I trust you are as well in mind and body as you expect to be in a time state. I have cause to bless God for all I have experienced, even for the bitter path of sorrow. But I have had much of the Lord’s goodness pass before me, and _he_ has manifested his dear name to me, as the Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful, abundant in goodness, in mercy, and truth; and though _he_ can by no means (of a sinner’s devising) clear the guilty, yet _he_ has devised a plan, in infinite wisdom, whereby _he_ can be just, and yet the justifier of the ungodly. And it is our mercy that we are brought from all confidence in the flesh, while a daily acquaintance with the depravity of our hearts, keeps us from trusting in self; the troubles of life keep us from making up our happiness in the world, and the hypocrisy of professors, with the weakness of God’s _own_ children, keeps us from looking to, and idolizing the creature; thus we tread the same path which the pious prophet Micah did, when he wrote his seventh chapter, and came to this blessed conclusion, _Therefore_ will I look to the Lord: this is all that the blessed spirit aims at in bringing us low in soul, in the church, and in the world. My time flies fast; I dread to enter into the field of battle again. I am weaker in myself than ever I was, but perhaps the power of Christ will the more sensibly rest upon me. I hope to return with the olive branch of peace, while our adorable Noah opens the window, and puts forth his hand to receive me into the ark. I should like to come to the Lord’s family loaded; I know they are a needy people, and the Lord has provided many things for them: _he_ keeps a good table, though the family have not always an appetite to enjoy the rich provisions of his house; but the ever-kind householder has provisions suited to every one. I hope, therefore, to bring with me a little of the sincere milk of the word, for the children, that they may grow thereby, and some solid meat for those who are strong: the fatted calf, the roasted paschal lamb, without a bitten herb; an olive berry, from the uppermost bough; three loaves, also some unleavened bread, and a cake, baked under the tree. Some butter and neat honey from the rock, with the honey comb. Some broiled fish, also out of the sea of Tiberias; and as we may want a desert also, I hope to bring some apples, some nuts, and almonds; a bunch of figs, to take inwardly, or to make a plaister of, to lay on some sore place. Some good grapes of Eshcol, and pomegranates, and mandrakes; also a bottle of new wine, well refined. Some rock water, clear as chrystal, from the well of Bethlehem; this will be very cheering to some of the family. I hope also to bring some very beautiful flowers; a lovely _rose_, without a thorn; a remarkable _lily_, in full bloom, which grows in certain vallies, and many other lovely flowers; some only in bud, and some in full blossom: but I have not mentioned one-half the