desired effect. Will my dear love let me drop her a hint upon a subject she must know by experience, if ever she is the wife of a minister of Christ, viz: the cross. It will appear in ten thousand forms, and be felt in almost every occurrence of life. It will cleave to us if we are christians, and if we carry it as submissively as becomes the disciples of Jesus, it will befriend us even while it galls the shoulder, and prevent our loving, or being loved by the world to our utter destruction. Consider a necessity to live in Marlborough against your natural inclination, one instance of your obligation to take up the cross among many. And if it should be the chief instance, it is more the name than the thing. In general God does not suffer his people to pass from earth to heaven, with so trivial and little interruption. Where the thing is little, it ought to be the more readily complied with, otherwise we shall appear to great disadvantage when tried by that rule Luke xvi. 10. Had I studied my own ease and convenience I should have taken a very different course, to that I have pursued through life hitherto; but I enjoy a secret satisfaction in imitating his example in any degree, who pleased not himself, and have reason to blush before God, that having such an exam

ple of self-denial in the dear Redeemer, I have in so great a measure walked contrary to it. Heaven will make amends for all; they who have most of the afflictions of this present life, will have most of the glory of that blessed state. Nor shall we wait till our coronation day, for consolation. It will mingle with our sufferings, and be the ingredient in our cup, that will taste stronger than our sufferings. This we may gather from 11. Corinthians i. 5, and iv. 17. Better example of patience under affliction, or of authority from whence to conclude the advantage of affliction we cannot have. Therefore my dear love make yourself familiar with that subject in your meditation, that is most likely to be your companion in life. You may rest assured that I shall never intentionally add a grain to the weight. I mean all I say and abundantly more, and am persuaded when you have conquered the difficulties of your first settings out, which (I know arise from the modesty of your temper) You will find as little inconveniences in a town, as in the country. All will depend upon the liberty you at first give your acquaintance. Give up yourself seriously to the Lord and he will influence you with his wisdom to take every step right. convey this by your old and trusty servant

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Robert Deer, by whom I beg to know when I may have a sight of you. Should it be at Mei Merriman's, I shall converse with you with some appearance of reserve, but do not let that hart you ; I shall have no reserve in my feeling heart. It pants for the hour when we shall be no more twain,

I am,

"Marlborough, January 18, 1779."

"Your's, &c."

In another, after speaking particularly of a house and its advantages, he adds, "O how much of our time and thoughts are taken up about this life! We had need seize the earliest moment to animate each other with the thought of the life that is to come. Make it your daily concern to remember, that for a covert in time to be screened from temptation, and an habitation in glory we shall dwell in for ever, we must be debtors to Jesus; and miserable wretches must we be, if he does not espouse our cause, and take the management of our best concerns into his own hands. Woe be to the man whose attention is swallowed up about a being for his body, and exposes his immortal soul to wrath and destruction. I trust this will

1

not be our case. In confidence that I am not mistaken, I long for the commencement of the time when we shall aid each other in praising the rock upon which we are built, the Savior by whom we are redeemed.

A

" I

am sure you will see the hand of God in placing us in this dwelling. My heart is affected with it, and my expectation of our being mutually happy together, rises higher and higher. I know you will not delay to come longer than is necessary, and for so great a blessing as I expect to enjoy in you, I am willing to tarry the Lord's leisure. I am but poorly with a cold, but my soul is happy in God, and while I am thinking of the prospect of a nuptial enjoyment with my very dear elect, I am at the same time thinking of the period of my departure. But alas! earth preponderates the scale of heaven. The Lord make me more

spiritually minded."

We need not wonder that a connexion thus formed should have yielded so much peace and pleasure.

Equally excellent was he in the relation of a master. He was one of the good and gentle, he forbore threatening: and was therefore served from affection rather than duty. He

He

considered servants as humble friends. marked their peculiar cases in his devotion, as well as those of the higher branches of the household: he always mentioned them in his letters. He frequently observed that it was wrong to suffer a domestic to leave our family unable to read and write. How often have I seen this matchless character, infirm and enervated to a great degree, after toiling all the day with his scholars and students patiently, cheerfully devoting half an hour in the evening to the instruction of his maid-servant! These are scenes indeed that excite little notice and admiration now; but a day is coming, when it will appear that to be truly great is to be "Great in the sight of the Lord." "Therefore" said one of those who had seen him gird himself with a towel, and pour water into a bason to wash their feet, and who had themselves imbibed the spirit of, the example-"Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not."

No person was ever more formed for friendship than he, or entered more fully into the spirit of all its duties. He "Shewed himself friendly," and he "Had friends." The circle was very extensive and varied. He loved their company; he was devotedly regular and affec