the watch tower, near to Galeed; bound to Mahanaim, where I hope to meet with the Lord's hoft, and to reject all the affistance of Efau and his company.

Ever thine,

W. HUNTINGTON.

LETTER XX.

I AM forry to find that my friend is ill again. Some fuch flying reports have reached my ears, but from whence they originated I know not. I have been this week pondering on a fresh line of things, fome new thoughts which came to me, on making fome observations on the fudden changes of my frames; and how I felt myself when indulged, and how matters ftood with me when these indulgences were denied me. I confidered what Elihu called matter; there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him understanding. This he calls wine in his belly that wanted vent, that it was ready to burst like new bottles. I am full of matter, fays he; the spirit within me constrains This matter, therefore, is infpiration, or

me.

the divine influences of the Holy Spirit in the fouls of the regenerate.

2. I confidered what is called by Job the "root of the matter;" which is love, the most excellent fruit of the whole work of grace in the foul, which is fhed abroad or infufed, at the time of our regeneration. I confidered, alfo, that life is the active principle in every grace, which gives us all our fenfations, impressions, affections, and motions. Hence the charge, "Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found thy work perfect," &c. And again, Strengthen the weak hands," &c. I confidered, alfo, that grace, as a principle, ever remains, though not always in motion; we have the root, though the fruit doth not always appear. I confidered the different influences that are felt when grace is in exercife, and when it lies dormant.

3. I then pondered over what I felt of the fruits under the life of grace, or under our most lively frames; and how I felt myfelf when the Spirit fufpended his quickening, attracting, and invigorating operations.

4. Then I confidered the difference between faith when acting, and faith inactive: where is your faith, faith the Lord? And what were the fruits of faith when in exercife; and I found them to be joy and peace: God fill you with joy and peace in believing; hence called the joy of

faith. But this joy attends believing, and believing is faith in exercife. But when felf,

which is daily to be denied, comes on with her curfed requests; which is nothing else but the workings of the old man, with his deceitful lufts, and which is daily to be denied; daily, denial fhews that he will daily war against the foul; then faith ftays at home to counteract unbelief, to prop up the heart, and to keep the foul ftanding, and upon its watch tower; here is no joy, but fome strength; "your ftrength is to ftand ftill." But when this conflict is over, faith goes out again to meet the Lord, and joy comes in.

So hope, when in exercise, has got what is called the aboundings of hope through the power of the Holy Ghoft; and thefe aboundings are enough, and to fpare, and are attended with much afsurance, called the full affurance of hope. But in the worft conflicts with the devil and fin hope abides at home to counteract despair; hence the cry, Why art thou caft down, oh, my foul? and why art thou difquieted within me? hope thou in God. For I fhall yet praise him; he will return again, and grace will go forth to meet him, and then praise will fill my mouth. So alfo, peace: in me you fhall have peace; and every time the Lord vifits us we have peace; but tribulation in the world difturbs it, but never deftroys it. So you read of the comfort of love; but in war, and when corruptions abound, it waxes cold,

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enmity damps it; but who can separate us from the love of God in Chrift Jefus ?

The DOCTOR.

LETTER XX.

BELOVED Of God, where art thou? Art

thou lifting up thy ax among the thick trecs? He that could do this used to be famous, and fo is he now who can lay the ax to the root. But if the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then must he put forth more ftrength; but wifdom is profitable to direct. Methinks he is bufy at it; he is fent to root up, to throw down, to build, and to plane; and I hope he will do it with his might; for, whether the tree falleth toward the north, or toward the fouth, where the tree falleth there it fhall be. A brazen wall and an iron pillar muft the Lord's fervants be, in this day of apoftacy, hypocrify, herefy, rebuke, blasphemy, and open profanity. I bless my God, who hath given me a fon after my own heart, my own fon in the faith, and a dearly beloved fon in Chrift Jefus; who will naturally care for the state of perishing finners, and dare to be fin

gular and faithful, when time-serving, menpleafing, crafty walking, and deceitful dealing, with precious fouls, is become fo fashionable and so universal. Go on, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour: you begin now to make full proof of your ministry; the bleffed effects and fruits appear in the world; the rain is over and gone, the time of the finging of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land. The wilderness and solitary places will be glad for thee, and the defert will bloffom like the rofe; the desert and barren foul fhall be like Eden, like the very garden of the Lord: joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. God will not contend for ever, he will not be always wroth; but will have compaffion according to the multitude of his mercies; and thou fhalt fee of the travail of thy Redeemer's foul, and fhalt rejoice at the enlargement and increase of his kingdom. This will be thy meat and drink, to do his fovereign will; every one that falls before thee will be a banquet; " Arife, Peter, kill and eat ;" and those who find the breaft of confolation will retail it out to you again this will help to fill the crufe; it will inflame thy zeal, excite gratitude, and ferve as a fpur to thy diligence; infomuch, that thou wilt think by night, and speak by day, and never have worse fuccefs than when you expect to do the greatest exploits: thou wilt fee them melting,

F