RAREBOOi^ I- 5^ **-* S ^ ^ ^ en CO 1 Pi £ CO ^^X ^ o r N S 5n J :z; ^ o en -^ ^ P5 cq f^ CQ ^ •H »i-. "^ o £ , -. r sec /oi'i ^ i^M:- *.m. ^^^; •t.w. * ■//j •"•' ■' >- -'-'■ ■', ''■' ...y^:_^ W.;^ ,. CHEERFUL PIETY; OR, RELIGION WITHOUT GLOOM. Exemplified in SELECT LE T T E R Sy Written on the most interesting TRUTHS OF CHRIS ilANiTY. v BythelateBev.JOHNEERRlDGE.AM, With original Anecdotes of bis Life Ck Death. SIXTH EDITION. With occasional Notes ^ lUustratknS:} By G. WRIGHT, Esa. lft.UriIOR OF PLEASING MEL A :; CSOLY, lC; Be wrriou&ly chearfuljand chijarfulJy aeriouSo Religion never was designed To niitke our pleasures less.. WATTS, BROOK LTNt ,?KI.;?JTED BY •]? JIOMA9 KlKKi ^ ^ '■"^^%- ......L S4:-'-" ORIGINAL ANECDOTES OF THE LATE nev. JOHN BERRIDGE, AUTHOR OF THE ENSUING LETTERS. THE Rev. John Berridge was born in 17 16, at Kingston, in Notting- haiT'shire, Jn the 1 5th year of his acre b€ was convinced ot the sinfulness of sin, and the necessity of heing bcrn again, not of the will of man- nor of Ithe w4ll of the flesh, but of God. ! He was sent to the university at Cambridge in the 19th year of his age, &nd in 1749 began his ministry at Sta- pleford near Cambridge ; where- he preached for several years with zeal ^nd faithfulness, but with little suc- cess. In 1755 he was admitted to the 4 ANECDOTES OF vicarage of Lverton in Bedfordshire, where he continued till his death From his own memoranduiris found amons^ his papers since his decease, it appears he w^.s a -itranger to that faith which purifies the heart, works by love, and makes Christ all in all to the be- lievint^ souK till the year 17 57 ; and therefore went about preaching up the rii:hteo\isnes& of the creature, ir- stead of Uie merits and righteousness of Je- sus '^hVist alone, for acceptance with God.* In the following year it pleased the Lord of his infiuiie mercy to open the eyes of nis mind, to see his error and in?.ke him to cry out. '' Lord, if 1 am rijj.ht, keep me so ; but if i am not, make me so " A few days after this, his earnest and constant prayer was s^ranted , he was led by the blessed Spirit to ac- * This made h no v/onder that his min- istrations were no more blest to the souls of others than his own. I MR. BERRIDGE. « linow?edge the insufficiency of good "wcks to meiit the divine favour, and accordin9:ly renounced them ;* he wab taught the necessity of behev- ing in the dear Redeemer alone for (life and salvation, and joyfully receiv- ed and depended on him, as the only Saviour from the wrath to come ; a- greeable to the declaration of an in- spired apostle. Acts iv. 12. Neither lis salvation in any other ; for there is [none other name mider heaven given a- I 7720^5- men,, nvhereby ive must be saved. From this time he truly found his I preaching was not in vain in the Lord ; I for he had many bright and eminent i seals added to his ministry, which I were his joy in life, i«nd shall doubt- less be his crown of rejoicing v hen time shall be no more. Among these was the Rev, Mr Hicks, a clergyman ! of Wrestlingworth, about four miles from Everton, who became a very use- * In point of dependence, as anywise meritorious in the sight of God. 6 ANECDOTES OF ful man, and often accompanied hirn in his itinerant labours from place to place * A few years before the Rev. Mr, Whitefield died, Mr. B came lo preach at the tabernacle in Moorfields, and continued to do so annually till 1793; he intended to have come the bei^inning of that year, and was expec- ted by his numerous friends both at Moorfields and at Tottenham-court ; but they were mcurnfully disappoint- ed, by receiving the melancholy Xi'> dings of his disease. On the 20th of January he came down into his parlor as usual, but through increasing weak- . nessand debility, v/ith great difficulty leached his chamber in the evening. * A few montlis after Mr. B was called out of (what may not improperly be styled) Artninian darkness, into the Calvinistic light of the Gospel, he saw it his duty to itiner- ate, or to extend, the sphere of his useful- ness by becoming- a travellmg preacher ; emboldened by the success tlje iate Rev. G. Whitefield and his lay preachers, met Avith in their itinerant labours. ' MR, BERRIDGE. ? Some little time after he went to bed, l^e appeared to be struck with death ; his face was contracted, and his speech iaultered ; and in this situalion lie con- tinued till about three o'clock on Tues- day morning, when he calmly entered i)ito the joy of his Lord, in the sevens ty-sisct/i year of his age. On the following sabbath his re- gains were interred in his own parish church-yard, attended by weeping thousands, who truly loved his living, bnd sincerely mourn his loss. The Kev. Mr. Simeon, a pious clergyman of Cambridge, preached his funeral sermon from 2 Timothy iv. 7, 8. to a very numerous and deeply affected congregation. May the great Lord of the harvest, kvhiie lie sees fit to remove such bright find shining lights in the church, send forth more such faithful labourers into f.hc harvest I for the harvest is truly great, but such faithful and eminent abourers arc but few. G. W. I ANECDOTES QF AN EPITAPH INSCRIBED ON HIS TOMBSTONE. Here lie The earthly remains of JOHN BE R RIDGE, Late Vicar of Everton, And an itinerant servant of Jesus Christ, Who loved his Master and his