Part 21 (1/2)
Christ is made of G.o.d unto him wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Try, my precious young friend, to lay hold on this hope, and enter into the rest provided for the believer here. Stretch forth 'the withered hand,' the Lord himself will give you strength.
Commit your precious soul into his hands, and rest a.s.sured that he will perfect all that concerns you--work all his work in you--carry you safely through the Jordan of death, and put you in possession of the inheritance he has purchased for you. That all this shall be, is the prayer and firm hope of
”Your affectionate friend,
”ISABELLA GRAHAM.”
The two following extracts, addressed to Mrs. C----, near Boston, present a very gratifying view of Mrs. Graham in her advanced years, and may well awaken the desire not only to die the death, but to enjoy the ”fruitful old age” of ”the righteous.”
”I have, as you know, enjoyed much in life, enjoyed its dearest, sweetest comforts, love and friends.h.i.+p, with a heart tremblingly alive to both. Lover and friends of youth are long since gone, other friends.h.i.+ps I have formed, and have been happy even in these; now I am shut up with ails and aches. The world, properly so called, is a dead blank to me; yet I do think I never enjoyed life more. I would not exchange my present happiness for the most transporting moments of my life--of which I have had a large share--though thousands of years were added to enjoy them. I do not mean barely that happiness which consists in the antic.i.p.ation of pleasure beyond the grave; that is indeed delightful; but I enjoy life now. Books of taste are mine no more: still less those of science and history; but my dear Bible; precious subjects; my dear Saviour. The height, the depth, the breadth, the length of the glorious plan of redemption open to my delightful perception more and more, and the Spirit witnesseth with my spirit, that I have my part in it by the gift of _faith_. I believe the record, that G.o.d giveth to us eternal life, and I put in my claim as a sinner. I account it a 'faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief,' I still enjoy the ordinances of the gospel: my memory, as you know, is much impaired: I recollect very little of the sermons I hear; but I think I never heard with so much attention. I am delighted, instructed, and fed at the time, and the subjects open to me without my being able to recollect the order or the words of the speaker. O let me recommend this dear Lord to your heart and confidence; commit all your concerns to him; mistrust no part of his providential dealings with you; his wisdom shall manage for you, and you shall one day say, 'He hath done all things well.'”
”MARCH, 1811.
”I am daily on the lookout; one year and three months will complete my threescore and ten. I do not know one individual alive whom I know in my school-days; it has been the case for many years. I do not long for my dismission, neither am I tired of life; but nothing in this world, unless closely connected with another, interests me; and Oh, I am tired of sin; still it cleaves to me; in all things I come short, and many duties neglect altogether; for I still have a considerable, share of health, and might do some good, had I will equal to my opportunities; as to the power, it is not in me, but I know I have it in my blessed Head, and for the asking. I cannot but long to be delivered from sin, and sinful apathy in particular; for really my heart must be wickedly fertile, to find out opportunities of moral transgression. Food and raiment are mine without care; my children, under G.o.d, care for me. I have my dear little room, my Bible, and books founded on it. I have a dear pastor and Christian friends, lively ordinances, and also much of the Lord's presence at times; my cup runs over with blessings, but my grat.i.tude bears no proportion; my zeal for the glory of G.o.d and the good of my fellow-sinners seems buried under self-indulgence and apathy. O that the goodness of the Lord may lead me to repentance.
”And now, my dear friend, let me know how it is with you and your dear family. The severe winter is past; how have you got along? with what temporal comfort, and how has the Lord dealt with your soul? Has the barrel of meal or the cruse of oil failed? Does the opening spring cheer your spirits, and furnish a song of praise? Does it find you in a situation to dig your garden, sow your seeds, and make provision for future comfort? Has the Lord turned your captivity, and dried up the bitter waters that flowed against you? How are your eyes, after all the briny tears that have steeped them? How are your poor nerves, after all the shocks that have agitated them? All these things have been on my mind; but from my long silence, you cannot believe it. What are we all, but broken reeds, which pierce the hand when laid hold of for support? There is but one Friend to poor, fallen, miserable man, in the universe. He is mercy; he is goodness; he is truth; he is wisdom; he is unchangeable, and never will fail you: take him to your heart; give it all to him; he only is worthy, no other is.”
