LETTER III.

TO AMICUS.

DEAR FRIEND,

GRACE and peace be with you. I thought it needful to drop you another Letter on a subject of infinite importance to you, to myself and to the whole church of God. The Saviour, in a conversation with a learned and polite Doctor of Divinity, positively declared the necessity of another, a New, a second Birth. Blessed be God, the salvation of the children of God is completed without this, but we must be born again to know this salvation is ours; and to pretend to lay claim to such Salvation, without being born again, is most daring presumption! This new Birth is a change of heart and life; the formation of a new man; an infusion of holy principles—all new—every thing; that is, every principle which the Holy Spirit inspires is new; new views, new sensations, new ideas, new pursuits; and new trials; all is become new. If any man be in Christ Jesus he is become new. This birth goes by various names in scripture—it is stiled a Calling; The master is come and calleth for thee. It is represented as an implanting or engrafting—Cut off from the old stock: Our souls cleave to Jesus as our all in all. It is a Conquest; by the power of the Holy Spirit our enmity is slain, our wills subdued, and our affections set on heavenly objects. It is called an heavenly Birth—Of the seed of God’s word we are said to be begotten to a lively hope. A new man is formed; for this the Redeemer travailed in spirit; for this ministers labour and toil; and to enjoy God in Christ Jesus, no small portion of spiritual labour falls to the share of the happy possessor. The Saviour enters the soul; this must create a stir there. He comes into, and by the door of the heart; all that come in any other way, as sin and Satan did, are thieves and robbers. Upon his entrance we, by his light, see our lost state—feel our guilt—conscience is quickened, as well as the mind enlightened; and here, my brother, you may discover the vast disparity between the Possessor and the mere nominal Professor; it is not to be seen either in their light, or conduct, for a man destitute of the grace of God, may be clear in his head, and upright in his moral deportment. This is the snare that is come upon the Churches: these are the false evidences by which thousands are deceived—it is not enough, the main spring is wanting, which is Life. This is the genuine work of God: this proves our union with the Living Vine. By this life I feel myself condemned by the Law. I feel a spirit of bondage to fear. I feel the sting of death. I feel the workings of corruption, which I knew nothing of before. I feel dreadful apprehensions of God’s wrath; and while my conscience feels these things, I see, in the light of the word, and by the Spirit, the exact suitableness of the dear Saviour. I am enabled by the same Spirit to believe he lived, obeyed, suffered, died, and is risen again, and receives poor sinners—the lost, the helpless, the guilty, and the vile. This begets a hope in my mind that he will save me. The Promises encourage me—the freeness of grace—the Lord delighting in mercy, through the satisfaction of Jesus—the scriptural account of poor sinners as vile as me being saved. These things encourage me to hope; while my faith, small as it is, argues at times, as Manoah’s wife did, If the Lord had meant to have destroyed me, would he have shewed me what I see?—or told me what he has? No, no!

But while I thank God, and am taking courage, perhaps sin again overcomes me—the Law still works wrath; Satan then takes the advantage, and down I sink again, and must there lay till the dear Father of Mercies draw me to Christ again. Thus the spiritual life, at this time, hangs in doubt, and there is no assurance of life, either spiritual or eternal. This is travailing in spirit, coming to the birth, and no strength to bring forth. This is tarrying long in the place of the breaking forth of children; panting, breathing, looking, thirsting, longing for the knowledge of the pardon of sin, the clear witness of the Spirit, and the sweet, smiting, kind, loving approbation of God. Such souls are already pronounced blessed, and what God has promised he will surely perform. Such long to come forth; are afraid of peace and comfort, ease and quietness, lest it should not be God’s work; and such would rather be always in bondage than in carnal ease, or false peace or confidence.

Beautiful that Promise, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Such are represented as waiting upon God. Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength—and they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. At the Pool of Bethesda they lay till Jesus appears—at the posts of God’s Doors they wait till favour is shewed them—they are admitted to the Inner Court, till faith gathers strength enough to believe in the love of God towards them; and till they can receive into their souls the Atonement this gives peace to the conscience, and joy in God, and this honor have all the saints. This is the New Birth, which you, I trust, know something of experimentally; but darkness will sometimes hide it from you. I must recommend you a sweet text in Job. Thine age shall be clearer than the noon day—thou shalt shine forth, thou shall be clear as the morning.

But this new-making second Birth, and new Creation, is the joint work of the adorable Trinity, and is, of course, property ascribed to each Person, Remember therefore thy new Creators. Let Israel rejoice in them that made him. God the Father is called the Father of Christ, the Father of Lights. Of his own will begat he us, with the Word of Truth. He sheds the dew of the Spirit upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Lord. This Work is also attributed to Jesus; he is the Resurrection and the Life—he raiseth up and quickeneth whom he will; and it is by virtue of his Resurrection from the dead that we are begotten again to a lively hope.

