LETTER VI.
“The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.”
To —
It is our mercy, the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of God’s children, is given to them to abide with them. Never will he leave his own to the power of sin or to satan. The Psalmist was blest with this confidence when he said—“The Lord will perfect that which concerned me; forsake not the work of thy hands; thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever.” This is explained by the apostle being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun the good work will perform it, until the day of Jesus Christ; and hence Solomon says—“I know that what God doeth is for ever, nothing shall be taken from it, or added to it; and he doeth it that men should fear before him.” This work, in the first operation, is regeneration, and its continuance is sanctification; its effect is conversion, and its renewing, after dead and dark seasons, is a revival. Many such I have experienced; which, to relate, would swell this memoir to a vast volume. There is one particular circumstance, among many, which I must here relate, although you are already in possession of the account in my little work, “The Voice of Faith in the Valley of Achor:”—
“After I had been in this furnace some weeks, in which I felt as others do in similar cases, much grief, anger, rebellion, and discontent, but not quite without a spirit of prayer that I might be favored with the very gracious visits of the Saviour, and a sense of God’s approbation in my own soul, though despised by others, I entreated the Lord to shew me the exceeding sinfulness of sin, as well as I could bear it; for I am convinced no man could ever behold sin in all its malignity—none but the God-Man could bear that—yet I desired to see sin as most abominable in God’s sight. These petitions were in time answered; the Lord led me to reflect deeply, in my retired moments, on the nature of sin, original and actual.—This knowledge of it increased, till one evening, being alone, I was most completely overpowered with a solemn stillness of spirit, a view of sin, my own sins of heart, lip, and life; these crowded into my mind. I felt guilty. I stood condemned. I had a fearful apprehension of God’s just displeasure; all was dark within, except sin and the anger of God—these were clear enough; horror overwhelmed me, and I sunk low at the footstool of divine mercy; I feared, I trembled, I was brought low, I was troubled. I saw nothing of a Saviour, though I had so often preached about him. Head notions were nothing now—past experience was hid, and every gracious promise of the Bible was closed up for a time. What a state to be in! But I believe this was drinking of the bitter cup our Saviour drank so deeply; this was, in one sense, being crucified with Christ, and having fellowship with him in his sufferings. These feelings will give a man a real understanding of all those texts which refer to soul trouble, in the book of Job, the Psalms of David, feelings of Jeremiah, and, perhaps, what Paul felt during the three days he was without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. These feelings will make me sympathise with the soul that is afflicted, and experiences the terrors of the Almighty.
But I do esteem it among my many special favors, this did not continue but part of a night. I sunk down in shame and distress, condemning myself, and acknowledging the justice of God in my condemnation. But while in this state, thus broken, contrite, and filled with holy awe, I was kept pleading for mercy—present mercy as well as future. While on my knees prostrate, as Elijah on another occasion, or, as Jeremiah words it—putting my mouth in the dust;—and although I really was filled with fear lest I should be cut off, yet at this very time the Lord gently led my mind, or rather brought the following words very softly to my heart: they were at first seemingly at a distance, but drew nearer as I listened and observed them. The words were, ‘I have caused thine iniquities to pass from thee, and have clothed thee with change of raiment.’ I observed my mind could not gladly receive this sentence, fearing presumption—but they still followed me, and abode with me, till the horror, terror, fears, and darkness gradually dispersed, and my mind was enabled so far to receive them as to cause a present ease, which continued with me a few days longer. I found the peace they brought with them continue, and I was in a small degree helped to believe they were from God to me, and as much mine as they were Joshua’s, to whom they were spoken; but though my thoughts were in a measure fixed upon them, yet I was not without being assaulted with some misgivings of heart. I concluded it best to entreat the Lord to shew me this more powerfully, and not only to put the words in my mind, but to write them so effectually that I might know, without the shadow of a doubt, I was actually interested in the capital blessings the words contained. This was most divinely manifested in a few days afterwards, as I was in the act of reading some remarks of the truly excellent Mr. Toplady, on Justification by the imputed Righteousness of the adorable God-Man. I was actually overcome with a sweet surprise of the love of God to me in Christ Jesus, making his dear Son a sin offering, and his people righteousness in him. I was enabled to feel such solid peace, holy joy, and sacred pleasure in my soul as can never be described by tongue or pen. I was melted by the power of his love, and indulged with such access to God, that every doubt, fear, and misgiving of heart, was removed. I saw, I knew, I felt that I was reconciled to God, and that God was my Father, my Saviour, my Comforter.—Oh, that I had then sunk into the arms of death! O that I had been permitted to take my flight! At that time the Saviour had engaged my heart, nor could I then have sinned against him for the world. I want many such sweet manifestations of his sensible presence; and I can assure you, painful as my situation is, I would gladly endure it again for such enjoyments. But I must observe, these blessed seasons are unknown to carnal professors, and never enjoyed, even by the favorites of heaven, while in a light, careless, carnal frame of soul; no—the promise runs thus, ‘To this man will I look, (and surely it was a look of love which I experienced) and with him will I dwell, who is poor and of a contrite heart, and that trembles at my word.’”
