and "if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?"

My letters are a complete medley, but you will excuse them, and take them just as they are. I am continually afraid lest I should not perform my duty towards you, while I say with Jeremiah, "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." May you, my Children, be led by Him into the good old paths of righteousness, and walk therein, and you will find rest to your souls. I pray that this may be your portion until he bring you into the promised land.

Plymouth, June 2, 1821.

in respect to the church of which we formed a part, among whom we were located, and for many years had fed on the green pastures of her fair lands; and I must say, that the Lord did now and then water our souls abundantly with the refreshing dews of his grace. Many a time when hearing a sermon only read, or a weak one preached, his sensible presence has been with me, satisfying my soul with his goodness, and making me “like the chariots of Amminadib." The prosperity of Jerusalem was my chief joy, and her peace in this remote corner, I can truly say, when favoured with the labours of God's husbandmen, was as highly valued as any earthly object which could be presented to my view; and my poor soul has been ready to say, "Here may I dwell.” But, alas! those who latterly administered the spiritual things were too proud and conceited of their own qualifications and authority; and, in

stead of acting as pastors and guides of salvation, they threw the flock into confusion by a domineering dictation and deportment inconsistent with their duties and professions; and, instead of God's glory being their only aim, the glory of man seemed to be at the bottom of all, preaching the doctrines of the everlasting Gospel in envy and strife, the bitterness of which was particularly vented against those ministers who were most acceptable to us. · On this account our little Zion mourned greatly, and cried unto the Lord to deliver her out of her troubles. Under these circumstances I can never forget the sweet refreshment afforded me, some time before we left the place, from the following precious words, delivered by Dr. Hawker whilst we were in this town (Plymouth) on a visit: "Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and will plant them in this land assuredly, with my whole heart, and with my own soul. For thus saith the Lord: like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them," Jer. xxxii., 41, 42. The subject was exceedingly blessed to both myself and Mr.

S―, and the Lord has subsequently brought it to pass in almost every particular. He alone knew how much sorrow we were burdened with continually respecting our little Zion, because peace was not within her walls, nor prosperity her portion; and being wearied and dismayed at the long tumult, we repeatedly made it an earnest request that the great Head of the Church would silence our enemies, and grant us the Gospel in peace by his sent ministers, or remove us to a spot where it was preached in purity and love. Being for many years in this state, our continual cry at length was, "O Lord, remove us from this place." But we were unconscious then that to submit to the will of the Lord patiently in this respect was greater grace.

The Sabbaths were lamentably spent; weeping and envying "the sparrows" which built their nests round about this Zion (Plymouth), or any place where Christ was preached, and peace and harmony maintained; and frequently, like Rutherford, we called them "blessed birds." Surely it is an amazing privilege, statedly and quietly to enjoy the outward ordinances of God's house.

We greatly desired to see his fair beauty in his sanctuary, and his goings forth in his temple; and none but those who are deprived of it, know what is felt on such occasions. You must remember something of the distress we endured. The glory of the Lord seemed to depart from the place, and we could no longer take any interest in the affairs, or give a regular attendance to the services that were there performed. This led us to find accommodation elsewhere, that our children might not fail to acknowledge God in a public manner on the Lord's day, retaining also the same in our own chapel, which we occasionally made use of as long as we were located there. But in general, we, the parents, preferred tarrying at home, improving the Sabbath in acts of praise, adoration, reading, and mutually instructing and edifying cach other, in which we were sometimes joined by our neighbours and friends. Notwithstanding this, however, the thought of spending the day in absence from the house of the Lord, and publicly meeting the household of faith, sometimes so fretted and distressed my mind, that on awaking in the morning, I have wept bitterly until, in la