stead of purgatory, or hell, from which there is no redemption; as it is written, "They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth."

Be not discouraged by temptations, nor dismayed at thy instability. After thou hast suffered a while, the Lord will strengthen, stablish, settle you, 1 Pet. v. 10. Temptations are the common lot of all; the same are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. When the strong man armed keeps the palace, his goods are in peace; but, when a stronger than he dispossess him, he is enraged; and, having lost the throne of the affections, the fort royal of the heart, and the wretched loyalty of the will, he then begins to besiege the soul with his fiery darts, or uses his infernal policy in spreading nets or traps in our way, in order to regain his lost dominions either by storm or by stratagem. And, although he knows that he can never reenthrone himself in the heart where Christ is formed the hope of glory, nor regain the loyalty of the subdued will, nor get any service from the renewed mind; yet, being desperately enraged, and himself being in a desperate case, which can never be remedied, nor hardly worse, he pursues with unremitted violence, like an engine of mischief bent to its work. He desired to have Peter, that he might sift him as wheat, though he knew he could not destroy him; and, perhaps, it may be an easement to his infernal mind to spend his boiling venom on the objects of mercy, who, he knows, can be no

And

longer faithful to the unrighteous mammon. It may in some measure gratify him to annoy our peace and happiness; render us ungrateful to God, and unfruitful to him; as well as hinder us from being instrumental of further injury to his accursed interest, which is sometimes done by speaking of what God has done for our souls; which sometimes, under God, disturbs his car nally-secure possessions, and disquiets his reign in the hearts of the children of disobedience. furthermore, though the Saviour will ever havé the loyalty of the submissive will, the service of the renewed mind, and the affections of a circumcised heart; yet Satan hath still got a law in the members, which will oppose that of the mind; and the corrupt part will still adhere to the law of sin. This wretched leaven, by the assistance of a lie, he conveyed to the hearts of our first parents; which entitles him to the twofold cha racter given him by the Saviour, namely, the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning. This bane is derived by natural generation to us all; the best of saints have groaned under it, nor is there one individual on earth free from it. Death entered into the world by sin; through grace, sin shall go out by death: and, when the mortal bodies of the saints are quickened, raised, and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ, then shall mortality be swallowed up of life, and death be swallowed up in victory. "O Death! where is thy sting? O Grave! where is

thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but, thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Therefore, be thou stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as your labour hath not hitherto been, and I trust, never will be, in vain in the Lord.

I am glad to find you obedient in all things. An account of God's dealings with thee will be very acceptable. Make no apology for troubling me; it is a pleasure when God makes it useful. Nothing discourages me, or troubles me, but labour in vain. I am bound, in duty to God, to watch over and serve those whom he is pleased to bring into the bond of the covenant; and hope he will make me a pastor after his own heart to feed you with knowledge and understanding, and to present you as a spiritual virgin to the bridegroom of the church. That you may walk worthy of God unto all well-pleasing, and be blessed with the light of his countenance, and the testimony of his Spirit, is the desire and prayer of,

LETTER XXXVIII.

To the Rev. Mr. HUNTINGTON.

DEAR FATHER IN CHRIST JESUS,

WHEN I was first taught to call upon the Lord, I was in great distress, had been three years out of any settled employment; always spending money, and getting none, or very little; till at last the Lord brought me to know what it was to want the common necessaries of life. There had several places offered, but there was always something prevented. In this distressed situation I continued for several months. I used to go to chapel regularly; but, as I did not go to confession or the sacrament, I was not much attended to by the priests; as they never make any inquiry but for those who are rich, and I being poor, this altered the case. But, to speak the truth, my heart was not in their devotion; why, I could not tell. As I was in distress, I went to see if these gentlemen would relieve me, as some of them had known me from a child; but their hearts were as hard as a stone; not one grain of charity or love have they to their fellow creatures; they are all for self. After I had met with a refusal from one

of these gentlemen, he told me to call at their quarterly meeting, (but this I never did; for, though I was in great distress, I could not bear to be exposed like a beggar; this, I know, was pride, and I had likewise time to starve before this quarterly meeting came on) at which time they would do something for me, but that I must first come to confession. This I promised to do, but never went; nor did I receive the favour promised.

I called on Mrs. C. who was but a stranger to me: she gave me some employment, and was very kind to me. We were once speaking of devotion, and she mentioned you, sir. I had heard of you several times before, but never seemed to think any thing about hearing you. I told her I should be glad to hear you, as I was very uneasy both with respect to spiritual and temporal matters. Mrs. C. did not at this time know how desperate my situation was: she knew I was not blessed with a good partner in life, and that was all. But, as domestic affairs are not properly any part of my narrative, I shall forbear running into them.

I went, sir, with Mrs. C. to hear you, and was very much pleased with your discourse; and that night I begged of the Lord to instruct me, but I felt no particular sensation. I continued to go to the Catholic chapel in the week days, and to yours on Sundays: but I found I could not join with them in prayer, for you, sir, without knowing me, generally threw out some hints in the sermon I