LETTER XXII.

I RECEIVED my dear friend's epifile by my fon Jofeph, which favour I do moft heartily acknowledge. Shall now endeavour to give you some particulars as it refpects our dear friend Mr. Jenkins. On Tuesday evening I went to fee him, and was fully perfuaded there was a great alteration by the fhort manner in which he drew his breath; and he was apparently weaker than I ever faw him before. This evident change, which appeared to me, had taken place fince I last saw him, which was only a few days. He told me (at times) he was very comfortable, which I knew to be the cafe, and had been fo for fome time paft; as it was easily to be seen, that, at intervals, there appeared more meeknefs and fubmiffion than there had been heretofore. I have attended to your request and counsel, which I hope I ever may, in inquiring after, and waiting on, Mr. J. to my great joy and fatisfaction. Sunday evening laft, in company with Mr. Hudson, we went to the vicarage; and there, to my astonishment, we were eye and car witnesses to such things as I never heard drop

from the mouth of any mortal before. On our entering the study, Mr. H. was before me; the moment he saw him, he burft out, as he could not contain, from wanting vent, " Ah, my good friend, how glad be I to see you :" and as I now drew nigh he began again, faying to me, in an ecftafy, "Ah, and here is another of my good friends!" The fudden manner of all this ftruck us both with filent admiration. He now began to speak of himself in the most abafing manner poffible as a finner, a monstrous finner, and that with the greateft indignation imaginable; then he would extol the riches of free, sovereign, and discriminating grace. "Oh," fays he, "what is there in us that God fhould look upon us?" then, speaking of the Corinthians, "but fuch were fome of you, but ye are washed, &c. and as Mr. Hart fpeaks, fuch they were all, and fuch are we." I am utterly at a lofs to give you the many expreffions, and the manner of them, as they flowed from the abundance of his heart. Thus he spake; his joys were unutterable; it was truly joy unspeakable, and full of glory; he was fo filled with a fenfe of divine love to his foul, that he could hardly fpeak words, feeling more than, it fhould appear, he could poffibly express: every now and then he feemed to be exhaufted, and his breath almoft gone; but, after waiting a moment, then the fire within would conftrain him to break forth afresh: "What a conqueror! yes,

more than a conqueror, through him that hath loved fuch a finner, and washed him in his own moft precious blood." Thus he went on with the high praises of God in his mouth, bleffing, triumphing, rejoicing, in God his Saviour. "Should I be raised up again, what fhould I have to speak? I should have tales to tell them; no, my Jefus would tell them for me." From firft to last he continued in this ftrain for more than two hours; and swift we were all to hear and flow to speak at this time: we now made a motion to be gone, when fays he, "Need you go yet?" We replied, "We are not wearied in hearing you speak, if you are not wearied in speaking." "No," fays he, "I am not at all; it is most likely I fhall have no fleep in my chair this night, having already paffed fleepless nights before now. The last night and to-day I have had the sharpeft conflict that I ever endured from Satan in all my life. He feemed as if he would have me; I cried, begged, pleaded, with the Almighty to appear, as I was going to the wall; and I yet think that Satan will be trying of me yet sharper before I go horne; and O how has he been labouring by endeavouring to make me murmur at my hard fate against my gracious God, for not allowing me fo much as others, of even fleeping in a bed! But even here Satan would be the first to plague me if that was the cafe, as it has been fo before. But how good is the Lord

to me in providing as he has done; bless his holy name for it: the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air nefts, yet the Son of man had not where to lay his head; ye know the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that though he was rich, yet for your fakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich." I have heard from Mr. J. this morning that he had rather a better night than usual, but is very weak. O how did I wish in my mind you had been prefent to have shared in the comfort vouchfafed to Ephraim and his mourners! The Lord be praised for all his goodness, and take all the glory; yea, "Bleffings more than we can give, be, Lord, forever thine!" I know this will rejoice your foul after all your toil; and your boafting of Titus will be found a truth to the joy of your friends, and to the confufion of your enemies. Should you fee your way clear, should be glad to see you and your Lady at our house; I mention this because there could not be a poffibility for you to be long with Mr. J. together under your complaints, as the windows and doors are obliged to be kept open for air, it being fo difficult for him to breathe: he told me last night how glad he should be once more to see you, but he could not afk it for fome reafons; one of them I have mentioned. I am fure he loves you as his own foul, and fo do you him. The very mention of your name melts him to that he can scarcely speak, for speaking with

with joy, at your kindness: I know not whether your presence would not be more than could be poffibly endured by him; but you well know him, and can leave it with yourself, who know how to act, therefore wish to be filent, only to obferve how glad Mrs. Morris, with myself, would be to fee you and your Lady at our house. We both join in refpects to you and yours.

JOSEPH MORRIS.

LETTER XXIII.

TO MR. MORRIS,

LEWES, SUSSEX.

I KNOW not how to express my thankfulnefs to my God, and to my friend; to my God, for confirming the word of his fervant, and for performing the counfel of his meffenger; and to my friend, for his compliance with my requeft. If ever Paul travailed for the Galatians, I have travailed for our poor friend; and the promife is, they fhall not labour in vain, nor