J. Church

“ May the comfortable assurance of this sweet truth make us happy in life and death. This will make our bed in our sickness, and strengthen us on the bed of languishing, just as the ever-blessed Spirit is pleased to open our minds, to receive it in the power, sweetness, and glory of it. Several in your family I trust, are effectually called by grace. What a mercy, that you will soon meet them above—this is a pleasing thought to depart with, and you have little else to do but to go home. ”

“ Do you not feel glad when you hear of the sound conversion of any one to Jesus, when they are able to give a scriptural account of the Lord’s dealings with them?—’tis because you love him. Do you not feel grateful to the Saviour, when you are favored with an affecting sight of him, as dying for you, rising for you, and living for you?—’tis because you love him. Do you not feel thankful at times, that the good work was ever begun in your heart, and that you have any love to him—surely ’tis because you love him. ”

“ Hill the honor to bear them, with this charge, Take these children and nurse them for me, not for sin, nor for the world, nor for Satan, but for God—Selah. Nature no doubt, most sensibly feels the stroke, but may the good hand of God support you, and the full assurance of meeting them again, bear up your sinking spirits like pillars of marble. I am anxious to know how you are in mind and body, and assure you I can weep with you, but I am fully persuaded you will see vast wisdom in this stroke another day. ”

“ At nine o’Clock I heard him, having ascended the scaffold, in supplication, which increased in fervent entreaties, and committing his soul into the hands of the Redeemer. His petitions were earnest and importunate, and as he increased in agitation, so also in devout intreaties, crying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit; Look, look upon a poor murderer. Oh, by the blood of the cross, by the blood of calvary, look upon me. Lord have mercy upon me. Lord— here he was going to speak again, but the drop fell, and his soul took its flight to the bosom of its Saviour and its God ”

“ This will make me happy in captivity, and contented with the will of God. But, alas, I am very rebellious! What a mercy when we can see that every trial, cross, loss, disappointment, pain, and difficulty is in covenant love, flowing to us, because God has loved us; and to conform us to his lovely image, we want the mind kept by an almighty power—still, resigned, quiet, and composed, as a hand ought to be steady, that holds a glass of some very costly liquid. We want keeping quiet, while God takes the opportunity of pouring into the soul the precious consolations ”

“ It is love, but it being set on some, and not on others; some are elect angels, some are not; some are elect men, some are not; and this love being so distinguished, is grace, or free favour; and this favour manifested to us as fallen, guilty, hell-deserving creatures, is mercy. I wish you to make these distinctions, as they will open many blessed texts and doctrines of the word. Now as grace and mercy flows to us so divinely, this brings peace indeed, and in fact. ”

“ The troubles of Life wean us from the world; the weakness of God’s children, and their faults, keep us from idolizing the very best of them. Sin within us keeps us from settling in the flesh, while the temptations of the devil urge us constantly to make Christ our refuge. Thus the Lord over-rules all for us, and, as an all-wise physician, he compounds all our conflicts, to make us like himself, by being a partaker of his holiness. Every day’s experience proves to us the value of Jesus, as God-Man Mediator—as our atoning sacrifice, and everlasting justification before God. ”

“ The Father kindly guides our eyes to the promises, the invitations, the precious declarations, and kind words of the Saviour in the Gospel. These draw the heart; and as faith gathers sweet views, so hope springs up, and the fears of death and hell, with a sense of God’s anger, gradually abate. The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus in the word, and in our hearts; gives us blessed views of his person and love, his infinite condescension, and his most blessed work in putting away sin, and fulfilling the law; conquering death and subduing hell ”

“ Satan withdraws, hope springs up, and a thirst for God is felt again. Now we begin to stir, to light a candle, to sweep the house, and to search diligently for the sense of God’s love, favor, and pardoning mercy. Sweeping is self-examination, comparing spiritual things with spiritual—that is, our judgement, experience, and views, with God’s word. Lighting a candle is going to Christ, as the true light, enabling you to see his glory, his beauty, his goodness. ”

“ May the dear Saviour bless you. We live in a dying world; a few more rising and setting suns will settle all. May we aim to know, to win, and to be found in Christ: clothed with his righteousness, pardoned with his blood, purified by his spirit, filled with his love, and for ever delighted with his glory. ”

“ These things become precious, as the mind is opened to receive these truths; and as power is felt, so the fruits appear. His love is seen, and this sight under the spirit’s power melts us into nothing, produces godly sorrow, sweet repentance and humility, self loathing, and glowing love to God. This, this my dear friend is my past, and often is my present experience, and my conscience can witness to it ”

