add, that the last tremendous day will only discover what I have been, what I am, and what I shall be, when time itself shall be no more; and therefore from my inmost soul, I close all by crying, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly; even so, Lord Jesus. Amen and Amen!

GEORGE WHITEFIELD."

"This was written with the testator's own hand, and at his desire, and in his presence, sealed, signed, and delivered, at the orphan-house academy, in the province of Georgia, before us witnesses, Anno Domini, March 22, 1770.

"N. B. I also leave a mourning ring to my honoured and dear friends, and disinterested fellow-labourers, the Rev. John and Charles Wesley, in token of my indissoluble union with them, in heart and christian affection, notwithstanding our difference in judgment about some particular points of doctrine. Grace be with all them, of whatever denomination, that love our Lord Jesus, our common Lord, in sincerity.”

"GEORGIA, Secretary's Office. "A true copy, taken from the original in this office, examined and certified: and I do further certify, that the same was duly proved; and the Hon. James Habersham, one of the executors therein named, was duly qualified as executor, before his Excellency, James Wright, Esq. governor and ordinary of the said province, this 10th day of December, 1770.

THOMAS MOODIE, Deputy Secretary."

CHAPTER XXXIII

WHITEFIELD PREACHING.

THIS Volume would be incomplete, for my purpose, without some specimens of Whitefield's preaching. That requires to be illustrated as well as analyzed, now that the man, and his message, and his success, are fully before us. It is also necessary to preserve some specimens of his sermons in this record of his life, because his sermons, as such, will hardly perpetuate themselves. His name may continue to sell them; but even already they are but seldom read. No minister quotes from them, except when an anecdote of Whitefield brings in some stroke of power or pathos; and no student hears or thinks of them as models. Indeed, they are not models for the pulpit but when it stands in the fields; and even there, it must be surrounded by thousands before any man could wield the glittering sword of Whitefield with effect.

Besides; there is not much to be learnt from his sermons now. Their best maxims are but common-place to us. They were, however, both new and strange things to the generality of his hearers. He was as much an original to them, as Chalmers is to us. And, let it never be forgotten, that Whitefield and Wesley common-placed, in the public mind, the great truths of the Reformation, in simple forms and familiar words. If they added nothing to the theology of their country that was either original or valuable, they threw old truths into new proportions and wide circulation. This is forgotten by those who say with a sneer, that there is nothing in their sermons. I have often heard this said, by men who never gave currency to a single maxim, nor birth to a thought worth preserving.

Such critics should be silent. Their newer modes of thinking and writing will never common-place themselves in the world or the church!

There is one peculiarity about Whitefield's sermons which his critics have not pointed out, and which I should like to commend, if I could do so wisely. I mean,-his modest egotism in preaching. He is for ever speaking of himself when he touches any experimental point, or grapples with a difficulty. Then he opens his own heart in all its inmost recesses, and details the process by which his own mind was made up; and both without even the appearance of vanity, or of "a voluntary humility." It is all done with the artless simplicity of childhood. He thinks aloud about himself, only to enable others to know what to think about their own perplexities, dilemmas, and temptations. He shows them his own soul, merely to prove that "no strange thing has befallen" their souls.

Nothing is so unlike Whitefield's egotism, however, as the whining confessions of a certain clique of preachers, who talk much about the plagues and lusts of their own hearts. They are theological Rousseaus or Montaignes, foaming out their own shame, if not glorying in it. Nothing is so disgusting as such obtrusive egotism. It is, indeed, unblushing effrontery, to hawk moral disease thus. Whitefield spoke of himself in the strong language of the Scriptures; but he did not go into details when applying it to himself, except in the first sketch of his life; and that he carefully pruned in a subsequent edition.

The following passage is a fair specimen of his egotism. "Do not say that I preach despair. I despair of no one, when I consider how God had mercy on such a wretch as I, who was running in a full career to hell. I was hasting thither; but Jesus Christ passed by and stopped me. Jesus Christ passed by while I was in my blood, and bid me live.

