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Title: The Voice of Faith in the Valley of Achor: Vol. 1 [of 2] - being a series of letters to several friends on religious subjects
Author: Church, John
Language: English
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OF ACHOR: VOL. 1 [OF 2]***
Transcribed from the 1820 (second) R. Thomas edition by David Price,
email ccx074@pglaf.org
[Picture: Public domain book cover]
THE
VOICE OF FAITH,
IN THE
_Valley of Achor_:
BEING A
Series of Letters
_TO SEVERAL FRIENDS_,
ON RELIGIOUS SUBJECTS.
* * * * *
By Ruhamah.
* * * * *
_SECOND EDITION_.
* * * * *
SOUTHWARK;
PRINTED BY R. THOMAS, RED LION STREET, BOROUGH.
1820.
* * * * *
LETTER I.
_Valley of Achor_, _Aug._ 10, 1818.
To Mr. K—G.
DEAR SIR.
MANY thanks for the loan of the invaluable books, containing the last
fragments of the late venerable and spiritual JENKINS, of Lewes.—Surely
it may be said with propriety, “He being dead yet speaketh,” but it is
only to those who are taught of God. We speak, says the Apostle, to wise
men, not to unhumbled, unrenewed, carnal men, nor to mere nominal
professors, nor to those who are barely resting in a form of words, tho’
sound—such persons cannot digest the experimental truths they contain;
there was a time once when they would not suit me, but I have found them
exceedingly precious; nor do I think that tried man had a sensation, a
trial, a grief, a temptation, an enemy, a sin, a corruption, a fear, a
doubt, or misgiving, but what the Lord has permitted me to feel; nor do I
think he was favored me with one token or pleasing hope, an help, a
deliverance, a gracious smile, or a display of the divine faithfulness,
in the application and fulfilment of the promises, but the Lord has also
indulged me with similar mercies. I must recommend them to the poor of
Christ’s flock who wait on and for the Lord, till pardoning mercy is
revealed with some power.—I know you are anxious to learn how I go on in
soul matters, this is the main concern with you and with all my real
friends in Christ. I have now no other way left to inform you
satisfactorily, but by letter, and I certainly could fill volumes on the
subject of my daily experience of the teachings of the ever blessed
Spirit; nor have I any objection to make this subject known to you, and
to all those who are concerned for my best interest: this is the
principal point, to exalt the Lord Jesus, in the grand displays of _his_
grace to the most unworthy—and I can say to _his_ glory, _he_ has, I
trusts most effectually humbled me in the dust, laid me low, shewed me
such views of sin as I never saw before, and quickened my soul to feel
what it never so sensibly and deeply felt before. I do experience that
the tendency of _his_ gracious influences meeken, soften, and humble the
heart; rendering it also teachable and grateful. This I could
demonstrate by reciting a variety of experiences I have been favored
with, but I pass by numbers, to relate one in particular, that I can
never forget in this and a coming world.
After I had been in this furnace some weeks, in which I felt as others do
in similar cases, much grief, anger, rebellion, and discontent, but not
quite without a spirit of prayer, that I might be favored with the very
gracious visits of the Saviour, and a sense of God’s approbation in my
own soul, though despised by others. I entreated the Lord to shew me the
exceeding sinfulness of sin, as well as I could bear it, for I am
convinced no man could ever behold sin in all its malignity, none but the
God-Man could bear that—yet I desired to see sin as most abominable in
God’s sight. These petitions were in time answered; the Lord led me to
reflect deeply in my retired moments, on the nature of sin, original and
actual.—This knowledge of it increased, till one evening, being alone, I
was most completely overpowered with a solemn stillness of spirit, a view
of sin, my own sins of heart, lip, and life; these crouded in my mind. I
felt guilty. I stood condemned. I had a fearful apprehension of God’s
just displeasure; all was dark within, except sin and the anger of
God—these were clear enough; horror overwhelmed me, and I sunk low at the
footstool of divine mercy; I feared, I trembled, I was brought low, I was
troubled. I saw nothing of a Saviour, though I had so often preached
about him. Head notions were nothing now—past experience was hid, and
every gracious promise of the Bible was closed up for a time. What a
state to be in! But I believe this was drinking of the bitter cup our
Saviour drank so deeply: this was, in one sense, being crucified with
Christ, and having fellowship with him in his sufferings. These feelings
will give a man a real understanding of all those texts which refer to
soul trouble, in the book of Job, the Psalms of David, the feelings of
Jeremiah, and perhaps, what Paul felt during the three days he was
without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. These feelings will make
me sympathize with the soul that is afflicted, and experiences the
terrors of the Almighty.
But I do esteem it among my many special favors, that this did not
continue but part of a night. I sank down in shame and guilt, condemning
myself and acknowledging the justice of God in my condemnation. But
while in this state, thus broken, contrite, and filled with holy awe, I
was kept pleading for mercy, present mercy as well as future. While on
my knees prostrate, as Elijah on another occasion, or, as Jeremiah words
it, Putting my mouth in the dust; and although I really was filled with
fear lest I should be cut off, yet at this very time the Lord gently led
my mind, or rather brought the following words, very softly to my heart;
they were at first seemingly at a distance, but drew nearer at I listened
and observed them. The words were, “I have caused thine iniquities to
pass from thee, and have clothed thee with change of raiment.” I
observed, my mind could not gladly receive this sentence, fearing
presumption—but they still followed me, and abode with me, till the
horror, terror, fears, and darkness gradually dispersed, and my mind was
enabled so far to receive them as to cause a present ease, which
continued with me a few days longer. I found the peace they brought with
them continue, and I was in a small degree helped to believe they were
from God to me, and as much mine as they were Joshua’s, to whom they were
spoken; but though my thoughts were in a measure fixed upon them, yet I
was not without being assaulted with some misgivings of heart. I
concluded it best to entreat the Lord to shew me this more powerfully,
and not only to put the words in my mind, but to write them so
effectually that I might know, without the shadow of a doubt, I was
actually interested in the capital blessings the words contained. This
was most divinely manifested in a few days afterwards, as I was in the
act of reading some remarks of the truly excellent Mr. TOPLADY, on
Justification by the imparted Righteousness of the adorable God-Man. I
was actually overcome with a sweet surprize of the love of God to me in
Christ Jesus, making his dear Son a sin offering, and his people
righteousness in him. I was enabled to feel such solid peace, holy joy,
and sacred pleasure in my soul as can never be described by tongue or
pen. I was melted by the power of his love, and indulged with such
access to God, that every doubt, fear, and misgiving of heart was
removed. I saw, I knew, I felt that I was reconciled to God, and that
God was my Father, my Saviour, and my Comforter.—Oh, that I had then sunk
into the arms of death! O that I had been permitted to take my flight;
at that time the Saviour had engaged my heart, nor could I then have
sinned against him for the world. I want many such sweet manifestations
of his sensible presence; and I can assure you, painful as my situation
is, I would gladly endure it again for such enjoyments. But I must
observe, these blessed seasons are unknown to carnal professors, and
never enjoyed, even by the favorites of heaven while in a light,
careless, carnal frame of soul; no—the promise runs thus, “To this man
will I look, (and surely it was a look of love which I experienced) and
with him will I dwell, who is poor and of a contrite heart, and that
trembles at my word.”
Knowing you can rejoice in my prosperity, having mourned in my adversity,
I write thus freely.—Do as you please with the letter; if it is of any
consolation to your spiritual acquaintances, let them read it likewise,
but let them remember, I do not send it to gain applause, but that they
may glorify God on my behalf. And as to many others, I am very sorry I
ever had their good opinion at all.
I must just remark, that such blessed sensations as I have here
described, is not believing, but rather the end of our faith, the present
salvation of the soul. It is a manifestation of pardoning mercy, as an
evidence of full and free justification in Christ—this is, in the best of
senses, obtaining mercy; as such, I shall make bold to change my
subscription from J. C. to the name the Lord has given to elect Gentiles,
in the second chapter of Hosea.—Wishing you a clean hand, a warm heart,
and a holy life,
I remain, your’s in him,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER II.
_Achor’s Vale_, _April_ 7, 1818.
Mrs. H—L, Sen.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
I HAVE been much grieved to hear of your deep afflictions of body. I
wish it lay in my power to visit you, to read, pray, and converse with
you. We have spent some pleasant hours together in speaking of _him_ who
loved us better than _he_ loved himself; who did not grudge to give _his_
very life for us; and I really believe, if it was needful, _he_ would do
it again, and not only so, but I believe _he_ would have done all _he_
did, if it was only for the salvation of one individual of _his_ people.
Alas, my dear Mother; what do we know of _his_ love, the love of a God?
All the knowledge the brightest saint upon earth has of that subject is a
mere nothing to the subject itself. I want clearer apprehensions of it.
I want to feel its warming power. I want to see its divine excellency.
I want to rejoice in the God of love; he has dealt well with me since I
have been in this place. I trust _he_ has both pardoned and subdued
_that_ in me which was contrary to _his_ holy will. But I want this
blessing carried on in every hour’s experience. May the ever-blessed
Spirit give us to believe in the love which God has for us, and enable us
to give credit to this most precious truth for ourselves, “I have blotted
out as a thick cloud thy sins.”
I really think we are often mistaken about our love to Christ; for we
fancy we have no spiritual affection for him, because we are not in
raptures of love with him; but let me remind you of what the holy Apostle
says of the matter. I have not time or room in this short letter, to
enlarge upon the subject, yet by reading it yourself in the 13th of the
1st of _Cor._ it may stir up your mind, and confirm you in the persuasion
of God’s love to you: “Charity thinketh no evil.” The Apostle does not
say he, as a man, thinketh no evil, but Charity, the love of God, the
holy principle in him thinketh no evil, of God or the doctrines of the
Gospel. It rejoiceth not in iniquity; then it is not a principle of
libertinism; but it rejoiceth in the truth, in Christ, and in his word.
It beareth all things God puts upon it, although the old man rebels
against the will of God. It hopeth all things which God has promised.
It hateth iniquity. The carnal part in the regenerate, loves sin, and
seeks to be gratified, but this holy principle hates it. It is kind,
when the Saviour’s sorrows are in view. It suffereth long the unkindness
of others, and waiteth till God is pleased to deliver. It envieth no
man’s gifts or goodness, but rests satisfied with God in Christ. It is
not puffed up, nor can it boast of what it does, but it extols the
Saviour; it delights in the Saviour; it is willing to owe its all to the
Saviour.—This is love, or gospel Charity. This is that which is born of
the Spirit, which cannot sin. This is the seed of God, the new nature;
and these are the evidences of an interest in Christ, and you can bless
God at times, that you know these things by experience, in some good
degree. We have very sinful natures, but Christ is our sanctification,
in the holiness of his nature, before God. We have broken the holy Law
of God in thought, word, and deed, but Jesus gave it all its vast
demands, and perfectly satisfied it. We have signed most awfully against
a good and gracious God, but Jesus has made an atonement for all
offences, and the Father has expressed his infinite pleasure in the work
of Christ, and he has promised to forgive and to forget all our sins, by
virtue of that one offering. May the comfortable assurance of this sweet
truth make us happy in life and death. This will make our bed in our
sickness, and strengthen us on the bed of languishing, just as the
ever-blessed Spirit is pleased to open our minds, to receive it in the
power, sweetness, and glory of it. Several in your family I trust, are
effectually called by grace. What a mercy, that you will soon meet them
above—this is a pleasing thought to depart with, and you have little else
to do but to go home.
Do send me word how you all are in health; and if you can sit up to read,
I will send you a precious little book, “Mr. Mason’s thing needful,” with
those places turned down that I have found precious to me.—May the Lord
shine upon you and in you,
I remain, yours in him,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER III.
_Achor’s Vale_, _June_ 17, 1818.
Mr. & Mrs. H—L, Jun.
MY DEAR FRIENDS,
Amidst the severest trials I am wading through this week, I cannot forget
you both. Surety you must be ready to exclaim with pious David, “Deep
calleth into deep;” and with afflicted Job, “Thou breakest me with breach
upon breach.” Your afflictions are great indeed, I think deeper than I
could bear; the Lord has visited your house, but O! what a sweet thought,
it is a visit of _love_, of _mercy_ to you, but of _love_ indeed, to the
tender babes. You will go to them through the same mercy and love, but
it would be neither love not mercy to let _them_ return to you. Dear,
much esteemed Friends, I can feel for you, I have been called to the same
trouble, in part, nor shall I ever fully forget what I then felt, when
the soul of my dear daughter took its flight, and when I laid her dust in
the silent receptacle for suffering mortality, but _it was well_; the
Lord demands, has demanded _his_ own, they were _his_ property, and _he_
gave Mrs. Hill the honor to bear them, with this charge, Take these
children and nurse them for _me_, _not_ for sin, _nor_ for the world,
_nor_ for Satan, but for God—Selah. Nature no doubt, most sensibly feels
the stroke, but may the good hand of God support you, and the full
assurance of meeting them again, bear up your sinking spirits like
pillars of marble. I am anxious to know how you are in mind and body,
and assure you I can weep with you, but I am fully persuaded you will see
vast wisdom in this stroke another day. Had you, Mrs. H. been laid upon
a sick and dying bed, while they were in helpless infancy, it would have
distressed your poor heart to leave them, exposed to nobody knows _what_
mother they might have. A mother is every thing, this I can only know
from observation, but I observe among many unhappy persons I meet with in
this place, that they were either deprived of a tender mother, which
began their troubles, _or_ that they had used a mother ill, and God never
prospered them after it. O my dear friends the Lord has delivered you
from many an heart-breaking sorrow, and from much misery. Those dear
creatures will afflict you, they will trouble you _no_ more for ever,
either your heart or your head. You are afflicted, the loss is great,
they were dear to your heart, but you are called to sacrifice them, to
restore them to their right owner; and while your feelings struggle with
God’s will, methinks I hear the Saviour say, “Suffer them to come unto
me, and forbid them not, for of such is my kingdom composed.” It has
been the opinion of some blessed men of God, that the majority of saved
persons in glory, are children. On _those_ the Lord has magnified the
riches of _his_ grace, and out of their mouths God has ordained _his_ own
glory, as they must ascribe their salvation to free, unmerited mercy
alone. Dear babes, what must have been their surprize, when they started
from the body and arrived in glory; when their little powers were
expanded and their minds filled with the joys of Jesus. Think often of
their joyful arrival, and if they could see you shed a tear about them,
it would almost induce them to appear to you, saying, If you loved us you
would rejoice, because we are gone to our Father, and the world seeth us
no more; we are entered into peace, we have done for ever with _sin_, in
which we were born, and with _sorrow_ as the consequence, and shall be
now for ever with the Lord. Happy voyagers, no sooner set sail than they
are arrived at their desired haven; hasty _sojourners_, they found
nothing here worth their stay; they were afflicted, and like _their_ dear
Lord, only tasted the vinegar and the gall. But they have left their
parents to drink deep of the cup of sorrow, they have turned their heads
away and refused the draught; they opened their eyes, saw the light, and
after a little, they withdrew into the regions of eternal day—your lilies
are cropt, and will flourish in the garden of eternal bliss for ever.
Those tender plants, those lovely flowers are removed into a shelter,
before the thunders roar, the lightnings fly, and the tempest pours its
rage. They were sinners, or else they could neither have suffered or
died; but loved, redeemed, and secretly sanctified by the indwelling of
the holy Spirit, they winged their way to God. How joyful their meeting,
see them clasp each other, see _them smile_ and _triumph_, and _join_ the
chorus of the skies.
Our dear, our mourning parents both farewell,
We go from you, with Christ in heaven to dwell,
We go to see our heavenly Father’s face,
We go to sing redeeming love and grace.
We go to learn the sciences divine,
We go in glory’s bright array to shine,
We go to joys, which cannot be exprest,
We go to God, to be for ever blest:
And can you wish us back to earth again,
To be afflicted there with toil and pain,
To be with dire convulsions rack’d and tore,
The tortur’d little babes we were before.
May you, my dear friends be prepared to meet them, by an experimental
acquaintance with the blood and righteousness of Christ; let this your
prayer, day and night.—Christian love to all your dear family,
Your sympathizing Friend,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER IV.
_Valley of Achor_.
Mr. T. Hill, Jun.
MY DEAR FRIEND TITUS,
IT would be very ungrateful in me to forget you, or to neglect writing to
you among the many friends who have kindly visited me in my affliction,
and have not been ashamed of Christ, nor of me his unworthy servant.
That gracious God, who has the hearts of men in his hands, has kept you
in the truth, though you have been opposed, and altho’ you could not do
that for me you could have wished, but you have often wisely cautioned me
against that freedom of spirit which has often occasioned fools to insult
my feelings, and to triumph in my supposed weakness. It was not without
reason the Saviour, as man, did not commit himself to man, for it is
said, “He knew what was in man, and he needed none to testify of that to
him.” And now, my dear friend, permit me to remark, that some have gone
with God’s people till they get into the slough, and there they have left
them and religion together; but although trouble has turned some back,
and has slain its thousands, yet prosperity and carnal ease has slain its
_ten_ thousands—
For more the treach’rous calm I dread,
Than tempests bursting o’er my head.
If we belong to the family of God, we shall never be long without a
cross, in some way or other; but if we do not belong to God Satan will
let us alone—it is his work to disturb and distress the former, and to
render his life unhappy; and it his work also, to lull asleep those who
are his own children—better therefore be under the chastening hand of God
all our days than be fast asleep in the arms of sin and Satan. The whole
world is divided into two classes only, the seed of the Serpent, and the
seed of the Woman, and this we feel within. I beg my dear friend will
not think it strange when God gives him to feel his own native
sinfulness, when he feels all that deadness and carnality that is
inherent in his nature; this, when properly felt and seen, will trouble
him at all times, but I hope when this is the case, that he will not fall
into that snare of the devil’s which I have known some young persons to
be trapped with, when Satan suggests, O you are nothing but an
hypocrite—your conduct and inbred sins prove it. You had better give up
religion, or else it will make worse for you in hell. Listen not to this
a moment, but fly to the Saviour—be honest; tell _him_ all that you feel
and are ensnared with. Plead _his_ sufferings, obedience, death, and
intercession. Beg the holy Spirit to shew you these things in such a
powerful way as shall subdue sin, _not root it out_, as certain preachers
say—no, the Canaanite will be in the land as long as you live, else where
would be the warfare? How could we live by faith on the work of Jesus?
and where would be the use of the greatest part of his promises, and the
account of the experiences of the tried saints? You have _three_
combined enemies, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; but you have
_three_ glorious friends, the adorable _Father_, _Son_, and _Spirit_.
You have _three_ besetments, _Passion_, _Lust_, and _Pride_; but you have
_three_ remedies, Christ’s _Obedience_, _Blood_, and _Love_. These when
seen, known, felt, and enjoyed, produce _three_ most blessed effects,
_Abasement_, _Humility_, _and Self-Denial_; and this will lead to the
practice of _three_ duties, _Prayer_, _Hearing_, and _Obedience_; and
these will be a means of the gracious visits of _three_ gracious, kind,
and condescending persons. If any man love me, my Father will love
_him_, and _we_ will come to _him_, and make _our_ abode with _him_; when
_he_, the Spirit, shall come, _he_ shall abide with you for ever. Thus
you see the connexion of great things in experience, to lead us to glory,
where we shall be filled with _three_ more. The Lamb in the midst of the
throne, shall lead them to fountain of living waters—_Father_, _Son_, and
_Spirit_—then with unspeakable joy shall we draw waters of everlasting
delight from seeing, knowing, and being with God.—Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God. The heart means the whole man, body and
soul, purged from sin, unpardoned by the death of Jesus—the faculties
that are under the influence of divine favor; the conscience, that feels
guilt when sin is felt, and peace when faith is able to receive the
atonement.—The mind, will, and affections, which are open to receive
Christ as he is set forth in the Gospel. The truth being received gives
Christ an actual existence in the mind, so that he dwells there, and let
what will happen to us Christ is uppermost. When Satan, sin, error,
trouble, the deepest affliction, or the thoughts of death, judgment, and
eternity impress the mind, do observe this, Christ is still uppermost;
the mind bends that way as naturally, in this sense, as a child runs
home, and clings to its parent in time of trouble or danger. I have had
a long experience of these truths, and only regret that I have had so
little time to reflect deeper on them. I see the wisdom of God in the
present trial which has befallen me—the Lord has done what he devised; I
am the gainer, my dear friends the loosers, but they will gain in the
end; the Lord has chastened and humbled me, and has accepted my broken
spirit and contrite heart. He has shewed me my faults in many things I
never saw before, and others I had forgot, and has led me to see he has
pardoned them, and I trust subdued what is contrary to himself. What the
Lord is about to do with me I know not, I leave it with him—I only want
this pruning to bring forth more fruit, that I may glorify Christ and
prove that I am a disciple indeed.
The eternal God be your guide, father and friend. Do pray much, read
much, think much, and obey much. Still cry out, God be merciful to me a
sinner! and add also, Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may
continually resort. So prays
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER V.
_Valley of Achor_, _August_ 20th, 1818.
Mrs. O—D.
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
I was deeply afflicted when I heard of your sudden indisposition, I hope
this note will find you recovering. I need not remind my most invaluable
Friend, we are poor dying worms, the creatures of a day, we fade as a
leaf; it will be only in that happy state of the Church, the latter day
glory, in which that fine promise will be fulfilled, _Isaiah_ 65, “For as
the days of a tree, so are the days of my people;” happy for us our
salvation is in Christ.
Nor death, nor hell shall e’er divide
His favorites from his breast,
In the dear bosom of his love
They must for ever rest.
_Hallelujah_.
But you want a blessed manifestation of this, and that you shall have; my
people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord; and till this
sensible manifestation comes, may you enjoy what the word of God has said
respecting his own people, and compare it with what _he_ has done for
you. The peculiar characters by which they are known—and here you cannot
err—they shall all know me saith the Lord. The blessed Spirit has given
you many a precious view of Christ—Selah. Blessed is he that believeth.
And you can say your heart is opened to receive Jesus, your mind bends to
him, and you come to him for all you need—Selah. The Lord will give a
crown of life to those who love his appearing. And you can say, you love
all _his_ gracious smiles, _his_ promises that are brought home to you,
_his_ appearing in every ordinance, and every providence, as an answer to
prayer for yourself, or for any of the family of God—Selah. Blessed are
they whose hope the Lord is; and you know the Lord has driven you out
from every other, and begotten you to a good hope, through grace, so that
Christ is now your only hope—Selah. Blessed are all they that trust in
_him_. Here you lean, on this you depend, even on _his_ blood, _his_
righteousness, _his_ intercession, _his_ word and faithfulness—Selah.
Your heart shall live that seek God; and you know at times, that the
enjoyment of the love and grace of God, in _his_ threefold character of
person, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the one thing needful your soul
is seeking for—Selah. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, this is
another evidence you are sure _of_, all the year round. And, I am come
that they might have life; this secret also, you find out by hungering
and thirsting after Jesus and his salvation—Selah. We know we are passed
from death to life, because we love the brethren; and you can say, to the
glory of God, you do, in the most sacred sense—Selah. The Lord
delighteth in them that fear him; this grace he has implanted in your
soul, or else you would have turned an apostate before now—thanks to his
name. Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy; you can feel
for the afflictions of Joseph, the trials of God’s family—Selah. I could
send you near an hundred more, let these stay your mind just now, these
are ten Bible evidences. May you rest on Christ alone. I have sent you
a precious little pocket piece, entitled, “Visits to and from Jesus,”
written by our favorite, Dr. Hawker, read it through once a week for the
present, ’tis a precious talent, and will get more talents. I have found
it sweet.
Grace be with you,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER VI.
_Valley of Achor_, _Sept._ 1, 1818.
M. A. HILL.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
I have many friends of your name, and thousands know I have also many
enemies of the same name, though they never saw me; there are little
hills of Zion, loved of the Lord, and hilly difficulties to encounter. I
am sure you will smile, when I observe I have often noticed, that if God
raises me up a friend, the Devil often raises me up an enemy of the same
name; but this is the experience I have long had, of _mercies_ and
_miseries_, dark _nights_ and cheerful _days_, heavy _losses_ and great
spiritual _gains_, sore _temptations_ and seasonable _helps_; _tears_ and
_smiles_, castings _down_ and liftings _up_, fits of _despair_ and lively
_hopes_, the powers of _unbelief_ and the triumphs of _faith_, the heart
at times _fretting_ against the Lord, then all at once sweet _submission_
to his will; a glorious _time_ in the pulpit, and the very next _time_,
shut up, barren and dead: a sweet testimony from some poor soul of the
Lord’s giving efficacy to the word of his grace, by my message, _another_
comes in directly after, to tell me some _one_ has turned an enemy.
_Hearing_ the Lord has blessed some of my poor writings, and _presently_
the Devil has sent the baser sort to blow their horns about the streets,
proclaiming my supposed infamy. Perhaps a precious soul-animating
_letter_ is sent me, and while reading it, the post-man brings another,
filled with the most abominable obscenity, written, no doubt, by an
hypocritical professor—one part of the day enjoying the very life and
_power_ of religion, the other part _lean_, _barren_, and _trifling_. I
could enlarge on this, and fill a volume, but I must inform you I am
reading the Pilgrims Progress, and find it very blessed; it is a glass,
wherein I see much of the face of my own experience; I intend in many
future letters to my friends, to quote and explain a part of it,
especially those parts which are the most intricate, and perhaps the
least noticed. It is an invaluable book; others have attempted to write
similar books, but they are all very inferior to the Tinker’s
Master-piece of Piety and Genius. Here I see the chequered scene the
Lord generally leads _his_ people through, from conversion to
glorification. Here we see the christian _burdened_ and _delivered_,
_sighing_ and _singing_, on the _mount_ of communion and in the _shadow_
of death, loaded with _corruption_ and pardoned by _blood_, _condemned_
and _justified_, _happy_ and _miserable_, meeting a few real _pilgrims_
and plenty of _hypocrites_, _fighting_ and_ fainting_, _rising_ and
_falling_, yet _kept_, _sanctified_, and _assured_ of glory. Sometimes
_groaning_ under a body of death, then _soaring_ with the wings of a
dove; brought out of _self_ and _living_ by faith, on the _person_ and
_love_, the _work_ and _grace_ of Christ. I trust you will be led to
seek Jesus the Pearl of great Price—never rest till you have found _him_,
for it is life eternal to be favored with an experimental knowledge of
_him_. May your heart be led from every thing else, and fixed _there_
alone; that you may know and enjoy all that is implied in this greatest
of texts, “For thy Maker is thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is _his_
name.”
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER VII.
_Valley of Achor_, _Sept._ 1, 1818.
Mr. H. H—L,
MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,
I beg you will have the goodness to send me the truly excellent Dr.
Hawker’s Concordance, I think it would be a great treat to me just now.
I am astonished when I read any of that blessed man’s late Writings, to
see how he has grown up in the gracious knowledge of Christ. I must for
ever admire that divine hand which has planted, watered, pruned, and
reared up such a tree of righteousness. But does it not hurt your
feelings to see the awful opposition made against him for the truth’s
sake, even in this Christ-despising day. I own it often distresses me,
and indeed, such have been the lessons I have learned since I last saw
you, that I am lost in wonder that God does not damn every creature, let
the curtain of time drop, and burn the world to ashes!
Since I have been here I have seen so much of the evil of sin in myself,
in God’s people, in ministers, in professors, in pharisees, in erroneous
characters, and in the profane world, that I have been overcome with the
sight. Above all I am most affected with the sight of sin in the sorrows
of Jesus. Here, O here may we ever be divinely and suitably affected.
Here alone we see it in its most hideous forms. The Lord help us to hate
it, and flee from it as from the face of a Serpent.
I trust you are going on in the divine life, and that you still find the
ministry of good Mr. Wilkinson, who is one of the greatest ornaments in
the Church of England, very profitable to your soul—the Lord help you to
go on till you finish your course with joy.—With respect to myself, I
believe I am now very blessedly, though _painfully_, experiencing the
fulfilment of that precious promise, in Ezekiel xxxvith, From all your
filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. This is done by
the manifestation of the atonement, the application of truth, and the
power of the Gospel, by the sacred indwelling and the powerful operations
of the ever-blessed Spirit. But the furnace of affliction generally
attends this work—many long to see me out of it; and my nature often
rebels against it, but faith knows, it is good to be here. The
filthiness from which we must be cleansed is all the uncleanness;
pollution, and impurity of our defiled nature, in their guilt, love,
power, and practice—from _these_ will I cleanse them. The idols or
idolatry are things loved, adored, and enshrined in our affections as
rivals to God; these must come down, that Christ may be all in all; and
so must all our natural religion if ever we get sweetly established in
the truth. I am well satisfied with the Lord’s dealings with me, and at
times I can submit to this chastisement, just as the Pilgrims did. So
Bunyan says, “Then I saw in my dream that the Shining One told them to
lie down, which they did, and he chastised them sore; and as he chastised
them with the whip of small cords, he said, As many as I love I rebuke
and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. This done, he bid them go
on their way, and follow the advice of the Shepherds, looking unto
Jesus.” Why were they thus scourged? they had got vain confident,
thought highly of themselves, their gifts, attainments, experience,
manifestations, graces, works, sincerity, sufferings, and services.
These look well without, but it is only a black monster in a white
robe—the devil spreading a net for their feet to turn them into
self-admiration, from Christ. This is one of the paths of the
destroyer—here I have often been, to my shame I speak it, nor can I
escape the cross for it; but this text cheers me, As many as I love—not
as many as I hate, but _love_, I rebuke and chasten. The gardener takes
but little notice of that tree he intends to cut down. He never manures,
primes, waters, or defends it; but he does all these things to his own
plantation—you know how to apply it.—Grace be with you.—Kind respects to
your better half, and my old kind friend, S. D.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER VIII.
_Valley of Achor_, _Oct._ 1, 1818.
Mrs. LAWSON,
MY DEAR AFFLICTED FRIEND,
Are you still in the furnace of affliction? I am astonished when I
behold what heavy pressures, deep heart-felt sorrows, and mighty loads of
accumulated grief, some of God’s children are called to bear, and that
for years together; but what can we not endure, through all-sufficient
grace? I hope you find this grace supporting you, and at all times
giving you kind assurances of glory. That you can say, with the same
confidence as the Apostle, and all established believers, “We know, that
if this earthly house of our tabernacle were dissolved, we have a
building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Where
those heavens are it is of very little importance for you and me to know;
our main concern is with the house there, called by our dear Lord, Many
mansions. Our dwelling house, mansions, and joy, will not consist in
merely being in a place called heaven, but it will lay in the full
enjoyment of the love, favor, approbation, and sight of God in Christ;
this was Job’s hope and expectation, “In my flesh I shall see God:”—and
this is the promise to the Church, “They shall see his face.” David was
so transported with this, that he exclaimed, in the sweetest confidence,
“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be
satisfied when I awake in thy likeness.” There will be no beholding the
face of the dear Immanuel but in his righteousness. This glorious robe
is imputed by God the Father, to poor sinners. We are taught out of his
Law our need of this Surety’s righteousness; we are clothed with it, and
brought by the Father in it to his dear Son, who graciously accepts us in
it, owns us as his own, and gives us the Spirit of Adoption, to say, “My
Father.”—The blessed Spirit carries on this work, by enlarging the heart,
expanding the mind, and extending our views in the knowledge of Christ;
and the longer we live the more we learn the real value of Christ—his
goings forth in eternity, in a way of love to us—his mysterious
incarnation—his surprising condescension—his holy life of obedience, and
his great act of putting sin away, by the sacrifice of himself. These
become precious to our souls as we grow in knowledge; nor do we stop
here: the glorious victories he has obtained, the value of his work, and
the acceptableness of it to God; the life of Mediation he is living for
us in heaven, and the prevalency of his intercession; these are our food,
our feast of fat things.—But the ever blessed Spirit carries on his work,
till he has given us most exalted views of his Person, as one in the
divine essence; as the Son of God, in away not known to angels or men; as
God-Man Mediator; as the glorious head of the Church, and the Saviour of
the body, and as our all in all. This is knowing Christ, and wherever
the Lord has bestowed this favour on the soul, whatever trials,
temptations, or griefs, may beset or befal them, such shall hold on their
way, and wax stronger and stronger—
Tho’ thousand snares beset his feet,
Not one shall hold him fast;
Whatever dangers he may meet,
He shall get safe at last.
The Lord refresh your soul with these blessed things, that you may say
with your afflicted brother, “This is my comfort in my affliction, thy
word hath quickened me.” Permit me to remind you, that God doth not
willingly afflict, nor grieve us; there is a cause. We are sinners, and
God will make us know it. God chastens us for our profit, that we may be
partakers of his holiness. Every rod was eternally appointed for us; we
shall have all that is allotted to us—men and devils can add no more to
them; for if God appoints their number ten we never shall have eleven.
I dare say you are anxious at times to know how I am, and how I go on.
Look into your own experience, and you will know that, for as in water
face answereth to face, so doth the heart of one child of God to another.
Remember, he hath, he doth, he will deliver you. Wishing you the smiles
of him, who is the health of your countenance, and your delivering God, I
remain, Yours, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER IX.
_Valley of Achor_, _December_ 17_th_, 1817.
Mr. & Mrs. F.
MY DEAR FRIENDS,
I need not apologize, I hope, for troubling you with a few lines, as I
trust you are born of God, and _love God as he is in Jesus_, though
perhaps you feel at times much grief of heart, that you enjoy so little
of the sweetness of believing in Christ. What a mercy God makes us
manifest to each others hearts, that we belong to his family; but the
witness of God is greater, this is infinitely preferable to any human
testimony, however clear and pleasing it may be to us, in point of
brotherly love, and we which believe, have the witness in ourselves, we
can prove that God has done something for us; though this work may be
under a cloud for a time, yet the Lord the Spirit renews it, clears it
up, makes it plain, and encourages us to hope in himself till faith is
lost in sight, and hope in full enjoyment. Blessed be God we are getting
nearer home, and though we seem to lag and hang back, yet God declares he
will save her that halteth, and her that he has afflicted, therefore, on
his divine faithfulness let us hope for what he has promised to us, and
our expectation shall not be cut off. This is a sweet encouragement to
my soul, in my painful pilgrimage, but when I look to the promises, to
Christ in the promises, and to his fidelity, I thank God and take
courage. The Lord deals well with me in the land of my captivity, and I
only want more faith to trust in him, greater submission to his will, a
living upon him as he is set forth, a leaving all with him, to manage for
me, and to favor me with the presence of the holy spirit, in his saving
offices; as a spirit of revelation in my understanding, as a spirit of
power on my will, as a spirit of faith in my heart, as a spirit of love
in my affections, as a spirit of light in my judgment, and as a spirit of
peace in my conscience; with his constant operations as a spirit of
supplication, enabling me at all times to draw near unto God—this is that
seven-fold operation of the divine spirit which we daily need. You have
your trials as well as I have, and it is of very little consequence where
we have them, whether in my state or in yours, none of the children of
God are exempt from the blessed peace Christ has made, and of course they
are not exempt from the tribulation he has promised—they both go
together, and perhaps my present place, was the spot appointed from all
eternity, where I was to enjoy the solid peace of the gospel; and this I
trust I shall be much favored with before I return; it is in this
pleasing hope I live, I have much to oppose and much to encourage that
hope, our path-way dear brother is through fire and water, and our way to
glory is up hill. Our spirits tire, flag, weary, get heavy and faint,
but we go on from strength to strength, till we get home.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER X.
_Valley of Achor_, _January_ 1, 1818.
Mr. & Mrs. W. R—T.
Grace be onto you and peace. I have often admired the grace of our Lord
Jesus in its freedom, in its sovereignty, and in its power, in our
complete and eternal salvation—this you and I shall have to bless God
for, to all eternity; and if you was snatched away by death this moment,
you would be ready to praise and adore God for it—and surely our fitness
for a better world is to be enabled upon earth to give the glory due to
his name. No doubt you will most readily unite with me in this
particular, that it requires great grace to support and uphold a man in
great difficulties, but while the left hand of God is laid upon him, does
not the right hand of grace support, and at times console and cheer his
heart. Perhaps this is the meaning of that important text, “His left
hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.” This is the
grace I now need. I will not trouble you with a list of my sorrows, but
can assure you they are greater than I ever did, or ever can tell any one
in the world. Satan is busy in raking up all my faults, from childhood.
Carnal reason thinks God deals very hard with me. Sense can see no
further than to-day, and suggests I shall die beneath my load. Fancy
paints out a thousand troubles I may never see; while unbelief is ready
to give the lie to every promise in the Bible, and wants to persuade me
to give up praying, and abandon myself to despair. Thus I am tried every
day, and much deeper now than when I first entered this Valley. But,
hark! the voice of love and mercy sounds from the covenant of grace, “For
a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies I will gather
thee. I will correct thee in measure, but thou shalt never be forgotten
of me. I will deliver thee, but the times and seasons the Father hath
put in his own power.” And then another voice sounds from Calvary, “I
have blotted out, as a cloud, thy sins—return unto me, for I have
redeemed thee.” Here faith listens, and asks, What _me_ Lord? Yes, you,
by name. Then I reply, Lord there may be others of my name. True; but
the Persons for whom I entered into covenant, for whom I became
incarnate, for whom I obeyed the Law, for whom I suffered, and for whom
the rich blessings of the Gospel is provided, are _sinners_—this is your
nature, your action, and your name, and I have denominated you by the
very names you have given yourself, from your own convictions and
feelings. Bring in hither the poor, the halt, the blind, the lame, and
the needy. Surely I must come under some of these; and according to
different states so we are named.
Here I beg my dear sister R’s most particular attention. I know she is a
patient in Free-grace Hospital, and I want her assured that her case is
not forgotten by the most blessed Physician of Souls, who has said, “I am
the Lord that healeth thee.” Convinced of our state as sinners, we feel
poor indeed—without spiritual money, or cloaths, or home, or
friends!—this is real poverty—the charge brought against the Church at
Laodicea, “Thou knowest not that thou art poor, and miserable, and blind,
and naked.” This charge belongs to hypocrites, and not to a poor sinner,
whose emptiness is daily felt, and perhaps faith is too weak to draw much
comfort from the Promises—and God the Spirit has shewn you the darkness
of nature. Now God does not say you are blind, but he calls us by the
name we give ourselves. Hence, God says, “Hear ye deaf, and look ye
blind, that ye may see.” And because every little makes us start, or
keeps us back from praying, hoping, and believing, we are called the
halt, and the lame; and as our sins too often rise and gain the
ascendancy over us, that we cannot exercise strong confidence in Jesus,
and his work, so we are called the maimed. Sin and Satan has maimed us,
and wicked fellows have thrown stones at us, as Christ’s sheep, and
maimed us: and I can assure you there is not any thing that Jesus has
said or done, but it is the blessed office of the Holy Ghost to shew us
our need of it; and if he sets us longing for it, travailing in soul,
agonizing in spirit, and most sincerely desirous of the blessing, he will
communicate it, for he has said, “Shall I cause to travail, and not bring
forth? Shall I bring to the birth, and shut the womb?” You are longing
to bring forth the exercise of precious faith, lively hope, cheerful
confidence; and you are at times longing for the salvation of God, and
you will not be disappointed. But do not be alarmed—even these longing
desires may be in a great measure suspended—this has often alarmed me,
till some Promise or a sweet Sermon, or a precious Hymn, have set me
longing again; or else some new and heavy cross has come on. This sets
me to confessing, to searching, to reading to humility, to waiting, and
standing on my watch tower, to hear what God the Lord will say. I hear
what Satan, the world, and mistaken possessors say, not what carnal
reason, unbelief, and sense has to say—these all want to swear away my
eternal life; they are not the judges of the court; they dont understand
the nature of the case; and it is a man’s privilege to appeal from a low
to a higher court; thus did Paul and lost his head, thus did I and lost
my liberty. But though this may be the case in temporals, yet it is not
so in spirituals; all judgment is committed to Christ, because he is the
Son of Man; he is the judge in the court of mercy, and I will hear what
the Lord will say. Moses has condemned me, conscience has said Amen to
the sentence, justice demands satisfaction, the law is broken, guilt is
great, Satan is busy, hell appears open, heaven shut, and the soul
trembles, and with all the heart exclaims, God be merciful to me, to me a
sinner! And amidst all, will you believe it, faith is waiting for the
sentence from the judge; and when it is cut him down, O justice—take him,
O Satan—close upon him, O hell. No, not so, but, poor sinner look up, be
of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee—but how, Lord? and he shewed
him his hands and his side. I trust my dear Brother has had many such
views, not only when liberty first came, but many times after, when the
whole work has been as it were dead, and lost; yet there has been many
revivals again, and no doubt will, till death. I hope you are both well.
I only want another piece of a broiled fish, and of a honey-comb, (John,
21) both are gifts. A common blessing in a kind providence, is a fish,
and grace to enjoy it, is an honey-comb. Though to poor ministers, a
soul is compared to a fish, and if they are led to ask for the salvation
of a soul, or for success in their ministry when they go a fishing—surely
the Lord will not give them a Scorpion, that is, a reprobate. The Lord
grant we may be found among the good fish at the end of the world, when
the gospel net will be full, and the grand separation take place. Till
then may we swim in the ocean of mercy, with the fins of faith and love.
The Lord bless thee with every needful grace.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XI.
_Valley of Achor_, _December_ 17_th_, 1817.
Mr. & Mrs. F.
BELOVED OF THE LORD,
I trust you are growing into an increasing acquaintance with the Lord
Jesus, and the work of his Spirit on the heart. I have often admired
that grand promise in the book of Job, “Thine age shall be clear as the
noon day.” It is very blessed to look back on the way the Lord has led
us, and the work he has wrought in us—may he give you special light to
see it. The Queen of Sheba admired many things about Solomon’s
buildings, and the Holy Ghost has thought fit to record this one among
the rest—the ascent to the house of the Lord. Blessed be God you have
got up some of those steps; and though you may be sensible of many a
stumble, and many a fall by the way, yet you have not fell from God, nor
out of the way, and as sure as your hope, faith, and mind is supremely
placed on him, you will gradually ascend that road, which you will find
lead you to glory at last. Perhaps you have ascended seven of those
steps: first, God has shewed you in some measure, and at times very
deeply, that you have no good in yourself. Second, he has been pleased
to let in a ray of light into the mind, by which you have seen something
so precious in Christ, that you could truly say, you would willingly part
with all for him. Third, the blessed Spirit has bowed your will, or
rather given you another will, a new will, by which, you have made a most
blessed choice of the Lord Jesus, who is the object of the Father’s
delight, so that you could see your will and the will of God, perfectly
correspond. Fourth, the Lord has given you to believe in Jesus, to
present salvation: your heart has most divinely rested upon his finished
work, and you have found it very safe. Fifth, you have enjoyed the
privileges of the children, in fellowship with those who love God, at his
table, in his house, and in his word. Sixth, the habitual sanctification
of the mind, in various actings; sometimes of faith, hope, love,
humility, patience, and self-denial. Seventh, a resting satisfied with
Christ, as all in all; anxious for more knowledge of him, that you may
feel your confidence in him grow—that you may be more than ever devoted
to his glory. Thus you can say, to the honor of the blessed Spirit, that
he has led you up some of those steps of experimental knowledge—and let
me assure you, from the most undoubted authority, that as many as are led
by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. I feel great pleasure in
writing this short note—blessed be God nothing alters the religion of the
heart, only it must be tried, something will surely try it; all the
spoils that were taken from the enemy among the Israelites, was to go
through fire, or through water, and as we are the spoils Christ has taken
from the enemy, so we must go through the water of common trials, and the
fire of uncommon afflictions—but hark! how graciously he speaks,
For I will be with thee,
Thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee
Thy greatest distress.
The Lord bless you for ever.—Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XII.
_Valley of Achor_, _Oct._ 20, 1818.
Mrs. E—R.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
Agreeable to my promise, I will attempt an answer to your anxious letter,
although I feel great reluctance in so doing, knowing well, that not he
which commendeth himself should be approved, but him whom the Lord
commendeth. It is the mercy of all God’s children, that they stand
approved in Christ, and as an evidence of it, they, through the teaching
of the holy Spirit, approve of Christ, and all in Christ. Our work, as
fellow Christians, should consist daily in commending Christ, and
recommending him to each other—this ought to be our constant employment
and delight, especially ministers of the gospel, in their public
exercises; but alas, we live in a day in which I am sorry to say, the
man, who can best commend himself, set up his own experience, and dwell
much upon the marvellous, is the man who is the most acceptable. This is
an awful proof of the degenerate state of the church, yet I do consider
it as my duty, to vindicate myself and friends, from that censure which
we do not merit, and which is most unjustly heaped upon us. In doing
this in my address to you, I aim merely to correct some mistakes under
which you lay, and feel much bondage as the consequence. In doing this,
I could certainly fill a volume, but I shall only _assure you in a few
words_, _what_ IS, _and what is_ NOT _the case_.
First: You have beep informed that I am happy. In reply to this I beg to
observe, I cannot be very comfortable, when I reflect that the precious
cause of Christ, probably, has received a wound through my
carelessness—and _if_ any part of my conduct has given occasion for the
enemies of Christ to blaspheme, or to increase their hatred to the
Gospel; this is an heart-breaking circumstance to me.—Secondly: To be
deprived of the blessed ordinances which I once so richly enjoyed, is a
source of much sorrow—never did I know their value as I now do; nor can I
wonder at David, when in exile exclaiming, “My flesh and heart crieth out
for the courts of my God.”—Third: The afflictions of the Church since the
commencement of my troubles, in September, 1816, must deeply affect me.
Its loss of that poor, feeble ministry of unworthy me. Its divisions,
and the many apparent attempts to deprive them even of the place to meet
in; with the scoffs, jeers, and contempt of the proud they have to bear.
Believe me I am grieved for the afflictions of Joseph, for surely no
vessel in a storm has been much worse torn to pieces than our poor
Church, which I have long named the “Packet Distress.” Another part of
her affliction has been from the lies of certain Ministers, who have
attempted to build their Churches with what materials they could collect
from us, to keep up the fire amongst us, and increase our
afflictions—they are perpetually running about, to degrade both myself
and people. I could mention their names, if it were prudent, but they
are well known. The main point they aim at, is to hurt me in the
estimation of _the few godly characters we have left_, and _this_ is
their common cant—“No doubt Mr. C. is certainly a fallen character, but
even _that_ we might pardon, did we but see him sorry for it; but instead
of that, he is as cheerful, light, and trifling as ever.” This is always
expressed with much seeming pity, sorrow, and concern, but could you see
the heart of hypocrisy lurking at the bottom, and the infernal design of
such initiations, you would despise such persons, who are described in
the Bible as hawking pedlars—“Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale
bearer among my people.” Such are like sharks, following a sick
ship.—And now comes another daring, cruel, and unjust charge: “O, Mr. C.
I hear, is supported in his situation by just such fellows as himself.”
But my dear friend, the persons who support me, and my dear children, are
chiefly a few pious women, of good character, and who are well known in
the Church: and as to bad characters, men or women, whom I know to be
such, I am determined at all times to deal faithfully with, and then they
will soon leave me. Another charge you hear of is “That there are many
bad people in the congregation, and who attend the sacrament now.” This
is another falsehood, for the deacons will not allow any person of bad
conduct to communicate with the church at the Lord’s supper; and if you
know any that do, in that church, you are highly culpable if you do not
inform the deacons of it—“Thou shalt not suffer sin upon thy neighbour.”
Many persons, both public and private characters, have used the tongue to
degrade both myself and the people who worshipped with me, but who would
find enough to do, to look at home; while they can find out one fault,
which they suppose I possess, their neighbours, perhaps, can find out an
hundred of theirs.
It is truly laughable to see the toil, trouble, and expence that many
have been at to circulate my supposed infamy, that would not take that
trouble, either to save their own souls from hell, or relieve an
afflicted person; yet such make a profession of religion, and assign the
same hypocritical reason for their opposition to me, which the heathens
did of old for their oppression of the Israelites, (Jeremiah l. ver. 7.)
All that found them have devoured them, and their adversaries said, we
offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord. Much these
heathen cared about the Lord—and as to my professing foes, I beg you will
always recommend them to the prophecy of Obadiah, it is but one
chapter—but do point to them from the 10th to the 16th verse. When such
professors come to you with a budget of scandal, just put your finger on
this text, as already quoted, and ask them the meaning of it: “Thou shalt
not go up and down as a tale-bearer among my people.” And when you see
them quite enjoy the subject of censure and backbiting, shew them this
text: “And dust shall be the Serpent’s meat, for Ephraim feedeth upon
ashes.” And when there are plenty around your table, pouring out scandal
in abundance, always turn to this text—Isaiah 28, “For all tables are
full of vomit and filthiness; there is no place clean,” “and this is the
mess which dogs are fond of.”—See 2 Peter ii, ver. 22. This will be the
best cure for scandal, and will keep your heart stedfast in God’s
covenant; and although dark may be the cloud on me at present, stay till
the Lord appears for me—Judge not my state or case _yet_; this is not the
time for passing an opinion.—Job’s friends erred in this work; they all
three agreed to torment him, because they thought he was an hypocrite,
but you know how mistaken they were.
This leads me to notice another insinuation, that “Surely J. C. is an
hypocrite!”—This is a most frightful charge, and in general a common
epithet cast upon _all_ those who profess religion; and as it is the
worldling’s sneer, it is not worth notice. What I really am in God’s
sight is best known to himself; and as it respects my conversion, call,
and ministry, I shall certainly write it while I am here; and if the Lord
ever raises up my head again, I shall certainly publish it, for the
magnifying that grace which the Lord has so bountifully bestowed on me,
and which will give some satisfaction to my friends, and no doubt afford
my enemies a treat also. But, as it respects the subject of hypocrisy,
let my enemies tremble in reading this text: “Beware ye the leaven of the
pharisees, which is hypocrisy:” they assumed the garb of sanctity, and
professed much love to the law; made a stir about external holiness and
charity, yet, inwardly, they were full of enmity, spite, malice, and
hatred to the truth. Deemed others as Antinomians, or enemies to the
law, while they were the worst enemies to the law. An old author has
pointed out thirty-three kinds of hypocrites, which I send you for your
reflection; and at the same time, knowing the deceitfulness of the human
heart, may we ever pray with David, “Cleanse thou me from my secret
faults.”
The Arch Hypocrite is the Devil himself, and he is the father of all the
following children.—There is
The natural hypocrite.
The civil,
The moral,
The political,
The theatrical,
The heretical,
The schismatical,
The superstitious,
The ignorant,
The profane,
The counterfeit convert,
The worldly,
The religious,
The stinted,
The waxing,
The temporary,
The preaching,
The hearing hypocrite,
The praying,
The inspired,
The believing,
The hoping,
The fawning,
The repenting,
The fearing,
The patient,
The obedient,
The talking,
The idle,
The zealous,
The judging,
The libertine,
The scandalous.
It is an awful thing when a man deceives himself, and such, alas, is the
case with every unconverted character: but no believer in Christ, who is
made acquainted with the plague of his own heart, but must lament the
hypocrisy he daily feels within himself; and must with joy and grief
acknowledge with the truly excellent ERSKINE—
I’m _without_ guile an Israelite,
Yet like a guileful hypocrite,
Maintaining truth in the inward part,
With falsehood rooted in the heart.
And this is the holy Spirit’s account of a pardoned and justified man in
Christ, in whose spirit there is no grille, yet his nature makes him
often sigh, O wretched man that I am! I trust the ever blessed Spirit of
all grace will most effectually purge away my pride, self-will,
stubbornness, rebellion, and carelessness, according to his gracious
promise: “And I will purge out the rebels from among you.” But this
cannot be accomplished without deep afflictions. You know the generally
received maxim—Violent maladies require violent remedies.
Another method the above persons adopt is to degrade my ministry, by
asserting that “All I ever advanced was from strength of memory.” If
this was the case, it is certainly very much to my credit, that I was so
much given to study as to fill my mind with sufficient matter to preach
so often as I did, near thirty Sermons a month, for fourteen years, and
for these ten years past to the same people.—But you shall hear what an
envious preacher said in company, who has just left us: “Oh, as to C’s
religion and preaching, he was generally running about with a parcel of
gay young people, till the last moment he had to come into the pulpit—and
as to Sermons, why he generally went into his study and learned a Sermon
by heart, and then came and preached it.” This is so palpable that it is
not worth contradicting. How I can be running about with gay young
people till preaching time, and at the same time be in my study, learning
a Sermon by heart, I don’t know—and yet, would you believe it, this
contradiction was received by the company. Some people will believe any
thing but the truth; and it is no wonder God permits them to be always in
bondage about the minister they professed to be blessed under. It was
most justly remarked by a good man, when gossips came to him with a story
against his minister, “And pray has not the preacher one good
qualification—not _one_, that you can tell me of, either as a man, a
christian, a preacher, a husband, a father, or a neighbour? Strange to
tell, if he has not—and if he has, would you call to tell me of that? I
believe not.”—Dear Mrs. E. go thou, and do likewise.
As to the present prosecution, whether guilty or not, is not the point;
only it is necessary to remind you, the prosecution is _not_ for falling
into the crime, but most explicitly for (as they chuse to word it) an
_intent_ only. But whether I was actually guilty or not, even of _that_,
let the prosecutor’s own words settle it. He has positively declared,
that I was _not_ guilty of any indecorous act to him whatever.—Here I
leave this subject to your reflection, and conclude by observing to your
last remark, that you disapproved of an assertion of mine once in the
pulpit, namely, “That if a child of God had not felt the terrors of the
Law yet, perhaps they would before their death, and therefore it was
right to expect, or look out for them.” God forbid that I should limit
the Holy One of Israel in his operations of grace in the hearts of his
children, but this I know, that very few of God’s children has escaped
them, though at first they might have been allured into a knowledge of
Christ, yet they felt the storm on the road. Abraham, David, Job, Heman,
Asaph, Hezekiah, and many others found it, and so may you; it is best to
be prepared by a spiritual acquaintance with the Lord Jesus Christ, in
his person, work, love, offices, and promises. I thank you for your
faithfulness to me—he that rebuketh a wise man shall find favour—and may
a full free-grace reward be given thee of the Lord God Almighty, under
whose wing thou hast long trusted. Pray for me, that I may be more wise
for the future, and more useful to God’s family. And, O help me to
praise him, that I am still a bush burning, yet unconsumed, because I am
one.
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XIII.
_Valley of Achor_, _Nov._ 13, 1818.
Mrs. N—H.
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
I AM anxious to hear how thy God supports your mind under the afflictive
dispensation.—Little did I think that we should so speedily lose one that
was dear to us both—to me as a friend, and a conscientious christian, but
as every thing to you, next to God and your own soul. But we shall meet
again, where tears shall be wiped from every eye, and parting shall be
known no more. My friend _I_ shall recognize above, and _you_ will clasp
your much-loved North again—
He’s gone! lost for awhile,
And number’d with the dead!
But there’s a day when I shall
Meet my friend. Meet him!
Oh, transporting thought! and
Together spend eternity itself.
Ah, cruel death! thus so early to separate twin souls. Why do I thus
talk! Our beloved friend has escaped the head ach, the heart ach, inbred
corruption, an ensnaring world, a tempting devil, wicked men, false
professors, abounding error, and weak-minded christians. What a
glorious, painful deliverance! blessed to him and distressing to us, more
particularly to you. I need say nothing about him—you best knew his
worth. I only lament my captivity, that I could not attend him in his
illness—that I could not see the finishing work of grace on his
heart—that I could not with him, and by him, bend the knee, and commend
him to his dear Saviour, who was waiting to receive his dear elect,
redeemed soul. Those who live on the sea coast have seen armies drawn
up, in order to receive some great personage; so, truly (could you and I
look beyond this lower world) we should have seen numbers of angels
waiting to conduct your dear partner to the land of eternal bliss. Yea,
more, the dear Saviour himself came for him—so he promises, I will come
again, and receive you to myself, that where I am there you may be also.
How very uncertain is life! Perhaps as I write this short epistle, this
hand may be checked, and mouth be dumb. O may we be found in some sweet
frame, or good work when death appears. May we never be attacked in an
ill-spent hour, but be wrapt in holy thoughts, and clothed with the
righteousness of God our dear Saviour—pardoned by his precious blood, and
on the wings of love, ready to take our flight.—Death is certainly very
terrific to us, but it is our Father’s porter, sent to unlock mortality,
to let out his prisoner to the full enjoyment of his inheritance.—I pray
God to grant we may both find Christ so precious to us, that we may truly
say with the apostle, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain—that
is, Christ is gain to me, whether I live or die. Our main business is to
cultivate an intimacy with Christ. I remember when my heart was
overcharged with grief, that I was nearly distracted, there came to me a
soft, still voice, as it were, saying, “Acquaint thyself with God, and be
at peace with him.” This is the command, and God has promised that he
will give us an heart to know him; and has declared, “All thy children
shall be taught of God.” To know God in Christ is eternal life, and this
knowledge of him is knowing him in an experimental way, as a God
pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin. This, only this, can subdue
the fears of death, and take away its sting.
I often think of the dying saying of a good man, when asked, as he was
near death, whether he feared death, “I cannot say” said he, “that I have
so lived as not to fear death, but I can say that I know Christ so, that
I am not afraid to die.” I trust the Lord will support you in your very
trying circumstances—that his hand will preserve you in your approaching
calamity, and give you a safe delivery—that almighty grace will save the
child, that parents and children may meet in glory. The Lord is well
known in Zion as an husband to the widow, and the father of the
fatherless, and he will be known by you in these lovely characters. I
had not an opportunity of dropping a tribute of respect for your dear
husband in the pulpit, I beg, however, the Lord will be with you, and
give you to enjoy all the grace contained in this sweet text—“For thy
maker is thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name.” To him be glory by
the Church. Amen.
Command me home, Oh God my King,
And bear me to the Skies,
Where Angels loud Hosannahs sing,
And drink celestial joys.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XIV.
_Valley of Achor_, _February_ 20_th_, 1818.
Mr. & Mrs. P—N.
