Lastly, you are pleased to say, page _ibid._ “We think it our duty to bear our strongest testimony against that itinerant way of preaching, which this Gentleman was the first promoter of among us, and still delights to continue in.” Now by an itinerant preacher (you say) “We understand one that hath no peculiar charge of his own, but goes about from country to country, or from town to town, in any country, and stands ready to preach to any congregation that shall call him to it: and such a one is Mr. _W――――_.” I own the charge; and am willing to put the case on the same issue as you do, page 14: “Indeed if there were any thing leading to this manner of management, in the directions and instructions given either by our Saviour or his Apostles, we ought to be silent, and so would a man of any modesty; if (on the other hand) there be nothing in the New-Testament leading to it. And surely (you add) Mr. _W――――_ will not have the face to pretend he acts now as an _evangelist_.” But indeed, Gentlemen, I do, if by an evangelist you mean, what the scripture I presume means, “One who hath no particular charge of his own, but goes about from country to country, or from town to town, in any country, and stands ready to preach to any congregation that shall call him to it.” For does not that general commission given by our LORD to his Apostles, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” authorize the ministers of CHRIST, “even to the end of the world,” to preach the gospel in any town and country, though not of their own head, yet whenever or wherever Providence should open a door, even though it should be in a place “where officers are already settled, and the gospel is fully and faithfully preached.” This, I humbly apprehend, is every gospel minister’s indisputable privilege, and therefore cannot judge that it is being wise above what is written, to give it as my opinion, as you say I have done, page 14. “That itinerant preaching may be very convenient for the furtherance of the good of the churches, if it were under a good regulation.” For itinerant preaching is certainly founded upon the word of GOD, and has been agreeably approved of, and practised by many good men, with great and happy success both in ancient and later times? Was not the reformation begun and carried on by itinerant preaching? Were not _Knox_, _Welch_, _Wishart_, and those holy men of GOD, several of the good old _puritans_, itinerant preachers? Are not itinerants sent forth by the societies for propagating the gospel and promoting christian knowledge both in _England_, _Scotland_ and _Denmark_? And did not holy Mr. _Baxter_ in his appendix to his _Gildas Salvianus_ or _Reformed Pastor_, in conjunction with others, earnestly and with weighty reasons recommend itinerant preaching, even where the gospel was fully and faithfully preached, in 1657? Which is expressed in the following terms:
“_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_,