George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

10S GEORGE WHITEFIELD
The first shaft was shot at Whitefield, soon after his arrival
from Savannah, by a brother clergyman ; but no notice was
taken of it, except in one sentence in the journal :
' Thou
shalt answer for me, O Lord.' The Bishop of London, Dr.
Gibson, now thought it to be his duty to check him, and wrote
a pastoral letter on ' Lukewarmness and Enthusiasm.' The
latter was evidently a greater sin in his eyes than the former
and but for the new enthusiasm, the old lukewarmness would
probably have been allowed its ancient comfort and ease.
The appeal addressed to it was not very arousing ; it was
dignified, proper, and paternal, after the ecclesiastical fashion.
To cope with the Methodists was more stimulating, and the
bishop braced himself for his task as one who relished it. He
opened his ' Caution ' with a definition of enthusiasm :
' A
strong persuasion on the mind of persons that they are guided,
in an extraordinary manner, by immediate impressions and
impulses of the Spirit of God. And this is owing chiefly to
the want of distinguishing aright between the ordinary and
extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit.' After discussing
the subject generally, he culled from such parts of Whitefield's
journal as were then published illustrations of eight dangerous
phases of the new teaching.
' God forbid,' he says, ' that, in this profane and degenerate age, every-
thing that has an appearance of piety and devotion should not be con-
sidered in the most favourable light that it is capable of. But, at the same
time, it is surely very proper that men should be called upon for some
reasonable evidences of a Divine commission : I. When they tell us of
extraordinary communications they have with God, and more than ordinary
assurances of a special Presence with them. II. When they talk in the
language of those who have a special and immediate mission from God.
III. When they profess to think and act under the immediate guidance
of a Divine inspiration. IV. When they speak of their preaching and
expounding, and the effects of them, as the sole work of a Divine power.
V. When they boast of sudden and surprising effects as wrought by the
Holy Ghost, in consequence of their preaching. VI. When they claim the