and beat the mountains that opposed our Zerubbabel, and the hills in their towering profession, you would have stood astonished to see how those were scattered and blowed to and fro with this wind of doctrine. I used the flail, and my Master used the fan; and the devil, by divine permission, raised the wind; till you would have thought that the house had been smitten at all the four corners. But they are separated, blessed be God, from us; and God hath barred and bolted them out of my heart, and confirmed me that my former private judgment, of those I allude to, was the judgment of truth: and this word abode long with me; "As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain, but according to my word." And this confirmed it. "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will," Rev. xi. 6. I have some understanding in this mystery, and have seen it fulfilled in part; some have no dew, and others are unmasked and appear in their sin and in their blood, while others are utterly unclean, with the plague in their

head.

God for ever bless thee,

W. H. S. S.

LETTER XLI.

To the Rev. Mr. HUNTINGTON.

THE two last favours, of the best of all friends, have safely arrived, and really they were welcome; and I pray that such as they may often find their way to my little hut, for they never come empty; and I do not know what to compare them to, unless they are like the feet of those that bring good tidings. When I read them there is a sweet savour in them, and I trust it is of life to life. I know they are endited under the influence of the living Spirit, and I find life and power in them; they always bring me to a frame that I much like, of melting, mourning, humbling, weeping, hoping, and expecting, and work gratitude in my heart to God, and many secret thanks to the instrument of all this under him; they are the only means that have been of any use to me, nor can I expect any help, comfort, support, or refreshment, from any other quarter. The sweet and comfortable frame, which I mentioned to you lately, continued with me for a week, or more; but now I have lost it, it went off gradually, and I am left again barren and dry. I wished much to keep it while I had it, for I was comfortable day and night; my sleep was so unusually refreshing; and when I awoke, as I did then often, the first thing I

thought on was the Lord; my thoughts went after him, nor were there such bars and hinderances in the way as there used to be. O, how I have longed for it again! I thought, and think still, that if I could live in such a frame, that nothing could hurt me in life or death. But it is not so now with me; and yet I am not left so miserable in my mind: I find something of the sweetness of it on my spirit now and then, nor is it so hard to preach as it was; it appears as if I had shifted my ground a little, but I look and long for more yet to come. At times I am very restless, disappointed in my expectations, doubting whether it was of God; and then again full of hope and expectation, waiting, looking, and confessing my vileness and unworthiness of any favour or mercy from his hands. I have found and felt that the description you have given of the way, from time to time, are all true and exact; but I have been slow of heart to believe, and still am. You say, 'That every hinderance in the way will be attended with jealousy, love-sickness, &c.' and so I find it; and can understand a little of the fifth chapter of the Song of Solomon; and I had a comfortable season lately in preaching from this passage: “I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, to tell him that I am sick of love."

You may be sure of it that I shall have no such engagements as the last, when I come to see you again; I had enough of it then. I had a great desire to see my old friend, as 1 esteemed

him once very highly; I looked upon him to be the first that I knew, and held him the last in my affections. I went to hear him that night; and so far from what they call being prejudiced, that I had the greatest desire to find him in the truth; but, alas, alas! I had a deal of pro and con in my mind whilst I sat and heard, between my judgment and natural affections. In my judgment I saw where he was; but yet I wished to set him down; I was sorry and grieved, I repined, and the devil set in, and told me to beware of presumption, and not think of myself highly, and despise others; I began to listen to him, till I was confounded and bewildered, and conceived hard thoughts of God, and that myself and others were too narrow. You cannot think in what a frame I came away. This is the first minister, as I thought, in the P-, and there are some scores in connection; but what must they all be? Such profession and such zeal I never saw in any country, nor never read of; and after all what is it? But it turns on my mind thus: how can the Almighty suffer such a professing body of people to be deluded? and how can I believe that the Lord should choose me out, the poorest, vilest, and most ignorant of them all? I have often wondered how I came into this part of the earth; I loved my native country as much as any man ever did, but a variety of intricate providences tumbled me out of it, and set me down in this place, though I strove hard not to

come here; but I have reason to bless God for putting me down here, far enough from all connections, as I can see what entanglements they would be unto me. God knows that I know of but few in the ministry that I wish for any fellowship, correspondence, or connection with; and 1 believe the Lord shewed me this at his first onset with me, if I could but have understood him. And this one I hope and pray the Lord to continue long in life, and favour me with a portion of the Spirit that he has pleased to put upon him. I believe, before the Lord, that it is a hard matter to obtain a double portion of it. bless you in soul, body, and in labours, is the earnest prayer of

God Almighty your ministerial

your

affectionate

friend,

J. JENKINS.

LETTER XLII.

To the Rev. J. JENKINS.

LONG looked for is come at last, and it is better late than never. Every epistle loses more the stinking savour of distrust and unbelief; and they emit the odoriferous scents of the bed of spices, and the choice perfumes of a sweet-smelling savour of Christ. Love and wrath, peace and torment, guilt and pardoning mercy, have for