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 Letters of the late John Thorp of Manch 
 
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Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
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 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031257805 
 
LETTERS 
 
 THE LATE 
 
 JOHN THORP, 
 
 OF MANCHESTEK, 
 
 A MINISTEK OF THE GOSPEL IN THE 
 SOCIETY OF FEIENDS: 
 
 TO WHICH IS PREFIXED 
 
 A MEMOIR 
 
 THE LIFE OF THE WRITER. 
 
 Jesus salth, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. — John xIt. 6. 
 
 Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come 
 unto God by Him.— Heb. vii. 25. 
 
 REPRINTED FROM THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 FOE SALE AT FRIENDS' BOOK STORE, 
 No. 304 Areh Street. 
 
 1887. 
 
NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 The private estimation in which the following Letr 
 ters have been held has induced the belief that, by 
 publication, they would be rendered more extensively 
 useful. They were not written with any view of their 
 being committed to the press; most of them, therefore, 
 have been collected since the decease of the Writer, 
 who very rarely kept copies of his letters; and it may 
 be proper to remark that his own language has been 
 strictly adhered to. 
 
 In the second edition of these Letters, published in 
 1828, four letters not included in the first edition were 
 published, which have been inserted in the following 
 reprint. 
 
 Philadelphia, Third Month, 1887. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Memoir or John Thoep, ... . . . ix 
 
 Testimony, from the Monthly Meeting of Hardshaw-East, 
 
 concerning John Thorp, xxxi 
 
 Letter I. 
 To John Cash, dated Tenth Month 22nd, 1765, ... 37 
 
 Letter II. 
 To John Cash, dated Fifth Month 26th, 1766, ... 39 
 
 Letter III. 
 To John Cash, dated Fourth Month 11th, 1767, ... 40 
 
 Letter IV. 
 To John Cash, dated First Month 13th, 1768, ... 42 
 
 Letter V. 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Fifth Month 10th, 1775, . . 43 
 
 Letter VI. 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Twelfth Month 12th, 1776, . 45 
 
 Letter VII. 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Seventh Month 17th, 1777, . 50 
 
 Letter VIII. 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Eighth Month 23rd, 1778, . 54 
 
 Letter IX. 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Sixth Month 17th, 1779, . . 59 
 
 Letter X. 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Fourth Month 16th, 1780, . 63 
 
 Letter XL 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Eleventh Month 5th, 1780, . 64 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 Letter XII. page 
 
 To Frances Dodshon, dated Ninth Month 24th, 1781, . . 67 
 
 Letter XIII. 
 To Richard Shackleton, dated First Month 11th, 1782, . 70 
 
 J^ETTER XIV. 
 To Robert Valentine, dated Eighth Month 15th, 1782, . 74 
 
 Letter XV. 
 To Richard Shackleton, dated Tenth Month 28th, 1782, . 76 
 
 Letter XVI. 
 To , dated : , 1782, 78 
 
 Letter XVII. 
 To Richard Shackleton, dated Fifth Month 24th, 1784, . 82 
 
 Letter XVIII. 
 To , dated , 84 
 
 Letter XIX. 
 To , dated Tenth Month 26th, 1786, . . 87 
 
 Letter XX. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Seventh Month 8th, 1787, . 89 
 
 Letter XXL 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eighth Month 15th, 1787, . 90 
 
 Letter XXII. 
 To Richard Shackleton, dated Twelfth Month 25th, 1787, . 92 
 
 Letter XXIII. 
 To , dated Third Month 22d, 1788, ... 95 
 
 Letter XXIV. 
 To Franee-s Dodshon, dated Fourth Month 1st, 1788, . 97 
 
 Letter XXV. 
 To Elizabeth JoUey, afterwards Elizabeth Bludwick, dated 
 
 Fourth Month 13th, 1789, 99 
 
 Letter XXVI. 
 To Richard Shackleton, dated Tenth Month 4th, 1789, . 100 
 
C N T K N T S. V 
 
 Letter XXVII. page 
 
 To Elizabeth Rathbone, dated Seventh Month 19th, 1790, . 102 
 
 Letter XXVIII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated First Month loth, 1791, . . 104 
 
 Letter XXIX. 
 To Richard Shackleton, dated Third Month 18th, 1791, . 107 
 
 Letter XXX. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated First Month 22d, 1793, . .111 
 
 Letter XXXI. 
 To Elizabeth Rathbone, dated , . 114 
 
 Letter XXXII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eleventh Month 15th, 1794, 116 
 
 Letter XXXIII. 
 To Martha Routh, dated Ninth Month 14th, 1795, . 119 
 
 Letter XXXIV. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Fourth Month 26th, 1796, . 122 
 
 Letter XXXV. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Second Month 2d, 1798, . 126 
 
 Letter XXXVI. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Tenth Month 28th, 1799, . . 128 
 
 Letter XXXVII. 
 To John Bludwick-, dated Tenth Month 13th, 1801, . . 131 
 
 Letter XXXVIII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated First Month 21st, 1802, . . 132 
 
 Letter XXXIX. 
 To John Hancock, dated Eleventh Month 20th, 1802, . .134 
 
 Letter XL. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Twelfth Month 3d, 1802, . .140 
 
 Letter XLI. 
 To Sarah Benson, dated Twelfth Month 20th, 1802, . .141 
 
 Letter XLII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Twelfth Month 31st, 1802, . 144 
 
VI C O N T E X T S. 
 
 Letter XLIII. page 
 
 To Sarah Benson, dated Third Month 3d, 1803, . . .144 
 
 Letter XFJV. 
 To Lindley Murray, ... ... 146 
 
 Letter XLY. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Fifth Month 10th, 1803, . . 147 
 
 Letter XLVl. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated First Month 13th, 1804, . . 149 
 
 Letter XLVII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eleventh Month 3d, 1804, 151 
 
 Letter XLVIII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Twelfth Month 18th, 1804, . 152 
 
 Letter XLIX. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Twelfth Month 2.5th, 1804, . 154 
 
 Letter L. 
 To , dated . . . . 155 
 
 Letter LI. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Tenth M.mtli 22d, 1805, . . 160 
 
 Letter LIl. 
 ToRichardReynolds, dated Fourth Month 10th, 1806, . 161 
 
 Letter LIIl. 
 To John Bevans, dated Fifth Month 16th, 1806,-. . . 163 
 
 Letter LIV. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eighth Month 21st, 1806, . 164 
 
 Letter LV. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Second Month 19th, 1807, . 166 
 
 Letter LYI. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Second Month 5th, 1808, . . 167 
 
 Letter LVll. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Seventh Month 26th, 1808, . 169 
 
 Letter LVIIL 
 To Richard ReynoUls, dated Twelfth Month 1st, ISOS, . , 170 
 
C O N T E N T S. vn 
 
 Letter LIX. page 
 
 To Richard Eeynolds, dated Fifth Month 2d, 1809, . . 171 
 
 Letter LX. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eighth Month 15th, 1809, . 172 
 
 Letter LXI. 
 To , dated Ninth Month 11th, 1809, . .173 
 
 Letter LXII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Fourth Month 23d, 1810, . 175 
 
 Letter LXIII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eighth Month 1st, 1811, . . 176 
 
 Letter LXIV. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Fourth Month 30th, 1812, . 178 
 
 Letter LXV. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Twelfth Month 12th, 1812, . 179 
 
 Letter LXVI. 
 To Richard Eeynolds, dated Sixth Month 10th, 1813, . . 182 
 
 Letter LXVII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated First Month 28th, 1814, . . 184 
 
 Letter LXVIII. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eighth Month 10th, 1814, . 185 
 
 Letter LXIX. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated First Month 18th, 1815, . . 186 
 
 Letter LXX. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Eighth Month 9th, 1815, . . 188 
 
 Letter LXXI. 
 To Richard Reynolds, dated Second Month 20th, 1816, . 189 
 
 Reflections on the allotments of Providence in the varied 
 
 conditions of mankind 191 
 
 A Prayer . 195 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 Had the writer of the following Letters left an account 
 of his religious experience, his life and pursuits, there is 
 much reason to believe that such a Memoir would have 
 been very interesting and edifying. The hand of another 
 can but faintly describe the early and powerful visitations 
 of Divine love extended to him ; the exercises, spiritual 
 conflicts, and baptisms, which he had to pass through, 
 during the progress of his regeneration; the mercy and 
 saving help vouchsafed to him, in and by our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, by whom, through fiiith and obedience, he obtained 
 the victory ; and by whom, also, he was qualified and 
 enabled to labor that others might be brought to the same 
 happy experience. Yet from an apprehemeion that to 
 many who may read the Letters, and who were not ac- 
 quainted with the writer, a memoir of his life and charac- 
 ter, including a short notice of a few of his principal 
 correspondents, would be acceptable, maiiy of his friends 
 have wished that an account thereof might be given ; and 
 havingknown John Thorp upwards of thirty years, during 
 which time I had frequent opportunities of enjoying his 
 company and conversation, and for the greater part of it 
 an open and unreserved friendship with him, several of 
 my friends, whom I have great reason to esteem, have 
 repeatedly urged me to the undertaking. I would gladly 
 have had the work performed by one better qualified, 
 being sensible of my want of ability to do justice to the 
 subject; yet the regard I have for the memory of my 
 
X MEMOIR. 
 
 friend, and the desire whfch I feel to contribute (however 
 feebly) to hand down to posterity some memorial of one 
 deservedly dear to me have finally prevailed upon me, so 
 far as I may be enabled, to comply with the request. 
 
 It will be proper to observe, that John Thorp's own 
 memorandums furnish but very few materials for a me- 
 moir of himself; and most of those who were acquainted 
 with him in early life being deceased, not much is now 
 known respecting his conduct and character during that 
 period, except such circumstances as he hath occasionally 
 mentioned in conversation with his intimate friends. To 
 give this account something of the form of a continued 
 narrative, it may be necessary to introduce here a few 
 particulars, noticed in the testimony of Hardshaw-east 
 Monthly Meeting. 
 
 John Thorp was born at Wilmslow, in the county of 
 Chester, on the 5th of the Eleventh Month, 1742, N. S. 
 He was the posthumous son of Jonathan Thorp, a farmer, 
 who left but little property. The care of his maintenance 
 and education, therefore, with that of several other chil- 
 dren, devolved on his mother, whose maternal care and afiec- 
 tionate solicitude, under the trying circumstances in which 
 she was thus placed, he frequently mentioned with feelings 
 of filial gratitude. His parents were members of the 
 Church of England, in profession with which he was edu- 
 cated. He was, irom very early life, sensible of the 
 workings of evil in his own heart, and also of the mani- 
 festation of the Divine principle of light and grace, which 
 showed him the evil. Possessing considesable-energy of 
 mind, and but little disposed to submit patiently to those 
 disappointments and trials, to which, through life, man- 
 kind are universally subject, with some variety, but with 
 no exception ; and self-will rising unrestrained to obtain 
 
MEMOIR. XI 
 
 its purpose, he frequently experienced mortification and 
 sorrow. In this frame of mind, he was led, at times, 
 deeply to ponder, whether or not this was the irrevocable 
 lot of man, and whether there was not a possibility of 
 deliverance from such a state. Here that adorable Mercy, 
 which found our first father, after his transgression, wan- 
 dering in nakedness and want, and in boundless compas- 
 sion brought to him that promise of redeeming Love, " the 
 seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," visited, 
 in a remarkable manner, the subject of this Memoir ; in- 
 troducing him into a state of mental retirement, and pow- 
 erfully impressing his mind with that blessed invitation 
 and promise of the dear Redeemer, "Come unto me, all 
 ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you- 
 rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me : for I am 
 meek and lowly in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your 
 souls." He was made sensible that this world is not the 
 place of rest for man, but that it is intended for a proba- 
 tionary passage to, or preparation for, a state of uninter- 
 rupted happiness hereafter ; and that this preparation can 
 only be effected by the taking up of the cross to all the 
 corrupt desires and passions of fallen nature. 
 
 During these exercises, he believed it to be required of 
 him to decline the practice of singing, in which he had 
 taken great pleasure, and had been a noted singer in that 
 called the parish church of his native place ; but he con- 
 tinued some time longer to attend that place of worship. 
 Being now convinced that, as God is a spirit, and that 
 they who worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and 
 in truth, the forms and ceremonies practised there did not 
 furnish that edification and comfort which his soul longed 
 for ; yet his regard for, and sense of duty to his tenderly 
 affectionate mother, made the thoughts of separating from 
 
Xll MEMOIR. 
 
 her, in the solemn and important duty of public worship, 
 very trying to him ; though at times, when present with 
 her, he was so much distressed, and felt such strong con- 
 victions that he was not in his proper place, that, to use 
 his own words, his knees have been ready to smite to- 
 gether. 
 
 In reference to this season of his early* and Divine 
 visitation, in a conversation with a religious person, not a 
 member of the Society of Friends, a few years before his 
 decease, he feelingly remarked, that he had never since, 
 for a moment, had to doubt the certainty or the source of 
 those convictions which were thus, at a very early age, so 
 remarkably and so indelibly stamped on his mind ; that 
 shortly afterwards, he attended a meeting of the people 
 called Quakers, at Morley, a village about two miles dis- 
 tant from his native place, where he found, publicly pro- 
 fessed and advocated, as the principles of a religious com- 
 munity, doctrines consonant with the convictions which 
 had operated so powerfully on his mind, adding, that if he 
 were only preserved in the way of his duty to the end, 
 which then could be at no great distance, he should have 
 cause to rejoice, and be thankful through eternity, that 
 his lot had been cast amongst them. 
 
 It appears, by the records of Morley Monthly Meeting, 
 that in the year 1762, in the twentieth year of his age, he 
 applied for, and was received into membership by that 
 Meeting. For some years after his admission into the 
 Society of Friends, he had to pass through many and deep 
 baptisms, in being made willing to bear the cross patiently, 
 
 * The time of this remarkable visitation is not clearly known, 
 hut from several circumstances, which he has occasionally men- 
 tioned, it IB probable that it was about his fourteenth or fifteenth 
 year. 
 
MEMOIR. xni 
 
 and to become an humble follower of a crucified Re- 
 deemer; to renounce the world, with all its friendships 
 and interests, the flesh and the devil, and daily to make 
 war in righteousness against the enemies of his soul's sal- 
 vation — the pride and selfishness of his own heart. 
 
 He was often made sensible of the depravity of man, 
 how prone he is to feed upon vanity and pride, and that 
 even in his best pursuits ; and to seek his treasure and 
 comforts from earthly things, instead of being willing to 
 become as a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth ; but, by 
 continuing in faithful obedience to the manifestations of 
 that Divine light, by which he had been early visited, he 
 was often renewedly strengthened to offer up himself an 
 unreserved sacrifice to the Divine disposal, and to petition 
 the Father of all his mercies that He would sanctify the 
 offering to himself. In the seasons of his deepest tempta- 
 tions, he was made to believe that he was not wholly for- 
 saken of his God; that He, who had condescended to 
 visit him when he was as one lost and blind, would not 
 leave him, (if he continued faithful,) when he had be- 
 come enamored of his ways. After many proving seasons, 
 he was brought to know an anchoring upon the everlast- 
 ing Rock, Christ Jesus ; and it became more and more 
 his delight to do the law of the Lord his God, and to live 
 continually as in his holy presence. Thus he came to 
 know the accuser to be cast down, and to experience the 
 glorious liberty of the sons of God. 
 
 In 1763, he removed to London, as appears by a short 
 letter, dated the 20th of the Ninth Month in that year, 
 addressed to an intimate friend. 
 
 From the circumstances in which his mother was left 
 by the death of his father, it may reasonably be con- 
 cluded that his education was comparatively limited ; but, 
 
XIV ilEMOIR. 
 
 however this might be, his removal to London greatly 
 facilitated his access to books and the means of informa- 
 tion ; and possessing a comprehensive understanding, he 
 very much improved himself, during his residence there, 
 in the knowledge of various branches of useful learning. 
 The following account of his conduct when in London, 
 being well authenticated, may be worthy of record. A 
 relation, who accompanied him from the country, and 
 with whom he had joint lodgings, and his oldest brother, 
 an officer in the army, a man of talents and general 
 knowledge, formed, for some time, nearly the extent of 
 his acquaintance. With these companions, who were his 
 superiors in information and learning, and for whom he 
 felt the attachment arising from relationship, he at times 
 delighted to converse ; but, through Divine help, he in- 
 flexibly resisted ^1 their persuasions and entreaties to 
 deviate, in any one instance, from that steady and uni- 
 form religious practice of life and manners, which he had 
 believed it to be his duty to adopt. He occasionally ac- 
 companied them in an evening's walk ; but if they gave 
 way to any levity of conduct, or turned aside into any 
 tavern or place of diversion, he immediately left them, 
 and returned to his lodgings. 
 
 He continued to reside in London about four years, 
 living much retired ; yet he was known to some valuable 
 Friends, by whom he was esteemed. In the latter part of 
 the year 1767, he removed to Manchester, where he con- 
 tinued to reside to the end of his days. 
 
 On the 4th of Ninth Month, 1769, he married Martha, 
 daughter of John Goodier, of Morley Meeting, by whom 
 he had two sons — Samuel, who died in infancy, and John, 
 who is now living. She was removed from him by death. 
 
MEMOIR. XV 
 
 after the short union of four years, which event he has 
 been heard to mention as a peculiarly exercising afiBiction. 
 
 For several years after he had settled at Manchester, 
 there does not appear to be much further to remark upon, 
 except that he continued under a deep religious exercise 
 and concern, that nothing might be permitted, to obstruct 
 or retard his progress in that way which leadeth to the 
 heavenly kingdom ; pressing " toward the mark, for the 
 prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Under 
 the influence of these impressions, he believed it right for 
 him to keep his temporal concerns in a small compass, 
 steadily declining offers that were made to induce him to 
 embark more extensively in business ; desiring neither lot 
 nor inheritance in the land ; asking only a passage 
 through this world in peace, with " food to eat, and rai- 
 ment to put on." During this period, he was favored 
 with the kind regard of some valuable Friends, among 
 whom he has particularly mentioned that excellent minis- 
 ter of the gospel, Sarah Taylor. She was concerned to 
 sympathize with him in his spiritual exercises, and to en- 
 courage him to continue in faith and patience ; she being 
 persuaded that he was under the preparing Hand for ser- 
 vice in the church, , 
 
 Having fulfilled the " weeks of preparation," and " eaten 
 the roll of prophecy," he was, by the great Master, called 
 to the work of the ministry. The exact time when he first 
 appeared in this service, is not now known, but it was 
 about the year 1773. His first communication in. the 
 ministry was a revival of that prophetic declaration of 
 Isaiah, " Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and 
 the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen and your 
 vine-dressers." His early testimonies, as a minister, were 
 mostly short ; but being delivered in the renewed open- 
 
XVI M E M 1 E . 
 
 ing3 and authority of the Word of Life, they were to edifi- 
 cation, and gave satisfactory evidence that he was rightly 
 qualified for that important service. In 1775, he took his 
 seat in the Meeting of Ministers and Elders, as an ap- 
 proved minister. Being careful to occupy with the talents 
 which he had received, he was favored to experience an 
 increase of his gift, and to be made an able minister of 
 the New Testament, " not of the letter, but of the spirit." 
 
 In the Seventh Month, 1775, he married, to his second 
 wife, Martha, the daughter of Thomas Cash, of Morley, 
 and sister to Thomas Cash, of the same place, of whom 
 there is an account in the tenth volume of " Piety Pro- 
 moted." By this wife he had seven children, four of whom 
 died in their infancy, and three of them survived him. 
 
 Between 1775 and 1781, under the influence of a great 
 degree of sympathy, and in the love of the gospel, he ad- 
 dressed several letters to Frances Dodshon, who was at 
 that time under deep spiritual trial and depression. Most, 
 if not all, of these letters, will be found in this publication ; 
 and as the language of encouragement in them is peculi- 
 arly strong, it is thought that the following short notice 
 of the friend to whom they were written, will not be un- 
 acceptable to the reader. 
 
 Frances Dodshon was descended from a respectable 
 family near Leek, and jvas born in 1714. Her parents 
 were possessed of a considerable estate, and were in pro- 
 fession with the Church of England. She possessed a 
 good understanding, and had been educated in all those 
 accomplishments which were deemed necessary to her 
 rank in society. About the twentieth year of her age, 
 she was so fully and availingly convinced of the princi- 
 ples of truth, as professed by Friends, that in the most 
 
MEMOIR. XVll 
 
 trying seasons of her life, as she was often heard to say, 
 the foundation of those principles could never be shaken. 
 Soon after being united in membership with the Society 
 of Friends, she was called to the work of the ministry, for 
 which she was well qualified by her Lord and Master. 
 Whilst health and ability were afforded, she labored much 
 in the exercise of her gift, travelling into most parts of 
 England, ScojtJftnd and Wales. Her openings were clear 
 in the doctrine and authority of the gospel, and communi- 
 cated with lively zeal. She was frequently led to speak 
 to the states of individuals ; and there is no doubt but her 
 labors were blessed to the spiritual help and edification of 
 many. In the course of her warfare, through this vale of 
 tears, she had, both spiritually and temporally, to combat 
 with many afflictions ; yet in all, and tlirough all, she was 
 hiddenly supported by Him in whom she had most surely 
 believed. Her deepest trials were occasioned by the Ap- 
 prehension that she was. forsaken by the Beloved of her 
 soul ; yet was the language of a deeply tried servant ex- 
 pressive of the exercise of her spirit : " My righteousness 
 I hold fast, and will not let it go." The following extract 
 from one of her letters to John Thorp, will show the tried 
 state of her mind : 
 
 Deae and truly sympathizing Feieis^d :— 
 
 I seem to myself guilty of ingratitude in being so long silent, 
 after receiving so valuable and encouraging an epistle from 
 thee, which I often read with close attention, and with hum- 
 ble and fervent desire to be helped to lay hold of some degree 
 of that living faith and hope, thou so fully and feelingly ex- 
 pressest thyself to be favored with on my behalf, and which I 
 endeavor to encourage my drooping spirit in concluding would 
 not be the case with thee, or my dear friend Sarah Taylor, or 
 any of the living in Israel, if I were really (as I am painfully 
 
XVlll MEMOIR. 
 
 tempted to fear) totally cast off or forsaken by the Father of 
 Mercies. Yet although I consider things in the most favor- 
 able light my afflicted state will admit, and esteem it, as I 
 justly ought to do, a favor which I cannot be too thankful for, 
 to be thus under the notice, tender regard, and deep travail in 
 spirit of many faithful souls, it is beyond expression what I 
 yet suffer, for want of the evidence, or revival of living faith 
 and hope in my own mind, that the Lord will again return, 
 and show mercy to my disconsolate, imprisoned soul, which 
 goes mourning all the day long, and cannot be comforted, be- 
 cause the blessed Comforter, He who alone can deliver my 
 soul, seems yet afar off; and the cruel accuser almost continu- 
 ally at hand, to bear down and frustrate my utmost endeavors 
 to draw near to the Fountain of help and strength, to be en- 
 abled to lay hold of hope and faith to resist the iiery darts of 
 the wicked one. Oh ! my dear friend, could I but hope that 
 I am of the number thou mentionest of the Lord's chosen 
 ones, whose names are written in the Book of Life, I should 
 esteem no baptism too deep, nor any suffering too long, or too 
 great to endure. But herein lies my great discouragement, 
 that I seem, in my own painful apprehension, to suffer as an 
 evil-doer, or one who, through inattention and want of due 
 circumspection, has offended an all-gracious Being, and caused 
 Him to withdraw his blessed presence, light, life, and holy 
 Spirit ; and oh ! what in this stripped, desolate state has the 
 poor soul to cleave to, or flee to for refuge and support ; as tlie 
 experienced Psalmist says, " If the foundations be destroyed, 
 what can the righteous do 1" They have not another to go 
 unto, nor can expect preservation, comfort, or help, but from 
 Him whom they experimentally know hath the word of eter- 
 nal life, and also the key of David, and alone can open their 
 shut-up state, and by his powerful voice say, even to the spiri- 
 tually dead, " Come forth !" Then, and not till then, can we 
 feel our spirits quickened by Him, who is of a truth the resur- 
 rection and the life of every truly living souL that lives to and 
 in Him. 
 
M B M i R . xix 
 
 Frances Dodshon lived to advanced age, and during 
 the latter years of her life, she was, at seasons, by the 
 power of Divine love and light, raised above the deep de- 
 pression before described ; and when of ability to attend 
 meetings, was at times enabled to preach the gospel with 
 life and power. 
 
 There is abundant cause to believe that, in the earlier 
 as well as the latter stages of religious experience, our 
 Heavenly Father, in his wisdom and mercy, is often 
 pleased to suffer his most approved servants to be deeply 
 tried with an abasing sense of their helplessness and un- 
 worthiness ; to withdraw the light of his countenance, and 
 to leave them sorrowful and forlorn, and all with the gra- 
 cious design of furthering the work of their sanctification. 
 In these seasons of tribulation, they may be strongly 
 tempted to listen to the accusations of the enemy, and to 
 distrust the Lord's faithfulness and love; but whether 
 these trials originate in natural or spiritual causes, John 
 Thorp's letters to Frances Dodshon will, there is no doubt, 
 long continue to cheer and animate many a doubting and 
 fearful pilgrim. 
 
 John Thorp did not believe himself to be called to 
 travel so much in the work of the ministry as many others 
 of his fellow-laborers have done, yet he was frequently 
 concerned, under the influence of gospel love, to visit his' 
 Friends in the neighboring meetings, both in Lancashire 
 and Cheshire, and he took some longer journeys on the 
 same account. In the year 1784, accompanied by his 
 friend Martha Routh, of Manchester, he paid a religious 
 visit to the families of Friends of Penketh Meeting, and 
 immediately after to the families of Friends in Warring- 
 ton : Rebecca Wright, from America, joining them in the 
 visit, and Sarah Reynolds, of Penketh, to part of the 
 
XX MEMOIR. 
 
 families. From Warrington he proceeded to visit the 
 families of Langtree and Ashton Meetings, Martha Routh 
 and Sarah Reynolds continuing with him. In the dis- 
 charge of this service, it appears, from information re- 
 ceived, that he was much favored. 
 
 In 1787, in company with his ancient and beloved 
 friend Sarah Taylor, he visited the families of Friends 
 belonging to Liverpool Meeting. In 1789, he united with 
 Deborah Darby and Rebecca Young in a similar visit to 
 the families of Friends of Manchester Meeting. 
 
 In the Eighth Month of 1792, died his highly valued 
 friend Richard Shackleton, of Ballitore, in Ireland, in the 
 sixty-fourth year of his age, between whom, and the sub- 
 ject of this memoir, a near friendship and valuable cor- 
 respondence had subsisted for several years, and to whom 
 several letters in this volume are addressed. 
 
 Richard Shackleton was a man who possessed strong 
 natural powers of understanding, improved by a liberal 
 education, and these being sanctified and brought into 
 subjection to the cross of Christ, he became qualified for 
 distinguished usefulness in the church. He filled, for 
 many years, the station of an Elder with great propriety, 
 being eminently furnished, by his Divine Master, with 
 .wisdom and ability to communicate encouragement and 
 counsel to such as stood in need. The sense which John 
 Thorp had of the church's and his own loss, from the de- 
 cease of his friend, appears by a letter which he addressed 
 soon after that event to Eliza Shackleton, and which, 
 coming to the publisher's hands too late to be inserted in 
 its proper place, may not unsuitably be introduced here : 
 
 Eighth Month, 1792. 
 In justice to thee and myself, I ought sooner to have ac- 
 
MEMOIR. XXI 
 
 kiiowledged iny gratitude for thy condescension, in writing to 
 me the particulars of my dear friend, thy father's decease. 
 Looking at the church militant, his death is a loss to all but 
 himself. I sympathize with you, I feel for the churoh, and 
 regret my particular share in the general loss ; his company 
 was to me exceedingly pleasant and lovely. I felt, almost at 
 all times when with hini, a more than common union with 
 hira ; both as a man and Christian, I loved him dearly. 
 
 I rejoice in that I was much favored with his company. At 
 our last Yearly Meeting, lie condescended to go with me, or 
 take me with him often in the evenings. I prized the oppor- 
 tunities, and treasure up his remarks as the fruit of experi- 
 ence and mature judgment. I am thankful for the share he 
 allowed me in his friendship ; for the instructive opportunities 
 I have had of his conversation ; and for the valuable letters I 
 have received from him, by all which I desire to improve. 
 
 Give my dear love to thy mother ; it is likely her separation 
 from him will be but of short duration. I have no doubt she 
 will soon be with him: in the kingdom of Divine joy. With 
 regard to the deceased, doubtless, our loss is his gain. I feel 
 something like congratulation with him, as having arrived safe 
 at the desired port, and entered into the fruition of the glori- 
 ous reward of good labors. May a double portion of that 
 Spirit which made him bright and useful, rest on all his chil- 
 dren, that they may not only walk worthy of such a father, 
 but of that high and holy vocation wherewith we are called', 
 by our Heavenly Father, to glory and virtue. To the guid- 
 ance and protection of Israel's Shepherd, I recommend thee, 
 and all thy father's house, desiring. He may have you alway* 
 in his keeping. 
 
 I am, with the salutation of love, to thyself, thy family, and 
 sisters, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
XXll MEMOIR. 
 
 In the Eighth Month of 1793, John Thorp attended 
 the funeral of his friend Frances Dodshon, who died at 
 Macclesfield, and was there interred. About the Eleventh 
 Month of this year, he visited the families of Friends in 
 Manchester Meeting, having Martha Routh, before-men- 
 tioned, and also his friend Mary Robinson, a minister of 
 the same meeting, as companions in the service. 
 
 About the close of the year 1797, in company with 
 Martha Routh, he again visited the families belonging to 
 his own meeting ; and soon after, they performed a simi- 
 lar visit to the families of Morley Monthly Meeting. 
 
 In the Eighth Month, 1802, he left home for London. 
 Whilst there, he sat with Friends in all the meetings in 
 the metropolis, and was at several of those in the neigh- 
 borhood. He returned home by Coventiy, Warwick and 
 Birmingham. This journey he mentions in a letter to 
 Richard Reynolds, dated Twelfth Month 3rd. 
 
 In the summer of 1806, he wholly declined business, 
 having, through the good providence of God, a sufficiency 
 for his future support. In the Eighth Month of this year, 
 he lost, in the sixty-first year of her age, his faithful and 
 aflTectionate companion, to whom he had been united 
 thirty-one years ; she had been in a declining state of 
 health for some months. This loss he very sensibly felt, 
 and has feelingly described in a letter to Richard Rey- 
 nolds, dated Eighth Month 21st, 1806. 
 
 In the year 1808, after attending the Yearly Meeting, 
 he visited all the meetings in the metropolis, and several 
 of those in the vicinity. He left London the 17th of 
 Sixth Month, arrived at Bristol the following day, and 
 continued there until the 1st of Seventh Month, attending 
 meetings as they came in course. From Bristol he went 
 to Worcester, where he was at the meetings on First-day ; 
 
MEMOIR. XXUl 
 
 and on the Third-day following he went to Coalbrookdale ; 
 after attending several meetings at this place, he returned 
 home, taking, in his way, the Monthly Meeting at Shrews- 
 bury. In many of the meetings, on this journey, he was 
 silent; but in others he was enabled, by his Lord and 
 Master, to preach the gospel in the demonstration of the 
 spirit, and with power, greatly to the comfort and rejoic- 
 ing of many. 
 
 In the year 1812, he found his mind drawn, in gospel 
 love, to unite with Priscilla Hannah Gurney and Susanna 
 Naish, in a religious visit to the families of his own meet- 
 ing. They had one hundred and nineteen sittings, and 
 accomplished the work in twenty-nine days. At the con- 
 clusion of this visit, he accompanied the same friends in a 
 similar one to the Friends of Morley Monthly Meeting. 
 The last service of this kind, in which he was engaged, 
 was with John Bottoraly and Elizabeth Bludwick, in the 
 year 1813, when he accompanied them to most of the 
 families of his own meeting. He was then in his seventy- 
 first year. Whilst ability of body was afforded, he con- 
 tinued in the practice of visiting the neighboring meetings, 
 as he felt himself drawn thereto by his Divine Master. 
 
 He was frequently invited to attend marriages and 
 burials at a distance. At such times, he was careful to 
 seek for Divine counsel, that he might be preserved from 
 complying with, or declining such invitations in his own 
 will. He has sometimes mentioned, to his intimate friends, 
 his regret at what appeared to him an over earnestness, 
 manifested by some, for the company of ministers on such 
 occasions. 
 
 His powers of expression were strong and persuasive, 
 an(J these being made subservient to his great Master's 
 cause, he became, through the power of Divine love emi- 
 
XXIV MEMOIR. 
 
 nently qualified affectionately to entreat others to come to 
 that Fountain of Mercy and saving help, by which he had 
 been often refreshed and strengthened. 
 
 To those who, in their Christian pilgrimage, had to go 
 mourning on their way, whose hands were often ready to 
 hang down, he was many times a "•son of consolation," 
 encouraging them, in an animating manner, to keep hold 
 of faith and patience, and still to hope that He, who had 
 been their morning light would be their evening song. 
 But the subject that formed the most prominent and fre- 
 quent exercise in his gospel labors, was closely to recommend 
 to all, an earnest, serious, and impartial examination into 
 the state of their own hearts, to see how theii- accounts stood 
 with God ; and to set forth, how great and irreparable 
 would be the loss to those who unwisely neglect the oppor- 
 tunity afforded, of embracing the all-sufficient means ap- 
 pointed of God for their redemption. 
 
 He was often concerned, in his public communications, 
 to turn the attention of his hearers from himself to the 
 subject ; and to direct them to look to God, instead of the 
 instruments for instruction and help, for want of which he 
 believed that many suffer much loss. 
 
 He was very exemplary in his movements in the minis- 
 try, and frequently, especially when at home, sat meetings 
 in silence. He spent much time in retirement, a practice 
 which he recommended to all religiously disposed persons. 
 It was his practice, during a great part of his life, to take 
 a Avalk, mostly alone, in the fore part of the day, generally 
 into the fields. These walks, taken with much regularity, 
 there is reason to believe, often proved seasons of religious 
 exercise and devotion ; and some, who have casually met 
 with him, have been struck with the solemnity of ^is 
 countenance. 
 
M E M 1 ». XXV 
 
 His reading had been extensive and various, and was 
 to him a source of much satisfaction. In the former part 
 of his life more especially, he read, with close attention, 
 the writings of early Friends, and carefully informed him- 
 self of the creeds of the various religious professors ; but 
 the writings which he read most frequently, (next to the 
 Holy Scriptures, which he greatly preferred to all other 
 books,) were those, by whomsoever written, which treated 
 of religion, as being an individual, experimental work, 
 consisting in obedience, and not in speculative knowledge 
 or in mere profession. Yet, notwithstanding the satisfac- 
 tion that reading afforded him, he was fully sensible, and 
 often remarked, how little all the knowledge that can be 
 obtained, even from the best of books, will avail those 
 who neglect a reverent attention to the Divine law, written 
 in their own hearts. During the closing years of his life, 
 he confined himself very much to the New Testament, and 
 to a work well known amongst the Society of Friends, 
 entitled " Piety Promoted." 
 
 He mixed but little with general society, and to strangers 
 there was probably in his appearance, something like re- 
 serve ; yet he had much pleasure in the company of his 
 friends. In conversation, he united innocent cheerfiilness 
 with Christian gravity. Possessing a retentive memory, 
 and a mind well stored with useful information ; and having 
 a peculiarly strong, clear, and apt mode of expressing his 
 sentiments, his company was very interesting. He had a 
 particular enjoyment in the society of such as he believed 
 to be his fellow-pilgrims in seeking a better country. With 
 many of these, (and his view was very far from confining 
 the number of them to the religious Society of which he was 
 a member) he maintained an intercourse, of which there 
 
XXVl M E M 1 R . 
 
 are living witnesses who can testify, that it was to them a 
 source of blessing. 
 
 He frequently visited, as in a casual way, many of the 
 Friends of his own meeting, and of other meetings in the 
 neighborhood. To these visits, he appeal's to have been 
 often drawn by the influence of Divine love, as, in many 
 of them, he was enabled pertinently and impressively, to 
 communicate much instructive counsel. 
 
 He was favored with an excellent constitution of body, 
 and with uninterrupted health, which continued, with but 
 little alteration, until the autumn of 1815, when he was 
 visited with a slight attack, apparently of the paralytic 
 kind, which, in some degree, impaired his powers of body 
 and mind ; yet his understanding remained clear to the 
 last, and he continued to attend his own meeting as usual. 
 He was able to walk about and visit his friends, and his 
 mind appeared to dwell in Divine love. 
 
 The last time he appeared in the ministry was in 1816, at 
 a funeral which -was attended by a considerable concourse 
 of people. On this occasion he was, in a very feeling man- 
 ner, enabled to call the attention of those present to the 
 uncertainty of life, and the necessity of being prepared 
 for death. At the grave side, he addressed the widow, 
 who was left with a numerous young family, in the lan- 
 guage of the prophet; "Leave thy fatherless children, I 
 will preserve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me." 
 
 In the Ninth Month, 1816, his beloved friend Richard 
 Reynolds, of Bristol, departed this life, in the eighty-first 
 year of his age. Of this distinguished philanthropist, the 
 character is generally known ; but as all may possibly not 
 be acquainted with it, a short account of him may serve 
 to elucidate some passages of those letters, in the following 
 collection, which were addressed to him. 
 
