CONTEMPLATIONS

- A SERIES OF LETTERS TO A FRIEND

William Huntington (1745-1813)

LETTER XVIII.

TO THE REV. J. JENKINS, AT THE NEW VICARAGE, LEWES, SUSSEX.

METHINKS I hear thee crying out, "Hast thou but one blessing, O my Father?" Yes, my son, I have many blessings. I have as many spiritual and temporal blessings from my God, and as many curses from hypocrites in Zion, as most men living; and the latter is the consequence of the discriminating effects of the former. "Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice," Psalm cix. 28. I shall now proceed, to take notice of the different distributions and influences of the Holy Spirit. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. And there are differences of administrations [or ministries], but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all," I Cor. xii. 4-6. You see here the different divine names which the Holy Ghost takes to himself. In the distribution of his gifts he styles himself the Spirit; in his different ministries, the Lord; and in his different operations he styles himself God.

Now these his ministerial gifts the holy apostle mentions - "To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues," 1 Cor. 8-10. There is nothing in all these gifts that will infallibly assure or secure everlasting life in heaven to the recipients of them. The kingdom of God stands not in word; neither in the word of wisdom, nor in the word of knowledge. We see many wise enough in the word that were never made wise unto salvation, or who never had the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins; and therefore, however wise they may be in the word, they are ignorant of their own hearts, and of the all-conquering grace of God in Christ Jesus.

Nor doth the word of knowledge, or the greatest gifts of knowledge in the word, secure the heavenly inheritance. "Knowledge puffeth up." Satan knows more of God, of the works of creation, of the efficacy of divine grace in sinners hearts, by his being so often cast out by it; yea, and of the scriptures of truth, the glories of heaven, and of the pains of hell; than all the natural men in the world, put them all together; and yet the weakest believer in all the church of God knows more than be. Men may have all knowledge, and understand all mysteries, and yet be nothing, I Cor. xiii. 2.

Nor is the faith here spoken of, that faith which purifies the heart and works by love; but miraculous faith, or the faith of miracles; which many have had to whose heart it never applied the atonement, nor put on an imputed righteousness; nor did it ever embrace the Son of God, much less bring him into the heart, and give him a dwelling-place there. It is like a faith upon sight, which many had, who, "when they saw his miracles, believed." It is temporary, and for a time - "these for a while believe, and then fall away." This faith has its seat in the judgment and understanding, but not in the heart. It deals with the power of God in its operations, but not with the loving-kindness and tender mercy of God in Christ Jesus. And this power is put forth in working miracles on others, when it does nothing towards the salvation of the possessor of it. And, as it deals not with the loving-kindness and tender mercy of God in Christ, it is nothing in the grand business of salvation; for, "though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing," I Cor. xiii. 2.

Nor is there any salvation in the gifts of healing; such as healing the sick, the lame, the blind, the leper, or the lunatic, by casting out devils. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity," Matt. vii. 22, 23.

Nor is the gift of tongues, or the interpretation of them, any of the things which accompany salvation. This gift has its seat only in the understanding and judgment, and is played off from the tongue; but never reaches the heart nor the affections. Though some value themselves very much upon these things, yet no man will affirm that either Latin, Greek, or Hebrew, can purge the conscience of a guilty and filthy sinner. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal," 1 Cor. xiii. 1. All these things have a tendency to lift men up; unless by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and by his humbling operations, they are counterbalanced, as they were in Paul and others. "It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace," Heb. xiii. 9.

"There are differences or administration, but the same Lord." The Lord the Spirit administers not only different gifts to men, but grace; he administers strength to the weak in faith, increaseth it in them that have no might, making their strength equal to their day. He administers the word to the preachers of it, and light to see into it; wisdom rightly to divide it; boldness to declare it faithfully, without fearing the face of any; zeal in the delivery of it, with lively frames to set off the sweetness and excellency of it, and power to enforce, it; and that with the greatest confidence, from an inward testimony of interest in it. And, without this divine influence of the Spirit, the pulpit would be little better than a pillory, and the world of the ministry quite a slavery; as we see in too many who are obliged to have recourse to country tales and old wives' fables, in order to fill up the time; or else to set up some supposed rival as a scare-bird, and call him an Antinomian, and so belabour him, just to help out; which is done for want of matter, and for want of the divine aid of the Holy Spirit. To these men I have contributed not a little, in thus helping them out at a dead lift.

