every child of God would form one memorandum, at least, in his mind,
which no passing event could obliterate; namely, that the Lord’s eye is
over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers.” The Lord
revealed himself to the patriarch, Jacob, as the God of his Fathers, in
an everlasting covenant, and with this precious addition—“And behold, I
am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and
will bring thee again to this land; for I will not leave thee until I
have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”—_Gen._ xxviii. to the
end.
The reader of Jacob’s history, in the Bible, will know, that many a dark
providence beset Jacob after this, and numberless sharp exercises, but
the promise never failed. It has been, and still is, the Lord’s delight
to manifest his care for his this people in a way of providence, before
and after their conversion; a being enabled to trace some of those
gracious manifestations, and to be assured that the chequered inditings
of providence are written with the finger of love, will most blessedly
bow our necks to the yoke, and produce our resignation to his sovereign
will.—The whole Bible is an exhibition of what the Lord is to his people,
and what he has done for them in grace and providence; and what is
providence, but the hand of Divine Faithfulness, making good his precious
promises? The word providence is never but once used in the Bible, that
I remember, and that is in the flattering speech of Tertullus, _Acts_,
xxiv, 2. And what is providence, but the Creator of all things, making
provision for all his creatures? As the God of providence, he is the
Saviour of all men—the preserver—but especially of them which believe;
this was an article in Abraham’s faith—he called the name of that place
Jehovah, Jireh, God will provide. It is our mercy to be enabled to watch
his hand in our personal concerns—and those who regard not the work of
the Lord, he will destroy them.
The proud hearts of the carnal wicked world, in general, ascribe their
mercies to fortune, luck, and chance—the trinity of fools; and such pour
sovereign contempt on that Providence which ordereth all things in heaven
and on earth; but whoso is wise will observe these things, and he shall
understand the kindness of the Lord. Hence the saying of the wise—“Whoso
eyeth the providence of the Lord shall never want a providence to watch.”
This has been true in the experience, more or less, of all the Lord’s
tried people, who have waded through much tribulation, and arrived safe
at home: and this is the present experience of the Lord’s people upon
earth; it is a part of their life of faith, and often produces prayer and
praise, watchfulness, and gratitude—so I have found it, almost through
the whole course of my life. Amongst thousands of circumstances I have
read of the Lord’s gracious dealings with his people, in providence, I
remember one, in particular, in the case of Mr. Fox, who wrote the Book
of Martyrs, in the close of the reign of Henry the Eighth;—that he went
to London, where the want of employment soon reduced his pocket to
emptiness, and every source of maintenance failed: in this situation, as
he sat one day in St. Paul’s church, spent with long fasting, his
countenance thin, his eyes hollow, and with the ghostly appearance of a
dying man, every one seemed to shun him with horror; there came one to
him whom he had never seen before, and thrust into his hand an untold sum
of money, bidding him to be of good cheer, and accept that small gift in
good part; adding, that in a few days new hopes were at hand, and a more
certain condition of livelihood; and sure enough it came to pass—for,
within three days after, the Duchess of Richmond sent for him, to live in
her house, and to become the tutor of the Earl of Surrey’s children, then
under her care. Thus, as the German proverb says,—“When the bricks are
doubled, then comes Moses;”—that is, man’s greatest extremity is God’s
opportunity.
The best treatise I ever read on Divine Providence is the excellent
Flavell’s “Mystery of the Divine Conduct:” and the most remarkable
accounts of the appearance of Providence, next to the Bible, is in
Professor Frank’s account of the building of the orphan-house at Glauca,
which astonished the King of Prussia, so that he desired the whole
account of it. I wish every Christian was in possession of it.—The
account of the life of Mr. Barry, as re-published by Mr. Huntington, is
very interesting; so also is that gentleman’s “Bank of Faith:” it has
encouraged many of the Lord’s people to trust in the Saviour; and they
have proved him to be “The faithful God.” Infidels who are white-washed
with a profession of religion, have made that book the subject of their
sport, banter, and ridicule; but it is a simple correct statement of
facts; and my readers, if taught of God, can probably give their
testimony, likewise, to similar facts—“For the hand of the Lord shall be
known towards his servant.” Foote, in his play of “The Minor,” ridiculed
this subject of Providence in a most scurrilous manner, wherein that
revered character, the rev. George Whitfield, under the assumed name of
Dr. Squintum, is made to pervert and abuse Divine Providence, in the
following doggerel lines:—
“Near the mad mansion of Moorfields I bawl,
Friends, fathers, mothers, sisters, one and all,
_Shut up your shops_, and listen to my call;
With labour, toil, all _second means dispense_;
And live a rent charge upon _Providence_:
Prick up your ears, a story I will tell,
Which once a widow and her child befel;
I knew the daughter and her mother well.
