of them all. They are my redeemed ones; they are bought with my blood; I cannot lose my purchase: if they are not saved, I am not glorified.

Such sweet truths, sent home upon the poor soul, must be very comfortable and restorative to the drooping sinner; more refreshing and gladdening to the conscience, than the feathers of the hen are to her feeble starving brood.

Upon the whole, let us imitate the chickens, by trusting in Jesus for all we want or wish; let us lean upon our Beloved in all our progress through this wilderness; expect to be furnished entirely out of his fulness; look for protection from his almighty arm; depend upon provision from his inexhaustible treasures; and for comfort, from a growing sense of our interest in him.

Let this be the habitual language of our hearts. Blessed Lord, I am weak and wretched, surrounded by a multitude of dangers, and defiled by a thousand corruptions; O defend me by thy eternal power. Let thy almighty arm be over me; let thy Holy Spirit be ever with me; never leave me to my enemies; never give me up to my own blindness and impotency, for I flee unto thee to hide me; on thee I depend to break every snare of temptation that endangers me from without, to mortify every seed of corruption that pollutes me from within. I am poor and needy, blessed Jesus, do thou provide for me. Since I must one day give an account of myself to God, let thy blood wash away my guilt, and drown all my transgressions. Since I must, ere long, stand before him whose eyes are as a burning fire, O clothe me with the robes of thy righteousness, the garments of salvation, that I may be holy and blameless in his sight! Since I must quickly die out of this miserable world, provide me an entrance into thine own everlasting kingdom; and while I continue in this world, provide me with grace sufficient for me, that I may live like thine elect, and adorn the gospel of God my Saviour.

I am often distressed; misgiving thoughts, and anguish of mind, make me hang down my head like a bulrush. Through fear of death, and dread of eternal judgment, my joints are sometimes ready to smite one against another; but, O holy and most merciful Saviour! be thou my support. Pour the oil of gladness into my inner man; give me the joy of thy salvation: the law condemns me, but do thou justify me; my own conscience writes bitter things against me, but do thou whisper to my soul, Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. The roaring lion often terrifies me; but, O thou good and faithful Shepherd! let thyself comfort me. Let me know and feel that I am thine, and then nothing shall pluck me out of thy hands.

This was wrote before my late illness. You see from hence, that you my friends at Biddeford have been on my thoughts, though they have not of late been addressed by way of letter; and I shall always pray, that whether we are sick or in health, the Lord Jesus Christ may be the strength of our hearts, and our portion for ever.-I am, &c.

DEAR

LETTER XX.

It is our duty continually to sing hosannah to the King of Israel, who treadeth all enemies under his feet. He can tread them down like clay in the streets, or cast them out as lightning from heaven. Nothing is impossible to him: they who know Christ's faithfulness and truth, will put their trust in him; they will hang upon him every moment, as the feeble child in the arms of the indulgent mother, for grace to strengthen and enable them to withstand the devices of that enemy of souls, who is seeking every moment to destroy the weak believer, the babe in Christ. Satan says, with that wicked one in Exodus, I will pursue them with inconceivable malice and rage; I will overtake and tear them in pieces like a lion; I will lay ten thousand snares in

their way, and, if it be possible, bring them under the dominion of sin, and after that into the damnation of hell. The believer replies, Thou wouldest effect this, O thou enemy of all godliness, I know thou wouldest effect this with as much ease as a feather is borne down by a sweeping whirlwind, was I left a moment to myself; but my strength do I ascribe unto my incarnate God. The blessed Jesus has undertaken for my security; he watches over me every moment, and nothing can pluck me out of his hands. He hath said (who shall disannul it?) that sin shall not have dominion over me: he will preserve me by his almighty power unto salvation. Let all my adversaries know assuredly, that my safety is not in myself. But as the hills stand round about Jerusalem, even so standeth the Lord round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.

Whoever attempts the ruin of a soul that is staid on Jesus, must wrench the sovereignty from the hand of Omnipotence, and cause unshaken faithfulness to fail. So long as all things in heaven and earth, and under the earth, do bow, and obey the Lamb that was slain; so long as Christ is a God unchangeable and faithful, that cannot lie, so long shall a poor feeble worm, that trusts in him, be secure from apostasy and perdition. O the blessings, the comforts, that spring from a right knowledge of Jesus! Richer blessings I cannot wish! greater treasures I cannot enjoy nor possess! This, this alone, is that knowledge which St Paul valued above all other accomplishments or acquirements; in comparison of which he counted all things else no better than dross or dung. O let my dear Biddeford friends beg of the Father of lights to send out the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that I may be filled with the knowledge of him, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; and, in return, both they and you, my friends, may be assured of the most hearty and repeated prayers of your sincere friend, &c.

LETTER XXI.

Weston-Favell, Nov. 16. 1745.

SIR, IT is not easy to express the satisfaction I received from your agreeable and useful conversation this afternoon. I rejoice to find that there are gentlemen of genius, learning, and politeness, who dare profess a supreme value for the Scriptures, and are not ashamed of the cross of Christ. I congratulate you, dear sir, on this occasion; and cannot but look on a mind so principled, and a heart so disposed, as a very choice and distinguishing part of your happiness. Was I to frame a wish for the dearest and most valued friend on earth, I would earnestly desire that he might grow daily in this grace, and increase in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And when my pen begs leave to assure you, that this is my unfeigned wish for, it only transcribes what is deeply written on my heart.

This brings the dedication and the preface, which are to introduce a little essay, entitled Meditations among the Tombs, and Reflections on a Flower-Garden, in two letters to a lady. I hope, sir, in consequence of your kind promise, you will please to peruse them with the file in your hand. The severity of the critic, and the kindness of the friend, in this case will be inseparable. The evangelical strain, I believe, must be preserved; because, otherwise, the introductory thoughts will not harmonize with the subsequent; the porch will be unsuitable to the building. But if you perceive any meanness of expression, any quaintness of sentiment, or any other impropriety and inelegance, I shall acknowledge it as a very singular favour, if you will be so good as to discover and correct such blemishes.

I hope, sir, my end in venturing to publish is an hearty desire to serve, in some little degree, the interests of Christianity, by endeavouring to set some of its most important truths in a light that may both

entertain and edify. As I profess this view, I am certain your affectionate regard for the most excellent religion imaginable will incline you to be concerned for the issue of such an attempt, and therefore to contribute to its success, both by bestowing your animadversions upon these small parts, and by speaking of the whole (when it shall come abroad) with all that candour which is natural to the Christian, and will be so greatly needed by this new adventurer in letters, who is, &c.

LETTER XXII.

Weston-Favell, Nov. 19. 1745. DEAR SIR, I CANNOT forbear making my grateful acknowledgments for your most obliging letter. You could not possibly have imagined any thing more agreeable to my inclination, than the proposal you are pleased to make of admitting me to your acquaintance and conversation. I accept your kind offer, sir, with thankfulness, with joy; and shall most gladly cultivate a friendship, which is not only perfectly innocent, but remarkably elegant and improving; especially, since you are pleased to permit the discourse to turn upon those points, which it is my duty to study, and my delight to contemplate. Nor shall I forget how much I am indebted to your condescension for this favour; but shall always bear a respectful sense of the distinguished rank and superior abilities of my worthy friend.

Indeed, I am particularly delighted with such interviews as serve to enlarge our knowledge, and refine our affections; such as have an apparent tendency to render us more useful in our present stations, and to ripen us for future happiness; such was that which I lately enjoyed in your company. This is a feast of reason, a feast of truth; and I must own, has charms for me, infinitely superior to all the impertinent amusements of modish chat, or the mean gratifications of the bottle.