yea, the only way and means which he ever hath offered, or ever will offer thee; which are," the reproofs of instruction, the way of life." If thou couldst live and employ a thousand years in search of another way, thou might search in vain. And at last, if ever thou know salvation, thou must know it by the same stumbling stone and rock of offence; through which, (but for want of belief therein, and obedience thereto,) thou and thousands more might, in a short time, come to witness peace to flow as a river. This is he who hath been the dwelling place of the righteous in all ages. And, blessed be his name, he is so to a remnant in this age; and Oh! that the number may be increased, of those who take sanctuary in him. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe." And now, my beloved friend, let me prevail upon thee, to attend to this most important concern; and give not sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids, until thou hast prepared a habitation for the God of Jacob to dwell in ; and art united to him in a covenant of everlasting righteousness and peace. Which happy state I ardently desire thou mayst attain to, and thus rejoice upon the banks of deliverance, with those to whom it is given to rejoice, even those who have come through great tribulation. Oh! that I could paint in thy view that unspeakable consolation which I so much desire thou mayst partake of: but language cannot describe it, therefore I recommend thee to the protection of that all-powerful arm, which, as thou relies thereon, will be underneath and sustain thee; and which I hope thou wilt not distrust, flee from, or forsake: but seek after a more intimate acquaintance with, and continue thy seeking until thou findest it; that so thou mayst be prepared to enter the mansions of glory, to celebrate the praise of him who is now paitently waiting to be gracious unto thee. I am thy sincere friend and well-wisher, JOB SCOTT. Esteemed friend, To Mary Callender. Providence, 12th of 12th month, 1775. It is in my mind, I believe in a degree of gospel love, to let thee understand, that since I saw thee last, I have sometimes had to consider the many difficulties, which I believe have attended, and which will, if faithful, attend thy progress through this scene of sorrows and vale of tears. For I have often thought it had fallen to thy lot to be engaged in a work truly laborious, and deeply exercising, and it is my earnest desire that thou mayst be preserved through and over all, to the glory of God and thy own abundant joy and consolation. And my friend, I have thought thou hadst need to guard against the adversary's taking advantage, in low times, to cast thee under undue discouragements. For although I am deeply sensible, that the safest dwelling place is in the low vallies, which are often clothed with verdant greenness, while the exalted mountains are covered with dismal barrenness; yet there are extremes each way: for, no doubt, thou hast observed some holes so sunken, as to produce no pleasant plant nor fruitful vine, but seem to wear an horrible aspect, and are ofttimes an asylum or harbour for the serpentine brood and reptile offspring. Therefore, let us endeavour to dwell in the medium, out of all extremes; and bear up, as much as possible, under the various afflictive dispensations that it may please Divine Wisdom to lead us through. And thus, as there is an abiding in the faith and patience of the saints, I believe that he who hath been with his people in six troubles, will not leave them in the seventh, but will preserve and protect them even through the valley of the shadow of death; until he brings them into the full fruition and enjoyment of those blissful mansions, where uninterrupted hosannas, and high praises, will resound throughout the unlimited habitations of God, angels, and holy men. My kind love is to thyself, and J. J., with all my friends at Newport, not forgetting that tender plant, M. R., whose eternal welfare I much desire; and hope thy watchful care over her for good, will not be wanting, From thy assured friend, JOB SCOTT. My friend, Part of a Letter to a Friend. Feeling at this time a near sympathy with thee, I find my mind engaged for thy good, and therein a freedom to communicate a little of my own experience, hoping it may not be unpro. fitable to thee. When first I gave up to turn my mind from the world, and to seek a resting place for my distressed soul, I found, as I attended to the reproofs of instruction, that such things were required of me, as were in my weak apprehension, as bitter as death. Oh! said I in myself, must my life, from my youth, be a life of self-denial, and I myself a laughing stock for those that have been my pleasant companions! Lord, excuse me in those despisable things which thou requirest of me; and let me walk sociably and amicably among mankind; and I will serve thee in the secret of my soul, if it be through tribulation and distress. But alas! this sort of reasoning found no acceptance. It was not for me to make a sacrifice of that which the Lord called not for, and withhold that which he required. For, saith the prophet, "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" No, no. This is not the way, but " He hath showed thee, O man," (and woman too,)"what is good; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Which can be performed no other way, but by yielding obedience to his requirings. For when the Lord hath showed what his will is, how can we either "do justly," "love mercy," or "walk humbly," without doing it? Come, my friend, with whom my spirit sympathizeth, come, give up thyself to the will and service of him who made thee; and whose desire is to make thee happy forevermore. Only lose thy life, and thou shalt find it. But if thou wilt save thy life, thou must lose it; which I hope will not be thy lot. Think nothing too near, or too dear to part with, in order to prepare a habitation for the God of Jacob to dwell in. Why regardest thou what men, or the sons of men, may think or say of thee, if thou canst have a dwelling place in the love of God? "Fear not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings," said the holy prophet Isaiah. No doubt, he knew, by blessed experience, that the scorn and contempt of mortals, were not worth regarding, in comparison with the favour of God. And Moses learned to "choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproaches of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." Do thou so, my friend, and give up thy whole heart to serve the Lord, and he will preserve thee. Remember that comfortable language, applicable to such who are as worms in their own eyes, 66 Fear not thou worm Jacob, I will help thee," "I will not leave thee nor forsake thee." "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." To return to my own experience, I remember the language of my distressed soul, in the days of my great exercise. After I gave up to become a fool, and to put my mouth in the dust, and be as clay in the hand of the potter, my daily cry was, Lord, cleanse me thoroughly, in body, soul, and spirit, and if there be iniquity in me, do it away. Purify me, Lord, purify me; and let not thine hand spare, for my crying, until thou cause me to come forth as gold seven times tried in the fire. If thou lovest me, chastise me; for whomsoever thou lovest, thou also chastisest. Lord, chasten me, and purge away all my dross; that no wrong thing may find even so much as a secret lurking place in my breast. But make me wholly thine. Make me a son, that may cry, Abba, Father. I VOL. II.-3 This, my friend, I well remember to have been my language. day after day, in the bitterness of my soul, when mourning and lamentation were my almost constant companions; when my nights were spent in sorrow and crying, and my days in walking solitarily in the woods, and seeking after my beloved. Oh! the depth of my anxiety and distress was far beyond the ability of my tongue or pen to set forth to the full. But my heart is filled. with gratitude when I remember it, and consider the wonderful goodness of my Heavenly Master, in thus humbling me, and making me in some degree, fit to receive the good things which he had in store for me; and which, blessed be his name, he was not wanting to communicate, as I abode under his chastising hand; but, to my unspeakable consolation, he caused the light of his countenance to shine upon me, and support me; whereby I have been enabled to press forward toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And now, my beloved friend, let me invite thee, in the good will of him that dwelt in the bush, to give up every thing that stands in the way of thy peace, even though comparable to a right hand, or right eye. To Lydia Tillinghast. JOB SCOTT. Respected friend, Providence, 20th of 4th month, 1777. I have often had to think of thee for some time past, and under the consideration of circumstances, which have, and do attend thy pilgrimage here below, do I at this time, put pen to paper, in order to communicate to thee a little of what I have felt on thy account, and necessary for thee. I have believed, without doubting, (as I believe many more have,) that thy heart has been wrought upon by that divine finger, which, as it is suf fered to operate, not only gives to taste of God's salvation, but enables the mind to bear up, under the most discouraging circumstances, and will, in the end, most certainly give admittance |