434 mEmoxE.s OF MR BOSTON. LETTERS TO AND FROM THEAUTHOR. No 9. Lettersfrom the Rev. Mr Henry Davidfon late Minifter of the Gofpel at Galafhiels, to the Author. March 5. 1728. (1.) Very dear Sir, YOUR two letters of the laft month's date, breathing fo much of a kindly concern, and bearing fo many feafonable ad- vices, and relieving grounds of comfort, could not mifs to be moft acceptable to me, when plunged in the deep : and this fhould have been acknowledged to you before this, but my in .difpofition of body being confidered, will, I know, fufliciently plead the excufe of my delay. Dear Sir, When there is a keeping in any meafure from a defpifing of the Lord's chaftening, yet I find no fmall difficulty to bear off from the other rock, a fainting under his rebukes. Faith's views, that it is the Lord, will prove quieting. A right of his fovereignty, wifdom, righteoufnefs, and fàithfulnefs, works up the foul into a holy acqutefcence in, and compofure under, the eternal decree, now revealed by the event. But,l`? ! how hard to believe a father's love itis with us under trials, efpecially thotë of a complicated nature, or that have fore entangling efpecially in them, as it was with the difcipies when our Lord carne upon the water in a tempeftuous night to their relief. They thought he was a fpirit,; fo we look upon God as an enemy, when he comes to fanctify and fave. The promife re- conciles the roughnefs of a father's hand with the fweetnefs of his voice, and love ofhis heart. He calls to his children, in the darkeft night, " It is I, be not afraid." Our difquietments do enter at the door ofunbelief: for in every cafe, however trying, joy and peace accompany believing, and keep meafures 5vith it. That heroic grace performs furprifing atchievements under fharpeft trials, as they Rand regiftered iii Heb. xi..; and what- ever our trials are, the ftrength of the conflict lies betwixt faith and unbelief ; and as the balance fways towards the one or the other, fo is the fituation in other regards. All goes backward, and towards ruin, as unbelief prevails ; for it carries its train alongft: and did not our gracious God item the current fpm time to time, and be the Iifter up of the head, we would infallibly fink beneath the ftream ; neverthelefs, upon the begun recovery
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