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question but even bishoprics themselves would want an occupant. But he is easy and cheerful.”

My father proceeds concerning these irregular engagements: "I am not conscious that ambition was my motive, though it might intermingle: but I hope that zeal for the honor of Christ, and love to souls influenced me. I felt no consciousness of blame in what I did, nor perceived, that, in order to consistency, it was needful for me to choose one ground or the other, and act either as a clergyman of the establishment, or as one who had receded from it. I had abundant proof that my irregular exertions were attended with much success: and I did not, as I have subsequently done, see much reason to doubt, whether the evident usefulness of these labors, in many individual instances, was not counterbalanced by the hindrances which such proceedings throw in the way of other ministers, and candidates for the ministry, and by the general obloquy which they entail upon the whole body of clergy, in other respects agreeing in sentiment with the persons who thus deviate from established order. This consideration, taken alone, would probably induce me, with my present views, to decline such services, even were I placed in my former circumstances: but it did not then occur to me. Gradually, however, I became more sensible of the inconsistency and impropriety of attempting to unite things in themselves discordant, and more attached to the established church: so that, after I had been a few years in London, I refused to preach irregularly, except as once in the year I consented to exchange pulpits with Mr. Hill of Surrey Chapel, that being the stipulated condition of his preaching a charitysermon for the Lock Hospital: and, when I took my present living (before which I could not be said, after I came to London, to have any thing directly from the church,) I immediately refused to do this also, and determined no more to deviate from regularity.

"I do not say this as blaming those who once belonged to the establishment, but have since been induced to labor in a different part of the vineyard; but merely as accounting for my own conduct; and as bearing my decided testimony against the practice, at present not common, of holding a living and yet preaching irregularly. The reason applies, in good measure, in respect of curacies and

* Vol. iii, Letter 81: to Rev. J. Newton, Sept. 8, 1785.

lectureships; but not with equal force. As to those who have nothing of the kind, neither livings, lectureships, nor curacies, and who preach at one time in a licensed meetinghouse, or elsewhere, and in a church at another time; I would do the same, were I a dissenting minister, if I were permitted to do it. The veto belongs to the bishop, not the nolo to the preacher."

The justness of most of these observations commends them at once to our approbation. On two points, however, I am not able to discern the fairness of the distinctions made I know of no engagements into which an incumbent enters to comply with established order, which are not also virtually made by a curate or a lecturer: nor can I readily admit, that he who holds a situation as a minister, only by virtue of his being a clergymen of the established church, can be said to "have nothing from the church," in such a sense as to be free from its rules, and from the engagements which he formed on being admitted to holy orders. It appears to me, that whoever avails himself of his clerical character continues under the engagements which he made in order to acquire it. Though, however, I thus venture to question the correctness of my father's reasoning on this particular point, I am confident that it was perfectly satisfactory to his own mind, and implied no sort of subterfuge or evasion. Beyond all doubt he viewed things just as he here states them.

In connexion with this discussion on irregular ministrations, the reader may perhaps not be displeased to have placed before him what has always appeared to me a very excellent passage, on itinerant preaching, extracted from my father's Commentary on 2 Chronicles, xvii.-"Notwithstanding the prejudices of mankind, and the indiscretions of individuals, an itinerant preacher, if duly qualified and sent forth, is one of the most honorable and useful characters, that can be found upon earth: and there needs no other proof that, when this work is done properly and with perseverance, it forms the grand method of spreading widely, and rendering efficacious, religious knowledge, than the experience of the church in all ages; for great reformations and revivals of religion have generally been thus effected, It is especially sanctioned by the example of Christ and his apostles, and recommended as the divine method of spreading the gospel through the nations of the earth; itinerant preaching having almost always preceded, and made way

for, the stated ministry of regular pastors. But it is a work which requires peculiar talents and dispositions, and a peculiar call in providence; and is not rashly and hastily to be ventured upon by every novice, who has learned to speak about the gospel, and has more zeal, than knowledge, prudence, humility, or experience. An unblemished character, a disinterested spirit, an exemplary deadness to the world, unaffected humility, deep acquaintance with the human heart, and preparation for enduring the cross, not only with boldness, but with meekness, patience, and sweetness of temper, are indispensably necessary in such a service. They who engage in it should go upon broad scriptural grounds, and dwell chiefly upon those grand essentials of religion, in which pious men of different persuasions are agreed; plainly proving every thing from the word of God, running nothing into extremes, and avoiding all disputes, however urged to it, about the shibboleths of a party. In this way itinerant preaching is a blessing which all, who love the souls of men, must wish to be vouchsafed to every part of every nation upon earth. And, if those who are in authority would employ select men of known and approved piety and ability, protected and countenanced by them, to go from city to city, and from village to village, through the kingdom, teaching in every place the plain acknowledged truths and precepts of the Bible, immense good might be done. Those stated teachers, who have been grossly negligent or profligate, must either be disgraced or reformed; others might be stirred up to use greater diligence; and the instructions of stated faithful ministers would receive an additional sanction, which could not fail of producing a happy effect."-It may be observed that at the period of the Reformation, in the reign of Edward VI, a practice of this sort existed in our church, under the sanction of authority. Six eminent persons, (of whom John Knox was one,) were appointed to go through various districts of the kingdom as preachers:* and that such an office was not continued has probably been a great loss to our church. I have heard a wise and excellent clergymen lately deceased, who was always a strict adherent to order, lament the mismanagement of things in the Church of England, as compared with some other establishments. Had Whitfield and Wesley (he said,) arisen in the Church of Rome, that

