Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, in the Poultry;
and Messrs. Kincaid and Creech, at Edinburgh.
MDCCLXXI.
ANSWER
TO THE
BISHOP of LONDON’s
LAST
PASTORAL LETTER.
ANSWER
TO THE
BISHOP of LONDON’s
LAST
PASTORAL LETTER.
My Lord,
I NEED make no apology for troubling your Lordship with this. As your Lordship was pleased to make me the chief subject matter of your last Pastoral Letter, I think it my duty to answer in the best manner I can.
Your Lordship is highly to be commended, for the care you have taken in watching over the souls of those, who are committed to your Lordship’s charge. Lukewarmness and enthusiasm, are the two rocks against which even well-meaning people are in danger of splitting. All ought to be thankful to that pilot, who will teach them to steer a safe and middle course. I would gladly hope, that “a zeal for God in the discharge of your duty, and a hearty concern for the safety of souls,” moved your Lordship to write. These are the principles, I trust, which now excite me, to direct this answer to your Lordship. And, blessed be God, that I can write with somewhat of that love and meekness, which becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ, and with all that humility and reverence, which is due from a presbyter to a bishop of the church of God.
Lukewarmness and enthusiasm, my Lord, are certainly the bane of true christianity. I thank your Lordship again for your kind cautions against them. The only query is, “Whether there was any occasion for your Lordship’s warning the people of your diocese, against running into either of these extremes, upon account of any thing, I have either spoken or written?” Your Lordship thinks there was, and quotes passages out of my Journal to prove it; if it can be proved, I will ask public pardon, both of your Lordship and them, with all my heart.