on Sanctification, that Marshall might be considered as a supplement to Theron and Aspasio, and as a kind of substitute for what he intended to write on the same subject, according to the plan here proposed. His words are, "I do by these presents depute Mr Marshall to supply my lack of service." See Recommendatory Letter, at the end of Vol. IV.

LETTER CLX.

February 12.

MY DEAR FRIEND, I WILL take a hundred of Jenks's Every Man's Ready Companion; for my mind is not altered since I promised this, nor my charity purse drained. It is a useful book to give

away.

I am glad Jenks's Meditations sell, and I hope the Lord will make them a blessing to the reader: it is pity they cannot be comprised in less than two volumes

octavo.

Does Mr

want amusement? Let him take

your friend Dr Young's advice:

Retire and read his Bible to be gay.

Does Mrs want it? You should teach her to delight in God, and to rejoice in Christ Jesus. A certain gentlewoman in Miles'-lane, whom you once reproved, has been taught to find her consolation, not in the entertainments of the stage, but in the assured hopes of heaven.

Have you given so and so to the poor? Ask your heart, whether you gave out of love to your dying Saviour? Was this the motive? It would then be universally influential; and you would think you could never do enough for his honour.

If an earthquake should happen, ask Mr(that advocate for the theatre), if he would like to be found in the play-house, and go from the boxes, or pit, to the great tribunal? Indeed, indeed, the stage is indefensible.

Thanks for delivering my message. I wish you a safe return, and the continual guidance of Heaven. Yours most cordially, &c.

My messenger waits, pardon haste.

LETTER CLXI.

MADAM, I AM pleased not a little to hear a lady of your fine sense and blooming years declare, That an inquiry relating to everlasting salvation" has taken up much of her thoughts." Let me entreat you to go on, and imitate that excellent woman, whose panegyric is uttered by wisdom and truth itself; "Mary hath chosen that better part, which shall not be taken from her."

You inquire, "Whether the elect of God have not an inward assurance that they shall be saved ?" Your casuist takes leave to answer the question, by asking another: Why should not you and I, madam, have this assurance? Is it not a blessing intended for Christians in general? "We know," says the apostle," that we are passed from death unto life." He says not, I and some eminent saints, but, "we;" including those believers to whom he wrote, those among whom he preached, and all those who hereafter should believe through his word.

Is not this a most desirable knowledge? On the . other hand, can any thing be more afflicting than a state of suspense with regard to this all-important affair? To be in suspense whether my final lot will fall in the regions of endless misery, or the mansions of eternal glory? Insupportable! Can it be the will of our most indulgent Creator, that we should spend our days in this sad uncertainty, and distressing anxiety? Impossible!

We

But have we a warrant for this assurance? have the best of warrants, the gift of God. If your papa gives you a pair of diamond ear-rings, or, (which, rightly improved, will be much more ornamental) a neatly printed Bible; do not you look upon.

this as a sufficient warrant to call these presents your own? Do not you rest fully assured, that, by virtue of your parent's gift, they are your unquestionable property? Perhaps you will say, Where has God Almighty done any thing like this? where has he given salvation or life eternal to me? Be pleased to consult 1 John v. 11. and you will find an answer, which, I hope, will prove perfectly satisfactory, and highly delightful.

-

Is this spoken to me? To you, madam; to the young ladies of your acquaintance, and to every one that reads it. Life eternal is given, just as the manna was given in the wilderness. The manna, that each hungry Israelite might gather and eat it: Life eternal, that every poor sinner may receive and enjoy it. But I have no merit, nothing to deserve it. Then you have just as much as the all-gracious God requires. Without money and without price, is his bountiful declaration. Freely, and abstracted from all deserts, are his gracious terms. You have no merit, madam, and I have less than none. But has our divinely excellent Redeemer nothing meritorious? For his sake, this magnificent and glorious gift is conferred. Not we ourselves, but Jesus Christ the righteous has obtained eternal redemption for us.

May I then assuredly believe, that God gives eternal life to me? May you glorify God's truth? may you glorify his grace? may you glorify the death and obedience of his beloved Son? If so, then you may, you ought, it is your privilege and your duty to believe, that God Almighty freely gives to you eternal life.

When you receive this gift, look upon it as your portion; live in the most comfortable expectation of it; relying on nothing valuable in yourself, but depending entirely upon the faithful promise of him who cannot lie. Then you will feel your heart inclined to love your most adorable Benefactor, then you will study to please him in all your conversation,

then you will be truly holy. All which is, with great sincerity, wished by, amiable Miss, your most obedient servant, &c.

LETTER CLXII.

DEAR SIR, I KEEP Mr E-'s sermon for no other reason, than to prevent its going into other hands. I am ashamed, and sorry to see, that so celebrated a college as should send out such a teacher of divinity. However, I must acknowledge one excellence in this gentleman. He acts prudently at least, in not overloading his pages with quotations from Scripture. Those stubborn pragmatical things might, perhaps, have risen up, stared him in the face, and confronted his notions. Mr, he rightly judges, will serve his turn much better than St Paul. Who is Philalethes Cestriensis? I see nothing valuable in his work, but what comes from the paper-mill and the printingpress; the paper and type are indeed very beautiful. What a wild proposition is that, page 124, namely, "That by faith in Jesus Christ, we understand the persuasion of the mind, that Jesus Christ was sent from God to redeem and to instruct mankind?" At this rate, the very devils are endued with the Spirit of our God: They believe with this persuasion of the mind, that the Christian revelation is true. Amidst so many palpable errors, who shall lead us into truth? He that is our gracious Master, and our wonderful Counsellor. Dear sir, let us look unto him, that he may, according to his promise," guide us continually." Next to the holy word of God, let us study Marshall on Sanctification. For my part, I am never weary of reading that incomparable and most comfortable book.

Are you, dear sir, always thinking how good may be done? I say with David, "The Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of his servant!" 1 Chron. xxix. 18.

As the public service of our church is become such a formal lifeless thing, and as it is too generally executed by persons so dead to godliness in all their conversation, I question whether it will be operæ pretium to publish the exhortations to ministers, and to a devout attendance on the church service, which you propose. I should much rather see from your pen two or three lively and animating forms of morning and evening prayer, with clear and short directions how to pray aright, and a proper method of daily self-examination. This, printed in a halfpenny pamphlet, we might give away to any body, indeed to every body: And if one in twenty, or even one in fifty proved successful, our pains and expense would be abundantly recompensed. We should also hereby have some handle to lay hold on hypocritical, self-deceiving souls. We might say, Neighbour, have you got those prayers by heart? do you constantly use them, and examine yourself daily by those questions? Indeed, indeed, the exhortations you propose would only exasperate the clergy. It is dangerous to meddle with them or their proceedings. You are, I hope, in the way of duty, and that is the way of peace and safety. You may do much good, by dropping a word for Christ on proper occasions. You do not know how YOUR words are by the generality regarded; and it is impossible for tongue to tell how kindly our condescending Master will take the least attempts which proceed from the love of his name.

I intend soon to return Dr Watts on the Love of God. I wish it was reprinted. Pray did you ever read Dr Delaune's Sermons? he was president of St John's College, Oxford, and famed, I am told, for being a most accomplished gentleman. He really has more of the truth of the gospel in his twelve sermons, than in all the polite sermons I ever read in my life. For, my part, I set no store by our modern discourses; nay, I can hardly bear to read such insipid unevangelical harangues. Much rather