MY EVER DEAR FRIENDS IN THE BEST OF BONDS,
Grace and peace be your’s.—I trust I need not apologize for writing to
you from such a place, and under such circumstances. You will no doubt
join me in saying, I am just where the Lord had long devised I should be,
and where, I bless his dear name, he graciously condescends to pay me
many a visit, sometimes with a rod, and sometimes with a smile: and he
has promised both to us—he laid up the rod as well as the manna in the
ark, and it is only the sanctified rod, afflictions in Christ, that can
do us any lasting good. But I trust that in my personal experience, the
rod has budded in my convictions of what I have done amiss in many
things, for says an inspired apostle, “In many things we all offend.” I
hope the rod has also blossomed in my humility, and that the fruit will
be peace and righteousness; and as much preciseness in my whole conduct,
as if my salvation depended on it. I trust the long contention the Lord
has had with me, for these ten years past, is consummated. I cannot
bless God for distress of mind, but I can bless him for that grace that
melts the heart, and produces that secret sacred mourning, wonder,
gratitude, and peace. None but an all-seeing Jehovah can tell what I
have seen here; my grief has been great, my sighs have been many, my
heart has been broken, sin has appeared detestable, error damnable, man
truly depraved, God patient, long suffering and good. I have been deeply
distrest on account of my own sins, and the sins of others. O that this
work had been as deep on my soul some years ago, as it has been only some
few months past, but, alas, I lived too far off from
God—company—visits—bustle—noise—stir—clamour—and levity of manners, light
and trifling professors, and no power given me sufficient to keep me on
my guard. These stole my time, attention, and talents; the spirit’s
operations were not watched, the Saviour was slighted, and his dear
company shunned; established believers and deep taught favorites of the
most high were left, and I was in doubts what to do between conscience
and feelings, guided too much by the latter, and the former got hardened.
These and a thousand things more I deeply regret; these try my spirit
now, and though I have no doubt they are pardoned, for I have tasted,
felt, and handled that blessing also in this place, yet I cannot, will
not forgive myself, while I live in the body. What the Lord is doing
with me, has puzzled many, but he has not left me wholly in the dark
about it. As the great Head of the Church, he is washing the feet of his
disciples; digging and purging his garden, pruning his trees, awaking the
north wind, beating his spices, snuffing his candles, trimming his lamps,
trying his gold, refining his silver, purging the dross, removing the
rubbish, descending in a cloud, and stripping me of self-admiration,
which is rank idolatry—and all this is in covenant love. This is using
the fan, and the sieve, and I hope purging that away that can be well
spared; and I can assure my dear friends I am still praying over, and
watching the accomplishment of that sweet text in Zechariah, “I will
bring the third part _through_ the fire; I will try them as gold is
tried, and refine them as silver is refined: they shall call on my name.
I will say it is my people, and they shall say, the Lord is my God,
Selah.”
The Lord tries our faith, by stirring up every thing in opposition to us,
yet enabling us to believe thro’ all. He tries our love, by leading us
to see the awful errors that abound in the world, in opposition to the
most blessed Redeemer; and by sometimes hiding his face. He tries our
hope, by permitting Satan to assault us on every hand. He tries our
patience, by delays to answer our prayers, by the length of our
afflictions, and by their aboundings. Thus he tries us, and then he most
graciously gives us an opportunity of trying him. We try his love, and
find it the same every hour. We try his power, and find it supports and
cheers us. We try his word, and find it precious. We try his obedience,
death, and intercession, and find it brings a lasting peace to the soul.
We try his truth and faithfulness, and find that firm all the way to
heaven! We try his long suffering, by our daily provocations; and we try
his mercy, and find it kind. His grace, and find it sovereign, rich, and
free. Thus the Lord deals with us, and we with him.
These things I have found, felt, and known, and hope, through abounding
goodness, yet to proclaim to others, perhaps not more faithfully than I
have, but I hope more simply and clearly. I want the divine spirit to
lead me deeply into all truths, for the knowledge and purity of God’s
people’s minds and consciences, and to follow after righteousness in
every sense—peace and joy as the happy consequence. I have no doubt but
this trial is for my present salvation, in many senses, but I am afraid
of every thing—Satan has desired to have me, but you can guess the cause
why not, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”
Ever your’s, in Christ,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XV.
_Valley of Achor_, _Jan._ 11, 1818.
Mr. JONES.
MY MUCH BELOVED BROTHER,
I thank you for your kind letter, it was more than a mite cast into the
gospel treasury, as every kind word and kind action is doubly sweet when
a person is in deep trouble; I have often thought of poor Job, when he
cried out in the real bitterness of his heart, “Have pity upon me, O my
friends, for the hand of God hath touched me.” But above all, I have at
times thought of him who said, “Lover and friend hast thou put away from
me.”—(88th Psalm). Ah! he was forsaken that we might never be
forsaken—he was bound for our liberty—chastised for our peace—suffered
for our comfort—died for our life—and lives that sin might die, and our
souls might be with him—_he toiled for our ease_, _and for our safety
bled_. Need I tell you who I mean? _Him_, being delivered for our
offences, him hath God exalted. “Sir, if ye have borne him hence, tell
me where ye have laid him.” “We hid our faces from him, yet we did
esteem him—the bond of our peace was upon Him, the Lord hath laid on him
the iniquities of us all. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath
put him to grief—therefore will I divide him a portion with the great.”
“Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?” “I sought him, but I found him not—I
will seek him, I found him, I held him, and would not let him go until I
had brought him into my brother’s house.” Need I mention his name? It
would not be half so sweet, as if you were on a journey, or accidentally
fell in company with one that loved him, and over-heard his dear name
mentioned by a stranger, in a very sweet and savory way: how it would
open your ears, lead out your love, and quicken your soul. “His name is
Jesus! for he shall save his people from their sins.” But this could not
be, without his acting as a substitute for them, and this he has done.
He first indemnified his people, and then gave himself up to the justice
of God. Ah, little did his enemies think what was in the heart of Jesus
when he gave himself up to them, and said, “If ye seek me, let these go
their way.” This was acting over what he had engaged to do in eternity,
when the adorable Father called him forth to act for the dear people of
his charge. Considering them in the fallen state, as sinners, justice
looked to him for satisfaction, and millions were saved upon the ground
of his covenant engagement; his vast mind took in the nature of sin, with
all its deserts, and he engaged to become a sin-offering, to bear all our
guilt, to stand in our place, in the malefactor’s cloaths, and to endure
all that we had deserved. O my brother, how we shall love him when we
see him in all his glory, in heaven; but is it not very lamentable, that
sin in us should so chain us down to earth and self, that we can but
seldom rise to God, and never without sin, _evil is ever present_. I
feel at times its influence so deeply as I cannot describe to any one—to
me, it is as trying as St. Paul’s thorn in the flesh. I humbly conceive
that good man was perpetually buffeted to curse God, but what I feel is
different, and yet so horrible I cannot tell anyone on earth. O my
grief, how great it is on this subject, and if it is Satan’s influence,
what a cruel Devil he must be, to harrass in this present affliction, but
I am a sinner, and the Lord will make me feel it. I have too much given
way to Satan, and now he is set at me like a bull-dog, or as a gaping
lion, ready to devour me—my faith is weak and my fears are strong. I
want the strength and vigor of faith in exercise, to carry me above
present feelings, and present troubles; but as sinners, I believe God
will make us most heartily sick of sin, especially our most easy
besetment, shall be the principal pull that Satan and the world will ever
trouble us with. Thus I find nothing can subdue sin but communion with
Christ, maintained and kept up by our union with him. The mind must be
powerfully led by the holy spirit, to contemplate what Christ is to us,
and as we are kept near to him, sin cannot get the mastery. A daily
cross galls the old man, and imbitters Life, but a view of Jesus,
accompanied with power, subdues sin—that which pardons sin subdues it.
This is what we want, and all our neglect of Christ, is punished by
Satan’s stirring up sin, seducing us into it, and then turning accuser,
and a court adversary. But I apprehend the Lord has but one grand object
in view, and that is to lead us to Jesus only. The troubles of Life wean
us from the world; the weakness of God’s children, and their faults, keep
us from idolizing the very best of them. Sin within us keeps us from
settling in the flesh, while the temptations of the devil urge us
constantly to make Christ our refuge. Thus the Lord over-rules all for
us, and, as an all-wise physician, he compounds all our conflicts, to
make us like himself, by being a partaker of his holiness. Every day’s
experience proves to us the value of Jesus, as God-Man Mediator—as our
atoning sacrifice, and everlasting justification before God. As our head
and representative—our intercessor and advocate—as the blessed maintainer
of his own work—and as engaged to help, protect, bless, and bring us home
to glory.
I know not what the Lord intends to do with me, and when he is precious
to my soul I do not care what he does with me. I have then no will of my
own. I neither want to preach or be silent, leave this place or abide in
it, that is no trouble to me then—but when nature, sin, sorrow, and Satan
trouble me, I feel like a wild Bull in a net. At times I feel
compunction, godly sorrow, and self-abasement: this is the lowest seat in
the College of Christ. Here is safety; but, alas, even these we may be
proud of, so that we really get weaned from frames and feelings, and
rejoice that Jesus is the same. Hence the command, Rejoice in the Lord
always. He is always the object of faith, hope, love, and joy; our
feelings are not, though we highly esteem them—nor can we rest without
some sensations of joy in the Lord—I trust the Saviour will be precious
to your mind; keep you near himself; and when sin is striving for the
mastery, you may have grace given to call on the Lord—_and be sure to cry
out before you are hurt_, for you may not be able when the hurt comes;
for such is the nature of sin, that, like the leprosy of old, it is of a
deadening nature; it makes the guilty stupid, till God is pleased to
quicken us again; and when we feel the wounds sin has made, we want the
Saviour to heal us again, which he kindly does.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XVI.
_Valley of Achor_, _December_ 17_th_, 1817.
Mrs. HUTCHINGS.
MY DEAR MOTHER,
FOR such has been your affection and concern for me, which I trust will
never go unrewarded by the dear Saviour. Many have been the attempts to
keep you from attending my feeble ministry, to hurt your mind, to
distress your spirit, and to perplex your heart, but having obtained help
of God you continue to this day, only grieved that my enemies have at
last gained that end they have been so long aiming at, and because you
cannot make me as comfortable in my captivity as your heart desires. The
Lord takes the will for the deed in the hearts of those who desire to
fear his name, revere his truth, love the Saviour, trust his word, and
hope in his finished work. This I trust is the case of the dear friend
to whom I now write. This is an act of free favour from a good and
gracious God, and where these things are to be found, the Spirit has
begun a work he will never leave or forsake. May it be clearer to your
mind, more powerful upon your heart, more evident to your faith, and
produce in your soul such a hope as will never fail, till you see God in
glory.
I have often intended to call on you, and talk of these sweet things,
because you wished me so to do, and because God had given to your mind an
humble desire to know Christ, and be found in him. But a continued scene
of bustle all day, and too frequently in company with my enemies, which I
now deeply lament. This hindered me; and sometimes, at night, I was
weary _in_, though not _with_ my work, that I needed rest, so then Satan
stopt me; but I shall be happy to talk with you now by letter, and
perhaps it will be much better than our conversation might have been,
because you can read another time what you might not have remembered in
talk. I hope never to grow weary of reminding my dear friends of that
one thing that is truly needful, the experimental knowledge of Christ.
The tidings of the Gospel are very simple, being only a declaration that
God the Father, Son, and Spirit, as the God of love, purposed to glorify
each other; in the everlasting happiness of a number that no man can
number—and methinks I hear you say, I would give ten thousand worlds, at
times, to know if I am among that number. The Lord, I hope, will make
that clear to you soon. Each adorable person in the Trinity, agreed to
take names, suited to the offices they would sustain in the business of
our salvation. One adorable person condescended to take the name of
Father—the dearest, the most familiar, the sweetest name—and as he
appeared in that character, he called forth the second adorable person,
as Mediator; and after proposing to him another nature, besides his
God-head, he became the elect head of all his dear family, who appeared
in his mind, just as they will be in the resurrection—truly glorious. I
hope Mrs. HUTCHINGS was seen among the brilliant throng. But for the
greater displays of grace, God permitted this happy number to fall into
sin, with all the dreadful consequences that should attend such a fall.
Upon the fore-sight of this, the dear Son of God was called, and he
graciously consented to come down into this world, to stand in our stead,
to take our place, to obey the law which we had broken, and which
obedience of his, was to be reckoned ours. Yes my dear friend, this text
has often gladdened my heart. “But to us it shall be imputed, who
believe in him.” O what a comfort, our dear Lord not only obeyed the
Law, but he endured the penalty of it, which was all that was implied in
the “_Curse of God_.” But dear Lord, what did _that_ imply; no heart can
conceive, no tongue can ever describe it—his heart melted like wax, his
dear knees trembled, his spirit was filled with anguish, and his whole
soul felt the pangs of the damned—the sufferings of his dear, his sacred
body were dreadful, but the sufferings of his soul, were the very soul of
his sufferings. O what must sin be—may we see it as a most dreadful
evil, and those who make a mock at sin mock the Saviour’s bitter anguish.
He died, but in dying he satisfied the justice of God, and the Father has
declared himself well pleased, quite satisfied with his work. God can
now be holy, yet save an unholy sinner; he can be just, and yet justify
an ungodly creature; he can be God, and yet pardon the very vilest. The
work is done, it was for sinners Jesus died—then sure I hope he died for
thee. In this hope I trust you will live, not upon what you may ever
feel, that may encourage you, but entirely upon the work of Christ. May
this simple testimony encourage you to pray in spirit, when you have but
few words, or perhaps, like Hannah, no words to say; yet your spirit I
hope will be often going up to God, the holy and ever blessed Spirit, who
also engaged in the same agreement with the Father and the Son, that he
would assume such offices for those for whom the Redeemer died. That he
would shew them their need of Jesus, that he would enlighten them, so
that they might see Christ was exactly suited for them; that he would
help them to call upon him, to run to him when stung with guilt; that he
would enable them to hope in his person, to trust in his work, to love
his name, his gospel, his people, and his ways; to wait on him in secret
and in public, till be graciously shewed them their interest in Christ,
and the interest Christ has in them. That he would give them honourable
thoughts of Jesus, and enable them to rejoice that Jesus has precious
thoughts of them. This is the work of the blessed Spirit, and if my dear
Friend desires this work on the heart to live and die with, I must beg
her to take every opportunity to entreat this divine Spirit to work these
things in the mind, according to his promise, “I will write my laws in
their minds, I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins
I will remember no more.” Let me beg of you, when you have got through
this letter, to read the thirteen first verses of the eleventh chapter of
Luke, and if you ever do me the honour to read this side of my letter
again, and can make it out very easily, always read the same verses
again.
God bless you—when I write to one, I write to you both. Kind respects to
all the family.
Your’s truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XVII.
From M. C. to her Father.
DEAR FATHER,
I write merely to inform you I am still at our kind Friend’s, Mr. P. he
has left town for a few days, and Mrs. P. says she will not spare me till
his return. Last Sunday morning we went to hear the Rev. Mr. E. whose
chapel is in D. Street, near the Foundling; he certainly preached a most
excellent sermon, upon “_I am the Life_.” You have been informed that he
denies the existence of the Lord Jesus Christ from eternity, but he fully
proved that Christ was the lasting life of his people, and that his
church was in him before the foundation of the world. He shewed us that
Christ was the head of his people, that he was their life of
justification, their spiritual and their eternal life. I assure you he
did not rob the Saviour of his glory, but aimed to extol him as far as I
could understand the subject. I think for humility in the pulpit, he
exceeds every minister I ever heard; he has laid down his carriage to do
good, which, I think, shews a christian spirit; and if he holds any
error, I think if ministers were to go to him, and reason with, and pray
for him, it would be more becoming them than opposing him.—In the evening
we came over to our own chapel, and was much gratified to see every thing
at the Sacrament conducted with so much good order in your absence, by
Mr. Park, who, though not a very great, is a very good man. There were a
great number of Communicants, and a good congregational—all appeared
solid. Pray father do not let any worthless character administer the
ordinance, as I think it very presumptuous for a man, apparently
destitute of grace, to say at the Lord’s Table, “I take this cup, in the
fullest confidence that I shall drink the new wine in the kingdom of
God.” I have just written to my dear Aunt, to inform her I shall stay a
week longer here, as I am very comfortable.
I remain, dear Father,
Your affectionate and dutiful Daughter,
_M. C._
Be so kind as not to read this letter to any one.
LETTER XVIII.
_Achor’s Vale_, _January_ 1, 1819.
To my Daughter.
MY DEAR GIRL,
Agreeable to your request I have not read your letter to any one, but
without your permission, I shall take the liberty to let many read it
themselves. I know you will not thank me for it, but I hope others will,
for the truths you have given me an opportunity of stating, in opposition
to those awful heresies, which so awfully abound in the present day of
general profession. I am well pleased that the Lord has been so far
gracious to you, as to give you an attentive ear, a degree of light, an
humble desire after the favour of God, and a sense of your interest in
the dear Redeemer. These things, accompanied with a tender conscience,
are most blessed signs—they are the buds, which I hope will blossom and
bear fruit to the glory of God. But here you must not rest, the command
is, “Go forward, and you shall know, as you follow on to know the Lord.”
Seek him earnestly, diligently, fervently—never rest till you find
him—eternal life is in him, and all that hate him love sin and death. Do
not rest on any good desires, but on the object desired; this desire
accomplished you will find sweet to the soul; follow hard after Jesus,
and you will find him your God, your portion, your heaven, your all. And
what a consolation to me will it be, that the Lord remembered you, or any
of my dear children. I would endure many years privation as I now do, if
I could obtain that blessing for you all, or for only one. A good woman
in Scotland once said she had borne nine children, with great pain of
body, and she would bear them all again for their eternal salvation.
Although it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of
God that sheweth mercy, yet every means must be used, as much as if
salvation depended on them.
’Twill save you from a thousand snares,
To feel religion young;
Grace will preserve your growing years,
And glory crown the song.
Remember, my dear girl, while seeking the Lord—Father, Son, and
Spirit—angels, saints, and good men—all the perfections and all the
promises of God, are on your side.
But with respect to your account of Mr. E. I am not at all satisfied
with it; his humility may be admired in a few external self denials, but
his putting down his carriage as an act of humility is nothing, if he at
the same time disdains the golden bottom of Solomon’s chariot, of the
wood of Lebanon, ( 3rd chapter Solomon’s Song) the essential and eternal
divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ—as Jehovah—as one in the divine
essence—the self-existent and independent God. This is the glorious and
alone foundation of the Church; and if Christ is not this adorable
person, the angels in heaven must be guilty of rank idolatry, the Church
will be lost, and I must sink under the curse of God. For all the
angelic hosts adore him, the Church is built upon him, and I am trusting
in him. For thus saith the Lord, “Cursed is man that trusteth in man,
and maketh flesh his arm.” And if Christ is not God in the highest sense
of the word, woe be to all who trust in him. But the scriptures are
plain and positive upon this subject, for _blessed are all they that put
their trust in him_. The gentleman whom you heard preach so many
precious truths, I can say nothing about without hearing him myself; he
may possess much humility, but if his heart has never been humbled by the
grace of God, to bow to the testimony which God, Father, Son, and Spirit
has given of Christ, his humility is not a grace, of the holy Spirit’s
working, and all the good he may do to the bodies of the poor, yet if he
is circulating poison to the soul, what will it avail them. No doubt
some good men have reasoned with him, and I hope prayed for him, that God
would bring into the way of truth, all such as have erred and are
deceived. I have been informed that he is nothing but an Arian in his
sentiments or views of Christ, and however clearly he may declare some of
the grand calvinistic truths of the gospel, it is but building a castle
in the air, as the great doctrines have no other basis, than the
self-existence of the adorable Redeemer, and if this foundation be
removed, what can the righteous do? The Atheist and the Sadducee are
trying to remove this foundation, by denying an hereafter, or a world to
come. The Deist is employed in the same work, by ridiculing the
Scriptures. The Arminian hates the doctrine of justification by the
righteousness of Christ, imputed to faith. The Socinian declares Christ
is but a mere man. The Libertine sins that grace may abound. The
Sabellians, and the new Jerusalem folks, as they, themselves—these deny
the Personality, and, of course, the Divinity of the Father and the holy
Spirit; and the deluded Arian denies the essential Divinity of the Son of
God. Thus the Devil has employed these labourers to remove God’s
foundation—to leave us without God, and like Satan himself, without hope.
But blessed be God for that faith which embraces the grand truth of the
sacred pages; that there are three which bear record in heaven, the
Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. The
glorious record that each adorable person bears, is to the Divinity of
Christ, as God over all, blessed for ever. Hear what the Father says of
Christ, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Hear what the Saviour
says, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth, for I am
God, and there is none else.” Hear also the testimony of the holy
Spirit, “And his name shall be called wonderful counsellor—the mighty
God.” The Arian does indeed admit, that Christ is God, but then it is
only in a subordinate sense—only a God, by delegation and office. But
then, this is making two Gods—one supreme, and the other subordinate, and
to worship any thing below infinite divinity, is awful idolatry, for all
men must honour the Son, as they honour the Father—“Thou shalt worship
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Angels and saints are
commanded to adore and worship him, “Let all the angels of God worship
him, for he is thy Jehovah, and worship thou him.”—It is certainly
curious to see the Arian strutting about with this text, in 17th John,
“This is life eternal to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent.” But when you remind him of 1st John, 5th chapter, 20th
verse, he shrinks back, crying out, it is doubtful whether that part is
inspired, And we know that the Son of God is come—this is the true God,
and our eternal life; for if the Father is the true God, so also is
Christ. Nothing proves this point so clearly as the glorious and
incommunicable name of Jehovah, given him, as at once expressive of his
underived independent self-existent Deity, as one in the adorable
Godhead. But this subject would fill a volume of immense size. Let me
bring to your view, a few out of the many glorious testimonies given in
the Bible, and by comparing scripture with scripture, you will through
grace see their beauty, Isaiah viii, 13, 14, Sanctify the Lord of Hosts
himself, and let him be your fear and your dread, and he shall be for a
sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence to both
the houses of Israel. See how the apostle Peter explains this text, and
applies it to his Lord. 1st Peter, ii, 7, 8. Isaiah vi, 5, Mine eyes
have seen the king, the Lord of Hosts. See how this belongs to Christ,
John xii, 41. Isaiah xliv, 6, Thus saith the Lord, the king of Israel
and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts—I am the first, and I am the last,
and besides me there is no God. See Revelations xxii, 13. Isaiah iv, 3,
11, I, even I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour; and Peter
stiles him our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Psalm lxxviii, 56, They
tempted and provoked the most high God. 1st Corinthians, x, 9, Neither
let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted him. John iii, 29, He
that hath the bride, is the bridegroom. Isaiah, liv, 5, For thy Maker is
thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name. Psalm 23, Jehovah is my
shepherd. John x, 16, There shall be one fold and one shepherd. John
xx, 28, And Thomas said my Lord and my God. Romans ix, 5, Of whom, as
concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God, blessed for
ever. Psalm 100, Know ye that the Lord he is God, and we are the people
of his pasture. John x, He, Christ, calleth his own sheep by name. Feed
my sheep, saith Christ to Peter. Feed the flock of God said Peter.
Collosians ii, 8, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead,
bodily. And this is his name whereby he shall be called—Jehovah our
righteousness. Why callest thou me good, there is none good but one,
that is God.—And his name shall be called The mighty God. Revel, i, 8.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, which was,
and which is to come—the Almighty.
I could quote a vast number more grand passages, to shew you that Christ
is equal with the Father, one in the undivided essence, the object of
worship, possessed of every divine perfection, the way to God, the
suitable Saviour of his church, and the glory of God, angels, and saints;
but these are enough one would think, to convince any reasonable being,
but such, alas, is human depravity, that nothing short of almighty power
can give faith to believe the record which God has given of his Son. In
these few texts, our adorable Jesus is called the Lord of Hosts, the
mighty God, Jehovah, God over all; my God, the most high God, and the
Almighty; and if the testimony of a worm might be added—
That Christ is God I can avouch,
And for his people cares,
For I have pray’d to him as such,
And he has heard my prayers.
The Lord give you an experimental knowledge of himself as your Saviour.
I remain, your affectionate Father,
_Ruhamah_.
P.S. Have you seen that truly excellent tract, called the Young
Cottager, written by that blessed man of God, Rev. Leigh Richmond? I beg
you will often read it, as it, I think, excels all the tracts I ever
read, except Dr. Hawker’s; it possesses the elegance of Hervey and the
fervour of Hawker, sweetly combined.
LETTER XIX.
_Achor’s Vale_, _September_ 1, 1818.
Miss DAVIES,
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
I fear my nerves will scarcely permit me to drop you a few lines. What a
day have I passed through! Solemn period, but I hope blissful one to the
unhappy, happy men. No doubt you felt for me exceedingly, knowing how
near to me the late events would occur. On Sunday our worthy Chaplain
preached the condemned sermon, I choose rather to call it their
coronation sermon, as he then gave a most, affecting, but blessed account
of their state, and looking round upon a weeping congregation, he begged
leave to use the words of his master, on a very affecting occasion,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, weep for yourselves, not me.” The poor men who
were condensed to die, wanted no pity, they had obtained mercy, they now
only needed the prayers of God’s people, for his upholding hand, his
supporting power, and his soul-comforting presence, at the last, the
solemn, the affecting moment of their dissolution. I am informed they
had it, but as I have not yet had the particulars of their conversion and
happy death from any spiritual person, I cannot write you to that effect,
but as soon as I can possibly gain the account, I will send it to you,
knowing your heart will, and does leap for joy, at the real conversion of
any sinner, but especially those who were so near death and eternity. I
hope the account will be well authenticated. This morning, Monday, I
awoke early, and was enabled to pour out strong cries and supplications
to God, for the poor men, that they might feel the joys of salvation, as
they approached their painful end. At seven o’clock the solemn
church-bell tolled; but at eight o’-clock, all my powers were affected by
the chapel bell answering it. I knew then the procession was begun, I
knew then the subject was real, every stroke of the church bell seemed to
say, _Come_! and every sound of the chapel bell responsed, _We come_!
_We come_! I felt every sound at my heart, and it again brought me on my
knees in earnest prayer, that a dear Saviour would meet them at the place
of execution. They arrived about an hour after on the place; I could not
see them, but I heard nearly all that passed. The first sound was
singing, I judged it was the lamentation of a sinner, one verse, and
which I think comprehends every thing at once.
Mercy, good Lord, mercy I ask—
This is the total sum,
For mercy, Lord, is all my suit,
Lord let that mercy come.
This prayer will suit the holiest believer, living and dying. After a
pause, as I judged, everything was preparing for the awful stroke. I
heard one of them pray, but not being near enough I could not distinguish
his words. As he drew to a close I heard the fatal drop fall which
launched them into the presence of God. I burst into tears, yea I
thought my heart would have broke. I could only then dart up ejaculatory
prayers that the Lord Jesus would receive their departing spirits. But
grief overpowered me all the day; I could not lift up my head with any
pleasure. I was pensive and distressed. A multitude of very affecting
ideas floated on my mind, and grief and gratitude took their several
turns; but I am as well as can be expected after so severe a shock. I
only fear a revival of sorrow on Sunday, when I sit in view of the spot
where I last saw them. Glad shall I be to send you some good account of
them in my next.
On the evening previous to the execution, I read part of the solemn
funeral service of the Church, and expounded to the prisoners in this
class, the 15th of the first of Corinthians. The subject of the
Resurrection was very interesting, and my mind was devoutly engaged for
some time with the chapter. I had occasion, for the first time I
believe, to expatiate on that singular verse, 29, Else what shall they do
who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not?—The passage would
receive some easier comment if rendered _over_ the dead, as Greek critics
will allow, it being customary for the primitive christians to baptize
their proselytes over the graves of the believing dead. This is the way
some learned men make it out. The plain matter of fact is, that
superstition had began to encroach on the simplicity of the Gospel, even
in Paul’s days, and many ignorantly supposed that the ordinance of
Baptism was inseparably connected with the pardon of Sin. From this
mistaken notion, many postponed their Baptism till their last moments;
the consequence of which was, many dying suddenly were not baptized at
all—their superstitious relatives imagined it would be an act of charity
to the dead to be baptized for them, in their name and stead, begging of
God at the same time, to accept the Baptism of the proxy, as though it
had been administered to the principal. Hence others translate the
passage, What shall they do who are baptized _for_, or instead of the
dead. But if the dead rise not again this imaginary labour of love can
answer no valuable end. Why then do you doubt the Resurrection of the
dead?
May God the Holy Spirit quicken our souls into the enjoyment of the
favour of God, the knowledge of our pardon and justification in Christ,
and enable us to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, is the earnest
prayer of
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XX.
_Achor’s Vale_, _June_ 6, 1818.
Mrs. BLINKINSOP,
MY MOST AFFECTIONATE FRIEND,
Can I ever forget your concern, good wishes, prayers, and endeavours for
my best interest? You have carefully watched for my good as a Sister,
felt for me as a Mother, and done me all the good you could as a
Christian. May God most kindly reward you, and if not in this world, in
temporal things, he will own you in that day when he shall make up his
jewels—and never will he let your dear children, perhaps, go unrewarded.
He will be a God to you and a Guardian to them.
I hear you think of going into the country this summer, if so I shall not
be favored with a visit for a long time. I hope you will not go, but
that I must leave to your better judgement. I have been very much cast
down since I last saw you, nor do I expect to be much otherwise. When we
walk contrary to God, we know that he will walk contrary to us; but he
has most kindly declared that when the heart is humbled, he will appear
to our joy. I find the third chapter of the Lamentations of Jeremiah
very sweet to me at times, it is worth your reading, as it is so suitable
to my case and state, and no doubt you will find it good to read it very
often; the former part no doubt belongs to Christ—he was the man that had
seen affliction, by the rod of God’s wrath, and it is well for us that he
bore that for us, or else we must have borne it for ever, in that place
where hope never comes. You have found him a good and gracious Saviour.
