cto' hurt me at^alf/but I flioald
-'on^.^c N 2 tread
tread him under my Feet/ In this 111 nefe:
he died, fome Months above- thirteen Year&o
oiiiJ' ■■■''--■■■ t^-xiu^ciVl ji;d" /jyj ^\\^\s-^
In this Gafe, as in the ibrinerjfi^i^have
no Quarrel" with the Boy's Pi^fyy but the..
E^??2'i^^/^:?/»5J- attendidg- it.r i^ which he apf^^^
pears "to h a ve been well infiruSed. For'r
he^- has : .^ij^^r^w^^ -^f Ws -Sahaiion^ and
th^l Eternal :—C/jr/y? comes tb attend him^
and fpeaks- to him- formally, in fa many
Wordsif and his M?/A^r draws him, ^s a
X^^^^xpe^ed, or agreed upon, into.^^
Declaration of this - Divine- Prejen<:e a nd^
Converfation. To which add, his Sayingy?
that *"* he faw himfelf furrounded with arf'
inexpreffible Lights while he wreftled with
Gvd-" All which may be reckoned as
more " Dreams of a heated Imagination^
or Wiles of Satan y' (to countenance thci
DehJio7t of Methodifin,.) Unlefs \i tan be'
proved, that all the Pretenffions of the
iithe J^ature, among the moft frantic anA
-^WdSaiijis of the Antichriftian CoiiuminioTif
w<*t€i truly from God, and Gonfirmations
@f the Truth of Popijh Religion. ,
' 1 don't know, whether the inexpreffihk
Light furrotmding the Boy, be to be under*^
Hood of a Glory, irradiating his own Pen/in^
or emitted from it;, or whether it iWas^H
Sign of the Divine Prefencey while he wi.^-
HvreJUing *with God. But I coiiild produce
hundreds of Inflances^ were it needful, '.of
^^lijj fuch
( 9J?)
fach fabuhus Papijiicdi/l'ales% where iiot^
only the Great Samtsy St. Francis^ §t^r!
IgnathiSy &c. but Novkes and Nuns have
been cmbj^^onM in the fame Manner;
and encompaflfed with fuch extraordinary^
Splendors, by the Vijits of- Chrijl^ the Vir-s^
ginyi Angels, jipofdes and Saints, Some ofq
which I ftiall fet down, after mentioning
the Cafe of Samuel and l^homas Hitchensy-
two Brothers ; who in a little Compafs of
Time went through moft of the Myjleries
of Method! fm, and arrived to x\i\^ Brjght,-^
nefs of Glory, In the Account y^iln%^^^^^^^
induftrioufly publifhed, we fe^dj,-.<^tj:^i^)r^
^^ Samueh d. Smith by TtSidCy hadr;almp^i^;5
forgot every Thing that was good, 'till, th^j
Metbodi/l : Teachers came into Cornw%l^^
-T* During their jPr^j^r, he fell to-,!^
Ground, and; roared ; but is foonconVqrjte<$,
to: th^ Faith* But the \Dra/ then, #r^KQ
to reafoji him out of it : — then raiff4:,-%
Mt^b againft thQ Met hcdi/is • got a W4r&^
to prels him for 2,- Soldier ^. but Godi^Stpt^
them not to touch him, -^ By. anoth^/
Snare of the DeyilyMe is tempted to marry ^
whereby hi a- Heart is drawn Jaway from
Ga^.j-and he is: planged into i^tier I!)ar^¥
nefs, often faying, ^ he ims in Hell A
He wandered about th^ Fields by Nighty
threw himiclf Oil. the Earth, beat his Head
againft tliic Ground'; roaringj b^fing, and
cutting/ ;liimfelf in , feveral Places, i-— Is
d .1/1 quite
in ^
giiite deliver edjn a Mommt. ,Bu^ f^JLLiii^
frequent and. fore Conflias vvitbi^^^/^^^r^
dGubts of the Bei7ig of a God .^f]^x:^ i^.j^p^
livfred. . Is Jlead of a Qqfi'K.^<^o'^m4\^^
^g,ie,di<cc^^ ^?>)^:^^o^!^ib|v
^W^M WM^S^ ^)fcr-3^^kea,iTpoi? feili^
to '^ be a Frectcf:'£J\ -.but , Jdqabti^g^, of :i ,Jbia
Mtffm, tin, pQiivjne^^^ J^.,^^^5^h-er\W^
is to an E%/w;^^J^ ^^^f^p4mii
but a%r wards coay;;nce4 ii^at^.^ (^r j^^
ought by' his out%^^ ,^.Niiat^ie{i^ tp^' fl^^;\^
the p^;7/v of hi^,^^w.;::;|jjs.
tation w^ \o Jtarve^ Ali2^^^;::by r^^^l?^
^^v^^^^^! .iiecefliry Support 1J3 .,)jjL}^Hir
conv'ii:)ced of this Error too ; aw^^j;!^ jx;g9(0f
and ended, while he, walked.. ifie,^I>^b^^^^
X^^'/i? cf God's Count ena?ice. -tt^-,4.-'P^ikOi3
^^nafrf^^^^^' ^^ wa^^.talie^v:|l,.^^dr
mX ^^? :^^^^^^ ^^e^C^iea^,(pyt,,,^k^v^\fi^
t'^e.-Jeaflf Doubt of my, Sahatiom.'y,r^^ ^i
thtG^tts/of Heave?! iland .open,.ja^d ^^^<i>
ftancjs with opca Arms. ^tq. ixcef^^edjfr^l
tet me ^ ! l r^uft he^gonqju The; fleiX^
Day he cries out aloud, VQg)ci;\ the Heay^D^,^
O !, niy God, and come dpwjA ir^oi my
Soul i .Come Father^^ Soi?,,-aiid,H^|y.^h
^f;^' ^""^'V^^ .^oibnbi^M ,e^n[-n.r;qlt)a
The AcGouDtTis much \.tl?c ^e.«yir;khi
regard to his Brother $^homas\ ixTiim^r.^^^-
«p..;vvho from following Revellings arid
Hiiriings became a Mcihodijt Preacher. [ In
mlich'^ Trouble and Heaviaejs, — receives
gr^at^ CoMfbA!^ the Lord ; but Ibph after
ftripp^'-oE^^!^' ahd thinks God hatli left
him iii'f&iat''^ifi--a'wtiy. But goes intoJ:iis
Glofet, aM' lias an Anfwer from the Lord,
^ JWiklyf^'Ki'gWepu^^^^ in great
^m\ is'iri^the greateft Danger o^ Pride and
Li^htn^s ; •— and found great Temptation
to J^r/'d?d^3 -wh^n fpeaking to the People.—
pffitW, ^ with' a 'Voice qitiie altered, — God Ts
cdme to • carr)r me Hoihe. Oh ! I jee^
Thoafands, -aM ten ThouTands oi Angels t
D^^/^^^6'r'^7^r them ? O ! Brother Tr^rw-
hafti^ dB^-yoii' n^Jee what a glorious Place
I am going to r — Mary Bifviiity, , catj't
yowfeeyefiisChrifl coming, with anlpnu-
f^hf^rabte'-Company of Angels, ana 7,t1i^
Gdiden Banner difplayed ? They- are ctonir,
ing to cany me to the Bofoi^ of v^'^GodC
Open their/Eyes, OyG^p^f^^thaltie^^
fee them.— ^I am whiter thd^';Snow^, ^^^
waflled in the Blood of^my. k^j^^;^>;*^
Why^-I ani all Godr^^^^^^^^^
- That I m^''hai'r^peai%\t^^
fore remarked, concerning the ftrarig^Ti-;
dflitud-es, and Perturbations, Scepticifmst^''
Defpairings, Madneffes, &c, attending the"
Progf eft -of Metbcdifni ; ' I ;ihail; only ; tak:e..
notice ' of thofe dvleBable ' Frenzies," dhd^
fiveei
( 96 )
fweet Delirta^ which (o often accompany a
Fever 'y of which both the Brothers (nei-
ther of them much above t^venty Years of
Age) died. Both are abfolutely jure of
Heaven ; both have the Ccmpafty and Sight
of Jefiu and Angeh ; one is plunged into
God; the other is all God.
I>cSym- Fracojiorius tells us, that *' in Ecfiatic
f^^ • Frenzies 'tis common for pious Perfons, or
fuch as from the Strength of Lhjiempcr
and Imagination think themfelves fuch, to
fancy they fee Gods and Choirs of Angels.'*
Wier.de " If Heathens be thus delirious^ and fe~
p.T-Q^ duced by the 7//z///c?;2i <2/' i'i^/'^;/, they are in
Company with Diana , HerodiaSy or Mi-
Paufen. ;^^^r;^,^ . Qj. eife fenus. Minerva^ and D/-
Laconic. n. w ^ ^T ' 1 1
Cap. 19. (ina^ Ihall come and carry Hyacinthus and
his Sifter to Heaven^ for dying in a State
oi Virginity '' — If they are Popi/lo Fanaticsy
Ribiden. ^^ ^re told of " Johannes Maxims, who
Soc. jtfu. ^^^ ^ delirious bever, and near dying, was
p. 235. refrelhed with the Sight of Chrifl, St, Ig-
natius, and other Saints j fo that he de-
clared a lever ivas pleafanter than Health'^
Ph, NeriuSy weakened by a continual
Fever, as if he had embraced fomebody
Ribaden. they could not fee, cries out, " O ! moft
May 26. ^|^,.^j. Fir^rin ! are you come to free me ?
O! moft Holy Mother of God I the moft
beautiful of all Creatures, — I will prefume
to embrace you." — At length, returning to
himlelf, he fays to thole about him, '' Did
you
( 97 )
you not fee the moji blejjed Mother of God^-^^
who by her Pre fence hath driven away my-/
Sicknefs ?" — Would you have the Sanftioa J
of Infallibility? " St. Nicholas, juft before Br. Rom;
his Death, faw Angels come out to meet^^^* ^'
him. — St. Alcantara frequently enjoyed
the Prefence of Chrijl : the Firgin, St. oa. 26.
Francis, and other Celejlial Spirits, enter-
tained their Fellow-Citizen with familiar
Difcourfes. — St. ^erefa, who for twenty- oa. 15.
two Years had Fevers, and other Diftem-
pers, fees Angels, and fefus Chrijl taking
her by the Hand and efpoufing her ; and
they likewife attend her Death ; when fhe
goes up to Heaven in the Shape of a white
Dover—
" Brother Emanuel, being delirious by Fi'anc;
the Force of his Dijkmper^ fung excel- gf^""^^*^^
\tni\y MtW Pfalms and Hymns \ and juftp. 402. '
before his Death began moft devoutly to
fpeak to the Corners of his Chamber.
Being asked, to whom he direfted his
Words ; he replied, to the Holy Angels^
whom he faw waiting for the Departure
of his Soul, that they might carry it up
to Heaven y — -'' A certain Fryer, extremely Speed.
religious, was almoft driven to Defpair to- ?^.^"^P^'
wards the Beginning of hxs Converfon -, Ex. 23.
but the Abbot pav/ned his Life for the
Security of his Salvation, if he would but
continue obediently in the Order. After-
wards the Frser was feized with a Fever ^
O fell
( 98 )
fell into an Ecjlafy^ had a Sight of Heaven ;
and brought back from Chrifty to whom
he was prefented, Promife of Vardon
and Eternal Life m his Bofom; and heard
from his Holy Mouth, that all who con-
tinued obediently in that Order fhould
certainly hcfaved,''
Though I have been pretty long on
this Article y I can't help producing the
Jefuifs Mark in one Inftance more. —
" Brother RmanueU who ufually was
grievoufly troubled at the very Shadow of
the leaft Fault, fiiid when he was dying,
that nothing troubled his Confcience^ he
had no Spot to be wiped away by Con-
fejjion. After his Mind had been thrown
out of its Seat by a Frenzy ; all wondered
that he talked with God, in Words fo well
adapted, and fo warm with Divine Love^
that he could not have compofed any
Thing better, when /;; his Senfes, He re-
quefted the Virgin Mary that he might
fee her 'y and fhe granted his Petition." —
One might alledge Hundreds of Indances
of Popifj Saints beatified by God^ Angtls,
and Saints, in Life and in Death.
Happy Madmen I Faithful 'Teachers !
Who can tlius convert DiJJempers into
JJeiiies j and the groundlefs Rants of a
difirdered Brain into Afurances oj Salva-
tion -y and by fuch Devices give a Sant^ion
'to their wicked Peculiarities.
§. 19.
( 99 )
§. ig. Of Affinity to thde Dhi?2e and
AfJgelical VifitSy is the exty^aor dinar y Lights
which furrounds fome of the Favoured
Methodijls, Such was that of " a Perfon Weiley
in bright Cloaths appearing in the Nighty •J^'^'^"*
to Peter Wright^ whence the Room was '
as bright as Day," — Such that of the Boy
juft mentioned, " who faw himfelf fur-
rounded with an inexprejjihk Lights while
he was wreftling with God,'' Whether
this was the Effed of a Cekjlial Prefence^
or a Radiation of Glory from the Boy -, 'tis
either Way confonant to the old Heathen
Notions. When Serpents were fent to
deftroy young Hercules in his Bed, "Jupiter
watched over him, —
A Light was in the Houfe. ^^^^- '^*
Jupiter can't come to his Miftrefs AlcmeJiay
but
Mdes fot(^ confiilgehant^ qiiaji ejjlmt aurea.
The whole Houfe fliined, as if all over
Gold. A Voice too is heard, " Alc?nena, fear pja^t.
nothing: the Governor of Heaven comes Amphyt,
to afTift thee, and thine." — Nor can cvcng^' 5-
PlutOy the God of Hell, make his Appear-
ance, to carry off a Girl^ but —
Claram difpergere culmina hicem ciandbH.
Adventum teftata Dei ; Rapt.p.of.
A bright Light attefts his coming. *' • iv.^.
O 2 In
( loo )
In the other Way 3 — we find Splendors ^
and lambent Flames glorifying the fame
Heathens : — As the Light furrounding
Lib. 4.. Afcanhis in Virgil: — That of Tullius
^^P' ^- Hoflilius in Dionyfius Ilalicarn, who being
fuppofed to be the Son of Vulcan^ or
fome Dojnefic Genius^ was illuftrated with
Paufan f^ch a Glory round his Head : — That of
CaTao. -Apollo's Bajtard Boy, who being expofed,
and found by a ivanderijtg Shepherdy the
Shepherd faw a Cekftial Light emitted
from him ; and he afterwards was famed
for civring all Difeafes.
Which being a jaft Emblem of Pretend^
ers to Infpiraticn, and fpiiriom Prophets j
Let \}S pafs to our ufual Parallel from
Paganizing Papifis. Befidcs their eminent
Saints, as Founders of Orders, &:c. among
whom fuch Favours were common, I fhall
produce two or three (out of about Fifty
which I have obferved) of the lower Clafs.
Annal. Francus tells us, that " while the Jefiiit
jefuit. Stiariiis was praying before a Crucifix, in
^" ^ ' a Sort of Rapt, fuch Rays of Light ilTued
from the Sides of the Crucifix, as made
the whole Chamber and the Man's Face
^^'^- fhine'' — Thuillier fays, " that, as feveral
May T3. ^^^^^ teilified, while Father John was at
Mafs, they faw him warmed to fuch a
Degree, by a Divine Spirit, that his Face
was irradiated, and like a Globe of Flame:''
■ Feb. 28 — And '' What Mortal can fufficiently
admire
( I^I )
admire Pet, Hebert^ a Minim ; if, as mant
report, a Heavenly splendor furroiinded him
at the Altar ; and more than once Cotjcerts
of Angeh were heard, comforting and fe-^
renading this Candidate of Heaven''
Sometimes indeed Cheats Magic, or Dia-
bolical IllufiG?7s, were fufped:ed, and even
confeffed, in thefe Cafes. Wieriis fpeaks
of " a young Girl poffelTed, and miferably
haraffed by the Devil -^ but he promifed
her a fure Token of Dehverance, when Hie
went next to Mafs, Accordingly at Ma[s^
the Prieft faw, and the Girl perceived, a
"white Shade furrounding her. See the II-
lufion of the Devil.'' —
" Satan often appeared to Ignatius him- Ribaden.
felf in ^ fiinifig and glittering Form, as-'^^'^J*
if it had been fome Divine Light: — but 544.^"'
he difcovered the Fraud'" And why
might it not be a like Satanical Delufion^
when " divers beheld his own Counte-
nance refplendent, and fparkling with
Beams of Light?" Or, when " St. Francis
was wholly furrounded with a bright Child,
in Conformity to Chriji -, and v^^ould make
Night as Light as Day ?" — Or, again, Splnell.
** when that true Devotee faw openly, not ^''^^'"•J^"^'?'
in the Spirit, but with his bodily Eye^ the ' '^'
^leen of Heaven ftanding by him, and
the whole Room /Joining from her extraor-
dinary Brightnefs ?" — One of their famous
Miracle-Authors declares, that one Brother
was
( ^02 )
Spccul. -was fo elevated with Pride^ on account of
jy^^A his Religious Stri^7teJJeSy that he boafted
Ex, 21. of having Vijions of Angeh attending him ;
and that one Day the Devil t?'ansformed
into the Figure of Chriji came to him, in.
Company with a Thoufmid Angeh v/ith
their blazing Lamps. One of them faid,
* Thy Convcifation hath pleafed ChriJl^
and lo ! he is come to thee ' He then
ivor/ljipped the Devil '^ and the next Day
told his Brethren^ ' I have now no need
of the Commiiniony for I have feen Chrifi
to Day'' There are muny fuch Stories
in the fame Author. Particularly, Dift. 3.
Ex. 33, 38. Dift. 9. Ex. 36.
The laft of thefe Expreffions, fugeefted
by the Devil, agrees well with that of the
Methodift Woman, who affured Mr. Wejley,
4 journ. <^ that God had told her not to partake
^' ^^: ; of the hordes Supper any more, fince ihe
fed upon Chrtjl continually/' Upon which
Mr. Wejley exclaims, O ! Who is fecure
from Satan's transforming himfelf into an
Angel of Light? — And *' the idle Boy
(juft before m.entioned ) who ran away
from his Parents, to whom ChriJI appeared
and bad him not be afraid of the Devil,
whom he fhould tread under his Feet,'' —
has the fame Honour with St. Ignatius,
who ran away likewife from his Parents,-
and in the Days of his Vanity was as idle
a Roguej as the other could be for his Life.
For,
( 103 )
For, as Botihours relates, *' the Saint being ^^^^^^ of ^
Ecjiatic in a Fever, heard a Voice, that ^"*
he fliould not be afraid to die, becaufe
he died a Saiftty and need not fear the
§. 20. Of a fimilar Nature with this
State of Delirioufnefsy Madnefs and Frenzy%
wherein our Enthiifiafts have fuch Vifwns,
Revelations, Ajjiirances, &c. Is that Alie-
nation of Mind called Ec/lacy, Rapture and
Trance, Something of this in the Me-
thodijls I took notice of in Part I -, as well
as their enjoying the Prefence of Gody and
entering into Difcourfes with him. As,
for Inftance, when (fays Mr. JVhiteJield)
*' my Loving Saviour permitted me to 7 joam.
talk with him, as a Man talketh withP^S- 6*.
his Friend/' I could eafily add many
other Inftances ; together with a thoufand
Parallels from Popijl:) Fanatics, But I
forbear ; not willing to naufeate the Reader
with fuch Tales, any farther than they fall
under fome Remarks,
For one may obferve, what many good
and learned Perfons have obferved before,
that thefe Ecjiatic Fits, with Vifioyis, Ap-
pearanccs of God, Angels and Saints, &cc,
are mere Imagination from Di/le/rper arid
Frenzy ; — or a Diabolical Illujion -, — or
Counterfeit and Cheat, And this Truth
hath been allowed by many fober and
moderate
( I04 )
tnoder-ate Papifts -, by even the moft £;?-
thuficiftical of ihtra 'y and, in a great mea-
fure, by our Methodijlical Treacher's them-
felves.
Accordingly, I obferve firft, that 'tis
generally agreed among the Learjied, that
Ecjlacy\ or Rapture^ (the Mother of F//K?;2)
is of itfelf a Species of Madnejs^ and termed
both by Hippocrates and Galen a vehement
Madnefs, Irregular and turbulent Com--
motions of the Blood caufing violent Di-
ftraftions in the Brain, fo as to drive out
the Reafon and Senfes; the Perfons thus
difordered are filled with a thoufand Chi-
meras ; fancy they hear and Jee and feel
Things, which have no Exijie72ce in Na-
ture ; efpecially fuch Things as they have
moft inte?fe/y thought en, or which have
been Seat into their Heads. See Fracoflor.
de Intellect, Lib. IL
Vit.lgnat. <c t;\^q Glorious St. Ignatius had many
P«g- 273- f^^]^ Vtjions in his Ecjlacies ; which Maf-
feius confeffeth to have proceeded from
Li^'e- the Force of his Diftempcrs^ — " St.
I'erefa fays herfelf, that (he had very great
and long Dijle^npers^ — v/as ready to grow
mad with Pain, — her Head was difordered
for feveral Years -, — has many Sickneffes,
Fevers and Pains -, for God be thanked
(fays fhe) generally I have little Health 5
— fometlmes is like a ftupid Fool ^ fome-
times a furious Fool ,, forrietimes a childifh
Fool,
( i«5 )
Fool, employ'd in Tovs and Trifles, drelTes
up Images with Pofies and Flowers, &c.
Then (he is rapt into Ecfiacies and VifwnSy
which {lie calls Glorious Frenzies^ and
Heavenly Follies ; is frequently in Com-
pany with Sai?itSy Angels^ the ^een of
Heaven^ and Chriji her Spoitfe. In one of
her Fcjiacies flie continues two Years and
a half; and in one of her Fits fees
only tht Hands of ChriJI -, in another his
Divine Count enmice : fhe had a ftrong
Defire to fee the Colour and Eigne fs of his
Eyes, but could never obtain that Favour.
— However, fhe is united to him ; her
Soul ( file fays ) is ingulpbed, or, to fay
better, our Lord is ingidphed in her : — he
infpires her with the Gift of Prophecy, af-
furcs her of her own Salvation, and the
flourifhing State of her Order. When flie
comes out of her Reveries^ and a little re-
covers her SetifeSy flie falls into Sufpicions,
that all is mere Imagination, or Satanical
Delufion ; her Friends and ConfeiTors are
quite of the fame Mind ; but fome Holy
fefuits alTure her, that all is from the
Spirit of God. She owns too, that fuch
Deceivings in the Monafteries are not fo
much from the Devil, as our own perverfe
Inclinations and Humours, efpecially if
there be Melancholy. For, adds flie, the
Nature of Women is weak, their Self Love
very fubtle ; io that many Perfons, be-
P fdes
( io6 )
fides the Nuns, have been deceived by
themfelves.''
'-One fees nothing here, but what might
well proceed from Bijlemper, ' without
Safans Devices,.. And therefore the fa-
mous G^r/S^, a 'learned and moderate Va^
I^Prcb. ^^, adviftth "always to consider in Fy&;/4
^'"' whether the Perfon be in his '^enjes, 2S\^
his Brain untouched ^ for that we need
not doubt- ^6M ^F^^/n^'i^
and illnfory Vifions come 5 as is clear frdn^
Perfons in a Frenzy and various Dijiempers,
who fancy they hear, fee, and' tnfte Tubings ,
liIie''Mcn in a Drea?n,'* And he gives
divers Inftances of fuch Delufions.>-^ ^'^';^-^
2.' We may obferve, that (befides'^'^^he
ahove- mentioned Cafes) m^ny foher, and
even Panatical Papijis, have acknowledged
a Safanical Impojition ik^cjlacies, Vifions,^
Voices, Ajjurances, &£P^'^' , ^ . "'^
Mall. Bartholo77mus de Spina allows! ^ fiiat
Voi.z. ^^^^ Devu will fometimes appear as an
p. 126. Angel of Light to deceive Fi^ondrytcv:^
fons; and that /^j/$i/;;i proceed from &V;7, as
fometimes from pren:^y and.DiJlemper.'' — ■
_ A^ And again^;- ?^^^:<MW^^^Strata^^^^
Doar.7. to ihew fome tiGly Vifion to the Diftem^
pered, that he may bethought to he gone,
while he lies lurking within." Even th^
Highejl Authority in\the Papacy %^ given
a SanSlion in the Pjoman Rittiat - For \^
' ' feyi,
(10? )
fays, '' The Devils, while the Prie/l is^eExorc.
in the middle of his Excrdfms^ will make
the Patient fleep, and iliew him fome
Vifton, that he may feem to be delivered.'*
Accordingly Terefa confeffeth, that "fhe^i^-S^o-
had three or four Times a Vifa?i of Satan^' ^^^' ~
in the Form of Chriji, Even the Bleffed
IgnatiiiSy who had fo many Celejiial Vi-^
fiojjs^ and fome Tnfej^naly yet fays, " of Maffd.
that Sort of Religious VifionarieSy who pro-- ^ ' ^'
fefs fo much Familiarity with God, th^t
moft of them are under Ilkfons of Devils^
and partly perverfe Self-pleafers, and. won-
derfully obfinate in their Fanciest — The
Devil, however, was fo fair, ?iS>Xo ajjiire
Ignatius*^- Salvation*, " to declare that he Ribaden.
was in Heaven-, and he was the firft Per-J^^- 3'-
fon that predided his Canonization.'' And
the Pope, who afterwards canonized him,
fulfilled the Devil's Prophecy. Who now
will queftion the Teftimony of two Per-
fons of fuch Veracity ? — '« Ph. Nerius, a Ribaden,
Follower of Ignatius, and an eminent ^^^y 2^*
Field^Preacher, as famous for Ecjiacies and
Vifio72s :^i any Mortal, — had alfo the Gift
of di/ :.igui{hing/^^ Vifions from the true,
and actually did fo on feveral Occafions.
One' way of Trial was this. " Once the
Devil appearing in the Likenefs of the
roer blejjed Virgin to his Difciple Vincent^
he commanded Vi^icent the next time to
[pit in the Face of the Perfon that ap-
P 2 peared.
( ic8 )
peared. The next Night the Devil ap-
peared again in the fame refplendent Shapes .
and he inllantly j^// in the Dei^ii's Faceii\
who, confounded, and bafely foiled, im^v
mediately vamfhed. No fooner .was he
fled, but the mofl Sacred Virgin herfelf
clearly fliewcd herfelf to him, and bad
him fpit in her Fac? tOQ, if he could.
Then fhe Angularly comforted him, and
went up into Heaven^ But upon the
w^hole, Nerius was fo well convinced of
Sata?i[s lllufions, " th^t he became a /Iiarp
Reprehender of thofe who were delighted
with Vifiom 5 affirming, that nothins" was
more pernicious than thofe mad Mcchries
of the Devils, Mvho eafily transformed
themfelves into Angels of Light:' If it
be not too much a Dlgrejjion, I will add
o;)|e,- more, and ftronger Proof ^.SatoTi^l
bemg detecfed and copfounJedrs\>y -dwM.
Sai?2t-Iike Manage?neni, This curious Storv
is^in the E:dition. of the Book of CofU
formitieh ■^^■/^^?- 1 510. (omitted in my
Edition, Bonon. 1^^.^^^^^ k iikewil^
carefully preferved in the Speculum Ex enu
Specul. //^r2/w. piftina. 7. Exempl. 24. *^ Fryer
Exemp. ^^;z, a Dilciple of St. Francis, was
Ex;2V. ^^^"g^l^ almoft to Dcfpair, becaufe the
Son oj- God appeared to him, and told
him, that he v^^^predfinafedto be damved*
and fo would St, JFrmjcis, &:c. But St^
^ :,.,.^«^:j^|^^ of God,
l^v taught
( i<^9 )
taught him, that be who faid that was
the Devily and not Chriji. And when;
fays he, he ihall come again, and tell you^
yon zvc damned y anfwer him thus, " Open
your Mouthy ^x\d I will — ~ in it." [ylpet^T^
es ttium;^^ ego flercorizabo in id.] And
it (hall be a Sign to you that 'tis the
Devi/y' that upon your faying thofe Worcjs
he will inftindy fly. Rt^ffin thtn adoj^fd
the Saint, was cojifefjed^-mdi retuVrted'to^
his Cell Where, behold ! the Old Enefnyl
comes ^gain in the Form of Chrijl\ faying,
much the feme as before. Immediately
Riiffin replies, *' Open thy Mouth, Gfr.'"
The Devil took this Indignity io hei-
noufly, that he packed bfF^ 'but'raifed ^
dreadful Storm of Stones and Fire againft
poor Rufin, Soon afterwards Cbriji i-p'
peared to him, and melted his Soul witiP
Dimne i;«?w,^aiid gave him Security of hf^^
eternal Salvation, After this a DcefnoMdt:
being brotight to St. Francis to be exor^^
cifed^ tht Devil feeing ¥vytv Riijin wita^-
hitiY/^-began to roar horribly, and fM*'^d-
way y declaring, that " he could not lland
againft that obedient^ humble and holy ^ro-
iher Ruffinr — But to proceed. ^^^^'^'^'^'
vGabr, Biely the famous Popi/Jj Canonijf^
owns, *' that their Miracles are fometimes Canon.
effedied by the Operation of Devils to de- J^'^^*
ceive diforderly Worjlnpfers-y' and parti- ^ "^'^^
cularly, *' that the Apparition of Chrijt inua. y.
( "0 )
the Eucharijl may be by the Illiifion of the
Devil to deceive and delude the Unwary:*^
-— Alexander Hales gives the fame Sola-
In.4.Sent.tion : '« it appears Flejh^ fometimes \sf
^ 53- human Contrivance^ fometimes by^ \ dia-f
helical Operation:" — And why may we not
fufpefl: the fame in our Vifionai-y Methodijis^
who have fo often at the Sacrament evif
dently feen Jefus Cbriji crucified befori
them ? (See Enthitfiafm, Part II. p. j 64})
Vof'^l ".^^* Terefa, who had fo many Rapis^
p3g."33, Vifions and Allocutions with our Lord^ yi2iS
& Frsf. ftrongly perfuaded of their beiiig vgrea!t
Delufions and Difguifes of Satdny2iX\A flie'
owns, that feveral Religionifis had been
thus deceived, either from Imagination^ or
the Dclufion of Satan :\ The Writer of
the Preface too confefTeth, that " various'
Impq/iors^ and Women efpecially, were fre-
quent in Spain about that^ Time, who, am-''
bitious of procuring the Fame of San^iity,
or deceived by the D/fw/, t>retended to
thefe Elevations, &c:* '^^'^vy.a - v
Happy furely would both Papifi and
Methodifi be thought, could they have the
fame Favour with the Saijit mentioned by
Pag. 7. Balingham -, " who obtained by Prayer to
the Virgin Mary, never to be' deceived in
Revelations and Vifions ^ This was ac-
counted a high Favour, but probably might
be the worjt Delufion of all.
And
( III )
And yet, whatever Share the Devil may
claim, thefe Ecjiatic Vifionaries are the
Principal Saints canonized in that Commu-
nion, And not without Reafon. For
thefe Vifmis and Ecjiacies have always been
the grand Engines for introducing their
corrupt, falfe and idolatrous Tenets. Nor
is. there one of their DoBri?ies cf "Daemons
that has not been confirmed by fome
Heavenly Vijions. " And this is ftill (aslntrod to
Dr. GeddeSy who well knew, obferves) one '^^®^°^*^**
of the moil fubtle and prevailing Sorceries
o/^ Popery. Not only Papijls, but Protef-
tantSy (efpecially thofe inclined to ^ietifm)
being all naturally difpofed to believe any
"ELq^oxX-S of Raptures and Vijions, let them
come from what Quarter they will, do
with an eafy Credulity fwallow down the
PopiJJj DoSrineSy which they were in---
vented to give Credit to."
y^dfyy I obferve, that even our Me-
ihodijls have owned both a vain Imagi-
nation^ and Devili/Jo Agency among them-
felves in fuch Cafes. Mr. Wejley owns,
that their ^yVtftons might come from Gody 3 Joum.
and might «<?/.*' And, with refped: to?-^^'^^-
feeling, he difcovered among his Hearers- journ.
fuch IViles of Satany as never entered into p. 69, 70.
his Heart to conceive.*'
,!Mr. Whitejield confefieth, " that Satan 1 Deal
transformed himfclf into an Angel op-
Light \ whereby he followed the Sug-
gestion
AO,
( 112 )
gcflions of the Evil Spirit in whatever he
did,'' Divi?2e Prefences^ — hi% talking with
God Face to Faccy — inviting Cbrift^ who
came ajidfat down at the Head of the 'Table,
and [poke to him^ Sec. Thefe are fome of
Letter, the Reveries^ which he has recanted, *' He
P- 31- readily grants, that fome of the Methodijis^
who had not Ajjlirance of Salvation^ pre-
fumptu/^.^V imagined ihty had it/'
Their Dear Madafn Bourignon fpeaks in
Solid. Virt. the fame Strain of this " Artifice of Satan,
9' ^o^- They fancy themfelves to be in Afu-
ranee \ and are in the midft of Dangers of
loling their Souls by Frcfumptiony and De-
I Letter, hfon of the Devil,'' The fame Lady (in
Part I. her Light rifen in Darknefs) fays, " The
^^' ^* Saints themfelves have committed Spiri-
tual Fooleries^ by Vi/ionSy In-fpeakings^ Ec-
fiacies^ &c. affifted by the imaginative Fa-
3 Letter, ciilty," Again, '^ we are not to judge of
I'artJiI. Spiritual F erf eMion by Vifions^ 'Revelations^
P»g »9- £cJlacieSy or Raptures : for the Devil him-
felf could do all thefe Things."
Brain. But Mr. Brainerd, a Brother Methodijiy
Journ. Aejj-h^j. ^^^^ arrived to the Summit of Me^
thoaifmy or got above it) frankly declares,
'' that Traizces and imaginary Views of
Things are of dangerous Tendency in Re-
ligion 5 and fears a Defign of Satan^ by
introducing Vifwnary Scenes^ to bring a
Blemiih on the Work of God." Ao;ain,
?. ic8. <c jj ^^^ {3^ owned, Satan feemed to
transform
( 113 )
transform himfelf into an Angel of Lights
and made fome vigorous Attempts to in-
troduce turbulent Commotions and PaJJions,
inftead of ge?iuine Convidlions ; and ima-
ginary and fanciful Notions of Chrijl, as
appearing to the mental Eye in human
For my and particular Pojlures^ — and divers
other Dehifions. And 1 have Reafon to
think, had thefe Things met with En-
couragement, there vi^ould have been a
confiderable Harveji of this Kind of Con--
'verts,'*
Therefore I obferve, /n^thly, that Ec/la-
cies, and of confequence Vifions^ are fre-
quently voluntary j they may be, and have
been, counterfeited. And M, Cafaubon hath
faid, and proved, '^ that 'tis poffible, v^ith-
out the Concurrence of any Supernatural
Caufe, for any one Man or Woman to put
themfelves into a Trance, or Ec/iacy, when
they will." Treatife of Enthujtafm. Ch. 3.
The whole of which deferves our Perufal,
— St. Auflin tells us of " one ReJlitutuSyC\v\\.,Vit\,
who could, whenever he was defired,^''4'"^24-
quite alienate himfelf from his Senfes, lie
like a dead Man, fo that no Breath was
perceptible in him j and no pinching,
pricking, or burning, could m:ike him •
feel.'* — £i?<;*/;rproduceth Variety of fuch, Damon,
not only Moderns, or Saint-like Perfons ;^^^-^**^'^'
but Heathens, and Atheiftic Vifionaries,
-long before Chrijiianity was in being."
CL For
("4)
For EcJIacies are by no Means peculiar to
Religio?!, much lefs the Chrijiian.
What the Religion of Cardan was.
Ibid. " who could throw himfelf into an Ec*
ftacy whenever he pleafed/' 1 am not
certain. But that genuine Papijl^ Ph.
Neriiis, had the fame Faculty 5 and, by
frequently ufing himfelf to EcJIacies and
Raptures^ could more eafily fall into one,
than another think of any common Affair.''
— And that Cheat and Impoflure (out of
Wantonnefs or Pride, &c.) may come in
for a Share ; we read in the Life of St.
Aldegonde^ who was almoft all Rapture^
Chap. 4. her own CoyfeJJion^ " that Vifions and Rapts
many Tim.es are but pure Imagination and
Fancy ^ efpecially in Maids and Wo7i7en 5
but moft commonly a kind of working in
the Brain 3 with a fecret, but pernicious,
Prefurnption^ defirous to appear, and to
have fomething, above the co?nmon.'* *—
Geddes. *^ Mary of Agreda's Raptures^ as was
Vol, III. agi-eed by the Lady Abbefs and the Nuns^
(who well knew the Tricks of young
Girls) wxre fuch Hyfteric Fits as young
Girls ufed to counterfeit. But her Con-
fi£m\ one of the Francijcan Fryers^ (who
never fail to fham them upon the World
for Divine EcJIacies) makes a better Ufa
of them, declaring them to be juperna--
tural^, and he treats the Abbefs very fe-
verely for Infidelity ^ aor would reft till
he
he got her difcharged." And we have
{ecn before how frequent fuch Impofliires
vftxzm Spain. — How many fuch Tricks
have been played in England by Popijl:
Prie/lsy for the Rejiorafion of Popery\ may
be \<t^x\ in Gee'^ Foot out of tht Snare.
Particularly he mentions the Cafe of one
Thomas JSlewtony who pretended he had
a Vifion of the Virgin Mary appearing to
him, and faying^ ' NciOton, fee that thou
take not the Oath of Allegiance.' Being
asked, ' How he knew it to be the Virgin
Mary ;* replied, becaufe {ht appeared to
him in the Form of her AJjiimption, &c/'
This was in the Year 1621 ; and for the
Truth of it, the Author refers to the High
Commijjion Records,
Nor in general need we doubt, but that
a cunning Man, having under his Manage-
ment Perfons of tender Nerves and weak
Brains, of a tractable Difpofition, or ra-
ther Indifpofition of Mind or Body, — may
infufe fuch Dojes of wild DoBrines, as
eafily to work them up into a Frenzy^
and teach them whatever firange Sights
the Arch'EjtthufaJl pleafeth. And the
fame may be faid of thofe dreadful Fits
fo common ^mong Mr. Weflef'^ Follow-
ers, " Yellings, Groanings, Gnafliings,
Foamings, Convulfions and Contortions,
Curfes and Blafphemies, dying and de-
fpairing Agonies, ^cJ' which call for a
0^2 farther
(ii6)
farther Confideration ; though indeed y^^ryJ-
ing it is to confider them.
§. 21. A fufficient Detail hath already-
been given of thefe lamentable Cafes 5 and
I fliall now take into Confideration, —
The Nature of the Diforders^ — The Cau^
feSy — The Cure^ — and other rare Effects -y
as we find them fet forth in the wonderful
Journals ; and in which, I think, confifls
the Grand Myjlery of Methodifm.
As to the Nature of the Diforders^ mi-
ferable and terrible as they are, Mr. Wefley
3 Journ. affirms often, that they are " Confrma-
p. 40, 42, ^^^^^ ^jr Q^j^^ V/ord, — Wounds by the Sword
of the Spirit^ — the Power of God upon them^
— the Finger of God^ &c.*' Thefe were,
** loud Cries as in *he Agonies of Deaths —
finking to the Earth, and dropping on every
Side as Thunderfirucky great Drops of Sweaty
all their Bones Jhaking, Sec,'' Particular-
Pag. 65. ly he fays, " I had an Opportunity of
talking with Mr. Whitefeld of thofe Out^
ward SignSy which had fo often accom-
panied the Inward Work of God J" He
was it feems, as to this, an Unbeliever be-
fore. *' But had the next Day an Oppor-
tunity of informing himfelf better. For
no fooner had he began to preachy but
four Perfons funk down clofe to him, al-
moft in the fame Moment, One lay with-
out Senjc or Motion. A fecond trembled
exceed-
( 117 )
exceedingly. The two others hsid Jlrong
Convidjions . From this Time, I truft, we
{hall llifFer God to carry on his oiuji Worky
in the Way that pleajeth him.''
And from this Time Mr. Whitefield
talks much in the fame Style, of " Peo-6 Joum.
pie {truck down, under great -Agonies ^^ V^^^^^'
with Cries and Groans, dropping down, p. 12.
as though Pm with a Gun, by the great
Power of God. For when an extraordi^
nary Work is carrying on, God generally
manife{ls himfelf to fome Souls in this
extraordinary Manner , ' '
If thefe Gentlemen mean only, that
God is the efficient Catije of all Dijiempers,
permits fuch Difajiers^ or ordains the
Courfe of Nature^ whereby they happen ;
they have no Adverfary among Believers.
But if they mean, what they often fay,
that they are not Natural Dtjie?npers^ but
extraordinary Workings of God in the Soid\
itmayeafilybe proved, that thefe feveral
outward Signs are real Difeafe^ mere Dif-
temper ^ if any Credit may be given to
Philofophers and Phyficians^ both before
Chrijl and Jince^ Heathens and Chriflians \
and where it cannot be pretended the Work
of Methodifm was concerned. I have
looked into fome of the mo{l eminent
Original Authors^ as well as Compilers of
Phyfcal DiBionaries^ and find there all
thofe Diforders of Body and Mindy (which
the
(ii8)
the Methodijl Teachers make ufe of toferve
a Turn, magnify their Mi/Jim^ and create
Ad?niration, &a ) witli their refpedive
Sy?JiptomSy Indicatiom and CirciimJlajiceSy to
be mere Dijiemper ; and efpecially in thcfe
particular Circumflances, which our Me^
thodijls reprefent as extraordinary Work-
ings of Gody Preternatural^ or Superna^
tural. Thefe I fliaii put together, with-
out any manner of Addition or Alteration.
*' In that convulfive, nervous Diforder,
called Hyjlericsy the Patients are afFefted
with divers ftrange, inconfiftent, and con-
trary Symptoms 5 Pains of Body, and
Terrors of Mind ; with Variety of inor-
dinate Sallies : breathe unequally, feel a
Sort of choaking in the Throat like ftrang-
ling; a violent Palpitation, that the By-
ftanders think they can hear the Heart
beating againft the Ribs ; now fpeechlefs,
fenfeiefs and motionlefs, feeming as if they
were dead, the Pulfe being fcarce percep-
tible : then again uttering* a wild Noife,
and rambling in their Talk : have alter-
nate Fits of Joy and Sorrow, Laughing
and Crying : are calm, weak, iad, fearful
and fufpicious ; grow ftiff and immove-
able, and again flexible : then falling into
a Fi^ of Rpge, Quarrelling, and Debac-
chatiOJi ; io flrong as fcarce to be held by
three or four Perfons : Sometimes in the
utmoft Dejection, Terror and Defpair, pre-
faging
(119)
faging difmal Things ; fo much torment-
edj that they feem in a Sort of Pur^
gatoryj'
*' In Hypochondriacs [mialogous to Tlyf-
terics in lVo?ne?i) as well as Melancholy^
from a MaHgnity of Blood from the black
Bile, we find moil of the fame Symptoms ;
Pain in the Stomach, Windinefs, Swelling
or Diftortlon of the Hypochondrium, a
large Pulfe under their Ribs -, a dry Cough,
Head-ach, Difficulty of Breathing, Palpi-
tations, Faintings, Swoonings, Deliriouf-
nefs, hideous Cryings out, various Con-
vulfions and Diftortions, and Fits like the
Epilepfy : The Sufferer affected as much in
Mind, as in Body -, differently full of Sad-
nefs, Fear, Sufpicions ; and of Prefump-
tion, Joy and Exultation ; dejected, calm
and quiet; confiderate, rafh, raging, and
quarrelling : the Animal Spirits taking un-
ufual, oblique, or tranfverfe Vagaries in
the Brain, thence fpring new, incoherent
and abfurd Fancies ^ from black and heavy
Blood, moving Huggifhly, proceed difmal
Horrors and Defpairings, feeling Hell, and
being damned. When the Humours are
well ftirred up, the Blood begins to boil,
and the Heat rarefies and difperfes the
lumping Mafs ; then, deceived by Fan-
taflic Ulufions, they are apt to conceive,
^nd reajly believe, great 7hi?jgs of them-
felves 5
( I20 )
fehes ; affed Divinity^ and difcourfe with
God^ and Angels, In general, their Ima-
gination is feldom quiet ; they are almoft
always thinking, and always thinking er-
roneoufly : Day and Night chiefly intent
on little Things, without any Thought of
material Points ; vaftly folicitous about
Trifles, as if Salvation depended on them :
reprefenting Things to themfelves more
and larger than they are, as in a multi-
plying, or magnifying Glafs ; raifing few
and fmall Offences into many and' great,
and confeffing heinous Sins, of which
they were never guilty.'*
*' From the preceding Diftempers they
are apt to fall into Epilepfies : Wherein a
cruel Convulfion fcizeth the Patients at
once, cafting them forcibly to the Ground,
as Thunderftruck ; they loofe their Senfes,
and becoming delirious^ ramble in their
Talk J laugh, or weep ; pray, and fpeak
religioufly ; curfe, blafpheme, talk ob-
fcenely or profanely ; fometimes howl hor-
ridly, fliriek, roar, grind their Teeth, foam
at the Mouth, loll out the Tongue; trem-
ble, and are varioufly convulfed and dif-
torted : Sometimes they hear and fee many
ftrange Things j fpeak unknown Lan-
guages, difcover Secrets, prophefy; ftruck
fometimes with an intenfe Cold, or feel
a cold Vapour running along the Back,
( 121 )
&cr The Poet has well defcribed this^ucret.
dreadful Diftemper 3 y^;^^'
Subltd vi morbi f^pe coaElus
Ante oculos aliqiiis noftros^ ut fulminis i5fU^
Concidit^ et /pumas agit^ ingemtty et tremit artuSy
Bejipt, extentat nervos^ torquetur^ anhelat
Inconjlanter^ et in jaFiando membra fatigat^ &C.
And if to all this we add the Amaze-
ments, and Staggerings in Vertigoes and
fwooning Fits, with all the fuprizing Gef-
ticulations in Conviilfions , nothing will
be wanting to complete the Methodiftical
Symptoms, And if the Reader keeps in
Mind what was faid before, (or efpecially
turns back to §. 5.) he will be apt to
think, that the feveral extraordinary Mo^
tions in this unhappy Seti are eafily ac-
counted for from Natural Dijiemper. Ef-
pecially as the above Authors have their
Accounts from Arijhtle^ Hippocrates^ Ga--
leuy Sec. as well as from their own Prac^
tice, and have corroborated all by Variety
of Examples, antient and modern, Pagan
and Chrijlian, And they generally agree
there is fome Diforder of the Brain in
the Cafe ^ that all is a Degree, or Species^
of Fre?2zy and Madnejs, and apt to bring
on the worft Effedts of them» — A Mis-
fortune too well known, and too horrid
likewife, to be enlarged upon,
R Popijh
Brev
Rom.
Ibid
Lire.
F. r, 12
( 122 )
Fcpijh Parallels of this Nature may
be had in Abundance. '' St. Iterefa blef-
oa"'i5. fed G^^/, that (lie had -j^r)' /////f' H^kilth ^
and file v/as afflicted with the moft grie-
vous Diftempers for twenty-two Years to-
gether. — St. Catherine of Sieiina ftruggled
^'' '■'^' with Devils, and was grievoufly tortured
with Fevers, and various cruciating Dif-
Ca^'^6- ^^^^^* — Mary M, of Pazzi w^i^ grievoufly
^'^' ^' diftempered for five Years together -, and all
looked upon her as another Joi upon a
Dunghill. — Mary of Agreda was vifited
with fo many painful Difeafes, that fhe
Life, fcarce had an Hour's Reft. — Framts of
Sales had fuch a deep Melancholy, that no-
thing in Nature could faife him, — a
fatindice from Head to Foot 5 his Blood
ib heated that he fell into a Fever, St.
Francis was diftempered much, efpe-
cially in the Liver and Spleen, and Sto-
m.ach, all proceeding from his corporal
Severities." — Ay, there is the Cafe ; they
had all Variety oi Dijk?72pers, to which we
may well afcribe their various Tumults of
Mind, and Jadations of Body ; their Ec-
fades, Fi/lons, F.cvelatiG7is -, their SanBity
and Canonization ; efpecially as the Dif"
tempers happened where there was a na-
turally Fanatical Bead,
And feeing liov/ artful the Methodifs
are in making Difeafes to be the Workings
^f God's Spirit, and Signs of Grace and
San^iiy \
( 123 )
SanBify ; we may conclude, that all their
Holineffes, Mr. Wejley, Mr. IVhitefield, and
the Popt\ have embraced the Religion of
their Pagan Predecejjors, who (as we read
in divers Authors) conjccrated mod kinds
of Diftempers of the Body, and AfFetPcions
of the Mind ; eredled Temples and Allars
to Fevers, Palenefs, Madnefs, a?id Death ;
to Laughter, Ln/i, Contumely, Impudence,
and Calu?72ny. Every ftrange Diforder, as
well as Epilepfy, is the Sacred Difeafe -,
and,
— Sua cuique Dens Jit dira Cupido,
Each bold Fancy grows into a God.
But it muft be remembered this Dif-
temper was called alfo Morbus Comitialis ;
becaufe if any one fell into it during the
Affembly, it was 'Si fatal Omen, and they
immediately broke up. Whereas the Af-
femblies of Methodifts confifl of fuch -, the
more Tumblers, the more Sacred is the
Meeting ; and they triumph in the Fall
of their miferable Brethren.
§. 2 2. Notwithftanding this 7hyfical
Account, and although it be a general
Maxim, that where there is a plain natural
Solution, we need not enquire for juper-
natural Means 3 neither Papijl, nor Me^
thodif, will own this to be their Cafe 5
but will be flarting ObjeSiiom and Ex*
R 2 ceptions.
C 124 )
ceptlons. Sometimes, however, they are
fo good as to allow real Diftemper^ or
elfe a mixed Cafe; fometimes 'tis «o mi-
'• turalDiJlcmpcr^ but proceeding either from
2. good ^ or evil Spirit, As io real Diftem-
pcr^ *tis the firft Diredion in the Roman
Ritual^ de Exorcizandis^ " that the Ex-
crciji muft not eafily believe a PoJJeffmi ;
but muft know the Marks whereby a
pojjejjed Perfon is diftinguifhed from thofe
who are troubled with the black Bile^ or
Bouhours ^ny Other Difeafe,'' St. Ignatius was a-
ignttL, ware of this Truth •, when a Maid thought
p. 527. to be pojfejj'ed^ and raging violently with
Contortions all over her Body, being
brought, Ignatius faid, flie w^as not pof-
feffed\ and that thefe extraordinary Mo-
tions proceeded from a natural Caufe ;
and that if the Devil had any Share in it,
it was only in troubling the Imagination
of the fick Perfon. " He then made the
Sign of the Crofs upon her, and her Fury
prefently ceafed." You fee the l^aint loft
nothing by this Conceffion, when he had
the Honour of a miraculous Cure,
Mr. Wejley too will own a Natural
Dijlemper^ when he has a good Reafon
ior it. As for Inftance in the Cafe of
3 journ. one of the French Prophets. '^ She
?• ^"^^ came in, — and foon after leaned back in
her Chair, and feemed to have ftrong
Worlmgs in her Breaft, with deep Sigh-
ings.
( 125 )
ings. Her Head and Hands, and, by
Turns, every Part of her Body feemed
alfo to be in a kind of ccnvidfive Motion,
• — She fpoke much (all in the Per/on of
Gcdy and mofrly in Scripture JVords) of
the fulfilling of the Pr^/'/j^aVj, the coming
of Chrijl now at Handy and the fpreading
of the Gojpel over all the Earth. — Tw^o
or three of cur Company were much af-
feded, and believed fhe fpoke by the
Spirit of God. But this was in no wife
clear to me. The Motion might be ei-
ther Hyflerical or Artificial*^ and the fame
Words any Perfon of a good Underft.ind-
ing, and well verfed in Scripture^ might
have fpoken."
Hath not Mr. Wejley cut up his own
Inftitution by the Roots ? Here is a Per-
fon of a fimilar Difpenfation with Metko-
difm, with the fame bodily Motions and
ContorfionSy and talking more religioufly
than the Methodijh in their Fits ; teach-
ing too Mr. Wefiey's favourite DoBrine y
and yet fhe may be Hyjierical, or a Cheat.
Some of his Followers thought fhe fpoke
from God. And why not, if they thought
xkitVL own Difpenfation was from God^ But
mark Mr. IVeflefs good Reafon for his
Opinion. He was afraid the French Pro-
phets were drawing away his Difciples.
And this Reafon he hath luckily difcover-
ed
( 126 )
3 Journ. ed. For he faith afterwards, *^ I called
^' ^' on one, wlio ^h'd run welly till he was
hindered by fome of thofe called French
Prophets. Woe unto the Prophets, faith the
Lordy who prophefy in my NamCy and I
have not fent them.'' He hits himfelf a
Slap in the Face, rather than bear a Com-
petitor in Saintpip ; and his Quarrels with
the Moravian Leaders, and poor Mr.
Wefley WhitefieU, ihe vv, thulflealing the Hearts of
p.;?."^"' ^^^ People is a capital Offence, and that
a Rival in Enthiifiaftic Ambition is not to
be endured. -«~ This Cafe pats me in Mind
of a Story I have heard of a Madman in
Bedlam, who being in a lucid Interval,
went about the Houfe, and gave fome
Strangers an Account of the Place ; he
very calmly and rationally told the Rea-
fons of each Perfon's Dijlra^lion 3 till at
length coming to one, he faid, " this
Man run mad with Pride, and pretend-
ed to be the Holy Ghojl, But I ^m he -, I
am the Holy Ghofi:" And then run on
raving in a wonderful Manner.
5 Journ. Mr. Wejley confeffeth another Cafe of
P- /3-4- real Dijlemper in Mifs Or, who had been
in one of their Bajids, '' She had lately
been raving mad, in Confequence of a
Fever, and as fuch was tied down to her
Bed. When (he was fuffered to go a-
broad, flie went to Mr. Whitefield -, — but
he quickly perceived fhe was only a Lu-
natic^
( 127 )
natic, the Nature of her Diforder foon
betraying itlelf." As the Nature of the
Diforder had as much betrayed itfelf
in many Methodifts, how happens it
that in this Cafe Fever and Madnefs are
allowed ? Why, it feems Mfs Gr, had
faid, '' that Mr. PFefey and other Me-
thodifts were Papijls.'' And fhould not
fuch an abu/lve Tongue be diftinguiflied
from t7'ue Methodifi Lunacy ? — even though
it hath been neceffary to fend fome of
the latter Sort to Bedlam,
§. 23. Keep but clofe to your Order^
hold faft your Ca?2t^ and Mr. IVefey will
contend Tooth and Nail, nay will prove,
that the bodily Sigjis of horrid Fits and
Convulfions cannot be Natural Difem-
fer in his faithful Sectaries. Take an
Inftance, or two.
'' M\\ Wefey intending to fpeak on 3 Jousn,
Romans iii. 1 9. could not open his Mouth," P- S^*
till the Ligature is diffolved by his Coun-
ter-Charm^ and making a Lottery of the
Scriptures^ and " begging God to direB^
he opens the Book on Hebrews x. 19. Then,
while he was fpeaking earneflly, {ornQjiu/k
down ; others exceedingly trembled a7id
quaked 'y fome were torn with a convulfroe
Motion, in every Part of their Bodies, fo
violently, that often four or iive Perfons
could not hold one of them. I have
(128)
feen many Hyfterical^ and many Epilep^
tical Fits > but none of them were like
thefe in many Refpedls/' That he has
icQn many\ among his own, I make not
the leafl: Doubt. But is htfure he knows
all the Sympto?n5 in fuch Cafes ? Sure am
I, that in every refpeB Phyfcians have
proved this to be the Cafe m common
Hyjierics and Epileptics,
Again; " He enquires into the Cafe of
thofe who cried out aloud ^ during his
Preaching. -—^// of them, (I think, not
one excepted ) were Perfons in perfect
Health, not fubjed: to Fits of any kind,
till they were thus affe6led. This came
upon every one of them in a Moment^
without any previous Notice, Some faid,
they felt as if a Sword was running through
them; others, that they thought a great
Weight lay upon them. Some faid, they
were quite choaked, and could r\oi breathe :
others, that their Hearts fwelled ready to
burjl : and others, as if their Heart, and
all their Infide and whole Body, were tear^
ing to Pieces, Thefe Symptoms I cannot
impute to any Natural Caufe'' - — And yet
thefe feveral Symptoms have appeared be-
fore, from full Authority y to be real Na-
tural Di/lewpcrs : not excepting, the Parti-
cular of ^' droppitig in a Moment, though
they were in perfeB Health before." I
am not obliged to believe it. But let it
pafs
C 129 )
pafs for Truth. 'Tis a common Thing t
and why fo many Ja// all together^ and
juft after one another^ among his Hearers^
will afterwards appear.
