name. He is the fame merciful, and faithful God yesterday, to day, and for ever. Believe in his threefold name. Rejoice in every degree of his great falvation. Triumph in hope of the glory which fhall be revealed. Do not forget to be thankful for a cup of water; much lefs for being out of hell, for the means of grace, the forgivenefs of fins, the blood of Jefus, the communion of faints on earth, and the future glorification of faints in heaven. Strongly, heartily believe every gospel truth, especially the latter part of the apoftle's creed. Believe it, I fay, till your faith becomes to you the fubftance of the eternal life you hope for; and then, come life, come death, either or both will be welcome to you, as, through grace, I find they are to me.

I leave this bleffed ifland for awhile; but, I truft, I fhall never leave the kingdoin of God, the mount Sion, the new Jerufalem, the fhadow of Chrift's crois, the clefts of the rock fmitten and pierced for us. There I entreat you to meet me. There I meet you in fpirit. From thence, I truft, I fhall joyfully leap into the ocean of eternity, to go and join thofe ministring spirits who wait on the heirs of falvation: And, if I am no more permitted to minifter to you in the land of the living, I rejoice at the thought, that I fhall, perhaps, be allowed to accompany the angels, who, if you continue in the faith, will be commiffioned to carry your fouls into Abraham's bofom. If our bodies do not moulder away in the fame grave, our fpirits fhall be sweetly loft in the fame fea of divine and brotherly love. hope to fee you again in the flesh; but my fweeteft and firmeft hope is, to meet you where

Ι

there

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there are no parting feas, no interpofing mountains, no ficknefs, no death, no fear of loving too much, no fhame for loving too little, no apprehenfion of burfting new veffels in our lungs, by indulging the joy of feeing, or the forrow of leaving our brethren.

In the mean time, I earnestly recommend you to the paftoral care of the Great Shepherd and Bishop of fouls, and to the brotherly care of one another, as well as to the minifterial care of my fubftitute. The authority of love, which you allowed me to exert among you for edification, I return to you, and divide among you; humbly requefting, that you would mutually ufe it, in warning the unruly, fupporting the weak, and comforting all. Should I be fpared to come back, let me have the joy of finding you all of one heart and one foul; continuing steadfast in the apostle's doctrine, in fellowship one with another, and in communion with our fin-pardoning and fin-abhorring God. This you may do, through grace, by ftrongly believing in the atoning blood and fanctifying Spirit of Chrift, our common head and our common life; in whom my foul embraces you, and in whose gracious hands, I leave both you and myself. Bear me on your hearts before him in praying love; and be perfuaded, that you are thus born by, My dear Brethren, Yours &c. I. F.

Dover, Dec. 2nd, 1777.

To the Society at Madeley.
My dear Brethren,

BY the help of divine providence, and of your prayers I have got fafe to Dover; and I find that the journey has, fo far, been of fervice to me. I thought to have been in France by this time; but the wind being high, tho' favourable, the

mariners were afraid to leave the fafe harbour, left they fhould be driven on the French cliffs too fiercely. This delay gives me an opportunity of writing a line to tell you, that I fhall bear you on my heart by fea and land; that the earth is the Lord's, with all the fulness thereof; that Jefus lives to pray for us; and that I ftill recommend myfelf to your prayers, hoping to hear of your Chrift, and in love towards each other, which order, fteadfastnefs, and growth of faith towards will greatly revive your affectionate friend and

brother, I. F.

Nyon, 1778.

To the Societies in and about Madeley.
My dear, very dear Brethren.
THIS comes with my
beft love to you, and

my

y best wishes, that peace, mercy, and truth may be multiplied unto you, from God the Father, through Jefus Chrift, by the Spirit of his love; with which, I beg your hearts and mine may be

daily more

replenished.

D

I am

I am yet in the land of the living, to prepare, with you, for the land where there is life without death, praifing without wearinefs of the flesh, and loving without feparation. There, I once more challenge you to meet me, with all the mind that was in Chrift; and may not one hoof be left behind! May there not be found one Demas amongst you, turning afide from the little flock and the narrow way, to love and follow. this prefent perifhing world. May there not be one Efau, who, for a frivolous gratification, fold his birthright; nor another wife of Lot, who looked back for the good things of the city of deftruction, and was punifhed by a judgment, almoft as fearful as that of Ananias, Sapphira, and Judas.

My dear companions, let us be confiftent; let us feek firft the kingdom of God and his righteoufness, and all other things, upon your diligent, frugal, fecondary endeavours, fhall be added unto you. Let us live daily, more and more, upon the free love of our gracious Creator and Preferver, the grace and righteousness of our atoning Redeemer and Mediator, nor let us ftop fhort of the powerful, joyous influence of our Comforter and Sanctifier.

Bear me on your hearts, as I do you upon mine: and meet we all in the heart of Chrift, who is the centre of our union, and our common head; humbly leaving it to him, when, and where, we fhall meet again. In the mean while, I beg you will pay a due regard to the following texts, Love one another, as I have loved you-By this fhall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another-Little children, love not the world; for if any

man

man love the world, the love of the Father, and of the brethren is not in him-Be of one accord, of one mind-Let there be no divifions among you-Mind not high things, but things which make for peace and edification.

Farewell in Chrift till we meet in the flesh, around his table, or in the fpirit around his throne. My love and thanks to Mr. Murlin and Mr. Roberts. I am your afflicted, comforted brother, I. F.

Nyon, July 18th, 1778.

The Rev. Mr. Greaves.
My dear Brother,

I

Expected to have had an anfwer to the two laft

letters I wrote you, but have been disappointed of my hope. Probably, your letters have mifcarried thefe troublesome times. I truft you lay yourself out in length and breadth for the good of the flock committed to your care. I fhould be glad to hear, that all the flock grow in grace, and that the little flock grow in humble love..

Be pleafed to read the following note in the church-" John Fletcher begs a farther intereft "in the prayers of the congregation of Made46 ley; and defires thofe, who affemble to ferve "God in the church, to help him to return

publick thanks to Almighty God, for many " mercies received; efpecially, for being able to "do every day a little minifterial duty, which "he confiders as an earneft of the ftrength he "fhould be glad to have, to come back foon,

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