long time preparing me for those eventful providences with which it has pleased him to exercise us in trials of a temporal nature, totally unforeseen and unthought of by us; for we were ready to say with Job, "I shall die in my nest." But the Lord is worthy to be praised by us all the day long; for why should we say, "Our idol hath done this? Our God surely gave us all, and he might, if he pleased, take all away without giving us any account of his matters; and he has tenderly and gradually been preparing us to receive meekly the stroke of his rod.

Taking a survey of past exercises, in this respect, I stand in admiration of his grace and wisdom, in his dealings towards us, for we were gently dealt with, compared with some of his dear and more distinguished children. When we look at Job, Jeremiah, Paul, and the dear old worthies spoken of in the eleventh of Hebrews, who suffered the loss of all earthly things for the Lord's sake, what are our sufferings or trials?

Plymouth, May 1, 1821.

LETTER XII.

"SEEING that many glory in the flesh, I will glory also. 2 Cor. xi. 18.

"If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities. 2 Cor. xi. 30.

"That the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. i. 12.

I MUST NOW correct a mistake I made in my letter of the 20th ult. It was occasioned, as mistakes often are, by writing in too much haste, and consequently without proper deliberation and recollection. What I allude to, is the time when our dear Lord delivered these precious words, "If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink." After I had sealed my letter, I recollected it was at the feast of tabernacles, and not at the passover, as I wrote, celebrated some months after.*

This

did not occur to me at the moment of writing to you in the warmth of my heart, concerning that sweet season of refreshment with which the Lord

* See Page 91.

was pleased to bless my meditation at that period; by the richness and fulness of the Saviour's grace, which seemed to flow in one delectable stream like a river deep and incomprehensible-boundless, rich, and free, outstripping all that sin has done. In describing this, I was enraptured with the memory of it, and even now partake of the peaceful sweetness; sweeter because the darkness was just chased away, and the dayspring from on high had visited me, "as the light of the morning without a cloud."

I am sometimes inclined to think that I should not employ so much time in writing about myself, as no real profit can arise out of a subject so mean, except in the hand of God, who works by mean and seemingly contemptible instruments, that the power and glory may be his only: except, I say, he should of his own good pleasure show my dear Children hereby, how gracious and pitiful he is towards those of low degree, regarding not any pre-requisites of rank, or talent, or worthiness, or what is called wisdom among men, and that he giveth the kingdom to whomsoever he will; yea, how "he exalteth the very basest of men." This certainly his grace and word show,

and his Spirit teacheth continually.

Blessings for ever on his great and dear name, the power and the glory will by me ever be ascribed to him alone.

What amazing condescension and grace is everywhere beheld in his word of truth, manifested on behalf of the vessels of mercy.

We hear him declare (Isaiah xlviii.), "I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; I have even from the beginning declared it to thee lest thou shouldst say Mine idol hath done them," &c.; (read to the end of the chapter). He knows how very apt we are to set up idols in our hearts! glory to his name, he also knows how to rend them from us. His refining-pot has been of constant use, and will continue so to the end of time. His sieve also, with which he sifts his grain, is never used but to purge his sons and daughters from those impurities which ever cleave close to nature, and injure their spiritual appetite and welfare; of this I have been fully convinced. well remember that about twenty-six years since, at a public prayer meeting, these words were with force, weight, and power, ushered into my mind

I

"And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die, but the third shall be left therein; and I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on my name and I will hear them; I will say It is my people, and they shall say The Lord is my God."-Zech. xiii. 8,9.

I trembled; for I knew the Spirit of God designed it for use to me, and was convinced that a refining time would come, but how or in what manner I was at a loss to think. I even supposed I was to lose my dear children, who were little less than idols in my affections; and I think I was then weeping for the loss of one of them, so the more humbling was the word of his power. When I look back I see that so tenderly and so gently did he lay his gracious hand upon me, that he gradually brought me to bear the yoke which he appointed for my soul's good. I would say with David, "It is good for me that I was afflicted," and it is true that in a measure according to my fears, yet not altogether in the way I expected, it has come to pass.

I have been called to deliver up to death beloved