He has helped you in many a need. He has delivered you in many a
trouble. He has enabled you to believe in him, to love him as he is set
forth in the Gospel, a Saviour. He is well calculated to be a Saviour,
as he is God with God. He loved our nature so well that he chose it in
preference to the angels, though we had sinned worse than they did—yet
such was his love for us that he gave himself for us. He lived an holy
life of obedience for us, which the adorable Father imputes to us for our
justification, while the ever blessed Spirit opens our blind eyes, and
gives us to see, and feel our need of that righteousness; having none of
our own fit to appear before God in, we need it, believe in it, trust in
it, and hope to be saved by it. O my dear, kind friend! may you and I be
better acquainted with God’s love in providing such a way for a poor
sinner to be saved. May we have a stronger faith, a larger mind and
affections, to receive Christ as he is revealed in the Word. The Bible
reveals Christ to us, but the Spirit must reveal Christ in us. We are
poor guilty creatures, and need pardon for all sin. He has shed his
blood to make atonement—a satisfaction for sin, and having died for our
sin, he is gone to heaven to present his Person and his Work to God for
us. He is interceding there—he ever lives to plead our cause, to conquer
our enemies, to carry on the work of salvation, to hear our prayers, to
watch over us in our sorrows, to support us in our calamity, to deliver
us, in his own time and way, and finally to bring us home to glory—
There we shall see his face,
And never, never sin;
There, from the rivers of his grace,
Drink endless pleasures in.
There we may meet to celebrate the riches of divine grace, and experience
the joys of that friendship, which is only begun in this world, but is
often sadly interrupted by sin and sorrow.
Fearing you will leave town, I thought it right to drop this token of my
most sincere regard and gratitude. May every good be thine, and God be
glorified in our eternal salvation. What is there in this lower world
worth living for?—it is full of changes, trials, and sorrow. May we come
up out of the wilderness, leaning on the beloved, longing to get home,
and daily dying to all the world. Getting better acquainted with Jesus,
by the teachings of the Holy Spirit. I feel at times very much deprest
indeed, but have no doubt but that all things will work for good, and,
Though painful at present ’twill cease before long,
And then, O how pleasant the conqueror’s song.
God bless you, my dear, my much-loved friend—time is on the wing—soon we
shall look back and say, He hath done all things well.
I remain, Your’s truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXI.
_Achor’s Vale_, _Dec._ 6, 1818.
Mrs. DARBY,
MY DEAR SISTER IN THE LORD,
I have read your letter, with sacred pleasure, containing an account of
the Lord’s gracious dealings with your soul. I wish every member of the
Church would write me something of their experience, that I might judge
of their state, for, as experience worketh hope, when we know a person’s
experience we can judge of their hope. It is the custom of some
Churches, when persons are admitted, to give in a written experience;
this is a good custom, as many people are too timid to appear and speak
of the dealings of God with them, in the whole face of an assembly, not
that they are ashamed of the work of God upon them, but they may be
naturally timid. I have always endeavoured to be as familiar to those
who come to me about spiritual things as I could, with any propriety, and
even that has been attended with a disadvantage, as the enemy has turned
_that_ against one. I wish I could never speak to any but the Lord’s own
children. I never found _them_ any snare to my soul, but I have found
mere empty gay professors to be a snare. David personated Christ when he
expressed the feelings of his soul, in the 16th Psalm, “The saints, the
excellent of the earth, are my delight.” The Lord made David sick of
every body else, yet no man was ever so plagued with a parcel of
hypocrites as he was. His prime minister, Achithophel, was a snare to
him. His chief captain, Joab, was always a trouble, and his darling son,
Absalom, was always a most profound, ungrateful, cruel hypocrite. Yet
the Lord’s people were dear to David’s soul, and why? because they were
dear to Christ; bore his image, trusted in him, looked for him, and
walked as it became their profession. And I must remind Mrs. D. that the
Apostle has pointed out a most decided evidence of a real believer, “We
know we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. And
he that loves _him_ that begets, loves him, also, that is begotten of
_him_.” You could not love a believer as a child of God; if you was not
a child of God yourself. Sinners love sinners, but they cannot saints,
as saints. But while I would have you bless God for this grace given
you, and while I would bless God on your behalf, yet, I trust, you will
not rest on present attainments, but go on to know Christ, that you may
be found in him. I always find it the safest way to thank God for what
he has done for me, but when I reflect upon the attainments of hypocrites
I am alarmed, and go to the Saviour, daily, just as I did when I first
set out, a poor needy, guilty sinner in myself, condemned by law and
conscience, with a nature as depraved as the worst creature breathing,
and standing in as much need of teaching and keepings of drawing and
renewing, as I ever did. To this Paul alludes, nay exhorts, “As ye have
received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk ye in him.” You can well
remember the bondage of spirit you felt under the Law, and how precious
the person of Christ, as a complete Saviour, was to you—how precious he
appeared in his mediatorial capacity, as an atoning sacrifice, putting
away sin, as the end of the law, fulfilling all its demands, and, as an
intercessor, pleading your cause. You need this same Jesus every day,
and will want him as much in the article of death, as you did when the
Lord first gave you to feel your need of him—and I am sure you will bless
the Lord for ever leading you to feel that need so deeply. We are great
sinners, and need a great Saviour, every day, and all the day. In
reading your letter of the Lord’s dealings with you, I cannot help
exclaiming, And will God in very deed dwell with sinners on the earth?
Yes, for he has said “I will dwell in them, and walk in them.” Male and
female are all one in Christ Jesus. He has condescended to choose a
portion of our nature, and unite it to the dear Son of his love—the Son
of God—God the Son: and in the choice of our nature, and the person of
his Son, he chose all the millions that shall be saved, united them to
Christ, and then viewed them complete in him. Thus the head and the
members rose together in the mind, the purpose, and decree of Jehovah.
To these he designed to manifest himself as the God of all grace, in the
covenant of redemption and mercy—in the mysterious incarnation of
Christ—in the meritorious holiness of his life—in the putting away sin by
his awful sorrows, and in rising from the dead to justify his own work,
and as the first fruits of them that sleep in him. And is it not
wonderful that God the Holy Spirit should ever visit you? Can you not
often ask, with your sister Ruth, “Why have I found grace in thy sight,
that thou shouldst take knowledge of me, seeing I am but a stranger.” It
becomes you to be thankful. This will bring more blessings to you, in a
way of enjoyment; and as the Lord has taught you, humbled your spirit,
and melted you with his love—brought you to receive the truth in the love
of it, so I trust you will be more devoted to him. He is worthy of your
highest affection, your daily addresses, and warmest gratitude. The Lord
help you to adorn that gospel you love, to sympathize with the afflicted
in the household of faith, to warn the unruly, and encourage the weak
ones of the flock. Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head
lack no ointment. Strive to become a mother in Israel, by an increase of
spiritual knowledge; then your faith will grow, and your hope abound.
Kind respects to Mr. D. I am much pleased the Lord has not forgotten
him, he has seen the meaning of God’s promise; “I will take you one of
city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” And the
Saviour, will, I trust, present you all faultless, before the throne of
his glory, to himself in himself in the millennium; and at last he will
present you to _his_ Father and your Father, _his_ God and your God, when
God, Father, Son, and Spirit will be all in all.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you all, as a family. Pray for me, that
I may be kept and sanctified.
Your’s, in him,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXII.
_Valley of Achor_, _March_ 1_st_, 1818.
Miss HARRIS.
MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND.
Mr. K. requested I would drop you a few lines. I beg your acceptance of
such as I may write at this time, in very painful circumstances. Believe
me, my friend, I most sensibly feel the hand of God; my poor heart it
broken, my sighs are many, and my heart it faint. But I call to mind
past times, when I certainly have known, tasted, and felt the precious
truth I once preached, and then I thank God and take courage. The Lord
has designed from all eternity, to bring his children home to his eternal
bliss; but then he has, also, appointed all the means to lead to that one
grand end. This was, perhaps, shewn to pious Jacob, in a vision of a
ladder, which he afterwards called the house of God, and the gate of
Heaven. Christ is all these; he is the way, he is the house, he is the
gate: and it is the work of the Holy Spirit to lead his people up to him,
as the way of life.
This is the way God has taught me, and the way only where I find any
solid peace in a world of cares, sin, and death. These are the seven
steps up the ladder, up the way of life; and the steps of a good man are
ordered by the Lord and he shall direct his way, and I am sure he always
directs to the dear Redeemer. May you feel inwardly directed to him, and
in the word, and by a faithful ministry outwardly directed also. But it
is not enough to be directed there, we must be led by a divine hand,
power must be put forth, for the kingdom is not in word, but in power.
Nor am I satisfied with any person’s ministry, except I feel _that_
power—any man with truth floating in his head, may send me to Jesus; but
I want the power to attend that direction, to bring me to him, knowing,
that as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
A soul, when formed anew, quickened and illuminated, is led to Christ by
God the Father, who owns and receives the soul. Nor is there any coming
in reality, but as we are led. You may see this in our first parents;
Eve was a part of Adam, and we are a part of Christ, the fruit of his
sufferings and death. For except a corn of wheat fall into the ground,
and die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth fruit. The
Lord having formed Eve, brought her to Adam, and he declared the union
between her and him. He loved her, received her, and she was dear to
him. I leave you to make all other reflections upon this subject, and
trust the blessed spirit will lead you to see and enjoy it in your own
soul. I am truly happy the Lord has impressed your mind with his spirit,
while in youth—’tis most blessed to know the adorable Trinity, as our new
Creators, in this time of our life. Altho’ we have got to bear the
burden and heat of the day yet it is a mercy to be hired early in the
morning, it is all of grace, from first to last, nor will one chosen
vessel in glory, have any greater share of God’s smiles, or be nearer the
throne than another, though called as early as Jeremiah and John the
Baptist, or late as the Thief on the Cross. You will have much to
struggle with, many days of darkness and grief, but the blessed spirit
will turn all into good for you, by taking every opportunity of
glorifying Christ, in his salvation and offices; and the deeper your
knowledge of Jesus, the richer will be your soul in heavenly things. The
more you are brought into an acquaintance with the God-Man Mediator, the
sweeter will be your communion and fellowship, till it arrives to real
earnests and foretastes of glory. But all the principal difficulty will
consist in being led to understand how to live a life of faith, out of
self, upon the Son of God—it is for want of the clear knowledge of this,
I am in my present trouble; this may astonish you, but God knoweth I lie
not—a future day may explain that to the Church. I understand the Lord
has blessed you with an affectionate heart towards your dear Mother, and
he will reward it. I have often envied the felicity of those who have a
kind mother to care for, watch over, pity, and help them; but Ah! poor me
was left by parents, cruel and unkind, to perish, till I was found an
helpless infant. For me no tender mother has yielded her fostering care,
but
Left on the world’s bleak waste, forlorn,
In sin conceiv’d, to sorrow born:
No guide the dreary waste to tread,
Above, no friendly shelter spread.
But the Lord had some kind, and I hope gracious design, in preserving me
till now, though my distress has often made me blame, like Job, the kind
hand that took me up when an out-cast. I am still the child of woe, the
hand of God and man appears against me in providence, and my distress of
mind is great—my dear friends deprived of my public labors, and exposed
to the shafts of cruel calumny. My dear family without a fond mother,
and now deprived of a father they dearly loved, and whose paternal
embraces they eagerly prized: but now
No Children run to lisp their Sire’s return,
Or climb his knees, the envied kiss to share—
Excuse me, tears will not let me proceed. May the dear Saviour bless
you. We live in a dying world; a few more rising and setting suns will
settle all. May we aim to know, to win, and to be found in Christ:
clothed with his righteousness, pardoned with his blood, purified by his
spirit, filled with his love, and for ever delighted with his glory.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXIII.
_Valley of Achor_, _January_ 3_rd_, 1819.
Mrs. BROWN,
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
I can never sufficiently thank you for your christian sympathy,
affectionate concern, and fervent desires for my best interests, that you
can weep with those that weep, especially for the afflictions of Joseph.
_Amos_ 6th. This is a most blessed and decided evidence that the love of
God reigns in the heart; and though this principle is often hid from its
happy possessor, perhaps it is better seen by others; but if our love is
genuine, it bears a resemblance to the love of God, to his Son, and to
his children. Now as dear Mrs. Brown is often in bondage about her part
and lot in Christ, and as love is the most decided proof of that
interest, let us examine this subject. Hence the Saviour compares a
believer who is not clear about his interest in the favour of God, or has
seen it and lost it, to a Woman having ten pieces of silver, and having
lost one. Mind, it is a Woman, not a careless Man, who, if he had lost
any thing would give a general look and pass it by rather carelessly,
only perhaps saying, Well, I am very sorry I have lost it too—and here
the matter rests—but to a Woman assiduous, careful, attentive, and vext
with her loss. The nine pieces of silver refer no doubt to the graces of
the Holy Spirit, but the tenth to the knowledge of the reality and
enjoyment of them. Time was, perhaps you could say, you knew and
believed the love that God had for you, and no doubt but you had love in
return. But the scene has since changed, and you have had to combat with
enemies without, and worse within; and on account of their prevalency,
you have often been permitted to question the reality of all you
experienced before, while busy Satan has suggested, Where is your
religion now? Where is your love to Christ? Are you a Christian? Up
starts Unbelief, and says, I will never believe a person can be a
partaker of Christ, be in Christ, love Christ, or ever be one of
Christ’s, that can think as you think, say as you say, or do as you do.
No, no, says carnal Reason, why it stands to common sense, that a
converted person is a changed one altogether. Now Mrs. B. looks within,
thinks deep of it, while the dust these things have raised, blinds her
eyes, that she sees not her spiritual signs, but listens to those
suggestions, and rashly concludes against herself, that, perhaps, all her
past experience was but fancy. Under these fears we live too long.
_Ephraim_, says God, is an unwise Son, for he should not stay long in the
place of the breaking forth of children. But perhaps some sweet idea
occurs about Christ and his love, his work and his word; or some very
precious sermon, chapter, or hymn. This comes and revives the old work;
Satan withdraws, hope springs up, and a thirst for God is felt again.
Now we begin to stir, to light a candle, to sweep the house, and to
search diligently for the sense of God’s love, favor, and pardoning
mercy. Sweeping is self-examination, comparing spiritual things with
spiritual—that is, our judgement, experience, and views, with God’s word.
Lighting a candle is going to Christ, as the true light, enabling you to
see his glory, his beauty, his goodness. And this glory, goodness, and
beauty is called his loving kindness, “We have thought of thy loving
kindness in thy temple.” And this is what David prayed for, I have
desired of the Lord, that I may see the beauty of the Lord. “Thine eyes
shall see the king in his beauty.” And surely the Lord never appears so
beautiful to us, as when he appears, a God, pardoning our sins. Well may
we exclaim, And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; I know you
can say Amen to this. Moses desired to see the glory of God, and the
Lord promised to cause his goodness to pass before him, and proclaimed,
forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Thus all his excellencies
are seen in this great act; and sure I am, that a sweet clear sight of
this blessing, is more worth than a thousand worlds. This will cause us
to shout victory in death and judgement. O may you not only hope, but
see this blessing; and not only see it, but enjoy it, for it is the joint
work of the adorable Trinity. The Father foresaw all our guilt, and
secretly purposed to pardon it. The dear Redeemer foresaw all that our
sins would merit, and engaged to bear it. And the divine, the blessed
Spirit, foresaw all our backslidings, yet engaged to enable us to
believe—we are pardoned and justified in the name and by the Spirit of
our God.
I wish you much of this blessing, in believing views of Christ. The Lord
has enlightened you to see Jesus as altogether lovely; your will has
chosen him, your heart is at rest when he is truly precious, and you can
say, he is supreme in your affections. Bless his dear name for it; his
love is set upon you, and Satan knows it, if you don’t, and he will
follow up the Lord’s work diligently, either to destroy it, or to set you
doubting its reality. But the principal part is love, and all our love
to Jesus is but a reflection of his love to us. He says, Yea, I have
loved thee; and we can reply, And Lord I desire to love thee most
supremely. God loves his dear Son, and so do we; he loves his truth, so
do we; he loves his saints, and so do we. He hates their sins, so do we;
he pities their infirmities, so do we; he forgives their follies, so do
we; he feels for them in trouble, so do we; he visits them in prison of
soul, or circumstances, so do we; he loves their company, prayers,
praises, converse, and prosperity of soul, so do we; he hates their
enemies, with all their cruelty and malice, so do we; he will one day
punish their enemies, unless grace prevent it, and we shall say Amen to
it.
Thus, in a very simple manner, have I shewed the reality of Bible love.
But I want to live such a life of faith on Jesus, as Paul did, when he
said, The life I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of
God, as Jesus did, as man, on his divine Father. So we should live on
Jesus, as God-Man Mediator, on his eternal unchanging love; his covenant
engagements; his meritorious work of obedience; his putting away sin, by
his sufferings and death; his intercession at the Father’s right hand,
and his glorious office, as an advocate for us, ever pleading his blood,
with which God is well pleased. On him may we live, to him may we go,
_and him in every thing employ_. We are sinners, and need his grace,
guilty, and need his blood, condemned, and need his righteousness, weak,
and need his arm, miserable, and need his mercy, rebellious, and need his
long suffering. Thus we are poor and needy, and every promise in the
Bible made to such, is your’s. O that we could so resist Satan, when he
comes to dispute us out of these things, that we might take courage and
read them all as our own. Then we shall be rich indeed, for God is
faithful to his Son, in whom they are made; and to his people, to whom
they are revealed.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXIV.
_Valley of Achor_, _March_ 1st, 1819.
Miss MILLER,
MY DEAR FRIEND,
This day of the month never comes, but it ever brings a variety of very
affecting ideas to my mind, as it is supposed to be the day on which I
was found, when an helpless infant, deserted by parents, and left to
perish; but the Lord had some gracious intention in preserving me, till
called and brought forth to public view. Blessed by many, and by many
cursed. Yet the curse, causeless, has not, nor shall ever come. We have
had the pleasure of dining together for some years, as on this day, and I
trust we shall spend a blessed eternity together, when time, with us,
shall be no more. It is my mercy that, though I was left fatherless, and
motherless, I am not left Christless. But when father and mother forsook
me, the Lord took me up, and dealt better for me than my poor parents
could have done, perhaps, even in providence. On this subject I need not
enlarge, as I hope, while I am in Babylon, to write my own memoirs, and
publish it when I have an opportunity. But this depends on the display
of the gracious office of God, the Holy Spirit, to act as my
remembrancer. I am sorry I have been so negligent of the gracious
dealings of God with me, in providence and grace; and have not set up
those way marks, which I ought to have noticed, and which, no doubt,
would be a satisfaction to my own friends, the comfort of my own mind,
and for the glory of God. But, my dear friend, while my tongue is
partially silent many dear spiritual people want a small token of my
spiritual regard for them, by recommending the dear and adorable Saviour
to them. As the pen of cruel slander, and daring calumny, has been so
much employed against me, I want to employ my pen in writing of him, whom
angels admire and saints adore; and whose dear name, I trust, you love,
whose gospel you prize, and whose saints you esteem; and as a proof you
love him, only reflect, in some silent secret moment, suppose he was to
frown upon you in death, and disown you in the last great day. What an
horror, grief, and misery do you feel in the thought! What, to be for
ever banished from God!—from Jesus! O sad and dreadful idea; if the
thought indulged is Hell enough to you, ’tis a proof you love him. And
do you not feel, at times, a secret satisfaction, a sacred pleasure, when
you hear or receive any new sweet thought of Jesus?—’tis because you love
him. And should you not like to be favored with much communion with him,
to open your whole heart to him, and find his whole heart open to
you?—’tis because you love him. And if you hear a thing called a
preacher, and he appear empty of Jesus, do you not feel disgusted at
him?—’tis because you love him. When you hear his sacred name
blasphemed, or in any sense slighted, do you not feel hurt at it, and
pray that you may never be sent to Hell, among Devils, who will be for
ever cursing it; but long to get to glory, where you will join with
angels in always praising it?—’tis because you love him. If a person
stands very high in your estimation, whom you believe to be well taught
of Jesus, do you not feel an on common respect for him?—’tis because you
love him. If you are very cold, dead, dark, and barren in soul, in
secret and public, and feel as if you could not honor Jesus by bringing
forth fruit to his praise, is not this matter of much grief to you?—’tis
because you love him. When you feel for his people, his despised
ministers and cause, that is unjustly hated, and cruelly treated, ’tis
because you love him. Do you not feel glad when you hear of the sound
conversion of any one to Jesus, when they are able to give a scriptural
account of the Lord’s dealings with them?—’tis because you love him. Do
you not feel grateful to the Saviour, when you are favored with an
affecting sight of him, as dying for you, rising for you, and living for
you?—’tis because you love him. Do you not feel thankful at times, that
the good work was ever begun in your heart, and that you have any love to
him—surely ’tis because you love him. When you reflect upon his kindness
to you in providence, with a keen sense of your utter unkindness, do you
feel, or desire to feel grateful?—’tis because you love him. Do you
desire, above all things else beside, to live to him, feel peace with
him, and at last, to be with him for ever; to adore and thank him; to
crown him Lord of all, with all the blood-bought throng?—’tis because you
love him. And we love him, because he first loved us—
His people’s everlasting friend,
He loving, loves us to the end.
Your’s, in him,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXV.
_Valley of Achor_, _Jan._ 26_th_, 1819.
Mr. J. CLARK.
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
I thank you for your letter. I am always glad to hear how my dear
friends go on in the divine life; and if they are not increasing sensibly
in faith, hope, and love, yet, if growing downward in humility it is
still well. What we are in our fallen state, as sinners, must be learned
by us—this is all the hell we shall ever experience in this world, and
some have found _that_ to be quite hell enough. Under this painful
chastening, Jonah cried out of the belly of hell.—The Psalmist declared
God had laid him in the lowest deeps. Jeremiah wished he had never been
born—and Job cursed his day!—and all their painful agonies of soul was
nothing to be compared to the painful soul-distress which the Lord Jesus
felt, when he entered the garden of Gethsemane, and his vast mind was
filled with horrors, terrors, and frights—the guilt of sin sunk his
spirits, the wrath of God melted his heart—and his agonies were
inconceivable.—Oh! what did our Christ endure for some hours, yea, from
nine o’clock at night till three the next afternoon: it will never be
forgotten by him—his whole mind was taken up with it; every thing else
was forgotten.—Sin and wrath, guilt and distress followed on him—wave
upon wave, till he expired. And the very posture in which he hung as he
died was very important. See his dear arms stretched out to receive you
and me. See his dear feet waiting, fastened to the cross, to confer his
blessing. See his side wide opened, to shew his heart to us—and see him
bow his dear dying head, to kiss the poor returning soul, who is waiting
at the foot of the cross till Jesus assures the soul of its interest in
him. Here, I hope, my much esteemed friend is waiting. Here he is safe.
But you complain of sin—the Old man. And what is this old man?—it is _a
continual inclination to sin_. Can the brightest saint alter this?—alas,
No: And are you not astonished that such poor sinful beings as we are,
that we should ever be proud of our rags? Proud, in the sight of
God!—such is our depravity. And it is from this same source you feel so
much deadness in divine things, so much darkness in soul, and such
carelessness and wanderings in your best moments; these all spring from
the heart, which we find to be bad indeed. I once knew a little of it,
and often preached about it, but my views of it are much deeper now—I
both see and feel, groan under and hate, what I cannot get rid of. O
could I but get rid of what I feel, how happy should I be. There is but
one remedy left, and that is a more blessed acquaintance with the dear
Saviour, and the enjoyment of high and heavenly communion with him. To
this blessing I humbly aspire. This fevor I am praying daily for—_this_,
and _this_ only, is the cure of all our spiritual diseases. This will
make me happy in captivity, and contented with the will of God. But,
alas, I am very rebellious! What a mercy when we can see that every
trial, cross, loss, disappointment, pain, and difficulty is in covenant
love, flowing to us, because God has loved us; and to conform us to his
lovely image, we want the mind kept by an almighty power—still, resigned,
quiet, and composed, as a hand ought to be steady, that holds a glass of
some very costly liquid. We want keeping quiet, while God takes the
opportunity of pouring into the soul the precious consolations; and helps
us to believe that whatever happens, is certainly right, and will be for
the best. I have heard of a man, that whatever he met with, he said it
was for the best. One day, a dog stole his dinner, and his ungodly
companions asked him, if that was for the best? They all being at work
in the quarry, the man said, he would just run and see if the dog had eat
all his dinner; and while he was gone out, the pit fell in, and killed
all his companions. Thus it was for the best that the dog should steal
his dinner.
I find there is nothing like prayer, reflection, and gratitude; but I am
exactly like yourself; I am distressed with those opposite sinful
propensities, which it is impossible to avoid; these intercept my peace,
perplex my soul, grieve my spirit, becloud my evidences, and often steal
my heart from God, till the Saviour shines again, and then I am renewed,
refreshed, and strengthened again. May your spirit often thus experience
the very gracious operations of the Holy Spirit, causing you to know,
trust, and love the person of Jesus, as your covenant head, alone
Saviour, all-sufficient righteousness and atoning sacrifice, ever-living
intercessor and wonderful counsellor. May he be more precious to your
heart, and dearer to your soul, in life and death; and may the same grace
rest on your dear partner in life, and family, is the earnest prayer, and
hearty wish, of your ever sincere and grateful
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXVI.
_Valley of Achor_, _Sept._ 5th, 1818.
Mrs. DUDLEY.
MY DEAR TRIED FRIEND,
The Lord accepts the will for the deed, from his dear people. You: would
do me much good, if it lay in your power; but the Lord has enabled you to
say, To will, is present with me; and the Apostle says, If there was a
willing mind, it is accepted. David wanted to build an house for the
Lord, but he had not liberty; yet the dear Saviour sent him word, it was
well it was in his heart. The will was accepted.—Pious Mary had once
anointed her Saviour, and she intended to do it again at his burial; but
fearing she might not have the honor to embalm him, she came before hand,
and anointed him to his burial. The Saviour accepted the will for the
deed, and declared, wherever the Gospel was preached, this kind act
should be noticed. So we find in our experience. We would love
God—without a rival. We would know him as he is in Christ; perfectly; we
would enjoy him uninterruptedly; we would hold perpetual communion with
him; we would serve him, day and night; we would never dishonour him,
grieve him, offend him, or slight him; we would never sin against him any
more. But O, we cannot attain to this; how to perform _that_ which is
good, we find we cannot. So we would comfort the saints, relieve the
afflicted, cheer the disconsolate, plead for the truth, and support the
cause of God. Bring into the way of truth all our dear friends; and if
it was agreeable to the decrees of God, we would bring in all to the
knowledge of the truth—however dark you may feel, however miserable you
may seem, I hope the Lord will over-rule that, to bring you out of
yourself, daily to die to self, daily to be looking to Jesus, and being
satisfied that he is your eternal all, that he has taken away all your
guilt, that he has bore all your sins, that he has obeyed for you, that
he is your intercessor before the throne, that he lives to plead your
cause, manage all your concerns, turn every apparent evil into good, will
never leave you until he has done all the good he his promised unto you.
I am a little acquainted with your trials; much as I am tried myself, I
would not exchange troubles with you. I thank you for your kind wish,
that I may be favored with the divine presence, this is the general
prayer of the Lord’s people, for me, and I am much honored with it. What
shall I render to the Lord. I hope he is leading me to the knowledge of
Christ, it is eternal life to know him; and God has promised us an heart
to know him, so as to live upon him, make use of him, and give him all
the glory. As this is so capital a blessing, so I must remind you that
this is the work of the Holy Ghost, in the heart; and his sacred
indwelling, is the presence of God. Let thy Presence go with me, prayed
Moses. This was typified by the Cloudy Pillar, which abode upon,
encompassed round, and led, protected, and cheered the Israelites, for
forty years; and although they often rebelled, fretted, complained, and
sinned against God, yet he bore with their manners, changed his conduct,
tried them, and permitted them to be beset by enemies, yet he did not
take away the cloudy pillar. You know how to apply this subject. I
bless God the work is going on in your soul, and if the following things
I see in you, and gather from your kind letter, are evidences of the work
of God, my dear friend is in possession of it. A being quickened to see
the misery of a fallen nature. Humbling views of your own nothingness.
An earnest desire for communion with Christ, in his own ordinances. A
patient, yet longing, waiting for pardoning love to be manifested to the
soul, with power. A daily cross, felt from nature, sin, Satan, and the
world. A grief of heart, that you cannot serve the Lord as you desire.
Sympathy with the tried people of God. Gratitude for past experiences,
of the power of God on the soul. A coming out of self daily, and leaning
upon Jesus, the best beloved. This is the path—go on dear Friend—
Wrestle until your God be known,
’Till you can call the Lord your own.
Your’s, in him,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXVII.
_Valley of Achor_, _Nov._ 18th, 1818.
Mr. & Mrs. TUNGATE.
MY DEAR FRIENDS,
I trust the God of all grace is carrying on his own work in both your
souls. This may be doubted by you in your darkest seasons, but when you
feel the word with power, when you get access to God, when you feel joy
and peace in believing, when you feel Christ very precious to your soul,
_then_ you are at a point about it. None can persuade you out of your
feelings, nor dispute you out of your esteem for, and love to Christ, his
truths, his people, or his word. Your spiritual birth is clear, your
title to heaven is plain, you have then a sensible witness in yourself,
that you are born of God, and that you know God. You have had such
seasons: this is tasting the new wine of the kingdom, this is finding the
Pearl of great Price, this is the new heart of flesh, this is the right
spirit, this is coming into the banqueting house, this is being fed with
honey out of the rock, this is enjoying the fatted calf; the ring of
eternal love, the wedding garment, and the shoes of the gospel of peace.
