but as thou art, through grace, a partaker of the promise, it is rather a present than an alms. You know I must be employed about something; I hate idleness; I would sooner be what Elijah was, a zealous faithful troubler of Israel, than a candid sluggard, who will not lift his hand to his mouth. You would insist upon treating me with a sight of the curiosities of the Tower, and as a recompence I have sent you the few spoils that I pilfered and pocketed from thence: one good turn deserves another; I have presented to your view what you desired should be presented to mine; and in order to pull down the price of seeing the Tower, the greatest part of its curiosities are here exhibited to a candid public at so small a price as one shilling; only for the sake of ready money. With respect to the sale of these curiosities, your assiduity, vote, interest, and recommendation is expected. Advertisements in public newspapers, booksellers' prefaces, outcries at places of public sesort, or the vapourish puffs of hawking pedlers, appear to me as so many indications of the craftiness of the trader, and the worthlessness of the stale commodity: stinking fish require a loud and a lying cry; they must be turned over in haste before the customer's eyes; a large price fixed and insisted on; a deal of talk in striking the bargain is required; and an hasty flight, attended with a great noise, when the commodity is delivered, lest a hue and cry should follow. I was very sorry at the report of thy sickness; am thankful for thy recovery: this sickness has not been unto death; all the time we gain by trading there is no room for complaint, whether we occupy, business in deep waters or suffer in the furnace of affliction; every confession, petition, supplication, intercession, or tribute of praise that is offered to God, has its promise in the word of God, and will turn out to good account at last. It is better to live near the Tower with a good hope through grace, than to have the bounds of our habitation fixed in Stationers' Court, where there is Creed Lane at the back, Paternoster Row in the face, Ave Maria Lane on the right hand, and Amen Corner at the left. I would sooner find the blessings of one chapter of the Bible in my heart, than have possession of the Chapter House; it is better to have Paul's God than to be Dean of St. Paul's church. I would sooner be blessed with a good state of health, than have the advice, gratis, of a college of physicians; a useful doctor of divinity is better than a doctor of physic; a man's spirit will sustain the infirmities of the body, but a wounded spirit who can bear? Farewell; excuse haste; and believe me to be thy willing servant, to serve thee with such as I have. Dated from the Burning Bush, W. H. FREE THOUGHTS IN CAPTIVITY, AND THE THINKER IN THE TRAP. BEING AN ANSWER TO A LATE PAMPHLET, ENTITLED, FREE THOUGHTS, WRITTEN BY THE REV. MR. SKINNER, OF CRANBROOK, LET THE WICKED FORSAKE HIS WAY, AND THE THOUGHTS. UNRIGHTEOUS MAN HIS FOR GOD KNOWS THE THOUGHTS OF THE WISE THAT THEY ARE VAIN, 1 COR. 111. 20; THE SNARE IS LAID FOR HIM IN THE GROUND, AND A TRAP FOR HIM IN THE WAY. JOB XVIII. 10. ΤΟ ZION, THE CHOSEN DAUGHTER OF GOD, THE ONLY WIFE OF THE LAMB, AND MY MOST VENERABLE AND EVER-BLESSED MOTHER; AND TO EVERY BRANCH OF HER ILLUSTRIOUS FAMILY; WHETHER IN SOUL-TRAVAIL, IN INFANCY, IN CHILDHOOD, MANHOOD, Or old age, AND TO NONE ELSE, THIS LITTLE TRACT IS INSCRIBED BY HER FAITHFUL, AFFECTIONATE, AND DUTIFUL SON, W.H. S.S. |