be brought by it into Christ Jesus, he is a new creature, old things are done away, and behold all things are become new.

Those who have this faith mind nothing so much as to become more faithful and fruitful in holiness every day. The longer they live, the riper they grow for heaven; and they desire nothing so much as that they may live and die unto God. Their principal aim is to honour his name, and approve themselves acceptable to him in every thing. By this faith they lift up their eyes to God in prayer, and obtain whatever is necessary. When they are low and distressed, this faith will lift up their heads, and fill them with comfort; and in death it will raise their souls into heaven, to a full and perfect possession of all the Redeemer's purchase forever. Dear and blessed faith, come, in a greater degree, into my soul; and go also, in a double portion, into the soul of the friend I write to. And, dearest friend, has not my writing wearied you? I beg your pardon for the length of the last, and in this letter I have repeated the fault to a greater degree. Yet I will think of no apology; none will do, if the weight of its matter will not excuse it.

LXIX.

The world's enmity to religion-compliance with no authority but that of God.

1787, JUNE 26.-As I am not very well this night, being a little indisposed with cold, I should hardly have written to trouble you with an account of our less serviceable health here, though it was your kind desire to be informed about it, if it was not my desire, as well as very much my duty, to know how you and

Mr. Bevan are. All temporal comforts, and the very best of all natural enjoyments, even health itself, which gives life and sweetness to all the rest, are precarious and of uncertain duration, like flowers, which, though sweet, soon fade, and can scarcely bear being blown upon without being blasted.

Such as are wise do well know how much they are obliged to that ancient thing (now almost exploded out of conversation, except for the purpose of ridicule,) called religion; besides which, nothing else can so much as pretend to lay a lasting foundation for inward peace and comfort, and establish our happiness beyond the power of a thousand accidents to disturb or destroy. It is the tendency it has to procure us that endless felicity which the fallen angels lost by their apostasy, that raises so much envy and malice to seduce us from the means and methods of obtaining it; and also the power, purity and perfection of godliness, being so inconsistent with the corrupted disposition of a carnal and earthly mind, which naturally, while yet not thoroughly regenerate, bears a secret dislike, if not an open averseness and enmity to it; insomuch that it is no wonder we find reluctance in ourselves, or meet with opposition from others, to the ways of holiness, till the wrong bias of the natural man is thoroughly overcome and subdued by divine grace. And as we are all conceived and born in sin, those seeds of rebellion or rebellious principles, which we brought in our nature into this world, however covered or refined, and polished they may be with moral qualities or other acquirements, yet still continue irreconcileable to the pure and holy precepts of Jesus Christ, till renewing grace is admitted to have its perfect

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work in the soul. Nay, men are secretly acted and wrought upon by the invisible agents and powers of darkness, so that they not only refuse themselves to comply with, but likewise dislike and oppose the methods of saving grace in others. Hence arise the difficulties that religious men must encounter in their way to the kingdom of heaven, and the necessity of bearing the cross and reproach of Christ. Those who are our very friends, with respect to the interest of this world, are sometimes quite the reverse with respect to the other; and those of our household, as we are told by the Saviour, do sometimes prove our enemies in the spiritual warfare; but we are plainly assured we cannot be his disciples, if we hate not father and mother, when our love to them is not compatible or consistent with the dear Redeemer's favour.

And it is a most admirable instance of divine wisdom, that God does not in his divine law give any power or authority to man, no not to the greatest and highest superiors,over any of the very meanest inferiors in spiritual matters, which concern their souls, and conscience, and eternal salvation, except that of giving such godly counsels and friendly admonitions, as they can lay before them in love, from the word of God. All souls are God's immediate and peculiar property; and he reserved it to himself to be the alone lawgiver and director of them. For which reason the church is called the kingdom of Christ, where he himself only presides as king, to prescribe laws and directions to his people. So that we transgress not in consulting, and in taking the liberty to use, the likeliest means we can think of, agreeably to God's word,for our spiritual safety and improvements, though it should be in a way and manner that

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agrees not with the injunctions of men. kings of the earth have no claim for any further regard from us, than is consistent with the fear of God; much less, can any other claim compliance from us, but with such commands as they can shew a warrant for from holy writ.

This observation condemns not only popish superstitions, but likewise all other rigorous impositions which are merely human, and may help to solve a great many cases of conscience. But I mention it with respect to such persons of tender consciences as may be anxiously afraid of acting criminally, when according to the best of their judgments, they are taking the likeliest methods, agreeable to the holy standards, for securing their greatest concerns, I mean, their eternal life, and for thriving in grace, though it be, not only without the leave, but contrary to the solicitations or positive injunctions, of others; to whom otherwise they owe respect and duty.

Some small inconveniencies bear no comparison with the danger of spiritual decay, without any prospect of thriving, and with the manifest hazard of everlasting salvation. And I think what the greatest of the apostles said, may be properly enough applied here, "If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Gal. i. 10. Perhaps the few late hints from you, may not render what I have written altogether impertinent.

LXX.

How to know our interest in Christ.

1737, JULY 7.-Yours I have received." The subject we talked of to-day, that is, to get Christ for our Saviour and to obtain good evi

dence that he is ours indeed, is, of all others the best and greatest concern, that we can possibly attend to. If we tenderly regard his instructions, and keep his commands as the apple of our eye,-if we esteem him as our pearl and greatest treasure (for to them that believe he is precious)-and if Christ be formed within us, so that our inward man is become modelled more and more according to the Spirit and life of Christ, in humility, holiness, and love, then our confidence may be strong and without wavering, that the beloved is ours, and that we are his. And where there is saving interest in him, it will appear by zealous endeavours to promote the interest of his cause in the world. May we abound in this, that the comfort of it may abide with us, when we have no other. May the Lord be with you, and protect you always, and may we obtain the spirit of zeal and wisdom, to mind the advancement of our dear Redeemer's kingdom in the world, and get our souls into close and constant communion with him, that we may be led, taught and assisted by his grace continually; which are the only solid grounds of present and future comfort.

You are very kind to put me in mind of your good advice, which I often fail to observe; but what you were pleased to mention last I was pretty faithful to, that is, not to be at leisure to listen to temptation, which is one of the best guards against it. When we often and steadily resolve to respect our God, abstractedly from all other considerations, every accident will help us to do so. There is not a more comprehensive lesson in all Christianity, nor any that affords more solid ground of comfort in all circumstances, than to do and design every