DEAR FRIEND,—This being a dismal time, wherein great wrath hath justly come forth from the Lord against us, He is provoked to cover the daughter of our Sion with a cloud, and turn the day of the gospel unto a day of gloominess and darkness; wherein, alas! we have not only willingly left our guide, and left our way, but also are drowned in a deep swoon of spiritual slumber, like one fallen from a high place, and so (damnished) that he can neither clearly consider where he is, or what is his duty. And I find strong convictions within my bosom of my great failing (because of deadness and darkness, and carnal-mindedness) to proclaim and trumpet out the matchless love of Christ to sinners, and to woo the bosom of sinners unto the bosom of His love. And oh that my (dozened) and carnal heart were so inflamed, that it were kindling many friends with sparkles of His love. I do beseech you in the bosom of His love, make it your study to be often trying and making sure the root of the matter is in you. If there be a failing in the root, the fruit will soon be rotten at the heart. Examine, “give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.” Oh, what strengthening cheerfulness is there to be found in feeding upon the meditation of his first espousals, when you and I were wallowing in our souls’ blood! Oh, what an inexpressible sweetness! to be often reading over the marriage contract, and all the articles of the poor rich believer’s juncture, wherein, if there be a miss on our part (for there is none on His), there is time as yet to fill it up. Can you tell me what a ripe cluster of the vine that groweth in glory’s land it is to read over with the spectacles of faith all the promises, all the mercies? Such a promise is mine, and the blessing with it; such a mercy is mine, and a blessing with it; such a cross is mine, and the sweet kernel of the blessing under the sour (slough) that is without. But O! what is all this but the off-fallings and the latter meat beside Himself? Himself the flower, the garland, the quintessence of glory. Oh, to find without guile, Himself subscribing by His Spirit upon my soul, I will betroth thee to myself, I will be thy God and husband, and he subscribing for me, thou shalt be one of my chosen people, and my soul, and all that is within me, saying, Amen, amen; even so, come, Lord Jesus, even so I take Him to be my married husband, my God and my Lord. What remaineth then, but I am my well beloved’s, and my well beloved is mine? O to throng in and to eat greedily of this banquet of love! It is a wonder that the soul crieth not out as once precious old Mr. Welch did upon something the like, Had, Lord, enough, I dow bear no more. O for a sweet fill of this (fanatick humour)!
Tell me, do you desire (as I doubt not but you do) to have eyes to see, hands to act, feet to walk, wings to fly, in all commanded duties? Here it is—be often trying and making sure, and reading over the beginning and progress of His love to you, and of yours to Him. But in self trial, it is good to have a special care that gifts come not in the balance with grace; for that is too gross a (wither-weight). Lay by the painted case when you weigh the jewel. O how hard is it to discern and judge, as upon the one hand how a precious spark of upright walk may be hid under the rubbish of a rough nature, so, on the other hand, how a sweet, soft, tender, natural temper, may prove but glittering piece of the bastard rock! Yet it is long ago (I bless the Lord on your behalf) since I had hope and now I am very confident that there is mutual and covenanted love between you and the beloved. Weigh your receipts of all sorts, weigh it to a grain weight, deny nothing to it (but O to be denied to it!) and remember often that you must give account of your stewardship, and answer how you have improved every penny of every talent you enjoy. To whom much is forgiven, of them much shall be required. When you and I shall get any clear sight of our desertings, we shall have cause (though the Lord has sometimes hid His face) to close our song of praise thus, the Lord has dealt bountifully with us. Yet I do beseech you, not rest satisfied with any length you have attained to; sit not down, stand not still, but labour to grow in all the dimensions of an upright love, till you come to the full stature, which will be when you are transplanted to the paradise beside the tree of life upon the banks of the river of glory, that are at His right hand for ever more. Press forward aye till you obtain the prize and crown. A Christian course is either ebbing or flowing. O! how do some strive to grow in riches, others to grow in court and honour? Yea, the very wicked makes it his glory to grow in wickedness; only the (back-gone) Christian is easily put off if he can keep life in the play.
And grow in the adorning grace of humility, which fitteth the back for every burden, and maketh the tree (sickerest) at the root when it standeth on the top of the windy hill. This is the true palm tree that groweth the stateliest and strongest when many weights are hung on it to bear it down. Look often upon your lesson, your copy, and your teacher, all in one. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. O how often I have resolved to be more humble, when the Lord hath preferred me to some favour! and yet when the temptation came my woeful heart hath made that very favour a leaping on stone for my pride to ride on horse-back that went afoot before. And, I pray you, labour to be rich in the royal grace of believing. Ah, how justly may Christ upbraid his passengers of this generation, O ye of little faith? And although possibly ye be not much sensible of pinching want here, and have not met with much brangling, yet gather and lay up much, for ye know not how soon the time of famine may come, that will eat out the remembrance of your plenty, and tempt you to say that ye but dreamed it. The fresh water mariner is stout enough in fair weather. O, to believe in the dark and stormy midnight, that the sun will comfortably rise to-morrow. O, to win to trust in Him, when His hand thrusts me and my comforts through the heart! They that know thee will put their trust in thee. How seasonable is that petition, now, Lord increase our faith?
And when the soul wins to the lively exercise of believing, O, but then there will be much loving. She loved much, because she believed much was forgiven her. When the believer wins to any clear discovery of the beloved, he needs neither promises to allure, nor manathas to curse him in to the love of Christ. When the little bit of brittle glass is laid open and looketh directly to the sun: “We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed unto the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” When faith findeth Christ, and getteth leave to embrace him, then meek love hath strong arms to hold him, and thinks not strange to wrestle him home to his mother’s house. And then when faith and love acts the soul, I do assure you it is like new wine working on the mother, that must have a vent of praises, or else be ready to burst at the broad side. Alas! for that capital crime of the Lord’s people—barrenness in praises. O, how fully I am persuaded, that a line of praises is worth a leaf of prayer, and an hour of praises is worth a day of fasting and mourning! Yet there is room enough for both. But O! what a (massie) piece of glory on earth is it to have praises looking as it were out at the eyes, praises written on the forehead; to have the very breath smelling of praises, to have praises written on the palms of their hands, and the impression of praises on every footstep of the walk—although this be that day (if ever) wherein the Lord calleth to mourning and fasting! And ah, alas! there be an answer written upon every room of chambering and wantonness, upon the doors of taverns, hostlier houses, and market crosses. They arose up to play. Sore carriages after the play. Yet I say, O, how sweet and suitable is it to tune up the heart with the 101st Psalm—I will sing of mercy and of judgment! The most heavenly Christian is most in praises. And bless the Lord, I beseech you, who hath fitted you and your worthy friends about you, in any measure, to testify your praises in the practise of charity. O, what a rich flavour is it to be admitted and made capable to refresh the hungry bowels, and clothe the naked loins of your precious Redeemer! Dear friend, you know some when they crossed Jordan, had no more but their staff to speak of, and are now blessed with a large portion of Jacob’s inheritance, either in penny or pennyworth. O, there is nothing so sure to you, I can assure you, of all your enjoyments, as the bread that is cast on the waters! O, how (sickly) is that laid up from the reach of the roughest hands! and O, what a rich income bringeth it in the end of the day!
(To be continued.)