nuine, and that it would stand the test of every. text, except such as these: "He that is born of God sinneth not." "They also do no iniquity; they walk in his ways," Psalm cxix. 3. These I could not make out, as they seemed to assert nothing less than perfection. At these I often staggered; and they were sad stumblingblocks to me. However, I considered the decrees and purposes of God, his covenants, promises, faithfulness, and truth; the immutability of his nature, the finished work of Christ, the oaths of God, the Spirit's work, and his faithfulness to his children in every age; and got much light, and gathered, much strength, this way; and the blessed Spirit, who before was my comforter, was now a spirit of revelation and understanding to me; and having lost all my milk and honey, I fed upon strong meat; the breast was taken away, and knowledge and understanding became my food. I had before grown in grace, and now I grew in knowledge; and my mind was much employed in heavenly meditation on the glorious truths of the gospel. But this did not afford that nourishment, warmth, and heavenly sweetness, to the heart, which the other did. I often sat down and considered the days of old, when "the visitations of God preserved my spirit, when his glory was fresh in me, and when the dew lay all night upon my branch;" and wept, sighed, whined, and sobbed, after the milk and honey. But the Holy Spirit, at such times, would produce submission and

resignation in me to the will of God, and suggest to my mind that, when I had finished my course, I should have my heart full of that sweet fare, and that for evermore; which made me long for death. At these times I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul was even as a weaned child, Psalm cxxxi. 2. About that period I was working in the coal barge, and suffering hunger, cold, and almost nakedness; besides the conflicts within, persecutions without, and the loss of that which to me was dearer than life. It pleased God to pity and visit me again. I had an old lumberroom, where I often withdrew when my burden was too heavy for me to bear; and as sure as I entered that place, so sure did the Lord of all lords visit me. He would come down as rain upon the mown grass, and as showers that water the earth; till I could compare it to nothing but what I had read of entering into the holy of holies, when the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. O what condescension for the Most High to humble himself to take notice of such worms of the dust!

After many of these soul-reviving and soulestablishing visits, those trials, which are peculiar to the ministry, came on, attended with legal bondage, and various temptations and oppositions; and beset I was with every class of heretics, till I went, like the woman the Saviour healed, bowed together for several years; till, what with trouble,

real want, and hard labour, I was at the brink of the grave, and longed for it; but it came not. At length it pleased God to renew my youth like the eagle's; and he supplied me with temporal necessaries, equipped me with truth and fortitude, and gave me a great desire to be useful; and he soon let me see that I did not labour in vain. And now this became my food; it was my meat and drink to do his will, and to see his work prosper. And this led me to walk steady with my God in peace and equity; and, having obtained help from him, I continue to this day. Thus, Delilah like, your three succeeding epistles have drawn the secret out of my heart. And, after all, what is it? Why, divine power lodged in a lock of human hair; or, to speak in New Testament language, it is God's strength made perfect in man's weakness. Adieu. I must attend the household; but cannot help subscribing myself

The Desert.

Ever yours,

NOCTUA AURITA.

LETTER XVI.

To NOCTUA AURITA, in the Desert.

I RECEIVED safe your very valuable epistle; and I hope you will excuse my not acknowledging the receipt of it before this time. I assure you it has not been for want of inclination, but want of time. My hands have been fully employed in nursing, which hath been to me a sore trial. The Lord has visited my dear little boy with a disorder which we feared would prove fatal. And under this trial the Canaanites, which are left in the land to be as thorns in my side, made me severely feel their power, assisted by Satan their ally, who appeared at their head, and who made such an inroad upon me as greatly disquieted my spirits. The rebellion of my heart was stirred up, and hard thoughts of God followed. I could not give up the child; and Satan suggested such things to my mind concerning the eternal state of the boy, should he die under the curse of God's righteous law, as I believe I never shall let come out of the doors of my lips. But I assure you they were such as rent the caul of my heart; and, though I could not give the child

up, yet I trembled at the thoughts of asking for his life. I was pressed beyond measure. I could only say to the Lord, Thou knowest my heart, what I am by nature; and that nothing but these rank weeds will ever be produced by me, unless thou art pleased, by the operations of thy Spirit, to work in me that submission and resignation to thy will which shall glorify thee.' The Lord appeared for the child, and hath restored him to us again. But submission and resignation were not found in my heart. His Excellency sent me your epistle, which you directed to be left with him, with the following direction on it: To her Majesty the Queen of the Beggars, value a thousand pounds.' But, when I had read the contents, I was constrained to enhance the value; for I found the price of it to be far above rubies. I thank you kindly for it. I thought of an old proverb, viz. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.'

I think there can but little befall me in the path of tribulation but what you have shewed me already. You seem to intimate that you think I may be a stumblingblock to those whose joys do not rise so high as God is pleased to raise mine. Indeed, it is true that some envy me, and some are filled with jealousy. But envy and jealousy seem to me to be two different things. Where the latter is working, I believe it will be a means, under God, of bringing the same blessings into their souls. These will not rejoice when I am brought