in misery;' may my God reward them according to their works. One that has pursued me these five years, Benjamin Byng by name, he even followed me one cold evening to Brentford, and has circulated some of Elliot's books there among the simple. By these things I learn that the devil suffered some loss through the instrumentality of the Coalheaver, or else he would never send so many of his body-guards to attempt a recapture of his lost subjects: and I take comfort in this, that Christ's sheep shall never be plucked out of his hands; that the deceivableness of unrighteousness shall never work effectually in any but in them that perish: and I bless my God that I shall meet these face to face in the great day. I see, more clear than ever, what Peter means by damnable heresies, or by errors that accompany eternal damnation; for the confusion of such men, their implacable hatred at the Trinity, their effrontery, self-conceit, and infallibility, are evident tokens of perdition. I can see clear enough where they are, but they cannot see where I am; I know their standing, and who fixed them there, but they know not mine: "The spiritual man judgeth all things, but he himself is judged of no man;" and here we have the advantage.

I wonder not at God keeping thee from exercising thyself in that high matter which is too wonderful for men, for I believe, nor have I a single doubt of, thine eternal election, and that of God, and upon the neck of such God lays

a secret rein, to keep them from the sin unto death. "All that ever came before me," saith Christ, "were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them;" you know what I mean.

I believe my dear friend will have his wish, for they seem to push me at every corner to drive me into a controversy upon this great and glorious truth. I know that Christ is able to use the weakest instrument, and he hath promised both a mouth and wisdom; and I know he is faithful, and that the lip of truth shall be established for ever, and the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped sooner or later; and what the Lord hath enabled me to preach, I believe he will enable me to defend: yet as I am getting old, I prefer peace to war. But my dear brother knows nothing as he ought to know;' if he knows his sinful self, and his own ignorance, he knows two great lessons, two branches of knowledge which are essential to the ministry, for God hath chosen the base and the foolish to confound the honourable and the wise. You cannot despair, nor feel the guilt and terrors you used to feel:' no, my son, nor thou never wilt feel them again; where the dying love of Jesus once enters and operates, where peace is once felt and enjoyed, and faith drawn out to Christ, and made to work by love to him, the die is cast, the lot is in the lap, the lines are fallen to thee in a fair ground, and the chosen one is a pillar of the truth, and such have a goodly heritage. Vindictive wrath and un

atoned guilt, never meet and work there again; fatherly anger may, or what is called a little wrath; "In a little wrath I hid myself from thee for a moment," &c. and again, "I smote him. and was wroth;" yet the anchor of hope now counteracts the workings of despair, and one feeling sense of the operations of the dying love of Jesus shews the non-imputation of sin; what was finished upon the cross is impressed upon the soul; the first was done for us, and this is known by the latter, which is done in us. Thou wilt never bring thy guilt and, terrors back again, my son, and therefore do not try at it; "The sins of Israel and Judah shall be sought for, but they shall not be found, for there shall be none: for I will pardon them whom I reserve." The knowledge of wisdom has been sweet to thy soul, and there is a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off, Prov. xxiv. 14. Power in the pulpit, and chains out of it, were my exercise for three years; this is going in and out and finding pasture. The pulpit lifts us up, the chains pull us down; the latter keeps us weak, the former is the Lord's strength made perfect in our weakness. When God wings us for flight, the devil's aim is to exalt us above measure; God loads us with chains to keep us humble, and to hide pride from our eyes. If God but for one week unchained thee thou wouldest stink of self, and the devil would swell thee with pride, until you would find yourself bordering upon presumption, and you

would be ready to curse every ear that is not attentive; to this unreined fury is the damnable heretic given up to, and it is plain enough which course he steers. God bless thee.

Ever thine,

W. H. S. S.

LETTER LIV.

To the Rev. J. JENKINS.

Paddington.

I

AM glad to hear of my dear friend, and had wondered what was become of him; and indeed I suspected that he was either ill, or else intending to visit me. I have a bad cold on me, which hath held me during the frost, but I was laid aside through hoarseness only one week; am still troubled with a very bad cough, but we must have a something. I am still in the furnace, though the opposition sinks apace, and those who support it are almost desperate at me. I have an attorney's letter, and a copy of a writ, both in my house at this time; this is about a pew in the chapel, which those will engage and keep empty, who are the most staunch in the opposition. I am sometimes ready to wonder whereunto this will grow. Now for a morsel of savoury meat which came seasoned to me. Zephaniah iii. 14;

Sing, O Zion," the redeemed of the Lord; "shout, O Israel;" Israelites indeed, prevalent with God in prayer: "One shall surname himself. by the name of Israel." "Rejoice, &c. O Jerusalem;" which is the gospel church which hath an husband, when local Jerusalem is in bondage, &c. "The Lord hath taken away thy judgments;" both sin, and the curse due to sin. "He hath cast out thine enemy; "Now shall the prince of this world be cast out." "Thou shalt not see evil any more;" not trouble, persecution, temptation, distress, &c. these we must see; but unatoned guilt, the eternal curse, and the destroying power of Satan, these thou shalt see no more in that day; namely, when the day-star, day-spring, and sun of righteousness arise; when Jewish shadows and Gentile glooms flee; when the night shall be far spent, and the day appear at hand; when children of the day, and of light shall shine forth. "Fear thou not;" not them that are in security, and no fear of God before their eyes, for these have no fears to rebuke; but such as fear wrath, death, and every thing else. "And to Zion let not thine hands be slack," or faint; not hands of the body, but the hands of the soul, namely, faith; "Cast not away thy confidence." "Lay hold on eternal life;" hold the skirt of the Jew; hold him fast. "Remember how thou hast heard, and received, and hold fast;" "I will put on you none other burthen, but that which thou hast, hold fast till I come." Hold the form of