The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Morning of Spiritual Youth Improved, in the Prospect of Old Age and Its Infirmities
Title: The Morning of Spiritual Youth Improved, in the Prospect of Old Age and Its Infirmities
Author: J. Church
Release date: October 2, 2018 [eBook #58012]
Language: English
Credits: Transcribed from the [1814] R. Thomas edition by David Price
Transcribed from the [1814] R. Thomas edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
THE
MORNING
OF
SPIRITUAL YOUTH
IMPROVED,
IN THE PROSPECT OF
Old Age and its Infirmities;
BEING A
LITERAL AND SPIRITUAL PARAPHRASE
On the Twelfth Chapter of Ecclesiastes.
In a Series of Letters.
By J. CHURCH, V. D. M.
“Rejoice, O young Man, in thy Youth.”—Solomon.
“The prudent Man foreseeth the Evil, and hideth himself.”
“—and add to your Faith Virtue.”—Peter.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY R. THOMAS, RED LION STREET,
BOROUGH.
PREFACE.
CHRISTIAN READER,
I need make no apology far publishing the following Letters, as the Subject was first delivered in several Discourses, and is now by the particular desire of many friends, published to the Church in the form of familiar Letters—appearing in the homely dress of plain speech, they will, doubtless, meet the censure of the carnal critic, but my mind is fully made up on that point—that which is highly esteemed amongst such men, is abominable in the sight of God.
Being favored with much of the presence of God in preaching the Sermons, and since then in writing some of these Letters, I trust every wise, spiritual, and humble Christian, into whose hands this Work may fall, will be edified, reproved, comforted, and built up on their most holy Faith.—
So prays thy witting
Servant
in Christ Jesus,
LETTER I.
TO AMICUS.
Lambeth, 1814.
DEAR FRIEND,
Having waded through many deep waters of late, and, I hope, learned many interesting lessons in the School of the Cross, I cannot forbear dropping you a few thoughts on the great things of God. It is my mercy and yours, that our salvation is the joint work of the adorable Trinity in Unity, originating in eternal love, planned in infinite wisdom, and executed by almighty power. This salvation I have been led to prise, of late, more than ever I did; and to bless a covenant God that I ever heard its joyful sound; that I was ever convinced of my need of its blessings; that I ever was enabled to receive it as my own: which glorious salvation consists in the pardon of sin—the acceptation of the Saviour’s obedience—the clear witness of God’s Spirit—and the happy heart-felt communion with God. This is the salvation of the Gospel I have been made acquainted with in some degree, and trust I shall yet more abundantly, even in this present life, and beyond the grave be favored with it in body and soul for ever. This is what I have in humble hope and expedition, and God declares it shall not be cut off. The Spirit of God is given us as an earnest of this, and faith is the evidence of it—and though I am not yet in the enjoyment of it, the promise still stands firm, Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty—they shall behold the land that is far off. Thine eyes: are you inclined to ask, Whose eyes?—the answer is ready—those who are in possession of a good work of grace—hence, having begun the good work, he will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ.—Sometimes you hope, you believe, you trust, nay you are sure this work is begun; then I am sure it will be carried on, and must be completed; for the Man will not be in rest till the great work is done, and he presents us to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, nor any such thing. May you and I live in the pleasing prospect of this, and finally, die to enjoy it—no doubt it will be an heaven worth dying for—when I contemplate this glory, I forget the trials of the way.
But, perhaps, my dear friend, while reading this, is particularly tried in the way; for as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. Well, then, I must pay you a visit in Achor’s vale, where I know you are truly safe, though miserable; reflecting on the days that are past, and contrasting them with what you now feel and fear—once feeling light, joy, peace, comfort, love, zeal, activity, and diligence; but now you feel darkness, insensibility, lowness the workings of inbred sin, and too often have to lament the out-breakings of them. This may be succeeded by legal bondage, unbelief, fretfulness, enmity, and a sad distance between God and the soul; and instead of activity and diligence, a general stupor; calling all in question, because you cannot act as you have formerly done—quite forgetting him that has said, and who is now making good his promise, Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.
Permit me, my brother, just to intimate, that there is nothing singular in your trials; it appears to be the very path the Redeemer went, and the very footsteps of the flock. Hence we read, directly after the Baptism of our dear Lord, when his soul was filled with all the fulness of God; when the Father, with an audible voice, proclaimed from above, This is my beloved Son!—and the Holy Spirit was seen hovering over his head, in a body of light, just like a Dove in its descent—the Redeemer rising from the watery tomb, and the gazing spectators astonished at the solemn scene—immediately after this transaction we find him led into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil; and he was with the wild beasts, and evil angels came to him; and upon the back of this, Satan, the head, the chief Devil, most daringly tempted him to presumption, to doubt his Sonship, and to commit suicide!—and can my brother wonder that he is a subject of temptation—that he has forty days of mourning, without a spiritual entertainment, or the manifestative presence of Christ—that he is among the wild beasts of his inbred sins—that evil thoughts stirred up by evil angels, should ever trouble or visit him? And can you wonder that you should be tempted to doubt your sonship—tempted to presume—that is, forbear to use the scripture means in time of trouble, or even tempted to suicide? You think some strange thing has happened to you, but this is the path the Redeemer trod, in his measure—and, recollect, the servant is not greater than his Lord—it is enough to be as he was, that we may be as he is. This part of your experience was strikingly exhibited in the case of the Israelites, who came through the Red Sea with joy and praise—shouted victory, through the mercy of Jehovah—and felt happy that they were delivered. But their felicity was soon abated, for they were ordered to encamp at Marah, in the Wilderness. So you find it: you have been convinced of your lost state; you have felt the slavery of sin and the Devil; you have felt the bondage of the Law; you have seen the Redeemer making an atonement for sinners: your faith has received this; your hope has enjoyed this; your love has been led out to him in sweet return; and though you still felt yourself a sinner, yet your mind was happy in Jesus, his glorious Person, and his great Work. Here you sung with Moses and Miriam, with gospel ministers and people, The Lord is my strength and my song, he also is become my salvation, and I will exalt him. But your note was soon changed, for you presently found yourself in the wilderness of fears, lest you had been deluded, and lest you had presumed—lest your grief had been like Esau’s, and your joys the raptures of a way-side hearer; quite forgetting that that religion which comes from God, always leads to God, as our salvation and our eternal all. This was certainly your experience; then why doubt the reality of it? The commandment has gone forth, that you, for wise and God-glorifying purposes, should pitch your tent at Marah; here you must taste of the bitter cup of sorrow. This will only endear the Tree of Life to you, who was cut down, and cast into deeper waters than you can possibly go into; and will lead your faith to apprehend, that though your waters are deep and bitter, yet faith tastes them sweet, by virtue of Christ’s removing the curse—
Thus believing we rejoice,
To see the curse removed.
