"I have oftentimes thought that, by my ungrateful filence, you must, at least in your imagination, have numbered me with the dead; for indeed I have been in deaths often; but a moft gracious God would not fuffer me to die, becaufe it was his merciful defign to change my heart, and conftrain me to live the reft of my life, I truft, to the glory of his name. Yes, my most kind father, it was all defigned by a gracious Providence, that your poor prodigal fon fhould be for a while given over to the devices of his wicked heart, fo as that he should be fent far from home to be brought near to him. I fear, the word of life, which has fince then been made known to me, is but little known in the neighbourhood in which I received my birth and education. O, my dear parents, I want now only to live, that I may impart unto you how I have been converted from my vile ways, and have been constrained to live to God; and you may rely upon it, while I am enabled to depend on him, that I fhall never grieve your dear hearts any more. Chrift's love to me has made me love him; and now I love you moft dearly for his name's fake.

"Your once rebellious but now affectionate fon, moft humbly requests that neither you, nor my dear mother, would blame yourselves that I haď not from you a better example before I went to sea. Few in our parts knew or did better, nor yet fo well; for I fear the knowledge and love of God was then fadly wanting among us all. A few months before I went to fea, I heard of a Mr. Lovegood, who was prefented to the living of Lower Brookfield, and was much ridiculed for his religious zeal; and I semember we all, efpecially my fifters, ufed to join in the general laugh against him. Now as this is the common lot of all good men, I hope you will find him a faithful and upright minister of the Gospel. My dear father, do, for your own foul's fake, for the Lord Jefus Chrift's fake, go and hear him. (Here Mr. Lavegood is fo much affected, that he joins with She Farmer, and queeps abundantly. After feveral attempts, he continues the letter. Perhaps he may administer to your foul those precious words of the Gospel of Chrift which have proved the power of God to my falvation; though once, as you well know, to the grief of your heart, the vileft, the molt abandoned wretch that ever lived on the earth. I fhould be glad, if I had time, to tell you all the most merciful fieps in judgment, providence, and grace, that have brought my vile heart to repent and reFurn to God, but the packet is likely to fail every hour which will take this to England; and it is fuppofed, in about a fortnight afterwards, our little feet will fail for Portsmouth; fo that within a month or five weeks after you receive this, you may expect to fee your most undutiful and ungrateful child upon his knees before you, begging pardon for all his bafe behaviour to you and my dear mother; and though I shall bring home but a very fcanty fhare of prize-money, yet, if I can but bring to my dear parents the ineftimable prize of the knowledge of Christ, that pearl of great price! how joyful thall I be ! As to the fmall fum that may fall to my lot, the moment I fee you I thall tell you it must be yours; for, as I have confeffed the fin with much grief before the Lord, I now confefs it before you: That when I used to go to markets and fairs, unknown to you, I too often kept back a part of the price of the things I fold; and, in a few other inftances, the money for which I fold your goods, I cutirely kept to inyfelf. I am very happy that it is now a little in my power to make reftitution; while I hope I fall in a meafure earn my daily bread by applying myfelf diligently to the bufinefs of your farm, as foon as I hall receive my difcharge, which is promifed me on account of the wound I received in my hip, by a fplinter from the hip, in an engagement with the enemy; whereby I had nearly been fent

to

to ftand before the tribunal of my God, in a state most deplorably wicked: and though I may go limping to the grave thereby, yet I blefs God for his moft merciful correction; for if I had not been moft feverely wounded, and afterwards brought to the very gates of death by a fever that attended, I might have continued the fame thoughtless and wicked wretch O bleffed, for ever bleffed be God for that judgment, fent in so muc mercy, whereby I was willing to attend to the very affectionate advice and prayers of fome few who are Chriftians indeed in our floating hell! Though before I could, with others, ridicule them, yet in the time of my danger, when I felt the terrors of the Lord upon my heart, I was made willing to attend to that voice of tender mercy they adminiftered to my defponding heart. Since I have been on this island, God has wonderfully preferved my health amidft an abundance of ficknefs. As foon as I landed, I fought after those who knew the converting grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and found it among the people called Moravians. I cannot exprefs with what tenderness and love they carried it towards me: and it is wonderful, whenever they faw me downcaft under a fenfe of the evils of my paft life, how they recommended me to the dying love of the Lord Jefus Chrift, that my poor finful heart might be comforted in

him.

"Prefent my affectionate love to my fifters; and as we have often joined together in fin, fo may we live to pray together! I grieve, my dear father, how ignorant and vain we all were before I went to fea; and I write with many tears, while, with much fhame and grief, I acknowLedge what a vile finner I once was; but now I can blefs his dear name, vho ha fo mercifully foftened and changed my polluted nature, as that I can, from the bottom of my heart, fubfcribe myself

your moft dutiful

and affectionate fon, HENRY LITTLEWORTH.' พ (Mr. Lovegood having read the letter, returns it to Mr. Littleworth.) Loveg. My dear friend, I enter into all the joys you feel, and can fympathize with you, knowing how much you need divine fupport, though The event is fo bleffed and glorious.

Far. Oh, fir what mercies God is pouring down upon the family of fuch a poor old finner as I have been1 Oh that my wife and daughters might live before him!

Loveg. Well, fir, hope and truft; for nothing is too hard for the Lord, But don't you admire what the grace of God truly is, in that broken and humble fpirit the Lord has given to your fon? and how it is, if any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature? "that old things are paffed away, and that all things are become new?"

Far. Ah, dear fir, and don't you think I have felt fomething of the fame change upon my poor old finful heart? and for fure it is a moft glorious change!

Loveg. Yes, Mr. Littleworth, it is truly glorious. As in your fon, fo on the hearts of all wherein the converting grace of God is felt. Sin, however ftrongly rooted in our corrupted natures, muft give way to the omnipotent agency of God's, Holy Spirit; and how wonderfully does this appear to be exemplified in the heart and conduct of poor Henry! He has not language to defcribe how vile he has been and you perceive alfo what tenderness and love he now feels to all, and what affectionate obedience he is willing to fhew. How does this prove the truth of that bleffed word, "that love is the fulfilling of the law!" and it affords full evidence, that if we love Chrift, we shall love to obey him.

Far. And oh! what a wicked blade he was before he went to feat

After

After he had got linked in with Tom Wild, Will Frolick, and that fet, there was no keeping him at home; and when he found I did not chufe that they should keep up their rackets at my house, he would watch every opportunity to be away; and then I fhould hear of him driving about to every horfe-race and fair within twenty miles round. One time I fhould hear that he had been fighting; then he had been gambling; twice was he before the juftice for his drunken frolicks; and night after night have my dame and I fat up for him, while fometimes he would be out all the night; and at other times he would come home at twelve or one o'clock, fulky, ill-natured, and half drunk! and all this was my own doings; for I was wicked and foolish enough to fend him to that school where there was nothing of the fear of God; and after, I took him to all forts of romancing nonfenfes, fuch as plays and puppet- fhews, by way of diverting him; and that led him into company which brought on his ruin.

Loveg. Yes, fir, but now a very different fcene is before you; your fon, I humbly truft, is "born from above," and fuch are made" blamelefs and harmlefs, the fons of God." As an obedient child, he will not fashion himself according to the former lufts in his ignorance; but "as he who has called him is holy, fo will he be holy in all manner of con verfation." His hands will no longer be lifted up to ftrike the mad and angry blow of inward murder and revenge; but with diligence and induftry will he learn to labour, as Providence hall direct him. His tongue will be no longer employed in the language of folly, blafphemy, and filthy converfation; but now, his heart being bleffed with the grace of God,

his converfation will be as becometh the Gofpel of Chrift," and fuch as will be "to the ufe of edifying, that it may adminifter grace to the hearers; and inftead of finding hin a fulky, ill-natured fot, you will find him "fober, temperate in all things," loving, gentle, eafy to be intreated. The lion is already turned into the lamb, and the difpofition of the tiger and the bear fhall prevail no more; and as to his feet, they will need no fetters to keep them out of those vile paths, in which he once ran in fuch eager hafte. No, dear fir, they will rejoice to walk with you to the house of God, to hear the glad tidings of falvation; no other house like that will his feet now fo delight to tread.

Far. Dear fir, it quite melts me down! Oh what joy of heart shall Į feel the first time he and I fhall walk together to your church to hear the man we once fo wickedly ridiculed in the days of our ignorance, preaching unto us the love of that Saviour who has "called us out of darkness into his marvellous light." And poor Nancy; oh! what a bleffing for her in having fuch a brother brought home to the family; for it is wonderful, how soft, and good, and gentle, and humble, that dear girl is become fince the has received the Gospel of Chrift. And when I confider the grace I have lately felt in my own heart, and how fweetly you defiver these things to us from the pulpit, I wonder that every one who comes to hear you is not converted to God as well as ourselves.

Loveg. So it appears to all who have been newly converted by the word of life themfelves; but when we confider the hardnefs and the deceitfulness of the human heart, we fhall rather wonder that any of us are renewed. Far. Don't you think, fir, by my fon Harry's letter, that he is really renewed?

1

Loveg. Indeed, fir, it breathes a moft excellent spirit; and I trust he will give you an abundance more joy than ever he has given you grief; but ftill we must tell him, if we live to fee him, that he has but just put on his armour for the battle, and that he muft watch unto prayer.

Far. The Lord keep both him and me watching and praying; but, oh, how it affects me to think what we all muft feel when he first comes home ; and when he finds his poor old wicked father has been blessed

with

with a new heart! Oh, what a meeting it will be! But how afhamed fhall I be of myself on account of the bad example I have fet before him! how often have he and I neglected our church and Sabbath, that we might go on fome idle vifit, or after fome foolish pastime! I can't think that he would ever have been fo bad in his wicked ways if I had not first led him into them! Well, I'll confefs it to him with fhame, and tell him the fault was moftly mine.

Loveg. It might be better if both of you were not to dwell too much on thofe things; they were done in the times of ignorance that God winked at. You are both, I truft, now arrived in the new world of grace, and your bufinefs will be now, with him, to prefs forward to the eternal world of glory.

Far. But O, fir, when my dear child offers me his prize-money, becaufe in the days of his wickednefs he robbed me, how can he think I could ever take it from him?

Loveg. He does not know the blessed change that has taken place upon your mind; and he hopes much, by his honefty and integrity, to win your foul to Chrift; and as he now, doubtlefs, attends to his Bible, he probably thinks on what Paul promifed Philemon on behalf of Onefimus, the fervant who robbed his mafter; and his confcience will furely tell him, that it was worfe to rob a father than a master.

Far. But he fays he trufts God has forgiven him; and fhall not I forgive him? Dear child! I would not grieve him for a thoufand worlds. No, no; I fhall want none of his prize-money, while I have in him fuch a prize as my unbelieving heart never expected. It will cut me to the heart when he makes the offer.

Loveg. Well, fir, we must contrive to foften matters before you and your fon have the first interview.

Far. I wish you would, fir, for the thoughts of it are quite too much for me; he talks of begging pardon on his knees, when I fhould rather go on my knees to him, for leading my own fon aftray by fending him to fuch a fchool, and by the bad example I fer before him. If he acts as he fays he will, I am fure I never shall be able to bear it. (The farmer again weeps exceffively. After he is in a measure recovered, Mr. Lovegood addrefes him :)

Loveg. My friend, though I feel for you very tenderly, yet your very tears put me in mind of the joys of " the angels in heaven over one finner that repenteth," but I think we can contrive matters fo as that your minds may be properly prepared for the meeting.

Far. Why, it is moft likely I can't write to him before I see him, as he will come from Portsmouth directly as he lands.

Loveg. Yes, but he will certainly travel in the stage that goes through Mapleton to the north, and then you may tell Mr. Vintner, of the George, to direct your fon to Mr. Traffick's of the fhop, who is a very fedate worthy man; then you may put a letter into his hands, that he may give it to your fon; and you may tell him what you think proper, and afterwards Mr. Traffick may bring him to his houfe, and give further particulars; and Billy Traffick, who is a very ferious young man, will walk with him to our houfe.

