No 16. APPENDIX. 463 ftate of human affairs, but they know the wealthieft, faireft, . and molt diligent traders, may be broken to pieces by providential incidents, or the treachery of falfe men with whom they,lnay have dealings. However, glad am I it has pleafed the Lord to confound that temptation, and to fatisfy you perfeótly on that head. But, my Dr Sir, take heed, andbe on your guard againft other devices of that kind ; left, if you fufter your feet to be in- tangled therewith, it may not be fo eafy to be extricated there- from : and therefore I cannot ceafe to put you in remembrance,. that as you employ Jefus Chritt in his prieftly office, for the re- moval of guilt, and addrefs him as your king for ftrength to bear your trial, fo you are 1tí11 to be eying him in his prophetical office for light to give you juft views of it. I fee our Lord, the great prophet, has come to you already in your darknefs. I perceive the Interpreter, one among a thoufand, was with you in a particular manner on Monday Feb. 20. He was in there two hours exercifing his prophetical office in you. He was letting you fee your trial in its juft colours, not putting colours on it ; for he is the Amen, the faithful and true witnefs ; an4 therefore, though it donot always appear in there colours to rou, that is the native hue ofit, and the fault is in your eyes when it appears otherwife. He was taking youby the arms, and teach- ing you to go; and that you will employ him for his light, as well as his ftrength, in time to come ; that if he comes not to you, you will go to him ; and if a promife be not laid to your hand,, you will go out and fetch in one : and welcome. The bleffed Bible is a richly loaden tree of that kind of fruit. Some- times his people has no more ado, but to take of the fruit falling into their lap; but that is only a piece of indulgence that they fometimes meet with; the ordinary way is to look up to the tree, and reach out the hand of faith, perhaps, with no little dif- ficulty, and pluck the fruit ; and O but a fharp trial makes the promife fweet! Witnefs your experience of the two tall verfes of Pfal. cxxxiii. Sir, you are in a: plunge ; but, I make no queftion, he that fits at the Father's right hand, having all judgment committed to him, will bring you out of it ; and the day will come, when you will fay from leifbrely obfervation, I3e hath done all things well. Yea, Sir, look for feeing God's wonders in the deeps, and he will not difappoint you. However, if you were through this trial, you will not be at the end of trials, leffer or greater, till you be in the better country ; only this is a deep ftep, a deep water; but ° the Lord Jefus is the lifter up of mine head,' you muft fay with David, Pfal. iii.' That pfalm has appeared of late to me, to bearaii inftance of as ftrong a faith as readily appears in the whole book of Plains, confidering its firmnefs, and the circumítances there defcribed t,only it muft 'be owned, the terror of God on his foul, with which nothing is to be laid in the balance, was indeed wanting in it No. 10. 3 M
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