Letters, 1836
Lattew To Dr. RiBf on endnriitf Afflietioii — To Rat. J. H. Oomcj on lbs Purchue of AdvowBODS — To Rev. Mr. I on the nme Sabjoct — To a Ladj attending her Mother in her last lUneM — Bztncti from Letters to a Friend recounting the Incidents of his Toor — To Archdeacon Hodson on retuming from his Toor — To Dr. Ring on the same Sttbiect — To Rer. J. Venn on CkMiTorsion — To a Perwn under deep Mental Distress — To the Bishop of CaleutU on the Indian Bpiseopate To a Priend on bmUing a Choich at Jerusalem.
1896.
OORRBSrOVDBVOB.
To Dr. Ring, od endujcing Affliction.
<’K.C.,F«bul6»183«.
My dear Friend, —
I thank God who in His tender mercy has restored you to health, both of body and mind. In all cases of affliction it is my habit to ask, * Whence come you 7 and whither go you T’ And the answer I invariably receive, speedily and effectually composes my mind: * I come from your Father, to bring you into closer communion with Him, and richer knowledge of Him, and more entire conformity to His image.’ I apprehend this had been Paul’s habit, when in the midst of such afflictions, as no other man ever sustained for so long a time, he cried in reference to them alU 9^oxQ, sidoxw, 2 Cor. xii. 10; see James i. 2. I do not act thus in reference to the afflictions of my friends. There I would ‘weep with those that weep.’ But my sympathy relates to the present only; whilst faith and hope carry me on to the future, and enable me with a degree of comfort to anticipate the end* James v. IL It has been thus as it respects you. First I have said, where there is so much physical excitement, I do not wonder that there should be some physical depression. Perhaps, too, God may have sent the latter to reprove and correct the former. And I doubt not but that the effect will be, to make the future elevation of your mind more pure and spiritual. Your religion has always been charactei-ized by life. It may henceforth be of a deeper and more sombre character, like that in heaven, where they all prostrate themselves with deepest self-abasement* even whilst they sinff their loudest songs. The finest melodies that were ever made have not only admitted of touches of the bass, or double bass, but have by means of them been rendered incomparably
more sublime. And I trust your melodies will, by means of your late afflictions, become more attuned to the melodies of heaven.
“It is indeed most delightful to me to hear of the progress 6f the Gospel in Reading; and the offer of a pulpit there to advocate the Jewish cause made me almost leap half-way to accept it. But with all foreign service I have done. I am now only a poor pensioner-soldier, wearing the king’s uniform, and just twice a week attending the parade, and dischai’ging the domestic exercise that has been assigned me.
Most truly yours, C. Simeon.’*
To the Rev. J. H. Gurnet, on the purchase of Advowsons.
«Maroh31, 1836.
” My dear Sir, —
It is a duty which I owe to you and to Almighty God, to inform you that the measure which you have adopted has greatly interested many persons and brought me considerable aid; insomuch that I revoke the paragraph in my letter, — I must take care that. I do not go to jail.’ I feel that I must of necessity have many irons in the fire at once, and many engagements on hand at once; but the aid your letter has gained me, (and I expect will gain me,) says to me as from God Himself, Go on;’ and Go on
(d. v.) I WILL.
“I am glad you did not ask my leave to print my letter, for I could not nave consented to it. Ostentation I utterly abhor; nor could I expect the blessing of God upon me, if I were guilty of it But your unauthorized expose of my plans has called forth the liberality of so many, and the good will of so many, that I shall have no fear of the religious public suffering me to go to jail in such a cause as this. ITou have made me as it were a centre of union in this glorious cause; and have shown me that if only I act with simpBcity to God, and in humble dependence upon Him, I may yet in a prudent way and with moderation advance, and extend my efforts in full (not stinted) proportion, as ray means of advancement are increased. The way in which I had argued is this: If I exceed my means, and need to be rescued from difficulty, religious persons will say, * What business had he to exceed his means T we may be called upon for all manner of follies and extravagancies, if we interpose in this case: — he must get out of his difficulties as he can.’ And this I judged to be dishonorable to God in every view. But after the encouragement I have received through your instrumentality, I feel that the religious friends, whether they approve of my prudential fears or not, will approve of a holy and well-tempered teal, when a call to the exercise of it is so clear... * Let not your good be evil spoken of,’ seems quite in point as it respects me. My communications have
454 ON’ PURCHABINO ADVOWSONS. [gHAP. XXZOI.
been private; and it is with reluctance that even in private I mention -what has a tendency to exalt myself. But facts most be sometimes declared as grounds for the procedure of others/*
To the Rev. Mr. I — — on the same subject.