work y And, after running on his errands many years, Was caught up to wait on him above. Reader ! Art thou born again ? No salvation without a new birth. I was born in sin, Feb 1716, Remained ignorant of my fallen state till 173(;; Lived proudly on faith and works for salvation till 1754 ; Admitted to Evertoa vicarage 1755 ; Fled to Jesus alone for refuge 175ft ; Fell asleep mChrht Jan, 2ijl793. MR- BERRIDGE, 9 AN INTERVIEW With the late Rev, Mr. Berridge* - ABOUT two years ago, a friend of Tnine wishing to enjoy an hour or two of Mr. B.'s company, rode over to jEverton for that purpose. He was Ijintroduced by a dissenting minister in the neiR;hbourhood, with whom Mr, B lived upon terms of friendship. When seated, my friend requested Mr B if agreeable, to favour them with a few outlines of his life. The venerable old man began, and related several things, as narrated in the first number of the Evangelical Magazine. But as some are there unnoticed, I have selected the following, which I tjiink will not be uninteresting. " Soon after I began," said he, « to preach the Gospel of Christ at Ever- fon, the church was filled from the villages around us, and the neighbour- ing clergy felt themselves hurt at their churches being deserted. The 'squire A3 iO ANECDOTES OF of my own parish, too, was much ofFtn- tied. He did not like to see so many strangers, cind to be so incommo- ded. Benveen them both it \^as re- solved, if possible, to turn me out of my living. For this purpose they complained of me to the bishop of the diocese, that 1 had preached out of my own parish, i was soon after sent for by the bishop ; I did not much like my errand, but 1 went. "When 1 arrived, the bishop ac- costed me in a very abrupt manner : * Well, Berridiie. they teli me you go abou*. preaching out of your own pa- rish ? Did I institute you to the liv- ings of A— y, or E — n. or P— -n ?'- « No, my lord,' said I, • neither do I claim any of these livings ; the cler- gymen enjoy them undisturbed by me ' — ^ Well, but you go and preach there, which you have no right to do.* < it is true, my lord, 1 was one day at E-^n, and there were a few poor peo- ple assembled together, and I. aduion MR. BERRIDGE. 11 ished them to repent of their sinis, and to believe in the Lord Jesus Chi ist for the salvation of their soals ; and I remember seeing five or six clergy- men that day> my lord, all out of their own parishes, upon E — n bowling- green.' — ' Poh !' said his lordsiiip, ' I tell you, you have no right to preach out of your own parish ; and if you do not desist from it, you vvill very likely be sent to Huntingdon gaol '— ^ As to that, my lord,' said I, * 1 have no greater liking to Huntingdon g?ol, than other people ; but I had rather go thither with a good conscience, than live at my liberty without one,* "Here his lordship looked very hard at me, and very gravely asGured me, * that I was beside myself, and that in a few months' time i should either be better or worse '— »Then,' said i, « my lord, you may make yourself quite happy in this business, for if I should be better, you suppo^-^e I. shall desist from this practice of my own accord ; 11 ANECDOTES OF and, if worse, you need not send mc to Huntingdon gaol, as 1 shall be pro- vided with an accommodation in Bed- lam.* " His lordship now changed his mode of attack. Instead of threaten- ing, he began to entreat : ^ Berridge,* said he, ' you know I have been your friend, and 1 wish to be sc still. I am continually teazed v/ith the complaints of the clergymen around you. Only assure me that you will keep to your own parish ; you may do as you please there. I have but little time to live ; do not bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.* *'At this instant two gentlemen were announced, who desired to speak with his lordship. < Berridge,* said he, go to your inn, and come again at such an hour, and dme with me.' 1 went, and on entering a private room, fell imme- diately upon my knees. 1 could bear threatening, but knew not how to with- stand entreaty ; especially the en- MR. BERRIDGE. U " treaty of a respectable old man. At the appointed time I returned. At dinner 1 was treated with great res- pect. The two gentlemen also dined with us. I found they had been in- formed who I was> as they sometime!* cast their eyes towards me in some such manner as one would glance at a monster. After dinner his lordship took me into the garden. ' Well, Berridge,* said he, ' have you consid- ered of my request I* — ' 1 have, my lord,* said I, ' and have been upon my knees concerning it.* — ^ Well, and will you promise me that you will preach no more out of your own parish ?*— * It would afford me great pleasure,' said I^t to comply with your lordship's request, if I could do it wuh a good conscience 1 am satisfied, the Lord has blessed my labours of this kind, and 1 dare not desist ' — ' A good con- science !* said his lordship ; * do you not know that it is contrary to the r.a- nons of the church ?' — ' There is one 74 ANECDOTES OP canon, my lord,* I replied, < which saith, Goyfireach the gosjicl ^o evkky CREATURE.' — * But why should you wish to interfere with tiie charge of other men ? one man cannot preach the gospel to all men.* — ' If they would preach the i^ospel themselves,* said I, * there would be no need for my preaching it to their people ; but as they do not, I cannot desist.