'^:

Bi vision wP V^ ^^

Sccticm , /

z

r^

Ji/r/,^/^aJ^U7d:^

4 r^K^Vct: 77

41

'4' Si,.

•Si.

4t

<7.^4,

♦ > r .•

7^.

m

1

I

■^v

L E T T E

O N

Spiritual Subj

AND

Divers Occasions;

' SENT TO

Relations and Friends.

By One who has tajied that the Lord is

GRACIOUSi Vol. IV.

Wherefore comfort yourfehes together^ and edify one another^ even as alfo ye do^ i ThelT. v. 1 1 .

LONDON: Printed by J. Hart, in Poppings-Court^ Fket-Jlreet : And fold by J. Lewis, in Bartholomew Clofe near IVeJl Smiths field \ and E, Gardner, at Milton' s-Head^ n^^v Jldgate, 174^' [Price ftitch'd Nine-pence.]

MX

LET T E R S

ON

Spiritual Subjefts, &c.

»illUi I >l ■IIIIW ■» Ill I III! I LL IIJJI II ''I "■ I J 11 W

LETTER I.

To Mn and Mrs. i^F-^— x*

My Dear and Honoured Parents^

IRejoyce to hear of your Welfare. It mull needs be well with usy in every State, that are fo nearly rela^' ted to, and fo well fecur'd in Christ. Infinite Love, chofe us in Him, before Time began; united us to» Him, unto our Life from Him, when the Lord pafTed by us, faw us in our Bloody and faid unto us. Live* Infinite Love, acquainted us with our Mifery, reveal'd the Remedy, ihew*d us our Danger, prefented our Refuge, enabled us to flee unto, into Christ : And then the hoRD Jhut us tn^ By his great Word^ his irreverfible Oath^ given for our Sal- vation : That thenceforth, we might hzNQjirong Confolation, •—We are Heirs of Promt fe^ my dear Parents : And there" fore our Inheritance is fecure* Oh were we to earn an In- heritance m God, by the Works of our own Hands, by our -own Obedience to the Law ; we muft go without it for ever. But an Inheritance by Prom'ife^ fuits us. This great Inheritance of the Lord, for our Portion, given us hy free Promifey and confirmed to us in the Lamb's jB/W; difplays the Ghry of Sovereign Grace, and well agrees with our Po- verty, An liiheritance given us by free, unchanging Pro-

A 3 m'tfe^

( 4 )

mtfey with the Tea^ ^ni 4mmM Q.QJ> .^^^oXiAtinCM^^ niuft needs be ^wrj, and for ever y«r^ to us, notwithftanding all our Unworthinefs., — But oh, what reafon have we to lament, that we have behav*d no more, like Heirs ofFro^ tnije ! For myfelf, 1 mourn,, I lament over ajl vay unfuit- able Behaviour, to that infinite Favour, which' is caft upon jne by the God of all Grace, in making me an Heir of Promife I Oh my Sins^ fmce the Lord acquainted me here- with, deferve the hotted Hell/ And. yet, to .the Glory of boundlefs Grace, my Inheritance is fecure/ The Mercies of God's everlafting Covenant, tomeinChrlft, zre/ure Mer- cies ! Becaufe they 2xefree Mercies, unconditional Mercies : That don't ftand upon my little, fickle Obedience; but upon the immutable Grace, the unchanging Truth and Faithfulnefs of the great jE'lioVAH 1 And. the Greatnefs and jEternity of the Redeemer's Merit ! — This comforts me greatly, humbles me deeply, and atttaifts me flrongly, to iove Him, that God of Love, who firji loved^ who will al- ways love me, — But oh, what can I do ibr'Hiniy Whd has done fo much for me ! Ah little^ very littley if compar'd jvkh the great Obligations 1 am under ! Yea, 7ioihing cdiVi I do for God, biit what his free Love enables me to do. And then of his'^zf?/, I give him. And in infinite Grace, he accepts my little Mite ! But furely, if of his Stock, I had an Angel's Store; I would lay it out, t6^[^:Afeihiifalah's Age, to endlefs Days, to glorify the G'6t) of Grace, of all Grace, who has made me an Heir of Fromife f In Hea* ven, I Ihall love and ferve him perfe^ly and eternally. And I long to do both increafirigly, .while on , this Earth. Help me by your Prayers. •: — The Grace^ofChriJihe with your Spirit, — I am, tny honoured ParemsV"

Your mojl dutiful Childy

t E T^

( 5 )^

LETTER II T To Mr. P //,

. My dear Brother in Chrijij

T Thank you for your Letter. I rejoyce in what God "** hath ' done for your Soul. Truly, if the Lord had been minded to dejiroy you, he would not have fhewed you thefe Things : Viz. The Plague of your own Heart ; The InfuiHciency of your own Righteoufnefs ; And the Excellency and Glory of Chriji, as the only Saviour : Whence you defire to be found in hhn, wafh'd in his Blood, cloth*d with his Righteoufnefs, and faved in him with an cverlafting Salvation ; to the endlefs Glory of rich, UtQ, fo- yereign Grace. Thefe are fuch Things, that God reveals to none but thofe who are Vejfels of Mercy : IVhom he had afore prepared unto Glory. Christ is yours y and you are his ; and neither Sin, Death nor Hell, ihall gwqx feparate you from his Love. He has begun your Salvation ; and he will iinifh it. He hath given you precious Faith ; and he will perfe(Sl it. And your very Defire to be found in Chrift ; is an Evidence of your Faith in him, and Love to him. It was foretold concerning Unbelievers, That when they y^^. Chrijiy in the outward Revelation of him, there would be to them, no Beauty in hi?n that they Jhould defire him, Ifa. liii. 2. And on the contrary, it is faid of Believers, unto you that believe, he is precious, or defireable, i Pet. ii. 7.- Not one Soul, that defires Chriji, fhall ever die for Want of him. Not one Soul, that fees Chrift to h^ Altogether Lovely, but ftands in a Marriage-relation to him, in an in- diflbluble Union to the Lord of Life and Love., Not one Soul, that is made willing to be faved in God's Way, by his Free Grace, thro' the Lamb's Love and Blood, Righte- oufnefs and Power \ but fiiall be faved by him to the utier^ mofi, from all Mifery, unto all Glory. The Defire of the Soul going out after Chrift, is its coming to him. Jnd him that cometh unto me, faith our Lord, / will in no wife cafi out, John vi. 37. No; Cx4RiST receives that Soul, unto |he Glory ofGoo; To fave him from endlefs Mifery, to

ever-

(6J

everlafting Glory. And there is fuch an infinite Fulnefs of all Salvation-Blefling5 in Chrijiy for the ^noft poor and mi- ferable, wretched and naked Sinner^ that cromes to him, that Jie need fear no WanU There is Salvation-Help enough in. Chrijiy to anfwer our extenfive Deftru£tion, in and of our^ Jelves, To make us as free, from Sin, in its Guilt, FJth and Power, as holy to God, and as happy in him, ^Adam •was, before his Fall : Yea, to raife us to an higher Life an4 Glory. Our Lord is come, tliat we might haver Life., andi have it tmre abundantly. And all the Fulnefs of Christ, is made over, by the Word and Oath of a God that cannot He-, unto the mofl miferable, needy Sinner that comes untcj him. — Come then, come again and again, with your every Day's Wants and Mifeiies, unto the Fulnefs, theMercie? of the great Saviour. And thence you fhall receive, and Grace fw Grace, The Arms of Chrift, ftand wide open to receive you. You will honour the Redeemer's Love, Bloo4 and Fulnefs, Iiis Power and Fatithfulnefs, if you come to. him daily, and caA yourfelf upon him,. as a moft miferable iJinner, for a full Supply of all your Wants. And I can teH you from his Word., and from ray own Experience, that he wilLnot fend you empty away.

I am glad that you have fuc^ a Senfe of 5/V, that you caa jujiify Gody if he was to fend you to Helly and acknowledge his Righteoufnefs therein ; that you would love hirn, andi ipeak well of his Goodnefs to others. Yea, that the very Thoughts ofGod^s being ^/flr//5'V, if you was to he damned^ a£brd you fome Pleafure. Thefe Things are an Evidence, of true Love to God in the Heart. Of that Love^ which whoever hath it, fhall 7iever go down to Hell. Of that Love^, which is a Preparation for Heaven, and the y^xy J^eginning of it in the Soul.

And as a Thought, that God would be more glorify *d in your Salvation, than in your Damnation, is more pleafant to you ; Let this move you to come with Alacrity, unta Chriji for Life. For in the Salvation of Sinners by Jefus Chrifiy all the Perfections and Glories of fehovahy radiantly ihine, and are harmonioufly difplay'd. Here, in the Salva- tion of chief Sinners, thro' the crucify 'd Saviour J Jujiice a?td Mercy are mat together -^ Righteoufnefs and Peace ^ da

kif

'(7)

Hffs iaih other. This is the Way that infinite Wrfclom has devifed, that infinite Grace has provided, that the Lord fiimfdf hath ehofeB, f©r the Bioft refalgcnt Difplay of his in* ^nite Glory. - / i- '

Like then, what <j€>d lifees. Embrace his Sqn held out ftecly linto you in the GofpeL It will pleafe the Father tvell^ if you lay hold by Faith on the great Saviour, for your- felf -as a chief Sirmer, This is a faithful Saying, and worthy if all Acceptation, that Jefus Chriji came into the World, ta fave Sinners, Chief Sinners. Oh, accept of him. Take him for yourfilf Christ is 2l free Gift, You may have him ■without Money, and without Price, The Father bids you^ ifee Son bids you, the Spirit bids you receive him. And tmfto you, the Lord will give Power, Privilege, a Royal Grant, with efficacious Influence, to become a Son of God* 'hn Heir of GoDy and a foint-Heir U'/VZ? Ckrist ! Come laigain and again to the Lord Jefus. Let this be your Life continually. '* Unto whom coming (fays the ApofUe) as •« unto a living Stone, l^cJ' Oh ftand not gazing upon your Sins and Miferies, till you lofe yourfelf in a Maze : But feafte away to Christ, upon the firft Sight of them* His Js[ame is called Jesus : For he fhallfave his People from their Sins, Honour htm then, in this hi3 Office as a Saviour, hy coming to him for all Salvation, for all Grace and Merc}v as being 'in yourfelf a miferable Sinner. And Chrift will frmke you a glorious Saint, or fanSfify you wholly, in Spirit^ ^ul -and Body, dfid frefent you Faultlefs, before the Prefence "tf his Father'^ Glory ^ with exceeding Joy,

Be not furprized at the Being and Working of Sin m f6u,- \^M Canaamitet- dwelt in .the Land, to lesimlfrael ■War.' ^nd^%y tiUle and little, the Lord will drive theq* out from before us, until we be increafed in Grace, to in- lierit the Glory prepared for us. — As to your Unbdlef-, di- »ftingu?fh between a State of Unbelief, and the Workings of Unbelief, between total, and partial Unbelief. You are viiot in a State of Unbeli«f. But you, and every Believer, 'h3.VQ Unbelief, remaining and working in the Soul where Faith dvjells. And as LTnbelief oppofes, more or lefe, our hS.s of Faith continually ; we are call'd to fight the good Fight of Faith. And the more frequent our Adh of Faith

on

( 8 .)

on Chrift are, the weaker will the.PoWer of.UnbeUef gfoW in our Souls. It is no proud Prefumptioni but humble F<fith^ for a poor Sinner^ to come repeatedly to the merciful Sa- viouK, and refl his weary Head in Chrift's .Bofom ; be- lieving, according to his Promife, that he will give him R.eji^ from all his Sins and Fears, and to the utmoft of all his Dcf fires, both of Grace and Glory.;

It was not Saiariy to deceive you, but the 5/)/r;/ ^G^^j to comfort you, that apply'd thofe Scriptures to your Heart, which were pleafant to your Soul. And tho/e, and all the Promifes of God, are yours in Chrijl, They are all yea^ and Amen^ unto you in him. And in looking for the Ef-^ fc£is of the Promife, to know Jf it was from the Lord-, feek the immediate EfFetSs of it in your Heart \ juft when and while^ the Word abides with Power on your Mind \ And .the remote EfFe£ls of it in your Life, juft fo far as the I^ro- mife influenceth your Heart. To look for immediate, in- ward Effects of the Word, when the Ppwer of it is gon^ .off the Mind ; is like looking what o'Clock it is by the Dial, when the Sun don't ihine on it. —Don't wonder, that you have 2i Hearty and z Heart \ a Heart for God, and a Heart that departs from him. Since in your Soul, there d^Q Two Natures : The new-Man^- and the old. Sinc;e in your corrupt Nature, there dwelleth no goodThing\ and in your new Nature, tho' all Good dv/ells, yet is it weak^ an4 iniperfe5i. Grace is in its Infancy, and therefore at Times, overcome by the old Man, by the Power of Corruption m your Soul. But your little Grace^ being Chriji^s Life in you ; fhall be maintain'd and increas'd from his Fulnefs, un- jtil all Sin and Death, is fvjallow'd up of perfect Holinefs, Jvife and Joy for evermore. — Head-Knowledge of GpfpeK Truths, is a Privilege. Pray for the Holy Ghoft's Firey to enkindle them in your Hearty and change your «S<7«/ into the Imagp of Chrifl: by them. — I am glad that my printed iVccount of the Lord's gracious Dealings with me^ has been bleft to youy to encourage you .to hope in, and feek for, his rich, free, abundant Grace, to be difplay'd towards you. . ^jwr Heart Joall live, that fecks God. I hope to think on you before the Lord ; and fhall be glad to correfpond with you, if his Glory and your Joy may be promoted tl:)ereby.

Com-

(9)

Committing you to the Care of Christ the great Shep- herd ; I am, Sir,

Tours affe£iionately in Htm^

LETTER III.

To Mrs. A, and Mrs. M, TV s.

Dear Children^ T RejoycM to hear, that you were under any Concern ^ about your precious Souls, and inclin'd to feek Jesus. An Intereft in Christ, is the One Thing needful. If v/e have this^ we fhall be eternally happy ; if we have it not ; eternally miferable. The Wages of Sin is Death : But the Gift of God is eternal Life^ through Jefus Chri/i our Lord, God hath given, and will give, to poor Sinners, eternal Life : And this Life is in his Son. He that findeth ChriJ}, findeth Life^ and fhall obtain Favour of the Lord. O my dear Children, we are all of us, born into this World, moft miferable Sinners. We are quite undone ; we have de- Jiroy'd ourfelves by Sin. But for ever adored be God's Free Grace ! In Chrift the Saviour^ is our Help. It hath pleafed the Lord, to lay Help^ the Help of Sinners, upon one that is mighty. Upon the mighty Saviour, who is able and willing^ to fave to the Uttermoft-, even all that come unto God by him. There is all Fulnefs in Chrift, to anfwer your every Want. All the infinite Treafures, the inexhauftible Stores of Grace and Life, are laid up in Chrift ; on purpofe for the moft poor and miferable, blind and naked, and T/aw condemned Sinners that come unto him, Do you fee your Mifery ? Do you want Mercy ? Is God's free Mercy in Chrift, deftrahle to you ? Then are you^ you as it were by Name, call'd by Jesus, to come unto him, and drink : To take your Fill freely, of all the Grace you want, to fave you from all Mifery, unto all Glory. He will not fend you empty away. His Love, his Mercy, his Power, his Faithfulnefs, are all engag'd to fave you. He will not, he cannot deny himfeif. He will in no wife call out, any poor Soul that comes unto him for Life.

B And

( 10 ) And do you begin to fee any Beauty in Chrift ? Any Pre- cioufnefs in his Blood ? Any Glory in his Righteoufnefs ? Any Excellency in his FuUnefs ? Then remember what he fays for your Encouragement : / love thefn that love Me^ and thofe that feek Me early Jhall find Me^ Prov. viii. 17. Chrift firft loved you \ or you had not been drawn by a Sight of his Beauty, to love him. He firll defir'd to fave you ; or you had not been defirous to be faved by him, Chrift was firft willing to be married unto you \ or you had not been made willing to have hifn-^ the Lord of Hofts, your Maker, your Redeemer, for your Hufband. And if Chrljl is willing to embrace you as his own, in the Arms, of his infinite Love j and you are willing to be folded up for ever in his fweet Embraces : What can hinder ? Oh give up yourfelves to Jesus, to be entirely his \ and He will be entirely yours. And the Day of your Efpoufals unto him, will be the Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart. Oh did you fee but a thoufandth Part of his infinite Worth, did you tafte but a thoufandth Part of his infinite Sweet- nefs, your Souls would be fick of Love for him^ the Chiefs efi among ten Thoufand ! For Him, that fair, that incom- parably fair, and altogether lovely One ! Oh dear Children, Christ is a Well of Life, a Sea of Blifs, a Mafs of Trea- fure, that is Bottomlefs, Boundlefs, Endlefs ! In Him, all Beauties, and Glories, all Delights, and PerfecSlions, both created and uncreated ; do jointly and for ever meet / Nei- ther the Tongues of Men, nor of Angels, were they em- ploy'd to an eternal Space, could tell you the one Half^ no nor the ten Thoufandth Part of his infinite Glory ! Oh fcek an intimate Acquaintance with Jesus ! Nothing like this^ to tell you what Jesus is. Christ is beft known^ by a real Enjoyment, a feeling Pofleilion, and humble Ado- ration, of his great, his glorious, his blifsful Self ! Hereby your Souls will be filled with all the Fulnefs of God ; changed into the fame Image, from Glory to Glory, in this World; until you fee Christ as he is, are made perfe(Stly like him, and appear with him in the Glory of the World to come. *^Grace be with you I I remain

Tours mojl affeSiionately^

( II )

L E T T E R IV.

To Mr. and Mrs. W s.

My very Dear and much Honour'' d Parents ^

WITH Gladnefs I received your kind Letter. As It is your Defire, my dear and honoured Father, That Chrift may be magnified in your Body^ whether it be by Life^ or by Death : So I know it will be your Joy, if the Lord Jefus, will pleafe in his infinite Grace, to fay of any of your Offsprings I am glorify'' d in them. The Hope of This^ yea, the Joy of it, when my dear Lord is gracioufly pleas'd to hint it to my Spirit, concerning my unworthy Selj\ fills me with Heart-melting Wonder, Love and Thankfulnefs. And how greatly hath the Lord bleft you, in others of your Off- fpring ! What a Joy will it be to you at the laft Day, to fee us t7//rais'd up unto Life eternal-, to inherit Glory wiihyou! To fay, like your Lord, concerning all your dear Children, for whom you have pour'd out fo many Prayers and Tears, and whom fo often you have kindly inftru6i:ed and exhorted ; Lord, here am /, and the Children which Thou haji given ?ne ! How will it rejoice your dear Soul, to fee that none of us are loft ; but all brought fafe by God's Free-Grace, to his eter- nal Glory ! To fee us all^ each one in our ovv'n Place, as fo many bright Jewels, clad with an amazing Splendor, and fixt by the King of Glory, in his Crown Royal, for ever and ever ! Oh when we^ by our Lord, are prefented Faultlef^ before the Prefence of the Father's Glory ^ together with you ; it will be with exceeding Joy ! We ihall each one rejoice in our own Salvation, with a Joy that far exceeds all prefent Thought ; and have an additional Joy in the Salvation of each other.-'- hi\^ this Glory, my honour'd Parents, haftens upon us, and all the Chofen cfGou. This Mortal tnujl put on Immortality. This earthly Tabernacle-, muft be diffohed. That fo we may be clothed with that Hoilj}^ that Building ofGody that ineffable Glory, prepar'd for us, Eternal in the Heavens. Oh my dear Parents, your dear Lord Jefus will be with you, in all your Pains and Aifiidions, thro' the In- firmities of an advanced Age, The Lord will make all your

B 2 Bsd

r 12 )

Bed for you, 'when /id. "And when Death comesy and no Crea- ture can help you: Then, then will the Lord be your Helper. He \yill never leave you^ nor forfake you : No, not in Death's Water. Jefus your High Prieft will go before you, make a Way for you, and bring you fafe over Jordan, into the promis'd Land, The Eternal God is your Refuge : And underneath you, in ybur laft Trial, will be the everlaji- jng Ar-ms, Thefe Almighty Arms, will keep your Spirits from finking, when your Bodies muft fall by the Stroke of Death. The foft Embraces of thofe fweet Arms, will re- frefh your Souls, and eafe the bittereft Pains that your out- ward Man may feel. And not the leaft Pain, not the leaft Sicknefs you may endure, to bring down your mortal Frame; but will ferve as a Foil^ to fet off that immortal Glory you fhall enter upon; In Emanuel^s Land, where the Inha- bitant (hall not fay, lamfick. There I fhall fhortly meet you. — And let us remember, that Death comes to us as a Blef- fing. Death to us, will be an Entrance into Ufe. We fhall never be free from Sin, perfectly holy, nor fully happy, we fhall never be as we would, nor fhould be; till we fee Jesus as He is. — I remember you before the Lord; and beg your Prayers for me : Who with a Heart brimful of Love and Duty, fubfcribe, my honour'd Parents,

Tour moji obedient Child,

L E T T E R V.

To Mr. F o.

Dear Sir,

I Hope that your dear Soul grows in Grace, and in the Knowledge of Christ. That you fee more of your own Miferies and Wants, as a poor Sinner ; and rejoice in the Mercies, Merits and Fulnefs of the glorious Saviour. Oh blelled be God, our dear Lord Jefus, is juft fuch a Sa- vour as we need! His precious Blood, cleanfeth us from all Sin: His glorious Righteoufnefs, clothes our naked Souls:

And

( 13 )

And his inexhauftible Fulnefs of Grace and Glory, will maintain and perfect our Graces, and give us the full Enjoy- ment of Glory, in and with him, unto Ages without End ! Oh let us come daily to our dear Lord Jefus, and commit our Souls into his Hands, to be faved to the uttcrmoft. He can, and will fave us. He is in Office to fave us, as our Prophet, Prieft and King. And hfes given us his great Word of Promife, That the Soul that cometh unto hhn, he will in no wife cajl out. Our Lord faveth Sinners, He delights to fave. He will not upbraid us with the Number, the Great- nefs, the Aggravation of our Sins. For, tho^ we have done as evil Things as we could ; yet he faith. Return again unto me. Oh dear Sir, This is the Voice of God cur Saviour, of the Lord, the Lord God, Merciful and Gracious: Forgiving Iniquity, Tranfgreffion and Sin ! And oh how ahundayit is he, in his Goodnefs and Truth, towards poor Sinners ! Our dear Lord, is a Friend of Publicans and Sin- ners. A loving, tender Friend, an omnipotent, faithful Friend, the only, and everlafting Friend of Sinners. This Man, Christ, receiveth Sinners, and eateth zuith the7n. The Saviour receives Sinners, to fave them from all their Sins, He receives them freely, fully, and perpetually, into his own All-gracious and Almighty Hands. To heal their Wounds, to bind up their Sorrows, to beautify their Souls, to keep tbem from Falling, and to prefent them Faultlefs before the Prefence of His, and of his Father\ Glory, with exceeding Joy ! And oh how familiar doth the dear Savi- oui^l delight to be with the Chief of Sinners, that fee their Mifery, and proftrate'their Souls at his Feet, to find Mercy ! He not only receives them to the Glory of God, to fave them from endlefs Mifery, unto eternal Glory, with all the infinite Grace, with the boundlefs Compafiions of a God: But he rejoiceth over them, thus to do them Good, with his whole Heart, and with his whole Soul : He eateth with them J He makes a Feafl: for them, and feafts with them, faying. Eat, O Friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O Be- loved, Thus kindly doth the great Saviour, invite the Chief of Sinners, to feed upon himfelf, as the facrificed Lame, to drink deep Draughts of his bottomlefs, boundlefs, endlefs Love, which is infinitely better than Wine : To re- ceive

( 14 ) ceive all Salvatlon-BlelTings in and with him, unto eternal Jj'ife by him, altho' to procure the fame for us, he poured cut his Soul unto Death ! And oh the hearty Welcome^ the kind Appellations that he gives us : Eat^ O Friends^ drinky yea^ drink abundantly^ O Beloved ! As if he fhould fay, ' You are heartily welcome to all Grace and Life, thro'

< my Love and Death : t^ome, take your Fill freely : You ' have all Salvation in rne, with me, with all my Heart,

< with all my Soul. Joy and rejoice in and with me : I

* joy and rejoice with you, for all your Blifs.^ And

lo, he doth not fay, ' Come, you Enemies, that have ' pierced me to the Soul with your Sins ; come take the Blef- ' iings of Life, procur'd for you by my Death : But, Eat, ' O Friends I I forgive all your Heart-Enmity againft me,

* and all the w^oful Fruits of it in your Lives, wherein

* you have behav'd like Enemies to me. \z.myour Friend « indeed : I dy'd for you when Enemies. I have reconcil'd

* you /;?, and will reconcile you to myfelf, by my Death, ' perfectly. And now, I call you no more Enemies, but

* Friends. I efteem you fo really, I call you fo cordially.

* An everlafting Friendfliip is begun, fhall be perfedled and

* maintained, between you and me. Little do you think^

* what a Friend's Heart, I have towards you : Nor hovy

* greatly as ?ny Friends, I rejoice over you ! Eat, O Friends f

* — Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O Beloved I I don't call ^ you. The People of my JVrath, even you that are the Chief

< of Sinners, who come in at my Call, to feaft upon my

* Flefh and Blood ; but the Children of ?ny Love, Come,

< drink abundantly : You have all freely. You can never

* drink my Love, my Life, the Well of your Salvation dry :

* Nor think, what an infinite Spring of Blifs, I, in my in- ' finite Love, will be unto you, who are by me, fo infi- ' n'ltdy beloved /' — Thus heartily doth the Saviour wel' come Sinners, Thus freely doth he receive them, and thus kindly addrefs them ! — And fince our Lord, the Friend of Sinners, delights to be thus gracious to them, and familiar with them ; let us then, encouraged by his Love, Blood and Fulnefs, approach hisTrefence freely, with all our Wants continually : "-Jo receive Mercy, and find Grace to help in every Time of Need* ' ' • Wifhing a Life of joyful Communion

with

( 15 ) with God ; a growing Conformity to Chrifl; a fruitful Life on Earth, to his Honour ; and a weighty Crown of Glory with him in Heaven : I remain, Dear Sir,

Tour very affectionate Friend and Servant^

In our Glorious Lord,

L E T T E R VL

To Mrs. W r.

