back. I am not led in the expectation of much fenfible enjoyment while in this wilderness; though I know that it is only the comfortable presence of the dear Redeemer which makes an heaven upon earth. But the inheritance is not to. be enjoyed here, but only the earneft. I think you will not misunderstand me (but I know I am very blundering at conveying my ideas) in thinking I speak too flightly of thofe vifits. But I am fure I was long seeking them as the only food I was to live on. But I fee now that the just are to live by faith; and a daily cross is appointed for me. And I think that the Lord fhewed me this fome time before I was brought to submit to put my fhoulders under the burden. But now I am convinced there is no growing in the divine life without trials. Never did I fee, as I do now, the meaning of those words of Hezekiah, when he faid,

By these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my fpirit; fo wilt thou revive me, and cause me to live." I can fee now that the fharpeft trials I have been exercised with have proved the greatest bleffing to my foul. I thought, when I was on the mount Tabor fo many months, I was furely in a place of fafety. But, oh! I am well convinced it was a flippery place. Indeed I have not a wish to be placed there again. And, when I have perufed the letters you sent me at that time, I am astonished they did not bring me down. But God had appointed the inftrument that was

to

to effect that. I may well say that it is owing to my having obtained help of God that I continue to this moment. I believe I shall never be finally left; he will put me in a thousand fires before he will fuffer me to get from under his hand. I muft tell you, that the subject of one part of your letter was entirely new to me, which is the latter rain at death. I thank you kindly for it. I believe the hand of God is in it, as it hath taken, in a great measure, a burden off my mind, which has been a matter of great perplexity, and which I never did communicate to any one; and that is with respect to the temporal death of the body. You cannot conceive the diftreffing fears I have lived in on account of this thing; how I fhould be in the pains of death; and fearing the affaults of Satan; and left I should be, at that time, bereft of my fenfes, and fo be left to dishonour God by fpeaking unadvisedly with my lips. And this has diftreffed my mind much. But thofe fears have not in the least abated since the sting of death has been taken away. Satan has, at times, been permitted to fuggeft to me, in times of desertion, that, if the work was genuine, thofe fears would not exist in my mind. But I cannot express what a fenfible relief I felt when I read that part of your letter. I hope it will not return again. I know it is very difhonouring to God. If you should find your mind at liberty to enlarge on the subject, I fhall take it as a favour; for the fubject is

much

much on my mind. I hope the Lord is confirm-, ing your bodily health, that you may not be confined from your labours. Mr. H- much wishes he could write to you, but fays he is fo dead and ftupid it is out of his power; but thanks you for your letters, and fhall be always glad to hear from you, begging an interest in your prayers. I remain

BELOVED fifter in the Lord Jefus, and fellow-traveller in the path of tribulation, grace and peace be multiplied. Your kind epiftle came safe to hand; and I thank you for your love in the Lord, and the respect you have fhewn to me as a poor fervant of his. Am at present better in bodily

M

bodily health than I have been for fome time past. Every vifit from him, every refreshing from his prefence, and every time the old tabernacle totters, I am looking out for the greatest work that was ever done on the foul of a finner. And would you know what it is? take it then. The promise of this great work runs thus: "Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath fmitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us, in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his fight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hofea vi. 1-3. Here is Christ, and we in him; " Come, let us return unto the Lord." This is in the Covenant Head; for he it is that engaged his heart to approach unto God, to appear in his prefence for us, Jer. xxx.

21.

"He hath torn, and he will heal us." This is the chastisement of Chrift, which procured our peace, and by whose stripes we are healed.

"He hath fmitten, and he will bind us up," &c. For our tranfgreffions was he fmitten; and to bind up the broken-hearted is the bleffed cause of this fmiting.

"After two days will he revive us."-" Christ

7

died,

died, rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living," Rom. xiv. 9.

"In the third day he will raife us up.""With my dead body shall they arife."-" Christ died, according to the scriptures, and was buried; and he rose again the third day according to the fcriptures," 1 Cor. xv. 4. I know of no fcrip ture which predicts his refurrection on the third day but this, and Jonah's refurrection from the fish's belly,

“And we shall live in his fight.”—“ He hath quickened us together with Chrift, and hath raised us up together, and made us fit together in heavenly places in Chrift Jefus," Eph. ii. 6.

"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord."-" He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me fhall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifeft myself to him," John xiv. 21.

"His going forth is prepared as the morning." He is the bright and morning ftar which firft dawns upon us; the day-fpring from on high that vifits us; and the fun of righteoufnefs which warms us, and conveys healing to us.

"And he fhall come unto us as the rain; as the latter and former rain upon the earth." At converfion he comes down (by his Spirit) as showers upon the mown grafs, and as rain that waters the earth. This is faving us by the washing