LETTER XXXIX. TO THE SAME. The heir at law to his venerable and dearly beloved FAITH and hope are now with me, and both prophesy good of the Doctor with one consent; and as far as I can understand their still small voice, they tell me that the adversary and enemy, I mean wicked Haman, will not prevail against the Coalheaver. But that this trap that is set will catch himself, and put a final stop to his profession, his writing, his preaching, and his believing and hoping; and that he will be abashed, ashamed, confounded, ruined, and perish in his own corruption, for "Our God is not mocked." I have written four letters this day, craving the prayers of all the flock against and he will find in the end that the church is as terrible as an army with banners. God bless my dear friends for evermore. So prays The Heir at Law. W. H. SS. LETTER XL. TO THE SAME. The Heir at law to his aged and benign Parents, sendeth greeting, with perfect peace, and at such a time. I WAS glad to hear that poor James is better; life and death now is in the hand of our Lord, he has conquered both death and the grave, and we are in union with the resnrrection and the life. His righteousness is our breast-plate, through which the devil's darts cannot penetrate, through which the curse of the law cannot enter, and against which death's attacks can make no impression. The soul is alive for evermore, hope is its anchor, and God its shield; truth is its girdle, and peace its ammunition shoes; the Spirit is its possessor, and Christ its owner; and he will never lose his right, nor give up his charge: "He that believeth shall never die;" "on such the second death hath no power." The body, the clog, the burthen, the body of death, the weaker part shall go to the wall-and this is all that the devil can boast of with respect to the saints and these shall be raised again, and then the devil, the king of darkness and of pride, the famous god of this world shall be judged by the saints, and we shall accuse and condemn him that has so often accused and condemned us. We shall take them captive whose captives we were, and rule over our oppressors; then shall the poor, despised flock of Christ be terrible as an army with banners. All these things we have in hope, and hope is steadfast, and what we have got in hope we shall soon have in hand; for, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Every heavenly smile, every enlargement, every indulgence, every comfort, every promise, every deliverance, all succour and all support, are so many pledges, earnests, foretastes, and first-fruits of the future and blessed inheritance. Our Lord will give us a few tastes of these just to let us know that our Redeemer liveth, and that we are not forgotten of him. But the new and good wine must be kept till the last, when we shall drink so as to forget our poverty, and semember our misery no more for ever. Farewell; grace, mercy, and peace be with you, So prays THE DOCTOR. LETTER XLI. TO THE SAME. Cuckfield. It is agreeable to my promise that I send a few scraps to my old companions in travel. Mr. B. met us many miles on the road, and was very glad to see me. We arrived safe and in good time, and I believe I continued my sermon withfor near thirty miles with little intermission. She seems exceeding low, and low she must and will go if she belongs to the Royal family of the house of David, not only to discover the sin of her nature and the follies of her life, but to stir up and purge out what she has been for five years scraping together as a covering. The new cloth well never agree with the old garment, and especially when the human web is spun first, and the Lord's wedding garment of white linen is brought forth to complete it. Nor will the new wine of heavenly joy and love remain in a hard, unfeeling, and insensible heart. Heavy and lasting afflictions fill the soul with trouble, grief and sorrow, and, "By sorrow of heart, the spirit is broken;" and it is a broken spirit and a contrite heart, which is the new bottle. The new wine of heavenly joy in a broken heart will not swell it with va nity, nor burst it with pride; a new heart and a new spirit, both these are preserved according to Christ's promise; nor can Satan destroy either. At breakfast this morning as we were talking together with Mrs. B. concerning her former troubles and present hopes, she appearing broken-hearted and thankful to God for his mercy to her seemed very much cut up and wept bitterly, and has been shut up in her room ever since. As for me I fetch all my hopes of her from her misery, and my faith tells me that her heart is not half so holy, so pure, and so good now as it was when she first came among us; and I hope to roll her in the ditch till her own clothes abhor her, for none but lunatics and lepers are fit for our infirmary, and indeed it was built for another at first. She had some time ago a singular dream, of God bringing her to judgment in this world, and it appeared to me a very scriptural account of the judgment, and sharp trial of a poor convinced sinner; and I know that God fills Zion with judgment and righteousness; judgment first, and righteousness afterwards. It is by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of G |