in goodness and truth; who pardoneth iniquity, transgression, and sin; who will not keep his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Daily observations of the judgments of God abroad in the earth; of his daily care of his children; of the kind providence of God displayed; of various crosses and trials, and of hourly deliverances from them; and of the various frames and changes that pass on the heaven-born soul, serve to furnish the heart with matter for confession, prayer, and praise. So that, if we will observe these things, we shall not only understand the lovingkindness of the Lord, but we shall find observations enough to furnish our heart with thoughts, and fill our mouth with arguments.

Your second letter arriving before I could finish this, obliges me to make the insolvent debtor's request; "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all." In the mean while, the Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord lift up the. light of his countenance upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; and the Lord give thee peace! So prays,

Dear Brother,

Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ,

W. H

LETTER VIII.

To the Rev. MR. HUNTINGTON.

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,

BEING well persuaded of your skill in casuistical divinity, I presume to send you the following question for your investigation: it has very much puzzled my mind; and it is this,

When we are tempted to doubt of our interest in Christ, and call our state into question, from whence doth this arise? Is it the temptation of Satan that causes us to doubt? Or does it spring from the corruption of our hearts, and infirmity of the flesh, which causes these misgivings within, when we are in a dark frame, and deserted by God?

Now it appears to me that it is our infirmity, from what I can gather from the experience of Asaph, in the Psalms. But, when I read the account of Satan's tempting our Lord in the wilderness, to doubt of his sonship, I am led to think it is a temptation of the devil.

I find my mind much puzzled between these two things, and greatly at a loss which to attribute it to: whether it is the work of Satan, or

the fault and infirmity of the flesh; and whether it is not dishonourable to God; and sinful, as well as distressing to our souls, and destructive to our peace and comfort.

An answer to these questions, dear sir, will greatly oblige one who does not ask out of any vain curiosity, but really from a point of conscience. I should be sorry to trespass on your time, purposely to satisfy an idle speculation. Your time is precious; and, doubtless, can be better employed.

I write in this letter with reference to a sound believer, who has known what the bondage of the law is, and also the liberty of the gospel; one who enjoys familiarity with God, and freedom at a throne of grace, though, at times, he may be subject to some misgivings, in a fit of unbelief, when under the hidings of God's countenance, while exercised with a sore temptation, and buffeted by Satan.

That the brightest saint is sometimes subject to some little misgivings and scruples of heart, I have no doubt you will readily grant: but I want to know from whence these things arise, and the causes thereof, in a real child of God.

I can easily account for the doubts of a soul under convictions, struggling in the chains and bondage of the law; for his life is one continued scene of doubting, because he has no assurance of his life, nor ever had; but it is not so with one who has felt the pardoning love of God.

If you, my dear sir, think my petition worth a thought, and not beneath your notice; and can spare room to insert an answer in your valuable publication intituled, The Epistles of Faith; you will greatly oblige

To my inquisitive disciple's question, his unskilful master sendeth his opinion, greeting.

I

DEAR SIR,

BELIEVE the brightest, and best of Christians, are at times subject to doubts and misgivings, especially those who have had a deep view, and a keen sense, of the deceitfulness of their own heart; which has appeared to be such a desperately wicked thing, that they can neither trust it, nor entertain a charitable opinion of the soundness of it, even when God has purified it by the grace of faith.

When Satan made an attempt upon the Sa viour, he failed: he could not raise a doubt in his mind, because the father of lies had not got in him his darling daughter, sin, to cohabit with; therefore there could be neither conception nor production. In Christ was no sin: his human nature was an holy thing; therefore, when the prince of this world came, he found nothing in him.

The Saviour's human nature was not only free from all sin, consequently, free from unbelief, one of the worst, if not the greatest sin, but the fulness of the Spirit was upon him also: and he was full of grace and truth; and did discover unparalleled love, and the fullest assurance of faith in God, all his days, together with every other grace. And though it is said, he "Was heard, in that he feared," Heb. v. 7; yet it was not a sinful fear, but the grace of fear, that he exercised: "A servant feareth his master," Christ was God's honourable servant, Isa. xlii. 1; and the spirit of the fear of the Lord did rest upon him, Isa. xi, 2, 3. Against this holy thing, anointed with all the fulness of the Holy Ghost, and full of grace and truth, which human nature was united to the person of the Son of God, Satan could do nothing. But then, you will say, how came Satan to prevail over Eve, who was pronounced good, and who stood in Adam's image? "The woman," says Paul, "is the image of the man," and no doubt but she partook of the image