NOTES AND QUERIES. [io* s. u. JULY 30,
before me, and these were followed by such a tender
recollection of my dear father, and all his kindness
to me, the amiableness and sweetness of his temper
and character, that I went out into the orchard,
and burst forth into praise and thanksgiving to
God, for having made me the son of a parent,
whose remembrance was so sweet to me. I have
frequently thought, and expressed myself with
more anxiety than perhaps was right, upon the
subject of his state towards God, at the time of his
dissolution. I was not with him, and they who
were, were not likely to be very observant of any
evangelical words that might probably fall from
his lips in his last moments. He was every thing
that is excellent and praiseworthy towards man,
but to one who has been enabled to see Jesus, as
the alone Saviour, this is no evidence of the
acceptance of any man. I am willing to hope, that
the Lord, who pities all our infirmities, and knows
all our desires, was pleased to fill my heart and my
mouth with thanksgivings on his behalf, that 1
might have a comfortable expectation of meeting
him before the throne hereafter. I could hardly
help giving thanks to Jesus, that He had numbered
him with His redeemed people. Though fearful-
ness to offend, and a consciousness that I had no
right to pry into the secrets of the Almighty, or to
expect satisfaction upon such a subject, restrained
me, I would not build hay or stubble upon this,
or any other experience, or lay more upon it than
it will bear ; but I am willing to hope the best
-concerning him, to wait patiently for greater
certainty in the life to come, and in the mean while
to rest satisfied that the Judge of all the earth will
do* right.
I am, my dear Aunt,
Your affectionate nephew, etc. etc.
John Cow per, the father, died 10 July, 1756, aet. 61. If he resided at Cambridge as an undergraduate, he must have entered about 1712 ; anyhow he did not proceed to a B.A. degree, but was admitted D.D. by royal mandate in 1728. The only Moody who appears in the * Graduati ' near this time is Sam. Moody, of Queens', B.A. 1704/5, M.A. 1708, D.D. 1744, an author. But he cannot be meant, for Cowper would certainly have styled him Doctor. He was rector of Doddinghurst, Essex. John Cowper's university friend was James Moody, son of J. Moody, of Simpson, in Bucks, gent., who matriculated from Christ Church 17 Dec., 1711, aet. 17, B.A. 1715. He was not, as Foster says, rector of Dinton, but of Dunton (both are in Bucks, but Dunton nearer Olney).
- ' On a large slab in the floor of the chancel [of
Dunton Church], near the north wall: Sacred to the memory of the Reverend James Moody, 55 years Rector of this Parochial Church, from the year 1717, a faithful Shepherd, beloved by his Flock, having constantly resided with them near 30 years : labour- ing in the word and ministry to the time that he departed this life, August 22 (l 1772, full of days, having lived 80 years, and in full assurance of eternal life through the alone merit of his Saviour Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again
- Will do in text, does in margin.
for our justification, to whom with the Father and
the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and
ever. Amen." Lipscomb's ' Bucks,' ii. 344b.
He was inducted 30 Sept., 1717 (ib. 343).
John Cowper, son of Spencer, of South- wick, Surrey, Esq., matriculated from Wadham College, 14 Oct., 1715, aet. 20; B.A. 5 Feb., 1715/6; Fellow of Merton College, M.A. 18 Dec., 1718 (Foster, 'Alumni Oxon.'). See for the Cowpers Clutterbuck's ' Herts,' i. ii. index. Pp. 49-50 :
Letter 7. [No date.]
I thank you for the history of the two minikin
saints of . What numbers are there who steal
out of this life into glory, who do but just touch the cup of affliction with their lips, and go imme- diately to the rivers of pleasure, which are at God's right hand for evermore ! I think they are two the most remarkable instances I have heard of, and younger than any of Janeway's* collection. They gave me not a little pleasure, but Mrs. U[nwin] much more, whose heart was in a livelier frame than mine, and better disposed to rejoice at the sound of such wonderful salvation.
Ingratitude to the Author of all my mercies, is my continual burthen ; yet I do not groan under it as I ought, and wish to do. My spirit is dull and heavy in prayer, slow in meditation, arid I have but little sensible communion with my Almighty Redeemer. Yet I am supported secretly, and my enemy doth not triumph over me ; a firm belief that none can perish that have an all powerful Saviour on their side, though it is not always attended with sensible consequences, is yet always a rock, that neither wind nor flood can overturn. Lord, increase in me this precious faith !
Worst of all things that hasf breath,
Bondman born to sin and death,
Lo ! I come, to glory brought,
By the mercies Thou hast wrought.
Snatch'd from never-ending doom, Freed from Death and Hell I come. Ancient of eternal days, God and Man, be thine the praise. Alas ! my dear Aunt, there is more of the head than heart in all I write, and in all I do towards God, but I shall be sincere in praising Him, when I shall see Him as He is. The Lord bless you con- tinually ! etc. etc.
Pp. 51-53 :
Letter 8.
Dec r 10, 1767. Dated from 01 y (Olney).
DEAR AUNT, I should not have suffered your last kind letter to have laid [-sic] by me so long un- answered, had it not been for many hindrances, and especially one, which has engaged much of my attention. My dear friend, Mrs. U (Unwin), whom the Lord gave me to be a comfort to me, in that wilderness from which He has just delivered
- James Janeway of Christ Church : ' A Token
'or Children ; being an Exact Account of the Con- version, Holy and Exemplary Lives and Joyful Deaths, of several Young Children.' Lond. pt. i. 1671 : pt. ii. 1672.
f Sic, for have.
