Chobham House, Jan. 13th, 1807.
My dear Friend,
MR. J. favoured me with a sight of the letter you wrote to him. It gave
me great pleasure to find you in the first class, and to hear, also, that
you are fagging for your next term; though, blessed be God, human science
is no indispensable requisite, either for salvation or for a minister of
the Gospel, yet it possesses innumerable advantages, and I doubt not but
you will hereafter reap the fruits of your present exertions. Our
greatest fear, my dear Armstrong, is that we should substitute learning
for religion, and lest we should endeavour to regulate our conduct more
by our present supposed circumstances than by the will of God; but I am
persuaded your fears on this subject are similar to my own, and,
therefore, I need not enlarge. As for myself, when I sometimes stand
still, and consider how ardently I am engaged about trifles, and, as
Young observes,
“Wasting my strength in strenuous idleness,”
I am quite ashamed, and I go making fresh resolutions of more devotedness
to God and more zeal in his service: but, alas! how little ground do I
gain after all! Assist me with your prayers, your constant daily
prayers; and though we are distant in place, let us meet one another in
spirit. My time of evening devotion is from six to seven; let us
endeavour in simplicity of heart to meet one another at this time at the
throne of grace; and may God pour on each of us that which will not only
impart a _present_ blessing, but diffuse a sacred tune of heavenly
affection through the _residue of our lives_. Our employments
necessarily require the exercise of thought, and very much tend to
produce what the Methodists term “distraction;” but still the constant
influence of the Divine Spirit, and a continued simplicity of intention,
will enable us to be recollected, even in the midst of our studies. I
was very much pleased lately in reading in the “Epistles of the Apostolic
Fathers” a passage in one of St. Ignatius’ Epistles, somewhat to this
effect; he is giving us some directions for our conduct in life, and
adds, “But even the _worldly_ things which _ye do_ are _spiritual_, for
ye do _all things_ in Jesus Christ.” Oh that this may be the temper and
spirit of our lives; may all _our worldly things_ be offered upon this
altar, which sanctifies the gift; and after this transitory scene of
being is ended, may we with pleasure retrace a life entirely filled with
God. I remain, my dear Armstrong,
Yours, affectionately and sincerely,