LETTER XIII.

To PHILOMELA, in the K

ailed

d till I

more than

rough him ave I power evailed.

a! Make the il days come

y soul through 200rs, and exhienes before thee. laces," Prov. viii; and on every little of rocks, and on on the everlasting by the way in the Fshe stands, in all these

THUS saith the Lord God, J highest branch of the high ced I will crop off from the top of tender one, and will plant it o and eminent. In the mount: Israel will I plant it; and boughs, and bear fruit, and and under it shall dwell all in the shadow of the branc dwell," Ezek. xvii. 22. F David was this young twig Zion it is planted, where blessed Godhead, which displays his omnipresence souls of thousands of them, as boughs in t which almighty power fested and put forth in soul rests satisfied and feels his shadow a sw darts, and from the. law. In the shado. cedar shall the bird

aces, resting places, places, in order to refreshment, seasoncomfort; by all which "while passing Heavenly showers

strength,

our water on him that is e dry ground; I will of water, and the dry

" and the voice of her the gates of Zion more

cob."

"Open ye the

which keepeth

y

the gate of the hall enter."

the city," saying,

of thee, O city of

mount Sion, and unto d, the heavenly Jerusaable company of angels,

and church of the firstten in heaven, and to God

d to the spirits of just men ito Jesus the mediator of the nd to the blood of sprinkling, etter things than that of Abel."

art no more a stranger and a ta fellow-citizen of the saints and hold of God. "See that ye refuse t speaketh."

crieth at the coming in of the doors."

doors she cries at are the doors of shadow: "Hast thou seen the doors of badow of death?" Job xxxviii. 17. These > are the covering and veil that is spread rall nations, Isa. xxv. 7; and the dismal Beom that the god of this world hath blinded our minds with, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine into us, and we should be saved. But Wisdom cries at these doors, saying, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." The light of the I

ne

the name of Israel," crying aloud, I have prevailed in prayer; I have looked at my beloved till I have overcome him; and I shall be more than conqueror, over heaven and earth, through him that hath loved me; for as a prince have I power with God and with man, and have prevailed.

These are golden days, Philomela! Make the most of them now, while the evil days come not; now, while Wisdom leads thy soul through all her mystic gates, wards, and doors, and exhibits her glorious and visionary scenes before thee. "She stands on the top of high places," Prov. viii; on Calvary, on mount Zion, and on every little hill thereof; on the munition of rocks, and on all the ancient mountains, and on the everlasting hills of electing love, and "by the way in the places of the paths." Here she stands, in all these watering places, breathing places, resting places, halting places, and fainting places, in order to give caution, encouragement, refreshment, seasonable counsel, strength, and comfort; by all which they go from strength to strength, "while passing through the valley of Baca." Heavenly showers fill the pools: "I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will make the wilderness pools of water, and the dry land springs of water."

"She crieth at the gates ;" and the voice of her cry is, "The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob." "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation, which keepeth

the truth, may enter." "This is the gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.”

"She crieth at the entry of the city," saying, "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." "Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." Therefore thou art no more a stranger and a foreigner, but a fellow-citizen of the saints and of the household of God. "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh."

"She crieth at the coming in of the doors." The first doors she cries at are the doors of death's shadow: "Hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?" Job xxxviii. 17. These doors are the covering and veil that is spread over all nations, Isa. xxv. 7; and the dismal gloom that the god of this world hath blinded our minds with, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine into us, and we should be saved. But Wisdom cries at these doors, saying, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." The light of the Lord pene

feet." Feel it I do; but it is past all description. Costly it was, and that the Redeemer knew when

he gave his soul an offering for my sins, and shed his precious blood to satisfy divine justice in my behalf. O it melts me, and breaks my heart! O, my dear brother, help me to praise him! I cannot, I cannot praise him as I would. But I shall do it when this mortal shall have put on immortality. I shall be satisfied when I awake with his likeness. I believe the Lord will not keep me long here. Well I know that neither height nor depth, life nor death, things present, nor things to come, shall ever separate me from his love. It rejoices my heart to see the Lord is carrying on his work on the hearts of many poor sinners under the orations of his Majesty's herald in this dark corner of the globe. He is "a burning and a shining light." He stands in the rostrum as a flaming fire for God. Surely he is the greatest blessing that ever God bestowed on such worthless sinners as Sister Moorhen's wounds get deeper and deeper. I believe she will, in the Lord's time, be brought to that strait where all human strength expires, and where there is none shut up or left. There is another poor soul also who is tumbling all to pieces. This is the best news I can send you. O that Zion's cords may be lengthened, and her stakes strengthened! Give my kind love to your travelling friends; and accept my thanks for your soul-strengthening letter. It was as cold water to a thirsty soul, or good news

we are..