Your path may indeed be hard and thorny, but, bless God, there is no curse in it; let this console your mind, I am sure it will, if the Holy Spirit gives you power to believe it. Your present experience of darkness, guilt, deadness, bondage, contraction of spirit, and great stupor, are the days of evil that Solomon speaks of, which are many, but must at last issue in an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory. But seeing such are the days that must come on the followers of the dear Saviour, how truly important, and how highly interesting that exhortation in the twelfth of Ecclesiastes, Remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, and the years draw nigh, wherein thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them. Solomon could well talk of these things, for he had a wonderful share of them, and wrote the whole Book of Ecclesiastes upon the subject. The word is said by some, to mean the Preacher, but others think it signifies Restoration to the Church. It was also written by him in his old age, after his recovery from backsliding; as such it must be a precious treasure in the hands of a poor sinner, who knows the plague of his heart, the weakness of human nature, the inconstancy and mutability of all transitory things, of all terrestial objects.
This book shews the vanity of all things out of Christ; that they are fleeting, insubstantial, and disappointing; that they elude the grasp of their followers, and leave the soul in darkness, misery, and woe. Having learnt so much by deep heart-felt experience, of the power of grace and the power of sin, and having been deeply taught by the Holy Ghost, he advises as a father to his children, how to act, before the sad days of tribulation come on; and this is agreeable to his own declaration, The prudent man foreseeth the evil (i.e.) day and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. Thus in this chapter he exhorts, which, through God’s assistance, I shall consider in an experimental manner; and shew, I hope, the mind of the Spirit upon this important theme.
I have often been grieved when this precious text has been taken by mere Moralists, who knew nothing of the Spirit’s work upon the heart, as the testifier of Jesus; and applied to youth, literally, who are destitute of the grace of God—and by a mere moral harangue, they have set youth to perform a task they themselves never did. Hence, in general, Sermons are preached to young people from this passage, when the very passage shews they are characters that have been taught of God; else why exhort to a remembrance of that glorious object, Thy Creator? it must imply some knowledge of him; and this great Creator can only be known by his own Word and Spirit; only seen in his own light, for the world by wisdom knows not God, nor can all the works of God lead us to God, as some dream; there is no coming to a knowledge of trusting in, or loving, or obeying God, but by the glorious Mediator, and the impulse of the Holy Ghost. I consider it necessary then, my dear Brother, to shew you, First, The Characters addressed in this important exhortation—the Youth. Secondly, the grand object recommended to their attention, Thy Creators. Thirdly, What is implied in the idea of remembering him. Fourthly, The Arguments the wise man makes use of to urge this important act, viz. The approach of evil days and years—which I shall endeavor to explain in a scriptural and experimental way, to comfort some poor mourner; to show the value of a precious Saviour; and endear salvation, by free grace alone.
On the first head of this subject, I would just observe, the blessedness of being early called by the grace of God, can never be fully appreciated in this world. We read of some who were called at a very early period: Jeremiah was really sanctified from the womb: John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost in the womb; which shews the possibility of a work of grace in the souls of those who die in infancy, as they are in general, if not all, influenced by the Holy Spirit before their departure, and are passively the subjects of Regeneration. What a consolation for a parent bereaved of a lovely babe!—It appears Joseph was early taught of God; perhaps the first martyr, Abel, was—it is very clear Obadiah, Josiah, David, and Solomon, were early converted. Samuel and Timothy knew the Saviour at a very early period—the Lord was their guide from their youth. This saves a person from many a bitter pang,—many a sigh, many a tear, many a deep, black, sad reflection of parents, broken hearts, violated sabbaths, a despised gospel, a ruined pocket, and constitution. To be sure grace shines very bright in the calling of such; but you and I must say, we are greater debtors to preserving grace. I rejoice your mind was so early imprest with the power of godliness, and that you was directed under a sound ministry, which clearly pointed out the way of salvation, by free grace alone; for the labour of some foolish preachers wearieth every one, because they know not how to go to the city. But this is not the youth in the text, they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed—the seed of God; the seed that was to serve the Lord, called the seed of Jacob; for these the Redeemer entered into a covenant with his Father—for these he travailed in spirit, groaned, cried, obeyed, bled, and died. Hence the promise, He shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. This is begun in our conversion, and will be accomplished in our final glorification. Hence the Psalmist says, As arrows in the hand of the mighty so are the children of thy youth. And the matter of the covenant between the Father and the Son, is thus exhibited—Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness. From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth—which beautiful passage Mr. Hervey translates, and paraphrases thus: “As the morning is the mother of dews; produces them, as it were, from a prolific womb; and scatters them with the most lavish abundance, over all the surface of the earth: So shall thy seed be, O thou everlasting Father! By the preaching of thy word, shall such an innumerable race of regenerate children be born to thee, and fill all lands. Millions, millions of willing converts, shall croud into thy family, and replenish thy church; till they become like the stars of Heaven, or the sands of the sea, for multitude; or even as numberless, as these fine spangles, which now cover the face of nature.”
Of the same opinion was the late Mr. Huntington; see his “Light shining in Darkness;” on the 110th Psalm. “The youth which is to spring from the womb and is to be numerous as the drops of the dew, seem to be a time yet to come; when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth—when a nation shall be born at once—when a little one shall become a thousand—and when the Lord’s family will consist of strong men in the faith; who are called youth; instead of thy fathers, shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make Princes in the earth;” this must be when the greatest kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the saints of the most high, and they shall take it, and possess it, for
Jesus shall reign where’er the Sun
Does his successive journies run.
The truly excellent Dr. Hawker reads this passage in reference to the heavenly extraction of the Lord’s people, to shew, That sovereign grace will give to Christ an abundance of souls, like the dew drops; so numerous as to be perfectly incalculable: “And they shall come of heavenly extraction, as the dew from God, being born not of the will of the flesh, but of God; and unperceived, unnoticed, and unknown, as the silent drops of the morn; for the kingdom of God cometh not by observation: and as they are begotten like the dew, without the aid of man, so also shall they be preserved by the same predisposing cause, without man’s descent.—Not by might or by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Thus the youth to whom Solomon writes are the spiritual seed of God, and not to mere carnal worldly youth, who are destitute of the knowledge of God. Dear Amicus, adieu—Grace and peace be with you.
