48 UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF THE 



makes me tremble for his soul, is a greater comfort to mie than 

 I can express. How shall I describe him ? He seems naturally 

 affectionate and melancholy, — naturally also, proud and passion- 

 ate ; — but the grace of God works wonders for this wild man of 

 the desert. His conviction of sin seems to be very deep, his 

 confessions shew a knowledge of the heart, which always puts me 

 to shame, yet prove that he does not stand fast in the liberty 

 wherewith Christ has made us free. The constant sinfulness of 

 his heart, he says, destroys his spirits, and I believe it, for he 

 seems never to speak but what he feels, and his confessions are 

 generally accompanied with tears. I endeavour to shew him, that 

 we are complete in Christ, that sanctification is by the spirit unto 

 obedience and the gift of God through Christ — that his exper- 

 ience is analogous to that of the saints in general, even St. 

 Paul, and is therefore a token of good. But I feel my unfitness 

 to do good to this heaven-born soul. Had he a duly holy 

 exemplar before him, he would readily copy it out in his own 

 life. The Lord however leads him. to the perfect pattern, and 

 I perceive that he tries to keep that before him, for he often 

 observes, that when he can keep Christ crucified in view, he can 

 never commit sin. His reflections on the instability of worldly 

 enjoyments, as exemplified in his own life, are curious and 

 edifying. His heart with respect to the world, he observes, is 

 like a broken glass, fit only to be given to the glass maker. 

 Tho' only now 30, he has fought in Syria, Tartary, Persia, and 

 India, been many times wounded and taken prisoner, has made 

 three pilgrimages to Mecca, was secretary to the kings of 

 Bokhara and Cabul ; but now he is apprehended of Christ Jesus, 

 a chosen vessel to bear his name among the Gentiles : and your 

 brother has the work of Aquilu and Priscilla assigned him to 

 expound unto him the way of God more perfectly. He is now 

 employed in translating the New Testament into Persian and 

 Arabic, and great will be the benefit to his own soul, that he 

 is called to study the work of God ; the Bible-Society at home 

 will, I hope, bear the expense of printing it. This work, when- 

 ever it is done properly, will be the downfall of Mahometanism. 

 What do I not owe to the Lord for giving me to take 

 part in a translation ? Never did I see such wonders of wisdom 

 and love in the blessed book, as since I have been obliged to 

 study every expression ; and it is often a delightful reflection, 