* His lordship then parted with me in some displeasure. 1 returned home, not knowing what would befal me ; but.' thankful lo God that I had preserved ' a conscience void of offence. ' *< i took no measures for my own prrservation. but Divine Providence wrought for me ia a way that I never expected. When \ was at Clare- Hall, 1 was particularly acv^uainted with a fel- low of that college ; and we were both upon terms of intimacy with Mr. Pitt, the late lord Chatham, who was at that time also at the univ«r$itv. MR. BERRIDGE, 15 " This fellow of Clare-hall, when I began to preach the gospel, became my enemy, and did me some injury in some ecclesiastical privileges which before time I had enjoyed. At length, however, when he heard that I was likely to come into trouble, and to be turned out of my living at Everton, his heart relented. He began to think, it aeems, within himself, we shall ruin this poor fellov; among us. This was just about the time I was sent for by the bishop. Of his own accord he writes a letter to Mr. Pitt, saying nothing about my methodism, but to this ef- fect : * bur old friend Berridge has got g from his knees, took up his jxititions ; and with such sweet solemnity, such holy fa- miliarity with God, and such ardent love to Christ, poured out his soul, that the like was seldom seen. 1 hey * The 'squire liaving- waited on the bish- op, to know the resdlt of the summons, had the mortification to learn that his purpose was defeated. On his return home, his par- tisans in this prosecution fled to know what was determined on, sayinjr, " Well, have you got the old devil out ?** H^^ re- p!icd, *« No, nor do I think the very ^evii himself can e-et him oot 1" A 3 U ANT! CDOTES OF, &c parted ; and my fried declares, lie thinks hs shall never forgei the favour of the interview to his dying day. J. SUTCLIFFEc CHEERFUL PIETY, OR, HELIGIOJ^ WITHOUT GLOOM LETTEI^ I. To the Rev. Mr. B. ©EAR FRIESD» WiTH a melanchoW pleasure, and at the same time selF-abasement, I heard vour lectures on man'r, heart, ias fallen by onQ:inal apostacy and the dreadful epidemical disease of sin, which has spread itself over the whole isonl * When you dissected and aria- tomised the heart of man as before land after conversion, you went into * I«aiah L 5, 6. 20 CHEERFUL PIETY. , ! the private closet o^my heart,* and the urider-p:roiirici vaults, where you have (lilt;' up *orrie of the bones of the old man, that have loiipj lain rottinpj there. licre is the general eschange for corrupt i(-»n ;t here the world and the devil ofien meet together ; here they correspond, trade, and traffx ; and Sa- tan well knows this is the best place for vending his contraband goods, hav- ing so many friends that court the heart, and recommend his wares, viz, vai?i t/io-ughts^ ivorldly imaginations^, evil and imfmre senaations^ earthly af- fections^ inordinate desires^ ambitious vieivsj /iig'/i-7mndednessy riches', and sin- flit filtasurcs; or pharasaical righteous- ness, moral confidence, unscnptural hopes, formal sanctity, uncovenanttd mercy- Sec. Satan takes a turn round these ■walks, and pays his compliments (if * As face auswereth to face in a glass, so does the experience ofone real Christian 10 another. f Mark vii. 21. ^ETTEH r. 21 I niay so say) to the inrnates of my soul, who are bis good friends every day, aye every /loiir ; he tries always to find out the constitutional sin, or \tbat the apostle calls my most easy libesetting sin.* He has baits for all isorts of coiTiiptions, and he endeavors Ito time his assaults. Sometimes he bids good-morrow to one lust or cor- ruption, sometimes to another, and so makes his cruel visits from one place of the soul to another all day long, and never bids pjood night ; for even when I go to bed he lies down with me, and sometimes in my sleep he haunts and awakes me. If I go into my closet, in order to lock mvself up from the busy world, this impertinent intruder, the devil, will break in there too, without asking me leave ; and so in the family, and even in the sanctuary, the house of God, I am dogged by this roaring lion.t Sometimes he snatches the preached * Heb. xii. 1. 1 1 Pet. v. 8. Rom. vii. 21. « CHEERFUL PIETY. word from me in a way o{ forgetful* ness ; sometimes presents other ob- jects to my view-and sometimes would have me make an ill use of it, by mis- applying. Sometimes I pray as if I was piaying to a wooden god, without a proper sense of his divinity and om- niscience, and so only vjord it with God, By the way, 1 would not charge the devil with more than his just due ; for I know my own corrupt heart sometimes invites Satan to come in, and has often entertained and bid bim welcome.* Oh, how ou.^ht I to be humbledj that I have so often fetched a chair for Satan the tempter to sit down in, while he has entertained himself upon the lusts and affections of my soul ! and has he not had the msolence some- times to tempt me to sin from the aboundings of grace I O horrid in- jection 1 And sometimes such cogi- tations have worked upon the imagi- * Alas ! how often do evc^n the best of Christians tempt the devil to tempt them 1 i LETTER I. 23 pation and the heart in and under or- dinances. What power batan's temp- tations have had, and how often the seeds of sin have sprung up. and blos- somed, and budded, and brou9;ht forth fruit, to my sorrow as well as shame, I cannot express ; bvit I would open the matter with soul abasement to the eye of him that looks down into my heart, and sees ail the workings of ini- quity vvithin me. Respecting v^hat you are now upon, it is pleasing to find experience an- swers experience, as face to face in a glass.