I remain, your’s in the Sinner’s friend,
LETTER II.
TO AMICUS.
Lambeth, 1814.
BELOVED FRIEND,
Amidst a vast multitude of thoughts which occurred to my mind this morning, one more than all the rest, seemed longest to abide, namely, that as the Lord’s people are called Servants as well as Sons, it appears to me that the services of none are accepted of God, but only the services of those who are Sons by adoption and graces and by the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Such Sons are also called his Servants, who shall serve him: they were by nature the servants of the Devil, wore his livery, and did his will; but Almighty grace having wrought a glorious change in the heart, there is a change of the service; and this service is not in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit; then it must be with a new heart, a new spirit; with new views, aims, pursuits and ends. Into this service we are first pressed—then we become volunteers, and though we meet with many discouragements by the way, yet we are not tired of our Master, nor he of us; nor do we serve in heart, in affection, in word and deed, as we wish we could, yet he kindly accepts the will for the deed, and says, If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not. In the service of so divine a Lord, our chariot wheels would fain run swift along. My dear Brother can recollect when his feet run cheerfully in the way—ye did run well, who did hinder you? and you had a divine command for it—Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth. Walk in the way of thy new heart, and in the light of truth that you are favored with; but it is added, that all this work must be tried, judged, and proved, that it may appear to be genuine, that what belongs to God may go to God, and what belongs to nature you may discover, and lament; for this is the design of the furnace, the design of the fire of tribulation—therefore do not be alarmed, as though some unaccountable thing had happened. In the days of prosperity you did right to be joyful; in those days of adversity you must now consider, the Lord approved of the days of your youth, and even promises a renewal of them; and David declared he experienced it: this you may see in the following texts—I remember thee, and the kindness of thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou wentest after me in a land that was not sown.—He shall return to the days of his youth. Thy youth is renewed as the Eagle’s. This is experienced after a season of backsliding and darkness, deadness, and misery. In these youthful days it is necessary to be diligent, as dark days may come. Hence the exhortation, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. These youthful days do not so much regard the time of life as the time of the light, love, and liberty of the children of God; these are our first, best, and sweetest days.
Hence it is said, it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth: whatever may be the sense of this text, it is a point beyond all controversy, that it is a mercy to be taught out of the Law, in our first setting out, to bear the yoke of our transgressions, and receive deliverance from them by the precious blood and righteousness of Christ. It is likewise a mercy to be in the service of Christ, in health and strength of body and mind; the service of Christ is easy and his burden light; so he told his disciples, Take my yoke upon you. The word youth, does not always signify the term of years; this is evident from Job’s pathetic moan—O that it was with me as in the days of my youth, when I was blest with health of body, peace of mind, cheerful days, plenty of ordinances, and means to get the knowledge Jesus; and an inclination thereto, while the Spirit taught me to say, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth. And hence the apostate and backslider is said, to forsake the guide of her youth. Thus it appears the time to remember our creators is the days when first imprest with the good things of God; when powerfully drawn on by the cords of love; when we feel strong, lively, warm, and affectionate; when peace, comfort, and joy, are felt; when the mind is free from care, vexation, temptation, and misery; when God blesses us with health and strength, with ministers and books, with ordinances, and the company of saints. These are our most happy but not most god-glorifying times; yet, while they last, Solomon advises a careful attention to great truths, as we may meet with many crafty, cruel, malicious enemies to God, enemies to the doctrines of the Trinity in Unity; enemies to the Covenant of Redemption; enemies to free Grace, to the Work of the Holy Ghost; to the Divinity and work of the adorable Immanuel; and in fact, to every revealed truth. So Paul advises, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may stand in the evil day. Every part of this armour will be needed, for it is provided for poor believers, who have to wrestle hard with sins, and doubts, and fears, nothing short of an experimental knowledge of the truth will abide the furnace, will stand in the days of evil, which are coming on, and which all the Lord’s children, either in a greater or less degree, must endure for it is plain those who fall away had only the form of godliness, without the power: there may be a form of sound words, a form of knowledge; a form of faith, of hope of love, of humility—this is but superficial; my dear Brother, I hope, has been convinced of the danger of this, and that nothing short of the gracious teachings of the Holy Ghost can satisfy his mind. This leads me to consider the second particular I promised to attend to in my first letter—The glorious object—Thy Creators.
I need not tell you I am no scholar, I wish I was; but the passage must be read in the plural, according to the testimony of most Hebrew scholars—Remember now thy CREATORS. There are other texts which must be read in the same way: Where is God thy MAKERS, who giveth songs in the night? Let Israel rejoice in THEM that made him. Thy MAKERS is thy husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name. We live in an awful day, wherein the most crying sin of our nation is the dreadful opposition to the doctrine of the most adorable Trinity in Unity, though it is a truth so clearly revealed—the foundation of the Church and the christian’s highest glory. Alas! how awfully opposed! Many great and learned, experimental christians have employed their pens in proving from sacred scripture, this most glorious point of Doctrine, the foundation of all the rest. The adversaries of this truth pretend to hold the Unity of the Godhead—so do we. They say there is but one God—so do we; but can they prove that the Godhead does not, cannot admit of three distinct Persons in that Essence?—No! We, then, who are Trinitarians, can prove that there is but one simple, undivided Essence; and, that, if there is any truth in the Bible, there are distinct subsistences in that one Godhead—that these three are equal in power, majesty, dignity, and glory; co-equal, co-essential, and co-eternal. There are not three Gods, but three Persons in the Godhead. That there are three distinct Subsistences, which, for want of better words, we call Persons, is evident from a vast many passages of scripture—distinct from each other, in Person, Name, and Office; for, to what beside the term Person, can we with any propriety apply the distinct acts of speaking, working, and commanding? And the Persons in the Trinity are clearly set forth by their personal characters, such as I, me, him, thou, his, he. The scriptures plainly declare that there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost—and these three are one—one in the divine Essence, undivided, which Essence is peculiar to the three; yet these have different modes of subsisting in this Essence, which we must call Persons—and they must be Persons, to be Testifiers—testifying is a personal act; if the Father is one testifier, the Son another, and the Holy Ghost a third, they must be three Persons, not three Gods; only one in the divine Essence, but three distinct in Personality, Name, and Office. The Unity of the Godhead is exprest in this text, Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. But the Plurality of Persons in the Godhead is exprest as before—There are three which bear record, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. There is one God; this is not said to the exclusion of the Son and the Spirit, for the Word is applied to both as well as to the Father, and in the same senses.
