join with me in love to you both, and the most cordial wishes for your present and eternal welfare. This is what I am always wishing; and having, through the most adorable mercy and infinite condescension of God, been led into the way of peace myself, and to so much comfort every day as excites my astonishment, I would fain see all my fellow sinners, and much more my friends and relations, brought into the same delightful enjoyment of life. I shall now, therefore, lay before you what I judge the sure and certain method of living a Christian life, profitable to men, and pleasing to God, in abundance of peace and hope, light and love from heaven.

The first material point is, a conscientious waiting upon God in prayer; not satisfied with bowing our knees, and beginning the day with devotion; but we must pray. I used long to exercise an idle, lukewarm way of praying, (by which I got nothing, but deluded my own soul;) as if it

were a necessary consequence of my corruption, which all felt, and all deplored. But to pray without attention, or without importunity; to pray with our hearts asleep, and worldly thoughts intruding, as guests of every character do into an inn, is hypocrisy. If we are not grieved and afflicted at it, as our disease, and do not long for the Spirit's power, and confess our sinfulness, our religion is mere form. If we do lament it, we shall succeed; and generally, our secret approaches to the throne of grace will be refreshing, animating, and the sweetest hours of our life.

When secret prayer is thus performed, one part of our earnest request will always be, that the worship of the family may be solen ana spiritual, affecting every member of it. and offered up with self-abasement from a company of vile sinners before a glorious God, a means of creating mutual affection and unfeigned good will throughout the day. I have had family

worship ever since I kept house; but never, till within these five years, was concerned about conducting it as it ought to be performed. Not that any one could discover irreverence in my manner, or that I had not some desire God should be honored but my desire was exceedingly small; and I did not intercede with God, that we might never meet together without the exercise of repentance, faith, hope, and love, and without such a manifestation of his presence as he has promised to "two or three who are met together in his name.'

*This is of the utmost importance to those Christians who ardently desire to have communion with God in all their religious engagements. The following extracts from the memoirs of Boston, author of the Fourfold State, are here added as a note to Mr. Venn's Letter, being remarkably to the point. "February 16, 1700.I have observed this day and yesterday especially, that I was more remiss in family duties, than in secret; and I think it is occasioned by remissness in preparation for them. February 17.-1 have this day found my heart bettered by a more conscientious preparing my heart fo family worship. December 30, 1710.-I spent a part o

When secret or family worship is thus performed, the blessing is to be confidently expected, in a recollected and watchful frame of mind, amidst trials, and prepared. ness for them; in a jealousy of self-will, which is ever working; and in a fear of everything that savors of a sour, angry, hasty spirit, the bane of domestic felicity, and the great contradiction to the Christian temper. At noon-day, as you are not engaged in business, you must contrive to find a season for retirement, to be with your God and Saviour. Daniel and David did this, in the midst of all their great employments and numerous cares. "In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day, will I pray unto thee; and that instantly.” Psalm 55:17. Probably you will say, I am sadly at a loss what to pray for at each time. My rule is this: When I do not

Monday morning in prayer; and by that exercise, and making conscience of preparing for family duties, I found myself bettered."

pray, at noon, with Mrs. Venn, or if I do not find the spirit of prayer when alone, I read some Psalm, or some of St. Paul's Epistles; and presently find matter suggested from those lively oracles, and generally the spirit of prayer too. And when you find you cannot pray, rise from your knees, stand, or sit down, and ponder deeply on the state of your heart; ask yourself some such questions as these: "Have I no sins to confess, no corruptions to lament? Have I no need of pardon, or of the Holy Ghost, that I can be so stupid, so hardhearted? Oh, what a sinful man! how sunk, how fallen! how unable to help myself!" "Lord, arise !" will follow: and if it does not, this solemn consideration of your own vileness will be exceedingly profitable to your soul, and endear the name of a Saviour, and convince you that you are saved through sovereign grace, abounding in God's Son.

At evening, you must have a stated time