To him that loves him; "Hearken to me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law." Would you know the reason the saints never fall away? Because lovingkindness is never taken from them: "The law of God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide," from that Rock on which God has established their goings. Would you know what displeases the Saviour most in the saints? It is when they leave their first love. Would know what secures heaven?" Charity never faileth." Would you know the greatest of all graces? "Faith, hope, charity; but the greatest of these is charity." Would you know who shall live for ever with God in glory? They that love him I will circumcise their heart, that they may love me with their whole heart and their whole soul, that they may live. Would you know the saints' worst times? It is when iniquity abounds, and the love of many waxes cold. Would you know what a real Antinomian is? What a hypocrite, or a minister of the letter, is? He is one that pretends to have all knowledge, understand all mystery; and with his empty eloquence attempts to speak with the tongue of men and angels; lays a claim to faith, as if he could move mountains; and yet hath no charity, no love to God in his heart he is the sounding brass, the tinkling cymbal, the false impostor, the deceitful worker, the child of the devil, the snare of the saints, and the enemy of God. Such are men of a bad spirit. indeed! uncharitable men with a witness! and

from all their uncharitableness, good Lord, deliver us! Would you know where this love is to be obtained? At Mount Zion; for "there God commanded the blessing, even [the Spirit of] life [and love] for evermore."

What says my sister to this? I think she is ready to hang towards this balance of the sanctuary; she is almost ready to let go her rule of life and action, and submit to lie passive, and be acted upon. I tell her that her strength is to sit still; that the weak are strong; that grace is sufficient; and that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. God forms the vessel of honour while the clay lies passive; and puts his treasure in the vessel when he has formed it, that the power may appear to be of him. He laid the foundation of Mercy's building at first; and builds up Zion himself; "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." And when he builds up Zion he appears in his glory. The work never goes on better than when self is denied, and the Lord depended on and trusted in. Uzza's arm of flesh, Peter's self-confidence, and Israel's flight to Egypt for help, were their shame, but neither their safety nor their honour. If love be the fulfilling of the law; if continuing in the perfect law of liberty be the way to be blessed in one's deed; if the law of faith exclude boasting, and give the glory to God; and, if the law of Spirit of life in Christ Jesus make us free from the law of sin, and the ministration of death; whether it be called

Antinomianism, licentiousness, or the everlasting gospel; I do insist upon it, that it is the most blessed dispensation that ever heaven revealed, or the children of men embraced. My cruse has sprung up so fast on this subject, that I cannot at present answer the other scriptures which you have heaped together: but this I know, that the gospel is written that we may have fellowship with the Father and the Son; and, while I enjoy and enforce this union, I defy you to bring one text in God's book, either against my soul, my religion, or my ministry. It is the proud doer that God resists." The poor [in spirit] heareth not rebuke." How should they? Poverty of spirit is the mark that secures the prize of the high-calling of God in Christ Jesus; "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The bond of love, with which God first drew my soul to Christ, and the enjoyment of this threefold cord, the love of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, has held my soul faster to God and godliness than all my sister's rules of action, or all the bonds and cords that ever were made in Ropemakers' Alley : they may hold the bond children down to sin, wrath, and malice, against others; but they will never hold the affections to God, nor the mind from vanity. I doubt my sister has not felt the dreadful effects of that tremendous dispensation; if she had, she would have cried out, as others have done, Let the Mediator speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die,

7

Exod. xx. 19. To be short; If my sister will be fruitful, she must abide in the vine. If she would live, she must mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit. If she would have sin subdued, she must continue in the grace of God, or be contented to be under grace. If she would be holy, she must not seek for the old veil, but with open face behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, till she be changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. If she would enjoy peace, let her lay by one of her opinions, and cleave to Jesus, he will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on him. And, if she is not contented with an everlasting gospel, let her make full proof of the killing letter. She is not an entire stranger to the liberty of the gospel; and, if this will not suffice, let her try the bondage of the law. If ever she gets deliverance, it shall be by what is now called Antinomianism and if she rebels against this, bondage and barrenness are sure to follow: "He bringeth out those that are bound with chains, but the rebellious dwell in a dry land." For my part, I shall be contented within the walls of Zion; and I wish she was contented with abiding in the field of Boaz : but, if she be not, I shall not stroll after her; Adam paid dear for that; only stand upon my watchtower, and observe her motions. The command to me is, "Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them."

I will answer the rest as soon as convenient;

;

and conclude with an ancient speech of one of the friends of Job; My desire is, that my sister may be tried, till, like Pharaoh, she intreats to hear no more mighty thunderings.

Amen, and Amen!

Says her humble servant to command,

WINCHESTER Row,

Jan. 15, 1789.

TO MRS. R. J.

W. H.

My sister's letter is like Sheba's journey

to Jerusalem. She has visited me with a long train of scriptures, and intends to prove me with hard questions; and I believe that, on the subject of law and gospel, I have told her much of the workTM ings of her own heart. We poor lost worms of the dust are very proud; and do not like to become nothing, that Christ may be all in all. Not to be able to speak a good word, or think a good thought; to become fools, that we may be wise; to have a wo put upon our righteousness, our wisdom, and our prudence; to be unclean things by birth and practice; and unprofitable servants when