After this most blessed manifestation, the Lord gradually opened my mind, gave me a discerning eye to discover and receive the Bible testimony of the Lord Jesus, accompanied with a fixation of soul and a stayedness upon him. I now no longer depend upon past experience, but am pressing forward to know the person and glory of Christ, as the expression of the Father’s love; the covenant transactions of the adorable Trinity; the union subsisting between Christ and my soul, founded on his union with my nature, and his union with the Father; the great act of his incarnation; the holiness of his nature, and his wonderful life, as the obedience and righteousness of his church; the putting away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and the virtue, glory, and dignity of that precious work; his triumphant resurrection, for his dear people, and glorious ascension; his life of intercession in heaven, and his carrying on the work of salvation as an advocate with the Father; this is the grand object I am aiming to grow into the knowledge of, that I may live a life of faith upon him, enjoy communion with him, and live to his glory; that I may make manifest the savour of his name in every place, not only in the pulpit, but in every other place and company where I can. Knowing the evil of sin, the weakness of the creature, and the value of Christ, I want daily to die to self, and live to him; to go out of self, as sinful, moral, or gracious, and by looking to Jesus in the Word, I may enjoy peace in believing; thus to live to his honour, and to be useful to his people, to die in his smiles, and to be with him for ever; to behold his glory, being found in him, having no other robe but that which he has wrought out, nor any other increased glory, but the work of his own spirit. This is all my salvation, and all my desire for my own soul, and for the whole of God’s family the Lord calls me to labour among.
Yours, J. C.
LETTER VII.
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
To —
The excellent Dr. Hawker remarks, in his “Gleaner,” “It would be well if every child of God would form one memorandum, at least, in his mind, which no passing event could obliterate; namely, that the Lord’s eye is over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers.” The Lord revealed himself to the patriarch, Jacob, as the God of his Fathers, in an everlasting covenant, and with this precious addition—“And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again to this land; for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”—Gen. xxviii. to the end.
The reader of Jacob’s history, in the Bible, will know, that many a dark providence beset Jacob after this, and numberless sharp exercises, but the promise never failed. It has been, and still is, the Lord’s delight to manifest his care for his this people in a way of providence, before and after their conversion; a being enabled to trace some of those gracious manifestations, and to be assured that the chequered inditings of providence are written with the finger of love, will most blessedly bow our necks to the yoke, and produce our resignation to his sovereign will.—The whole Bible is an exhibition of what the Lord is to his people, and what he has done for them in grace and providence; and what is providence, but the hand of Divine Faithfulness, making good his precious promises? The word providence is never but once used in the Bible, that I remember, and that is in the flattering speech of Tertullus, Acts, xxiv, 2. And what is providence, but the Creator of all things, making provision for all his creatures? As the God of providence, he is the Saviour of all men—the preserver—but especially of them which believe; this was an article in Abraham’s faith—he called the name of that place Jehovah, Jireh, God will provide. It is our mercy to be enabled to watch his hand in our personal concerns—and those who regard not the work of the Lord, he will destroy them.
