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Letters and Papers
by the late
Theodosia A.
Viscountess Powerscourt.
edited by the Rev.
Robert Daly, A.M.
Rector of
Powerscourt, in the Diocese of Dublin
London: Hatchard
and Son, Piccadilly.
William Curry,
Jun. and Co. Dublin.
MDCCCXXXVIII.
Dublin: Printed by
John S. Folds, 5, Bachelor's Walk
Preface.
In offering the
following Volume to the public, it is, perhaps, necessary that I should prefix
a few words, to state what the reader is to expect, and what he is not to
expect, in these Letters and Papers. He is not to expect anything in the
character of religious gossip; any anecdotes of, or remarks concerning, living
persons, with whom the writer had intercourse. Those who had the privilege of
receiving Letters from the late Lady Powerscourt, know well that she delighted
to dwell on much higher subjects than the actions, or opinions, of her
fellowmen. If every thing she ever wrote was submitted to the public eye, it
would be, perhaps, a subject of surprise to some, how very little was said
about other persons in her extended correspondence. But, in the following
selections, I have studiously omitted every thing in the least degree
personal. Those, therefore, that shall take up this Volume with the hope of
reading Lady Powerscourt's opinions of this person or that person of this or
the other movement, in or out of the Church, will be disappointed. I trust
that these pages will furnish no food that would gratify such appetites. Had
the correspondence, from which it has been my part to make selections,
afforded such materials, I should never have been the instrument of making
them public. But that eminent disciple of our blessed Lord, whose Letters are
now printed, with a hope and prayer that they may tend to the edification of
the Church, lived in a higher atmosphere; inhaled herself, and breathed forth,
a purer air. She, of all the Christians I have been privileged to know, came
nearest to that which she has, in such strong uncommon terms, stated to be her
idea of a Christian: "Not
one who looks up from earth to heaven, but one who looks down from heaven on
earth".
She appears
to have ascended a high and holy eminence, and from thence to have looked down
upon those earthly scenes, with which too many are entirely engrossed, living
up to that high spiritual requirement of the Apostle, "Set your affections on
things above, and not on things on the earth, for ye are dead, and your life
is hid with Christ in God." Those who take up this Volume may expect to find
the language of a heart thus lifted up above the world, the free and
unrestrained breathing of a soul whose "conversation was in heaven;" who was
"raised up, and made to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
The only thing
which induces me to publish the following Letters and Papers, is the
conviction that they express the sentiments, and experience, and heaven taught
spirituality, of one who had made more rapid advances in the divine life, than
is ordinarily found in the Church below. I thought that this candle, which the
Lord had lighted, should not be hid under a bushel, but put on a candlestick,
that it might give light to all that are in the house. There will be found
original and strong thoughts, clothed in original and strong language: indeed
the strength of the language may sometimes startle some of those who read
these Letters, and may be such, that had the writer revised them for
publication, she might have, perhaps, somewhat softened her expressions; but,
as Editor, I did not think myself authorised, even if I had felt disposed, to
do so. In truth, (whether erroneously or not,) I like those strong
expressions: I would not wish to alter one of them: they bring back to my
recollection, the image of the strongest mind that I ever met in any woman:
they help to remind me of that which was her peculiar characteristic, uncommon
masculine strength, combined with the extremest feminine gentleness: they help
me to apprehend the power with which she realized those important subjects
about which she wrote; and I am not without hope that, through the blessing of
God, they may be made instrumental to convey the same reality to others.
Whilst I believe
that all intelligent readers may derive benefit and edification from these
pages, I conceive they may be especially profitable and comfortable to
mourners; to those "who are afflicted or distressed in mind, body, or estate."
Lady Powerscourt was one acquainted with grief. She had had severe and heavy
trials; and she was thus, in a peculiar way, fitted to sympathise with all
tried Christians. She was enabled "to comfort those who were in any trouble,
with the comforts wherewith she herself had been comforted of God." When she
knew of any of her friends being in trial, she seems to have felt herself
especially drawn to write to them a "word in season". Therefore many of the
Letters in the collection are addressed to mourners, and will, I trust, be
found comforting and strengthening to those who are in similar circumstances.
There is one
subject which occupied much of Lady Powerscourt's attention, which does not
appear in the following pages, as prominent as many of her religious friends
might have expected, and that is, the subject of prophecy. She was known to
have very deeply considered it, to have conversed with those persons who were
most remarkable for their study of it, and to have consulted the books which
have been written on it; and, above all, to have read the Scriptures with much
deep attention to the subject and yet, very little on prophecy appears in her
correspondence. Lest any persons should think that, in making the selection, I
have thrown aside Letters on the subject, I think it right to state that I
have been myself surprised to find how little, upon this interesting subject,
has been left among her papers. I had expected to have found much clear
statement of the result of her deep consideration of prophecy; and though she
should have stated that which did not agree with my views, I should have
published her's, and allowed those interested in the subject to exercise their
judgment thereon. I should certainly not do what some persons, whom I esteem,
have done, ? publish the sentiments of another, though at the time considering
them erroneous, on the fundamental principles of the Gospel but I would
publish the sentiments of another on the future prospects of the Church,
though in those sentiments, I thought the writer was mistaken; because I
consider the first subject to be vital, and that error on it is essentially
dangerous. I do not so think of the other subject. I consider the whole Church
of Christ to be much in the dark with regard to prophecy, and more or less in
error concerning it; and that the best way to correct the error, and attain
more light, is to encourage free discussion upon it. In order to reach the
end, it is essential not to mistake as to the way. It is not equally essential
to form correct anticipations, as to what shall be found at the end. Those who
are on the way shall reach the end, and then all their mistakes concerning it
shall be corrected.
I feel myself
called upon to return my thanks to the correspondents of Lady Powerscourt, for
the kindness and confidence with which they have entrusted me with her
valuable Letters. They will see, I trust, that I have not violated their
confidence. I have selected according to my best judgment; I have altered
nothing, and corrected little, except when necessary to make the sense clear,
which will often be indispensable in publishing from an uncorrected
manuscript. I have been obliged to omit some very beautiful letters, on
account of the recurrence of the same sentiments and expressions in other
Letters. It appears to have been frequently the case, that some scriptural
subject, with a suitable train of thought, was very deeply impressed upon Lady
Powerscourt's mind; and she recurred to that subject and train of thought, in
writing to her different friends, at the same time, in different places. I
have generally omitted the Letters in which the sameness of thought was
observable; but I have sometimes admitted a repetition, where I must otherwise
have rejected a Letter, in other respects valuable, or have made omissions
which might have rendered the sense less clear. I hope her correspondents will
excuse me for the omissions, and the readers for the repetitions they may
observe.
As my object is
simply to present to the Church the sentiments of the writer, which appear to
me to be likely to promote edification, I have omitted even the names of the
persons to whom the Letters were addressed; and I have abstained from
prefixing to this Volume any thing in the way of a memorial of the departed
writer. It would be impossible to write any biographical sketch of her that is
gone, without stating particulars as to those that remain, which might give
them a publicity which would be distressing to their feelings. I send, then,
the Letters before the public, without any recommendation except their own
intrinsic worth. I publish them, not because they were written by my dear
departed friend, but because, in my judgment, (not unprejudiced, I admit,)
they appear to be in themselves such as ought to see the light.
I have added, at
the end, a few Papers, which seem to have been her private exercises on
scriptural subjects. They will show how deeply she considered, and how
powerfully she reasoned, upon the word of God. It may, indeed, be said of her,
that her "delight was in the law of the Lord, and in his law did she meditate
day and night."
It only remains
that I should commend this Volume to the blessing of Him, "without whom
nothing is strong ? nothing is holy". He was pleased to make the writer of
these Letters a very signal monument of His grace. She bore witness to His
grace in her life, and by her life; and I pray, that He may vouchsafe to allow
her, "though dead, yet to speak," to the edification of His people, and to the
glory of His holy name.
Powerscourt Glebe,
April, 1838.
Letters.
Letter 1.
... 1821.
I am glad to hear
you have a good opinion of ... I almost envy any one a strong feeling of sin,
but I am sure our wise and tender Father knows best how to measure that out to
us, in proportion as He sees us able to bear it; though it seems sad not to
grieve at offending such a Lord. It gives me much pleasure to hope there are
... in this house seeking him, whom, I trust, I at least desire to be dearer
to me than all the world. It is cheering to see even a Christian's face. I do
not expect to go to ... either Wednesday or Thursday; but perhaps the less of
these enjoyments we have, the more shall we long for an eternity of them, when
all foolish worldly gossip, which weighs us down now, will be over for ever.
Yours, most
sincerely,
T. A. HOWARD.
Letter 2.
Dear Mr ..., I
return the sermon with many thanks; I am greatly obliged to you for it, and
particularly for your kindness in saying I am heartily welcome to it. I trust
the Lord may bring me, and all dear to me, to the blessed state which the
sermon describes that of a Christian to be. I must also thank you for your
little prayer at the end of your note, you have not one in your parish who
needs it more. You say you hope I sometimes offer one for you; it would be
strange if it was only sometimes, but if you knew what my prayers are, you
would beg to be left out. Indeed I am not satisfied on that head; for some
weeks I have not been able to pray at all, and seldom to read (I mean in
private), and it is more wretched than I can say. Perhaps if you are not
engaged, you will be kind enough to send me a few lines to say, if you ever
knew this to be the case with any of whom you had hopes, and what you think is
the cause of it, for I suppose it must be my own fault. I sometimes fear the
Lord's Spirit will not strive with me any longer. I hope you will excuse my
troubling you about myself; but there is no peace, while the Lord hides from
us the light of his countenance. It will be a happy time, when we shall have
done with this body of sin.
Yours, most
sincerely,
T . A. HOWARD.
Letter 3.
...I have just
been reading two such sweet verses, 12th and 13th of Col. 1, and almost
fearing such great things cannot be intended for such a log; however, the
thought of being a partaker of that inheritance is sometimes very sweet, and I
believe I may as well enjoy the thoughts of it here, even if I never do arrive
at it...
Letter 4.
London, April 9th,
1823.
My dear ..., I
hope you will not think my long silence a mark of ingratitude for your
goodness in writing to me so long and kind a letter, but between ... illness
and ... I have had but little time to myself, and that little I know you would
rather I should give to the Bible, than to you. Besides, I wished to be able
to tell you that ... was quite well, which I think I can say, thank God, now.
His illness has been a very trying one, and more tedious, from its having been
so much on his nerves. But the Lord has only brought us in view of great
misery, that we may feel more dependant on him, and the more watchful to be
ready for every thing. I wish I could say this was the effect it has had on
me, or that anything ever moved this cold stony heart. Indeed I have long been
in despair about that, and often wished to speak to you on the subject; so
much so, that I had resolved to visit you the morning before we left
Powerscourt, but thinking that perhaps you would consider me troublesome and
very full of self ..., and as you proposed writing, I determined I would
postpone asking your advice, till I had the pleasure of hearing from you, and
I think you deserve a scolding from me, for you must have remarked how much I
had fallen away from the Lord, for I did not try to hide it, and you know you
should have spoken to me about it. But it is only wonderful that I am not more
unhappy; for I do not think I have any feeling of any sort on the subject
remaining, or hardly any care whether I have part or lot in the matter. I have
not felt particular harm from moving about, for I could not be worse, than I
was before leaving Ireland. I had nothing to lose. I often fear my name has
been blotted out from the book of life, and that the Lord is weary of
entreating me to accept all the blessings of the Gospel. I know you will set
about comforting me, but it is not that I want; what I feel is an apathy, and
indifference, whether one of the promises belongs to me or not. Oh, If you
knew the difference of my feelings from this time last year, you would think
the same as I do ... I was so happy in him then, that I thought I could never
be moved ? the Lord, of his goodness, had made my hill so strong. I remember
telling ... that, let events turn out as they might, my happiness was ensured;
even if shut up for life in a dungeon, I could be nothing but happy, with the
prospect of being one with my Saviour. But He hid his face from me, and I have
been troubled. I find I can do without anything but Him; but having once
tasted his love, everything else has lost its sweetness. I feel now that I
care for nothing: not for the things of another world, and I am sure, not for
the things of this. Instead of running to my Bible, as a hungry man to his
food, I read it as a task. Prayer is no more my sweetest pleasure, but a duty
which I feel glad to have over; and when I go to it, I have nothing to say to
my Lord. The contemplation of Heaven used to be so sweet, it made everything
earthly appear as nothing. Now I do not feel it would give me the least
pleasure, to hear that I was to be there tomorrow. Oh, if you knew how unmoved
my heart is at all the wonderful means of grace I enjoy, one beautiful sermon
after another. I feel none of the delight I once used at seeing a Christian
walk into the room. Instead of loving to hear them talk of the Saviour, I am
at a loss for something to say; indifferent, totally so, about the souls of
others ... I am in an awful state. I could tell you a great deal more, but it
would be only tormenting you. I tell you this much, not expecting you to
understand my case, for I do not suppose there ever was such another, but that
you may not think me interested in all those things, for which I feel 60
little. I know you can do nothing for me, but this I hope you will do ? strive
hard for me, strive hard for me in your prayers: I owe you more than I can
say, humanly speaking, and I would not write to you this way did I not feel
you are the only person who feels for my soul, as I feel for it myself, for we
have both to give an account of it. This I can say, you are pure from my
blood. Oh! may I still be your joy and crown of rejoicing in the last day; and
may all your instructions not cast me deeper into hell. At other times I think
I used to look at religion too much as a pleasure, and that having lost her
with whom I used to enjoy this pleasure, it has lost much of its delight ...
How very full of self you will think me, but I want your advice, and your
constant earnest prayers, I was sorry to hear you had such a bad cold. I hope
you have recovered your voice for this week, and that you have not given up
your trip to London. We have been so much shut up by Lord P.'s illness, that I
have not been able to hear many good preachers on week days, but hear Mr ...
regularly on Sunday. Last Sunday I went to Mr. Howell's church, whom I liked
very much, though his style is rather odd. He says very strong things,
lowering the creature, and exalting the Saviour...
Forgive this long
letter, and believe me,
Very
affectionately and gratefully,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 5.
September, 1823.
Dear Mr ..., I
should have answered your kind letter before this, had I anything to tell you
that could have given you any gratification. But alas! I have been as desolate
within as without. My earthly husband hid from me, my heavenly one I cannot
find; and Satan hard at work tempting me to say what is this black thing I
have done, which makes my Father so angry with me. But oh my dear Lord, let
him not rule within: quench his fiery darts: show me that I deserve far worse,
even all the wrath of an offended God. But Jesus has "borne our griefs and
carried our sorrows." These trials are only blessings to fill up that which is
behind of his afflictions. I am also tempted to think, that I cannot be his,
for I feel none of that comfort his children always feel, and I used to find
in the hour of trial ... Jonah doest thou well to be angry? I will bear the
indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned grievously against him. Oh dear
Mr ..., you do not know, what it is to lose one so dear, so very dear; I can
only compare it to the tearing asunder all the strings of the heart. Then such
a gloomy prospect here the rest of one's life. After watching him day and
night with so much anxiety, anticipating the joy of being allowed again to be
with him; all at once so unexpectedly to have my hopes dashed from me, was
what I did not think for some days, I could have borne, because I forgot that
as my day so should my strength be. In any other loss I have had, I never
could pray for the bodily life of my friend, but in this to which no other
loss can be compared, night and day, I could not help entreating the Lord to
spare me the heavy blow. I really did think he meant to answer me, and hoped
against hope, till the last breath left that dear body ... But I know, O Lord,
that thy judgments are right, and that in very faithfulness thou hast
afflicted me ? I must wait to know and see why it is, till I know as I am
known. That it is unspeakable love, I have no doubt, because he who has sent
it is no new friend, but a tried and precious one; and when it is good for me
He will allow me to see that this God
is Love.
But oh I tremble when I look at my rebellion, and ingratitude, throughout it
all. I have had much to show me myself this last year ? to dig up the mud hid
under the smooth surface. How it will astonish you ? astonish angels, when the
book of my sins is opened, except they are so blotted out with blood as to
make them illegible.
I do not suppose
there could be a stronger lesson of the vanity of every thing earthly than to
look at me last year and this. The prospects of happiness I seemed to set out
with! And now where are they? A living monument that man in his best estate is
altogether vanity ? and see how my heart, without my knowing it, was on earth.
I could not have thought one who professes to believe in the joys of heaven,
and had tasted the realization of them by faith, could so mourn, as one
without hope, could so willingly call him back again. But I shall say no more,
for these complaints only grieve my God, and annoy you. But, indeed, I am at
times greatly oppressed, and feel this evening as if there were a parcel of
devils within tearing me different ways, and refusing me any rest. I beseech
you pray for me, and write to me,
Your unalterably
affectionate
And grateful
friend,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 6.
February 18, 1824.
... How I shall
long to join you all above. I fear I need patience, and find it hard to
reconcile my mind to the possibility of my living three times as long as I
have lived yet. When I look back upon a few months, and remember the happiness
I used to feel when I expected my dearest love and ..., to spend the evening
at ... and to have a little reading, I can hardly persuade myself that I am
the same person. Two now in possession of what they then, blessed be God,
enjoyed by faith, and I left alone. ? But I forgot ? r determined never to
murmur again. It needs a great stretch of faith sometimes, when the enemy
comes in like a flood, to believe that God is as much at peace with me through
Christ, as with those already above; that Abraham now in glory is not safer
than I am. Is that presumption, do you think? What a precious name, a strong
tower, into which if we run, we shall be safe. Were I left to myself I should
run
from it. I
would not trust myself to his word, but seek to save myself from danger. But
almighty love arrests me, pulls me in; and then rewards me for coming. How
much in those words, "are
safe,"
to think we
are safe from every thing! No evil shall ever touch us, evil at the end, or
evil on the way. All paved with love; "all things shall work together for
good." I have got the promise of all others I want ? "let
thy widows trust in me."
I once
wished there was a richer, sweeter promise to widows, but I believe it
requires to be brought into different circumstances, in order to feel the
force of different promises. For the Lord knew that none so suited widows, as
these few words. In looking round the wide world, so filled with wickedness,
and seeing one has to pass through it alone, one would fear every step one
took so unprotected and forlorn, only for this promise. With this "when I am
weak, then I am strong." It is not like him to invite us to trust in him, and
then let any evil come nigh us. If his everlasting arms are underneath, I
"shall dwell in safety alone." Let there be rebellions, revolutions,
persecutions, earthquakes, anything, every thing, "let
thy widows trust in me,"
should be
enough. I know my tabernacle shall be in peace. Sweet to think that the eye of
the Lord is upon us, to deliver our soul from death. It seems to me, as a
nurse keeps her eye upon her child lest it should destroy itself, or as a
keeper keeps his eye upon his poor lunatic, "the Lord is thy keeper." Then
unbelief jumps up and says, how do you know all this is for you? Then I do not
know what to say, but "my Master told me so." His Spirit witnesses with my
spirit. He has given me the earnest of the spirit. To those who believe he is
precious, and I think he is precious to me ? "a bundle of myrrh is my
well-beloved unto me." Oh that I could keep close to him; I want to be fixed
on the rock. My grief is, that the waves of sin and the-world give me so many
shoves off it. Will not you pray for me, for I greatly need it; and will you
not write to me, and exhort me with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord;
and tell me if you think me presumptuous, or going wrong in any way. That old
serpent is so cunning. Will you forgive me for speaking so much of myself, but
speaking of what He can do for me, magnifies the power of his grace, more than
if I was to speak of it with regard to any one else upon earth.
Yours with
Christian affection,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 7.
... All creation
seems to be travailing to bring forth some mighty event, and poor Ireland is
coming up in remembrance before God. Oh what are we, to be able to look any
thing, every thing in the face, and know assuredly without a peradventure,
that all is, shall, and must, work together, for our everlasting good; that
had we sense, it is just what we should order for ourselves, to have fresh
comfort in every fresh putting forth of his omnipotence, for this God is our
God. Though even the earth should be shook to its very centre, though we might
feel outwardly the curse of sin, yet no evil henceforth for ever can befall
us, we shall only behold, and see from out of the cleft of the immoveable
rock. From thence we may boldly challenge distress, persecution, etc. etc. our
dwelling is the Most High. We may be thrown like a shuttlecock, from self to
Satan, and back from Satan to self, till weary of both; but neither sin, self,
or Satan, shall or can ever reach our lives, for they are hid with Christ.
Because he lives we shall live also. What a happy confidence in such a world,
to be able to look up, and say, my Lord and my God, and to know also the
Captain of our salvation as our bosom friend. Whilst engaged in calling in his
people from North, South, East and West, he does not forget those already
within the fold, but comes and whispers them in the still small voice of his
word; tells me, I shall never be forgotten, let his works be ever so
stupendous; tells me, he cannot live in glory, and leave me behind; that the
angel can no more swear, that time shall be no more, till the last of his
elect shall be sealed on their foreheads, than his truth can fail. I think
there is a danger in these times of the feelings being so kept alive by
excitement, as to lead us to forget, that as we have received Christ, so we
ought to
walk in
him, built up as well as rooted; stablished in the faith ...; so eager for the
battle as to forget our armour. I trust you remember us, that you are often
present with us in spirit, and pray without ceasing that we may stand complete
in
all the
works of God, that he may set us as lights on a hill, by the splendour of our
walk, illuminating many from the kingdom of darkness unto the kingdom of God's
dear Son; that we may walk worthy of our high calling in all lowliness; that
we may see in a degree with the eye of God, that we may live but for one end,
that we may occupy till he come, reaching forward towards the prize, running
the race set before us, looking unto Jesus; that we may have nothing to do
with any pursuit or happiness ending in time; neither entangled with the
cares, nor intoxicated by the fascinations of the world; and that every action
of our lives may declare plainly, that our kingdom is not of this world. Pray
that for us, and I will pray, that the answer may rebound into your soul...
With sincere
Christian affection,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 8.
January, 1826;.
I have to thank
you for your other kind long letter. There is a certain drawing out of heart
towards those who care enough for us, as to point out in what way we may be
grieving our Lord. Your accusations, I fear, are quite just, and I hope I may
have your prayers, that I may be enabled to walk worthy of the Lord unto all
pleasing. I think it is in the Lord, we are told to rejoice, a joy which can
be felt while sorrowing, a good cheer in tribulation. I sometimes sit in
astonishment why my cup should run over with this blessing, and I have more
when the heart is brought low to receive it, than when it is (which is often
the case) intoxicated. own I feel sometimes cast down and desolate, but not
unhappy. I have had a deep, a very deep wound; the trial has been very severe;
but how should I have known him as a brother born for adversity, without it.
How should I prize him as my strength, if I am not sometimes left to feel my
perfect weakness. The heart is too selfish not to drop a tear sometimes, but I
hope no longer a rebellious one. The wound is closed, but very little bursts
it open. The marble must be allowed to melt a little, but only enough to send
to that good physician, who maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his
hands make whole. I understand these lines,
"Cry and groan
beneath afflictions,
Yet to dread the
thoughts of ease."
However, if it is
more to his glory, that I should take pleasure in the many blessings left in
this world, dreary as it may seem through the glass of affliction, "behold I
am here Lord," if to be kept low ? even so. May I only be able to lay this
soul as helpless on the great "I AM." And I can assure you, however
appearances may contradict it, I have much joy and peace in believing, find
life a flux and reflux of love; Jesus is precious to me. I find his banner of
love extended over Edinburgh; his promises here also, are as honey dropping
from the comb. There is not one on earth I desire but him; he is all my hope
and all my salvation; and I can go on with confidence, knowing he can never
deny himself or say "I never knew you," for he testifies not only that he
knows me, but that he loves me, by enabling me to say, "thou knowest all
things, thou knowest that I love thee."
Sometimes we
appear such insignificant grasshoppers that it is hard to conceive that he can
think of us and our foolish concerns; at other times one feels of such immense
importance, that one wonders that Christians can live like other people, such
as when we read of the burst of joy from the heavenly host, and find this the
sign that their Lord whom they adore has become a despised babe, and all,
because peace is brought to earth, and good will to man. Peace seems just what
we want here, purchased by his blood, left as his legacy. What simplicity
there seemed to be in his words after his resurrection. He seemed to enjoy the
travail of his soul, when distributing his peace. May he impart largely of it
to your soul, and while recommending the inexpressible treasure of his word to
others, may you be enabled yourself to feed on it, by faith with thanksgiving.
May he empty of his fulness into all our bosoms, and enable us by using, to
show we value the privilege of drawing near to him, to tell him of fear the
world cannot allay, of wants the world cannot satisfy, of blessings the world
knows nothing of.
Your affectionate,
T.A. Powerscourt.
Letter 9.
... Is your happy
soul still lifted up? able in His light to walk through darkness? I know the
dreary waste that lies before you. How his dear, dear company is missed ? how
tasteless and insipid every thing appears ? how you want that affection which
entered into every trifle which concerned you ? how you want an adviser, a
protector, such a companion ? one to weep when you weep ? to rejoice when you
rejoice. I know well what it is to lie down at night and say, where is he? ?
to awake in the morning and find him gone ? to hear the hour strike day after
day, at which you once expected his daily return home to his too happy
fire-side ? and find nothing but a remembrance that embitters all the future
here. Oh my poor, poor ... if I cannot feel for you who can? ? who so often
partook of your happiness? ? sweet precious time I have been allowed to enjoy
with you both, but
past.
However, it is well that you have another to feel for you. If I know the
meaning of the word sorrow, I also know of a joy a stranger intermeddleth not
with. How tenderly our compassionate Lord speaks of the widow! as a parent who
feels the punishment more than the chastened child. He seems intent to fill up
every gap love has been forced to make; one of His errands from heaven was to
bind up the broken-hearted. He has an answer for every complaint you may ever
be tempted to make. Do you say you have none now to follow, to walk with, to
lean on? He will follow you and invite you to come up from the wilderness
leaning on him as your beloved. Is it that you want one to be interested in
all your concerns? Cast all your cares upon him, for he careth for you ? a
protector? Let thy widows trust in me ? an adviser? Wonderful Counsellor!
Companion? I will not leave you comfortless; I will come unto you; I will
never leave you, nor forsake you; I have not called you servants but friends;
behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the
door, I will come in unto him, and sup with him, and he with me. ? One to weep
with you? In all their affliction he was afflicted; Jesus wept. When you lie
down ? safe under the shadow of his wings, under the banner of His love. When
you awake ? still about your path and about your bed. It is worth being
afflicted to become intimately acquainted, and to learn to make use of, the
Chief of ten thousand ? the altogether lovely ? the brother born for adversity
? the friend that sticketh closer than a brother ? the friend of sinners.
Pray write often to your poor sister; tell me every thing that interests you;
do not let the children forget me...
Letter 10.
My dear Mr ...,
Though he was a shining light by whom God was glorified, yet, I think, in him
more than in others the power of God was manifested in the inner man; the mind
that was in Christ was stamped on him; every disposition led captive to Jesus.
But it required to live with him, and see him in every turn of life, to know
how beautifully the Spirit was moulding him into the image of his Master. It
appears to me, there were four graces peculiarly striking in his character,
some of which you have mentioned.
First, his entire
forgetfulness of self in every thing, (this was very remarkable), accompanied
with a watchful attention to the wishes of others, a tenderness to their
feelings, a fitting of himself into their prejudices, and, as far as he could,
entering into their pursuits, so as by any means to win some.
Second, most
striking trait, which I believe you have mentioned, but which those who knew
him but little did not perceive, was a loathing of himself, as if he really
felt sin a burden; but, at the same time, the most happy and simple confidence
of his safety in Christ. It often reminded me of Isaiah 59. 19. He seemed to
feel the evil heart as a flood which would overwhelm him, was not the soul
continually directed to Christ crucified as to its resting place.
Third, is what you
have already expressed much better than I can; such a thirst for truth upon
every subject as enabled him to lay aside prejudice, and every impediment in
the way, and made it visible that to reach and receive it was his object.
Fourth, we may
say, the cause of his being so unlike his natural man, was his mind being kept
in a continual turning to Christ, as the element in which he delighted. He was
alive to spiritual subjects, should they be brought forward at any moment.
Though zealously engaged in controversy with the enemies of truth; though
enjoying with gratitude his social happiness; though necessarily occupied in
much and different business, he was enabled to live alone, and seemed to have
learned the difficult lesson of using the world without abusing it; like the
needle, which may be turned from the pole by superior force, but when let
loose, returns to its proper position; so with him, when the pressure of
business was taken off his mind returned to his rest in God.
I fear, were I to
say all I thought of him, I should draw a perfect character, for love covered
all faults; and after all, the various graces of the Spirit were so blended,
it is difficult to say which was most predominant. It might truly be said of
him, that he adorned the doctrine of God his Saviour in all things. It is
difficult, when speaking of a character so beloved, to exalt the Saviour, not
the creature, to leave an impression that sin was all he could call his own;
all that was lovely, the comeliness which Christ put on him.
This is a long
note, but you know it is the property of women to multiply words, and express
little...
Yours truly,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 11.
... 1826.
... I think dear
... death was made a great blessing, which I fear has only taught me one
painful lesson, that a blessing does not necessarily follow an affliction. I
need not repeat, (for the Lord has already proclaimed it so loudly by sending
affliction line upon line, affliction precept upon precept,) that no one needs
trial more, no one needs so much of the Bible as I do, and on none do both
tell so little. It requires all the energy of God to bend my will to his; and
while it may be sometimes hard to be content with outward providences, it is
still more hard to feel resigned to be what one is, not to wish for another's
spirit, another's disposition; to be resigned to lie as a bit of clay in his
hands without dictating the best way of being formed into a vessel fit for the
master's use; satisfied with good as well as evil, knowing that what he has
undertaken he is able to perform; hard to feel resigned to dishonour him, whom
we adore, all our lives; to love His presence above every thing else put
together, and yet, continually, by our own folly and neglect, lose it for
trifles which we most despise;
very hard
to be resigned to
oneself; to
be ever worshipping, and placing, this Dagon in the temple of our beloved, and
to be haunted by it wherever we go. I do think one chief part of our happiness
hereafter will consist, in our having done with wretched self, God being all
in all...
...Altered as that
spot has been these last two years, I expect to find it still more so on our
return. I did value more than I can utter that dear dear saint's visits; the
prospect of them cheered the time of his absence; and even all unpleasantness
was removed from all secular affairs by the interest and part he always took
in my concerns. However, there is always
but to the
Christian.
But now I
hope to be cheered, in expecting the coming of the "altogether lovely," to be
upheld by the interest, and part, he takes in all that concerns me. And if I
know myself, my ambition is to live simply to His glory; to be a burning and a
shining light,
only that
the splendour of my walk may bring glory to
His name,
to glorify him in spirit as well as body, which are altogether His, paid for
by him. Soon we shall see him really ours; soon shall we join the company of
the just made perfect, know, and perhaps be able to tell them, how every rough
blast of human woe has hastened on our little bark to shore. In the mean time,
may our Lord's blessing and presence, so interwoven with our comforts, rest
upon you and ...
I am always a
great egotist in my letters to you, because I fancy you feel an interest, at
least, in the spiritual feelings of all your flock. Pray, write soon, and do
not think, while you are writing, that you are losing time. I hope your throat
is better. You have not the privilege of being afflicted for yourself alone,
but for our consolation and salvation. My love to all who care about me.
Believe me my dear
Mr ...
Yours, with true
affection,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 12.
Powerscourt, 1st
February, 1826.
My dearest ...,
So I must write and receive no answer; that is very hard indeed; if I
thought, or could think, it could possibly give one moment's comfort to an
afflicted saint, I should be more than resigned; how sweet it would be to be a
cup of consolation in the temple of our God. Well! if I have not that
privilege, I hope to be a vessel of mercy through eternity. Yes, the poor
sinner would not, if he could, be saved any way but as he is. Our proud nature
at first rebels against being objects of
pity, we
should prefer having salvation as those who had no need, rich and increased
with goods; but when forced to throw down our arms of rebellion, and come as
beggars, wretched, miserable, poor,
blind, and
naked, then we feel it is such a blessedness to be objects of
pity to a
God full of compassion, that we glory in our infirmities, because they bring
us in contact with Him for
every
thing, food, clothing, etc. The greater our necessities the more we have to do
with Him. How well you must know Him! How often he has strengthened you upon
the bed of languishing! How he has made all your bed in your sickness! How
often he has enabled you to carry your weak soul in the arms of faith, and lay
it down on this resting place; His precious word, a bed of consolation stuffed
with sweet and precious promises. I think the believer even while in the
furnace, at the moment of experiencing that his trials are not joyous but
grievous, feels so convinced He is doing all things well, that he would not
have it otherwise, had he his choice; and such a desire has the new man to be
made partaker of his holiness, to enjoy the peaceable fruits of righteousness,
which these exercises produce, that he turns, and kisses the rod, saying
Amen, deal
with me as with a child. The poor world may have a reprieve
here from
suffering, but the child of God may not, would not if he might. Happy
confidence, He will not lay on us one unneedful stroke, for as a father
pitieth his children, etc. Happy confidence, he will not keep back one needful
stroke, for he scourgeth them whom he loves, that he may receive them, even as
a father the son in whom he delighteth. Is it not strange that the moment he
is acting most the part of a parent, is just the moment we are most apt to
forget we are his children; he tells us, we forget the exhortation that speaks
to us as unto sons. It is pleasant, as he takes these precious relationships
on himself,
to take his at his word,
and plead them
before him; sweet to look up and say, Abba, Father; to leave all temporal
concerns in his hands, because "our heavenly father knows we have need of
them;" reminding him it is a father's part to provide for the want of his
little ones. When we come to make known our spiritual wants, to remind him it
is a father's feeling, to be willing to give all
within his means;
and, even, when we
sin against him, depart, backslide, return base ingratitude for love, out of
this depth, to whom shall we naturally look, but to our parent? As the
prodigal, when confessing he was not worthy to be called his child, begins his
sentence with "father." No, nothing can change this relationship. "Though
Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not, thou, O! Lord, art
our Father, our Redeemer; thy name is from everlasting." He will spare as a
man spares his own son that serveth him; even though forced to speak against
his dear son, his pleasant child, He earnestly remembered him still ? his
bowels were troubled for him; he could not help having mercy; and he will lead
us also; cause us to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein
we shall not stumble ? for he is a father to
Israel; he
will put on us the best robe in his wardrobe ? the righteousness of Christ; he
will give his greatest gift as a token of his love ? his holy Spirit; he will
cause us to be shod with the gospel of peace; when tempted to doubt his
faithfulness, he points to David's feeling when crying out, O! Absalom my son,
my son, would to God I had died in thy place; and appeals to our hearts, if
David
could have
afflicted Absalom
willingly;
he points to what his servant Moses has left on record is to be expected from
that parent, (Num. 11. 12.) that he should carry his sucking child in his
bosom, and reminds us, by taking that relationship on him self, he has bound
himself thus to act, and he will carry us in his bosom to the land of promise,
and we shall not halt till He is wearied, nor fall till He stumbles; none
shall pluck us out of his hands, till the arm of Omnipotence fails from
weakness; no lion shall overtake, no enemy overcome, while the -everlasting
arms are underneath, and the banner or love above. This is your portion and
mine, dear fellow pilgrim. "Lord what is man that thou shouldst magnify him,
that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him ? that thou shouldst visit him
every morning, and try him every moment;" and
this to such as we,
who require a
fresh exercise of mercy every moment to keep us out of hell; yet,
even here,
to know while feeling a weight of sin pointing to the very heavens, that there
is a heap of mercy reaching into the heavens, "built up for ever;" that
neither past sin shall condemn, for his mercy is
from
everlasting; neither shall future, because his mercy is
to
everlasting, they have all been laid on him ? carried off into the land of
forgetfulness, never to be laid on us again, until east meets with west. Under
the old dispensation, remembrance was made of sin every year, because, and to
show, that the blood of bulls and of goats could never take away sin; but now,
the very declaration so often repeated, that sin shall be
remembered no
more, proves the
blood of Christ sufficient to cleanse from ALL sin. May we every day dive
deeper into this unfathomable love, every day increase in the knowledge of
this love that passeth knowledge, till filled with the fulness of God, moulded
into the mind that was in Christ Jesus; and when he shall open his casket and
display his treasures, may we, and all dear Christian friends, whom I long to
see again in the flesh, be found among those who spake often one to another of
his dear name, who
thought
upon it.
If such the views
which grace unfolds,
Weak as it is
below,
What rapture must
the Church above
In Jesus' presence
know!
when time shall be
no more ? the bustle
past. By
the by,
what insignificant names our God uses when speaking of this life: ? grass,
flower, dust, wind, shadow, a leaf going to and fro a weaver's shuttle;...
Scatter my good wishes around, particularly to ...
Believe me dear
...
Very
affectionately yours,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 13.
12th May 1826,
Antrim Castle.
My dear friend ? I
put off writing till I should arrive at Powerscourt, expecting then to get a
frank as my letters are not worth postage, but I can refrain no longer,
thanking you and your dear sisters for your very great kindness to my
children, etc. It was doubly gratifying, because any kindness shown to me,
must be for my Master's sake. How manifestly His only aim is our happiness ?
witness, "this is my commandment, that ye love one another." We may well,
then, trust it in his hands, who spared not His own Son. May we not lie like
the helpless sheep on the shepherd's shoulder, content for him to carry
through prosperity as well as adversity; through life, as well as death? Not
only is our path already marked out by infinite wisdom and love, but has been
trodden by the man of sorrow; be it ever so rugged, we still have the sweet
comfort of tracing in it the footsteps of the Captain of our Salvation; every
need-be pang, then, is but an echo from the inner sanctuary ? "If ye suffer
with Him ye shall be glorified together;" and as he entered the everlasting
gates, triumphantly crying, "He is near that justifieth me, who shall contend
with me?" So may his poor weak followers walk, saying, "who shall lay any
thing to the charge of God's elect?" No one I think, who reads the Bible, can
hesitate whether or not, it was written by one who knowing every distress,
into which every believer from the beginning to the end would ever be brought,
could provide a word in season for each, or whether or not, the fulness of the
Godhead dwelt in that man, who, inviting all who labour and are heavy laden to
come to him, could promise rest to their souls. And do we not need every
consolation laid up, word upon word, promise upon promise. In order that our
comfort may abound, He has so graciously left us dependant one upon another,
and provided so many relations calculated to support on our way to him, and,
yet, as if to show they all concentrated in one, he takes to himself the name
of each. I love to think of him as a Father, for it is written, "What son is
he whom the Father chasteneth not." And the heart feels assured that his
tenderness will neither spare too much, nor will our rebellion prompt him to
say, "Let it alone." While the compassion manifested in the very chastisement
proves, as words cannot, that he does not afflict willingly, but as a father
pitieth his children so he pities us; yet, to think with all this, that I
should ever murmur! I who may well say, his love to me is a wonder to myself;
and this too, while having tasted of his trial, I can, in a degree, sympathise
with him, for I do think, he is never more wounded in the house of his friends
than when they murmur. Nothing seems so to overcome his forbearance with the
Israelites. O! then, dear ... may we be able to say under every circumstance
to the full extent of the words, "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want,"
resigned to live, or resigned to die, resigned to prosperity, or resigned to
adversity, only, "Father glorify thy name."
To live is Christ!
am I resigned to live
When Christ is
with me, holds me by the hand,
Follows my
footsteps, watches by my bed,
Bids the warm tear
of grateful exultation,
Washing the stain
the tear of sorrow leaves,
And makes some
evil seem so like to good
I scarce can call
it by another name.
I hope I am
resigned the harder task to bear-
The plague of a
rebellious heart,
To bear to wrong
the Being I adore,
To love Him and
yet forget Him, to desire
His Presence, more
than all the things of earth,
And yet neglect
and lose it for their sakes,
To seek for
holiness and find but sin,
To war against
myself and long to be-
Yet feel I am
not-what my Maker is.
To die is gain!
am I resigned to die?
IT IS NOT SO; that
cannot be the word,
That speaks the
Christian's feelings when she hears
The distant sound
of her Redeemer's foot
Hasting to fetch
her to her Father's throne;
When the first
beam from heaven's unclosing gate
Falls on her path,
to light her to her home,
And angel's voices
vibrate on her ear
Preparing songs to
greet her welcome there.
Could you see the
heart turned inside out as God sees, you would join in exclaiming
unworthy, unworthy;
may it be written
as of Ephraim of old, "his iniquity is bound up, his sin is hid." I trust my
visit to Edinburgh has given me a spur in hasting unto the coming of our Lord.
I do not feel friendship the same as I once did. I used to feel my pleasures
here were
increased. Now I feel
my
tale is told,
and ties of
friendship are drawing towards an hereafter, while we are only left in Satan's
kingdom, for the Lord to finish his work in us and by us. For this end it
seems to me, we should watch, the old serpent's aim to resist, and Christ's to
further; the aim of the former seems to he to drive closer and closer to self,
and even when his hopes are frustrated of getting the believer to fall down
and worship this idol, he strives with it to
muddle his
comfort. Does not the aim of our dear Lord seem to be to give strong
consolation to those who have fled for refuge to the hope set before them? Let
us then further this end, not only by opening our mouths wide for ourselves,
but by declaring on the house-top what is whispered in our ear in the closet,
and by testifying to our poor fellow pilgrims, that in our experience we have
found, "faithful is he that hath promised."
Some of my friends
accuse me of writing very uncomfortable letters; but I say, if you want to
hear of
me, you
will find my future life folded up in that verse, "all shall work together for
good," and only let me speak of my beloved. But this I must say, although I
have quarrelled with evidences, one is now staring me in the face, in the love
I feel towards you, dear ... it is such as a stranger intermeddleth not with.
Yours, dear
friend, with cordial affection,
T. A. P.
Letter 14.
Glenart, October
1827.
My very dear
sister in the Lord ? Is it not true that we are very often a wonder to
ourselves, think of my having a friend in the world. that I believe would not
think a letter from me troublesome, yet that I can be one or two months, only
intending to write, even though by doing so I might hope for a letter in
return! I trust you open that door for many, into which if any enter, they
are saved.
I hope you are able to go in and out yourself, finding rich pasture. O! that
our hearts were always bubbling up, boiling with this matter, like wine which
hath no vent, ready to burst its bottles, constrained to speak about our King.
O! that He so dwelt in our hearts by faith, that out of their abundance, our
speech might be as spikenard sending forth its pleasant smell, ointment
pouring forth his name, that this good treasure, this mine of wealth might be
continually emptying itself in consolations into our own bosoms, and enriching
all around. But who is this King! that we should leave all other subjects to
speak of him? the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in our battles, the
Lord of Hosts, the King of glory. ? My Lord, who sits at the Lord's right
hand, till every evil in my heart shall become his footstool. ? The King, who
in spite of the heathen raging, the kings of the earth standing up, the rulers
taking counsel against him, shall be set on the holy hill of Sion. ? A King
who has come to his people in a chariot paved with love. ? A King with many
crowns, the most radiant, the most becoming of which, is the one he received
in the day of his espousals, Cant. 3.2. ? A King whose greatest glory is his
bride, that he has overcome and new created the
sinner,
betrothed and united himself to such for ever. ? A king who in the day of the
gladness of his heart shall stretch forth his hand to
you and me,
and say in presence of men, angels and devils, "come ye blessed of my Father,"
etc. ? A king who has himself prepared the kingdom, who by the love tokens he
distils on us day after day, viz. by his dispensations, and his consolations,
proves he has considered our frame, knows what will satisfy, even to enter
into the joy of our Lord, who having prepared a kingdom that
will satisfy!!! is
now preparing us
for it. ? A king who has enriched his church by his poverty, nourished it by
his riches; in a word, Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. Say, dear
friend, have we not volumes to unfold respecting this king; why then so often
do we spend our time, while in company with our fathers' children, talking on
subjects we despise and consider trifles; is it not because out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaks? Alas! how grievously have I to accuse
myself on this point; m nothing do I feel so dependant, and when I do speak,
how many double triple motives; how often seeking self instead of Jesus,
proved by silence before those who dislike it; how often ashamed of him, how
often irritated when opposed; how often playing with the subject; how little
feeling what I speak; how humbling; how astonished you would be, did you know
me; all the love of angels and saints put together, could not have patience
with me. . He alone could silent stand, and wait to show his love. Surely it
is no hard demand is required only to be loving subjects, and how gracious
where he demands this; He does not call on us to love an unknown friend, but
with his own pencil has drawn for us the object to be loved. Two questions are
natural when called to give our affections. 1st. What sort of person is he?
