letter ii

DEAR Mr I return the sermon with many
thanks ; I am greatly obliged to you for it, and
particularly for your kindness in saying I am
heartily welcome to it. I trust the Lord may bring
me, and all dear to me, to the blessed state which
the sermon describes that of a Christian to be. I
must also thank you for your little prayer at the
end of your note, you have not one in your parish
who needs it more. You say you hope I sometimes
offer one for you ; it would be strange if it was
only sometimes, but if you knew what my prayers
are, you would beg to be left out. Indeed I am not
satisfied on that head ; for some weeks I have not
been able to pray at all, and seldom to read (I mean
in private), and it is more wretched than I can say.
Perhaps if you are not engaged, you will be kind
enough to send me a few lines to say, if you ever
knew this to be the case with any of whom you had
hopes, and what you think is the cause of it, for
I suppose it must be my own fault. I sometimes
fear the Lord's Spirit will not strive with me any
longer. I hope you will excuse my troubling you
about myself; but there is no peace, while the Lord
hides from us the light of his countenance. It will
be a happy time, when we shall have done with this
body of sin.
Yours, most sincerely