this way of meeting together has been, and ftill is, despised by many, yet I have reafon to rejoice, having therein received much good, and at times found him whom my foul loveth; "Where-two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them," Matt. xviii. 20. The Lord hath condefcended to meet with us; he has owned, honoured, and bieffed us with his prefence, and in the midft of all oppofition has enabled us to ftand faft, and to contend earnestly for the faith. And this work and this counfel, which I believe to be of God, all our opponents have never been able to overthrow; therefore they had better defift from fuch an unholy war, "left haply they be found even to fight against God," Acts v. 39. I embraced every opportunity which offered in coming to town to hear you; and when you have been down in the North I have generally attended at every place where you preached. But to enter into particulars, by giving you an account of each time and place where God has bleffed your miniftry to me, of the many helps by the way, and the encouragement and strength I have received in hearing you at different times, might appear tedious; fuffice it therefore to fay, that I never came up to London to hear you, nor attended you in the country, without receiving fome good, more or lefs; and have many times rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. The Lord's word does not return void, but accomplish that which

is pleafing to him, and profpers in the thing whereto he fends it; "He confirmeth the word of his fervants, and performeth the counsel of his meffengers." Three or four times, when I came up to London to hear you, I have been much perplexed, forely diftreffed, and under heavy afflictions; but I never came in vain. Once, during the time I was a married man, when no one I think was under heavier trials than I was, which my countenance fully proclaimed, I had a great defire to speak to you, and for that purpose went to the vestry at Monkwell ftreet; but when I faw you I faid nothing about my trials and afflictions, though you asked me what was the matter, and the cause of my looking fo ill. The truth is, they were of fo complicated a nature, and from fuch an unexpected quarter, that I was unwilling to enter into the subject. I have often found that, when under the heaviest trials, I have been afraid to speak of them, not knowing how the matter would end. Perceiving that I was much bowed down, you spake very kindly to me, though I came out of the veftry with a heavy heart, ready to break with trouble. I walked about, and wept much, having great forrow in my heart; afterwards I went into the chapel, and you preached from these words, "Out of the mouth of babes and fucklings haft thou ordained ftrength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy What I heard and the avenger," Pfalm viii. 2.

that night comforted me not a little, as you described the very feelings of my foul and I was much relieved from my burden; "A gift in fecret pacifieth anger, and a reward in the bofom ftrong wrath," Prov. xxi. 14. And, though I was troubled on every fide, yet I could fee that I was not forfaken of God, but my hope was firengthened in him, that he would be with me and fupport me; and I found him, as he hath promised, a present help in trouble. Unto God 1 committed my caufe, and waited upon him, watching his hand; the Lord fuftained me; and, though the trial was fharp, yet under God it worked for my good, and has been of great use to me fince. My afflictions were many, but the Lord in his own time delivered me out of them; it is God that avengeth me, and girdeth me with ftrength; "therefore bless thou the Lord, O my foul, and forget not all his benefits.”

The next heavy trial was the divifion that took place in the church. After we had met together for fome years herefy crept in amongst us. Onefimus came with his airy vifions, and beguiled many unstable fouls; this enemy fowed his tares. amongst us, and then went his way; but after his departure the leaven which was communicated continued to ferment, and it was not long before it's dreadful effects were feen, as many amongst us gave heed to this feducing spirit, and foon fhewed that they were fubverted thereby; fo that

"Alfo of your

we found it to be as Paul fays, own felves fhall men arife, fpeaking perverse things, to draw away difciples after them," Acts xx. 30. Some withdrew, and fet up for teachers, while others followed after them. "They went out from us, but they were not of us, for, if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifeft that they were not all of us,' 1 John ii. 19. Howbeit, though many were taken with his wild and extravagant notions, yet not all; for some stood faft in the truth which they had received, and withstood him, though he prated against our manner of worship with malicious words. John says that he had no greater joy than to hear that his children walked in truth; and Paul faith, "Now we live if ye ftand faft in the Lord," 1 Theff. ii. 8. And some were enabled fo to do; for, by what we had already experienced, we well knew that our way of affembling together was approved of God, and that what this deceiver brought forth was not according to the gofpel we had received. The Lord had met with us and bleffed us, therefore we knew that we had not followed cunning devifed fables. An outcry was raifed against reading other men's works, and preaching in general, without making any diftinction between right and wrong; in fhort, every thing was found fault with, but nothing established; much confufion

wrought, and the greater part knew not for what they were come together; for it was utterly impoffible to know what was aimed at, as nothing but wind and confufion was brought forth. But fome, who were like the Athenians of old, always fond of either telling or hearing fome new thing, Acts xvii. 21, were much charmed, and were all alive; and it was amazing to fee how this strange fire fpread itself amongst many; it served as a fan, by which the floor was purged: when the chaff is blown away the wheat becomes more confolidated together; "There must be alfo herefies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifeft," 1 Cor. xi. 19. There are fome, Paul fays, which received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; " And for this caufe God fhall fend them ftrong delufions, that they should believe a lie," 2 Theff. ii. 11. They that cannot endure found doctrine, after their own lufts heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; "And they fhall turn away their ears from the truth, and fhall be turned unto fables," 2 Tim. iv. 4. Some there are, who are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; and many there be who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; "and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in the time of temptation fall away," Luke viii. 13. When men are puffed up, and become vain in their imagination, their foolish hearts are