§.24. Let us next proceed to the Caiifes
of thefe lamentable Diforders^ horrid Con-
vulfionsy Screamings, &c. where fomething
will again fall in of the Nature of them;
And as far as they are natural Difiem-
perSy no doubt but they are owing to the
fame Caufe in Methodiflsy as in other Peo-
ple. Here we find the Faculty pretty well
agreed ; and imputing the aforefaid Dif-
tempers, — ^^ to ftifling Air in ciofe
Rooms ; bad Diet, Indigeflions, Crudities,
^nd Flatulencies 5 to being expofed to wet.
Cold, or violent Heats y to long Watch-
ings and Faftings; to Suppreffions ^ to
fudden Frights, Wounds and Blows, giv-
ing a ConcufHon to the Brain : — To di-
vers Affecflions, Paflions and Perturba-
tions of the /^f/;^^ ; Love, Jealoufy, Fear,
Shame; Sorrow, Anger, Envy, Malice,
great Difappointments, or great Expedla-
tions ; to Ambition and Pride, fwelling
till they are ready to buril: ; to deep Co-
gitation, efpecially intent upon one Ohjedly
&c. Thefe ooeratino; in various Kinds and
Degrees, according to Men's different Hu-
mours and Conflitutions ; v/orking ftrong-
ly in E7ithufaflic Eeadsy where the yf;;/-
S mal
( 130 )
mai Spirits and Brains are moft dii^
turbed.'^
Such Talk, however, will not go far
with Mr. JFefley and bis Ajjociates. Their
extraordinary Cafes can arife from no Prin-
ciple in Nature J but muft proceed from a
higher Caufe^ fitpernatural^ or preternatu-
ral \ either from a good^ or evil Spirit,
Mr. Wejley accordingly, I hope, afts by
his InJlruBion^ as found in the Roman Ri-
tual de Exorcizaitdis. " In the jfirfl Place,
the Exorciji muft not eafily believe any
one to be pofjejfed by the Devil -^ but muft
well know the Sig72s^ whereby one pojjejjed
is diftinguifhed from thofe who labour
under the black Bile, or any Dijlemper'^
Knov/ the Signs? Yes, furely. And he
producerh fome Cafes, which can't be the
Effe6l oi Natural Dijiejnper-^ as being U7i-
common and unaccountable^ what Phyficians
can't account for from Nature^ but ovv^n a
fuperior Caufe. — One might perhaps beg
Iiis Pardon here, and by no means allow
the Conjcquence. For there are many oc-
cult ^lalitieSy fecret Powers in Nature^
whereof we fee the Operation and Effedfs-,
though we are not able to affign the
Manner and Reafon. And the Popijh Wri-
o.mplem. ters upon Exorcifms allow, " that *tis very
Art. hxor. ^;fl^cult to determine, whether a Perfon
'^* ^* be poJje£edy or not ; many of the fa7ne
Signs concurring in Melancholy and Hyjie-
rical
( 131 )
rical Diftempers." But let us fee hh
Cafes. '' Although they favv Sig?2S ^/^i Weiley.
Wonders, they would not believe. Some p^ -q^*^""
faid, ' Thefe were pure Natural EffeBs -^
the People fainted avv^ay, only becaufe of
the Heat and Ckfenefs of the Roojns.' To
Day, our Lord anfwered for himfelf. For
while I was preaching,— -he began to tnake
bare his Anii^ not in a cloje Room^ neither in
private^ but in the open Air, before Thou--
fands. One and another was ftruck to
the Earth, &c.'* He triumphs much a-
gainfh the Argument from a cloJe, Jlifiing
Place, But are there not numerous Natu-
ral Caufes befides that ? — '^ While I was Ibid.
preaching in Newgate^ a Woman broke P- ^^-
out into ftrong Cries, and all her Bones
fjook, A Thyfician, who had known her
many Years, obferving every Symptom, was
clearly convinced it was not Fraud, nor
any Natural Diforder : but acknowledg-
ed the Finger of God:' What Sir ! You
Have often declared your Contempt of Phy^_
^cians, and thofe eminent m tlieir Pro-
feffion, as ignorant of the Caufes, Nature^
and Cure of your Methodijiical Maladies-^
and do you appeal to a Newgate- Phyfici ah, ^
to bear Teftimony ih your Favour? Why
did you not name the 'Man? I Hvell re-^
member, that in that famous Imfcfiure of
Martha Br ojjter (of vvhich there is a par- Hiftor^C
ticular Account by Thuanus) fiie was grie--^^^'^^^
- ■ S 2 voufly
( 132 )
voully dijlorted and coirouljed^ and had all
the Symptoms of a PoJjeJJion^ for which fhe
was brought to Paris to be exorcifed. The
mojl celebrated Phyficians being confulted,
declared, it was much of Impojlure^ and
feme thing of Dijie?nper -, but nothing pre-
fer natural. But afterwards other Phyji-
cians were introduced by Father Seraphin
the Exorcijl, in the Abfence of the for-
mer j and thefe attefted that it was no
Dijleniper^ but Diabolical PoJjeJjiQn ; or
fomething preternatural. The Girl re-
peats her Agitations^ and Seraphin his £x-
crcifms ', till at length the Fraud was de-
tedled, as intended to raife a Sedition in
the State, to the everlafting Confufion of
fuch dejigning Lnfojlors,
5 journ. Mr. I'Fefey brings the Cafe of Mr.
^* '* Meyrick, " His Pidfe was gone. He
had been fpeechlefs and fenfelefs for fome
time. A few of us joined in Prayer. Be-
fore v/e had done, his Senfe and Speech
returned. Now he that will account for
this by Natural CaufeSy has my free Leave.
But I chufe to fay, this is the Power of
Gcd, &c/' A Miracle-monger will, no
Doubt, chufe to iky this. But 'tis no very
uncommon, or extraordinary . Thing for a
Perfon from Natural Caufes to loofe all
thefe Senfes, and recover them. Sennertus
Df^ Vitiis pa^'ticularly mentions , EpilepfieSy Syncopes,
Vocio. Siippreffons^ as the Natural Caufes,
Phyjicians^
( 133 )
Phyficians can account alfo for that
mad Night-Scene, when " fo many M?- ^'^fley
tbodijis between two and three in the^ -^"^j"'"*
Morning made fuch a confufed Noife, as
if a Number of Men were all putting to
the Sword.'* For the Blood and Bile (as
S,ennertm again fays ) grow hot by too De VigU.
much Watchijig'^ and thence Fevers and
Deliriotifhefsy and Convtiljions ; efpecially in
bilicia and melaiicholy Conjlitiitions , where
the Brains are moft liable to be difturbed/'
—-They can account too for the wild En-
thiifiafms of " Sam. Hitchens, w^ho wan-
dered about the Fields by Nighty and often
threw himfelf on the Earth-,** — and of
" the Boy, who ran away from his Pa- Weflcy
rentSy lurking about for feveral Days and ^ ■^°^'^°'
Nights together, fuffering Cold and Hunger^
once three whole Days vjilhouX Siift en ance.**
For a long Continuance in any one of
thefe Hardlhips, much more all in Con-
jundlion, will be fufficient for producing
the difmal EffeSi.
§.25. But as our Methodifl Teachers zxt
difpofed to exclude Nature, and call in a.
fiiperior Caiife ", let them take their own.
Way. I am not much inclined either ta
confute, or conteji, what they fay.
r — Neqiie te teneo, 7ieque diBa refello.
X fequere Italiam,
But
/ ^34 )
But they will give me Leave to obferve,
to what different^ and even directly oppo-
fite and contrary Caiifes they afcribe their
outward Signs, grievous bodily Convul-
fions and Diftortions -, Scrcamings, Roar-
ings, Tumbhngs, &c, as well as various
DiJira6lio7ts of Mind, Thefe Caiifes are ncr'
lefs contrary, than God and the Devil y
the fupremely good Spirit, and the fu-
premely evil One ^ and this in the very
fame F articular s. Wherein it behoveth'
me to be pretty cautious and exaB ; other- "
wife I fhall be heavily accifed.
And, Firft, I fhall introduce them as
VCiiA^wi^ God the Caufev ' 'And thus Mr.
3 Jcurn. Wefky \ '' We called upon God to con-
p. 40- - fi^m his Word, Immediately one cried out _
aloud with the utmoft Vehemence, even as
in the Agonies of Death, — Soon after two
other Perfons were feized Withjlrong Pain,
Ibia. and- conftrained to roar.'' So again, " I
P- 42. prayed that God would bear Witnefs to
his Word. Immediately one, and ano-
ther, and znoihtv funk to the Earth : they
dropped on every Side, as 'Tlmnderjiruck,
One of them cried aloud,— Ont fo wound-'
ed by the Sword of the -Spirit, that you
tvould have imagined flie could -not live
m -o; a Mome7it.'! - — '^ God- made bare his Holf
Arm, One, and another, and another
was flruck to the Earth, exceedingly trem-
p. 62. bling at the Prejence of God,'' -^ " Seven
■ - -^~ or
( 135 )
or eight Perfons were conftrained to rear
cloudy while the Sword of the Spirit was
dividi?ig aju7ider their Soiih and Spirits^
a?jd Joints, and Marrow.'' — A deeper 5 Joum,
Work in many Souls; — many trembled"^' ^T* ^^^
exceedingly, fix, or ioNzn (both Men and
Women) dropped down as dead. Some
cried out ^ — others would, but their Voice
was lojl. — In the Evening God was pleafed
to wound many more/' But particularly
obfervable is what follows ; *' I preached IbiU'
at Weavers-HalL It was a Glorious Time. P' ^^*
Several dropped to the Ground, as if Jiruck
by Lightning, Some cried out in Bitter-^
nefs of Soul, In this acceptable Time, &c/'
And what fays Brother Whitefield on
the fame Side ? He was firft let into this
Secret by Mr. Wefley ; when '^ upon his ^^^5^^
(Mr. Whitefield'^) Preaching, four Perfons 3 journ,
funk down clofe to him; — without Senfe^'^'y^*
or Motion, — in firong Convulfio?2S, with
ftrong Cries and Tears. From this Time,
I truft, we fliall fuffer God to carry his
own Work, in the Way ^2X pkafeih him,'"
After this Mr. Whitefield, finding in him-
felf fuch Power, goes on triumphantl}%
*' A young Wom^in flruck down by the whltef.
Power of God's V/ord,- — has continued ever ^ J°'^'^'^-
fince, as St. Paul did. Sick in Body, and^ ^"' "^
under great Agonies of Soul. — God gene-
rally manifefis himfelf to fome Souls in
this extraordinary Manner, " At my
Preach-
( I30
?-42. Preaching, Thoufands cried oufy fome
faintedy others cried out, as if they were
in the Jharpeji Agcnies of Death. Never
did I fee a more Glorious Sight,'' — '^ Some
ftruck pale as Deaths others lying on the
Ground, others Jinking by the fVord of
7 Journ. God.'' — Mr. B // dropped do^uDTiy as
p. 12, 32- though 72)02" with a Gim-, — by the Power
of God's Word/' " The Lord mani-
fefted his Glory. One was ftruck dow7t by
P. 57. the Power of the Wordr — " The Spirit
cf the Lord came down hke a rufhing,
mighty Wind -, immediately there was
fdrieking in every Corner of the Con-
gregation ; Men's Hearts failing them for
^Fear^ many falling:' — One ftruck downy
his Body exceeding weak^ could fcarce
nime all the Night after. God was work--
ing powerfully in his Soul. — Twelve Per-
p. 75. fons dropped down here and there." — *' The
Holy Ghoft enabled me to fpeak fo, that
one Woman was thrown into ftro77g Convul^
fions y others were In great Agonies:*
Thus far then God is afferted to be the
Caufe of thefe feemingly horrible Fits-, the
moft 'vehement Outcries^ Rcaj'-ings, and
ftrong Fains ; Sinkings, Droppings to the
G?^ound, — as ftruck with Lightnirig and
Thunder ; — exceeding "TremblingSy tailings
down as dead. Voice loft., ftrong ConvuU
ftonsy without Scnfe or Motion^ Faintings^
ftnking
( 137 )
finking as if fiot with a Gun 3 Shriekings^
TerrorSy and Fallings,
§. 26. But as thefe inconfijlent Ramblers
can't be long in one Mind-, we are next
to obferve them wheeling about ^ unravel-
ling their Web^ and alcribing ih^fame Par-
ticulars to God's grand Adverfary^ the De-
vil. Well then ! (To borrow Mr. Wejlef^
Motto).
— Agedunty pauca accipe contra*
Mr. Whitefield having told us of " five6 Joum:
Perfons in Agonies fo ftrong, as if affecftedP* 3^*
with Fits^' adds, *' Some fuch Agonies^ I
believe, 2iXtfroni the Devil. And he will
no doubt endeavour by thefe to bring an
evil Report on the Work of God.''
Mr. Wejley once acquainted his Follow- 3 journ:
ers, that " thefe involuntary EffeBs wrought P- ^^»
upon their Bodies might be from God^^ and
might not. While I was fpeaking, one
before me dropped down as dead; and
prefently a fecond, and a third." But in
other Places he fays, '^ A young Man funk ibid,
down as dead ; but foon began to roar out^ P- 3®-:
and beat himfelf againft the Ground^ fo
that fix Men could fcarce hold him. I
never faw one fo toxn oi the evil One.'' —
Mr. Weflcy^ affedionate Brother writes
thus to him ; '^ What Influence fudden ibid.
" T and P- ^3*
( 138 )
and Iharp Awakenings mocy have upon the
Bodyy I don't :pretend. to ^explain ;' [ the'
Inftance yoir gave, of i fome ^ftrtlggliftg^ ai
in xh^ Agonies : of :JDmtb] biie li^tiiake^no ■
Queftion, Satan, as far as heigdCsnPg^ei-^
may exert himieifon fuch OcCafions -i pailA
ly to hinder the good Work in fuch asr^^fe^
touched with the ArroM^s of Gonvi6tioA ^^
and partly to difparage the Work of CM;
as if it tended to lead People CO* Dlflric-'^i
i-^T"' tion.'' — " The Enemy began totea^^ \^
^^' ^^* fo that fl}c fcreamed asv^k:} the P'aYigs
Pag. 92. of Z)^^//j." — Another 5" '^'th-ethoufan*
Difiortions-.oi her whole Body fh^wbd,
how the I)ogs of HelLnjs^^e^gjia^ng'^^^
Hearty — But now we ar^Ato hars)"dMf^
Wejl^y^ final JudgmeJity and fittkd Defif^:
rtmiatiouy after a careful andvpaf^iiditar
'Examination ; as related in h\^^-tafh''ym^r
5 Jo"^«- 72aL " I concluded my fecond tJouife' of
^'^'~'* Vifttingy in which; I enquired particularly
into the Cafe of thofe,- who had alMfoft
every Night the lafl Wttk cried out' ahndy
during the Preaching. *— Lfound that all
of them (1. thinks :iK).t one' excepted) w^ere
Perfons.in^ per,fe6^ Health,'^ and had not
been&bjed: to FiU of^afiy^kfedi'^ill thus
affechd. 'r^Thdit this hhd'coifte -upon every
one ./o£ them in a Ivmieni\ without any
pr^oions Notice, — That in that Moment
thy. dropped doTim, thtyloA all • their
Strength^ and : w^ere^ ■■ feized with ^nolent
Pain,
( J39 )
Pahu .This they expreffed in different
Manners. : Some faid, they felt, juft as
\ii^2Lx>&'0pr^ii^d^Lit\xnmn^ through them:
others, that they thought a great Weight
lay upon them^, as if it v/ould fqueeze them
into the Rirth. Some laid, they were
quite choaked^^pib'"that* they could not
breathe,^:, oX\itn^ that their Hearts Jwelled
ready t^ burji-^ and others, that it was as
if their Hearty zW their Lifide^ all their
whole Bodyy vj-jl^ tearing in Pieces,
Theji Symptoms I can no more impute
tQ my Natural Caufe, than to the Spirit
ofG&d. I mak^ no doubt ^ but it was
Satan tearing theniy/'Si^ they were coming
to Chriji, And i»^;2<:^ proceeded tholb
grievous Cries, whereby he might defign
bqtb to difcredit the Work of God, and to
affright People from hearing that IVord.
',1 found, that their M/Wj had been as
variouily aifexSed as their Bodies, Of this
£omQ could fcarce give any Account at all ;
which alfo I impute to that wife Spirit^
purpofely Jiunning and confounding as many
as he could, that thjey might not be able
to bewray his Devices, Others gave a very
clear and particular Account, from th«
Beginning to the End. The Word of God
pierced their Souls, and convinced them
ofsjoward, as well as outward Sin. They
faw and felt the Wrath of God abiding on
them, and were afraid of his Judgments*
T 2 ^' And
( HO )
And here the Accufer came with great
Power, telling them, " there was no
Hope, they were, l9ft.fo*,e:V.tP,.v Their
Paim of Body then feized them in a Mo-
ment,^ and B^^^,,^<i^vJou4^ md\Mmr
\Afl6Sm --, T ' T^ ^ ^ I
Thefeare the Words of Meffieurs V/bki^
Jield ^nd mpy . wherein tht Reader will
fee how the Tables are turned. Here he
finds, "«o doubt hut thc(c Agonies, drop.^
pngdown as dead, loud, grievous and htt^
ier Cries and Roarings, Diftortiom, miokitt.
Fatns Screenings as in the Pangs rf
Death; mth various Diflraaicmof 'the'
iM/»^,— proceeded from Satan; he caufed
them. And yet juft before, the very>^
Tarticulars and Symptoms were expre§Hc
imputed to God; he caufed thein. The.
Sword of the Spirit dividing thenr.q/knd&i:
IS, m a Moment, converted. Xo -^-BatAn'^
Sword runmng through them^^ Tht WorJi-i
ings oj God in the Soul in- this ■ ixtraot^du^
nary Manner, and doing- his own Work in
his own Way, is inftantly chanj^ed irttd
Satan's Endeavours to bring an evil Retort m
God's Work to dijparag^, difcr edit, and
hinder, God's Work, and fright People front
^^'i Atfuch aLofsare they, fo uiicertaitt
^'hofi Work t,ey are doing.,,, ^^^^..,^^
;. S- 27. We may here make a few Re^
fW/7^:^., And firft, one may, I prefume,
bn^) take
( HI )
take the Liberty of asking a ^ejlion, or
two. " Pray^ Sir, what Devices, what
grmid SccretP of Satan, did t^hpfc Perfons
bewray^ v/lio "wei'e not Jlunried and con-
foii?idedf ^Oi>vv: .if^(5rktid^^S6crets ^^^^^ |^^^
wrayed, what a Jbi?/ was this Wije Spirit,
and wh2X^^&^'\itgain,\t\ftit7t72w^^ fome-y
When ^^rih^ others had fall Power pf
difcoveriiig ^ Plots?-— mt m' tins Con-
trcverfy mth' th^nlfehcs, "' we'':fnay ' obferve,
that Mr. WhitiMd i^tm^'xh^ jfiotifer a^jn--
picnfor Satiilfs'tiperMdnfkniMx, IFeflm
for God's Operation. For' W" not uhial
for thefe two Cbrnpetitorf in ^^S'an^ity tQ
agYte.- } \^Mid nbt here' have the latter.
recur ^W his' 6ld Method of ^^/?^^//;?^^ an^
tKirtk-^Gf reconciling his \2&^ Deter mi na-
tion in Favour of the Devil, by faying \^
aai.% G^d's Firniifion, or that thefe E/i'
feBs are iioycti God, who is the Original
Caife^of all 7y&/;7g-i. (This aUknow, .^s
well a5 hirtifelf ) For he hath expreflly
excluded both Ndtim ^Md' ^Gocl^ ' Perhaps
before his next Jdiirhal comes W, .6e ^j^
alter his Mini— T^i ere are)'*6Mv^r,''|-<^
i?(f^;/5 why much fliould be faid on each
Side. -'1r*l6^^tefl^^ that; God
fhoirld be the CMfe -^oi thefe Tumf)lij)g,s, '^^^'^^y
Convulfions, &c. that thofe who are 7£)(:^^^^ -^?,''"-
might not be ofended:\ For indeed he 64.^ ' ^^'
owns,' ^^' many were ^ greatly f of ended r
And the Notion of aS^/^z/'s' doing it might
'' tend
( H2 )
^Wefley c. ^end to lead People to Diftra5fion:\
Vz^^e^'. Accordingly Mr. Whitefi^ld allures us,
that '' a Woman being in fuch a Gafe as
to be thought z;;^^, -s^nd, full of new Wine ^
in that Hour x\i^^ord^^^eJ}^s^\^^^^
of her &/^/." ,:; .,, :. ,..:.,; ,:,.u,v -^ v.'..
.And 'tis equally neceffary fometimeSy that
ihe* Devil (hould be the Caiife \ to fhew
what an 'Enemy he is to Metbodifm, in
Wefley ^-j^^g cc difpar aging God's JVork^ and de-
p. 9it" figning to affright People from- it j*V and
efpecially it mull be the Devits doing.,
that Mr. Wefey may have the Honour, of
ejeBtng him, and gain Reverence for his
miraculous Cures. And herein, I appre-
hend, he has greatly the Advantage of lyir.
Whitefieldy after *' mufing in his old Ropn>
at Oxford^ and refledliag how many that
came ajtfr him were preferred bsf or &:.^hi^^*.
he nowvis become fiiperior to a I^j^Jpcipal
Antagonifl. For poor Mr. Whitefieid fays,
(after owning that the Devil was the Cavfe,
6 journ. of the F/V^'j " I had DO t prayed long, in
^'^^* i\\^ W%nen's Societv. but two of them
fell down again into violent Fits j fo that
I was obliged to leave them.'* Fie for Shame,
Mr. Whitefieid I Ton not fland put againft
the Devil? Indeed he has, in this Cafe,
outwitted you. You were not. aware of
De Exorc. v/hat the Roman Ritual fays, " How many
Arts and Fallacies the Devil ufeth to de-
ceive the Exorcifl\ and that the Exorcijl
mufi
Wefley
ourn.
86.
( 143 )
witji' not leave off, till he has feen all the
S%ris pf 'Liberatio7iy ' Tou probably have
ifi^e^'i6dked['ihto' i^uc\i Pcpi/Jj CeremoniaU,
B^^L:^^^?/^ fe^^e ;^ ^ riieari ' an
0mn'i6n%f^9^»;'^# '31 the t/frj-j^-
/?7t7?7, '* who being fcnt for by -a, Tf^oman W
/^.^^f^'^'^'ffie'^^nb ''r66ner-b rear and "^ \
ki77^'' ok} h^:1o?i^K "but^M; cried^ut/*
<c It/;i3" tl^e t)ev * doubtfefs f ;-It* is t'he
DcViV ! • And xmrx\t&^idf~ 'weni ' away,'-^
Wt Mxymjiiy d^e'to h^iC and left her
pii&^Wl all her Symptoms ceafcd,'' He waf
bettfer'ilcquainted with his Ruky and better
obferved it, and had much more Vyork of
this Nature iijion his Hands. '^ iuci\v>
^^^t^his leads us to our FarallcL For
Ho^tPhyJiciafts^ Philofophers^ and Divines^
have been of Opinion, that fuch uncom^
mortahdyxtraordiiiary Cafes proceeded from
2t Diabolical Operation, But my Buiinefs
berng only with Paprjisy I need not en-
quire farther. ^ ^;^-^' - .^ /^^
" The ' Roman Ritual ^ after ^^'^ ' tfte. Cau- De Exorc
tionagainft miftaking iht'' hlacH Bile^ or
other Dijiempers^ for a Po^e^Iony' foon
leaves the Way open again, by acquaint-
i«^' lis, thdt^^^ond^%f the i:)f'z;/7*ii^rts is
to 'induce a Perfuafion, that the l*atient
oHly lies under a Natural Diforder , wh^n
hehimfelf^is at the Bottom.['\ And 'we
haVe there' *' Three Signs of X Diabolical
Pifjefioh, fpeaUijig 'in an unknown Tongue ^
difcover-
( 144 )
difcovering Things fecret and dijlanty and
having Strength above the natural Age
and Condition of the Party ; and others of
that Nature, which if many of them con-
cur, are greater Signs'*
Their approved Writers on this Subject
have, by way of Supplement y recounted
thefe numerous and great Signs 5 intirely
agreeing with Mr. Wcjley,
DeExorc. j^ the Malkus Malefic arum y Tom. III.
p. n^'^^d Tom. IV. called Complementiim Artis
Exorcifiia^ we have the following Ac-
count. " There are not wanting Men,
who deny all Diabolical PoJJeJJions and
Witchcrafts^ afferting them to be only
Natural Difiempers, But that thefe are
undoubted Signs of a PoJJeffion, or Witch-
crafty or both i?i CojijunBion ; namely,
* LoUing out the Tongue ; Clamours,
Roarings, Gnafliings, Foamings ; a Weight
in the Stomach, or choaking in the
Throat ; Swoonings, efpecially of many
at one and the fame Time -, Bowels torn
by Dogs 3 fudden Terrors, and inftantly
removed 3 the Feeling of a hot, or cold
Vapour ; throwing themfelves on the
Ground, and tearing themfelves ; a pierc-
ing like a Sword ; revealing occult and
remote Things ; fpeaking Myfteries, and
explaining Scripture ; prophcfying and
finging mufically ; an Averfion to the
Minifter, Prayers, Relicks, Holy Water,
and
( H5 )
and all Sp'rritual Books and Things. —-
But the ftrongejl Sign is, when Phyficians
cannot help, and Medicines are of no Ser-
vice. *' Thus we find both Popery and
Mr. Wefley agreeing in tlieir VerdiB^ that
Satan is guilty ; and neither Nature^ nor
the God of Nature have any Concern in
the Cafe.
We fliould obferve too, thefe Words of
Mr, JVeJley : " I carefully examined thofe,^ J^^rn.
who h-^i\ cried out \^lQ\y in the Cofigrega-"^'^^'^^'
tion. — I enquired particularly into the
Cafe. — And I found their Minds had been
as varioufly affedled as their Bodies, "
Wonderful Thing, that Mind and Body
fliould, in a Diforder, have a 7nutual Influ-
ence on each other! The Enquirer^ however, j-^^jlxorc:
did well in confirming to the Ro?nanRituahy
'' In order to know this, [whether the
Diforder be Natural ^ or Diabolical^ after
an Exorcifm^ or two, let the Exorci/linttx-
rogate the Patient, what he was fenfible of,
or felt, m Mind or in Body,'' And what
Anfwers did he draw out ? '^ Some could Wefley
give no Account at all, how, or vv^here- '^^^^•
fore y only, that of a fudden they drop-
ped down they knew not how. Others
could juj} remember they were in Fear ;
but could not tell what they virere in Fear
of. Several faid, they were afraid of the
Devil '^ and this was all they knew. But
a few give a more Intelligible Account, of
U a piercing
( h6 )
a piercing jS^w^ of, their Sins, and oC the
Wrath _ of Gody,2.i\d the Pu^i^i{]>«ient,vointo
which tbey\ we,i^e jufl;.lf^ni|^4 ^Qo^rt^d*
me, * I was juft as if I was fallings ftom
the bigkf Pkce Ih^d cm^\:^qt\^y}Joibo\i0\t
the JJe'vil was pu filing;, i^^e^v^^j a^nrf^Nthat
God h^d- forfaken me/ ; A!wther faid, ^^rit*
felt the very Fire of Hell,'' Upon his fc
cond Examination, '* Some faid they fek
as it were the piercing of a ISword -^ others
thoughir,$ii great }f^e%bfu}^J^rupon thenn^,\
©'a -'a--^' Some could fcarce give any A€ri
count at all '^ which alfo I impute to that
IVtje Spirit y p\ix poicly fiumiing and con-
founding as many as he could, that they
inight 9^t bewray his-;: Devices. Others
i gave a N.m}{^km^^^^j^rii(^di2r i^foi^^^^
a:i before. ri3^--.,,7^vc bnc :?vb:)3h o1 Wr'bQ
o\ I#^,i;]^i^i?,vhole Kccom-xi^^ Borders :^i
G^*fi Power, .and Sat^n^_ are.fo near, and
thS %ranfitions from one to the other fo
qmd?^\:.^'^ liich an acute ^Metaphyfician
alp^'-^^ Mr. Ji efley couM h'AS^ decided .{^
e;x^^ly;.,> jii^t s tp the J^r7r//a//^;: of fome be-*
\\\'^'.'^\^,^^:%mf^^-iittle or others
zy:^^\fiM4r:-and.pm'ticular one , — were any
thigg ^^fiiNatur^ov Dijktnper to be ad^
mitftedj tjiere would be np.nced of quoting
Authorities for ?i peifecl.. ox jrnperfeB Re^
memhrance^ or fione at all, of what was
felt m\ the Fit : The DiVerfity • being fo
well known in Proportion to the Kind and
Degree
( 147 )
'Degree of the Fit 3 as in Fe?^tigos, Co?2-
vuljions^ Efilepftes, 8cc, as likev/ife an u4-
niazement^ like what Mr. //^^y/t^ calls
Bat %J wnt'^^/^^'td-^ifi tSitdert with
hks beft^' FHends of' the Papacy^ v/ho af-
cribe Jall-^ (for 'fulifiantiai Re^ifons) to SataUy
and ha't^elnfferted aP^<^^frin thtOfficeof Ex-
orcixatim^ ^* for one affaulted by the Frauds Ritanl
of an unclean Spirit^ whom the old Adver- ^o"^^"-
fary hovers about tv itb the^ Horror of
Dfeady and ftriketh the human Myid
witih a Stupor^ confounds it with Tenmr^
afjdeic^gitateth with trernbling Fear.'* ^H; >■
ysrl} )£fi) ,b!ri03 ^ri 8b ^^^^^ ^^ "W
ei^i@8. lnf}in{Mty\\n Rom. Rlf.) ^f-
fiii^^.^'tE^t *^ the Jirts and Frauds of the Tit Exorc.
Devil to deceive and over-reach the Ex-
dfn-//?*^^a innumerable >'* and hath been fo
g<!rtki as tb acquaint us with fot7ie of them.
lind-^'Mr. IVeJley (to apply his own Ex-
preffici'^Sjis fuch'"an apt Scholar^ and has fo
perfectly learned the Exercife of his Arms*,'*
that he i^ for the moft part too cunning
for the (?W Sophijler. " Sometimes aS^/^« Ex )!cifm.
will bide himfelf, and ceafe tormenting the
Putierk, to induce a Perfuafion that he is
gdne.^'^ Mr. Wejley was w^ell guarded a-
gaiiifl this Trick. — *' Sometimes he throw-
eth his Prey oil the Gi-oundy and caufeth
Conmift02S<i ^ tof ^ the Exorcifi may ccafe
fmn hi^Cdhjumim:' Here Mr, White-
.^- U 2 J eld
( hS )
field was caught, but Mi^ /F^% ftood it
out. — ^' Sometimes he will let the Patient
heqiiief^ and fay, that fo/^^/j /wP^^";;, and
give no Sig7i of any Tensor,'" >Th>s was
the Cafe of the poficjjed Womhi, '^wkd,'
Wefley when Mr. JVefley came to her,' faid, "^I'
pja?" ^^^^ ^^^y ^^^' now: — Nothing 'ails me."
But Mr. JVefiey went on with his Work ;
and her FG[]c[]ion appeared plainly after-
wards. — " Sometimes, when the poor
Devils are tormented with Exorcif??is, the
Devils will promife and /wear ^ th^t they
will go out to-morrow at fuch an Hour^ in
order to gain Time. This was the Cafe,
v/efley in '' that furprizing Inftance of the Power
4 Jo^f"- of the Devil^ — when beine afraid of Mr.
p. 66, 67. jii n A ,
"^ liejley^ who was to come to-morrow y he
made the Woman fay, * before Six in the
'Morning I fljall be uW/.'tii-^^w Sometimes
they lull the ^Patient /:7/'?e'6'^j and lhew4-iim
Vifions'' But Mr. /-/^^y^t'^ -foe ms not well
aware of this Deceit. Vifions are of better
jSi^.'i;/^, than to ov/n t him f^ojfi the D^it
,t*Tr,*^ Sometimes Satan permits the vexed
{per Jon to fay Prayers^ receive the Sacra-
:nienfy fign :himfeif with the Crofs, with
other Ads of Humility and Devotion, Yea,
vwhat is more, he himfelf will fay fome
'4my Taings. In v^\\\<z\\ . Sheef s Cloathing
ht- is not deteded. But he can't long
perfevere:' Mr. //^y/t;)^. bas-feveral In-
ftances of alternate Strains of Rage and
Blaf.
( H9 )
Blafphemy^ and of Devotmj a7id Submiffion^
in Cai^s of a Poffejjiofj, particularly when
the X)^// fays, (fpeaking through \ht Or-
gans offhe Damoniac ) '' Come, go to ^ journ.
Prayers^ LmU pray with yeu.'" We took P- 93-
the Advice, from :who?njQever it came.
Thm fome :D&V)ij^,--wh0i:)jliakJ>/grievoufly
mauled St. Xavier, at length became caliri Myfier.
and mild, were heard to fay. their Matins, M^'^-
and got through the Choir-Service^ by way^' '^^*
oi Joke.'' — "Sometimes the Devil hvfitM
born, or anfwering fallacionjly ; and thfiti
he muft be peremptorily commanded, in the
Name of Jejus, to fpeak the Truth, and
be put to his Q^/^." This Care was
taken by Mr. Wejley • '' I command thee^,
in. the Name of the Lord Jefas, to tell if
thou haft Commiffion to torment any other
Soul r It was immediately anfwered^vc'c/I
Jhave.vy?ir;V Sometimes the Devil will tell
?ri:///6y . or feem to yield in fome Points
to the Goodnejs of the Exorcijl, in order to
puff him up with Vain-glory J* How often
this hath been the Cafe with Mr. WcJley^
let his Comiiicl tcftify. — " Sometimes the
Devil, (who never wants new Trich) to
hinder People from fubmitting to Exor^
cijms, and that he may not be dijcovered,
^\\\ pretend Dijlempers, and counterfeit all
the Symptoms of a Difeaje in the Sufferer ;
fo as to deceive even ih^ Phy/iciajis, and
he makes the Phyficiam themfelves incre-
dulous :
( I5P' )
dtdms ', a Sort of'Mt?!^^ Wbc?/-4t'tliey can
but think of fome natural Cauft\"^\)\ al-
ways reject any i\\m^ fupe ma turn! 5 -alkdg-
ing fome frmilom ReafimQ^ fTbt^fe Men
ought to read fuch Bookbsi ^Q'Mdlkru
Maleficarum, &c. And '^^^hrdft motl:
take care to have a Phyficiati, in flich Dif-
tempers, Vv^ho is of the fame Qphiibn^^ith
himfeJf:" Mr. ?/'^^^^ accordingly has dver
and over cautioned the World againft being
ruled by Dr Monroe^ and others of the
Famlty y\ht-^\r\^ their Ignorance and 7/;^-
hiMy\ BtJt y^t he has been wife enough
to'lntroduce his Neu-gate Fhyfician, who
wii'^ bi the fame Opinion n.vitb hinfelf to
teftify in his Favour:^^ M:B. Y>tV^onr6e,
and all other Pbyfcfans, are hereby \ad-
monifhed, that, inftead of tUppocrdM^
Gakn, Sec. they immediately beifeak'^ the'
Mall'euY Mtile/iharum,' m'-twcy[ ' Valbriiest^^
Ql-^arto"; as likewif^ Mr. ^y7^jy'*^'"3^//r^«/x.
The fame Admo72ition is to extend to the
Cetiegi!' of Phyftcvans'^' who- 'gi.fe ordered to
exnmme fhm- IJl^nttafgp'^btiV^x^f the fiid
ifk^njpm-ab'k WrMn^gs",^^-^^^^ (though
one' might <!arry the Gmpnrifons' much
farlther) ^^ Sometimes ^^flkmls^ sis ano-
ther /;/2/>^^/>;^?a^, when \k^^Ekm^ciJi kno^s
the? Cafe to tea PoJj?ffioij\ will induce a
Belief into x\{(^ Fm^enfs,'^ RtMions €(nd
Friends of the Patient, ttiA "tis^ 'biily if«?-'
m(mrS^tii& natural Dijlemper^y and n^di^^
bolical
( 151 )
boUeal -PfiJfeJJm ;> that fo no Regard may bqi, -
had io tho, Exordfiy nor his Difcipline be>-f
lubmitted to/..' .^ This Artifice Mr. Wejlefr
hath foU;ndin fome of his Follower s» "One 3 Journ.
(for Fear :<)f fijchva Fit) run out of theP'S-s^*
Society m aU^H^^^, that JJjc might 7jot eX'-^
fofi herfelfy'-: hjiyoUng Woman {mx^ down, P. 64.
^.t-Rofe^f^n in 'a violent .^^<?;2j both of
Body and Mind, and five or fix Perfons ,
more ; at whofe Cries 7nany were greatly
offended. — The firfl that was deeply -touch-
ed was L — TV — , whofe Mother had beei>\
not'diittle difpleafed a Day or two before^i
wHea, fhe was told, how her Daughtem
h^ expofed herfelfhtfovcall the Congrega-*/
tiQPvvv:'. The Mother was the next whq>)j
dropped down, and loji her Senfes in a Mo-^b
;w^z//' The poor Mother paid for heiti
Folly;! With i a Vengeance. But due Car^
muft be taken to prevent fuch e^-o'il Sur^
mi/ings^v^d (%'Qi^QQ^nt/^rmno Satan's J^^
vices, ."i hrv^i-r-^. '^. :''^ v.'^^^' --''\^^'^ ..-.,.\ - a^
I would advertife the Reader^ that thg)
Paffages, (imputing thefe grievous Difor--,
ders to the Devily and cautioning againft
h\^ Frauds) which are not to be found
in tho; Rofnan Ritual, de Exorciza?idis, arel
every one of them in Malleus Malefic a\^
?w;2, :Tom. 3. Page 225. — and efpeciallyit
Tom. 3. Page 8. — But I can't be pofi-^'
tive, whether Mr. Wefiey copied out thefe
Paffages in order to jiiake Paralleby or
wliether
( ^52 )
whether he and the Fapijh ad by mere
Sy?npathy,
§. 29. But Methodlfm itfelf may juftly
be reckoned a principal Cauje of thefe hor-
rid SiifferijigSy or rather, the efficacious
Poiver of their Teachers, They have re-
lated " their Shriekings, Roarings, Groan-
ings, Gnafliings, YeUings -, Curlings and
Blafphemies, and Defpairings ; TumbHngs,
Convulfions and Contorfions, as in the
Agonies of Death, as out of the Belly of
Hell ; Soul and Body well nigh torn afun-
der 3 — Things terrible to behold, too hor-
rid to be borne, and what Words cannot
defcribe, G?r/' Thefe are their very
Words. Let not the Preachers be flartled.
They 2.xt the Caiife ; (the beft they can fay
is, the injlrumeiital Caufe) they confefs it,
and make it Matter of high Boafing^ Ex-
ultation and Triumph, —
6 Journ. Mr. Whitefield iiiys, " I had not prayed
P' ^^' long, — but two of the Women fell down
P. 42, 44. into violent Fits, — At my Preaching Thou-
fands cried out^ iomt fainted^ others cried
out as in the Agonies of Death, Never
did I fee a more glorious Sight ! — Some
/Iruck down pale as Death, Qthtis>fnking,
7 jonrn. — Mr. Wbiteficld preachi?ig^ one dropped
P-*2^7rdown as Ihot with a G?/«. — The Holy
Ghoft enabled me to fpeak fo^ that one
Woman
(153)
Woman was thrown into Jlrong CquviiU
Jionsr
Nor will Mr. Wejley lag behind, but be
'Impotent a Preacher as Mr. Whttefield. '' I Weiley
expou?ided : A Woman cried out in the^ J.^^"'
Jharpejl Ag072ies of Spirit. — I expounded,
— immediately one cried out with the
iitmofl Vehmence^ as in the Agonies of
Death : Two other Perfons feized with
Pain, and conftrained to roar j another
as out of the Belly of HelL — While / was p. 42.
preachiiig^ one, and another, and another
funk to the Earth, They dropped on every
Side as Tbiinderjiruck, — While I was en- p. pq,
forcing thefe Words, feveral fri^k to the
Earth ; — a little Boy the fame 3 a young
Man fu7ik down, as one dead-, but foon
began to roar Siud ieat him/elf ^ig^Lind the
Ground, ih^tfx Men could fcarcely hold
him. — While I was ear ne fly inviting, $cc, p. -g.
fome funk down, others e>:ceedingly trem-
bled and quaked:, fome torn with a kind
of con'uidfve Motion, in every Part of
their Bodies, and that fo violently, that
fve Perfons. coiild not hold one of them.
— Twenty-fx of thofe, who had been
thus affeSed] Sec/' — IFhile 1 was fpcaking
three dropped down as dead *, five others
funk,—^in violent Ago?2ies,--^m the Pains of
Hell, .'&^.-r- While I was preaclmig, a Wo- 4 J"«rn.
man dropped down, ftruck as was fup-P' ^^*
pofed with Death, the Ufe oi all her Limbs
X auite
( 154 )
quite taken from her/' — / preached at
Weaver' s-HalL It was a glorious Ti?ne.
Several dropped to the Ground. ^h>if
ftruck with Lightning, Scm^ -cvjed mt in
Bitternefi of Soul^ Js^ ^^iif^m^^Uii^i'^^^
^^" . " ■ pM b c3 b m .xj f n V i> i^ '^>1 \ I
Tbefe, anaong f*rti[?ii:^ xDth:ers,A ^ar^rtheir
own Boatings .^pdtjiM^ukatiomi i^^^,.l^Qk
ISiobis mn lkcef,,^kt,a^^^^
And iofry I am»v their Breath is jQ^Jlrmgfy
that they can't open tbnr Mouth s^ h\xt o\^t
fly the moft ^noifome and contagious Va-
pQUrs. It puts one in Mind oi 9. Fplcanoy
beliching ,x)i|t. Fire, and making a drea4fiil
Hayockj.pri^ralher of fome Spiracles y^^^jc
br:eai^hi?ig,.HoIes^X Bart^ of,v^he
Ear.th^.. which fcatter a pcJUkntialltfeBim
upoa^all that come near. Such^is-r'V the
farpou^ Grotta del Cant 'm.-Ita/y^. called the
J)oifo?i6i^s [ Mouth ; th^. Steams whereof are
oi^Mephitical^ or noxious Quality. When
a Dog^ or other Creature, is put intp it, it
prefently Icfes all Moiiouy falls , down -as
deady or in a Swoon^ the Limbs ^onvidfed
and treiiiblingy till fcarce any Sigm^ of Life
appear. — If the Animal be iqg^ fnatched
cuty and expofed to open Air|, it^fbon re-
cover eth J' Sec Chambers in , Grptta.Jel
Caniy or Mead on Poifgns,
To
( ^55)
To know the Power of Witches In fuch
Gafes, we may look into the Hijlory of
Witchcr^fi'-,''''-^ K'MdiXx from a Look only Vol, L
oi StifanmEd^ards^ fella fhaking, quiver- ^' ^^^*
ing,' arid foaming, and for half an Hour
like a dying, or dead Man ; and at laft
coming to his Senfes again, he declared, that
Sufanna Edwards had bewitched him."
Again, *' Richard Diigdale declared, that Vol. II.
his Fits were through Obfejjion^ and in a^* ^ ^*
C'(5;;;/^//2^//6'« wKich fhaiild never be dif-
covered \ — fometimes he would exadly
tcJl what Things v»^ere done at a Dijlajice^
^'ind even repeat the whole Difcourfe of
Perfons abfent : — Sometimes he would
iing Pfalms exadily tuneable : — Sometimes
'/fete;/, and be in Convulfions : — Sometimes
he would lie on the Floor like a dead
^Maiii when both the DoBor and Apothe-
■^r^rjy felt his Pulfes, which did not beat-,
then they laid their Faces to his Mouthy to
try if he breathed^ but could not perceive
it. — The faid R, Dugdale alfo declared, that
his Jlrange Fits began at Wejlly-Hally where
an Appearance of a black Man grinned at
him, and preffed very hard upon him, —
that he had an Apparition all along the
Way, as he went to WejUy-Hall^ and the
'-Week after, Sfr.'" '
^ ^xt o\xK ^ Methodijis once to recover
their Senfes^ they likewife would probably
X 2 give
( 156 )
give ail kccoMXiX, by whom they were be-
•witched, and where. . ■, .,,,, ^,..t, fi,
i'mT^e Pc/f>, E;mi/Jaries,.'^ka^lm^^xkr
ten 10 many ^Volumes oi^atm^.,^.^r
Oi inHjding fuch unaccountable Maladies,
adovv alfo, that the Saints have the like
Power of caujing Difeafes j and even of
putting m the Devil, efpecially when in
^■"^^ they intend to bring him out
again. -Ihyrceus, de locis infeftis, proveth
tjiis ; and, among other In(tances, mcn-
tioneth ." ,St. Eligius, who gave the Be.
vti Power o^cx fifty of his own Flock:
[Ihclame Number that were fo tuimoiied
m Mr. We/ley's JSight-Scene] The Saint
intended their Goody and tJierefore, beiir*
requeued, he would not immediately rdak
their Puniihment, but feid, « Let them
learn firft whom they have chofen for
their i1/^>r, before they are abfolvedfrom
the Tyranny of the . De'uiL" Mr. Weflev
leei^s ,not willing to forego tliis Privilege
cffpreaaing fuch Miferies among ■ his own.
Wot do I envy hi^n the Glory.
j^i^equidm invideo, mircr,j^gfs uvdigMejMtijt,
UIqu^^^deojurbaturagris.—.f^ ^jiw zsw Mj
In the mean time, at leaft till. his £.v,
orctfms znA Cures plainly appear, (towhiqh
I ihzW ^zy ^u.s RefpeSi in their OrderV I
cannot^, but deem it the utmofi Cruelty to
throw
( 157 )
throw fb riiany miferable Creatures into
the moft dreadful Fits, and Agonies horrid
l^yond D^fcripfion 'y and at the fame time
be himfelf in fuch a Flow oi Exultation.
- f iJ~R}flis-^il 'i^mji^ ^S^ v$^oijere dolores.
Then he is all Joy ',^'''''^^ f'-'
And pleafed the Work of Satan t6 perform,
Ridc^kitl^e'Whirlwin^,' and 'diiidfts' the' Storm,
-nidiave^fefe^^-^I know not how, into
tififepStraprof^P^^/ry. But, that he may
difen&ngle himfelf from a Sort of Incoii-
fiftmcy, may one feriouily ask him the
Queftion, 'why in fome of his moft terrible
-^perations^ producing the moft Jhocki?7g
RffeBs\ it muft be '■'' a glorious Time, an
acceptable Time ; and in other Inftances,
«f^W/v terrible and ihocking, the Cafe is
altered ^^ For give me Leave to appeal to
that NoBurnal Roaring, which he repre-
fents as the Similitude of a general Maf
facreAv^^^ 'M)ri^ df fifty of thofe who were
feeking Salvation, defired Leave to fpend
the Night together at the Society Roo?n.
Before ten I left them, and lay down.
[He was wife enough to take care f One, ^
But I could have no quiet Re/i^ being u?!-
eafyin my Sleep-, as I found others were
too, that were afeep m other Parts of the
Heufe. ' Between two and three^ in the
Morning I was waked, and defired to
come
( 158 )
come down Stairs. I immediately heard
Jtich a confufed Noife, sls if a Number of
Men were all putting to the Sword, It
iucreafed when I came into the Room,
and began io pray,'* -^ TwOrThings here
indeed^ turn out to Mt.-^Wefley'^ Advan-
tage , a Proof of the Signifi'cancy of their
pref aging Dreams i'^ ^and ^ a fur e 'Proof that
the Devil was' in^' them. He obferveth
elfewhere, that another 5/' his Poffefjt^d
3 lourn. *' grew worfe bf 'Prayer y Mci her Pangs
P-95- increafed more and ^ndret^-^'"^- AhA. his O/^
Friends fay, it y^^ z^^ariifeft Difcovery^
when the Party afflifted rdgeththe more at
Prayers, Mafs,- Holy 'fVater^'^McJ'^- — But
iiilt the Queftion remains unrefolved, why
&ch an ./literati on in the Cafe? '^ O, Sir !
J tai<:e Knowledge of you i" i'c?/^ wa^ ^z^-
T3i7 3a^>ff^uin your Sleep, and was'^'liioi ^the im-
'^ 1^^-^^eJiat^ Caufe ', it w^s not your g4;^ doing ,
— any farther than giving th^m Leave
thus to fek their Salvation -, (and this, it
feems, they muft not do without yoiiv
"^Permifjton) or as your Injliiution might of
Courfe infpire thfem with a Fanatical
Rap.
;§V^30. This gives occafion to take a
little Notice of fuch NoBurnal P ranks y
"' -My/ieries at dead of Night, when regular
and foher Perfons would chufe to be in
their Beds, But,
NoBes
( 159 ) .
NoBftMp^&espaM atri Janua Ditiu\
'Tis wellrfknown, what {tvtxQ Laws have
been madejagainft Night-AJJemblies, wider
Pretence qf^Religio?!^ by civilized Nations ;
aS'.^Ungs fcandalous in Pradice, and dan^
geroiis to thQ State, And as well known,
how early a ,Stop was put to the Chriflian
Love-FcafiSf and Midnight Meetifigs -y by
Reafon of the Ambitio?!, ^arrelsy and
Brmlsy with other Evils, which attended
them.- Mr. Wejley had better have pre-
fcribed a Sleepi?7g Draughty or good Fea"
thier Bedy than have encouraged fuch /r-
regular Cabals-^ when Darknefsy Watch-
ingSy and Entbufia fm s concurv'mgy would
naturally draw on thofe omincin Dreamfy
and mad Confeqimices. When (as Senncrtiis De Vigil,
obferves) *' the HumourSy and efpecialiy^-P- *•
tho Blogd- ^and Bilcy are moft intejjiperate-^
fy infl^riied^ and caufe Vertigosy Delirkuji--
nefsy and numerous Dif orders'' -rrtssii
But X.\\Q- MefhodiftSy being better tJMn
the Primitive ChriJlianSy have a peculiar
Bleffing at the moft unfeafonable Hours.
*' Our L(5;v:/, fays Mr. Wejley y was glori-^ J^"^"-
(3///?y prefent with, us at the Watch-Night -y^' ^^*
my Voice waa. loft at the GvVx of the Peo-
ple. — The Service ends a \\xAq after Mid- P. 35-
night. -. We have ^/m found a peculiar
Blefjing at thefe Seajhns."' I hope he will
not
( i6o )
not bring for Proof the above-related In-
ft^nce of his Difciples meeting between
two and three in the Morning ; which cauf-
ed in him fuch frightful Dreams ; when
there was fuch a confufed Noife^ as if a
Number of Men were putting to the Sword.
Thefe horrid Circumftances he hath deter-
mined to come from the DevlL Whether
the Cdfidles were put out doth not appear :
he only fays, " he heard a great Noife,
and that upon his coming into the Room^
and beginning to pray, the Noife increafedy
Nor do any other Evidences o-f Heats and
Commotions^ and peculiar Ble/Jings appear,
but Screamings and Outcries, What Sort
cf wild Work they were doing to create
fuch a HelliJId JJprcary God knows. But,
from his own Account^ we have the Idea
Vol. II. of*' a Cahal of Witches inctim% in the
P-' H4- Night-time^ adoring their Lord, who puts
his Af^zr^ upon them with intolerable Pain-y'
as reprefented in the Hijiory of Witchcraft,
And his Night-work refembles much more,
the NoBurnal Revels, and infamous dark
Myjlerlcs cf the Pagan World, than any
orderly Ajjembly of Chrijiians. It carries
a flronger Repr.efentation of the Myjleries
CyrU. of CotyttOy xht Gpddcfs of Turpitude ^ of
^lian ^^^-^ ^^cred Rites, of Old Mother Cybele^
"Ub. 6. celebrated by tjie raying Corybantes, which
were immodejl Myjleries of NoBurnal Af-
fimblieSj^ in . the Caves of Mount Ida, — or
. ^ ' thole
( i6i )
thofe Enthiifiajiic Rites^ called Orgia, ce-
lebrated in the JNighty and notorious for
Noife and Impurities-^ wherein the 7?7ad
Bacchanalian Women jumped about, howl-
ing and Jhrieking, till their Heads were
giddy, and they tumbled down diftra5ledy
But Leave is granted ; Impulje is flinging ;
and away they muft march,
— ^calis commotis excita facris^
Thyas^ iibi audito Jlimulant Trieterica Baccho
Orgia^ nodturnufq; vocat clamore Cithc^ron.
Comitatur eiintem
Et Favor i et "Terror ^trepidoqiie infania vidtu.
Whoever would fee more concerninsr
fuch NoBurnal Myftcries may confult
Livy-y where he will fee '' into whatub. 39.
Convulfiom and T> angers the Commonwealth^^'9' ^•
was thrown, and what execrable Vices were
committed in the NoBw^nal Afjemblies of
the Bacchanalians y in their promifcuous
Meetings of Men and Women^ Whores and
Boys, Into this Religious Order were they
initiated by an ignoble Prieji ayid Pro-
phet y and entered into Vows of Conftancy
and Secrecy 'y efpecially as this Majler of
cccidt Myjleries had promifed to recover
them from all Dijlempersy Dioiiyfius Ha-Uh. 2.
Ucarnajjmfs therefore muft fpeak of ear-^^P* ^9-
lier Times, and thcfrji Inflitutio7i of their
Religious RiteSy when he boafts of the
Y Ro?nans^
( l62 )
Romans^ *' None can fee among thetn
(though their Morals are now corrupted)
any Enthtijiajlic Raptures ^ any Corybantic
Furies, any private Meetings of Strollers,
any Bacchanalian^ occult Myfteries^ any
Night -Ajjmblies of Men and Woj/ien, or
any other Mofijiers of this kind.''
And yet after all, there is no Impoffi-
bllity of one peculiar Blefjlng to Perfons
aiming at Angelical Perfe^ion ; if we
fhould fuppofe them like thofe Angels
called Egregora^ or Watchers, in the pre-
tended Book of Enoch : For ( to borrow
Diaion. the Words of Cabnet ) '' It w^as thef$
^^'^y^^'-'^' Watchers^ who efpoufed the Daughters of
Men, and became Fathers. J"
§. 31. Other Caufes.,htMts have indeed
been jufpected of the extraordinary bodily
Effeds, and mental Diforders among our
Methodifts : And I have been put in Mind
of what is called Natural Magic i ebnfiftf
ing of a deep Knowledge and Ufe of cer-
tain Natural Thi72gs, ( Roots, Herbs aiid
Plants, &c.) which have U'Onderful Ef
feels, and have often paffed with the Vul-
gar for Juper natural Caufes. - Plutarch
mentl'ons " a Shrub, C2\\td Leueophyllus,
found at the Celebration of the Myjleries of
Hecate, which drives P6ople^%ib iW^^^/t^/i,
and makes them confefs all -the Wicked-
iiefs they have done, or intended." This
fame
( i63 )
fame Hecate^ they fay, was the Daughter
of Night and Hell, delighted in fpreading
I'ormefits among human kind, and making
People mad, Pliny mentions *' the Herb Nat Hiiti
Halicacabon, which makes ?qo^\q delirious, ^^^'^^^*^
and is drunk by the fkilful in Prophecy^
becaufe they would appear as mad, to
confirm their SuperJlitionsJ" This " Ha^
licacabi is, it feems, a Species of Night-^
Shade^ which infufed in Water will (with-
out giving any Tajle or S?nell) caufe fome
Diverfwn, by making People ridiculotijly
mad for a Time. Nor is the Datum, ano-
ther Species of Nigh f -Shade much diffe-
rent ; of which, (according to Garcias of
Horto ) Thieves and Cheats mingle the
Flower or Seed among the Food of thofe,
whom they want to defraud i and who-
ever hath tailed it loofeth his Se?2fes, is
forced into a F// ^/ I/^//^ter ; and freely
permits the Thief to carry off what he
pleafeth. St^Theophraf, Bodcci, p. 1077.
— My Fr/67?^told me alfo of the Philtra^
or Love-Potions, which were defigned to
make People in Love-, but ,had often been
the Caufe of Madnefs, He fufpefted fome-
thing of this Nature in Mr. JVefeys Lcve-S Jo"""-
Feaf, which raifed that iumultuciis Cry^'^^^'^^^"
through all the Congregation, not of Grief,
but of over f owing Joy and Love'' And
that " Watch -Night Meeting, when his
Voice Wci? loft in the Cries of the People ;
Y 2 befidcs
( j64 )
befides the mad Majj acre-Scene J'' I an-
iV/cred, this could not be the Cafe, be-
eaufe, if my Information wa^ true, they
eat and drank nothing but bare Bread and
Water on thofe Occaiions, He replied,
that Mr. Wejley had profefTed, '^ I prepare^
and give them Pkyfic^ myfelf, having for
fix or feven and twenty Years made Phyjic
the Diverfwn of my leifure Hours.'* And
what mingled Cups might not a CimniJig
Mav^ fo well acquainted with Nature :,
prepare ? What potent, inchamting Drugs
might not be infufe for his Diverfwn ?