The blessed and eternal Spirit, the Lord and giver of Life, is also the Author of this New Creation—Except a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is the Spirit that quickens; he it is prepares the mind for Christ, then testifies of Christ to the soul. May you, my dear Friend, enjoy much of his testimony, and set to your seal, that God is true—and, if I have not tired your patience, let me remind you of another great act of your Creators, the completing the Work in a manifestative way, in the glorious Resurrection of the Body, to enjoy endless felicity with the soul. This is what we have in lively hope and earnest expectation; for this we groan—this is the redemption of the purchased Possession. God our covenant Father loved our bodies as well as our souls—the dear Redeemer bought the one as well as the other—he suffered in the body for sins done by the body. The Holy Spirit graciously takes up his abode in the soul, as the earnest of the future inheritance.

This Doctrine has been denied by many—this has been ridiculed as contrary to sense and reason; but why should it be thought a thing incredible that God should raise the Dead? it can easily be accomplished by the infinite power and wisdom of God, as well as the first formation of it; the one will be as easy to him as the other—the sacred scriptures assure us of it, our faith gives credit to it; and this faith is not in vain, the Redeemer would lose a part of his purchase if the dead rise not; besides, he has redeemed them to God, and from the grave; and the general judgment requires that those who sleep in the dust should come forth. There is a necessity of the body rising, else we should lose part of our bliss; for we shall want some of our members in heaven, as the eye, to see Christ in the flesh, and one another; and the ear, to hear the everlasting songs of praise; and the tongue, to sing them.—Nor is this contrary to reason; hence the dear Redeemer, and his servant Paul, has set it forth by the figure of a corn of wheat, which, being sown, alters, corrupts, and then springs up a very different figure, yet it is the same corn of wheat that was sown, though now it appears with a stalk, a blade, and an ear: so our bodies will be sown; and spring up again with additional circumstances. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection. What heart can conceive the joyful meeting of soul and body again? This is most affectingly described by Blair:

—Nor shall the conscious soul Mistake its partner, but amidst the crowd, Singling its other half, into its arms Shall rush, with all the impatience of a man That’s new come home, and having long been absent, With haste runs over every different room, In pain to see the whole. Thrice happy meeting! Nor time, nor death shall ever part them more.

This Resurrection to eternal life, is the joint work of our glorious Makers.—Knowing that he which raised up Jesus from the dead, shall raise us up also by him, and shall present us with you. So this great act is ascribed to the dear Saviour; he shall change our vile bodies. The Holy Spirit will have an hand in this momentous affair, he shall also quicken our mortal bodies. And it is a charming thought, my Brother, that as sure as we have been quickened in the soul we shall be in the body—certain as we hear the voice of Jesus in the Gospel, we shall hear it in the Resurrection, calling us forth to eternal life. And as sure as the Gospel trumpet proclaims liberty to our souls, the last trumpets sound shall bring liberty to our bodies. Let this thought comfort you, nor shall you be ashamed of your hope, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

It is time I proceed to speak of the third particular, the Wise Man’s exhortation—Remember.—We meet with many such fatherly admonitions in scripture, and in fact, God promises we shall remember. Thou shalt remember all the way the Lord thy God hath led thee in the Wilderness.—And one of the blessed Offices of the Holy Ghost is that of a Remembrancer. This influence over the mind we often need in our state of pilgrimage: we have, naturally, bad memories—besides, Satan is a thief, and he is secretly watching to steal all the good he can from us, and to leave us all the dregs. Our inbred sins, and many outward foes, also hurt our memories—they are Foxes that spoil the Vines, that have tender grapes. It is an unspeakable mercy that our Salvation does not depend upon our memories, but in God’s remembering of us. Hence he has said, If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. He remembered his Covenant, he remembered his mercy. I will remember my Covenant with thee. Then he appeals to parental affections, and asks, Can a woman forget her sucking child? Yea, she may forget, (perhaps, my Brother, I am an instance of it) yet will I not forget thee. My kindness shall not depart from thee, nor the Covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on THEE, O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted.—Here is our security, though we are so forgetful, so ungrateful—forever we dwell in his heart, forever in his mind; and he has graciously intimated there are some things which he can never do, consistently with his Nature, his Perfections, and Covenant. It was impossible for God to lie: he cannot forget his people, he will not remember their sins; he will never leave nor forsake those he once has loved.

