To his Daughter Mary, wishing grace, mercy, and peace, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I was sorry to hear that thou hadst been ill, and that thy cough was worse; I have called every Tuesday on the Widower to know how Mary did, and the last time I called was informed thou wast better. A daily cross is appointed for all those who are ordained to wear the crown, "If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him." The cross is intended to mortify and subdue the old man, that the new man may be uppermost; and the new man oft appears, when the old man is the most debased.
Sometimes liveliness appears, "In all these things is the life of my spirits;" sometimes meekness appears, sometimes deep humiliation, sometimes self-abhorrence, sometimes contrition, sometimes godly sorrow, sometimes hope of better days, sometimes gratitude to God, and sometimes strong faith that we shall never be moved. Mary, observe these things, and thou shalt understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.
Faith exercises itself on the various attributes and perfections of God, and our sensations under them are various also. Faith in the law, and in the justice of God, brought fearfulness and trembling upon David. Faith in the holiness of God made Isaiah cry out, "Wo is me." Faith in his anger and terrible majesty, sinks us in deep waters where there is no standing. Faith in the sure mercies of God in Christ Jesus melts the soul, and softens the heart like wax before the flame, and fills it with the deepest compunction. But faith in the eternal love of God, displayed in the gift of Christ Jesus, swallows up all, this sinks us into nothing, into the drop of a bucket, or the small dust of a balance. But so it is, "We have believed," says John "the love that God hath to us; God is love." This love is brought into the heart by the Spirit; " We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith;" this faith in the love of God is the highest act of faith that ever was acted in this world, and the effect of it is most wonderful, for "He that loveth dwelleth in God, and God dwelleth in him."
Oh! stupendous grace, unparalleled condescension; and such humiliation in the Almighty as the heart of man could never conceive but by the Holy Spirit. But though he be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; he humbleth himself to behold the things done in heaven, and to dwell with the contrite upon the earth. These things, my dear daughter, the universal profession of the present day knows nothing of, and yet there is no salvation without them; but, "We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen," and but few, very few, receive our witness, John iii. 11. Those that do receive it, set to their seal that God is true; true to his word, though it be published by a Coalheaver.
Dear daughter, farewell; be of good cheer, be of good comfort keep Christ and conscience in friendship, and the devil himself shall never dissolve the union. So I write and so you believe.
Ever thine in him,
W. HUNTINGTON.
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