WORTHY AND MUCH HONOURED,--Grace, mercy, and peace be to you. I received your letter from my brother, to which I now answer particularly.
I confess two things of myself: _1st_, Woe, woe is me, that men should think there is anything in me! He is my witness, before whom I am as crystal, that the secret house-devils that bear me too often company, and that this sink of corruption which I find within, make me go with low sails. And if others saw what I see, they would look by[278] me, but not to me.
[278] Look past me.
_2ndly_, I know that this shower of His free grace behoved to be on me, otherwise I should have withered. I know, also, that I have need of a buffeting tempter, that grace may be put to exercise, and I kept low.