Poor, it is true, they were, but never wanted,
For, whatsoe’er they asked, it was granted;
One fatal day, the matron’s faith was tried,
She wanted meat and drink, and fairly cried.
‘Mother! you cry;’ ‘Oh! child, I’ve got no bread;’
‘What matters that?—Why, Providence arn’t dead!’
With reason good this truth the child might say,
For there came in at noon, that very day,
Bread, greens, potatoes, and a leg of mutton,
A better, sure, a table ne’er was put on.”
_Gospel Mag. Feb._ 1824.
This is a base attack upon Divine Providence, as though persons who
believe in it, and have so much experience of it, gave themselves up to
indolence, neglecting the use of means to support themselves and
families. It is to be lamented that there are some in all churches and
chapels, who are mumping about in idleness, and talking about religion,
to deceive the simple and unwary, and from such I have suffered a little
in pocket and character. But the apostle, by virtue of his high
commission, has said—“For this we commanded you, that if any _will not_
work, neither shall he eat.” A neglect of the means is most daring
presumption; and none but a hypocrite could act so: but the sincere
Christian, who, in the use of means, is watching the hand of God, will be
often honoured with the gracious appearances of God in his divine
providences; for that God who fed the Israelites forty years in the
wilderness, conducted Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees, increased the
widow’s oil and meal, sent out his apostles with a staff only, will
supply the _needs_, not the _wants_ of his people. Surely I can set to
my seal. This is true.
The good hand of God appeared in answering my poor breathings, at an
early period. I was about 18 years of age when I particularly began to
watch the hand of God in a providential way. I was involved in a
difficulty, although not of my own seeking; yet I had to bear the
trouble. I was exceedingly distressed for a few shillings, and it came
into my mind to call on the Lord to send it me, by some means, as I had
not a friend in the world, to whom I could apply for it. I traversed the
garden of the house where I lived, and made my case known to the Lord,
urging his care of me, and the early tokens he had given me of his love.
The next morning I had occasion to go out on an errand, and, in a very
conspicuous place, I saw a one-pound note lay on the ground; and,
although it was very windy weather, being in the month of March, yet the
note lay still. I could see no one near, to whom it belonged, nor did I
ever hear of any one who had lost it. This delivered me entirely from
that trouble: I bought a Bible and another good book with the change—this
taught me the blessedness of carrying my temporal affairs to the Lord,
who has the concerns of all his dear people in his hands, and is the
appointed heir of all things to his church.
Soon after this I had a very severe trial to undergo. My arbitrary
master had endeavoured to prejudice the Governors of the Foundling
Hospital against me, entirely on account of religion; I had to make my
appearance before them, to answer for my conduct. I laid this case
before the Lord, and begged his Divine Majesty to fulfil his gracious
promise, in my experience, as he did for his dear servants, the
apostles.—“I will give you a mouth and wisdom.” This promise I turned
into constant prayer, and the Lord answered me, to the joy of my heart.
My adversary was conquered, and I was commended.