*— There is a prodigious alliance formed by the empire of hell, the god cf this world, and by unbelief, with all its train of sins, in the heart of every natural man, and the unrenewed part in every true believer ; — this is the threefold cord that is not easily brok- en ; this is the grand alliance. Sir, thus the case stands ; and on these accounts my soul has often bled ; a- afraid ot myself, afraid of the devil., * Frov. sxvii. 19. B4 CHEERFUL PIETY. ! afraid of every one, and sometimes afraid even of my God.* I have s ime- timcs had hopes that grace had en- throned itself in my heart, and 1 have had, as it were, a cessation from cor- rupiion ; at least, in some branches, the war has seemed to be at an end almost, and \ have often sun^; a fune- ral song of victory over (as I ihoug-ht) a dead corruption ; but Satan has call- ed up all his forces, and fired again, and with his fireballs has set the whole city of my soul into a fiaine, and there has been a resurrecdon of ihc monsier sin a-f^ain. Oh, pity me, all you combatants in the field of battle ! that know tiie force of temptation, and are haunted, as I am, with these ghosts continually The devil sometimes gets me down and buffets me with tlie sin that most easily besets me, and then turns accu ser, and briiigs railinp; accu:jations a- gainst me ; and if he cannot keep me from a throne of grace, he makes me * Job rstij. IJ, 1'=^. I.KTTKR I, 25 go iinipin;^ and halting there, afraid to open my mouth ; and sometimes I can only hold up my hand at the bar, and cry, guilty ! guilty I And now, Sir, let me ask you, is this balm in Gilead for an old stinking sore, as well as for a constant running one ? a sore that I thought had been healed long ago, but breaks out again with its bloody issue. Is there a phy- sician ? what, for such a nauseous, de- filed, stinking, as well as weak and sin- sick, soul as mine ? I truly need a physician %vilhin as well as tuithout, Christ, and his blood and righteous- ness, to justify and acquit, and the blessed spirit to sanctify and cure the inward diseases of my soul ; for what would it avail a condemned malefactor, to be pardoned and acquitted of his crt^nes. if he had the iail distemper upon him, and was to die by it ?* * Tiie real Christian desires to be freed from liie love and^-raier ofsinTas well as from the ^uilt,condsmnation,od\dpunishinentyd\iQ. it. A4 26 CHEERFUL PIETY. Indeed God never justifies but he sanctifies. Election is God's mark to know his own children by. Calling and sanctification are our marks,* by "which we come to know that we our- selves are his elected children. Oh then set forth the work of the spirit in a rebellious will, a blind understand- ing, a hard heart, a stupid conscience and vile affections ; renewing and sanctifying all these powers, and so proving it to be truly the work of God and not of man '1 his gospel sancti- fication 1 need and earnestly desire ; and if you could help me in the present prospect, of the eye of Christ scanning the hidden parts of man. it would be doing a good piece of ser- vice, not only to me, but perhaps to many others who may be in the same case. Dear Sir, may you be helped to lay open the inward powers of the souji and the deceitful arts of the body, for * Not of oup own procorinp^, but the work of God's love, grace, and spiiitj cn^hc^ sovX LETTER I. • 27 the alarmins^ and rousing the stupid and careless, and for the search and inquiry of every real Christian both with reg;ard to the principle, growth) and activity, of grace, or the decays and witherings of it ; what interest God has in the heart, and how much sin and Satan have ;* what advances heaven-ward, or what loitering, back- slidings, or falls, there are found too often in the way to glory. f I am, dear Friend, your's, Sec, * There is no heart so perfectly renewed by the grace of God, but has and will have, as long as it Is on this side the grave, more or less of inward corruption This made the apostle Paul groan, being burdened, and to cry out, O wretched man that I am, vjHo shall deliver me froin the body of this death ? Rom. vii. 24. t Some Christians find many more stum- bling-blocks in their way than others ; but all have their trials, temptations, and hind- rances, of one kind or another, either from sin. Satan, and the world, or their own de- ceitful hear's; which should excite them constantly to watch and pray, that they may 58 CHEERFUL PIETY. LET! LR II. To the Rev, Mr. i?. DEAR FRIEND, 1 PERCEIVE, by some hints in a late discourse, the rough draught of the portrait of luy soul has reached your hands ; the lines perhaps were strong in many parts, but yet imper- fect. This 1 call its fellow ; but, alas ! were I to write whole volumes upon the subject, they would still be but small sketches. To anatomise my own soul, and point out the irregular turnings and windings of a deceitful heait, is be- yond my skill * Satan is always beat- ing and hunting the powers of my soul ; -watching what will start next, whether /z77£/e, sensuality^ covetousness^ be enabled to press forward in spite of all opposition, and at last come off as ?