Whitehall, April 30, 1731.

I WAS folicitous to know the writer of a book which came to me with an anonymous letter, because I was very much pleased with the performance. The reasonings are clear and strong; and the manner of writing, ferious and truly chriftian. You judge very right of what I mean by the infufficiency of reafon to be a guide in religion; and it is ftrange, how the person who has written against my Second Letter, fhould understand me in any other fenfe, when he knew I was writing against those who affert fuch a fufficiency of reafon as renders revelation needless; and when I had guarded against all mifconftructions, by diftinguishing between reafon in a state of innocence and in a state of corruption; and took the estimate of what it can do, from what in fact it has done.

Since you are refolved that the author of the Strength and Weakness of Human Reafon fhall continue unknown, I will punctually comply with

VOL. II.

B

your

your direction in that particular, till you fhall think fit to discharge me from the obligation you have laid me under. But, in my own private judgment, I cannot think the reafons you mention for your continuing unknown, of weight enough to hinder the doing juftice to yourself. I am, Sir, your affured friend and fervant,

EDM. LONDON.

LETTER II.

GOOD SIR,

Fulham, July 14, 1734.

I Return you my hearty thanks for your late

valuable prefent, which has given me both pleafure and profit; and I am fatisfied it will give the fame to every honeft mind that attends to it. Only, I am fomewhat afraid, that the first part to Sect. 14. though laid out with great exactness, yet, being alfo abftracted and philofophical, may discourage perfons, who are not accustomed to close thinking, from going on to that part which more immediately relates to practice, and which throughout is very plain and edifying.

You will pardon the freedom I take, and believe me to be, with great truth and respect, Sir, your very faithful friend and fervant,

EDM. LONDON.

LET.

LETTER III.

GOOD SIR,

Fulham, Aug. 21, 1739.

I Received the favour of your letter, and am glad to find that you think the cautions which I have given against lukewarmnefs, may, by the bleffing of God, be of fome fervice to religion. There is, without doubt, great need to awaken people out of that unhappy state; and the labouring to do it, is what may truly be called the chief part of the minifterial office. But though we may hope that there are few who wholly neglect the work, we muft never expect that it will be done by all with équal zeal and life. When you speak of the way of preaching among the Diffenters, you will not expect it from me to believe, that all the preachers do it with the fame force and energy that Dr. Watts has done, and ftill does, and I pray God he may long continue to do.

After I had given directions to my clergy, and put them into the hands of every particular incumbent, I think I could fay no lefs, than that I hoped they were not unmindful of them, unless I knew the contrary.

It is a great misfortune to the Church of England, that in market towns, where there is the greatest need of able minifters, there is ufually the meanest

B 2

meaneft provifion for them; which gives great advantage to the preachers of other denominations, and may, in fome places, be the occafion of particular people chufing to refort to them, rather than to the church. This may fometimes happen either through the want of vigour and earneftnefs in the delivery, or through an unhappiness of voice, and fometimes by not preaching fo frequently upon points purely chriftian as the perfon could wish; cafes to be much lamented when they do happen, but not to be prevented or wholly remedied by the utmost care and endeavour that a bifhop can use, unless he had the appointment of them.

It had been happy for Mr. Whitfield, if he had taken the wife advice and cautions you gave him. But, from the time that men imagine themfelves to be fingled out by God for extraordinary purposes, and in confequence of that to be guided by extraordinary impulfes and operations, all human advice is loft upon them. However, as God knows how to bring good out of evil, I will hope that these extravagancies of theirs may be the occafion of fome good in the event, if they do not get too much head. I am, with great affection and esteem, Sir, your very faithful fervant,

EDM. LONDON.

LE T

LETTER IV.

GOOD SIR,.

Whitehall, Nov. 29, 1745.

I AM obliged to you for your favourable accept

ance of my Paftoral Letter. The two things that may be fairly pleaded in its favour are, that it was feasonable and well meant.

If it please God to deliver us once more from the terrible judgment of popery, there will be a neceffity of reviewing the laws against it, and removing all appearances of rigour, beyond what is apparently neceffary to our own future prefervation. And when that is done, I think it may be very right to enjoin the publication of them in the way you mention. At the fame time, it will be highly fit to oblige papifts to renounce all fuch principles as are deftructive of civil fociety, and of the government under which they live.

I heartily with you a better state of health; and,. confidering the great good you are doing out of the pulpit, you may very well excuse yourself from going into it, under a decay of strength, and with evident prejudice to your health. I am, with great truth, Sir, your faithful friend and fervant, EDM. LONDON.