When I left my apprenticeship, being separated from my master by a
magistrate, after serving him duty and truly for nine years; yet, having
two years more of my time to serve, I was left destitute of a
home:—relations I never knew, and where to lay my head I know not. I had
but three bad half-peace in the world. I well remember leaning against a
post, in Moor-street, Seven Dials, and, while my heart was ready to
break, I begged of the Lord to direct me which way to go; but, while
looking up for direction, it was brought to my mind where to go, and what
to do, and there the Lord opened a door in providence. When I had left
my situation in the Borough, a person had previously promised me work;
but when I went to him, he pretended to have forgot such a promise, and I
was again left destitute. I knew not what to do, but the Lord led out my
mind in prayer, that he would appear for me; and, in less than ten
minutes, I again found an answer to prayer, by a door being opened for
me. I found the Lord appear again in a few months after this, in a most
remarkable manner: and thus the Lord continually followed me, wherever I
went, and manifested his providential care towards me. I was, at one
time, brought very low, and all things seemed to fail, to that I was
reduced to a sad extremity; when, passing by St. Clement’s church, by the
light of a window, I saw some halfpence lay on the ground, which I
greedily picked up, and went on blessing God who had appeared for me, at
that time. And, as I found the good hand of God in my low situation, I
was destined to see more of his good hand in a more eminent manner; and
it would, indeed, fill a volume to rehearse the many conspicuous
providences that I experienced in my family. When we have been reduced
to the greatest necessity, the Lord has sent relief in the very moment of
extremity. Having married, as related before, I was completely destitute
of furniture; I acknowledge this was imprudent, but my concern was
getting my bird before I had a cage to put it in: yet the Lord, in due
time, sent us first one article, and then another, in a most surprising
manner. A gentleman also sent me a good suit of clothes, with a charge
frequently to read the 12th chapter of Luke.
When I first began to preach, it was in coloured cloaths; but a friend
soon after sent me a suit of black. When my wife was taken in labour,
with one of her children, we had but two-pence in the world, which
distressed her feelings; but, looking to the Lord, without naming our
circumstances to any, abundance of mercies flowed in a whole month—and,
as my family increased, so the Lord increased my income. When leaving
the country, I was sixty pounds in debt; but, in a few weeks, the Lord
raised me up friends to pay that: and, how often, when we have been
destitute of money, of food, and of clothes, has his good hand appeared!
Frequently when others have been distressed, I have relieved them, to my
own injury, for the time; but the Lord has always amply repaid me.
Amongst many instances I will only relate this:—a poor, but good man, was
in prison for debt: he sent to me for thirty or forty shillings; I had
just thirty, and sent it to him. On the preaching-night satan harassed
my mind sorely in the pulpit, on account of my folly; but, as soon as I
had concluded my sermon, a lady came into the vestry, and put two pounds
in my hand—thus I was paid well. And so I have found it true, that he
that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord; and that which he layeth
out he will pay him again.
All my days I have been a pensioner on the Divine Providence for every
shilling—for food and raiment. Many a one has relieved my wants, when
they had not the least idea I was at that moment in extremity. I can
only look back with wonder and gratitude at forty years’ experience of
superabounding grace; at thousands of displays of a kind providence; and
the amazing manifestations of divine care and faithfulness; and, at
times, overwhelmed with a sense of covenant goodness, can only say, with
David, “Who am I, O Lord God, that thou hast brought me hitherto; and is
this the manner of men, O Lord God?”—Oh, for a grateful heart.
Yours, J. C.
I must observe, here, that it is the business of faith not only to be
looking to Jesus for salvation, but to be eyeing God, in Christ, as a
covenant God, in temporal mercies; and to be perpetually pleading what
God is, and what he has promised in the covenant: it is a mercy to see
him, as the Father, the begetter of mercies, and to be looking to his
care for us. “He careth for you.” His wisdom in managing; his
condescension; his free grace; his divine sovereignty; the gracious ends
he has in view; the channel of atoning blood, through which all our
temporal mercies flow; and the amazing goodness of God in all, both in
what is _denied_ us, and what is _given_ us!
“Good when he gives, supremely good,
Nor less, when he denies;
E’en crosses, from his sovereign hand,
Are blessings in disguise.”
And “All things whatsoever ye shall ask, in my name, I will do it.” This
may be ridiculed by fools; but many such have been forced, in extremity,
to call upon God to appear in that very providence they have ridiculed;
some in storms at sea, and some in trouble on land; the confession of a
God of providence has been extorted from the lips of those who have
denied him. A great writer remarks, concerning the Persian army, when
discomfited by the Grecians—“being hotly pursued, we must needs venture
over the great water, Strymon, then frozen, but beginning to thaw—when, a
hundred to one but we had all died for it. With mine eyes I then saw so
many of these gallants, whom I had heard so boldly maintain _there was no
God_, every one upon their knees, with eyes and hands lifted up, begging
hard for help and mercy, and entreating that the ice might hold till they
get over;” and sure I am, that the character that lives and dies without
pleading for mercy, in this world, will beg in vain _for a drop of water
in hell_.
