15. - To Miss Hatton.

here, and preached last Sunday. He is an excellent young man, and only wants a little of the Methodist zeal to temper the reserve of Mr. W - - - - - - .

When will you come to Madeley? What do you do at London? Have you repaired the breach, and healed the plague? May the Lord give you all the wisdom, the patience, the zeal, the gentleness, and the health you stand in need of! Ask them for your poor brother,

J. FLETCHER.

15. - TO MISS HATTON.

MADELEY, Aug.19, 1763.

MADAM, - Mrs. Hatton gave me this morning your serious letter. You wisely observe therein the continual need professing Christians have to guard against religious chit chat, and conclude by requesting a few lines, when I should have an opportunity of writing; but, as there is nothing in your letter which requires an answer, I was thinking whether I could answer it without being guilty of religious chit chat; for as there is such a thing in speaking, no doubt in writing also. I believe I should have sacrificed to conscience what the world calls good manners, had I not just after accidentally opened Lopez’s Life upon the following passage, which I shall transcribe, hoping it will be blessed both to the reader and copier: - “ He was as sparing of words in writing as in speaking: he never wrote first to any one, nor did he answer others, but when necessity or charity obliged him to it: and then so precisely, and in so few words, that nothing could be retrenched. I have several of his letters in my hands of five or six lines each. In answer to those he had received from the viceroy of Mexico, he sent him one containing only these words, ‘I will do what you command me.’ And although this manner of writing might seem disrespectful to persons of so high quality yet it gave no offence from one who was so far from all compliments and who never spoke any thing superfluous.”

Now, madam, for fear of writing any thing superfluous, I shall conclude by wishing both you and I may follow Lopez, as he followed Christ; and subscribing myself, madam, the ready servant of you and yours in the Gospel,

J. FLETCHER.

16. - TO MISS HATTON.

MADELEY, - - - - - - .

MY DEAR FRIEND IN THE LORD, - I thought last Sunday, that you were not far from the kingdom of God: had your wisdom stooped a little more to “the foolishness of the cross,” you would have been the little child to whom God reveals what he justly hides from the wise and prudent. I longed to have followed you, and given you no rest till you had drunk “the cup of blessing,” which your Lord had mixed for you with his bitter tears, and most precious blood. And how glad was I to find last night that you had no aversion to Jesus and his love, nor to the simple, foolish way of entertaining him in your heart, as you can by mere faith. How often since has my heart danced for joy in hope that the time is come, when the Lord will fully open your heart like that of Lydia, to attend, without cavilling or objecting, to his still, small voice, “I am thine, and thou art mine.” “Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, thou worm Jacob. I have graven thy name (that is, sinner) upon the palms of my hands. I shall see in thee the travail of my soul, and shall be satisfied. Let me not upbraid thee longer for wilful unbelief and hardness of heart; but believe upon the testimony of my word and servants that I am risen for thy justification. Say not, I must ascend into heaven, or descend into the deep: I must feel first such a height of joy or depth of sorrow: no; believe simply that ‘the word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, namely, the word of faith preached unto thee.’ I am ‘the Lamb of God;’ I have carried away thy sins, and ‘I do not condemn thee,’ though thou condemnest thyself. ‘I am he that [for mine own sake] blotteth out thy sins as a cloud, and thy iniquities as a thick cloud: because I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, namely, on him who will be saved in my way, by that faith which stumbles the Jew, and is foolishness to the Greek, but which will prove to thee both the wisdom and power of God. Fear not, then, O thou of little faith; wherefore shouldst thou doubt any longer? Do I despise the day of small things? Do I break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax?’ Am not I the ‘good Shepherd, who carrieth the lambs in his bosom?’ Does a mother forsake her sucking child because it is weak, sickly, unable to walk, or even to stand? Yea, though a mother should so forsake her child, ‘yet will I never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ Only lean on thy beloved, and I will bring thee up out of the wilderness. Abandon thyself wholly to my care, and I, the keeper of Israel, will care for thee; and thy business shall be henceforth to repose on my bosom, and wash thee in my bleeding heart; and my