the giving up of the ghoft." Job xi. 20. In fhort, every believer is confcious to himself that he has a claim upon God, as his covenant God, and an intereft in him. This is made manifeft to him by the Spirit's work, and by the witness which the Spirit bears with our fpirits; and such fouls do expect to be dealt with as fons, not as flaves or criminals; and that the promises are yea and amen in Chrift, and the reward fure to all the feed; a daily cross, and an ever-abiding Comforter; profperity and adverfity; purging the branch with trials, and making it more fruitful by fresh indulgences, and with union and communion with the living Vine. Thus the sheep, which enter by the right door, go in and out, and find pasture. When God fpeaks to his children his word never contradicts, but always agrees with that teaching which the holy anointing teacheth. Sometimes God fpeaks to encourage hope and expectation, as to Habakkuk: "The vifion is for an appointed time; wait for it." Sometimes to fupport and fortify: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt fuffer: behold, the devil shall caft some of you into prifon, that ye may be tried; and ye fhall have tribulation ten days." Sometimes he speaks to ftir up diligence: "Seek ye my face." And fometimes to encourage to prayer; "Let me fee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice." But either power, life, peace, mercy, or love, always attend his voice to those that love

his name. a word to the hearts of his children to make them mourn after his presence all their days, and yet mourn in vain. No: they that mourn fhall be comforted: "This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praife." And all real praise must fpring from his fenfible prefence, not his abfence; from his goodness, not his anger. Therefore expect the fulfilment of his promifes: "I will bear them from the womb, and to your old age I am he; and to hoary hairs will I carry you; even I will bear, and I will deliver you." Dear fifter, adieu.

But fure I am that he never will fend

Ever yours in faith and affection,

The Defert.

NOCTUA AURITA.

P 3

LETTER

LETTER XXXVII.

To NOCTUA AURITA, in the Defert.

I WAS very glad to hear, by one of your friends from London, that your health was much established by your late excurfion. I fincerely hope it may please God to continue it to you; and likewife that it would please him that you may again have a profperous journey to us, that you may come in the fulness of the bleffings of the gospel of Chrift. I would it was in my power to fay a great deal about what I received from your last letter. But I have apparently loft all that I then received from it. Had I wrote at the time I received it, I do not know where my pen would have run to: and this was what kept me from writing; for my mind has been forely exercised about my having made fo free with you, in writing you fuch long letters. But, whether this diftrefs comes from Satan or not, I have not wisdom to discover. However, at the time I read your letter it did fweetly confirm the work on my foul, and I feemed to be brought to a point about every thing that had been done upon me. But

now

now I have loft all; and I begin to call almost every thing in question.

It is in vain for me to attempt to defcribe the dark nefs, dèadness, fretfulness, and rebellion, which I feel within. I complain with David, that "my strength is dried up like a potsherd." I do believe that there never was fuch a compofition of ingredients in the world before as I am made up of. I am unstable as water; my strength is so small that I faint in every day of adversity. However, it can be of no ufc troubling you with fuch things as thefe; therefore I must conclude; but, amidst all, believe me ever to remain

Your affectionate friend

In the briers and thorns.

PHILOMELA.

The mafter defires his kind love to you. I fendyou this only by way of telling you that I cannot write.

LETTER XXXVIII.

To PHILOMELA, in the King's Dale.

:

I PROMISED myself much happiness and fatisfaction in the hope and prospect I had of one more interview with you at Gaffon's Bower; and I have no doubt but you expected a fecond benefit in hearing the joyful found once more in the old barn. But, alas! our purposes were broken off, even the thoughts of our heart. Job xvii. 11. We decreed the thing, but it was not eftablished unto us, I was to go to the barn, and you fick to bed. O, the disappointment! Had I fet out on a tour of pleasure I might justly have expected it; but I went hoping and expecting to hear the voice of my beloved. And was you difappointed? Is there no voice but that of the chief Shepherd by the mouth of his fervants? Is there not a voice in providence? And is there not a voice in his rod? "The Lord's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name; hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it." Micah vi. 9. The Lord's voice crieth to the city of Zion now as well as to Jerufalem in the days of old; and those who have wisdom shall

fee