.MEMOIRS OF DR. WATTS. Evü of elevated rankand eminent literary reputation. Their letters* tohim are written inan uncommon strain of veneration and esteem, and although many expressions occur which bear too nearan affinity to the language of flattery, thosewhoknew the man and were benefited by his writings may be allowed some latitude beyond what is commonin such cases. If, while the deadly night shade of infidelity is diffusing its poison through our country, churchmen and dissenters, especially the clergy and thosewho entertain the same views of the faith that was once delivered tothe saints, couldagree thus 'to differ, and lay aside all intemperate zeal for and against the modes and forms of religion ; would they mutually cherish bro- therly love and unite as far as possible to aid each others exertions in the common cause ; what a mighty change would soon be produced in the state of religion, and what sources of pleasure theywould daily open to the advocates of the truth ? Mental light has no immediate or necessary dependance upon exterior circumstances, norcan it be confinedwithin the bounds of anydenomination, so like that glorious element its progress is irresistible, andmust beunbounded in its dominion. Here superstition has no influence, bigotry has no power ; and although we cannot accurately pronounce the Shibboleth and Sibboleth of different parties, wemay yet unite our prayers and our zeal where, as the candidates for eternal life, weare all one. As we often perceive in chemical experimentsthat two things the most hostile by nature, and most averse to unite, by the additionof a third become perfectlymiscible, so by a spiritof true piety and candour poured out uponboth, we should see conformists and non- conformists extend to each other the right hand of fellowship andunite in every officeof friendship and in all the obligations of their religiouscharac- ters. May the auspicious period soon dawn when Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and when Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Let us no more contend, nor blame Each other; blamed enough elsewhere, but strive, In offices of love, how we maylighten Each other'sburden in our share of woef . "Such characters as Dr.Watts still live and flourish in our churches (I adopt the words of a late acute writer). It would beeasy to givea long list of names from thedawn of the reformation to this day: but -I sacrificethe plea- sure of doing so to the modestyof myfriends. This however, I will ven- ture to say, and no man shall stop me of this boasting, we have in oüf churches now exact copies of our ancient models. The prophets, do they live for ever ? Yes they do. The spirit of Elijah rests upon Elisha ! The grave solidityof Cartwright and Jacob seemed to reside in our Owens and Goodwin and Gills. The vivacity of Watts and Bradbury and Earle lives in others, whom I dare not name. The patient laborious Fox, the silver Bates, the melting Baxter, the piercing Mead, the generousWilliams, the instructive Henry, the soft and candid Doddridge, Ridgley, and Gale, and Bunyan and Burgess, in all their variegated beauties yet flourish in our pulpits exercising their different talents for mutual edification. We have r.B'arnabas the sott of consolation, and Boanerges the thunderer, Letters published by Dr: Gibbons. f Milton.
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