bitter sweet, and give songs to our poor afflicted fellow-creatures in the dark night of severest sufferings. O! for His love, let rocks and hills Their lasting silence break, To Him, daily, and every hour of the day almost, I commend you; begging of Him to direct you in all your studies, and enable you diligently to employ your precious time in acquiring knowledge, for no other purpose than to lay it all at the foot of His cross whom even angels adore, casting their crowns before Him; and, without self-seeking or self-complacency, be, after the example of His eminent servants, the servant of all, rich in Christ, but less than nothing in your own eyes. Your dear mamma and sister join with me in love to you.-Excellent is your purpose, to rise early, and study hard. I pray God give you resolution and perseverance! The Lord Jesus be with your spirit, and give you wisdom and understanding, the praise of which shall endure for ever! From your affectionate father, H. VENN. The following additional particulars respecting Mr. Fletcher occur in a letter to Mr. Stillingfleet. -I was for six weeks in the house with the extraordinary and very excellent Mr. Fletcher*. Oh that I might be like him! I do assure you, that I strictly observed him for six weeks, and never heard him speak any thing but what was becoming a pastor of Christ's Church ;-not a single unbecoming word of himself, or of his antagonists, or of his friends. All his conversation tended to excite to greater love and thankfulness for the benefits of Redemption; whilst his whole deportment breathed humility and love. We had many conversations. I told him, most freely, that I was shocked at many things in his "Checks ;" and pointed them out to him. We widely differ about the efficacy of Christ's death, the nature of Justification, and the Perfection of the Saints; but I believe we could live years together, as we did, in great love. He heard me twice; and I was chaplain both morning and evening in the family, as his lungs would not suffer him to speak long or loud. He desired his love, by me, to all his Calvinistic Brethren; and begged their pardon for the asperity with which he had written. I am persuaded, as I told him, that if he were to live with some of those, whom he has been taught to conceive of as Antinomians, and hear them preach, he would be much more reconciled to them. * At the house of James Ireland, Esq., Brislington, near Bristol. In the October of this year, Mr. John Venn was entered as a Student at Sidney College, Cambridge; under the tuition of Mr. John Hey, a tutor of eminent talents and reputation, and a distinguished Norrisian Professor of Divinity. TO MR. JOHN VENN. Yelling, Oct. 30, 1777. I HAVE now to congratulate my dear son, in his new room, and entrance on his college studies :a most important period in your life-a seed-time, from which, duly improved, yourself, and many immortal souls, for whom Christ died, will receive everlasting advantage! Now is a price put into your hands an admirable opportunity of improving your mental faculties of acquiring a fund of human learning, which will be of great use to you as long as you live-of habituating yourself to study, and meditation, and much retirement, the fit preparation for the high and spiritual office for which you are designed. You have heard so many lessons from me (and, I thank my gracious God! not without effect), that I can only repeat in writing what you have received viva voce. But, as to write to you on these important subjects is a pleasure to me, I shall remind you of a few particulars which we have often talked of already; beginning with what relates to your body, and concluding with some advice respecting your eternal interests. Exert, as you did at Leicester, resolution; and rise early so will you have opportunity to perform much every day, and, with ease, give to your studies, and your devotions, a just proportion of your time. Be ashamed of giving place to sloth, and love of sleep. Soon victory will declare for you; and in doing well, you will reap more present pleasure than selfindulgence can give. Be attentive to your health. Continue, as you have done for near these two years, to read the Book of Books: but read it always with prayer and before you open it, recollect what excellent things are said in its praise-what good has been received from it by millions now in glory. Beg it may work upon your mind, and be written in your heart. Shun, as poison, all disputes and controversies.. Infinite hurt has been done by them; and very little good to any one. I am very glad that you, with the three friends you mention, intend to meet on Sundays—I suppose, by turns, at each other's room. But I would not have you increase your number, on several accounts. Your knowledge of each other, and confidence of friendship, will enable you to speak without fear, and freely but more would be a bar to such freedom, and prove a snare, by tempting you to speak for commendation. More would draw upon you the eyes of each college; and expose you to needless ridicule, and prove an offence, which few young people are able to bear. It would have the appearance of making a party, and lead to several disagreeable consequences. There is no occasion that you should mention your meeting to any one: and if there should be other serious young men desirous of such improvement on the Sunday, they should make another party; and so on-three or four making up a company. When you are together, your great temptation will be levity of minda sort of merriment very unseasonable-when you should be conversing, with all your attention, upon subjects of infinite moment. But if you are honest, meekly to reprove the first appearance of that spirit, you will succeed; and the Lord Jesus will, according to His promise, be in the midst of you. Happy shall we be to hear you testify He is so; and that you find yourselves strengthened, and animated to live, in all sobriety, vigilance, and selfdenial, as becometh Christians. All send their love. From your affectionate father, H.VENN. TO MR. JOHN VENN. Yelling, Nov. 11, 1777. MY VERY DEAR SON, Figure to yourself a miser, glorying in his riches; or the child of ambition, exalted to the pinnacle of worldly honour :-their pleasure cannot exceed what your letter, received this day, gives to me; and it is neither so pure, nor so well-founded. My joy arises from the glorious hope of your immortal happiness, and of your proving the highly-favoured instrument of spreading the knowledge of a Saviour, amongst ignorant, guilty, perishing creatures. My joy arises from the promising appearance, that the prayers offered up for you from the hour of your birth to this moment, the instructions given to |