Anglican critiques of revivalism: refuting Whitefield in Philadelphia

One year after Bishop Gibson issued his pastoral letter, Archibald Cummings - Gibson's commissary in the colony of Pennsylvania and rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia - took to his pulpit to challenge the teachings of George Whitefield, then preaching revivalism in the American colonies. Cummings had initially, in 1739, opened his pulpit to Whitefield as a fellow cleric of the Church of England.  Whitefield's teaching, however, appalled him:

His doctrine turns mostly on the antinomian scheme and railing against the regular clergy ... I really think he is enthusiastically mad.

On Whitefield's return to Philadelphia a year later, while the revivalist was attending Christ Church, Cumming's preached two sermons directly challenging Whitefield's teaching. They were published under the title 'Faith absolutely necssary but not sufficient to Salvation without good Works. In two Sermons ... Publish'd in their own Vindication, from the false and rash Reflections of the famous Mr. Whitefield'.

In these extract from the second sermon, Cummings expounds his central theme, refuting the revivalists' impoverished understanding of sola fide, and setting forth good works - not revivalist experiences - as "the genuine effects of faith, the blessed fruits of the Spirit". This robust and lively teaching of good works was, of course, a distinctive characteristic of 18th century Anglicanism.  Its condemnation as mere 'moralism' by the revivalists, and by later evangelical and Tractarian critiques, obscures the reality emphasised by Cummings, that the necessity of good works in the Christian life is deeply rooted in Scripture:

In all these respects the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest establishment of the Law; and the Christian Faith rightly understood lays an indispensible Obligation on all its Votaries, to a suitable Improvement in all the Virtues and moral Duties, of a private and social Life. When we affirm that Faith ingrafts us into Christ; let us withal consider what Christ himself saith, "Every plant in me that beareth not Fruit, he (the Father) taketh away." Tho' by Faith we are inserted into the Vine, yet if the Branch ingrafted be not parturient and fruitful, it will be quite cut off from the Root, and thrown into everlasting burning. 'Tis often said in Scripture, the Just shall live by Faith, the plain meaning is, no Man shall live by Faith, but he who hungers and thirsts, and endeavours after Righteousness; the unjust and the unrighteous Man has no portion of that happiness ...

I proposed to shew by what Instances of good Works Men ought chiefly to manifest their Faith. And these are summed up by St. Paul, "Finally Brethren, says he, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report; if there be any Virtue, and if there be any Praise, think on these Things" ... 

If we would shew our Faith, we must have our Conversation much in Heaven, and look beyond Things present and sensible, to things which are not seen, but are eternal; labouring principally to secure the great Interests of another World; and referring all the Actions of this short and dying Life, to that State which will shortly begin, but never have an End. If we are not thus serious and servent in our Devotions, and hearty and constant in our Endeavours to glorify God, to lead holy & Christian Lives; all other pretences to Salvation will most certainly fail us: It will signify nothing to rely upon any other Election, than that which is made sure, and may be shewn by a lively Faith and virtuous Conversation. We are all to be esteemed the Elect of God, if we live as becomes the Disciples of Christ Jesus; but shall be found Reprobates if we do not. 

Contrary to the revivalist emphasis on dramatic gatherings and experiences, Cummings invokes the dominical teaching on worship "in spirit and in truth" to underpin the regular offices of public worship, administration of the sacraments, and quiet, routine devotion. Such regular offices encourage a sense of "God's continual presence" as opposed to the short-lived revivalist outbursts:

We ought to shew our Faith by our sincere Devotion; having a deep sense of God's continual Presence with us impressed upon on Minds, and of our own absolute Dependance upon him; that so we may walk humbly with our God, as his Son our Saviour has taught us; frequenting his publick Worship, and living in the due and serious use of his holy Ordinances, at proper Times and appointed Seasons. God, the Object of all our religious Addresses, is a Spirit; and must therefore (as our Saviour argues) be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth, with all sincerity, with all the faculties and powers of our Minds, with the utmost intention, strength and vigour of our Thoughts: We must always heartily endeavour to be that in our Lives, which we beg in our Prayers to be made by the Divine Grace; and which we promise solemnly at our Baptism, and in the other holy Sacrament.

Finally, Cummings invokes the Incarnation in a manner akin to how Rowan Williams describes Hooker's Christology: "the incarnation is not an isolated fact about Jesus but the ground for a renewing of the entire human race ... [a] renewing, not a total alteration of human nature". Similarly, John Hughes points to this as the grounding for a "particular piety and sensibility which could be seen as characteristically Anglican". Cummings provides a rather beautiful expression of this, with hints of a participatory vision, as he suggests how the Incarnation enables us to share in the divine life in a manner more meaningful than revivalist experiences:

We should therefore shew our Faith by the habitual Practice of those Virtues, which the Gospel warmly recommends; such as Meekness and Humility, Patience and Contentedness, Sobriety and Temperance, Purity and Chastity, Justice and Honesty, Forbearance and Forgiveness Brotherly Love and Charity. These are the genuine Effects of Faith, the blessed Fruits of the Spirit; and must be studied and carefully practised by all the sincere Followers, and true Disciples of the Lord Jesus; who was made Flesh and dwelt among us, that in his own Person and Life he might give us an Example of all that Purity and Holiness, of all that Virtue and Godliness of Living, which his Laws require us to perform. Religion, true and reasonable Religion did always chiefly consist in Imitation of God, in as near a resemblance, as is consistent with with finite frail human Nature, of those Excellencies which shine forth in the best and most perfect Being. But we may now strive to imitate him with much greater ease and advantage, since God was pleased to become Man, on purpose to purchase Peace and Pardon for us; to turn us from Darkness to Light, and to shew us how Men may become like to God.

This is a reminder that the classical Anglican critique of revivalism - such as that provided by Cummings - has deep Hookerian roots, again summarised by Hughes:

where nature is always already oriented towards supernatural grace and where grace does not destroy nature but fulfils and perfects it.

Cummings' sermon demonstrates how the Anglican critique of revivalism emerges from a wise, compelling, and attractive theological vision, infinitely richer than the supposed 'moralism' suggested by its opponents. This theological vision can continue to guide and enrich Anglicans in providing a contemporary alternative to revivalism.