MEMOIR. XXVll 
 
 Richard Reynolds was, for many years extensively 
 engaged in the Iron trade, by which he very considerably 
 increased his wealth. Under the influence of religious 
 principle, he was sensible of his responsibility to Him, to 
 whom belongeth "the earth, and the fulness thereof ;" and 
 his heart being enlarged in love to God, and good-will to 
 men, it is believed that, after taking from his large income 
 sufficient only for his own moderate establishment, he de- 
 voted the whole of the remainder to charitable purposes. His 
 beneficence was guided by great wisdom, which rendered 
 the benefit still more extensive. His benevolence raised 
 the admiration of all who knew him ; yet he was far from 
 being elated by this circumstance, or by the possession of 
 wealth ; and in the distribution of his bounty, he frequently 
 concealed the hand which sent the relief He was a truly 
 humble-minded Christian, and was often tried with a deep 
 sense of spiritual poverty. He had also a very low view 
 of the stewardship committed to him, which he, on one 
 occasion, described to a friend in the following terms ; 
 " My talent is the meanest of all talents, a little sordid 
 dust ; but the man in the parable who had but one talent, 
 was accountable, and for the talent that I possess, humble 
 as it is, I also am accountable to the great Lord of all." 
 This good steward was favored to experience an increasing 
 and well-grounded confidence in the mercy of God through 
 the ever-blessed Redeemer, which he thus expressed in a 
 letter, written only a few days before his decease : " I have 
 done with this world, and all my happiness in it is from 
 the hope that I shall soon have it where there is neither 
 sin nor sorrow ; and that hope rests entirely on the mercy of 
 God, and the merits and meditation of Jesus Christ." 
 
 The end of this man was peace. 
 
XXVUl MEM OIK. 
 
 John Thorp survived the death of his friend, Richard 
 Reynolds, about twelve months, during which period he 
 frequently mentioned the prospect of his own dissolution. 
 About a week before his decease, he was seized with a 
 severe spasmodic affection. At this time, he manifested 
 great composure of mind, saying that, whichever way it 
 might terminate, all would be well. 
 
 The evening preceding his decease, he related to his 
 family the following circumstance, which occurred in his 
 youth, and which it is not known that he had ever before 
 communicated ; indeed, he very rarely, even in his own 
 family, or with his most intimate friends, made himself 
 the subject of conversation : " When a boy, about fourteen 
 years of age, my attachment to music and singing was 
 such, that when walking alone in the lanes and fields on 
 an evening, I frequently gratified myself by singing aloud ; 
 and indulged therein, even after my mind became uneasy 
 with the practice, until, in one of my solitary evening 
 walks, and when in the act of singing, I heard, as it were, 
 a voice distinctly say, ' If thou wilt discontinue that grat- 
 ification, thou shalt be made partaker of a much more 
 perfect harmony.' " Such was the powerful and convinc- 
 ing effect of this solemn and awful communication, that, he 
 added, he never afterwards indulged in the practice. In re- 
 lating this short and, to those about him, interesting anecdote 
 of his early youth, he was, towards the latter part of it, con- 
 siderably affected, and could not suppress his tears, which 
 appeared as the tears of gratitude to God, at this remem- 
 brance of his very early merciful visitation. 
 
 After a short suspense of conversation, he related the 
 circumstance of Luke Cock having been a great singer, 
 prior to joining the Society of Friends; and that John 
 Richardson said of him, " he was the greatest singer in 
 
MEMOIR. XXIX 
 
 that part of the country where he resided, and that he 
 sung then the songs of Babylon, by the muddy waters 
 thereof; but having drunk deep of the brooks of Shiloh, 
 which run softly into the newly converted soul, he could 
 sing and rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ." Whilst com- 
 municating this anecdote, he continued much affected and 
 in tears andhis manner of relating it was most impressive 
 and solemn. 
 
 He conversed cheerfully with his family during the 
 remainder of the evening. The following day, being the 
 30th of the Ninth Month, 1817, about five o'clock in the 
 afternoon, whilst sitting in his chair, he closed his eyes 
 and quietly departed. 
 
 John Beadshaw. 
 
 Manchester, Tenth Month 31 st, 1820. 
 
A TESTIMONY 
 
 FROM THE MONTHLY MEETING OF HAEDSHAW-EA8T, 
 CONCERNING JOHN THORP, DECEASED. 
 
 OuE beloved friend John Thorp was born at Wilmslow, 
 in the county of Chester, the 5th of the Eleventh Month, 
 1 742, according to the N. 8. His parents were in profession 
 with the Church of England. His father dying before he 
 was born, the care of his education, with that of several 
 other children, devolved on his mother, who, we have 
 reason to believe, was a sober, well-minded woman, for 
 whom he retained an affectionate and honorable esteem. 
 
 We have but little information respecting his conduct 
 when a boy, except that, at a very early age, he became 
 a singer in that called the parish church at his native 
 place, an exercise which he was then strongly inclined to ; 
 but being soon after favored with a visitation of " the day- 
 spring from on high," he believed it to be required of him to 
 relinquish this practice, in which he had taken great de- 
 light : and during a season of distress and mental retire- 
 ment from the world, it pleased the Father of mercies, by 
 the secret operation of his Divine Power, to open to his 
 mind the nature and spirituality of the gospel dispensa- 
 tion ; and to convince him that the saving knowledge of 
 God is only to be attained by the immediate revelation 
 and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Some time after, he began to attend the meeting of 
 Friends at Morley, about two miles distant from the place 
 of his birth. This he did in a way to be as little observed 
 as possible. There he found, publicly professed and advo- 
 
XXXll A TESTIMONY. 
 
 cated, the important doctrines which had been so clearly, 
 and, as he has since declared, so immovably impressed on 
 his mind. 
 
 Continuing to attend the meetings of Friends ; and feel- 
 ing unity with them, he was, in the twentieth year of his 
 age, admitted into membership. The following year he 
 removed to London, where he continued to reside about 
 four years, and, in the year 1767, he removed to Manches- 
 ter, settled there, and not long after, entered into the 
 married state. 
 
 For some years after his admission into our Society; he 
 had to pass through much deep exercise and spiritual' 
 conflict, finding in himsel:^ that he was opposed to that 
 state of humble resignation which had been, by the Divine 
 light, so clearly opened to his view, as necessary to be 
 attained ; but, through the powerful and effectual operation 
 of the grace of God, he was enabled tO' take up^ his cross, 
 to follow Christ in the regeneration, and to experience ai 
 preparation for that work and service in the church where- 
 unto he was appointed. 
 
 About the thirty-second year of his age, he appeared in 
 the work of the ministry. He was naturally a man of 
 strong mind, and a comprehensive understanding ; and 
 being feithful to the gift received, he became an able and 
 powerful minister of the gospel, reverently careful to wait 
 for the renewed openings of the Word of Life ; so that we 
 believe it may be truly said of him, that, when he minis- 
 tered, he did it of the ability which God giveth, approv- 
 ing himself a workman that needeth not to be ashamed; 
 rightly dividing the word of truth ; faithfully warning the 
 careless and worldly-minded of their danger ; encouraging 
 the sincere and upright-hearted ; and, to the mourners in 
 Zion, he was indeed a." son of consolation ;" and, through 
 
A TESTIMONY. XXXUl 
 
 the Divine blessing, his labors were made instrumental to 
 the spiritual advantage of many. 
 
 His labors in the work of the ministry were mostly con- 
 fined within the compass of his own Quarterly Meeting, 
 and his native county : except that he several times at- 
 tended the Yearly Meeting in London, and twice visited 
 the meetings of Friends in the metropolis and its neigh- 
 borhood, the latter time returning by way of Bristol. 
 He several times visited the families of Friends in his own 
 meeting, a service for which he was well qualified. 
 
 He was frequently concerned to testify, that the vvay to 
 the kingdom of heaven, is the way of humility, of self- 
 denial, and the cross ; the way which the Captain of our 
 salvation hath trodden before us and sanctified. In this 
 respect our beloved friend was an eminent example ; being 
 early and deeply convinced of the danger of seeking for 
 the treasures and possessions of this world, he was content 
 to remain in a comparatively low station. That he might 
 not be unnecessarily encumbered with the cares of this 
 life, and that he might be more at liberty for the service 
 of his Divine Master, he steadily declined, at a time when 
 he had an increasing family, the earnest and repeated 
 solicitations of some of his near relations to enter into 
 more extensive business ; yet he was favored to experience 
 the gracious promise of our blessed Lord fulfilled, that to 
 those who seek first the kingdom of God and his right- 
 eousness, all things necessary shall be added. 
 
 He was greatly and generally beloved ; and among his 
 more intimate friends, his natural cheerfulness, tempered 
 with Christian gravity, his deep experience and sound 
 judgment in Divine things, rendered his conversation pe- 
 culiarly interesting, instructive and edifying. 
 
 In the autumn of 1815, he. was visited with a slight at- 
 
XXXIV A TESTIMONY. 
 
 tack of the paralytic kind, by which his powers of body 
 and mind were in some degree impaired ; yet he was dili- 
 gent in attending his own meeting, and was much pleased 
 with the company of his friends, to whom his conversation 
 continued to be interesting and edifying, clearly evincing 
 his concern for the welfare of the church, and that his 
 mind was centered in Divine Love. 
 
 About a week before his decease, he was seized with a 
 severe spasmodic affection. At this time he manifested 
 great composure of mind, saying that, whichever way it 
 might terminate, all would be well. Continuing in a state 
 of patient resignation, as one having done his day's work, 
 and waiting for his Master's call, being supported by that 
 faith and confidence in the mercy of God through our 
 -Lord Jesus Christ, which he so feelingly described some 
 time before in a letter to a friend, in which he expressed 
 himself as follows : " At seasons, I feel a degree of conso- 
 lation and Divine peace that cannot be expressed in words, 
 which I would not exchange for a thousand times the 
 treasures of both the Indies ; in comparison of which I 
 should esteem, I do esteem, crowns and sceptres as dung 
 and dross. And at the much more frequent seasons, when 
 heavenly good is least sensibly felt, (I. hope I write it with 
 humble heart-felt gratitude,) my faith, and hope, and con- 
 fidence, are so firmly anchored on the everlasting Rock, 
 Christ Jesus, that when the rains descend, and the winds 
 and the storms beat, I am not greatly moved. I know 
 Him in whom I have believed, and that He will in mercy 
 keep all those who have committed themselves to Him." 
 
 The evening preceding his dissolution, he conversed 
 cheerfully with his family, and mentioned that he thought 
 it a great favor to be removed without much bodily suffer- 
 ing. The following day, being the 30th of the Ninth 
 
A TESTIMONY, 
 
 Month, 1817, about five o'clock in the afleruoon, whilst 
 sitting in his chair, he closed his eyes, and gently stretch- 
 ing himself, quietly departed ; and has, we have no doubt, 
 joined that' innumerable multitude which John beheld, 
 who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their 
 robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 
 His remains were interred the 6th of the Tenth Month 
 following, in Friends' burial ground at Manchester, after a 
 large and solemn meeting held on the occasion. He was aged 
 about seventy-five, and a minister about forty-three years. 
 Given forth by the Meeting aforesaid, held at Manches- 
 ter the 1st of the Fourth Month, 1818, and signed in and 
 on behalf thereof, by 
 
 John Bludwick, 
 John King, 
 John Bradshaw, 
 EoGER Mkrrick, 
 Thomas Hoyle, Jun., 
 Matthew Coebett, 
 William Thoep, 
 John Bancroft, 
 James Hall, Jun., 
 John Burgess, 
 William Fowden, 
 John Baggs, 
 Peter Taylor, 
 Benjamin Binyon, 
 Joseph' Eveleigh, 
 Joseph Crewdson, 
 Samuel Foesteh. 
 Joseph Fell, 
 Isaac Crewdson, 
 John Da vies, 
 John H. Cockbane, 
 W. G. Ansell, 
 
 Peter Clare, 
 James Hall, 
 John Wadkin 
 John Whitlow, 
 Joseph Funtofp, 
 William Boulton, 
 John Bancroft, Jun., 
 John Goodier, 
 Thomas Crewdson, 
 Wilson Crewdson, 
 John Worthington, 
 John Burton, 
 Isaac Hodgson, 
 Richard Oddib, 
 John Windsor, 
 Joseph Atkinson, 
 John Thistlethwaitb, 
 John Walton, 
 Michael Satteethwaite, 
 Thomas Fellows, 
 David Dockray, 
 
XXX VI 
 
 A TESTIMONY. 
 
 Mary Robinson, 
 Elizabeth Bludwick, 
 Elizabeth Crewdson, 
 Rachel Ckewdson, 
 Abigail Dockray, 
 Mary Rogers, 
 Mary Merrick, 
 Alice Atkinson, 
 Hannah Wadkin, 
 Ann Satterthwaite, 
 Martha Boulton, 
 Elizabeth Atkinson, 
 Margaret Flintopf, 
 
 Martha Clare, 
 Elizabeth Qoodier, 
 Mary Clare, 
 Mary Taylor, 
 Mary Kendal, 
 Deborah Binyon, 
 Alice Ryder, 
 Elizabeth Bancroft, 
 Ann Thistlethwaite, 
 Tabitha Eveleigh, 
 Sarah Neild, 
 Susanna Robinson, 
 Hannah Binyon. 
 
 Read and approved in our Quarterly Meeting for Lan- 
 cashire, held at Manchester, the Second-day of the Fourth 
 Month, 1818, and in and on behalf thereof, signed by 
 George Ckosfield, Jun. Clerk. 
 
 Signed on behalf of the Women's Meeting by 
 
 Elizabeth Crewdson, Clerk. 
 
LETTERS, 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Westminster, Tenth Month 22d, 1765. 
 To John Cash, (late of Coventry.) 
 
 Dear Friend : — With pleasure I received, read and re- 
 viewed thy most welcome and long-expected letter. It is 
 true, I see little in myself, and nothing of myself, sufficient 
 to secure me a place in the memory of my friends ; but 
 yet there are some reasons, not known to all the professoi^ 
 of friendship, that suffer me not to conclude myself for- 
 gotten by those whose favor I esteem, though I receive not, 
 so frequently as I could wish, the evidences of their affec- 
 tionate regard. 
 
 I very much approve of thy intention of marriage. 
 May our blessed Loid, if He please, who so remarkably 
 honored the marriage in Cana of Galilee with his pres' 
 ence, vouchsafe his glorious attendance at the solemniza- 
 tion ; and unite you to each other and to Him, in that 
 love which survives faith and hope, and is coeval with 
 eternity. 
 
 I am well pleased to hear of thy going into business for 
 thyself; I hope it will answer thy end. If I recollect right, 
 thou expressedst to me some diffidence of venturing into 
 trade : truly it behoves us to be cautious in matters of im- 
 portance ; but then, when we act our part to the best of 
 our understanding, it becomes us not (as Christians) to 
 despond. 
 
88 LETTERS OF 
 
 Let us remember, dear John, they that trust in the Lord 
 need fear no want ; for He hath said, " I will never leave 
 thee nor forsake thee ;" and ought we not to rest satisfied 
 in the most sure promise of Him who is faithful ? " Seek 
 ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all 
 things [necessary] shall be added unto you." He that 
 feedeth the ravens, and clothes the lilies : without whose 
 approbation a sparrow shall not fall, will not fail, if our 
 trust is in Him, to extend a paternal, providential care 
 over us, who are more considerable (though we be noth- 
 ing) than the grass of the field, or the fowls of the air, and 
 of more value than many sparrows. 
 
 I am obliged to thee for conveying my mother's love, 
 from whom I am glad by every opportunity to hear. It 
 
 gives me satisfaction to hear that friends at are 
 
 generally well, but I am really sorry there should be any 
 successors of the Laodicean church amongst them ; such a 
 disposition of luke-warmness must, and will for ever, be 
 productive of barrenness, of nakedness, of poverty and 
 want. Oh ! what can be done or said, to alarm the indo- 
 lent religious professors, who seem dead to their best reason 
 and truest interest ; insensible of the blessings and glory 
 of heaven, and deaf to his most glorious voice, who hath 
 so long multiplied his calls in mercy, and waited to be 
 gracious to them. Well ! well ! if such do not in time 
 (and the present is only theirs) rouse themselves from 
 their beds of ease, be zealous and repent, they may re- 
 member that He, whose word shall never go forth in vain, 
 hath already pronounced " Wo to them that are at ease in 
 Zion," and said to the lukewarm, " I will spew thee out of 
 my mouth." 
 
 I am entirely of thy opinion with regard to , 
 
 and abundantly convinced that our sentiments are just. 
 
JOHN TH OK p. 39 
 
 Alas ! alas ? flesh and blood would fain pray, though it 
 cannot wait ; and be a saint, though it cannot abide the 
 will of God. 
 
 I do not know that I have any thing more to add, and 
 perhaps I have trespassed too much on thy patience al- 
 ready ; so for this time conclude, and subscribe myself thy 
 most loving and affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Westminster, Fifth Month 26th, 1766. 
 To John Cash. 
 
 My dear Friend : — With regard to that part of thy last 
 letter which respects thy external situation and circum- 
 stances, I have little to reply, because I have no doubt but 
 in those things all will be well. A due attention to the 
 established maxims of frugality and industry, through the 
 blessing of Providence, will hardly fail of procuring all 
 that can be thought necessary by those who, like good old 
 Jacob, can be content with food to eat qjid raiment to put 
 on. To the other part, which I count the best, in which 
 I am more nearly concerned, and much more interested, 
 I thought I should have answered more particularly ; but 
 I feel myself rather mistaken, for truly I find very little 
 to say ; and to force myself, like Saul, and offer unre- 
 quested, would at best prove but an unprofitable folly. 
 
 Are not nien, the best of men, to be compared with 
 reeds shaken with the wind, and clouds which cannot fill 
 themselves ? who of themselves can do nothing for them- 
 selves, much less for others. But He, to whom the work 
 of man's salvation belongeth, hath both wisdom and power 
 
40 LETTKRS OF 
 
 to carry it on, and will carry it on unto the end, wherever 
 it is begun, if we are but enough resigned, and interrupt 
 it not. But various are the courses of his operation,, and 
 various the dispensations of his gracious providence, and 
 oftentimes inscrutable to us. David experienced many- 
 conditions, between the sheep-fold and the throne; and 
 was ready to cry out, when tottering on the verge of de- 
 spondency, " I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul :'' 
 but David's God, the God who chose him from amongst 
 his brethren, and called him to execute all his will, though 
 He suffered him to be tried, yea and often distressed too, 
 yet He never did forsake him ; but in his own good time, 
 which ever is the best time, established him on the throne 
 of Israel, and gave him r^st from all his enemies. A word 
 to the wise may suffice, and I would not darken counsel 
 by multiplying words without knowledge. 
 
 John Thokp. 
 
 LETTEE III. 
 
 WESTMINSTER, Fourth Month 11th, 1767. 
 To John Cash. 
 
 My dear Friend : — This week, as I looked over the con- 
 tents of thy letter to me, I felt a sensible sympathy and af- 
 fection, which engaged me to propose addressing to thee a 
 few lines ; but truly, now I consider on what occasion, and 
 to whom I am writing, I am almost persuaded that my 
 labor might be spared, being assured thou art not desti- 
 tute of a Comforter and Counsellor, that never faileth. 
 What then remaineth, but that I may, pursuant to the ex- 
 ample of the apostle, endeavor to stir up the pure mind, 
 by putting thee in remembrance of those things which 
 
JOHN TH OK p. 41 
 
 inevitably bow the heart to the dispensations of heaven, 
 and inspire the mind with the language of holy Job, " The 
 Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the 
 name of the Lord ;" and as Eli hath expressed it, " It is 
 the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good ?' 
 
 Sensibly my friend, hast thou put the interrogation, 
 why should we murmur ? Surely it is our business to be 
 resigned ; we ought, indeed, humbly to acquiesce, entirely 
 to concede, aye, and wait to say amen, to every dispensa- 
 tion of the Divine Providence towards us, both in our 
 temporal and spiritual affairs ; and by this Christian eon- 
 duct through the various vicissitudes of life, every dispen- 
 sation would be sanctiiied unto us. Why then should we 
 murmur ? Who shall say unto God : what dost thou ? 
 Are not his judgments unsearchable, and his ways past 
 finding out ? How do we know for what good cause In- 
 finite Wisdom might see meet to select and separate, to 
 take from the earth and receive into heaven, to involve in 
 sorrow for a moment, or crown with everlasting joy, whom, 
 when, and where, and how He pleases ? 
 
 This we know, (and I think there is a great deal of 
 comfort in it,) that whatsoever our most gracious Father 
 does, is indubitably right ; and know, dear friend, that 
 " all things work together for good to them that love God." 
 Let us then, I pray thee, in every probation, in every trial 
 and trouble, that Infinite Wisdom may see meet should 
 attend us in our probationary progress through this vale 
 of tears, where truly we have no continuing city ; let us, 
 pursuant to the example of the holy Jesus, submit our- 
 selves to the will of God, saying, " If this cup may not pass 
 away from me, except I drink it. Thy will be done." 
 
 I might add much, but rather choose to conclude, which 
 I will do by earnestly recommending thee for comfort and 
 
42 LETTKKS? OF 
 
 counsel, where I infallibly know both are for ever to be 
 received, even to Him who is called the Comforter, the 
 everlasting Counsellbr, in whom is all safety and everlast- 
 ing consolation. 
 
 I am, dear friend, with the sincerest affection and 
 esteem,, thine, &e., 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 Manchester, First Month 13th, 1768. 
 To John Cash. 
 
 Dear Friend : — The last letter I had from thee is. with 
 the rest of my things at London ; the contents and senti- 
 ments I retain, which I thought both sorrowful and very 
 Christian. Indeed, dear friend, it certainly becomes us, 
 (I have often thought so,) as we can do nothing of our- 
 selves, to rest entirely resigned to the will of God, not only 
 in the dispensations of his providence in things without us, 
 but also in the deep proving baptisms of the mind and 
 spirit within us. 
 
 Our .blessed Lord, in all these things, hath left us an ex- 
 ample in suffering and doing, and in humility and obedi- 
 ence unto death ; it is He, who is the Truth itself, who 
 hath told us, that " Whosoever will save his life shall lose 
 it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake,, shall find 
 it" unto life eternal. " No man," saith He, " having put 
 his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the 
 kingdom of God ;" neither is there a possibility of our 
 serving two masters : we cannot be heirs of two kingdoms, 
 nor at once dedicate ourselves to God and to the world. 
 The Lord will not accept a partial offering. " Choose you 
 
JOHN THORP. 4b 
 
 this day," said Joshua to Israel, " whom ye will serve ;" 
 and then, according to the advice of David, let us " serve 
 Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind." " If 
 any man will come after Me," said the blessed Jesus, " let 
 him deny himself, and take up his cross and fi)llow Me." 
 Dear friend, though I had no particular engagement, 
 yet, I think, in abundance of good-will I had freedom to 
 say thus much, being, at least part of it, what hath been 
 frequently impressed on my mind with invincible convic- 
 tion, to wit, the necessity of being altogether redeemed 
 from the world and all that is in the world, in order that 
 we might follow our blessed Lord in the regeneration. 
 This, with my love, is all at present from thy real friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 P. S. — I should be gjad to hear from thee when thou 
 hast freedom. I would not that we should forget one 
 another, especially when we are most sensible of good. 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Manchester, Fifth Moutli 10th, 1775. 
 To Feances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Feeling some degree of liberty, and 
 the spring of good- will opened, I take this opportunity to 
 assure thee of the unfeigned regard which I feel for thee, 
 and for thy preservation and further growth and establish- 
 ment in the blessed truth ; and that thou mightst be hap- 
 pily enabled and disposed to watch and keep thy gar- 
 ments, that so neither heights nor depths, nor things pre- 
 sent nor to come, might be permitted ia beguile thee of 
 
44 LETTERS OF 
 
 thy reward, or separate thee from the love of God which 
 is in Christ Jesus ; and, indeed, I have an evidence of the 
 sincerity of thy heart, and uprightness of thy disposition, 
 to bear, to do, and to suffer all things, and to follow the 
 Lamb whithersoever He goeth. " Lord," said Peter, " I 
 am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to death." 
 Peter was full of zeal, and he loved more than his fellows ; 
 but, alas! when the time of trial came, he was not able to 
 bear those abasing seasons of humiliation and baptism 
 unto suffering and death, which, in the course of Divine 
 Wisdom and Counsel, were appointed to our Holy Leader ; 
 and to all such, in a certain degree, who will follow Him 
 in the regeneration. 
 
 " Let this mind be in you," saith the apostle, " which 
 was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, 
 thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made 
 himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of 
 a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being 
 found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and be- 
 came obedient unto death, even the death of the cross ; 
 wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given 
 Him a name which is above every name." 
 
 Now, that which seems most in my view, and which I 
 do most deeply and frequently, both for myself and thee 
 wish, is, that we might patiently, and with resigned, de- 
 voted hearts, receive and submit to every dispensation of 
 Divine Providence, however they may be directed to re- 
 duce, to humble, and to abase : if they lead again into 
 Jordan, that so our flesh may become as the flesh of a lit- 
 tle child ; or into the furnace, that so the dross may be 
 thoroughly purged from the silver, let us endure them ; 
 and when the dross is purged from the silver, " there shall 
 come forth a vessel for the Finer." Oh that we might 
 
.TO HK THORP. 45 
 
 patiently, willingly, and passively endure every prepara- 
 tive operation, every mercifully renewed turning of his 
 holy hand ; that so self might indeed become of no repu- 
 tation, and we, according to his holy purpose, be formed 
 vessels to his praise. 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTEK VI. 
 
 Twelfth Month 12th, 1776. 
 To Frances Dodshon. 
 
 Dear Friend : — In some degree of that love, wherein the 
 living have a fellowship which neither time, distance, nor 
 death, can interrupt or dissolve ; wherein such a union 
 and sympathy is experienced, that at times we cannot help 
 rejoicing with them that do rejoice, and weeping with them 
 that weep : in the renewed movings of this love and life, 
 hast thou of late often been brought to my remembrance ; 
 at which times there have been raised and presented to my 
 mind some remarks and observations, which I think I 
 have at least liberty to offer to thy consideration. 
 
 When that frequently deeply-humbled and tried servant 
 of the Lord, the Royal Psalmist, was favored with the re- 
 newed streams of that river, whose source is Everlasting 
 Love, whereby the whole heritage of God is at times wa- 
 tered and made glad ; when his feet were set on a Rock 
 that was higher than he, and the new song was put into 
 his mouth ; at these seasons he thought that .his mountain 
 stood strong, and said, in his prosperity, he should never 
 be moved; yet, afterwards, the Lord saw nieet to permit 
 that he should be so far tried, that he concluded himself 
 forsaken, and in this humble, plaintive language, queries, 
 
46 LETTERS OF 
 
 " Will the Lord cast off for ever ? and will He be favor- 
 able no more ? Is his mercy clean gone forever ? doth his 
 promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be 
 gracious? hath He in anger shut up his tender mercies?" 
 Having thus, in the heights and in the depths, experienced 
 preservation and deliverance, this righteous man was in- 
 structed to serve the Lord with fear, and to rejoiee with 
 trembling ; and having witnessed the sufficiency of the 
 Almighty arm, so repeatedly stretched out for his deliver- 
 ance and protection, he was enabled to say, " Though I 
 walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear 
 no evil : for Thou art with me." And therefore, when the 
 Lord saw meet to hide his face from him, and suifer fresh 
 probations to attend him, we find him availing himself 
 of that mercy he had so often experienced ; and though 
 he felt deeply at times, and was greatly dejected, yet 
 his faith was so strengthened in Him who had raised 
 him from the sheepcot to be his servant, (and though 
 his house was not so with God, yet He had made with 
 him an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and 
 sure,) that he could thus address himself in times of 
 deep probation : "Why art thou cast down. Oh my soul? 
 and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in 
 God ; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my 
 countenance and my God." 
 
 Alas! why should that wholesome discipline, which 
 consummate Wisdom hath ever exercised upon those 
 whom He hath made willing to bear every refining opera- 
 tion and turning of his holy hand, seem strange to any of 
 us? Gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the 
 furnace of adversity; and indeed, if "it became Him, for 
 whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bring- 
 ing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their 
 
JOHN THORP. 47 
 
 salvation perfect through sufferings ;" if He was " a man 
 of sorrows and acquainted with grief," is it not "enougli 
 for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant 
 as his Lord ?" 
 
 There are various causes of suffering ; there are various 
 baptisms, buffetings, and trials; our different conditions 
 require a different discipline, and the different designs of 
 God upon us require, or make it necessary for us, to be 
 brought under different operations. All the faithful in 
 4he several generations wherein the prophets lived, were 
 not brought under those particular, and (for the present) 
 grievous exercises which the prophets were, in order to 
 prepare them for the work whereunto they were called, 
 unto which many learned obedience by the things which 
 they suffered. 
 
 It is true, the judgments of the Lord are many times 
 unsearchable, and his ways past finding out. " Who," 
 saith the apostle, " hath known the mind of the Lord ? or 
 who hath been his counsellor ?" Secret things belong to 
 Him ; but things which are revealed, to us and to our 
 children. But if all the holy patriarchs, prophets, apos- 
 tles, martyrs and confessors of Jesus, have, like their 
 blessed Lord, been men of sorrows and acquainted with 
 grief and entered the kingdom through many tribulations ; 
 can we doubt whether the particular trials, sittings, and 
 probations, which God only wise permitted or appointed 
 unto them, were not, to every one of these to whom He ap- 
 pointed them, mercies, mercies, mercies in disguise ? Were 
 they not made a means of preservation in his fear, made a 
 means of bringing them nearer to Him, to trust more 
 firmly in, and to rely more entirely upon Him, the only 
 refuge of the righteous in times of trouble ? Have not all 
 the afflictions of the righteous been thus sanctified ? and 
 
48 LETTERS OF 
 
 will not the endless hallelujah, which these shall have to 
 sing, be unto Him who hath redeemed their souls out of 
 all adversity, and made their garments white in the blood 
 of the Lamb ? 
 
 Many now, as well as formerly, are the afflictions of the 
 righteous, and from different causes, different in their na- 
 ture, and different in their degree ; but, though hid from 
 mortals, they are all known to God, who careth for them, 
 by whom the very hairs of their head are all numbered, 
 and not one of them shall fall without Him. Their sighs 
 are all numbered by Him, and their tears are all sealed 
 up in his bottle ; why then should Zion say, or why should 
 the watchers on her walls say, " The Lord hath forsaken 
 me, and my Lord hath forgotten me ? Can a woman for- 
 get her sucking child, that she should not have compas- 
 sion on the son of her womb ? Yea, they may forget," saith 
 the Lord, "yet will I not forget thee: behold, I have 
 graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are 
 continually before me." No, verily, " the eyes of the Lord 
 are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their 
 prayers.'' However unmindfiil He may seem to be of the 
 distress and danger which threaten them, when the tem- 
 pest arises, and the enemy breaketh in as a flood, yet in 
 his own time, and that surely is the best time, will He 
 arise, and rebuke both the wind and the waves, and the 
 enemy, for their sakes ; and by the effective word of his 
 power, who speaketh and it is done, once more say, " Peace, 
 be still." 
 
 But should it seem best to Him, who is wonderful in 
 counsel, and doeth all things right, to lead any in the line 
 of the glorious process of his dear Son ; should the hour 
 and power of darkness be extended to the latest moments ; 
 should the final cup and baptism be the most trying and 
 
JOHN TH OK p. 49 
 
 most bitter : should our dying words, under these painful 
 feelings be expressed in that most moving language of the 
 Son of God, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," I should have 
 no more doubt of the righteous soul thus tried, ascending 
 from this cross, and apparent dereliction, to an immortal 
 crown of righteousness and mansion of eternal glory; no 
 more doubt of these, than if I saw them ascending in the 
 fiery chariots of sensible, celestial, soul-rejoicing fervors. 
 I know not how suiSiciently to inculcate this most cer- 
 tain truth, that the children of God are never more under 
 his notice and most tender regard, than in the seasons of 
 their deepest humiliations ; never is He more intimately 
 present with us, preparing and supporting under every 
 operation, and directing, blessing, and sanctifying every 
 dispensation, to willing, humbled and subjected souls. 
 Thus is He carrying on his own work, though we see it 
 not. Oh that thou mightst not be discouraged, nor sink 
 under the present exercise ! nor murmur as some of old 
 murmured ; nor think the Lord delayeth his coming : but 
 endeavor, all in thy power, to centre in perfect resignation 
 to the will of God ; and then, assuredly, all things will 
 work together for thy good, and for thy additional pre- 
 paration to glorify his holy name, in time and in eternity. 
 Amen. 
 
 From thy real, respectful friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 P. S. I do not forget, my honored friend, to whom I 
 am writing, nor my own infancy and weakness. It is 
 with a feeling deference that I address to thee this feeble 
 offering ; but as I said, I thought I felt at least a liberty, 
 and if the Lord be mercifully pleased, so to bless it, that 
 the pure mind be thereby stirred up ever so little, his 
 
50 LETTERS OF 
 
 name be praised ; but if I wrote ever so much, I should 
 fall short of expressing to the full, the equal desire and 
 faith which I feel, that thou mayst, and that thou wilt, in 
 the Lord's own time, which thou art waiting for, yet have 
 to sing for joy of heart as in the days of thy youth, as in 
 the days when thou wast brought forth out of the land of 
 spiritual Egypt. 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 Seventh Month 17th, 1777. 
 To Frances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear and much esteemed Friend :^Although I am 
 persuaded, and have considered it, that thou hast seen, 
 and felt, and attained, beyond many of us, and art much 
 better capable of communicating thy experience ; yet I 
 Jo not apprehend myself thereby excused from casting my 
 mite into thy treasury of Divine knowledge, though thereby 
 I may expose my own poverty. 
 
 The letter which thou condescendedst to write me, came 
 duly to hand ; and since that time, and indeed ever since 
 thou wast here, though my own concerns have been some- 
 what grievous, and demanded both my solicitude and at- 
 tention, yet hast thou been often brought to my remem- 
 brance in much nearness ; yet so continual and invariable 
 is the sense and judgment with which my mind hath been 
 impressed concerning thee, that the dispensation which 
 thou art under is the effect of consummate Love and Wis- 
 dom, that the everlasting arms of Strength and Mercy are 
 underneath for thy support, that the all-conquering, in- 
 vincible Bedeemer continueth his available intercession 
 with the Fatlier on thy behalf, that thv faith mav be 
 
JOHN THORP. 51 
 
 strengthened, continue and increase, — that my greatest 
 concern and uniform prayer, in union with the Divine 
 Will, is, that thy present painfiil baptism may be blessed 
 and sanctified to the benefit and edification of the churches, 
 the glory of the everlasting God, and (as I also believe it 
 will be) to thy own sanctification and salvation. For 
 these ineffably glorious purposes, what can be too much to 
 do, to bear, or suffer, according to the will of God ? It 
 was for them that Jesus Christ our Lord vouchsafed to de- 
 scend from the heights of immortality, and take upon Him 
 the form of a servant, to bear the contradiction of sinners, 
 the temptations of the enemy, and to offer up himself upon 
 the cross, an everlasting sacrifice to God for the sins of the 
 whole world. It was for this that He, who alone was able, 
 vouchsafed to tread the wine-press alone, to stain all his 
 garments, to drink "the dregs of the cup of trembling," 
 and be baptized with the baptism of suffering unto death ! 
 And Oh! that all of us who are desirous to be found in 
 Him, may be at least contented so to walk even as He 
 walked, in the depths of abasement, humiliation and suf- 
 fering, in the different frequency and degrees wherein He 
 may be pleased to lead, until He say for us, as for himself, 
 " It is finished." 
 
 Strait and narrow hath the way to the kingdom ever 
 been ; attended with difficulties, accompanied with crosses, 
 and entered through many tribulations. Yet are not the 
 commandments of the Lord grievous ; yet is there great 
 delight in the keeping of his law ; yet is there a recom- 
 pense a thousand fold, even in this life, for all our sufier- 
 ings, in the recurrent participation and enjoyment of that 
 peace "which passeth all understanding," in the earnest 
 of that " exceeding and eternal weight of glory," with 
 which all our sufferings in this life are not worthy to be 
 compared. 
 
•>- LETTERS Ul'" 
 
 " Without controversy, great is the mystery of godli- 
 ness," altogether surpassing human comprehension ; and 
 those parts of that mystery in which we are most deeply 
 interested, we can only see into and understand, as He, 
 who hath the key of David, the Lion of the tribe of Ju- 
 dah, is pleased to loose the seals and open imto us. How 
 necessary then is it for us to take heed to the advice of 
 the Apostle Paul, " Judge nothing before the time ; yea," 
 said this apostle, " I judge not mine own self" 
 
 Our duty, our interest, our advancement, in the divine 
 life, consist not in our comprehending in theory, but fol- 
 lowing in obedience, and in the simplicity of little chil- 
 dren. Be not then my dear friend, over anxious about 
 the cause, the duration, or effects of thy present humilia- 
 tion ; but endeavor to cast all thy care upon Him who 
 careth for thee, to put thy whole trust in Him, in whom is 
 everlasting strength, without whose approbation a hair of 
 thy head shall not perish. Blessing and glory, and honor 
 be to Him, whom the Father hath appointed an everlast- 
 ing and holy High-priest over the house of God ; for such 
 a one indeed became us, who is "touched with the feeling 
 of our infirmities." He sees. He marks every circum- 
 stance, every peculiarity of thy mournful condition, when 
 the enemy may be permitted to sift and to buffet thee, and 
 thou art " tossed with tempest, and not comforted." He 
 sees these things. He knows these things, whose vigilance 
 nothing can elude, whose power is omnipotent, who hath 
 set bars and doors to the sea, and ascertained the point 
 whereto its proudest waves shall rise and go no further. 
 But thou knowest these things, and, I am persuaded, art 
 disposed and endeavoring to do them ; yet suffer me to 
 express it, as it is in my heart to encourage thy persever- 
 ance in a total resignation of thyself to the disposal of 
 
J H N T H R P . 53 
 
 Almighty power and Goodness, that God only is wise, that 
 He " doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of 
 men ;" that his judgments are true and righteous, that his 
 ways are just and equal ; that He "will never leave thee, 
 nor forsake thee ;" but, in the time appointed, will surely 
 give unto thee "beauty for ashes," and "the oil of joy for 
 mourning:" and though thou mayst seem to thyself to lie 
 as amongst the pots, and esteem thyself as a broken ves- 
 sel, yet it is my invariable persuasion, thou shalt again be 
 brought forth as the dove, whose wings are covered with 
 silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. 
 
 Assuredly, my friend, if it would avail any thing to thy 
 comfort, thou art very far from being alone in tribulation. 
 I speak not , of outward troubles ; they, indeed, are light 
 afflictions, and they are but for a moment; but of those 
 which result from the spiritual warfare, wherein we wrestle 
 not with flesh and blood only, nor our own concern as in- 
 dividuals; the impending judgments of the Lord on a 
 backsliding generation, and the general state of the 
 churches amongst ourselves, wherein the obvious, painful 
 prevalence of the nature and spirit of the world, the 
 famine of that Word whose entrance giveth life, ftirnish 
 abundant cause to the living for mourning, for sackcloth, 
 for unspeakable distress ! Nevertheless, we are at seasons 
 favored to behold, in the vision of Divine Light, a pros- 
 pect into better times; wherein the Lord will in mercy 
 " turn again our captivity as the streams in the south ;" 
 times wherein the Lord will more eminently appear to be 
 with us, and the shout of a mighty King be heard amongst 
 us ; who will again make " his angels spirits, and his min- 
 isters a flame of fire." 
 
 Thus is my faith as an individual, though, I trust, in 
 concert with many others, strengthened to believe, that 
 
54 LETTERS UF 
 
 the time will come, when the gospel shall be preached in 
 all nations, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven ; 
 that " from the rising of the sun even unto the going down 
 of the same," his " name shall be great among the gentiles, 
 and in every place, incense shall be offered unto his name, 
 and a pure offering." Thus shall the knowledge of the 
 Lord cover the earth, thus shall the whole earth be filled 
 with his glory ; then shall the morning stars sing together, 
 and all the sons of God shout for joy. 
 
 Upon the whole, I cannot forbear to add, that I wish 
 myself more worthy of the sufferings of the present day ; 
 more worthy to partake in the glory that shall follow ; 
 and that I was more worthy to express these things in this 
 manner to one so far above me. 
 
 My wife joins, in dear love to thyself and husband, 
 
 with me; and at this time, in confirmed faith and fresh 
 
 desires for thy preservation and deliverance in the will of 
 
 God, I conclude, and subscribe myself thy brother in 
 
 Christ Jesus. 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 Eighth Month 23d, 1778. 
 To Frances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Although I have a particular value 
 for thee, and count myself favored by thy correspondence ; 
 yet conscious what I am, and indeed what all instruments 
 are, and what they are not ; and knowing that all good 
 coines from the one Fountain of Good, and is never so 
 effectually administered as when the living springs from 
 thence are immediately opened in the soul, whereby I 
 
JOHN THORP. 00 
 
 have desired thou mightest be supplied with every degree 
 of wisdom and patience, strength and consolation, which 
 God only wise sees meet to vouchsafe unto thee ; so that 
 I was willing to decline writing, until I felt my mind im- 
 pressed with some degree of necessity ; and truly I may 
 tell thee, that I feel much sympathy and concern for thee 
 in thy present suftering state, yet ever attended with an 
 indubitable evidence that all things will work together for 
 thy good ; and that, when the Lord shall see meet to say, 
 " It is enough," thy soul shall be set at liberty, and filled 
 forever with his praise. 
 
 The Lord's ways are not our ways, his thoughts are not 
 our thoughts; one day with Him is " as a thousand years, 
 and a thousand years as one day." The depths, the de- 
 signs, the concealed mercy in his varied dispensations, 
 when his way is in the thick darkness, are beyond our 
 comprehension ; but this we know, that with Him there is 
 " no variableness, neither shadow of turning:" that having 
 loved his own, He loveth them to the end; that through 
 whatsoever suflferings, tribulations, or conflicts, He may be 
 pleased to lead his chosen ones, that it is his good pleasure 
 to give them the kingdom ; that He is greater than all, 
 and none shall be able to pluck them out of his hand. 
 
 Be not then, my dear friend, discouraged, when the 
 enemy may be permitted to sift and to buffet thee ; en- 
 deavor to stand still in these times of trial, and in the 
 Lord's time He will lift up an effectual standard against 
 him, and cause thee afresh to experience his complete sal- 
 vation. Deeply have the most dignified of all the chil- 
 dren of God often been tried ; often led in paths of unut- 
 terable humiliation and abasement, in the course of their 
 purification ; yet were none that ever trusted in the Lord, 
 and abode in his fear, confounded or forsaken. Whom 
 
56 LETTERS or 
 
 hath He ever prepared for a habitation with Him in glory, 
 who have not measurably drunk of this cup, and been 
 baptized with this baptism ? " I am a worm, and no man ;'' 
 I have not the spirit of a man ; " I am forgotten as a dead 
 man out of mind ; I am like a broken vessel," is a lan- 
 guage in which all the redeemed of our God have been 
 more or less instructed. " Are ye able to drink of the cup 
 that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism 
 that I am baptized with?" was the very query proposed 
 by our blessed Lord to the two disciples, who were emu- 
 lous of a situation at his right and left hand in glory. 
 Now what was this cup, and what was this baptism ? It 
 was a cup of ineffable, agonizing distress, and baptism into 
 the deepest suffering and death; the depth and nature 
 whereof are awfully set forth in that solemn expostulation, 
 "Why hast thou forsaken me?" This was the baptism 
 through which the holy Jesus had to pass, and with which 
 He was straitened until it was accomplished. This was 
 the cup which, though intolerable to human nature, He 
 was desirous to drink, according to the will of God: 
 "Father, if this cup may not pass from me, except I 
 drink it, thy will be done." This is the acceptable state ; 
 this was the mind that was in Christ, concerning whom it 
 is written in the volume of the book, " Lo ! I come to do 
 thy will, God," and not his own. Oh, the perfection of 
 this state ! wherein no choice is formed, no desire arises, 
 no prayers are offered up, but what are circumscribed by, 
 and centre in, "not my will, but thine be done." It is to 
 reduce us to, or rather, raise us into this state, that all the 
 varied turnings of his holy hand and the dispensations of 
 his providence, are directed ; and then, in this state, whether 
 we are called to unite in the hosanna to our adorable Re- 
 deemer, or go with Him over the brook Cedron, and with 
 
JOHN TtfORP. o7 
 
 Him sweat great drops'of sorrow, we are equally accepta- 
 ble unto Him. It is to this state all things are equally 
 sanctified, whether it be to reign or to suffer with Him; 
 whether the north or the south wind blows upon it, the 
 spices equally flow out, and ascend as incense, equally ac- 
 ceptable unto the God of heaven and of the whole earth. 
 
 Be not then dismayed; give not way to slavish fear, at- 
 tend not to the discouragements the enemy would cast be- 
 fore thee; for, I believe thou wast never more under the 
 Divine notice, nor more acceptable to Him, than in this 
 verjj- season ; and so sure as the records of heaven do not 
 fail, so sure is thy name written there, never, never to be 
 erased. Though thou feel not the uniform prevalence of 
 that Power, unto which the devils are subject, in the de- 
 gree thou hast formerly done, "Yet in this rejoice," said 
 our holy Redeemer, "that your names are written in 
 heaven :" and though thy present state, according to thy 
 own sensibility of it, be a painful, dark, oppressed, impris- 
 oned state, yet permit me to say, fear not, the Lord is on 
 thy side, encamped round about thee ; " grealter is He that 
 is in thee, than he that is in the world ;" and, in his own 
 time. He will open the prison doors; He will relieve the 
 oppressed, and "say to the prisoners. Go forth; to them' 
 that are in darkness, Show yourselves;" and thy feeding 
 sha,li again be in the ways, and thy pastures in all high 
 places. 
 
 How canst thou think, my dear friend, at any time, 
 that thou art finally forsaken or fofgotteitt -of God, though 
 in unsearchable wisdom. He sees meet to hide his face, at 
 seasons, from thee? Is God unrighteous ? Do his compas- 
 sions ever fail ? are not his promises sure ? and doth He 
 not strictly keep covenant? Hath He not delivered out 
 of six troubles, and is his arm shortened ? Hath He 
 
•58 LETTERS OF 
 
 vouchsafed, in unutterable love, to draw thy soul after 
 Him in infant years, and to reveal himself unto thee, to be 
 the stay of thy youth, the God of thy life, and will He 
 now forsake thee ? No, glory to his name, it is not so ; 
 He is the same He ever was, when thy soul was first rav- 
 ished with Him, and He became to thee " the chiefest 
 among ten thousand." His regard, his love, the yearning 
 of his bowels, are as much as ever towards thee ; and, as 
 He hath vouchsafed to be thy morning light, and the stay 
 of thy youth, so will He be thy evening song, and the staff 
 of thy old age. Endeavor then, my dear friend, to cast 
 out all discouragements and painful doubtings, and let thy 
 hope, thy trust, thy only expectation be from Him ; and 
 though thou mayst seem cast out from his sight, yet, let 
 thy looking be towards his holy temple ; and in his own 
 time He will give thee the desire of thy heart, and thou 
 shalt yet praise Him on the banks of deliverance, and tell 
 of his wonders in the deep, who is a God, infinite in power, 
 wisdom and love ; whose '' mercy endureth forever," and 
 of whose loving kindness there is no end. 
 
 I desire the increase and establishment of thy health, 
 and in order to it, I wish thee to take as much exercise, 
 within and without doors, as thou art capable of without 
 weariness ; and let nothing prevail, to induce thee to deny 
 thyself of any quantity or quality of food that may best 
 nourish and sustain thy body. 
 
 I am, with much affection, real regard, and love un- 
 feigned, thy friend in the fellowship of gospel love. 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
J H N T H R P . 59 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 Manchesteb, Sixth Month 17th, 1779. 
 To Frances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I cannot with ease omit this oppor- 
 tunity of communicating a few lines to thee, to acknowl- 
 edge the receipt of thy letter ; and be assured, no want of 
 true friendship for thee, nor inattention to the subject, has 
 been the cause why I have not answered it sooner ; but 
 chiefly because I have nothing to say, which has not in 
 substance at least been already said. My faith and hope, 
 and all my feelings concerning thee, when clothed with a 
 right mind, being invariably the same ; and because I am 
 abundantly persuaded, that however, in thy own appre- 
 hension, thou mayst seem to stand in need of compassion 
 and help from the least of the flock, yet I know that He, 
 who made and supports all worlds, and all beings; with 
 whom not only all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 
 are, but also all power in heaven and on earth, is thy 
 Shepherd, thy Saviour, thy shield, and thy exceeding 
 great reward. 
 
 With regard to the distressing probations of thy present 
 state, I have only to say, I pray in faith that thou mayst 
 be supported under and to the end of them all ; that the 
 gracious design of the Almighty may be fully answered 
 concerning thee. What I feel at any time of concern for 
 thee, is on account of thy present sufiering ; for I have no 
 fear or doubt at all with respect to the issue of thy present 
 conflicts. Nay, verily, when I have read over thy letfers, 
 those which have been most replete with lamentation, and 
 fear, so far have I been from feeling any degree of dis- 
 couragement on thy account, that my faith has often been 
 
60 LETTERS OF 
 
 raised to a degree of assurance, that there was no one in 
 a safer state. " My Father is greater than all," said the 
 adorable Jesus, concerning those whom the Father had 
 drawn unto and given Him, " and none can pluck them 
 out of my Father's hand." 
 
 Is the cause of thy present suffering a painful uncer- 
 tainty whether it originateth in mind or body ; whether 
 on thy own account as an evil-doer, or in a state of union 
 with the holy, suffering seed, filling up what remains , of 
 the afflictions of Christ, for his body's sake, which is the 
 church ? whether purely a dispensation from the Almighty, 
 for thy more perfect purification, or the weight of hisjiidg- 
 ments for former offences ? or whether arising only from 
 natural causes in the constitution of the human frame ? is 
 the clear, distinct knowledge of these things at all veiled 
 or hid from thyself or others ? why is 'it so ? Doth not 
 Infinite Wisdom know it, and cannot He reveal it ? What 
 is the reason, then, why He doth not do it ? why, surely, 
 because it is best it should be concealed, just in the nxan- 
 ner and degree it is. Oh, that thou couldst but cast, with- 
 out intermission, all caring and anxious solicitude, con- 
 cerning these things, upon Him who careth for thee ; and 
 think of nothing but the most perfect submission and re- 
 signation to the will of God, whether in suffering or reign- 
 ing with Him. Now, I verily believe this is thy desire 
 and concern, and therefore I am persuaded that, however 
 thy trial may be permitted to continue or increase ; though 
 the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it 
 ever yet hath been, yet shalt thou be brought forth but 
 with so much greater purity, without so much as the smell 
 of fire having passed on thy garments. 
 
 Oh, the unspeakable safety of this resigned, humble, 
 trusting, depending state ! and truly the fitness and neees- 
 
JOHN THORP. 61 
 
 sity of it, are equal to its safety : for what are we, and 
 what have we to boast of but our abundant infirmities ? 
 Beset then as we are, in this state of probation, from within 
 and from without, what can the willings and runnings of 
 the creature avail ? or what have we to trust in, to rely or 
 depend upon, but upon God who showeth mercy ? and 
 that mercy is Christ Jesus. I commend thee then, with 
 myself, my dear friend, into the arms of this Everlasting 
 Mercy, for safety, keeping, and preservation ; for He is, 
 (thou hast hitherto experienced it to be so, and thou wilt 
 do to the end,) that salvation which God hath appointed 
 " for walls and bulwarks ;" and the more thou art weak- 
 ened and reduced, as to thy own strength, the more will 
 his strength be magnified in, thy salvation. And I have 
 to believe, and liberty to express it, that the more thou 
 art emptied and humbled, the more abundantly thou shalt 
 be filled with his glory and presence, who is thy life. The 
 deeper thou descendest into suffering and humiliation, the 
 higher shalt thou rise in dominion, with thy suffering, 
 glorified Redeemer ; for, as said the apostle, " If we be 
 dead with- Him, we shall also live with Him; if we suffer, 
 we sball also reign with Him." 
 
 It is in my heart therefore to say. Be careful for noth- 
 ing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, let 
 thy wants be made known unto God; cast all thy care 
 upon Him, both with regard to soul and body, time and 
 eternity, and He will be every thing to thee thou standest 
 in need of, according to the riches of his mercy in Christ 
 Jesus. And, indeed, I see it clearly with an eye of faith, 
 that the Lord, the glorious Lord, both is and will be unto 
 thee, wisdom, righteousness, and strength ; thy sword, thy 
 bow, thy battle-axe, thy shield, and thy exceeding great 
 reward. I know He is on thy side, encamped round about 
 
(>2 LETTERS OF 
 
 thee ; " and though a thousand fall at thy side, and ten 
 thousand at thy right hand," thou shalt be preserved as 
 Mount Zion that cannot be moved. My soul is exceed- 
 ingly humbled, in thankfulness to the God of all grace, 
 for that, in adorable condescension, He hath vouchsafed 
 to fill my heart at this time, for thy sake no doubt, with 
 such a degree of faith and hope concerning thee, as I am 
 not able to express ; — thanksgiving and praise be to Him 
 therefore. 
 
 It has several times struck my miaid, whilst I have been 
 writing, and a degree of sympathy has been raised in my 
 heart with thee, that thy present humiliation, and com- 
 parative uselessness in thy own apprehension, in respect 
 of former service, affect thee with a generous concern, on 
 the church's account, wherein, to be sure, the number of 
 upright laborers is small ; but know, my dear friend, nay, 
 thou dost know it, that the work and the power too are 
 the Lord's ; that He can work by many or by few, with 
 or without instruments ; and I believe He will work mar- 
 vellously, and by his power carry on his work, and none 
 shall let it. To Him, therefore, let us commit his own 
 cause, desiring, willing, choosing nothing for ourselves, 
 but that his will may be done in us and by us, as it is 
 done in heaven. 
 
 I have only to add, that I would have thee in any wise 
 comply with whatever thou thinkest may conduce to thy 
 bodily health, in meat, drink, sleep, and exercise : to do 
 any thing to injure our health, or shorten our lives, is cer^- 
 tainly a fault. The blessing of natural life and health, 
 deserves our gratitude and attention ; and I believe it 
 equally offensive to defile or to destroy. 
 
 I desire to be remembered by thee. It is always pleas? 
 ing to me to hear from thee. Give my love to thy hus- 
 band, in which my wife joins, and to thyself. 
 
JOHN THORP. 63 
 
 In the unfeigned fellowship of the gospel, I conclude at 
 this time, and subscribe myself, thy loving and affectionate 
 friend, 
 
 John Thobp. 
 
 P. S. — Thou hast no occasion to fear my being offended 
 at thy having suffered some of my letters to be seen ; it is 
 perfectly nothing to me. 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 Manchester, Fourth Month 16th, 1780. 
 To Fkances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear Friend : — ^It might seem somewhat inconsistent 
 with that friendship which I have often, and with much 
 sincerity, professed for thee, (and which in truth I do con- 
 .stantly possess,) that I have been so long in acknowledg- 
 ing the receipt of thy letter, which, as all thine are, was a 
 welcome one to me ; but thou, my friend, hast been better 
 instructed, wherein the best fellowship consisteth, — ^not in 
 words, but is beyond them, and standeth on that Foundar 
 tion which will endure for ever. But the truth is, I had 
 nothing which I believed it to be my business to commu- 
 nicate ; at which, indeed, I do not wonder, believing the 
 best of Counsellors, on whom all sure help is laid, to be 
 often near thee ; and thou knowest, the more our eye and 
 attention are steadily unto Him, and our only expectation 
 is fi'om Him, the more we are in the way of receiving that 
 help which cometh from Him ; and this, thou knowest, is 
 without exception, whatever be our state. To be preserved 
 in faith, in patience, in humility and resignation of mind, 
 in heights, in depths, in the night and in the day, is what 
 
(U ]. K T T K R S OK 
 
 I most earnestly desire on my own account ; and I believe 
 it to be the happy exercise (and, in good degree, the 
 blessed experience) of my much esteemed friend. 
 
 I desire my love to thy husband, whose kindness towards 
 thee, and sympathy with thee, and (according to his meas- 
 ure) bearing a part of thy burden, will, I have no doubt, 
 like the prayers and alms of Cornelius, go up as a memo- 
 rial before God. 
 
 In a measure of that love, and desire for its increase, 
 which believeth, hopeth, and endureth all things, wherein 
 consisteth the communion of saints, and the resurrection 
 from the dead, I conclude at this time; thy truly affection- 
 ate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 MANCHESTJiE, Eleventh Month, 5th, 1780. 
 To Frances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear Friend : — My mind is frequently so shut up in 
 meetings, and after them too, (and my mouth of course, ) 
 through the absence of Divine Light, at least as to the 
 sensible feeling and enjoyment of it in dominion, that I 
 seem to myself often unfit to speak or write any thing on 
 religious subjects ; yet, whether in suffering or rejoicing, 
 I have fellowship with thee, and experience no abatement 
 of that assurance which hath often been sealed on my 
 mind, of the safety and blessedness of thy state ; and 
 though Infinite Wisdom is pleased still to permit close 
 trials and conflicts to attend, yet these are but marks of 
 filiation ; " whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth ;" those 
 whom He is in mercy preparing to be clothed in white. 
 He is leading through many tribulations. 
 
JQHN THOBP. 66 
 
 I remember when I was a child in years and in religious 
 exercises, I thought there was none so exempt from trials 
 and troubles as those who were truly devoted, to God ; but 
 I have since been otherwise instructed ; and I now believe 
 that they who are most entirely devoted to Him, are often 
 led into the greatest depths of suffering. This is abund- 
 antly evinced by the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and 
 confessors of the holy Jesus, who was himself "a; man of 
 sorrows and acquainted with grief;" nay, He was esteemed 
 "stricken, smitten of God and afflicted;" so that, should 
 our judgment be so far taken away in the days of our 
 humiliation, as thus to esteem ourselves " smitten, stricken 
 of. God and afflicted," it is no more than what happened 
 to our blessed .Lord. But what need have I to write these 
 things to thee? thou knowest them far better than I am 
 able to express them, and the ground and cause have been 
 deeply opened in thee, to wit, that every thing in us might 
 be given up, crucified and slain, but that holy birth of 
 life, which, in perfect submission r and resignation, ;prays 
 always'to its Father, who is in heaven, " Thy kingdom 
 come, thy will be done." 
 
 It is certainly the will of God, and consistent with his 
 goodness, so to sanctify all crosses and afflictions to his 
 children, as to make them a means of their passing more 
 entirely into the Divine nature; of entering more fully 
 into Him, who is the soul's rest and sure hiding place for- 
 ever ; so that, putting their whole trust in God, they leave 
 to his disposal all their concerns, both here and hereafter. 
 I think I am sensible, whilst I am writing, of the ardent 
 longing of thy soul after this state ; and as fully so that it 
 is the will of God in Christ Jesus to gather thee into it ; 
 and truly I believe, thou art far nearer to this perfect 
 state, than many of those whom thou preferrest to thyself, 
 
66 LETTERS UF 
 
 and who, perhaps are little acquainted with thy depths of 
 conflict. 
 
 I know thou makest no great account of outward crosses 
 and sufferings. I know the distress of thy soul is the 
 absence of thy Beloved, and Bridegroom of souls; but art 
 thou grown therefore more indifferent about Him ? are thy 
 desires abated, or do thy longings cease ? Nay, are they 
 not increased, and art not thou become more weaned from 
 every thing besides Him ? What then shall we say, my 
 dear friend ? perhaps it was for this end that He has with- 
 drawn himself, (as to the sensible enjoyment) that so we 
 might become, by this means, more fully prepared, and 
 our capacities more enlarged, for Him to take up his abode 
 •with us for ever. Now, I have no doubt at all, but this 
 will in due time become thy singularly happy and blessed 
 experience. Oh ! if I were but as fully persuaded con- 
 cerning myself, that all that spiritual poverty, darkness, 
 barrenness, and distress, which I frequently experience, 
 would turn to the same good account; how thankful 
 should I be ! Yet I am kept above despondency ; my faith 
 and hope, through and in Divine Mercy, are preserved. 
 I know in whom I have believed, and in whom thou hast 
 most surely beireved ; and that He is able to keep that 
 which we have desired, and at times, been enabled to 
 commit unto Him. Amen. 
 
 In a feeling sense of the virtue, love, and sincerity of 
 divine truth, concludes at this time, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
JOHN THORP. 67 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 Manchester, Ninth Month, 24th, 1781. 
 To Frances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear Friend: — Feeling at this time renewedly a 
 considerable degree of sympathy, affection, and concern 
 for thee, it is in my heart to visit thee with a few lines, though 
 in truth I have not a sentence before me, nor any apprehen- 
 sion that I shall have any thing to say in the truth, where- 
 of thou art not more grown or confirmed by experience : 
 yet, if happily, through the Divine blessing, I should be 
 so directed in this letter, that it should tend in any degree 
 to stir up the pure mind, to strengthen the hands which 
 are ready to hang down, and to confirm the feeble knees, 
 I know that humble thankfulness would therefore arise, 
 as indeed it ought, to the Giver of every good and perfect 
 gift. 
 
 In the account which thou writest me, concerning thy 
 state, there is still much complaint of the frequent absence 
 of that adorable Goodness, from which all real comfort 
 and happiness can spring. This, added to thy advanced 
 age and present arduous situation, together with some 
 unhappy events which have lately happened in the com- 
 pass of your meeting ; the consideration and feeling of 
 these things must needs clothe thy mind with sackcloth 
 and great distress. The occasion which has been given, 
 by reason of the things which have happened, for the ad- 
 versary to speak reproachfully, the testimony seeming to 
 fall in the streets, deserted and betrayed by those who 
 should have united in its support, is truly very affecting ; 
 so that indeed there seems great reason to adopt that 
 mournful query. Lord, " what wilt thou do unto thy great 
 
68 LE:TTERS OF 
 
 Name?" or "by whom shall Jacob arise, for he is small?" 
 Now, my dear friend, in such a situation of things as this, 
 what can we do ?" Can we rebuild the walls of Zion, or 
 restore her waste places ? Can we fight the Lord's battles 
 and turn again the captivity of his people ? Are we able 
 to go in and out before them, to mourn skillfully ourselves, 
 and teach the daughters lamentation ? Nay, who is suffi- 
 cient for these things ? What then remains for us to do ? 
 what is our proper business? Why, surely, that very 
 same thing which the great apostle adviseth, in these 
 words : " Study to be quiet, and to do your own business." 
 " It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps'' 
 aright ; the wrath of man (nor his zeal neither) worketh 
 not the righteousness of God. " The steps of a good man 
 are ordered by the Lord." "Study to be quiet," and in 
 peaceful, perfect submission, commit thyself wholly into 
 the hands of Almighty God ; and in his mil concerning 
 thee, rest always satisfied ; for surely it is fit that He' 
 should dispose of us; that He should direct every thing 
 that any way relates, either to our outward or inward 
 state ; because He is our Father, if we are but enough de^ 
 pendent on Him. He only is wise, and knows what is 
 best for us, and what will most contribute to his glory. 
 This is the acceptable state ; " Thy will be done ;" give 
 what Thou pleasest, withhold what Thou pleasest. " Give 
 us this day our daily bread," whether it be the bread of 
 adversity, or the water of affliction ; or the bread which - 
 Cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 
 "Thy will be done," whether Thou be pleased to lift up 
 the light of Thy countenance, and bless us with the sensi- 
 ble enjoyment of Thy glorious presence, whereiii indeed 
 there is life ; or Thou seest it more profitable for us to be 
 exercised in a state of barrenness, mourning, deep feeling 
 
JOHN THORP. 69 
 
 of our own weakness, and spiritual poverty, Thy will, Thy 
 holy blessed will be done. 
 
 Now, I do believe thou art advanced far, very far be- 
 yond me in these experiences ; but yet I know what I say, 
 and indeed I have seen, and do see, such an excellence, 
 such necessity, such perfection, safety, and beauty, in this 
 state of perfect, total, unreserved submission and resigna- 
 tion to God, more especially in spiritual things, but indeed 
 in all things ; that I am no way able to express myself in 
 a manner equal to my views and feelings of this state ; nor 
 to recommend it according to its infinite worth ; because 
 it is here we see our own nothingness, and the all of 
 God. It is here that we receive counsel and ability to 
 perform the service of the present day, resting satisfied 
 with his appointments and allotments, whether in public 
 or private labor, whether in doing or suffering, according 
 to the will of God. 
 
 God Almighty, if it be his will, gather and preserve thee 
 here, in a state of humble trust and firm reliance on his 
 mercy ; and limit and rebuke the power of the enemy, 
 that he may never be permitted to bring thee into any de- 
 gree of despondency. 
 
 To the keeping, guidance, and protection of the great 
 Shepherd of Israel, I commend thee with myself, and at 
 this time bid thee farewell. 
 
 From thy loving, affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 P. S. — Martha Routh is on a religious visit to some 
 meetings in Yorkshire. Brother T. Cash, in company 
 with Isaac Gray, is on a visit to several of the midland ' 
 counties : and William Eathbone on the same errand in 
 the southwest ; so that the work of the Lord is going for- 
 
70 LETTKKS OF 
 
 ward, and then, no matter who are the instruments, all is 
 right that is in the Divine appointment. So that the 
 walls of partition and opposition be brought down, no 
 matter whether the silver trumpet, or the ram's horn be 
 made use of as the instrument. 
 
 I cannot well forbear just adding, that the faith and 
 hope which I have so frequently felt concerning thee, and 
 sometimes expressed in my letters, remain with me in as 
 great a degree as ever ; and no shadow of doubt at any 
 time attends my mind concerning thy state, which I verily 
 believe to be in the allotment of consummate Wisdom, 
 and that it will turn to thy unspeakable advantage, and, 
 in the end, be sanctified to thy everlasting salvation. 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 Manchester, First Monti; 11th, 1782. 
 To RiciiAED Shackleton. 
 
 My dear Friend :^-Thy letters we receive duly, though 
 we have not answered them so. I was anxious to hear of 
 thine and the young man's safe arrival at your respective 
 habitations, and was pleased to read the account of it in 
 thy first letter. I was much pleased with it, as it seemed 
 to me replete with sentiments and monitions, not only 
 truly Christian, but very seasonable. It is cause of 
 thankfulness to some of us, to hear that we have so much 
 place in thy afiectionate remembrance; and truly thou 
 art frequently remembered by us, I almost think with as 
 much affection and regard as thou canst wish. 
 
 Ever since thou left us, I have purposed to write to thee ; 
 but a sort of procrastination somewhat natural to me, aad 
 
JOHN THORP. 71 
 
 not the least of my weaknesses, has hitherto prevented : 
 yet I think I know so much of the nature of religious, I 
 had almost said Divine friendship, as to allow me to say, 
 that it can be effectually supported without exterior cor- 
 respondence, (though this I much approve in its place.) 
 The nature, the ground, and support of this friendship, 
 are most excellently described in a few words by the be- 
 loved disciple : " If we walk in the light, as He is in the 
 light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood 
 of Jesus Christ his Son eleanseth us from all sin." As this 
 is experienced in any good degree, what a unity is felt with 
 all the living, what sympathy, what harmony, what salu' 
 tations of love unfeigned ; not only to particulars, but also 
 to the whole family and heritage of God ! 
 
 We may esteem, value, and regard one another as men, 
 according to the opinion we conceive of each other's ex- 
 cellence, as I do thee for brightness, wit, and learning ; 
 but attractive as these are, had I beheld in my dear friend 
 no higher excellencies than these, I should hardly have 
 wished, if it had been in my power, to have cultivated an 
 acquaintance with thee. No ; it is the virtues of a hidden 
 life, and the knowledge of one another therein, that cement 
 the brotherhood, and unite the living members of the body 
 not only to the Holy Head, but unto one another ; and 
 here, and only here, the most excellent parts become truly 
 amiable, under the sanctifying operation of that Power, 
 which takes them out of the service of the natural man, 
 and consecrates them to the glory and honor of Him alone, 
 who is the Author and Giver of every good and perfect 
 gift, and who alone can sanctify it. 
 
 In writing to thee, who knowest and carest for the 
 churches, the state of things here presents itself; but alas ! 
 what can I say ; I fear the case is too general, both church 
 
72 LETTERS OF 
 
 and state inclusive, " Without are fightings, and within 
 are fears ;" " abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there 
 is as death." Yet there are, I trust, both here and in most 
 other meetings, yea, and amongst those also who are not 
 of this fold, those whose concern it is to watch and keep 
 their garments, that so they may not be found naked ; al- 
 though these are deeply and frequently baptized, not only 
 in the cloud and in the sea, and for the dead, but into a 
 deep feeling of that prevailing famine, not of bread, but 
 of the refreshing, powerful, life-giving word of God. Oh ! 
 how necessary, and how much to be desired, in such a 
 situation of things as this, is total, perfect resignation ; and 
 if happily, we might attain unto it, total, perfect dedica- 
 tion ; that so we might stand upright in our various lots, 
 subjected to the teaching of Divine Wisdom ; and seeking 
 to the Strong for strength, that we might be enabled to 
 bear the burdens and discharge the duties He might per- 
 mit or appoint unto us ; and then all would be well, and 
 we should be secure in his protection, how deep soever He 
 might be pleased to lead, into the fellowship of his suiferings, 
 such as are made willing to be conformable unto his death. 
 Great are the commotions that are in the world, great 
 in the earth is the distress of nations, and great is the per- 
 plexity of many exercised minds, who are, at seasons, toss- 
 ed as with a tempest, and not comforted. " Nevertheless, 
 the foundation of God standeth sure," and this seal for- 
 ever will remain upon it, " The Lord knoweth them that 
 are his ;" and these He will preserve, who, like righteous 
 Noah, are concerned to enter into the ark of his holy 
 covenant; they shall be therein preserved safe, for a rem- 
 nant of a holy seed, though it may be as on the waters, 
 whilst the deluge of his wrath is poured forth on a back- 
 sliding generation. 
 
JOHN THOKl'. 73 
 
 I have written these things in the liberty and simplicity 
 in which they have been presented to my own mind. I 
 know thou art wise, not only to admit of this freedom, but, 
 if it can be, to gather any little hint that may be profitable, 
 even from the meanest instrument. 
 
 Our friend Sarah Taylor, who writes to thee under this 
 cover, will give thee the best account of those circumstan- 
 ces thou enquirest after, relating to our worthy friend 
 Joseph Harwood. She remembers to have heard him re- 
 late them, which I do not ; any additions to, or improve- 
 ments of, those fragments I put together, would be highly 
 pleasing to me. To preserve the memorial of the right- 
 eous, seems an act of justice due to the living and to the 
 dead ; and particularly due in gratitude to Him, who hath 
 been their Rock and their Strength, and by whose power 
 and goodness they have been led and supported, through 
 many tribulations, into his glorious kingdom. 
 
 I shall just say, before I conclude, that I wish for thee 
 as for myself, an increase of every virtue ; and that we 
 may experience, as an addition to all other blessings, the 
 blessing of a thankful, deeply thankful, and truly devoted 
 heart. 
 
 I feel in measure the good-will which Truth inspires ex- 
 tend to thy family, in which I salute them, and wish the 
 virtues and riches of it evermore to rest upon them ; that 
 therein they may become fruitful to his praise, who hath 
 called them to glory and virtue : — particularly I wish this 
 for thy son ; may he, like good old Jacob, be concerned to 
 seek, and favored to experience, the Divine blessing to 
 prevail above the blessings " of his progenitors. Unto the 
 utmost bound of the everlasting hills," to rest upon him 
 and on his seed for ever. 
 
 I need not tell thee, that to hear from thee at convenient 
 
74 LETTER!:^ OF 
 
 seasons, will not only be expected and acceptable, but ac- 
 knowledged as a favor, by thy sincerely affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTEK XIV. 
 
 Manchester, Eighth Month 15th, 1782. 
 To Robert Valentine. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Understanding thou art likely to be 
 at Kendal on First-day next, I could not with ease let slip 
 the opportunity of writing, first to inform thee we got 
 safe home the evening of the day we left thee ; and I think ' 
 I may safely add, we were favored to return in some de- 
 gree of thankfulness, under the covering of Divine peace. 
 
 We were much pleased, nay more than pleased, to hear 
 thou hadst a satisfactory meeting with Friends at Leeds. 
 What can we say to these things ! God only is wise, and 
 all that He does is right. Oh ! that we may carefully en- 
 deavor after that perfect degree of resignation, that not 
 only bows in submission to every dispensation of Divine 
 Providence, but that can in every thing give thanks. 
 
 I think I know so well, my very dear friend, the Rock 
 whereon thou standest, and its sufficiency to support ; the 
 humility, simplicity, and dedication of thy heart to be, to 
 do, to bear, and suffer all things according to the will of 
 God, that it seems to me almost unnecessaiy to endeavor 
 to express that desire and encouragement which I feel in 
 my heart for thee, that thou mayst steadily persevere 
 therein, even to the end. But I am not altogether igno- 
 rant of the devices of the enemy, nor of the deeply prov- 
 ing exercises which attend thee in the course of thy minis- 
 terial labors and sufferings amongst a backsliding and re- 
 
JOHN THORP. 75 
 
 bellious people ; and I know something, yea, more than 
 , language can express, of those most trying, most humiliat- 
 ing reasons, wherein the mind is divested of its strength 
 and comfort, and is suffered to feel, in an ineffable man- 
 ner, its own weakness and misery. When I consider these 
 things, my dear friend, together with thy advanced age, 
 bodily weakness, the perilousness of the present times, thy 
 distance from thy near connections, and the unfeeling state 
 of those who, many times, are thy attendants from place to 
 place ; when my mind hath been baptized into sympathy 
 with thee in feeling these things, my heart within me hath 
 been humbled on thy account ; but yet I neither see nor 
 * feel the least room for despondency ; on the contrary, my 
 heart is filled with faith and encouragement for thee. 
 
 We know Him in whom we have believed ; that infinite 
 mercy, power, and love, are with Him, and that He is able 
 to keep those who have committed themselves unto Him. 
 What a blessedness there is in casting our care entirely 
 upon Him ! I fully believe, I can hardly help saying, I 
 know thou dost this, and that therein thou wilt be safe, 
 and infallibly experience, to thy everlasting comfort, that 
 He, the Lord God Almighty, who raised thee up to be his 
 servant, and called thee from a distant land to labor in 
 this part of his vineyard, will not only support thee in his 
 service, and bless the work in thy hands, but will assuredly 
 be to thee both sword, and bow, and battle-axe ; thy 
 shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 
 
 I hope thou wilt not be ofiended at the liberty I have 
 taken to write these things ; I have copied them, as care- 
 fully as I have been able, from the present feelings of my 
 heart. 
 
