IX 21st July 1842.
I felt as if I were totally forsaken, so much so that the bell began to ring in the afternoon before I had been able to find the Psalms we were to sing and, as for sermon, I had none; only the text and a trembling confidence in Him who has never forsaken me in time of need. But it has generally been His way with me to give me the plan, introduction, and heads of application before I left my study. Not so today. I walked down to the church in the dark, and would have been thrown into a ferment had I not looked to His inexhaustible stores. He accordingly proved Himself faithful: for I had introduction, heads, and particulars and application as clear and logically arranged as though I had written the whole. The subject of lecture in the forenoon was Jeremiah xxxi, 18-21, “I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me and I shall be turned: for Thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned I repented: and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yes even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him. I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. Set thee up way-marks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway; even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O Virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.”
You may take one note from Verse 18, “Turn thou me and I shall be turned: for thou art the Lord my God.” When the soul has no argument from character, state or frame of spirit, there is enough in the Lord Himself to fill the mouth with prevailing pleas. The text in the afternoon was Amos iii, 6, “Shall there be evil in a city and the Lord hath not done it?” The introduction paved the way for inquiring 1st. Into the evil; and 2nd into its Author. (I) The evil in a city or land may be: (1) Temporal — 1. poverty; 2. depression of trade; 3. deficiency in the productions of the soil; 4. war kindled or threatened, all which we see in our case. (2) The evil may be spiritual. And this we viewed as it affects the people of God in their leanness, the inefficiency to their souls of ordinances, or the want of the means altogether. And then as it affects those that are still without Christ in the work of conversion, not going on amongst sinners — in the want of a ministry such as the Lord usually employs in accomplishing this work — in the prevalence of an unfaithful and corrupt ministry — in the want of means altogether.
(II). The Author of the evil is the Lord. No other has the power to inflict it. No other has the will. He alone is so holy as to do it. To no other belongs the glory of doing it. But why this evil? — 1. The licentiousness of this country in drunkenness and sins not to be named. 2. The profanation of the Sabbath by all ranks from the Queen to the beggar. 3. The strife and divisions of the church, and the infidelity and ungodliness of the world. But 4th and last, because the crowning sin, that with which all are chargeable, most guilty, and exposed to deepest condemnation is the despising of Christ.
But here I am, after travelling over all this ground without a single morsel, except in secret prayer this morning from one thought, viz., the part of the sin of the church, etc., which belongs to me. I thought of my share of the sin of individuals, husbands, parents, subjects, ministers, etc., etc. I could have hid my face in the dust, I am so ashamed. But that was all. I wonder when the Lord will be pleased to return, for I am in a poor case without Him.
Anloss, 19th May 1842.
We have no reason to think we are Christians, if we have never heard from God, and received some communication from Him to our souls.
Matthew xx, The blind men received sight and followed Jesus. We are not Christ’s followers if we have got no deliverances from Him.
Psalm cviii, I got some truth from the fountain. The Lord is exalted above the heavens, and therefore in our hearts He should be exalted above every earthly thing.
Deanside, 27th November 1841.
Romans xi, 32, “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all.” I think I was helped to some close and faithful dealing with the consciences of Gentiles, while endeavouring to interest them in the grand subject of the conversion of the Jews.
I do not know how it may fare with me tomorrow at the communion table, or in the pulpit. Of one thing I am quite certain, because I feel it, that if the Lord does not come near to my soul in His life-giving and light-giving power, I shall neither communicate nor preach with comfort. In His light we do indeed see light, but otherwise we are in darkness. I cannot see any ground for expecting His approach on the present occasion, but the glory of His Name; and yet I find it hard to get really to desire and expect that He should appear for this end. Oh, what mountains! He must come over in His visits even to His own people, even through the mountains of their carnality, and unbelief, and hardness of heart!
15th April 1844.
We had a calm solemn impressive forenoon in Knox’s from Phil. ii, 5, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
I was sensibly helped in Free St. George’s from John iii, 6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. But in the evening we had a torrent of truth such as I have not had for a good while. My poor frame was quivering under it, and at one time there was a shaking among the bones, as if they would be awakened, but it passed away, and my fear is that every sermon is leaving the people in a deeper sleep than before. Oh, how awful to preach in such circumstances! Dr F. was there and seemed to listen with deep attention, and if I mistake not, was at one passage overpowered. The Lord’s Name be magnified!
Aberdeen, 4th June 1852.
This should be our motto, Humble yourselves under the Lord’s mighty hand, and in due time He will lift you up. We should, like David, have our sin ever before us, be habitually exercised in repentance, and in the acting of faith in the Saviour whose blood cleanseth from all sin. But to do this there must be a constant anointing by the Holy Ghost with the unction that abideth. For just as our life depends on the air we breathe, so does the life of the soul depend upon the Spirit of God. You know that were the air taken away, we would die; and were the Spirit of God taken from His people they would die spiritually. Those that live would die, and there would be no succession of people. Hence the need of prayer, “Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.”