**My dear Sir, —
“You may well inquire why I never answered your kind letter: I will tell you. The same post brought me the paper in which your advertisement was contained; so that the die was cast* and I had no power, except in a way of direct prohibition, to alter it When my letter to a friend in England was printed, it was done without my concurrence. Had I been consulteo, I would have forbidden the printing of it: but God overruled it for wonderful good,
To this hour I have rather been passive than active in the whole matter. At the commencement I made two applications for help, and failed in both; and then I determined to content myself with exerting my own very limited and slender powers, so far as they might be available, for this great work. I have not to learn at this day the danger of self becoming an active princi-Ele, where love to God and man is thought even by ourselves to e our only motive; but this cannot operate when we stand still and see the salvation of the Lord; and the more ardent our wishes are, the more this line of conduct approves itself to my mind. Had I written to you, I should have felt as if I were touching the ark. I therefore waited in silence to see what should be the issue of the steps you had taken, that so the hand of God in it might the more clearly appear; not the smallest particle of your success being by any possibility to be ascribed to anything written to you by me. This was my main inducement to keep silence: but another motive was to guard against any recurrence of what had recently taken place in England. To persons who had kindly and liberally aided me with their contributions, I had written letters of a confidential nature relative to my hopes and prospects; and behold, the editor of some paper or periodical publication got access to some of my letters, {how I know not; but it was a grievous act of treachery in those who delivered them up to him;) and then put together a number of extracts from them, and pub lished them as one continuous letter from me — to the grief of all my friends, who knew not how to account for such a medley of injudicious matter being sent forth into the world under my name. I believe neither the editor nor my treacherous correspondents designed to do me any ill; but they took the best method imaginable to defeat my plans; and from that time I have been careful to restrain my pen from writing anything more than a plain letter of thanks, except to those whom I knew, and could fully trust.
CaAP. XXXIII.] ON PaECDASING ADVOW80N8. 4g5
Had I written to you, I must either have spoken in a strain of cold indifierence, or have opened my heart with my wonted ardor. The former would have been quite foreign to my feelings, and the latter was, under existing circumstances, contrary to my judgment; therefore I adopted the painful alternative of waiting, till I should have some further communication from you. But now I feel no restraint; and if what I write be made known ever so far, I shall at least have the pleasure of counteracting the evil impression made on the public by the conduct of my treacherous friends, and of the injudicious — not to say unrighteous — editor. The printed letter that has been circulated far and wide, (a copy of which I now send you.) fully makes known my general object And through the goodness oi God, it has brought me aid to a very great extent. By recent donations I am enabled to make some further efforts; and the blessed tidings which your letter conveys of aid from Dublin, determines me to advance to the uttermost extent that common prudence will admit The object is of incalculable importance. The securing of a faithful ministry in influential places would justify any outlay of money that could be expended on it; and if I were able to enect it by any funds of my own, they would be most gladly supplied for the attainment of so great an end. If our blessed Lord came down from heaven, and died upon the cross, for the salvation of immortal souls — sure I am, that nothing which we can do for the promotion of His glory and of man s salvation can be justly deemed superfluous or inexpedient. Who that sees what God has enabled me to accomplish, in adding these four places to what I had already attained, will say that my eflforts have been in vain? Some have thought that the expenditure for two or three of the places has been excessive; but I have proof that it has been very little beyond what was tendered by others. And there is this difierence between myself and others: they purchase income — ^I purchase spheres wherein the prosperity of the Established Church, and the kingdom of our blessed Lord, may be advanced; and not for a season only, but, if it please God, in perpetuity also. It has been suggested to me, that it would be better K>r me to make a separate trust for these; but this proposal arises from an apprehension that some one of my trustees may prove unfaithful in the discharge of his duty. But if one unfaithful man be found amount five, what shall I do in doubling my trust, but double my risk also? The greatness of their trust, whilst it augments their responsibility, will, I hope, augment also their vigilance, that their conscientious fidelity may approve itself to all. You are at liberty to use’ this letter as your own judgment shall dictate; and pray return my most cordial thanks to all the contributors. I am, my dear sir,
*’Your most afiectionate and much indebted brother in the Lord, Chas. Simeon.’’
