body; for it lays hold on eternal life, and realizes the promises with such a firm assurance of their full and final accomplishment, so as to quicken and enliven every power of the elect soul, and make it joyful, in hope of the glory of God. Faith eyes the obedience of the Saviour, and applies it to the disquieted conscience; and is attended with the internal witness of the Holy Ghost, assuring the conscience of the sinner that Jesus is his eternal righteousness before the throne of God; while peace, from the atonement made by the great Mediator, sweetly flows in, as a proof that the Most High God is appeased, and the sword of justice sheathed in the Son of God. O mysterious scabbard! Thus, Madam, this long and dreadful war between God and sensible sinners is ended, and eternal peace proclaimed to all believers. Faith eyes the atoning blood of the surety, and a multiplication of pardons are produced therefrom, which faith applies; and thus she purifies the heart from all the filth or guilt daily contracted through our manifold infirmities. And to maintain life in her beloved habitation, she leads her possessor to a throne of grace, and there begs the bread of heaven, and does her office in attending every good petition: she claims her privileges in her own country, and her freedom in her own city; she will take no denial at a throne of grace, nor will her father deny her suit. Faith in us is of high extraction; God ordained her; Christ pos sesses her; and the Holy Ghost produces her. God has greatly honoured faith, and it is certain she will never dishonour him. By her allowed fortitude and importunity she glorifies her Father, and her Father will ever honour her. She keeps house at the expense of the Saviour, and fetches all her food from far. She being of a divine origin, will exist for ever. In the church militant faith is both the eye and the hand of the soul; but in the church triumphant she will be only an eye: divine light can never be extinguished. Faith despises all human inventions and human assistances; and ceases to act when carnal wisdom is invited to take the reins of government; but always accomplishes the decreed and the desired end, after fleshly sufficiency has left us exposed to ridicule. Faith, if she is let alone, will make her despicable habitation stand firm against all assaults; for she establishes her house on a rock. She will lead her armies on through the most formidable hosts of opposers; for none overcome the world but believers. In short, that man is eternally rich who has her, for God is his portion; and this she freely declares before every adversary, as it is written, "Rich in faith." He stands firm indeed whom she establishes; and he is sure to hold on his way, if she leads him in the path. Every fallen countenance that appears in a persecutor, is an indication of a conquest made on that adversary, either to reduce him to the sceptre of Christ, or leave him to the judgment of God. Faith can blunt the edge of a sword, disarm a flame of its force, stop the mouth of a voracious lion, and make a devil fly to his cave. God himself is her shield, and she is the honourable and victorious hand that wields it. Our wealth, honour, success, victory, safety, and eternal security, lay in the possession of her. The Lord increase thy faith, while I remain, Dear Madam, Thy willing servant in the Lord, W. H. LETTER IV. I DEAR SISTER IN CHRIST, RECEIVED yours, dated May 5, 1783, and I thank you for it. You seem to express much had heard your you grief, because friend Lazarus had been sick. But, blessed be God, his sickness was not unto death; nor will poor Lazarus ever die. However, his sickness has been for the glory of God; that the Son of God, after humbling his pride, might get the more glory by his instrumentality. You may depend upon it that your friend Lazarus will only sleep; and you know if he sleep, he shall do well. Your letter seems almost silent about the state of your soul, which I should be glad to know; but as you have filled yours with nothing but inquiries after my health, I shall fill this with nothing but informations concerning it. my I have been sick indeed; and I found fresh life in sickness. Faith got fresh life, and made me pray weeping, with my face to the wall. Filial fear got fresh vigour, and made me set about the important work of self-examination; and as I had not balanced my books for some few days with my exactness, I went about that work with as much reluctance as a bullock that is unaccustomed to the yoke, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks. Hope also got a revival, and I saw the necessity of my casting anchor within the vail. Expectation set me to looking out of the window three times aday towards the holy Jerusalem; while zeal for truth took me to task for indolence. Conscience reproved me for neglecting my day-book; and patience came into the assembly of carnal reasonings, and whipt every murmurer out of the court; and sternly asked if I had not procured these things to myself? I replied yes; and said no more, but sat down pensive, while patience had her perfect work. Thus, my sister, I find that by these things I live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit. The rod and reproof give wisdom; and my cumberous train of crimes teaches me many a wholesome lesson. I often backslide in my heart from my dear Lord and master; but he makes my own backslidings reprove me, and drive me back to my resting place. If pride possesses my heart, even that, under the management of infinite wisdom, brings me to the Saviour's feet in humi"A man's [own] pride shall bring him lity; low." If sin be indulged, it teaches me that prayers are in vain; for, "If I regard iniquity, the Lord will not hear me." My reins instruct me in the |