“ This is so precious to the Father, that he accepts all that come to him in his dear Son’s name, and pleading his work; he will never send them away, cast them out, or give them up to Satan; this is our mercy; none that trust in him shall be desolate, forsaken, lost, condemned, or damned—Selah.
You have many trials, but they are most divinely appointed to produce the fruits of righteousness, to exercise faith and patience, to empty us of the love of sin and the world, to shew us our weakness, and the daily need we have of Christ, as our strength, our wisdom, and our deliverer. ”

“ I am always glad to hear how my dear friends go on in the divine life; and if they are not increasing sensibly in faith, hope, and love, yet, if growing downward in humility it is still well. What we are in our fallen state, as sinners, must be learned by us—this is all the hell we shall ever experience in this world, and some have found that to be quite hell enough. Under this painful chastening, Jonah cried out of the belly of hell.—The Psalmist declared God had laid him in the lowest deeps. ”

“ Returning to the Lord, is the heart, mind, faith, and hope of a soul, who was chosen in Christ, and united to Christ. Now, by the power of the spirit bending, inclining, seeking, and desiring Christ. Coming to the Lord our God is moving in mind to the Father, as a God of love, grace, and mercy, in Christ to us. Yet, if the Lord is drawing you to Christ, as your only hope, mark, he will have mercy, he will abundantly pardon. Are you, my dear girl, seeking his favour and mercy to be manifested to your soul, convinced of your need of it? ”

“ This arises from the dignity of the person who died for us, it was Jehovah Jesus—possessing every divine perfection in his nature, God over all blessed for ever, who condescended to take up our nature, and obey the law, as man—which himself has given, as God. This was surprising love indeed, love to his own law, and love to us, as sinners. May we love him with every power and passion on earth and in heaven. Christ God-Man is our Saviour—he is the Head of the Church, as the elect, and the only Saviour of her, as fallen. ”

“ All the persons I am situated with, treat me with great respect, and my dear friends supply my wants. Thus I am favored, time is on the wing, eternity and heaven draws near, we shall soon have done with all temporal things, and God will then fill every power of the soul. May your life be in faith, and your death glorious. May God be with you, and among many mercies, may you be thankful the Lord has blessed you with so good a master and mistress, who indulges you with an opportunity of hearing the Gospel—what would I have given for such a situation once. May the Saviour bless them. ”

“ You had better give up religion, or else it will make worse for you in hell. Listen not to this a moment, but fly to the Saviour—be honest; tell him all that you feel and are ensnared with. Plead his sufferings, obedience, death, and intercession. Beg the holy Spirit to shew you these things in such a powerful way as shall subdue sin, not root it out, as certain preachers say—no, the Canaanite will be in the land as long as you live, else where would be the warfare? How could we live by faith on the work of Jesus? ”

“ O what must sin be—may we see it as a most dreadful evil, and those who make a mock at sin mock the Saviour’s bitter anguish. He died, but in dying he satisfied the justice of God, and the Father has declared himself well pleased, quite satisfied with his work. God can now be holy, yet save an unholy sinner; he can be just, and yet justify an ungodly creature; he can be God, and yet pardon the very vilest. The work is done, it was for sinners Jesus died—then sure I hope he died for thee. ”

“ I trust the God of all grace is carrying on his own work in both your souls. This may be doubted by you in your darkest seasons, but when you feel the word with power, when you get access to God, when you feel joy and peace in believing, when you feel Christ very precious to your soul, then you are at a point about it. None can persuade you out of your feelings, nor dispute you out of your esteem for, and love to Christ, his truths, his people, or his word. ”

“ If his last letter to me was genuine, he is saved in the Lord, with an everlasting salvation. His soul is every thing now, the body will soon be lifeless. Solemn thought, affecting idea—to be cut off by an untimely death, in the height of health and manhood! How truly awful; what has sin done, and Oh how great is the power of Satan. The Lord will put an end to the empire of Satan, and confine him down to darkness, fire, and chains, and we shall say Amen to Satan’s sentence. I trust poor Dean has found mercy at the hands of God. ”

“ If the Lord meant to destroy us, he would not have shewed us what he has, nor would he have told us what he has: we have seen our natures, found them vile; we have seen the spirituality of God’s law, we have seen the vanity of all things below the stars, we have seen our strength to be perfect weakness, we have seen the exact suitableness of Christ, we have seen the value of his blood and obedience, and the love of his heart in bearing our persons before the throne, we have seen his good hand in many a trouble, and we have seen his faithfulness, mercy, wisdom, and truth. ”