FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY v % /~~yj" / WE Published l>\ T. Chapman Fleet Street Dec.it-ijff. I O R K $$r*i OF THE LATE REVEREND^ WILLIAM RO MAINE, A.M. RECTOR OP SAINT ANDREW BY THE WARDROBE, AND SAINT ANN, BLACKFRIARS, AND LECTURER OF SAINT DUNSTAN, IN THE WEST, HonUotu IN EIGHT VOLUMES. VOL. VIII. LETTERS, &c. LONDON: fRINTED FOR T. CHAPMAN, FLEET-STREET. MDCCXCVI, L E T T E R S WRITTEN BY THE LATE Rev. WILLIAM ROMAINE. Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be loft. MMOSn 8 -» raj tjiw Cnterto at <£fceumer3 !j?alf* ■ iniMiiwn i 1,1-1 ii i '■ ■ i ,. ■ r houo^hT mid ■ 97Brf I LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LATE Rev. WILLIAM ROMAINE. Letters to W. T. Efq; 1 LETTER I. Oaohr 10, 1 781, My dear Mr. XhROUGH the good hand of my God, being returned fafe to ray houfe and charge, I cannot fit down without thanking him, and you. My Southampton mercies were great and many. The very hofpitable reception which I found at Mr. deferves to be ac- knowledged \ and I take up my pen to own it with gratitude. I have been flattening myfelf, there was fomething more in your kindnefs to us, than mere friendfhip. It is faid, " that we * are taught of God to love one another." 5 Hofpitality 6 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE Hofpitality becomes a divine grace, when wc love men for God's fake: for it is then the fruit of our union with Chrift, and being united by one Spirit under one head, we live as members, and love as brethren, wifning and promoting each others happinefs. This is a very pleafing thought, as every thing is that endears Chrift ; and it has added much to the favors received at South- ampton. They are magnified greatly by being viewed, as the effect of Chrift's love to you, and as manifefting to me your love to him : be- caufe this is a ftream from the ocean of his grace, and will not flop till it run into it again. And I thank God, on my part, although I was a receiver. Yet I found all the time I was un- der your roof, what the Communion of Saints means. Tor I praftifed it, paying you in my way. You got fpirituals for temporals. You have, and iuftly, gained an intereft in my prayers, more than you had. And, I hope, whenever I am in his company, who does not forget a cup of cold wrater, given in his name, I ihall not for- get to recommend to him Mr. his wife and family. Do the fame by me and mine : and get out of my debt as faft as you can. Mrs. Ro- maine is not behindhand in thanks to Mrs. T. She fpent no fuch time this fummer, as thofe fix days at Southampton. You may give her credit, that her profeffions are fincere, and that flie is truly fenfible of your kindnefs. If we live till REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. *J till the primrofes adorn the earth in the next fpring, you may expect to hear more from me, and perhaps I may come and tell you fome more good news. But this is in God's hand. And it is too far off to promife any thing, efpecially for me, who have not an hour I can call my own. My blefling on your children : and the favor of heaven on all your connections. My brotherly love to Mr. . Much fuccefs to him in pub- lic and private, in preaching and teaching. If he would take my advice, it would be better to lay afide thofe meetings which provoke difpu- tations. The felf-righteous fpirit of Arminian- ifm is fond of wrangling and altercation. Prayer will do more good in oppofing it than a thoufand arguments. And when the caufe is removed, in God's way and time, things may return to their old eftablifhment. In the mean feafon, a prayer meeting feems to be the beft and raoft feafonable rneeting. I am, very fmcerely, In our common Lord, Your obliged friend and fervant, W. ROMAINE. LETTER 8 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LETTER II. Ftb. jo, 1784. My vary dear Friend y YOU made up by its rich contents, when it came, for the long time your letter was in coming. I am much beholden to you for its com- panions,— *— ' — both tailing of brotherly love which completes the banquet : thanks be to God and to you. Be not offended, that I put him firli: : becaufe I owe to him the knowledge of you, the love of you, and from him proceeds all intercourfe of love between us. While we keep him in fi; o^ir friendfrifp, it will be a aal bleffing. 3 3 I am pi. and you know our God is famous for hearing, and for anfwering prayer. Indeed, what he hears and anfvvers, is firft his own : for he gives us the foirit of prayer — we know not of ourfelves, what to alk — And when We do know, we cannot afk aright ; but he enables us to feel our wants, to afk a fupply of them in faith, and he helps our infirmities in alking : when we have done our bell, he teaches us to prefent our peti- tions or acceptance into the hands of our great Mediator. As they come from us, they are nothing worth ; but when Chrift makes them his prayers, then they go up with much incenfe, and REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 9 &nd come down with abundant bleflings. Was it not fo, the morning you were at prayer ? You wanted a family Bible. Jf was only afk and have. Here it is — God's " Gift. And mind, you may ...have any thing of him as cheap as this : for he giveth liberally to .all afkers. I wiili vou may be as humble an afker, as he is a liberal giver. I have complied with your requefi in •writing your name and mine in the Bible — In which alfo, you defired me " to write fome direc- tions how to read it." This I have not done; becaufe the fubje£t of prayer, is the whole Bible. All the volume is to be prayed over, as you read it, and then I muft have tranfcribed it, But though I cannot, need not, do this ; yet I will lay open my heart unto you, and will let you into my own practice. Something like this is my conftant prayer ; and, as far as you believe, it will be yours. May you ufe it wTith more faith than I ever did. O thou fpirit of wifdom and revelation, be with me, whenever I read thy holy wrord : teftify to me in it, and by it, of Chrift Jefus, who he is, and what he is to me ; and glorify the Father's love in him. Open thou mine eyes to fee the wondrous things revealed in it upon thefe fub- jefts, that I may underftand them in thy light, and that my judgment of them may be the fame with thine : I befeech thee alfo to enable Vol. VIII. B me IO LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE me to mix faith with what I do underftand : and what through thy teaching I am enabled to believe aright, that help me to receive in the love of the truth. O God, fulfil thy promife — put thy bleffed word into my inward parts: write it upon my heart. And what. I am taught to love, grant me power to praclife ; that thy new covenant promife, may in me have its full effect, and I may be in heart and life caft into the mould and form of thy word — thus be- coming a real living edition of the Bible. Make it my daily fludy. Render it my conftant delight. Let my meditation of it be always fweet. O thou holy and eternal Spirit, witnefs thus to thine own record — and let me experience it to be the power of God, as well as the truth of God. In this dependance upon thee in the ufe of it, let me be daily growing — until, by the will of God, I mail have ferved mine own gene- ration, and then let it be the laft a£l of my life, to feal the truth of thy teftimony concerning Jefus. Let me find thy witnefs true in the hour of death, and beyond death all the promifes made good to me, through Jefus Chrift, in life everlafting. Amen, and Amen. This is the fubftance of my prayers. I never confine myfelf to thefe very words. They are not a form, but a directory: and I think they contain every thing which you and I are war- ranted REV. W. ROMAINE, A.M. II ranted to afk of God, concerning the profit which he has promifed to them who mix faith with his word. For this profit on the family Bible I have prayed. It is a confecrated book. May you ever find it all I wifh to you. And may the Almighty Spirit fpeak by it as often as it is read to children, and fervants, and ftrangers. When- ever it is put into my hands, may I always ufe it with the prayer of faith. It is now my ftay. " I know in whom I have believed. " My heart is at reft about the event. All befides is dif- quieting. Look at the ftate of the church. Survey the kingdom. Examine parties. What profitable good can come from any of them. See the evil within you — Feel it. And then tell me, whether there be any certain profpect of folid happinefs, but what is promifed and found in our Shiloh, the giver of quietnefs. May he continue to blefs you. LETTER III. March 1 9, 1784. My dear Friend, I HAVE read of a certain love-charm, which has pleafed me ever fince I heard of it — " If you would be beloved — Love." B 2 It 12 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TtfE I It was the faying of an old philofopfter: I admire it, and I fet my feal to it. Probatum eft z For it is true gofpel. It is the very way in which God commendeth his love to us, and which is the means of teaching us to love one another. I have in my heart brotherly love: and what is it worth, if it does not prevent the very wilhes of my friends, and be trying to do them good, even when they are afleep, or when they know nothing of it ? Mr. 1 tell you nothing but the truth, that I am often thinking of you and yours, and am contriving every poffible way of fhewLg my affection, wherever I have interest, efpecially with my King, and with fiich of his .royal gifts as you may never hear of in this world : prefent things are only the evidence, and I cannot help giving you fome proof of my good wiihes. Your confecrated Bible is in your hand every day. May he, of whom it treats, be ever with you in reading it. May he open it to you, as he did to his apoftles, and give you to mix faith with it. We have got a great way into the ftudy of it, when we feel our need of David's prayer, and are conftantly ufing it— " Lord open thou mine eyes, that I may fee wondrous things in thy word ;" — efpecially fee, admire, and adore the wondrous love of God our Saviour. May he grow every day more dear and precious unto your heart. 3 Yo* TtEV. W. R0MAINE, A. M. 13 You feem at a lofs about the prefent fyftem of politics. I am not at all. Leaders of parties differ not an atom— Two men of the World, think, fpeak, aft, on motives of felf-mtercft — PotfheTds of the earth, in their conteft, may- knock one againft each other, and break both to pieces. Truly, Sir, they will not, they cannot do you or me, or our caufe, any good : nor, indeed, hurt, unlefs we trouble ourfeJves about them. Our Lord reigneth. This is my fir ft principle in politics — the next is, the fame Lord reigneth — and fo on, even to the end. The laft is, The Lord reigneth. BleiTings on him, King of Ki*.ge, and Lord of Lords. My King arid my Led. Here my heart refts, and is happy — come wjiat may. He ruleth the raging of- the' fea. He ruleth the madnefs of the people. All things, creatures, devils, are in his power— And he makes them work under him for my good, and for his own glory. To his cha ge and care I commit you, and yours; Mrs. efpeciaiiy. I pray that my deareft Jefus may be verv neav her heart, and comfort her fpirit with his cjivine cordials. Mr. W. T. mall not efcape out of my hands, as he intends. Give my love to him, and tell him we will make one more effort at the Hebrew. Who knows what fludy and prayer piay do ? Iwifli 14 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE I wiili to eve, and follow, the bleffed pattern of all perfection. To him I am infinitely in- debted. " He has made me rich, by making me a beggar. So wonderful is his love, that the poorer I am, the more he gives." And yoo, and I, and all my friends are better for his gifts : he makes me loving, communicative, benevolent, beneficent, yea, whatever is counted moral. O Mr. I wifh you perfectly acquainted with my Jefus. I know a little of him, and it is a bleffed knowledge. Believe me, it is fomething of paradife. Read the word, there is his cha- racter— pray over it, there you will meet his Spirit. Live on it by faith — there you will have graces and comforts : and go on, your time is ihort. Improve it, all you can : grow; ever fo fall, and much, in the knowledge of Jefus — yet fill], there are worlds of fcience and experience before you. May you grow in grace, and in the knowledge and love of God- Jefus. As you do. I am fure he will put it into your heart, to pray for W.R. LETTER REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 1 5 LETTER IV. July 30, 1784. My real Friend, I HAVE many fubje&s of thanks this morning. When I look at you, your wife, your children ; your temporal bleffings, how many- how great : your fpiritual bleffings, how exceed- ing great, paffing all understanding, in their fovereign rife and fountain ; in their reaching to your confcience, and heart, and life, in their ftreams of grace ; and how foon they will run, and you with them into the ocean of eternity. I cannot help adoring and praifing your moft trenerous benefactor. BlefTed be the Lord God for his unfpeakable mercies to you. Indeed, my friend, he has loaded you with benefits, which are .conftantly calling on you to give him the glory due unto his name. Your fkill in your bufinefs, your fuccefs in it, are the gifts of God. Profper ever fo much in it, build as fine an houfe as is in H — e ; live to fee all your children grown up, fettled, and profpering in the world, none of thefe things will be any hurt to you, while you live in an abiding fenfe, that God is a free-giver : nay they will do you good, while you fee his hand, and taile his love in them. I admire that fen- tence, l6 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TliU tence, " I have fet the Lord always before rile." 0 how much is it my daily prayer for you. In the morning, I fcarce ever drink a difh of tea, but the cracknel (landing on the table, reminds me of my S. friends, and gets a'petition put up to my royal mailer. May he, who gives me, through them, the bread that perifheth, give unto them daily, the bread that endureth unto everlafling life. He himfelf is that bread. And 1 went you in your heart, to feed upon him, feaft upon him, I fhould fay: and you are doing it, if he give you for the moment to feel your dependence, and bellow an atom more of thank- fulnefs upon you. O that I could bring Jefus Chrift and you as near together as he wifhes you ; he is not fhy nor referved. He knows not what it is to keep flate and diftance. Your fins and your complaints, rightly ma- naged, would endear you to him— and your miferies felt or feared, would make him more precious. He has warranted you to live with him in fuch intimacy, that every thing fhould fet him before your eyes, and keep your heart warm with his heavenly love. He would have nothing to hinder. If good come, he is the giver— if bad come, he can, and he only can, make it work for good. This is the happy life, which you do know fomething of, as well as I ; but truly, Sir, I am but a learner, and a dull ene : yet I have learned fo much3 as to be con- vinced XEV. W. ROMAIKE, A. M. 17 vinced there is nothing upon earth to b? com- pared with it. May your experience get far beyond mine. I will help you as 1 can, and follow you with my conftant prayers. See how one wanders from the point, and gets upon what is uppermoft. I took my pen to thank you for cracknels, and lo, I have digreffed to my old fubject. Excufe me, Sir ; for in truth, I would give the whole world, if it were mine, to obtain for you a little more faith in the word, and a little more attachment to the perfon of my beloved Jefus. I thank him for the account of your family. I rejoice in your wel- fare. It is really mine own. . Brotherly love makes it fo. BlefTed be God for his mercies to Mrs. — 1 — . I thought my requeft was fo reafon- able fhe would have gratified me. I did not wifli for a letter from her, but only an acknow- ledgment of my kindnefs in one line. I think in my laft, I dictated the words; but I lay no ftrefs upon that. Leave me out, and thank {rod. I am praying for little John — God blefs him. It will do me good, as I truly am his friend, to hear particularly of his welfare. I hope to take him up in my arms and blefs him. You wifli to know my route: we go north, God willing, next Monday, as far as Newcaille upon Tyne. I have three fillers living, and am going to take my final leave of them. They are old, fo am I. And we fhall not in all probability iS LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE probability meet any more on this fide of the grave. The occafion of this journey, has brought a great folemnity upon my fpirits. There is fome- thing in this laft meeting, which would be too much for my feelings, if I had not all the reafon in the world to believe, that our next meeting will be in glory. Mr. Whitfield ufed often to fay to me, " how highly favoured I was ; that whereas, none of his family were believers, all mine were like thofe blefled people, Jefus loved Martha, and her fitter, and Lazarus." My father and mother, and my three fillers, fhare in his love. Glory be to him in the higheft. My intention is to return about the middle of Sep- tember. After fome little fiay at home, to go to my fon's, at Reading, from thence to Heckfield, and fo on to you at S. I hope to find a letter on my table at my coming home, faying our hbufe, our hearts are open — come and vifit us in the name of the Lord. I have a propofal to brother K. Lately I preached about a dozen fermons on Phil. iii. I treated it as a body of divinity, doc- trinal, and practical. Let him try to fee my plan — if not, I will open it to him, as God ihall help me. It is a wonderful portion of God's word, I admire it ; I blefs God for it. 1 could not do without it. Till Sep. 15, I take my leave* Let there be a letter then on my table — and REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 19 and you fliall hear from me. Mrs. R. is not behind in bed withes to you and Mrs. . My bleding on all the children. Love to bro- ther K. wife and family, and connections. Pray for W. R. LETTER V. Mr. W. T. is come at lad. By him I fend my love, real, hearty, and what I have jud now been expreffing to God for you, and yours — efpecially for Mrs. , whofe chaplain I am, till (he is abroad again. It is now my preaching morning— and I am preparing for the delightful work— yet I cannot help Writing a line or two. My thoughts are turned to day upon recommending Chrift to my people. I have a fweet fubjecl from John iv. 10, in which our Lord lays open the love of his heart in a mod attracting manner. He mud needs go through Samaria ; becaufe there was a very wicked creature, whom he would fave. His manner of teaching her, is peculiar to himfelf. J3e does it in the kinded way that almighty love / s could 2t> LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE could infpire, and I can witnefs for him that he is not changed— in convincing her— opening her eyes — making himfelf known— and giving her to believe in him ; he is repeating thefe won- ders every day — If thou kneweft the gift of God. It is ignorance that keeps finners from Chrift. When he is teaching and drawing them, it is ignorant pride that hinders them from receiv- ing falvation as the gift or God. It is for want of knowing who Chrift is. and who it is that faith to thee — Give me to drink. If his true character were undevftood, who he is, and what he came into the world for, convinced finners would not lie under guilt and unbelief as they do. They would come and afk of him — for he gives to all afkers — his Spirit — which is the water of life. So the promife runs, Luke xi. 13, " Afk, and ye fhall have," is the one grand truth that runs through the gofpel. And efpe- cially, the receiving, not for, but upon afking> the Holy Spirit, as John vii. 37, &c. He is the water mentioned, John iv. 10, not living, as our tranflation hath it, but the water of life, as the old tranflations, or quickening water, as the French hath it, in verfe 14. It fhall be in him a fountain, not a well, fpringing up into ever- lafting life. Lord give us this wrater of life. I fat down to write as foon as prayers were over, and Mr. W. and Mrs. R. went to break- faft. The bell rings to take away. W. is going. REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M, Zt going. The Lord Jefus Chrift blefs you and yours ; brother K. and family, and fchool. Ex- cufe the little fermon. My mind was fo taken up with it, that I could think of nothing elfe. O how often, how much, do I wifh and pray, that Chrift and you were better acquainted. My dear friend, give him more employment — make more ufe of him— truft him better— he wants your confidence, and would have you live in perfect friendfhip with him. He deferves it at your hands. Indeed, Sir, he would have you truft and not be afraid. You cannot think what a heaven it is to be intimate with him. W. does not take his hat, fo I write on, and fo I will. Jefu on thine each fy liable A thoufand fweet Arabias dwell ; Mountains of myrrh, and beds of fpices, And ten, ten thouiand Paradifes. Ay, more than all this, millions more. LETTER 1Z LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LETTER VI. Sept. 15, 1784* My very dear Friend, YOUR letter met us returned in fafety. We went out in his name, and came back to give him praife : for we fet our feal to the promife, " I will keep thy going out and thy cc coming in, from this time forth, and even for *c evermore." And it was done unto us accord- ing to that word, wherein he had caufed us to put our truft. In this fame faith we hope to fet out next week for Reading, not doubtingbut that in believing the truth of the promife, and relying on the promifer's faithfulnefs, we fhall have the promifed bleffing — accompanying us as far as . The day we cannot fix, but we will take care to let you know it, as foon as we know it ourfelves. I have juft finifhed my delightful tafk, and read through my Bible once more ; the impreffions which it has left on my heart in this laft perufal, are fo warm and lively, that I cannot help communicating them to you, and wifhing that you and Mrs. may feel the fame. The fcripture plan has in it all the treafures of wifdom and knowledge, in theory and expe- rience. REV. W. ROM A I In E, A. M. 23 riencc. It will be the ftudv and the admiration of eternity. O what a mercy to have a renewed mind — to be of the fame judgement with God — and to be made to fee things in the light of his revelation. I blefs him for the great charter of grace — and that in my laft reading of it, he has much revived my heart with obferving, how all the parts perfectly harmonize, and when com- pared together, each illuiirates and beautifies the whole. I wiili you to feel, for I cannot exprefs how great confirmation I have received of the truth of God's word, and of his power frill accompa- nying: it. I am not more certain of anv thing than of the divine authority of the fcriptures. Every verfe has Spirit — and has life iii it. When one finds it come to the heart, and written upon the inward parts, it nouriihes, it feafis : no cor- dial beyond it. This influence is promifed, and it is indeed almighty. Can you think, Sir, of any power beyond that which God has put forth in your heart and mine ? " Of his own will begat he us with the " word of truth". Our new birth is a new cre- ation— and he did it by his word ; which he made the miniftration of his Spirit. Bleffmgs on him. I feel the effects of this every time I take up my Bible : I fet my feal to it, that it is more, much more, than the word of man. It is in truth the word of God j becaufe it effectually 2 worketh 24 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE worketh to this very day in them that believe* Its influence on the heart and life, to form them to the pattern of the word, is certainly far beyond all created power. Indeed it is a (landing mira- cle. Now finding this experience of God's power in and with his word, it has been made to me in this reading very precious. My love for it grew as I went on, both for its tafte and its value. It was in tafte fweeter than honey to the mouth — in value, above gold, " Yea than " much fine gold". And all this was greatly enhanced by believing, that the feaft, fweet as it was, was only a foretafte : and the golden Mine, though very rich, was only an earneft of un- fearchable riches. O what a book is this ! Judge, whether there be any thing like it. Truly, my friend, I cannot get enough of it. You know it is a good fign of health when peo- ple long for their meals. So it is in the mind. I have juft done reading, and I want to begin again. My appetite is become keener. This feeding upon the word is not like the grofs meat and drink of the body. No. There is nothing cloy- ing in it. But when mixed with faith, it fobers the fenfes, it refines the faculties, and exhile- rates the Spirits. The believer fays, " O what " love have I unto thy word. All day long is " my ftudy, and delight in it" Lord make it every reading more precious. All thefe confi- Uerations have received great confirmation in this REV. W. POMAIIIE, A. M. 2$ this laft reading: becaufe I have got one year nearer to the full accomplifliment of all the Bible promifes. This has vaftly increafed their value. I fee them near. Yet a little, a very little while, and perfection and eternity will be put to .cir fulfillment. The word will be corn- pleated perfectly in all its promifes— eternally in all their glories. O what a day will that be ! What Jottiua laid of Canaan, Ch. xxi. 25, Ch. xxiii. 14, 15, will be true of heaven. Faith realizes, it. Faith brings it into fome prefent en- joyment. All things in the world look great, when they are near. As you go from them they appear lefs. . Now it is the property of faith in the exercife to bring the promifes near. As faith grows by hearing and reading, it brings the promifes nearer ; and thereby makes them look greater. The home-profpecl familiarizes them, and pre- fents them to our view with growing charms. Believe me, Sir, this is a matter of fa£t. The eye affects the heart, and puts new beauty on the good things of Immanuers land, which, though they be at prefent in promife and hope, yet faith has a magnifying glafs, which can open f.:h a profpecr, as is full of glory and immortality. This view of the Bible is inex- pressibly glorious. -It reveals, it realizes ; it brings into prefent enjoyment eternal things. It is my condant prayer for S. friends— that Vol. VIII. C they 2,6 LETTERS WRITTEN BIT THE they may be thefe fort of Bible-chriftians : may you live more up to it than I do. I was going on, and my paper faid, flop. Take a line to thank Mrs. for her letter. It was a cor- dial. God blefs her for it. Thank Mr. - for love expreffed— and proofs of it many : for which Mr. R. will come with returns of love for love. Mrs. R. joins in every good wifh to you, and to the family. My beft wifhes to bro- ther K. What if he were to give the Lord of the harveft the honor of 1784? He giveth us rain from heaven, and fruitful feafons, filling our hearts with food and gladnefs. He giveth us the Spirit to fow the feed. He rains upon it. He fhines upon it. It ripens. It is gathered in. It is ufed. And whenever the believer fills his belly* his heart is full of gladnefs. He gets the food : God gets the praife. May my brother magnify the Lord of the harveft, and pray for W. R. and all his. ■ LETTER VII. Reading, Otf. 27, 1784. My dear Friend, I HAVE fcarce ever loft fight of you fince I left S. And I hope to have you in remem- brance, and on my heart until I take my leave Of REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 27 of this dying world. Your kindncfs to me and to mine is fuch, that I efteem it my privilege to make mention of you always in my prayers : and it is my happinefs to believe, that death it- felf will not part our friendfhip. It is from the Lord, and in the Lord : thanks be to him. I do feel myfelf interefted in your intereft — your children — connections — minifter — and in what- ever is for your good. And I trull: it is the fame with you. I only take up my pen to inform you of what youexprefTed a greatdefiretobe acquainted with. Our common friend took care of us. We got fafe and foon to Winchefter. I acknowledge Mr. T's favor, and add one more to the long lift. We arrived in good time, about fun-fet, at Reading— found our children and their chil- dren well— the little babe rather better, but ftill in a weak condition. Since I got here, I have been arretted, and cannot be fuffered to go home till next Tuefday. Mrs. R. fends every good wifli to you that our God has to give : Mr. and Mrs. C. join. Nothing fhort of all this is expreffed by my fon and daughter. This comes to you by the wag- gon, which fets out from hence this day. Mr. T. He who is your God and guide, has led you hitherto, and done wonders for you. Go on trufting and fear not. He has profpered you. He has bleffed you. Commit your way C 2 unto 28 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TliE unto him, and he will give you your hearth defire, and wife, children, &c. &c. all (hall be bleffings. Mrs. T. — T\lzy the giver of faith increafe yours, that, as a \vife, mother, and miftrefs, you may adorn your profeffion. Mifs T.—- 1 have been courting for you an hufband* and got his confent. Give him your heart and your hand. Take him and try him. No evil can befall you, while his, all poffible good will become yours. Herein I tread in his fteps. 2 Cor. xi. i, 2. May he be yours for ever, even my Jefus. Mifs Either, — The world's a cheat* It flatters you. Your fenfes join, and without Chrift they will make a fool of you. Your filler has made a good choice. Follow her example, and God will give you infinitely better things than you part with for him. Mr. W. T. — Take my advice. I wifli you well. It rejoices my heart to fee you dutiful and diligent : this is from God : but do not flop here. There is an infinitely greater eflate to be got than all S. Aik and it is yours : believe and you get pofleffion. Seek it by believing, and you (hall have it. My wifli for you is unbound- ed— even the unfearchable riches of Chrift. Mr. S. T. — Mind your bufinefs. Pray over it, Prayer is as needful as all outward means. I will do my part. May God command his bleff- 5 inS REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 29 ing on your pcrfon, and on your trade, that both may profper. I have much to fay to my namefake, and to Tommy and Sally, and to my own John : but I mull wait a little. It is fo cold, 1 can fcarce hold my pen : and all fo badly written, that I can but juft read it myfelf, We go to town on Tuefday next, God willing. I (hail have occa- iibn to write to Mr. T, foon, fo that I can only fay to him, and to you, at prefent, That I do love you, and hope to fhew it in word and deed, as long as I can write. W. ROMAINE. LETTER VIII. Blackfriars, April 21, 1786. My dear Mr. LAST night we heard from by the penny-poft. All well. O how good is our God. 1 delayed not, according to requeft, a fhort anfwer. Firfl that Mr. did not ufe you well. He might have taken down the books, and my account of them; which is, that the Life of Faith, as I have revifed and corrected it, comes out as my dying teftimony for Chrlft. 