This is finding the piece of silver, and proving wisdom’s ways
pleasantness, and her paths peace. This is walking in the light of God’s
countenance, and receiving the end of our faith—the present salvation of
the soul. I have had a few such times as these since I have been here,
but these have not lasted long; I wish they had so overpowered me, that
they had broke up old nature, and ushered me into the full enjoyment of
God. But the sun is gone down, night is come on again, the beasts of the
forest creep forth, the Devil takes every advantage, and the world seems
to frown, yet every thing urges the necessity of walking by faith, of
making use of Christ as the Almighty physician, the healer of breaches,
and the restorer of wanderers. This is the name that is very precious to
us, I am the Lord that healeth thee; and every gracious look from him,
melts us, renews us, revives us, and conquers the heart. This was the
look that melted Peter. A great traveller and writer says he saw some
rocks abroad, which dropped water when the sun shone on them. This was
true, indeed, of Peter, whose name signifies a rock, or a stone; and it
is equally true of us, who are called stones. I ever wish to be under
the soul melting influence of the Holy Spirit. Oh, that he would so
blessedly overcome our hearts with his love, in great power. This is
what I am praying to feel very often, yet, it is the will of our divine
Lord, to exercise our minds sharply with sore trials; and, the very worst
of all trials, is a being daily burdened with sin, working within, and,
like prisoners, either entreating for liberty, or trying to get out.
These often hide the Saviour from us, and make it winter in the soul;
faith is weak, hope is low, love is cold, and patience is gone sick to
bed; yet the Lord is at hand, he is very near, although we see him not,
nor feel him. Jacob said, The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.
Philosophers say, The sun is nearer to us in winter than in summer; this
does not appear true, but it has been, and is very easily proved. So
Christ, the Son of righteousness, is nearer to us in our winter graces of
faith and patience, than in our summer graces of joy, hope, peace, and
love. He makes his way to us, when we cannot find the way to him, he
seeks us, when we cannot seek him, he can find us, and he holds us, when
we cannot find him, or claim him as our’s. That precious text, 13th
Zechariah, and last verse, is often precious to me in this furnace; the
God of truth promises, first, I will bring you through; second, They
shall call on my name; third, I will try them; fourth, I will say they
are mine; fifth, and they shall say the Lord is mine. What a feast does
this text afford me in those days of my calamity; some parts have been
fulfilled in my experience, the other part will ere long: and as soon as
the deliverance comes, we must look out for some other trials.
The Christian’s seldom long at ease,
One Trial gone, another doth him seize.
This is the way; but as loved, redeemed, called, pardoned by precious
blood, and justified by imputed righteousness, we shall get safe home, to
celebrate eternal mercy, as displayed by a triune God in our salvation.
I long for the time to meet you both again, at the table of the Lord. I
trust Christ will be more dear to us than ever, that we shall be dying
daily, and living in, and by, and with Christ.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXVIII.
_Achor’s Vale_, _January_ 26_th_, 1819.
Mr. FARMER.
MY MUCH ESTEEMED FRIEND,
You must think me very unkind, and seemingly negligent in writing to you,
but I can assure you I have never forgotten you, from the first day of
our acquaintance. I often anticipate the period when, I hope, we shall
often yet meet on praying ground—in the church militant, and finally, in
the church triumphant. At present the church is in a militant state; the
term is military, and implies a warfare, contending powers, within and
without. The worst lays within—every evil done in this world, and every
sin in devils; we have the root of them in our hearts; this we must feel,
groan under, and lament; we derived this nature from our first parent,
his sin became our’s, as we stood in him, we sinned in him, and fell with
him, we are guilty of his sin, and it is imputed to us. So we also took
a most corrupt nature, and this is seen as soon as we can shew it. We go
astray from the womb, and should stray into hell, if it was not for the
grace of God; and being depraved, how could we do any thing that is good.
Alas! if our salvation depended on a good thought, we must have been lost
for ever. Almighty mercy has shewn you those things; and when you hear
any talk, or see them hoping upon their own goodness, does it not raise
disgust in your mind at the sentiment. Bless God for causing you to
differ; you might have been left to the blindness of your mind, the
perversity of your will, and the hatred of the heart to God! You find
these things still working, but they do not reign. They, and every other
evil in the heart, are like rebellious prisoners, are often contriving
schemes to get out, and to regain the old liberty you used to give them;
but although they rebel, and may prevail against you, yet, they never can
take the castle of the heart. There may be a bias, a propensity to evil,
but you can never be a carnal man again—you may look like one, feel like
one, and suffer like one; but though this may grieve you, it shall never
be accomplished in the way Satan desires. Hence Solomon says, There is
vanity I have seen on the earth; that there be just men, to whom it
happeneth according to the work of the wicked, and that there be wicked
men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I
said, This also is vanity. I trust your convictions are genuine, and
this is the first work of the Spirit, to prepare the way for the
revelation of Christ to the soul. Christ has no room in an unhumbled,
hard, careless, unconvinced, unbroken spirit. He has declared he will
dwell with none but those who contrite and humbled—These characters are
particularly described in his commission, as set forth in Isaiah xli, 1,
2, 3. This was the first text our dear Lord took when he preached in the
Synagogue; and although we have no account of the sermon, yet the
substance of it was given by our Lord to his disciples, on the Mount, in
the 5th of Matthew, where we have an eight-fold description of the
persons interested in him, as the eternal life of his saints. God’s
blessing on mount Zion, is life for evermore; and when the Priest, under
the old Law, declared the blessing to the people, he always said, The
Lord bless thee; so Christ, our great High Priest, began his sermon with
blessing—it was no part of his work to pronounce the curse of the Law.
Hence he said to the Jews, Think not that I will accuse you to the
Father, there is one that accuseth you already, Moses, in whom you trust.
There is nothing in the heart of Christ to his people, but love, mercy,
pity, goodwill, and kindness; he knows all our sins and God-provoking
crimes, in thought, word, and deed, but these he does not so much as
mention, only by pleading his precious blood for their forgiveness, and
by setting his work against our sins. Hence these two precious texts,
“I, even I, am he that blotteth I out thy transgressions.” “The blood of
Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” It is in the present
tense, it is above, yea, infinitely above all our sins. The precious
work of Christ is compared to a sea, for its abundance; and our guilt is
compared to a mountain, which may be cast into the sea, but it would be
soon lost there. This arises from the dignity of the person who died for
us, it was Jehovah Jesus—possessing every divine perfection in his
nature, God over all blessed for ever, who condescended to take up our
nature, and obey the law, as man—which himself has given, as God. This
was surprising love indeed, love to his own law, and love to us, as
sinners. May we love him with every power and passion on earth and in
heaven. Christ God-Man is our Saviour—he is the Head of the Church, as
the elect, and the only Saviour of her, as fallen. He is Prophet,
Priest, and King to us; and these grand offices he has gloriously delayed
in obtaining our salvation, and by the holy influences of the Spirit
making them known to us. As blind and ignorant, we need God-Man for our
Instructor. As rebels against God, and slaves to Satan, we need him for
our King, to subdue and conquer us. As bound over to judgment, and
exposed to misery, we need him as our Priest, to intercede for us. And
this will give you sweet light into that glorious, but well known text,
9th Isaiah, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the
everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Here is the whole of Christ
made manifest, in his two natures, divine and human. Here are his
blessed offices, Counsellor in his prophetic office, the everlasting
Father, in his priestly office, the mighty God and Prince of Peace, in
his kingly office. May this subject be precious to your soul, and may
God the holy Ghost give you supernatural ideas of Christ, and of the
Father’s love to him, and in him. Most hearers are satisfied with their
own natural knowledge of Christ; may you and I be blest with supernatural
views—if the Lord favours me with much of this blessing, I shall not
murmur at two years captivity. The liberty of the soul is of the
greatest importance; and very often those who have the greatest bondage
of body and circumstances, are favored with the sweetest access to God.
When the streams of creature comfort run dry, the fountain is most
divinely prized. Seek his favour, and labour in spirit for the fullest
assurance of faith, hope, and spiritual understanding.
My kindest love to your better half, and her dear mother. Something
strikes my mind I shall meet you all three in heaven. I know not what
will befal me in future; the Lord is able to make it light at midnight,
and I think I know what it means—’tis darkness all round me, strange it
should be light within, yet so I sometimes find it. The Egyptian enemies
are in total darkness, but the spiritual Israelites have light in their
dwellings. I cannot send your dear wife and mother but these three
verses.
Great God I would not ask to see,
What in futurity shall be;
If light and bliss attend my days,
Then let my future hours be praise.
Is darkness and distress my share,
Then let me trust thy guardian care.
Enough for me, if love divine,
At length through every cloud shall shine.
Yet _this_ my soul desires to know,
Be _this_ my only wish below,
That Christ is _mine_—this great request
Grant blessed Lord, and I am blest.
My heart is so sweetly opened in writing to you all, that you must pardon
every error. I hope you do me the favor of taking in my scrawl every
fort’night. Give my kind love to dear Mrs. Wise, and to Mrs. Barns—God
bless you all.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXIX.
_Valley of Achor_, _Dec._ 1_st_, 1819.
Mrs. WISE.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
I have had such repeated proofs of your kindness and concern, that I may
well address you thus, I cannot sufficiently express my obligations—this
is a subject I know is not very pleasant to you, but gratitude compels me
to make this acknowledgment. I beg the Lord to bless you with much
grace, in the knowledge of himself; this will be making you really wise
indeed, you will then become wise in spirit, as well as name. God has
promised that all his people shall know him, from the least to the
greatest, this is the joint work of the adorable Trinity. The Father
teaches us out of his love, and after chastening us with a sense of his
displeasure with our sins, he clothes us with the righteousness of
Christ, and draws our hearts to Christ. The dear Saviour accepts us, and
shews us the love of the Father to us, opens his own work, instructs us
in the knowledge of his person, nature, engagements and offices; while
the ever blessed Spirit displays his kind offices, by bearing testimony
of Christ in his exact suitableness to us. He reveals the dignity,
excellency, and value of Christ; he bears witness to our spirits that we
are the children of God. This he does in his ordinary operations, by
enabling us to see, that our experience and views, are agreeable to his
promises; that his leadings and teachings, are the very footsteps of the
flock; that his word and our experience corresponds. Thus the ever
adorable Spirit, as a witness, enables us to compare spiritual things
with spiritual, spiritual experience with spiritual truths in the word.
In this gracious influence, you would do well to examine the word. Look,
for instance, into many precious Psalms, see how they suit you; then read
many grand parts of Isaiah, particularly the 54th chapter; then the
latter part of Ezekiel, 36th chapter; the 3rd of John, 10th of Romans,
and indeed wherever the work of the Spirit is set forth—because the work
of the Holy Spirit in the heart, is the sure evidence of an interest in
the love of God, and in the person, love, and grace of Christ. This is
an infallible testimony; but sometimes the Lord more sensibly overcomes
the soul with his love, and extends peace like a river; then our comforts
abound, our joys are real, and we feel that we are at peace with God. We
get then indeed upon the mount of high communion and fellowship, we feel
his love, we feel the comforts of the Gospel, we feel the joys of his
salvation. Now, in both these instances the Spirit bears witness; the
first is common, the latter special. I prize the first because it
abides, the last, only is enjoyed but seldom—I could wish it always did,
but where would be the warfare, where would be the carrying a daily
cross. I have experienced both in this place, more divinely than even I
did before; and I am brought to hate sin more than ever, for these three
reasons especially; because it is high rebellion against the best of
Fathers; because it murdered the Son of God; and because it is so
offensive to the Holy Spirit. These are the reasons; and you know it is
one thing to hate sin, because of the injuries it does us, and another
thing to hate it, because it offends the Lord. May you feel the
consolations of the Holy Spirit often in your soul, and when you do not,
still, I trust, you will be led to the Father’s record of Christ, and the
ever blessed Spirit’s testimony of him; and as your faith increases, so
you will find it most blessed to live in believing views of him, as the
everlasting covenant Head of his people, as putting away sin, as making
intercession for you, and daily presenting your person to God; and as
your righteousness, strength, your joy, and your all. And if you live a
thousand years in the church militant, you will never out-live this
humble doting of faith—
A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
On thy kind arms I fall;
Be thou my strength and righteousness,
My Jesus, and my all.
True wisdom consists in fearing the Lord. Behold, the fear of the Lord,
that is wisdom. It also consists in flying to Christ for refuge—The
prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself. It consists in the
knowing our sins are forgiven us—The Day Spring from on high hath visited
us, to give the knowledge of salvation, by the forgiveness of sin.—It
also consists in the blessed operations of the Holy Spirit—The wisdom
which is from above is pure, peaceable, and heavenly. And true wisdom
also consists in a good knowledge of the word of God. This is able in
the power of God, to make us wise to salvation.—May this be your happy
experience, and you will be wise indeed.
Very kind respects to Mr. F. his dear Mother, and Spouse.
I remain your well-wisher,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXX.
_Achor’s Vale_, _January_ 23_rd_, 1818.
Mrs. BARNES.
MY DEAR OLD FRIEND,
I trust these lines will find you well in health, seeking the Lord from a
feeling sense of need, waiting for more grace, that you may love the
Saviour more, and serve him better. He is a good master, and I have
found him so. He is kind, loving, and gracious, and no doubt I shall
prove him so to the end. I find him now in his supporting hand, his
sacred presence, his word sweet in reading, and his throne still open to
receive my petitions. I am shut out from my public work, but I am not
shut out from God, and I shall yet see why I am put in this place,
through the cruelty of a wicked man, who has sworn falsely, both before a
magistrate and a judge, when I could not defend myself, but he will have
his reward another day. No doubt I am sent here for some very great end,
and if it is but for the good of one soul, it will be worth all my
sorrow. I only want to live to know more of Christ, to bring forth more
fruit to God, and to be useful to others—and I may be useful here, as
well as in any other place. I hope you will be favored by the blessed
Spirit with an enlarged mind, to see such excellencies in Christ—as
God-Man Mediator, as bearing all your sin, as suffering in your stead, as
obeying the law for you, taking away the sting of death, rising for your
life, ascending to heaven, and appearing in your room for you before God;
in a prepared place to make intercession with God, to send you every
blessing, and to wait till your appointed time, then he will send for you
home, to be with him for ever. There you will see his face, and never,
never sin. These are blessings you must long for, if you belong to God.
Sin must be felt as a burden, sin must be hated as an enemy, sin must be
fled from as a serpent, sin must be pardoned and took away before God;
and nothing can do this for us, but the precious blood of Christ, and the
free favour of God, manifested in the work of the Holy Spirit, leading
our minds to the Saviour, and enabling us to believe in him to the saving
of the soul. O that you may be blessed with clearer knowledge, stronger
faith, greater love, and sweeter obedience. I am grieved I am not able
to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, as I once did, but I live in
the hopes of being a greater blessing to the church than I ever was
before; but, I trust, if I ever do again, I shall keep many at a greater
distance than I did before. I am at times broken-hearted about the cause
of Christ, especially that part of it I had the management of. It is
like a ship at sea, we will call her the Packet Distress—the disciples
went out to sea, night came on, the wind blew hard, the sea arose in
consequence of it, the poor ship was in the dark, and in the deep. No
sails were unfurled, they were obliged to tug at the oar, and after they
had rowed a great way, Jesus was seen on the water coming towards them;
but although when they were toiling in rowing, and what is very blessed
to remember is, that while they were tossed about on the stormy sea,
Jesus was on a mountain, praying for them. This circumstance was in the
6th chapter of Mark, 45 to 51st verse; the 6th of John, 16 to 21st verse.
I need not tell you a great storm has arose, by reason of a great wind
that has blown—blessed be God it is but wind, and the Lord commands that,
and he must allay it, when he has accomplished all the ends he had in
view. And though he permits these things, he has some grand end in
view—he will be glorified in all he permits. The sailors had no sails up
in this storm, it was too great, and perhaps very little love is felt by
those who are tempest tossed, so that we must ply the oar of all-prayer
together, and in due time the dear Redeemer will appeal to our joy. He
is now in heaven, I hope pleading the cause of his poor tried people, and
in life own time, when we are tired in toiling and rowing, we shall see
him treading down the proud waves of our enemies, and calling out—_It is
I_, _be not afraid_. Then all will be calm again—none can make it calm
but the Saviour; to him let us look, in him let us hope, life has all
power in heaven and in earth, and none can stay his hand, or say, What
doest thou? I hope we shall yet see better days, and live more to God’s
glory. This we cannot do without more grace, and when we feel what poor
sinners we are, then is the time to pray for more grace. It is not
enough to be convinced we are sinners, but we must know we are pardoned
sinners, and as we receive this knowledge, so our sins are subdued.
Nothing can so truly subdue sin, as the hope, or the full assurance they
are forgiven. I hope the Lord is shewing you what you are in yourself,
humbling you with the most blessed views of Christ, and at times giving
you a spirit of prayer, and of hearing, and tho’ you are not able to read
much, yet I trust many sweet texts of scripture come to your mind, to
encourage you to hope for salvation, through the doing and dying of
Christ. I hope you will be led to know more of Christ and his precious
salvation, more of his person and work, by the teaching of the Holy
Spirit, that you may feel the earnests of heaven. The Lord has promised
we shall know him, from the least to the greatest, that he will be
merciful to our souls, and that we shall be satisfied with his favour.
This is all that is worth living for, and as it is to his glory, so we
glorify him by seeking after this.
I have many precious moments in this place alone. I find the Saviour
very dear to my heart, and though I am much distressed at times about my
family, on whose account I weep in secret very bitterly, and also about
my friends, who have been persecuted for my sake. These things grieve my
soul, but yet I have much to be thankful for. All the persons I am
situated with, treat me with great respect, and my dear friends supply my
wants. Thus I am favored, time is on the wing, eternity and heaven draws
near, we shall soon have done with all temporal things, and God will then
fill every power of the soul. May your life be in faith, and your death
glorious. May God be with you, and among many mercies, may you be
thankful the Lord has blessed you with so good a master and mistress, who
indulges you with an opportunity of hearing the Gospel—what would I have
given for such a situation once. May the Saviour bless them.
I remain, your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXXI.
_Valley of Achor_, _Oct._ 20_th_, 1818.
Mr. LAWSON.
MY DEAR BROTHER in the GREAT HEAD of the CHURCH.
In your kind visit to me last Sunday, you dropped a word which I caught,
on that very important text which has sometimes troubled some of God’s
dear children, 66th Psalm, 18th verse, “If I regard iniquity in my heart,
the Lord will not hear me.” The reason why the children of the most high
are staggered about this text, is because they are the unhappy subjects
of the body of sin and death—of course, they feel those strong
propensities to sin, of every kind, a carnal nature, with which they are
tried, they feel lusts or desires after that which is contrary to God—in
their flesh or _old man_, there is nothing that is good. This flesh does
not mean the body. For there are many good things in that vessel. There
is a regenerated soul, there are principles of grace, there is the Holy
Spirit in it, as his own temple. But the flesh, the carnal part of an
elect person, as regenerated, is distinct from both the body and the
soul; yet both are at times influenced, led captive, overcome and
ensnared by this plague, this burden, this grief, this old man, so called
by the Apostle, and by Solomon called a strange woman, against which, he,
in the person of Christ, cautions his children in many places in the book
of Proverbs. The worst part we feel of this evil principle, is the
sinful desires for sensual and carnal gratifications. This was the
way-faring man, who came to David, and would not be satisfied without the
ewe lamb; and this same traveller often visits us; for though he is an
inmate with God’s children, yet through the reign of Grace, he is not our
king, ruler, or associate. The grace of God has altered all our minds,
took the throne of our hearts, and reigns king here. For thus runs the
covenant promise, Sin shall not have the dominion over you, grace shall
reign. We have fell out with sin, we have another nature which hates
sin, nor can it ever entertain it more. We hate iniquity by the holy
principle in us. This iniquity which the Psalmist refers to, I humbly
conceive, means those awful principles of pride, and self-righteousness,
in which mankind are involved, and by which they deceive their souls. I
need not remind you of the distinction between transgression and
iniquity; the one refers to the out-breakings of sin into acts of
immorality; the other refers to the carnal ambitious principles of
free-will, independence, and self-sufficiency. David had seen an end of
perfection, by the application of the law; he had been in the horrible
pit, and miry clay, and had been led to see that his own righteousness
could not bear the strict scrutiny of God’s justice, and that in God’s
sight, no flesh living could be justified, by any thing they could do.
His mind was fixed on the adorable Redeemer, as his surety, mediator,
righteousness, and intercessor—here his heart was fixed, trusting on this
he lived and died. Through this medium alone, his soul had access to
God, his prayers were heard and answered, his requests were received, and
his petitions granted. This was an evidence that he had an holy
principle within him that hated iniquity, although he had an opposite
principle within him that did regard iniquity. The Lord looks upon us as
we are in Christ, and as we are under the reign of grace, which destroys
the reign of sin, transgression, and iniquity. David hated all the works
of the flesh, and above all, those cursed principles which are in
opposition to the humiliating doctrines of the Gospel, which teach men to
look to, trust in, and make their own works, either in whole or in part,
a Saviour. The Lord had appeared to David, as a prayer-answering God;
this was an undeniable proof that he did not regard iniquity in his
regenerated soul, and every answer to prayer which we receive, is a most
blessed evidence to us, that grace has done the same for us which it did
for David. Hence he acknowledges the mercy, in the two following verses.
I beg you to read the connection from 16th verse to the close. But my
dear friend, may we not look a little higher than David or any chosen
vessel; may not this passage belong to David’s Lord, of whom he speaks
throughout the book of Psalms. Was not his nature entirely free from sin
and iniquity; was he not holy, harmless, and undefiled, separated and
free from iniquity as God himself; and if he had not been so, he could
not have made an atonement for his Church, nor wrought out a
righteousness for them; but having completed the work, by his interest he
obtained the gift of the Holy Ghost, to abide in and with his people for
ever. In this view, only read over the above verse, and you will see a
peculiar glory in them, in reference to Christ. May he be very dear to
your heart, living and dying; may you be led to his person and work, and
feel joy and peace in believing in the love which God hath for you in
Christ.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXXII.
_Achor’s Vale_, _November_ 18th, 1818.
Mrs. MARCH.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
I well know the cause why you are absent from chapel—if a preacher does
not stand manifest to your conscience, you cannot hear him, nor can I
blame you. The time of my deliverance I hope will come, when I trust to
meet the Lord’s people once more, and abide with them, till sickness and
death finally separate.
The second chapter of Isaiah is a very grand and solemn part of God’s
word. I have no commentators here to explain it, but hope the Lord will
give me a little light into it, as I write this short note on it,
particularly that important address, in the 10th verse, which you beg a
few thoughts on. The compass of a very long letter, would be too short
to set forth one half the beauties and excellencies contained in this
part of sacred writ. The prophet Isaiah is supposed to be the most
evangelical of all the prophets, not, but all the rest wrote of the same
grand object, Christ, but this great man was led more deeply into the
subject. He lived under the reigns of several kings, and died a martyr,
under the reign of Manasseh. It is supposed he was sawn asunder with a
wooden saw. He was led most divinely to see the person, glory, love,
work, and the kingdom of Christ, the nature of the Gospel dispensation,
and the peculiar happiness of the Church, in the first dawn of that
period, and its full meridian in the latter day glory. To these distant
times, he, no doubt, alludes in the five first verses of this chapter.
The conquests of grace, is particularly pointed out in the 4th verse.
When Christ, to whom all judgment is given, shall reign in the power of
his Gospel, in every part of the world, and when fierce persecutors, who
have been as swords and spears against the saints, those being converted,
should be made useful characters in the Lord’s garden. We are exhorted
to walk in the light of the gospel, and perhaps our Lord, and his servant
John, alludes to this text in their several addresses to the saints, in
the Gospel and Epistles of John. We may, with propriety, call Isaiah the
Old Testament Apostle—such were his clear views of Christ, that one would
think we were reading a history of circumstances past, more than a
prophesy of what was to come, although he lived, probably, seven hundred
years before the events themselves took place. The prophet then
proceeds, from the 6th verse of this chapter, and the following verses,
to predict the desolation of Jerusalem, for those sins which had so much
displeased the Lord, particularly the reigning sin of idolatry, to which
the Jews were so awfully prone. This prophecy may allude to the first
captivity, by Nebuchadnezzar, which was a very desolating siege, but more
particularly to the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem, by
the Roman armies, for their rejection of the Gospel, the murder of the
Son of God, and their persecution of the apostles and ministers of
Christ. The Jews were all wedded to their own works, and trusting in
them, is idolatry. This was their base conduct, both rich and poor,
therefore the Lord was determined to break up house-keeping with them,
and devote the whole land to destruction; and such should be the terrors
of the siege, that the prophet is commanded to direct the attention of
many to the holes of the rocks and caves of the earth—such should be
horrors experienced by all the inhabitants of Judea, from the terrible
majesty of Jehovah, when he should shake the earth with his awful
vengeance. This subject is again and again repeated, to shew its
certainty and its horror, a faint shadow of the last great day, when our
God shall appear in grandeur, our world shall be in flames, when
consternation shall turn every unprepared heart pale as the second death,
24th Matthew; and the 6th of Revelations should be read with this
chapter, but I humbly conceive this address in the 10th verse, may be
applied to God’s children, who should live to see these awful times, and
indeed, viewed in a gospel sense, there is no period when the exhortation
is needless. We are sinners, guilty, polluted, undone, and
hell-deserving. God, as viewed in the law, is truly awful. He appears,
and every truly awakened soul sees him, and dreads him as a sin-avenging
God, who will by no means of man’s devising, clear the guilty. The
sinner who is under the hand of the law, feels the intolerable burden of
his own sins, views the holiness of God, the extent and spirituality of
the commandments, and groans under fearful apprehensions of eternal woe,
and who finds he can do nothing but sin in thought, word, and deed,
notwithstanding all his vows, watchings, and care; yet his mind
apprehending the faithfulness and unchangeableness of God, who has
declared, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. This awful perfection
dwells on his mind, and the horrors, real and imaginary, seize his
spirits. Here he feels the evil of sin, the terrors of the Almighty, the
nature of the law, the impossibility of being saved by it, the awful
state of all who are out of Christ, however moral their deportment, or
clear their doctrinal views. Here a soul sees his need of a surety, his
need of a better righteousness than his own, his need of an atonement,
and a Saviour, who is God-Man Mediator. This is learning the subject
from real heart felt experience; and this explains many passages in the
Bible, descriptive of the feelings of many who were brought into this
state. This is being planted into the likeness of Christ’s death, and
when such souls are brought into the liberty of the gospel, they know,
even if they cannot explain, what it is to be planted into the likeness
of his resurrection also. Now to all such tried souls, exercised with
the terrors of God, and fearing his wrath and terrible majesty, as a
sin-avenging God, to all such is the address made, Enter into the rock,
and hide thee in the dust. When the prophet Jeremiah was exercised, with
some awful impressions of the divine majesty, he describes a soul made so
willing to see his interest in pardoning mercy, that he putteth his mouth
in the dust. If so be there may be hope, the lowest place that can be,
suits such an one, yea, in the very dust, pleading for mercy and pardon,
through the blood of the Lamb, and his law-fulfilling righteousness. I
have often been in this state; and perhaps the prophet refers to such a
state in the 29th chapter, 4th verse, And thy speech shall whisper out of
the dust. This, although many miseries are experienced, is a safe state;
but none can believe that we are thus exercised, till God raises the poor
from the dust, and the needy from the dunghill. See 113 Psalm, 1st of
Samuel, ii, 7, 8. The command is, Enter into the rock. There is no
safety but in him, he is the rock, and his work is perfect. He is the
high, holy, fruitful, refreshing, foundation; shelter, safety, defence,
and strength of his church. Here many a soul has run, and found safety,
help, comfort, and peace: this is the only dwelling place for a
law-condemned sinner, who has fled for refuge; here alone is firm,
floating, and solid peace, all, all is sea beside. I must refer you to
that blessed circumstance, recorded in 33rd Exodus, and the close of the
chapter. This will greatly assist your spiritual views of the passage
under consideration. It is only in Christ we can see the glory of God.
To enter in, is the mind enabled by God the Spirit’s power, to receive
the truth, and to be led by the same Spirit to apprehend the Lord Jesus
Christ, as he is revealed. This is the truth that makes us free, hand as
it enters into the mind, so we sweetly enter into it.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXXIV.
_Valley of Achor_, _April_ 4_th_, 1819.
Mrs. LAWSON,
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
With grief of heart I have to inform you, that poor Dean is appointed to
die on Thursday morning. This is a most distressing circumstance, as I
know the poor fellow entertained a hope that it would be proved an act of
insanity. My feelings will be sorely distressed, as I shall have the
pain to hear his poor trembling footsteps on the scaffold. May God
prepare his soul, and assure him of his interest in Christ. May he feel
the pardoning love of God—this will be as pillars of marble, to support
his sinking heart. Oh that he may be washed in the dear Redeemer’s
blood, and clothed with his righteousness, that he may be accepted of the
Father the moment the soul quits the body. Glad should I be to visit
him, and pray with him, but that is not allowed. Last night I was very
low about him, and suddenly opened upon the 37th Psalm, The Lord will not
leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. If his last
letter to me was genuine, he is saved in the Lord, with an everlasting
salvation. His soul is every thing now, the body will soon be lifeless.
