George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

298
GEORGE WHITEFIELD
that I earnestly pray for the clue restoration of the one, and daily lament
the wanton departure of too, too many from the other. But, my lord,
what can I do? When I acted in the most regular manner, and when
I was bringing multitudes even of Dissenters themselves to crowd the
churches, without any other reason being given than that of too many
followers after me, I was denied the use of them. Being thus excluded,
and many thousands of ignorant souls, that perhaps would neither go to
church nor meeting-houses, being very hungry after the gospel, I thought
myself bound in duty to deal out to them the bread of life. Being further
ambitious to serve my God, my king, and my country, I sacrificed my
affections and left my native soil, in order to begin and carry on an orphan-
house in the infant colony of Georgia, which, through the Divine blessing,
is put upon a good foundation. This served as an introduction, though
without my design, to my visiting the other parts of his Majesty's
dominions in North America ; and I humbly hope that many made truly
serious in that foreign clime will be my joy and crown of rejoicing in the
day of the Lord Jesus.
' Your lordship judgeth exceeding right when you say, " I presume you
do not mean to declare any dissent from the Church of England." Far be
it from me ; no, my loid, unless thrust out, I shall never leave her, and
even then (as I hope whenever it happens it will be an unjust extrusion) I
shall continue to adhere to her doctrines, and pray for the much wished-
for restoration of her discipline, even to my dying day. Fond of displaying
her truly Protestant and orthodox principles, especially when Church and
State are in danger from a cruel and Popish enemy, I am glad, my lord, of
an opportunity of preaching, though it be in a meeting-house: and I think
it discovers a good and moderate spirit in the Dissenters, who will quietly
attend on the Church service, as many have done and continue to do at
Long Acre Chapel, while many, who I suppose style themselves her faith-
ful sons, by very improper instruments of reformation, have endeavoured to
disturb and molest us.'
Another extract from the letter cannot be read without
great pain by any one who holds that the acceptance of creeds
or the subjection to canons ought to be made in simple,
literal honesty, without qualifications or reservations of any
kind. Whitefield's answer to the bishop might be irrefragable
if treated upon the ground on which he placed it ; but truth
should not be made dependent upon the customs of any class
of men, otherwise the law of God is made void by human