Part 20 (2/2)
”I learn by my children that you continue much in the same way in which I left you. It is your own G.o.d who mixes your cup, and it is to you a cup of blessing; there is no curse in it. Your Jesus drank that cup to the very dregs, that bitter as well as sweet might be to you a cup of blessing. O then, my darling, hold fast by your Redeemer: he is the Lord your righteousness, and the Lord your strength; he connects your profit with his own glory. You shall in this protracted affliction manifest it, and hold out the word of life to those around you.* You shall witness for him that he is the Lord, and besides him there is no Saviour--that he gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them in his bosom--that he is to them a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest--as rivers of water in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. That it is he that teacheth them to profit, and leadeth them by the way that they should go, and that in due time he will perfect all that concerns them. Farewell.
*This prediction was remarkably fulfilled in the experience of this dear young saint; an interesting account of whose illness and death was published in the Christian's Magazine, and afterwards as a Tract.
”Yours with affection,
”I. GRAHAM.”
To the same.
”ROCKAWAY, Sabbath, 1810.
”MY DEAR, MY BELOVED ELIZA--I wrote you a few lines yesterday by Mr. B----. I now propose to fulfil my promise. I expect an opportunity to-morrow or next day, for I saw a great many carriages pa.s.s this way to the tavern, as I suppose, from New York. It is a common thing with some to come here on Sat.u.r.day and return on Monday, to spend this blessed day in pastime. You would not, I know, exchange situation's with them; you would rather be suffering than sinning.
”It is your own observation that G.o.d does all in wisdom; in this wisdom he is pleased to lengthen your day of affliction. Sin, my darling, is the cause of all suffering; but is not always the _immediate_ cause. Besides particular chastis.e.m.e.nt for particular sins, there are afflictions to be filled up in the body of Christ--his church--a measure of which, in kind and degree, is appointed by unerring wisdom to each individual member. Col. 1:24. These sufferings bear no part in atoning for sin, nor in redeeming our forfeited inheritance. Christ trod the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none to help him. He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of G.o.d in him; who when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Heb. 1:3. Again, 'And every priest,' in the Levitical law, 'standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered _one sacrifice_ for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of G.o.d. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost is also a witness to us; for after he had said before'--see from verse 5--'This is the covenant which I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now, where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.' Heb.
10:11-18. Paul says the Holy Ghost is a witness, because he copies from the ancient Scriptures the prophecies of Jer. 31:31, and Ezek.
36:25, and from Psalm 60:7. Your mother will read to you also the eighth chapter of Hebrews, containing the same things, the new covenant, in consequence of Christ, as the surety of sinners, having made full atonement, magnified the law, and made it honorable; therefore there is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.
”It has pleased G.o.d, my darling, in the adorable plan of reconciling sinners to himself by Jesus Christ, to perfect at once a justifying righteousness for them, and to bestow it upon them as a free gift. 'This is the record, that G.o.d hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son.' 1 John, 5:11. But it has not pleased him to deliver us at once from depravity; provision is made for final deliverance by the same covenant, and is effected by the same power: but in this believers are called to work. It is evident from Scripture, and the experience of Christians answers to it, that in the hour of believing they pa.s.s from death to life, considered as a state. This is the hour of the new birth: they then receive life for the time, and it is their privilege, by the const.i.tution of the new covenant, to ask and receive, from day to day, grace to help in every time of need. To them, and not to the unregenerate, the exhortation is addressed, 'Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is G.o.d who worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure,' The means are of G.o.d's appointing, in the diligent use of which they go from strength to strength. The grand means is faith in G.o.d's promises, of which there are very many in the Scriptures.
Believers are to put forth their own exertions, as the children of Israel were called to go out against their enemies, in the faith that G.o.d would give them victory and lead them to their promised rest. The battle was the Lord's, and he fought for them; but the means were their exertions. Believers are G.o.d's workmans.h.i.+p; but this work he carries on by exercising their natural powers, which he sanctifies to a different end from that to which they were formerly by their own spirit directed. Still, the Scripture testifies that if any man say he has no sin, he deceives himself, and the truth is not in him; and while sin remains, its consequence, suffering, must. The judgments of G.o.d, as the moral Governor of the world, are denounced against, and executed upon the workers of iniquity. The children of G.o.d experience personal chastis.e.m.e.nts for personal sins, as a provision of the covenant. Psalm 89:30. And, if I mistake not, there are afflictions experienced by individuals, as members of Christ's body, in which G.o.d does not bring into view the personal sins of the sufferer. In this sense I read Paul's epistle to the Colossians, 1:24: 'Who now rejoice in my sufferings, and fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church.' 'I sent Timotheus to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, that no man should be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.' 1 Thes. 3:3. 'Yea, if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all; for the same cause do ye joy and rejoice with me.' Phil. 2:17. 'And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; or whether we be comforted, it is for your salvation and consolation.' 2 Cor. 1:6. There is no conscious personal sin expressed in these sufferings; on the contrary, Paul says, 'For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and G.o.dly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of G.o.d, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.' 2 Cor. 1:12.
”Most of the prophets and apostles suffered martyrdom. They indeed sustained public characters, but the beggar Lazarus, who, in addition to poverty, was full of sores, was carried by the angels from the rich man's gate to Abraham's bosom. And thousands and tens of thousands of redeemed highly sanctified ones have suffered lengthened martyrdom, and perished with hunger, in holes and caves of the earth, unknown in history, except in groups--unseen at the time, except by the eye of the omniscient Jehovah, by whom the hairs of their head are numbered; their tears are in his bottle; nor shall one sigh nor one groan perish without its result.
