it would rejoice to be a remembrancer of its most amiable Creator. The prophet calls upon the whole creation, inanimate as it is, to exult and triumph in the grace of our incarnate God. "Sing, O heavens; be joyful, O earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains; O forests, and every tree," whether cultivated or wild; " for the Lord," by his incarnation, blood, and righteousness, "has redeemed Israel, and glorified himself," most magnificently displayed all his divine perfections, IN the salvation of JACOB.

I heartily wish that Mrs may become, every day, more and more acquainted with the Rose of SHARON; that his loveliness, riches, and glory, may be revealed in her heart by the Holy Ghost. Happy the souls in which this flower of heaven blossoms! which are charmed with its beauty, and refreshed with its odours. Their happiness will not fade as a leaf, but like the merit and mercy of their Lord, will be new every morning, new every moment, new through eternal ages.

I wish I could gratify your benevolent temper, by giving you a comfortable account of my health. But nothing administered for its succour and restoration succeeds. It seems to be the will of our great Physician, that my strength should be labour and sorrow. May his holy will be done! only may my faith in his blood be strong, and my love of his name be warm. Then I shall meet you, ere long, amidst the innumerable company of angels, and no more complain," My head, my head;" no more say,

sick."

"I am

How shall I recompense my generous doctor, for prescribing without a fee? By wishing, that he may never want the aid which he so kindly tenders to his affectionate friend and brother in Christ, &c.

LETTER CLXXXV.

DEAR SIR,-UPON a repeated review of your sketches for instructing your family on Sunday evenings, I really do not know how to improve them.

I

think they are well digested; but when you exercise your talent in speaking from those sketches, do not forget to implore a blessing on what you are going about. Stir up the gift of God which is in you by a zealous use of them, and you yourself will improve them better than I can for you. I shall only suggest, that as soon as you have finished, set down, as fresh heads for another occasion, what new thoughts occurred to you while you was speaking. Oh let us work while the day lasts! My dear friend, the Judge is at the door, and eternity at hand. May we watch and pray always, that we may be found worthy to stand before the Son of man at his coming.

I enclose part of a letter, sent by a clever man and no mean scholar.

"This with infinite pleasure I can inform you, that I am now brought to a sense of my duty, to which I was an entire stranger till lately. Glory be to God, I have now some concern upon my mind, some serious thoughts of a future state! How amazing is it, that a person should arrive at my years, without knowing any thing of the religion he professes! strange as it is, this was my case; for, till within these six months, I was as much in the dark as to spiritual affairs, as one that had never heard the name of Christ. The Bible was to me the same as an unknown language, and all my pretences to religion were nothing but a mere lifeless formality. Oh that the inexpressible marks of the love of my God and his goodness to me, may increase the love I owe to him more and more every day!"

Our friend Mr H, who you know is a great favourer of the mystic writers, has desired me to read Mr Law's Spirit of Prayer, and Spirit of Love, which is an appendix to it. I shall ask him, whether he designed it to puzzle or edify me? I am sure it has done the first to me; may it do the latter to him. Oh, what need have we to pray for that blessed Spirit which may lead us into all truth!

I begin to be weaned from human writings, even from the most applauded. The pure milk of the

divine word my soul covets. Do not you relish its sweetness, and taste its power more and more? The apostle enjoins us "in every thing to give thanks, for this is the will of God," 1 Thess. v. 18.; and if we are to thank him for every thing, how ought we to thank him, how can we sufficiently thank him, for such a treasury of blessings as the Holy Bible contains for us; and yet, is it credible? there are, there are those, who neglect these gracious tidings of a reconciliation with God, through the mediation of his own Son Jesus Christ.

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But whatever be the conduct of others, let you and I, dear sir, esteem it as it deserves, and say with the Psalmist, "I will delight myself in thy statutes, I will not forget thy word. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, so shall I talk of thy wondrous works." David, you see, prayed to God for illumination, and talked of divine things. That this may be accomplished in us, and that we may follow David's example, I dare say you will add an amen, to the amen of, dear sir, yours very sincerely.