But we are exhorted to Remember him. This act, in scripture, signifies to keep in mind somewhat future and important, that we may notice it when it comes again. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day: it signifies to think of, and deeply consider. When I remember thee on my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches: it signifies to love and esteem. No man remembered that same poor man: to praise or mention the great acts of covenant love, in a way of gratitude. Remember his marvellous works which he hath done: it signifies to call to mind. Remember that ye were Gentiles in the flesh: so that we remember God, when we think of, believe in, and depend on him for help and strength. Some put their trust in horses, some in chariots, but we will remember the Lord our God. To remember, in scripture, also signifies to make a collection. Hence the Apostle speaking of christian alms giving, says, That we should remember the poor; the same which I was always forward to do. Here, then, clearly appears our privilege, to think deeply of the great things of God—often to call them to mind; his everlasting love, its freeness and power; his everlasting covenant, that cannot be broken—his everlasting purposes to save the ruined, the helpless, and the vile. The everlasting righteousness of the dear God Man Mediator—the everlasting salvation with which all the elect shall be saved—the value, the efficacy, and unspeakable worth of the Atonement—the preciousness of the offices, glory, titles, and characters of the adorable Trinity in Unity. These things must be deeply learnt and kept in mind—the knowledge of them will surely do us good in the days of evil. To make a collection of the good things the Spirit has shewn to us—every token for good, every sermon he has blest with power, every sweet view of Jesus, every precious promise that has been applied, every ray of comfort, every season of access and nearness to God, every good word and kind hint he has given us, every deliverance he has wrought for us, every clear answer to prayer, whether of things temporal or spiritual. These we ought to notice, keep in mind, and often think over, with humility, with gratitude, with joy, with wonder; and ask, with the humble Ruth, Why have I found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am but a stranger?

Remember, with diligence; for as we abound in faith the Apostle says, We are to abound in all diligence. The pious Psalmist declares, His heart and spirit made a diligent search. The woman who had lost her piece of silver, is said, To sweep the house, and search diligently till she found it—and the Lord is sure to bless the diligent remembrance of himself; take the following texts: The hand of the diligent maketh rich. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule. The substance of the diligent man is precious. The soul of the diligent shall be made fat. The thought of the diligent tends only to plenty. He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour.—Thus we see what God has promised to the diligent. Say not this is legal, No!—I am exhorting a believer, a quickened soul, one that has light, life, and love. All spiritual actions, acceptable to God, must spring from this quarter. Do you attend while you can to these important things, nor shall you fail of your reward. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap; and sure I am, every man shall find this text true in his experience, 2 Cor. ix, 6, He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly: He which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully. So the scriptures affirm: I have found it and so shall you.

Thus while you are in health of body, peace of mind, furnished with the Spirit’s influence as a Remembrancer—do call to mind, collect together and highly esteem these things, in meditation and prayer, and bless him for what he has done for you and in you. Turn down those pages in your Bible which you have found precious. Tell the dear people of God what Christ has done for you, that they may help you to praise him; for it is written, They shall come and declare the Work of God in Zion.—Nor would you lose any thing by it, should you keep a Diary of the Lord’s dealings with you; it would be blessed to read it over another day, especially in the days of evil. Hence the exhortation, Set thee up way marks: set thee up high heaps—for, being like poor Jacob, we want reminding of our vows, and of God’s goodness. Hence the command, Arise, go to Bethel, where thou anointedst the Pillar, and make thee an altar to God, who appeared for thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau. It is well to remember what God has done for us, it encourages us in prayer and sweet confidence another day, as may be seen in this good man’s History, Genesis xxxii, when pleading with God for his safety. He acknowledges past mercies, when he only possessed a staff twenty years before, and with it came over that very place where he then stood with two hands! He confesses his utter unworthiness, and pleads with God upon the ground of his promises he had applied to him in times pest. Presents his prayer, mixed with thanksgiving, and obtains an answer. To feel gratitude is a mercy for it well becomes the just to be thankful.

I’ll speak the honors of thy name, With my last lab’ring breath; And, speechless, clasp thee in my arms, My joy in life and death.

This leads me to notice the reasons Why Solomon urges this point; because the evil days and years are coming on, in which you will truly say, I have no pleasure in them. And as you have a little pleasure at times, and have had a good deal of pleasure in the Bible, in the House of God, at the Table of the Lord, in company with the saints, in private retirement, in doing good to some, in pitying and in praying for others, and could understand something of this text, They meetest him that rejoicest in thee—those that remember thee in thy ways. In which things you have had pleasure, and could rejoice in these youthful days. But as some of these days are gone, and the rest may fly, let me advise you against such seasons as you will say, You have no pleasure in. But may the Lord water you every moment, and keep you night and day, to final salvation—maintain his own work, and bear testimony to your spirit, what is his work, and what is not. This you have prayed for many a time, and by terrible things in righteousness God is pleased often to answer us.

I remain your’s,