Mr. Frimbley.
MY DEAR SIR,
Not having seen or heard of my dear friend for some time past, I must inquire after you, hoping that I need make no apology for the friendly enquiry. I suppose you are still in the wilderness, and God has promised to make this world such to us—he has not given such a promise to the non-elect; it is their paradise, and our plague; ’tis their home, but our inn; ’tis their portion, but our bait. We are not born for this place, it is doomed to fire; we are but pilgrims, staying at this spot, till an order comes from the king of the better country, and demands us home. And is heaven our home—are we sure that we shall get safe at last? let us examine, for faith can reason well. If the Lord meant to destroy us, he would not have shewed us what he has, nor would he have told us what he has: we have seen our natures, found them vile; we have seen the spirituality of God’s law, we have seen the vanity of all things below the stars, we have seen our strength to be perfect weakness, we have seen the exact suitableness of Christ, we have seen the value of his blood and obedience, and the love of his heart in bearing our persons before the throne, we have seen his good hand in many a trouble, and we have seen his faithfulness, mercy, wisdom, and truth. We have seen many and better people than we are, blaze in a profession, and go out in darkness; we have seen the workings of corruption, and the malice of Satan. Can my dear friend deny it? Are not these truths in your soul’s experience and mine? Many a grand doctrine has the blessed Spirit opened to us, many a promise has he applied, many a sweet thought has he sent home, many a precious idea has he formed in the mind, and many a gracious hint of his greatness, goodness, and love: these are some things he has told us—the secret of the Lord, is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant. I trust the Lord is carrying you on in the divine life; he has promised that the path of his people, shall be as the light of the day—that day may be cloudy, windy, and stormy, yet it is day, because the darkness of nature is past, and shall never return, Mysterious providences may distress, yea almost distract us, yet faith will ride again, she may get low but shall never fail; it never has yet, although it has been as low as it could be. I beg the Lord to strengthen our faith, encourage hope, and draw forth love:—these graces have to do with Christ, and the Father’s love to us in him.
It is truly lamentable that the Lord’s children in the present day, are resting so short of their precious privileges; they have not attained, nor are they pressing on to know what might be known, even the promise of the Father, in the more abundant out-pouring of the Spirit: this is a blessing worth waiting and hoping for; for we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness, by faith: and this is what the Apostle Paul prays the Ephesians may be favored with.—See the 1st. chapter of Eph. from verse 16th to the close; and in the same Epistle he prays, also, that the saints might be so enlarged in soul, as to come up to the attainments of the most eminent saints, and know, and enjoy, the love of the adorable Trinity.—This is a spiritual baptism, of which the outward is only a sign—it is to be admitted into the most holy views of, and communion with, God, in his three-fold character of persons, in his decrees, purposes, and covenants, in his eternal transactions, and the outgoings of his love, the glories of Christ’s person, and the everlasting perfection of his work. These grand subjects are food for faith, these nourish faith, and lead us to establishment and solid peace, that neither sin, law, nor Satan can disturb.
I trust you go to hear some one who is calculated to feed the soul. As for myself I am often low, yet contented at times with the lowest form in the school of Jesus. I hope your dear partner in life is led on amidst all conflicts, trials and plagues—blessed is she that believeth, and I trust dear Mrs. F. is long brought to that. Faith centers in Jesus, and gathers strength in every trial; it will be victorious by and bye. The victory which Jesus has gained is given to us by the Father, and it is the work of the Spirit to manifest it with some power.
I have no news to send about myself—if the Lord wanted me to carry him into Jerusalem he would send word that I must be loosed now, for the Lord hath need of him.—God be with you both.
Your’s, truly,
Ruhamah.
LETTER XLVIII.
Valley of Achor, June 16th, 18195.
My dear Mrs. Bailey.