4M niWS ON DBATB. [cHAF.
To a Ladt, on attending her Mother in her last ilineas.
“K.C.,Jane13, 183&
My dear Madam, —
It is with no little afTection that I bear in my
remembrance; and I should delight to open and unfold to her in her present affliction all those sources of consolation, which I myself two years ago found so efiectual for my own support But in the present state of my mind 1 am scarcely equal to it. I am just setting off upon a long, long journey of about 500 miles to visit some of my churches, and am quite oppressed as it were with a variety of matters. In less than an hour I set off; and on such a sacred subject as that of heavenly consolation I need a collectedness and a tenderness of mind. I cannot bear to utter truths without feeling them deeply in my own soul. They reproach me as I utter them, and I cannot expect the blessins of Gkni upon them. But one thing I can say without much self-reproach; viz. that we are in the hands of a Father, who is at this moment doing for us precisely the thin which we ourselves should ask at His hands, if we knew, as He does, what is best for us. Hence, though permitted to ask of Him the things which are accounted good, we have no solicitude about events, because we are sure that if we have not the very thing we asked, we shall have that which will eventually be better for us. I can scarcely tell you what peace and tranquillity have issued from this thought, at the time when it was supposed by every one around me that I was dying; and I commend it to dear, as that which her situation peculiarly requires. All the wonders of redeeming love have long been her meditation day and night. The contemplation of these is equally delightful, whether in health or sickness, life or death; but the thought I have suggested is called for on this particular occasion, both as a personal and domestic solace when a darkness as it were is encompassing us, and a painful uncertainty is hanging over us in relation to coming events. My friend Mr. Thomason in his dying hour said, * There is a dark long vista, but there is light a the end.’ His mother being reminded of that in her last hour, replied, ‘No, it is light to me all the way.’ This is
what I wish for my dear friend at this time: though in my
mind all the concerns of the present moment are swallowed up in eternity. I stamp on the rock of my salvation, and never find it shake under me; and whilst this is the case, I never feel anxious about any little blast that may blow around me.
“Pray present my truly Christian regards to, whom I
hope to bear in special remembrance at the throne of crace; and believe me, my dear madam,
“Your most affectionate and sympathizing friend,
“C. SiMBOII.*’
CHAP. ZXZIII.] INCIDENTS OF HIS LAST TOUK. 457
Extracts firom various letters to a Frieod, recounting the incidents of his last tour.
Cheltenham, July 1, 1836.
—My dear,
“Wonderful is the goodness of God towards me. The
iout which menaced me, and which humanly speaking could not ail of confining me for weeks, has left me, and I am now a strong as usual. My efforts indeed are rather beyond my strength; but I am cautious, and have been sitting alone all the morning, and am now prepared for renewed intercourse with
friends, who are showing me all imaginable love
“Saturday morning. Notwithstanding my exertions last night, I am quite well this morning, and preparing for my work at Trinity Church to-morrow. This is the church in which Mr. Thomason labored, and it will be delightful to me to stand up in
his place Here at Cheltenham I have almost had a
heaven upon earth. The churches so capacious, and so filled; the schools so large, so numerous, so beneficial; the people so full of love; the ministers such laborious and energetic men; and God himself so graciously with me in my exertions: in truth, I can scarcely conceive any higher happiness on earth than 1 am now privileged to enjoy.” ....