Solemn thought, affecting idea—to be cut off by an untimely death, in the
height of health and manhood! How truly awful; what has sin done, and Oh
how great is the power of Satan. The Lord will put an end to the empire
of Satan, and confine him down to darkness, fire, and chains, and we
shall say Amen to Satan’s sentence. I trust poor Dean has found mercy at
the hands of God. Various letters I have sent him, and glad I am the
Lord enabled me to point him to the bleeding cross. His first letter to
me, was a proof his mind was very dark, and his last letter proves his
increase in light and faith; if the Lord has thus blessed my poor letters
to him, you and I can see that I was not sent here in vain. It is well,
the Lord has many means to bring his children to the knowledge of the
truth. What God did to Pharaoh, and his host, reached the ear of Rahab
the harlot, in Jericho, and she was converted. The fame of Solomon’s
wisdom was heard in the country of the Sabeans, and proved the conversion
of the queen of Sheba. The wonderful destruction of the Assyrian army,
reached to Babylon, from thence came the wise men to worship Christ, and
a church was formed there. A famine drove Naomi from Bethlehem, and she
carried the knowledge of the true God to the country of Moab, which
proved the conversion of Ruth. The Syrians invaded Israel, and took a
little maid captive, which terminated in the conversion of Namaan. A
famine drove Elijah to a widow at Zidon, and Elisha’s passing by a house
at Shunem, proved their conversion. Paul and Silas were taken up, and
put in prison, and Onesimus was confined in the same place for felony,
and Paul was the means of his conversion there. A person swore that
against me which I knew nothing about, and I was doomed to this place for
a time. I dread the approach of Thursday, the shock will be great, but
it will be soon over; and then, O what a transition—what bliss will his
spirit feel, and what gratitude to God for bringing him home from an
ignominious death, to eternal life. I have been informed Mr. Hyat, of
the Tabernacle, visited him several times, and those visits have been
blessed to his soul. I find faith and patience wants strengthening, but
all fullness is in Christ. I am glad prayer is making in the Church for
Mr. D.
Ever your’s,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXXV.
_Valley of Achor_, _May_ 8_th_, 1819.
Mrs. O,
MY DEAR FRIEND,
I well know your concern about the state of poor Mr. D. Yourself and
your dear sister—dear indeed by a three-fold cord of nature, grace and
trials, have expressed much anxiety for some information on the subject
of his conversion and end. I have but few materials to furnish you with
that account, as my situation precluded all intercourse with him, except
by letter and a distant view of each other. This was no small matter of
sorrow to me, for many weeks, nor could I often help exclaiming in the
pathetic language of Jeremiah, “Truly this is a grief, but must I bear
it.”
Some time ago, I wrote a few lines to your dear sister, giving her an
account of the death of three unhappy men (see Letter 19) but as I could
gain no satisfaction about them, sufficient to call your attention to
admire that grace, which I was informed they were favored with, I left
the subject. God forbid that I should exercise more charity to dying
men, than the Lord has manifested. I am well convinced that the Judge of
all the earth will do right; and although he giveth not account of his
matters, yet the day will declare his righteousness, and every dark and
mysterious providence will be unfolded; let us therefore wait the great
teacher, Death, and God adore. I am not enraptured with the various
accounts of the closing scene of many, nor am I moved with the darkness
to which God’s dear people may be liable at the end of their warfare; all
was darkness when the eternal Son of God was dying, yet, he was the Son
of God, and Satan may be permitted to harrass a believer to the very
gates of heaven; yet thousands are deluded to the last moment, whose
hopes are built upon the sand, and whose religion sinks with their lives,
when their false refuges and lying confidences give way. Many profane
graceless characters die like lambs, but Oh, could we see what terrors
surround them upon its approach to an angry God, in the world of spirits,
it would harrow up our very souls. Many proud pharisees, who are
trusting in themselves that they are righteous, that they are better than
others, die in the same state. Many flaming, professors, who boast they
have done much for God, and his cause, find in death that God has done
nothing for them; and those who only have received the system of truth in
the notion, and yet destitute of its power, are in the same awful state.
Many who have come to an ignominious end, have been left to die with a
lie in their mouths, declaring their innocence of their crimes; and
others have patched up a peace with God, as they call it, by a little
sorrow for sin, the receiving the sacrament, by forgiving their enemies,
and dying in peace with all the world. These are some of the various
delusions, in which many of our poor fallen race leave this world for
eternity; but I am happy to say, that I believe many have gone from the
fatal drop to endless bliss, who have been convinced of sin, cried for
mercy in God’s way, and obtained a sense of pardoning mercy through the
doing and dying of the adorable Mediator. This has inspired a holy
confidence in the mind, that maketh not ashamed, a hope that cannot fail,
as it centers in the person and finished work of Christ. Great indeed
has been the false confidence of many. Mary, queen of Scots, a rigid
papist, went to the block to be beheaded, in a strong confidence.
Rosseau, the infidel philosopher, died as calm as a summer’s evening
breeze, and the celebrated Addison said in death, “See in what
tranquility a christian can die;” and yet, alas! what was the ground of
their hopes? But the person who is the subject of this letter, was
indeed better taught, and we must appeal to the church and the world on
his behalf, and say, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire.”
It is a mercy to find the Pearl of great Price in early life, as it saves
the soul from a thousand thorns, which gall the consciences of those, who
do not experience the pardon of their sins till the terrors of death
approach. The Lord has given us one particular instance in his word, of
the victory of his grace in the soul, as the body was wracking in the
agonies of death, and this is recorded that none might despair, and none
might presume. Two malefactors were crucified with our dear Lord, on
Golgotha; and when impious profane wretches, with the hell-hardened
priests, were insulting him in his agonies, thieves that were crucified
with him, did cast the same in his teeth. This shews the awful state
they were both in, but Oh, the freeness and sovereignty of divine
grace—the Lord selected one of those to be an instance of it—at this
awful period the Lord Jesus looked upon him, and began his work of grace;
the effects were soon visible, in reproving his companion, and submission
to his fate, the acknowledgment of his just sentence, with a high
commendation of the illustrious sufferer. This was presently vented
again in prayer, crying first to his companion in sin and sorrow, “Dost
thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? We indeed,
justly suffer, but this man hath done nothing amiss.” Then perhaps
writhing his agonising body towards his Redeemer, he strove to shew his
veneration, by lowly bowing his head. The effort tore his lengthening
wounds, and the blood gushed forth in larger streams; but disregarding
the pain, and the streaming blood, he cried, “Lord, remember me, when
thou comest into thy kingdom.” The dear Saviour, with a divine smile,
which entered the heart of the poor malefactor, looked on him with
benignity, grace, and love; and with a gentle voice replied, “This day
shalt thou be with me in Paradise.” No doubt this sweet promise was
attended with the full pardon of his sins, a sense of divine love, and a
joy full of glory. The peace of God, which his dear Lord was now making
for him, filled his wondering mind, and fitted his new-born soul for
celestial triumphs. Here was grace indeed—sovereign, rich, and free. He
saw his Redeemer in agonies, he beheld the midnight darkness which veiled
the heavens, he felt the earth quake, and he heard the rocks split when
his Lord exclaimed “It is finished.” No doubt with strange emotions of
love, grief, wonder, capture, surprise, adoration, and joy, he cast his
dying eyes on his suffering Saviour; he saw our Jesus bow his dear head
in death, having obtained eternal redemption for all who come to God
through him; and no doubt he longed for the moment when he should breathe
his last—but his heart was once more to be broken. The soldiers came to
break the legs of the malefactors, but his Lord was dead already; and the
poor thief, with dim dying eyes; yet saw the murderous villain drive a
spear in the heart of that Christ that had pardoned his sin; his soul
struggled to get through the body, to the bosom of its Saviour and its
God. His legs being broken, he then expired, and his disimprisoned soul
fled to the paradise promised him. This was grace indeed.
Oh for this love let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break.
This almighty grace, I humbly trust, accomplished the salvation of Mr. D.
It appears from what I can learn, that he had lived in thoughtlessness
and folly, and those amusements which are calculated to fasten the bands
of spiritual death the firmer; but the Lord stopped him in his mad
career, in a very awful way, and with one tremendous sin, punished
others, and made it an awful, but gracious means to bring him to
reflection, to seeking the Lord, and to that repentance that needeth not
to be repented of. Sin rose to its heighth, Satan did his utmost, and
the hand of the Lord appeared; the awful moment of temptation came, he
complied, he sinned with an high hand and an uplifted arm—ignorant of the
nature of sin, he vainly supposed a child wanted no Saviour, forgetting
it is written, “I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me.” He performed the fatal act, and ushered the soul of the
child into eternity, destroyed its body, robbed its dear parents of its
affectionate embrace, involved them in sorrow, and plunged himself into
the deepest horrors, real and imaginary; forfeited his life to the just
laws of his country, and if grace had not been manifested, he would have
complicated his own everlasting destruction. Oh, the extent of the
crime! how dreadful! His tortured heart could feel no rest day nor
night, till he gave himself up to justice. I saw him come into prison,
and strange to tell, I felt a spirit of prayer for him influence my mind,
which, more or less, abode with me till his execution. I knew how it
would be with him, and I daily feared he would die by his own hands; but
the Lord appeared gracious, not only in preserving him, but in giving him
a serious concern about his never dying soul. There was a person in the
same class with him, who had been for some time also with me; this person
often took occasion to talk seriously with Mr. *** D. and observing the
state of his mind, he advised him to write to me; but I being a stranger
to him, and his mind sadly agitated, he requested his companion to write
to me, and lay before me his distressed feelings, and begged to know from
me if there were any hopes held out in scripture, for such a character as
he was, and if there were any murderer ever obtained eternal life. I
endeavored to answer him according to the word of God, assured him I was
glad to find him under concern for his soul, and asking the way to God.
I pointed out the nature and design of the Gospel, in the revelation of a
Saviour, exactly suited to such sinners as he was; the invitation to poor
sinners, who were led to cry for mercy from a feeling sense of need; the
freeness of divine grace, and above all, I constantly urged the necessity
of an application of the atonement to the conscience, and shewed him
according to my poor abilities, that the salvation he now stood in need
of, consisted in the sense of pardoning mercy. This I urged upon him to
cry day and night for, and never rest till he knew for himself his sins
were forgiven, and then I knew all the happy holy consequences that would
follow.
I next pointed out the excellency of the good and just laws of the land
in which we live, and although I was most cruelly charged as an enemy to
all laws, divine and human, yet this was as false as God was true, as I
consider the wholesome laws of the country, to come the nearest to the
precepts of the sacred scriptures, and that a Christian, in his best
state of mind, esteemed and loved every law of God. Great peace have
they which love thy law. The next step I took, was to point out those
parts of scripture, which suited his case and this I constantly enforced,
as I hoped he grew in knowledge, and in seeking the Lord; but I did not
answer the question in reference to the possibility of a murderer’s
salvation, for some time after, because I considered it necessary that he
should be truly wounded, till the healing balm was brought.
I shall not enlarge upon the subject of the various letters I sent him in
his unhappy situation, but with respect to the question, “The doubt in
the minds of many, whether it is possible for a person guilty of murder,
to obtain eternal life:” The scriptures are clear upon this subject.
Many have obtained it, although they most justly forfeit their natural
lives, agreeable to the divine injunction, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood,
by man shall his blood be shed.” And if a murderer is not detected and
executed by the laws of his country, yet, in general, some evil befals
them, and they seldom die a natural death; for the word of God is mostly
fulfilled in this particular. But, with respect to the soul, the
salvation of that is an act of free, sovereign mercy. The passage of
John’s Epistle, 3rd chapter, 15th verse, should be read in its connexion,
and you will find that it explains itself, “Whoever hateth his brother is
a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in
him.” This text refers to those hypocrites in a profession of religion,
who, in heart, hate those that are truly called of God to the enjoyment
of the truth; and such, indeed, is the nature of the holy law of God,
that it views unjust anger in the mind, as murder; so says the Lord and
fulfiller of his own law, 5th of Matthew. Who then can hope for
salvation from the broken Covenant of Works; but it is very evident that
some who have committed murder have been pardoned by the blood of the
atonement, and are now in heaven. God’s highly distinguished servants,
both Moses and David, were guilty of Murder; Moses killed an Egyptian and
hid him in the sand, and David gave orders to captain-general Joab to
place Uriah in the front of the battle, that he might be killed; this
cruel act was resented by the Lord, for although his sins were pardoned,
yet David had a broken heart within, and perpetual wars without. While
Manasseh was in a state of nature, it is said he wrought _very much evil_
in the sight of the Lord—moreover, Manasseh shed innocent blood _very
much_—and yet, Oh the wonders of free victorious grace! Manasseh is
brought into trouble, into a prison, and into fetters, and there the Lord
convinced him of sin, humbled his heart, gave him a spirit of prayer, and
made himself known to him as a sin pardoning God. Some of the murderers
of the Son of God were pardoned: for these the dear Saviour prayed, while
they were in the very act of crucifying him, “Father forgive them.” And
when the bold and faithful apostle Peter preached to them, he charged the
murder of the Saviour to their consciences, God gave them faith to
believe in him, grace to receive his word, repentance unto life, and they
were baptized in the name of that very Jesus whom they had crucified. I
might also mention Saul of Tarsus, who gives a most affecting account of
himself, in the 26th of the Acts. And who can tell the list of those who
have been humbled and renewed by the grace of God, and who went from the
fatal gibbet to glory? This I trust was the sad, but through mercy,
happy case with Mr. D.
After the lapse of a few weeks, when his agitated bosom would permit him,
he wrote to me—there was nothing in his letter but what was very natural
to expect from a person in his situation; yet, from a few sentences, I
was encouraged in my hope that he was seeking the Lord. I gained
information of him every week, and always wrote to him accordingly. His
fears, terrors, and horrors overwhelmed his trembling spirit, and I hoped
there was more than nature in it. Some pious men brought him some
religions Tracts. Good Mr. Smith of Penzance, once visited him, and by
the good hand of God, his terrors abated, and his mind was gradually
opened by the Holy Spirit, to see the value of Christ, and to make
application to him for that mercy and grace he delights to display. I
frequently observed him at the chapel, and when our worthy Chaplain
advanced any precious sentence of the fullness and freeness of grace, he
used to look at me with smiling approbation; by this I could see he was,
at least, gaining some knowledge of the right way, and rejoicing in the
truth. He experienced very violent temptations from the enemy, sometimes
to suicide, then to doubt the authenticity of the Bible. Various were
his tossings of mind and deep was his distress, till the Lord led him to
receive the atonement in his mind with power; this was done in the use of
the means. I could humbly wish to have known _how_ this came into his
mind, whether by the impression of any scripture, or in any open
manifestation of power, light, and liberty. I heard he was more
comfortable than he used to be, and wrote to him to know the ground of
that comfort, and the real state of his mind, to which he sent me the
following simple and plain Letter.
Mr. C.
MY DEAR FRIEND & WELL WISHER,
I feel much indebted to you for your good advice and kind attention
to me under my heavy afflictions. I have the pleasure to inform you
I am a wonder to myself: my mind and heart prone after the riches of
Christ—there is no name under heaven, nor in heaven, so precious as
_his_ to me.—You know what the Bible promises to all believers. I
have read it, and thought it reached any case but mine, but now,
thanks be to God, I find my case and sins were what our blessed
Saviour shed his blood for—_such rebels as me_! A free pardon is
held forth for such vile creatures as I am. I thank God from my
heart, he has done a great work for me—the blood of Christ is
precious blood—he is strengthening me much in faith. I find he is
all I need. I am nothing but sin, and have done no good in all my
life, yet he holds a free pardon for me. He has answered my polluted
prayers, and every promise in the book tells me it is for me. The
blessed and Holy Spirit has opened my blind eyes, and shewed me what
I am and what Christ is, in some degree, but his riches and mercies
none can fathom—his promise takes away the sting of death. I am
looking to him, and put all things into his hands, and it will be
well.
Kind Sir, I remain, your’s, &c.
A great Sinner,
_R. Dean_.
From this simple letter I received some degree of consolation, and
finding his mind was open to receive the atonement for the pardon of all
sin, I judged it now expedient to lead his attention to that glorious
robe of imputed righteousness which is the end of the law and the glory
of the gospel, that he might be able to say
Jesus thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are my glorious dress;
’Midst flaming worlds, in these array’d,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
I pressed his attention to that capital blessing, knowing that faith had
to do with that alone to render us just before God; that while the blood
of Jesus took away all sin, the obedience of Christ to the Law fulfilled
all righteousness—the one excludes from hell, but the other brings us to
heaven; “For in the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified, and
shall glory.” I had, after this, much uneasiness of mind on behalf of
poor Mr. D. his situation with so many awful characters, in the same part
of the prison, I knew was not very favorable to his growth in grace; yet
I knew, if the work was genuine on his mind, it would be carried on; but
some persons had attempted to console his mind with this idea, That on
his trial it would be proved he was insane. I feared this would throw
him into a careless frame about his soul, and I fear it did for a time,
but the speedy approach of the assize alarmed him, and I hope the Lord
quickened him again. I wrote to him not to listen to any such ideas for
a moment, and reminded him of the first intimation of Satan to out first
parents—“Ye shall not surely die.” I trust this had the desired effect;
he was tried and cast for death, as I expected, and his fatal day was
appointed, but deferred to wait the decision of the fate of another, who
was afterwards reprieved. This was indeed rather an uncommon
circumstance, but I fondly hoped the Lord had so appointed it, that poor
Mr. D. might be the better capacitated to enter into his awful presence.
In reference to his state of mind, during this period, the worthy
minister of the place constantly visited him, and held forth the suitable
consolations of the gospel to his view, nor were those visits in vain. I
frequently heard Mr. D. pray aloud, and with much energy. The day before
his execution (April 7, 1819) he was visited by a Nobleman and his
respectable Friend, who, in imitation of their divine Lord, delights to
go about doing good; may God prosper their efforts, and another day
fulfil in those honorable persons all those gracious promises in the 41st
Psalm, 1, 2, 3rd verses. Some pious, Friends from the Methodist Society
often visited him, and prayed with him, and I trust felt the presence of
the Lord with them; as an evidence of his approbation of their work of
love, some continued with him all the night previous to his execution:
Mr. D. received them kindly and gratefully. The visitors did not
perceive the least sign of insanity, but a calm composedness of mind, and
an humble trust in the atonement of Christ, and without the shadow of a
doubt of the pardon of his sins. Believe me, I feel an emotion of
gratitude and tears while I write this. He could give no account what
induced him to commit the horrid deed, but spoke very composedly on every
subject. He joined the gentlemen in prayer, and singing an hymn—
Behold the bleeding lamb of God,
Nail’d to the shameful tree;
How vast the love that him constrain’d
To bleed and die for me.
About an hour after, leaning upon the shoulder of one of the visitors, he
requested him to sing that sweet hymn again, in which he joined them,
with a sweet and heavenly frame of mind; but Satan was to have his last
onset, and about the middle of the night the enemy harrassed him sorely,
deep darkness pervaded his mind, and his heart trembled with fear. The
dear friends perceiving this, advised him to retire and read alone, and
they withdrew to the other end of the room. After he had read a little,
he fell on his knees, and prayed most fervently, consistently, and
scripturally. Satan left him, and his mind became quite serene. At
seven in the morning, when he was preparing all things necessary for his
final departure, he addressed a fellow prisoner in a most surprizing and
affecting manner; spoke of the mercy he had received, and encouraged him
to call on God for pardoning mercy, through the doing and dying of the
Lord Jesus Christ. The visitors then read a letter from his dear friend,
the uncle of the dear child, in which he praised God for the mercy Mr. D.
had found, and from the tenor of the letter, we trust the day dawns on
his mind, and the day star begins to shine.
Mr. D. attended the solemn service at the chapel, and received the Lord’s
supper; not to make his peace with God, but in thankfulness to his dear
Lord who had made it for him on mount Calvary. The solemn bell announced
his approach, and my soul was overwhelmed with solemn grief, which I
endeavored to vent out in prayers and tears. At nine o’Clock I heard
him, having ascended the scaffold, in supplication, which increased in
fervent entreaties, and committing his soul into the hands of the
Redeemer. His petitions were earnest and importunate, and as he
increased in agitation, so also in devout intreaties, crying, Lord Jesus
receive my spirit; Look, look upon a poor murderer. Oh, by the blood of
the cross, by the blood of calvary, look upon me. Lord have mercy upon
me. Lord— here he was going to speak again, but the drop fell, and his
soul took its flight to the bosom of its Saviour and its God; with Christ
in his heart, heaven in his eye, and Lord—on his tongue. Thus died poor
Mr. D. a sinner, saved by grace alone.
I trust his sad case was laid on the hearts of many God-fearing persons,
and many prayers were put up for him, nor did they return empty. Some of
our dear friends had several precious tokens for his good; and I am happy
to say I gave some hope, that the death of Mr. D. is the means of the
spiritual life of one in the family: perhaps it will not end here. I
must add, that the worthy family to whom the child belonged, most freely
forgave him the rash act, and paid every attention to him during his
confinement.
From this short account of poor Mr. D. I think we may discover some of
those blessed evidences which characterize a real believer. His
brokenness of spirit and honest confessions, prove his humility before
God: his crying day and night to the Lord, evidence his eternal election;
his mind being led to the Saviour manifested his adoption, and his
receiving the atonement and resting upon Jesus, shewed that his faith was
genuine. His temptations demonstrate Satan’s hatred to him, and his
entreaties for mercy to the last moment, prove that he had obtained
mercy: “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” I would call your
attention in this letter, to the infinite evil of sin, the mystery of
divine providence, the wonders of almighty grace, and the necessity of
fervent prayer for divine keeping; “Hold thou me up, and I shall be
safe;” but this would fill a volume. You can recollect I have observed,
that the Lord in general resents a murder in his own way, and in his own
time, although the murderer may escape condign punishment. This has been
proved in many instances, one of which I have just read in the Methodist
Magazine, which I will just mention in few words.
A gentleman was riding over Hounslow Heath, when a poor man, with his
little boy, ran after him to solicit relief; but the gentleman refusing,
the beggar continued his intreaties, which aggravated him that he drew
his sword and laid the poor beggar on the ground, and then rode away: the
poor boy screamed out that his father was killed. Ten years after this,
as he was riding near the same place, some boys were playing at cricket,
and one of them hit the gentleman’s toe with his ball. It was painful,
and a surgeon at Brentford, told him it would prove of dangerous
consequence. He came to London for advice, and was informed he must
suffer amputation, as a mortification had actually taken place. He would
not give his consent to this, and death approached. The doctor asked him
if he knew any thing of the boy who had thrown the ball, and he said he
did, for he well remembered he was the son of the old man, whom he had
killed some years before.—Verily, there is a God that judgeth in the
earth.
Wishing you all grace, I remain,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXXVI.
_Achor’s Vale_, _February_ 16, 1819.
Miss GRUMMANT.
MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,
I am quite grieved the Ancient Paper you was so kind as to lend me, has
not been returned to me; if I was out from this place I could procure
another, and will do so, God willing; but I will tell you every word of
it.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSON OF JESUS,
As it was found in an Ancient Manuscript, sent by Publius Lentulus,
President of Judea, to the Senate of Rome.
_There lives at this time in Judea_, _a Man of singular Character
whose name is Jesus Christ_; _the barbarians esteem him as a
Prophet_, _but his own followers adore him as the immediate offspring
of the immortal God_. _He is endued with such unparalleled virtue_,
_as to call back the dead from their graves_, _and to heal every kind
of disease with a word or a touch_. _His person is tall_, _and
elegantly __shaped_, _his aspect amiable and reverend_; _his hair
flows into those beauteous shades which no united colours can match_,
_falling into graceful curls below his ears_, _agreeably couching on
his shoulders_, _and parting on the crown of his head_, _like the
head dress of the sect of the Nazarenes_. _His forehead is very
plain_, _smooth_, _and large_, _his cheeks without a spot or
wrinkle_, _save that of a lovely red_, _his nose and mouth are formed
with exquisite symmetry_, _his beard is thick_, _and of a colour
suitable to the hair of his head_, _reaching a little below his
chin_, _and parted in the middle like a fork_, _his eyes grey_,
_bright and clear_, _quick and serene_. _He rebukes with majesty_,
_counsels with mildness_, _pleasant in speech_, _and invites with the
most tender and persuasive language_; _his whole address_, _whether
by word or deed_, _being courteous and friendly_, _elegant_, _grave_,
_and characteristic of so exalted a being_. _No man has seen him
laugh_, _but the whole world beheld him weep frequently_, _and so
persuasive are his tears_, _that the multitude cannot withhold theirs
from joining in sympathy with his_. _He is very temperate_,
_modest_, _and wise_, _in short_, _whatever this Phænomenon may turn
out in the end_, _he seems_, _at present a man_, _for his excellent
beauty and divine perfections_, _every way surpassing the Children of
Men_.
This is certainly a very pretty description of the human nature of our
dear Lord, and I feel half inclined to suppose that our first parent
Adam, was a little like him in person—this is only a carnal notion, I
acknowledge, but I cannot forbear to indulge it. The psalmist David,
said of Christ, eight hundred years before he came, “Thou art fairer than
the children of men:” yet this dear visage and beauty was marred,
spoiled, more than any man’s; grief had so affected him, that when but
thirty, he looked like a man of fifty years of age. He was a man of
sorrows, and his most intimate acquaintance was grief; he saw such an
infinite evil in sin, the hourly insults poured upon God by the whole
world; he saw Jehovah slighted, ridiculed, abused, hated, and opposed;
his whole heart loved Jehovah, and this broke his heart, lay heavy on his
spirits, and caused him to say, as in his own common prayer book, the
Psalms, “Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy
law.” He saw the dreadful state his own children were in, and what he
had to endure to make an atonement for them. Every now and then one of
his soul pangs took him; hence we read of his being troubled in spirit,
agitated and troubled in soul. This was some time before his sufferings
in the garden. But while we admire his outward beauty as man, what vast
beauty possessed his mind—wisdom, prudence, chastity, holiness, zeal,
understanding, faith, hope, love, and joy; in the principle—mercy,
commiseration, pity, affection, patience, gratitude, and fidelity. Look
at his actions, and they all correspond with the holy principles of his
mind, and this holy nature was the image of God, the exemplar pattern and
likeness of the new man of grace in the souls of God’s children; but Oh,
what an exalted idea does the sacred pages give us of this blessed Jesus;
he was, he is God-Man. His body was but the casket, his divinity the
rich jewel it contained. He was united to the Son of God, to God the
Son, who is over all, God blessed for ever. He is God-Man, he possesses
every divine perfection; he is Jehovah, God and Lord; he is stiled,
Jehovah 330 times in the old Testament; he is called God 90 times in the
old Testament, and 25 times in the new. He has put away sin by his
obedience and sufferings; he is exalted above the heavens. How truly
beautiful and glorious he appears in the midst of heaven, wearing our
nature, but shining brighter than a million suns—the delight of the
Father and the Holy Spirit—the joy of saints and angels; and whatever was
his appearance on earth, we can form no idea of his human nature in
heaven. God bless you while young, with some very sweet views of him,
that he may be dear to your heart in youth and age, in life and death.
So prays your affectionate well wisher,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXXVII.
_Achor’s tale_, _September_ 29, 1818.
Mr. G. GRAY.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
What can I say to you, and how can I sufficiently thank you for your
kindness and benevolence of heart and conduct; well might the apostle
exhort, “Let us not love in word and in tongue, but in deed and in
truth;” and this has been your conduct to me since my abode at the sign
of the unstrung harp, near the weeping willows, by the rivers of Babylon.
