The New Hampshire Gazette

TO THE PRINTER.

YOU are desired to insert in your weekly Paper the following Lines, penned by the Author of the Description of a good and bad Minister, about a Year since.

TO those Ministers who are unconcerned to know whether the People of their Charge are like to be Saved or damned, by free personal Conference about those things that are most essential to Salvation.

You are sensible, Rev. Gentlemen, how anxious our Merchants are who trade abroad, to know if their Interest has escaped the Enemy's Hands: And how inquisitive our Physicians are to know every Point of Disorder in the Bodies of their Patients: And how careful our Farmers are, after they have provided good Pasture for their dumb Brute Beasts, often to look over them to see if they thrive or not, or if any be gone astray; and may less Care be taken of precious Souls? Surely you betray want of Love to your Brethren, your Children whom you have seen; and if so, how can you love God whom you have not seen. No wonder then that studying Sermons is such a tedious Task, for what can you expect but a Withdraw of the Divine Spirit; and Barrenness of Mind. Besides, how can you know so well what Discourses to prepare to deliver publickly; or how to adapt yourselves, while you are ignorant of the State of your Flocks? And have not your People some Reason to suspect that you are not in Earnest in your Sermons on Sabbath Days, by your never enquiring afterwards, whether they profit or not? I heard a Minister, who was charged with this Defect, excuse himself before an ecclesiastical Council and large Assembly, that if any of his People wanted to see or discourse with him to any good purpose, they ought to go to him, and that they all knew where he lived; and others say after him of late: But don't you all to a Man know, that those Persons who really need their Pastors Visits most, will be least inclined to go to them and expose their Ignorance and Errors, for altho' they are without Knowledge, they are not without Pride, and are always afraid of Shame. In this Class of ignorant Persons are great Numbers of the first and middle Rank, who mistake common Civility for true Christianity, making their Reason their Rule, and not the sacred Scriptures, strangers to themselves, insensible of the perishing Condition they are in. We read, if any perish thro' the Watchman's Neglect, their Blood will be required at the Watchman's Hands. Surely Gentlemen you have great Encouragement to be in Labours abundant, because none have so great Advantage to turn many to Righteousness as you; and you know what a dangerous Disease Effeminacy is, that it excludes from the Kingdom of God.

From your sincere Friend and Servant,

Sept. 1762.

r. P.