against it." Ezek. xlvi. 9. The latter part of this verse seems to comprehend my past experience, my prefent feelings, and my future path, and has involved my mind in much darkness and gloominefs; and I am led to believe that I am more interested in the mystical sense of this paffage than any one upon earth. And it is this text that has cut off all my expectations of future enlargement while in this world; which is alfo confirmed to me by what Mr. Hart fays in one of his hymns:

Their pardon fome receive at first,

And then, compell'd to fight,
They find their latter ftages worst,
And travel much by night.

The above paffage in Ezekiel has been on my mind for this twelvemonth paft, and I have thought that there has been a great depth in the words; but they never brought any difficulty on my mind till about a month ago, when it forcibly ftruck me that I was fo much concerned in them; and I have also many things to confirm me in it. You have told me, and fo have others, that the Lord has dealt with me in a fingular manner, both with respect to the degree and duration of thofe fpiritual joys and confolations which I have been favoured with in times paft. And what inference can be drawn from it but that which is meant by coming in by the fouth gate, and that I

am no more to return by the way of the gate whereby I came in, but I am to go forth by the way of the north gate? And I believe the north and fouth gate mean the fame operations as the north and fouth wind. Will you grant me this request alfo, that is, to give me your thoughts on the paffage. I do affure you it is not a matter of curiofity. I do believe you will sympathize with me, and feel for me, and pray for me. This feems to be the sharpeft trial I have lately had; though, bleffed be the Lord, I feel no fhakings nor unfealings refpecting my state. But I have at prefent no light on my path; and, to my dark understanding, that text has made a difcord in the word of God, and feems to clash with such pasfages as this, "The path of the juft is as the fhining light, which fhineth more and more unto the perfect day;" and this alfo, "They that wait on the Lord fhall renew their ftrength: they fhall mount up on wings as cagles; they fhall run and not be weary, walk and not faint." But, instead of this, my expectations are of more darkness, fharper trials, being perpetually under the hiding of God's face; and, indeed, I am already in the dark path. God fays, in his word, that he will abundantly bless the provifions of his house, and that he will fatisfy his poor with bread; that his priefts fhall be clothed with falvation, and his faints fhall fhout aloud for joy. But, inftead of this, I have lately been very barren under the

word.

word. I have feen the provifion bleffed to others, but nothing under the prieft's hands for me. He has been clothed with falvation, and the food has been fo bleffed to others, that I have feen them fhout aloud for joy, while I have hung down my head like a bulrufh. God fays, that thofe who are planted in his houfe fhall flourish in his courts; that they fhall be fat and flourishing: inftead of this, I am crying out, "My leannefs, my leannefs! wo unto me!" though there is no famine of the word, but bread enough and to spare. But I know I have procured all this to myself by my pride, and by that folly that is bound up in my heart; and there it is like to remain, unless the rod of correction drives it out. I think the prophet Ifaiah fpeaks alfo of this darkness that I feel, where he says, "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?" and then he enjoins the hardest work of all, when he fays, "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God," because he mentions his God. infer, therefore, that he means the darkness that I am in; becaufe, through all, I have not been led to caft away my confidence; because I think that this trial comes from God himself, for I cannot fee that Satan has any hand in it; so it must be God, I think, that laid that paffage with fuch a weight on my mind. But perhaps, when you read this, you will fee for me, N 2

as

as you have done oft times before. You tell me you have an earneft defire to establish me; and this last epistle is not lefs precious to me than the former; and indeed I do feel my love to you in the Lord increasing in whatever frame I am; and I firmly believe you are to be the inftrument of confirming the work that God has done upon my foul by the ministry of my dear father in Chrift. I have fome things on my mind that, were it expedient, I would communicate to you; but there is at present a lion in the way. I have had many pros and cons on my mind fince I received your laft whether I fhould write to you or not. But I believe you are to know all my heart. May the Lord give you fomething for me that shall bring my mind forth from out of these dark regions; for I feem held fast where I am, and that with a ftrong hand. I know there hath been many things which you have predicted to me that I could not believe till they came to pass. But true it is that not one word that you have spoken to me has fell to the ground; nor have I found you a falfe prophet in any of your predictions. I was glad to hear you was better in bodily health. We fhall be glad to fee you in our parts again; and believe me to remain, as much as ever,

Your affectionate friend, but

The King's Dale.

unworthy fifter in the Lord,

PHILOMELA.

LETTER

LETTER XXXIV.

T. PHILOMELA, in the King's Dale.

YOUR laft is now before me; and

I have juft as much right to thank you for it, as you have to thank me for mine; for, if any thing from me may caft a ray of light on thy mind, or on thy path, I am often rewarded in anfwering thine by fome fresh thoughts, or new difcoveries, which are often attended with devotional fenfations, which melt my foul down, and draw out my gratitude to the best of all friends.

"The wicked have no bands in their death, their strength is firm." But remember, it is their ftrength. Satan, who blinds their eyes, and keeps their confcience afleep, is the ftrong man armed, that fortifies their carnal mind, and fupports their falfe confidence and vain hope, even when launching forth into the bottomless pit. These, our Lord tells us, "lift up their eyes in hell," and never before. But we, my dear fifter, are planted together in the likeness of Chrifi's death, as well as in the likeness of his refurrection, and must indeed drink of the cup that he drank of. And it is well known that he had bands in his death; for Chrift

N 3