"Nothing can weaken the credit of any clergy so much as _their own indiscretions_ and _exorbitancy_ of ambition. When they afford suspicion of their being lovers of themselves, and negligent of their respective flocks; when they break the regularity of their own church by _pluralities_, _dispensations_, and _other enormities_; and, above all, when they are actually fallen aside from their foundation by _departing from their own constituent articles_, a solemn subscription notwithstanding,--this really may and ought to weaken and impair, if not the _Church_, yet certainly the reputation of such in it, who harbour the present _rash_ and _overbearing_ principles.[208] [208] In the _Weekly Miscellany_, for June 30, 1739, there appeared a long article, of two pages, probably written by Dr. Trapp himself. The writer says it would be foolish to answer every "half-witted murderer of paper;" and therefore Trapp refuses to reply to "Seagrave's Answer." The present article, however, would serve in lieu of a mere formal rejoinder. Two sentences were as follows:--Seagrave "abuses the clergy with much rudeness and insolence; and, at the same time, pays his compliments to the Dissenters, as if the learning and orthodoxy of the nation rested chiefly, nay, almost only, in them." Again: "Pluralities are the stale topic of every ignorant creature who hates the Church. Pluralities are _necessary_ in many cases, _highly expedient_ in others; nor could the Church well subsist without them." It is time to return to Whitefield on the playground of the London rabble, Kennington Common. He writes:-- "1739, Wednesday, May 2. Preached this evening to above ten thousand, at Kennington Common, and spent the remainder of the evening in conference with our brethren in Fetter Lane Society. Our brethren, who have fallen into errors, have left us voluntarily. "Thursday, May 3. Preached, at six in the evening, at Kennington, and great power was amongst us. The audience was more numerous and silent than yesterday. "Saturday, May 5. Preached yesterday and to-day at Kennington Common, to about twenty thousand hearers, who were very much affected. "Sunday, May 6. Preached this morning in Moorfields, to about twenty thousand people, who were very quiet and attentive, and much affected. Went to public worship morning and evening; and, at six, preached at Kennington. Such a sight I never saw before. I believe there were no less than fifty thousand people, near four-score coaches, besides great numbers of horses. There was an awful silence among the people. God gave me great enlargement of heart. I continued my discourse for an hour and a half.