No 16. APPENDIX. 457 Odtober 5. 1728. (15.) V. D. Sir, I am in health, through the goodnefs of God ; enablfd to purfue my public work, and to do fume little thing in my do- fet. I fhould be glad to hear of fome relaxation continuing in your wife's cafe, and of Come outgate in your affairs. Afllietions are appointed means of fandification, which, I am perfuaded, is as great a myftery, as our juttification is the work of the Spirit carrying it onby feveral means, all of them concurring to the ef- feót, is a great depth. We fee, the forming and nourifhing of the natural body is a thing we perceive very little as to the way how it is brought about : what' wonder that we can fo little eomprehend the forming and nourifhing of the new creature? which Mould move us to endeavour to live by faith, believing what we fee not, and to yield ourfelves willingly, without di[= puting, unto the Spirit's - method with us, though fome of the means may be in their own nature pinching. The promoting the growth of the new creature, requires the bearing down and fubduing the old man ; and to this of ed, even (harp and long trials, all have enough ado. May we he aiming at this temper ?f fpirit. I am, V. D. Sir, yours, &c. 16. V. D. Sir, I fee by yours, that your wife continues fickly, and that your affair, with that man is not like to have any comfortable iffue. But, in the mean time, Providence fupports. I have, of a con - fiderable time, obferved, that providence has been direóting particular ftrokes againft the molt ferions godly of my acquaint- ance; but it has here, of late, made fuch Reps of that kind on the bodies and fubftance of thofe in whom I had molt comfort, whereof force removed by death, that I think judgment is be- gun at the houfe of God, as a fign of more to follow. For my own part, I am kept clofe in the furnace ; and the receiptof your letters lait week, came very feafonably for force refrefhment to me in the courfe of Providence. My wife has had a fever again, fince the beginning of this month, and an unufual fink- ing of the fpirit is brought in by it. I was comforted this day, reading, in my ordinary, the Queen of Sheba's admiring parti- cularly Solomon's afcent by which he went up to the houfe of the Lord : he was a type of Chrift. We hear, while here, the report of the afcent by which Chrift brings his people to the temple above : when we fee it in the word indeed by faith, we 3L April 19. 1729.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=