Seeing there are various DriigSj which
will bring on DiJiraBion for any Num-
ber of Days^ ox Hours -, according to the
^antity. B. Porta. Mag, Natiir, Lib. S.
That befides, the Bopijh Priejls often blefs-
ed a certain Portion of Br^dd and Water,
(not the Sacrame?.2tal ) - for-' fe veral good
Purpofes, and doing Wofider^s, '^ But I re-
plied, thefe were Myjieries^ into which I
never intended to be initiated, av^d flhould
readily comply with any Requeft like that
Pag. 50. mPetroniiLS', '^ I ftretch out my Hands,
^ ^*and intreat, that you would not make a
Jeft of NoBurnal Religions ^ nor traduce
the Secrets, which all the iJiitiated them-
Jehes did not know.'' Or rather, I ought
to become a Supplicant myfelf, and beg
Pardon, that I may efcape the Threat of
CaniJia again ft Horace y
hiultus
_ ( i65 )
Inidtus ut ill riferis Cotyttia ? ^po^^- 17-
Et Efquilini Pontifex Venefici^
Impiine ut Urbem nomine impleris meo ?
Oh ! tu (potes nam) fohe me dementid.
§. 32. Others again, and not a few a-
mong Mr. Wejlef'^ own Followers^ have
conceived thole firange Agitatmis to be
voluntary^ mere DiJJimuIation, ajid counter^
Jeit Tricks j fome tumblifig down and bowU
ing to pleale their Mafter^ or to be
thought apt Scholars, and anfwer Expend-
tion in the Procefs of Methodifm, efpe--
cially as they have been taught by both
my Correfpondents, how glorious a Thing
it is to be firuck down^ and fet a roaritig.
Which is a Sort of Compo/ition of Efithu--
fiafm and Impojiure, But as far as thole
Effects proceeded merely from Dijlempery
or a fuper natural Agency, we miifl grant
it could not be Fiofion, Mr. Wtfley in-
deed hath confeffcd, that '' the Co7ivid-^ Journ,"
fons and Agitations of the French Prophe-^' ^^^
tefs, (a fipailar Cafe) might be HyflcricaU ' ""''
or Artificial; that the Spirit of Pride and
Lies was prevalent among h's o^vn Flock,
— and an imaginary Infpiration, — mere
empty Dreams of a heated Imagination^
Pvlr. Whitfield too owns, '' there is coun^::^ joum.
terfeit Coin among them." But yet dueP-7i
Care hath been taken for the Removal^ and
Prevention
( ^66 )\^ ^^
Prevention of luch Wijiifi Si^icion^x^ the
i Journ. prefent Cafe. For '' a Day of Emilia-
^' ^^' tion is appointed, fays Mr. Wejley, to hum-
ble ourfelves, and ov/n, that G^ji. had jull-
ly withdrawn his 6)^/nV from us, for our
manifold Vnjaithfulncfs ; — and. above all,
for hlafpherning his Work among us, irnput-
ing it cither to Nature^ to the Force of
ImaginatiG?!^ and A?2imal Spirits, or even
to the Dclufion of the Dcpil. :^ IiV;;that
Hour fome fell projirate to the Ground^'" —
But this did not work di fuW CorMdlion.
Ibid. For foon after we find " many offended
p764^,^6S. ^^ ^^^^^^ T^umblings^ RQarings^ &c. and fay-
ing, they were fure they Diight Mp it if
4 Journ. thcy woidd'^ — it was all a Cheat 5— or only
p. 14, 18 jsfattirey Imagiiiationy Animal Spirits y-^;
P. 52. they were fure none cried out but Hypo^
critesy who pretended to be i?iFits.'' But,
however, ''.many wxre convinced -,' and
the Refradory had perfonal and -doofid £jj:-
periencey feeling it to their Sorrow : As
will appear, when we come to their
judicial Miracles, One Inftance I fliall
Wefley now fubjoin. f^,V ^^ — n H-^-r^y 2, Weiiver^'-^
3 Jo^rn- a Man of a regular Life and Counter fa-.
^' ^^* tiouy that conflabdy attended Pr^^jj'^rj, &c..
being informed that People fell i?ttofl range
pits at the SocietieSy he came^ ^o fee and
judge for himfelf. But he was lefs iluisfied
than before, and laboured above Mea-
fure to convince his Acquaintance, ' it was
a Delu-'
( i67 )
a Delu^on of the Devil' But he was
convinced ; for the next Day, ' he fell off
his Chair, and began fcreaming terribly^
and beating himfelf againft the Ground.
Between One and Two I came in, and
the Room being full of People, he cried
out, ' Let all the World fee th^ jtift Judg^
Vient of God," He immediately fixed his
Eyes upon M^;, and cried, 'Ay, this is
he, who, 'I faid, was'a Deceiver of the
People. But God has overtaken ^ae. I-
faid it was all a Dehfion. But this is
no Delifon" He then roared out, Gfr.
We all betook ourfelves to Prayer, His
Fang^ ceafed, and both his Soul and Body
v^^x^fet at Liberty'"
St. Ignatius, whofe 'TJifi IVIr. Wefley Bartol.
fays he hath read, will afford a Parallel p- 444-
*' At Condom, a certain Citizen, in other
Refpedls an honcft Man, was above mea-
fure incenfed againft the Society, and the
Father oiViy {o far from paying Ignatius
the Honour s due to his Sainffloip, that he
charged him with Difjimulation and Hif
irionic Piety : and would read the Ac-^
counts of the Saint, only to wreft them
into Hypocrify, ox Pieces ol falfe Hifioryy
and thence proceed to his Railleries and
Scoffs, The' Saint looked down upon
this his Enemy, as the Phyfician doth
upon a Perfon in a Frenzy, and begged
Mercy of God for him: And coming tp
him
( i6S )
liim in Venerable Majejly, caft a mod
lovely Look upon him. The Man's Eye
and Mind were fo ilruck with this, that
h^ falls Jrom his Bed, tumbles to the Ground^
begs Pardon for the Injuries he had done,
makes a Vow of perpetual Obfeqiiioufnefs
to Igftatius and his Society -, an Obfequi-
oufnefs the move f acred y as he had been fo
injurious.'*
The better to guard againft this Sur-
mife of DiJfimulatio7iy Mr. Wejlcy pro-
4 Journ. duceth this Cafe. " A Woman, who
p. 22-3. j,^^ \)ttrv before much te?npted of the
Devil, funk down as one dead. One
could not perceive, by any Motion of her
Breaft, that flie breathed, and her Pulfe
was very hardly difcernible. A flrange
Sort of biffimulation this ! I wifli thofe,
who think fo, would' only Jlop their own
Breath and Fulfe one Hour, and I will then
fubfcribe to their Opinion.'' — But, I doubt,
this Argument will very hardly be allowed.
For though he challengeth any one to fry\
and his Friends, tliQ Exorcijis, fay, " 'tis
a fure Sign of a Poffejfion, when a Perfon
exerts fuch Motions and Gejii dilations, as
cannot be imitated by one that is well, and
■in his Senfes;" yet Phyficians will con-
tend, that in fome Natural Difternpers
People will be thrown into fuch unaC"
count ably jlrange and convulfive Motions^ and
other extraordinary Symptoms, which no
Man
■ ( i69 )
Man in Health can come up to. And
why mull the Trial be for a whole
Hour y when he doth not fay, that this
Woman's Breath and Pulfe were flopped
Jo lo72g ? Therefore, although this may not
h^ natunal JDi/lemper^ yo^i it ?nay. To pro-
duce a Jirdilar InjlaJice, Sennertus ( de
morbis a Veneficiis^ Cap. 3.) citeth a long
Account from CorneL Ge?mna, which will
fuit this, and other Cafes, in Mr, JVeJIey's
Journals. ^^ An ingenious Girl of Fijieen,
but fomething inclined to Melancholy, —
fell into Fits of Co?2Vui/ions and Swooijings ;
and other Symptoms more violent than Hyf-
tericsy — was ready to be choaked,-^ three
or four Perfons, the mod ftrong, could
fcarce hold her : — Sometimes fhe felt a
Weighty and fometimes a Biting 5 — after
many Sufferings a Tumour arofe in her
Throaty and continued for a "garter of an
Houry during which Time (he remained /;;-
tirely dejiitute of all Pulfe and Breath ; fo
that eyen a Feather applied to her Mouth
would not i7iovey and her Body was fliff
as a Statue r And what the Iffue ? " The
Girl w^s curedy not by the Spiritualy buc
Bodily Phyficiany by Natural Remedies."
But as nothing will convince Philofphical
MeUy they urge the Probability of Difji^
mulation and Cheat farther 3 and, in Sup«
ply of Parallels y affert, that arnong the
leveral. Popijh Orders there are always
Z fome
( 170 )
fome trained up to a5l a Party and prepare
jiccomplices^ who are to counterfeit Diabo-
Ileal Fits, in order to bring on Exorcijms^
and carry on the Trade of cheatijtg filly
People. And they can eafily bring Proof
enough to fill whole Rheams of Paper.
Not to mention the famous hnpofure of
Marthay .(cited before from Thuanus) or
the execrable Story of Jetzer ; the Boy
of Bilfon, or the Nuns of Loudon, ( for
which, fee Bayle in the Article Grandier)
and the like ; — they may refer to feveral
fuch DiJjhnblerSy Cheats^ and Counterfeits^
in Wierus de Prafigiis.
Lib. 3. One Story is of *' a Beggar, named
^^^.'it, J^il^^^^r who, to get a comfortable Main^
tenance, would lie at the Church-Doors,
pretending to be pofejjed. Wierus faw
him aB his Part at Niemegen ; making his
Belly wonderfully [well, and then fink
again:; and. throwing his Limbs and Face
into unaccountable Diftortions : His Wife
and Harlot ftanding by him with an Iron
Chain to bind him in his. raging Fits. At
length the Fraud was detcBed, the Man
. really feized, and put in Chains, where
he confefed the Cheat, and fliewed the
Marnier how he played his Pranks/'
Another Story is of one '' Hans Fatter ^
i.e. John the Father, who pretended that
on St, fohn's Day he was enchanted by
Nicholas Gottel, by drinking a poifoned
Draught j
( 171 )
Draught ; and that Nicholas confefled this
at his Trials where he was condemned^ and
afterwards burned. Hereby, he faid, the
Devil tormented him various Ways, bound
his Body, Feet and Neck, with Iron
Chains, and iliewed him for a Spectacle to
alL He added alfo wonderful Phantoms^
Apparitions and SpeBres, Every Thing he
could not relate, but faid, every Thing
was written hijlorically in a regular your-
naly that the World might fee how cru-
elly the Devil had tortured arid tore him.
Nor did he pafs over his Cufhom of
Prayings heari?2g Sermons^ and communis
eatings and affirmed, that he had an Im-
pulfe to preach Repentance, Coming, in
his Courfe of Vifiting, to Noringberg^ the
Magijlrates ordered him to be narrowly
watched and guarded ; when he would
fometimes prefs to be gone, pretend De-
fpair, with other Artifices. But being de-
tained, he at length confefed that he never
was bound by the Devils but ynade his own
Chains. In fliort, he difcovered his whole
Art^ that his Miracles were mere Lies^
and all a Trick to get a Livelihood, For
v/hich ample Co-nfefjion his Punifliment was
mitigated, and he was only expofed on a
Pillory for ^publick SpeBacle andDerifion^
A third Account concerneth a Girl of
about twenty, well habited, but with a
fierce Look, who was going to St. Hu-^
Z 2 bert^
( 172 )
berfy to be freed from the Toke of Sataii,
She was furniihed with Letters Teftimo-
nialy to obtain Provifions on the Road 5
and was attended by a Monk about thirty^
becaufe tlie Devil's Ajjaiilts were lefs ter-
rible in his Prejence ; and for this Reafon
file confejjed^ that he was her Companion
in Bed, She was thought to be Epileptic,
And the Monk boajled^ that by three Words
he CGuld make a horrible Spectacle of her,''
[If that be the proper Engli/f: of the Words,
Se tribus verbis pojje horribile in ed fpcc-
taciiliim excifare,]
After a fourth Account of the fame Na-
ture, but greater Wickednefs^ we have an
Account of one '' Bartholom^a^ a Servant
Maid, who, when Mafs was faid in the
German T^ongue^ contrary to Cuftom, and
the Hymn^ ' Glory be to God on high^' be-
gan, became immediately Ecjlatic^ as if
feized by the Devily and raifed a grievous
Difturbance. But when the fame was
fung in Latiny fhe was not affeBed. Her
MiJlrefSy a prudent Matron, promifed the
Maid to cure her, if fhe would come into
her Chamber. The Maid came ; the Mif
trefs repeated the Hymn in the German
Tongue, Inftantly the Fits return ; and the
Maidy cbjcrving a proper Place to fall /;;,
was throv/n violently on the Ground. The
Miftrefs prefently takes up her Coats, and
(affifted bv her Daughtery who held the
Maid
( ^73 )
Maid down) makes an ImpreJJion upon her
Pofteriors wth federal [mart Strokes of a
Rody which threw the Maid into unfeigned^
horrible Contorfions. For, as Hippocrates
fays, ' Extreme Di fie vipers require extreme
Remedies^ After this (lie could hear the
Hymn without any Commotioji^ except what
arofe in her Mind by being twitted^ when-
ever ihe w^ent abroad, by fome unlucky
Rogues^ who would gather about her, and
fing the faid Hymn in her Ears. The
Maid, fays Wierus^ confejj'ed to ?ne, that
fhe was perfeBly cured by her Mijlrefs in
this Manner," So much from Wierus.
My Fhilofophical Friends highly commend-
ed this Method of drawing a httle Blood
in the lower Parts, by Way of Revulfion
Jrom the Head \ adding, that it might be
no bad Remedy, if fome more Cheats of
this Sort ( for' Inftance, the Methcdifl-
Teacher, who fixed the Day for the t)ay
of judgment) in order to carry the Re-
'vuljion ftill farther from the Head, were
laid by the Heels, But I told them, Per-
fe cut ion was a wicked Thi?2g, And yet I
might obferve, what the Exorcijls affirm,
*' that the Devil may fometimes be drove Thyr«.
out by Scourging, a Cudgel, or Box on the Da:mon.
Ear-, efpecially when he will not yield to^' ^'^^'
I acred Remedies,
But if I may fpeak my Mind freely
concerning the horrid Tellings, Co7ivulJ?onSy
&c.
( 174 )
&c. among the Methodijis, my real and
Jificere Opinion is this : '^ That, though
there is Reafon to fufped: DiJJimula-
tion and Counterfeit in feveral Inftan-
€es ^ yet, that the greateji Part of
their Suflferings is iiivoluntary ; they cannot,
help it.'' Some Light will be given to
this Matter in the next SeBion, And I
readily fubfcribe to what Mr. Wejlcy hath
Anfwer to owned ; " I look upon feme of thefe Cafes
p^rr ' ^^ v^hoUy natural'^ on the reft, 2iS 7nixt '^
both the Diforder^ and the Removal, ht-
m^ partly natural, 2S\^ partly not y What
he precisely meaneth by thefe Mixtures, or
in what RefpeBs the Diforders were 7iot
natural, I leave him to declare. But if
the poor Creatures muft be put to the
Torture, and have Pains and ylgonies in-
flidled on them, above all Defcription, too
horrid to be borne -, I muft confefs, I fee
little Difference, whether they are Be-
devil' d. Bewitched, Bejefuited, or Be-
wejleyed,
§.33. It were now Time to bring on
the Cure, the Removal of thefe dreadful
Calamities. But there is no paffing over
a Circumfiance, the mojl furprijing (I think)
and unaccountable in the whole Dijpenfafion
of Methodifm, I mean the violent Scream-
ings, Contorfions and Agonies, and Tum-
blings, of fuch a Number of Perfons, all
at
( 175 )
at one Time, by Sympathy ; or quickly
after one another, by Contagion.
Mr. Wejley giveth this Account of the 4 joum.
State of his Society : " If one Member fuf-V- 37-
feredy all the Mejnbers fuffered with it.
So ftrange a Sy?npathy did I never obferve
before. Whatever confiderable Temptation
fell on any one, unaccountably fpreaded
itfelf to the reft ; fo that exceeding few-
were able to cfcape it/' What Sort of
Temptations he intends, I know not.
Bat the Words fuit well with his Ac-
counts of their common Roarings and Tell-
ingSy falling to the Ground Heaps upon
Heaps, in wonderful Agreement 3 and the
Injedion catching others with furprifing
C^icknefs and Rapidity. " One, and Wefley.
another, and another funk to the Earth. 3 J^urn.
They dropped on every Side as thunder--^' ^'^'
Jlruck.—Thxtt Perfons almoft at once funk P. 44, 46^
down as dead. — Many fall to the Earth-5o-
exceedingly trembling. Several drop
down, roar, beat themfelves againft the
Ground, &c. infomuch that all the Houfe
(and all the Street for fome Space) was
in an Uproar. — Some funk down, fome p. -^^ 59.
trembled, fome torn with Convulfions ;
another dropt down in a violent Agony :
■ — Tv/enty-fix of thofe, who had been
thip^s affedted. — One before me dropt down
as dead, and prefently a Second, and a
Third. Five otkers funk down. — Seven
or
(176)
3 Jo«r"- or eight Perfons at once. — No fooner had
p.61-65, jyj^^ M^/Vg/?^/^ begun, than four Perfons
funk down clofe to him. — Seven or eight
conllrained to roar. — A young Woman
funk down^in a violent Agony, — five or
fix others. — eight or nine more ; — a Girl,
and her Mother, who loft her Senfes in
a Moment. — Four Perfons almoft in the
fame Moment. — Roarings of a Number
at once, as if all were putting to the
Sword." — ^^i ii> tov^i>idv>
Thefe, and many more fuch fudden
Bhijis, and wide-fpreading Contagions, we
have in one of Mr. Wejley"^ Journals ; who
mufl: have the Heart of a Stone, not to feel
the Mifery -, and the Heart of a Tyrant y or
Inquifitor, to rejoice and triumph at it.
And what fhall we fay to thefe Things ?
Or how account for them?:'
'* I take it for granted, that v/e are not
^^Iftifficiently acquainted with the Conjlitu^
iion^ of Nature^ and the LaiDs of the Cre-
apr/, particularly not "with the human
.- \ry 'Prame ', how Soul and Body a6l upon each
' other 5 how other Beings and Parts of the
Creation may 2.Q. uDon either ^ — and ef-
pecially in a difiempered State -, a Diforder
of Mrnd, or Body> More Knowledge is
, necefiary towards accounting for every
Kind and Degree of Injeciion. In general
we hear much, and no doubt truly, of
Contagions communicated by the Air ; by
the
( "^77 )
the Eycy the Voices the TCouch, the Breathy
Effluvia and Vapours confifting of fubtle
Particles^ and of a very penetrating Na^
ture. In Dijlempers ( beiides thofe uni-
verfally allowed to be contagious) Epilep^
fieSy Convul/ionSy the Chin-cough^ &c. are
by many brought under this Clafs ; and,
perhaps many more Diforders, both of
Mind and Body\ are of the catching Kind^
than is commonly admitted. It hath been
obferved of SuperJlitio7iy and Enthiifiafm in
particular, that they are very catching and
infeBiouSy runJiing like wild Fire from Breaji
to Breajl. That the JffeBions and PaJJions
of the Mind cannot only change a Perfon's
cwn Body^ but make Impreffions upon
another^ io as to givey or take awaVy divers
DifeafeSy mental and corporal -y and that a
corrupted and polluted Imagination is ca-
pable of corrupting and polluting xh^ am^
bient Air -y fo that thofe who fuck it in
fliall be thrown into the fame Malady.
Thus 'tis affirmed in Plutarchy ^- I pro- Sympof.
nounce it confidently, that all the P^t^;/^^^^- ^
of the Soul, being well rooted, v/ill in- **"* ^*
duce evil Habits, and being moved on any
Qccafion will carry Perfons, even againft
their Wills, into thefe natural an4 famili^
Affections r
Nor will It be thought ftrangc, that the
Contagion (hould have a quicker and flron^
ger FffeBy when it catcheth Perfons of
A a 'weak
( J78 )
weak Heads and: JJnderJiandings^ *^%\ot of
weak, fickly^ tender and delicate -'Nerves ■
and' Spirit Sy v/hich ai^ {o eafity' 'affected.
Nor is it ftrange, if this {k\o^\A,h^ much
more the Cafe ; when the Company ri^Lit,, of-
the fame Caft and 'Complexion of Body^ and^
^urn of Mind , the fame 'Temper and Dif
temper. The leaft Spark falling upori
Perfons ah-eady heated will foon rife into
a Flame. To make ufe of Dr. Hartley^
Sentiments ; " Enthufafm may be defined;
a miilaken Perfuafion of being peculiani
Fa'vourites with God* -— This works genCTi-.
rally * in -Pejrfbns ^^S ftifong Fancies^ andj
little Judgment, efpecially where there is^
a natural Difpofition, and that fermented-^
by Difeafe. — The cojivulfive Motions arp^,
apt to return of themfelve^';'^=s=rand/^/;z|^:g-
Perfon in Convidfoni is apt Vto- occafioiij
them in Perfons oi nervous and 'irritabif^
Frames, — And there i^ Reafon to believe^,
that fom.e Enthufiafs and Impofors have
been able to throw themfelves into Con^
vtdfions by a voluntary Power-, and par-
ticularly, as it feems, by introducingy?m^
Jde^^ 2^ internal Feelings,'' \in\^6
••This- contagious Communication may be
il!uftratcd'-by the Cafe of Perfons bit by
the Tarantida *' a venomous,, Italian Spi-^
der\ whofe Sting caufe's the fame Appear^
ances with the Hyferical Affe5iions, The
Difcrder is Tometimes -counterfeited by
wanton
t h9 )
'Wdhtofi Women y but is often a real Malady^* ■
the Per/on bit being feized with a Diffi-
culty of Breathing, univerfal Fainting and
Trembling • i-^^ 'and growing by Degrees '!
melancholy, ilupid, and ftrangely timov. '
rous. The only Cure is Mafic, which fets' ■'
all ikS'Pafimrs^ a Dand77g, At the iirft /
Sound they' begin to move their Hands ^
and Feet, and foon dance with wonderful ;
Vigour. In the mean time they lofe in a:
manner the Ufev€>f.,i^Hv, their Senfes, do
nlany ridiculous and foolifh Tricks, talk-
and^ ad: obfcenely and rudely^ — and, atl
tfeei-^fame time, can't bear the Sight of:
ajiy Thing ^/^<r/4 ; in 'g^eral ^te Pbreniui
^tind delirious. But by a Continuance;:;
c>Pthe Mufic they are fweated and agitated'
into Health. — We may allow fomewhar
to the determinate Force, and particular
Modulation of the trembling Percuffions-
of the ^/>, made by the muiical Chordsi
upon the Elajlic Fibres cf the Brai?i. rr^y
This we fe^ in the common Experiment
of two miifical Infinifjie^its^ tuned both ^to-
the fame Pitch : The Strings of the .one
being y?r2/^^, the correfponde?2t- Strings .qI
the others will found/' This fiam; iDr.
Mead'^ Account of the TarantiHa:K^')%t^
alfo Chambers.^ in "Tarantula and. Taran>k
tifmu^^ ^^^ sHj Bf)lu£:o ^nii;^ aV.^lv/ < V
^'^ Accordiiigly, as one and the fame Mag-
"^bt bites the Methodijls^ who are m\ic.h
A a 2 of
of the fame Complexion of Body, and
Turn of Mind ; the fame Effects are equal-
ly produced in alU They are a Sort of
XJnifons, fcrewed up to the fame I^yj one
being frucky the reft anfwer to the given
Note-, and by that Propagation, (or fome
fecret Sympathy ) are Jmck in the fame
Manner ; and all are feized, as foon as they
are worked up to the fame Degree of En*\
ihiifiafm.
Of the fame contagious Nature is what^
is called St. Vitus^^ Dance-, imputed by ^
fome to Hyferics^ Convulfions, &c. Thi^?
Diftemper raged much in Germany j feiz-
ing moft Sort of People, efpecially the
• Vulgar y who in great Numbers became
horridly furious, running about roaring,
foaming, till their Breath failed. This
happened particularly when they vijited
St. Vitus' s Chapel', and might be thought
a juft Puniihment for their loving a falfej
md niicked Religion, had not xkmXvQi^M
followed by Trayer to St. Vitus. -^ jM -^rl
In the Dialogue of ftato, called 7^//,
Socrates egregioufly ^ derideth that vain
G^rlan ^^^^^^^^ > " who pretended an Ability,
Tom'"l>bbve all Mankind, to explain Horner^
p. 530. and infpire others with his Knowledge;
for which he deferved a Golden Crown^
Socrates obferves, that the Enthufiaflic Fury
of S' Poet was not an Art, but Divine
Imitation-, which, like the Load-Stone;,
not
not only Vr^^w/^' Ir^]^^
teth the fame OHjallty through a whok^
Chain, And ^ thus a Divine Seizure fhaljfc
mn throi^gh a v^ok Series of' Enthufia/is}
^*^'l!T wfere by Sympathy; one catching
it from another. All fpeak moft divinely^
when they are out of their Senfes, apd^
like the Corybantes and Bacchinah, are in-
ftigated by Madnefs, by an Obfejion of their
peculiar Deity. His Words and Geftures,
liis Tone and Modulation alone ftrik©
^em, one after another ; to ^\i other Rit0^
ttty are immoveable.'* 7 '"^^ ' q
ItiLucian, de Syrid Dea,'^ have afli
Account of her Myfleries^, wherein '' tbofe^
^ho carry the Image of their Deity, are
whirled about as with a Vertigo, the Deity
leaping from one into another. In thqfe
J:^'//mVi attend a great Number of Hoh
Men, 2.v\A furious Fanatical lVomen,^^i^t,
the Sake oi Prayer. The Priefts begiU!
X\it Ceremony, and while they are ceIebr4tol
ing the Orgia, making horrid Noifes, cat--'
ting themfelves, ^c. the Fury prefently
feizeth the reft, and many,, who came only^
^^SpeBators, are a^ied in the fame Man-
ner/'
Befides thefe Myferies, (which may b^;.
reckoned as Types and Shadov^s oi Metljo^,
difm) krti(t common Licidaits in Life may'
farther illiifl-rate the Cafe of a contagious
Pfopagdfion. Upon fceiiig a Perfon yawn,
''^^' others.
others, not dlfpofed to it before,-MM^ f^iitfci
Tmv?ii?ig. The hearing a grating ^imd^
Of feeing another eat crabbed Fruit,' h ^\
to fet our o^n^ethon £%^:— Ma#i3ftiiin
zi<£?eo^\Q frighted^ (even by Perfons in a
7^&) into Diflortio?2S^ CcnvuIJims, and
other grievous Diforders? Or, perhaps/
throWn into Afo^;?^/f. 'by fome affeaing
Object of the fame Nature ? — In Diftem- :^
pers, Small Pox, Plague, &c. how often, ^^
and eafily, will Fem^ alone draw the In-
feftlon ; or feeing another, tho' at a Dif-'
tance, with the Jj'ejh Marks upon him?
Deep Cogitation upon the Diftemper ■
brino-ing the Diftemper, and Imagination
hatching the yery Malady^V'on which Jt
fat JBrooding. — How ftrong fs Imagination
in Women with Child? And how com-
mon, when difappointed of what they
h'ave longed for, or upon feeing fome^'
M ^o^l^njlrcus Obj eBy to Catch the Impreffm,'
--U^l'^nd ^communicate to their Children the;
fame Marks^ which were the Objea; of
their Dcj?re,%\Jfverfton? "E^in ftrong'
and; healthy Ferfins, by fome miferdble'
Spedtdcte, will fometimes grow ill, and
their Conftitution fuddenly be altered by^
an Ernotion and. Alteration of the, Spirits,
Humours and Blood. Much more then
willa difealed Bvdy cr M/W, 'be thrown
into a bad Condition, even by^^afmall In-'
cident j and dif?nal a?id tragical Ohje5fs
muft
( iS3 )
muft have a powerful EfFedl, and ftick
clpfe to weak Spirits and melancholy Tern-
f^s. Why therefore fhould not Vapours
and Effluvia, from a Methodijl, (fuppofed .
to be infpiredy or dijtempered^ or pojjejjed)
work themfelves into the Breafts of the By-^^
Jiandcrs^ and' comniiinicate funilar EffeBsf^^,,
Why Ihould n^ot Hope, .o^.\JFeary or Ex^i;
peBation, of what they are taught to exf>
ped:, added to Sight and Feelings natu-
rilUy cauie the fan^e Marks ajid Deforj^j-
/i^iClUpon ^vhich their Mind hath bee^^
^^.iintWt'? In general, why fliould not
tHfqfil?^^^/^;^ Cweep away, all before it ? ^;j
^1,34. As tip particular Inftances of thS^
cQfit^gious Nature, I Ihall feledl a few froiri^
H^ory.: ' Lucian relates *' a Difeafe feiz- Vol. ir.
iQg almofl all the Citizens of Abdera ; a Pag! 1.'
£5ort ;of Fever, which had a very ridicu-^' '^"^^^
Iqus'Effed:. They were all infligated to^'''^^'
a,' loud Roaring, iinging Scraps of T^ra-
gedy, and efpecially out of the Andromeda
of Euripides,
Cupid, Prince of God's and Meny &c.
l&},t E)ithufiafm continued during the Heat
oi^Xh^ Summer, but left them at ?Finter^^^
^ hum Laurent,
C i84 )
Mall. Laurent. Ananias fays, " Thofc Infer^
Mal€f. I HarpieSy the Devils^ fo defile and in-
lorn. 2. ''^ TM 1 1 1 11 1
Part 2. fed the Places they haunt, that all, who
P- ^3- come near them, fhall run fanatical and
mad. As it lately happened in the Or-
phan's Hofpital at Rome ; where in one
Night more than fifty Girls were pofefjed.'^
— Something like this was the Effedt of
the charming Bourignon'^ htftituiion. For
Solid. " in an Hofpital of poor Girls, whom fhe
Imroli ^baritably governed^ fhe difcovered them
all to be Witches in exprefs CompaSi with the
Devil.''
Thefe Accounts may not perhaps in
all Refpedrs agree with the Cafe of Mr.
IFe /ley's Patients. That Popifi Fajiaticifm
mufl run Parallel to it, I was perfuaded
in my own Mind, but could not be fully,
fatisfied, till I met with fome Cafes la
Wierus de Praftigiis^ which come up to
Lib. 3. a complete Comparifon. " Wonderful and
Cap.9,iOjj^Qj,j.;|^jg was the Vexation of fome Reli--
gious Nims at Wert^ feized by the Devil^
who, by Means of fome Salt brought to
them by an old Woman^ were grievouily
tormented 5 fome with Laughing Fits^ fome
horridly convulfed and contorted^ or lying
down as dead. Thefe Tortures continued a-
mong them in the Nunnery for three Years."
'*' A Cafe not unlike was that of fome Virgins
cmifecrated to the fir iB Rules of St, Bridget ;
who were tormented in divers ftrange
Manners^
EI. 12.
Manners, leaping about, and fcfeaming out
'horribly^ their Jaws cbntradted, &c. The
^'Gdiife of this Tragedy was imputed to a
Virgin in Love with a young Man ; but
her Parents thought it an ujifintable Match^
While {he was in this Anguifh, the De*
vil appeared to her in the Shape of that
young Man^ perfuading her to be a Pro^
fcJJ'ed Nun... She complied ; and no fooner
was cloifierd^ but [truck with a Fury^ £he
became a horrid Spectacle to all, in various
Refpeds. And the Evil, as by Contagion^
paffed into many others of the Nuns.'' —
. Of the fame Nature were the monjlrous
Convulftons of all Kinds inflicted by the
rDevil upon the Virgins in the Nunnery of
*'K€7itorpy which feized them once a Day,
Or oftener, continuing fometimes for feve-
ral Hours. Some of them in the Accejjion
of the Malady, on Account of the Con-
vul/ions of the Spiritual Parts, and the
Tongue, could not fpeak. They were
not equally torn ; but fome more, and
fome lefs. But this was almojl univerfaly
that when any one of them was feized >
the reji, though in feparate Apartments^
hearing only the tumultuous Noife of the
former, were tormented in the fame mi-
ferable Way. In order to difcover the
Origin, Increafe, and tragical liTue of this
Calamky 5 and to prevent other fuch At-
tempts and horrible Vexations of Satan -,
B b I (l^ali
f i86 )
I ihall truly relate, in few Words, what
upon diligent Enquiry I received from
Aline Lemgoii\ own Mouth, a fenfible Vt^^
gin, and one in this Nunnery.. ' Sh^ wa?
firft taken with a Pain in her left H^po-^
chondrium, arid. 'Jberng 'deemed Epileptic^
was fent to' \lnit'Mona/I'ery of Nofihert, to
drink out of St. Cornelhis's Scu//ywhevQ^
by the A^zm told about, but falfely, that
v^'e was betten Afterwards growing worfe,
together with W)6t'r M/zi, they went to
^^' Conjurer, who' told them, they wer^p
bewitched by Alice Kamentz. The Devil ^
taking a Handle fitffi^'this, began tor-
menting them ■ w\t^^anifo/d ConvulfionSy
ttihiblings on the Ground, depriying them
of-their^5^77/^j, making them bite and
^^^^ one another 5 fo that they feemed not
to -^ in their ^own Power, Afina, in her'
Fits', fpoke as if another [poke throu<Th her.:.
i^d^^underflood what flie fiid, but, aft^"
Ipeaking, mixxtXy forgot it. ^When ih^
would /r^y ferioufly, ihe was fo hindered
by 'the evil One, that file could not move.
her "^Giigue: But whenever ihe' run ovtr
her 5f^^j without Thought and Attention,
fhe did it ^vith Eafe .and Pleafure .' 5^/^;r
not hindering her. If a good Perfon fpoke
t5^^hbr,''Ihe feemed as punifhed by the>
Devii But if other Women talked to her
oi ludicrous Mmers, flie was wonderfully
pkafed. Whe^i flie was e^orcifed, flie
feefned to vomit an incredible Quantity of
Eflood, but felt no Hurt. But this was
co^nmo?2.ta a// tbe,^Firgins thus poffeffed By
tM^..pf^/i[, tftatT: together with irregulaf-
Pahh^ tncy had a creeping Senfation under
the Soles of their Feet, as if burned with
hot Water y The Devil w2iS u fed to fpeak
frequently^ and much out. of the Mouths
of the younger Girls ^ when deprived of their
Senfes, and terrify them with Vifions^ and
appearing to them in divers Shapes. As to
Anna herfelf, when her Parents had takpn:.
her out of the Ntmnery^ and fhe had taken
2. ^pX^i Refohitiofi never to return to it,
\5i&^'^jerve God out of it in a fmnder
f^i/^'the Calamity was.^mE^d
fiis bertainly was an excellent Remedy,
And yet Efjthufafm had fuch hold of her,
that{** whenever the Mother Abbefs feri%
l]fe^lDid|;'^ X^^^i^ her Body was in:,,^
Morfor!^ %is if ffie was relapfing. At length
fhe married^ and felt no more of her Dif
order. She added, that Alice Kamentz
herfelf would fometimes be, as it wer^\
Epileptic, and tz\k fen felefy ; and the Nuns
concluded, flie brought this Evil on hery^
felf that fhe might not feem to have b^r
witched otherf. Hence they imputed their
Tdfments neither to God, nor to the Devi I y
hvLt to Alice Kame72tz," — Wier relates far-
t^r^^^|*^^li6v\^ fhe Contagion foon caught;
tfefe' neighbouring Towns and Villages, ef-
"- B b 2 pecially
pecially five Perfons, whom a cerlain
Preacher had taken into hh Qjamber, in
order to guard them againfi. the De-oices of
cT'" ■ /^^ ^^^^tes too fome other Cafes
oi this mfeBious Natur^^^^N\ilch can't de^
r^Ki?/)' be tranlcribed. ■„,'.,,'' . , ,V:
Thefe feveral Circumftanccs fo exaaitft
tally with Mr. mjefs Patients. I th{i»kv\4
every Particular, that they ftand in need
of no Appltcatloyj. Nor is it neceffary to .
■determine precifely, -mho, or lii.at, is the..
Lauje. Popery and MethoJifm are ao-feedr
as to Matter of Fa8i; which ,s my proper-
Bvfinefs to fiew. Oncf^^c oi Advice
however, in Dr. /^^Vr!s ^Words, I wo-ild
^^^fj^^^}^'^ -^''^Vding contagious Company,
^i-%- ^4-7-^"")'''';°^^^°?'^ Should be d^s;
poMed tn the fame Place, (as is ufiial -ifiT
Mj«^>na, particularly of Virgins, whofe-
Organs are moft expofed to Satan's Pr.m>k(^
before all Things Care, /hquld -be '.takeftt
Mfeparate the:n, and, fend, each td theifi
t arents and Relations ; and not leave them
to huperjlitious Priefts, .and' Impoflvrs, -. Ja.
Hopes of a Cure from their pretended Ce-
remomes- or think by ^^y^r^ Rites to drive
away the Devil, who does but /<^/.^^ at,
and delude them.—Toung Perfons efpecially,
.hould never be admitted to thefe horrid
Spi£tc!cles, \c9i htrng frighted vslth the Ikt-
commonnfs and Violence, '^.fbe Torments,
they (hould contraSf the Evil themfelves,"
On
On the contrary, Mr. Wefley is labouring^
heartily to bring as many fuch together as',
he can, efpecially of \\\^ younger Sort -^
aftd to fee-'them groaning, convulfed, ftruc%
to the 'Gtoti^a,'and ftriking others dpw^t
in Heaps, by Sympathy, or Cont agio fii and
the more the^ better :— This is his peculiars
Bufwefs;'Bis^'''¥f'ade, and his Joy, ThC
Article therefore I conchide1n.^tfi.e Words
of M CafaubbHy^' To commend this toEmhof.
cr-tj'/Wrv People, and to Women efpecially, P- '7 '-S-
ii)^;.perfuade then^-td'^'M^^??^-/], and 19,
expofe them to the tlufions oftheDevilf^
dways ready to take fuch Advantages. The^.
Ufe of 'this Theology doth moft properly
belong to Jefitits, and Jefuited Politicians ;
vcbo have no better Way to bring their
Defigns to pafs, than by the Hands of
thoft, whom they h2Mt brought up to thefe
m^pt^"^ ^fW'm& -htMts their com^"
itlOii-'Obligaiidfi'' of blind Obedience y-h^.
low^,' foi'CQd, wild Contemplation y are ^bea
c©me ecjiatical, /, e, fitted for any defpel
rme Attempt, — Let others admire Witch^^
and Magicians ^^ much as they will ^ I
honour and admire a good Ph\ fid ah much
more-, who- can (as God's hiftrument) hv
M'Knowledg^ of -A&Z'^r?, bring .a Mao^f
Imymght mti again;' When he liatt^ Ipft
theiiV^fefKi I tremble {Homofumi bumani
Tiihfl^W'm'^ alhmm putoY\whtn I think that
( 19^ )
nR-^^Zetie Madman is emugh 't& 4i9feB a wMe
§. 35. This Cafe of Sympathy and Con--
iagion may perhaps receive additional
.^j^^Y/ Light, by confidering mljat Sort of Perfons
r-^:^ ^e moft likely to fall into Enthujiafmy
particularly that of Methodifm ; and con-
fequently into thefe dreadful Diforders and
Torments^ both cf Body and Mind, This
fhall be done partly in my own Words,
partly by their Pagan and PopiJIo AUusi^
and partly by their Siuondam Favourite Mr^J.
haWy in his Treatife of Regeneration \ for;
which he has incurred Mr. Wejlefs Indig-^
.bidi nation, mi^i^^oi'' .aonaH—'.^iiJ^X ^^^^
^* ^ -^ /( I . ) roi^ng ' Perfons, " BoyV '^^A "GirtBi^-
Thefe being arrived neither to Ripeneft
cf Reafon, nor folid Conftitution of Body,
ai^er-cafily moved by Hopes ' ancl^ffeAfe^
are credulous^ foon pofTeiTed with ^^twies"^
of Witches, Apparitions, or any Thing
marvellous ; foft ajid duBile^ fitted to re-
ceive any ImpreffionSy i(y (£a\(^f'FifionSy^\o'
receive InfeBion, iri general, from a Ten-
dernefs of Frame eafily Jiruck down, or";
^prepared to follow others by Imitation.
Hence we hear fo oficnWp^^^ young Boys
and Girls, and Children, ih the Metho- '
dijTo Journals, grievoufly diftrefled for their
Souls, crying out in Faith, dropping dow^ii; .
G?^* Hence their Account of the i>^riV^
revenU
( 191 )
revealing himfelf to a Girl of about feven See En.
Years old, in an amazing Manner 3 fo p^"^*j
that, wrapped up in his Spirit, Jhe funk p. 77*
to nothing, prophefied-, with nr^ny fuch In-
ftances of the out-pouriiig of tlie Spirit:"^
— Hence '^ that idle Boy, John WooUey^ Wpiley
thought there was never in the World fuch 5 Journ,
a wicked Child as himfelf; after he hadP-^7«
ht^x^lAuWeJley, theDmVfet upon him
with all his Might, but fuddenly he is
fuFfounded with an inexpreffible Light ^
and fays, ' though I am not in Hea'ven
yet, I am as fure of it, as if I was ;' and-
af^^rwards Chriji came and talked with-
him. He lived fome Months above thir-
teen Years." — Hence, *' feveral were con- Ibid,
ftrained to roar aloud, and thefe generally P' ^^*
not young, as in inoji other Places-, but
either middle-aged, or older."
. It might here be obferved from Variety
of Hijioriesy that Witchcraft and Magic-
have the moft powerful Effects upon Chil^
dren, who are ufually the SubjeBs of their
Operation and Cruelty, v^.-^ci^ivd ^hb 3vi3:>
Plutarch mentions it as fomethlng k??-Sympor.
traordinary, '' that the Thibii near Poiitus,^^ ^'
by a Look, Breathing, or a Word, would'^'^" ^'
fafcinate not only Children, but Perfons
of full Age. Whereas only Children, of a"-
tender and moift Conftitution, were ufu-^
ally thus affeded, thcfe Effeds feldom^^
happening to folid and compad: Bodies."—"
Parti-
( 192 )
Apolcg. Particularly as to young Perfons, TerfuU
^^•^3- li^ji tells us, that the " Heathen Magi-
cians y among other miraculous ImpoJlureSy
were wont to knock down and Jlun Boys to
viake them pi^ophefy."' [Pueros in eloqiiium
Oraculi elidunt.'] /. e. fays Rigaltius, " con-
Jlernunt, For being inchanted they fell
down, as Epileptic \ and afterwards having
lofi their Senfes^ t\\zy /poke oracularly^ and
A^xAM'm. uttered Prophecies.'' Accordingly, ylpu-
^xil'"'' ^''^^^"^> (^^^ famous Platoniji, one initiated
p. 446, into the great Myfteries, and fufpected of
"^S^y ^71' Sorcery) was formally accufed oi Magic ^
^^^' as having drawn the Affecfions of a rich
Woman by Inchantments^ and alfo being
ufed to fir ike down a Boy flat on the Pave-
vienf, and deprive him of his Senfes, for
magical Piirpofes. And how doth he de-
fend himfelf ? He owns the Fal^ of the
Boys falling before him, as in a Fit, But
pleads partly in Defence o{ Magic ^ as fbre-
(hewing the Mind of 'Jie Gods^ by Miracles
and Divination ; partly by denying that he
made ufe of any ivicked Kind cf Magic ;
and partly affirming, that the Froftration
of the Boy was not from Inchantment^
but Difeafe ', and nothing bat mere Epi-
lepfy. Fie brings, however, Inftances of
tjich anted Boy Sy ixom great Authorities, who
foretold Things miraculoujly. But whe-
ther this could really be done, he will
neither confefs^ nor deny."
Ouf
( 193 )
Our Methodiji Teachers acknowledge
and boaft, that *' their young Difciples
are often thrown to the Ground^ become
fefifelefs^ are illuminated, prophetic^ &c. and
that either by the Oper^ation of Satan, or
themfehesy If this be true ; it certainly
comes near to Sorcery and Magic, They
may be allowed whatever may be pleaded
in Favour of ancierit Magicians ; but their
hejl Plea would be to prove the Cafe Epi-
leptic, or fome limilar Dijlemper.
(2.) The next Perfons thus affecfted are
Women-, who, (notwithltanding fome E.v-
ceptions) may, without Offence, be called
the Tjeaker VeJJels. They are not, how-
ever, my own Expreffions, but thofe of
Exorcifts, and others of the Papacy, and
even Female Saints -, who defcribe " the
Sex as weak, vain, full of Curiofity, and
Lovers of Novelty, eafily gained by a Shew
of Piety, and eipecially any Fraternities
fetting up for fome aufkre Reformation :
Thefe C^alities making them fit Organs
of Satan's lllufwns, and moft expofed to
Super flit ion and Entbufiajm.'' — " Some Mall.
think themfelves tormented by the Devil, J^^^^^i
when tis only imagination -, and this mp. 13,.
Women more than Men, becaufe more
timorous, and more fufceptible of ifnagi-
nary, marvellous Af^pearances, Vijions and
Revelations ; their very Nature being of .
an eafier and foftcr ImpreiTion." — ^' Fa-
Cc tbcr
( 194 )
Franc. ^Jj^r Francis Goncius had the Honour of
feto.' extirpating a fpreading Hypocrify among
p. 274. the Women ^ who were governed by zpnple^
cr malicious Prejbyter, As the Sex^ in
order to gain an Opinion of Sandlty, is
obnoxious to Illufions and Fidiions ^ Ibme
pretended Raptures and Sights of the
Damned, and the Blefcd :, lome in Jor^
ments^ and to be refcued only by the afore-
faid Prejbyfer. Thefe IHufions being ex-
tindt, F\ Francis warmed them all into
a religious Devotion towards St. Ignatius^
and St. Xavier.'' — Picus of Aliraiidida
(Lib. 9. de Pratiot.) concludes, that the
Gift of prophefyiiig was granted to Women
rather than Men, becaufe the mod fooliJI^
Life. 5^^,'."— St. T^r^^ confelTcth, that "" JDf'^
^^°8- ^e ^^^"^^^^S^ ^^^ ^^'^ Monafleries are moil among
\oz7 'the Women, whofe Nature is weak, and
their Sell-Love very fubtle, and they are
' deceived of themfelvcs." She fays, '' How-
ever, (for the Honour of the Ladies) that
in thefe Monajlcries the Favours of God
to fome are very great; aftonirhing the
Spedlators by Rapts, Vipons, Ecjlacies, &cc,
— - 1 have known fome, v/ho wanting but
little of quite lofing their Judgn:ients, are
yet fo humble, &c. and defirous of fuffer-^
ing their Purgatory here to efcape it here-
after." — If we look into profane Anti-
quity, we find enough of the Bacchana-
lian Women, &;c. The Pythian PriejieJlh
v/ere
( i95 )
Were fo enthufAijlically mad in delivering the
Oracles, and were fo violently torji and con-
viilfed, as fometimes to die upon the Spot.
—If we look into Ecdefi^fiical H^rejies, we
find the Dance began by Sifn. Magus with
his i?ifpired Projlitute^ Helena ; and that
not only Mo?2tanus had his Frifcilla and
Maximilla • but ahiioft all made ufe of
Wo7nen as the fittejl Organs for Infptra-
tiony Prophecy, Vijion, and every Deluf.on,
— Siilpitius Severus in his facred Hijlory^
[thofe, who have not the Book, may con-
fult Bayle in the Article Prifcillian] gives
this Account of Prifcillian, " He was
vehement, reftlefs, eloquent, learned, rea-
dy at Logic and Difputations. Happy in*
deed, had he not corrupted the beft Ca-
pacity by an evil Application -, for he had
many good Qualities of Mind and Body.
He would watch long, bear Hunger and
Thirft ; not covetous of Wealth, and very
temperate in the Ufe of it. But the fame
Man was the vainefl of Mortals, puffed
up beyond Meafure on account of his
worldly Knowledge, and befides was fup-
pofed to have pradtifed 'the magic Arts.
from his Youth. When he had broached
his pernicious DoBrine, by his Art of
Perfuafion, and crafty Infinuations, he en-
ticed into his Society many of Nobility^
and more of the Popidace. Moreover,
the Women being fond of new Things,
C c 2 unliable
( 196 )
unftable in the Faith, and of a boundlefs
Ctiriofity, flocked to him in Troops, For,
by carrying a Shew of Humility in his Face
and Habit, he had contracted a general
Reverence.'' He is likewife defcribed,
as^ " rafli and headftrong, patient of Hard-
Ihips, of a doubling Genius, crafty and
beguiling, eloquent, but very mad. " —
He was inftrudted and affifted by ylgape,
an honourable Woman, in carrying on
the fecret Myjleries ; and flie was the Mo-
ther of the Agapetce, or Love-Feajlers -,
vvhofe Rites became by Degrees fo very
fcandalous, that St. Jercrne tells Oceaims,
*' you are expofed to the Teeth of De-
tradors, unlefs you difmifs the Affemblies
of theAgapetc^r —It may be added, that
Prifcillian and his Follo%vers, though in the
Sink of Corruption, yet aflumed high
Claims ^ to Knowledge, Illumination a?2d
TerfeBion, — If we defcend lower into
Fopijh Artifices, v/e fee thefe Saintefes m
Abundance, according in all Things with
Methodifm ; as the whole Comparifon hath
fhewn. Particularly the Diabolical Itifef-
iations, and j'ltrprixing Contagions, (from
Wierus) were all among the iV/^;?i. And
the greater Part of the Dramatis Ferfince,
in the Tragi-Comedy^ of Methodifm, appear
to have been ABrefes,
(3.) Perfons of ql fickle aiid mcojififient
Bumour-, thefe are naturally fond of Inno-
vations,
( 197 )
fijafions^ ading by Starts, and fudden
Flights 3 and always prepared for the Re-
ception of every Pretejider^ that fets up
for new-modelling Religion,
(4.) Perfons, though pioufly inclined,
yet of nx^eak "Jiidgmeiits^ or weak Nerves ;
thefc are not only eafily captivated by fine
Promifes and fair Speeches ; but quickly
raifed with Flaflies and Gufts of Spiritual
Joys, and as quickly overwhelmed with
difmal Apprekciifioiis', carried up to Heaven
by every Wind of Dodtrine, and down
again to the Deep ; ready foftened for the
Stamp of Irnpzdfes, If?2prejwns, Feelings^
Villous, and mod fubjed: (as the weakejl
Heads are iboneft made giddy) to bodily
Agitations and Convulfions, Vertigos, &c.
(5.) Perfons difordered with Hypochon^
driac Fumes, a?id 7nelancholy Vapours, and
divers other peculiar Diftempers. Thefe
generally love a gloomy and black Religion^
fuiting their Divinity to their Temper, as
every Thing turns four upon a vitiated Sto-
mach ; and are more defirous to nourijh^
than to throw off, their Dijcafc ; and for
the fame Realbns become natural and
willing Victims to the Stroke, that fells
them to the Ground. — If the Brain is a
little touched, and there is fomcthing of
Madnefs in the Cafe; this of Courfe pre-
pares People foi any wild Scheme, defpe-
rate
( 198 )^
rate Attempt, and . every Sort of extrava-
gant Behaviour.
(6.) Perfons of lively Parts^ and hrijk
Fancy ^ (though in a perfect State of Health)
for Want of a fohd and fettled Judgnient^
may be equally in Danger. When the
Afflatus hath once touched theni, from
a Nimblenefs of Imagination they are the
fooner blovt^n up, and by a Connedlion
of Ideas impetuoufly carried on from one
Whim to another. They are better qua-
lified than 2. Jlcw Capacity, to fee, hear,
feel, and ad v/hat is appointed for them ;
as well as to exprefs their Senfations in the
ftrongeft and mofl: glowing Terms. No
Fervency and Zeal, no Fluency of Lan-
guage, will be wanting for a Communi-
cation of the Infcdion.
(7,) Perfons of an ainGvoiis Complexion
are as likely as any to fail into Enthii-
fiafms', particularly with Refpedl to fome
^ftrange Tranfports of Divine Love. From
a Similitude, and clofe Correfpondence of
this Paflion, confidered as fialural and re-
ligious^ we hear, in each Cafe, of fuch
' Meltings, Languiflimcnts, Huggings and
clofe Embracements of the Deity, fuch
Raptures, Tumults, Sinkings, Swoonings,
Defpairings and Diflradion, and Lofs of
Senfes.' Plutarch defcribeth a Lover, as
Vol. II. <^ burning, pale, trembling, feizGd with a
^^\ll'' Vertigo. Is not this, fays he, a manifeft
^'' ' infpired
( 199 )
infpired Fury, a Droine Fojfejjion and Agi--
tation of the Scid ? V/hat io extraordinary
ever happens to the Fythonefi, when flie
toucheth the Tripod ? Which of the E«-
thufiajlic Corybantes upon hearing the Pipe
and the Timbrel, have been fo carried out
of themfelves?" — And a very higcniGiis
and good Man, (for fuch I really think he
was) and who hath carried the Notions
of Divine Love to a fufficient Height,
though he adopts the Sentiment, is yet
wife enough to caution againft the Dan-
ger, The Perfon I mean is Mr. Norris^
who fays, ** there is aa Amorous Trinciple ^
in- Man, which mnft neceffarily have an
Object ', and, he- thinks, Perfons of the
mofl: a?77orGUs Affections, the moft likely to
make Spiritual Lovers. — In the Love of
God, as 'tis a Pq/Jion, the Motion of the
Will is attended with a fenfible Commo-
tion of the Spirits, and EJluation of the
Blood, — 'Tis an experimental Truth, that
PaJJion is a great Injirument of Devotion,
Accordingly we find that Men of the moil
lioarni and pathetic Tejnpers, and affec-
tionate Cojnpiexions, (provided they have
but Confideration enough withal not to
mijlake the Objecl) prove the greateft Vo^
taries in Religion y Burton too, in his
A^tcitomy oj Melancholy, often mentions.
Hypochondriac Enthufiafm as prone to Vc--
ncry,
Mr,
( 200 )
Mr. TVeftky Hall became one, it feems,
of the fiill Bj^ethre?7, has publickly and
zealoufly pleaded for the moft infamous
Carnalities, Nor doth Mr. Wejley him-
felf feem fufficiently upon his Guard,
4 Joura. when he comamendeth fo highly, " that
^' ^^^* Mother in Ifrael^ Jane Muncy\ becaufe ihe
withftood to the Face thofe who were
teachifig for DoBrines the Cornmandmeiits of
Men^ by ordering, that the wtmarried
Men and Women fliould have no Conver-
fation with each other/' There' needs
not any zealous Contention for fuch pro^
mifciioiis Afjemblies ^ even though many
ihould hereby become Mothers iji IfraeL
I fliall on this Head beg Room for a
few Paflages out of the great Majler of
Nature ; becaufe fo confonant to feveral of
the Difpoftions before related.
Ariaotl. E?2thtifjajls often term their Extravagan-
Problcm. ^j^g ^ Spiritual Drunkemiefs, In like
Manner Ariftotle makes a Campari fon be-
tween " the Nature and Effeds of WinCy
and thofe of Melancholy^ or the black Bile.
Each maketh Men various^ angry, loving,
quiet, fierce, filent, talkative. Wine find-
ing Men cold and fullen^ by a gradual In-^
creafe of the Dofe renders them more talk-
ative, eloquent and confident; then quar-
relfome, raging, and even mad ; — at laft
turneth them into flupid Fools, like Per-.
fons cpileotic, or deeply melancholy. — •
The
( 201 )
The fame Man continues not long In the
fame Humour; he laughs and cries, is
timorous and bold ; is filled both with
Heaf and Wind-, whereby Venus is the
ufual Companion of Bacchus, And for
the fame Reafon your melancholy Men are
generally lafcrcicus, as being very fiatulenf.
— The black Bile is one of the coldejl
and hotteji of Things ; Naturally cold^ and
bringing on Apoplexy^ Stupor^ Defpondency^
a7id Terrors : But once fet on Fire, it pro-
duceth Singing, Security, Ecjlacles and In-
flammations. — Many from the Approach
of this Heat to the Seat of the Mind, are
feized with mad and enthufiafllc Fits ; be-
coqie Sybils, Bacchanals, and Infpired, No-
thing fo various and inconftant as this
black Humour', now chilling Men with
Fear and Trembling -, foon ralfing again
their Courage-^ opprefiing us with Sorrow
and Defpondency, we know not why ; then
making us rejoice and exult, for as little
Reafon, &c." He then inquireth into the
Reafons, " why the Agents In the Baccha-
nalian Myfteries are, for the mofl: Part,
Perfons of fuch bad Morahr — To fuch
ConjVitutlonal Dlforders is the human Kind
fubjed ; and if the Managers of Metho-^
dlfm can turn thcje Natural Caufes and
EffeBs Into fo many Principles and Proofs
of true Religion -, they muft be allowed
fome Share of Artifice and Contrivance,
Dd («OPer-
( 202 )
(8.) Peribns of bad Principles will be
fond of mingling with an Enthufiaflic Sect.