Thursday evening. Hereford! Hereford! Hereford I I am now at Mr. Venn’s, availing myself of his absence on some ministerial employment, to write to my dear friend, who is’ so kindly interesting herself for me. It is indeed a pleasure to me to express my ooligations to you, and to your mother, who so kindly unites with you in this labor of love. I have desired not to see friends before Sunday, that I may have all my strength for labor, so far as shall consist with prudence. At Cheltenham it was almost impossible for me to be so silent as I could wish; but here I shall feel more retired, and more at liberty to act in* exact
accordance with my judgment.”
^’Trgly at Cheltenham I had almost a heaven upon
earth. Here also I am most happy; and now quite recovered from toy fatigue: and so strong, that by preference I walk upon the lawn without a stick. I hear from Mr. C. that I am appointed to preach (before the University) in November. I was quite indifierent about it, having prepared my sermons for posterity after that 1 am removed from the earth. At Cambridge they will be heard only by a thousand; but I hope, when I am gone, they will be read by many thousands, and prove of lasting benefit to the Church. To have such a hope as this, is the highest honor and the sublimes’t happiness, that a fallen creature can enjoy.” .... “I am engaged this evening to meet nearly twenty clergymen; and I hope God will enable me to speak something for their ffood. It is a blessed opportunity for advancing the honor of my Lord and the welfare of immortal souls.” ....
458 INCIDENTS OF UlS LAST TOUR. [cHAP. XXXIII.
“Saturday, There were thirty in all at tea; and at the exposition and prayer about twenty-five others; and God gracionsiy helped me: and though my exertion was great, I trust I shall be able to preach to-morrow with unabated’ strength. Truly I can never be thankful enough to God for bringing me hither.” ....
“I am, notwithstanding I have had almost a heaven upon earthy beginning to pant for home again. My own abode, and my own ‘people, are alter all dearer to me than all others; and I look for restoration to them with joy.”
“Birmingham, July 14, 1S36.
I had yesterday morning the most profitable
season that I ever had for about three hours with three of the most influential clergymen in Birmingham, so far as I could render it
rrofitable. J was mercifully assisted both in body and mind; and hope that Mr. Marsh*s hands were considerably strengthened. With this exception, I do not find Birmingham at all equal to Cheltenham or Hereford in respect of comfort or usefulness. As for Darlaston, I expect but little there, where I shall be choked with smoke. Yet I think I shall stay over Sunday there, if by
any means I may confirm Mr. ^’s testimony to the Gospel of
our Lord. At Lichfield 1 expect much comfort. I feel that I am too much influenced by human aflections; and that I can more freely and fully exercise holy aflections, when natural aflections open a free scope for them. I wish it were not so, but that I could put forth all my powers most when they are most needed.”
“Darley, July 29, 1836.
“Yesterday I packed ofl* ten letters, and now find myself at liberty to write a few lines to the kind friend that is taking so much trouble for me. This day week, and I shall, I hope, be getting every hour nearer and nearer “to my dear people, and my blessed home. I am almost counting the hours till I shall reach my sweet abode. But from the first day I set ofl* to the present hour I have been as highly favored as a mortal and sinful being can well be. I have no conception of greater happiness on earth, than mine has been without intermission, except by more intimate communion with God. With that single exception, I doubt if there have been on the face of the whole earth a happier being than myself. My intercourse from the moment of my arrival at Cheltenham has been with the excellent of the earth, and every one of them striving to the utmost of their power to show me kindness for the Lord’s sake. Had you seen my meetings anywhere, and my partings at Hereford or Lichfield, you would have known a little what love is, and what a savor Christian communion leaves behind it. Besides, when I have seen what a change has been
wrought in the people of D ^, and what gratitude they now
express towards me for withstanding their solicitations; and what
CHAP. XXXIII.] THOUGHTS 01( IT. 459
a glorious place of worship Mr. Venn has made by the alterations of his church; and what a noble (wonderfully noble, and beautiful and commodious) chapel Mr. ^’s is at N: with the
sight of such places secured in perpetuity for the Lord, I must be the most brutish of mankind, if 1 did not feel the most lively gratitude to my heavenly Benefactor.
