It is to be noted, that he had behaved himself alwayes with so much Civility and Regularity, that his Landlord thinking it impossible he should ever be guilty of so heinous a crime as that wherewith he was charged, was ready to offer himself to be his Bail. From all which it may be observed, that neither Birth, Wit, Education, Industry, nor a habit of well-living, can, without the especial Grace of God, free us from the snares of Satan; and therefore a much better use may be made of these fatal Accidents, then the common one of reviling and railing at the lapses of our Brethren.

Our care and suit must be, that the evills which shall not be averted, may be sanctified.

I hope thou has some sparks of grace in thee, though deeply buried under a world of rubbish, and I hope all those godly bellows that are used will blow that away, and make thy fire of true repentance and godly sorrow burn clear.

This Morning … a Paper was sent me … called the genuine Trial of Mary Blandy, Spinster, at Oxford, for poisoning her late Father Francis Blandy, Gent. &c…. when I once read the Title of the Pamphlet, I was insensibly led on to read the whole: For indeed, when I was well acquainted with the Reality of the Fact, I had gone too far to recede; nor was Curiosity my only Motive…. […]