LETTER XXX.
“And thou shalt remember all the way the Lord thy God hath led thee in the wilderness, these forty years, to prove thee and to humble thee.”
To —
Having complied with your request, in stating the brief account of myself, in infancy, youth, and manhood, a few of the ups and downs, ins and outs, turnings and windings, in a way of providence.—I can but look back with gratitude to that Divine hand that has led me, and kept, supported, upheld, and blest me. Having obtained needed but undeserved help, I continue to this day. For all my errors in life I take shame and confusion of face; and for all the mercies I have experienced, which I am sensible of, and the unnumbered mercies which I never apprehended; I bow my knees to the God of all grace, and say, “Not unto me, not unto me, but to thy name be all the glory.” And what can I say more? It well becometh the just to be thankful. Gratitude, blessing, and praise is the sacrifice of the heart and lips, which is due to God. The Lord be pleased to maintain this spirit in our minds. Gratitude is sometimes excited and led out by the retrospect we take of the Lord’s dealings with us, and discerning his love and wisdom in all his dispensations, however gloomy for the time; yet we can see it was right, uniform, though various. The blessed design towards us is to humble, try, and prove us, that we may know what is in our hearts; both to lament and to be thankful for, and that we may know the love of God’s heart towards us.
I have stated but a few of the many great things the Lord hath done for me; and no doubt many friends wish I had omitted some things which I have related, and had been a little more explicit on others. I may also see these improprieties myself, and correct them in my next edition.
I now proceed to give a short account of my spiritual experience, which I trust, will be a little more edifying than the former part of this little work. May the great Head of the Church make it so to his own children; and, if they reap the least benefit by reading, God shall have the praise. While I remain,
Yours, J. C.
END OF PART I.
PART II.
Convictions—Strivings—Bondage—Liberty—Promises—Encouragements—Success in Ministry—Temptations—Deliverances—Answers to Prayer—Present Situation and Experience.