Here I at present live, but what the Lord promised the Israelites in
captivity, he is most graciously fulfilling in my case. I need not
remind you that _Achor_ was a valley in Jericho, where Achor the son of
Carmi was stoned; perhaps the valley borrowed its name from the
circumstance itself. Achor means trouble, and you know what is written
in your favorite chapter, 2nd of Hosea. What an affecting picture the
Lord has given us of Israel’s ingratitude and rebellion; but having
determined from all eternity, that where sin hath abounded, there grace
also should much more abound, and triumph over all the sin of his people,
which has brought them into so much trouble, as Achan did the Israelites,
that in the very midst of that valley of Achor, he would open a door of
hope, and give them strong consolations; that there he would manifest his
pardoning love, display his eternal power, sanctify the cross to them,
reveal his love to the heart, and though in the very midst of trouble,
yet his people should sing of his mercy, truth, faithfulness, kindness,
and righteousness, all which are displayed in their marriage union to
Christ, the date of which is as ancient as eternal election. The grand
displays of it was in the great act of the Redeemer’s incarnation. The
means to bring about this union, was the removal of all the awful
impediments which were in the way, by the obedience, the sufferings,
death, burial, resurrection and ascension, intercession and life of
Christ, as Mediator in heaven for us. Nor can this blessed union be felt
or enjoyed by us, till God the Holy Ghost has subdued our enmity,
quickened our souls, reconciled us to God’s mind, shewed us the person,
love, and work of Christ; made us willing by his power, created holy
desires in the soul, and enabled us to say, Thou, Oh my God, in Christ
art the thing that I long for. Here is union felt; and as the soul is
led on in the knowledge of the great things of God, it is enabled to
trace the origin of this union to the counsels of eternity. I trust you
will, my dear brother, be enabled when you are called forth to stand up
as a spokesman for your dear Lord, declare what you know of the counsel
of God, not that you, or any other preacher, either _know_ or _can_
declare the _whole_ counsel of God. Nothing is more common than this
expression, and nothing can be more erroneous. I do not believe any one
ever declared the whole counsel of God, since our Lord and his apostles
on earth—_they_ declared the whole, perfectly and infallibly; but other
ministers, however faithful they are, must not say so, it is an error;
but what the Lord has taught you, that you can declare, even the truth as
contained in the grand doctrines of the Gospel; the perfections and
glories of the divide Jesus, the original ruin and present corruption and
misery of man, the spirituality of the holy law of God, the perfect
satisfaction of Christ, complete justification by his imputed
righteousness, regeneration by the operations of the eternal spirit,
spiritual faith and evangelical repentance towards God; love _to_,
arising _from_ the knowledge _of_ the adorable Trinity in Unity, the
warfare between the flesh and the spirit, the trials of the way, the
temptations of the adversary, the strength, light, and comfort afforded
us; the stability of the eternal covenant, the depths of divine mercy,
the perpetuity of eternal love, with all the happy consequences of these
truths in the life, conduct, and the whole conversation. You and I, my
brother, are not afraid these great truths will make their possessors
careless of their conduct; No, every sin felt and discovered, or the
least outbreakings of it, is as a dagger to the heart, a load upon the
mind, nor can there be any rest till a fresh manifestation of pardon is
felt. We consider the work of the ministry to be the greatest work and
the highest honour ever conferred on a poor fallen creature here. To
make use of the language of good old Mr. Ryland, here is full scope for
fear, hope, gratitude, justice, compassion, zeal, interest, ambition,
glory, pleasure, and unbounded fire; rise ambition, rise glory into
intense fire, and joy without bounds or end. Reflect, O my soul, what
astonishing glory for me to be decreed and ordained by the great Head of
the Church, to copy God’s eternal thoughts, to receive the infusions of
ideas from all the holy inspired penmen; to be called out of nothing, out
of meanness, obscurity, baseness, sin, and misery, to stand in the place
and room of the eternal Son of God, to paint his perfections, to blaze
abroad his glories about the world, to display the virtue of his blood,
and tell of his astonishing death, the grandest action in the empire of
God—to express this action in a thousand points of light, to have the
most intimate treaties with immortal souls, to do nothing but transact
with souls—blood-bought souls; to be an ambassador, an angel, a
representative of the Son of God; to be put into his place (in a certain
sense) as a preacher, to have commerce with deathless souls, to be
inrolled by Christ in this time state amongst the faithful and zealous
preachers, and for Christ to value us as dear and important to himself,
and to the church. This subject is so great, I scarcely know how to
write it, but so interesting, I must send you a line or two more. What a
glory to revive gospel doctrines, to display Christ’s glory, and to raise
the credit of the work of the Spirit; to die with the highest dignity,
angels and good men around my bed, and God himself within my soul. O
what a glory is this, to rise up amidst throngs of admiring smiling
angels, before the throne of the Son of God; to see all the great and
good preachers in heaven look at me as I rise, to hear them say, Here,
see, here he comes from his study, from his pulpit, and from the bed of
death to our shining worlds, and to his Master’s throne. See how Jesus
looks at him, see how he crowns him. Hark what he says to him, Well done
good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. See him
bring forth the crown of glory, and put it on my head, for Christ will
not trust the noblest angel in heaven to crown his saints: he will do it
himself, and will say, Here, ye labourers, take your reward; ye
shepherds, take your honour; ye soldiers take your military glory; ye
ambassadors, ye stewards, ye angels of the churches, take your immortal
crowns, live for ever surrounded with sun beams, and crowned with stars.
May this felicity be yours and mine—’tis well, perhaps, the dignity,
importance, responsibility, and trials of the ministry, are hid from our
eyes at the entrance on the work, or I think none would go into it at
all. What I have since seen, had I seen it before, I do not think I
should so willingly have run, but would rather have been dragged. There
is but one thing would ever make me very willing to enter on the sacred
work, and it is _that_—and that love which makes me willing to go forward
again. Do you ask me what that is? Why the same which made Isaiah
willing to go, after he had seen the glory of Christ God-Man, having
finished salvation’s work, exalted, glorified, and adored, revealing the
word of pardon with power to his soul, and assuring him he was pardoned;
then he said, Here am I, send me —. See 6th chapter of Isaiah. I know
the passage will bear a higher comment, but I humbly conceive it
represents Isaiah’s commission, and I can assure you, it is only such
feelings, views, and enjoyments, that make me willing now, whatever were
my motives before. I can appeal to the Lord, as the searcher of all
hearts, I want nothing now to do with the ministry, but to proclaim all
that I am led to understand by the terms _God-Man Mediator_.
Farewell. Let this epistle be read to all those who expound in the
vestry on Friday nights.
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XXXVIII.
_Valley of Achor_.
Miss INGLE.
MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,
I send you back the Diary of your late dear sister, which I have perused
with mingled emotions of joy and grief, of pleasure and pain. Blessed be
God for the grace given her in Christ Jesus, before the world began, and
manifested to her in so many pleasing and painful ways. I wish I had
money to spare to send it into the world; but alas, I am straitened, yet
I have cause to be eternally thankful, and I beg the Lord will bring me
home to glory, to praise his dear name for it. My heart is most sensibly
affected with your dear mother’s trials: what a constant visitor
affliction is at your house. How many times hath death looked in, and
took away those of your family that were particularly dear to you all.
Nor is he easy, he is on the road again. The glorious conquerer of
death, has by his obedience and sufferings, his blood and death,
converted him into an angel of peace, a messenger of joy, sent to conduct
you to the upper and better house—
Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in.
The pulling down the earthly house is all the misery, but it has got the
leprosy in the walls, and it must come down. Sin, that tyrant and ugly
monster, has rendered it necessary that it should be changed, in order to
enjoy union to the happy soul in another state. The body has sinned with
the soul, and it must suffer with it, the body was redeemed with the
soul, and it must also be saved with it. But in order to enjoy that, it
must experience a change by sickness and death. This is a painful
subject, but the Lord will make it familiar to you. I trust whenever
death comes to you, he will wear an angel’s form, that he will be only
your Lord’s porter, sent to open the gates of glory, and conduct you
through the consecrated way which our Lord has trod. As all things are
now dying with you, I humbly hope the Lord will most graciously visit
your soul with his love, shew you that your sins are forgiven through the
doing and dying of a precious Saviour. He has blotted out, done away,
hid, removed, and covered all the sins of every coming sinner; and he
says, Let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to
our God, and he will abundantly pardon; precious text. Returning to the
Lord, is the heart, mind, faith, and hope of a soul, who was chosen in
Christ, and united to Christ. Now, by the power of the spirit bending,
inclining, seeking, and desiring Christ. Coming to the Lord our God is
moving in mind to the Father, as a God of love, grace, and mercy, in
Christ to us. Yet, if the Lord is drawing you to Christ, as your only
hope, mark, he will have mercy, he will abundantly pardon. Are you, my
dear girl, seeking his favour and mercy to be manifested to your soul,
convinced of your need of it? is your heart set upon it? do you believe
that you shall be lost without it? and has God the ever blessed Spirit
shewn you that Christ is a suitable Saviour, and that he is the gift of
the Father’s love to guilty man? And do you choose him as your Saviour
and only hope, your atoning sacrifice, and your only righteousness? God
be praised, you have ever heard the gospel, which has pointed you to him,
though you know it is not enough to be pointed to Christ, but we want
bringing to him. Hence the promise, They shall come, and I will lead
them.
Let me conclude this short letter by reciting a few texts, to encourage
you in seeking the Lord. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee. If
thou seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul. Thou Lord hast not forsaken them that
seek thee. Your heart shall live that seek God. I said not unto the
seed of Jacob, seek me in vain. Ye shall seek me, and find me when ye
search for me with all your heart. Seek ye the Lord, till he come and
rain righteousness upon you. Seek ye me, and ye shall live. The Lord is
good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. He that
cometh to God, must believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him. The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him for good.
These are among the many precious promises that the Lord has given to his
people, to encourage them to seek his face, his favour, and his
friendship. May the Holy Ghost shine on his word, and shine into your
beast; to give you joy and peace in believing.
Grace be with you,
_Ruhamah_.
The dear girl is since gone home to glory, testifying as she sunk in
death, that the Saviour was very precious to her soul.
LETTER XXXIX.
_Valley of Achor_, _April_ 12, 1819.
Mr. EDMUNDS.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
It is many months ago since I saw you, but I hope you are still in the
ways of God, looking unto Jesus. You and I have been taught to see there
is nothing but misery and destruction out of Christ, nor any hope but in
his word and work. The Lord has opened to us the spirituality of his
law, and often reflected an humbling sense of his displeasure on the
mind. Sin has been felt, and guilt has laid us low—fear, dread, and
darkness has been on the soul, and bondage, enmity, rebellion, and
distance, has been most sensibly experienced. These things have
frequently beset me since I have been here, and although they have been
painful feelings, I esteem them after they are over, as to the hungry
soul, every bitter thing is sweet. But the Father not only chastens us,
but he draws us to Christ. He first teaches us our lost state. I do not
say the Lord communicates this bondage, this darkness and misery, but we
are quickened to feel our sinfulness, and all these unpleasant sensations
come on, of course; but being thus chastened, we are taught the value of
Christ, by seeing our need of a Mediator, a surety, a better
righteousness, and an intercessor in the light of the word; and by the
spirit we see the exact suitableness of Christ, and are quickened to long
for a sense of his mercy, the pardon of sin, and peace with God, in God’s
own way. This we desire above all things else; and the adorable Father
draws us out in holy, humble desires, fervent breathings, and earnest
entreaties for the joys of pardoning love, and a gracious visit from
Christ. The Father kindly guides our eyes to the promises, the
invitations, the precious declarations, and kind words of the Saviour in
the Gospel. These draw the heart; and as faith gathers sweet views, so
hope springs up, and the fears of death and hell, with a sense of God’s
anger, gradually abate. The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus in the word,
and in our hearts; gives us blessed views of his person and love, his
infinite condescension, and his most blessed work in putting away sin,
and fulfilling the law; conquering death and subduing hell; and as living
a life of mediation in heaven for us. These things become precious, as
the mind is opened to receive these truths; and as power is felt, so the
fruits appear. His love is seen, and this sight under the spirit’s power
melts us into nothing, produces godly sorrow, sweet repentance and
humility, self loathing, and glowing love to God. _This_, _this_ my dear
friend is my past, and often is my present experience, and my conscience
can witness to it; and as to the bad opinion which good men have of me,
it once distressed me; but since I have found the good opinion of crowds
has been a snare to my soul, has puffed me up with pride, and set me down
in carnal ease, I am best without it. Applause does not agree with my
spiritual constitution, I grow best in the valley. Can the flag or the
rush grow without the mire? I wish I had never courted the applause of
man, but had been a little more anxious for the approbation of God and my
conscience. A good name was an idol, and the Devil has run away with
mine; no doubt in many cases I have justly deserved it, and now it is my
duty, privilege and mercy, to learn what God means by this trial. Hence
the command, Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it; and the men of
wisdom shall see thy name. I have taken the highest seat in God’s house,
but the dung hill and the lowest form in the school suits me now. I have
been building my nest in the tree of creature friendship, but this storm
has blown it down, and now I am glad to embrace the rock I wet with the
showers from the mountains of trouble; but I find shelter, hope, and
solid rest in Jesus and his finished work. I shall be more fit to preach
when I return, than I was before; but I will never preach again, till the
Lord evidently calls me out. I ran once, but I ran too fast, and fell
into trouble. When God lifts me up again, I shall stand more surely and
safely, because I hope to stand in the Son, to abide in the vine, to
continue in the truth, to keep in the love of God, and all that these
expressions imply.
I trust you and your’s are growing in grace, that you still find the
Saviour precious, your helper and deliverer. The Lord is with me, and I
know it, and the good of it will be seen after many days. Kind respects
to those who still secretly esteem me for my master’s sake.
Your’s,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XL.
_Valley of Achor_, _June_ 1_st_, 1819.
Dear Miss SMITH,
The little Poem on Friendship which I read to you, and you was so kind as
to compliment, will be published shortly, separate from this little work.
It is a good remark I have somewhere met with, that Friendship is a plant
of too delicate a nature to grow, with any great degree of luxuriancy and
fruitfulness, in the soil of the human heart; but I ever wish to prize
its buds, its blossoms, its fruits, its very leaves, and above all, its
Divine Root; and I have a hope founded upon the doing and dying of the
adorable Friend of guilty man, that I shall enjoy this best of gifts in
its eternal bloom, in a brighter better world, when the winds of scandal
shall howl no more; the tumultuous waves and the roaring billows of
complicated grief shall distress my already tempest-tossed mind no more
for ever. I have found many acquaintance who hummed about me in the
warmth of prosperity, but like summer insects, those butterflies
disappeared, when the cold blasts of adversity, by reproach, struck a few
of my outward enjoyments; but I am more divinely led to the enjoyment of
that love which can never alter or decay. I have learned wisdom now, in
some measure, to discriminate between friends and acquaintance; and
although the latter have started back in the day of battle, yet the
former still bear me on their hearts in the right place, and _here_ they
present me, that my trials may be sanctified to me, and to the Church at
large. David had many acquaintances, but did not find a _Jonathan_ every
day. In the Church, or in the world, my trials are great; but these
would not have been so (speaking after the manner of men) if all my
acquaintance had been real friends.
I beg to conclude this note with a few jingling verses, with my most
affectionate and grateful respects to your dear father and mother, and
hope ever to bear in mind their unwearied kindness.
Had all mine acquaintance been friends,
At whose urgent request I have run,
To answer some frivolous end,
And injure me when I had done—
Had all mine acquaintance been friends,
My case before God they would lay,
And, knowing his will in his word,
Have helpt me to watch and to pray.
Had all mine acquaintance been friends,
They ne’er would have robb’d me of peace,
But comforted, cheer’d, and upheld,
And wish’d me an increase of grace.
Had all mine acquaintance been friends,
They ne’er would have wounded my name,
But covered my errors in love,
And reproved when I was to blame.
Had all my acquaintance been friends,
They’d ne’er have rejoic’d in my fall,
But pitied, and prayed, and upheld,
And for strength on my Saviour wou’d call.
Had all mine acquaintance been friends,
They ne’er would have left me in woe,
But wept in my grief and distress,
And encourag’d me onward to go.
Were all my acquaintance such friends
As Miss S— and her parents so kind,
My spirits much higher would tend,
While gratitude fir’d my mind.
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLI.
_Valley of Achor_, _February_ 2_nd_. 1818.
Mr. & Mrs. MARTIN.
MY VERY DEAR, FAITHFUL, and TRIED FRIENDS,
Grace and peace be to you both. I would have wrote before now, but not
knowing your direction, I waited till I had the pleasure of hearing of
you, which I did this day, from my much esteemed Friend Mrs. Brown. I
have no news to relate, I only write to assure you the Lord is very
gracious to me; and by his word, and by his spirit, he bears up my
sinking mind like pillars of marble. I am a monument of mercy indeed,
and so you would say, if you knew my broken heart and afflicted mind. I
am at times brought very low, but then I get lifted up from the dunghill,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. I trust you will not be moved
by the things which have happened to me. There is now and ever will in
this world be a peculiar mystery in divine providence; but God is his own
interpreter—the dear Saviour is the great Head of the Church, and as he
loves us, desires our company, and wants to give some particular
expression of his love; so he brings low, empties us, chastens, tries,
and alarms us. The cup of salvation being allotted us, we must meet with
alarming providences, which are not explained to us, till he reveals
himself, as our brother, gives us a double mess, and an exchange of
raiment. The things that have befallen me, I trust are in covenant love;
the Lord is only putting on his yoke, and opening a way to manifest his
grace the clearer, and to prove the riches of his mercy. O that we may
yet praise him who is our helper, and in due time will be our deliverer.
My sun is gone ten degrees back, like Hezekiah’s, but the Lord will bring
it up. My master has given orders, and I, for shame, have taken the
lowest seat. I feel convictions of sin sharper, but I find Christ more
than ever blessed. O could every brick and book in my room speak, they
would tell what passes between God and my soul. I am grieved to be here,
on account of my friends, my family, and the cause of God, and my poor
heart is at times completely melted. I am in real sorrow, yet I have
now, and shall ever have cause to bless God for what I am learning in
this painful school.
I would now ask how is my dear afflicted companion in tribulation Mr. M.
I trust our dear Lord has appeared for him in his kind providence, and
that the Saviour is precious to his soul; I am begging the Lord to teach
me how to live a life of faith on the Son of God. Christ himself, when
here below, lived and died in faith, and the Apostle said, He lived on
Christ as crucified, as his righteousness, his intercessor, his head and
representative. This is the life I want to live; but then I find there
is no life but as it is given me daily, nor can I exercise this life of
faith, but as power is given from above. We live by virtue of being
quickened by the spirit, though we often get dead, dark, cold, carnal,
and lifeless, so that we can hardly call it a life. But the Apostle
says, Not I, but Christ liveth in me. I want my dear Mrs. M. to notice
this expression. I hope, as a Child of God, and as deeply tried, I am
alive in your mind, I _exist_, I _live_ in your mind—you often think of
me, but you cannot do for me what you would: I take the will for the
deed. Now, as we see what it is for a friend to live in us, the subject
is clear to you: Christ has an existence in your mind, as you have heard
of him; this is the difference between a worldling and a believer; the
former hears of Christ, that is enough for him; the other not only
_hears_, but Christ has a _place_ in the mind, as he is set forth in the
word: the will makes choice of him, the affections are fixed on him,
faith trusts in him, hope expects him, patience waits for him, love
enjoys him, and, as our views enlarge, and power is given to see him
taking away sin, conscience enjoys peace with God, because it is given to
faith to see God is everlastingly at peace with us. Well may the Apostle
say, Lord increase our faith; this is what I want, and I hope my
much-loved friends are favoured with it. I am at present in the furnace
but the Lord regulates the heat, and I am at times so happy I really dont
want to come out of it; but sometimes it is so hot, all the dross and tin
of my rebellion boils up, and I am astonished the Lord ever lets me live
at all. I wonder at his patience and forbearance, and when I taste his
mercy and love, my affections are led out to him again, and I long to get
to glory to praise him as I desire to do. I have much to be thankful
for; my wants are supplied, and the Lord is with me, so that it is better
with me now than the last two years of my liberty; the Lord has both
pardoned and subdued my sins, and he is leading me on in the divine
life—only the weather is cold, nights are long, my company is bad, and I
have hardly time or place for reading or writing, except what I get by
stealth. How long this trial will last, I know not, I long for it to be
over, but I fear I shall loose my sweet seasons. My heart is overcome
with grief, when I think of the poor _Packet Distress_: she is out at
sea, in the dark and in the deep. I want my heart fixed at all times,
trusting in the Lord; I know it will be well with them that fear the
Lord, and I have reason to believe the Lord has blessed me with that
grace, and keeps me in it, but we find that more sensibly at one time
than another, so David found it; how he feared the Lord when his
conscience checked him for cutting off the lappet of Saul’s coat, but
where was his fear of God in the Matter of Uriah? We want our weak
graces kept alive, maintained, and exercised on their proper object; they
must be tried, and as God tries our graces, so he gives us an opportunity
of trying him, and as we have found him faithful in times past, so we
shall again, to his own honour. He knoweth the path I take, and when he
hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold—Christ is the gold, and we are
said to be predestinated to be conformed to his image, both in spirit,
trials, and glory. The Apostle has set before us a noble army of
cross-bearers, and after he had advised the Church to notice those stars
in the 11th of Hebrews, he recommends a perpetual looking at the Son, who
for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross; and a cross is
allotted for all the saints, either in soul, body, circumstances, family,
from Satan or some sin, from saint or from sinner. This has been the Lot
of God’s family, and you cannot say that you have been exempt—many, and
deep have been your trials, but you are still the living, the living to
praise him. God be with you.
Your’s,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLII.
_Valley of Achor_, _August_ 1_st_, 1819.
Mrs. HARBRO.
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND,
I trust you are well in health, with your family; it is just a year ago
since I last wrote to you, which letter being wrote under very peculiar
circumstances, and under the powerful influence of grace which I felt at
that time, which letter I have in reserve to be published at a future
period, when the Lord turns my captivity. Many, and great have been your
changes and trials since that time; we live in a world of changes and
vicissitudes, it may justly be compared to the sea, ever restless and
uneasy, exposed to many storms and dangers, but the Lord has engaged to
conduct us safe home, and will surely bring us to that haven of eternal
rest and peace; and as this is the case, we need not murmur, although our
_Ferry Boat_ is a little tossed about, and some of the passengers prove
very troublesome, we shall soon get home, eternal love has sworn to bring
us safely there; and though the mountains depart, and the hills be
removed, yet his kindness shall never depart from us, nor the covenant of
his peace ever be removed. The Lord foresaw what poor sinners we should
be, and he could have prevented it, had it been agreeable to his eternal
purposes; but if it had been prevented, what should we have known of the
boundless mercy of his heart, and how could we have known any thing of
the lovely precious Saviour and Redeemer. God had decreed that the
vessels of his glory should be vessels of his mercy first, and all he has
purposed, promised, and done, is for the riches of his grace, in kindness
towards us, by Christ Jesus; and this free unmerited favor of a covenant
God, has brought salvation of every kind to us: we have experienced some
of them, and there are thousands of salvations which we are not sensible
of, that attend us daily. I trust the Lord is leading you on to a better
acquaintance with the person and work of Jesus, and though you lament
that you do not feel so much love to him, as you did in your earlier
experience, yet you are learning wisdom—“Whom shall he teach wisdom, and
whom shall he make to understand doctrine, but those who are weaned from
the breast, and drawn from the milk.” Isaiah xxviii, 9. After this
weaning time is over, we feel our need of spiritual armour, and we are
called out to fight; but never let us forget him who hath said, My grace
is sufficient for thee.
I beg you to accept my best wishes, in the language of a favorite, now in
glory.
I wish you much increase of every grace,
I wish you strength to run your christian race,
I wish you patience under every rod,
I wish you much sweet fellowship with God,
I wish your evidences bright may shine,
I wish you joy and comfort all divine,
I wish you very strong in precious faith,
I wish you well through life, and well in death,
I wish you safe on the celestial shore,
And there I wish you well for evermore.
Kind respects to Mr. H. and family.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLIII.
_Achor’s Vale_, _June_ 1st 1819.
Mr. SWEETLAND.
MY DEAR KIND FRIEND,
I hope the Lord Jesus is precious to your soul, that your heart is fixed
on him, and that you are daily looking to him for life and salvation. I
hope every fresh feeling sense of sin, urges you to his blood and
righteousness, as the only remedy, as the serpent-bit-Israelites of old
were to look to the brazen serpent: all were to look at it; some looked
stedfastly, others feebly, some had a full, near, distinct view of it,
but others only had a feeble, distant, imperfect, confused sight, and
many, perhaps, could hardly raise their dying eyes to catch a glimpse of
it; yet, they all looked, at some rate or other, and all who looked,
lived, and were healed. This points out the various states of God’s dear
people, in the strength and weakness of their faith, as exercised on the
dear Saviour; and as it shews the diversity of their cases, so it also
points out the various frames of mind an individual soul may experience.
There are times when we are strong in faith, persuaded the work is begun,
and we can look to the Lord with stedfast eye; but there are other
seasons when faith seems to languish, love to be dead, and hope seems to
have perished, the world and its cares have carried the mind away, and
Satan has confused and perplexed us. Nothing seems left in the soul, but
perhaps a little desire, and that hardly awake or felt. Here we stumble,
till the work is again revived, and the dew descends again. This made
the prophet of old exclaim, Wilt thou not revive us again, and, Oh Lord,
revive thy work in the midst of the years. And when the Saviour draws
near, we are grieved that we should slight him so ungratefully, and as
love flows in, godly sorrow flows out. To this repentance we are called
by the Spirit, and it is a change of the mind; this change is God’s work
on us: we cannot produce it, and yet it so important, that we cannot be
saved without it, it must be wrought in us by the power of God. Christ
is exalted to give it in _his_ most blessed characters, as a Prince and a
Saviour: this is a dissolving the heart, or rather the new heart in
exercise, under the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit; the mind is
overcome with a sense of the long suffering of God towards us, and a
feeling discovery of his love to us, in Christ Jesus, with a view of our
own depravity, and base backslidings; we mourn that we ever offended such
a Saviour, or sinned against such love; we are ashamed of ourselves,
especially when we see our God sweetly pacified, and his heart full of
love towards us. This was the holy generous feeling of Mary Magdalen,
and this work must be felt in some humble degree, if ever we are saved,
for except we repent, we must perish in our sins, because this repentance
is the effect—not the cause of pardon, nor is it produced from any fear
or dread of hell, but from a sense of love, because we have had the
baseness and ingratitude, the cruelty and the bitterness to sin against a
good, a gracious, a kind, and a bountiful God: we loath ourselves in our
own sight for our abominations, and as this is the fruit of the Spirit,
so it is pleasant and acceptable to God. I hope my dear friend will be
favored with this blessing, it is an evidence of pardon, pardon is an
evidence of redemption, and that is the gift of God; and this gift is an
evidence of eternal love.
I trust you are in health, no doubt you feel your mortality, by many
attacks of pain of body. We are poor dying mortals, the creatures of a
day; we do all fade as a leaf, _not_ as a tree, but as a weak, helpless,
trembling leaf, but precious faith in our Lord, and his love, his sacred
name, and his complete work—this assures us we have a building of God,
eternal in the heavens, and that building is Christ
Yet a season, and you know
Happy entrance shall be given,
All our sorrows left below,
And earth exchang’d for heaven.
The Lord be with you, and reward you for your affectionate kindness to
the most unworthy
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLIV.
_Achor’s Vale_, _June_ 1st. 1819.
Mr. FARQ.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
I trust the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ will reign triumphant in your
soul, till it is consummated in endless bliss. Various are the fears,
doubts, and misgivings of heart, to which you have been liable; many have
been the Workings of inbred corruption, and the power of sin, as stirred
up by the law, and which lay hid, till they were seen and felt by you;
this being attended with gloominess, dejection, and legal striving, shews
that it was the work of the law; and the Lord taking the opportunity to
lead you to Jesus, as the atoning sacrifice, and the end of the law for
righteousness, shews the greatness of his rich grace, and the boundless
love of his heart. But God and your own soul best knows, what distress
of mind is experienced before the Saviour speaks peace to the heart, and
assures it of its acceptance and justification before God, in _his_ own
work: yet, amidst all the distress, a truly awakened grace-taught soul
experiences, there is a clearing _to_, and a humble trusting _in_ Christ,
so that if you had died in that distress of mind, you would most
certainly have been saved, seeing our interest in Christ does not save
the soul, it was saved in the Lord long before we had an existence; but
no humbled believer can rest short of the knowledge and personal
enjoyment of that salvation, by the leadings and teachings of the Holy
Spirit, as the glorifier of Christ. I remember this was my case, and I
find it has been yours’: this is the secret path which no fowl knoweth,
and the vulture’s eye hath not yet seen: all spiritual teaching is the
evidence of our interest in the electing love of God, all others are
passed by. I do not wonder at your esteem for that sweet chapter, the
50th of Isaiah, it would fill an immense volume to do it justice, in
describing its full glories; the Holy Spirit led the mind of the prophet
very divinely into the knowledge of Christ, as the atonement and
justification of his people; and this subject is most sweetly set forth
in this chapter, with an affectionate address to poor souls walking in
darkness, about their interest in Christ, and a direction given them how
to act in such a state. The chapter opens with the reason why the Lord
had rejected the Jews, and why _he_ put them away, viz. for their awful
and obstinate rejection of the person, the ministry, the miracles, and
work of the Son of God. The adorable Redeemer then asserts the dignity
of his own God-head, as manifested in the awful and grand display of his
works of power, justice, and vengeance; these great themes are set forth
in the three first verses. The Saviour then describes his commission
from the Father, to accomplish the calling and redemption of the elect,
agreeable to an ancient stipulation, or covenant, subsisting between the
father and the Son; _he_ next points out _his_ ability for the work as
God-Man, and _his_ qualifications, by the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit
without measure upon _him_, in the 4th and 5th verse’s. Next follows his
voluntary abasement of himself into the hands of _his_ enemies, with the
firmness of his mind, and the constancy of his love to his church, as
manifested in his unparalleled sorrows, his confidence in his being
carried through the great and arduous work of the redemption of his
church, and his full triumph over all his enemies; the help that was
promised him by his Father, in the covenant, and the challenge that he
would give to the enemies of his dear people, for whom he should work out
a complete righteousness; read the 6, 7, 8, and 9th verses. Christ Jesus
did in the love of his heart engage, agreeable to the call of the Father,
to become the surety of his Church: all their sins being imputed to him,
he stood guilty in the eye of the law, and justice of God; and having
given ample satisfaction to justice, fulfilled the law, made
reconciliation, glorified all the perfections of God, and put away sin:
he was justified in the Spirit at his resurrection, having paid the debt,
he received the receipt in full, and upon his triumphant entrance into
glory, bearing the marks and scars in his sacred body, with the virtue of
his work fresh in the mind of God, and sweetly accepted by him, he gives
the challenge to law, to justice, to all. Who shall lay any thing to the
charge of God’s elect, unpardoned, unatoned for? Who will contend with
me? let us stand together: Who is mine adversary? let him come near to
me! This is Christ’s universal challenge to all accusers of his
children: he has done the work, nothing can be added to it, or taken from
it, and the adorable Father imputes this work to his Church; faith is
given them to receive this atonement and righteousness, and power is
given them to enjoy it as their own; and this believing and receiving the
work the Lord Jesus has accomplished, is called, obeying Christ’s voice;
while the work of God on the heart is stiled, fearing the Lord. This
fear, and this obedience are evidences of interest in the great work of
the Triumphant Conquerer of sin, death, and hell. And, whoever among the
Lord’s called ones, are walking without a sense of God’s love, find a
sense of interest in the Redeemer; without the light of comfort, the
light of joy, and the light of love; though darkness is felt by them, and
nothing but darkness without them, yet they are not totally in the dark,
but they are the children of the light, and of the day. Let such trust
in Jesus, and stay their minds upon the Spirit’s testimony of Christ; but
this trusting and staying is the gift of God. The chapter then concludes
with an address to all pharisees, who reject the perfect work of Christ,
and who trust in a form of godliness, without the power. Such compass
themselves about with their own sparks, walk in their own light, and die,
at last, in sorrow. The parable of the foolish virgins will illustrate
this last verse.