My Dear Sijfer in Chrijiy

I Hear, that you have been afflicted, I doubt not, you can fay. That this Aifli£^ion has been good for you. It was fent, my dear Sifter, as the Lord's Meffenger, to bring you a Token of your Father's Love. It was fent to be ma- nag'd by the Lord's Hand, for the Trial of your Graces, and to meeten you for Glory. I hope you receiv'd it with Humility, Submiilion and Thankfulnefs. That you neither defpis^d the Chajiening of the Lord^ nor fainted when rebuked of him. Becaufe of his infinite Love.^ Jhed abroad in your Heart by the Holy Ghofi : Which, like ftrong Wine, fup- ported your Spirit. It is good for us to endure Chaftening, Behold, faith the Apoftle fames, we count them happy which endure. And, Blejfed is the Man that endureth Temptation ; for when he is tried, he /hall receive the Crown of Life, tvhich the Lord hath promifed to them that love him. Oh my dear Sifter, let us love and adore our God in every Thiyig. He loyeth and blefleth us in all Things. In Bitters, in Sweets, in Comforts, in Crofles. All Things, wifely mixed^ and gracioufly over-ruled^ together work for God's Glory, and our Advantage ; both prefent and eternal. Ch happy, thrice happy, are the People whofe God is the Lcrd ! Happy are they in all Cafes, happy at all Times. Becaufe God their Happinefs, is prefent with them, hath the Care ';f them, and will never leave them, nor forfake them. l^heLcRD being our Shepherd, we jhall not want : Feeding, Leadmg, heal- ing. Our Souls, our Bodies are his Care. As the Heaven

U

( i6)

is high above the Earth : So great is his Mercy toward them that fear him, Js far as the Eajt is from the Weji : So far hath he removed our Tranfgrejftons from us. Like as a Father pitieth his Children : So the Lord pitieth the?n that fear him. His Bowels yern towards us, whenever he ufeth his Rod upon us. But when he fees that we need it j his Love will not let us want it. So great is his Grace ! Nor will he let us be always under Chaftifement. His Anger endureth for a Moment : But in his Favour there is Life. The Life of all our Joys, abides in his Love, as the Water of the Stream, abides in the Fountain, is derived from it, and maintained by it. Little Interruptions of his manifeftative Favour, we muft expeft herej the' there is not the leaft, in the infinite Love of his Heart. But Goodnefs and Mer- cy in their native Difplays, in various, plenteous, lafring Streams, Jhall follow us all the Days of our Life^ through Time ; and waft us into the Ocean of Love, Life and Glory,

where we fhall have full Joys, to a long Eternity. — 1

commit you to the tender Love and Care, of your dear Lord Jefus j and in him, my dear Sifter, I am.

Tours very affectionately y

LETTER VIL To Mr. H d.

My very dear Brother ^ in our fweet Lord Jesus,

GLadly I embrace the firft Moment's Leifure to write to you. — Kindly I thank you for yours. I am glad the Lord puts it into your Heart to long to hear from me. I hope he defigns to fend fome Refrelhment to your dear Soul, by fo weak, fo vile a Worm. Oh my Brother, if our dear Lord would carve you a Portion from his own Table, and put it into my poor, empty, tottering Hand ; how gladly, in his Strength would I run to bring it you ! I feel that I love you in the Bowels of Jesus Christ ; but it is He only can fill you. And fill you he w///, brimful of Grace and Glory, in his own Time. If the Lord had been pleafed to dejiroy

you^

( 17 )

you^ my Brother, he would not have Jhewed you thefe ^hingSi. He would not have fliewed you the Depth of your Mifery by Sin, the Infufficiency of your own Righteoufnefs, and the Excellency of Christ, in his glorious Perfon, and all-fufH- cient Fulnefs, as a compleat Saviour : To raife your Efti- mation of Him, as ihQ Chiefeji among ten Thoufand^ and to put you upon the Search after him, 2&yQur Beloved. Christ was preparM on purpofe for you^ my Brother ; and you are prepar'd for the Knowledge of Him, And what then fhall hinder your Enjoyment of him, thro' Time and to Eternity I J am fure it is not the Greatnefs of your Sin^ by Nature or PratStice, that can do it, tho' of all Sinners, you was the ve- ry Chief, It is a faithftd Sayings (you may venture your Soul, and eternal AH upon it) That Jefus Chriji came into the World to fave Sinners j chief Sinners / And how worthy is this of all Acceptation I Will you accept it, my Brother ? Will you as R moft miferable Sinner, caft youifelf down at the Saviour's Feet, and fay, < Lord I take Thee, as the ' Father's Gift to the Chief of Sinners : I lay hold on Thee, as

* held out to the Hand of my Faith, in the free Promife of ' the glorious Gofpel, for the very vileji of all.' If you will have Christ, my Brother, you may, you Jhall, Oh never ftand hefitating, whether the Saviour is for you f and whether your Sins will not fhut you out from the Sa vi- our's Arms ! But ftr etch out the Hand of Faith, and take him as a free Gift to the Chief of Sinners. You can but be the Chief As fuch then receive him, only receive him^ and he is Tours for ever. Flee into the Saviour's open Arms, and fay, ' Lord, I am fuch a miferable Sinner, that

* I fhall link into the lowed Hell, if thou dofl not fave tne,

* if thou doft not open wide thy merciful Arms, and \zt me

* into thy Self, and all thy Grace. And I have heard what

* Wonders thy Love and Blood have wrought, in faving Ma* ' naffeh, Pauld.n^ Magdalen. I have heard likewifc. That thou

* a,rt able to fave to the utter moft, even all them that come untg

* God by Thee. Lord Jesus, fave me ! Glorify the In-

* iinity of thy Grace, in my deep Unworthinefs ! The Iro-

* menfity of thy Mercy, in forgiving my great, numberlefs,

* and aggravated Tranfgreffions ! And the Omnipotence of < thy Power, in my utmoit Wcaknefs ! Loxd, ihew what z

C « Wonder

( i8 )

* Wonder thou canft work in faving fuch a great Sinner,

* from all Mifery, unto all Glory ! And Heaven fhall for < ever ring with thy Praifes.' — Oh caft yourfelf down at Jesus Feet, all over-fpread with the Leprofy of Sin, from Head to Foot, no Part clean, and fay, ^ Lord, if thou

* wilt, thou canft make me clean.'' And the compaffionate Saviour, will ftretch out his Hand of Power and Grace, give you a faving Touch, and will fay, with an all-effica- cious Voice, ' I Will : Be thou clean.'*

I make no doubt, my Brother, that you have already ■heliev'd on the Lord Jefus, and that the Actings of your Faith towards him, have frequently been after this Manner. And as yon have received Chy'iji 'Jefus the Lord^ fo %valk in Him. Your Comfort-Life depends on it. We pinch and ftaive our Souls, by ftaying at Home inSelf-wretchednefs ; inflead of going out daily, upon every Conviction of Want to the Christ of God, to pofTefs that full and everlafting Salvation, provided and exhibited in him, for the Chief of Sinners. Oh my Brother, whenever you are afraid, when- ever your Heart trembles becaufe of your <S/«j, venture in to Christ inftantiy. Stand not to hold a Parley with Sin and Satan, whether you fhall believe or not ? But fay as EJiher^ I will go in unto the King \ — and if I perifi^ I perijh. And Christ will hold out the Scepier of his Grace, for you to 'touch and live. Let your Ads of Faith on Jesus, be Hke Wave upon Wave, rowling apace after one another. Hajie^ hajle you into the Bofom of Christ. Flee apace unto Hjm, your ftrong, your glorious City of Refuge, the only Hope fet before you in the glorious Gofpel. It is ill abiding without, to hear the Threats of Purfuers that feek your Life, and will have the Blood of all, that get not into Christ by Faith. And tho' you have already believ'd in -Jesus, and fo yowr State is fafc; yet if you forfake your Refling-place, and wander into the forbidden Grounds of doubting and Defpair; the Purfuers will be after you, a dreadful Sound W\\\ be in your Ears, and your Life, to you, will feem to hang in Sufpenfe, Wherefore get by Faith into Christ, your quiet, full, and glorious Habitation. ' And whenever you conie to Christ for Life, or look to Jesus foi\ Salvation ; believe that he will giveyou of the

Fountain

C'P )

Fountain of the JVater of Life freely -, and that you /hall be faved^ merely becaufe He has faid it^ who is God, and cannot lie, deceive, change, or repent ? So fhall your Joy be full, and your Holinefs great. So fhall your Soul be marvelioufly ftrengthned in your Confli£t with the Powers of Darknefs, if you thus march boldly on againft them, under the Banner of the Saviour's Love.

Glad am I, to fee you fo fenfible that you are a Si?2?2ery a great Sinner. That you know a Utile of Christ, and pray for further Teachings. And that you efteem it a Favour above all Things, to have this Petition put up for you, ' God be merciful to fuch a Sinner !' Oh my dear Brother, be not difmayed becaufe you are fuch 2. great Sin- ner, For your Jesus is a Gr^^/ Saviour ! He is mighty tofave ! It's well you know a little of Christ : For that Knowledge is faving. In that you have eternal Life ! And tho' you know but a Httle of Christ, you are Interefted in his Great Self, and all his infinite Fulnefs ! Christ, and all his Grace are yours f — What are your Sins then, tho' red J like Scarlet and Crimfon ? In the Virtue of his GoD- like Blood, they fhall be white as Snow and Wo oil I What is the Guilt of Sin, before the Saviour's AlUattoning Blocd ! What is its amazing Filthy before this cleanftng Fountain ! What is its mighty, turbulent Strength, before the Savi- our's Sin-fubdui7ig Arm I Aye, and what is the Being of Sin, its rooted Fixation in our Nature, before the All-de- firoying Power, and All-perfe^ing Grace of Christ ! That will fanftify us wholly, Soul, Body and Spirit, and fet us blamelefs and faultlefs, without Spot or Wrinkle, or any fuch Thing, perfect in Holinefs, to its Height and Glory, before His, and his Father^ s Face for ever ! Oh my Brother, Sin fhall never be too hard for the Grace of Christ ! Grace fhall reign over Sin, until it is utterly deflroy'd ! Until all Mortality, Sin and all the Effects of it, refpe^ling both our Souls and Bodies, ^T^^h^ fw allowed up of Life I — But my Brother, fuch is the infinite Fulnefs of the Lord our Savi- our, that the greateft of mortal Saints, know but little of his Glory ! The one Half, the ten thoifandth Part, has ne- ver yet been told us I Yea, the Saviour's Fulnefs and Kiches, are abfolutely Unfearchable / A Mine of immenfe

C 2 Treafure,

( i& J Treafurc, a vaft Sea of Glory, that can never be empiiedy nor bottom'd^ by Saints and Angels to the Days of Eter- nity J — And lo, t\\Q M&rcy of God in Christ, is inf- nhe ! It is Jehovah's Mercy ! It is Himself refolving to be merciful I And can you fpend //, ray Brother ? Can you draiv It dryy with your Thoufands and Ten Thoufands of Wants ? No, no 5 the innumerable Muhitude of faved Sin- ners, that have been, or fhall be faved even to the World's End, can never fink the Godhead one Hair^s Breadth / They may draiu Water continually, drink^ and drink their Fill^ out of this Well of Salvation^ and ftill it ^N\\\ be as Full^ ns T)eep^ as All- overflowing as ever ! Oh my Brother, put ■^:o\ixi'riift under the Shadow of Jehovah's Wings : And you fhall fee that his Mercy is upon you from Everlafiing is Everlajling ! — The Love of God our Father^ the. Grace of Chr'tft^ and the Comforts of the Holy Ghofi he with you. Amen, As enabled, I fliall make mention of you before the Lord; And remember, dear Sir,

Yours mojl Affectionately in Jesus,

LETTER VIIL To Mr, L-— ^s.

My dear Brother In Christ,

I Rejoice that God who commanded the Light to Jhine out of Darknefs^ hath JJnned in your Hearty to give you the Light ^f the Knowledge cf the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. Out of Christ, God is d,Co?zfuming Fire -, and we, Sinners^ can no move fland before him than dry Stubbie^ before a devouring Flame. But in Christ, all the Glories of the Godhead fhine, in the bright Form of Love ! God is the God o^ Peace, to every poor Sinner that draws nigh to him thro' the Lamb's Blood, Fury is not in HiM^ unto fuch Souls. h\\ the eilentiai Perfections of Jehovah, are on their Side, engag'd by his infinite Love, to fulfil its slorious Defignj in their compleat Salvation : 1 he Glory of

God

( 2t > Gop therefore, may well be faid to be In the Faccy m th« Perfon of Christ; for there it is fully, refplendently, and will be eternally difplay'd. And the Knowledge of the Glo- ry of God, the God of all Grace, which cafts its refulgent Rays thro' the fent Saviour, on the Chief of Sinners, "Vvhen God ftiineth to give it in their Hearts, mufl needs be a Life-giving, an AU-furpafTing, a glorious, marvellous Light ! — Oh my Brother, What Grace is it, that ever the leaft Beam of this Glory, Ihould dart into our Souh / Should fhine into our Hearts^ out of that thick, that total Darkncfs, which Sin had covered us with ! 'Tis Light of Life : Life out of Death, Life that wiU fwallow up Death, and fpread its Glories over all, unto the fair bright Day, of Light and Life, perfect and eternal ! Oh how rich, free, ^nd diftinguiihing is Jehovah's Grace unto us^ that the Lord fhould tlius arife upon us^ unto Light of Life ; wjiile Thouf/inils round about us, fit in Dark72efs and the Shadow tf Death ! We, as our Lord, mull fay, Even fo Father^ for fo it feemed good in thy S,ight. -r—— I am glad you feel the fweet Influence of God's Heart-enlarg-ins; Love, Oh may we feel it more and more, until we arc deliver'd from all Straitnefs, and brought into the full and glorious Liber- ty, referved for the Sons of God 1 ' Indeed my Brother,

it is a very great Bleiling, to fee the Plague of our own Hearts ; to have a quick and painful Senfation of the Being and Working of indwelling Si?!^ and earneft Lcngi?7gs, and inexpreffible Grcqnings wrought in our Souls, after a full and eternal Freedom from it. For not a Soul that doth experi- ence thefe Things, but bath received the blelied Comforter, and felt his blefled Operations, is prepared for flrong Con- folation, and fhall be a Partaker of prefent, and everlafl^ ing Salvation thro' Jesus Christ.

Little Croffes we muft meet with, my Brother, from our Father's dear Children, our Shepherd's dear Sheep and Lambs, But v/hat are thefe to that great Crofs^ Vv'hich our Lord once bore for us ! And what are the little Trials we meet with now and then from our Brethren^ to thofe great Ones which our Lord meets with from us^ and from all his own^ fcatter'd over the whole Earth, every Day, Hour and Moment ? Ai;d what are our UttU Trials to our Great Lord, for

whofc

( 22 ) ■whofe Sake we are call'd to bear them ! Once more, What are our Hide Crojfes^ our light, momentary Afflidtions, to that great Crown , thaty^r fnore exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory ^ for which by them we fhall be prepared ! All our Sufferi7igSy as well as our Faith and Joy, are Gifts of our Fa- ther's Love. It is given us on the Behalf of Chriji^ not only to believe^ but alfo to fuffer for his Sake. — Then let us receive all our grieving Things from the Hand of God thankfully ; and afk for Grace to endure them meekly and .patiently, and to improve them wifely and faithfully. For not the leaft Evil we thus receive from God, endure from Men, and improve to the Glory of Chrift, but fhall be to our prefent and eternal Advantage. —^ Oh my Brother, if Chrift bears with fo much Unkindnefs from us daily, fhan't we bear with the little we now and then meet with from our Brethren ? If our Lord forgives us ten thoufand Talent s., fhall not we forgive

our Brother ■ an hundred Pence ? We have need to fay,

hord^ ificreafe our Faith ! If we had more Faith ^ we fhould have more Love to Chrift and His ; hear all Things for his fake and theirs ; fbe%v forth his Meeknefs and Gentlenefs, Goodnefs and Kindnefs to all ; Glorify Him in all, and re- ceive Good by all, unto a rich Increafe of Grace in this

World, and great Glory in that which is to come. The

Grace of our Lord fefus Chriji be with your Spirit. In Kim

J am.

Ever Toursy

L E T T E R IX.

To Mr. and Mrs. W s.

Ever dear and honour'' d ParentSy

OH what an unfpeakable Privilege is it, that our Jesus never forgets us I Kis Eye is upon us, his Care is over us, and his Love is always in an infinite Flame towards «s. Well he fees all our Griefs, and knoivs our Sorrows. Not with a |:ega|dlefs Eye, an unaffecTting Notice. But

feeino-.

( 23 )

feeing, he fees ^ and knowing, he feels ^ unto an inexpreffiblc Sympathy, and an infinite Refolve of Mercy, to bring us full and glorious Deliverance, by his Wonder-working Arm. Our dear compaffionate Lord, makes every trying Cafe of ■ours^ as it were his oivn by Sympathy ; and thence to us as his, he fhews the richeft Mercy. And never fhall we want Mercy in the Stream, while Mercy in the Fountain endures. So long as Chrifi abides, a merciful High Priefi over the Houfe of God, while the Name of 7^/«j, our everlafting Father, is Jehovah merciful, and the Mercy of his Heart endures, who is the eternal I AM; the Houfe of God, the Children of Jesus, can never want the Mercies of his Hand, in that Manner, Meafure and Time, which infinite Wifdom fees

beft. No, my dear Parents, let us fear the Lord and

his Goodnefs', for there is no Want to them that fear Him. Let us go on to hope and truji in him, and to wait for him ; and we (hall not be afhamed. Early wjU the Lord fatisfy us with his Mercy, and fupply all our heed according to his

own Riches in Glory. Unto the Lord, the Lord God^

merciful and gracious, 1 commit you, and requefting

your Prayers, I fubfcribe, my honoured Parents,

Tour moji Dutiful Childy

LETTER X.

To Mr, P 11.

My beloved Brother,

I Han't Time to write as I would. But a Hint I \\ ou'd. fain aive you, as to what you wrote in your laft to Mr. T—y. -You defir'd him ' To thunder out the Laiu to you, if he

knew how.' Oh dear Sir, What, fo great a Simmer, as

you fee yourfelf to be ; and want to lie at Sinai's Mount? Can you bear its fiery Flalhes ? Can you endure its roaring Thunder ? Don't you remember the Terror which attended the giving of the Lav/ ? How the People, when they faw the ThnnPtn?^ and Lightnings, the Noife of the Trumpet, and

tf)e

( 2+ )

i^s Mffuntain- frma^ing ', retnomd^ and Jiood afar off ? An^ that To terrible was the Sights that even Mofes faid, / exceed- ingly fear and quake f Oh, a Sinner^ cannot meet God at Shiai^ but niuft meet Death, Our God, is there a confunt- ing Fire, and we as dry Stubble, that cannot ftand before him. Oh my dear Friend, would you run into the Fire? Know you not, that the Flafhes of God's fiery Indignation thro' the Curfes of a broken Law, would confume you ? That the Thuuder-bolts af his flaming Wrath, would ftril^^ you dtad ? ^

' Aye, you will fay, I know^ that my Heart cannot en-

* dure, nor my Hands be Jlror.g, if God was to deal with

* me, a miferable Sinner, according to his righteous Law. /* I don't want to abide for ever under the Terrors of the

* L^w : But only to He at the Foot of Sinai, to hear its

* Thunders, till I throughly know my Mifery as a Sinner,

* and my Heart is turn'd againft every Sin.*

Oh dear Sir, The Terrors cf the Law, will foonef make you run away from God, than turn your Heart fronj Sin', tho' they are ufeful to convince of Sin. Nothing but the Grace of the Gofpel, can fet the Heart againft Sin, and win the Soul to Gdd.

You fay, Sir, ' You have never been under the Law ?

It is a Mijiake. You have heard what Things the Law faith, till your Mouth is Jlopped, you are become guilty before God ; and acknowledge his Jujlice, If he was to fend you down to Hell, Thus yeu -have heard the Law in its Curfes ', and fay, they are righteous. You have like wife heard it in its Requirements-, and dare not meet.it with your own imperfc61: Obedience, as your juftifying PJghteouf nefs ; but defire to be cloathed with ChrijVs Obedience. Thus, by the Law, in the Hand of the Spmt, have you been pre- pared for the Gofpel. And unto you that fee and groan un- der your own Mifery as a Sinner, w\\\.o you, I fay, the Sa- viour is given, unto you, all the Grace af the Gofpel be- longs.— Come, dear Soul, come into tht Wounds of the ence-bleeding Lamb ! Hear the Grace, the Peace, which they proclaim to you. Thefe will give you the decpefl Convic- tion of Sin's exceeding Sr>ifnlnefs ; will Aiake it moft hateful in your Sisrln j will firvngt-hm vour Soul to wage War againft

iti

r 25 )

it ; and in the End will give you a complete Vi^ory over it, I Great Grace be with you ! I am, dear Sir,

Yours moji Tenderly i72 Jesvs,

L E T T E R XI.

To Mr. C ns.

My dear Brother In Chriji^

YO U R S I receiv'd ; I thank you for it. It brought glad Tidings to my poor Soul. Much I rejoice ivi your Salvation, And moft humbly and thankfully, I adore that infinite Grace^ which made my poor Labours, a Aieans of your Awakening, and Enlightning in the Knowledge of Christ ; and of bringing you out of Darknefs and Bondage, into the glorious Light, and joyful Liberty of ihe Sons of God. This is the Lord's Doing \ and it is marvellous in ?ny Eyes. Oh how richly hath my Lord rewarded my poor La- bours ! Tour being brought to adore Free-Grace, and the Myftery of Electing Love hereby^ to a comfortable Know- ledge of your Intereft in Christ, and to the Enjoyment of fweet Freedom in Him ; is fuch a Reward of my Work, that is and will be the Matter of my Joy in God, and Thankfgivings to him, unto Ages without End I Oh Grace^ Grace ! My Labour has not been in vain in the Lord! Oh that I may always abound in his Work I May this^ with eve- ry other of his Love-cords, bind me I The Lord knows, I have ai?n'd fingly at his Glory, and the Good of Souls, in all my Attempts to lifp out the Grace of God in Christ. And therefore my Joy is full, when I hear of any Flonour brought to his great Name, and any Advantage to precious Souls thereby. I think it well worth the while, to labour for my Lord, in his delightful Work, were it to a Methufalah's Age, to win one Soul to Jesus ; to refrefh and comfort any of his dear Sheep and Lambs. But oh, with how many rich^ and r^j/^/ Rewards, doth the Prince of Grace, crown the weak^ and foQrt Labours of his rnoft \ ile, and unworthy

D Worau

^ Z.O )

Worm, whom he delights to favour ! Oh had I a thoufand Hands, and a thoufand Lives ; Christ and His fhould have them all. The Lamb that has bought me with his Blood, is infinitely worthy^ of ten thoufand, thoufand Times more Service, and Glory than / can give ! And yet, in infinite condefcending Grace, he accepts my little Mite !

Oh my dear Child, you have a Father, that loves you /«- finitely ! That lov'd you eternally, before Time, or Sin en- ter'd [ That lov'd, that loves you unchangeably ! That gave Himfelf^ for you, in Love unknown, freely, when in his Fore- View, an Enemy ; That has given you his Holy Spirit, that has forgiven all your Sins, that has lov'd you into Com- munion with him in the Life of Grace 'y and will love you as his own, thro' all Deaths and Dangers, to be for ever with him in the life of G lory f -^ God the Father, Chrift's Fa- ther, and your Father, lov'd and chofe you of old, from the free, fovereign good Pleafure of his own Will. He gave you to Chrift, to be redeemed by him, and faved to the ut-

termoft. < God the Son, lov'd and bought you with his

Blood, from Sin and Mifery, to Grace and Glory. He has given you a Right of full Deliverance from the former, and of full PofTei^ion of the latter. — And God the Holy Ghoft, has lov'd and quickned you, when dead in Sins, to a new Life, in and with Chrift ; and will maintain and increafe it, until all Sin and Death, is fwallow'd up in the Vi£lory of Life eternal. The Three-One God, loveth you. Em- braceth you in the Arms of Everlafiing Love ; hath done, doth and will do, tliro' Time, and to Eternity I None of all your Enemies, either within or without, fhall ever pluck you out of your Saviour's Hands. Neither Death, nor Life J nor Angels, nor Frincipaliiies, nor Powers, nor Things prefeni, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor aJiy ether Creature., fnall be able to feparate you from the Love of God which is in Chriji Jefus our Lord. — What have you then to do, my dear Child, but to commit the Keeping of your Soul, continually, in Well-doing, unto Him on whom you have believed? And to love the God of Love ; in all holy Obedience, until, holy and without Blame, before God in Love, ycu appear zuiih Christ in Glory !

I rejoice ihat you are join'd ia Society with the Saints,

got

( 27 ) got to your own Company y and live joyfully, under the bright Shine of a Gofpel-Miniftry. Great Grace be with you * Great Glory awaits you ! Live and walk as the Redeemed of the Lord. As one that is called into Fellowjhip with Saints, with Angels, with God himfelf. Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ! Oh may the great Delights of your prefent Feaji on heavenly Manna-, continue and increafe, until the fuperior Glories, and ineffable Sweets of your everlajling FeaJi come on ! When you fhall fit down at the Marriage-Supper of the Lamby never to rife up from Table more ! Of which your prefent Feafl-, is a fweet Foretajie^ a moft fure Earneji ! — Into the Arms of Christ I commit you, my little Child y to be kept from the Evil of the World, fandlify'd thro' the Truth, and nourifli'd up in Faith, untq eternal Life, Oh may you be honour'd to know, to love and ferve Christ^ much in this prefent World f And may you fhine forth in his Glory, as a bright Star for ever ani ever, in the World to come ! So prays ^ my dear Brother,

Tours mojl affeSlionately^ in our

Glorious Lord the Lamb,

I

LETTER XIL

To Mr, W s.

My dear Brother^

Should rejoice to hear from you. I hope your Soul prof- pers, that you grciv in Grace-) and in the Knowledge of Christ. Whofe you are^ and whom I truft, you defire to ferve^ more and better daily. As for me^ I have been, I am, a Favourite of Heaven, tho* the leaft of Saints, and the Chief of Sinners. Blefs and adore the Lord, for all his Grace, to vile, un\yorthy me. And pray for me, that I may love Him who firft loved, who will always love me. Oh the infinite Freeyiefs of God's Love ! Had he look'd for Qualifications, for my Goodnefs \ it had never been fix'd on jnc. I have been rMlious againft the Lord, ever fince I

D 2 had

( 28 )

had a Being. Aye, and ever fince he brought me out of Egypt'' s Land. And well he foreknew how rebellious and ungrateful I fhould prove, and how ireacheroujly I fhould deal with him. And yet he refolv'd to love me freely I Thus he has lov'd me hitherto ; and thus he will love me even unto the End. And when he has lov'd me into perfect Likenefs to him, into the Image of his ov/n Love ; then I will love him pcrfeSfly 2inA for ever. Now I groan ^ I lament, it is the greateft Burden my Soul feels, that I love my Gody^ little / That I have lov'd, that I do^ that I can love him fo little ! Oh %vr etched trie ! Who Jhall deliver me from the Body of this Death! From this Heart-Enmity againft God, which fadly works in my corrupt Nature ! Thanks be to God thro* Jefus Chriji ! There my Vidory is compleat, my Deliverance is wrought out ; and thence to me^ a full, a free, an everlaft- ing Salvation fhall come. Help me by your Prayers, for much of the Holy Spirit, that I may glorify my own God, the God of Love, in doing and fufFering his whole Will, as becomes a dear Child of his, in this little Inch of Time which may remain to me.

For yourfelf, my dear Brother, abide in Christ by Faith daily ; cleave unto him in Love continually ; walk in every Path of Duty cheerfully ; watch againft Sin earneftly ; and with All-prayer, pray without ceafing perpetually. That you lofe not your Opportunities of glorifying God upon the Earth, and fall not into Temptations to his Difhonour. Both which will grieve you exceedingly, when your Time is almoft gone, and blefl Eternity is coming on. Oh how happy fhould we be, if we liv'd every Day, as if it was our laft Day ! And was as careful to improve all our Time for God, as we fhall wifh we had done, when Time with us fhall be no more ! — -Wifhing all Grace, unto all Glory : I remain, my dear Brother,

Tcurs mcjl JJfcSiionately^

LETTER

( 29 )

LETTER XIIL To Mr, W rd.

