CHAPTER XVIII.

LETTER TO MRS. B.- LANCASTER- KINDNESS OF FRIENDS -BRAINTREE - THANKSGIVING DAY-DEATH OF A

YOUNG MAN-DISMISSION BY COUNCIL- VISIT TO NEWREFLECTIONS ON A MELANCHOLY EVENT

YORK

COMMENCEMENT

OF HIS LAST ILLNESS-PROGRESS

TERMINATION RESOLUTIONS OF UNION CHURCH

FUNERAL SERVICE

CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS.

THE unaffected humility that pervades the former part of the following communication, will forcibly remind the reader of the spirit of the apostle to the Gentiles, when he judged himself "unworthy to be called an apostle."

"Dear Madam,-Yours of July 11th, inclosing twenty dollars to constitute me a life member of the American Doctrinal Tract Society has been duly received, and the amount deposited accordingly in the hands of the agents. Your letter was full of Christian kindness and good sense, and afforded me sincere gratification. I received it with its contents, and was refreshed by it as one of those multiplied springs of comfort which the Lord is causing to burst out in this long valley of Baca, through which it is his good pleasure that I should pass. I recognize most of the names attached to the subscription list you sent me, and they are names which awaken many tender, solemn, and grateful thoughts, such as the bosom

of a pastor alone is acquainted with. Precious souls, I rejoice in this testimony that they think of me, because I cannot but hope, if they affectionately remember so unworthy a servant of Jesus Christ, they do still remember and adore Jesus Christ himself, a few glimpses of whose ineffable light and glory I was permitted to show them. To know that I have been the instrument of good to any of those immortal beings, for whom a Saviour's blood has been shed, is matter of profoundest gratitude and joy; but oh, when I consider the greatness of the work yet to be done, or even what I was fondly hoping that it would be the Lord's will that I should have grace and strength to accomplish, I can only exclaim, alas! the barrenness, the utter unprofitableness of my ministry! It all seems like nothing, absolutely nothing. But I dare not complain; I never saw so much of him as a great king over all the earth, having all instruments at his disposal. Sometimes I seem almost to see him on his throne of glory, high and lifted up, his train filling the temple, the cherubim and seraphim round about him, bowing and crying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. God has been pleased now for a long time to hedge up my way, and lay his hand upon me in no ordinary manner; (I have been nearly as unable to read and write as to converse ;) thus cutting me off from almost all the enjoyments of social intercourse, as well as profitable occupation of the mind and pen, and so, am compelled to witness the evil and the good around me, as one in whose mouth are neither reproof nor encouragements. My bodily sufferings, though considerable, are nothing compared with the miseries of this condition of inaction, passiveness, and indifference, in which I am appointed to wear out these most precious months and years of my life. So listless am I obliged to keep myself much of the time, that instead of being able to seek for light by

meditation and prayer, I can only sit down in my nothingness, and receive it as it were by miracle, as Israel did the quails in the evening, and the manna in the morning, poured down direct from heaven, round about their camp. My views of the greatness, majesty, and immutability of God have been unusual for me; he has seemed so high as to be dreadful! Oh he is of one mind, and who can turn him?' 'Wilt thou break a leaf,' I have cried,' driven to and fro with the wind? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? Thou writest bitter things against me!' and alas! my heart has sometimes rebelled, and taught me the humble import of Job's description of the wicked, when he says of him, he would fain flee out of his hand.' I can easily conceive how a near view of the glorious perfections of the great God might kindle up a hell in any breast, where there is not submission and love. But oh the baseness and littleness of sin! Oh the aggravation of a single rebellious thought! Covered with shame, I can only say, 'Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee?' To put Satan to flight, to still the tempter, to melt my heart, he has usually soon visited me with some such sweet and wonderful text as this, 'Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth all them that fear him.' I have called my two little daughters to me; thought how every little trial and sorrow of theirs, and every denial which I gave to their wishes entered deep into my heart, and I said, can it be even so with God? What an illustration of his tenderness and condescension has he been pleased to employ! Believe the figure, O my soul, in all and above all the sweetness and fullness of its touching import !

"As to my views of new measure and old measure men, their sentiments and measures, I cannot say much of them in the gross, for the reason that I do not like the names, and do not believe that any distinctions exist, deserving of these appellations. I should judge that you, in common

with very many good people, were harboring an undue solicitude. I rejoice to see the church of God ever watchful against the approaches of error; but let us not be alarmed without reason. I have met with none of these new measure men so called, but what I found to be thoroughly sound, on all which you and I should denominate the great doctrines of the gospel. I am fully persuaded the difference consists chiefly or altogether, in their making more prominent in their preaching and writing certain doctrines, particularly man's ability and free agency [than some others], and dealing rather largely in some peculiar explanations of regeneration, not in the least invalidating the doctrines of total depravity, and the sovereign and special influences of the Holy Spirit. I certainly do strongly disapprove of the manner in which some of the extreme of this class of preachers intrude their peculiarities, and aggravate them, and ride them as their perpetual hobby-the very antipodes of some of our antinomian Hopkinsians; still I must confess, a goodly proportion of those denominated new measure men are remarkably devoted, zealous, and faithful; seem to have more of a revival spirit, are more pungent in their preaching, and more blessed of God in the salvation of souls, than most other men. I am perfectly willing men should try new measures and new modes of presenting the great truths of the Bible, while they continue humble and prayerful, and keep their feet firm on the Rock. Indeed, it is my expectation that God will raise up generations of men, whom he will teach by his Spirit to make improvements-not in the doctrines, forever O Lord thy word is settled in heaven'-but in the mode of presenting them, and of drawing men to feel their potent influence: they will learn to present them more simply and forcibly; in a word, become wise to win souls; otherwise, how, and when, is the deathlike stupor of our churches and congregations to be broken up, and the world to be converted? How

long even the best men of our generation labor for the conversion of but a few souls! Shall it always be thus? I trow not. I long for the time, when all that minister at the altar shall receive a fresh unction from the Holy One— shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. I am out of all patience with these intricate and hair splitting controversies among brethren, while the enemy is walking over the length and breadth of the earth, trampling down, and gorging with the blood of untold millions of immortal souls.

"I confess I am not exactly pleased either with the spirit or measures of those who are making themselves prominent party men in either of the classes referred to. I am not aware that my views of doctrines or measures have undergone any material change since I conversed with you, or indeed, since I entered the ministry. My observation of the stupefying, deadening influence of formality on the churches in Europe; their parade and circumstance, unscriptural rites and ceremonies, has sent me home with increased attachment to simple apostolical congregationalism, and the life giving devotions held by our pilgrim fathers. Should my Divine Master ever again, counting me faithful, put me into the ministry-for which blessing I daily implore him with a panting heart, and beg of you, and all my dear friends, to join me in pleadingtwo points in particular bear on my mind, in which I should hope to be a better minister. 1. I am resolved, by the assistance of God's Spirit, to preach the gospel with more holy boldness. 2. I am resolved to preach with a stronger faith in the power of the gospel, and the readiness of the Holy Spirit to give it more abundant success: in other words, with a more inspiring expectation that it will prove quick and powerful, and will be crowned of God with present success.

"I perceive I have prolonged my letter beyond my original intention, though I have but just touched the sub