“I know that this will comfort you and your dear
mother, and therefore I avail myself of a leisure half-hour to communicate it to you. I should account myself basely ungrateful, if I did not find pleasure in thus expressing my regard for all
yourservices and all your kindness I am summoned by the
carriage at the door, and the ladies that accompany me; and with joy I subscribe myself, your very affectionate and much indebted friend, C. Simeon.”
To the Ven. Archdeacon Hodson.
“AngostS, 1836.
“My beloved Friend, —
“You desired me to write to you when I should be restored in safety to my beloved home. But how shall I declare all the kindness I experienced in every place, or the comfort I enjoyed in communion with the Lord’s people! The prosperity of Zion especially in all the different places far exceeded my most sanguine expectation: and the thought of my having been the rod in the hand of God, by whom all these wonders have been wrought, completed my joy. To all this I may add, the hope I entertained of being yet further accessory to the production of similar good in other places, gave to the whole a richness and sweetness which no words can adequately express.
*’But has all this excited any measure of self-complacency in my bosom? I hope not more than was felt by the rod of. Moses: but of self-loathing and seli-abasement, blended with an admiration of the Divine goodness, I hope it was productive in a considerable degree; and this variety of feeling, resembling the difierent rays of the sun, formed in my soul a concentration of that joy which forms the blessedness of heaven. In adoration, you know, the sinner is in his place, and God in his: and this is the posture in which I contemplate the whole of my journey for nearly eisrht weeks, during which time not even the slightest incident occurred to damp my joy.
“Yesterday I preached to a church as full as it could hold, and partook of the Lord’s Supper in concert with a larger number than has been convened together, on such an occasion, in any church in Cambridge since the place existed upon earth. Before I came to the living, I attended once at Trinity Church to hear on some occasion a very popular preacher; and, as I then never turned my back upon the Lord’s Supper, I staid during the
4C0 FEEL1NQ0 ON Bj[B BBTURN, [CBAP. XXXIU.
administration of it, and was myself one of threes who besides the parson and clerk, formed the whole number of the communicants. So greatly has the Church of England been injured by myself and my associates. “Most affectionately yours, C. Simeon.”
To Dr. Ring.
<<K.C.,Aiig. 6, 1S36.
My dear Brother, —
I shall begin to fancy myself young again, when I receive by the same post two letters, one desiring me to open a church at Reading, and the other to re-open one at Bradford in Yorkshire. But I happen to know the difference between 37 and 77; and I am content to discharge, as God shall enable me, tHb offices pertaining to the latter age. It would give me exquisite
pleasure to obey your summons I bless God for Hia
mercy to my native town, or, as the Scotch call it, my * Calve-Kintry.’ It is a real joy to me also to see that church, to which I am very deeply attached, prospering by the return of some of her
best friends to her communion My progress infinitely
exceeds my expectations. The bounty of pious friends encourages
me to proceed And J trust that God, .who has already
carried me on so far, will finally bring me through. The occasion demands it; — immortal souls demand it; — ^tne Established Church demands it; — and my Lord and Saviour demands it at my hands. And their united calls I will endeavor to obey.
“I am, my dear friend, with most unfeigned gratitude and love, ever yours, C. Simeon.”
To the Same.
“K.C.,Aug. 13, 1836.
My dear Friend, —
“Truly you ask a willing servant. If I dared, I should be off in a trice; and put yes, yes, yes, to the bottom of the page. But (that is a hateful word)
1. I have left off all foreign services.
2. I have, in despite of the above statement, engaged in three or four weeks to open a church, built by nrv friend Mr. Nottidge at Ipswich, at his own sole expense. (N. B. As a palliation of my inconsistency, let me say, that he is the only man upon the face of the earth for whom I would have done it.)
*’3. Supposing I could reconcile the two, (which at this distance of time I might,) I have an office to discharge in November, for which I might unfit myself, but for which 1 would not by imprudence unfit myself for a very large sum of money — the preaching of a set of sermons before the University. And what does all this amount to? It is all contained in a short word.
which it is not easy for me to utter to one whom I love; but which I am sometimes forced to utter; and which, when written
to express my mind on this occasion is, N o.
“Your very affectionate brother in the Lord,
“C. Simeon.
