I have been fo well, that my friends here thought of giving me a wife; but what fhould I do with a Swifs wife at Madeley? I want rather an English nurfe; but more fill a mighty Saviour, and, thanks be to God, that I have. Help me to rejoice in that never dying, never moving Friend.

Having heard that my dear friend Ireland has difcharged the greatest part of my debt, I have not fent money; but I hope to bring with me 1001. to make up that gap, and reimburse my friends in part, till I can do it altogether. But I fhall never be able to pay you the debt of kindness I have contracted with you. I look to Jefus, my furety, for that: May he repay you a thoufand fold! Remember me kindly to Mrs. York, Mrs. Harper, and all that yet remember your obliged friend and brother, I. F.

Nyon, Sept. 15th, 1780, To the Societies in and about Madeley,

GRACE and peace, truth and love be multiplied unto you all. Stand faft in the Lord, my dear brethren. Stand faft to Jefus ; ftand faft to one another; ftand faft to the vow we have fo often renewed together upon our knees and at the Lord's table. Refolve to fave yourselves altogether. Don't be fo unloving, fo cowardly, as to let one of your little company fall into the hands of the world and the devil; and agree to crucify the body of fin altogether.

I am fill in a ftrait between the work, which Providence cuts out for me here, and the love which

draws me to you. When I shall have the pleasure of feeing you, let it not be embittered by the forrow of finding any of you half-hearted and lukewarm. Let me find you all ftrong in the Lord, and increased in humble love. Salute from me all that followed with

us fifteen years ago. Care ftill for your old brethren. Let there be no Cain among you, no Efau, no Lot's wife. Let the love of David and Jonathan, heightened by that of Martha, Mary, Lazarus and our Lord,

fhine in all your thoughts, your tempers, your words, your looks, and your actions. If you love one another, your little meetings will be a renewed feaft and the God of love who is peculiarly prefent where two or three are gathered in the name of Jefus, and in the fpirit of love, will abundantly bleis you. Bear me fill upon your breafts in prayer, as I do you upon mine; and rejoice with me, that the Lord, who made, redeemed, and comforts us, bears us all upon his. I am yours in him. I. F.

Mr. John Orven.

Nyon, Feb. 14th, 1781.

I THANK you, my dear brother, for your kind lines. I have deferred anfwering them, till I could inform you of the time of my departure hence, which you will fee in my letter to Mr. Wafe. I hope you help both Mr. Greaves and the preachers, to ftir up the people in my parish. Be much in prayer. Strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die. I hope you take counsel with Michael Onions, Mrs. Palmer, and Molly Cartwright, about the most effectual means to recover the backfliders; and to keep together to Chrift and to each other thofe who flill hold their fhield. Salute them kindly from me, and tell them, that I hope they will give me a good account of their little companies, and of themselves.

If I were not a minister, I would be a schoolmaster, to have the pleasure of bringing up shildren in the fear of the Lord; that pleafure is yours; relifh it, and it will comfort and strengthen you in your work. The joy of the Lord, and of charity is our ftrength. Salute the children from me, and tell them, I long to fhew them the way to happiness and heaven. Pray have you mastered the ftiffness and fhynefs of your temper? Charity gives a meekness, an affability, a child-like fimplicity, and openness, which nature has denied you, that grace might have all the honour of it. Let me find you thining by thefe virtues, and you will revive me much. God blefs your labour about the fheep and the lambs.

I need not tell you to remember me to your friends, not excepting your brother-in-law, your fifter, and your niece Sally; to whofe friendthip I recommend my god-daughter Patty Cartwright. Go to James Hinkfman, give him my love, and-afk his for me and his oldbrethren. Give the fame commiffion to T. Fennel and Nelly with refpect to Samuel Stretton and his wife; Likewife to Sergeant Lees with refpect to his brother Thomas; and to I Tranter, T. Bauks. and T. Pool with refpect to their friends about them. Remember Le to all friends. I am yours affectionately, I. F.

P. S. Read the following note to all that fear God, and love Jéfus and each other, affembling in Madeley

church:

My dear Brethren,

My heart leaps with joy at the thought of coming to fee you, and blefs the Lord with you. Let us not tay to praife him till we fee each other. Let us fee him in his Son, in his word, in his works, and in allthe members of Chrift: How flow will poft horses go, in comparifon of love!