Her friend Mrs. C---- had now experienced new trials, by which she was again plunged into the depth of despondency. In the following we have a n.o.ble effort of Mrs. Graham's mind and heart to raise her up to ”sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
”JUNE 27, 1811.
”I received my dear friend's letter this day week, and have been answering it ever since. Never was I in such a strait. It contains the effusions of disappointed hopes and antic.i.p.ations of sore evils; indicates a soul deeply wounded, and taking in Christian principles under temptation. Where shall I begin? I have laid it before our compa.s.sionate High-priest, I have requested direction. a.s.sist me, O thou blessed Comforter, whose office it is to convince of sin, as well as to minister consolation. Do both, from the heart and by the pen of thy handmaid.
”It appears to me salutary to call your attention first to the sovereignty of G.o.d. The silver and the gold are his, and the cattle on a thousand hills; he gives them to whomsoever he pleases; he setteth up one and putteth down another, doing whatsoever pleaseth him in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of this earth; none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? He attributes to himself all events; men and other creatures are but instruments. Men's wicked hearts impel them to commit evil, but the events are of the Lord, which he overrules for his own glory, and for the good of his people. 'Him being delivered by the determinate counsel' of G.o.d, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified him. Joseph said, 'Ye thought evil against me; but G.o.d meant it for good,' 'to save much people alive.' The Lord does not often, at the time, give his people reasons for afflicting them, though they can often read them at an after-period.
”Job was a holy man; his afflictions from G.o.d's own hand were very deep; the teasing unkindness and injustice of his friends made great part of the temptation, and he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.
When G.o.d did appear, he did not answer his cavils, nor give him one reason why he had dealt with him thus; but silenced him with views of his majesty, power, and wisdom--of his own meanness and vileness, though correct in his conduct beyond most others. I believe he spoke truth when he said, 'I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not, I searched out.' G.o.d allowed the weight of the trial to be upon his spirit, with the conviction of his presumption, till he brought him to his feet.
'Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee?' 'I will lay my hand upon my mouth.' 'I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.' These things were written for our example and profit.
”This afflictive providence is now finished, at least so far.
What you now possess is the allotment of your G.o.d. Set all instruments aside and listen to the Holy Ghost: 'Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of G.o.d, and he shall exalt you in due time.' In order to this, I would recommend to you to take a close, retrospective view of your past life, with earnest prayer that G.o.d would search you and try you, and show you what wicked ways have been or now are in you. Go back to the days of your youth; take a close view of the use you made of affluence and influence; not comparing yourself with others, but judging yourself by the law of G.o.d, the only standard of right and wrong, truth and error. Seek for humbling views of yourself in yourself. If the Holy Ghost enlighten, you will find sufficient grounds. Seek for consolation in the free promises of G.o.d, through Jesus Christ, of which there are also abundance, even to the chief of sinners. What I recommend to you has been my own practice, especially in times of trial; and if health will admit of it, add fasting, because I think it is the Lord's ordinance. 'The days shall come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, then shall they fast in those days.'
”Read the third chapter of Jeremiah's lamentations; endeavor to come under the feelings of contrition on account of your sins, and derive consolation from faith in G.o.d's great mercy; ever keeping in view the only channel through which mercy can flow to sinners of Adam's race. Take also a view of G.o.d's dealings with his elect nation, in the wilderness: they had nothing but manna, and were punished for murmuring; while at that very time the nations in Canaan, the Egyptians, and a.s.syrians, were living in all manner of luxury. What was their whole history but backsliding, threatening upon threatening?
then chastis.e.m.e.nt, turning, repenting, pardon, reconciliation, and the same round again, every chastis.e.m.e.nt severer than the last, while worldlings in general have their day to the end; then 'are they brought into desolation as in a moment.' I wish you to take a particular view of G.o.d's dealings with them, before Nebuchadnezzar sacked the city of Jerusalem. The decree was pa.s.sed after many warnings, and much long-suffering. How many pauses, as it were, did the merciful Lord G.o.d make before he gave them finally up to their enemies; and when the decree was irrevocable, and the chastis.e.m.e.nt to take place, still he followed them with mercy. See Jeremiah 27:12; and chapter 29, the letter which G.o.d commanded Jeremiah to write to those who had been carried away captive with Jehoiakim, advising them to build houses and plant vineyards, and to make the most of their situation. Those at Jerusalem were commanded to submit to the king of Babylon, as in that case he would not destroy the city; but no, they stood it out, and the threatened vengeance overtook them.