/icrc than conquerors through Him that hath loved them. * Well might the prophet say, The heart is deceitful abcve nil thivgs^ and desperately li^icked. JVho can xno'ji it? jer. xvii. 9. LETTER I. 2p tocridly pleasures. Sec ; and ^vhatever sins they are, lie ^vili be ^ure to strike in and follow. How often has the soul gone hand in hand with Satan in chace after carnal pleasures, till iv has been even tired and then what fruits has it produced but sorrow and shame 1 But. Sir in orde»' to my deciphering the combined forces of sin, helL and the world against me, you have justly opposed the threefold g;rand alliance that is for every believer, viz. Father '^ So?i, and Sjiirii. — True ; but the que- ry still remains, Can such a one as you be in alliance with the King of Heav- en, or bear the image and stamp of the Lord Jesus ? Where is the con- sistency ? I want to know the worst of myself. I own a spark of real grace shall be kept alive ; let the wind of temptation blow ever so high and ; strong, or the waves ot temptation ; beat ever so hard, true grace shall be i victorious — this is a matter of com- Jort, to find a smokmg ember under a i load of ashes. so CHEERFUL PIETY. There may be, indeed, two men is one person, the old and the nciv man, flesh and spirit.* So upon a medal there may be on one side the image of the Devil, Rebellion, Slavery, l>ust, and Tyranny ; and on the other side the effi.^y of a good Prince, loval Sub- jects, Peace and Plenty, and the ene- mies' hearts trampled upon as con- quered. This 1 think a lively repre- sentation of the case ; and it would be a happy turn, could 1 make it out so to my own soul J want to see the divine ima^^e carv- ed more legibly on my own heart. t I am sure i see the picture of the devil strong enough there. I do not so much fear the allied army of the prince of the world, and the world itself, un- der the command of its captain p;en- cral, the devil, as I fear the rebellion in my own bowels, the restless mon- ster, Sin, within me. Civil wars are » Rom. vH. 15. 21. 22. 23. ^ t Where; there is true g-race implanted in the heart, there will be desires for its increase. LETTER II. SI the most shoching and the most fatal ; besides, my soul is the seat of wars and conflicts ; and you know, Sir, what havoc is usually made in such places. I knov7 all the powers of tiie ene- mies (let the devil call them invincible if he will) cannot harm me, were it not for inbred foes. It is the corrup- tions within me, not the contagion of commerce without me, which I fear, or the bloody armies around me ; it is [that unruly rebellious regiment of banditti within my heart, my lusts, jappelites and passions, that I fear v/>ll destroy me.* It is I that infect my- self; and therefore it is my daily pray- er, Lord, deliver me from myself. This is always a part of my litany, and sometimes the first voice of my retir- ed ejaculations. Indeed, Sir, this is an unnatural re- bellion, to be in arms and in conjunc- tion with one's own inveterate foes, * A Christian's worst enemies are those of his own house. 28 CHEERFUL PIETV. who are aiming at my heart's blood What, fight against myself? Yes, sc it is ; flesh against spirit : the unre- newed against the renewed ; sin a- gainst grace. Indeed I have proclaim- ed war in the name of the King o; Heaven, against the States-General o Hell (so fur as it is in league with Satan) and against the potentate of sin^ but to tell yon the times how often I have been foiled and beat, or raised the siege, or been vv'ounded, or had « limb shot off, or been trepanned, oi taken prisoner, I know not ; but I car never sign a truce, and I am determin- ed through grace, if I die to die swore in hand. I must own I have sent out a hm and cry many times after the traitor's and have sometimes hoped I had se cured some of them. I have had then in prison and in fetters, perhaps fo weeks and months together, and the\ bave been brought out to severa s:ourts of judicature, particularly the LETTER II. S3 :ourt of conscience, but that is partial. rhere have been bribes at times, and iGt sufficient chastisement ; but at )ther times there have been very se- vere rebukes, and conscience has con- ic mned the vassals to run the gauntlet vith Horror, Doubt, and Despair, ' rUe charges of the court of conscience lave been read aloud ; terrible peals lave been rung, and the chains of hcU lave rattled in the ear. Though sometimes conscience has ^ivcn the verdict on the side of Grace, It other times tlierc has been an arrest: )f judgment, and a citation before the Lord Ciiief Justice of the Kins^r's Scnch of Heaven; and though the vrctch deserves no hearing, as being )utia\ved, yet, to the honour of the jrace and n^ercy of the Sovereign, he criminal is brought to the bar, and hough there is no room to say any hing but guilty I yet every plea that :an be made in his favour is heard ;* low they were drawn in by some of * See Banyan's Holy War, K CHEERFUL PIETY. the clans of htil— perhaps forced, a it were, against the settied judgment of the soul : and periuips throuii;h weakness and infirmity, could not get out of the way, or from ignoiance ol the crime, or from extenuation of the guilt, or from being hurried away intc the s^'vice of the invader, v/ithout sc much as iJ^ivini^j time for a cool thought Arid^^^ometiuies the poor soul has been ilike a ealiey slave- wishing foi deliverance from the bond of corrup tion,..and crying out of the load and fetters of sin, and saying wiih him ol o\C\y Bring my scul out of prison,, tha I may praise thy name.