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not forgot my promife to write to them; and that I will perform my promife, unless they are fo kind as to difpenfe with it: which, I am very fure, they would moft willingly do, if they knew how little time I have to myself.

Farewell. Grace be with you, and with dear Mrs. Huffey. Grace comprehends all we want, in tinie, and in eternity.

I remain, my valuable friend, ever, ever your's,

Auguftus Toplady.

P. S. I had the happiness to fee dear lady Huntingdon (who is the most precious faint of God I ever knew) well, both in body and foul.

The Lord, I truft,, ftill continues with you at Orange Chapel. I fhall be much obliged to you, for informing me how things go on; by a line directed to me, at Mr. Derham's, in Green-street, Bath for which place I intend to fet out, from Devonshire, on Monday next, the 16th inftant.

I have the unutterable fatisfaction to find feveral more awakened people at Broad-Hembury, than I formerly knew of. The Lord never fends his gofpel to any place, in vain. He will call in his own people; and will accomplish his own work. There is really a very precious remnant, in and about this parith. Thanks to free grace for all.

LETTER LXVII.

To Mr.

MUCH LAMENTED SIR,

IN

N confequence of your defire, communicated to me by Mr., I fignified my intention of waiting on you: but, on reflection, I more than

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fear,

fear, that I have not fufficient firmness of nerves, to fuftain fo trying an interview. My feelings are (unhappily for myfelf) fo terribly keen, that I fhould only receive material injury, without being able to render you the leaft good. My tears can be of no fervice to you. My prayers are frequently afcending to God for you, both in public and in private. May the uncreated angel of the covenant take them, warm as they rife from my unworthy heart and lips ; and make them his own, by presenting them with the much incenfe of his ever effectual interceffion!

If I am rightly informed, you have, formerly, fat under the found of the gofpel. Let me befeech you, fir, to cry mightily to him who is able to fave, that the Holy Ghoft may realize, to your departing foul, thofe precious truths of grace, which have, it feems, been often brought to your ears. Nothing, fort of experimental religion, will stand you in any ftead. The Lord Jefus enable you, by the operation of his fpirit, to come to him, as a loft finner throwing yourself on the righteousness of his life, and on the atonement of his death, for your free pardon and full juftification with God! In which cafe, though your tranfgreffions be as fcarlet, they fhall be white as fnow; and, though deep as crimfon, they fhall be made as wool.

I have too much reafon to apprehend, that all application in your behalf, to the powers of this world, will be, totally, without avail. Confider yourself, therefore, dear fir, as abfolutely a dying

man.

My earnest fupplications fhall not cease to be poured out at the footstool of the throne of grace, until death fets you beyond the reach of prayer.Several congregations of God's people bear you, deeply, on their hearts.

Jefus blefs you with the manifestations of his favour; and grant you to fing his praises, for ever and ever, in concert with that innumerable affembly of

fallen

fallen finners, whom he has loved, and washed from their fins in his own blood. So prays, with bended knees and weeping eyes, he who is, fir,

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Knightsbridge, Aug. 12, 1777.

IF A. B's favour, of June 16, had not been miflaid, it would have been anfwered, long before. I hope, the polite and ingenious writer will pardon the delay.

In reply to the question ftated, I am most deeply and clearly convinced, that the faints in glory know each other: and more particularly, thofe with whom they took sweet counfel when on earth, and with whom they walked in the houfe of God as friends. Our Lord himself, I apprehend, gives us to underftand as much, where he tells us, that the elect fhall be, in the future ftate, alytos, or equal to the angels. Now, it seems impoffible, that the unfallen angels, who have lived together, in heaven, or (at least) very near 6000 years, thould not be perfectly acquainted with each other. And the fame privilege is requifitein order to our being, in every refpect, on an equality with them. The departed foul of the rich man knew Lazarus, when he beheld him afar off and likewife, at fight, knew Abraham, whom he could never have seen in the prefent life. Much more do Abraham and Lazarus, and all the glorified family above,

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above, rejoice in that communion of faints, which obtains in their Father's houfe.-St. Paul, fpeaking of the fpiritual children whom God had given him among the Theffalonians, fays, that they would be his "glory and crown of rejoicing, in the day of the Lord Jefus." But how could this be, and how could they mutually congratulate each other on the grace beftowed upon them below, if all perfonal acquaintance was to ceafe? Surely, there are no ftrangers, in that land of light and love!

The three apostles, who attended our bleffed Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration, knew Mofes and Elijah, when they appeared in glory. -To add no more that remarkable text, I think, fully eftablifhes the point, where our adorable Saviour bids us make to ourselves friends, by the mammon of unrighteoufnefs; that, when we fail, they may receive us into the everlating habitations. As if he had faid: "While you are on earth, take care to conciliate the affections of my indigent difciples, by beftowing on them a proper portion of the wealth which God has lent you, and, which is too often perverted to purposes of unrighteousness, by them that know not me. So, when your bodies die, and when your fouls afcend to heaven, the fouls of thofe poor afflicted faints, whom your bounty relieved below, and who were got to glory before you, fhall be among the first exulting fpirits, who fhall meet you on your arrival above, and congratulate you on your fafe and triumphant entrance into the world of joy." But they could not do this, unless they knew us, and we them.

May the precious blood and righteousness of our Incarnate God, and the faithful leadings of his eternal fpirit, bring you and me to that general affembly and Church of the firft-born! where we fhall both fee him, as he is; and likewife know each other, even as we fhall then be known. With this prayer, and

in

in this hope, I beg leave to subscribe myself, who

foever you may be,

Your affectionate well-wifher in Christ,

Augufius Toplady.

LETTER LXIX.

To the Rev. Dr. B. of Sarum.

U

Knightsbridge, August 12, 1777.

You pay me a compliment I do not deferve, in

YOU

fuppofing, that I am induftrioufly employed on fome useful work. For a long while, I have been nusually idle, both as a preacher, and as a writer. But my indolence was and is the refult of obedience o medical prescription. I have been, at beft, in a noft fluctuating ftate of bealth for a year and half paft: and, feveral times, was in a near view of landing on that coaft, where the inhabitant fhall not fay, I am fick. At thefe times, I blefs God, my chearfulness never forfook me; and, which calls for still infinitely greater thankfulnefs, my fenfe of perfonal intereft in his electing mercy, and in the great falvation of Jefus, was never darkened by a fingle cloud. For the laft two months, I have been abundantly, and almoft miraculoufly, better. Whether my remaining days be few or many, I only pray and wish that they may be confecrated to the glory of the great Three-One.

And now to defcend to the affairs of this world. The accounts of the extravagant and ridiculous manner, in which, as you obferve, my friend Mrs. M's birth-day was celebrated at Bath, gave me extreme difguft; and 'have contributed to reduce my opinion of her magnanimity and good fenfe. Such contemptible vanity, and fuch childish affectation of mock-majefty, would have disgraced a much inferior understanding; and have funk even the

meanest

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