The Holy Spirit administers different power and authority to men; furnishing some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some evangelists, some teachers, and some to be helps; enabling each in his place to be of some use to the body, the church; that the whole, by the joints of one faith, and of one and the same judgment, and by the bands of love and peace, may be bound together; and that the whole body, holding fast the head, may have nourishment communicated from the head of influence (by the Spirit) to every part of the body; so knitting it together that it may increase in grace and in number with the increase of God. See Col. ii. 19. Every one of these different gifts are of use in the mystical body, when each, with diligence and affection, fills his place. "For, as we have many members in one body, and all numbers have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophesy, let us prophesy according to the proportion [or analogy] of faith; or ministry, let us wait our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfullness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good," Rom. xii. 4-9. Thus doth the Holy Spirit administer different gifts and abilities, and assign men to different work in the church of God, to edify the body, and to keep it together, that there should be no schism in the body, or no renting and dividing the affections of one member from another. And each of these is useful in his place; so that "the hand cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee; nor the foot to the hand, I have no need of thee." Now, as there are differences of administrations, but all these by the same Lord the Spirit, so "there are diversities of operations; but it is the same God which worketh all in all," I Cor. xii. 6.

The divine operations here spoken of are not those which are put forth in persons on whom miracles are wrought; for these, in the general, are only displays of divine power; but the operations of the Spirit in the souls of God's chosen are divers. And the infusing of grace into us, in forming the new man in us, and in keeping and preserving him when formed, requires divers operations. Though the new man, the whole work of grace, is produced at once, at the entrance of the Holy Spirit into the heart (he comes as a spirit or all grace, and a spirit of all supplications); yet it is not perceptible to us but by degrees; nor do I suppose it was, either to the thief upon the cross, who died almost as soon as the new man was formed, nor to the child of Jeroboam, though the work was complete in them both. The first thing that we discover of it is light; this was the first thing that appeared in the old creation, and so it is in the new. And even this entitles us to sonship, though we cannot claim it; such are children of light, and God is the father of lights.

The next thing that is felt is life; and, when this quickening influence is spread through the soul, a mighty famine ensues; we cannot feed upon our former lusts and pleasures; these sweet morsels become bitter, and our former glory in the pleasures or sin becomes our shame. The famine increasing upon us, and former gratifications becoming nauseous, to work we go to get some entertainment (or satisfaction) from our own performances, and labour hard to fill our belly with these husks which the swine can eat; but the poor hungry soul can find no satisfaction in these. However, there is now and then some strange emotions within, and some softening sensations felt; some flying tidings are brought to the mind by the sudden occurrences of different passages of scripture; and often transient beams of light, attended with a sense of soul-dissolving love; but their influences are so sudden, that they are gone before we can hardly relish them, which makes the appetite the keener.

But, when the Holy Spirit discovers Christ to us with all his finished work, and leads the soul forth in faith to embrace and solace itself in his dying love, the new creature comes forth with all its beauty. But we are so taken up with the love and excellency of Christ, and with the unspeakable joys and consolations of the Holy Spirit, that we know but little of the new man; though this would be the only time to observe him, when he is so lively, and the old man appears to be quite banished. But nothing of this can be attended to till spiritual desertions make us doubt and fear; and then matters are examined and sifted over in order to support and arm ourselves against the attacks of Satan. The sad struggles of the old man, also, make us watch and seek, in order to find out the new one; but it is hard to describe him - the head of the new man is knowledge; he is renewed in this, Col. iii. 10.

His eyes are the illuminating anointings of the Holy Spirit giving us an understanding, Rev. iii. 18; 1 John, ii. 27. Without this he sees nothing.

The hands of him are faith and the assurance of it; with these he holds fast, and will not let go, Song iii. 4; Gen. xxxii. 26.

His feet are the actings of faith under the influence of the Spirit; if these are continued he can walk, either upon the waves of the sea, or upon the dry land; but, if these fail, he either halts or sinks; and, whichever it be, in he goes; nor will he venture out again unless the sun shine: either mercy, love, or divine power, must influence him and draw him, before he will attempt to stir abroad again. "We walk by faith" and feeling "not by sight," 2 Cor. v. 7. I say by feeling: for faith stands in the power of God, and it moves in the same; for we are kept up, and kept on, by the power of God through faith; and without this power there is no walking safely. "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe," Psalm cxix. 117.

