for one who feels his own unworthiness for the service of his God, and yet wishes to be an instrument of doing great good to souls: and if I' should not be very successful in my ministry, methinks it would be reward enough to have laboured for God, and not to have been employed in the drudgery of Satan."

The next letter, to the same correspondent, contains a specimen of his talent for the compositionof sermons at that age. It affords a pleasing proof of his early skill in the practice of an art în which he eventually so much excelled.

No. 5.

Hertford, Dec. 3, 1805.

"I have sent you my thoughts upon (or rather my way of discussing) that text Mr. Knight preached from. I hope your candour will excuse imperfections. I never read any thing up-on it, and it is the production of a boy.

MATTHEW v. 20.

"For I say unto you, that except your righte ousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribesand Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

GENERAL HEADS.

1st.-EXPLAIN THE NATURE OF THE RIGHTEOUS. NESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES.

2d.-SHEW IN WHAT RESPECTS OUR RIGHTEOUS

NESS MUST EXCEED THEIRS.

3d.--NOTICE THE CONSEQUENCES OF POSSESSING A RIGHTEOUSNESS NO BETTER THAN

THEIRS.

1st HEAD.-EXPLAIN THE NATURE, &c. It was self-righteousness.-Luke xviii. 9.

1st.-This righteousness is founded in ignorance

Of God's nature,

Of the spirituality of his law,

Of the deceitfulness of the heart,

And of the true method of salvation.

20 HEAD. SHEW IN WHAT RESPECTS OUR RIGH

TEOUSNESS SHOULD EXCEED THEIRS.

6

The righteousness here termed yours is the righteousness of Christ, which becomes ours by imputation, in the same manner as our sins became Christ's. This righteousness thus becoming ours, exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees,

1st.-In its origin. It is divine-the other human, or Satanic; as we doubt not, Satan first infused self-righteous thoughts into the minds of men, &c.

2d.-Its nature and particular properties. This righteousness

Delivers us from bondage,
Saves us from sin,

Gives us holiness of life,
Makes us victorious in death,
Joyful in judgment, and

Happy through all eternity.

The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees cannot do this.

But our Lord might also allude to that righteousness which is implanted in us, as well as that which is imputed to us, and that far exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees in its effects, which are real good works, which Spring from a good motive,

Are directed to a good purpose,

And have a good end.

These works are not meritorious, but serve for the justification of our faith, not of our persons, and they far exceed the legal performances of the self-righteous.

3d HEAD. NOTICE THE CONSEQUENCES OF POSSESSING A RIGHTEOUSNESS NO BETTER THAN THEIRS.

Fe shall in no case enter into, &c.

1st. Here we must necessarily dwell a little upon the nature of the kingdom of heaven.-Consider 1. The person of the King.

2. The happiness of the subjects.

3. The eternal duration of his reign, &e. 2d.-How dreadful a thing to be shut out of this kingdom.

sd.-How peculiarly striking is the language of the Saviour ye shall in no case, &c.

Notwithstanding all your professions, long prayers, alms givings, &c. Fe shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'

From this subject we draw a few inferences. 1.-We may learn from hence, the evil nature of sin. If all self-righteousness be so bad, what must unrighteousness be?

2. We here see the only true method of salvation the righteousness of Christ.

3.-How necessary is daily, serious self-examination,

in order to ascertain to which class we belong. 4. We likewise infer the necessity of prayer, for instruction and grace.

5.-How dreadful is the case of the self-righteous character.

6.—The believer may hence draw some comfort. He is interested in Jesus Christ, and shall outride all the storms and troubles of life, sing the dear name of Jesus in the hour of death, and stand unmoved amidst the jarring elements, the wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds.'

"May the God of hope bless us both-fill us with all joy and peace in believing-enlarge our spiritual coast-give us to see more and more of the sinfulness of our nature-the depravity of our heartsthe imperfection of our graces-the smallness of our knowledge-the sufficiency of Jesus-the stability of our hope-the fulness of Christ. May he give us to see that our names are written in heaven

may he brighten up our evidences for gior,

establish our faith-enlarge our desires-and give us hungerings and thirstings after righteousness. May we enjoy the blessings of salvation-the sweetness of communion with God-the peace bought and purchased for us by Christ Jesus-and that joy in the Holy Ghost, produced by his influences-and may we learn more and more of the heights, lengths, depths, and breadths of the love which passeth knowledge. May we dwell together in that happy land, where none but the righteous can eater, and where our worship shall be undisturbed.

"And now, my dear brother, I commend you to the hands of that God who doth all things well, and who taketh care of those who put their trust in him; and hoping soon to hear from you, I subscribe myself,

"Your truly affectionate friend,

"THOMAS SPENCER.”

"I think myself very happy in having such a friend as you prove yourself to be. I know affection towards me is too deeply rooted in you ever to be erased by separation. Life's greatest blessing is a well chosen friend, and I do feel it so. You cannot imagine (only by your own feelings) what pleasure I take in recollecting past scenes,