Believer’s Experiences

My dear Sir, —May grace, mercy, and peace be with you, and with all the Lord’s hidden ones at Staining Lane; even with all those who love a secret religion between God and their own souls; who know, and smart under a sense of the plague of their own hearts; who really feel that in them, that is, in their flesh, dwelleth no good thing; whose strength is perfect weakness, whose wisdom is foolishness, whose life is hid with Christ in God; who know that if they have any faith, they must have it to themselves before God; who have meat to eat that the world knows not of; whose hope is often removed like a tree, and yet is revived again, and abides as an anchor, both sure and steadfast, and entereth into that which is within the veil; whose hearts are ever wandering, wavering, reeling, fearing, doubting, backsliding, murmuring, complaining, and yet always secretly pleading, seeking, supplicating, longing, desiring, cleaving to, and following after, the Savior; their hearts sinking with fear, yet rising in hope; drawing back through unbelief, but drawing near to God by faith; contracting and enlarging; without any bright shining, yet in His light seeing light; falling and rising, fasting and feasting, sorrowing and rejoicing; going in «and out and finding pasture; fearing the worst, and hoping the best; in the valley of Baca, of humiliation, of the shadow of death; on the mount of communion and of transfiguration; the feet sliding, yet standing firm on the rock; in the fiery furnace, but not consumed; in the deep waters, but not overwhelmed; hungering in the wilderness, yet fed with manna from heaven; seeking water, and their tongue failing for thirst, yet drinking of that spiritual Rock, which Rock is Christ.”

The foregoing, my dear friends, are some of the sweets and bitters which I daily meet with; and it is the knowledge and experience of them, which marks the distinction between the children and the bastards; between the inward and truly spiritual church and that which is only outward and nominal. To be encouraged by His Word, by the secret attraction of His love in the heart, by the promised aid of His Spirit, by the buddings of hope, and by the inward operation of faith to draw near to God, and yet to receive no conspicuous answers to prayer, only to be enabled still to watch and pray; to continue in the path of tribulation, yet to be delivered in it, not out of it, often seems to us as though some strange thing had happened to us. But, my beloved, it is the way, I know it is the way, by which our gracious convenant God, who is the best of Fathers, the only true and faithful Friend, the only infallible Guide, hath appointed to bring all His children home to Himself. “By these things men live;” yea, “in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt Thou recover me, and make me to live.””

That the Shepherd of Israel will condescend to be a little sanctuary to you, and bless you with His presence, which is better than life, is the earnest prayer of yours affectionately in Him.”

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen