me, sir, to subscribe myself, with cordial and

Christian affection,

Your friend and servant,

Benjamin Forfitt.

Mr. Hervey to Mr. Darracott.

Dear Mr. Darracott,

I have received your charitable present, and have blessed God for giving you a willing mind, not only to promise, but to perform. I thank you very sincerely for your animating and instructive letter. So far am I from being offended at your affectionate plainness, that I wish for and beg a continuation of it. Yes indeed, I wish that you would continue the correspondence, and communicate to me, whatsoever you think may awaken my too sleepy soul, and direct my raw and inexperienced youth. You have many valuable opportunities of getting, what I find to be very necessary for a promoter of piety, the wisdom of the serpent. The worthy doctor, who is so well acquainted with books and men, can tell you what are the most likely baits to catch souls. What pious and successful fraud the apostle meant, when he said, "I caught you with guile."

The preceding was written a considerable time ago. But I was prevented once and again from finishing and sending it. Can you pardon, dear sir, my seemingly disrespectful delay? I know

that you both can, and will pardon it. Nevertheless, I shall be heartily glad to have my pardon signed and sealed by your own hand. I hope God, the merciful and gracious God, who put it into your mind to give me advice, will enable me to take it. Now, that you admonish me of what is right, I remember that I have done wrong. The books which I had lately to dispose of, were not distributed till the day before my departure. So that my poor friends could have no time to read, neither could I have any to remind them of the solemn and strict account they must one day make of their use of this talent. This I own (oh! may the consideration humble me!) was not the part of a good and faithful steward; who ought to make the best of all that belongs to his Lord, and (after his own excellent example) "see that nothing be lost.". I hope I shall look upon the practice of the careful husbandman, as my direction in this particular. Of whom it is said, after he had cast seed into the ground," that he rose night and day." I suppose, to look to his crop, and to mark how it came up. That he might have joy of it, if kindly and plenteous; or take some proper methods with it, if thin and choaked up with weeds. I wish you would suggest to me, what I must do to further the

gospel of God my Saviour. I employ every day an hour or more (which I think is as much time

as I can spare from my studies) with some wellinclined people of the poorer sort. We read Mr. Henry on the holy scriptures, and pray together. There is one set in one part of the city, and another in another. I meet at a neighbour's house. Oh! that I could also open my mouth as he did; so boldly, so powerfully! Who will give me a little portion of that knowledge, which he had in the mysteries of the gospel? that I may declare them to the people clearly and convincingly. Above all, who will give me some of that humble zeal, that sacred and illustrious fervour, which animated him to labour more abundantly than all the apostles?

I am preparing to enter into holy orders, and to take upon me the work of the ministry. That great, wonderful, and important work! So that now I have the utmost reason to cry out, as the distressed fishermen did to their partners, " come and help me." Help me with your prayers to the Lord God my Saviour, that I " may receive the Holy Ghost not many days hence," by the laying on of hands; even " the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." That he may be in me, rest upon me, and abide with me for ever. Making me fit, every way qualified, and thoroughly furnished for this sacred function. That I may fully dis

charge the duties of my great vocation, to the glory and immortal honour of God, and to the endless felicity of many of the sons of men.

Dear sir, pray give my humble service, and best thanks to the doctor. And beg of him, when he is in the acceptable time, to remember me, who am in the time of need. If he has any word of exhortation; but especially if he has any treasures of instruction, proper for a candidate of the ministerial office, how glad should I be if he would please to impart them! and how gratefully should such a favour be always acknowledged by his and your affectionate servant and brother in Jesus Christ,

Lincoln College, Oxon. Sept. 1, 1736.

J. Hervey.

Mr. Darracott to Mrs. Tristram.

Dearest madam,

Wellington, Jan. 24.

God is adding fresh seals to my ministry continually, which are my exceeding great joy, amidst all the discouragement and all the opposition I meet with. Thus indeed the Lord is gracious to me, and I look upon it intended as a support to me under what I am suffering for his sake; which is a little, having every evil thing falsely said of me, and seeing many that were once my friends become shy of me, for no other

reason but because I profess a little more, though not a thousandth part enough, zeal for Christ. So I find it daily in these parts, and so I found it when I was last at Barnstaple, where several, that once seemed warm friends, appeared cool towards me. But be it so. Hard as it is to flesh and blood, I hope I have so learned the worth of Christ as to be able to give up the dearest friends and relations for him, and to count myself happy too, if I had not a friend upon earth, if Christ were my friend. But he is not so far trying me yet, I have many friends, and such as are his; among whom I think myself particularly honoured, and would be very thankful, in having such valuable ones as Madam Tristram, Mr. Welman and his lady. Nor do I doubt I shall ever lose such friendship for my warmest regards for Christ, when I have reason to believe he is so precious to their souls. As for you, dear madam, you have long shewn, and oh, may you yet much longer, a becoming zeal for Christ; and may your spirit breathe in your latest posterity. May none of the dear family of Poundisford be ever ashamed of Christ, or ever backward to bear their testimony to his glorious, though in the eyes of the world, despised interest. But may the line of Welman, as well as that of Hanmer and Tristram, make a bright figure at the right hand of Christ in the