facts. Pages 63, 64, 65, is perhaps too strong. The same may be said of other systems of morality; they who embrace them, and live unsuitably, are hypocrites, page 65, lines 2d and 3d. Upon the whole, I heartily wish every Christian, especially every minister in the kingdom, would carefully read this very useful treatise of Witherspoon's, and act accordingly; and if I had any acquaintance with him, though I am hopeless of bringing you over to my sentiments, I would endeavour at least to prevail on him to abolish the phrase imputed righteousness in the next edition, and then his book would be more extensively useful. I am, my dear friend, (notwithstanding our different opinions in some religious points), with much real esteem, most affectionately and most sincerely yours, &c. &c. So far my correspondent, whose letter I shall forbear to answer till I hear your sentiments; which I shall expect by the first opportunity. I am sure, if the phrase imputed righteousness were not strictly defensible on scriptural grounds, it should never more be used, either in the pulpit, or in the writings of, dear sir, your obliged friend and servant. LETTER CCV. Weston-Favell, Oct. 24. 1758. MY DEAR FRIEND-LET me repeat my thanks for the trouble you have taken, and for the assistance you have given me, in relation to my controversy with Mr Wesley. He is so unfair in his quotations, and so magisterial in his manner, that I find it no small difficulty to preserve the decency of the gentleman, and the meekness of the Christian, in my intended answer. May our divine Master aid me in both these instances, or else not suffer me to write at all. I have just been reading Hab. iii. 13. which seem ed difficult to clear; one of the metaphors referring to an animate, the other to an inanimate structure: I should be glad to know, how you understand, and how you would explain the passage. Perhaps, at your leisure, you will consider the whole chapter; and when I ask for a descant upon one, give me an elucidation of twenty verses. I have certainly a very great esteem for Dr Gill, yet I never could assent to his notion of eternal justification. I am very much obliged to you for pointing out to me the passage in Theron and Aspasio which seems to favour, or proceeds upon such a tenet. It shall be altered in the next edition. My dilatory proceedings you will ascribe to the real cause, sickness; then you will not deal with me according to the law of retaliation, but according to that law of kindness, which the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ has written upon your heart. Indeed, I think your arguments are unanswerable. If so, do not you think there are some things in my third Dialogue exceptionable? I wish you would examine it; bring it to the touchstone of your last letter, and where it is wrong correct it. I should like to have Theron object something in your way of argumentation, and Aspasio frankly confess that he has overshot the mark. Such an acknowledgment endears the character of the speaker, and such a circumstance makes the sentiment more impressive on the reader. I have often thought the second verse of Psalm cxxxi. very difficult, and have been at a loss to find out the propriety of the comparison. Why composed and quiet as a weaned child, when we know, that the time of weaning children is always a time of disappointment, often of disease? At this season they are particularly froward and peevish: The very reverse, therefore, of that frame of mind which the Psalmist seems to be illustrating. This was the best solution which occurred to my thoughts;-A child weaned from his mother is disquieted and fretful. Such is my natural, and such would be my habitual temper, was I not influenced and calmed by grace; but, through divine grace, my mind is resigned and quiet as the weaned child, when brought back to the mother, and lulled to rest on that soft and warm bosom, where it had so often lain with the greatest delight, but from which it had been for a season withdrawn. You see I would translate, "in pectus sive gremium matris suæ." But whether my translation be warrantable, or my paraphrase such as suits the tenor of the Psalm, I submit to your determination. Accept my sincere thanks for your valuable correction of a passage in my sermon: such improving animadversions will always be more acceptable than the inebriating voice of applause, far more acceptable to your truly affectionate friend. LETTER CCVI. Weston, Oct. 19. 1758. MY DEAR FRIEND,-You some time ago sent me a poem, with which I was much delighted, notwithstanding the uncouth metre and obsolete words; I mean Fletcher's Purple Island, to which were subjoined several other of his poetical pieces; one particularly I remember to his brother G. Fletcher, on his poem entitled Christ's Victory in Heaven and on Earth, and his Triumph over and after Death. I happened to mention Fletcher to a gentleman lately, who has since lent me this very poem, which I longed to see, as the title pleased me so much. He tells me, that Phineas Fletcher was not only an excellent poet himself, and the son of a poet, (namely of John Fletcher, a celebrated dramatic writer in the reign of Queen Elizabeth) but brother to two eminent poets, of which this G. Fletcher was one, and a young student at Cambridge when he wrote this poem. I wish any bookseller could be prevailed with to reprint the Purple Island, and add to it Christ's Victory, &c. in one neat volume. I believe it would sell, if properly revised and altered. It grieves me to think these pieces should be lost to the world, and be for ever buried in obscurity. I have folded down several passages in Christ's Victory and Triumph for your inspection; and if they meet with your approbation, I hope you will join your interest with me, in endeavouring to preserve the work from perishing. The Purple Island is to be sure a superior poem, and abounds with picturesque, useful, and striking sentiments; but with that you are well acquainted, as it has so long been a favourite with you. I am now so very ill, that I scarce think I shall live to see the approaching Christmas. Had I been in perfect health, and disengaged from other employment, I question whether I should not have retouched the poetry, changed several of the obsolete words, illustrated the obscure passages by occasional notes, and run the risk of publishing the whole at my own expense. To this I should have been more particularly inclined, as there are so few poems of the scriptural kind wrote by men of genius; though no subject can be equally sublime and instructive, or more entertaining; witness Milton's Paradise Lost, and Pope's Messiah. Could not Rivington get some one to make these necessary alterations? Or if he does not care to engage in it, would not Dodsley undertake it, who is himself a poet, and very capable of abridging it in some places, enlarging it in others, and thoroughly correcting the whole? Do you know Mr Joseph Wharton of Trinity College, Oxford, who translated Virgil? He is very capable of doing this: and as he is a clergyman, I should imagine he would think his time well employed in thus contributing to our blessed Master's honour. * Mr Hervey died on Christmas day, according to his own supposition, Methinks if a subscription to modernize valuable authors, and thus rescue them from the pit of oblivion, was properly set on foot by some men of eminence, and the proposals well drawn up, it would meet with due encouragement. I have often wondered that such an attempt has never yet been made. How many excellent books of the last century are now out of print, whilst such a number of useless and pernicious writings are continually published? I now spend almost my whole time in reading and praying over the Bible. Indeed, indeed you cannot conceive, how the springs of life in me are relaxed and relaxing." What thou dost, do quickly," is for me a proper admonition, as I am so apprehensive of my approaching dissolution. My dear friend, attend to "the one thing needful." With this I send you my heart, its warmest good wishes, and most tender affections; and till it ceases to beat, I shall never cease to pray for your abundant happiness, or to be, my dear sir, your sincerely affectionate friend, &c. Some of the passages mentioned in the preceding letter to have been folded down by Mr Hervey, were as follow. In the three following stanzas, the poet speaks of man, as destitute of all hope and remedy without Christ. Should any to himself for safety fly? His strength? 'tis dust. His pleasure? cause of pain. Entreaty? fond. Repentance? late and vain. Just recompense? the world were all too little. |