— As, for Inftance, HypccriteSy who lay-
ing hold of devout Appearances^ and high
Pretenfions to Religion, are defirous to pafs
upon the World for Saints -, in order to
deceive the more effedliially. — Perfons of
a vain and ambitious Mind, who love to
be fomebody in a new Difpenfation, that
makes a little Noife in the World ; and
knowing how unable they are to make
a Figure elfewhere, muil: needs be at the
Head of difeparate Tarty or SeB -, or elfe,
from mere Conceitednefs, will fet up to be
Teachers, Preachers, or Expounders. Hence
. Mr. Brainerd o\wr\s^ that Satan has gained
Journ. an Advantage, " Spiritual Pride appear-
p. 1 08. jj^g jj^ ^^ Ambition to be Teachers of
others." To which he afterwards addeth,
that " Spiritual Pride and Delufions na-
turally lay a Foundation for Jcandalous
PraBices.'' Hence fo many ignorant,
fawcy Bays and Women ramble about the
Country, picking the Pockets of {illy
People, 2isMetbodiJl Preachers, To whom,
Enthuf. however, Mr. Wefiey gives Authority, be-
2d Part, caufe &W gave them Wifdom from ar
^' ^^ * bove." — Perfons of an impertinent and un-
njoarrantable Curiojity will readily be taken
in* As the Journalijls give Accounts of
Heart-Sins revealed and laid bare ; Things
dijlant and abjent fcen as plainly as if pre-
Jent ',
( 203 )
fent ', future Events foretold hy Prophecy^
ViJiGus and Infpratlons^ both Cclejtial and
Satanical, and the like; — To Met ho dijm
therefore muft we ail gang, and be ini-
tiated mioihtfublime Myftiries'y muft even
learn from Satan what GWhath concealed,
and bear from Satan, or elfe the cimningMan^
Tortures which God hath ?JOt required.
Lafdy, Perfons oi prof i gate Lives, and
Libertine Sentiments, are wont to take up
With fiich Dekifions. When they are touch-
ed with a Senfe of Guilt, their Reafon is
fo hurried and diftradlxd, that they know
not which Way to turn -, but are apt
(like People, on fome great Lofs, flying
to the Conjurer, or Wizard) to betake
themfelves to fome fallacious Expedient ^
unfaf Security, falfe DoBrine, or S^uack
Remedy, of a Mouth that fpeaketh great
Things ; neglefting every regular Method,
Thus 'tis no uncommon Thing f )r Prcfi-
gates and Libertines, in the ylrticle of
Danger, to catch hold on the Pafsport of
Popery, or Methodifm, Which probably
is a Device of Satan to beguile them ; or
'' becaufe they have not received theaTheff.
Love oi Truth, God may permit a jlrong'^'^—'
Delufon, that they ihould believe a Lye."
In fnort, I am fully perfuaded, that
'tis fome Fault, or fome Difeaje, fome
Diforder of Mind or Body, that cni-ieth
weak and wicked Perfons into the En'-
D d 3 thiijii[f}n
( 204 )
thufmfm of Methodifm : Which (as the
Relult of my beft Thoughts, and Integrity
of Heart ) I would advife all to avoid,
and not to come among them on any Ac-
count whatfoever.
Veniunt Icve '■oiilgiis^ eiintque^
Illic Creduhtasy illic temerarhis Error,
Vanaque Lc^titia efi, conjiernatique Timor es,
Seditioqtie repejis, - - ■■ ■
" Tcung Perfons, the Methodip tell us,
are apt to run into Extremes -^'^ and there-
fore no regular and tedious Courfe oi Re-
pentance and good Works will ferve the
Turn. Far don, Afjurance^ and Afjgelical
PerfeBion muft rapidly be fnatched up ;
juft as the Schcolmen fay, *' of Angels, that
they can pafs injiantaneouf.y from one Ex-
treme of Space to another, without pafTing
through the Mediu?n,''
§. 36. Having thus obferved fome of
the Evils attending the Profelytes to Me^
tbodijmy at length we arrive at the boafled
Cure, the Removal of thefe horrible Suf-
ferings. Sta'-c, and efeBual, this ought
to be, to make a Compenfation ; and 'tis fit
a Paracelfus, or Ignatius, (hould be called
in, with their infallible Remedies. Mr.
Wejley^ from 2ifeemhig Renunciation oj M-
racks, as was obferved before, gets gra-
dually
( 205 )
dually Into a ftili Claim of them. Some of
his Cures are plainly declared to be mi^
ractdous', and others reprefented with fuch
a miraculous Air^ as can't fail of fucceed-
ing with his Followers, He fays of him-
felf, '' I was fuddenly feized with fuch a 4 Journ.
Pain in my Side^ that I could 720t Jpealz, P* ^7-
I knew my Remedy, and immediately
kneeled down. In a Mome?7t the Pain was
gone." — Again; " 1 was feized with fuch p. 83.
a Cough ^ that I could hardly fpeak. At
the fame time came ftrongly into my
Mind, T'hefe Signs JJmll follow them that
believe, — I called on fefiis aloud to increaje
my Faith ^ and to confirm the Word of his
Grace, While I was fpeaking, my Pain
vanifhed away. The Fever left me. My
bodily Strength returned, ©c/'
The Credulity of fome of your Followers
will readily fwallow it. But why will
you teach them fuch a frefuwptuoiis Lef
/on ; and which their own Experiences, I
doubt, would confute'? Suppofe any iliould
be feized in the fame Manner, with Pain^
Lofs of Speech^ a Cough, or Fever ; and
fliould immediately kneel down, beg an
Increafe of Faith, a Co7ifirmation of God's
Word', — Will you anfwer for their per-
fed: Cure in a Moment ? Or, if they (liould
not obtain it, into what do you lead them,
but into a Difi?elief of God's Word, Mi-
racles^ Goodnfs and Providence ? What
mull
( 206 )
muft they think, but that they are Cajla^
zc^ys ; liave no Pardon^ no Faith 3 and
thereby fall into Dejpair -, in which Mire.
they arc fo often ^wallowing ? — However,
you came off a little better than Cardan^
one of your V/himfical Breth?'en -, who
Vita Prop, f^ys, '' I will relate another Thing. (For
"^' ^'^' my whole Life abounds with fuch Ex-
amples.) I was fo iii of 2. Pleurify, that I
defpaired of Life. I had read in fome
ColleBions of my Father^ ' that if any one
at Eight in the Morning, on tlie Qdends
of Aprils would entreat the Bkfed Vir-
gin on his bended Knees, for any Thing
lawful, he fliould obtain his Requeft. I
obferved punctually the Day and Hour,
and made my Supplication ^ and then, not
inftanily indeed, but on Corpus Chrifi Day
in the fame Year, I was wholly fet free.
Afterwards, remembering this Fac^, I made
my Supplication in the Gout, (for my jFj-
iher had produced two Inftances of Per-
fons thus cured of that Diftemper.) And
it made me much better, and foon per-
feftly healed. But in this, I had Recourfe
like wife to Medicines'' — Mr. B^efley a-
5 journ. gain ; *' This Evening I received two
^•"9* Blows. But both were as nothing; for
tho' one Man ftruck me on the Breaji
with all his Might, and the other on the
Mouth wth fuch a Force, that the Blood
gufied out immediately; I felt no more
Pain
( 207 )
Pain from either of the Blows, than if
they had touched me with a Straw J"
Here is perfonal Proof of his Doflrine
of Infenfibiliiy, and that " the Servants of
God fiiff'er ?iothingJ' Their Feeling is
quick enough, when there is nothing to
be felt ; but let them have a JVou?id^ or
Blow^ given with the utmoji Force^ their
Senjation is lolt ; 'tis but the gentle Touch
of a Straw, However, I give, at leaft, as
much Credit to the Relation in the Bre-
viary, ( in iifiun Sarum ) that " when
the Officers would bind St, Clement to aNov. z?^
Pillar, in order to whip him, they found
they were only binding and whipping a
Poji ;** God fubftituting a Log of Wood in
the Place of the Saint's Body. .
§.37. I fhall pafs over many Tales of
this wonderful Nature in Mr. JVeJley's four-^
■iials, and proceed to confider the Bulk
and Magazine of his miraculous Cures^ a-
mong his fallings convuljed, or otherwife
tortured Patients ^, in which his great
Strength lies. And what if we fliould
de?7y the ba£is ? I mean, fo far as any
Thing of Miracle is concerned. Grounds
and Reafons enough may appear, even
from his own Accounts. From his nu-
merous Accounts therefore let us feledt ^
few loftauces of this Kind.
" When
( 208 )
3 Journ. <« When he (the Newgate Phyjician)
^' ^^^' law her Body and Soul healed in a Mo^
menty he acknowledged the Finger of God.'*
p. 44. — " He then beat himfelf againft the
Ground again ; his Breaft heaving, as in
the Pangs of Death, and great Drops of
Sweat trickling down his Face. VVe all
betook ourfelves to Prayer. His Pangs
ceafedy and both his Body and Soul were
p. 93. fet at Liberty.'' — '' In a Moment Godfpoke
Peace unto the Soul, fir ft, of the firft-
tormented, and then of the other." —
P. 95. «« L — y C — rs Agonies fo increafed, that
it feemed fhe was in the Pangs of Death.
But in a Moment God fpoke, fiie knew
his Voice, and both her Body and Soul
4 Journ. ^^^^ l^^aled."— " Some, whom God per-
^' ^ ' mitted Satan to poflefs with Laughing al-
moft without cealing, and who thus con-
tinued, for two Days, a Spedacle to ally
were, upon Prayer made, delivered in a
Moment,'"
Thefe Cafes, and many other fuch, (if
Mr. Wefley pleafeth) fliall be allowed at
prefent to ftand upon Account as i^ijlan-
taiieouSy miracidous Cures, Let him only
give me Credit for a little Time. To
3 Journ. thefe he may add, '^ his twenty-fix Per-
^'5^* fons thus affecSed, who were in a Moment
filled with Peace and Joy:" — Item, his
Divine Removals of Diforders, where the
Patient's
( 209 )
Fatlenfs Cafe was " wo\. underpod, or3 Jouro.
falfely deemed MadnefSy or Natural DiJ-^^^tl,^^/
temper \ or their being pronounced ijicu-^^ 2^,
rable, or given over, by the Phyftcia72 , and
the Neceffity of a better Pby/idan/*
The Legends of the Saints are fuch Com-
mon-place Books of thefe iDonderful Cures,
that Cart-loads of Parallels might be pro-
duced. Mr. Wefley fays, " he hath read
that furprizing Book, the Life of Ignatius
Loyola 5 furely one of the greateft Men,
©*r." And I find there too many Pa-
rallels, and fimilar ExpreJJions, to make
any Doubt of it. For, " when a Boy's Bartol.
Cafe was undertaken by a Chirurgeon, a"^^^- ^§"-
more Jkilfid Phyfician w^as neceffary ; the^og^^^'.^.
Boy muft be healed by Ignatius, — An 443 > 444-
Epileptic Woman, biting and tearing her-
felf, having tried Phyficians in vain, by
imploring the InterceJJion of the Man of
God, was immediately made as found and
free, as if flie had never been difordered.
— Another receives iyiflantaneous Cure both
of Soul and Body, — Another grievoufly
tormented, by promifing to attend Igjia-
tius's. Chapel, and go to Confejjion, wonders
to find her felf cured intirely in an Infa?it.
— One pofejjed by the Devil was perfecflly
motionlejs and Jpee chiefs ; then again, furious
and roaring, Phyficians afcrihed this un-
accountable Diforder to the black Bile, but
in Truth many Devils had feized her 5 and
E e aftec
( 2IO )
after her Vow to St. Ignatius they all fled,
leaving the Woman free from all Com-
plaints.'* .^ — Such Numbers of miraculous
Cures may be brought, and fo highly re-
dounding to the Glory both of Ignatius^
and Mr. Wejley, that o?ie Miracle will pror-
bably, and unhappily, be turned upon
myfelf.^ Mr. Wejley has got fuch a Knack
of taking an Advantage, that I fhall fair-
ly trafifcribe the Story^ before he can
make the Application. Bartolus fays, '' A
Religious of a certain Order ^ but unworthy
of the Religious Habit, being envious and
incredulous, took upon him to write a Sa-
tire againji St. Ignatius. But upon look-
ing back on what he had written, he was
furprized to find that his Hand had v/rote
what was diredlly contrary to the Dilates
of his malicious Mind-, for there was no-
thing but Traifes of Ignatius, inflead of
Ahufes. Thinking there muft have been
fome Mijiakc, he takes his Ten in Hand
again, in order to redtify the Error, and
vent his Wrath ; and again his Hand could
do nothing, but fet down Traifes of the
Saint, inf. ead of Railleries. A third Ti?ne
repeating his malicious Defgn, he was de-
luded in the fapie Manner. Moreover, fu-
pid and angry as he v/a^, while he was
renewing his facrilegious Attempt, his Ren
ju?nped out of his Hand into the Middle of
the Room, and his Hand^ turned by au
cccuH
(211 )
occult Powery hit himfelf a great Blow on
the Face : So that, at length, being quite
cj}:amed and affrighted, he changed both
his Stile and Mind towards the Saints
'Tis true indeed, that I have been forced^
as it were, to difplay the Coriifiation of Mr.,
Wejlef^ Miracles \ this Moment my Pen
is in my Hand, not yet leaping out of it^
and ready (contrary to my Intention) to
make a fmall Addition, " A pejliknt Dif- BartoL
eafe raged at this Time ; fome dead, others P' ^^"^
dying. Application is made to the Fa-
thers of the Society y who fend the Image
of St. Ignatius among them. And from
the Time of this Image being brought*
all, who implored the Saint's healing
Handy grew perfeBly welly not one ex-^
cepted ; not even thofe who were in Ex-
trenies'' Now admitting only, (and who
will deny it ? ) that Mr. Wefey is the
Image of St. Ignatius ; he will aftord a
like Cafe. '' I vifited the Sicli. Moft of 4 Jc^ni.
them were ill of the Spotted Fever 5 which, P' ^'
they informed me^ had been extremely mor-
tal \ few Perfons recovering from it. But
G^/^ had faid, Hitherto fialt thou come. I
believe, there was not onCy where we were^
but recovered"'
But whatever Miracles Mr. IVefiey maV
bring to Account -y I judge, that I ought;
to be impartial, and make proper Deduc^
tiojiSy v.'hatever be the Event ^ though, in
E e 2 . Confer
( 212 )
Confequence, I fliould be miracuUzed into
Dread and Shame ^ for tarnifliing his Glory*
§. 38. One may obferve then, that a
great Number of his Cures were very im-
ferfeBj and oi foort Continuance \ and that
many of his "Patients grow ijoorfe and die j
all from his own Accounts,
3 Journ. " A Woman cried out, as in the Ago-*
pag. 24. j^;V^ Qf Death. The Minijier of the Parifh
told her Husband fl:te was mad. The
Phyjicians blood, blifter her, and fo on.
Till the laft Night, He, whofe Word was
Jharper than a?2y two-edged Sword, gave
her a feint Hope, that he would undertake
her Cure/' Nor is any more faid of her.
P. 26. — "A few of us pray'd for him -, and
from that time (as his Parents (ince in-
formed us) he had more rejl (altho' not
a full Deliverance) than he had had for
two Years before." No farther Account
P. 61. of him. — '' Many dropt down as dead.
"ihe Pains of Hell came about them. — We
called upon the Lord, and he gave us an
Anfwer of Peace. One indeed continued
an Hour in ftrong Pain, and one or two
more for three Days. Another continues
?. 68, 69. fo twelve or fourteen Hours."' — " Others
were eafed, tho' ?20t jet at Liberty.'" -^
*' Another in a defpairing Fit eafed, but
,1;?^/ fet at Liberty y
*' A Wo-
( 213 )
. " A Woman catched hold on me, and 4 Jo-^tn.
faid abruptly, * I mufi: fpeak with you,^*^'^*
and will. — -I have finned againft the Light,
• — beyond Forgivenefs. — I have been curf-
mg you in my Heart, and blafphcfmng God^
ever fince I came here. — I am damned. I
am in Hell, &c,' I delired fome, who
had great Confidence in God, to join in
crying to him in her Behalf. Immediate-
ly that hor7^ibIe D?^ead wa.s taken away, and
fhe began to fee fome D awnings of Hope"*
' — Another is left, for the prefcnt, in P. 6S:
Peace." " Edward IV ill fevera^ joum.
Days, m deep Defpair, We cried untoP*^»^^-
God, — and a little Light fhone upon him*
Some of thefe Jlrange Fits are of lo?ig 3 journ.
Continuance y and gradually removed; mP-^i, 6 sm-
others we find frequent Returns and Re-^^^ '
Japfes ', in fome ViciJJitudes and Intervals of
Rage and Calmnefs ; of fudden Defpair,
and as fudden Joy : Some grow better by 4 Joum.
Prayer, others worfe : Some lofe the UfeP'^"^'^?-
of their Limbs, and many J/>. p. 10/77,
My Reafon for being fo particular in
thefe Cafes is not to fix any Blame on Mr,
Wejley for not curing all his Patients ^ or
--for not doing it iinmediately, or at once^
r&cc. — but to have it obferved, that all is
--per fed: ly confonant to the Nature of Fits^
Ji-as oi Fe'-oers^ Convuljions^ Hyfterics, Epi-^
lepfies, Swoonings^ and the like ; in which
we need no Authorities to prove, that fome
recover
( 214 )
recover injlantly^ fome not without longei^
TifMy and fome neve)' ; that thefe hits
have all their Natural Periods, fome
longer, and fome (horter 5 Returns fewer, or
more j RemiJJions, IntermiJJionSy and lucid
Intervals ^ — different according to People's
different Tempers and Diftempers, or the
different Kind or Degree of the Diforder ;
— and, I may add, all eafily and fre-
quently counterfeited.
Let us fee Mr. Wejley reftore inftanta-
■ neoufly a withered Arm, a LiCg that is
cut off^ or fupply the Defed: of any Li?72h j
and it may deferve our Confideration*
But little Convid:ion will follow from his
Creation of Miracles out of Natural Fits ;
?.ll will be deemed mere Dijlemper. A
Power of working Miracles he pofitive-
ly afferts 5 " God fetting his Seal to their
3 Journ. Minijlry -y' and " fo many Living Wit^
pag. 40. neffes hath Gc'^/ given, \k\2Xhis Hand is ftill
Jlretched out tohealy and thdX Signs andWon-^
ders are even now wrought by His Holy
Fan.Ap^.Child Jefus/* Nor let him cavil (as he
V- '^^'^- bath done) '^ that thefe Things, feeming
to go beyond the Power of Nature, were
yet not done by his own Power or Ho^
linefs ', but by the Power of God{' and
that a Methodijl Preacher is only God's In-
Jlrument iii the IVork. For which even
of the Apofiles ever claimed more ? Nor
' is it any great Mark of his Modefty, or
SefDe?iiali that his Pretenfions rife 720
hiQ-hcr
( 215 )
higher than ihofe of St. Pefery or Si.
Paul.
Greater Things, I confefs, are perform-
ed by Popi/Ij Saints ; and I have fome-
times wondered the Roman Breviary fhould
ftill retain fo many extravagant and fa-
bulous Miracles ; — ^ as that concerning St.
StaniJlauSy '^ whofe Body being cut toiXz^^,
Pieces^ and his Limbs fcattered about the
Fields^ were all afterwards gathered upy
difpofed in their proper Places^ and jo clofe-
ly and exaSlly joined of a fudden, that not
the leafl Traces or Marks of any Wound
appeared.'* But 'tis Matter of no Wonder,
that the fefuits and Fr and [cans fhould cry
up the Miracles of their Founders^ as fu^
perior to thofe of the Prophets and Apo-
files \ or that Lying Wonders in general,
miraculous Cures and ExorcifmSy are the
perpetual Boafting of the Man of Sin :
To bring Inftances would be fuperfluous.
Let them enjoy them all, as a Part of
their indelible CharaBer -^ and let Mr.
Wefey triumph in his Emulation j and
hereby draw a gaping, ftupid Reverence
from his " wildy Jiaringy loving Societies.'' x^^^^^
Thefe are his own Words, in defcribing p. 76.
one of them ; as if he defigned to draw
to himfelf thdX Comparifon. '•' His deadly ^^^^^^^.^
Wound was healedy and the World wonder-^
ed after the Beaji:\ ^^^^
' ^.'39. Some^^
C 216 )
§. 39. Something more, however, may
be brought, by Way of Dedu5iion, One
fo well Jkilled in Phy/ic may, for the moft
Part, make a probable ConjeBiire^ when the
Fit will be off, or at leaft abate. But
ihould it continue longer than was ex-
peded, he is ready with a Solution. If
fhort, God doth it immediately ; if lo7ig^
Journ. God delayeth Relief . For Inftance ; ^* On
feveral Evenings this Week many were
deeply convinced ; but none were delivered
from that Painful Convi^ion. The Chil-
dren came to the Birth ; but there was ?iot
Strength to bring forth, I fear we have
grieved the Spirit of the fealoia God, by
queftioning his Work : And that therefore
he is withdrawn from us for a Seafon. -^
Two more were in Jlrong Pain, both
their Souls and Bodies being welUiiigb
torn afunder. But tho' we cried unto
God, there was no Anfwer, neither did He
as yet deliver them at all.'* The Papifs
have the fame ready Turn, when the Devil
Tbyras. is obftinacc, or the Fit long. " For the
Sins of the P^P^i fometimes deferve, that
they fhould not immediately be deliver-
ed from the Devils ; and lo by the jujl
judgment of God, the moft ejjicacious Ex^
crcifms are of no Service. Sometimes alfo
the Sins of others not pofeffcd are the Rea-
fon of the Spirit's Delay -, tliey want Faith^
and full Hope of obtaining Deliverance''
For
Daemon.
Por another DeduSliotiy 'tis obfervablci
that, in feveral Cafes of a fettled Difor-
der, Mr. TVeJley doth not fo mlich as at-
tempt a Cure I and *tis prudently done.
Where the Patient hath not Trarifieiit Fits^
his Power faileth* Thus^ " I was de-? Jo^m.
fired to meet one who was ill of a very^' ^^*
uncommon Diforder. She faid^ * for fe-
veral Years I have heard a Foite conti-
nually fpeaking to me, curfing, fwearing,
blafphemingj &V. I have applied to Phy^
ficians^ and taken all Sorts of MedicineSy
but am never the better ?— ^No, replies he^
nor ever will till a better Fhyfician than
thefe bruifes Satan under her Feet." — So t, 7^5
again> in " that Inftance of genuiire En-
thufiafm^ (and in Truth direB Madnefs)
when y^^— B--— , of "tanfield-Leigh, came
hollowing and (houting thro' the Town,
driving all People before him, and faying^
God had told him he fhould be a King^
and tread all his Enemies under his Feet ^
I fent him Home, fays Mr. V/ef^ey^ im-
mediately to his Work, and advifed him
to cry Day and Night to Godr -^ This
is all *' that is faid^ or done, in both
Cafes. The Diforders were gons too far^
beyond the Paroxifms of a Fit 3 no Laureb
to be gathered by undertaking a Cure of
fuch difficult and tedious Operation. In
thefe Circumftances he might truly fay*
\[ what do you think I can do ? And
F f ther§^
( 2l8 )
Thyr3s. therefore he wifely taketh that Advice' to
^smon. ^^Qj.^ip^ vi^y^tx: to attempt any Thing
122. above their Strcjjgth : To which is added,
the Example of St. Anthony^ who, when
a Boy, faid to be pofjejjed^ w^as brought
to him, immediately knew it was too po-
tent a Spirit for him to eje^. And Pope
Gregory (Dialog. Lib. i. Cap. lo.) fliew-
eth, that the Man is poffeffed with a
Devil himfelf, who dares attempt the Ex-
pidfion of a Devil in a Cafe beyond his
Power. ''
We may alledge too what Irenceus fays
of the pretended Miracles of fome Heretics
in his Days ; " They cannot drive away
all Devils, but only thofe whom themfelves
have put in."" I will produce the whole
Pafjage^ for the Sake of the Comparifon in
Lib. II. feveral Particulars. " Si?non, and Carpo-^
^^^' 5^' cratesy and others who are faid to 'work
Wonders, do it not by the Power of God-^
nor in 'Truth -^ nor doing any good-^ but
by fnagical Delufions and Frauds doing
inore Mifchief than Benefit to the credulous
Perfons, whom they have fediiced. For
they can neither give Sight to the Blind,
nor hearing to the Deaf 5 nor drive away
all Devils, but only thofe whom them--
Jelves have put in-, if, however, they do
even this, — IVJuch lefs can they raife the
Dead;~
Wbether
(219 ) ^ , .
Whether- ^\\o{z dy-eadfid Maladies among
the Meihodijls 2.x^ pit in by 'Mr. Wejle'^
or Satdf?^ (for both have their Claim) I
leave themfelves to decide at their next CoJi-
fcrence.
The Expreffion above, of doing more
Hurt than Goody fuggefteth oiie more De^
duMion-: For I am perfuaded ymir Method^
TtAxi Wejley, hath hindered the Cure of fe-
veral" Perfons V if not occafioned their
Death, After your co7itempfuous T^reatmcnt
of Natural Means, and the Skilful in their
ProfeJJion as ali Phyjicians' of no Value:,
(though both; ordained by God to' give Eafe,
and prolong Z//^':).— After your calling
Application to-. Natural Means, 5' fend- 3 joum.
ing- -People to th-e " Dm/ for . Cure ; toP '
Company, idle -Books 2iuA Diver/ions -,"''
(which, with Submiffion to your fuperior
Wijdbmi m-^y be of great Ufe.) — What
genuine Methodijl will think of cbnfulting
the Faculty ; efpecially as Perfons difor-
dered like thofe in Methodifm, have from
the very Nature of the Difeafe an Aver-
fion to the proper Remedies ? This I take to
have been the Misfortune of the Hitchens\
who were as genuine Methodijls as can
well be conceived ; plunging into the Vi-
ciflitudes of Light and Dark?iefs, Prefump-
tion and Defpair, Faith and Infidelity',
with every Peculiarity of ^ild Enthufiajm^
Till their heated Brains threw them^ into
F f 3 that
66.
( 22G )
that Calenture, and malignant Fever, of
which both of them died. And not a
Word is mentioned, in the Account of
their Deaths, of Phyftcian, Apothecary, or
other rational Remedy and Affiftance.
This unnatural ConduB may perhaps be
defended from fome PopiJI:} Examples : — *
Exem^'l ^^ ^^ ^^^^ '' Monk, who being very in-,
pi^t. 3. ' firm, foolifhly confulted the Phy/icians^
ix. 28. One Day he favv the Virgin Mary_ come
with ^ Box of moll precious RleBuary^ and
giving each Monk a Spoonful of it v^ith
her moft fweet Hand, as they went into
the Chapel, Our Monk was exceedingly
rejoiced ^t this. But when he pafled by,
fhe repelled him with Indignation • " Go,
inake ufe of your Medicines, you (hall have
none of fnine, feeing you apply to Phyji--
ciaits, without depending upon me^* The
Mo72k blujhed, and immediately threw away
^11 his Medicines^
Pr^iig. But, on the other Hand, Wierus ob^
Cap.tV ferves, ^' that tr^e Ex or cijl s ukd firft to
purge the PoffelTed from the i>lack Bile,
and other peccant Humours, before they fet
about their Conjurations. And he gives
Inftances of Perfons perfedly cured by
Phyjic, , when no Exorcifms were of any
Service.'' And a rcioxt ge?iuine Papiji, the
1^3 jl Author of Compkmenturri Art is Exorcijlicce,
MaUf. {in Dqoirin, u.) owneth, " that if the
Tor^^m. ^^^^ijl (joth not call in a Phyfician, he
will
( 221 )
Will incur great Danger. I myfelf, faith
he, having feen fome Exorcijis^ who have
killed Men for Want of the Phyjician's
Advice^ to the great Detriment ef their
Conjciencesy | '
This may be true, And yet there mighif
be greater Danger on the other hand^
For as far as Phyjic fhould bring a Ciire^
or Afffjlance, fo far the Reputation of the
Exorciji would fuffer Diminution. And if
the Patients were completely cured-, there
would be ian End of all their extraordi-
nary Prophecies, Vifwns, AjJ'urances, and
the like, which they utter in their Fits-,
". — an End of the Art hereby employed
for railing a 72€w Se6t, or a new Saint ; an
End of miraculous Claims. Both Papijl and
Methcdiji muft be very fenfiblc of fuch
unlucky Conje^uences. Were Matters brought
to this Pafs i who fhould ecjlatically pre-
diB the flourifhing State of the Society'^
Who fee their Relations in Heaven ? Who
have Chriji and Angels attending them at
their Death ? Who abound in Ren^elations ?
So that in Proportion as the difempered
Perfon is relieved, the Methodijl is lofl^
And to what Purpofe then have tjiey
made all this Noife ? '''' ^
In this View, one might as well advifc
the moft effectual Remedy of all; that of
never coming among the Methodifls, by
Way of Prevention 'y or leaving them, by
Way
{ 222 )
Way oiCurey or turning ofF their Leader]
This happened to be the Event. in the
Cafe of the Ntms of Kentorp, before re-
lated ; '^ the Perfon who firlT: brought
thofe Jlrange ■ Convuljions^ and , imcommon
Dijiempers among them, and fpread the
Contagion^ no fooner married^ and apojla-*
tizedfrom the Society^ but, the Fits imme-
diately ceafed in the Nu?iJicr)\ and there
was no more Occafion for 'J^xorcifms^ .oj
Q\[\tx: fupernatural Interpofitions." .' r
In Cafes oi' Wither aft too^ fudden and
firange Cures are faid to be effedied by
<\\^ Death of the 'Witch. '.The Hipry of
Witchcraft {'a^yiSy:^' Another Thing worthy
of Notice isy ■Xh2itthQ Execution of fome
that have lately ^/W hath been imme-
diately attended with a flrange Deli^e"
raricf.—^y the cruel Effeds of Witchcrafts
and Force of .the D^i;//, many poor Peo-
ple have.^ been driven into Defpair^ their
Minds being puzzled with fuch Buzzes of
Attjeifm ajid Blafphemy, as have made them'
^yea. run di(lra5led with Terrors ; . who
have wonderfully recovered upon the Death
of the Witches: \ Immediately follows a
particular In fiance- of two Witches,, who
making the Room light by tijeir. coming in^
torraented a poor Wpmaa into Dflratlion ;
but upon, their Execution (hQ^a^ pr^^enfy^
lyandiperfi^Iy ru&vercd/[, -v*", - -.-
§. 40. But
{ 223 )
§. 4*^' But- becaufe I would favour
Mr. Wejley, as far as the Nature of the
Cafe will admit : Let us for once fuppofe,
that he hath adually performed feveral
miraaihns Ciires^ and removed from many
of his Followers the mojl^ hon'ibJe Dip
orders. But let him likewife remember,
that he brought thefe Calamities upon
them hi?nfelf, (unlefs Safan muft beai* a
Part) and " Jinick them to the Eai^th,
(where they roared under Agonies beyond all
Defcription) by the Strength of his Preach-
ments : And that upon careful Examine--
tion he found, that all of them {not one^
he thinks, excepted) were Perfons in per-
feB Health, and had not been fubjed: to
Fits of any Kind, till thus affedied:" And
then the Account will ftand thus. *' Af-
ter trailing them through a Series of Tor-
tiires^ lye Jet them down jziji where he took
them iipy and lejt the?n, as he found them.'*
Which may be illujlrated by a Story from
Plutarch y De Socratis Genio. *' One Ti*- Vol. II.
marchits had a Mind to go down into^^* ^^^^
the Den of Trophonius ; after performing^ ^ ^'
the previous Ceremonies. Having conti-
nued there two Nights and one Day, her
returned very chearful, when his Friends
had given him over for lofl; and related
many le'Wd'r/l// Things that he hzA feen^
and heard lie faid, (I ni^' hU.htm fVord^j
that.
( ^H )
that, on his firft Defcenf info the Oracular
Den^ he fell into a horrid Darknefs • then
taking Refuge in Prayer and Vows^ he
lay in that Condition for a long Timej
not well knowing whether he was awake^
or in a Dream, It feemed as if his Head
was violently fmitten^ with a Noife attend*
ing, and the Sutures of his Skull feemed
to open, as if his Soul was making its
Exit. Afterwards, being brought into a
purer Air^ he began to breathe again af-
ter a long O/^rg^/o//, W2i% Jlretched OMt^ and
grew bigger than he was before^ like a Sail
filled with Wind. Then he heard over
his Head a fmall, but very ivfttt Voice ^
and looking upy he faw Earth no more^
but an infinite Number oi Jhining IJlajids^
as a [oft Firey and delightfully varying
their Colour s.^^--B\it upon looking downwards^
there appeared ? large Chafm very terrible
and deep^ full of a turbulent and confufed
Darknefs. Whence were heard ten thou-
fand Roarings, and Groans-^ and Rowlings
of Children^ and Men mingled with Wofnen^
and all Manner of tumultuous Noifes. This
terrified him extremely. Afterwards, a
Perfon not feen by him before fhewed
him the Region of Proferpina^ bounded
by Styx, and the Roa4 to Hell, which
makes the Souls that defcend thither roar
out for Fear. Pluto immediately feizeth
fome, who fmk for ever j but other lefs
defied
( 225 )
defiled Souk emerge again, and return to a
fecond Birth. Then the Perfon bad him
^ be gone' But, fays TiJiJarchus^ * turn-
ing to fee who it was that fpoke to me, I
was again feized with a violent Head-ach^
as if compreiTed by Force ; and fo lofi my
Se7ifes^ that I knew nothing of what was
about me. But in a little time recovertjjg^
I found myfelf at the Entrance of Tro-
phonius's Den, where I firjl lay down''
It may be fome Satisfad:ion to the Un-
learned Reader to have fome Explanation
of Trophonim's Den, Which I fliall
do by a Literal Tranjlation from Faiifa-
nias. Baeotic. Cap. 39. — Plutarch, Ed.
Par. Vol. II. Pag. 944. Fhilojlrat. Fit.
Apolloniiy Lib. 8. Cap. 19. Scholia in Arif-
tophanem. Nub. verf. 508.
" This 'Trophonius v/as a crafty Fellow,
and excejjively vai?7~g}orioiis -^ and, though
born of a common Mortal, feigned him-
felf to be the Son of Apollo, He made,
with the AfTiftance of his Brother, a fiih^
terranean Cave, or Den-, where he deli-
vered Oracles to fuch as were wife enough
to confult him. The Confulter^ by way
of Initiation, muft firft prepare himfelf,
by obferving a Courfe of Chajlity for cer-
tain Days ; and by offering Sacrifice to
Trophonius -, the Soutbfayer, or Priefi, look-
ing diligently into the Entrails, [as the
Vi^imi of Methodifm muft have their
G g Hearts
( 226 )
Hearts open to Mr, Wefley, withouf any
Manner of Referve^] that he may thence
judge of the Perfon's Fitnefsy and whether
he may deferve to receive an Anfwer,
Thus prepared he approacheth the De-
Jcent^ (for fo the Den is called) and lays
himfelf down at the Entrance^ called the
facred Mouth. Then, in a Moment ^ he is.
jnatched a^way^ and hurled down^ he knows
not hoWj Head and Heels contracted toge-;
ther, into the vafi: fubterranean Cavern.
Here he is fo terrified with Roarings^ that
he falls a Roaring himfelf 5 or elfe is quite
Jlupefied^ and almoji fenfelefs. Then he
hath the Sight of fome prophefying Dra-
gons, or Serpe7its ; whofe Wrath he muft
appeafe by fome Cakes ^ ox Bifcuits^ (which
they muft bring with them for that Pur-r
pofe) that he may not be too unmercijuh
He gets his An fiver ^ and becomes a Pro-.
phet^ partly from what he feeth^ and part-
ly from what he hearetb. This is what
Suidas termeth the Ludicrous Illufi07ts of
In Voce <^rophonius under Ground. AH do not conr
■>J^op ° * tinue there for the fame Space of TimCy
nor come out the fame Way, there being
divers Communications, IVindings cjind Holes
to creep out. When the Cojijulter is re-
turned, afionifloed as he is, the Priefts \vc\r
mediately place him upon what is called
the Seat of Memory, where they examine
Jiim, as to what h^ \12Xh. feen and heard,
and
( 227 )
and then fend him Home, ftill poflefTed
with great Amazement and Terror ; neither
knowing himfelf^ nor others about him.
[Hence Mr. Wejley may have learned his
Prad:ice of a careful Exafttination on his
Patient's Return from their horrible Flts.^
But in a little time he recovers his Senfes,
and fometimes his Faculty of Laughing,
For very few were ever known to laugh
afterwards y being difmayed either by Hor^
rors of the Place, or the Bi tings of the
Serpe?2ts» Whence arofe the Proverb^ of
z four and ?norofe Man, '' He hath been
in Trophonius' ^ Deny It was neceflary
for all, who returned from the Defent'^
to preferve Memorials of what they had
feen and heard^ on 2.written Tabled [Their
journals have been punctual in this" alfo,]
And Paufanias faith, " that he doth not
give this Account upon Hearfay^ but upon
perfonal Knowledge, having hi?nfelf defcend^
ed to cofifult the Oracled Thus far my
Authors,
When the God Trophonius w^as dead^
(for, it feems, he farved himfelf, in or-
der to claim his Manfion in the Skies) " liis
Succefjors in the Den^ and v/ho carried on
the Tirade, were certain Demons , called Tro-
phoniadce^ who were properly Inhabitants oi
the World of the Moon^ but came down
hither to fuperintend their Oracles^ Thus
Plutarch^ and likewife elfewhere, '* that
Ge; 2 the
( 228 )
Vol. II. the Sibil's Voices were heard, and they
^" ^ fu7ig out their Prophecies^ while they were
whirled about in the Orb of the Moon.'*
Whereby, I fuppofe, he would infinuate,
that thefe Oracle-mongers were a Sort of
Lunatics,
By thefe References I am fenlible how
much I have again expofed myfelf to the
Cenfure of not keeping to my Title-Pagey
which mentioned only Methodijis and Pa-
pijls. But a Cornparijon from Heathens may
be as good.
§.41. Mr. Wefley will, without Doubt,
take the Advantage of my Suppofal ;
*' that he hath adually performed feveral
miraculous CuresJ' But this was only a
Suppofiil. And perhaps he will foon
complain, (and not without Reafon) that
I am explaini?ig his Miracles away. For if
we underftand by a Miracle fuch an ex-
traordinary and wonderful EfFecft, as can
be wrought by God alone ^ (whatever Injlru--
ments he may ufe) for the Manifeftation
of his Power, or Confirmation of fome
Divine Mefiage. — In this ftrid: Senfe, I
muft abfolutely withdraw my Suppofition.
But if we underftand by Miracle fuch ex-
traordinary and wonderful EfFefts , as
created Bei?igs are permitted to caufe, for
Inllance, Diabolical and Magical Opera--
tions j — or thofe furprizing EfFe(3:s, which
(229 )
Mafs'PrieJlSy MGimtebanks^ yugglers^ ani
other Impojiors^ can work by Slight of Hand,
and Impofition upon the Senfes ; — or,
again, feme unufual and flrange Operations
within the Poweis and Laws of Nature^
though unknown to us : — I forefee no
Inconvenience in any of thefe lower Senfes,
in aUowi?ig the Suppofition. Becaufe thefe
Operations are no Proof of a Divine Mijjion^
but rather prove the contrary,
§. 42. Let us enquire therefore, what
Sort of People have ufually ^^cf/^W Man-
kind by fuch Means ; and particularly with
Refpedt to miraculous Cures,
Both Antients and Moderns are faid to
have performed Wonders of this Nature by
Natural Magic^ or a profound Knowledge
of Phyjical Remedies, Such, they tell us^
is the *^ Agnus Cajlus^ or Chajle Lamb ; a Hin: '
Shrub efficacious in HyJlericSy Pbrenzies,^^^' ^"^'^
and Bitings of Serpents -, and which thcTheophr,
IVomeny in their Celebration of the Myferies^^^^^*
ufed to carry with them to preferve their ^* ^ ^' .
ChaJiityJ' — Such is the Herb Hypericumy
called alfo St. fohn's^wort^ and Scare De^ wier
i'/7; good in Madnefs^ Vapours, Melancholy, Praeftig,
or raving Fits, Diftempers of an unac- ^' ^^^'
countable Nature, and coming without a
manifeft Caufe ^ but particularly potent to
cure Perfons pojfefjed, and drive away the
DcviL But thv-^fe, who ufe it, are gene-
rally
( 230 )
rally Vagabond Cheats^ ov Agents of Satan^
Compl. ov tointtimcs, real Hypochondriacs.'' PopifJj
p. 30, -x^x.tL^orcijts recommend it as errectualj in Con-
jundilon with their Adjurations^ for put-
ting Satan to Flight." — And to remove all
Doubt, " Pope Alexander I. fo engaged,
and commanded the Priejh to ufe this
Herb of Grace, for ^^ fandlifyijig the Peo-
ple, and dnvaig away the Snares of the
Devil," Taylor Polemic, p. 334. — And
Don ^ixote, I remember, talked of fome
Baljams of that fovereign Nature, as to
Ileal all Wounds, particularly of Knights
Errant, But as thefe Secrets have not
fallen within the Compafs of my Studies,
and I would not injure the Regidar Phy-
fician, I have done with them.
Among Pagans nothing is more com-
mon than their Stories of Dijlempers cured
by their Dcemons, Such as that of '' Efcu-
lapiiis, another Spurious Son of Apollo^
creeping to Rome in the Form of a Serpent^
and immediately relieving all from a mor-
tal Difeafe : — And that of Bacchus^ who
not only gives out Prophecies, but hath
Remedies at Hand for all Diftempers ; both
which are performed by one of his Infpired
Priejis'' — Such were the yf^jy^/r^, or Va-
gabond Priefls ofCybele, who ftrolled about
with the Marks of their Goddefs upon
them, gathering a Maintenance under Pre-
tence of Gifts to Cybcle ; for which they
promifed
( 231 )
promifed a high Degree of Health tind
Profperity, — Such, in later Times, are the
begging Saints in Turkey ^ who (as EuJhe-V.^i^Alu
quius relateth) ramble about under various
Appearances and Arts of San^ifnofiyJ' —
Such again the Tamuli^ and others in In--
dia^ who are a Sort of Magicians ^ and
play the fame Pranks as do the Rointfi
Millenaries^ or our Methodijls. This Ac-
count wc have in the Hijiory of the Eva72-
gelical MiJJion, lately publiflied by Profefbr
Francks, *' Thefe Men, (who are called p^
'Enchanters^ Devil- Drivers ^ and Prophefy-
€rs) arrogate to themfelves the Povv^er of
driving away Evil Spirits by the Help of
other Damons^ or T^utelary Deities. They
work Miracles^ and difcover Secrets^ by
the Herb Gangia^ which throwcth them
into divers vehement Agitations^ and pro-
duceth terrible Effeds. Though often -
'tis only a coujiierfeit Fanatical Madnefs ;
•and the Delifion hath been detected. —
They affirm, that if they ftrongly fix their
Thoughts upon any one Thing, and firm-
ly believe it to be God himjelf or that
Godisprefent there, he really- is jo. Whence
'tis no Wonder, that they infift fo much
upon Faith, and promife Ajfiirance of SaU
nation and Pardon of Sins to all that have
this Faith ; altho' they want the other re-
quifite Qualifications. Their Penitence con--
lifts in Fafi?igSj Watchings^^ Pilgrimages^
Macera-
( 232 )
Macerations of the Body^ and leaving their
families. They dired; Chejls to be pro-
cured, facred to their Idols^ to contain their
Gains in flroUing, and enjoin abfolute Obe^
dience to the Priejl, as v/ell as ConfeJJion
to him. And if any contraB a Dijiemper
by any Flardfliips in following them, they
promife ample Reward by a future New
Birth. Their Self-Severities are fo great,
as to carry away all the Glory^ which Po-^
fijh^ and other Saint lings, propofe by af
flying the Body, And by obferving what-
ever their God Briima imfrinteth on their
Brain, they {hall be ingulphed into the
Deity, — But fo far are thefe Penitents from
acquiring Humility by their corporal Seve-
rities, that highly Jewelled with Pride, they
defpife all others, as unvv^orthy oi their So»
ciety, who no longer feel any carnal De^
fires. Among thefe Penitents there is no
Scarcity of evident Deceivers, — They are
wont to boaft much of their Prayers, and
attribute to them various, ^wonderful EffeBs
in curing Difeafes, driving out Serpents and
Evil Spirits : And they have feveral ap-
proved Remedies to expel Sin, PoJJeJJtons and
' Witchcraft:'
Of the fame magical Kind are the won-
Vit. Ap- derful Performances oi Appollonius TyanceuSy
1^1. Lib. I. ^5 related by Philoftratus, in Oppoftion to
'^' '^' the Miracles of Chrift. (Unlefs the whole
j^cciount be tnere Pinion,) ^* When his
Mother
Mother was with Child, fhe had a firange
Fi/ion of the God Proteus, famous for turn-
ing himfelf into various Forms ; who faid
to her, * I am Proteus, and you fhall bring
forth me. For Proteus was \tvy fiiftirig
and crafty, and fo quickly changing into
another Shape, that he could not be caught.
And the Progrefs of this Difcourfe will
fhew, that Apollonius was a greater Pro-^
phet than Proteus, and could better extri-
cate himfelf from almoft infuperable Diffi- ^
culties, when reduced to a Non^plus: He
was admired for Miracles, Predi5lions>, ex-
pelliug Devils, &c/'* The fame Author vih
mentions one Antiochus, a Man of Infupe- Sophift.
rable Bile, who often had Converjatiom ^^^^'
with EfculapiuSi who taught him ih^ Art
cf Healing.'*
§. 43. The fame Pretences and PraBices
were common among the Principal Here-
tics in the Primitive Church. Let Simon
Magus 'ax^ make his Appearance, '"^ whoAa. 8. 9.
Ufed Sorceries, and bewitched the People of
Sa7naria, giving out that hi^nfelf was fome
Great One. To whom they gave Heed, -^
fayifigy This Man is the Great Power of
God''— '^ Becaufe he could not obtain the
fame Gifts of Healing, and cafting ouC
Devils, with Apoflles, having 720 Part or
Lot in this Matter-, from Ambition and
Avarice he became a Dealer in Magic^
K h ufing
( 234 )
ufing Incantations and Exorcifms, and pre-
tending to work divers Miracles. He car-
ried about with him his Miftrefs Helena^
whom he called the firji Conception of his
Mind^ and initiated into his Myfleries \ and
it w^as one of their Ineffable Secrets to Jiun
and amaze the Minds of the Hearers, and
caufe a Stiipcf action ^ Lofs of Senfes, and
Madnefs. After rendering them irtfenfate^
he raifed Fhajitafms and Apparitiojis^ of
no Stability or Duration ^ and perfuaded
his Followers, that they were like Jefus^
and had, by a Sort of Circulation, the fame
Soul with him. He could alTume the
^Shape of a Serpent ; fliew himfelf with two
FaceSy fo as not to be difcovered 5 had
even the Peculiar Privilege of transform-
ing himfelf into whatever Shape he pleafed.
Sometimes, under a Pretence of Kind?2efsy
he would invite People to a Feaji, and
there bring upon them Alvtvs ftrange Dif-
eafesy and cruel Devils. But to fet all
Right again, He pretended lo fly into the
Airy and bring down all Sorts of good
things'' That I vary not in the leaft
from Hijioryy any one may fee, that will
confult IrenceiiSy Lib. I. Cap. 20, and
Lib. IL Cap. 57. Eujebius Ecclef, Hifi.
Lib. II. Cap. 13. Nicephcr. Calliflus Ilift.
Lib. II. Cap. 27, cu?n midtis aliis.
Lib. T. Irenaus gives an Account of " Marcus,
*^' ' ^'a Pifciple of Sim* Magus^ whp inuft needs
improve
( 2iS )
hnprove upon his Mafier, Mingling ludi-
crous Dehjiom with the Wickednefs of
Magic ^ he was thought hereby to isoork
Wonders among Perfons deprived of their
SenfeSy and gone out of their Mijid, So that
he [educed Numbers of Men and Women,
making Converts to himjelf as the moft
biowiftg, moft perfcBy and endued with
Power fro7n an High : — A true Forerumier
of Antichriji, For he would turn the Eu-
charijlical Wine into Bloody and thereby do
Miracles ; whereby he drew after him
miferable Women^ and drove them to Mad-
nefs. By the Help of a Damon he prophe-
fyed alfo, and made as many as were wor-
thy to partake of his Grace to prophefy
likewifcy efpecially Rich Women^ whom he
would thus flatter, ' Partake thou of 7ny
Grace^ becaufe the Father always feeth thy
Angel before his Face. But the Place of
thy Greatnefs is in me. It behoveth us two
to become one, — Behold Grace is come upon
thee, open thy Mouth, and prophefy/
Then by frefh Invocations he Jlrikes her
into an Amazement and Stupor, The Woman
thus puffed up and (lultified^ becomes heated
into an Opinion of her Beginning to pro-^
phefy 3 and when the Heart beats ftrongly,
grows bold J flie talks delirioifly^ utters
whatever rajh and light Things come up-
permoft ; the Soul growing audacious and
immodefly by being heated with empty Air,
H h 2 Ther\
( 236 )
Then £he affumes the Title of a Trophetefs;
rewards her Infpirer with Prefents^ and
even with the Commimi cation of her Body^
defirous of being united to him in every
Refpedl. Others, who are Proof againfl
SeduBion^ avoid, anathematize^ and fly
from this wild Society, The fame Mar cm
abufeth many Women with Philtres^ and
other Allurements^ inflaming them into a
Love of him. His Difcipks take the^ fame
Method of fediicing Women, and calling
themfelves the PerfeB Ones, as if the Apo-^
files were not equal to. them^ who alone
have divank the Greatnefs of the Knowledge
of the Vnfpeakable Power -, whence they are
free to do any Things having no Manner of
Fear in the leaft. Some of thefe deluded
People returned to the Truth, and openly
confeffed their Error-, others afloamed of
what they had done, withdrew themfelves
Lp'fl. 75. privately." — Among St, Cyprian'^ Epifles
is one to him from Firmianus, giving the
following Account. *' A certain Wom.an
hath ftarted up here, who in Ecjlatic Fits
would pretend to be a Prophetefs, and
fhe afted thus as being full of the Holy-
Ghof, She was fo actuated by the Power
of fome Principal Dcemons^ that for a Ions:
Time (he deceived the Fraternity ; and per-r.
forming fome wonderful and portentous
Things, fhe engaged, ihdX f:e would Jhake
the Earth. By which Li^s and Brags fho
bi-ought
( 237 )
t)rought the Minds of many into a Refo«
lution of following her with an implicit
Obedience 'y ^'^x\AC\x\vi\^ 2^ filly Friejl^ and a
Deacon^ fo far as to be her Companions in
Bed 5 which was afterwards detefted."
Upon which the Comtnentator bbferveth,
* that the Faith is feldom adulter at ed-y
without the Projlitittion of Chafiity' And
as to the Boaft of fhaking the Earth \ the
rapturous Boiirigiioriy (Light rifen in Dark- Part irr.
nefs) hath the fame Power from Ile^roen :^^^^^^ ^>'
<' Itwasfaid to me. Thou fjalt fiake the
Earth r And iliall Mr. Wefey be lefs
powerful? " In mufing, (faith he) upon 3 Jo^rn-
which Words, my Soul was fo enlarged/"^^*
that I could have cried out, ' Give me
where tofandy and 1 will Jlnike the Earth,'' -^
§. 44. Having in thefe Relations a little
deviated from the Fointy ccacerning Exor-r^
cifms and miraculous Cures ; it m.ay be, pro-^
per to fupply that D^^. — T'ertulUajty^v^log.
fpeaking of the Fagatf ' Dc^monSy ,fays,^^P- ^^*
^' They are evidently very beneficent in the
Cure of Bijlempers ; jor 'they firjl do the. '
Mifchief and then prefcribe a 'Remedy^ won-^^
derfully new, or of a contrary Tendency i
after which -they ceafe to torment y and then
are thought to curCy bic?" Wieriis hath'
a Chapter or two, " UpOn the Devi}t"s,Prsftig.
healing Difeafes only bv ceafing to tor-^^^^-4-
ment/' And gives hx'^Rtafon of fuch,^^* '^*
Kindnefsj
( 238 )
Kindnefs, that ' he doth it to encourage
Idolatry^ or Jome wicked DoEirine'' Ac-
cordingly the Devil was fo good as to keep
his Word with one of Mr. Wejley\ Vof-
5 Journ- jf^^^j " liHe^ Mr. Wejleyy comes, I will
^* ^ ' let thee be quiet, and thou jthalt be as if
nothing; ailed thee, till he is gone/* Such
Encotiragement doth Satan give to Metho-
difrh — Such another Inftance we have of
the Devil's Kmdnefs in Mr. Wejlef^ Ac-
count of that miferabie Woman^ who faid,
3 }ourn. " She had given her [elf to the Devils &c.
P- 92* and then began praying to the Devil, But,
at laft, ' in a Moment God /poke Peace, and
jiilled the Enemy aftd Avenger,'' If this
was an AB of Goodnefs in Satan ; the Au-
thor of the CompL Art, Exorciji, hath a
Fart I. Parallel Cafe y "which, he faith, happen-
Dodiv. 8.g(j ^Q j^jj^fgjf^ c While I was exorcizing
a Woman, named Ifabellay I commanded
the Devil to defcend into the little ISIail of
her left Foot.' The Devil anfwered, * I
will not do this, unlefs you requeft it ci-
villy* We then contended together a
long while ; he in the Strength of his own
^Pride, and I in the Name oi yefiis-, fo
that the Evil One hoped to come off Vic"
toriouSy and added fre/h Toj'tures to the
afflifted Woman. At length, grievoully
tired, having fought for five Hours, by
God's Jnfpiration I took up the ^abernacky
in \vhich was the Eucharijly and putting
it
( 239 )
It on the Wcman's Head, cried out feveral
Times, and with a loud Voice, * Mife?^i^
cordta Signore* When, to the Aftonifh- '
rhent of all, the Devil went away, and
paid Obedience," A rare Inftance of jEat-
crcijlical Virtue,
But if Mr. Wejley chufeth to fay, that
Satan in this Cafe was ftilled by his Fray*
ery rather than the Good-will of the wicked
Spirity — I muft be contented with a Pa^
raliel, or two, from Popifi Recoveries of
Contracts made with Satan, Ignatius is a
fure Card on thefe Occafions. " A young BartoT.
Man having by formal Covenajit pawned P- 44"^-
his Soul to the Devil-, he was hereby en-
abled to perform divers Things, either
truly, or apparently, miraculous. After-
wards, grievoufly convinced of Sin, he ap-
plies to the Jcjliits for Deliverarice, and
they to the Protedlion Q{i\i€\x Founder, The
young Man is advifed to make an equally
formal Abjuration of the Devil-, which he
did, full of Horror and 'Trembli?jg, and
ready to be choaked. The Abjuration is
laid upon the Altar of Ignatius"'^ Chapel-^
foon after a Sort of hifing Sound is heard
by all the Company -, and the Devil
came, (fecn by one of the Jefuits) brought
back the Contra^, nut it under the Altar-^^
Cloth^ and then vaniilied. GA?;'^' was giveri ,
to God.and.St,.Jg?i(ifius,'* • - ' .. ''■' i
We
( 240 )
We read another fuch Tale in the ^
Vita Life of St. Gertrude. " A certain Man,
Gertrud. ^p^^ fome profitable Conditions, made an
exprefs Covenant isjith the Devil to deliver
himfelf up to him on fuch a Day and
Place. The Lady-Sainf took what Pains
flie could to refcue the wretched Creature.
But the ContraB was abfolutey and go to
the Bevil he mufi, and will. She then
permits him to make good his Engage-
ment^ provided he would take her with
him. Accordingly he takes his Horfe^ the
Saint mounted behind him, and prefents
himfelf to Satan. But no fooner did he
fpy St. Gertrude, but he relinquifheth his
Prey, and takes to his Heels, utterly a*
baOied.*'
§. 4^. It hath been a pretty common
Notion, that he who can put the Devit
in, can likev^ife pull him out. An Eat-
ainple or two of this I have given before.
