To E. M, August 15, 1855.
"Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty." Isaiah
33:17
Ever-dear friend,
Although we have met so seldom lately, I am glad to find our hearts still
beat in unison. When I read of your pleasant 'Highland tour', and its grand
scenery, it made my heart bound, for I love the beauties of Nature. But my
spirit quickly turned to its own anticipations; for, you know, dearest
friend, I expect before long fully to enjoy High-land scenery too. I am
looking forward to my eternal change, and delivered from the chilling damps
of flesh and blood; to the being raised above the vapors of these lowlands,
blissfully to range the mountains of myrrh and hills of frankincense in
unclouded day; and, more steadily than the eagle, to gaze all the while upon
the Sun!
O my glorious Christ, what will it be to see You, face to
face, in Your own light! to see "the King in His beauty," and be absorbed in
Your love! This is the climax of love's anticipations; these are the
mountains of myrrh and hills of frankincense; even His perfections, His
glory, and His transporting charms! Oh! methinks how riveted I shall be;
eternal ages will roll on, but still my eyes and heart will have room for no
other object but for Him, who died for my sake, but is alive again—my Lord,
my life, my all!
Those love-prints in His hands, and feet, and side; that
precious body broken for you and for me; we shall behold, we shall gaze upon
them; and from the scars of those once bleeding wounds, unutterable
radiations of glory will beam forth forever. There we shall eternally see
that He was crucified for us—the slain Lamb! Truly, I feel that mortality
could not bear it; such "new wine" would burst the "old skin" but mortality
shall be swallowed up of life, and then shall I be satisfied when I awake
with Your likeness.
Modern believers rebuke my deep longings to be "away in
the land of praises;" yet in the works of the dear old writers I find
warm-hearted companions, who step on far beyond me in foretasting the glory
which is to be revealed. I am not afraid of walking in such company, because
it is God, the Eternal Spirit, who enlarges my heart with desire for this
land of Beulah, and gives me a sip of the ocean of love, which none can have
without longing for the full draught—yes, to launch out into the ocean
itself, and be ever filled!
I am very fond of 1 Cor. 2:10—"We know these things
because God has revealed them to us by his Spirit;" and verse 12: "we have
received . . . the Spirit which is of God, so we can know the wonderful
things God has freely given us,"—not only possess them, which every believer
does, but know them—have them opened and set out before our spiritual mind;
and then out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak of heavenly
treasures. I shall desire to be looking up to the Lord for you, that you may
banquet with the King at the coming communion; and forget self with its
poverty and misery, while He says, "Fear not, I have redeemed you! You are
mine!"
Luke 24:29 has been very delightful to me; that word,
"constrained," how wonderful! This 'constraining Jesus to abide' is still
done by faith in the Spirit's operation. The King sweetly allows Himself to
be held in the galleries of the new heart: "The kingdom of heaven has been
forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it." But how unbelief
weakens; it is like, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson;" and when his
secret of faith is shorn away he is weak indeed.
Those words, "those who dwell under His shadow shall
return," have also been very precious to me. That "shall return" is
in some seasons worth more than words can express. Adieu! duty calls me
away; but my heart would sit still at His dear feet, receiving the gracious
words which fall from His lips!
Yours,
Ruth