I would very gladly speak a word to you, Sir, were the Lord pleased to back it with power, life, and liberty.
I would mention some Scriptures that occurred to me on your behalf: Isaiah xliv. 22 “Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved.” This is a very extensive call, from the ends of the earth. Look unto me, glorious Me! that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
The next Scripture that occurred was Ezekiel xxxvi. 25 “I will sprinkle you with clean water, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.” O, Sir, here God pronounces the blood of Christ to be clean. The heavens are not clean in his sight; and he chargeth his angels with folly. Here Christ’s blood cleanseth from all sin. Are your sins and guilt so heavy that they are like to press you down to hell? and you are made to wonder at the divine patience of God, that keeps you so long out of hell, notwithstanding all your provocations? Do you see the law pursuing you for the debt of perfect obedience?
Send the law to Christ: Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth. Christ hath a righteousness to fulfil the law; and he hath paid the utmost farthing of the debt to the law and justice of God: upon the cross He said, “It is finished: and “gave up the ghost.” He hath strength to give you to perform duties, for work and warfare. O love Him who loved you from eternity, who is altogether lovely. He is the beauty of the Godhead. Had you the eye of faith but opened to see Christ’s ravishing beauty, His excellency and glory, you would be ready to wonder why the world were not all running after Him.
The third Scripture was John xi. 44 “Jesus said, loose him and let him go.” What need hath a sinner to put the work into Christ’s glorious hand? “He was bound about with grave cloths.” Ye cannot walk one foot in the way of the Lord, until ye be loosed, and let go. He ‘is bound about with the chain of unbelief: he is bound about with the chain of self: he is bound about with the chain of pride: with the chain of atheism: with the chain of formality: with the chain of carnality: with the chain of enmity against God. The heart is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, while in a natural state. He thinks he has some duty or other to present to the Lord: prayers, tears or the like. It is supernatural power that will bring a sinner out of himself, to rely upon Christ Jesus, for righteousness and strength.
Be not overmuch troubled with those hellish blasphemous thoughts of the devil: they are like lightning thrown into a room: they are not of the room, yet they are thrown into the room: so are these blasphemous thoughts thrown into your heart. Let Satan answer for them unto God, they are his, and not yours. A carnal wandering thought, in time of prayer, is more sinful than they are. When you go to the minister, or to a Christian acquaintance to complain, neither think these thoughts over again, nor yet name them over to them, but tell them that you are troubled with blasphemous thoughts of the devil: they will understand you very well. Satan would have all convictions to come to nothing; thereby he gains his point, to keep poor sinners away from Christ. Believe not Satan, though he tell you that ye have the external call of the gospel, ye will never get the internal call of the Spirit of God; he is a liar from the beginning, and the truth is not in him.
Another Scripture that occurred was Isaiah xlv. 3 “I will pour waters upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground.” If you are not thirsty, you are exceeding dry. Are you athirst for this or the other vanity, or lust, or idol? But I expect better things of you, even that you are thirsting for a drink of Christ’s water which He has to give, which is to them that receive it, a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life. If this be the thirst that you are longing for, He will satisfy your desires, and fill the hungry with good things. He will answer your prayers in his own time.
He is the merciful Samaritan that comes over the sinner’s weakness: he pours wine and oil into his wounds. Those that are broken in their hearts, and grieved in their minds. He healeth; He tenderly binds up their painful wounds. When the sinner is come this length, that he cannot believe more than he can remove mountains, it is the breaking of the day with him; there is room in his heart to work faith in it: and O that Christ may work faith, and bear all the glory. To whom be praise, glory and honour, for ever and ever.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
—MARION LAIRD.