LETTER XII.

To the Rev. J. J

REV. SIR,

IF I am not mistaken, there is fuch a place in Suffex as Ninfield Stocks; I hope my dear friend is not detained there. In his laft, the poor weatherbeaten bark appeared to be almoft ready to double the cape, but these tidings come from a colder climate; however, he will not go to the bottom for want of an anchor, nor afhore for want of a cable. The afpect of things in the prefent day is very gloomy, and it pleafes God to keep us much in the dark about his great defigns; yet we cannot say that there is no more any prophet, or that we fee not our figns, or favourable tokens, though it is most certain that there is none among us that knoweth how long. That Antiochus was a type of the man of fin, I have no doubt; and even the three years and a half of Ifrael's fufferings under him, is brought in by the evangelift John, and is explained by weeks of years; which prophetic term of 1260 years, in which Zion is to remain in her obfcurity, the prophets to preach in fackcloth, and antichrift to reign,

is attended with many difficulties. The conception of antichrift near the centre of the apoftolic age, the working of the mystery of iniquity near the close of it, the manifestation and open appearance of the man of fin, must be confidered in feveral diftinct periods, and where to date his rife from, I know not; whether from his first appearance, or from his firft war with the faints; however the time of his continuance is plain enough. Many good men have fixed the time of his execution, but he has paffed the time that they have appointed; they have erred in the time, but not in the thing; and perhaps this may have been permitted, in order to harden them the more, that they may conclude that the effect of every vifion is prolonged, that the joy of the hypopocrite may be heightened, their carnal fecurity completed, the feat of violence brought near, the evil day put far away, and she boaft I fit as a queen, and prophesy nothing but peace and safety—when, in one hour, her judgment comes. Moreover, the eastern and our way of reckoning years differ not a little, as far as I can conceive; and as for the folar and lunar fyftems, I know but little of, and, though I find a great itching after these things, yet the daily labour that falls to my share forbids it; and when I fain would make nine days a-week, to dive after these things in the night, when the hired labourer calls the time his own, yet here alfo I meet with another let, and that is my eyes wax dim, and threaten me with total darkness if I do not allow them to shut

up

up shop by one o'clock in the morning, and I must infift upon pulling the fhutters down by five or fix at the fartheft. The times and seasons the Father has put in his own power, and it is not for us to know them, unless he fhould be pleafed to reveal them, as he did in fome particulars to Daniel. At the end the vifion fhall fpeak; fulfilling the prophecies is unfealing the book; and when we can compare the prophecy and the accomplishment together, the vision speaks plain, so that he who runs may read it.

It is thought by many, that as Antiochus fpread his pavilion between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, fo his antitype will erect his tabernacle in Britain, which is between the feas alfo; and the prefent face of things appears to countenance the conjecture. However, the hour of temptation must come upon all that are called Chriftians, to try them; which perilous hour to the righteous will be the laft triumph of their great oppreffor, and lead on to his final ruin: yet I cannot be brought to believe but what there is upwards of fixty years to run out before that fon of perdition goes to his own place. In thefe times we must be conftant in feeking the Lord, and in walking and keeping close to him: feek meeknefs, feek righteoufnefs, it may be we fhall be hid in the day of the Lord's fierce anger. He counfels us to hold faft both his gofpel and our profeffion of it: Hold fast till I come; and again, Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also

will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shali come upon all the world to try them.

We are in

the hands of a good ally when we walk with God in peace and equity, and hold the mystery of faith in a pure confcience; thefe are no small support in the field of battle.

L

For about fix or feven months before the war broke out, I was forely exercised both day and night, and all about approaching calamities; there was nothing uppermoft in my mind, nor before my eyes, but diftrefs and trouble. At laft, in a vifion of the night, I faw two armies on a large plain, and I was fet to watch their motions and to carry tidings: I faw them engaged, and ran with tidings; and, to my astonishment, I faw a very high stone wall between me and the field of action. Soon after I had another awful fight-several small rivers filled with dead men flain in battle. And, about fixteen months ago, or thereabouts, going to bed full of thought about the prefent times, the moment I awaked a voice fpoke inwardly to my heart, This is the hour of temptation; but from whence it came I must leave, though I really thought it came from the great Shepherd. After I had been exercifed with fix or seven months fore travail, I came forth from thofe imaginary pains (no lefs painful than real) with much fubmiffion and quietude, and in a measure fortified, to meet what may be expected; as I well know that no poor creature upon earth has more enemies than I have. I hope to meet thee

daily at the mercy feat, and that in the unity of the faith; and am not a little delighted with the good tidings of the poor Hebrews creeping out of their holes. Go on, the Lord is with thee; and, to thy comfort, I tell thee that my fuccefs alfo is very great.

Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and forget not all his benefits.

W. H. S.S.

LETTER