The Voice of Faith in the Valley of Achor: Vol. 2 [of 2] / being a series of letters to several friends on religious subjects

by J. Church

LETTER VI.

Valley of Achor, Dec. 19, 1817.

Dear Mr. E.

When the dear apostles of old wrote their epistles to the churches, after having stated the glory and preciousness of Christ, they generally mentioned some name of the adorable Father, as suited to that Church to whom they wrote. When Peter addressed the churches scattered abroad, during the persecution under the pagan emperors, he mentioned the glorious character of God, as the God of all grace—all grace which they could need.—Paul mentions to one church, the God of hope; to another, the God of patience, and the God of all consolation. These titles are exceedingly precious; and as they are suited to the churches of old, they are handed down to us, as they suit us now; and indeed whatever precious character the Lord bears, it is in mercy to us—these are not empty titles, but very important parts of that work, undertaken by the adorable Trinity ere time began. It is surprising grace that God should ever go forth in creature acts of love to us—that he should pass by others—that he should occupy his thoughts about us, who are but mere worms, clods of earth. This is wonderful, that he should love us, though fallen, polluted, distant, and awfully rebellious—that he should ever visit, abide, and dwell with us: this is surprising grace, stupendous mercy indeed, that the Lord should ever send a promise to the heart, and make that promise good to such unbelieving, unworthy beings. These things will, no doubt, astonish the saints of God in glory for ever. O, that they had better effect upon our hearts! and the reason why they have not, is owing to the weakness of our faith; and faith is weakened as the word of God, the throne of God, and the people of God are neglected. As sin is winked at, and lies upon the mind almost unseen, and, of course, unlamented—this weakens precious faith. May the Lord keep up those two useful agents in our souls, Watchful and All-prayer.

With respect to myself, I am kept passive in my Lord’s hands. I sensibly feel my situation; I am certainly very low, but I have many mercies. My faith and confidence increases in the Lord’s designs, at least, in the end designed; and when I am tried enough, I shall come forth as gold. Jesus is a refiner and purifyer; his dear people are compared to gold and silver—if they were only wooden vessels, they would be burnt with the fire of tribulation; but then, though they cannot be consumed, the apostle intimates their works—some hay, straw, and stubble—must be burnt, though himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

Your’s, truly,
Ruhamah.

LETTER VII.

Achor’s Vale, June 14, 1819.

Mrs. E.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

I trust you are better in health than you was; I feel very anxious about you both; I pray God to spare you, to see his good hand of grace toward me; and that he has heard many prayers on my behalf, although he has not heard them in the way I requested; but though the Lord often changes his promise, yet, he never breaks his promise. He often changes the promise of a temporal blessing into a spiritual good; but he never changes his mind nor falsifies his word—he is the only faithful Friend on whom we can rely; all others are like glasses, they are to be used, but no weight to be put upon them. Hence the command, Trust ye not in a friend; lean not too heavy, nor build upon glass. This blessing is the gift of God, it is grace given to the friend; and it is worthy of observation, that a disposition to act friendly, is from God, and the befriended should look to Jesus through the friend, as Christ shines through them. And this is evidenced by the effects produced, because it draws up the mind to the Saviour in a way of gratitude and wonder, love and praise. I will magnify the Lord with a song. The shall please the Lord better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs. This is the way the Lord deals, at times, with me; when particularly sensible of sin, I confess, supplicate, plead, and submit; if grief overflow, I pray, read much, and think; and when I am favored with the least glimpse of his face, or a sensation of his love, or a little life in my spirit, then I praise, love, adore, and offer up the sacrifice of thanksgiving—this is called the calves of the lips.