The proud hearts of the carnal wicked world, in general, ascribe their mercies to fortune, luck, and chance—the trinity of fools; and such pour sovereign contempt on that Providence which ordereth all things in heaven and on earth; but whoso is wise will observe these things, and he shall understand the kindness of the Lord. Hence the saying of the wise—“Whoso eyeth the providence of the Lord shall never want a providence to watch.” This has been true in the experience, more or less, of all the Lord’s tried people, who have waded through much tribulation, and arrived safe at home: and this is the present experience of the Lord’s people upon earth; it is a part of their life of faith, and often produces prayer and praise, watchfulness, and gratitude—so I have found it, almost through the whole course of my life. Amongst thousands of circumstances I have read of the Lord’s gracious dealings with his people, in providence, I remember one, in particular, in the case of Mr. Fox, who wrote the Book of Martyrs, in the close of the reign of Henry the Eighth;—that he went to London, where the want of employment soon reduced his pocket to emptiness, and every source of maintenance failed: in this situation, as he sat one day in St. Paul’s church, spent with long fasting, his countenance thin, his eyes hollow, and with the ghostly appearance of a dying man, every one seemed to shun him with horror; there came one to him whom he had never seen before, and thrust into his hand an untold sum of money, bidding him to be of good cheer, and accept that small gift in good part; adding, that in a few days new hopes were at hand, and a more certain condition of livelihood; and sure enough it came to pass—for, within three days after, the Duchess of Richmond sent for him, to live in her house, and to become the tutor of the Earl of Surrey’s children, then under her care. Thus, as the German proverb says,—“When the bricks are doubled, then comes Moses;”—that is, man’s greatest extremity is God’s opportunity.
The best treatise I ever read on Divine Providence is the excellent Flavell’s “Mystery of the Divine Conduct:” and the most remarkable accounts of the appearance of Providence, next to the Bible, is in Professor Frank’s account of the building of the orphan-house at Glauca, which astonished the King of Prussia, so that he desired the whole account of it. I wish every Christian was in possession of it.—The account of the life of Mr. Barry, as re-published by Mr. Huntington, is very interesting; so also is that gentleman’s “Bank of Faith:” it has encouraged many of the Lord’s people to trust in the Saviour; and they have proved him to be “The faithful God.” Infidels who are white-washed with a profession of religion, have made that book the subject of their sport, banter, and ridicule; but it is a simple correct statement of facts; and my readers, if taught of God, can probably give their testimony, likewise, to similar facts—“For the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servant.” Foote, in his play of “The Minor,” ridiculed this subject of Providence in a most scurrilous manner, wherein that revered character, the rev. George Whitfield, under the assumed name of Dr. Squintum, is made to pervert and abuse Divine Providence, in the following doggerel lines:—
“Near the mad mansion of Moorfields I bawl,
Friends, fathers, mothers, sisters, one and all,
Shut up your shops, and listen to my call;
With labour, toil, all second means dispense;
And live a rent charge upon Providence:
Prick up your ears, a story I will tell,
Which once a widow and her child befel;
I knew the daughter and her mother well.
Poor, it is true, they were, but never wanted,
For, whatsoe’er they asked, it was granted;
One fatal day, the matron’s faith was tried,
She wanted meat and drink, and fairly cried.
‘Mother! you cry;’ ‘Oh! child, I’ve got no bread;’
‘What matters that?—Why, Providence arn’t dead!’
With reason good this truth the child might say,
For there came in at noon, that very day,
Bread, greens, potatoes, and a leg of mutton,
A better, sure, a table ne’er was put on.”Gospel Mag. Feb. 1824.
This is a base attack upon Divine Providence, as though persons who believe in it, and have so much experience of it, gave themselves up to indolence, neglecting the use of means to support themselves and families. It is to be lamented that there are some in all churches and chapels, who are mumping about in idleness, and talking about religion, to deceive the simple and unwary, and from such I have suffered a little in pocket and character. But the apostle, by virtue of his high commission, has said—“For this we commanded you, that if any will not work, neither shall he eat.” A neglect of the means is most daring presumption; and none but a hypocrite could act so: but the sincere Christian, who, in the use of means, is watching the hand of God, will be often honoured with the gracious appearances of God in his divine providences; for that God who fed the Israelites forty years in the wilderness, conducted Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees, increased the widow’s oil and meal, sent out his apostles with a staff only, will supply the needs, not the wants of his people. Surely I can set to my seal. This is true.
