my fteps in my removal from you: fuch aflood .of teares in thefe times of f piritual drought, and hardnelfe ofheart, I have feldome feen~ ; was not the chamber a Bochim .? could you have wept more if you had b~ought me to my grave? fuch chaines were thofe tea res, and prayers, that (notwithfianding my refolutions) for that twelve month GeneGs 3 2.t 6 I could ~ot go; I fai~ to yo~J, let me go for the d,ty break· · eth, but m your wre!tlrog~ wuh God you an fwered as fa· cob did, . we will nol let thee go. The yeare·begm1 again, and I was fo fJr entered into chis work, that my apprehenfions were !hong, the L.ord had this work for me to do with you before I mufi remove, or have any other me(.. .fage from him to any other people. Hereupon IJbefoughc the Lord once and again, to order n1e from heaven, and accordingly to give me a fpirit of fubmiffion. In the meane time 'there was a people waiting, longing, expeCting to·have me theirs. And though but a few, and thofe weak Chrifi.ians were amongfi them. Yet they ~ had their dayes offafiing, and prayer; they called often, A.Ch 16.9 Ccme · int(} Mt~eedonia and help ru; do you not fee orw needs-: do you not fee wonderful providences of God fwcet· ly concurring (maugre the malrce of men) to bring you hither? do you not look npon ru tU a more futable- congregation for your declining years-: and have you not promifed ~ and t~re you not tied by many bonds to be ~urs, even 01trs? All things weighed · ori all hands , at laft I refol ved ( if the Lord fo pleafed) to be theirs indeed. And now my dear friends, my beloved in Chrifi, l bid you adiew; I hope I may fay in fome meafure (ana le-t thefe works tefiifie) that I btwe not jlJimned to declare tJ.nto you All the counrel of God; many weaknelfes have .:<lis 20 , 27 , 22 paffed from me, yet I hope I 11m pure from the hlood of · 40 mm. According to the talents gxven me, 1 have · done my endeavour, though l ha7.1e nothing to glory of, . . - - ··- - ]~!_
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