CLXXIV.

July 22, 1807.

DEAR MARY,

I CAME home last night wearied and tired to the last degree; and at my arrival found your mournful epistle. You do not pray for days together; ' then Satan has gained an advantage over you; this is giving place to the devil: and� if he has gained this ground upon you, he will toil the harder to gain more. The devil, with all his unabated malice and unwearied diligence, has not gained so much ground of Me, during thirty-three years hard fighting. The gains, profits and benefits, of a throne of grace are infinite; it is the most lucrative branch of all the high, holy, and heavenly calling. Drop this trade, and beggary is sure to follow. And shall I praise you for this? I praise you not. The devil cannot steal our confidence,, and we are fools to cast it away. Every grace, blessing, and truth, that God plants in the heart, shall abide, grow, flourish, and prevail, in spite of Satan's rage, or sin's remains. It is God's workmanship, incorruptible seed; his empire, by which he reigns, and from which he receives all the tributes and revenues of his realm; "The fear of the Lord is his treasure;" and he will never give his glory to another, nor his -praise to images, or to devils.

All thy darkness, doubts, fears, misgivings of heart, and unbelief, are none of God's fruits, nor any of those good and perfect gifts which come down from the Father of lights. Love to God, and to all mankind, was God's image in Adam; it was his uprightness, his righteousness, and true holiness. But "all flesh hath corrupted his way;" and this corruption, which is Satan's bane and our seduction, is that which breeds all thy present confusion in thee. However, God keeps a faithful and steady watch over his own- plantation; and he has begun to root up, and at a long run he will purge out, all that evil that hath deceived, seduced, corrupted, and defiled the work of God's hands. "This is the will of him that sent me, that of all that 'he hath given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day." Our bodies and soul's are God's workmanship, and nothing of either shall ever be lost; no, the hairs of our head are all numbered, and not one hair shall perish. But all inbred and home-born corruption shall be destroyed, for "he was manifest in the flesh to destroy the works of the devil."

God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, in all the churches; and he encourages us against these attacks of Satan; "For your shame you shall have double, and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion; therefore in their land they shall possess double, everlasting joy shall be unto them." The King of Zion will come again; his reward is with him, and his work before Him; "and then his own guests will welcome him in, and entertain him too - I mean faith, hope, and love. In times of trial these seem to be inactive; they stay at home, to support and defend the heart: but, as soon as the sun begins ,to shine, and the storm to abate, when confusion and wild uproar subside, and a calm succeeds, every grace will move, and dance in concert with the smiles of his face, and the thoughts of his heart, the sounding of his bowels, and the outgoings of his love. God's work must be renewed and revived, or brought again to a state of vivacity; for the refreshings must and shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Tender my best affections to the Captain, and accept the same from

W. H. S.S.

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