My dear Brother m Chriji^ Grace unto you .^ and Peace be multiplied^ from God our Father^ andfro7n the Lord Jcfus Chriji,

YOURS I receivM ; I thank you for fending a Line to poor me. If the Lord will pleafe to fend you any Thing by me^ I fhall rejoice. There is not a Drop of Refrefhment in any Creature, unlefs the Lord fills it. And if a Creature is ever fo full in itfelf, and labours ever fo much to commu- nicate to others ; not one Drop of Comfort can v^^e receive thereby, unlefs the Lord gives it. Which fhould teach us, an entire Dependance upon God, for all the Supplies we want ; and Afcription of Glory to him, when he extends his Grace unto us, which Way foever it flows.

I rejoice. That you have a painful Feeling of that Body of Sin which dwelleth in you, of your old, corrupt Nature, receivM from the old Adam. This is a Senfation^ that none have, but thofe who are new Creatures in Chrijl,-^ And as all your Hope of eternal Salvation, is fixM alone, upon the rich, free, fovereign Grace of God in Christ; it is good Hope. A Hope that will not fail, of which you fhall not be afhamed. That fame Free-Grace, which wrought the Grace of Hope in your Soul, and which is the ObjeSf of your Hope, will maintain your Hope, and give you all hoped-for Blef- fings, freely, fully and eternally.

I am glad that you have a Defire to die for Chrift, (if he calls you to it) and with his People, rather than to enjoy the Pleafures of Sin for a Seafon. This Defire of your Heart, your Lord will call your Kindnefs to him. And however weak it be, he will not break the bruifed Reedy nor quench the fmoaking Flax : But bind up and ftrengthcn )/our weak Grace, and nourifh and increafe it into a pure Flame.

And as to that Fear of Failing, of denying your Lord with Oaths and Curfes, rather than die for him ; that fruit- lefs Fear which torments your Heart : It flows from the Workings of remaining Unbelief, from an Aptnefs to live upon your own Stock, upon that little Grace which is in you^

rather

( 3o)

rather than upon thofe vaft Stores, that immenfe Fulnefs of Grace which is in Christ. — Oh my dear Brother, What, afraid^ that you fhall not hold out, becaufe you feel fo little Strength in yourfelf? You have forgotten where your great Strength lieth. Not m yourfelf -, but in the Lord ! In the Lord Jehovah, in whom there is everlafting Strength. Even in Him, who as the Creator of the Ends of the Earth, faint- eth noty neither is weary, Jehovah-Jesus, is your- Strength, And can you fpend thofe vaft Treafures that are in Him ? Can you draw the Well of Salvation dry, with your thoufands, and ten thoufands of Wants ? Millions of needy Souls, with innumerable Wants, have been fup- ply'd from thence ; and ftill the Well of Life is as full as ever ! Christ is as full for you, my Brother, as he was for the iirft needy Soul that ever came unto him. Oh come, poor, weak Thing, and lie down by Faith in the Bofom of your own Lord Jefus, in the Bofom of that infinite Fulnefe, that everlafting Strength which is in Him j and take an ho- ly Eafe, from all anxious Thought and perplexing Fear, be- caufe of the little Strength which is m you I ^ Can you by

* taking Thought, add one Cubit to your Stature ?* Why will you thus depart from the Lord your Reft, to launch forth into a Sea of Trouble ? What, fear, becaufe you have fo Utile Strength? Alas ! If you had as much Strength of in- herent Grace, as Peter had, when he fald, * Tho' I die with

* thee, I will not deny thee :' If you trufted to it, as he did ; you would fail. If you had as much Strength as perfect A- dam ; it would not be fufficient to keep you. His Will was perfect ; he might have ftood, if he would ; but being mu- table, and ftanding upon his own Legs ; down he fell. If - you had as much Strength as the Ayigels had in Heaven, before they fmned and became black Devils; if you trufted to it, as they did, and would none of Christ j down you zmiidfall. Why then will you ftand mourning over your little Strength, fmce there is Strength enough in Christ, to make you ftand ? And all the Strength of the omnipo- tent Jehovah, in Him, is held forth in the free Promife, as a Bofom for your weak Soul to reft in ? Come, Bow to the Saviour : He accounts it an Honour done to him, whca ^ poor Sinner, in his utmoft felt Wcaknefs, fays by

Fairli,

T 30

t^aithj * In the Lord have I Strength.* When he fays foy by Way of Dependance upon his Fulnefs, and by Way of Perfuafion, that he {hall be fupply'd from thence. Oh come, caft your Care upon Christ ! In well-doing, commit the Keeping of your Soul unto him, as unto a faithful Creator ; who will not forfake the Work of his own Hands, nor fufFer the wealfeft Soul, that refts on //;;2 toyi?//. No; The To nth Jhallfaint^ and young Men in Grace, that depend upon their inherent Strength, Jhall utterly fait. But weak Souls, even fuch that have no Mighty that wait upon the Lord, Jhall renew their Strength. They Jhall mowtt up with IVings as Eagles^ they Jhall run and not he weary ^ they Jhall walk and Jhall not faint y Ifa. xl. 3O5 31. Yield not then to perplexing Fear of Want, becaufe you have but a few fmgle Pocket-pence, but a little Grace, a little Strength in you ; fmce all the Treafures of Grace and Strength, in our everlafting God, are yours in Christ, and to be communicated for your full Supply, in your every Time of Need. Oh my Brother, truft in the Lord, and be not afraid. For while Christ endures, the Soul that trufts in Him fhall not fail, « Becaufe Christ * lives J you ihall live alfo.'

As to the Times, I think they look troublous. But our Lord has faid, ' See that you be not troubled.* It appears to me, to be the Jldidnight-State Of the Churches \ and that by the late Out-pouring of the Spirit upon that dear Servant of Chrijiy Mr. Whitefield^ and his Brethren, the Midnight^ Cry is begun. Surely, The Bridegrootn cometh. It is Time for the Virgins to arife from their carnal Security, to trim their Lamps^ and go forth to meet Hi?n. Some of us begin to awake^ and look about us. Others are ftill faft afleep^ But as the Cry grows louder, in the Miniftry, and in tre- mendous Providences, all the Virgins fhall be roufed up, and go forth, with Zeal and Expe6lation, in all the Ways of his Appointment, to meet the Bridegroom. And to awaken the ileeping Saints, to fome Purpofe, I expe6l a fore Stroke up- on the Churches. To be bleft by the Holy Spirit, to the Living in Jerufalem, for their further Purity, and to pre- pare them for their future Glory. I think the Powers of A7itichrijl, making War with the Lamh, will prevail, to fcattcr the Power of the holy Pcoplcy for a littk Seafon* And

that

(30 ,that the Lord will hide the moft of his in his fecret Cham." hers^ until the Indignation he over-paji. That he wiJl be with thofe^ that may be call'd to witnefs for him and his Truth, even unto Death, And that then, the Lion of the Tribe of Juda^ will arife, and deliver his People, and tear his Enemies in Pieces. That Slon fhall rife and fhine, and be the Praife of the whole Earth ; and that Bahel fhall fall, never to rife more. The Church will be in the greateft Trouble, juft before her brighteft Glory. And if the Spirit of Perfecution which appears in this Nation, fhould be the Beginning of an approaching Shower ; let none of us that believe in Jefus, be diftreft for fear of the Storm. Since our Lord will be with us in it, and be unto us, An Hiding- 'place from the Wlnd^ a Covert fro?n the Tempefl^ as Rivers of Water In a dry Place^ and as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land. And, ' When thefe Things begin to come to pafs, faith our Lord, lift up your Heads j for the Day of your Redemption draweth nigh.' — Salute, in my Name, all the Saints with you. May Great Grace be upon them all ! And every one of us, be Followers of them who thro^ Faith and Patience Inherit the Promlfes I Pray for tne. The Lord h^ With you! In Him, Sir, lam

Tour affeSllonate Friend and Servant^

LETTER XIV. To Mr. J. P fs.

Dear Jofeph,

I Thank you for yours, I han't had Time to fend you a Line till now, and am oblig'd to be fhort. Oh dear Child, you are ftraitned in me \ but have an Infinity of Love and Grace, of Care and Tendernefs, in the Heart of Chrlfi towards you. The great Shepherd, loves all his Sheep and Lambs, even to the leaft and laft, with an Infinite Love, He watcheth over them with an Infinite Care^ and rejoiceth to do them Good, with an infinite Joy. Neither the Tongues of Men, nor of Angels, are able to fet forth a Thoufandth

Part

/ 33 )

Part of that Dearnefs^ which the Icajf of Chrift's, {lands m to Hi?n. He loves the leaft of his Sheep, of his Brethren, of his

Members, as H'nnfelf. By Love unknown^ he enclos'd

them, in his Covenant Engagements with the Father, be- fore Time had its Being, or the Mountains their Birth.

Love unchangeable^ brought the Son of God out of the Bo- fom of the Father, to die for his Sheep in the Fulnefs of Time. Ah ! what were we ? Were we worth any thing ? No, no ; we were worthlefs, lovelefs, loathfom and abomi- nable. Poor and miferable, wetched, blind and naked. Not Friends, but Enemies, porting on in a Courfe of Ungodli- nefs, to eternal Ruin. Sin had entred, Wrath was de- nounced, and endlefs Death, juft ready to fwallow us up. But, oh ftwpendous Love ! Knotukdge-paJJing Love ! The Son of God would die in our Room ! Die we muft, if Je- sus had not given his Life, his Soul, in our Souls ftead. The good Shepherd^ faw the Wolf comings juft ready to de- vour us; and he did not. Jly^ but laid down his Life for the Sheep. He endur'd that Death, which we muft have fuf- fer'd, had not He dy'd, that we might live. And this be- caufe we were his o%vn^ given him of the Father before the World was, and lov'd by him, with an infinite, unchange- able Love. — And from his Love^ that w^sjlrong as Deaths to die in our Stead, and conquer Death for us ; he refolv'd to bring us to Himfelf \ unto Faith in him, and Obedience to him here ; and unto Glory with him hereafter. And o- ther Sheep I have^ faith he to the fews^ tuhich are not of this Fuld ; them alfo I nmft bring. His infinite Love and Faithfulnefs, laid him under this Necejftty, And defcribing his Sheep y his called Sheep, and their Privilege, he fays, A'ly Sheep hear my Voice., and I know them., and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal Life., and they Jhall never perijh, neither Jh all any pluck th^niout of my Hand., John x. 27, 28.

And han't you heard Chriji*s Po'ceP Hath he not gone after you, when running av/ay from him, and caus'd you to hear a Voice behind you, faying, This is the JVay., walk in it ? Han't that Language of Chrift to you, been after this Manner, « Turn, O poor Sinner, I dy'd for fuch as thee, I am the TFay to the Father ; come unto me., and I will give thee Kejl '., walk in me^ and I will give thee Life?'* Yea,

K hatU

( 34 ) hath he not faid unto you in particular, / have loved thee with an everlajiing Love ? And have you not felt an Almigh- ty Power in the Voice of Chrift, that fweetly drew your Soul to Him^ and engag'd you to follow after Him ? If fo^ you are one of Chriji^s Sheep 5 and he will give unto you eternal Life, and you Jhall never perijh^ neither Jhall any pluck you out

of his Hand. Neither Men, Sin, nor Satan. ■ There's

an infinite Fulnefs of Life in Chrift, who is your Life, to fwallow up all that Deadnefs, under which you groan. Your good Shepherd, is co?7u that you /night have Life, and that you tnight have it more abundantly. Wherefore, feek him for it moil: earneftly.

And the Ordinances of Chrift are his appointed Means," for the Conveyance of Life into the Souls of his dear Sheep and Lambs. There he leads than into green Pajlures, and makes them lie down hefide the fiill Waters, of Grace and Peace, to their Refrefhment, Strength and Joy. And there- fore, to be without the Life-giving Prefence of Chrift, in his publick VVorfliip ; ought to be efteem'd by us, as one of his Rebukes. As many as he loves, he rebukes and chajiens ; and fometimes chaftens them in this Way ; which calls them to the fre(h Exercife of Humiliation and Repentance- Wherefore reft not without the quickning Prefence of Chrift, in the Miniftry of his glorious Gofpel. But humble your Soul before him, and give him no Reft in private, un- til he is found of you in his publick Worftiip. Invite your Beloved to go with you. Tell him, you cannot live with- out him, that Ordinances, will be Wells vftthout Water, Clouds without B.ain, if He doth not fill them. Plead his Promifes, and his wonted Grace to his Own -, and pray him to remember you with the Favour that he heareth unio his People, and to viftt you with his Salvation : Thai you may fee the Good of his Chofen, rejoice in the Gladnefs of his Nation, and glory with his Inheritance. Jesus is '^ Lover \ and in infinite Condefcenfion to fuch Worms as we, the Objects of his Love, he delights in our Love, and to have us fo7:d of his Prefence. Oh could we not be contented without our Beloved ; we Jhould net be without him. — That the Gract eif Chriji may be with your Spirit, to fet your Soul a longing for him, and feeking. after him, until you find the quickning

Prefence

( 35 ) Prefence of the Lord your Life, unto your exceeding Joy 5 is the fincere Defire of

Tour Friend that kves you in the Bowels ofChriJ}^

LETTER XV.

To Mr. and Mrs, G n.

My dear Brother and S^!j?er.

YO U dear Children of our Father's Love, you who are dear to me in the Lamb's Love and Blood, why fhould we fall out in our Way to Heaven ? If I had ofFended you in any Thing, I would freely afk you to forgive me ; and as you have been angry with /ne, without Caufe, I moft freely for- give you, for Jefus Sake, who hath forgiven us. Oh dear Children, why fhould we be Twain, fince Jefus dy'd to make us one in himfelf ? Why fhould we rob bur Lord of the Joy of his Heart, in not loving one another, as he hath loved us f Chrift loves us, notwithftanding all our Peevifhnefs and Frowardnefs towards hi?n ; and fo ought we to love one ano- ther. Methinks, dear Children, I could gladly waj/j your Feet, I feel a fweet, fpringing Love to you as the Lord's^ and as nearly related unto me in him. And oh, what a Joy would it be to me, to ea/e and comfort your burden'd Minds ? To pour Oil and Wine into your wounded Spirits ! To bind and Jirengthen your Arms f Oh dear Children, our gracious Father, will not cajl ui off, for all that lOe have dene / Let us return unto him, whenever we have departed from him; for he is always the God of Peace to us, thro' the Lamh^s Blood. And as fuch, he will bruife Satan under our Feet Jhortly, and fan£lify us throughout, in Spirit, Soul and Body. We are under the Forgivenefs of Sins. W^e are juftify'd by Blood, and our Iniquities fhall be fubdu'd. God our Fa- ther, hath nothing againft us, as we ftnnd m Chrifi. He hath not beheld Iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he feen Per- verfenefs in Ifrael, And Ihall we have any Thing againft each other F See you not the Defign of the Enemy, to fepe- pate us\ for whom ftfiis bled, and pray'd, that we might

E ;i be

( 36;

be one ? Oh let our Heaven-born Souls, unite in one, more than ever ! Let Satan get nothing by this his Attempt to bruife our Heel, but a greater Bruife of his own Head. Let him know, by our frefh Endearme^its to each other, that we are too clofely knit by the Lamb's Blood, ever to be feperated. — So ftiall we walk before God our Father as his dear Children, unto all pleafmg : So will our Lord have Joy in us : And fo fliall our own, and other Souls, reap great Advantage. — — Great Grace be with you ! I am

Tours affectionately in the once Bleeding Lamb,

I

L E T T E R XVL To L— s.

My dear Brother in Chrijly

Long to hear how your Soul profpers. The Lord is good to me, infinitely, incefiantly, and will be eternally good to poor, wretched, finful me. The Lord is good to all^ in the Bounties of his Providence ; his common. Goodnefs extends itfelf to all the Works of his Hands. But oh. The great Gpodjiefs, the fpecial, the diflinguifhing Goodnefs of God, towards the Houfe of Ifrael ! We that have found Grace in the Sight of the Lord, we that believe in Jesu5, are intereiled in all the Goodnefs of Jehovah's Nature, in all the Goodnefs of his everlafting Covenant, his new Cove- nant of Free- Grace, thro' the Son of his Love. And con- firm'd it is, even anTmmenfity of Goodnefs, or rather, the Lord himfelf, the immenfe Ocean of Goodnefs, to us, for our Portion, by the Blood of the facrificed Lamb. Oh, our God has miade, has cut a Covenant, and pafled between the Pieces ; the divided Parts of our Lord's human Nature, when the Soul of our crucify 'd Jefus, was feparated from his facrcd Body. All the Grace that was given to us by Grant, in God's everlaf^ing Covenant with his Son, before the World was, is confirmed unto us as Sinners, by the Lamb's Blood. It pleafed the Lord to lay on Hjm, the Iniquity of m all, of all his Chofcn '■> and to bruife him for our Sins, to

wound

( 37 ) wound him for our Tranfgreffions, to pierce him to the Sou!, by the Sword of his Juftice, until it was fully fatisfied, com- pleat Payment made, and eternal Redemption obtain'd for us. And then, lo, our Covenant-God, thro' the Peace- making Sacrifice of his Son, became the God of Peace unto us. And as fuch, brought again from the Dead^ cur Lord Jefus^ that great Shepherd of the Sheepy thro^ the Blood of the everlajiing Covenant. And exalted him to his own Right Hand, to fave us vfnentially in our own Perfons, as he had done it myfiically in himfelf ; to fave us by Power ^ in the Application of Salvation, as he had done it by Price^ in the

Impetration, or working out of Redemption. And this,

of God's being our own God, the God of Peace unto us in Chrift, is as the IVaters of Noah wito him. For as he hath fworn that the Waters of Noah Jhoidd no 7nore go over the Earth ; even fo hath he fworn thro' a bleeding Jesus, that

he will no more he wroth with us, nor rebuke us. No,

we that were chofen in Chrift before the World began, we that were in him by Reprefentation, when he dy'd a Sacri- fice for us on the accurfed Tree, and we that are now in him by Faith, that have run into the Saviour's Name, as our ftrong Tower ; vje are for ever fafe from God's vin- di6live Wrath. There was Peace made between all the di- vine Perfections on our Account, for our Salvation, and Peace made for us, by the Blood of Chrift's Crofs. And the Lamb that made it by his Death, maintains it by his Life, while he ever liveth, by his Advocacy and InterceiHon, to fave us to the uttermofl.

Who then fhall break Friend/hip between God and us ? Who, or what fhall feparate us from the Love ofGcd which is in Chriji Jefus our Lord? Who (liall rob us of our Portion in Jehovah ? Who, or what (hall infringe, or leffen that Ocean of Goodnefs, which we have in his great Being, in his inviolable Covenant, in his fure Promifes, which all have the Tea^ the eternal Yea, and the fixed Amen of God upon them in Christ ? Can Satan rob us of our Portion in God? No, the Lamb has deftroy'd the Power of that roaring Lion, Can the World with all its Snares rob us of our Inheritance? No, Jesus has overcome it. C^n Sin, that worft of Ene- mies, rob us of our God, our Christ, our Portion in

Grace

( 38 ) Grace and Glory ? Ko ; it hfinijh'd^ Tranfgreflion is made an End of^ in our dear dying Lord \ and by the Almighty Efficacy of his Death, it fliall be fubdu'd, and utterly deftroy'd in us. Jesus, that was once dead^ is now alive^ and lives for Ever ^ more. And hecaiifc He lives ^ we Jhall live alfo. JVe that are dead with him, in a begun Meafure, to the Pleafures of Sin, and the fenfitive Delights of this World, we whofe Souls pant after heavenly Enjoyments ; we are well provided for, well fecur'd, our Life is hid with Christ in God. While Christ abides, we are fecure ; while God endures, our Life cannot be loft. This Ocean-Fulnefs, will flow out upon us, in various, frefli, perpetual Streams of infinite Goodnefs, thro' Time ; until we are wafted into God in Christ, our Sea of Goodnefs, to live amidft the Pleafures which are at his Right Hand, to a bleft Eternity. — Oh my dear Bro- ther, let us receive the ftrong Confolation by Faith, and improve it by Love, in all holy Obedience, to the Glory and Joy of our dear Lord, and to ours with him, when he appears. ■ ■ ■ The Grace of Chriji be with your Spirit.

Pray fcr

Tours moji affe£iionately in Jesus,

LETTER XVII.

To Mr. S s.

Dear Sirj

I Greatly rejoice in the Wonders which God's Free-Grace hath wrought for poor Plymouth. The dear Mr. IVhite- field, a little before his Departure from us, acquainted me in a Letter, that he had lik'd to have been ?mirder'd in his Bed, at your Town. But oh how I rejoic'd to hear, after- ward, that God over-rul'd this Providence, to bring many- Souls under the Sou?idy and under the Poiuer too, of his blef- fed Go/pel, by that his dear Servant, who was fo bafely treat- ed ! Who is a God like unto our God ! How wonderful are his Ways, his Ways of Providence, his Ways of Grace, to- wards his own chofen People ! Many of whom lay in a pe- riifiing Condition at poor Ply?7iouthy caft out into the open

Field

(39)

Field of this World, among dying Souls, polluted in their own Bloody mofl miferable, loathlbm Objeds j hclplefs of themfelves, unpity'd, and without Help from others. But lo, the God of all Grace, pajjed by^ and being rich in Mer- cy, for his great Love wherewith he loved them^ even when dead in SinSy he faid unto them. Live I Yea, when he faw them in their Bloody in all their Nature- Defilement, by original and aiftual Sin, he faid unto them, Live ! And their Time was the Time of Love I Of Love's Manifeftation, of Love's Application, of Love's Triumph over all their Enmity, to the endlefs Praife of its own Glory ! Of its Heights, its Depths, its Lengths and Breadths, which are immeafurable and infinite ! Every Way worthy of God ! Oh then it was, that the God of all Grace, wafied thefe his beloved Ones with IVater^ yea, he throughly waftied away their Blood (their Guilt of Sin) from them. He jujliffd them freely by his Grace ^ thro' the Sin-cleanfmg Blood of the Slain Lamb. He anointed them with 0/7, pour'd upon them his Holy Spirit, He deck'd them with Ornaments^ beautify'd their Souls with every Grace, Yea, he fware unto them, and entred into a Covenant with them, and they became his, — -« OJi glorious Grace, of a Sin-pardoning God I Oh glorious Power y of a Sin-fubduing Jrm ! Of an Almighty , All-con- quering, Soul-wooing, Soul-winning, Soul-faving Lover ! Plymouth would none of Chrifi-. But Christ would have fame Souls in Plymouth, And oh happy they, who were made willing in the Day of his Power ! — — And ztq you^ my dear Brother, among that happy Number ! Oh do all you can, to love and ferve your Saviour! His Grace be with your Spi^ rit). In Jesus our fweet Lord, I am, dear Sir,

Tour affediionate Friend and Servant^

I

LETTER XVm.

To Mrs, M 1.

My njery dear Sijler in Chriji,

Hope you experience, that the Lord's Goodnefs and" Mer- cy, follow you hitherto. And after you flill, the glori- ous

f 40 )

ous Flows thereof fball run, even all along thro' the Wildcr- nefs, until you reach Ca?wan\ Land. That Land of Love, J^ife, Joy and Glory, into which your Forerunner^ is for you entred. Jesus is gone up to his Father'' s Houfe^ to pre- pare a Place for you. And foon will he come by Death, to receive your Spirit into his own Embraces ; and again at Judgment, to redeem your Body from the Grave, and to receive your whole Perfon to himfelf ; to fee him as he is, to be perfe6^1y 4ike him, and to ferve him inceflantly, among the Saints and Seraphs which are round his Throne. — Oh my dear Sifter^ the Glory of that Day haflens, when we fhall all be gathered together unto Chrift, and unto one ano- ther, in and with him. And Jo Jh all we he for ever with the Lord, Surely our dear Lord Jefus, comes quickly. He is on his Way : He is gathering in his Chofen, in many of the dark Places, of this, and other Lands. There is an Hand- ful of C'^rn in the Earthy upon the Top of the Mountains ; (where there is not much Likelihood that Corn fhould grow) a few defpifed Inftruments, who are almoft every where fpoken againft, whom God hath raifed up, to preach the Gofpel of his Son Jefus, with glorious Succefs. The Fruit thereof^ Jlmkes like Lebanon. And by and bj', They of the City^ foall flourijh like the Grafs of the Earth. The Churches, which now generally languifh, under the Withdraw of the divine Prefence, Power and Glory from amongft them ; fhall again be revived. Unto us among them, who fear the Lord's Name^ fhall He the Sun of Righteoufnefs arife^ with Healing in his JVings. And we fiall grow up^ and go forth as Calves of the Stall. Well-fed, and fat, as living Sacri- fices, Holinefs unto the Lord. — Fray^ my dear Sifter, for the Peace ofjerufalem : For the Coming of our Lord's King- dom, for the bringing on of Latter-Day Glory. For the Profperity of the Lord's Work, which he is now about in the World ; and for the Support and Succefs, of the poor, hunted, perfecuted Labourers, which the Lord is pleas'd to make tife of therein. And fo will our Lord, the Bride- groom of the Church, call you one of his Friends , and the Church's Glony fhall come on, as an Anfwer to your

Prayers. That our dear Lord Jefus, may fupport you

2nd your der^r Yoke-fellow, under all the AfHiiSlions which

you

( 41 )

yoM may be called to endure ; that your Strength may be equal to your Day ; that you may be enabled to glorify God in the Fires, and be prepared for endlefs Glory, by all your prefcnt Trials ; is the carneft Defire of, my dear Sifter, Tours for ever^ mojl AffeSiionately^

In your Lord and miney

LETTER XIX. To Mr. F— '0. T)ear Sir,

IT is indeed a Miracle of Mercy, that wcj Sinnersy arc out of Hell', who are in ourfelvesj fuch fit Fuel for ever- lajling Burnings ! But oh, Jefus, our Sacrifice, has endur'd the Fire of divine Wrath, that we who look to him for Sal- vation, might be deliverM from the Wrath to come. — I truft, my dear Friend, that you have feen fuch a Need of Chrift, that you muft perifh for ever without him. And fuch an Excellency in him, that he is unto you. The Chief cjl among ten Thoufandl Don't you fee fuch a Lovelinefs in fe- fusy at Times, when you get a Glimpfe of his Glory, that you can fay with the Pfalmijl, JVl^cm hove I in Heaven, hut Thee I and there is no7ie upon Earth that I deftre hcfidcs (or in Comparifon with) Thee ! If fo ; you are a Believer in Jefus, For, unto you therefore which believe. He is preci- ous. And as a Believer in the Son of God, you have Chrift for your Portion, and all Life m and with him. Tour Beloved is yours, and you arc his. He loves you as bis own^ he loves you as himfelf. He Jovcs you freely, infinitely, unchangeably, and will love you eternally.

