Epistles of Faith

Letter XXVIII

William Huntington (1745-1813)

T0 THE REV. MR. HUNTINGTON, PADDINGTON.

Dear Sir,

SEVERAL attempts have I made to write you a few lines, but hitherto Satan hindered me: albeit, I am determined now, by the help of God, to perform it, although my labour should he in vain in the end. What I wish to mention to you is, that the Lord hath been pleased of late to bring to my remembrance wonderful deliverances, which he wrought for my soul in times past; and hath showed me the way of which himself alone hath been leading me, in order to humble me. Much of the depravity and vileness of my nature hath been plowed up; and which the tempter had been working up, in order to stir up prejudice and enmity, even against some of the household of faith, with whom I am not worthy to be called a fellow-servant. Here was I, shut up in prison, and groping in the dark, when you lately preached on Matthew xviii. the 23d and following verses; pointing out the Lord's dealings, from first to last, with the ten thousand talent debtor; and, by him, his dealings with me also: and, blessed for ever be the name of Jesus, who, in tender compassion, now came with a visit to me, and made a way for my escape out of the snare of the fowler; so that I began to rejoice with trembling. However, I still feel myself exposed perpetually to his hellish subtlety; but the Lord my God is able to keep me; and his grace is sufficient to melt down this wretche4l hardness of heart, and to reign over the power and prevalency of my unbelief.

The sermon I refer to was blessed to many others also, as I am well informed; and who desire much to see it printed. Let me therefore request the favour, sir, that you will include the substance of it in the Epistles of Faith you propose shortly to publish.

I suppose you need not be reminded how the Arminians will ever pervert this scripture by their false glosses, and handle it as an instrument to work mischief, and cast it as a stumbling-block in the way of thousands weak in faith. Seeing it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, I hope you will grant this my petition in the behalf of poor confined debtors. And may the Spirit of the Lord God evermore rest upon you, anointing you, and enabling you, under Christ, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound. For the sake of him who loved and died for sinners, remember at the throne of grace,

Your Fellow-Servant,

A PRISONER OF HOPE.