furnished me with hourly burdens for the shoulders of my great Deliverer; bless him for ever, who, in this valley of Achor, gives us a door of hope. You may see where I have been, and where I now am; frail nature hath got her arguments and pleas in us all; the great Captain shewed this: "I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none: they gave me gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink :" and we must taste the bitter cup, as well as the cup of salvation. This is the third time that I have been in perils among false brethren. The first was at Woking, in Surry, through the instrumentality of a minister of Satan; that was the longest and sorest trial that I had met with since my release from Sinai. I was then a young father in Christ, and too fond of my children, and therefore violence and cruelty were used, both by the false and true brethren; the former influenced the latter: but this was appointed, that my affections might be beat off by violence, and soon after I was ordered to London. But if that cruel usage had not come upon me, I should have come to London like a silly dove without a heart; but the children I had swaddled the enemy carried away; so that I was ready to fondle any that the Lord should give me elsewhere.

At Richmond I had a little more fishing in these troubled waters; but we must arise and depart, for this is not our rest, it is polluted. I

was in hopes that the greatest part of the burden and heat of the day was over; but evil days and wearisome nights are the lot of them who labour in the word and doctrine. Let me lay a little of this weight upon thy shoulders, and fail not to bring me forth in thy petitions; for God knows it is for the hope of Israel that I am entangled in these briars. Remember my bonds.

Church-street, Paddington.

W. H.

I

LETTER LXXI.

To the Rev. Mr. HUNTINGTON.

MY EVER DEAR AND MUCH HONOURED FRIEND,

HAVE received and read your last favour, and am not a little astonished at what you tell me. Indeed I can see where you are, and do sympathize too with you from my heart; and though I am not able to give you any help, yet my poor prayers are in your present calamity; and I believe the Lord has of late set you much on my heart, nor have I the least doubt but that he will bring you through all this with a high hand.

I have a great desire to turn comforter: however this I will venture to say, that your late jour

ney was contrived by infinite wisdom; and whatever they are who have their hands in it, it will be found to be one of the all things that shall work, not only for your own good, but for the good of hundreds besides; and I can see, with half an eye, that Satan will be the greatest loser by it at the long run; for I know that his wiles will be further discovered, and that himself will be closer pursued: and at every step of ground he loses my soul will rejoice, for I hate him with a perfect hatred.

I cannot read this letter without being filled with indignation. Lord, how long wilt thou suffer hypocrites, liars, impostors, and devils, to prosper! and the just to see iniquity and look at grievance, and suffer spoiling and violence to remain before them! What shall we say to all these things? This I will say, that I do not now wonder that the Lord's dealings puzzle such a poor creature of the night as I am, when they try those whom he so dearly loves, those who have had so much of his secrets, and such as he has instructed with so strong a hand. Many times has my heart heaved against him for favouring those whom I know at the same time he hates, and continuing to frown upon them whom he knows love his truth, his cause, his people, and his name. Now it staggers me when I think how that arrogant and presumptuous hypocrite could write such a book against you. It is a testimony against his own soul; the infernal hatred of his heart recorded by his own

hand: sure I am he is gone beyond the bounds of fear. And here I am tumbling and stumbling in the dark, and cannot get the use of any of my faculties; I cannot, if I was to die, commit to paper what I see, and what I conceive in my thoughts. But the devil helps his own children; and I am as sure, as there is a God in heaven, that he will damn that hypocrite, if he lives and dies in his present state.

I do earnestly pray the Almighty (if I am to live longer in the world than you) that, when your head is laid in the grave, I inay never afterwards go to London; but that he would hide me in some country place near a wood, give me food and raiment, and make me useful in my little sphere to some poor and simple people. This is my wish and desire, and never to be stationed where Satan's seat is.

When will it be convenient for me to spend a few days with you? I hope you will favour me with a line in the course of next week; and if your mind and circumstances are at liberty, tell me when I may come; if not, I will wait till they are. The Lord be with you, bless and strengthen you for the work he has cut out for you. He surely will; himself has promised it, and he has done it, and will do it to the end. prayer of him who sincerely loves you, owes himself to you.

This is the

and who

Lewes, June 3, 1796.

J. J.

LETTER LXXII.

To the Rev. Mr. HUNTINGTON.

REV. SIR,

I AM this morning, February 22, at Ninfield, and am now thinking what company there will be tomorrow at the Doctor's house. I wish I could be there among them. My heart is there; and if I had but a pair of wings, I would drop in upon them early in the morning; but I am doomed to wander in the wealds of Sussex, and have no power to come out of this wilderness. I cannot get as far as the metropolis. Nothing is to be heard in this country now, but the landing of the French. They are all in an uproar. the town was in a commotion.

When I left L—~

waggons were pressed, &c. &c.

Several farmers'

This had spread

such a rumour, that several were ready to set off; others reported that the French fleet stood off Brighton. I know not what the Almighty is about to do, but I cannot believe, somehow, that he will suffer the French now to land. You know he himself defeated their late attempt, and he is able yet to do it again. I have found lately power and liberty in my spirit to plead with him, and he suffered me to put in my plea with boldness, and