Excuse the brevity of these remarks. Affectionate respects to your
better half.
Your’s,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLV.
_Valley of Achor_, _Nov._ 14_th_, 1818.
Mr. FREEMAN.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
Grace be with you. The hand of our Father has separated us for a time;
this is done in infinite wisdom, and I hope in covenant love. I do not
pretend to say my case is similar to the holy apostle Paul’s, but I trust
there is the same grand end to be answered, by my captivity. Several, I
hope, will have to bless God that I was ever brought into this place:
some poor run-away servant, like Onesimus—some prodigal character, and
strange to tell, some proud and self-conceited pharisee, I hope, has
learnt a little by my feeble efforts in this place—the only way to God.
I have great hopes of an awful character also—nor have I any great desire
to leave this captivity, till I see _what_ the Lord is about to do with
him. I see much wisdom in my removal from the Church for a time: many
grew tired of the repeated messages of mercy which I constantly
delivered, and would travel all day long in search of some other
preachers: this was not acting like contented children. And I know also,
that the Lord would remove me away for a time, because those Israelites
began to loathe the manna; for this purpose fiery serpents were sent in
among them. Christ calls some people serpents, and their lying tongues
are compared to fire. These have stung the people, but let us look to
him who is lifted upon the pole of the Gospel, and who alone can cure our
wounds, and heal all our diseases. I am much pleased in hopes of seeing
this sweet text yet accomplished, (30th Isaiah) “Moreover the light of
the moon, shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun
shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days, when the Lord bindeth up
the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wind”—Selah.
But my dear Friend, I also am highly culpable; persecution having ceased,
and prosperity come on, faith could not grow in this state. I mixed too
much with the world, and grew too careless of God’s tried ones—the rod
was wanted, had it been spared, I should have been spoilt, but my
heavenly Father would not spare for my much crying; it is now my duty,
and mercy to detain this messenger, and read what the Lord means by it,
knowing the master’s feet is behind, I hope, with many a blessing for us
all. It is in this confidence I hope yet to praise Him, who now
supports, consoles, upholds, and often smiles on my soul. In his
presence is life—My presence shall go with thee. Whither shall I flee
from thy presence? Is not this presence the Holy Spirit himself, who is
promised to the Church? And is not Christ himself the very life of the
soul? Is he not the very life of heaven above, and the life of the
Church? Do you not see and feel a deadness in a congregation, and under
a sermon, if your Lord is not all in all? Is not every place without
him, like the empty grave of Christ? They may be good moral men, both
the minister and the people; such angels may be sitting at the head and
feet of that Church, but no spiritual Mary can be happy, if the Master is
not there. The grave cloaths may be well folded up, and the napkin that
was about the head, in a place by itself; these things our dear Lord left
behind him, and if the veil is taken from our eyes, if our bonds are
loosed, we must leave those things which bound us by nature. Legal
ceremonies and pharisaic works—these must be left in Christ’s grave, we
have nothing to do with them; if we be risen with Christ, we must seek
those things which are above. I trust you are quickened by his power,
that the Holy Spirit is leading you to Christ, as the resurrection and
the very life of your soul: that you feel _after_ him, when he is
distant, feel _for_ him in his sorrows, and feel miserable when you are
not allowed to draw near. Is this your experience? blessed be God if it
is. Do observe—when all is dark within then it is your time to go out to
Christ: only read the 3rd. and the former part of the 5th chapter of
Solomon’s Song, and if light is given you on these chapters, it will cast
a radiancy on the way the Lord has led you. Still beg of God that my
trials may be of use to me, and to many—time is on the wing, and if
prayer did not succeed in keeping me from this place, nor yet in my
speedy deliverance, yet, I have blessings in abundance, and this trial
will turn out for the furtherance of the truth, through your prayers.
I hope the pious friendly Females I had the pleasure of seeing with you,
are all well: give them my kind love, tell them it will be well. Wishing
you every covenant blessing in enjoyment, especially that in the 8th
chapter of Hebrews—10, 11, and 12th verses,
I remain, your’s, in Christ,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLVI.
_Achor’s Vale_, _January_ 23rd. 1819.
Miss WATTS.
MY EVER DEAR FRIEND,
Grace and peace be with you. I received and read your simple, but
sincere testimony of the work of God on your soul, with pleasure—Oh! that
the ever adorable Spirit would increase it, that you may abound in
knowledge and judgement. It is a mercy to be called by grace in our
early days. What shall we render to the Lord, for thinking upon us in
our low estate; for bestowing a thought of us in the councils of
eternity, and appointing us to obtain salvation, by the doing and dying
of a glorious Redeemer? We are poor, lost, vile, guilty creatures, in
and of ourselves: we are ten thousand times more vile and sinful than we
can possibly conceive; there is not an evil done under the sun, but we
have got the root of it in our hearts. This I have often declared, but I
am now more sensibly led to know it; the Lord is gradually teaching me in
deep experience, what I have often preached to others. I have many sad
moments, but the Saviour smiles again, and then I get up and run on a
little while; but, alas! the burden of a body of sin and death, sinks my
spirits again, and sometimes I have darkness on my path; but I must tell
you, that when I am drove out from every joy, hope, comfort, or pleasure,
I always find it most blessed to cast myself at the dear Saviour’s feet,
saying
Lord thine arm must be reveal’d
Ere I can by faith be heal’d,
Since I scarce can look to thee,
Cast a gracious look on me,
At thy feet I humbly lay,
Shine, Oh! shine my fears away.
What a special favour, my dear friend, to be led to the Saviour, to know
him in any measure, by the teachings of his own Spirit; to desire him
above all, and to make up all our happiness alone in him. When you look
around you on those who are destitute of grace, and whose souls abhor the
very sound of religion, and others who are contented with a bare outside
shew; these have a form and a name to live, but they are dead, and why do
we differ from them—this is an act of pure mercy and covenant love. We
do not envy their state, although they possess every comfort in life, nor
does Satan trouble them; but we are chastened and judged of the Lord that
we should not be condemned with the world. We are brought into judgement
in our own hearts, God the Spirit illuminates and quickens the
conscience, we feel our guilt, we acknowledge the justice of our
sentence, and see that God would be just if he cut us off, and sent us to
hell. We are filled with fears, we are distrest in mind, nor can any
solid comfort be felt, only as God is pleased to give us scriptural views
of Christ—as the gift of the Father’s love, as every way suited to act
for us with God, as our Mediator, being God with God, and man with man,
well calculated to make an atonement, to bring God and man together, into
a state of reconciliation; to obey the law which we had violated, and to
endure that very curse which we had deserved—blessing on his dear name,
he felt all the hell in his precious soul and sacred body, which we had
deserved, and he left nothing for us to do, but to believe and to take
the comfort of it. And here it is we want much light, life, and power;
that we may be able to receive this great work in such a way, as to
produce peace, love, and joy. We want the heart persuaded into this
truth; hence the Saviour said, Receive the truth, and the truth shall
make you free. And these are some of the many precious truths we want
power to receive—I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions.
In the Lord shall thou be justified, and shall glory. Yea, I have loved
thee with an everlasting love. Having begun the good work, he will
finish it. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
The Lord give my much loved friend power to take, receive, and enjoy
these precious truths in her own soul. I am much melted into wonder, and
gratitude, and praise, when I hear the Lord has ever blessed my poor
message to any of his dear people, that he ever gave testimony to the
word of his grace, by my feeble instrumentality—glory be to his name, he
has made me manifest to your soul that he sent me to preach; and having
experienced his love, you are enabled to prove it, by sympathising with
me in my sorrows, and helping to comfort me in tribulation. May the dear
Lord bring me back in the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of
Christ, truly humbled in spirit, and with a heart and a mouth full of
Christ, that I may yet praise him who is the health of my countenance,
and my merciful God.
Grace, mercy, and peace be your’s, in enjoyment and dependence, and God
be glorified in your present and your eternal salvation.—I remain,
Your affectionate and grateful Friend,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLVII.
_Achor’s Vale_, _March_ 5th, 1819.
Mr. FRIMBLEY.
MY DEAR SIR,
Not having seen or heard of my dear friend for some time past, I must
inquire after you, hoping that I need make no apology for the friendly
enquiry. I suppose you are still in the wilderness, and God has promised
to make this world such to us—he has not given such a promise to the
non-elect; it is their paradise, and our plague; ’tis their home, but our
inn; ’tis their portion, but our bait. We are not born for this place,
it is doomed to fire; we are but pilgrims, staying at this spot, till an
order comes from the king of the better country, and demands us home.
And is heaven our home—are we sure that we shall get safe at last? let us
examine, for faith can reason well. If the Lord meant to destroy us, he
would not have shewed us what he has, nor would he have told us what he
has: we have seen our natures, found them vile; we have seen the
spirituality of God’s law, we have seen the vanity of all things below
the stars, we have seen our strength to be perfect weakness, we have seen
the exact suitableness of Christ, we have seen the value of his blood and
obedience, and the love of his heart in bearing our persons before the
throne, we have seen his good hand in many a trouble, and we have seen
his faithfulness, mercy, wisdom, and truth. We have seen many and better
people than we are, blaze in a profession, and go out in darkness; we
have seen the workings of corruption, and the malice of Satan. Can my
dear friend deny it? Are not these truths in your soul’s experience and
mine? Many a grand doctrine has the blessed Spirit opened to us, many a
promise has he applied, many a sweet thought has he sent home, many a
precious idea has he formed in the mind, and many a gracious hint of his
greatness, goodness, and love: these are some things he has told us—the
secret of the Lord, is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his
covenant. I trust the Lord is carrying you on in the divine life; he has
promised that the path of his people, shall be as the light of the
day—that day may be cloudy, windy, and stormy, yet it is day, because the
darkness of nature is past, and shall never return, Mysterious
providences may distress, yea almost distract us, yet faith will ride
again, she may get low but shall never fail; it never has yet, although
it has been as low as it could be. I beg the Lord to strengthen our
faith, encourage hope, and draw forth love:—these graces have to do with
Christ, and the Father’s love to us in him.
It is truly lamentable that the Lord’s children in the present day, are
resting so short of their precious privileges; they have not attained,
nor are they pressing on to know what might be known, even the promise of
the Father, in the more abundant out-pouring of the Spirit: this is a
blessing worth waiting and hoping for; for we, through the Spirit, wait
for the hope of righteousness, by faith: and this is what the Apostle
Paul prays the Ephesians may be favored with.—See the 1st. chapter of
Eph. from verse 16th to the close; and in the same Epistle he prays,
also, that the saints might be so enlarged in soul, as to come up to the
attainments of the most eminent saints, and know, and enjoy, the love of
the adorable Trinity.—This is a spiritual baptism, of which the outward
is only a sign—it is to be admitted into the most holy views of, and
communion with, God, in his three-fold character of persons, in his
decrees, purposes, and covenants, in his eternal transactions, and the
outgoings of his love, the glories of Christ’s person, and the
everlasting perfection of his work. These grand subjects are food for
faith, these nourish faith, and lead us to establishment and solid peace,
that neither sin, law, nor Satan can disturb.
I trust you go to hear some one who is calculated to feed the soul. As
for myself I am often low, yet contented at times with the lowest form in
the school of Jesus. I hope your dear partner in life is led on amidst
all conflicts, trials and plagues—blessed is she that believeth, and I
trust dear Mrs. F. is long brought to that. Faith centers in Jesus, and
gathers strength in every trial; it will be victorious by and bye. The
victory which Jesus has gained is given to us by the Father, and it is
the work of the Spirit to manifest it with some power.
I have no news to send about myself—if the Lord wanted me to carry him
into Jerusalem he would send word that I must be loosed now, for the Lord
hath need of him.—God be with you both.
Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLVIII.
_Valley of Achor_, _June_ 16_th_, 18195.
My dear Mrs. BAILEY.
GRACE and mercy be with you.—I hope you are well in health and spirits,
and, above all, that the Lord is with you. I wish you felt grateful for
what he has done for you: it is well to look back to the days of our
ignorance; for although we know but little yet, still the Lord might have
left us to know nothing; but is written, All thy children are taught of
God; and if we belong to the election of graces we are taught by the
Father. There are two things we are sure to learn of the Father; we
learn our own depravity and condemnation by the law, that we deserve
nothing at the hands of God, but his wrath, because we have sinned
against him; and we learn of him the value of Christ, as he is revealed
in the word. We learn the record that God has given us of his Son, that
he is just such a Saviour as we need; for being condemned we need a
surety to pay our debts, a better righteousness to appear in, before God,
and we need an atonement to take away all our sins—Christ has done it,
and he is now in heaven pleading our cause, representing us before God,
and answering all the charges that can be brought against us by Law, by
Satan, or by conscience. His blood and obedience, his holy nature, holy
life, and agonizing death, is our everlasting cure. This is so precious
to the Father, that he accepts all that come to him in his dear Son’s
name, and pleading his work; he will never send them away, cast them out,
or give them up to Satan; this is our mercy; none that trust in him shall
be desolate, forsaken, lost, condemned, or damned—Selah.
You have many trials, but they are most divinely appointed to produce the
fruits of righteousness, to exercise faith and patience, to empty us of
the love of sin and the world, to shew us our weakness, and the daily
need we have of Christ, as our strength, our wisdom, and our deliverer.
Christ is our support, our strength, and our help, till he works a
deliverance for us. I am learning this, that I may explain it to others;
I talked about these things, and felt them in a degree, but _now_ I know
them deeper than I once did; the Lord has instructed me with a strong
hand, and I long to speak these things to others, yet a sense of my
unworthiness keeps me back from thinking even about it. I want the
Lord’s children to trace up these mercies and trials to an everlasting
covenant, where they were provided; and it is very blessed to remember,
that all flows in love to us, and were divinely appointed for us in
infinite wisdom—the Lord is author of all our mercies, he is not the
author of our sins; he permits them, and he over-rules them, according to
his own plans, which he laid out in eternity, but he did not begin them,
he does not force us to them, and it would be wicked to suppose it: the
Lord foresaw them, and he could have prevented them, but he had some
grand ends to answer by them. He decreed to glorify his justice, his
mercy, and his grace by them. So it is the case with all our trials now,
they are all laid out in number, weight, and measure, and they will
terminate well; they will bring glory to God, and magnify the riches of
his free grace.
I wish my dear Friend felt much of a spirit of grace and supplication.
Our conflicts are designed for this very end, to stir us up to prayer,
and reading the word: just like a person of property, who feels he is in
want of money, and searches his Father’s will to see where his property
lies. This is our case—
Sometimes my Lord his face doth hide,
To make me pray, or kill my pride.
This is the design we are ready to suppose, when all things run against
us, that God is against us; but it is quite the contrary, God is not at
war with us, but against some of his and our enemies, within us: this is
the reason why he contends with us, to empty us of self, to bring us to
live upon Christ, as our all in all, that we may die daily to self and
the world; and thus in due time, live a life of faith upon Christ. We
all want to live a life of sense, but the Lord will be trusted in the
dark, as well as followed in the light, and we must be brought to this
point, if we wish to honour God—but we want to live on frames and
feelings, to walk in sunshine and good roads; but this cannot be called
trusting in him. There are many very precious promises made to those who
trust in him, and these we should lose, if we were not led into this
path.
I trust dear Mr. B. is well—my christian respects to him: tell him I hope
the Lord will lead his mind to Christ as his Saviour, and hope God will
bless you both, and all who are dear to you.—Many thanks for your concern
for
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER XLIX.
_Achor’s Vale_, _February_ 17th, 1819.
Mr. & Mrs. SHEPHARD.
MY DEAR FRIENDS,
GRACE and peace be with you.—This is what the Apostles wished the Church
of God, in all their Epistles, to which they often subjoined mercy. What
these three epithets imply, I and you must die to know, the adorable
Trinity purposing to set his love on man and on angels—it was love
indeed, as it flowed from the heart of God. It is love, but it being set
on some, and not on others; some are elect angels, some are not; some are
elect men, some are not; and this love being so distinguished, is grace,
or free favour; and this favour manifested to us as fallen, guilty,
hell-deserving creatures, is mercy. I wish you to make these
distinctions, as they will open many blessed texts and doctrines of the
word. Now as grace and mercy flows to us so divinely, this brings peace
indeed, and in fact. These three terms at once, include the gracious
covenant work of the ever adorable Trinity: the Father is the God of all
grace, the ever blessed Spirit is the mercy that saves us, and Christ is
our peace. And these terms also set forth the three-fold offices of the
ever blessed Jesus—he is merciful, as our Prophet, gracious, as our
Priest, and peaceable, as our king. And is there not another sweet idea
occurs to the mind in experience, the influences of the Spirit are
gracious; these teach us to see our misery, and help us to cry for mercy;
and mercy seen and felt in pardoning sin, produces peace, thus grace,
mercy, and peace are with us.
There was something you said to me at the place, which gave me very great
pleasure, in reference to yourself, and from which I gathered a hope you
was growing in the knowledge of God our Saviour. This is life eternal to
know him, and it is a very great favour indeed to be growing in that
knowledge; many of the Lord’s children are grieved that they cannot get
better, nor grow into a good opinion of themselves. Hence they are not
pleased with themselves, and cast down because they appear so bad to
themselves, whereas our main concern should be to get better acquainted
with Christ, as he is revealed in the gospel, carrying on the great work
of salvation. You and I must lament, that when God’s children meet
together, even in their most serious moments, they spend all their time
in talking about their frames, and feelings, instead of Christ; whereas,
talking about Jesus, and striving to get some sweet ideas of him, as he
is set forth in the word, and communicating those ideas, would be the
best subject, to improve the mind, warm the heart, and lead out the soul
to love Christ, and one another. This would be the communion of saints,
as connected with the forgiveness of sins. Poor, tried saints are always
talking about their feelings; and common professors are talking about
this religious society, and the other, and thus they are well pleased
with what they do for God, before God has done any thing for them: There
is no communion in all this, ’tis a mere bubble, and a plan of Satan’s,
to keep Christ out of the mind. Christ is all in heaven, and he should
be all in the Church; and when he is all in all to us, we have got the
sweetest evidence that we can have, that we belong to God. I am
sometimes cast down in soul, but the Lord raises me up again; and
although the work of God is genuine on the soul, yet I find, by repeated
experience, that I can neither love, believe, or hope, but as the blessed
Spirit operates on the soul. Without Christ we can do nothing, no more
than a body without a head, or limb cut off the body, or sick man without
a physician, or an accused man without a counsellor, or a condemned man
without a pardon. Christ is our Lord, physician, advocate, and
atonement, our righteousness and strength; and it is our mercy he is the
balm in Gilead, health amongst the witnesses, and the healer there.
Gilead signifies witnesses: these are the Bible, and in the Church, and,
blessed be God, in our hearts; also as there are many things there can
witness for him. Hence God says, Ye are my witnesses, and my servant,
whom I have chosen. Christ was God’s witness to us, and we are witnesses
of the freeness of his grace, and the value of his blood. Christ
represents us to God and we represent Christ—he is God-Man in one. Man
ruined himself in aspiring to be God, and God saves man by becoming man;
the divinity is espoused to our nature, that our souls might be espoused
to Christ, and to God in him. The adorable Father and eternal Spirit
aims at the exaltation of Christ, as God-Man, and all things are made for
this purpose.
All things for _his_ sake did Jehovah prepare,
For of _him_, and through _him_, and to _him_ they are;
All systems and worlds which revolve through the sky
Were made for the lifting of Jesus on high.
May he be glorified in your salvation and mine, and reward you both for
your sincere esteem for him, who remains
Your’s in him,
_Ruhamah_.
LETTER L.
_Achor’s Vale_, _October_ 26th, 1819.
Mr. FOSSETT.
MY DEAR FRIEND AND BROTHER,
When the chastising hand of God is laid heavily upon a nation, a family,
an individual, or a church, it becomes the afflicted to ask, Is there not
cause? When the troubles abounded on pious Job, he said unto God, Shew
me wherefore thou contendest with me? and when the Lord made a breach
upon Uzzah, the reason is assigned, no doubt as an answer to some
enquiring souls, who were deeply affected with the Lord’s hand. David
finding the cause of the breach was that of acting contrary to the orders
which had been previously given, in reference to the persons bearing the
ark (1 Chronicles, xv, 13) The Lord our God made a breach upon us, for
that we did not seek him after the due order. And it is an awful
circumstance recorded in the New Testament, that, the sad disorders and
conduct of the Church at Corinth, was resented by the great Head of the
Church on many of its members (see 1 Cor. xi, 30). It has pleased the
Lord to make an awful breach amongst us, as a Church; the removal and
long reproach of your minister, the troubles and disgrace of the
congregation, the affliction of mind, body, and circumstances of the
Church at large, must be viewed as the rod of a Father, chastising and
correcting, reproving and calling to consideration. As an individual, I
trust the Lord has convinced me of the sad occasion of these afflictions,
and having granted me the assurance of his pardoning mercy, I feel it my
duty to call the attention and exertion of the deacons and managers, the
church and congregation, to lay this important matter to heart; and
knowing the cause, to endeavour to remove it. The Lord Jesus is jealous
of his honour, and whatever sullies or tarnishes that glory, he will
resent it in some way or other.
It has been a source of grief to many pious, grace-taught, and
conscientious persons, that there is so great a neglect of the order of
the gospel amongst us, as professing to believe in, and love the Lard
Jesus, by the teaching of his Spirit—permit me to say, that this is a
reason why the Lord has thus so deeply afflicted us. I have been
constantly preaching the word, as far as I was taught, and helped, to the
Lord’s people amongst us, for some years: God has given his testimony to
the word of his grace, and there has been an assembling in his house, a
submission to the ordinance of baptism, by the majority, and a constant
attendance at the Lord’s table. This was well as far as it went; but it
is necessary to stand complete in the _whole_ will of God, and to act in
_all_ things, consistent with the rules laid down in his word. The
precepts of the New Testament are the laws of Christ, as king in Zion,
and they must form our rule of conduct in the Church, and in the world.
A wilful neglect of this rule, is an insult upon the Saviour, and he will
resent such conduct in his own People. Let us therefore search and try
our ways, and turn again unto the Lord.
I have frequently endeavored to rectify the error into which we have
fallen, viz. The neglect of Church order. Some years ago, I published a
pamphlet, entitled “The Nature of a Gospel Church,” with the covenant
into which all the members were to enter, upon their admission to the
Lord’s table. But, alas! this has scarcely ever been noticed since: it
was approved of, but never practised. I hope, at a future day, to revise
that little book, and add the following Articles, which appear to me to
be important, to the founding and establishing the Church in future, and
for the glory of the Saviour; but till we are settled again, as a
congregation, I take this opportunity of sending you what I humbly
conceive to be the Spirit’s mind, concerning the well-being of the Church
of Christ. These Articles, I pray the God of all grace, to enable us
constantly to observe, with the rules laid down in the members covenant,
and the confession of faith there published.
The Articles, I hope, will be punctually attended to. I know your
concern of mind on this subject, and have no doubt, by prayer and
perseverance, but the Lord will succeed our humble attempt to glorify his
holy name.—Christian love to Mrs. F.
I remain, your’s truly, in gospel bonds,
_Ruhamah_.
Rules of the Ruhamah Society.
1.—That as many Deacons be chosen, as the circumstances of the Church may
require: that they may be men taught of God, and good moral characters,
and who are Baptists, both in Principle and Practice.
2.—That the Deacons shall be chosen by Lot, or by a Majority of the
Members, at a public Meeting of the Church, when every Member shall be
entitled to a Vote, except those who are under Church censure: such
cannot be admitted to vote, till fully restored.
3.—That the Minister shall make it a particular point of conscience, to
point out the work of Deacons, in the faithful discharge of their office.
4.—That the Minister and Deacons shall be reproved by the Church, for any
inconsistency of conduct, or a deviation from any of the fundamental
doctrines of the gospel; and should either Minister or Deacons continue
to persist in such practises, or errors, they must be suspended, should a
majority of the Church so determine,
5.—Should any of the Members act in any unjustifiable way to the
Minister, such shall be reproved; and if they continue such conduct, the
Church shall expel them.
6.—That the Minister is to have but one voice in the Church, on any
occasion whatever.
7.—That the Church meet once a month, at which the Minister, if possible,
is to be always present, and the Deacons also to make it a point of
conscience to attend _all_ the public and private meetings of the Church
and Congregation, as far as they are able.
8.—That the Church Meetings shall always be opened with Prayer, and
reading the preceptive parts of the New Testament, setting forth the Duty
of Church Members.
9.—That the Minister shall have the privilege to call the Church together
on any special occasion.
10.—That no Minister be suffered to go into the Pulpit to preach, without
the consent of the majority of the Church, unless on any urgent occasion,
when either Minister or Deacons may give their consent.
11.—That the Minister shall appoint some of the Deacons to manage all the
temporal affairs of the Church, and appoint one of the Members once a
year, to act as Secretary to them, and report the state of the temporal
affairs of the Chapel to the Church.
12.—That the particular Affairs of the Church shall not be disclosed to
those who have no connection with us; and any unpleasant circumstances
which may arise in the Church, or concerning any Member, shall not be
exposed to the world—and all Admonitions to offending Persons shall be
kept from general observation.
13.—That a Book or Books shall be kept to record the names of the
Members, and every important transaction in the Church.
14.—That no Person acting as a Servant in the Church shall hold more than
one Office, except by particular request.
15.—That no Member be allowed to bring any grievance of a temporal
nature, before the Church, till it has obtained the Consent of the
Minister and Deacons.
16.—That the Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper be duly administered every
first Lord’s Day in the month, in the Evening, and on particular
occasions, when the Minister shall appoint.
17.—That when a Person desires to unite with the Church, to break Bread,
and to partake of the various Privileges of the Lord’s House, they are to
intimate the same to the Minister or to the Deacons, or to any Member to
introduce them.
18.—That the Deacons are to enquire into the state of their souls,
respecting a Work of Grace, and if they are satisfied, the Candidate is
to be brought to the Minister, who is to propose them to the Church at
the earliest Meeting thereof. This Examination is to be in a very
faithful, yet candid and affectionate manner. The Deacons are also to
take the earliest opportunity of minutely enquiring into the moral
Character and Conduct of such Persons, and upon approbation the Candidate
must attend at the next Church Meeting.
19.—That Persons wishing to be admitted be also requested to relate to
the Church the dealings of God with their souls; but, if timid, they may
give in a written account of the same, or the Minister to ask them such
questions as relate to the subject; and upon the Candidate’s retirement,
the Deacons are to give an account of the report of their moral conduct,
and if there is a majority of Votes, they shall be immediately admitted
as Members of the Church.
20.—That if such Persons are not baptized by immersion, the subject is to
be particularly explained to them by the Deacons and Members of the
Church, as they have opportunity, but they are not to be admitted to the
Lordly Table till the subject is opened to them.
21.—That any desirous of Baptism, are to signify the same as early as
possible to the Deacons, or Minister, that, when there is a convenient
number, they may partake of that ordinance. Not less than twelve
persons, unless under very peculiar circumstances. And if it be
signified, privately, that any Person or Persons are not able to bear the
usual expence attending the ordinance, the Church is to bear that
expence, as on those occasions there is much damage done to the Chapel.
22.—That the baptized Persons, and all those who were admitted as Members
at the Church Meeting, shall be publicly received at the ordinance of the
Lord’s Supper, when the Articles of Faith shall be read to them, an
address be given them, with singing and prayer, when they are to receive
the right hand of fellowship from the Minister, the representative of the
Church.
23.—That the Minister and Deacons shall enforce the various Duties of
Church Members, and stir each other up to every good word and work. That
they shall sympathize with each other; study each other’s spiritual and
temporal welfare—that they shall deal and trade with each other, as much
as their circumstances will admit, in preference to any other, as
Children of the same Father. That they warn the unruly, instruct the
ignorant, comfort the feeble-minded; give timely, kind, affectionate, but
_faithful_ reproof, when needed; restore the Backslider, and endeavour to
promote the prosperity and peace of the Church. But if any Member
persists in walking inconsistently, such shall be admonished by the
Minister and Deacons; but if this has no avail, the Church shall be
informed of it, and if no reproof has had any effect, such offender shall
be cut off, till some signs of penitence and reformation appear, when, if
it be desired, such Person shall be re-admitted.
* * * * *
FINIS.
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