* Burnett and Strype. See M'Crie's Life of Knox, anno 1551.

hierarchy would have given scope to their zeal, and yet have made it conduce to the support of the church, instead of being exercised to its subversion.

Before we quit this subject, I would observe, that one instance of the usefulness of my father's irregular labors, while he resided in Buckinghamshire, is entitled to particular specification. It was thus announced to him by his old and valued friend the Rev. Dr. Ryland of Bristol, about a month before his last illness. "What led me to write now, was a letter I received from Dr. Carey yesterday, in which he says, 'Pray give my thanks to dear Mr. Scott for his History of the Synod of Dort. I would write to him if I could command time. If there be any thing of the work of God in my soul, I owe much of it to his preaching, when I first set out in the ways of the Lord.""" And the following is my father's reply in his last letter to Dr. R., dated Feb. 15, 1821. "I am surprised as well as gratified at your message from Dr. Carey. He heard me preach only a few times, and that, as far as I know, in my rather irregular excursions: though I often conversed and prayed in his presence, and endeavored to answer his sensible and pertinent inquiries, when at Hackleton. But to have suggested even a single useful hint to such a mind as his, may be considered as a high privilege, and matter of gratitude. Send my kindest remembrance to him when you write."

It can hardly be necessary to observe, that the person referred to is the distinguished baptist missionary in Bengal, who is perhaps better entitled than any other individual, to the praise of having given the first impulse to the extraordi-. 'nary exertions of the present age, for the propagation of Christianity in the world. I well remember the late Rev.. Andrew Fuller reporting, at my father's house, in the year 1792, the impression which had been made upon an association-meeting of his own denomination, by Mr. Carey's sermon, on the address to the church, (Isaiah liv, 2,) Lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; from which he pressed the two propositions that we should expect great things, and attempt great things. Hence originated the Baptist Missionary Society. The London Missionary Society followed; then the Church Missionary Society; then the Bible Society; and, in succession, various other institutions, all, we trust, destined to contribute their share to that great and blessed consummation,

"By prophecy's unerring finger mark’d
To faith's strong eye.

"During this term of my life," my father proceeds, "I was called on, in consequence of its being impracticable for the Rev. Henry Venn and the Rev. Thomas Robinson to perform a service designed for one of them, to preach a funeral sermon at Creaton, in Northamptonshire, for the Rev. Mr. Maddox, who had labored there very usefully for several years. The day was very wet, and I rode twenty miles in a heavy rain to the service, and the same in returning from it: yet during the time of service it was fair. The concourse of people was very great, and the church very small. I ventured to go into the church-yard, where I preached to at least two thousand five hundred persons. The congregation was attentive to a degree seldom witnessed: and for twenty years after, the effects of that sermon were not forgotten, even if they now are. On the following Sunday, I preached twice in the same churchyard to nearly as large congregations: but I never, on any other occasion preached in the open air.

"In this connexion an incident may be introduced which occurred at an early period, but my part in which only now became known, in one of my excursions into Northamptonshire.

"As far back as the year 1776, the Northampton newspaper, during several successive weeks, contained sharp disputatious papers between two parties of the independent dissenters, belonging to the meeting of which Dr. Doddridge had formerly been minister. I felt much displeased with the spirit manifested in these papers; and I wrote (under what signature I do not now remember,) a letter shewing the bad tendency of such discussions in a public print, and of these mutual criminations of persons professing godliness; concluding with the apostle's words, If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." (Gal. v, 15.) The consequence was, that in the next newspaper both parties entreated the writer to come forward, and be the umpire of their differences! Little did they think how incompetent he was for such an arduous office, or suspect his youth and inexperience.—I took no notice of this proposal. The publisher of the paper declared his purpose of inserting no more on the subject; the dispute was so far quashed: and, though many conjectures were formed, the writer of the letter was never known till some time after I had removed to Olney. But, being then at Northampton, where I lectured in a private family, I in

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