Yours, J. C.
LETTER IX. {200}
“There hath no temptation happened unto you, but what is common to
man.”
To —
The grand adversary of God and man is compared both to a lion and a
serpent: under the former character he has raged and roared against the
church, in every age, and after every called and quickened believer; but,
in the latter character, he has acted his worst part. In this form he
assaulted Eve, and in the same he has carried on his works of darkness in
this world; and, as he began by deceiving, so he will complete his work
by the same.—_Rev._ xx.
Soon after the Lord had begun his work in my heart, persecution began,
hell raged, satan roared; but, through mercy, the ass did not regard the
crying of that driver, but was kept in search after life and
truth.—_Job_, xxxix. 5, 6, 7, 8. This having no effect to deter, satan
resorted to another method. This was about the time that the wretched
Tom Paine published his book against the Bible; I never bought it, though
thousands did; but, one day, at a friend’s house, I saw it lay, and when
I was left alone I read a part of it—this produced no bad effect on my
mind at that time; but, shortly afterwards, the infamous passage I had
read was hurled into my mind with strange powers. It came like a dart, a
fiery dart, nor could I get rid of it for some time; it came very often,
and sorely distressed me. I begged of the Lord to remove it, which he
did; this cured me for ever of meddling with edged tools. The Lord gave
me secret power to rise superior to it; established me more than ever in
the truth, and created in my mind an everlasting hatred to erroneous
books. I was often entreated to read such books; but no—“A burnt child
dreads the fire:” and I am always sorry to see professors so eager to
read deistical publications, with a view to see the objections made to
Holy Writ. “Let him that _thinketh_ he standeth, take heed, lest he
fall.” This temptation was, of course, soon followed up with another,
such as this—“How do you know the Bible is true?” This came from the
devil, and is in the mouth of his own children to this day; and to such I
seldom give an answer, except in few words. This reminds me of an
infidel in a stage coach, who was letting his tongue run against God and
truth, bidding defiance to any man to prove the Bible to be the Word of
God: an aged plain country woman replied, “Why, I thinks as how it is the
Word of God, because it says, that ‘in the last days there shall come
mockers,’ and I am sure thou beest one of them.”
Many great and learned men took up their pens in defence of truth, and
very ably answered the wretched scribbling Deist. I never read them, but
begged of the Lord to shew me the subject himself; which he did, by
leading me more clearly to understand the truth, and to see the harmony
of every part of it, its doctrines and its precepts, by giving me power
to feel and enjoy its consolations, and by leading me to see the reason
why such characters oppose it: because it is written, “The wicked shall
be turned into hell;” and “He that believeth not is condemned already,
and the wrath of God abideth on him.” And, as these are awful truths,
can we wonder at the opposition the Word of God meets with, from men of
corrupt minds? They tell us, indeed, it is a cunningly-devised fable, a
system of mere priestcraft. If a fable, who wrote it—good men, or
angels? Bad men, or devils? Good men or angels could not be guilty of
falsehood, in saying repeatedly, “Thus saith the Lord.” Bad men or
devils would never write a book to describe their own character, reproach
their own conduct, and condemn themselves to everlasting punishment.
The Lord delivered my soul from this snare, by the power of truth, and
has made me a living witness, by his grace, of the authenticity of his
own Word; so that I may sing—
“Precious Bible, what a treasure
Does the Word of God afford!
All I want, for life and pleasure,
Shield, or medicine, or sword.”
The best piece I have seen written on this subject, of a modern date, is
by the rev. I. Irons, entitled, “The Cloud of Witnesses,” intended as an
antidote to infidelity. I beg leave to recommend it to all I know,
especially to believers, who are situated amongst the ungodly.
The next attack the enemy made on my mind, was respecting the Sacred
Trinity. This temptation, more or less, assaulted me for years;
sometimes in such an awful manner, that I never can describe; but I have
generally noticed, that diabolical temptations hurled into the mind, have
been generally levelled against one or other of the Sacred Persons in the
Trinity. These temptations do not arise from the common corruptions of
the human heart, although satan does, at times, stir them up; but they
are, in general, sent or shot by the devil into the mind.—Such
temptations are not the believer’s sin, but satan’s; although he often
lays these brats at our doors.