30 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE > b i Chrlft. He has an infinite fulnefs, not only to be looked at, not only to be believed in, but alfo to be made ufe of. Herein, moft profeflbrs of the prefent day fail fadly. May P. be out of the number! He has, under the care and management of his providence and grace, all things that belong to body and foul. And he allows us, commands us, to truft all in his hands— to undertake nothing without his direc- tion—to carry it on without looking up for his blefling ; and when ended well without giving him thanks. Here only the foul gets reft, and, by living thus, maintains it— notwithftanding the life we live in the flefh is in conftant oppofition : but he, who is on the fide of faith, is Almighty. And he fays to Mr. u Truft, and be not called by providence j fixed ; I do not look out, " fhould I be better off— more ufeful, — would it not be of God, if the king fhould fend and offer me the Bifhoprick of London?" I have nothing to do with preferment; it is my honor, my profit, my pleafure, to preach at Blackfriars, as long as I do preach. Here the head of the church placed me, keeps me : it is my charge — He can do much or little, as it is his holy will, by me — and, the being in his will, is my paradife. But I quarrel with nobody, who thinks diiTerently from me. Mrs. R. has Mrs. letter, and I wifli her enquiries may be fuccefsful : her love and mine to Mrs. . The wet morning has kept me free from viiitors, and LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE 41 and given me a long wiflied opportunity of af- furing you, that I daily remember you in the beft moments, and recommend you to our belt friend. Do not ceafe to pray for W R. LETTER XL Monday, Nov, 12, 1787. My good Friend, HAVING an opportunity, by favor of Mrs. Romaine, to fend my refpecls, I do it with pleafure. The remembrance of my time fpent with you affords me many pleafing reflections. It is the mod profitable part of the year for myfelf. I am moft alone. I cannot get any fuch feafons for meditation, as you afford me. This vifit was greatly blefTed, and pro duced one thing, which, as providence favors, I am now carrying into execution ; it is my laft teftimony for Jefus. What he is — how he feels — what he has attained — who has been long an experienced believer — And in his own views is near death, and quite prepared to meet his God. Vol. VIII. D I have z}2 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE I have kept it back for feveral years, that I mioht fee and try, whether any thing new could be fug- gefted on the fubjecl: from fcripture, or from my own life. But I am fatisfied with what I had written, and I am now revifing my papers. I beg you would help me with your prayers, that I may keep the ark fteady, and hold forth nothing but what will tend to eftabliih believers in their moll: holy faith. I had a commiflion for you for fome of Mr. Adam's works — but I fear they are not to be had ; prize what you have, and make much of your prefent fett. If I can get you any, I will Jay myfelf out for you. I believe the other books may be had. Enclofed, to encourage you to pray for me, and for my prefent work, I fend you a little tra£t (which you never faw before) printed by me, as a companion to an Earneft Invitation, &c. as you fee at the end. It is the only copy I have — pray lock it up fafe, till called for. I fold upwards of 50,000 of them. I intended to write till Mrs. R. fent for my letter ; I may not add any more — but that if you are not as happy at — — - as God can make, it is not the fault of your true friend in Jefus, W. ROMAINE. LETTER REV. W* R0MAINE, A. M. 43 i Jfiri r. LETTER XII. March 5, 1788. My dear Friend, I AM in your debt for Jan. i, 1788. It has never been out of my mind — but I really have too much bufinefs for my age and growing infirmities ; yet whenever I think of leffening my work, Luke ix. 62, frightens me, and I fet out afrefh to get on, as my Lord mall help me. Our word for this year is preaching day and night to my inmoft foul — I am " Looking to Jefus" — a fight that would do an angel good — and much more a finner ; for his name is wonderful. There is none like him in heaven or earth. Con- sider his nature— his effential glory — or his offices —his mediatorial glory — from what he faves us freely— and to what he brings us perfectly, even to life eternaJ : furely he is a matchlefs Jefus. And he wants only to be known, that he may win our hearts, and we may admire and adore him. Why is not he then univerfally admired ? If man had no failing in his faculties, he could not help falling in love with fuch in- finite beauty. But he is blind — yea, truly, he is dead. He has loll not this or that thing, but the very fpirit of life, and thereby all communion D 2 with \ 44 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TH£ with the fpiritual world. He is actually dead in trefpafles and fins. And, when the fpirit of life that is in Chrift Jefus frees him from the law of fin, and of death, then he receives fpiritual fenfes, and is able to fee him by faith, who was before invifible. His firft look is generally for healing. He beholds the lamb that was flain, and finds peace through his cleanfing blood. The Spirit gives him to feal the tettimony of the Father concerning the Son. He believes, and the more fimply, the more virtue flows from Jefus, to purify and to rejoice the heart. He believes on, reads the faithful word, hears it, •prays over it, and the fpirit applies it, making Jefus flill more precious. Every frefh look to him, confirms the reality, and increafes the bleffednefs of living by faith upon him : and thus dailv communion with him nourishes fpi- ritual life, and renders it more eafy, and more delightful. Thefe were fome of the outlines of our new year's fermon — How we get eyes to fee Jefus — and how frefh fights make our eyes ftronger. The eye-falve of his word and Spirit, clear the" mental organ, and enable it to behold more wonderful things, than Adam faw in para- di.fe. May the profpecl: brighten upon you ; and the more beautiful it is, may he fpeak to your heart and fay, " All this is your's." My friend— we proceeded thus. If this be your faith, now try it. The trial is God's way of REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. AC fa wuTTI5] J of improving it. Jefus being the author, and the continuer of faith, he expecls, that we look up to him confla-tly for our i. Safety, as i Peter i. 5, « We are kept," 2. Growth, being alive by him, we grow by cleaving to him, as the branch to the vine, Eph. iv. 1 c, " But holding the truth in love," o CS r " ' 3. All fpiritual bleilings Sow from him, Eph. i. 3) « Bleffed be," fee. 4. AH temporal bleffings, holy ufe of troubles, burdens, wants, ficknefs, truft aslfai. xxvii. 1, 2, and they will be profitable ; and health, and money, and lands, and all good things in life, fhall be fanclifled by the word of God and Pl3Ycr- i ^J gn ,5. Come what may — Truft on, look to Jefusj and Rom. viii, 28, fhall be infallible truth. 6. " But he may lofe iieht, and be blind for ever," 1 Con i. 7, 8, 9, cannot be broken. He mall fee the king in his beauty. 7. " But he may fall and be loft? J j J Chrift's prayer, John xvii, is as effeftua IT U • lieb. 11. 13. 8. " But he muft die." Well, a dying man, looking to Jefus, may hear him fay—" Fear not, I am with thee," Pf. xxiii. 4. He has a good warrant to be comforted, as long as the breath is In his body— and then, " all thefe died in faith." 9. « O what be loft?" O no. ffeftual as even 46 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE 9. " O what will this man find, when he opens his eyes, and fees Jefus in his glory, the Lord the Spirit prepare us for that fight — and keep us looking to Jefus by faith, till we fee him by fenfe. Thus I have fulfilled my promife. You have a little fketch of the bufinefs of 1788. God make it profper in your hands. Mr. M. has been here twice— he fuffers — but profits— we had a great deal of converfation, and much to my profit. I cannot get him Adam's. " WefleyY at Southampton" — don't trouble yourfelf about them. I was a great horfeman, when young -, and when riding through a village, it was not worth while to ftop, though I had a long lafh whip, to flay and beat every curr, that came out. My dear brother, I hope will let them alone— and preach Jefus. My love to him, and to all the family. Farewell, and pray for W.R. Love to all at Hanover Buildings— God prof- per whatever they have in hand. LETTER REV. W. ROMAIKE, A. M. 47 LETTER XIII. May 3, 1788. My good Friend, I AM fully fatisfied, you do not forget the matter nor his fervant. I pleafe myfelf with thinking, that you are living what I teach : and that our word for 1788, Looking to Jefus, is realized at ■. I believe he has opened your eyes. You do fee him — a true Jefus, but not in all his glory. The object is too great for the eye of faith ; and too bright when we come near it. But if you will humbly afk for fome of his eye falve, it will marvelloufly ftrengthen the nerves, infomuch that you may fee him who is invifible— enough of him to win all your affec- tions. Such fights bring applications. He is matchlefs beauty-~and mine. He is all perfec- tion, and I am perfect in him. The wonder of Heaven, and foon I fhall fee him face to face. This hope makes ftudying the word, believing, growing up into him, very fweet and improving. Every frefli view of his heavenly perfon begets fome conformity to him, and wilhes for more. So far 1 had written, when I found the glafs muft come: and 1 was not willing to fend fo much blank paper with it : therefore I kept it by me, till fome favourable opportunity mould let me S° 4^ LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE go on with this Looking to Jefus— to a real, a believed in, a precious Jefus. So he is this May the 3d. Ihaveheen confulting one, who was quite enraptured with his Lord's beauty—who had feen him in his glory, and he gave me great en- couragement to proceed in this divine ftudy : for he faid to me " After twenty three years " happy experience of what he is, to me* befides " the vifions and revelations which! had of him , the grant accepted by faith, and the earneil of the Spirit enjoyed. In the grant is death— a co\c- nant mercy — by which we receive all covenant bleihngs. And for all in hand and in promife, I am kept looking to Jefus. I am afraid to fay much of myfelf, left I mould fall into a miftakc, which I have often noticed and blamed in Mrs. Rowe, that me talked too much in raptures, and mot too high, far above common chriftians' heads. However, let him have his glory. He won the crown, let him wear it. Keep him in fight in all. his gifts- -in all his graces — every- thing will then go well. This is my old leflbn, and my new leflbn daily. Pray, I charge you to pray for W. ROMAINE. LETTER XVI. Blackfriars, Nov. 8. 1788. FRIDAY morning, Nov. 7, 1788. I fit down to write to my good friend W. T. intending to fill up this paper to-day, if I am able. I owe you for a very friendly note -3 the contents were all matter of praife. How thankful 56 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE thankful mould you feel ! How humbly fhould you walk ! under a fenfe of fuch mercies. And even for this, there is an ample provihon made. Grace, from which all good comes, is ready to make you truly thankful, and to keep you hum- ble ; and if you ufe ever fo much grace to in- crease humble thankfulnefs, yet always remem- ber the character of our Jefus, He giveth more grace. I got no further yeflerday— called off by bufi- nefs, vifits, &c. Saturday morning. I am looking at that moll blelTed giver of more. He is like the fun which is never weary of fend- ing out mere light : nor is our fun of fending out more grace — frelh — always adding — more in quantity — more in quality — better and better — and the laft the bell— even eternal grace — the crown of all. fyir. T. I tell you a great fecret 3 and it is all I have learnt in a very long experience. By putting this word to every thing, it makes a miraculous change : it really turns evil unto good. Mifery with grace can feel happy — pain is fweet — gracious poverty makes rich — a weak believer, out of weaknefs, becomes llrong — weak in himfelf, therefore ftrong in the grace that is in Chriil Jefus. Nay, no difpenfation can hurt, where grace is exer- cifed 5 indeed nothing can hurt, not even fin it- felf : for where fin abounded, grace did much more abound, &c. Rom. v. 20, 21. Read thefc HEV. W\ ROMAINE, A. M. $ ] ie two verfes. and St. Paul's comment i:. them, Epheiians, chap. i. and ii. and I me, whether the grace of our Jefus ought not to have, and from me it ihall have, coniiant ufj and employment, as long as I have any being. May you, and yours, do the fame : and then you will find mowers of bleiiings coming down daily upon you. All was good in your letter, except what related to Mrs. K. and even that, put grace to it, will alio be good. Grace can extract much fpiritual health out of bodily licknefs. I hope and pray (lie may be better for her prefent com- plaint, and find under it grace furricieiit to make her fay, from her heart, and her good man to join her, (C Thy will be done !" Boajt mind, this muft be prefent grace, received moment after moment, out of the fulnefs of the God-man. We have no ftock in hand: and when faith lives, as it mould do> it finds the benefit of receiv- ing all, juft as it is wanted, evenfrefh grace to thank Jefus for his grace. . I had written a long letter to W. on his go-, ing abroad, but I did not fend it. Mr. I. and J, cannot agree about the fubjecf. I can live, by faith, under a fpecial providence, and do as, well, even for my health, in this fmoky and dirty city, as they can do at Montpellier. Hap- pier they cannot be. However, I wiih them well ; may they come home better in foul and Vol, VHI, E body. 58 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE body. Your daughter is going to be married, She has my prayers. May it be fuch a con- nection as my Lord may approve, and then he will blefs it. Mr. N. tells me much of your frequent vifits, in which I truly rejoice. We have been alarmed at our good King's danger. To-day I hear the diftemper has taken a favor- able turn ; and he is much better. Lord, pre- ferve his precious life ! Pray for him : fpeak to brother K. in public and in private to plead, like the poor widow. Mrs. R. is very hearty in her falutes to Mrs. T. as you know. I could not write from Reading, being quite taken up with viiiting, and with preaching ; and now I do wrrite, what does it amount to, but only a cy- pher, unlefs you pleafe to put fome numbers to it : I truftyou will, and believe me to be, not in word only, but in deed and in truth, Your real and faft friend, And faithful fervant, IntheLordChrift, W. ROMAINE. LETTER REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. S9 LETTER XVII. Dec* 20, 1788. Mr. T. Mrs. K. is fick 5 yet her ficknefs is not unto death. O what a mercy that her foul is alive — to God — in Chrift. United to him, fhe is one with the fountain of life, and cannot be cut off: fee John xi. 25, 26. BlefTed are the dead who die in the Lord. May her partner, and all the family, knowing what it is to be in the Lord, when they forrow, yet forrow not as others who have no hope. You feem to be much affected with the com- plexion of the times. So am I : and your fup- port is mine alfo. The Lord reigneth ; the Lord Jefus— -and bleffed are all they who put their truft in him. His fubjects have nothing to fear in the worft of times : for their King is Almigh- ty— Almighty to fave them from all their fins — Almighty to fave them from all their miferies — Almighty to give them all fpiritual bleflings — Yea, Almighty to command the bleffing, even life for evermore. O what a King is this ! O what fubjects are thefe ! Who is a God like unto thee, God Jefus, who pardoneth rebels, and makeft them kings and priefts unto God, E a and 60 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TH^ and the Father; andthenadvifeth them to fit down with thee upon thy throne of glory. The Lord reigneth in his kingdom of grace, by his word, and by his Spirit, conquering rebels daily, and making them his willing fubje&s, till they be all brought fafe to the kingdom of his glory. Now, what makes thefe bleffed views of Jefus, the King of kings, fo quieting and comforting to my heart, is, that he is my King. This crowns all. He is my Almighty Saviour — my Bleffer — my Keeper. His providence is over me for good, and he fays to me, " Left any hurt thee, I will keep thee " night and day." And as to what concerns life and godlinefs, he fays, " Caft all thy care " upon me : for I care for thee." Jefus, Lord, I believe thee — the government is upon thy ihoulders — under thy protection I am fafe and happy. I know thou canft get thyfelf honor and renown in the darkeft days, and the molt ftormy weather. Let the tempeft rage ever fo much, my pilot is Almighty. He fays to the winds, " be ftill," and to the waves, " ceafe," and the ftormy winds and waves fulfil his word. Mr. T. here is my reft. I ufe means, as well as you. I am at my prayers. But Jefus is my only hope. The prefent profpc& may ap- pear to you very dark — a black cloud gathering — you fear what may come, when it burfts in all its vengeance. My good Sir, this is the time for REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. Ol for faith, to cxercife it— Ay, to improve it. What of fair weather, and funfhining faith. J low can one tell whether it be true or genuine ? But to put to fea in our little boat, in the midft of a ftorm, the waves dafhing over our heads, and threatening to fwallow us up every moment : then to be able to fay and feel— my Chrift is with me in the boat, therefore I will truft and not be afraid. This is the proper working of the faith of God's elect. For thus the command runs, " Truft ye in Jehovah for ever— becaufe in Jab., " Jehovah is everlafting ftrength.,, Let brother K. turn to his Hebrew Bible, and tell you, why I thus render the text. I have been fo much pleafed with your thought, " the Lord reigneth," that if God fpare life and health, I will preach upon it New Year's Day, and make it my watchword for the year 1789, giving the character of the perfon of the king— of the nature of his government, and what a peculiar fort of people his fubjecls are— faved, pardoned, juftified, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift— how they live— and how they die— and how they live to die no more. Pray for me, that I may be fo enabled to fet forth his praifes, that he may be glorified in me, and by me, then, and for ever. W. HOMAINE. LETTER €z LETTERS WRITTEH BY THE LETTER XVIII. Jan. 10, 1789* SATURDAY morning. It is fo cold, I can fcarce hold my pen, but I cannot help writing to you my prefent thoughts. Pardon fail- ings, as it is written. " Have fervent love among " yourfelves, for this love fhall cover the mul- HOW much I am indebted to you for fo long a letter, I cannot fay. I efteem it highly, and you for it. Knowing your great hurry of bufinefs, I could not expect it. But you REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 8j you are good, and I am thankful. At prefent I am alfo bufy about my Bible ; being fufTVred to live to read it over once more— two things have occurred to me in the prefent perufal, in both which I am enabled to triumph— The one is a deeper clifcpvery of the horrible ftate I am in through fin, fo that as a child of Adam, I feel nothing in myfelf but the working of cor- ruption—by, and under the law, dead to God, but all are alive to fin— every faculty at work to bring it forth — the mind — the heart — the fenfes — yea, the very imagination, in prayer difturbmg, diftracling, quite lawlefs— I can do nothing but cry out, Rom. vii. 24. Reading verfe 25, I get my fecond teflon, and find employment for my Jefus. A body of fin and death, like mine, wants an almighty Saviour, and I am learning to put more honor upon his word and wrork daily. I find more need of him, than ever, and it is fome true joy— that he is moil exactly fuited to my defperate cafe : having no hope, but in his blood, not one ray, but in his righteoufnefs, no ftrength, but in his arm, no happinefs, but out of his fulnefs ; I am led even to triumph in what he is to me — I would lay myfelf at his feet, and would blefs his dear name, that he is become all my falvation, and glory in him, that he is now all my defire. It is the beft reading that ever I had — Self was never fo brought down, and fo cruci- fied daily— Nor did I ever fee fo much reafor to magnify 24 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE magnify the perfon of God-Jefus. In this fpi- ritual crucifixion of felf and fin — In this true growing up out of felf into Chrift, may the holy Spirit teach you to profit daily. Pray for yours, In our common Lord, W. R, LETTER XXIV. Nov, ip, 179a* M> . and Mrs. T. THANKS— thanks for P mercies— for me and mine. I am told, it is a good thing to be giving of thanks : becaufe it is the light improvement of paft mercies, and the beft way, to fecure a rich fupply for the future. It keeps the eye, where it fhould be, fixed upon the fulnefs of Jefus. He gave — he continues to give — and he will continue; All come from him. A mercy — the feeling it a mercy — and the praifing him for it — this is grace for grace. It is his way, yea, his delight to give thus liberally, when he gets all the glory of his gifts. In this holy merchandife, you may be as rich as you will. My friends, he will withhold no favor from REV. W. R0MAINE, A. M. 83 from you, if you carry him back all his praife. Receiving his gifts, and thanking him for them, is the true fpirit of the gofpcl, and is the prac- tical improvement of it both in earth and in heaven. This is my leflbn for the year 1790. I have juft finifhed another reading of my Bible, and as I told you, my profiting has been in a deeper difcovery of the exceeding wickednefs of lin, and of mine own heart fin, deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked. If I had been only in the fchool of Mofes to learn, I mould, with fuch views of lin, have hanged my- felf long ago ; but in the fchool of Chrift, his fpirit enables us to feel daily more of the myftery of iniquity, that we may have occafion to know more of, and to truft more in, that offering of Jefus, which perfeð for ever. Thus things go quite right, when Chrift is exalted— and felf is brought down and kept down. This feems to bring our religion into a very little compafs \ but the practice of this one doftrine is univerfal, reaching to all times of life, and to all things in life — Keeping us ever dependent on the Spirit of Chrift to teach, and on his power to enable us, to live out of felf upon the fulnefs of God our Saviour. Mr. — — , He can make you a better fcholar than I am — for which bleiTmg, may my prayer be heard for you in the full fenfe of the promife— " Bleffed are the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." I am 86 SETTERS WRITTEN BY THE I am for peace, in the church, in the ftate, in the family, in the confcience, in life and death, peace everlatting : all this Chrift is to his people. Mrs. N. is Hill alive, that's all -y he is greatly fupported. Pray for him. I am doing the fame. Mr. John Thornton gone to heaven ! O what a lofs to the earth : after taking a moft af- fecting leave of all his children: The Rev. Mr. C. afked him, -.: :. i ""- t :": ; H - : : . = ;. : : : :- . - :I.t~ ~ :::^: H . . i.: _— / i: r .:-..-" -. cj:i :.'.. i~z ' 1l= :::iif : _: HI: ir~ . . -" -.-i uz :: ::-.•: r. in: . : -"trlrr .V:ri i: _- — _ - ■ _ . . . - - . f. 8 to 18 ; and yet h :■: ;_: -: I-.:: :':.. -i::_-_ H. ~r_t- nit _-. L I TUT"". 1 " r " '- - — ~ - " — - - - - "- " - ^ — i -r: 11." r:i':-::::I' :": : "■: r ri _i r .:. i::i::— t: it is my office to be found itairingupon God, :-:::.:: ::r ~~ : ~t. _:.:. i:i in .;: izi Z.eii ::: :':: zz.'t — i: :lt : :ii .-_ _. : -: ;.:n:::: iri— .": - ~. li : :;:.:! :r_- mi e:~: I ill :_:: — -il- '..t:' I ::=_ff. l: hi i: -7 fen:. Hi:iiik_I: :-it: j.: >-:: - - -i " . - _ - mr. i-i i n"::i:.-r ii.~t: A:: : :iiz:^ Tiezilr/ :: z*z:;tz 1::i ::: fz. : r ~H =-_ -.. merer for thcmfefaes» and k may be fnch a gracious anfcer as be obtained. Tins is my preiez.: :~;e — _r. ~ii._r_ i i~; ~: - ~z.:zrz ~. *rbkb I hope to meet yon often— as a cbiiP- Han — a BrniHifr — a tubbed. I go no farther in - ■ - **""• * ~ - - * * — - — . _ . — - . ._ — ... . :*. 9S LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE of the prayer of faith, defcribed in Pfalm cxxii, paraphrafed from beginning to end, in our fer- mon, Jan. 30, when one of myparifh left thirty ihillings for the minifter to recommend " bro- " therly love and charity," a far better fubjecl, than Whig or Tory. I am, at prefent, pretty well. So well as to preach Sunday laft twice, Tuefday, Wednefday, Thurfday, and hope to be at it twice to-mor- row. Tell IVJr. K. of my watch-tower : and pray him to preach, with earneftnefs and per- feverance. I will give him a text feafonable always, but now more fo. Three fundays have J been upon it, Ifaiah lix, three, laft yerfes. May }ie be made very fuccefsful in flopping the deluge of fin and unbelief, more than I have been. Fray for your obliged friend. And fervant in the Lord, W. ROMAINE. LETTER REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. ©9 LETTER XXXI. May 17, iy9y Mr. 1. I MAY be afliamed of myfelf. A man of your great bufinefs, and prefent hurry, anfwered me within two or three days : and your letter has lain by me as many weeks. But if I forget to write, I do not forget to pray. It is my privilege, and my happinefs, to have you on my mind, and in my heart — you — and yours. I am ftill in my watch-tower, looking out for the difcovery of the Lord's mind and will in his prefent difpenfations. Indeed they are alarm- ing—to me more fo : becaufe they do not alarm. The public is ftill thoughtlefs and fecure ; as if no ftorm was abroad, and no danger near them : though, for certain, fome of the hea- vier! judgments of God are in the earth, calling aloud for repentance. And the profeilmg few, with whom I converfe, are not humbled, and pleading earneftly with God for mercy, as the neceffity of the times require. And truly it is my own grief, that I do not grieve as I ought to do, for the affliction of Jofeph. Great diitrefles call for great companion. We ought to feel very tenderly for the fufferers in thefe wars— to relieve iOO LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE relieve where we can— and where we cannot, to make our conftant requefts known to God for them. I lament before him, that I have not fo much as I could wifh of that chriftian fym- pathy, which the members ought to have for one another. However, this feeling does me good : for it keeps me in my watch-tower, ftill waiting upon God, in the prayer of faith : and becaufe I cannot fee the appointed time for the end of the virion, I therefore cannot get off my knees. Things grow darker ajnd darker. The way of providence is ftill in the deep. What he is doing, we fee— but his motives, and his ends, are out of my fight. How his own glo- ry— how his people's good — how his churches increafe — are to be brought about and promoted by thefe wars, and this diftrefs of nations — muft be left to him to unravel. I am forced, which ever way I look, ftill to be humbled in prayer, in which I hope to be inftant, and without ceaf- ing, as long as thefe troubles continue : and it is not unlikely but they may continue as long as I live : for I have got far, many years, beyond the age of man, and am waiting for the fulfilling of Gen. xxv. 8. W ROMAINE. REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 1C» LETTER XXXII. March 20, 1794, My dear Sir, THERE was certainly fomething of intrinfic value, which made the widow's mite more than a pound. Some of that magnifying virtue* I verily believe, accompanied your late letter, and the prefent of wine, which came fafe. God be praifed, that brotherly love continues. May it increafe and abound yet more and more. If my prayer be heard, you will feel my Lord nearer and nearer to you, and he himfelf will fpeak to your heart—-" fear not — I am thy fhield, " and thy exceeding great reward. " This will be a perfect antidote againft devils as well as French. Fear them not. Why will not brother K. give us the pleafure of feeing his difcourfe ? My love to him, and try for me once more, what you can do. I preached two fermons on the 2Chron. xxix. The firft was a preparation for the fail, on the fir ft four verfes on the Tuefday Feb. 25. The occafion in Jehofhaphat's time was nearly the fame as ours. We are called upon to make ufe of the fame means : and have, from his example, encouragement to hope, through the favor and blefling of God, the 102 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE the fame fucc^f,. Not for our falling— no, no,— norfor our real humiliation. This is not our acl and deed, for it s a gift of rh Spirit, his fpecial gift—to know ourfelves — to feel what we are as finners — whit we defVrvt: for fin — and being faved fin- ners, to be enabled to give grace all its glory. This is the experience which goes before, and in, a fail. It is God's preparation — the genuine working of faith : fo that the bufinefs of the day- lies upon believers, whom God has humbled under his mighty hand — who for Jhemfelves, and for other unhumbled finners, are warranted to feek the Lord, and to plead with him, as Jeho- fhaphat and his people did — and they prevailed : fo may we. Then we came to the fail day, confidering the other part of the hiftory, from verfe 5 to the 14th, their behaviour on that day* and ours on this day. All of us, who are in our right mind, do as they did. A goodly company of penitent finners are proflrate at one and the fame time before our God. Our petition is for mercy, and help. Looking at our enemies, and at our dan- gers, we ufe means, but we do not trull in .our fleets or armies — our help is in the name of the Lord our God, as verfes 12, 13. Read what follows — and repent, and pray, and hope on. Their fall day was turned into a feflival. So was ours. We joined in thanks for pafl, for prefent mercies, fo often bellowed 1 upon REV. W. ROMAIKE, A. M. 10^ upon this favored land : and from his loving kind- tiefs in Jefus, and for the glory of his own great name, we begged for the continuance of them. And though the 28th of February be over— yet the fall is not. I am ftill keeping it daily on my knees, not fo much in praying againft the French, poor things, as againft fin, mine own, the na- tion's fin — infidelity — with all its infernal fruits — imploring for mercy's fake — that God, our God, would not fuffer iniquity to be our ruin. And for my own part, I am rejoicing ; comparing the word and the providences of God together, I fear no evil — chaftifements may come, but they mail be for correction, and not deftruction. W. ROMAINE. LETTER XXXIII. January 8, 1795. My dear Friend, IN a long life, fifty-nine years preach- ing, I was never laid by fo much as this winter, with a fevere cough, which is better, but I can- not expe£t it to be cured while this fevere wea- ther continues, if then. But all his dealings with me 104 LETTER5 WRITTEN BY THE me are well. His goodnefs and mercy have fol- lowed me all the days of my life, and I give him full credit, that he will not leave nor forfake me in this lad irage of my journey. You may read his dealings with me, in time paft, in the Life of Faith, and then in the Walk of Faith. And now my prefent experience in the Triumph of Faith. May my God be with you, according to our motto for 1795. It was " God with us." You will meditate on it : and it is full of marrow : if you can come at it, you will find, that, whatever you take in hand this year, God will make it to profper. So prays, W. ROMAINE. LETTER XXXIV. March 6, 1795* Mr. and Mrs. T. YOU are one, therefore I put you to-, gether in my letter of thanks, for a very kind and friendly acknowledgment in your laft, for the prefent of the Triumph of Faith. I wifli 1 could REV. W. R0MAIKE, A. M. I05 give you the grace, as well as the book : but it is an ineftimable gift, and in better hands than mine. One is the author and the fin i (her, and with him I am pleading for the increafe of faith in both your hearts. The more he gives you, your appetite will increafe, and you will wait in the means of his appointing for daily growth, With this waiting faith, I hope I am getting on : and, as 1 am nearer every moment to the end of my faith, I thank my God, that he vouchfafcs me very comfortable and believing views of what lies before me : and I doubt not, but he will make me a dying witnefs for Jefus, and his love. Do not ceafe to recommend me to his mercy, as I truft he will enable me to plead for you to the laft. I have received a very obliging letter from brother K. for which I own myfelf indebted to him -, and am repaying him as fail as I can, with my prayers, both for himfelf, and for his congregation. If he has good times in his pulpit work, and finners hear and repent ; and if his church members grow in number and grace, I am helping him as my Lord enables me : and with him 1 am more earned, becaufe we live now in troublefome times, when a refuge from the ftorm, and a fure covert from danger, fhould b% much fought after, and highly valued. My love particularly to Mrs. T\ and I hope ihe has fome of the experience, as well as the Vol, VUL H knowledge 106 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE knowledge of the great doftrines, in which the chriftian triumphs. Becaufe of her ftomaeh's fake, and her often infirmities, I wifn her Spirits may be kept up by the reviving cordials of the gofpd, and fhe may never want joy, great joy and peace in believing. My God be with you, a very precious Jefus tt) parents, children, Mifs H. K. &c. &c. So prays, W. ROMAINE. The following Letters to W. T. Efq. have been received fmce the former Colleclion zvere prepared for the Prefs. LETTER XXXV, Dec. 13, 1782. My good Friend, I HAVE read in a certain book— fC As cold water to a thirfly foul, fo is good " news from a far country." You know this is the gofpel. Many, thank God, very many times &EV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 10J tunes it has been good news to you and me. And while the blefled found is joyful in our hearts, it makes all other good news better. So it improved your letter. I received it as one of my covenant bleflings. You have your thanks; and God has had his. I am certain you will not be offended that he had the firft and bed. The contents of the letter were alfo every one of them cordials — manded