This doctrine will still appear more plain, to my dear brother, by the plural names of God. In the first verse of the Bible it is evident—In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. That this name is plural, is plain by the work of the distinct Persons. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And the third person is spoken of as the WORD, who said Let there be light. Thus the three in one were concerned in creation. In Ephesians iii, 9, God is said to create all things by Jesus Christ—this is one Person—Christ is said to be creator too—by the word of the Lord was the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Here is the Word that was with God, and was God; and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. By his spirit he garnished the heavens, and his hand framed the crooked Serpent. This is the Holy Trinity in Unity—the Persons who said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness. Behold the man is become at one of US. Go to, let US go down.—Whom shall I send, and who will go for US? These words clearly prove a plurality of Persons. If any man love me, my Father will love him, and WE will come unto him, and make OUR abode with him.
In the Epistle of John we read of Communion with the Father, and the Son; and Paul speaks of Communion with the Holy Ghost. The glorious Covenant of Grace shews a Plurality of Persons. Divine worship is to be given to the three Persons. Baptism is in their Names: sometimes one Person is mentioned before the other; the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost; here Christ is first mentioned. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into a patient waiting for Christ. The acknowledgement of God, and of the Father, and of Christ—thus we see the Spirit is mentioned first. In the first chapter of Ephesians the Father is first introduced—Paul prays that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ would grant the spirit of wisdom in the knowledge of Christ. These, and many other passages evidently prove that there are Three in One and One in Three, God blessed for evermore; so the Scripture teaches, and so must we believe; to err in this subject is fatal. But the Spirit has engaged to lead us into all truth, nor can one humble follower of Jesus go down to the shades of death, opposing this glorious doctrine. How these are one, and how each Person subsists in the one Divine Essence, is not for us to know, nor is it of any importance, it is enough for me to know, that the terms of Father, Son, and Spirit, are not given to shew what the Trinity is in the divine Essence, as God; but what they are to the church in an everlasting Covenant; and this is life eternal to know the Father, that adopted me as his own—to know the Lord Jesus, in the greatness of his salvation, by the teaching and leading of the Holy Ghost. This is the harmonious witness in the word, and I bless God for the same in the heart. There are three which bear witness; and he that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself; and this is the witness, the Father says, Yea I have loved thee; the Redeemer says, I have redeemed thee; and the voice of the Spirit is known, I have called thee. This is the point I want you, my brother, to apprehend, to feel, and enjoy. This is a religion that will stand the test, will bear the furnace, and all religion, besides what comes from, and leads to the adorable Trinity, is madness, delusion and daring presumption! This is the maker or MAKERS—CREATORS, father, husband, friend, and God.
The wise man not only points out the glorious Object, but the Work in which they are engaged, even the Work of Creation. These glorious Persons having formed the grand plan of salvation, which was the first great act of Jehovah, in Council and Covenant, now brings forth the grand theatre of the Universe, whereon to display the glories of rich, free, restoring grace; and this act of power, love, wisdom, and goodness, is the joint Work of the three Persons; as the word God is a plural term, Elohim, or as some term it Alehim—the Persons engaged, the Covenanters. This is a point that has been long proved by good and great men—the several acts of Creation—God created the heaven and earth, formed both; then the Spirit’s, act—and the Spirit of God, the Lord and giver of life, moved upon the face of the waters, to separate the parts which were mixed together, and to give them a quickening virtue, to produce living creatures in them. Then the Saviour is represented as saying, Let there be light, and there was light. This came from himself, who is called the Light of the World. And God said (this is repeated nine times over; and as the term God is plural, and includes the Three, there is great propriety and beauty in the expression) Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness. This consultation is designed to point out that honor and dignity that was to be conferred on Man, the noblest work of all his creatures—in his image, as God’s vicegerent; having dominion over the creatures; erect in his body; with every excellent endowment of his mind; in purity, holiness, and righteousness; in wisdom and beauty—thus man was made in his image. But though this is a great truth, yet I humbly conceive this is not all; from all eternity God had a favour towards man; and having exalted the dear Saviour to be the great Head of the Church, he set him up in the nature of his people, so that Adam was formed in the nature, in the very image which God had designed to honour Christ in; that image made he man: this was agreeable to divine consultation. In this image our dear Lord four thousand years afterwards made his appearance; and this was the joint work of the Holy Trinity—a body hast thou prepared me. He took part of the children’s flesh and blood—The power of the Holy Ghost shall come on thee, and that which shall be born unto thee shall be called the Child of the Most High.
Thus the formation of our nature is the joint work of the Trinity, in the first and second Adam; but this point will appear of equal importance if we contemplate our New Creation, as the work of the same divine Persons. Our Regeneration is called a Creation, but more of this in my next. The best of blessings attend you.
So prays your willing servant to
command
in all Godliness,
LETTER III.
TO AMICUS.
DEAR FRIEND,
GRACE and peace be with you. I thought it needful to drop you another Letter on a subject of infinite importance to you, to myself and to the whole church of God. The Saviour, in a conversation with a learned and polite Doctor of Divinity, positively declared the necessity of another, a New, a second Birth. Blessed be God, the salvation of the children of God is completed without this, but we must be born again to know this salvation is ours; and to pretend to lay claim to such Salvation, without being born again, is most daring presumption! This new Birth is a change of heart and life; the formation of a new man; an infusion of holy principles—all new—every thing; that is, every principle which the Holy Spirit inspires is new; new views, new sensations, new ideas, new pursuits; and new trials; all is become new. If any man be in Christ Jesus he is become new. This birth goes by various names in scripture—it is stiled a Calling; The master is come and calleth for thee. It is represented as an implanting or engrafting—Cut off from the old stock: Our souls cleave to Jesus as our all in all. It is a Conquest; by the power of the Holy Spirit our enmity is slain, our wills subdued, and our affections set on heavenly objects. It is called an heavenly Birth—Of the seed of God’s word we are said to be begotten to a lively hope. A new man is formed; for this the Redeemer travailed in spirit; for this ministers labour and toil; and to enjoy God in Christ Jesus, no small portion of spiritual labour falls to the share of the happy possessor. The Saviour enters the soul; this must create a stir there. He comes into, and by the door of the heart; all that come in any other way, as sin and Satan did, are thieves and robbers. Upon his entrance we, by his light, see our lost state—feel our guilt—conscience is quickened, as well as the mind enlightened; and here, my brother, you may discover the vast disparity between the Possessor and the mere nominal Professor; it is not to be seen either in their light, or conduct, for a man destitute of the grace of God, may be clear in his head, and upright in his moral deportment. This is the snare that is come upon the Churches: these are the false evidences by which thousands are deceived—it is not enough, the main spring is wanting, which is Life. This is the genuine work of God: this proves our union with the Living Vine. By this life I feel myself condemned by the Law. I feel a spirit of bondage to fear. I feel the sting of death. I feel the workings of corruption, which I knew nothing of before. I feel dreadful apprehensions of God’s wrath; and while my conscience feels these things, I see, in the light of the word, and by the Spirit, the exact suitableness of the dear Saviour. I am enabled by the same Spirit to believe he lived, obeyed, suffered, died, and is risen again, and receives poor sinners—the lost, the helpless, the guilty, and the vile. This begets a hope in my mind that he will save me. The Promises encourage me—the freeness of grace—the Lord delighting in mercy, through the satisfaction of Jesus—the scriptural account of poor sinners as vile as me being saved. These things encourage me to hope; while my faith, small as it is, argues at times, as Manoah’s wife did, If the Lord had meant to have destroyed me, would he have shewed me what I see?—or told me what he has? No, no!