2nd. What is his mind towards me? Let us hear what answer God has given. What
sort of person? "chiefest among ten thousand," "fairer than the children of
men," "altogether lovely," "as the apple tree among the trees of the wood,"
not only "the first born of every creature" but "the image of the invisible
God, the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person," even God
himself, who made and upholds all things in heaven and earth. What does Peter
say, when he was the witness of his majesty? What does John, when he saw him
standing in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks? Every knee bows to his
name, every tongue shall confess him Lord, for He is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, this is our King. But what is his mind
towards us? "full of grace and truth;" out of his fulness ever emptying grace
upon grace. His words to us are powerful, to overcome by love, a sharp two
edged sword, yet as the sound of many waters, "most
sweet"
, as lilies
dropping sweet-smelling myrrh; "never man spake as he spake," gave his enemies
testimony; for they "wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his
mouth." This is your beloved, and friend, as well as king, who has grace
poured into his lips on purpose to speak a word in season to
the weary;
blessed weariness which brings a word from him; sweet to have our beloved, our
king; comfortable to be able to say, my Jesus reigns; with what confidence we
may lay ourselves back in his arms, and say "undertake for me;" blessed to be
one with him whom God has blessed for ever; blessed to have our salvation and
his glory bound up in the same bundle. Blessed to know he has gone through
every class in our wilderness-school. Are you satisfied with this King? for
he is your
King for ever and ever, may our repose in him answer the question. Are you
contented to have him, and leaving all others to cleave only to him? for this
beloved
is yours,
and
you are his;
may the
devotedness of our affections, lives, and words, answer, "Lord thou knowest
all things, thou knowest that I love thee." And O may we be kept from acting
as one who is ashamed of his choice.
"Rather may this
our glory be,
That Saviour not
ashamed of me."
My eyes are not at
all better, though at times more comfortable; the last fortnight I have
suffered much with them, and a lump has appeared upon the good eye, but I
trust it may go away again without making me quite blind; at all events I have
a light that shines in darkness, that nothing can take from me; in his light
shall I see light, even see him who is invisible.
Believe me, my
very dear friend, now and ever your warmly affectionate sister in everlasting
bonds,
T. A. P.
Letter 15.
Powerscourt, 26th
July, 1828.
My very dear
friend ? I do not know where you are, but I think you must imagine, I have
bade an eternal farewell to everything below, so long have I been answering
your letters; but there is one you may write to, who will be sure to answer
immediately. Our life should be, I conceive, a continual interchange of care
for peace. I saw some of your friends in London; we hoped to see ... but it
seems to have been a false report that she was coming to London. Oh! reality,
reality, how immense all before us, yet how we shrink from apprehended evil,
though we know Him too well to take one single want out of his hand. His will,
nothing but his will... We have a wonderful advertisement of a physician, from
the Spirit of truth, "who
healeth all thy diseases;"
we who know
something of the plague of a human heart, can understand in a measure how
great the undertaking. He says himself "come unto me all ye that labour, and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He must have foreseen every weight
his people ever should be burdened with, when he undertakes to give rest to
all, and
truly he does, for he himself carried all our sicknesses. Can he heal hearts
wounded with guilt and care? wounded with rebellious murmuring at his
dispensations, and coveting what he has withheld, delighting in broken
cisterns, as though they were the fountain of living waters? Can he heal
hearts of wandering and distracted maniacs; maniacs ever engaged in taking
poison? Can He heal the bruises of our falls, the dislocations of our
backslidings, wounds corrupt through foolishness?
It is written,
"who healeth all
thy diseases;" it made little difference in the days of his flesh, what the
disease was, that was brought to him, palsied, maimed, blind, deaf, possessed,
dying, dead. Then let us come in the simplicity of sickness, in the
helplessness of want; to trust is to be healed, to touch the hem of his
garment is to be whole; but let us
keep touching
him, for virtue is
ever coming from him; he waits to apply all the virtues of heaven's dispensary
to
our case whatever
it be;
he is master of that disease,
we have all his
promise, all his skill, all his power, all his love; his skill is infinite,
his compassion boundless; though ascended to heaven, he has left his heart on
earth; he gives US all his attention, as if there was none else to think of on
earth. He requires but one thing,
to take all he has prescribed,
BITTER as well as
SWEET. Dear ... let us put a blank into his hand for time, and for
every thing,
confident that
with him he has freely given us all things. Is there one thing we would keep
back? Let that be just the thing to commit with most anxiety; we need the
substance of things hoped for, to be put in the scale of judgment and
conscience, against the things of time; then as surely as substance outweighs
shadow, so surely must we judge of things accurately, till all our sorrows
shall be left behind; and from the Jerusalem above, we shall be able to trace
his hand leading us by ways we knew not, to the manifesting and magnifying of
his faithfulness and grace. Then shall we see how contemptible were all our
fears, when omniscience which foresaw, omnipresence that prevented, and
omnipotence that laughed them to scorn, were on our side. Let us get well
acquainted with our physician; let us take lodgings in his neighbourhood; let
us see him
every day;
let us hide nothing, but open to him our whole case, and say as David when
under his care, "let me hear what God the Lord will say to me;" and let us
venture on his testimony, who declares him to be our peace, for "he forgiveth
all our sins, and healeth all our diseases." Mr. Howels said one day, speaking
of this beloved physician, where was Jesus educated? where did he graduate? He
was educated in the Lazar-house of human suffering, and he took his degree in
the infirmary of the human heart ? whenever he visits a patient He says, this
sickness is not unto death; He is not only the physician, but he is also the
medicine of the soul. History tells us of a queen who, when her husband was
wounded by a poisoned arrow, extracted the venom with her own lips, at the
risk of her life. Our physician has done more ? He has extracted the poison of
sin, which the bite of the serpent infused into our constitution, at the
expense of his life. He has carried all his human sympathies into heaven, and
He never ceases to exercise them; we can sometimes look back upon a scene of
suffering, or of trial which was exquisitely painful at the time, but
there was no diminution of sympathy
in
the breast of our physician.
The trial was
appointed or permitted
in Love;
and we shall soon see that it formed part of a merciful design which was
superintended and tempered by the physician himself. Dear ... how well you
know him, since he is just suited to our need. Have we not cause to glory in
our need then? nor can I wish anything for you, but that you should be exactly
in the state this letter shall find you, for "he performeth that which
is appointed"
for you. He
who appointed life and glory to be the end, has also appointed this condition,
that affliction, for the way. He has predestinated us to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that He may have the pre-eminence in all things; therefore
"He makes all things work together for our good, for He is of one mind, and
who shall turn him? What his soul desires, that He does, therefore we know we
shall be like him when He shall appear. If you are in darkness, light is sown
for you; you are still on the way
to perfection,
learning not to
make idols of your feelings, treading in his steps, who was made perfect by
suffering, and who never travelled with such velocity to perfection, as when
He cried out "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me." I long to hear from
you again; tell me what you think of dear ...
Believe me, my
very dear friend,
Truly
affectionately yours,
T. A. P.
Letter 16.
Glenart, 1827.
My dear Mrs ...,
I have many apologies to make for having so long neglected answering your
inquiries, but thought should I defer it until my arrival here, I might be
able to have a comfortable few moments' intercourse with you on paper; not but
that I might at ... but those who are cumbered about much serving, or fancy
they have much to serve
in, are
especially cumbered when leaving home for a few days. Blessed to have our
thoughts and joys not only "packed up," but gone before. Well to have all our
riches in moveable goods, that like the
present
Jews,
we may be
ready to be off to Jerusalem at a moment's warning. I cannot answer your
question till I talk to you a little about our dear, dear, friend. Stop! are
we sure He is
our friend?
yes, for he is the friend of
sinners.
His name is the refuge of the oppressed ? the helper of the needy, no
particular need specified, for
be it what it
may, He has a
help, even himself. In the world,
tribulation,
(oh how deep a
word,) in me, peace. No oppression too trifling, no need too great, He who is
our refuge, knows our frame; He knows the disorder of every little nerve, can
cause even a voice or a step to be an oppression ? so foolish the oppression,
as hardly to allow it to ourselves, yet may we run from it, and hide ourselves
in him, a refuge even from ourselves. What can be our need when our help is
the God of Jacob, a covenant God, who keepeth truth for ever; when our hope is
in him who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them? How
beautiful the 146th Psalm, where we see, His greatness consists in being just
fitted for the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the blind, the bowed down,
the stranger, the fatherless, yes, and
the widow.
You ask me if I have read Romaine on Canticles? No, never! but the Spirit has,
I think, expounded to me some of the verses when doing his office as
Comforter, and I sometimes think none can so enter into the emphasis of
feeling expressed in that book, as the widow, for none so know the
preciousness of
any
blessing, as those who have lost it ? how much more that blessing, without
which even paradise was not complete; and if when all was peace, and joy, and
love, man needed one to bear his part in bliss, Oh! how much more when care
and sorrow fill our hearts with anguish and our eyes with tears. Who can so
value that everlasting
is, and
am, as one
who is every turn forced to remember, my beloved was mine, and I was his; yet
happy helplessness, blessed difficulties, which bring to our assistance
such a
helper. There is hardly, I believe, a name implying poverty and want in the
creature, and strength for this poverty in himself, that he does not take ?
father, brother, friend, prophet, priest, king, physician, help, health,
refiner, light, life, counsellor, guide, anchor, sanctuary, all in all, our
portion for ever ? but the most wonderful endearing and sufficient, is this,
the husband of his church, or rather the bridegroom, (his name in this sacred
song) for the marriage supper of the Lamb is not yet come, the bride not being
yet ready. Speaking lately to ... of those verses you mention, this verse
seemed to me particularly sweet. "Who, is this that cometh up from the
wilderness leaning on her beloved?" True, the church is in the wilderness, but
it is only for an
appointed
time; her place has been prepared of her God; she is fed, she is not
forgotten, she is on her way up, and she has a strong support. (Rev. 12. 6.)
Her very situation makes her feel protection, support, and consolation
needful, but it is in order that she may trust for
all in her
beloved, and in doing so, find perfect peace; for "in the Lord Jehovah is
everlasting strength;" her very helplessness
forces her
to
prove his
faithfulness, power, and tender watchfulness. The stronger she leans, the more
she knows of Him in whom she has believed, and if her sense of infirmities had
not obliged her to have recourse to foreign strength, never could she have
learned to say, "most gladly will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me". "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
in necessities, etc.,
for when I am weak, then am I strong."
But while
every thing around is saying, "arise, this is not thy rest," how marvellous
that we need afflictive line upon line, precept upon precept, to remind us we
are in the wilderness, so heavily we go to reach eternal joys. Oh, how dull we
are in learning difficult dependant lessons! how many rebukes, chastisements,
reproachful looks, we learn from our patient Master, before we can be
persuaded to accept of happiness in leaning on him! Surely, the malignity of
sin is no where so visible as in the bosom of the child of God.
Satan sins
not in spite of light, love, and knowledge ? redeeming love. It is truly
humbling, that nothing less than God can make us understand what is plain,
desire what is good, avoid what is evil; how much more so is it, that at the
very moment our judgment tells us, there is but one path of pleasantness and
peace, at the moment conscience is convincing us how grievous and bitter a
thing it is to depart from our God, when past experience with an enlightened
understanding unite in exclaiming, "To whom shall we go, thou hast the words
of eternal life; even at that very moment, nothing less than an Almighty
spirit can make us
will, not
to forsake the fountain of living water which
we have tasted,
and to hew out
with labour, to our misery, cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water. Oh!
let us beware of our
first
neglect of our Lord. Our beloved can bear
any thing
better than
neglect.
Let us with John, lean
on the bosom
of Jesus; there
learn love, as he learned it. Thus shall the mind be in us that was in Christ;
for love is the fulfilling of the law. I did hear something lately unbecoming
a Christian, of ... and in dwelling on it, I hope to benefit myself; for it is
a point, alas, I particularly fail in, as, no doubt, you have observed. I
mean, speaking severely of God's children, forgetting that he that toucheth
them toucheth the apple of his eye; that words aimed at them, pierce
him; that
all is laid at the charge of that cause for which we profess to live, and to
be willing to die. I think we should be very sure of an action, before we
speak of it, which we do not consider commendable, and not then unless for
good...
Letter 17.
October 23, 1827.
... Often, often
has Satan stopped my way, not only by the idea that those I spoke to might
think I practised what I said, but because I found hid in some chamber of
imagery a desire that they
should
think so; but at last I found out the idea came out of Satan's opiate box.
Some lessons we do not learn till after
long experience,
such as these: ?
First, we are not to do evil that good may come. Second, when sin lies heavy
on our conscience, we are to force ourselves into the presence of God ? not
skulk from him, etc. Third, we are not to
flee from
Satan, but
resist, in
order that
he may flee
from
us; blessed
to be under the Lord's teaching, to be trained up by him in the way we should
go, to have Jesus representing God to us, representing us to God, to have
Jesus interceding for the sinner with God, to have the Spirit interceding for
God with the sinner. Blest to be rising in his school, though every class
presents a more difficult lesson. Blessed to have a
waste heart,
to feel it a
wilderness, a desert fitted to receive and rejoice in such promises as this,
(true with regard to us though stolen from Jews,) "The Lord
shall
comfort thee; he shall comfort
all thy
waste places;
he will make thy
wilderness like Eden, thy desert as the garden of the Lord," "Joy and gladness
shall be found
therein,
thanksgiving and the voice of melody."...
Letter 18.
May 30, 1828.
... In what a
ruinous heap is all God's work, once declared to be
very good;
from the top, to the bottom of creation, from the lion, to the spider, each
carrying on the history of Cain and Abel; man most like Satan of all, for
instance, slaves. And shall it be always so? Shall this be Messiah's conquest?
that his saints are to take flight and leave his handy work to be destroyed?
What a triumph to Satan to sweep away in his destruction that lovely work of
six days, on which Jehovah looked with delight, over which "Wisdom" rejoiced
and delighted ? the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God
shouted for joy! No! let creation groan and wait a little longer for the
redemption of the body; for then shall the purchased possession be redeemed,
then shall be the restitution of all things. Then shall the sons of God, whose
sonship is now questioned, be declared to be the sons of God with power, by
the resurrection of the dead even as their elder brother before them. Now,
their life is
hid with
Christ in God; but when he shall appear, they shall appear with him and like
him in glory ? our life shall be manifested. "Then
shall the
earth bring forth her increase, and God, even our God, shall bless Israel, and
all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God!" Mark the
adoptions spoken of in Scripture: ? National, which, though it does not secure
salvation, brings into particular relationship and consequently, subjects to
greater judgments. Personal adopt-ion, which does secure it, that spirit of
adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father, and if children, heirs, etc. And third,
manifested adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body, (Rom. 8.) But I had
better stop, as there is neither beginning nor end to the subject. I will only
add, "Time is short;" other nations may have other opportunities; but Ireland,
having received national adoption now, now is the time to cry aloud, "come out
of her (Babylon,) come out of her, come out of her,
my
people,"
and may the
testimony be borne of us which was said of a great sinner greatly pardoned,
"She hath done what she could." It is said, "as many as are led by the Spirit
of God they are sons of God;" then, since we are sons and daughters of the
Lord Almighty,
we are led
by the Spirit. What a gift is this Spirit! The Comforter, which shall abide
with us for ever. Not only shall He teach us things freely given us of God,
but He shall seal us his ? an earnest of our inheritance ? will not suffer sin
to have dominion over us; shall dwell in us as a well of water springing up
into everlasting life ? upwards, in love, joy, peace; overflowing, scattering
round, in long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness,
temperance; what better confidence can we have that we are his, than having
been delivered from the spirit of bondage, and given the spirit of adoption;
his Father our Father; his God our God ?
doubly dear?
And though He
leads us in the
midst of
the paths of judgment, yet, while teaching us to profit, He shall prove to us,
He is leading to the land of uprightness in the right way. And after all, the
sum of happiness we find, even in the new Jerusalem, is this, "I will be his
God and He shall be my son." Let us, dear friend, among those we
live, every
day, hour, moment, walk as children of light. Oh, what difficult preaching is
this! Let us drink in largely
every
morning of the unction of the Spirit, which the busy bee
(not the
wasp) knows
how to sip from the garden of the Lord; that through the day we may breathe
out the atmosphere of heaven all around; we have a
right to
wear a sweeter smile than even angels wore; and since suffering displays the
riches of our inheritance, may we not bless him, if our lot should be among
the exercised in soul...
Letter 19.
25th May, 1828.
... There is only
one enemy we cannot escape, though our whole lives should be a running from it
? monster
self: I am
quite weary of this heart ? Satan's workshop ? always going on hammer, hammer,
hammer, stealing every grace given, to manufacture into some adornment for the
idol self. It reminds me of Newton's description of an oratorio. Oh! what will
it be to have an innocent satisfaction in ourselves! Yet, let us not shrink
from, but penetrate every nook and corner of our hearts with the eye of Jesus,
while, at the same time, we view
him, let us
learn the meaning of words out of God's spelling-book; we so blunder over our
lessons, taking sorrow for joy, joy for sorrow, happiness for misery, misery
for happiness, expecting beauty and perfection, where He has left us only for
discipline ? we hardly get above ground. It is under-ground-work here, our
roots taking a firm grasp of the rock of ages, in order to our springing up
and flourishing in the courts of the house of our God. I think the most
humbling description of human nature is being "haters
of God;" and his word says, If haters of God ? lovers of death ? we hate
excellence, because,
it is excellence,
and we hate him in his creatures, be they ever so accommodating or prudent."
They hated him, for what cause? Because He delivered them who were his
enemies; because he went about doing good; because He offered life to whoever
would; and, how careful his apostle Paul was, that when hated, it should be
without cause. Freely He received, freely gave. How desirable, could the world
have no just point on which to fix their enmity against Christ in us; if we so
unfolded the mind that was in Christ, as, at least, to do the part of the law,
bring them in guilty; if we were fleshly tables, living epistles. What a proof
of the divinity of Christ, that he gives testimony of himself being the Son of
God, for surely, He was a righteous man; none but himself could have gone
through life, pursued by every different class, trying each to catch him in
something; yet, all forced to confess at the end, they could find no fault in
him. And have we not miracles, also, to confirm the witness? You and I now
speaking with delight about our once hated
Lord! ?
greater miracle than, "Lazarus come forth!" I have also been thinking what a
proof' of the divinity of Scripture it is, that we find an answer provided for
every error, a consolation for every wound, especially in the book of Psalms,
that gospel in prophecy; it seems to me as if God had provided a text for
every experience his church ever should want, took them, and as it were, shook
them together in a bag, and left them there to be drawn out, that each might
fit himself; for instance, that verse so consoling to so many: (Ps. 27. 10,)
"When father and mother forsake me, then the Lord taketh me up;" coming in
unconnected with any thing before or after. I have much more to say, but as I
dare not wait any longer, I must conclude; I shall tell you all
by and by ?
a joyful wondrous story, such as angels love to hear ? as beautiful a
similarity, yet diversity, in the spirits, as in the bodies of each ? all
singing the same song, yet, each having a page of his own, to fill up the
volume of faithfulness. My answer to your question about prayer will be found
in the following texts: (John, 14. 13. Matt. 28. 18. 2 Cor. 12. 8, with the
9th verse,) "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do that the
Father may be glorified in the Son." "And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." "For this thing I
besought the Lord
thrice,
that it might depart from me." "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient
for thee." I give you two questions in return. How shall the Christian get the
little good from another Christian, that is in him, without imbibing of the
much evil? And how far should the Christian fit himself into the prejudices of
the ungodly, without letting them lose sight of his being one of a separate
and peculiar people?...
Letter 20.
July, 1828.
... I was truly
rejoiced to hear of the Lord's goodness to you. I cannot only thank him for
displaying himself faithful, but, that it has been shown in faithfulness to
you. You
say nothing of your little gift from the Lord. Those two texts go well
together: "She remembers no more her anguish for joy," etc. and, "forget not
all his benefits." It is written of all creation, that it is travailing in
pain, and soon shall it be said of it, "She remembers no more the anguish for
joy, that
a man is
born into the world." His dealings here are but displays of his riches of
glory on his vessels of mercy, afore prepared for glory. Let us be on our
guard against this snare of Satan's, seeking
to know
more than others, but may every truth, as revealed, sink deep! The grace I
have been praying for of late has been
patience,
for I think it a grace much wanting in the church, for its want can be as much
from indifference, as from too ardent a longing for the appearance of Christ ?
patience expressing
repressed
longing. It seems to me to be a grace made up of two ? hope and experience ?
realizing hope, repressed by experience of wilderness love.
It was worth parting with, all for,
and truly, it marks how unworthy present suffering is to be compared with
future glory; when even
it is
light
compared to the heaven it yields
here; (yes,
I can even say so now, though brought through a furnace,
in the
flames of which it would be impossible to
feel it,
even the furnace of another's affliction; and that another ? the beloved of my
heart.) It is comparatively easy to believe, that it is worth parting with
all, to
have the soul translated from darkness into light; but, faith often fails in
making us feel that it is worth parting with all for the loosing of bonds,
with which, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we are too often,
though children
yet, bound; and why is this? Because of the selfishness of our religion. It
consists in high ideas of our
own safety,
instead of
God's glory;
and never can we run in the ways of his commandments until our hearts have
been set at liberty. What a promise we are given with which to face the world:
"All things shall work together for our good" ? a promise not to be trampled
under foot. Many things in themselves would be evil, but, I think, his
watchfulness is seen, in so making his providences to meet, as to burst in
blessings on our head, and like his other works, one means works many ends;
one providence does not bring one blessing, but a string ? tribulation,
patience; patience, experience; experience, hope, etc. Yes, and so exactly
does it fit the case of the believer, that one trial shall as much suit the
particular need of all concerned, as if sent alone for each. Oh! the Christian
is a wonderful creature ?
impossible
to sink him! The deeper he is plunged, the higher he rises. Do pray for me,
that I may be given the grace of patience. How often the apostle Paul makes
mention of this grace! In praying for the church, it was, that they should be
directed "into the love of God and the patient waiting for Christ." In giving
thanks, it was for their "patience of hope," as well as "work of faith" and
"labour of love;" while he speaks of it as the fruit of their being
strengthened with all might by his Spirit. If the furnace of affliction so
made the first believers need exhortation to patience, how much more should
the church now need it, when she is thrown into the furnace of prosperity. It
strikes me, it is often before sending tribulation, that a spirit of search
into prophecy is poured out, that the church may not only be found on the
tip-toe of expectation, when the arm of the Lord shall be stretched out, as if
no strange thing had happened to her, but also, in the attitude of hope; it
being, when we hope for that we see not, we can most patiently wait; and in
this the mercy of the Lord, I think, is often manifested to individuals, as
well as to his body the church. Before sending a trial, He makes the need of
it to be so felt, that the believer even desires, what,
at the time,
is most grievous and dreaded ? so much is desire of conformity to the Lord and
his inward presence above every other desire. Let us not, then, forget to take
for our helmet the hope of salvation;
we need it,
though children of light we need to be
driven to
the light; so heavily do we go to reach eternal joys, so continually are we
manifesting our
molish
natures, preferring to grub into our own hearts, and hide ourselves in the
dark, instead of
running in
his steps, who was also sustained in his race by patient hope; "For the joy
set before him." We learn the secret of being
able to
run, in the
kind exhortation to
lay aside
every weight on him who is at our right hand, that having our eyes lifted up
from every thing that can distract, our feet disentangled from all that
besets, our eyes may be steadily fixed, while running through the vista of
time, on the light at the end ? every care giving us a
shove, till
our whole weight is proving the immutability of our firm anchor. The poor
world thinks we are imposing much on ourselves in giving up the pleasures of
sin. But, oh! how easy the Christian finds this in comparison to walking on
the
good of
life, counting
it dross,
that the affections may more tightly grasp Him, who alone can satisfy the
longing soul, and fill the hungry soul with goodness... You may well say she
writes seldom, but when she does, she sends a volume. Well, I will leave you
with this precious text,
Ye are not your own;
we have no right to ourselves! He is the best judge how we can best serve him
to his advantage; our highest excellency is subserviency to him; our highest
pleasure, serving him, though, in so doing, we are wasting ourselves...
Letter 21.
Dec. 28, 1828
... I think there
is much spoken of, in Scripture, of God's riches, as if too much
for God to
contain within himself; comprised in him it cannot be witnessed; therefore has
He set
us apart,
has "before ordained us," from the beginning chosen us, "prepared us," "even
us," as vessels of mercy, in which to show forth the riches of his grace, in
the riches of his mercy now, and the riches of his glory hereafter. Sweet
thought! our being now vessels of mercy, (because of the great love wherewith
He loved us,) evidences that He has set us apart, to display in us the riches
of his glory! by nature fitted to destruction, vessels of wrath, but having
emptied all this on the head of our Jesus, He has now put Jesus at the bottom
of the vessel,
therefore,
we run over with loving kindness and tender mercies. How the thought, that
this is God's end should keep from doubts; the more He gives, the more grace
now abounds over sin; the more shall be seen his riches in glory! has He not
abounded
towards us? predestinated ? accepted ? called ? justified ? in him glorified ?
sins
all
forgiven ? quickened ? strengthened ? begotten again to a lively hope of an
inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away ? made meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light ? our portion, Christ
within us ? all things working for good ? our enemies defied by omnipotence ?
our shield interposing himself between the redeemed soul and the destroyer ?
(Exodus 12. 23.) The Lord
will pass
over the door, and Jehovah the deliverer, will not suffer Jehovah the
destroyer to come into your houses to destroy you. Leaping forward to deliver,
"as the mother birds hovering over their young, so shall Jehovah, God of
Hosts, protect Jerusalem, protecting and delivering; leaping forward and
rescuing her" (Louth's translation of Isaiah, 31 . 5 . ) ? spreading over his
cherubic wings, or wings of covenant love, a fourfold presence of the most
excellent animals, (Ezek. 10.) ? the ox, first of tame beasts; man, first of
creation; the lion, first of wild beasts, and the eagle, first of birds,
uniting in one body and spreading their wings, on both sides. This is
expressly said to be a representation of the God of Israel. They guided the
wheels of providence by infinite wisdom; for their whole body, their backs,
their heads, their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about; this,
says the prophet, is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar. Of
this vision we have a description in the 1st chapter, and He there calls it
the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. The ox is considered
as an emblem of the Father, the lion and man, which are always united, (Ezek.
1. 10.) of the Son, taking our nature into personal union with the divine, and
the eagle of the Spirit, expanding his influence in all the work of God. This
was the mystic figure placed in the holy of holies above the ark. There they
all looked down with delight on the memorial of a dying rising Saviour's work,
when the priest ministered there on the day of atonement. Thus we see the
design of the term, "dwell under the wings of the cherubim," was but another
expression for abiding under the care of a reconciled God and Father, in
Christ Jesus, where is perfect safety and heavenly bliss, (Dr.
Goode,)
propped up with sweet and precious promises, fulfilling all the good pleasure
of his will, and the work of grace with power; that we may be vessels fitted
for the master's use; why? "That in ages to come, He may show the exceeding
riches of his grace in his kindness towards us," "when He shall come to be
glorified in his saints," He glorified in us, we glorified in him. And what
means this word
glory? It
quite puts me out of breath, the thought of all that is before us. Wonderful
creatures! brittle earthen-ware, yet not broken by all the knocks of
tribulation flesh is heir to, in present things, or things to come; though not
hidden up, but held out in the midst, to the inspection of men, angels and
devils,
to the praise of the glory of his grace,
for held by his almighty power; and surely it shall not a little add to the
glory of his abundant mercy, and the display of the riches of his goodness,
forbearance, and long suffering, that He shall thus hold his vessels of mercy
without fainting or being discouraged, until He ushers them into his presence
more than conquerors! Which vessel should you like to be? gold, silver, wood,
or earth? I think the worse the material, the more the ability of the workman
is seen in forming it for the king's use.
I had a new
thought on the book of Job, which book I have been
hobbling
through in the morning to the family, but did not get my thought, till the
last chapter. Though I have not been able to find any commentator agree, I
cannot help thinking it was intended to shadow forth the Jewish people. The
adventures of one individual are not intended to occupy all ages; so loving a
spouse as the church could not be satisfied in continually conversing with her
beloved, concerning the adventures and sentiments of a stranger, when she has
such an overflowing fulness to express in her own feelings, and in her
admiration of her beloved. Nor was it like David, to call on all generations
to tune their instruments, only to sing of
him. It
seems to me the Lord often brought his Prophet into circumstances which should
explain the dark sentences he caused them to utter, yet was this explanation
but a dark veil, through which it was difficult to perceive the mysteries
within; but we having the gospel lamp, may penetrate the darkest recesses of
his providence and grace, and find our Immanuel behind each; and surely that
wisdom must be divine, which as in the book of Psalms, and Job, is so fruitful
in language, as at one and the same time, to express the situations and
feelings of the writer, the situations and feelings of the Lord, and the
situation and feelings of his church, and each individual believer, to the end
of time. But I think Elihu fixes the book of Job, as referring to the Jews. By
the way, to be a prophet was no light matter; yet did they consider it worth
going through all for. And I hope your dear husband, in counting the cost,
thinks it worth learning the consolations of scripture by experience, that
others may find it good, if he should be afflicted; for in this view, it is no
light matter to be a minister of the consolations of the gospel, for I believe
the Lord still explains the meaning of
words by
his providences; and a greater than all, thought it not too much to be tempted
in all points, that He might be suited to his people in the midnight of
adversity, as well as the noon-day of prosperity. But to return to Job ? do
you not think the amount of Job's restoration to happiness, strikingly
coincides with the promises respecting that church. What have Christians ever
been casting against that afflicted church, but just what Job's friends
brought against him? that they are cast off for ever, because of their sins.
What has been and is the Jews warm contention? Job's to his friends; that they
are
not such
sinners,
not so
rejected; man's taunts have been in vain to humble them; they manfully contend
that they are not in punishment for their sins; servant upon servant was sent
to them; at last God sent his only begotten Son, but still they would not be
humbled; they rejected all admonitions, and so they shall, till God appear to
take his cause into his own hands; then humiliation will be their first
movement towards Him, "they shall
look on
him, they have pierced, and mourn." Then shall they say, "I have heard of thee
by the hearing of the ear, but now mine
eye seeth
thee,
therefore,
I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." Then, shall be manifest that
God's thoughts towards them, have been "thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to
give them an expected end;" and "they shall call on him, and go and pray unto
him, and He will hearken," then shall be seen "the
end of the
Lord, that He is
very
pitiful and of tender mercy." My reasons for thinking Elihu means Christ are
these: ? 1st. Because the meaning of the word Elihu, is "God is he." 2ndly. He
says, he stands in God's place as a day's-man. 3rdly. When God commands Job,
in chap. 42. 8, to pray for his friends, that they may be accepted, Elihu is
not mentioned, as if he needed it not. Now if you think it worth while, look
for these references ? God is against those who contend with Job, Zeph. 2.
8-11; Isa. 51. 22, 23. ? 8th v. Job a blessing to his enemies, Zech. 8. 13;
Ezek. 34. 26; Isa. 66. 21; he did speak right in that he was not cast off. ?
9th v. Job is accepted, Jer. 30. 17, 18,19, 20; Ezek. 20. 40-42. Isa. 65. 18,
19. ? 11. v. Job is enriched by his friends, who come to him, now that he is
restored to prosperity, Isa. 60. 1, and 10, 12, 13. He had double for the
blessing of the Lord, that it is which makes rich, Isa. 40; Mal. 3. 10, 12.
Isa. 60. ? 14 v.
everlasting
joy shall be on their head . ? 15th verse, he gave his children an
inheritance, Psalm 45. 10. Is there not something remarkable in the name of
Job's daughters, Jemima,
the day;
Kezia,
pleasant cassia
or
fine spices;
Kerenhappuch,
beauty; in
that day emphatically called,
the day of
the Lord, shall he come down into his garden of spices, his presence shall
cause his spikenard to send forth the smell thereof, Cant. 1. 12. Then shall
he indeed say to the daughter of Jerusalem, "thou art all fair, my love, there
is no spot in thee." ? 16th verse, when Job was restored, he lived to be a
great age, Isa. 65. 2O. ? 17 verse, we find the blessing coming upon Job, that
Eliphaz said belonged to the afflicted righteous, chap. v. from 17th verse to
end. Tell me if you agree. Perhaps you will say, you have filled your letter
with what is not
applicable to me.
"Truth Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the master's
table." Oh how many crumbs of comfort thus prepared, and spread out for the
children, may we dogs pick up, and nourish ourselves with. But I must think of
finishing; I hope the length of this letter will satisfy, if not weary. It
would be sweet to me, to be a stream of comfort, making up the Lord's desire,
that your peace should be
as a river,
emptying itself into the ocean of his glory! surely were we permitted to be a
rivulet of
consolation, to any afflicted child of God, and
one drop in
the ocean of his glory, we should not have lived in vain. It is
very sad
about your schools,
very trying,
but it is well to have our trial, God's cause. Look at Isa. 40. 28-31, and the
connection between the possessions of Jehovah, and those offered to the
acceptance of his waiting children. How kind, he gives us a way to express our
affection to him! "if you love me, keep my commandments;" for love is restless
till it communicates what it feels to its object. May your faith have such
substance, as that you could take the promises in your finger, and handle
them, (as an old woman described Mr ... words to me, the other day,) may He
often look forth at the window, showing himself to you through the lattice,
(glimpses of Him in those providences, most calculated to exclude him,) ... .
may you daily more see that there is enough in Jesus to meet all your wants,
be what they may;
while feeling there are
hidden
depths within of iniquity, may you know and remember there are
depths in
Jesus' love, your eye has never
yet seen,
your ear has never
yet heard,
your heart never
even
conceived of: but God sees it! In short, may the God of hope, fill you with
all joy and peace in believing, and make you abound in hope, by the power of
the Holy Ghost.
Your sincerely
affectionate friend, bound up in the same bundle of life...
Please tell ...
that the little book he left me to read, smells of Satan's dispensary.
Letter 22.
Dec. 18, 1828.
My dear Mr ..., I
enclose you what I promised, but I have since thought it was very conceited of
me to offer to send you what
I
remembered. I send you a sermon remembered by another lady, who does not
murder them quite so much. There are some sweet consolatory ideas in it.
When God takes up
the lesson and the rod, how differently he teaches from man. Truths which we
have been accustomed to repeat, and feel In some degree, with what force they
come home, when taught by experience. When I look back upon this time last
year, how weighty are those words, "all
is vanity,"
not merely an expression. In drinking of the bitter cup, called "LIGHT
AFFLICTION, one feels with a weight no tongue can express ? what must be the
miseries of hell, when this is but a spark from it; what must be the evil of
sin; the emptiness of this masquerade of a world; the sufferings of Christ;
the happiness of heaven; God's hatred of sin; his love to the sinner! May he
grind them more and more into my heart, so that I may never again be entangled
or intoxicated with these baubles; but may he clasp
me so close
to himself, that there may be no room, for a cloud to pass between me and the
light of his precious countenance! Pray let us soon hear from you; for I
sometimes fear lest the Lord should remove from us our candlestick, not
because we do not prize it enough, but for valuing the stick too much. May he
teach us, without that the difficult lesson, that "Christ
is all." I
will fill up the rest of the paper with a short extract from a letter which I
received from Mr. Howels, which I think you will like.
Your sincere and
grateful friend,
T. A. Powerscourt.
After speaking on
the Lord's prayer, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, he
adds: "One idea more before I conclude ? you and I are immediately interested
in the prayer of Jesus, ' Father, forgive them.' In answer to that prayer, a
gracious Providence once watched over us while sinning, ignorant and
thoughtless of what we were doing. In answer to this prayer, we were delivered
from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son.
And did he feel so intensely, and pray so earnestly, in the midst of his own
better sufferings, for his enemies and murderers, and will he forget his
friends now, he is seated on a throne of bliss, in the zenith of his glory?
Infinite eternal impossibility!! We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous. His intercession comprizes all the love of his Deity,
all the worth of his atonement, all the love and sympathy of his humanity,
perpetually sounding ill God the father's ears, '
Father, forgive them.'"
Letter 23.
1829.
My dear Mr ...,
Many thanks for your very welcome letter; we all rejoice to hear such good
accounts of your throat. I fear Irish air is the cause of all the throat
complaints. ... is now attacked with it, and ordered to England for his
health. To him, as well as to you, it is the greatest trial could be sent; but
the Lord generally sends a trial where it will be felt. I believe our
usefulness does not depend upon pursuing a line marked out by ourselves, but
in giving him just what he has need of from us; ? in patience, as well as in
faith, followers of those who inherit the promises. I rejoice to hear so good
an account of ... she must be a nice Christian from your description. Of
course, you heard of poor ...'s end. ... says their only comfort is, that he
died in such an enlightened state; but though there was graciously a straw to
lay hold on, I trust that none dear to me may ever be taken, without more
undoubted evidence. Oh! that it was to be a warning to all sportsmen.
I suppose you will
see and hear dear Mr. Howels and ... You will find them full of the times, and
horror of emancipation. Such great things are spoken on one hand of the evil,
and on the other hand of the good of these conversions of opinion, that either
one side must misunderstand Scripture, or the other be wonderfully blind. May
we not, by taking the beast unto our bosom, thrust out God; and blasphemy
being found on our forehead, have to take our lot with Babylon? It is
lamentable that there seems to be no Christian voice raised up in the midst of
so much infidelity. Every principle of error seems to have its representative
in a professed Christian senate, while Christianity is the only mute, and
apparently indifferent, spectator. The way that Mr. Irving's, and Mr. Howels'
petitions, are ridiculed, shows that the Word is still foolishness to the
Greek. Nevertheless,
it is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the
understanding of the prudent." "For God hath chosen the foolish things of the
world, to confound the wise; yea, things that are despised hath God chosen."
But I am forgetting that it is one of the signs of the times, that ignorant
people, such as I am, set themselves up to judge upon such matters. It is the
privilege of women, to have nothing to do with politics, but to stand and
admire man's ignorance, and God's facility in bringing about his purposes. The
question with us seems to be, How shall we, in serving our generation before
we fall asleep, testify against the crying evils of the church, as well as the
world? Since He must at all times, have some to bear him faithful witness, how
shall we be among this privileged set? Since He has shown
his love in
trusting his cause to
ours, lent
us volumes of his library for the perusal of the world, surely it is an
interesting question, How shall we be faithful to our trust? I hope you have
been considering this point, that we may have a little pillar of truth raised
up in this valley with "love," inscribed upon it. This reiterated command,
"love," so trampled under foot, seems to express every thing demanded of the
church; to exhibit it in the greater union of the body ? in more diffusing
around the heavenly atmosphere, in more demonstrating it in action. With good
intentions, many are ignorant. We forget the assembling of ourselves together,
and need to be exhorted to love and good works, and so much the more as we see
the day approaching. Faithful parochial ministers content themselves with the
work of an evangelist, neglecting their most difficult duties. To preach the
gospel, is necessary for all; but surely there is strong meat, and there are
precepts, which suit not the world. The strong meat of experience, being
exposed to ridicule, prevents its benefit, by stirring up jealousy. The
precepts either must open to the world the wounds of the church, or the probe
not be deep enough to benefit the believer. You must watch, warn, exhort,
prove from Scripture, errors in spirit, errors in life; and, though last not
least, we must make each others wants and sorrows, as well as the church's,
our own: so that the answer to each should multiply the thanksgivings of all,
and redound to the glory of God. Surely, we should not find so many Christians
of the world, if one half of the Bible was not
necessarily
left out of the pulpits. I believe the fault lies more with the church than
with professors, that Christianity is so much more
profession
than confession. We strive to
live our doctrines,
instead of confounding the world by the contradiction of our walk and our
belief. It seems to me this is the fault of the Walkerites. As the world
cannot explain the seeming contradiction of doctrine and precept in the Word,
neither should it be able to do so in the believer. While trampling works
under foot, should we not live as though to be saved by works ? boasting in
our liberty, yet under law to Christ? We wear Christ too like a loose garment,
to be put on and taken off as convenience offers ? denying him, by not
confessing him; not as lights, which hypocrites fear to approach, lest their
deeds should be reproved. I hope you are lifting up your voice against these
things in ... for religion and the world are comfortably walking arm and arm
there. Perilous times, when Christians have time to play with idols; have time
to feast the world; to nestle themselves as the world; to go rounds of
formality; have time to pick faults in their neighbours, their brethren; have
time to amuse themselves in religious dissipation; have time to talk to be
admired; to listen to contradictory opinions, each proved from Scripture;
while the misgiving of our own opinions, through a perceptible mixture of
error and prejudice, keeps us picking our steps through slippery paths,
instead of running in the way of God's commandments. Certainly, times of
persecution, are times of prosperity to the church; ? Satan is not asleep ?
and is more to be dreaded when undermining by expediency than when openly
destroying; deceiving, if it were possible, the very elect. Times of
persecution will only admit of drawing up every faculty of the soul to one
point. How splendid the grace of patient waiting in persecuted Christians! If
times of trouble are about to come, how friendly to make us feel our need,
that when they shall come we may not be staggered. Love almost calls for it,
in the painful suspicion of disfiguring His cause whom
we do love.
Faith cannot live
settled:
she must hold her life in her hand; must point to Jesus, and lead the way; be
in the attitude of patient waiting; must be a bird of passage, refusing to
build her nest in so cold a clime. In these days of deception, may the Lord
sift, thrash every principle, rummage our hearts, and lead in the way
everlasting. May our souls be enabled, in looking to his second appearing, to
bound forward; and may we be given, in deed and truth, a "Love,"
which shall engulf pride, and haughtiness in ourselves, and all
disagreeableness in others-this God-like grace.
Dear Mr... has
been all but taken from us. I did not in the least expect his recovery. May we
bear the rod and be enabled to read this providence! It is, I think, one of
the beauties of God's works, that while we labour to effect one end by many
means, He with the utmost facility effects many ends by one means. This is
striking in his providences. When he sends an affliction, it is so exactly
suited to the case of all concerned, as to seem purposely sent for each; and
when he shakes his rod over his children, surely it means a gracious call. We
tremble when we enter into the cloud often; but there comes a voice from the
cloud saying,
this is my
beloved Son, hear him; ? and what can Jesus' word declare but, see how I love?
Do pray that this visitation may be attended with good to those near him.
Nothing can withstand his power. No heart is too hard for him. This is our
comfort for ourselves, "He is greater than our hearts;" and his love is as
great as his power, without measure and without end.
The District
Society goes on flourishingly. All satisfied in hearing you are to be the
treasurer, for
they know you.
Great lesson for us, let us be satisfied in deposing body, soul, and spirit,
in the hands of Him, who has undertaken to lose nothing the Father has given
him to keep, but to raise it up at the last day. Surely he will return all,
with a rich premium. Let us not dishonour him, by questioning what He is doing
with our deposits, for we
know the man....
Yours, with true
affection,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 24.
... 1829.
My dear Mr ...,
Though I hope to see you in a few days, I must write a line, just to assure
you, it has been neither want of gratitude, affection, or value for your
letters, which prevented my not placing you in my debt long since; for there
are few things would give me greater pleasure than seeing a letter brought in
directed by you. We are now some miles nearer
home than
when we parted. It cannot have been for nothing our Father has been separated
from us for these months. He has been proving and trying us in some way to do
us good at our latter-end, and surely, we have been proving and trying Him. I
have met with much Christian love, for Christ's sake. I have seen in different
Christians different beautiful features, to make me desire to see every
feature united in the great Original. I have heard deep, high, sweet,
experimental truths from dear Mr. Howels. I have heard some future prospects
from ... and have had humiliating lessons in others, how even the most
spiritual need the everlasting, quickening, and almighty energy of the Eternal
Spirit, to preserve perpetually from earthly idolatry; while in myself,
dependant weakness has now feelingly convinced me, that in my preservation, a
miracle is
momentarily witnessing, I am a child of God. And shall not Jesus himself very
soon show me how this and that, and that and this, like a Mosaic, have been
needed to form us into the image of our God? I now hope to return to occupy
till my Lord shall come, or send for me. I feel very pleasant that I have done
with life, have learned to read through the glow spread all over it "all is
vanity" ? to feel the buzz about, as the buzzing of flies about a dead corpse.