Righteousness is the robe of this new man, and true holiness his glorious adorning: "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness," Eph. iv. 24. This new man, that I am speaking of, is of divine origin, and of heavenly extraction; he is born of the most Holy Spirit of God. "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John, iii. 6. This principle of grace, which is called the new man, and is promised in the Old Testament under the names of "a new heart and a new spirit," is that which Peter alludes to when he says, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature," 2 Peter, i. 4. The apostle says that this new man is created after the image of him that created him; and therefore it is a creature, and a very holy creature, being created in righteousness.

The heart of this new man is love, for love influences every member of him; hence we are exhorted to "put on charity, the bond of all perfectness," Col. iii. 14; which is the same as to put the new man. Now, as love is the fulfilling of the law, both on the first and the second table; yea, and the gospel too, for charity believeth all things;" the apostle says that this new man is created in righteousness; the heart of this new man being love, and love fulfilling both the law and the prophets, love is the righteousness of this new man.

Moreover, as one member of this new man is faith, so of course this new man must believe also. Observe the following text: "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, accordingly to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith," Rom. xvi. 26. Observe here, it is not called the obedience of men, nor is it called our obedience by faith, or obedience in faith, through this may be true; but the obeyer there spoken of is faith itself, it is the obedience of faith, and this is the obedience of the new man; and, of course, he is created in righteousness, having both faith and love, which fulfil both the laws of faith and of works, and therefore there is no unrighteousness in this new man. And this is a truth, that, as in the justification of our persons the righteousness of Christ is imputed, so in the sanctification of our souls there is a righteous nature imparted. He is created in true holiness in opposition to all ceremonial, negative, spurious, counterfeit, or hypocritical holiness, which is nothing but an outward shew in the flesh.

Every member of this new man is holy, there is real holiness in every part of him; every grace produced in the soul under the operations of the Holy Spirit is holy; hence this new man is called the holiness of God: "God chastens us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness," Heb. xii. 9. That is, after our chastisements are over, which are intended to humble us, God giveth us more grace; for he "resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble," James, iv. 6. Hence trials make this grace shine the brighter, and appear the more conspicuous; for these are intended to weaken and subdue our inbred corruptions, which lust against the Spirit.

The ornaments of this new man, or that with which he is decked, especially when the believer puts them on and appears at court, are meekness and quietude: "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price," I Pet. iii. 3,4. These ornaments are said to be incorruptible. Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit, Gal. v. 23, and exercises itself upon God, after we have been under his chastening hand and are humbled, and the affliction begins to be sanctified to us. These ornaments are worn for many days together at the soul's first espousal to Christ; and are generally continued, more or less, as long as the wedding lasts and the Bridegroom continues to discover his dying love to the bride: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels," Isaiah, lxi. 10. Thus we see that the church ascribes all her attire and her divine decorations to her Lord; he provided both her wedding suit and her heavenly trinkets. He hath clothed us, he hath covered us, and adorned us like a bride with her jewels. Meekness is generally put on upon every undeserved visit that the Lord pays us especially when he restores our souls from our backslidings, or reclaims us from our misdoings, or appears in our behalf in times of trouble, or when he gives us a fresh sight and sense of our interest after some sad days of doubting and fearing. Nay, we never think ourselves, on such occasions, properly dressed without these jewels; these generally attend the kisses that make all up, for they are a satisfactory proof to us of the renewals of love.

Moreover, sore trials contract the heart; and under these contractions a load of grief is conceived, and the heart sets full, and must have vent. Under such circumstances, if legal bondage and a sense of wrath operate, these beget slavish fear; at such times the lips often ease the heart by muttering perverseness, which only hardens and makes the breach wider: but, when meekness operates, all the ashes are poured out at the foot of the altar.

The other jewel is quietness; this springs from fullness, and all fullness of satisfaction in us is according to faith: In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." "Faith puts on a perfect and an all-sufficient righteousness, and fills the soul with joy and peace in believing in it: "The effect of righteousness is quietness and assurance for ever," Isa. xxxii. 17. And the stronger faith is, the more solid the joy; full assurance of faith is fullness of satisfaction; and full satisfaction produces quietude, and sets us down with contentment, thankful for what we have, and envying none.

