London, August 1, 1794

DEAR SIR,

I TAKE a large sheet, but perhaps if I keep it till I have filled it, I shall tire your patience, both in waiting for my letter, and in reading it afterwards.

We, that is Miss C**# and I, left home the lfth June, and returned in peace and safety the 24th ult. Yours of the 3d found me at Cambridge. Give my love to Mr. Black. I hope his removal to Edinburgh will prove a blessing to many; and that in watering others he may be abundantly watered himself. I am glad you have good news from what you call the east country. May the gospel spread east, west, north, and south, till every part of this land, and all the lands and nations of the earth are filled with light and love.

I have seen many of Mr. B ’s and Th — ’s

letters; and perhaps those which you have. Mr-

* Or Surety,

B**# was a first rate man, both as a minister and a christian: but he could not easily restrain his natural turn for humour and drollery. This was certainly a blemish, especially when he brought it into the pulpit. But though he was sensible of the impropriety, in his latter years, and often acknowledged it, he was frequently drawn into a. repetition — what made it worse, his taste was far from delicate. His allusions, though generally apposite, were often low and vulgar, and disgusting even to his friends: but, as we say, there are spots even in the best. He was, upon the whole, a burning and a shining light. Mr. Whitfield likewise could say comical things; but then it was in a manner quite his own, in which none of his imitators could succeed. When he made his hearers smile, it was usually with a design to make them weep, and I have more than once seen these different effects produced in almost the same minute.

My narrative is indeed imperfect: but I think Letters to a Wife will serve both as a commentary, and a supplement to it. Mr. Self seems to have obtruded sufficiently upon the attention of the public already: I am not willing to introduce him again.

In preferring a warm heart to a clear head, you certainly judge by the rule of scripture. The Lord looketh to the heart, not to the stature, the address, the intellect, the rank or wealth of a person. These are to the man no more than the trappings to a horse, which is the same animal, whether laden with panniers, or dressed in a fine caparison. So, at the theatre, people do not admire an actor merely for the character he sustains, but for the manner in which he performs it. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof like the flowers of the field. The mass of mankind may be compared to grass, and those who are distinguished by intellectual or external accomplishments of any kind, to the flowers, which look more gaudy, and are perhaps a little taller than the grass: but when the mower comes, the scythe finds no difference; both fall by the same stroke, and wither with equal speed. Indeed, I believe, the most Kvely grace, and the most solid comfort, are known among the Lord’s poor and undistinguished people. Every outward advantage has a tendency to nourish the pride of the human heart, and requires a proportionable knowledge of the deceitful self and the evil of sin to counterbalance them. It is no less difficult to have great abilities, than great riches, without trusting in them. And believers who are remarkably sensible and clever, are frequently teazed with whims and vagaries of thought, which do not trouble plain people. If I was qualified to search out the best christian in the kingdom, I should not expect to find him either in a professor’s chair or in a pulpit. I should give the palm to that person who had the lowest thoughts of himself, and the most admiring and cordial thoughts of the Saviour. And perhaps this person may be some bed-ridden old man or woman, or a pauper in a parish workhouse. But our regard to the Lord is not to be measured by our sinsible feelings, by what we can say or write, but rather by the simplicity of our dependence, and the uniform tenor of our obedience to his will.

I believe there are many good people at But I thought them too hasty in their determination to build, and that the plan they proposed, as mentioned to me, was not likely to settle them comfortably. I did not approve, and therefore I did not encourage it. I have often seen young and warm zeal lead to inconveniencies. In these points we must judge for ourselves, as appearances strike us. But I trust I wish equally well to the gospel, whether it be preached in a church, a chapel, a kirk, a meeting-house, or a barn; and whether the preachers are of the English or Scotch Establishments, Seceders, Relief-men, or Methodists.

I am soriy for Mr. and for many more,

who would do better if they consulted the rule of God’s word. Some well-meaning people, seduced by those of deeper views, I compare to children playing with gunpowder, who are sometimes blown up before they are aware of danger.

They are happy who study to be quiet, to promote peace, and to persuade those whom they can influence, to seek an interest in the kingdom which cannot be shaken.

I have now taken some notice of every paragraph in your letter. Have little to add from my own stock. Our late excursion was very pleasant. We were chiefly at and round about Cambridge, at no time more than 62 miles from London. We saw many friends, and received much kindness. I preached while abroad in ten churches, nine of them in different places, besides many house-preachings. I found in most of these parishes, active, faithful ministers, and attentive congregations. The gospel certainly spreads in the Establishment. Young men of abilities and piety are ordained every season, and there are four seasons in the year, and we now and then hear of clergymen awakened, after they had been blind teachers of the blind for many years. In London we are highly favoured with many ministers of the first rank for zeal and wisdom. Such there are likewise in some of our great towns, such as Leicester, Birmingham, Leeds, Halifax, York, Hull, Reading; and I hope there are several hundreds settled in places of less note, in different parts of the kingdom, who are diligent and useful. Add to this, the itinerants in town and country, in Mr. Whitfield’s, Wesley’s, and Lady Huntingdon’s departments, amongst whom, though they are not all alike, there are many faithful good preachers, and many of the evangelical dissenters’ — and I think we may hope that real religion is greatly on the spread and revival amongst us. This, I trust, is a token for good (I fear almost the only one) in this dark and threatening davp The bulk of the nation is asleep in sin. Infidelity, folly, and dissipation, abound every where: but the Lord has a praying people, who are mourning for the evils they cannot prevent, and the miseries which are the fruits of sin. These, I hope, would appear a large number, if they could be brought all together: but scattered as they are up and down, they are one in him; and, for their sakes, I hope our civil and religious privileges, so little prized, so much undervalued by the majority, will be still preserved to us.

I know not if I mentioned Mr. Fuller’s book, “The Tendency of the Calvinistic and Socinian Doctrines compared as to Morals:” but I suppose you must have seen it. I think it the most complete unanswerable refutation of the Socinian scheme, and the best book of controversy I ever saw. The great learned Doctors dodged Dr. Priestley about in Greek and Latin to little purpose: it was reserved to Mr. Fuller to cut off this great Goliath’s head. I think there is none of the party hardy enough to attempt to answer it.

On Monday next, if I live, I shall enter rcy yoth year. The time of my dismission cannot be very distant. Pray for me, that whenever it comes it may find me waiting, willing, and ready. That my decline in life (if I am not called away suddenly) may be honourable, and consistent with my profession. That I may live as becometh a saint, and die as becometh a sinner, with no other plea or hope, but that .lesus lived and died, and rose and reigns, to save to the uttermost those who put their trust in him.

Let the length and speed of this letter plead for me, if I should seem dilatory hereafter. I shall not forget you, but I cannot write when I would. I commend you to the Lord, may he guide, guard, and bless you, and make you a blessing to all your connexions I only add, that I am sincerely,

Your affectionate friend and servant,