And as Mr. Wefey hath fufficiently /r/-
umphed in having this Power over the
Methodijls ; it reminds me of the famous
tucian. Lnpojlor Alexander, in Lucian. '' He had
Alexan. ^ good Capacity, but made an /// Ufe of
it; was exceeding rr^}', adiive, hold, and
expofing himfelf to Dangers a7id Hard^
Jhips. He took upon himfelf to be the
Succejjor of Apollonius Tyanaus ; fet up an
Oracle^ uttered Prophecies, engaged to free
the
\
( 241 )
the World from Difeafes ^ PeJlUences^
Earthquakes^ Sec. 'AH who gave no Credit
to him, thofe efpecially who expofed his
Impojiures^ he calumniated and damned, as
Atheijls and Chrijiians ; and by fach Arts
pillaged almoft all the Roman Empire. One
of his Tricks was this : He put a young
Serpent i?ito a Goofe-Egg, the Cracks being
artfully cemented \ and the next Day out
he comes, fliaking his loofe Lccks^ and
mounting his Rojlrum^ proclaims the Hap*
pinefs of the City^ who fhouid foon receive^
a Prefent God, Nearly the whole City,
Men, Women and Children, were afiem-
bled, and ftood Jlupijied^ prayings a?id
adoring. The Oracle-monger^ having mut-
tered out feveral Things concerning Apollo
and Efculapiics^ broke the Goofe-Egg, and
out ftarts the Serpe^it-God, to the Amaze-
ment of the Spe^ators, who loudly pro-
claimed their Happine/s. Away goes the
P?^ophet with the new-iorn Efculapius, the
^wice-born ; and the fecond Time out of a
Goofe. All the People follow him, full
of Enthujiafm^ and mad with Expcdiation,—^
The Se7'pent very foon grew into a huge
Dragon,''
The Uijlory of Witchcraft, (as I could
eafily fhew ) affords Parallels to ahnofl
all the Circumfances cf Methodifn ; parti-
cularly as to the /^i;rr/<^/^ Parts of it. '' It Vol u
appeared upon the Examination cf Bridget^'- *'^-
I i Bfh^.p^
( 242 )
Bifiop, that thofe bewitched by her were
cruelly tormented. If fhe did but cafi: an
Eye on them, they were prefently ftriick
down, and in fuch a Manner, that there
could be no Deceit in the Matter. But
as foon as fie touched them with her
Hand, when they lay in their Swoons^ they
would immediately revive^ and. not upon the
Touch of any one elfe. Befides, upon fome
particular Actions of her Body, they pre^
fently and painfully fell into the like Pof
tures. — She had faid too, ' that fhe could
7iot be troubled to fee the Afflifted thus
Vol ir. tormented." — " Again, we hear of their
^ ^^* knocking down with a Look, and then
making the Afflidted rife-, and their ap-
pearing fometimes cloathed with Light''
Others, however, are of a different Opi^
nion\ and maintain, that " One Devil^
Wizard, or Witch, can coiinteraB the Deeds
of another, and perform Cure^ in Oppofi^
tion to him. This they argue from the
different Pozvers and Subordinations among
wicked Spirits. Horace plainly is of this
Sentiment,
j; I'pod. Ah, Ah! Solutus ambulat Veneficce
V ei 1. 7 1 . Potentioris Car?mne.
inUkvQc.Eufchius fays, that ^^ Apollonius cm td Dif--
^'^?' io. j-gj^pej-g^ ^y^^ expelled Daemons in this
DcFafcin.M^i^^^i*? ^^^ Devil by the Help of another.''
Lap. 3. — Sennertus bringeth fome Examples of
Perfons
( 243 )
Perfons relieved by Conjurers and Inchari"
tersy when grievoufly tormented by Witches.
— In the Hijlory of Witchcraft^ " there is « ^'ol-
much Talk of a white Witch, as alfo of a ^* ^^^'
white Angel, who would fometimes refcue
Cliildren from the Witches'*
If we get among Papijls ; Binsjleld lays
it down as a '' certain Rule^ that a fif per ior Confers.
Wizard can cure the Mifchi.efs which an ^^Jf|;
inferior one hath caufed; — and that a P'^^'"
Wizard can fometimes cure Dijlempers,
which tJTje: Phyfician either knows not, or
can't cure." — The Author of Complcm,
Art, Exorciji. fays, " Devils will fome-Doar, 2
times be thus falutary, in order to gain
Souls to themf elves, and obtain Divine Ho-
nour, of which they are very Ambit ions, '"^
" I myfelf, fays he, faw and heard a
Witch confefs, that though fhe had hurt-r
ri many, yet fhe had cured others, Dee-
moniacs and diflempered People, by 7;z-
chantmcnts ; and then did Homage to Lii^
cijer, the Greater Angel,'' — Thyraus proves Daemom
the Do(ftrine, of Devils being expelled by^^^^^^}'
Devils, by divers Inftances of Magicians^
who made a Trade of this Pradice. Such
were thofe mentioned by St. Gregory.
(Dialog. Lib. i. Gap. ro.) Who under-
took to free a noble Lady from, a Devils
by magical Inchantments, And they reg-
ally did free her. But in the mean time
they opened a PafTage for a whole Legion
I i 2 of
( 244 )
cf unclean Spirits to enter into her. And,'
by the jtijl Judg^nent of Gody from that
Time llie was agitated by as many ftrange
Motions, and broke out into as many
Cryings and Roarings, as {he had Devils
within her." — In general, 'tis a known
Cafe, that wicked Men have done Miracles
of this Nature. — And that Popery may
not go v/ithoiit its Share of the Black
. Art', I friall herCj (to fave myfelf the
Trouble of confulting the Originals) tran-
fcribe a few Paffages from Brccklesby^
?. 3'S. GcJpeUTheifm. " The Miracles of the Le-
gendary's Lives of the Saifits feem to be of
the fame Character -, not wholly Fi^itiouSy
but in Part Realities -y hut fuch Realities
that are no better than the Feats of Magic.
Of the Catalogue of Popes no lefs than
fitir and twenty are fa id to be add idled to
the Magic Arts^-^Fafci cuius Temper urn re-
porteth, that in the Tenth Century Magicy
and the Art of making Charms^ and be-*
witching People, Vv^as almoft the only
<^s^* Learning of the Priefls. — In Spain they
Y'^^^t ^^'' ^^^^ Curers of Difeafes, Enfahnos-y
and in that Country the Learning of Magic
was fometime allowed and profefed-, for
in the Academy of Salamanca they taught
both Theurgy and Goety in the Piihlick
Schools, — Magic is no Stranger at Rome, A
Bifhop very dear to Pope Nicholas V. was
bewitched into an incurable Difeafe 5 where-
upoa
( 245 )
upon Application was made to that Pope
to grant a Dijpenjation to a Witch^ who
undertook (if it might be allowed) to be-
witch her to Death, that had bewitched
the Bijhop. The Pope granted the Difpen-
fatiofiy and the Bufinefs was done ; the
Witch jirft died^ and then the Bifhop re-
covered'' Now if any have can fed fimi-
lar Effects from fimilar Principles, they
may think ihd): Method warranted by this
Papal Difpenfation. ' "•
§. 46. But " hold, fay the MethodiJIs,
and Mr. Wejley^ you are running too faft.
We are a SeB of Saints : Our Treacher per-
forms thefe Wonders by Chrijiian Methods^
by a Divine Power in the ISJame of yefiis 5
and efpe daily by Sacred Hymns and Prayers J"*
Their real SaintJJjip I am not much in-
clined to own. But as to Matter of Fa6i ;■
Mr. Wejley hath fo often afferted miractt"
lous Healings^ and cajling out Devils, to
have been the EfFed: of his (fometimes
jointly with his Followers) Religious Offices,
Prayer in particular, that there is no Oc-
cafion of citing exprefs PaJJages, Nor need
I difallow his Account, — any farther than
may be colledted from the foregoing De--
duBions.
I will venture likewife to aflure him,'
that I entertain a very high Notion of a
Blejjing attending on all Religious, Chrif--
tian
( 246 )
tian Exerdfes ; more efpecially of the Pre^
valency of Prayer^ towards removing the
feveral Miferies incident to Human Life ;
f— higher ftill of the Efficacy of the fervent
Prayer of a Righteous Man, approaching
his Maker with the requifite Scriptural
Salifications. And yet, I {hould deem
it an unwarrantable Prefumptiony even in
a Righteous Man, to expeft a Miracle im-
mediately upon his Petitions j or pretend
to knoiHy that a fupernatural Remedy will
follow, and that in a Moment, As a pro-
per ^alificationy I fliould require better
Principles, Temper and Behaviour, than
can as yet be difcerned, in one who feems
fond of being thought a Cunning Man \ —
or in the Body of his Difciples ; a large
Part whereof, I fincerely believe, to be
Perfons of as bitter and turbulent a Spirit ^
as any at prefent in the Nation, Vncom^
mon Claims y and pretended Marks of Saint-
jhipy are by no Means wanting ; but the
genuine Marks of a Chrifiiany to me at
leaft, are invifible. Nor would they be
jiibaden. injured by a Comparifon with " St. Ca-
Rom!^ ^/:;^r/;2^ of Sienna -y who, being in an Ecftacy,
Apr. 30. Qur hord came and imprinted upon her
V hisjfu^ Wounds ; but the Marks were in-
terior,, and did not appear outwardly. This
Favour was granted to her great Humility ,
which moved her to obtain of Heaven^
that the Marks might not be feen"" — No
Doubt
( 247 )
Doubt but We fhould have vifible Proofs
were the Methodtjh to lubmit to St. Clara' ^
Operation-^ " whofe Body being opened, S^J'^g-
and her Heart dipaed, the Reprefentation "^"^^ '^*
of Chriji's Pa£io7i appeared as plainly as if
it had been carved,'' —
If I am not eafiiy impofed upon by fjc-
traor dinar y Pretenfwns of this Nature j
fome of my Reajons may appear from the
following Exa?77ples. That it was no un-
common Thing among the Jews to nfe
Curious, (i. e. Magical) Arts, in order to
remove JDifeafes, and drive out Demons j
and even by the moft feemingly Holy
Means, we have Proof from Scripture^
Thus, in xhQ ABs of the Apojiles-, '' then Chap. 19^
certain of the Vagabond Jews, Exorcijls,^^^^^^"^-
took upon them to call over them that
had evil Spirits, the Name of the Lord
Jefus, 6cc,'\ — The fame Game we find
carrying on in St. Aujlifi's Days : '' EvilTom. 9.
Spirits are pleafing themfelves with the^^'^-^^^"'
Shadow of Honour, while they deceive the ^"' ^' ^^'
Followers of Chrift : So far, my Brethren,
that thofe who Jeduce by Ligatures, Pray^
ers, and the Tools of Satan, mingle the
Name oj Chrift with their Inchantments.
Becaufe they can't feduce by plain Poifon^
they add a little Honey to make the per-
nicious Draught go down. Whence, to
my own Knowkdge, even the Impoftor
Palkntus hath been called a Chrljllanr
The
( 24S )
Pag.jo: The fame Father writeth, ''Concerning
Miracles done by Heretics : *^ Pontius hath
done a Miracle ; and Donatits hath prayed^
and received an Anfwer jrom God. They
are either Deceived^ or Deceivers. But
God hath cautioned me againfl thefe Won-
der -mongers ( mirabiliarios ) Matt. xxiv.
24. T/6^r^ Jhall arife Falfe Prophets^ who
fiall Jhew great Signs and Wonders^ &c.
Whether thefe Marks, with which they
are figned, be any thing to their Advan-
tage^ is to be confidered by him, who
would not be terrified and deceived.'' — •
Enchind. The fame Writer again; " Such Super-
ap- 23. jii^Iqj^^ ji^^^ ^j.g £^j|| ^jf peftilent Curiofity^
and tormentiitg Anxiety. By the Devil's
Craft they happen differently to different
Men, according to their own Apprehen-
fions and Prefiimptions. For the Great
Deceiver knows how to procure Things
agreeable to every Man's Temper^ and en-
fnare him by his own Sufpicions and Con-
fent.
Thus St. Chryfojlome applies to one of
Homi!.2i.thefe D2//?£'jj '' You make ufe of Liga-
Ad Pop. fii^^^ ^jjj Charms, introducing fome old^
drunken, reeling Woman into your Houfe,
And are you not afhamed, don't you
blufli, to run, tre?nbling and aftonified ^ittt
fuch Pradiices ? The Plea is, that the Wo-
man is a Chi'iJUan, and utters nothino: but
the Name of God^ Which very Thing
increafeth
( H^ )
increafcth rny Averfion to you ; becaiife
*tis perverting the Name of Gcd to the
blafpheming of God^^-^
Origen againft Celfus faith, *^ that the Edit;
Word Sabaoth was of common Ufe in 7;^-. Spencer,
chant ments \' where you have a great deal ^* ^
more concerning wonderful Cures by Sacred
Names, - — And if you look into Wulferi^2io. 57,
Theriaca Judaica^ you will have eaough
of magical Miracles and Cures performed,
by Virtue of Sacred Names^ among the
Cabbalijlic fews% particularly by the hv--
communicable Name^ Jehovah^ and Shem^
Hamphorafchy And, as Count Zinzendorf
has it in his Elegant Moravian Hymus^
(Hymn* 59*)
No Angel is fo bold and rajhy
But quakes at thy Shemhamphorafli.
Hierocles attempts to defend Apollojiiiis^
as delivering Prophecies^ raifing the Deady
and working other Miracles ^— not by Li^
chantments^ but a Divine Operation, " In-phiioft.
chanters, (whom I account the moft mi-'^^f- ^P*
ferable of Men) fome of them by tortur-^' ^'^^^
ing Spirits^ fome by barbarous Sacrifices^
or by Charming Verfes^ and Un^ions, boaft,
that they can make Fatality change its
Purpofe, But Apollonius follov^ed the De-
crees of Fate in his PrediBions,^ and pro-^
K k phefed^
( 250 )
fhefied^ not as a Magician^ but from what
the Gods hud ?^evealed to him'*
Our Friends of the Papacy boaft of
Thoufands of Cures^ &cc, by Means of
Prayer, in Conjundlion with their Adju-
rations and Conjurations, Thyraus hath a
D^mon. long String of fuch Performances. " One
Cap. 46. ^^^ refcued about fourteen hundred from
' the Devil, by thefe Means, &c:' [Which
is the fame Number with Mr. Wejlef^
Patients falling into Fits, This was many
Years ago, fo that the Number muft be
prodigioufly increafed by this Time.] — •
^^"^°"* £^^/;2/^i writeth, '' that ox\t Barbara Do^
Cap. 5. rea, ( who was burned for Witchcraft)
confefied, that (he had unbewitched feveral
whom (he herfelf had bewitched, and cured
them by applying an Inchanted Dove to
their Stomach, uling this Form, * In the
Name of the Holy Trinity, St. Anthony,
and St. Michael, may you be cured of
this Evil ; and let Mafs be faid for nine
Days.' No True Catholic, but will highly
approve of this Method.'' In the fame Chap^
ter he confirms, (by the Authority of the
Writer of Malleus Malef,) the Story of the
Indulgence granted to the Conjurer by P%
Nicholas Y," Nor can I deem the ejia^
blijljed Rof?2an Ritual, De Exorcizandis,
any low Degree of Profanenefs ; whereby
every cheating Exorci/1 is authorijed to
carry on his horrible Conjurations^ (I uf«
their
( 251 )
their own Word) in the Name^ and by
the peremptory Commands of the Holy Tri-^
nity \ adding the Commands of their Fic^
iitioiis Saints,
I am not here charging Mr. Wejley
with the Guilt of Magic. But v/hat I
have faid on this Article may, I think,
ferve for a Caution againfl Delufion -, and
may fuffice to create a Juji Sufpicion of Im^
pofiurey or at ieaft of Enthufiafm ; whea
Men Tet up with more than ordinary Sanc-^
tified Pretenjions ; and that the Undertak-
ing of miraculous Performances by the 7nojl
Sacred Na?nes., is not always to be de-
pended on 'y efpecially where the Operator
himfelf is a Perfon of dubious CharaSier,
Nor need we be much concerned, whe-
ther his Relations of his many miraculous
CureSy and driving out Devils^ be true or
filfe. For we may fafely adhere to the
Words of St. Aujlin, De Unitate Ecclefice,
*' The Donatijls contend for Truth onTraa. in
their Side, becaufe Pontius and Donatus^^^^ 7> ^
did fuch and fuch Wonders*^ or they^r^^,
and are heard \ or, this and that extraor- ^^^^i^ "£^^
dinary Thing happeneth among us ^ or, Plant,
that Brother y or that Sifter oi oms had P- ^54*
fuch a F//5I5W, or fuch 2i Dream, * Remo^
veantury fays he, . Away with thofe Fig-
rnents of Lying Men^ or Portents of De--
ludihg^ Spirits, For, either what they fay
\%.mt true 'y or if fome Miracles are really
K k 2 done
( 252 )
done by Heretics^ we ought ta be the
more upon our Guard. Becaufe our Lord
^Matth. j^ath faid, ' There fhall arife Falfe Pro-
XXIV. 24. ^^^^^^ ^J^^ ^j^^y £|^^jj ^^^ gj.^^^ ^^^^^ ^^j
1 Tim. Wonder i, &c/ And St. P^^/, < In the
/^//cT Ti/;?fjf forne fhall depart from the
Faith, giving heed iofeducmg Spirits^ and
DoBrines of Devils ^^ fpeaking Lies in Hy-*
focrify^ &;c/ And,
Multi Deo irafo exaudiunfur'^
The rnoft fpecious Appearances of Sanc-^
tity and Godlinefs need not ftagger us ; be-
caufe the Man of Sin was to come under
a two-fold CharaBer '^ of a Hypocrite y and
a Miracle-monger.
I mentioned Hymns^ as having particu-
larly an EfFed: in the Metbodifts Jirange
Dijorderi'y whether Difempers^ or Pof-
fejions. • When that defpairing Creature
% J€urn. v/as horribly raving, *^ We began^ fays Mr.
We/ley, — Arm of the Lord, awake, a-
wake ! She immediately funk down as
qjleep. But as foon as we left off, broke
out again with inexprefjible Vehemence*
And, as far as I can obferve, it is their
ufual Method, to fet up a general loud
3ijigi72gy in thefe Cafes, 5. for which there
may be feveral Reafo^is. '^p^.Mufie and
Noife have a natural .EjfFe<9^: both to
rotfe thofe who lie quiet, and to//// .tfaofe
whQ ^re qbfreperous. In another fuch
( 253 )
Cafe, *' The Company not only^;^^^, but
even in Prayer^ I fpoke as loud^ fays Mr.
We/ley^ as I ufually do to three or four
thoufand People,'' If fomething extraor-
dinary was not expected from Noife^ what
Occafion of being fo very loud? Verfe and
Song have always been efteemed mod
powerful y and thence the very Word,
Charniy is but the EngUfb of Carmen^ a
Verfe,—
Carmine Bit Superi placantur^ Carmine manes.
The Reafons given by Authors^ why the^^^j^^^^-
ancient Oracles were delivered in Verfe, p. ^o;.*
and not in Profe^ is becaufe Verfe is more De Pyth,
pompous and fonorous i and like wife, to cre-^^
ate a Notion of Infpiration from Apollo :
The fitteft to raife a reverential Horror in
the Mind, or to wrap up an Ambiguity.
The Perfons, fays Plutarch^ who have
brought the greateft Difgrace upon Poetry^
are that execrable, thievifi Set of Circum-
foraneous Strollers, the Priefls of Cybele a?id
Iris ; fome of whom from their own Com--
pofitions, or by Lots from certain Writings^
deliver out Oracles to Servants and Women,
who are moft taken with Verfe, For
which Reafon principally. Poetry making
herfelf a Projiitute to Cheats, Conjurers, and
Falfe Prophets^ was driven from the T'ripod
pfrrutbro\hai
As
Sanhedr.
65.
( 254 )
As to other Evils, of a different Nature^
among the Methodijls, fuch as their falfe
and preftimptuous Imaginations of Ajjiirance^
owned by Mr. Whitefield -, and the ftrange
* Wiles of SataUy as well as tnere empty
Dreams of a heated Imagination \' — for
thefe no doubt but Mr. Wejley can find a
Cure. The Jewi/h Talmud fays, ^' there
is a twofold Inchantment ^ the greater y
which draweth huge Dragons ^^ the leffer^
^^l' 1^1' which influenceth little Reptiles. Accord-
ingly Mefjingham tells us, in the Lives of
the IriJJj Saints^ that St. Magnus by his
Prayers expelled the Devils out of a
large Number of /Fcr;;^j, that infcftedihis
Cell. Nor mould we think it below Mr.
Wejley's, Dignity, or Vov^&tyto exorcife his
Maggots, ^ .^xv-; -:^
Mr. Wefley^Y o^x\y feems^to ht inde^
fatigabky and takes a great deal of Pains in
efFedting his feveral Cures and Expulfions.
Popijld Exorcijls too will fometimes grie-
vouQ.y fweat d.nd turmoil ; efpecially when
they are contending with a very potent and
cbfinate DeviL But frequently their Mi^
racks are of eafier Operation. A Scrap of
St. Jgnafius\ Hand-writing y a Draught of
fVatery in which St. Francis hath wa/hed
his Handsy or a Bit of liay^ from the Bun-
dle which his Afs hath been- mumbling.^
the Parings of this Sainf\ Nails^ or .^
Straw from the Bed of another^ a Kifs
( ^5S )
cf Sf, Thomas-a-Beckefs old Breeches ^y
which the Virgin Mar-y came down, and
helped him to me7id t — Any of thefe, and
a thoufand others equally eafy, will effed:u-
ally do the Feat. But which of the Me-
thods is mod meritorious^ may be a Point
of arduous Difcujion. '' ^^^^ oa ^M
§. 47. We are not, however, to con-
ceive, that a Cure of fuch dreadful Dif-
orders, ajid diabolical PoJJeJJtons^ is the fole
Benefit, which the Methodijls obtain by
their Sufferings. Divers other good Effects
follow. For Inftance, Judicial Piinijloments
of the miraculous Kind, for People's Oppo^
Jition to Methodifm : (For I am not allow-
ed to. fay fo particularly, " for oppofing
me, John Wejley,'') and in order to bring
them into Methodtfm 5 in which Cafe the
Punifhment fhall be releafed. I know he _;
v^'\S\ equivocate and prevaricate, where the"
Words "Judgment or Miracle are not ex-
prefsly mentioned. But the Narration
will fliew itfelf:^ - ''-'' ^iiiuu. :.. ^ -.^ V
What doth h^^ffitnl^%^k^]^^
the Weaver ? " He was a zealous Church-^ journ.
mOrjy^d vt^nfi ^]{ Bijf/enters; faid thep- 44-
Fiti o( the Methodifts were Delufions of
the DeviL But prefently he falls raving ,,
mad, — fcreams terribly, and beats himfelf^'*
againft the Ground:" — ^then cries aloud^''^
* fet them^ all come.;' let all the World '
fee
( 2.^6 )
{cQ^thtjujl Judgment cf God 'y* then fix-iitg
his Eyes upon me^ ^ Ay, this is he, who^
I faid, was a Deceiver,' He then roared
out, * O ! thou Curfed Devil ! yea, thou
Legion of Devils I Thou canft not ftay.
Ckriji will caft thee out.' He then beats
himfelf againft the Ground again ; — his
Breaft heaving, as in the Agonies of Death.
We all betook ourfelves to Prayer. His
Tangs ceafedy and both Body and Soul were
fet at Liberty:"
Here we have a grievous Punifhment ;
a Legion of Devils entering into the Man
for his Oppoftion to Mr. Wefley and Com-
pany 3 — this confefTed to be a jufl Judg-
ment : — but he becomes a Profelyte^ and
all is well. And one neceffary Form of
Taylor. Exorcifm is^ " Cunningly to get out of the
Polemic. j)^^ii the Confefjion of fome peculiar Doc--
trifiCy or fome new Saiitt^ for the Edifica-
tion of the By-Jlajiders, In this Cafe the
Father of Lies is always fuppofed to fpeak
the Truth, — He is commanded too to
knock his Head three Times againft the
Ground, in Adoration of the Trinity. *—
If he will not yet depart, the Exorcijl is to
pray^ and fpeak louder.'*
Much the fame End has the Judgment
3 Journ. upon the " ^aker ; who was biting his
P- 43- Lips, and knitting his Brows, at the DiJJi-
mulation of thefe Creatures ; but fuddenly
he dropped down as thunderjlrucky — in an
Agonjf
( ^S1 )
Agony terrible to behold. We befdught
God not to lay Folly to his Charge, And
he foon lifted up his Head, and cried a-
loud, ' Now I know thou art a Prophet of
the Lord.*' 'Tis but getting 2i fit Tool iot
the Work ; and then terrible is the Judg-
ment jor oppofing ^ but inftantly Mr. Wefiey
is a Prophet of the Lordy and the Man is
Jetjree.
The Inftances of the Daughter^ and
her Mother, have the like Ifiue. " The^ joamo
Girl feeling in herfelf fuch a Convidion,?. 51.
[/. e. fenfible that one of the dreadful Fits
was coming upon her,] ran out of the So-
ciety in all Hafte, that Jl^e , might not expcfe
herfelf. Bat the Hand of God followed
her ; fo that after going a few Steps, fhe
was forced to be carried home, and there
grew worfe and v/orfe, in a violent Agony.'*
— • " The firft that was deeply touched jbi^.
was JL-— W — ; whofe Mother had not p. 64.
been a little difpleafed, when flie was told,
how her Daughter had expofed herfelf be-
fore all the Congregation. The Mother her-
felf was the next who dropped down, and
Iq/i her Senfes in a Moment 5 but went
Home with her Daughter full of Joy."
So wicked a Thing is it to be offended at
the ftrange Fits of Methodifm -, and fo
friiitlefs the Attempt to fly from it. But
if we remember Mr. Wcjlefs ftrong Ar-
guings, that 'tis Satan who ftrikes them
L 1 down.
C ^5^ )
down, and deprives them pi tl)^^\^ S^enfes j
we may learn hov/ tnucli he h the Me-
thodijl'KFxiendy^^not^^ ,^?2.^!?.
run.away. ,\^ ^V^ ^^^. 'vl- ., . M '^^I^
Thus in Popery y the Z^o;// frequ€n|l^
ftands their Friend, by confirming^ th%
Truth of their DoBrine -zn^SairUjhip^ and
tormenting fuch as begin tp-^/w/^^^ theni^
vvhart. OX meditate a Flight. ^' Whea:^^/ certain
^^^''^^^' Mofik 6^x6. not pay due Hoi^our and Reve-
2d.'vol. rence to St. Oswald, a L^^/^ of thefe black
Spirits feize him, tear hina, throw hinj
down, &c. asking him, What Madaefs
poffeffed them to defpife Co great a Pr/g/?/'
Myfter. — 0"^ of St. Ignatius\ Society beginning
jefuit. toJluBuate, and form a Defign of y^r/zV^
^'^^' the Society 'y the Devil met him in the
Shape of a Man of a terrible Afpefl:, and
with a drawn Sword fi;ightened him back
i^gain to the Saint *^- who rebuked him^
faying, Are you {o wavering ? thou of
Ribaden. little Faith, why dldft thou douht ?— ;" It
P- 395- happened to St. Anthony, that a certain
''""* '^* Novice of the Order ran ^-z^wy,, ^nd ftole
his Ffaltcr. But the Devil met him with
a naked Sword in his Hand, ^and threateii-
ed to kill him, if he returned not back to
the Convent, and reftored Friar Anthony';^
Book. The WiWr^, affrighted with his
ftern Look, returned to the Convent, re-
ftored the Bo^^, aM begged lo be admit-
ted again into his Ord^r^^ ^^3^. _
( 259 )
^^Tb the fame Parpofe, and by the fame
J^il Spirit, were the Laughing Fits ju-
dicioufly inflided on fome, " who faid,4 joum.
the Methodijjts might help it, if they would. ^'^^_
But Godjliffyred Satan to -teach them better.
For they were feized in the fame manner
as the .reft, and thus continued for two
Days, a SpeBacle to alir ^Htvb plainly
Satan doth the Work, 'tis his good Plea-
fure to teach them better, ^for the Ifjf^r^i of
Methodifm. God baf ely ' fufers, ■ or per-
mits it -^ as he doth other Evils :'^^ iv^i<(i^
In one Para^rc^ph we have no^fs'tfia-n
three JudgmP72ts on Vcvion% 'who camt t(j -
diftiirbthe Methodijl Meetrng-houfe . * ' One
of the Chief havged himfilf. A fec^ond
had been tor fDme' Dciys^ in /w/g- Pain^
AThirdconifpffed to Mr. 9^^, that h^
was hired, and made drunk on Parpbfe,
but when he came to the Door, \\t could
not pr, nor open his Mouth.''— Thb Mm
might be ilmofl:^/^^^//rz/«^, without fup- -'^i^^^
pofing a Miracle 6r Judgment, But if it
mud befuch; ^th^st'sc Pagan Parallel,
f for Popijh ^re innumerable) concerning
^ a T^/w^/^ of that Pufitj and Majejly, ^^Diodor,
^imniediately to cure Dijlempers of the "Triie^^^^-
■Votaries ; hut Defpifers,: coming thither, p'^at!
lofe their Voice, and^ 'become as it were
d'ad"^ ^^ b^fuuit)! ^>looJ msfl
' rhthaja^fm^ ffiall n^en-
tion, (for there are fiiany thore) was upon
L 1 2 a Man
( 26o )
a Man ior beat mg his Wife^ who, it feems,
4 Journ. was a Methodifi.- "I vifited one whom
P- 97- God is ptirifyi?2g in the Fire^ in Anfwer to
the Prayers oj his Wife^ whom he was
juft going to beat^ (which he frequently
did) When God [mote Mm in a Moment^ fo
that his Hand dropped^ and he fell down
upon the Ground, having no more Strength
than a new-born Child. He has been
corji5ned to his Bed ever fince ; but re-
joices in Hope." — In ivhich Cafe Mr,
Anfw. to Wejley asks, ^ Have you known a parallel
p^'z'^' One in your Life ? "-^Probably 72^^. Thefe
Crfes are not ib common among Z7i Pr^-:
tefiants. The Fapalins deny, that Cod
ever enableth fuch Heretics to work a Mi-
rack. But among them judgments fall,
thick as Hail, upon the Violators of their
dear Perfons. Such was the Protediion of
xVieffing. St. Patrick ; " When a Man of a Gi-
P' ■^* gantic Stature brandifhed his Sword to
kill him for attempting to make Converts
in Ireland^ immediately zM his Strength wi-
thered away -, his whole Body turned Jiiff]
and he could neither move Foot, nor Hand
tojirike. The Man experiencing this Ju-
dicial Sign upon himfelf, was inftantly
changed into another Man, And both Soul
and Body were Jet free''
This may be fomething of a Parallel
with Mr. We/ley's Cafe, and of as good
Authority, And hence he may imagine
himfelf
( 26l )
himfelf rifing into an Authority like what
^hi Maimburz relates of one ^fchn^ a Mira- ^ ^''f'^-
7 ,r7 ' 1 1 T^ Spnnhem.
cierWorker^ who made even hmpercrs tovoi. ii.
fland in Awe of him, as a Perfon whop- 743-
had the Scourges of God in his Power, to
whom Miracles were but p/ay, and ^i;^;z
72otbingy The Man, no doubt defer vcd
fuch a Scourge, for beating his Wife, who
was a Methodiji. But had he beat her for
Dppofing Methodifrn 5 — the Cafe is altered,
quoth Plowden, . The Husband's Right
might then have been pleaded for exer-
cifing a little Difcipline over a difobedienf
Wife, For Mr. Wefey^^ illuminated Ac-
quai?2tance, Mijirefs Bourignon, hath decided
the Point, in her ' Light rijen in Dark-
?2efs. '* It is gre^it Malice in her to think Part IV.
to oblige her Husband not to adhere any ^^"^^ ^^'
longer unto my Sentiments, — concerning
Perfed:ion, whereof her Husband has had
JExpenence. — She hath (worn to be faithful
to her Husband till Death, — One, who
loves the Juftice, Goodnefs and Truth of .
"Cod, thunders ar:d lightens, when Injuf-
tice, Malice, or Lying, are oppofed to the
Senfc that he bears within his Soul 3 and
he mujl fhew his Difpleafure, though it
were with; fharp and rude Languas^e, or
quarrelling and fightings if Need requires/'
§. 48. But other Benefits are bellowed
ppon true Methodifls^ after they have un-
derwent
(.162 t,,„> ^„g^_., , ,^
derwent their Paijis and ^i/^^^/^r. A'bd^^^
certainly they deferve a very -^;;^/^ Ttecom--
penfe for fuffering:^ thofe exqti^fae'Torlureu.
in which. Mr,,.i^^/^y fa.4?xccedinelY'"tfi-
Horat. ^:^^uaax ^peti,genm\:^ ,^^.r - -. *^-.
. Ignem fraude mala gentibm intuULi •
^&JPo/i ignem Mtberid domo
SuhdiiBum^ macies et nova fchrium-^^ ^^
^Lerrts incubui: ^ '"'^•^•avYj* <^ ' prdT
Which Rt of Latin may be ^^xplaine^
by the Story ; qf Pandora'^ Boy ; wliicfi
1 learned, vvhen'a School-Bpy, fiom He*
Oper. & jIqJ^ cc ^ftej. Jf^Qrtals had found out a;
Yg^rf.6o. Way X.0 fteal Fird from Heaven^ Jupiter
ordered Viilcan to form a Beautiful jVot^ani,
who, fliould be adorned with tTie Gnjts and
Graces of all the Gods, and thence called
S^0d^ra. Mercury's Gontribution wa?,
^^pudence ^ Subtlety^ , Lying , Wheedling \
iricki^g^andl)ecett. And ffie was fent
4pWD .^ipp^ng Men, as a Punijhment oxi
iuch as were., fond oi .new Inventions. Foji:
this Eurpofe fhe^|)roiight,dc)wn 2iJ$oXy '%
zPrefent^ toEpimetheUs'y [?.>. One that Js
ivife, when 'tiXpo late,] "who fell in Love
\w;ith this myftical Lady, ^nd married h^r y
(though afterwards, for . fome mifchievous
Pra;:)ks, Jupiter transformed ^hjm into an
'" ;^^ But, unhappily, the i/^ oi" the
Box
( 263 )
jBdJAT. was no fooner opened by Epimetheusy
but "but fle'^ a Troop of all Manner of
Difeafes and Calamities. Hope only was
left at the Bottom of the Box/' Now fup-
pofing tht Methodi/i's Pretences to Infpira-
tion to be reprefented by jlealing Fire front
Heaven ; and the opening of the Box by
Mr, Weflefs Mouthy which, like a ptfti-
lential Blajiy Jlrikes Jo many to the Ground *y
— yet fome furef- Comfort than mere Hope
is to be found at the Bottoms --^^^'^
This -':e Methodifis may h^Ve'^j^roved
already, (if all fhould happen to prove any
t^mg^ but 2i31tjlake) by their being thuh-
aei-fruck Jnio FMth\ ConverJicn\ and fufi-
fcaiion^'T,t\\t\tCerttfe^^ Tardon ^
under M'feal^ of God -, (unlefs the Seal w^"" '"^^
count erf cite df iiKd of their ownputtpig*-)-^ \oh iiaV
Thdv j^i^ancef boih of prejiM andfutur^
Sahatimy (unlefs, as Mr. Whitef eld fyc^k^y
**' thofe, who had them noty only thdughi
t!i% had therh :**)— The Gifts of Prophc:-
^/?^, feeing. Thipgs at a Difance, ind
knowing the. Secrets of the Hearty £cc.
(unlefs there be fomethihg diabolical in
this :)-T=-The receiving of GracCy and the
Entrance of the Holy Spirit ; the very M?-
ment they are ftruck down, God entering
into their Souls -, (unlefs we give no Credit
to Mr. JVhiteJieldy after he hath co?ifeJJed
that he hath impofed upon the World by
fo nianv I7;2/r^/^;.)---Suppofing thefe mag-
(264)
nificent Benefits to fland upon a fure Foun-
dation ; fufficient Amends^ I hope, is here-
by made for their Sufferings and Tortures.
Nor are they without Precedents on their
Side.
And accordingly Dr. Wier obferves,
Pr^aig. that " the NunSy whom he attended,
p- 59^» punlihed by the Devil with incredible
^^ ' Torments^ declared they would not be with-
out thefe Calamities on any Account, be-
caufe they produced the pecidiar Grace
and Illumination of God. — Another falls a
Singing in her Agonies^ becaufe fhe did
not in the leaft hefitate as to her eternal
Salvation y
Cafaub. The Alumbrado's in Spain taught, '' that
P^iT^f <^€rtain Ardors, or Burnings, Tremblings,
and S^iakings, were a fufficient Token of
Grace ; and that thofe who could attain
them needed nothing elfe. That they
might y^'^ Qod vifibly, in their Ecjhuies,
&c.'' ;^a ^-^^
■ As to Mr. Wejlef^ rejoicing at the Suf-
ferings of his Followers 5 Alex, ab AJexan-*
Gvniai. dro tells us, '' that it was the Cuftom
Lib^6 ^f divers Nations to appeafe their Gods
Cap. 26. with Human Sacrifices, and the Blood -oi
their Captives ; imagining, that the Deity
was then efpecially propitiated, when they
butchered their Fellow Creatures-, and drew
Divination and Prophecy out of the */or-
tures of Mankind.'*
Strabo^
( 265 )
Strabo, (Book XI.) gives this Account Edit.
of the Religious Aibaiti, " Many of them p.^^Gg.
are quite Enthufaji^ and Prophefiers.
When a Perfon is thus pojjeffed in a high
Degree -, the chief Prieji offers him up a
Sacrifice to the Goddefs, in this Manner.
Being exceedingly expert in the Bufinefs,
he ftrikes the Man with a Spear through
the Side into the Heart. From the Body^
vihitn fallen^ they gather certain Signs of
Di^'oi nation ; v/hich they' piibUjh to the
People. The Body is afterwards trampled
upon by way of Luftration'^ And Ta-^
citus. fays, *' The Druids in Britain ufed Annal.
to conjult their Gods, by looking into' the ^^'^* \'^'
Entrails of their Captives.'* '''^' ^
One pretty extraordinary Advantage of
the Metbodifi's Miferies, fdmething diffe-
rent indeed from the former, is the i>V-
nefit of hfng God's Grace. For befides
that Spiritual Deferticns, Defpairings and
Infidelities, are fo frequent, and feem to
be a necefary Part in the Progrefs ' of
Methodifm\ if themfclves may be cre-
dited: — Mr. Whit e field 2jA\xxt\\\ us, that
*' Mr. H'ennant preached excelle?itly ^joell^l Jo^^ni.
upon the ISJecrfiity and Benefits of Spiritual^' ^'*
Defertions.'' The Beiiefits of being for"
fakeh of God is to me a VQvyfira7ige Doc-
trine : And yet a much more jlrange one,
that God is compelled^ and* laid under" a
Nccefiity to withdraw his Grace, Thus
M m one
( 266 )
one wild Enthujiajlic Teacher ventures to
preach, and another praifeth his Saying.
And in the next Edition of the ''^enefts
and NeceJJity of Alterations in the Liiiirg^^*
according to this DoBriney a new Prayer
{hould be inferted, '' that G?/ would be
pleafed to withdraw his Spiritual Comforts
^r\& Grace ?^:^6r^2X leaft this Ame7idmen%
offered, '' wherever in the Common V ray if
the Words occur, ' Take not^k^IhJ^
'Spirit from us, the Word «(?/ fhould be
r^^-But '^^'tis-^to bFliope(!''"fome%?/^r tyffeBs
fellow. For, it feems, through iuch /^/w-
fid Liijlrations and purgative Fires^ our
Metkodijls arnv Qy-Sit P erf e^ion, Vi/ions of
God and Angels^ ingulphnients Into the Deity ^
Union with God, yea, and being God, That
Mr. Wejley muft mean fuch a Perfection as
implieth abfohite Freedom from Sin, and
inward Corruption , fuch as was in Chrijiy
appears by his earneft Difpute with the
Moravians, and contending, that, in this
Kefpe5fy ' the Servant may be as hisMaJier*
Wefley Hcnce, faith '' the Woman in a high
4 journ. p^rj^,^^ J am vcry ///, — but I am very
^' ^^' well: — For I am united to Jefus. — My
Beloved hath cleanfed me from ail Sin ^
— I am waihed, I am cleanfed. -r- The
^nemy may come ; but he hath no Part in
Ibid. %ey* — Hence, (siy^ ?i Moravian, "I am
P--^^- as clofely united to Chri/^ as my Arm is
. f n M
, t%)
to my Body/'-— Hence, in the Account of
the two Hitchens'Sy after their Horrors,
Roarings^ Infidelities, Defpairs, &€i^. op,^
of them ^^ fees Thoiifmzdsy ajid few Thou^
fundi of Angels^ and Jefus Ch?iji himielf;
— I am fanUificd^ J am ivhiter iban S?7GW.
' — Why, 1 am ail God.'' — - The other BrOr^
tbeVy in a 7naUgna7it F<?'Z;£'r, f^ys, *' I fee
the Gates of Heaven ftand open, and
fefui with open Arms to receive me ; -r-
Open the i?d'^'u^;7j, O my God ^ and come
down into my Soul. Come Father^ Son,
and Holy Gbojl^ and plunge me into God^
y Thus-^are va^ deified^ \x^q HercukSy
who by putting on a poifoned Garme?2t was
drove into Madnefsy eredted x Funeral Fir^
for himfelf^ threw himfelf into the Flamef^
and th(2jnc9^, was ranked among x\\^,^I){r
vjnitiesl^ ^l^hxm Seneca faith, .^ V.^i.^?ss^.
^^Wlicita tanti pretia natales haleni^^'^^^
'^f^'Semperque inagno confiitity 7iafci Deuftt^ ^r
h-^'^^ Alexander the Great muft needs BIJ f^^H
fecmte hi^ favourite Hephe/lion ; and ereftCaii^mn,
Altars to him as a God. Some Flatterer^s^^^' '^*
teftlfied, that Hepheflion appeared to thertt,
cured DifeafeSy and delivered Oracles, Alex-
ander was wonderfully pleafed, as being
not only the Son of a God himfelf, blit
able to make GodsS" Such may be the
Boaftings of a Method! fi Teacher,
Mm 2 Of
( 268 )
^,| P£ this Nature was the Doflnoe of the
7a'fer Platoni/h, fome of the fubtkfi Ene-
mies that Chrifiianity ever Ixad. They
Jambilc. 'taught, '^ that by certain Puro-ations Men
Sea. 3. way exchange Humanity jgr Divtmty^^^
c. 6, 7, gji^nay yJ^ the .♦S^/r/V defcending and infiriu-
^* ating itfelf ^,^ m^y fee a Light like Fire, at
the Coming or Departure of the God,
This Illumination it is, which banifheth
,c\ll human h'btion^ Operation^ and Senfes ;
sod makes Men fpeak in a fenfekfs and
paving Manner.'' And, in the Words .of
P. 79. ''Brocklespi^ t^ The Soul becom^th her own
i±enotef)\ or Unity -^ and being thus <?/z^,
'!3DSfji>i 4ik^ the Firjl Unity ^ flie gaineth the S%/6^
'^l^'in^\C^ji>e. Firjl Unity y and is unittd there-
wljiji, , conjoining as it ^%XQ>,^^eniK£ iwiih
Centres and being o?2e witk^G^Mis: God,
/aith Plotinus. En. 6. L. 9v G. 8,9, 10."
\vi^, ^^ come to the Heretics in the Pri^
i:^h. n.lmj^^tjve Churchy Irenaus (ays, '' They talk
Cap-57v.j^yich of PerfeBion-, — Glory of having
Chriji. for their Mafier y-^r '2Si^ thai they
have the yi;;;£' &ouls^ by Grculationy with
Ifffus; are /ih him, and fometimes even
i/eftfr^^^.^^\ -.: Kr-'.^ay.-» ^ ,vi^:^^u4\A'l \^
More ofmefe=Wildneffes might .he pro-
^duced from the Ancient Heretics: but I
^'p^i^s ^o the, like Fanatical Rants mwngjbe
rapijis, M. Cajaubon affords fuch an
Enthuf. lnf|:ai)ce in '' sijier Catkarijie of Jefus -y
^' ' ^* who ufed to fall into Fits of Trcuiblings,
caftincf
v( ^69 )
cslftnig fcerfelf on'the Gr(?2^;7i, enjoying the
iPr~^Jence'vf God 'viftbly. She oiim fawy
and' in -fofi^aC Degree fitfferedy through
¥t\gh^fA^Q Fains of Hell: At '''other
-Times* ^fte'Vbrily thongh t herfelf i h ' 'Hea^oen.
Cbrifi 6^tx\ "drew fer' Soul into fox, mark-
ed htt with a Marky and always abode
with her. Though fhe was indeed for the
mtoii'^'&i^i deprived of her XJndefJianding,
And >tht§ &oul of^ClortJi drew htr into an
Operatioti of the Holy Trinity ^ &c."*— St.
Catharine of Sienna',''- (who Was troubled
with'ffd -many Dijlempei^s and Devils, but
could '^^pel them from others) received
fuch a' Bleffingv - " For one Day Cbrijl^^^^^^'''^
coming-itd^^her' o^tntA h'^tleff'Sid^, and ^^^ ^°*
took (>\xt'iitP''Heart, and carried it away.
But a few *D^ys afterwards he brought his
own ruddy Heart, and put it into h^t left
Side y fifing, ^^ ''My 'Daughter Catherine,
thou haft 7?2y Heart inftead of thy own'-' _ , >
and then he clofed zip her Side again. And
that it might be known, that this was 7J0t
pure Imagination, there remained ever after
a Scar in berSidc.'^-^Reve^iius, Archbifiop
of Philippe, writeth concerning fome Nuns,
(as few h^ve his Book, B<^yk may be con-
i{\3i^'d iri iht Article Revenius J that "they
take a Pride in pretending to wonderful
Performances ; ^-^ talk of nothing lefs than
their Union wiYh'^rda , which is only a
Union mih ih'dk^ o^*n Spirit, if not with
a worfe.
( 270 )
a worfe. They boaft of myftical Tran-
fubftantiations. Concentrations of Heartj,
Annihilation, — • Marriage with the Deity >^
— Spiritual Intoxications ; — Super-eflen-^
tial Unions, the Gulph of Annihilation y4
an 2ihioxh^nt Enthujtaf??!'^ Oblivioii of all
Things, inducing an Abyjjal Identification
-i'ol ^*if^iffy GoJy Der^c Confricafion y Spiritual
"^ Irtipudence, mifanthropical Afpirations, the
Joys of Darknefs and obfcure Night, Gfrl
Thefe, and the like enormous Words, and
thi^ unintelligible Jargon, is frequentljf
repeated in the 77ew School of Piety, by
their own chofen MaJlerSy and curious She-
DifcipIeSy fo as to he felt ifj their inward^
Parts.'' — Almoft the whole of ^iefifm^
and my flic Divinity, confifleth in paffing
jffgiJ through Combats with Devils, Purgations^
ill ti^fPains like Hell, Drynefs of Soul, Prtvationi
<5f *3 ^"-'f^j Qface^ Defpair and Damnation, — here-
by they attain Perfe5lion, Transformation^
a BQ\i\^fwallowed up in God, perfonal Dei^
f cation, fo as not to know or difli?jguijh thein^.
felvesfrom God himfelf*' This Language'
may ferveas a Counterpart, to Metbodifm, ef^,
pecially when a little tinftured with Mc-
ravianifm.
vjArrived to this Degree of PerfeBion^
they fave themfclves a deal of Trouble aa
to the Matter of good Works, which the
Methodifls fo egregioufly undervalue, and
every true Moravian fo heartily condemneth.
^DiU Xhefe
( 27^ )
Thefe latter, according to their own Rule,
ipay eafily and certainly be in a fafe Way
to Salvation^ for '' the only Way to be Wefley
fdvedis to avoid good Works/' For 'tis ^•^^g"'"'^*
the Bufinefs of the latter to fteal away
Mr. Wejlefs half-injiru5ied Dijcipks^ and
to perfeB what he had begun. Hinc illc^
Jachry ma. ---Hencey fays he, '' I went tps Jo"rn.
H — T'— r, a young Man, who did onceP- "^9' ^o-
run welly but now fays, ' he faw the
Devil in the Corner of every Church,
and in the Face of every one who had
been there. — • And if you gp to Church and
Sacrament y you will be dtimned'\ Into
thefe Spiritual Wickednejjh the Methodifi^
have ran greedily in Crowds: Not a little,
I fuppofe, enlightened by their admired
Bourignon ; who " thus anfwers the Quef- i^^^it,
tipn^^ whether the Perfedl and Regenerated^?.^ in.
ought to ufe the Sacrament Sy or not :^^"^' 3^.
* No. For he that is truly born again^
poffeffeth . all the Sacraments in himfeff^
and needs not to feek them out of himfelf.
He is returned to the State of Inmcenccy
wherein Adam lived before his Sin. —
The Dm/ has invented the frequenting
the Sacraments^ And fuch a PerfeBio-
niji was St. Bridgety whom (in the very
Words oi Ribadeneira) " G^^ commanded
to go to Romcy where, by Means of In-r.
dulgenceSy as by a Jhorter Cuty it was more
31311 r
Iflbe
( 272 )
liTue is the main Thing/' And the Me^
tbodifls have been {o well tutor'd, that
5 Journ. after all their Fanatical Pranks^ '' they
^ ^^" are as fure their Sins are forgiven, as they
can be of the Shining of the Sun: —
they are as fur-e of Heanjen^ as if they
were already there." To Heaven they
muftj and will go ? And what lefs can
be expe-ded than taking it. by Violence^ after
fuch frefiimptuoiis Demands upon God\ as-
a Teft of their Humility ? Thus infolently
5 journ. humble fpeaks Mr. Whitefield, " 1 here
^'^ll^^'' demand xkij.Kx^r — What fignifieth being
3 Journ. a Sinner? " Chrift is bmind to pay the
P- '^j^^ Debt.'' And Mr. JVeJlefs Mother claims
her Manfion in the Skies,'* And yet, one
may be as fure^ as they can be to the
contrary^ that " God be, merciful to me a
Simier^'' would become the very hejl of
them, when they are leaving this World.
li fuch Proofs of Salvation may be de-
pended on, and Heaven to be thus tnfured -^
If there be no Mifiake or Dehfon in the
Cafe 'y and their own Word be a fiifficient
Security ; — I fee no Reafon why other
fimilar Accounts may not? defcrve to be^
credited. — Let the Pagan Magiciany jipol-
Ph'iloar. loniuSy ftand forth. '* When he entered a
Clear, certain Temple^ he . heard a Voice of fing-
ing* in thefe Words, * Come^ conic up into
Miffio. Heaven \ come,*' r^h^t the Indian Tamuli
Evangel. ^^ heard, " teaching, that the ^^y? of them
p. 6;. ' ;:> J
^ pais
(273 )
pafs into Paradife \ but through Rivers of
Fire^ Darknefs^ Milk and Water ^ — Though
fometimes they have a more expeditions
Way ^ if any one attends once or twice to
fome peculiar Do^rine of the Priejl ; or if,
before his Death, he thrice take hold of
a Cow's Tail^ according to a religious Rite^i
immediately his Si?2s are forgiven y and he
is carried up to Heaven.'' — Let the Faith
of the Mohammeda7ts be true ; '^ among Bu?beq.
whom are many Vagabond Pretenders /o^^*^^'^'
SanSlity^ counterfeiting a Stupidity, Which
Sort of Men is highly valued among
them, becaufe Fools and Madmen ^ as Per-
fons undoubtedly predeflinated to Sahation^
are accounted Saints even in this Life'*
And 'tis thought an effedlual Way, if, in- sale*s
ftead of a Shrowd, a Man can get to be Koran,
buried in their Prophet's Shirt," — Let us^* ^
applaud Don ^ixot's Maxi?n, that '' all
KnightS'Errant go diredly to Heaven," —
Then what St. Findan heard out of St.
Blafus's Tomb is unqueftionably true ;
" your Seat is already prepared in Heaven^ Mabll.
and your Sins are forgiven." — Then *5^/- ^f g^^"'
vation is wrapped up in 2i Monk's Cowle,^. 381/
'Tis but dying in Simon Stock's Scapu-
lary^ or St. Francis's Rope^ and all is fafe.
Get but into one of their Orders^ or their
Conjrate7'nities \ and the Bulls of his Ho-
linefs will fecure your Salvation, '* Make Brev.
but a few Vifits to St. Francis's Chapel x^^^^'^'^'^^^'
rM n and
Aug.
( 274 )
;and Chrijl, who promifed him to deny
nothing that he asked, hath efFedually
forgiven all your Sins upon Confejjiony — -
Then the moft nafty^ ridiculous^ crack-^
brain' dy nay wicked Saints^ Murtherers^
^rayfors and Rebels^ fuch as the Saints^
Francis^ Dominic >, Ignatius^ Thomas- a ^
Becket, Hildebrand^ &c. ^re, without
Doubt, in Heaven^ becaufe canonized by
St. Peter's Vicar.
J particularly mention the. /^, becaufe
(to fhew the World how much Popery
is mended) no longer ago than Septem-r
her 25, 1728., this Hildebrand (Grego^
ry VII. one of the moft wicked of Man-
kind, and mofl infamous even of Popes)
was exalted into a Saint by Benedi^v XIII.
and in a Supplement to theRomaiv^Brenjiaryy
his Fejiival is ordered to 'b^'^kept by all
Chrijlians^ W\i\\ 2i double Office ^ on May 2^.
The Collea: is, " O God, the Strength
of all that truft in thee, who haft endued
the BleJJed Gregory, thy Confejjbr and PopCy
with Virtue and Conftancy to defend the
Xjiherty of the Church ; grant to us, that
by his Example and InterceJJion, we may
overcome valiantly all that oppofeth us."
And to point out in v/hat Particular his
Zeal is to be imitated, the Lejjons for the
Day tell us. " No Pope, fince the Apo-
file's. Days, did, or juffered more for the
Church, ox fought more jd^fpc^rately for it.
Againft
{ ^75)
Againft the impious Attempts of the E^^
per or Heiiry (the Fourth) he flood an /«-
trepid Champion^ and deprived him of the
Communion of the Faithful^ and of his Do-
minions -^ and abfohed all his SubjeSis from
their Allegiance. — While he was celebrating
Mafs, a Dove was feen flying down from
Heaven^ and fitting with expanded Wings
on his right Shoulder, as a Proof that he
was guided by the Infpiration of the Holy
Ghofl. — . At length this true Saint went to
Heaven^ &c/' — ^' By Order of our mofl
Holy Father EenediB. XIII. Lord of the
City^ and the World, (Urbis & Orbis.J
Signed, N. Cardinal Cofci a." The whole
Service is reprinted in Verpoortennii Fafci-
culo Difjertationum, Coburg. 1739.
Such Saints as thefe may however be
in Danger oi going down Stairs into Heaven ;
as Juvenal fmartly fays of the Cofifecration
of Claudius^
— Tremiilumque caput defcendere jufjit Sat. 6.
■AdCcelum.— -- "^^^f-^"
Defcends into the Skies His, trembling Head,
Se72eca vixMtihy in his Apocohcynfo/is, ox:
Apotheofis of a Pumpkin, ) " that this
Pumpkin Claudius had during his Life a
Temple in Britannia ; and that he died in
grievous Torture^ while he was hearing a
Comedy i In Yixin^- oi h\^ Conficration \\q
N n 2 went
(276)
went indeed up to Heaven^ but the C?-
leftial Council not bearing, that fuch Per-
fons fliould be made Gods by low Mortals,
inftantly decreed, that he fhould leave
Heaven within thirty Days. Accordingly
he was packed away, and hurried down to
the Infernal Regions.'*
Both Baleus and Flatina^ in their Lives
of Boniface VIII. tell us, " that he imca-
nonized St. Herman of Ferrara^ and or-
dered his Bones to be dug up, and burn-
ed, after he had been venerated for a Saint
for twenty Years." oU£i4iiinl afli
But who will venture to apply this to
the Methodifts ? Their Teachers indeed
have been very free and generous in the
Difpofal of Heaven. They can prefently
reftore their Followers to Paradife^ or fend
them to Heaven ; nay, can place them
there in what Degree of Glory they pleafe,
Seward and make ** Mr. Seward' s Sijiers fiine with
journ. ^ refulgent Splendor^ above the reft of the
^" ^* Heavenly Hojl.'* They can make " Our
Dear Lord come and perfume their Graves ;
can make Angels come, and carry them
up to Heaven ; can even plunge them into
the Urinity^ and make them all God y
And what then ? What marvel this ?
