No 16. APPENDIX. 440 ful to both. Our fhip feemed to be hard at the chore, in mine and the childrens recovery, when behold a wave came, and drove back the fhattered veffel again. My eldeft fon and our fervant-woman being taken ill onone day, and his fever the molt dangerous of all, the woman's fever abated on the 6th, my fonts not till the 13th, my fécond daughter's on the 11th. My eldeft fon is now recovering, tho' (lowly, and all are well again ; ex- cept my diftreffed wife, whofe chaftifements are new every morning. I have given you this particular account, as making no doubt ofyour fympathy, and that you will join with us in the deliverance wrought for us, and in feeking pity and help in the continued affliction, and grace rightly to improve both the one and the other. The Lord was very gracious according to his word, and I felt him to be the lifter up of mine head, while carried through the deep waters ; and my foul bleffeth his holy name for this difpenfation in this trial, in which he made me inwardly to rejoice when nothing of that kind appeared about me. O that I could praife and truft him ! he is a fkilful pilot, and one might be very eafy in doubtful events, trufting and re- lying on him, believing that what is good he will give. I am, &c. Dec. 14. 1724. (6.) Dr Sir, I rejoice to hear of the fuccefs of your affairs ; which you take as you ought from himwho keeps the balance of trade, as well as of crowns and of kingdoms, in his own hand. O but the management of the kingdom of grace muft be a great thing! and our Mediator muft be well furnifhed for the manag- ing of it! fince the vaft and extenfive kingdom of Providence is put in his hand as a fubordinate, there to be adminiftrate in a fubferviency to the kingdom of grace, and to carry on the glorious purpofes thereof. He fits enthroned in Zion and as Zion's King, his power reaches through the whole earth, the feas, heaven, and hell! All power is given him every where. His fubjeóts in Zion are but few, but the whole world is rolled hither and thither for that little kingdom. For their fakes he fent to Babylon, and brought down the Chaldeans, whofe cry is in the lhips : for it the Babylonian, Perlan, Grecian, and Roman monarchies, were brought down. O, Sir, continue to follow your bufinefs in the aétual faith of this : and as, when there is a profperous turn in it, you willingly give it under your hand, you are the Mediator's debtor for it ; fo when there comes about an awkward-like turn at any time, labour to believe the fame hand does it for the belt ; for this reafon, that he never does any thing but what is beft done ; which will one day be 3 K2
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=