and then, the enemy can have no final advantage over you, nor the fon of wickednefs approach to hurt you, in your everlasting intereft. Affault you he may, in your way to the kingdom of God; overcome you he cannot, if you look, or defire to look, to Jefus for fafety; lie at his bleffed feet for protection; lay hold on his victorious crofs for falvation; and then you fhall find him gracious to relieve, mighty to deliver, and faithful to uphold. Caft anchor on his love, and be happy, rely on his omnipotence, and be fafe. He knows that you are very near my heart, that not a day paffes, in which I do not befeech him on your behalf; may his holy fpirit diffufe his heavenly peace throughout your foul; make you be joyful with his holy vifitations; and while he comforts you from on high, fanctify you to the uttermoft! In life, in death, in eternity, may he be your light, your ftrength, and your exceeding great reward! I know that your health is fo bad, you cannot read much, but you can pray; you can fend up your defires, as incenfe, to the throne of God, almost every moment. As you fit, as you walk, as you take an airing, you may cultivate an intimacy with heaven; you may carry on a correfpondence with God, you may hold filent intercourfe with the fpirit of grace. Every figh, if directed to him, is a prayer; every tear fhed for fin, is a fort of oblation, acceptable to him in Chrift, and fhall be noted in his book. Yet, not the fighs we breathe, nor the tears we pour, are our juftifying merit; but the figh, the tears, the obedience, the death, of his co-eternal Son: his are the propitiations; our's are the memorial, and the proof of the work of grace, which his fpirit begins in the foul. Refign yourfelf to his will, in every difpenfation; lie paffive in his hand, ftir not from his footstool, take all your fpiritual diftreffes, as commiffioned from him. The cup, the medicinal cup, is of his mixing; the chaftifement is the chaftifement of a father, who loves while he ftrikes, and

whose

whofe feeming wrath is real mercy. May his everlafting arms be fpread beneath you; may his grace (as I doubt not it will) be fufficient for you; may his prefence be

you, with

with you,

yours, and with your affectionate fervant in him,

Auguftus Toplady.

P. S. From my earneft defire, for to have you manage every one of your affairs in fuch a way as may moft conduce to the peace of your own mind, and the welfare of your family; I cannot help requefting leave to fuggeft an hint, which, was my re- gard for you lefs than it is, I fhould certainly fupprefs it is, my dear fir, in relation to Mrs.

and your two youngest fons: with refpect to Mrs. -, God forbid that you fhould leave her dependent, either for habitation, or for maintenance, on your children, or on any body elfe. If you are not quite clear as to thefe two points, do let me beseech you, to revife your papers; and if there is any deficiency in either of these respects, fet it right, while Providence, by prolonging your life, continues it in your power. Indeed, and indeed, you will not discharge your duty without it; nor can you expect to depart in peace, if you omit it. With regard to your two youngest fons, let me entreat you to leave them equally; they have both the fame right to your affection, and to what you may defign to give. Their aunt's kind intentions, ought to make no difference as to this point it is incumbent on you, my dear fir, to do your duty; and by that means, Mrs., will be left (as the ought to be) at full liberty to beftow her favours on the most deferving. Weigh what I have faid, and may the Lord God give you a right judgement in all things. It is not from motives of impertinence, that I have prefumed to mention thefe particulars, but from the fincere affe&tions I have for you and your's.

your's. Adieu, my dear friend, and forgive me, if my regard has carried me too far. My best refpects when you write next to Bath, and my kind compliments to the young gentlemen. Do not neglect to take the air every day. Once more, adicu.

LETTER II.

To Mr. MORRIS,

Broad-Hembury, near Honiton, Devonsh. Sept. 2, 1768.

T is, now, above eight years, fince I faw, or heard from, my ever dear Mr. Morris. The Lord knows, you are near my heart, and are often prefent to my thoughts. God grant that this letter may find my valued friend as well in body, and as lively in foul, as when I faw him laft!

