ke all prudent
precautions to prevent the commission of faults, yet, when they had been
committed, and there seemed to be a sense of them, he was always ready
to make the most candid allowances for the thoughtlessness of unripened
years, and tenderly to cherish every purpose of a more proper conduct for
the time to come.

It was to perceive that the openings of genius in the young branches of
his family gave him great delight, and that he had a secret ambition to
see them excel in what they undertook. Yet he was greatly cautious over
his heart, lest it should be too fondly attached to them; and as he was
one of the most eminent proficients I ever knew in the blessed science
of resignation to the divine will, so there was no effect of that
resignation which appeared to me more admirable than what related to the
life of his children. An experience, which no length of time will ever
efface out of my memory, has so sensibly taught me how difficult it is
fully to support the Christian character here, that I hope my reader will
pardon me (I am sure, at least, the heart of wounded parents will,) if I
dwell a little longer upon so interesting a subject.[*]

[*Note: See Appendix II.]

When he was in Herefordshire in July, 1734, it pleased God to visit his
little family with the small pox. Five days before the date of the letter
I am just going to mention, he had received the agreeable news that
there was a prospect of the recovery of his son, then under that awful
visitation; and he had been expressing his thankfulness for it in a
letter which he had sent away but a few hours before he was informed of
his death, the surprise of which, in this connection, must naturally be
very great. But behold (says the reverend and worthy person from whom
I received the copy) his truly filial submission to the will of his
Heavenly Father, in the following lines addressed to the dear partner
of his affliction: "Your resignation to the will of God under this
dispensation gives me more joy than the death of the child has given me
sorrow. He, to be sure, is happy; and we shall go to him, though he shall
not return to us. Oh that we had our latter end always in view! We shall
soon follow; and oh, what reason have we to long for that glorious day
when we shall get quit of this body of sin and death under which we now
groan, and which renders this life so wretched! I desire to bless God
that ---- (another of his children) is in so good a way; but I