raiseth the dead.”

"All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall abide for ever." Blessed is the man that trusteth not in his own heart; blessed is the man that leaneth not to his own understanding; blessed is the man that feareth alway, and that trusteth in the Lord with all his heart: "trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."

With respect to myself, Madam, I go on the old way, through some tribulation and some consolation but you may always know my spiritual affairs, and how I do with respect to them, if you look impartially into your own heart; for, "as in water face answers to face, so doth the heart of man to man." If the Lord shines on his word I can say with the Psalmist, "In thy light we see light;" "I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation,” Psalm cxix. 99. But if he hide his face I am troubled, and ready to cry out, "I am a stranger in the earth, hide not thy commandments from me." If the good work on my soul seems to flag, I say, Search me, O Lord, and try me; and if God answers my prayer I change my voice, saying, "Rebuke me 'not in thine anger, [lest thou bring me to nothing,] neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure." If God appears about my path and about my bed, and his visitations preserve my spirit, I wish all to know it, and cry, "Shew me

a token for good, that they which hate me may see it." But if this be granted, and my God withdraws, then I say, "Who have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee."

Well may we be called little children, for we stand in need of guiding and upholding continually; and, blessed be our God, he has promised to guide us with his eye, to direct our work in righteousness, to keep the feet of his saints, and to hold us up in our goings, that our footsteps slip not. We are compassed about with many exceeding great and precious promises, while divine faithfulness and truth stand bound by a thousand ties to make them all good; search them out therefore, and consider them well. When thou art under the rod, remember every stripe lies in a promise; and look out then for another that promises a cure; "I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them." When dejected or bowed down, it is written, "The mean man shall be brought low, and the haughty humbled;" and it is likewise written, They shall be exalted to safety. The Saviour told his disciples, that when the Comforter was come he should testify of him, and shew them things to come; and John tells us, in his Revelations, that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy;" and I believe all the children of God may prophesy in turn. When I seem to go on prosperously in soul, in health, and in temporal affairs, I then prophesy that some trouble

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or sharp trial is coming upon me, for God hath set adversity against prosperity. And when bereft of all comfort, and I appear to be nothing but corruption, I then prophesy that the Lord will come and shine again; Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy," saith the prophet; "when I fall I shall arise; when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me. He will bring me forth to the light; and I shall behold his righteousness." If I have put up a fervent prayer, and I find a comfortable persuasion in my heart that the Spirit helped me, and that my prayer is heard and accepted, I then prophesy that I shall surely receive the things that I prayed for; "whatsoever ye ask believing ye shall receive;" and "faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." When I am conscious that I have done wrong, and have brought guilt on my spirit, I then prophesy that I shall be well whipped for this; God hath promised to visit our sins with the rod, and our iniquities with scourges; and when the rod comes on I prophesy that it is for my soul's good; for God will not be always wroth, neither will he keep his anger for ever, because he de

When I have

lighteth in mercy, Micah vii. 18. had a most comfortable time in the pulpit, and the power of God has attended me, I prophesy that the next sermon will be a barren one to me; and it often cometh to pass. When I go into any fresh place to preach the gospel, I prophesy of reproach and hard speeches; "the Holy Ghost witnesseth

in every city," says Paul," saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me." As soon as I first felt the pardon of my sin, a lively hope to spring up in my soul, and love to God in my heart, I prophesied that my name was enrolled in the book of life; or, as Job says, that my record was on high; and it was a true prophecy and every believer may prophesy of hope in his death, and of glory in heaven; for the righteous hath hope in his death;" and whom God justifies them he also glorifies. By this my dear friends will perceive that I am turned prophet at last: and what I shall be next I wot not; but hope ever to remain, in the bonds of the gospel,

Your most affectionate,

And obedient servant to command,

Winchester Row, Paddington,

July 4, 1788.

W. H,