My tale being told already, I would not be as my poor sister here ...
beginning life under the delusion, that happiness is to be found in it; yet,
it is vain to say, till God teaches that every dream of happiness below the
sun is but a picture, painted and varnished by Satan, involving in it his
original lie: "God's
word is not truth."
In giving us himself, I believe, He has given us all
God can give,
and surely it is the triumph of faith, while feeling we have not what we think
we need, still to rest confident, that with him, He
has given
us all good things... Oh! what a thing it is, dear Mr..., even for
this life,
to have a hope full of immortality. ? How sweet for you to have been made the
communication of this bud of happiness to one destined to tribulation ? the
unfolding of which has been so unspeakably sweet and sustaining! Though still
bound with the bondage of corruption, what a thing to be prisoners of hope! ?
of a hope that will never make ashamed, for happy is the man whose hope the
Lord is! for his eye is upon them that hope in his mercy, and even in DEATH he
shall have hope. How Scripture always pushes us forward for happiness! In
defence, our helmet is to be hope; our attitude, waiting for his appearing;
our happiness, rejoicing in hope; all seems expressed in one verse, "We
know not what we shall be ? we shall see Him ? we shall be like Him."
May we be enabled to keep our eyes steadily on things invisible; may every
care give us a
shove, till
our whole weight is cast upon our immutably fixed anchor! I desire to be as a
meteor passing through time, not left a moment longer than the Lord has need
of me. The world thinks the Christian is imposing much upon himself, in giving
up the pleasures of sin; but how easy the Christian finds this in comparison
to walking on the good of life, counting it dross, that his affections may
more tightly grasp Him, who alone can satisfy the longing soul, and fill the
hungry soul with gladness. ? Whatever the name, the character, the
relationship, He vouchsafes to take, He excels in that point all others: ?
"Fairer than the children of men." Is He a father who cannot refuse his
child's petition? ? "How much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to them that ask Him." Is His tenderness compared to a mother? "She may
forget, yet will not I forget thee." A brother? ? "One that sticketh closer."
A friend? ? One whose friendship passes the power of expression, for the
utmost bound was passed while yet enemies. A husband? ? One that can say, even
after we have "gone after many lovers," yet return again to me. A prophet? ?
One that "spoke as never man spake," "was in the counsel of the Father from
eternity." A priest? ? One that has sat down on the right hand of Omnipotence
? "continueth for ever" ? "hath an unchangeable priesthood" ? "able to save
to the uttermost" ? "ever lives to make intercession" ? one, and the only one
who becomes us; for He excels all priests, in that He is "holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, higher than the heavens." Is He a king? ?
"King of kings, and Lord of lords!" A shepherd? ? "The
good Shepherd." A light? ? "The
light of the world" ? "The Sun of Righteousness!" Food? ? "The bread from
heaven that gives eternal life." Water? ? "The fountain- of living waters, of
which if man drink, he shall never thirst again." A tree? ? "As the apple
tree among the woods." If in heaven? ? "Who in heaven can be compared to the
Lord?" If on earth? ? "Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto
the Lord?" Then, what is He to the church? ? As the bridegroom in comparison
of all others, and not only does He excel, but in her estimation, He must
increase while all others decrease, for "He that cometh from heaven is
above all"
? "This God is our God for ever and ever." May He, dear Mr ... fill you more
and more, with joy and peace in believing, and may you abound in lively hope,
through life, and in death! This is, believe me, a very sincere prayer, and
one often put up for you,
By yours very
affectionately,
Theodosia A.
Powerscourt.
And, no doubt, you
will find by and by, that the means used for communicating to you
some of the
graces of the Spirit you possess, has been these prayers.
Letter 25.
15th February,
1829.
My beloved friend,
I have long been wishing and intending to write to you since I heard of your
overturn, but as Mr. G ... told me you were almost well, still I wanted to be
able to sit down and write a long letter. I wish you to tell me the
particulars, that I may join in praise. I have so much felt, and do feel, the
great privilege you allow me in remembering me in your dear little meetings,
it is the sweetest blessing you could give me. Oh! do not pray for my body,
but that I may not misrepresent His truth in my life. Well, that little fall
was yours, among the inventory of His laid-up gifts. What we want is, to be
taught to
make use of
the promises. Too apt to be satisfied with enjoying his word in reading and
meditating on it, then to go our way and forget it till the next stated time
returns; it is then,
well to get
scratches from little briars and brambles on the way, to be sent for healing
to "it
is written,"
? to be made feed on the promises
all the
way; thus to have our appetite whetted, that He may fill the hungry soul with
goodness. It is not His will we should merely draw upon our bank of
consolation for large sums which
we think it
worth drawing for, but to return again, and again, for every shilling, for
ever sixpence of comfort; for, sweet thought, we cannot trouble him. How much
is implied in that short sentence, "I shall not want." Why? because He wanted
all. I shall fear no evil in
walking through
the dark valley on account of his presence, because He cried out, my God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me? We shall triumph in confidence in the midst of
our enemies, because He was reproached and despised of the people, "a worm and
no man;" and I know (not hope) I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for
ever, because He has said,
thou hast heard me.
Sweet to know the whole flock are under the same guidance, that in experience
of His watchful tenderness, we may be able to say of others under every
circumstance,
they shall
not want ? the 22nd Psalm, the ground of the confidence expressed in the 23rd.
How safely we may leave ourselves in such loving hands. He is our treasure;
let us deposit with him, body, soul, and spirit, for we know him. He has
promised to lose nothing which the Father has given into his hands, but to
raise it up at the last day. Let us not seem to suspect, by questioning what
He is doing with our deposit, but rest satisfied it shall be restored
abundantly enriched, on the morning of the resurrection. Then shall we not
refuse to be found among the oppressed and despised, who have followed him
through evil report, as well as good, since the path of sorrow, and that path
alone, leads to the land where sorrow is unknown! I have been thinking lately
of angels. What a subject of humiliation they should be to the believer: alike
in one thing ? both hearken to the voice of his word; unlike in state, unlike
in service. The believer nearer, dearer, his "bride;" where sin aboundeth
grace having much more abounded. Yet, how much more ready they are in their
service: their beauty seems reflected on earth in their deep humility; witness
their joy at the raising of
sinners to
a superiority to themselves. How different the Jew at the reception of the
Gentile! How different the Gentile at the promised glory of the Jew! How
different from the elder brother at the return of the prodigal! Hear their
thunder clap of hallelujahs: "Glory to God in the highest; on earth, peace
towards men." In what haste would the twelve legions have descended to the aid
of the Lord, had He, in his agonies, demanded their service; but preferring
the sympathy of his children, He looked for pity from them, but there was no
man; for comforters, but there were none ? they were heavy with sleep. Were
angels now told, "inasmuch as ye do it to one of the least of these my
brethren, ye do it to me," would they move so heavily to feed him when hungry,
to give him drink when thirsty, to take him in when a stranger, to visit him
when sick and in prison? Above all, were they sent with glad tidings of great
joy? No, they would fly as Gabriel to Daniel, as the angel to take a cake to
Elijah. At the beginning of thy supplication the commandment came forth, and "I
am come" ?
the commandment given at the beginning; He came before the end! But there is
one office they cannot render the church; they are unfit for comforters;
having known no sorrow, they cannot sympathize. This is our privilege; the
most honourable service in the temple below; we are cups of consolation in his
hands, who emphatically came to bind up the broken hearted. No vessels but
vessels of
mercy can
contain this cordial; and as every blade of grass shines with the splendour of
a little diamond globe, when the sun arises after a night of dew, far
surpassing the grass at noon day; so shall the tears of this night of time,
throw a lustre over the believer, when the Sun of Righteousness shall appear
in the morning of the resurrection ? far surpassing those "who excel in
strength, that do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His words."
They know the bliss of power ?
we the
happiness of weakness; ? what it is to lay the hands of weakness on
I am; to
glory in infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on us, to carry the
helpless soul in the arms of faith, to rest on sweet and precious promises. I
have heard it told through one who was present at the shipwreck of the Kent,
as a remarkable circumstance, that every mother in their imminent peril, as if
by instinct, turned to her youngest child and clasped it in her arms. So does
the Lord to the helpless believer. Will any say, that those children, who
exulting in strength were left to themselves, were more safe than the helpless
infant whose life depended on the parent's life?
Maternal love
alone
Preserves them
first and last;
Their parents'
arms, and not their own,
Were those that
held them fast.
Blessed be God, he
loves not according to our
desert, but
according to our necessity. Blessed be God, it is not written, his blood can
cleanse from all the evil
we see, but
what
He sees...
Many chambers within are unopened yet to us; we see but through the crevice;
yet his blood gets entrance, and drowns all. May we be given grace, dear
sister, in the Lord, to leave him the steering of our little bark; to trust
Him with every wind that
seems
against us; to go straight as an arrow on our way, believing He will not leave
us to ourselves. May He keep us from weakening the hands of others by our
example. Though deserving, He should plead against us with His great power,
may He put strength into us, and enable us to
crucify the
flesh with its affections and lusts. ? Crucifixion cannot but be painful; but
whether crucifixion or amputation, under any circumstances, be appointed to
us, may He make most legible in our lives, "Lord thou knowest all things, thou
knowest that I love thee." Let not us alone be silent in praise, when
our theme
is so great ? that when John was given to hear the hallelujahs of such as were
living continually in his presence, witnessing unceasingly the unbounded
wonders of his perfections whose name is Love, all was swallowed up in this
one song ? redeeming love. And shall redeemed sinners be silent? All his works
praise in obeying ? go, and they go ? come, and they come. To the sea He says,
go so far,
there let
thy proud waves be stayed; foaming mountains high, there it stops. The
firmament showeth His handy work.
We can best
glorify Him in trusting Him. Let us venture, then, to be confident. Goodness
and mercy
shall follow
us, like as the river from the rock followed the Israelites all through the
wilderness. Whatever is sent it is goodness and mercy; and this goodness and
mercy
but the
earnest of future joy, the embryo of our future inheritance ? an enjoyment by
faith of promises
there to be
fulfilled. We are children of promise ? heirs of
all the
promises. Children of light, waiting for the morning! My dear ... may your
light shine more and more to the perfect day. Affectionate love to your dear
sisters, and all who love me in the Lord. Pray write
very soon,
and believe in the sincerity of
Your very
affectionate sister in hope,
Theodosia A.
Powerscourt.
Letter 26.
Dublin, 17th
April, 1829.
... Indeed my very
dear friend, had I for a moment an idea you could have been so ill, I should
not have waited for an answer to my letter, could I also have conceived mine
of any possible comfort. I can only say, I can sink into the very dust, that
my Lord should make use in any way of so vile, so wretched an hypocrite. He
has indeed shown you great and sore trouble, yet in the midst of the trouble,
how loving to allow you to testify that his comforts have refreshed your soul:
surely we are left without excuse in our unbelief; yet whenever He leads us to
the brink of the waters of tribulation, we tremble and shrink as much from
entering, as though the waters had not before parted, and become a wall of
support and consolation on either side. How blessed to be under a dispensation
of
mercy which
God has as it were set apart for mercy. We find out our hankering after
self-righteousness, from our fresh astonishment every day in being treated so
differently from what we expect and feel to deserve. How often arc we
dictating by our fears to the Lord, but He is better to us than all our fears,
in the midst of judgment remembering mercy. "Hear ye the rod and him that
appointed it;" often He seems to shake the rod over his children, but is
unable, if we may so speak, to inflict the blow. May we go softly all our
days, seeing our comforts are held by so slender a thread; may it teach us to
rejoice with trembling. David was greatly distressed, but David encouraged
himself in the Lord his God; so arc we often distressed with outward things,
and ever have cause from inward things. Such sunk hearts, so weighed down to
earth, after all they have learned of earth, all they have learned of Jesus;
often it seems as if we had
all to
learn over again. "So foolish and ignorant are we, even as beasts before him"
? yet let us encourage ourselves in the Lord our God; encourage ourselves in
his character; encourage ourselves in his compassion; he will not shut up his
tender mercies in anger, but will shut us up in his tender mercies, for his
compassions fail not. Let us say of them: this is my hiding place, here will I
nestle from sins, temptations, falls, and ingratitudes. ? Feeling his
tenderness to be that of a jealous God, we are too apt to go to him, as to a
tender jealous friend, keeping back what is likely to grieve love. ? But no!
Our Jesus is not like an earthly friend
even in this,
there is no loosening his love by suspicion. He knows
all our
baseness, yet loves unto the end! therefore let us go tell him all; even those
feelings we would hide from ourselves, let us drag out before him, and pour
out our complaints of ourselves into the bosom of our master. Often we find
ourselves shrinking and crying out at the very thought, that in very
faithfulness he will afflict, at the very moment we are saying, soberly and
steadily,
"Less than thyself
will not suffice,
My comfort to
restore;
More than thyself
I cannot crave,
And
thou canst
give no more."
Strange mixtures
we are!
We may
confess all, for he is our hiding place, who can sympathize with the shrinking
of the flesh from the Father's will, without laying it to want of love; for he
has said, "Father save me from this hour."
We may trust his
compassions. We may throw ourselves into his lap saying, "undertake for me."
"Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great." The same
God now, as had an eye to the sparing of even
the cattle,
in withholding judgment from Nineveh. ? Sweet to have our will
sunk into
his, who is so slow to anger, so ready to forgive, that when his prophets lost
all patience with the people, so as to make intercession against them, yet
even then, could he not be got to cast off this people whom he foreknew, for
his
great name sake,
because he had made them his people, neither will he now. ?
He has engaged for that.
? May he grant that our joy in restored blessings, may be abundant
in Christ Jesus.
May our love be as greedy of love as his is; may he be our end in joy, our end
in sorrow; may we be able to say, "To
live is Christ";
may he not suffer us to abuse his wonderful mercies; but may sin and weakness
have the effect of driving us to Him, without which, the expenditure of every
twig in his rod would be of no avail. ? O let us not be as his people of old,
after every mercy stiffening our necks, hardening our hearts, casting his law
behind our backs, and provoking him more and more: but let our conversation be
as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ, standing fast in one spirit, striving
together with his people for the faith of the Gospel. I can say of myself in
utmost weakness, the spirit is willing that He should answer this prayer, and
not spare the rod because of our crying; but may He pity, for the flesh is
very, very weak. Behold here I am, let him do what seems to him good. ? I
desire to say this in spirit, as well as with the mouth; in feeling, as well
as judgment: Lord make me desire to be able to say it. Let us thus, dear
friend, encourage ourselves in the Lord our God, not terrified by our
adversaries, but praising him. He
gives us,
not only to believe, but to suffer for him, and with him; and for his rich
answers to prayer, for making known
such a Lord
to encourage ourselves in, may we so loudly shout hallelujah from the hiding
place of his compassions, as shall make the vaults of Satan's kingdom ring
with the name of Jesus. Farewell my beloved sister in the Lord...
... Very
affectionately Yours,
Dear...
Theodosia
Powerscourt.
"And there came a
cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud;
but there came a voice
out of the
cloud, THIS IS my beloved Son ? HEAR HIM".
Letter 27.
Paris, 26th April,
1830.
... Ever since I
heard of your illness, and the Lord's mercy in sustaining and restoring, I
have been intending to write to bless the Lord with my very dear sister, and
ask for some words to strengthen my faith, in detail of your cup having run
over in the hour of need. Is it not, indeed, the bleating of Messiah's sheep "I
shall not want?"
"shall not want," because the Lord is our shepherd; "shall not want," because
our shepherd is the Lord! Our shepherd, the all-sufficient! nothing can unite
itself to him, nothing mingle with him; nothing add to his satisfying nature;
nothing diminish from his fulness. There is a peace and fulness of expression
in this little sentence, known only to the sheep. The remainder of the Psalm
is a drawing out of this, "I
shall not want."
In the unfolding we find repose, refreshment, restoring mercies, guidance,
peace in death, triumph, an overflowing of blessings ? future confidence,
eternal security in life or death, spiritual or temporal, prosperity or
adversity ? Time or eternity. May we not boldly say, "The Lord is my
shepherd;" for we stand on the sure foundation of the 22nd Psalm. How can we
want when united to him! we have a right to use all his riches. ? Our wealth
is his riches and glory. ? With him nothing can be withheld. Eternal life
is ours,
with the promise
all shall
be added; all He knows we want. Our shepherd has learnt the wants of his sheep
by experience, for He was himself "led as a sheep to the slaughter." ? Does
not this expression, dictated by the spirit, imply a promise, and a full
promise, when connected with his own words,
I know my sheep:
by what painful discipline He was instructed in this knowledge, subjected
himself to the wants of every sheep, every lamb of his fold, that he might be
able to be touched with a feeling of their infirmities. The timid sheep has
nothing to fear; fear not want, fear not affliction, fear not pain; "fear
not,"
according to your want shall be your supply ? "The
Lord is my
portion," saith my soul,
therefore
will I trust in Him; does the silly sheep cry to be kept from want? it may
well be answered, ye know not what ye ask; it knows not of what it would rob
itself in receiving the supply provided for that particular want. In
the midst of danger,
we have no cause of alarm, we have been taken hold of by Omnipotent love,
"shall never perish." "It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom." All to be expected of a shepherd, shall be found in one, who so
loved us, as to lay down his life for us. Dear sister, have you a want, keep
it not, carry it to Him, it shall be on the mercy-seat
to be considered;
in due time shall be written on it, "to
be provided for."
Have you a want for any dear to you? He has promised you shall not want; if
your demand is not exactly answered, you shall receive something better;
it shall be satisfied.
His fulness is as much at our disposal, as if in our own hands. He keeps it in
himself, that every blessing may be richly doubled. Moses said to the children
of Israel in the wilderness, "the Lord thy God knoweth thy walking through
this great wilderness those forty years. The Lord thy God hath been with thee,
thou hast asked nothing.''
Our wants are fathomless! our help infinite! none but God can tell the
uttermost a God can do. Oh let us, who are the sheep of his pasture, give him
thanks, and show forth HIS praises by venturing on this confidence. There is
no want to his flock; the young lion may lack and suffer hunger, but the good
shepherd's helpless, foolish sheep, shall not want
any good thing.
He is our shield against every foe, he is our guide in every danger, no good
thing can he withhold ? Grace now! glory hereafter! But it is
you must
tell me these truths, for you bring them fresh from the furnace. How blessed
when he takes his bit of clay, and forms it into a vessel fit for the master's
use, especially if he choose for us to be a vessel of consolation to his
little ones. We like the office, but we do not wish the forming: for we can
only comfort with the comfort wherewith we have been comforted. Oh! what a
blessing, we are not left to ourselves, that when we drag the skein of our
life into the most desperate tangles, mercy will sit down patiently to unravel
... What a blessing to be allowed to fall in every possible way, that
self-opinion may come tumbling down, and that we may learn to leave our
righteousness
behind, and
come to Jesus in our sins, instead of leaving our sins behind, to come in our
righteousness; and how blessed we are, not allowed to appear to others what we
really are, full of pride, vanity, selfishness, selfseeking. Oh! what motive
within motive, deceits, hypocrisies, lying in our very representations of
Christ! we desire all should read,
I am comely.
Is it so with you?
Letter 28.
Powerscourt,
October, 1828.
My dear friend ?
The church's husband hath not where to lay his head; the wife always takes the
place of her husband. If such is the character of Christ's church, can that
system be right, which expressly encourages the
opposite
practice? Lord instruct me, I am a fool. As to this trade, and that trade,
being supported, let the dead take care of the dead; our business in life is
not to keep the world
a going,
but to
manifest
the christian's glorious hope. Each book treats of its own subject, and is not
to be blamed for not instructing in all. We are living epistles, but from
God's library, to teach a particular subject; and oh! what a glorious subject!
we have nothing to do with the world; we cannot live too differently. Your
sister says, this is Satan's kingdom; surely then we are not needed to uphold
his system. Poor ... is in grief about her sister, left in India a widow; but
how kind of Him to afflict us to
try our faith;
we talk of the promises, but how different to make use of them! how difficult
to take Him at his word without an evidence; how merciful to be so let into
the secrets of his love, that he does not suffer us to walk smoothly down the
stream of time, but sends large and rough billows to dash us on the promises;
sweetens our bitterness, and embitters our sweets. This should be the
christian's elevation, to
walk on the promises.
The more we are forced to prove them, the more highly favoured, because our
ideas of things are not according to this world. It is a great thing really to
trust Him
through thick and thin,
believe our sorrow is our joy, our misery our happiness. He deprives us of
provision for earthly affection, that these affections going in search of
their object, may take a grand grasp of Him, the archetype, the fountain of
every excellency; all love in comparison is but the rivulet to the ocean, one
limited to the nutshell of a human heart; the other immense, as the infinite
mind of Jehovah. Let us then use our privilege, dear friend, and launch our
souls upon the promises of Him, who means what He says. With affectionate love
to your dear sister
Believe me very
affectionately yours,
T. A. P.
Letter 29.
Brussels, Dec. 15,
1829.
We have been here
six weeks and have had no improvement in any art but patience; worth coming
all this way to learn that; thus the Lord lays His plans for us, calls us
sometimes into the wilderness to speak comfortably, admits this world to be
tribulation,
does not make light of it, tells us not to expect any thing else in it, but
gives two famous recipes for patience under it, "rejoicing in hope," "instant
in prayer." I trust my faithful heavenly friend has been pointing out to me of
my faults. The instrument with which He probes the wound, is so oiled with
love, it heals in wounding. I have been thinking, my dear sister, time is so
short, it would be better could we throw all our powers into straining every
nerve for His glory, in the situation in which He has placed us, instead of
losing time in doubting whether we are in the right situation. These doubts
prevent the gratitude He expects; for there is a
right side
in
every
thing; there
must be,
because it is His will that "in every thing we should give thanks." There is a
blessing, I am persuaded, in every snare, could we cherish and make use of the
blessing, and roll the snare on him. May
He put a
new song in
my mouth,
even thanksgiving to our God. Tell me what you have been thinking of? and what
state religion is in where you are? This town is in a sad state, wholly given
to idolatry, because Roman Catholic; three English churches, but no gospel.
The French Walloon minister we hear is very good, but the town is full of
English who could not understand him. All I can find we are sent here for, is
to pray for them, and that is not little; a day spent in prayer is a truly
profitable day, its usefulness ceases not with the day. Let us then be Phebe's,
seek to carry cups of consolation to the church; she carried a large cup to
Rome. If we ask any thing according to His will, we may believe
we have the
answer. It is His declared will ? He wills not the death of any, but that all
should be saved. We have not because we ask not. Do we indeed believe He is
soon coming? Would it be found out by a beholder? Are we so fitted into those
precepts which, put together like a mosaic, make up the image of Christ, as to
force lookers on to say, "I would see Jesus?" He does not mistake either what
is for our good or for His glory. I have discovered He has locked up my
happiness in the concave of His shield, to shelter it from being subject to
the influence of
any
creature. Why should those mourn at anything here, who are reconciled to the
Judge of all the earth? who have access to Him at all times, and friendly
intercourse with Him; whose hope is founded on His love, and look forward to
seeing Him, as a long tried friend; whose very tribulations are turned into
blessings, and not only so, but also have God for
their God,
who understands to bless them according to His name ? God? All belonging to
Him is ours; as that dear letter said. I have had great delight in the
remembrance of that letter, I have searched into Scripture on the subject and
have been refreshed; if you have heard from her on communion with the Father,
or the Spirit, will you not send me the letter? I shall return it quite safe,
His power is ours ? none shall pluck us out of his hands. His wisdom ? for all
things shall work together for our good. His holiness ? for sin shall not have
dominion over us. His justice ? for He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins. His faithfulness ? because it secures the fulfilment of all his
promises. His eternity ? "because He lives we shall live also," so shall we be
for ever with the Lord, "my Lord and my God." Every sin should increase our
trust ? seeing it proves to us in the most convincing manner, that He is
absolutely necessary. Weakness is ours ? since it forces us to live by faith
on one mighty to save. The drying up of earthly streams makes us cleave to Him
who is all in all, prevails on us to find happiness in His fulness. Every
thing around rings in the ear,
go to Jesus.
It is an unspeakable blessing in such a world to be able to see anything
coming
straight
from Him without any second cause between; it would keep us very
patient
thus to possess the soul; we know He has a
design in
all He does; the more grievous the dispensation, the more certainty of its
need; what He does, we know not now, but
shall know
hereafter. His purposes are ripening
fast,
unfolding every hour. Even in the consequences of sin, as in David's case, it
is not said the child fell sick, but
the Lord
struck the child, and it was
very sick.
The child of the man after God's own heart! he prayed, he entreated, yet was
refused; yet
he says,
"call on me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify
me." "Yes, he shall deliver in his
own way;
and
whatever be
the way,
in that thing
we shall glorify him!" "I wound and I heal." The hand pierced for us, alone
can wound tenderly, alone can heal perfectly. It is almost worth having a
wound, to prove how tenderly He heals. Has he not taught us much this last
year? Oh! how he spares, when we deserve punishment. How gently he deals;
shakes his rod over us, to bring us to our senses. Often the very dart he uses
to inflict a wound, in order to pour himself into it, is the very sin He
desires us to hate; while his still small voice whispers, return unto me for I
am full of compassion, slow to anger, and repent me of the evil, which seems
to threaten. I have learnt that I am a learner, because a fool ? must sit to
receive, instead of give, comfort; learnt utter
dependance
for every comfort for myself; for every thought! have no stock to use; learnt
more of "any
thing with
thy smile, any thing
but thy
frown;" learnt vanity of resolutions, which cries out beware; learnt
insincerity of motives, much more, how many ends he gains by one means.
Let us, dear
Mrs... occupy diligently till He comes, in the situation He has placed us in.
Though we give our bodies to be burned, though we give all our goods to feed
the poor, though we speak on these subjects as angels having
all knowledge,
in these all shall we utterly be condemned, without "give
me thine heart."
Happy consolation! He will never be weary of our complaints! He loves us when
we weep, as well as when we smile. He loved Mary's tears ? they spoke volumes
to him. Soon shall these trifles be thrown away as children's toys. God looks
upon our follies, as a wise man upon his infant, with
loving pity.
Soon our
tale shall be finished, and the history of our lives put by in the library of
God, as an old volume of his faithfulness. Soon we shall see him face to face,
know as we are known. Soon prophecy shall be all fulfilled! "Every plant which
my heavenly father hath not planted," shall be rooted up; but the little grain
of love, scattered by his own hand, in our hearts, shall flourish in the
courts of the house of our God, for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Soon, soon; why
tarry thy chariot wheels, why so long transplanting from thy nursery, into the
paradise above?...
Letter 30.
... 1830.
My dear Mr ...,
Many thanks for your
very
welcome letter, though it does give so sad an account of that blessed town.
The Sun of Righteousness did shine on me so splendidly, when there, I can
never think of it but as a green pasture. Good
shall come
out of this seeming evil,
to the church.
Oh! that we loved her, as the Wise and All-powerful loves, and we never should
suspect what He is at in his permission of evil. How beautiful the machinery
of grace! How one part acts with another! How glorious will be the discovery
at the end!
While man uses so
many means for one end, God brings about so many ends by one means. One, that
having made prayer the channel of conveying his blessings, that in blessing,
He may bless many ? strengthen faith ? awaken gratitude, and bring glory to
his name as a hearer and answerer of prayer. Expect to find my soul being
saved has been in answer to some prayer, in some part of the world. It can be
said of bountifulness in prayer, as well as alms, "the administration of this
service, not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but is abundant also by
many thanksgivings unto God." Then let us thus return them liberally. It would
be very sweet, could we see every thing in the light of Christ, with reference
to him ? that as Joseph and Benjamin were dear above all the children of
Jacob, because children of Rachel, so the church might be dear to us above all
that is called dear, because dear to Christ. That peace should be precious to
us, not
so much
because happiness in itself, as because it breathes "by my bruise ye arc
healed." This I should think would be one good in the study of prophecy. To
see every thing with reference to Christ, instead of seeing Christ with
reference to ourselves. If dwelling on a crucified Saviour is valuable to the
soul, in lifting us out of self; surely, dwelling on a glorified Saviour must
be doubly so, in giving a far greater lift. A suffering Jesus, though full of
consolation, reflects back on our wilderness troubles, and under-curse state;
a glorified Jesus, darts us forward to the time when all tears shall be past
for ever, in his glory and our own. The most wonderful thing to me in this
town is one, I fear too stale to you for me to indulge myself in dwelling on ?
namely, that I am of God, while most of those around are in the arms of the
wicked one. ? Wonderful to receive this message, morning after morning, "thy
sins, which are
many, are
forgiven!" ? Wonderful to have so patient a Teacher! ? Wonderful, a day is
coming when I shall be satisfied with myself; without pride! But passing
wonderful, that "He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though,
after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom
I shall see for myself!" etc. Mr. Howels had this text last Sunday. He
remarked from it that the desires of God's children, when good for them, will
surely be answered. Job said, "Oh! that my words were written, graven in the
rock;" but he had above his desire, more than he asked or thought. Had that
been granted, all the elements would have waged war against and erased it. But
the Rock of Ages descended; had it engraven in his bosom, which nothing shall
ever efface, but it shall be read by
all, time
without end. He said, "Redeemer" and kinsman were the same; spoke of him as
kinsman in avenging the death of his brother, on his murderers ? He pursued,
and overtook the enemy on Calvary; also as raising up seed to his brother, in
uniting himself to humanity, which before had none. A rose never so sweet as
when bruised and squeezed. When the rose of Sharon was bruised, and trampled
on, the fragrance filled every breath of heaven. ? When Christ came, the
bosom of Deity was opened for our perusal. Either Christ is God, or the worst
in hell ? reprobation the child, not the parent of sin. In marriage, the
maiden name is annihilated ? the church's maiden name, not blotted out, but
annihilated ? no longer known by it; so any believer who has but one grain of
grace, has no right to be called ungodly; henceforth his name is "the Lord our
Righteousness." He introduces schism into our corruptions, and thus makes them
destroy themselves, and each other; and out of each fall rises a grace, as the
ph?nix out of its own ashes. The woman clothed in the sun ? the believer
clothed in his God for ever. He, a shield, interposes himself between us and
every enemy. What can penetrate infinity and eternity? By and bye, we shall
see all the evil from which we have been shielded. How often, that we do not
know, have we been carried past them, as children over whose eyes you put your
hand while carrying them across, that they may not see the danger. The poor
are shielded from riches ? the rich from poverty...
Yours most
affectionately,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 31.
...1828.
My dear ..., I am
glad to hear you are in our neighbourhood, though grieved for the cause. But
why?
Trials make the
promise sweet;
Trials give new
life to prayer;
Trials brings me
to His feet,
Lay me low, and
keep me there.
Then let us enjoy
our wilderness blessings: ? here, ruffled peace. Future joy, and joy yet
future, we shall have
eternity
for. Only for a few moments joy
in sorrow;
calm in a storm. Then I will rather wish you joy, that by the pressure of his
dear hand, He thus keeps up in your mind ? "Behold! how I love you." How
needed it must be, when compassion wounds, when love chastens. The Lord "has
need" now, not of your strength, but of your weakness. What a day is before
us! when we shall be able to adore his faithfulness without the teaching of it
by a crossed will, and disappointed prospects; when we shall be able to know
the sweetness of confidence, without trust; humility, without pride to humble;
the fulness of his presence, without a waste heart; the sympathy of our
Comforter, without sorrow; the gentleness of our physician, without pain; the
tenderness of our nurse, without sickness; yes, and even the abounding of
grace, without sin.
"For ease should I
praise! but if only for this,
I should leave
half untold the donation of bliss;
I praise thee, I
bless thee, my King and my God,
For the good and
the evil thy hand hath bestow'd."
I write to let you
know that (as your mouth is shut, and perhaps you would like to indulge your
ear,) Mr... will lecture at two o'clock this day.
Yours, dear Mr...
very sincerely,
For the truth's
sake,
T. A. Powerscourt
Letter 32.
Powerscourt, 11th
February, 1829.
My dear friend, I
have been much arrested of late by Acts 5. 12 - 14. Just what believers should
be among men. The question is not, shall we put out this or that person from
our society; but shall we not so live, so speak, that no man who was not in
reality durst join himself to us? Oh! what perilous times these for the
church. We see the merciful wisdom
in the necessity
of persecution and tribulation, to keep the church
in the world.
She is in prosperity, when in persecution. Satan is not asleep; is more to be
dreaded when undermining by expediency, than when openly destroying;
deceiving, if it were possible, the very elect; leading them to do his works
with plausible motives, and in spite of most sincere hearts; wishing to
correct a false idea prevalent in the world ? namely, that all religion
consisted in living differently from others. The church has now ended in
living in strict conformity to the world; so that, in preventing the mistake,
she has become unfaithful to her trust, by misrepresenting Christianity, and
presenting a false likeness of her Lord; reconciling, indeed, the world, in a
great measure, to that which, if faithfully represented, it never could be
reconciled to; therefore testifying against herself in the very
reconciliation. Is not this the cause why Christianity is so much more
profession than confession? ... Though scattered abroad, we are not scattered
abroad preaching the Gospel; we have sallied forth into the world, walked
among its children, stood, and at length sat down amongst them, stretched out
our hands to the world, and, consequently, it has stretched out its hand to
us; and now we are walking comfortably arm in arm. Did we not meet them in
luxuries, they would not meet us. Did our conversation and deportment testify
against them, they would soon bid farewell to us. Perilous times when
Christians
have time
to play with idols ... A dear friend says, "The church is become so satisfied
with her widowhood as to cease to look out for her Lord." Such are we. Times
of persecution will only admit of drawing up every faculty of the soul to
one point.
How splendid the grace of patient waiting in Rutherford, and other persecuted
believers. Love almost calls for troublous times, in the faithful suspicion of
disfiguring HIS
cause whom
WE DO LOVE. The more rejoicing there is in the Lord, the more the idea
grieves. How often we feel this in individual cases, in the toleration of
one's family; how less burdensome often their rejection would be, though they
are still so dear. That this is the evil state of things, is evident to all.
It is little use mourning over it; but the question with us is, how shall we
in serving our generation before we fall on sleep, testify against these
evils? For since he must have some in every time to bear Him faithful witness,
how shall we be among this privileged set? Since he has shown his affection in
trusting our love, (by lending us volumes of his library for the perusal of
the world,) surely, it is a most interesting question, how shall we be
faithful to our charge? Is not the answer briefly expressed in his own
reiterated command, so trampled under foot ?
Love; to
exhibit it in the greater union of the body; in more diffusing around this
spirit, this heavenly atmosphere; in more demonstrating it in action. How He
entreats, as to this grace; upon what a basis He grounds the entreaty ?
if ye love;
how unlimited He leaves it ? "as I have loved you." Self-denying love ?
"though rich, for our sakes became poor," etc. Devoted love ? "gave himself
for us" ? "kindly affectionate" ? "courteous" ? "having compassion one of
another" ? "weeping with those that weep, rejoicing with those that rejoice" ?
"if one member suffer, let all suffer" ? "not minding our own things, but
every man the things of another" ? "walk in love, as Christ loved you" ? the
same love will be well pleasing, a sweet incense ? "condescending to those of
low estate" ? "consider one another, to provoke to love and good works, not
forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, and so much the more as ye
see the day approaching;" showing meekness, gentleness, faithfulness,
forbearance, long-suffering. It appears to me, if each body of Christians were
to aim more at this, in action, word, and spirit, in each separate place, the
world would be more convinced by this
oneness,
than by using methods of expediency to be of use to them; such as religious
parties, etc. Hypocrites would be more ashamed of putting on Christ as a
garment of fame; while believers would be fitted into him more closely, as a
garment bound round with the bond of perfectness ? the badge of discipleship.
It seems to me
faithful parochial ministers now content themselves with the work of an
evangelist, neglecting the most difficult part of their office ? heart
searching work ... The minister should watch over, warn, exhort, point out
from Scripture errors in spirit, and errors in life, and, though last not
least, the body should make each others circumstances, as well as the church's
interests, more its own; so that the faithfulness shown to each individual
would multiply the thanksgivings of many, and redound to the glory of God. It
would be sweet to have this pillar of truth, with love inscribed on it,
erected in different parts of the country, in the parish of every faithful
minister. I would especially enforce on myself, that outward demonstrations of
love are far easier than the spirit ? our real want is more of the spirit;
without this, all endeavours to love, to show humility, spirituality, would be
a mimicking Christ, a carcass without a soul. Nothing seems so likely to place
in a state of expectation and looseness to the world, as keeping the eye on
his second coming. It enables the soul to bound forward, as the struggle which
Satan has made to maintain erroneous views on this subject is sufficient
proof. I would also enforce on myself, that to give money is the
least gift
we have to give in token of love. Love, while producing self-denial, also
produces generosity in
every way
in which we can possibly show kindness. Love is not always counting its pence.
Then, dear friend, let us behold, as in a glass, every day more of the glory
of God, till we are changed into his image. Let us get heat, by living near
the furnace of love. May he mellow our hearts into his own spirit! May the
fountain poured in overflow to all around! Have we not been loved? Do we not
love? Are we not in the light? Are we not the subjects of his petition, "that
they may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee?" Perhaps my
poverty in this grace, makes me feel the need of it so much in the church. May
my want lead to more earnest prayer, to be enabled to "love unfeignedly with
pure hearts
fervently,"
"in
deed, and
in truth," "as ourselves;" not love proceeding from duty, but love that shall
produce duty; "as
brethren,"
to those we live with, as well as those we occasionally meet! Is not this
godlike grace endeared by being his command, his
last, shall
I say only command, given when his own feelings and agonies were forgotten in
anxiety to comfort his sorrowing disciples? Is it not the embryo of his future
kingdom? Alas! my leanness, my leanness! Yet I often think we do not enough
wonder at the grace already bestowed. There is so much evil within, we fear to
look in even at his grace, and we see it so mixed up in others often, we
cannot separate it from the creature; but yet a little, and all his handywork
in us shall be shown to his praise and his glory. Every receiver of a cup of
cold water shall stand up to witness to it; we shall not recognise ourselves,
(Matt. 25. 37.) Till that day I put by my hallelujahs, except for this, that
there
shall be a
day in which I shall be able to praise him. I expect in that day to have much,
oh, how much! of his faithfulness to tell you ? a joyful, wondrous story, as
wonderful to myself, as it shall be wonderful to you. I have thus poured out
to you my sentiments, not only to have your opinion, if all this is a fancy of
my brain, but if not, for you to try and induce the ministers with whom you
have influence, to set an example to others in these perilous days. Pray write
soon, and exhort me in that in which you see me most wanting.
Yours, in the
sincerity of Christian affection,
T. A. P.
Letter 33.
Powerscourt, 7th
April, 1829.
My dear friend ?
Tell ... with my love, that the people imagine a vain thing, and the rulers,
in taking counsel against the Lord; for He that sitteth in the heavens shall
laugh, and shall deride them by setting his King upon his holy hill of Zion.
Nothing shall retard his approach and glory. Each event shall as surely hasten
it, as days, and months, and years, bring on eternity.
I hope you
sometimes think of me when you go in before the Lord. Oh! you have much to ask
for me; and how blessed would be my necessities to you, could they keep you
but a moment longer in communion with the Friend of Sinners! Thus might our
infirmities, as well as our graces, be made blessings to our friends.
Yours, my dear
friend, in Him who is our all in all,
T. A. P.
Letter 34.
Powerscourt, 24th
July, 1829.
My dear friends
must think me dead and buried; yet you see I am revived. I long to hear from
you again; what a sad spirit seems to be exhibited in many parts of ... ! such
a spirit, so much seen in the writings of those who stand up for our glorious
prospects, seems to do more against the good at which they aim than all their
writings can do for it, at least on this side the water.
Is not the old
covenant completely abolished, instead of remaining to be executed? Will you
tell me if you think this conclusion just, which I have come to on the
subject? Covenant just means God's plans fixed in eternity, being unfolded in
the promises, and confirmed by sacrifices. God's great purpose from eternity
was, that an inheritance should be possessed by Abraham and his seed, in whom
all the families of the earth should be blessed. A promise to this end was
given in Eden, renewed to Abraham, then to David. The whole arrangement of the
Jewish ceremony called the old covenant, or arrangement, were the same
promises handed down by types, instead of word; the confirmation of these
promises was Christ's sacrifice, of which the smoking furnace and burning lamp
were types, like as were the sacrifices. An ordinance of confirmation,
relating to the same promises, is still kept up in the Lord's supper; which,
while reminding in His sacrifice of the security of God's promise, by
repeating as often as we partake of it, "until my coming again," still carries
us on to his appearing a second time, without sin unto salvation, when shall
be the execution, and full operation of this everlasting, ever new, covenant!
I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts, etc. I
will sprinkle clean water upon them, (Exodus, 36. 23.) I do not see any
difference between covenant and testament; for a will is simply the promise of
a free gift, with the promise well secured. The will may be made and secured
many years before it is executed. Will you take the trouble of pulling this to
pieces? I was going to say much more, but have not time. ? May He
who hath mercy
on you, lead you by springs of water ? may He guide you wherever you go this
summer ? may
He lead,
He who
leadeth Joseph like a flock, He who leads the blind by a way they know not, He
who will not overdrive his flock, but gently lead the heavy laden ? may He go
with you and before you. You
cannot go
from his presence, whatever labyrinth you may get entangled in; He shall so
shine forth as to make it a plain path. In the multitude of strange notions
that surround, He shall lead you in his truth; in the multitude of sins, He
shall lead you in paths of righteousness; in the midst of mortality, He shall
lead you in the way everlasting, ever leading to the Rock that is higher than
you.
I leave you in His
safe keeping, and remain, though a silent, yet a very sincere and hearty
friend,
T. A. P.
Letter 35.
Brussels, 2nd
March, 1830.
My very dear
friend ? How is your sister? had no idea she was so ill. How much you must
both have suffered! I put off every post writing, hoping to give you an answer
about ... but I cannot wait longer, for I really wish to hear you are both
delivered from your troubles. What a comfort to remember there is a great
meaning in glorifying God, and that He does use his creatures for that end!
There was a great meaning in all your dear sister suffered, and all you
suffered in her; to be purified in the furnace of another's sufferings is
difficult, it shall be found to his glory at his coming! The world thinks us
insignificant creatures; but, oh! how important all we do, all we say. Nothing
is trifling. We are a spectacle to the invisible world, &c; the subjects of
competition between powers of light, and powers of darkness ? pillars on which
Christ's kingdom is sustained in Satan's world, temples of promise, therefore
houses of prayer, habitations of the spirit. When we pray to be spared a
trial, it may well be answered, "ye know not what ye ask," ? we know not of
what supplies we should thus deprive ourselves. Yes, we are a people to be
wondered at. How extraordinary that we should be marked ones, and that all
should be forced to see that our kingdom is not from hence, and that our hope
is laid up in heaven!
That is very
superficial which is only learnt by rote, we must come into the school of
experience in order to learn by heart. Alas! what idolatry, what mockery, what
mummery around me. May He quickly come, and set all things in order, for this
confusion is the earnest of hell!
Tell your dear
sister, with my sincere sympathy and affectionate love, I remember her to the
All-sufficient. Pray write soon to your very affectionate friend,
T. A. P.
Letter 36.
Paris, May, 1830.
My very dear
friend ? Truly I feel for your fresh trial, one peculiarly trying to you: how
graciously He has taught you to bend under it! One sermon from himself is
worth a thousand from any man. Never so sweet is it to be raised up, as when
He has cast down. Are we not given to drink largely of refreshment, and
consolation from the Comforter even in the desert, to lie down in our field of
promise. "When he giveth quietness, who then shall give trouble?" Enemies may
surround, but our Shepherd is near; enemies may be in ambush, but the shepherd
is on the watch. But could we only recount our repose and refreshment ? should
we not leave half untold the donation of bliss? Is it not blessed to be able
to sing of judgment as well as mercy? Surely it is among our chiefest
blessings that it has never yet been said of us, "let
them alone."
