apologised for him, urging that, as he had been born and bred in England, and had never studied the point, he could not be supposed to be perfectly acquainted with the nature of their covenants, and therefore they ought to have patience with him. This was of no avail: it was answered, that no indulgence could be shown him; for England had revolted most with respect to church government, and that he could not but be acquainted with the matter in debate. It was a new thing for Whitefield, who had been accustomed to receive homage wherever he went, to be schooled in this manner; but he bore this arrogant behaviour with great complacency, and replied, that indeed he never yet had studied the solemn league and covenant, because he had been too busy about things which, in his judgment, were of greater importance. Several of them then cried out, that every pin of the tabernacle was precious. Whitefield was ready in reply: he told them that, in every building, there were outside and inside workmen; that the latter was at that time his province; and that, if they thought themselves called to the former, they might proceed in their own way, as he would do in his. The power of these persons, happily, was not so inquisitorial as their disposition; and when he seriously asked them what they wished him to do, they answered, that they did not desire him immediately to subscribe to the solemn league and covenant, but that he would preach for them exclusively till he had further light." And why for them alone?" he inquired. Ralph Erskine made answer, "They were the Lord's people." "I then," says Whitefield, "asked, whether there were no other Lord's people but themselves? and, supposing all others were the devil's people, they certainly," I told them, "had more need to be preached to, and therefore I was more and more determined to go out into the highways and hedges; and that if the Pope himself would lend me his pulpit, I would gladly proclaim the righteousness of Jesus Christ therein." Soon after this the company broke up; and one of these otherwise venerable men immedi

ately went into the meeting-house, and preached upon these words "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, the morning cometh, and also the night; if ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come." I attended; but the good man so spent himself, in the former part of his sermon, in talking against prelacy, the common prayer book, the surplice, the rose in the hat, and such like externals, that, when he came to the latter part of his text, to invite poor sinners to Jesus Christ, his breath was so gone, that he could scarce be heard. What a pity that the last was not first, and the first last! The consequence of all this was an open breach. I retired, I wept, I prayed, and, after preaching in the fields, sate down and dined with them, and then took a final leave. At table, a gentlewoman said, she had heard that I had told some people that the Associate Presbytery were building a Babel. I said, "Madam, it is quite true; and I believe the Babel will soon fall down

*

* In honour of Whitefield, I annex here part of a letter upon this subject, written a few days after this curious scene, and addressed to a son of one of the Erskines. "The treatment I met with from the Associate Presbytery was not altogether such as I expected. It grieved me as much as it did you. I could scarce refrain from bursting into a flood of tears. I wish all were like-minded with your honoured father and uncle, matters then would not be carried on with so high a hand. I fear they are led too much. Supposing the scheme of government which and long-suffering is to be exercised towards such as may differ from them and, I am verily persuaded, there is no such form of governthe Associate Presbytery contend for, to be scriptural, yet forbearance ment prescribed in the book of God, as excludes a toleration of all other forms whatsoever. Was the New Testament outward tabernacle to be built as punctual as the Old, as punctual directions would have been given about the building it; whereas it is only deduced by inference; and thus we see Independents, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians bring the same text to support their particular scheme: and I believe Jesus Christ thereby would teach us to exercise forbearance and long-suffering to each other. Was the Associate Presbytery scheme to take effect, out of conscience, if they acted consistently, they must restrain and grieve, if not persecute, many of God's children, who could not possibly come into their measures: and I doubt not but their present violent methods, together with the corruptions of that assembly, will cause many to turn Independents, and set up particular churches of their own. This was

the effect of Archbishop Laud's acting with so high a hand; and whether it be presbytery or episcopacy, if managed in the same manner, it will be productive of the same effects. O, dear sir, I love and honour your pious father. Remember me in the kindest manner to the good old man. I pray God his last days may not be employed too much in the non-essentials of religion."

about their ears. But enough of this. Lord, what is man-what the best of men-but men at the best!"

