that feareth God shall come forth of them all;" but the sinner shall be taken by them. All that come to us in this way, before Christ takes up his abode in the heart, are thieves and robbers, but the sheep will not hear them when once the sheep's nature is given to them; for when the shepherd's voice of mercy, life, pardon, and peace, comes to be felt, enjoyed, and understood, then farewell to Lo here, and lo there. After this all preaching must agree with the unction within, and if any man teach us not as that anointing teacheth us, we need no such teachers, because their word contradicts the Spirit's work; they are altogether out of the secret, the mystery is hid from them, and the matter is not perceived by them. Nevertheless, we may say with Paul, that by all things we are instructed; for by these we find out what the scriptures mean by lamps without oil, wells without water, and clouds without rain. If the Almighty did not set such characters before us, we should not so well understand his portraits; but by comparing the one with the other we find out feigned faith, vain confidence, empty gifts, dissembled love, and learn to distinguish between the sheep-skin and the wolf that wears it; and when the Lord discovers them to us, it is a hint given that we may withdraw from them in whom we perceive not the lips of wisdom, nor even meddle with them that are given to change: besides, it teaches us to prize a faithful friend the more. Many believed on the

Saviour upon the sight of his miracles, but he did not commit himself to them, he took them not into his privy council, nor did he open one secret to them, or make free with them, "For he knew all men, and he knew what was in man." Moreover, among his own disciples he had one which is called the disciple whom Jesus loved; with whom, perhaps, he might with more freedom converse, and who outlived all the others, and was the only one who died a natural death; all the rest suffered martyrdom. Choose your company, and when you find one after your own heart, value him; but, above all, endeavour to keep up communion and fellowship with that friend that loveth at all times, and who sticketh closer than a brother. Wisdom is the principal thing, embrace her, and hold her fast; "She shall be an ornament of grace to thine head, a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee;" her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Yea, amidst a thousand storms she keeps the soul in heavenly tranquillity; she improves every disappointment, loss, and cross, to our advantage; sets us down under the same experiences and sensations of the saints of old; moves us from one covenant view to another, from one enlargement to another, from stage to stage, and from strength to strength, till our souls take up their various lodgments in the same resting-places of those who are gone before, and who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. These are

the footsteps of the flock. When the apostles had been for some time favoured with the pleasing and happy enjoyment of one branch of the Saviour's work, they came into soul-trials, which brought them out into another. In this way those great champions fulfilled their ministry, and their flocks, following them, finished their warfare: their leaders brought forth, out of the Lord's treasures, things new and old; and their followers found their portion of meat in due season.

Dear brother (so I call you, though unknown), adieu.

Church street, Paddington.

W. H.

REV. SIR,

LETTER LXX.

To the Rev. Mr. J.

I THANK my kind friend for his last, and hope ever to remember him in my poor petitions, when the heavenly aid of the kind and dear Comforter shall be upon me in that blessed privilege. My poor, leaky, and weatherbeaten vessel, is fallen into a certain creek where two seas meet; I mean the treachery and malice of pretended friends, and the scorn and contempt of open foes. Had it been an enemy, or one that hated me, I could

I

have borne it, or hid myself from him; but counsellors, guides, companions, familiar friends, with whom I have walked to the house of God in company, are among the conspirators; and those who have eaten bread with me have lifted up the heel against me. But my dear Master himself went through this part of the path of tribulation, and we must follow his steps. Much soul-travail, hard study, wearisome nights, daily prayers, and many tears, have been my exercise for the good of their souls, who now hate me for attempting to undeceive them, and pluck them from the hand of the artful fowler. I know the terrors of the Lord, nor am I ignorant of the consequences that will follow this revival of the old cause which was once pleaded at the waters of strife. They have been too well fed, their souls begin to loath the manna, the honeycomb, and the feast of fat things; these are become too common: and sure I am that God will proclaim a fast to these, he will turn them out of the vineyard, and separate them from the comfortable presence of the living Vine: all smiles of the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast in those days; they want husks, wine mixed with water, and these stolen, for only such are sweet to them. They have sent for the impostor up, and I am glad of it; for the hand of God shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. God shall give them their own way, and they shall be filled with their own

devices; "For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them."

Some have been much grieved at my prosperity; they could not endure to see God spread a table for me in the midst of mine enemies, though, I believe, I might have cried, My leanness! My leanness! long enough, if God had raised me up no better supporters than these who are now in the tents of Korah. They would wish me to take my bread out of the thorns, or cut up juniper-roots for my meat; but they that would muzzle the ox, shall feed the wolf; for it is but just that those who would starve them that wait at the altar, should be left to spend money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not. Christ will have no neutrals where he comes. If the Jewish sanhedrim cannot afford the Saviour a winding sheet, they shall give large money to the soldiers to obscure his resurrection from the dead.

In such cases as this there is no conferring with flesh and blood; carnal reason and unbelief would be for cursing the day in which it was said, there is a man-child conceived; or else, "Wo is me, my mother, that thou hast born me a man of strife and contention to all the earth:" this brings nothing in, but there is a deal of it conceived in the heart. But no way so safe, so good, so pleasing to God, as pouring it out before his throne; hourly conceptions of this sort have