”O my Eliza, what delightful wonders shall open to our view when delivered from these prison-holds of earth.
”I have finished one sheet, my dear Eliza; I fear it is too much, and may prove too fatiguing, especially as there are many references requiring a stretch of attention. I have been reading the epistle to the Hebrews, and you have naturally got my thoughts on part of it.
”I remember once of your complaining that you had made small progress in knowledge, in comparison of a young person that had just left you; but you checked yourself, and said, 'The Lord has given me faith, let me be thankful.' I at that time considered your departure as very near, and advised you to keep your eye fixed on Christ, as your Redeemer and Saviour, who had performed all things for you, and would perfect all that concerned you; and added, one hour in heaven will make you wiser than the most enlightened saint on earth. Since that it has pleased your Lord to add many days to your life. He has mitigated your pain, and given you some intervals of ease and composure, and our dear Eliza has grown in that time. Should it please G.o.d to spare you for a yet longer season, and continue your intervals of ease, no subject can be so profitable; and I hope your Lord will make it pleasant as that of the contents of the New Testament, which your Saviour bequeathed to you, sealed and ratified in his blood.
There is a vast variety of precious promises contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which are all yours with Christ; for, as a member of his body, 'you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.' And now I commend you to your own covenant G.o.d, who does and will support you, through life and through death, to that happy land where we shall all meet; and Oh then, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things he hath prepared for them that love him.
”I am, with much love and affection, yours,
”I. GRAHAM.”
To Mr. James Todd, New York.
”ROCKAWAY, Long Island.
”MY DEAR JAMES--This will probably be handed you by our mutual friend Mrs. C----. The thought of her being with you, makes me part with her with less reluctance. You have not been forgotten by either; we have talked much of you, and have united in prayer to your and our G.o.d, that he may manifest himself unto you as your reconciled Father in Christ Jesus; and give you 'joy and peace in believing'--that he may give you patience in suffering, and entire resignation to his most holy will.
”It has, my dear young friend, been my earnest inquiry, especially of late years, standing on the brink of eternity, 'What is there within us, or without us, on which a sinner can rest in a dying hour?' If it be a holy life, there is no peace for me. Taking the law of G.o.d for my rule, backslider is my name; yet peace I have found, and on the best Security; this blessed Bible is my charter. I have searched it with diligence and prayer, and my mind is confirmed in the following truths: That the whole world is become guilty before G.o.d, and is under his wrath and curse on that account. This is our state: a miserable state it is, and as hopeless as miserable, for any thing we can do merely of ourselves. But I read in this Bible to the full amount of the following conclusions--that in the counsel of the mysterious Triune Jehovah, Jesus Christ, the second person of the incomprehensible Trinity, was sanctified, or set apart to become the Saviour of law-condemned sinners, to take their nature upon him, comply with the requisitions of the eternal immutable law of G.o.d, and become their surety. Man is a rebel, it is put to his account: a penalty is incurred--He, as their surety, is made liable. Are they again to be made heirs of eternal life? Perfect obedience is the condition--and of Him, as their surety, it is demanded. All this being fulfilled, sinners are become his property: he has paid their debt, and merited for them eternal life, all in their own nature, as their Head and representative; so that believers are complete in him. This is the righteousness of G.o.d, wrought out by Jesus Christ, in his own person, G.o.d-man, as their surety. To this nothing of the believer's is to be added--with this nothing of his mixed; it is for ever perfect; entirely distinct from that holiness of heart and life which is wrought in him in consequence of this. G.o.d has declared himself well pleased with this righteousness, and that being himself reconciled, he is in Christ Jesus reconciling sinners to him.
”Hence all the invitations scattered thick in the Old and New Testament, not only to the penitent, weary, and heavy laden, but to the stout-hearted, the backslider, to them that are wearying themselves in their own way. 'Ho, every one that thirsteth'--'Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,' Hence all the promises annexed to believing, accepting, receiving, trusting, resting: Christ the Saviour is the object--the gift of G.o.d to sinners for all the above purposes. The Lord has convinced me that I have nothing in myself on which I can rest; my conscience echoes to his word in all that it a.s.serts of my nature and my state; but this Saviour is provided for sinners exactly of this description. I am invited to put in my claim, I believe the record, I rest my salvation on his word; G.o.d giveth to me eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Jesus calls me to look unto him, and be saved; I do look unto him, and I am saved. He a.s.sures me that those who come unto him shall never be cast out. I do go to him and commit my sinful soul to his keeping; I shall not be cast out. As many as receive the gift of his Son, receive at the same time power to become the children of G.o.d. I do receive his gift, and lay claim to his promise. He is my reconciled Father, and I am his adopted child, and he hath sent his Spirit into my heart, by which I can say, Abba, Father.
”I have, my dear James, taken this method of laying before you the grounds of my own hope, because I think it the most simple method, and containing at the same time my counsel to you to lay hold on the same hope. The warrant is given us in G.o.d's own word, as sinners, without respect to fruit or any works of ours. I can, if necessary, give you chapter and verse, to the full amount; but you have those about you who can give it to you by little and little, as your weak state can bear it. This gift is held out to the sinner's acceptance in many places of the word of G.o.d, and becomes the sinner's in the moment of believing. Provision is made by the same covenant for his sanctification; but that makes no part of justifying righteousness.
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