Whether this was the whore of Babylon, or a pimp of her's nearer home, time may tell. But this I say, whatever may have intervened, that in honesty and reality I remain yours in Him,

THE COALHEAVER,

The lanthorn is still with me.

LXXXVII.

Cricklewood, March 1, 1809.

To my dear Friend, greeting.

YOUR

His

OUR epistle and its contents came to hand, and I thank you for it. This cold winter has been attended with continual rheumatic pains in my old tabernacle. But, blessed be the Lord God, he does not forget the seed of his dear Son, nor the rainbow of his covenant. promise of life is fulfilled in us, and his bow remains a faithful witness in the heavens-that he will no more deluge the world, nor drown his children in destruction and perdition; both which are confirmed by oath; and this oath is for confirmation, to put an end to all strife between us and carnal reason, and between faith and unbelief; that the heirs of promise "may have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope God hath set before them." And blessed be God for ever

more for such rich and noble security, which makes the promise of life sure to all the seed. How are we encompassed with the benignity, and with the divine provision, of our God! God the Father loving us, because we are enabled to love and believe in his dear Son; Christ in the holy place ever living to make intercession for us; and the Holy Spirit in us helping our infirmities, and making intercession for us also, according to the will of God. And, for my part, I know not which is the greatest wonder of these three-the Father's everlasting love to us, his choice of us, and good-will of purpose and of promise in Christ;-the incarnation of Christ, and his finished salvation for us;-or the inhabitation of the Holy Ghost, and his regenerating and renewing work in us. These are most wonderful things to me, and were settled and ordained before the world unto our glory. But the last of these three is the nearest to us; the two former being already completed, immutably fixed, and sure and steadfast for ever. But our concern lies chiefly with the Spirit's work. We must make our calling sure; election and redemption being as sure as heaven can make them. Nor can the logic or cavils of Satan gain any credit with us against these. But against the Holy Spirit and his work in us; against our sonship, our faith and interest in these things, he labours with all his might.

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Besides, in heaven Satan has no allies, though he has a large party of the disaffected in our hearts; I mean darkness, enmity, evil lusts, and unbelief. Hence the need of our attention to the Spirit's work, especially to him as the Spirit of adoption. He makes our sonship manifest by believing; "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." He cries, Abba, father, in us, when his cry and our faith agree he bears his witness to our adoption, and makes conscience also bear the same testimony: he seals us with the fullest assurance, and anoints us with a joy that springs from love. My hands getting weak, and shaking, I have got my dame to copy this.

འ ན

Ever yours,

W. H. S. S.

RUA LXXXVIII.

May 27, 1809.

I AM coming to congratulate my friend upon his exit out of this world, because he has had no bands nor pains in this death; his strength has been firm, his children are not fatherless, nor his wife a widow; nor is he taken from the evil to come, although he is dead. I die daily; but it is to sin, to self, and to the world. this is only when I am under the smarting rod;

Yet

and when it is first taken off I am quiet, meek, lowly, humble, submissive, peaceful and grateful; but, when this dew is dried up, then I get into ease, which is the resurrection of the flesh, the world, and self; then I pray to be quickened, stirred up, and revived. These prayers are answered by terrible things, in gall and wormwood; in searching of heart and trying of the reins; and fresh life lies at the bottom of these, if we can believe the king of Judah—“O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit." And I do believe that the death of the old man enlivens the new ; that the old man is put off by the new man being put on; that sin is mortified by comfort under the Spirit's influence; and that self is denied when the Saviour is embraced. Faith, hope, and love, at times seem to be lost and buried in the workings of the whole mass of corruption; but, when the stirrings of these subside, and their stinking savour abates; when the hurry and bustle appear to be hushed into a calm; then all our good old friends-faith, hope, love, meekness, humility, peace, and submission, appear again; and glad I am at my soul to see them once more; for, as the Lord God of hosts liveth, except these abide in the ship we cannot be saved.

These are the salt that seasons all; this is the oil that swims upon the top; these are the incorruptible seeds that counteract corruption;

ever can.

and they are the kingdom of God, that undermine the empire of Satan, and the little soldiers that war with the flesh; in every storm, in every furnace, in every conflict, I keep my eye upon these little strangers: and, if one of them be missing, I am like Joseph and Mary when the child Jesus tarried behind. For I know that there is no carrying on the war without these holy troops. Christ is a shield to faith and a helmet to hope, and love makes us more than conquerors; for "whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world," and nothing else These little warriors are God's host, yea, God's army. army. And And every saint is a company of two armies-The fruits of the Spirit against the fruits of the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other. But every grace is royal and loyal, and in alliance with God. They come down from the Father of lights to us, and return in us to the Father of lights again. They are born from above, of heavenly extraction; are incorruptible, and of eternal duration. Over these is the Captain of our salvation, and next him the Holy Spirit mustering the host of the battle, marshalling the troops, leading them on, bringing them off, and giving much joy on the victory.

Ever yours,

THE COALHEAVER.

Jenkins would like to see this.