Coming as a stranger into Scotland, and being free from all prejudice and passion upon the subject, Whitefield saw the folly and the mischief of the schisms in which his new acquaintance were engaged. They spared no pains to win him over to their side. "I find," said he, "Satan now turns himself into an angel of light, and stirs up God's children to tempt me to come over to some particular party." To one of his correspondents he replies, "I wish you would not trouble yourself or me in writing about the corruption of the Church of England. I believe there is no church perfect under heaven; but as God, by his providence, is pleased to send me forth simply to preach the Gospel to all, I think there is no need of casting myself out." He was invited to Aberdeen by the minister of one of the kirks in that city; but the minister's co-pastor had prepossessed the magistrates against him, so that when he arrived they refused to let him preach in the kirk-yard. They had, however, sufficient curiosity to attend when he officiated in his friend's pulpit; the congregation was very large, and, in Whitefield's own words, "light and life fled all around." In the afternoon it was the other pastor's turn he began his prayers as usual; but, in the midst of them, he named Whitefield by name, whom he knew to be then present, and entreated the Lord to forgive the dishonour that had been put upon him, when that man was suffered to preach in that pulpit. Not satisfied with this, he renewed the attack in his sermon, reminded his congregation that this person was a curate of the Church of England, and quoted some passages from his first printed discourses, which he said were grossly Arminian. "Most of the congregation," says Whitefield, "seemed surprised and chagrined; especially his good-natured colleague, who, immediately after sermon, without consulting me in the least, stood up, and gave notice that Mr. Whitefield would preach in about half

an hour. The interval being so short, the magistrates returned into the sessions-house, and the congregation patiently waited, big with expectation of hearing my resentment. At the time appointed I went up, and took no other notice of the good man's ill-timed zeal, than to observe, in some part of my discourse, that if the good old gentleman had seen some of my later writings, wherein I had corrected several of my former mistakes, he would not have expressed himself in such strong terms. The people being thus diverted from controversy with man, were deeply impressed with what they heard from the word of God. All was hushed, and more than solemn. And on the morrow the magistrates sent for me, expressed themselves quite concerned at the treatment I had met with, and begged I would accept of the freedom of the city."

This triumph Whitefield obtained, as much by that perfect self-command which he always possessed in public, as by his surprising oratory. But wherever he could obtain a hearing, his oratory was triumphant, and his success in Scotland was, in some respects, greater than it had yet been in England. "Glory be to God," he says, "he is doing great things here. I walk in the continual sunshine of his countenance. Congregations consist of many thousands. Never did I see so many bibles, nor people look into them, when I am expounding, with such attention. Plenty of tears flow from the hearers' eyes. I preach twice daily, and expound at private houses at night; and am employed in speaking to souls under distress great part of the day. Every morning I have a constant levee of wounded souls, many of whom are quite slain by the law. At seven in the morning (this was at Edinburgh) we have a lecture in the fields, attended not only by the common people, but persons of great rank. I have reason to think several of the latter sort are coming to Jesus. I am only afraid lest people should idolize the instrument, and not look enough to the glorious Jesus, in whom alone I desire to glory. I walk continually in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. The love of Christ quite strikes me

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dumb. O grace, grace! let that be my song." In Scotland it was that he first found access to people of rank. "Saints," says he, "have been stirred up and edified; and many others, I believe, are translated from darkness to light, and from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. The good that has been done is inexpressible. I am intimate with three noblemen, and several ladies of quality, who have a great liking for the things of God. I am now writing in an earl's house, surrounded with fine furniture; but, glory be to free grace, my soul is in love only with Jesus." His exertions increased with his success. "Yesterday," he says, "I preached three times, and lectured at night. This day Jesus has enabled me to preach seven times; once in the church, twice at the girl's hospital, once in the park, once at the old people's hospital, and afterwards twice at a private house; notwithstanding, I am now as fresh as when I arose in the morning. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount on wings like eagles.' It would delight your soul to see the effects of the power of God. Both in the church and park the Lord was with us. The girls in the bospital were exceedingly affected, and so were the standers-by. One of the mistresses told me, she is now awakened in the morning by the voice of prayer and praise; and the master of the boys says, that they meet together every night to sing and pray; and when he goes to their rooms at night, to see if all be safe, he generally disturbs them at their devotions. The presence of God at the old people's hospital was really very wonderful. The Holy Spirit seemed to come down like a mighty rushing wind. The mourning of the people was like the weeping in the valley of Hadad-Rimmon. They appear more and more hungry. Every day I hear of some fresh good wrought by the power of God. I scarce know how to leave Scotland."

The representation thus given by this remarkable man, of the effect which his preaching produced upon all ranks and descriptions of people, is not exaggerated. Dr. Franklin has justly observed, that it