 I should be glad of one line from thee, but I know 
 thou writest with much difficulty ; however, I hope, when 
 
76 LKTTERS OF 
 
 it is well with thes, thou wilt remember me. My wife, 
 brother Thomas Cash, and Margaret Cooke, unite in dear 
 love to thee, with thy affectionate, loving friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 Manchester, Tenth Month 28th, 1782. 
 To Richard Shacki.eton. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I confess that, in my own opinion, 
 I have trespassed too much on thy charity and patience, 
 in having so loug^deferred to acknowledge the receipt of 
 thy very kind and welcome letter, dated Second Month, 
 24th. 
 
 I was pleased, nay obliged, by thy communicating to 
 me so freely, seasonable intimations and just remarks re- 
 specting the nature and support of our discipline : they 
 are my own sentiments ; I wish to pay suitable attention 
 to them, but may confess I have need often to have the 
 pure mind stirred up, that I may both see and practice 
 that which is required. 
 
 I suppose thou hast met before this time with thy brave 
 old countryman, Robert Valentine. He labored, with 
 great fervency and uprightness, amongst us in this place, 
 and some of us particularly were much comforted by his 
 company. Martha Routh and I rode nearly two hundred 
 miles to accompany him to some meetings in Yorkshire ; 
 and indeed I must say, that his zeal, uprightness, and 
 honesty, in rendering to all their due, without partiality, 
 without hypocrisy, or respect of persons, were really com- 
 fortable, instructive and edifying ; and the more so, be- 
 cause I have sometimes been afraid these excellent virtues 
 have been too much wanting, even where they ought to 
 
J H N T H K P . 77 
 
 have shone with the most distinguished lustre. As Robert 
 spent eight or nine days in Manchester, he can tell thee 
 any thing thou wantest to know about us, perhaps better 
 than I can. You have got Ruth Fallows too, I under- 
 stand, amongst you, an excellent servant; and Sarah 
 Grubb, whom I love in the truth, is now on her way with 
 her husband to your National Meeting. Ireland seems to 
 be much favored in this way : I wish fruits may arise 
 equal to the cultivation. 
 
 I will not trouble thee with any account of my poverty 
 and weakness ; how insignificant I seem to myself, or how 
 mere a cipher in society. No matter for this ; I think I 
 *can say in truth, I envy no man's lot. I wish for no 
 greater, higher, or other place in the Divine harmony, 
 than that which unfailing Wisdom would form me for; 
 and so that I may be happy enough to gain an establish- 
 ment here, I neither ask nor desire more. 
 
 Perhaps it may be as well for me to conclude here ; for 
 though I could write much, what need is there of it to one 
 who knows where all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowl- 
 edge are hid ! and where to wait to have them opened, 
 and necessary instruction sealed ! I wish, above every 
 thing, for myself and for thee, that we may frequently 
 enough retire here, and dwell here ; for only here is real 
 edification known, and wisdom and ability are received to 
 do the will of God. 
 
 In a degree of the Heavenly Father's love, I often re- 
 member thee, and therein I wish to be remembered by 
 thee for good ; in some measure whereof, at this time, I 
 salute thee and thy family, wishing your prosperity in the 
 best things, and an abundant increase of heavenly riches. 
 From thy truly affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
78 LETTERS OF 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 Manchester, , 1782, 
 
 To -. 
 
 If it were in my power to communicate to thee my mo- 
 tives for this address, how reluctantly I entered upon it, 
 how willingly I would have found myself wholly excused 
 from it, how sensible I am of the ungrateful task of ad- 
 ministering reproof, and how little naturally I desire to be 
 " my brother's keeper ;" how much I wish to mind my own 
 business, and heartily despise the character of being " a 
 busy-body in other men's matters,'' thou wouldst at least 
 excuse me for giving thee the trouble of this letter ; but 
 didst thou know the power and end of that Divine love 
 which at seasons I have felt to counteract and overrule all 
 natural reluctance, to silence all human reasoning, to bap- 
 tise into a deep feeling and care for the things of others, 
 for those things which are Jesus Christ's, the things which 
 concern his people, his cause and his honor ; how under 
 the prevailing influence of this love, the condition of my 
 brethren hath sometimes been brought near to my heart, 
 and therein an ardent travail raised for the redemption of 
 the whole creation ; didst thou know the ineffable nature 
 and principle of this love, thou wouldst surely open thy 
 heart to receive whatever might be communicated under 
 its blessed influence. 
 
 And first, it is with me to put thee in mind of the un- 
 certainty and transient continuance of all human satisfac- 
 tions. Time is short, and it remaineth, that those " who 
 have wives be as though they had none ;" " they that buy, 
 as though they possessed not," and they that plant, as 
 though they did it not ; " for the fashion of this world passeth 
 
JOHN THORP. 79 
 
 away ;" for man hath but a short time to live, his days are 
 few, and often full of trouble ; " he cometh forth like a 
 flower, and is cut down ; he fleeth also as a shadow, and 
 continueth not." Were it possible for us to secure to our- 
 selves the full possession and gratification of all the de-. 
 sires of the heart and of the mind, to the latest period of 
 existence here, the time would soon be over, and what 
 should we do in the end thereof? But alas ! how frequent 
 and great are the disappointments which attend those who 
 are devoted to pursue the pleasures, profits, and honors of 
 this perishable world ! what ups and downs attend our 
 pilgrimage through time ! how many, who are brought up 
 in palaces, embrace dunghills, whilst others are raised from 
 a very low estate to sit amongst princes; so that there is 
 no certainty of the continuance of any sublunary enjoy- 
 ment, because that He, who is the God of heaven and of 
 the whole earth, ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and rais- 
 eth up and pulleth down at his pleasure, that all the earth 
 might learn to fear before Him. 
 
 Many who have been tried with seasons of prosperity, 
 having departed from the fear of the Lord, and not walk- 
 ing humbly and thankfully before Him, have been stripr 
 ped suddenly of their greatjness, and brought into circum- 
 stances truly humiliating ; and, like the abased king of 
 Babylon, have been brought to acknowledge to the su- 
 preme power and wisdom of that God, whose mercies they 
 have perverted, that all his " works are truth, and his ways 
 judgment ;" and that those "who walk in pride He is able 
 to abase." 
 
 Oh ! that we might be awakened in time, to a sense of 
 our true interest, and danger of our standing ; that so we 
 might see the great necessity oi^ and be concerned earnestly 
 to apply to the Father of Mercies for the precious gift of 
 
80 LETTERS OF 
 
 that adorable wisdom, which directs the mind to God, and 
 is able to preserve us in a state of humble, upright walk- 
 ing before Him, out of all the snares of the devil, the lusts 
 of the flesh, and all the pomps and vanities of this wicked 
 ■ world. 
 
 And now, having thus far expressed what has been pre- 
 sented, and opened the way, it seems, at least in my 
 apprehension, in the line of duty, to put thee upon con- 
 sidering thy religious profession, and the consistency or 
 otherwise of thy conduct with it ; and this I do in a dis- 
 position the most unwilling to offend ; I do not wish to 
 upbraid or irritate, but to stir up the pure mind, and that 
 not only for your own sakes, but that the occasion of of- 
 fence and stumbling might be removed from others. Oh ! 
 that it was thy concern to know and answer the end for 
 which the Lord raised us up to be a people, and in ador- 
 able condescension to set his name amongst, that so we 
 might be for a remnant of a holy seed, to hold up faith- 
 fully to the nations the standard of truth and righteous- 
 ness, and become as "lights in the world," "as the salt of 
 the earth," as way-marks to the people, " as a city set on 
 a hill, that cannot be hid ;" that others, seeing our good 
 works, might glorify our Father who is in heaven. Now, 
 when the professors of this blessed truth walk in the holy 
 light and nature of it, under the exercise of the cross of 
 Christ, this gracious end is so far answered ; and in this 
 sense it is strictly true, that no man liveth to himself; our 
 lives have a certain influence upon others, as saith our 
 blessed Lord, "He that is not with me is against me, and 
 he that gathereth not with me, scattereth." 
 
 When the virtue of Divine light and truth first broke 
 forth amongst our predecessors, it brought forth its proper 
 effects ; humility, meekness, resignation to God, self-denial. 
 
JOHN THORP. 81 
 
 and universal love, were conspicuous amongst them. What 
 circumspection, what simplicity and moderation, appeared 
 amougst them ! a life all opposite to the nature and spirit 
 of this vain world, by which the witness in others was 
 reached, and numbers who saw them, did fully acknowl- 
 edge them to be "the seed which the Lord hath blessed." 
 Now, since it hath pleased Divine Wisdom to favor thee 
 with a birthright amongst this people; and, after having 
 exercised thee a little in the line of adversity, to give thee 
 the desire of thy heart, and turn the balance of prosperity 
 in thy favor, what have been the effects and consequences 
 of it? What returns have been offered, of love, of grati- 
 tude, of humble dedication and obedience? What con- 
 cern to set up thy banner in the name of the Lord, and to 
 supplicate that unmerited Goodness, which, for a season, 
 hath appointed thy lot as in a southern land, to give thee 
 also springs of water, those sure, nether, inexhaustible 
 springs of consolation, which flow from the Divine Pres- 
 ence. I do not know, but I am sure appearances declare 
 the contrary, (I wish they did not,) to the grief of some, 
 and the offence of others. I do not wish to enter into 
 particulars, either of what I have seen as to your appear- 
 ance, or what hath been reported of your appearing at 
 public places of amusement and dissipation ; but you are 
 both of years to consider, that such an appearance and 
 conduct are diametrically opposite to the principles you 
 profess, and must consequently obstruct every degree of 
 fellowship with the most sincere part of the body, and will 
 not recommend you to the more serious and upright part 
 of the people of any denomination ; and what is worst of 
 all, will certainly tend to separate from the Divine favor... 
 Having written these few hints in a degree of simplicityj.. 
 in which I feel the covering of peace, I sincerely recom- 
 
82 LETTERS OF 
 
 mend them to your serious consideration ; and beseech 
 you not to stifle conviction, nor slay the Witness in your- 
 selves, by which all the hidden things of darkness would 
 be brought to light, and the line of judgment drawn upon 
 transgression ; for by judgment iniquity is purged ; that 
 so you might be brought into a life, truly serious, by the 
 fear of the Lord, to partake of the fellowship of the living 
 body, whose fellowship is with the Holy Head, Christ 
 Jesus. That God himself may continue and sanctify his 
 mercies towards you, and delight to do you good, is the 
 desire himself hath raised at this time in my heart for you, 
 from your well-wishing friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTEE XVII. 
 
 Manchester, Fifth Month 24th, 1784, 
 To Richard Shaokleton. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Under the united influence of grati- 
 tude and friendship, I now intend, though late, to make 
 some reply to the last two letterg I received from thee : 
 and truly I can say, the whole of them are acceptable to 
 me ; the sentiments every where just, thy hints of counsel 
 to me seasonable and wholesome ; the account of thy own 
 state acceptable and instructive. 
 
 Thou tellest me, that, when thou wast last in England, 
 thou wast both at our Monthly and Quarterly Meeting, 
 but didst not see me; and then wisely remarkest upon it, 
 that circumstances might attend to prevent, which thou 
 wast not acquainted with. It is true, my dear friend ; but 
 all things are known to Him who numbers the hairs of 
 our head ; and I entirely acquiesce with thee, that to stand 
 
.TOHN THORP. 83 
 
 approved by Him, is the great object at which we should 
 all aim. These are so much my sentiments, that I hardly 
 know how to go about to excuse myself to any mortal. 
 Sometimes, indeed, I look forwards, with soiae degree of 
 hope, towards times of greater enlargement ; and I believe 
 that, if this be consistent with the Divine allptment, it will 
 sure enough come to pass in his own time. There is little 
 need, in these days of lukewarmness and declension, to dis- 
 courage any from going about from place to place, and at- 
 tending distant meetings, under a profession of supporting 
 the cause of truth and righteousness : yet really, when I 
 consider the conduct of some amongst us, who have trav- 
 ■ elled much on earth, and yet have made but very little 
 progress towards the heavenly country ; who have been 
 very frequent in the attendance of meetings, both at home 
 and at a distance, and yet have made no proportionable 
 acquisition of the graces and virtues of the heavenly life ; 
 a jealousy and fear attends my mind, lest many, who 
 move about amongst us, do it not upon the right Founda- 
 tion. In this remark I have not the least view of the min- 
 istry, nor of my friend Richard Shackleton. 
 
 I remember observing, in a former letter, that you have 
 been much favored in Ireland with ministerial labor ; this 
 has been the case since, still more abundantly. I cannot 
 help looking upon it as a spiritual phenomenon that merits 
 awful attention. 
 
 I know it will aiford my dear friend some satisfaction 
 to hear, that a few weeks back, in company with my much 
 esteemed friends, Martha Routh, and Sarah Reynolds of 
 Warrington, I paid a religious visit to the families of 
 Friends in three meetings belonging to our Monthly 
 Meeting, which service, I may thankfully acknowledge, 
 was graciously owned, from place to place, by the blessed 
 Master, to my humbling admiration. 
 
84 LETTERS OF 
 
 I suppose you have got, before this time, my brother 
 Thomas Cash, and also Isaac Gray. I hope their service 
 will be acceptable ; they have a " good report of all men, 
 and ofthe Truth itself." 
 
 In the salutation of unfeigned love, which I feel far oft- 
 ener than I write, I remain thy truly affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 
 Manchester, ■ 
 
 To . 
 
 I think I may in sincerity appeal to Him, who knows 
 the hearts of all men, that a concern is often with me, that 
 I might be preserved from intruding myself into the con- 
 cerns of my brethren, or ever coming under the character 
 of "a busy-body in other men's matters.'' Nevertheless, 
 apprehending myself at times engaged by the best Author- 
 ity, to communicate to others what appears to me to be the 
 mind of Christ, a concern is likewise raised on this hand 
 in my heart, that I might obtain mercy to be found faith- 
 ful. It is from this motive only, that I am at this time 
 engaged to hint a little, as I may be enabled, what hath 
 been presented before my own mind, as I was sitting alone 
 in my chamber this evening, my mind being turned to 
 consider or look towards the state of your family. 
 
 And first, I was led a little to consider the weaknesses 
 and infirmities, which are too frequently observed to at- 
 tend, whilst clothed with flesh, the most devoted followers 
 of the Holy Jesus ; when the holy watch is not maintained, 
 when the holy influence is withdrawn, they then become 
 weak, and are like other men. Thus, thev who are dedi- 
 
JOHN THORP. 85 
 
 cated to the service of the ministry, and bear as in their 
 foreheads the inscription of holiness, having to conflict 
 with all the struggles of the private soldier, may some- 
 times manifest weaknesses inconsistent with the dignity of 
 the holy office ; and he, who yet remains to be the accuser 
 of the brethren, will not fail, where he can, under any 
 disguise, gain admittance, exceedingly to expose and mag- 
 nify these ; and would lead, by little and little, to despise 
 the Lord's anointed, to. "speak evil of dignities," and 
 lightly to esteem the sacrifices which the Lord hath com- 
 manded to be oifered in the holy place. 
 
 It is not in my heart to justify, to excuse, or extenuate, 
 the failings and imperfections of the foremost rank in the 
 Lamb's army. I know it deeply behooves them, above 
 all others, to walk circumspectly, to make straight steps 
 to their feet, to be examples to the flock ; and I am verily 
 persuaded there are none feel more deeply for their of- 
 fences, none more deeply bowed imder the humiliating 
 sensibility of their own un worthiness, none more frequently 
 covered with blushing and confusion of face than these 
 I do not want to excuse or explain away their failings ; 
 but I want to impress a proper regard to the dignity of 
 the holy office; I want to revive that ancient precept, 
 " Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." 
 God forbid, said David, that I should put forth my hand 
 against the Lord's anointed. If weakness appear, if the 
 enemy prevail in any little matter, Oh! "tell it not in 
 Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest the 
 daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of 
 the uncircumcised triumph." Oh ! did but the people 
 know, were it but possible for the uncircumcised to con- 
 sider, the secret travail of their spirits ; the painfully dis- 
 tressing conflicts which these have passed through, and 
 
86 LETTERS Olf 
 
 which yet await them ; how often they have wandered in 
 the wilderness, " with their hands upon their loins as a 
 woman in travail ;" what they have to pass through in the 
 weeks of preparation, while eating the roll of prophecy, 
 and lying on their sides ; how often such now are covered 
 with sackcloth, and have secretly to muse on the contents 
 of the roll, wherein is written " lamentations, and mourn- 
 ing and woe ;'' were it possible, I say, for such, who are 
 yet whole, not having yet fallen upon that Stone which 
 the Lord hath laid in Zion for a foundation, and been 
 thereby broken, and enabled to offer the sacrifices of a 
 broken heart; were it possible for those, who have not 
 trodden the arduous path of regeneration, to consider these 
 things, they would not need to be reminded to mark such 
 whom the Lord had set over them, to esteem them very 
 highly, to honor them with double honor for the work's 
 sake, because " they watch for your souls, as they that 
 must give account" in the day of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 Permit me to express some degree of jealousy, lest, in- 
 stead of this esteem, regard, and double honor, there is a 
 murmuring, unthankful, gainsaying spirit, which is for 
 condemnation ; for, whilst I was musing on these things, 
 the exceedingly unhappy case of Korah, Dathan, and 
 Abiram, was brought into and affected my mind ; and the 
 language of their complaint was brought to my remem- 
 brance : "Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the con- 
 gregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is 
 among them ; wherefore then lift you up yourselves above 
 the congregation of the Lord ?" Thus, through the seduc- 
 tion of him who " blinded their eyes, and hardened their 
 heart," they murmured against the meekest of all men, 
 and the friend of God. Ah ! poor return this, for all that 
 good and deliveranfe which he, as an instrument, had 
 
J H N T H R P . 87 
 
 wrought for them, in bringing them out of Egypt, in bear- 
 ing them in his bosom, and so frequently and availingly 
 interceding for them with the Almighty. But the Lord 
 pleaded for him against these men, and destroyed them 
 by a remarkable destruction. I mention this instance 
 as it simply arose, without any charge or application, leav- 
 ing that to the Divine Witness in your bosoms, to which I 
 recommend every one of you, in order that you may be 
 enabled to reap the caution and benefit intended by these 
 broken hints, and remain, with suitable aifection and re- 
 gard, your friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 Manchester, Tenth Month 26th, 1786. 
 
 To . 
 
 My dear Friend : — I am obliged to thee for the particu- 
 lar account of the state of the church in , though 
 
 alas ! it is a very poor one ; and I am afraid such is the 
 case too generally amongst us every where. Why it is 
 so, the cause is as obvious as are the effe6ts ; the people 
 have forsaken the Lord, and gone after other gods ; and 
 therefore it is that the Lord's heritage is become desolate, 
 and " the daughter of Zion covered with a cloud." Yet, 
 however discouraging the present situation of things may 
 appear; however affecting the prevailing desolations, so 
 that the standard-bearers may be ready to faint, and like 
 poor Elijah, may be ready to think and conclude that they 
 only are left, and their lives also are in danger, I do be- 
 lieve there is not only left a " seven thousand" amongst 
 us, " all the knees" of whom " have not bowed to Baal, 
 and every mouth" of whom "hath not kissed him," but I 
 
88 1,ETTKRS I IK 
 
 do believe the Lord, in unfailing mercy, is bringing his 
 work again upon the wheel, and that He will yet more 
 and more eifectually revive it, as " in the midst of the 
 years." So that I would not have us to be discouraged ; 
 I believe the Lord would not have us to be discouraged, 
 neither grow weary, nor faint in our minds ; but rather, 
 let the hands that hang down be lifted up, and the feeble 
 knees confirmed ; for the Lord is remembering Zion ; He 
 will rebuild her waste places, so that she shall yet become 
 the " perfection of beauty, and the joy of the whole earth." 
 "Therefore rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with 
 her, all ye that love her ; rejoice for joy with her, all ye 
 that mourn for her, that ye may suck and be satisfied with 
 the breasts of her consolation ; that ye may milk out and 
 be delighted with the abundance of her glory." 
 
 The cause is not ours ; " if thou dost well, shalt thou not 
 be accepted ?" Let others do what they will ; let them 
 choose and worship what gods they please, "as for me and 
 my house, we will serve the Lord:" let us thus consider 
 and resolve. What ! though many are ofiended in Christ, 
 and draw back from following Him, shall we also go away ? 
 God forbid this should ever be the case with any who 
 have known Him, and that with Him are the rewards of 
 eternal life. 
 
 Oh that we might be encouraged to persevere in faith- 
 fulness, under every permitted dispensation, whether to 
 ourselves or to the church of Christ? Leaving the effects 
 and consequences of things to Him, who hath the control 
 of times and seasons, let us be resigned to our various al- 
 lotments, and not murmur at the cup which the Father 
 hath given us. Remember, we are but servants and stew- 
 ards ; that it will be enough for us if we be found faithful. 
 What ! though that part of the vineyard be unpleasant to 
 
JOHN THORP. iSy 
 
 labor in ; though there be not many mighty works to be 
 done, because of unbelief; though the fields should not be 
 white unto harvest, but rather the fallow ground want 
 ploughing up, that the thorns and briars may be con- 
 sumed ; nay, though none should believe our report, and 
 "though Israel be not gathered," those who have been 
 careful to abide in their lot, who have been attentive to 
 the' voice of the true Shepherd, and given the people warn- 
 ing from Him, " shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord," 
 and their God shall be their strength. 
 
 I wish thee to let see this ; I may acknowl- 
 edge he has been much in my view whilst I have been 
 writing ; for, though he is personally a stranger to me, yet 
 my heart hath been filled with earnest prayer for his pre- 
 servation in the right way of the Lord ; that " neither 
 things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth," 
 may ever be able to beguile him of his reward, or frus- 
 trate, in any measure, the gracious intentions of the Al- 
 mighty concerning him. 
 
 I wish for thee, my dear friend, careful, reverent atten- 
 tion, and humble obedience to every manifestation of 
 duty ; and that hereby thou mayst increase in true riches. 
 I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 Seventh Month 8th, 1787. 
 To RicHAED Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I think I do, as seldom as any man 
 who wishes well to the cause of religion and virtue, recom- 
 mend it by books, though I do believe, if people would 
 
90 LETTERS OF 
 
 read such as deserve reading, as thou sayst with a desire to 
 profit, they would always reap some benefit. My reading 
 now, not only from necessity, but judgment, is pretty much 
 confined. With respect to all the forbidden productions 
 of the tree of knowledge, I have seen a beauty and safety 
 in that state of mind expressed by the psalmist, and earn- 
 estly have I desired to dwell in it: "Lord, I do not exer- 
 cise myself in things too high for me ;" " my soul is even 
 as a weaned child." The Scriptures without, and the law 
 written in the heart, are the most profitable of all books ; 
 and in meditating on the Divine precepts written there, 
 with a desire to obey, the most blessed knowledge is ob- 
 tained. 
 
 May that Mercy and Goodness, my dear friend, by 
 which thou hast been visibly followed, and preserved 
 from the intoxicating influence of prosperity and afflu- 
 ence, continue to prepare and fill thy heart with redeem- 
 ing Love, and enable thee more and more to increase in 
 " bags which wax not old," " eternal in the heavens." 
 I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTEE XXI. 
 
 Manchester, Eighth Month 15th, 1787. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I think I should not do justice to 
 the book of letters which thou wast so kind as to lend mei 
 and which I now returjQ, if I did not acknowledge that 
 my heart was affected in reading several passages in it. 
 The author's dedication, and upright zeal and jealousy for 
 the glory of God, and for the ever blessed Jesus, felt pre- 
 
JOHN THORP. 91 
 
 cious to my heart. I do think, there is no one, who has 
 a spark of goodness in him, who can read her work with- 
 out some benefit ; and though I think her piety exceeded 
 her religious understanding, I have no manner of doubt 
 concerning her, and all such as she was, under every name, 
 but that they are numbered among the children of God, 
 and have their lot among the saints. 
 
 Do not think, my dear friend, I am recommending books 
 too highly. Every thing is good in its place ; but I wish 
 for thee, as for myself, that we may have in our possession 
 the truth itself, and that we may wait (that best of exer- 
 cises) to feel, when it shall please the Lord to replenish 
 our hearts with that light and virtue which comes from 
 Him, the mysteries of his kingdom opened in ourselves. 
 The Lord Almighty would, in great mercy, by various 
 means, prepare us for and engage us to seek after, those 
 Divine communications from Him, the Fountain itself, 
 wherein " are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowl- 
 edge." Thus we should experience another kind of teach- 
 ing, and another kind of knowledge, than that which books 
 or outward instruction can furnish us with. 
 
 I long, my dear friend, that we may grow and increase 
 in the knowledge and experience of that Divine commu- 
 nication, from the Fountain of Divine intelligence, and 
 with one another in Him, which standeth in no need of 
 the medium of words or writing, and in which the com- 
 munion of saints doth eternally consist. 
 
 Under some measure of the influence of the Heavenly 
 Father's love, I sincerely wish thy prosperity in the best 
 things, and remain thy aifectionate^ friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
92 LETTERS OF 
 
 LETTER XXII. 
 
 Makchestee, Twelfth Month 25th, 1787. 
 To Richard Shackleton. 
 
 My dear Friend : — With all who, like thee, have leisure 
 and talents at command, the common apology for delay 
 in writing — the want of opportunity, is likely to meet with 
 little credit; and yet, if that has not hindered me from 
 communicating to thee by letter, what I should often have 
 rejoiced to have spoken to thee, if present, I cannot tell 
 what has. Dear Rebecca Wright used to acknowledge 
 another impediment, and say she was too proud to write, 
 intimating that her performance did her no honor. I do 
 not know if pride has much influence over me in these 
 respects; but I do believe it operates very differently on 
 different minds, with regard to writing, and may, for aught 
 I know, have worse consequences in prompting some to 
 write, than others to be silent. I have no view, however, 
 to discourage communications of this kind, when the 
 streams are not impure. For my part, I freely confess, it 
 affords to me a highly grateful and pleasing satisfaction ; 
 and the want of an opportunity to enjoy and cultivate it, 
 where I see a disposition homogeneous to my own, is not 
 the least or lightest of the crosses I endeavor patiently to 
 bear. 
 
 My feelings and sentiments of friendship are much above 
 my outward condition ; and though I do not murmur, I 
 am almost tempted to it, when I consider what opportuni- 
 ties it deprives me of enjoying in the company of my dear- 
 est friends ; and how little I can help those in distress, for 
 whom I feel the deepest sympathy. Think of this, and be 
 thankful, you whose lot is in a southern land ; yes, and 
 
JOHN THORP. 93 
 
 let me consider it, and be thankful too, as appointed by 
 Him who only is wise. For these light afflictions are but 
 for a moment ; and truly my mind is frequently raised 
 above them, looking forwards in hope, towards that bliss- 
 ful state, when all the baneful shackles of mortality shall 
 be put off, and the children of the kingdom meet in Him, 
 who is the centre of unity, beyond the limits of time and 
 space, no more to be separated. 
 
 My youngest child died whilst I was in London, and 
 my wife did not choose to bury her until my return, which 
 hastened my departure from thence, and deprived me of 
 the opportunity of taking a satisfactory farewell of my 
 friends. 
 
 The candlesticks were to be made of pure gold, of beaten 
 work. I am sure I never saw more need in my life, that 
 they should be made of beaten work, that they may bear 
 tossing and hammering, without being broken or spoiled. 
 And oh ! how necessary it appears to me, that there should 
 be an increase of skill, care, and necessary qualifications, 
 in those who may be considered as snuffers or hammers. 
 I cannot express the pain and jealousy that fills my mind, 
 with respect to this class in our Society ; there is so much 
 want of bowels, sympathy, and of that love that edifies, 
 that I really fear, instead of being like pillars, waymarks, 
 and standard-bearers, supporting the hands that are ready 
 to hang down, they are, in too many places, as dead weights 
 in our assemblies ; and, like the false and idle shepherds 
 formerly, are more solicitous to fill themselves with the 
 bread that perishes, than the flock with that which nour- 
 ishes the soul up unto eternal life. 
 
 Well ! my dear friend, in proportion to the pain and 
 suffering I sometimes feel, on account of the elders I have 
 thus described, who, like the fruitless fig-tree, do but cum- 
 
94 LETTERS OF 
 
 ber the ground, I rejoice in those who are alive, and labor- 
 ing for, and measurably possessing, those qualifications 
 which enable them to discharge the important duties of 
 their office, to their own peace and the edification of the 
 churches. Oh! the almost infinite service such might, 
 nay would be of, if they were but enough devoted, did but 
 enough dwell under the efiicacious influence of that love, 
 in which Christ died for us. How would this quicken us 
 to diligence, and enable us to labor for the good of our 
 brethren. But, for want of this, how indifferent we be- 
 come with regard to othei-s ! or, if otherwise, however ac- 
 tive, if not under the influence of Divine love, it is but 
 like fruits brought forth in the shade. Oh ! the beauty 
 and benefit of words fitly spoken, and in season. " As an 
 ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise 
 reprover upon an obedient ear." Thus, my dear friend, 
 thou, who art called into this line of labor in the vineyard, 
 and hast received suitable qualifications for the work, be- 
 ing also providentially disentangled from the cares of this 
 life, "Be sober, be vigilant." "Whatsoever thy hands 
 find to do, do it with thy might." " Cast thy bread upon 
 the waters." Be not discouraged at the appearance of 
 things. " He that observeth the wind shall not sow, and 
 he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." " In the 
 morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not 
 thine hand ; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, 
 either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike 
 good." 
 
 Thy friends here are tolerably well in health, except 
 dear Martha Routh, who at present is but poorly as to the 
 body ; the other part of the compound in that good woman, 
 is, I believe, always improving. John Routh and his sis- 
 ter ■s'isibly grow older, but still move about a little ; she 
 
JOHN TUOKP. 96 
 
 (I hope both of them) seems wisely attentive to improve 
 the golden Sands, that so her measure may be completely 
 filled up. Through great mercy, we live in true unity, 
 which I hope will never be broken. 
 
 Believe me to be invariably, thy sincere and affectionate 
 friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXIII. 
 
 Third Month 22il, 1788. 
 To . 
 
 Being, contrary to my expectation and endeavors, pre- 
 vented from attending the ensuing Monthly Meeting at 
 
 , of which I was the more desirous, for the same 
 
 reason that I hoped, and still hope, thou wilt be there ; I 
 find freedom, and that, I trust, after having maturely con- 
 sidered it, with a desire to do right, to communicate to 
 thee what passed in my mind, long before I knew or ex- 
 pected that would have happened which prevents me. 
 
 It hath not been usual with me to think beforehand of 
 the affairs likely to come before such a meeting ; but the 
 
 mention made by the friends of , of the application 
 
 of a certain person to be admitted a member of our So- 
 ciety, occurred again and again to my mind, and con- 
 nected with it the parable of the "leaven which a woman 
 took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was 
 leavened." It was hidden ; but its operation, though se- 
 cret, was gradual and progressive, till there was a total 
 assimilation, " Till the whole was leavened," the process 
 was from within to without; the exterior part was the 
 last affected, the last whose appearance was altered ; but 
 though the last, it was as completely changed as the rest ; 
 "the whole was leavened." 
 
96 LETTERS OF 
 
 This seemed to convey instruction to my own mind, as 
 setting forth the prior necessity of an inward'change, for 
 the proper regulation of the outward deportment. I 
 thought, too, it might be applied not improperly to the 
 case, nor, perhaps, unprofitably to the consideration of the 
 party alluded to. I do not doubt his having been sensi- 
 ble of the secret influence of the Divine principle in his 
 own conscience, or that his judgment has been measurably 
 convinced by the testimonies he has heard borne to the 
 truth, as professed by us as a people. I as little doubt 
 the sincerity of his desire to be considered as one believ- 
 ing in the same principle, and desirous to walk by the 
 same rule ; but, rather than he should desire a premature 
 admission, I hope he will not be offended, if I recommend 
 to his serious consideration, whether there is yet that thor- 
 ough convictioii, that perfect harmony of faith and prac- 
 tice, as would justify the conclusion that "the whole'' is 
 leavened : for, as he that believeth will not make haste, so 
 a waiting for the right time, when perfect unity will be 
 experienced, will not retard his growth in the truth, nor 
 lessen the tender regard of his friends towards him, or the 
 peace of his own mind. 
 
 I desire to be as brief as possible. I have nothing but 
 good-will in my heart towards him, and if, under the in- 
 fluence of that Wisdom which alone, in such cases, is pro- 
 fitable to direct. Friends shall admit him a member of the 
 Society, I shall freely give him the right hand of fellow- 
 ship, and desire to be his companion in the regeneration 
 and in newness of life. 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
JOHN TlKnil". 97 
 
 LETTEE XXIV. 
 
 Manchestee, Fourth Month Ist, 1788. 
 
 To Frances Dodshon. 
 
 My dear Friend: — The accounts I have heard of the 
 return of thy former affliction in this advanced period of 
 thy life, is indeed affecting, but what shall we say ? shall 
 the thing formed say unto Him that formed it, " Why hast 
 thou made me thus ?" No, God only is wise in all his 
 dispensations ; and to his humbled children will bless and 
 sanctify them all, and fulfil in their experience that which 
 his servant has declared, that " all things work together 
 for good to them that love God." The various vicissitudes, 
 the ups and downs to which we are subject, during our 
 connection with this earthly tabernacle, in this change- 
 able, conflicting, and probationary state, however they 
 may affect our own feelings, have no effect at all on 
 " Him with whoni we have to do," who is fixed beyond 
 all possibility of mutation, who is " the same yesterday, 
 to-day, and forever ;" " with whom is no variableness neither 
 shadow of turning ;" so that, when' the cloud or eclipse 
 which arises from the elementary composition of the 
 material frame, shall be removed, and removed it certain- 
 ly will be, either before or with the dissolution of the body, 
 then will the Son of Eighteousness, I have no manner of 
 doubt, shine without interruption on thy immortal part, 
 through an unfailing duration. Call to mind, my dear 
 friend, the experience of former trials of this sort ; recol- 
 lect thy painful fears and doubtings with respect to eter- 
 nal happiness, and how fully these have been proved to 
 thyself to be without foundation, to be the suggestions of 
 the father of lies, who is still the same, working so far as 
 he is permitted, in the darkness ; and truly I do believe 
 
98 LETTKRS 01'' 
 
 there is uo temptatiou into which he eudeavors more to 
 lead us, than either presumption or despair, according as 
 our respective states may give him an advantage. " It is 
 a great sin," says a pious writer, " to dispair of the mercy 
 of God ; despair is the most powerful talon of the enemy :" 
 and in another place he writes thus, " Let no man despair 
 and say, there is a fast door upon me, I cannot be saved ; 
 for such thoughts have the devils and the damned in 
 hell :" I pray thee therefore, my dear friend, reject all 
 such suggestions, which I fully believe to be absolutely 
 false, as I believe that God is true. When I look with 
 the greatest care at thy present situation, I do not feel the 
 least shadow of a doubt, but the most unshaken assurance, 
 that the great Shepherd, the Keeper of Israel and Bishop 
 of souls, unto whom thou hast so often, through his mercy 
 and help, committed thyself, will most certainly preserve 
 thee " out of the mouth of the lion ;" and, in his own time, 
 gather and fix thy residence beyond the reach of all temp- 
 tations, where all tears shall be wiped from all faces, 
 and there shall be no more death nor sorrow. I earnestly 
 entreat thee not to decline any means that thou or thy 
 friends judge necessary to restore and preserve thy health. 
 I wish the enemy to be wholly baffled in all his efibrts to 
 defile or to destroy. For though I believe a great part, if 
 not the whole of thy present and former calamity of this 
 kind, originates in the disorder of the outward tabernacle, 
 yet of this assuredly the enemy tries to avail himself, and 
 take the advantage. 
 
 What I have written are not my sentiments only, but 
 the sentiments of thy affectionate and true friend, Sarah 
 Taylor, who, in love, care, and regard for thee, unites 
 with thy sincerely affectionate friend, John Thorp. 
 
 P. S. AVe wish to hear from thee when convenient. 
 
JOHN THURP. 99 
 
 LETTER XXV. 
 
 Manchester, Fourth Month 13th, 1789. 
 To Elizabeth Jolley, afterwards Elizabeth Blud- 
 
 WICK. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I am so sensible of thy generous care 
 and solicitude for me, as well as desire to have my com- 
 pany on these occasions, (in which, I believe, John Blud- 
 wick unites with thee,) that I feel most easy to acknowl- 
 edge, that it is to me grateful and acceptable. It would 
 truly be very pleasant, at this time to be with you; 
 and it is a cross not to have it in my power, the particular 
 reasons of which our Manchester friends will explain. I 
 do sincerely wish the great Master of our assemblies may 
 be with you, and that you may be edified in his love ; for 
 it is love that edifieth. There is nothing that I do so much 
 long for, as to feel my heart replenished and enlarged by 
 this love ; and I long that all my dearest friends might be 
 blessed with this experience, and that their hearts might 
 be enlarged by it, above the jots and tittles, above the 
 tithing of "mint and rue," into the possession and practice 
 of the weightier matters, "judgment and the love of God." 
 I feel, through mercy, with those who can feel for the 
 languid situation of things amongst us ; that, through the 
 prevalence of the nature and spirit of the world, which 
 lieth in wickedness, the love of many is waxed cold. Yet 
 I do feel every encouragement for the upright and sincere ; 
 and an evidence attends my mind, that the Lord will yet 
 revive his work as " in the midst of the years," that He 
 will abundantly bless the provision of Zion, and " satisfy 
 her poor with bread ;" that He will yet (blessed be his 
 glorious Name) more and more clothe her ministers with 
 
loo J.ETTKRS Ol'' 
 
 salvation, " and lier saiuts shall shout aloud for joy." It 
 is in my heart, therefore, to say to both of you, my dear 
 friends, be not discouraged, but persevere in humble dedi- 
 cation, puting your whole trust in, and having all your 
 expectations from the Lord alone ; and then you shall 
 experience, that He is a never failing helper, that He in- 
 creases strength to them who have no might, that He will 
 make his little ones as David, and the feeble as " the son 
 of Jesse." 
 
