Scotland, and especially Edinburgh, owes much to this visit. Any check it gave to the secession for a time, was more than counterbalanced by the impulse it gave to the establishment. The evangelical clergy had as much need of a commanding ally, as the Associate Presbytery; and, in general, as well deserved the weight and fame of Whitefield's name. That name drew on their side some of the peerage, who would never have followed him into a chapel; and thus strengthened the hands of "the wild men," (as the evangelical party were called,) when they were but weak. Edinburgh should never forget this. Next to Knox, Whitefield deserves a monument on the Calton Hill, as the second reformer of the metropolis. But for him, the moderate party would have held the ascendant in it. I do therefore hope that, at least, no Scottish champion of the gospel will imitate some in England, by trying to prove that Whitefield had little or no influence upon the revival of evangelical preaching in the establishment. If any do try there, I can only say, as I do here, their fathers knew better, and posterity will laugh at them. Venn's Life of Venn.

amuse.

As a counterpart to the sermon against Whitefield in the meeting-house, by one of the Associate Presbytery, the following scene in the kirk at Aberdeen may instruct as well as Dr. Southey has told the story well; but Whitefield tells it better, "Aberdeen, Oct. 9, 1741. At my first coming here, things looked a little gloomy; for the magistrates had been so prejudiced against me by one Mr. Bisset, that when applied to, they refused me the use of the kirk-yard to preach in. This Mr. Bisset is colleague with one Mr. O. at whose repeated invitation I came hither. Though colleagues of the same congregation, they are very different in their natural tempers. The one is, what they call in Scotland, of a sweet-blooded, the other of a choleric, disposition. Mr. B. is neither a seceder, nor quite a kirk-man; having great fault to find with both.

"Soon after my arrival, dear Mr. O. took me to pay my respects to him. He was prepared for it; and immediately pulled out a paper, containing a number of insignificant questions, which I had neither time nor inclination to answer. The next morning, it being Mr. O.'s turn, I lectured and preached. The magistrates were present. The congregation was very large, and light and life fled all around. "In the afternoon, Mr. B. officiated. I attended. He

begun his prayers as usual; but in the midst of them, naming me by name, he entreated the Lord to forgive the dishonour that had been put upon him, by my being suffered to preach in that pulpit. And that all might know what reason he had to put up such a petition,-about the middle of his sermon, he not only urged that I was a curate of the church of England, (had Whitefield been an archbishop or bishop, Bisset would have begun his prayers against him,) but also quoted a passage or two out of my first printed sermons, which he said were grossly Arminian.

"Most of the congregation seemed surprised and chagrined, especially his good-natured colleague, Mr. O.; who, immediately after sermon, and 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 re

sentment.

"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! On the morrow, the magistrates sent for me, expressed themselves quite concerned at the treatment I had met with, and begged me to accept the freedom of the city. But of this enough." Dr. Southey justly says, "this triumph Whitefield obtained, as much by that perfect self-command which he always possessed in public, as by his surpassing oratory."

Bisset's hostility did not end here, nor confine itself to Whitefield. Next year he assailed the Scotch clergymen, who had employed the English curate; and charged them with caressing Whitefield, "as it would seem, to break the seceders." Bisset's Letter on Communion with a Priest of the Church of England. Thus it was not the Associate Synod alone who attributed the friendship of the kirk for Whitefield to selfish motives.

One thing occurred in Edinburgh which pleased Whitefield very much. After preaching in the orphan-house park, a

large company came to salute him. Amongst the rest, a fine portly quaker took him by the hand, and said, "Friend George, I am as thou art. I am for bringing all to the life and power of the ever-living God; and, therefore, if thou wilt not quarrel with me about my hat, I will not quarrel with thee about thy gown." I know some ex-quakers who would say, that Whitefield would not have been so much pleased, if he had known the mystery of the hat in quakerism.

WHITEFIELD

CHAPTER X.

AND THE DISSENTERS.

NEITHER the revivals in Scotland, nor the riots in England, won for Whitefield the sympathy of the London ministers. Bradbury lampooned him; Barker sneered at him; Dr. Watts was silent; and Coward's trustees were insolent to Dr. Doddridge, because he gave him some countenance at Northampton. There was a deeper cause for all this than their dread of his enthusiasm. They were then in treaty with some of the bishops, in order to revive that scheme of COMPREHENSION, which Bates, Manton, and Baxter tried to negociate with Stillingfleet; but which Clarendon, even whilst in banishment, had influence enough at home to defeat, although the bill in favour of it was drawn up by Lord Chief Baron Hale. Tillotson's Life.

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The Clarendon party were not dead nor idle, when the subject of the comprehension was revived by Chandler and Doddridge with Archbishop Herring. Warburton, who knew them well, foretold the issue thus, even when the prospect was brightest before curtain; "I can tell you of certain science, that not the least alteration will be made in the ecclesiastical system." Letter to Doddridge. The progress of this affair will explain both the shyness and the sharpness of the London ministers towards Whitefield. They could not have negociated with him and the archbishop at the same time. Indeed, they had no wish to be identified with any of his measures.

It belongs to history to tell this matter gravely: I prefer the graphic sketch of its origin and progress, given in the following letters. The first letter is from Barker to Doddridge. "As for the comprehension, so much talked of in town and country, the utmost of the matter is this :-Mr. Chandler, while his meeting-place was shut up, made a visit to his friends at Norwich; and there happened to hear the bishop give a charge to his clergy, which he thought not very candid. One expression appeared to him invidious, viz. that the heads of

the rebellion were presbyterians; as appeared by those lords in the Tower sending for presbyterian confessors. Upon Mr. Chandler's return to London, he wrote a letter to Dr. Gooch, complaining of his charge, and particularly of that expression. This letter was written very handsomely, and it brought a very civil, respectful answer. After Gooch came to town, Chandler, at his desire, made him a visit, in which they had much discourse; and amongst other things, there was talk of a comprehension. This visit was followed, at Gooch's desire, with another, when the bishop of Salisbury was present, who soon discovered his shrewdness, but said, 'Our church, Mr. Chandler, consists of three parts,-doctrine, discipline, and ceremonies: as to the last, they should be left indifferent, as they are agreed on all hands to be: as to the second, our discipline,' said he, is so bad, that no one knows how or where to mend it: and as to the first, what is your objection?' He answered, Your Articles, my lord, must be expressed in Scripture words, and the Athanasian creed be discarded.' Both the bishops answered, they wished they were rid of that creed, and had no objection to restoring the Articles into Scripture words; but what shall we do about reordination?' To this Mr. Chandler made such a reply as he judged proper; but, I think, granted more than he ought: he said none of us would renounce his presbyterian ordination; but if their lordships meant only to impose their hands on us, and by that rite recommend us to public service in their ⚫ society or constitution, that, perhaps, might be submitted to: but when he told me this, I said, perhaps not-no, by no means; that being, in my opinion, a virtual renunciation of our ordination, which I apprehend not only as good, but better than theirs.' The two bishops, at the conclusion of the visit, requested Mr. Chandler to wait on the archbishop, which he did, and met Gooch there by accident. The archbishop received him well, and being told by Gooch what Chandler and he had been talking on, viz. a comprehension, said, A very good thing; he wished it with all his heart; and the rather, because this was a time which called upon all good men to unite against infidelity and immorality, which threatened universal ruin; and added, he was encouraged to hope, from the piety, learning, and moderation of many dissenters, that this was a proper time to make the attempt. But, may it please your grace, said Gooch, Mr. Chandler says the Articles must be altered into the words of Scripture. And why not? replied