nities of doing it with the utmost propriety. Pray read this little pamphlet over and over again. Weigh it thoroughly. You will then, through the grace of God, be zealous in reproving others, and will readily pardon the freedom I have occasionally taken in reproving you whom I so much love and value. You remember Sir George Lyttleton's lines,

Some merit's mine to dare to be sincere,

But greater your's sincerity to bear.

Dr Sherlock's Defence and continuation of his discourse concerning the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and our union and communion with him, was put into my hands the other day; but, in my opinion, it is far from being a satisfactory defence. Antisozzo* is an unanswerable book; and Dr Sherlock never was so gravelled in all his life as he was by the publication of that witty, keen, and solid performance.

Do you know any one who has got Schmidius's Greek Concordance to the Greek Testament? I am told it is well executed, and it must be very serviceable, as it shows at one view in what sense the same word is used in different passages. I will buy it, but should be glad to see it first, if you can borrow it for me.

Bishop Patrick on Contentment and Resignation, I here return you; as likewise Dr Barrow on the same subject.

Baxter on Universal and Special Redemption I must beg to keep a little longer, especially as you tell me your sentiments and his are nearly the same. Our friend Mr highly esteems this book; and he has sent me Baxter's Aphorisms on Justification, which he has desired me, as they are explanatory of each other, to read at the same time. Baxter in these pieces, he tells me, steers a middle course between the Scylla of Arminius's system and the Charybdis of Calvin's. When I have read them with due attention, I shall, without reserve, communicate my remarks to you.

* See Letter CCVII.

Oh my dear friend, what need have we for prayer to be guided aright amidst so many different opinions, even of good and great men. Arminius, Calvin, Baxter, all excellent men in their way, yet how divided in their notions! But Jesus, that eternal source of love, will, I would charitably hope, bless all who sincerely desire to magnify his holy name, notwithstanding their different apprehensions on these points. God, of his unerring wisdom, assist us in all our determinations! God, of his infinite mercy, defend us from all error, and grant that we may be true followers of our Lord and Saviour, who is " a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel!" What a comfortable consideration is it, that there is such a light for my dear friend, and for his, most affectionately and most inviolably, &c.

LETTER CXCIV.

--

Wednesday morning.

MY DEAR FRIEND, I THANK you for remembering me before the throne of grace. Let your prayers be for my cheerful resignation to the divine good pleasure, and for clear manifestations to me of Jesus Christ. My life has long been a burden to myself, and is now become unprofitable to others. Your intention to visit me is kind; but I am not fit for company, unable either to carry on or relish conversation; best when alone: therefore do not give yourself the trouble of coming ten miles. I accept the will for the deed. As to your translation of Zimmermannus De eminentia cognitionis Christi, I will, if my languid spirits can bear the task, carefully read it over, which I have never been able to do since I saw you in London. I lent it to Mr When he has done with it, desire him to convey it to me: you shall then have (if the Lord will) the result of my renewed perusal of that piece, which I formerly was so desirous of having translated by you. May the Lord of all power make you strong to labour

in his sacred service, and crown your labours with abundant success. I am your truly affectionate brother in Christ, &c.

LETTER CXCV.

Saturday morning.

MY DEAR FRIEND, I HAVE no heart to take any medicines. All but Christ is to me unprofitable: blessed be God for pardon and salvation through his blood. Let me prescribe this cordial for my dear friend.

May your health be renewed as the eagle's, though mine has long been fading as a leaf! and may we both from our hearts adore the dispensations of our God and Saviour, which, though to us-ward very different, are in all respects very good.

We were drinking tea yesterday; and I heard one of the company say, to whom you had given Bishop Wilson on the Sacrament, This is Dr S's gift. Oh that God may give him to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ! and to live by faith on the unsearchable riches of a Redeemer! Then we shall, ere long, eat bread and drink new wine together in the kingdom of our Father.

I have not yet wrote to Biddeford; but the affair you desired me to inquire about shall not be forgot when I next write thither. Can you excuse my dilatory proceeding? Business, to my languid spirits, is like the sons of Anak (Numb. xiii. 28.) to the Israelitish spies, so forbidding and so formidable.

The reasons you urged I have considered; I really know not how to act. May the unerring God vouchsafe to guide a poor sinner! Now, where is my faith in that divine promise, "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths?" It is scarcely so much as a grain of the smallest seed: Blessed Jesus, increase it in us both!

Do you, as you formerly did, commit your way

unto the Lord, and beseech him to bring it to pass ? My dear friend, let us look more unto God, for we have a Friend in the court of Heaven; we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Ever and inviolably yours, &c.

LETTER CXCVI.

Weston-Favell, Jan. 3. 1758. DEAR MR I RECEIVED your welcome valuable letter in due time; but almost as soon as I received it I was seized with a violent illness,-so violent, that the current report was, "Hervey is dead." Near to death I certainly was; and God Almighty knows I am, according to human appearance, not far from it even now; but pray let me, if I live, expect the continuation of your remarks. Your letters are such as I should delight to read even in my last moments.

I wish you many a happy new year on earth, and at the last an abundant entrance into the New Jerusalem, where the voice of joy and health is perpetually heard.

Weak I am, very weak, and much out of order; insomuch that I have not been able to go to church ever since Christmas. But your writings refresh and delight, instead of fatiguing me! Your fourth paragraph has most exactly stated the difference which subsists between yourself and Aspasio relating to faith. The forbearance and candour with which you treat this difference does not give up a jot or tittle of your own opinion, yet it tends very much to conciliate favour and esteem in its behalf.

Your Vision is very grand, and quite striking: I love such strokes of imagination, they keep attention awake, and impart pleasure together with profit. Aspasio is doubly obliged to your pen, formerly for correcting, now for defending his work. You observe, My enemy is yours. He has attacked your * Mr Hervey died the December following.

generous vindication. In reply to this attack you have spoke my very sentiments."

Mr Wesley, you will find, is angry with me on the opposite score, for speaking too much, and, as he thinks, too openly on the side of election and particular redemption. Pray favour me with your free opinion, and wherever you think he charges me justly, or I have expressed myself improperly, spare not to speak the naked truth. He has lately published a large book, price six shillings stitched, on the doctrine of Original Sin; great part of which is an abridgment of Dr Watts' Ruin and Recovery, and of another treatise wrote by Mr Hebden. In this he takes occasion to quote two or three passages from Theron and Aspasio, one from Volume II. which he thus introduces: "To explain this a little farther in Mr Hervey's words, By fœderal head I mean, what the apostle teaches, &c. That as Adam was the first general representative (of this kind, says Aspasio, but Mr Wesley_makes him say) of mankind, Christ was," &c. "Far from resting upon a single text," &c. he goes on to the bottom of the page, then turning back to the upper part, represents me as forming a conclusion in these words: "All these expressions demonstrate, that Adam (as well as Christ) was a representative of all mankind; and that what he did in this capacity, did not terminate in himself, but affected all whom he represented." This is a very injurious representation. One sentence is a palpable misquotation. † Would it be proper to take any notice of it? I am sometimes apprehensive that he would draw me into a dispute about particular redemption. I know he can say startling and horrid things on this subject; and this, perhaps, might be the most effectual method to prejudice people against my principal point. I am, dear sir, with much gratitude and true affection, yours in Christ.

* This refers to the remarks (made by the gentleman to whom Mr Hervey here writes) on the Scotch author (Mr Sandeman) who wrote the Letters on Theron and Aspasio.

+ See Aspasio Vindicated, Vol. IV. Lett. 2.