תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

you would be disposed to forgive me. I have enclosed a few sermons that I have published, without my name, on occasion of the death of a much valued friend, whom you have often heard of, Mr. Thornton.

"Hitherto the Lord hath helped us; I trust all is working together for good; the bitter as well as the sweet; and I find much to be contained in the words of Deut. viii. 2. suited to my feelings and my whole case. May all we meet with, my dear sir, tend to make Christ more precious to us, and sin more hateful; to deliver us more and more from the love of the world, and from the fear of death, that we may look forward with joy to the time when we shall depart hence to be . with Christ, and meet before the throne to part

[blocks in formation]

following letter, intending to send it with the remaining numbers immediately: but unforeseen hindrances have retarded; and as you will soon be in town, and I hope to see you at my house, I shall omit sending them till you come.

"In excuse for my long silence, I can only say that I had so much writing that I could only get through it by the utmost possible exertion; so that I have lately almost wholly given over cor

I pro

responding with my nearest relatives. crastinate therefore from necessity, not from inclination: and, having now, by the help of God, concluded my laborious publication,' I shall be glad again occasionally to interchange information and sentiments. Some little books I meant to have sent for distribution; which I shall show you when you come.

"I can cordially unite with you in your observation concerning the wisdom and love of the Lord's conduct towards us, and the frequent instances of our folly and ingratitude towards him. Humility and gratitude seem to be the two great lessons which we are to learn on earth, in order to our enjoyment in heaven: for the deep sense of our own vileness, and of the Lord's mercies, forms the principal preparation for joining cordially in the song of the redeemed. Ordinances, providences, and experiences concur in teaching the true believer these lessons. Our sighs, groans, and tears, nay our very blunders and miscarriages, though discordant and distressing, are, like the tuning of an instrument, necessary to the subsequent harmony. But it is a great mercy, with such hearts as our's, and in such a world as this, to be kept from dishonouring God and the gospel; and we have therefore abundant cause to be thankful that the Lord hath hitherto helped us in any measure: our poor history would have been much worse without this.

way

"I find it very good to look back on all the which the Lord hath led me: and, though I can

1 His Commentary.

recollect few days that I would wish to spend over again, yet I can see that mercy and goodness have followed me all my days; and then I learn to hope that they will continue to do so to the end, and for ever. I feel more and more my need of daily renewing my acceptance of Christ and his free salvation; for my best needs pardoning, before it can be either accepted or rewarded. I wish to steer between pharisaical pride and antinomian licentiousness: but hard it is to keep clear of these two rocks on which so many perish! The Lord the Spirit can alone pilot us between them.

"I beg an interest in your prayers, and shall be glad to see you. In the mean time I remain with sincere wishes and prayers for your increasing comfort, &c.

"Your friend and servant,

"DEAR SIR,

"THOMAS SCOTT."

"Chapel Street,

September 29, 1792.

"I RECEIVED your's and sent the enclosed to Miss R: but we have not seen her since you left London, as we expected we should. I am, thank God, much better in health than when you were in town; but I have as much cause to groan being burdened, on account of the body of sin that dwells and works within, as any man: but I would thank God for, and rejoice in Christ Jesus and his redemption, and in hopes of final deliverance and victory; of which such groans and griefs are no inconsiderable evidences.

"My time to-day will not allow me to enlarge, as I do not wish to defer sending the parcel any

longer; else I could descant concerning the affairs of the poor French. Alas, they have cast off God, and his word, as a nation, by public authority: and he seems for a time to have cast them off. Abimelech and the men of Shechem1 seem to be the emblem of their present condition, and that of the emigrants, &c. The folly of human wisdom, the danger of aiming at a speculative perfection beyond the state of fallen nature, the mischief of infidelity, the emptiness of politeness and refinement: these and many other topics might be profitably considered, and illustrated from their example. But I trust that eventually the Lord will bring good from their calamities, and that the cause of sober liberty, and even of evangelical religion will be promoted by these confused and tragical events. However, the Lord reigns, the ark is safe, whatever floods come, and I hope we are in the ark, and so that all will be well; and we shall approve the Lord's whole plan, when we view it accomplished.

"I remain with good wishes and prayers for your comfort and best welfare,

"Your sincere friend and servant,

"THOMAS SCOTT."

"DEAR SIR,

"Chapel Street, June 28, 1793.

I WAS called to leave town some days sooner than I expected, just after I received the favour of your's by Mr. Newton, and the constant succes

[blocks in formation]

sion of engagements that I have ever since met with has occasioned my delay in answering it.

"I entirely agree with you in your observations on the state of things in this and the neighbouring nations: the hand of God is lifted up, but men will not see. I feel no disposition to vindicate the abuses that prevail either in church or state: they are great and many; but not greater or more than the state of human nature, well understood, may lead us to expect. I fear our national prosperity is declining because of our sins: and I hope that the Lord will bring some glorious consequences from the confusion and miseries that are diffused on the continent. But the care of my own soul, and attention to my own duty, and to my ministry that I have received of the Lord, are enough for me; and no good can be obtained by intermeddling out of our proper sphere. All I do is to be a peace-maker, where I have influence; as I find that Satan makes great use of these disputes to divide Christians, and prejudice them against each other. Whatever events take place, we shall be safe in the ark, and may have comfort in communion with God and his saints, if we duly mind our own business, and improve our privileges.

"I thank you for your observations on my little tract on government: but I am not convinced that the certain conceivable cases' mentioned in it are similar to occult causes; for the state of things at the revolution, in 1688, was exactly the case of which I conceived; and I think a Christian, according to the duty of his station, might very properly have concurred in bringing about that event, and disappointing a small faction in the

« הקודםהמשך »