of his grace, to be known experimentally in this life, though fully to be displayed in the next; and the infatuation of sinners, led captive by their lusts, down to the chambers of death. These grand truths, of more weight than words can paint, fired his whole soul; they transported him as much as earthly spirits are transported into vehemence, when they contend personally for their own property; he cried out therefore, as his dear Lord was wont to do, with a voice audible to an amazing distance. Hence, in a thousand instances, where the cause of God, more coolly pleaded, would have been neglected, he gained it a hearing, and carried the day: for the unusual earnestness of the speaker roused the most stupid and lethargic; it compelled them to feel; the matter must be momentous, indeed, which the speaker was urging, as a man would plead for his own life. Early and often his body suffered for this violent exertion of his strength. Early and often his inside has bled a considerable quantity, and cried out, spare thyself; but prodigal of life, in the best of causes, he would give himself no rest, expecting very soon to finish his course, and infinitely desirous to save the souls condemned to die-he perished. Though this may be blamed as an excess, it was an excess far above the reach of a selfish mind, or an ordinary faith.

"Equal to the greatness and intenseness of his labors, was their extent. The abilities and grace of most teachers, have full employ in but a small district, nor have common men talents for more. But, when God lights up in the breast, an apostolic zeal for his own glory, an apostolic love for the souls of men, it seems reasonable to conclude such an instrument is designed for the most extensive usefulness.

"Accordingly the compass of Mr. Whitefield's labors, exceeds any thing that others can pretend to. Not only in the south, the west, and north of England, did he lift up his voice, saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is come, but in Wales, in Scotland, in Ireland, and America, from Georgia to Boston, vast multitudes in each country were witnesses of his zeal for the salvation of souls.

"And to crown all, he was abundantly successful in his vast labors, and disinterested too. The seals to his ministry, from first to last, I am persuaded, are more than could be credited, could the number be fixed. This is certain, his amazing popularity was only from his usefulness; for he no sooner opened his mouth as a preacher, than God commanded an extraordinary blessing upon his word. The people were so deeply impressed with the sense of divine things, from what he delivered, that, to his own great surprise, they followed him from church to church, until the largest churches in London could no longer

MEMOIRS OF WHITEFIELD.

contain a fourth part of the crowds, which pressed to hear the word of God from his lips.

"Should any one say, few in comparison, besides the low, ignorant, common people, were his followers, I would answer, the souls of the poor and ignorant are to the full as precious as those of the rich and learned; and the mob have shown the justest discernment, and have received the truth; whilst men of wealth, learning, and education, have trampled it under their feet. Witness the chief scribes and pharisees, who rejected both the baptist and the Savior, when the common people justified God, and gave them both the honor of being sent from him. Indeed, in every age, we see the scripture fulfilled-not many rich, not many mighty, not many wise men after the flesh are called; but God has chosen the poor, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom.

"However, when the fierceness of prejudice was worn off, numbers, who at first despised him, taught to do so by gross slanderers, were happy under his ministry. And this honor was put upon him even to the last. He had a much larger audience statedly to hear him, than any man in the whole kingdom, perhaps in all Christendom.

"And that this vast multitude of people were gathered, just as the primitive churches of Christ, by the truth they heard, and the spiritual benefit they received under his word, is evident beyond a reasonable doubt. For, if you trace his progress through the various cities and countries where he preached the gospel, you will find, as the case was with St. Paul, so it was with this servant of Christ; many were turned by him from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, receiving remission of their sins, and an inheritance among those that are sanctified, through faith in Christ. Inquire of the effects of his labors, from the only proper judges, those who live in the religious world; and they will aver, that many within their own knowledge, small as that circle must be, confess they owe their ownselves to this faithful witness for his Lord. Added to this, that the letters he received of grateful acknowledgments, from persons of all ages and conditions in life, for the spiritual blessings he had conveyed to them, would fill volumes. Nay, it is a well known fact, that the conversion of men's souls has been the fruit of a single sermon from his lips; But he so eminently was he made of God, a fisher of men. was not more successful than he was disinterested in his labors; for though a vast multitude, which must ever be the case with those whom God is pleased remarkably to own, followed him, he had still no ambition to stand at the head of a party. His great object was to exalt Christ crucified: and when his hear

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ers were brought to the knowledge of salvation, his point was gained, and his soul was satisfied. Hence, neither in his sermons, nor more private exhortations, did he cast disparaging reflections upon other preachers of Christ. No base suggestion dropt from his mouth, as if to differ from him must be owing to blindness in the judgment, or coldness of the heart for the interests of holiness. Truly cordial and catholic in his love for all who appeared to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, he never desired to see his congregation increased by those who had evangelical pastors of their own.

"Further, in proof of his disinterestedness, consider what he gained by his labors. The scourge of the tongue was let loose upon him, and his name was loaded with the foulest calumnies; he was often in tumults, and more than once in danger of his life, by the rage of the people; he wore himself away in the service of souls; and when he died, he died quite exhausted by much speaking; but in his death, he received an immediate answer to his own prayer, 'that if it were consistent with the divine will, he might finish that day his Master's work.'