Be free then, very free, with your own Lcrd Jefus. Oh come to him daily, and tell him all your Griefs. Shew be-^ fore him all your Trouble, and open every Sore, that pains and alfli<S^s you'. Your Jejus, is a Phyfcian, that well kncws how lO heal all your Wounds, and bind up your Sorrow^. For- Skill, there is none like him j his Underiianding is ivfnite ! For Tendcrtiefs, he is ali-furpi'lTing ; his Compafiions are kittomlffSf Icundlefs, endlefs! A.nd fcr Pcwery he can do

F fll

(42 ) all Things 5 he is the Lord Ahnighty ! And you cannot pleafe him better, than to commit yourfelf daily into his Hands, with all your Dileafes, your Soul-ficknefles, for Hirn to heal and cure you. Oh dear Sir, he will rejoice^ to take you into his Care^ and to fave you ta the uttermojl. He will rejoice over you, thus to do you Good^ with his whole Hearty and with his whole Soul, Yea, he accounts it his Honour^ that you honour him as the great Saviour, when you come to him as a miferable Sinner, for all the Grace and Salvation you want, for Time, and for Eternity. You can*t want more, than he has to beftow, and will rejoice to give. Oh come to Jefus, with all the PTants you are made fcnfible of; and when you want a Senfe of your Mifery, bring that Want with you alfo. The Fountain, Chriji, is full and free. He will not fend you empty away. Oh be frequent in ycur A£ls of Faith upon Chrift, Unto whom coming, — faith the Apoftle. It is the great Work of a Believer, to come unto Chrift continually, to receive of his Fulnefs, and Grace for Grace. Oh how hlefi are they, that abide in Chrift by Faith ! And how fad is our Cafe, when we depart from him, by an evil Heart oi Unbelief f Oh it is fad walking in the World, without Chrifi I Without Near" ncfs to him, and Fellowjhip with him ! They that are far from him, JJ^all perijh ; but it is good for us to draw near unto God. Let us watch and pray, that we may abide in Chrift by Faith, and walk with him by Love. — And whenever we backflide from him, thro' our wicked, deceitful Hearts, the Snares of the World, and the Temptations of Satan; let us confefs our Iniquity before the Lord, and inftantly cry unto him, with the Ffahnifi, I have gone aflray like a lofl Sheep 5 feek thy Servant. And fay unto our Souls, as he did. Return unto thy Reft, O my Soul ; for the Lord hath dealt bounti- fully luiih thee. — Wifhing Grace and Feace may be multiply^ d ' unto you, thro' the Knowledge of God, andofJefusourLord: Unto his tender Love and Care, I commit you : And in Him, dear Sir, I am.

Tour affeBionate Friend and Servant ^

LETTER

( 43 )

LETTER XX. To Mr, H ^s.

My very Dear and much Honour d Brother ^ Grace unto Touy and Peace he multiplied,

I Humbly thank you for your dear Letters : They refrcfh'd my Bowels in the Lord. Your inward AfFedion to me, that Fellowfhip you have with me in the Truth, and that Wilhngnefs which is in your dear Heart, to fufFer a Child to cry Hofanna to the Son of David ! and efpecially, the Hints you gave of the coming of our Lord's Kingdom, did much comfort my Soul. — May the Lord reward all your Kindnefs to mey an hundred-fold into your own Bofom I

As to myfelf, my Brother, I am a poor Sinner^ favM by God's Free-Grace^ according to its own Riches ! Oh what Wonders has God's Free-Grace wrought for me / How has he delighted to love me ! But oh, my Unkindnefs to my kind Father, breaks my Heart ! I am pained at |ny very Soul, to feel the Workings of Sin in my corrupt Nature. And even furprized to fee fuch a Depth of Iniquity in my vile Heart, after fo long an Acquaintance with Je sirs, and fuch abun- dant Difplays of Grace that I have been favoured with. And under this, I am frequently tempted to think , " That God will cafl me offzs.to Ufefulnefs, and ufe fuch a vile Sinner no more unto any of his dear Children." And I am fure, that if he was not God, the Lord that changeth not \ he luould do it. And under the Views of my own Vilenefs, I alfo find an Jptnefs to fnik into Dejection of Spirit. I find it exceed- ing difficult to take in, and keep up a due Sight and Senfe of Sin, without finking into an unbelieving Heavinefs, at fuch Times when I am not fenfibly under thofe full and overflow- ing Tides of Love and Grace, which bear down all before them. Oh this Sin of Sins, Unbelief ! It is the Source from whence all Sin fprings^ and the Gulph into which all Sin fows / Satan ftirs up the Corruptions of the Heart, all featcd as it were in Unbelief, and tempts God's People to Sin : And by the Motions of other Sins, ftirring, or yielded to, either more inwardly or outwardly, he tempts them to Unbelief. And this is the woril Siix gf all. In as much as the Soul here-

F 2 by.

( 44 ;

by, (o far as it prevails, cafts the higheft Djjhonour upon the (jrace of God, and the Fulnefs ofChrift: as if there was not Enough in the infinite Grace of Jehovah, in the infinite Merit of Christ's Blood and Rfghteoufnefs, and in the infi- nite All-fufficiency of his Fulnefs, to anjwer the Souls Wants, and even infinitely to exceed them ! Oh this Sin of Unbeliefs this Ihying at Home in Self-vi^retchednefs, inftead of going out to Chrift, and to God in him, fo far as it prevails, is a tacit Reje5ling of the Saviour, and of all the Grace exhi- bited in him, by the glorious Gofpel, for the chief of Sin- ners ! Happy fliould v/e be, if upon every Convidion of our ov/n Emptinefs and Vilenefs, we pafs'd the next Moment out o{ our f elves ^ into Christ, and there clos'd with the glorious Remedy provided for our miferable, helplefs Souls ! Oh what a God-honouring, Soul-nourifhing, and comforting Life is a Life of Faith on the Son of God / All Glory be to God's Tree Grace, this, in the main, is the Life which I now live in the Flejh ! But, yet to my Grief, I feel the fecret PFork- vigs of Unbelief m my Soul, and that I am tempted to it, up- on the new Difcoveries of my own Vilenefs. And under the Views hereof, I am further tempted, to caft off the Service of (jod, fo far as it refpe(3s my making Mention of him unto others ; after this Manner : ^* You fee how vile you are ; fay no more for God, appear no further, keep Silence, unlefs you was better."

But oh, my dear Lord, doth not leave me to the Power of thefe Temptations. In infinite Grace, he forgives all my Sins, and yet employs me in his Work ! He appears again and again, to find me fomething to do for him, and frequently gives me to hear, that He does fomething by Afey vile Me ! even when I have faid. Time after Time, / am cajl out of his Sight ! Oh Free Love ! He (hews me the horrid Nature cif Unbelief, and flrengthens my Soul to believe on him, for his Honour and my Joy, in the Face of a thoufand Difficul- ties and Difcouragements. And by the fweet alluring Lan- guage of his Love, He draws on my Soul to ferve him in the Liberty of his dear Children, and caufes me to appear for him in the Work he calls me to, with an holy Boldncfs, in his own Strength and Worthinefs ; notwithflanding all that Viie- nc-ls and Unworthinefs which I fee in myfrir, ysid that Satan Qljyj^'cts agniiill: nic. Oh

r 45 )

Oh my Brother, I fee, that the IFhoIe cf my Salvation, hi all and every of its Parts, ftands alone upon God's rich, free, fovcreign Grace, reigning in glorious Triumph through a crucify'd Jesus ! This Grace began my Salvation in (^ick- ning me when dead In Sin ! This Grace has maintained and increasM my new Life hitherto, through a Tlioufand Deaths and Dangers ! And this fame Grace, will carry me fafe through a World of Sin and Sorrow, into the World of Glo- ry, in Its own Everlafting Arms ! Oh help mc to blefs and praife my God, for his great Grace unto Ade /

I Rejoyce much in our Lord's Kindnefs to Tou j in that he increafeth you with all the Increafes of God. In that he ftrengthens you with all Might by his Spirit in your in- ward Man, makes you valiant for his Trwth upon the Earth, laborious in his Service, and abundantly fuccefbful in your Labours. Go on, my dear Brother, in the Lord's Strength to ferve him. Your Service is acceptable to your great Ma- fter, profitable to his dear Children, and ddigJ)tful to your own Soul. Your Work is honourable and fweet, and your Reward will be Great and Glorious. Oh labour hard for Christ, according to his Working, in your httle Lich of Time -, an Eternity of Reft awaits you in his, and in his Fa- ther's Bofom ! The Grace of our Lord Jffus Chrlji be with your Spirit. I forget you not before the Lord. Pray for.

Dfar Sir,

Tours JffecJiofiately in our Gloriaus Head,

LET T E R XXL

To Mr. H d.

A^y beloved Brother in Chriji,

GLAD was I of the Line you fent me, which figinTy'd your Defire to hear from me. — My Time now allow'd me to write, is very fhort, and I am unacquainted with your prefcnt Frame. But in the general, I find ycu want Good, Let me therefore fay unto you, as Elipha% to J'J), Acquaint now thyfelfwith him (with God in Chrlft) a7ia be at Peace: ihereby-Qood J?. all come unto thee. Oh vqij tender Lam/ of

Ciiriir*

(46) ChrWs FoM, your Shepherd* s Heart is conccrnM for you, hrs Baweh yern towards you ; and in boundlefs Compaflion, with evcrlafting Kindnefs, will he gather you by the Strength of his Arm, and carry you fafe in his Bofom, through a Land of Pits and Snares, and fiery flying Serpents, unto the Land of Reft; where Sorrow and Sighing jhall flee awayy mnd everlajiing Joy Jhall he upon your Head! Your Weaknefs, Sicknefs. and Difeafes, (hall never turn away the Heart of your Tender Shepherd from you ! But having loved you with a frecy infinite Love ; his Love towards you, will draw out the Compajftom of his Soul, fo much the more, to help, re- iieve, and fave you to the uttermoft ! The whole (fays He) need not a Phyjteian^ but they that are Sick. Oh, Jesus Christ, has a fpecial Regard to his Jick Childreny and takes a pecu- liar Delight in healing their Souls, and binding up their Wounds f If Chrift lo/e one of his Sheepy if one of them be d^^riven from his Fold and expos'd to imminent Danger ; fuch are his infinite Bowels towards it, that he doth as it were Leave the Ninety and Nine, and gocth after that which is lojl until he find it, Jnd when he hath found it, he layeth it en his Shoulder^ and hringeih it Home rejoycing. Oh my Brother, if fuch was your Cafe, that there was no Pity for yoa in any of the Creatures ; you have Tendernefs enough m Christ's Heart, a boundkfs endlefs Store, of Love- Grace, and Mercy, to relieve and folace you in all your Miferies! Come, fry the Com palHons of Jesus ! The God- head is in him ! His Bowels are Infinite. His Mercies are Tender Mercies^ that are eafily touched with the Feeling of your Miferies ! Tender, to fympathize with you in them, to lelieve you under them , and to deliver you from them. Oh, Christ hath a tender Heart, and a tender Hand to bind up wotinded Spirits ! your Miferies can be but Finite ; but the CompafBons of Christ zxq Inf.nite\ They know neither Bound, Change, nor End ! but fprcad themfelves in glo- rious Triumph over all \ Oh come, caft your Soul, put your Ti*uft under the Shadow of his Wings, until your Cala- mities arc overpaft ! He v/iil not Frown you away : but, open bis Jr/nsy his Bofom, and let you into all his Grace / And !o. The }p AT iih K himfelf loveih you / It will pleafe the /v/- t^^r Willy to fee you comQ untg him by Jefus Chriji^ He

(47 ) delighteth in Mercy, in exercifing Loving Kindnefs to te moft miferable and unworthy. The Father's Love is great, free, unchangeable and eternal! And throu^ the crucifyM, rifen, and afcended Saviour, he will difplayhls Mercy, Love and Grace, in its exceeding Riches, unt6 Ages without End ! God*s Defign in faving Sinners by Jeibs Chrifl-, is to magnify his Mercy, to glorify his Graccj to tommend his Love, and fet it off in all its native Glories, be- fore all intelligent Beings* And therefore, Wher-e Sin has abounded^ Grace doth much more abound. Oh the infinite Fulnefs oi Grace ! The Glory of this much more! Grace triumphs over Sins^ over Mtferies^ over Wants innumera- ble, in the Salvation of Sinners unto Life eternal ! It flls Valleys, covers Mountains, and like a mighty Deluge, pre- vails in its infinite Strength, and fpreads its inunenfe Gio des over all !

* It rifes, fee, it drowns the HiUs,

< *T has neither Shore nor Bound ;

* Now if we fearch to find our Sins,

< Our Sins can ne're be found ! *

Oh the infinite All-prevailing s of God's free, rich, rcfign* ing Grace ! Eternity will be little enough to adore its Wonders, and Jing its Praifes ! Oh fubmit to this Grace, rejoice m. this Grace, adore and praife this Grace, in Heart, Lip and Life, until Timers Praifes are fwallow'd tip in bleft Ete?'nity's louder Hallelujahs 1

Unto tbe Love and Care of our Great Shepherd^ I ^commait you. Pray for, my dear Brother,

JTosirs mojl tenderly in Jesus,

L E T T E

To Mr, My dear Brother in Chriji^ T Thank you for your kind Letter. I rejoice iai the LcrcTs -* Goodnefs to you and others^ in applying his own Truths -with Power to your Hearts, fo weakly ftainmerM out %y a ■Bale, I rejoice in the Lord's Kindnefs to msy in oiaJciiag;

( 48 )

my weak Attempts to fervc him and his People, acceptable to you. Not unto us^ not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy Name he all the Glory I '

Glad am I to hear, what Hade our Lord makes, that his glorious Kingdom comes, that he has begun to Jhah the Nations. Oh may the Shake be ^^-w^r^?/, 2in6 the Dcftre of all Nations come I My dear Brother, we had need be ready. There is no Time for us to Jleep now. The Bridegroom Cometh ! Oh let us arife^ and trim our Lamps, left he find us unprepared ! Surely that great and wonderful Work which Chrift is doing in the World at this Time, calls aloud upon us, Chriftians, to arife from our carnal Security, to put off the Deeds of Darknefs, to put on the Armour of Light, and as Children of Light, to ftand prepar'd for the Glory of the approaching Day. Even of that bright Day, when the Knovjlrdge cf the LoRD, Jhall cover the Earth, as the Waters do the Sea ! When yew and Gentile fhall be brought into 07ie Fold, and one Lord Jhall he Shepherd over them. ! When the l^oiiD fiall he King over all the Earth, Jhall reign in Mount Zion, and before his Ancients, glorioufy I Surely our Lord, in his Word, and by his Work fays, / come quickly. Let us in. Tranfports of Love and Joy fay, Jjnen ! Even fo, come Lord J ejus !

I am glad my dear Brother, that you have Boldnefs thro* the Gcodncfs that is in Jesus, even in the Views of your Selfempti- nejs. It is Chriftian-like, Believer-like, to be nothing in our- felves, and Jll in Christ, who is our All ! Oh it requires much oftheWifdom and Strength of Faith, to look well into our own Vilcncfs and Emptinefs, without unbelieving Deje^ion\ and to feci and fee ourfelves full and glorious, by our Lord's Beams and Streams, without Self -exaltation! Oh how apt arc we to look upon ourfelves in 2ifeperate View from Chrift ! To look on our Wants, in a Jeperate View from his Ful- nefs, and to look on our'^Supplies, m 3. feperate View from the glorious Fountain from whence they proceed ! And fo on the one Hand, to fmk into Difcouragement -, and on the other, to make Idols of our Lord's fair Jewels ! Oh we have unbelieving. Self-exalting, and in botli, Christ-^jc- cluding Hearts. The Voice of proud L^nbelief, in all its va- rious Workin<j3 is, None cf Chrijl ! None of ChriJi ! Ami

yet

( 49 ) yet the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift is fufficient for us : To forgive our Sins, to fubdue our Iniquities, and to give us humble Faith, the Voice whereof, with a louder Cry, is. None hut Christ / None but Christ ! He is All, and in All ! The Lord, and our Lord ! and unto him be all the Glory ! and happy are the Souls whofe Language is this ! and happy they, when this is their Voice ! Christ will fay of them, in the Infinity of his Grace, from his own Beau- ties imputed and imparted. Thou art All- Fair ^ my Love ^ there is no Spot in Thee ! And they again will reply. Thou art Fair tny Beloved ; Fairer than the Children of Men, Fairer than Angelic Glories, immenfely Fair, and Altogether Lovely I How Blefled then are the Souls that believe in Jesus, and that have Communion with him by Faith ! That have an Tn- tereft in Christ's Love and Fellowfliip with him therein ! And that this, my dear Brother, may be your daily Privi- lege, is the hearty Defire of your

Friend and Servant ifi the Lord,

LETTER XXIIL

To Mr, L s,

Aly very dear Brother^

THE Account you gave me in your lail, of the Lord ^s Dealings with your Soul, did much endear you to me, through his Working. Oh my dear Brother, you and I, and all God's Chofen, are loved with xh^ fame Love. With the infinite, free, unchangeable, and eternal I^ove of God f This Love was fix'd upon us of old, before Time was, or Sin entered : Has found us out when afar ofiF from God, and made us nigh by the Blood of Christ. It was becaufe the Lord had loved us with an everlafiing Love, that he dreu.' as with Loving- kindnefs, unto Faith in Jesus. Oh the Sove- reignty of Grace, that took you, and took me, while others were left, who in many RefpecSls, were not ^fo bad as we ! V/hoever is angry at difliiiguijljing Grace, let us admire it, adore it, and fhout its Praifes, thro' Time and to Eternity. Let us cry, Grace, Grace^ to the V/hcle of our Salvation bv

G 7</«;

(so)

Jefus Chriji f Love, infinitely Free^ took us up in our pe- rifhing Condition, and gave us the JAito^ Grace. And in its fweet, ftrong, everlafting Arms, it will carry us into the Life of Glory, And there, with uninterrupted Shine, it will cafl upon us its bright Beams, unto Blifs and Joy, full and immenfe, to the Days of Eternity ! — Rejoyce then, my dear Brother, i'n Hope of the Glory of God. And, Come up fro?n the TV'ildernefs^ leaning upon your Beloved, Who is Ts' Jierday, T^-day^ and for ever the Same, in his boundlefs Love to you ! In Him, I am Sir,

y'our 7noJt affectionate Friend and Servant ^

LETTER XXIV.

To Mr, H d.

Aly dear and honour'* d Brother, Grace unto you and Peace he multiplied, from God our Fa* ther, and the Lord fefus Chriji.

THUS we that believe in Jesus, may well greet one a- nother. Since Peace is made for us by the Blood of Chrifl's Ciofs, aand fhall be extended to us like a River. God our Father, is the God of Peace unto us in Chrifl. Oh my Brother, you and I, have done as evilThings as we could. And yet, all is Peace, between God and us fill. Our Ori- ginal Guiit in our firft Father Adam, that horrid Mafs of Enmity againR- God, which was thence derived into our wretched Nature, that entire and continual Rebellion againft our Maker, which we were guilty of before he callM us by his Grace, and thcfe many great and aggravated Sins, which we have been guilty of fmce we were under forgiving Love; rife to fuch a A4afs of Guilt, that it is an aftonifhing Wonder^ that we are not made VefTels oi Wrath for ever ! We have deferv'd nothing IcTs, than God's fiery Indignation, to be perfecuted with his Storm, and caft into the tempeftuous Sea of eternal Vengeance. — But oh, did Jesus ftep into our Place ! Did He hear our Sin, endure our Hell, and drink up all that Wrath which was due to us, even to the laft Drop, until he cry'd out, // is fnijht ! — What Love was this in tlie Son of God ! What ^ove was this in the Fa- ther,

( 51 ) ther, to give his Son to be thus abased and crufh'd, wound- ed and bruifed to Death, even the Death of the Crofs for us ! For us Rebels I For us Enemies ! For us that de- ferv'd to be Companions with Devils^ in the Lake of Fire for ever ! Oh, it is hke God ! A Love worthy of God ! In which the infinite Glories of the Godhead fhine, and will be radiantly difplay'd, to the endlefs Wonder and Praife of Men and Angels ! It was you^^ my Brother, it was me^ that Jehovah y^ loved! Can wq found the Depths of Love's Ocean ? Can we take the Breadths of this bound lefs Sea ? We may dive into it, but can never Botto?n it. We may fwim in it, but can never pafs over it. Infinite Love^ is be- neath us, above us, behind us, before us, in the Depths and Heights, the Breadths and Lengths of its own Infinity ! And this Love, my Brother, dy'd in Bloody thro* the Death of Jesus, is a Sea of Life unto us ! Here we have the free, the full, the eternal Forgivenefs of all our Sins. A Robe of juftifying Righteoufnefs, more glorious far, than Angels wear. A Fulnefs of all Grace, to fupply us, to enrich us, to delight us, a boundlefs, endlefs Store. And a Fulnefs of all Glory, of inconceivable Blifs, in the Right of it now, and fhall have the Enjoyment of it e'er long, in the imme- diate Vifion of God and the Lamb for ever.

Sweet to me, dear Sir, this Morning, were the firft and fecond Verfes of the twenty third Pflilm. My Heart was inclin'd to acquaint you with it. Ancient was the Father's Love, free, rich, diftinguifhing was his Grace, in giving us to Chriji, as his Sheep ', and in commanding him to lay down his Life, and take it again for us, to fave us to the utter- moft. And the boundlefs Love of Chrijl, his free, rich, fo- vereign Grace, in accepting us at the Father's Hand, as his Sheep, in taking the Charge of us as fuch, although him- felf was to die in our Stead, to redeem us from all Mifery, unto all Glory ; doth far furpafs Knowledge, All the World are not Chrift's Sheep. Why was you? Why was I? How is it that we fliould find fuch Grace in the Sight of the Lord ? It can be refolv'd into nothing lefs, than the fove- reign good Pleafure of his own JVilL It can only be an- fwer'd by this great Refolve of his Heart : " I will be gra- cious to whom'l will be gracious, and will fhew Mercy on

G 2 whom

. ( 52 )

whom I will fhew Mercy.*' Let us admire, let us adore it. Strange ! that it fliou'd be us^ that the Lord refolv'd to be gracious to, and to fliew Mercy upon ! But fo it is : The Lord is our Shepherd ! — We ihall not want. No, his own Life has been paid, to procure for us a full Supply. He leads us into green Pajiures : that deferv'd to dwell in a barren Land, where no Salvation-Bleffings fpring. He ma- keth us to lie down befide the ftill IVaters : that deferv'd not a Drop of Comfort, nothing but the Damned 's Fare •, to be tormented in the Flaines of Hell ^ without a Drop of Water to cool our Tongue. He makes us to lie down and red: by the Jiill Waters ; that have deferv'd to be all expos'd to the Waters o^ Trouble. Strange! that the glorious Lord, Father, Son and Spirit, fliould be unto us^ that have done io wickedly, that have fo much Wickednefs in us, a River of Grace and Peace, of Love and Life, ^glorious broad Ri- 'uer with Streams ; where no Enemy can come to deflroy us : When from our God, there is no Peace to the Wicked ! Oh my Brother, the God of Peace is our Portion, thro' the IvAMb's Blood! Thus to us, th^ Legatees^ xh^ New Tejia^ rnent^ with all its glorious Gifts and Bequeathments, ftands confirmed.

Go then, you Son of Peace, you Heir of Peace, preach Peace ly fcfus ChriJ}^ to them that are afar off^ and to tbe??i that are nigh. Tell Saints of their peaceful State. Tell Sin- ners, there is Peace in Chrili for the very Chief, that come in to him., the Lord our Peace. Preach the reconciling Word : And the God of Peace will flay the Enmity in the Hearts of his People thereby. ■ — That the Peace of God which _ pajjefh all Under /landings 7Jia'y keep your Heart and Mind thro' Chri^fi yefus ', is the fmcere Defire of, dear Sir,

Tour AffeSfionate Friend and Servant,

In the Glorious Lamb.

LET-

I

( 53 )

LETTER XXV.

To Mr. C ns.

My dear Brother in Chrijf^

Kindly thank you for your Letters. The fiifl of which,

brought me/Tidings of great Joy, with RefpecSt to the Coming of our Lord's Kingdom, and efpecially in the Army. Oh may it rife and fhine, till the whole Earth is filled with its Glory ! In vain the Powers of Darknefs, oppofe the Lord of Light, the Lord our Light, the glorious Sun of Righ- teoufnefs, who is rifmg upon his People, with Healing in his Wings. All oppofite Power muft (loop to the fupreme Do- minion of the glorious Lamb ; when He takes unto himfelf his great Power, and reigneth : By the Sceptre of his Grace, to fave his People, and by his Iron Rod, to dafli in Pieces his Enemies. The Powers of Jntichrift^ will make JVa^ with the La?nb ; but the Lamb fhall overcome them. And however grieving the Approaches of Chrifl's Kingdom may be to the Men of the World ; " Let the Children ofZion be joyful in their King :" and fay with united Voice, Come Lord'Jefus^ come quickly !

As to yourfelf, my dear Brotiier, I mourn, I rejoice with, you, for your different Experiences of the Power of Sin, and of the Power of Grace. Well it is for you and me, that tho' Sin works in us, and too often prevails as an Ufurper ; yet it hath not theTbro^ie in our Hearts. Chri/i reigns there ; and Sifi fliall not have Dominion over us. Becaufe we are vot under the Law^ as a Covenant of Works ; which con- demns for Sin, which gives no Strength againfl it : But under Grace ; which forgives our Sins, and fubdues our Iniquities. — Howbeit, tho' a Chriftian is, and ought to be pa jive to the P^eign of Grace ; he is call'd thereby, to h^ adlive in a Way of Duty ; to maintain a ft ri (SI Guard over his Thoughts, Words and A6lions, to watch and pray always, left he enter into Temptation. — And thus the Promife, " Sin fhall not have Dominion over you ; for you are not under the Law, but under Grace :'* And the Exhortation, " Let not Sin therefore reign in your mortal Body, that you fhould obey it in the Lufts thereof;" do well agree. The Grace of God,

doth

( 54 )

doth not kt afide Duty ; but calls for it. Carnal Security, - is the Bane of Chriftianity. " Be fober, be vigilant, faith the Apoftle Peter ^ for your Adverfary the Devil, goeth about like a roring Lion, feeking v^^hom he may devour." He will either put Souls upon working for Life ; or having Life, to ceafe from working. To fear that their Sins will never be forgiven ; or being pardon'd, to ht fearhfs of Sin. He will put Believers, either upon doubting of the Truth of Grace in their Hearts ; or having a Perfuafion thereof, to be proud of it. He will cither diffuade us from Duty, becaufe of our Weaknefs ; or put us upon attempting it, in our own Strength^ &c. And our vile Hearts, always join with Satan, And both agree to draw us into Sin, We walk as it were, in the midft of Snares. And therefore we had need walk watch/idly. We are never fo weak, as when we think our- felves y?r^;z^. So near to nothing, as when we think our- felves to hefomething. Nor in fo much Danger of falling, as when we think weyiand. For, " Pride goeth before De- ilrucl:ion ; and a haughty Spirit before a Fall." Self, even gracious Self, admir'd, is made an Idol of ; and trufled in, will deceive us. Every Idol muft be aboUjlod, that the Lord alone may be exalted.

But oh, what a Mercy is it to us, that when we fall, we are not alone I That there is One to help us up, our ftrong Lord Jefus, whofe almighty Arm, upholdeth all that fall ! Who limits our Falls, that tho' we fall partially, we fall not utterly ! Who forgives our Sins, heals our Backflidings, and over-rules our Falls, to make us more watchful of our Steps I Oh it is well for us, that we are Chriji^s Care \ that He hath a conftant Hold of us \ elfe we ihould fall into Perdition, we fhould fall, and rife no more. But everlajling Arms being underneath us, we are for ever fecur'd from that Danger ; and being round about us, they'll raife us when we flip : '* When we fall, we (hall arife ; when we fit in Darknefs, the Lord •will be a Light unto us."-^— We never wdlk fafely, but when we walk helievingly ; but when we walk in Chriji by Faith, as we have received him. Oh when, thro' Unbelief, we begin to walk in our f elves, in the Strength of our re- ceived Grace ', we foon get a Fall. When we begin to aft, as if v/e thought we could do without Cbjifti o\xx kind Lord,

in

( 55 ) _ in Love to our Souls, will foon convince us of the Need we have of Him. When we fooliflily think, we have received Grace enough to enable us to walk as Saints -, we fhall foon find that we are poor Sinners. And good it is for us to be thus hu7nbled ; that v/e may learn pra6tically, our own Mi- fery and Poverty, and to go out of ourfelves, and all Self- Dependance continually, to live in, and depend upon the All-Sufficiency of Christ. In whom alone, all our frefli Springs, for every Grace and Duty are j and from Vv'hom they muft be continually derived unto us, or the Exercife of our Graces, and the Performance of our Duties will in- ftantly fail.

