dered conducive to our own spiritual good, and to our increasing usefulness in this evil world, will be recognized among our mercies in due time. Be then strong, and he shall comfort thine heart, and put thou thy trust in the Lord.My poor prayers for you and your's have not been omitted: may the Lord spare to you your remaining children, and render them comforts to you, and blessed themselves, and blessings to many!-I remain, with kindest remembrance to Mrs. W., dear sir, "Your faithful friend and brother, "THOS. SCOTT." To the Rev. W. Gray, West Rounton, Yorkshire. "REV. AND DEAR SIR, "Aston Sandford, February 10, 1821. "I WOULD not delay to reply to the inquiry contained in your very friendly and pleasing letter; though I can spare but little of my time for correspondence. "I cannot conceive from what the report which you have heard, of certain books which I so strongly recommended, could arise: for, having been struck, and not a little grieved, at the partial and injudicious commendations of this and the other book, given by persons of considerable eminence, I have always made a point not to give any such recommendations, aware that I also might have my prejudices and partialities. The report, however, is totally groundless. In the preface which I annexed to my notes on Bunyan's Pilgrim, I spoke of it as a book which had been peculiarly useful, and was likely to continue so: but there were eminent ministers before Bunyan wrote, and are and will be among those who never saw the Pilgrim's Progress. "It is many years since I read Grotius de Veritate: but my idea is, that the arguments, contained in it have been so retailed; and that many parts of it are so undecided, or erroneous, as to what constitutes Christianity; that on the whole I think it is a book, at present, of inferior value. Walker of Truro has been one among my favorite divines: yet some things in his excellent Lectures on the Church Catechism I could not subscribe; though the applications are admirable.-Edwards of New England, especially on the Affections, and his Life of Brainerd, I have been much indebted to: yet I differ in some points from him also. "But I need not enlarge: Prove all things by the law and the testimony, and hold fast that which is good, as far as you, by study and prayer, can discover it. And, when you read any of my poor attempts, prove them in like manner: use my spectacles candidly, but see with your own eyes; only praying, Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy law! "I am thankful for any information which gives me reason to hope that my labors have not been wholly in vain: but I am now old, infirm, and diseased; in the last week of my seventy-fourth year; and I greatly need more patience, fortitude, and hope; and shall value your prayers for me in those respects especially.-When you see Mr. Richardson, or any at York who know me, remember me to them, in Christian respect and affection.I pray God to bless you and all your's with the best of blessings; and to make you a blessing to numbers in your stated and occasional services. "I remain, rev. and dear sir, "Your sincere and obliged friend and servant, "THOS. SCOTT." This letter bears a later date than any other in the collection-little more than two months before the writer's decease! The following number consists of papers rather than letters. 19. ON QUESTIONS DISCUSSED AT CLERICAL MEETINGS. Addressed to the Rev. G. Knight, Harwell. 1816-1820. "Aston Sandford, June 17, 1816. "MY DEAR SIR, "As wholly unable to meet you in person, I send you my proxy, in a paper of hints on your most important question. "Should any brother undertake to form a paper for publication from the whole result of the discussion, he is perfectly at liberty to use my hints for that purpose: but, if this be not determined on, I shall be glad to receive them back again; as probably I may make some use of them hereafter: and I shall also gladly receive any of the remarks which my brethren make on them, or on the general subject. "I hope I shall not forget to pray for a large blessing on the company and the congregations; for my heart will be with you: and I trust you will be particular, both when together and when separate, in praying for me; not for my life, or health, or even ease, so much as that I may be upheld, and enabled to act consistently in my closing scene, and may finish my course with joy, &c.: for I feel myself a poor, weak, and sinful creature, in constant danger of falling or fainting, unless upheld by the power and grace of the Lord Jesus. With my kind remembrances to Mrs. Knight; and prayers for a blessing on you and your family; and Christian love to all the assembled brethren, "I remain, "Your faithful and affectionate brother, "Thoughts on the words of St. Paul to Timothy, GIVE THYSELF WHOLLY TO THEM, (èv ToÚTOI idi,) considered as an instruction to all ministers of Christianity, in every age and nation. "THE context of this expressive clause should be considered with peculiar attention, in explaining the words made use of. Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee-by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things, GIVE THYSELF WHOLLY TO THEM; that thy profiting may appear unto all. Take heed to thyself, and to the doctrine: continue in them: for in so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee. (1 Tim. iv, 12-14.) Each expression, when closely examined, is as it were a sermon; and the whole comprises such a mass of appropriate instruction, warning, and encouragement to ministers, as can rarely be found in so few words. Let us then meditate on these things continually. "Two particulars seem especially to call for our notice in the clause more immediately under consideration: 1. The things which the apostle intended: and 2. What it is to give ourselves wholly to them. "I. The things intended.-The apostle doubtless refer. red to those exhortations, which he had just before given to his beloved son Timothy, respecting his personal conduct and example; his ministerial office, as a talent entrusted to him; the exercise of this ministry; the preparation for that exercise; and the ends to be proposed in the whole-Continue in them for in so doing thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee; that is, who so hear thee as to believe and obey the doctrine taught by thee. "A few hints may then be here dropped on some of the particulars relating to our important ministry-for we cannot too much magnify our office, and should have high and honorable thoughts of it; as the best of all good works; the most beneficial service which man can perform to man; and the most immediately connected with the glory of God our Saviour; yet attended with the most awful responsibility. It is a gift conferred on us, when set apart to that service. To us it is GIVEN to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. It is a talent entrusted to our stewardship, which demands faithful improvement. It opens the way to the cultivation of the mind for purposes peculiar to the minister; to purposes of the highest importance; and in which, if he do not neglect it, his profiting may appear unto all men; not only when he sets out as a young and inexperienced minister, but even if he had attained to Timothy's competency, nay to that of Paul the aged himself-except as inspiration and miraculous powers are concerned; and from these the gift here spoken of, at least in applying it to us, should be considered as entirely distinct. He that would be apt to teach must be apt to learn, and always learning to the end of life: else (as is, alas, too often the case,) he will be like those who spend much and gain little, and are always in penury.-In this general office and stewardship, the apostle would probably, if he spake to us in modern language, and according to our situation as pastors, point out the public exercise of our ministry, statedly or occasionally, instant vnaípus xxws; with many things concerning our doctrine, our motives, our spirit, &c.—He would advert to the more private exercise of our ministry from house to house, according to the various openings which are afforded us of privately warning, instructing, counselling, and comforting, the healthy and the sick, and those around the sick; or in teaching children, and in various other ways. He would note those things which should be attended to by us in the study, by reading and writing, and preparing for our public ministry, or aiming at accessional usefulness by our studies and publications. The fisherman, when not fishing, is employed in washing or mending his nets, repairing his boat, &c., that he may be ready for the next expected opportunity; or to seize on one that he did not expect.-Especially, the apostle would point out what is to be done in the closet, by our earnest and constant prayers and supplications. (Compare Col. ii, 1; iv, 12.)— He would go with us into our families; and lead us to consider the importance of so commanding our children and our households, (Gen. xviii, 19,) and so governing them, that every thing, as far as we possibly can, may.bear the holy stamp of our sacred office. Here a large field opens before us, of family instruction and worship; of educating our children; of our conversation before them, and our domestics, and friends, &c.; in order by every means to fix the impression, that we deeply mean all which we deliver |