Do not Papifts the fame ? The Pope by
Canonization ftocketh Heaven with as many
Inhabitants as he will ; though they have
been Madmen^ Rogues^ and Jfa/jins. —
He
( ^n )
He affigneth to each what particular Man- Sexti
Jion he judgeth proper, as we find in their l-^, nf*
Canon Law, and its Gloffes. — He hath aTit. 22.
Power fuperior to all created Beings^ hath
a Pontificial Omnipotence^ and commands
Angels. And P. Clement VI. acflually ex-
erted this Authority in his Bull, in Favour
of Pilgrims, " we peremptorily command
the Angels of Paradife to introduce their
Souls into Paradife, abfolutely freed froin
Purgatory.'* — And if any one of thefe
Pilgrims, upon his Return home, fhould
by the Inftigation of the Devil commit
any Sin ; it is our Will and Pkafure, that
the Punifhment of Hell fhall not in any
wife he infliBed on him -, — unlefs on Ac-
count of other Sins, which he fhail com-
mit afterwards.'' — Out of mere Shame, the
Papifts were very diligent in burning, or
fecreting this Bidl, and thinking they had
eflfe6tually done it, began to deny that
there was ever fuch a Btill-, or at leaft
that had the Sanc^^lion of the Pcpe'-s Seal.
But WeJ/elus of Groningen, Chancellor Ger-
fon, Corn, Agrippa, &c. affirm, that Copies
are now to be feen, with the Pope's Seal
annexed, in the Archives at "Vienna, hi-
mogis, and PoiBiers. And luckily Johan.
Hoornbeek^ found a Copy of it in the Pub-
lick Library at Utrecht, which he pubiiflied
with Obfervations. See at the End of his
Bull<z P. Vrbani VIII.
Whv
( 278 )
Why the Pope fhould have a RefervCi
as to Sins to be committed afterwards^ is
not without Reafon. For Indulgences miijl
be piir chafed again and again. And hence
may be collefted, why Mr. Wejley talks io
much of the Methodifl's having " Aflii-
rance of Pardon^ and Salvation for the
prejent.'* It is fit they fhould be brought
to ConfeJJion^ toties quoties^ and make their
Sexti Offerings. — It ftands in fo many Words
Lib!T' i^ their Canon Law, that '' God affumed
Tit. 6. St, Peter info Partner/hip with the Undi^
vided Unity/* And, as 'tis confidently af-
ferted, that the Pope fucceeds St. Peter in
all his Power and Privileges ; how can he
Cafal. de be denied the fame Honour ?-— " His Power
^f^' too of ca7W?iizing others is not only un-
^^''^^' queftionable, but a Point, in which he is
certainly infallible, and cannot be mif
taken r
Thefe are high Claims to great Things.
And yet one may be tempted, with Re-
gard to fuch Ca?2onizers and God-makers^
to join Iffue with jigefilaiis, in Plutarch^
Ed. Parif. " The T'hafans had determined to make
y^^J^- him a God, and eredl Temples to his Di-
vinity-^ and fending Ambaffadors to ac-
quaint him with it ; he asked them, whe-
X^tt their City could make Gods of Men ^
'ftiey replying, that it could. Go then^
jTaitlx he-, make w/r/^/t?^i /uch, and then
2IO.
( 279 )
I fliall bejlev^e ,^hat. youv can, tnake a God of
" §. 49. But to return from this imperii^
ne'nt Digrejjion : — I proceed to confider, in
the laft Place, the famous MethodiJl'DoC"
trine concerning Regeneration^ or the New
Birth, Whereby they do not mean Re-
generation by Baptijm ; but fomething
diftindi and oppofite. The Scriptures in-
deed may talk of a fecond and fpiritiial
Birth by Baptifm^ of the Wajlnng^ or La--
"Very of Regeneration ; but what avails that,
if they take upon them profanely (as Mr.
Whitejield does in exprefs Words) to call
" Baptifmal Regeneration^ the Diana of the
frefent Age ?" — Or, as Mr. Wejley more
gently fpeaks, " if the Wafnng of the^ J^^^ra'
Holy Ghojly which was given in Baptifm^' '^^'
be finned away ? — Or, what if after all
our befl Endeavours, Baptifmal Regenera-
tion be ineffedtual? For, fays he, '^ though 3 Joum.
I have ufed all the Means for twenty Years, P* ^3-
I am not a Chriftian. Verily, verily, I
fay unto you, I miift be born again''
And he calls thofe '' Blind Leaders of P. 82,
the Blind, who fpeak of the New Birtby
as if it were no more than Baptifm''
Therefore, another greater and better
New Birth muft be fuperadded to fupply
the DefeB, And yet one would think the
former fiifficient for all Furpofes of a Chrif-
tian y
( 28o ) ^
tian ; fuppofing only thaf "St. F^z/7 fpeaks
Ephef. -. Truth', " C^r//? fandtified and- ^cleanfed
26. the Church with tht wajhing of .^Water ^^
—-that he might prefent it to himfelf a
Glorious Churchy not having Spoty or V/riu"
kle^ or any fuch Thing/'—
But I am again forgetting mylelf, and
;: tTitle-Page^ which mentioned not Confu^
Hation, h\ii o^\fComparifon» To this then
let- u& proceed. This Myfdcal Regenera"
^ifi;??:isv it feenis, two-fold^ a Lejer^ and a
wvfley Greater, ■ *- Born again in the Higher
3 journ. ^^^ of the- Word, into a thorough^ in-
^* ' ward Change, by the Love oftiodJh^d^
abroad in the Heart. Born again in the
^ i- . Lower Senfe is receiving RemiJJion of Sins''
Whitf. —Mr. Whitefield mzkes Converjion to be the
3 J°'-^»'n- fame Thing with the New Birth, And Count,
^We% Zin^endorf [^ys, ^^ fitfificdtiqn is the fame '
2 Journ. 23 beiiig bom of God, When a Man isi
^* ^'^* begQite-n of Gody his Fear, and Sorrow, aacj.^
Serfe of the Wrath of God^^ are the Pangs^\
cfi^tJoeiNew Birth,''— Mr, Brainerd fays.pf^^
Journ. ''^ xht Indian Conjurer, one of thofe whom
p. 86. \^Qy c2l\\ Powvjows, that after his Co?2ver-r^
fiony in all Refpeds, he bears the Marks of}^
Wefley om^-£reated a-new in Chrifl Jefus'" — *^ One/^,
3 Journ. j-eceives a full clear Senfe oi Pard^i^.^^mit^^
Pdwer to fiii no more," ^. ^_ jj.^^^.;H>
iThey muft not, howev,^4 4' yet wrap,.
themfci^es up in Security, For IVlr. Wejley ^
4 joiirn, ^vriteSi, ^^j^-many go thtoagh''tH^w Wilder-
( 28i )
nefe-State of Doubts and Fears^ andjlrong
Temptatio72Sy after they have received Re-
mijjion of Sins, --^ After a clear ^J/urance"^ ^^^^^•
that Goi hath forgiven their Sins, — they^* ^^'
are not to think themfelves any Thing
even after this, till thoroughly renewed af-
ter the Image of God'' — Of this he him-
f elf is an experimental Witnefs. " I con- 2 Joum.
tinned to feek it ( faving Faith ) with P- '9 5©
ftrange Indifference, Dulnefs and Coldnefs,
and unufually frequent Relapfes into Sin,
ii\\JFed?icfdayy May 2^^ (173S) and then
Afjurance was given me, that he had taken
away 77iy Sins, even mine'' — But imme-
diately after this New Birth, he ov/neth,
" Satan's Suggeftions that he had no Faith ^V.^o-ii,
— was fnuch buffeted with TemptationSy and
a Charge of not having a more fenfble
Changer — I anfwered, (fays Mv/jVefey)
I fm not to Day 'y and Jefus my Mailer
has forbid me to take Thought for the
Mcrrowy Accordingly to-morrow^ ^' he
hath manifold Temptations^ — -but comes off
more than Conqueror y — has Freedom from
Sin; not one unholy Defire.** — Yet two
Days afterwards, fays, " / grieved th(: >
Spirit of Gody and God hid his Face : ,
Again aflaulted -, — had more Comfort, —
on which I began to prefume ; — then
thrown into Perplexity, whether I had
any Faith at all." — And long after this,
*' 1 was much in Doubt, whether Gods Jou^-
Oo would P'^°^
|POuld not , jay mc^ afide^j^.y^" ^^^^f^
J2;.— ^(O how jfalkn Anct^jhts^A^^pn^
nefled this ^o^^-^'<???/^i^«) that th^,^^;^
cf Qod had taken away her Sins^[,fr^iBX
fjie.^J^cr^ tjjpap t^>p.Lt?ve of Gp^J' ^WSl
ityo] r or move* ^ -^Here obferve, this .Woman
^' -was hor?i .again both ia the Loiter a)id
^^, ^v Again ; /' A 'young- Man,, who
Ljdgqfjpq.;j^r>own the Peace of God^ but
L^^ljiW^dClt away, hzi zfrefl: a?id clear
Manifejlation of the hove of God\,;<:^^iOi^
Ib^t;ihejr^gt^^^j'2m//i^/i niay be r/z^^:^- ?>£-
i^^^j agjaia and again, -to an indefinite
jri^ .^d^-^h^t a Man may keep a Birth-'
\^^i^^^'S ^^\' ^^ his Life^ and ^e,^^eJ:J
dl3^ exgeriencQ the "Throws . and Pangs. of
iiQHKl^fSV^''^' [Hereby we may be fatif-
' ..^Sp^ju-ll^^t.-the invented Peculiarity of their
^ ^ji^gj nQthingbut tht.renemng of the Spnit
"^"dd qoi&i?^^-^^^^ ^f^^^^^^> ^^* ^.Mng^^rencnsocd
^^^^tio Repentance 5 —-renewed- in Righte-
.^c^M^s pnd true I^oUneJl^^^^t^^^jhe fmge
T orW^^^/^ '^/^^^ created liii, &;c4,,:.v ^' ■•
' rite' ^wr^ or hi^tfr ^^^> '^f^:^^M^^''
J.^^^3 )
a^l|FjMe ''Torm^hts^, ^aiid Agonies of a
J^ofn<ik ^^rcAail ^;FC)r, , '^ It is in |Ke whitf*
Feci moV^^^^« ^^f Bc^^^ll experienci^
fBmfi *^ h^tcP^'ff^vek e'er Chriji' Ts
jtfmUWtm?''^^' As my M.^/6fr bom Weiley
ftfff^^h^par^y^'^, fo did I feel -great 3 J^^m.
J%/«lff%^^uI^ ifi^:teiffg^^^^
I thoiiglit (Kc Pains of Hell were upon me,
and that my Soul was takin^'leave of my
Body. Wasjn this violeht ^|-d;>;jj? fof a$otit
four Hbiii-^^'^ihtn began to fiel r:^as %mi
^^^^^Ko,tl?i¥| Kf^^tmk i©iitn|i #^if^%ffe
'jlk^'-^gomei of Death, the Pciim of HeH^
"dflj thinking they' are /;?.i&//, will fc?Vfe.
^-^ Devils are dragging them to ii/f//, their Pag. 19.
Bodies alnrtt)fl:' torn afunder : — • Tfiiy 'ai?e
fcized with the Spirit of Fear, Horrot,
and Defpaf^;i^^^fe^ti the Pains of liell?. 40,^ 2,
i^jtiJli^^B, ^^n&\K€'i^f^hoJ God Jloed Srdfnd^'
^ in h^^HeWt :'^ Andth^r] in Defpair, liath
the fame: -^ Another finking down even
as dead, h^th her Srns take7i i^4yf--^ 'On^ ^ journ.
in a Fever feels great. Terrors j fears leftp- 76.
"^ he fliould ^ro/> info Hell :— Another over- 2 Journ.
^whelmed with a hofribk Dread , expecting P ^^•
'ii^^x\g'Witt6^h^ up in a Mo-
''litSht/'^In general, as Mr. JVeJley fpeaks,
" The being in Oreo, (/. ^. in Hell) :iS i Journ.
"they phrafe it, is thought an indifpenBhU"^^^'
Preparative for being a Ojrijiiah''''' ^''
O o 2 The
,xfftfol\jte^M fame AcQpunts . we :b^^_Q^^'^^raim
journ. f^r^ I ** one /W^V^z felt that it^ofe^aav.i^
p. 8, ^^' gone 'Cafe withdhim, and thought heitnuft,
linj^ down tq j^f// ;--- but is fyon anotbjBr:
Man, created a-new in Chrijl Jefus. — A.
Cqnjiirer^ and Mur^hemr'^ giving cut. that
he%\ai jhnie^ Gre^t orie, >-r-^ thinks God willi
fend hini:vip^pn^y/, i& juft. drc^ping into
itj^ ■■ he ^ould;.t^^ I rlDiriw
^.ii^nce^ Mr. /^'g/?^j defcriteth the' {cvt*y
r^i[ (^yings out^ Roarings^ Tellings y Con-'
11 lo^I^lfi?^'^^^ ContorfionSy with the: unutterable
" 8{.Q .(^gojues of Mind and Body^—, by fuch Bx-^x
preflions, as " groaning for Deliverance,.
calling to G<?J,^a^ out of the BeJJiy of Hell\ii
as in their i^^m ^«^ P^^j^f, >&c%o atid-ift
they have a fjarp and long- labour, y thely.
all J ^^^J ^^^ inflrong Pain for Jome Days,- as yet:
A .W'lnot. delivered at ail 5 //^ Children are cotneX
'c^ '^ to ''the Birth y hut there is not Slrengtbiim
brw^ forth y — The fame is evidently fup-^j
j)c^^d by Mr. Wbitefieldy in his Letter?
whitf. frpn^jMr.7^^/?j^', " A Wqrn^n feized withi
3 jfjurn. iii|tl)|ners,,th^^^^ Agonies of Death I '-^
" * ' ^ * fiye : D2iy ^ /h.e ^tra'^dled and groaned^ t heri t
in .^;^ie;;;^«/ wasfidl.ff^ JLove and Joy.'^i-^
Ifer .^>ip;;ids ,^|jav^^^^fppu^^ed ,her:/;/i?^ fotj
p. 8 1 . tj^eie, tf?pe r X earsi..' '^^ Seward, undergo-*
ingt^reat jnward Agonies .0n4 Tortures,
Ijke dipfe of St. Paul, sl -po^n travelling:
V^pm^i , Vi ho. Xo\A . Str^^w^Jh^^s , (^s a Mid-
^%^ ^'^''
tuf^\%f ^the^N4\v''Birth?^:^'^ One having 7 Jown;
droptdoWn^«s*1f Ihot'with ^'Giin-y u^ovi^'^X]:
his rifmg, I had half an Hour's Convert;'
fation. with him on the Nature of the Nml
Hhowkdge with Mr. Wcf,ey,xo be *^ fome-"
thing more than that o( Baptifm :"' To
which I fhall (oon find ^pro/>e?- Par^I/el
throughoiit. But firft fhall mention a few
Comparifons sis to Hell felt in ttit New Birth.
"^Whf^rcb hf8 in general, fliat " ^^^ol,iu
rible and rigid Trembling and Quaking is'^' ^^^^
called Tccgragi^eii/, iei^ig in Hell, or a^iJig-
Hellr — Barfolits Jays, that Jgnatius felP
the -throes y^f. m^ert^tM Wpe ai bai df^
Hell, and that the Devils could not invent^
^worfeTarturer — ^' St. I'erefa's Spiritual Life.
Regenerati^^n was^ffi^sV " ^uf L^/'^pl^:"^^^^-
ceth her in Hm lo fee the Torments pre-}
pared for her thcre.«^The Entrance' is Hlie'
^■"Wwy 7iarrou>, dark Furnace : -^^'^^
End of the Paf&ge is a certain hollov? ^^'^
Place, hka 2,'Prejs in a Wall, into which
{he faw -herfelf crowded extremely c/(?/^^.
— But ^s to the/^t'/Z/Tg- Part, "tis a Thiilg,
that ca-ft ne-ither be related, or underftood."
Sh^Mt^Fire in her Soul. Alfthemoft
infttpportable Pains (lie had endured, thd*.
caufed by the Dm/, are nothing of what
I -felt there, p>efing, agonixing, fiflinil
dejperMe and t<)rturing ' Difcontent and Dif-
^^l , giijt
^yaTo fay - W^^a^mfi, ''dr 'rehA
tng of'jhe- Sold, WWi^ imi^l^htSaid
tears itfelf in Piecb^j^^— by an Hniertop'Wtre
and De(p.air\ burned, and cut in Piece-
meat itNt t)rt(^^; ' ;i«tni^^}1^^
-^-^ She ■' is^^igam ye^i^ced^'%''-^^^ St'M,
Vol. II. for Jfonip particular Sins/*^^^(f ftill aftei-
P- 3i- 0s^^ MFloofctb all the 'Co^i/Shiidhi' of
Gd^i'-f^^^^ Virtues, even Faith itfelf, are
fiifpended^ ^,0' tlie ^evii bringing her to
iirch Heavineis arid* Darknefs, as cannot
te exprepd, ffiuch le.Is exaggerated. -^-^
The L^r^ tells her, it was from- the
^"'^^'in this Companfony (befides the general
Smilmde with t'\\t' Meth&difiical New
'■'Mrth) may be obferved, ther-Refembkn^e
^witli ^oor Mv^ WBifefield, whorii the
^'lyevii Jhut v^ in Jbis. ' Chfet^ dnd locked up
^M'^Jrgri^ jifAirY— The' Devils being
^W^'Caufe of the Pa?2gs in the Ne%v Birth',
^-p fA'd' the .NeceiTiTy of ^^ts toeing feveral
3^mes repeated, ' '\ ' ^ ": ^ -
Pag. 65. i^^^qd' farther on, T^^/&3^i^^^'%at the
Religious und(^i- her Inftitution every Mdfitb
giye their Superior an Account of their
~§>/*h*/"; v^herein, ^vith ^reat Fidelity, they
^fcbVer all the':Tii^riiii^s aM' Windingg
( ^l7 )
f0Qt^ 4o ^imJiJf:}- *-:I fpent the Remainder
iif^|^^ilii?:j-anci the following \V.eek, in.ex^^j
wining tho^Q of the &ae/)' ; ipeakingyH'^r
rally to eacpj-thdit I iriigbt ?nore perfe^^
know the State oftl^eir Souls Jo Godward.*^
This is. the, identical Man^ who hacj^itbe
..^urance folemnly to ^ecla^^J^" |FiM ^^^^^" ^^
fraBife is, the QQnfeljlon..of,J^veva^ -.
conjointly^ 72ot to a Priejl^biit'-to each otherl''^'
Net that i/ire Confeffiony even to, Mr.
Wejleyy will be a fiifficiait Preparation for
the New Birth :—.Pe?2anc^s are tQ he un-
j^r gq:cif ^ \i dl y,5f s Purgatiom ^ c{^tdy Lujlrations
of a (Tr^^/ Kind are to fee their. Poition
(not the SatisfaBion of Chrijl) before their
^b^^j^g ^n again^^ thefc ^s an E^unia-
Jeni' to Purgatory^ and rieceffary for the
E:<piationfor Srn, — I adjourn this Point
for a. Minute, ..t^^u/^ ^^^rnuft jio^-lpm^
Madam Bourignony^whofc Inftitutiom, Kay-
ing thrown a Ma^n io^p a dangerous Dijieni-
fcr^ filling him w.itli^;:row3 Sadnefs and
Sighing, &c. She teifs his Wife, 1' that
her Do&ine is a Milky \f^o'verytour'\
thai begetteth Virgins ; ,.the Man's, Sorro^
"good and wholefoaae5--7-^,^".^^/f//;?^ defign^d
^^P/?2/r^d' his SouJ, to bring him to.J?^^-
feBiony to uynte him ^o God : — That ,tli^c
"whol^fonie Pr?//;j a^id Sighs are the Tlj'ro'es
^M^'i^^if^ ^^^ that Children,
Natural or "Spirkii^l, cannot be born again
M^'^i^ Wherefor^yi
^^\^\ * - efteem
( 288 )
cftcem your Husband happy for his Child^
bearirig Pains'' Light rifen in Darknefs,
Part IV. Lett. 22.
Thefe Signs of the TSlev) Birth were
much the fame, when ^takerifm had got
Footing in the Nation. And that Popery
{tX. it on Foot, and furniflied it too with
StiltSy Mr. Wejley muft have heard. In
^^^^J""" Turner'^ Hijiory of Providences, *' Dodlor
Glanvill Templar relateth the Cafe of Robert Church^
on Witch- ^^;2, who was leaving the Church of En^
laT. 6. glandy and embracing ^/:?/^^r//;;:j ^ his Wjfe
Ed. 1726. being farther gone, and a Principle wrought
in her. But the Man a little hefitating,
was told by a ^aker^ that he Jlxuld fee a
Sign. Within a few Nights there was a
violent Storm over his Room, and a Voice
within him faid, fng Praifes^ fng Praifes ;
thou fhalt fee the Glories of the New Jeru^
falem\ and a glimmering Light appeared
all over the Room. The Voice then com-
manded him to get out of his Bed naked^
to go fo to fome Relations^ and threaten
them with Fire and Briraflone, like that
on Sodom and Gomorrah ^ if they did not
obey. He went nakedy performed his Mef-
fage, and returned Home, where he flood
72aked three or four Hours -, the Spirit
within him, in an unufual Manner \ fome-
times forcing him to fng, fometimes to
hark like a Dog. — The Spirit too bad him
kill his obftinate Brother and Sifter. And
made
(ig9 )^^ ^
ftii^ 'Bii# uttei- witfa'^^riR^me?s
ftWiiy -places in Scripture, of which h^
knew nothing (before. The Drift was to
perfuadcT film to ^akerlfm^ of which ^e£t
It'namtd" triaViy. In about three pr four
Hours the Man came to himfetfy md gave;
a perfe<ft Account of all that had befallen
him. Some Nights afterwards the fame
Trouble was. renewed. His Wife was tor-^
tured with extraordinary Pain's -y and the
Childrenc6tn'p\d\nQAyih2Ll their Moiiths 'tvere ? .^ ■-
flopped as with Wool Upon Dr. Templar' i ^^^^^ ^
Continuance with him, and by Prayer^ he '
was 'ptvft&Xy free from all Moleflation ; and
Ite,^-by the Do^dr's Advice/ kept clofe to
1^€' Public Ser'vice cf God^ 2lVlA. had no-
thing to do with the ^akers^ or their
Writings.^^nttho. Shaker gave out, " that
tbe Pciii'et of Qod would come upoji him a-^.
gainJ'^ kxi& accoridingly on the Tenth
of the Month, his Troubles returned. Tfe.
Voice fkid ma'riy Things, and quoted Scrips
fufe to bring him from the Church to^
^akerifm \ and faid, " it would ftrive
with him, as \hz Ahgel ii\A with Jacobs
until the Breaking of the Day : At which
Time it left him. When the Spirit c^rtie
again, he was peremptory in refifling it^
and faid it was a Spirit of Delufion.
tJpoji which the Spirit denounced a Curfe
and Damnation upon him 3 ^d fo left
him with a very great Heat in his Body.
'' Pp After
( 290 )
After this being comforted, ai)^ confider-
ing what had happened, A Voice within
him Jpakt\ and faid, '' that the Spirit,
which was before upon him, was a Spirit
of Delufion^ but now the true Spirit of
God was come into him.'* It acquainted
him, that the Dodlrine of the Trinity was
true, and that God had an Ele5i People,
&c. the Truth of which the Minifier of
the Town would inftrud: him in.-— A few
Days after, the Spirit came upon him in
the Fields and preffed him to believe, that
he was aded upon by the good Spirit ;
of which, however, he much .doubted. —
One Night it told him, " if he would not
believe without a Sign^ he fhould have
what Sign he would ? Upon that Robert
Chiirchnan defired, that if it was a good
Spirit^ the Wire-Candlefick, which flood
upon the Cupboard^ might be turned into
Brafs ; which the Spirit faid he would
do. Prefently there was an tinfavory Smell
m the Room, but nothing was done to-
wards fulfilling .the Promife. On the
L^r^'i-Z)^j following, it came upon him
in Church : When the Chapters were read,
he turned to them in his Bible y but was
not able to read. When the Pfalm was
fung, he could not pronounce a Syllable,
The next Day his Speech was wholly taken
from him.. " As we were praying, (fiiys
Dr. Templar) he wa.? tl^pwn out of \his
( 291 )
Bed^ and called to me, with great Vehe-
mence, to hold my T^ongue, When Prayer
was done, his Tongue was bound as be-
fore, till at laft he broke out into thefe
Words, '^ Thhie is the Kingdom^'' which
he repeated above a hundred Times.
Sometimes he was forced into an extreme
T,aughter ; fometimes into Smging ; his
Hands beating his Breajl, with unufual
Heavings in his Body, The Dijiemper
continued 'till towards the Morning of the
next Day ; when the Voice^ fignifying that
it would leave him, bad him get upon
his KneeSy in order to that End. He did
fo, and prefently he had a perfedt G?;;;-
7nand of himfelf-, and gave a fober Ac-
count of all that paffed, having a diJlinEl
Remembrance of what the spirit forced
him to do. — But foon after the Spirit
raged again after its former Manner ; but
he was by Prayer intirely releafed. This
prevailed upon him^ his Familyy and many
others^ to difclaim ^lakerifm^ and attend
the Parochial Church, You may be con-
fident of the Truth of what is here re-
lated by J. T". ' — Immediately follows, in
Turner^ the Cafe of one John Gilpin, He
was much taken with the new DoBrine of
^lakerifm ; and being diredled to hearken
to the Voice ^within him, one Day as he was
walking in his Chamber y he began to quake
extremely, could not Jfandy but fell upon
P p 2 his
( 292 )
his Becly where he cried and howled in a
terrible and hideous Manner, (as others of
them ufed to do) which he looked upon
as the Pains of the New Birth ; by De-
grees he cea fed from howling ^ and rejoiced,
that now he could witnefs againft the Af/^
nijlers of England ^ as Falfe Prophets and
Priejis of BaaL After this he has di-
vers painful, unfeen Strokes,— hears Voices^
— difcerns fomething enter into his Body^
which Satan fuggefted to be the Spirit of
Cod like a Dove, --^Hc is in great Rapture^
as apprehending his Spiritual Marriage and
Union with Chrijl ; and heard the Voice
faying, *^ Chriji in God^ and God in Chrijl^
end Chrifl in thee'' Which Words he was
compelled to fing in a f range Ma?iner ; as
alfo divers PafTages of Scripture ; then the
Devil raifed him up, and bid him be
humble y then brought him on his Knees
again. — Then, carried about the Town^ he
proclaimed, ^^ I am the Way^ the Truths
and the Life^ Once being caft upon
his Back on the Ground^ the Voice faid,
'' Thou flialt have two Angels to keep
thee ; '' and immediately two Swallows
came down the Chimney. After this he
goes roaring about the Streets ; his Hand
is forced to take up a Kjiife^ and put it to
his T^hroat^ the Voice faying, " Open a
Hole there y and I will give thee Eternal
Jt^,'/ ^ut perfuaded by his Wife to go
to
v/c
( 293 )
to Bed^ In the Morning he roared out,
*' TSSow the Devil is gone out of me:**
At which Inftant there was heard a great
Thunder. — The Devil came again and
feid, " that it was Satan that had pofjefed
him hitherto, but now Cbnjl was come,
and had cajl out Satan ; and that what he
had done before in his Cloaths in Obe-
dience to Satan^ he muft undo in his Shirf
m Obedience to Chrijiy Whereupon he
goes out into the Streets in his Shirt, and,
in Obedience to the Devil's Command, h
carried hy four Women into his Bed. Then
ht feels in his Belly the Living Water of the
Spirit^ flowing up and down, and two
Angels wait upon him in the Shape of
Butterflies. After this, fufpeding that he
was aBed by Sat an .^ he cries out, *^ Lord^
what wilt thou have me to do ? The Devil
anfwered, "Tis now too late-y Sentence is already
pajjed againft thee:* Hereupon he lay
down in Defpair j but prefently the Devil
told him, " that it v/as a white Devil that
had deluded him this fecond Time, but
that now Chrifl was come indeed, and
would cafi him cut:* He then thought
the Devil was ejected-, but then all his
Members fell on working, as if the Pa7jgs
of Death were upon him -, the Foice tell-
ing him, *' that they were the Tangs of the
Jt^ew Birth, a?id Chrifl was new-formed in
him:\ And iht Devil told him, "that
now
( 294 )
now he ihould work Wonders^ and cajl out
Devils hi Ckrift's Namey The Man
thinking it all a Satanical Deliifton^ he fell
into a horrid Fear, and the Devil told
him, '' that all this while he had been
Jerving him , and that it was too late to r^
fe72t. Hence he fell into Dcfpair^ and
great Terrors. But at laft God gave him
Repentance^ and Peace in his Confcience,
Whereupon he publijloed a 'Narrative of
thefe Things, as a Caution to others ^ — at-
tefted under the Hand of the Mayor of
Kendal^ Minijier, School-majler, &c." —
'^'here follows more of this Satanical
fjocking Kind -, ' many filling into dread-
ful Trem!?li??gs in their whole Bodies and
Joints, with Riflngs and Swellings in their
Bowels ', Shriekings, Yellings, Howlings,
and Roarings. And yet fome were in-
duced by thefe Artifices to leave the Church
for ^akerifm ; being perfuaded to expert
the Power to cojne, &c/*
Much m-ore I could produce from the
early Accounts of ^akerifin^ concerning
their horrible Fits^ knocking down People
by a Look^ or JVordy and fpreading the
Contagion inftandy among Numbers ; — all
Marks and Proofs of the Ne%v Bi?^th, But
what I have here tranfcribed may be
thought tedious ; though, I hope, not
unfeafonable^ or impertinent . For here we
have a ftrange Fanaticifni caught from
Popery
( 295 )
Popery by the fakers, and from both by
the Methodijis ; who have taken a Copy of
the PiBure very exadly, and in the moft
minute Lifies and Features, Some Diffe-
rence there is, as to the Methodijis taking
up a Delufon, which (as far as I can judge)
the fakers have been laying down ^ — and
as the Mi?2ijiers of the Church took Occafion
from fuch horrible Actions, Appearances,
and Pretenfions, to recover the Sufferer
from their Dehfions-^ which Mr. Wejley
is perverting to their Confirmation, Whe-
ther all be not mere Diabolical Operation,
or Magical Impofiure^ or fuggli^ig Artifice^
or Natural Enthufiafm highly worked up
by a cunning Operator, cr the EffeB of
Jome unaccountable Difiemper 5 — and how
far all, pr any of thefe may be concerned,
and where to fix their Boundaries ; — I
confefs myfelf 2/;^^^/^ to determine. Though
in general it is clear enough, ^ that the
Myftery of Iniquity is working, .
But I muft remember what I mention-
ed, concerning fome other cruel Purgations
and Lujlrations like Purgatory, which the
Methodifis muft undergo, as Preparatory to
the New Birth, Hence, I fuppofe, the
Devojjfiire Farmer, (as before related) fo
readily fubmitted to the Difcipline of fo?'ty
Stripes fave one, and his Wife to a Purg--
ifjg by Fire and Water — Hence Mr. V/efiey
mentions '^ one. whom, G^^ is .purifyii^giA l^^^^n.
( 296 )
in the FirCy for beating his Wife^ a Me^
ihodiJI, in Anfwer to the Prayers of his
Wife/* — Hence he fpeaks fo often of a
3 Journ. Fire burning in his Difciples. *' One
P-95- was crying continually, Ibiirn^ Ibum^ O!
what fliall I do ? I have a Fire within me'*
5 Journ. — Another fays, " I felt the very Fire of
P-^3- Helhy all my Body was in as much Pain,
as if I had been in a burning Jiery Furnace'*
And hence his Conftruftion of that Text,
*^ concerning the Fiery Trials which is to
try us y I Pet. iv. 12. (which ignorant
Commentators expound by Perfecutions) as
belonging to his i?iward FirCy &c.
After the fame Manner the Papa/ins
Thyrs teach. " StvtX2i\ PoJJeffed PerfonSy or the
Daemon. £)^*u// in them, complain of burning at
1*18/123.^^^ Pr^;7t:^, or by the Prayers of the
Saints ; and hereby being in a double Fire.''
DeLoc. — The fame Author fays, " that the
infeft. Devilsy who poflefs othei-s, bring a Fire
^' ^^' like that of Hell with them, and caufe a
Tom. IV. terrible Burning.** — In the Malleus Male^
^' "^* jicarum we find thefe inward Burnings \.o
be 2. certain Sign of bei?2g be-deviN," He
Tom. iii.writeth again, " that by a good Exorciji
P-^»229.one Fire muft be driven out by another,
and the Devily who lurks in his Prey, be
put to Flight by burning Alethodsy like the
Flames of Hell 5 and then he will go out
in the Shape of FirCy but leave a Burning
behind him.'*
But
f ^97 )
But whatever Likenefs thefe torturbig
Lujirations may carry of Purgatory ; Mr.
fi^ejley may perhaps dtflinguijh (as he did
with Regard to Confejjhn) that Popifo Pur-
gatory lies on the other Side the Grave 5
his belongs only to this Life, But this
Pretence muft be deemed mere Cavil. By
antedating and forejialling the Time^ he
hath PopiJJj Examples 'y and may take Ad-
vantage of Papal Difpcnfations, v/hich
fometimes commute the Petiancey and releafe
Perfons from the Torments of Purgatory
after Deaths upon Condition of their un-
dergoing equivalent Sufferings here. Oneoji^, 2.
fuch Inftance we had before of Pope Cle-^^v- s\
ment : Another fuch Grant we fee in Spe-
culu77i Exemiplorum: Another in Diarium
Minimoriimy September 12.- — Another hi
the Fr and [can Martyr ology^ May 14, where
" Sifier Cafildis requefted, that (he might
enjoy in this Life the Punifhment fhe
was to receive in Purgatory. It was
granted, and fhe was feized with a Holy
Fire, (Jgne Sacro, or St. Anthony's Fire)
from Head to Foot, which totally con-
fumed her/'" — There may indeed be fome
Danger in making this Exchange-, the Suf-
ferings here being certain^ the other ima-
ginary.
But, even upon this Suppofiticn, ^' the
Torments in-flkled on the Methodijls will
be great Gain ; by bringing them to a State
Q.q of
p
( 298 }
of FerfeBion^ and unfmning Obedience^
which will be full Proof too of their
Pardon and Solvation J^l^^^^ Aqd that^,^j^a-
Perfection extendeth not barely to a Sim-
Utude with Chrifi, but an Equality', we
may recall Mx. Wefley\ certain " JSx^f-
ricnces, of fome of his Followers being /^§
free from iriward Corruption^ and all Re-
mainders of Corruption, as Chrift himfelf
^vas :'* — ^"^ Pardon, with Power to fin no
more, &cqJ' We may obferve how car^:?
fully, for Fear of a Miftake, he inferts
4 journ. Expreffions to this Purpofe : *' Thoroughly
P* 5^* renewed after the Image of Chrifl-y —-an
p. 82"^'" entire Change from the Image of the t)ev\l
to the Image o( God, — Mr. ffhite/ield too;
*' All experience Pangs and Travels, e'er
Chrift is formed in them, and brought
forth in the Me a jure of his Fulnefs, who
filleth all in ally Such is their PerfeBion^
equal to God's Fulnefs, and f o. t,o be brought
forth in us. And yet .j^He ^, fame Mr.
Wbitefield, (as a Proof of his Confflency 2ind.
Journ. Impartiality) complains elfewhere, '* that
'^' fome Englifi Friends had thrown a.fide
the Ufe of Means, and were difputing |c!^f
finkfs PerfeBion, and u?iiverfal Redemption J^
This is one of his ' Flome -Strokes' upon
Mr. Wefley, and Adherents, ^
'^^J^Tfiiis "^ mi^'; .th^,^ be
pliinged over llead aiid pars into Variety
of TQr(urel.bcyond Exp2;elJioh^_ or Conception 3
'•'^ '''^ """'' '■ ^"■' ''^' ^"'"'^ '' ■■" ' in
( 299 )
in %akes of Fire, as bad as Purgatory ^ or
^^ell', and then they have the Favour of
being told by their Teachers^ that they
itQ reg^nirafe and incorruptible. And thofe
who .have the Jlrongeji Fancy^ the boldefi
Imagination and Prefumptiony will fooneft
believe^ — and be deceived. Let me fee
among them but a Jingle Injlaiice^ that
will exceed the Cafe of that mighty Hero
of Antiquity, Achilles, " When he was
youngs the old Lady, his Mother^ dipped
him in the Stygian Lake^ as a fure Me-
thod of rendering him invulnerable. But,
unluckily, as fl:ie held him by the Hcel^
while fhe was wajlnng him, that Part re-
friained unfecure ; and in the Day o( Battky
there the Pythian God mortally ^wounded him,'*
After all x\'\t\^ Lujlrations^ the old Serpent
will bite them by the Heel, Th^ common
Cdkf'bf Enthiifiapn^ that whatever the .^.
'Saints do, after the A^ew Birth, is no Sin,
or thzt God feet h no Sin in the Ele^, will
fcarce inflire them 3 — ■ Nor yet Mr. fVhite-^- 1 Deal.
^eld'% modeft Aflurance of Chrif's Prero-'^- 46*
^ative being transferred to hi?n -^ /' G^^/3 Journ.
being pleafed to fhew me, that 1 fiouW'^'^'
bruife Satan's Head :'' — Nov the fame
Power affumed by other Methodiflsy " of Wefley
bruifing his Head, and trampling him un-^ \^^'
der their Feet/^ Which, however, may
deferve as much Credit , as the Story of
^^ St. Z)//«y?/^;i's "holding the Devil by the
QLq 2 Nofe
( 300 )
Ncfe with a Pair of red-hot Tongs y'' — or,
Vita '' St. Gertrude s hanging the Devil upon a
Gertrud. QH^het, whicU her Hijlorian fays,/ fbe ^ did,
^ * ^ ■ truly ^ liierally^ mid corporally : ' 'r— Or, ' * elthe r
Sarum. aSV. 'Juliana' ^^ or St, Margaret''?, herce Com^
Feb. 2 2. bat with the jPfvil, and their taking him
up in their Arms, and throwing hini out
upon the Dungbill,'\^\7^*^<L w\um'\H
§. 50. It^ were no difficult Matter to
pfofcclite^this Subjea:, of-fiich Pbautaftic
Privileges attained by inch horrible Me-
thods ; — through Turks, Iiifidels^and He-
^'''''^^l'^^*?etics, and ether ivickedly Entbufiajh'c Sec-
^i'M'ieiy 'efpecialiy Papijls ^-r-and hereby trace
jSfit'fo nyiny' ge?2ui?2e Marh\ of falje Re-
, i^^;?;;,— but true Lnpofture.
^\ But i prqmifed a proper and complete
parallel m^o)}^'^^ New Birth,
^Which I am now to perforra, • — by two
^"Coniparijons ', the Firfl^of w^hich fhall be
^the famous Initiation. into^Jhe Myjleries\
'^that confurnmate DeluJionXof, ih Heathen
'Worldy and which hath been called^' the
mod execrably-facred Iny^ptiqxi\ofJ,ii?*^^<?-
//cj/ Pravity and Fallacy.*''' ,':-^^^ .—
"^^^^^^W(tht^r Platonijls, ; ( whai^'i^ ^ , the
' moft acute and bitter Enemies to the
Chriftian Religion) in Oppofition to Bap^
tifmal Regeneration^ boafted greatly of their
Hieroc. cmti Myftical Jnjiitutiom. Hierocles wri-
Pv2?3'. .^^^^r\t^nv^1^^^^ ^'^^ Purgation
( 3f I )
of the Soul, and its Rejtitution^ to be Initiated
into our Mylieries, ' — which bring on the
Te7'feBim of the whole Man. Without
thefe Cathartics of the Lucid Body^ we
offend both in Body and Mind. But by
Initiation Men are upon ihitWing for a
T articipcition of Divinity ; are reftt/red to
their Primitive State^ become Gods, and
are no longer Mortals.
''}f^ !^Kt^T^nitiated are carried through g^
terrible KificnSy Concujjions of the P lace, Brockks-
FirCy aiLd Smoke, and Darknefs, and 'yj-^)'* P- ^°»
ripus frightful OhjeBs ; — • through Purga-
fc^ and Hell conveyed into Elyfium and
Heaven.'" •' This Theurgy, fo%^ Sacred
Work, is the Art of Divine Operations, to
.cure Difeafes, drive away Damons, perfect
^^A regenerate the Soul by magical Cere^
"monies', ^ud is introductory to celefUal 11-
himinations, Infpirations, Apparitions, and
God-Societies 'y to all fublime and venerable
■Sp^Saclesr;'^* A?,'mSoids there Is n Prin^
ciple ofRedtiSficn • they have certain Tokens
and Imprejjions from God, whereby they
^^^re moved to return. And they have
^|JtoVided a 7nagical Fountain of Virtue for
%6uls in the Cavities of Hecate s left Side ;
'^and certiiln jD^///Vj, called 'A//.eiAi3cTo/, In-
exorable, arid not' to be fweetened, ^c.'\
v<s^'^amblictis fyedisdf^^ Damons thai'ter-Uy^tx.
rify and threaten horrihh, and agitate and ^^^^•^^;
( 302 )
draw Souls by ajlonifhing and floakmg the
Itmgination. But this is refolved into the
Authority of the Priejiy who, in Virtue of
the fecret Myjlenes^ ads not as a M?;/, but
2i%zGod', and therefore his Commands are
iironger than would otherwife become
him. Not that he intends to execute what
h^ threateneth ; but to {[-it\N '^-hzi Autho-
rity he hath, by Means of his Union "witb
the Gods : Which Union he hath pro-
ciii'edhy his Knowledge of thQ fecret Sym-
bQls,''- -^i^^Tht Dcvmons have the Guar-
dianfliip- of the Ineffable Myfteries;^w\mh
comprehend the Difpofition of the World J^'
St. ^^5/?/;? relateth the? Sentiment of
P^rphyrw'^" Flatonijl^ (not the Jamoiis
DeClv. One; he will come in afterwards) '' that
Lib? 10. the Soul by co.n^dn^heurgigd-h'Cbnfecra''
Cap. 9. tiomy which ithey call hiitiations^ is ren-
CapMo.^*^^''^^ and apt for the Reception of
Sfihrt'^ andAngelsy and to y^^' the Gods,'* '^
h^SfepTa particular Example we may call
hv'^uUany xhz Apoflafe^ once a LeBurer
in the Chrifiian Churchy who, like the
Meihodijls, fet up the New Birth of the
Myfteries Platojiic^ againft that of Baptifm-^
and. ^Sr Gregory Nazianzen hath it in his
Fir/} SteJitentic, *' oppofed an execrable
Initiation to the Chrifiian Initiation by
Baptijm ; — for this he defcendeth into ftib^
tcrrmean Dens of Dark?7efs to confult Z)^-
monSy and bring out Prophecy , where he is
itruck
( 3^3 )
ftruck with Terrors^ ftrange unufual Sounds^
fiery Spe^acleSy many idle and fon?ndab!e
Objedsj. and tins again ind again. What
Impojiurts, ajid Dchujmis were his Fate ht^
fore he returned, they can teil, who arie
initiated themfelves, or initiate others. —
But he returns with a ghaftly, mad Look,
as pojjejjed hy a Dcemon. This they call
Enthujiafm. And he was highly delighted
with his Toj^tures and Burnings, — This
was not the leaft of his //////^//^j/'--- St.^:, -f^Jj!"-
Cyril alfo upbraideth him on the fame
Account, "as a Patron of thofe noUurn^l
and immodeji Myjteries . " • h:: ''■ 1 1 o i q m o:^
So far concerning the Platonijls, But
I have a Mind to enlarge a little, and be
more particular about the Myjleries, for the
Sake of better Comparijon, And, for the
fame Reafon, I would once more l^rft '^•^*^-''
run over the principal Occurrence^ in the
Progrefs cf Methodifin. " They fet out
with triflingly fuperftitioia Rules, prepared
for great Things, and undergoing a Fun^^
gationy by unreafonable Faftings, Watch-
ings, Mortifications ; .neither lauglmig^ nor
fmilingy unlefs compelled to it by the
De'-oil', private Confe[jions^ without itif
Manner of Referve ; — pafs tht fiery Tridi
of Blajphemies^ Lifidelities and Atheiftn^^^
are fmitten by.the Dcvil^ or their 'Teacher'ii
with -.Falls to .^the Ground, Heaving^,'
Sweati^?>v, P^oaxjtigs Shrieks, Yelling^V
^'-r ^ ' with
( 304 )
with Pains, Coavulfions, Trepidation^,
Terrors, Madnefs, Defpair, Combats with
Satan ; Deprivation of the SenfeSy Aftonifh-
ment. Amazement and Stunning.- — -They
have Intervals and ViciJJitudes of Light and
Darknejs j alternate Rilings and Fallings j
Spiritual Deje5iiG7is and Defertions, and
again Confolations and Prefumptions 5 ride
triumphantly with Chrijl in his Chariot^
and then move heavily when he taketh
off his Chariot -wheels -, are carried up to
Heaven, and down again to He//. As the
Foundation of the New Birth ^ they feel
all pojjible Agonies^ Pangs and Tortures of
Mind and Body ^ are in He//, or feel all
He// within them. But Things begin to
mend ; they fall into Ecftacies, Revela-
tions and Vifions ; they fee and hear dif-
ferent Sounds and Voices, Apparitions and
Spec!l:acles of Devils and He//-, and thefe
changed for God, Ange/s, and Heaven.
But going down to" He/l they conquer
Satan, and trample him under Foot ; —
they are fluflied with Perfedl:ion, AiTu-
rances of Pardon and Salvation 5 become
canonized, are plunged into God, are a/l
God. Hence ihty ]\i\i\y contemn and ana-
t/jemaiize a// t/je IJnmethodized, as of a
tnean and reprobate Way ; with their Mo-
rality they fink into He//:'
Such is the Compofition of this New
Difpenfaiion. And if every Parficu/ar be
not,
( 205 )
not, ftridly ipeaking, a necejjary Part of
their New Birth j 'tis all a prelmiiiary
IntroduSiioriy or a P^r/ ^/z^^* Methodijl's
Progrefs^ •— under the DireBion of illumi-
nated and infpired Teachers.
Would not this amaze any Perfon, who
has any Reverence or Regard to certain /;/-
fpired Writings^ called the Bible? With
what Face, or by what Authority, do
thefe bold Mifcreants make thefe Hellifi
Horrors and Tortures a fundamental Part
of the Chrijiian Religion ? Whence the
Prefumption, or where taught in the Bible^
that in order to be born again, *^ all muft
pafs through thefe Pangs^ and God is com-
pelled to defert them, and fo leave them
in Defpairy Blafphemy^ &c. And that they
are to be knocked dowUy and ufiaccountably
tormented by the Devil^ or Man ? Where
is it required y (as furely, if neceffary, it
would plainly and peremptorily be) that
fuch Infey^ial Seizures are the appointed
Preparatio?2S for a Chrifian's Regeneration ?
Yes, they have the Face even to teach
thisy and (as if every one had been fuch a
violent Perfccutor^ and every one was to
be converted in his extraordinary Manner)
both Mr. We/ley and Whitefield have pro-
duced St. Paul's being ftruck to the
Groujidy and continuing three Days bUnd^
as being in this Manner, and during this
Time, in the Pangs of the New Birth,
R r V'hereaG.
( 3o6 )
Whereas, it had been much more to their
Purpole to have thought upon, *' the fa-
crificing of your Sons and your Daughters
unto Devils,-^ The Tabernacle of your God
Moloch, to whom Children were confecrated
by paffing through the Fire, in the Valley
oi Gehenna y^mA^^^\^^ DeviliJJ: Sacri^
Jice was done, in order to extort Prophecy
out of the miferable Sufferers, Whence
making Children pafs through the Fire,
and ufing Divinationy are fo often joined
m 5^r;^^^r|.^^ -^^^ e.vsVi Jcdj noi3.OTiotnl
§.51. But r return to the Heathen Myf^
ttries, wherein the profound Secrets!^
Faganifm were couched. "Thek Religious^,
Ceremonies were inftituted in Honour of
fome of their -Gods and Goddejjesy 3s Bac-
chus, Venus, Cybele, Hecate,' lji5,&cc. The .
Deities were not fo much dtftin^ Per- ,
Jons, as paffing under different Names j and i
the Ceremonies were very much alike. But;
the moft remarkable^ and which in a Man^^^^
ner comprized, and fwallowed up all th^^
reft, were the Eleufinian Myfteries, facred.>
Book II. tQ Q^y.^^ ^^^^ Proferpina. Mr. Warburton^l^x
beet. 4. . T • TA- • r ' 11 . *
m his Di'-oine Legation, hath given us a
large and good Account of them ; and.
could I have procured Meurfius de Eleuji-
niisl m Particular would have , been want-
olas'/:.
J But
( 3^7 )
"^'But I miift pick up the beft Helps I
cahi What gave Birtb to the Myfieriet^
which give^ the New Birth to the Initiated^
was xM^ ^*^P/uto having ravijlded Fro- Tully
j^r//;7^,'(fucK Actions being common with 4 Verf,
Heathen Deities) carried her down to Hell^ ^^^' ^'
through a difnuil and dark Pa^ge^ near.
Syracufey which grew afterwards famous
for many Prodigies and Miracles. Her
inconfolable Mother, Ceres, ftroUed about all
the World in Queft of her, and having
Information that Pluto had got Pojfejfion
of her, and whirled her to the Infernal
i?^^/e?;^j, fBe lighteth a Torch at Mount
^/;?^, ( which hath burned ever fince )
and plungeth down to fetch back her
Daughter to Light and Life -, and fo far
obtains, that her Time fhould be divided
between Hell and Heaven.'* — This Story ^
with the Incidents and Event of the Ram-
blings of the Goddefs, was mimicked in the
Myfteries ^ and by Scenical Machineries
reprefented to the Initiated: " The itv^/- Gale Hift.
tjig Goddefs in the Courfe of her Ramble s'^''^''''
fat down upon a Stone, called hence 'TrgrgctAriiitph,
AygAocro^, the Vnlaughing Stone. Thefcus^^'^'"'^;
ohe of the M'tiated, fat down upon theJchoi?'
fame, before his Defcent into Hell:* And
upon this Stone, we may fuppofe Mr.
Wefley was fitting, in a melancholy Mood^
when he majde that '' Solemn Vow never
to laugh^ or even iojmile more/*
R r 2 The
( 3o8 )
The Myfteries are generally allowed to
have been a cunning Device^ invented with
politick Views by Men fiippofed to be in-
fpired^ bt fome Prophetic Women 5 — fach
as Orpheus^ one of the Fathers of the Myf-
terieSy and Compofer of Hymns for the Ufe
of the Initiated', — or the Prophet efsSibyllay
infpired by Apollo^ and who Jwell'dy roar'd^
grew mad'y -^^ '^^- ^^^SP^^ ^^ ^
^neidVI. And heav' d impatient of th* incumbent God.
She v/^s ^uide to Mneas, prefcribed his
PrayerSy^a^p^^ Night-- Sacrifices ^ tf Lambsy
&CC. to HecatCy the Furies y Proferfind and
Pluto ^y fhe condudled him through iZbrr^ri
and Darknefs to the Infernal Manfions^ and
brought him back in Triufnph,
Their Myjleries were divided into the
greater 2indi the lejjer : In the lejjer (after
fome magnificent Promifes arid Expefta-
^ipn^J the VotarieSy by Way of Prepara-
tory CeremonieSy were injoin*d FaJlingSy
Night'watchingy Confeffion to the Prefident
of the Myjleries^ with Variety of crucia-
ting Lujlrations. Thus qualified, they
\NQ>xt initiated into the greater. For thefe,
ijiiH they underwent more tremendous Rites-, Re-
3/jt;oi irejaitations were made to their Eyes and
lil'^^^iv"^^ and SpeBacleS'y
loboia^oC^ //(5w//;2^i of Men^ Women, and
•lobcriH ^Chitdcen ^ — Things which caufed the
^^^'^^^'"^^kS'difmai Agonies of Body and Mind 5
Coldnefs,
( 3^9 )
Coldnefs, Sweats, Terrors, Confternation,
Lofs of Senfes, or elfe the utmoft Tor-
tures, Defpair and Madnefs. They were
furrounded with all the Infer7ial Appara-
tus of Serpents^ Furies^ Devils^ and Hell.
— Recreated fometimes with a little Light
and Hope I Mixtures, or Viciffitudes of
Light and Darknefs, of Horrors and Com-
forts : — At length the Scejies are changed ;
El)jium and Heaven dance before their
Eyes 5 they fee, and hear, Gods and God-
dejjes : — Then they come out purified and
perfect ; regenerated ^ and bo?m again j ex-
ulting in a Security of Happinefs in Life^
and after Death of afcending to Jupiter •
While the Non-Initiated are to be mife-
rable all their Days, and finally wallow in
Mud and Mire, m Horror ^nd Darknefs,
and Tortures, in IlelL ^^^- j.^^^ ^'^
Such is the Nature and rrWifs* of the
My ft cries.
The ingenious Mr. Warhurton has hence
tafeen Occafion''ta-make Mneas's Defce^it
into Hell, (as defcribed by Virgil) to fig-
nify nothing elfe, but that Hero's Initia-
tion into the Myjleries 5 and he hath work-
ed up the Co7nparifon Into a furprizing
Like?2efs, Antient Writers, indeed, fay,Hiftcr.
T\iz\, Hercules, when he was going down ^""^^^'i^'
to Hell, to drag Cerberus thence, was pre- p. 121.
viQully admitted to the Myjleries^ of Ceres -, ^^^^^'^^
and that feveral others ^^i^ initiated, by p. 252— '
way
( 3IO )
way of Expiation of their Crimes, l^efore
their Defcent to thofe gloomy Regions.
But^s they exprefsly fay. That they were
initiated into the fmaller Myjleries only,
the Matter may eafily be reconciled, and
the Defcent into Hell afterwards may
ojVifignify their becoming Epoptc^^ or Initia-
'""'tion into the gf^and Myjleries 'y efpecially
' 'as the Ceremofiies of this latter were con-
cealed as much as poffible, and the Epopta
were under an Oath not to reveal the
Secret.
I can hardly, I confefs, allow the Myf-'
teries to have been originally of fuch an
^ innocent Nature^ and with fuch good De--
r^^k^gny as Mr.. :^^r/5^r^;r pleads for. But as
' he acknowledgeth, that " they became
in time, and by Report very early too,
horridly corrupt y the Seafou of Lujl and
Revenge ; " there needs no great Difpute.
— As to the " double Do^lrine (the Con-
fequence of Initiation) faying one Thing
when they thought another -, the external^
2Xidi internal 'y a vulgar y and a fecret one;
the firft openly taught, the fecond con-
fined to a jeleB Number ;" — • the Confi-
.-deration of this Point I leave to Mr. Wefleyy
whom we allow to be an Ads.p\dn the::
double Dodlrine, __ ^ _An^ ^^"^^^ ''
§. 52. It is not to be expeded that my
bar^Wprd Ihould be taken by Mr. Wefkyy
whofe
( 311 )
whofe oxm may fometimes be fufpcH^d:
And therefore I fhall produce my Vouchers y
as a yujiifcatmi of my Comparifon of the
Myjieries with Methodifm^ knd^ as no bad
Entertainment for the Reader,
'« So much Honour was paid to thofeseeGori^
who v^ere to ht initiated into the /iaW"^ ^.'^^^•
il^y?^r/Vx, that it was ufual to carry themp/2"45.
thither, and accompany them, in a Cha-
riot." This was to anfwer the Original
of the MyJlcries^ Pluto's whirling away
Profe?-pina in his Chariot to Hell ; where
{he was to lye-in, and bring forth future
Gods. Thus in the Poet : " ^ ^^^^^ "^^ '^^'"^^
And P/j//^ thus, comforts her : j^ ,3n:iiJ hl
AmiJJum Tie crede "Diejn, Sunt altera Tiokh, cs
Sidera : funt orhes alii : lumenq-^ videbli; ^ «
Purius', Elyfiimq-, magis mirabere folem^ ..'Y
Cidtorefq-, Pios, — , J^..
famfelix oritur Proles': j^am Iceta Futuros
EsXpedlat Natura Deos^T^'^^ '\ '^ 1 '' Vv"-
And thus in the early Days oi Methodifm^
we find "the Preacher, and his ^k-^fz^^-Compar.
Lambsy riding-in their Lord's Chariot, Iri^*'^'
his dear Arms '^ and fucking the Brcafts of '"
his Conflation y &c/*
But it may bej fit to treat the Myjle--
ries'm a mor oferiem Manner^ Accord- '^
ingly
( 3^2 )
ingly let us fee the very Words of An-
tiquity,
Thofe among the Antients^ who were
either initiated into the Myjieries^ or ap--
proved of them upon political Accounts,
fpeak of them in very high Terms. Ifocrates
Paneoyr. faith, that " Ceres y after her Wanderings
Ed.steph.jn queft of Proferpina^ came to Attica:,
^'^ ' and for the KindncfTes flie received (which
none but the Initiated muft hear) gave
our Anceftors two excellent Gifts 5 Corn \ —
and the facred Myficries^ whereby the
Initiated gain better Hopes as to their
Departure out of Life, and Eterfjity of
PhTd. Duration.'' — Plato fays, " that whoever
Serr. Ed. jg j^^^. initiated and lujirated, fhail in the
feperate State wallow in Mire \ but the
Initiated /hall dwell with the Gods J' — A
Fragment of Pindar (preferved by Clem.
