DEAR SIR, ....... "Aston Sandford, August 20, 1804. and "WE were all much interested and affected by your letter; and, had I time and spirits I could either congratulate you or condole with you, (these often go together,) on the events you relate: Yet, on the whole, congratulation seems far the most proper. Your seasonable return before the war commenced is a mercy that you Mrs. will not soon forget. In any case, and especially as you were situated, a residence in France for a few years, to say nothing of the treatment you might have expected, would have been a serious calamity. But your account of the Lord's goodness to you in respect of your marriage, and the comforts of it, peculiarly calls for con-. gratulation, or rather thankfulness. I trust you will have more and more cause to bless God on that account. An union of this kind, founded on religious principles, and cemented by a thousand reciprocal kindnesses year after year, grows more and more near, and is the source of the most rational satisfaction, and solace under trials, that this poor world can afford. Yet still "They build too low, who build beneath the skies.' -Nor do I think even the decease of your honored father more a cause of condolence, than for congratulation. He lived creditably and comfortably. He honored the gospel which he professed, living and dying; and is now joining the praises, and sharing the pleasures, of the church triumphant. And, as we and our's must soon leave this poor world, with its few pleasures and many pains; and as many pious persons have to mourn in respect of the souls of departed relatives, almost without hope; so the peculiar circumstances of your trial require congratulation, as well as the trial itself condolence. "As to myself, I am far from well, though able to preach, and go on with my publications: and the nature of my complaint, (which is supposed to be something of the gout flying about me, without coming to a crisis,) rather tends to depression of spirits; so that I have not that courage, vigor, and alacrity, or strength of mind, which used to be considered as a part of my character, and of which I fear I have sometimes been proud. But no courage except that of faith, no strength or joy, but from the Holy Spirit, can be depended on. However, I keep up my spirits tolerably; and sometimes rejoice that I have been enabled thus far to hold on my way, and prosecute my works, which I hope will be of some use when I am removed to another, I trust a better, state................. "My situation is very retired: but I have a considerable number of attentive hearers; and I trust am useful in that respect: at least, I am more comfortably situated than ever before. And, when I can leave home to visit any of my brethren, I am sure of good congregations to attend my occasional preaching.......Should you be able to visit us, we shall be very glad to see you. Mrs. S. and my daughter unite in kind. respects and every good wish to you and Mrs. whom I pray God to bless, and make a blessing to you and "I remain, dear sir, many. "Your sincere friend and servant, "Aston Sandford, April 2, 1805. 66 DEAR SIR, ......" I HAVE Occupied more time and room on seculars than I intended; yet I hope they have a subserviency to spirituals. In respect of your constant employment, it is almost unavoidable in most situations: and in general it has its advantages as well as its disadvantages. It is a blessed thing to enter into the spirit of the apostle's exhortations, Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord: Do all heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men. I am persuaded that you may conduct your secular business in a spiritual frame of mind; and that I may be very carnal, even when writing, preaching, and praying, all the week long. But it is good to be aware of our danger, and watchful over our hearts. We have not attained; but must press forward, lest we be carried backward.-I rejoice at the accession to your domestic comforts: and the satisfaction I have in my family makes me do it more feelingly. Yet these comforts must be attended with trials......My only daughter has, for the greatest part of the winter, been confined by repeated attacks in the lungs, which threatened a consumption........We must therefore commend them to our God by constant prayer, and endeavour to bring them up in his ways; and then all will be well.-My second son leaves me to-morrow to receive ordination. He is to be curate at a village close to Olney, where (at Olney) I was once curate. Pray for him that he may be a faithful and useful minister!. I have good hope of it.-We all join in respects, and best wishes, and prayers. for you, Mrs. your family. and "Your's sincerely, "THOS. SCOTT." "Aston Sandford, December 12, 1805. "So much for dull business: and, alas! I have little time to add to it.