I rejoice with you, my dear Brother, that tho* you have had a humbling Proof of your own Vilenefs ; you have a fweet Senfe of forgiving Grace. That tho' you have felt the Weight of Sin more than ever, you are fweetly fupported under it, by glorious Views of your Compleatnefs in Chrijl^ tho' fo incompleat in yourfelf. Oh, nothing gives the Soul, fuch fweet, folid Soul-Reft, as a View of our being dead to Sin in ChriJ}^ when we fadly feel that it is alive in us. No- thing kills Sin more, nor ftrengthens the Soul more againft it. When we fee a complete Victory over our fpiritual Enemies, obtained for us, and fecur'd to us by our con- quering Lord ; we fhall fight valiantly under the Banner of his Love, againft all the Powers of Darknefs. — Wherefore, *' Be ftrong, my Brother, in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might." For He that has done all/^r you, will do all in you ; and prepare you by all your TVials, for that Service He has defign'd you for in this World, and for the Glory which is prepar'd for you in the World to come. — Unto the tender Care of Christ, the great Shepherd, I commit you: And am, dear Sir,

Yours moji affectionately in H I My

LETTER XXVL

To Mr. L s. .

My very dear Brother in Chrijfy

I Thank you for yours received. I compaffionate you in your inward and outward Trials, Be of good Cheer : AH

Things

( 56 )

Things' go well. All Things are yours^ "whether profperous or afHi(5tive. All Things work together for your Good ; to ripen your Graces, and prepare you for your Crown. — *' Aye, you will (dy, how can that be, when I don't fee that I grow in Grace thereby ? — Know you not, my Bro- ther, that our Lord works by Cofitraries ? that he often works under-ground, out of our Sight? That a Child of God may grow fweetly in Grace, when he don't know it ? That he may grow downward in Humility and Self-abafement, when he don't grow upvoard in Love and Joy ? That when he don't y>^/ the Power of Chrift refting upon him, to his grow- ing up into Him, by the Exercife of Summer-Graces; he may grow moreixiz. deep Senfe of his own Weaknefs and utter Infufficiency to do any good Thing, take deeper Root by Faith into the All-fuiKciency of Christ, and by a hum- ble and entire Dependance, cleave clofer to Him than ever ? And that Wintcr-Difpenfations, prepare for Summer-Fruits ? Bleji'ed (fays our Lord) are the Poor in Spirit ; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. God's free, fovereign Grace, reign- ing thfo' the Redeemer's Righteoufnefs, will do all for them, that fee themfelves worthy oi Nothing ; will enrich thofe, that fee they want every Thing. It is good for us to be emptied of Self, and Self- Dependance ; to fee ourfelves to be nothing but a Mafs of Weaknefs and Vilenefs. And the Means by which this is efFecled, thro' the over-ruling Power and Grace of God, are Times of Trial. Of the fenfible Withdraw of divine Influences, of Temptations from Satan, of the Work- ing of Corruptions, and of contrary Difpenfations. — When by Reafon of Thefe^ we cry out, tVa is me^ I am undone ! Then we fhall be ?nade. When thus opprejjed and dijirejfed 'y the Lord will undertake for us. 7'here is Work for the Saviour, when thus we fee ourfelves to be poor Sinners. There is Room for Free-Grace to difplay its Glories^ when within and without, we are furrounded with Miferies. And when in all Refpeds, we fee ourfelves to be Helplefs > the LclRD, the Almighty God, will be our Helper, We can't have too many Mifcdes, for a God of boundlefs Compaf- fions to be touch'd with. Nor too many Wants, for a God of infinite Fulnefs to fupply. And this God, in infinite Faithfulnefs, is our God, for ever and ever. For Ever, thro'

Time j

Time ; and for ever, to Eternity. And what can we want more ? Is God in Christ ours P Let us be content with our Portion. We hzvc enough in BiM: We have yf//. We can- not, we fhall not want «wy g^od Thing, Whatever infinite Wifdom fees beft for us ; infinite Gbodnefs will beftow upon us ; and infinite Faithfulnefs fecur6s to Us. — Sweet my Bro- ther, was this Expreflion of yours to me : "A God keeping Covenant, is a Saviour to fome Purpofe." Let me add. Unto all Intents and Purpofes, relating to our prefent and eternal Salvation, from all Sin and Mifery, unto all Grace and Glory. Oh my Brother, your Covenant-God, will give you Faith to truft in him. He that was the Author^, will be the Finijher of your Faith. His Faithfulnefs flands engagM, to maintain, increafe, and perfect the Work of F^ith with Power. Your Soul, your Body are the Lord's : The Redeemer's Right, and precious to him. And both, and all Things needful for both, are His Care.

Come then, lie down and reft in the Bofom of infinite Love, in the Bofom of God, your own God in Christ ; who is and will be to you. The God of Love / Here all Things are provided for you, that you can poflibly want* Pardon for your Guilt, Strength for your Weaknefs, Wif- dom for your Folly, in a Word, all Fuhiefs to fupply your e'oery Need. Commit your Soul, your Body, your Circum- ftance, into the Lord your Redeemer's Hands ; and take an holy Eafe, from all anxious Care about either* Can you by taking fuch Thought, add to your Stature one Cubit ? Will you rob your Lord of his Glory as your Leader, by drawing out Ways {ax him to lead you in ? Oh commit yourfelf wholly unto his Conduff. Lofe your own Wifdom as Folly, in his infinite Underftanding. Believe now, that He leads you Ly a Right Way to a City of Habitation ; you fhall fee it to be fo e^er long. If now you are call'd to follow him in the Dark ; He will fhortly bring you forth to the Lights and you fhall behold his Righteoufnefs. Li the Difpenfaiion of lbs Fulnefs of Times, God will gather together in one all '1 lihgs in Chrift. All his Dealings, with all his People, into one bright Form, one great Defign of boundlefs Lovcj in a glo- rious Order of infinite Wifdom : And as fuch prefent them unto their View ; to their cndlefs Joy, and to his eternal

H Piiil/.

(58) Pralfe. — And mean Time, let us bellevei when we can't fde ; adore ^ what we can't comprehend ; and in Patience pof- fefs our Souisy thro' all that Diflrefs and Perplexity, which attends Nations, Churches, Families and Perfons, in thefe evil Times, which precede our Lord's Coming. He has told us before-hand, that thefe Things mujl come to pafs ; and bid- den us lift up our Headsy at the Beginning of Sorrows : Bc- caufe the Day of our Redemption draweth nigh.

As to the Perfecution that our Brethren meet with, the Lord will be with them in it, and over-rule it for the Fur- therance of his Gofpel, the Good of Souls, and for their pre- fent and eternal Joy. The more God's People are afflihed^ the more they grow. The Enemies fhall never get them rooted out of the Earthy fo long as Christ fits enthron'd for them in Heaven. Howbeit, the Powers of Jntichrijf^ will make War with the Lamb 5 and they fhall accomplifh to fcatter the Power of the holy People^ for a little Seafon, 'J'hat the Judgments of our Lord the King of Saints, may appear to be true and righteous, when he arifeth to fave all the Meek of the Earth, and to break in Pieces the Oppreflbr. The Lord of Hojls is with us, the God of Jacob is our Re- fuge. Selah, There is a River ^ the Streams whereof Jhall make glad the City of God, God is in the Midji of her, Jhe Jhall not be 7noved : God Jhall help her, and that right early. Therefore we ivill not fear-, tho* the Earth he removed, and thd* the Jidountains be carried into the ]\didji of the Sea. Tho^ the Waters thereof roar and he troubled^ iho* the Alountains fJmke with the Swelling thereof Selah. — - Into the Heart and Arms of Christ, I commit you. Who loves you infinitely, cares for you continually, and will fave you compleatly. His Grace be with your Spirit ! Pray for me. ' I am, dear Sir,

Yours affc£fionately in the Slain Lamb,

LETTER

( 59 )

LETTER XXVII.

To Mr. H d.

Dear and Honour'' d Brother^

YOURS I received, and return you Thanks for it. I re- joyce in the Lord's Loving-kindnefs to your Soul, and that bis Hand is with you in your Work. — May the Lord continue thefe great Favours, and increafe you with all the Increafes of God ! Indeed my dear Brother, it is our Hap- pinefs and Glory to y^^/ much of God in our Hearts. It is Christ «;/VZ>/«, inwardly enjoyed, unto a growing Confor- mity to him, that makes the Soul Happy, I am entirely of your Mind, that '' Religion don't confift in Difputes, but in inward Senfation and Experience." And lamentable it is, that in the Age wherein we live, there is fomuch refting in Head-Knowledge^ without Heart-Experience, And where the Truth of Grace is in the Heart, that there is fo much refting in paji Experiences^ without an earneft Concern after Growth in Grace ^ and an Increafe in the Knowledge of Christ , or a daily Fellowfhip with Christ in his Death and Refurrec- tion, unto full Joy and increafmg Holinefs. Oh what holy, happy Chriftians fhould we be, if we were earneftly con- cern'd about a daily Knowing of the Truth as it is in Jesus, in its Power and Efficacy on our Hearts, and reducing the fame to an anfwerable PraSiice in our Lives! That Religion which confifts only in Head- Knowledge, without Heart- Influence, is little worth. — Nor is that Religion which exalts inward Senfation, to a Negledt of outward Revelation^ much better. — For without Knowledge, (the Knowledge of Gofpel-Truths) the Heart cannot be good. We muft iirft know, to feel, and feel, to do, if what we do in Religion is right, either as to the inward Adings of our Minds, or the outward Adions of our Lives. — This is the Sum, my dear Brother : The Lord Jefus Chrift and his bleffed Truths, re- veal'd in the Gofpel without us, muft firft be reveal'd by the Holy Spirit within us, before we can feel the happy Influence of God's Salvation in our Hearts : hndifofar as Chrift and his Truths are reveal'd in us, fo far we are oblig'd to abide therein by P'aitb, to cleave thereto in Love, and to bear

H 2 Witncfs

( 6o )

Witnefs for the fame, both in Word and Deed, In our Lives. — — Has Chrift and his Truths been revealM to your Mind, my dear Brother, by the Word and Spirit of God ? Have you feen the Glory, and felt the Povirer hereof ? Then are you call'd to hold fajl that which you have received \ that no Man take your Crown. -^Y^i{^\xX£.% in Religion, (or Difpute'S Sake^ for Humour s "Sake, are no better than vain Jangling, idle Contention, a wretched Mifs-pence of Time, a Negle6i: of the Power of Godlinds, and^ a Means to promote Un- godjinefs and Irreligian. Dlfputes in Religion, to advance Err6r, and dellroy the Truth, are abominable. But Dlfputes in Religion, for Truth' s Sfihy to advance the Truth agalnft riling Error, are commendable and profitable. Such Kind of Dlfputes, raaintain'd by the infpir*d Penmen, we have In- ilances of both in the Old and New Teftament. To fujdj Kind of Dlfputes, the Saints are exhorted, even to contend eartiejlly for the Faith which was once delivered unto the SainiSy Jude 3. And the happy Frtut of fuch Dlfputes, is the Jd- vancement of the Redeemer's Kingdom, and the Downfal of Satan's, the EJlahliJhment of Saints in the Do<3rines of Chrift, die Deliverance of their Souls from the Falfhoods a Ivanc'd by the Father of Lies, and the Overthrow of Men of corrupt Minds. — Such is the infinite Wifdom and Grace of our dear Lord Jefus, as the Head and King of his Church, that he would not fuffer Errors to appear, if he did not de- fign to over-rule theju for his own Glory and his People's Good. When the Prince of Darknefs with his Train, make War with the Lamb by advancing Error, darkning, (bak- ing i^rrcr; our Lord thereby, will more abundantly mani- feft and confirm his Truth, and the Faith of his People there- in : While then, in an efpecial Manner, he calls and fpirits his Servants, his WltJiefles, to lift up the Standard of Truth, againft Error, and fight valiantly under Him their great Leader, who for this End came into the World, To hear IVitnefs to the Truth. And lo, our Lord will honour thofe v>?ho are his Witnefies, his Warriors for Truth in the Earth,

and crown them as Vidiors, with heavenly Glory. •- An

abfolute Oppofition to all Dlfputes in Religion, is an appa- rent Artifice of Satan. And the manifeft Defign of the Ene- my herein is, to darken the Redeemer's Glory, by a Cloud

©f

f 6i )

of Error, and have none to ftand on Chrift's Side, on the Side of Truth, to fan the Air, and drive away the Smoke ot the bottomlefs Pit.

Perhaps my dear Brother, you may wonder I fpeak thus ; but I vi^ould guard your Mind from that Snare into which

others have fallen. Brother R -j, and Brother O y

were, drawn off from appearing on the Sid£ of Truths by No Difpute in Religion^ until they loji the Truth. — And a fad Account I have in a Letter lately receiv'd from a Friend

at Ph- ia^ * That the M- n Tenets fpread very

^ fail in that Place, that many Profelytes are made, and * that hereupon Perfons moft ladly give up the Truths of < Chrift, and fay, " They will have nothing to do with *' Do£trines, or Principles in Religion." — May the God of Peace hruife Satan under your Feet^ and after all your Suffer- ings by his Temptations^ Jiablijh^ Jlrengthen^ fettle you ! May He deliver you from every evil JVork^ and preferve you fafe un- to his Heavenly Kingdom ! The Grace of Christ be with your Spirit ! Into his Arms I commit you. Pray for. Dear Sir^ Tours mojl affe^ionately inJESUSy

LETTER XXVIIL To Mr, L s.

My dear Brother L-r s,

T Kindly thank you for your lafi:. It much rejoicM my ■I- Heart, to hear that your Hope in God and ExpecStation. from Him was ftrengthen'd. And that the fovereign Lord of All, was pleas'd to make my laft a Means to comfort your dear Soul. The Account you gave me, of the Lord's making my poor Letters of fuch Ufe to you, melted me into Tears of Joy and Thankfulnefs. The Lord thereby enlarg'd my Heart to praife Him, and fill'd me with vaft Defires to ferve Him.

It is Chrift's Voice unto you, '' Rejoice in the Lord al- way, and again I fay. Rejoice." God hath given you his Son^ that unfpeakabfe Gift ! See that for this, to the glo- rious

( 62 ) rious Girer, your wliole Life heThanl-s ! OH my Brother, a heavy unthankful Frame, ill becomes thofe happy Souls, that have Christ for their Portion. God the Father lov'd you fo, that He did not think the IVorld^ good enough to be your Let. And therefore gave his Son -, in whom all Fulnefs, even the Fulnefs of the Godhead dwells. Oh take up your wondrous Lot / And go thro' a World of Trials re- joicing. Christ is given you, and all Things with him freely. All Grace, all Glory, and all good Things. Life and Death, Comforts and Crofles, 7"hings prefent and Things to come : '' All are yours, and you are Chrift's, and Chrifl is God's.*' Wherefore behave with a true Greatnefs of Spirit, as an Heir of Jll Things, an Heir of GOD, and a Joint-Heir %vith CHRIST! Are your moft grieving Things given you by infinite Love ? And will you not accept of them humbly and thankfully ? Your Troubles are all under the fupreme Difpofe of your all-wife and all- gniclous God. And after you have been fully exercisM thereby, they will yield unto you, the peaceable Fruit of Pvighteoufnefs. Oh be in Love with every Thing that comes from the God of Love, to bring the Fruits of his Love to YOU here in Grace, and to prepare you for end lefs Glory. — Happy are j'ou, that yow feek ]esvs : You {h?\\ fnd Him. *' Your HeArt fnall live, that feeks God." — Be earnejily concern'd about Growth in Grace, but not anxioufiy con- cern'd. For all Anxiety and Perplexity fpring from Unbe- Ikf, Faith, lays the Soul to Reft in the Bofom of God, }n the Midft of Trouble. <« The Righteous fhall flourifh Jtke the Palm-Tree :" under prefTmg Weights. And when Preflures will not conduce to your Fruitfulnefs ; the Lord ^.■our Lover, will take them off your Shoulders. All Things ;ire in Lcve to you % in all give Thanks : And the Peace of G, O D luhich pajjeth all UnderJIanding, keep your Heart and Mid thro' Ghriji Jcjus. In Him, dear Sir, lam

Tours moji affe^ionately.

LET.

( ^3 )

LETTER XXIX.

to Mr, C ^ns.

My dear Brother in Chriji, ^Race unto you^ and Peace be multiplied. — • I thank you for ^^ your laft Letter. I have juft now been reading it, and was melted into Tears of Joy, for the Grace that faved you ; and made me, in my poor Writings, a Means of your Ac- quaintance with xho. DoSirines of Grace ; and I am perfuaded, with the Grace of thofe DotStrines. — Oh why did not the Lord let you go down in t"he broad Way to Dejlrudion^ when pofting on in that high Road ? Becaufe He had lov^d and chofen you of Old ! Becaufe He had not appointed you unto Wrath^ hut to obtain Salvation by Jefus Chrijl. — And when turn'd from a vicious Courfe, to a firi£i Life^ and become a proud Pharifee^ a Reafoner, a Difputer againft that fovereign Grace^ by which the Lord faves his Own ; Whyy oh why^ did not the Lord let you go down to the Pit of Hell, with this Lie of your own Righteoufnefs in your Right Hand? Why did He not refolve to punifh you with everlafting De- ftru£lion, for your Enmity againft, and Di (obedience to the Gofpel? Oh, not becaufe you did not dejerve it-, but becaufe He would be gracious ! Becaufe He woidd have Mercy upoa you, merely from the fovereign good Pleafure of his own Will ! Oh Sir, you wa^ without God in the World, afar off from Him ; an Ene?ny in your Mind by wicked Works ; even by this wicked Work, q{ going about to eJlabUJh your own Righteoufnefs ; and thereby refufuig Submiffion to the Righ^ teoufnefs of God. You was a 5/r^/z^^r to Christ : Ofj(j.*, a Builder, upon your own Doings for Life, was Jefus Cbri/!^ the chief Corner-Jlone, the Foimdation which God lias laid ia Sion, difallow'd. Your Soul was brimful of Enmity agaijii!- your Saviour. You faid unto Him, Depart f rem v.e ; I defre not the KnozvUdge cf thy Ways. And wcuid He ;iot take you at your Word, and fay, Fll leave thee \ thou fa'f mvcr have eternal Life by the Kjtowledge cf Me ? Would He not let you go, with a Thou find tliat fall at your Side, and Ten Thoufand at your Right-Kand ? Oh, A^^ / But why, oh why P Was it becaufe you was letter than they F No, in na ■ wife. But fuch was tlic Sovereignty, the Frccnefs, the Im-

mcnfity

( ^4)

menfity of Chrift^s Love to you^ that He would not, could not^ let you perifl). You he had known, and Ibv'd of Old. He had liv*d and dy*d, ferv'd and fweat, groan'd and bled for you^ to bring you into his own Embraces. You was his by Right of Gift ; the Father gave you to hi rtl before Time be- . gan. You was his by Right of Purchafe ; he bought you witfr his Blood, and gave his owrt Soul, in your Soul^s Stead. Arid' out of the Devil's Kingdom, out of the Jaws and Paws of the Devourer, he would have you. He refolv'd you fhould be his by Right of Conqueft : To aflail and overcome you^^ to allure and fecure you to himfelf for ever. Oh my Brother,* all the PafTes and Avenues of your Heart, were barr'd and bolted againft Christ. Satan, that ftrong One, arm'd with your Sins, and the Curfe of the Law, kept th^ Houfe^ the Pofleffion of your Heart ; until a Jironger than he came upon him, bound him, and fpoil'd him of his Goods. Un- til the Lord your mighty Lover, in the omnipotent Strength of his own Grace, made his Royal Entrance into yoUi- Soul j brake the Gates of Brafs, and cut the Bars of Iron in funder^ deftroy'd your ftrong Enemy, and delivered you out of his cruel Hands. The Son hath made you free : And noW you zre free indeed I Free from the Guilt of Sin, and free from its reign- ing Power. Free from the Government of Satan, and tJie World's Jurirdi6tion. Free from the Law's Curfe,. the Hurt of natural, and the Danger of eternal Death. But what fhall I fay ? A co?npleat Freedom from all your Enemies, and glo- rious Triumph over them, hath Jesus given you in himfelf^ and will fhortly give you thro'' him. Your myjtical Freedom from all Bondage and Slavery, and Right to all Glory, is complete in Christ. Himfelf hath made you free, perfe£lly free, in himfelf. And ferfojial Freedom, every Way com- plete, in the free, the irreverfible Grant of all Salvation, is given you by Faith in the Saviour's Name. And the joyful Beginnings of all this Blifs, you have in your own Sold. Which from its happy Dawn, thro' Almighty Love, {hall advance apace to the perfe6^ Day, to the Meridian- Brightnefs of that Glory-Day, which awaits you. — Stand faji therefore in the Liberty zvherewith Christ hath made you free ; and be not entangled again with the Yoke of Bondage, Christ hath lov'd and bought, lov'd and refcu'd, lov'd and

woo'd.

c 65 y

wooM. and won you to himfelf. — And will you not now be his ? Oh, from henceforth, being delivered out of the Hands of all your Enemizs^ ferve him in Hollnefs and Rightcoufnefs ail the Days of your Life! Christ will never let go his Love-Hold of ;'<7w. Oh cleave you unto /^/V;/, with full P//r- pofe of Heart : Andi follow the Lamb, even luhitherfocver he goeth. Bear the Crofs \ you fhall fhortly wear the Crown. Vlo^fweet is the Crofs of blefTed Jesus ; and ineffably great that Crown of Glory, which he will fhortly fet upon yout Heady as an Overcomer. Labour to keep it in View by Faith ^ to hearten you on, to run with Patience the Racfi which is fet before you^ until you inherit the Pro?mfes. And what that Glory will be, in its Perfection, Extenfion and Greatnefs ; is bey©nd the Defcription of an AngeVs Tongue! Oh, what will it be, to fee Christ as he is! To be for- ever with him ! To live under the dired Line of his Love ! The all-enllghtning, all-enkindling Rays of Love's flaming Gloty, to the innumerable Ages of a blefsM Eternity ! — > ** Millions of Years, my wondring Eyes,

*** Shall o*er ^y Beauties rove : "<« And endlefs Ages, I'll adore « The Glories of thy Love !" That you as a tender Lamb of Christ's Fold, may be guided and guarded by him the great Shepherd, and made to Ji« down m the fat, green Paftures of Gofpel-Grace, befidc the ftill, deep Waters of eternal Love ; for your Refrefhment and Growth in this weary Wildernefs ; ur.til he brings you to the City v/hich our God has prepay- 'd for you, and pre^ fents you faultlefs before the Prefence cf his Father's Glory^ with exceeding Joy : Is the fmcere Dcfire of, my dear Brother, Tour moji affectionate Friend and Servant, In our fweet JESUS,

LETTER XXX.

To Mr. L s.

My very dear Brother,

I Am glad the Lord made my laft Letter of Ufe to you. As you faid it was cloje j I fuppof.- you might mifunder-

I Hand

( 66 )

flan J feme Exprcilion therein. Perhaps this : «' All Anxiety •* and Perplexity, Tpring from Unbelief.'* By this, my dear Brother, I did not intend totals but partial Unbelief. Nor to fignify thereby, that the Anxiety which was in your Mind, was an Indication of your being in a State of Unbelief. There is much Unbtlief remains in Believers^ even in the Jlrongejl of them all. The Workings whereof, ought to be reduc'd to their {*roper Principle, from whence they flow. And to VJaich^ and eppofe the fame, is an excellent Piece of the Wif- dom of Fjiith. We fhould not doubt our being Believers, becaufc Unbelief warks in us ; but rife up as fuch, in a holy Indignation againft this great Sin. This eafily-befetting Sin, that robs God qf his Glory, as our great Saviour ; and us 'of our Comfort in his great Salvation. Though, Thanks to the God of all Grace ! it cannot rob us of our Intereft in •/?/;/?, and his infinite Love and Care ; nor feperate us one 'Moment from his tender Regard : However frequently it may fuggeft to Sioris Children^ that Siori^ GoD hath forgot^ ten and forfaken them. — Be of good Cheei", my Brother ; Chriji lives for you and in you i and you fhall live in and v/ith /;/V;;, both in Grace and GXovy.-r^Peace be unto you, ^^ In the Boyv^els of Jefus Chrift, I am, dear Sir, Yoiirs moji tenderly y

LETTER XXXI.

To Mrs, C -pe.

My 'V'Vi'y dear Sijler in the hord^

1 Sympathize with you in your long Afflidtlon; be of good Cheer : It is the Fruit of your Father's Love. It fprings from Love, it fliall be managed by Love, and it fhall end "\n Love to your dear Soul. Your fwect Lord Jefus will be with you, now voi; arc paffing through the T/^/^-rj of AfHic- tion ; and the Ri\:,rs foall not overfiovv you. Surely in the Fl-.ods of great IJ-'atcrs^ }our Sins fhall not come nigh you, i\\ the imputation of tliLir Guilt, nor in their defcived Pu- liiflimcnt. Uj-.on (Jhriil-, your Surety, God the Fathtr laid 3)1 you!-Ini(]ultv •, i^nd your dying Lord, by giving himfelf u bacLiiiCj in }«jUi Siciul^ hath forever made an End of your

Sin.

