Chapter IX: Letter IX: Achor’s Vale, May 6, 1819

MY DEAR FRIEND, Miss BRAES,

History relates a poor aged man, who had once been serviceable to his country, and was condemned by a Tyrant to be starved to death in prison. All were astonished that he did not die, seeing no food was brought to him; but it was found afterwards that his married daughter visited him twice a day, and gave him suck from her own breast. This is an instance of filial affection. You have acted almost as kind, in its degree, to me; and with your dear aunt, you have often soothed my sorrows with the milk of human kindness. May my Lord reward it another day. You have heard my poor feeble sermons with pleasure, especially when I have been enabled to point out the beauties, and glories of the _Friend_ of guilty man. I hope I am only learning better how to extol and magnify the grace, the love, the person, and work of _him_, who, to a grace-taught eye, is fairer than the children of men. I have, indeed, fell into a place where two seas meet—the malice of Satan and the power of man; yet, through grace, and when it is well with me, I have this confidence, _I shall arise_; but how, and when, I leave it with God. I am at times troubled about it, but at other times I can cast that burden on the Lord. I wish it laid in my power to write something to you of the dear Saviour, that would lead you to admire and adore him. I have said a little about him, but, alas, it was little indeed. He is the bright Sun in the firmament of heaven, all the millions of angels and spirits of just men who are now in glory, look upon him with wonder and delight; and while they gaze, he fills them with joy, with peace, with love, and with the most solid satisfaction. They wondered at his love when on earth, that he should ever bleed and agonize, sigh and die for them; but, what must they think now they see him in his full glory?

And _now_ they range the heavenly plains,
And sing _his_ love in sweetest strains;
Or, overwhelm’d with rapture sweet,
Sink down, adoring at his feet.

Because _he_ is so glorious, so beautiful, so lovely, and so kind. He saw what poor guilty creatures we should be, condemned to eternal misery and woe. _He_ knew we could not help ourselves out of this state. _He_ knew God was just in condemning us, and he knew that God, as an unchangeable Being, could not alter his oath, As I live, the soul that sinneth shall die! We had broken his Law; we were born in sin; we went astray from infancy, and must have strayed into everlasting darkness, but,

With pitying eye the Prince of Peace,
Beheld our helpless grief.

_He_ took our nature, engaged to fulfil the Law we had broken, and pay the dreadful debt of suffering. This _he_ did heartily for us, and is now in glory, pleading the virtue of that work, and receiving all that come to God by _him_.

Sing, oh ye heavens, Jesus hath done it, and done it, I trust, for my dear young Friend, to whom I write with pleasure. Need I say to you that you stand in need of this Saviour? I hope you are in a little measure convinced of it, and at times, when no eye can see you but the Saviour’s, you send up many an humble wish, fervent desires, and earnest breathings, that the ever-blessed Spirit would teach you Christ, and shew you that your sins are pardoned, that your interest is sure, and that the dear Lord thought upon _you_ when _he_ engaged to die for sinners—that _he_ thought upon you when he entered into the garden of sorrow, and when _he_ said, It is finished! Do often, secretly lift up your heart to _him_, saying, Lord shew me that thou lovest me. This is done by the Spirit and by the Word. May _he_ be very precious to you; and do remember _he_ hath said, They that seek _me_ shall find me. Blessed is she that believeth, for there shall be a performance of those things that are told her from the Lord.

And now do accept my sincerest thanks for your affectionate kindness.

Your’s,
_Ruhamah_.