?• S. I am just returned from a long journey of eight weeks, during the whole of which time the physical thermometer has been almost as low as the autumnal standard, but my moral and mental thermometer never lower than summer heat. I suppose, that scarcely any man living has had the same amount of happiness for the same time, except in greater nearness to the fountain of all blessedness.’’
To the Rev. John .Venn, on Conversion.
July, 1836.
In compliance with your request, I send you the sub* stance of some observations, which I made to a party who had been invited to meet us. Many of them being young, I thought it of importance to communicate to them what I conceive to be a just and accurate view of the subject of conversion.
*’ In Rom. viii. 6, it is stated, after the apostle’s manner, in broad and general terms; ‘They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.’ This passage of Scripture, properly explained, contains the whole matter. But it is not always correctly understood; or rather I should say, it is very generally carried too far, and for want of being duly qualified, it is made a stumbling-block both to the unconverted world, and to many who are truly converted to God. The unconverted are justly offended when we represent the natural man as destitute of any kind of good; and the godly are discouraged when we represent them as naving in them no remnant of evil. We may in a general way represent both of them as resembling a river where the tide flows: the natural man as descending from the fountain-head to the ocean; and the spiritual man as returning with equal force to the fountain-head. But,, whilst this will serve to we a general view of them, it requires to be modified by certain limitations and exceptions. In any large river there are obstacles of one kind or other, which obstruct in some places the continuous flow of the stream, and occasion what I may call a back stream; and this is found no less in the return of the river to the fountain-head, than in its descent to the sea: and if this be borne in mind, the general image will become incomparably more clear and accurate. The departure of the soul from God is not so entire, but that there remain in many persons towards man some ^ood dispositions. Towards God I grant, our fallen nature retains not even the
462 CONVERSION ILLUSTRATED. [cHAP. XZZIII.
smallest measure of that love, which at our first creation filled our souls. In this respect our statements cannot be too strong. St. Paul says, that ’ the carnal mind is enmity against God, and neither does, nor can, yield subjection to His holy law. But all good is not so obliterated, but there may be found in many unconverted men as fixed a principle of truth and benevolence, and honor and integrity, as in the generality of true Christians; and if we so state our views of the fall as to rob the whole mass of mankind of this honor, we cast a stumbling-block in their way, and excite a very bitter prejudice against the Gospel. On the other hand, if we represent a work of grace as so entire, that there remains no corruption in the persons who experience it, we reduce even the most eminent Christians to despair. There is yet in the best of men ‘a remnant of the flesh lusting against the spirit, and incapacitating him from serving God so entirely and so perfectly as ne would. St. Paul himsell complained of a * law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the Taw of sin which was in his members,’ This however is to be remembered, that the back stream does not prevail in either of the characters so far, as to keep the water from its ultimate destination: the unconverted man notwithstanding the good that is in him, arrives assuredly at the ocean at last; and the converted man, notwithstanding his remaining infirmities, does at last attain the* elevation and blessedness after which he aspires; and he grows in grace even to his dying hour, having every corruption more and more mortified, and his transformation into God’s perfect image moje entire. From beholding with ever-increasing clearness the glory of the Lord Jesus, he is progressively * changed into His image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord.’
If it be asked, how is this chance efiected? the same image will give us the most clear and useiul information. It is generally acknowledged that the tide is eflfected by the moon. This to a person uninformed upon the subject would appear a downright absurdity; for, as he knows not the powers of attraction, he cannot conceive how it should be possible for the moon to possess an influence which not all the human race combined would be able to exert But experience shows that, whether we can comprehend it or not, the ocean does obey the influence of the moon. In like manner the change wrought in the heart of man depends altogether on the influence of the Holy Spirit; and however incapable we may be of comprehending the Spirit’s operations, we must refer to Him the entire change which is wrought in us in the conversion of our souls to God.