her to reft her foul. Sorrow not, there- fore, fo.much for her, as to hinder your gratitude to God for his fpecial kindnefs to her living and dvjng. You have loft a mother, a good mother, grmft and H4 LET.TE.RS WRITTEN BY THE and I have loft a friend ; but neither you nor I would wifh her back again. Bleffed be God, we are following her — very faft I am — Bleffed be his holy name, he fupported her faith to the ]aft — fo he will ours. Let us improve this pro- vidence, as much as we can, to be always ready— that living and dying we may he the Lords. I write this from Bath, in our way to Brad- ford : then for a few days to Fro me — from thence to Wefrgate— the day is uncertain ; it may be Oct. 4, if not, it will certainly be the 6th or 7th. God give us an happy meeting. May he blefs you with much of his gracious prefence in thefe trying feafons. I feel much, and pray much for Mrs. T. The Lord give her his fupports and comforts. My chriftian love to brother K. and family — to Walter, Sam, &c. &e. friend Wingrove's love to you all, with Mrs. R. and W, ROMAINE's. Our kindefl love to Mr. and Mrs. Cadogan, I hope he is fuffered in public to extoll the praifes of our Jefus, and to let me hear them. LETTER &EV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. H£ LETTER XXX VIII. Jan. 21, 1 7"S4« I AM forced — but it is a willing vio- lence— to be Mrs. R.'s fecretafy. And having a cover to you, 1 thought it bed to inclofe hers, and to take the opportunity of addreffing two or three lines to yourfelf. You are in my debt ; but I don't "ftand upon that. Much of our Lord's love faves us from that trafficking fpirit, which returns only what -it had received — •' Love me, and I will love you; give me a pound, and I will give you a pound again." O, no. He teaches us his free love, and that makes us like him. I love you in him — for his fake ! and the more I know of you, the more I admire his grace and goodnefs to you. I have now upon my tabl as no credit is to bo " had elfewhere. I wifh they may not complete " our ruin. Bankruptcies are here in all parts — " no lefs than 135 at Bourdeaux, in eight " months pad. Trade is very dull every where ; thefe are the outlines of my fcrmon on Ephef. ii. 14. He is our peace. On which fubje£r. he cannot fpeak too highly of Chrift Jefus, the peace-maker, nor yet of the proclama- tion upon the word — in which all the articles of it are fully fettled — nor yet of the fecurity of be- lieving thefe articles upon the warrant, authority, and commandment of God, and of living in peace with God, when the Lord the Spirit explains and applies them. May it be a great day of thankfgiving with you! I do not wifh to be releafed from my chap- lainfliip, or from the duties of it. Mrs. T's health reftored, and getting about again, will keep 120 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE keep me ftill looking up to my good Lord for her — and for her dear John,— his name means one that has found grace, may he be acquainted with his name and enjoy the thing. Tell me— how (lie does — and how my John thrives. Admiral M. brings this with many enquiries — We have feen much of him in his prefent jour- ney; and he has given me great fatisfa&ion, as to the reality of his faith, and to the growth of it: he is indeed one after my own heart. I commend myfelf and Mrs. R. to your pray- ers. We defire very cordially to be remem- bered to Mrs. T. I long to fee Mr. Mitchell. When will he return? Get out of my debt as faft as you can j and pray for W< R. And all his, LETTER XL. Tvesdat, Jan* a£ My dear Mr. T. I THANK you much — I was pre- pared— my facrifice of praife was ready — and I offered it up— bleffing that gracious, moft gra- cious REV. WY ROTVfATNE, A.M. 121 ■fcious Lord, who delighteth in mercy. He is, like himfelf, good, to father and mother, chil- dren and friends. O call upon all you know, to give him the honor due unto his name. We kept a jubilee laft night. Our joyful thanks went up with acceptance. Our applications for the mother, for the babe, we left with him, who, we are certain will do all for the belt. Surely Mr. T. God's dealings with you have fomething of peculiar mercy, and call for lingular acknowledgments— your perfon, your wife, your children, your profv perity, in this world, in a better — O what fort of a man mould you be, whom God thus load- eth with benefits! I fcarce ever think of you, and how whatever you take in hand, the Lord maketh it to profper, without praying at the fame time that he would crown all his favors with true poverty of fpirit, and you may walk humbly with your God. Amen. Amen. My be- loved partner was very hearty in our prayers and praifes. She begs every thing kind and friendly may be prefented to Mrs. T. from her, as I alfo do from me. She defires her refpects to Sally ; wifhes her much joy of her little fitter ; and hopes fhe will take a great deal of care of her. This is the way to fhew, that fhe is a good girl, and loves her father and mother. This is preaching morning; but I flole this time from reading and prayer, to write thefe few lines. God make them acceptable. Vol. VIII. I LETTER 122 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TH& LETTER XLI. Sept. 26, 1785* My dear Priend. OUR laft letters met upon the road; but no angry words pad between them. All ■ was peace. I kept my anfwer to yours, until I mould fettle my affairs at home, and, taking my putumn ride, I mould fee you face to face, and jufl look upon you by the way. But my former conveyancer, the admiral, has again put it in my power to inform you, that I am dill employing my intereft for you, and diligent in it. As love directs I am conftantly keeping a good look up for Mrs T. And he takes notice of me, who can make her the living mother of a living child: he has anfwered prayer on the fame occafion, and I do not doubt of his good will or power. We who pray now mail praife foon. I hope to fee the mother, and to blefs the babe. If God fend you a fon, will you do me the favor to let me give him a name, expreflive of our devoting him to our common Lord? We have feen a great deal of .the admiral and Mrs. M. who iri- form me that my John is a fine boy. God blefs him. He lays him upon my heart, fo that I have him in fpecial remembrance. 'He is really a fa- . vori'te, REV. W\ ROMAINE, A. M. I23 torite. And I mew it in my way. He is a Child of many prayers, which I truft will bring down upon him many bleffings. When I often am thinking of your great bufinefs, your great family, your many connections, your active fpi- rit feems a peculiar mercy. The Bath quaker is not of my mind. He wants to quiet and frill you; as if all religion confided in a calm. But man is not made for Mill life, nor can fne Chriftian man, in your family, and bufinefs, and manifold concerns, be of the quaker fpirit. I remember he faid once to you, " I wifli I could flop that activity of yours." I did not take him up — but I have often fince admired the wifdom of God in fitting you for your place and ftation. See him in all ; and all will be well— be not flothful in bufinefs; but begin it, and end it with the Lord : then fuccefs will follow. You are a witnefs for this— fo am I in my way. I am in my fpirit as active as you can be — but I fet the Lord always before me. I take him with me to my reading ; vifiting the fick ; public, private mi- niftrations; and it is wonderful, what he enables a man to do, when he works for God. For when we carry him all the glory, he ftill fends us away with more grace. Go on. Be bufy. Do all you can for your family; but fanctify all by the word of God and prayer. I believe you do. God knit all our hearts- brother K.— Mrs.— your family—in one bond 1 % never, 124 LETTERS WRITTEN Bt THE oever, never, to be broken — No, not by deaths that great bond-breaker. bo prays your real friend, And conftant orator to him, W, ROMAINE, mBssBsssseessaest ' as w hoo§ LETTER XLIL Ffudat Morning. My dear Friend, ALTHOUGH I have not time to write as I could wifh, yet I could not neglect the\ opportunity — if it was only to let you fee, that the doctrines of grace, are not unfriendly to good works. Though by the by, the firft good work a. man can do, is to receive them, and the next, and fo on, is to make ufe of them. When I would tell you of my good works, it is not great I ; O no. It is the fun that makes frukfulnefs — fo does my Sun, my light and my life. He ena- bles me to wifli to be like him; and to be doing what he did, and as he did it : on the fame motive and to the fame end. My love to you is truly his gift. And .what if I fhould fay I fhew proof of it, expecting, nothing .again ? I write, KEV. W. ILOMAINE, A. M. 12^ write, and I write, and write again. This is No. 4, fince I left S. I take every occafion to mention you and yours to my gracious Lord, and he is pleafed to hear me. The very privilege is its own bleflednefs. It will only receive fome addition, when friend T. (hall fay— I am doing the fame for you and yours. I believe, you are doing it. But do it more, and better, and get out of my debt as fall as you can. *It will be & good while firft, but if you will let me give you a hint, it may be improved for your fake and mine. Make a confcience of remembering me as often as you are going to . Pray one for another — fo runs the command— mind how faithful he is to his word. Daniel's three friends went to prayer— they befought God with him, to give Daniel the underftanding of Nebuchadnez- zar's dream, and the interpretation : while they prayed, the anfwer came. In like manner, when Peter was in prifon, and to be executed the next day, the church was at prayers all night for his deliverance, and while they were praying, Peter came and told them, " How God had delivered " him." Peter fpoke very feelingly afterwards, when he faid, " The Lord knoweth, how to " deliver them that are his." Indeed, Sir, I want your prayers. I afk them. I have fome right to them ; and I believe they will do me good. My bleiling on all the children. Peace be with you. Amen. Mr. 12.6 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE Mr. K. is in my Litany for gofpel miniftersy when I weekly recommend them by name to the Lord of the harveft. I with he may do the fame for me. W. R. LETTER XLIII. Jan. 9, 1786,. Mr. T. I BEGIN with thanks— Bleffed be his name — who has fpared us another year, and is ftill magnifying his mercy to us and to ours. He is good, and doeth good 5 for his mercy em- dureth for ever. And to whom ? Who are the objects of his mercy ? Wonderful to confider : all, all of them are rebels — and when pardoned, for their beft fervices deferve nothing, but hell : and yet he glorifies his grace in fuch— giving, in? creating, multiplying, his mercies, both to their bodies and fouls -yea, he loadeth them with his benefits. My friend, take an eflimate of them ; you have leifure, more than you had at S. I am a bad accountant ; but you are well acquainted with figures— try, what you can do in carting Up this fum— " What has God done for you— " When, REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. I2y * When did his purpofes of doing you good e the Lord's. Mrs. R. defires to thank Mrs. T. for the good news: it was really fo, and helped us greatly to increafe the thanks of yefterday. I was favored whh an opportunity of recommending my deareft Jefus in the oldefl church in England, called Monk Weremouth, which belonged to the venerable Bede, a very favorite pulpit of mine, and from which his pre- cious name has been often, like ointment, pour- ed forth. When I remove from this place to Northumberland, and get a fight of Chevy Chafe Hills, which bound England and Scot- land, I fhall be reminded of an engagement to Mr. T. Tili it be fulfilled, I fhall be recom- mending you, Mrs. T. and all yours, to the care and keeping of my Jefus : fo will Mrs. R. who £EV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. J3I "Vvho begs, whenever you write to Mrs. D. tq be raoft affectionately remembered to her, a* does alfp W. RQMAINE. LETTER XLVI. Br Islington, Stj>t. 24, 179I9 My Dear Friend, ALTHOUGH I always look upon you, as one highly favored ; yet I could men-f tion a perfon who has been as gracioufly dealt with as yourfelf. And who perhaps may fur- pafs you in the greatnefs, the number, and the continuance, of divine mercies. I hope to dif- courfe with you upon this fubjecl, and to try which of us can beft magnify the fpecial goodnefs of our God. He furrounds me here with his lov- ing kindnefs— the family—the place— the wea- ther— Brl'ftol friends— Briftol congregations. I have not a moment, but fome of them are fay- ing to me — Here, here is frefh matter of praife, God make me thankful. I wifh to bring fuch a fpirit, as I now feel, to P. We leave our friends here Oct. 3, and flaying two days at Bradford, we expect to be at Salifbury the 6th. on IJS £ETT:ERS WRITTEN BY THE on Thurfday, and meeting your chaife, t$ arrive Friday, by two o'clock, at P. The Lord Jefus vouch fafe us a happy meeting, that wc may help one another forward in our great journey. My paper will not hold the number of refpecls, and remembrances to Mrs. T. from Mrs. R. ac- companied with the falutations of the Fs, with my own particular good wifhes and prayers for every branch of your family. You are all upon my heart, the fick and the well. My Lord, to whom I recommend you, makes his people happy in all conditions ; and he often lets them be fick to make them happier. He has a wort derful way, of his own, in curing defperate dif- eafes; yea, even of turning death into life. JBlefled, blefTed for ever, are all they who fol- low his prefcription. Mr. T. you have tried him— go on— truft and be not afraid. If your faith could go as far as his promifes, you would find heaven upon earth— the work of faith with power is heaven. May he keep you in it, who* is the author, and the finifher of the faith. My love to brother K. and family, and to youf viiitors, if any whom I know. Fray for W. ROMAINE. JfEV. -W. fcoMAINE, A.M. 1^3 LETTER XLVIL Jan. 4, 1793. Firft Utter of this Tear, Mr. T. WE have taken our leave of the laft year : Farewell 1791, thou wilt return no more. Welcome 1792. Our bufinefs now is, to try to profit from the paft, and to improve the coming time. When a chriftian looks back* every thing calls for his praife. And looking forward, every thing calls for prayer, the prayer of faith. On thefe fubje&s we employed ourQ felves on New Year's Day. You know it is one . of my feftivals. We had a great meeting ; and, I truft, many true worihippers. Our motto for this year, and our employment through all our years, is, moment after moment, grace for grace* To learn this leflbn in pra&ice is the found experience of a true believer — grace to pardon, as i Tim. i. 14. Grace to fubdue ^fin— grace to purify the heart — grace to regulate the life ; thefe in ufe are the exercife and the improve- ment of the grace of Jefus. He takes all from Chrift, as mere favor, and wiibes to grow up into him in all things. May this profper in your heart. God is teaching it you, as I ob- ferve from your lalt letter ; and 1 fee a legal turn in you that would pervert his teaching. Mr. T. the feeling of what you are ihould not keep .REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 135 keep vou from Chrift, but make you live more on his grace, and endear him to you, as the refuge for your cafe. If you grow in felf- knowledge, it fhould be your fchoolmafter to teach you more of Chrift ; becaufe, the more you know him, the more you will truft him. He will every day give you more reafon to do it : and mind— the more you truft him, the more you will love him. His Spirit will make him to your believ- ing heart, a precious Jefus ; and the conftrain* ing Jove of Chrift will lead you to a diligent Vife of all the appointed means, in which he has promifed to meet, and to blefs his people. This is our morality : and all this is favor. He giveth grace, and he giveth glory. Saints and angels are, and will be to eternity, worihippers of our Immanuel: fo fays Peter, " To him be glory " now, and through the day of eternity. Amen." My application was, i. To theGracelefs. 2. To feekers. 3. To the weak in faith. 4. To the ftrong. All is from Chrift. May this year be a growing year — downwards and upwards — out of felf into Chrift, from all creature-dependence to more perfect in and on God — his word and Spirit, as a witnefs to the fulnefs of Jefus. O Mr. T. this is fine talking; but, believe me, you may as foon create a world, as learn this lefibn without Almighty grace. Pray, pray for divine teaching. Pray for a growth in grace, that you may loath and abhor yourfeif ; and, repenting in duft X36 LETTERS WRITTEN BY Tldz 1793. My Friend, A GOODLY company of you met together. Peace be with you, family and guefls. You fay, I am in your debt — fo I wifh to be; and fo I mull: be, for fome time. I have fat down in earned to finifli the Triumph of Faith : and am now tranfcribing it for the prefs. It had grown fo voluminous, having been in hand ever fince 1771, that I have refolved to throw afidc REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. I4I afidc all my papers, and write only juft what I myfelf am at prefent, an old believer. I am in hade to get it flnifhed, before I finifli my courfe, which is very near run out. Soon I (hall enter on my 8oth year, and foon be no more here. I therefore leave my experience in the former vo- lumes of the Life of Faith, and of the Walk of Faith in this concluding treatife, which con- tains what I am dill learning and living. Some years ago, I publifhed a volume of Dr. Smith's portraiture of old age, explaining the 12th of Rcclefiades. Now I am made to feel the fymp- toms therein defcribed ; which is practical know- lege, and the trued comment upon the Bible, when the Holy Spirit writes it on the heart, and brings it into ufe and experience in the life. Now I have told you my prefent date — I am as bufy, in my way, as you can be in yours. The preparing for the prefs is not the whole of my employment. I would be found much in prayer for direction, for affidance, &x. and above all, for a bl effing from God : without which, the book may as well be burnt as fee the light. Herein you, and my friends with you, can help me much 3 and you will, if brotherly love con- tinue, i beg, for my Lord's fake, that you would plead with him for his direction— his af- fidance— his bleiling, on my poor attempt to fpread his matchlefs fame, and to encourage be- lievers to trud him. more and better. Take 14-2 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TH$ Take this excufe : for it is a true one. O that your account of Mr. T. may be matter of fact : I rejoice and am thankful. May you take Mrs. T. home as well as I wiih her. M., I find is to learn a little longer in our Lord's fchool : may he prove a good fcho- lar, till faith and patience have done their perfect: work. My love to Mr. I. He is in my debt, and can get out of it when he will. I wife him one of your bleffed gofpel-winters. Mrs. I. and her dear children, are in my litany : fo are yours. If you have any regard for me— remember my 'Triumph of Faith. Pray that I may live it, and, in due time, die it. So wifhes my good part- ner, to you, and yours, and all your guefts, In the holy bonds of chriftian love, I am, truly, p '' won;* Your friend and fervant, W. ROMAINE. LETTER *EV. frj ROMA-INE, A. M. fcfe LETTER LI. m '794- 3/y -D^w Friend* MAY this be thehappieft year of your life, and Mrs. T. and all your children. He can make it fo, in whofe hands are your time. And he can do it in a marvellous way. He can bring in comforts, by taking away comforts, and I hope he does. Mr. I. faid in a letter ; " You have " heard of the melancholy death of Mr. D." I had a letter from S. about a fortnight after, which made no mention of it, fo that I did not know for certain, how it was, till I met Mr, B. who fhewed me a letter from you, giving an account of it. You fee here is another breach in your family— a loud warning to you all, young and old — to be ready, that is, take care, that ye be found in Chrift, living and dying. Our motto was this year, " The God of " hope," Rom. xv. 13. I purpofe to give you the fubftance of my obfervations fome other time. Laft week I was enabled to preach eight fermons— and this week feven. It is better to burn out, than to ruft out. If Mr. K. does not preach (q often, may he do it more fervently, and with 144 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE with more fuccefs. I can wifh you nothing greater, than the continual experience of Rom. xv. 13. May the power of the Ho]y Ghoft mew what great things, exceeding great, you have to hope for from God in Chrift, and put you by faith into the prefent enjoyment, Mrs. T. and all your children. So prays W. R. LETTER LII. My good Friend, I GIVE you the earlieft intelligence of our motions, in which you are pleafed to intereft yourfelf. It is our year to vifit my fitter at Tiverton, to whom we go the beginning of July — Afterwards, I have taken the care of Mary Portchurch, in Briftol, for four Sundays. After which, I hope God will open a way for us, to fee our friends at P. and to help one for another ward in the bed things— which will be (if all things favour) in Oftober, and of which I fhall inform you again and again in the courfe of the fummer. a Mav REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. I45 May our hearts meet often in the centre of union. - Your late ficknefs had a voice— it fpake— and you heard it fay—" In the midft of life we « are in death." How (hort is life— how uncer- tain—How certain, infallibly certain, is death- How neceffary is preparation for it— How dan- gerous the leaft delay— How comfortable a well- grounded hope of fafety in death, and of joy beyond it. Mr. T. you know thefe things, O for more practical knowledge, and lively ex- perience. There is an antidote againft the fling, aye, and againft the fear of death— an in- fallible cure — true faith believes, and takes it. The confeience feels the fovereign virtue — the blood of the lamb cleanfes it from all fin : and when guilt is gone, the heart is faved from every enemy it had reafon to fear, and is entitled to every blefiing, that God has promifed. It is upon the ground of this warrant, and nothing elfe, (pray mind that) that any man can look forward to death and judgment, with a hope full of glory and immortality. What faid the blefled company of old teftament martyrs ? All thefe died in faith : to whom the new teftament church in perfect: unifon replies— Thanks be to God, who giveth us alfo the victory over the law, over fin, and over death, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Mr. T. you have their faith— God help you to make good ufe of it. If you live long, you mull expect I46 LETTERS WRITTEN BY TH* expect trials; tite profpect which faith opens into the other world, will marvelloufly fupport and comfort you under them. God has given you many, many> temporal bleffings ; this faith wiil improve them, and exalt them into fpiritual and heavenly mercies— It will teach you to fit loofe to them— God in them, and not they alone, will be your portion— You will tafte his good- nefs in them; and when he calls you to leave them, you will be, he will make you, as ready to leave them, as a poor beggar would be to fall aileep, if the Almighty had promifed that he fliould awake a great emperor : our Jefus is this Almighty— He has promifed to be our fhepherd through life and death. May he magnify his tender care over you, by making you feel happy in him, as happy as the 23d Pfalm promifes }ie wiil make you, I know you will excufe my long fcrmon : but truly I am fo fenfible of the importance of , preparation — the dreadful danger of delay, that i could not help thanking my God, who had fpared you* — This licknefs, I truft, was for his glory in your good — as Lazarus's wras — but Lazarus died afterwards. May you live to die as Lazarus, and be where he is now. I allure you, the chriftian hope has its prefent harveft of bleffings — May you enjoy them abundantly, through life,, and for ever and ever. Mrs* REV. W. ROMAINE, A.M. I47 r Mrs. T. is in my eve, and in my heart. What I wifli you, I alfo with her. She carries about with her a conftant monitor, a weak and crazy body ; and he fays to her, " Be ye alfo *< ready." I know (he believes : and whatever bad nerves may fagged, and they are terrible enemies to the comforts of Chrift, yet he is. on her fide ; and he will prove himfelf, in every time of need, to be her Saviour and her God, She is perfuaded I make ufe of my intereft with him for her, and for all fhe loves, efpecially my John, whom God blefs. B. K. gave me yefter- day a good account of his Father — I was in prayer for him — and have now been giving of thanks : may he be preferved, for the fake of his church, his family, and his friends. Mrs; R. defires the kindeft things may be faid for her to Mrs. T. and all true and real. We join in conftant prayer for you, and hope to join foon with you— A,nd it warms my very heart arid foul with feelings inexprefiibly bleffed, that I hope, ere long, to join all my P. friends, in the praifes of God, and the Lamb, which will never, never Cndj but grow better and better, to all eternity. LETTER I4'S LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LETTER LIU. To Mrs. T. Nov, 28, 1785. My dear Friend, Mrs T. I WAS interefted greatly in the birth of John — and, if I remember well, I fent you on that occafion, fomc reflexions to ftir up your gratitude. My heart has been with you on the prefent mercy, for which I joined in prayer, and now join in thankfgiving. You will not be of- fended, that I fend you what has been upon my mind lately, and what I truft has been alfo upon yours — May he, who commands the bleffing, make it the means of exciting and increafing the praifes of your heart. I fuppofe you in your clofet, and in the prefence of God. O, how many are my mercies ! and thefe new. mercies are calling for a new fong of praife. Elefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me, blefs his holy name : Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and forget not all his benefits : For furely, his mercy and goodnefs have fol- lowed me all the days of my life. O what REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. I49 O what was I, that God mould fet his love upon me before time, and in time call me to the faving knowledge of his Son, whom to know aright is life eternal ? And what am I even now, fmce I have felt fomething of the power of his precious gofpel ? Why me, Lord ! what was I, what am I, that I fhould be chofen, and called, and accepted in the beloved ? Not unto me, in the,leaft, not unto me, but unto thy fovereign grace be all the praife. 0 help me to afcribe unto thee, the glory due unto thy great name: for I am furrounded, I am loaded with thy benefits. All thy dealings with me (hew forth thy loving kindnefs, and in temporals, as well as fpirituals, I am fingularly favored. 1 cannot count my many, many outward bleffings, nor can I be thankful enough for a fpiritual ufe of them. When I furvey my fituation in life, my kind relations, my friends, and fubftance, my houfe and fervants, they all proclaim the bounty of heaven to my foul.. Thanks be to thee, thou that delighteft to do good, I fee thy hand, I tafle fomething of thy love in all my enjoyments. I thank thee for thy gifts— I ufe them by thy grace— and I blefs thee, that they are in any tjO LETTERS WRITTEN BY TH£ any meafure fanclified by the word of God and prayer. O how are my mercies increafing — they abound in number — in quality they grow more exceIlent--For I get two in one — firii: a mercy, and then a thankful heart to acknowledge it, which is git.ce for grace. Let me, deeply impreft, lift up my heart to blefs the Lord God, for my hufoand, my children, and especially for my new born Son — whom I devote to thee, and to thy fervice— O be with him through life— thou knoweft my heart and the feelings of a mother, let the bowels of thy tender mercies in Chrift be towards him — I afk nothing more for him, and thou wouldeft . not have me afk any thing lefs— than that thou . mayeft be his portion, and his exceeding great reward. ifc I And now father of my mercies, who haft been the guide of my youth, into thy care and keep- ing I commit me, and mine. Here I am at P , a miracle of thy goodnefs — let me live here a life of praife — and whatever bleflings thou giveft, crown them with a humble, and a thankful heart. O let me never be fullered to rob thee of thy glory ; but help me i-o give it all, where it is due, in life, and death, and to all eternity— to Father, Son, and Holy Ghoil. Amen. 5 When . 3firl} REV. W. &GMAtNE, A. Rf. I as to hinder me from writing every poft, if I thought it would be any comfort to my mother. If flie is waiting on God, he will not leave her. If flie is defiring the fulfilling of the promifes, God cannot deny himfelf : his word cannot be broken ; he will give her her heart's delire, even himfelf to be her God, and her everlafting reward. My wife ha^ beci very ill, thank God fhe is now pretty wei' recovered, and fends her duty to my mother, and her love to you all. The children are well. LETTER V. I CAN fay nothing yet about coming down. I have had fad troubles at St. Dunftan's, with the new VitcU\ He will let none preach 1 for fcF.v. W. ROMAIVE, A. M. l6$ for mc without a licence, which puts me to great inconvenience ; but ail is governed by One, who knows what is beft, and docs ... rhat is bed, for his own glory, and his people's good. I dcfire to be more and more thankful to God, for his mercies both to me, and to you. How can we thank him enough for that fo many of us are feeking happinefs in eternal things, while fo many are content with the happinefs of time and fenfe ! how can we do too much to fhow our gratitude ? Oh, let us do, or fuffer any thing our God calls us to ! furely, the time is fhort, and this fhort fuffering is the way to an eternal weight of glory, &c, W. R. LETTER VI. My dear Sifter, I AM glad to fee your hand writing, I received your bill, and have fent you two books ftitched in blue paper. You know, I fuppofe, why we did not all come as we intended ; my wife is poorly : as foon as fhe is any thing better, I hope to fee you. I fend you enclofed two letters l66 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE letters of Mrs. Love's, the moll extraordinary I ever faw. — Her faith was as (trong as Abraham's, in offering up his only fon. May God give you and me the fame faith ! and I doubt not but he will, if he call us to the like trials ; 'for I am certain, I find it by experience, that he gives his people ftrength for their day. Religion is' in a very flourilhing flate among us. We have great additions of people, and feveral minifters lately come out. This is indeed a day, which the Lord hath made. Oh that I may find him pre- fent with his divine efficacy, when I come down ; help me with your prayers, both before, and when I am there, that the work of the Lord may profper in my hands. Yours, mofl affectionately, W. R, LETTER VII. My dear Sifter, I HAVE been very poorly a long time, but thank God, 1 find ficknefs better for me than health 3 and I am fure, when the Lord fees REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 1 6j fees bed, I fliall be reftored to my former Hate. The main thing is to be fecure of our eternal healih ; of that I have no doubt. Blefled be God for his unfpeakable gift I believe not one tittle of the word can be broken, but that to the uttcrmoft it (hall be fulfilled, even to me. This gives a reliih to every thing God fends; becaufe, whatever comes from him, comes always fancli- fied, and generally fweetened. What the enemy attempts agr:i::ft our peace, God over-rules to the eftablilhing of it; and his temptations againft our graces, are made to flrengthen them. This is my e: e; I hope it is yours. Rejoice in having an Almighty friend. Be comforted in him. \\ hat fignifies all that Satan, or the world, or our own hearts, can do againft his power? We are his. That is enough. He will keep us. He wriil ftrengthen us. He will juftify us. He will fa notify and glorify us. Yea, he will do this for fuch as we are. Oh let us then fear nothing but difpleafing him; and while this holy fear is fri our hearts, we fliall go on fafely and fweetly homewards. There may we meet, even in our father's kingdom, and in- herit all that Jefus purchafed for us! My beft refpecls, and duty, and prayers, at- tend my dear mother. I have not the leaft un- eafy thought about her. She has God's promife. Tills Ihe ihail find. The Lord keep you and all friends. W. R. LETTER ?68 LETTERg WRITTEN BY THE LETTER VIII. Dear Sifter, YOUR letter gave me greater joy than I can exprefs. I hope all will foon be well with your foul. You may examine yourfelf by thefe following rules, and I hope God will give his bleffing to them. Firft, look back and fee from whence your conviction of fin arofe. The fcripture fays, true conviction muft come from the holy fpirit ; and when he 'is come, fays Chrift, he will convince the world of fin. It is his bufinefs, and his of- fice; and, when he acts in it, conviction has thefe properties different from the conviction of natural confcience. It refpecls not fo much acls of fin, as the fin of our nature ; that entire pollution, and depravity of the faculties of foul and body, which render us by nature children of wrath. Again, it is deep ; it goes to the bottom of the heart, and lays open all the lurking places of fin. Farther, it is lafting, it continues its hatred and oppofition to all fin, until it be not only feen in the heart, butalfo driven out of it. Secondly, if, after examining your conviction by thefe rules, you find it right, and peace and joy begin to arife in your confcience ; if it be the peace fcKV. W. R0MAINE, A. M. 1 69 peace and joy of the holy fpirit, it will make you continue to hate fin, and every thing finfuL It will leave you more in love with God than it found you. You will love prayer more, and will have a freedom and liberty in it, which you had not before. You will love God's word more, and will underfrand more of it, being ena- bled, by his grace, to find inftruclion in it, fuit- able to all your fpiritual wants. My meaning in all this is, if the convi&ions have brought you to Jefus Chrift, you will know it by its fruits. You will find yourfelf grow in grace, and more in earneft about the falvation of your foul. Thirdly, examine your growth in grace by this rule. We remember the fin which did lb eafily befet us; look at that; fee whether you hate it entirely, and whether you have entirely got the maftery over it. God has promifed that you mail have grace to help in time of need. Apply to God for the fulfilling of this promife ; and be more concerned about this grace, which you al- ways want in time of need, than about fenfible comforts ; becaufe, in the one you may be de- ceived, but in the other you cannot. My dear filter, you have chofen the better part. The kingdom of heaven is worth millions of worlds. May God enable you to feek, until you attain it. Aly prayers attend you. — Remember me to my fiffer.