 I conclude, with the salutation of unfeigned love to John 
 Bludwick with thyself, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXVI. 
 
 Manchesteb, Tenth Month 4th, 1789. 
 To RicHAED Shackleton. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I cannot let slip this opportunity 
 of conveying a few lines to thee, by the favor of our truly 
 valuable friend Martha Routh ; and though such is the 
 present barrenness and poverty of my mind, that I hardly 
 seem able to form a sentence, yet, presuming upon thy 
 charity, and the terms of our friendship, (for better and 
 for worse,) I will first begin at home, and acquaint thee 
 that all my family, and thy friend, are favored with health ; 
 and it is, and I hope always will be, interesting and grate- 
 ful intelligence to me, to hear the same account of thee 
 and thine. 
 
 Please to give my love to all thy family, especially to 
 that daughter, I know not her name, who, I have heard, 
 has lately appeared in a few words in your meetings; 
 though a stranger at this distance, I feel something like 
 
JOHN THORP. 101 
 
 sympathy with her, aud a degree of solicitude attends my 
 mind for her preservation, and that she may grow from 
 " strength to strength," and increase in every good word 
 and work, to an establishment upon that unfailing Rock, 
 whereon they only can build, who hear the sayings of 
 Christ and do them. 
 
 I have a mind to tell thy daughter a dream ; for he that 
 has one, thou knowest, the prophet says, may tell it, 
 though I have told this to very few. It is a dream I had 
 the night before I first appeared in a few words in a meet 
 ing, though I may say, what afterwards I was very thank- 
 ful for, that though it made some impression on my mind 
 in the morning, I did not once think of it whilst I was in 
 the meeting. I thought I was intently engaged with some 
 others, in some outward business, when, all on a sudden, 
 a message was communicated by Divine authority, but I 
 knew not well from whence the voice proceeded; how- 
 ever, the words I heard distinctly to this purpose: "Cease, 
 or thou must cease, from the business thou art now en- 
 gaged in ; there is another work for thee to do ; for the 
 Lord is about to work a more thorough reformation in the 
 earth than any which hath hitherto taken place :" to 
 which I thought I answered,- — "Alas! how is it possible 
 that I can be of auy service in, or contribute to this work, 
 being so exceedingly poor, and destitute of every degree 
 of strength and ability to do it ;'' and indeed I thought I 
 felt myself so, when I spoke it, as much as ever in my 
 life; unto which I thought the voice replied, — "Thy 
 strength and ability will not be required ; this work can 
 only be effected by the strength and power of God." Per- 
 haps this may be some little encouragement ; it is with 
 that view I write it, that we should not sink under the 
 feeling of our own insufficiency and weakness, but, in a 
 
10:2 I, ETTKKS 111' 
 
 State of huBible dedication to the Fountain of all sure 
 help, have our whole dependence and expectation from 
 Him, whose is the work, "the power, the kingdom, and 
 the glory. Amen." 
 
 It will be news to tell thee, that I intend going for Lan- 
 caster to-morrow, to our Quarterly Meeting. I have been 
 several little journeys on religious occasions, since I saw 
 thee in Manchester ; and can tell thee truly, I have ever 
 been favored to return in humbling gratitude and peace. 
 
 I have heard of thy good works, in going about here 
 and there to sit with Friends in distant meetings. This is 
 doing wisely ; it is making the best use of time. Oh ! how 
 precious is that counsel of the wise man, "Whatsoever thy 
 hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." This is the 
 way to serve our generation with faithfulness, and to se- 
 cure that most desirable answer at last, when our accounts 
 are given in, " Well done, good and faithful servant." 
 
 I' am, my dear friend, in much nearness and affection, 
 with a heart filled with desires for thy present and ever- 
 lasting welfare, thy loving and true friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER XXVII. 
 
 Manchester, Seventh Month 19th, 1790. 
 To Elizabeth Rathbone. 
 
 My dear Friend : — A degree of solicitude has, at times, 
 attended my mind, for thy preservation, arising, I believe, 
 from the love of " my Father and thy Father, of my God 
 and thy God;" and therein, as my mind was led this 
 morning to look towards thee, a hint, or word or two, like 
 counsel, which I think right to communicate, presented ifr 
 
JOHN THORP. 108 
 
 self to my mind : — Be quiet, abide in the holy patience, 
 and let it have its perfect work, that thou mayst " be per- 
 fect and entire, wanting nothing." 
 
 Let us remember, my dear friend, (I have need awfully 
 to remember it,) that the sacrifice of our will, as a whole 
 burnt oflfering, is what the Lord is requiring of us ; and is, 
 indeed the root or essence of that life that must be given 
 up, if we would be the disciples of Christ, who came not 
 to do his own will, but the will of Him that sent Him : 
 and it is only in this state of resignation that we can pray 
 to " our Father which art in heaven, Thy kingdom come. 
 Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." 
 
 It is an acceptable thing to the Lord, to keep the word 
 of his patience : " Because thou hast kept the word of my 
 patience, (said the Lord to the church of Philadelphia,) I 
 also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.". I long 
 for thee, my dear friend, that thou mayst be preserved in 
 patient resignation and dedication to the Lord ; and there- 
 in abide all the varied dispensations and turnings of his 
 holy hand, that so thou mayst be formed by Him, a ves- 
 sel to his praise. Look not back ; but I have no jealousy 
 that thou wilt do this, but look not forward either, with 
 too much anxiety or desire to explore the Divine purpose : 
 " Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. " 
 
 Thus I wish thy patient perseverance, under the exer- 
 cise of the blessed cross of Christ, and endurance in the 
 furnace, and under the forming of his holy hand ; and 
 when the dross is purged from the silver, "there shall 
 come forth a vessel for the Finer." Therefore, it is in 
 my heart to say, however deeply thou mayst be tried, still 
 look to Him, who is " touched with the feeling of our in- 
 firmities," on whom all sure and sufficient help is laid ; 
 "who, for the Joy tliat was set before Him, endured the 
 
104 LETTERS OF 
 
 cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right 
 hand of the throne of God." 
 
 Let this be thy continual care, to have thy whole de- 
 pendence on Him, who hath laid down his life for thy re- 
 demption, and who, blessed be his name, hath by his 
 allurements brought thee into the wilderness, that He 
 might speak to thy heart, as He hath done to many of us, 
 in mercy that can never be sufficiently adored, whose 
 souls, in very early age. He has ravished, as with one of 
 his looks, with one chain of his neck ; therefore have some 
 of us been made willing to forsake all and follow Him, 
 whom our souls loved, " because He first loved us." As 
 thy expectation is from Him alone, I feel an assurance 
 that He will have thee in his keeping, that the "bruised 
 reed He will not break, and the smoking flax He will not 
 quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory ;" but 
 that He will sanctify every dispensation to thee, and thee 
 unto himself, and so fully accomplish in thee all his pleas- 
 ure ; which is the present prayer of thy sincerely affection- 
 ate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXVIII. 
 
 Manchester, First Month 15th, 1791. 
 To Richard Eeynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — There is, I believe, an obligation to 
 duty, above the fear of jnmishment or expectation of re- 
 ward; and because I wish thee the most perfect state, I 
 wish thee this experience ; — a state wherein all selfishness, 
 both in spiritual and temporal things, is lost or swallowed 
 up by divine, universal, disinterested love, as a drop of 
 water in the ocean. And though I do most assuredly be- 
 
JOHN THORP. 105 
 
 lieve, that virtue is its owu reward, that a cup of cold wa- 
 ter, given to a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall not 
 go without a reward ; yet I have often thought it a sub- 
 ject worthy the consideration of those who are stewards, 
 and desire to be faithful, that this is neither the time nor 
 place of rewards or punishments, though perhaps the 
 earnest of both is frequently felt. 
 
 I apprehend that many, even of the wise in heart, have 
 been ready to stumble here, thinking that their faithful- 
 ness and piety should have engaged the Divine interposi- 
 tion, to exempt them from the sufferings of this present 
 life ; so thought (it is likely) Brutus, who, when overcome 
 by Antony, in a cause wherein he thought virtue had en- 
 gaged him, is said, with his latest breath, to have expressed 
 this desponding exclamation, " Oh virtue ! I have followed 
 thee as a substantial good, but I find thee only an empty 
 name." How much of this appears in the book of Job, 
 whose trials were as singular and great-as his conduct had 
 been upright and approved! and David tells us, "that 
 his steps had well nigh slipped, because he envied the 
 prosperity of the wicked ;" when he saw how they flour- 
 ished, like a green bay-tree, and contemplated the severe 
 trials that were permitted or appointed unto him, he was 
 ready to conclude he had washed his hands in innocency 
 for naught. Nay, time would fail to recount the sufferings, 
 the trials, and probations that have attended the peculiar 
 heritage of God in all generations ; their great privilege, 
 it is plain, hath ever been. Divine support and preserva- 
 tion under trials, and not an exemption from them. How 
 great and variojjs were the troubles and trials that at- 
 tended the good old patriarchs, and how singular and 
 proving those that were experienced by the man after 
 God's own heart, whose son even conspired to take away 
 
106 LETTERS OF 
 
 his life; but He, who is a God keeping covenant and 
 mercy, vouchsafed his protection and sure support, and 
 was to hira, in all his troubles, a rock, a refuge, and a sure 
 hiding-place. 
 
 Whilst I am writing, I wish for thee, my dear friend, 
 beyond all that can be expressed, that this may be thy 
 happy experience, if trials of any sort be permitted to at- 
 tend thee ; for though I know not how applicable, or 
 otherwise, any thing of this sort may be to thy present 
 state, yet this I know, that there is no combination of out- 
 ward circumstances can exempt us from trouble, though 
 we tread upon the high places of the earth, and dip our 
 feet in oil ; but in the most proving situations, though 
 some encouragement, instruction, and consolation may be 
 derived from considering what hath been the lot, and 
 what the support, of many elder brethren in the family, 
 who, through many tribulations, have entered the king- 
 dom, yet the most sovereign help and comfort is obtained 
 by looking unto Jesus, who was " a man of sorrows and 
 acquainted with grief," whose " visage was so marred, more 
 than any man, and his form more than the sons of men ;" 
 who, being "touched with the feeling of our infirmities," 
 and having been tempted, knows how to succor those who 
 are tempted. 
 
 Let us, then, my dear' friend, in our varied allotments, 
 lay aside every weight and burden, and " run with pa- 
 tience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, 
 the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that 
 was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, 
 and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." 
 
 I would not make any unnecessary addition, but I am 
 so fully satisfied that it is not the will of our Father, who 
 is in heaven, that any of his children sliould be discour- 
 
JOHN TUOKP. 107 
 
 aged, under whatever disadvantage, in their own appre- 
 hension, they may be placed, or whatever cup they may 
 have to drink, or baptism to pass through ; but that they 
 should be encouraged to put their trust in Him, to cast 
 their care upon Him. None, who ever did so, ever were 
 or ever will be confounded. Oh! let nothing move us 
 from this Foundation, and we shall be safe. Oh ! how 
 memorable is that declaration of David, " The Lord is my 
 Shepherd, I shall not want ;" and again, "Thou art with 
 me. Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.'' Thus in 
 heights and depths, in seasons of trial and of rejoicing, let 
 our whole dependence, our humble trust and confidence, 
 be in and upon the sure mercy of God in Christ Jesus; 
 and then, I am sure. He will sanctify all his dispensations 
 to thee ; that He will bless thee indeed ; and that, as it 
 hath pleased Him to appoint thj' lot as in " a south land," 
 so He will also continue, as He hath in mercy hitherto at 
 seasons done, to give thee " springs of water," yea, the sure, 
 nether, inexhaustible springs of consolation that flow from 
 his presence. 
 
 I am thy sincere, affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTEE XXIX. 
 
 Manchester, Third Month 18th, 1791. 
 To Richard Shackleton. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Though I have for some time, and 
 often of late, thought of writing to thee, yet somehow, I 
 have so little aptitude to the business, that I am not pre- 
 pared with one single sentence to begin with. It is true, 
 I could tell thee that I do feel an increasing nearness and 
 
1(J8 LETTEKS OF 
 
 regard for thee; and, if I am not mistaken, it is on that 
 Foundation that will endure for ever. And in the spirit- 
 ual relation as a brother, I have comfort in thy remem- 
 brance of me, and wish for thee an increase of all spiritual 
 blessings in Christ. 
 
 I wish, I hope sincerely, that every birth in the minis- 
 try thou hast mentioned, that is of the Heavenly Father's 
 begetting, may live, and grow, and prosper, and bring 
 forth fruit to his praise. Here will be work for you, who 
 are fathers and elders in the church, to endeavor to bring 
 them forward healthfully, to enter into sympathy with 
 them, to feel and care for them, and in the gentle wisdom 
 and love of Christ, to communicate freely such hints of 
 caution and counsel as may appear necessary, not in the 
 deadness of formality, not in the authority of office, not 
 under the influence of partiality, or the wisdom of this 
 world, which shall come to naught, but in the meekness 
 and gentleness of Chi-ist. This will be most likely to con- 
 tribute to the preservation of all that should live. I do 
 not like too much dressing, and pruning and -nuraing ; I 
 think little good hath ever come of it ; neither do I ap- 
 prove that conduct in young ministers, that, like spoiled 
 children, run to comjjlain of every pain and exercise that 
 may attend them. It would, I believe, be far more profit- 
 able for them, to keep their attention inward, to ponder 
 these experiences, and ask wisdom, strength, and counsel, 
 of Him, who " giveth liberally, and upbraideth not." 
 
 It should ever be remembered, as instruction for those 
 who judge of the ministry, that " there are diversities of 
 gifts, but the same Spirit ; and differences of administra- 
 tions, but the same Lord ;" and that this diversity is so 
 almost infinitely great, that we can hardly tell when we 
 have made sufficient allowance for it. There is a vast 
 
JOHN THOBP. 109 
 
 variety, thou kuowest, in the flowers of the iield ; how 
 abundantly does the carnation or the rose excel the daisy ; 
 and yet every one of these possesses a distinct beauty, and 
 unites in the general incense, or the display of their Crea- 
 tor's power. What a variety in the notes and songs of the 
 birds of the wood ! what a diflference between the sparrow 
 and the nightingale! and yet we know who it is that 
 careth for the sparrows ; and do they not all increase the 
 general harmony ? Let not then the smallest gifts ever 
 be despised, or their cultivation and improvement neg- 
 lected. It was said to him who had improved the two 
 talents, and would no doubt have been said to him who 
 had received but one, had he improved it, as well as to 
 him who had received and improved the five,— "Well 
 done, thou good and faithful servant ; enter thou into the 
 joy of thy Lord." 
 
 Give my love to thy daughter ; I feel a sympathy and 
 care for all who are called to service in the Lamb's army, 
 and are desirous to move on the right Foundation. Oh ! 
 that all such would abide in the patience, and under the 
 clothing of humility ; and in a dedication of heart, under 
 the exercise of the cross, faithfully do the will of their 
 Heavenly Father, and "be content with their wages." I 
 am apprehensive the enemy has greatly injured many, by 
 secretly working in the unrenewed nature, and leading 
 them to expect, or to do, great things ; whereas it would 
 be right for such " to study to be quiet," to abide in sim- 
 plicity, to " take no thought for the morrow ;" but, in sin- 
 gleness of heart, attend to the requisitions of the present 
 moment. And let us ever esteem it a rich reward, to be 
 favored with the evidence of peace in our own bosoms : 
 this will be found of infinite value, in a solemn, hastening 
 hour. 
 
 I am persuaded, that many who have been called to the 
 
110 LETTERS OF 
 
 work of the ministry, and who have appeared, tor a short 
 time, fresh and lively in a few words in our meetings, and 
 afterwards have dwindled and withered as "the grass on 
 the house-top," have suffered this great loss principally for 
 want of dedication to the altar. Some such, perhaps, be- 
 ing tempted to think that the little committed to their 
 care was hardly worth improvement; that it was not 
 likely to edify the people, but it may be rather to be de- 
 spised, and that it procured to themselves no honor ; but 
 that, if they had received talents like some others, they 
 would have been willing to occupy with them. Thus, in- 
 deed, I fear that many, whom the Lord has raised up 
 amongst his people, for Nazarites and for prophets, have, 
 through entering into this sort of reasoning with the ser- 
 pent, been beguiled of their i-eward ; and, instead of being 
 fixed, as stars of different magnitudes, in the firmament of 
 the Lord's power, have, through the pride and subtlety of 
 the serpent, been drawn down to the earth. I had no 
 thoughts of writing so much on this subject; but, under a 
 sSnse of its importance, I often feel a strong desire that all, 
 who are called to any degree of stewardship of the grace 
 of God, might happily obtain mercy to be found faithful, 
 that in the solemn day of reckoning, they might give in 
 their account with joy. 
 
 Our ancient, respected, honorable friend, John Routh, 
 departed this life the 31st of First Month. He had a short 
 illness, (about four days) attended with little pain ; and 
 we had, I hope, the best reason to believe that he was 
 favored to depart in peace. His sister bears this event in 
 a manner truly Christian ; she is herself but feeble, and 
 in so weak a ^^tate of health as does a Uttle alarm our fears. 
 
 My wife unites in the salutation of unfeigned love to 
 thyself and whole family, with thy affectionate friend, 
 
 JoiTX TlIORT. 
 
JOHN THORP. 11] 
 
 LETTER XXX. 
 
 Manchester, First Month 22d, 1793. 
 To RiCHAED Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Frieud : — I have often, of late, felt something 
 like the salutation of love moving in my mind towards 
 thee, in which I wish thee both natural and spiritual 
 health; and as there is no medicine that can be pre- 
 scribed or taken, equal to wholesome food and exercise 
 for the preservation of bodily health, so, I believe, that 
 by this means also our spiritual health is best preserved. 
 But we may observe some people, as to the outward, whose 
 constitution is not bad, yet feeling some slight indisposi- 
 tion, would rather have recourse to medicine, or give 
 themselves up to the feeling of their infirmities, than em- 
 ploy the strength they have in necessary exercise, and con- 
 tent themselves with such food as would be most profitable 
 for them. 
 
 Something like this I apprehend to be the case with 
 some religious characters, who, attending too much to 
 every little feeling of weakness, and comparing themselves 
 with others, whose gifts and callings may be very different 
 to theirs, (though not at all more acceptable to God, 
 or more accordant to his will) are ready to be discouraged, 
 and count themselves fit for nothing ; whereas the Lord 
 is only glorified by our obedience, in that station in which 
 He hath placed us ; so that, let the sphere of our activity 
 be what it may, let the orbs in which we are placed be 
 high or low in human estimation, let our gifts or callings 
 be less or more conspicuous and admired by our fellow- 
 pilgrims, those who are faithful and honest in their varied 
 allotments, and seeking nothing for themselves, but to 
 
Ill LETTKHS OF 
 
 bring glory to God liy a life of humble dedication to Him ; 
 these, ' however they may have been regarded amongst 
 men, and however they may, at times, be ready to judge 
 of themselves, will finally meet with an equal welcome 
 from the blessed Master, as approved, good, and faithful 
 servants. Oh ! how wisely then do they act, who, taking 
 no anxious thought for to-morrow, are attentive, accor- 
 ding to present ability, to the duties of the present day ; 
 who, satisfied with their own allotment of suffering, of ex- 
 ercise, of consolation and labor, cheerfully comply with 
 the Divine appointment. These neither desire more nor 
 fewer talents than what they have received, but, wisely 
 occupying with those which they have received, experi- 
 ence an improvement. 
 
 I hardly know how to put into words what I have in 
 view to recommend, and what I am favored, at seasons, to 
 see is the most excellent way ; though possibly, my dear 
 friend, thou art much more advanced in this way than I 
 am ; it is to be " careful for nothing, but in every thing, 
 hf prayer and supplication," to let our wants be made 
 known unto God, casting all our care upon Him who 
 careth for us ; to cast off" every weight and every burden, 
 and " run with patience the race that is set before us," do- 
 ing with our might whatever our hands find to do. But 
 what meaneth this language, which we so often feel, and 
 so often hear? — I can do nothing, I have no ability, I have 
 neither strength nor understanding ; and in whose heart 
 hath this language been raised more feelingly than in my 
 own ? for who is so deaf, or so blind, as the servants and 
 messengers of the Most High, when his light is not with 
 them? But when He, who "increaseth strength to them 
 that have no might" of their own, and who speaketh to 
 things that are not, as though they were, and they obey 
 
JOHN THOKP. 118 
 
 Him, when, in gracious condescension. He is pleased to 
 call, to move to any little service amongst our brethren, 
 let us not, then, complain for want of ability, nor reason 
 upon our own unfitness. Remember, it was through 
 "faith the walls of Jericho fell down;" but the rams' 
 horns were employed as instruments. Oh this faith ! to 
 which all things are possible ; which removes mountains ; 
 in which we should walk, and without which " it is impos- 
 sible to please God." Let us contend for it, let us watch 
 unto prayer that it may be increased, for by this all the 
 fiery darts of the enemy shall be quenched. I know that 
 Jesus is the author of this faith, I know it is the faith of 
 the operation of God ; but yet I am verily persuaded, that 
 by standing open, and willingly yielding to this operation, 
 or turning away and shutting our minds against it, we 
 shall experience an increase or diminution of it. Abra- 
 ham believed God, against all human probability, and 
 " it was accounted to him," saith the apostle, " for right- 
 eousness." " Lord ! be it unto me according to thy word," 
 said the holy Virgin Mary : thus prepared, she conceived 
 the Redeemer of mankind. " Have faith in God," said 
 the ever blessed Jesus to his disciples ; and to Thomas, 
 " Be not faithless, but believing." " Said I not unto thee," 
 was the answer of our Lord to Martha, " if thou wouldst 
 believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God ?" 
 
 It is not in my heart, very far from it, to put any upon 
 moving in the Lord's service in their own wills, or their 
 own time ; but I want to recommend to thee, my dear 
 friend, what I feel to be necessary for myself, — an unre- 
 served dedication of heart to God, a careful abiding with, 
 and attention to, the blessed Master. It is in my heart t© 
 say to thee, Whatsoever He saith to thee, do it. No man, 
 " by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature." 
 
114 LETTERS Of 
 
 " I would have you," said the apostle, to be " without care- 
 fulness." Let us leave every thing to Him who has all 
 power ; let us commit ourselves, and our all, our children, 
 who are dear to us as our own lives, unto the Bishop of 
 Souls, who loves and cares for them more than we do, who 
 (blessed be his holy name, saith all that is within me) hath 
 not only died for us, but for our children. Oh ! that they 
 also may be made willing to die to themselves, that they 
 might live to Him. 
 
 Under the fresh feeling of the Heavenly Father's love, 
 (of which I am no ways worthy,) I salute thee as a brother 
 in Christ, and commend us both unto his holy keeping. 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 Eemember me affectionately to thy wife, whose dwelling, 
 I trust, is secure in the valley of humility. 
 
 LETTER XXXI. 
 
 Manchester, 
 
 To Elizabeth Rathbone. 
 
 Thou hast been so much the companion of my thoughts 
 for some days back, attended with such a degree of solici- 
 tude on thy account, that I am induced to think it will 
 afford myself some relief and perhaps not be burdensome to 
 thee, if I attempt, though in a few lines, some little coni- 
 munication. 
 
 Thou sayst nothing to me about thy health, and yet I 
 fear and care abundantly about it. It is, if I am not mis- 
 taken, in that love which springs from the Centre of Unity, 
 in which the children of our Heavenly Father fear, and 
 love, and care, for one another, that I have felt so much 
 
JOHN THORP. 115 
 
 nearness and solicitude for thee ; it is not that I have any 
 fear, more or less, with regard to thy eternal state ; not 
 the least shadow of a doubt attends my mind in this re- 
 spect, that all will be well ; that an inheritance in the Holy 
 City will be secured, that a Heavenly Mansion will be 
 prepared for thee, by Him who suffered for us, who trod 
 " the- wine-press alone," and there was none with Him 
 whose " visage was so marred more than any man, and 
 his form more than the sons of men !" He hath trodden 
 the gloomy path, and sanctified it unto us : He hath pre- 
 pared for thee. He hath cast up for all who love Him, 
 a Holy High-way into the Paradise of God. Whatever 
 doubts or fears may at any time arise ; however thy faith 
 may at any time, in the hour and power of darkness, be 
 ready to fail ; for truly " we wrestle not against flesh and 
 blood" only, yet, through his gracious and sure help, to 
 whom " all power is given in Heaven and in earth," thou 
 wilt be sustained, supported, and made more than conquer- 
 er, and finally experience thy robes to be washed and 
 made white in the blood of the Lamb, so that thou mayst 
 be fitted, to unite with the " hundred and forty and four 
 thousand" whom John saw standing with the Lamb on 
 Mount Zion, and with all them who have obtained the 
 victory over the beast, and over his image, and over the 
 number of his name, in that new song (which the redeemed 
 only can learn) the song of Moses and of the Lamb. 
 
 Farewell, my dear friend, I will only add, the sincere 
 prayer of my heart, that the great, the good, the true Shep- 
 herd of Israel who loves, who cares, who watcheth over his 
 people for good, who laid down his life for them, may 
 direct and guide thee by his counsel, and have thee always 
 
 in his keeping. 
 
 John Thokp. 
 
116 T-ETTERS OF 
 
 LETTER XXXII. 
 
 Manchester, Eleventh Month 15th, 1794. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Having the opportunity of convey- 
 ing a few lines to thee, I am unwilling to let it slip, and 
 though I should have nothing to write worthy of much 
 regard, yet thou wilt at least be convinced of my good will, 
 and that if I had any thing better, I should as freely offer 
 it. I am not much in the practice of boasting of my in- 
 firmities, and, truly, I have nothing else to boast of. I 
 often think there is too much of this amongst us ; and yet, 
 lest thou shouldst think of me above what I am, I am free 
 to tell thee, that weakness and poverty are often my com- 
 panions ; that jealousy and fear, both night and day, do 
 frequently attend me, lest I should not be so improving 
 my time, and the talents committed to me, as I ought to 
 do ; lest I should not be so steadily preferring the things 
 which are most excellent, not enough setting my affections 
 on things which are above, and looking "toward the mark 
 for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ;" 
 lest obedience should not keep pace with knowledge, and 
 the day's work with the day ; because I do see so clearly 
 that " the end of all things is at hand ;" that the summer 
 will soon be over, and the harvest ended, Now, if any 
 thing like this should also be thy experience, I am not 
 sorry for it; but I do pray that this poverty, this weak- 
 ness, this jealousy and fear, may, to both of us, be sancti- 
 fied to our complete redemption. 
 
 Oh this great work. Redemption ! if this be but hap- 
 pily accomplished in our experience, it matters very little 
 what else is gained or lost. I thought so, through adora- 
 
JOHN THORP. 117 
 
 ble Mercy, in my early youth ; when, through the visita- 
 tion of the "day-spring from on high," a prospect was 
 opened into things which are invisible; the transcendent 
 beauty of holiness was disclosed, and the glory of this 
 world was stained in my view. With what zeal and fer- 
 vency was I then engaged to labor, to obtain an inherit- 
 ance "eternal in the heavens," "that fadeth not away!" 
 and oh ! the solicitude that I have, and do now feel, since 
 I am advanced more in years, that I might not survive 
 the greenness of my youth ; that I might not become more 
 lax, lukewarm, and indifferent, than I was " in the day of 
 mine espousals." And, indeed, I can say, to the glory of 
 his name, who lives for ever, that my love to God, and to 
 my brethren, has not been on the decrease. No, no ! my 
 soul was never more ravished with one of his looks, with 
 one chain of his neck, whom my soul increasingly esteems 
 "thechiefest amongten thousand," and "altogether lovely." 
 Never, never, had religion so many charms, that I do many 
 a time think, when the vision of light is a little opened in 
 my view, that if I never had before, I should not then 
 hesitate a moment, but endeavor to give up all for eternal 
 life. 
 
 Now, my dear friend, that what I have written here is 
 likewise descriptive of thy religious situation, I feel strongly 
 disposed to believe ; and therefore it is in my heart to say, 
 let us thank God, and take courage ; let us lift up our 
 heads in hope, that He, who has been our morning light, 
 will be our evening song; and though, in our progress 
 through this wilderness, we should meet with tribulation, 
 (for I have been instructed to believe, there is no outward 
 situation exempt from trials,) yet it is the privilege of the 
 dependent children of our Heavenly Father, that they 
 know. Him to be their sanctuary. This state of things is 
 
IDS LETTERS OF 
 
 11 compound of good and evil ; gall and wormwood are 
 deeply mingled in the cup we all have to drink, though 
 not perhaps in like proportion ; but let us receive our re- 
 spective portions as coming from his hand, who will make 
 it a cup of blessing to his children. We have the authority 
 of Holy Writ to say, " in all their afflictions He was af- 
 flicted, and the angel of his presence saveth them.'' Oh ! 
 what condescending language is this : " When thou passest 
 through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the 
 rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest 
 through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt ; neither shall the 
 flame kindle upon thee." 
 
 Thus, whatever be the permitted dispensations of suffer- 
 ing, of any who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity ; however 
 such may, at seasons, be divested of strength, and clothed 
 with sackcloth ; though such should have to pass through 
 deep and fiery trials, yet shall they be preserved ; the Lord, 
 in whom they trust, will be with all these ; will sanctify 
 the dispensations, and, in his own time, bring deliverance ; 
 will clothe with the strength of salvation ; will take off the 
 sackcloth, and clothe these with gladness. So that, for the 
 encouragement of the upright and sincere, whose hands, 
 I know, are many times ready to hang down ; yea, to the 
 whole Israel of God, it may be said as formerly, — " There 
 is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon 
 the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 
 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the 
 Everlasting Arms.'' 
 
 Please present the salutation of my love to thy wife. I 
 shall only add the desire which I feel, that the Divine 
 blessing may attend thee ; and oh ! that it might please 
 the God of blessings to bless all thy children. 
 I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 Joirx Thorp. 
 
.TOllX THUKP._, 119 
 
 LETTEK XXXIIl. 
 
 Manchester, Kinth Month 14, 1795. 
 To Martha Routh. 
 
 My dear Friend — Thy letter dated in the first month I 
 received ; it was truly grateful to me to hear of th}' welfare, 
 and that thy prospects opened to take the country* before 
 thee. I have no doubt of thy diligence, but I wish thee not 
 to forget a necessary attention to thy own health ; don't hurry 
 too fast. I have sometimes thought the devoted travellers 
 in the Lord's work are in danger of neglecting a proper 
 regard to the body : long and frequent meetings cannot be 
 endured without suffering, It was very pleasant to me to 
 
 hear that is thy companion, I wished thee such a 
 
 one as I believe her to be. I trust you will be helps meet 
 for each other, and that the divine blessing will attend 
 
 you. The conduct and kindness of as related in thy 
 
 letters (which I read with much pleasure and sympathy) 
 are just like himself ; I do love him in the truth, and seldom 
 think of him without feeling an uncommon nearness : I 
 know not whence this springs, unless it be that I also am 
 his " brother and companion in tribulation ;'' and truly I 
 desire to be so " in the kingdom and patience of Jesus 
 Christ." Remember my dear love to him, and tell him 
 I wish to be remembered by him. It is to these little ones, 
 these spiritually poor, these who have no might,, strength, 
 or wisdom of their own, and to whom Christ Jesus is made 
 " Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption," 
 that I feel myself united in the bonds of everlasting love : 
 — may it please the most high God to bless these everywhere, 
 and have them always in his keeping. 
 
 * Martha Eoiith was at this time on a religious visit in the 
 United States of America. 
 
120 LETTERS OF 
 
 Thou hast no doubt been informed of the decease of 
 Esther Tuke. I was very unexpectedly gratified, I may 
 say edified, by an interview with her : thou wouldst hear 
 she was at our monthly meeting here, a few weeks before 
 her death. She came and sat a few hours with me, accom- 
 panied by her daughter Elizabeth, and conversed with the 
 greatest freedom ; and, as in the course of our public meet- 
 ing, some share of the service fell to my lot, she seemed 
 both publicly and privately to rejoice in it. " Give," said 
 she, " my dear love to Martha Routh, I choose to send it 
 in thy letter ; tell her that, for the church's sake, I rejoice 
 for her who is gone, and for those who are left behind." 
 It was a time of singular favor, I thought, like an anoint- 
 ing for her burial. 
 
 Our meeting, I think, increases in number, and many, 
 as usual, come to sit down with us, but they are frequently 
 disappointed ; though sometimes, through the continued 
 mercy of our heavenly Father, the trumpet is commanded 
 to be blown, and an alarm beat upon the holy mountain, and 
 the glad tidings of the gospel are preached to the people ; 
 but I wish always to remember that the work is the Lord's, 
 and therefore my greatest solicitude on my own account is 
 that I may be preserved in such a degree of dedication 
 and cleanness of hands, as that I may be ready for any 
 little service in the church in which it may please the 
 Holy Head of it to employ me, and that I may do it to 
 his praise whose is the work, the power and the glory. 
 
 Thou mentionest how much women are sent out in the 
 laborious part of the work. Ah ! don't let us take upon 
 us to investigate the depths of Divine Wisdom in the 
 choice of his instruments. He doeth all things right ; and 
 as in the first promulgation of the gospel me&sage, it pleased 
 God to choose " the foolish things of the world to confound 
 the wise," and "the weak to confound the things which 
 
JOHN THoap. 121 
 
 are mighty," it was that no flesh should glory in his pres- 
 ence. No, no, let us rather adore (as I believe we have 
 very often done) the condescension of our heavenly Father, 
 in making choice of us as ambassadors for Christ, as min- 
 isters of his everlasting gospel. 
 
 Thy remembrance of us in a collective capacity is grate- 
 ful, and I hope will be continued for good. It is no won- 
 der thou shouldst be often present in my mind, but I do 
 believe no one hath been more frequently and affection- 
 ately remembered by the friends whom they have left 
 behind, than thou hast been by thy friends in Manchester. 
 
 Give my kind love to that sincere-hearted and true 
 friend, Rebecca Wright ; I often remember her with much 
 nearness, and I recollect her diligence and steady attention 
 to her Master's business, wherein she was truly exemplary, 
 and I have no doubt she will finally receive the answer of 
 " Well done, good and faithful servant," I wish my love 
 also affectionately to be given to Rebecca Jones, that dig- 
 nified servant, rich in faith and good works ; she hath 
 several times remembered me in her letters, which is 
 pleasant. It is not likely that I should forget dear Samuel 
 Emlen, whom I do love for the truth's sake which dwellett 
 in him ; I have for some time viewed him as one whose 
 warfare is nearly accomplished, and for whom a glorious 
 mansion iS prepared. I wish my love to be given to De- 
 borah Darby and Rebecca Young : I feel myself united 
 to them in the fellowship of the gospel, in which I desire 
 their preservation, and am comforted in believing they 
 are under the direction and keeping of Israel's Shepherd. 
 All the friends to whom thou desiredst thy love appeared 
 comforted with thy bearing them in mind, and heartily 
 desire theirs to thee. 
 
 With sincere desires for thy preservation, that the author 
 
122 LETT E lis OF 
 
 of all true mercy and help, may be with thee ; aud, through 
 the present embassy, guide thee by his counsel, and bring 
 thee back again in peace, I conclude thy affectionate 
 friend and brother, John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXXIV. 
 
 Manchester, Fourth Month 2Gth, 1790. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend , — ^It is now more than twelve months 
 since I received thy kind letter, though there has not 
 passed one month, perhaps not one day, in which I have 
 not affectionately remembered thee; and thou wouldst 
 long since have had a reply to it, if I had thought thou 
 hadst stood in need of any instruction or help from me. 
 If the enemy has gained any advantage by my silence, 
 either against thee or me, I am sorry for it ; but I believe 
 thou hast been too long acquainted with his devices, to be 
 in much danger from that quarter. The very poor account 
 thou hast given me of thy own situation, did not at all 
 surprise me ; it was just such a one as I should have ex- 
 j)ected from thee ; the humble state of thy mind, added to 
 its great sensibility, under the humiliating, gradual process 
 of regeneration, disposeth to such feelings and such fears. 
 I believe there are many of us, were it not that we are 
 sometimes favored for the sake of others, that would have 
 much the same account to give of ourselves. I will tran- 
 scribe for thee a few Hues from an ancient, pious writer, 
 and which I would have thee admit as an answer to all 
 thou hast said of thyself: " This I do impart unto you in 
 all sincerity, out of a true Christian zeal from my fountain, 
 gift" and knowledge ; and I do not extol or set up myself, 
 
JOHN THuitP. 128 
 
 but I speak brotherly to your mind, to stir you up, and to 
 comfort you, that you should not think the yoke of Christ 
 to be heavy, when oftentimes the external man doth cloud 
 the internal, that the poor soul mourneth, for its image, 
 which yet is purified, and truly begotten, and brought 
 forth under tribulation, and the cross of Christ. It is even 
 so with me, and other Christians besides. Think not 
 strange at it. It is very good when the poor soul is in 
 combat, much better than when it is imprisoned, and 
 yet playeth the hypocrite, and maketh devout shows. It 
 is written, that all things shall serve for the best to them 
 who love God. Now, when the combat of the soul doth 
 arise and proceed, that it would fain see God, and yet 
 cannot at all times attain the same, then know that it 
 fighteth for the noble trophy, of which the external man 
 knoweth nothing ; yet the Spirit of God fighteth in the 
 natural soul for that which is supernatural, that so He may 
 lead the creature into God. He would always fain crown 
 the soul with the precious image, if the blind reason would 
 but give Him room, and suffer- the understanding to co- 
 operate. We must labor and strive against the external 
 reason, and also against flesh and blood, and wholly oppose 
 the assaults and objections of the devil, always breaking 
 them, and casting them away, and resist the evil thoughts, 
 motions, and influences, and effectually with our whole 
 soul, with prayer, supplication, or internal resignation, 
 press into God's mercy." 
 
