fertions. O diftrust not his goodness and mercy for they endure for ever; only believe and you fhall fee the glorious goodness of God, for he is rich in mercy to all that call upon him; the humble and contrite heart he will not defpife; he gently leads those that are heavy laden, and carries his lambs in his arms. Indulge no despairing thoughts, these are indeed the delusions of the enemy, and dishonour our dear Lord Jesus ; lay your felf at his footftool, wrestle there until he fhall grant your prayer, and make your enemy to flee from you. Confider the conflicts of the faithful in all ages; you will find that they underwent temptations, desertion, and fiery trials, agreeable to which the divine word has told us, that thro' much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of heaven. Our chriftian life is compared to warfare, in which we wrestle not with flesh and blood only, but against principalities and powers of darkness, in which combat, it may please God, to fuffer Satan the old ferpent to bruife our heel, to enfnare, and perhaps give us a fall to fhew us our own weakness, and that in God alone is all our help, but yet he will caufe us again to arife with redoubled ftrength, to bruife that wicked ferpent's head. Dear Sifter, although I am fteadfaft in faith, and have no doubts of God's love to me, yet I have not for fome time past been favoured with the warm rays of his divine transport Acts xiv. 22. ing ing love, which used frequently to fhine into my foul. It is his pleasure to withold thofe comforts, which I am entirely unworthy to receive, I am therefore refigned and thankful for what remains, and waiting at his footftool in the means of his appointment, believing, that in his own good time, he will yet again comfort my foul with ravishing manifeftations of his love: In the mean time I am affured that neither men nor devils fhall be able to pluck me out of his hand; in like manner comfort your felf in him who is mighty and willing to fave. Believe, and he will make his goodness pass before you, he will pluck your feet out of the miry clay, and restore joy and gladness to your foul, even the joys of his salvation, Jefus my great high priest has dy'd; Thy blood did once for all atone, My Lord, my conqueror, and my king, Afpire my foul to glorious deeds, Shou'd death and hell, and powers unknown, I fhall be fafe, for Chrift difplays That our Lord Jefus Chrift may comfort your foul, and establish you more and more daily in your most holy faith, and give you a full aflurance of his eternal love unto you, such as may make you able to ftand against all the affaults of the enemy, is the prayer of Your affectionate Brother, H. B. P. S. My love waits on Brother T— and all friends. That the bleffing of our God in Chrift Jefus may be their continual comfort is the fincere prayer of Yours, &c. NUMB. IX. A letter of Mr. Hugh Bryan to his Daughter, Mrs. E T--- ·October 3d, 1741. Dear Child, Am weak, and not able to ride fo far as the meeting. I have been brought very low, fince I faw you, by a flux and fever, but I thank God I am now (I hope) in a fair way to recover; my my fever has left me, my appetite increases, and I get fome strength; every fickness brings me more acquainted with my mortality, and that I am not long to be an inhabitant here. Indeed the difficulties and disappointments incident to this life with respect to my fpiritual, as well as my temporal concerns, I mean the want of a feeling grateful sense of God's goodness, a sluggishness of heart in his fervice, the temptation of unprofitable conversation in company, and the like, make me weary of this ftate of tryal and imperfection. The sweets of this world, profits, pleasure, &c. have too often deceived, and their delusive flatteries rather pall, than excite a guft in my affections towards them. My hope of eternal bliss thro' a bleffed Jefus makes me covet death rather than life if it be his will. However, not my will, but the will of my God be done concerning me! I defire patiently to wait till my change come, and I know affuredly that, notwithstanding I am by nature a finful, polluted, wretched, hell-deferving creature, yet that thro' the atonement and fatisfaction of our dear Redeemer, and his free gift of grace beftowed on me, he hath abfolved and cancelled my guilt, and in his righteoufnefs I fhall appear with acceptance before God, for his faithfulness is engaged for his people, and not an hair of our heads fhall fall to the ground without his will. Great is the happiness of all thofe, who, from a well grounded knowledge of the fcriptures, and of God's dealing with their own fouls, can rest themselves on him with comfort, and affure themfelves that he is indeed their God, and the rock of their falvation Peace fhall reft in the fouls of fuch, even under the agonies of death, and they often rejoice at the approach of it, that their fouls may enjoy full communion with their God. And indeed without this affurance there can be no real comfort in a foul under the apprehenfions of death. It is a matter worthy of our fedateft thoughts, and most diligent enquiry and friving to attain to this happy fate. Warnings of mortality are daily founding in our ears, and call loudly on us to prepare for death and judgment. The cry is, Repent, turn you, now is the accepted time; now is the day `of falvation; harden not your hearts, provoke not a jealous God; who, though abounding in mercy to the bumble and penitent that tremble at his word, yet is jealous of the bonsur of his holy laws, and will recompenfe fury and indignation against the abusers of bis grace and patience. The deftruction of fuch without repentance is certain, and may fall upon them in the height of their jovial days, and at a time when they expect not: Delays in this cafe are most dangerous, 'tis trifling with the great God our maker. My Dear, reflect on your condition of foul, and lofe no time in feeking to him for grace, for the life of your foul. The foul that is acquainted with God delights to contemplate him, and in the tokens of his favour. My love waits on your friends. From your loving Father, H. B. The |