open the errors and corruptions of Popery, and boldly to affert and maintain the pure truths of the gofpel. Of this number were Zuinglius in Switzerland, and Luther in Germany; names that will be had in everlafting remembrance in the records of the Church.

The refolute oppofition that was made against them, and the contempt that was poured upon them, inftead of cooling, enflamed their courage. The further fearch they made into the depth of thofe corruptions that had overfpread the Church, the more light ftill broke in upon them. They found its doetrines poifoned with herefy, and its worthip corrupted with fuperftition and idolatry; and Christianity grown very like to Paganifm. Under this conviction they loudly called upon all that had any concern for their fouls to go out of Babylon, as they would not be par takers of her plagues. And multitudes of people 'were influenced by their preaching and writings, to renounce the Romish doctrines and fuperftition; and many of the princes of Europe were inclined to favour and fall in with the Reformation.

As for Luther in particular, he was a wondrous man, and the almighty power. of God was eminently manifefted in him. When he first appeared, "What could be expected from a poor friar, creeping out of a cloifter? He was advised by his friends to get "into his cell again, and to ply his prayers, and not venture upon fo hazardous an undertaking, as to ** preach against the Pope, or attempt fo impoffible a work as the reformation But not by might, nor "power but by my Spirit, faith the Lord of Hofts."... This fingle, inconfiderable man, was more than a match for the powers of Rome, and was inftrumental to produce one of the greatest changes the world has ever had to marvel at.

And when it pleafes God to renew the face of reli

gion; when primitive Christianity, and the power of godliness, fhall be revived in the reforming churches; when the profeffors of the gofpel fhall be recovered from the falfe principles they have embraced, raifed above thofe dead formalities they have fo long refted in, and awakened out of the lethargy they are fallen into; when these expected times of reformation shall come on, is it not reafonable to fuppofe that God will raise up thofe to effect it, whom he will furnish with a good measure of the primitive apoftolic fpirit; whofe hearts fhall be inflamed with a burning zeal for the honour of the Redeemer, and love to the fouls of mens and who shall therefore be willing to deny themselves in these things which are dear to the moft; fhall not fcruple to go out of the common road, to fpread the triumphs of the gospel, and fetch in fouls to Jefus Chrift and will not be difcouraged by any oppofition they may meet with? Confidering the prefent ftate of things in the Chriftian world, how can we expect any great change for the better, but in a way that fhall be extraordinary.

And if there is any appearance of fuch a work at any time, or in any place, fugely we fhould take care not to flight and undervalue it; much less should we reproach and cenfure it, or those who are fed as inftruments in it, fo far as it seems to be from heaven, and further it with our prayers, as those who are waiting for the kingdom of God.

We would therefore befpeak the prayers of the faithful in Chrift Jefus, into whofe hands thefe papers may come, both for our dear brother and the author of this difcourfe, who is with great zeal contending for fome important points of the faith once delivered unto the faints, against fome who openly oppofe them, and labouring to promote practical godlinefs, in the place where divine providence has appointed his prefent ftation; that he may be affifted and fucceeded

in all his faithful fervices for the Redeemer's kingdom and alfo for the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, that he may, (as he has well expreffed himself in some of his letters to us)" be kept humble and dependent on our

dear Lord Jefus," be preferved in his travels, ftrengthened to his uncommon labours, and fortified against all oppofition: that Satan, (who cannot but have a peculiar enmity at thofe who fo fet themselves against his kingdom) may never get advantage of him, to the blemish or hindrance of the great and good work which we hope is begun and going on; that God would caufe him always to triumph in Chrift, while he makes manifeft the favour of his knowledge by him in every place, and ufes him as an inftrument to bring back many wandering fheep to the Shepherd and Bishop of their fouls; and very particularly that his purpofed coming to us, may be with as full a bleffing of the gofpel of Chrift as other places have experienced, and much more abundant by the will and grace of our God!

Boston, N. E.?
June 7, 1749. S

BENJAMIN COLMAN.
WILLIAM COOPER.

THE

CHARACTER, PREACHING, &c.

OF THE REVEREND

MR. GEORGE WHITEFIELD,

IMPARTIALLY REPRESENTED AND SUPPORTED.

JOB Xxxii. 17.

I faid, I will anfwer alfo my part, I also will bew my opinion.

M partial opinion of that Son of Thunder, who

Y defign from this text, is to fhew my im

has lately graced and warmed this defk; and would have been an ornament, I think, to the best pulpit in the province. Happy fhall I think myself, if I can only clinch the nails, this great Mafter of Affemblies has already faftened. Like Elihu, the gallant youth before us, "I am now full of matter; the fpirit

within me conftraineth me: my belly is as wine "which hath no vent it is ready to burft like new "bottles, I will fpeak that I may be refreshed."-Others have freely spoken their fentiments of the wondrous man before me; and I have heard the defaming as well as the applaufe of many.-------" I said "therefore, I will answer alfo my part, I will also "fhew my opinion "----In this, I defign no offence, nor would I give flattering titles to any man, left my Maker fhould take me away.

The fcheme propofed is,

I. To fhew my opinion of the doctrines he infifted upon, and well established.

II. To fpeak fomething of the manner of his preaching.

* That ministers of the gospel are called mafters of assemblies, See Paul's Annotations on Eccl. xii. 11.

III. To offer my fentiments upon his perfonal character.

Laftly, To give my thoughts, what Providence. feems to have in its view in raifing up men of this ftamp in our day, almost every where fpoken against, yet crowded after and juftly admired.

I. I fhall give you my opinions of the doctrines he infifted upon among us.

To fpeak more generally, They were doctrines, I am of opinion agreeable to the dictates of reafon; evidently founded upon fcripture; exactly correfpondent with the articles of the establishment; of great ufe and neceflity in forming the Chriftian life; which I had early imbibed from the beft writers and fyftems; from which I had never yet feen reafon to recede, and which therefore you are witneffes, I have not failed to introduce and inculcate, in the course of my miniftry among you.

To be more particular;

One of the doctrines, which he has hardly patted over in filence in any fingle difcourfe, is that of ori ginal fin. A truth fo manifeft in fcripture, that Į an almost of opinion, it is impoffible any fincere, di, ligent and unprejudiced inquirer fhould miss it: for it is written in fun beams that a man may run and read.

By original fin I mean nothing less than the impu tation of Adam's first fin to all his pofterity by ordinary generation; which imputation is the refuitance of his being conftituted to act for them in the extenfive capacity of a legal reprefentative; the confequence of which is, that inherent corruption of nature, and thofe finful propenfities, we are now born with into the world.As to the point of imputation, it is a doctrine, it must be confeffed, of more intricacy; about which, it is therefore poffible, a well-meaning man may labour under fome fcruples, while perhaps he allows the, depravity of