The Voice of Faith in the Valley of Achor: Vol. 1 [of 2]: being a series of letters to several friends on religious subjectsChurch, J. (John)
Religion
The Voice of Faith in the Valley of Achor: Vol. 1 [of 2]: being a series of letters to several friends on religious subjects
Church, J. (John)
Christian life; Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825 -- Correspondence; Clergy -- England -- Correspondence
I trust you are well in health, with your family; it is just a year ago
since I last wrote to you, which letter being wrote under very peculiar
circumstances, and under the powerful influence of grace which I felt at
that time, which letter I have in reserve to be published at a future
period, when the Lord turns my captivity. Many, and great have been your
changes and trials since that time; we live in a world of changes and
vicissitudes, it may justly be compared to the sea, ever restless and
uneasy, exposed to many storms and dangers, but the Lord has engaged to
conduct us safe home, and will surely bring us to that haven of eternal
rest and peace; and as this is the case, we need not murmur, although our
_Ferry Boat_ is a little tossed about, and some of the passengers prove
very troublesome, we shall soon get home, eternal love has sworn to bring
us safely there; and though the mountains depart, and the hills be
removed, yet his kindness shall never depart from us, nor the covenant of
his peace ever be removed. The Lord foresaw what poor sinners we should
be, and he could have prevented it, had it been agreeable to his eternal
purposes; but if it had been prevented, what should we have known of the
boundless mercy of his heart, and how could we have known any thing of
the lovely precious Saviour and Redeemer. God had decreed that the
vessels of his glory should be vessels of his mercy first, and all he has
purposed, promised, and done, is for the riches of his grace, in kindness
towards us, by Christ Jesus; and this free unmerited favor of a covenant
God, has brought salvation of every kind to us: we have experienced some
of them, and there are thousands of salvations which we are not sensible
of, that attend us daily. I trust the Lord is leading you on to a better
acquaintance with the person and work of Jesus, and though you lament
that you do not feel so much love to him, as you did in your earlier
experience, yet you are learning wisdom—“Whom shall he teach wisdom, and
whom shall he make to understand doctrine, but those who are weaned from
the breast, and drawn from the milk.” Isaiah xxviii, 9. After this
weaning time is over, we feel our need of spiritual armour, and we are
called out to fight; but never let us forget him who hath said, My grace
is sufficient for thee.
I beg you to accept my best wishes, in the language of a favorite, now in
glory.
I wish you much increase of every grace,
I wish you strength to run your christian race,
I wish you patience under every rod,
I wish you much sweet fellowship with God,
I wish your evidences bright may shine,
I wish you joy and comfort all divine,
I wish you very strong in precious faith,
I wish you well through life, and well in death,
I wish you safe on the celestial shore,
And there I wish you well for evermore.
Kind respects to Mr. H. and family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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