of regeneration, and renewing us by the Holy Ghoft. And a wondrous work this is, when all the guilt and filth which we have contracted is done away, and not fo much as a spot or ftain appears; and at which time fuch a glorious crop, called the firft fruits of the Spirit (I mean faith, hope, love, joy, peace, praife, life, and righteoufnefs), fpring up together, and fend forth their fweet fragrance. When the beloved comes into his garden, and eats his pleasant fruits, this work is a moft glorious work. But, as fure as the glory of the latter temple exceeded the glory of the former, fo fure shall the latter rain produce more glorious crop than the former; for what wretched roots, that bear hemlock, gall, and wormwood, ftill remain in the new-born foul! and what accefs the old fountain of all evil, fubtilty, and mischief, hath to his old allies in every believing heart! Who but one could ever fay, "When the prince of this world cometh, he hath nothing in me?" Who can fay, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my fin?" Canaanites and hornets are both in God's hufbandry, though we are fojourners and dwellers with him. But the righteous have bands in their death; and these are the laft fetters that shall ever gall a prisoner of hope; for love is strong as death. And, when charity, which never fails, fhall do her laft good office in this world, the latter rain comes down, and with its irresistible

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power beats down and beats out every root and fibre of the old man, and purges out for ever every fcarlet and crimson stain of fin, and leaves not fo much behind as even the memory of it, then shall faith rife in fight, hope in full enjoyment, and love in her fevenfold heat. And then, but never till then, fhall be brought to pass this faying, "And in that day there fhall be no more the Ca. naanite in the house of the Lord of Hofts." Zech. xiv. 21. To attain to this, we have apprehended Christ, or rather are apprehended of him. This is that which concerns us, and God will perfect it; for he will not leave us until he hath done the thing that he hath spoken to us of: "To your old age I am he; I will bear, I will carry, and will deliver you." But we must be patient for this coming of the Lord. The husbandman waits till he receives the early and latter rain. Thus far, my dear fifter, I have enlarged on this fubject according to your request.

The daily cross is intended to counteract the devices of Satan, the workings of the old man, and the pleafing defires of the flesh. But, for my part, this is not all that I expect in the course of my pilgrimage. No; I expect fome familiar vifits, fresh love-tokens, and confirming renewals, and promised revivals, of the good work, even to the end of my race; for fo it is written, "He shall confirm you unto the end." 1 Cor. i. 8.:

There is a fault, which originates in our igno

rance, and is common to all young believers; and that is, limiting the Holy One of Ifrael, or confining or restraining the Holy Spirit of God to one operation, and that is, his influence of love in cherishing and comforting the foul. While these confolations laft the poor believer thinks all is right, and that the Spirit, as the promised comforter, is upon him, and that he is born again, that his intereft is clear, and his ftate is good; but, when these subside, all is suspected and called into question, and the worst conclusions are often drawn; and fome, as far as they could, have caft away their confidence, and given all up for loft. And in this way Israel of old, and we as well as they, have often difhonoured, yea, rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit, Ifa. lxiii. 10. Now let my dear fifter observe and confider the following remarks. We are told that "prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter i. 21. This fpeaking as they were moved doth not fignify that they fpake what they faw, for they spake many things which they never faw: "Many prophets have defired to fee the things which ye fee, and have not feen them." Matt. xiii. 16, 17. Speaking as they were moved means, that they spake under the impulse and impreffion which they felt: "The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," Gen. i. 2; and "the Spirit of God moved Samfon in the

camp

camp of Dan," Judges xiii. 25. And we know that the testimony of Jefus is the fpirit of prophecy; that, as there were diverfities of motions by the Spirit upon the prophets under the Old Teftament, fo there are diverfities of operations upon the fouls of believers under the New; not only diverfities of gifts by the Spirit, but of influences. So it follows, " Now there are diverfities of gifts, but the fame Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, but the fame Lord; and there are diverfities of operations, but it is the fame God which worketh all in all." 1 Cor. xii. 6. The prophet Jeremiah was to take the wine cup of God's fury at God's hand, and to caufe all nations to drink it. The Spirit moved him with the juft indignation of God. His was truly the burden of the word of the Lord; for most of his prophecies contained heavy judgments. Under this motion of the Spirit the imprecations on the wicked, which fo often occur in the Pfalms, were penned.

Elijah was moved with the jealoufy of God against idolatry, and with power to oppofe it, and with a flaming zeal for God's honour. Hence we read fo much of the fpirit and power of Elias, and of his zeal for the Lord God of Hofts.

Sometimes the Spirit moved them with the influences of divine wrath. Under this motion the prophet Elisha curfed the forty and two children which were devoured by bears; and under the fame

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fame influence Gehazi went out from his prefence a leper as white as fnow.

Sometimes they were moved with the pity and compaffion of the Lord. Under thefe motions the kind invitations, encouragements, and those pathetic commiferations, so often to be met with in the Pfalms, were written.

Sometimes they were moved with the eternal love of God, a sense of his presence, and comfortable communion and fellowship with him. And under this influence Solomon wrote his love fong upon Chrift and his church.

Influenced with the bowels of God's mercy, the prophet Isaiah fet forth and painted the dolorous fufferings of Chrift. Moved with the faithfulness and immutability, the prophets have advanced and enforced the firmness of God's decrees, the stability of his covenant, and the certainty of the eternal falvation of all the elect of God. Thus it appears plain that there were diversities of motions by the Spirit of God upon the prophets; and there are alfo diversities of operations upon all believers. Every grace is of the Holy Spirit's planting; and he is the life of every grace; and the exercise of every grace depends. upon his operation. If this wind blows not, the fpices flow not out. Sometimes the Spirit operates wonderfully in strengthening and supporting the believer, by his might in the inward man. "My heart and my flesh fail, but God is the ftrength

of