I believe that the secrets of the Christian religion and the truths of His Holy Word are to be learned only by fire. “Through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom.” For as Jesus suffered in purchasing redemption, so must His people in obtaining redemption, “But if we suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him.”
Wick, 16th September 1854.
I John iii, 1, “The world knoweth us not because it knew Him not.” The appeals to the conscience were numerous and fiery; yet, strange to say, after the roar of artillery, there was a rich opening up of the work of grace, by which the soul is separated from the world. I shewed that one is taught of God, that by nature he is in and of the world, is so dealt with, and has such views of the world, that he must make his escape — is brought to Christ, and joined to Him, so as to become one spirit with Him. In revealing His Son, I showed that the Father teaches inwardly, graciously, so as to enlighten, subdue, melt, conquer, draw, unite to Christ.
I dare not meddle with the sin of others, till I have put away my own: “I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O God.” To compass His altar is in some way or other to be about His service, such as rebuking, warning, exhorting. Now, no one can safely do this unless he wash his hands in innocency.
Lybster, 19th September 1854.
Sermon, John ii, 17, The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up. Although I preached about an hour and a half I never got beyond the “house.” Its foundation, found in the Father’s bosom — and prepared for it by the Father — and the stones — poor sinners, found in His love, and prepared by Him too in the work of grace in their souls.
Wick, 20th September 1854.
Sermon, John xi, 52, “And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.”
I intended to speak of three things respecting the people referred to; 1st. The title they bear — “the children of God”: 2nd. The state they are in — “scattered abroad”: 3rd. The work that is done for them — “gathered into one.” But I did not get through the first.
Castlehill, 22nd September 1854.
Note “He daily loadeth us with His benefits,” and if only these are sweetened by His love, what more can we have? I feel as if I have now got very much above the noise and tumult of enemies; and just as a little star twinkles in the firmament while the winds bluster and the clouds drift along, so I try to sit with Himself in heavenly places, and do not heed the devices of wicked men, except to cherish compassion for them, and pray that they may be yet saved.
I was afraid I was to be left, but I think it exceeded all the nights I have yet had, and Mr M., who is very prudent and reserved, spoke of it as wonderfully melting and winning. I seemed to preach as in His presence and under His eye. What am I that He should thus visit us! The text was, John viii, 36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed,” but I can give you no idea of what was opened to us. The stillness was very great, and a sigh was at times heard mingling with the wind.
Castlehill, 23rd September 1854.
As it respects spiritual things what I pass through exceeds all description. I drove up to Newlands of Tain to see Alexander Oag. I found the dear old man in bed and somewhat flat. But I was not long beside him till he was all on fire, and I felt as if I were in a holy and elevated atmosphere. I think our hearts met, and embraced, and it truly was a love feast. I read the old Cameronian’s letter, and this was oil to the flame; he embraced him too in his affections. He told me he had from the first been praying that I might have good weather, and was rejoiced when I told him I had not once been prevented by the weather from going on with my work. He compared the ministers to dogs that drove the people to hear me, and said, as to the big man in Wick he had prayed, “Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel to ‘foolishness’.” I have no doubt he will speak on your behalf to the King. I kneeled down and prayed; and when I rose and took him by the hand he uttered a short and precious prayer for me. He said, “Let me kiss your hand”: for his beard being unshaven he said, “I am just like a rough shaggy goat.” But I kissed him, beard and all, and at parting said with a full heart, “If I should get to heaven, I will look around to see you.”
Wick, 21st September 1854.
The more furiously enemies attack, the less I mind them, and the more intent I am on prosecuting my proper work. I desire to drink into the spirit of the Apostle: “being reviled, we bless; being defamed, we entreat.” Who is a God like unto him? I don’t think I have had a night like it: the weight of His presence and majesty was as much as I could bear: I brought away a sweet savour, and yet a burden, so that I was happy, and also grave and serious. What hath God wrought? I feel as if this time is the beginning of months to me: the Christian life is opening to my soul with new beauties. I plead hard with Him that the partner of my lot may also taste and see that He is good, and that we may together rejoice in His salvation.
Give me a text and let its contents be opened to me, and I am happy. The devil would like nothing better than that I should enter the lists with enemies, and carry on a paper war: but I desire to be enabled to go on blowing the ram’s horn trumpet till the walls of Jericho fall flat to the earth. I find it hard to get hold of spiritual things in a spiritual way, and that so as to be habitually affected by them in one’s temper, and walk. We need the unction that abideth, both as to its source and its object — in the one case over-flowing, and in the other ever received and manifested.