Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 2.djvu/59

 10-" s. ii. JCLY 16, i9M.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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with a respect painful to myself. I had eyes to see the holiness and beauty of a Christian character,* but neither a will to imitate it, nor a heart to be pleased with it. The light of the Father of lights, shining in His elect people, is too much for the feeble sight of a child of wrath, whose delight is to walk in darkness. Blessed be the God of my salvation, who in His due time, and in His own appointed way, has enabled me to love the brethren, and hereby given me evidence of my adoption into His blessed family ! I doubt not you know the

Particulars of my story, how it pleased the Lord to 5ad me through the waters, and they did not over- whelm me ; through the fire, and it did not con- sume me ; and why not? Because the blood of the Lamb was mercifully interposed between me, and that wrath, from which the whole creation of God would not have screened me for a moment. Oh ! that I retained my first love, that it were with me, as when I first came forth from the furnace :f when the name of Jesus was like honey and milk upon my tongue, and the very sound of it, was sufficient to quicken and comfort me. But 1 am still what I ever was, a chief sinner, and shall be so, while I inhabit a body of death ; an ungrateful, unthankful, wrath -pro voicing sinner. But there is abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, for all who are content to be saved as such. Wherefore I pray that I may be saved as the worst of the Lord's people, as indeed I believe I am.

My dear aunt, may the Spirit of Christ, dwelling in your heart, continually testify His residence there, by His comforting and peaceful influences, till at length He shall fill you for ever with joy unspeak- able and full of glory. Yours ever etc.

Pp. 39-41 :

H t n (Huntingdon), July 10, 1767. Letter 2.

MY DEAR AUNT M[ADAX], We have lost Mr. U[nwin]t by a very awful and afflictive dispen- sation. As he was riding to his cure last Sunday morning, his horse took fright, ran away with him homeward, and, in a village about a mile off, he was flung to the ground with such violence, that his scull was fractured in the most desperate manner. He lived about four days, contrary to the expectation of the surgeons, who, at the first sight of him, pronounced him within a few hours of death ; but we trust there was hope in his latter end. His senses seemed to be restored to him at short intervals, not only for his own benefit, but for the comfort and satisfaction of his friends ; for at those times he was enabled to utter truths which before, he could never be brought to the belief of. He was one of those many poor deluded persons, whom Dr. Clark has infected with his Anti-

" The case of too many ! "

t Compare ' Olney Hymns,' No. 1, verses 2 and 3 : Where is the blessedness I knew

When first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul-refreshing view

f Jesus and His word ? What peaceful hours I once enjoyed !

How sweet their memory still ! But they have left an aching void

The world can never till.

J Morley Umvin, father of William Cawthorne I'mvin, and hushand of Cowper's Mary. Dr. Samuel Clarke.

Christian errors, and consequently denied the- Divinity of our Lord, and the infinite merit of His sufferings.* But upon his death-bed he was heard to say : "Jesus Christ is God, and therefore He can save men." Those words were frequently in hi* mouth: "very God of very God' 7 and "Jesus Christ died for us " : so that he seemed to be plead- ing these foundation truths against the charges of the adversary, and an accusing conscience. Surely then, we do not vainly flatter ourselves, when we hope that the Lord, though He was pleased to take a dreadful course with him, yet sealed him effectually for His own. By this means a door is opened to us to seek an abode under the sound of the Gospel. Mrs. U[nwin] has determined to do so, thinking it her indispensable duty. Pray for us my dear Aunt, that it may please the Good Shepherd to lead us by the foot- steps of the flock, and to feed us in His own pasture. For my soul within me is sick of the spiritless,, unedifying ministry at HTuntingdon]. It is a matter of the utmost indifference to us where we settle, provided it be within the sound of the glad tidings of salvation.

I am a sort of adopted son in this family, where Mrs. U[nwin] has always treated me with parental tenderness : therefore by the Lord's leave I shall still continue a member of it. Our aim and end are the same, the means of grace, and the hope of glory ; so that there seems to be no reason why we should separate.

I am, my dear Aunt,

Yours, I trust, in the only Saviour, etc.

Pp. 41-43 :

Letter 3.

July 18, 1767.

I wish, my dear Aunt, that any of my letters may be made as effectual to your consolation, as your last was to mine. I had for many days stood in great need of some spiritual refreshment, having walked in darkness and found it a trial of my utmost strength, to trust ever so little in the Lord and stay upon my God ; but His mercy is ever watchful over us, to pour oil and wine into our wounds, either with His own hand or by the ministry of His faithful servants. I know He will recompense you for it : for though my prayers are wretched things, and seem to myself, generally to be little more than lip-labour, yet He hears them

Huntingdon,' London, 1844, ii. 141-2: " Mrs. Unwin had always been very fond of reading, and was esteemed for superior intelligence; but she had been remarkable also for gaiety and vivacity. She soon, notwithstanding, fully entered into Mr. Cowper's religious views, and discovered a change of character that was far from being agreeable to
 * See * The Life and Times of Selina, Countess of

her fashionable acquaintances Whilst in this

retirement it pleased the Almighty to make Mr. Cowper instrumental to the conversion of almost all Mr. Unwin's family. The consequent alteration of their conduct excited the surprise and displeasure of their former intimates, whose round of amusements had long been undisturbed by appearances of genuine godliness. They regretted that a man of Mr. Cowper s accomplishments should have been spoiled for society by religion ; and, still more, that his delusion should have infected a family so extensively connected as Mr. Unwin's with the polite inhabitants."