Then thy sad night of terrors past, (Though the dread season long may last), Zimmermannus, page 68. These lines within the brackets do not belong to Luther's hymn, but are used by Zimmermannus as an illustration of the preceding stanza. See page 74. [Loose from hard bonds, my God! a mind Quench thy long drought, my thirsty soul ! Diffusing balmy streams around.] Then Luther's hymn concludes with this eighth practical rule. VIII. Come, backward soul! to God resign; Peace, his best blessing, shall be thine : Boldly recumbent on his care, Cast thy felt burdens ONLY THERE. Zimmermannus, page 88. LETTER CLXXV. I MY DEAR FRIEND,-THIS morning I wrote to my bookseller, and therein told him, that I think he need not be much concerned at the scurrilous treatment which the reviewers have bestowed on my edition of Jenks's * Meditations. It will injure their own character, and lessen their own credit; not depreciate the works of that excellent man. do assure you, it gives me not the least concern. I do not covet reputation: I desire every day to be more and more dead to the honour that cometh of men. Yet it is my sincere opinion, that such very foul and very abusive language, would awaken in the generous reader a spirit of resentment. As a proof, I enclose a letter from Mr_P―, a very ingenious young clergyman, whom I some time ago mentioned to you under this character. The letter, I think, will do him as much honour as it does me: it is fit to appear in print; but I would on no account take any such freedom with a private epistle. I would not have our friend in London give himself any manner of trouble to prevent any future instances of this kind of benevolence from the reviewers. I depend not on their favour, but on him whom heaven, and earth, and hell obey; who constrained even Balaam to say, "How shall I curse whom the Lord hath not cursed?" We are all obliged to my dear friend for interesting himself in our behalf; but we desire him not to take the trouble of writing on Tuesday, because it will be too late. The little closes are to be put up for sale on Monday, and A--will, I suppose, outbid my brother; yet, if disappointed in this, blessed be God for a treasure in heaven that faileth not! an inheritance that is not perishable, but lasting as eter * See Mr Hervey's preface to this book, Vol. V. nity; not tarnished, but free from every circumstance of alloy; not fading, but always in the fullest freshest bloom of perfection, glory, and joy. Poor Mr H-—r, I am informed, has almost lost his sight, is extremely ill; his life, it is thought, will follow his sight. Lord, that he and we may see by faith the Lord's Christ! Blessed be God, in Christ all fulness dwells, all fulness of merit and righteousness, of grace and salvation; and this is for the unworthy, for sinners, "for whoever will;" therefore, for my dear friend, and for his ever affectionate, &c. LETTER CLXXVI. Weston-Favell, Monday morning. MY DEAR FRIEND,-I AM much obliged to you for your generous donation of thirty shillings to purchase five hundred of an Earnest Invitation to the Friends of the Established Church, &c.* I have put the money into the hands of one who loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity; and who will take care that the pamphlet is properly dispersed according to our desires. It is an excellent design: I daily beg of God to bless it; for what he vouchsafes to bless, will be blessed indeed. Enclosed I send you a form of prayer, founded on the plan laid down in the Earnest Invitation, &c. It was transmitted to me last night by a very pious clergyman, who I believe was himself the author of it. You may get one of your sons to transcribe it, if you have not leisure enough to do it yourself; and permit such serious persons to take copies as you think will make a proper use of it. I wish you that promise for your counsellor, which we read this morning at breakfast in Isaiah (chapter lviii. 11.) The Lord shall guide thee continually.” I am, my dear friend, ever yours, while, &c. * An Earnest Invitation to the Friends of the Established Church to join with several of their brethren, clergy and laity, in setting apart one hour in the Sunday of every week for prayer and supplication, especially during the present troublesome times. [A solemn act of confession and intercession, suited to the plan of those London clergy and other friends to the Established Church, as specified in the Earnest Invitation, &c. requesting all the well-disposed Christians (laity as well as clergy) throughout this nation, to join with them in a solemn act of humiliation for one hour every Sunday evening, viz. from eight of the clock till nine, on account of their own sins and the sins of this nation, especially during these calamitous times, viz. in 1757.] 1. O BLESSED LORD, let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be at this time acceptable in thy sight as the incense, and let this now lifting up of my hands be a sweet-smelling sacrifice! Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto thee. O most great and glorious God! just and terrible in thy judgments to all obstinate and rebellious sinners, but of infinite mercy to such as with true sorrow and hearty repentance turn unto thee; look down, I beseech thee, with mercy and compassion upon me, now presenting myself before thee, owning that I am not worthy so much as to lift up my eyes to the throne of thy glorious Majesty. O Lord, my sins are so many and so great, that it is owing to thy mercy alone that I have not been long since consumed, but yet have another opportunity of humbling myself before thee, and begging mercy for my own soul, who have so grievously sinned against thee. I confess, O Lord, what thou knowest already, but I confess it to manifest thy justice, and to glorify thy mercy, which has spared me so long: I confess and acknowledge, O Lord, that I brought a depraved and sinful nature into the world with me, from whence all my actual sins have flowed and proceeded, as im-pure streams from a polluted fountain. O blessed God, I beseech thee, for thy dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, to humble me, and that greatly, for this my original corruption! Lord, let me see it in the strongest light; and never give me rest and peace, till from my soul I cry out for, and rely upon, the unsinning obedience of my dear Redeemer Jesus Christ, and the assistance of the Spirit for deliverance be from it; and grant that this precious balm may my cure, and restore me again to the image of my God! O Lord, I have sinned against thee by wilful and actual sins; I have left undone those things which I ought to have done, and have done those things which I ought not to have done ;-particularly by such, and such a sin. [As it is taken for granted, that every one who uses this prayer has first of all strictly examined himself, and wrote down all the notorious sins, both of commission and omission, which he could recollect that he had been guilty of during the whole course of his life, it would here be proper for him to read over that catalogue of his offences very deliberately, that he may be deeply humbled, and truly penitent.] O blessed God, I can give but a wretched account of myself. I cannot remember, I fear, the ten thousandth part offences. Lord save, or 1 part of my perish; my crimes are intolerable and shameful, and my omissions as well as my commissions are innumerable. Oh, what shall I say unto thee, or what shall I do? Oh, thou preserver of men! I am so vile, that I cannot express it; so sinful, that I am hateful to myself, and much more abominable must I needs be in thy sight! Oh, I have sinned, I have sinned! my sins are grown shameful, and aggravated to amazement ! Lord! I can say no more; I am ashamed, I am confounded in thy presence! But yet, O God, thou art the healer of our breaches, and the lifter up of our head; and I must not, I dare not despair. Thou hast opened a fountain for sin and for uncleanness, and therefore I am sure thou delightest not in the death of a sinner; and though my sins are great and numberless, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore, yet they are infinitely less than thy mercies, which thou hast revealed to all penitent and returning sinners in Jesus Christ! For his sake, therefore, be pleased to look down into the dust, and lift up a poor helpless sinner from the dunghill! for Christ's sake, let me not perish in |