— My duty to my dear mother. Adieu, W. R Vol. VIII. M LETTER I/O , LETTERS WRITTEN BY THfe Letter ix. GRACE be with you, my dear fitter* and with my deareft mother; thanks for your kind letter. I am glad to obferve the fpirit of it. While Chrift is dear and precious all will be well. Lay him as the foundation, and build all upon him ; then foundation and building will never, never, fall. O my dear fitter, you cannot make too much of him. Faith, retting on him, finds a free, full, eternal, pardon for all fin; and faith, living upon him, finds power over fin* de- liverance from temptations and enemies ; and, bye and bye, fin fhall be no more, but only heaven and glory, the purchafe of the Saviour's blood. The believers motto is, 9. Chrift all, I no- thing." For he cannot live upon Chrift, unlefs he feel his want of him. More wants, more faith. As they increafe, fo mutt faith, that the believer may get a fupply, and the Saviour may get the glory. May that precious Saviour, eter- nally, infinitely precious, be your keeper ! May you love him more than I do ; live more upon him than 1! May my dear mother get eftablilhed in him ! Jefus keep you! Jefus blefs you! My dear fitter, yours in him, W. R. LETTER HEV. W. ROMAINEj A. M. 1JL LETTER X. My dear Sifter, I HAVE been Waiting to anfwer your kind letter, with fomething fatisfaclory about my outward affairs; but, not being able as yet to do it, I could not put off my writing any longer. You tell me good news indeed ; which makes my heart glad and thankful. O what reafon have I to blefs the good and gracious Lord, who is ftill infinitely lovely to me and mine ! He hath brought me once more to St. Dunftan's, and through many miracles of mercy, which I have experienced both in my body and foul, for thefe laft fix months. Now I can fit down, and, looking back, adore and blefs his rich grace; in all things, and for all things, I can give him thanks.' No- thing have I to mention all the day long, but mer- cy upon mercy; great meafure, preffed down, and running over. Every moment brings fome increafe of mercies to body, or foul, or children, or friends, orfubftance; and leads me to magnify the good- nefsof my deareft Lord. He hath fhewed him- fe!f, by numberlefs acls of grace, fo entirely my friend, that he has enabled me to truft all my mercies in his hands. He knows what is belt M 2 for 3 72 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE forme; and I am fare lie will give it me. Thus he is glorified, and I am happy. You have heard of my being a candidate for a church m the city. My friends put me up; and I am. as if I were not a candidate, for I have fcarce a thought about it. One wifh 1 am fare 1 have not, but thcit Chnft's will may be done. Would he em- ploy me in a larger field than 1 have at prefenr, and he knows how to order my affairs. He can blefs ficknefs as well as health ; nay, he dees blefs all things to his peo- ple. So I find. I have nothing to fear on his part, though every thing on my own. I am going into a den of lions. Pray for me, and pray for my journey down, that it may be to God's glory. My wife and children join with me in duty to my dear mother, and love to you, J am, for that precious Jefus' fake, Your loving friend, And affeftionate brother, W. R. LETTER ! 76 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LETTER XII. My dear Sifter, MUST not accufe me of neglect. I have been about my matter's bufinefs, preaching at Bath, at Bradford, at Powfey, &;c. and, being now returned to London, to preach three times to morrow, I could not help giving you an ac- count of my matters, and of my dear Jefus's great goodne'fs to me. He has travelled with me, and been with me of a tvuth. Oh, what have I experienced of his love, fince I left you : he has not only let me tafte that he is precious, but he has made me alfo live upon his grace. He lets me have nothing but love, free rich love, and my very phyik is given by, and tafTes of, his love, and always works greater love in me to him ; fo that Jefus is become exceed* ing dear to me. His crofs endears him, as well as his crown. Indeed, his crofs is full of diamonds within, as his daughter, (that is every true be- liever) is all glorious within. But why do I fpeak thus to your Is not that precious Immanuel lovely in your eves ? Yes, I know he is ; and I fpeak of him to you, to encourage you Hill to go on expecting to receive every day of his fulncfs more than you received ycfterday. Don't ftop. KBV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 1 77 (lop. Don't thin!: you have attained all he has to give ; but kc ?p prciii.ng on — flill there is more wifdoj cu know but in part; flill more growth lb' u'-d^ of ChrhTs righteoufnefs, it is infinite and everlafiing ; flill more holinefs in Jefus s fulnefs than any one living has yet re- ceived, becaufe not one on earth loves as they, do in heaven • {till more ftrength, becaufe every day is to bnng us more fenfible of our weaknefs, that we may be ftrengthened more by him, and that his ftrength may be perfected in our weak- nefs. The T/ "d yive you his mind and fpirit, that you may be* growing up into him in all things. You have great reafon to blefs the Lord Chrifr, for his goodnefs to you in the North ; but he has a dear people, and a numerous one too, in the Weft, and growing. It will be a vaft multitude when they all get together ; and that puts me in mind of my dear mother, wdio, I am fure, will not be wanting, when the Lord count- eth his jewels. Mine, and my Wife s duty to her. The children are well we hear. Remem- ber us kindly to Mr. and Mrs. Callender, and Mr. and Mrs. Packer. Jefus be with you all. I am, for his fake, Yours mofl 'affectionately, \V. R. ■ LETTER 3^8 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LETTER XIII. Lambeth, Nov. 6, 1763, My dear Sifter> WHOM I ]ove in the Lord, peace be with you. Although I have nothing particular to communicate, yet I could not help writing on the old fubjecL, which will never be exhaufted. . While there are angels to fmg, and faints to fhout, to fhout aloud for joy, they will be telling of the love of Jefus, to all ages. How great is his goodnefs ! how great is his beauty ! match- lefs both ; as I can witnefs for one. 1 am loaded with his benefits. If I fhould begin to number them, they are more than I am able to exprefs. To my body, my fubftance, my children, my foul, all, all is mercy ; and mercy too that endureth for ever. May the God of all mercy, fecure to himfelf, from me, all the glory that is his due. You aik about Blackfriars ; the caufe liands (till : it was to have been heard the firffc day of this term ; but the lawyers were not ready. They begged for more time, and my Lord Chancellor granted it to them. When it will come on now 1 cannot tell. But I can tell much of Jefus's goodnefs to me. He does not let all this waiting time be loll. He is teaching me to make up all my happinefs in himfelf, and is kindly cutting off REV. W. ROMAINE, A.M. Iff off one and another view of reft, fhort of him, who is our only reft. And becaufe I am a \ dull fcholar, and the mailer is meek and lov he therefore bears with1 me, and takes a great deal of pains to inftrucl me in my leifon, I think this is one great end and aim in all his dealings with his dear people. He would have them to truft him, to live on him, and to love him, always. But how can he do this fo effectu- ally, as by bringing them off from trufting to, living on, and loving, other things ? He would take thefe out of the heart, in order to make room for himfelf. He is a jealous God. He will not fit on the fame throne with idols. If there be one ft ill in the heart, it muft come down. The more we cleave to it, he will put forth the more of his ftrength to divorce us from it. While he is in much mercy doing this, the foolifh heart thinks Chrift is hurting it, and in- tending it evil, when he means nothing but good, and is taking the beft means to bellow good He is removing the fhadow, to make way for the fubftance. He is deadening the foul to fenfual enjoyments, that it may be there- by more alive to God, and fitter for clofer com- munion with him. Gracioufly is he teaching me thefe bleffed leffons. What he takes from me, I gain mod by. For I am an immenfe, yea, an eternal gainer, when he fills up with himfelf the I So LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE the want of that, which he takes away. Whatever brings me this blefling, I can welcome it. Wel- come the lofs of Blackfriars. Welcome every crofs which' brings me nearer to my Jefus, and makes me live in itric~ter fellowship with him ; and then I can fay, and feel it too, farewel line world, fare- wel all thy fine things, farewel for ever } when they would keep me one moment from the en- joyment of my greateft good, and from the low of my belt and eternal friend, my Jefus. I have not one uneafy thought about my mother. I have feen the Lord's love to her, and I know he changeth not ; what he hath begun he will carry on. I can only pray, (be may be as much fatisfed in her own heart, as I am about her. Sweet Jefus biefs you in body, and foul, and fub- itanee. Give me an intercit in your pray* who am, Your moil affectionate brother, W. R, LETTER XIV. BRIKHTHELMSTONt, 0:1. 8, lj6^ hly dear SifiCr, I HAVE been waiting for an oppor- tunity to write unto you, and it is now come. You love to hear, and I love to write, about our- common KKV. W. ROMALNK, A. Mi I 3 I common friend, that match. Jefus » a fubje£l one is never tired uf ; th we dwell on it, the fvveeter it grows ; the lor. we enjoy its fweetnefs, the more of heaven will ie down to us, till we get up into heaven itfelf. To fee Jefus in heaven, and to enjoy him, is the blifs of heaven. Thanks be to him, he is the joy of your heart, and mine. Although we do know him, and rejoice in him, yet we know but little of what is to be known ; for he is an infinite fubjedl, and we can but know him in part — but let. us prefs on to know more. And, as wegrowr morehumhle and teachable, he willfhew us more of the excellency of his knowledge. Pray earneftly for more deep heart-humility. Mind — what he hideth from the worldly wife, he revealeth unto babes, unto them who are child- like, and fimple. The Lord make us more fo daily, that we may know him aright ; and then we fhall always fee our falvation from fin, and hell, and our title to heaven and glory, in him. We cannot know him truly without believing in him. When we underftand his power, God- man — his errand into the world, to fave finners, his Almighty arm, and the love of his bleeding heart to fave them ; and what an innumerable company he has pluckt out of hell's mouth, and raifed up to his heaven ; the more we know of thefe things, the more we can trull him. He fays to all fmners, " Come to me, and I will « fave 152, LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE cc lave you." O what grace is in thefe lips— that you and I have heard his voice, and have come, and are faved. We do believe, Lord, in- creafe our faith ! let us pray much for it ; be- caufe, as our faith in him increafcs, fo will ouf love to him. I cannot believe he has fmifhed falvation's work for me, and daily experience miracles of his love, without loving him in re- turn ; and, as his miracles increafe, I would love him more and more. O for more love to this bell and deareft of friends ! I am fure your heart favs, Amen. Now the Way to have his love both growing and increaiing, fo as to abound in us> is to be continually making ufe of him. He has all good in him 3 and he has it for you and me. He has the fulnefs in him of a fountain, to com- municate of it. Of this fulnefs he would have us to make free; he invites us, commands us, to come with ftrong faith, and much love, that, by receiving from .him great grace, he may get much glory from us, while we get much hap^ pinefs from him*— His generous offer is, ft Come all, all mine, now enjoyed by faith ; for ever, in full pofleffion ! ! What divine comforts are thefe ? With thefe 1 would encourage the miferable to come to Jefus; that, having truftedthemfelves with him, he might have the glory of making them happy. O that I may prevail ! Say, I want for '" this, Grace every moment. " I call, and he, in whom all fulnefs dwells, fays to me, " I will Cf water thee every moment." I believe it — I experience it. Grace has made me willing to live out of myfelf — upon the fulnefs of Jefus — In him I have what I want ; yea, from him I gain by my wants. I grow richer by my poverty, and happier by my mifery. Whatever it be, that brings me to live more upon his grace, is the means of my getting more grace, and there- by proves to me a real bleffing. As I have freely received this grace, fo I freely make the publication of it with all its benefits. I can tell my people, and boldly, that we are faved by grace $ kept by grace j comforted by grace; fanaified REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 2U^ fanaified by grace ; nnd, although this be the doctrine againft which the wicked one, the wick- ed world, and above all, the felf-righteous world, fight, with all their might ; yet I am not dif- couraged, becaufe Jefus is my ftrength. On him I depend for counfel tofet about the work, for fuccefsin it, for a bl effing upon it. If op- pofition arife, and it cannot but be that h* who is born after the fleih, mould perfecute him that is born of the Spirit ; to my Almighty King I flie, and on his promifed help I truft* Oppofe what will, Jefus is on the throne. All power in heaven and earth is his. By faith, ftrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, I have (etn the mod formidable op- position fall before me. Therefore, let us go on, walking ftraight forward to Jefus, what- ever may (land to flop us in the way. If war arife, hot, fierce and long battles ; many ene- mies, mighty and ftrong, all the hefts of earth and hell 3 then Jefus is my victory. He arms me for the battle, with the whole armour of God; clad in which, he teacheth my hands to War, and my fingers to fight 5 Strengthens the heart to holdout in long battles; difcovers plots and wiles of fubtle foes ; gives courage to meet the roaring lion ; brings the foldier off conquer- or day by day, and more than conqueror at laft* his enemies all eternally vanquifhed ; he then fits down upon a throne, crowned with ever- O % lafting 204 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE lafting glory and honor. Tis bleffed fighting through Jefus our captain : O ! what will it be to reign with Jefus our King! Heaven it is upon earth to enjoy him; and there is heaven in every thing which brings me to more enjoy- ment of him. This the apoftle had in his eye, and he had a great deal of it in his heart, when he called upon his Ephefians, to grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Chrift. Mind, all things, while we live by faith, mall make us grow up into Chrift more clofely and intimately; finding you want him daily more and more, for life and godlinefs, for body and foul, for time and eternity : fo that, without him you can do nothing. The abiding fenfe of this will keep you in your right place, as a poor helplefs creature, hanging on the arm, living on the bounty, of the infinitely rich Jefus. This is the believer's growth. He grows more up into Chrift. Taught by the Spirit of Jefus, he fees and feels ljis want of every good ; and he is made to fee and feel this continually, that he may not live upon felf, upon any creature, upon worldly happinefs ; but that, finding his need of Jefus every moment, he may be receiv- ing, every moment, grace for grace out of Jefus's fulnefs. O for more of the teaching of that fpirit, to humble us, and to glorify Jefus J O for more fellowfhip with him in his fulnefs of grace ! Heaven is nothing more than fcllow- ' fhip REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 205 (hip with him in his fulnefs of glory. May my clear mother know him thus ! 1 ceafe not to remember her at his throne. Her cafe is fafe. I only wirii her more happy in believing it. All here are well, and defire to be remembered With your truly affeclionate brother, W. ROMAINF.. LETTER XXVII. 1766. My dear Sifter, GRACE be with you. I begin to think it long fince I heard from Hartlepool ; but, fuppofing you make nothing of the note which I fent from Helmfley, I mud therefore write firft, which I gladly do, embracing this and all occafions to tell of Jefus's love. His mercies have followed me all the days of my life — mod free and undeferved— to body and foul. Surely a greater monument lives not. He brought me home fafe — keeps me in health — gives me enough and to fpare of this world's good ; and I tafte the love of the giver in his every gift. What would I more ? Why, truly, 2 nothing 20b LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE nothing in this world. But, if I am thus in- debted for temporal bleflings, where (hall I be- gin to fet forth his infinite grace in fpirituals ? I am that brand, fuch as the like is not, pluck- ed by Almighty love out of the burning. I might have been in it forty, aye, fifty, years ago, and in it for ever. O what patience was there in the Lamb ! But he was refolved to have all the glory : and indeed he richly de- ferves it — both for faving me out of hell, and for giving himfelf to me to be a faviour ; and for giving his Spirit to bring me to know myfelfj and to know him, whom to know is life eter- nal. All the angels, ail the faints, could not tell how great his love already experienced is to me. How far fliort muft I myfelf fall? I am content he fhould have the crown. It well becomes the head of King Jefus. I pay him willing homage, and am glad to take a free pardon, a perfect title to heaven, at his royal hands. Indebted to him for heaven, makes the thoughts of it fweet. I would not be out of his debt if I could. Are not you glad ? 1 know you are, that to me Jefus has been fo exceedingly kind, in all things. Yea, to mine, my family and rela- tions. What grace has been fhewn ? How much are we bound to acknowledge his bounty ? O let us with our lips and lives ihew forth his praife ! and let my mother join. I am fure flic R£V. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 207 flie ought. Blefiings on her from the belt of friends. So pi;: r and her's, in a precious, ever precious Saviour, W. R. LETTER XXVIII. Lambeth, 1767* My Dear Sifter, I WAS in hopes you would have dlf- pofedof my charity before this, and would have let me know to whom I am to pay the monev. I am thankful you had my commiffion, for I think it can never be more wanted. The good Lord fecure.ro himfelf all the glory of this, and of every a 61 ofkindnefs to his afflicted members. I am praying for my dear mother; Jefus hear me , that this may be the grand year of her life, when me will fay, — " Blefs the Lord, O my foul, " and all that is within me, blefs his holy name, " for he hath forgiven thee all thy fins. He him- " felf is become thy falvatioa." O what a jour- ney mould I have to Hartlepool, if I was to come and hear this voice of joy and thankfgiving. Well, I don't doubt of it. All is now fafe. All Win J»0S ' LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE will be comfortable, when the Lord pleafes. Let him do what feemeth him good. A happy, happy year to her and to you! Through mercy, I am going on very well. I want nothing but more capacity to praife and to enjoy Jefus. He is very near to me, and he makes himfelf very dear. He ftill fmiles on our meetings, and is in the midft of us. Black Friars is owned by him. He has fet to his feal that God is there. O for more of his prefence to fill the ordinances with life and power. Pray for us, my dear fitter, and you will not lofe any thing by our having much of Chritt with us. We will pray for you in return. To him I commend you, whofe love is truly heaven, even upon earth. May you never want it, till you enjoy all its fulnefs, together with your loving brother, W. R. LETTER XXIX Feb, 21, 1767. ALL fpiritual blciTings be with my dear fitter. — I thank you for your laft favour, and for being my almoner. I hope you will write to me REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 209 me faon, and let me know how my mother does. As (lie is in the Lord's hands, all will be well. Before (lie goes hence, he will open her mouth to fpeak for Jefus. I go on with my prayers, that the Lord's good pleafure may be done in her. Here is good news of the increafing king- dom of Jefus. More minifters, efpecially, are raifed up. We have more awakenings among us. More refre filing times. Things wear a very promifing afpteft* Thar.ks for thefe bleff-- ings! May they bring down more. O praife the Lord with us, and let us magnify his name toge- ther! May we join to thank him for poor Hartle- poel finners! 1 charge you not to forget me, nor Blackfriars, in your prayers. I cannot forget you. The precious Lord Jefus be your compa* nion and guide unto death. I am, Very heartily, Yours in him, W. R. LETTER XXX. Lambeth, June 27, 1767. My Dear Sifter, I HAVE been waiting for a long time to write to you, that I might fix the time of feeing you, but have been prevented hitherto, by my being 2IO LETTERS, &C. being difappointed of three curates. At prefent I am without one; and I know not when I (hall get one to my mind. I am obliged to flay till I do. Your letter this morning would not let me delay any longer. As to the contents, having received no hint from any quarter, I was indeed furprifed at »'s affair ; and, as to your own connections, you are of age, and the bed judge. Whatever you do, my prayers and bed wifhes mail attend you, married or unmarried. If anything can bring me down foon, it will be your account of my mother. I know lbe is fafe as to her Hate, but is puzzled about the evi- dence of it; which robs her of her prefent peace, but cannot hurt her falvation. Of this, I have bo doubt. I have converfed with her for feveral years upon this point, and am perfectly ac^ quainted with her flate. All here join in pray- ers for her, as long as we know her to be within the reach of prayer; and, if God permit, 1 will eome and pray with her. — I commend you and Jier to the care of our dear Jefus, and am, Very heartily in him, Your friend, and loving brother, W. R. A Second i A second series of letters from the Rev. Mr. Romaine to one of his Sisters, kindly communicated to the Editor, by the Rev. Mr. Heslup of Horsley, hi Northumberland; to zvbom also be is indebted for the former collection of family letters. There is added to these letters, one from Mr. Romaine to his Mother; and one to Mr. Heslup, on the death of his wife, the Sister to whom the family letters were addressed. LETTERS FROM THE LATE Rev. WILLIAM ROMAINE, TO ONE OF HIS SISTERS, My dear Sifter ; LETTER I. Blackfriars, June. 28, 1768, I PURPOSE, through God's bleffing, to be at Northallerton, Monday next, July 4, and defire my old fellow-traveller may meet me there with horfes the fame day, time enough for me to get to Yarum that night, if we cannot Teach Hartlepool. I hope to be at Northaller- ton about noon, or foon after. Once more, the Lord in great mercy will bring us together, and will, I truft, accompany our meeting with his bleffing. If it be agreeable, I wTill be either at Hartlepool or Strantum, on Sunday, July 10. Re- member 214 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE member mc, with my beft prayers for my dear mother; my love to brother Heflup. I am, With great truth and love, Your affectionate friend and brother, W. ROMAINE. LETTER II. Blackfriars, AW. 19. 1768. My dear Sifted. I THANK you very much for your laft letter, and for the contents of it — particularly for the good account of my mother's welfare. The Lord profper her ftill more and more. I am flill praying for her life. If the people at Har- tlepool knew how much depended on it, they would do the fame. You tell me good news of poor finners con^ verted, and of believers fettled and eftablifhed in their mod holy faith. My heart rejoices to hear of any increafe of Jefus his glory. He is the prince of the kings of the earth — to whom all bleffing is due. — Yea, he is above all bleff- ing and praife, and that for evermore -y becaufe he REV. W. ROMAINE, AM. 21^ he humbled himfelf, God was made man ; O wonderful humiliation! — He went lower; hum- bled himfelf to become obedient — obedient un- to death — even the death of the crofs — there- fore he is highly exalted.— King of Kings— crowned---many crowns upon his head. O how I triumph in my inmoft foul in his love! — He loved me— I pay him homage— all within me, all without me, blefles his holy name. He is my king— my royal Saviour— I pay him my allegi- ance with heart and hand. Not that he may be away — Away with that proud' thought !— But becaufe he is mine: — therefore I would walk be- fore him, without fear, in holinefs and righte- oufnefs all the days of my life, My kind love to Mr. Heflup, and defire him to exalt Jefus. He cannot fet him too high. He cannot think of him fo high as he is; fo high as he deferves. The higher he is exalted, the more will every thing, fin efpecially, bow before him. When you write to Sunderland or Newcaftle, pray remember me to my fillers, their hufbands, and to their families. I defire and beg for an intereft in your prayers, and am, with my duty to my dear mother, and prayers for her, Your affectionate friend and brother, W. ROMAINE. LETTER 2l6 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LETTER III. Nc-v. j, 1769* My dear Sifijv, GRACE and peace be multiplied unto you. May you be growing and increafing in the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and have a fweet and abiding fenfe of it in your heart, en- joying daily more of that peace of God, which is heaven begun. I pray you not to reft or flop in any attainments. Keep going on. Be prefix- ing forward. Faith fhould grow. We read of going from faith to faith, from one degree to another. There fhould be a progrefs, both in the knowledge of your intereft in Jefus, and in the enjoyment of the good things, in which you are interefled. If faith muft grow, then hope muft alfo ; for hope is the daughter of faith. By- faith we truft the word of God, by hope we wait, till we receive the promifes in his word. Hope is never difappointed, nor does it ever make afhamed. It gets many a pledge, and brings in fweet foretaftes of the things hoped for. A true believer therefore never fays, I have enough. No, no 3 his hunger and thirft increafes by taftes and crumbs of glory. — What falls from his Lord's table, whets his appetite for the marriage fup- per. REVi W. ROMAINE, A.M. 21J per. So the apoftle prays for the believing Ro- mans— " May the God of hope fill you with all " joy and peace in believing, that ye may " abound in hope by the Holy Ghoft." Now in proportion as faith and hope grow fo does jove> — We love God, becaufe we believe he firil loved us; and this love increafes, as faith gives a more fubftantial prefence to the things hoped for. Love is now in its infancy — the greateit love upon earth is but one ray of the morning dawn, compared to the mining of the perfect day. O my dear fitter, neyer think you have attained perfecl love, till you get into a per- fecl: heaven. Be (till going on, growing in grace, and in the knowledge and love of God your Saviour. There is room enough for this, both on Jefus's part, and on yours alfo. He can give more. You can receive more. And, as faith enlarges your vefTel, you will hold more. As hope increafes, you will enjoy more. And this I pray heartily, that your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge, and in all fenfible feeling, that you may walk in love, till faith and hope leave you in full pofleffion of the love of God in life everlafting. I write thus, becaufe I am jealous over you with a godly jealoufy. I am afraid you mould ftop by the way. Many do. They fet out well, but fall afleep, and dream of being in heaven,while their warfare is carrying on upon earth.They fan- Vol. VIII. P cy 21 8 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE ey to tbemfelves a triumphant. (late, while they are militant. A fad delufion! Becaufe it tempts them to reft, when they fhould be righting; and to fit {till, when they fhould be prelim g forward. Are you a believer? Yes. Well then, the gof- pel fays, — " Forget the things which are behind, " and reach forth unto the things which are be- " fore." How long muft I do this? Till you. 'have laid hold of eternal life. Faith fhould be growing, hope mould be increafing, and love abounding, unto death; or, as the Apoftle has it, i Thcff. i. 3. Faith fhould be at its work, love at its labor, hope at its patience, waiting on pati- ently, till we have fmifhed our courfe with joy. I pray God you may be thus employed, when death calls you to judgment. Remember me, with all duty to my dear mo- ther. I blefs God for his great grace to her, and doubt not but he hears prayer for its conti- nuance. My love to Mr. Heflup, and let him read the former part of the letter, and ftudy it. I would have him not grown up (till he is dead), but growing up into Chrift. Jefus in all things. I have been trying to fp read the fame of our precious Jefus in various parts of England— a journey of near 800 miles. I rejoice with you in the fpreading of the gof- pcl in your parts. It is the Lord's doing 5 and it ihould be marvellous in our eyes. 3 You REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 2 I O. You mud not forget me in your prayers. I want them much. At prefent, I am in a great difficulty. My lecturer is gone, and I am forced to do the duty myfelf — for fear a falfe prophet ihould get in. I did not feek it ; but I hope the Lord, now he has called me to it, will give me will and power, and if it pleafe him, fuccefs. Defire your friends to pray for me. My wife travelled with me. We found the children well. J have nothing to tell of but mercies— May the giver add one to them all — even a heart to praife, and to blefs his goodnefs. Amen. I am> With great truth, Your loving brother, W. ROMAINE. <*• LETTER IV, My dear Sijler, IT is the Lord: let him do what feemeth him good. So fays faith ; (d mould you and I fay. My thoughts upon this occalion have not been improved, as I could wifh, through great P z bodily 220 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE bodily pain and indifpofition ; but fuch reflec- tions as thefe have greatly tended to quiet my mind, and to produce a willing fubmiffion. Firft, My mother's true converfion to the Lord, She knew in whom (lie had believed; and fhe s^as in Chrift. Chrift was her gain, both in life and death. Glory be to him for this great grace. Secondly, She died in faith : O what a mercy, to finifh all well ! What are we defiring for our- felves, as chriftians, but the fame mercy, that we may hold out to the end, and finifli our courfe with joy ? Therefore, Thirdly, We are not to mourn, as thofe who have no hope. Our deareft friend is with her Lord, with whom we expect to be foon. We have only parted a moment, that we may meet for ever. It looks to me, in my near view of death, only like my taking leave of my dear mother, to go yearly to London. I fhall go to her — bleffed, truly blefled profpecl ! and I do not Willi her to come back to me : — becaufe — Fourthly, I do indeed find, that the Lord fup- plies the want of all creature comforts with his own prefence. When he takes them away., it is to make more room for himfelf in the heart. A fweet exchange ! we live upon the fountain, when the ftreams are dried up. He dries them up to make us come nearer to the fountain, and that the abfence of temporal mercies might be fupplied REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. 