in the enlivening prospects of growth in grace and approaching glory. How then can we do otherwise than rejoice in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope? Afflictions are sent to prove us, whether grace be in us or not. Now, if they work in us the sorrow of the world, and make us fly to worldly succours, what do they but unquestionably prove the depravity of our hearts? But if they have a contrary effect, and work patience, they produce in us an experimental acquaintance with various circumstances relative to God and to ourselves, to this world and to the next, which are of the most interesting and comfortable importance. When afflictions bring us to a more resigned and mortified spirit, to a more sure trust in God, and a more entire casting of our care upon him; and when the Lord supports us under them, and blesses our souls by them, then they bring along with them a comfortable experimental proof of his love. 6 If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons." It is afflictions which distinguish the chaff from the wheat; and by our de portment under them, we shall be able to discover whether or not we are sincere and upright in heart. If we cleave to God and duty patiently in a cloudy and dark day, this shall clear up our evidences, and help us to an experience of our integrity in which we may rejoice. If at such a season we do not confer with flesh and blood, and do not yield any thing to ease, interest, or worldly esteem, but maintain a good conscience, patiently suffering since the will of God is so, hereby we evince that we regard God's will more than our own. Thus it is, my dear friend, that sufferings may be considered as special seasons and means of giving to the children of God experience of their

integrity towards him. I rejoice to think that my last letter afforded you any consolation; but I beg you on no account whatever to look on the unworthy writer in a higher light than she deserves. If God make use of me to be in the least degree instrumental towards strengthening you in the blessed paths of righteousness and peace, I shall indeed be happy; but to him give all the glory. My heart is much with you, and I cannot be employed more to my satisfaction than in this intercourse, which I must beg may never again be interrupted. Perhaps the Lord may in his good time permit us to meet again here below; if not, the transporting hour is drawing nigh, when we hope to meet above, and leave all our sins and sorrows behind us. In the mean time, may faith supply the defects of sense, and feed upon the privileges of spiritual communion! Do we not meet at the same throne of grace? Do we not drink of the same water of life? Are we not fed with the same heavenly bread, and supported by the same divine promises? Are we not animated by the same glorious hopes, and pressing towards the same heavenly mark? Does not he who comforts you, vouchsafe to comfort me also? When we pray in retirement, do we pray alone? O no, my dear friend, how would it raise our spirits to consider the countless multitudes that are joining with us every hour! All our eyes and hearts are fixed upon the same Jesus, and he, like the sun in the firmament, shines forth at one and the same moment, filling every eye with his light, and warming every heart with his love. Nor is this all; nay, this is the smallest part of the view of the communion of saints. We join not only with the church below, but with the church above, that glorious assembly, which is enlarging every moment, by the accession of new voices out of every kindred, and

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tongue, and nation, and constantly singing, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,' and ascribing all the praise to him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.' It is true, as one observes, that the saints in light do not feel our imperfections, and consequently cannot mourn over them; for in heaven that which is in part is done away, and that which is perfect is fully come. They do not now, but they did once. There was a time when they were as we are. They in their day passed through this vast howling wilderness; they were beset with our enemies; they were tempted, wounded, and sore thrust at that they might fall; but the Lord was their stay. Many of them have been hard put to it, and, in an hour of unbelief, have almost despaired of seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living; but now their conflicts are over. After all their struggles, they are made more than conquerors, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of his testimony. And we, who experience the same trials, expect the same deliverance; for the arm that protected them is stretched out still; the fountain whereof they drank is full and flowing for us also; the word on which they hoped is in our hands; the rock on which they were built is the Rock of Ages, a foundation sure in every age; therefore we need not fear. Every one who has gone to heaven before us, is a witness to the power, faithfulness, and love of our Saviour. And O, with what a cloud of these witnesses should we see ourselves encompassed, could we but penetrate beyond the veil of flesh, and open our eyes upon the glorious realities of the unseen world! May God bless you, my very dear and honoured friend, and pour out upon you the choicest of his mercies! Strive to have Christ always

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in your heart, heaven in your eye, and the world under your feet, and then you can never be unhappy.”

your

"February 5, 1766. "Many things in last letter I will answer now more particularly. The more I consider the matter, the more I see proofs of the Lord's gracious dealings towards you. He seems to be, by the enlightening influences of his Holy Spirit, both working in you a more perfect knowledge of himself, and of your own state and character. These two things are indispensably necessary towards our progress in the Christian race. For until we see something of the infinitely condescending love of God to sinners, in sending his own Son to suffer for them, and the majesty and glory of the Redeemer himself, we shall never be able to discover the exceeding sinfulness of sin, which required a ransom of such inestimable value. And, on the other hand, until we see ourselves lost and undone, both by original and actual sin, and incapable of raising ourselves to newness of life, we shall never in earnest apply to Christ for help, nor value aright that great salvation which is in him. You complain of blindness, hardness of heart, and unbelief. O what delightful evidences are those complaints, that your heavenly Father is now convincing you of your lost and undone state by nature and practice, and that he is teaching you to set a true value on the undertaking of his dear Son, who invites all to come to him that labour with doubts and fears, and are weary and heavy laden with the burden of sin! You say that you cannot believe. I rejoice that you feel your inability; for undoubtedly a conviction of this is the first step towards obtaining true faith. You now experimentally know that faith

is, as the Scripture declares, the gift and the work of God; from whom it must be sought in humble earnest prayer, and by whose Spirit it must be wrought in the heart. How different now are your sentiments from what they once were, or from those of the unawakened world around you! Were you to ask one who has the form of godliness without the power, if he has faith? the question would appear strange to him; he would perhaps be offended, and tell you confidently that he always believed. Were you to ask him, if he was ever weary and heavy laden with the burden of sin? his answer would probably be, that he thanks God he never did any thing so bad as to give uneasiness to his conscience : so blind is he, both with regard to the state of his own soul and the spirituality of God's law. Whence is it, think you, that such a change has been wrought in you? The reason is evident. It is because Christ has chosen you to himself, and by his grace made you to differ from the world around you. O did you but know what terrors and sore conflicts! what blasphemous thoughts! what hardness of heart, many, who have told me their experiences, have been exercised with before they were set free by Christ, and under which I myself have at times groaned, you would not suppose your own case peculiar, but would see the kind hand of God in all his dealings with you. You have a gracious promise, that neither the world, nor death, nor hell, shall be able to pluck you out of the hand of Christ, your Saviour. Say, then, in the words of holy David, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Wait on the Lord be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. The faith of the strongest believers may

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