Quick as feraphic flames we move,

To reign with Chrift in endless day.".

Meet me, as I do you-in fpirit; and we fhall not ftay till April or May to blefs God together: Now' will be the time of union and love.

Mr. William Wase,'

My dear Friend,

Nyon, Feb. 14th, 1781.

I THANK you for your kind remembrance of me. I need not be urged to return; brotherly love draws me to Madeley, and circumftances drive me hence. With pleafure I fee the days lengthen, and haften the happy hour, when I fhall fee the little flock rejoicing in God, as, through mercy, I do. I am exceedingly glad that there is a revival on your fide the water, and that you' are obliged to enlarge your room.

I wish I could contribute to shake the dry bones in my parish; but I have no confidence in the flesh; and what I could not do, when I was in my ftrength, I have little profpect of doing now that my ftrength is broken. However, I don't defpair; for the work is not mine, but the Lord's. If the few who love the gospel would be fimple and zealous, God would again hear their prayers for those, who are content to go on in the broad way. I thank you for your view of the iron bridge. I hope the word, and the faith that works by love, will erect a more folid and durable bridge, to unite thofe who travel together towards Sion.

My friend Ireland invites me to go and join him in the fouth of France; and I long to fee, whether I could not have more liberty to preach the word among the Papifts, than among the Proteftants. But it is fo little I can do, that I doubt much, whether it is worth while going fo far upon fo little a chance. If I were ftronger, and had more time, the fear of being hanged fhould not detain me. I trust to set out next month, and to be in England in May; it wont be my fault, if it is not in April.

I am here in the midft of the rumours of war. The burghers of Geneva, on the fide of the oppofition, have difarmed the garrifon, and taken poffeffion of one of the gates. I had, however, the luck to get in and bring away my nephew, who is a ftudent there. Some troops are preparing to go and block them up. The Lord may at this time punifh the repeated backflidings of thofe Laodicean Chriftians, most of whom have turned infidels. This event may a little retard my jour. ney, as I pafs through Geneva. It also puts off the printing my manufcript, for there is nothing going on in that unhappy country but difputes, and fights, and mounting of guards. Remember me in much love to Mr. Greaves, Mr. Gilpin, and the preachers who la bour with us. Oh! my friend, give yourself wholly up to the Lord, and you will have that peace and joy, through Chrift, and righteoufnefs, which will be worth a little heaven to you. Adieu. Yours, I. F.

Mr. Michael Onions.

Nyon, Manch, 1781.

I THANK you my dear brother, for your kind remembrance of me, and for your letters: I hope to bring my fuller thanks to you in perfon. Come, hold up your hands. Confirm the feeble knees. Set up an Ebenezer every hour of the day. In every thing give thanks; and in order to this, pray without ceafing and rejoice evermore. My heart fympathizes with poor Molly Cartwright. Tell her from me, that her hufband lives in him who is the refurrection, and that I' want her to live there, with him. In Chrift there is no death but the victory over death. O! let us live in him, to him, for him, who more than repairs all our loffes. I long to rejoice with her in hopes of meeting our departed friends, where parting and trouble fhall ·

be no more.

My love to your wife; tell her the promtifed me, to be Jefus's, as well as yours. I troft her mother ripens fafter for glory, than for the grave. I hope to find her quite, mellowed by the humble love of the gofpel. My love to John Owen, and to all our other leaders, and by them to the few who do not tire by the way. With regard to the others, take them in the arms of prayer and love, and carry them out of Egypt and Sodom, if they are loth to come. Defpair of none. You know charity hopeth all things, and brings many things to pafs. All things are poffible to him that believeth, all things are eafy to him that loveth. God be with you, my dear brother, and make you faithful unto death. It is my prayer for you, and all the fociety, and all my dear neighbours, my dear parishioners, to whom I beg to be remembered. I have no place to write their names; but I pray they may all be written in the book of life. God is merciful, gracious, and faithfal: I fet my feal to his loving-kindnefs; witnefs my Leart and hand, I. F.