LETTER XII.

TO THE SAME.

Dear sister in Christ Jesus, and beloved of God,

GRACE and peace be with thee: I wish that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospers. God has done great

things for thee, he has given thee a solid, stable, comfortable, and good hope through grace, and, We are saved by hope;" which hope is an anchor of the soul to keep the vessel of mercy firm to him who is within the vail---that the storms of Sinai when we get into legal bondage, nor the sudden assaults of satan, nor the gusts of error, nor the billows of inbred corruptions, nor the waves of ungodly men may not move us, so as to sink us in despondency, despair, nor obdurate hardness of heart. We may be distressed but not in despair, cast down but not destroyed, for this anchor still brings the vessel again to her anchorage.

Sure I am that our inveterate enmity is slain, and that unappeased wrath,unatoned guilt shall sink us no more. As for those groundless fears that satan may beget, and those terrors and the horrid gloom which he may be suffered sometimes to spread over our minds in the night, or

when we are under spiritual desertions; we know that these differ from the piercing sen-, tenceof a broken law, and from the galling, bars of unbelief; therefore, "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night: nor for the arrow that flieth hy day: nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness: nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day."

A good hope, Mary, is annexed to the reward of inheritance, and this hope is a firm expectation of the happy enjoyment of it, and is as sure as the reward itself; " For verily there is a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut of." We are the folks, Mary, we are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. "Our life is hid with Christ in God;" and every visit, ray, glimpse, revival, refreshing, pious thought, humbling reflection, sweet enlargement, melting sensation, attracting beam, and soul-dissolving look is to let us know that our Redeemer liveth----lives for us, and we shall live through him, and at last with him.

"

I have a most violent cold, and a most tormenting cough and hoarness. I have, like Ephraim, had my belly filled with the east wind; but all is well, for Parson Sack will never die. I am still upon the high-way, and my eye upon the prize of the high calling, and many pledges of it have I had by the way; and sure I am that

the harvest is as sure as the first-fruits. Farewel. Be of good cheer, for Christ loves us dearly.

Ever thine in Him.

W. H. S.S.

LETTER XIII.

TO MRS. D.

Dear sister and fellow-sufferer,

GRACE and peace be multiplied to thee throug hour Lord Jesus Christ. I was sorry to hear by Mr. G. that you was so poorly, so weak, and so low; but a daily cross we must have or perish. "He that will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me; and where I am there shall also my servant be." But our time is short, for we are much older in constitution than in years.

You are now my dear Sister, at the Royal Exchange of heaven; "Thou oughtest," says Christ, "have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury." He hath taken away from thee the greatest earthly present that he ever gave to thee; but the exchange will be that he will make himself over to thee: this I believe will be the exchange, nor have I

a doubt of it, and in this change thou wilt sustain no loss Moreover, at these trying times the mind works and the spirit sinks, gloomy meditations and cutting reflections bring fresh causes of grief; the misgiving heart under such considerations hourly conceives its fresh matter for sorrow, and this is too heavy for our frail souls to bear up under---to ponder over it adds to the burthen, and to murmur and ebel does the same.

To the Exchange we must go, and sure I am that pouring out these things hourly before the Lord, as the heart fills with it, is undoubte l putting it out to the exchangers; and this weil followed up will in time bring in a better stock to trade with. I mean it will bring in a deliverance, and some submission and resignation till that deliverance comes. Then thou wilt be able to exchange a few blessings, a few praises, and a few thank-offerings; and confess as I have often done, that this is a truth, "That all things work together for good to them that love God;" who will not leave thee till thou set thy seal to this, that," God is true."

I have been sharply exercised with severe pain, and with satan's unwelcome assistance in such cases; but am much better, yet not a little weakened by these long and restless pains. Hope to see my poor little companion in tribulation next Lord's-day, if God permit. Give

thy mind much to reading and prayer, and if prayer be out of season, confess and plead the worst against thyself; sometimes one arrow will fly when another will not. These things will counteract the devil's cunning, and fill the mind with the word; and when the word dwells richly in us, that becomes our meditation, and is often uppermost even when asleep. God bless and be with thee, guide and comfort thee, is the prayer of, Dear Sister,

Thy friend and servant.

W. H. S. S.

I write this with all my company below. God bless thee.

LETTER XIV.

TO THE SAME.

Lewes.

I MUST drop a few scraps to the afflicted. God keeps his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem; and he that is our Refiner, who kindles the flame and regulates the heat, was himself made perfect through sufferings. To subdue our inbred corruptions, to cleanse. us from idols, and to purge away our dross is the end aimed at. By inward corruptions, I mean. deceitful lusts; by idols every thing that rivals.