LETTERS OF ARCHBISHOP LEIGHTON, Printed from the Originals, AND FIRST PUBLISHED IN HIS SELECT WORKS, 1768. LETTERS, &c. No. I. :། SIR, I SEE there is no place, city nor country, valley nor mountain, free from that sentence so early passed upon the earth for man's cause, thorns and briars shalt thou bring forth; but he that is well shod walks on the safelier till he comes where there are none but seeing that is not here, we are to use the greater coolness and deliberation in our removes. If your present company be some way irksome, a greater solitude may prove more so, only if God both sensibly fits you for it, and points clearly out the way to it, follow him; otherwise my advice should be not to hasten too much, and particularly at no hand so to hasten as to run in debt for it; for I speak it on experience, he that sets up any where in debt, it will keep him possibly wrestling and at under many years; but if you let your incomes do their own business, pian piano, as they come to your hand, you will find it much easier to do, and sweeter when it is done: meanwhile I know you can digest all a little longer, as hitherto you have done. To your other point touching baptism, freely my thought is, it is a weak notion taken up on trust almost generally, to consider so much, or at all, the qualifications of the parents. Either it is a benefit to infants, or it is not. If none, why then administered at all; but if it be, then why should the poor innocents be prejudged of it for the parents' cause, if he profess but so much of a Christian as to offer his child to that ordinance for that it is the parents' faith gives the child a right to it, is neither clear from Scripturé, nor any sound reason; yet in that I heartily approve your thoughts, that you would make it, as it most fitly may be, an active inducement to the parents to know him and his doctrine, and live conform to it, unto whose name they desire their children to be baptised. But in this, and the other business, and in all things, I am confident that good Hand, to which I know you have given up your. self, will graciously guide you .... they miscarry that desire to h... ...... will but his, Oh let it still entirely be so with you and your resigned Friend R. L. 'Tis well our great journey is going on, and will quickly set us where we would be. The business you write of is to you one signal step of it, marked out by that Sovereign Hand, which, I doubt not, will lead you in it, and all along through what remains, to whom I know you are constantly. SIR, No. II. SOME days ago I received some lines from you, and they were very welcome; for I know no better news can come from any corner of the earth, than of a soul attempting to overcome the world and its own self, and in any degree prevailing and resolving still onwards; all the projects and conquests of the world are not to be named to it. Oh! what a weariness is it to live amongst men, and find so few men; and amongst Christians, and so few Christians; so much talk and so little action; religion turned almost to a tune and air of words: and amidst all our pretty discourses, pusillanimous and base, and so easily dragged into the mire, self and flesh, and pride and passion domineering while we speak of being in Christ, and clothed with him, and believe it because we speak it so often and so confidently. Well I know you are not willing to be thus gull'd, and having some glances of the beauty of Holiness, aim no lower than perfection, which in end we hope to attain; and in the mean while the smallest advances towards it are more worth than crowns and sceptres. I believe it you often think on these words of the blessed champion Paul, 1 Cor. ix. 24, &c. There is a noble guest within us. Oh! let all our business be to enter ́tain him honourably, and to live in celestial love within, that will make all things without be very |