But while I thank God, and am taking courage, perhaps sin again overcomes me—the Law still works wrath; Satan then takes the advantage, and down I sink again, and must there lay till the dear Father of Mercies draw me to Christ again. Thus the spiritual life, at this time, hangs in doubt, and there is no assurance of life, either spiritual or eternal. This is travailing in spirit, coming to the birth, and no strength to bring forth. This is tarrying long in the place of the breaking forth of children; panting, breathing, looking, thirsting, longing for the knowledge of the pardon of sin, the clear witness of the Spirit, and the sweet, smiting, kind, loving approbation of God. Such souls are already pronounced blessed, and what God has promised he will surely perform. Such long to come forth; are afraid of peace and comfort, ease and quietness, lest it should not be God’s work; and such would rather be always in bondage than in carnal ease, or false peace or confidence.
Beautiful that Promise, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Such are represented as waiting upon God. Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength—and they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. At the Pool of Bethesda they lay till Jesus appears—at the posts of God’s Doors they wait till favour is shewed them—they are admitted to the Inner Court, till faith gathers strength enough to believe in the love of God towards them; and till they can receive into their souls the Atonement this gives peace to the conscience, and joy in God, and this honor have all the saints. This is the New Birth, which you, I trust, know something of experimentally; but darkness will sometimes hide it from you. I must recommend you a sweet text in Job. Thine age shall be clearer than the noon day—thou shalt shine forth, thou shall be clear as the morning.
But this new-making second Birth, and new Creation, is the joint work of the adorable Trinity, and is, of course, property ascribed to each Person, Remember therefore thy new Creators. Let Israel rejoice in them that made him. God the Father is called the Father of Christ, the Father of Lights. Of his own will begat he us, with the Word of Truth. He sheds the dew of the Spirit upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Lord. This Work is also attributed to Jesus; he is the Resurrection and the Life—he raiseth up and quickeneth whom he will; and it is by virtue of his Resurrection from the dead that we are begotten again to a lively hope.
The blessed and eternal Spirit, the Lord and giver of Life, is also the Author of this New Creation—Except a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is the Spirit that quickens; he it is prepares the mind for Christ, then testifies of Christ to the soul. May you, my dear Friend, enjoy much of his testimony, and set to your seal, that God is true—and, if I have not tired your patience, let me remind you of another great act of your Creators, the completing the Work in a manifestative way, in the glorious Resurrection of the Body, to enjoy endless felicity with the soul. This is what we have in lively hope and earnest expectation; for this we groan—this is the redemption of the purchased Possession. God our covenant Father loved our bodies as well as our souls—the dear Redeemer bought the one as well as the other—he suffered in the body for sins done by the body. The Holy Spirit graciously takes up his abode in the soul, as the earnest of the future inheritance.
This Doctrine has been denied by many—this has been ridiculed as contrary to sense and reason; but why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the Dead? it can easily be accomplished by the infinite power and wisdom of God, as well as the first formation of it; the one will be as easy to him as the other—the sacred scriptures assure us of it, our faith gives credit to it; and this faith is not in vain, the Redeemer would lose a part of his purchase if the dead rise not; besides, he has redeemed them to God, and from the grave; and the general judgment requires that those who sleep in the dust should come forth. There is a necessity of the body rising, else we should lose part of our bliss; for we shall want some of our members in heaven, as the eye, to see Christ in the flesh, and one another; and the ear, to hear the everlasting songs of praise; and the tongue, to sing them.—Nor is this contrary to reason; hence the dear Redeemer, and his servant Paul, has set it forth by the figure of a corn of wheat, which, being sown, alters, corrupts, and then springs up a very different figure, yet it is the same corn of wheat that was sown, though now it appears with a stalk, a blade, and an ear: so our bodies will be sown; and spring up again with additional circumstances. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection. What heart can conceive the joyful meeting of soul and body again? This is most affectingly described by Blair:
—Nor shall the conscious soul
Mistake its partner, but amidst the crowd,
Singling its other half, into its arms
Shall rush, with all the impatience of a man
That’s new come home, and having long been absent,
With haste runs over every different room,
In pain to see the whole. Thrice happy meeting!
Nor time, nor death shall ever part them more.