—As a parent who has lost children, and felt keenly at the time, I can sympathize with you and Mrs. on the loss of your beloved child. But the Lord never errs, nor is ever unfaithful or unkind. I have no doubt of the salvation of infants, at least of those of believers, who die before they commit actual sin: and it is worth all our labor, pain, and sorrow, to be instruments of God in giving being to an heir of heavenly happiness.This is an affliction tempered with some sweetness: and the sweetness will remain, or increase, when the bitterness is past and I think of my children that are gone before, at some times with almost as much pleasure as of those who are living. But the loss of a child, grown up, and living and dying in evil courses, is bitterness tempered with no sweetness, except submission to the sovereignty of the only wise God....... "We unite in Christian respects and prayers for you and 66 I am, dear sir, "Your's affectionately, your's. 66 DEAR SIR, "THOS. SCOTT." "Aston Sandford, January 7, 1807. "YOUR account of the religious concerns of your congregation is very affecting: but, alas! it is not at all unlike what is very common in this country.. I was, however, in hopes that superficial endowments had not borne so high a price in the northern, as in the southern part of our island......I think that none (of our religious bodies) are quite scriptural in their rules and orders. Each has perhaps some advantages, and each some disadvantages......A principle of disunion seems, however, interwoven with the independent plan, when carried to its full extent: and, as a variety of things may influence a majority, even of a re ligious society, to make a wrong choice; and are especially likely to have this effect when vital religion is not very flourishing; there seems also a principle of declension interwoven, and none of recovery or revival. For, as religion declines, a superficial teacher will be more acceptable, and perhaps an erroneous one: and, when he is removed, it is not likely that the majority will prefer a holy heart-searching preacher. So that revivals must arise generally in some other way. "But how is it in the church of England? Here I could say much for certainly the manner in which ministers are appointed is not what could be wished. And I am of opinion that, till men of every party will seek out what is unscriptural among themselves, and acknowledge it, and use their influence (if they have any,) to alter it; and also will consider what is scriptural among others, and allow it, and propose it to imitation-instead of vindicating, right or wrong, all their own usages, and condemning all the usages of other companies; not one step can be taken towards healing our divisions, or endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace. "Here in England the old strict dissenting societies generally decline for a time, and often become Arian, &c.: but the removal of evangelical clergymen, when such as are of opposite sentiments succeed them; and the random and superficial, yet zealous and active, exertions of irregular or more lax dissenters, continually supply a great number of recruits. Sometimes they join old societies, become a majority, and give a turn to their concerns; and frequently they establish new meetings, rather congregational, but often almost non-descript. This is not a healthful state: but it is far better than death.-But enough of this...... Begging an interest in your prayers, "Your faithful friend and servant, "Aston Sandford, Juły 26, 1809. 66 DEAR SIR, "I ought to have acknowledged your's sooner: but I live in a perpetual hurry of engagements. I am employed daily from morning till night: and then my conscience reproaches me for having neglected something that should especially have been done. I dream continually (though awake,) of some approaching. time, when I shall overtake my work, have more leisure, and be more punctual: but the expected time arrives, and I am as hurried as ever.-Well: it is as well to do too much as too little; to rub out as to rust out, as the puritans used to say: and I have the satisfaction of knowing that all my employments are of a useful tendency, and many of them actually useful. I hope that you will bear with my tardiness; and I rejoice that there remaineth a rest—the keeping of a sabbath—an eternal sabbath for the people of God-I have great reason to be thankful that my health is restored to about its former state; and I seem as capable of labor as heretofore. I last Lord's day performed the whole service three times; preached about an hour each time, one with another; performed some extra parochial duties; and rode about eleven miles, without any peculiar inconvenience. Yet many things (such as Barzillai speaks of, 2 Sam. xix. 36,) remind me that I am old, and that I have not very long to continue here. Pray for me that my last days may be the most useful and most comfortable...... "I did not think of writing more than a few lines, when I began: but I seem conversing with an old correspondent, and write on without duly considering how little time I have to spare.-I hope and pray that you and your's may be the blessed of the Lord, and, though we are not likely to meet on earth, that we shall meet in a better world. 66 "I remain, dear sir, DEAR SIR, "Your faithful friend and servant, "THOMAS SCOTT." "Aston Sandford, December 14, 1811. "I HAVE now sold the copy-right of the Bible, and nearly all the complete sets. I am to have £2000 for the copy-right: but even that, when paid, will not clear all my debts. But I have a considerable quantity of printed paper, which will gradually bring in something; and at last, if we can say with good old Jacob when near death, God that fed me all my life long, the Angel that redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads!-bless our children and children's children; and then add, as he does, I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord; no matter whether we grow rich, or be impoverished: all things are our's; and we shall leave the blessing of God to our children-and how many tens of thousands of pounds is that worth? |