I have not written my thoughts on the subject we last discoursed on, but shall by and by, God willing. I have been much grieved lately that Mr. — has made use of such warm expressions in the pulpit, concerning the decrees of God. What he has asserted are undoubted truths, but I object to the manner in which they are stated. I have no objection to the preaching these awful and sublime subjects, but it requires a man of some wisdom to state them properly, or else the subject may be rendered disgustful, even to believers themselves. God has chosen his people in Christ before the world began: this is a truth worthy of our deepest regard; that the Lord should cause millions and millions of beings, angels and men, to rise in his infinite mind, and out of them to select a people for himself, to the glory of his own name, and, as a Sovereign, to display upon them the riches of his grace—this was the favour shewed them, and this favour is called grace, electing sovereign grace, because he passed the rest by, he did not confer on them this favour. No reason can be assigned for this, but his own sovereign good-will. The rest he passed by; he did not choose them to damn them, nor predestinate them to be damned, nor make them on purpose to damn them; that was not the business; he passed them by in reference to his act, but he chose the rest, both angels and men, in the dear Covenant Head, and fixed them, standing most secure in Christ, before they fell. Those whom the Lord passed by, stood in Adam only; here they sinned, fell, and became guilty: as they grow up, they evidence God has passed them by, as they live and die regardless of God, ignorant of the Saviour, and heart enemies to him; but as God did not choose the elect for any foreseen good in them, or done by them, so neither did he pass by the rest because they would be so vile, but he chose the one in the riches of his grace, and passed by the other in his divine sovereignty. Mark—he does not damn them because he is a Sovereign, and has a right to do it; No, he only passed by them as a Sovereign, and he punishes them because they hate him, and have so awfully signed against him, so that our God is holy, gracious, sovereign, and just.

I thought it acceptable to you, to drop you this line, to state the simple truth as it is in scripture; a subject that puzzled me for many years, and which has still a mystery in it that we cannot comprehend; yet there is enough revealed to faith to receive, admire, and adore. And as to the damnation of infants, which Mr. — advanced last Sunday, the scriptures are silent about it; nor do I think it forms any part of the gospel which Jesus and Paul preached. We have nothing to do with it. Where the bible has no mouth, we ought to have no ears. I am of opinion that children are saved, but I have no positive scripture for it—as the glories of heaven are rather described by negatives, what they are not, so the salvation of children is by a negative also, where they are not; for in the account of those that are lost, and in hell now, and will be punished there, we read nothing of children. Our dear friend Mr. Fosset, wishes me to write on these subjects, at the next church meeting, to set this matter at rest a little, by explaining the subject in my simple, humble manner. What a mercy the Lord has not passed us by, as he might have done; and as an evidence he loves us, he has given us some taste of that love, and created his fear in our hearts.

Your’s
Ruhamah.

LETTER VIII.

Valley of Achor, Sept. 15, 1818.

My dear Friend, Mr. C.

I thank you kindly for the loan of books. I return you the Pamphlet written by Mr. Gadsby. I quite agree with him in his views of the Moral Law, which is commonly termed so, but which the Apostle stiles spiritual. I consider the Gospel of the grace of God, the Father’s will to us, in Christ Jesus, containing Promises, Declarations of Mercy, Imitations, Precepts, and Exhortations, to be the only, and all-sufficient Rule of a Christian. These are not in opposition to the holy Law of God, but they far excel it in glory, and as many as walk according to this Rule, peace be on them. Christ is our King and our Law-giver, he has fulfilled the Law for his Church, brought in an everlasting righteousness for our justification; he has put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and he lives a life of mediation for all who come to God through him. The Holy Spirit illuminates the mind; reveals pardon to the conscience; and sheds abroad the love of God in the heart, plants his fear in the soul, and enables us to take the will of God for our Rule, as it is expressed in the Gospel.—This is our rule of walk, conduct, and conversation—the Lord help us to walk in this light, as God is in the light. But I think it is cruel for any Preacher or Author, who professes to be a leader of God’s people, to send them to the Law, in any sense whatever. Every worldling and proud Pharisee should be sent there, till they are taught their need of Christ. But an humble, regenerate person, should always be directed to the Lord Jesus, to the throne of grace, and to the glorious Gospel of grace. None but worldly Wisemen will ever direct either a burthened Pilgrim, or a consistent believer, to the Law. John Bunyan met with such a director, but what his feelings were he tells you: First, he forsook the advice: of the Gospel Minister, Evangelist, who gave him this direction, Look unto Jesus. Secondly, He tried to raise a prejudice in his mind against the Ministers who preach free grace. Thirdly, He directed him to go by the high hill that he pointed to. This is the way that seemeth right to a man, but it is falling from grace: the spirit of bondage began to work on his mind; his fears of the curse of this broken Covenant increased; his guilt was deeper felt, because he was out of the way. A sense of God’s anger flashed on his spirit, and the dread of damnation overcame him. He quaked for fear. This is coming to Mount Sinai indeed, and this is all the Law can do, viz. Convince and condemn—and these feelings, more or less, attend those who are seeking to the Law for life, hope, peace, and salvation; or that cleave to it in any sense whatever: for what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under it, whether they are in a profession or out of it; and as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse of it—but we are redeemed from that broken covenant, that we should serve the Lord Jesus in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. But do read what Evangelist says of such Law Preachers, and Directors, in his conversation with the Pilgrim, when he met him near Mr. Legality’s House.