This Resurrection to eternal life, is the joint work of our glorious Makers.—Knowing that he which raised up Jesus from the dead, shall raise us up also by him, and shall present us with you. So this great act is ascribed to the dear Saviour; he shall change our vile bodies. The Holy Spirit will have an hand in this momentous affair, he shall also quicken our mortal bodies. And it is a charming thought, my Brother, that as sure as we have been quickened in the soul we shall be in the body—certain as we hear the voice of Jesus in the Gospel, we shall hear it in the Resurrection, calling us forth to eternal life. And as sure as the Gospel trumpet proclaims liberty to our souls, the last trumpets sound shall bring liberty to our bodies. Let this thought comfort you, nor shall you be ashamed of your hope, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
It is time I proceed to speak of the third particular, the Wise Man’s exhortation—Remember.—We meet with many such fatherly admonitions in scripture, and in fact, God promises we shall remember. Thou shalt remember all the way the Lord thy God hath led thee in the Wilderness.—And one of the blessed Offices of the Holy Ghost is that of a Remembrancer. This influence over the mind we often need in our state of pilgrimage: we have, naturally, bad memories—besides, Satan is a thief, and he is secretly watching to steal all the good he can from us, and to leave us all the dregs. Our inbred sins, and many outward foes, also hurt our memories—they are Foxes that spoil the Vines, that have tender grapes. It is an unspeakable mercy that our Salvation does not depend upon our memories, but in God’s remembering of us. Hence he has said, If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. He remembered his Covenant, he remembered his mercy. I will remember my Covenant with thee. Then he appeals to parental affections, and asks, Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yea, she may forget, (perhaps, my Brother, I am an instance of it) yet will I not forget thee. My kindness shall not depart from thee, nor the Covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on THEE, O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted.—Here is our security, though we are so forgetful, so ungrateful—forever we dwell in his heart, forever in his mind; and he has graciously intimated there are some things which he can never do, consistently with his Nature, his Perfections, and Covenant. It was impossible for God to lie: he cannot forget his people, he will not remember their sins; he will never leave nor forsake those he once has loved.
But we are exhorted to Remember him. This act, in scripture, signifies to keep in mind somewhat future and important, that we may notice it when it comes again. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day: it signifies to think of, and deeply consider. When I remember thee on my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches: it signifies to love and esteem. No man remembered that same poor man: to praise or mention the great acts of covenant love, in a way of gratitude. Remember his marvellous works which he hath done: it signifies to call to mind. Remember that ye were Gentiles in the flesh: so that we remember God, when we think of, believe in, and depend on him for help and strength. Some put their trust in horses, some in chariots, but we will remember the Lord our God. To remember, in scripture, also signifies to make a collection. Hence the Apostle speaking of christian alms giving, says, That we should remember the poor; the same which I was always forward to do. Here, then, clearly appears our privilege, to think deeply of the great things of God—often to call them to mind; his everlasting love, its freeness and power; his everlasting covenant, that cannot be broken—his everlasting purposes to save the ruined, the helpless, and the vile. The everlasting righteousness of the dear God Man Mediator—the everlasting salvation with which all the elect shall be saved—the value, the efficacy, and unspeakable worth of the Atonement—the preciousness of the offices, glory, titles, and characters of the adorable Trinity in Unity. These things must be deeply learnt and kept in mind—the knowledge of them will surely do us good in the days of evil. To make a collection of the good things the Spirit has shewn to us—every token for good, every sermon he has blest with power, every sweet view of Jesus, every precious promise that has been applied, every ray of comfort, every season of access and nearness to God, every good word and kind hint he has given us, every deliverance he has wrought for us, every clear answer to prayer, whether of things temporal or spiritual. These we ought to notice, keep in mind, and often think over, with humility, with gratitude, with joy, with wonder; and ask, with the humble Ruth, Why have I found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am but a stranger?
Remember, with diligence; for as we abound in faith the Apostle says, We are to abound in all diligence. The pious Psalmist declares, His heart and spirit made a diligent search. The woman who had lost her piece of silver, is said, To sweep the house, and search diligently till she found it—and the Lord is sure to bless the diligent remembrance of himself; take the following texts: The hand of the diligent maketh rich. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule. The substance of the diligent man is precious. The soul of the diligent shall be made fat. The thought of the diligent tends only to plenty. He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour.—Thus we see what God has promised to the diligent. Say not this is legal, No!—I am exhorting a believer, a quickened soul, one that has light, life, and love. All spiritual actions, acceptable to God, must spring from this quarter. Do you attend while you can to these important things, nor shall you fail of your reward. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap; and sure I am, every man shall find this text true in his experience, 2 Cor. ix, 6, He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly: He which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully. So the scriptures affirm: I have found it and so shall you.
Thus while you are in health of body, peace of mind, furnished with the Spirit’s influence as a Remembrancer—do call to mind, collect together and highly esteem these things, in meditation and prayer, and bless him for what he has done for you and in you. Turn down those pages in your Bible which you have found precious. Tell the dear people of God what Christ has done for you, that they may help you to praise him; for it is written, They shall come and declare the Work of God in Zion.—Nor would you lose any thing by it, should you keep a Diary of the Lord’s dealings with you; it would be blessed to read it over another day, especially in the days of evil. Hence the exhortation, Set thee up way marks: set thee up high heaps—for, being like poor Jacob, we want reminding of our vows, and of God’s goodness. Hence the command, Arise, go to Bethel, where thou anointedst the Pillar, and make thee an altar to God, who appeared for thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau. It is well to remember what God has done for us, it encourages us in prayer and sweet confidence another day, as may be seen in this good man’s History, Genesis xxxii, when pleading with God for his safety. He acknowledges past mercies, when he only possessed a staff twenty years before, and with it came over that very place where he then stood with two hands! He confesses his utter unworthiness, and pleads with God upon the ground of his promises he had applied to him in times pest. Presents his prayer, mixed with thanksgiving, and obtains an answer. To feel gratitude is a mercy for it well becomes the just to be thankful.
This leads me to notice the reasons Why Solomon urges this point; because the evil days and years are coming on, in which you will truly say, I have no pleasure in them. And as you have a little pleasure at times, and have had a good deal of pleasure in the Bible, in the House of God, at the Table of the Lord, in company with the saints, in private retirement, in doing good to some, in pitying and in praying for others, and could understand something of this text, They meetest him that rejoicest in thee—those that remember thee in thy ways. In which things you have had pleasure, and could rejoice in these youthful days. But as some of these days are gone, and the rest may fly, let me advise you against such seasons as you will say, You have no pleasure in. But may the Lord water you every moment, and keep you night and day, to final salvation—maintain his own work, and bear testimony to your spirit, what is his work, and what is not. This you have prayed for many a time, and by terrible things in righteousness God is pleased often to answer us.
I remain your’s,
LETTER IV.
TO AMICUS.