Far. No, dear child, he is lame; I muft fend Thomas Newman to bring him, with a horfe for him to ride on, and another horfe that he may bring his things with him; but for all that, Billy Traffick may come with him, for he is a choice lad; and I must do all I can to put my fon into good company; for oh, what mifchief was done to my precious boy by the bad company he kept before he went to fea !

Loveg. I think, fir, yours is the beft plan; and what a feast will this be to poor honeft Thomas to bring fuch a rich treasure home to his maf

ter's

ter's houfe! and Thomas, though a plain, yet he is a very fenfible man, and will know how to break matters to him.

Far. And what a feast will this be to me, to receive fuch a treasure in fuch a fon, returned to me again in peace and fafety, and with the rich treasure of the grace of God in his heart! O the yearnings of a father's bowels over fuch a child!

(A meage from Mr. Lovegood's fervant.)

Servant. Sir, 'Squire Worthy and his lady, with two of the young milles, are just come into the hall.*

Mr. Loveg. to Mrs. Loveg. My dear, will you go with them into the parlour (To the Farmer.) Mr. Littleworth, you must go in with me. Far. I am afraid if I do, it will quite overcome me as bad as ever; but you think it beft, I'll try; and perhaps the 'Squire may give us fome advice on this occafion.

if

Mr. Worthy. (After the ufual falutations.) Why, Mr. Littleworth, I did not expect to fee you here. I came to inquire of our worthy minifter if he had heard any tidings from your fon, as I heard by the newfpapers a packet arrived at Falmouth on Wednesday laft from the fleet in which he failed.

Loveg, Mr. Littleworth has a letter from him, and a blessed one it is! Would you let Mr. Worthy fee it, Mr. Littleworth ?

(Mr. Littleworth again in tears.}

Far. Yes; but I cannot read it, it fo affects me. (To Mr. Worthy). If I had all your Honour's eftate, it would not have given me half the joy I have felt in receiving that letter.

(Mr. Littleworth lends it to Mr. Worthy.)

Mr. Worthy. Sir, as you fay it is fo good a letter, if it contains no fa mily fecrets, may I read it out, that my eldest daughter, who has a ferious turn of mind, may gain fome inftruction by it?

Far. O yes, fir, you may read it out; but then I cannot ftop to hear it again.

Loveg. I think, Mr. Littleworth, you had better not stop, but take a walk in the garden while Mr. Worthy and I read over your foir's letter, and converfe about it.

Far. Why yes, fir; if the 'Squire will pardon me, I would rather do fo, for I cannot ftand it again.

The letter is again read over, and the farmer is a fecond time introduced.)

Mr. Worthy. Well, Mr. Littleworth, I must not fay too much to you in a way of congratulation, as you cannot bear it; but we have been planning, that on the evening your fon comes home, Mr. Lovegood had better give you the meeting, and fpend the first evening with you.

(Far. to Mr. Worthy.) To be fure it would be desperate unmannerly to afk fuch a gentleman as you are to come and meet us; but in our old houfe I have a hall that would hold twenty fuch guests, and a heart big enough to hold a thousand more.

Mr. Worthy. Thank you, my kind friend; but as Mr. Lovegood will be with you, you will have quite company enough on that occasion.

Mrs. Worthy. But, Mr. Littleworth, next Wednesday-three-weeks, Mr. Lovegood is to examine the Sunday fchool children, and preach a fermon to them and their parents at the church; and afterwards Mr. Worthy is to give them all a fupper in the fervants' hall. Perhaps your fon may be returned by that time, and then we shall be happy to fee yo and all your fainily to tea, that you may go and hear the fermon.

Far. Ah, madam, if you and the 'Squire will but put up with our countrified fashions, to be fure we should be mighty proud to make fuck a vifit; and perhaps my daughters Polly and Patty may hear a fermon

that