 Thou mayst be sure enough, my dear friend, that if Provi- 
 dence seeth meet to make any other use of thee, than that 
 which He hath long done, as a preacher of righteousness 
 in life and conversation, as a father to the poor, and a 
 succorer of many, when the right time shall come, thou 
 will not be left in any doubt about it ; but if otherwise, it 
 
124 LKTTEUS 1' 
 
 is all right ; it is enough if we are found faithful stewards 
 in the station which the Master hath appointed us, whether 
 as stewards of grace, or of the things of this life. What 
 cause have we, not only to be satisfied with, but thankful 
 for our lots? Our outward circumstances, our mental 
 powers, and spiritual gifts, are diversified by Him who 
 only is wise ; and it is deeply fixed as a sentiment in my 
 mind, that the allotment or gifts of each individual of us,, 
 if we act well our part, and are faithful in the improvement, 
 will conduce more completely to fill up the measure of our 
 happiness through all eternity, than any other or varied 
 portion could possibly do. The great point, by which 
 glory, honor and peace, both here and forever, would cer- 
 tainly be gained, is for each of us to stand in our own lot, 
 resigned to the will of God in all the varied dispensations 
 of his providence ; seeking no more, either of prosperity or 
 adversity, of poverty or riches, of suffering or rejoicing, in 
 things spiritual or temporal, than He knows to be best for 
 us. 
 
 I uote all that thou hast hinted, of some circumstances 
 which, as a parent, do furnish for thee some degree of afflic- 
 tion. Experience hath taught me to sympathize in a case 
 which, though somewhat dissimilar, hath been to me exceed- 
 ingly distressing, but, my dear friend, what can we do for 
 our children ? nothing of ourselves, to be sure, that will 
 do them any good ; but, through Divine help, we can love, 
 l)ity, and pray for them ; and, indeed, with some, this is 
 the last and only resource ; and oh ! the fear that I have 
 felt, lest I should be deficient here. " The fervent prayer 
 of a righteous man availeth much ; " let us be found diligent 
 in this holy exercise. The example of Job is worthy our 
 imitation, and with what fervency did the father of the 
 faithful address the Most High with this petition ; " O that 
 
J0112S THUKP. 125 
 
 Ishmael might live before thee ! " " God forbid," said the 
 prophet Samuel, concerning the rebellious house of Israel, 
 that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for 
 you." O ! that both thou and I may be found fervent 
 enough, and frequent in this great duty ; often retiring to 
 the closet of our hearts, the temple which God hath chosen, 
 and there pouring forth our supplication to " our Father 
 which is in heaven," that He would take our children under 
 His care. Much benefit would arise from this practice. 
 I am very far from thinking thee a stranger to this Chris- 
 tian exercise ; for anything I know, thou mayst have gone 
 far beyond me in the practice. If so, permit me to recom- 
 mend it to thee to persevere ; and, for thy encouragement, 
 let us remember the example of the woman, who came to 
 Christ, and would not be denied, Mat. xv. 22 ; and likewise 
 the parable of our blessed Lord, by which He taught that 
 men should always pray, and not faint, Luke xviii. Oh ! 
 the consolation and support we also should derive from 
 thus spreading our cause before the Lord, and committing 
 ourselves, our children, and our all into his hand, who is 
 the Shepherd and Bishop of Souls. 
 
 I do not expect to be in London this year ; so probably 
 may miss the pleasure of seeing thee there ; some more 
 distant period may furnish the opportunity. I have, how- 
 ever, much pleasure and comfort in thinking of thee, be- 
 cause I am so fully persuaded of the sincerity of thy 
 desires ; and that, in the great day of recompense, thou 
 wilt be numbered amongst the humble, faithful servants 
 of God. 
 
 Wishing thee every comfort and every blessing consist- 
 ent with the Divine will, I i-emain thy ever affectionate 
 arid sincere friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
12() 1,ETTKKS OF 
 
 N. B. Present the salutation of my love to tli)' wife, 
 and to Priscilla Hannah Gurney ; tell her to remember 
 the parable of the talents, and I also ought to remember 
 it, particularly that part, "Thou oughtest therefore to 
 have put my money to the exchangers," the Lord's money, 
 nothing of pur own. 
 
 LETTER XXXV. 
 
 Manchester, Second Month 2d, 1798. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Though I have not written to thee 
 for a long time, it would be great injustice to suppose I 
 had forgotten thee. I do not even suspect thee on the 
 same account, and I am not willing to be suspected. I 
 remember thee often, my dear friend, I believe in the 
 manner thou wouldst wish me, according to the ability 
 and strength afforded ; and I have the comfort also to be- 
 lieve, thou art graciously remembered of God, and that 
 thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial 
 before Him. Yet, like a wise and tender father, He 
 knoweth how to preserve his people humble, and in a 
 state of deep abasement before Him : because He knoweth, 
 who knoweth all things, that this is the best and safest for 
 us. 
 
 I have, indeed, often observed, with humble admiration, 
 the unfailing wisdom of his discipline in this respect, al- 
 ways increasing, with all his gifts and favors, our humble 
 abasement before Him ; and seeing, in the Light, the ne- 
 cessity of this, I have often fervently petitioned for it. 
 Though painful apprehensions, and many fears, do gener- 
 ally attend a state of spiritual desertion, as if it were some 
 
JOHX TIIOKP. 127 
 
 way or other our fault, and the consequence of some im- 
 propriety of conduct ; yet, as the eye is kept single to Him 
 in submission, and the " hunger and thirst after his right- 
 eousness" maintained, such, at seasons, when it pleaseth 
 Him, and most certainly, when their days of mourning 
 and conflict here are over, shall, with this righteousness, 
 be forever filled and clothed. So that I believe the Lord 
 would have us to be encouraged to prass forward, keeping 
 the mark in view : " Let us not be weary in well-doing ; 
 for in due season we shall reap if we faint not ;'' nothing 
 hath happened to us but such things as are common to 
 our fellow^-pilgrims ; though I know the enemy tells quite 
 a contrary story, and would have us to believe, that our 
 case and lot is harder and worse than hath fallen to the 
 share of any other. But no credit must be given to him, 
 who was " a liar from the beginning," and who always 
 seeks to cast down those whom- he cannot exalt above 
 measure ; but thoii art not ignorant of Satan's devices. 
 The good soldier thou knowest, must endure hardness; 
 and let us always remember Him, of whom the prophet 
 spake, that He was " a man of sorrows, and acquainted 
 with grief;" and can we expect to get to heaven without 
 passing through a similar process ? Thou and. I have now 
 long been engaged in the Christian warfare ; I hope and 
 trust not altogether unsuccessfully. We can be at no 
 great distance from the end of the Christian race ; the 
 crown is at the end of it, laid up for, and shall be given 
 to those, who love the appearing of the Lord, the right- 
 eous Judge, which I have no doubt is thy case ; I pray 
 that it may evermore be mine. 
 
 Martha Routh and myself have just gone through a 
 religious visit to the families of our friends in this place. 
 Merciful help Jiath been aiforded, and I hope the labor 
 
128 LETTERS OF 
 
 will not be in vain ; there are about sixty families in mem- 
 bership, and many individuals, and a considerable number 
 not in Society, who generally attend our meetings. 
 
 Give my love to thy wife, who, I believe, hath made 
 great progress in that way that will end in peace. Oh ! 
 how I wish, how I long to encourage all my fellow-pilgrims 
 to persevere in the high way to the Kingdom, and in an 
 especial manner such as have been long on their journey, 
 and are at no great distance from "the heavenly country, 
 that the strength of all such may be so renewed, that they 
 may " run and not be weary,'' that they may "walk and 
 not faint." 
 
 Please remember my love to P. H. Gurney ; she has 
 been out a long time. Well ! there is but one best way, 
 and that, I believe, is to do what we are bid, and no more. 
 
 I would have my dear love remembered to Ann Sura- 
 merlaud ; dear woman,,her warfare is nearly accomplished, 
 and a heavenly mansion, I have no doubt, is richly pre- 
 pared for her. 
 
 In dear love to thyself, in which my wife unites, I am thy 
 
 affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXXVI. 
 
 Manchester, Tenth Month 28th, 1799. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Many a time of late I have thought 
 I would write to thee, and I certainly should before now, 
 if I had not felt myself almost constantly unfit for any 
 sort of communication, through somewhat of an uncom- 
 mon degree of what we call spiritual poverty. I do not 
 say this in a way of complaint ; I have no doubt it is all 
 
JOHN 'I'll Oil P. 129 
 
 in wisdom. I do not even wish the dispensation to be 
 changed before the time ; I have no cause to believe that 
 I am alone in this condition, though, as to the degree, I 
 am sometimes ready to think so. I do not only feel so 
 destitute of spiritual enjoyments, but of ability to do any 
 thing to help myself, that, although I have been endeavor- 
 ing after spiritual attainments now for more than forty 
 years, yet, when I sit down in meetings, in a stripped state 
 even to a degree of nakedness, I know no more how to 
 help myself than when I was a little child. Sometimes, 
 as my mind sinks into submission, I am permitted to feel 
 a little quietness and peace, and sometimes, for causes that 
 I do not clearly know, I experience considerable conflicts ; 
 but, as I said before, I have no doubt this is all in mercy. 
 I know Him in whom I have believed, and my soul de- 
 sires to bow in submission to all his dispensations. 
 
 I do not know how I come to write so much about my- 
 self, imless it be to convince thee, if thou also shouldst 
 sometimes pass through seasons of deep humiliation and 
 abasement, that thou art not indeed the poorest of the 
 spiritual family. Nay, if thou wert to think thy case was 
 not at all to be compared to others, I myself have thought 
 so too ; how often have I been ready to say, — yes, thus 
 good people may sometimes pass through these baptisms, 
 perhaps for their further purification, or it may be to en- 
 able them to speak more feelingly to others : but what is 
 that to me ? I have reason to fear mine is rather a state 
 than a baptism, and proceeds from the unrenewed condi- 
 tion of my own heart. What else can be the reason why 
 I am so insensible of good, and sit meeting after meeting 
 as the " heath in the desert ;" nay, even when testimonies 
 are borne, I am like the deaf adder. Thus many a time, 
 in years that are now past, hath my poor mind been 
 
1-30 I.ETTEKS (IF 
 
 " tossed with tempest, and not comforted ;" and thus, at 
 seasons, am I permitted, in measure, to be exercised to this 
 day. Many a time have I said in my heart, Lord, if these 
 dispensations are intended to make me feel what I am 
 without thee, and what I am not ; that of myself I can do 
 nothing ; that " there is none good but One, and that is 
 God ;" if to convince me of this, be thy gracious purpose, 
 surely it is enough ; I am full of this conviction. Not 
 withstanding, when I consider what the ever blessed Mas- 
 ter suffered for us, when He trod the wine-press alone, and 
 gave " his life a ransom for many," I am even ashamed to 
 think any thing of what we meet with of the nature of 
 suffering in our daily Christian warfare. No, my dear 
 friend, let us rather glory in tribulations also, inasmuch 
 as we are made thereby more conformable to his blessed 
 example, who was " a man of sorrows, and acquainted with 
 grief" 
 
 I have just now, since writing the above, given thy last 
 kind Christian letter a fresh reading ; upon which I know 
 not that I have much to remark, except that thou thiukest 
 too ill of thyself, and too well of me. In both respects, 
 perhaps, this letter may help to set thee right. On the 
 subject of human infirmities, I once heard (and I thought 
 it did me good) a truly living, humble minister of the 
 gospel say, that though he could or durst not say, that he 
 loved the Lord his God with all his heart, and his neigh- 
 bor as himself, he could say this, that he had not left off 
 striving to arrive at that attainment. Let us, then, keep 
 up the warfare as good soldiers of Christ. Oh ! let us be 
 careful and diligent in this important business. Let not 
 the world have too much of our time or attention ; we, at 
 our time of life, must very soon leave it. Be encouraged, 
 my dear friend, to persevere in the Christian warfare, 
 
lOJlN THORF. 181 
 
 against the workl, the flesh, and the devil. Occupy with 
 tlie talents received ; attend to thy stewardship, both of 
 grace and the things of this life. Do all the good the 
 blessed Master bids thee do, both to the souls and bodies 
 of men ; and then, never fear when the day of reckoning 
 shall come, thou shalt receive the answer of " Well done, 
 thou good and faithful servant ; enter thou into the joy of 
 thy Lord." 
 
 Let us number our mercies, and coiiimemorate the 
 many favors, preservations, and deliverances, that have 
 been hitherto vouchsafed unto us, and bless the name of 
 Him who lives for ever, for what He hath given, and for 
 all He hath denied ; and when his fatherly corrections 
 and chastisements may be exercised upon us, those certain 
 evidences of filiation, oh that we may be enabled, in 
 feeling submission, to kiss the rod ! Thus would all the 
 gracious designs of our Heavenly Father be accomplished, 
 and all his dispensations sanctified unto us. 
 
 Remember my love affectionately to thy wife, whom I 
 wish well on her way to the heavenly country, and am, 
 with sincere love, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXXVII. 
 
 Manchester, Tenth Month 13th, 1801. 
 To John Bludwick. 
 
 My dear Friend : — -Yesterday, after much anxiety on thy 
 dear wife's account, I received thy letter, which did not much 
 relieve me. She has indeed been almost constantly the com- 
 panion of my thoughts since thy leaving Manchester : per- 
 haps we are all the more alarmed, because the disorder has of 
 late proved fatal in so many instances. I know not how 
 
182 LETTERS 01-' 
 
 to make any certain inference, or what to conclude, from 
 the different turns the disorder has taken, but I endeavor 
 to hope for what we call the best. Truly I do not know 
 anything that inclines me more to think her case doubtful, 
 than the persuasion with which my mind has of late been 
 impressed, that her measure was nearly filled up; but perhaps 
 this might only be the eflFect of my observation of her in- 
 creasing dedication and love both to the Blessed Master 
 and to her fellow-senants. Give my very dear love to 
 her. If I do not hear of her improvement I intend to 
 come and see her. All that happens to her will be for 
 the best, but it would be exceedingly grateful to me and all 
 her friends here to be informed of her recovery. My 
 heart prays that He whom you have desired above all to 
 love, and whose mercy and goodness have followed you 
 all the days of your lives, may vouchsafe to be with you 
 in this time of trial, and bless to both of you the cup which 
 it may please Him to give you. 
 
 I am, in true love and sympathy, in which my wife 
 unites, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXXVIII. 
 
 Maxchester, First Month 2l8t, 180:i 
 To Richard Keyxolds. 
 
 My dear Friend: — Although Robert Barnard hath 
 written to acquaint the Darby family of our safe return, 
 yet that does not excuse me from furnishing thee with the 
 same information. 
 
 We got home the day after we left you, a little after 
 four o'clock ; the roads were good, and our journey as 
 pleasant as the severe season would admit ; but what re- 
 
JOHN THOU P. 188 
 
 eoueiled every thing to me was, that my niiiid was favored 
 with sweet peace, as, through great mercy, I had been 
 made willing to do what I believe the blessed Master bid 
 me do, without attempting more. Surely we do not serve 
 a hard Master ? Many, many times, from early age, hath 
 my heart been filled with this acknowledgement. There 
 never was so good a Master ; who gave such excellent 
 wages for such imperfect work ; who is not watching over 
 us for evil, but for good ; not taking occasions against us, 
 but forgiving, pitying, helping us, again and again ; for 
 there is no end of his compassion, let the devil say what 
 he will ; raising us up, and bearing up our heads above 
 the troubled waters, and encouraging us to persevere. 
 This He doth, ever being " touched with the feeling of our 
 infirmities," blessed be his holy name for ever! for such a 
 High-priest became us. Oh ! was He not exactly such a 
 Saviour, what should we do ? Surely, my dear friend, this 
 is not the language of the barbarian to thee. 
 
 I had little expectation of expressing myself thus ; but 
 my heart was moved with gratitude to our most gracious 
 Helper, and I felt the springing up of that Love, which 
 had no beginning, reaching towards thee ; and, under its 
 influence, I wish thee " to thank God and take courage." 
 Fear not, saith the Lord, " for I am with thee." In every 
 permitted trial, He will be near thee to support thee. 
 Therefore, my dear friend, be humbled in his presence; 
 put thy whole trust and confidence in God thy Saviour ; 
 bow in gratitude before Him, who hath done great things 
 for thee ; lift up thy head in hope, that He, who hath been 
 thy morning light, will be thy evening and thy everlast- 
 ing song. And I believe it right for me to add, that " al- 
 though thy house be not so with God ; yet He hath made 
 with thee an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, 
 and sure." 
 
IM LETTKK8 OF 
 
 Present my dear love to thy wife, whom I love for the 
 truth's sake, which dwelleth in her. Oh ! how beautiful 
 is that saying of the apostle, and how deeply instructive, 
 " God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in 
 God, and God in him." Please to give my love to Sarah 
 Allen, and tell her, I wish her to remember, with fre- 
 quency and gratitude, that interesting declaration of the 
 apostle : " Ye are not your own ; for ye are bought with a 
 price ; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your 
 spirit, which are God's." 
 
 I look back with pleasure on my winter visit, and feel 
 grateful for your kind attention. I am, with true love, 
 and best desires for thee, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XXXIX. 
 
 Manchester, Eleventh Month 20th, 1802. 
 To John Hancock. 
 
 Dear Friend :— Thy letter, dated Tenth Month, 24th, 
 I received duly ; and as it appears to have been written 
 in a good degree of candor and unreserved freedom, I feel 
 disposed, under the influence of sincere good-will, and (if 
 I am not mistaken) a disinterested love to the ever-blessed 
 Truth, to make thee some reply. 
 
 And first, I do not blame thee, circumstanced as thou 
 professest thyself to be, that is, having little or no unity 
 with Friends, either in faith or practice, for withdrawing 
 thyself from them. I do not see how thou couldst, with 
 any degree of honesty, have acted otherwise ; but whether 
 thou acted wisely, with proper reverence, fear, and care; 
 whether thou tookest counsel of God or of an enemy ; whether 
 
JOHN TllDKV. l:-5-i 
 
 thou didst not admit these differences of opinion on im- 
 portant points, on ground too superficial, though with some 
 uprightness of intention, and probably with some expecta- 
 tion of being an instrument of further reformation, for I 
 am not ignorant of satan's devices ; whether thou mayst 
 not have suffered thyself to be too hastily moved to give 
 in to new opinions, perhaps from a variety of motives, — 
 I am indeed disposed to doubt. Time and consequences 
 will show whether, iu these movements, thou hast been 
 building uj)on the Rock or on the sand. 
 
 The charges of superstition and formality, which you 
 bring against the Society you have left, appear in my view 
 rather the effects of prejudice than a well-informed judg- 
 ment. Such an application of the words superstition and 
 formality, is, I think unprecedented. There is perhaps as 
 little of formality amongst us, as can be made to consist 
 with regularity and order : and I do expect that experience, 
 in time, will convince some of you of the necessity and 
 benefit of this. I know of nothing in the discipline recom- 
 mended and practised amongst us, as to the substance and 
 material parts of it, which hath not evidently its foundation 
 in Divine Love, and in that sympathetic, brotherly affec- 
 tion, and watching over one another for good, which the 
 religion of the gospel requires. But if this discipline, and 
 thase forms are moved in, and maintained in a dead and 
 lifeless manner, (and yet one can hardly suppose this to be 
 the case without exception anywhere ; but admitting it is) 
 the fault is not in the form or in the rules of our discipline, 
 but in the want of humbly seeking after and waiting for 
 the influence of that Divine Love, which would enable us 
 to move in these forms, and put in practice this discipline, 
 to our mutual edification. 
 
 The offence which some of vou have taken, and the 
 
l;}(i liETTERS OV 
 
 fitrictures which thou hast published on the mauner of our 
 marriages, really seem to me quite childish. No doubt, 
 some part of our proceedings in order to marriage, which 
 once were necessary, may now be spared. It appears that 
 Friends have thought so, and accordingly have now made 
 the way less tedious ; and probably, when the Society shall 
 see the propriety of it, as some of its members now do, the 
 manner of our proceedings may be still more simplified; 
 but anyhow, as it has been practiced at any time amongst 
 us, there hath been nothing in it that I could have believed 
 a man of thy talents and understanding would have stum- 
 bled at, or been offended with. 
 
 Thy definition and ideas of revelation, human reason, 
 conscience, appear to me confused and indistinct. Surely 
 there was a time when thou couldst better have distinguished 
 between human reason and Divine revelation. Thy re- 
 marks upon the Scriptures I heartily disapprove. There 
 are, I think, very few of thy observations on that subject, 
 that would meet the approbation of any man, who would 
 make a right use of his reason ; they are far from being 
 new, or new to me. * I have read, with pain, many such 
 things in the works of unbelievers; but I wish thee to 
 consider what sort of characters they have generally been, 
 who have written against the Scriptures ; and what sort of 
 people they have generally been, who have given in to 
 this infidelity. Consider the lives and conduct of these 
 men, and contrast them with the lives of those who have 
 been the firmest believers, and most diligent readers of the 
 sacred writings ; and it will, I hope, afford thee some light 
 on which hand the danger lies. I myself, as well as 
 Timothy, have read the Holy Scriptures from the years of 
 childhood ; and by them, I believe, I can say truly, I have 
 been often profitably instructed and comforted, but never 
 
JOHN THOllP. 137 
 
 received any hurt. I believe I have not a religious ac- 
 quaintance in the world, that would not write the same 
 testimony ; and I am almost persuaded, that if thou wouldst 
 consult thy own experience, and that of all the truly re- 
 ligious characters thou hast known, you would say very 
 much the same thing. Are not then all the arguments 
 against, confuted by facts and experience in favor of, the 
 Scriptures ? 
 
 Thou needest not have said, that our Society sometimes 
 called the Divine principle in man, " Christ within ;" thou 
 mightst have said, (what thou canst not be ignorant of,) 
 that this is the language and doctrine of the Scriptures. I 
 believe it would make more for our peace, and preservation 
 from error, to admit the express testimony of Holy Writ, 
 that there is no God but One, none good but One, no Di- 
 vinity but One, and that Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son 
 and sent of God, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was 
 united with this One Divinity ; and thus united with Om- 
 nipotent Love, and receiving from his Father all power, 
 both in Heaven and on earth. He became, by his state, 
 character, and the Divine appointment, the Author of 
 eternal redemption to us ; for He, possessing in Himself 
 all the perfection of the first Adam, in perfect union with 
 the Divinity, became the Head and Fountain of all the 
 regenerated human race, who derive their heavenly life, 
 nature, and image from Him ; and all that He did, and 
 suffered, in his outward manifestation, was for our sake. 
 Blessed be his name, He needed not to suffer for Himself, 
 who was the Lamb Immaculate, in whose mouth was found 
 no guile, being holy, harmless and undefiled, though " in 
 all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." No, 
 it was on our account, according to the declaration of the 
 prophet, " Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried 
 
188 J, ETTEKS OE 
 
 our sorrows : yet \vc' did esteem Him stricken, smitten of 
 God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our trans" 
 gressions. He was bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement 
 of our peace was upon Him, and with his stripes we are 
 healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray ; we have 
 turned every one to his own way ; and the Lord hath laid 
 on Him the iniquity of us all." Agreeably to this decla- 
 ration, is that of the Apostle Peter, 1 Peter, ii. 24. Let 
 us then beware how we undervalue the merits (for I do 
 not know a better word) of our Saviour's suiFerings : " the 
 Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." I 
 have no belief, I never had, that the sufferings of the Holy 
 Jesus, when He poured out his soul unto death, were in 
 order to satisfy or appease any wrath that was awakened 
 in the pure Deity Himself. "God is love," "the same 
 yesterday, and to-day, and forever ; " but though we should 
 not be able to comprehend the why and wherefore of our 
 blessed Lord's miraculous conception, holy, self-denying 
 life, sufferings and death ; yet unless we will reject the 
 whole body of Scripture evidence, we must believe they 
 were all necessary and indispensable to our complete re- 
 demption. 
 
 If mankind were better acquainted with, and more wil- 
 ling to believe, the fall of all mankind in our first parents, 
 by whose transgression sin entered into the world, and 
 death by sin ; did we read more in the volume of our own 
 hearts, the corruption and depravity of our fallen state by 
 nature ; how we have lost the image of holiness, and that 
 pristine purity and heavenly nature in which man was 
 first created, and to which we are called ; we should see 
 more clearly, and better understand what is meant by 
 " the second Adam," " the Lord from heaven," " the quick- 
 ening Spirit," "the Resurrection and the Life," and by the 
 
JOHN THORP. 139 
 
 emphatic words of Ransom, Purchase, Salvation, and Re- 
 demption through Jesus Christ. 
 
 Whatever may be thy sentiments on these subjects, I 
 am jealous of many, who, in these days, like the builders 
 of Babel formerly, are exploring new ways to heaven, by 
 the exertion and power of their own reason, that they are 
 too much strangers to the glorious dispensation of the gos- 
 pel, the reign and government of Christ, the King of 
 Righteousness and Prince of Peace ; and therefore do not 
 see the necessity of being born again, before they can see 
 this kingdom, which none can enter but those who are 
 iirst "converted, and become as little children.'' All 
 these believing in the Scriptures, and the power of God, 
 believe also in Christ; for they are one, and these know 
 the truth of his blessed promise, " If a man love me, he 
 will keep my words : and my Father will love him, and 
 we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." 
 " At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and 
 you in me, and I in you." Where then, my friend, is the 
 distinction thou thinkest should be more strongly marked, 
 between Jesus Christ in Spirit, and his Father, dwelling 
 in us"? 
 
 I have written far more than I had a view of; but my 
 heart was full, and I yet feel a measure of that love that 
 beareth and hopeth all things, in which I desire for thee, 
 as for myself, an establishment upon that Foundation, 
 which God hath laid in Zion, and which never can be 
 shaken. Endeavor after stillness, quietness, retirement, 
 and resignation ; and in the simplicity of a little child, 
 wait upon God, and watch unto prayer that He may be 
 pleased to show thee, as in times past, the way He would 
 have thee to go, and whether the path thou hast lately 
 ti'odden, be the way to the wilderness, or the way which 
 
140 LETTERS OF 
 
 He hath cast up for thee to the city of God. Be jealous 
 over thyself with a godly jealously ; ponder the paths of 
 thy feet, and watch against that grand adversary of man's 
 happiness, which first beguiled the woman in paradise, and 
 hath cast down many of the stars of heaven, which, if they 
 had humbly abode in a state of dependence upon Him, 
 who appointed them their place and station would have 
 been fixed in the firmanent of his power for ever. 
 
 I feel the love of our Heavenly Father moving in my 
 heart for thee. I feel compassion for thy family, and for 
 all those who may look to thee for direction ; and strong 
 are the desires that I feel, that, in that awful day when 
 inquisition shall be made for blood, thou mayst be found 
 pure from the blood of all men. 
 
 I am thy sincere friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XL. 
 
 Manchester, Twelfth Month 3rd, 1802. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Within a few months back I have 
 spent many hours in the company of thy son and daughter 
 Rathbone, to my own satisfaction, and I hope not unac- 
 ceptably to them. The death of my dear friend Robert 
 Benson, furnished an occasion for this opportunity. For 
 fourteen years I had been intimately acquainted with that 
 dear man, and his friendship hath been to me fruitful of 
 much comfort. This is one of those losses (I had like to 
 have said evils) that advanced age subjects us to ; with 
 this aggravation, that, at that season of life, the loss cannot 
 bo repaired. For him there is no cause to mourn ; he has 
 
JOHN T H 11 1' . 141 
 
 gained, I have no doubt, an admittance into the glorious 
 Church Triumphant. 
 
 I know not whether any body may have thought it 
 worth telling thee, that I 'have spent a month in London 
 this last summer. : I had for some time wished for an 
 opportunity, in some easy way, to sit with my friends in 
 all the meeting-houses in London ; and believing it right 
 to pay a visit to my relations there, particularly my eldest 
 brother, now nearly seventy-three years old, in a declining 
 state of health, and an only sister, in much the same con- 
 dition, I thought this would be a convenient time for me 
 to accomplish my prospects, with regard to my friends. 
 Accordingly, I was at all their meetings, ahd some in the 
 neighborhood, to my own satisfaction and peace, and, for 
 aught I know, to the satisfaction of my friends also, for 
 they everywhere behaved to me with the greatest kindness. 
 • I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XLI. 
 
 Manchester, Twelfth Month 20th, 1802. 
 To Sarah Benson. 
 
 My dear Friend; — Were it not that I have a fixed dis- 
 approbation to dabbling and quackery, in diseases of 
 the mind as well as body, thou wouldst probably have 
 heard from me in this way, before now ; but I know that 
 wounds, however skilfully treated, even under the care of 
 the best physician, must hSfve time to heal ; and inward 
 stillness and quietness certainly contribute much to this 
 desirable end. But, in looking at thy situation, with some 
 degree of solicitude, and desire for thy preservation in the 
 way of holiness and peace, there arose some sentiments in 
 
142 LETTERS OF 
 
 my mind, that 1 thought it would be best, in the freedom 
 of true friendship, I had almost said in the liberty of the 
 Gospel, to communicate. 
 
 We are told, by an Authority which we are both willing 
 to acknowledge, that " all things work together for good 
 to them that love God," and who are willing to manifest 
 their love by their obedience ; if so, the late painful, or 
 deeply trying event which thou hast experienced, is one 
 of those "all things,'' which the Lord Almighty would bless 
 and sanctify to thy spiritual improvement, thy increasing 
 refinement and perfect purification : and then, the little 
 time thou mayst have to stay, will be abundantly blessed, 
 both to thyself and others, by giving thee an opportunity, 
 through Divine help, of filling up more fully the measure 
 of thy duty, both to thy generation, and to the Lord thy 
 God, the bountiful Author of all thy sure mercies. 
 
 Do not think, my dear friend, that now thy very dear, 
 dear companion is removed to his place, I have no doubt, 
 in the glorious Church Triumphant, that thou hast nothing 
 to do, but sit down and lament his loss. This would be 
 a poor return for the favor of having had his company 
 for many years. It would be a poor return of gratitude 
 to Him who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins 
 in his own blood. No, no, my dear friend, we are account- 
 able for ourselves, for all the favors, for all the mercies, for 
 all our time, and for the talents we have received to occu- 
 ])y with, and nothing but faithfulness and diligence, in 
 doing the will of God from the heart, and making a sac- 
 rifice of our own, will ever eniflble us to give in our account 
 with joy. 
 
 There is no combination of circumstances, or peculiarity 
 of situation, in which we can be placed, wherein it will be 
 safe for us to lay down plans for mir own movements, or 
 
JOHN THOU P. 148 
 
 to circumscribe oui- own path. " Lord, what wilt Thou have 
 nie to do ?" is expressive of that state of mind we should 
 aspire after ; and to be able to pray, " not my will, but 
 thine," Lord, " be done," in me, and by me, in my house, 
 in my family, " on earth as it is in heaven." This is the 
 acceptable state which the Lord will bless. O ! that our 
 dwelling might be here, where holy help woidd be afforded, 
 to walk before the Lord with acceptance, in that way 
 which He hath cast up for us. 
 
 As I believe it has been thy care, (and will now be thy 
 comfort,) beyond many others, to please and honor him 
 whom the Lord gave to be thy husband, so now it hath 
 pleased Him, who doth all things right, to remove thy 
 husband to a better country and inheritance ; that which 
 I wish for thee, my dear friend, is, that thou mayst cleave 
 more closely, devote thyself more entirely to Him, who is 
 a husband to the widow, the orphan's only hope, the God 
 in whom the fatherless find mercy ; and then, I know. He 
 will guide thee continually, and "satisfy thy soul in 
 drought," and thou shalt be as a watered garden. He 
 will be thy support and thy counsellor ; He will bear up 
 thy head above the troubled waters, and will enable thee 
 to lift up to Him the hands which are ready to hang down, 
 and confirm the feeble knees : for, blessed be his holy 
 name forever, it is his delight to do good to those who love 
 Him, and whose dependence is on Him alone. 
 
 Thus it is in my heart, from the fountain of that con- 
 solation which is in Christ Jesus, to speak cotnfortably to 
 thee, and to encourage thee in the name of Him who is 
 " touched with the feeling of our infirmities," to trust in 
 his name ; and then He will bless thee, and thy children 
 with thee, and enable thee to fulfil all his will. 
 
144 LETTERS OF 
 
 I am, with true love ti) thee, and all thy dear children, 
 iu which my wife unites, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTEli XLII. 
 
 MANrHESTEK, Twelfth Month 3l6t, 1802. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — We are now advanced one year fur- 
 ther in life than when we saw each other. We have both 
 lived longer, by many years, than mankind upon an 
 average do. We have had, in our very different allotments, 
 many trials, under which we have been supported, and 
 many, very many mercies, which I hope we shall never 
 forget, in humble gratitude, to number. May that mercy 
 which hath followed us all the days of our lives, be still 
 graciously continued to us ; and may it be our care to 
 wait daily, to feel our strength and hope renewed in Him, 
 who hath hitherto been with us, that so we may derive 
 that holy help and virtue from Him, which will enable us 
 to fill up the measure of our duty as the day advances, and 
 make us fruitfiil in old age. 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER XLIII. 
 
 Manchester, Third Month 3rd, 1803. 
 To Sarah Bensox. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Being under some engagement to 
 attend a marriage at Morley, I was necessarily deprived of 
 the opportunity of attending our Monthly Meeting, and con- 
 .se((uently of seeing thee and thy family, which otherwise it 
 
.1 H N THORP. I4f) 
 
 would have been pleasant for nie to have done ; for though 
 I might not have been able to have contributed more or 
 less to your comfort, I should at least have had the satis- 
 faction of seeing you, and inquiring of yourselves how you 
 were. 
 
 I hope by this time thy mind is so far composed (how- 
 ever if that time is not yet come, it will come,) that thou 
 canst look at the late distressing event without pain, and 
 congratulate dear Robert's safe arrival in the heavenly 
 country, where there are neither fears nor conflicts, where 
 all tears are wiped from all faces. 
 
 It does, indeed, constitute no small part of my present 
 comforts, to contemplate the happy lot of many, whom I 
 have known and loved, and of thousands whom I have 
 never known according to the flesh, who are happily gone 
 before us into the Paradise of God ; who, through faith 
 and patience have inherited the promises. May we not, 
 nay, ought we not, humbly to hope, that through the same 
 mercy which they obtained, we also, in a very little time, 
 may be numbered amongst the children of God, and have 
 our lot among the saints. Meanwhile, let -us endeavor 
 to fill up the measure of our duty, through Divine help : 
 let us keep at our post, and be willing to do or suffer what 
 may be appointed for us^ and then, however little this 
 may be, it will be accepted. Many, many thousands, 
 who think they have done nothing, who conclude they are 
 unprofitable servants indeed, will certainly be, to their own 
 humbling astonishment, finally owned and accepted of 
 God. " Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed 
 Thee? or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee 
 a stranger, and took Thee in ? or naked and clothed 
 Thee ? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came 
 unto Thee ?" were the humble queries of those, whom the 
 
146 LETTERS OF 
 
 Judge of quick and dead pronounced " blessed of his 
 Father." 
 
 Let us then, my dear friend, be encouraged to persevere 
 in the way that is cast up for us, doing with cheerfulness 
 and uprightness of heart, whatsoever our hands find to do, 
 in our humble stations ; making the will of our heavenly 
 Father the only rule of our conduct, so far as we are 
 favored distinctly to know it. Remember the precept of 
 our blessed Lord, " Take no thought for the morrow : for 
 the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself 
 Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" Do not afflict 
 thyself by looking forward towards future trials, nor antici- 
 pate evils that may never come ; but repose thy.self in the 
 all-sufficiency and unceasing vigilance of Israel's Shepherd, 
 who loveth and careth for thy children far more than it 
 is possible for thee to do. Cast all thy care upon Him ; 
 put thy whole trust in Him ; love and serve Him as thy 
 father did, with cheerfulness and full purpose of heart ; 
 and then his blessing will rest upon thee and upon thy house. 
 Amen. 
 
 My wife unites in dear love to thee, to Robert, to Rachel, 
 to Abigail, and Margaret, with thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTEK XL IV. 
 
 To LiNDLEY MUEBAY. 
 