* The high court of jun;iy iioi have anopportunity of putting- them into pvactlco; LETTER III. 3p So s^;)iiitual pride shews itself in many brandies. When I have been enlarg;- ed in prayer, how has pride and the devil clapped me on the back, and said, Well done I you have been very threat to-day. How abominable is this, to attribute an enlarged frame, in any respect, to self! How often have I (been pleased with flowery words and fluency in prayer, more than spiritual- ity 1 Again, how often have worldly objects and creature-comforts been set tip in the heart ; and have not the af- ifections too frequently bowed down to Ithem ? or when a near relation, or a beloved pratling child it may be, have jbcen called away by the superior ■Owner, how often has the heart whis- pered, and the tontijuc been ready to blab out, You have taken away my gods, and what have I more ? What is this but speculative idolatry ? How have piide and covctousncss ■WPi'kcd themselves up somttimes into 40 CHEERFUL PIETY- a coach and six ; aye, into a palace*! Really, Sir, 1 am ashamed of these masquerades. The heart will turn into any shape. Well may it be said to be deceiful above all things and desjierately wfcked. This is still black picture ; but in a distant pros- pect. I somelimcs hope at the clos- ing hour, when I shall exchange worlds, Jesus will help me to lay hold of every sinful serpent that has loni twisted round my soul, and keeps mc company all my pilgiiniage ; and en- able me, by the hand of I'aith, to bold them upt, crying out. Behold the head of traitors which shall never come to lile again I Oh ! what a joy- ful shout shall i give when 1 shall ^ret.l these vermin drop olf. '* Pride anri coveto\isnc.,s have no bounds ; the more tbey Imvc, the more they want. I By faith the Christian Is enabled to con- quer every foe, and shall at death come off onor.? thaa a cenoacror. Rom. viii, f.r. LETTER Ur. 41 At times I am ready to hope the gloomy territories of the grave are al- most ready for me, that 1 may lay down this body of sin upon the block for everlasunpj execution Oh! when shall ti'.cse clogs and fetters be knock- ed off, an'l the dark and gloomy walks of this vale of tears turned into bright and peaceful realms ? Dear Sir, these have been black let- ters for your aspiring soul to read ; though 1 do not question but you have found something oi ihese com- bats yourself, and therefore can pity and sympathise with a poor weak, wounded, shall 1 call myself brother soldier. You have your enemies, I doubt not, and cantrample upon them. I congratulate you on your victory (though not yet a complete conquest) ithrough the Captain of your salvation. ii would fain bear a part in shouting salvation and honour, glory and pow- ter, to the conquering Saviour*. He * Revelations, v. 13. F 43 CJIEERFUL PIETV. rode triumphantly to glory, after he had obtained a complete conquest over Sin. Death, and HelJ, and drajj-ged the monster at liis chariot whecl.s : He then i^ave Satan such a blov/ tliat he has not recovered since, nornever will. From hence 1 fetch ail my hope, li ever I am saved, it will be. 1 am well assured, by mere grace, and almighty all conquering power*. Alas ! what has such a depraved, polluted, and corrupted miscreant as I to reckon upon> why mercy and grace should be exerted in my salvation, but iVee, rich, sovereign grace I This w ill be the topic of the eternal songs of redeemed souls. And what. Sir, if such a poor, weak, weather-beaten, tost, tempted, and almost shipwrecked vessel as ., should, at last, land safely on the shore of everlasting rest ? sure you would strike up a new song to see ine harbour in the heavenly port — it you e tli<;re before me. And what, if or * F.'^ilioplanc, LETTER III. 4S such a poor, weak striplini^ as I should come off conqueror ; and more than so, over an armada of enemies, from sin, death, aud heli ? And what if you should meet me in the peaceful realms above, with my robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, and a palm k)f victory in my hand ? Perhaps you may know me by my scars ; but even every one of these will be a set off to the freeness, sov- ereio;nty, and unchangeableness, of the love of God ; the worth and efficacy of the dear Redeemer's merits ; and the power and prevaiency of the al- mighty and ever blessed Spirit, — The burden of my song will be, Grace .' Grace!* if ever 1 reach the heights of Zion. I bless the Lord, since the first es- say 1 wrote to you, I have found some new recruits from the inexhaus- tible ma£^azine ; the brave General has got the field, and is keeping off the enemy, and, I trust has given a • Eph. i. 6. 