But this jewel is only worn by the bride whilst she abides with her bridegroom: "My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places," Isa. xxxii. 18. Our quiet resting-places are in the electing love of God the Father, the finished salvation of Christ, and in the work and witness of the Holy Ghost. The soul that is ignorant of these, "is like the troubled sea which cannot rest." But my brother will say, Can the Holy Trinity, with any degree of propriety, be called a place and a resting-place? Yes, "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations," Psalm xc. 1. And I know of no rest nor resting-places for weary souls but these.

The bowels of this new man are described by the apostle; for, whenever the old man is put off and the new man is put on, some of the following things appear: "Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering." Col. iii. 12.

Bowels of mercies are exercised chiefly towards the children of God in trouble, and flow from the influence of love and sympathy; and are only exercised by those who know what soul-distresses are. Kindness is a grace that springs from tenderness, and tenderness springs from life. Souls quickened by the Spirit have keen sensations and tender feelings, which a child of God in distress will easily touch; for grace in one soul claims kindred with grace in another, and will move in consort with it. If one subject of grace suffer, the other suffers; if one be honoured, the other will rejoice; the motions of it will make us weep with them that weep, and rejoice with them that do rejoice. This humbleness of mind, long-suffering, &c. the apostle ascribes altogether to charity, which is the very heart and soul of the new man, and the choicest principle in him: "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth," I Cor. xiii, 4-6.

The daily employ of this new man is hoping and expecting to return to his own native country: "Grace shall reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord," Rom. v. 21. And in this hope and expectation it exercises much patience and long-suffering till it be obtained; for, "if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it," Rom. viii. 25.

The ears of the new man are very wonderful, and cannot be described. But this is a truth; God speaks many words by the Spirit to the soul, or speaks friendly to the church's heart, Hosea ii. 14. And what the Lord speaks is not only felt, but heard and understood, although no sound reaches the ears of the body. Paul, when caught up into Paradise, heard unspeakable words, which it was not possible to utter; and yet he doth not know whether the body was in company or not;" 2 Cor. xii. 8.

To infuse and form this new man in the soul is the work of the Holy Spirit, and so is every renewal and every revival of him, from the first formation of him till perfection in endless glory takes place. "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands," Psalm cxxxviii. 8.

How sensibly felt are the revivals of this good work under the operations of the Holy Ghost! Sometimes by communicating fresh power, all on a sudden, when every thing seems to be falling to decay, and the poor believer is just ready to cast away all confidence, and in his own mind to fall a victim to sin and Satan, concluding all to be lost for ever; then is the divine power of the Spirit put forth in this new creature. "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man," Eph. iii. 16.

Sometimes great communications of light, and fresh discoveries of the love of God in Christ, wonderfully strengthen and inflame the new man. "But mine horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn; I shall be anointed with fresh oil," Psalm xcii. 10.

At other times the uncommon struggles of hope, attended with vigour, earnestness, diligence, liveliness, activity, and uncommon anxiety, after the glory that is to be revealed, appear in this new man. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost," Rom. xv. 13. Every day throughout the believer's whole pilgrimage, does the Holy Spirit revive or renew this new man of grace in one member or another; as it is written, "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but, though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day," 2 Cor. iv. 15, 16.

That which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John, iii. 6. Now it is against the Holy Ghost, in his forming and preserving this new man which is born of the Spirit, that the flesh lusteth. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But, if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law," Gal. v. 17, 18. The way that the Spirit leads us is by influencing and putting fresh strength, life. love, and fervour, in the new man. This new man of grace is a mighty worker while the Spirit keeps renewing of him. I laboured (says Paul) more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me," 1 Cor. xv. 10.

Sometimes we have noble works ascribed to the different members of the new man. We read of the "work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ," I Thess. i. 3. Sometimes faith appears very strong, and performs wonders, especially in times of great need; as we see in David, when he went against the giant of Gath. At other times love labours mightily both to the Lord and to his people: the first may be seen in Mary at the Lord's feet, and the second in Paul to the Corinthians. At other times the patience of hope is very conspicuous in waiting for that which is hoped for. "I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from Jacob, and I will look for him," Isa. viii. 17.

This new man of grace comes from the fullness of Christ in whom all fullness dwells, and out of whose fullness we all receive, and grace for grace. And it is the Spirit that works it in us by his wonderful operation, and he supplies this new man daily; hence we read of a "supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ," Phil. i. 19; that is, the Spirit of Christ supplies us with more grace from Christ, the blessed head of influence.

