to enter into the spirit of the apostle's exhortations, Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord: Do all heartily as unto the Lord, and not unto men. I am persuaded that you may conduct your secular business in a spiritual frame of mind; and that I may be very carnal, even when writing, preaching, and praying, all the week long. But it is good to be aware of our danger, and watchful over our hearts. We have not attained; but must press forward, lest we be carried backward.-I rejoice at the accession to your domestic comforts : and the satisfaction I have in my family makes me do it more feelingly. Yet these comforts must be attended with trials.....My only daughter has, for the greatest part of the winter, been confined by repeated attacks in the lungs, which threatened a consumption.... We must therefore commend them to our God by constant prayer, and endeavour to bring them up in his ways; and then all will be well.-My second son leaves me to-morrow to receive ordination. He is to be curate at a village close to Olney, where (at Olney) I was once curate. Pray for him that he may be a faithful and useful minister! I have good hope of it.-We all join in respects, and best wishes, and prayers for you, Mrs. and your family. "Your's sincerely, "THOS. SCOTT." "Aston Sandford, December 12, 1805. "So much for dull business: and, alas! I have little time to add to it.-As a parent who has lost children, and felt keenly at the time, I can sympathize with you and Mrs. on the loss of your beloved child. But the Lord never errs, nor is ever unfaithful or unkind. I have no doubt of the salvation of infants, at least of those of believers, who die before they commit actual sin: and it is worth all our labour, pain, and sorrow, to be instruments of God in giving being to an heir of heavenly happiness. This is an affliction tempered with some sweetness: and the sweetness will remain, or increase, when the bitterness is past and I think of my children that are gone before, at some times with almost as much pleasure as of those who are living. But the loss of a child, grown up, and living and dying in evil courses, is bitterness tempered with no sweetness, except submission to the sovereignty of the only wise God.... for "We unite in Christian respects and prayers you and your's. "I am, dear sir, "THOS. SCOTT." "DEAR SIR, "Aston Sandford, January 7, 1807. "YOUR account of the religious concerns of your congregation is very affecting: but, alas! it is not at all unlike what is very common in this country. I was, however, in hopes that superficial endowments had not borne so high a price in the northern, as in the southern part of our island. I think that none of our religious bodies are quite scriptural in their rules and orders. Each has per haps some advantages, and each some disadvantages....A principle of disunion seems, however, interwoven with the independent plan, when carried to its full extent: and, as a variety of things may influence a majority, even of a religious society, to make a wrong choice; and are especially likely to have this effect when vital religion is not very flourishing; there seems also a principle of declension interwoven, and none of recovery or revival. For, as religion declines, a superficial teacher will be more acceptable, and perhaps an erroneous one: and, when he is removed, it is not likely that the majority will prefer a holy heartsearching preacher. So that revivals must arise generally in some other way. "But how is it in the church of England? Here I could say much: for certainly the manner in which ministers are appointed is not what could be wished. And I am of opinion that, till men of every party will seek out what is unscriptural among themselves, and acknowledge it, and use their influence (if they have any,) to alter it; and also will consider what is scriptural among others, and allow it, and propose it to imitation-instead of vindicating, right or wrong, all their own usages, and condemning all the usages of other companies; not one step can be taken towards healing our divisions, or endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace. "Here in England the old strict dissenting societies generally decline for a time, and often become Arian, &c. but the removal of evangelical clergymen, when such as are of opposite sentiments succeed them; and the random and super ficial, yet zealous and active, exertions of irregular or more lax dissenters, continually supply a great number of recruits. Sometimes they join old societies, become a majority, and give a turn to their concerns; and frequently they establish meetings, rather congregational, but often almost non-descript. This is not a healthful state: but it is far better than death.-But enough of this.... "Begging an interest in your prayers, "Your faithful friend and servant, "THOS. SCOTT." "Aston Sandford, “Dear Sir, July 26, 1809. "I OUGHT to have acknowledged your's sooner: but I live in a perpetual hurry of engagements. I am employed daily from morning till night: and then my conscience reproaches me for having neglected something that should especially have been done. I dream continually (though awake,) of some approaching time, when I shall overtake my work, have more leisure, and be more punctual: but the expected time arrives, and I am as hurried as ever.-Well: it is as well to do too much as too little; to rub out as to rust out, as the puritans used to say: and I have the satisfaction of knowing that all my employments are of a useful tendency, and many of them actually useful. I hope that you will bear with my tardiness; and I rejoice that there remaineth a rest—the keeping of a sabbath-an eternal sabbath-for the people f God.-I have great reason to be thankful that my health is restored to about its former state; and I seem as capable of labour as heretofore. I last Lord's day performed the whole service three times; preached about an hour each time, one with another; performed some extra parochial duties; and rode about eleven miles, without any peculiar inconvenience. Yet many things (such as Barzillai speaks of, 2 Sam. xix. 36,) remind me that I am old, and that I have not very long to continue here. Pray for me that my last days may be the most useful and most comfortable.......... "I did not not think of writing more than a few lines, when I began: but I seem conversing with an old correspondent, and write on without duly considering how little time I have to spare.—I hope and pray that you and your's may be the blessed of the Lord, and, though we are not likely to meet on earth, that we shall meet in a better world. “I remain, dear sir, "Your faithful friend and servant, "DEAR SIR, "THOMAS SCOTT." "Aston Sandford, December 14, 1811. ...."I HAVE now sold the copy-right of the Bible, and nearly all the complete sets. I am to have 20007. for the copy-right: but even that, when paid, will not clear all my debts. But I have a considerable quantity of printed paper, which will gradually bring in something: and at last, if we can say with good old Jacob when near death, God that fed me all my life long, the Angel that redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads! bless |