great manifesting of his power-as if he had preserved the burning bush in Horeb, in flames, and

yet unhurt, from Moses to this day. life, bodily death cannot touch,

This spiritual because it is

rooted and grounded into the divine life. And the keeping of it is laid up with Christ in God, safe, happy, out of the reach of storms and enemies. What did I say, bodily death cannot touch it: I retract that word; bodily death does what the angel did to Peter in prison; knocks off his fetters and sets him at liberty. The angel of life takes down the mortal, that he may perfect the immortal life, and so we die to live;die to the world, to live with him;-die to time, to live for ever; yea, die in faith, that this body of deathwhich we leave behind us, shall soon be raised to life and immortality. Is death our enemy? What has he done to hurt?-only fulfilled the kind will of Jesus, who wanted her company, and would have her with him, to live as he does in his life of glory. Blessed death, heavenly comforter, thou art a loving friend indeed to Jesus's friends. Your letter was the means of my entering on this meditation, and blessed it was. O what a sight and sense had I of the incomparable grace of life-giving Jesus! While I am writing, he makes himself, beyond what any words can describe, lovely

to my eyes, and precious to my heart. He is my life. I find it, enjoy it, in him, and let me speak, my dear friend, a word for him to you: for him, as I am in duty bound to you, as love constrains me. For him, I speak a most complete, absolutely and eternally perfect Saviour. His person, his work possessed of all the glories of the Godhead. What he did and suffered, in order that he might save to the uttermost; admits of no addition. It was once done and perfected for ever. My friend, have you the benefit of this? Do you enjoy it in your conscience? and there read, and there maintain, a full and everlasting repeal from the sentence of death. This is the honour Jesus claims of you. And it is the highest you can pay him. You can do him no greater homage, nor more acceptable worship, than to put your entire dependence, without any, the least drawing back, or wavering, on his life and death, as your whole deliverance from sin and death, as your clear title to heaven and glory. When faith shews you the divine majesty of Mary's Son, and the everlasting honours of his obedience unto death, then will the peace of God rule in your heart, and thereby you will glorify the blood and the righteousness of the Redeemer, more than any angel, more than any happy spirit around his throne.

The enemy long-too long kept me from that enjoyment, by wiles and snares, chiefly legal views

Still, he now and then,

and self-righteous plans. gets an advantage of me. But I beg, my friend, you would beware of his devices. Are you resting upon Jesus? and do you find the sentence of death is no longer in force against you? Read, study your bible, pray and beg for an increase of faith. This is the use of all means. May the Lord the Spirit, bless them to you. Faith is your shield against the accuser of the brethren, and against your own legal workings. If you grow in this experience, you will grow more and more alive to God, you will believe, and find more of the love of a reconciled Father. The more you rest on the finished salvation, you will certainly abound more in the blessed fruits of it: such as seeing yourself perfectly saved, your hopes will all cast anchor within the veil, your affections will get fixed on their everlasting object, and you will come under the sweet government of king Jesus. Thus living in him, you will live to him, which is not only spiritual life, but is also indeed spiritual liveliness. And if you ever find this decay after you once had it, mind and attend to the cause of its decay, and you will see this was the only cause, namely, your faith was therefore not lively, be

cause you were not resting perfectly upon Jesus, as your Saviour, from the sentence, of death. This was the worm, which eat into the gourd, and made it wither. Keep this out, it will flourish and grow, as long as you have any need of faith for protection, or for happiness. And when the time comes, that faith is to be no more. What is dying? Is it not in the hand of Jesus? Does not he appoint it, fix it-send it? Has not he promis ed to be with you in the hour of death, to keep you from the fear and from the power of it? Is not he faithful, almighty, all-loving? his love wants no power to make his promises good to his dying friends. Yea, he does make them good every day. He will to you, doubt it not. I have written, till my time is up. subject is not exhausted; no,

You are sure my never will be. But

I am forced to stop. My dear friend, pray for me. You know my profession of love for your soul. God knows my heart. Adieu.

W. R.

LETTER XXIX.

June 11.

T HANKS to my dear friend for her last. It was a great refreshment to me. O how does my spirit rejoice to see the blessed Jesus crowned and exalted in your soul, and no other name mentioned in your lips, no dependance upon any being or thing in your heart or life, but that God-man. This is the point. Here may we fix. But alas! although I would fix, and never so much as turn my eye from hence, yet I find so many enemies within and without, that it is hard keeping our hold, and never letting it go. In this warfare the flesh and the spirit fight without ceasing. The flesh against Christ's sufficiency, and the Spirit for him. But thanks be to his grace, the Spirit is almighty, and he has given the flesh in all believers a mortal wound, of which it will, ere long, bleed to death. And then, oh blessed prospect, we shall see the captain of our salvation, through whom we conquered, face to face. That is enough.