Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

the knowledge of wisdom when it enters the heart; "then there fhall be a reward, and thine expectation fhall not be cut off." I am a tenant at will; and every little wind that shakes the cottage I am ready to take as a warning to quit, which will hasten my arrival at the better house "not made with hands." And I am the more inclined to entertain fuch thoughts, as our Ifrael at large begin to loath the manna, calling the weightier matters light food. For fuch conduct the divine refentment may justly appear; yea, and will appear, to fend " a famine in the land, and cleannefs of teeth throughout all their tribes." The numberlefs clouds without rain, which are 'blowed to and fro with every wind, throughout all our coafts, are certain preludes to this evil arrow; for "they will make empty the foul of the hungry, and cause the drink of the thirsty to fail." But even this fhall not deprive me of my crown, nor fcreen their backs from God's fcourge. How light are these bodily afflictions when the dying love of Jefus affords to the weary mind a downy pillow! "I will keep that man in perfect peace whofe mind is stayed on me." This is making all our bed easy in our fickness, and is the sweetest rest to the foul on the bed of languifhing.

It is true the eye of faith, in the rays of the Morning Star, perceives the day-dawn and dayfpring from on high inclined to vifit; and the foul struggles hard to quit the dark and gloomy

regions

regions of death's fhadow. As the radiance of immortal glory spreads, the more precious is it for the eye of faith to behold the fun. This is fecing Him who is invifible to all the fight of mortals, or to all the light of nature. The goodnefs of Jehovah appears in the land of the living; faith perceives it, and draws her unerring conclufion to the enlightened mind, that " he is the fairest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely." The heavenly dawn fhines upon obfcure prophecy, and illumines that dark place, and brings divine harmony to light, where carnal reafon had bred the worft confufion. Confidence puts her hand on divine veracity, and waits till faithfulness makes the promise good. And here the foul faints unless fhe believes. But the heavenly dove flutters in the heart, broods over the foul, and produces hope and expectation, which are both the foul's anchor and looker-out: the former ftays her from finking in her fainting fits, and the other fills her with anxiety till the defire is accomplished. Thus faith fees the promifed object at a diftance, and a divine impulfe on the will bends it to make the choice, until the immortal feed of electing and everlasting love is fhed abroad in the heart by the promifed Comforter; and then the affections are all called forth to acquiefce in and to admire the choice. Now the Ancient of Days, and the child whofe age is an hand-breadth, are no more at a diftance. The Sun of Righteoufnefs and the

worm

worm of the duft meet together, without any danger of being fcorched or dried up. He prefents his fuffering nature to view, and fhines through it; darknefs paffes, and the true light fhines; while the eye fees, the ear hears, and faith feels the word of life. O how melting, how humbling, how foul and felf-debafing, is the vifion! And, when it speaks in the court of confcience, then "the juft fhall live by faith." There is no more fpirit left; all, all is drunk up, and crucifixion takes place; fellowship in his fufferings, and being planted together in the likeness of his death, is both felt and understood; and the effect is, the world becomes crucified in the vifion, and the finner is crucified to the world. This is manifefting himself on earth to the objects given him; and, when he awakes, arifes, and afcends again, he takes the heart, the affections, the thoughts, the defires, wifhes, appetites, and all the powers of the foul, with him, and leaves us as mere fhadows without fubftance, machines without wheels, or as automaton figures. We may speak, and that is all; and fometimes not that. Whether in the body or out of the body we cannot tell; God knoweth. The match is made, the knot is tied, and Philomela is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord my God. The bond of the covenant has encompaffed her; and all that he loves muft live; for the true light always conveys dying love, which is his healing beams. All light,

unattended

unattended with this, is fhort of the faving health promised to all nations; for there is neither falvation, health, nor life, in it. Bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, and one spirit with him, and complete in him, and without fault before the throne; these are great myfteries. But I speak concerning my mafter and miftrefs, whofe willing fervant 1 hope ever to remain. Signed and delivered

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

I RECEIVED yours, and my heart

rejoiced when I faw the hand-writing. I know the Lord will reward you for your labour of love to my foul. It grieved me much to find you was laid by from your work. I hope ere this you are about again; for I verily believe the Lord will not keep you a prifoner long, because, under him, there are so many that are looking to you for food, and there are so few under fhepherds to feed them. Laft week the Lord was pleased to vifit my tabernacle

C

nacle with a diforder which I had fome apprehenfion would have taken me home. But he has brought me back again; for what end I am at a lofs to know. I want to be gone. I know there is a manfion prepared for me, and that nothing fhall ever feparate me from his prefence, who is the life and joy of my foul. I know now what you meant in the firft letter you fent me, after my fetters were broken off. It has much puzzled me till lately. You faid that faith was come to me by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; and that faith would fhortly work by love; and that love would caft out all fear and torment, and then the match would take place. Indeed I find it fo; for I very fenfibly feel the effects of union to Chrift. Well might the apoftle break out in wonder, and fay, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the fons of God." But we fhall know more of it when, as you obferve, we shall see the luftre of a million funs, which will smile on us, burn in us, and fhine through us, for evermore. Thefe expreffions, as it were, fet my foul on fire. But thefe words come to my mind, where the apoftle fays, "Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye may inherit the promifes." And I believe no foul ever needed patience more than myself. I find you will not let me enjoy my fweet morfel without the bitter herbs;" you muft bring to my remembrance

« AnteriorContinuar »