proposing to your consideration what now occurs to my thoughts. The enclosed queries I submit entirely to your judgment, and from your determination shall make no appeal.

I have read Elihu; and very much admire his zeal for that most comfortable doctrine, the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ imputed to sinners for their justification. I highly honour also his distinguished veneration for that incomparably excellent book the Bible. Surely his works will be a means of causing the study of those λoya Cara to revive. Do not you think the style is masculine, and the manner enlivened? As to the Hutchinsonian peculiarities, I do not pretend to be a competent judge, and dare not peremptorily condemn them. Yet they seem to be so very finely spun, and to have so large an alloy of fancy, that I know not how to admit them for sterling truth. I am truly concerned to hear of Mr's and his lady's illness. Dear sir, what a fading flower is health, and what an expiring vapour is life! May you, be an instrument of bringing souls to the knowledge of the adorable God, and to the faith of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; then they will, in another state of things, possess a vigour that is subject to no decay, and enjoy that life that knows no end. I am, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate friend, &c..

P. S.-Is "lively oracles" an exact translation of the above-mentioned Greek clause?

LETTER XCI.

London, March 28. 1751.MY DEAR FRIEND,-You depend, you say, upon my promise: and see how readily it is performed. And if you depend on the execution of a promise from a frail, frail creature; will you not much more expect accomplishment of promises, made by that adorable Being "whose counsels of old are faithfulness and truth?" O, that we may not dishonour

God's goodness, disparage his veracity, and depreciate his dear Son's unspeakable merits, by unbelief, base, vile, destructive unbelief!

I have not an opportunity of communicating your news to our dear friend. He has left London. It is not known when he will return. He is not expected till some months are expired; and who knows how many may be gone into eternity before that period is arrived!

You ask how it fares with my health? You may remember, that I have more than once answered such an inquiry with silence; for I do not like to be upon the complaining string, and I cannot say my health is either restored or improved. When your letter came (not till Tuesday about five o'clock) it found me in a state of extreme languor. I had written nothing, done nothing since dinner. Though I took up an easy and entertaining book, I was obliged to lay it down again. Thus I spend, rather thus I lose, many hours: so that between intervening company, and debility of spirits, I make but a very slow, scarce any progress in my intended work.

I have no news, though at the great mart of intelligence. My sister is safely delivered of a son; which puts one in mind of the glorious piece of news, celebrated by the angels, and foretold with a rapturous delight by the prophet, " To us a Child is born; to us a Son is given. His name shall be the Mighty God;" and yet his office shall be, to bear our sins in his own body on the tree. May this news be ever sounding in the ears, and ever operative on the hearts of my dear friend, and of his ever affectionate, &c.

LETTER XCII.

Tottenham, May 30. 1751. MY DEAR FRIEND,-I AM now at my brother's country house. Pray who is Mr, the writer of the letter enclosed in yours? He asks me to get him a curacy; little aware that I am but a curate myself.

I believe the world has a notion, that I am a dignified, or a beneficed man at least. Dear sir, may it be your benefice and mine to do good to souls! and our highest dignity to glorify the ever-blessed Redeemer! who for our sake had not where to lay his head, till he was numbered with the transgressors, and laid in the silent grave.

I hope your health is established; and how does your soul prosper? Do not you delight to think of, to talk of, to have communion with, that wonderful, that amiable Being, whom to know is wisdom, whom to enjoy is happiness; happiness, not to be described by words, only to be understood by experience? Oh that we may follow on to know him! Then we have a promise; a promise more stable than the foundations of nature, that our "labour shall not be in vain in the Lord." Gold has no value, and diamonds lose their lustre, when compared with those unsearchable riches of Christ, which Mr so largely enjoys himself, and so freely offers to others. His ministry is signally owned by his condescending and almighty Master. Many, I am told, of the superior, as well as lower orders in life, attend his ministry. And if there be efficacy in united prayers; if there be zeal in the Lord God of Hosts, for the honour of his dear Son; if there be faithfulness and compassion in our exalted Saviour, his labours will, they will be blessed. May they, every day, every hour, be blessed more abundantly! Most cordially yours, &c.

LETTER XCIII.

Tottenham, July 2. 1751. MY DEAR FRIEND, I HOPE you have done with Mr: I hope your house is sufficiently ornamented. I think it is rather overstocked with decorations. Now let us be good stewards of Jesus Christ; employ what we can spare for the honour of his blessed name, and comfort of his indigent people. "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive riches as well as blessings and praise."

Pray do not mention me to Mrs -. Though I honour and compassionate her, I am not fit to visit her, nor qualified to edify her. This is with me the trying season of the year, and my animal nature is all relaxation. O that I may be strong in faith! that precious faith, that "where sin hath abounded, grace will much more abound."

Do not you sometimes see our dear friend? I find he has been at Bristol lately, to distribute, I do not doubt, the waters of life, far more precious and healing than the waters of that medicinal spring. Let us do likewise. "For yet a very, very little while (xgovorov orey) and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry." Then opportunities of spiritual and bodily charity cease for ever.

I believe it is four months since I heard from Mr How precarious human interchanges of kindness! what a blessing that the way to heaven is always open! Whenever we will, we may have access to God through the blood of his Son. And "he never faileth them that seek him."

How does Mr. go on? Do not you sometimes stir up the embers in his heart, if so be the coals may glow, and the fire at length burn? I hope your conversation is blessed to Mrs Glad to find she

admits Mrs — to her company; a godly sensible woman, who understands, relishes, talks savourily and intelligently on the truths of the gospel: Is discreet likewise; knows how to keep a becoming distance, and will not make a wrong, an assuming use of a lady's condescension. May the God of heaven bless them both, and give them to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And what I pray for them, I pray for my dear friend. Ever yours, &c.

LETTER XCIV.

Tottenham, July 14. 1751.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-I am sorry to hear your ac

count of Mr

See what snares are around us.

How the devil endeavours to obstruct our usefulness, by blemishing our credit. May the ministers of Christ be upright and undefiled in the way! or else they will not be able to reprove and exhort with all (no, nor with any) authority. The God of power and faithfulness says of his church, says of his people, "I the Lord keep it, I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it: I will preserve it night and day," Isa. xxvii. 3. May this promise be our shield! be fulfilled to us evermore! Do not you go on, my dear friend, to lay up these precious pledges of heaven in your memory, and enrich your heart from them by frequent meditation? They are the seed of faith. By these we are to be "made partakers of the divine nature!" Partakers of the divine nature! volumes cannot explain what is comprised in those few words. May we know what they mean, by happy, happy experience!

I pity poor Mr-, knowing what it is to be in a state of languishing. Ah! ah! my dear sir, lay up a stock of comfort, get your graces lively, while animal nature blooms. When the blast of sickness smites, and our strength becomes labour and sorrow, how miserable must be our condition without an interest, an established interest, in the all-glorious Redeemer !

Why do you cherish distrustful thoughts of the blessed God? Is he not boundless goodness? Is not his goodness greater than the heavens? Does not his mercy, that lovely attribute, endure for ever? All the kindness of the most endeared relations, compared with the tender compassions of a God in Christ, are no better than cruelty itself. Read the last chapter of Hosea. "Hide it within your heart." Turn it into prayer to the King of heaven; and I hope it will be to your soul as the dawning-day after a darksome night.

Our dear friend has met with uncommon favour and acceptance. Excellent man! How does he work while it is day! How sweet to such a labourer will