"Now (says the apostle) if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." They that are under the law have nothing else but lust and corruption working in them, let them talk of spurious holiness as much as they please. "Law was given (says Milton) to evince man's natural pravity, by stirring up sin against law to fight." "The motions of sins, which were by the law [stirred up], did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death," Rom. vii. 5. So that he who is under the law is destitute of that new man, and of course has nothing but sin in him.

He may at times feel rebukes, checks, and lashes within; which he may, and many do, call the old man of sin: but this is a mistake; it is not an enemy, but a friend; not the old man of sin, but honest conscience doing his duty, buffeting the sinner for his hypocrisy. So, on the other hand, a hypocrite may, at times, find a little calm of peace and tranquillity in his mind, which he may call the new man, and I believe thousands do so: but as the former is nothing but natural conscience accusing, so the latter is nothing but natural conscience excusing, according to the light of nature.

For, even under this calm of peace and tranquillity, there is no godly sorrow flowing out to God; no condemning, hating, and abhorring self; nor any real tears of pious grief, mourning over a suffering Saviour; no repentance towards the Lord, nor heartfelt gratitude to him, nor real thanks and praises for his long-suffering, undeserved, and unexpected clemency.

Such men's peace springs from a cessation of arms with Satan; they have had a few days' respite, in which the devil has not wallowed them in the mire; and, during, this interval, they have done something for God, and of course he must be pleased with them. All this takes its spring from self, and centres in self, and there such faith stands; for he has no trust but in his own heart; look to Jesus he cannot, because there is no good thing in him toward the Lord God of Israel: whereas the believer looks to Jesus, depends on his arm, and views his own heart worse than Satan himself-being "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked," Jer. xvii. 9. The believer knows that he can stand no longer than while the Lord upholds him; if he withdraw his supporting hand he is sure to sink, and when sunk he despairs of all help in his own arm, or in his own heart; he knows that nothing can recover him but a propitious look from his dear Lord, or a restoring visit from him, or a fresh discovery by faith of his dying love, attended with the reviving and renewing operations of the Holy Spirit of promise.

"The flesh lusteth against the Spirit" in behalf of, and to be gratified in, its own delightful fruits; which the apostle mentions: which are, "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditious, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings," &c. Gal. v. 19-21. Some of these are sins which easily beset the child of God; they often intrude themselves into his mind; yea, even when he would do good some of these are present with him: nor is the believer without his slips and falls in one way or other. But still he is not a servant of sin; for they that are the servants of sin are "free from the righteousness," Rom. vi. 20. Such are free to sin, and free from all righteousness; which the believer never is. He is a servant of righteousness, and doth serve both in faith and love. And, though he does not live without sin, being in one sense still in the flesh, yet sin is neither his element nor his service. "For, though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh," 2 Cor. x. 3; but war against it. Nor are the sins of believers called service, for they have no wages for it, neither present pleasure nor endless death, which are all the wages that a servant of sin gets. He may be brought "into captivity to the law of sin, which is in his members," Rom. vii. 23. But a captive and a servant in this matter widely differ.

The apostle, having called the whole mass of inbred corruptions the fruits of the flesh and a body of sin, he also assigns different sins as so many different members of this monstrous body, in allusion to the body of a man. "Mortify, therefore, your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry," Col. iii. 5.

So, on the other hand, he calls the principle of implanted grace the new man. And, as this new man is formed by the Holy Spirit, and consists of different graces, so the apostle calls these the fruits of the Spirit, in opposition to the other, which he calls the fruits of the flesh. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law," Gal. v. 22, 23. Now all these, strictly speaking are not graces of the Spirit; but fruits and effects of his operation: for gentleness, long-suffering, and temperance, may be exercised, and often are exercised, by men in a state of nature. Some, who are inured to sufferings, may and do suffer with much patience; others are naturally temperate; and others as gentle, easy, and unmoved, who have no fear of God before their eyes. But those that are the reverse of these are made so by grace. When the wolf is taught to dwell with the lamb, and the lion to lie down with the kid, then these things are attended to, and men exercise themselves in them in the fear of God.

Nor are all the graces or fruits of the Spirit mentioned in that catalogue. Fear, patience, zeal, and hope, are fruits of the Spirit and so are contrition, godly sorrow, humility, repentance, &c. Now, as the new man is composed of these manifold graces, so the Holy Spirit, by his powerful operations, enlivens, strengthens and draws forth into exercise, first one and then another, as seemeth good to him. Sometimes he strengthens faith, and fortifies the mind with such might and power, that the excellency and the power appear so conspicuously to be of God, that the man is quite above himself. "But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin," Micah, ii.i. 8.

