Your dear brother left us last Friday, after a second short visit. I wished you had been present, one morning when he prayed! Oh it was indeed drawing nigh to God!-such real self-abasement, such holy pleadings for more grace and entire devotedness to God, such dependence upon the Saviour, that it refreshed and profited us all!

Next Thursday I purpose setting out for London. I am to preach eight Sundays. It is a great work, to stand up and speak for God and His Truth, before so great a multitude! Pray for your father, that he may have a deep sense of his own utter insufficiency; and be thoroughly furnished for the service, so as to speak, with wisdom and understanding, sound doctrine which cannot be condemned. I have fixed on my subject for the first Sunday-the Judgment of the Great Day. My intention is, to shew how the King's procession to St. Paul's may be of use to direct our thoughts to some of the grand particulars when the King of Kings shall come. The parallel is striking-the mass of people immense-all pervaded with the same feelings-all exalting and extolling the same person, in whom all have a supreme interest. This spectacle, though but a poor little momentary thing compared with the Great Day, may yet serve to carry forward our thoughts to it: then the Heavenly King shall come, with all His angels and saints, more than ten large capitals can comprehend-all of one heart and mind -all singing songs of sweetest melody, in love most fervent-all seeing the Saviour as He is! Oh! for faith, the substance of things hoped for-the evidence of things not seen!"

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I am not sorry you have heard Mr. Wesleya very extraordinary man, but not to be believed in his assertions about perfection. It is an error, built upon false interpretation of some Scripture passages, in flat contradiction to others which cannot be mistaken. It is an error, the Church of Christ has always condemned. It is an error, that matter of fact confronts. So far from being perfect, alas! Christians fret, and quarrel, and fall out, and have so many faults, that if God, as Job speaks of himself, should contend with us, we could not, no not the best upon earth, answer Him, one of a thousand. "Behold! I am vile!" belongs to all in the Church. I hope you were not shaken in your mind. Never give absolute credit to what you hear from the pulpit, which is not proved by plain Scripture. How much more good would Mr. Wesley have done, had he not drunk in this error! as there are, doubtless, many very excellent Christians amongst his people;-but the best are sadly harassed by this false doctrine.

Mr. Bentley, Mr. Thornton sends me word, has had a stroke of the palsy, and is very poorly. The God whom he serves will support and comfort him and his; though the shock is great, at first, no doubt. The Lord God, good and gracious, and of great mercy to all who call upon Him, bless, preserve, and keep you!

From your affectionate father,

H. VENN.

In September 1789, another member was added to Mr. Venn's family, by the marriage of his son,

Mr. John Venn, to Miss King, daughter of William King, Esq., of Hull, and sister to the late Rev. George King, Prebendary of Ely. This lady had enjoyed the benefit of the friendship and ministry of Joseph Milner; and so congenial were her sentiments with those of her future husband, that Mr. Venn's letters contain many expressions of gratitude to the Giver of all good, for a connexion which, in every respect, promised a large accession of happiness. I subjoin a few extracts, in reference to this event.

Yelling, Aug. 31, 1789.

We had the pleasure of hearing from my son, on Friday, that Miss King had agreed to crown his wishes, and take his name. No marriage can promise fairer. They both have one intention, one pursuit, one judgment of what is man's chief happiness; and both are equally free from any sordid motives. How pleasing to reflect, that my son will be settled just before his aged parents finish their course! Mr. Thornton, who has been applied to, by the mother, for my son's character, writes to me of the lady in these words: "Now all is sure, I congratulate you and your whole family in having Miss King one of you. She is indeed a treasure! and will be an example to every one."

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Mr. Milner said the other day to my son: Many ministers of the Gospel are sadly hindered by their wives, who are afraid their husbands should do too much, and cry, 'Oh! spare yourself!' You, Sir, have not this to fear: Miss King will be glad

to see you wholly given up to your work, and full of zeal for God and for the salvation of sinners."

MY DEAR DAUGHTER,

TO MRS. ELLIOTT.

Yelling, Oct. 14, 1789.

I remembered you affectionately on the Lord'sday, as a confined Christian, debarred from worshipping the Lord with His Church. Your confinement arose from a temporary complaint;-your dear mother's, from infirmity, never to cease, but to grow more and more, till the fleshly fabric drops. My comfort respecting you both was, that you hear Him that speaketh from heaven-speaketh to the heart, and manifests Himself to all who love Him, by His own Spirit working mightily within. By this means, He is more precious to His afflicted people, than to those who enjoy, in an ample manner, creature comforts. Wherefore, much more of spiritual benefit is very often gained by being cut off from the use of public ordinances, than from a constant attendance on them; because our communion with God is increased. In heaviness, weakness, and pain, Christians think upon Him; and His comforts revive their hearts. They feel a living proof that His loving-kindness is better than life itself. These were my thoughts on Sunday, respecting you and your dear mother.

Tell dear Charles, we all thank him for his purpose to give the bride and bridegroom a meeting, and bring you with him. This will be a great heightening of our pleasure; and I am daily looking

up for a blessing to crown the whole, by preserving us from lightness of mind, and from all the evil which is wont to mix in our conversation, and often sadly hurt us. Oh that a sweet cheerfulness may prevail!-the cheerfulness of sober-minded Christians, thankful for all that we have enjoyed from the Divine bounty; and, most of all, for spiritual blessings -for our new birth-our adoption into the family of Christ our well-grounded hope of living in the perfection of holiness, and in the fervour of Divine love, when all selfishness shall be done away!-I am expecting every day a letter from Hull, fixing the time when we are to see them.

On Monday, F— left us. I was glad to hear Kitty say she was not without a sense of her soul's worth. She told her she should never forget, she hoped, the instructions she had heard.-So it should be in every Christian family, and eminently so in every Christian minister's. Whoever sojourns but a day with the members of Christ, should perceive, that to love and fear God is their joy.

To-morrow I go to Cambridge, to meet Mr. Burnett and his wife, who return with me on Saturday; and I conclude we shall have their company till Thursday following. Delightful friendship! of more than thirty years' standing-steady and unalterable-not to be reflected on without gratitude to God, who giveth us to say, "All our delight is in the saints that are on the earth, and such as fear the Lord!"

From your affectionate father,

H. VENN.