she used to waylay me in the street as I came home at night from my work, till at laft I looked to fee if she was coming, and would have gone a mile out of the way rather than meet her. These words were brought to my mind-the law worketh wrath. Ah, Lord! I would cry, there is no love; we cannot unite: but the devil (who is never backward to diftrefs the poor creature that defires to be brought on in God's way) fets in, and would fain have represented these people to me as taught of God. Well, thought I, if they are right, I must be wrong. But, blefs the Lord, I was enabled to tell him all about it; and he foon fet you to preach on it, and gave me to fee I was right and they were wrong. However, the Lord was pleased to speak very comfortably to my foul before he put me into the furnace, and there the Lord fhewed me what the law One day, at my work, he was pleased to lead my mind out in meditation about it, from what you preached the Sunday before. The Lord broke in upon my foul, and threw fuch light upon it, that I difcovered where they all were that contended for the law as a rule for the believer to walk by: I could fee they were all in bondage under it. And the Lord faid to me, "Such like paftors, fuch like "people." I thanked him from my foul for opening the eyes of my understanding to fee it fo clearly: my foul was fo full I was obliged to leave my work. I went into the back yard, into my master's coalhoufe, and poured out my foul to the Lord in

praifes

praises and thanksgiving for his gracious goodness; and, while I was praifing him, thefe words came with power, Thou shalt be call Hephzi-bab, for the Lord delighteth in thee. I thought I should have dropt down; I cried out, "Lord, what me! the

unworthieft of all wretches!" But the Lord, the Spirit, turned my mind in a moment to the Lord Jefus who had atoned for all my fins. Here I was interrupted by fomebody coming that way, so I left that place and betook me to another, shut myself up, and prayed the Lord to keep me, telling him of my weakness and helpleffnefs; when these words came with power-May my right hand forget its cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if ever I forget thee. Well, faid I, then here is my vow to the Lord, "May my right hand forget its

cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of « my mouth, if ever I forget to praise thy holy "name," Which I afterwards afked the Lord a thousand pardons for, but it could not be recalled; for I knew it was him alone that muft work in me to will and to do: but I often think of my vow.

Now my wife had, at this time, got another fhop, and fold greens, and the feemed to go on profperously; but I would have no hand in this, having had full enough of the other: fo fhe had all the management of it herfelf, and was as barren in foul as fhe well could be.

Soon after this the Lord laid me on a fick-bed; I foft the use of all my limbs, and, what was worse,

I loft the best of friends, the Lord Jefus : I then murmured and fretted till my old rebellion began to fhew itself; for I can affuredly fay this fcripture was fulfilled in me at that time-With the perverfe man I will fhew myself perverse. I was in great bodily pain, and had medicines from feveral doctors, but all to no purpose, for I remained in this condition about a month or five weeks; and then the Lord eafed me of my pain, and I feemed to be fomewhat better, with which my old man was very much pleased: but, bleffed be the Lord, he would not let me come out that way, for I can fee it now; but in he throws me again, makes it hotter than it was before, humbled my hard heart under it, and made me willing to fubmit. Then my dear Redeemer came again, indulged me with sweet manifeftations of his everlasting love to me, making me willing to leave this finful world; and, having thus humbled my flinty heart by his power, he healed my body, and fet me on my legs again. Oh! what pains the Lord takes with fuch finful wretches as we are. The Lord after this fent us out from that shop of dependance, and then my wife was not to escape, for he threw her into the fame way, and kept her there till I had hardly a thing left in the houfe. The Lord's hand feemed to go again't me in all I took in hand; I prayed and cried to the Lord, and often had communion with him, and many precious promifes too I received. I would watch his hand, expecting deliverance; but no anfwer:

I

fwer: yet I would catch at every thing that came in the way. Well, thought I, this is the Lord-this is his way but no, not yet. And I worked hard at my business, but all would not do. The Lord kept me here, and my wife ill, expecting every time I came home not to find her alive, till I had hardly the neceffaries of life. I thought this was hard trusting to God; but, bless him for ever, he hath fince that fhewed me what it is to truft in him, for all that I ftand in need of. My bleffed Father was obliged to fcourge me a great deal before he brought down my ftubborn will to his for temporal neceffaries: nay, he would not fo much as let me keep my benefit-club on (that I belonged to before he called me by his grace); I gave it up at last with much reluctance: but the Lord was determined I should have no dependance but on him. And a bleffed life this living upon the Lord is! It keeps our fear in exercife, fo that I fear to offend him that fupplies all my wants. Blefs him, I can tell when he hears me too; and I know when I offend, to my forrow. I am not without my doubts, fears, and trials, in the way; for I carry about me a body of fin, which is the heaviest burden I have to carry: and, in reality, it is a heavy burden to all God's children that are brought to hate fin. I find it hard fighting against the world, fin, and Satan, when the Lord Jefus hides his face. I pass through much perfecution from the world, for I labour among many enemies for my bread. I have many watch

ing for my halting; many fnares, traps, and gins, the devil lays for me; but out of them all the Lord hath delivered me, and I trust he will yet deliver. He hath made me quite fick of the world; I long to be with him; there is nothing here that can fatisfy my foul, if the Lord Jefus is abfent. You, as a paftor fent of God, are made a great bleffing to my foul; for often, when I cannot pray for myself, I can for you, and fhall come away fomewhat fatisfied that the Lord hath heard me. And may the Lord bless you, and keep you, and lift up the light of his countenance upon you for his own name's fake, through Jefus Chrift, and for his dear children's fake, is the prayer of a poor finful worm faved.

Your wellwifher,

and faithful fon in the faith,

T. S.

LETTER