Israel was blessed, while God brought down their heart through heaviness, for
they cried unto the Lord in their trouble. Israel was blessed, while they slew
them: then they sought him, and remembered God was their rock, and the high
God their Redeemer. The sorest word ever spoken to them, I think, was "why
should ye be stricken
any more?
ye will revolt more and more." But though silly sheep still, though still
straying, counting the cost, we can say, "seek thy servant." Cannot we testify
that love has rebuked, and chastened again and again, when we have turned
aside? Has he not been unwearied in preserving our faith? Though Satan has
been permitted to sift, his grain of wheat has not fallen to the ground;
though cast into the furnace, the refiner has sat over his treasure, because
to him the trial was precious. When sin has separated between Him and us,
where idols have scattered our thoughts here and there, has He not been
bent on
restoring? has he not yearned over his Ephraim? Sometimes He almost breaks the
heart with such a look as He gave Peter; sometimes he overcomes by passing by
iniquities; sometimes by feeding with the rod and judgments. But of this we
may rest assured, blessed thought! He
will
restore, till we can say in the spirit of him who was dumb before the
shearers, "any
thing
with, thy
smile,"
any thing
but thy
frown? I think at other times the soul feels so conscious of ingratitude and
baseness, that its own convictions suppose displeasure in the Friend of
Sinners, which needs a strong expression to prove it otherwise. At such times
it is not sufficient to know He is a friend, we need a smile to infuse
confidence. The conscious prodigal expects a rod, his father runs, "falls on
his neck and kisses him." We cannot long read the volume of his providence, it
appears to me, without experiencing this dealing; for He delights to expose
the soul's proneness to expect dealing according to desert, by sparing when we
deserve punishment, and in the midst of judgment remembering mercy. Alas! how
slow we are in learning not to turn
from, but
flee
to Jesus in
our extremities, as our hiding place and guide. Satan's constant aim I think
seems to be, to lead
from the
simplicity which is in Christ ? Christ's to restore us
to it, and
lead us in it. I believe we are only wise in giving ourselves up to his
guidance, and in following
whithersoever
He leads. Followers of a crucified One, we must expect a thorny, though a
trodden path; but He will not leave till He has
satisfied,
yea, satiated the hungry soul with goodness. His glory is bound up in us!
his name is in us!
I suppose you have seen... since his return, who has told you all about this
place. Infidelity is horrible in the world, more boldly confessed I should
think than formerly. Much good here, and nice preaching; simple, joyful,
marrow of the Gospel, though not much deep experience. We need to have the
enemy met in the avenues within, and overcome with a text. This is where Mr.
Howels excels. Tell me some things he has said of late in his sermons.
Yours in truth and
faithfulness,
Theodosia A.
Powerscourt.
Letter 37.
Paris, June 8,
1830
My dear friend ? I
should be pained, indeed, if you were to consider I have not often, often,
thought of, and deeply felt with you in your last most trying, most peculiarly
afflictive visitation. I have remembered you, where alone I could be useful;
and I doubt not, you have received some sweet drops of cordial from His
faithful messenger. I trust now, as of old, you can say, "It has been good."
You have had an experience of his tenderness, which you would not be without,
and we know little of. He allots you the most favoured place in his church on
earth, to glorify Him in the fires. Behold, how He loves! What a reality ill
the promises when learnt in the furnace! What pains He takes in your
education! How bright He means you to shine! My dear friend, I have also most
gratefully to thank you for the trouble you took for me in the long
instructive and interesting letter you last wrote. I have, also, considered
your
fresh
trial, and seen the hand of the Lord in it. Oh! is it not well for us that the
cup of consolation is not in our hands? There is One who holds it, yes, holds
it for you; and though he mingles the bitter ingredient of sickness and trial,
yet, there are drops from the fountain of everlasting love mingled to sweeten
the draught; and it has been sweet; yes, I know it has, and wait to hear it
from your own mouth in a very few days, if the Lord conduct us in safety. My
God does all things well. We cannot see it, we cannot feel it, but
He has said,
therefore, in spite of sense, faith shall see and faith shall feel, "He does
all things well." "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with
sons." Mr. Howels says, A father's heart is not wholly seen till it descends
in tears on the rod of chastisement ? he knows where to chasten, where the
heart feels the rod. Sometimes he sends a rod which is light to ourselves,
while a whip of scorpions to others. He also knows when to strike; takes the
best opportunity of correcting us the best way; often takes to the edge of a
precipice to show us the abyss down which he could dash our hearts till they
might shiver to pieces at the bottom; and this, perhaps, when we are
complaining of something else, some providence or dispensation. He just shows
what he is able to do, to humble and chasten at the moment we require. He
cannot mistake as to the matter, manner, time, or place; all selected by
infinite wisdom. Oh! "He doeth all things well." Infinite love is in the
arrangement. There is the love, pity, vigilance, tenderness, anxiety,
sympathy, caution; the whole head, the whole eye, the whole heart of a Father
at work. None but a Father can tell the feelings of a father, when, indeed, He
chastens, not for the indulgence of his own temper, but for the good of the
child He loves. And who can tell what the refinement, exaltation, perfection
of paternal feeling is in the bosom of him, who so loved the world as to give
his only begotten Son? That Father who spared him not, but gave him up for us
? How shall He not with him give all things? How unsearchable must be the love
of God to his poor sinful worms where the paternal feelings for Jesus, as to
the infliction of sufferings, were (if it be not presumptuous to say)
sacrificed to save his people from suffering? Oh! when we so much need the
rod, shall we faint under or despise it? May it be sweet to us in the
apprehension of faith, however bitter in the feeling of sense. Till I have the
pleasure and profit of seeing you and your dear sister, please Providence,
believe in the sincere affection and sympathy of a true friend in Christ,
T. A. P.
"Now I beseech you
for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that you
strive together with me, in your prayers to God for me, that I may come unto
you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. The God of
peace be with you."
Letter 38.
Powerscourt, 21st
August, 1830.
My dear friend ? I
was most truly grieved not to find you in London when I passed through. I
counted that I should have had four days of your society, and could not help
dropping a few tears of disappointment on receiving your note. I wonder if we
shall ever meet again. Mrs... is dying. Her's is a happy lot; but, that of her
devoted husband, experience tells me, will be a long, long, black and sad one;
but in His light, no doubt, we shall walk through darkness. Though I sit in
darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me. It is well to have reality brought
before us, to be forced even for others to seek out the promises. We discover
ourselves so secure, ingenuity and unbelief cannot find a hole for doubt to
creep in. He has provided for every case, and thus proved ours has been
foreseen. I love to take the promises
out of Christ,
to see them lodged in his experience for our use; to remember He earned the
fulness treasured up in him ? his unsearchable riches. I believe his sympathy
to be quite beyond any thing that has ever entered into our hearts. He had a
power of receiving his people's feelings into his own bosom, so as to wipe, as
it were, their very tears. This sensibility united with his purity, brought
forth a remorse, a stinging of conscience more piercing than that of David
when he said, "I have sinned." More bitter than that of Peter, when "he went
out and wept bitterly." It is an argument with some, that as He could not feel
remorse for sin, it is vain to seek to prove that He was in all points tempted
like as we are. I believe He could with truth say, "Thou knowest my
foolishness, my sins are not hid from thee." I believe in Peter's denial; He
felt his ingratitude as a man, and the abhorrence of his sin as God, which
wrought within him so grievous a wound. He could well say, "My wounds stink,
and are corrupt through my foolishness." Likewise, in his tears over
Jerusalem, there was a remorse as to his own, who should crucify Him, as well
as compassion for those who should remain in impenitent unbelief, which
enabled him also to say, "mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy
burden; they are too heavy for me." How mysterious his sufferings. They appear
more so every day, especially when we remember, that there is a depth of truth
in every word He uttered, as expressed in the Psalms.
Thank your dear
sister for her letter. You cannot think how much I enjoy both your letters.
They are streams from the Fountain of consolation helping to make up my river
of peace, consequently drops in the ocean of his glory. How blessed, that when
He says it is his will, that his people should have strong consolation, He has
ordained it should be communicated through his members!
I want very much
to know how far I am to take the promise, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask
of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." I find it quite
a common idea, that when I ask for bread, I may be given a stone; for fish, I
may be given a serpent; that his "liberally"
means to let me run into all sorts of error. His "not upbraiding," to deliver
me up to the guidance of Satan. At least, I think, it is the same thing to
say, I am not to consider what I learn in the study of Scripture, with prayer,
the teaching of God.
Believe me, dear
Friend,
Faithfully and
affectionately yours,
T. A. P.
Letter 39.
Probably, 1830.
... It is said
when He comes, shall He find faith in the earth? but while taking shame on
this ground to ourselves, in having so badly used the talent entrusted to us,
let us rejoice that the church is not invisible to her Lord. If it is true of
Jews still beloved for the Father's sake, how much more may
we say,
still beloved for the Son's sake; still is He the head and husband of his
church, the Saviour of the body; still does He love her, for whom He gave
himself; still does He sanctify and cleanse her; still does He look forward to
presenting her to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or
any such thing, holy and without blemish; still does He
love her
as himself;
still nourish and cherish her as members of his body, his flesh, his bones;
still does he cleave to his wife, for they two are one spirit. He that is
joined to the Lord is one spirit. As individuals, we are sons and daughters of
the Lord Almighty ? as a body, the church, ? His celestial bride, (see Rev.
21. 9.) "This," says the apostle, "is a great mystery!" all said of the
terrestrial bride, glorified Jerusalem, is true of her spiritually, "Jerusalem
from above." Though no individual, or body of individuals, is infallible, yet
does infallibility dwell in her, inasmuch as all possessed of His mind,
possess an infallible teacher; though no individual or body of individuals is
omnipotent, yet does omnipotence dwell in her, inasmuch as a God of power
inhabits his people; therefore the gates of hell shall not prevail. What a
mysterious subject is Jesus' knowledge
as man, an
interesting subject! I dare say I before wrote to you on the subject. There is
a knowledge which He possesses from everlasting to everlasting, which has been
ever perfect admitting of no increase, by which His scrutinizing eye flies
through earth and hell, penetrating the bosoms of the lost; but His knowledge
as
man in
which He grew as He grew in years, by which He "knows his sheep," implies
love. Love brought Him into our school, led Him through every class in that
school. Love educated Him into the knowledge of death and the grave. ? With
this love, He embraced the individual temptations of all his family, so as to
be able to say to
all, "Come
unto me, and ye shall find rest." This knowledge includes sympathy, for He
remembers every lesson learned under the rod ? without this knowledge, He
could not hold the reins of government, nor present millions every moment to
his Father. ? By this knowledge, He pursues the lost with mercies, till they
cast themselves into the pit of destruction. ? By this knowledge, He is
familiarly acquainted with all our necessities, and has experienced how we
stand in need of his covenant in all its fulness, and all its perfections
every moment,
all his grace, all his love, all his truth, all his justice. We
experience
his knowledge, in the aptness by which He applies all
He can confer,
to our multiplied intricate cases, making us at the same time capable of
receiving all He has to give. Sometimes we are reminded of his knowledge, in
his noticing our sins, either by throwing into our faces the sparks of hell,
as when He looked at Peter, or sometimes by tenderly kissing them away, as
when three times asking, "Lovest thou me?" ? But He learnt
in order to
communicate! We
may hunger
and thirst, for we shall at length be capacitated to receive
all the
treasures of wisdom, a knowledge hid in Him
for us!
Angels have no such capacity ? "I have declared unto them thy name, and will
declare it, that," etc. etc. We desire the knowledge of our master, yet refuse
the same discipline, but
we are learners
? we are not ambitious enough. He expects us to learn with the celerity of
instinct. ? Let His discipline teach us what
now to
expect ? to be giants in knowledge. Jesus was once an infant; He attained his
size, because He
eat his food,
"grew in wisdom." There is something sweet in spelling out of a book, the
leaves of which were cut by Him! In
his school
we must learn most painful lessons of dependance ? sometimes be almost flayed
alive to keep us from worshipping ourselves. In
his school
(I mean the one in which He was educated) we shall learn in every difficulty
to turn to the Father, as an infant in its mother's arms, at the approach of
danger hides itself in the bosom of its best friend, and is happy. In his
school, we shall get knowledge to learn to live, to learn to ward off ALL the
fiery darts of the wicked with the shield of faith, to learn to walk on the
waters in the trials of life, to walk on burning coals in its prosperity, to
learn to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fearing no evil, for
his
rod and his
staff comfort. From the meekness and lowly heart of our teacher we shall learn
the docility of learners, the bleating of Messiah's sheep, "I shall not want."
How the Lord labours to get us to believe that as He
is, so are
we! Was not the glorified body of Jesus standing at the right hand of God in
the light of the highest, when the apostle declared, "Our vile bodies shall be
fashioned like to His?" see Rev. 1. 16; Matt. 17. 2; then Matt. 13. 43. See
Him as he is, and be like Him! John 14. 3-6. "enter into
joy of Lord,"
John 17. 22; Rev 3. end ? "so
shall we be ever with the Lord," never tainted with sin, never clouded with
sorrow, where death shall have no name, and falsehood be unknown. We shall not
long have to write or speak, our eyes will be occupied fully ? our ears in
ever new delight: God alone will be able to satisfy glorified ears.
Your very attached
Friend,
T. A. P.
Pray write soon,
and empty out the full of your heart, the evils, the good, and the
affections.
How I love those dear creatures you are with! I hope your time may be as
agreeable as mine with them.
Letter 40.
17th July, 1831.
My very dear
Sister in a happy family. ? We wait with much anxiety to hear from you
respecting your husband. We have heard he was very ill. May you have fresh
mercies to recount of our faithful God. Oh! how dependant we are on Him! how
many vulnerable points! poor triflers that we are! how soon He can bring us
into reality and make us real! I trust you may not have had cause to blame me,
etc. etc. Whatever is, whatever has been, whatever shall be to you,
is well.
May you have faith to see it, in all the wanderings you may yet have before
you, in this vain, this dark howling wilderness; and when we cannot unriddle,
may we learn to trust.
Yours faithfully,
and with much sincere affection,
T. A. P.
Letter 41.
... 1831.
You have no doubt
heard of the death of our dear ... after five days illness; typhus fever, so
short a time did he enjoy what he was so happy in being spared! Vanity of
vanities! His poor wife is every day expecting her confinement, but altogether
satisfied
with her Father's determination concerning her; love sent it, not only love
for time, but for eternity. Can love injure? Yes, in time, for a benefit
through eternity. How true, "life is but a vapour." Every thing which tends to
aggravate a trial seems more loudly to speak the
amazing
love which
sends it ?
deep love ?
when he smites it is to wound, to cause pain, not for His pleasure, but for
our profit. It is "through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom." They
on whom the Lord most bestows trouble here, will shine most brightly in the
kingdom ? polished stones fit for the royal diadem; ? tribulation of
every kind
? not merely persecution for the Lord's sake, but tribulation; and who partook
of all so much as the King of glory? The troubles incident to humanity, Jesus
made his own, all were appropriated by Him, found in the cup He drank of, and
were the essence of the baptism which he was baptised with ? to which cup and
baptism we are invited. This love threatened to send
her last
year into the upper chambers of our Father's house, and has actually called
him; and if
the Lord comes not, though she will not see Him with these eyes till then, she
will soon also leave these vaults, and ascend to the house top. What an
advantage he has over us I Another sheaf housed, another witness added to the
cloud around. It was in ministering to the bodily wants of the poor he took
his fever. How full of wonder all His church will be, when at the last the
manifold wisdom of God shall be exhibited in the individual and collective
salvation and glory of his people.
Most decidedly
your, loved in the Lord and in the flesh,
Theodosia A.
Powerscourt.
Letter 42.
My dear Mr ...,
How does your throat get on? I fear not better. This is just what we need ?
these little changes ? to be taught to make use of the promises. Too apt to be
satisfied with enjoying His word, while reading and meditating on it, then go
away and forget it till the next stated time returns; therefore, it is well to
be scratched on the way with little briers, that we may be sent for healing to
"It is written," to be made to feed on promises all the way; He creates an
appetite for this divine food, then fills the hungry soul with good things ?
sweet to have a care that we may cast it on Him. I believe it is not his will,
we should merely draw upon our bank of consolation, large sums we think worth
drawing for, but He wills we should return, again and again, for every
shilling and six pence. We cannot trouble Him, and surely, never does he deal
more tenderly, than when expecting us to trust, in things about which, He has
made no agreement, for no greater proof is there of affection than to confide
in love ...
We know the Lord!
therefore can leave ourselves to Him without asking for an explanation till
the day of hallelujah. This much we are sure of, every cup our Father puts
into the hands of his children must be a cup of blessing, because more or
less, the communion of the blood of Christ, it
infuses
health before we drink, therefore given
with Him,
every curse is turned into a blessing, every blessing kept from being a curse.
I cannot pity you in being shut up, for you have so large, so beautiful a
field of meditation to walk in ? Christ crucified ? Christ applied ? Christ
glorified! He hath done great things for us! Great things are spoken of us!
Oh, may we be enabled to keep his end in view simply as our end; namely, his
glory. For so admirably has He interwoven his glory and our happiness, that
while our happiness constitutes his glory, his glory constitutes our
happiness; and never shall we know what true satisfaction is, till we cease to
fight to be gods, and take our place as
nothing,
till self is lost in the "all in all" of God ... Excuse this long letter, but
I was reading, that it is our Father's will his children should have strong
consolation, and I thought it would be a nice thing to be a rivulet of
comfort, helping to make up your peace
as a river,
and thus be also a drop in the ocean of His glory...
Yours very truly,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 43.
My dear Mr ..., I
heard yesterday you were not well. I hope it is nothing more than cold, and
that you have not laid in your hoarseness for the winter, not only for our
sakes, but it must be a trial to the friend of the Bridegroom, to be unable to
nourish and comfort his friend's bride, especially, when, in entrusting him
with so precious a charge, during his absence, He has manifested such a
confiding affection, "lovest thou me? Feed my sheep." Well, you have one more
difficult task, than, either defending, or supporting her ? that is,
comforting her. She so often asks, "Watchman, what of the night? Why tarry the
wheels of his chariot?" She so often complains "The Lord hath forsaken me, and
my Lord hath forgotten me." She so often needs to be reminded, that He has
indeed left this message with you for her, that "the mountains may depart, and
the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither
shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on
thee," ? "I will never leave thee," and to be urged ? "Though He tarry, wait
for Him, for He will come, and not tarry." May you be much cheered in
contemplating the day of the Bridegroom's return, when you shall restore your
precious charge, when your joy shall be fulfilled, in hearing His voice, and
receiving "Well done, good and faithful servant," etc. How I should like to be
a minister...
Very truly,
T. A. P.
Letter 44.
March 3rd, 1831.
My dear Mr ..., I
have been dwelling a good deal lately on the sweetest of all subjects ? our
union with Jesus. It is a holy and mysterious subject, but since our teacher
is one who searcheth the deep things of God, is it not our privilege to
venture under his guidance into
all revealed,
even into the most High; to walk about and consider this our habitation, and
call all within, our own. Whatever declares the identification of Jesus with
us, also witnesses to our identification with him. He was educated and
disciplined in every thing. He was taught by the Spirit; led the path of
faith, not only for our sakes, but our inheritance. We have an interest in his
person, as well as in his office and character. We must live in God, inhale
his breath, for like the sun, we can only know him by his own influences
proceeding from himself. How holy would be our walk! how much of the
atmosphere of heaven we should diffuse around, if we always came forth into
the world, from the secret place of the most high, as our
abiding
place. What a field of delight this opens to us in the anticipation of our own
loveliness,
full of grace
and
truth, like
Jesus! heirs of all the wealth of him who
is God ?
precious in itself, doubly precious from being his. But not only future
delights, but present privileges; for united to him, though a beggar in rags,
yet in graces is not the believer this moment, our dear Brother in embryo? I
speak not of Jesus our Lord, as God over all ? the "I am," or "my fellow,"
neither as "the Word," who was "in the beginning with God," "by whom all
things were made;" who came out from the Father, to testify what he had seen
and heard. But the union which, as Jesus of Nazareth, He possessed when
anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power. He went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed, because God was with him, which is expressed
(it seems to me) in, "we are one," "the Father in me, and I in him." It having
pleased the Father, all fulness should dwell in him, even all the "fulness of
the Godhead bodily," which oneness He declares, we shall know
at that day.
This union, whatever it is,
is ours.
"He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in
him." He that keeps his commandments ? whosoever confesses that Jesus is the
son of God ? he that dwells in love ? he that loves his brother, God dwells in
him, and he in God ? "We will come and make our abode with him," "Christ in
you," and in "that
day," this
oneness shall also be known, for "ye shall know in that day, that I am in my
Father, and you in me, and I in you!!!" From this union seems to flow every
other blessing. Being members of his body, of his flesh, and his bones ?
"joined to the Lord," therefore "one spirit," the same things which are true
in God, are also true in us, who are Christ's. Oh, what a world of glory is
opened to us in these words, "my beloved is mine, and I am his!" Nothing can
separate us from Jesus. Nothing extracts Jesus from the cup presented. Laden
with him every event must be full of love, though perhaps blessings in
disguise. He gives to drink of his own cup of blessedness, and glory. The
grain of wheat having fallen into the earth, taken root in the depths of hell,
we have sprung up in him. If exposed to the same blasts, we also enjoy the
same refreshing dews, the same enlivening sun. Possessed of his nature we
shrink, as the sensitive plant, from the touch of sin, but with
him
shooting up into the very heavens, we drop into the Father's hand, the tender
grapes of his choice vine. "All our fresh springs," are in him.
Your description
of all the dear Christians at ... is lamentable; sad, very sad, the members
should be so unlike the head; and this alas! is too true of us all. The
transcript of the Spirit, though executed with exquisite nicety, is scarcely
perceptible through the thick veil of flesh that covers it. It seems no longer
true, "no man ever hated his own flesh." Whether we look at the want of his
power in his church, or of the fruit of his Spirit in his members, still are
we inclined to ask, has the Spirit of the Lord fainted? Is He exhausted? where
is he? Query, is not this quarrelling among the children of God, the natural
result of want of communion? The religion of Jesus especially enforces and
cultivates union. Satan's wiles seem set at the dispersion of the members. So
that now the principle is almost denied, and Christianity merely a business
between God and the soul ? and where it is sought, it is usually only union of
sects ? must not then, the graces which are the fruit of love, want
cultivation? "suffereth long, is kind, envieth not, vaunteth not itself, etc."
In this how entirely Satan has succeeded in the Roman Catholic religion. Each
has his own prayer to say, they do not seem to know there is such a thing as
united prayer. I heard a minister say the other day, he thought his business
was to convert souls. From scripture it seems to me, a minister's chief
business commences instead of finishes, when a soul is brought to life, and
for this how much more is needful, than the public congregations. However for
such dead souls, is not storm better than stagnation? I am sure the evil is
not in differences of opinion, for this is the necessary result of increase of
light, but our evil is more, that we cannot allow another to see things
differently from us. But we are in a warfare, and though not receiving wounds
from the flesh in the shape of persecution, we must be receiving them from
some quarter. The flesh still wars against the spirit, and the spirit against
the flesh, because still contrary one to the other, and
if in the spirit,
we must feel it so, from wounds without or wounds within. Most painful, if
from the flesh of a beloved brother or sister. But does not this even turn to
us for a testimony? and does it not give opportunity of showing, that the
flesh is subdued, by loving, and persevering to love through all? If in every
rub, our concern is for his glory having suffered, surely we shall then strive
to disappoint Satan in our brother. All would be much easier to endure, if
instead of taking it as from this sister, or that brother, we could take it as
from our common enemy, the flesh. Wounds, one from the other, seem more now,
our appointed trial of faith than open persecution, and had we not this, we
might forget we were in a conflict, and put off our armour, therefore in these
wounds let us not wonder, as though "some strange thing happened, but rejoice
in being by any means partakers of his sufferings", for if this whole
dispensation is not the day of the church's; fasting, a day of temptation, and
suffering, how could the promises of being partakers in the glory of a
suffering Saviour be ours? To suffer with him and to be glorified with him,
seem closely connected. There is something sweet, in being pruned by a wounded
hand, and oh! when we feel the drowsiness of our affections, our proneness to
depart from him, and to be satisfied at a distance, have we not cause to be
over head and ears in love with trials? that He should be so jealous of our
friendship now, to force true happiness upon us, in spite of ourselves, to
drive us to his strength, to live upon his promises, and lay our head upon his
breast ? He is not satisfied his tried children should be common Christians ?
He considers us ? and if He says, "prove me my child," it is that He may
introduce us into the innermost chambers of his faithfulness. No doubt in a
short time, we shall know much of this, but persecution is the Christian's
halo, and trial his triumph. He is called to glorify the Lord
in the fires.
It is a noble thing to be accounted worthy to suffer shame for Christ's sake.
What soldier would flinch from the combat, when his captain is gone before him
in the forefront of the battle? What soldier of Christ is he, who having the
assurance of victory, and honour, accounts it a privilege to be out of the
field? Are we not called to suffering? are we not chosen as witnesses to his
resurrection, in being above, far beyond its sting? Let us expect a succession
of trial, and suffering ? to have just to post fast, from trouble to trouble.
In our God,
we are able.
As the spirit of prayer strives to be heard, and the spirit of thanksgiving
breaks forth into singing, so does the spirit of martyrdom delight in the
sphere of action. We are superior to the power of death. Death, in his own
domain shall acknowledge us risen. We have overcome the grave, and are set
down with Christ our Lord, in the glory of the Highest. How jealous we should
be, to show forth his active, as well as passive graces, while left in an
enemy's ground! There is nothing else to live for. I feel that a desire to
have been more spent, and to have suffered more for my beloved Master, in this
theatre of his humiliation, is the only thing, could make me hesitate, in my
longing desire to be with Him, who is, and has been, so abundantly with me.
But we
are such
creatures, God cannot accomplish
his will,
or allow us our heart's desire, without severe discipline. Every day afresh,
He has to pursue us out of self. The old man must be
kept low,
emptied out, to enable us to be filled, with the fulness of God. Oh! to bid an
eternal adieu to
self; as a
tormentor! Oh, to be able to be nothing! This is my idea of the height of
glory. We are everlastingly grappling at his honour. In the secret, lower
chambers of the heart, we devise means to rob him of this, his due ? then we
know not how to wear it. The robe of glory was never made to fit us. We carry
it with the most absurd awkwardness. Thinking ourselves something, we become
perfectly ridiculous. In these fearful days, I should fear much for myself,
were I not able to take a full, strong grasp of his promise, "If any man lack
wisdom," etc. I cannot think when I ask bread, He would give me a stone. Did I
not think my teacher as faithful as He is infallible, there is no book, I
should so fear to handle as the book of God. Left in any degree to ourselves,
it would be as the plunging into a sea of errors. Such is the poison of the
human mind, it requires all the wisdom, and energy of omnipotence to prevent
our salvation becoming our destruction. May we be in earnest, may we live
while we live ? may we know more of that love, which will take a brother's
failings to a throne of grace, while throwing over them a cloak of charity ?
which will fix on his grace in a brother, and render thanks for it ? which
will be faithful in reproof, as well as jealous in defence. May the beam be
more and more extracted from our own eyes, that we may see fewer motes in our
brother's. I do not know what to say for writing so long a letter.
Faithfully and
affectionately yours,
Theodosia A.
Powerscourt.
Letter 45.
1831.
My dear Mr ..., I
have a feeling about me, that I have left something undone; and the only thing
I can think of is, that I have been so long from home, and have not written to
you. I suppose you have all been going on as usual, at least Mr... from whom I
heard lately, does not say any thing to the contrary. We hope to be home the
beginning of next week. I am sure you were much shocked at the death of dear
Mr... It was a striking lesson to the whole parish, so soon after rejoicing
with him. It is a loud voice to us, "up and be doing." The time is short, and
very uncertain. He is safely, and very unexpectedly, housed in the Lord's
barn. There was much that was lovely in his character; a laying aside of self,
and his own pleasures, and pursuits, to be of use, and comfort to others, was
especially striking. As doing this from duty is rather irksome to those to
whom the attention is shown, therefore, I think, to seek to have formed in us
the mind which was in Christ, is better than to seek to imitate him. Does it
not seem that the world is breaking up? Does not Satan seem to be arranging
his forces, so as to be ready for the battle of Armageddon? How we should be
bespeaking strength for the day of trial. I cannot help thinking we also shall
have trial, though not to partake in the despair and desolation of the last
end. Does it not seem that the end brought about by the man of sin ? the last
Pharaoh ? Dragon incarnate, will be the demonstration of our patience, and the
faithfulness of Him who will keep us from falling? Are we not told under the
5th seal, that martyrdom shall continue until the hour of God's vengeance?
More martyrs, therefore, are to be slain; for the blood of God's servants is
not yet avenged ? judgment must begin at the house of God. Matt. 24. 22, says,
that unequalled tribulation shall be shortened for the elect's sake, while
every declaration of Christ's being come, is a falsehood. It seems to me that
the verses 15 and 28 of Luke 24. prove the destruction of Jerusalem not to be
the entire fulfilment of this prophecy. Mark, in chap. 13. seems to says, that
it is, after the Gospel has been preached in all nations, brother shall betray
brother, etc. It is said of this time, "Here is the patience of the saints."
Blessed then the dead, that die in the Lord; oh what a time! shall we see it?
Surely we need to count the cost, to put on the whole armour of God, that we
may enter boldly into the battle, since our enduring will be for our Captain's
honour, and to the proof of his power. It seems the church must walk in the
footsteps of her Lord. It will be terrible to be betrayed by one's own child,
by one's familiar friend ? to see the name of Jesus almost eradicated ? the
worship of a devil set up ? we ourselves assaulted with Satan's most cunning,
because last, snares; and if to pass through his experience, to drink indeed
of his cup, and be baptized indeed with his baptism; our hearts may be poured
out like water, we may sink in deep mire, and our Father's face be hidden; for
unless these days be shortened, no flesh could be saved, but for the elect's
sake these days shall be shortened, for then shall appear the sign of the Son
of Man in heaven. The Lord tells us to watch and pray, that we may be
accounted worthy to escape, what is coming on the earth, etc. It cannot mean a
prayer to die, for there is a great promise to them who endure to the end,
those who overcome. Does there not seem to be two distinct destructions spoken
of, Babylon, and the Beast? But how blessed to be among those whose sufferings
will be full of hope! Does it not seem from the types, that His people are to
be delivered not
from, but
out of
affliction. He knows how to deliver us
out of
temptation. We are witnesses of His resurrection. He was only the first
fruits. We are superior to all the power of the enemy. He died through
weakness, but was raised in power. To this power we are united. What a triumph
over death it will be, in his own domain (when as it were, death shall be let
loose on earth,) the gathering up of his saints! What a thunderclap of
hallelujah, when all the prayers of all saints for our poor world, long, long
laid up, shall all be answered in one event!!...
... Ever most
affectionately yours,
Theodosia A.
Powerscourt.
Letter 46.
April, 1831.
Dear Mr ..., I
write to accuse you of want of love; ? our Master's badge of discipleship, who
is love. ? His last and dying command. ? No doubt you will agree with me that
all the Gospel, as well as law, is contained in that word
love. How
much we need to be led into the height, depth, length, and breadth of his own
word. Is it not poverty of love makes us crave the spirit, and forget the
practice? is it not the same poverty enforces the practice, neglectful of the
spirit? Oh! that all the church would unite, in each putting, at least, one
stitch in that rent mantle, with which the apostle enjoins us to cover a
multitude of sins. ? Oh that we could more decidedly pluck out the beam from
our own eye, that the mote in our brother's might appear less! Oh that we more
honoured the spirit, in giving credit to the principles of those who love the
Lord in sincerity, and by our faithfulness more drew upon those principles. It
seems to me the nature of love is twofold. ? First, it is given to excuse,
instead of accuse. Second, it is equally jealous in
covering
and
detecting
evil ? covering it from others ? detecting it to the individual concerned.
Pardon me for saying, it seems to me you have failed towards me in both these
points ? Christian love, where God's glory is the simple motive, no doubt
would lead us to
consider
others, both in feeling ourselves bound to give thanks, and to glory in what
God has done for them, and also in carrying the blind, maimed, halt and
infirm, in the arms of faith, to place them at the feet of Jesus. My
accusation is, I have heard from two or three quarters that you have brought
me forward as an example of inconsistency in having ... Is that
all you saw
inconsistent!!! I do not write to justify myself. I can "lift up my face unto
God;" neither do I profess to act for man's judgment. But was it consistent,
was it Christian love to condemn, unheard, not to point out by word or letter
this evil in your sight? Was it being jealous over God's glory, to be so
little jealous over my walk? Alas! how little sympathy of conscience, how
little help we meet in our most difficult paths! nevertheless, though
overlooked at the time, since pointed out, I confess the appearance
inconsistent. Do not, dear ... think me offended; I am not in the least so,
but should be glad you were to continue using my example if it can be of use;
but my motive in writing is to prove to you by this
your
failure, how much we need mercy one from the other, as to our consistency, and
how ill we can sustain judgment. If not falling on one side, we are on the
other. A deep sense of "Behold, I am vile," will settle us in our right place,
as respects God, others, and ourselves; truly we are given to totter in our
own conceits, as a stick balanced on a man's finger falls either to this side
or that, we are ever going, going, but blessed be God, never quite gone,
because the finger is Omnipotence. Let us pray that in striving to represent,
we do not altogether misrepresent, the lowly walk to which our high vocation
calls us.
Yours, dear ...
With sincerity,
etc. etc.
T. A. P.
Letter 47.
Powerscourt,
February 18, 1831.
My dear friend ? I
was indeed surprised to hear of ... How little similitude exists between the
members and the Head; and this, alas! is too true of us all. The transcript of
the spirit, though executed with exquisite nicety, is scarcely perceptible
through the thick veil of flesh which covers it. It seems no longer true ? "No
man ever hated his own flesh." Whether we look at the want of power in the
church, or of the fruit of the Spirit in the members, still are we inclined to
ask, has the Spirit of the Lord fainted? Is He exhausted? Where is He? "Now
when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not, until I have shown thy
strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come."
But we are in a warfare; this is the battle hill; and though not receiving
wounds from the flesh, in the shape of persecution, we must be receiving them
from some quarter. The flesh still wars against the spirit, and the spirit
against the flesh; and if in the spirit, we
must feel
it so from wounds without, or wounds within. Most painful, if from the flesh
of a beloved brother, or sister. But does not even this turn to us for a
testimony? And does it not give opportunity of showing, that the flesh is
subdued by loving, and persevering to love through all? Wounds one from the
other, seem now more our appointed trial of faith than open persecution; and
had we not these, we might forget we were in a conflict, and put off our
armour. Therefore, let us not wonder at these fiery darts, as though some
strange thing happened to us, but open our bosoms to receive of his suffering,
and rejoice in being counted worthy of being partakers of them by any means;
for if this whole dispensation were not the day of the church's fasting, the
day of his temptation and suffering, how could the promise of being partakers
in the glory of a suffering Saviour be ours? To suffer with him and to be
glorified with him, how closely connected! Dear friends, take this as from the
Lord, even as you do. He is pruning with a wounded hand; and, oh! when we feel
the drowsiness of our affections, our proneness to depart from him, to be
satisfied at a distance, have we not cause to be "over head and ears in love"
with trial, that He should be jealous for our friendship now; so force true
happiness upon us in spite of ourselves, so drive us to his strength, to live
upon his promises, and lean our heads upon his breast? He is not satisfied
that we should be common Christians. Oh! bless him and kiss the rod. He is
considering
you. Let us leave ourselves to him. If He says, prove me, my child, it is that
He may introduce you into the inner chambers of his faithfulness. If he places
you in difficulties and perplexities, it is that He himself may expound his
promise in your experience: "I am your shield, your exceeding great reward."
"Venture on Him,
venture wholly.
Let no other trust
intrude;
None but Jesus can
do helpless sinners good."
We are all too apt
to feel that had we some other race to run than the one set
before us,
we could go lightly, and run swiftly. Now I feel impeded by the weight of
being called queen of a castle; and imagine, could I lay
it aside
and have nothing, then I might run with more patience after the
Crucified.
I am inclined to say, in your race you have no misgivings of conscience; you
feel assured that you are just as He has placed you! Thus He sets a race
before each, and gives a sufficient remedy for all, "looking unto Jesus." But
I know the sorrows of your mind, and pray that balm may be poured into the
opened wound. May your spirit be kept above with Jesus, and the spirits of the
just!
Look forward.
That new song requires our parts to complete the harmony. He could not be
satisfied with the travail of his soul, until he had worked out our salvation.
Oh! mysterious Jesus, teach us thy works and plans. Let our hearts pant after
thee as the harts after water. Create a thirst which nothing shall satisfy but
the fountain of eternal love. See the velocity with which the needle flies to
the magnet
when it gets within distance;
so shall we hasten to our magnet, our Beloved, as we approach him. Then, to be
delivered from the noisome pestilence within, to rise from among the pots, and
to be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, will draw forth such
hallelujahs! May He make us what He would have us to be; give singleness in
the eye, and fidelity in the conscience! I hope you or ... will soon be able
to write, and tell us how you have decided.
Believe me, yours
very affectionately,
T. A. P
Letter 48.
Powerscourt, 14th
May, 1831.
My dear friend ? I
have wondered at all you have told me. Oh! all the foundations are out of
course! What disorder, what confusion on all sides! what sin, what misery!
Nehemiah would not accept the service of the Lord's enemies in building the
temple. Does not the world stand to the believer in the same place, as the
Gentile to the Jew? Are we to permit them to have common cause with us in his
work? Are we so to declare that the Lord's servants are not sufficient for his
work? Surely they would be, if as devoted as Satan's servants. Are we to
cringe to the world for its influence, its wealth, its labour? The world is
not less dangerous now; not less an enemy to truth, than when Christ prayed
his people should be kept from its evil. False friends arc the worst of all
enemies; wolves in sheep's clothing. But where is the world? If all are
Christians,
there is no world.
What a state of disorder and confusion we have got into! All our precepts
necessarily thrown overboard. We are enjoined to closest union with
Christians; distinct separation from the world. We cannot exercise the latter
with those we professedly acknowledge
brethren;
we cannot exercise the former with those with whom we have no sympathy; all
being shut up to profession. None profess, while in conduct we give every day
a lie to our profession, in judging those who profess to profess. The church
and the world are like tumbled drawers. May the great Head of the church, the
King of the universe, quickly come and put all in order! What a glorious
destiny awaits us! how the dwelling on it should humble us! "When Jesus knew
that the Father had given all things into his hand, and that He was come from
God and-went to God, He laid aside his garment, took a towel, girded himself,
and began to wash his disciples' feet." Pray let me hear what you do. It is
refreshing to hear now and then of his faithfulness in guiding you
continually. It is well to trace his footsteps through the dark and hidden
providences with which we are exercised. Depend upon it, He is leading by a
right way to the city of habitation. Though the path may not be clear, his
faithfulness is ? "I know in whom I have believed." Oh! the peace of being
brought in sincerity and truth, to lie back in his arms, saying, "undertake
for me."
With true
affection,
Yours in our real
hope,
T. A. P.
Letter 49.
Powerscourt, 2nd
September, 1832.
My dear friend ?
It is long, very long since I have heard from you. I hope you will not
therefore refuse to write to me a very long letter, and tell me all your
present sentiments and experience, and what the Lord has been instructing you
in the last year. I know it is goodness and mercy which have followed, but it
strengthens faith to hear the hows, and the whens. As for me, to all
appearances, I have been going on in a quiet sameness, yet never, I believe,
has the Lord been more dealing with me, exposing me to myself, and bringing me
low, than during the last year. I have learnt some very bitter lessons,
because I am a great dunce. I should be glad to know what you think concerning
reigning with Christ. Do you think it is for all, or only for martyrs? I have
been thinking a good deal on the subject of late. It seems to me that the
reason why it belongs to this dispensation to reign with Him, is because this
is the dispensation of martyrdom; the fast days of his church, because of the
absence of her bridegroom. Rest at any time seems a mere accident. "Sheep
appointed to the slaughter;" "the offscouring of all things;" "bearing about
the body of the Lord Jesus;" "always delivered unto death," ? this is the
character of these promised days of tribulation. It is still his hour of
temptation. Acts, 1. 4, 5. Luke, 22. 28. When God would heat his furnace to
the height for an example of faith to the end of time, what did he prepare?
Not suffering of the body, but the furnace of affliction, "thine only son,
Isaac, whom thou lovest." It does not seem to me to signify so much what the
trial is, as the coming out of it, saying, "Lord, thou knowest that I love
thee." I conceive we are all given opportunity of this martyrdom. It seems
distinguished from the suffering which we have in common with the world, in
that it is a suffering for principle, a trial of faith, a voluntary preference
of suffering in the flesh, to denying Christ in
any wise.
It is a denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, a cutting off a right
hand, a plucking out a right eye, rather than offend. Oh! how many secret
martyrdoms are thus endured unknown to man, but precious to God! Now, I do
believe, never was there a time that this doctrine (the connexion between
reigning and suffering) would bear less to be overlooked, or required more to
be brought forward; for truly, there is such a thin,, as refusing martyrdom,
even as much as if we were to turn from the stake. I speak from experience.
The Lord wants proofs, not words. After Peter, much distressed, answered,
"Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee;" Jesus
answered, "prove it." I believe there is such a thing as even the believer's
being so allured, so led captive by things of sense, as for even the mighty
argument to be overpowered, "If ye love me keep my commandments," ? and that
many Christians under the conviction that their souls cannot be lost,
live in the
indulgence of unlawful gratifications, rather than go through the torture of
the whole heart being drawn and quartered. But, surely, if the millennial
reign of Christ be a particular reward to Him for his sufferings, as "Son of
man," "Son of David," distinct from the everlasting glory, those only who have
partaken with Him, shall reign with Him. Do tell me what you think of this;
for it seems to me that though there are now many saved Christians, there are
but few reigning ones, ? "rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings, that when
his glory
shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy," ? "if ye be
reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and
of God resteth upon you," ? "if we die with Him we shall live with Him," ? "if
we suffer, we shall reign with Him," ? "we ourselves glory in you in the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that ye endure, which is a manifest token of the righteous
judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which
ye also suffer," ? "to them that overcome" are the royal promises given, "to
him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of
iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I
received of my Father". "I
will give him
THE MORNING STAR." "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy
crown," ? "I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of
my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God,
and I will write upon him my new name," ? "him will I grant to sit with me, on
MY THRONE," etc. And "if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs
with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we maybe also glorified
together," ? "that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death, if by any
means I might attain unto the resurrection of or from the dead." ? "Others
were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might be partakers of a
better resurrection." When asked by the mother of Zebedee's children, for the
highest places for her sons, when they should come into his kingdom, He
answers, "Ye know not what ye ask; are you able to drink of my cup, and be
baptized with my baptism?" Therefore the disciples rejoiced, that "they were
counted worthy to suffer," ? "that they were given not only to believe, but to
suffer." Do not think from this that I would make light of the all-prevailing
principle of
Love, and
wish to go back to rewards; no. Get the heart, and you have got the man. Love
makes drudgery divine. Love cannot help itself, it outruns and leaves law far
behind. The question is not what
must I do,
but what
may I do?
In grieving its object, love grieves itself. This is the secret spring of the
believer's actions, which makes him often pass in the world as an enthusiast.
Love will stop at nothing; it takes up its cross and travels after its object
over every mountain and hill of difficulty. It was this strengthened Mary,
when the soldiers quaked with fear; it was this kept her hovering round the
sepulchre, when all the disciples went to their own homes. Love desires all to
be partakers of its own bliss; it overleaps human opinion; it runs on with an
unceasing cry, "what shall I render for such benefits?" "Speak, Lord, for thy
servant heareth." But I mean that all arguments the Lord has used are needful,
so dead often is even love, in sleep from continued lullabies of the flesh,
and opiates from the devil. What poor empty creatures we are! I am quite out
of conceit with myself; such tossings to and fro, such ebbs and flowings,
sometimes lifted up to heaven, sometimes sunk into the depths; the soul
fainting within because of trouble. Satan is so watchful and well experienced
when and where to assault the soul with most effect. He delights to get a soul
into heaviness through manifold temptations; and it is not always easy to find
patience in the assurance that for these there is a
needs be;
and though we know each tossing draws us nearer the land of our inheritance,
sometimes faith fails when "for many days neither sun nor stars appear, and no
small tempest lies upon us," yet how often are these things for the purpose of
lightening the ship, or perhaps for the trial of our faith, or for exposure of
our little faith. But though the end be useful, the exercise is not less
painful; and it is humbling, (therefore it is good), it is humbling, to have
the question put home, where is now your faith? Nevertheless, how often in
these things our gratitude is called forth, to him whose love and faithfulness
have not failed, when our faith and hope have failed, that, though forced to
acknowledge "my foot slipped," we can also add, "thy mercy, O Lord, held me
up." The gold of the sanctuary must be tried before accepted; and it is thrown
into the fire, not because it is of no value, but because it is so precious.
