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north wind; and I have been for a fortnight toffed with no small tempeft; infomuch that, at times, I have despaired even of life, and my mouth hath uttered perverse things before God. Such rebellion have I found working within, fuch contending with the Almighty, fuch unbelief prevailing, together with fuch deadness and barrennefs, and fuch bitterness of spirit, that I think I never felt before. I am kept at fuch a diftance from God, shut quite up in prayer, and not a word to plead before him, which made me cry out, "All these things are against me." I could get nothing under the word; and therefore I have come away from the house of God raging like a rebel; and have found true what you mentioned in your 'Child of Liberty in legal Bondage,' that, was it not for the strong hand of God on fuch fouls, the ways of Zion would be unoccupied by them. I am fure this is true; for my feelings at that time were quite the reverse of David's when he said, "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hofts! my foul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord. When fhall I come and appear before God?" But not this, but the former, was the state of my mind when I received your letter; and, when I read what you wrote on the subject of prayer, it caused desperation, in some measure, to work within me. Well, thought I, if this is the way that these enemies are to be overcome, what is to become of me? Pray I

cannot; therefore, for ought I fee, I muft have their company. I had faid, when I lay windbound, that I had rather be in the ftorm than lie fo. And a storm it has been to me, with a witness. Having thus given you the dark fide, I will proceed to inform you how the tempeft was made to cease.

On Monday evening laft I went to Bethel in all this ftorm. His excellency's oration was, "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing inftant in prayer." This fet me a quarrelling with him. Well, thought I, there will be nothing for me this night; I fhall go home worfe than I came out, as I did last night. I think, had he picked the facred records throughout, he could not have found a fubject that is more con. trary to my prefent feelings. But no fooner did he begin to open than the contents diftilled as the dew. The devil fled, unbelief got a blow, carnal reafon was fo put to the blufh as to be forced to retire; nor have they dared to shew their rebellious heads fince.

On Tuesday morning, on taking up the records of Zion, my eyes were directed to the following proverb: "The ear that heareth the reproof of life fhall abide among the wife." I cannot express what a fweet light accompanied these words, which gave me to fee what I had received the evening before. My mind was carried above the literal fenfe of the words. I un

derstood

derstood what the ear there spoken of is, even the ear of the foul; the fame that Chrift himself spoke of when he faid, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." This ear was given me; and what the Lord caufed me to hear was, the reproof of life; because it was attended with a quickening influence to my foul. And that it was the voice of God, by his word and his Spirit, I have not a fingle doubt; because, on those three evenings, the devil, unbelief, and carnal reason, were forced to make their retreat, whofe plea before was fo powerful in my heart. And this vifit was attended with a sweet perfuafion, yea, an affurance, that I fhall be found at laft among the wife vir- gins, when the Lord comes with the midnight cry.

I think my fenfations are at present somewhat like David's, when he said, “ By this I know that thou favoureft me, because my enemies do not triumph over me." I believe the Lord will never let me go out of his hands until he hath made me meet for the inheritance. He will put me into a thousand fires, that my dross and tin may be purged from me.

I have no larger paper, or I fhould have wrote you more at this time on fome parts of your letter. I was forry to hear, by a letter you wrote to my brother, that you was indifpofed. I hope ere now you are about again, which I fhall be very glad to hear as foon as convenient. Mr.

H- joins me in kind love, and thanks your letter. Believe me to remain

for

you

THINE epiftle comforted my heart.

My hope of you is ftedfaft. Nothing ever raised a doubt in my mind of the goodness of thy ftate but thy long abode on mount Tabor; for, when once meekness, contrition, godly forrow, compunction of heart, felf-abasement, and humility, wear off, and drynefs and lightness attend our joy, there is danger. Pride and self-seeking creep in; nor is watchfulness and diligence in prayer attended to. The veffel goes on, but wants ballaft; and, when the rod comes on, we fall many leagues

leagues back. But now, bleffed be God, we keep "If we pace; we are in one and the fame way. fuffer with him, we shall reign with him." If we fhare in the afflictions, fo fhall we in the confolations. I have had fome uncommon feasons of refrefhing of late; I mean, fecret refreshings on my own spirit. His foul humbling advances towards me diffolved me, and fenfibly affected both my body and foul. My hair moved upon my head, and I could feel my blood run in my veins. His prefence, his unparalleled condefcenfion, the freedom and the familiarity that he used with me, made my foul foar aloft in the most profound gratitude. I was obliged to stand still, and weep it out, for my mind floated on the river of felfabafing and unfpeakable pleasure. The world and all about me feemed reduced to the drop of a bucket, or the small duft of a balance; my eyes poured out before him the tears of undiffembled love, and I kept waving my hand, and coyly putting away the effects of his undeserved vifit, crying out," I am not worthy, I am not worthy, I am not worthy, I am not worthy." But, like himself, for he is like no other, he preffed his good-will, and the tokens of his eternal love, upon me, without taking the leaft notice of my repeated cries of unworthiness. My foul's unwearied enemy, who feldom leaves me one whole day together, fled, and not a corruption moved, nor a wandering thought fprung up, to lead my