to choose and delight in the best things. The more confidence you can place in me, the more pleasure I shall receive;—and be assured the correspondence shall be entirely between ourselves, and divulged to no one, without your leave.

I am chiefly excited to wish for this correspondence, on account of the many difficulties and discouragements, which occur to young people who in earnest set out to serve and please God-difficulties and discouragements, which afflict and distress for a much longer space of time than they would do, if the wisdom and experience of Christians much older than themselves were consulted. I recollect how many objections rose in my mind against several grand truths of the Bible; what hard thoughts I often had of the ways of God; how foolishly I judged many Divine prohibitions irksome and unnecessary, which are the counsels of mercy and love. I recollect on how many occasions I should have gone on in the good ways of the Lord, with alertness and assurance of being right, had some kind counsellor been at hand; whereas I was a long time in uncertainty, and turned often to the wrong path. Many passages of Holy Scripture, which I wished to understand, were very dark, and I wanted an interpreter. Concluding that young people in general are in the same perplexities as I was myself, I should be glad to point out the way, and be the means of delivering them the sooner from their embarrass

ment.

Our correspondence shall begin with a few thoughts upon a very interesting subject-the love of God towards the children of men, expressed in

the tender language of a Father, and calling upon each of us in these words, "Give me thy heart!— Love me supremely; and every thing you may and ought to love, in a subordinate measure!"-But can the high, and lofty, and eternal God, indeed make this demand? The distance between the worm, and the first Emperor in the world, is not discernible, compared with the distance between man and his adorable Creator. Why then does He make this demand? Our righteousness cannot profit Him. But a paternal affection for us, a desire of our felicity-only to be obtained in giving him our poor, corrupted, wicked heart-moved Him to call for it. Other objects are deceitful: they promise much, and perform little they give pleasures which do not satisfy; and they soon fail. Other objects communicate nothing excellent: they make no one the better, or the wiser, or the more serviceable to their fellow-creatures. Other objects debase the spirit of man, formed for eternal things; and make it meanly dependent upon what is most uncertain in its nature; and will pierce it through with many sorrows. Other objects will not bear the solemn thought of the hour of death and the Day of Judgment, though both are absolutely unavoidable. How superior, then, is the understanding, and how highly favoured the mind, that answers to this most condescending demand of our God, "Give me thy heart"- Take my poor heart, just as it is! set up therein Thy throne! Oh may I love Thee above all, and live for Thee alone!'!

Now, to engage our affections, (which a mere demand of them will by no means do, nor the natural

perfections of Jehovah,) He took upon Himself our nature; and calls Himself the Bridegroom, the Husband, of His Church and people; who set His love upon them with such an ardour, that he gave Himself (after a life of labour and sorrow) for Her, that, freed from condemnation and defilement, she might appear a glorious Church for ever in heaven.—If you can ponder on this, and believe its reality, there will spring up in your heart, my dear Priscilla, the temper and affections of an angel, and a pure delight in this divine love, and a stedfast desire to please God, and an ardent spirit of prayer, saying, Speak, Lord! for thy servant heareth." And this will be followed with living communications of more faith, and love, and peace, and hope. And this is the earnest wish of my heart, who am

Your sincere friend, for Christ's sake,

H. VENN.

"Jane! Jane! what shall I do?-The letter I was afraid of, is come.-I almost wish you had staid at Yelling!-Now, I must write an answer: and what can I say?—Well, you must write for me; and tell your papa, that to be sure I have a very great respect for him, and love him as if he was a relation; but how to begin a single letter, much more a correspondence, it is what I never shall be able to attempt." Jane replies: Only make the trial: mountains in appearance are no more than clouds to the traveller, which, in his journey, he passeth through with ease. Besides, there is no time fixed for the answer; and I am sure my father will wait, till you can freely and gladly take up your pen." Mrs. V. and Kitty send their love.

66

MY DEAR SON,

TO THE REV. JOHN VENN.

Yelling, Aug. 12, 1784.

We have been every day thinking how busy you are, in finding out the fittest places for all your furniture; and then, with what surprise and thankfulness you survey the plenty of good things you so early in life have about you. And then, if it please the good Lord to give you life and health, I shall hope to hear what I much long for-that you study hard, and carefully write your sermons, and pay attention to your style; otherwise, you will get into a careless and slovenly way of doing your work. Remember, and lay to heart, that the grand temptation by which thousands are vanquished, who set out well, is indolence and lukewarmness. In every situation there is some peculiar snare, to which we are exposed; and all the art and malice of the wicked one is used to take us in that snare. When our hearers are few, and those of low degree, without continual watchfulness and prayer we shall certainly grow very remiss, and find no heart to take pains for so few. We may judge of the force of this temptation, when we see so few are able to overcome it. But I pray daily for you, my son, that you may be a

hard student in the Bible, and in the best Commentators (they are but few)—who have written upon it. I would have you a hard student; because it is profitable to be so, on every account. Your understanding will be thus much enlightened, and your mind enriched; so that your conversation and discourse will be edifying, and your preaching be

full, and much to the purpose; and the people will be fed, and your ability to instruct them be acknowledged; and God will give the blessing. You will, by study, be kept out of temptation, and be an example to your flock. The life of a pastor in the Church ought to be a life of holy meditation, study, and doing good; and only so much exercise taken, as health requires. I hope also to hear that you finish your sermons, and take much pains to correct them; and that you apply, if health is restored, to your Hebrew Bible, till you can read a chapter with pleasure. Your people and your servants will observe how you spend your time. It is not enough we are sober, temperate, or kind: we must be exemplary all through, unblameable, and unreprovable, before men.

It is one valuable privilege in our profession, that we can read and be instructed by the excellent and most eminent ministers ever employed in the church, whose writings are still in our hands.-I can speak feelingly on this subject! This last week has been very gloomy, cold, misty weather: we have not had one visitor; but I have enjoyed a feast, in reading M. Daillée on the Colossians. What a judicious writer! What a masterly expositor! The truth, the fulness of Christ, are so set forth by him, as to make my heart glow; and I am the better for what I read.

The Lord love, comfort, and save you!

From your affectionate father,

H. VENN.