We may be poured from veffel to veffel, and toffed to and fro upon this ocean; it will not be long, I hope, ere we be fixed in our harbor.My prayers are and fhall be for thee, that God would difpofe of thee to his own glory and thy comfort. Let not thy heart be troubled, thou believeft in God, &c. I faw your mother yefterday, and fhe was in good health, as we all are here bleffed be the Lord. I fhould be glad to hear of your Welfare. I reft Your Friend in Chrift. Stanion, Dec. 8, 1673. JOHN MASON. LETTER XVI. My Dear Friend in Chrift, THE HE providence of the Lord extends itself to every thing; but there is a fpecial providence over the children of God, 1 Tim. iv. 10. The providences of God to the children of God are purchafed providences, fanctified providences, foul providences: They are ordinances to them, inftruments of good to their fouls. Again, the providences of God to his children are promites fulfilled, Pfal. xxv. 10. Again, the providences of God to his children are the fruits and anfwers of prayer. Again, the providences of the Lord fteer the children of God heaven-wards. Again, the providences of God combine and join their forces for the good of every fincere, fingle-hearted believer, Rom. viii. 28. My Friend, this, I truft, is your happiness, that you are under the eye and conduct and tuition of a fatherly and fpecial providence, Let us anfwer the call of providence; which is, to watch, pray, and believe; and let us expect good things from a good God; and great things from a great God, through our faithful and dear mediator, who ever lives to make interceffion for us. I fuppofe you may have heard, that our friend Mary Tomkins is gone to her eternal reft: She died triumphantly. O! (faid fhe upon her death-bed) what things have I feen? Ann Kemp asked her, Hath the Lord given you a glimpse of heaven? I cannot tell (faid Mary) whether it be heaven or not, but joys, joys, fuch things as never mortal eye beheld. I have fought the good fight. And fo the went on in heavenly expreffions. * O! what cause have we to blefs the Lord, that fhe who was afflicted and toffed with fo many temptations in her life-time, found joy and comfort in a dying hour! The Lord was nearest to her when fhe needed him moft. My wife remains as formerly; I hope (thro' the goodness of God) not worse. I delire the continuance of your prayers for us. The Lord be with your fpirit. No more, but our love. In hafte, I reft Your affectionate faithful friend in Chrifl, JOHN MASON. LETTER XVII. Dear Friend, THO HOUGH I am but a weak interpreter of the fcriptures, and especially of thofe hard places which are liable to fo many different tranflations and expofitions, as that is Pfal. xi. 3. Yet that I may not be thought to flight your requeft (whofe profit I am bound to feek) I will tell you what feems to me to be the true fenfe of that text. Not that David here doubted of God's 11600 word, as if it were not a fufficient foundation for him to build upon; (for in this Pfalm we find, him very much believing, and confident in his God, from the beginning to the end :) I think rather, this was part of the speech of his carnal counsellors, who had bid him fly as a bird to his. mountain, in the firft verfe; and they gave this reafon for it in the fecond verse, for lo, (fay they) the wicked bend their bow, &c. But he fcorns their carnal counfel in that word, In the Lord put I my trust. But they continue their fpeech in the third verfe. If the foundations be deftroyed, what can the righteous do? As if they had faid, The forefts, mountains, and caves, are your strongest holds; keep to thofe foundations; hold you there, or you will perish, though your cause be never fo righteous. Holy David difdains their carnal advice, as you may read in the next verfe. There is a God in heaven that takes notice how things are carried in the world; that will favor the righteous (though he try them for a while) but he will utterly defroy the wicked, and fhew them no mercy. Which is the meaning of the fourth verfe, and of thofe that follow, to the end of the Pfalm. And this is the moft natural fenfe, which, upon ferious confideration, I can fix upon this portion of fcripture. Not but that I am willing to be informed by any one, of a better interpretation.My dear friend, It pities me to read your complaints. The good Lord (if it be his heavenly will) reftore you the joy of his falvation. Self-abafing, and conftant waiting upon God in his own bleffed ways, are approved means to recover loft comfort. My prayers are, and fhall be for you. With mine and my wife's hearty love to you, and all our chriftian friends with you, or near you, I reft Your affured Friend, JOHN MASON. Water-Stratford, Aug. 10, 1675. LETTER XVIII. My Dear Friend, HRIST be your foul's comfort !-Though fire of your eyes, with a froke, he hath promifed that his loving-kindnefs he will not take away.-The world is full of changes, but our God is unchangeable. Common mercies are fweet mercies, but covenant mercies are fure mercies.Chrift is faithful: He ever lives, and (faith he) because I live he fhall live alfo. The Lord fupport and comfort your heart under this heavy hand of his which he hath laid upon you. O that it may bring your foul nearer to God, and to Jefus Chrift. O! that that providence which hath wrought death-in your husband, may work life in your heart.-Hate fin; overcome the world; love Chrift; mind heaven and heavenly things, my dear chriftian friend, I have great hopes that your foul is fafe, however it may pleafe the Lord in his wifdom to deal with your body and family. Submit yourfelf cheerfully to his will and pleafure; and fay, Lord, here I am, here is my family, do with me whai fhall feem good in thine eyes.-The Lord be gracious to you. The Lord be gracious to Haverfham. The Lord awaken the hearts of the people. O that they might repent quickly! Because wrath is gone out from the Lord. The Lord ftay his hand if it be his will. The Lord Jefus ftand between the living and the dead.The Lord blefs his word and rod to yourself anu others. The Lord dwell, and rule, and walk in the midst of you. O keep close to God! he will never fail you nor forfake you. My prayers are for you. My kind refpects to yourself, and all our chriftian friends. My wife fends her love to you. The Lord be with your fpirit. I remain Your loving Friend in the Lord, Stratford, September 25. I JOHN MASON. LETTER XIX. Dear Friend, THANK you for your letter, and am glad to hear you are fo well fettled; but especially of the good frame of your mind, which God preferve for his glory. I defire you may ftill cherish thoughts of your own mortality. All our meditations and preparations are little enough to fit us for a dying hour. Hold faft what you have received; make much of your experiences. Doth not experience tell you, That the worst of the ways of God, are better than the best of the ways of fin? When you fee the abundance and glory of the world, pray for the light of God's countenance. When the foul faith, the Lord is my portion, it is fatisfied; whilft others, who have their portion in this world, remain unfatisfied. Watch over your heart and tongue, and life. Watch against fin; watch unto duty; watch for the coming of Chrift. Seek the Lord, feck his |