 Dear Friend : — The letter and book thou wast so kind 
 as to send me by R. R., I received with gratitude ; for, 
 though personally unknown, (yet not so by character,) 
 I have no doubt of thy being a fellow-servant of those who 
 serve the best of blessed Masters ; and if I do at all desire 
 
JOHN THORP. 147 
 
 to be numbered with these, I can say I love my fellow 
 servants, of every department, in the heavenly house. If 
 I covet any thing from or for my fellow-creatures, it is 
 an increase of this disinterested love, and an increasing 
 capacity in myself to receive and return that love. 
 
 The book, will I hope be useful to many; from a child 
 I have been sensible of the benefit of reiading the lives of 
 good men ; it has a natural tendency to stir up the pure 
 mind. I have no doubt it will afford a pleasing, thank- 
 ful retrospect, when thy day's work shall be nearly finished, 
 that thou hast been dilligent in disinterestedly serving thy 
 generation, in things useful and of good report. May 
 both thou and I, my dear friend, be so strengthened 
 to occupy with the talents we have received, that when 
 the day of reckoning shall come, we may through Divine 
 Mercy, be received amongst the good and faithful, 
 
 John Thobp. 
 
 LETTER XLV. 
 
 Manchester, Fifth Month 10th, 1803. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Near the time when it happened, 
 I heard of the decease of thy dear wife. Since that time, 
 1 have often thought of the severe trial and affliction this 
 would be to thee ; and should have told thee so before now, 
 but that I know how ineffectual words, and the expression 
 of sympathy, are to heal, or much to alleviate, the pain 
 of wounds occasioned by such a stroke. I knew also, 
 that every help that could be had this way, the skilful 
 friends and near relations about thee, would wisely and 
 affectionately furnish ; but it is the Physician of soul and 
 
1-1-S LETTERS (IF 
 
 body, that ouly can, aud certainly will, help and heal all 
 that apply to Him, and have their expectation from Him. 
 That thou art one of this happy number, I have no doubt, 
 and therefore I have confidence that thy mind will, in due 
 time, be tranquillized and comforted by Him who hath 
 been with thee all thy life long, and hitherto supported 
 thee. 
 
 Dear Rebecca is, no doubt, arrived safe in a better 
 country, towards which she hath long been travelling 
 with a steady and even pace. In a little while we may, 
 through continued mercy and help, follow after. Thou 
 aud I, from our advanced age, can be at no great dis- 
 tance from the end of our pilgrimage ; and then let us 
 humbly hope, we also may be admitted to unite and be 
 joined with all those, who through faith and patience, 
 have inherited the promises. In the mean time, let us 
 contend for the faith, and abide in the patience, of which 
 most certainly we shall have need, until our warfare be 
 accomplished. We are now in the evening of life ; there can- 
 not be a great deal for us to do here ; but if there be a little 
 yet remaining, to finish the day's work, let us do that 
 little well, and let us do it cheerfully. Strength will be 
 aflwrded, never fear, equal to the day ; and remember the 
 holy precept, " take no thought for the morrow ; for the 
 morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufii- 
 cient unto the day is the evil thereof." I do sincerely desire 
 the Lord Almighty may preserve thee, aud direct all thy 
 future movements in that way that will most conduce to 
 his glory, and thy present and future happiness ; and I 
 know it is his blessed will thus to deal with thee, and to 
 keep thee from every thing that can do thee hurt. So let 
 it be, saith thy aifectionate friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
J H K T H R P . 149 
 
 LETTEE XLVI. 
 
 Manchestbb, First Month 13th, 1804. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — It was very pleasant to me to receive 
 a letter from thee, after so long a silence. I was well 
 aware the consec(uences of the successive events which had 
 taken place in thy family, would be likely for some time 
 to engage thy attention, and I heard of thy journey into 
 the west, so that I did not much expect to hear from thee 
 until after thy return. I had no doubt thou sometimes 
 rememberedst me, which I hope thou will always do ; as I 
 also have very often thought of thee, with the same desires 
 for thee as for myself, that now, in the decline of life, we 
 may so pass the residue of our time here, in conformity to 
 the will and example of the blessed Master, that we may 
 finally stand approved of Him. To thy leaving Coal- 
 brook Dale, I have little to say ; I have no doubt thou 
 hast thy reasons for this movement. Thou hast lived 
 long and been much blessed, and made a blessing to many 
 others in the place of thy present residence : and I hope 
 this will continue to be the case, wherever thou mayst 
 make the place of thy abode. If Bristol should furnish 
 a comfortable home, I shall be glad of it ; but if it do not, 
 I would not have thee stay there : the whole land is before 
 thee. 
 
 I have, through undeserved mercy, enjoyed my health 
 this last year, as for sixty-one years past, with very little 
 interruption, and I have been enabled to move aboutj in 
 the home circuit, in the discharge of my religious duty, 
 more than in any former year ; and though I certainly 
 have, and ought to have, a very humble opinion of any 
 
150 1, ETTKK8 UF 
 
 little service 1 may be enabled to perforin in the church of 
 Christ, yet, in these movements, I have been favored with 
 the evidence of Divine peace. 
 
 My family are in tolerable health, and my little tempor- 
 ral affairs much as usual. I think I can say, with some 
 good degree of truth,*vhat I have somewhere read, 
 
 " The things eternal I pursue, 
 A happiness beyond the view 
 Of those who basely pant 
 For things by nature felt and seen ; 
 Their honors, wealth, and pleasures mean, 
 I neither have nor want." 
 
 It is and will always be a gratification to me to hear 
 from thee ; when thou art a little settled at Bristol, I hope 
 thou wilt let me know where to think of thee. Do not be 
 over anxious about any thing ; be quiet, abide in the pa- 
 tience and resignation, and meekness of the Holy Jesus, and 
 in that charity which beareth, hopeth, and believeth all, 
 things. This is that name of the Lord which is a strong 
 tower, whereunto the righteous flee, and find safety ; and 
 here, my dear friend, thou wilt be secure from every thing 
 that would do thee hurt, and also experience an increasing 
 preparation for a rich inheritance in that glorious king- 
 dom, which consists in righteousness and peace, and joy 
 in the Holy Ghost. 
 
 I am, my dear friend, with the salutation of unfeigned 
 love, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
JOHN THOHP. 151 
 
 LETTER XLVII. 
 
 Manchester, Eleventh Month 3d, 1804. 
 To ElCHAED KeYNOLDS. 
 
 My dear Friend :— Thy letter, dated the 29th of Tenth 
 Month, I received the 31st. It is true, it seems long since 
 I heard from thee before ; I thought it so, but there has 
 been no long suspension of frequent, aflfectionate remem- 
 brance, and brotherly regard ; nor have I any fear of this 
 declining, how seldom soever we may see or write to each 
 other; from our advanced age, this can but continue a 
 short time, but I have no expectation that our friendship 
 will ever cease. 
 
 Thou dost not tell me that Bristol is likely to prove to 
 thee a pleasant situation, so I have only to hope it. I am 
 not so ignorant of the nature of this world, as to believe 
 there are many, if any comforts, to be enjoyed in it. with- 
 out some alloy ; however, of this I am fully persuaded, that 
 the way to the Kingdom of Heaven, and Crown of Right- 
 eousness, is the way of the Cross, and through many tribu- 
 lations ; yet there is no cause to be discouraged, because the 
 Captain of our salvation is with us, and hath victoriously 
 trodden the path before us, and was, as the apostle said, 
 "made perfect through sufferings." In a very little time, 
 the small measure of suifering allotted to us will be accom- 
 plished, and all the tears of the redeemed will be wiped 
 away ; and I have not the shadow of a doubt before rhe, 
 that this will by and by, in the Lord's time, be our happy 
 experience. Let us then, improve every talent, that the 
 five may gain other five, and we finally receive the answer 
 of " well done." Let us be faithful and vigilant, in the 
 stewardship committed unto us ; and let slip no opportunity 
 
lo2 LETTERS OF 
 
 of doing good. Let it be remembered, that our blessed 
 liord did not say to those on his right hand, whom He 
 pronounced "blessed," ye have preached many excellent 
 sermons, ye have been frequent and fervent in prayer ; but, 
 " I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, 
 and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger and ye took me 
 in ; naked, and ye clothed me ; I was sick, and ye visited 
 me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me;" "Inasmuch 
 as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my breth- 
 ren, ye have done it unto me." I will not say to thee, my 
 dear friend, go and do likewise, but continue to do like- 
 wise.* 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER XLVIII. 
 
 Makchester, Twelfth Month 18th, 1804. 
 To KicHAED Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I am glad to hear thy removal to 
 Bristol answers thy expectation. I heartily unite with thee 
 in sentiment, that in advanced age, quietness and retire- 
 ment are desirable ; indeed, it has always seemed desirable 
 to me, and through life I should have sought it in a greater 
 degree than I have done, if I could have been more hid, 
 without hiding also the talent I have received. 
 
 The accounts thou givest of thyself, and of thy experi- 
 ences in spiritual things, though low in thy own estimation, 
 
 *In the letter to which this was the reply, the stewardship of 
 almsgiving had been estimated very low, compared with that of 
 a gospel minister ; and therefore J. T. appears to have thought it 
 right, for the encouragement of his friend, to look at the opposite 
 side of the question ; but his opinion of the insufficiency of good 
 works alone, is very evident from many passages in his letters ; 
 see Nos. 49 and 60. 
 
.TOHN THOEP. 153 
 
 are, so far as I know, very similar to those wliich ever 
 have been, and ever will be given, by all the elect children 
 of our Heavenly Father, when speaking of themselves, 
 (maldng allowance for difference of complexion, and the 
 different purposes for which different vessels may be formed.) 
 I believe what thou hast expressed concerning thyself, 
 would be very much the language of them all, so that I 
 have no manner of doubt but thou art walking in that 
 way which hath been cast up for the ransomed, and meet- 
 ing with a due proportion of those crosses, trials, and refin- 
 ing tribulations, through which the redeemed have ever 
 trodden to glory. The enemy, as he hath ever done, seek - 
 eth to cast down when he cannot set people up ; he trieth 
 every way, so far as he is permitted, (for his power is lim- 
 ited,) to disturb, to discourage, and any way he can to hin- 
 der the Lord's work, the work of salvation, from going 
 fbi'ward ; but our gracious and Almighty Helper, He is 
 the Prince of Peace, and He delighteth to encourage, to 
 strengthen, to lift up the hands that hang down, and to 
 " confirm the feeble knees :" He will give peace to those 
 who love Him, and the victory to all who follow Him. ! 
 saith my soul, that all those who know and love Him, who 
 is the true Shepherd, who offered up Himself a propitiatory 
 sacrifice for their complete redemption, that all who believe 
 in Him might be strengthened at all times to put their 
 whole trust in Him, for they who tfust in Him shall never 
 be confounded ; and to all these He is saying, again and 
 again for their encouragement, " Pear not, little flock, for 
 it is your Father's good pleasure to gi\'e you the kingdom." 
 I have, indeed, in some of my letters to thee, recommend- 
 ed care and faithfulness in the stewardships to which, in 
 the course of an allwise Providence, thou hast been ap- 
 pointed ; and this I have always done, if I am not mistaken. 
 
154 LETTERS OF 
 
 from a feeling impression and view, at the time that the 
 blessed Master would be honored, and thy own happinass, 
 both here and forever, thereby promoted. I have had no 
 particular object or occasion in view ; nor have I had the 
 least apprehension that, compared with others, nay, with 
 any other that I ever knew, thou wast at all deficient in 
 this great duty. I am not saying this by way of apology; 
 I know I need make none to thee ; for, as it is likely that, 
 before very many years, thou wilt go to thy treasure, I wish 
 thou mayst, and I have no doubt thou wilt, find much laid 
 up in heaven. I speak on this subject with freedom, be- 
 cause thou hast ears to hear ; and because I never heard, 
 nor ever shall hear, of any who thought they had done 
 too much good ; that they had sympathized too much with 
 their brethren in a low state, and been too attentive to the 
 wants and sufterings of their fellow-creatures ; and that they 
 had taken too much care and pains to endeavor to relieve 
 them. Perhaps I have said too much, but knowing that 
 thou art wise to discriminate, I have no fear of misleading 
 thee, either into right or left-hand errors ; so, wishing thee 
 the glorious reward of good labors, I remain, thy sincerely 
 
 affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER XLIX. 
 
 Manchester, Twelfth Month 25th, 1804. 
 To ErcHAKD Keynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I will relate to thee, at this time, a 
 short anecdote which I had from James Thornton, of Amer- 
 ica, one of the first of the first rank who have visited us from 
 that quarter of the world. He said, when Anthony Benezet 
 was in his last illness, and very near his death, he went to see 
 
JOHN THOKP. 155 
 
 him. Anthony had been long distinguished as a lover and 
 benefactor of mankind ; but when James came into the room, 
 he said he never had been more deeply impressed with a 
 sense of spiritural poverty, than he was at that time ; and 
 as he sat under these feelings, a view opened, how little all 
 the merits of good works can avail or be relied on at such 
 a time, or any thing short of our holy Redeemer. He took 
 leave of him under these impressions, and the good man 
 died, I think, very soon after, and James attended his burial ; 
 but, he said, when he entered into the house, it felt to him 
 as if it were Divinely perfumed ; something so like the 
 opening of heaven, and a sense of the Divine Presence, as 
 he had at no other time experienced. What a striking 
 conformity between the death of this good man and that 
 of his blessed Master ! I thought this little story deserved 
 to be remembered. 
 
 With the salutation of love, in which I wish us both a 
 continual increase, I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTEE L. 
 
 Manchester 
 
 To . 
 
 My dear Friend : — I received thy letter duly. If thou 
 and I saw things through the same medium, and from the 
 same point of view, it could hardly be that we should see 
 them differently ; yet so it is, that, with all the deference 
 due to thy superior powers, and the regard that I willingly 
 pay to the uprightness of thy intention, and fruitfulness 
 of thy understanding, I am apprehensive it will be found 
 that, on some religious subjects, we do not think the same 
 thing. 
 
loC LETTEKS OF 
 
 I do not see what ctui be done for those Friends in , 
 
 who have separated themselves from their former brethren ; 
 they must be left to inherit the lot which they have chosen, 
 and which, I believe they never would have chosen, if they 
 had not first departed from true humility, and from that 
 love which beareth all things. Palliatives will not do ; 
 " can two walk together except they be agreed ;'' nay, were 
 it possible to bring all these back again to our meeting, 
 and that both parties were willing that they should be 
 acknowledged members, what confusion would arise from 
 their diversity of sentiment on the most important subjects ? 
 They would be like the iron and clay, in the feet of Nebu- 
 chadnezzar's image ; they might seem to adhere, but they 
 never would incorporate. ' ' Jerusalem is as a city that is com- 
 pact together ;" but a church made up of members, of re- 
 ligious sentiments so various and inconsistent, would be 
 much more like Bab^l — a confiision of one language into 
 many, than the bride, the Lamb's wife, to whom the Lord 
 hath again restored a pure language, for the language of the 
 Spirit of God, the true original, is one. I am sorry for 
 these people, because I am so fully persuaded they have 
 departed from the way of peace and usefulness, and that 
 he who beguiled the woman in Paradise, hath beguiled 
 some of them, who may have been instruments in deceiving 
 many others. How-ever, circumstanced as they are, and 
 under their present professions, I know of "no better coun- 
 sel than that of Gamaliel : " Refrain from these men, and 
 let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, 
 it will come to nought." 
 
 On the subject of education, I never was an advocate 
 for ignorance ; I contend against the acquisition of no kind 
 of knowledge, but that which cannot be purchased but by 
 the expense of innocence. I should never discourage my 
 
JOHN THORP. 157 
 
 children, at a proper age, from acquaiiitiug themselves 
 with the religious systems and practices of any professors of 
 the Christian name ; but where parents themselves have 
 been so happy as to buy the truth ; to find " the way of 
 peace;" to have learned, in the school of Christ, the precepts 
 of his holy law written in their hearts ; who know the voice 
 of the true Shepherd, and are concerned to follow Him, 
 (turning from the voice of every stranger) ; who know his 
 ways to be " ways of pleasantness, and all his paths to be 
 peace ;" is there any room for hesitation, what should be 
 the main object and principal care of such parents, in the 
 education of their children ? Must it not be, to do all in their 
 power to bring them acquainted with this Holy Leader, 
 and guide their feet in the footsteps of the flock of his 
 companions ? I agree with thee, they ought to be careflillj' 
 guarded against indulging any degree of slight or contempt, 
 or uncharitableness, with respect to the religious opinions 
 and practices of any other people. 
 
 When I consider the human offspring, with all the ad- 
 vantages of human learning and mental cultivation, recom- 
 mended to the exertion of their own powers, under the con- 
 duct of human reason, in order to explore the paths of 
 peace and endless happiness, even with the help of a writ- 
 ten and attested revelation ; the subject is to me very 
 affecting. I do not undervalue reason, I esteem it as^a 
 precious gift of God ; but I believe it is no more capable 
 of leading us to heaven, than our hands were made to 
 reach it, our eyes to see it, or our feet to carry us thither. 
 Reason, however useful in its proper place, under the 
 influence of Divine Light, is, like all our other faculties 
 and powers, when under the government of the old or 
 natural, unregenerated man, capable of dreadful prostitu- 
 tion. Let its own works praise it, what hath it done for 
 
\,)X 1. ET'l'KUS (IK 
 
 those who have jji-ofessed to devote themselves mof^t to its 
 guidance, free from all the systems and shackles of their 
 education ? How are these agreed, how are they united, are 
 these " of one heart and of one soul," speaking the same 
 thing ? No, no ; nothing is more evident than the contrary 
 lit' all this, to those who are acquainted with the state and 
 labors of this description of people, the reputed wise and 
 learned of this world : Babel has always had nieii for its 
 buildei-s, but the kingdom of Heaven hath ever been ma<le 
 up of " little children." 
 
 Admitting all thou hast said, concei'ning the most im- 
 portant truths of religion, to be generally true ; and that 
 thy remarks on things of subordinate importance, are gen- 
 erally just, I do not see how much instruction is likely to 
 be derived from them ; for we are far from being agreed 
 about what are fundamental truths ; and, I fear, we have 
 very different sentiments concerning those things, which 
 some count little or indifferent. That which I believe, 
 according to the best light and understanding I am favored 
 with, to be my duty to do or say, and in the doing of 
 which I have peace, and in the omission of which I feel 
 trouble, is not to me a little or indifferent thing ; though 
 I by no means wish other people's liberty to be judged by 
 my conscience, but would have all to attend to the discov- 
 efies of Divine Light, and pursue those things that make 
 for peace. 
 
 The fall of all mankind, in our first father, by whose 
 transgression " sin entered into the world and death by 
 sin," and our restoration by the second Adam, " the Lord 
 from Heaven," the " Quickening Spirit," " the Resurrec- 
 tion and the Life ;" these, surely, are the fundamental doc- 
 trines of religion ; and if these are not admitted amongst 
 its mo.st important truths, T am sure, for my part, I can 
 
see no foundation in the nature of tilings, for any religion 
 at all ; certainly there can be none for the religion of the 
 Gospel, by which we are everywhere called to self-denial, 
 and a renunciation of this world. " Except a man be 
 born again," said our blessed Saviour, " he cannot see the 
 kingdom of God." " Except ye be converted, and become 
 as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of 
 heaven." Agreeabl}- to this, is the doctrine of the apos- 
 tle : '■ If ye live after the flesh ; ye shall die, but if ye, 
 through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye 
 shall live." " The natural man receiveth not the things 
 of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; 
 neither can he know them, because they are spiritually 
 discerned." To this purport, is all the doctrine of Christ 
 and his apostles ; how strangely then must they have read 
 the declarations of the Gospel ! and how little must they 
 be acquainted with the book of all books — their own 
 hearts, who can believe that they are not by nature in a 
 fallen, very corrupt, and degenerate state ? 
 
 The paragraph on scepticism contains, I think, a great 
 deal of truth. I have only to say of this subject, that I 
 believe the most common cause of scepticism, though most 
 remote from human observation, is the working of satan 
 in the fallen reason of man, which E. Burroughs some- 
 where calls the habitation of the serpent. Indeed, thou 
 hast said something \ery like this, when thou sayst, it 
 originates in selfishness. 
 
 All endeavors to make the terms or conditions of church 
 membership amongst us more extensive, broad and easy, 
 so as to admit a greater latitude and variety of sentiment 
 and conduct, will always be in vain. Those who stand 
 upon the sure Foundation, and whose principal care it is 
 to act in the church under the direction of the Holy Head, 
 
ItiO LETXKKS OV 
 
 will always have to bear their testimony against, and 
 endeavor to preserve the Church clean from those stains, 
 defilements, and impurities, which spring from " the lust 
 of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," all 
 of which, in their endless diversity and operation, prevent 
 us from entering in " at the strait gate," and persevering 
 in that " narrow way which leadeth unto life." 
 
 "With love to thyself and thy wife, I am thy affectionate 
 friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER LI. 
 
 Manchester, Tenth Month 22nd, 1805. 
 To KicHAED Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Sometimes, when I have been think- 
 ing of writing to thee, considering that our respective 
 birth-days were approaching, and that the youngest of us 
 had nearly accomplished his grand climacteric year, I 
 thought of telling thee something about the state of my 
 own mind, now the evening draws near; but I will decline 
 it, for I am apprehensive I should not be pleased with it, 
 when I had written it. Perhaps the account thou givest 
 . of thyself in a letter thou wrotest me, the latter end of 
 last year, may come as near it as anything I should write. 
 This much I can say, that at seasons I feel a degree of 
 consolation and Divine peace, that cannot be expressed 
 in words, which I would not exchange for a thousand 
 times the treasures of both the Indies ; in comparison of 
 which I should esteem, I do esteem, crowns and sceptres 
 as dung and dross; and at the much more frequent seasons, 
 when heavenly good is least sensibly felt, (I hope I write 
 it with humble, heartfelt gratitude,) my faith, and hope. 
 
JOHN T }I O K P . 
 
 161 
 
 and confidence, are so firmly anchored on the Everlast- 
 ing Rock, Christ Jesus, that when the rains descend, and 
 the winds blow, and the storms beat, I am not greatly 
 moved ; I know Him in whom I have believed, and that 
 He will in mercy keep all those who have committed 
 themselves to Him. I have little doubt, nay I have no 
 doubt, but in what I have said of myself, I have been writing 
 thy experience also, with little or no difference, but such 
 as may arise from our different vocations in the church, 
 and from some difference of our natural complexions. Let 
 us then, my dear friend, be prostrated in gratitude before 
 our Holy Helper, who called us early to labor in the vine- 
 yard of our own hearts, and afterwards in his vineyard, 
 the church. Let us go on our way rejoicing, though it be 
 in tribulation ; the Crown is at the end of the Christian race. 
 
 I have heard from several, good accounts of thy situar 
 tion and health, which to me are always grateful. As 
 every day furnishes some opportunity of doing or getting 
 some little good, or exercising some virtue, or making 
 some little sacrifice ; so I hope we are making some little 
 advances, every day, towards the heavenly country. 
 
 With every good desire that my heart is capable of 
 
 forming, for thy present and everlasting happiness, I am 
 
 thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER LII. 
 
 Manohestee, Fourth Month 10th, 1806. 
 To RiCHABD Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I was pleased to hear of the wise 
 choice that was made of an elder in your meeting. I 
 doubt not thou wilt soon admit the conviction, that it would 
 
lCi-2 LETTEKS OF 
 
 not be right to determine to remain inactive ; every mem- 
 ber of the body natural, and every member of the mystical 
 body of Christ, hath its proper office ; and if it do not act 
 and move agreeably to the Divine appointment, the whole 
 must suffer a proportionable loss ; but a word to the wise 
 is sufficient. That thou hast survived thy seventieth year 
 is cause of humble thankfulness. Thou canst now be at 
 no very great distance from the end of a well spent life, a 
 life that hath contributed, through the Divine blessing, to 
 the comfort of very many ; and having, like good old 
 Simeon, been graciously favored to see the Lord's Christ, 
 thou wilt, like him, I have no doubt, in the time appointed 
 of God, be dismissed from thy stewardship in peace. 
 
 The time of my continuance here draws fast to a con- 
 clusion, and though I hardly know whether I have been 
 instrumental of any good in my generation, in the stew- 
 ardship to which I have been appointed ; yet I do know 
 I have many times, in great mercy, been strengthened to 
 do the best I could ; and, notwithstanding all the weak- 
 nesses or deviations from rectitude, which may at any 
 time have marked my conduct through life, I do not wish 
 to have my time to live over again, for fear I should not 
 do better. 
 
 I was almost afraid, by thy answer to my last, that 
 thou hadst conceived I meant to speak something highly 
 of my own religious attainment. I had no view like that ; 
 I have no cause to think so, or to speak so ; Lknow too 
 well what I am, and from whom all good comes. I meant 
 only to express myself with gratitude, and to magnify his 
 mercy, who hath helped me hitherto ; and in the contin- 
 uance of whose holy help, I was and am strengthened to 
 confide. And surely I have cause to magnify his mercy, 
 and to speak well of his gloriQjjs name, who hath been my 
 
JOHN THORP. 163 
 
 Shepherd from infant years, and whose rod and staff will, 
 I humbly hope, continue to be the support and comfort 
 of my declining years. 
 
 I am, in true love, in which my wife unites, thy affec- 
 tionate friend, John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER LIII. 
 
 Manchestek, Fifth Month 16th, 1806. 
 To John Bevans. 
 
 My dear Friend : — It is very pleasant to be remember- 
 ed by our fellow-travellers to the heavenly country, and 
 to salute and be saluted by such on the way. I have so 
 long survived the spirit and disposition to controversy on 
 religious subjects, and have observed so little benefit de- 
 rived from it, that it hath afforded me some satisfaction 
 to see that Friends have not been hasty to answer every 
 weak apostate scribbler, who has dared, through ignorance 
 or presumption, to deny the fundamental truths of our 
 holy religion. 
 
 Many, also, of the unbelieving professors of Christianity, 
 have sought to draw Friends into disputation and wrang- 
 ling, on subjects which (though they are most surely be- 
 lieved by the sincere Christian) are beyond the stretch of 
 the human intellect to comprehend. Such are the con- 
 troversies about what is called the Trinity, and the doc- 
 trine of the atonement. Much injury hath been done and 
 much loss sustained by the discussions which have been 
 printed on these subjects, human reason affirming, and 
 human reason denying, in equal ignorance of these stupen- 
 dous and mysterious subjects. Perhaps all that is neces- 
 sary for us to know, or that mankind are capable of 
 receiving, stand in their best state of manifestation, as 
 they are revealed in the Holy Scriptures. 
 
164 LETTERS OF 
 
 May that Mercy by which we were early visited, and 
 which hath graciously followed us hitherto, vouchsafe to 
 be with us now in our declining years, and that we may 
 happily experience Him, who condescended to be our 
 morning light, and the stay of our youth, to be our even- 
 ing song, and the staff of our old age ; that through the 
 continuance of his holy help, we may accomplish the work 
 which may be given us to do, to the praise of Him who 
 hath called us, and our own everlasting peace ; that, when 
 the time of reckoning shall come, we may be numbered 
 amongst the " good and faithful." 
 
 From thy aifectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTEE LIY. 
 
 Manchestek, Eighth Month 2l8t, 1806. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Thy letter of the 6th instant I re- 
 ceived duly. It was seasonable, and very acceptable ; and 
 so far as I am capable of being comforted by a letter, I 
 was comforted by it. But, however kind and skillful the 
 application, wounds must have time to heal. I hope I do 
 not murmur ; I want no arguments to convince rae that 
 the "Judge of all the earth" will certainly "do right;" I 
 wish to be thankful for the inestimable favor I have re- 
 ceived from Him, in giving to me a most faithful and 
 affectionate wife for thirty-one years; one singularly fitted 
 to be a help-7neet to me ; for, I believe I am very safe in 
 saying, that a life more exemplary, in filling up, with 
 unremitting diligence, every duty belonging to her humble 
 station, hath never yet, nor ever will be found. We have 
 both reasoj] to b(> satisfied, nay thankful, that in the loss 
 
JOHN THORP. 166 
 
 of our faithful companions, the loss is only ours : theirs 
 is the gain. I do not therefore sorrow as those "who have 
 no hope ;" I have no doubt but that, through the unfail- 
 ing mercy of our Heavenly Father, and the atonement 
 and intercession of the ever-blessed Jesus, our dear depart- 
 ed wives, according to their measure, will be fixed in their 
 respective stations of eternal blessedness. 
 
 At seasons, I can bless the name of Him, who lives for 
 ever, for what He hath given and for what He hath taken 
 away; yet I feel my loss almost continually, and very 
 often all my prospects seem clouded, and every view of 
 the future here is gloom and shade. Much of this does 
 not appear to others, and I am mostly favored with an 
 humble degree of holy quiet, a measure of that peace 
 which the blessed Master gives to those who believe and 
 trust in Him. Thy remembrance of me, at such a time 
 as this, was very kind ; it was, indeed, a genuine, grateful 
 fruit of that friendship which hath long subsisted between 
 us, and which I hope, will last for ever. I shall be glad 
 to hear of the re-establishment of thy health ; but whether 
 we are permitted a longer or shorter stay in these earthly 
 tabernacles, I do sincerely desire we may be preserved 
 under the direction and keeping of Israel's Shepherd, and 
 then all will be well. 
 
 Priscilla Hannah Gurney's remembrance of me was 
 very acceptable. I wish the remembrance of my love to 
 be presented to her. At home or abroad, I trust she is in 
 the Master's service, doing all the good she can ; yet a 
 little while, and that encouraging declaration will be ac- 
 complished in her experience, that the righteous live for 
 ever-more ; their reward also is with the Lord, and the 
 care of them is with the Most High ; therefore shall they 
 receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from 
 
166 LETTERS OF 
 
 the Lord's hand ; for with his right hand shall He cover 
 them, and with his arm shall He protect them. 
 
 That thou and I, my dear friend, may finally make a 
 part, and have our lot amongst that happy number, is the 
 frequent prayer of thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER LV. 
 
 Manchester, Second Month 19tli, 1807. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Without calculating who wrote last, 
 I begin to think it a long time since I wrote to thee ; and 
 having no doubt it will be received as it is meant, I will 
 begin by saying, that my love, solicitude, and concern for 
 thee, and for thy happiness, will, I believe, never experi- 
 ence any decrease ; and I have no doubt of retaining as 
 much of thy regard and esteem as I deserve. 
 
 We have both now numbered one more year to our age, 
 and both of us have lived a longer time than falls to the 
 lot of mankind generally, and I hope the time has not 
 passed wholly unimproved ; nay, I trust, our fellow-pilgrims 
 have been rather benefited by it ; I have no doubt of this 
 with respect to thee. What now remains but that, with 
 increasing care and diligence, we endeavor to steer safe 
 into the harbor or port of everlasting rest? and through the 
 continued guidance of the Heavenly Pilot, I have a settled 
 hope, this will be our happy experience in the Lord's time. 
 Whilst we are here, we may expect the waves will roll 
 upon us ; and we may be a little tossed now and then ; 
 but they will not overflow us ; whilst Jesus is in the vessel 
 we have nothing to fear. He who bath fonducted us thus 
 
JOHN THOKP. 107 
 
 far, and preserved us in the voyage through life hitherto, 
 will land us safely at last, I have uo doubt, in his own 
 holy and everlasting kingdom. 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER LVI. 
 
 Manchester, Second Month, 5th, 1808. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — It was very kind of thee to write to 
 me by thy nephew Richai-d Ball. If thy letter had only 
 contained an account of thy health, now in thy seventy- 
 third year, it would have been very interesting intelligence 
 to ine ; but I find thou art still busy, and no wonder, in 
 such an extensive stewardship. Well ! thine is a pleasant 
 stewardship; but I envy no man's lot. Thou art sure 
 thou art instrumental of much good, both to the present 
 and to succeeding generations; and it certainly does 
 afford a very comfortable reflection, in the close of time, 
 that we have contributed to the comfort and accommoda- 
 tion of our fellow-pilgrims, in our progress through this 
 world of deep probation. And beyond all doubt, it must 
 be pleasing to the Father of the universal family, to see 
 some of his children, to whom He hath committed much, 
 made willing, under his benevolent influence, to relieve 
 the wants of others. I never had much to give, but I 
 remember an instance, by which I was deeply instructed 
 in the nature of Christian charity. One evening when I 
 lived in London, as I passed by rather a retired corner of 
 a street, a poor woman sat, (I think with a child in her 
 arms,) and very modestly asked charity. I felt pity 
 strongly raised in my heart, and a language like this was 
 feelingly raised in it, the Lord help thee ; .but I passed by 
 
168 LEl'TJiKS OK 
 
 and it very livingly arose in my heart, l)y what means? 
 — by putting it into the hearts of such as can feel as thou 
 now dost, to relieve her. I turned back, and gave her 
 something ; but I have no need to tell these little stories 
 to thee. 
 
 We have had a very hard and severely cold winter, and 
 that, added to the winter of age, and that I have not all 
 the comforts I once had, though it hath not much, if at 
 all, affected my health, I think it has a little depressed 
 my spirits; so that I have not been able to think of mov- 
 ing very far from home ; but acquiescence with every al- 
 lotment of our Lord's providence, is not only our reason- 
 able duty, but the only way to peace. 
 
 Bristol is a long way off; if thou livedst no more than 
 thirty or forty miles off, I would many a time come to see 
 thee. I am ready to think, sometimes, that I seem of lit- 
 tle use in the creation ; yet, though I have no fixed em- 
 ploy or engagement in business, thou wouldst hardly be- 
 lieve how fully my time is filled up ; and being now and 
 then employed in the blessed Master's service, encourages 
 me to hope that I do not altogether live in vain. 
 
 May that Mercy, which hath followed thee hitherto, 
 continue to support and comfort thee ; and when thy 
 day's work shall be finished, may thy latter end be blessed, 
 and full of peace. 
 
 Pray for me, my dear friend, that this also may be my 
 happy experience. 
 
 Present the salutation of my love to P. H. Gurney, to 
 whom I wish patience, perseverance, and preservation. 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
JOHN TH UU l>. Idtl 
 
 LETTER LVll. 
 
 Manchester, Seventh Month 26th, 1808. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend: — Last Sixth-day evening, after an 
 absence of more than ten weeks, I got safe to Manchester 
 in health and peace, where I was kindly received by my 
 relations and friends. I staS nearly four days at Wor- 
 cester, and was at most of the Friends' houses ; and from 
 thence I went to Colebrook Dale, where I stopped ■ about 
 fifteen days. I was at most of their houses, and at the 
 New Dale, and from thence, by the Monthly Meeting at 
 Shrewsbury, through Chester, home. I had not all this in 
 view when I left you ; but I think I have reason to be- 
 lieve, it was in the ordering of his gracious Providenc'e, 
 who is yet leading the blind by a way which they know 
 not, and guiding them in paths that they have not known ; 
 so that my little journey aifords a pleasing, grateful retro- 
 spect. 
 
 If our dear people did but live in the truth they pro- 
 fess, and act under its holy influence, they would in- 
 deed be as a kingdom of priests, and for a holy nation ; 
 but through the lamentable prevalence of the love of this 
 world, the want of more uniform labor for heavenly bread 
 and heavenly riches, and living so much at ease, and this, 
 (with some happy exceptions,) being so generally the case, 
 I am sometimes ready to fear lest we should become too 
 generally a lifeless, formal, superficial people. And as I 
 believe the proverb is mostly true, like people, like priest, 
 I am persuaded there is great danger (what else can be 
 expected ?) that what little there is of ministry amongst 
 us, should become too much a superficial ministry. Have 
 
170 LKTXKUtS OF 
 
 we not cause to be alarmed, lest others should coiue and 
 take our crown ? 
 
 Remember my dear love to Priscilla Hannah Guruey 
 and to iSarah Alien, of whose kind attention I shall long 
 retain a grateful remembrance. It was very pleasant to 
 me, to see the close of a well-spent life made happy by 
 such domestic associates ; I mean as happy as thou ex- 
 pectest to be, or perhaps as the nature of things will admit, 
 in this present world : buti*there are better things in re- 
 serve. 
 
 Persevere, my dear friend, in the way of humility, self- 
 denial, and faithfulness, and " a crown of righteousness" 
 will soon be given thee, " that fadeth not away." 
 I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTEli LVIII. 
 
 Manchestkk, Twelfth Month 1st, 1808. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — The mental languor thou complain- 
 est of, may well be expected after thy illness ; but if we 
 should not this way account for it, thou aiid I have now 
 to expect to feel the iniirmities of age, when the vigor 
 of the system must be greatly declined. The fervors of 
 devotion, in which we most delight, are not always best 
 for us ; and I accord with the sentiment of a pious author, 
 that " if the will spirit stand right, the changes of crea- 
 turely fervor lessen not our union with God." I know 
 the enemy is always accusing us, and would dispose us to 
 iiccuse ourselves; but we have a merciful High-priest, 
 who is " touched with the feeling of our infirmities." Let 
 
JUII.N Til OK P. 171 
 
 US, then, remember that apostolic exhortation, " Cast not 
 away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recom- 
 pense of reward." 
 
 We are also very liable to be mistaken in our opinions, 
 how it fares with others, who may be sitting with us. 
 With regard to myself, I have little to say ; I am favored 
 with health ; but it is winter ; it is also the winter of age, 
 and to me it seems like winter, in the revolution of the 
 Lord's years ; and what can one say, or what can one do, 
 in such a case? — why, endeavor after silent, patient sub- 
 mission, and be thankful, if we can, for the many unde- 
 served mercies which yet remain. 
 
