No heart upon earth can conceive "Oh how full of love, and joy, and praise, shall we be when that happy state is ours! Well, yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come: Even, so come, Lord Jesus! My dear brother forgive the hasty effusions of a heart that loves you in the bowels of Jesus, and is always happy in testifying itself to be Affectionately yours, S. P." 00000000000 To MR. CAVE. On the falling away of some who had promised fair in religion.. , 1797. "I THANK you, my dear brother, for the confidence you repose in me, the affection you have for me, and the freedom with which you write to me. Assure yourself that I sincerely sympathize in the cutting events which you have lately experienced. Trying indeed! Your heart must bleed. Yet be not discouraged in your work. The more satan opposes Christ, the, more let us oppose him. He comes with great violence because his time is short. His kingdom is on the decline; his strong holds are besieged, and he knows they must soon be taken. Whilst it lasts, he is making desperate sallies on the armies of the Lamb. It is no great wonder that he fights and wounds a raw recruit now and then, who strays from the camp, and thoughtless of the danger, keeps not close by the Captain's tent. I hope our glorious Leader will heal the wounded, and secure the captive. He is sure to make reprisals. Christ will have ten to one. You will yet see his arm made bare. He shall go forth like a man of war. The prisoners shall be redeemed, and the old tyrant shall be cast into the bottomless pit. Be of good cheer, my fellow soldier. The cause is not ours, but God's. Let us endure hardness, and still fight the good fight of faith. At last we shall come off conquerors, through Him that hath loved us. "I hope you have some causes for joy, as well as grief. I trust though one, or two, or three fall, the tens, and the twenties stand their ground. Oh do what you can to cheer them under the common trial. Let them not see a faint heart in you. Fight manfully still. Teil them to watch the more; to pray the harder; to walk the closer with God. So out of the eater shall come forth meat, and sweetness out of the strong. S. P." 0000000000 To MR. BATES & MRS. BARNES, Who had been burnt out of their residence. "THEmany expressions of Christian friendship which I received from you, and your affectionate families, during my last visit to London, will of ten excite grateful recollection in future, as they have almost daily since I parted from you; and though I do not write this avowedly as a mere letter of acknowledgement, yet I wish it to assure you, that I am not forgetful of my friends, nor unthankful for their kindness. May all the favour you shew to the servants of our common Lord for his sake, be amply recompensed in present peace, and future feucity, when the promise of him who cannot lie, shall be fulfilled, A cup of cold water given to a disciple, in the name of a disciple, shall not lose its reward.' "But, whilst you, my dear friends, live in hope of the glory' that remains to be revealed,' I am persuaded that you expect all as the fruit of Sovereign mercy, which first forms us to the mind of Christ, then accepts and then rewards. Truly, if sinners be rewarded, it must be, of grace, and not of debt.' Yet it is a mercy of unspeakabie magnitude, that grace should establish a connexion between obedience and enjoyment; such a connexion, as at once ensures joy to the believer, and glory to Christ. "Oh that our thoughts, our affections, our desires, may be much in heaven! Here, you have been taught, is no continuing city,' no certain place of abode; and though you have been taught it awfully in flames, yet if you learn it effectually, the terror of the means will be conquered by the excellency and glory of the consequences. Yes, my friends, in heaven we have a better and enduring substance the apartments there are more spacious; the society more sweet; the enjoyments more perfect; and all to last forever. Well may Christians rejoice in hope of the glory of God ! S. P." 0000000000 To MR. & MRS. BOWYER, Pall Mall. " November 17, 1797. "BLESSED be the preserver of men,' for all his goodness to dear Mr. and Mrs. B. With theirs, shall my gratitude also ascend, whilst separated from their society; and with theirs, shall it more warmly and permanently ascend when we meet to form a part of the 'gene eral assembly, the church of the first-born.' "I do not return to London this autumn, but I mean to visit Portsmouth. I must be indebted to you for my directions. my directions. We shall be very happy to see you at Luke-street: but Wales I suppose will be the vortex that will swallow up much of your time. Well, so you are happy, we must be disinterested enough to be satisfied, although we be denied a personal participation. "Let us not forget that we are Christians; and Christians profess a hope of a better country than Cambria contains. There, we all belong. Already citizens by privilege, we shall be by pos session soon. Roll swifter round ye wheels of Time, "In hope of greeting you both in that good land, I remain, most affectionately yours, S. P." 00000000000 To DR. RYLAND. “November, 17, 1797. "I FEEL much for you in relation both to the duties and trials of your present situation at the same time I biess God who fixed you in it, because I am persuaded that it will be for his glory in the churches of Christ. And though none but those whose hands are full of religious concerns, can guess at your difficulties; yet our blessed Redeemer knows them all. my brother, you are travailing for Him, who redeemed you by his blood; who sympathizes with you, and who will graciously crown you at last. Small as my trials are, I would turn smith, Oh, and work at the anvil and the forge, rather than bear them for any other master than Christ. Yet were they ten thousand times as many as they are, the thought of their being for Him, I trust, would sweeten them all. "I have reason to be very thankful for much pleasure of late, both as a Christian, and a minis ter. I have never felt so deeply my need of a Divine Redeemer, and seldom possess such solid confidence that he is mine. I want more and more to become a little child, to dwindle into nothing in my own esteem, to renounce my own wisdom, power and goodness, and simply look to, and live upon Jesus for all. I am ashamed that I have so much pride, so much self-will. Oh my Saviour! make me 'meek and lowly in heart' in this alone I find 'rest to my soul.' "I could say much of what Immanuel has done for my soul; but I fear lest even this should savour of vanity. When shall I be like my Lord! Oh welcome death when I have nothing more to do for Christ. To him, till then, may I live every day and every hour. Rather may I be annihilated than not live to him! "You will rejoice with me to hear that we have a pleasing prospect as a church. Several very hopeful and some very valuable characters are about to join us. Lord, carry on thy work! S. P." 00000000000 To MRS. PEARCE, On the dangerous illness of one of the children. "Portsmouth, January 29, 1798. "IGNORANT of the circumstances of our dear child, how shall I address myself to her dearer mother! With a fluttering heart, and a |