Phillips Family Papers Box 2

O what weight & worth is there in every passage of the blessed Gospel? Enough one would think to enter and force the dullest soul and wholly passess its thoughts and affections and yet have often doth it drop as water upon a stone?

Blessed is the soul that listeneth to the voice of the Lord & from his own lips heareth the word of consolation! Blesses are the ears that receive the soft whispers of the divine breath and exclude the noise & tumult of the world yea truly blessed are they when deaf to the voice that soundeth without they are attentive only to the truth teaching within! Blessed are the ears that are shut to material objects & open & fixed upon those that are spiritual! Blessed are they that examine the state of the internal man & by continued exercises of repentance & faith prepare the mind for a more comprehensive knowledge of the truths of redemption! Blessed are all who Delight in the service of God & who that they may live purely to him disengage their hearts from the cares and pleasures of the world!

"Nature is ready to flinch but I am given to believe it is the Lord's will that his servants after multiplied experience of his helping & delivering hand should be so established on the immovable rock as to be able to endure hardness as good Soldiers to live by faith & not be sight for a season & that as long as he pleaseth & to say without dissimulation & without reserve under every trial meted out to them be his hold hand It is the Lord let him do as seemeth him good. Perhaps many trials many deep baptisms yet unproved by me may be necessary for me to grasp through before I can come up to and abide steafastly in this blesses renunciation of my own will but this is the mark the goal at which I aim. And it is the desire of my soul that the Lord's hand may not spare nor his eye have piety until he brings forth Judgement unto perfect victory until all that is in me bows to his sceptre until I am perfectly renovated and can render up all body soul and spirit as a living & unreserved

sacrifice unto the Lord & until I can even when he hides from me (& to my sensation forsakes me) with perseverance & unabated confidence cry, "Abba Father thy will & not mine be done." Even so O Lord work in one & for me to the thorough completion of thine own will. O my God thou hast done much for my soul - thou hast redeemed me through Judgement & brought me forth to see the light rejoicing - be pleased if it be thy holy will still to carry on thy work in one until all that is offensive to the purity of thy holiness be consumed until my will becomes wholly conformable to thy will even so Amen! O Lord hold my fast forever - keep my soul alive to the end - make of me & do with me what & as thou pleasest - I am thine this is my rejoicing: I wish ever to remain thine & if ever my own will my own corrupt inclinations presume to rend me from

thee O my gracious Father be thou pleased to interpose to lift up a standart against all that me rise up agianst me for evil. I dare not depend on my own strength on resolutions but must look unto thee to strengthen me in weakness & to make effectual my strivings wrestleings against sin. I commit myself wholly to they care & keeping be thou my light & my leader & hold me in thy holy hand forever."

Permit me this pleasant morning to salute you wishing you health & happifying communion with the Father of the Spirits of all man-In His Sun creates our day may yours be unclouded & may you progress in virtue till you arrive at that point of holiness which will complete you for a [fall view?] & enjoyment of Him & secure to you the enjoyment of heaven where the Sun shall never set