ferable even among Adults, who have, or may have juft Apprehenfions of their Duty. And for those who have not, and perhaps cannot have, God will accept them according to what they have, and not according to what they have not. These Laft, however, I take to make up the Bulk of Mankind in all Ages. For the Prevalency of moral Good, see Archbishop KING on the Origin of Evil, especially Note (AA).

Laying all these Things together, viz. the Case of Infancy and Childhood, the Cafe of invincible Ignorance, the much greater Number of good Actions than bad, I think there are fufficient Grounds for a charitable Presumption, and I meant nothing more. A great many other Things might be taken into the Account, as

the

the Strength of fome Men's Paffions, which I have hinted at in the fame Paragraph. As for the Scripture Texts which feem to say, that the Number of the faved will be few, I beg Leave to refer the Gentleman to Sermon XIIth, Vol. IV. of Dr. CLARKE'S Pofthumous Sermons; to which I may add the pious and judicious Archbishop SHARP, in his VIth Serm. of Vol. III.

But if the Gentleman fhould think the Paffage indefenfible, as perhaps it is, I fhall either ftrike it out, if ever the Book has a second Edition, or qualify it as above *: and any other obnoxious Paffage, which he or you will be so kind as to fhew

*N. B. The Author has qualified the Paffage referred to, by adding the Words, throughout the whole Creation. Vid. SEED's Sermons, Vol. II. p. 97. Second Edition.

me,

me, shall have the fame Fate. Pray my humble Service to him.

I write this with a violent Fit of the Head-ach upon me, which hinders me from expreffing myself so well as I could with.

I am ashamed, that I have not anfwered a former Letter of your's before this. The Truth of the Matter is, it is unanfwerable: Though I always read your Letters with Pleafure, yet it is a Mortification to me to answer them: because I cannot write with that Life and Spirit with which you do. I thank you for the many ingenious Things you fay in your laft. I shall keep it by me as an Inftance how far you could be mistaken, in your younger Years, in your favourable Judgment on me and my Sermons. I hope this Let

ter

1

ter will find you well. It is fome Pleasure to me, that you do not complain of your bad State of Health, as you did in the Letter before. What Succefs do your Proposals meet with? I am afraid you find, what I always obferved, that the World does not encourage modest Worth. Pray let me hear from you, and believe me to be,

DEAR SIR,

Your affectionate Friend,

Enham, July 12th,

1743

J. SEE D.

The

The Fifth LETTER.

Wrote, under a feigned Name, to a FRIEND in a dangerous Fit of Sickness.

SIR,

A

Sincere Defire to do you

Good, which is my only Motive to write, must be likewise my only Apology for troubling you with this Letter.

If I am not mifinformed, your Cafe is not without fome Danger You may, for ought you know, ftand just upon the Brink of Eternity; an Eternity of Happiness or Mifery. And will you, Sir, audaciously rush into the facred Prefence of the great Judge of Heaven and Earth, as the Horfe rufbeth into the Battle,

M