LETTER S. LETTER I. Beloved in the Lord, I HAVE taken up my pen to scratch a few lines to fend you, though I am to day very poorly indeed. These rheumatic pains afflict me still forely, and pierce my bones and finews these cold nights very sharply. When I received your laft favour, and had read it, I could not help crying out, where fhall I find fuch another interpreter? This is the whole now that I can expect, and these are my feelings as if I had dictated them. It was fo full, and it filled me fo, that I was obliged to lay it down feveral times before I could get through it; I had no eyes to fee the letters. But it was not long before the sweet frame began to wear off, and has not yet returned, except a little gleam now and then, that vanishes like the twinkling of the eye. Nevertheless the latter part of your epiftle still affords me great fupport. You obferve, that "the inter vals are more fharp, and at these desertions the old man is more and more enraged.". This is certainly the cafe, and I never in my life felt the rage of the enemy fo ftrong; it is inconceivable how he oppreffes me in the nights with horrible and deteftable dreams; fuch things as never can come into my head, or my imagination could never pourtray, when I am awake; and none but the devil can paint fuch fcenes. Again ; "the unexpected changes more intolerable." This is really the truth of it; these fudden and unexpected movements puzzle me greatly: the openings and fhuttings, the rifings and fallings, I feel within are strange to me, and very trying, especially after one has enjoyed a little of his presence, or tasted that the Lord is gracious. O what is this life without him! It would be but a hell on earth to live without his presence. I have thought, that if I fhould enjoy what I have loft no more, that my days must be spent in mifery, and all my time here would be but a continual series of torments; for if I am to enjoy no more of him, I will take neither comfort or fatisfaction in any thing beneath the fun. If this was to be the cafe, farewell life and all its enjoyments; adieu hope and all expectation for evermore. I should rather be buried alive than live any longer. But, bleffed be the Lord, I am not yet left without a hope that he will return again; my confidence in him is not yet destroyed, and this keeps expectation alive: and my poor petition is conftantly, "make no long tarrying, O Lord." But it may be that I have more business yet to do in deep waters; the enemy fuggefts, that as I have been fo often difappointed, that I have no ground to believe that I fhall ever come to a fettled ftate-never fixed on the Rock. Concerning the collections for Newark, which you have mentioned, you may depend upon it that I will do the uttermoft in my power, but have judged it more advisable to delay it a few weeks, as we have had several little gatherings of late. God Almighty bless my most beloved! is the prayer of J. JENKINS. LETTER II. I SUPPOSE by this time my dear friend has concluded that I am dead; and in very deed I have judged that he has caft me off, or elfe that he is ill; the which I think I must have heard if he was. I greatly long to have a word from him, for I am difconfolate enough, and full of difcontent. Soon after my late conflict, I began L |