I AM safe arrived without any accident. Poor Mrs. M is much better, only given lip much to pensiveness, and sits solitary; sitting up late at night, and rising late in the morning, which I do not like; yet I think she will come out bright in time. Here are not a few in soul-sufferings, and who need the great Physician; and I have hope that he will heal as well as wound.
The farmers here are very rich, and live somewhat like the London citizens; but I envy them not, for all seem to walk upon a snare. Traps are set for them in the ground during this famine, and the gin takes them by the heel; while the poor in spirit by their cries to God tread them downy and the steps of the needy crush them; but they are not in this secret. They are not in God's privy council, nor does he commit himself' unto them, because they are not the Bridegroom's friends; he knows them, but it is with a knowledge of reprobation, disdain, and disapprobation. We are the folks notwithstanding our being turned over into the hand of the oppressor; it is the grinder's harvest, and ours also. Their sudden destruction must be at hand, or God would never suffer them to ripen so fast. Every sinner must fill his measure; and there has been more put into that cup these five last years, than there was in twenty years before.
Sure I am that the poor saints are all on their watch-tower; God has drawn all their eyes upon himself and upon his works, to see what he is at, and where it will end; and I still have a pestilence before me; I may be wrong, but nothing but time can convince me. Strange things will soon appear in the world; our hopes and expectations will not always lie in suspense; wisdom will direct us, and divine goodness will provide: judgment must return and vindicate the righteous, and destroy the wicked, that the upright in heart may not be at a loss which course to steer. The insensible – – is swimming in red port, and often alarmed by the death of one or another, and when sick has a whole tribe of attendants; and though he denies the Bible, he claims heaven as his own: but we never Should have known that there had been a heaven, if divine revelation had not made it known; and how any can expect such a country, and deny the authority of the book that brings it to light, is a mystery. But the ways of the wicked are Brooked, and they froward in their paths.
Here is a little flock in this place all waterfolks, three of which have visited me, but they are not unctuous. I believe old Providence is not inferior to any other churches, far from it; but the day of accounts will skew all this. Our bitterness is better than this world's honey, our sorrows far beyond their joys, our poverty better than their wealth, our cross is better than their crown, our afflictions are better than all their comforts, and our appetites and hunger better than their entertainments and fulness. "The wanes of sin is death;" but, if we suffer we shall reign; it' we die to this world we shall live. This world is a good servant, but a bad master; a very good inn, but a sad Home; a comfortable bever, luncheon, or bait, but a sad inheritance. Dear souls, adieu
God bless you all.
W. H., S. S.
*