fhew, and visible glory. I am afraid of falling by fuch an expectation into what I call a fpiritual judaizing; into a looking for Chrift's coming in my own pompous conceit, which might make me reject him, if his wifdom, to crucify mine, chofe to come in a meaner way: and if, instead of coming in his Father's glory, he chofe to come meek, riding, not on the cherubim, but on the foal of an afs. Our Saviour faid, with refpect to his going to the feaft, My time is not yet come: whether his time to come and turn the thieves and buyers out of the outward Church is yet come, I know not. I doubt Jerufalem, and the holy place, are yet given to be trodden under foot by the Gentiles. But my Jerufalem! why it is not fwallowed up of the glory of that which comes down from heaven is a queftion, which I wait to be folved by the teaching of the great Prophet, who is alone poffeffed of Urim and Thummim. The mighty power to wrestle with him is all divine: and I often pray

"That mighty faith on me beftow,
Which cannot ask in vain,

Which holds, and will not let thee go,
Till I my fuit obtain:

Till thou into my foul inspire,

That perfect love unknown,

And tell my infinite defire,

Whate'er thou wilt be done."

In fhort, the Lord crucifies my wisdom and my will every way; but I must be crucified as the thieves. All my bones must be broken; for there is ftill in me that impatience of wifdom, which

would

would ftir, when the tempter fays, Come down from the cross. It is not for us to know the times and feasons, the manner and myftical means of God's working; but only to hunger and thirft, and lie paffive before the Great Potter. In fhort, I begin to be content to be a veffel of clay or of wood, fo I may be emptied of felf, and filled with my God, my all. Don't give up your confident hope: it faves ftill fecretly, and hath a prefent, and, by and by, will have a great recompence of reward.

I am glad, exceeding glad, that your dear Partner goes on fimply and believingly. Such a companion is a great bleffing, if you know how to make use of it. For when two of you fhall agree touching one thing in prayer, it fhall be done. My wife and I endeavour to fathom the meaning of that deep promile; join your line to ours, and let us fearch what, after all, exceeds knowledge-I mean the wifdom, and the power, the love and faithfulnefs of God.

My wife and I embrace you both; and pray you would help one another, and us, by your prayers. Adieu. Be God's, as the French fay; and fee God yours in Chrift, for you, and for all our dear brethren. We are, Your obliged friends, I. and M. F.

Mr. Melvill Horne.

Madeley, May 10th, 1785.

Dear Brother,

I

Am forry you fhould have been uneafy about the

books: I received them fafely, after they had

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lain

lain for fome time at Salop. I feldom look into any book, but my bible; not out of contempt, as if I thought they could not teach me what I do not know; but becaufe "Vita brevis, Ars longa" I may never look into either of them again.

Go on improving yourfelf by reading, but above all by meditation and prayer and allow our Lord to refine you in the fire of temptation. Where you fee a want, at home or abroad, within or without, look upon that want, as a warning to avoid the caufe of the leannefs you per ceive, and a call to fecure the bleffings, which are ready to take their flight; for fometimes true riches, like thofe of this world, make themfelves wings and flee away: the heavenly dove may be grieved, and take its flight to humbler, and more peaceful roofs. I am glad you do not want hard or violent measures: I hope you never will countenance them, no not againft what you diflike. I believe things will turn out very well at the Conference, and I fhall be a witnefs of it, if the Lord of the harveft gives me a commiffion to be a fpectator of the order and quietness of those who shall be there: if not, I hall help you by prayer to draw from far the bleffing of love upon our friends.

In being moderate, humble, and truly defirous to be a Chriftian, that is, to be the leaft, the laft, and the fervant of all, we avoid running ourfelves into difficulties, we escape many temptations, and many mortifying disappointments. For my part, as I expect nothing from men, they cannot difappoint me; and as I expect all good things from God, in the time, way, measure,

and

and manner it pleaseth him to beftow, here I cannot be difappointed, because he does, and. will do all things well.

I truft you labour for God and fouls, not for praife and felf. When the latter are our aim, God, in mercy, blesses us with barrenness, that we may give up Barrabas, and releafe the humble Jefus, whom we crucify afresh by fetting. the thief on the throne, and the Lord of glory at our footftool: for fo do thofe who preach Chrift out of contention, or that they may. have the praise of men. That God may bless you and your labours is the prayer of your old brother, I. F.

Madeley, July 19th, 1785.

James Ireland Efq..
My dear Friend,.

BLESSED be God we are ftill

alive, and in the midft of many infirnities, we enjoy a degree of health fpiritual and bodily. O how good was the Lord, to come as Son of Man to live here for us, and to come in his Spirit to live in us for ever! This is a mystery of godlinefs: the Lord make us full witneffes of it!

A week ago, I was tried to the quick by a fever with which my dear Wife was afflicted:: two perfons whom she had vifited having been carried off, within a piftol fhot of our houfe, I dreaded her being the third, But the Lord hath heard prayer and the is fpared. Oh what

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is

is life! On what a flender thread hang everlafting things! My comfort however is, that this thread is as ftrong as the will of God, and the word of his grace which cannot be broken.That grace and peace, love and thankful joy may ever attend you is the wish of your most obliged friends, Í. and M. F.

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