gets that love which makes fervent in spirit, diligent in bufinefs, ferving the Lord.

You know the way to get this love is, (1.) To confider the free mercy of God, and to believe in the pardoning love of Jefus, who died the juft for the unjuft, to bring us to God. (2.) To be frequently, if not conftantly applying this faith, with all the attention of your mind, and all the fervour of your heart" Lord I am loft, but "Chrift hath died." (3.) To try actually to love, as you can, by fetting your affections on Chrift, whom you fee not; and for his fake, on your brethren whom you do fee. (4.) To use much private prayer for yourselves and others; and to try to keep up that communion with God and your abfent brethren. I beg in order to this, that you will not forfake the affembling of yourselves together, as the manner of fome is: and when you meet as a Society, be neither backward, nor forward to fpeak. Efteem yourselves every one as the meanest in company, and be glad to fit at the feet of the lowest. If you are tempted against any one, yield not to the temptation, and pray much for that love, which hopes all things, and puts the best construction even upon the worst of failings. I beg, for Chrift's fake, I may find no divifions nor offences among you on my return. If there be any confolation in Chrift, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the fame love, being of one accord, and of one mind. Let nothing be done through firife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind, let each efteem other better than themselves.

I earnestly request the continuance of your

prayers

prayers for me, both as a minifter, and as your companion in tribulation. Afk particularly, that the Lord would keep me from hurting his caufe in thefe parts; and that when Providence fhall bring me back among you, I may be more thoroughly furnished for every good work. Pardon me, if I do not falute you all by name: my heart does it, if my pen does not. That the bleffing of God in Jefus Chrift may crown all your hearts, and all your meetings is the earneft prayer of, My very dear Brethren, Yours &c, I. F.

Oakhall, Sep. 23rd, 1766.

To thofe who love or fear the Lord Jefus Chrift at Madeley: Grace, peace, and love be multiplied to you from our God and Savicur Jefus Chrift.

Providence, My dear Bréthren, called me fo fuddenly from you, that I had not time to take my leave, and recommend myself to your prayers. But I hope the good Spirit of our God, which is the Spirit of love and fupplication, has brought me to your remembrance, as the poorest and weakeft of Chrift's minifters, and confequently, as him. whofe hands ftand moft in need of being ftrengthened and lifted up by your prayers. Pray on, then, for yourfelves, for one another, and for him whofe glory is to minifter to you in holy things, and whofe forrow it is not to do it, in a manner more, fuitable to the majefty of the gofpel, and more profitable to your fouls.

My heart is with you; nevertheless, I bear pa

tiently

tiently this bodily feparation for three reafons. First, the variety of more faithful and able minifters whom you have, during my abfence, is more likely to be ferviceable to you, than my prefence among you: and I would always prefer your profit to my fatisfaction. Secondly, I hope Providence will give me thofe opportunities of converfing and praying with a greater variety of experienced Chriftians, which will tend to my own improvement, and I truft, in the end, to yours. Thirdly, I flatter myfelf, that after fome weeks abfence, my miniftry will be recommended by the advantage of novelty, which (the more the pity) goes farther with fome, than the word itfelf. In the mean time, I fhall give you fome advice, which, it may be, will prove both suitable and profitable to you.

(1.) Endeavour to improve daily under the miniftry which Providence bleffes you with. Be careful to attend it with diligence, faith, and prayer. Would it not be a great fhame, if, when ininifters come thirty or forty miles to offer you peace and pardon, ftrength and comfort, in the name of God, any of you fhould flight the glori ous meffage, or hear it, as if it was nothing to you, and as if you heard it not? See, then, that you never come from a fermon, without being more deeply convinced of fin and righteoufnefs.

(2.) Ufe more prayer before you go to church. Confider that your next appearance there may be in a coffin; and entreat the Lord to give you now, fo to hunger and thirft after righteousness, that you may be filled. Hungry people never go fafting from a feaft. Call to mind the text I preached from, the laft Sunday but one before I

left

left you. Wherefore laying afide all guile &c. (1.. Pet. ii. 12.)

(3.) When you are under the word, beware of fitting as judges, and not as criminal. Many judge of the manner, matter, voice, and perfon of the preacher. You, perhaps, judge all the congrega tion, when you fhould judge yourselves worthy of eternal death; and yet, worthy of eternal life, through the worthiness of Him, who flood and was condemned at Pilate's bar for you. The moment you have done crying to God, as guilty, or thanking Chrift, as reprieved criminals, you have reafon to conclude that this advice is levelled at you.

(4.) When you have used a means of grace, and do not find yourselves fenfibly quickened, let it be a matter of deep humiliation to you. For want of repenting of their unbelief and hardness of heart, fome get into a habit of deadness and indolence; fo that they come to be as infenfible, and as little afhamed of themfelves for it, as ftones.

(5.) Beware of the inconfiftent behaviour of thofe, who complain they are full of wanderings, in the evening, under the word, when they have fuffered their minds to wander from Chrift all the day long. O get acquainted with him, that you may walk in him, and with him. Whatfoever you do or fay, especially in the things of God, do, or fay it, as if Chrift was before, behind, and on every fide of you.. Indeed, he is fo, whether you confider it or not; for if when he vifibly appeared on earth, he called himself the Son of Man who is in heaven, how much more, then, is he prefent on earth now, that he makes his immediate: appearance

appearance in heaven? Make your confcience then, to maintain a fenfe of his bleffed presence all the day long, and, all the day long you will have a continual feaft; for can you conceive any thing more delightful, than to be always at the fountain of love, beauty, and joy;-at the fpring of power, wifdom, goodnefs, and truth? Can there be a purer and more melting happiness, than to be with the best of fathers, the kindeft of brothers, the moft generous of benefactors, and the tendereft of hufbands? Now Jefus is all this, and much more to the believing foul. O! believe, my friends, in Jefus now, through a continual now; and, until you can thus believe, mourn over your unbelieving hearts; drag them to him, as you can; think of the efficacy of his blood fhed for the ungodly, and wait for the Spirit of faith from on high.

(6.) Some of you wonder, why you cannot believe; why you cannot fee Jefus with the eye of your mind, and delight in him with all the affections of your heart. I apprehend the reafon to be one of thefe, or, perhaps, all of them.

First, you are not poor, loft, undone, helplefs finners in yourselves. You indulge fpiritual and refined felf-righteoufnefs; you are not yet dead to the law, and quite fun by the commandment. Now the kingdom of heaven belongs to none but the poor in Spirit. Jefus came to fave none but the loft. What wonder, then, if Jefus is nothing to you, and if you do not live in his kingdoin of peace, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Ghoft?

Secondly, perhaps, you fpend your time in curious reafonings, inftead of cafting yourselves, as forlorn finners, at Chrift's feet; leaving it to him

to