Thus I am a

monument of God's free grace; and, therefore, my brethren, I despair of none of you, when I consider, I say, what a wretch I was. I am not speaking now out of a false humility, or a pretended sanctity, as the Pharisees call it. No; the truth in Christ I speak; and therefore, men and devils, do your worst! I have a gracious Master who will protect me. It is His work

I am engaged in, and Jesus Christ will carry me above their rage." Works.

The following extracts will illustrate his vivacity and vehemency, to any one who will consider the scope they afford for the indulgence of both. It must, however, be borne in mind, that his face was a language, and his intonation music, and his action passion. So much was this the case, that GARRICK said of him, he could make men weep or tremble by his varied utterances of the word "Mesopotamia.”

PETER ON THE HOLY MOUNT. "Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.' Peter, when he had drank a little of Christ's new wine, speaks like a person intoxicated; he was overpowered with the brightness of the manifestations. Let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.' It is well added, 'not knowing what he said.' That he should cry out, Master, it is good for us to be here,' in such good company, and in so glorious a condition, is no wonder; which of us all would not have been apt to do the same? But to talk of building tabernacles, and one for Christ, and one for Moses, and one for Elias, was saying something for which Peter himself must stand reproved. Surely, Peter, thou wast not quite awake! Thou talkest like one in a dream. If thy Lord had taken thee at thy word, what a poor tabernacle wouldst thou have had, in comparison of that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, in which thou hast long since dwelt, now the earthly house of the tabernacle of thy body is dissolved! What! build tabernacles below, and have the crown before thou hast borne the cross? O Peter, Peter! 'Master, spare thyself,' sticks too, too closely to thee. And why so selfish, Peter? Carest thou not for thy fellow-disciples that are below, who came not up with thee to the mount? carest thou not for the precious souls, that are as sheep having no shepherd, and must perish for ever, unless thy Master descends from the mount to teach, and to die for them? wouldst thou thus eat thy spiritual morsels alone? Besides, if thou art for building tabernacles, why must there be three of them, one for

Christ, and one for Moses, and one for Elias? are Christ and the prophets divided? do they not sweetly harmonize and agree in one? did they not prophesy concerning the sufferings of thy Lord, as well as of the glory that should follow? Alas, how unlike is their conversation to thine! Moses and Elias came down to talk of suffering, and thou art dreaming of building I know not what tabernacles. Surely, Peter, thou art so

high upon the mount, that thy head runs giddy.

"However, in the midst of these infirmities, there was something that bespoke the honesty and integrity of his heart. Though he knew not very well what he said, yet he was not so stupid as his pretended successor at Rome. He does not fall down and worship these two departed saints, neither do I hear him say to either, Ora pro nobis; he had not so learned Christ; no, he applies himself directly to the Head, he said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here.' And though he was for building, yet he would not build without his Master's leave. 'Master, let us build;' or, as St. Mark words it, 'Wilt thou that we build three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias?' I do not hear him add, and one for James, and one for John, and one for Peter. No, he would willingly stay out with them upon the mount, though it was in the cold and dark night, so that Christ and his heavenly attendants were taken care of. The sweetness of such a heavenly vision would more than compensate for any bodily suffering that might be the consequences of their longer abode there. Nay, further, he does not desire that either Christ, or Moses, or Elias, should have any trouble in building; neither does he say, Let my curates, James and John, build, whilst I sit idle and lord it over my brethren; but he says, 'Let us build;' he will work as hard, if not harder than either of them, and desire to be distinguished only by his activity, enduring hardness, and his zeal to promote the welfare of their common Lord and Master."

OLD AND INFIRM SAINTS. "Did Moses and Elias appear in glory? Are there any old saints here? I doubt not but there are a considerable number. And are any of you afraid of death? Do any of you carry about with you a body that weighs