within the walls of this Jerusalem, here we desired to remain to eat, and drink, and sit down under her peaceful banners: for why should not "the good of the land" be ours, since the Lord had promised it, and had brought us safely hither?

Plymouth, June 21st, 1821.

LETTER XVIII.

SOME naval officer, a friend of your brother's, has kindly offered to take anything to London for us; and, as he expects to sail in an hour and a half, I must hasten to write you a few lines-though 1 can say nothing on the subject of my past experience.

66

I have been lately meditating on these words, Changes and war are against me ;" which is my sorrowful case. Oh when will the time arrive when the sun will rise to set no more? When shall I see that glory of heaven and earth, the King in his beauty and perfections-my great salvation, my preserver, my supporter, renewer, upholder, my guide and deliverer in time of trouble -Him who is the wonder of heaven, and ever shedding forth new splendours upon the inhabitants where he dwells? O, how low I lie! How debased I am! how vile in mine own eyes, when I see the King, by his Spirit, held in the galleries of his grace! But what is this to the full vision of his face, when my soul will be freed from sin and

1

Satan, and put on the garments of immortality to feed for ever on celestial food-while I shall continually bow before him, and for ever sing his praise, for having saved me and washed me from my sins in his own blood?

Oh, to be eternally shut in with him, and bid a lasting farewell to all vexations, pain, sin, temptations, sorrow, and anxieties of every sort! Oh, let us count all things lost, that we may win Christ and be found in him at last.

I hope the faith of my dear children is fixed on the Lamb slain, of God's own providing.

Though clouds come and pass, I believe he is gone before to prepare mansions, and will return again to receive you unto himself. So long as we remain in the body, we shall be the subjects of sin; but, blessed be Jesus, our great Immanuel, he came to save such, and not the righteous; and though it be said, "The righteous shall hold on his way," yet it is only through him, and in him, and by him. If I were righteous in myself, I should not so need his great salvation.

Plymouth, June 30th, 1821.

LETTER XIX.

I Do not know how to make you returns for your dutiful and affectionate behaviour to us; there is one who will bless you, nay, who has rewarded you an hundred fold, by making you free men of the City of the heavenly Jerusalem, glory be to his name!

But, my dear Children, I will admonish and beseech you, to walk in love and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth; seek communion with him in all his appointed ways and ordinances, and have no itching ears for new things; the more simply you receive the word, the more likely are you to grow thereby. Look not to any here, much less to your mother for direction, but listen to the still small voice, which is a sure guide to your youth. Your mother has a most barren and unfruitful nature, and comes from a bad stock; all she lives by is in charity conferred on her by her God, for she is as poor, unsightly, and as deranged a piece of machinery as you may ever meet with.

What I request of you is, that you would earnestly beg the Lord of life and glory, to have mercy upon her and keep and safety, throughout the path of life.

preserve her in

Say, "she is

decrepid, Lord, be thou her support; she wanders, bring her home; she wants daily bread from above, and water from that river which makes glad the city of God." And one request more I wish you to add, that when her last change come, she may be led home to her house above in peace.

These you will say are great demands, and truly so they are, but let us not forget that all are treasured up in Jesus the bestower; his blood and righteousness constitute my plea, and for his sake alone it shall be done.

Plymouth, July 7, 1821.