in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with him in white raiment, for he accounts them worthy. The Lord make and keep thee of this highly favoured and happy number, is the prayer and defire of,

Your's in Chrift Jefus,

W. H. S. S.

LETTER LV.

To the Rev. Mr. HUNTINGTON.

MY DEAR SIR,

I HAVE received and read your last favour, and fome more that have come to L; and cannot help thinking that you must speak, that you may be eased, the bottle feems to be fo full. I wish I could say so; but if I speak I am not eased, for my little pitcher is foon emptied, and I am like a dry tree. I came home last week from my journey very poorly; I preached in three places, and in the two first VOL. II.

X

had

had very comfortable seasons; but before I got to the last, I was shut up, dark, and bound; and fo I have continued ever fince, and am now very poorly and low with a bad cold, which is the cause of your not seeing me in town this week. I think I can never be made to ftand. There is no ftrength in me, and I am much afraid that I never yet had the true light. Those that believe in the Saviour fhall no longer walk in darknefs; and this fhews that I cannot believe in the light that I may be a child of light. How happy would I be if I could but continue in the enjoyment of the little that I have at times tafted! I think the Lord, at times, hath clothed me with power; and that his prefence, in a measure, has been with me: but I am not certain it is he; yet, in this fweet letter of yours, there are many things applicable to my cafe, and many things that my foul earnestly hopes and prays for. I truft my inward conflicts are not altogether for fin, though I ought to fuffer a deal for that; and if I did but know that I had an intereft in the Redeemer's love, I think I would willingly fuffer to the day of my death. There are certainly doors opening for me to preach, notwithstanding all the oppofitions made by men; and that men, who have for fo many years profeffed the gofpel, fhould fet themfelves

neither can I fee why

against me, is aftonishing; they should be fo exafperated as to vilify my character, except it be for the truth's fake; for when I was prefuming in fin and falfe confidence, no tongue was

moved against me. I cannot now expect to have the pleasure of seeing you till the fast-day is over. Do you think there is yet a profpect of our nation being faved? Sometimes, you know, that a Noah, Daniel, and Job, fhall only fave themselves; and, at other times, one Moses shall stand in the gap, and make up the breach. The French have been the lovers that this nation has doted upon, whom they have admired for years: their fashions, language, manners, and customs, have been adopted; and is it not likely that we fhall have enough of them? Many, many from this town and country defire and wish their best respects to you, and are in great expectation of seeing the fummer coming on, in hope then of feeing you in the country again. God bless you, is the defire and prayer of

Your much obliged friend,

X 2

J. J.

LETTER

LETTER LVI.

To the Rev. Mr. J—

Grace and peace be with thee.

BELOVED OF GOD,

If there is any new wine in my bottle, it is for thy ufe; all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos, life or death. They that water fhall be watered themselves, and they that scatter fhall increafe; God will dry up the green tree, and caufe the dry tree to flourish. For every comfortable feafon, my fon, be thankful; knowing that we have, by fin, forfeited all claim upon God for any mercy, whether in Providence or grace. Enlargement and contraction, liberty and bondage, love and fear, will all work in turn more or lefs; and thofe that have none of these changes fear not God.

God will make thee ftand, and put ftrength in thee too when thy ftrength is all gone; but this is not thy happy cafe yet. There is a good deal of stiffness in the iron finew of thy neck, it cannot bow to the yoke; there is ftrength in thy free will; you cannot accept the punishment of your iniquity, nor yield

to

to bear the indignation of the Lord, although thou haft finned against him. Nor haft thou loft all the power of thine arm thou art still working, tugging, and striving, in thine own ftrength, in order to fubdue fin, please God, and recommend thyself to his favour; and thou expecteft his approbation, his fmiles, his bleffings, and his working power, to attend thee on the footing of these things; and when he withdraws, or refuses to meet thee in this way, and cuts thine expectations off, then thine heart fretteth against him; this thy way is thy folly; what God does for us is not for our fake, but for his own name's fake, and for his dear Son's fake; Christ will be all to thee when thou art nothing. The true light that shines into God's elect, my son, difcovers various things besides the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift. When the Lord fhined round about Paul and into his heart, it was no less to him than the light of life; and the commandment, with all its unlimited demands, immediately followednow fin revived, now concupifcence appeared, now the carnal enmity, pride, wrath, and the web of human righteoufnefs, fhewed itself; and all fruits brought forth unto death were discovered-all things which are reproved are made manifeft by the light which doth appear, for whatsoever doth make manifeft is light. In this light we discover the spirituality of God's law; the wrath, the bondage, and fear that it works; the demands of it, and the poor help and encouragement that it gives to the poor finner. It was in the Lord's