What a sad state poor Ireland is in! But we are above every thing of Satan's
working. From the secret place of the Most High we can look down and smile;
our enemies are all conquered by that spirit in Christ's humanity which dwells
in us: so we are more than conquerors. With love ...
Believe me, dear
friend,
Affectionately
yours,
T. A. P.
Letter 50.
June, 1832.
My precious friend
? What excuse can I make to myself for my long silence? I should like much to
hear from you all that is in your mind ... told me you wanted my thoughts on
the ... tongues. What are my thoughts? Are they the Lord's thoughts? Come, and
see. As to these dear creatures, I say not a word; I dare not; but if in any
thing I be otherwise minded from his truth, God will reveal even this to me.
Yes, let us not be more unbelieving as to that promise than any other; He has
undertaken to lead. Let us but keep the eye of faith on
His eye. It
still appears to me, that we should not
expect
gifts now. One difficulty with me was Eph. 4. 13; but when I compare it with 1
Cor. 12. 28 verse, I find all miraculous gifts excluded, in the one to
continue, while mentioned in the church then at Corinth. It may be objected,
He would not give such minute directions concerning what was to cease, yet He
does on other subjects; for example, about meat offered to idols. Another
difficulty with me was 1 Cor. 13. 10; that which is perfect not being come;
that which is in part must continue. But I observe, that tongues are left out,
when explaining what was in part (9th verse.) Again, Mark 16. 17. If you turn
to I Cor. 15. we find He was seen of five hundred brethren, then of all the
apostles.
It seems, when He appeared to the twelve was the time which is mentioned in
Mark, after which He ascended; and when He appeared to the multitude, was the
time mentioned in Matthew, where no mention is made of the miraculous signs.
See Luke also, and Acts. He was with the eleven when He ascended. If this is
so, may not the miraculous gifts have been given on the introduction of the
new dispensation, even as Moses was given power at the introduction of the
former, to show it was from God; as our blessed Lord said, in healing the man
sick of the palsy, "that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth
to forgive sins, I say unto thee, arise, take up thy bed and walk," etc. It is
not said that more than the apostles received the gift on the day of
Pentecost; and does not Paul say, "the signs of an apostle were wrought among
you in all patience in
signs and
wonders and
mighty deeds?"
He does not mention that these are the signs of ministers, 2 Cor. 6. etc. May
it not have been poured out on the apostle to communicate by the laying on his
hands? I see but one instance without the laying on of hands, and that is the
case of Cornelius, "as on us at the beginning," as a sign from God, and of his
having called the Gentiles. Also Paul tells the church of Rome, he desired to
go to them to impart to them some spiritual gift, that their faith being
strengthened by this, his might be by theirs. Also, see Rom. 15. 18, 19. I do
not think history would be satisfactory; we may judge even from the variety of
opinions, and different views of things now. But good historians, who have
studied with that view, say there is nothing satisfactory. Ireneus says in his
days there were miracles, but he only says so from the authority of another,
not from having seen them himself. Have you read ...? What do you think of his
views? His books on Second Advent and Revelations? Tell me, especially, what
you think about all not reigning with Christ? You know there is so much to say
to you, there is no use in saying any thing. What do you think of the world?
"These things must first come to pass, but the end is not yet." "See
that ye be not troubled."
I sometimes long
so much to hear from you, but cannot get leisure to sit down to write you a
long letter, without neglecting something that
seems at
the moment quite necessary. We estimate, I believe, very badly, what is, or is
not, for God's glory. I, every day, see more and more how His glory is only to
be found in simply obedience. When we settle our own plans, we go too much on
current opinions; and thus often deprive ourselves of much blessedness, both
in our own experience, and the good done. So it was with Peter, when he said
"thou shalt not wash my feet." He intended well, was full of love and zeal,
and surely the answer given him well suits us. Though we may not see his end,
let us simply obey, and what we know not now, we shall hereafter, when the
Master Builder has brought forth the head-stone with shoutings, "grace,
grace." Soldiers do not question, why this, or why that? The general has the
place and end before him: the soldier has only to stand when desired, and go
when commanded; let each take his own way, and all is confusion. Oh! how sadly
ignorant we are of His will and mind, because so sadly ignorant of Scripture!
we work, work, work, all in the dark, till night breaks in upon us, and we
find we have been spending our strength for nought. In these times we need to
be imbued with truth, instinctively to recoil from error and embrace truth.
Either light is so bursting in, or else darkness so thickens, or perhaps both,
that there is no time to take this, and take that, to examine; we arc through
ignorance at our wits' end, "tossed about with every wind of doctrine." "Teach
us." Then give us courage to act, not only in opposition to the opinions of
the world, but with all humility, in opposition to the opinions of Christians.
You ask me what I have learnt lately. That none but God could know and endure
me; that the discovery of me will make even devils stand aghast! it is quite
true. He has been leading me in ways I knew not, though I might have known
them; and though I am altogether weary of myself, He has not fainted, nor is
He discouraged yet. The hottest of all furnaces in which He tries faith, is
that heated with our own sins. Oh! what sweet truths He often whispers to His
saints from behind clouds! till sometimes they almost dread the thought of
ease ? yet the ear of faith is too often stunned by the roaring of the
thunder,
while under
the cloud, hears not, till the small voice follows. The path of each is just
the kindest and best, that Love and wisdom could devise when sitting in
counsel upon it before the world was! He makes our wants occasions by which to
enrich us. He seldom calls His child to descend into trial, but we find He has
been in it beforehand, therein depositing unsearchable consolations, and we
come up enriched, invigorated and purified. May it be so, dear friend, in your
experience. He is saying in each providence, "drink, oh! drink abundantly, oh!
beloved!"
Yours in much
attachment,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Are not the Roman
Catholics going on in a very strange way? Prepare us for whatever thou art
preparing for us! When in Dublin I went to see for the last time, dear ... his
end expressed the same as his life ? I
have proved,
and "I know in whom I have believed." Remember me cordially to your dear
husband.
Letter 51.
... I have laid
your verse before Mr... and Mr... for what am I to answer it? This is Mr...'s
answer (Matthew 5. 19.) "The most desirable thing would be first to discover a
fixed determinate meaning of the phrase," the kingdom of heaven," but I fear
this is not easy. The two ways of explaining it are: First, as the Christian
religion itself, or the spiritual and invisible power by which it is
maintained in the heart. Secondly, as a kingdom yet to be set up in the
literal acceptation of the word, of glory and power; and now I quite incline
myself to the latter signification, and that any other use of it is only this
transferred,
as we know is commonly done with terms that are of wide and extensive
signification. A great part of Christ's office consisted in his introducing a
new religion, which religion it was necessary for all to adopt and profess,
who looked for entrance into his destined kingdom. There may be some
difficulty in interpreting all the particular passages in which the phrase
occurs upon this principle, and the passage before us may be an instance of
this. But, nevertheless, I conceive that it would be established by any
patient examination of the Scriptures on the subject. It may also be difficult
to determine, when it is used in its proper, and when in its transferred
signification. I will therefore give an interpretation which will meet both.
First, he who falls into such misconstruction of Christ's doctrine, as to
esteem lightly himself, or to teach others lightly to esteem the precepts of
God in the smallest particular, shall have the lowest rank of felicity in
Christ's kingdom. Secondly, if it refers to the
religion,
then I think it means that all they of the kingdom of heaven (whose
characteristic it is to cleave fast to the pure law of God without men's
glosses) shall have such a teacher in no estimation, shall not seek or follow
him. In which sense you see I take the kingdom of heaven, to mean those who
have had their heart's eye purified to discern the real nature of the kingdom
which is to be set up. I cannot offer you any thing better than this; but one
thing is plain, and herein may we be exercising ourselves day and night, to
hate every
crooked
way, and to esteem all his precepts concerning every thing to be right."- So
much for Mr... now for Mr...'s "kingdom of heaven in this passage, and every
other, means the visible church, that is, all baptized persons!" Now I have
filled almost all my paper, and left little to tell you how goodness and mercy
have been following me. I feel a great desire to send you a full account of my
dear ... : because you ask me, if we had answers to prayer, and because it
would express to you, that I believe you are interested in what concerns me. I
will write out extracts of some letters for you. When you read them, you will
not be surprised that this unexpected, miraculous, satisfactory conversion,
and answer to my many prayers, should have filled my heart with joy
unspeakable, almost to the exclusion of every other feeling. How could I do
any thing else but rejoice when I realized the welcome, he was receiving, when
ushered into the midst of the heavenly host, at the very moment they were
rejoicing
with Jesus,
that he, who had been dead, was alive for
evermore! I
seemed also to hear the music and dancing as he drew near the house. And every
step in the affliction was
so
thoughtful! so very faithful! such distinct answers to prayer! such an evident
struggle with Satan for that dear prodigal! but the accuser was disappointed;
the body was delivered to him, that the spirit might be saved. His light
afflictions worked for him a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. He
dealt with him as with Job, diligently covered his poor body with sores, but
could not touch his life, till from his Lazarus-body angels carried his spirit
into the bosom of the covenant! The good Shepherd laid him on his shoulder,
after seeking him out! then causing him to know his voice, he carried him off
triumphantly to heaven! We never were so near. Formerly there was a great gulf
between. Now we are united in one; a little thin veil of flesh between, which
just prevents us hearing, and seeing, one another; but very soon and very
easily will it be torn asunder. And can we not wait, dear friend, for that
day, since we know in whom we have believed, and are
persuaded
He is able to keep all we have committed to Him, not to be lost, but to be
restored, richly restored, in that day? He is sleeping in Jesus, I dwelling in
Jesus; he tasting rivers of pleasure, the streams whereof make me glad. We
never understood each other before. "Faith is the substance of things hoped
for." He is removed from our family, but received into the family of God, into
Jesus "of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named," ? and dirty and
soiled as the prodigal was found, "by riotous living," yet is Jesus not
ashamed to call him brother, for He has had part with the children, that He
might taste death for every man. "He that sanctifieth, and they who are
sanctified, being all of one." How refreshing, in the middle of the 5th
chapter of Luke, in the middle of so many proofs of his godhead, to find Him
withdrawing into the wilderness to pray: he needed to receive, and what an
argument against what Satan often puts before us, that because we are engaged
about some useful business, some charitable work, we may put off prayer: this
is our weakness. I fear you are very unhappy about ... to be separated from
him when ill ? how painful! but remember how
precious is
his
body to the
Lord; it has been purchased as well as the soul ? not his own, not yours, but
the property of Jesus. Oh! we have not entered at all yet into the fulness and
freeness of His love. Each day teaches that we knew nothing of it the day
before, and when we shall come really to behold it, we shall find we knew
nothing at all. We come to him with so much suspicion, so much as if He were
loath to give, so much as if he were looking for some excuse to get out of His
promises. We have no idea of His
longings to
bless. How He only wants some excuse ? how he is the first mover in every
mercy. "In ages to come shall appear the
exceeding
riches of His grace in his kindness towards us in Christ Jesus." Pray on,
trust on, very dear sister! Blessed to know the character of Him with whom we
have to do. Pitiful,
tender,
full of compassion, waiting to be gracious, keeping mercy, plenteous
redemption. It is enough if there be willingness in us for anything which is
of the Father; his very office proclaims "I
will." Now
let
us rise,
trust Him for more and more, glorify Him; thus
expect largely,
He is
willing!!!
It is not Jesus in humiliation, but Jesus in glory,
beseeches
us to receive all fulness treasured up in him for us. All we see and admire in
him, not a cry we send up to him, but is a prayer from him to us to receive
what we ask him to give. There is no sound but comfort in the voice of Jesus.
No sovereign act comes spontaneously from Him
yet but is
mercy, though it may involve judgment to some. He was bent on mercy to Israel
when Pharaoh crossed his way; yet how he strove with Pharaoh; how often
Pharaoh hardened his own heart, before God did so finally and judicially; yet
even then was it but to carry on his designs and determinations of mercy! How
a message was sent to him first, then three plagues before they touched him
materially, and every plague calculated to bring him to repentance. Lay your
dear ... on the lap of prayer, and all is well ? see all His providences in
the light of the rays which shine from the new Jerusalem, then we see them in
their true colour. "Father of lights, in
whom is no variableness;"
this is his
disposition.
An act of love may be very kind, but there is no security for the future; but
when the
disposition
is love, unchanging love, all must be loving, because he is love; all must be
wise because he is wisdom ... Powers are at work, let us nestle into the bosom
of a Father! Ireland may have to be put into a strait waistcoat; the church
may go mad; but Jehovah is always in His right mind, always knows what he is
about. May He, my dear friend, lock you up in the concave of his shield.
Most
affectionately yours,
Theodosia A.
Powerscourt.
Letter 52.
Powerscourt.
My dear Mr ..., I
sit down to write to you, not with the hopes of suggesting any comfort, for I
know by experience that it is He
alone who
maketh sore, who can bind up; He
alone who
wounds, whose hands can make whole. But I cannot help telling you how deeply I
feel for you, and ... Few have had more cause to weep for themselves;
therefore few ought to be able to weep so sincerely with others, or to tell
them of that comfort, whereby they have been comforted of the Lord. Oh, indeed
at such moments, this world is a sad, sad, blank. All seems mysterious,
confused ? desponding. The devil suggests questions and rebellious feelings,
which at other times, we should shudder at the very idea of; and we almost say
"I do well to be angry." Is this your case, dear Mr...? or can you, through
the cloud, so perceive the smile, not only of peace, but of affectionate
tender love, in the countenance of that Father who holds the rod, as to be
constrained to run into those very arms which chastise. Oh, how blessed you
are if enabled to take this comfort and are spared the agonies, I was
permitted to feel for a while, when with all the promises I could feel no
comfort in believing them to be all mine; but found I could not grasp at them
in my own strength, but needed the support of the same spirit as sustained
Christ on Calvary. Never, but for the books of Job and Jonah, could I have
believed that my tender Father could stand by, see it all, and yet wait to be
gracious to such a wretch. But "faithful is he who hath promised:" ? "He will
not leave you comfortless." It is in faithfulness He has afflicted you.
Because you are his son He deals with you as He has dealt with his Son. Even
if shut out from sensible communion with Him, so was he, whose only support
was, that He could still say, "my God." No affliction at the time seems to be
joyous; but wait on the Lord, He will comfort your heart. I
know He
will. That Comforter, who made up for his bodily presence, is still
all-sufficient to make up for your dear child's. If we could but see one
glimpse of his love in these afflictive dispensations, if we knew now, as we
shall know hereafter, we should indeed say, "Our
Jesus has done all things well."
No metal on earth is of sufficient value to show how precious to Him is the
trial of your faith, as it shall be to his honour and glory, at the great day.
Oh! what a great need-be there must have been for this blow, when He could so
chastise his beloved ones. Not one pang could be spared; for he sits Himself
as a refiner over his fire to temper the heat, and he feels every anguish with
you; not like the pity of a friend who never knew what sorrow was, but the
sympathy of Him who was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," who
experienced all we can possibly feel, that he might be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities, and succour us when tempted.
Ah, what lessons
our dear Lord is now teaching you, lessons which angels can never learn,
teaching by heart, which was perhaps only known before by rote. When He takes
up the lesson we find none can teach like a parent. How differently we read "all
is vanity,"
? "oh, that I had wings like a dove." How it shows us what must be the
odiousness of sin, and the greatness of the Saviour's love to the sinner: ...
What hell must be, when this one spark from it is sufficient to make us
rejoice for ever in having escaped it. How unspeakable and incomprehensible
must be the weight of glory, when the Holy Spirit can call these light
afflictions in comparison, not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall
be revealed in us. And does it not also teach us to sympathize with our dear
Lord, in his sufferings, when we cannot even taste his bitter cup, without
foreign strength; while Father, Son, and Holy Ghost seem united in comforting
us: ? cordials at hand for every woe, in the exceeding great and precious
promises wherewith they comfort us. He could say, I looked for some to have
pity upon me, but there was none; for comforters, but found none. Alas! I
believe there is even in the mind of the believer, something which disposes
him to turn to things of time and sense, though his judgment is convinced of
their insufficiency to make him happy. One thing after another must be cut
off, which binds us to earth, and it may be, the strings of our heart almost
broken by the operation, but the Lord is determined to separate us from sin. I
do believe He has purchased these afflictions for us, as well as every thing
else. Blessed be his name, it is part of his covenant to visit us with the
rod, little as we may be worthy of it! May we be enabled to wait for the
issue. He says, with power, "give me thine heart." How shall I give up any
part of it?
"He breaks our
schemes of worldly joy,
That we may seek
our all in Him."
And can we quarrel
with him for so loving us? He who could say for us, "Reproach hath broken my
heart, I am full of heaviness, my tears have been my meat day and night." Oh!
that I could say any thing that could be of any comfort; but all I can do is,
to try and tell you what He has been to me in my troubles. He seems (if I may
so speak) to have watched every opportunity in which I should be most likely
to feel my loss, as if it were to fill up the gap with his precious presence.
Have I in the rebellion of my heart said, I have no companion, I am left quite
alone? He has spoken to me so sweetly in his word, that in spite of myself, I
have been forced to say,
He is enough.
Have I said, I have none to open my mind to? He has led me to, "then shalt
thou call, and the Lord shall answer; Thou shalt cry, and He shall say, here
am I." ? Have I said, I have lost the kernel of all my earthly joys, I have
lost my husband? He has led me to, "Thou shalt call me Ishi, and shall call me
no more Baali." ? Have I said, I am left an unprotected creature in the midst
of a wicked world? He has led me to, "Let thy widows trust in me." ? Or, a
foolish creature with no adviser? He has led me to, "His name shall be called
Wonderful Counsellor!" "I will guide thee with mine eye." ? Or has it been, I
have no prop to lean upon going through this dark howling wilderness? He has
shown me where the church is represented "coming up from the wilderness
leaning upon her Beloved." And He is the same now, and I doubt not, but He is
saying to you, why weepest thou? why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to
thee than ten children? I believe it to be his love expressed in a peculiar
manner. Peace unspeakable can be enjoyed in the midst of tribulation; the soul
is able to realize the joy hereafter, and pant for it, as at no other time;
and he is made more acquainted with himself and his Saviour, which I believe
is the only real happiness after all.
Then to draw the
veil and look at her as she is; your prayers fully answered: Are you
regretting that she is not left to know more of the woes of this unhappy
world? Was it not for the Lord that you were bringing her up? was it not your
first desire for her, that she should be found in his narrow way: and what is
that? "Much
tribulation."
How far she has left you behind: perfect in the praise you are only learning
to lisp. A child's death seems to be the triumph of redemption: ? left on
Satan's kingdom for a short time as if to laugh at his power. He did not think
it too much to give his Son to be made miserable for you: will not you give
him your child to be made unspeakably happy? You would not wish her back only
that she might speak to you, and you to her. Could you form an idea of the
reception she met with when ushered into the presence of her Saviour and her
God? could you see the wisdom and love which fixed the period of her existence
here, you not only would not part with one pang, but would delight in the
dispensation. By faith you are enabled to say, "ALL IS WELL"; and if a voice
could reach you from the everlasting, would it not re-echo back, "ALL IS
WELL"? No longer any distress; not one distracting thought, but peace reigning
for ever ? love the everlasting theme; ? love to Jesus, who is very near also
her weeping friends; who walks with you in the furnace; who puts under you his
everlasting arms, and, in a few short years, will bring you to meet her, know
her, and be happy with her for ever; "so shall ye be ever with the Lord."
I fear I have been
tormenting you sadly; pray pardon me; and do not answer me if painful to you.
Pray give my love to dear ... Tell her how sincerely I feel with you both; but
she has still a husband, and you a wife. Oh! value that treasure while you
have it. Do not say you are bereaved, while you have one to live for, to mourn
with you, and to whose sorrows you may add by over much grief. May you be
long, long spared that unparalleled blessing! May Jesus now lift up on you his
countenance, that in his light you may walk through darkness! May sad
remembrance not draw your spirit down to earth! May faith pierce the cloud of
sorrow, and keep your happy soul above, rejoicing in that bliss which will
soon be yours! A little while, and you will behold Jesus, and find him really
yours for ever; a little while, and you shall join the just above; a little
while, and you shall see how this rough blast of human woe has hastened your
little bark to shore. May you know more and more of the value of the balm of
Gilead, more than you ever did before, and be able to say,
What thou canst,
without thee I am poor;
With thee rich,
take what thou wilt!
Yours, dear Mr...
With Christian
affection and sympathy,
T. A. Powerscourt.
This came, though
veiled in darkness from above,
A dispensation of
eternal Love.
He who perceived
the dangerous control,
The heart-twined
spell, was gaining on thy soul;
Snatch'd from
thine arms the dangerous decoy,
To give the
brighter hope, and purer joy.
Oh! see how soon
the flowers of life decay,
How soon
terrestrial pleasures fade away!
This star of
comfort, for a moment given,
Just rose on
earth, then set to rise in heaven.
Turn back thine
eye along the path of life,
View thine own
grief, and weariness, and strife;
And say, if that
which tempts thee to repine
Be not a happier
lot by far than thine.
If death in
infancy had laid thee low,
Thou hadst escaped
from pain, and sin, and woe.
The years thy soul
the path of sorrow trod,
Had all been spent
in converse with thy God
And thou hadst
shone in yonder cloudless sphere
A seraph there,
and not a pilgrim here.
Oh! it is sweet to
die, to part from earth, ?
And win all
heaven, for things of little worth.
Then, sure, thou
wouldst not, though thou couldst, awake
The little
slumb'rer, for its mother's sake.
No ill can reach
it now, it rests above,
Safe in the bosom
of celestial love.
Its short, but yet
tempestuous way is o'er,
And tears shall
trickle down its cheeks no more.
If bitter thoughts
and tears in heaven could be,
It is thine infant
that should weep for thee!
Letter 53.
Brussels, June
1st, 1830.
... May the Lord's
blessing be on this step! and though the path to glory
must still
be a path of tribulation, yet much may be done to aggravate, much to
alleviate, in this tender tie. ? But the Lord only knows what is before us
all. ? Happy to know He is our Shepherd, therefore, happen what may, we may
boldly say,
I shall not want.
? And what an immensity is contained in that short text! ? The greater our
necessities, the more his all-sufficiency gains utterance, so as to force us
to glory in our necessities. I hope you will write very soon, and tell us
every particular about your dear sister. I trust you may be able to say she is
better. ? Yet, is there any thing in this world you would offer her in
exchange, for what you desire to keep her from. Oh no! there is but one
concern, are we really on our way to Him? When the curtain shall drop on the
dearest friends, forced at length to give up their hold, shall it, indeed, be,
"I fear not, because
Thou art with me."
Though the subject does not seem very appropriate to matrimony, yet, as in the
midst of life we are in death, it would be well for us all, at all times, to
strive to keep in view this end of our existence, this solemn thought,
we have to die.
It would be well to try to realise
how we
shall feel, standing alone with Jesus in that untried, unknown somewhere.
There is nothing ugly in death to the believer. I have been lately called in
expectation to face him. There is an honesty in his countenance, which while
terrifying the ungodly infuses such a holy confidence into the child of God,
that he will conduct in safety to Jesus. We are left to the single thought of
how we shall meet him. Had we no other motive, what a powerful one is this to
cultivate an intimacy with him now, to prove
Him; to
make Him our secret keeper, our bosom friend; that when we meet, it may be
meeting one "whom, not having seen, we have loved!" And having proved His
faithfulness all along the paths of righteousness, we may not feel a suspicion
of His deserting in the last
step of faith.
To the believer it
cannot be a
dark valley; for there is no need of sun or moon where the Lamb is the light
thereof, and His rainbow is thrown over it. Oh, what rich feasts "the dogs"
may gather from the crumbs which fall from the children's table! ? I mean how
richly we may partake of promises addressed to the Jews ? see Isaiah 43. He
has redeemed
us, he has
called
us by name
? He has not spared his only Son for
us, we are His;
so precious in His sight, therefore honourable; and he loves us, has CREATED
us for His glory, therefore
to us also He says, "fear not;" again, "fear not, for
I am with, thee."
What shall we be called to
this year?
to pass through the water, to wet our feet with the uncomfortable cares,
perplexities, disappointments of this life:
fear not Israel!
Prince with God! I am with thee, the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel (thy
property,) thy Saviour ? what have we then to fear? Only remember all through
the year, "I
am with you"...
Letter 54.
Brussels, Feb. 23,
1830.
... Blessed
portion her's! The crown without the cross! Oh, does it not make us love that
Saviour who extracted all the bitter, and left her only a cup of love? Dear
... you do not, you cannot wish she had staid in such a world (that you might
look at her, and talk to her,) where pure happiness is only to be found in the
ocean of tribulation, through which you now all wade ? "She came to show how
sweet a flower in Paradise would blow." ? Now she is safely locked up in the
casket of her God, to he brought forth when he shall open his jewels. Ah! I
have not lived in this world many more years than she has; and I can tell you
God meant what he said, when He gave one promise for this world ? "Much
tribulation."
There is a depth of meaning when "The
Truth"
speaks, which we must learn by deep experience ? the meaning of words is only
taught in the school of affliction. We think it worth travelling the path of
sorrow only for the
earnest of
what remains for her: the earnest alone is far, far beyond all your fondest
desires could have heaped upon her. Treasure up these choice moments, when
enlightened by the furnace. The vanity is made legible, which the finger of
God has imprinted on all below. How near it brings another world, that one of
ourselves, brought up with you, exchanging with you every desire and interest,
should now be there. The object is only removed from earth to heaven round
which your affections were entwined, that your hearts may be drawn up, instead
of downwards. Yes! we need these realities to make us real. We are believers
in profession; we are atheists in lives. We
must live
for eternity, we must be what we seem to be! While our Bridegroom tarries, we
either slumber in stupidity, or dream in sleep the greatest nonsense possible,
even of earthly happiness; while our very disappointment in not finding it,
testifies to our unbelief. We need continually to be thus roused, that
casting off
our works of darkness we may at the Bridegroom's call, be found clothed in
light.
"We've no abiding
city here,
Then let us live
as pilgrims do;
Let not this world
our
rest appear,
But let us haste
from
all below."
One has said,
"they pass best over the world who trip over it quickly, for it is but a bog.
If we stop, we sink."...
Dear, dear Mr...
He has indeed suffered much. Ah! but he is now privileged in being called
before he leaves Satan's kingdom to exhibit in
living words,
before those to whom he has long recommended his Lord, that there is in him a
spring of consolation, the world knows nothing of? It was seeing this in his
mother that first arrested the great Cecil in his career of infidelity. Lying
one night in bed, he was contemplating the case of his mother. "I see (said he
within himself ) two unquestionable facts. First, my mother is greatly
afflicted, in circumstances, body, and mind; and yet I see she cheerfully
bears up under all, by the support she derives from constantly retiring to her
closet and her Bible. Secondly, that she has a secret spring of comfort, of
which I know nothing; while I who give an unbounded loose to my appetites, and
seek pleasure by every means, seldom or never find it. If, however, there is
any such secret in religion, why may not I attain it, as well as my mother? I
will immediately seek it of God." He instantly rose, and began to pray. May he
be given faith, to glorify his faithful God in the fires. May not his excess
of grief bring up a false report of Him, who has answered so tenderly his many
years' prayers, and even given him to hear it from her own mouth, ? yet a
little, and he shall
see how
blessed she is! How preferable to have her safely locked up in a bosom of
love, he
has proved,
he
can trust,
before him, to leaving her in a world of woe and temptation
after him.
It is no light thing to profess love to a "jealous God," ?
It shall be tried,
because much more precious than gold that perisheth. He vouchsafes to tell us
the trial shall be found to
His praise,
honour and glory, at his appearing; needful to Him; needful to us! Sometimes
it is purified in the bleeding of another's heart. We can talk, we can suffer,
we can do, we can die; but one thing, says Christ, thou lackest ? prove me
paramount to your dearest idol. ? How you must miss her in every turn, in
every thing you do ? but the end of all things is at hand! Let faith take her
stand on Mount Zion, and look on present things with a retrospective view. ? A
hill looks different from the top and bottom. ? Do not look at
the way ?
you know
Him who has engaged to carry you through; you
shall go
from strength to strength. ? The furnace shall be heated, proportioned to
your faith; but He is the refiner, who swept the house, sought out and
rejoiced over his bit of gold; you shall not be lost,
for His name is in you.
He sends you word, "Behold I come quickly." Let hope spread out the wing of
contemplation, fly over all between, anticipate your meeting with your
betrothed husband, and your re-union with the family of God! so that joy and
sorrow may be alike swallowed up in the rejoicing of hope. ? No regret in that
wedding ?
nothing but
joy. Oh! when He sets about blessing, He shall satisfy, for He blesses like a
God ? you shall be satisfied with him: He shall be satisfied with you, for the
day of the gladness of his heart was the day of his espousal to his church.
(Can. 3. 2.) ? You shall enter into the joy of your Lord,
satisfied
with the way you have been brought ? satisfied with the provision of your
Father's house ? satisfied with his likeness in yourself. Shall not the first
words this family shall express one to the other be, "Was it not worth all." ?
"It was a true report." ? "The half was not told." He has said all possible to
raise our expectation to the highest. ? Surely it is not like him to put us
off with a trifle. "Oh, how great is the goodness thou hast laid up, etc." Our
universal song, "Worthy the Lamb" ? our particular song, "Our Jesus hath done
all things well." Is this indeed ours, and will you lament? ? is this your
dear sister's, and will you repine? Oh no! let the rest of your life be one
expression of gratitude for his having snatched one so loved from the very jaw
of the lion ? for having translated her from the kingdom of darkness, into the
kingdom of God's own Son ? for having chosen her in him before the foundation
of the world ? for having written her name in the Book of Life ? for having
dissipated every doubt of her peace in Jesus ? for having so gently carried
his lamb- in his bosom ? for having followed her with goodness and mercy
through the valley, till safely housed in her Father's home. Whether we sleep
or wake, we live together with Him; we lie upon the
same bosom,
and you shall find it filled with love. When experiencing his sweetness, let
it remind you what He must be to her; let every tear whisper "Faithful is He
who promised." Look at your dear father's sorrow and remember, He who holds
the rod has said, "As a
father
pitieth his children,
so He
pitieth you." Time is so short, see how short, do not spend the little moment
in only lamentation: you are called to glorify your God in a manner you shall
not be able to do, all through eternity. The morning cometh! do not sleep as
do others! Be a light, by holding forth the Word of Truth; let it be legible
in you, "Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth." I do not attempt to express
what I feel for dear ... and all; that would be poor comfort; but I have
reminded
One of you
all, who needs no reminding; who is peculiarly with you at this moment ? a
present help in time of trouble. He draws near in his own time, with
consolation which He alone can give. "In your afflictions
He is
afflicted" ? enter into this truth, till it shall spread abroad in your heart
a peace passing understanding...
Letter 55.
Bushy, October
1835.
... I trust this
may be a fresh link to heaven, being received from heaven; if not, it will not
be his fault, for he intends blessing, full blessing in all his gifts. Any
thing
let down in
the white sheet to us, cleansed of God, a resurrection gift, is no more common
or unclean, if we have grace to receive it from heaven instead of earth. How
happy is Jesus, rejoicing in the joy of his people; He learnt to weep with
those that weep; that He might be able fully to rejoice with those that
rejoice. So should we, his people. If we had more of church feeling, less of
individual feeling, the joy of each would make us more happy than the one
rejoicing. How happy must we then be! and Jesus loves to see us happy. He
sorrowed, that we might rejoice; it is the best recompense we can give Him,
for what could He have done more for us than he did? He came, that we might
have life! He spoke, that our joy might be full! We are not united to a broken
heart, but to a heart which
has been
broken, full of the tenderest sympathies; but every sympathy filled with life.
He stood as the recipient of death ? He learned the word thoroughly, and now
must have all the glory. Every thing may be to us the communion of the body of
Christ, on which we may feed by faith with thanksgiving. May you find it so in
your dear little one! To every thing there was a meat offering, to be ate by
the holy priest in the holy place, because most holy; to them belonged every
dedicated thing. It is a difficult lesson to learn, but a great one to have
learnt ? that the fear is,
not our
loving earthly objects too much, but of loving them wrongly; that God's object
is not to destroy the affections, but to direct them, as Mr... remarked. The
poisoned pottage is a description of the natural heart of man: the moment the
prophet poured in the meal, it is, "pour forth, there is no harm in the pot."
The moment the relation between the heart of God and man is perfected, the
moment the handful of meal is thrown into the heart of the saint, the command
of God is to pour forth all these relations. There is a master principle put
into these relations which governs them; there is not less power in them, but
a new
will in
them; our affections ascend through the heart of Jesus; the heart of Jesus is
a filial heart, and when our affections are lodged in this heart, they become
filial also; there is but one will, all one. I think I have remarked that in
entering on a Christian life we think much of how we
believe,
how we
do, how we
suffer, but
we take
love as an
easy enjoyment. Now it seems to me, however difficult to believe, to labour,
or to suffer, nothing is so difficult as to learn to love. Nothing so
dangerous as to love wrongly. Nothing will through our course give us so much
suffering, because it is heaven, which knows no law, but the spirit of God let
loose on earth. It is life in close contact with death. Dear ... open wide
your hearts to this fresh stream from heaven, keep it pure, that there may be
a continual reflection of love, to the gladdening the heart of him, who was
joyless, the man of sorrows, that you might receive your little one, and love
him without fear ... today while it is called today labour, exhort one
another, be up and doing ? tomorrow we shall see him! and all his saints with
him. No yesterday, but the cross of Jesus; no tomorrow but glory; no today but
Christ,
the day of
Salvation!
To me to live is Christ, may it be so with us all. I believe I desire nothing
else but to be used as He
will for
his glory. I know that I
desire to
desire nothing else; but oh our will, our will so often pretends to be his,
there is so much to learn in that verse, applied to ourselves "when thou wast
young", when first setting out "we gird ourselves, and walk where
we will",
we are long before we learn to stretch forth our hands, (so expressive of
leaving ourselves to another, ) and let him gird us, and carry us where we
would not...
Letter 56.
July 16th, 1833.
My dear Mr ...,
Oh, what a relief! when He will appear on the heavenly hill! to set all in
order! with the same delight and readiness, as hitherto He has shown in his
work of redemption. Love still moves quickly towards its object; runs while
yet a great way off; hastens to heal the backslider; to receive graciously, to
love freely! with every temptation, makes a way to escape; while yet praying,
hears; is a very present help in trouble; hides but for a little moment; longs
after us, (Phil. 1. 8.) With the same alacrity He is coming; not a moment will
He delay beyond the appointed time! If love could say of suffering, "It is my
meat, and drink," for the joy set before him, what a joy He will have in
coming to receive his own "to himself, that where He is, there may they be
also." No sooner shall the strong voice, and mighty cry be heard, "Babylon is
fallen, is fallen," than shall follow another cry from heaven ? "come out of
her my people." He waits for the last signal, when, immediately after the
tribulation, shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; when the last
elect shall have been born into the world, and fitted for glory, He will be
found ready; and as though too impatient to wait till earth is prepared for
his reception, we shall be "caught up to meet him in the air." He remembers He
has jewels in Babylon; He will gather them for his crown when about to visit
the earth as King. He will come ? He will not tarry ? to welcome his bride;
for his last message to her, which she treasures, and ever carries in her
bosom, was, "behold, I come quickly!" "Make haste then my Beloved, and be thou
like unto a roe, and to a young hart, upon the mountains of Spices." Prophecy
alone can keep us in impatient patience, even in the spirit of Lot.
Indifference to the evil was not ready ? his children had to be dragged out,
and he waiting for them. A mixture in the evil is not ready ? some of his
children were left behind. A heart in the evil is not ready ? his wife looked
behind. It must be a spirit vexed with surrounding ungodliness. May we be
among the sighers and criers, not among such as love to have it so. The more
God has lost his witness in the world, through his people's unfaithfulness,
the more, surely, we should labour individually, to let his truth shine out in
us. May He, in order to this, take care of his little precious seed, sown in
the barren soil of our hearts, all nigh choked! May He descend into this, his
conservatory, and in the stillness and seclusion of it, with all his own
tenderness and skill, root up every weed, and dress about his lovely exotics,
which He brought from heaven to earth, even all the graces of his Spirit. May
He cause them quickly to burst forth in splendid bloom, and rich verdure, to
bless and praise him. Dear Mr... do not cease to pray for the most needy of
the Lord's saints. I have written too much about myself. It is doing to you,
as I should like to be done by. Please write without delay...
Very
affectionately, yours,
T. A. P.
Letter 57.
Lough Bray,
November 26, 1833.
... You see, much
loved brother in the Lord, what an unconquerable correspondent I am; but you
know we shall very soon meet, never to part again. This is our privileged time
of labour, and only what may be considered in that light is our lawful
occupation; but this is among the labours of love, at least should be, for I
think we should have a conscience neither to speak in vain, nor write in vain.
I wish you were, indeed, coming over to us. Much as I have written to you, I
do not feel to know much of your internal man, either your outward or inward
exercises. Do write me a history of your life from the beginning to your
present trials, and joys, and blessings from without. Then write and tell me
all your inward experiences from the beginning, and whether now you are a
happy believer; if you have unclouded faith and realizing hope; whether the
joy of the Lord is your strength. And do not leave out
little
things, because, it is such things show me your confidence in my interest in
and affection for you. I feel it is for this reason, that the Lord loves us to
take our little things to him. I like to be told all that concerns, even down
to the kitchen maid, and stable boy; for what are we here but to suffer one
with another, even now in a sense to judge the world, or to be the
communicator of blessings to the world from above. Will Jesus strengthen? It
is mostly through a saint. ? Will He comfort? It is through a saint. ? Will
He sympathize? Again it will be usually through a saint. We are losers, when
in our pride we refuse to be dependant one upon another. Dependance is the
Christian's proper position, therefore, for his happiness; and it was, no
doubt, a new pleasure Jesus
learnt, as
a creature, both dependance on the Father, so beautifully shown throughout,
and dependance on his creatures. They ministered to him, He
looked for
pity from them, (the most humiliating thing we can receive). Oh! if we lived
as members of Christ, and members one of another, each saint would discover a
prop in his fellow saint. Such seemed his intention in a church. ? His wisdom
saw that our necessities so required, and, therefore, provided ? his thoughts
towards us being mercy and love; but we marred his intention; nevertheless, is
it not beautiful to see, even in our wants, how well He understands us; it
brings the conviction, that when He shall set about satisfying, how well He
will understand it. "When I awake in his likeness, I shall be satisfied." No,
nothing else will ever do. We have by faith seen the glory of our risen Lord.
Nothing can satisfy us but resurrection. To the end, we go on in some shape
believing Satan's lie, that we can find good here in its present state ? but
the thing is impossible. It must be but repeated lessons of disappointment,
because Satan has defaced our God from his creation, therefore in it destroyed
our enjoyment. Nothing but resurrection is worthy the gift of a God, or worthy
for us to receive ? being risen, united with Jesus in his resurrection. The
best testimony we can give Satan that the whole is ours by right and title, is
to receive no part from him. To refuse to have any thing to say to it, till we
receive it redeemed from its lawful King, who has paid the redemption price.
The things of the world and the things of the kingdom must be for ever and
absolutely distinct. One from beneath, the other from above; one of Satan, the
god of this world, the other of the Father, the reward he has prepared for his
Son, proportioned to his sense of merit, in the work of his Son, risen Lord of
a risen creation. For a little moment, even while merged in the curse, his
works now appear often lovely, but quickly are we reminded that Satan rules.
Our proper position is, therefore, as those that wait till the manifestation
of the sons of God, when creation shall put on its beautiful garments, its
resurrection robes, its robes of glory, to welcome its King of kings. Well for
us, as little as possible to know any thing after the flesh; for this world's
strength is defiance of omnipotence ? its wealth, the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eye, and the pride of life: ? its wisdom, rejection of Him who
was the whole wisdom of God: ? its affections, friendship with the world which
is enmity with God: ? its glory, having succeeded in turning out of it the
Prince of life. Life rejected, life turned out, ? its glory!
it is
nothing but a sepulchre, death, and all comprehended in that awful word; a
beautiful ruin that attracts the eye, but when we look in, ? the sepulchre of
Jesus. ? But our hope!!! had any of the princes of this world known
it, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory; destruction and death have only
heard the fame thereof with their ears. Blessed thought! There is nothing
which belongs more to the resurrection, than hope; therefore, Satan so fights
against the second advent. "Begotten again to a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." It is in the power of this hope,
which is the power of the resurrection, that we can alone mount up with wings
as eagles, be dissociated from all around, and stand aloof from all below. I
think this truth also, brings strongly to the mind now, that every good gift
is
from above,
and comes down to us from the Father of lights, it is "wisdom from above" ?
new will, new affections, new taste, new understanding, not the old
sanctified. May we, dear brother and friend, have power to digest these
truths, so that health and strength may be by them diffused through our
spiritual system ? may we be as the living among the dead, maintaining his
right and his cause in the hour of his rejection... I am writing, as you see,
not from Powerscourt, but from Lough Bray, a little fishing cottage over a
lake embraced in high mountains, of majestic, threatening appearance, seeming
to defy the approach of any evil to the children of the Most High. The
invisible things of God, even his eternal power and God-head, are clearly seen
from the creation. To us it has a voice,
i.e. "it
is all yours,"
all this majesty and greatness; for, as the mountains stand about the lake,
even so mercy embraceth us on every side. It is a lone spot, three miles from
Powerscourt, up the Glenchree mountains, where I used to visit the Roman
Catholics; our nearest neighbour is the priest. People who judge only by
sense, say, we shall be shut up by snow and starved, not able to get help in
illness, ? that we shall die of cold, inflammations, etc. ? be murdered by the
Roman Catholics, ? but I have an answer for all, "Let thy widows trust in me
... When Jesus saw the
multitude
following Him, he turned and said," He that forsaketh not all that he hath,
cannot be my disciple." Yes, the true disciples must take the shame of the
many professors. We know our
hearts to
be separated from these trifles; therefore we think the outward expression of
it of little moment; but did we declare plainly that our kingdom is not from
hence, that we seek a city, so many whose hearts are not separated, would at
least count the cost. "They seek to carpet the way to heaven." It is therefore
I have taken a cottage in the neighbourhood, to make the principle more clear.
But it is all His doing; I held back as long as I could; I said, impossible;
but He pushed me to it, shut me up to it,
then made
darkness light before me, crooked things straight, and do you think He will
fail me? "They shall receive a hundred fold more in this life, and in the
world to come."
It is a foolish
thing to resist conscience, better to do an hundred other foolish things, for
they at least express our sincere desire to the Lord to follow Him, at any
cost; and he that does his will shall know of his doctrine, while the
resisting of conscience, brings us to a stand still.
Letter 58.
My dear brother in
the Lord, ? Which is most wonderful, for a moving mass of sin to be accounted
holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, or for one who knew no sin,
to be treated as a mass of sin? Is it really so? Has the offended really
endured the infliction of the law for the offender? Has the infinite space
between God and the sinner been filled by himself? Has He really taken bone of
our bone, and flesh of our flesh, to enable Him to stand in the gap? and not
only so, but does he now put himself into the attitude of a beggar to implore
sinners to be reconciled to
Him? Can
earth show a more wonderful a more stupendous mystery? Yes. The sinner
refusing to be reconciled!! Hear, oh heavens! and give ear, oh earth! and
learn the manifold wisdom of God, in his tender compassion. Yet what an
unspeakable blessing, that all doubt of willingness lies on our side. No
danger of his pleading with his great power against any who come, be they ever
so far off. Though Ethiopia but stretch forth her hand, still He will in no
wise cast out. Though we go, have gone, and do go, to the furthest boundary of
sin, sorrow, remorse, anguish of spirit, hardness of heart, unbelief,
ingratitude, backsliding, still
it is written,
"He is able to save to the ?
uttermost ?
uttermost ? ALL that come unto God by him." Yes, we are precious to him; He
has valued us at the price of his own precious blood. We carry about in our
body as a casket, a pearl of great price to Jesus, one of the pearls belonging
to his crown of glory. Let us treasure it, let us not trifle with it, let us
not cast that to swine, which is to be a crown of glory in the hand of the
Lord, to make up a royal diadem in the hand of our God. Yet among all the
wonderful truths which are
almost too
good to be believed, the one we first mentioned seems to me the most so. ?