221 fuppiied with an happy enjoyment and commu- nion with God himfelf. She had lived to a blefled time— even fpeaking after the manner of men — (lie died in a good old age, full of years— and was gathered to her peo- ple ; to whom I am going. Now it is my turn. I know of nvant REV. W. ROMAINE, A. M. DfcfcJ want prayer greatly— a dependence on the al- mighty head to blefs preaching to his people. This feems to me to be wanting both in preachers and hearers. I can do ibmething towards the fupply of this want : and am trying at it. O that fervent effectual prayer was but afcending more and oftener to the throne of grace ; we mould have more mowers of bleflings coming down. I beg not to be forgotten by you, at any- time before the throne. May I never forget you nor yours. Errors and herefies are rampant. God keep . you. I beg of Mr. Heflup to be much at his Bible : he reads other books too much. I am fure, God the Holy Ghoft is the beft writer; and I find him the belt expositor upon his own writings. Tell Mr. Heflup fo. I repent of years wafted in fruitlefs ftudy, and am, juitas my ftudies are over, got to be right in them. I wifh he may improve by my . miftakes, and. now in earned refolve to be a Bible ftudent, and a Bible-chriftian. Farewell, my dear filler. May all the rich covenant mercies of our Jefus be yours. I am, for his fake, Very fincerely, Your loving brother, \v . ROMAINE. My wife joins in every chriftian wi% The children are well LETTER £24 LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE LETTER VI. Blackfriars# Vfl. 27, ^771. My dear Sifter, OFTEN remembered, and intereft made for you at our court. I have been upon the king's bufinefs, travelling from place to place, to exalt and honor him, for near three months. He has been pleafed to bring me fafe home for the winter, and I fit down the firft opportunity to thank you for all your kindnefs to me at Hartlepool. I did not doubt of your love, but my vifit this year confirmed me in it. Your whole behaviour convinced me, that I was a welcome gueft, and has kept a warm defire upon my mind to fee you again. Thankful am I, for what I met with of the fame kind, both at Newcaftle and Sunderland, efpecially at the latter, as I was never fo highly honored before, as to be fuffered to fpeak for my glorious Jefus. Although things were not fo pleafing at Yarum, yet 1 forgive from my very heart Mr. O.'s treat- ment : for I believe G, M. is a dear child of God, and was milled by his partner, who mifreprefented me. People will quarrel ; 1 would hinder them, if I could ; but quarrel I will not : no, not with Mr. O. Thanks to the prince of peace— he has taught REV. W. ROMA1NE, A. M. 22$ taught me better things. I know him God-man : I believe in his work— it is the greateft work of God— a complete, an eternal falvation. O mar- vellous grace, I enjoy it. While others difpute about it, I am pofleffing it. They bufy them- felves about fhadows, and I am rejoicing in the fubftance. Would to God Mr. O. had the fame fellowship with Jefus. Poor man ! he would not talk of himfelf before the Lord God, and plead his own doings— he would not urge this plea: " Lord, my works lad July, were very merito- u rious, for I flood and tried to flop all I could and, in hopes that they may fall into the hands of fome of the Jews, and convince them that their prefent blindncfs and difperfion are the heavy judg- ments of God, which he fcnt upon them for R 2 rejecting 2^1 A MODEST APOLOGY. rejecting Jefus of Nazareth for the promifed Median,* and that, therefore, they ought to be more concerned to become chriftians, than to become Englishmen : but if they mould not be convinced on reading thefe remarks, and if any of their fadducee doctors ihould think proper to reply, we promife them an anfwer written with chriftian meeknefs and candor. 2. The fundamental article on which thefe remarks are built, is univerfally eftablifhed among chriftians, and the King's majefty, the Lords fpiritual and temporal, and the Commons in this prefent Parliament adembled, have pub- lickly bore their teftimony to the truth of it, and therefore we can have no difpute with any part of the legiflature, concerning the divine authority of the Old Tefiament and the New. Our laws, at prefent, allow thefe books to be true in all their parts, and worthy of that all- wife God, by whofe infpiration they were wiitten : what they fay about the Jews, who crucified Chrift, is as true as what they fay about his being crucified ; for which reafon we are concerned not to falfify what they fay about his crucitiers and their abettors, left we mould introduce contradictions into our laws, and mould make them affert the fame thing to be true, and not true, at the fame time, and in the very fame refpeft ; for let us view our laws as they Hand at prefent. 3. Our A MODEST APOLOGY. 253 3. Our civil and religious eftablifliment is confefledly Chriftian, founded upon the doctrine of Jefus Chrift : and numbers of A 61s of Par- liament, as well as the Book of Common Prayer, and of Homilies, and the Thirty-nine Articles, which are alfo enacted by authority of Parliament, do exprefsly declare, that the volume of the Old Telrament relates to the Meffiah, who is there- in promifed, from beginning to end, under the character of a divine Saviour, who was to come into the world to redeem us from fin, and death, and mifery. 4. And the Redeemer, promifed in the Old Teftament, came into the world at the time fixed by Mofes and • the prophets, — he was born at Bethlehem of Judea, one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-three years fince. — He lived at Nazareth — He taught the people through- out Judea — He wrought many miracles — He was accufed of blafphemy, for faying that he was the Son of God — Was crucified — Died — Rofe again— And after he had converfed with his difciples for forty days, he afcended into hea- ven : this perfon, our laws maintain,' was the Meffiah promifed in the Old Teftament. 5. Our laws farther declare, concerning this perfon, that he was God and man united in one Chrift, and accordingly they have provided, that no perfon mould have a licenfe to teach in public, unlefs he fubfcribe to the divinity of Jefus 254 A MODEST APOLOGY. Jefus Chrift, and acknowledge him to be as truly a perfon of the divine nature, as he was a perfon of the human nature. And therefore, 6. Our laws declare over and over again, that Chrift alone can fave us from our fins, and that what he fufFered for us as man, and what his fuffcrings merited for us as God, are the only fatisfaftion which can be paid to the in- finite Juftice of God the father, and therefore, if we reject the merits of his fufferings, we utterly exclude ourfelves from the divine love and mercy, becaufe we ungratefully rejecl the only means wThich God has appointed to lead us to falvation. 7. The prefent Jews affirm in direct oppo- fition to thefe laws, that the promifed Mefiiah is not yet come, and that Jefus of Nazareth was an impoftor and a blafphemer, by wrhich means they make themfelves abettors of their anceftors' crime, who crucified Chrift. And how then fhall we reconcile our laws with thefe Jewifh herefies ? Shall we by law eftablifh them, who fay the Mefliah is not yet come, when our laws are built upon the certainty of his being come one thoufand feven hundred and fifty-three years ago ? Or fhall we, can we, incorporate them among us, who maintain, that Jefus of Nazareth was an impoftor and a blafphemer, when by the laws of the land he is our Saviour and our God? Certainly thefe are fuch fla- 3 grant A MODEST APOLOGY. 255 erant contradictions, as no wife Hate would, and no good ftate can, admit into the body of its laws ; and therefore we may reafonably hope that our wife and good legiflature will not eftab- lifti fuch contradictions by act of parliament. And, 8. Upon the footing of our laws, as they Hand at prefent, we cannot eftablifh them, be- caufe the Old Teftament is true. The whole legiflature allows it to be of divine authority, and therefore no human authority can repeal it ; and yet, if its prophecies foretell certain events, which were to befall the Jews after they had rejected Chrift, and if our laws try to pre- vent the completion of thefe prophecies, then we endeavour, as much as in us lies, to repeal the divine laws by human authority, which not only fuppofes us to be wifer than the All-wife, but alfo, that we can be too hard for the Almighty 5 and this is impiety of fo abfurd a nature, that one would think reafonable men could not fall into it. 9. The prophecies which relate to the ftate. and condition of the Jews, after they fhould reject Chrift, are very clear and very numerous. God threatens to caft them out of their land — To deftroy their civil polity — To fend the Ro- man eagles, who fhould befiege Jerufalem, and take it on the Sabbath-day, who fhould burn the 2^6 A MODEST APOLOGY. the temple, fo that not one flone *of it mould ever after be laid upon another, and mould carry the people captive into all nations, where they were to continue difperfed, until they fhould repent and return unto the Lord, by accepting Jefus of Nazareth for their Meffiah. 10. In what manner the Naturalizing of the Jews will affect, the authority of thefe prophe- cies is very obvious ; for firft, God caft them off for rejecting Chriit, and we take them in : he drove them out of their own land, becaufe of their unbelief, but we receive them as free- born fubjects in our land, notwithstanding the fame unbelief. God expelled them, they come to us expelled, and we naturalize them : (o that, what he made their punimment, we turn into a reward, by doing which, we act directly againft providence, for we take them into our communion, whom he has excommunicated, and we give them a better land to make them amends for lolmg that, of which he thought them unworthy. ii. In the next place, God difperfed the Jews into all lands for rejecting Chrift. He intended their difperfion fhould be their punifh- ment, and we try to turn it into a ■ blefling. He fcattered them over the earth as fugitives and vagrants, the New Teftament writers call them Vagabond Jews, and yet we gather them togther A MODEST APOLOGY. 257 together as if they were free-born Englifhmcn : they are the outcaft of heaven, and yet we in- corporate them: God thus difperfed them, .be- caufe of their infidelity, and though they be ftili infidels, yet we give them the '.privileges of chriftian fubjecls, by which means we not only defeat the reafon and end of the Jews' difperfion, but alfo 12. Act in direel: oppofition to what the fcrip- ture declares, was to be their condition, fo long- as they fliould continue difperfed. They were to have no fuch eftablifhment among any people, as we are trying to give them. Mofes is clear againft it ; his words, in Deut. xxviii. 6$. de- ferves the attention of the legiflatvire. " And " among thefe nations thou ilialt find no eafe, " neither mall the fole of thy foot have red ; but " the Lord mall give thee there a trembling " heart, and failing of eyes, and forrow of u mind." How can this prophecy be fulfilled, after the Jews are naturalized ? God here fays, that they fhall not find eafe in their difperfion ; we fay, they fliall find eafe : for we give them all the eafe we can, by making them free fubje&s of this kingdom. God here fays, that they fliall not find reft for the foles of their feet ; we fay, they fliall find reft, they fliall have a quiet poffeffion of lands and houfes, and fliall enjoy as much reft as our laws and liberties can give them. The 2$% A MODEST APOLOGY. The expreffion, " of finding no reft, not even " for the foles of their feet," is very ftrong and comprehenfive : for, he certainly has found reft, who being expelled his own country finds a large eftate, and a fine houfe, and a quiet fet- tlement in another country : but God here de- clares, that the Jews fhould have no fuch reft ; they were to be vagrants fo long as they con- tinued difperfed, and to this day the Jews have been vagrants, excluded from all ftates, heathen and mahometan, as well as chriftian : but if they become native, free-born Englifhmen, they then ceafe to be vagrants, and find fuch a reft, as will fruftrate, fo far as man is able, the truth of God's infallible prophecies. 13. The remaining part of the prophecy, viz. that " God would give the Jews a trembling " heart, and failing of eyes, and forrow of mind," has been hitherto fulfilled, and no human power can prevent its future completion. It is matter of fact, that the Jews do live in continual un- eafmefs, tormented and haunted, like murderers, with a legion of horrors : their crimes deferve thefe fevere lafhes of conscience, and how fe- vere they are, you may read in their very faces. You know a Jew at firft fight. And what then are his diftinguifhing features ? Examine what it is peculiar that ftrikes you. It is not his dirty ikin, for there are other people as nafty ; neither is A MODEST APOLOGY. 259 is it the make of his body, for the Dutch are' every whit as odd, awkward figures as the Jews; But look at his eyes. Don't you fee a malignant blacknefs underneath them, which gives them fuch a caft, as befpeaks guilt and murder ? You can never miftake a Jew by this mark, it throws fuch a dead, livid afpe£t over all his features, that he carries evidence enough in his face to convict him of being a crueffier. Now it mult be granted, their ill looks would be no objection. againit naturalizing them, if they had good hearts ; but when God fays, that for rejecting Chrift, he punifhed them with fuch trembling of heart, as would always betray itfelf in the coun- tenance, then this becomes a mod formidable objection. " The Lord (hall give thee a trem- iC bling heart, and failing of eyes, and forrow of * mind." The Lord fent thefe puniihments, and therefore it would be prudent to put off naturalizing the Jews, until he take them away : and whenever the Lord (hall take them away, and give them fortitude of heart, life and vigour of eyes, and joy of mind, then let them be naturalized, but not till then ; lead we fhould be found oppofing the decrees of providence, and mould thereby draw upon onrfelves fome of thofe very punifliments which God has inflicted upon our friends the Jews. 14. But it may, it will be faid, in this all-candid age, that thefe remarks are uncharitably fevere. Thev 26© A MODEST APOLOGY. They may be fevere— but they are true— and truth cannot be uncharitable. They are the very words, or direct inferences from our own laws, which maintain, that the crime of the Jews, who crucified Chrift, was the greateft that man can commit againft God, and the prefent Jews are known to be aiders and abettors of that crime. But left ftrength of imagination, or hot-headed zeal, as warmth for our holy efta- blifhed religion is now termed, mould be thought to lead us to egaggerate matters, we will mention two or three defcriptions of the ftate of the dif- perfed Jews, which we meet with in thofe records that our laws allow to be of divine authority. 15. The evidence already offered, proves, that the Jews cannot be naturalized : God has put them under an utter difqualifkation : and we fhall now fee that they ought not to be natura- lized ; they have no merit to entitle them to any fuch immunity 5 nothing but their riches could induce any ftate to incorporate them ; for they deferve every difcouragement under which pro- vidence has put them, and under which chriftian ftates have hitherto agreed to put them. Their crime confifted in oppofing the decrees of the Almighty, in trying to defeat them, in Handing out againft Jehovah and his Chrift, in blaf- pheming them, and in perfevcring in their blaf- phemy, until having filled up the meafure of their A MODEST APOLOGY. 261 their iniquity God deftroycd their civil polity, and fcattered them as fugitives and vagabonds over the face of the earth. Our laws have ftio-matized them with this odious character, and fhall the fame laws honor them with the greateft privileges and immunities that free-born English- men can enjoy ? We will not, we cannot honor them, if we obferve their monftrous impiety, which made our laws ftigmatize them wTith the above odious character. For, 16. Becaufe they oppofed the decrees of the Almighty, and tried to defeat them, our God himfelf told them, John viii. 44. " Ye are of " your father the devil, and the lufts of your " father you will do :" and the bleffed Stephen ihews what works of their father the devil they were always ready to do. Acts vii. 51, 52, " Ye " ftiffnecked, and uncircumcifed in heart and " felf under the power of any rich perfon, with- " out the king's licence : for the Jews and all " they have belong to the king. And if any " perfon 2S0 ANSWER TO THE " perfon fliall detain them, or their money, tlu c.c king may claim them (if he pleafes) as his own " property*." I have given the original Latin at the bottom of this page, for the fake of the curious, and I think the following remarks will naturally occur to every attentive reader. i. We here fee in what a miferable ftate the Jews were, when our laws firft. take notice of them : wherever they refided, they were under the king's protection, and were not conlidered as free-born Englifhmen, but 2. As mere vaffals : their perfons and their goods were the king's fole property. There is fomething very ftrong in the expreffion — " The " Jews and a)l they have belong to the king." 3. This vaffalage was fo fevere, that they could neither difpofe of their perfons nor effects with- out his particular licence, and 4. This was always confidered as the known and eftablifhed law of the land : for if we read the Englifh hiftory with care from this period, until the Jews' expulfion in 1290, we fhall find, that our kings thought they had a right to treat * Sciendum eft quoque, quod omnes Judxi ubicunque in regno funt fub tutela & defenfione regis ligia debent effe, nee quilibet eorum alicui diviti fe poteil fubdere fine regis licentia : Judasi enim & omnia fua regis funt : quod fi quifpiam detinuerit eos vel pecuniam eorum perquirat rex (fivult) tanquamfuum pro- prjam, them CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILt. a8l them as their vaflals, which accordingly they did. And during this acra, we have inftances in every reign of their vatialage, but I defy any Jew advocate to produce from hiftory one au- thority of the Jews being confidered as the natural-born fubjects of this realm; Our hillorians do not take much notice of the Jews, till the time of the conqUeft : William the Conqueror, as they inform us, did not only re- ceive of them a large fum of money for their admifhon, but he alfo brought them over under the moft odious character, that of tax-gatherers and ufurcrs upon his Englifli fubje£ts. Hol- lingfhead fays, vol. 3. p. 15. " Among other " grievances, which the Englifh fuftained by the " hard dealings of the Conqueror, this is to be " remembered, that he brought Jews into the " land from Rhoan, and appointed them a place M to inhabit and occupy." Antoninus's chronicle fays the fame, and the Magdeburg centuries out of him, Cent. 11. cap. 14. add, that it was *b numeratum pretium, for a fum of money. Here we fee what a prevailing engine the Jews' money was, and how fuccefsful they have been in trUf1> ing their caufe to its influence. The all-power- ful gold which brought them into England at the conqueft, again introduced them in the reign of Cromwell — two 32ras: — both memorable for over* turning the government at home, and for intro- ducing the blafpheming Jews from abroad, (thefc are very ftrikinj circumftances) and at botU ■V«l. VIII T times i%Z ANSWER TO THE times tiny were introduced by bribery. And do they not ftill work by the felf fame money- engine — 'preferred by too many, who call them- felves chriftians, even to Chrift himfelf, and chriftianity ? We find the Jews in the fame infamous ftation, wherein the Conqueror placed them> until their baniihment by king Edward I. and never treated as free-born fubjefls, but as vaf- fals of the crown, who might be fleeced and pillaged of their ill-gotten Wealth at the king's plcafure : and accordingly, whenever the ilate was in- neceflity, or any of our fovereigns were difpofed to do a popular action, the rich Jews, who had plundered the public, were fure to be plundered in their turn without mercy. VafTals they were, and like vaffals they were treated : until at laft, king Richard I. fuffered no doubt tO- r-emain concerning their abfolute va&dage to the crown. Upon his return into England, from the Crufade in the year 1194, Roger Hoveden in- forms us, Anna!, pars pbft. p. 745. that he ap- pointed a regifter office for the Jews, in1 which all efTecls belonging to them were to beregifter- ed, and the concealment of any particular was to be punished -with the forfeiture of body and whole eftate. John Brompton and Hollinglhead give an account of this regiftry, and of its officers. By means of it the king was always acquainted with the effefts of the Jews, and knew perfectly what fums be could levy upon them. CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JHW BILL. 283 them. Can it be queftioned, whether they wen? then confldered as free-born fubje£is, when their perfons and their goods were to be regiftered in fuch an office of vaflalage, and when we read of the continual ufe made of it, in after reigns, to fqueeze money from the Jews ? Infomuch, that my Lord Coke fays, in his notes upon the fta- tute of Judaifm, from December 17, in the fifti- eth year of Henry III. to Tuefday in Shrove-tide, the fecond year of Edward I. which was about feven years, the crown received four hundred and twenty thoufand pounds, fifteen millings, and four-pence — a prodigious fum, confidering that filver was but then twenty-pence an ounce, and now it is about five millings and fix-pence. Thus were thefe wretched ufurers treated. The crown looked upon them as its vaflals, un- til their final banifhment. After which, wq read nothing of them, till the time of Crom- well, and even he was not hardy enough to give them a licence to return : he only connived at it, as did King Charles II. and King James, and. fince the Revolution they have continued on the feme footing: for .they could never be made na- tural-born fubjects, while the Aft of Parliament, by which they were outlawed, was in full force againil them. And we have a remarkable in-* fiance of the opinion which the government en- tertained of them in the year 1690. A difpute arofe between them and the chriflian merchants, about the payment of alien duty, which the T 2 Jews 184 ANSWER T0 THR Jews pretended they were exempted from, by royal letters of denization. But this pretence was fuperfeded, by an order of the king in council, dated Hampton-court, October 14, 1690, requiring them to pay the alien duty, notwith- standing letters of denization. From thefe authorities, it is abundantly evi- dent, that to fuppofe any Jew, who happens to be born in the king's dominions, to be therefore & natural-bom fubjecl, is a novel opinion, quite unknown to our ancient hifrdrians, and directly contrary to that ftate of vaffalage, which they were under from the time of Edward the Con- feflbr, to their final banifhment in 1290. Thefe hiftorical facts demonftrate, that during this long period, the Jews were never confidere'd as free- born fubje&s. And the fame truth may be made equally clear from the common law of th6 land. CHAP. II. The Jews not natural born Subj efts—proved from tht Common Lav) of the Land, THE Jews were never treated as free-born fubjecls, and they could not be fo treated with- out deftroying the two eflential maxims of our policy, viz. That the chriftian religion is true* and that, therefore, it ought to be maintained. All Qur laws are founded on the former, and all of CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 285 of them tend to fupport the latter; and docs it not feem, at firft fight, the grofleft folecifm in politics, to allow them to be the natural-born fubje&s of the ftate, who oppofe the two fun- damental principles upon which the ftate is formed — who deny the truth of the chriftian re- ligion, and who have been always feeking its deftruclion ? The great Lord Coke lays this down for the firft point in our law — Summa ratio eft qua pro religione facit ; that is principally to be regarded which concerns religion : for every good govern- ment chiefly ftudies the eternal falvation of men's fouls, and after that, confults their prefent peace and profperity, and therefore, for the fake of the latter,, never fubmits to facrifice the former — Temporal happinefs bearing no proportion to eternal. And when the ftate has once fixed this for the bafis of its government, that the chriftian religion is the only fure way to eternal happinefs, then the next ftep is to maintain it, and to fecure the obfervance of it by all whole- fome laws ; in which the wifdorn of our ftate has not been wanting. It has provided many ex- cellent ftatutes for the fupport of true religion, and has thought it very confiftent with the mild- nefs and lenity of its government, to deprive every Englishman of the rights and privileges of a natural-born fubjecl, who fhould be proved guilty of that infidelity and blafphemy, of which every Jew is guilty. Upon this footing, nothing could 2 86 ANSWER TO THE could be more abfurd in its nature, or more con- trary to the maxims of our own policy, than to allow the natural enemies of the chriftian religion to be the natural fubjecls of the chriftian ftate : becaufe this is, in fact, giving up its funda- mental principles, and admitting thefti into its communion, who break thofe very bonds of \inion, by which the ftate is cemented. And this reafoning I will confirm from the authority of that oracle of the law my Lord Coke, who has given his opinion very clearly, and his opinion is fufficient to determine, what is the common law of the land in the prefent cafe. In the 7th vol. of his Cafes he fays — *c The Jews, and all other infidels, are, in the " eye of the law, aliens, in the higheft degree, " perpetui inimici, perpetual enemies : for the law cc prefumes not they will ever be converted ; vhich oppofe the Jews' admiflion into it. A believer and an unbeliever — Chrift and Anti- chrift — The church of God and the fynagogue of fatan — A chriftian ftate formed upon Jew principles, or a Jew ftate upon chriftian princi- ples— Thefe are things of heterogeneous natures, which it is impoffible to reconcile ; and if any civil conftitution lhould try to reconcile them, i£ would not be able long to endure the violent fliocks of thefe difcordant qualities. For III. God has declared himfelf againft fuch unnatural mixtures : he has frequently cautioned us againft living among infidel Jews, and has given his reafons, which every day's experience confirms, and which may be alfo farther con- firmed IV. From reafon and common fenfe. Nothing can be more abfurd, than to think of uniting them with us in the bonds of fociety, whofe enmity to us is implacable : for who ever heard of CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 297 cf making fuch foreigners our natural-born fel- low fubjects, who had a natural-born enmity to us ? This is worfe than tying a living man to a dead carcafs. The Jews murdered Chrift, and would murder us if they had power : they blaf- pheme Chrift and his religion ; fo that they are murderers and blafphemers convict ; and who ever heard of a natural-born murderer, or a natural-born blafphemer? For murdering and blafpheming Chrift, God drove them out of the Holy Land, and made them vagrants all over the earth, and who ever heard of a natural-born vagrant ? Of a natural-born Englifh-foreign- Jew r i.e. a free flave — born in the liberty of bondage. And yet, however abfurd this may feem, we have thefe native foreigners lately imported among us. We have murderers, cru- cifiers, blafphemers, vagrants, all become natural- born Jew-Englifhmen — in opposition to our hif- tory and records — to our conftitution and laws — to the laws of God, and to reafon and common fenfe — which declare with one voice — That no infidel Jew can be a free-born fubjecl: of our chriftian fociety. I have infifted the longer upon the proof of this point, becaufe the author takes it for granted throughout his pamphlet, that the Jews, born in Kngland, are natural-born fubjects: he builds all his reafoning upon it, and therefore I have endeavoured to prove it to be a fallacy : and I . Vol. VHI. V ' hope 298 ANSWER TO THE hope the reader now fees it in this light. If he does not, it will be of no fervice to him to read any farther : but if he does, he will eafily follow me in the particular confutation of our author's performance; which he has drawn up in the form of an anfwer to the city petition, pur- pofing to fhew that the bill is " not difhonorable and I verily believe there was lefs. And yet, was it lefs or more, truth was frill the rarnc. It was the part of every candid judge, not to con- sider by what pcrfons, or in what manner the Jews bill was oppofed, but by what reafons : he was to regard the merits of the caufe, and to weigh the evidence — which was, juft what it was, were there much or little of unruly warmth and paflion on one fide, or on both. The remaining part of the pamphlet then leaves the main queftion, and goes to debate what had been much better let alone. The Jew apologia: recriminates. He accufes the city — -accufes the merchants — accufes ail who have oppofed the bill, of unfair dealing, of heat, of zeal, and Jacobitifm. Such heavy charges can do his caufe no fervice. Men are exafpera- ted enough already. It was not his bufinefs to try to inflame them more; efpecially by accufa- tions which he cannot fupport; and leaf! of all, againft bodies of men, who have no enmity to the CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 329 the perfons of the Jews, who have lived, and could ftill live with them upon good terms, it they could be content with their former fituati- on, and would ceafe to did urb the public peace and tranquillity with theirambitiousand unlawful views: for they have given his majefty's good ecrs all this uneafinefs, and as if they had not cceafioned difcontent enough already, they publifh defences of their fcheme, full of the grofleil abufes againft every Englishman, who has a juft fenfe or value for his natural-born rights, and is not willing to throw them away upon his natural enemies: for muft it not increafe our dif- content to fee fuch invectives, as this pamphlet is full of, againft the whole body of the city and of the merchants? and the invectives, too of Jews — of men who owe their very being here to the lenity of the crown — Of men, not one oi whom has any legal fcttlement among us, ex- cept the few who have taken the benefit of the act of 1740. And is not this very treatment of us, before they are made our fellow fubjec~ts, a good reafon, if there were no other, againft ma- king them fubjec~ts at all? For the very city where they live, the merchants with whom they have connections, cannot efcape their inveclives, and all this malice arifes from our oppofmg them in a fcheme* in which, if we had not oppofed them, we mould have been the vileft poltroons that ever breathed Englim air. And yet truly, Vol. VIII. Y vvhea 33° ANSWER TO THE when we endeavour publickly to defend our- felves, then they cry, we raife a clamour againft them, as if they had not been the firft caufe of the clamour, and as if they did not ftill fpread it, by justifying their proceedings. The way to flop the clamour is to give no farther occafion for it, and there is but one way to do that, which is to infift no longer upon their favorite fcheme; and yet our apologtft's defence of it proves, that they are determined' not to give it up. And therefore a defence on our fide is become necef- fary. The characters of the magistrates and merchants of the city, whom he has afperfed, ought to be vindicated, and the cafe ought to be ftated clearly and fairly, that the pub- lic may judge, on which fide truth prevails. And in order to fet the matters of fact in a juft light, it mufl be prcvioufly remarked, that all the Jews reafoning in this latter part of his pam- phlet is builded upon feveral crazy pillars, and what he has erected upon them, is a poor rotten ftructure, which will inevitably tumble to the ground, fo foon as it appears. Firft, That the Jews born here are not natu- ral-born fubjecls. This is the foundation of all, and if you remove this, down falls the tottering performance. He takes it for granted, that Jews born in England are to all intents and pur- pofes natural-born Englifhmen; although our hiflories and records — the laws of God — and the laws CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW felLL. 