not till then, the conflict will cease.

Then we shall

sin no more. The flesh, with all its attendant evils, will be laid in the grave;-then the soul, which has been partaker of a new and heavenly birth, shall be freed from every incumbrance, and stand perfect in the Redeemer's righteousness before God in glory.

But though these evils cannot be wholly removed, it is worth while to enquire, Secondly, How they may be mitigated? This we are encouraged to hope for. The word of God directs and animates to a growth in grace. And though we can do nothing spiritually of ourselves, yet there is a part assigned us. We cannot conquer the obstacles in our way by our own strength; yet we can give way to them; and if we do, it is our sin, and will be our sorrow. The disputes concerning inherent power in the creature, have been carried to inconvenient lengths; for my own part, I think it safe to use scriptural language. The apostles exhort us, to give all diligence to resist the devil, to purge ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, to give ourselves to reading, meditation, and prayer, to watch, to put on the whole armour of God, and to abstain from all appearance of evil. Faithfulness to light received, and a sincere endeavour to conform to the means prescribed in the word of God, with an humble application to the blood of sprinkling, and the promised Spirit, will undoubtedly be answered by increasing measures of light, faith, strength, and comfort; and "we shall know, if we follow on to know the Lord."

I need not tell your lordship that I am an extempore writer. I dropt the consideration of whom I was addressing from the first paragraph; but I now return, and subscribe myself, with the greatest deference, &c.

LETTER CXXXVI.

REV. JOHN NEWTON to MR. B- -. What trials are greatest. The methods of divine grace.

MY DEAREST SIR,

October, 15, 1774.

I think the greatness of trials is to be estimated, rather by the impression they make upon our spirits, than by their outward appearance. The smallest will be too heavy for us, if we are left to grapple with it in our own strength, or rather weakness; and if the Lord is pleased to put forth his power in us, he can make the heaviest light. A lively impression of his love, or of his sufferings for us, or of the glories within the veil, accompanied with a due sense of the misery from which we are redeemed; these thoughts will enable us to be not only submissive, but even joyful in tribulations. When faith is in exercise, though the flesh will have its feelings, the spirit will triumph over them. But it is needful we should know that we have no sufficiency in ourselves, and in order to know it we must feel it; and therefore the Lord sometimes withdraws his sensible influence, and then the buz

zing of a fly will be an overmatch for our patience : at other times he will show us what he can do in us and for us; then we can adopt the apostle's words, and say, I can do and suffer all things through Christ strengthening me. He has said, "My grace is sufficient for thee." It is observable, that the children of God seldom disappoint our expectations under great trials; if they show a wrongness of spirit, it is usually in such little incidents that we are ready to wonder at them: for which, two reasons may be principally assigned. When great trials are in view, we run simply and immediately to our all-sufficient Friend, feel our dependence, and cry in good earnest for help; but if the occasion seems small, we are too apt secretly to lean to our own wisdom and strength, as if in such slight matters we could make shift without him. Therefore in these we often fail. Again, the Lord deals with us as we sometimes see mothers with their children. When a child begins to walk, he is often very self-important; he thinks he needs no help, and can hardly bear to be supported by the finger of another. Now, in such a case, if there is no danger of harm from a fall, (as if he is on a plain carpet,) the mother will let him alone to try how he can walk. He is pleased at first, but presently down he comes; and a few experiments of this kind convince him he is not so strong and able as he thought, and make him willing to be led. But was he upon the brink of a river or a precipice, from whence a fall might be fatal, the tender mother would not trust him to himself, no, not for a moment. I have not room

to make the application, nor is it needful. It requires the same grace to bear with a right spirit a cross word, as a cross injury; or the breaking of a china-plate, as the death of an only son.

I am, &c.

LETTER CXXXVII.

REV. JOHN NEWTON to MRS. W. -.

Variety of God's

methods in the economy of grace.

VERY DEAR MADAM,

I am truly glad that Mr.

July 24, 1766.

and you go on com

fortably. For so I trust you do upon the whole, notwithstanding the incidental workings of unbelief and temptation. These, like fits of the toothach, though troublesome, are not mortal; and only give us painful but necessary conviction of the need we have of a compassionate and almighty Physician. They are like winds to the trees, which threaten to blow them quite down, but in reality, by bowing them every way, loosen the ground about them, circulate the sap, and 'cause them to strike their roots to a greater depth, and thereby secure their standing. If a tree were to grow all upwards, and the roots not to enlarge in proportion to the branches, it would be laid flat upon the ground by the first storm. It is equally unsafe for a believer to be top-heavy; and therefore the Lord suits and changes his dispensations, that, as they increase in

gifts, knowledge, judgment, and usefulness, they may grow downwards likewise, and increase in humility. Since we have been enabled to put ourselves in his hands, let us stand to our surrender, and leave him to carry on his work in his own way. It is a commonly received maxim, that if shortsighted, feeble man were to have the distribution of the weather, we should have but poor harvests. But, indeed, we are as well qualified to direct and manage the seasons of the year, as we are to prescribe what dispensations are most proper to promote the growth of grace in our souls. Rejoice therefore, my dear friends, that " ye are God's husbandry." The early and the latter rain, and the cheerful beams of the Sun of Righteousness, are surely promised to ripen your souls for glory; but storms and frosts likewise are useful and seasonable in their places, though we perhaps may think we could do better without them. In our bright and lively frames, we learn what God can do for us; in our dark and dull hours, we feel how little we can do without him; and both are needful to perfect our experience and to establish our faith. At one time we are enabled to rejoice in God; at another we are seeking after him sorrowing: these different seasons are equally good in their turns, though not equally comfortable; and there is nothing we need fear but security, carelessness, and presumption. To think ourselves rich and increased with goods, or to suppose we are safe a moment longer than while depending upon Jesus, would be dangerous. Let us pray the Lord to keep us from such a mis