to Jesus; and as these are our privileges, so we must indeed drink of the same Cup Jesus did, and be immersed in the same Baptism. This was what the Holy Spirit witnessed to Paul, that in every city where he came bonds and affliction should await him, and he must go through them. No doubt these will have a glorious tendency, for our Covenant God does nothing in vain. You have hitherto been much indulged; I have really envied you, but the change you now experience is only to shew you what need you have of the _whole_ armour of God. You are but just come into the field of action, to combat with sin, Satan, errors, hypocrites, and erroneous men—to combat with many outward and inward foes, who now appear to your view. But the dear Saviour will also appear very precious now, in other forms, to what you have ever felt of seen him. The Spirit will take every opportunity to reveal him just as you really need him. You will so learn Christ that you will be able to stand in these days of evil, which must come on the followers of the dear Saviour, and in which they must say they feel no pleasure. These evil days are set forth by Solomon under the following metaphors: The darkness of the sun, the moon, and stars, with a long, heavy, lowering sky. These things will be understood by the tried family of God; so that while you have the season of getting, or doing good, you must use that period for that use—hence such seasons are called an _Hour_—very short, but precisely fixed and determined by our covenant God. This season is called a _Day_ that will soon go away, and the _Night_ commence. This day is far spent with you, and a night is come on, in which you cannot work, but must wait—in which you cannot run, but must stand still, till the Lord sends you bright clouds, and a clear shining after rain. This season, in your experience, is called a _Morning_. How lovely and pleasant, while through the falling dew of God’s favor, your graces budded, and the softly-pleasing southern gales caused your spikenard to send forth a delightful perfume. But evil days must come; not such evil days as must befal those as have no interest in, or love to the Saviour, and which may never come on in _this_ world. Hence they are said to receive their good things in this life, but the righteous evil things. What a mercy, my brother! in all that befals you there is no curse, no hatred in God to you, no unatoned guilt, no danger of hell, or of coming short of the desired haven; nor perhaps _many_ fears or dread of _these_ things: I hope they are gone out of your conscience long ago: not but you may be tempted about them for a time, but these shall be gone. Hence God promises, that on all hills which shall be digged with a mattock there shall not come thither the fears of briars and thorns; the real cause of these fears never shall come on you again. But the design of this Letter is simply to point out some of the evil days.