No 16. APPENDIX. 453 hope we (hall be companions in viaory, everiafling viaory. Let us leave it to our Lord how to carry us through the world ; his own glory isat flake, feeing by hisgrace, we have committed ourfelves to him. He is a fkilful pilot ; and his (kill appears beftoin guiding the (hip among the rocks and (helves. The na- tural effedt of aflli&ion on a (inner is, to drive him away from God; but we mutt confider aflui&tion as an ordinance of God,- and the difcipline of the covenant, having a promife annexed to it; and believe the promife ; and fo the bitter pill, taken by faith in the vehicle of the promife, will lofe its natural efficacy, and have its inflitutedone. If your affairs are in confufion, it is not your riotous living, nor careleffnefs about them, that lias brought them to that pals, but the over-ruling providence of God ; and fo it is not your fin, but your affliction ; and you may have many a time laid your fubftance, and your all, at the Lord's feet, never to break with him on any fuch head, nor any whatfoever. And now word is fent to you about force of it from heaven, as was fent to the owner of the als, Paying, " The Lord hath need of him ;" i. e. he has ufe for it for his own glorious purpofes. And he can make you an ornament to the gofpel in the confufed (tate of your affairs, as well as when they went on more profperoufly. My heart is feelingly touched with your dear wife's cafe ; but ere all be done, the (hall be nothing behind the hand with her Lord, for all the fuffers at his will and pleafure. The broad bleffing of the covenant be on you and her, and your feed. Pray for us. I am4 &c. P. S. O ! what think ye ? will he not come to the feaft ! July 22. 1727. (li.)V.D.Sir, I had yours of the 11th inftant, and was concerned to under- ¡land by it, the increafìng of your wife's diftrefs, and the ad- ditional trial of the feizing of the (hip at Cadiz. Here's work for faith, to feeand believe that he into whole hands the Father hath committed all judgment, doth, in a confiftency with his love to our fouls, make deep call unto deep, and manages all to work together for'our good. This is too fine a thread to be per- ceived by the eye of fenfe ; but by the help of the glafs of the word, it may be Peen fatipfyingly, and believed. Jacoband Job are two very plain instances of faints meeting with a train of croffes, one upon the, neck of another, as if providence had defigned to run them aground, and break them in pieces.; and yet we fee alfo the end of the Lord in thefe cafes, that it was quite otherwife. I have had ufe for confulting thefe inflances often ; and the firft particularly hath been very flaying to me. I can' not but with tender affection obferve your care of my affairs,
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