(67) Sin. Even yours, who have fled for Refuge as a pcririilng Sinner^, to the once-bleeding Savicur, to lay hold on hiTn-^ that glorious //<?/>^ fet before you in the Gofpel. Chrijf, your Pajfover, was fatrificed for you. And GW, even your Father, beheld the bleeding Lamb, v/as fatisfy'd for your Sins, and hath removed them as far from you, as the EoJ} is froii the IVe/i y and is and will be unto you, the God of Peace, All is Peace, my dear Sifter, between God and you in Chrift. There is no JVrath in your prefent Cup of AfHi(Slion ; nor fhall the Wrath to coine ever touch you. Chrijl is an Hiding" place to you, from that IVind, a fecure Covert from that Tempeji. And as Rivers of Water, will your fefus be untQ you in a dry Place ; in your PafTage thro* this Wiidernefs, this Vale of Tears. — Go fearlefs then, with your own Lord Jefus, through all the Afflictions of Z//> ; yea, thro' Death itfelf, when he calls you to pats thro* that dark Valley, to the Mount of eternal Life and Glory. For lo, the ctirnal -God is your Refuge ; and underneath are the ever lofting Arms f Since God the Saviour is your Refuge, my Siller, you (hall be well defended. Since his everlafting Arms are underneath you, they'll fupport you well. They*!! bear you up under preffing Griefs, and raife you to Joys and Glories, where Sorrows and Miferies cannot come.^ — I rejoyce to hear, that you are refolvcd to rejl on Chrijl, And v/eli you may, my dear Sifter, reft all your Weight as a poor Sinner, upon Chrift the great Saviour, as the Building refts upon the Foundation : For the Rock of Ages, can never fmk beneath you. It is fafe venturing into Eternity, upon Chrift^ th-sXfiirs Founda- tion which God hath laid in Sion* It is as impoflible, that any one Soul ftiould perijh, that refts on Jefus, as that Gcd^ ■himfelf fhould be unfaithful-, who hath faid, Th-M he that .believeth on Chrift, Jhall not be a/hamed, — Glad fliould I be, my dear Sifter, if the Lord would pleafe to rebuke your 111- nefs, and to reftore you to us again. But if the Time i% Gome, for you to be taken ux) to the bleft AiTembiy above, your Happinefs will be iaeffabiy greater. To be 'ujith Chrijl, blela'd with the immediate Vifion of his Face, and a full Conformity to his Image, is far, far hetUr ! Glory, Glory dwelleth in. Emanuefs Land f We that are left behind, (hall foon folic v/ fou, and with all the Lord's Redeemed,

I 2 (hill

( 63 )

lliair join in Hallelujahs unto God and the Lamb forever and jever.— Into the Arms of Jefus I commit you ; who will never ^ never leave you, nor for fake you : Who will not fail you, when Friends, and earthly Coinforts cannot help you. No, nor when your own Heart and Flejh fail neither. When r^U Cifterns of Creature-Comforts are dry^ and can't afford you one Drop in your greateft Need ; then will the Lord be .unto you, a Fountain of Life and Joy; the Strength of your 'Hearty and your Portion forever ! — In hinty my dear Sifter, J am

Tours mofi Affe£lionately^

LETTER

\ ' To Mr. W-

My very dear Brother in Chrifl^

I Thank you for your Letter, the Lord made it a Blefling to me, a Means to excite my Joy in him and Thankf- giving to him, to humble me before him, and to ftrengthen iny Hands in his Woik. Indeed the Lord hath done, and doth great Things for me^ to fhew his great Grace to the 'Chief o{ Sinners :' And unto hi?n be great and eternal Glory 1. I fympathize with you, my dear Brother, in your prefent Temptations ; altho' I have not been try'd in thofe Parti- culars. Having felt the Power and Pain of Temptations in Jother Rcfpe£ls, I can compaffionate you, under your parti-^ cular Exercifes. The fame Affli5iions which every Child of God meets with, as to his particular Temptations, are ac- complilh'd in fbme or other of his Brethren which are in the JVorld, And though every particular Temptation is not felt, by every particular Saint ; yet Temptations of all Kinds are caft among the Members of Chrift as a colle6live Body: Whence all the Members from their own^ particular Expe- rience, have a kindly Sympathy with each other in their particular Trials : And a ColleSfion^ an All of Temptations, was painfully felt by Chrift^ the dear Head of the Church ; to fit him for a moft intenje Sympathy with every of his par^ iicular Mernlers^ in evciy of their particular Temptations ; himiclr luiving felt they^/w*' ; Whence, from a Sea of flow- ing

( «9 )

ing Compaffions, an Infinity of ycrning Bowels in his Hearty he affords them fuitable Succour in every Time of Need. He was tempted in all Points like as we are. And in that he himfelf hath thus, fuffered^ being tempted^ he is able thus to fuccQur thetn that are tempted^-^Bt of good Cheer, my dear Bro- ther, your compaflionate Jefus, feels your Sorrows, and makes them his own by Sympathy ; will fupport you under, do you good by, and deliv^er you from your prefent DiftrefTes. •^— Flee to Chrijly your Hiding-place from the Wind of Temptation ; tell him how hard it blows upon you : And in infinite Grace, he will open his Bofom for your Relief, co- vert you in himfelf from the Storm, and caufe you to take deeper Root through thefe Shakings, by which Satan wou*d tear you up from your Standing in Chrift, and in the Truth as it is in Jefus, Venture not to fight with Satan in your ozvn Strength, nor with your own Weapons : But flee to the Lord your Strength^ your very prefent Help in Trouble^ and afk for Weapons out of his Armoury. And thus, comnii the Keeping of your Soul to ^Jefus j and your Temptations fhall end well ; for the Glory of your Lord, the Captain of your Salvation, and for the fpecial Advantage of your faved Sou?- Flee as a feeble Creature in yourfelf, to the Lord the Rock of Ages, m whom is everlajlirig Strength : And as an Inba- hitant of the Rock^ you fhall,. yea, you may even now, fin<^ a Triumph over all your Enemies, and fay,. O my Soul, thotd hafi trodden down Strength : I am more than a Conqueror thro*^ him. that hath loved me. — Have you heard Chrift's Foice, my brother, and been drawn by his Grace and Power to follow him, to cleave to him, to ccmmit yourfelf to him as a pe- rifhing Sinner, to be faved by him with a free, a full, an cverlafting Salvation ? Be well perfua-icd, from the AlTurance given you by his facred Word, that he gives unto you eternal Life, that you fliall never perijh^ and that none fhail pluck you out of his Hand, John x. 28* Strive they may, {l^ive they will, even all the Powers of Darknefs within and without you. But alas ! for them, all Hail to ycu ! They come toa late to deftroy you. The precious Hands of Jefus, the ftrong Hands of his omnipotent Grace and Covenant-Faithfulncfs, in which you are inclos'd, do well fecure you from the molt cruel EfFoit'^ of your lirongeft Enemies.

Think

( 70 )

Think it not ftrangc ^ my Brother, that fuch Winds of falfe Do^rine are fufFerM to blow upon the People of God at this Time, and fuch fierce Winds of Temptation to affail them thereby. For whenever our Lord hath done, or is about to do great Things for his Church, or for particular Souls, by the Holy Ghoft, the Spirit of Truth ; the Enemy Satan, the Spirit of Error ^ hath always done, and will do his utmofl, to reproach and oppofe the Work of the Lord, the Friend of Sinners. But not a Soul (hall be fhaken off ham the Foun- dation Chrjjl^ that was ever built upon him ; nor a M.?in fall from the Dofirines of Jefus, that independent on his own Wifdom and Strength, commits himfelf to the great Prophet and Head of the Church, and humbly waits upon the Lord for his Teachings to be given him, and his Power to reft up- on him. T

It is no new Thing, dear Sir, that thofe Perfons you hint at, ftrive to draw us ofF from the Tridh that we have heard and learned as it is in Jefus ; by fuggefting, " That it is but Notion^, that we have received it by Education^ from Meriy &c. and are too full of our own Wifdom^ as they call it.'* — For this has all along been the Way of thofe who would advance Errors, thus to endeavour to loofen Perfons from the Truth, from the Do6i:rines of Chrift, which they have been taught and receiv'd, and to make them become plain, fimple Souls, like a blank Piece of Paper ; that fo they might be the more fit for them to write, or imprefs what Errors they plcafe upon them. This is a great Part of the Subtilty of the old Serpent^ and one of the cunning Sleights of erroneous Perfons, whereby they lie in vjait to deceive unwary, fimple Souls. — A Privilege very great it is when the Children of God are filled with all Knowledge^ and fpiritual XJnderJlandingy when the Word of Chrijl dwells in them richly^ and they are enabled to hold fail the Things^ the Doctrines of Faithy which tUey have been taught. For fuch blefiTed Souls, not being Children^ but Men in Underftanding, are not eafily tojfed to and fro ^ ivith every Wind of Do£irine^ rais'd by Sa- tan, and caft thro' Men of corrupt Minds. They are not Reeds fhaken with the Wind ; but in the Strength of C/^r//?, fix'd upon him the immoveable Rock, held In his Hand, girt about with his Omnipotence, they fiand like fo many

Pillarsy

( 7i )

Pillars y With his precious Truths infcnb'd upon them, to bear a publick Teftimony for the fame before all. And from thefe^ the Enemies flee, upon tbefe they defpair getting Ad- vantage. It is the fi?fiple Souls ^ that believe every IVord^ that become an eafy Prey to Seducers : It is thofe they fcek for ; it is fuch they labour to bring all to be, wherever they come. — But bleifed be God, he hath had a Remnant, and will have in every Age of the Church, who fill'd with the Spirit of Truth, {hall fuccefsfully opnofe the Spirit of Error, and all the Inftruments of advancing the fame, under all the various Forms of its Appearance. And blefied are thofe happy Souls, who are honour*d of God to be the Lamb*s Witneffes, to hold forth his glorious Truths, againft the black Falfhoods of tlie roaring Lion. Who feeks thereby to eclipfe the Light of Emamiers Kingdom, and make it a Throne of Darknefs, like his own. To rob Sions King of the Glory of his Crown ; and his hap- py Subje(3:s of their Obedience of Faith here, and fo of their Crown of Glory with him hereafter, Altho* the unhappy Inftruments made ufe of by the Prince of Darknefs, may be ignorant of the Depths of Satan^ of his Defigns therein.

And tho*, my dear Brother, fome of the Lamh^s JVli^ nejfesy may as it were for a Moment, endure the Torture of fome Jhaking Thoughts^ fome Hellifh Suggeflions, (hot inta their Minds with an impelling Force ; yet ufmg that Piece of their Armour, AlUPrayer^ and holding up Chrijfy the Shield of Faith y on every Side, they fhall therewith be able to quench the fiery Dnrts of the Wicked. And their tried Faith ^ which ftands it out againft the moft furious AfTaults ; fhall he found nnio Praife^ and Honour ^ and Glory at the Appear- ing ofJefusChriJ}. And over-rul'd their Trials fliall be, to fit them more for their //"^/i, of Witnefs-bearing for Jefus, in the prefent State. Out of JVeaknefs^ they Ihall be made (irovigy wax valiant in Fight ^ turn to Flight the Armies of the Aliens^ and be crovvn'd at laft as Overcomers,

Whatever, my dear Brother, the poor blind Heathens might advimce, in their Study of natural P/?>^y'i)/>/r^^ "That *• the greatcR Attainment of Mortals was, To contemplate . " on Things y and leave them in Sufpciife^ as being certain of ** Nothing :'^ — It is far otherwifc with dlfcerning C^r^;Vw/, iTi-' iL^ir Ku0\vledg€ (JiChriJi.^ and S\;ik!V ot i) /-/>?>;• ; Tho

• ' Boih

C 72 )

BookofGody, teaclieth ihofe who are blcfs'd witli the glonoui Light of it, quite another Leflbn. — Here, in God's blefled Book, we have a moft certain Account of the Things ofNa^ ture : Of their Original, Ufe, and End. That they deriv'd their Being from the great Creator's Word; that they are for his Glory, and as upheld by his Hand, fubferve his Defigns J and that they (hall be diffolved at the Time ap- pointed.— And in the Book of God, the Things of Religion, both natural and reveal'd, are difplay'd with the greateft Cer-» tainty and the brighteft Glory. — Here the Being and Per- fections of Gady with the Worfhip due to him by his ratio- nal Creatures^ as Things of the greateft Certainty, do fhinc moft confpicuoufly. --And here alfo, the Revelation oi God in Chrijiy and the Obedience due to him by Chrijiians, are <iifplay'd with infallible Certainty, and fhine with a peculiar and all-tranfcendent Glory. The Things of God, as the greateft Realities, dart upon us thro' his written Word, with an all-convincing and infinite Brightnefs. Here, in the bleffed Gofpel, the Ghry of God in the Face of Jefus Chrijf^ fhines radiantly. The Glory of his ESence, of his Attributes, of his Perfons, of his Counfels, of his A<fts and Works of Grace, of his Means and Ends, in the Salvation of his People from all Sin and Mifery, unto all Holinefs and Glory : With the great and ineffable Things which God hath prepar'd for thofe that wait for him, both in the prefent and future World ; and alfo, the fweet and ftrong Obligations to Duty and Gratitude which faved Souls are laid under, by the Love, Grace and Mercy of God their Saviour : As their prefent Privilege, and iu order to their future Crown : All thefe, my Brother, as the greateft Realities, as infallible Cer- tainties, from divine Authority, with an infinite Glory and 4>oul- transforming Energy, are prefentcd unto us in the Giafs of the Gofpel.

And to fuit a divine and fapernatural Revelation^ a fpe-r cial and divine Faith ^ or a Faith cf the Operation ofGody is given. Which is every Way fitted as a fpiritual Eye, to converfc with fpiritual Objedts, and is the Soul's fo'per- natural Capacity, to take in fupernatural Gicrief^ as^nfalli- ble Certainties^ in all the bright Fotjjis of their Appearance,

as

(73 )

as they ftand forth to be beheld in the divine Revelation, while a divine Light, by the Spirit of the Lord irradiates it.

Hence, Faith is faid to be The Subjiance of Things hoped for, the Evidence of Things not feen, Heb. xi. i. The Things hoped for^ the Things not feen, are the Things, the invifible Glories, the infallible Certainties of a divine and fupernatural Revelation, And thefe a fupernatural and divine Faith, be- holds and receives, according to their Prefentation in the Gofpel, 2LS ino{\. fubflantial : Or, Faith gives 2i Subjiance to thofe Things in the Mind, which are declar'd in the Gofpel to be the greateft Realities. It doth as it v^^ere give Being to the Things hoped for, in the Soul, which are declar'd by the V/ord of God, to have the moft folid and permanent Being in themfelves. Faith makes them Subjiance, not Shadow, a mere Phantafm, or Appearance. And Faith is the Evidence of Things not fcen : Of Things declar'd" by the Word of God, which are not other wife to be known j of Things hidden from the Heathen World, and from natural Men, in the nominal Chrijlian World too ; of Things paft, prefent, or to come, tliat have not a prefent Appearance in themfelves, or to the View of Senfe ; but had, have, or (hall have a real Exijience, ' according to the Declarations made concerning them in the Boo^ of God. Faith fees Things as they are there prefented, and faith as God faith. Such and fuch Things have been, are, or Ihall be, faith God : Such and fuch Things have been, are, or fhall be, fays Faith : I fee the Things which God hath fpoken, they ftand forth to my View, in their own Self- evident Light. Thus Faith is the Evidence of Things to the Mind, which are not at prefent y^^w, either by natural or fpiri- tual Senfe. — And as great an Evidence Faith is to the Mind^ not to fay a greater, of Things not feen, as the Eye is to the Body, of Things perceptible to it, when prefent before it. When a Man by the Eye of his B®dy, fees the Sun in its own Light ; he hath thereby the moft demonflrative Evidence that there is a Sun, and that it Jhines, and needs not another to acquaint him therewith. So when a Man by the Eye of Faith, fees Chrift the Sun of Righteoufnefs in his own Light, in the Light of his Word and Spirit ; he hath the greateft Demonjlration in himfelf, that there is fuch a Perfon as the Chriji of God, the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace

K and

( 74 ) _

and Truth ,i when he thus beholds his Glory, and needs not, under this Confideration, that another inform him thereof^ but can join with the Apoftles and primitive Saints, and fay, We fee, {I fee) Jefus. And thus the Things of Chrift, the Truths, the Do6lrines of Jefus, are beheld in the fame Light, In the Light of Chri/I by his Holy Spirit, caft upon the Soul thro' the written JVord, they are view'd, received, and evidenc'd to by Faith ; as Things of the greateft i^^^///)', of infallible Certainty, and of infinite Glory.

Now then, my dear Brother, to clofe up ail briefly : Hath not the Gofpel of Chrift come unto you, not in Word only, but m Power, and in the HolyGhoJi^ and in muohAffurance? Hath not the Perfon of Chrijl, in all his Glory and Fulnefs, as the only and ali-fufficient Saviour, been reveal'd in, and made exceeding precious to you, as a perifhing Sinner ? And han't you felt an Heart-alluring, a Soul-overcoming Power attend the Moments of Difcovery, by which you was fweetly and llrongly drawn, to give up yourfelf entirely unto Chrift, and to take him, and God in him, for your prefent and eter- nal All ? And han't ^eTruths, the Doctrines o^ Jefus, been known, felt and tafted by you, in their Glory, Power, and Sweetnefs ? Han't the Things of Chrift, declar'd in the writ- ten//^r^, been reveal'd in you by the Spirit, and received' and enjoy'd by Faith, with ineffable Delight, as Things of the greateft i^^^///y f And have not the Things not feen, the Things hoped for, the Glories referved for you in Heaven, been realized and evidenc'd unto you ? Han't they been made to you, Suhftance, and not Shadow, Entity, and not Fancy ? Yea, han't you had a fweet Foretajie of that everlafting Feaji which awaits you j by which its Reality, and Part of its ineftable Glory, have been initially known by you? And have you not receiv'd a moft fure Earneji of your hihcritance in Light ; a Part of the VV hole, whereby the Whole hath been initially poffcjl by you, and forever afcertained unto you ? 1 am perfuaded, my Brother, that you can give a pofitive Anfwer to thefe Queries ; and that the Torture your Soul feels by the Rack of Temptations, upon which you are at prefent ftrctch'd, proceeds from your Intereft in the Things of Chrift, and your Union to Him, as your Life, your Blifs, your All in All, You wou'd eafdy part with what vi^as not

dear

(15)

dear to you, and give up that you cou*d live without. But in thefe plundering, racking Temptations, the Enemy would rob you of your Sub/tance^ and read away your Life^ which puts your Soul to Pain. But be of good Cheer ; he is come too late too gain his Ends. You have faid, can, and fhall fay, with Peter ^ when afk'd if he and the reft of the twelve Difciples would go away from Chrift ? Lord unto whom Jhall we ((hall I) go ? Thou hajl the Words of eternal Life. And tho* for a while, the Tempter may be fuffer'd to ftretch you as it were to the Utrnojl : Yet he fliall not be able to federate you from Chrijiy from the Love ofGod^ nor from any of its glorious Fruits, prepar'd for, and fecur'd unto you in' him. The Bands, the Ties, the Ligaments by which yqu are faftned to your Head and Saviour, can never be broken. And, After you have fuffer'd awhile, the God of all Grace, the God of Peace y will hruife Satan under your Feet, and perfe£f^ Jiahlijh, fircngthen and fettle you. — That this Thorn in the Flejh, this Meffenger of Satan fent to buffet you, may be fpecdily remov'd and call'd off from you ; and till then, that the Grace of Chrift may be fuffcient for you, and his Strength made perfedl in your JVeaknefs : So prays, my dear Brother,

Tours moft tenderly in the Lamb's Bowels^

LETTER XXXin. To Mr. P //.

My Dear Brother in Chrijl,

SINCE as a ipoor Sinner, you would always be looking to, and loving of the Saviour : Will you not love him as your King, as well as your Prieft and Prophet ? Will not my dear Brother love the Law of Chrift ? You well know that our loving Lord hath faid. If ye love Me, lieep my Com- 7nand?nents. And the Words which he fpake, he tells us, were not His (that is, not Originally, or only) but the Fa- the7-*s which fent him. The Law of Mofes, the moral Law, as a Covenant of Works, did indeed bring into Bondage, But fince Chrift was made under it, and fulfilJ'd it for us,

K 2 and

( 76 ;

and has given it to us as the Rule of our Obedience; it is become Theperfe^ Law of Liberty : And is of great, and perpetual Ufe to Believers : To fhew us what is Duty, and what is Sin, to oblige us to the one, and to deter us from the other. The 7noral Law in the Hand of ChriJ}^ as given from the King of Saints to be a Rule of Life ^ to fquare our Actions by ; is fo far from bringing Believers into Bon- dage ', that the more our Hearts and Lives are conformed thereto, the more abundant, the more glorious is our Liber- ty^ as the Sons of God. The Law to its Perfection, was in Chrift's Heart : The Law to its Perfe£lion, was in his Obe- dience. And the more we are conformed unto Chriji^ the more conformable fhall we be in Heart and Life to the Law of God. And when made perfeCi: in Holinefs^ we fliall be perfedly conformed unto God's holy Law. And to a bleft Eternity, fhall love the Lord our God with all our Hearts^ Soul and Strength.^ and our Neighbour as ourf elves : Which is the Sum and Subflance of the Law's Requirement. So long as the Relation fubfifls between the Creator and his Creatures of the Rational Kind, between the Z<9r^ and his People^ be- tween the Saviour and ih^ faved Ones ; I am perfuaded, that the moral Law will abide ^ and be delightfully obefd^ by per- fe6l Saints and Angels, in Blifs unknown, unto Ages with- out End.

The Bible^ my dear Brother, that blefled Book, is indeed the Book of Books, and ought to be our chief Study. But let us not reject other Books, or negle£t the reading of thofe wrote by Men, taught of God, and mighty in the Scriptures, We can't do this, without doing that which is forbidden in Gcd^s Book : viz. Without quenching of the Spirit, and dtfpiftng Prophecyings. We can't negle£l the reading of fuch Books of human Compofure, which the Lord affords his People in this Day of glorious Light ; without flighting of thofe Gifts, which the afcended Saviour gives unto his Church, for the Edification of his Body, and neglecting the Means which the Lord affords us, of underflanding his Mind in his own unerring Book. I look upon it to be one of Satan's Devices^ to draw Men off from reading of Human Writings, by the fpecious Pretence of preferring the facred V/ritings above all : That thereby, the Truths reveal'd, and

the

f 77 ) .

the Errors difcover'd In the Holy Scriptures, might not be fo fully known ^ as they are when the Scriptures are expoimdedy and confiftently opcn'd^ by Men that are gifted of the Lord to be Teachers of his People. And therefore, as it concerns Chrift's Honour, and our own Edification, it is the Wifdom of Saints, not to be ignorant o'i \\-\\^-< Device, nor caught in this Snare which is laid for their Taking. — -That the Hdy Ghoji the Comforter^ mzy guide you into all Truths and give you Fcl- lowfhip with the fame, unto your prefent Joy, and future Glory : is the fmcere Defire of, dear Sir,

Tour affeSlionate Friend and Servant in the Lord,

LETTER XXXIV. To Mr. L s.

My dear Brother in our precious Lordy

YOURS I receiv'd, in which I perceive the kind Deal- ings of the Prince of Grace with you. In that having lov*d and bought you with his Blood, he refolves to have all your Heart, And therefore takes, and tares away your Idols from you.— Oil, my dear Brother, What Matter of Lamen- tation is it, that ever our wretched Itearts fhould flip away from Christ, that incomparably y^/>, xh^t altogether lovely ONE ! Whofe Love^ as well as ivovelinefs, is immenfely^r^*?/, and far furpalTeth Knowledge ! So great a Lover^ as the LoRB our Maker ! And fo gr£at a Love^ as to gi\^e his Life for Creatures, for Sinners, for Enemies, for fuch Wretches, who were brimful of Enmity againft him : To efpoufe them to himfelf, and make them happy in, and glorious with him for ever ! Oh what Love^ what Duty^ fhould fuch a Lover^ and fuch a Love command from us, the Beloved df ihehoKT}] }^ow great is that Debt of Love and Loyalty, which the hoKVi^s Redeemed., owe to the Lord -72^^f^7«^r ! ' — And yet. Hear O Heavens., and be ajionijhed O Earth f We, even we who are married unto the Lord, and have' been ineffably happy in the Enjoyment of his Love ; are be7jt to backf.ide frojn him., and to go after other Lovers I — Melty Oh our hard Hearts f Be ^[}}miM and confounded.,'

Oh

( 78 ^

Oh our ungrateful Souls ! And turn ye to the LoPv.d with Weepings and with Supplication ; for ftill he will be graci- ous ! Oh my dear Brother, our Lord knew that we would deal very treacheroujly .; he knew beforehand^ how rebellious and ungrateful we fhould prove : And yet he refolv'd to die for us j tho* he forefaw^ that we ftiould little regard his dying Love ! — ' Oh unheard-of Lover ! Oh Love un- ' known! Woo us, win us to thyfelf! And change us into

* thy Love-Image ! Lord, we can't bear to be thus ungrate- ' ful I And yet, alas ! Lord, we can ! Help ourf elves ^ we *• cannot: Our Help is in Thee ! Love us into Love^ and

* Thine we will be for Ever ! *

Oh my Brother, The Love of Christ fuits us. It is the Love of the Lord ! Which is Free without Motives ! Great, without Meafure ! Conftant, without Change ! Laft- ing without End! A Sin-pardoning, a Sin-fubduing, an Ail- conquering, a Grace- giving, a Glory-beftowingLovE ! That will Hve and triumph in all its immenfe Glories, in our full Salvation and perfe61: Blifs, unto Ages without End ! — Our Dear Lord, did not fet his Love upon lis, to leave us in our XJnlovelinefs. ,No ; Ckrist loved the Churchy and gave him- felf for it : That he rnight fan^ify and clean fe it with the JVaJhing of Water by the Word^ That he might prefent it io hi mf elf a glorious Churchy not having Spot or Wrinkle^ or any fuch Thing ; but that it Jliould be Holy and tvithout Ble?nijhy Eph. v. 25, 26, 27. The Lord our Lover, did not fet his Love upon us and chufe us, becaufe in his Foreview, we were^ or would be holy^ of and from ourf elves ; but that v^e Jhould be fo^ in and from Him. And well able is the Love of Christ, to go on with this glorious Defign of his Heart, to fanSfify us throughout^ or to make us glorious in Holinefs ; becaufe it is firong Love ! Strong, infinitely ftrong, to pafs by innumerable Provocations ! And to overcome all Oppofition ! Oh my Brother, the whole Weight of our Sanc- tification, rejls upon Christ's Love-y his Covenant-engaged Love ! This folid Bafis, bears the Building. And this glori- ous Power, will bring forth the Top-Stone. — Well, as you faid, may we take Courage, that truli in Jesus ; fmce He has done all y^jr^j, and will do all /;/ us, — Let us ftand to our Arms, an^ in the Name of the Lor. d, fet up our

Bail'

( 79 )

Banners agalnft the Powers of Darknefs. Our Captain will beat down our Foes before us ; and crulh all his and our Enemies, under hts and our Feet. That mighty Love, which has made Sin a Burden to us ; will free us from the Bur- den of Sin. — And let us tell other Souls, for their Encou- ragement, That the Saviour can love Sinners^ and that there is not a Soul in the World, that cafts itfelf upon the Saviour's Love^ for all Salvation ; but fhall, in bomidlefsy Love^ be faved by Him to the uttermoft ! From the deepeft Mifery to the higheft Glory, from the utmoft of its Fears, and to the utmoft of its Defires ! Yea, unto fuch Heights of Glory, which Eye hath not feen, nor Heart conceiv'd ! — Be ftrong, my Brother, be ftrong and fear not. Jesus loves you : And thaf s enough. The whole of our Salvation and Happlnefs is in it. You need not go out of the Love of Christ, from the Bofom of your Beloved, for one Moment's Deliverance from Mifery, nor for one Moment's Enjoyment of Felicity. You have All in Him who is your All I Wherefore fee that you live upon him as fuch. De^ light yourf elf in the Lord : JndlrlE fiall give you the Defer es of your Heart. And let every Soul, efpoufed to Christ, fay,

" Why fhould my foolilh Paffions rove ! '^ Where can fuch Stueetnefs be,

" As I have tafted in thy Love P " As I have found in Thee 1" Great Grace be with you ! — Pray for me. — That you more and more. May be able to comprehend with all SaintSy what is the Breadth and Lengthy and Depth and Height : And to know the Love ij/'Christ, which paffeth Knowledge^ that you may he filed with all the Fulnefs of God ! is the earneft Defire of, dear Sir,

Tour mofi ajfeSfionaie Friend and Servant^

In our Fairefly Dearefl^ Sweeteji Lord Jesus,

LETTER XXXV.

To Mr. C ns.

