Wrestle until your God be known,
’Till you can call the Lord your own.

Your’s, in him,
Ruhamah.

LETTER XXVII.

Valley of Achor, Nov. 18th, 1818.

Mr. & Mrs. Tungate.

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

I trust the God of all grace is carrying on his own work in both your souls. This may be doubted by you in your darkest seasons, but when you feel the word with power, when you get access to God, when you feel joy and peace in believing, when you feel Christ very precious to your soul, then you are at a point about it. None can persuade you out of your feelings, nor dispute you out of your esteem for, and love to Christ, his truths, his people, or his word. Your spiritual birth is clear, your title to heaven is plain, you have then a sensible witness in yourself, that you are born of God, and that you know God. You have had such seasons: this is tasting the new wine of the kingdom, this is finding the Pearl of great Price, this is the new heart of flesh, this is the right spirit, this is coming into the banqueting house, this is being fed with honey out of the rock, this is enjoying the fatted calf; the ring of eternal love, the wedding garment, and the shoes of the gospel of peace. This is finding the piece of silver, and proving wisdom’s ways pleasantness, and her paths peace. This is walking in the light of God’s countenance, and receiving the end of our faith—the present salvation of the soul. I have had a few such times as these since I have been here, but these have not lasted long; I wish they had so overpowered me, that they had broke up old nature, and ushered me into the full enjoyment of God. But the sun is gone down, night is come on again, the beasts of the forest creep forth, the Devil takes every advantage, and the world seems to frown, yet every thing urges the necessity of walking by faith, of making use of Christ as the Almighty physician, the healer of breaches, and the restorer of wanderers. This is the name that is very precious to us, I am the Lord that healeth thee; and every gracious look from him, melts us, renews us, revives us, and conquers the heart. This was the look that melted Peter. A great traveller and writer says he saw some rocks abroad, which dropped water when the sun shone on them. This was true, indeed, of Peter, whose name signifies a rock, or a stone; and it is equally true of us, who are called stones. I ever wish to be under the soul melting influence of the Holy Spirit. Oh, that he would so blessedly overcome our hearts with his love, in great power. This is what I am praying to feel very often, yet, it is the will of our divine Lord, to exercise our minds sharply with sore trials; and, the very worst of all trials, is a being daily burdened with sin, working within, and, like prisoners, either entreating for liberty, or trying to get out. These often hide the Saviour from us, and make it winter in the soul; faith is weak, hope is low, love is cold, and patience is gone sick to bed; yet the Lord is at hand, he is very near, although we see him not, nor feel him. Jacob said, The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. Philosophers say, The sun is nearer to us in winter than in summer; this does not appear true, but it has been, and is very easily proved. So Christ, the Son of righteousness, is nearer to us in our winter graces of faith and patience, than in our summer graces of joy, hope, peace, and love. He makes his way to us, when we cannot find the way to him, he seeks us, when we cannot seek him, he can find us, and he holds us, when we cannot find him, or claim him as our’s. That precious text, 13th Zechariah, and last verse, is often precious to me in this furnace; the God of truth promises, first, I will bring you through; second, They shall call on my name; third, I will try them; fourth, I will say they are mine; fifth, and they shall say the Lord is mine. What a feast does this text afford me in those days of my calamity; some parts have been fulfilled in my experience, the other part will ere long: and as soon as the deliverance comes, we must look out for some other trials.

The Christian’s seldom long at ease,
One Trial gone, another doth him seize.

This is the way; but as loved, redeemed, called, pardoned by precious blood, and justified by imputed righteousness, we shall get safe home, to celebrate eternal mercy, as displayed by a triune God in our salvation. I long for the time to meet you both again, at the table of the Lord. I trust Christ will be more dear to us than ever, that we shall be dying daily, and living in, and by, and with Christ.

Your’s, truly,
Ruhamah.