Alexandriniis) fpeaketh of the Eleufinian
EdVottei.JilyJleries; *' Happy is the Man who hath
P-52S. (^Q^ ^jjg common fniterranean Myfteries :
he knoweth the End (or PerfeBion) of
hije^^ he knoweth the Sovereignty given
of God y — Some of their Poets talk in the
2 Plotarc. fame Strain. *' Thrice happy the Mortals,
p. 21. who, admitted to xhtio. Initiations y defcend
to Hades. For they only can live there 5
all Evils belong to others." This from
Sophocles. The comical Arijlophanes
(though, I fuppofe, according to Cuftom,
'tis mere Banter) brings in Hercules telling
Bacchus^
(313)
BacduSy thsit ** he muft fwim in Dirt^^^-
and Ordure^ where the Profane lie 5 but^*^'^^'^'
afterwards ftiould enjoy divine Lights^ and
Myrtle 'Groves^ and Womeuy and Mufic,
Thefe belong to the Initiated/' And foon
after he introduceth a Chorus of the Ini-
tiated exulting, " On us only doth the
Orb of Day fliine benignant ; we only re-
ceive Pleafure from its Beams/'
And Cicero^ (who well knew how tOp^L^^
accovunodate himfelf to Times and Things) lib. 2.
foUoweth the Greeks in the fame grand ^^P- ^^'
Account; with fome Exception to ;2C<^2/r-
nal Celebrations, jo 'i-\ttt'^'^<!:' (1
This high Opinion of the Myftertes was
very far from being general ^ or received
by great and good Perfons. Thofe great
Men, Agefilaus and Epamino^idas^ would
not fubmit to an Initiation, For Plutarch, PM^rc,
immediately after the Verfes of Sophocles^ ^'°^-
before cited, gives this Account. (And
the fame we have more largely in the Life
of Diogenes by JD. Laertiiis,) " ThcLaert. in
Athenians z^\v\^ Diogenes to be /«/V/Wf^,OJogen,
becaufe fuch had the Precedency in a future ^^'^^ ^^^
State ; he replied, * Ridiculous Thing !
that Ageftlaus and Epaminondas muft rowl
in Dirt ; and every Scoundrel initiated^
fuch as Patecion the "Thief be happy in
the Elyfian Fields'' Nor Ihall we enter-
tain the better Notion of the Myflei'ieSy
when we find fo mfe and good a Man as
S f Socrates
( 314 )
Socrates refufing Initiation, For which
(though perhaps he had ftronger) he gives
Luclan. this Reafon : " If ihQ My fieri es were bad,
c^^2. ' ^^ fljould not be able to conceal the Secret^
but muft difcoiirage every one from Initia-
tion ; and if good^ Humanity would oblige
him to difcover it for the public Benefit'^
Vol. 2. — Plutarch^ in the Defedi of Oracles^ fays,
p. 417. cc Concerning the iV/\//^r;Vj, in which we
have all that can be proved, either negatively
or affirmatively, concerning the Truth of
Dcemons^ (to fpeak with Herodotus) let
me hold my Peace^ or fpeak nothing but
what h favourable. The Solemnities how-
-ever, wherein there are fuch Dilacerations^
Fajiings^ and HoivVrngs^ and likewife filthy
Talk^ Madncjs and Noife^ and f ablations 5
I do not apprehend thefe to be any Wor-
fhip of the Gods^ but inftituted as fo many
Sweetners to appeafe and avert ^wicked
Spirits'' Upon which Dr. Gale hath this
Remark, in his Notes upon Jamblicus :
Bag. 195- " Plutarch^ when he was about to de-
fcribe the Frauds and Pravity of D(zmons^
pafleth by the Myjleries themfehes (from
which he could beil and moft plainly have
performed it) hindered by a fuperfiitious
Reverence ufual with the Greeks,'" What
Plutarch mentions of Herodotus may be
feen in his fecond Booky where fpeaking of
gait.. thofe " Images and Reprefe?2tationSj which
Gronov. ^^^ Mgyptiaus Call Mvfleries^ of thefe (fays
P^^"^- " he)
(315)
he) ' though I know them all very well,
I Ihall fay nothing 5 * or, * favour my
Words.' And concerning the Initiations
of Ceres y v^hich are called Thefmophoriay I
fhall have an equal Giia?'d upon my Tongue^
except as to what may be holily faid of
them/' Some Parts of them, it feems,
were not fo very holy. — Nor can we fup-
pofe that Dc?72ofthe?2es, or the Generality
of the People y thought highly of the Myfteries;^
when pleading his Caufe againjl EfchineSy
in a Concourfe of almofl all Greece, he
thus ridiculeth his Adverfary : '* WhenDeGoron:
you was grown up, you waited upon your
Mother, and read Books to her, when flie
was initiating ; at Night putting Fawn-
Jkins on the Initiated, becoming their Cup'-
bearer, hijlrating their Bodies, rubbing
them with Dirt and Bran -, and after this
Purification, ordering them to exclaim,
* / have fied from the Evil, I have found
the Good',' proud that none could howl fo
well as yourfelf. After this, who
would not blefs Efchines, and efleem him
happy ? "
But whether the Myfteries were good,
or bad. Authors are pretty well agreed as
to the preparatory Cere7no?iies, and Manner
ol Initiation : whereby they v*^ere to Ke-
prefe?2t, and Aci over again, the ASfions
and Pajions of the Deities, for whofe
Honour the Myfi cries w^ere inftituted. As
to any real Good, it might, for what I
S f 2 know.
( 3i6 )
know, be as great, as what hath beeii
efFedted by Free Mafoiis^ or Free Methodijls.
Something bad will appear prefently. —
But let us confider the preparatory Rites,
That Initiation might feem a venerabU
and jolemn Thing, the Devotees were
taught to qualify themfelves by Prayer to
the Damons^ FaJlingSy Watchings^ Con--
fejjion to the Prieji^ and other Luftrations.
The- We read in Plutarch^ " that Fajling is to
^'^''''' precede the Myjieries of Ceres r And that
2 vol. ConJeJJion was required; — ^^Antalcidas being
P- 217' examined by the Priefly in order to his
Initiation^ what grievous Crimes he had
committed, made Anfwer, ' If I have
been guilty of any fuch Crime, the Gods
know it already,''
The Coftfejjion was a Trick of the Majlers
of the Ceremonies to get the People under
their Girdle. But the Fajii^ig and Watch'^
ing were to correfpond to the Sufferings of
CaUimac. Ccres 5 " who neither eat^ nor drank^ nor
^^'^'^^ftepty nor waJJjed, but fat upon the Ground
fqualid and dry^ and crying^ till fhe heard
of her Daughter,'' See her Story, and
how fhe came hence to be called the Faji-^
ing GoddefSy in the Scholia upon Nicander.
We find too in Diodorus Si cuius ^ a Quo-
GoTrai. taticn from CarcinuSy an old Poet^ *' that
p. 13^' while her Myjieries were celebrating, the
City kept a Faft," So fays Arifiophanes^
Avef. <« In this Celebration we are ufed to Fafl:.*'
V. 1518. Th^
(.317)
The fame in Plutarch, Pag. 378 ; where
'tis added, " This is called the forrowful
Fejiival, becaufeof the great Grief of Ceres
for her Daughter* s going to Hell'*
Orpheus, a Sort of Magical PraEiitioner, Paufan.
and Father of the Myjleries, introduced ^*^- 9-
Expiations, Luftrations, &c. for wicked
Ad:ions, as well as extraordinary Cures of
Diftempers, and Appeafements of divine
Wrath, for the Ufe of the Initiated.
Whence we read of fo many Perfons,
guilty of Murder, &c. defiring to be
initiated y either as a Pretence of their
Innocency, or Expiation^ or Cover of their
Crimes*
How horrible the Procefs was in thefe
Methodiji'ltke hiitiations, will appear from
the following Accounts of their Tortures^
Terrors, Vici/Jitudes^ Regeneration, and
fomething tending to Generation.
Stobceus citeth, from Themijlius, two
ftrong Paffages. " The Perfon to be
initiated, in his firft Entrance, was feized
with Horror, ajlonijloing Dizzinefs^ Anxiety ^
and Dijirefs of all Kinds, unable to flaiid,
or find any Way to extricate himfelf. But
when the Prophet openeth the Porch of
the Temple, wipeth and adorneth the Image,
and flieweth it to the Candidate for Ini-
tiation, fliining with a divi^ie Brightnefs ;
all Cloud and Obfcurity were intirely dif-
perfed. And M/W (O Ny^) broke out
from
( 3i8 )
from the Depths full of Light and Blaze ^
inftead of the former Darknefs." The
other Paflage is brought by Mr. Warbiirton,
whofe TranfMtiGn I am glad to borrow.
Towards hiitiation^ " The firft Stage is
nothing but Errors and Uncertainties^
laborious JVanderings -, a rude and fearful
March through Night and Darknefs, And
now arrived on the Verge of Deaths and
Initiation^ every Thing wears a dreadful
Afpedi, It is all Horror^ Tremblings
Sweatings and Affright'ment. But this
Scene once paft, a miraculous and divine
Light difclofes itfelf j and ihining Plains^
and flowery Meadows open on all Hands
before them. Here they are entertained
with Hymns and Chorus's, with the fub-
lime Do(Strines of [acred Knowledge^ and
with reverend and holy Vifons. And now
become perfeBy initiated^ and jree^ they
are no longer under Reflraifits ; but crowned
and triumphant they walk up and down
the Regions of the Blcfjed, &c. " Mr,
Warhiirton brings another Paffage from
Froclus : '' In the Celebration of the Myf-
teries it is faid, that the Initiated meet
with many Things of multiform Shapes
and Species, prefiguring the firft Genera--
Apollon. tion of the Gods, ' Medea, in the utmofl
Argonaut. £)ift^.^^'^^ drives to the Temple of Hecate -y
verU59-and having purified herfelf, calls upon
Brinw, the night-u'andcring, fubterranean
Goddefs,
( 319 )
Goddcfs, ^een of Hell.' Upon which the
ScholiiTjl fays -, that Troferpina is called fo,
as being the terrifying and aflonipjing
Damony and fending thofe apparitions
termed Hecatea ; which, as they often
change their Form, occafion her being
called Empiijay i. e. the SpeBre, or Hob-
goblin, " Accordingly Mr. Warburton
rightly obferves, that ' when the Shews were
represented, Proferpine alo?ie prefided.' —
This emi?2e7Jt Writer will, I doubt not,
excufe me, if I tranfcribe more from his
Book, on this Article ^ — though we fhould
happen to differ in our Sentiments, as to
one Poi?2f.
" So Proclus : * In the holy My/leries,^^^^'^'^-
'' before the Scene of the Myjlic Vifions,"^' '^7-
*' there is a Terror infufed over the Minds
*' oj the Initiated.^ And we prefently fee
*' what occafioned it. For JEneas is now
*' engaged among all the real and imagi^
*^ nary Evils of Life; all the Difeafes of
*' Mind and Body ; all the Terribites vific
" jormce ; the Ce?2tnurs, Scyllce, Chimcera^
" Gorgons, and Harpies. And thefe are
they which Pletho calls ccAAoV.otcl T<xi
' l^op(pcL^ (paL(TfA.cLrcL, as feen in the Entra?tce
^ of the Myjleries, — /Eneas then, with his
' Guide, walks in the ISlight through the
^ fiadowy Kingdom of Pluto. — When hep. 20-^;
* comes to Purgatory^ prefently Cries and
' Lamentations u'ere heard \ which Pro-
cr
'' clus
( 320 )
*^ clus tells us were heard in the Myjleries.
!ft Bdit. *' — He comes now to the Confines of Tar-
P. 215. cc farus'y — where Rhadamanthus [the Fa-
" ther ConfeJfor\ extorts a CcnfeJJion of all
P. 217. " Crimes.— -One Species of Offenders are
** //6^ Invaders and Violators of the holy
P.219— . " Myjleries. — Arijiides exprefsly tells us,
*' that no where were more ajlonijhing
*' Words Jung than in thefe Myjleries, His
" Reafon is, that the Sounds and Sights
" might mutually affift each other in
** making an ImpreJJion on the Minds of
p. 220. *' the Initiated. — At length he arrives at
•' the Borders of Elyftum ', — here he under-
" goes the Lujlration-y and then enters
" into th^ Abodes of the Bleffed. — And this
" Succeffton, from Tartarus to Elyfium^
" makes Ariflides call thofe Rites moji
" horrible^ and yet mojl ravijhingly pleafafit.*'
This laft Expreffion recalls to mind that
Tourn. ^f ^^- Wejley's Initiated: '' A Flame
p. 19. * kindled in my Heart, with Pains fo vio-
lent^ and yet fo very ravijhing^ that my
Body was almoft torn ajunder. — / fweaied.
I trembled, I fainted. I fung^ And in
Truth, the Man muft be blind, who can't
fee the whole of this Jhiftijig Machinery
in the Myferies^ employed in the Initiation
of the Methodifs.
The Terrors of Initiation were fo emi-
nent, that they became proverbial-^ and
every Thing dark^ difmaly and tremendous^
was
( 321 )
was compared to the Myjiertes, Nor
would the Punifhments and Tormerits
have been fupportabk^ had they not been
relieved by fuch Alternations^ as Dion
Chryfojlome relates; *^ When one leads aWarburt.
Greek, or Barbarian, to be initiated in aP" ^^^'
certain myjlic Dome, he fees many myjiic
Sights, and hears in the fame Manner a
Multitude of Voices-, Darknefs and Light
alternately affeft his Senfes ; and a Thou-
fand other uncommon Things prefent
themfelves before him.'* The fame muft
have been the Sufferings of Mr. Wejlefs
Patients ; horrible, as jhe defcribes them,
and intolerable, beyond Expreflion, or
Conception, were it not for the like Vi^
ci/Jifudes', and efpecially as the Scene was
at length totally changed ; *' the Coifines
of Death fucceeded by the New Birth,
Devils by Angels and God, and Hell by
Heaven,''
Lamentable, however, were the Effects
of the Myfleries upon People's Mmds ;
^- filling, as Plutarch writes, many Thou- 2^^^^-
fands with Defpondency and Defpair'' — P' ^^'
How the Metkodijls have been puihed into
this Gulph, we have already feen.
That Madnefs too, which hath appeared
to have been caufed by Methodijm, was
either real, or well aBed by the Initiated
of old ', and this in Imitation of Ceres,
who was drove to thefe Extremities upon
T t the
( 3^2 )
the infernal Seizure of Prcferpina. We
2 Vol. i^^ye a Figure in Spanheirns Ohfervations
^' ^ ^' on Callimachusy ( taken from a Statue in
Italy) very expreffively reprefenting the
Goddefs in the Height of Sorrow^ Dejpair^
and Madnefs, Which anfwers well to
fome of Mr. Wefley's own Sufferers^ as
himfelf defcribes them; and may ferve
for a Front if piece to his next JournaL
Ally however, is not lo dreary and
dreadful Ceres herfelf, though feeming-
ly inconfolabky was capable of Comfort and
Exhilaration : of which we have an Ac-
count in two Particulars ; which provoked
her to Drink y and to Laugh. Apolkdorus
(Lib. I. Cap. 5.) acquaints us, that in
Hiftor. her Peregrination, " fhe was provoked to
^°^^^'^' Laughter by fome loofe and fcurrilous Talk
^' ^^' of an old Woman \ whence arofe the Prac-
tice of fuch fcurrilous Jokes among the
Women in the Myjleries^ And Nicander^
Gorrxi in. his AkxtpharmicSy mentions " the
jEdit. mingled Cup (Kujce^i/ot,) which the Goddefs.
^' *^'^*^* drank, after being forced into a Laugh by
the idle Prate of one fambe'" See the
Scholia. — We have too the Authority of
Lib. 5. Diodorus Siculus : " In the Celebration of
?' "^'^' the Myfteries of Ceres ^ 'tis a Cufom to
entertain one another with filthy Convert
fation ; becaufe the forrowful Goddefs was
provoked to Laughten by obfcene Talk,'"
The
( 323 )
The other Circumftance, flill more
abominably filthy and obfcenCy I fhall men-
tion prefently. In the mean Time it may
be remembered, that thefe Myfieries were
(for the mofi Part) celebrated in the Night,
as caufing the greater Horror and Venera--
tton :— and that fome Part of the Myfieries ,
the Grand Secret^ was kept under the Seal
of the moft religious Sile72cey and that by
^folemn Oath. But (as in fuch Cafes there
is generally a Reafon given^ and a true
Reafon) we may believe the true Reafon
was — to cover Shame.
But for Illufiration and Confirmation of
what concerns the Myfieries, I muft intreat
Room for a fpecial Exa?nple ; that of Apu^
kills, the famous ?nagical Debauchee, who
gives an Account of his own Initiation,
'' In hopes of ending my Miferies, I de-p»ietam;
termined to apply to the Prefence of the^^^- ^*
Goddefs -, and having purified myfelf {^\txi
Times, I prayed, ' O divine Ceres, who
inhabiteft Eleufis -, — and thou Proferpina,
drendful in noBurnal Howlings, potent to
reftrain the Afidults of SpeBres, &c. '*
[Then he relates his frightfully-pleafant
Dream, imaging out the Myfieries-, and
defires to be fet at Liberty from the Shape
of an Afs^ into which he had, by Sorcery^
been transformed. ] •" The Goddefs ap^
peared, and faid, ' Go, kifs the Hand of
the Priefi, and put off that deteflable Skin.
T t 2 Nor
( 324 )
Nor fear any of my Operations to be diffi-
cult. Among my chearful Ceremonies^ and
pleafant Sights^ none ftiall abhor that Z)^-
fcrmity which you now wear; or mali^
doi/JIy i?2terpret the new Form you are to
aiTume. And remember, you are engaged
tome for.J^if^;*r For Ji've you fhall, bappy
a72d glorious ', and when you die, and de-
fcend to the Regions beloWy you fhall in-
habit Elyfiumy and fhall adore me, whom
you r\Qm.^rJee^, Jhining through acherontic
Darknefsy-—^^Av^dktd out of this Dream,
I arife full of Fear, and Joy, and profufe
Sii:eat -, ar^d purify myfelf again. — And
(after a Sight of feveral ridiculous Figures)
the peculiar Pmnp of the faving Goddefs
began'; and the whole Society of Initiated,
Petfons of both Sexes and all Ages, came
together. Soon after the G^^k pafs in
Review, condefcending to walk with human
Feet: Gods ccelejlial and inferjial, ox change
ing their Forms from one to the other. —
Among the Initiated, one carries in his
happy Bofom an Effigies of a D.eity, of a
f range Form, but venerable for its Jubtle
Invention and Novelty, and to be kept with
a prQJound and religious Silence. — And lo !
the Bcncfts promifed by the Goddefs' attend
me; and the Prieji brings my Safety^
with a Crown in his right Hand. I was
overflowed with Joy^ bat.wduld not be
toq,j^e/^;, ifp^ the Af-
.,. ' • fembly:
( 325 )
fembly : but greedily devoured the Crown.
Immediately my deformed a/mine Face Jlips
off\ every Part of the Beaji goes av^ay;
and, what chiefly troubled me before,
?ny Tail no more appeared. The People
wonder ; the Religious revere fiich an evi^
dent Miracle^ a?2d eafy Renovation y and
with one Voice atteft fuch an illujirioiis
Favour of the Goddefs. But I Hood f lent
and aflonijljed 'y unable to comprehend my
Joy, or in what Words my new VoicCy
my Tongue born again, fhould thank the
Goddefs. But the Priefl, being divinely
infpired^ ordered a Shirt to be brought to
cover me, and other Garments. Then he
faid, * Here is an End of thy Calamities,
Thy former Birtby Dignity , or Learningy
have profited thee 7iothing, Come, attend
thtfaving Goddefs with Triumphant Steps.
Let the Profane fee ; let them fee, and ac-
knowledge their Error, But you, Lucius,
though now ft free, continue feady to
cur Society, ami Worfloip of the Goddefs :
then you fhall better feel the Fruits of your
Liberty' Thus fpoke \h^ prophetic Priefl,
fatigued and out of Breath, and then held
his Peace. — I \itZ2.m^ famous : all pro-
nounced me thrice happy, whom the Power
of the Deity had reformed ifito a Man ;
and who, for his Probity and Goodnefs,
had deferved to be born again, and im-
inediately efpoifed to the facred Rites, — And
my
my Relations haften to enjoy my Sight y
and divine Return from HelL-^Aftcv this
I delired to be initiated in Form into the
Secrets of the holy Night. But the Priejl
diredled me to wait the Call of the GoddefSy
who elected whom fhe thought fit, brought
them to a new Birth^ and reftored them to
the Courfe of a new Life. — At length the
Time came, I was carried to the Confines
of Deaths trod th^ Threjhold of Proferpinay
anji returned back. I faw the Sun (hining
in 'the Middle of the Night -y and was
among Gods ccelefiial^ and Gods infernal,
Lo ! I have related what you have heard,
but can't underfi^and. Nor will I relate
any Thing, but what is allowed^ to pro*
fane Minds. I was adorned in ~ what is
called the Olympiac Stolen had ?l Crown
fet on my Head j enjoyed a moft facetious
Entertainment^ &c. till the Myfiery-Birth
vvas completely ended^ Soon after, by
t\\tlfiftin^ of the Goddefs, I took Shipping,
and went away to Ro?ney that holy City,'*
So much is an ExtraS from Apuleius,
The Myfleries were early brought into
ancient Etruria (now Tufcany) from ^gypt
or Greece : and were celebrated in great
Conformity to Methodifin. Of which we
might give Proof from that learned Work
of Gorius, Mufceum Etrufcum. I fhall
Muf. juft touch upon a few Particulars. *' A
P'^^'^^^c. ' certain
p. 3 30-,
( 327 )
certain great Secret belonged to them,
which the Myflce were fworn never to
reveal, The Secret was carried (by Virgins
generally) in a little Cheft, which contained
tht Jilent 'Siud myjierious Fearfuhiefs. — Or-
pheiiSy'HercitleSy Ulyfes, and others were
ifiitiated, as believing they lliould become
thereby jiijlery and more holy ; have the
Prefe?2ce of the Gods ^ afid be finally happy.
But firft tliey muft go through^ diverfe
Luftrations ; they were to make full Con-
fejjion of whatever they had done, faid, or
thought- and were tied to a Wbeel^ either
as an Emblem of extorted Confijfion, or of
the Tortures they were to undergo in Ini-
tiation : — in which Ceremony the Furies
appeared with their hijfmg Serpents^ and
other Monjlers, threatening terrible Things.
This was tranfadted in a dif7?2al, dark
Cavern. After Variety of Punijh?nents,^
they had gayer ProfpeBs -, and were told, '
t\\Qy vftvQ regenerated^ and fhould live for-
ever. They were carried to the Myftefies
in Chariots, and after Initiation placed up-
on a Throne/* With much more to this
Purpofe. One may add fome ancient /;?-
fcriptions on the Monuments of initiated
Heathem. " In cetertum Renatus, &c. "iEtert.
In order to efFed this New Birth, "it isRenat.
remarkable (faith Mr. fVarburton fvom^''^^^'
Bufebius) that t)\z M^fagogue {Chief prieft
of
( 328 ) .
of the Myfterles) was habited like the Crett-
tor,'' What Sort of Habit tKis might
be, I can't fay. But furely Mr. Wejley
muft prcdigiouQy plume himfelf, and ap-
pear divinely magnificent in fuch an Ac-
coutrement. — The Myftagogiie had a farther
Office, that oi Jfoe^wing and explaining thQ
My/lerieSy and all the RepreJentatio?2s that
paffed in the Initiating Cerenwny^ and was
thence called Hicrophanta^ which Office
5 Journ. wB find Mr. Wejley performing, when„
p. 82,91. upon a particular Examination of what his
Initiated had fuffered, ©<:. he fo nicely
explaineth what Appearances were from
God, and what from Satan, ^'^^'^^ ^'^'^
Of one Thing more it may be proper
to remind the Methodijis, Vifgii tells us,
that '' lifter Mneas hzd been lb Well con-
diioled and if:ft7'-u5led, had received fo man/
glorious PrediBions and Fromifes, and feen
fuch rare Shews in Elyjium 3 — both Z?^', and
his Guide, came out at laft through the
Ivory Gate 'y through which the Gods
below fend up vain and delufive Dreams""-^.
Let Mr. Wejley, and his Initiated, beware
oi Fallacy in the End. — ^^'
III. Book. Milton makes Satan, in his Wanderings,
474— • find out a Place called The Limbo of Vanity,
or Faradife of Fools) to which ftraggle
Idiots, Eremites, and Friars, with all their
Trumpery, They think they are at Hea-
ven[s
f 329 )
ven's Gates, and that St. Peter ftands ready
with his Keys,
rFhtnhf
A uiolent Crofs-JVind^ from either Coajl^
Blows them tranfuerfe ten thmjand Leagues avjry^
Into the devious Air. Then 7mght yru fee
Cowls^ Hoods^ and Habits with their Wearers tofty
And fluttered ifito Rags ; then Relics^ Beads y
Indulgences., Difpmfes^ Par dons ^ Bulls ,
The Sport of Winds.
And 'tis well, ifDealhigs, Appeals, Journals^
modern Prophecies and InfpirationSy with
thofe of the old Sybils incur not the fame
Fate;
l<le turbata volent rapidis ludibria ventis.
§.53. But I mentioned fome Circum-
ftances in the Myjleries, abominably objcene
and profane. For whatever the Deities^
to whom the Myjleries were cofijecrated^
did or fufFer'd, — all was to be figured czit^
and a5led over again, m the Myfieries them^
fehes, — Things indeed not to be namedy>^
and yet the Wickednefs of which ought not
to be concealed: — Things fo fcandalous. and
infamous, that even in the old Tirrj'es of
Heathenifm, the Play-Wrights oftij'n lay
their Scenes of Debauchery in the Myjleries :
and Hijlorians fupply us with many Ac-
counts of Lewdftefs committed there. Ju^
'Venal fays,
Not a Bonce Seer eta Tjea. — — - Sat. 6.
■ Ifiacce Sacraric, Lence, 3^5' '^^^
U a —Heuce
( 330 )
Aa^'^'',' —Hence Arijlophanes in fucli a free Man-
Sc. \y ner exagitates the myjlerioiis Solemnities^ the
Aa. 3. horrible 5^^r^/i, attending them, and im-
^^•^' piide^t Figures: And, if his Words ^re
not clear enough, the Scholia will fuffici-
ently explain them. His youngs tender
Tigs, Jdcrificed\f^,i:the' Myfleries^.^^^vii
Thefmop. Truth the Male and Female Parts: and
V. 291—. his Honey-cakes offered to Ceres and Profer-
pina^ which were carried in the ■ iitjk-^
Chefts, were made up in thok Shapes, \^' ^^^
ThQ ,I??2purities of this Society will fee
more evident, by turning to the Fathers^
and other Ecclefiajlical , Writers, Mj^^
FaticB^rs here are manjj:.and plain ; but I
c6nfine myfelf to a few: And, not pro-
discing fuch as fpeak oF them ia general,
ikunmcdcjl^ di aboil cal^J^cz. ihali ftick to a
particular Cafe. ,^^^ s ^^ m^^^-^W ^^ m^^ >,
^lertulhan lays, ^^ As to the Superftition
of \h^ Ekti/inia?i Myfteries^ what they c(?;z-
B^ql is the Shame of them. Therefore they
^^^"^t Adrnijjion torturous, take Time
\nt\\t Initiation y fet a Seal on the Tongue^
and inftru(5l the Epoptce for five Years, to
faife a K'gh Opinion of them by F)elay
ajid ExpeBation, But all the Divinity 'm,
X\\t JacreJ Domes, the Whole of what thev
a/bire to^ yv'liat fealeth the Tongue, is this-;
---^•^Symrdcfun('mernbri Virilis revclatmv
\}t^i(^^^L^ their Sacrilege, they
pretend
_Ac?ver/.
Valcnt.
tap. I.
( 331 )
pretend thefe Figiars are only a 77tyjiical
Reprefentation of ve?ier able Nature J'-
' ""Th^ ' original Reafon of fuch Figures
Bei ng expofed to Vie w^ and; lisid in Vene-
ration, in the MyJierieSy we learn from
others. Clemejts Alcxandrinus giveth a full
Account of this Religion of tloe Myjieries^
too prolix to be tranfcribed ;"-^ /-^ Of theirprobrept.
•^/V^^^ Inftitution, Cruelty^ Stupidity ^ Mad-^^"^ 2.
nefs^ snaking GoddeJJes of Harlots^ corrupts
ing Mankind : — the Myjleries of Ceres are
nothing but Reprefentations^^^f Jincejluous
Deities : their ridiczdous 1^xdamation$,
upon Ad777iJ]ion were, ' I have eat out oJT
the Timbrel J I have drank out of the
Cymbal^ I have carried the Cheft^ I have
crept into thtfecret Chamber,' In the
Cheft Piidcridian'-^Bacchi inclufum erat, —
Cijlam et veretriirn nova Religione colenda tra^
Amt\—\\. is a Shanie\to, mention the filthy
CHrcumftanccs in the' Story of CereL \x\
her Wanderings, flie was entertained by
6he 5^2/^0; '\vho; finding file could. not
Klake ih&Goddefs^driitk^, reduclis vefiibus
St'cidtas corporis partes Div{;e ocidis objicit :
with which Spedaclc the Goddcfs was, fo
delighted,' tfettilie drank immediately, anid
burft ou'fk Ijiiighing, Thefe are the fee ret
My fieri es 3 ''\Vhich Orpheus alfo injoined,
whofe Verfes ,on that Occaiion I will rq-r
c\X^6?' YVht obfcene Verfes may there be
feen.] '* The common Sign and Bymbol
U u 2 of
( 332 )
of the Initiated is ; ' I have fajl^dy I have
drank of the fningkd Ciip-y I have taken
fomething from the Chejl -, making Ufe of
it, I have put it into the Bajket, and from
the Bajket replaced it in the Chefir Egre-
gious Spedacles ! and efpecially becoming
a Goddefs : Worthy of Darknefs and Fire ;
worthy of the Grecians, viha hereby are
to be happy after Deathy beyond dl Hope
and Expeftation. Heraclitus^ the Ephejian^
' calls fuch Perfons, ' Night-rovers, Magi--
dans, Bacchinals, ikfv/?/Vi/— What People
call the Myftcries, have xhzi^ unholy Rites
tf Initiation.— \m.y^M^^Vi\. Wordiip of what
lib. 5. ought not to be named, &c'l Arnohius
hath the fame Accouatcj- ,witi> 4^vc^^ ^o^At:
Circumftances, too indecent to be men-
tioned, which were the Foundation of the
MyflerieSy and put in PraBice in their
Siclet. I. Celebration, — ^ — Gregory Nazianzen tells,
how Ceres herfelf followed the ^Example
oi Bauho : '"'' ^
Hac ubi fata Dea ejl, coxam dctexit utramq-.
This was to inflame Jier A^r]pij;ers : and
ih,^fe Things ^re .even nQ^ob^ejtved irt
tlie Initiations.'' — And, in the fame Ora-
tioriy he takes Notice, " of eighty Degrees
"'-^'\' ' 'and Kinds of preparatory PuniJhmenfSj and
r J^o'vqT^^^fe./Which the Ca?ididatesj yvcre to go
( 333 )
tbfoiigh, before they could h^comt perfect y
aitd of the Number of the Epoptce^ who
Were to j^c^ alir Whether Mr. WeJIey ^ ]<^mT..
may allude to any fuch indecent Sights in^- s»-
the'- Variety:' Vf Tiimhlings and Agitations \n
his Affemblies, 1 can't &y: His • Worcls
are thefe ^ and the emphatiQal oncsinlt'alicf^
as here fubjoined.; '^ Olie had run out
of the Society in all Haite, that /he might
not expofe herfclf. — The fame Ofi^ence wasp. 64J
given in the Evening. .The firft that was
deeply touched v^a&''S-^'^J5f~-^ wKofe
MotherhadfbeeTi rib't^k lir^fe^-difpleafed^ a
Day or tW6 before, ^ wheii" Ifie 'was told,
that her Daughter had expofed herjelf be-
foi'e atl the Gonn;regation/* fi^, and the
Q\hm Spe^ators, know beft^^SOiQli "ai^
Fejia infejla DeOy Divumq-, Sticerrima Sacra.
Infejled Feajlsy and tnojl execrably facredU-ites^
Nor do I conceive that the Fathers have
done any Injury to the venerable My jl cries -y
as they appeal for Proof to the myjlical
Writers themfelves. And the Matter may
receive more Light from what has already
beeA' cited, from Authors \ov\^ before the
Times oi Chripianity. I will add a few
more, Plutarch^ though generally pi^^t ty pi^^a^^l,^
J}:y as to the MypiS^ies^ fpeaks thus in his Vol 2.
Dialogue called'^fiz-c^f/M. " L^^^Vas theP-7^^""^'
.LlStJouii only
( 334 )
only Thing that could mollify the inexorable
Pluto^ and make him give back Euridice
to Orpheus, Wherefore, my Friend, 'tis a
good Thing to be Partaker of the Eleiifi-^
nian Myjieriei. For I fee that the mad
Viyjiical Lovers have the beft Place in the
l^l^^^jer Regions.'' Athenceus writes thus •
Athcn xus, * V* Heraclides, the Syracufian^ . : in :)hi s Book
lib. 14. of Laws and Cujioms^ lays, that in the
p^"]/^'^^^'A%'?fr/V5 of Ceres y certain Honey-cakes^
made in the Shape of Fudejtda Muliebria^
were carried about for a S>bew^2Si^ offered
to ih^GoddeJJes^ Thefe were called Myllir
for, this Reafon, I fuppofc, &/W^i e:^plains
IvlyAXctV, a Harlot, Hersce we may con-
jeilure why the initiated Ladies yNtvQ called
Melijjk^ Bees. [See Befych. i^ Theocrit.
Idyll. 15. Veri: 94. SchoL] Tiie laft
named Author, makes a, Lover fay to his
Mifirefs^ " I envy, O dear Woman,
Jajion-, who enjoyed fuch Things, as the
f^^r.ofane and Uninitiated are not to know'*
^f.yrHe meaneth, faith the Scholiaji^ the ;;;y/-
tical Love of Jafion and Ceres,'' The Na-
ture of their Love may be found in Homer y
Q(;lyfl: 5. Verf; 125.
^ ^We have her^ a good i?/,^^ what the
real Secret was, in the Myjleries^ fo care-
fully to be concealed from the Pr^^«^.
And 'tis no fmall ConiirmatLon of this
Somn. w.hi^h ;we read in A/^crdJ^/wj. '' Niimenius^
j^cipion. th.eJ?i6//<?/5/>/?^r, too inquifitive into Secrets,,
ap.
t^^^\
had
(335)
had divulged fomething of the Eleufinian
Myfteries: for which the Goddefjh were
enraged ; and he faw them, in a Vifwn^
landing before a fublic SieiiJ, in mcret?'i^
cial Habits^ and with loofe Gejliires : when
he aflced them the Reafon of this unbe-^
coming Appearance, they anfwered, that
they were dragged forcibly from the Dome
of their Cbajlity, and profiitiited to every
Comer."' v
Such my filed Turpitude-^ ^&,P t' dlii 'peB-
fuaded, xhc grand Secret to be uhder the
Seal of Silence: and that when the Initiated
themfelves difcover what they are allowed
to difcover, referving what (as they fpeak)
himthwftd or Jitito be publifhed,— 'tis
no more than hiding their Shame. And
for this Rcafori I agree with the learned
Authors, who contend, that " the Igno-^
ranee ofl theivMyJteries'preferves their Vene-
ration J ^ ■ t"^" ':::j: L'-; -.:.'■
I know indeed v^^-Jubitme BoBrinet
are fometimes pretended to lie hid under
thefe external Reprefeiitaticm^ : 'r^-^ — Such
Phyfical, Pbiiafophical, and Rekgiom Know-
ledge, as the Generation of the Gods^ the
Seminal Principles of all Things, the Fe-
cundity of Nature, and (by fome few) the
true Theology of the Unity of the Deity, &c.
But were not the natural Figures Jljenvn?
Are not the Pudenda utriujq-, Sexus, Con-
fpeoius Deoruim'^&inDearum in Nuditate,
pretty
( 336 )
pretty Means of conveying fuch Do(flrines ?
And fuppofing the beji Defign of the ori-
ginal Inftitutioh^ was it not accompanied
with a ftrange Mixture oi impure Incentives^
fit only for a Methodifl arrived at Per^
fediion to grapple with ?
Nor do I queftion but thefe impudefit
ReprefeiitationSy and Behaviour of the Ini-
tiated^ were a Part of the original In/iitu-
tion J becaufe the Myjieries were to imitate
and aB (as I laid before) the Pafjions and
Actions of their Patron'GoddeJJes,
What I have faid fcands confirmed by
tinqueflicnable Authority ; I mean that of
the eminent Platonifl^ Jamblicus', to whom
Mankind in general gave the Preccde?tcy
in the Knowledge of the Myjieries, The
famous Porphyry^ who was more a Philo-
fopher than a Mijlagogue^ had written a
Letter to jamblicus j whom he conceal-
eth under the Name of Anebo : becaufe,
,* I fuppofe, it might not be proper to cor-
refpond with an Initiated, concerning the
Secrets of the My/leries, too plainly and
openly. In the Letter he afkcth him fuqh
Queftions as thefe: '' Why, in 'their
Theurgic Rites, they invocate Gods both
Ccelejlial and Subterranean^ — What is it
that difringuijljes Gods from Damons ?
Which are Vifble, and which Invifibk ?
By what Mark are we to difcern the Pre-
fence or Apparition of a God, from that of
an
....^.,,T..... ( 337) ^
m^Angeiy "Archangel, Dcemon, or Detfied
Hero ? For all of them love iofpeak boaji^
ingly of themfeheSy and make a fliew by
Phantafms and Apparitions, ^^Ylo^ comes
Prophecy to pafs ? As, in Dreams, En-
thufiafms, divi?je Raptures, and Ecjla-
cies : Some Prophefying by the Help of
Watery others by Vapours-, others from
their own Fancies, affifted by Darknefs, or
certain Potions, or Verfes, &c. — Simple and
young People are beft fitted for this Bufinefs.
And fuch Prophecy may proceed from Lofi
of Senfes, dijiempered Madnefs or Alienation
of Mind, Dizzinefs, DijlraBion of nought-^
,^C^^or. Fancy artificially raifed by Sorcery ;
or elfe the Deception of wicked Men and
Spirit s,-^^\\2X is the Meaning of Gods
JuhjeB to Human Paffions and Infirmities %
to whom therefore the wife Worfhippers
confecrate the Phalli, and obfcene Difcourfes?
— How is it, that thefe Gods, fuppofed to
be our Superiors, muft be compelled, and
fubmit to us, as if they were Inferiors'?
That their Worfloippers muft come pre-
pared and purged from all Defilement;
and yet tbemfelves £hall inftigate all that
\ come, to illicit Venery ? — Whether there
be no other Way to Happinefs, but this ?
Whether it be proper that, in Prophetic
theurgy, the Glory of Man (hould be the
Point aimed at? Or whether the Mind
doth not invent and forge great Things out
Xx of
(338)
(ij common Incidents ? — If thofe who thus
mechanically converje with the 'Deities^ have
wo Method of Happinefs that is 7nore fecure
or 77i07^e credible, nothing but thefe horrible^
ufelefs^ Inventiom\ — certainly this is not
the IVork of the Godsy or good Spirits ;
but of a deluding Damon \ or elfe all is
human Invention^ and Fi^ion of corruptible
Nature:'
Thefe are Porphyry's ^eries concerning
2lJI range Syfem of Pagan Methodifm, To
which famblicus^ in his Book P>e Myfteriis^
endeavours to give a Solution, I fliall
tranfcribe as much as concerns our prefent
jambl. Purpofe. ^' Let us run over Particulars.
Tfi^i' ^^^ affirm EreBicnem Phalhrum to be a
cap! li. Symbol of Generative Virtue, inciting to the
Generation of the World. For which
Reafon there are great Numbers of thofe
confecratcd Figures \ the whole World re-
ceiving its Fecundity from the Gods, And
as to the cbfcene Converfation ; I efteem it
as a Symbol of Want of Good in Matter,
and of that Turpitude in Nature, which is
afterivards to be adorned. Of which Adorn-
ment Nature has the ftronger Appetite, the
more it knoweth of the Indecencies of thefe
Things. And again, it purfueth the Forms
of good Things, by having learned from
flthy Difcourfe isjhat Filthinefs is. By fuch
Difcourfes People {hew they have a Senfe
of Turpitude 'y but the Turpitude itfelj thty
throw
( 339 )
throw ofF, and turn their whole Deilre to
the Contrary. Another Reajon hkewife may
be given for thefe Things. The flrong
Inclinatmis of Nature, by being totally
rejlroined, become ftronger. Bat being
indulged in fome Meaftire^ and for a JJjort
Time, they rejoice in Moderation, and are
fatisfed : and being thereby purified, they
defijl afterwards, not fo much from Com-
pulfion, as Perfiiafion. Therefore, as in
Plays, by feeing the Paffions of others we
are fenfible of our own ; moderate them,
and purge them away : fo in the facred
.Myjleries, hy feei?Jg and hearing Obfcenities^
we are freed from any Injury fuch Repre-
fentations might caufe in Fa^, Such
Things then you fee are introduced as a
Medicine to the Soul, as moderating the
Evils incident to Nature, and freeing and
delivering us from our Chains,'"
Thus that Majier of the Myfleries plainly
owneth the Truth of the Fa^s : he gives
not the lead Intimation of their being any
Innovation, or Corruption of the original
Defign, And his Pleas and Excufes for
fuch tJif anions Sights, Difcourfes and Actions^
may fairly be leit to the Judgment of the
moft ordinary Capacity. — But ftill happy
Confequences are the final JJjiie, For he
tells us in the next Chapter-, *' 'TisjamW.
manifeft that the whole is falutary to the^y^"^^'
Soul. For in feeing the bleffed SpeBades"^^' ''''
X X 2 (meaning
( 340 )
(meaning of Gods a?2d Goddeffes) the Soul
is changed into a72other Life, worketh other
Operations 5 thinketh itfelf no Human Crea-
ture,^ and thinketh rightly. For putting
off its own proper Life, it is chang^ into
the mofl hlefjed Energy of the^ Godsr So
much for Jamblicus. — ,jt -^ay
Warb'jrt. Mr. Warburton obferves, ^' one infu-
P- h8. perable Objiacle in Paganifm, to a Life of
Purity and Holinefs, was the vicious Ex^
amples of their Gods, And that this Evil
was remedied by the Myjieries^ But I
conceive this Evil was i^ih^v promoted than
remedied thereby. As an Inftance of Per-
fons jufiifying one another from fuch Cce-
lejiial Examples, he fays, from Euripides^
Hercul. that " Thejciis confqles his Friend Hercules
Furens^^^ by ^he Examples of the Cri7nes of the Godsr
But It muft be remembered, that both
thefe Beros were of the Order oj the Ini-
tiated y fome of the frft too, as living not
lefs than twelve Hundred Years before
Chrifl :-^7LT\i that fuch an accurate Writer
as Euripides vv^ould fcarce have put that
Excufe into their Mouths, had it not been
conjormable to the original Plan, but direflly
contrary.
The Poet, fpeaking of Affignations in
xhtTemplesoilfis, Ceres, &c, adds,
Sat. 6. Credit enhn ipfiih Domina fe voce moneri.
V- 527^. En ardmam & mente7n, cum qua Dii nc5fc loquantur,
^' The
( 341 )
^^ The Party believes himfelf directed by
the Voice of the Goddefs herfelf. See the
Mind and Soul, that is fitted for a Conver-^
fat ion with the Gods by Night''
Something, in the preceding Account
of the Myjieries^ might have been obferved
concerning the not uncommon Pracftice of
initiating Rogues and Harlots. But I fliall
fay no more of the Myfteriozis Trade ; only
dedicating what hath been faid upon the
Subjed— — To Mr. Jrejllcy Hall, whofe
DoBrine and PraBice have been fo con^
formable 3— To Mr. Wefefs initiated Lady,
'' who, after being in Defpair and in Hell^
&;c. had her horrible Dread taken away,
and began to fee fome Dawni?2gs of Hope j
but ^2^foon after, if not at that very Time^
a common Profitute ;*' Together with her
Admirers 3 — And to all others whom it
may concern.
§. 54. Having thus drawn a Parallel
between the Myfteries of Methodifm and
thofe of downright P^^/^;^//^, I {hall con-
clude my Comparifon with a Parallel fronri
Paganizifjg Popery, namely, St. Patricks
Purgatory, in Ireland.
Giraldus Cambrenfis, Matthew Paris, and
others, have faid much of this memorable
Place : but as Meffingham hath brought all
together, in his Lives of the Hibernian
^mnts^ I fliall make my ExtraB from him.
*' That
( 342 )
MfiTingh. « That there was^ and /V, fuch a Thing
P- 92— • ^g ^^^ Patricks Purgatory y is agreed by
antient and modern Writers -, and the Cer-
tainty muft be afferted, to refute the Impu^
dence of Heretics, — The Occafion of it was
this. While St. Patric was humbling
himfelf in Faftings, Watchings, and Prayer,
Chrijt appeared to him, and fliewed him a
dark Den 3 faying, ' Wlioever in true
Faith and Penitence fhall enter into this
T)eny and continue there for twenty-four
Hours, he fliall ht purged fro?7i all the Sins
of his whole Life.* The Truth of this is
confirmed by the antient Breviaries^ &cc.
To quefiion it, would be to give the Lie
to all Antiquity and Piety. [Mr. Wejlef^
fole Teftimony, as to his oiim Purgatory^
will, by all tmprcjudiced P^r/Swjr,-. Redeemed
cf equal Veracity . ] v .
The Den is in an Ijland of the Province
ofUljler-, one Part wjiereof is the ^orr//^/^
Station cf Devils ; the other Part is in-r
comparably illuftrated with the vifible Pre-
fence cf Angels and Saints. If any rafli
Perfon, as hath been the Cafe, lliould pre-
fumptuoufly enter into the former., he is
fcized upon by Cacgdemons^ or Rvil Spirits^
and afflid-ed with various TormentSy till he
has almoft loft the Shape of a Man, But
if any one endiireth thefe Torments, after
Confefion and Pe^iitencCy he fhall not under^
^o any niorc infernal Punifrments, For
St.
( 343 )
Sti Fatric^ finding it difficult to convince"
that incredulous Nation of the Truth of
future infernal Pu72ifbments and heavenly
Joys, merited of Heaven to bring this ocular
Demonftration and Proof of it, here q\\
Earth. Jacobus de Vttriaco attefts this j
' that if any one truly penitent and confejjed
defcendeth hither, he is lufirated and puri-^
fed by the Devils, by ten Thoufand Sorts
oi Tortures. And whoever returns thence
thus hifirated, he can never laugh or joke
afterwards, or intermeddle with worldly
Affairsr [Mr. Wefey hath been a httle
peccant here ; who, after his repeated Re-
folution not to laugh, no not for a Moment -^t Journ.
nor to fpeak a Tittle of wordly Things -."^^ ^'^'
— Confeffeth, that '' he hath fmce engaged An'?.v^i
often in worldly Bufinejs, the Order of Pri?« Enthuf
vidence requiring itr Who ah^o hath^* '5*
been united to Ve?nis Philomeides, the
Laughter 'Loving Dame.
We now difcourfe only concerning a
prefent Purgatory, of meritorious Puniftj--
ments in this Lije, for the \J{q of fuch as
are making a Pilgrimage in the Lord.
Which is to be difiinguijled from that
future Purgatory, which lies on the other
Side of the Grave. And it was deligned
by St. Patric for a Proof that there was
fuch a Thing as a Place of Torment to
come:, and which might be efcaped, by a.
prefent Expiation, through this lujtral fire.
This
10.
to
( 344 )
This appears by the Hymn compofed in
Memory of St. Patric,
The Order and Manner of paffing into
this Purgatory followeth. '* You mufl
undergo a Courfe of Fa/ling^ ufing a
meagre Diet ; and that only to be tafted
once in twenty-four Hours, however your
Guts may grumble. But you may refrefh
and moiften your Mouth, with certain
Waters ; which are as light and wholefome
as the Waters of the Spaw, You are regu-
larly to keep the holy Stations : and when
you are weary at Night, you are not to
lie down on a Bed^ Couch^ or Pillow ^ but
irjay He on your Chak^ or wrap your
Breeches about your Head. — Whoever un-
dertakes this Progrejs muft be admitted by
the Spiritual Father ^ who pre/ides over
''Purgatory ; mufl betake themfelves to
what are called the Penal Manfions^ or
Pcfjitential Cells of the Saints ; where they
mufl: whirl themfelves kw^n Times round
the Crofs, A rough and Jiony Path thence
leadeth them* to a Lake ; at the Bottom of
which is a Stone^ whereon they muft fix
their Feet, which will be cruelly tired ajid
torn ; but in lefs than half a Quarter of an
Hour, by the Help of Prayer, they will
Jeel a fmgular Refrejhment and Strength
from the Stone : St. Patric having prayed
formerly upon it, and left the Imprejfion
of his Feet,
Thefe
( 345 )
Thefe Aujierities having been repeated
for feven Days, on the eighth the troubJe-
fome Ceremonies are all to be doubled.
Then the Candidates are convened before
the Spiritual Father ^ who fpeaks to them
a Word oi Exhortation ; and, in a pre-
?neditated Fornix gives them an Accounty
or yoiirnaly of fuch Fxa'mples as muft move
the moft Stupid, foften the moft Hardened^
aad terrify the moft Audacious : and pre-
paring them by Confejjion and Ahfolution,
and Warnings againft the Powers of ID ark-
nefsy he ^ bring them to the Mouth of the
Z)^;^^,^ Where you may fee them in an
Agcn)\, 7^% if paffing into another World -^
Jighing, groaning y prayings &c.
The De7i itfelf, into which they now
defcend, i% 2i_d,arky Igw^ narrow Hole^ [As
when Satan fiiut Mr. TVhitcfield into a
Clofety and locked him up in Iron- Armour.']
where they muft- (loop or creep, unable to
gOy Jlcmd, or fit. There is a fmall Window
on one Side, wliich lets in a little Light :
and at the Extremty is fitnated that horrible,
Gulphy which God , fliewed to St. Patric,
for the Terror of {he Objlinate. (But the
Den is now m2idc fnoot her and plainer by
Papal Difpcnfations,) They then plunge
themfelves 72aked in the Lake; and being
luji rated by this Expiation, they, come out
renewed and born again, able to conquer
the old Serpent,
y y The
C 346 )
The Benefit attending the Vifitation, Sd-
ihfaBion^ and Purgation of this Den is
undeniable. Ajid the Paim and Piinijb^
ments may eafily be colledled from th'^
Darknefs^ Narrownefs^ and long Continu-^
ance in the Hole ; the fuffocating Breath of
Numbers crowded together ; Exulcera-
tiom of the Feet, Penal Celh, Fa/tings^
Watchings^ ly^^g on the Ground^ crying
and wailing, and Abdication of Earthly
Comforts:- — as well 2iS horrible Vifom and
Spe^res. >,o -iii
This is to be obferVed^ ^^^ that the Sexes
are not allowed promifcuoufly to go toge-
ther 5 hnt xht Men feparately, ^nd Women
feparately, \_hi this Particular Mr* Wefley
4JQurn. ^iffei-s; Warmly alTerting that '^ the un-
""' married Men and Wfi7nen ought to go
together/' binu JfidJ tS^ii\ gaimioi
MeJJingham thien^ prodeeds' to^Ulufirdte
and confirm what he had faid, by a fpecial
Injlance, ^' When St. Patric was favoured
with this Proof of Purgatory, for the Con-^
verfion of the Irif/o to the Catholic Faith^
many Penitents deicended into it : of whom
fome pcrijhed there 5 others returning dfe-*
dared what Torments they had fuffered^'
and wliat joyful Sp^^Bacles they had feen :
Which Accounts St. Patric ordered to be
preferved. Afterwards- one Owen, who
had been many Years a Soldier in King
Stephen s Army, being under Compunaiorx
( 347 )
for his wicked Life^ and many enormcm
FiceSy would needs undergo the moft
grievous of \PenanceSy by entering into St.
Patries. Purgatory, The Prior of the
Place, preparing him as ufually, tells him
he fliould., meet with certain Mej]enger%
from God, who would inform him of what
he was to do, or fuffer : But when fhey
W3re gone, the Tempters fliould attack him.
The Soldier^ refolved to make trial of
this 7iew and uncommon Warfare^ goes in-
trepidly into the Den-, where he foon
found himfelf in total Darknefs, But e'er
long a little Light appeared : and he came
to a Room, not unlike a Monkif^ Cloijler %
where fome fhaven Religious^ approached,
and blejjed God for infpiring him with the
good Purpofe of expiating his Sins; in-
forming him, that unlefs he proceeded
coiiragioujlyy he fliould perijh^ Body and
SouL For as foon (fay they) as we are
gone^ a Multitude oifoul Spirits will cooie^
bringing grievous Tortures^ and threateniiig
worfcy perfuading you alfo to return, and
promifing to carry you to the Gate, where
you came in. But have Courage : in your
Torments call upon Chrift, and you fhall
immediately be fet free. And fo they left
him.
The Soldier, thus intruded, ftood wait-
ing for a Combat with the Devils : and pre-
fently he heard a tumultuous Noife, as if
Y y 2 the
■( 34B )
the whole World was in Commotion ;
whereby he was almoft driven out of his
Senfes, After ih'i^ horrible Noiji follows
the 7nore horrible vifible ylfpeBoflthe Devi Is-,
pho derided, and infulted him, faying,
•^ other Mortals come not to us, till after
Death-: you honour our Society fo much,
as to furrender Body and Soul to us while
alive. And v/e will revv''ard you according-
ly. You came hither to endure Torments
for. your Sins : and Ihall have what you
wanted. But however, as a Favour for
your fmner Services^ if you pleafe, we
will condudl you out wihurty to the Gate
sphere- you came in^ -^B\x%-thp,'tindau72ted
Soldier is neither fliaken- by their ' MenaceSy
nor inveigled by their Allurements.
vv The Devils, feeing themfelves con-
itemiied, bind him Hand -and Foot, throw
him into a Fire, and drag him about
with /ri?/2 Hooks : whereby having endured
' ^t^l, Torment, he <aMs upon Chrifty and
is entirely deliveFed; not fo much as^:k
lingIe.S))/7r/^ remaining, n a'^ncurr a^^^
Hence fome of them -earry biTm ' into^
difmal and dark Region-,- where nothing but
Devils was to be feen ; and v/here his
Body^ was pierced with a Stiffnefs znA
Rigor, by a peflilent Wind. They carry
him farther into the Hearing of Rowlings,
Wailings, and Cdamours^-^'mX^^, Sight of
Wretches tormented in a mifera We 'Manner.:
and
( 349 )
and throwi72g him on the Ground^ they en«
deavour to torment him^ like the rejl. But
the Name ofjejus forced them to give over.
• — Thence they convey him to another
Field full of greater Mifery ; among Jiery
Serpents clinging to poor Mortals, and
eating into their Hearts, * Thefe Tortures,
fay they, ate prepared for ^i?^/, unlefs you
confent to^^ back' But the Name ofChriJi
again prevented them.
They drag him to ^ Field Jlill more
dreadful-, where are People pierced with
Iron Nails from Head to Foot, without
Interval^ and roarifigy as if they v/cre
Mlingi •^nd iQvtmtd with both a cold and
burnifjg Wind. But nothing could aftrio^ht
the Soldier,
Thence he is hurried into a Jour th Fields
full of Fires, and every invented Torment of
every Kind 5 above all Expreffion or Con-*
ception. They fhew him a burning Wheels
and throw him upon it to torture him : but
by the Name of Jefus he comes down un-
hurt. Through more Tortures thefe /;/«
fernal Dogs carry him to the very Entrance
of Hell', and all flounce in together with
the Soldier: where he felt fuch intolerable
Mifery, that for a long Time he forgot the
Name ofJeJus, and iiooi perfect ly afcnifJjed.
