To Miss M., December 2, 1850.
Very dear Miss M—,
I do rejoice that He who comforts those who are cast down has comforted you
by the coming of His dear servant. The savor of his visit, I trust, still
remains upon your spirit. Jesus "must needs go through Samaria" to meet with
a great sinner, and astonish her by the discovery that "He knew all things
that she ever did." How would she listen and wonder as He turned the black
heart inside out, and set her secret and her open sins in "the light of His
countenance;" but this was the prelude to His giving her the "living water."
Many a "needs be" has there been since then, that He should go through
certain places to meet with certain sinners, either to wound or heal.
Methinks Mr. D— must needs go through your town to meet with my poor
sorrowful friend, and refresh her weary soul by the way, by giving her a cup
of cold water in the name of the Lord. It seems at that time that all the
water was spent in your vessel, and you felt ready to die with thirst in the
place where you were. May you not then, with one of old, call the name of
Him who thus spoke unto you, "You God see me!" If these helps do not bring
you out of bondage, they revive you in it, and strengthen you still to wait
and to hope, however appearances may seem against you.
From the tenor of your two notes last received, I fear
you have some return of your illness; will you tell me more particulars when
you write again? My heart sympathizes with you affectionately; but at the
same time, if this painful dispensation be a net the Lord has cast upon you,
to draw you out of the world into His living family circle, can I wish it
otherwise? Can you? If now you might have restored health, associations, and
all worldly ease and delight, without Jesus, would you accept them on such
terms? If with an interest in Jesus you must have bodily suffering, outward
disappointment, frustrated hopes, and broken purposes, would you forego Him
to get rid of them? I think not! Satan provokes you sorely to make you fret.
He gets you to look at this undesired affliction, instead of waiting for the
end of the Lord in it, and then you find it "hard to kick against the
goads." You smart under sin and under trial, and all these things seem
against you; but the Lord is overruling all to give you an expected end of
peace, and not of evil. He is by these means bringing down your proud heart
with labor and sorrow—but He will deliver you from your destructions. "O
Israel, you have destroyed yourself—but in me is your help."
May the Lord give you true resignation of spirit, and a
submissive will, which would greatly lessen the weight of your burden; and
may He be please to rebuke Satan, who strengthens the unbelief of your
heart, resists you at the throne of grace, and accuses you of presumption
for every movement of faith towards the promise or the pardon. This I learn
from some remarks in your note; for, after some little taking hold and
encouragement, you directly start back affrighted as if you had laid your
hand upon a portion that did not belong to you, and the Lord would certainly
come forth against you for it. This is the false insinuation of unbelief and
Satan to keep your soul from peace. Beware you do not nourish it, because in
so doing you dishonor Him who is the Author and Finisher of faith. He gives
the "heirs of promise" faith to lay hold of the promise, and He is never
more honored than when they plead it against apparent rebukes, against the
threats and taunts of the enemy, and against their felt discouragement and
unworthiness. This is confidence in royal clemency, through royal blood; and
thus the Majesty of heaven is honored by vile sinners on earth, for this is
the work of His own Spirit in them.
Therefore, my beloved, "grieve not the Spirit," "resist
the devil, and he will flee from you." It is he who tries to choke prayer,
hinder faith, and feed unbelief. Your only successful resistance is by the
"blood of the Lamb;" against that, Satan cannot stand, for it cleanses from
all sin. He can bring plenty of accusations against us, and just ones; but
when faith can venture them on blood divine, each fiery dart is quenched by
that blood; and the self-condemned, hell-deserving sinner is "more than
conqueror through Him who loved us." No wonder, then, that subtle foe
strives so hard against the first buddings of faith, and will, if possible,
nip the least putting forth thereof, to affright the poor soul from the only
Stronghold when he cannot reach it. He shall not prevail ultimately; he
shall not rob Emmanuel of one blood-bought jewel, not even of my dear
hunted, harassed, desponding friend, for whom, I believe, He has paid the
full price of ransom. He has said to law and justice long ago, "If she has
wronged you, or owes you anything, put that on mine account; I have written
it with mine own hand, I will repay it." (Philem. 18, 19) Having bought you,
and paid for you, He will not lose you. And yet, though Satan shall not rob
God of His right to you, he may rob your soul of present comfort; and by
giving place to him, you will suffer loss experimentally.
Therefore write I thus, that by the Divine blessing your
weak hands which hang down may be lifted up, your feeble knees strengthened,
and you, though so lame, may not be turned out of the way of faith; but
rather have the sore of unbelief healed, and be enabled to say, "Though He
slays me, yet will I trust in Him." "What time I am afraid, I will trust in
You." May you be encouraged to look towards Jesus, if you cannot look at
Him—to hope in His salvation, if at present you cannot enjoy it, or triumph
in it; and though your sins rise mountains high, presenting a new mountain
every day; seek faith, more faith, in that precious blood, which, as a
mighty ocean, will overtop them all. I humbly pray my precious Emmanuel to
show Himself to you through the lattice, to let you see that you are
graven on the palms of His hands; yes, that as the great High Priest He
bears you on His heart, and on His shoulders, in the holiest place, not made
with hands. And now I commend you unto Him who will "perfect that which
concerns you," for He will have a desire unto the work of His own hands. I
cease not to pray for you, and am looking out for the loosing of the
prisoner. Adieu, my dear Miss M—.
With affectionate love, believe me, yours very sincerely,
Ruth