33I laws of the land — reafon and common fenfe— prove, that they were never placed upon the iame footing with the free-born fubjecls of this kingdom, and could not be fo placed, while Chriftianity continued to be our religion, and Judaifm theirs: becaufe the two religions are the mod oppofite and inconfiftent that can be ima- gined. No two things were ever more con- trary. The very fervice and ceremonies of the one, are nothing but folemn abufe and blafphemy againft the other. The very prayers which are daily offered up to God in the fynagogue, and thrice a day in private by every Jew, implore the total extirpation of chriftianity, and of all chrif- tians; with which they beg the Almighty would deftroy us in the moil dreadful manner, that we may live without hope, and die without mercy. How can it ever be thought, that any chriftian Hate could allow fuch profeffed enemies to be admitted into its privileges, much lefs to be on the fame footing with its own natural-born fub- je£ts. It was never allowed till the prefent at- tempt was made. All chriftian focieties before were agreed to exclude them: for Chrift is the head of all chriftian dates; they are formed upon his laws, and fupported by his divine authority; even emperors and kings hold under him, and it is in virtue of his commands, that the people pay them obedience. Now while Chrift is the head of the ftate, and the king acts as his deputy, and Y 2 the 33"2 Answer to th£ the fubjefts obey their king under that character* now can we, confidently with thefe principles* admit the Jews into our chriftian ftate, who deny all the fundamental maxims of our civil and reli- gious eftablifhment; and to- mix fuch irreconcile- able qualities up with the eftabKihtnen-t is a molt unnatural mixture. A natural-born Jew in a chriflian ftate is a monftrous production. A na- tural-born traitor is not a greater contradiction 5 and therefore wTe may conclude, that no Jew- ever was, or is, or can be, a natural-born fubjecr. of thefe realms, unlefs he be created fo by act of parliament. Tfte Jew apologifi: in what follows from p. 20^ dwells fo much upon the diftinclion of native and foreign Jews, that you will not leave him even the appearance of an argument, if you over- throw this diftinction; and from the reafons before affigned, I hope the reader is now con- vinced, that there is no foundation for it. It is a mere fallacy. A Jew born here has no more privileges than a Jew born inTartary; and there- fore all his pleadings for the reafonablenefs of na- turalizing foreign Jews, becaufe this would be granting them no more privileges, than what the native Jews enjoy, are quite inconclufive. Ac- cording to our conftitution they are foreigners and aliens, wherever they happen to be born. They are no more free fubjecls, becaufe born in England, than the chiklren of an attainted traitor 5 wouki CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 33$ -would be redored in blood, becaufe born in En- gland. The Jews (land outlawed, both by the common law and cxprefs datutes. This was well known to the cinzeus and merchants, and. therefore they could not avoid exprelTmg a dif- likeof a novel illegal opinion, which tended to take away all didinction, between natural-born chridian Englishmen, and foreign blafpheming Jews; and they have not yet heard any thing faid in defence of this opinion, which could re- concile them to it. They ftill think it novel and illegal. Moll of its advocates take it for granted, as our apologift does, and when you call upon them for proof, they either give you ftrong af- fertions, or elfe run into bitter invecYives: for thefe are the only methods, by which they can prove, that Jews, born in England, are the free- born fubjects of this realm. This is our apolo- gias firft miftake, which runs throughout his performance, and the Second miftake arifes from it, viz. That the bill was not intended to naturalize the Jews, who refide among us, but only rich foreigners. This has been always urged as a ftrong argu- ment in favour of the bill, but there is an incon- fidency in the thing itfelf, and a farther inconfid- ency in the apologid's account of it. The thing is not confident with truth, and matter of fact. For the mod opulent Jews are re fi dent in Hol- land, and it does not appear, that any Dutch Jew, '^34- ANSWER TO THE Jew, and much lefs numbers of them have foli- cited fuch a bill, neither has this been ever men- tioned, and yet it would have been fo plaufi- ble a pretence for applying to parliament, that filence about it implies there is no fuch thing. The great importation of rich Jews is not to be made from Holland. From whence then are they to come? Let us look around us, and fee from what part of the world we are to expect them. Not from Spain and Portugal — they have no rich Jews. From Germany then and Po- land? They have no rich Jews. From the Weft Indies? One American Jew, who took the be- nefit of the aft in 1740, has brought over into England a large fortune; I hear not of a fecond: if there be more, they want no Naturalization Bill to invite them over. In France there may be fome rich Jews, but we cannot expect them; becaufe they have given out, that they have alrea- dy more privileges there, than they will enjoy here by virtue of this bill, and the Jews certainly know their intereft too well to leave greater pri- vileges for leffer. From Italy indeed, from Bar- bary, and Turkey, we may expect rich Jews., if fuch there be inthofe countries: but there is not any probability, much lefs any certainty of fo many rich Jews coming from all parts of the world, as will do the (late near fo much fer- vice, as the inviting them over by this bill is like to do it by dhTervice. But CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 335 But in faft the naturalizing of thefe rich fo- reign Jews is only a pretence. It was not the true reafon for foliciting the bill. There were other motives, and others too are afligned by the apologift, which prove him to be inconfiftent with himfelf. In p. 40, he fpeaks out, " Per- " haps they had fome fecret caufes for foliciting " the bill." With thefe fecret caufes therefore the public were not acquainted— the true caufe was kept out of fight; but introducing rich Jews was openly given out; it was not a fecret caufe, therefore it was not the true caufe. He goes on, " Perhaps fome private attempts were made " upon their rights as fubjefts, which might have " made them defirous of afcertaining what they " were." — They were defirous of afcertaining, not what rights they already enjoved, but what the parliament would of their grace and favour enable them to enjoy. They had no rights as fubjefts ; for fubjefts they were not, and could not be, and never can be, but by aft of parlia- ment; becaufe our ilate can have no natural-born fubjefts but Chriilians, and a natural-born Jew Chriftian Foreign Englishman, is fuch a medley of contradictions, that all the Rabbies in the world will never be able to reconcile them. At lad the true caufe comes out, " Some of them M (fome of the natural-born Jews) had turned ♦'their thoughts to buying -landed ettates, and- " might be willing every obllacle mould be re- " moved, 336 ANSWER TO THE pubh(hed it among their acquaint- ** ance," and not a word of the publication ever tran* fpired; there was a general and public fiience about it. Ci Ic was a common topic of converfa- (( tion, particularly at the clofc of the feihons of " *7s2." This is a notorious barefaced falfehood ; it was fo far from being a common topic at that time, that it was not known in the city. " It met *c a general approbation" — by them who never heard of it, " and was put off, that people might have time to reflecl on it," and the Jews afforded us the bed materials for reflecting upon it, by giving us not one difiant hint about it. " In the u beginning of laft winter the converfation was re* ?c newed'V— but all in petto. The Jews kept this myflerious converfation a profound fecret, and it never came to the ears of the chriflians. The befi way to confute thefe abominable un- truihs, is to put the queftion to every reader. Was you in London during the feihons of 1 751 I 1752? Did you then hear of the naturaliza- tion of the Jews? Was it the common topic of converfation at the clofe of the feihons? Was it a current report in the city, that the Jews, did jaot pufli the affair in that feihons, that people might 338 ANSWER TO THE might have time to reflect on it? Did you hear at the beginning of the laft winter the propofed naturalization debated in coffee-houfes, and up- on 'Change, as much as it is at prefent ? After the reader has anfwered thefe queftions, I would alk him what he thinks of the Jews apologift, if he could have defended their caufe without telling thefe notorious untruths, but if he could not, what does he think of the caufe itfelf ? Fourthly, His next capital miftake is an at- tempt to fet the merit of the Jews above all the inhabitants of the city of London : he offers them incenfe fo very profufely, that the quantity of it, one would imagine, might give offence, efpc- cially to thefe mode ft worthy men : for the Jews are the honefteft men we have among us, and the worthieft. Search the city round, and you will not find their fellows. Their honefty fpcaks for itfelf. There are not living fuch fair traders as thefe upright Jews. And to their worthinefs our apologilr. fhall fpeak— They are good moral men — of virtuous principles — benevolent — hu- mane—fober— and chafle. But we have only his word for all this, and he is not a man of fuch in- flexible truth, that his word mould be as good as another man's bond. Experience does not cele- brate them for thefe moral attainments, and their principles do not promife fuch a degree of per- fection. We know, that grapes do not grow upon briars, and yet we may as reafonably expect to, eather CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 339 gather a plentiful vintage upon our hedges, as to find a race of moral Jews growing in our ci- ties. Butfuppofingthe Jewsto be the moll- moral men in London, yet why mould they take preceden- cy upon that account? Have they forgot, that modefty is one of the moral virtues? And a mo- de ft man is never forward to commend him- felf. He does not get a trumpeter to go before him, founding out his praifes, and requiring every body to make way for him, as the Jews are forced to do, apeing herein their old friends the pharifees ; whofe character the modern Jews feem to copy after with great exaftnefs, if their apologift has reprefented them faithfully : and indeed we are allured, that all the Jews in Eng- land are pharifees. The firil time I faw this af- ferted by them in print, it brought to my mind fomething that I had met with in my reading, which was not much to the honour of thefe phari- fees. A certain hiftorian of good credit has fome- where compared them to whitedfepulchres, which were finely painted, and appeared very beautiful on the outride, but within they were full of dead men's bones and all uncieannefs — In like manner they appeared outwardly righteous unto men, but within they were full of hypocrify and ini- quity. After the Jews have read this, and #j ne other very difagreeablc accounts, which rtie 1 hiftorian gives of the pharifees, I fancy they will be £4© ANSWER TO THE be more cautious, how they take that name to themfelves : for the very beft of their pharifees is but upon a level with, not a hair's breadth above, the very word man we have in the city. And Indeed the moral character of the Jews will not bare raking into. Their apologift had better not ftir too much in it. Let us leave it then, and go to their worthinefs, of which I expected many and clear and convincing inftances ; and was greatly difappointed to find only one pro- duced, and that is Fifthly, A piece of political merit. They fa- ved the (late, if you can credit the apologift. When the conftitution was in danger, in the year 1 745, then the heroic Jews raifed all Duke's Place— they muttered — marched out — and took the field — they raifed money — imported fpecie — ■ filled the royal cofFers-^-lent money on the land tax — entered into aflbciations and fubfcrip- tions — preferved our finking credit — and faved the bank. All this the Jews did — which, when the ragged Highland crew heard at Derby, they fled from thefe intrepid Jews,, like fo many frighted lheep from a troop of wolves, and ne- ver flopped, until they received intelligence, that the Jews army was returned to its head quar- ters in Duke's Place. If you think this painting too ftrong, read the spologifFs encomiums, and you will find the Jews merit far exceeds my deflrption. They did not do CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. %$t do this, or that, or part of any fervicc, but they did all. You would imagine from his account that nobody had the lead hand in faving the ilate but the Jews; for even the duke himfelF is paffed by unnoticed. The honour of the vic- tory of Culloden is to be afcribed to the Jews. This is certainly taking too much merit to them- felves, and therefore in its proper place I will en- quire into their political worthinefs, upon which they fo mightily plume themfelves, and fee, what right they have to flrut about, and look fo big in borrowed feathers. Thefe are the five principal mi flakes which run through all the latter part of his work, and the confutation of them is a general anfwer to it. But his attack upon the city and the mer- chants goes fo far beyond all bounds of truth and decency, that fome particular reply is neceffary; and therefore I fliall more minutely confider his fevere reflections upon the merchants and the city petitions. CHAP. VIII. The Cafe of the Merchants Petition fairly flat ed, end the Objections made to it by the Jews anfwer ed. THE Jew apologifl has reprefented the con- duct of the merchants in the blacked colours. Ac- cording to him, they did every thing in their power 342 ANSWER TO THE power to hinder the bill from patting, and ftucK at nothing, however unfair or unlawful, which they thought likely to prevent its being pafled— they left no unjuft infinuation unattempted — the beft of them were men of narrow views — guided by felf-intereft — favourers of perfecution — efpe- cially againft the Jews — diffatisfied people — not quite free from a jacobiticalfpint. Supposing all this to be true, yet it is quite fo- reign to the point, and no way affects the me- rits of the caufe; but iince it is falfe, to what end can thefe invectives ferve, but to keep open the wound, which it is the jews intereft to try to heal. The merchants have not changed their opinion, and thefe abufes are not the moll promifmg method to bring them over: for they thought trie Jews had already done them an in- jury, and could not imagine they would defend the firft- in fuch a manner as to make their very defence afecond injury. After the favorite point was carried, what good end can it anfwer to afperfe their opponents, and toafcribe to them fuch mean and wicked views, as are inconfiftent with oui characters., as good fubjects, and de- itructive of our characters, as good c hrifrians. This behaviour from foreigners and aliens to the free-born fubjects of the country, where they re- £de, is different from what prudence, fetting afide all higher motives, ought to have dictated ; but we pafs it by. The plain matter of fact, re- lated CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 343 lated without any art, and with all brevity, mall fuffice to vindicate our characters, and tofliew the upright part, which we acted through- out this affair. The merchants had obferved, with great uneafi- nefs, that a bill was brought into parliament, to enable the Jews to be naturalized, and were very apprehenfive of the pernicious effects, which it might have upon our trade. And they would have prefented a petition to. the houfe very early, if they had not been well affured that the members, who oppofed the bill, underftood fo perfectly the bad influence it would have upon our foreign trade, particu- larly to Spain and Portugal, and were able to demonftrate it fo clearly, as to have no doubt but they fhould fatisfy the patrons of the bill, and induce them to drop it. But herein they failed. The time of paffing the bill drew nigh. And the merchants at lafl found themfelves under a neceffity of hum- bly reprefenting to the houfe their reafons againft palling the bill. Some of them met to draw up the petition, which was foon done — they figned it- — and lodged it near the Royal Exchange — in a public office — where none were denied the fight of it, but Jews — it was foon figned by many more than could have been expected — not by Spanifh and Portugal merchants only, but by 1 merchants 344 answer to the merchants in general— by men of great ri perty- — and friends to the govefnmi known to be true revolution whigs~--hai of all kind of perfecution, even of foi others by threats or promifes to tig: there was not one unfair method taken, eklidi to get a number of hands to their petit ion, or to perfuade men not to fign agaiiift it; a^d I defy the Jew apologift to produce one fin- g]e inflance of unfair management 5 and yet he lays his charge fo ftrong, repeats it (o often, and maintains it fo confidently, that he ought to have many clear and undoubted fa&s to fupport it, and whenever he proves any one unfair frep in our proceedings, I pro- mife to bring him ten for one in the Jews man-' ncr of conducting their petitions. ' Now thefe are facts which are well known, and can. be well attefted, they will bear the ftricteiT fenvtiny; and retting upon their evn dence, I will try to wipe off fome of the afper^ fions, which the Jews have thrown upon the merchants' petition : their apologift fays, p. 27, and laugh ever fo much, at our bringing Cod into this fubject, yet far the greateft part of this kingdom will neverthelefs look upon the Jews as God's enemies, becaufe they oppofe him and his Chrift. Providence will not fufFer their money to profper, while they refill: and rebel againft his acts and decrees, and they do refift and rebel while they continue Jews : therefore the more of their money we naturalize, the more do we provoke the vengeance of heaven; and fuch riches will prove in the end as detrimental to the kingdom as the plague would be. Secondly, I would give weight to this argu- ment, from what was before obferved of the Jews in their trading character. They mud hurt trade, becaufe they want honeft principles to carry it on. They may get wealth, but not in fair trading ; for they have no tye upon their consciences to make them decline any opportu- nity of dilhoneft gain. The moll facred tye, a folemn oath upon the old teftament, cannot bind them. Now, I would afk, whether introducing fuch perfons into every branch of bufinefs in the city would not be highly prejudicial to its trade? If 3$6 ANSWER TO THE If any man thinks it would not be prejudicial, I have no hopes of convincing him, and there- fore I leave him, and go on, Thirdly, To the apologifVs laft obj cfition , which he makes againft an exprefhon in the city peti- tion, viz. the trade of this city in particular. In p. 38, he fays, " By the trade of this city in particular " muft be underftood, its internal trade, or cir- * culation within itfelf, in diftinftion from the " trade of the kingdom in general;" and having thus fixed his own fenfe upon the words, he at- tempts, in p. 35, and 38, 39, to ridicule them. But his fenfe of them is peculiar to himfclf. If you were to aik any unprejudiced perfon what he underftood by the particular trade of the city, I dare fay ninety-nine out of an hundred would an- fwer, the trade of every particular citizen. Where- everany member of the corporation trades, be it within or without the city, that is his particular trade. This is the plain obvious meaning of the words, and in this fenfe every body underftood them; and I would charitably hope, that tne apologift's miftake arofe from nothing worfe than his ignorance. CHAP: CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 357 CHAP. XI. The Merit of the Jews examined, and the Services ;£\ done the State found to be no jvfl Title to -Naturalization. I HAVE gone through all the apologias ar- guments, but one, which is the merit of his clients. They have done fo much for us, that we cannot do too much for them: for fuppofe their naturalization be ever fo contrary to our laws and conftitution, ever fo prejudicial to our trade and commerce, yet it would be an act of national ingratitude not to naturalize fuch ilJuf- trious benefactors. This is his argument, and upon the ftricteft inquiry, I find the return he ex- pects bears no proportion to the fervices done: for what good the JewTs had ever done to this kingdom was not heard of, until their advocate produced one fingle inftance, viz. the fervice they did in crulhing the rebellion, and even this is fvvelled and aggrandized far beyond what it either was, or could be. I will make two or three general, and then fome particular remarks upon their conduct in that time of danger, from whence the reader may be enabled to form a true judgment of this only piece of fervice, which they have ever done to this nation. Firft, 35^ ANSWER TO THE Firft, They had no merit, but what was to be fhared in common with all the citizens and mer- chants. The well-wifhers to the prefent r< al family can recollect with pleafure what a fpirit exerted itfelf, everywhere in that time of danger, but more remarkable in this metropolis. And was there any fet of men among us, whofe zeal or fervices were inferior to the Jews? I dare maintain, that the moft hearty of them were {o far from going beyond that they did not even come up to any of our citizens or merchants, were it only for this reafon. Secondly, That thefe a£ted from principle. They oppofed the rebellion out of true love for their country. Their hearts went along with their hands in what they were perfuaded was their duty. They had no mean and dirty views to their own interest, but acted upon public fpi- rited motives. Their attachment to their king — their affection for their native country— their zeal for its laws and liberties animated them. In that time of danger none of them were influ- enced by any little fordid principles ; whereas Thirdly, The Jews did rot ferve the govern- ment out of any zeal or affection for it, but out of felf-intercft: they did nothing for it, unlefs they could find their advantage in it. By all their boafted fer vices, they ferved themfelves. They did indeed lend the government money, but ne- ver CONSIDERATIONS ON THE JEW BILL. 3^9 ver without a view to enrich themfelves, as it will appear from the particular inftances menti- oned by their apologift. When I heard that all the Jews merit was to be put upon the fervices they had done in the year 1745, I expected nothing lefs, than that they had faved the date, efpecially fmce they laid their claim to naturalization in virtue of thofe fer- vices. This was to be the reward of their merit; And their apologift writing profefledly upon this very fubject, has no doubt finely emblazoned their achievements. This was the great defign of his performance, and therefore here we may expect every thing finifhed and perfect. He can- not have omitted the leaft title of their merit : and yet I have read his ingenious defcription carefully over from p. 40 to 48, and can only find thefe four fisrnal Dieces of fervice, which the Jews then did the ftate, and not one of them has any merit in it. 1. The fir ft glorious action they did to fave the finking ftate mall be related in the apologift's own words, left I mould be fufpected of ridi- culing them, p. 41, iutereft. • AN ESSAY O N PSALMODY. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known h'u deeds among the people: ling unto him, ling pfalms unto him. I Chron. xvi. 8, 9. ) A [ JI eptuagmi: conflantly render a fong, frequent- •.•7 applied to the pialrris. It fignifies rule and government, and is ufed for any principality among men. Hence it is very properly fpoken of him whofe kingdom ruleth over all. The prince of peace is one of his high titles. He is called the prince of the kings of the earth— a prince for ever — of whofe government and peace there fhall be no end. To this empire he had an un- alienable and indefeifable right, being in the one Jehovah pofTerTed of the fame perfections with the Father and the holy Spirit. But the moll common view in which the pfalms confider him, is that of the God-man, King-mediator, whofe principality is the moll glorious reign of grace. He fits upon his throne freely to bellow all divine blefTings upon his redeemed, and he is Meihah the prince who was raifed to his king- dom by the covenant of the eternal three : in which he engaged to be a furety for his people ; and in their nature, and in their dead, to fatisfy all the offended attributes of the Father, by his holy life and death, and the Father engaged to give him a kingdom with all power in heaven and earth. Accordingly in the fulnefs cf time he was manifefled in the fiefn, and for the joy that was 39$ AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. was fet before him, he endured the crofs, and defpifed the fname, and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of God. He is greatly ex- alted, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but alfo in that which is to come. The once crucified is now the enthroned Jefus, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, almighty to fave his people from all their fins, and from all their enemies. The glories of Immanucl in this refpeel: are celebrated under the name SHeR, in feveral of the pfalms. In the xlviith pfalm for inftance, all the people are called upon to clap their hands for joy, and to fhqut unto God with the voice of triumph, be- caufe Jehovah Jefus is the great king over all the earth. His happy government, under which believers receive all their bleffings, was to be the conftant fubjeft of their grateful fong. Singing was ufing words and founds to exprefs the praifes of the king of faints, and their joy in him. It was fo rnuch the ruling and leading fubjec"r, that every hymn reminded them of Mefliah the prince. Whenever they were happy in their hearts, they cxpreffed it by finging the praifes of that mod glorious perfon, who was made flefli, humbling himfelf to be obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs, and who thereby became the head of all principality and power. He ruleth the almighty Immanuel over every creature, ano^ evcrv AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. qQ£ every thing, God-man upon his throne, till all his enemies, death it felf be deftroyed, and then he will reign with the father and the fpfrit for ever and ever : for his reign is everlafting, and of his kingdom there (hall be no end. This was the delightful theme in the book of pfalms. The Old Teftament faints were never weary of celebrating MoiTi ah their prince, the Lord and Saviour of his people, made an offering for their fins, dead, rifen, and afcended to his throne. This is ft ill the fweeteft fubject in the church of God. Happy are they, who have the Lord ■Chrift ruling over their outward eftate. Thrioe happy they, who have him ruling in their fouls. O what happinefs is it to have let up within them the kingdom of God ! which is righteouf- nefs, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghofr. None have greater reafon to rejoice with joy and finging, than they who have Chrift dwelling in their hearts by faith. It was one principal defign of thofe focrcd hymns to keep up this holy joy, that if -any were merry they might fittg pfalms and be glad in the Lord. Senfible of his tender care and royal protection, with what joyful lips will they extol their king ? They would have all within them to blefs his hoy name, and would be praiiing him with pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs, rejoicing all the way to Sion, and making heavenly melody in iheir hearts unto the Lord. Thefe 400 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. Thefe three names take in the fubjefr. of the whole book — the hymns contain the praifes of Immanuel, our fun of righteonfnefs — 'the pfalms treat of his taking our nature, and in it being cut off for his people, that through his death they might live — the fongs celebrate the glories of his kingdom, both in earth and heaven, in time and eternity. Befides thefe names of the book of pfalms, there are feveral other things written in fcripiure concerning them, which confirm the account here given of their reference to the ever-blefTed Meffiah, king of faints, and which will be farther illuftrated under the con- sideration of CHAP. III. Some Pajfages of the Old Tejlament, concerning the book of Pfalms. JL HESE pafTages are either fuch as command? the Tinging of pfalms, or fuch as lay down rules for ringing them properly : of the firft fort we find frequent mention. " Give thanks unto the (C Lord, call upon his name, make known his " deeds among the pepple : ling unto him, fmg " prahns unto him : O ling unto the Lord a new c: fong, ling unto the Lord, all the earth : fing " unto the Lord, blefs his name, fhew forth his ?< falvation from day to day. Make a joyful « noife AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 4OX tc noife unto the Lord, all the earth, make a loud 'ft noife, and rejoice, and give praife : iing unto " the Lord with the harp, and the voice of " a pfalm. O clap your hands, all ye people, u fhout unto God with the voice of triumph: -" for the Lord moil high is to be feared : He is if the great king over all the earth : fing forth " the honor of his name, make his praife glori- fi ous : fing pfalms unto God, fing pfalms ; fing ¥ pfalms to our king, fing pfalms, for. it is " good to fing pfalms to our God : for it is W pleafant, and praife is comely : fing ye praifes and therefore it was accompanied with inftru- ments of all kinds to proclaim in the grandeft manner their joy in the Lord. While the daily facrifices were burning on the altar, they cele- brated with believing hearts the atonement of the lamb of God, and exprefTed their triumph- ing in it with all the powers of vocal and inftru- mentai mufic. Thus they were commanded, Num. x, 10. " In the day of your gladnefs, and " in vour folemn davs, and in the beginnins: of (< your months, ye fhall blow with the trumpets " over your burnt offerings, and over the facri- (C flees of your peace offerings, that they may (C be to you for a memorial before the Lord " your God: I am the Lord your God." This commandment Hezekiah obferved. After he had cleanfed the temple from the pollutions of his profane predecefTor, "He fet the Levites in a the houfe of the Lord with cymbals, with " pfalteries, and with harps, according to the " commandment of David, and of Gad the " king's feer, and Nathan the prophet : for fo " was the commandment of the Lord by his " prophets: and the Levites flood with the " inftruments of David, and the priefls with the M trumpets: and Hezekiah commanded to offer " the 4O4 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. " the burnt offering upon the ' altar, and when " the burnt offering began, the long of the Lord fcience purged from guilt, the tinner freely par- doned, fully juftified, yea fan&rfied and perfected forever: fo that by his one offering he faves be- lievers from all fins and all mifcrics, and gives then; AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 405 them enjoyment now of all bleffmgs, and will fecure to them eternal enjoyment. Here is the fountain of all joy. From hence flows peace with Gods and love to God with every blefling of his love. All comes through the bleeding lamb, and is the fruit of his crofs and pafTion. This is the glorious fubje£r. treated of in the pfalms, and the finging, and. the mufic of the old teftament, were entirely in praife of this. While the burnt offering was confuming on the fire of the altar, all that found could poffibly do with voices and inftruments was exerted to roufe the attention, and to inflame the affections. The full concert was to excite the higheft fentiments of thankfulnefs in the view of that one offering, which was to bear the fire of the father's wrath, and thereby was to become an odor of a fweet fthiell; a facrifice acceptable, well pleafmg to God. No bleiiingis beyond this. No joy is to be compared with the joy of this. If any one had been prefent who did not know the occa- fion of this wonderful rejoicing, and had atked good Hezekiah what they meant by this mufic, which made the very earth ring again, he would have gracioufly informed the enquirer — We are now triumphing in ftcdhH faith of the fulfilling of the promife,' that God will. be incarnate, and will come to take away fin by his facrifice; therefore we enter into his gates with ?hankfgiving, and into his courts with praife: We rejoice 406 An essay on psaimodY. fejoice in our hearts in the future offering of the lamb of God. Although we have divine words, in which to exprefs our joy, yet our prefent fenfe of it is only according to our faith. When this is lively our joy is unfpeakable and full of glory: for it brings a foretafte of that fulnefs of joy, which we (hail have, when we fhall receive the end of our faith, even the eternal falvation of out* fouls. Then all the bleffings, all the glories of heaven will come to us through the redemption that is in the blood of the lamb. Hence, while the burnt offering is confuming oil the altar, we make the moil joyful noife we poflibly ca*n, fing-^ ing and triumphing in the offering of Immanliei : for we believe it will be a fweet fmelling favor unto God, and through it we fhall enter within the veil, even into heaven itelf. There we fhall take up the fame molt blefled fubjecl, and cele- brate the lamb that was flain with never-ceafing praife. The anfwer, which I fuppofe Hezekiah would have given, is perfectly agreeable to David's own account of this matter. He relates very clearly for what end the pfalms were revealed, and were fung in the temple fervice. We find it thus defcribed, i Chron. xvi. " David ap- u pointed the Levites to minifter before the ark, " and to record, and to thank and praife the « Lord God of Ifraefl,'- ver. 4. and again, ver. 7. " Then on that day David delivered firft this " pfalm AN ESSAY ON PSAtMODt. 