will take fome of your claffics, in order to keep up, and improve your knowledge of the languages; efpecially fuch as may increase your critical acquaintance with the New Teftament. I am your affectionate and faithful fervant, JOB ORTON. B2 LET I LETTER II. COMPLY with your request in writing to you, though I have nothing to say very deserving of your notice. But I am determined there shall be no defect in my friendly regards for you, how many foever there may be in the manner of expreffing them. I was glad to hear of your fafe arrival at Cheverel; though it was a mortification to me not to fee you in your way thither. You retire to a COUNTRY VILLAGE under fome difadvantages, arifing from the feason of the year, and the agreeable fituation you have left.* But you have good reafon * BRIDGNORTH, in the county of Salop. The Editor's birth-place: near which are the venerable remains of HORDE's Park, the feat of his ancestors of that name for many centuries. reason to believe that you are in the way of duty, following your great Master's directions, and doing his work in that station which he hath appointed for you; and I have a chearful perfuafion, that you will be made very useful in it. To fee this, will add charms to folitude, and pleasure to study and preaching: and abundantly make up what otherwife you would greatly regret the loss of. Every person to whom your labours prove beneficial, will be a faithful friend to you, and love and honour you as a fpiritual father. Though your dif tance from your good Mother* is a painful circumftance, yet, as fhe has other dutiful children with her, this will alleviate it both to her and to * Some afflictive circumstances, which afterwards befell this excellent parent, especially a paralytic feizure, reminded her children of the following you and furely our Mafter very reafonably requires us to leave father, mother, houfe, &c. yea all, to follow him (Matt. x. 37.) and you wellknow what he promises to those who do it with courage and chearfulness. As you preach but once on a Sunday, permit me to advise you on the other following lines of Mr. POPE, which were defcriptive of their filial affection towards her. Me, let the tender office long engage, With lenient arts, extend a Mother's breath, And keep awhile one Parent from the sky. She died April 8, 1793, in the 74th year of her age. (Jude 21, latter part.). She had been educated a diffenter, by her pious parents, who lived at Weft-Bromwich, in Staffordshire; and continued fuch till fhe married, May 20, 1741; her husband being a strict conformist; by whom she had had thirteen children: four of whom furvive, defiring to " arife up, and call her bleffed." other part of the day, to give your auditory a fhort, plain, and practical Expofition of the Epiftle or Gospel for the day; which will be a very ufeful exercife to yourself-extremely agreeable to the parish—and, if I mistake not, is required in fome of your canons or epifcopal directions. (See canon 49.) Archbishop TENNISON, in his Letter to his fuffragans, (1695) faith-"I recommend to your care the preaching of your clergy in the afternoons upon catechetical heads; both that the people may be better grounded in the faith, and alfo kept from other affemblies." Many of our elder clergy used expounding in the manner I propofe; and Bp. BURNET in his Paftoral Care, urges long texts, and Short fermons, that is, expounding. B 4 * I fup See alfo Abp. HORT'S Inftructions to the Clergy, p. 24, &c. and Abp. SECKER's third Charge to his Clergy. |