TO _______ _______.

FRIEND,

I have had of late some deep and serious thoughts concerning thee, and a sense of thee, as between the Lord and my own soul, yet I have not had any thing to signify or express to thee, till this morning. But somewhat this morning sprang up in my heart, sweetly and freshly, which I had pure drawings to import to thee.

There was a quick sense of thee upon my heart, and in that sense this cry was in me: -- Oh! that thou wert acquainted with the pure, eternal power of the Lord, and mightest feel his outstretched arm revealed in thee, and witness the faith which stands in that power; and, in that faith, believe and wait for what God is doing, and willing to do, in and for his children. "If ye had faith," said <447> Christ, "but as a grain of mustard seed, ye should say to this mountain, be thou cast into the midst of the sea, and it should be so." Indeed, the true faith, the pure faith, the living faith, which stands in the power, doth remove all the mountains that are in the way, and makes the crooked ways straight, and the rough ways plain. If thou had lived in the days of Christ's flesh, and wanted outward healing, and had been willing to come to him for healing, but withal had not come with faith that he was able and willing to heal perfectly; mightest not thou have missed of that cleansing and outward health and salvation, which others met with? For did not he say, "Be it unto thee according to thy faith"? And is not he the Physician of the soul? and is not his skill to be trusted and believed in? He that hopeth, and believeth, and waiteth, and prayeth, and fighteth the good fight of faith, which gives victory over sin, Satan, and the world -- he may possibly overcome; yea, he that warreth lawfully -- that is, with the spiritual weapon, which is mighty through God -- he that warreth with this only, and with this constantly, shall be sure to overcome. For greater is He that is in the true believer, than he that is in the world.

Oh that thou mightest have experience of these things, and witness the banner of Christ's love and power displayed in thee, and the victories and conquests that are thereby, and the safety and peace which is under it! For of a truth, we do not speak boastingly, but are witnesses of the majesty of God's love and power, which we testify of. The Lord so enlighten and guide thee, that thou mayest obtain the desire of thy heart; for I really believe thy desire is after holiness, and after communion with the Father and the Son, and with the saints in light. Oh that thou mayest be led into the pure light of life, that there thou mayest enjoy what in this kind thou desirest!

This is from one, who singly, as in the Lord's sight, wisheth well unto thee.

I. P.

Reading Jail, 27th of Eighth Month, 1670