word is very pure; therefore thy Jervant loveth it. Pfalm cxix. 139, 140.

At other times faith fhall be influenced with fuch power and activity, that the foul can tell beforehand fomething of the fuccefs that shall attend the word. When, therefore, I bave performed this, and have fealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. And I am fure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the bleffing of the gospel of Chrift. Rom. xv. 28, 29.

Sometimes one grace fhall appear predominant, and fometimes another; as patience in Job; meeknefs, as in Mofes; godly forrow, as in Hannah; jealoufy for God's honour, as in Elijah; contrition, as in David; and fometimes love, as in Paul—I am not only ready to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jefus. All these move and act as the Holy Spirit operates in them; he enlivens and invigorates them; but, without a divine breeze, there is neither motion nor emiffion.-Awake, Q north wind, and come, thou fouth; blow upon my garden, that the fpices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleafaut fruits. Song iv. 16.

If my dearly-beloved brother will observe these things, he will perceive much more than I can defcribe; and he will find the different frames that he is caft into to be wonderfully fuited to the work then in hand. To the Theffalonians Paul was a nurse;

to

to Timothy an affectionate father; to the Corinthians God made him humility and meeknefs; to the falfe apoftles an invincible champion; to the weak he was a babe in grace; to the Jews ftraitened as under the law; to the Gentiles as one guided alone by confcience; to the wife and difcerning he was the chiefeft apoftle; and to Alexander and Elymas the forcerer he was a lion.—I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means fave fome, I Cor. ix. 22.

Well may the apoftle fay there are diverfities of operations; for they are diverse and innumerable too; yea, and often various in one day. Life, contrition, and forrow, for morning prayer; a sweet flow of gratitude foon after for a thank-offering; upon the back of this comes a promife in due feason, increafing faith; then a fmiling Providence turns up, that makes the bowels yearn; next comes a letter bringing good tidings, and bleffing God for the inftrument, and for the power of divine grace put forth; this fires the foul with fresh zeal for the work. Then comes a poor foul telling the dreadful tale of the plague of leprofy breaking out in the house; these touch your love and fympathy. Next comes in a word, and opens out a large field of hidden treasures, pearls and jewels for Zion. And, laft of all, comes in an arch hypocrite, appearing to be fome great one, when he is nothing, with all the art and craft imaginable to impose upon your judg

ment;

ment; and, at the appearance of him-What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. But now bring me a minstrel. 2 Kings iii. 13, 15. Let my dear brother obferve thefe things, and he will have fome infight into this bleffed promife-1 the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: left any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Ifaiah xxvii. 3.

The new man is fed by prayer, by reading, by meditation, by hearing the word, and by converfing with the lively friends of the bridegroom. He is very choice in his food. Hence it appears that, under the dry orations which are drawn from the letter, and thofe confufed jumbles upon freewill, enforced by those who have not been emptied of self, but are settled upon their lees, and those violent fhouts from the top of the mountain, not of Zion, but of Sinai: none of thefe entertain the new man; it is not fuch tidings as these that bring him, nor does the Spirit, who forms him, accompany God gives teftimony to the word of bis grace. The new man feeds upon power. You read of strength by the Spirit's might in the inward man; you read of his being renewed day by day, and of his being renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Light, attended with love, feeds him; it revives him, refrefhes him, and renews him. He gathers his myrrh with his fpice. Myrrh is a bitter potion

fuch.

to

new man.

to the old man, but it never hurts the new one. Spice comes after the myrrh has had the defired effect. But this sweet scent is no more pleafing to the old man than the myrrh; the bitterness of trials mortifies the old man, and fo does the sweet odours of humbling grace. He eats his honeycomb with his honey, and drinks his wine with his milk. Song v. 1. The promises, and the fweets that are hid in them; divine love, and the comforts that attend it; are the fweet provifions of the The old man, with all his members, Paul defcribes; and thofe very evil things of which he is compofed are the things that feed, entertain, and gratify him. When he is fed, then the new man is ftarved, and leannefs enters into the foul. So of the manifold graces infufed or wrought in the foul by the Holy Spirit is the new man compofed, and by thofe very things of which he is compofed is the fed, His divine origin is God, and therefore called the divine nature. His manfion is Chrift Jefus, in whom all fulness of grace dwells, and from whofe fulness all grace is received. Fresh fupplies from the fame fulness by the Holy Ghoft feed him and keep him alive; and under no other preaching but that of preaching Chrift; and it must be Chrift revealed and made known in the foul of the preacher. Under fuch, and under no other, can this new man be fed and nourished; and this many know by fad experi

ence,

ence, who are feeking water and there is none, and their tongues are failing for thirft. Now unto bim that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the prefence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wife God our Saviour, be glory and majefty, dominion and power, both new Amen.

and ever.

And fo fays your companion in travail,

W. HUNTINGTON.

LETTER