thy mind much to reading and prayer, and if prayer be out of season, confess and plead the worst against thyself; sometimes one arrow will fly when another will not. These things will counteract the devil's cunning, and fill the mind with the word; and when the word dwells richly in us, that becomes our meditation, and is often uppermost even when asleep. God bless and be with thee, guide and comfort thee, is the prayer of, Dear Sister,

Thy friend and servant.

W. H. S. S.

I write this with all my company below. God bless thee.

LETTER XIV.

A

TO THE SAME.

Lewes.

I MUST drop a few scraps to the afflicted. God keeps his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem; and he that is our Refiner, who kindles the flame and regulates the heat, was himself made perfect through sufferings. To subdue our inbred corruptions, to cleanse us from idols, and to purge away our dross is the end aimed at. By inward corruptions, I mean deceitful lusts; by idols every thing that rivals

God in our affections; and by dross and tin the best things of fallen nature, for such we take them to be, such as all knowledge except experimental knowledge, self-righteousness, human wisdom, vain confidence with which we abound for prosperity, superficial hopes and unrooted love, meekness, and a large stock of untried patience and fortitude-all which as a sort of counterfeit coin attend us, and promise much in prosperity, but in adversity they serve us as they did Peter and Sampson. Hence it is that Peter tells us from his own experience, "That the trial of faith is much more precious than gold, though it be tried with fire."

But this I know that God's work will stand, God's grace, God's truth, and our experience of the power of it, will endure the fire. Each of these have their particular promise; hence we are said to be purified, made white, and tried-we are purified by faith, made clean by blood, and made white by the righteousness of faith-all of which could not be done if faith could consume or fail. The word of God is pure, like gold seven times purified in a furnace of earth, because in the fulfilment of these the truth, the faithfulness, and immutability of God and his covenant appear. As to our experience it is the operation and the anointing of the Holy Ghost, and the kingdom stands not

D

in word only, but in the power of the Spirit; the one is called the word of the kingdom, and the other the power of the kingdom, hence we read of the kingdom coming with power.

And as we are said to receive a kingdom which cannot be moved, therefore these things must stand the fire, though the dross and tin consume in the flame; and when this dross goes we are left with so small a treasure that we conclude that the gold, silver, and all the treasure is gone, as well as the base metal; but all that comes from Christ's fulness shall endure, shall reign, and shall abide with us to the end. The Spirit is God, and all God's work is perfect; nothing shall be added to it or taken from it, and God does it that men should fear before him. I shall only add my poor prayers, and conclude with the Apostle,

幽

"Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing." Yours most respectfully,

W. H. S. S.

Beloved,

LETTER XV.

TO THE SAME.

In the Cabin, on board the Providence, bound for the Fair Havens, round the Friendly Islands, by the Cape of Good Hope.

I INTEND if the Lord permit to lay at anchor till Tuesday forenoon, when I intend to set sail whether the wind be fair or foul. If you could venture on board I should be glad to see you to-morrow, being Monday, about three or four o'clock, to drink a dish of tea, coffee, a glass of grog, or whatever the ship affords to talk over the dangers of the voyage, and the best way to steer, in order to make the land of the Celestial Regions.

Yours in affection,

Chaplain to the Ship's Company.

DOCTOR SACK.

Dear Ann,

LETTER XVI.

TO THE SAME.

GRACE, mercy, and peace be with thee. I was sorry to hear of the soul-conflicts which

attend thee; but God's ways are deep and mysterious. He sometimes permits these onsets to come that we may be the more sensible of the power of faith, by finding that faith in the conscience holds fast that very thing which Satan labours in the mind to make us doubt of, quit, and give up; while cries and tears go up to strengthen faith in her hold.

2. In the end it often establishes the heart the firmer; for when we have been long tried, and hanging in a doubtful scale, God will determine and settle the point in doubt, faith having gained her cause, obtained the victory, and enriched the soul with the spoils: hence this trial of faith is said to be more precious than gold, having been tried by the fiery wrath and darts of Satan.

3. At a long run it serves to shew us, that every divine truth against which the devil labours so hard, must needs be destructive to his empire and saving to us, or why all this infernal fighting against it? as we are sure no false doctrine, lies, or fables, can be injurious to his realm, for that is supported by nothing else.

4. Sometimes these sore conflicts are sent upon us to take the mind off from vanity; it is more profitable to us to be engaged in the fight of faith, than to be idle in vain amusements.

And lastly, These trials in a way of retaliation.

are sometimes sent When the highest