407 y- mcnt of the faints round the throne, and which Is the divine ordinance to exprefs our com muni- on with them, and to bring us a foretafte of their happinefs. From this paffage in Chronicles we fee the ufe of the pfalms in the old teftament, and for what end they were then fung in the church. It was to remind believers of the wonderful perfon and of the divine works of the incarnate Jehovah, that they might admire his matchlefs beauty, and adore him for his moft precious love. With happy and thankful hearts they ufed daily to ling of him in the temple fervice. The concert \vill never be excelled upon this earth, and the effect which accompanied it, will only be equalled in heaven. The fubjeft— the number of voices and inftruments — the excellence of the mufic and of the performance — and the divine approbation which crowned the whole, by a mi- racle confirming the faith and ftrcn£cthenifi£ the hopes of the congregation ; thefe are moft nobly defcribed in 2 Chron. v. 1 1, 12, &c. Solomon had finlfhed the temple, and had brought the ark of the covenant into the holy of holies: " And it afire to pafs, when the priefts were come Be 4*6 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 3. Be ye certain, that Jehovah is the very Alehim, he hath made us, and not we ourfelves> we are his people, and the rlqck under his paf- toral care: 4. Enter ye into his gates with confeflion, into his courts with afcribing to him the praife of giving you every thing ufeful, pay ye honiage to him, blefs ye his name : 5. For Jehovah is good, his nkicy is for ever,, and his faithfulnefs is from generation to genera- tion. When believers in their church fervice ufed to fmg this pfalm, they acknowledged in it the goodnefs of God to them, and had in their hearts fentiments of his loving kindnefs, fuch as thefe— j. O all ye inhabitants of the world, who have, found redemption through faith in the blood of the Lamb, join together to make his praife to be heard : fmg unto Jehovah a new fong^fing praifes unto him luftily with a good courage 1 2. Serve ye Jehovah with a free fpirit, finging and. making melody, in your hearts unto him: come ye into his prefence, having now accefs with confidence, and let the high praifes of Go4 be in your mouth, afcribing to him all the glory of your falvation : 3. Be ye certain that Jehovah is the very Ale- him, the three in covenant to fave finners: for AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 417 he has made us, and not we ourfelves, we neither made ourfelves creatures, nor new crea- tures in Chrift Jefus— he gave us our being, and our well being — we have nothing of our own but fin; and he has made us his free fubjects by redeeming us from the bondage of fin, yea we are his beloved flock, and he is our good ihcp- herd, who will give grace and glory to his peo- ple, and to the fheep of his pafture: 4. O come ye then into his gates with thank- ful acknowledgment of his infinite goodnefs to your fouls-— meet him in the great congregation, and join all the redeemed, who in earth and heaven are with one heart giving ble-ffing and honor, and glory and power, to God and the lamb. 5. For Jehovah is good, and doeth good, his mercy is to be celebrated in his church militant from age to age, and his never failing faithfulnefs is to be your fubjecl of never ending praife in the church triumphant. O for fuch holy affections as this pfalm re- quires. Reader, art thou acquainted with the fubject, and art thou indeed a partaker of that thankfulness, of which it treats. O be^ of bim then to give thee a growing fenfe of thine utter unworthinefs of the lead: mercy. This is gof- pel-poverty of fpirit, and this will lead thee to pray for a more thankful acknowledgment of the goodnefs of God, Rowing from the happy expe- rience 4lS. AS ZSSAT ©K ISALM0DY. rience of its bleflings, and influencing the whole man to praife him for them. To this grateful tem% per the very reading of the pfalm. will be as an ordinance, and the finging of it with the melody of the heart will be a fieaft. From thefe authorities of the old teftament . it is plain, that the fubje£t of the book of pfalms, and the finging them, were intended to excite in believers the warmeft fentiments of gratitude. The love of God manifefled in faving finners through Jefus Chrift, is herein defcribed with the true fublime both of ftyle and fentiment ; and when any pfalm was fung, if the heart felt the fubjecl, and made harmony there, then it.be^ came a delightful, as well as an acceptable fer-. vice. But we mail fee clearer evidence of 'this ■ matter, if we attend to CHAP. IV. Some Pqfages in the New Tejlament concerning the Book of Pfalm s. JL HE quotations are very numerous. Chrifl and his apoftles often refer to the pfalms, and make a dire£t application of them: for they all treat of him, as indeed the whole volume of re- velation does. He is the fpirit and life of all the bible; but there is no part lb particularly, ind fo frequently applied to him, as the book of pfalms. We know the fubjeft-of the cxth from, AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. ^ty from infallible authority — it is the heavenly government of king-mediator, who is David's fon, and vet David cnlleth him his Lord I for he was God and man in one Chrift. His own ufe of the pfalms is very remarkable : he fung them, and quoted them. At his laft paffover he joined with his apoftles in the pfalms commonly ufed upon that occafion. St. Matthew fays, his covenant office. And when he, the Spirit o£ life, makes any one free from the law of fin and death, then he is a child of God. He is made1 to know it, and to believe it : for he has received the fpirit of adoption, whereby he cries Abbar Father. In the fenfe of this love died abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghoft, he begins to rejoice in God, as his God. Trufting to what Jefus is. to him, that he has fatisfied for his fins,, has wrought out his righteoufnefs, and is now (landing in theprefence of God for him, he fees himfelf accepted in the beloved, an heir of God, and a joint heir with Chrift. Hereby his heart becomes reconciled to God, and he finds the truth of what is written — cc We love him* " beeaufe he firlt loved us." Now he has David's affection, and he can join heartily in finging with him— Blefs the Lord, Q my foul> and AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 4:9 •and all that is within me, blcfs his holy name. — Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and forget not all bis benefits : who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy difeafes : who redeemeth thy life from definition, who crowncth thee with loving kindnefs and tender mercies. Thus the right finging the praifes of God comes from the Spirit, and it alfo increafes the fruits of the Spirit. It is one of the appointed means of improving them. True grace is always operative, and grows by the fruit which it bears. If the believer be rejoicing, finging will add to his joy, as it is written, " Is any in " a happy frame ? Let him fing pfalms " and that will make him happier. It is the divine promife, and cannot fail : he mall increafe his joy in the Lord, Is any affiifted ? Pfalms will refrefh and comfort him: Paul and Silas fore whipt and put into the flocks, fung a pfalm at midnight. The fulnefs of the fpirit m the fweet finger of Ifrael, wrent out much this way. lie fang moil, and praifed bell of all the faints of God. He fang in all frames, and upon ail oc- cafions : let us follow his example, and be fpeaking much and often to one another in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs, feeking thereby to be filled with a growing meafure of the holy fpirit, If thou enquired, how ihall I obtain this ineftimable ■bJelling ? The command is — aik and it ihall be given you, feek and ye fhall find— whoever 42° AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. whoever is made fenflble he ftands in need m j affiftance of the holy Spirit is only required to afk, and the promife is — " Every one that afk- ci eth receiveth, and he that feeketh findeth : if a AN ESSAV CK MAtMODy. The apoftleagrees in fentiment with the pfslm- ift: for thus he fpeaks to the Corinthians : " If I " pray in an unknown tongue, my fpirit. pray* "eth, but my underflanding is unfruitful : what " is it then? I- will pray with the fpirit, and I " ^will pray with the underftanding alfo : I will ".fing with the fpirit,< and I will fing with the "- .underftanding alfo." Singing is unfruitful, unfefs the underftanding go with it. Unlefs the mind he profited, and God be honored, it is only empty found, .-But when we fing Jby the Spirit, then he will teach us to fing- -with the under- filling alfo. He will open the fubject to us, will give * a fixt attention to it, will bring the' rarhxl into tune, and will keep us looking at .'the fenfe^ more than at the found. .'Isdiib with thee, O my foul? 'Enquire care- fully. .a Art thou led by the Spirit in thy finging? Does he enlighten thy mind, and guide thee into tte knowledge of the fubjeft, in which thou art engaged ? .Take heed, and be often examining thyfelf— how thy mind is. affected— leaft thou fhouldeft prefent unto the Lord the fong of fools. . i But chiefly keep thy heart diligently: be- caufe.-out of it are the iffues of life. The man- ifc] what. his heart is. If this be. dead to . all will be right. If he has a ckaa hearj^i I AN. ESSAY O-N PSALMODY. 433 and a right fpirit -renewed -within, me, the holy Ghoft has made him-a new creature in Chrift Jefus,- and has won the will and the affe£tions over to God. This is/his principal office in the conversion of fmners. He therefore difcovers truth to the understanding, in order that it may become defrreable, and that the heart may he properly influenced by it. The heart is the com- manding faculty. When this has once tailed the fweetnefs of the Father's love in Jefus, it will engage the whole man to feek for more- Love is very active, and will do or fuflfer much to obtain and to preferve the beloved obje£L Set this ipring a going, it will move all the wheels. The hands will work for God., The feet will run the way of his commandments.. Love will make heavy burdens not grievous to bxr borne : love will carry them a long time, and faint not. -Jacob ferved feven years for Rachel^ and they feemed unto him but a few days fccr the.rove which he had unto her. The labor^a^ love, is always, delightful. When we know God tfc be our Father in Jefus,- and have his love' fhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghofty then his feryice becomes perfect freedom : then dutyisrennobled.into privilege: then obedience becomes willing^ -and filial : the beloved child: finds free, accefs to the* Father's throne, and: receives blefled communications of tos grace? for which his thankful heart offers the facrifice ©f 4j4 AN' ESSAY Oft PSALMODY. bf praife, and it comes up with a fweet favd? acceptable to God through Jefus Cliriil. This is the melody of the heart. While it feels its Infinite defct to free grace, is deeply convinced of its utter un worthiness, and is kept humble by the abiding fenfe' of its im perfections, and of its indwelling corruptions, it is in a right frame to exalt the exceeding riches of divine mercy. Then it is difpofed to give God all his glory. thk he requires;, as his due, and it beeometh the righteous to' pay it. When the heart is *h*de willing to afcribe every good to his holy *i&fce, then it is right -with God. All within is :«e to join every golden harp, and ry jdyfij tongue in hea-- ;ich are afcrib- blefting and honor, and 'glory and power to him that fitteth upon the throne, and to the Iamb for ever. . This- is the chief requifitc in mvging- pfalms; The heart makes the belt ninlic. The rmeft Compofitions, ever fo well executed with inftru- ments and voices' are not a divine concert, un- lefs the heart accompany them. David knew this well, and therefore he fet his affections to* the higheft pitch of praife, and he brought all' of them to join. His whole heart entered into the performance, and rendered the concert full.— «J i will praife thee, O 'Lord 'my I ;ith all1 £ his benefaftor : EhJr rs a proper S&* preffion of gratitude for fnvbfs received, and will the means- of fecuring them f for- fince his 'bappinefs comes from a good God, * and arifefc from communion with God in Chcift, it is u\. and meet, thaf he mould afcribe it to the right object and in a way of God's own appointing A .divine hymn upon the fubjecl: of praife (o£; which there are many) fung with- heart-felt thankfulnefs is a grateful fervice. The Lord requires fuch an acknowledgment, and it-ja&f cometh well the juft to be thankful— yea feftrtAf vouchfafed to reveal the very words, in which he requires it to be paid him : and* w_hen\ a-U within us bleftes his holy name, rejoicing in. the* Lord, he .would have the outward man to join/: and to declare with the melody of his lips-, how happy he is in his heart. Thus in finging the praifes of our God we mall find frefh reafon to praife him. He will certainly meet us -in h:^ own means, and blefs us in his own ways. We? fhall not wait upon him in vain. The means ot his appointing cannot fail of anfvvering the earibi He has promifed to put honor upon his own ap* pointments, and his word cannot be broken; The joyful ehrill-ian is commanded to fing the praifes of his God, and his heart fliall be thereby kept in holy joy, yea it mall be increafed. Uii joy fliall abound : and when believers ling, a; they are commanded,' -With one another; at-flttB Vol, VIII, Ff tend 442 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY." tend to their mutual edification. It fhall fth? them up to greater thankfulnefe, and excite warmer affection to the God of their falvation. Singing pfalms is a church-ordinance, and as fuch it is bleffed. The Lord wiil not forfake the affembly of iis faints. When they are met together to praife him, he will be in the midft of them, and will manifeff his acceptance^ both of their perfons and fen'ices. This will make their attendance upon him delightful. When he lifts up the light of his countenance upon them, how can they lielp finging what they feel ? Now they experience he has bought them with his blood, and faved them from hell, has wrought out their righteoufnefs, and will give them his heaven, it becometh them well to praife him, and to rejoice in his holy name. He has made them bleffed at prefent, and they fhall be bleffed for evermore. Their bleffednefs comes from a never failing fpring. They are the one true church, of which it is faid — " Joy and tc gladnefs (hall be found therein, thankfgiving my " heart trufted in him, and I am helped, there- " fore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my " fong will I praife him." What the prophet had experienced himfelf, the fame he .wiflies for others—" Let all thofe that put their truft in cc thee rejoice, let them ever ihout for joy, be- cc caufe thou defendeft them : let them alfo that " love thy- name be joyful in thee."; And when a company of thefe happy people meet together; it is the delight of their hearts to join in praifes to their God, and Saviour. . " O come let us " fing unto the Lord; let. rus make a chearful [i noife to the rock of our falvation : let us come ik before his prefence with thankfgiving, and •- make a joyful noife unto him with pfalms." With thefe words we always begin the reading of the fcriptures in our chuv~h fervice. ( .And at could be more fuitable ? How proper is it AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY, 445 in a co ngrcgation of believers to call upon one another to join in the praifes of the common Sa- viour, that we may ftrcngthen our mutual joy iii him. All true joy comes from him, and every acknowledgment of.it inward and outward is therefore required, in order to preferve and to increafe our rejoicing in the Lord Jefus Chrift. He deferves all our joy— the lovelinefs of Im- nianuel — his love to us— the- bleflings of his love — how many — how great — how lading! thefe mould encourage us to be glad in him now with great joy. But the well-grounded profpeft, which hope has, of rinding in him infinite and everlafting bleflings, fhould lead us to rejoice in him with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. This profpe£t has brightened the darken1 day : it has enabled fufferers greatly to rejoice, when in hea-; vinefs through manifold temptations : it has fup- ported them under every fiery trial. Nothing could extinguifh the joy. It has lived, and tri- umphed in the martyr's bread, even in the ago- nies of the raoft painful death. Faith reads, and with hope looks out for (and it is a hope that will never be afliame'd) the accomplifhment of this faithful promife — " The ranfomed of the " Lord (hall return and come to Sion with fongs, " and everlafting joy upon their heads, they '** fhall obtain joy and gladnefs, and forrow and. " fighing fhall flee away." 44-6 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. Doft thou find, O my foul, any of this holy joy? Canft thou ting pfalms with the under- landing, with the heart, and with gladnefs in thy heart, rejoicing in the Lord ? Canft thou give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift ? This is the privilege of every true believer. Be- ing faved from fin and hell, made an heir of God, and ajoint heir with Chrift, he has an in- tereft in all things : for they are all working to- gether under God for his prefent and eternal good, While he lives by faith, he knows it* and has the comfort of it. His heart is kept in tune, and whatever befalls him, he has reafon ta rejoice in the Lord his God. Thus the Lord would have his people to rejoice in him always. It is not only true in theory, that they may, but it is alfo true in practice, if the outward walk be in concord with the doctrine of the pfalms. This is another effential part of pfalm finging. The believer fhould live as he fings. His life mould be in harmony with his principles. If he fees the truth as it is in Jefus, and loves it, and rejoices in it, the effe£t of all this will certainly be outward and vifible. The inward melody will be exprefted in his tempers and behaviour. There will be a confiftency throughout. As he lives, fo he will walk, by the faith of the Son of God. Practice and prin-, ciple AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 447 ciple will fvveetly accord. The fame found that comes from his lips comes alfo from his heart, and his whole life will be an unifon. His acti- ons fing, his tempers are in harmony, his be- haviour makes up the chorus, abroad and at home, the mufic of his heart and life gives one certain note— Jefus is mine all— I live in him — on him— to him— I would have all within me to praife him, and all without me to fhew forth Jiis praifes— bleffings on him for ever and ever. Amen. If a man's life be not thus confiftent with his finging, he mocks God, he deceives his neigh- bour, and he gives the lie to his own words. Anions are furer evidences than founds 1 for they difcover the fettled, and the lad purpofe of the mind. They fhew not only what a man talks of, but what he is determined to live by. The true character cannot be known, but from them. God only fees the heart. We know what is in it, by what comes out of it. We judge of the fountain from the ftream. If the words and works be evil, fo is the heart : for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, &c. thefe are clear facts to judge by. If fuch a man was to ling with a voice like an angel, it is a voice and nothing more. His actions prove it to be mere air and empty found: yea, they demonftrate, that his heart is in perfect difcord with God. * tie fays oae 448 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY, one thing, and does the contrary. He feems to praife God, as if he was happy in his love, but he cleaves to the world and feeks his happinefs in it. He fings— " Whom have I in heaven but " thee," yet (hews his fupreme joy is in the earth. How can any thing, that fuch a man fings be an acceptable fervice, while his heart and life are in direct, oppofition to the holy will of God. A Jew can fing, a Turk can join in concert with him, an infidel may play well up- on an i-'ftrument, a company of Jews, Turks, and infidels may perform the fin eft piece of mu- fic, and with the moft harmonious founds. They may go through the oratorio of the Meffiah with- out one difcord. But here is no melody to the Lord. They have no defign to iliew forth the praifes of Immanuel : and what is not done in faith, and to his glory, is fin. Their mufic is as hateful to him as any of their other vices : for felf is the burden of their fong. They fing to pleafe themfelves, and to pleafe God is not in all their thoughts. O confider this, ye that come to church, and join in Tinging the pfalms. Is it with you an ordinance of God? Do you look upon it as fuch, and find it fuch? Does your underftanding go with the pfalm, and your heart enter into it ? Is it the joy of your heart ? Do you fing rejoicing in God ? And do you find him your one fupreme bleflcdnefs all the day Jong ? So that your life is a continued fong of praife, AK ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 44^ $ralfe, and every aclion of it being fubject to his holy will, preferves the harmony, and keeps up the heavenly joy. Is it thus indeed ? Who is like unto you, O people faved by the Lord. May nothing caufe difcord between you any more : but may increafing faith witnefs with growing comfort that you are one with God, and he is one with you. Look to Jefus. Let your eyes be fixt upon him, expecting all out of his fulnefs. Keep clofe to him. Thus you (hall go on your way rejoicing ; and foon you (hall fee him face to face, and your joy fhall be full. If all thefe things be put together, then we learn that finging pfalms is an ordinance of God, and one of the means of grace, instituted for the exercife and for the improvement of grace. It is commanded with a promife, and the promife is made good to this very day, as thoufands of living witneffes can teftify. When they have met together, underftanding the fubje£r. of the pfalm, and finging it with melody in their hearts, then the Lord has accepted their praifes, and increafed their joy in him. They have found their affections drawn nearer to him, and he has warmed them with a fweet fenfe of his love. And this has not been a tranfient vifit. It did not ceafe when they had done finging • but the harmony was preferved in a well ordered walk, direaed by the faith of the Son of God. They lived their fongs. Peace and love dwelt in S their 4JG AN ESSAY ON PSALMODT, their hearts, and their joy abounded in. ih<* Lord. But where is this fort of finging, in what place, or among what people ? Who are they that find thofe heavenly affections exercifed in it, and thofe happy effects from it ? It is much to be lamented, that all finging of pfalms at pre* fent is not upon the right plan, and does not an- fwer the end of its inftitution. I fpeak not of the contempt, with which is is treated by the age, or of the neglect of it by many profeflbrs, but of the prevailing abufes of it among themt who would be thought altogether ehriftians. CHAP. VI, 77jefe Abufes 1 would particularly mention, and hutus bly propofe a Remedy for each of them n iu>OME of thefe may feem not worthy of notice, they are fuch fmall matters •> but I think there is nothing-little in divine worfhip. The majefty of God ennobles, and exalts every part of it, He has commanded us to fing pfalms, and what- ever he has been pleafed to command, has his authority to enforce it : and whatever he has engaged to blefs, has his promife to make it the means of bleffing. In keeping of it there is at prefent great reward. His prefejice.will .be. }i\ it, AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 4$\ it, when it is rightly performed, and he will ren- der it effe£rual. He will hear, he will accept, he will witnefs his acceptance of the praifes of his people : Therefore every thing relating to them fhould be done decently and in order. Wet fhould always fing with a reverence, becoming the greatnefs and goodnefs of our God, in fuch a manner as may bed exprefs our happinefs ia his love, and as may tend moll to mutual edifi-* cation. If thefe things be considered, it will not be thought an indifferent matter, whether the pfalms be fung at all, or how they be fung — whether with, or without any heart devotion, with or without any melody of the voice — whe- ther every believer in the congregation fhould fing, or no— whether finging mould be a trial of fkill, who can bawl loudefl — whether the pof- ture fhould not be expreflive as well as the voice — whether fuitable portions of the pfalms fhould be chofen, or the perfon who gives them out fhould be left to choofe them, often without any judgment— whether grace mould be exercifed in finging, or not— whether we fhould fing, in order to increafe grace, or not — whether we fhould fing for amufement, or for the glory o£ God. It is not a trifling matter — how you de- termine thofe points : they enter deep into an important part of religious worfhip, yea into a very high aft of it, one in which we pay the no- blett 45't AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. bleft fervice we can upon earth, and indeed' the nearer!: we can come to the fervice of faints and angels. How then can it be an ihdifferent thing, whether a believer fings pfalms, or not, or whether or no he fings them with melody in his heart unto the Lord? Certainly if he would pleafe' God in finging, he mould attend to the fcripture rules before laid down for directing his conduct, which compared with the analogy of faith will regulate every thing relating to the divine ordinance of pfalm finging. One great abufe is the general ignorance of the fubje£f. of the book of pfalms. No portion of God's word is lefs known: many in our con- gregation very feldom underftand what they are finging. They have not Chrift in their eye, nor his glory in their view: although the defign of all thofe hymns is to defcribe the love of God to finners in Chrifl Jefus. They all treat of him in fome view or other: for there are many extenfive, and all very glorious views, in which his per- fon, offices, works, and ways, may be confi- dered. Some treat of his high praifes as God- man, defcribing his perfon, as the infinite trea- fury of grace and glory. Some celebrate the matchlefs deeds of his life, as the Lord our righteoufnefs, and the complete atonement made for fin by the facrifice of himfelf. Others in lan- guage and fentiments truly fublime, fing the end- kfs victories of his rcfurrection, -and the prevail- ing AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 453 ing efficacy of his intercefiion. Several of them treat of his mo ft bleffed government, when he fets up his throne in the hearts of his willing people, and faves them from fin, and death, and every enemy: while others foretel the great day ©f the Lord, when he will come to judge all flefh, will take his redeemed home, and the whole heaven (hall be filled with his glory. Befides, the pfalms treat of this wonderful perfon, not only from the beginning of time, but alfo from the ages of eternity: they difcover the undertakings of his love before all worlds in the covenant of the trinity — his fulfilling the covenant engage- ments in time— and his bellowing covenant bleii- ings from henceforth and for ever. What an extenfive view do they give us of the loving kind- nefs of Iminanuel, reaching from everlafting to everlafting! And in all thefe refpecls the pfalms are of ineftimable value with believers: for their ufe the holy Spirit has recorded them 3 and here* in they learn, what fentiments they are to form of God the Saviour, with what gratitude they ftiould fpeak of him, and with what holy joy they fliould fing the triumphs of redeeming love. The pfalms were fitted for this purpofe by inn nite wifdom: for holy men of God fpake them as they were moved by the holy Ghoft: and t are bleiled for this purpofe, when with the apot- tie any one, can fay, AKT ESSAY ON PSALMODT, of Chrift to dwell richly in believers, how poorly muff, it dwell in them, who flight and defpife the command, yea, fo far as never to fing any pfalriis at all ? If any real chriftian would attend to this rea- foning, how can he oppofe it ? Here is a collec- tion of hymns appointed to be fung in the church by divine authority ; but the authority is defpifed, and the collection is thrown afide. It comes from the infpiration of the Almighty, but the church entirely refufes to ufe it ; is not this doing defpite unto the fpirit of grace ? The collection is large and very particular in fetting forth the praifes of the adorable Immanuel ; is it not a grofs affront to him to fing none of his praifes in the words which the Holy Ghoft teacheth, as if any praifes were good enough for him, or as if he could be praifed better in the words, which man's wifdom teacheth. Men and brethren, confider whether this be not a very grofs affront to the word of God, to the Spirit of God, and to the Son of God. Confider it well, and the Lord give you a right underftanding in this matter. Secondly, The finging of men's poems in the church, and fetting afide the pfalms given by infpiration of God, is contrary to the prophecies of the Old Teftament, and is an attempt to defeat them. They defcribe the ftate of the gofpel church, and declare there fliould be great z joy AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 47I joy and gladncfs found in it ; particularly they mention finging of pfalms, as the outward ex- preflion of their inward joy in the Lord. Thus we read, 1 Chron. xvi. 23, i\. " Sing unto the u Lord all the earth, fhew forth from day to day " his falvation : declare his glory among the " heathen, his marvellous works among all the " nations :" Ot the fame thing fpeaketh the prophet Ifa. Ivi. 6, 7. " Alfo the fons of the " ilranger that join themfelves to the Lord to " ferve him, and to love the name of the Lord, '" to be his fervants, even every one that keep- " eth the fabbath from polluting it, and taketh " hold of my covenant, even them will I bring (c to my holy mountain, and make them joyful " iji mine houfe of prayer ; their burnt offerings :* and their facrifices ihall be accepted upon " mine aUar : for mine houfe flia.ll be called an " houfe of prayer for all people."' How- t ;. ;y was to be expreffed, is mentioned m Pfalm xcv. The prophet fliews how believers fhould ftir up one another to rejoice in ringing p^falms : and St. Paul fays this was written of the New Teftament church. According to his explana- tion of the. pfalm given in the 3d and 4th chap- ters of the Hebrews, the HolyGhoft here calls for the folcmn worlliip of our Saviour, and re- ' quires him to be praifed with pfalms : he preffes this duty, together with public^prayer, Ver. 6, f, and then demands obedient attention to the word JtfZ AN ESSAY ON PSALM015V. word of God, againft which no man mould harden his heart through unbelief: from whence it appears, that praifing God folemnly, with finging pfaims, with public prayer, and with hearing the word, are ftill the ordinances of Chrift, and are to continue to-day, even while it is called to-day, unto the end of the world. Thefe prophecies have been fulfilled. The blefled gofpel has brought joy and gladnefs into heathen lands, and this very day, pfaims have been fung, and a pure offering of praife has been prefented unto the Lord, and it will be prefented unto him fo long as there is a true church upon earth. What then fhall we think of thofe pretended reformers, who have turned the pfaims out of the church, and who are act- ing as if they would try to defeat thefe prophe- cies ? I wifh they may not be found fighting againft God : for they cannot flop their accom- plifhment. His word cannot be broken. As long as the earth fhall continue, pfaims fhall be fung in the church of Chrift : in it there will alwavs be found thankfeiving and the voice of melody, and thefe will be expreiled in God's own way, in the matter, and words, and form of God's own appointment. Confider this, ye who believe the fcriptures to be the word of God : if you obey from the heart the form of doctrine therein delivered, you will begin to rcafon thus \ yea, me thinks I hear AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 4fj hear one of you fay — Since Cod, by his fovereign .grace, has put a new fong in my mouthy it a to my joy, that he lias revealed the very words in which he would have me to praife him. J le has foretold that the gbfpcl fliould be received among the heathen, and that it fhould produce fuch effects as I now experience. Glory be to him, he has made me happy in Jefus, and my happi'nefs is not only kept tip, but I find it en- creafes by finging the infpired pfalms of the holy Ghoft. Whoever leaves off the* finging of pfalms, God forbid Lfliould be of that number. I hope never to a£t fo contrary to the honor of God, and to the profit of mine^own foul. Thirdly, Qi: the fame fentiments has been the church of Chrift in all ages j which is a ftrong argument in favor of pfalm finging. We know., from very clear teftimony, that the pfalms were fun g in the temple until its final deftrucUon. We are certain that Chrift made ufe of the pfalms. His apoftles followed his example. The churches of Corinth, and Ephefus, and Colofs, made the finging of pfahris part of their public worfhip. Such of the twelve tribes as were fcattered abroad, being perfecuted for Chrift's fake, did ling pfalms when they were in an happy frame: for they were commanded to do it by the apoftle James. The church hiftory affords abundant evidence of the life of the pfalms in every coun- try converted to the faith, and of their being Vol, VIII. 13 h fung 4/4 AN ESSAY OK PSALMODY. fung in the church, as a part of public worfhip; 'I his has been the cafe in every age without in-* ferruption. The primitive chriftians fung in all their church meetings. Eufebius fays, in the fecond century, they fung pfalms in praife o( Chrift and his deity. In the time of Juftin Mar- tyr inftrumental mufic was abolifhed, and he highly commends tinging with the voice, becaufe, fays he, pfalms, with organs and cymbals, are fitter to pleafe children, than to inftruct the church. In the third centurv we read much of pfalm Tinging. Anus was complained of as a perverter of this ordinance. St. Auguftine rnakes it an high crime in certain heretics, that they fung hymns compofed by human wit. The fenfe, in which the church of Chrift underftood this fubje£t, has been, till of late years, always one and uniform. Now we leave the antient beaten path. But why? Have we found a bet- ter? How came we to be wifer than the pro- phets, than Chrift, than his apoftles, and the pri- mitive chriftians, yea than the whole church of God? They with one confent have fung pfalm? in every age. Here I leave the reader to his own reflexions. There is one plain inference to be made from hence, none can eatily miftake it: May he fee it in his judgment, and follow it in his practice. Fourthly, Singing of pfalms in the church is an ordinance, commanded of God, prophe- cied AN ESSAY Otf PSALMODY. 