But to proceed. God having made us willing in the day of his power, he then presents his dear Son to our view, as the only hope and refuge that is left; and all our desires are made to centre there, and now he works in us to do, as well as to will. He then makes bare his arm, and we believe his report. This is fulfilling the good pleasure of his will, and the work of faith with power; and to this faith the Spirit bears witness. This is another branch of God's work, as saith the Saviour, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." This faith gives Christ a residence in our hearts, who comes with all his saving benefits. And this Paul speaks of when he says, "It pleased God to reveal his Son in me." At the reception of Christ the compassion of God flows in, and evangelical repentance flows out, attended with self-loathing, and with wonder and admiration at the long-suffering mercy, and astonishing condescension, of God: and this is called God's granting us repentance unto life. O how the soul now loves and adores the Almighty, who engrosses the whole of our affections, and crucifies us to this world. And this is fulfilling his ancient promise: "And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." Thus we are taught of God, and then led to his dear Son, and transplanted into him, in whom we find righteousness and strength, which constitutes us trees of righteous

ness, the right-hand planting of God, that he may be glorified. This, my sister, is the good work of God upon the soul. To a lively hope he begets us; and from the piercing sting of death, from under the ministration of death, and from bondage to the fear of death, he brings his own children; for so it is written, "He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death," Psalm 1xviii. 20. From death in the law to life in Christ do they pass by faith; and upon Christ, as upon a nail fastened in a sure place, do all the offspring and issue hang their hopes, their expectations, their hearts, with all their burdens, for time and eternity. Read Isaiah xxii. 24. The next thing is, "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you. And now what remains? That every branch in Christ his heavenly Father purges, that it may bring forth more fruit. And under this purging operation thou wast when my former letter found thee. And thus have I pursued thee, and I have overtaken thee. And now, seeing this is God's work and way, humbly submit thyself under his hand, and attend to these things a little more, and visit less; and thou shalt reap the benefit of it. Compare thy state with this account, and comfort thyself with these things, for my will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. My kind

God

love to your spouse. God preserve and bless you.

both. Amen and amen, says

Thy ready servitor,

The Desert,

NOCTUA AURITA.

will be matter of comfort to know if God lays my case near your heart. I hope you will never cease to pray for me. And do, my dear friend, make it your petition to God that he would be pleased to shine upon the work he has done upon me by his own Spirit, that I may not be deceived in this matter, and take the work of Satan for the work of the Spirit of God; for I must tell you I have not light to see the place from whence I did fall; and I know it is only God that can discover this This is a confused jumble. I am almost ashamed to send it to you; but hope you bear with me and pardon me; for I am so dark, and feel my mind so confused, that I am not able to express my own!feelings. Accept my thanks for all your kind favours bestowed on one so unworthy; and, if God should give you any thing to send me, I shall be exceeding glad to receive it, and likewise to hear how your health is at present; and believe me to remain

to me.

Your very sincere and affectionate friend

and afflicted sister,

The King's Dale.

PHILOMELA.

LETTER XXIII.

To PHILOMELA, in the King's Dale.

THINE epistle came safe to hand, savouring sweetly of a second benefit. Refreshings from the presence of the Lord attended it. It was a rich perfume. His name, like an ointment poured forth, came with it. Our unbelief shall never make the faith of God without effect; for, if we believe not, he still abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself. Moreover, God will honour his own ministering servants, whom he knows honour him; nor will he let their word fall to the ground; for he will confirm the word of his servants, and perform the counsel of his messengers. The work of God on the souls of his people shall abidẹ for ever. He will carry on the good work begun; he will perfect that which concerns us, and never forsake the work of his own hands. And now,. as God has hitherto fulfilled all that I have predicted to thee, and hath made me manifest in thy conscience, and hath given thee a place in my heart to live and die with thee, which joining and knitting together is the work of God's Spirit alone, and is always attended with the bands of peace and love; by strengthening of which bands the Lord is pleased to communicate nourishment

to supply every joint, that the whole body may increase, and edify itself in love; it is from this work that Wisdom receives his revenue; all his tributes of praise and thanksgiving spring from hence. He reaps no harvest but from what he sows; no fruits but from his own plantation. With this work he is particularly and more immediately concerned; for, in carrying on this, all his attributes are engaged; and by the faithful and true witness it will be performed and perfected that God may display the riches of his grace in glory by Christ Jesus. Now, that thou mayest know what the various branches of this good work are, and not be wholly ignorant of it, and that thou mayest have somewhat to answer any person who shall appear to glory, but not in heart; I will drop thee a few hints about it, and leave thee to consider the matter, and to compare notes. I mean to compare spiritual things with spiritual; that is, spiritual works within with spiritual words in the book. And, if we take heed to these things, and cleanse our way according to his word, we shall come to a point; for whatsoever the Spirit of God wrote on the hearts of his apostles and prophets, he, by those instruments, wrote the same in the Bible; and an exact copy of it is written on the fleshly tables of all believing hearts; and, when this is done, the quickening Spirit makes us feel the impression, and afterwards shines gradually upon the word, that we may see that the internal impression exactly agrees with the exter