LETTER LXXII.

To the Rev. J. J—.

My hope of thee, dear brother, is steadfast; knowing this, that as thou art a partaker of the sufferings of Chrift, fo fhalt thou be alfo of the confolations. Thy internal conflicts are doubtless the chaftening rod of God upon thee for thy fin, but not altogether fo. One part is divine teaching in order to future usefulness, and that which comes upon thee from fools, for truth and confcience fake, is the sufferings of Chrift. The firft cutting rebuke given to Paul was for his madness in perfecuting; but what came afterwards was for the fake of Chrift-1 will fhew him how great things he must fuffer for my name Jake. From the authority of that text Paul calls all his fufferings the fufferings of Chrift, which he fuffered for his body's fake, which is the church. I perceive, by your invitations to fresh places, that God fets before you an open door, and none shall fhut it; he will spread your fame, and the word will found out from L, and bear down all oppofition, infomuch as Chrift will make manifeft the favour of his name in a fresh line of things not made

ready

ready to your hand, a line to reach unto many who have never yet heard the fame of Jesus." That

light which fhines upon thy state of mind" is the day-dawn which breaks out upon them that fit in darknefs and in the fhadow of death; thou wilt not always grope for the wall like the blind at noonday. After thou haft had a proper view of thyself, of the law, and of the holiness and juftice of God, thou fhalt fee the mysteries of the kingdom, and a covenant God in the face of Jefus fhining into thy heart, and changing thee into the fame image from glory to glory, and all this by looking through a glass darkly. This, my fon, is the hope fet before thee-be that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and will give him the Morning Star, the harbinger of endless glory. Then, my fon, fhall old things pafs, and all things fhall become new. The Spirit fhall bring all things to your remembrance that the Lord hath spoken to thee and done for thee; and the quickening power put forth in thy prefent experience, will be a guide to thee in a thoufand future difficulties, called by the prophet, a voice behind thee, faying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left. When once the Lord makes darknefs light before thee, he will make thy prefent crooked things ftraight; then the deaf fhall hear the words of the book, and the now fenfible prifoner fhall fhew himfelf, and the light of his countenance, as well as the words of his mouth, fhall proclaim

proclaim the triumphs of his foul: the inward glory of grace will appear to gild the whole creation. When every thing is viewed in the light of the Lord, his glory will visibly cover the heavens, and the earth will be full of his praife, and thy heart in concert (when tuned with love) will be in the chorus. Pay no regard to thofe that watch for thy halting, nor to thofe that make thee an offender for a word, for all that watch for iniquity shall be cut off; and for your present shame you shall have double [double joy]; and for your present confusion you fhall, in future, rejoice in your portion; in this land thou fhalt poffefs double, everlasting joy fhall be upon thee. Thou art not the first that scorners have derided, saying, Where is the word of the Lord, let it come now; but there is a woe to them that laugh now, for they shall weep. The Lord's countenance is already lifted up, and that was the light of it which thou faweft at a diftance, and it will ere long reflect gracious fmiles, much peace, joy, and reconciliation; it will difperfe the vail, the difmal gloom and horrible cloud of displeasure, and bring life and immortality to light; and then thou wilt fay, Thou waft angry with me, but thine anger is turned away, and thou comforteft me. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Blefs God for every refreshing season, for every refpite, and every token for good; and as for those vain thoughts about future greatnefs, confefs them as evil, as the root of pride, and pray God to sub

due

due them by his grace; and if the Lord gives thee eyes to see them hateful and humbling dispensations, they will wither when the Spirit of God blows upon thee-All flesh is grafs, and all the goodlinefs thereof is as the flower of the field; the grafs withereth, the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. It is this, my dear brother, and not legal ftrivings, that will blaft vain thoughts, wither human glory, and make all the comeliness of the brightest faint turn into corruption.

God hath two ways of fhining upon his people: the one is, when he comforts their hearts, and gives them the light of his knowledge in the face of Jefus, attended with the faith of intereft; the other is, when he shines into our hearts to difcover our imperfections, and vails his throne with a cloud-then, why is light given to them that are in bitterness? The former view will make thee appear not a whit behind the chiefeft faint, and the latter will make thee appear the chief of finners; and thus-bis eyelids try the children of men.

I have no doubt but thy aims are right, for I am fure that that preacher that expofes the vileness of human nature, and preaches the purity, and spirituality, and unlimited demands of the law; that fets forth the finner's need of a Saviour, the fuitableness, the worth of him; and that debafes the creature to the level of criminals in chains; and who enforces the neceffity of regeneration, fpiritual fruitfulness, fpiritual fervice, and a life and walk in faith; fhall

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not err in these things-the wayfaring man, though a fool, fhall not err in this way. Whatever encouragement you may have received from the inftrumentality of thy poor fervant in Chrift, thou art indebted to Chrift for, and to him all glory, praise, and thanksgiving is due, and to another he will never grant it; and, for my part, I am the greatest debtor to him, and therefore ought to be the last that should ever attempt to rob him.

Tender my kind love to Mr. Morris and family, Shepherd and Shepherdefs, and to all that love the altogether lovely, not forgetting your former hoft and family.

The Lord be with thee. Amen and amen.

W. H. S. S.

LETTER