May you and I walk in Christ, die to sin, and live more to God.—Kind respects to Mrs. C. and Brother.

Your’s,
Ruhamah.

LETTER IX.

Achor’s Vale, May 6, 1819.

My Dear Friend, Miss Braes,

History relates a poor aged man, who had once been serviceable to his country, and was condemned by a Tyrant to be starved to death in prison. All were astonished that he did not die, seeing no food was brought to him; but it was found afterwards that his married daughter visited him twice a day, and gave him suck from her own breast. This is an instance of filial affection. You have acted almost as kind, in its degree, to me; and with your dear aunt, you have often soothed my sorrows with the milk of human kindness. May my Lord reward it another day. You have heard my poor feeble sermons with pleasure, especially when I have been enabled to point out the beauties, and glories of the Friend of guilty man. I hope I am only learning better how to extol and magnify the grace, the love, the person, and work of him, who, to a grace-taught eye, is fairer than the children of men. I have, indeed, fell into a place where two seas meet—the malice of Satan and the power of man; yet, through grace, and when it is well with me, I have this confidence, I shall arise; but how, and when, I leave it with God. I am at times troubled about it, but at other times I can cast that burden on the Lord. I wish it laid in my power to write something to you of the dear Saviour, that would lead you to admire and adore him. I have said a little about him, but, alas, it was little indeed. He is the bright Sun in the firmament of heaven, all the millions of angels and spirits of just men who are now in glory, look upon him with wonder and delight; and while they gaze, he fills them with joy, with peace, with love, and with the most solid satisfaction. They wondered at his love when on earth, that he should ever bleed and agonize, sigh and die for them; but, what must they think now they see him in his full glory?

And now they range the heavenly plains,
And sing his love in sweetest strains;
Or, overwhelm’d with rapture sweet,
Sink down, adoring at his feet.

Because he is so glorious, so beautiful, so lovely, and so kind. He saw what poor guilty creatures we should be, condemned to eternal misery and woe. He knew we could not help ourselves out of this state. He knew God was just in condemning us, and he knew that God, as an unchangeable Being, could not alter his oath, As I live, the soul that sinneth shall die! We had broken his Law; we were born in sin; we went astray from infancy, and must have strayed into everlasting darkness, but,

With pitying eye the Prince of Peace,
Beheld our helpless grief.

He took our nature, engaged to fulfil the Law we had broken, and pay the dreadful debt of suffering. This he did heartily for us, and is now in glory, pleading the virtue of that work, and receiving all that come to God by him.

Sing, oh ye heavens, Jesus hath done it, and done it, I trust, for my dear young Friend, to whom I write with pleasure. Need I say to you that you stand in need of this Saviour? I hope you are in a little measure convinced of it, and at times, when no eye can see you but the Saviour’s, you send up many an humble wish, fervent desires, and earnest breathings, that the ever-blessed Spirit would teach you Christ, and shew you that your sins are pardoned, that your interest is sure, and that the dear Lord thought upon you when he engaged to die for sinners—that he thought upon you when he entered into the garden of sorrow, and when he said, It is finished! Do often, secretly lift up your heart to him, saying, Lord shew me that thou lovest me. This is done by the Spirit and by the Word. May he be very precious to you; and do remember he hath said, They that seek me shall find me. Blessed is she that believeth, for there shall be a performance of those things that are told her from the Lord.

And now do accept my sincerest thanks for your affectionate kindness.

Your’s,
Ruhamah.