_All hail reproach, and welcome pain!_
I think there now remains but one more particular in your Lordship’s letter to be answered:――your Lordship’s truly apostolical canon taken out of _2 Corinthians x. 16_; upon turning to, and reading of which, I could not help thinking, my Lord, of a passage I once met with in good Mr. _Philip Henry_’s life. It was this: Being ejected out of the church, and yet thinking it his duty to preach, he used now and then to give the people of _Broad-Oaks_, where he lived, a gospel sermon; and one day, as he was coming from his exercise, and meeting with the incumbent, he thus addressed him: “Sir, I have been taking the liberty of throwing a handful of seed into your field.” “Have you so, said the good man? may GOD give it his blessing! There is work enough for us both.” This, my Lord, I humbly conceive, is the case not only of your Lordship, but of every minister’s parish in _London_, and every bishop’s diocese in _England_; and therefore as good is done, and souls are benefited, I hope your Lordship will not regard a little irregularity, since at the worst, it is only the irregularity of doing well. But supposing this should not be admitted as an excuse at other seasons, I would hope it will have its weight at this critical juncture, wherein, if there were ten thousand sound preachers, and each preacher had a thousand tongues, they could not well be too frequently employed in calling upon the inhabitants of _Great-Britain_ to be upon their guard, against the cruel and malicious designs of _France_, of _Rome_, and of hell. After all, my Lord, if your Lordship will be pleased to apply to Mr. _B――――_ himself, (who, I suppose, knows where the place is registered) or if upon enquiry I shall find, that the lessor hath no power to let it out, as I hate and abhor every dishonourable action, after my setting out for _Bristol_, which I expect to do in a few days, I shall decline preaching in the chapel any more. But if the case should appear to be otherwise, I hope your Lordship will not be angry, if I persist in this, I trust not unpardonable, irregularity: for if I decline preaching in every place, meerly because the incumbent may be unwilling I should come into his parish, I fear I must seldom or never preach at all; and this, my Lord, especially at this juncture, when all our civil and religious liberties are as it were at stake, would to me be worse than death itself. I humbly ask pardon for detaining your Lordship so long, but being willing to give your Lordship all the satisfaction I possibly could, I have chosen rather to sit up and deny myself proper repose, than to let your Lordship’s candid letter lie by me one moment longer than was absolutely necessary. I return your Lordship a thousand thanks for your favourable opinion of me, and good wishes, and begging the continuance of your Lordship’s blessing, and earnestly praying, that whenever your Lordship shall be called hence, you may give up your account with joy, I beg leave to subscribe myself, my Lord,
Your Lordship’s most dutiful son and servant,