The good hand of God appeared in answering my poor breathings, at an early period. I was about 18 years of age when I particularly began to watch the hand of God in a providential way. I was involved in a difficulty, although not of my own seeking; yet I had to bear the trouble. I was exceedingly distressed for a few shillings, and it came into my mind to call on the Lord to send it me, by some means, as I had not a friend in the world, to whom I could apply for it. I traversed the garden of the house where I lived, and made my case known to the Lord, urging his care of me, and the early tokens he had given me of his love. The next morning I had occasion to go out on an errand, and, in a very conspicuous place, I saw a one-pound note lay on the ground; and, although it was very windy weather, being in the month of March, yet the note lay still. I could see no one near, to whom it belonged, nor did I ever hear of any one who had lost it. This delivered me entirely from that trouble: I bought a Bible and another good book with the change—this taught me the blessedness of carrying my temporal affairs to the Lord, who has the concerns of all his dear people in his hands, and is the appointed heir of all things to his church.
Soon after this I had a very severe trial to undergo. My arbitrary master had endeavoured to prejudice the Governors of the Foundling Hospital against me, entirely on account of religion; I had to make my appearance before them, to answer for my conduct. I laid this case before the Lord, and begged his Divine Majesty to fulfil his gracious promise, in my experience, as he did for his dear servants, the apostles.—“I will give you a mouth and wisdom.” This promise I turned into constant prayer, and the Lord answered me, to the joy of my heart. My adversary was conquered, and I was commended.
When I left my apprenticeship, being separated from my master by a magistrate, after serving him duty and truly for nine years; yet, having two years more of my time to serve, I was left destitute of a home:—relations I never knew, and where to lay my head I know not. I had but three bad half-peace in the world. I well remember leaning against a post, in Moor-street, Seven Dials, and, while my heart was ready to break, I begged of the Lord to direct me which way to go; but, while looking up for direction, it was brought to my mind where to go, and what to do, and there the Lord opened a door in providence. When I had left my situation in the Borough, a person had previously promised me work; but when I went to him, he pretended to have forgot such a promise, and I was again left destitute. I knew not what to do, but the Lord led out my mind in prayer, that he would appear for me; and, in less than ten minutes, I again found an answer to prayer, by a door being opened for me. I found the Lord appear again in a few months after this, in a most remarkable manner: and thus the Lord continually followed me, wherever I went, and manifested his providential care towards me. I was, at one time, brought very low, and all things seemed to fail, to that I was reduced to a sad extremity; when, passing by St. Clement’s church, by the light of a window, I saw some halfpence lay on the ground, which I greedily picked up, and went on blessing God who had appeared for me, at that time. And, as I found the good hand of God in my low situation, I was destined to see more of his good hand in a more eminent manner; and it would, indeed, fill a volume to rehearse the many conspicuous providences that I experienced in my family. When we have been reduced to the greatest necessity, the Lord has sent relief in the very moment of extremity. Having married, as related before, I was completely destitute of furniture; I acknowledge this was imprudent, but my concern was getting my bird before I had a cage to put it in: yet the Lord, in due time, sent us first one article, and then another, in a most surprising manner. A gentleman also sent me a good suit of clothes, with a charge frequently to read the 12th chapter of Luke.
When I first began to preach, it was in coloured cloaths; but a friend soon after sent me a suit of black. When my wife was taken in labour, with one of her children, we had but two-pence in the world, which distressed her feelings; but, looking to the Lord, without naming our circumstances to any, abundance of mercies flowed in a whole month—and, as my family increased, so the Lord increased my income. When leaving the country, I was sixty pounds in debt; but, in a few weeks, the Lord raised me up friends to pay that: and, how often, when we have been destitute of money, of food, and of clothes, has his good hand appeared! Frequently when others have been distressed, I have relieved them, to my own injury, for the time; but the Lord has always amply repaid me. Amongst many instances I will only relate this:—a poor, but good man, was in prison for debt: he sent to me for thirty or forty shillings; I had just thirty, and sent it to him. On the preaching-night satan harassed my mind sorely in the pulpit, on account of my folly; but, as soon as I had concluded my sermon, a lady came into the vestry, and put two pounds in my hand—thus I was paid well. And so I have found it true, that he that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord; and that which he layeth out he will pay him again.
