anchor-hope in his truth." Remember thy word unto thy servant, on which thou hast caused me to hope." If this will not hold her, let go the small bower anchor-hope in promised support. "As thy day, so shall thy strength be." Should this also fail, and all hope of being saved be taken away, then cast out your best bower. " Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God" (through a Mediator.) This will fetch her up at fifteen fathoms of cable, and after this she will ride it out, and ride easy. Thy feeble soul will fear no more W. H. S.S. DCCXIV. 1803. Dearly beloved in the Lord, I AM coming at last to acknowledge the receipt of your's;-better late than never. But where to find you is the difficult work; whether with Saul among the stuff, with the spies under the stalks of flax, with the Hebrews in their holes, or with Gideon's troops, faint, yet pursuing. I know your sort of folks are like the seven sleepers, seldom seen out in the winter season; nothing moves them but fine weather. When the sun shines on both sides of the hedges, then they will venture abroad. "The rain then is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." Indeed this is the only time that poor sinners are suffered to creep out of darkness; and those who would, and often do, proclaim their deliverance before the divine warrant comes, do not bring them forth to the light, but into a worse darkness; a God's account it is darkness, and a darkness that may be felt, because this light shines upon them that are in bitterness; whereas the true light is always attended with love. 66 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light," and upon whom the Sun of righteousness ariseth with healing in his beams, pardon, justification, and life, attend. He is the Sun, of Righteousness that shines; healing is the thing that is conveyed; and going forth, and growing up, as calves of the stall. The light of the law only discovers the worst side of the perfections of God-holiness, justice, and terrible majesty; but the light in Christ's face is pardoning grace, righteousness, and everlasting love. And, as the former coops us up, so this draws us forth. It is the business of love to open prison doors, to burst our bonds, and to break every yoke; to let the oppressed go free. Indeed, according to the experience of believers, love is the sweetest, loudest, and most predominant sound in the jubilee trumpet. ر I have had hard work to wade through this winter. Rheumatic pains, an asthmatic complaint, and bad breath, through hard la bour and hot seasons in the pulpit, and cold hours out of it, have fully persuaded me whole campaign that is allotted for me. I am now looking for a pension, and an honourable discharge from the King's service and from the field of action. Nor do I believe that I shall be disappointed of either, for "faithful is he that hath promised." I am often thinking of the little intended chapel, and of seeing you and the rest of the royal and loyal family, should God spare my life till then. I long to see the month of March over. God bless thee. Ever thine, W. H. S.S. DCCXV. 1806. MY DEAR FRIEND, THIS winter has laid not a few among us in the dust; but faith and hope never die; every grace reigns, and shall reign, to endless life. Poor Blaker I much miss, and must lament the loss; but the unity of faith, the bond of the covenant, the bond of peace, and the more perfect bond of love, never fail, break, or give way. All the family-angelical or human; ante or post deluvian; Jew or Gentile; whether in glory or in the militant state; whether called or uncalled; whether born or unborn, are one in Him, in whom the family of heaven and earth are named. But what could move him to take notice of us? This must be resolved into his divine sovereignty; "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious." This sharp winter tries my old tabernacle not a little; but the inward man lives, and is often meekened and revived, softened and refreshed, enlightened and enlarged, strength |