47^ e led of in the old teftament, and hitherto fulfilled in the new. That pfalm tinging is one of th^ means of grace has been (hewn before. It is part of public worfhip, enjoined of God, and to which he has promifed his bluffing. Now when you lay afide pfalms in the church, you at the fame time call out the ordinance : for they are infeparably one. The pfalm is the ordinance. Your practice fpeaks, as if you faid — mpofirions, or to make them full of joy with ilia 47& AN ESSAY oN PSALMODY. the light of his countenance, when they have been doing defpite to his Spirit, qnd putting difhonor upon his word. Perhaps thefe feritiments may arifc from my great attachment to the word of God, with which others may not be aflefted as \ am : for I am per- fuaded it is not pofhble for me to fet too high a value upon the holy fcriptures— as the revelation of the will of God, I want words to exprefs my refpecY for them — as the revelation of his good will in Jefus, I reverence them next to himfelf. What more precious ! What more delightful ! They are indeed more precious than gold, yea than much fine gold : and the pfalms are fweeter than honey, yea than the honey dropping from the comb. I find them fo,. They are my daily ftudy, and daily delight. I do not boaft, but praife. The more I read, the more J admire them. The defcription of Jefus in them is fweet : the meditation of him is fweeter than all other fweets. It often taftes fo much of heaven, that it feems to me I cannot poiiibly beftow fo much admiration upon the pfalms, as they deferve. This is my fettled judgment, confirmed by exr perience. I cannot help talcing particular no- tice of this, becaufe it fully confirms the argu- ments which have been before ufed. Experience demonftrates, that God docs blefs the finging of pfalms in the church, and does not blefs the finging of men's hymns. It is a melancholy Atf ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 479 melancholy matter of fact, that in many cor g re- gations there is no reading of God's word, no finging of God's word. It is almoft laid afide, even the great ordinance of God for all faving purpofes. And what has followed? Truly, what might be expected ; yea, what could not but follow. The holy Spirit has been grieved, and has withdrawn his powerful prefence. For want of which a deadnefs that may be felt is in fuch places. Of this good men have complained to one another, and are humbled for it before God. They find public worfhip without power. Prayer is lifelefs. Preaching is voice and no- thing more. It may be the truth, but the hearers are apt to fall afleep over it, and the preacher is no more animated, than if he was telling an old ftory. The channel of divine communication is quite ftopt up : hence Ichabod may be feen and felt too upon fuch congrega- tioris. Reader, if thou art alive to God in thine own heart, thou knoweft this to be true. And how does it affecl: thee ? Certainly thou wilt join with me in begging of God to revive his work among us, and to put glory upon his ordi- nances. O that the Lord would return with his gracious prefence to his worfhipping people. May the holy Spirit lead them to fee their error in neglecting his eftablifhed means of grace, efpecially his word read and fung. And when- ever he does t'lis, and wherever they put honor upon 480 AN ESSAY ON PSAtMODY. upon his- ward; there will he certainly put life and power into the ordinances, and the congre-. gat ions fhall again experience, that God is among them of a truth. And as God does not blefs the finging of human compofitions in his church, fo it is a certain matter of fact, that he does blefs the finging of his own pfalms. If the eyes of your undei Handing be opened, look around ; where is the power of God mofl to be found ? Among whom is he chiefly carrying on his work ? And \vhere aretheliveJieft congregations ? If you know the prefent ilate of religion in this land, you can' eafily find them. God has made them very con- fpicuous. A city that is fet on an hill cannot be hid. The builder of it did not intend it fhould. His gifts and graces are therefore conferred, that the giver may have ail the glory. And who are m^fl: enriched with his gifts and graces ? Are tljey -,not fuch as he has brought to ufe the means moil? Who honor his word, never failing to make the reading of it part of public worfhip, and who never meet, but they fing out of the word the praifesof their God ? Among thefe the Lord the Spirit-does work with power, and they do find jn urging his pfalms what they never find in finging men's poems. He makes all their church .ordinances lively and edifying. He en- S them to draw near to God in prayer, and have happy conirnunipn with hioi : he hears,. and AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 481 and anfwers. The word preached is mighty through God. Sinners are awakened. Mourn- ers are comforted. Believers are ftrengther.o. The word fur.g is alfo accompanied - nh the fame power: the pfalms are made an ordinance indeed. The holy Spirit works in and by them to keep up holy joy in believing hearts. He promifed this, and the promife is fulfilled at this very hour — " The Lord fhall comfort Sion, he *■ will comfort all her wafte places, and he will " make her wildernefs like Eden, and her defert " like the garden of the Lord, joy and gladnefs " fhall be found therein, thankfgiving and the Cf voice of melody." BlelTed be God for thefe favors now bellowed upon the church of Eng- land. This prophecy is ours. Adored for ever be his love. He is now with us of a truth, and he has turned our wildernefs into the garden of the Lord. We do not triumph for this in our- felves. We do not look down with contempt upon others. No, no. We acknowledge it to be the Lord's doing, to the praife of the glory of his own grace ; and to him we look for the continuance of this ineflimable blefling. O that he would bellow it abundantly upon thofe congregations, who have the form without the power. This is the fervent prayer of my heart. I am fare our joy will increafe by their fhar- jng with us. May the good Lord revive his' 3 work 4^2 AN ESSAY OK PSALMODV. work in all his churches, and may the life and power vouchfafed to fome be found in all. What can any unprejudiced perfon infer from hence ? Is not the cafe plain ? Where is the prefence of God moft to be found? Among the fingers of poems, or the fingers of pfalms r What fays matter of fa£t ? It fpeaks to the point, and determines in favor of God's word . The holy Spirit does not put honor upon man's poems, when fet up in the church in oppofition.to his divine hymns. Yea, he difgraces them. He pours contempt upon them, as it might be' expected he would : for he leaves the fingers to themfelves, and then their performance is with- out life and power. It keeps up no commu- nion with God. It adminifters no holy joy. It is not the means of grace, but degenerates into a mere entertainment, and is the fame thing in the church, that mufic is in the play* houfe. How can that be, fays one, I am a witnefs to the contrary : I have found profit in finging hymns, and I am fure I have received pleafure. You may fancy fo, but perhaps it is only fancy : for your practice confutes your profeffion. God has revealed the pfalms for the ufe of the church, he has commanded them to be fung in it, and prornifed to meet his rejoicing people, and in AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 4^3 In finging to make their joy abound : but you defpife the command, and therefore you can have no title to the promife. You cannot have the end without the means : while you flight the ordinance, how can you poflibly receive the bleffing promifed to it ? For the holy Ghoft will not vouchfare his joy to them, who feek it in oppofition to his fovereign will : fo that you might be pleafed, but profited you could not. The profit is God's blefting upon the ufe of his own means, but you did not ufe the means, nay you defpifed his, and followed your own felf- v/ill. What profit could fuch finging bring you ? What fellowfliip could you have with God in it, or whatjoyinGodincreafedby it? You may bring your poems into the church, and may be vaftly delighted with performing them, So is the vain- ell creature alive at the opera. The pleafure in both cafes arifes from the fame caufe. The ear is pleafed with the harmony, fome animal joy is excited, a fine tune, well played, well fung, a very agreeable entertainment j but there could be no more fpiritual edification in one than in the other: becaufe neither of them was the ordinance of God. What ! fay fome, is it unlawful to fing human compofitions in the church ? How can that be ? Why, they fing them at fuch a place, and fuch a place : great men, and good men, aye, and lively 4^4 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODT. lively minifters. too fing them : will you fet up your judgment againfl theirs ? - It is an odious thing to fpeak of one's fclf, except it be to magnify the grace of God. What is my private judgment ? I fet it up againfl no body in indifferent things : J would wifh to yield to every man's infirmity : for I want. the fame indulgence mvfelf. But in the prefent cafe the fcripture, which is our only rule of judgment, has not left the matter indifferent. God has given us a large collection of hymns, has commanded them to be fung in the church, and has promifed his bleffing to the finging of them. No refpecl here muft be paid to names or authorities, although they be the greateft on earth : becaufe no one can difpenfe with the command of God, and no one can by his wit compofe hymns to be compared with the pfalms of God. I want a name for that man, who ihould pretend that he could make better hymns than the holy Ghofl. His collection is large enough : it wants no addition. It is perfect, as its author, and not capable of any improvement. Why in fuch a cafe would any man in the world take it into his head to fit down to write hymns for the ufe of the church ? It is juft the frme as if he was to write a new bible, not only better than the old, but fo much better, that the old may be thrown afide. What a blafphemous attempt! AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 4$j attempt ! And yet our hymn-mongers, inadver- tently I hope, have come very near to this blaf- phemy : for they fbut out the pfalms, introduce their own verfes into the church, fing them with great delight, and as they fancy with great profit ; although the whole practice be in direct oppolition to the command of God, and there- fore cannot poflibly be accompanied with the blefling of God. If any one be offended at my freedom of fpeech, I am forry for it. I thought I had liberty to give mine opinion, efpecially in a matter, wherein the honor of God and of his word re- quired me to fpeak openly. Let this be mine apology. If you are not convinced, if you will ftill fing human compofitions in preference to divine ; pray do not quarrel kwkh me. I am a man of peace. Go on your way, and let me go on mine. Let me fing God's pfalms, and you may fing any body's hymns. I have borne my teftimony. Forgive me this once, and after I have clofed up the evidence with a very good witnefs, againftwhom the admirers of hymns can have no objection, I promife herein to offend you no more. He is no lefs a perfon than the great Dr. Watts himfelf. He fpeaks full to the point, and gives his teftimony very diitinclly. He never irttended, he fays, to thruft the pfalms of God out of the church. His words in the preface to his hymns are thefe— " Far be " it 486 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. " it from my thoughts to lay afide the book of ** pfalms in public worfhip : few can pretend fd " great a value for them as rilyfelf: it is the" u mod artful, moft devotional, and divine col- " lection of poefy ; and nothing can be fup- " pofed more proper to raife a pious foul to *c heaven, than fome parts of that book -y nevetf " was a piece of experimental divinity fo nobly " written, and fo juftly reverenced and ad- €C mired." Happy would it have been for the chriftian world, if his followers had ftopt juft where he did. He declares it was far from his thoughts to do what they have done. It never came into his head to lay afide the book of pfalms in public worfhip. Iliink of this, and weigh it carefully, ye that idolize Dr. Watts, and prefer his poems to the infallible word of God. It would be well for you, if you valued pfalms as much as he did : for he fays none' valued them more. Then you would have look- ed upon them in his light : for having already in' your hands the moft devotional and the moft divine collection, you would not have thought of any other, knowing it was impoflible to hate a better, but you would have ufe'd this, and would have found it too, as Dr. Watts did, the moft proper to raife the foul to heaven. Bleffed fentiments ! I honor the memory of Dr< Watts for this glorious teftimony. I can fay nothing can bear harder upon "thole peifons, - Who, 5 contrary AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 487 contrary to his opinion, have entirely left off Ting- ing the pfalms ot God in the church. He never intended to countenance fuch a practice. He declares it was far from his thoughts, yea, he abhorred the very thought, and in fo faying he has upon record condemned it. Here I reft the matter. If the admirers of Dr. Watts will not be determined by his authority, I am fure they will not by mine : and therefore I take my leave of them. Farewell. May the Lord guide you into all truth. There are feveral abufes among us relative to the mufic, which I wiili to fee reformed, and fome of which I would point out. We have many good pfalm tunes, excellently compofed and fitted for public worfhip. Thefe mould be itudied, in order that they may be well fung, and properly applied — Sung well to avoid the tedious drawling manner in ufe in mod of our churches, which gives offence to worldly people, and makes the ordinance dull and heavy to be- lievers— Properly applied, and fuited to the fub- je£t, that the found may as near as pofiible ex- prefs the (en(e : for want of underftanding or attending to this, we very often hear a light tune to a mournful prayer, and heavy mufic fet to a joyful pfalm, which are grievous difcords. In the fervice of God every thing mould be folemn. Our own minds require it, as well as his greatnefs; bu£ -efpecially in praifmg him, we fliould try to Ihut 438 AN ESSAY Ctf PSALMODY. fliut out whatever would diftract us, or difhorror him. When the heart is afFe£led, or defires to be duly arretted with a fertfe of the exceeding riches of his mercy in Jefus, the pfalm and the tune mould help to excite, and to keep up the heavenly flame. If the pfalm be proper for this purpofe, the tune mould not defeat it This was much fludied in the primitive church. They had great fimplicity in their pfalm finging, which we are told was corrupted by the heretics. Com- plaint is made particularly of Arius, that he per- verted ringing into an entertainment. He had a tafte for mufic, and he compofed feveral light frothy tunes, by which he fought to pleafe tri- lling people, who with him neither loved the God, nor the praifes of the God of the chriftians. Herein he fucceeded. His mufic was admired, and did a great deal of hurt. Let us take warning from hence. As far as we can let our praifes of God befung with fuchmufic as will folemnize our hearts, and keep them in tune to make melody unto the Lord. I will only mention one thing more, which is a great impropriety, and to me very offenfive, and that is the pofrure generally ufed among us in finging. Suppofe there had been nothing at ali faid about it in the fcripture, judge ye with yourfeives, men and brethren, whether it be ectful and becoming to fit down to img. When fubjecls go upon any joyful ^occafion to addrefs AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 489 addrefs their fovereign, is it a cuflom in any nation of the world to do it fitting? Docs the perfon who pays homage fit, or lie who receives it ? But it is not left to ourfelves, or to what we may think right or wrong. The cafe is de- termined in fcripture, and there are precedents to go upon. The lingers and muficians flood, when they performed in the temple fervice : (o did all the people, i Chron. ii. 28, &c. " The " office of the Levites was to wait on the fons " of Aaron for the fervice of the houfe of the " Lord in the courts and in the chambers, and " in the purifying of all holy things, and the u work of the fervice of the houfe of God : and " to Hand every morning to thank and praife the cc words, poetical, dreft up with flowers and " metaphors, brilliant as Cowley, fmooth as cc Porje.^ No, they are not ; but they are revealed to make the man of God wife unto fal- vation, and they do. As fuch, the fmeft poetry of man is no more to be compared with them, ■ than man is to be compared with God. His word is the great inftrument of falvation. It is the ordinance of God for every faving purpofe. He works in it and by it, and therefore it is plain and fimple, that the glory may not be given to the means themfelves, but to his almighty grace, which makes them effectual. How unlikely is the word preached fo to change a finner's heart, that he fhall be as much a new creature, as if a devil was made an angel -, and yet this effect is daily produced, and by plain preaching too. Thus the moft fuccefsful preacher that ever was, declares — " My fpeech and my preaching was cc not with enticing words of man's wifdom, but " in demonftration of the Spirit and of power ; tc that your faith mould not ftand in the wifdom " of man, but in the power of God." And his power is promifed, and is alfo experienced to this very day in the ufe of the means of grace. God does give his bJeffing to them. What more fimple than the facraments ? Yet through Chrift working mightily in them, they do anfwer the end of their inftitution ? What fo unlikely as prayer to obtain all needful bleflings ? and yet it 496 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY, it is certain matter of fact, that the effectual fer-* vent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. So the pfalms, not trimmed up with human em- bellifhments, but in the fimple drefs of fcripture, do communicate holy joy in the Lord. He bJeffes the means, becaufe they are his own means, and when ufed in faith, he never fails to render them effectual. Here then let us look, not at fine words, but at God's word. Let us not be offended at its fimplicity : for it is pur- pofely fo: It is written for profit, and not for amufement. As an inftrument, it has not the virtue in itfelf, that the excellency of the power exerted by it may be of God. He would have all tke glory. Our own joy in finging, and our neighbour's edification, fhall not arife from fine poetry, but from his effectual grace. How much is it to be wifhed, that this was more regarded in fmging pfalms. Then mould we hear no more of this objection ; but believers in the ufe of this, and of all the means of grace, would be feeking not entertainment, but communion with God, which is our higheft privilege, and they would be expecting the improvement of it, which is their higheft happinefs. Another objection may be made to this col- lection. If all the pfalms be alike the word of God, why fhould thefe be felected, and the reft excluded ? I do not exclude any, not a letter or tittle. They are all of equal authority, all given AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 497 given by theinfplration of the Almighty. 1 ere is the fame divine (lamp and impreflion upon every word. For which reafon I reverence what is left, as much as thefe : but thefe are fufficient for our ufe, and thefe, if rightly ufed, will lead us to underftand and to value the reft. If any thing here faid mould be the means of explain- ing the fubjecl: of the book of pfalms, and of enabling believers to fee more of the glory of the Lord Jefus Chrift, then they will not only value this collection, but will alfo, as occafion offers, fing the reft with increafing melody in their hearts unto the Lord. The collection of pfalms, which I have here made, cannot be fung aright by any one, unlefs he thus aims at the glory of God. He muft be a true believer in Jefus, and made fenfible of the father's love to him in his fon: becaufe they are chiefly fongs of praife,' and require the mufic of the- heart: he who is in tune to make the bell melody, has the deepeft fenfe of his obligations to free grace. He has found redemption through the blood of Jefus, and is convinced of his ac- ceptance through the righteoufnefs of Jefus. He fees all bleffings, temporal, fpiritual, and eternal, provided for him by the Father's love in the Son's fulnefs, and by the faith of the operation of the holy Spirit he receives them, as he wants them, day by day. He feels Jumfelf a poor, needy creature, unworthy of the 498 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. -the leaft of thofe bleffings, and while be is in this humble frame he is thankful for the leaft. Then he is mofl difpofed to give the glory of all his mercies to the eternal three, and. to ac- knowledge his debt in every appointed way. This makes him defirous of profiting others by iinging the praifesof that good God, who has fo exceedingly loved him, and herein he has an efpecial regard to his brethren in Chrift. As a church-member he frequents ordinances, enters into the fpirit of them, prays in the holy Ghoft, hears and mixes faith with the word ; fings with the congregation, and with his heart and voice to increafe their melody. He lives the chriitian. In his walk and converfation he fhews forth the praifes of God. He glorifies his Father which is in heaven, before men, and lets them fee, that they who are happy believers in Jefus have found their heaven upon earth. Thus he goes on his way, iinging and rejoicing in the Lord — ready to join the great concert of faints and angels — yea he does join, afcribirig with them all the good he has, and hopes for, to the free grace of the holy blelTed and glorious trinity. Reader, art thou one of this happy number? Is thy heart in tune to fing pfalms of praife to thy God? Is he thy Father which art in heaven, and doit thou love him for the unfpeakable gift of his Son? Until he be known to thee in this dear relation, AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. 499 relation, thou canft not.be happy in him either in earth or heaven. If thou art thinking he has mercy in ftore for thee, how wait thou brought to believe it? Was it in God's appointed way, and in his means? Didft thou hear his word declaring what thy ftate was, and didft thou yield to its teftimony, perfuaded thou waft under guilt and in great danger ? Wall thou convinced of the exceeding iinfulnefs of fin, how abomi- nably filthy it made thee in the fight of an holy- God — how guilty in the fight of a juft God, and how utterly helplefs it has left thee in thyfelf ? Did this conviction follow thee? Waft thou made deeply and thoroughly fenfible, that thou canft do nothing for thyfelf, but haften on thy ruin ? Such is thy captivity to fin, all the powers and faculties of thy foul and body are in fuch bondage to it, that thou canft do nothing but ferve it, yea thou art fuch a willing Have, that if God leave thee to thyfelf, thou wilt go on finning through time, and finning through eternity. Didft thou never fee thyfelf in this ftate ? The fcripture declares, that thou art by nature a child of wrath — and doft not thou believe the word of God : are its threatenings an idle tale ? What! art thou it III afleep in the arms of fin, in the midit .of the thunder of the vengeance of God— ftill dreaming of happinefs in the ways of fin, which God afTures thee in his word will lead 500 AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. lead thee to deftruction. O defperate delufion I May God deliver thee from it. May the eternal Spirit accompany His own meflage, and fend it to thy heart — " Awake thou that fleepeft, and cc arife from the dead, and Chrift mall give thee « light." If thou haft been made fenfible of thy danger, what thinkeft thou of Chrift ? If thou haft feen thyfelf a loft finner, who is to fave thee ? To whom, or to what doft thou look for help ? To man, or to God; to thyfelf, or to Chrift? To thy works, or his ? Is Chrift become thine only object? Examine with care : for there is but one right way to the city of habitation. " I am the «' way," fays Jefus. Be aflured, there is falva- tion for thee In no other. Nothing can wafh thee clean, but the atoning blood of Jeftis. No- thing can juftify thee, but his righteoufhefs. His all-fufficient grace alone can keep thee in the way to heaven. He alone can prefent thee fpotlefs there before the throne. Every other hope will difappoint thee but hope in Jefus. One day all the reft will prove refuges of lies. If thou buildeft on them now with confidence, they will fail thee at the bar of God. Thou wilt then find, that other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jefus Chrift. If thou art enabled to build upon this rock, ~ happy art thou. Hail, thou that art highly favourcd : the Lord is with thee. He has en- couraged AN ESSAY ON PSALMODY. cou raged thee to place the whu'c weight ot falvation upon the t Jefus, who is Imma- nuel, the creator and the fupporter of all worlds, viable and invisible. Trull in him, and be not afraid : for he is almighty to fave. And he has given thee his infallible promifes to fa- tisfy thee, that in him thou art fafe from all thy fins, and from all thine enemies. O how eftab- lifhing are his own words ! Thus he fpeaketh to thee — Cl Whofoever cometh unto me, and hear- " eth my layings, and doeth them, I will fliew " you to whom he is like : he is like a man, " who built an houfe, and digged deep, and laid " the foundation on a rock, and when the flood ff arofe, the flream beat vehemently upon that " houfe, and could not fhake it : for it was •"' founded upon a rock." How happy is thy ftate ! Thou art come to him at his bidding, thou halt heard his fayings, and art doing them in faith : furvey thy fafety and blefs the Lord. Thou art the wife man, who builds on a foun- dation contrived by infinite wifdom, and fur> ported by Almighty power : " Behold, fays the " Father, I lay in Sion for a foundation, a ftone, " a tried ftone, Sec." The father chofe his co- equal Son, on whom he would build his whole church ; he is therefore called an elect foundation ; and fure, as fure as God can make it, his will and word, his arm and love fecure the foundation and every thing built upon it. Try it again and ^ a^ain, 5Q2 AN ESSAY GN PSALMODY. again, and thou wilt find how fure it is. This is another of its divine excellencies — it is a tried foundation, none ever built on it and were con- founded. Believers have made trial of it in every age, and it always anfwered their hopes: indeed how could it fail them ? For the divine architect, has fo ftrengthened every part of his flructure, that the gates of hell cannot' prevail againft it. How precious then is this founda- tion ! u To them that believe he is precious." All the beauties and pleafures in heaven and earth are to be found in his fulnefs, and in the creature only as a drop out of the ocean. Ua- fearchable riches are his : fo are eternal glories. BlefTed is the man who is living upon this fulnefs: While he is receiving out of it grace for grace, G how precious is Jems ! efpecially while he is hoping to receive out of the fame fulnefs the glory that is to be revealed : for he mall not be difappointed of his hope ; becaufe " the righ- '5 teous hath an everlafting foundation." He is built upon the rock of ages, and is kept there by the power of God. . O happy, thrice happy believer. Again furvey thy mercies — fee how many — how great they are — to thy body — to thy foul — family, church* national mercies — fure and covenant mercies. Who is like unto thee faved. by the Lord? The Father is thine with all his love. The Son is thine with all his falva- tion. The holy Spirit is thine in all his offices, 2 to AN ESSAY ON PLALMODV. to comfort, to ftrengthen, and to fancVify thee, to lead thee fafe by his council, tiil he bring tl unto glory. And this is alfo thine with its richeft bit flings— eternal life is the free gift of God to thee through Jefus Chrilt thy Lord. (> what has God clone for thee ! faved from de- ferred definition, and faved with fuch a falva- tion, fo wrought out for thee, fo fecurcd to th and forever, what could God do more? Now. thou haft learned the fubject of praife, and ck make fweet melocty with thefe words—" I Jf waited patiently for the Lord, and he ;; clined unto me, and heard my cry: he