That inasmuch as our surety has been treated as we deserve, so are we
altogether
as our surety deserves; that as God loves Christ, so he loves us; that in the
court of justice we are one and the same, we shall be argued about, as though
we had done and suffered all He has. Do we ask, how much are we
one with
the second Adam? just as much as we are one with the first. Let us allow
ourselves the full strength of this belief, so that every recollection we are
forced to of our
oneness
with the first Adam, may remind how closely we are united to the second. It is
no more with us, is God angry with
me? But is
He angry with his Son? Not, ? shall he condemn
me? But
shall he condemn my surety? Not, ? shall any abomination, and ingratitude
pluck me out of his hand? but shall it pluck Jesus? Surely that robe is
sufficient to hide us altogether, which was made to his dimensions. How out of
character for the believer to take delight or interest in that to which we are
dead, "how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?" "reckon
yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God, through Jesus
Christ;" and being "risen with Christ, let us seek those things which are
above where Christ sitteth." The bustle of life should be no more to us than
the buzzing of flies round a corpse. Since the Father reckons us one with his
Son in his death, let us reckon ourselves one with him in our life; one in
what he loves, what he desires, what he abhors. In return for a love many
waters cannot quench, all He asks, is "love." Oh! may we ever remember that
though we give all our substance, time, talent, any thing, and yet keep our
hearts for idols, it will be utterly condemned. Now it is time to thank you
for your three welcome letters. It is pleasant to write to one who proves he
values a letter. I suppose Mr... told you he left us at P... at least if you
touched on so insignificant a subject: and gave you a lesson that while man
proposes, God executes; that while the lot is thrown into the lap, the
whole
disposal thereof is of the Lord. Sweet to lie passive in his hands, and know
no will but his. We are now settled at ... ready to receive you when you come.
I wish we were able to offer you a bed, but the only house we could get, is a
little nut-shell, a nice little baby-house, very clean and new. You will have
to come side-ways through the hall, and up the stairs. The three drawing-rooms
would all go into the one in ... the fog of London is as stupefying, as the
wind of Edinburgh is bracing. If you do not make haste, I shall be in a
stupefaction before you come.
My purpose is to
hear Mr. Howels, Sunday morning and evening, and Mr. Wilkinson, Tuesday
morning.
Letter 59.
London, May 8th,
1833.
... I am now going
to allow myself the pleasure of writing to you, dear and kind friend in Jesus.
We do not communicate
much on the
way; we shall have
more to
tell at the end ? a joyful wondrous story, such as angels love to hear. ? Then
shall all our trials of faith be to
His honour
and glory! What intense interest, therefore, must be each trial of faith to
the invisible world. Many are our expressions of love to our God, and most
valuable to him are those expressions; but He is a jealous God, words are not
sufficient. Again and again, the anxious enquiry comes, "lovest thou me more
than these?" Till tried, we know not how little faith we have. Faith must be
put in the scales with something very near our hearts ? yes, with what is
nearest,
for it still must be "more
than these." The furnace must be heated in proportion to the increase of our
faith. Is it, because God willingly afflicts? No, but the trial of faith
strengthens; faith consumes its dross. The trial is precious
to God ?
more precious than gold, because it shall endure. It is his riches, his
treasure, precious to him is it to have proof from his child ? "Lord thou
knowest all things, thou knowest that I love
thee." Is
not every painful providence a messenger direct from the throne to our hearts
? a ministering spirit sent forth to the heirs of salvation? It brings this
message ? now I will put home the question in a way that shall
be felt.
Are we ready to say, I could have borne any thing but this? Then let us
remember the greatest compliment God can pay us, is to heat the furnace to the
utmost. He is, in fact, then saying, "great
is thy faith."
Little furnaces are for little faith; and is not trial valuable, even to
earthly affection? Do we not seize every opportunity to give proof to
expressions of love? Oh! let us count the cost when we say, we believe. It is
a word of deep meaning in the dictionary of God. Paul's belief was ready to
do, but
what was the answer, "Thou shall see what great things thou shall
suffer for
my name sake." It has been so from the beginning. We would not be without that
trial of which all the church have been partakers. We would not that He should
be so indifferent to our love, as never to question us about it, or desire an
evidence of it. Does He not ponder each? He takes all into consideration. What
would be felt in one, would not in another. Nevertheless, while it
must be
felt, He pledges his faithfulness, that with each temptation He will make a
way of escape, that we may be able to bear it. He will
never try
us above what we are able to bear. Though it may seem that we are shut up on
every side, He knows
how to
deliver! What a trial to Isaiah, when sent to tell the people of Israel, that
their hearts should be made fat, their ears heavy, and their eyes shut, lest
they should be converted and healed! What a trial to Abraham to go out of his
country and from his kindred, and come into a strange land, not knowing
whither He went! What a trial to Noah, to be mocked and regarded as a fool
while building the ark, according to the command of the Lord! How Isaac's
faith was proved in Jacob; how Jacob's was in Joseph; how Moses' was in
choosing rather to suffer affliction, esteeming the reproach of Christ great
riches. What a trial to forsake Egypt under the wrath of the king! When we
seek to place ourselves in the condition of each of these sufferers, and
consider every accompanying feeling, how it makes our trials say to us, "Oh!
ye of little faith!" Gideon! Barak! Samson! Jephtha! David! Samuel! ? Yet out
of weakness were they made strong! Words quickly said, but what suffering! ?
in "mockings, scourgings, bonds, stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, slain with the
sword, wandered about in sheep's skins and goat's skins, destitute, afflicted,
tormented!'' Truly, "of whom the world was not worthy." Oh! what meagre
Christians! Should we draw back if such were our prospects? May He not say,
where is your faith? Let us love the prospect, clasp it to our bosom, as a
token of his love. When standing as we expect, among the great multitude
escaped out of
great
tribulation, would we be found alone without this family particularity? Does
it not distinctly pronounce that name which includes all blessedness ? "my
Son." When
Abraham shall tell of his Isaac; Isaac, of his Jacob; Jacob, of his Joseph;
David, of his Absalom; Jeremiah, of his dungeon; Peter, of his stripes; John,
of his banishment; Paul, of his perils, wearinesses, watchings, hunger; his
thorn in the flesh; his buffetings of Satan: shall we be content to have
nothing to bring forward to his praise, honour, and glory? for it shall not be
forgotten, God is not unrighteous to forget our love for him. Hezekiah was
left of God to try him, that he might know
all that
was in his heart. ? God let the nations loose against Israel to prove them. ?
He allowed false prophets among them to prove them. ? He sent them manna to
prove them ? brought them to the waters of Marah to prove them. ? He led them
forty years in the wilderness to prove them ? to know what was in their heart;
for while "the fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, it is the
Lord that
trieth the
hearts." And "Blessed is the man that
endureth
temptation." Let us then, dear brother, welcome every trial. In them we shall
prove our God. How full of compassion his approaches at such seasons! He comes
with all the tenderness of one who knew that he was about to wound a heart he
loved. Have you ever marked his gentleness when bringing a painful message?
How He usually calls by name, Abraham, Abraham ? Moses, Moses. He tells us why
I have called you by name, because you arc mine. His own sheep "He calls by
name." As many as He loves he rebukes, but He would have us understand it to
be a rebuke of love. Now we arc "a spectacle to angels and devils;" let us not
bring up a false report of our God. ? Let it be seen that "tribulation
worketh
patience, patience experience, experience hope;" yea, that we can "glory in
tribulation," for "we
know the
end of the Lord, very pitiful, and of tender mercy" ? let us trust him without
an explanation. When let behind the scenes in the case of Job, how we feel a
desire that Satan should be disappointed. ? Then let us glorify the Lord in
the fires. ? Satan will be as disappointed in us, for Job was not a whit more
beloved. Let Jesus' "strength be made perfect in weakness," it is the glory of
this dispensation. Abraham's faith has been to God's glory; the will was
accepted as the deed. Heb. 11. 17; James 2. 21. We may rest assured, that the
day is coming when the bitterest dealings shall be to us the sweetest. Every
trial of faith in Hebrews 11. was some affliction. Let us accept tribulation
as the boon we are most unworthy of. If we were without tribulation, of which
all are
partakers, then were we not children. Rather let us bless him ? Oh, let us
bless him, that He has not pronounced that which would be indeed the desert of
our rebellious hearts. ? "Let
them alone."
But why do I write so to you. I hope you are in no trouble. ? What is it? for
I asked the Lord to let me write that, which would be just what you needed:
and I have written this. ? Ah! if you need it not now, you have needed it, and
you will, if you stay long in this world of sin.
I have been
looking at Abraham's trial of faith; it must be to us important to dwell on,
as it is proposed as the pattern of faith to the end of time. ? If to be the
pattern, God must have sought for the most trying proof; and in it, does not
God seem to say,
behold my love:
for God
so loved
the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, etc. How touchingly this same
trial is described in Judges 11. 30, etc. How we read, "in this was manifested
the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into
the world:" have we not in this a proof, that the sacrifice of God in slaying
his Son, (to speak after the manner of men,) was the utmost pang the Divine
mind could devise; for it was the one chosen as a pattern of faith to the end
of time. God would thus, it seems, sustain us in all our minor trials, by an
apprehension of his own love embodied in that of Abraham, by setting him up
before us as the Father of the faithful, and pattern of faith. He would check
our doubts, of his willingness with his only Son to give all things, seeing
that in Abraham not sparing his beloved Isaac, He asked no more: while he
would also draw out our love and gratitude, that our requirement is not our
first-born, for our transgression;
that having
been done for us at an expense of love set forth in Abraham, we have only, to
"LOVE MERCY, and to walk humbly with our God!"
The fire was in
the father's hand, and also the knife, when to Calvary they went both
together. The transaction was all between these stupendous acts fulfilling,
while foolish man gazed on with unmeaning gaze. Blessed to have such a wise,
as well as loving God to undertake for us. Let us lay aside every weight,
asking no questions, looking at no consequences; let not unbelief say, how
shall I stand the trying day! but let us "run with patience the race SET
before us, looking unto Jesus." It may be a difficult race; let us be bent on
it; if faint, yet pursuing; let us lay aside, cast on His omnipotent shoulder,
every hindrance, that might impede our progress, or make our bold resolute
willingness falter. We often forget that it is the race
of faith we
are running. We ought to appear deranged to the by-stander, for to the mere
looker-on, the cross is "foolishness." Every weight of sense must be put out
of the way; I believe that holy bold resolution in this, will do much in
keeping us steady. Often we see nets spread before us in our path, and though
it is written, "in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird," yet so
does man excel in folly even the beasts of the field, and birds of the air, so
infatuated, that we run into our favourite snares with our eyes open, though
perhaps determining not to be held, but to struggle out of them; present
weakness not being sufficient to correct confidence in future strength; till
our feet are entangled, our race impeded, and we discover too late, that the
God of strength has refused to accompany us into the snare, has been left
behind, and we stand alone against the enemy. Oh! that we were wise. Oh! that
we had grace to be resolute to turn aside from pits, into which our weakness
has fallen again and again, and our faith has well-nigh been drowned. ? The
wise man speaking of temptation, (which is true of all temptation,) says,
"avoid it, pass it not by, turn from it and pass away," how wise not to parley
with the old serpent, for his arguments are most ingenious; to resist, or else
flee from him. May we examine ourselves in this. May we see to it, that
nothing impedes our race, weakens our faith, or prevents our obedience. We
have before us the majesty of that love which
set its face
stedfastly to go to Jerusalem, in perfect acquiescence to the will of the
Father. Let us be honest with ourselves and in earnest with God. Let us
treasure no Babylonish garment however goodly. Let us sanctify ourselves, for
if there be an accursed thing hid in our hearts, we shall not be able to stand
in the day of trial; we lose much time in our progress by needing such
repeated lessons on each truth. When we should have been wise, we are still
found fools. He has said, whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after
me, he cannot be my disciple. We are following a crucified one!
We remain here
till the end of May ? further I see not. Oh! for simplicity in discovering His
will, and submissiveness in following. This is a lesson some are long in
learning, I have been all my life talking of it, but
always
following my own will except
his was
mine...
Letter 60.
Lough Bray,
September, 1834.
My beloved friend.
? It has not been indeed because of the want of a heart to write, that I have
not done so long since ? but my father, at whose bidding I desire to move, did
not say go, till this moment, and you know you would not hear from me but as
his scribe. God grant me thy words, and thy thoughts, that this may be to us
both, an ordinance of thine own! I have with gratitude heard good accounts of
your dear ... from different quarters, which I shall rejoice to have confirmed
by your own hand. You know one of the explanations of his OWN name is,
"keeping mercy." -
"Thou alone
couldst silent stand,
And wait to show
thy love."
I so feel for our
young people now. I feel more for my ... than your ... It was wisely ordered
that through persecution and tribulation
we should
enter the
kingdom.
They have
the misfortune of seeing Christianity in their parents and friends, which
causes them to set out with a low standard. Oh! I
feel this;
how different our conversation, from what we would that they should consider
the Christian's calling! so that the very respect and esteem, it is desirable
that they should entertain for us, is against their whole future life; and
inasmuch as it is below, and different from, the way in which we set out, so
in proportion will their Christianity in some years be below ours. This, with
many other things, shows me that even in this relationship we must be resigned
to decrease, and let the Lord be all! We often think it is for their good, and
the Lord's glory, that we desire to be identified in their minds with the
gospel, but our very disappointment when we fail, proves it to be secretly a
desire of obtaining for ourselves that worship which is its due and effect. I
desire to be willing they should be able to discover both grace, and nature,
in me, that
my
inconsistency may not detract from
its glory;
and I desire also to be able, now that they have come to full reason, and the
Lord has taken them up, I trust, to let go my dominion and too great anxiety
over them, and so prove that not for myself, but for Him, I have watched over
them. How difficult it is, dear friend, to be
only for
Him in this world, especially in our service towards them we call our own. We
are ready to be interested even for the Lord's work, because the bit he has
given us,
instead of, because His. Still self, self ? we need a heart large enough to
embrace the universe, yet contracted enough to lend all its energies and
sympathies to each case, "diligently to follow every good work," elastic
hearts! ... I believe you expected I was to have more leisure up here, than at
... quite the contrary, I never had so little leisure or time for communion,
in my life! not because of the change of place, but more from the loss of ...
besides, new situations bring new duties and new trials.
"Joy to find in
every station
Something still to
do or bear."
Yet never once
have I regretted the step I took, but find new, unlooked-for mercies every
turn. In my former situation were large trials to meet, large temptations,
needing large supplies of grace, opportunities to draw these supplies; my
work, when coming down from Him, more spiritual and direct, more out of the
reach of the little foxes that spoil the vines, less intercourse, except
spiritual, with others. I feel that formerly there was in me but an outline of
the image of Christ, now He would fill it up with the graces of the Spirit; He
would, but I find when he demands their use, I have none of them. Blessed be
his name for bringing me into circumstances to draw them out! He saw I desired
to come down, and he will do it; his own work shall be to humble ? we need no
more time for communion than He allows, he can be learnt in the most servile
works, and the most common providences, as much as in the word, if we have
eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to understand, which is also needed for the
word. Oh!
it is not the word, but his blessing, which is the guide and teacher of the
heart, and happiness comes not from our measure of knowledge, but from our
measure of subjection ? to live in his presence "in the heavenlies," is one
lesson, but to find his presence in every duty, to live on Him in them, is a
further lesson; we are apt to look with panting heart for the time of
communion, as if our retired time was the time of communion, but to walk with
God is to
dwell in
communion, to have the soul
stayed on
Him. I have also been learning that it is an abiding sense of weakness which
is our safeguard, not strength even from above; and many a tumble we shall
have, before we have an abiding sense of weakness, and yet we need the Spirit
of power to meet the fiery darts of the wicked one, a shield from which they
will rebound. The Lord will be prevailed with, but it must be
through wrestling;
poor Jacob, his trials began from the moment he received the blessing. I am
indeed the most inexcusable of all creatures, if I am not thankful and
contented, as you would say, could you see ... so much for self. Am I ever to
see you here? The 25th of this month our time is up here; I have not yet
ascertained whether it be the Lord's will for us to continue yet some months;
if He has nothing for us to do, I pray not; though it is just beginning to be
very lovely. The questions you asked me, I take for granted you have long
since answered to yourself. You have, no doubt, heard of dear ... happy
removal ? she sleeps in Jesus, and though he suffers severely, was able to
give her up with outstretched arms. I hope you enjoy more every day, even as I
trust I do, the promises handed down to us, through the experience of Christ
in the psalms, He seems to lay open his heart filled with our necessities,
that out of his experience, we may draw of his fulness. Our promises having
lighted upon his head, they descend to the skirts of his garments, we have
thus not only the word, but the
example of
his faithfulness in our own every case,
whatever it may be;
and this seems the great argument used by our Lord throughout them, as his
voice in the church, ? "In the world ye shall have tribulation,
but I HAVE
OVERCOME"; for example, in the 3rd Psalm, the believer cries, "how are they
increased that trouble me?" And Jesus answers; "I cried, and he heard me out
of his holy hill." Again, he says, "ten thousand of the people, have set
themselves against me round about;" Jesus says, "arise, save, for thou hast
smitten mine enemies," etc. Again, the body lies down to rest; Jesus says,
"Fear not, I awaked, for the Lord sustained me." In a word, "now is Christ
risen and become the first fruits of them that sleep." How precious among all
the hallelujahs of heaven, that our cry is heard out of his holy hill; yes,
even our sigh! There seemed in Him on earth, such a wonderful mixture of
condescending humility, and divine authority, one can hardly comprehend what
it was about Him, which made all the people walk quietly out of the temple, to
their own great loss, ? and yet did not prevent the blind and lame coming to
Him, at the very same time into the temple, as if there was an attraction
towards Him to want and necessity, and a repulse to Pharisaic hypocrisy ? as
if the one felt a right to Him and to the temple. What was it made them submit
to his thus with authority calling the temple "my house?" Could they not all
have risen against this one poor man? What made all the city moved, was it so
wonderful for a poor man to ride in on a borrowed ass, without even a saddle?
Yet, not more striking was the display
then of the
wisdom of this world, contrasted with the wisdom from above. The chief priests
and scribes
saw the
wonderful things that Jesus did, and
heard the
miraculous hosannas of the children, and were
sore displeased;
while the babes and sucklings acknowledged in spite of them all, the great
mystery of godliness. Dear Friend, I sometimes tremble at the resemblance
between the Church now and then. The mass holding evangelical doctrines are so
like the Pharisees! The knowledge of Scripture so much like their wisdom,
sore displeased
if any thing is believed beyond the beaten track, or not received through the
set
teachers. Would that my knowledge was not like theirs, a searching of the
understanding; I desire the wisdom of babes and sucklings which can only be a
communication of the Spirit. How little by searching we can find out God! His
work is on the spirit, not on the head. When he brings down, when he brings us
to dependance and
quiet
waiting on him, then He will teach us himself. He upbraideth not. The only
time we read of his upbraiding ("oh
fools! and slow of heart to believe.")
we immediately read, He himself began from the beginning to the end of
Scripture to expound to them all concerning himself, and never fainted nor was
weary till
their eyes were opened.
Blessed stupidity that brings us his wisdom. It must be
in due time,
He will impart; we are too impatient. He brought his Son, will He not bring us
each truth as we can bear it? What a cluster of graces James shows us to be
contained in that one word, wisdom. Yet all in him, in whom are all the
treasures of wisdom
for us. Not
only will he not upbraid, but he invites us to receive, in commanding us to
ask, and that we may not doubt his willingness, we are reminded that in him
who
so loved
us, there is no variableness neither
shadow of
turning. Let us ask, without doubting, and we
have; for
this wisdom, in him for us, is full of mercy and without partiality. It can
only be received through faith, and acts by faith. I believe it is quite
different to have faith for the whole, and to have daily faith in our every
day little walk; yet I believe we need even for this latter, only a single
eye, and to be little in our own eyes. Much wisdom we now need in these
difficult times. Christ says, "as the Father hath sent me into the world, even
so have I sent you." Oh! that
we could so
be in this dirty world! our clean spirits not even spotted by it! did He not
stand in it only for the purpose of blessing, intent on finishing the work
GIVEN HIM to do? This was his meat and drink, because his Father's work, but
dispatching it with all expedition in order to be off again to the Father, "I
came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the
world and go to the Father." The work dear, because the Father's, therefore
not dearer than the Father's presence. To do our business (works of faith,
labours of love, patience of hope) as one in a shower of rain. Our risen hands
must not touch any thing below, accursed in Satan .
All is ours:
yet touch not, taste not, handle not, till made fit to be presented by the
Father to his risen ascended Son; till the purchased possession is redeemed,
faith must act as to the things of this world, as Cecil expected from his
child when he threw her toys into the fire. It is not our dispensation to
sanctify evil, but forsake it; to set forth our portion to be in the
heavenlies, in the midst of the earthly; the apostle tells us to know our
calling; alas! we have fallen beneath it...
Letter 61.
Powerscourt, 18th
May, 1834.
My dear friend ? I
think I have seen more clearly this last week than before, the Davidical
reign, which is to precede the Solomon one. I think the descent from the
heavens, the gathering up of the saints, and the return of the Jews, will
synchronize, and that there will be a great sifting in the land, before Israel
is visited in the wilderness, and afterwards brought back. Do you see whether
the ten tribes shall be gathered together first, and restored together, or
whether they shall come from different parts in different ways? It is evident,
as seems to me, that
they will
be found idolaters. I agree with you, so far, that our Lord's conduct before
Caiaphas, showed he did not literally mean to offer him the other cheek, but I
think it did show that we are to bear injustice, and not exercise power in our
defence. Oh! look at him ? "then they did spit in his face and buffetted him,
and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, prophesy," etc.
How they "laid to his charge things which he knew not." Yet, what do we hear
of Him who could have called for legions of angels? "Jesus held his peace." I
quite agree with you, that martyrdom is not always outward suffering; or
always from or through man. I believe all are given opportunity of martyrdom,
because, this is the dispensation of martyrdom; but I do not think all
suffering is included. It seems to me, that in martyrdom, there must be,
necessarily, a choice ? a good way without suffering, a better way with
suffering. I believe it can be refused, and that they will be sufferers who do
refuse. To what you say about the Psalms I can heartily say, "truth." It is
the book, of all others, we could not do without. It testifies to
the heart
that it is of God. There we find, the master of the feast has kept the good
wine to the last. There, before the chosen depositories of his sighs, the man
of sorrows spreads his consolations, saying, drink, yea, drink abundantly, oh
beloved. How often in the Psalms the Father's dealings with
Him, are
his ground of consolation as to his church. May we not so consider him, when
ready to faint in our minds?
Affectionately
yours, dear friend,
T. A. P.
Letter 62.
November 18, 1834.
My dear Mr ?, I
trust your throat is improving, and that it is not a crop of care laid in for
the winter. What various ways He has of educating us, to enable us to bear the
weight of glory He has laid up for us. One part of the explanation He gives of
his own incomprehensible name is, "keeping mercy." Blessed assurance! we shall
never be tempted above that we are able to bear. I have been looking at this,
in the case of Abraham. Had the Lord been a moment sooner in his command to
stay the trial, Abraham would not have been entitled to all the blessed
results of "Seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me."
Had He been a moment later, Isaac was gone. The sitting of the Refiner over
his furnace is so precious. He did not seem to be heeding Abraham, when for so
many days they went both together to the mountain ? when he allowed the altar
to be built ? the wood laid ? Isaac bound; yet, his compassions only waited
for the very nick of time to manifest themselves. The same with poor Hagar,
though her sin brought her to her extremity. She had sown to the wind, why not
let her reap the whirlwind? She sowed upon a bed of flint, she had only to
expect to reap a crop of troubles. But, no; she was friendless, comfortless ?
it was enough ? He could not forsake the poor destitute. He went out to look
for her. He found her in the wilderness. He comforted her with kindness,
because the Lord had heard her affliction. There is something so tender in ?
"The angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, what
aileth thee, Hagar? fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad." This
was enough; "He
hath heard."
? Is it not so with us, often surrounded by providences, which seem ready to
overwhelm, and crush our faith altogether, so that we know not how to
overcome? Like as thrown adrift upon a stormy sea, surrounded by storms, and
shoals, and rocks, through which we cannot steer, and we feel totally unable
to escape; yet, our little bark is carried safely along; we cannot tell how,
except that, the fact that it is so, is proof enough
to the heart,
that there is, and must be at the helm, an almighty, though unseen, hand; ?
which conviction throws us to cling afresh with every wave, to this sure hold,
and thus we expect to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
David had fainted but for this; not till at their wits end, they cried unto
the Lord, and He heard. So shall it be with all our trials and temptations;
like Abraham's knife, they are messengers from the throne to the heirs of
promise. Let us welcome them. Let us love the cross. It is a faithful friend,
so far, but no further, though as near consumed as Isaac ? the knife
stretched out. When the carpet shall be turned, at which He works, we would
not have been without the bitterest trials; the more bitter the more certain
of its blessings, because we know his heart is toward his little ones. And
what a reproach to us is that word to Abraham. Seeing thou hast not withheld
thy son, thine only son,"(as it were,) I can trust thee for all ? I can enter
into the richest friendship. ? The friend of God. ? I can confide in thee. ? I
can unbosom myself unto thee, ? "Seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine
only son from me." And is it wonderful He should afterwards expect us to
trust, that He will, "with
him," give
all things, when
He has not
spared his Son, his only Son, but gave him for us? Dear Mr... pardon my thus
indulging myself in writing to you. You know I could not send the paper empty.
It may not be just now applicable to you; yet, can it ever be inapplicable to
hear from experience, "Faithful is He who hath promised, who also will do it."
And truly, I can set to my seal, that He speaks truth when He promises it
shall be through much tribulation we shall enter the kingdom; ? that I have
found extremity to be His opportunity; that He knows our souls in adversity;
that He is a present help in times of trouble; it is then, when the soul is
outcast, and there is none to feel, none to help, or deliver, then it is Jesus
draws nigh, spreads out his arms of consolation, and embraces the believer on
every side. Yet a little ? his messengers shall have finished their work;
faith have been made perfect, and at his presence and bidding, sorrow and
sighing shall flee away. "Make haste my Beloved." "Hope deferred maketh the
heart sick." Absence is absence, and we can never be at rest till we are
united to him for ever. It is not enough that we are now secure of him, and
that He does love, and will love us to the end. We know it. We value his
love-tokens, we have our confidence fixed not in them, but in himself ? his
trustful character. Nevertheless, we cannot do without Him. It is His presence
we want; ? not only by faith, but in his arms, to say, "My Beloved is mine and
I am his."
Very
affectionately yours, in His love and truth,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 63.
... 1834
... I was
distressed to read yours in such low spirits, and to find even in outward
things you are not as comfortable as we wish: yet, dear ... you have
every
thing. I know you are so convinced of this, you would not alter the smallest
circumstance, nor put one ingredient into your cup if you could. And have you
not a right to be satisfied, when you POSSESS GOD? Oh! how well for him to
deprive our earthly affections of all nourishment, that they in vain going in
search of their object, may take a grand grasp of Him,
who alone can fill
every nook and corner of the heart.
"... Ah, how base
was I
To quit the pillow
of eternal peace,
And seek repose
among the thorns of time."
See how he yearns
over your heart as a jealous God. He says, how can I give it up?
my temple
where I delighted to dwell and show forth my glory ?
my portion.
He seems sometimes to plead thus, "I set my love upon thee when thou wast in
thy blood, and I followed thee to do thee good; I delivered thee out of
the mouth
of the lion; I have put thee among the children; I have betrothed thee to my
Son; made thee joint heir with him; have given thee
all my
promises; have enabled thee to rejoice in them; have watched thine extremities
as my opportunities; have delighted over thee to do thee good; have been a
present help in time of trouble; have made all thy bed in thy sickness; when
cast down I have whispered, I am thy great salvation;" when desponding, have
whispered, "I
am Jesus;"
when inclined to say, how shall I stand the trying day? "I have answered, thou
shalt see that as thy day, thy strength SHALL be"; and if that had been too
little, "I would, moreover, have given thee such and such things." Judge, I
pray you, what could I have done
more than I
have done. Hast thou not felt
satisfied,
when from the bottom of the heart, thou hast been able to say, "There is not
one on earth I desire but thee? Yet, alas! now
all this
availeth me nothing ? so long as
one wish
lies ungratified." Is this the answer of faith, to Him who spared not his only
Son, but gave him up for you? Is it not unkind? does it not grieve him? He has
a human heart ? witness his feeling Peter's unkindness. It was sharper than
any nail, any thorn, when at the very moment of receiving sentence of death,
he heard the crow of the cock. Let us not force him to give the reproachful
look which cost Peter so many tears. Much we need faith to be tried ? for,
humbling though it is, yet even the believer finds it very difficult to
conceive, that
God speaks truth.
Though the promises are ours, our portion in which we do delight; yet how
difficult to make use of a promise, to see such a substance in "things hoped
for," as to esteem afflictions with the people of God greater riches than any,
or all the
treasures of Egypt.
We often find out how little we believe his word concerning futurity, in our
little faith in his word as to present vanity; how little we believe things
that are not, to be what they are, by discovering how much we believe things
that are, to be what they are not. But He is teaching us the meaning of words,
sweetening our bitternesses, embittering our sweets, that we may understand
present happiness to be present unhappiness; and present unhappiness to be
present happiness; as Pollock says,
"Attempt! how
monstrous! how surely vain
With things of
earthly sort ? with aught but God,
To satisfy and
fill the immortal soul.
Attempt! ? vain
inconceivably! attempt
To satisfy the
ocean with a drop:
To marry
immortality to death;
And with the
unsubstantial shade of time,
To fill the
embrace of all eternity!"
Then let us thank
him for cutting one string after another, which binds our balloon of faith to
earth; that being let loose, it may be wafted above every mountain of vanity
into the regions of reality. Now, dearest ... remember your high calling; you
are not intended for such beggarly elements as the bliss of this world. He
does not think that worth offering
you, which
he throws to the world. Let not an heiress of a throne in the new Jerusalem,
waste one sigh on not being allowed to nestle in Satan's kingdom. Let us
pursue intently the business for which we are left here, that we may hasten to
be gone. We are living epistles, lent to the world from God's library, to
teach a particular subject ? to manifest the
Christian's glorious hope.
Satan grins with delight in getting your pages so blotted over with sorrow
that works death, as to render this glorious truth illegible. We have so few
years, perhaps days to stay; and surely, if we shall have one regret on the
borders of that inheritance,
incorruptible,
undefiled,
and that
passeth, not away,
(where friends shall meet to part no more,) it will be, that
every moment
of our short existence has not been gathering glory to Him, during the only
space through eternity, in which the church shall be privileged to preach to
principalities and powers in heavenly places, the manifold wisdom of God; on
this (to angels) wonderful text, "Cast down, but not destroyed, sorrowful, yet
always rejoicing, poor, yet making many rich, having
nothing,
yet possessing
all things."
? Blessed be his name for so letting us into the secrets of his love ? secrets
He never whispered to angels: though I sometimes think some of these volumes
of faithfulness (believers' lives) are so tragical, that when read aloud
hereafter, even the angels must drop a tear. ? Yet, "hallelujah!" Oh, sing it
loud,
greatly beloved;
for behold how He loves you! not even with the common love to his children; he
has not suffered you to walk smoothly down the stream of time; but by large
and rough billows has dashed you on the promises. ? This is the Christian's
elevated station, to walk
on the promises,
leaning through
thick and thin
on this sustaining staff, ? "I
know the
Lord;" every blessing is preserved from being a curse, by having this label
"with Him." Every curse with the same label becomes a true blessing. And shall
he not "with
Him give us
all things?" Sweet to have a care by the casting of which on him, we may
prove,
He cares for us.
Sweet to have something dear, by the giving up of which we may give Abraham's
proof,
we care for Him.
Let us then be Nazarites indeed, separated from the dead, not touching that
which might lead to evil; a burnt offering; all the baubles and idols of time,
cast into the furnace, on which we offer up body, soul, and spirit. I shall
end with an extract of an exhortation of dear Mr... in a sermon preached here.
"We have found a pearl of great price, for which we may well sell
all. If we
would know the full happiness that belongs to them that are in Christ, we must
present ourselves without compromise, take up our cross, and follow Christ,
deny ourselves and follow Him whithersoever He goeth, actuated by a real and
scriptural conviction on our conscience, that we are in the right way; we
should boldly and manfully follow God our Saviour, and then when our
affections arc solely surrendered to the Author of our being, we shall receive
a rich and abundant recompense, being filled with all the fulness of God. Oh!
my believing friends, that our hearts were more open to the immensity of the
privileges, to which the great Head of the church has called us. Oh! that we
could feel more, what is the nature of that high and heavenly vocation
wherewith we are called, that we knew more the full meaning of being his
peculiar people, his chosen generation. The Christian church is the moral
representation of God, in this dark and benighted world; it is called to
manifest the divine glory in the face of Christ; it should be practically
embodied in their spirit, and in their life, that the world may take knowledge
of them, that they have been with Jesus; and beholding the practical influence
of the Gospel on them, may see there is something real and substantial in the
religion of Christ's everlasting kingdom. We are called the sons and daughters
of the Most High; would to God, we all felt by our own personal experience, ?
how impossible it is to know the extent of this immeasurable blessing. Then we
should be able gladly to cut off a right hand, or pluck out a right eye, for
his sake. May God show us the vanity of every object the world holds dear, and
may He tear away the veil, with which the god of this world clothes these
objects to hide their nakedness, that we may see the world as it is. May the
light of eternal glory throw a rich flood of knowledge over our
understandings, that his glory may fill the largest capacities of our soul,
that we may prove Him under every circumstance, to be the pearl of great
price."...
Letter 64.
January 28th,
1835.
Poor dear ..., how
much you must have gone through! yet, has it not endeared Jesus; made you feel
more the value of "my beloved
is mine,"
and "I am his," and "who shall separate me from this love?" No, I do not think
any expectation of future good satisfies for the denial of a present desire. I
believe it will be only subjection, and the resignation of the will, that can
bring peace; and it does bring peace to the humbled under the mighty hand of
Him who, we
feel certain, "careth for us." No position of the mind is so blessed, or so
happy to ourselves, as, "I behaved and quieted myself as a child weaned from
its mother." "My soul is as a weaned child." Therefore is the arm of the
Lord's discipline to subdue us; and blessed be God, "He is able to subdue ALL
things to himself." The surrender of the spirit after a struggle, brings more
real happiness, than would the possession of the good, struggled for; but it
needs many a struggle, and many a victory. I believe the only thing is to
resign ourselves immediately to God, and give ourselves to him to crucify our
affections, and desires.
Dear Sister, I
believe the life of faith is a thing very few of us attain to, we have much
rejoicing in our security, because of the election, and promised preservation
of a crucified Saviour; ? we have bright anticipations of his coming again
with his saints, but we have a gap between; even the whole of this
dispensation; ? Jesus,
and the resurrection;
? The risen, everlasting, more abundant life we receive because of union with
him; ? his death and resurrection; ? the spirit of God within us,
constituting us sons of God; ? one with our elder Brother in all his
sufferings and privileges; ? we know I think little of this; at least I know
little of this, in its death and in its life; ? the continual crucifixion and
death of the flesh, because we are dead; ? the letting the Spirit work, whose
work is to subdue, in order to his life being manifested in us; ? in order to
his graces being able to flourish within. ? Oh! it is a resurrection life we
possess, and therefore must possess it through death, and if we would know the
heavenly nature of this life, we must die, die, die. It is immortality; ? it
is spiritual; ? it is heaven; "the kingdom of heaven," the Lord calls it;
there must be a complete separation from mortality, from flesh, from earth.
And only in proportion to death, will be the enjoyment of life. ? What
attainments we might be given! How we might be blessed! What blessings we
might be made, if we had but courage to yield ourselves as victims to the
Spirit of God. If we would
deny ourselves,
take up our
cross, and follow the man of sorrows, the solitary Jesus. We should never
regret it; holy and salutary exercises! a bringing down to our proper
position; not only not expecting any thing from beneath, but
refusing it:
not satisfied with the
good part,
but choosing the
better,
because we know the times, that "the night is far spent and the day at hand,"
therefore let us not be making provision for the flesh and its enjoyments, but
putting on our armour of light, preparing for the battle. Let us so show our
feeling for the church of Jesus, as to seek to present in our lives that which
it
most needs.
Let us show plainly we seek a kingdom, that our kingdom is not from hence. Let
us show plainly that we are one with the Lord from heaven; that we wait for
Him, who has delivered us from the wrath to come; that we have crucified the
flesh with its affections. Let us deliver ourselves to death, that the life of
Jesus may be more manifested in his body, the church; if we love his
appearing, our solicitude must be about his church, not about ourselves. We
shall grieve most, that our sin is a blot in his church. We shall feel the
sins of the body, as our own; for we are members one of another. Oh may he
give us this, to see such a substance in things hoped for, as to make every
thing else appear in its naked nothingness, and so be satisfied to wait to
receive all good "with Jesus." If we are waiting for him, we are also waiting
for his saints, for they shall come
with him.
It is enough of argument for the Apostle, quite conclusive, ? Jesus is to
come, therefore those who sleep in him, must come with him. As if a thought of
separation between Christ and its members could not be. Do not think, love,
that I have learned this lesson. No, but I am seeking to lay myself low, to be
crucified. May we be counted worthy of this experience, for "if we through the
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live," and perhaps after
being conformable to his death, and knowing the power of the resurrection,
even the power of an endless life, we may be admitted to taste of fellowship
in his suffering. Amen, amen. What more can I desire for you dear ... than
discipline and sufferings in his hands? and surely you shall have with it "I
will not leave you comfortless."...
Letter 65.
April 5th, 1832.
My dearest ..., I
hope you do not think, because silent, I have forgotten you and dear ... I
have, indeed, been intending to write ever since I left you, but am so
terrible a procrastinator, that before the pen got on the paper, I had lost
your direction, you having moved to some new place. But I have not been
unmindful of you in your many trials. Poor ... so many trials coming upon her
at once. I trust she has been upheld, and that her health has not suffered
materially; yet, the Lord has mingled much mercy in the cup. What a faithful
God! What a hearer of prayer! What confidence it gives for the future! Though
we may have many to plead with him for, yet, not too many for his grace, for
"He is rich in mercy to all that call upon him." We never hear of his refusing
to heal the body of any one taken to him in faith; and why? that "we might
know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins," (Luke, 5. 24.)
... Where is Lady ... Poor thing, what an upset for her in one moment! Yet,
dear ... we need all the discipline our tender Father sends. How patient He is
in sending so many chastisements, that our perverseness has not long since
wearied Him out; that we have not forced him yet to say, "Let them alone." I
believe there is nothing we are so undeserving of as affliction; yet, still He
sends afflictive line upon line, afflictive precept upon precept, and each so
exactly suited to the particular character and particular feelings of each
individual. It is very touching to read Israel's wilderness mercies, and
wilderness perverseness, with application to ourselves. It helps to bring us
to believe his simple declaration, in spite of appearances, that "all things
work together for good." How little it could have appeared so, when
He turned
the hearts of their enemies to hate his people, and to deal subtlely with his
servants. He brings us out into the open wilderness, that He may have
opportunity of manifesting this love, in spreading over us his protecting
power, and fitting himself into our every want. He never calls us to descend
into any trial, but we find He has been in it before us; that He has therein
deposited his unsearchable wealth, so we come up enriched. How often "waters
gush out of rocks" to us. We meet his consolations where least we expect, even
where it seems impossible; and in the many dry places which we meet in our
march to the city above, He makes waters run, even to give drink to His
people, His chosen. "This rock was Christ." And why all this? Because He
remembers his promise to Jesus, our surety; and because He would purify to
himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Yes, the whole course of
nature shall be changed before He can fail in the least promise to the most
insignificant child. What a mercy that we have a God of truth to deal with!
without exaggerations, with equivocation! that we have only to cling to his
naked promise, and to glorify him simply in obeying him...
Letter 66.
December, 1834.
... How pleasant
it is to live for an end, and for an end so worthy of our life! that "whether
we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord; so
that living or dying, we are the Lord's." And in the mean time, what great
lessons He is teaching us, even the knowledge of himself; and He is
disciplining us not only for our place in the church below, but for the place
in the kingdom, for which He designs us in futurity. When the mother of
Zebedee's children asked him for the place, on his right hand and left, in his
kingdom, He answers, "are ye able to drink of my cup and to be baptized with
my baptism?" as much as to say, "The path of sorrow, and that path alone,
leads to the land where sorrow is unknown." We have taken up our cross to
follow the crucified One. We are to count the cost. To expect any thing else
is unbelief. We have been signed with the sign of the cross, as a token that
we are to fight under his banner. Our capacity of enjoyment, because the
proper condition of a creature, consists not in liberty, but in learning
dependance and submission. If we knew it, it is happiness we are called to, in
being required to be dependant one upon another. It will be so hereafter. We
are called to nothing but what would be happiness, could we submit to it.
Pride is our misery, our greatest enemy. Blessed be his name! He promises to
resist it. Dependance and submission seemed a new happiness obtained by our
blessed Master as a man. Not only did He submit to his Father, but see how He
leaned on his brethren. "He looked for some to have pity upon him." "What,
could ye not watch with me one hour?" "He came to his own, and his own
received him not." "I am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop." "I looked on
the right hand, and there was none; and on the left no man cared for me."
"Refuge failed me; then said I unto the Lord, thou art my refuge and my
portion." Having to rule and reign with Christ, we must come to the same
school to learn to govern. He was educated in our necessities. Whence comes
all the sympathy we experience day by day, but because He suffered, being
tempted? Oh! yes, let us have patience. ? "Let patience have her perfect work,
wanting nothing;" for "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."... I do not know
if you will care for this, but I think you ought to care for all that concerns
the glory of our beloved Lord. We need large hearts, not only large enough to
hold your small house, or your parish even, but to hold not only the universe,
but all the kingdom of heaven ? to hold God, and with him all dear to him.
What a largeness! all dear to Him, who so loved the world as to give his only
begotten Son, etc.! Do you ever pray for me? I pray for you. It is so
pleasant, and so profitable to talk to the Lord about our friends ? we send
them sweet messages of love, by a faithful messenger. We do not know its
sweetness till we try it. It is time well spent, to talk to him of them, to
talk to them of him. We deprive ourselves of much real happiness by not living
in heaven. Believers should be but as variegated lamps, hung out to lighten
the feet of passengers from the kingdom of darkness. Our kingdom is not from
hence. We should be
looking at earth as from heaven,
instead of
looking at heaven from earth;
as though present things were already past, and future things already present;
and so they soon will be, for "the fashion of this world passeth away."...
Letter 67.
... 1835.
... I should like
much to know what you now think of all things around us. The worldliness of
the church has been carried to such an extent, it seems to me that there is no
alternative, that we must choose either to belong altogether to the heavenly,
or altogether to the earthly kingdom. The serving two masters makes our path
an unhappy one; the limit becomes uncertain, and different in the minds of
each, as to our permitted path on either side, and we who believe become
responsible for the much profession, and more hypocrisy which exists. Could we
stand on more holy ground, there would be less ambition to be found on it.
There is much, seemingly, to be said for the things of this world being
sanctified to heavenly uses; yet I cannot help feeling more and more assured
every day, (though my foolish thoughts are little worth,) that a divorce must
take place, that God and the world cannot be joined ? that it behoves us to
make plain that we are the risen ones, by our portion not being in any degree
from hence; ? that we are not struggling upwards through mire and dirt, but we
are as let down from heaven; we take our stand in the kingdom of heaven,
looking from above at earth, not from earth at heaven. And the less the body
of' Christ is such, the more jealous should we be to attain it individually;
because the wheat is mixed with the tares, therefore should we be the more
desirous, that a distinction should be seen for the glory of his beloved name.
