Isa. lii. We exin a little time.

Sunday afternoon your old acquaintance Mr called upon me, sat about an hour, inquired after you, and talked as became the Christian character, and the sacred day. The conversation was perfectly pleasing; but the subjects, whether we were led to them by chance, or directed to them by Providence, were peculiarly noble and important. "I know that my Redeemer liveth," &c. Job xix. "Behold my servant shall deal prudently," &c. pect to see our dear friend O that we may meet each other, and daily converse on the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of peace! I say no more about poor Mrs ; perhaps my concern for her may be uncommonly tender, because there have few days passed since I knew her, in which I have not made mention of her name in my prayers for the afflicted. May the God of wisdom teach you, and the God of power enable you, to do always such things as are acceptable in his sight, through Jesus Christ. And may the Father of compassions make her sorrows bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and issue in everlasting joy! I hope the truly valuable Dr —— and his family took knowledge of you, that you had been with Christ. Let us study, let us labour, to spread abroad the savour of his blessed name, who suffered the vengeance due to all-to all our sins. That his presence may be with you, and his love be in you, is the invariable wish of your affectionate, &c.

LETTER LXX.

London, Nov. 15. 1750. I HAVE communicated your -; he is now with his old ac

MY DEAR FRIEND,

two messages to

quaintance at

On Sunday he preached morn

ing and afternoon at L church. May his word prove a seed of life and immortality to the hearers. On Tuesday he and Mr breakfasted with us:

the talk turned principally upon the mystic writers.

Dr

began to warm a little to hear Mr inveigh pretty sharply against them; but by giving a soft answer, and making considerable concessions in their behalf, -Mr cooled and qualified all. He spoke with remarkable command of temper, and, I think, with great solidity of judgment. I wish it may lessen our valuable friend H——'s attachment to those authors, which I believe is immoderate, and I fear is pernicious. I heartily wish your children may recover, and live to be a comfort to their father, an honour to their religion. I have received Dr D's remarks; very judicious, and equally faithful. I scarce know any friend who has so true a taste, and so much sincerity. Fiet Aristarchus is the character he deserves.

Yesterday a serious dissenter from the country came to see me. God had freed him from a spirit of bigotry, and made my book acceptable to him. O that we may all love one another, and bear with one another! so fulfil the law, and follow the example of Christ. In the new Jerusalem, that city of the living God, all our little differences of opinion, as well as all the remainders of corruption, will fall off. In the light of God's countenance we shall see the truth clearly, and enjoy the life, the life of heaven and eternity perfectly. O that we may love that amiable and adorable Being every day, every hour, more and more! who, though the King immortal and invisible, gave his own Son to bleed and die for worms, for rebels; for you, my dear friend, and for your unworthy, but truly affectionate, &c.

LETTER LXXI.

Nov. 27. 1750.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-PRESENT my very grateful acknowledgments to our obliging friend Mr I rejoice in his lines, as they are a pledge of his affection and friendship; but I really am under apprehensions from them, as they are to be a public

encomium on my character, lest they should make me think more highly of myself than I ought to think. O may the high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, and dwells with the humble heart, vouchsafe to defend me from all the insinuations of pride. To be sure this is a trying occasion; for laudari a laudatis is no common honour. I would beg leave to postpone the publication of the verses till the mezzotinto plate is finished, and the print ready to be sold; because, if such a recommendation appears at such a juncture, I am persuaded it will cause a demand for the picture, and further its sale. Good heavens! who would ever have thought that so mean a name, and so obscure a person, should appear in the world with such an air of significancy? O that it may be for the glory of that ever blessed and adorable Being, who manifests his transcendent excellency most chiefly in shewing mercy. you heard of's death, did you not immediately think of the prophet's declaration, "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field?" Did you not also ardently desire and resolve to seek for an assured interest in the promises of that word which endureth for ever? May the God of grace seal those promises to our hearts by his blessed Spirit, and witness with our spirits that we are the objects of his love and heirs of his kingdom? Then we may defy death, and boldly bid the king of terrors do his worst. is making an

When

excursion to and to. May the Lord God of Hosts go forth with his servant, and make him terrible to the infernal enemy, as an army with banners; welcome to poor sinners, as the refreshing dews after parching heat. How my soul longs to be employed in the same sacred, blessed cause! Does not yours also throb with the same desires? I can no more. Supper waits for me. Adieu. All spiritual blessings be multiplied upon you, and ever yours, &c.

LETTER LXXII.

December 8. 1750.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-WHY do you say Zimmermannus is too comfortable for you? The comfort of Christianity is, the sweet allurement to draw us to heaven, and the powerful instrument to fit us for heaven. If our affections are attached to the world, the comfort of Christianity is ordained to wean us from its vanities, and win us to God. If we have sinned, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most sovereign means of wounding our hearts, and bringing us to repentance. When Nathan said unto David, "The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die;" then it is supposed he penned the 32d psalm, and poured out his soul in unreserved confession. When the blessed Jesus turned and looked upon Peter, then his conscience smote him deep; then he went out, and wept bitterly. And how did his dear Master look? was it a resentful, upbraiding, menacing glance? Quite the reverse. Is this your promised fidelity? this your kindness for your friend? Ah, Peter! Peter! I feel more from your perfidy than from all the insults of my enemies. But I know your weakness, and I am going to die for your guilt. Willingly, willingly I lay down my life, that this sin may never be laid to your charge. Such was the language of that gracious look. I do not wonder that it fetched a flood of tears from his eyes. I find it impossible to refrain on the bare meditation on it. O that the adorable Redeemer may manifest his all-forgiving goodness in our souls, and sure it will overcome our most stubborn corruptions. What can withstand such heavenly love? I know; and think you have a peculiar privilege in having opportunity and ability to succour so sincere a Christian. He will more than repay you with his prayers. Whatsoever you do for him, I am persuaded will be done unto Christ. And who can

do enough for him who despised the shame, and endured the cross for us? Your writing paper came safe; and I would have returned it to the stationer as too coarse, but has, since its arrival, been seized; seized in the king's name, by one of the king's officers. Pray, have you taken care to pay duty? have you not been deficient in some instance or other? O, said Gaius mine host, when he heard of its coming back, It is good enough for me; it will just suit my purpose; I wanted such a supply: so it is in his hands, to be employed in the service of a great King, whose name you can guess, whose goodness you have experienced, and for whose honour, I hope, we shall all be very zealous. What say you? will you turn the forfeiture into a free gift, by sending your full consent to the deed? Our dear friend has been visited with a fever; attended by the doctor every day this week; but, blessed be God! is, we trust, upon the eve of a thorough recovery. He talks of preaching to-morrow, but I shall use my utmost interest to dissuade him. Let him desist for a while, that he may persist for a long season. We have but a small share of -'s company. O that we may

meet where we shall part no more, Adieu! Ever yours, &c.

LETTER LXXIII.

sin no more!

Dec. 20. 1750.

MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,-YOUR letter found me, after a considerable delay in its passage, where do you think? Where I never expected to go any more; found me at London! From whence I write this, and return you my sincerest thanks. Prevailed on by the repeated importunity of my friends, I came by easy stages to town, in order to try whether change of air may be of any service to my decayed constitution; for my worthy physician Dr S has declared, that nothing which he can prescribe is likely to administer any relief.