My dear Broth

— ^ — — — „. ^

THE TFork of God upon your Soul, appears to me very clear and full. But perhaps you mayn't have fuch clear

Apprehcn-

( 8o )

Apprehcnfions, about the Time when the Power of God firft wrought on your Heart. Several of God*s dear Children, begin to date their Converfion later ^ than the real Date of it is. This proceeds from an Apprehenfion, that the Soul's Converfion to God, begins at the Time when divine Confo- lations firfl: overflow the Heart, and give tlie Soul AfTurance of its Intereft in the Lord Jefus. This being fo fenfibly fweet to the Soul, is remarked by it, for the Day of God's Power. And fo indeed it may and ought, in regard of its being the mort full and fenfihle Difplay of it ; and the Time when the Soul is more fully z-xxdi fenfihly brought out of Dark- nefs^ into God's marvellous Light, But when this is {o fix'd^ for the Day of God's Power upon the Soul, as to everkok all the Operations thereof that went before^ as preparatory to this ; we have not fo full an Apprehenfion of the Lord's Work upon us, nor give him xh^full Glory of his faving Ope- rations, as we fhould.

You fay, my dear Brother, " That fome Time after you <' was convinc'd of the Dodtrines of the Gofpel, you did not «' know God, experimentally." And yet tell me, a little lower, '^ That in the whole Courfe of this Exercife (where- " in you was convinc'd of, and difputed for the Doclrincs '' of Grace) you plainly fawyour Fall from God by Nature \^ or were convinc'd of your loft miferable State. This, my Bro- ther, was a glorious^^^ of God's faving Power,working upon your Heart. — In your former Letter, you told me, " That <' God had awakened you tO adore Free- Grace, and the '« Myftery of ele(^ng Love J ci^t-."

Now be pleas'd to confider, there is a vaft Difference, between a Convi^llon of the Doftriiie of Grace in the Head^ and an adori?2g the Grace of that Doctrine in the Heart, The firft ufu ally goes before, and there feems to be a Neceffity that it fnould, in order to the other. For the Underftand- ing muft firft hww the Truth, before the Will can embrace it. — A fpeculative Knowledge of the Truth, -that goes no further than a mere outward Notion of it ; may be found in a rtatural Man. This Knowledge of the Truth, is a cold^ unaffi'^Jing^ and tmattraSling Knowledge ; that leaves the Will and AfFe6lions juft where it found them. A natural Man, indeed, may have fome natural Pkafure^ in getting

fomc

( 8i ) fome new Notions of Truth j but no Soul-AttraSfion to the Things known, doth he experience thereby. — And however natural Notions of Gorpel-1[Vuths, may be fuhfervient to a fpiritual Knowledge of them ; yet Is a fpiritual DIfcernment of the Things contain'd In thofe Notions, very different from a bare fpeculative Knowledge of them. In that, in the oney a mere empty Notion of the Truth, floats in the Head; which efFe<Sls only an outward Adherence to it. But in the other^ the Glory of Truth (hlnes into the Mind; which produces a fweet and ftri(Sl Adherence thereto, by all the inward Powers of the Soul. The Underftanding difcerns the Truth, in its Beauty, Glory and Excellency ; the Judg- ment approves it ; and the Will and Affections, embrace^ and clafp about it. In a Word, the whole Soul, unites with the Truth, and is changed into the Image of it. And this you may fee from two Texts. That the Truth fhines into the Mindy in order to a fpiritual Underjlanding thereof, fee,

2 Cor. iv. 6. For God who commanded the Light to Jhine out ofDarknefsy hath Jhined in our Hearts y to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory ofGody in the Face offefus Chriji* Oh, when the leaft Beam of Light, the leaft Ray of any Gof- pel-Truth in particular, or of the Truth of the Gofpel, the Way of Salvation by Jefus Chrlft, in general, fliines in upon the Mindy with fuch a ravifhing Beauty, and majeftick Glory, that draws the Heart to love ity and makes the Soul how down before it : This is a faving Illuminat'iony 3. new Creation Light, fet up in the Soul of a VelTel of Mercy, which is the very Beginning of its future Glory. It i> God's com?nandin^ the Lighty the Light of Life, fpiritual and eternal, to fnine out of fpiritual Darknefs ; as in the firft Creation, he commanded the Light natural, to fhinc out of natural Darknefs : Or, it is God^s fiining into cur HeartSy by a new creating Efficacy, to give the Lighty not only of the Know- ledge of God, but of the Glory of God, in the Face of Jefus Chrifl-. Which Word imports, The ravifhing Beautyy and All-attra(5ting £^r^7ry of Gofpel -Grace, darting in upon the Mind by a fupernatural Revelation, which unite the Soul to the Thitigs beheld, to the ObjeSJs revealed. This intern<il Revelation of Gofpel-Truth, unites the Soul to the Things, the Obje(5ls reveal'd, in regard of Approbation 5 and fets it

L all

( 82 ) all in Motion, in regard of Defire^ after the full Enjoyment of them, the neareft Coalition with, and moft complacent Reft in them. And therefore, upon this Hearings and Learn- ing of the Father, the Soul cometh unto Chrift. As,

yohn vi. 45. It IS written in the Prophets^ and they fi)all "be all taught of God. Every Man therefore that hath heard and learned of 'the Father^ co7neth unto me. This Hearings and Learning of the Father^ is the fame with his Jhining into cur Heart Sy to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God^ in the Face offefus Chrijl. And from this faving lllu- mination^ the Soul feels a fweet and ftrong Attraction ; by Which, being draivn with Cords of Love, it cometh unta Chriji, Firft, m \\^ De fires after him, as beheld, altogether lovely ! Before it comes to him in the AJJurance of Faith^ to take up its Reft in him, and fay. My Lord^ and my God! Thtfirji of thefe, is true, faving Faith ^ as well as the latter. They are but different Degree's of the fame precious Faith, which cleaves to, and clafps about the precious Saviour. .The firft may he^ where the latter is wof, or is in a great Meafure wanting. • ■■ And the latter being more fweet and joyous, a more fenfihle Experience of divine Power on the Heart, and a more full 'Exqxci^q of Faith on Chrift ; God's dear Children, do frequently date tlieir Converfion from the lattery and too much overlook the former. — But wherever the Truths of the Gofpel are known, and thofe in particular, which more immediately concern the Salvation of the Soul; and fo known, in their Beauty and Excellency, as to knit and mite . the Heart to them ; or to dravv out the Soul into Defircs after, and Adoration of the Glories beheld, God in Chrift, as the God of Grace and Peace, thro' a bleeding Je- fus : That Man, is a regenerate Man, -a converted Man \ al^ tho' he han't arriv'd to fuch a Degree of Faith on the Son of God, as to fay, JVho loved me, and gave himf elf for me. For the Dcfires of the Soul, cleavi?ig to God in Chrift, as the God of all Graces are an Evidence, that the Soul is turned from Sin and Satan, fr6m Self and the Law ; 6r brought out of the State of Nature* s Darkncfs, into the ynarvcllous Light of ^ Gofpel Grace ; In which alone. Salvation by Jefus Chrift, is difcenid, approved, and adher\l to.

Now then, my dear Brother, confider, when you was

€Qnvi7ic*d

( 83 ) convhc d oi the Do£trine of Original 5//;, and Man's Infuf- ficiency ; did your ConviSiions thereof, reach no further than a bare empty Notio?i of thefe Truths, which floated in your Head^ with refpciSl to Men m general? Or did they reach yourfelf^ and fhew you that this was your own Cafe in parti- cular!' However the Beginning of your Convidions might reach your Head only j I believe they reach'd your Heart in the latter End of them. Elfe you could not fay, ' That in the whole Gourfe of this your Exercife, you plainly faw your Fally (your ownY^W) from God by Nature/. r— And. when you was convinced of your own Mifery by 5/;/, and Infuf- iiciency to help yourfelf^ you may obferve, That you was removM from Nature* sBottoin^ from Self-dependance, and doing for Life. And when this is the Cafe with any Soul, if another Foundation was not laid for it to rejl on^ it would ut- terly _/?a/>^. . ,, ..„f J ^:.

Again, confider, when yoii was convlnc'd or irtiputed Rightcoufnefs 'y w^is your Convi<5lion hereof a mere empty Notion in your Head^ that there was fuch a Things fuch a Provifion of Grace made for the Salvation oi fome ? Or did it reach y our f elf in particular, and fliew you, thatyow muft be fav'd in this TVay^ if ever you was fav'd at all? How did your Heart behave toward the, Righteoufnefs of Chrift, when you was doflrinally convinced of it ? Did you ewtx fee any Beauty, Excellency and Glory in it ? Did your Heart ever fall down before the Majefty of it ; and deftre for your- felf, that you might he found in Chrijl^ and in his Righteouf" nefs alone^ not having on your own Righteoufnefs ! If fo^ the Convidlion which you then had of imputed Righteoufnefs, Vfzsfaving : Or, a glorious EffeSf of the almighty Power of divine Grace, working upon your Soul^ for your everlafiing Salvation : Altho' you might not have a comfortable Know- ledge, that the Righteioufnefs of Chrift was yours, until fome Time afterward. Until the Time you date your Conver- fion from, when you could willingly have departed to be with Chriji : Which mufl: proceed from a comfortable Perfuafion of your Int'ercfl in him.

But whether your Apprehenfions about the Time of the Lord's firft v^^orking upon your Heart, may be c/^^rand diJlinSf^ or not : This may be Matter " of Joy to you, that you can

L 2 fay.

( 84 ) fay, with the Man whofe Eyes Chrlft had opened, One Thing I know ^ that whereas I was hlind^ now I feey John ix. 25.—- And that your dear Soul continually may grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of Christ, until that which is in Part is done away, and that which is perfect fhall come : When you fhall knciu^ even as you are known ; is the earned Defire of, dear Sir,

Tour tender Friend^ in the Bowels ofJEsvs Christ,

LETTER XXXVI.

To Mr, L s.

Dear Brother i

I Thank you for your laft kind Letter. I embrace the firft Opportunity to anfwer it. I fympathize with you in the Bowels of Jesus Christ. Be of good Cheer, my Bro- ther. For tho' you are under a C/^tt^ ; the 5«« will break out upon you again. And mean Time, your Jesus is ftili the fame^ in his Perfon, Love and Fulnefs ; the fame for you as ever. The Changes which pa(s over youy make no Alteration in Him. He is in one Mindy to love you for ever, and fave you to the uttermoftj and none can tufn him : None of all your Enemies within, nor without you. Tour Jesus, in all his Difpenfations towards you, is al- ways loving and favingyou. He is always doing you Good^ even by the greateft Evils that pafs over you. Wherefore, reji by Faith in his Love, Wifdom, Power and Faithfulnefs. Commit yourfelf^ and all your Concerns to your .dear Lord Jesus, that cares for you as his own: And all Things (hall end well, Christ h All for you to God, the TVhole of your Acceptance with the Father, when your inherent Grace and Holinefs arc at the greateft Height, And when thefe are at the loweft Ebb \ Christ's Acceptablenefs to God, ■di\^ yours m Him, abates not a Whit, The Acceptance of your Per/on^ in the great Perfon and Obedience of God's Beloved, is an unchangeable^ everJaJling Acceptance : That neither rifes^ nor falls,, with the Variation oi your Frames. You are compkat in Christ ; Nothing is wanting there y to

make

( 85 )

make you a perfect Beauty in the Eye of God ; even now^ tho' you are fo imperfect in yourfelf. And Christ is about the Work of perfecting you^ in your own Soul. From hii perfedt Beauty imputed^ a Perfe£lion of Beauty fhall be im- parted. 3^«r Jesus, is made of God unto you^ not only Right eoufnefs^ but SanStification : The communicative Foun- tain of 'it: That will flldW the Cavities of your Heart, all the Powers and Faculties of your Soul, your whole Nature, brimful, running-over full ^ for evermore ! — And when our dear Lord is about to fill us^ to add new Meafures, and blefs us with greater Increafes of Holinefs, He always empties us j fhews our great Emptinefs and Want. And then, with his own infinite Fulnefs, He flows out upon us, in rich Supplies, unto Joy and Blifs, that Strangers inter- meddle not with! — And fo wonderfully doth our Lord Work, that he makes us holy, even by that TVithdraw of the fenfible Influence of his Holy Spirit, which is the greateffc Burden that our Souls feel. That is, He over-rules every Kind and Degree of Withdraw of Influence, with whatever of Weakneis and Evil we fee and feel in ourfelves at fuch Seafons, to make us more holy, ?inAfironger in Grace, when He returns again with the quickning, flrengthening, fancti- fying Influences of his blefled Spirit ! He that hath begun the good Work in us, will perform it : And in infinite Wifdom, carries it on by Contraries. By a Variety of Frames, a Variety of Experience is given us -, and a Variety of Grace, or the va- rious Difplays of Grace, according to the manifold Wifdom of God, fhall be ufher'd in upon us. All Things are under a Blcf^ fmg to us. Let us therefore love and blefs God in all. Let us watch againft Sin^ and efpecially that great, that Flood-gate Sin, that lets in all other upon us. Unbelief. Let \x% follow after Holinefs, dread Dx^zncQ from God, and a felfifh, care- lefs, lifelefs Spirit in Religion. Let us be diligent and confci- entious in Duty, and in the Path Way thereof, believing on Christ daily, for frefh Supplies of Grace, let \is follozv on to know the Lord ; And we Jhall kfiow Him, — Great Grace be with you ! Pray for.

Tours affe^iotiately in Christ,

LETTER

f S6 )

LETTER

ToMr.O

My very dear Brother in Chrijfy

YOURS, I gladly recelv'd, and thankfully ackno\yledge. Your Letter, thro* the Lord's Working, gave me niuch Satisfaction and Pleafure. I rejoice that my laft was made fweet to your Soul, and convincing to your A4ind, with re- fpe(£l to the Lord's faving Operations on your Heart, being famewhat earlier than you thought of. For which we both, will join in Thankfgiving, now and for evermore.

I don't v/onder, my dear Brother, cohfidering your Cir- cumftances efpecially, that you did not fo particularly notice the Manner and Time of thofe^r/? gracious Operations which vou happily felt. The Lop.d the Holy Ghofl, in his faving Work of Grace on the Heart, in producing, maintaining and increafuig the new Life, often works, as it were under Ground, out of our Sight. It is' one Thing toy>^/ fpepial, gracious Operation^ ; and another," to know that they are iiiving, and what Part of the Spirit's Work to refer them to. Thoufands of his blefTed Operations, we foon let Jlip^ and ferret what he hath wrought for us. And thofe we remem- l>er hej}^ Alas ! by I'eafon of Weaknefs, v/e fee not aThou- fandth Part of their G^/7 / We vievv the Holy Ghofl^s Work on our Hearts now', as, it were in fcatter\l Parcels^ here one Piece, and there another, and fee but /////^ of the Order, Beauty, Variety and Glory of his harmonious Operations. But when the Whole of his Work upon us in Grace, in cSrdcr to ourMeetnefs for Glory, is finifh'd, and we brouglit into the Land of Reft; we fliall with inconceivable' Joy r^- memher^ nil We JFay which the Lord led us thro\ theJVHder- yrefs. We fliall fee, \as"'i^ were* with ^V;z^/^i^t>^ r the //^W^ of his great Work upon 'us and for us, in the State and Majefty of a God ! In V\^hich he all along wrought, thro' ten Thoufand Difficulties' and -Contrarieties in his Way : And then fliall give him the full Glory of allhis Grace. According to theutmpft Meafute of our Creature. Capacity ; tlio' infinite LovCj, jn its deferved Glory, adequate to the ._ Difplays

( 87 )

Dirplays thereof, will for ever remain in its own exalted Sphere, far above all our Blejfing and Praije !

When God had reveal'd Christ in you, my dear Bro- ther, He brought you a Crofs to bear. And much I rejoice, that he enabled you to take it up, Tho' to follow your Lord, was to be flighted, fet at nought, and deferted by all ; even by the ftriiSl, Pharifaical Part of Mankind, as well as by the profane World. Oh my Brother, the Crofs^ the Crofs of Christ, few will bear it. How many are there, that are under good Impreflions at Times, and have fome mind to Chrijf^ at leaft, to eternal Life^ that lofe their Soulsy be.caufe they will not, cannot take up the Crofs ! To follow Chrift fully, is to lofe the Favour of the World wholly. To part with every Thing that is defirable to a carnal Heart: As, Riches, Honours, fmful Pleafures, Self-Righteoufncfs, fieftily Wifdom, worldly Worfliip, Friends, Relations, yea, even one's own Life, (if call'd to it) to hate and defpife €ven that, in Comparifon of Christ. And who, oh whi} will do this ! What, part with all ! Be ftript quite naked^ and naked follow a 'naked Chrift, in the Face of Scoffs and Scorns, Cruelty and Rage, from Men and Devils ! Oh, who can, who will do this ! None but thofe happy Souls, who are bleft with an internal Revelation of the Saviour's Glory, and a Heart-Attra6tIon unto him thereby. Oh none but they, that fee the Fcarl of great Price, to be of inefti- mable JVorth, will part with ^//, to fecure that Pearl. None but they, who fee the Perfon, Love, and Glory of Christ, to be infinitely more Worth than Thonfands of IVorldi / Will part with this one fjlly World for Him. And theyy were there Millions of IVGrhU, more glorious far, would part with all, for one Jesus, and run on crying, (as that dear Martyr in the Flames) < None hut Christ / None hut Christ !* Oh, none but Christ, can fatisfy a Soiii tliat is born from Above. And with the blefled Enjoy- ment ipf Him, in whom all the Fulnefs of the Godhead dwells; ' fhall every fuch Soul, be fully and eternally fa- tisfed.

See you not then, my Brother, the rich, free, diftinguifli- ing Grace of God, in revealing his Son in you, and in at- tradling vour Heart after him by the Cords gf his Love, in

the

( 88 )

the Day of his Power ; fo that you forfook all^ for one Christ ! Oh happy, happy, thrice happy Soul ! All hail! Christ \s yours ^ and you are his! You have Happinefs, Joy and Security enough. A Bundle of Blifs, a Mafs of Treafure, a Sea of Delights ; enough to fill every Corner of your Soulj was it ten thoufand thoufand Times more ca- pacious than it is, brimful, running-over full, of Joy and Glory, thro' Time and to Eternity, in your one Lord Je- sus ! Oh pojpfs your Portion. Live upon your Heritage. It is wondrous Great ! Behave as an Heir of God I And let this little, dirty World, which Mr. Rutherford calls, " The «« Clay-Portion of Baftards," be under your Feet.-— And Hill, my dear Brother, delight to deny your f elf m all Refpe<3-s for Christ ; and taking up your Lord's Crofs^ follow hard after him daily. His infinite Love and Power, will make it fjjzet and eafy. And oh the Crown^ the immortal Crown of Glory, that awaits Crofs-bearers ! If any Man ferves me^ fays our Lord, let him follow me \ (let him deny himfelf, and take up his Crofs and come after me) and where I am^ there Jhall alfo my Servant be : If any Man ferve me^ him will my Father honour. By and by, you fhall y^^ Christ as he is, zxxAht for ever with the Lord : Where Crofies fhall be no more, but Joy and Glory in endiefs Store f And oh, my dear Brother, the Smart of all you ever endur'd for Chrift, will not only then be over , but the Remembrance of every Crofs you endur'd, will yield you an eternal Pleafure, in as much as thereby, you glorify'd your Lord on the Earth : Which v/ili enhance your Joy, when glorify'd with him in Heaven. And oh, the beauteous, the fair Colours of Glory,, which our Lord will lay upon his Followers there, the Stones of his holy Temple,^ who have been carv'd and meetned by the Crofs for it here, Thofe, my Brother, are the mofl holy, happy Chriftians, the mofl God-honouring Souls, and the richeft Heirs of endiefs Glory, that do and fufFer mojl for Christ in the prefent State. And efpecially the -S/^^r^rj ; For, Bleffed is the Man that endureth Temptation : for when he is tried, he Jhall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Wherefore, be in Love with the Crofs of Chrift ; and afk for Wifdom and Grace, to bear it after him continually, in the fame Spirit^ fhewing

forth

( 89 )

forth all thofe Graces^ which fo glorioufly fhone, in the meek and kzuly Son of God I And unto jk^z^, who thus continue with him in his Temptations^ will he appoint a Kingdom. Unto you^ as an Overcomer^ will he grant to fit with him in his Throne ; even as he alfo overcame^ and is fet down with his Fa* ther in his Throne.

A glorious Privilege, indeed it is, my Brother, that tho* you have fo much Sin in you, it doth not reign over you. The Reign of Grace has deftroy'd the Dominion of Sin, will ftill fubdue its Power, and utterly extirpate its Being, in the Lord's Way and Time. Wherefore, go on to look to Jesus, as once made Sin for you. Who has overcome Sin in himfelf, and will overcome it in you. And reckon yourfelf cont\n\x2A\Y^ to be dead indeed unto Sin, and alive unto God in Chrijl J ejus. For a glorious Influence you will de- rive from thence, to mortify Sin, and quicken Grace in you. — I forget you not before the Lord. Continue to remember me. I efteem it a Privilege. The Lord will hear you. I and others will fare the better for it : And you in no wife fhall lofe your Reward. — My dear Love to the Brethren* May a Spirit of Love, Humility and Meeknefs reign a- mongft them : And thofe that minifter unto them of the Word of Life, be efteem'd very highly by them in Love, for their Work Sake ! — I commit the keeping of your Soul to the great Shepherd. May he deliver you from every evil Work, and preferve you fafe unto his heavenly Kingdom ! The Lord make you a burning and a fhining Light in this dark World ! And grant you an exalted Sphere, among the ftarry Glories of the firft Refurre(5tion ! — Moft heartily I bid you farewel in the Lord ! And am, dear Sir, Tours mojl affe^ionately.

In our dear Jesus,

LETTER XXXVIIL

To Mr. W rd.

My dear Brother in Chriji,

YOUR laft kind Letter I receiv'd, and return you hearty Thanks. — I rejoice for the great Things, which the

M LoB.»

(go)

Lord hath done for your Soul. In revealing his dear Son in you, and in giving you Freedom of Jccefs to the Father, tliro' him, by the Holy Spirit ; of Entrance into the holiejl^ by the Blood of Jefus. Chriil, indeed, a crucified Jefus, is the only TVay to the Father. Oh this ?iew, this living IVayy thro' the Vail of his Flejh ! It if^thro' this rent Vail of his human Nature, thro* his Soul and Body being rent afunder for us on the Crols, that w^s have Aecefs to God. Unto God as the God of Peace, as the God of ail Grace, as the God and Father of Chrift, and our God and Father in and thro* him. Oh this Way of Accefs, thro' a dying Saviour, fuits a Sinner well. It is a Way of Life to us. And hiefled for ever be the Lord our God, it is a confecrated Way. A Way tliat is confecrated for z/i, faniHfy'd, or fet apart for us to walk in. It is an High- way ^ an holy Way^ yea, the Way of Holinej's ; that is holy to God., that is holy for us., that makes all holy^ tho' the viieft of Sinners in themfelves, that- walk in it by Faith. It makes us holy reprefentatively \ it makes us holy infueniially.—Qo on, my dear Brother, to ivalk in this Way. God the Father, likes a Sinner well, that comes unto him, thro' the a£five and pailive Obedience of his Lavz-fulfillirig, and once-bleeding Son. He fees no Spot in that Man ; but beholds him all-fair ; wafh'd from all Sin in the Redeemer's Blood, and richly array'd with the gjorious Robe of his perfect Righteoufnefs. And in infinite condefcending Grace, he fays unto him., Come near now ^ and (ufs tne^ ?ny Son* G-od the Father permits a Sinner^ yea, calls him, to bey'l7^;7///r?r with him thro' the Saviour. He Qwns him for his Son, fmells the Smell of his Raiment, dreft in the Garments of his elder Brother, bleiTeth him, and faith,. SeCy the S?nell of my So?i^ is as the Smell of a Field which the Lord hath /'Av/t'^.-^Thus. the Chief of Sinners, that come unto God_.by. Chi^ifl:, arc zurlco?n*d into his Prefence, pleafmg to him, and hlejj'ed by him, ,with all fpiritual and temporal Bleflings, in Meafiire, Manner and Time, (as to their Com- munication thro' Chrift., upon the Bottom of their eternal Preparation for us, and Beftowment upon us in Vmi) accord- ing to the Infinity of Jehovah's Grace-: Wherein he hath ahoundisd towards us in all Wifdorn and Prudence. And tho', xny dear Brother, you and others are call out

of

( 91 )

ofMi'.lP^- — ;);'s Society, for faying, '« That Chrift loves

you, and will love you to the End." And, «« That all your Perfc(Slion is in Chrift, and in him alone.*' Be not grieved at it ; fincc Chrift admits you into more intimate Fellowfliip vi^ith Hi??i, than many of your Brethren are fa- voured with. Yea, fo fat as you fuffer for the Trtab here- in, for your Witnefs-bearing for Chrift ; Rejoyce^ and be exceeding glad : For great is your Reward in Heaven. — And as thro' remaining Darknefs, there are now unhappy Dif- ferences among the Saints ; Rejoyce in Hope of that happy Day, when we (hall all fee Eye to Eye, When we fhall all come in the Unity of the Faith ^ and of the Knowledge of the Son of God ^ unto a prrfcSi Alan^ unto the Mcafure of thi Stature of the Fulnefs of Chrifc. And Knoiv^ as %ue are Known,

A glorious Truth, and an unfpeakable Privilege it is. That Chrift loves his Ozcn, and will love them unto the End. And bleffed, O bleffed is that Man, who is favour'd with the Witnefs of the Holy Spirit, as to his own Interejl in the Saviour's Love! In his free, unchangeable and ever- lafting Love ! Oh what a comfortlefs Do6i:rine is that. Of Falling from Grace ! Of Lofing our Inter eft in the Love of Jesus I Oh was there a Poilibility of this ; what folid Peace, what ftrong Confolation could any Soul have, that fees his own Vilenefs and Weaknefs ? His Iniquity, and In- ability to keep Himjelf from, falling ?

Indeed we are bid to keep ourf elves in the Love ofGody Jude 21. But the Love of God here, refpetSis his manifejia" tive Favour, and not the Love of his Heart. Which ftands immutably the fame in Himfelf, upon the fovereign good Pleafure of his own Will, to love us, and is quite indepeu" dent upon our Goodnefs. — And in this Love we are bid to keep ourfelves. Not efficiently % That is God^^ Work. And fo we are kept by the Power of God^ thro'' Faith unto Salva- tion, But inftrumentally \ As our Duty is hereby enjoin'd, of being diligent in the Ufe of all thofe appointed Means^ thro' Avhich the Lord is plcas'd to blefs us with the frefti Difplays of his everlafting Kindnefs. — And if we are negli- gent in the Ufe of Means, if we walk not in his Statutes^ and keep not his Commandments ; our Father will rebuke us with the Hidings of his Face, with the Eclipfes of bis infinite Fa-

M 2 vgun

(92)

vour. Ncverthelefs his Lovlng-klndnefs^ He will yiot take away : His Heart-Love, his Covenant- Love, He will not infringe. No, the Love of liis Heart, fixt on us in Chrifl:, the Re- folve of his Will, to be gracious to us thro* him, and his Covenant with us in him, Jland faji unto all Generations, And blefTed is the Soul, x\\2Xjiands fajl in the Faith of that Love^ which (lands /rw^r than the y^/zW Mountains, and the iajiing Hills^ That v72iSfrom Everlafling in Commencement, and is to Everlafting, in Duration, without the leaft Change, or Shadow of Turning.

And as to abfolute PerfeSfion^ it is a mofl certain Truth, That there is none in ourfelves. All our Perfection, in this Regard, is in Chriji^ and in hiin alone. And a moft com- fortable, glorious Thing it is, to view our Perfedion in our perfe6l Head, in him, in whom we are complete^ abfolutely fo, lacking Nothing. And a glorious Influence hath fuch believing Views of our Compleatnefs in Chrifl, to make us perfonally, inherently, and increafnigly Holy.

