the like Reasons to withdraw from publick "Communion in Word, or Seals, or Cenfures, is "unlawful and finful."

Had thefe Paragraphs been wrote, on Purpofe to defcribe the diforderly Separations of the prefent Day, they could not have done it more exactly: And, at the fame Time, they clearly exhibit the Opinion of our Fore-Fathers, as to the probable Iffue of thefe Things; that they tend to break the Church to Pieces. And what indeed can be expected but Confufion, when Church Members will forfake their own Paftors for every wandring Stranger; and, rather than not hear them, will break away from their own Church, forget their Duty to him that has been fet over them in the LORD, and treat him with Anger and Wrath, if not with Contempt and Infult.

But notwithstanding all that has been faid against this Itinerant preaching, 'tis a Practice mightily pleaded for; and many are the Things that are offered in its Vindication.

'Tis faid, much Good has been done by it. And han't there been much Evil likewife ? Han't it been the Occafion, not accidentally, but in the natural Courfe of Things, of uncomfortable Heats, Animofities and Contentions? Han't Chriftians, hereby, been divided into Parties, One faying, I am of PAUL; another, I am of APOLLOS ; апоther, I am of CEPHAS, to the disturbing the Peace of Churches? Han't People, by this Practice, been led to glory in Men? And han't they had fome Men's Perfons fo much in Admiration, as to throw unjuft Contempt upon others? But, if more Good had follow'd upon this Kind of Preaching

E 4

than

than really has, it would not hereby be juftified; unless it can be made to appear, that Evil may not, by the alwife and gracious GOD, be overruled for Good. The Question ought not to be, whether Good has been done in this Way? But whether the Way it felf is countenanced in the Bible, or can be vindicated upon the Principles of uncorrupted Reafon ? If not; 'tis, in it's Nature, bad, and unalterably fo, let its Effects be what they will.

It is further pleaded, they are good Men that go into this Practice: Their Hearts are fir'd with a holy Zeal to ferve the Intereft of Souls; and 'tis to forward their Salvation, that they thus travel about Preaching. And are not the Minifters, into whofe Labours they enter, good Men alfo ? Have they not a Love to the Souls of Men, and ardent Defires of their Salvation? Or, muft they be thought felfish and carnal, because they are fteady, and keep within the Rules of Order in their Endeavours to do good? I know, 'tis a fpecious Thing for Minifters to go about from Place to Place, profeffing a compaffionate Concern for Sinners, a Readiness to do, or fuffer any Thing, to promote their Converfion; efpecially, if this is accompanied with a bitter Zeal against all who can't come into their Measures: And they may be flock'd after, on this Account, and held in great Reputation, as more holy than their Brethren, more like to CHRIST, and his Apoftles: But for my felf, I have liv'd too long in the World, and feen too much of the Wickedness of it, to be over-pleafed with high Profeffions; efpecially, when they are rewarded with as high popular Applaufes. Pride of Heart; an Itch to come out of Obfcurity, and to be thought fomebody

body; a fecret Pleasure arifing from the Hofan nas of the Multitude; an undue Self-Love, in fome Shape or other, may urge on (as it actually has done in Hundreds of Inftances) to as zealous Pains in preaching the Gofpel, as any in these Times, can pretend to; and from as great a feeming Regard to the Good of Men's Souls.

I mean not by what I here fay, to reflect upon ALL thofe, who have gone up and down the Coun try, making a more than ordinary Shew of Zeal for the fpiritual Welfare of their Neighbours; as though they were SOLELY acted, in this Matter, from mean, and base Motives. They may, SOME OF THEM, be as good as they profefs to be, for all that I know: But this Conduct of theirs, is not, in my Opinion, the strongest Evidence of their being fo: Nor can it be collected from their Zeal to preach in other Men's Parifbes, that they are better than their Neighbours; or that the Practice they are in, is fuch as it ought to be. They may be good Men, and yet do that which is Evil: They may have a Zeal for GOD; and yet, act without fufficient Knowledge or Prudence. Meerly their being good Men, or zealous for the Good of Souls, won't warrant this Conduct of theirs: If it can't be juftified from other Confiderations, it must be condemned.

'Tis again urg'd in Favour of these Itinerants, That "when the Time of Reformation was come

on, one of the most effectual Things done to"wards the Reformation in ENGLAND, about the "Middle of the former Century, was to fend a

bout the Kingdom certain Itinerant Preachers, ❝ with a License to preach the Fundamentals of

Religion,

"Religion, instead of the Stuff with which the "Souls of the People had formerly been famished." This, which is a Quotation from Dr. MATHER'S Magnal. Chrif. American, we had printed in the BOSTON Weekly News-Paper t," to give Check as is faid in the Letter introducing it to the Publick) to the great Out-cry, and the bitter and harsh Reflections made by many against Itinerant Preachers," To which I would answer, by giving a brief Account of the Times and Itinerants here referred to, together with the prefent Times and Itinerants.

As to the Times and Itinerants here refer'd to, a juft Account has been given of them, in the Letter to the Author of the above Quotation, in the following Words *, "At the Time when "the Reformation came on, which began with "the Reign of King EDWARD the VI, and was "carried on by gradual Steps, through the long "Reign of QELIZABETH, the whole Land was "overspread with Darkness and Superftition: The "common People, almost every where, were "ftupidly ignorant. This may be fairly gather

ed from your Quotation, which fuppofes they "knew little or nothing of the great Doctrines

and Truths of Chriftianity, the very Fundamen"tals of Religion : And indeed, it was fcarce "poffible to be otherwife, when they were de"priv'd of the Key of Knowledge; the Scrip

tures, which are able to make wife to Salvation "being lock'd up from them in an unknown "Tongue, in which the publick Offices of the

† Numb. 2016. *See the Bofton weekly News Paper, Numb. 2018.

Church

"Church were alfo performed. And whatever "Articles of Belief the People held, they receiv'd "from their Priefts, by an implicit Faith, which "naturally produces a blind Obedience. Nor

"was the State of Things much better with "the Clergy, who were, the greater Part of "them, grofly ignorant, and blind Leaders of the "blind. The chief Learning they had, was from "Acquaintance with School Divinity, and the Wri"tings of the ancient Fathers, which, however it 66 might pafs for Science, in thofe Times, was "falfly fo called. In fhort, the Clergy were fo 66 ignorant, that few of them were able to com66 pofe their Sermons; to fupply which Defect, "certain Homilies were fet forth by publick Autho"rity, and enjoin'd to be read, inftead of Ser66 mons, to the People.

"This was the true State of Things refpect"ing Religion in England, when the Morning of "the Reformation began to dawn: Which leads "me to fay fomething of the Character and Mif"fion of the itinerant Preachers employ'd in that "glorious Work.

"As to their Character, they were Men of "eminent Learning, and fubftantial Piety; "they were ready Scribes, well inftructed in the "Things that pertain to the Kingdom of GOD; "and able to communicate their Knowledge to

others: In fhort, they were every Way qua"lified to teach the People the great Fundamen"tals of Religion.

"As to their Miffion, it was from proper Autho "rity. They did not follow the blind Impulfes “ of a wild Ímagination, or run before they were

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