gious exercises, makes manifest from whence it comes. God says, Awake and watch: then it must be the devil that lulls us to sleep when at prayer; but there is no danger of sleeping when the flames of jealousy are kindled; if any thing under heaven will keep you awake, this will; therefore this also is among the all things that work for good, to them that love God.

I

I must now address my son.

And what shall say to thee, my son? Why I will say, as Joseph did to Benjamin, "God be gracious unto thee, my son;" and remember that God hath formed thee for himself, that thou mayest shew forth his praise. Such are to go out with joy, and be led forth with peace, while the Holy Spirit will cast up the highway, and make crooked things straight, and rough places plain, and convince thee, by his love within, that charity is the more excellent way. But a brother is born for adversity. Some will hear thy report, see and admire the work, and take encouragement from it to wait, to watch, and to hope for the same benefit; while others will see and hate the change; these will watch for thy halting, and make thee an offender for a word; and, if God keep thee as upright as the palm-tree, yet a vile antinomian thou must be called; from this no heaven-born soul can be exempt in our days, for such aspersions are intended for no other purpose but to blacken those whom God condescends to keep clean.

Thou art come forth at a busy time; it is the

beginning of wheat harvest; and thy mind, thoughts, and affections, will be so entertained above, that thou wilt be as awkward and inexpert at the scythe and sickle, as I was at the hoe and the rake; but the harvest must be got in, and thou art at work for them who are in the same secret, and who know the difference between jubilee and common years, and who can make allowances on such occasions. God has shewed thee the way of life, and has set open door, and none can shut it. the new and living way, and faith living feet, these will move on at forming view of a dear Redeemer. be thankful; stand fast, and cleave close, and the God of peace shall be with thee.

before thee an Christ Jesus is

and love are

every trans

Be grateful,

I thank Mary for these welcome tidings, and bless my God, who does not suffer the antinomian to labour in vain. My kind love to Mr. M. and all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; while I ever remain, in the bond of the everlasting covenant,

Your most affectionate Friend and Servant,

THE COALHEAVER.

N

LETTER LI.

To the Rev. W. HUNTINGTON.

Dearly Beloved and Rev. Sir,

In love to you, I write to inform you a little of God's dealings with me. About five or six years ago the dear Lord was pleased to give me a sight of my lost and undone state; I saw and felt that if I died in the state that I was then in, I was as sure to be damned as I was born; I was afraid to go to sleep for fear I should lift up my eyes in hell, as the rich man did, for I had him always before my eyes, and in the morning I used to cry out, O! what a mercy to be out of hell!

I was brought up to the church of England, but I was obliged to lay by all my forms of prayer, and cry, God be merciful to me a sinner. I was convinced that you and Mr. Jenkins were God's servants, and when I got a little better (for I had been very ill in body) I went to hear Mr. J.; his text was, "Come out from amongst them and be ye separate," &c. and so I did, for my heart was cleaving to a new family, which I believed to be the children of God.

I had twelve miles to walk to hear Mr. J., and, as I was going one Sunday, I called on a man that used also to hear the word at Lewes, and there sat a young man reading one of your books. I heard him till I found I was condemned on every hand;

I thought there was no way left for me to escape; all my righteousness was as filthy rags, therefore I was brought to hunger and thirst after something better. I had, however, a little comfort at times from these words, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled;" and, As many as I love I rebuke and chasten, and scourge every son that I receive; and they that are without chastisements are bastards and not sons." But carnal reason and unbelief said it could not be love that exercised me so. If I had ten thousand worlds, I could have left them. all for a part or lot in Christ Jesus, for I saw him a complete Saviour, so suitable to my case; but, O! that sin of unbelief, which is the greatest of all my plagues! Yet my prayer was, for God to search me, and try me, and know my heart and thoughts, and see if there was any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. And so it is to this day, for I am afraid of my own heart, it being deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. But God did not suffer me to shun the light, but to come to it, for I longed to know the worst of myself. I found God to be in Mr. J. of a truth, and I was searched and tried too, and sometimes comforted, until I was brought down to the feet of Christ. Come what may; come life, come death, come heaven, or come hell; here I am, O Lord! do with me what seemeth good in thy sight; not my will, but thine be done. I knew God would be just in sending me to my own place, for sinning

part nor lot in that matter. Such labourers as these cannot preach themselves as interested in Christ, in the way that Paul did, when he tells us, I am not an apostle of man, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. "The commandment came, and sin revived and I died; for sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me." Christ's light shined round about ine; "they that were with me saw indeed the light and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me,' "The gospel preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ," "It pleased God to reveal his Son in me, that I should preach him among the Gentiles." "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel." "Christ loved me, and gave himself for me;" "And the grace of our Lord was abundant upon me with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." "Christ was seen of James, then of the apostles, and he was seen of me also." "I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God; I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, buṭ Christ liveth in me: and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." Thus Paul preached that which was his own, what God had given to him; "We have this treasure," says Paul, "in earthen vessels," "For I