I have been thinking of late, that one evil effect of our little apprehension
of our present life being a risen life, united to the Lord from heaven, is a
forgetfulness that the constant enjoyment and power of that life, will be in
proportion to the mortifying and death of the natural life. I do not know if
you will think me wrong, but it seems to me to be a mistake I have been under,
with many believers, and therefore, why I have attained so little, that I have
expected death would be in proportion to life, instead of life in proportion
to death. The work of the Spirit
after
entering his temple is to
subdue, in
order to the flourishing of his grace within; that our part, instead of rising
up against things which seem contrary to us, is to let him work, and to join
with him against the evils which most easily beset us. So our very evils
become nails in the hand of the Spirit by which to crucify the flesh. For
though, like Adam and Eve, we are ever ready to accuse circumstances or
natural dispositions, yet is the failure all our unbelief. We must be
conformable to his death, before we know the power of "his resurrection, and
only in proportion to our mortifying the deeds of the body through the
spirit," can we live. The path of humiliation is a happy experience; and He is
able to subdue all things to Himself, blessed be his name! and every conquest
in us, is a witness to Satan that he is overcome, and shortly shall be trodden
underfoot. Pardon me for trespassing so long on your time, but I feel you are
peculiarly loved of the Father, and I could not forbear.
May the voice of
the loving, longing, heavenly dove, calling for her mate, be alone heard from
our consecrated hearts! May the Holy Spirit so perpetually sound there the
name of Jesus, that
it may be
as ointment poured forth over every intention, word and action!
Believe me with
affection yours,
In the hope of the
kingdom,
T A Powerscourt.
Letter 68.
August, 1835.
... I hope you are
learning how to love. It is difficult to
do, and
difficult to
suffer, but
there is nothing so difficult as to
love as a
Christian. In proportion as a thing is good used rightly, so in proportion is
it evil, abused. Eve was Adam's acme of blessing; therefore, abused, she
became his greatest curse. May your husband and child not be resting places
for your heart, but channels to and from God! then will they be blessings
indeed, far more assimilating to Christ than having the heart pent up into
itself. How like Christ we should be, if we would learn diligently in all our
lesson-books, instead of being such dunces!...
Letter 69.
December, 1835.
O, my poor dear,
dear ..., Indeed, I do feel for you. Such short-lived happiness! Oh! what a
weight of glory must there be, if these afflictions are not "worthy to be
compared" to it! May He give you out of the depth to say, it is all love! To
believe it to be so, is very hard: ? "blasted my gourd, and laid it low." This
is the way I answer prayer for faith and grace. It is good to learn the
meaning of words out of Christ's lesson book. He learned it by the things
which He suffered. Oh, dear sister, we are God's treasure! We often said all
is vanity; often, that this is not our home. No, no; we belong to God, and are
only here to be fashioned for him. He will not have us mistake it. He is a
jealous God. His is not foolish tenderness. Oh, no, blessed be his name! He
loves too much to spare one necessary pain. He loves too much to give one
unnecessary one. He as a refiner sits over his furnace. Wait, and you shall
see that this is just the thing in life you would not be without. And he is
not lost, he is only gone before. Heirs together of the grace of life. Blessed
word! and without you, he cannot be made perfect, the Scripture says. He
therefore will wait for you on the bosom of Jesus. Surely you would not have
him rather with you, only that you might speak to him, and hear him speak to
you. You are together, inasmuch as you are dwelling in Jesus, the same life in
both, the pulse of which beats in the heart of Jesus. You have communion, for
his thoughts are all about Jesus. When Moses and Elias appeared, they were
speaking about Jesus. Much loved sister, you are about to enter into realities
of consolation you have never imagined to be in God. I seem to see you
stepping down into a deep through which I have been wading; and it is saying,
very, very little, to say I feel for you; I pity you; I almost tremble for
you, but that is not all; I can tell you I would not exchange what I have
experienced of Jesus there, though it was the survivor died. I would die a
thousand deaths, rather than not have gone through all. I would not part with
one pang, though still often smarting under it. I mean to say, dear ... that
seeing things in the light of eternity, you have not only reason to bless God
for him, for his certain, undoubted happiness, but to bless him for what he is
about to teach you, through long days, and longer nights, of sorrow ? lessons
for eternity, which none but God can teach; only to be learned in this world;
joy in sorrow; a calm in the midst of a storm.
May the God of
peace be with you! He will ? I know he will. He will not suffer you to be
tried above what you are able to bear. ? To be confined after he is gone! Oh,
how wonderful that grace which is able to sustain! "Let thy widows trust in
me."
I took this verse;
I set my seal to it. He has never failed them that trust in him. Pardon so
much. You will, perhaps, not be able to read it: but I felt unable to keep
back, as though Jesus entitled me to enter the house of mourning.
Your very
affectionate and afflicted sister,
T. A. Powerscourt.
Letter 70.
5, Stephen's
Green, February, 1835.
The religion of
Jesus is a life of humiliation. It will not do to play with it for our own
name and praise. If we surrender ourselves to his holy guidance, it will, it
must be, a life of severe discipline. We
have,
blessed be God! one fixed desire which He has placed in our hearts, and he is
faithful in working towards that, though it be by the upsetting and opposing
of our will and affections: it is a deep work, a work in earnest. Have we
counted the cost? Let us not be willing to lose any part of our reward by our
fooleries here ? let it be a full reward. You know, love, we are dead with
him, and are risen with him, therefore our life is no longer from beneath, but
from above. ? The life we have, is that spirit he obtained for us in His
resurrection, when He became a quickening spirit, the second Adam; being
united to him in his resurrection as well as death, we partake of his new, his
more abundant life ... If we set ourselves in truth against our own evils,
really opposing them guilelessly with God, we shall have a world of watchful
occupation within, as the Spirit's servants. What havoc even of our
amiabilities, what self-renunciation, and all this is necessary to a life of
love: earthly affections concentrate the heart after all upon one self:
charity is a dissemination of the affections through the body, the church: ...
Why do we live in this poor, dying way? Why so much in the flesh, when we are
citizens of the heavenly city? We forget how completely heaven and earth are
separate; therefore what suffering there must be in the dissociation! because
we live too low in spirit, we neglect to live lower in flesh. "Whosoever will
save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life shall find it."
? It will be present reward. Do, dearest, raise the church of Jesus where you
are by so loving Christ; show there that it is not talk, or even basking in
the promises, but "if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross and follow me;" so shall we be able in love to serve one
another, to lay down our lives for the brethren. Do you see any marks of our
dear Lord's near approach on the continent? Surely, there is a little noise
about Jerusalem to be heard. I see every thing here declaring it ? all minds
seem driven to one point ?
prayer,
which must precede his arrival. No refuge for Christians in the midst of
conflicting opinions, but prayer; no place of safety for them to meet, but on
their knees; no ground where they can extend the hand of fellowship to another
brother, but prayer. Yes, we are on our way to our Isaac. ? Many a jolt the
camels give us, but our guide goes before, saying to all opposition, "hinder
me not till I get to my master." Flesh would say, "let me a little longer
enjoy this loved association to earth:" "no, hinder me not," says our faithful
guide, the servant of Jesus, the Holy Spirit. Let our willing hearts answer,
"I will go," leave all now known; and at the report of the messenger, leave
all to be his for ever:
"Brushing with
hasty steps the dew away,
To meet the sun
upon the upland lawn."
May this be our
hearts! May we when we go forth into the world estimate
every thing
according to the measure of the weights we use, when in our closets we "count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of his glory."...
Letter 71
... 1835.
... How could you
say that you feared to express your kind sympathy? I feel most grateful to
you. She is, indeed, no common loss; but we shall see her again! We wait not
alone for
Jesus; we
also wait for all his saints with
him. If we
can wait for him we may well wait patiently for
them. We
shall see them first, though we expect him so very soon. And the next time we
meet, we shall be both on our way to see Jesus at last. And He ... Was He not
the object of our fondest desire, about whom only we met to take sweet
counsel, though dear, very dear to one another? She was humble ? He has,
therefore, given her more grace, for it is far better "to depart and be with
Christ." Truly, she possessed all here, that was calculated to draw her down,
as though she possessed nothing.
The moment Jesus
shall come to awake out of sleep that dear body, now lying as a seed in his
garden, of which He keeps the key, she will rise up quickly a glorious body to
his delight and glory. "Earth shall cast forth its dead, and they who dwell in
dust
shall awake
and sing" ? whilst even the tears of this night of sorrow shall sparkle in the
light of his glory, as the dew of herbs. Oh! dear brother, what a hope is the
resurrection! What a rich grape for Jesus to have left, and for us to possess
in the midst of death, is HOPE! its energy is marvellous, reaching forth to
that within the vail, to a risen Jesus, to a life beyond the reach of death.
Death is no where so ashamed, as in the dying chamber of a believer. ? There
the victory is felt. Weakness, mortality, corruption, all proclaim, "as she
has borne the image of the earthly, so shall she bear the image of the
heavenly." Yes, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
And we who remain unto the coming of the Lord, we are not less blessed, for we
may still a little longer suffer with Jesus. We may still hasten his coming,
for He
waits.
Faith viewing things in this light, sees a thousand years as one day. Today,
then, let us be diligent, that tomorrow we may be found of him in peace,
waiting.
For, doubtless, He shall come again, bringing his sheaves with him!...
Letter 72.
March, 1836.
My very dear Mr
..., I fear I shall not be able to go to you this time; and as I have to leave
next Monday, I do not like to propose your coming here, though I should be so
very glad to see you. You said you had something to tell me I ought to know;
what was it? I should like much to hear something about yourselves. I am
taking pleasure in the thought that the Lord does not need a courageous heart;
but expects our heart to be ever failing, that He may glorify himself in such!
Flesh and heart failing is just what He wants, for it is in weakness his
strength is made perfect. May we but give him all! The whole. of this
dispensation is contained in that little word, ALL. His all is himself,
heaven, and earth! Our all, two mites. Dear Mr... is it not strange that I am
still here, and she taken? It makes me feel gone too. We were sisters all our
lives. Somehow I feel like something that should not be here; yet, I am nearer
to her, and more in communion. than when on earth; for do not we dwell within
the vail? then there were two bodies to hinder, now only one. I am
living
where she is ? in abiding at
home, I am
with her; before we had to leave our home, to speak of it on earth. How kind
of the Lord to have let us look at one of his exotics, that we may follow
after! It is a great secret the apostle teaches us, when he tells us, He
forgot the things behind. To rest in the things behind is to sit down in
Satan's enchanted bowers, in the flesh. There was no resting place provided in
Christ's race ? pressing forward, pressing forward, "faint, yet pursuing."
Very dear friend, this presses on my spirit to be in earnest, as we never were
before; our time is very short; let us not lose it in looking back, time
enough for that hereafter. It is
such a
calling we are called to, how
diligent we
should be! We live in very peculiar days, in which Jesus is much dishonoured
by his own children, because neither cold nor hot. We are afraid of being
desperate Christians. Oh! let us be desperate. The church needs extremity; a
great
tug out of
the world; to be in earnest as in the days of Ezra. We have talked long enough
now about,
how much?.
He has had long patience. Now is our opportunity, or never; the time past of
our life will suffice to have lived according to the course of this world, or
in seeking to sanctify the world; now let us testify against it, that it is
evil...
Letter 73.
Cecil Street,
Limerick.
Beloved friend, ?
What am I, or what that I can say, that you should think of me at such a time,
to ask
me to
write? I wish I could know how you found ... for I know not whether you will
be even able to read this when you receive it. What a journey you must have
had, yet from ... letter I trust the worst was over. May it be blessed to ...
and may God's faithfulness be shown out to his praise and glory! Your last
letter distressed me much, and I was longing to write ever since. Only I had
so many that should come first, that I lost all courage. Very sure I am, God
was not that hard God, Satan was suggesting to you; and sure I am that He is
always more ready to receive you, than you to go to Him. But I know how we can
be so unkind and ungrateful, because such had been exactly my own experience,
before the time I received your letter. Oh! I believe, the church must go
through the hour and power of darkness. Blessed those who are counted worthy
to bear the burden and heat of the day, who can
endure! We
see the agonies of temptation in our beloved Master, and how earnestly He did
beseech his church, (or its representatives,) to watch and pray against their
hour of temptation; not only watch but pray,
not only
pray but
watch; not by running into temptation, knowing the spirit was willing; but
that ye enter not into temptation, because the flesh is weak. Have you dwelt
much on the wonder of being friends to Jesus, and the condition of friendship?
"If ye do
whatsoever
I command you," in that readiness of obedience as to be prepared for the
discovery of
any thing
in the opening out of his mind; then He will keep nothing back in
faithfulness. He has received nothing for Himself alone, all fulness is
treasured up in Him for
His church.
Why do we not know more of his mind? Because not obedient to the light already
given. Why not more manifesting Himself to us? Because we are not obedient.
Why not dwelling more fully in us? Because not obedient. These all following
obedience, while friendship finds it as impossible to refuse, as love to
receive payment. Therefore,
whatever
his friends ask, they shall receive; and why not, when He first gave Himself?
Letter 74.
My dear Mr ..., (JND)
I cannot let your kind note go without my thanks, and acknowledgments, though
seeing you, or hearing from you, always makes me sad for the remainder of the
day. Not that we are separated for ever; ? oh! no ? I shall yet be a very
great joy to you, and I joy to believe it. In the day of his appearing, I may
have many masters, but can have but one Father. It is sweet to think of the
nearness and inseparable union of believers. Being each united to Jesus, they
must be to one another; and all Satan can do, he cannot separate them. The
life which runs in them is the same, the pulse of which beats in the breast of
Jesus ? crumbs of the same loaf. As long as the question is, who can separate
from the love of Jesus? it is, who can separate from one another? In waiting
for Him, we wait for his saints; for they shall come with Him, and the Lord's
supper is his yea and amen, to these blessed, blessed promises. We are not
sailing into port, alas! as one family, embarked in one vessel; yet we are all
united as shipwrecked together, and though one may be on one board, and
another on another, yet we are all making to, and shall surely arrive on the
same shore ? not seeking our own safety by sinking our neighbour's board, but
helping one another with all the energies of love...
Believe me, dear
Mr ... the most affectionate, and most grateful friend you have in the world
after all.
T. A. P.
Letter 75.
June 21. 1836.
My dear Mr ...,
Truly, it is a great reality to be a Christian! He knew little what he was
saying, who proposed to follow our beloved Master whithersoever he should go.
Well might Jesus urge it upon him- to count the cost of his "whithersoever;"
but it was not this world and himself, but Himself in exchange for all that
could be desired here below ? not only its superfluities, but its necessities;
not only its necessities, but its dearest affections. Blessed, if while
holding these subjectively, He stands out disunited from every thing else, the
supreme of our hearts. If God fills our embrace, every thing else is lost ?
swallowed up in Him. How little we have the mind of Jesus, about his Father's
glory; we let his cause wait our convenience. All went to their own homes,
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. We are called in wonderful days, therefore
is ours a responsible calling. In days when the Lord's people are attempting,
what the Lord could not do, to bring the world with them, by walking
arm-in-arm with it, He calls upon his true-hearted ones, for courage to give a
tug upon the other side. We need to be reminded that our calling is heavenly;
that we are from above: that henceforth we are to know nothing after the
flesh, because all things are become new; that we are to have as little to do
with those who crucified the Lord, as those who are alive from the dead, for
our habitation is within the vail; our life is hid with Christ in God. In
times past, we lived according to the course of this world; in times past, we
fulfilled the desires of our mind. But now we are quickened, raised up ?
citizens of heaven, and to walk worthy of this calling in all lowliness. How
sad to love Him, and yet love him so little! It seems an insult to that love
which gave ALL for us, to say we love, and yet stop to calculate about giving
all to Him,
when
our all is
but two mites;
His all,
heaven, earth, eternity, himself. Better not to love at all; better to be cold
than lukewarm. We may well be sick with him, in hearing the precious promises
delighted in, only as allowing in unfaithfulness. We have not even honourable
feelings about his having trusted his whole cause, his Father's glory, to our
faithfulness, having so unguardedly, so unconditionally, thrown himself upon
our love! May it not be so with us, but may we be able to endure hardness in
this hour of his necessity! May we go very softly, and be kept from entangling
ourselves with the things of this world, that we may please him who called us
to be soldiers...
Very
affectionately and gratefully yours, always,
T. A . P
Letter 76.
Powerscourt.
My very dear
brother ? I thank the Lord for allowing me, this morning, the sweet employment
of writing to you. You know my time is not my own, having been bought with a
price to be my Master's servant; and a blessed service it is ? perfect
liberty. But you know a servant's time is not his own; they must go where he
calls, and do as he bids. This has been the cause of my long silence; for,
indeed, I have had it in my heart to write to you, night as well as day,
especially when you gave me some hints of not feeling for you. I am sure, I do
not feel as I ought to feel for any of the saints, because of selfishness; yet
I trust I do feel with you, and wait to see the loving tenderness of the Lord.
In this I find a difference between Christ's sympathy and his people. They,
when they want to be dissociated from all below, seek to harden themselves
against the feelings and sympathy of human nature. He left open all the
feelings and sympathies of human nature, received pain, laid bare his breast,
while passing on before the sheep, that the bleeding of his wounds might serve
as balm for the wounded brother; yet was he dissociated from all below. What
account from your dear son? Mrs... told me he was better. It was pleasant to
see her; it brought me back to Scotland ? her dear Scotch voice. I wonder you
never come over to see me, the passage is so easy ? my English friends
repeatedly come over, but you know the Scotch had always all
head, and
no
heart. But,
no! this is not the time for enjoyment ? I forgot ? I should be sorry, very
sorry, were you to come, having nothing to do, but to see me ? sorry that
money and time should, in one sense, be wasted on me, though in another sense,
if for
my benefit,
it would not be wasted. I believe the whole life of a Christian, Christianity,
the life of heaven on earth, is
love ? the
love to serve one another. It is a most interesting life when really entered
into ? it is incompatible with the sustaining of rank and station; it must be
down,
down, for
it exalts the treasure, not the grace. Jesus did not hand down his blessing,
but became poor, that he might, through his poverty, make
us rich. It
must be service, watchful, diligent, alive to the wants of others; its spirit
is
surrender ?
surrender of every good; our comforts. Like our Master, we must gird ourselves
and stoop down, if privileged, to wash the saints' feet, if allowed to
communicate not only temporal, but as our great Priest, (who is now seeing us)
dispensing life-giving, spiritual refreshment. This was a glory he obtained,
and never will part with ? to be our servant. He loves it: even when coming
again, he is represented as making his people sit down and coming forth to
serve. What poor, wretched servants we are, forgetting continually we are not
our own; squandering his goods! Surely were we the masters, such servants
should long since have been packed off. Pretending that our time and
all are
his, and yet engaging also with the enemy.
"All that I am,
all that I have,
Shall be for ever
thine;
Whate'er thy
wisdom bids me give,
My cheerful hands
resign.
Yea, tho' I might
make some reserve,
And duty did not
call;
I love my Lord
with such a love,
That I would give
him all."
It is a strange,
treacherous domination of the god of this world, to be able to have the Lord's
servants sent below for his work only, and that the wages he allows them is
the gilded dust and baubles of the world, (which they know to be only death.)
We must have a different kind of Christianity, dear brother, in these days of
profession; not satisfied with the excellent way, but following the more
excellent. That there is so much profession without confession, must be laid
at our door; for we have not given them to see outwardly, what we do believe
inwardly. We have thought it enough that the heart should be right, therefore
our representation of truth has contradicted the declaration of our blessed
Lord, "these things ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other
undone." Our blessed Lord did not come to judge: nothing but gracious words
proceeded out of his mouth, but the light in Him convicted each conscience.
How beautifully is this evidenced in the 8th of John! After the grace of 7th
chapter, 37th verse, ? the acknowledgment in the 46th verse of the same
chapter; ? the mercy shown in the beginning of the 8th, ? all seemed to
produce nothing but conviction; ? then, as if explaining it all, he declares
12th chapter, 8th verse, "for the poor ye have always with you, but me ye have
not always." It either acts repulsively, or draws us, as we see in the woman
of Samaria; now she tried at first to turn it off to idle questions, till she
surrendered her heart to be searched by the light. I only mean to say, ye are
now the children of light, walk as children of light: light maketh manifest;
all things reproved are made manifest by light, but it must be
pure, heavenly
light, which has
no fellowship
with darkness, but a continual reproving of it. This is our calling, my dear
brother; our prospects
are bright:
seeing you look for such things
be diligent,
and so much more as you see the day approaching.
Letter 77.
10th November,
1836.
... I comfort
myself, that the first stone of Babel destroyed itself by its
confusion.
The gates of hell cannot prevail against the church ? He will work, and who
shall let him. It is his glory "out of the bitter to bring forth sweetness."
And by the very confusion, He will bring forth order. What was the order doing
which did prevail? only building Babylon. If the faithful are ever found in
the position of the wise virgins, trimming their lamps, expecting their Lord,
there must be a separation from those who are only discerning that they have
no oil. If saints are ever thrown out from the mass of professors, the church
must be as a basket turned topsy-turvy, and that is confusion. Iniquity
abounding, causing the love of many to wax cold, is surely one of the signs of
the times of the
end. May we
be found faithful!
There is much,
moreover, in the church's confusion to call out our gratitude, I think. Is it
not, in a measure, the consequence of increased light, of the quantity of
neglected evil which the light meets in the heart, because of the quantity of
neglected truth? We setting ourselves up as judges of God; saying, this truth
is profitable; that, of no moment; whereas, all truth must be necessary, if
given ? it may not be necessary for justification, but necessary to
transforming us into that mind of Jesus into which we are predestinated, that
He may be "the first-born among many brethren." We like to repose in the
promises of safety so freely bestowed, and so that I am happy, I have
communion with God, I have peace, I escape sin by getting to heaven at last ?
all is well.
What is the glory to me separate from I, myself I? surely my salvation is his
glory ? Is it not so, dear brother? Then if another comes forward, leaving
that behind, (perhaps too much,) and speaks of His glory as to be attained in
the day of His coming, or His glory as witnessed by his body, the Church, now
in the midst of Satan's kingdom; or if His glory be desired in more conformity
to his image, in more simple and entire obedience to his commands, there is an
immediate jealousy, as if the Cross was forgotten. Too long has the Cross been
made the end, instead of the foundation of our cause ? because we are saved,
we are to go on; not, because we are saved, to sit down and rest. This seems
to me the chief cause of all the want of love among the dear children of the
same family. It is not that they do not love; they
do love. My
heart tells me they do love
all ? it is
the more they love the less they are loved, because the Spirit dwelling in
them is love ? it is not that love is less than formerly, but love is more
tried than formerly, and evils, which we thought we had not before, having
been found by the entrance of the light of truth, we find ourselves full of
envies, jealousies, suspicions, and we find that while thinking we were only
seeking Jesus, we have been living and seeking self ? Oh! how I have lived to
prove this ? and sometimes think, dear brother, we may never meet again, or
perhaps even you may put me down among the dangerous ones. But is it not most
precious in the midst of all to know that our Beloved
is the
beloved of the Father, is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother? ?
There our hearts meet in Jesus ? the only resting place; mine Elect in whom my
soul delighteth. He loves us, in connection with him He loves. He loves Him,
in connection with us. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down
my life that I might take it again." ? The fulness which fills God, the
perfection which satisfied God, may well fill and satisfy us ? He can supply
every need, and every out-going of the poor heart ? His children need not be
pent up, and withered in self; the heart finds its out-goings in the Beloved.
He is one we never shall be ashamed of loving. ? There are
two things
necessary for happiness ? perfect satisfaction in the one loved, and perfect
confidence in his perfect satisfaction in us, with a love which will secure a
continuance in the same, without fear of any new discovery turning aside ?
these we have to perfection in Jesus, and only in Jesus ? The more we know
him, the more we must be satisfied with him, and go to him with confidence for
counsel, depending on his wisdom, in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom; and
the more we know him, the more we feel able to take to him every little
trifle, because sure of his interest in us; the only one who
can give
all his heart to each. This is our Beloved ? this is our friend; and, blessed
be his name, he is a tried and faithful one, not only in loving to the end,
but in holding us by his mighty power in tender jealousy as His, to the end ?
when he causes us to set out in security, desiring to be His only, He is
prepared for us to be often led to deal very treacherously, he is prepared for
us to be often seduced by Satan's lie, that there is good in every thing
forbidden; though most base in us to be deceived, because if we would but
abide in his heart, read circumstances by his love, in place of his love by
circumstances, it would be enough to assure us a thing was evil, that it was
not given. Yes, He is prepared for the foolishness of our poor earthly hearts,
and He stands in the majesty of his own perfection, long and often, and
patiently, answering Satan's objections and seductions with ? "Mary hath
chosen that better part which shall not be taken from her." Had He left us to
ourselves, how often would a deceived heart have turned us aside. How often
should we have put evil for good, and bitter for sweet. ? Our flesh makes
great cries, but with long suffering patience. He, as one who hears not, puts
all these prayers aside, and keeps in steady faithfulness to our original
desire, the uncalculating surrender of our first love, because he stands in a
sense of his own superiority over all, in the confidence of being able to
satisfy the desire of every living thing. ? Oh, it is a precious thing in this
tempestuous world to wrap ourselves up in a sense of His unchangeable love,
His inexhaustible grace, ? to be able to meet every event with, "I know and
believe the love He has to me," and so credit the apostle's assurance, "all
things are for your sakes;" ? deeply sensible of our undeservingness, as chief
of sinners, receiving all as grace, returning him all glory. Is it not his
nature to bless? Has he not in Jesus's human heart formed for himself, as it
were, a recipient for the fulness of love ? His love. ? If he has placed us in
the one whom he delights to bless, is it not that precious ointment may
descend ever to the beloved. May we then cleave to the beloved of the Father,
and get grace for grace! May we be resigned to our portion ? "all spiritual
blessings in Christ." What a proof in Balaam, that all must be grace from
beginning to end? while the future glory of God's people, and the future
destruction of the nations of the world, even both were full in view; his
heart was so cleaving to the dust, that the former was nothing to him, while
he was refused rewarding the latter. Surely then, if chosen, it is grace; if
chastened, it is grace; if humbled, it is grace; if not revolting, it is
grace...
Letter 78.
August, 1836.
...
If you want rest,
die with Him.
If joy, ascend
with Him.
If you want to
suffer with him, descend again with him into the church ? it will break your
heart in pieces for you. ? We wait for a glorious time! It is a testimony to
the indwelling of God's Spirit, this unsatisfied longing for the very order
and beauty which he has appointed. It is a continual witness to the heart,
both that nothing here can satisfy, and also that He knows our wants, and is
able to satisfy. May He now give an earnest in causing to descend his shechina
of glory ? his new Jerusalem (as it were) in all its harmony, and order into
the ... He that follows me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life How pleasant to feel to be getting into the taste of Christ, and
an increasing distaste to the wisdom of this world, and to be able to covet
and admire the simplicity of foolishness! ? Oh, that we could lose our
reputation for every thing, and be the offscouring of the church, as well as
the world! then we should be safe ? any thing to get hid out of this world's
cruel kindness. ? When I see how saints are spoiled, oh! I tremble, and wish I
could hide myself from even the love of Christians ... Let us keep our eye on
the Lord; while gazing on him we are
changed. ?
Many snares we have in church and world, but there is one remedy, "Looking
unto Jesus," this lets out self, and lets in God. May we more and more know
that we are really nothing, and so live in Christ, as to live above every
thing else! Be patient,
the day
draweth nigh when Jesus in his beauty shall be manifested, when he shall
unfold it to us, and we in it all; when he shall delight and present
all the
members of his body, one and the other, and will joy to see them rejoice
together. The Lord keep you in patient continuance of well-doing! Surely, if
we desire to be shining lights, we must be first burning, and we shall neither
be burning nor shining, unless sometimes
snuffed.
There was a golden snuffers provided in the temple. ? Is not gold the emblem
of Divinity? May my God make me willing to be nothing, expecting to be the
refuse and offscouring of all things! ? May he shelter our feelings, and
shelter our affections! they are too keen for such a world; they need to be
sheathed in himself, embosomed in him, till the time when they shall be able
to expand to the creature, without idolatry, without a wound, without a
sorrow.
Be not weary of
afflicting ? snuff the candle, if needful ? only let it be with thy golden
snuffers. Lord, come down into thy chambers in this heart! Is it not thy
habitation through the Spirit? purify then for thyself ? clean it out,
fumigate it. May the incense of thy sacrifice ascend, as a sweet odour, taking
away a contaminating influence, which without this is ever ascending. "The
throat is an open sepulchre!"... Furnish it with all fit for the Master's use,
that it may be a castle worthy of thyself. ? Give me faith, give me the wings
of faith, to dwell in the secret place of the Most High, and leave my body and
all my entanglements with thee. On earth we can get rid of cares by leaving
them, when we leave them in hands we can trust. ? Though we see it not,
goodness and mercy are folded up in the darkest events, which by and by we
shall see in his light. May we walk as citizens of the land of uprightness,
sit upon the throne of his approbation ? keep human opinion as footstool!
Shall we fear to step down into the depths of faithfulness? Shall we even
desire to walk through waters only to the ankles? Can we doubt that according
to our day He has strength
laid up?
Has he not promised, "from strength to strength?" ? When we pray, if possible,
let this cup pass from me ? may not He answer, ye know not what ye ask? ? we
know not what we should be depriving ourselves of ? Let us wait and show forth
in a body of humiliation, graces which we cannot in a body of glory. Do we
speak without meaning, when we say that we desire to live to His glory? He
desires not empty expressions. ? Do we really desire but one thing, His glory?
Letter 79.
Bushy, Enniskerry,
December 5th, 1836.
Dear ..., ... I
fear you think me very ungrateful for so long neglecting to answer your kind
letter ? a word of exhortation from you always does me good; and, indeed, we
need every help to keep these heavy souls on their way. ? It is a great gift
to be able to speak a word in season ? "How good it is!" Solomon says, "As
apples of gold in pictures of silver."
Jesus learnt it.
I believe it is by little things, the children are fed; He gives us our meat
in due season.
In this way I have often found letters special and precious means of grace,
and I believe they would be more so, and no loss of time, did we more write in
faith, and more live each day upon what may be prepared for us by the Spirit
of God. When present with a person,
we may try
to make a thing applicable, or be tempted to do so ? when absent, if their
case is met, it seems more that the Lord has considered the case, and sends
his message through his scribe, while it cheers the heart of the writer in
passing. There is truly in the ways of God with his own children, and when the
Spirit finds a Mount of Olives in our hearts, to pour forth his intercessions
in, we must be let into many also of his secret dealings with the family of
heaven. It was not, I trust, because I have not thought of you, or spoken
about you to the Lord, that I have not written; above all, I have asked him,
if in any thing you are ignorant of yourself, to search you out with his
candle of truth, and discover it to you in his own tenderness ? but who am I
to speak of others? TRULY, of sinners I am chief; I am persuaded there will be
no specimen brought forward of his tried patience with any member in his
blessed family, so bright, as his long suffering forbearance with me; thus
shall I also be to the praise of the glory of his grace.
I do not know
whether you have been in ... or ... I long to hear of one, and love to hear of
the other. ? No doubt you have found blessing, wherever you are, and humbling;
for that seems his business with us in which we give him no help. ? What
insignificant creatures we are, and how ridiculous we look when we clothe
ourselves in robes of glory! They were never made to fit us; we cannot fill
them; and yet, how self works through every thing! Often a little thing
discovers this to us, how we have been speaking for, and seeking self, while
apparently and intentionally we have been even jealous for Jesus. I feel that
the children of God have very much, indeed, to detect this in themselves. If
it is really our dear Lord we are seeking, we shall be willing for him to be
glorified, in ourselves being hated, as well as loved ? willing to be
misinterpreted, and misunderstood ? willing to be the dark back ground, in the
image we present, if it throws out more his light
as the object
on which the eye may rest. How often we think in our communion with others, we
are rejoicing in their response of love to Jesus, when some hint against
ourselves will turn the current, and so expose to our hearts, our
self-idolatry. I am not certain that this has ever been your experience, but I
am sometimes quite disgusted with myself, to find I can steal his gifts and
graces, to deck up this household God; seeking also to sustain a good opinion
of myself, while verily knowing neither good nor evil. We ourselves are
witnesses how difficult it is for us to let Him rule and guide his church, in
finding how difficult to let Him rule ourselves ? against palpable evil we
co-operate with him, but in seeming good we are often seeking different ends,
and working different ways; so when we get a view of how each member is
striving against the Spirit, it leaves little surprise that the church is
found in opposition, treasuring a quantity of things He can have no communion
with, so quenching his willing gracious light; her confession of weakness is
only in words, for her only true confession would be delivering herself up to
him, to will and to do in her of his good pleasure, even all the good pleasure
of his will. I believe if He ever blesses us as a whole, it must be by first
humbling us to submit to be blessed at any cost, and to let the Spirit take
his own place, casting down every high imagination, and bringing every thought
into captivity to the obedience of Christ...
I do not feel to
have any particular call to any place, except an anxious desire in all places
to be preserved by his grace from hindering his work. ? He can use me any
where for the saints in prayer. "Mary, who bestowed much labour on us," I
covet. Have you been led much into Scripture of late? much into the holy of
holies?... Is it not most precious, in the midst of all, to know that our
Beloved is a friend, who sticketh closer than a brother ? that he is the
beloved of the Father ? the father's meeting place with our hearts, His only
resting place in all he has created, and we in him our only resting place, and
He in him ? that He loved
us for his
sake, and loves him because he laid down his life for us. The fulness which
fills God, the perfection which satisfies God, may well fill and satisfy us.
He is a supply to every need, and every out-going of the poor heart. ? He is
one we shall never be ashamed of loving, one we shall never be disappointed in
loving; no fear of any new discovery turning him aside; his interest extends
to every little trifle, while his counsel is, all the treasures of wisdom. He
is prepared for us often to deal very treacherously, and to be often deceived
by Satan's lie, that there is good in forbidden fruit; yes, he is prepared for
all our
foolishness. ? He turns to Peter and says, "Lovest thou
me? feed
them." He
turns to the Father and says, "Lovest thou
me? bless
them." Oh,
it is precious in this tempestuous world, to wrap ourselves up in a sense of
his unchangeable love, his inexhaustible grace, and be able to meet every
event with, "I know and believe the love he has to me," ? and that "all things
are for my sake." May we have grace to cleave to Jesus, and be resigned to
have for our portion "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."
Balaam's heart was still on the earth while
looking at
its destruction, and God's glory ? All is grace from first to last. ? What an
honour to be counted worthy to stand in the crisis! ? the honour to which all
Scripture from the beginning has been looking; ? the winding up of time. ? Let
us bear in our bodies the last blows of the flesh, ? let us manifest in our
mortal bodies that Jesus is alive, ? let us be willing to endure all things
for the elect's sake, ? let us put by our play-things, because the world is in
flames. ? Why creep about in this deadening atmosphere of falsehood, instead
of ever abiding in the region of truth and reality? Why are not our visits to
earth only as messengers of mercy to dress the wounds of the Church ? to
glorify Him by finishing the work he has given us to do? sent of Jesus, even
as he was sent of the Father. And while seeking to be worthy of the name put
upon her, may she remember that it is not of herself the bride is to speak,
but her object, her subject, her delight, her hope, her only resting place is
her Beloved ? the bridegroom of her heart.
Papers.
Genesis 22.
There are two
things to be remarked in this most touching portion of Scripture. 1st. God's
motive for, and manner of thus trying Abraham. 2dly. The way in which Abraham
receives it. Many were Abraham's expressions of love to his God; and most
valuable were those expressions. But God is a jealous God; words are not
sufficient. Faith must be put to the trial. Again, and again, the question
will be put: "lovest thou me more than these?" Till tried we know not how
little faith we have. Faith must be put in the scales with something very near
our hearts; ? yes, with what is nearest; for it still must be, "more than
these." The furnace must be heated in proportion to the increase of our faith.
Is it because God willingly afflicts? no; but the trial of faith strengthens
faith, consumes its dross. This trial is precious to God, more precious than
gold; it is his riches, his treasure; and precious to him is it to have proof
from his child, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou seest that I love thee."
We know not the intense interest which every trial of faith produces in the
invisible world; or how these light afflictions are not merely now precious,
but shall be to his honour and glory at the day of his appearing. Abraham was
the father of the faithful. There must be an exhibition of faith worthy his
name, for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe; if only to part with
something of no value, of little worth, what thanks? could not even the
heathen so? Remember this in every providence, every trying providence. It
does not speak God's love changed, but it is a messenger direct from the
throne to your heart, a ministering spirit sent forth to the heirs of
salvation ? it brings the message, I will put you to the test now, I will put
home the question in a way that shall be felt. Arc you ready to say, I could
have borne any thing but this? then remember the greatest approbation God can
give us, is to heat the furnace to the utmost. He is in fact saying, "great is
thy faith," little furnaces are for little faith; and is it not valuable even
to earthly affection, do we not seize every opportunity of giving proof to
expressions of love? Think how dear must Isaac have been to Abraham; God gave
him this son, after an hundred years' desire. In his death all God's promises
and blessing, not only to himself; but to the world, must be entombed. He had
been accustomed to look upon Isaac as his peculiar treasure; not only a
beloved son, but a token of good from his covenant God. When we hear that it
was "very grievous" to Abraham to cast out Ishmael, how much more to slay
Isaac; yet after he has long enjoyed him, just come to an age when even in
natural providence a common bereavement of him would have been most grievous,
God determined to put his faith to the test, and prove whether still it would
not stagger, but being rich give Him glory; how often we think we value the
gift only for the sake of the giver, till God exposes us to ourselves, by
demanding his gift. Oh! let us count the cost when we say
we believe,
it is a word of deep meaning in the dictionary of God. Paul's belief was ready
to
do, but
what was the answer, "Thou shalt see what great things thou shalt
suffer for
my name sake." It has been so from the beginning; you would not be without
that trial of which all the church have been partakers, you would not that He
should be so indifferent to your love, as never to question you about it, or
desire an evidence of it. How full of compassion His approach to Abraham! He
comes with all the tenderness of one who knew he was about to wound a heart he
loved; and is it not so with us? Have we ever marked his steps, his gentleness
when bringing a painful message? It is to be marked by every attentive
observer of his providences. "Abraham," I have somewhat to say unto thee, "I
have called thee by name;" why? because thou art mine; He, as it were,
beckoned him into the wilderness saying, "come, let us reason together," that
in the end he might speak comfortably.
Verse 1. Every
thing to aggravate, to draw out Abraham's feelings in the wording of this
command, nothing to be discovered after, all laid out before him;
Son, only son, thy son Isaac,
the son of
thy love, the son of promise:
when promising him he said, ch. 17-19, "Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son
indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant
with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him."
Verse 3. "Early,"
no hesitation ? no time lost in murmuring ? simple
immediate
obedience is faith ? no questions; he obeyed because commanded. Prompt
obedience is expected, "I made haste and delayed not to keep thy
commandments." In Abraham's faith, we see nothing is too difficult for love ?
we also perceive there is a love that excelleth the closest, most endeared
tie, love that constraineth, not that which goes to the task, as though saying
I do it because I
must. Flesh
murmurs; self-will repines; self-indulgence rebels; but faith looks up for the
promised strength, and by it conquers ? stops the mouth with a hush, "be
still, and know that I am God." Let us look at Abraham saddling his ass,
rising early, walking three days with his knife in his hand, taking his last
look at his Isaac, and learn to count it all Joy, should we also be deemed
worthy to attain to such grace, even though it be through fiery trial. The
cross is the only way to the crown; if for a proof, if for benefit, it must
touch something most valued; withered must be every gourd, torn away every
prop, every thing of which we would say "This same shall comfort me."
Verses 5, 6. When
going up with Abraham and trying to realize his feeling at this moment, let us
not forget that we are told it is a figure. The love of the Father is the
origin of all the work of Christ; this is kept before us in this figure, the
love of the Son is often erroneously considered as pacifying the wrath of the
Father. The Father laid it on him, and because it was laid on him by the
Father, because it was the Father's will, it was his meat and drink to suffer
it, until finished. "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." It
pleased the Lord to bruise him; and Abraham was to be a pattern of faith to
the end of time, therefore must the most trying proof be sought for, and in it
God seems to say, behold my love, for God "so loved the world," etc. ? the
same trial is touchingly described, (Judges 11-30. etc.) Now we read (1 John
4, 9, 10,) ? "In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that
God sent his Son into the world that we might live through him," etc. Here we
have proof that the sacrifice of God in giving his Son, (to speak after the
manner of men,) was the utmost pang the Divine mind could devise, for it was
the one chosen as a pattern of faith to the end of time. God would thus, it
seems, sustain us in all our minor trials, by an apprehension of his own love,
embodied in that of Abraham: by setting him up before us, as the father of the
faithful and pattern of faith. He would check our doubts of his willingness,
with his only Son, to give all things: seeing that in Abraham's not sparing
his Isaac, He asked no more; while he would also draw out our love and
gratitude, that our requirement is not our first born for our transgression;
that having
been done for us at an expense of love set forth in Abraham, we have only to
"love mercy and to walk humbly with our God." The fire was in the Father's
hand, and also the knife, when to Calvary they went both together. The
transaction was all between them. Stupendous acts were being fulfilled while
foolish man gazed on with unmeaning gaze, but was as little admitted into the
secret wonders of the transaction as the young men who remained with the ass
were with Abraham and Isaac's; and in all they saw must it have been as
contradictory to mercy, as opposed to common sense. Abraham laid aside every
weight, asked no questions, looked not at consequences, said not, how shall I
stand the trial? but "ran with patience the race set before him, looking unto
Jesus," It was a difficult race ? but he was bent on it. if faint, yet
pursuing, and any hindrance that might impede his progress, and make his bold,
resolute willingness falter, he laid aside.
He was running the
race of faith. To a bystander he might have appeared very unfeeling; nay, he
must have appeared deranged. What a lesson not to judge by the understanding!
The cross is to the mere looker-on "foolishness." We have also in Isaac a view
of the majesty of that Love which set its face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem,
that rebuked Peter with "Thou art an offence unto me," because he would
dissuade him from it; neither moved by contradictions, ingratitude, or
feeling, we see perfect acquiescence in the will of his Father. It was the
vengeance of God which sore afflicted his righteous soul, he endured the
malignity of man with pitying love. In this figure, therefore, let us see
Jesus bearing his cross, and going forth to Golgotha.
Verse 7. Here we
have the property of a child. In one point, there is a resemblance between a
servant and a child. It is the part of both to obey, not to consult, plan,
argue, or direct; but in this there is a difference, ? it is a child's
privilege to ask the parent's reason, still remembering it is the parent's
privilege to refuse to give it, without the child's obligation to obey being
altered. In this simple address, "my father," all confidence is expressed.
Abraham's silence thus interrupted, must have ploughed up every parental
feeling within. Abraham seemed not to have courage to tell him.
Verse 8. Much
seems contained in the answer, probably more than Abraham was aware of;
observe "will provide himself" ? here is our blessed security, that He did
provide it for himself: therefore is he called the
Lamb of God;
though he cried to him, God spared him not, but laid him on the altar with his
own hand, and sacrificed him; why? that we might live. The language of flesh
would have been, but what becomes of his promises? If Isaac is taken, where is
the promise that in his seed should all the earth be blessed? The language of
faith is, God can provide himself a lamb. Trust him to accomplish his own
promises, only obey. Sense is ever questioning, oh! but if so, and so, this
and that will happen, which God cannot mean. Faith answers, what He has
promised he is able to perform. This command of God could not have been more
confounding, more opposite to all Abraham could have expected from the
promise; this is faith. To act when all is clear to our senses, is sense, not
faith; to act upon God's word, is faith; we do not enough consider this in our
daily walk, and difficulties. It is not our part to seek to bring about God's
prophecies or promises, we understand not the ways of the Lord. He brings
about his own purposes, in the most contradictory ways. It is our prudence to
leave the management to Him, who sees the end from the beginning. Let us not
mar his work, but submit; we may, being sons, ask to understand our Father's
will, never is it our place to think for Him. Did he fail? Did he not provide
a Lamb without blemish or spot, fore-ordained before the foundation of the
world? "In due time Christ died," etc. As the Lamb of God, does he appear in
the midst of the throne, while the 10,000 times 10,000, ever put their seal to
this word, crying out, "worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power,
riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing." As I before said, we
have in this transaction the Father's love, and the Son's love in the work of
redemption, even as both are set forth in the 53d of Isaiah, end of 4th and
6th verses. Of the Son, it is said, in the 7th, 9th, and 12th v. in conformity
with what we hear Him saying, John, 10. 18. "No man taketh it from me, but I
lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take
it again." He humbled himself, he suffered himself to be bound, though they
had no power over him; like Samson, he could have burst their bonds, yet he
was bound, led away, delivered to Pontius Pilate, the governor. He was
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, (Phil. 2. 8.) Because this
commandment he received of the Father.