Here they ihew a Bridge over Hell^ ex-
tremely Jlippery, Jiarrow, and high; and
compel him to walk upon it 3 \vhich he
did,
( 350 )
did, by the Name of Jefus^ without a?2y
Siip^ or makmg a falfe Step, Which pro-
voked the Devils to fuch horrid Clamour $
and profane Outcries^ as were more in--
fufferabk than all his other Punlfiments,
!XOm brave Soldier being ihnsfetfreefrojn
the Vexation of the Devi Is ^ is prefented with
a View of the Gates of Paradlfe 5 whence
the Sal?2ts came out to meet him, with
CrofeSy I'VaX'CandleSy and Colours flyings to
carry him into Paradlfe *, where he was
entertained with the 7noJl delegable Sights
and harmonious Sounds. The Man affirmed^
that this proceeded not from Ecftacy ^ btt^,
that he faw all with his corporeal Eye^^^\
and had corporeal Feeling and Experience
of the Sufferings. He afterwards entered
ambng the Monks i and had, upon Con-
tinuance, an ylffurance of Salvation. ''\
Thus endeth this Mcthodlftico-Monkl/Ij Story.
And 'tis fubmitted to the Judgment of
every Man In his Senfes^ whether th^''
principle Myfiery of Methodlfm bears any
Refef7iblance of true Chrl/llanlty -, and
whether it be not d^perfeii Copy of the moji
horrible Devices In Paganlfm and Popery,
Let us now recapitulate fome of the
Ingredients for making a true Methodlft.
He muft fet out on Foot^ with a fanBlfed
CounienancCy and high Pretences to Piety -^
which is to confift of unfcrlptural Pecull"
arltieSy wbimfical StrldfncjJeSy and bitter
Zeal
( 350
Zeal againfl innocent and indifferent Things o
In order to catch Fame ftill niore effedlually,
he muft be a deep Dealer in the black Arty
of Calumny andJJncharitablenefs , muft feem-
m^Y dejpife Money\ and be often caUing
out for Siifferings and Perfecution, How-
ever wicked he hath been, let him injianta--
neoiify be called converted-, perfeBed^ afjurei
of Salvation \ and talk much of ImpiilfcSy
ImpreJJionSy Feelings^ Raptures^ and Ecfa^
cies. But above all, let him boaft of In^
fpiratiomy divine MiJjionSy familiar and
amorous Converfations with God^ talking with
him Face to Face^ and fitting down with ;
him at Table. By Degrees he becomes
e^ual to Prophet Sy ApoJileSy or Chrifl him'-
felf : is entitled to Vijions^ Revelations^
Prophecies y an^ Miracles. Thus armed
with a conceited Imagination and fpiritual
Pridcy he is to combat Satany and all thq^v
t)ogs of Hell y and (as he is ordained) to
run the Gantlope through 'Terror Sy Doubts y,
Scepticifmy Fnfidelityy Atheifmy fpiritual De-k
fertionsy and Lofs of God's Grace y (Things
highly beneficialy and abfolutely necefjary)
Defpondency^ and Defpairy DiJiraBion and
Mad?iefs :~\hxoM^ violent Agonies y Dii-^J
fiortionsy and Convulfions -, the Pains of Helli \
Pa?nnationy and Hell itfelf-y through aHj
the Miferies,^an^ Tortures, beyond Ex^-r:
prefrionor t^eFGrmtiQiii,' which either God
or
( 352 )
cr Nature^ Satan or the Preachery can
bring upon him : — * But having undergone
thtkjiery Liijirations^ he hath Apparitions
cf God and Angels coming to carry him to
Heaven : His is united to God : he is plunged
into God : he is All God, — - This Pngrefs
indeed may happen to want a trifling Cir^
cumfiance^ the DireBion of Scripture ; but
that DefeB is fufficiently fupplied from
Heatbenijm and Popery,
And who can help admiring the deep
Artifice and Management? What hath
hitherto been imputed to Pits and Di-
Jiemper — to Cheat and Impofiure — to Witch-^
crafty Sorcery y Magicy and fome diabolical
Illufion — all is engrafted into the pure Reli-
gion of Method! fts , all is God s Worky and a
Manifeftation of what he hath done for their
Souls, And when Mr. JVefiey^ and his
AfjociateSy have clearly vindicated the Pa^
ralkls I have brought (from Popery parti-
cularly) from Enthifiafm and hnpojiurcy
their own Difpeitfation may Hand fair for
2i favour able Co?2jlru5fion,
It may behove me in the Clofcy to leave
my fudgmenty in as plain a Manner as I
can, concerning this myfterious Part of
Methodifn ; in which the principal Diffi-
culty feems to lie. Thus then I Judge,
** If there be any Thing in it exceeding the
Potuers of Nature, knoivn or fecret ; any
Thins
( 353 )
Thing beyond the Force of Bifiemper, or
of Imagination and Enthuftafm artfully
worked up 5 any Thing above the Reach
of Juggle and Impofture ; (which I take not
upon me to affirm, or deity) — In that
Cafe, I fee no Reafon againft concluding,
that 'tis the Work of jo me evil Spirit -, '4
Sort of magical Operation^ or other diaboh-
cal Illufwn.
Z ^
APPEN-
( 355 )
APPENDIX.
CONTAINING
A few Inftances of the Natural and
Adual Tendency of Enthufiaftic
Methodifm to Popery ; f7-om
Englidi Hiftory.
(No. I.) T!he miraculous Life and Converfion
of Father Bennet, of Canfield, in Effex.
Do way, 1623.
cc
HE was a Profejlant and Ptirita?!^
by Birth and Education ^ but
had an extraordinary Call to be a Papijij
and a Capuchin ; and in one Moment was
wholly changed into another -Man ; and
conftrained to embrace the Catholic Commu^
nion by Divine Infpiration. In his Story of
hitnfelf he faith, ' I was a Libertine, ad-
Zz 2 difted
(356)
didted to various Vices 5 I faw my miferable
State, and fought to amend «iy Life. But
alas ! How many Blocks lay in my Way ?
What Stratagems did not the old Serpent ufe
to hinder me ? He appeared to me tranf-
formed into an Angel of Light ; talked long
with me, perplexed me, but did not wholly .
overcome me. — He planted his Battery of
Fredejlination again ft me, and (aid, I was
predeftinated to be damned in the End 3 and
that" my good Purpofes wxre nothing but
a Brain-Sickjiefs^ &CC. Which 'Te?2tatio?is
made me extremely melancholic. But when
I had abandoned all Lets and Hindrances^
my moft affli<3:ing Trouble was, what Re--
ligion I Jldonld embrace,-—! began to pray^
fajl, watch y and lie hard.— After this I iliw
in the Fields a Vifion^ of an extraordinary
Nature, which I related to a Friend Vv'ho
Was a Catholic: He was highly pleafed,
and told me of Exorcifms done by Catholic
Priefls^ with many other marvellous Thi?2gs,
.^*The Devil then fo affaulted me, that
when I took the Book cj Refolutions into my
Hands to read, it profited me nothing*
And he told me, that my Spirit fliould be
fo turmoiled, that I fliould be in danger of
lojing my Wits > and that my Brain was al-
ready cracked. Being unexperienced i?i Spi-^
ritual Combats^ I was forely beaten by this
'fierce Battail, and grew wonderfully weak
^nd opprejed : I was deprived of my SenJeSy
' and
( 357 )
and brought to* the Door of Defpair ; and
perceived that God was gone a wbilefrojn me.
In the Midft of this great Defolatkn and
Objcurityy a Beam of Light {hone upon
me ; and my Tribulations were recom-
penfed with Plenty oi Cmifolafions, Joy, and
Peace: And ' thou, O Lord, didft re-
"vealy by an inexplicable Manner^ the clear
and perfed: Sight ^ and afjured Knowledge ^
of thy only true Religion^ with abfolute
Certainty: The next Morning I went
to 2Ln old infamous Prifon, called Newgate^
which was commonly filled with Priejls:^
where I met with a Triejly to whom I
made; Co?7fe//2on, and was reconciled to the
Holy Church, Then, following the Motiojis
of divine Injpiration, I propofed to retire to
fome Monajlery, This was not w^ithout
great Contrai^iety and Perplexity of Spirit,
But the Lord called me with fo clear ^ ma--
nifejiy and loud a Voice-, that I could not
refjl the Call, In which RaviJJoment and
Alienation of Se?2fe, I was out of my f elf] and
tranfported into God,
I had before refolved with myfelf to be-
come a Religious, of the Order of St,
Francis ; but was in great Doubt whether
I fhould take the Habit of the Cordeliers or
the Capuchins, At length fuch Vigour and
Force of Spirit was given to me, that I
■ refolved to become a Capuchin ; and in--
■fiantly I had an Infpiration^ which faid to
me,
( 358 )
me, * Lo ! now all the Vifion is accom-
pliilied.' For that Vifion Ihewed me all
viundane Vanities paft ; and the Habits and
I HolineJJcs of the Francifcans^ particularly of
the Capuchins. So I took the Habit ; and
others, by my Example and Counfel^ did the
fame/^
Thus much Father Bcjinet fays himfelf.
What follows is from the Writer of his
Life.
" From the Inftant Qi\i\%Converfion^ he
was as a Coal all en Fire^ glowing with
Zeal', — He had fo many Vifions, Revela-
tions, and Lights of the Spirit, towards
obferving the Rules of St. Francis ; and
God infpired him fo ^nanifeflly, that he could
not admit of any Doubt. One Day a gloria
cus Angel appeared to him, encompafled
with Light, and with a Book in his Hand -,
which the Angel opened, and turned over
the Leaves for him, directing him to a
Place, where it was God's Will that he
fbould be a Capuchin. [Mr. Whitefield feems
7 journ. ^^ ^'^^^ h^^n more honoured, when " the
p. 66. Lord himfelf gave him a Text, and direcflcd
him to a Method, as he was going up the
'Fulpit-Stairs.'']
The Devil was fully employed in fetting
Gi7is tor him -, omitting no Tenfation, out-
ward cr inward -, prefaging that the Sai?it
would overthrow his Kingdom, if he were
fuffered to pcrfevere : and therefore ap-
peared
( 359 )
feared to him fometimes in a religions^
fometimes in a dreadful For??!, The Vifions
which he had in the Beginning grew more
common and fearful, grievous to the Ap-
prehenfion. Our Lord made him fee and
hear all the Tor??2e?2fs and Pai?ts of Hell j
the horrible Cries of Devils, and Blafphe??iies
which they yelp forth, their Defpair, and
Ste?ich of their Dimgeons : which made
him terribly roar, to the Aftonifliment of
all the Religious'" [ I have had the
Honour to hear Mr. Whiteficld roar out
in the fai?2e Mafiner, upon feeing fuch a
Vifion of Hell, in the Midft of his Preach-
ment.']
'' Thefe and other /irange y^ccidentsmzdQ
the Fathers fufpedl fome Illufion of the
Devil', but upon Trial, he appeared to go
upon the fame Foundation with Saint
Fra?2cis, when he eftablified his Rule,
■ His Rapts and Ec/lacies threw him into
fuch zDtforder that they had recourie to
Phyficians. The Phyficians, who feldom
have recourfe to God, wJien they can find
any Belief in Nature, applied ^Pigeons to
him ; pricked his Legs and Thighs with
great^ Pi?iS', but they could difcern no
Motion nor Senfe in him. At leno-th, after
he had been out of bimfelf for tv/o Days,
he came to himfelf again ; and was fo pof-
feffed with Joy a?id Jubilation, that though
he
(36o)
he was all Humtlity, he was forced to make
outward Shew of it.
Notwithftanding this, to Jhut the Gate
to Vanity^ which creepeth in infenfibly like
a Serpent^ they did humble him by all
Sorts of Inventions j told him he was z///-
profitable^ and talked of taking the Habit
from him. Bat he had a Revelation againft
that. For having once untied the Cord^
wherewith he was girded, the blejjed Vir-
gin appeared, took his Girdle^ put it on
again, and ajfured him, that he fhould
perfevere a Child of St, Francis." [No
Wonder then, that Mr. WrjJry fliould be
3 Journ. in fuch a Fright, that *' God would drop
p. 60. hjjjj^ and /ay him afide-,'' or that his
4 Journ. <« Brother Charles fhould adually leave ofi
p. ^1—9' Preachings and become ay?/// Brother \ till,
in Verification of Mr. J, Weflcfs Prophecy y
* that he fhould roufe himjelf like Sajnpfon^
and be avenged on his EneinieSy' — he once
more became a Friar Predicant. ''^^ " After
this, there was fcarce an Hour and a Half
out of four and twenty, when he felt not
himfeif drawn by divijie TraBs into a Vnion^
and T^ranfcrmation into Jefus Chrifl ; which ,
left violent ImpreJJions^ Pains, and Dolours
en his Body and Soul. But the Plcafure he
took in them, was an infallible Argument^
that fuch AttraBions were truly from Gody
and not lliufions of Satan.
Befides
fsfii )
Befides thefe, he laboured under painful
toifeafe^ for twelve Tears -, for all which
he rejoiced exceedingly : Becaufe nothing
makes us return fo foon^ a? a Snail within
his Shelly as when God cometh to fmite the
Horn of our PreJu?nption and Arrogancy ,
God only 'knoweth how many religious
Men and Women have, by the Sublimity of
his DoBrine^ been exalted to the high State
of Perjediion, But his more particular
Deftgn was the Converfwn of Heretics^
efpecially the Protefants in his own Country,
For which Reafon, after various Peregri-
nations, he returned to England,, and
underwent grievous Perfecutions, But yet
he exhorted the Catholics to live as Lambs
ixmong Wolves, He was takeii up, and ex-
amined by Sir Fr, Wafingham, Chief Seer e^
tary of State, a Man moft obftinate and
ftiff in his falfe Religion ; who committed
him to the Tower ; whence he was fent
Prifoner to the Cajile of Wifoitch. In his
Way through Cambridge, he was led
through all the Streets, as a firange, mon^
Jlrous Spectacle -, and followed with odious '
Shouts, and defpiteful Reproaches.
While he was at V/if^tch many Pro-
t eft ant Minifters came to dijpute with him ;
but departed from him with their own
Shame. Among other Corferences, he had
a remarkable one with the pretended Biftoop
of Ely, who was named Dr. Eaton -, which
A a a he
( 362 )
he fo well managed, that the Catholics
thought it was God's Spirit which fpake
within him, to the Dijloonour and Con-
fujion of the Bifiop^ and his Adherents, —
After three Years Imprifonment^ Father Ben^
net ivas banijl^ed into France.
Being ill of a Fever ^ God cured him by
a Miracle. For he felt a certain Sweetnejs^
and a certain Voice afiired him, ' that he
fhould receive a perfect Remedy on the
Feaji of the Seraphic St, Francis,' Accord-
ingly on that Day the Voice iaid, * Go,
and fing confidently, for thou art now
wholly cured of thy DifeafeJ
He inflidted a Judgment too on a Man,
w^ho drew his Son by Force out of the
Monafiery, For upon his threatening the
Man with Puniflhment for this e?2ormous
Crime ^ behold a Thing very ftrange, and
worthy of Mark ! At that very Time Sen--
tence was gtven in Heaven ^ and was fhortly
after put in Execution ^^ the Man fell fick,
mid diedy to ratify the true Predi&ion of this
good Father.
If I fliould fpeak as is meet of his ftrait
Vjiion with God, the Force, Perfedion, and
Continuance of it, I fhould fay, that his
whole Life, fince he became a Capuchin,
was a CG72ti?2ued Rapt, and Ecjiacy ^ which
made him become engulfed in the Know-
ledge of the Creator ', in the illuminated
Lijc^ and afured Way of P erf e^ ion. After
his
( 363 )
his Ecfladesj who can prefume to fay this
was natural, and that they were nothing
elfe but Swoo?2mgs? — In his laft Sicknefs,
God revealed to him the Time, Day and
Hour, of his Death, And before he died,
the Religious about him conjedlured that he
Ja^dD fomething, and that the Devil was
now attempting to wound him. But foon
after, the blepd Father faid, it fufficethz
which made them beheve the Tentation was
paft, and the Enemy vangui/Ijed,*'
So much for Father Bennet. And wha
would not believe, were there any Truth
in Tranfmigration^ that his Soul palled inta
Mr. Wejley f
(No. 2.) " The Life of the Lady Warner^'
called SiOicr Clare of Jefus. — Lond. 1692.
Some Years ago I tranfcribed a few Paf-
fages hence, from mere Curiofity^ and with-
out any Thoughts of Methodifm, Had I
now the Book^ an exaSer Comparifon might
be drawn. The Extract I then made was
as follows.
*' She was bred a Protejlanty but con-
verted by a Jefuit to Popery, — She refolved
on a rigorous Courfe of Life, to break off
all Commerce with Creatures, and receive
no worldly SatisfaBion, — She receives the
Habit at Liege -^ — is particularly devoted to
A a a 2 John
( 364 )
John Baptifi, St. Au/iin, Mary Magdalen^,,
and St. Terefa ; for whom, when a Pro-
tejlant^ ihe had a particular Efteem, from
reading her Z///^.— rShe fees a Stream of
glarimg Light come from the blefjed Sacra^
/;^^;?^ towards her. She taftes the S\yeet-
nefs, of Union with G(?^.— During the Con-
tagion of the Plague, the Abhefs infures
her Safety^ and, that of all the reft; ' Good
Sifter, ; bp iUOt afraid : none of ?72y Religious
fhail^take' any Harm from this InfeBion'
For our bkjjed Lady had appeared to the
Abbefs, with all her 'Religious under her
Mantle \ afiiiring her, that Ihe would />r^-
ferve them from the Plague. [Mr. Weflefs
Society fafe. i(i*\sa:rJikc Gafe^^u. 4 Journal^^
R 5:6, 61.] -■•:■' ^^ ^.^^V. 1^3 sr^'
Hearing a Sermosnv\©jij'r^riZ ^7^ blacky but
comely ; the ^/%/} told, hec, * You alfo,
Sijler Clare, muft black yourfelf : ' upon
which jQie went into the Kitchen, and
Macked her Face and Hands all over with
Soot ; which caufed fome Diverfion among
the A7lav5.— She had many Vifits from her
belove^d fefuSy—xtctistd, the Gift of Infpi-
ration, and burned in the Fire of divine
Love. — However, flie felt . great Defolaticny
Drynefs, and Darknefs, not to be exprefjed.^
'By tXiQ purgative and illujm72ati?7g Way, (ho.
^attains' to the Unitive ; and by a perfe3
Annihilaticn of herfelf, comes to a Kind of
Deiformity. — She fays, God requires no-
thing^^
, (365)
thing, but that we believe, he fony, and
hefaved; — that we muft be very lincere
to our Confejfor, telling him even our pq/Jing-
Thoughts, ' — God feems to ^withdraw him^
felf from her, with all interior Co?nforts and
Feelings of his Prefencc ; and flTie thinks
htdtXi totally abaitdoned. She begs Aid of
St, Bruno and St, Terefa -, but requefts of
Chriji to take her for his Spoufe, or at leaft
for his Handmaid. — Was confirmed in her
Opinion that God had forfaken her, becaufe
fhe was deluded in two Points, which fhe
thought God had revealed to her ;■ — that fhe
fhould die oi thai lllnefs 3 and die before her
Brother Clare. — She was in continual Con--
vulfions of Doubts and Fears, notwithfland-
ing all the Gufts and Comforts her Soul
tafted from her Heavenly Spoufe ; and fhe
feemed perfectly forfaken by him in her
laji Sicknefs. — But her Countenance after
Death retained an Angelical Sweetnefs : and
her Body filled the Church with a wonder-
ful Perfume''
(No. 3 ) Tranfcrlbed from the " Life of her
Sifter in Law, called Sifter Mary Clare.";
Printed with the former.
*' She was converted alfo to Popery, and
the moft perfeS- State : — was fo good, that
(he never loft her Bapiifnal Vow by any
rnortal Sin.- — In her 'Prayer^ for feveral
Years,
( 366 )
Years, ilie never found any fpiritual or
fenfible Guji -, but continual Aridity and
Defolatioji ', — In Oiprofoimd Dejotation^ and
no Eafe from Heaven.^ Once, kneeling
down in her Cell^ flic chanced to fpy in a
Chijjk of the Wall a little Sc7'oll of Paper ;
which taking out and unfolding, fhe found
thefe Words in it, " Be at Reji, and affiidi
y our f elf 710 more: all is well between God
and you'" This filled her with Joy; as
undoubtedly coming from Heaven^ God
having fent it by an Angel — She makes a
formal Oblation of herfelf to God, in Words
dictated by the Holy Ghofl. — But ftill fhe is
in Darknefs, as to the interior State of her
Souly has no Light or Comfort in Prayer^
Communion, divine Offices, or ajiy Exercifes
cf Devotion ;-— is in obfcure Faith ; and fears
ihe has no Faith, becaufe no Fervour -, but
remains as a Stone, an4 ^h^ .J}(^ F^elifigs of
God. .... .iT^nV-^
But yet fhe has many Infpirations from
God, — She always hears the \txy fifl Stroke
cf the Bell, calling her up to Matins, by
the Help of an AngeL — She anjiihilates her-
felf before her Crucifix, and acknowledgeth
the Abyfs of her own Nothingnefs, She
prayeth, ' O my fweet Jefus, letmerepofc
upon thy [acred Brea/l, and fetch my
Health out of thy moft blejjed Heart," —
Even in her lafi Moments fhe fays, that fhe
was totally void of all feifble Confolation
and
(3^7)
^nd Devotion : hufrejoiced to fee herfelf m
this Aridity, quite parched, and dried up,
and become a /Vi;/;;^ Hohcaufl to the divine
Fire of Love, without the leaji Drop ofCo??!--
/c?rr— Her Prayer was very extraordinary
and intenfe, md priviledged with a fuper"
natural Sujpenfion above the Reach, of Senfe.
— ^She IS in ^ a ' Calm, amidflv the Storms^
which Defertions, Obfcurities, Aridities, and
Defolatiom that fur rounded her, endeavoured
to raije -^"-^God" s divine Imprejmn, - a?id
Operations of the Spirit, were fo \tvyfecret^
that her Condition was unknown even -t^,-,
herfelf For while fJ:e enjoyed God, by ~^.
jecret, but infenfible Vnion, {ho, thoui^ht % '
did nothing but kneel like a ^S/^cXcr./^ \
Stone, And though God^ permitted her
xiotiofee what Jfje did, and fhe w-A^.totaUy-
infen/ib/e'd{ what j^aiTcd bctwcQn God.^24, .
ifer Soul,^^yct ilie had fuch £fecret lh/pu//C
—Though ilie thought God had fpxfaie^^
her, Til the fame Time file enjoye(i her
Beloved, whom ihe thought Jhe. had 7a/? .•
He hindering her from having any Senfetf
this Union; and receiving :any Con fort in it;-^
as he hindered his B^nmitym the Garden
from ^^^ -Beatify -Vipn;^ v.r\>:^Q jiis ^j^^/
was exceedtngH-forrbwfid,^\lc^Cor^ Vq^o,,^ ,
tained a fmilnig. Count enance 2.({^x her 1^(^^\^
parture, ai\A exprcffed lier foy'*\ ^. .^
What a \\^i^]Pattern have we, in thde
tM^o Injianees^^ ^V MethodijUcd Jejuitlfm?^
( 36S )
We fee how eafily two Sifiers of a Jhallow
Capacity^ mela?icholy 'Temper^ aiid efithiifiajiic
Turriy are made a Prey to crafty Seducers i
and that the taking a fpiritual Delight in
reading the Legends of the Saints^ and
other Popifo Books (recommended by Me-
thod? ft 'Teachers to Proteflants) - — is being
ha If Way over Sea already. And what
good Per jo?i C2.v.^ without feme Degree of
Indigjtation^ fee the Weaknefs and Misfor-
tunes of human Nature made a Handle for
Sedi{ceme?2t? How dextroufly doth an
Angel convey an Afjurance from Heaven.
through a Chink in the ^^//.?-— -As eafily as
a Methodift-Teacher can through a Crack in
the Brain, Who will not obferve from
what Model our neiso Difpenfation is taken ?
*' Throusfh the Wildernefs-State of Doubts
and Fears ; a Coldnefs, and fenfeleft, un-
afteded Heart, even at the Holy Communion ;
Horrors, Drynefs^ Defolation ; — through
Intervals of Light and Darknefs^ — into Im-
prejjions. Feelings^ Ltfpirations^ Cotnmuni-^
nations nsjith God^ PerfeBion, Deifonnity^
and IJniony Hence hath been learned " the
Benefit and Neceffity of fpiritual Defertion
iind Defpair \ — the driving People, by pro^
per Management y out of their Senfs^ and
then telling them, that in that very Moment
the Lord Jefus enters into their Souls J' — -
If a Methodifl die, '' Never did I fee fuch
a fine Corpfc/' fays Mr. Wefley, '' Our
Lord
( 369)
Lord comes and perfumes her Grave,'^
fays Mr. Whitcfield,
Every Scrap of it is rank Jefidtical
7opery.
(No. 4.) ExfraB from " A Declaration of
egregious '[FcpiJJj Impojiures in cajling out
Devils, &c. By S. H."
This 5. H. was Sam. Harfnet, fuccef-
fively BiJI:op of Chichejier^ Norwich^ and
Arcbhijhop of York : who hath there given
us '' Copies of the Ex a ???i nations ami Con-
fejjions of the Parties themfe^ves, pretended to
be popffed and difpofjejjed, from the Records
in the High CommiJJion Court.'* Lond. 1603.
" About twelve Priejis were concerned
in this Affair; all under the DircBion of
Wejiony alias Edmunds^ the Jefuit. They
publilhed in 1585, or 1586, a Book
of Miracles^ containing many wonderful
Things done by Virtue of Exorcifms^ &c.
whereby they gained a great Number of
Profelytes ; and wherein we fee the fulled
Prcot of their lying Wonders, a?id counter^-
feit Zeal,
For a particular Inftance, they chofe the
Houfe of a trujiy Friend^ v/hofe Houfe
they faid was haunted: and he having three
Servants that were Protejlants, upon thefe
they were to try their Skill. Accordingly
B b b the
( 370 )
the wicked Spirits made a horrid Racket ;
blew out the Candles^ except fuch as were
hallowed 'y turning every Thing upjide"
down\ and making even the Priejlsfume and
fweat.
They convinced the Servants of ihc great
Power oj^ the Devil in that Place j-^nd if
the Maid did hntjjip in the Kitchen^ it was
the Devil who came, and tripped up her
Heels ,\ becaufe {he was waffling zjoul Shirt
of the PrieJl'Sy which was defigned to whip,
the Devil out of the PoJJeJJed, Another
Time, the Devil Jlipt into Sarah Williams^ s
Leg : but the Priefl claps his holy Hofe on
the Place; and makes him tumble, and
bawl out, '' Pull off: pull of. Eafe the
poor Devil of his Pain,'*— Th^ facred Stole
is wrapped about the Neck of another
PoJJeJJed ', which fo clofely begirt the Devil,
that he Jlared^ fumed, and foamed, as if he
had been mad. — They told them ftrange
Stories of the Fits of other poffejjed Perfons,
what Words they fpake^ and what Sights
they faw : how the bleffed Virgin, with a
^rain of ccelcfial Ladies, came down to
grace the miraculous Cures* Which made
the wife Spectators cry out, Oh ! the Catho-
Jif Faith I Oh / fenfelefs Heretics. . ^ ,
^"' By fuch Means having aflonif^edaMcQn^
vinced the Servants-, the firfl: Thing they
'^rder them to do is, ,1© renounce their here^
%cd Religion, be reconciled to the Pope^
. aad
( %7^ )
and folemnly engage ne'ver to leave Popery^
And they are rebaptized, with all the
ridiculous Ceremonies of Tu-ff\ Crofs-Puff^
Impuff, a7id Expuff'y with the Application
oi Salty Spittle y and Oil, — to their Lips,
Nofe, Eyes, and Ears, &c. Then they
are difpojejjed in this Manner. The Party
is tied down in the holy Chair ^ [ Mr.
^^^t'^*^ Poflefled are'tommonly held by
four or five flrong Perfons] and drenched
with holy Potions of Sack, Oil, and Rue^
ice. ' They forced the Maid to drink large-
ly of this ?ioifo?ne Po//W>^/perfuading her,
that it was the Devil within her that de-
iefted it, not her. Hereupon fhe grows
Jtck, giddy, and falls into cold Sweats : then
is fumigated with Feathers, Brirnjione^ and
other Stinks, in a Chajingdi/lj of Coals ; and
her Face held clofe to it, till black as a
ChinDiey 'Sweeper, Hence Reachings, Strug-
glings, Dizzinefs, Swoonings, almoft Lofs oj
Senfes, babbling Nonfenfe, ravings Fits, Ex^
clamations that all the Devils in Hell were in
her, — They put things, as little Kfiives, in
her Mouth -, ftick Pi?2s in her Flefli. — In
general, the Parties, by fuch Managemeyit^
tumble, wallow, foam, howl, roll their Eyes ^
and gnajh their 'Teeth ; are in Trances, fee
Vifons, &c. When they are thus fitted
for the good Purpofe, the Devil in them
muJi be found, and difodged: he j^ hunted
( 372 )
from Place to Place, Toe, Foot, Leg^
Thigh, Hands, the mod nafty and fecret
Parts i and the holy Relics muft be appUed
If the Devil be obfihtate, they muft'
chafe y broil, burn him, and make him
roar : the Priejl's very Gloves, Stockings,
Girdle, Shirt, can fearch and roajl the
Devil, But the bejl Exorcifms are holy
Water, Potions, hallowed Candles, Brim-
Jiohey Sec. which will varioufly torment
him ; efpecially if they add whipping. One
of the Patients confeffed that ' Ihe did not
know how it fared with the Devil-, but
was fure Jhe was all black and blue, felt
grievous Pain, and was almojl killed'
The common Signs and Marks of a
PcJJeffion were, Unwillingnefs to fign them
with the Crofs -, nor to- bear the Applica-
tion of Relics, nor the Gojpel in their Cafkef^
nor the Words Ave Mary, nor Catholic
Church, nor Prefence of the Priejl. [The
like Signs are in Mr. Wejleys Pofe/Jed.
4journ. '' Trembling at the Name of yejusi-^-i
|). 94—6. crying ^ut, "- Field ^ Preacher I Pield^i
Preacher! I don't like Field-Preaching:: ^
This repeated for two Hours together.
With rpitting, and all the Expreflion$'^<>f4
[tro7ig Averjw?h — By Pr'ayer her Pangs in^^
creafcj—^hc could not , l^e^x.^^^h^gT. ys
At
( 371 )
At -length however, by the Force of
their Exorcifms, tney extorted the Tniib
from the D^.vils^ who confcfTed their In^
Jufficiency to wi'-hftand tliem* By this
Command over Devils they procured Re-
verence to themfelves. Sometimes the /
Devil can't b^ expelled, in the Name otl
the Trinity^ by Virtue of the Sacramepf^'
and the like; but by the Power of th^ holy..
Priefthood away he flies. Such is thee.
Dignity of their Office. [Thus '' one of 3 journ.
Mr. Weflefs Poffcfcd owned, that Churchy, P- 8—9-
Sacrament^ Scripture^ Prayer profited no-; .
thing; — but upon Mr. TFefley's praying:,''
he faid, ^ Now I know God loveth me.— p. 43.
Now I know thou art a Prc^/:?^/ of the
Lord. — Ay, this is he, who I laid wa,^,a,.^
Deceiver:' — ^' The Devil is forced to let a \ joum.
Woman, 'whcm htpofjejjcd, be quiet while p- ^6.
Mr. 7F^(?y was there. He had promiied
her fo ; and kept his Word/'] ' ""'^ '"^
Their Way of attacking Prof^P;2ff%^,
this: ' Their Hearts bleed foi Soriuw, in*'
feeing poor Creatures in this v/oful Plight^
they burn with Bowels of Commiferatiqn.-cv
they will lay down their Lives to do themj
good, and deliver them from S^i'^;^.* [A
Metbodijl could not have fpoke more re/i-
giotijly,] :jp '"
They played their Artillefft\nt&Y ou
young Boys and Girls of fixteen or f^tn^
"^- teenj
( 374 )
teen j — upon Perfons of a melancholy Tem-
per ; hypochondriac^ hyfieriCy or epileptic
People ; and any Way dijiemperedy in Mind
or Body. '- ^^^y^ ^S^\^ oi §.n> ■
■■ Any Thing is fwallowed by theft. Devils
in the Shape oiCats, with Saiicer-eyes^ 2ir\d.
as big as a Majliff, run upon their Heads,
or under their Coats. The Devil comes
ill the Form of JVind, blows out the
Candle^ or blows the jifkes about the
Room ; in the Shape of a Toady of a
Moufe^ ox 2i Dnim\ m z Vizard- Majky or
in 7 the Habit of 'an EngliJJo Protejlant
Minifter,
The Devil to be expelled muft go out in
fome vifible Form ^ and for Proof of his
Departure, muft make a Hole in the
Window y or blow out tht Candle; get out
of the Tofefed's Ear in the Shape of a
Wokje:, his Voice be heard by the Cook^ as
he fkipped over the L^r^fT; or vanilh up
\\\z Chimney m the Shape of Smoke: and,
to fhew what a Fright he was^ in. muft
leave an unfavoury Smell. "^"^ :^^^
; • For better Confirmation ^ tliey relate di-
vers Miracles^ and fhew others. The
Priejfs facred Hands ^ Thianb^ or Finger^
having been anointed with the &-^ 0/7,
fhines forth as a Fire^ or the Siin.^ — The
Holy Sacrament appears fo bright^ that it
caa't be looked upon. — The Pripft can tell
^ai ^V^^i\c\ oj griiit i x^^^ X^^ biuow ^vj^p
( 375 )
who hath been at Mafs by the Smell — ^^
Sarah WilUanis is made to confefs, that tlie
Devil made her drop her Beads , and un-
willing to adore the blejjed Hoji. She lay
paft all Senfe in a Trance, utterly bereaved
of all her Senfes at once. The Friejl no
fooner came near her, but fhe difcerns
who he is by \ht SmelL — William Tr afford
had a Devil in him, that rebounded at the
Dint of., the.J^rieffs Breathy unabk..ta
Itand iti. .^^-7^ ,. ^, ,-. , o ,,,.r, ■.,-...>
The, ^(?^<J ^ Miracles, Accounts of
Vifions, Exorcijmsy and Numbers of Con-
verts, made a great Noife ; and put Ter-
fons in Authority upon making Inquiry.
ThQy feized iome of the Perfons concerned,
Agents and Patients, who upon Examina-
tion, ni^iQ, Confe/Jjon upon Oath of all 4ha|;
hath been faid, and much more. ,,^ ^.'
They feverally witneffed, ^ that they
wxre feduced, and engaged to aB their
reJj^eBiv^ef^arts \\x the Impojiure, by Flat^
teryy Fear,. lo,atbfc?ne Potions, and Fumiga-^
tions ; by Oaths and Vows of Adherence ; by
the Bond of violated Chajlity : — That the
Priejls t9!4;Jthetn they would be burned
hi Heretics, fi^^thty confeffed any Thing,
and would; go to. the Devtl; with Pro-
mifes oi Pavour,.Po'wex, and Money, if thty
^v Qv td faithful, .
l^j*tJ^yf .QWne(;l,. jhat . jji fheir £j^r<://^x
tfiey would fay any Thing to plea/e the
Triejl',
( 27(> )
Pne/i ; would pretend fometimes to be In
Tra?iCcSy and haVe Vijkh^ of 'turgatorj. of
Cbrijl^ and the Virgin^ &c. and thereby 'hey
would fometunes avoid their intolerable,
ftinking Fumigations and Drinku When
they complained of Tortures in their Ex^
orcijms^ the Prieji told them it was the
Devil that put them to fo much Pain^
and ill Ufage 3 and that what they faid was
not from themfehes^ but the Devil In them,
— After being cxorcifed.^ tbey were per-
fbaded to declare that they fometimes f :oke
in Greeks or Latin ; of which they never
faid, nor knew a Word. — They were fo
manageable^ that the Prieji would put his
Finger into one of their Mouths^ in the
moft raving ToJ/eJ/ton, bidding him bift it^
if ht coula : but the Devil acknowledged
he dared not bite it, hccauje it had touched
the Lord, The Vriejis were very cautious
in keeping away Perfons of Senje^ as Infidels
and Incredulous 5 and did not like curious
Beholders^ and AJkers of impertinent ^ef-
tionsy Vv^ho, they faid, would hinder the
EffeB of the Operation.
They wltneffcd, that divers Attempts
were made agamfc the Cbaftity of the-
Maidens : — that one of the Priejls en-
deavoured to f educe Sarah Williams ; who
therefore could not bear his Co?npany : but
Jie tells her, ' it is not Jl^ey but the Devil,
who
( 377 )
who did not like him.* And it was the
Devil that tempted her, or any of the
Maids^ to fay, they were with Child by the
'Priefls. When fhe had get a Sweetheart,
and intended to leave them, they declared,
that * the Devil had been fo bufy with
her, had fo ferretted and torn the Tart,
that, whoever married her, fhe would never
have a C7j//^/-— All of them had their darling
Women^ and Mijirejjes,
Befides thefe private Comforts, they had
that of making Converts : and one of the
Priejls depofeth, upon his Confcience, that
the Number of Converts could not be lefs
than Five Hundred in Half a Tear ; induced
by their Miracles, a7id Command over Devils,
All thefe were to be ready at the Call, to
deftroy the ^een. Government, and 'Tro-
teftant Religion,
To this End, the Devils were fcmetimes
made to give out of the Mouths of the
Fofjejjed, that they were going to ring jor
the ^een ; — that they mull: go to Court,
where all were their Friends : — that they
were obliged to attend a Protejlant's Fu^
neral, in order to carry him to Hell. And
they raifed fuch a Storm at the Man's
Funeral, that his good Wife, rather than
go to the fame Place, was foon perfuaded
to turn Catholic,
C c c Another
( 37^ )
Another Ufe they made of Miracles ;
which was to give Authority to their ptxu-
liar DoSirines -^ as Purgatory ^ Tranfiib-r
Jlantiation^ the Immaculate Conception \ to
Equivocation^ the Depojing-Do^rine, Ajjaf-
fination. Stabbing^ &c. — And likewife to
gain Credit to a new Saint ^ or Relic ; fuch
as Sherwin^ Bryan^ Coltam^ and efpecially
Father Campian ; whofe Girdle^ which he
wore when he went to Tyburn^ was fo
effeBiial in Cajling out Devils.
Some of thefe Examinants fay, that the
Triejls intended to have carried them of^
before they were apprehended % but were
difappointed. They inftruded them how-
ever to //V, for [weary fay or do any Thing \
all being lawful {ox the Sake o{\h^ Church'^
and becaufe they fhould not be called be-
fore lawful Powers^ or compete?it Judges^
as being Heretics.
They own too, that the Infiuence of the
Priefts over their Cojjverts was fo ftrong
and bewitching, that it was with the ut--
fnoft Difficulty they were brought to dif-
cover any Thing, although they knew all
to be a Cheat,
In Confirmation of all this, one of their
own Priefis^ (who was taken) Anthony
Tyrrel, dedared upon Oath, and wrote his
Confeflion with his own Hand ; ' That
^he Pope, King cf Spain, and Duke of
Guije^
( 379 )
Cuife^ were then thought to have a Defign
of tTivadifig England', which was to be
farther'd by the Priejls in England, under
the Diredion of Edmunds, the Proviiicial
ofthejefnits; who faid, th^t his Exora/ms
would make the Devils then^felves confefs,
that their Ki?7gdo?n "was near ot an End. —
As touching, fays he, the DifpoJJeffiojis of
the Parties, their Fits, Traiices, andVifwns^
divers Difcourfes were penned ; among
which I myfelf (Tyrrel) did pen one. — JVe
that were Priejis were thereby greatly mag-
nified hy Catholics, Scijmatics, and weak
Prctejlants -, and there was fcarce any
Thing, I am perfuaded, that we could not
have wrought upon our Converts to at-
tempt. — And I am fully perfuaded, that
the other Examinants have depofed the Truth
in the Points belonging to their PcJJeJJion
and DifpoJjeJJion'
In fl:iort, Tyrrel difcovered the whole
Myjiery, and Ihewed how eafy it was to
impofe upon young and weak People,
Some of the Crimijials jied -, fome were
taken ; and Ballard, Babington, and otjiers,
were executed''
And fliali we not yet difcern, what Sort
of Lambs live among us Wolves? Shall we
?7ever be upon our Guard again ft pretended
Miracles, Exorcifms, and Cheats ? A gain ft
anv fpe clous Impojlor, carrying a Pope in
hil Belly ?
Laocoon
( 38° )
Laocoon ardens fitmmd deciirrit ah arce :
Et frocul^ O mijeri^ quce tanta injafiia^ cives ?
Creditis ave5tos hoftes ? Sic nottts Ulyjjes ?
Aut hoc inclufi ligno occult antur Achivi ;
Aut hcec in mfirosfabricata ejl machina miiros^
InfpeBiira domos^ venturaq-y dcfuper urbi :
Ant aliquis latet Error. —
SicfatuSy validis ingentem viribiis hajlam
Contorfit. Stetit ilia tremens^ utercq-, recufjo
Jnfonuere cavce^ gemitiimq\ dedtre cavernce.
ERRATA.
RE FACE, Page viii. Line 26. for cummunicatbig
read co?»municanng.
p
Page 48
P. 128,
P. 180,
P. 186,
P. 217,
P. 228,
P. 248,
P. 250,
P. 252,
P. 253.
P. 269,
P. 302,
P. 307,
P. 312,
P. 327,
P. 33^
P- 333>
P. 336,
P- 343,
P. 344,
Line 20, after depart ec^y add ".
. 10, in the Margin add, 5 Journ. p. 91—.
,26. in the Margin, for G err an read Serran.
. 10, for w^ read ^f.
. 26, after all^ dele ".
. 25, after MeJJage for ( . ) put ( ;).
.23, after Confnit, add ".
. 8, iov fourteen Hundred read tn.vo Hu?idred.
. 24, after Vehemence^ add ".
. 23, for Iris read Jfis.
. 25, and 28, for Renjenius read Roimiius^
.28, for ^ tell tenth read Steliteutic.
in the Margin, for Pojiic read Poetic.
1 7, iovfeperate \t2Afeparate.
11) rhe Margin, dele j^tern. Renat.
in the Margin, for Probrcpt reaft Protrept.
28, after more^ add Pagans.
19. for Mijiagogue read Myjlagogue,
21, after i)^;;;^?, add].
17. for undertakes read undertake.
ADDENDA-
(38i )
ADDENDA
T O T H E
MYSTERIES.
T
jufUy
H E Pagan Myjleries being of fuch an
immoral Nature^ and Tendency ^ it might
be thought ftrange, were no Notice
taken of them in the Holy Scriptures. And
therefore, though fuch an Enquiry might
carry us into too great a Length, yet I fhall ,
not intirely pafs it over. There can be then '
little Doubt, but they are pointed out by St.
7aul : " It is a Shame even to [peak of thofe
things that are done oj them in Secret ^ And
where Chrijlianity is termed the Myjlery of
Godlinefs^ it is fet, I am perfuaded, in Op-
pfttion^ not only to the Myftery of Iniquity
that was to work in the Chrijlian Worlds but
like wife to the preceding Myjleries among
the Geyitiles, Nor is it improbable, that the
Jpofle writeth
in dired:
Ddd
Oppofitlon to the
Appear^
{ 3^2 )
Appearances^ TretenceSy and Impoftures of
."^^"J* thofe falfe Divhiities : '' Without Contrc-
verfy great is the Myjlery of Godlinefs : God
was manifeft in the Fle/Jo, jnftijicd by the
Spirit y feen of Angels^ preached unto the Gen-
tileSy believed on in the Worlds received up
into Glory'' [If a Criticifm I have heard of
may be admitted, which inftead of 'AyyeAoi^,
Angels, would put 'Ai/Opti^Troi?, Men, it feems
very agreeable to the Apofle's Climax, and
Scope of his Reafom?7g.]
In the Old Tejlament, Dent, xxiii. 17.
(not indeed in the Hebrew, but in the Sep-
tuagint) after the Words, '' Inhere JJjall be
no Whore, — nor Sodomites of the Sons of Ifrael,^
WQ find added Words of this Import,
'^ There fliall not be an Initiator, nor an
Initiated, of the Sons or Daughters oi Ifrael"'
'Tis poffible this additional Claufe may have
been inferted by the Seventy, by Way of
Inter pretatio7i of the preceding Words.
They knew the Nature of the Myferies full
well ; and we are led to this Meaning by
the Impurities forbidden, and by the Frice
of the Dog in the next Verfe ; the Egyptian
God Anubis being ufually figured with a
Dog's Bead, Edit. Daniel, Schol.
We may obferve alfo, that Philo the Jew
(de Sacrific) exprefsly ranketh the Prohi-
bition of the Myjieries among the Laws of
Kdltio Mofes. ^' The Law, faith he, exprefsly
excludeth the whole of the Myf cries, their
Inchant"
Mangey
p. 260-—
( 383 )
Inchantments ajid execrable Scurrilities^ from
the Holy Ordinances : not permitting thofe
educated in her Society to celebrate fuch
Heathen Rites ; nor, depending on fuch
myftical Ceremonies, to difregard the Truth -y
and to follow the Works of Night and Dark-
nefs^ omitting what defer veth the Light and
the Day, Let none therefore among the
Dijciples of Mofes either initiate^ or be
initiated : it being equally wicked either to
teach ^ or to learn the Myfteries. 'Tis
generally the Cafe with them, that 710 good
Per [on is initiated j hut Thie^ces^ and Pirates,
and mad Gangs of abominable and immodejl
Wofnen \ after parting with their Money to the
initiating Priefts"' Several of the Fathers
have taken Notice of the fam.e Paffige in the
Septuagint^ and explained it in the fame
Manner.
For farther Proof of the Turpitude in the
Myfteries of Ifis and Ofiris^ and that it was fo
from the Beginnings we need only confult
Diodorus Sicidus, Lib. i. '* i/?^ being over-PditIo
whelm.ed with Grief for the Lois of her ^^'°^'''^-
Hulband Qfiris^ took particular Care in deify-
ing him to corfe crate his Pudenda -, which
flie ordered to be pecidiarly honoured and
adored in the Myfteries, And the fame holy
Infiitution was obferved with the fame Cere-
monies, when carried into Greece by Orpheus :
where the common People, pardy from Ig-
norance, and partly from a Love of the
D d d 2 new
( 3^4 )
new God, (Phallus) were very fond of being
initiated.'^
Much more might be collefted (even from
initiated Authors^ however generally Jhy)
concerning the infamous Origin of the Myf^
teries: which I pafs over. But fhall add a
Word or two from yqfephus (contra Apion.^
of the Sight of the Deities^ which the Ini-
tiated enjoyed. The Account, which he
lib. I. has from Manetho, is thus. " Amenophis^
<^' 26, 33.^{^Q wanted a Pretence for driving the
Ifraelites out of /Egypt, had a flrong Defire
o{ feeing the Gods, This Defire he commu-
nicates to a Perfon deemed to be a Partaker
of the Divine Nature, on Account of his
prophetical Knowledge : who told him, that
he might have a Sight of the Gods, if he
would purge the Country of Leprous and
Unclean People. And one Charcemon alfo
pretends he hath a Dream from Ifis to the
fame Purpofe." Thus Calumny and Myf
iery were imployed for expelling the true
Worfippers of the Deity, Thefe pretended
Diod. Sk.*^ Dreams from Ifis were the common Cant
p. 21, 22. of the Initiated^ and flie would appear to
the Difordered in Mind or Body, and cure
their incurable Dijlempers'' Orus^ to whofe
Happinefs by Initiation Amenophis afpired,
was the Son of Ofiris and Ifis, ( who firfl in-
fituted the Myfleries) and consequently the
firft initiated King-^ and thereby a Devotee
to
( 385 )
to the Impurities before-mentioned from
Dtodorus,
This might lead us to confider the Anti^
quity of the Myjieries. For the be ft Chrono-
logerSy particularly ArchbiJJjop UJljcr^ place
the Reign of Orus i?i Egypt between one and
two Hundred Tears before the Times ofMofes.
And if Ntw2emus the Pythagorean may be
depended upon, (and why fliould he not?)
as cited by EufebiuSy the Initiating Pr/^^Pr^paret.
were the Perfons that inftigated Pharoah to^'^- 9-
opprefs and perfecute the Hebrews, For ^^'
having mentioned the Initiations and other
Inflitutions of the Magi and Egyptians^ he
fays, that '' Jannes and Jambrees, who op-
pofed Mofes [he calls him Mufaus~\ when
the Jews were expelled Egypt^ were Egypti^
an Myftery-PrieftSy and in high Reputation
for Magic,'* Here we have the fame Mira-
ck-MongerSy whom Mofes calls th^ JVifemeny^^od.Wf,
the Sorcerers, and Magicians of Egypt : — A^*'
Paffage, which does no great Credit to the
Origin of the Myjleries ; nor to our modern
IfiitiatorSy who are mangling the Gofpel,
The Eleufmian Myjleries were indeed of
a later Date; and yet were celebrated in
Greece at no great Diftance of Time from the
former. For the Writers on the Ariindelian
Marbles colled thence, that they commenced
about fourteen Hundred Years before Chrijl-y
which is not above ninety Years after the
Deliverance from Egypt by Mofes,
But
( 386 )
But ^'henever, or however, they were
brought into Greece, and transferred to the
Honour of Ceres and Projerpina^ they were
of the fame Nature^ and obferved with
equally chajie Cerernojiies, with thofe of Ifis.
For (befides what has been mentioned al-
ready of Jafion) Diodoriis Siculus, in his
Lib. 5. Account of th.e Myjleries, writeth, " that
p- 323~- Ceres for her Love to Jafwn, to whom flie
was, ufed to grant the laft Favour, came and
fhewed herfelf, with ether Deities^ at the
■JSluptials of. his Sijier : — that indeed each
Particular of the Myfleries was known only
to ih^ Initiated ', who boafted much of the
Prefe72ce of the Deities, .and the njcondcrful
and fudden Relief, which they brought/'
One Contrivance for " giving the Initiated
a Sight of the Divinities, was by means of
a Looking'glafs, wherein none could fee their
own Faces, but had a clear View of the Gods
Lib. 8. and GoddeffesJ' This we have from Paifa^
Pr:-fpnr. ^^^'^^ ' ^"^ Eifebius rclatcs the fame Thing. —
lib 2. c. I So eafily might weak People, and under the
iitmofi: Afonif^ment, be deluded by Figures
behind a Glafs, in a pvopcr Haiit and Pojture-,
and efpecially by living Perfons, perfonat^
ing the Deifies in any Manner they thought
fit.
As a Proof of the Indecencies, Sozomen
Fccl.Hift.writetb, *« that Theophilus, Bijljop of Alex-
ca^ i' ^^"'^'''^^^h egregioully ridiculed and expofed to
public View the f}:a?neful Figures belonging
to
( 3^7 )
to the MyJierieSy the Phallus^ &c. which he
brought out of the Pagan Temple, For
which the enraged Heathens raifed a Tumulty
and maff acred a great Number oi the Chrijli^
am J' — Even the initiated Paujanias (not-
withftanding his ufual Ref^rvednefSj fome-
tinies bllrts out a little too much, and inti-
mates fomething y^<^;;/^//: — '' as frequentEdMo
AJfignatiom '^ — the Pronenefs of the rel/gious^'^''^^'^'^*
Females to Venery y-^2i Mixture of the O/pfcene^igslVoo,
and Miraculous ',---' i\\Q Continuance of the 20, 519,
Eleujman Fejiival for a TFeek-^ on the third -^^;A^^^.*
Day whereof all Males^ even the Dogs^ are649,' 650.
excluded 'y but the next Day the Men are
admitted among them, when they pafs the
Time in /porting^ and light Difcourfe 3 — the
^ Amours of CereSy of a very ftrange Kind;
with the Secrecy enjoined ; — The Obfcenities
in the Myjleries ofCupid^ and fuitable Hpnns'*
— A man initiated ^ and under an Oath of
Silence^ could not well have difcovered more
oixki^true Nature of the Myjleries^ and the
Reafon why they ought not to be divulged.
We are afTured too, that onQ Day of the
. Eleufmian Fefival was fet apart for the Rites
of Venus and Cupid, and another for thofe of
Bacchus : 'both which were confefTedly i?eyond
mcafure abommabic. Nor v/ill cur Opinion
be more favourable, when vJt remember
what Athefiaus writes 3 " Apelles being ex--^^^- «3'
tremely defirous" of drawing a Venus from^the
famous Phryne, could find do Opportunity
E e e of
(388)
of feeing her naked, without going to the
Eleufwian and Neptunian Games -^ where fhe
Jiripped herfelf in the Sight of all the Men,
and went into the Sea to wafh herfelf. From^
which Sight of the Myjiical Goddefs he copied
his admirable Venus Anadyome^ rifing out of
the Sea/' — I apprehend therefore that no
great Strefs is to be laid upon thofe initiated
Authors^ who have thought themfelves
obliged to fty nothing but what was good of
the Myjieries; or have talked of the Unity
of the Deity y as the great Secret of them ;
perhaps to avoid the Shame of being thought
Dupes to a Foolery ^ or inquifitive into fome-
thing wcrfe.
But as J agree with Mr. War burton^ that
nothing is meant by Virgil in the Defcent
of Mneas to Hell^ but his Initiation into the
Myjleries; it may afford fome Light -to ob-
ferve, that not enly JEneas^ but many other
antient Heroes ^ recorded to have went down
to Hell^ and afterwards to have been deified
and, tranfiated into Heaven^ were all Knights
of the divine Order of the Myfteries. For
Inftance, Bacchus^ Herctdes^ l^hefeus^ Or--
pbeiis, &c. a 3ib
Taufanias^ in his accurate Defcrlption of
I ID. -i-i. <c 2. Painting by PolygnotuSy oiUlyJIes defcend-
"^' ^ " ing to Hell to confult the Prophet Tirejias^ a-
mong oti'jer Figures takes particular Notice of
d Virgin with a Chefi on her Knee, like that
iifid in th^ Miseries of C'-r^i ', -dnd (^iThefeus
and
( 3^9 )
end Perithotis fitting on a Throjie^' as was
ufual for the Initiated,
In the Comedy of Arijlophanes called the
Frogs, is afted the Defcent of Bacchus to Hell^
attended with Xantbias as his Efquire^ to
fetch up a Toet fit to write a Panegyric on
the Myjleries, But thus fays the Scholiafty
(Verfe 357.) *' It is to be underftood, that
though he feems to fpeak of the Initiated as
in Hell, in reality he meaneth the Myjleries
at Eleufis ; that being properly the Sce?ie of
the Drama.'' So that taking this Key with
us, we are let into the chief TranfaBions and
Incidents of the Myjleries, under the Cover
of Bacchus' s Voyage to the lower Regions,
*^ After due Preparation, and InJlruSionVtv.i^G-.
from one of the Adepts^ and paying Charon
the Ferryman his Fare, (for no Pay, no Paf
fage) they are ferenaded by a Chorus of croak--
ing Frogs, [The Emblems ,of Papal Im--
priors. Rev. xvi. 13.] After paf?ing the HS---.
black River, they are terrified out of their ^5°— -
Senfes by the Sight of Monfiers, Serpents^
Hobgoblins, SpeBres continually varying their
Forms, and oihtx Apparitions of Damons.
They are fhewn the Dirt, Mud, and Eat-
crementSy in which the Profane and Unini-
tiated wallow. Then are inveloped in Dark-
nefs, and are brought to the very Gate of
Pluto. Happinefs however comes in its Turn, 162.
and Serenity after a Storm : a fuddcn radiant
Spkndor of Light furrounds them, and the
dreadful
( 39^0
lo6y i^\. dreadful SpeBres vanilli. They are blefled
with the Sight of beautiful Ladies^ and have
295— • the free Uje of them -, HarlotSy and Inftru-
410—19, nient3 of Pleafure, of both Sexes : are de-
550. lighted with Songs, Mufic, and Dancing-^
__ the My flic T'orch^ and Night- Revels ^ enter
375—. into all Sorts of ridiculous , lofe, and obfcene
390—. Dljcourfe ; all Manner of Clamour, Tumidt,
^^°' and Ribaldry ; with other facred Sporti?igs.
They have a Converfation with Macus, one
of the infer nal Conjefjors 'y and are handfomely
yoj, entertained by ^een Rroferpine. And Macus
fairly acknowledgeth, that there are few ^W
Terfons in that Tlace. There are too Prayers
and Hymns to Ceres, and to other Jirange
Deities, of a new a?id peculiar Stamp.''
The Charadfer given to one of the Votaries
I leave to fuch as zx^ fond of it. " 'Tis the
Bufinefs of the Man of Prudence, who hath
his Senfes about him, and hath made feveral
Voyages, always to be turning himfelf about,
and not fland, like a Statue, in one Attitude.
— I will reprehend him firft, that ye may
know what a Boajler, and Impofior he is ;
and how he hath deceived the Spe^ators'\
112—.
940 -.
N I S.
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