thize with you; for I have had enough of this falfe fire caft amongst my fheaves, which I fowed in tears, and reaped in joy, Pfal. cxxvi. 5. But this be fure of, that all thofe perfons who communicate a narrow contracted spirit to a flock, or fix prejudice on the minds of fimple fouls, who divide the affections of a fociety, and scatter difcord among them, are seedsmen of Satan; for God hates that man, and holds him in abomination, that foweth discord among brethren, Prov. vi. 19. If you watch thofe dividers and fcatterers, you will fee their joy counterfeited, their love feigned, their matter borrowed, and their way in God's fold to be by hypocrify, craftiness, and the cunning art of the devil. It is not coming in by the door, but climbing up like a thief or robber. If God giveth

thee a difcerning eye, thou will fee a fallen countenance (which is a certain indication of a guilty conscience) through all the mafque of their feigned love; but if you stand fast in Christ Jesus, your face will shine, and God will appear the health of your countenance, Pfalm xlii. 11; and that with the power which attends the word will establish you as a minister of Chrift in the confciences of those discerning Christians who hear you, 2 Cor. iv. 2. The light troop that followeth him fhews what spirit the leader is of. It has been a grief to my very foul when I have seen a person, whom I had great reason to believe was a hypocrite, fond of me; alas, faid I, furely I am of the world; for this worldling loves me! but foon God has turned his heart

to

to hate me, and to deal fubtilly with my foul. I blefs God for the world's hatred, and I blefs God for a faint's love. Be not aftonished at his gifts; a musician can play at any time, if he has but the use of his hands; and a minister, with a gift only, is compared to an inftrument without life, giving found he can play when he pleases, if he has but the use of his tongue. However, Paul knew what it was to want a door of utterance; yea, and what it was to go bound in the Spirit; and Ezekiel knew what it was to be dumb before a whole audience, and what it was to have his mouth open to him that efcaped; and if this man is never burthened with the crofs, if never bound in fpirit, if never on the mount, if always alike, he has no changes: therefore he fears not God; he only stands in the teftimony of men, feeds on human applause, and is furnished for the pulpit by commentators. I have nothing to say against the found writings of good men, but you must get your divinity from Chrift, as thofe good men did; or elfe you must confess at laft, with the prophet's fon, Alas, master, it was borrowed! I have heard fome preach found difcourfes, which I have admired; and when I have been in converfation with them, it appeared plain that they never had experienced any thing they faid: the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. Leave off that way of gadding from houfe to house; you will get as dry as a flick; be in prayer and in ftudy day and night: he favours most of Christ in the pulpit who lives the nearest

to

to him in private. If the love of the Father, the grace of the Saviour, and the teftimony of the Spirit be in you, you will be found in the Trinity, without puzzling your head with fchool notions, fome of which are not found: If you err in the fountain, every ftream will run corrupt. What God reveals in his word, ftand in; and where God has fixed you, there ftand faft, and give place to none; and fee that you do not difgrace in life, what you recommend in word: and when you fee fheepftealers [for erroneous men are called wolves in fheep's cloathing], breaking over God's hedges, do not act the part of a dumb dog, Ifai. lvi. 10. but bark, and bite too; for God makes us fharpthreshing instruments, having teeth, Ifai. xli. 15: as flails, we must keep beating; and as we have teeth we must use them; but only with the wolves and and the foxes, who come to fteal the lambs. Grace be with thee.

Ever thine,

W. H.

LETTER

LETTER IX.

To Mr. C. G. Pilgrim-Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Dear Sir,

I RECEIVED your's, and am glad to hear of the mercy of God revealed in you, through Christ Jefus. For my part, I wish there were more preachers of Jefus than there are :And as God has given you the knowledge of falvation by the forgiveness of your fins, you are far beyond one half of the preachers that are fent out in our days, who feem to be entire strangers to it; therefore very improper persons to sympathize with burdened finners, describe the pardon of fin with the peace that attends it, or enforce it either with confiftency or authority. Such are ministers sent of men; and where God fends one, these send a dozen. If a man be pardoned, like Isaiah, he can preach forgiveness. The pardoned finner has received the atonement; God has revealed his Son in him; and if a door be opened in a way of providence, he may bear his name among the Gentiles; and let him watch the hand of God, to fee if he makes known the favour of his name in any place by his inftrumentality. Pardon is always attended with peace; they go together. If the Saviour fays, Son, thy fins are forgiven thee-he adds, Go in peace: and what

your

what is a minister of Jefus, but an Ambassador of Peace? Where the Lord applies a pardon, he reveals an everlasting righteousness :-pardon and juftification always attend each other; and the preacher that is a juftified man, like Noah, like him he is a preacher of Righteoufnefs. Pardon is followed with the comforts of the Holy Ghoft, which you seem to have the experience of; and if you endeavour to comfort others with the fame comfort with which you are comforted of God, you are a minister of the Spirit, not of the letter. With respect to the approbation or disapprobation of men, it is not always to be depended upon. The omniscient God has referved infallibility to himself; to him you must stand or fall. Study to fhew felf approved of God.-It is his testimony and approbation that must both fortify you and fix you. Churches have fent out hundreds that God never fent, nor owned. But a man pardoned and juftified of God is a true witness for God, whether men approve or disapprove. It is not enough to be chosen and approved of by a church; a man must make his own calling and election fure to falvation and to the miniftry and it is God's choice and approbation of the man, that fhall establish him and keep him ftanding, when his friends may change their voice, and cry, Away with him. The majority of a church often look more at gifts than .grace; and speak as they are affected or difaffected to the perfon, without having respect to his acquaintance with the power of godlinefs; which alone

can