”The poor were left to take care of the vineyards. Jeremiah remained with them in preference to going with the king of Babylon to be promoted to honor. G.o.d offered to take them under his protection and be their G.o.d: but no, they would go to Egypt, and put themselves under the king of Egypt's protection. Jeremiah told them from the Lord, that Egypt itself should soon go into captivity. But to Egypt they went and carried Jeremiah with them. See Isaiah's prophecy on this occasion, chapter 30:1-4. Now look at chapter 42:24; there you see G.o.d's judgment and chastening; follow him in the beginning of chapter 43, and view his mercy; in the end of the same chapter, again, see his charge against them, but it is followed, with mercy, not judgment.
”Thus we learn the character of G.o.d. Thus we learn his dealings with his people. They are not called to earthly comfort and prosperity. They ever have been, and still are a suffering people; they are all sinners--sin brings suffering, and G.o.d overrules suffering, so as to make it profitable to them. Though redeemed by the life and death of Christ, being justified by faith, they have peace with G.o.d; yet the Lord has not pleased all at once to qualify them for the purchased possession. They receive a new birth, new life, and are called to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, with this consolation, that G.o.d worketh in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure. This is not their home, here they have no continuing city; they are travelling through the wilderness, to the city and mansions purchased and prepared for them by their Saviour, and must be made holy before they can enter in. They have many corruptions to be mortified, and many errors in their estimation of men and things to be corrected. Their hearts require to be made spiritual, humble, tender, resigned, and loving. 'Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna--that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end.'
”Besides, all suffering is not the immediate punishment of sin in the individual sufferer, nor for his exclusive profit; it is evident from Scripture, there is suffering for the benefit of the body of Christ, _his church_, of which, I think, all have some share. G.o.d has wise ends to answer by all the suffering of his creatures, and especially of the members of his body. The apostles rejoiced in this, and so ought we. 'If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.' Paul says, 'I fill up in my flesh that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ, for his body's sake, which is the church.'
”Now, my dear friend, look at your real situation, as a suffering member of a suffering body. Take a view of the saints of G.o.d in history, sacred or profane, and compare your own individual suffering with theirs: I am apt to think that, great as it is, it will not rise to mediocrity. I could expatiate on this subject, from what comes every day within my own knowledge. The Lord is working in this way all around me; but of that another time. In your own case, try for a moment to shut out of view every thing without your own family, what you once were, what you once possessed and enjoyed; also what your friends possess and enjoy at this present time; detach yourself from all. What was yours is gone; what you calculated upon is also gone; set all aside, and consider yourself a sinner saved from destruction by grace; in a state of purgation and preparation for happiness; on a pilgrimage with thousands of others your fellow-saved sinners, through the wilderness, to that inheritance which was purchased for you at _such a price_. Your Saviour is your leader, protector, provider; also your physician, and the physician of the whole body, perfectly acquainted with the const.i.tution, disposition, and temper of every individual. He has made provision for each, all the journey through, and given security that none shall suffer _real_ want.
”Bread and water are promised; nothing beyond these, though in general he gives more; to each he gives a portion in hand, to some for a day, some for a week, some for a year, which they calculate upon with more or less probability: none with certainty. Your portion is--for a year; take a view of those whom you know; one with another, I am inclined to think the Lord has still given you your full share of privilege. Look at the ordinary provision he makes for the ministers of his gospel, most of them with large families; many of those in the country have five hundred dollars, some four hundred, some three hundred, generally ill paid. The Lord puts a blessing in it, he makes it go far; they do what their hands find to do, and get along: so will he do with you, my dear. He will put you upon methods of industry and economy: your one chicken divided into six parts, with a little bit of pork, with the fruit of G.o.d's blessing on your industry in the garden, shall both taste sweet and satisfy for the time. Try to be thankful; Moses said of the manna, 'This is the bread which the Lord your G.o.d giveth you.' Pray and watch against dwelling on the plentiful tables of others; and when bidden to a feast take your portion, and say, this is from the Lord for the time. Do not let a thought of misery or wretchedness dwell upon your mind. O no, G.o.d is good; you shall not want. O, what sweet meals have I and my children made on hot potatoes, nicely boiled and cracked, with salt--not merely content, but they tasted good and savory. There are peculiar pleasures in a life of that kind. You shall yet sing of it.