fpirit, and I believe he will fulfil the fecret and unutterable breathings of my foul. Mrs. C has received no witness that she should never fall. She only fo lives in Jefus, as to be filled with love, prayer, and thanksgiving. It is true, that for fome years fhe has enjoyed a great deliverance from evil, but yet has often felt things which, she knew were not quite right: and though the ftill cries "Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfected," yet she enjoys the approbation of Him, in whose favour is life. Now I really believe, though Mrs. C. Mifs B. I, and most of the people in London (who received the Bleffing, as it was called) were brought into a fweet liberty, yet we were not, in a fcriptural fenfe, perfected in love. We did not Rejoice evermore, pray without ceafing, and in every thing give thanks. And if we weigh ourselves in the balance of your farther Thoughts on Perfection, which I believe are according to the Scriptures, we must acknowledge we were among the number of those who had received a greater degree of grace, but were not faved from fin. Yet I do not believe we were in a delufion. Names alter not the nature of things. I believe our being unfkilful in the word of righteousness was a hinderance to us, as it prevented our asking that we might receive, that our joy might be full. Another thing was, our experience falling fhort of the fcripture-evidences, threw us into endlefs perplexities, which were a means of weakening our faith; whereas, had we known determinately the thoughts God had of us, we fhould have gone on our way rejoicing, praising him for what he had done, and praying him to fupply all that was lacking. I believe this was the cafe of not only many in London, but in many other parts, and I judge is Mifs M. D's. I think fhe has been thus bleft; but I believe fhe will go through many refining fires, before fhe will do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven. VOL. VI. 3 A Thus, Thus, Sir, I have wrote freely the fentiments of my mind. If I judge wrong, I hope the Lord will reveal it to me. I defire to be open to conviction. I think fometimes that I take up too much of your precious time in reading, and answering my letters; yet I thought if I was filent to your laft, it would look as if I had not such a fense of my obligation to you, for your kind cautions, as I really have. I am, dear Sir, with repeated thanks for all Favours, your affectionate and obliged Servant, LETTER CCCV. C. M. [From Miss Perronet, to the Rev. Mr. Wefley.] Rev. and dear Sir, Shoreham, Oct. 19, 1765. Blefs God who has returned you back to us again! May our love to him constrain us to profit more abundantly by your labours. I am fo dull a difciple, that at times I am almoft difcouraged, because I cannot profit more. I greatly long to come forward. I want to feel my heart purified by faith: I want him to make my nature pure, and to feel his love conftraining all the powers of my foul to love him again; and in confequence of that, to love all his commandments. Indeed they are, more than ever, exceeding precious to my foul; yet I fometimes find fomething contrary to love, and to the lowly mind that was in Jefus, arife in my heart, which exceedingly pains me, together with the remains of unbelief, which often thrufts fore at me. And yet at times I hope my foul has entered in, but I am not established, or preferved in Jefus. I find it fo hard to keep a fenfe of the freeness of grace on my mind, that it makes me grieve; but chiefly when I am fpeaking of it to others. I give him all my heart and life; and my foul is greatly athirft for him: but I have not not the power to abide in his prefence. I want to be always with him. He gives me much power and plainnefs of speech in fpeaking to others; yet, at times, I let go an opportunity of speaking, thinking they may foon fall in my way again awhile afterwards, I fee this is not the way, and fear left God fhould not grant me fuch a gracious opportunity with them again. Upon the whole, I am thoroughly diffatisfied with myself, for want of faithfulness to God, and for want of fimple faith. I fhould have been glad to have refreshed your foul with writing better things; but I hope you will continue to bear with me, and that you will tell me what is the word of the Lord concerning me. In fo doing you will greatly oblige your Friend and Servant. A. PERRONET. LETTER CCCVI. [From Captain Scott, to the Rev. Mr. Wefley.] Rev. Sir, Northampton, Aug. 24, 1766. HE Lord has already begun to fulfil this promife here; viz. That his word fhall accomplish That for which it is fent. The confciences of several begin to be alarmed; the children of God that were getting lifelefs, are rouzed to action; and the more lively Believers, feem to exert all their faith, grace, and prayer to God, that His falvation may be known to all. And in part, we have already experienced that he is working wonderfully amongst us; for he has made our very enemies to be at peace with us: all Denominations flock to hear the word: their hearts feem united together in praifing God, and all distinction and party feem forgot. The defire of the people to hear the gospel from Mr. B. was fo great, that they would not bear to part with him till after Sunday. And to the above, I muft add my poor tribute of praise to God for fending him here, as the Lord has bleffed him exceedingly to my foul. The zeal you have for the caufe of God, and your tender love to poor, perifhing fouls, will induce you to contrive that Mr. B. may return here foon, and ftay fome time with us; or elle come again as often as he can. I must beg, dear Sir, you will remember me always at the Throne of Grace; and as the Lord feems to be confiderably at work in the Regiment to which I belong, I must intreat you and your Societies, to make mention of us in your prayers, that the Lord would call many to ferve as faithful foldiers, under the banner of the Captain of our falvation. May God be with you, to bless you! So prays, Rev. Sir, your unworthy Brother in Chrift, LETTER J. S. CCCVII. [An Extract from one of Admiral T-ll's Letters, to Nathaniel Gilbert, Efq;] June 22, 1765. Have been moft graciously vifited by the Beloved all last Wednesday. He came fkipping over the mountains of fpices! yea, bounding like a young roe or a young hart over the pleasant plains. He brought me to his banqueting-houfe, and his banner over me was love! O magnify the Lord with me all ye faints, let us heartily rejoice in the ftrength of our falvation. O give thanks unto the God of gods, who hath pity on his poor, diftreffed fervant, and mercifully faved the fon of his hand-maid. O all ye works of the Lord, blefs ye the Lord, praife him, and exalt him above all for ever! POETRY. POETRY. The following are taken from two pillars, which stand in the grove of a labyrinth, at a Nobleman's Seat, in Surry. On the top of each pillar is a human skull, faid to belong to a former Lord and his Lady, who were the authors of the following lines, and who faw the pillars erected; and by their defire their fkulls were placed there at a certain number of years after their decease. Lines on the LORD'S Pillar. HY ftart? The cafe is your's, or will be foon; WHY Some years perhaps, perhaps another moon. Life in its utmost span is ftill a breath, And those who longest dream, must wake in death. Till fteeped with forrow, and befieged with pain, And fools obfequious, nursed the childish thought. And worlds were ranfacked, but for me to fhare. But know thou feafted, but to feaft a worm. Already |