afflictions, when fanctified, are mercies in difguife; for inftance, it is faid that a man in the reign of Queen Mary, faid every thing which happened to him would be for the beft; and he was to be burned as a heretic, on account of his religion, &c. and being made prif oner, when croffing London bridge, happened to fall down and break a limb. Said the guard, will this be for the beft? He answered in the affirmative; and before he got able to walk to the stake to be burnt, the Queen died, and the law was altered, by which means his life was preferved-thus you fee the truth of his words. Whatever trials I bring upon myself by my misconduct, I may thank myself for it.

But whatever trials befal me, when in the path of duty, fuch as I cannot avoid without getting out of duty's pathfuch I believe happen not by chance, nor come from the duft, but are God's mercies in difguife, as above.

We read that it is through much tribulation, we are to enter into the kingdom of God. And those who have got through, came out of great tribulation, and all that will live Godly in Chrift,

fhall fuffer perfecution, which implies, that if he meets with no opposition, he hath not religion enough to inake the devil angry with him. Again, Chrift faith, in the world you fhall have tribulation, but in me you fhall have peace, and Heb. 12. we read what fon is he whom the father chafteneth not. And though no chaftening for the prefent, feemeth to be joyous, but griev ous, nevertheless, afterwards, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them, which are exercised thereby ; and we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but glery to God, he can, as faith the Poet,

"He in the days of feeble flesh,
Pour'd out ftrong cries and tears,
"And in his meafure feel afresh,
What every member bears.

66

"A fmoaking flax he will not quench,
"But raife it to a flame,

"A bruifed reed he will not break.
Nor fcorn the meanest name."

Therefore,

"Ye fearful faints fresh courage take,
The clouds ve fo much dread,

afflictions denote good days, to thofe who put their trust in God, with prayer and refignation to his disposal.

When all things go well with me, like pleasant failing, I conceive there is a form fome where gathering; I endeavor to lay out accordingly, for a trial, and by fo doing, I am prepared for it, when it comes, and if I am difappointed, I am disappointed on the right fide. It is now upwards of eight years, that I have devoted my life as a travelling miffionary, though not in the common way, but rather like the fowls of the air, more dependent for my daily bread, have had no particular fource to depend upon, except divine providence, whom as yet I have never found to defert me, no, not in my greateft difcouragements; but hitherto he hath helped and raised me up friends in times of need, and now I am among kind friends, and tho' I expect trials are before me, previous to my diffolution, yet he who hath been with me, I truft will ftill continue his mercy, and one day take me to reft above, where the wicked fhall ceafe from troubling, and the weary are at reft.

IVhen all our toils me d'or,
"Our fufferings and cur pain.
"Who meet on that eternal fhore,
"Shall never part again."

David faith, Pfalms 84. 11. No good thing will God withhold from them that walk uprightly, therefore, if God withholds a thing from the upright in heart, it is because he fees that the fruition of it would not be befl for them in the long run. And Paul faith, all things hall work together for good to them that love God. Therefore, let us lic paffive in the hand of Providence, at the difpofal of his will, knowing that if we are active to enquire and do it according to the light and knowledge imparted, it being the delight of Providence to do his needy creatures good. he will be well pleased with us in Chrißt, and choose those things which shall be for our prefent and eternal good; for God is love, and doth not willingly afli& the righteous, or punish the wicked, without a caufe, for his tender care is over all his works. Therefore, it is

not good to be our own choolers, ler

K

we parltic wrong things, and be brought into difficulties and woe. But rather give thy heart to God, who will then become thy friend; for this purpose, watch much, pray much, and that in private. Cive daily attention likewife to the feriptures, and follow the inward convictions of the divine fpirit, which teadeth from vice to virtue, and from the love of fin, to the love of God, and from the things of earth to the things of heaven, &c. and live as you would with to die, and be willing to give an ac count to the GREAT JUDGE of all the earth. "MAN, PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD--may the Lord bleis you, and bring us to glory."------.

Adieu.

Lorenzo Dow, F.M.K,

At the Foxfe of my Pápa and Mamma, in Cumberland County, Virginia, A

pril 12, 1604.