; however such, it may be, as would pass off
very well in a man of the world.

III.

Shall I not be faithful to God? If He puts a part upon me to do, shall I
neglect or refuse it? A part to suffer, and shall I say I would not if I
could help it? Can words more ill-sorted, more shocking be put together?
And is not the thing expressed by them more so, tho' not expressed in
words? What then shall I prefer to the sovereign Good, supreme
Excellence, absolute Perfection? To whom shall I apply for direction in
opposition to Infinite Wisdom? To whom for protection against Almighty
Power?

Sunday Evening, June 13, 1742.

Hunger and thirst after Righteousness till filled with it by being made
partaker of the Divine nature.

Ad te levo oculos meos, qui habitas in coelis. Sicut oculi servorum
_intenti sunt_ ad manum dominorum suorum, sicut oculi ancillae ad manum
dominae suae; ita oculi nostri ad Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri.

As all my passions and affections to my Reason such as it is, so in
consideration of the fallibility and infinite deficiencies of this my
Reason, I would subject it to God, that He may guide and succour it.

Our wants as Creatures: our Demerits as Sinners.

That I may have a due sense of the hand of God in every thing, and then
put myself into His hand to lead me through whatever ways He shall think
fit; either to add to my burden, or lighten it, or wholly discharge me of
it.

Be more afraid of myself than of the world.

To discern the hand of God in every thing and have a due sense of it.

Instead of deluding oneself in imagining one should behave well in times
and circumstances other than those in which one is placed, to take care
and be faithful and behave well in those one is placed in.

That God would please to make my way plain before my face, and deliver me
from offending the scrupulousness of any {11}, or if not, O assist me to
act the right part under it!

LETTERS.

I.

From a Copy formerly belonging to Dr. Birch, and now in the library at
the British Museum. [Add. MS. 4370.]

REV. DR.

'Twas but last night I received your letter from Gloucester, having left
that place three weeks since. It revived in my mind some very melancholy
thoughts I had upon my being obliged to quit those studies, that had a
direct tendency to divinity, that being what I should chuse for the
business of my life, it being, I think, of all other studies the most
suitable