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Sir,
I DOE a little depart from my selfe, in the indeavouring the satisfaction in such a carnall way as this; my writing will not doe that in a long time which your waiting may doe shortly; that which must doe you good is not discourse but vision, and that is for an appointed time; our seasons of refreshing are in the hand of God, and silence is the earnest of comfort, and the
satisfaction is then neerest, when you are con∣tent it should be as farre of as God would have it. For your desire of being with mee, I looke on it not onely as a signification of the love, but as a smoaking of the flax which will blaze ere long notwithstanding all that water which I perceive hath beene cast upon it. For the jealousie of your friends in returning to me, so farre as it may relate to your present exercise, I am well content you should be where you are, if that work be of God, which (I hope) is begunne in you, they cannot frustrate it, and if it be not, I cannot further it; besides I rather desire you should be set in such circumstances as the worke of God in you may have lesse de∣pendance on man and more upon God; and if in the midst of all oppositions, truth shall make good its being in you, you must then needes cry out, that this was the finger of God. Con∣cerning that which scruples you about Christ and the Scriptures, I shall only say this, if God will take them away in flesh and restore them in Spirit, we have not lost but improved them, we have hitherto had a very low and fleshly use of both. Your temptation herein seemes to be the same with the Disciples, who in that low and literall administration, could not en∣dure to heare of Christs departure, when as
by that meanes his presence was improved, they who had him with them before, had him in them afterward, as we have had likewise in our measure, in a dispensation of gifts and gra∣ces; out of which if Christ shall withdraw, and returne in a more immediate and naked administration of himselfe upon us, as (I be∣leeve) hee is now beginning in the spirits of many of his people; we have more of Christ then ever. I could draw out this at large, in reference to your present scruple, but the car∣rier hastens me, and I can but satisfie the flesh or reason, its the inward annointing that must satisfie the Spirit, and lead you into all truth.
Your loving Freind,