clear, unclouded. Malice, swoln malice against God's people,
now called 'saints,' to root out their name;--and yet they
these poor saints getting arms and therein blessed with defence
and more! I desire he that is for a principle of suffering
(_passive obedience_) would not too much slight this. I slight
not him who is so minded; but let us beware lest fleshly
reasoning see more safety in making use of this principle than
in acting! Who acts, if he resolve not through God to be
willing to part with all? Our hearts are very deceitful, on the
right and on the left.

"What think you of providence disposing the hearts of so many
of God's people this way--especially in this poor army, wherein
the great God has vouchsafed to appear! I know not one officer
but is on the increasing side (_come over to this opinion_.) ...

"Thou mentionest somewhat as if by acting against such
opposition as is like to be, there will be a tempting of God.
Dear Robin, tempting of God ordinarily is either by acting
presumptuously in carnal confidence, or in unbelief through
diffidence: both these ways Israel tempted God in the
wilderness, and He was grieved by them. Not the encountering of
difficulties, therefore, makes us to tempt God; but the acting
before and without faith. If the Lord have in any measure
persuaded His people, as generally He hath, of the lawfulness,
nay of the _duty_,--this persuasion prevailing upon the heart
is faith; and acting thereupon is acting in faith; and the more
the difficulties are the more the faith. And it is most sweet
that he who is not persuaded have patience towards them that
are, and judge not; and this will free thee from the trouble of
others' actings, which thou sayest adds to thy grief....

"Robin, I have done. Ask we our hearts whether we think that
after all these dispensations, the like to which many
generations cannot afford, should end in so corrupt reasonings
of good men, and should so hit the designings of bad? Thinkest
thou in thy heart that the glorious dispensations of God point
out to this? Or to teach his people to trust in Him and wait
for better things--when, it may be, better are sealed to many
of their spirits (_indubitably sure to many of them_.)

"This trouble I have been at because my soul loves th