furnishes the soul for praises and thank-offerings at the time of conspicuous deliverances from sore trials, temptations, or spiritual desertions, the soul is so banquetted, and the unction is so abundant, that the heart must pour it out. "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over," Psal. xxiii. 5. While we are blessing God, he keeps blessing us; "In blessing I will bless thee." His love flows in, and we pour it out; the sacred flame burns, and the continual burnt-offering goes up. But the former and latter of these are upon our solemn feast days, and at the commencement of the years of jubilee; for in the general, things are not so.

My son, think on these things, and follow after charity, righteousness, peace, faith, meekness, patience, with all them that call upon God out of a pure heart; while I remain, in the best of bonds,

Devotedly yours,

W. H.

LETTER XIV.

To the Rev. J. JENKINS, at the new Vicarage, Lewes, Sussex.

TO MY JOY, AND THE CROWN OF MY REJOICING.

BELOVED, when I had finished my last I concluded that the cruse was nearly exhausted; but this morning early it sprung up again, and seemed to flow in various directions; it anointed my eyes, and I perceived it with this observation, "The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.' I found it was so, and therefore I pursued it with pleasure, finding the service to be perfect freedom. My horn is exalted like the horn of an unicorn, and I am anointed with fresh oil. O, that that this was a little more observed and attended to! But the believer is too much like the worldly miser, he never knows what he is worth. I must now speak of the things which I have made touching the king, and his anointing; and I hope it will turn out to thee that my heart hath been inditing a good matter. The matter is.

14. Concerning the judgment of the Holy Spirit. In the justification of our souls the Holy Spirit brings the righteousness of Christ near to us, and enlightens the sinner to see Christ as the end of the law; while he works faith in the heart to go forth, embrace him, and put him on: hence we are said to be justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Cor. vi. 11. The Holy Spirit, by the ministry of the apostles, judging the twelve tribes of Israel; he, by applying the words of reproof and rebuke to them, arraigned and brought in many guilty, who humbly craved forgiveness and obtained it; when the blessed Spirit, who takes of the things that are Christ's and shews them to us, pointed these poor condemned sinners to the atonement and satisfaction of Christ, and to his righteousness and reconciliation with God by it; and, upon their believing, he filled them with the flames of love and zeal; and sanctifying them, he set them apart, and devoted them as holy vessels of honour, meet for the Master's use. You have this work and these people thus described by the prophet; "In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters

of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning," Isa. iv. 2-4. Where this work is done there is a court of equity and justice set up and established in the conscience of a believer, that he may no more call evil good, and good evil; nor put light for darkness, and darkness for light. The law is put into the heart, and written in the mind; or that which is equivalent to it. Faith being a persuasion in the mind, and the love of God (which love is the fulfilling of the law) in the heart: this, with the righteousness of Christ placed to our account, is called, by the apostle, the righteousness of the law fulfilled in us, while we walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Now, to keep things in order in the breasts of all God's children, God sets up this court of equity and justice, that we may daily cite ourselves at it; and, upon every arraignment, "If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." Our daily happiness depends upon our attention to this; "Hercin do I exercise myself," says Paul, "to have a conscience void of offence;" for blessed is the man that condemns not himself in the thing which he allows. To this end God promises the Holy Spirit to guide and assist us in judgment: "In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people; and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment; and for strength to them that turn the battle to

the gate," Isa. xxviii. 5, 6. My brother, take notice of the personality of the Holy Spirit in that text; of the personal characters and incommunicable names ascribed to him, and of the train of divine perfections, The Lord of hosts; a crown of glory; a diadem of beauty; a spirit of judgment; and strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. I know the text may be accommodated to religious magistrates, and to persons in the church. of Christ, judging them that are within: but these things are often done, and well done, even by men who know nothing savingly of the things which I am writing. The apostle, reprehending some of the church at Corinth for their unbecoming behaviour at the Lord's table, tells them that, " If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world," 1 Cor. xi. 31, 32. Did the believer attend more to this when conscience reproaches or checks him, and go immediately to God by confession. and prayer, disallow and disapprove of what he has done, and not suffer his sin to go either from mind or memory, but importune, and implore pardon and forgiveness; he would soon prevail, and save himself many a bitter cry and restless hour. The Corinthians omitted this, and therefore God took it in hand. "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." David neglected this, till his soul got hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; till Nathan set him where he