Gatley, May 19 1797
My Dear Father
‘Tho you are now enjoying the company of dear Friends & relatives yet, I know it will not be unacceptable, to hear from those left behind; with respect to the things that relate to the body, we have abundant reason for thankfulness that we are yet preserved in heath. I wish I coud say our souls were equally prosperous. I often think that you are now enjoying a super abundance of the means of grace; in this particular London has the advantage of a Country situation; but I can bless God for retirement, for tho’ I am deprived of the preaching I coud wish to hear, yet I have experienced more of the sweetness of religion in edifying conversation with Christian friends, & meditating upon the word of God than ever I had before providence placed me Here Mr Brown of {?Sharron/Sharson} calld here on Thursday evening & we spent an hour & half very pleasantly in conversation upon divine things: I had the day before, been lamenting as I sat alone, that I had so very little of the dispoisitions that is necessary to make heaven, heaven but when he was gone, I thought this, is the company & the conversation, I most value (when in my right mind) & if this is so pleasant in this small degree what must heaven be; when I shall be free’d from the clog of a sinful body, & all the remains of sin in my nature, to all eternity
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I do not know that my waking thoughts have been diverted for an hour together from the thoughts of death, for the last week & have often feared that at the trying moment my hope will prove the hope of the hypocrite, but that text in {^?Lake/Locke} has been impressed on my mind, “I have prayed for thee that {^thy} faith fail not” & some observations of Mr Herveys in one of his letters, upon the intercession of Christ have strengthened the impressions; probably you may not call them to mind, but as I {^think} you will be pleased with them, I will transcribe them: “Christs intercession never ceases He sitteth at the right hand of his father, in an abiding posture – We resign part of our time to sleep, & then lose all attention to our interests, but he that keepeth Isreal never slumbereth nor sleepeth – We too frequently forget our God & neglect to carry on communion with him – But Christ has written our names, worthless as they are, upon the Palms of his hands, & a mother may sooner forget her sucking Child than he will discontinue his kind concern for the weakest believer. – Perhaps you will enquire what it is that Christ prays for we are inform’d of this John 17 shoud we be desirous of knowing whether we are in the number of [?those]
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for whom Christ intercedes? We may determine this important point by the following questions. Do we value above all things, the blessings for which Christ intercedes? Do we join our repeated & earnest supplications, to his intercession; and so we rely wholly upon Christs unspeakable merits, for the acceptance of all our prayers? If so, be not discouraged, Christ is our advocate with the Father. He died for us on the cross & pleads his meritorious oblation for us on his throne. If {?Nezekiah} desired the prayers of Isiah; if Darius desired the prayers of the godly Jews, for himself & his sons, how shoud we rejoince in having the prayers of the exalted Jesus! If we are tempted, let this be our security Luke 22.31.32. If we fall into sin thro’ the infirmity of the flesh, let this be our refuge John 2.1.2. If under apprehensions of death or eternal judgment, let this be our consolation, Rom 8.33.34.--- I have almost insensibly filled my paper, but must not close till I have presented my petition to you, it is that you will give me leave to take David, to Marple to the ordination of Mr Batley – on the 7 of June, if you are not returned by that time – Mr Parsons of Leeds is to be one of the preachers, of the other I have {^not} heard yet – if it is not quite agreeable to you, I hope you will mention it [damaged] I am not [deleted] particularly set upon going
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Or if I was, as I intend walking to Manr & to go from there I might possibly get a part of a chaise with somebody that wishes to go. Mr B joins me in best respects to yourself Mamma Bros Sister & Cousin
I remain,
Dear Father your truly affectionate
Daughter R Bateman

Mr Clegg
Mr Wilsons
Wood Street
Cheapside
London

Gatley, May 19 1797
My Dear Father
‘Tho you are now enjoying the company of dear Friends & relatives yet, I know it will not be unacceptable, to hear from those left behind; with respect to the things that relate to the body, we have abundant reason for thankfulness that we are yet preserved in heath. I wish I coud say our souls were equally prosperous. I often think that you are now enjoying a super abundance of the means of grace; in this particular London has the advantage of a Country situation; but I can bless God for retirement, for tho’ I am deprived of the preaching I coud wish to hear, yet I have experienced more of the sweetness of religion in edifying conversation with Christian friends, & meditating upon the word of God than ever I had before providence placed me Here Mr Brown of {?Sharron/Sharson} calld here on Thursday evening & we spent an hour & half very pleasantly in conversation upon divine things: I had the day before, been lamenting as I sat alone, that I had so very little of the dispositions that is necessary to make heaven, heaven but when he was gone, I thought this, is the company & the conversation, I most value (when in my right mind) & if this is so pleasant in this small degree what must heaven be; when I shall be free’d from the clog of a sinful body, & all the remains of sin in my nature, to all eternity
[new page]
I do not know that my waking thoughts have been diverted for an hour together from the thoughts of death, for the last week & have often feared that at the trying moment my hope will prove the hope of the hypocrite, but that text in {^?Lake/Locke} has been impressed on my mind, “I have prayed for thee that {^thy} faith fail not” & some observations of Mr Herveys in one of his letters, upon the intercession of Christ have strengthened the impressions; probably you may not call them to mind, but as I {^think} you will be pleased with them, I will transcribe them: “Christs intercession never ceases He sitteth at the right hand of his father, in an abiding posture – We resign part of our time to sleep, & then lose all attention to our interests, but he that keepeth Isreal never slumbereth nor sleepeth – We too frequently forget our God & neglect to carry on communion with him – But Christ has written our names, worthless as they are, upon the Palms of his hands, & a mother may sooner forget her sucking Child than he will discontinue his kind concern for the weakest believer. – Perhaps you will enquire what it is that Christ prays for we are inform’d of this John 17 shoud we be desirous of knowing whether we are in the number of [?those]
[new page]
for whom Christ intercedes? We may determine this important point by the following questions. Do we value above all things, the blessings for which Christ intercedes? Do we join our repeated & earnest supplications, to his intercession; and so we rely wholly upon Christs unspeakable merits, for the acceptance of all our prayers? If so, be not discouraged, Christ is our advocate with the Father. He died for us on the cross & pleads his meritorious oblation for us on his throne. If {?Nezekiah} desired the prayers of Isiah; if Darius desired the prayers of the godly Jews, for himself & his sons, how shoud we rejoice in having the prayers of the exalted Jesus! If we are tempted, let this be our security Luke 22.31.32. If we fall into sin thro’ the infirmity of the flesh, let this be our refuge John 2.1.2. If under apprehensions of death or eternal judgment, let this be our consolation, Rom 8.33.34.--- I have almost insensibly filled my paper, but must not close till I have presented my petition to you, it is that you will give me leave to take David, to Marple to the ordination of Mr Batley – on the 7 of June, if you are not returned by that time – Mr Parsons of Leeds is to be one of the preachers, of the other I have {^not} heard yet – if it is not quite agreeable to you, I hope you will mention it [damaged] I am not [deleted] particularly set upon going
[new page]
Or if I was, as I intend walking to Manchester & to go from there I might possibly get a part of a chaise with somebody that wishes to go. Mr B joins me in best respects to yourself Mamma Bros Sister & Cousin
I remain,
Dear Father your truly affectionate
Daughter R Bateman

Mr Clegg
Mr Wilsons
Wood Street
Cheapside
London