kind and best respects to my dear brother; to brother Thomas, his wife, and all that favour the righteous cause of the Son of God.

LADY MARY,

CCCCIII.

W. H. S. S.

July 17, 1801.

YOURS, with its welcome contents, came safe to hand; a fruit in due season; a sweet savour, well pleasing and acceptable to God. I have lately occupied much business in deep waters; yea, a day and a night have I been in the deep. The more success, the more trials; the more the power of God attends the work, the more the roaring rebel rages.

For five days, and as many nights, did Satan beset me and such access did he obtain, as to mingle his infernal rebellion, anguish, horror, desperation, and revenge, with my spirit; insomuch that I felt all but his chains, his eternal curse, the vindictive wrath of God, and the venomous guilt of his infinite and unpardonable transgressions. His cursed foulness, his damnable familiarity, and his inveterate malignity, were the sieve wherein this foul, this familiar and desperate head and leader of the

innumerable host of state prisoners winnowed me. Yesterday my reprieve came, when I once more returned to my long absent, much desired, and most welcome Sovereign; and am now not far from his feet, clothed and in my right mind.

Mary, many of these sore battles have fallen to my share; and how many are yet in the appointment I know not, nor wish to know, lest the foresight should render me incapable of action. At my first onset almost all men forsook me-faith, love, patience, meekness, submissión, reason, sense, and even consideration; only hope abode with me. Well may the devil be called a roaring lion, and one who continually goes about, for his noise scattered every thought that I had; and such an hasty spirit influenced me, and continued so to do, that I am fully convinced Satan neither faints nor tires. But the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter; who now blesses God for that battle, and for supporting him under it; and above all for that everlasting love that makes us more than conquerors.

'Nothing, no, my dear Mary, nothing but that faith which is born of God; the blood of the Lamb; the word of our testimony, or the sword of the Spirit; and an assurance of his everlasting love to us in Christ Jesus; can ever bring us forth from the snares of death, and

from the pains of hell, with flying colours.

The day shall try every man's work of what sort it is; for it shall be revealed by fire." Both the preacher and his converts, the workmen and their work, must pass through the furnace of affliction to make manifest whether they are chosen or not. And that tree must have an immortal root, and by that root be supplied with divine life, that neither scorches nor withers in the flames of infernal rage.

Poor Mary, God bless thee! Is it well with thee? Is it well with thine husband? and is it well with the children? If the answer be, It is well,' give my love to them all.

Yours in Him,

W. HUNTINGTON.

CCCCIV.

Dec. 1, 1801.

HAVING now and then stolen an hour to drop a line here and there, am inclined to send one to my old friend Mary. I believe, dear Mary, that the present season is the most favourable and flourishing for the children of God that hath appeared for many years, excepting that when our country expected daily an invasion.

It is a time of much watchfulness and prayer; a time when many are sick enough of this world, of the men in it, and the wickedness of it a time when many are crying to God, and expecting to be answered by terrible things in righteousness: a time when many halting and doubting souls are brought to a point; and a day of no small share of divine indulgence, when God is preparing many to meet their God in the way of his judgments. And we may say of many poor souls, that it is a day in which their outward man is perishing, while the inward man is renewed day by day.

When it goeth well with the righteous the city is exalted, and when it goes ill with the flesh the soul prospers. Never did God's twofold work of ripening go on faster than now. The Sun of righteousness shines much on his poor hidden ones, and melts them; and the sun of temporal prosperity shines wonderfully upon the oppressor, to whom God gives all that his heart can wish, while he is hardened and grows callous under it; and thus God satisfies the souls of all mankind. And I do believe that the throne of grace will for some time to come be remarkably accessible, and the door of hope sweetly displayed; for, as the cares and burdens of his poor children increase, he will admit them near to himself, that they may cast their cares and burdens there, where his care

for them appears, and where he has promised to sustain them. And surely every trouble is a blessing if it does but drive us to God.

Strangers flock much of late to hear me, and most wonderfully have I been led out for some weeks past. How condescending it is in God to be a present, a very present help in times of trouble! How does his wisdom appear in making all things work together for good to them that love him! And how sweet the thoughts of a treasure in the heavens, where there is neither moth, rust, nor thief! And surely our everlasting Father is in the full possession of it, in our name and nature: part of the children's flesh and blood is within the veil, and the children shall follow in their time and order; for no sooner did our Forerunner enter within the holiest, but he sent forth the Holy Spirit, to let us know that he was safely landed; and, as he is our representative there, so the Holy Ghost is our earnest here; and both are to let us know that the intercourse is open, the way cast up, the new and living way consecrated, and that messages and messengers are daily passing and repassing. We are the body of Christ, and members in particular; for, as our bodies are one body, and many members, so also is Christ mystical. Thus Christ personal, as the son of man, is in heaven; and the church, growing up into Christ's stature in likeness and in number,