"For such a life, and such a death, though in tears under our great loss, we must yet thank God. And though we are allowed to sorrow, because we shall never see or hear him again, we must rejoice that millions have heard him so long, so often, and to so much good effect; that out of this mass of people, multitudes are gone before him, we doubt not, to hail his entrance into the world of glory; and that in every period of life, from childhood to hoary age, many of his children in the Lord are still to follow; all to be his crown of rejoicing; the only effectual, everlasting confutation of his adversaries; that he ran not in vain, nor labored in vain."

Many more sermons were preached, on Whitefield's death, by the Rev. Messrs. Whitaker and Smith, of Charleston; Sproutt, of Philadelphia; Langford, Elliott, and others.

It appears, from a paper written by Whitefield, that if he had lived to finish his imperfect manuscript, sometimes quoted in these memoirs, the conclusion would have been, "Reflections upon the whole, containing arguments to prove the divinity of the work; and answers to objections against field preaching lay preaching-irregularities-and the blemishes that have attended it."

His death preventing the execution of this design, we could refer the reader to what has been published upon the subject, by the Rev. Messrs. Jonathan Edwards, Hobby, Shutliff, and others.

The Rev. John Newton, late rector of St. Mary Woolnoth,

London, preached a sermon at Olney, November 11, 1770, on John v. 35, He was a burning and a shining light. In which he speaks of Whitefield, as follows: "Some ministers are burning and shining lights in a peculiar and eminent degree. Such an one, I doubt not, was the servant of God, whose death we now lament. I have had some opportunities of looking over the history of the church in past ages. I am not backward to say, that I have not read or heard of any person since the apostles' days, of whom it may be more emphatically said, he was a burning and shining light, than the late Mr. Whitefield, whether we consider the warmth of his zeal, the greatness of his ministerial talents, or the extensive usefulness with which the Lord honored him. I do not mean to praise the man, but the Lord who furnished him, and made him what he was. He was raised up to shine in a dark place. The state of religion, when he first appeared in public, was very low in our established church. I speak the truth, though to some it may be an offensive truth. The doctrines of grace were seldom heard from the pulpit, and the life and power of godliness were little known. Many of the most spiritual among the dissenters, were mourning under the sense of a great spreading declension on their side. What a change has taken place throughout the land, within a little more than thirty years, that is, since the time when the first set of despised ministers came to Oxford! And how much of this change has been owing to God's blessing on Mr. Whitefield's labors, is well known to many who have lived through this period; and can hardly be denied by those who are least willing to allow it.

"First-He was a burning light. He had an ardent zeal for God, an inflamed desire for the salvation of sinners; so that no labors could weary him, no difficulties or opposition discouraged him, hardly any limits could confine him; not content with the bounds of a country, or a kingdom, this messenger of good tidings preached the everlasting gospel in almost every considerable place in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and throughout the British empire in America, which is an extent of more than one thousand miles. Most of these places he visited again and again; nor did he confine his attention to places of note, but in the former part of his ministry, was ready to preach to few, as well as to many, wherever a door was opened; though in the latter part of his life, his frequent illness, and the necessity of his more immediate charge, confined him more at home. In some of his most early excursions, the good providence of God led him here: and many, I trust, were made willing to rejoice in his light, and have reason to bless God, that ever they saw and heard him.

"Secondly-He was a shining light. His zeal was not like wild fire, but directed by sound principles, and a sound judgment. In this part of his character I would observe-1st. Though he was very young when he came out, the Lord soon gave him a very clear view of the gospel. In the sermons he published, soon after his first appearance, there is the same evangelical strain observable, as in those which he preached in his advanced years. Time and observation, what he felt, and what he saw, enlarged his experience, and gave his preaching an increasing ripeness and savor, as he grew older in the work; but from first to last he preached the same gospel, and was determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 2d. His steadiness and perseverance in the truth was the more remarkable, considering the difficulties and snares he was sometimes beset with. But the Lord kept him steady, so that neither the example, nor friendship, nor importunity of those he dearly loved, were capable of moving him. 3d. The Lord gave him a manner of preaching, which was peculiarly his own. He copied from none, and I never met any one who could imitate him with success. They who attempted, generally made themselves disagreeable. His familiar address, the power of his action, his marvelous talent in fixing the attention even of the most careless, I need not describe to those who have heard him, and to those who have not, the attempt would be vain. Other ministers could preach the gospel as clearly, and in general say the same things; but, I believe, no man living could say them in his way. Here I always thought him unequaled; and I hardly expect to see his equal while I live. 4th. But that which finished his character, as a shining light, and is now his crown of rejoicing, was the singular success which the Lord was pleased to give him in winning souls. What numbers entered the kingdom of glory before him, and what numbers are now lamenting his loss, who were awakened by his ministry! It seemed as if he never preached in vain. Perhaps there is hardly a place, in all the extensive compass of his labors, where some may not be found, who thankfully acknowledge him for their spiritual father. Nor was he an awakening preacher only; wherever he came, if he preached but a single discourse, he usually brought a season of refreshment and revival with him, to those who had already received the truth. Great as his immediate and personal usefulness was, his occasional usefulness, if I may so call it, was, perhaps, much greater. Many have cause to be thankful for him, who never saw or heard him. I have always observed, that there was a something peculiar to his manner of preaching, in which no person of sound judgment would venture to imitate