fruitful seasons. May it stir us up to long more ardently for that inheritance which is incorruptible, as well as undefiled; whose character is perfection, and whose duration is eternity. Into this, dear sir, may you, and many of your hearers, many of your readers, in due time, have an abundant entrance! and there find, as a monument of mercy, and a trophy of redeeming grace, your truly affectionate friend, &c.

LETTER CXV.

Weston, Oct. 28. 1753. AND must I resume my correspondences? Does my dear Mr join with several other friends, to render me inexcusably rude, if I neglect writing any longer? Then, with the divine assistance, I will again take up my pen, though an incessant series of infirmities has wore it to the very stumps; for which reason I had thrown it aside, with an intention to continue silent and inactive, as a dead man out of mind.

To make some reparation for my past negligence, I acknowledge your late favour without any delay. Yesterday I received it, and to-day I answer it; even though I might justly plead weariness as an excuse for a dilatory conduct. I have this afternoon been preaching to a crowded audience. The Lord Jesus Christ grant it may be an edified one! You would be surprised, and I believe every body wonders, that I am able to officiate for myself. I am so weak, that I can hardly walk to the end of my parish, though a small one; and so tender, that I dare not visit my poor neighbours, for fear of catching cold in their bleak houses; yet I am enabled on the Lord's day to catechize, and expound to my children in the morning, and to preach in the afternoon. And every Wednesday evening, hay-time and harvest only excepted, I read prayers, and give them a lecture-sermon in Weston church.

This is the Lord's doing, or, as your favourite book expresses it, this is owing to "the good hand of my God upon me." Join with me, my dear friend, in adoring his grace, and pray, that if my life is spared, my capacity for his service may be prolonged; that, if it be his blessed will, the day which puts an end to the one may put a period to the other.

I thank you for your news from the west. I assure you it is highly pleasing to hear, especially concerning the prosperity of my old acquaintance. I often think of them, and with deep regret for my unprofitableness among them. Blessed be God for ever and ever, that both they and I may have a better righteousness than our own. May we all grow in grace, and ere long meet in glory!

You need not doubt but it is a pleasure to my heart to remember, in my best moments, that valuable and valued friend, with whom I have frequently taken sweet counsel on earth, and with whom I shall quickly be admitted into the heaven of heavens; there to behold the glory, the inconceivable and eternal glory of him who loved us both, and has washed us from our sins in his own blood.

God has been pleased to pity the poor youth for whose relief the visitation-sermon I preached at Northampton was printed. Through his good Providence, an edition of two thousand is disposed of; besides a supernumerary provision of two hundred, destined to the use of my parishes. Nay, the manager for the distressed object is venturing upon another edition. See, dear sir, if God will bless, who can blast? If he will further, what can obstruct? A feather, a straw, if he pleases to command, shall be a polished shaft in his quiver. Trust not therefore in eloquence or argument, in depth of thought or beauty of style, both which are confessedly wanting in the present case; but "trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."

I am surprised that any attendant on the

of

should inquire after my sermon, unless it was

to criticize, censure, and expose; because there was really given too much occasion, both to his and all his friends, to resent what some time ago I seemed to have done. In the midst of the controversy between the there was put

and

into the Journal a paragraph from a letter of mine, consisting of a pretty high encomium on Mr As though I should, unchallenged and unprovoked, step forth to confront your ——; or should think to bear down a objections by my single authority. This was also inserted in the most offensive mauner; not as an extract from a private epistle, without the consent or knowledge of the writer, but introduced as my own act, and subscribed with my own name.

I have found no reason to retract one jot or tittle of what was said. And God forbid that I should be ashamed of that incomparable minister of Jesus Christ; than whom I know no man on earth who has more of the amiable and heavenly spirit of Christ. Nor do I remember to have met with, in all my reading, a person, since the days of miracle and inspiration, so eminently zealous, or so extensively useful. Yet to obtrude his character on the public, at such a time, and with such circumstances, had such an air of officiousness, self-conceit, and arrogance, as must necessarily disgust others, and is what I would absolutely disavow.

This, I afterwards learned, was done by a wellmeaning and most pious man; but, in this particular, very injudicious. It is much to be desired that religious persons may have wisdom with their zeal; eyes in their wings, that, as far as is consistent with the exercise of integrity, and the discharge of duty, we may give no offence, neither to the Jew nor to the Greek, nor to the church of God.

Accept my sincerest thanks for your promoting the spread of my sermon; and continue your prayers for its enfeebled author, that if the most high God vouchsafes to employ him in any other work for the

honour of his dear Son, he may be enabled to find out acceptable words, and that which is written may be words of truth. My affectionate compliments wait upon Mrs May you and yours dwell under the defence of the Most High, and abide under the shadow of the Almighty! I am, dear sir, most cordially and inviolably yours, &c.

LETTER CXVI.

Weston, May 5. 1754. DEAR SIR, SOME time ago, Mr Moses Browne was so kind as to transmit to me three of your letters, which gave me both pain and pleasure. Pain, to think how I had neglected to cultivate so valuable a correspondent; pleasure and improvement from the perusal of your truly judicious remarks on Mr Kennicott's performance, and Mr Goodby's attempt. The latter, I am afraid, is not sensible of the great importance, and no small difficulty, of writing a proper comment on the whole Bible. To explain and illustrate, with any tolerable justice, a book so very sublime, so vastly comprehensive, surely should be the work, not of a few months or years, but of his whole life, were his abilities ever so distinguished. I should be extremely sorry to see that glorious gift of heaven come abroad into the world, with such a collection of remarks as might be more likely to depreciate than minister to its universal acceptance.

You are pleased to mention my intended work, and to offer your kind assistance; an offer which, I assure you, I highly value: I desire nothing so much as to have the same impartiality of criticism exercised upon my manuscript, as you have bestowed upon the aforementioned writings. When my piece has been enriched by your corrections, and if it receives your imprimatur, it shall go to the press without delay, as there is a likelihood of a large demand for the work both at home and abroad. This consideration makes me timorous and diffident, especially as

my incessant infirmities and unconquerable languors render me sadly unfit for the support of so weighty and so grand a cause. If it was not for such a declaration in the word of truth and life as this, "Not by might, nor by strength, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord," I should totally despair of any success. Excuse, dear sir, this hasty scribble; strengthen the feeblest of all hands engaged in the divine Jesus's service; and pity a man whose head aches while he writes to you, and heart almost fails when he writes for the public; but is, amidst all his weaknesses, your very sincere and much obliged friend, &c.

LETTER CXVII.

Weston-Favell, May 20. 1754. MY DEAR FRIEND,-YOUR letter was good news from a far country, and made doubly welcome by a long preceding silence, and by the valuable hand that brought it.

Mr

gave me his company one afternoon. We talked of Christ Jesus and his beloved minister at O that our conversation may be edifying, and build us mutually up in our most holy faith! He was so obliging as to present me with the picture of the late worthy Doctor. I hope, when I view it, I shall be reminded of the inscription of Sennacherib's statue; Es que ris ogawy euceßns E5w:* or rather, that it will address me with the apostle's admonition, "Be ye not slothful, but followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises."

Mr has likewise transmitted to me seven of your sermons, six on common, one on superfine paper. For the latter I sincerely thank you; for the former, I desire you will give me leave to pay you. I propose to gratify and oblige my friends with them; and it seems utterly unreasonable that I should be generous at your expense. I admire * Whoever looks upon me, let him worship God.