My dear Madam,

LETTER XXI.

Molling. June 25, 1810.

I AM this night fitting up with my poor dear friend; and fecing him fleep rather comfortably, I feel an inclination of transmitting to Cricklewood what I have penned down of his fayings. But I must first inform my dear friends, what doubtless they expect to hear, that he daily gets weaker in body; but it is evident enough, that God is the ftrength of his heart, and his portion for ever. It would I am fure aftonish you not a little to see the brightness of his countenance at certain times; he has fuch a sweet heavenly smile, that it is really wonderful to observe, when we confider how excruciating his fufferings are. One night, indeed, he could not refrain from laughing; and when I observed that I was glad to see him laugh, because it was what I had not seen lately: he replied, "Oh, my dear, the Lord has made me to laugh; and I fhall laugh more by and by, and all that hear of me will laugh too." The following are fentences that have, from time to time, been dropped by him. "I feel that my time in this world is draw

ing to a conclufion; and that I am very near the grave, where I fhall be at reft, because God has made it an eafy bed for me. Bleffed be his holy name, how gently does he deal with me; he makes me willing by little and little to leave this wretched world, yea, defirous too, left I should live to dishonour him. A few more conflicts, and then farewel, O world! I never found any thing in thee but evil, and nothing fo evil as myself; I shall however soon leave it all, and go to my own country, and to my Father's house too. Yes, bleffed Saviour, I fhall foon come to thee; the paffage I expect will be sharp, but I fhall fafely cross the river, and fing thy praifes on Canaan's fhore. Many are the lies that the father of lies has brought to me; he has many times told me that I fhould die in black despair, and blafpheme God on my death-bed." "But that can never be, Sir," faid a friend who ftood by. "O no," said he, "it is over with Satan now; the prey is taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive is delivered. The good Shepherd has delivered me out of the mouth of the lion and the paw of the bear. My dear Ann, never cease to report, especially to the good Doctor, what Jefus has done for me; he has made my poor, weak, ftaggering foul as firm as a rock; thanks be to him that he has made me to feel his rod, humbled me under it, and ftubborn heart.

and broken my proud How kind he is to me,

bless his holy name! how does the great Jehovah condescend to honour a poor vile worm of the earth; furely there never was any thingto equal it. There is not much of me left it is true; the lion of the bottomlefs pit has almost devoured me; only two legs and a piece of an ear; but that was quite fufficient for the good Shepherd to lay hold of, and to rescue me, thanks be to him for And I fhall fing his praises to all Shall I be a pillar in his house? Such were some of you, fays

evermore.

eternity! why not!

the apostle, but you are washed, you are fanctified, &c. Such were they all, fays Mr. Hart, and such are we: his goodness is too much for me, and more than I can well bear; he has kept me short of enjoyment, it is true; and that was beft for me I have no doubt; but I shall have my share by and by; an eternal weight of glory. I may not have much more in this world; but be that as it may, I fhall not limit the Holy One of Ifrael; I have had enough. I know that he will receive me, vile and base as I am. That dear man of God, Mr. Huntington, has often faid many severe things to me, which I fometimes took rather hard; but bleffed be God for evermore for honeft dealings. Let the righteous fmite me, and it fhall be a kindness; let him reprove me, and it shall be an excellent oil, which fhall not break my head, for his prayer shall be in my calamity; and so I have found it of a truth;

and the bleffing of him that was ready to perish fhall for ever be upon his head." In violent attacks of the spasms he has sometimes faid, "Lord, if poffible, cut thy work fhort; but not my will, but thine be done; only give me ftrength to bear, and that will fuffice. My fufferings are great indeed, but nothing in comparison to my deserts; no, not the weight of a feather. O what a time will that be when I fhall flip out of this old rotten tabernacle, and foar above to that element that I feel fomething of within." After a fharp conflict with the enemy, he exulting said:

"Loud roaring the billows, now nigh overwhelm,
But skilful's the pilot, who fits at the helm;
His wisdom conducts thee, his power thee defends,
In fafety and quiet thy warfare he ends."

"A poor toffed-about creature get to the haven of rest at last, can that be? Yes, I believe I fhall. All the birds feem to be fled fometimes, and the facrifice left upon the altar without one; and at other times, there appears a great shoal. I feel some doubts rifing even now; and then I think,

"How can I fink with such a prop,

That bears the world and all things up?"

"I know I fhould have funk long ago if it

had not been for this prop." These lines he often repeats also:

"From all their afflictions my glory fhall spring,

And the deeper their forrows, the louder they'll fing.'

And now I muft beg my dear Lady Sanderfon to accept of my fincere thanks for her very kind letter. My uncle defires me to mention his warmeft love and affection to his dear and ever bleffed friend, and thanks him moft earneftly for his laft letter; but we are concerned to find that he is ftill fo much afflicted with the rheumatism; we had hoped to hear a better account as the weather got warmer. I hope all our dear friends at Cricklewood will accept of the unfeigned love and respects of

Your Ladyfhip's very affectionate

And obliged friend,

A. JONES.