great Master of Assemblies a subject adapted to the conditions of his people: earnestly soliciting for himself, wisdom, utterance, and power; for them a serious frame, an unprejudiced mind, and a retentive heart. This necessary preparation for the profitable performance of his ministerial duties, was of longer or shorter duration, according to his peculiar state at the time; and frequently he could form an accurate judgment of the effect that would be produced in public, by the languor or enlargement he had experienced in private. The spirit of prayer accompanied him from the closet to the pulpit; and while he was outwardly employed in pressing the truth upon his hearers, he was inwardly engaged in pleading that last great promise of his unchangeable Lord, 'I am with you alway, even to the end of the world.'

"From the great congregation he again withdrew to his sacred retreat; there requesting in secret, that a blessing might accompany his public labours, and that the seed which he had sown, being treasured up in honest and good hearts, might sooner or later become abundantly fruitful.

49. "While it is here recorded, that this faithful servant of God was accustomed to 'pray without ceasing,' it must be noted, at the same time, as a distinguishing part of his character, that 'in every thing he gave thanks.' His heart was always in a grateful frame, and it was his chief delight to 'honour God by offering him thanks and praise.' Frequently, when he has been engaged in recounting the gracious dealings of God with respect to himself, or his signal favours conferred upon the church, he has broken out in a strain of holy rejoicing,

O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!' He considered every unexpected turn of Providence as a manifestation of his Father's good pleasure, and discerned causes of thanksgiving, either obvious or latent, in every occurrence. Thus, either in the expectation or in the possession of promised mercies, he 'rejoiced evermore.' The immediate causes of his joy were manifold, public and private, spiritual and temporal; but they all were swallowed up in the advancement of Christ's kingdom upon earth. This he considered as a subject of universal rejoicing; and for

this, he more especially desired to 'praise the name of God with a song, and to magnify it with thanksgiving.'

50. "As he has justly expressed it in his Portrait of St. Paul, (p. 103, second edition,) 'Pastors, who pray for their flocks, pray not in vain. Their fervent peti

tions are heard, sinners are converted, the faithful are edified, and thanksgiving is shortly joined to supplication.' With respect to himself, it was abundantly so. The seed which he had watered with his tears, and followed with his prayers, produced, at length, a plentiful harvest. His ministry was attended with unusual success, and a considerable body of his people saluted each other as brethren in Christ. His exultation over these, in their regenerate estate, was equal to his former solicitude on their account: and as often as an occasion has presented itself of leading a penitent prodigal into the household of God, his carriage has been marked with every possible demonstration of joy. Leading the returning wanderer into his spiritual family, he would cry out, with a countenance full of holy triumph, 'If there be joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, then it is meet that we should rejoice and be glad together this day; for this my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found.' His joy was continually receiving some accessions of this kind. From year to year sinners were converted from the error of their ways, and believers were built up in their most holy faith; while he appeared among them as a happy father, rejoicing in their prosperity, and blessed in the blessings of his spiritual children.

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Such were the different states of earnest prayer, and joyful praise, with which this evangelical Preacher was deeply acquainted, and which mutually preceded and succeeded each other in his Christian experience.

51. "It was observed, to the disgrace of the ancient scribes, that they bound' heavy burdens' upon others, which they themselves refused to touch with one of their fingers' and their uncharitable conduct in this respect was publicly condemned by the blessed Jesus, who pronounced the severest judgments upon their selfindulgence. Contrasted with the carriage of those illiberal pretenders to piety, the conduct of Mr. Fletcher appeared in a truly admirable and exemplary point of view. Far

from subjecting others to those hardships and restraints which he refused to impose upon himself, he cheerfully endeavoured to lighten the burdens of his brethren, though it was by redoubling his own. He laboured to quicken, and not to retard, the progress of the weak and inexperienced. He compassionated their defects, and made excuse for their constitutional infirmities, in the manner of his gracious Master, who kindly apologized for the inattention of his sleeping disciples.