Again, when we are led to defend any truth that is opposed, and it pleases the Holy Spirit to instruct, settle, and establish the children of God in them, be not only gives you light into the truth, and brings text after text to the mind to support and confirm it, but fires the soul with such zeal, that we are clad with it as with a cloak. "My zeal hath consumed me; because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. Thy word is very pure; therefore thy servant loveth it," Psalm cxix. 139, 140.

At other times faith shall be influenced with such power and activity, that the soul can tell beforehand something of the success that shall attend the word. "When, therefore, I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I come unto you into Spain. And I am sure that, when I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ," Rom. xv. 28, 29.

Sometimes one grace shall appear predominant, and sometimes another; as patience in Job; meekness, as in Moses; godly sorrow, as in Hannah; jealousy for God's honour, as in Elijah; contrition, as in David; and sometimes love, as in Paul - "I am not only ready to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.". All these move and act as the Holy Spirit operates in them; he enlivens and invigourates them; but, without a divine breeze, there is neither motion nor emission. "Awake, O north wind, and come, then south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits," Song iv. 16.

If my dearly beloved brother will observe these things, he will perceive much more than I can describe; and he will find the different frames that he is cast into to be wonderfully suited to the work then in hand. To the Thessalonians Paul was a nurse; to Timothy an affectionate father; to the Corinthians God made him humility and meekness; to the false apostles an invincible champion; to the weak he was a babe in grace; to the Jews straitened as under the law; to the Gentiles as one guided alone by conscience; to the wise and discerning he was the chiefest apostle; and to Alexander and Elymas the sorcerer he was a lion. "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some," I Cor. ix. 22.

Well may the apostle say "there are diversities of operations;" for they are diverse and innumerable too; yea, and often various in one day. Life, contrition, and sorrow, for morning prayer; a sweet flow of Gratitude soon after for a thank-offering; upon the back of this comes a promise in due season, increasing faith then a smiling Providence turns up, that makes the bowels yearn; next comes a letter bringing good tidings, and blessing God for the instrument, and for the power of divine grace put forth; this fires the soul with fresh zeal for the work. Then comes a poor soul telling the dreadful tale of the plaque of leprosy breaking out in the house; these touch your love and sympathy. Next comes in a word, and opens out a large field of hidden treasures, pearls and jewels for Zion. And, last of all, comes in an arch hypocrite, appearing to be some great one, when he is nothing, with all the art and craft imaginable to impose upon your judgment; 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 observe these things, and he will have some insight into this bessed promise - "I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day," Isaiah, xxvii. 3.

The new man is fed by prayer, by reading, by meditation, by hearing the word, and by conversing 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 those confused jumbles upon free-will, enforced by those who have not been emptied of self, but are settled upon their lees, and those violent shouts from the top of the mountain, not of Zion, but of Sinai: none of these entertain the new man; it is not such tidings as these that bring him, nor does the Spirit, who forms him, accompany such. God gives "testimony to the word of his grace." The new man feeds upon power. You read of strength by the Spirits 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, refreshes him, and renews him. He gathers his myrrh with his spice. Myrrh is a bitter potion to the old man, but it never hurts the new one. Spice comes after the myrrh has had the desired effect. But this sweet scent is no more pleasing to the old man than the myrrh; the bitterness of trials mortifies the old man, and so 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 sweets that are hid in them; divine love, and the comforts that attend it; are the sweet provisions of the new man. The old man, with all his members, Paul describes; and those very evil things of which he is composed are the things that feed, entertain, and gratify him. When he is fed, then the new man is starved, and leanness enters into the soul. So of the manifold graces infused or wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit is the new man composed, and by those very things of which he is composed is he fed. His divine origin is God, and therefore called the divine nature. His mansion is Christ Jesus, in whom all fullness of grace dwells, and from whose fullness all grace is received. Fresh supplies from the same fullness, by the Holy Ghost feed him and keep him alive; and under no other preaching but that of preaching Christ; and it must be Christ revealed and made known in the soul of the preacher. Under such, and under no other, can this new man be fed and nourished; and this many know by sad experience, who are seeking water and there is none, and their tongues are failing for thirst. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

And so says your companion in travail,

W. HUNTINGTON.