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60 I told you of it; and not a word of it has fallen to the ground. I have seen the fulfilment of every part, except in one thing, and that bids fair for an accomplishment also. And I was confirmed in these things by sitting under the preachers who came to preach at Kingston Meeting, very few of whom knew what they said, or whereof they affirmed. I have sat by the hour, and seen them hover round the surface of the letter, while the text refused to let one thought of their heart into its spiritual sense and meaning. The preacher and I were like two sawyers; he worked on the top, and I at the bottom. Three things have appeared conspicuous to me at once; the wisdom of God in the text; the ignorance of the preacher; and the sovereignty of the Lord, in hiding these things from him, and revealing them to me.

Sometimes I have been grieved, and have wept, to see the Saviour dishonoured, his gospel mangled, his enemies furnished with reproach and scandal, and his children disappointed and starved, through the daring presumption of a child of pride. At other times, when I have gone to meeting under a temptation to doubt of the reality of the good work in me, one of the above stamp has been permitted to appear, and to set forth every thing but the mystery of faith and a change of heart; and I have returned satisfied with the difference that I could perceive between a lamp of salvation and a dark lanthorn. But, of

all preachers that I ever heard at that place, there were none that puzzled me like a certain thundering legalist. I was always affected with his zeal, and charmed with his oratory, though he was sure to smite me, and bring me into bondage; but then I seldom felt either the blow or the chains till I got on the road homeward: then the old veil gathered on; the Sun of Righteousness disappeared; my sweet views of the covenant of grace were all obscured; and I was left to grope for the wall like the blind, fast bound in affliction and iron.

The worst preacher that a new-born soul can possibly get under, is one of eloquence and fluency, tinctured with a fiery zeal, under the perpetual alarms of Sinai, his mouth filled with gospel truths, and his soul bound with legal bondage. No comfort, freedom, life, joy, peace, or happiness, can live where he comes: he is sure to slay all these, heaps upon heaps. This sort of thieves have robbed me many a time, while I have been praising and admiring the thief. Such drive many into despair, into desperate wickedness, and even into suicide. Had I known as

much then as I do now, I should have spent the Lord's day more to my advantage; have enjoyed much more happiness than I did; and not have wearied myself in going so often from Jerusalem to Jericho, to fall among thieves. Blessed be God, the good Samaritan always healed me with

his oil and wine; and I hope I shall continue to ride on his beast, and abide at his inn, for the future. Farewel. Excuse haste, while I remain,

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Dear Sir, and Dearly Beloved of the Lord; who has given you an understanding heart in the spiritual meaning of his word, by the blessed operation of the Holy Spirit of power in your soul.

WITH all submission, I take the liberty of writing a few lines to you, to acquaint you, that I have reason to be thankful to the Almighty for giving that wisdom to you which you have commucated to the world by your publications. I live in a small country town, where the gospel is but

imperfectly preached; though, I believe, in few country churches so well. Be that as it may, I have great cause to be thankful to my dear Redeemer, who has made me to differ, I think, from all the parish beside; for there is not one that I can find who is of the same mind, except two or three who are lately come to reside here. To tell you all the particulars how I came to differ, would be too much to insert at this time: but I am desirous that you should know, for I long for your opinion of the whole, because I think you will not flatter me. I have related my experience to some dissenting ministers, each of whom gave me comfort, by not doubting but the work of grace was begun in my heart. With these, nor any other dissenters, have I been acquainted above four years. But the Lord had been gracious to me eleven years before that acquaintance took place; and, until within these three years, there was not a dissenting meeting within eight miles of me: but now there is one within two miles; to which I have often gone, and have heard, at different times, several ministers, whose doctrine was much the same as that wherein the Lord had confirmed me long before; which certainly was a great comfort to me. But one thing I have often lamented to them, namely, that I had not the gift of extempore prayer. They gave me some small comfort, by telling me, that they knew some men under distress of mind about the same thing, of

whom they had not the least doubt but that they were very gracious men. But I often think it is owing to the wickedness of my heart; for I am much pestered with wandering thoughts in using the form of prayer in my family, which I have constantly done twice a day ever since I was first convinced what a vile wretch I am by nature, and likewise once in the day by myself, when I have used such forms from books as I thought best suited my case, with some little additions of my own. But, for many years past, I have left off that custom when alone; and have endeavoured to make known my wants, and to give thanks for the many mercies I have received by using extempore prayer: but as my wants were often the same, such as humble cravings for the blessings and fruits of the Spirit, for a lively faith that worketh by the purest love, &c. So that they were almost become a form also: but I do not say always, for sometimes the Lord gives me power to enlarge, and then I have great comfort; but, to my grief, I have to say, with Job, "O that it was with me as in time past!"

I come now to inform you that, upon conversing with Mr. Millage, of Woking in Surry, whose wife's sister lives near this town, whom he came to visit, we fell into discourse upon religion; and, except about the church-service, we agreed very well. Our ideas of the gospel, and hope in the Saviour, were the same. I had about

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