All my days I have been a pensioner on the Divine Providence for every shilling—for food and raiment. Many a one has relieved my wants, when they had not the least idea I was at that moment in extremity. I can only look back with wonder and gratitude at forty years’ experience of superabounding grace; at thousands of displays of a kind providence; and the amazing manifestations of divine care and faithfulness; and, at times, overwhelmed with a sense of covenant goodness, can only say, with David, “Who am I, O Lord God, that thou hast brought me hitherto; and is this the manner of men, O Lord God?”—Oh, for a grateful heart.
Yours, J. C.
I must observe, here, that it is the business of faith not only to be looking to Jesus for salvation, but to be eyeing God, in Christ, as a covenant God, in temporal mercies; and to be perpetually pleading what God is, and what he has promised in the covenant: it is a mercy to see him, as the Father, the begetter of mercies, and to be looking to his care for us. “He careth for you.” His wisdom in managing; his condescension; his free grace; his divine sovereignty; the gracious ends he has in view; the channel of atoning blood, through which all our temporal mercies flow; and the amazing goodness of God in all, both in what is denied us, and what is given us!
“Good when he gives, supremely good,
Nor less, when he denies;
E’en crosses, from his sovereign hand,
Are blessings in disguise.”
And “All things whatsoever ye shall ask, in my name, I will do it.” This may be ridiculed by fools; but many such have been forced, in extremity, to call upon God to appear in that very providence they have ridiculed; some in storms at sea, and some in trouble on land; the confession of a God of providence has been extorted from the lips of those who have denied him. A great writer remarks, concerning the Persian army, when discomfited by the Grecians—“being hotly pursued, we must needs venture over the great water, Strymon, then frozen, but beginning to thaw—when, a hundred to one but we had all died for it. With mine eyes I then saw so many of these gallants, whom I had heard so boldly maintain there was no God, every one upon their knees, with eyes and hands lifted up, begging hard for help and mercy, and entreating that the ice might hold till they get over;” and sure I am, that the character that lives and dies without pleading for mercy, in this world, will beg in vain for a drop of water in hell.
Yours, J. C.
LETTER IX. [200]
“There hath no temptation happened unto you, but what is common to man.”
To —
The grand adversary of God and man is compared both to a lion and a serpent: under the former character he has raged and roared against the church, in every age, and after every called and quickened believer; but, in the latter character, he has acted his worst part. In this form he assaulted Eve, and in the same he has carried on his works of darkness in this world; and, as he began by deceiving, so he will complete his work by the same.—Rev. xx.
Soon after the Lord had begun his work in my heart, persecution began, hell raged, satan roared; but, through mercy, the ass did not regard the crying of that driver, but was kept in search after life and truth.—Job, xxxix. 5, 6, 7, 8. This having no effect to deter, satan resorted to another method. This was about the time that the wretched Tom Paine published his book against the Bible; I never bought it, though thousands did; but, one day, at a friend’s house, I saw it lay, and when I was left alone I read a part of it—this produced no bad effect on my mind at that time; but, shortly afterwards, the infamous passage I had read was hurled into my mind with strange powers. It came like a dart, a fiery dart, nor could I get rid of it for some time; it came very often, and sorely distressed me. I begged of the Lord to remove it, which he did; this cured me for ever of meddling with edged tools. The Lord gave me secret power to rise superior to it; established me more than ever in the truth, and created in my mind an everlasting hatred to erroneous books. I was often entreated to read such books; but no—“A burnt child dreads the fire:” and I am always sorry to see professors so eager to read deistical publications, with a view to see the objections made to Holy Writ. “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed, lest he fall.” This temptation was, of course, soon followed up with another, such as this—“How do you know the Bible is true?” This came from the devil, and is in the mouth of his own children to this day; and to such I seldom give an answer, except in few words. This reminds me of an infidel in a stage coach, who was letting his tongue run against God and truth, bidding defiance to any man to prove the Bible to be the Word of God: an aged plain country woman replied, “Why, I thinks as how it is the Word of God, because it says, that ‘in the last days there shall come mockers,’ and I am sure thou beest one of them.”