DEAR FRIEND,
I HAVE been a little concerned of late about the term Prophet. You guess what is the cause: many eminent professors, who are better acquainted with the News-paper than the Bible, have been lately venting out a good deal of spite against the memory of a late Minister, in consequence of what they call his ambitious and strongly-conceited Epitaph—“A Prophet hath been among them.” Quite forgetting that all real, faithful ministers, are entitled to the same name. The passage is, in part, quoted from Ezekiel ii, 5. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they well forbear, for they are a rebellious house, yet shall know that a Prophet hath been among them. I believe this name is applied to gospel ministers, nearly twenty times in the New Testament. Many things of eternal importance do they prophecy; and one branch of their prophecy I am sure you will find true, viz. That through much tribulation, they must enter the kingdom.—Jacob called his sons together and said, I will tell you that which shall befal you in the latter days. And Solomon, the type of our most blessed Immanuel, acting in this character, gives intimation, of what we must experience, that are created anew in Christ Jesus, and predestinated to the possession and enjoyment of the good work of Jesus—the good work of the eternal Spirit, and the good work and enjoyment of the blessed in Heaven. These God has ordained we should walk in—these are the evidences of union to Jesus; and as these are our privileges, so we must indeed drink of the same Cup Jesus did, and be immersed in the same Baptism. This was what the Holy Spirit witnessed to Paul, that in every city where he came bonds and affliction should await him, and he must go through them. No doubt these will have a glorious tendency, for our Covenant God does nothing in vain. You have hitherto been much indulged; I have really envied you, but the change you now experience is only to shew you what need you have of the whole armour of God. You are but just come into the field of action, to combat with sin, Satan, errors, hypocrites, and erroneous men—to combat with many outward and inward foes, who now appear to your view.
But the dear Saviour will also appear very precious now, in other forms, to what you have ever felt of seen him. The Spirit will take every opportunity to reveal him just as you really need him. You will so learn Christ that you will be able to stand in these days of evil, which must come on the followers of the dear Saviour, and in which they must say they feel no pleasure. These evil days are set forth by Solomon under the following metaphors: The darkness of the sun, the moon, and stars, with a long, heavy, lowering sky. These things will be understood by the tried family of God; so that while you have the season of getting, or doing good, you must use that period for that use—hence such seasons are called an Hour—very short, but precisely fixed and determined by our covenant God. This season is called a Day that will soon go away, and the Night commence. This day is far spent with you, and a night is come on, in which you cannot work, but must wait—in which you cannot run, but must stand still, till the Lord sends you bright clouds, and a clear shining after rain. This season, in your experience, is called a Morning. How lovely and pleasant, while through the falling dew of God’s favor, your graces budded, and the softly-pleasing southern gales caused your spikenard to send forth a delightful perfume. But evil days must come; not such evil days as must befal those as have no interest in, or love to the Saviour, and which may never come on in this world. Hence they are said to receive their good things in this life, but the righteous evil things. What a mercy, my brother! in all that befals you there is no curse, no hatred in God to you, no unatoned guilt, no danger of hell, or of coming short of the desired haven; nor perhaps many fears or dread of these things: I hope they are gone out of your conscience long ago: not but you may be tempted about them for a time, but these shall be gone. Hence God promises, that on all hills which shall be digged with a mattock there shall not come thither the fears of briars and thorns; the real cause of these fears never shall come on you again. But the design of this Letter is simply to point out some of the evil days. Literally, Solomon refers to old age, with all the infinities that attend it. And this may be applied to the weakness of the human frame, the trouble, as well as to longevity of life; and hence the 71st Psalm, composed by David, and indited by the Spirit, which belongs to Christ. He, the adorable Messiah, prays, Cast me not off in the time of old age, which is explained in the next clause, when my strength faileth me; and is doubtless the meaning of the 18th verse. This may be seen in his agony in the garden, when he cried out, O my Father! if it be possible let this cup pass from me. Now likewise his prayer was answered, for there appeared an angel from heaven to him to strengthen him. Thus age is not always applied to length of years; a person through affliction of body, many cares, crosses and losses, may be old; that is, as weak in constitution as the most aged and infirm character. No doubt many bear up amazingly well under the infirmities of age; but it must be allowed these are evil days: that alone which can sweeten them, is a good hope through grace, the clear witness of the Spirit of God to the conscience, a lively precious faith in an everlasting covenant, in the blood of the Lamb, and in the faithfulness of that God who has graciously said, and even to old age and hoary hairs will I be with you. Justified in the Redeemer’s obedience, and kept firm in the truth. Solomon says, The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness. Happy, thrice happy old man! just upon the threshold of that joy that awaits thee. Soon thy spiritual Joseph will send the waggons of his holy angels to conduct thee to himself, to behold all his glory.
Yet a season and you know,
Happy entrance shall be given—
All your sorrows left below,
And earth exchang’d for heaven.
What a prospect! what a scene! what a joy! nor shall you be disappointed of your hope, seeing Christ is commissioned to keep what you have long committed to his dear divine hands, your body and soul, the one for almost immediate glory, the other for a joyful resurrection.
Thus having viewed the passage in this literal form, let me return to point out some of the days of evil of which the Bible speaks, and you may meet with, that when they come you may remember I told you of them. When God is pleased to shew us our sinful hearts in that degree we are able to bear it. When conscience reproaches us for sins of omission and commission; sins long practised and long pursued by us. Satan taking the advantage of these convictions, and throwing in his fiery darts. These are called the days of evil. Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about. This is a time you will surely meet with, as Job and others have, who have said before you, Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. Thou hast set my secret sins before me. Remember not the sins of my youth. Such days as these, when guilt lies heavy on the conscience, you will feel no pleasure, till faith embraces the atonement, and banishes fear. Another evil day you will have is the day of temptation, when Satan is apparently let loose upon you, as he was upon poor Job, and Paul, and Jeremiah. When you will want your head covered in the day of battle, and feel your need of the shield of faith and the helmet of hope, the one to cover your head, the other to repel these fiery darts of the Devil, which he will shoot at you—fiery shot, from the burning malice of Hell, such as strong temptation to excite burning lusts, blasphemous thoughts of God, horrid suggestions, debasing thoughts of Christ, with all the Atheism, Deism, Arianism, Socinianism, Arminianism, and Antinomianism of the human heart, stirred up by the Devil, to foster despair, enmity, and hatred of God. Thus tried you must watch the motions of the Spirit, leading you to the death of the Saviour, and with your Spirit exclaiming, Thou, O Lord, art my hope in the day of evil.
