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membrance" the wormwood and the gall" my foul felt under Mofes' yoke. I verily believe that fuch a man as you can certainly divine; and therefore do believe what you fay. But I am not there yet; no, I am in the banqueting-house, and his banner over me is love. I affure you my mortal part can hardly fupport under it. I know my body is much weakened, which is the reason, I think, that the Lord will not keep me here long; for I feem to live entirely above. I have enjoyed much fatisfaction in the company of the citizen who was lately at the vicarage. I feel union of heart with him. He feems truly contrite. I pray the Lord to appear for him, and heal the breaches which are made in his fpirit, and restore to him health and cure. I hope we shall see you ere long in the King's dale. Your kind expreffions of love in Chrift Jefus towards us I really believe, for you have fhewn it; and I am fure that the fame bond holds us to each other that holds us to Chrift our head. His Majefty's herald, I believe, is well. My foul was sweetly fed yesterday under his excellent oration. I wifhed him to continue his found till midnight. I believe I fhould not have fallen down with fleep. He brought forth milk and ftrong meat, that each might have a portion in due season. I really think he has had much of the power and prefence of God with him ever fince the meeting of our folemn affembly in the barn and the bower. Every time the Lord fends' C 2

you

you among us you confirm and ftrengthen the work on our fouls done by the King's herald. So

you fee that felf-intereft is one motive of our wishing to fee you. However, I believe one may fay for many, that we love you dearly in the Lord Jefus as you do us. I fhould be glad to hear from you as foon as convenient. My other half defires to be kindly remembered to you. Muft conclude, and remain

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BELOVED Of God, thine epiftle

came fafe to hand. The tidings are good; and God appears faithful, true, good, gracious, merciful, loving, kind, and tender; mindful of his covenant, and pitiful to self-loft, felf-condemned,

and

and felf-defpairing finners. The bitterness of death is paft, the fackcloth is put off, and the best robe is put on. He hath loofed "the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion." The ftrong hold of Satan is demolished, the prison of unbelief has yielded up its prisoner of hope, and fhe that fat in darkness fhews herself. Wonderful is the refurrection of the foul under the Spirit's quickening and comforting operations. When a fense of divine wrath, the intolerable burden of guilt, the spirit of heaviness, begin to be removed from off the foul; when defpondency, dejection, and terrible apprehenfions, begin to fubfide; the mind sweetly afcends, and every captivated and enraptured thought afcend with it. Attracting love from above draws the affections to the right hand of the Majefty on high; while faith deals. with dying love and all-atoning blood, hope cafts her anchor within the veil; when charity cafts out every let and hindrance, together with every rival, and paves the way for the best Beloved to yield to an undiffolved union, to knit the marriage knot, and become one spirit with the dear-bought soul. O wonder of wonders! Adieu.

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LETTER VI.

To NOCTUA AURITA, in the Defert.

I HAVE not words to exprefs my thankfulness for the favours you are heaping upon me. My debt is increafing, and I have nothing to pay. But I do verily believe that my dear Redeemer will give you a full reward. Bleffed be his name, he does give me a heart to pray for it; "and he that fearcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the fpirit, because the Spirit itself maketh interceffion for us, according to the will of God." Your letter came as a broad feal to all that I had experienced from the Monday till Thursday evening in the week following, when I received yours. During those days my union to Chrift was made as clear to me as ever I faw the fun at noon-day. What I felt in my foul of the effects of dying love no tongue nor pen can ever exprcfs. The godly forrow it produced in my heart melted it. The Lord did give me to look on him whom I had pierced, and mourn; and this diffolved my ftony heart, and broke it in a thousand pieces. The three verses of Mr. Hart's hymn on the Prodigal quite overcame me, viz.

The

The prodigal's return'd,

Th' apoftate bold and base,
Who all his Father's counfels fpurn'd,
And long abus'd his grace.

What treatment fince he came?

Love tenderly expreft.

What robe is brought to hide his fhame?
The best, the very best.

Rich food the fervants bring,

Sweet mufic charms his ears:
See what a beauteous costly ring
The beggar's finger wears.

My joy and godly forrow kept increafing; and on Tuesday following it rofe fo high, that I was incapable of attending to the domeftic concerns of my family. I could only go about the house saying, "Lord, I cannot live fo; I cannot, cannot. Do take me. Thou knoweft I cannot bear up under fuch manifeftations of dying love." Surely I was drunk with the new wine of the kingdom. The Lord did make me fo to drink as to forget my poverty, and to remember my misery no more. Surely the Lord is preparing me for something: but what I know not. However, I am perfuaded I shall not be led in this way long; but am quite in the dark what will be my path next. I think he is either preparing me for glory, or I fhall be exercised with fome fiery trial. However, what I experienced this last month I believe no temptation that I fhall be exercised with will ever erase

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