labourers into his vineyard. As God has inclined your heart to the work, as he has given you so clear a knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and stirred you up to be zealous for the interests of a bleeding Saviour; I assure you, if the king would make me a bishop, one of the first acts of my episcopal office should be to ordain the author of Sunday Thoughts. I hope the Lord will guide you with his Spirit, will commission you to feed his flock, and make you a chosen instrument of bringing many sinners to Christ, many sons unto glory. Pray do not think your letters are troublesome; they are always pleasing, always cheering to, dear sir, your very sincere, and truly affectionate friend, &c.

LETTER LXII.

MY DEAR FRIEND, sent me some time ago your translation of Zimmermannus. I was so engaged in urgent business, that I really had not leisure, and so oppressed with bodily weakness, that I had not ability to undertake the office of comparing it with the original. I added my solicitation to yours, and pressed to revise, and, if need be, correct the manuscript; and I would beg of you, my dear friend, not to be hasty in publishing. In this affair, I am for following the example of Fabius, Cunctando restituit rem.

If I have not been punctual in answering your letter, ascribe it to the usual, which is indeed the true cause; I mean, to a failure of strength, and languor of spirits, which both disincline and disqualify me for every thing. The winter has made me a prisoner. I have not been any farther than the church these two months. May you and all the ministers of the blessed Jesus be anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power! May you, in imitation of our divine Master, go about doing much spiritual good, and shedding abroad the savour of his most precious name. O that I had strength! I would then pray earnestly that I might go and do likewise.

Since it is represented that I have engaged to preface the translation of Zimmermannus, I will not balk the expectations of my valued friend, though I assure you I shall address myself to it with some trepidation; sensible that it will carry too assuming an air, and seem as though, from being an obliged author, I should take upon me to act as dictator, and direct the public in their choice of books.Yours affectionately, &c.

LETTER LXIII.

MY DEAR FRIEND, I RECEIVED your letter; am sorry to hear you have been ill, heartily wish you a re-establishment of your health, and shall be glad, when it suits your inclination and conveniency, to see you at Weston.

I am glad you are beginning to catechize your children. I hope you will be enabled to feed Christ's lambs, and dispense to them the milk of the word, as they may be able to bear it. Indeed you apply to a wrong person for advice. I make some efforts, it is true, to discharge this duty, but not to my own satisfaction; and great will be the glory of divine grace, if it is to the edification of my people. My time for catechizing is during the summer; when the days are long, and the weather is warm. But I think you do right to conform to the usual custom of catechizing in Lent.

My method is to ask easy questions, and teach the children very short and easy answers. The Lord's prayer was the last subject of our explanation. In some such manner I proceeded:-Why is this prayer called the Lord's prayer? Because our Lord Jesus Christ taught it us. Why is Christ called our Lord? Because he bought us with his blood. Why does he teach us to call God Father? That we may go to him as children to a father. How do children go to a Father? With faith, not doubting but he will give them what they want. Why our Father in

heaven? That we may pray to him with reverence. What is meant by God's name? God himself and all his perfections. What by hallowed? That he may be honoured and glorified. How is God to be honoured? In our hearts, with our tongues, and by our lives, &c. &c.

On each question I endeavour to comprehend, not all that may be said, but that only which may be most level to their capacities, and is most necessary for them to know. The answer to each question I explain in the most familiar manner possible; such a manner, as a polite hearer might perhaps treat with the most sovereign contempt. Little similes I use, that are quite low, fetched non ex academia, sed e trivio. In every explanation I would be short, but repeat it again and again. Tautology, in this case, is the true propriety of speaking: and to our little auditors, the crambe repetita will be better than all the graces of eloquence.

I propose to explain to them principally the creed, the Lord's prayer, and the commandments. What relates to the two sacraments, at present, I do not attempt to set before them; let them first have some tolerable notion of the former. I fancy you had better proceed in the same method. If I know your sentiments about baptism aright, with which our catechism begins, I should apprehend it would be most prudent to go immediately to the great fundamentals. However, pray to the Lord, whose work you work; and he who is all-wise will direct you, he who is allpowerful will prosper you. Pray give my very af fectionate compliments to Through the everlasting righteousness of our Redeemer, I hope to meet them in the world of glory; and there he that is feeble will be as David. Yours sincerely, &c.

LETTER LXIV.

Weston-Favell, April 5. 1750.

DEAR SIR, WHEN. you meditate on Hosea "My people are destroyed for

iv. 6, 7. [namely,

lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me; therefore will I change their glory into shame;"] when, I say, you meditate on this terrifying text, compare it with Hosea xi. 8, 9.; xiii. 9. 12.; xiv. 1, 2. [namely, "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not man, the Holy One in the midst of thee,"] Hosea xi. 8, 9.

In the next passage, Christ shews the only remedy for our misery; [namely, "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in ME is thine help. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his sin is hid,”] Hosea xiii. 9. 12.

In the last passage is prescribed the method of applying the remedy to your own soul, [namely, "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord; say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips,"] (or spiritual sacrifices of the heart, not calves with horns and hoofs), Hosea xiv. 1, 2.

Pray take these texts into frequent consideration, or else you will do a THREEFOLD injury, viz. to the divine mercies; to the Redeemer's merits; to your own comfort.

Be it that guilt is great; yet, is it boundless? is it infinite like the kindness of God through Christ? Remember what message our Lord sent to Peter after his fall; what offers he made at Jerusalem after it had murdered the Prince of peace; how eminently useful and happy he made David, after the commis

sion of enormous crimes. He is the same gracious, long-suffering, sin-forgiving God, to-day, yesterday, and for ever.

Beware, dear sir, that you add not unbelief (the greatest of sins, the most provoking of sins, the most destructive of sins) to all your other offences. We have trampled upon the divine laws, and defiled our own souls; but let us not charge the divine declaration with FALSEHOOD, let us not make God a LIAR. I am sure God loves you, and Christ intercedes for you; else whence this searching of your heart, this acknowledgment of guilt, this self-condemnation, and thirst after pardoning and sanctifying grace.

Another proof, to me a very evident and pregnant proof, that the blessed God has a very tender and particular concern for your eternal welfare, is his disconcerting your schemes; than which nothing, I think, could be more effectually calculated to waft you along the smooth stream of insensibility and pleasure into the pit of perdition.

Let this, though a thorn in the flesh, be a token for good. He that has begun to rescue you will accomplish his gracious purpose. Ere long I trust this new song will be put into your mouth," The snare is broken, and I am delivered," Psal. cxxiv. 7. Be of good comfort, dear sir, for with the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption, Psal. cxxx. 7.

Read by way of consolation Manasseh's humiliation, 2 Chron. xxxiii. 12, 13. And see likewise God's gracious dealings, even with Rehoboam himself, 2 Chron. xii. 6, 7.

Do not indulge dispiriting ideas, or have hard thoughts of the God of everlasting compassion: Oh how weak is our faith! Read and study well that excellent and comfortable little tract, Liborius* Zimmermannus de eminentia cognitionis Christi. Converse with some experienced Christians, and remember what our blessed Saviour has promised, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there

* See Letter LXXII.