into fuch a ftrait, that it appeared impoffible I could escape; and, like Jehoshaphat, I have been at my wit's end. But the Lord never left me in a trying hour; for, when every other refuge failed, he always appeared in my behalf, and wrought deliverance in fuch a way and manner as Inever could expect. I have been brought low, but the Lord has helped me; underneath have been the everlasting arms, and strength has been given equal to my day: the Lord is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working; he hath never left nor forfaken me; and, though often faint, he has always kept me pursuing: I have frequently been ready to give all up; which I certainly should, and have turned back in the day of battle, had not the Lord ftrengthened me, and kept me by his almighty power, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jefus Chrift," Phil. i. 6. You was once in the country when I was under very trying circumftances, and I heard you feveral times; many things which you then brought forth were very suitable to me, particularly a discourse you preached from Prov. viii. 20; "I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment, that I may cause thofe that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasure." The word was attended bleffed to me; for I re with power, and much ceived encouragement, ftrength, inftruction, counfel, and comfort. My hope was revived, and my way caft up; for in treating of the way of righteousness, and the paths of judgment, you exactly described the feelings of my heart, and I found myself a good deal relieved from that anxiety and diftrefs which then lay heavy upon me. The hand of God feemed to be gone out against me, as it went out against Naomi; and I laboured under great bondage, darkness, and fear; my foul being bowed down with affliction, fo that I was "far off from peace; I forgat profperity," Lam. iii. 17. My grief was great, and my life bitter, and I said, with Jeremiah, "Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day," Lam. iii. 3. And I was in such confufion that I could not make what I experienced accord with the scripture, as many things seemed to clash, and Providence run counter to the promise; but I have fince perceived that the Lord hath led me in a right way, and that "all the words of his mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them; they are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge," Prov. viii. 8, 9. The first time Mr. Brook was down in this part of the country, I remember hearing him from Deut. xxxii. 10, 11, 12.-" He found him in a defert land, and in the wafte-howling wilderness; he led him about, he inftructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her neft, fluttereth over her young, fpreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, fo the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no ftrange God with him." His difcourfe I heard with great fatisfaction, and what he brought forth from the fcripture was fuitable and profitable to me; for as he went on I could fee the way in which the Lord had been leading me to humble me, and to prove me; and I hoped that God would fooner or later appear, and make darkness light before me, rough places plain, and crooked things ftraight. I felt my heart a little moved in gratitude to God that he had helped me thus far, and had herto fupported me under all my troubles, and had kept me as the apple of his eye; "All his faints are in his hand, there is the hiding of his power." The Lord waters his vineyard every moment, and keeps it night and day. But to return; I had one continued fucceffion of trials, troubles, and disappointments; fo that I was frequently much cut up, and my foul difcouraged because of the way, fearing that in this time of temptation I fhould wither for lack of moisture, and fo fall away. But, bleffed be the Lord, it was not fo; he kept me by his power, and enabled me to feel after him, and, with purpofe of heart to cleave unto the Loid But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive, every one of you, this day," Deut. iv. 4. All fulness is in the Saviour: he is our life; and the feed of Jacob never fought his face in vain. He communicates grace and ftrength equal to the day; "He giveth more grace," and has promised to him that hath more fhall be given; he ftrengthens the things that remain, which, according to our apprehenfion, are ready to die, and supplies, as we go on,' all our wants out of the riches of his grace. "I am come," faith the Saviour, "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly," John x. 10. "Without me," fays he, " ye can do nothing;" and counfels us to abide in him, promifing, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye fhall ask what ye will, and it fhall be done unto you," John xv. 17. And I blefs his name for ever that he hath fuftained me under every trial, and enabled me to wrestle with him in prayer, and prevail too, not suffering me to give him any reft till his righteousness went forth as brightness, and his falvation as a lamp that burneth: therefore I may say, with David, "I fought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me out of all my fears," Pfalm xxxiv. 4. When I came to Grantham to hear you in the year 1807, I was bowed down with trouble, till my spirit funk within me, and, as Paul says, I feemed reffed out of measure, above ftrength; and my countenance proclaimed to all who faw me the difconfolate and diftreffed state of my no doubt he will appear for you." When I left |