I must notice another day: Public troubles on the Church, which I believe will come yet; I humbly conceive the man of sin will die hard; he seems to be hearing some of his dying groans at present, but it will have its last convulsive struggle; the hour of temptation must come on—the Church seems in her Laodicean state, and it may be really in that state for all I know, though many great men suppose the Church in her Sardian state; be that as it may, have we not cause to lament the general drowsiness of the Church, the very few names that have not defiled their garments—the cloudy state of Professor and Possessor—the state the Prophet alluded to, when he said, It shall come to pass that the light shall not be clear nor dark. Is it not true of that light which is in the Church? the people not wholly in the dark about the Doctrines of the Gospel, yet they are not clear; and perhaps, never was a time in the Church when God’s real people were so cloudy, generally, about their interest in the Saviour, so that we may look for the sieve—a sifting time will come, for the Church and the World seem too much allied, at present, in principle and practice. The Saviour says, Be ye seperate—and if this small, still voice is not obeyed, you may depend upon it he will bring his rod, for his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor. Hence his own declaration, And I will bring upon thee a day of evil. This you may feel personally. Also, after having been a little at ease, and careless of God’s glory, his cause, and his ways, he may permit you to fall; or by associating with carnal Professors, or the World too much, God may bring on you a rod to drive you from them—and if you should chance to fall, and they know it, though God in mercy, gives you repentance to life, they will be the first to stone you, and like the Priest and Levite, take care to avoid you; and if after this, you maintain the sentiment of human weakness, and insist upon it man is nothing, but as he is made and kept by the grace of God, these stout men, these whole-hearted professors, will hate you and your Doctrines; so Job found, when he said, He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. But God may bring on you such an evil day.
Another day of evil is, Suffering persecution from the world for the truth’s sake; or from those who profess a part of the truth. Such may hate you, nay the Saviour says they shall hate you, and say all manner of evil against you—all manner, not a few hard and ill-natured things, but any thing disrespectful, spiteful, and disgraceful. This may be the lot of my Brother—this you will find very hard, seeing you have been kind to all, and acted as upright before men as you could, never deserving this from man,—yet meeting with it. Defamation of character, endeavouring to injure you in your situation, trying to prejudice all your friends against you, and to stir up your own household to oppose you. But these things will they do to you, because, says the Saviour, They have not known the Father nor me. However, you will not be wholly destitute of some who will be raised up for your good. Hence the promise to the persecuted saint, And I will cause you to be well entreated in the day of evil. This was God’s promise to poor Jeremiah; and the Saviour gives the command, Let my out-casts dwell with thee, Moab, be thou a covert to him, from the face of the spoiler.
Thus the Lord will take care of you in time of persecution, national troubles, which the children of God must feel in their degree, through the loss of trade, bankruptcies, a long war, the high price of provisions, and the scarcity of every national blessing; yet, depend upon it, the Lord will find bread for you. So David encourages the people of God, I have been young and now am old, yet I never saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging of bread. Or, as the learned say, it should be rendered, though begging of bread, yet not forsaken. Bread and water the Lord has promised you, and remembering that you are one of his prisoners, that he is bound to maintain you, Friends will be raised up, a supply will be sent in from the most unlikely quarters. And the earth helped the woman.—I have commanded the Ravens to feed thee there. Thus you shall not want in the day of evil. You may meet with many family troubles as Jacob did, and say with that dear Patriarch, at the close of your life, Few and evil have the days of my life been. Many evils have I met with from my children and relations, enough to break a heart of stone. My relations were envious, oppressive, cruel, and ungrateful. My children’s conduct often pierced my heart.—I have been in many wants and dangers, but the Lord that redeemed me from all evil, has thus far led me on, and I am now going home, for I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.
Thus my dear Brother, you may have some days of evil, from family troubles, losses, crosses, and cares. You may have no small opposition from men of corrupt minds, that lay in wait to deceive. Hence the Apostle recommends a clear experimental knowledge of the truth—Christ the essential truth, and the word of God as the revealed truth. A few head notions though very clear, are not able to withstand the artifices of hell, for if a man is argued into a set of notions, he is liable to be argued out of them. When a man of ability, reason, sense, and a vast string of arguments, against the previous truths of the gospel, attacks such as have no grace in the heart, they are soon moved from the truth; but when those are attacked that have felt the precious truths of the gospel in the heart, though the poor believer is not able to answer him one question out of an hundred, he can prove the reality of those truths he holds, because they have done so much for him. The truth has brought him from darkness to light, from sin to holiness, from the service of the devil to the Service of God. Thus He can prove the reality of Bible truth, by his own present experience; and thus he is able to stand in the evil day, the day of rebuke and blasphemy. I can prove the Divinity of God my Saviour; by the answers he has given me to prayer, by the words he has sent to my heart, with power, and by the virtue of his sacrifice, which has lifted up my mind, so as no human power or object could have done, I can likewise prove the Doctrine of the Trinity, by the operation of the Father’s love, the manifestation of the Atonement of the Son, and by the regenerating influences of the Spirit. So we can experimentally prove the truth of every doctrine and divine ordinance. But then, when all my former experience is hid from me; what am I to do, when attacked by my foes in this evil day, and I am as a dumb man, in whose mouth are no reproofs? How shall I act? methinks you are ready to say. To which I must reply, that there is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; but if shut up in heart and lip, then stand still, and hence the watch word, Stand! stand! shall they cry, but none shall look back—still abide by the stuff, if you are not able to go out to battle, you shall share alike with those that do. Having done all to stand, stand in the evil day. Still go on hearing, praying, reading, hoping, and waiting, and whatever errors are thrown into your mind, and have brought it into bondage, you may depend upon it the Lord will deliver you from them; and here you will see sovereign grace, yourself delivered, and the wise and prudent given up to believe a lie. This made the redeemer glad; he rejoiced in spirit and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast HID these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes—even so Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight.—Thus may you stand in the days of evil.
But finally; sickness, age, death, and judgment, are days of evil; not that there can be any curse in these things, to one of God’s elect, but they will be found such to those who know not God.—These are days in which none but the favourites of Christ can lift up their heads: the prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. But in times of sickness and age, the brightest saint may suffer much in body, and be afflicted in mind: God may hide his face, Satan may plague, conscience may be uneasy; pain may be great, the spirits may droop; but there is no curse in all these things: one smile from the Saviour will clear all up, and make the soul happy in a sickly body. Hence the promise, blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy; even a precious Jesus in his personal or mystical suffering, the Lord will make his bed in his sickness. This my dear brother is acting the part of a kind nurse, he will strengthen you upon the bed of languishing: thus shall my subject be felt in times of sickness and age, even the peculiar blessedness of considering, of remembering our Creator in the days of youth. Death and judgment will be evil times to many of our fallen race, but they must be the crowning days of all who love his appearing. But I must not enlarge, I think I shall tire your patience in this long letter; the sheep are gathering together, I must ran with some food for them—’tis past seven o’Clock; God bless thee.