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right, to lead any in the line of the glorious process of His dear Son; should the hour and power of darkness be extended to the latest moments; should the final cup and baptism be the most trying and most bitter; should our dying words, under these painful feelings, be expressed in that most moving language of the Son of God, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," I should have no more doubt of the righteous soul thus tried, ascending from this cross, and apparent dereliction, to an immortal crown of righteousness and mansion of eternal glory; no more doubt of these, than if I saw them ascending in the fiery chariots of sensible, celestial, soulrejoicing fervours.

I know not how sufficiently to inculcate this most certain truth, that the children of God are never more under His notice and most tender regard, than in the seasons of their deepest humiliations; never is He more intimately present with us, preparing and supporting under every operation, and directing, blessing, and sanctifying every dispensation, to willing, humbled and subjected souls. Thus is He carrying on His own work,

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though we see it not. Oh that thou mightst not be discouraged, nor sink under the present exercise! nor murmur as some of old murmured; nor think the Lord delayeth His coming: but endeavour, all in thy power, to centre in perfect resignation to the will of God; and then, assuredly, all things will work together for thy good, and for thy additional preparation to glorify His holy name, in time and in eternity. Amen.

From thy real, respectful friend,

JOHN THORP.

P. S. I do not forget, my honoured friend, to whom I am writing, nor my own infancy and weakness. It is with a feeling de

ference that I address to thee this feeble offering; but as I said, I thought I felt at least a liberty, and if the Lord be mercifully pleased, so to bless it, that the pure mind be thereby stirred up ever so little, His name be praised; but if I wrote ever so much, I should fall short of expressing to the full, the equal desire and faith which I feel, that thou mayst, and that thou wilt, in the Lord's own time, which thou art waiting for, yet have

to sing for joy of heart as in the days of thy youth, as in the days when thou wast brought forth out of the land of spiritual Egypt.

Letter VII.

TO FRANCES DODSHON.

7th Mo. 17, 1777.

My dear and much esteemed Friend,

Although I am persuaded, and have considered it, that thou hast seen, and felt, and attained, beyond many of us, and art much better capable of communicating thy experience; yet I do not apprehend myself thereby excused from casting my mite into thy treasury of divine knowledge, though thereby I may expose my own poverty.

The letter which thou condescendedst to write me, came duly to hand; and since that time, and indeed ever since thou wast here, though my own concerns have been somewhat grievous, and demanded both my solicitude and attention, yet hast thou been often brought to my remembrance in much nearness; yet so continual and invariable is

the sense and judgment with which my mind hath been impressed concerning thee, that the dispensation which thou art under is the effect of consummate Love and Wisdom, that the everlasting arms of Strength and Mercy are underneath for thy support, that the all-conquering, invincible Redeemer continueth his available intercession with the Father on thy behalf, that thy faith may be strengthened, continue and increase,that my greatest concern and uniform prayer, in union with the Divine Will, is, that thy present painful baptism may be blessed and sanctified to the benefit and edification of the churches, the glory of the everlasting God, and (as I also believe it will be) to thy own sanctification and salvation. For these ineffably glorious purposes, what can be too much to do, to bear, or suffer, according to the will of God? It was for them that Jesus Christ our Lord vouchsafed to descend from the heights of immortality, and take upon Him the form of a servant, to bear the contradiction of sinners, the temptations of enemy, and to offer up Himself upon the cross, an everlasting sacrifice to God for the

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sins of the whole world. It was for this, that He, who alone was able, vouchsafed to tread the wine-press alone, to stain all his garments, to drink "the dregs of the cup of trembling," and be baptized with the baptism of suffering unto death! And O! that all of us, who are desirous to be found in Him, may be at least contended so to walk even as he walked, in the depths of abasement, humiliation and suffering, in the dif ferent frequency and degrees wherein He may be pleased to lead, until he say for us, as for Himself, "It is finished."

Strait and narrow hath the way to the kingdom ever been; attended with difficulties, accompanied with crosses, and entered through many tribulations. Yet are not the commandments of the Lord grievous; yet is there great delight in the keeping of His law; yet is there a recompense a thousand fold, even in this life, for all our sufferings, in the recurrent participation and enjoyment of that peace "which passeth all understanding," in the earnest of that "exceeding and eternal weight of glory," with which all our sufferings in this life are not worthy to be compared.

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