that the Lord could provide me with whatever he saw needful; and I trusted, that if he kept me dependent upon himself, and desirous to live for his service only, he assuredly would do so. I have as yet seen no cause to repent it. I live upon his promise; for as to any present ways or means, every thing here below is so uncertain, that I consider myself in the same situation with the birds of the air, who have neither storehouse nor barn. Today I have enough for myself, and something to impart to them that need; as to futurity, the Lord must provide; and for the most part I can believe he will. I can tell you, however, that now and then my heart is pinched; unbelief creeps in, and self would much rather choose a strong box, or what the world calls a certainty, than a life of absolute dependence upon the providence of God. However, in my composed hours I am well satisfied. Hitherto he has graciously taken care of me; therefore may my heart trust in him, and not be afraid.

Consider, my friend, the Lord has done well for you likewise. He has settled you peaceably in a good and honourable interest; he has now answered your prayers, in giving you a partner, with whom you may take sweet counsel, one that will help and strengthen you in your best desires. Beware, therefore, of that reasoning which might lead you to distrust the Lord your God, or to act as if you did. You complain that there is too much of an expensive taste among some persons in your congregation. If you set yourself to discountenance this, and should at the same time too closely shut up your hands, they will be ready to charge you with being governed by the same worldly spirit, though in another form. If you have been hitherto tender and bountiful to the poor, and should make too great and too sudden an alteration in this respect, if the blame should not fall upon you, it probably

would upon your wife, who, I believe, would be far from deserving it. If the house which has been opened to the poor in former times, should be shut against them, now you live in it, would it not lead the people's thoughts back? Would it not open the mouths of those who do not love your ministry, to say, That, notwithstanding all your zeal about doctrines, you know how to take care of your own interest, as well as those whom you have thought indifferent and lukewarm in the cause of the gospel? Would it not? But I forbear. I know you need not such arguments. Yet consider how many eyes are upon you, watching for your halting. Now, at your first setting out, is the proper time seriously to seek the Lord's directions, that you may, from the beginning, adopt such a plan as may be most for your own comfort, the honour of your character as a minister, the glory of him who has called you, and the edification of your people. It is easier to begin well, than to make alterations afterwards. I trust the Lord will guide and bless you in your deliberations. And, for my own part, I am not in the least afraid, that you will ever have cause to blame me for the advice I have given, if you should be disposed to follow it.

I have given you my opinion freely, and perhaps with an appearance of more strictness than is necessary. But I would apply our Lord's words in another case to this: "All men cannot receive this "saying; he that is able to receive it, let him re"ceive it." If the Lord has given you this confidence in his word, you are happy. It is better than the possession of thousands by the year.

I am, &e.

LETTER II.

Extract of a Letter to a Student in Divinity.

Dear Sir,

THE subject of your last is important. I can sympathise with your anxiety, having known much of it myself, and therefore willingly devote iny first leisure to your service. But shall indeed condole with you? or shall I rather congratulate you on the perplexity you complain of? I know it is not pleasing; but I hope it will be sanctified and profitable to you.

Though I am no enemy to the acquisition of useful knowledge, I have seen many instances of young men who have been much hurt by what they expected to reap advantage from. They have gone to the academy humble, peaceable, spiritual, and lively; but have come out self-wise, dogmatical, censorious, and full of a prudence founded upon the false maxims of the world. I have been ready to address them with that line of Milton:

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If thou art he-But ah! how fall'n !"

I do not mention this as the necessary fault of the institution, but as the frequent effect of notions too hastily picked up, when not sanctified by grace, nor balanced by a proportionable depth of spiritual experience. I am therefore glad to hear, that notwithstanding the advantages you have had in the pursuit of your studies, you feel an inward conviction, that you still need something which you cannot receive from men, or books, in order to complete your fitness for the ministry; that you may be a workman that needs not to be ashamed,'

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and enabled rightly to divide (to distinguish and distribute) the word of truth.

It seems to me a point of more curiosity than use, to inquire too nicely into the modus of the Holy Spirit's assistance in the composure and delivery of sermons. If we cannot exactly state the boundaries between what we may deem the result of our own thoughts, and the needful influence of the Holy Spirit, it seems a safe way to give him the honour of the whole, "and to attribute nothing to ourselves but our infirmities. If we have a capacity, means for improvement, diligence to make use of those means, and if that diligence is attended with any degree of success; may we not acknowledge, that the former links of this chain are the effect of his goodness and favour, no less than the latter?

To the question, How far is it lawful to expect this assistance? I answer, It is lawful very far, even to lay the whole stress upon it, so as to be firmly persuaded that we can neither meditate nor speak to purpose without it; that if we have not this assistance, whatever else we have, or may think we have, we shall but "darken counsel by "words without knowledge." For this, I think, I have warrant in John xv. 5. If any person supposes he has so far mastered a system of divinity, that though he can indeed do better with the Spirit's assistance, yet he can make a tolerable shift without it, I envy him not this attainment.

But if the question intends, How far a dependence upon the Holy Spirit may lawfully supersede the use of means? I answer, not in the least.The blessing and the means are so closely united, that they cannot be separated. The blessing may be surely expected, if diligently sought in the use of proper means, and we have no just reason to expect it without them. But to clear up the whole,

let it be considered, What may deserve the name
of diligence in this matter? and what are the pro-
per means?

By diligence, I understand spiritual diligence.
Such an active, improving, industrious habit, as
is peculiar to a heart impressed with some real-
abiding sense of the love of God, the worth of souls,
the shortness of time, and the importance of eter-
nity. Without this turn of mind, though a man
should spend sixteen hours every day, in his study,
he may be a mere trifler. The greatest part of his
application will be spent on what is least necessary,
and his knowledge will chiefly prove of that sort
which puffeth up, without communicating any real
benefit: Gen. xli. 21. Psalm cxxvii. 2.

The chief means for attaining wisdom, and suit-
able gifts for the ministry, are, the holy Scriptures,
and prayer. The one is the fountain of living wa-
ter, the other the bucket with which we are to
draw. And I believe you will find, by observa-
tion, that the man who is most frequent, and fer-
vent in prayer, and most devoted to the word of
God, will shine and flourish above his fellows.
Next to these, and derived from them, is medita-
tion. By this, I do not mean a stated exercise
upon some one particular subject, so much as a dis-
position of mind to observe carefully what passes
within us and around us; what we see, hear, and
feel, and to apply all for the illustration and con-
firmation of the written word to us.
In the use
of these means, and an humble dependence upon
the Lord in all the changing dispensations we pass
through, our spiritual experience will enlarge; and
this experience is the proper fund of our ministe-
rial capacity, so far as it may be considered inhe-
rent in us: Prov. xvi. 23. Matth. xiii. 52. 1 John

i. 3.
These means are of universal importance. The