44 CHEERFUL PIETY. renewed blow to all the confederate troops that are in league against me ; and 1 firmly believe 1 shall be an over- comer through the blood of the Lamb. As I have experienced some special advantage from the study of the old man and all his cursed artillery, with' * the powers of the infernal kmjj-^ dom, and this world with all its be-' witching sweets, I would earnestly re- ' commend soul-study, devil study, and the snares of the world study, to every ' Christian friend. Commune with your - own heart daily ;* beware of Satan's' devices; and be ever on the watch, lest you enter into temptation : Foi* though the spirit may be willing, the flesh IS weak.f But it may be, dear Sir, while I have been giving you some of the liv- ing sorrows of my heart, I have rip- ped it open (in order to examine the entrails of the soul) with more free- * Psalm iv 14. t Matt. xxvi. 41. LETTER irT. » tloTTi than you have met with before ; DUt either I have a worse heart than my other, or there are many counter- larts in the experience of others. In- iccd I sometimes think I am by my- elf; and if ever 1 get to heaven, I hall be truly a ':uo7idcr there* ; I shall )e as an eternal monument set up to he honour of divine grace, and the in- icription u])on me will be this ; A Dlack hellish brand plucked out of the turning, now made, through rich mer- :y, a pillar, to stand for ever in the :emple of God. WJshmg you the prosperous gales bf the Divine Spirit, and all success in your sacred work, 1 am, dear Sir, sincerely and repea* tedly, Your*s, S>cG. * Pfialm Ixxi. 7 CHERRrUL PIETY. LETTER IV, Aconsclotory letter to a christian friend 'under sore trouble, DEAR MA.DAM, I HAVE been lately much hurried; or, accordmg to your desire, I should have Avrote before : but. however, a« greeable to my promise, I have en- deavoiired to send you a few lines, which I shall be thankful and rejoice, if they are blessed of God to your support and comfort under your pre. sent troubles. I desire to l)e sensible of my own iinworthiness, and unfitness for any thing of myself, that is spiritually good ; much more for so hard and difficult a task as the admrnistenng; effectual consolation to a soul that groans under outward afflictions and LETTER IV. 47 outward troubles ; that is tossed upon the waves of Satan's temptatious and wordly disappointments. Indeed this is the work of none other than the Divine Spirit :* it is he alone that can cofnmaiid a calm into a tempestuous BO\ii, and speak peace, rest, and satis, iactlon, in the greatest nauliitude of perplexities. However, I desire most tenderly to sympathise with yi^u, remembering that I also am, iu the body, subject to the same adversaries and trials, and would help you, al! I can, to bear your burden with faith, patience and rcsig- jfiation. i I g-rant then that your circirmstan- ices are very intricate and exercising; Ibut let mc beg of you not to construe ivour afLlictious as a token of God's [displeasure, or a sig-n of your not be? longinrj to him. That is an old tempt- "" * Ke is styled the covrfortry by our bless fd I.ord himself, John xiv. 26. 4$ CHEERFUL PIETY. ation of Satan's, with which he often assaults the afflicted Chrisiian ; but take the shield of faith, that you rnay quench the fiery drirts of Satan. Alas! crosses and afflictions are the common lot of the people of God in this world. Our Lord has told us, we shall meet with tribulation. Every saint has his own particular difficulty, temptation, and conflict to grapple with * We have need to be emptied from vessel to vessel. We are too apt to settle on our lees, too apt to be ta- ken with the vanities of this passing world. If we are without afiiietions, whereof all are partakers, then are we bastards and not sons. How iiiaiiv have questioned the * No real Christian is without a cross of one kind or another, either outward or in- V^ard : well, tiiereforc mny the poet say, ** Shall Simon bear his cross alone', And all the rest i;o free ? No, there's a cross for every one, And there's a cross for thce^' LETTER IV. 46 truth of their state and relation to God, For want of these exercises and trials! Where are the cause and matter of your fears and despondency ? Go search the recouls of sacred Scrips ture ; and see how it fared with saints in all ages; what Job, David, and Paul, yea, our blessed Lord himself endured And passed through in this wor]d. Should that be an argument agains: your interest in God, which is the com- mon portion of ail believers here ? We are now chastened, that hereafter Bve may not be condemned. Ah happy afflictions J that wean us from this wretched dying world ; are J means to mortify our corruptions ; ceach us to live more constantly by- faith on Jesus Christ ; and to fix all ;>ur hopes and expectations on another iind better world '.