:

right for nothing; yet, Lord! let these distractions of thought, these convulsions of heart, these pangs of the wretch, if not the prayer of the penitent, reach the foot of thy throne for His dear sake who spared not his most precious blood; oh! spare, pardon, bless; yes, bless me, even me, O my Father! Yes, Thou all-surrounding, allpervading, all-sustaining, and all-blessing Majesty of heaven bless me, even me, O my God!

"Thou! who if thou movest thy lip it thunders: if thou liftest thine eye, the sun is dark: who hast thy way in the whirlwind; and walkest on the wings of the wind: who sittest above the heavens, and hidest thy footsteps in the great deep! But (above all,) whose superabundant affluence, whose ocean of love, overflows the whole creation add to these wonders one wonder more-the forgiveness of guilt like mine: hear the suppliant voice, see the bleeding bosom, these throes, these throbs of the most vile and abandoned-but most repentant, and heartbroken, of men.

"Then, Lord! come the worst, I will not complain. My joy shall burst its way through the frowns of the world; and the shadows of death. Then-Blessings, and henour, and glory, and power be to Him who sitteth on the throne, and to the lamb, who nails sin to his cross !—Thus will I sing in spite of my groans! Thus will I sing with my last expiring breath! Thus will I sing forever, and ever.

"Amen. O my soul! Amen, Amen."

This, Sir, is that importunate, ardent, persevering, spirit of address, which was suitable to the state of the person from whom I borrowed it. It may possibly (partly at least) suit some others. And I thought it inhuman to gaze, so long as I have done, on the disease, without aiming at some expedient to mitigate its malignity.— There is a sovereign balm in prayer.

I know, Sir, there are certain quietists in devotion, saints of great repose in prayer, who may censure this, as too warm. But, when should we be warm, if not when

our eternity is at stake? Shall we be warm in our vices? and cool in our repentance? Were our passions given for nothing? or given only as the servants of sin? Is it not heaven, but its reverse, that is to be taken by violence? I, therefore, drop this dispute, not only as unchristian, but undeistical too: for, if there is a God, all our affections are too feeble, all the wings of our soul are too few, to be put forth in pursuit of his favour; and being languid in devotion, is, being solemnly undevout. If there is a God, he gave us our passions, as well as our reason; they therefore, as well as reason, should assist in his service. And, indeed, reason without them, though it may loudly tell, will but lamely perform our duty.— How great a part of the scripture must these men's kind of criticism explode? Poor David must break his harp, lest it give offence. Even angels have their passions, nor are any beings exempt from the need of them on this side the throne of God. Whatever exemption some may fancy in their own favour, let us, my friend, who have seen the necessity of devotion for others, not neglect our own. Nor in the pride of instructing, lose the prudence. of safety.

You and I, my friend! lie under two disadvantages in this point: the world's example, and our own years. It is an undevout age and will you not be surprised to hear me say, that ours is an undevout period of life ?— Yet it is most certain, that there is a tenderness of heart, and a susceptibility of awe, with regard to God, as well as man, in youth, which, in most, is wanting afterwards. This want is an enemy we must fight, and fervent prayer, that sword of the spirit, is the best weapon against him. Prayer, because the most easy of duties, seems, with many, the hardest to be performed. It costs them so little pains, they think they may as well let it alone. Whereas, it is the supreme, the great, mother duty; all other duties, and virtues are its progeny; are brought forth, nursed, nourished, and sustained by it. Devotion is the sole asylum of human frailty, and sole support of

heavenly perfection: It is the golden chain of union between heaven and earth; keeps open the blessed communication;

-Geminique facit commercia regni.

CLAUD.

He that has never prayed, can never conceive, and he that has prayed as he ought, can never forget, how much is to be gained by prayer.

Dear Sir,

Yours.

IN this and the following letters I shall touch on five points: Life's Review: The General Cause of Security in Sin: Thoughts for Age: The Dignity of Man: The Centaur's Restoration to Humanity. The three first are naturally suggested to me, by the world's wickedness, and our own; and our advanced time of life. The fourth, viz, The Dignity of Man, is naturally suggested by the notoriety of its reverse in those, for whose sake, these letters are principally written. For who can look on Lucifer in his abyss, without thinking of that height from which he fell? By which alone we can take any just measure of his calamity. And the fifth point viz. The Centaur's Restoration to Humanity, is forcibly imposed on me by the transporting thought, that such an event is possible. Yet should it take place, posterity will scarce

believe it:

Annalium nostrorum laboravit fides.

L. FLO..

I begin with The Review of Life; and that, though chiefly for our own sakes, yet also for the sake of all our grey headed boys, as Sudbury, Torrismond, Ironside, &c. for though beasts of so gross a class as they choose to rank with, scarce deserve to be brought to the manege, yet

pupils not yet expelled the school of life, ought still, if possible, to be taught the lesson they have so long neglected; and I offer myself gladly for their tutor; though I fear they would prefer a tetanothrum * to an apotheosis: Their erudition will not leave them at a loss. to know what I mean.

There is nothing of which men are more liberal than their good advice, be their stock of it ever so small; because it seems to carry in it an intimation of our own influence, importance, or worth. We (for you approved it; we, I say,) have bestowed abundance of it on our Centaurs, which, I fear, will bring us in but little thanks. Let us, therefore, return from abroad, come to ourselves; and see if our export of wisdom may not be wanted at home. We have censured the aged; are we not such ourselves? Is there no folly to be found, but at assemblies and masquerades? Or is folly not folly, because it hits our own taste? Let us lay the line to our own conduct: Let us drop foreign ware, and put ourselves into the scale.

Yes, my friend! let us make a short visit to our former selves. They are, indeed, great strangers; nor much to be liked: Yet it is a visit all should make who wish well to the future of life. A Review of life is an employ-. ment agreeable but to few; because none can look back without self-condemnation; and none will look forward but with self-flattery. But though the task may be bitter, it is wholesome too. Ask you, "What advantage from it?"-It is the only way of taking my Centaur's + advice, and knowing ourselves. A man can see himself in retrospection only. When warm in action, he is ever looking on something else; on his point in view: Or, if he could see himself, he could not judge aright, either of himself, or others. While warm in action, prejudices, and passions, excited by the then present objects, and incidents, corrupt his judgment. But in a cool review, he

* A medicine to take out wrinkles. In the frontispiece.