There is a difference to be observed between our sinful nature and such
temptations; the former is always with us, but the others are only
visitors, and unwelcome ones, indeed—yet they have an awful tendency to
distress the soul; and, perhaps, in such an intricate manner, as is
impossible to relate. Hence the old question, invented by the devil, and
started by men of infidel principles—“How can three be one, or one
three?” Why, as it respects things in common, it is impossible—but, as
it respects the adorable Trinity, I am taught to believe that there are
three divine persons in one divine essence. How this can be, neither
angers nor men can define; but that it is so, the Scriptures are clear.
I am bound to believe it, because God hath said it, and it is at man’s
peril to refuse him that speaketh from heaven. The way this temptation
sometimes operated, was this:—satan made up, or drew three figures of
persons on my imagination, and then asked me how these three could be
one? Impossible. And so say I. Such figures, images, dolls, idols,
drawn by that artful limner, cannot be one, nor one three. This
temptation was aided and assisted by the popish pictures of the Trinity,
an engraving of which is put as a frontispiece to Dr. Samuel Clarke’s
Bible, and which I consider to be the most abominable blasphemy; one of
the characters is represented as a very aged man, with a long beard;
another, rather younger, receiving a sceptre; and a third, the figure of
a dove: and these are called the persons in the Trinity. This is truly
awful; satan himself is the author of it, and man the dupe of his satanic
deceptions.
I believe but very few of God’s children escape temptation upon this
subject; and I make no apology in saying, that pictures drawn by man, or
painted upon our imaginations of either of the persons in the sacred
Trinity, is blasphemy. The Lord delivered me again and again from this
temptation, by leading my mind to what God has said of himself, who
certainly is the best judge of himself. Hence the question—“To whom,
then, will ye liken God, or shall I be equal, saith the Lord? To whom,
then, will ye liken God, or what likeness will ye compare unto him?”
The Bible sets forth God under the emblems of fire, water, wind, or air.
And what picture can ever be drawn of these, as persons? “God is a
_Spirit_.”—“God is _light_.”—“God is _love_.”—And what are all his
glorious perfections, but himself manifested in such characters?
Holiness, Truth, Wisdom, Justice, Grace, Mercy, Goodness, Majesty,
Eternity, Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient. And what
figures can be drawn of this Sacred, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty?
I trust this remark will be blest to some characters who have suffered
under the same temptation. But, although it has pleased the God of Grace
to reveal himself in the _Oneness_ of the Divine Unity; so it is our
mercy, yea, our salvation, that he has been pleased also to reveal
himself, in his Trinity of persons, under the gracious names, and
relative terms in the grand economy of our salvation.
“There are three which bear record in heaven”—the Father; the Word, (as
Son of God;) and the Holy Spirit; and these _three_ are _one_—not merely
one person, bearing three _names_, but three persons—nor yet three gods,
but only one in essence—_three_ in persons, distinct in personality,
names, and office—This Sacred Three bear record to the Sonship, Godhead,
Divinity, and Dignity of Christ. So they also bear record to the
consciences of God’s dear people—that they are the Lord’s. The record of
the Father is, “Yea, I have loved thee;”—the record of the Son is, “I
have redeemed thee;”—and the record of the Spirit is, “I have called
thee.” It is necessary this grand point should be well understood by the
Lord’s people, that they may enjoy distinct holy communion with, and give
equal glory to, the adorable Author of Salvation.
It was my lot to fall in with, and to be often situated with characters
who were inimical to this grand fundamental truth. Swedenborg denied the
existence of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Socinians, Arians, and
Sabellians, either in one form or another, deny the Godhead of Christ,
and the personality of the Holy Spirit. Thus, amongst this motley group,
they leave us no God at all. Many have been my conflicts with such; but
the Word is so plain upon the subject, that it needs no comment, only by
comparing a very few out of the many scriptures of truth, and drawing a
very reasonable inference from the plainest testimony. This has been
done by an excellent author, the rev. W. Jones; and the great Mr.
Macgowan, in his “Twenty Letters to J. Priestly, D.D.”