182 MARKS of TRUE ESTEEM, 
never fo apparently. We felaom dare to remind each other of 
foibles, much lefs of vices. Yet I apprehend more might be 
done from good motives of humanity, than we fee is done by 
common auricular confeffion ; at leaf! the romanists do not ap- 
pear to have the more virtue for the confefiion of their vices. 
Notwithftanding the beatitude annexed to the faving a foul, 
we think very little of this advantage. We are told, that the 
primitive Christians were ready to fuffer any temporal evils 
to save another ; this was their spirit, and gallantry. To 
what diftant region is fuch virtue fled ? How Barely is it to 
be found, even among thofe who take up the profeffion of 
devoting their lives to the care of men’s fouls ! 
Shall I now afk your pardon for afliiming the office of a 
priest, in writing this religious eflay ? I wifh it were lefs im- 
perfect ; but fuch as it is, it would be absurd to apologize, 
unlefs I meant firfl: to do that which I am confcious is wrong ; 
or was induced to think fo meanly of you, as to imagine you 
could not difcover it to be right ; or being perfuaded it was 
right, that neither you, nor any into whofe hands it may fall, 
can receive any advantage by fuch labors. So much as you 
in particular, are the better for the doCtrine, fo much will 
the preacher be the happier. Did you imagine, when you 
defired a journal, I fhould commit fuch kind of difcourfe to 
writing ? A journey of ten or ten thousand miles has been 
often performed without making any record of the converfa- 
tion : and yet the befl: that can be written of the recorder of 
this, is that “ he fmote his breaft, and faid, lord be merciful 
to me a sinner !” Adieu. I am yours, &c. 
PART 
