Chapter XII: Letter XII: Valley of Achor, March 16, 1819

To I. R. ESQ.

MY DEAR SIR,

I am truly happy to hear that the Lord has restored you again in some measure to health. I was much affected at the news of your sudden indisposition, and knew not what was the will of God concerning you, but through mercy, I trust your spared life is for the glory of God, and will be a means of your increasing in knowledge, that your mind may be better prepared for the special Service of God, and that you may be ready to take your flight as soon as the _Lord_, the _Master_ cometh and calleth for you. Every attack of the constitution is a messenger sent to let us know our frailty: these tabernacles of flesh are but weak, and hang on a precarious thread; our bones are the _stakes_, the _cords_ are the sinews, and the _breath_ is the main pillar. Great God, on what a slender thread hangs everlasting things; the eternal state of all the dead hangs on such feeble strings.

God has laid an everlasting foundation for _his_ dear people in the everlasting covenant; the effect of _his_ everlasting love, the profound depth of _his_ infinite wisdom, which has secured an everlasting salvation, by an everlasting righteousness, which will be to the everlasting praise of Jehovah, and to the everlasting joy of _his_ dear church.

Then at _his_ throne our crowns we’ll cast,
And shout, I am saved, I am saved at last!

Your indisposition, and indeed every other calamity is as that messenger of whom the prophet Elisha gave orders to notice, Look, as when the messenger cometh, hold him fast, and shut to the door, is not the sound of his master’s feet behind? So may we detain every message of sorrow. Ask the question, Why is this sent me? what does he say from his master? But why ask this? the sound of Christ is heard, Behold, I come quickly. Our deep concern of soul, and every conviction of sin, every fear of death, judgment, and eternity should be entertained, thought over, and made use of, to go to God with, and entreat the manifestation of pardoning love and mercy. Hence, _he_ has promised to be found of them that seek _him_, to be found as a God in Christ, in whom all fulness dwells, and having all the blessings of an everlasting covenant to bestow upon the heirs of promise. _He_ giveth to them just as they need; but these blessings are only given to the poor and helpless, the lost, the guilty, and the vile, and till this is the case with us, we can never be in earnest about Christ, and _his_ Salvation. Wretches that feel what help they need, will bless the helping hand; and till the Saviour puts forth _his_ power, we can do no more than the mariners did with Jonah aboard; the men rowed hard to bring it to land, but the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. Christ is the only one who can still the tempest of a distressed mind, and bring us on our knees, exclaiming, What manner of _man_ is this, that even the winds and sea obey _him_. This is a comfort to me in my most dreary prospects.

I remain yours,
With respect,
_Ruhamah_.