TO MRS. D—. _Peckham_, _July_ 21, 1814. _MY DEAR FRIEND_, What an unspeakable blessing it is for you, that the Holy Ghost has enabled you to rejoice in hope of eternal glory, and put that expression in your mouth, as well as the hope and confidence in your heart, _I know that if this earthly house of my tabernacle were dissolved_, _I have a building __above_, _an house not made with hands_, _eternal in the heavens_—this is in your hope, and a God of truth has declared your expectation shall not be cut off. The blessed Spirit is promised to all the Elect seed, as the earnest of that promised rest. While the glorious operations of that self-same Spirit, are designed to prepare us for that glorious inheritance. My dear Sister has, I trust, been long taught the sad state of man by nature, that though he was originally built for God to dwell in, and his image did reside in man a little while, yet an enemy came against this little City, besieged it, and raised awful bulwarks against it, gained the possession of the capital, and keeps it in peace, till the stronger than he, even the eternal Spirit comes on him, spoils him of his armour, makes him quit his territory, and gets full possession of his heart. Solomon well instructed in the operations of the Spirit, under the emblems of old age and its infirmities, points out this work in striking, figurative language. _In the days when the keepers of the house shall tremble_, _and the strong men shall bow themselves_. We are not at a loss to conjecture who those keepers are in the worst of senses, Satan having blinded the eyes of man, it is his work, to study how to keep them blind, keep them enemies, keep them in prejudice, keep them proud, and keep them in awful rebellion. This is the work of the devil, nor is he at a loss for means to carry on this work. Religious systems, and erroneous preachers, are the Devil’s under-strappers, by whom he carries on his infernal work. Hence the out-cry made against the truth, whenever and wherever it is preached; the endeavours to stop the progress of truth in the world, lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine into the heart, and poor sinners be saved. These strong keepers of the house tremble at the approach of the light of the Gospel, and as soon as it comes in power they must submit, bow themselves, relinquish their claim, and turn out, knowing they come in by art, and with a view to deceive the house, that it might share the same fate as devils do. But viewing this subject experimentally, the Spirit coming to convince of sin, to apply the law to the conscience, and to shew us the works of the devil, at his coming these keepers tremble, but we do not find them gone, till the power of the Gospel is felt. Many have trembled at the curse of the Law; at the preaching of the Law as Felix did, when Paul reasoned of judgment, temperance, and righteousness.