Verses 9 and 10.
Abraham built the altar, Abraham laid the wood in order, Abraham bound Isaac,
his son; Abraham laid him on the altar, on the wood, and Abraham stretched
forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. Abraham's faith by this was
justified; when he took the knife and stretched forth his hand, the deed was
done! He was not one who only says he has faith. See James 2. 21.
Man's extremity is
God's opportunity; ? he knows our souls in adversity, is a present help in
time of trouble; when there is none to hear, none to succour, Jesus then draws
near, spreads out his arms of consolation, and embraces the believer on every
side. Example, John 9. 34, 35. Also Hagar, Gen. 16. 5, etc.; 21. 9, etc. and
though her affliction was the effect of her own sin, she sowed to the wind,
and it was just she should reap the whirlwind; she sowed upon a bed of flint,
and had no right to expect to reap but a crop of cares, yet the Lord meets her
with a promise; and oh! how all-powerful to heal is a promise when spoken home
by Him who has been instructed to speak a word in season to the weary! So it
was with Abraham, he sees himself surrounded by a Providence ready to
overwhelm and crush his faith; he knows not how it can be overcome; but he
knew his God, and that God was not unmindful of Abraham; he was so intent upon
him that he was ready at the very nick of time; his compassions waited to
manifest themselves while seeming to have no regard. The three long days
Abraham was walking up the mount, though he seemed left alone to his griefs
and perplexities, yet the eyes of the Lord were upon the righteous, and by
works Abraham's faith was made perfect. This trial was but a messenger to the
heir of promise at God's command it came ? at God's command it departed; and
though the knife was stretched out, yet at his presence and bidding, sorrow
and sighing fled away. We have a strong lesson in this, what real good and
real evil mean, the very same act may be one moment evil, and the next good.
Verse 14. Meaning
the Lord will see to it ? in this mount, or in the extremity, the Lord will
see to it. Or, perhaps, the very name of the mount was to be a continual
remembrance, that God would provide for himself a lamb for a burnt offering.
See examples of extremities, 2 Cor. 1. 8, 10; Dan. 3. 17; Ps. 22. 4.5. This is
comforting for others, as well as ourselves. It was customary to call names in
remembrance of help received in time of need. Gen. 16. 13, 14. ? Thou God
seest me ? Beer-lahai-roi. Ex. 17. 15. ? When the Lord helped against Amalek ?
The Lord my banner ? Jehovah-Nissi. 1 Sam. 7. 12. ? When the Lord helped
against the Philistines ? Eben-ezer ? the stone of help. We think it strange
to see the man of God setting value on worldly honour and riches, because God
says they are evil; but it is less surprising to find the man of God sinking
under trial, when God says it is good? If we believe, should we not hail it,
should we not clasp it to our bosom, as a token of his love? When standing as
we expect among the great multitude escaped out of great tribulation, would we
be found the only one without this family particularity? When standing at the
close of life, and taking a retrospect in his light, will not trial be that in
which we shall with most distinct emphasis be able to distinguish that name in
which all blessedness is included ?
my son?
Heb. 12. 7. Let us accept tribulation as the boon we are most unworthy of. "If
ye were without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye not
sons." Rather let us bless him. Oh! bless Him that he has not given that which
would be indeed the desert of our rebellious hearts,
i.e. "Let
them alone." For us to be able to run the race of faith, every weight of sin,
like Abraham's, must be put out of the way ? laid aside. Holy, bold
resolution, in this will do much in keeping us steady in our race. Often we
see nets spread before us in our path, though it is written, ? "In vain is the
net spread in the sight of any bird;" yet so does man excel in folly, even the
beasts of the field, and birds of the air, that we run into our favourite
snares with our eyes open, though, perhaps, determining not to be held, but to
struggle out of them; present weakness not being sufficient to correct
confidence in future strength, till our feet are entangled, our race impeded,
and we discover too late that the God of strength has refused to accompany us
into the snare, has been left behind, and we stand alone against the enemy. Oh
that we were wise! oh that we had grace to be resolute! wise to turn aside
from pits, into which our weakness has fallen again and again, and our faith
well nigh been lost. The wise man speaking of temptation, says, "Avoid it,
pass not by it, turn from it and pass away" ? parley not with the old serpent,
for his arguments are most ingenious; resist, or else flee from him. Hearken
not to the voice of this charmer, charm he never so wisely; let us examine
ourselves in this, see to it that nothing impede our race, weaken our faith,
or prevent our obedience. Let us be honest with ourselves, and in earnest with
God. Let us treasure no Babylonish garment, however goodly; let us sanctify
ourselves, for if there be an accursed thing hid in our hearts, we shall not
be able to stand in the day of trial; we lose much time in our progress, by
needing such repeated lessons in each truth; when we should have been wise, we
are still fools. We also learn in this Scripture how little life there is in
faith, till that faith is called into action; though faith may be absolute,
and love ardent, yet how many tests it needs, before we really
love what
we believe. God requires many proofs of love before He will confide in us as
friends; it was so with Abraham; but when he, indeed, found he would not
withold his son, his only son, He calls him the friend of God;
then upon
the soul thus brought under his will, He rises with healing in his wings,
enters into the richest friendship, unbosoms himself, says, "I am thy shield,
thy exceeding great reward;" while all the efforts by which faith has been
made perfect, what have they been? Just so many opportunities of blessedness,
whatever the travail. It must have been so to Abraham. In him we have
verified, that no temptation shall take the servant of the Lord, above that he
is able to bear; but with every temptation shall be a way of escape, that he
may be able to bear it. He knows exactly the moment to help; His time may be a
protracted time, it may be three
such days;
circumstances may be aggravated to the utmost, for he is a surgeon that will
not lightly heal over a wound, but must get to the core; therefore is the
knife so often used, after knife. He does not the work by halves, his work is
perfect; his child may be tempted to think himself a mark for his arrow, one
may so swiftly follow the other, so nigh to overwhelm. We may be ready to cry
out, "Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?" but, Deut. 32. 36, "the Lord shall
judge his people and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their
power is gone." This
is His way,
has been
His way, and
will yet be
His way, because "His compassions fail not." He visits, He brings low, only
because needful, to enable us to receive the happiness he has provided; so has
been his way with his people Israel, among whom his providential dealings have
been chiefly exhibited, Micah 4. 10. Let us then in this portion, as well as
every other of God's word, "Behold the Lamb of God." And may the Father of
Glory give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of
himself! Let us look unto Jesus: he has taken the curse and wrath out of our
sufferings, even though called to pass through a burning fiery furnace. Is it
not Almighty love which calls to it? not to hurt, but to try; to give happy
proof of the soundness of that faith which is his own gift. He would have us
know that faith, trusting in His tried word, is invincible. He would bring us
to the experience of the Psalmist ? "Thy word is tried to the uttermost, and
thy servant loveth it." In Abraham, God's word was tried: the trial proved its
truth, and increased his confidence in its truth, and so confirms ours also in
beholding, "He that believeth shall never be confounded." May we grow daily in
this faith of our father Abraham, and so prove ourselves Abraham's seed and
heirs according to the promise, having "put on Christ, in whom is neither Jew
nor Gentile, bond nor free, male or female, for we are all one in Christ
Jesus."
Psalm 22.
A well-known
writer has said concerning David, the inspired writer of the Psalms, "his
place in the church was to hand down an organ, to express the feelings of
every individual of God's people, through time; therefore was his education
and discipline suited to this end. He was prepared of God for the work he
accomplished, and thus it was that one man brought forth that vast variety of
experience, in which every soul rejoices to find itself reflected. John the
Baptist, being to be used for rough work, was trained in the rough desert.
Paul, being to be used for contention and learned work, was trained at
Gamaliel's feet. Daniel, being to be used for judgment and revelation, was
trained in the wisdom of the East. Joseph, being to be used as a providence to
Egypt and his father's house, was trained in the hardest school of Providence;
and every one in God's church has been disciplined by God's providence, as
well as furnished in nature, for that particular work for which the Spirit of
God designed him. Therefore had David that brilliant galaxy of natural gifts,
that rich and varied education, to fit him for his high office. His harp was
full strung, and every angel of joy and sorrow swept over the chords as he
passed; but the melody always breathed of heaven, and such oceans of affection
lay within his breast, as could not always slumber in their calmness. For the
hearts of an hundred men strove and struggled together within the narrow
continent of his single heart. We would especially mention those called
Penitential Psalms, for they discover the soul's deepest hell of agony; and
though by no means defending his backsliding, even out of his evil much good
has been made to arise. Had he not passed through every valley of humiliation,
and stumbled upon the dark mountains, we should not have a language for the
soul of the penitent, or an expression for the dark troubles, which compass
the soul which fears to be deserted of its God. Let us remember the part he
had to act was a difficult one. The shepherd, the hero, the friend, the
outcast, the monarch, the poet, the prophet, the regenerator of the Church,
and the
man ? the
man, who played not into these parts by turns, but was the original of them
all; and let us remember that until an individual, however pure, honest and
honourable he may have thought himself, and been thought by others, discovers
himself to be utterly fallen, defiled and sinful in the sight of God, a worm
of the earth, and his soul cleaving to the dust, and bearing about with it a
body of sin and death; and until for expression of his utter worthlessness, he
seeks those Psalms in which David describes the abasement of his soul, ? yes,
and can make them his own, that man knows nothing of spiritual life; for the
heart must break up, be contrite and broken, to be the abode of the High and
Holy One, who inhabiteth eternity."
But in all the
Psalmist's discipline, we find not the experience here expressed. The words,
as in the other Penitential Psalms, leave David behind, and carry on the mind
to David's antitype. There is a loving confusion between David and Messiah in
this book: and with the head all the members are closely united, ? they cannot
be separated. The believer cannot sing His praises or triumph, but he must
take himself in as a part, and be embraced in his glory.
Let us drink deep
into this book, and we shall find ourselves linked to the spiritual David by a
thousand tender ties; for every line breathes of Messiah, and every sentiment
leads to him. In c very thought he has a share ? "Alpha and Omega, beginning
and ending, first and last" of the soul's delight. Were it not for the Book of
Psalms, we should know little of the mental sufferings of our blessed Lord;
for except when wrung from him on the cross, and in the garden of Gethsemane,
when, looking for some to have pity, he cried out, "my soul is exceeding
sorrowful;" and it was with expressive silence he went through all, as a lamb
taken to the slaughter, or as a sheep dumb before the shearers. We might have
supposed, that being God, he could not feel as man; but it is in the Psalms we
peculiarly discover this incomprehensible truth. ? He was as perfect God as
perfect man; as perfect man as perfect God. It was this marvellous combination
of majesty and weakness which the prophets enquired and searched diligently
into, not being able to comprehend beforehand the "sufferings of Christ and
the glory which should follow." He made himself dependant on God and dependant
on man; yet infinite power was displayed in the sufferings of Christ, in
sustaining his humanity. Jesus is essentially the Son of God, not officially
so, ? officially he is a servant. The worship of Messiah is a personified
perfection of Deity. The Saviour was a volunteer in all his sufferings and
temptations. Did man put himself into temptation, it would be a sin. The
Saviour, in becoming our security, took upon himself all the consequences of
our sin: sin separates the creature and Creator; sin disposes man to hate and
fight against his God. Sin makes the creature the enemy of the Creator. O ye
who trifle on the precipice of destruction, this truth will be experienced in
all its energy and bitterness in hell! devils tormenting the lost, the lost
tormenting each other. The bosom of the Saviour is now open ? flee, flee, flee
from the wrath to come.
There was a
remarkable similitude, and yet a striking contrast between the first and
second Adam. Adam was type of Christ; as Lord of all, he was monarch of the
earth; in consequence of transgression he forfeited all, hence the cause of
the Saviour's life being a life of suffering and shame. He was treated as we
deserved, therefore denied a cup of cold water when he cried,
I thirst.
The contrast is also striking between the first and second Adam. The first, in
Eden, with nothing to want, became a prey to all. The second, in the midst of
want, triumphed over
all. He
gave his enemies every advantage that he might trample them under foot; he
fasted forty days and forty nights, it is emphatically added,
afterwards he hungered.
Who can calculate the sufferings implied in these words? Read the siege of
Jerusalem; read of mothers eating their own children. What must have been
their sufferings, before a mother could kill her child, then eat it? This was
his at the moment the Devil said, "If thou be the Son of God," etc. Our poor
finite understandings can have but faint ideas of the only suffering on earth
which could satisfy for sin; but hereafter, perhaps, he will himself explain
it to
His
children.
This we
know, never was there such a sufferer either in kind or degree. The holiness
of his nature aggravated it to the highest pitch; hell, which is separation
from the Source of happiness, was raging in his holy bosom the moment he
uttered these mysterious words, 1st verse. His sufferings at that moment
exceeded that of the lost, they are separate from One they hate; He from One
still loved. This is not complaint, but the expression of love seeking its
object. There was no complaint at the insults or malice of devils or men, but
love
must
everlastingly travel after its beloved. Here is the law honoured in its curse;
all our enemies tried him to the uttermost; every thing the arch enemy of God
and man could do to fill his holy soul with horror was done, v. 14, 15, 16,
and all these the effect of our sin. His love was put to the severest tests,
yet in proportion as the necessity of his people expressed itself in
ingratitude, weakness, and enmity, so in proportion his love seemed to gain
utterance; it was entirely unconnected with any thing in man. He chose not His
people for anything in them; so nothing he discovered could turn him from his
purposes of mercy. It was only "if
be possible,"
let this cup pass from me ? extreme love, and extreme misery met in this
expression; the same love which brought him down, carried him through his path
of sorrow; his whole life was an emptying of this principle from furnace into
furnace ? yet "having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to
the end," not because ignorant of what was in them, not because the
remembrance had been blotted out, but at the very moment when his disciples
forsook, denied, betrayed Him,
in the midst
of this he laid down his life, "loved us and gave himself for us." We have an
High Priest who knows well how to enter into the feelings of the tried, even
the inmost recesses of the bosom, and administers most effectual relief. Jesus
learned God to perfection ? Jesus learned man to perfection. Every avenue of
attack is opened to him; how to meet his people's enemies in them, and how to
overcome ? Jesus learned sympathy to perfection. He threw his heart from the
zenith of glory into the bosom of his people, and is able to be touched with a
feeling of their infirmities. He estimates all their sufferings by his own, so
as not to lay on them one unnecessary feather.
In the 17th verse,
we find how keenly he felt the conduct of the bystanders. The simple remark
made by the evangelist is,
these things the soldiers did;
while all the complaint we hear from him is "Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do;" and if the conduct of the soldiers, how much more that
of his disciples, pained him. In psalm 69, we read, "reproach hath broken my
heart. I looked for some to have pity on me, and there were none; for
comforters, and I found none." Instead of complaint, we hear from him the only
excuse he could offer, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Were it
not for the psalms, we should know nothing of this ? when tracing his conduct
to his disciples at the end, we hardly need to be told by the apostle, that
having been tempted in all points, He was
full of
compassion; ? we cannot but be struck with the delicacy with which he seemed
to touch every feeling which might be excited to pain ? how sensitively he
felt all their infirmities and weakness ? how exquisitely and continually
alive to all the amiable, though too often painful, feelings of the human
heart; how patient with their prejudices; how he seemed to shrink from
wounding them, as if in so doing he must wound himself ? when broken hearted
with his enemies, he turned to his friends ? what condescension, how entirely
human! he placed himself in a situation to be ministered to by his own
creatures, and sought for comforters among poor weak sinful men! He remembers
we are dust ? he only asked for pity ? only to watch ? they could not; well
might he say with surprise, "could not ye watch one hour?" Had it been the
world, it would have been different, but ye, my disciples, my friends, whom I
have been watching over continually ? only
one hour!
Oh, how little can we do for our Lord; and when we attempt, how different to
what he does for us! Alas! human nature is still like itself, drowsy and
sleepy about its best interests; but blessed be God! he is, and only is still
like himself ? while they slept, he was awake, not only awake, but in agony
for their souls; ? yes, we have a living Head to direct us, filled with all
the wisdom of God ? we have a human heart to sympathise, filled with all the
compassions of Jesus. In casting the soul on One mighty to save, we have the
consolation of reposing on a bosom which having sighed for itself, is full of
tenderness for us, for "though a son, yet learned he obedience by the things
he had suffered." It is on the cross of Christ we see
reality in
God's hatred of sin, and his love to the sinner. We hear of this stupendous
mystery, God manifest in the flesh, too much as a tale that is told ? we set
about seeking an interest in it too much like a child's play, but we cannot
dwell long in Gethsemane, or on Calvary, without feeling, there is a reality
in sin, a reality in justice, a reality in purity, a reality in love. This is
the central point round which perfection rallies, and from which perfection
emanates ? never are we in so right a mind, as when faith is meditating on the
Redeemer's humiliation; or hope contemplating the Redeemer's glory. Let me
ask, do we really believe all this, that Christ trod our earth, really
suffered, exhausted the cup of wrath, drained it to the dregs, bore all the
misery which is the essence of the curse, was besieged by sorrow, was in an
agony, his heart broken, his spirit distracted, and oppressed? and why? For
the joy set before him of bringing many sons to glory. This was the prospect
which brightened his dark and dreary path of humiliation. Some mourn, needing
a friend into whose bosom they can pour their sorrows. Here is Jesus: mourner
in Zion, he learned your sorrows on Mount Calvary ? now his business is,
"showing mercy." Perhaps some will say, but I have brought myself into such
difficulties by sin, you can have nothing for me. Yes, I have, Messiah is
alive! The man of sorrows holds the rein of government, He says, "little
children, sin not; but if any man sin," etc. Truth never drives to despair,
but like a skilful general surrounds the enemy. The command is sin not; but
must the believer be overcome if he does fall? no, the Spirit points to Jesus.
In the 21st verse
of this psalm, it is testified
thou hast heard me,
and verse 24, and the concluding part goes on to show the happy results of
these sufferings, the restoration of Israel and conversion of the whole world
to God. Verse 27, "To him every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that
Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father." But the 22nd verse seems a
peculiarly interesting one. It is that voice, which at the beginning said,
"Let there be light and there was light." It is that voice, which once shook
the earth, and yet once more will shake both earth and heaven. It is that
voice which in agony exclaimed, "My God, my God!" ? which "in the days of his
flesh offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears to
Him who was able to save him from death." "Thou
hast heard me,"
exclaims the Great Shepherd of the sheep, when, by the God of peace, the
pacified Divinity, brought again from the dead; and now in the celestial
temple, in the height of Mount Sion above, he proclaims with a voice powerful
as that of many waters, yet sweeter than all the music of angels or redeemed
harps, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren." How he shall declare his
Father's name to his brethren of the church triumphant; ? how in the midst of
them he shall lead the hymn of thanksgiving, we cannot tell; but this we know,
the whole of his mediatorial administration is a declaration of his Father's
name to his brethren on earth, and a hymn of praise to him as the God of
salvation. Is he not daily, hourly, continually in "the word of the truth of
the Gospel," in the ordinances of his appointment, in the efficacious
operations of his Spirit, proclaiming the name of his Father more plainly than
it was before proclaimed? "The
Lord, the
Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness and
truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin,
and who will by no means clear the guilty," ? has yet set forth his Son a
propitiation through faith in his blood; ? the Just and the Saviour, Just and
justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. Does he not in these inspired Psalms
which refer to the exercise of Messiah the conqueror, even in the church
below, everlastingly sing the praises of him who has given him the victory?
and does it not well become us his brethren, to listen with attention and
faith to the declaration which he makes of the name of his Father and our
Father, his God and our God, and to join with him in his eucharistic song?
This is the exercise of heaven, and were we more habitually engaged in it, it
would convert earth into the porch of paradise. It is a touching remark of the
inspired author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in reference to the subject we
have been adverting to, "He is not ashamed to call them brethren." These words
are a very striking, though indirect proof of the Divine dignity of our Lord
and Saviour. For a mere man, a partaker of human nature in its present
corrupted state, to be ashamed to call his fellow man brother, however
dignified might be the station he occupied, would be intolerable haughtiness.
? But it is a condescension
in Him to
call us brethren. Well might he be backward to own such a relation to us ? a
perfectly holy man, as he was, might be ashamed to call guilty, depraved men,
brethren. People are commonly shy in acknowledging their relationship to
those, who have incurred the displeasure of government, lest they should be
involved in difficulties and disgrace. But though He knew full well that the
acknowledgment of such a relation to us, traitors, should involve him in a
serious responsibility, that he would be laid hold of as the "goel,"
the kinsman, redeemer, yet he is not ashamed to call us brethren. Persons
possessed of high honours, or looking forward to them, are often ashamed to
acknowledge connexion with the poor and mean; but He, the destined Lord of the
universe, hesitates not to say to
us, "I
ascend to my Father and your Father." But it is the Divinity of his person
which chiefly magnifies his condescension in calling us brethren. That the
only begotten of God, that God over all, blessed for ever, should not be
ashamed to call
us dust and
ashes, sinful dust and ashes, "brethren," is a mystery of condescension which
eternity itself will but imperfectly disclose to the enlarged minds of the
spirits of the just made perfect ? and yet there is a sense in which we may
safely say he has no reason to be ashamed, when he calls us brethren; in Heb.
11. it is said, God is not ashamed to be called his people's God, seeing he
has prepared for them a city. ? These words seem to imply, that if God had not
prepared for his people a portion, worthy of himself, suitable to his infinite
greatness and benignity, he would have been ashamed to have called himself his
people's God. But the portion he has provided is altogether worthy of him, and
therefore he is not ashamed to be called their God. There are persons who
behave so unkindly to those related to them, they should be ashamed every time
their relationship is mentioned. It is not so with our elder brother ? He has
acted the part of a kind brother: He humbled himself to the condition of his
brethren, and will never rest till he raises them to a place with him on his
throne. Surely we, whom he calls brethren, should not be ashamed to call him
brother; if he is not ashamed of
his
relationship
to us, we
should not be ashamed of our relationship
to Him; and
yet, how often do we think and feel, and act as if ashamed of him. ? In one
point of view we may well be ashamed, for our conduct has often been any thing
but brotherly to him ? our behaviour to him has often been what no mere human
fraternal affection would have tolerated; yet we can do nothing which can so
offend as to distrust his love. ? When we have acted a part unworthy our
relation, let us not turn away from him, for to whom can we go but to him: let
us look to Jesus, and we shall see in his countenance what Peter saw, deep
disapprobation, but tender pity, unutterable love, something that says, "Is
this thy kindness to thy friend, return to me, for I have redeemed thee;" and
in spirit we shall rush into his arms, and weep in his bosom.
Psalm 23.
This Psalm, like
most other promises and prophecies in the Old Testament, is to be applied
literally to the Jewish people, still "beloved for their Father's sake," and
spiritually, to the Christian church. On examination we shall find Christ was
also the Shepherd of the Old Testament; and it is in this character they wait
for him, though they know it not. For proof of this a few texts will suffice,
Jer. 23. 3, 4; Ezek. 34. 23, 24. Micah. 5. 2. This is yet to be fulfilled by
him, born in Bethlehem Ephratah, when the chief Shepherd shall appear;
therefore is the cry of Israel. Psalm 80. 1. "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
thou that feedest Jacob like a flock; thou that sittest between the cherubim,
shine forth." "They shall lie down in green pastures," Isaiah, 49. 9, etc.
also Jer. 31. 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 32. 36, 43. Observe how sovereignly he comes
down with his mercies, not because of deservings, but necessities. This shall
be for his name's sake, that it may not be polluted among the heathen, his
name is in them. See Ezek. 20. 14, 22, 44, fulfilling the 3rd verse. Hosea 14.
to end, Micah. 7. 8, 9. Take it literally, it is applied to the Jews, v. 18,
19. When the Shepherd shall shine forth, (Psalm 80.) then shall they feast in
the midst of their enemies. Isaiah 25. 6, 8. But as applied spiritually to the
believer, there is a peace and fulness of expression in this little sentence
understood only by him. The whole remainder of the psalm is but a drawing out
of this "I
shall not want."
In the unfolding we find, 1st, repose and refreshment. 2nd, restoring mercies
and guidance. 3rd, peace in death. 4th, triumph and overflowing blessings.
5th, future confidence and eternal security either in life or death,
spiritually or temporally, in prosperity or adversity, in time or eternity;
for standing on the sure foundation of the former psalm, the suffering,
resurrection, and promise of Christ, the believer can boldly say, "The
Lord is my Shepherd."
The believer shall not want, because his shepherd is the Lord. The believer
shall not want, because the Lord is his Shepherd. His Shepherd is
the
All-sufficient, nothing can unite itself to Him, nothing mingle with Him ?
nothing add to His satisfying nature ? nothing diminish from His fulness. His
treasury of gifts has been dearly purchased when he has paid the uttermost
farthing. When justice, who held the key of mercy, said
enough;
when by the blood of the covenant, the Father became debtor to his Son, the
Father presented to him His church. Like the good shepherd he went forth into
the regions of darkness to search his sheep, and seek them out; found her in
the depth of hell, yet loved her there as he never loved before; (for his love
gains utterance from his people's wants,) she, and only she, rose with him.
The shepherd brought his sheep on his shoulder through the grave and gate of
death triumphantly exclaiming, "O grave, where is thy victory?" The grain of
wheat fallen into the ground died and brought forth-much fruit. The rolling
away the stone from the door of the sepulchre was, as it were, the signal of
the load of sin being rolled away which kept shut in his treasury of gifts.
Neither is he ever weary of the wants of' his little flock; for each gift,
each supply, is a declaration of the Father's satisfaction in the soul's
travail of his beloved Son. Being united to him, quickened with him, his
church cannot want, she has a
right to
use all his riches,
her wealth
is
his riches
in glory.
With Him
nothing can be withheld; eternal life is hers with the promise that all things
shall be
added, all He knows she wants. The Shepherd has learnt the wants of his sheep
by experience, for He was himself led as a sheep to the slaughter. This
expression being dictated by the Spirit, implies a promise, it is a full
promise, when connected with his own words,
I know my sheep.
He was disciplined by most painful lessons into this knowledge; He subjugated
himself to the wants of every sheep, every lamb of his fold, that he might be
able to be touched with a feeling of their infirmities; therefore is the
bleating of Messiah's sheep,
I shall not want.
Timid sheep, fear not want, fear not affliction, fear not pain, "fear
not;"
according to your want shall be your supply. The Lord is my portion, saith my
soul,
therefore
will I trust in him. When the silly sheep cries to be kept from want, it may
well be answered, ye know not what ye ask; it knows not of what it would rob
itself, in the supply provided for that particular want.
His flock
in the midst
of danger have no cause to fear. They have been taken hold of by Omnipotent
love. My sheep, says Christ, "shall
never
perish," etc. "It is the Father's good pleasure to give them the kingdom." All
to be expected of a shepherd, shall be found in this Shepherd, who so loved as
to lay down his life for his sheep. Have you a want, keep it not, carry it to
him ? it shall lie on the mercy-seat to be considered; in due time shall be
written on it, "To be provided for." Have you a want for any dear to you, He
has promised, you "shall not want." If your demand is not exactly answered,
you shall receive something better ? your demand
shall be satisfied;
his fulness is as much at your disposal as if in your own hands; He keeps it
in himself, that every blessing may be received richly doubled ? Moses said
to the children of Israel in the wilderness, "The Lord thy God knoweth thy
walking through this great wilderness these forty years, the Lord thy God hath
been with thee,
thou hast lacked nothing"
? your wants are fathomless, but your help infinite, "None but God can tell
the uttermost a God can do;" you who are the sheep of his pasture, give him
thanks and show forth his praise, by venturing on this confidence; there is no
want to his flock ? "The young lion may lack and suffer hunger," but the good
Shepherd's helpless foolish sheep shall not want
any good thing.
He is their shield against every foe, He is their guide in every danger, no
good thing can be withheld ? grace now, glory hereafter. But let us proceed
to see how the Spirit unfolds these words; how his sheep shall go from
strength to strength, till they appear before God in Zion. In the 2nd verse we
find they possess food, drink, repose, and refreshment. What is the pasture of
the soul, is it not the bread of life? we see here the pasture is the sheep's
repose ? Christ is the soul's rest, He is a field of promise; therefore, as
expressed in the Canticles, this bed is perfumed with myrrh, aloes, cinnamon;
waters of refreshment flow in this pasture, even the "pure river of the water
of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb;" "the streams whereof make glad the city of God." There shall be in you,
says Christ, "a well of water springing up into everlasting life." This, adds
the apostle, "spake He of the Spirit, which those who believe in him should
receive." Sheep lying in a green pasture, on a hot summer's day, near a clear
flowing stream, is ever a refreshing sight. The believer who rests in Christ
shall drink largely waters, and refreshment, and consolation from the
Comforter, even in the desert. There is a sweet quietness expressed in this
verse, Christ's flock shall not eat in haste, as if in dread of the devourer ?
"He that believeth," the Scripture says, "shall not make haste." "When He
giveth quietness, who then shall give trouble?" enemies may surround, but the
Shepherd is near; enemies may be in ambushment, but the Shepherd is on the
watch. ? It is
He makes
lie down, it is
He leads by
still waters. But were his sheep only to recount the repose and refreshment,
they would leave half untold their donation of bliss. No, the believer can
sing of judgment as well as mercy, verse 3 ? for He reckons it among his
chiefest blessings, that it has to him never yet been said,
let him alone.
There was hope for Israel, while God "brought down their heart through
heaviness," for "then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble." There was
hope while He smote, for then they sought him, and remembered "that God was
their rock, and the High God their Redeemer." But the sorest word ever sent to
Israel was, "Why should ye be stricken any more, ye will revolt more and
more?" Christ's sheep, still silly sheep, left to themselves will still stray;
but from afar they cry, whatsoever the cost, seek thy servant, for I forget
thee not. ?
Believer, has He not restored your soul again and again? When you have turned
aside, has not love rebuked and chastened? Has He not been unwearied in
preserving your faith? ? Though Satan has been permitted to sift, has his
grain of wheat fallen to the ground? ? Though cast into the furnace, has not
the Refiner sat over his treasure? ? When sin separates between you and him,
when idols scatter your thoughts here and there, is He not bent on restoring?
Does He not yearn over his Ephraim? Sometimes He almost breaks the heart with
a look, as He gave Peter; sometimes He overcomes by passing by iniquities;
sometimes by feeding with the rod and judgments. Rest assured He
will
restore, till his sheep, in the spirit of him who was dumb before his
shearers, can say, "Any thing
with thy
smile, any thing but
thy
frown."...
But, alas! how
slow are his sheep to learn in their extremities not to turn from, but to flee
to him, to hide them, and to be
led in the
way of righteousness. ? "Cause me," says the Psalmist, "to know the way
wherein I should walk; teach me to do thy will; lead me into the land of
uprightness." Christ says, "I am the way." The apostle says, "As ye have
received Christ, so walk ye
in him." It
is Satan's constant aim to lead from the simplicity which is in Christ. ? It
is the Shepherd's to restore, to lead in that path, blessed thought! The
Shepherd leads, though often by paths we know not, till he brings into the
path of righteousness, for he has trod the path of faith before us. The good
shepherd, as the gospel of John says, goes before his sheep, meets the enemy
first; they follow in his footsteps, therefore must they expect a thorny,
though a trodden path; but their Shepherd is with them ? His presence makes
darkness light; crooked things straight. ? The silly sheep are only wise in
giving themselves up to his guidance, and in following
whithersoever
he leads. He will cause to walk in a straight way wherein none shall stumble
to hurt, for he rejoices over his people to do them good. If they fall He
lifts them up; if they sit in darkness, it is enough, He is near; He pleads
their cause; He executes judgment for them; He will bring them forth to the
light, and they shall behold his righteousness. What they know not now, they
shall know hereafter; all their sin shall be cast into the sea, as a great
stone to be found no more. He delighteth in mercy, and will not leave till he
has satisfied, yea, satiated the hungry soul with goodness. His glory is bound
up in their bundle of life "His
name is in it."
For thy name's sake, says David, lead me and guide me. ? Help us, O God of our
salvation,
for the glory of thy name.
Deliver us, purge away our sins, for
thy name's sake.
Therefore is the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment.
But more ? plenty,
security and triumph are also expressed in the 5th verse. Anointed is
frequently read "making fat," as the original word in this place may be
translated; and is so in the margin, implying cheerfulness, strength or
gladness. It is also used as well-looking, prosperity, Psalm 22. 29, a sign of
health and peace of mind, so as to
cause to flourish:
this is expressed in feeding among enemies. This spiritual feast cheers,
gladdens, makes the heart run over with joy, makes the soul flourish The
anointing of God is poured over, shed abroad in the heart, is an unction which
enriches. This is the oil which ran down Aaron's beard, and makes glad the
countenance. What is it which thus enriches and fattens the soul? Feasting,
drinking abundantly of the cup
prepared of the Lord.
David says in another psalm, "The Lord is the portion of my cup," therefore it
is this cup which runs over with blessings, Christ being the
portion. We
find in it many precious ingredients. ? His life ? "Because I live, ye shall
live also." His love ? "As the Father loveth me,
so have I
loved you". His friendship ? "I have called you friends." His wisdom ? "Made
to us wisdom." His righteousness ? "Made to us righteousness." His fulness ?
"All that I have is thine." His sorrows ? "If the world hate me, they will
also hate you." His strength ? "My strength is perfect in weakness." His peace
? "My peace I leave with you." His joy ? "These things I have spoken unto you,
that my joy might remain with you, and your joy might be full." This is the
present portion presented in the believer's cup of blessedness; one only
ingredient is kept back. ?
Absolute
rest. "That if love draw not, restlessness may toss into his breast." Having a
life which none can touch, his sheep feed in the midst of enemies, "go in and
out, and find pasture." The believer's security in the midst of enemies is no
presumption, for it rests not with himself, but in the covenant-engagements of
the Trinity; we have this forcibly demonstrated, John, 6. 37-40. It is well to
study these four verses; they combine all doctrine; election; ? the
willingness and irresistible power of the Son, in saving all those elected of
the Father ? calling; ? perseverance through faith; called and preserved, in
order to be raised at the last day. All this, through grace, not merit, and to
the end of glorifying God-man. The Father gives a people to be saved,
wills it.
The Son comes down from heaven for the express purpose of accomplishing this
will;
promises,
and his word is truth, in
no wise to
cast out any, to lose nothing committed to him, to raise up all such at the
last day, "and I will raise him up at the last day." The Spirit prepares these
vessels of mercy for this end ? and how? By bringing them to Christ; taking of
the things of Christ, and showing them unto them, so that their eyes being
opened to his loveliness, they embrace, and are persuaded of the truth as it
is in Jesus, and in the midst of the world, flesh, and devil, the Spirit
preserves through this belief. The Father gives his elect to the Son to save;
the Son gives this his "Father's gift" to the Spirit to educate, by leading
back to Christ; he glorifies
not himself.
Christ keeps, by casting them in supplication on the Father; "Father keep
through thine own name those whom thou hast given me." Each person in the
Godhead thus becomes debtor to the other, in consummating the bliss of God's
chosen people. We must follow the believer into all the intricacies of his
experience, before we can understand the full meaning of the word
no wise,
how impossible to weary or tire out his love by all our backsliding and
ingratitude; "no
wise" and "uttermost"
are two words the believer takes his life to learn; not one has ever
outstretched his
uttermost,
or wearied out his
no wise.
The examples of his word, as well as truth of his oath establish this,
notwithstanding appearances and feelings; the soul of the believer is never
even retarded in its progress; every event, and every state, as surely
forwards its course, as years, months, and days, bring on eternity. Remember
it is the
Father's will, not against his will, that his people should be saved; so
undeniably his will, that when nothing else would do, it pleased the Lord to
bruise his own Son, and put him to grief, that his soul making an offering for
sin, the pleasure of the Lord might prosper in his hand. In these four verses
we also find the mark of his sheep, the only mark required: "All that the
Father giveth me, shall
come to
me; and him
that
cometh to
me, I will
in no wise cast out." No ifs, no buts, no ands, no peradventures. The covenant
is "ordered in all things and sure," for the glory of the Eternal has
interwoven itself into the safety of his elect people. Thus, in the midst of
enemies may his people triumph, "man's extremity is God's opportunity", ? the
greater our want, the deeper we shall drink into this cup of consolation, for
you "shall
not want."
He laid up help for each, therefore he can say to every sheep
ye "shall
not want." There is not only enough, but overflowing. Enemies that surround
wonder! To them it is a secret, often they wish to worry the Lord's little
flock, but every attempt is baffled ? they cannot find out the believer's
peace ? some strive with cutting words as with a sword to wound ? but he hides
in his pavilion from the strife of tongues ? words aimed at him, pass him by,
reach the upper sky, pierce the Shepherd, who receives each into his bosom,
to be answered for.
"Saul, Saul," cried Jesus from heaven, "why persecutest thou me? I am Jesus of
Nazareth whom thou persecutest." "He that toucheth thee, toucheth the apple of
mine eye." Lions roar around, wolves prowl about ? but his sheep feast
quietly,
are strengthened and refreshed with the cup of salvation; their joy, no man
taketh from them; their cup runneth over; because supplied from on high, from
him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think,
while he cries, drink, yea, drink abundantly, oh beloved. This blessed flock
have not only present happiness, but the experience of present promises gives
security for future ones ? "I am come," says the good Shepherd, "that they may
have life, and may have it more abundantly" ? joy
in sorrow
is their present promised lot, therefore is the sustaining joy of hope a
pledge of the satisfying fulness of sight. The Lord's supper when rightly
observed is a feast in the midst of enemies, so it was to the disciples in the
midst of persecution. It expressed in action every doctrine of the gospel, and
believed, brings corresponding joy. I would also observe from this verse,
security is the open door to
every blessing.
If not secure, in the midst of enemies, we can neither be refreshed,
invigorated, or nourished by our feast ? constant terror will cause leanness
of spirit ? faith void of security, (if such can be called faith) opens but a
crevice of the door ? life may be communicated through this open crevice, but
security of faith, or faith stripped of self-righteousness, throws it open, so
that his gifts rush to overflowing into the believer's soul.
Verse 4. ? The
shadow of death seems to express that the gloomy darkness of hell overcasts
it. Job, speaking of the grave, calls it "the land of darkness and the shadow
of death ? a land of darkness as darkness itself, and of the shadows of death
without any order, where the light is as darkness." Luke, speaking of
spiritual darkness, represents it as sitting in the shadow of death. We have
each to face death. There is an honesty in that monster's countenance, which
makes him the king of terrors to the ungodly, but infuses a holy confidence
into the believer, and leaves in him such assurance of being safely delivered
up, that his thoughts arc released from contemplating death, to the joyful
anticipation of meeting his Beloved. Do you ever realize what will be your
feelings in passing through that vail which separates from the unknown: when
the curtain shall have dropped on all below, and all around is reality? Much
is contained in these words,
Thou art with me.
This is the rainbow of light thrown across the valley, for there is no need of
sun or moon, where covenant love illumines; but we must find His presence
superior to any joy here, if we wish to find it superior to any terror there.
Like Enoch, we must walk with God here, if we desire Him to walk with us
there. We must find him all, in the midst of all, if we would find him
sufficient, when possessed of nothing. We are in a world in which we know not
what a day may bring forth; we may have to pass through rivers of tears,
furnaces of temptation, or it may be only waters of perplexity and cares. Be
it what it may, he says to the children, "Fear not, I am with thee: when thou
passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be
burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee, for I am the Lord thy God,
thy Saviour." True, this promise is given to the Jews, but the dogs may eat of
the crumbs that fall from the table; for he has redeemed
us, he has
called us by name, we arc his. Not Ethiopia, not Egypt, but his own Son has he
given; he has created his people for his glory. "Though I walk in the midst of
trouble," says David, "thou wilt revive me, thou shalt stretch forth thine
hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me." God
is in the
generation of the righteous. The Lord said to Jeremiah, "Be not afraid, but
speak; hold not thy peace, for I am with thee." So said he, on leaving his
apostles, "I am with you always, even to the end." His name is "Emmanuel, God
with us." Do you know the sweetness, the security, the strength, of "Thou art
with me?" When anticipating the solemn hour of death, when the soul is ready
to halt and ask, how shall it then be? can you turn in soul-affection to your
God and say, "There's nothing in death to harm me, while thy love is left to
me?" Can you say, "O death, where is thy sting?" It is said, when a bee has
left its sting in any one, it has no more power to hurt: death has left its
sting in the humanity of Christ, and has no more power to harm his child.
Christ's victory over the grave is his people's. "At that moment I am with
you," whispers Christ, "the same arm you have proved strong and faithful all
the way up through the wilderness, which has never failed, though you have
been often forced to lean on it all your weakness." "On this arm," answers the
believer, "I feel
at home,
with soul confidence, I repose on my Beloved, for he has supported through so
many difficulties, from the contemplation of which I shuddered. He has carried
over so many depths, that I know his arm to be an arm of love." How can that
be dark, in which God's child is to have the accomplishment of the longing
desire of his life; how can it be dark, to come in contact with the light of
life? It is
His rod,
His staff,
therefore they comfort. Prove him ? prove him now, believer; it is your
privilege to do so. It will be precious to him to support your weakness; prove
that when weak, then are you strong; that you may be secure, His strength
shall be perfected in your perfect weakness. Omnipotent love must fail before
one of His sheep can perish; for, says Christ, "none shall pluck my sheep out
of my hand," "I and my Father are one;" therefore we may boldly say, "yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me."
But in the last
verse, is put forth another effort of faith, not only in death, but through
life:
surely,
says the believer, "goodness and mercy shall follow," even as water from the
smitten rock followed Israel all through the wilderness. There is no promise
of being delivered from this or that terrible event; but still into every
want, every sin, goodness and mercy shall follow. When he falls, it shall be
but into the arms of mercy. "I shall not greatly fall," says the Psalmist,
"for the Lord upholdeth with his hands, mercy embraceth on every side."
However afflicted, the child of God can say, goodness and mercy have pursued,
goodness and mercy sought me out ? goodness and mercy afflicted ? goodness
and mercy sustained ? goodness and mercy shall follow into my Father's house .
Here is the climax of it all, to "dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
Christ has said, "in my Father's house are many mansions, I go to prepare a
place for you." The beauty and accommodation of that house shall be according
to
His means,
His taste,
our
necessities. When we are about to visit a person's house, our expectations
correspond with our knowledge of the proprietor; when we receive a friend to
our house, it is customary to give ourselves to please them, our aim is their
profit and pleasure, all the pleasure our house affords is brought forth for
that end. So in our Father's house, we shall have intercourse with the owner,
may I say, He will give himself to our happiness. Oh! what powers are in Him
when he sets about blessing; when his aim is to bless, he blesses like a God;
all that his house affords shall be brought forth, while the mind of the Great
Original, as an unfathomable mine of wealth, shall be an ever-constant,
ever-new delight. There is a vast difference in his visits
to us here,
and our being received into his habitation to go no more out. "In his presence
is fulness of joy, at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore." This
is what we cannot conceive; while in the flesh, joy destroys itself,
immediately intoxicates; so frothy is the mind, it could not bear much even of
spiritual joy. "The breath of heaven might swell the sails to inflation, and
endanger the vessel, did not our Captain add the ballast of trials to steady
her, and cause her to go on her way softly and with security." But when we
shall behold his face in righteousness, when we shall wake up after his
likeness, we shall be
satisfied.
Oh! what a burst of truth shall then rush upon the mind, when we shall be like
our elder Brother,
full of
grace and truth; even in the believer, now falsehood is interwoven; never till
then, shall the creature find in the creature a rose without a thorn. When the
door shuts in the children with their Father, the enemy in vain shall knock;
sighing even shall flee away. What a thought for his children! We shall be
really there! as certainly as that now we are sitting here, we shall "sit down
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God." What manner of persons
ought we to be? Shall we
all meet in
our Father's house? before we again meet, we may have all experienced what it
is to pass through the valley of the shadow of death. Shall we
all be able
to say, goodness and mercy followed? What a thing to be able to face such a
world, with "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me," etc. even till
mortality is swallowed up of life.
If often, often,
while girded with sackcloth, mourning has been turned into dancing, what shall
it be when the mourner in Zion shall put off sackcloth, and shall be girded
with gladness? Do you desire a map of the way to your Father's house? Take
this little psalm; He presents you with this picture of the good Shepherd with
his sheep. Faith believes all to be goodness and mercy, when we cannot see ?
"we walk by faith, not by sight."
The End.
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