—.and for that end, ^'pu ^should be earnest in your wrest- ing with God in prayer, that your tri= ills may be all sanctified unto you : tha^ iioweveri at present, thev are not jor 50 CHEERFUL PIETY. oas but grievous, yet hereafter the; may yield you the peaceable fruits o righteousness, accorclincj to God^s gra r.ious promise, Hebrews, xii. il. Sanctifiec) afflictions are a thousan< times r. ther to be chosen than unsanc tified prosperity ; these may consis with, yea, are often the effects o God's special love ;* he sees we wan them, and he knov/s that they wil work for our good. Do then Lort what thou plea'^est with me. sol ma] but die to this world, overcome m; corruptions, live more upon Christ bring more glory to his name* an( liave more comfortable tastes an* pledges of his love, and be often say ing, the will of the Lord be dor>^ I h:iY? poia Mas- 5t CHEERFUi PIETY. ter, too, a most extraordinary person, whom I am supposed to be well ac- quainted with, because he employs mc as a riding pedlar, to serve uq-^v forty shops m the country, besides my own parish ; yet I know much less of my Master than 1 do of his wares. Often is my ton.que describing him as the fairest of men. whilst ray heart is painting him as the witch of Eudor ; and many big words 1 have spoken of his credit, yea, I am often beseeching others to trust him with their all— whilst my own heart has been afraid to trust him with a groat. Neither, Madam, is this all ; such a profound ignoramus I am, that I know nothing of myself as I ought to know.* I have often mistaken rank pride for deep humility, and w orkings of self- love for the love of Jesus. * Self-knowledge is only to be attained in the school of Cln-ist ; tlie more we know of him, thebetler we shall know ourse'tves* LETTER V. 59 [ When my master first hired me in- to his service, he kept a brave table, and was wondrous free of his liquor ; scarce a meal passed without roast meat and claret ; then my heart said, I love Jesus, and was ready to boast of X too ; but at length he ordered his ta- ble to be spread with meat from above, and water out of the rock*. This my saucy stomach could not brook, my heart thought it pernicious fare, and my tongue said it was light food. Now nay love for Jesus disappeared, and I followed him only for the loaves and fishes ; and, like a true worlding loved his larder much better than his person. ' Presently my Master detected me in a very dirty trick, which discovered the huge pride and amazing impu- dence of my heart. Hitherto I had been a stranger to the livery my mas- ter gives his servants, only i knew he had many rarities, such as pearls and * X Corhithians, x. 3. 4, so CHEERFUL PIETY. dmnioTicls, ami plenty to dispose of* ^ Accordingly 1 begged a bracelet of him, a necklace- ear-rings, nose-bob, arid other pretty things, which he rea- dily parted v'ith, being of a most ex- ceeding 9-eneruns nature ; and will it not anvdze you to hear. I had the van- iiy to fix the^e odd ornaments about my old face, intending to make t\ birth- dty siiit to appear in at ccurt ?. V^'cil, to be sure, while i mhs thus busy about mending my old rags, end piitiin-jr on mv pearls, Sec. ;n comes my ^Tasler, and gives me a sudden grin, which went to the very heart of me and said- in an angry tone, " Var- lev Joilow me." I arose and followed htrh tieinblinp:, -whilst he led mc to tRe house of correction,! where he for set my feet in the stocks, and stripped me of my ornaments ; he then took his afflictive rods, and laid * Revelations, ill. 18. i Proverbs, iii. 12. - LETTER V- 61 Upon me very stoutly, till I cried for mercy ; but he declared, he would not lay aside the rod till he had scourged every rag from my back ;* and, indeed, he was as good as his word. Think, then, how amazed and con- founded 1 must be, to stand naked be- fore him ; and especially v/hen I saw myscff a leper, with an Ethiopian skin,t which the rags had hitherto concealed from my sight. 1 kept on my legs, though over- whelmed with shame, till at length, being almost choaked with the dust and stench that came out of my rags in beating, I fell down at my master's feet. Immediately the rod dropt from his hand]:, his countenance softened, and wiih a small still voice he bid me look up, I did ; and then I got a first * Isaiah, i. 25, f Isaiah, i. 6. \ When the rod of affliction has had its pi'operand appointed effect, it -will assured- ly be removed from the real Christian. 62 CHEARFUL PIETY. siglit of his robe, the garment of sal^ vation*. Truly^ Maclara, it was a lovely sight ; a charming robe, reaching from ihc shoulder down to the feet, well adapted for covering and defence, yea, excellent for beauty and gloryf — ♦' There, prodigal Jack (he said,) put this on thy back, and then thou mayest shame even an angel ; it was wrought with my own hand, and dyed in ray own blood ; wear it, and then embrace mc *' I thanked him, and bowed.— But, Madam, I must tell you, though I do not desire you to be a con- fidant, when my Master opened his robe, he gave me a hasty glance ol his person ; it was divinely sweet and glorious, and withal so exceedingly humane, that I fell in love ; and now would you think it of me, an old fool as I am, and swarthy as a negro, :f no- thing would content me but a wed * Isaiah, Ixi. 10. f Exodus, xxviii. 2. 40 i Solomon's Song, i, 5. 6. LETTER V. 53 3ing* ; nay, 1 have often proposed the match to my Master, who some- times replies,——" when you can leave all others 1 will take you." The other day, haviny^ asked him when he would take me to his bosom, he an- swered, '♦ when i could humbly lay at his feet,*' and then he has also gra- Iciously promised to set open his cellar "and larder, and to keep them open for met. I am now removed out of the book oi Proverbs, which 1 have lony; studi- ed, into the book of Canticles : but am got no further than the first chapter, verse the second ,: '' Let him kiss me ninth the kisses cf his ricitth^** I seem to want nothin/'^ ^v:.^^ I'^^^.'S^ ^>M?fel