There is no Danger of aflerting our abfolute Perfection in Chrifl-, and in him alone j fo long as a real^ tho' partial PerfeClion in iis., is aiTerted together with it. That is, fo long as the new Alan^ or neiv Nature in the Soul, is ac- knowledge, which is perfect as to Parts, tho' yet imper- fe6t as to Degrees ; and the Neceffity of the Truth and hi- creafe of inherent and perfonal Holinefs, in Heart, Lip and Life, is allerted.

Our abfolute Perfection in Chrift, our complete Holinefs In him ; is Gcd' s Foundation, upon which he builds our in- herent and perfonal HoiincTs ; upon which he begins, in- creafeth, and v/ill perfect Holinefs in us. And it ought to be our Foujidation, upon which our Faith refts, and upon which it work?, in all its Labour after an Advance of perfo- iial Holinefs in hieart and Life.

In believing Views then, of our Completenefs in Chrifl, of that Perfedion which we now have In Him, and fhall Hiortly have thro' him ; let us labour to be like him, to grow up more and more into Conformity to him, as Members of fuch a holy Head, as Branches of fuch a holy Root. — So fhall our Faith be ftrong, our Joy full, and our Holinefs ge- nuine and increafing. Or, rife apace, towards the Glory

of

( 93 ) of that perfed Day, when Holy and without Blame before God in Love^ we as his chofen, hk redeemed, his fnndi- fied Ones, fhall be. To the Praife of the Glory of his Grace^

in Chrifl", thro* the endlefs Ages of a bleft Paternity ! .

Wiftiing all Joy and Peace in Believing ; and that The God of Peace m3.y fan^ify you wholly ^ in Spirit^ Soul and Body ^ working in you that zvhich is well pleafing in his Sight thro* Chriji Jefus : In him, I am, dear Sir,

Tour Affectionate Friend and Humble Servant^

LETTER XXXIX.

To Mrs. L n.

My dear Friend^

YOU told me your Concern, left you fhould perijh^ by reafon of your Ignorance. Glad am I, that the Lord hath fcewn you your Malady, your Difeafe, your Soui-{lck- nefs, which threatens your eternal Death. Now you are ftck^ you have need of the Phyfician. Now you fee your Sicknefs. as a Sinner, the Saviour will be defired by you. It is the Depth of Soul-Mifery, to be infenfible of it. The Strength of our Spiritual Difeafe, to think that we are JVhole^ and that nothing ails us. — Oh the dreadful Mifery of ThoU- fands round about us, who are at Eafct and think all will be well with them at lajl^ tho' they are juft ready to die in their Sins, and to peri/b for ever I They are as it were, at the Edge of a Whirlpool, juft ready to be fwallow'd up in endlefs Perdition ', and yet, alas, they knozu it not / They are unconcern d \ and wonder to fee others fo much concerned about their Souls ; and think their earneft Concern for Sal- vation, is but Folly and Madnefs. Oh thefe are they that are Whole in their own Conceit, and have no fenfible Need of the Phyfician. Thefe are they, that fee no Beauty in the Christ of God, in the Saviour of Sinners, that they fhould defire him. They hope to be fav'd from Hell2X laft ; but as for Salvation from Sin^ and all the woful Effects of it in their Souls, they are altogether unconcerned. And thus being infenfible of their Mifery by Sin^ they negleil the

Remedy,

( 9+ ) Remedy, Christ, and his great Salvation. And abiding in this Statey they muft perifl) eternally. But when God de- igns Mercy for miferable Sinners, he quickens them to a Smfi of their Mifery, and thereby prepares them to receive Mercy.

Hark then, my dear Friend, are you fenfible of your Mi- fery ? Are you /'ri, iS/Vfick? T\\q Phyfician is provided on Purpofe for you. The Saviour has Mercy in Store for you. You fiiall not die. There is Bahn in Gilead^ there is a Phy- fician there. There is Healing for you in the Blood of Chr.ist, there is an Healer in God's Covenant, a Saviour provided, and a great One^ that every Way fuits your Cafe. — And fmce you need him, come to him. Oh come^ and you fhall be ivelcome. Come, tell the Lord Jefus^ that you are an igno- rant Creature, He can have Cornpajfton on the Ignorant, and on them that are out of the Way. He will not upbraid you with your Ignorance, but pity and compaffionate your Soul iinder it. He has Wifdom enough in himfelf to teach you, to make you wife unto Salvation. J II the Treafures of Wifdom and KnoivUdge are in hluu And he is made of God unto us Wifdom. As all the Perfections of Wifdom and Knowledge meet in him ; fo they are treafurM up in him for us ; to be communicated to fuch fjoolifh Sinners as we. He is a Saviour \Ti Office ; it is his Office to teach the Ignorant. God the Fa- ther has appointed him to fave Sinners, from their Soul-de- flroymg Ignorance. And, Good and upright is the Lord : Therefore will he teach Sinners in the Way^ Pfal. xxv. 8.

Qh, the Lord the Saviour is good^ infinitely good! Good', to compaflionate- Sinners in their utmoft Folly, ac- cording to the Meafure of their Diftrefs. As he is Infinite in Wifdom, and fully knows the Cafe of every miferable Sin- ner that comes unto him ; fo he is a mofl merciful High-Priejl^ that is inwardly touched \V\xh a Feeling of all our Griefs. By an inexpreffible Sympathy with us, he doth as it were, make them \i\s own. His Heart is made oiTendcrnefs. A bound- lefs Sea of Companions meet in it ; into which, he takes the Cafe of every miferable Sinner that comes unto him. — And -can he then fend them away empty ? No ; he cannot thus deny himfelf^ in his infinite Goodnefs. And therefore, be- caiifQ he is^<5p^/, becauCe l\o delighteth in Goodnefs, in free, ... unme-

(95) unmerited Goodnefs, in boundlefs, unlimited Goodnefs, in

exercifmg Loving-kindnefs ; he will relieve us, notwithftand- ing our Poverty, and to the utmofl of our Wants, accordino- to his ovs^n unfearchable Riches, and immenfc Fulnefs.

And a:, .he Lord the Saviour is infinitely good ; fo he is infinitely yi?//^^// to him that appointed him, to God the Father, who call'd him to be our Saviour, and to his own Engagements to fave us, even every poor Soul, that comes unto God by him. — Come then, my dear Friend, come to y^fus Chrijf^ 2iX\A Jhcw before him all your Trouble, Put your Cafe-i commit your ^oul into his Hands ; and he will under- take for you. He w'ilhwt<y from his infinite Goodnefs, from his infinite Faithfulnefs, yea, let me fay with Reverence, he cannot deny your Requeft : He will fave you to the Uttermojf, The Saviour is God, and cannot //>, nor repent. The Word is gone out of his Mouth, in infinite Goodnefs, in in- finite Faithfulnefs : That he will in no wife caft out^ any poor, miferable Soul, that cometh unto him^ John vi. 37, It is not poflible that you fhould perifl)^ if you come to Jesus, He will receive you to the Glory of Gon : To fave you from endlefs Mifery, to eternal Glory. Queftion not his infinite Goodnefs, doubt not his infinite Faithfulnefs : They are like the great Mountains, yea, frmer than the lafting Hills. For the Mountains fmll depart, and the Hills be removed : But the Kin dnefs of Christ's Heart to Sinners, fliall never be removed. His Grace, cannot change. His Compaffions, never fail. Heaven and Earth fiiall pafs away : But the Faithfulnefs of Christ to his Engagements, to his Word of Promife given to fave Sinners, and every one that comes unto him, can never fail. Not a Jot, nor Tittle of his Word, concerning their Salvation, fiiall pafs away, until all be 'fulfilled.

And becaufe the Lord the Saviour is thus good and up^ right, merciful and true ; therefore will he teach Sinners in the Way. Oh, they are Sinners^ chief Sinners, unworthy, God-provoking, Hell-defervinq; Sinners, that the Lord the Saviour deliglits to fave, and is in Office to fave to the Ut^ termoft ! He will teach thefe in the IFay, in The JVay of Life, which is above to the IVife, to depart from Hell beneath^ He will teach Sinners, even the moft ignorant, and make the

Way

( 96) ^

Way of Life fo plain before them, That a way-faring Man^ a poor Soul that defires to go from Earth to Heaven, tho* a Fool^ fhall not err therein. And this becaufe. He is given to be a Light to them that fit in Darkncfs ; to guide our Feet into the IVay of Peace, And has promised, to bring the Blind by a IVay which they knew not^ to lead them in Paths which they have not bicwn : To fnake Darknefs Light before ihem^ and crooked Things Jiraight. And to do thefe Things unto them^ and not for/a ke the?n^ Ifa. xlii. i6.

See then, my dear Friend, what Encouragement you have to come to Christ. Oh flay not a Moment longer, doubt- ing whether he will receive you^ but come andy^^. Oh ven- ture in to Christ: Say, as Queen £y?/;?^r, / will go in unto the King ! — And iflperijh^ I perijh : And fee if you find not Grace in the Eyes of the Lord. The Saviour will hold out the Sceptre of his princely Grace, his promis'd Mercy, for you to touch and live, Cafl yourfelf down at his Feet in ail your Uncleannefs, and fay as that poor Leper^ Lord-, if thou wilt, thou canfi make ?ne clean. And Jesus, moved with Compajfion, will fay unto you, as he did unto him, / will\ be thou clean. Christ can fave you with 2i JVord, He can fpeak all Salvation to you, by Way o^ Grant, in an Infant. Even all that you want for Soul and Body, for Time and for Eternity. And his great Word, of free un- changing Promife, will bring all Salvation to you, thro' Tlioufands of Improbabilities, over Mountains of Oppofi- tion, thro' Seas of Difficulty, with glorious Triumph, to his endlefs Praife. And tho' he fhould feem to hide himfelf from you, and he f lent for a while ; yet go not from him,, follow him with your earnefl Cries, until he gives you an Anfwer of Peace. When he defigns Mercy for Souls, he often tries their Faith and Patience. Becaufe he loves to difplay his Almighty Power in fupporting us, under greatefl PreiTures \ to fee us follow hard after him, when he feems to go from us ; to commend his infinite Grace, in bringing Salvation to us in the iittefl Seafon ; and thereby to endear himfelf, and his faving Love exceedingly to our Souls. Oh, in the Mount ^ the Lord will hz feen ! Our Extremity, is his Opportunity. Remember our Lord's Carriage to the Woman o{ Canaan. And if he fhould (o try you , let his feeming Denial of

your

( 91 ) your Requeft, put you upon pleading with him more ear- neftly. Till he fay unto you, as unto her, O IVoman^ great is thy Faith : Be it unto thee^ even as thou wilt. — 'J'he Grace of Chrijl he with your Spirit ! So pr;i*"^,

Tour affeSfionate Friend^

LETTER XL.

To Mrs. M s.

Aly very dear Sijier in Chriji^

IT pleafeth the Lord to exercife me with much bodily Weaknefs. But bleiTed be his Name, he gives me fweet Submiflion to his Will, and Acquiefcence with his good Plea- fure. I long for nothing fo much, as to believe in, love and adore my God in every Thing. Verily, he hath done^ he doth and will do, all Things well. As is moft conducive to his own Glory, our prefent Happinefs, and eternal Blifs.— * We are very apt to make Mijlakes : Which is the Caufe of much of our Heavinefs under trying Providences.

We are apt to think, that this and the other Things would be for God's Glory^ which we defire for thit End. But our great Lord, who is great in Might, whofe Underftanding is injjnite, doth perfeftly fee, that that Thi?7g which he denies us of, or at that Ti/ne, in which he is not pleas'd to beftow it ; would not be moft for his Honour. — Oh my dear Sifter, if we love above all Things, God's Honour ; let us lay out in our proje£ling Minds, this and that, whch he hath pro- mised, according to the Rule of his Word i and let us bring the Things we wifti for, in earncft Prayer before him : Let us feek, yea, wreftle with him for the Performance of all his promis'd Goodnefs, of the good Word which he hath fpoken, concerning his Church in general or particular, re- lating to ourfelves or others, about which our Dcfires are engag'd. And let us leave the Manner and Tijue of the Lord's beftowing the Things we requeft, entirely to him : Who is wonderful in Council^ and excellent in Working. For there fhall not fail ought of all the good Things which the Lord hath fpoken. Nor will he fail to fat isfy us with his in- finite Goodnefs^ as Ciall be moft for the Glory of his great

N Name.

( 98 )

Name. And let us give him Leave to be Judge of that htm^ felf', and humbly bow unto his good Pleafure, and joyfully flow into his all-wife Difpofe.

Again, we are apt ;o think, that this and that 7hing would be moft for our Happinefs ; and to defire it for that End. But the Lord, who loves us infinitely, who is infi- nitely wife, doth well know, that thofe Things we feek, which he denies, or at thofe Times we wifh, in which he gives them not, would not augment our Blifs, but lefTen it. Well our heavenly Father knows what we have need of\ and that which is good he will give ; and that which would do us Hurt^ or at that Time, in which it would not be heji for us, he will deny us of, however hardly we may take it. — Yet will he in no wife deny us any of the Petitions we afk of him in the Name of Jefus, according to his revealed Will in his JVord^ for his Glory and our Happinefs ; but grant them alU as a God hearing Prayer^ either in the Things we afk, or in thofe that are better ; at the Times we requeft them in, or at bleafons that are more jit^ in which they fhall appear moft ferviceable, beautiful and glorious.

Let us beware then, that we yield not to unbelieving Henvinefs m trying Seafons ; and cheerfully let us wait in Faith, for moft gracious Anfwcrs to all our Prayers, from yacob^s God, who hath not faid to the Seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me /;; vain. Let us go on to feek him, that we may glorify him ; and our Hearts Jh all live, that feek Gao. Great" fhall be his Glory, in our Salvation ; and our Happinefs, in his Honour. T'Z)^ Lord hath made all Things for hlmfelf\ and is glorify d in all his Difpenfations, both of Grace and Providence ; and .;;wy'^ glorify 'd in thofe Ways and Times, in which he is pleas'd to work; and let ns glorify him in all. We are happy in" God, and in \\\s good Pleafure ; in his all-wife, all-gracious, and fovereign Difpofe of all Things concerning us. And for his Glory, and our Happinefs it is, to efteem Things as they are ; and In every Thing to give Thanks : For this Is the If III of God In Chriji Jefus corner ning z/j.— Wiftiing all Supports, under all Preffures, all Confola- tions, under all Deje61ions, all gracious Supplies, under all Trials, and all Aftiftance, for all adlive Service ; that the Name of cur Lord jnay he glorify d In yau^ and you in hlmy

accord'

(99)

acc^dmg to the Grace ofGod^ and of our Lord ^efus Chrtji In hkn, my dear Sifter, I am

Tours very affeSlioncitely^

LETTER XLI.

ro Mr. P 11.

Dear Slr^

I Should have been glad of a Line from you before this Time, and hope to hear from you foon. I truft, Jesus hears from you often, and that there is fweet Communion maintained betw«en him and you. Oh dear Sir, he loves you infinitely ! His vi^hole Heart, is fix'd upon you in Love. He is in one Mind^ to love you freely, fully, unchangeably and eternally ; and who can turn hhn P None of all your Ene- mies, vi^ithin or without, fhall ever feperate you from the Lovs of Chrifi. He did not fet his Love upon you, nor chufe you, becaufe you was better than others by Nature ; nor yet for your forefeen Goodnefs^ after your Converfion by Grace. Ah no. He knew that we were ohflinate^ that our Neck was an Iron Sinew^ and our Brow^ Brafs ; and that we zuere caWd Tranf- grejfors from the Womh^ both in Nature and Grace. And yet, he could^ he would love us \ merely from the infinite Grace of his own Hearty and the fovereign good Pleafure of his Will Oh how fad would be our Cafe, if the Love of Chrifi' s Hearty in the leaft depended upon our Goodnefs ! Alas, the Goodnefs of our Frames^ is too oft like the Morning-Dew^ that quickly pajfeth away. And we, wretched we, behave towards our kind Lord, as if we were not his fpecial Favourites. We forget God our Saviour^ and lightly efieem the Rock of our Salvation, Oh Soul- humbling. Heart-breaking Confiderationi and efpecially, if weconfider, that the Lord our Lover, will nox forget us^ nor caft us out of his Efteem, nor off^ from his kind Regard, for all that we have done f Oh, who is like unto our God! A God that par doneth Iniquity^ that paffeth by the Tranfgrejfton of the RemnaJit of his Heritage^ that retaineth 7iot his Anger for ever : Becaufe he delight nth in Mercy ! — And how fhould the bright Shine of God's all-overcoming Love, melt down our hard Hearts, into a fwift Flow of Love and Gratitude to him I And how doth it, when the Energy of

N 2 infinite

( loo J infinite Grace, of free, rich, diftinguifhing and eternar Grace, reacheth the Heart of a vile Sinner, of a backlliding Believer, in the great Power of God ! Oh it is well for us that we are under Grace. Grace, that forgives our Iniquities^ that heals nur Difeafes ! That redeo?ns our Life from Dejhu^lion^ and crowns us with Loving-kindnefs and tender Mercies ! That JO' ilsfies our Mouth with good Things^ fo that our Youth is re- newed like the Eagles ! That maintains and increafeth our Life fpiritual, unto 7 ife eternal !— Unto this Grace I commit you-, and am,, my dear Brother,

Tour very affectionate Friend and Servant^

In our altogether Lovely and Everloving Jesus^

LETTER XLIL

To Mr. L s.

My dear Brother in our fweet Lord fejus^ TV/TOST kindly I thank you for your Letter. Want of ^^ Time., not of Love^ is the Caufe why you hear no oft- ner from me. I have pray'd our Dear Lord to fpeak to you, when / could not. Oh none can fpeak: like Him f Christ has the Tongue of the Learned^ and well knov/s how to fpeak a IVord in Seafon to him that is weary. Oh, None can fpeak fo feaianably, fo fuitably ta eve?j weary SouJ, in every Kind and Degree of their Wearinefs, as the anointed Saviour ! our All- Wife, and All-Gracious Lord ! Grace is poured into his Lips. And from his Mouth fuch gracioUi JVords proceed^ that all hear him Witnefs^ with Wonder, Love and Joy, that hear his glorious Voice ! Oh, never Man fpake like this Man ! His Lips are like Lillies., dropping fweet- fmelling Myrrh I Oh the ineffable Sweetnefs, the refre/hing Fragrancy, the Soul-quickhing Energy of our hoRD's Fo ice f With a IFord of his Mouth, He uihers in Light, Life, Li- berty, and Glory upon us at once ! Such a Fidncfs of Bliss, that none can conceive^ but the Souls tliat ejijoy it ! And by Them it is inexpreffihle ! Unfpeakably hleffcd then, muft be thofc happy Souls, that hear, that know, our Beloved'' s Voice f For unto all the many Thctfands cfpoufed to him, fcatter'd over the Ftice of the whole Earthy he fpeaks particularly and indi-

V iduallv^

( lOI >

vidually. In the Love, Grace, and Power of a God ! In the Majefty of Jehovah! And as the Lord their God \ And thus He cotnmands Deliverances for JgcoI^ Supports, Joys, Salvations, with an All'endearhigy and All-efficacious Voice. As in the old Creation, He {aid, Let there be Light : and there was Light. — Evident then it is, that never Man /pake like the Man Christ ! — No Man can fpeak to the Cafe of any weary Soul, unlefs Christ puts a JVord into his Mouth for that Perfon. And vi'hen Men have fpoke to the Cafe, they cannnot fpeak to the Hearty unlefs Christ takes the Words from their Mouthy and conveys them into the inmoji Soul, by his civn Almighty Breath. By the Word of the Lord, the Heavens of old were made and garnifhed : And by the JVord of the Lord, are New-born Souls form'd and polifli'd, until Grace is brightned into Glory. Heart-vjork, doth ^//belong to the Saviour-God, whatever Injlmments he is pleas'd to work by. Not a Beam of Light, Love and Glory, can penetrate our Souls, under the moft bright and power- ful Difcourfe, unlefs Christ the true Light, fhineth into our Hearts therein, and fpeaks unto us thereby. All our Times of Refrejhing, come from the Prefence of the Lord. It is Christ thd^t declares his Father's Name unto us, either more ?nediately, or immediately, whenever the Love of God is fhed abroad m our Hearts, and our Souls are changed into the fame hnage, from Glory to Glory. — What Thanks xh^n Ihould we give unto God for Christ ! for this his XJn- fpeakable Gift I and for that fpiritual Life, Joy and Glory, which our Lord is pleas'd to communicate to us, by his moft Gracious and Efficacious Voice, which Way foever he gives us to hear it ! — I rejoyce with Ton, and the reft of the Brethren, for that Feajf you had at the Tabernacle, oil your Letter-Day, It was the Love and Glory of our Lord, in himfelf and Works, which breaking out upon you, en- lightned, and enkindled your dear Souls ; and made them like an afcending Flame, in Prayer and Praife ; which was moft joyful wnto you, and acceptable to God, thro' Jesus Christ. *— Indeed my Brotb.er, you then enjoy'd a Tafte of Heaven's Bliss, the Firfl- fruits of that Glory v^^hicU awaits you I And if a Tafte be (ofiveet, what will the rich, . the eternal Feaji he ! If the News of your Lord's being on

his

( I02 )

his Wayy and of his gathering of the People unto Him, was fo delightful to your Souls ; Oh what ineffable Joy^ will fill your Hearts, when you {hall fee him Face to Face ! When he comes in the Clouds^ with ten Thoufands of his Saints^ in his own^ and in his Father's Glory^ and in the Glory of his holy Angels ! When all the h am b's Redeemed^ fhall be gather'd together unto Him, caught up to meet him in the j^ir, to enter into his foy and Glory^ and iofing his Praifes : And fo fhall be for ever with the Lord ! Even fo co?ne Lord Jefus I Come quickly ! — In Him, my dear Brother, I am ' Tours JffeSlionately^

LETTER XLIIL

To Mr. B m.

Dear Sir^

I Hope you experience that Chrijl lives in you. That your Life as a Branch in him your living Root, as in Union to him, as having Communion with him, is fecretly main- tain'd in the darkeft and fliarpefl: Winter-Seafons. And that it is richly increased unto a vifible Branch-Glory, in thofe pleafant Spring-Times of his maniteftative Favour, which he is gracioufly pleas'd to afford you. If the Life of Grace in usy was not fecur'd in Union to that Fulnefs of Grace, of Grace-Life, which is in Chrijl ; it wou'd foon be de- ftroy'd, by that Body of Sin and Death which works in us, and by the deadly Temptations of Satan and the World with- out us. But our Life of Grace, being hid with Chrift in God', it fhall never be totally extinguifh'd in us by the greateft Damps that may be caft upon it. But maintained and in- creased it fhall be, in Principle and Adivity, under ftrongeft Oppofition, and after woful Decays, until it is perfected in the Life of Glory.

How fafe then are we in Chrifl ! What Caufe have we to Rejoyce in the Lord alway ! And to wait upon him conti- nually for renewed Quicknings, whenever, with thePfalmift, we have the fad Experience, that our Souls cleave unto the Dufi / Oh, our Dear Lord Jefus, our tender, companionate Saviour, Yi'Wl Remember us in cur low Ejlate 5 becaufe his Mer^

cy

. ( I03 ) ,

cy endureth for ever ! The Love of his Heart towards us, is immenfe and unchangeable; His Care of us, perpetual; his Wifdom to rcllore us, is infinite ; and his Power to fave us to the uttermoft, is Ahnighty. And into his All-wife, All-gracious, and Almighty Hands, let us Commit the Keep- ing afour Sotds^ thro' Time, the Meetning of them for Eter- nity, and the Raifmg of our Bodies unto endlefs Glory. For, Of all that the Father hath given him, he zvill lofe nothing hut raife it up at the lajl Day. And, Prefcnt us Faulttefs before the Prefence of his, and his Father's Glory, with eX" ceeding Joy. And fo Jhall we be forever zuith the Lord I — • With kind Service to Self and Spoufe, I remain, dear Sir, Tour affeolionate and obliged Friend and Servant^ In Jesus our Lord, our Life, our All,

LETTER

To Mr. M- My dear Brother in Chrijf,

ITruft, you and your dear Yokefellow, have abundant Ex- perience of the Lord's Goodnefs, fince I faw you. Our dear Lord hath brought us far on our Way thro' the Wildernefs, towards Canaan a Land. Yet a little while, and we fhaliy^^ Jesus. See him as he is, be made perfe£i:ly like him, and live in his immediate Prefence, under the bright, enkindling Beams of his Love and Glory, to an endlefs Eternity. My dear Children, you are the Lord's ; his Heart is fix'd on you, his Care Is over you, and all his Perfections are engag'd for you. All the Fulnefs of God, is yours in Love. Then, be fure, you can want'noth'mg. God, your own God in Chrift, will fee to it, that you fhall not want any good Thing. Live by Faith, upon your Portion in God, upon God your Por- tion. You can never fpend it. Draw tVater with Joy out of this Well of Salvation : You can never draw it dry, nor fmk it an Hair's Breadth. Make God your All. He is fo : Believe him to be fo. And, put Him for a Well, while paffing thro' the Valley o^ Baca, this Vale of Tears. And blejfed, hleffed fhall you be. For lo. This Well of living Water, in a thoufand various Streams, will fpring up, and run over, for your full and continual Supply, wliile you, re- joycing, fmg unto it. I am

( 104 ) 1 am weak in Body ; but my kind Lord, ftayeth his rough JVind in the Day of his EaJi'JVirid : Sets Bounds to my Af- Ai6tion, and fuys, Hitherto JJmlt thou comc^ and no further. Oh I find the God of Jacobs to be unto ?«<?, a very prefent Help in Trouble. H« empties me from V^eiTel to VefTel, to refine me the more. He drives me by AiHi(3:ions, he draws me by Mercies, from every Thing below himfelf to live up- on Him, as my prefent and eternal All ! And a glorious, Soul-fatisfying All, is my God to 7ne. Praife him on my Account ; and lift up a Cry for your Friend that loves you. — Now, The God of Peace ^ fill you with all Joy and Peace zn Believing ! So prays, my dear Brother and Sifter,

Tours in the LORD, our Love, our Life, . Our Ml in All,

LETTER XLV.

To Mr. W s.

My very dear Brother,

WE live in a World of Snares : The Lord, who hath fav'd our Souls from Death, kept our Feet from falling! It is well that we are Chrift's Care : Elfe we fliould fall, and rife no more. But, all Glory to the God of all Grace, we that have believed in Jefus, are forever fecur'd from final Jpojlacy I — Yet much lies upon us, in Point of Da/y, to watch daily, that we backflide not from our God. That we are not content with Diftance fi-om him, and want of Communion with him ; That we live not to his Diflionour, but acSlually in all Things to his Glory : Yea, that we in- creafe in Faith and Love, and go on, ' perfe61:ing Holinefs

m the Fear of God." And blefled be his great Name,

that whenever we fail, there is the Fountain of Chrift's moft precious Blood, to wafti in ; and an inexhauftible Fulncfs of Grace in him, to fupply all our AVants, until Grace is

ripened into Glory. The Cod of Love and Peace be with

y^u I I am, my dear Brother,

Tours moft affectionately.

E R R J r J.

PAGE 33, Line 37, for that, read the. P. 60, I. 8, for Mifs- ftnccy r. Mi/pence, p. jGy I. 16, for Hearts, r. Heart, p. JJf 1. 19, ioi tares i v^ tears, p. 38, 1. 26, after fW/oV, r. ic^//.

■^

M

- ft II ^m''nni«ii-