Many great and learned men took up their pens in defence of truth, and very ably answered the wretched scribbling Deist. I never read them, but begged of the Lord to shew me the subject himself; which he did, by leading me more clearly to understand the truth, and to see the harmony of every part of it, its doctrines and its precepts, by giving me power to feel and enjoy its consolations, and by leading me to see the reason why such characters oppose it: because it is written, “The wicked shall be turned into hell;” and “He that believeth not is condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on him.” And, as these are awful truths, can we wonder at the opposition the Word of God meets with, from men of corrupt minds? They tell us, indeed, it is a cunningly-devised fable, a system of mere priestcraft. If a fable, who wrote it—good men, or angels? Bad men, or devils? Good men or angels could not be guilty of falsehood, in saying repeatedly, “Thus saith the Lord.” Bad men or devils would never write a book to describe their own character, reproach their own conduct, and condemn themselves to everlasting punishment.
The Lord delivered my soul from this snare, by the power of truth, and has made me a living witness, by his grace, of the authenticity of his own Word; so that I may sing—
“Precious Bible, what a treasure
Does the Word of God afford!
All I want, for life and pleasure,
Shield, or medicine, or sword.”
The best piece I have seen written on this subject, of a modern date, is by the rev. I. Irons, entitled, “The Cloud of Witnesses,” intended as an antidote to infidelity. I beg leave to recommend it to all I know, especially to believers, who are situated amongst the ungodly.
The next attack the enemy made on my mind, was respecting the Sacred Trinity. This temptation, more or less, assaulted me for years; sometimes in such an awful manner, that I never can describe; but I have generally noticed, that diabolical temptations hurled into the mind, have been generally levelled against one or other of the Sacred Persons in the Trinity. These temptations do not arise from the common corruptions of the human heart, although satan does, at times, stir them up; but they are, in general, sent or shot by the devil into the mind.—Such temptations are not the believer’s sin, but satan’s; although he often lays these brats at our doors.
There is a difference to be observed between our sinful nature and such temptations; the former is always with us, but the others are only visitors, and unwelcome ones, indeed—yet they have an awful tendency to distress the soul; and, perhaps, in such an intricate manner, as is impossible to relate. Hence the old question, invented by the devil, and started by men of infidel principles—“How can three be one, or one three?” Why, as it respects things in common, it is impossible—but, as it respects the adorable Trinity, I am taught to believe that there are three divine persons in one divine essence. How this can be, neither angers nor men can define; but that it is so, the Scriptures are clear. I am bound to believe it, because God hath said it, and it is at man’s peril to refuse him that speaketh from heaven. The way this temptation sometimes operated, was this:—satan made up, or drew three figures of persons on my imagination, and then asked me how these three could be one? Impossible. And so say I. Such figures, images, dolls, idols, drawn by that artful limner, cannot be one, nor one three. This temptation was aided and assisted by the popish pictures of the Trinity, an engraving of which is put as a frontispiece to Dr. Samuel Clarke’s Bible, and which I consider to be the most abominable blasphemy; one of the characters is represented as a very aged man, with a long beard; another, rather younger, receiving a sceptre; and a third, the figure of a dove: and these are called the persons in the Trinity. This is truly awful; satan himself is the author of it, and man the dupe of his satanic deceptions.
I believe but very few of God’s children escape temptation upon this subject; and I make no apology in saying, that pictures drawn by man, or painted upon our imaginations of either of the persons in the sacred Trinity, is blasphemy. The Lord delivered me again and again from this temptation, by leading my mind to what God has said of himself, who certainly is the best judge of himself. Hence the question—“To whom, then, will ye liken God, or shall I be equal, saith the Lord? To whom, then, will ye liken God, or what likeness will ye compare unto him?”