I have been in orders, between fix and feven years; and now write to you from my living. The fpirit of God has kept me ftedfaft in his glorious truths, and given me much joy and peace in believing. I truft, too, that my labours, as a minifter, have been owned from above, to the calling in of fome chofen veffels, and to the confolation of others who were, before, quickened from their death in trefpaffes and fins which I mention to the praife of the glory of his grace, who vouchfafes to make ufe of the meaneft, the feebleft, and the unworthieft inftruments, to accomplish his defigns of love towards thofe he delights to fave.-Whilft I am writing, the fire kindles in my foul: may it reach your heart, when this letter reaches your hands. I am, at prefent, high on the mount of divine love, and can fing with the Church, Ifa. Ixi. 10. "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord," &c.- How is it with you? Are you as

zealous

zealous for Chrift, and for fouls, as when God made you the means of my converfion twelve years ago? O that the Lord would rend the heavens, and come down, and fet you all in a flame for himself! Permit your fpiritual Son to remind you of the fweet, the memorable days and months that are paft. Indeed, and indeed, I love you tenderly, in the bowels of Jefus Chrift. How has my heart burnt within. me, and how have my tears flowed, like water from the fmitten rock, when I have heard you preach the unfearchable riches of his grace, blood, and righteoufnefs! The word came with power, and with the Holy Ghost fent down from heaven. And is it true, can it be poffible, that you should ceafe from your work of calling finners to repentance? Do you withdraw your hand from the gofpel-plough, after God has made it profper-fo long in your hands? I am tolu fo; but I cannot believe it. O man of God, ftir up the gift that is in thee: let it not ruft and moulder, by lying ufclefs. The Lord hath often fpoke to me by your mouth: Oh, that he would now fpeak to you by my pen! Do, at my request, meet the dear people of C. and who knows, but there may, once more, be fhowers of blefiing? Blow the trumpet in Zion, as heretofore. While life and health and ftrength continue, let your feet ftand upon the mountains, and the law of gofpel-kindness dwell upon your tongue, to the very last: yea, let your lips feed many.-Adieu. I fcarce know how to leave off, when I write to any of my brethren in the faith. If even the poor, feeble, mortal faints below, love one another fo well: no wonder that the love of an infinite God to his own dear elect, fhould be from everlafting to everlafting.-Electing, juftifying, regenerating, fanctifying, and perfevering grace, have been, and are, the fubjects of my minitry: and, I hope, will be, to my lateft breath. If a meffenger of Chrift is under the lively, experimental influence of thefe glorious truths; the word

of

of his master will be as fire in his bones: yea, he will be in pangs, as it were, like a woman in travail, until Chrift is formed in the hearts of them that hear. God Almighty pour out fuch a spirit of fervency on my dear Mr. Morris, and on his

ever affectionate friend,

LETTER III.

Auguftus Toplady.

To Mr. PHILIPS,

SIR,

Broad-Hembury, Sept. 6, 1768.

Believe I fhall go to town by way of Salisbury; in which cafe, I will certainly do myself the pleasure of calling on you. I wish I could fulfil your requeft in the other particular, concerning which you write but the times will not allow it. Every one, that knows me, knows that I have the greateft and moft cordial regard for the evangelical diffenters. I am exactly the fame, in that refpect, as when you knew me first and most heartily wish that the wall of partition was fo far pulled down, as to admit all gofpel minifters to occupy each others' pulpits, without diftinction of party and denomination. But, as this is an happiness we cannot expect to fee; I am under a neceffity of foregoing the fatisfaction it would give me to hold forth the word of life to thofe Chriftians who are beyond the pale of the establishment: except (which, in the courfe of my miniftry, many hundreds have done) any of them are fo condescending as to attend on me, who, they know, am tied up from waiting on them.—I am well acquainted with Mr. Elliot; and an excellent man he is: but he has fet himself more at liberty, than I can be, by abfolutely