George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

1 62 GEORGE WHITE'FIELD
The letter made a shorter passage across the Atlantic than
its writer generally did; and having, in some unexplained
way, fallen into the hands of the Calvinistic party in London,
was instantly printed, and used for their ends without either
Whitefield's or Wesley's consent. A great many copies were
given to Wesley's Foundry congregation, both at the door,
and in the Foundry itself. ' Having procured one of them,'
says Wesley, ' I related (after preaching) the naked fact to the
congregation, and told r v em, I will do just what I believe
Mr. Whitefield would, were he here himself. Upon which I
tore it in pieces before them all. Every one who had received
it did the same ; so that, in two minutes, there was not a whole
copy left. Oh! poor Ahithophel! "Iln ; omnis effusus labor /'"
Apprehensive of some difficulties that awaited him in
England, Whitefield took ship at Charleston, along with some
friends, in the middle of January. During the whole voyage
he was anxious for the future. One day he was yearning for
a full restoration of friendship with the Wesleys ; the next he
was meditating the publication of his answer to the sermon
on ' Free-Grace,' and consoling himself with the thought that
it was written in much love and meekness ; a third day he
seemed to hear the Divine voice saying to him, ' Fear not,
speak out, no one shall set upon thee to hurt thee ;
'
another
day he was writing to Charles Wesley deploring the pending
separation, expostulating with him and John as if they could
undo the past, and declaring that he would rather stay on the
sea for ever than come to England to oppose him and his
brother. He knew not what to do, though he knew perfectly
well what he wanted—the old friendship to be what it had
once been, and every dividing thing, whether raised by him
self or the brothers, done utterly away. Nor were his longings
for peace stronger than those of Charles Wesley. It is painful
to observe the way in which the two friends strove, with un-