November 1, 1765
My dear Friend: — Your letter of September OtJi would not have lain so long without an answer, but it was at my house at Lambeth, to which I expected daily to go from Brighthelmstone to Bath. But Lady H having excused my attendance at the dedication of her new chapel, I therefore sent to town for my letters, and, among the rest, found yours; for which, what shall I say? What am I, the very vilest of the vile, that any of the Lord’s people should look on me? But to think of his looking on me, whose eyes are a flame of lire, and yet to look with love; oh, what an humbling thought is that! I declare, the more I daily learn of myself, I grow more amazed how Jesus should love such an one. But he is all grace, or rather grace is Jesus — not something distinct from him, but he himself — his name, because it is his nature.
Unto him be the praise of your kindness to one who has not a single thing to recommend him to your regard but what Jesus’ free grace has most marvelously bestowed upon him. Let him have the glory; for he richly deserves it all. Whatever good I receive in this world, spiritual or temporal, I am indebted for it to his mere bounty — I crown him for it. Take it off my head, and put it upon his. This is heaven below; for they are doing the same in heaven above. As we throw the crown of grace at his feet, so do they the crown of glory. Thus through him I thank you for your letter, and for all your favors.
As to what you write about my not calUng on you in my journey, your disappointment was not, could not be, greater than mine. I learned from it a good lesson. It’s very profitable to take notice of what providences say: they have a tongue, and speak loudly; and the spiritual ear hears, and receives instruction. You see what man is, and what dependence is to be laid upon him. As I was going along the road, I heard a voice saying. Cease ye from man, from yourself, from others: put no confidence in them, in your own good, in their good, or in any good to be received from them. The command is, Put not your trust in primes, nor in amj child of man, be he wise, or great, or esteemed good. Nay, look not at them, but with a single eye look unto Jesus, In him you will see everything to put your confidence in — grace, matchless grace in his heart and lips, heautij beyond compare, riches unsearchable, honor infinite, righteousness everlasting, holiness holy making, and that forever. And all these he has to give, freely to give, to the unworthy. Look at him, believing, and he is yours, and all he has and is. The sight will change you into his image. As the sun shining puts his glory upon every object, so does Jesus. O cease then from man — look not at blind man, dark and benighted — look not at this heavy thick earth, nor at any of its glittering toys: they shine only as shined upon. Cease from them all, and look to Jesus. The good Spirit direct and fix your eyes and mine upon him, till we see heaven in his face.
The same voice still pursuing me, I perceived that I was not only to cease from looking to man and all human things, but also to cease from depending on them. I was not to live upon them. I could, as it were, hear a voice. Live not upon us, but live upon the Prince of Life. He is a never-failing fountain of life; he speaks, and the dead live; his voice makes and keeps alive. We live hij him, and live on him, and in him. All other persons and things but him concern only the perishing, dying life of the body; but the life which he gives is his own spiritual, divine, eternal life. I cannot wish you a greater blessing than to hear with power, and to find what I did in my journey: Cease ye from living upon man, and live upon me. So we do, Lord Christ; the life which we now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the Son of God.
From hence I was led to see the necessity of ceasing to hope for happiness from all these things about us. They have it not to give. It grows not out of that earth which layeth in wickedness, nor can it be increased by any good under the sun; because it is one of the perfect gifts which cometh down from the Father of Lights. And when it is given by his grace, and received by faith, then this true philosopher’s stone turns all things into gold. Faith living upon Jesus can turn those things into happiness, which in their own nature could produce nothing but misery. Wonderful transmutation! it changes darkness into light, death into life, weakness into strength, sin into righteousness, mourning into joy, hell into heaven. By this faith we have Christ in us, the hope of glory — Christ dwelling in the heart; and where he is, there all he has is. All things are ours — salvation from all evil, a title to the love of God, and to the glory of God, and a fitness also and meetness for the eternal enjoyment of God in his love and glory. Cease ye from man, then, and all is yours. Oh, may you and I learn to cease from all schemes of happiness in any object but in Jesus. The more we live to him, the more dead he will make us to everything else. He will let you love your relations, nay, he commands you to love them; but then you must take them from him as his bounty, and use them as his gifts, dependent on his sovereign will, free to give, free to take away, when and what he pleases. When your will can be made thus really resigned to his will, then he will make you happy, and you will feel something of their blessed oneness with him, who have no will but his, and therefore follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. I mark what you say upon that point. A resigned will is not where there is no rising of the flesh against God’s will, but where there is victory over the will of the flesh. Pray take notice of this; and try whether you have not this evidence of your adoption, that you desire the Father’s will, and not yours, may be done.
I am laboring at Brighthelmstone among a sweet people, with whom I am exceedingly happy. The work of dear Jesus prospers among us. His person grows more beloved, his work more precious; fellowship with him more close and intimate, and therefore more happy. Our hearts, warmed with his love, are warm with brotherly love, stirring up one another to press forward for the prize of our high calling — that is, to win Christ, and be found with him at the hour of death, and at the day of judgment. May the same Lord Christ grow dearer to you and yours every day.
I am always bound to pray for your welfare, being by many ties yours,
W. R.