The Bible sets forth God under the emblems of fire, water, wind, or air. And what picture can ever be drawn of these, as persons? “God is a Spirit.”—“God is light.”—“God is love.”—And what are all his glorious perfections, but himself manifested in such characters? Holiness, Truth, Wisdom, Justice, Grace, Mercy, Goodness, Majesty, Eternity, Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient. And what figures can be drawn of this Sacred, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty? I trust this remark will be blest to some characters who have suffered under the same temptation. But, although it has pleased the God of Grace to reveal himself in the Oneness of the Divine Unity; so it is our mercy, yea, our salvation, that he has been pleased also to reveal himself, in his Trinity of persons, under the gracious names, and relative terms in the grand economy of our salvation.
“There are three which bear record in heaven”—the Father; the Word, (as Son of God;) and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one—not merely one person, bearing three names, but three persons—nor yet three gods, but only one in essence—three in persons, distinct in personality, names, and office—This Sacred Three bear record to the Sonship, Godhead, Divinity, and Dignity of Christ. So they also bear record to the consciences of God’s dear people—that they are the Lord’s. The record of the Father is, “Yea, I have loved thee;”—the record of the Son is, “I have redeemed thee;”—and the record of the Spirit is, “I have called thee.” It is necessary this grand point should be well understood by the Lord’s people, that they may enjoy distinct holy communion with, and give equal glory to, the adorable Author of Salvation.
It was my lot to fall in with, and to be often situated with characters who were inimical to this grand fundamental truth. Swedenborg denied the existence of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Socinians, Arians, and Sabellians, either in one form or another, deny the Godhead of Christ, and the personality of the Holy Spirit. Thus, amongst this motley group, they leave us no God at all. Many have been my conflicts with such; but the Word is so plain upon the subject, that it needs no comment, only by comparing a very few out of the many scriptures of truth, and drawing a very reasonable inference from the plainest testimony. This has been done by an excellent author, the rev. W. Jones; and the great Mr. Macgowan, in his “Twenty Letters to J. Priestly, D.D.”
I will only compare a few texts together, and you will see the beauty of truth. As:—
Isaiah, vi. 5.—“Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.”
John, xii. 41.—“These things said Esias, when he saw his (Christ’s) glory, and spake of him.”
“Therefore Jesus is the Lord of Hosts.”—Isaiah, xliii. 11.
Isaiah, xliii. 11.—“I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour.”
2 Peter, iii. 18.—“Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”
Then Jesus Christ is Jehovah, the Saviour.
Rev. xxii. 6.—“The Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants things which must shortly be done.”
Rev. v. 16.—“I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify these things unto the churches.”
Therefore Jesus is the Lord God of the Prophets.
Isaiah, xliv. 6.—“Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God.”
Rev. xxii. 13.—“I (Jesus) am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
This is too plain to be denied. Christ is the King of Israel, the Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, the first and the last.
Psalm lxxviii. 56.—“They tempted and provoked the Most High God.”
1 Cor. x. 9.—“Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted.”
Christ must be, therefore, the Most High God.
Isaiah, xxxvii. 5.—“For thy Maker is thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name.”
John, iii. 29.—“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.”
Psalm xxiii.—“The Lord Jehovah, is my shepherd.”
John, x. 16.—“There shall be one fold and one shepherd.”
Christ must be the Lord of Hosts.
Psalm c. 3.—“Know ye that the Lord he is God, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
John, x. 3.—“He calleth his own sheep.”
Therefore, Christ he is the Lord God and shepherd.
John, xx. 28.—“And Thomas answered and said, my Lord and my God.”
Romans, ix. 5.—“Of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came; who is over all, God, blessed for ever.”
Christ is, therefore, Lord and God.
Isaiah, ix. 6.—“And his name shall be called, The Mighty God.”
Rev. i. 8.—“I am the Almighty.”
I might here fill a volume of immense size, to prove the same fact; but when God gives a man up to satanic delusion, he generally mounts the scorner’s chair; sets his tongue against the heavens, and endeavours to bring down the Almighty to his proud carnal reasonings.
“Thus fools rush in, where angels fear to tread.”
