TO MR. KERSHAW.

Bath, April 2, 1767.

I FEEL myself very much indebted to you, Dear Sir, for your favour, which I received yesterday. It brought tears of thankfulness and joy into my eyes, and at the same time humbled me to the dust. To hear the goodness of the Lord bestowed upon you, in the midst of your career of scepticism, and of your being called out of that rational religion (as it is boastingly named) which is the most opposite to vital and saving knowledge, excited my gratitude and praise to God. And your very affectionate acknowledgments to me, as used by the Lord Jesus to be an instrument in your happiness, could not but make me sink down in shame; fully persuaded what I am, and what I deserve. Indeed, Sir, this is my joy-this is the thing that I long for -to see my Saviour's arm prevail-to see the poor, deluded, wretched mind of man brought to solid, rational peace-brought to the knowledge of an all-sufficient Friend, an Almighty Helper; and so to a present enjoyment, the earnest and pledge of heavenly felicity.

The world charges us with enthusiasm; but "we speak that we do know;" we "testify that we have seen." Had we not received the benefit ourselves, we should have little appetite to be set in the pillory, and be bespattered, as we know we are sure to be, for preaching that Name which man abhors; because in that Name the glory of God, in all His infinite perfections, is displayed. They call us mad;' but God distinguishes all the world of unawakened sinners by that very appellation.

"Madness," he says, " is in their heart." "When he came to himself, he said, I will arise &c." The truth is, was not the life of a Christian, in its form as well as in its principles, mysterious and despicable to all who are not Christians indeed, the Bible must be a book of falsehood; because it always describes this life to be a very singular, strange, and absurd one, in the eyes of men. But with what great injustice does it appear such! The life of a Christian is a life of pleasing admiration of the wonderful love of an Incarnate God, to miserable, hell-deserving criminals; a life of confidence in His unutterable, allsufficient friendship; a life of actual enjoyment of His pardoning grace, by which sinful lusting after other things is quenched, and a sweet moderation in the use and fruition of every creature-comfort becomes the stated temper of the heart. The life of a Christian is a life of increasing attainments in a science which is all practical, all-transforming; which at once humbles and exalts; gives God the full honour of His sovereignty, jealousy, holiness, and justice upon the despisers of His Majesty, to the last; yet gives also the sinner the full comfort and triumph that God's mercy, goodness, and grace can inspire. The Christian's life is a life spent in a holy contention against sin, as vile, detestable, devilish; but, engaged in obedience, inward, spiritual, and universal, as well as outward obedience flowing from the knowledge of Christ and the love of Christ, in kind the very same as that which saints in glory offer up ;-they without spot; whilst the Christian is here imperfect still, and polluted. A Christian life is habitually employed in contem

plation, and in discourse, on the grandest subject the mind shall ever, through all eternity, be conversant with the power, the glory, the mightiness of the Kingdom of God, is the subject, ever charming and new. The Christian life is a life inoffensive, in the tenor of it, to all around; not only inoffensive, but useful and beneficial: it is the life of a mild and loving husband or wife; of a meek, compassionate master; of a dutiful, obedient child; of a faithful, honest servant; of a valuable, trusty friend; of a benevolent, compassionate member of society; of a companion, whose conversation is so far from being impure and frivolous, that it is instructive, animating, and pleasing to every creature that is alive to the feelings of eternity. The Christian life is a life of very frequent delight in devotional exercises; yet, after all, a life of self-abasement and self-loathing, for defilement, for irregularity of desire or temper in any degree: this prevails, and crowns the excellency of the whole. Now, my dear friend, if this life is madness, what is a life of reason? If any thing more than this is charged upon us as our practice and doctrine, it is absolutely groundless. If any other principles than the experimental knowledge of our fall, the nature and end of the Law, the Godhead of Christ, justification by faith only, the Spirit's influence and fellowship, such as the Apostles had with our Saviour-if any other principles than these exploded and despised ones can produce such a life, I will embrace them! If all other systems can do nothing of this kind, neither make men holy nor happy, down with them-down with them, even to the ground!

I cannot express the pleasure I feel at your being now willing to be vile and reproached for Jesus-in your being made willing to appear "a fool," for His sake, whom the world derided to His face, and then murdered as a liar and a blasphemer. Let others send their congratulations when estates are left, and riches increase, the glittering bane of man: I bless my God and Saviour that I can salute you, as entered into the fold of Christ, to be taught, and defended, and strengthened, and comforted, all your days on earth; and then, face to face, to behold your Benefactor with gratitude exquisitely delicious, and see His person, and feel His love-beyond all imagination glorious!

I have been enabled to speak of our Jesus here, to the astonishment of the rich and noble. They have behaved with remarkable attention; and, by the numbers increasing, I trust the Lord will make Himself known by this "foolishness of preaching," as he did of old. God willing, I set my face towards Yorkshire on Monday. May I see you to our mutual edification!

From your affectionate friend,

and servant in the Gospel,

H. VENN.

In August 1767, Mrs. Venn was seized with an alarming illness, which in the course of a fortnight terminated in her death. Mr. Venn was at a distance from home when he received the first intelligence of her danger. The following letter from Mrs. Venn will afford an affecting and pleasing evidence of her piety and resignation.

K

MY DEAREST EARTHLY LOVE,

I think my own hand will less surprise you, than any one else, informing you that I am not quite well, but better than I was last night. Remember, My Dear, He doeth all things well. I feel it to be so at this present moment.

I trust this loving Father will still give us another meeting here below: if not, you know we have often surrendered ourselves and each other to His all-wise disposal; and He cannot but do right. I feel His love to me at this time, though faintly, through the earthly clogs to which my flesh cleaves fast.

I am kept very still. Mr. S. sat up with me all night; and Dr. A. has just left me; and both give me very good encouragement: so, My Dear, do not be unhappy; nor, I beg of you, if you love me, do not travel faster than your health will permit; and may the God of peace and consolation accompany you! I can never praise Him enough for His goodness to me at this time-to me, the very vilest of those who have fallen from Him. I will get Mr. Riland to write to Mrs. Knipe; and I will direct this to Mr. Gambier's, that, wherever you are, you may soon know the worst. I assure you I write the worst, to prepare you, should things be bad; and to increase your thankfulness, should we meet with joy, which I hope will be granted us. I cannot well write longer, as I only lean on one elbow in the bed. May our God preserve us both, by His covenant of everlasting love!-so prays your affectionate Syphe, for herself and the very best of husbands.

E. VENN.