WHEN I rode with you from Bristol to Hath, you seemed to be one of a sorrowful spirit. I doubt you look too much into yourself, or strive too much in your own strength. If looking within is such terrible work, we ought to try what looking to Jesus will do, seeing he hath commanded us to run the race set before us, looking to the end of the race instead of looking to sinful self, or to the difficulty of the way. I strove for some years to attain perfection; and when I was brought to see nothing but sin in my nature, then I was led to find myself perfect in another; and what I could not obtain by a deal of hard labour, I found communicated in answer to prayer, which made me more fond of begging at a throne of grace than striving in my own strength.
The path to heaven is rough, but it is both safe and sure. Christ is the path, the guide, and the end; and blessed is that soul who ventures on his faithfulness and truth, and places all his hopes on his blood and righteousness. I have served God now above fifteen years, and have found him one of the best of masters to one of the worst of servants. My faith has often been dashed out of countenance, when his faithfulness has shone like the sun; my hope at times has been just ready to give tip the ghost, when his salvation has been even at the door. Between my own ingratitude and his everlasting love, between the weakness of my faith and the faithfulness and truth of my Lord, I have had many an humbling, many a weeping hour.
I take it for granted your warm old man is yet alive, and in a flourishing condition no doubt, as he has always food or fuel to keep the wretched beggar up; and therefore he is likely, in one sense, to live as long as you will; but the comfort is, he is nailed to the cross. I know he would gladly get from it, but the daily cross will not get from him. No sooner does that condemned criminal struggle for mastery or deliverance, no sooner is he gratified, indulged, or consulted, but on comes the cross on his back; this makes so much chequer work in the Christian's journey, and it must be so, or we should hardly know who is master. The new man walks but when the bones of the old man are racked on the cross, and grace reigns when the old man sits on the dunghill. This wretched neighbour, this develish tenant, must remain under the same roof, for there is no ejecting him out, either by law or gospel; to keep him halting by faith and prayer, is all that can be done or expected: and the Lord hath said, "That grace shall reign through righteousness to life eternal." This being the case we must expect a war all the way, therefore it is in vain to dream of ease; in this world we shall have tribulation; it is enough for us that in the Saviour we shall have peace.
Be diligent in the means of grace, be often at your Bible in times of leisure from business, be fervent in prayer however withstood: God loves a diligent Christian, God loves an importunate beggar. The best faith is that which will take no denial at a throne of grace, when it pleads for that which the Lord has promised to give. My health is but very indifferent at present, and many will be glad when it is worse; but, blessed lie the Lord, "I know in whom I have believed," and that is my comfort in affliction; and indeed that sweetens the bitter cup. Pray tender my kind respects to any friend at Trowbridge, if there be any that know me, or inquire after me; and the same to your spouse unknown, while I remain,
Thine in the path of tribulation,
W. HUNTINGTON.
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