 Thou hast done a good day's work ; I have done but 
 little ; I am not at all disposed to flatter ; but I would 
 counteract the enemy, who, I know, would always spread 
 discouragement both before thee and me. 
 
 Farewell, my dear friend ; to hear froiu thee is always 
 pleasant to thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER LIX. 
 
 Manchester, Fifth Month 2d, 1809. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I say to myself (though perhaps it 
 is not always good reasoning,) I have nothing new'to say 
 to my dear friends. I think of them often ; I love them 
 increasingly ; I look forward in hope, to that blessed 
 period, when there will be no more need of pen and ink 
 in our communications, and when they will be purged 
 from all impurities, and all impediments. If thou and I 
 should land safely in the heavenly country, this time can 
 
17:i LETT HUS of 
 
 lie at no great distance from us; ii few more days and 
 nights, and we shall have done with all the shackles of 
 mortality. 
 
 Those genuine traits of humility and self-abasement, 
 which run through all thy letters, are very instructive, 
 pleasant, and comfortable to me ; because I know these 
 heavenly virtues are only taught to the disciples of Him, 
 who was " meek and lowly in heart :" and I have often 
 been thankful, and my soul hath worshipped many times 
 before this blessed Master, in feeling and observing, that 
 He knows how to teach these blessed lessons, and is still 
 teaching them to many, whose natural dispositions and 
 circumstances are most unfavorable to this sort of learning. 
 
 I sincerely wish, for myself and thee, that we may be 
 strengthened to do or suffer what little may yet remain to 
 fill up the measure of our duty ; and I have uo doubt at 
 all, but we shall be thus supported, and that He, who hath 
 been our morning light, will be our evening song. 
 
 I am, with the salutation of brotherly love, thy affec- 
 tionate friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTER LX. 
 
 Manchester, Eighth Month 15th, 1809. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I sometimes wonder that there should 
 be any such thing as self-righteousness in the world : or 
 that any should think they have any claim, from merits, 
 to rewards. But we have both cause humbly and grate- 
 fully to acknowledge, that mercy and goodness have fol- 
 lowed us all the day.f of our lives, and, I have confidence 
 
JOHN TUORi". 173 
 
 to believe, will be coutinued to us for evei-. Let us, then, 
 contend for this faith, and possess our souls in patience. 
 We have both had many trials, in passing through this 
 vale of tears, and many mercies to acknowledge ; and I 
 humbly hope and pray, that He who hitherto hath helped 
 us, will continue to be with us, and finally give us an in- 
 heritance in his everlasting kingdom. 
 I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER LXI. 
 
 Ninth Month 11th, 1809. 
 
 To . . 
 
 I received thy letter, and should be glad if I might be 
 enabled to say any thing in answer to it, that might con- 
 tribute to thy comfort and instruction. It is writteu in 
 the Scriptures, " ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask 
 amiss :'' " hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name." 
 The first petition, in that prayer which our blessed Lord 
 taught his disciples, is, " Thy kingdom come, thy will be 
 done ;" when the heart is thus humbled in submission, so 
 as to make a sacrifice of its own will to the will of God, 
 all complaints are over ; and to that state of mind, every 
 dispensation is sanctified, whether it be sweet or bitter, 
 darkness or light, " all things work together for good." 
 But, until our wills are thus subjected, it is in vain we 
 look for peace. It is not the clamorous importunity, tra- 
 vail, and labor of the natural man, to be favored with Di- 
 vine consolation and peace, that will be heard or answered ; 
 but the prayer that arises from the sensible operation of 
 the Spirit of God in the heart,, will never be sent empty 
 
17-i LKTTEKS OK 
 
 away ; for, as its prayer is, that the will of God may be 
 (lone, whilst preserved in that submission, it never can 
 complain, because it is his blessed will to deal with us iu 
 that way, which He, who knoweth all our wants, as well 
 as weaknesses, sees to be best for us. Surely He knows 
 best what to give, and what to deny, in order to subject 
 the creaturely will, that his holy will may be done in us 
 and by us, that He alone may rule whose right it is. 
 
 Go to meetings in a child-like state of mind, (the infant 
 child does not make its choice of this or that, but is wholly 
 dependent, being unable to do any thing for itself,) and 
 when there, have no dependence at all upon any thing 
 thou canst do for thyself, but endeavor to gather into a 
 meek, patient resignation, trusting in the mere mercy of 
 God in Christ Jesus, in Him who suffered for us without 
 the gates of Jerusalem, and spiritually reveals himself in 
 the hearts of all men. Thus believing in Him, and gath- 
 ering to Him, as thou endeavorest to possess thy soul in 
 patience, there is no possibility of thy missing that eternal 
 salvation, of which Jesus is the author ; for He hath said, 
 " him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." In 
 all thy buffetings, aiSictions, and conflicts, look to Him 
 for help, on whom help is laid, and who is " touched with 
 the feeling of our infirmities ;" for there is salvation in no 
 other name. 
 
 It is strange thou shouldst ask, what we are to under- 
 stand by the grace of God, or what is meant by our com- 
 ing to Christ. In every sense of the word, thou hast great 
 cause to know what the grace of God is, both as it stands 
 for the favor of God, and a principle of holiness in the 
 soul ; and surely, thy long and ardent solicitude, to obtain 
 peace and a resting-place in God, cannot leave thee igno- 
 rant what is meant by coming to Christ, who is both the 
 
JOHN THORP. 175 
 
 peace, the rest, aud sabbath of the soul ; whose blood, out- 
 wardly shed, and divine life and nature from Him, in- 
 wardly renewed, are the changing and salvation of the 
 soul. 
 
 Do not give in to curious inquiries and reasoning about 
 this or that ; but abide in the simplicity, and in the pa- 
 tience, and never suffer the enemy to lead thee to doubt 
 this most certain truth, that all the dispensations of God, 
 which thou hast passed through, or art now under, are ad- 
 ministered in unerring Wisdom, and are adapted, by that 
 Wisdom, to accomplish thy complete redemption. 
 
 Being an entire stranger, I do not know how proper it 
 may be for me to say, that to be pretty constantly em- 
 ployed in any way useful, according to thy ability, would 
 make time less tedious, and the attempts of satan less 
 grievous. Improper, distressing, and wandering thoughts, 
 will not, I think, long afflict those who are usefully em- 
 ployed, and turn away from them. We can no more help 
 wandering thoughts, than we can prevent the birds from 
 flying over our heads; but we can prevent them from 
 making nests in our hair. 
 
 With desires for thy comfort, and peace in God, through 
 an humble, patient submission and resignation to Him, I 
 am thy respectful friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTEK LXII. 
 
 Makchbstee, Fourtli Month 23d, 1810. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I know that, with all the comforts 
 we can have in this life, old age has infirmities and wants 
 which the consolations of this world onnnol relieve; and. 
 
176 LETTERS OF 
 
 therefore, we look forward in humble hope to a better life 
 aud country, where our enjoyments will be both perma- 
 nent and complete. I look upon my dear friend as near 
 the celestial shore, and moving towards it under the 
 auspicious conduct of the Captain of our salvation ; and 
 with greater certainty, because under the influence of that 
 awful fear, which keeps the heart clean. 
 
 The removal of dear Deborah Darby, however others 
 may view it, to me affords a comfortable reflection; she 
 had fought a good fight, she had finished the work that 
 was given her to do, and is, no doubt, now entered into 
 that rest which is glorious. With regard to the Church's 
 loss, I dare say nothing; we know who it is, that of 
 "stones can raise up children unto Abraham," who can 
 work by many or by few, with or without instruments. 
 We may safely leave the work, the great work of redemp- 
 tion, to Him who hath the power, and to whom belongs 
 the glory, evermore. 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER LXIII. 
 
 Manchester, Eighth Month 1, 1811. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — It was very pleasant to me to re- 
 ceive a letter from thee, and such a letter in thy 76th 
 year. I, who am seven years younger, feel the effects of 
 old age both in mind and body ; but let us not accuse 
 ourselves, or listen to the accuser of the brethren, because 
 our faculties and powers are on the decline. Meekness, 
 humility, and patience, are a cure for all sores ; our strength 
 and poweiv are ('i|ual to all we have to do, or to all that 
 
JOHN Til OR P. 177 
 
 is required of us. It is our departure from humble sub- 
 mission, and wanting to feel more of the fervor of devotion, 
 not willing to live by faith, and possess our souls in patience, 
 that is a fruitful source of much unprofitable anxiety. 
 How much of this appears in the few diaries we have pub- 
 lished ; and, I am persuaded, in the experience of many 
 pious people, who suffer greatly, because they are unskil- 
 fully taught to believe,' that if it were not owing to some 
 omission of duty, they would more frequently, perhaps al- 
 ways, (particularly in meetings,) be favored with these 
 sensible feelings and enjoyments of heavenly goodness. 
 Many, many, I believe, put on a much more painful pil- 
 grimage, and experience many doubts and tossings, which 
 would certainly be avoided by a wise attention to that holy 
 precept, " in your patience possess ye your souls." To how 
 many religious people might it be said by the blessed Mas- 
 ter, as formerly to Peter, " Oh thou of little faith, where- 
 fore didst thou doubt ?" though it is by no means in our 
 power to put ourselves into possession of those Divine con- 
 solations, that sometimes, in unmerited mercy, are vouch- 
 safed. I wish to be thankful, truly thankful, to be favored 
 to feel no condemnation. 
 
 There is, I think, a great deal of comfortable instruc- 
 tion and truth in the remark, that "the Christian's crown 
 in this life is hid under the cross, that we cannot see it," 
 and doubtless laid up safely there for us, when our war- 
 fare is accomplished. What cause have I to be thankful 
 for this, and a thousand other mercies ; but to feel suitably 
 thankful for favore, or compunction for our infirmities, is 
 not at our command. How earnestly do I sometimes de- 
 sire a move fervent, sensible feeling of gratitude for favors 
 I have not deserved, and repentance for all I have done 
 amiss ; but, as I have said before, perhaps we may be too so- 
 
178 LETTERS OF 
 
 licitous for these sensible fervors of devotion. My mind 
 hath often been stayed and comforted, in recollecting 
 these observations of an experienced Christian : " Do not 
 look for or expect the same degrees of sensible fervor ; the 
 matter lies not there ; nature will have its share ; but the 
 ups and downs of that are to be overlooked. Whilst your 
 will-spirit is good and set right, the changes of creaturely 
 fervor lessen not your union with God." 
 
 Farewell, my dear friend ; may the Divine blessing 
 comfort and support our declining years, and enable us to 
 finish the little work that may remain for us to do ; that 
 finally we may be found worthy to enter into the joy of 
 our Lord. 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER LXIV. 
 
 Manchester, Fourth Month 30th, 1812. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Yesterday, I received thy very ac- 
 ceptable letter. Our correspondence has now continued 
 twenty-five years ; and, as I believe it commenced under 
 the auspicious influence of our blessed Master, so I hum- 
 bly hope, it has been in some degree fruitful to his praise. 
 I am glad to hear thy health is restored ; mine, through 
 great mercy, does not much decline, though I can feel 
 every year that I grow older. I have been little from 
 home all the winter, and for long it hath been very cold 
 weather, the east wind almost continually blowing. Read- 
 ing, retirement, calling sometimes to see a friend, and at- 
 tending meetings, and meeting matters, with a little walk 
 
JOHN THORP. 179 
 
 every day, is the manner in which my time is mostly spent. 
 I expect that, whilst thou art able, thy time will be more 
 usefully employed ; but truly, at our time of life, I think 
 we should endeavor to east off every burden, and to break 
 every yoke, that we might, without distraetion, " press to- 
 ward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in 
 Christ Jesus." 
 
 With regard to myself, if I am poor, it is in the best 
 things, which has been my experience in an unusual de- 
 gree of late, and with which I hope I am learning to be 
 content. Eespecting the things of this life, I can thank- 
 fully say, with good old Jacob, " God hath dealt graciously 
 with me, and I have enough." Both in the commercial 
 and political hemisphere, accumulated clouds of darkness 
 have long been gathering ; what may be the result, is yet 
 awfully uncertain ; neither does there appear much to re- 
 joice in, even in our little Society. 
 
 I know how to make allowance for old age, and for in- 
 aptitude at writing. I stand in need of these allowances 
 more than thou dost ; and yet I will hope thou wilt not 
 only remember, but, at some time, write a line or two to 
 thy sincerely affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 LETTER LXV. 
 
 Manchester, Twelfth Month 12th, 1812. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — When I was last with thee, thou ex- 
 pressedst a wish to hear from me sometimes. I do not 
 frequently feel much qualification for writing, for I also 
 am a poor man, and no stranger to trials of faith and pa- 
 
180 LETTEKS OF 
 
 tience. And although I know thou hast excellences which 
 I do not possess, and advantages in which I have little 
 share, yet, I am persuaded, thou art not unfrequently " a 
 man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." But is this 
 not a common case? I believe it is much more so than 
 we are aware of. Alas! how often do we see sincere 
 Christians ready to complain ; often is their faith deeply 
 tried, and their hope nearly dried up ; oft«n ready to call 
 every thing in question, and "go mourning all the day 
 long." But is there not a cause ? " "Shall not the Judge 
 of all the earth do right ?" Our native maladies must be 
 eradicated, and the dangers and temptations of our vari- 
 ous situations guarded and provided against. It is not 
 unreasonable to suppose, that a greater degree of humility 
 may be necessary for those, whose gifts and stations strongly 
 dispose to self-exaltation, than for others, whose condi- 
 tion is in all respects very humiliating. 
 
 Oh ! how little do we comprehend of that unfathomable 
 Wisdom and Goodness, by which the discipline exercised 
 over us is directed, in order 'to secure our eternal happi- 
 ness ; can we doubt that the lowness, the spiritual poverty 
 and depression, almost to despondency, permitted to be 
 the experience of many devoted servants of God, are not 
 to them blessings in disguise ? But, perhaps, it is not per- 
 mitted that we should always think so ; that might frus- 
 trate the Divine intention in those dispensations. To com- 
 mit the keeping of our souls to Him in well-doing, under 
 every dispensation of his wisdom and providence, as into 
 the hands of a faithful Creator, is the greatest good we can 
 do to ourselves, whatever be our condition ; and although 
 trials of faith and patience should continue, or be often re- 
 newed, during our continuance in this probationary state, 
 yet, certainly, when the conflicts of mortality are over, we 
 
JOHN THOU)'. 181 
 
 shall then see the ineffable goodness of our Heavenly 
 Father in all his dispensations, and that, "though clouds 
 and darkness have been round about Him, yet righteous- 
 ness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." Was 
 not the Captain of our salvation made perfect through 
 suiferings? and had not every individual, of that innumer- 
 able multitude which John saw clothed in white, come 
 "out of great tribulation?" The way of the Cross hatl^ 
 ever been the highway to the kingdom. Tell me of one 
 true child of God, in the Old Testament or the New, or 
 any amongst our own people, even the most distinguished, 
 who have not passed, or are passing, through " great tribu- 
 lation." 
 
 I know how natural it is to think, and be ready to say, 
 no doubt the sincere children of God have all had their 
 trials, but mine are very different; more likely, I fear, to 
 unfit me for, than to ensure, the Crown of Righteousness. 
 I think it very probable, that all have had these fears, and 
 these reflections. No doubt, our crosses are very different, 
 but all wisely adapted to the station in which we are 
 placed, and the duties to which we are called, in our pro- 
 gress through this vale of tears. It is in ray heart to say 
 to thee, my dear friend, be not afraid ; the time is near, 
 when the crown of righteousness will be given thee, and 
 thy everlasting lot will be with those, who " shall hunger 
 no more, neither thii-st any more," "for the Lamb which 
 is in the midst of the Throne, shall feed them, and shall 
 lead them unto living fountains of waters ; and God shall 
 wipe away all tears from their eyes." Amen ! Amen ! 
 
 John Thokp. 
 
182 LK1'TER.S OF 
 
 LETTER LXYI. 
 
 Manchester, Sixth Month lOtli, 1813. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend :— Thy letter of the 11th of last Third 
 Month I received duly. It was, as all thine have ever 
 })een, a very welcome one to me. I have now been read- 
 ing it afresh, with a view to make some reply. The first 
 thing I meet with, to account for thy not having written 
 to me sooner, is thy mental poverty and barrenness. This 
 reason I well understand, it being very much my own ex- 
 perience ; and, indeed, it is likely it may continue to be 
 very much our experience, while we are clothed with these 
 mortal bodies ; but as this state calls for the exercise of 
 faith and patience, it may, as I hope it will, prove a pro- 
 fitable dispensation to us both. Let us, then, be willing to 
 submit to our allotment, as directed by Him who only is 
 wise, and who certainly, in love that changeth not, dis- 
 penseth to us what is best for us, and what will most cer- 
 tainly conduce to our everlasting benefit. 
 
 The death of thy sister, in a good old age, and who, I 
 doubt not, has passed from this world to a better, has left 
 thee in a situation to which my own is nearly similar. My 
 father left five children, one only is living besides myself, 
 who is now in his seventy-sixth year. Thus generations 
 pass away ; but no matter, if at last we may be prepared 
 to give, as thou hast said, an acceptable account of our 
 stewardship. That this will be thy happy experience, 
 thou must excuse me if I say again, I have no shadow of 
 doubt ; and with regard to myself, I am not destitute of 
 hope, for though many have been better stewards of the 
 manifold grace of God than I have been, I am not con- 
 
JOHN THORl'. 188 
 
 acious, at nuy time iu my religious labore, of iiaving done 
 the work of the Lord deceitfully. Yet I might have been 
 more diligent ; I might have waited more frequently at 
 Wisdom's gate ; I might hnvo been more devoted, and 
 like the holy prophet, more ready to say, "Here am I, 
 send me." 'But I trust in Divine Mercy, knowing in 
 "whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is 
 able to keep that which I have committed unto Him 
 against that day." 
 
 Of dear Priscilla we have had a very poor account ; I 
 would willingly hope her case may not be so bad as some 
 have apprehended ; however that be, of this I am per- 
 suaded, she is under the care of the best Physician, who 
 will finally heal all her diseases, and crown her with lov- 
 ing kindness and tender mercies. When thou hast oppor- 
 tunity, please to remember my dear love to her, and tell 
 her to keep fast hold of faith and patience. Those who 
 live to old age, whatever be their circumstances with re- 
 gard to property, have often to experience their nearest 
 connections dissolved, their contemporaries falling on 
 every side, many sources of their usual consolations fail- 
 ing, with increasing infirmities, sometimes to a degree of 
 second childhood : yet none of these things ought to move 
 us, who are seeking " a better country, that is a heavenly ;" 
 and we have many unmerited mercies left, which call for 
 daily thankfulness : and the greatest of all mercies is this, 
 that He, who hath been with us all our life long, con- 
 tinuetli to be with us, and will not foreake us in our grey 
 haii-s. 
 
 With the salutation of love, I now conclude, and am 
 thy sincerely affectionate friend. 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
184 LETTKRS OF 
 
 LETTER LXVII. 
 
 Manchbstee, First Month 28t]), 1814 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — I feel almost ashamed that I have 
 not before this time acknowledged the reijeipt «f thy good 
 letter of Ninth Month last. When I read thy observa- 
 tions on schools for adults, I thought I saw accomplished, 
 in one instance, that Scripture which says: "The liberal 
 deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things shall he 
 stand." We have three large schools erected here, two 
 National and one Lancasterian, in which some old people 
 have been taught to read ; but an institution for that pur- 
 pose, like yours, I do not expect to see here. It will be 
 enough for Manchester, I think, to support the three 
 already established. 
 
 That thy time is much employed, in a variety of en- 
 gagements, I have no doubt ; thy gifts and calling make 
 this necessary ; and it is a favor, both to thyself and many 
 others, that, at so advanced an age, thou hast the ability 
 to go through the exercise of it; and a much greater 
 favor it is, to be made willing to do it with faithfulness. 
 Oh ! how happy will it be for all such, in the approaching 
 day of reckoning. 
 
 With regard to myself, I am moving on, in my Christ- 
 ian pilgrimage, in a low way, yet not destitute of hope, 
 that the dispensations I have, or may have, to pass through, 
 may graciously be intended for my further refinement, of 
 which I have great need ; so that, in the solemn close, I 
 may be numbered amongst all those, who, " through faith 
 and patience, inherit the promises ;" but if I should be thus 
 happy to find acceptance with God, in the awful day of 
 decision, I am sure it will be the effects of His unfailing 
 
JOHN THUKP. 185 
 
 mercy in Christ Jusus ; for I have no claim from merits, 
 to rewards. 
 
 We are now both advanced one year further into the 
 vale of years; surely it calls for gratitude, that we have 
 been favored with so long a time, and with such a degree 
 of health ; with the additional favor that, from early age, 
 we have been apprized of the end for which all our time 
 here was given us, and the blessed means by which we 
 might make the necessary improvement of it. I humbly 
 hope we have not received this grace of God in vain. 
 
 That the best of blessings may attend thee, my dear 
 friend, in time and for ever, is the sincere desire of thy 
 affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thoep. 
 
 LETTEE LXVIII. 
 
 Manchestee, Eighth Month 10th, 1814. 
 To Richard Reynolds, 
 
 My dear Friend :— Thy letter, dated the 20th of Fourth 
 Month last I received duly, and was pleased that thou 
 rememberedst me, and at that time I purposed to ac- 
 knowledge it before now ; but, alas ! how often do we fall 
 short of our purposes. 
 
 I have several times lately heard a good account of thy 
 health, which was very pleasant to me ; for, whilst we remain 
 in this country, which we neither of us expect to do very 
 long, it is indeed cause of humble gratitude,'to be favored 
 with health, as it gives us the best opportunity of improving 
 the dregs of time. I also am still favored to enjoy the 
 blessing of health, and am still engaged in the Christian 
 warfare, and in the exercise of faith and patience ; for I 
 have cause to fear I have not yet attained to that state of 
 
186 LETTERS UF 
 
 purity and holiness to which we are called ; but I may say, 
 " I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling 
 of God in Christ Jesus." Although I fear it would be 
 difficult to find, amongst all our religious acquaintance, 
 one who is perfectly free from all infirmities, yet I have 
 known many, who now are, and do know many others 
 who, when these mortal bodies shall be put off, will be 
 bright spirits in glory. 
 
 What thou hast said of thyself, and the state of thy own 
 mind, is so just a description of my own, that I question 
 if I could have given it more exactly. Let us, then, say 
 with holy Job, " all the days of my appointed time will I 
 wait, till my change come." Thomas Cash used to say, 
 we could not think too lowly of ourselves, if we did not 
 despair : and that, I hope, after so many years' experience 
 of Divine mercy and goodness, we shall be preserved from 
 doing ; we have more cause to " thank God and take 
 courage," more and more to press into that kingdom- 
 which is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 Our day's work is nearly over ; let us employ the little 
 
 time yet remaining in trimming our lamps, and for me to 
 
 watch and pray, that all my transgressions may be blotted 
 
 out, and my sins forgiven, by Him who "taketh away the 
 
 sin of the world." 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
 ■ LETTER LXIX. 
 
 Manchester, First Month 18th, 1815. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend :— Thy letter of the 4th of Eleventh 
 Month last,! received with pleasure, as an additional fruit 
 
JOHN THORP. 187 
 
 of thy friendship, which has afforded me much comfort now 
 for many years. It was grateful to me to hear of the con- 
 tinuance of thy health, which is a great favor to thyself and 
 many others; that Sarah Alien enjoys the same blessing I 
 am glad to hear ; remember my love to her, to dear Pris- 
 cilla, and S. Naish. I would not have these good women 
 to forget me. When thou wrotest, I suppose thou hadst 
 forgotten the conversation we had about Hugh Turford ; 
 perhaps it may occur to thee some future time. 
 
 The account thou hast given me, of the state of thy own 
 mind, is very descriptive of my own ; for, though I have 
 been aspiring (perhaps too feebly) for more than fifty 
 yeare, after religious attainments, yet ray portion is often 
 deep poverty, both in and out of meeting ; yet am I not 
 greatly dismayed, nor is my confidence much shaken, feel- 
 ing as I do, some degree of that hope which is " an anchor 
 to the soul both sure and steadfast, and which entereth 
 into that within the vail." All the dispensations of our 
 Heavenly Father, and all the various turnings of His 
 holy hand upon us, ai"e I believe, intended in mercy for our 
 further refinement, and necessary preparation for a resi- 
 dence in his everlasting kingdom, which it is his gracious 
 purpose to accomplish in us through the mediation of 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. At the age we both now are, we 
 shall not have long to conflict with the trials of this pres- 
 ent life, so that I hope it will not be presumption for us 
 to adopt the language of this hymn : 
 
 " It will soon be done, it will soon be o'er, 
 We soon shall reach the heavenly shore, 
 Where, joining those who are gone before, 
 Shall meet to separate no more." 
 
 Througli great mercy, I am favored with usual health 
 
188 LETTERS OF 
 
 and yet I feel so much the effects of age, that I seem to 
 myself to be almost good for nothing. Commending thee, 
 with my own soul, to the keeping of Israel's Shepherd, I 
 am, with dear love, thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thobp. 
 
 LETTER LXX. 
 
 Manchestbe,. Eighth Month 9th, 1815. 
 To Richard Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend : — As we meddle not with the news of 
 the day, nor the commotions that are in the world, and 
 believing it to be best to " study to be quiet" and do our 
 " own business," so the subjects of our letters have mostly 
 been ourselves, and often our own infirmities, having 
 nothing else to boast of, and these (bodily infirmities I 
 mean) increasing with years, it is natural they should 
 have much of our attention. In these there is no reason 
 to expect any improvement ; we should do well, and I hope 
 we do endeavor, to live in a thankful state of mind, that 
 we are so well as we are, and that at an age when by much 
 the greatest part of those who have been our contempora- 
 ries are numbered with the dead. In regard to health, I 
 have no particular complaint, but I feel heavier, and in- 
 capable of much exertion, walking two or three miles is 
 about the extent of my exercise, and even that is attended 
 with some fatigue ; but thou hast always been a stronger 
 man, and I expect, continuest so. 
 
 I need not tell thee I was not in London this year. I 
 do not expect to see that great city any more. This much 
 for the body ; in respect to the ever-enduring part of the 
 
JOHN THOKP. 189 
 
 couipoimd, I believe the upostle's testimouy, "there hath 
 no temptation taken you but such as is common to man ; 
 but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted 
 above that ye are able ; but will, with the temptation, also 
 make a way to escape, that ye maj^ be able to bear it." 
 And though we have had to pass 'through a variety of 
 seasons in the revolution of the Lord's year, though clouds, 
 darkness, and sometimes sunshine, have been sdternately 
 our experience, yet I humbly trust that, when the trials 
 of time shall be over, we shall iind a resting-place in the 
 kingdom of our blessed Lord and Maater Jesus Christ. 
 Amen. 
 
 With strong desires that the great and true Shepherd, 
 who laid down his life for us, may have us always in his 
 keeping, I am thy affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thobp. 
 
 LETTEE LXXJ. 
 
 Manchesteb, Second Month 20th, 1816. 
 To RiCHAKD Reynolds. 
 
 My dear Friend; — Thy ki4d letter of the 21st of 
 ^venth Month last, I received duly. The account of 
 the death of the dear young man, thy grandson, in the 
 flower of his age, so suddenly and unexpectedly, and d,t 
 such a distance from home, was truly affecting ; and I felt 
 gyjnpathy with thee and his mother on the occasion. But 
 what can we say? "will not the Judge of all the earth do 
 right." Though it be your loss, I hope it i? his great ga,in ; 
 he has escaped many sorrows and mortifying disappoint- 
 ments, which inevitably attend those who have a longer 
 stay in this probationary state. 
 
190 LETTERS OE 
 
 It is pleasant to me to receive a letter from thee in thy 
 eightieth year ; thy years and ability have been length- 
 ened out, in mercy to thyself and many others ; " for the 
 Lord God of recompenses shall surely requite." 
 
 About three montjis since, I had a slight paralytic af- 
 fection on my right side, which, though not severe, has 
 affected me a little in several respects, and my right hand 
 is so shaken, as thou mayst see by this writing, that I am 
 ready to give up writing altogether ; but my mind is pre- 
 served in comfortable tranquillity. I have many things 
 to be thankful for to the Fountain of all good, and to 
 bless his holy name, who hath been with me from my 
 childhood. I do not feel much pain, and can go'about a 
 mile or two ; but this severe winter I have kept pretty 
 much in doors. I do not know that I look much worse 
 than usual, and hitherto I have been able to attend all 
 our meetings here ; though, through my present debility, 
 I seem of little use ; but we do not serve a hard Master. 
 By the time thou hast read this, thou wilt think, as I do, 
 that it is time for me to conclude. 
 
 May the blessing of our Heavenly Father attend thy 
 continuance here, and then crown thy solemn close, when, 
 in his own time, thou mayst be summoned to a residence 
 in his everlasting kingdom. And if this, through Divine 
 mercy, may be my happy experience, through the merits 
 and mercy of our dear Kedeemer, I neither ask nor desire 
 more. 
 
 Whilst we are both in mutability, it will afford me 
 pleasure to hear from thee. I am, with dear love, thy 
 affectionate friend, 
 
 John Thokp. 
 
JOHN THORP. 191 
 
 REPLEOTIONS 
 
 ON THE ALLOTMENTS OF PROVIDENCE IN THE VARIED 
 CONDITIONS OF MANKIND, 
 
 The Lord is the All-wise Disposer of events ; He maketh 
 rich, and maketh poor ; (it is God, saith Moses, that giv- 
 eth men power to get wealth.) He exalteth and abaseth 
 at his pleasure ; and though I do most firmly believe, that 
 God " doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of 
 men ;'' that He is a God of mercy, and knoweth all our 
 wants, as well as our weaknesses, and will add all that his 
 wisdom sees best, to those who first seek his kingdom, and 
 the righteousness thereof; yet am I forced to confess, with 
 regard to his respective outward, as well as inward ad- 
 ministrations of prosperity and adversity, his judgments 
 are unsearchable, " and his ways past finding out.'' 
 
 It is obvious, I own, that trouble is often the result of 
 our own perverseness, and arises from the determination 
 of an unsanctified will, the imprudei^ce of our undertak- 
 ings, and folly of our choice; but then, I think, it is 
 equally evident, that they sometimes arise from a differ- 
 ent source, and must necessarily be resolved into the un- 
 erringly wise and inscrutable providence of God. What 
 shall we say of Job, that perfect man's condition ? what 
 of the hunger, thirst, and nakedness of the apostles? what 
 of those who wandered about " in sheep-skins and goat- 
 skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the 
 world was not worthy?" and what of the holy, lowly 
 Jesus, who had not where to lay his head ? 
 
192 LKTTERS OF 
 
 The like hath been the situation of many true disciples 
 and Christians of the purest ages ; and since, of many of 
 the first Reformers, who have lived in valleys and deso- 
 late places, and who have been true successors of the 
 apostles in nakedness and want, treated as the oif-scouring 
 of all things, and to whom, indeed, the earth has been as 
 iron, though the heavens have not been as brass. Far, 
 very far, be it from my heart to conclude these unhappy, or 
 to think they had cause to complain. Surely they were 
 supremely blessed, and received in this life recompense a 
 thousand-fold for all their suiTerings ; but I instance them, 
 to evince that even the favorites of heaven, as well as those 
 who, through disobedience, frustrate the designs of Divine 
 mercy, may be, and sometimes are, tried with a scarcity of 
 the outward accommodations of this life. 
 
 Riches, surely, are not certain marks of Divine favor, 
 nor prosperity an evidence that our ways please God. 
 Doth He not sometimes give men their heart's desire, and 
 withal send leanness into their souls ? We are apt to call 
 Providences by wrong names. Afflictions, " more precious 
 than gold that perisheth," we call curses; and riches we 
 call blessings, when, for once they are so, it is to be feared 
 they are sent of God a thousand times for judgments. The 
 distresses and troubles of Israel of old were often adminis- 
 tered in mercy, when the people had, in fulness and pros- 
 perity, revolted from God, to bring them back again to 
 Him, to trust and depend upon Him, and have their ex- 
 pectation ' from Him; and if this be the gracious design 
 of the Almighty now, in the administration of distress and 
 adversity, as I fully believe it often is, I am sure that such 
 trials deserve to be considered as evidences of his mercifiil 
 regard, who in this, though severe, yet more intelligible 
 language to earthly hearts, is seeking to convince us of 
 
JOHM THORP. 198 
 
 our dependence on Him, relation to Him, and that it is 
 He who can bless or blast all our endeavors. 
 
 I have often thought, and it hath been confirmed in my 
 mind, that if we were but more attentive, and disposed to 
 obey the secret intimations of the " wonderful Counsellor," 
 \*ho speaks from heaven in our hearts, we should happily 
 make it less necessary for the Lord to speak to us so fre- 
 quently in the language of affliction. Oh ! if this were 
 but enough our case, (and I am sure it is above all things 
 to be desired,) we should thereby avoid every snare, and 
 be enabled happily, in the line of duty, to go forward in 
 the lot of our appointment ; and then, though our dwell- 
 ings might be with the lowly, and we should have to labor 
 for daily bread, yet, divested of anxious care, we should rest 
 secure in his providence, who numbereth the hairs of our 
 heads, clothes the lilies with transcendent beauty, and hears 
 the young lions when they cry. 
 
 If thus we were concerned to woi-ship the Lord our God, 
 to bless Him in the lot He hath appointed us, He would 
 bless our bread and our water ; and if consistent with his 
 will, and the designs of his wisdom. He can increase our 
 corn and oil, and multiply our gold and silver. Indeed, 
 cross occurrences, adveree providences, or afflictions, how- 
 ever administered, have not always their desired or in- 
 tended eflPects : so the Lord complained formerly — " I have 
 smitten you with blasting and mildew," " yet have ye not 
 returned unto Me." There is an aptness in the human 
 mind (which sees not beyond things that are natural) to 
 rest in second causes; and, blind to the discriminating 
 providence of the Most High, to fix the blame on second- 
 ary agents ; but surely, " affliction cometh not forth of the 
 dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground." 
 
 Oh that, through the medium of Divine Light, we might 
 
194 LETTERt! UF 
 
 look up to God ! therein we should discover the secret 
 turnings of his holy hand in all these things ; for I am 
 fully persuaded, that, whatever is permitted to try us, 
 whatever dispensations, inwardly or outwardly, we may 
 be under, it is the dispensation of unerring Wisdom and 
 Goodness ; and the very best for us, the greatest blessing 
 we are capable of receiving in our present state of mind, 
 consistent with our chiefest good. Oh ! what cause have 
 we, therefore, to commit ourselves wholly to Him, to bless 
 his name in every dispensation, who is the sole Arbiter of 
 heaven and earth, who superintends the universe, whose 
 goodness and power are equal ; who knows all situations, 
 and is ever graciously administering to every one of us, 
 in uniform mercy and goodness; what is most convenient 
 for us, and all for this most desirable, most glorious pur- 
 pose, to redeem, to gather us -to Himself, who is the ful- 
 ness of blessing and of life. 
 
 John Thorp. 
 
JOHN THORP. 195 
 
 A PRAYER. 
 
 The paper from which this Prayer Is taken is in John Thorp's hand- 
 writing, and bears this inscription : " On Third-day, the 21st of 
 Tenth Month, 1794, the following Prayer was raised in my heart, 
 and the expression of it required." It, appears, on an examina- 
 tion, that on the day mentioned, Hardshaw Monthly Meeting 
 was held at Liverpool. 
 
 Oh Lord God Almighty, conscious that we are but dust 
 and that Thou art holy, that as is Thy Majesty, so is Thy 
 mercy ; we beseech Thee, look down upon us in mercy, 
 whom Thou hast raised up, to set Thy name amongst. 
 Take us under Thy care, and exercise Thy discipline upon 
 us. Turn Thy hand again and again upon us ; " revive 
 thy work in the midst of the yeai-s," that both the dross, 
 and the tin, and the " reprobate silver," may be taken 
 away from us. Purge our camps, O Lord, we beseech 
 Thee, and remove from us everything that is offensive to 
 Thee ; that so we may, according to Thy blessed purpose, 
 become " as lights in the world," as " the salt of the earth," 
 as waymarks to the people, as faithful standai'd bearers 
 for Thee. 
 
 And inasmuch as it hath pleased Thee, O Lord God 
 Almighty, to pour forth Thy judgments in the earth, we 
 pray Thee, if it be thy will, to search by them, not only 
 the present but all succeeding generations. Overturn and 
 remove everything that obstructs the coming of Thy 
 kingdom. Grant that Thy government and dominion 
 may spread from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the 
 ends of the earth. 
 
 Look down, O Lord, in mercy and compassion, on all 
 sorts and conditions of men. Remember the poor oppressed 
 
ItHI LETTERS OF JOHN THOKP. 
 
 Africans ; pour forth upon them the blessings of Thy light 
 and peace, and remove oppression from them. Hasten 
 O Lord, the accomplishment of that which Thou hast 
 spoken, that " from the rising of the sun, even unto the 
 going down of the same, Thy name should be great among 
 the Gentiles, and in every place incense should be offered 
 unto Thy name, and a pure offering :" that so, Lord, all 
 the ends of the earth may take the cup of Thy salvation, 
 and be enabled acceptably to ascribe to Thee, glory and 
 honor, thanksgiving and praise, might, majesty, and do- 
 minion, forever and ever. Amen. 
 
ffv'' ' J f.'iA"^.^«.'V'.'fr'.'.