P. S.-I am told, and grieved I am to hear it, that the once zealous Mr. is grown quite indolent, (no very laudable character for a clergyman), and has entirely laid aside his translation and improvement of the elegant Dr Stearne, De visitatione infirmorum. He shewed me a specimen of it some months ago. The translation was spirited, and the notes well calculated to supply the author's deficiencies. Nothing perhaps is more wanted, or would be more useful (especially to the clergy), than a judicious treatise on visiting the sick, in a neat pocket volume; but I am sensible there is nothing equally difficult to execute. I never yet saw one to my mind. The Clergyman's Companion, as it is called, is little more than a collection of prayers, with the order of visitation of the sick, out of the common prayer, the communion service, and the office of public and private baptism. If, methinks, such a man as Mr Walker of Truro could find time to set about it, it would be

}

done effectually, because he is a most experienced Christian, and has long been accustomed to the chambers of the sick, and would write from facts, and his own knowledge of the human mind. I would not give a rush for a jumble compiled from different authors: That is the labour of the head, and not the feeling of the heart, and can never produce the effects I wish to see.

LETTER CLXXXVI.

Weston-Favell, Jan. 8. 1757. DEAR SIR, MANY thanks for your last letter; indeed it delighted and edified me. Think no more of making me any present from your collection of books. It is in your power to give me a greater gratification, from the good treasure of your heart.

I am particularly delighted with your interpretation of "LCU ATH TZDC." Your sense is grand, and inexpressibly important; and, without your sense, methinks the whole translation is like a magnificent portal, without a hinge to turn upon. I am edified and comforted with your analysis of the whole verse. A most encouraging, and truly evangelical representation of the covenant of grace! I am sorry you are diverted from enlarging upon so excellent a subject. Let this work not be laid aside, but only postponed.

I am much pleased with your remarks on Dr's sermon. I saw it some time ago, and thought with you, that he entirely mistook the meaning of his text; that his views of the gospel were very dim, and his account of that miracle of grace, salvation by Christ, very lame. I had also the happiness to be thoroughly of your opinion with regard to his injudicious outcries against reason. I declare, I look upon my religion to be reason in its highest refinement. My reason says, "Prove all things; admit nothing without a satisfactory proof; and when any thing is proved to be revealed by God, receive it as an oracle."

I cannot but think likewise, that every part of our religion (though absolutely undiscoverable by reason) is, when discovered and understood, perfectly rational; as it comports with the attributes of the Godhead, suits the state of man, and is most admirably adapted to display the divine glory, and redress human misery. Whatever is formed with such a tendency, to this my reason most readily subscribes, and pronounces worthy of all acceptance.

I hope by the time of the arrival of the enclosed frank, you will have a freight ready for the vessel; and to me, I assure you, it will be more precious than the merchandise of silver, or the gain of fine gold.

You have taken an effectual method to make me (enervated as my arm is, and languid as my spirits are) more punctual for the future in my correspondence. If this hand hath strength to hold a pen, it shall not be tardy in executing this office, or rather in discharging this debt any more.

I am entirely of your opinion with regard to the aspect of the times; there seems to be a black cloud hanging over the Protestant world. I fear we have abused our privileges. Now, perhaps, the Lord is going to take his fan in his hand, and thoroughly purge his floor. Prepare us, blessed Jesus! be our strength in an hour of trial! be our light in a day of darkness!

I have had some thoughts of publishing a couple of sermons, preached on the two preceding fast-days, relative to this important point; one upon Ezek. xviii. 27. the other upon Heb. xi. 28. Of these two discourses, contrary to my usual method, I happened to take notes. They pretend to nothing refined or extraordinary; they affect neither soaring sentiments nor lofty style; they are studiously plain; only I think they enlarge more upon Christ our sanctification, our redemption, our only refuge, than most of the discourses which I have seen written on that occasion. Will you give me your advice, and put up a prayer for the divine direction?