But, whilst so many are endeavouring to dethrone the glorious persons in the Trinity, or to degrade them, other fools have set up many; one in particular, whom I once wrote against, in “Zion’s Controversy:” this poor creature insists upon it that every separate perfection in Jehovah is a god. There was also a sect of people in the beginning of the sixteenth century, called Familists, who held the notion that every believer was an Emanuel—was really God; that Christians, were Christed into Christ, and Godded into God. Such stupid ideas have neither scripture reason nor common sense in them; but I suppose by the bye, this doctrine was advanced to degrade the essential and eternal Godhead of Christ, as modern Sabellians do, though very high Calvinists in some other points—yet maintain the idea that the Father communicates his Godhead to Christ; and why not to his people? Why not, indeed? Both are Christ-degrading errors. May the Lord deliver his people from them; while conceited, empty-talking, all-knowing professors fall into those ditches, out of which nothing short of superabounding mercy, in a miraculous way, can deliver them. “Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth; and it shalt come to pass, that he who flieth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and whoso cometh up out of the pit shall fall into the snare; for the windows from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth do shake.”—Isaiah xxiii.
Being delivered from this awful snare, satan harrassed my mind, concerning the personality and Godhead of the ever-blessed Holy Spirit. Here I was much troubled, but the Lord has promised to be the profitable teacher of his people.—“I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, and leadeth thee in the way thou shouldest go.” I bless his name for all his teachings, although it has been under some very painful experiences; above all, that he has led me to the acknowledgement (not comprehension) of the mystery of God—the Holy Ghost—and of the Father, and of Christ.—Colossians ii.
That the Holy Spirit is God, one of the Divine Three in the unity of the Godhead, is evident, by comparing Scripture with Scripture. I am very sensible that his work upon the heart is infinitely of greater importance than a thousand bare notions of the subject, however clear; but it is a mercy to have our loins girt with truth, the armour of righteousness on the right hand, and on the left; and while the enemies of God are attempting to degrade his Sacred Majesty, his Adorable Person, and some weak Christians stagger at the subject, it is our duty (being delivered from such God-dishonouring conduct), to contend earnestly for the faith, once delivered to the saints.
I am not writing a body of divinity. I have not abilities for that; but only stating those truths which are dear to my heart, and producing a few out of the many Scriptures, to prove the Godhead of the Saviour and the ever-blessed Holy Spirit. A few must suffice here.
John, iii. 6.—“That which is born of the Spirit.”
1 John, v. 4.—“Whatsoever is born of God.”
Here the spiritual birth is attributed to the Spirit—to God.
Therefore the Holy Spirit is God.
Acts, xiii. 2.—“The Holy Ghost said,—separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them.”
Heb. v. 4.—“No man taketh this honour to himself, but he that is called of God.”
Therefore the Spirit is God.
Matt. ix. 38.—“Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Acts, xiii. 4.—“So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost.”
This proves the Holy Ghost is the Lord of his harvest.
Luke, ii. 16.—“And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord Christ.”
Verse 28.—“And he blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy Word.”
This Word was the Word of the Holy Ghost, and is God and Lord, to be blessed and praised.
John, xiv. 17.—“He, the Spirit of Truth, dwelleth in you, and shall be in you.”
1 Cor. xiv. 25.—“God is in you, of a truth.”
2 Tim. iii. 14.—“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”
2 Peter, xxi.—“Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
John, iv. 41.—“It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.”
1 Cor. ii. 13.—“Not in the word, which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.”
Acts, v. 3.—“Why hath satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?”
Verse 4.—“Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”
1 Cor. iii. 16.—“The temple of God is holy, which temple are ye.”
1 Cor. vi. 19.—“Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost?”
Deut. vi. 14.—“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
Acts, v. 9.—“How is it, that ye have agreed to tempt the spirit of the Lord?”
Matt. xix. 17.—“There is none good but one, that is God.”
Psalm clxxiii. 10.—“Thy Spirit is good; lead me.”
I might mention many more, with a vast many proofs of this sublime doctrine, but I trust you will be led to read them in the Scriptures, with a grace-taught eye, and rejoice in the truth, as you discover and feel it. I must close this long letter with this verse—
“God is a name my soul adores,
Th’ Almighty Three, th’ Eternal One:
Nature and grace, with all their powers,
Confess the Infinite Unknown.”
I wish you were in possession of the excellent Jones on the “Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity.”
Yours, J. C.