The Reformed Pastor, Closing letter 1
To the Reverend and faithful Miniſters of Chriſt in the ſeveral Counties of this Land, and the Gentlemen and other Natives of each County, now inhabiting the City of London.
Reverend and Beloved Brethren,
THE whole deſign and buſineſs of this Diſcourſe, being the Propagation of the Goſpel and the ſaving of mens ſouls, I have thought it not unmeet to acquaint you with another work to that end, which we have ſet afoot in this County, and to propound it to your Conſideration, and humbly invite you to an univerſal imitation. You know, I doubt not, the great inequality in Miniſterial abilities, and that many places have Miniſters that are not qualified with convincing lenity, awakening gifts: Some muſt be tolerated in the neceſsity of the Church, that are not likely to do any great matters towards the converſion of ignorant, ſenſual, worldly men: And ſome that are learned, able men, and fitted for controverſies, may yet be unfit to deal with thoſe of the lower ſort. I ſuppoſe if you peruſe the whole Miniſtry of a County, you will not find ſo many, ſuch lively convincing Preachers as we could wiſh. And I take it for granted that you are ſenſible of the weight of eternal things, and of the worth of ſouls; and that you will judge it a very deſirable thing that every man ſhould be imployed according to his Gifts, and the Goſpel in its Light and Power ſhould be made as common as poſsibly we can: Upon theſe and many the like Conſiderations, the Miniſters in this County reſolved to chooſe out four of the moſt lively, yet ſober, peaceable, Orthodox men, and to deſire them once a monethmonth to leave their own Congregations to the aſsiſtance of ſome other, and to beſtow their labour in the places where they thought there was moſt need; And as we were reſolving upon this work, the Natives of this County inhabiting the City of London, having a cuſtom of feaſting together once a year, and having at their feaſt collected ſome moneys by contribution, for the maintaining of a weekly Lecture in this County, (beſides other good works) did (by their Stewards) deſire us to ſet up the ſaid Lecture, and to diſpoſe of the ſaid moneys in order thereto; And their judgements upon conſulation did correſpond with our deſign. So that the ſaid money being ſufficient to ſatisfie another that ſhall in their abſence, preach in their own places, we imploy it accordingly, and have prevailed with ſome Brethren to undertake this work.
I propound to your conſideration, Reverend Brethren, and to you, the Natives of each County in London, Whether the ſame work may not tend much to the edification of the Church, and the welfare of ſouls, if you will be pleaſed ſpeedily and effectually to ſet it afoot through the Land? Whether it may not, by Gods bleſsing be a likely means, to illuminate the ignorant and awaken the ſecure, and countermine Seducers, and hinder the ill ſucceſs of Satans Itinerants, and win over many ſouls to Chriſt, and ſtabliſh many weak ones in the faith? And not doubting, but your judgements will approve of the deſign, I humbly move, that you will pleaſe to contribute your faculties to the vvork; viz That the Londoners of each County will be pleaſed to manifeſt their benevolence to this end, and commit the moneys to the hands of the moſt faithful, Orthodox Miniſters, and that they will readily and ſelf-denyingly undertake the work.
I hope the Gentlemen, Natives of this County will be pleaſed to pardon my publiſhing their example, ſeeing my end is only the promoting of mens ſalvation, and the common good.
And that you may fullyer underſtand the ſcope of our deſign; I ſhall annex the Letters directed to the ſeveral Miniſters of the County, which the Lecturers ſend to the Miniſters of the place, and receive his anſwer, before they preſume to Preach in any Congregations.