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spring with me. The parting, and thy pre-engagement to dine at thy last visit, was not so agreeable to me; I could not send thee away with pipe and tabret, as usual; I hope it will not be so the next time. However, this thy sickness hath not been unto death, but for the glory of God, and the good of his servant; and thou hast now scen one text fulfilled. He is a very present help in trouble. The day-star is risen in thine heart, yea, call it the morning-star, for it is the forerunner of perfect day: the sun will soon rise upon thee with healing in his beams, and then thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. The sweet sensations that thou hast lately felt, is the Comforter, my son; it is the myrrh that drops on the handles of the lock, and makes the bar of unbelief give way; "The Lord whom ye seek will suddenly come to his temple." It was a distant view of him skipping upon the mountains, and leaping upon the hills, that kept the spouse looking from the lion's den, from the mountains of the leopards, and from the land of Shenir; and I hope the Lewes Downs will become the hill Mizar. is a heavenly wooing; the courtship is going on, and the union will follow; it is a sight, a discovery of the only, and best beloved; a view of his beauty, worth, and superexcellency: this is the life, the soul of real religion, and the whole body of divinity, for all without it is only a name to live; to fetch the rake and the hoe will be the greatest difficulty. But no text was applied:' never mind

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the shell if thou get the kernel; it is not the written word-life, but the Spirit's quickening operations; not the written words--pardon, peace, light, and love, but forgiveness obtained, peace applied, God shining into the heart, and the love of God shed abroad there, that are the things that accompany salvation: "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power;" nothing else will ever subdue sin, or maintain the soul's standing in faith and hope. Thou hast acknowledged me in part, and I have no doubt thou wilt acknowledge me to the end, that my predictions and boasting of thee will be found a truth. I will not say that a few more accounts of these love-visits will not provoke the old weather-beaten Coalheaver to jealousy; it is not always so agreeable to one that bears the heat and burthen of the day, to see him get the penny who has wrought but one hour, although I know it is right for the master of the house to do as he will with his own; and I hope mine eye will not be evil because he is good. Go on, my son, and get out if possible, I will not hold thee by the heel, but hope ever to remain a fellow-helper of thy joy. Grace and peace be with thee.

Ever thine,

W. H.

LETTER LVIII.

To the Rev. J. JENKINS.

THE Lord God of heaven be for ever blessed for his goodness to thee, and the Lord God for ever bless thee, and teach thy hands to war and thy fingers to fight, so that a bow of steel may be broken by thine arms; that thou mayest run through a troop, and by the help of thy God leap over the wall, and scale the city of the mighty, and cast down the strength of the confidence thereof; for, "The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit:" and may the high priest bless him every time that he returns from the slaughter of these old and foolish kings, who will no more be admonished. But what hath my son been at? for I must interrogate him; is not this the fulfilment of my ancient prediction? is it not heaps upon heaps? Behold I, by my abominable wickedness, slew my own master, but who slew all these? The riders on horses are confounded, while those that ride upon white asses rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord; even the daughters of Zion celebrate thy victories, yea, in the places of drawing water, shall they who are delivered from the noise of archers rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord toward the inhabitants of the villages in Israel; then shall the people go down, and possess the

gates of their enemies. Besiege, my son; arise, and anoint the shield, for the stout-hearted are spoiled, and none of the men of might have found their hand. The Lord God, and the most mighty, hath mounted his white horse; King of kings, and Lord of lords, appear both on his vesture and on his thigh; his power proclaims his majesty, and the slaughter the dint of his sword. He hath raised thee up that thou mayest requite them, therefore pursue, for thou shalt surely overtake them that have blasted thy reputation, and without doubt recover all. Send no ambassage, desire no conditions of peace, and beware of their old bottles, their clouted shoes and mouldy bread; make no league with these; old bottles are not fit for new wine, clouted shoes are not those which the gospel prepares, nor is the bread which came down from heaven ever mouldy. They pretend to come because of the name of the Lord, but by the life of Pharaoh they are nothing but spies, therefore contend with them, smite them, and pluck off their hair, for baldness shall come upon all their heads, and they shall walk naked, and the just shall see their shame. The sister, and Lord and master begins to appear spouse, of my in her cultivated state; digging, manuring, sowing, and planting, is sweetly going on; the wall of salvation, the bond of the covenant, and the hedge of thorns which is promised to Zion, and which was such a blessing to Job, that even the serpent could not bite him till he was permitted

by the divine husbandman; joy, peace, praise, love, and life, will spring up abundantly to the honour of God, and thine eyes will see it. But the fountain of all this is sealed, and when unsealed it will spring up, and flow out; but all this depends upon the Holy Spirit's operations, who opens and shuts both the heart and the mouth; and who disposes his gifts and grace as he will. That the Lord bless and keep thee, is the daily prayer of,

W. H. S. S.

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LETTER LIX.

To the Rev. J. JENKINS.

HAVE received my brother's epistle, and he is still occupying business in deep waters, and through fire and water we must go before we come out into the wealthy place. All the spoils that Israel took under the law were to be purified; that which would stand the fire must go through the fire, and all the rest through the water; and so must all the spoils taken from the great, and from the strong man armed; you know what to do with that text. There is no getting into the bond of the covenant without passing under the rod; you are not deeper in the path of tribulation

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