excufes, but by cutting matters fhort at once. Only obferving, that, if the unexpected fight of an old and valued friend, on earth, gives an heart-felt joy, which none, but a breast formed for friendship, can experience; what far more exceeding and exalted bleffedness must refult froin that "Communion of faints" made perfect which will obtain in the kingdom of glory!-Until then, and when there, I am, and fhall ever be, your affectionate friend, Mr. O Auguftus Toplady. LETTER XLV. Broad-Hembury, July 29, 1774. BEST thanks to you ever dear fir, for your kind and obliging letter, of the 19th inftant. From what I felt, in reading it, I cannot help believing, that your foul was much alive to God, when you wrote it. May your holinefs and comforts resemble the flow of fome mighty river, which widens and enlarges, more and more, in proportion as it advances nearer the ocean into which it falls. I rejoice at what you fay, concerning the happy frame of foul, in which the reverend Mr. Green afcended to Abraham's bofom. It is delightful, to live and walk in the fhinings of God's countenance: but to die in the light and confolations of his prefence, is (next to heaven itfelf) the crowning mercy of all. How gracious is the Holy Spirit of promife, thus to fhine away the doubts and fears of his people, and put them to bed by day-light! O may we tafte Q2 tafte the sweetness of his love, rife into a nearer conformity to his image, enjoy clofer communion with him both in and out of ordinances, and experience an increafing fenfe of his never failing faithfulnefs; till we receive the end of our faith, even the full and ultimate falvation of our fouls. I blefs the Lord, I cannot doubt of his making all this our portion. He fometimes enables me to look as it were, into his heart of everlasting love; and to catch a glimpse of that page in the Book of Life, where he has written my unworthy name: and in the ftrength of that comfort, I can travel many days. I am very glad, that dear Mr. has broken the ice, at Westminster. Would to God, that the nafty party walls, which feparate the Lord's people from each other below, were every one of them thrown down. Sure I am, that, in heaven, all God's houfe will be laid into one. Ephraim fhall, then, no more envy Judah; nor Judah vex Ephraim. I am greatly indebted to Mr. M for what he did me the honour to fay of me, and of my late publication, in the pulpit. But I defire, at the fame time, to be (and, I blefs God, I am) humbled and abashed, inftead of elevated and puffed up, by the unmerited obligations which I continually receive from the excellent of the earth. Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but to thy name, be the undivided glory of every gift, and of every grace ascribed. Prefent my affectionate refpećts to dear Mrs. - who, I hope, has, by this time, added to your family, without danger to herself. Let me know this particular: for I bear her much upon my heart. While your dear little daughter continues as little as fhe is, I may venture to fend my love to her. And I wish, alfo, to be kindly remembered to all in your house, who love your Lord and mine. How How is mifs! Chriftian falutations to her and all that family; and to as many as condefcend to enquire after, Dear fir, your obliged and very affectionate servant, Auguftus Toplady. To Mr. LETTER XLVI. EVER DEAR SIR, Broad-Henbury, Sept. 30, 1774.. THOUGH your kind politeness has defired me, never to thank you by letter, for the many inftances of the regard with which you are continually obliging me; yet, I muft, for once, violate the prohibition, by acknowledging my fafe receipt of the- -, &c. which you have lately added to my ——, and for which I request you to accept my cordial thanks. I wifh, that you and dear Mrs. were here, to help to use them. and in I greatly admire the elegant particular, and I pray the Father of mercies, that the fweet fentences, with which the former is decorated and infcribed, may be written, indelibly, on the hearts both of the donor and of the receiver. Next, let me thank you for your much efteemed letter of the 15th instant, and for the kind trouble, you were fo good as to take, in calling on Mr. Whatever courfe the Northamptonshire affair may take, it will be in confequence of that "never failing Providence, which orders all things, both in heaven and earth." Bleffed be God, for enabling me, in fome measure, not only to acquiefce, but to rejoice, in the unerring difpofals of his will; and to adore, with thankfulness, that Infinite Wisdom, which alone is able to chufe our heritage and our lot. I have not been on the mount, for fome days, until now.. The Lord warm your heart with a ray of that fire, which, through the free grace of his fpirit, he, at prefent, gives me to experience. Oh, what treasures are in the blood of Chrift, what fafety, in his righteousness! what fweetnefs in his fellowship! Lord, enlarge, our fouls to receive of his fullness more and more. If the scanty vessel of imperfect faith can draw fuch water of comfort from the wells of falvation; what will be the bleffedness of God's elect, when they are taken up into glory, and there walk with him, High in falvation and the climes of bliss!" The clearer views God gives us, of intereft in his covenant, and in the unfearchable riches of Chrift, the deeper we fink into an humbling sense of our own vileness and unfruitfulness. The fame candle of the Holy Spirit, which fhews us God's love, and our part in the Book of Life, difcovers to us the exceeding hatefulness of fin, and convinces us that we are hell deferving finners. It alfo fires us with an inextinguishable wifh and thirft for conformity to Christ in holipefs, and effectually caufes us to cry out, with David, "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments, for therein is my defire." Doubt not, my dear fir, but the Lord will go on to take care of us, in all thefe refpects, and in every other; even beyond the utmoft we are able to afk or think. My best remembrance wait on the amiable and deferving partner of your heart: and I do, with truth and love in Chrift Jefus, fubfcribe myfelf, her and your affectionate fervant in him, Auguftus Toplady. P. S. Be fo good as to prefent my respectful falutations to Mr. whom I request to accept my thanks for the intended token of his esteem, which, when it arrives, I hope ever to preserve and value, for the fake of the giver. I fhall be happy, to hear from you, as often as you can find leifure. Is Mrs. -hour of danger past? She has my earnest prayers. Adieu. LETTER XLVII. To Mrs. B. N Broad-Hembury, Nov. 11, 1774. On my receiving a letter, franked by lord Sand wich, I immediately conjectured, to whom I ftood indebted for the contents: and on breaking the feal, found my hope most agreeably realized. Your friendship and politenefs, dear madam, are great indeed: which not only induced you to forgive my omiffions; but even prevailed on you to be yourfelf, the renewer of that correfpondence, which both your merit, and my own promife, required me to recommence. Happy in the continuance of your efteem, and fignally obliged by the accumulated favours you confer, I fhould be totally inexcufable, were I to perfift in putting your condefcenfion to thofe trials, whereof our truly valuable friend, Mr. Ryland, fo loudly complains. But what can I fay, relative to the profufe encomiums, with which you deign to honour my late publication? Your probity is unquestionable. Your difcernment, in every other inftance, unimpeachable. I am thankful, for not having difpleafed fo refined a judge. May that adorable Being, whofe fpirit, alone, is able to enlighten the darkness of the human mind, command his gracious bleffing on every attempt, which has his glory, and the illuftration of his truths, for its objects! Q4 A per |