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He studied to present the religion of Jesus in its most alluring form, not as a vial of wrath, but as a cup of consolation; not as a galling yoke, but as a sacred tie; not as a depressing burden, but a never-failing support. When he beheld the incautious entangled in the mazes of temptation, he tenderly lamented the effects of their indiscretion; and, instead of throwing unnecessary impediments in the way of their escape, he affectionately laboured to break through the snare, and deliver the captive. If his brother was overtaken in a fault, he endeavoured to 'restore him in the spirit of meekness,'if his conscience was wounded with a sense of guilt, he hastened to meet him with healing remedies,—if he was overwhelmed with a dread of his besetting sin, and harassed with the apprehension of future miscarriages, he encouraged him to come 'boldly to the throne of grace,' that he might' obtain mercy, and find grace to help him in every time of need.' In his whole deportment towards the ignorant and unfaithful, he copied the character of a skilful and affectionate preceptor, who keeps future difficulties as far removed as possible from the view of ais pupils, accommodating their exercises to their several capacities, overlooking their past negligence, supplying their present deficiencies, and mentioning their poor attainments with commendation and praise.

52. "But while his conduct towards others was marked with unusual lenity and tenderness, he exercised the strictest severity with regard to himself. He sought after an entire conformity to the perfect will of God. And to accelerate his progress towards this desirable state, he cheerfully renounced his natural habits, and resolutely opposed his own will, unweariedly labouring to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.' He struggled against the most innocent of

his infirmities; he entered upon the most painful exercises; and refused to allow himself in the least temporary indulgences, which were not consistent with a life of unfeigned mortification and self-denial. He engaged himself in every kind of spiritual labour, with the most intense application, suffering no talent to remain unoccupied, nor any moment to pass by unimproved: and so perfectly was he inured to habits of Christian industry, that he never discovered an inclination to sweeten the most laborious exercises with those refreshments and relaxations which he esteemed not only allowable, but in some cases necessary, to his weaker brethren. Considering himself as a member of Christ's militant church, he complained of no hardships, nor thought any difficulty too great to be encountered, in the course of his warfare. He was careful to act, in every instance, consistently with his high profession: training himself up to spiritual hardness and activity, by a resolute attention to the strictest rules of Christian discipline; preferring the path of duty before the lap of repose; neither listening to the suggestions of fear, nor regarding the dictates of worldly prudence; stifling even the necessary calls of nature, that he might follow, with less interruption, the leadings of grace; and, finally, counting neither ease, nor interest, nor reputation, nor even life itself, dear to him, that he might finish his course with joy.'"

CHAPTER V.

OF THE EXCURSIONS HE MADE TO DIFFERENT PLACES, HIS FIRST VISIT TO HIS NATIVE COUNTRY, HIS OFFICE AND USEFULNESS AT TREVECKA, AND OF THE STEPS WHEREBY HE WAS LED TO WRITE ON CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECTS.

1. ALTHOUGH Mr. Fletcher was attached, in no common degree, to those among whom he was appointed to labour, and although his endeavours were chiefly exercised for their spiritual benefit, yet was his heart enlarged also toward all the children of God, by whatever name they were distinguished, or wherever the bounds of their habitation were fixed. And he was ready, at all times, as far as his duty to his parishioners would permit, to minister to them the word of life. "Considering himself as 'a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians,' he was ready, had it been possible, to have visited the uttermost parts of the earth with the truths of the Gospel : and wherever a Christian church was established, he appeared deeply interested in its welfare; expressing a vehement desire that it might be regulated in all things as the house of God,' and become to happy thousands' the gate of heaven.' When the members of any distant church were represented as exemplary for their faith, their zeal, or their love, he received the report of their advancement in grace with demonstrations of the sincerest joy, and publicly expressed his gratitude to that great Master of Assemblies, 'who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants.' When the professors of Christianity, in any part of the world, were observed to grow weary of well-doing, either declining from the faith of the Gospel,' or neglecting to walk worthy of their high vocation, his heart was penetrated, on their account, with the most lively concern :

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