‘’ But amidst all this agreement there is a verv essential point of diflTerence between them. In the river, whichever way it flows, there is neither volition nor consciousness; but in man there is both, whether he depart from God, or return to Him*
No man acts from mere necessity, as a spark ascends or a stone descends to the earth. The ungodly are voluntary agents in all that they do, and the godly are also perfectly voluntary in all their motions. True, the godly have not originally, and of themselves, either the will or power to do anything spiritually ffood: but God makes them willing in the day of his power;’ and they * work out their salvation with fear and trembling, because Grod has given them both to will and to do of His good pleasure.’ He draws them not as mere machines, but with the cords of a man and with the bands of love.’ Hence, whilst to the ungodly belongs nothing but guilt and shame, to God alone belongs all the glory of whatsoever change is wrought in those who turn from their evil ways to serve and glorify Him.”
To a person under deep mental distress.
“K.C.,Aug.9, 1836.
Dear Sir, —
,” You judge well: there is the same God now as formerly delivered Feter from prison in answer to the prayers of His people: and He is still a God that heareth prayer. I can in some small meaaure sympathize with you. I have known what it was to envy the dogs their mortality, and almost to wish them cursed with my immortality in my stead. But I found God to be abundant both in mercy and truth; and so will you find Him, if in the name of His dear Son you wait patiently upon Him. With the desponding soul God justly e;Kpostulates. (Isa. xl. 27,) and exposing the folly of such a state (v. 28) gives us a clear direction lor our deliverance, and a promise that shall assuredly be fulfilled to us in its season, (v. 29 — 31.) I would have you expostulate therefore with your own soul, as David did, (Ps. xlii. and xliii. 5.) That there is ground for humiliation in the best of men there is no doubt; holy Job exclaimed, * Behold I am vile;’ but to the vilest of men there is no ground for despondency, when we recollect that the ’ blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin,’ and that He has said, * He would cast out none who come unto Him.’ The Psalmist himself was in your state, and justly ascribed his despondency to his own weakness. He saw how erroneous had been all his conceptions of the Deity, and learned to look from himself to the Holy Scriptures in order to form a right judgment of His power of grace, (Ps. lxxvii. 1 — 11.) Follow him in this respect, and you shall ere long follow him also in his testimony in behalf of God, as an Almighty and All-mecciful Benefactor, (Ps. xl. 1 — 3.)
I have no wish to know your name. It is sufficient for me that you are a fellow-sinner in distress. The Lord, even our Great High Priest, has your name written on His breastplate; and that is my consolation when I am constrained, through forgetful-
464 TMIT TO BLT. [cBA?. XZXIU*
ness, to express my intercessions generally; when« if I were able to spread before my God the names and states of all for whom I have been desired to pray, I would gladly do it I hope, with tender sympathy, to spread your case before Him: and I entreat the favor ot you to remember at the throne of grace one, who, if he be not distressed like you, needs quite as much the’prayers and intercessions of others in his behalf, even
“Your faithful servant, C. Sihbon.”
To the Bishop of Calcutta, on the Indian Episcopate.
“K. C, Camb.; Sept 29, 1830.
“Your most welcome letter has just Arrived, and though incapable of writing a syllable myself, I lose not a minute in answering it Till within this week, I have been favored with an energy both of body and mind far beyond what I could have reasonably looked forward to; and to give you some account of my visitation, for I am too proud to call it visit I bein with that. To Cheltenham, Hereford, Darlaston, Newcastle-under-Lyne, and ‘Derby — I have been on a visit to the different ministers appointed there by me; and such a continuation of love, during the whole eight weeks of my visit, has really far exceeded what I had supposed possible in this fallen world. My efforts in every place both m public and private were great; and the sight of God’s work prospering in all the places was enough to have melted a heart of stone; and the thought that God in His mercy had made me an instrument of promoting His cause to that vast extent has humbled me in the very dust, and made me only regret that my powers of service have not been more commensurate with my obligations to our common God and Father.
*^My strength has continued unimpaired till this last week; but having been to visit our new diocesan, (Dr. Allen, late Bishop of Bristol,) and having received all imaginable kindness from him, who showed me over the whole cathedral, though, alas, only habited for the parlor, I have caught a violent cold which has brought on the gout, and reduced me to a state of utter incapacity for exertion of any kind. This is the secret of my writing to you now by the hand of an amanuensis.
“And now will I come to answer your most interesting letter. I view the sphere of India as immense, the load too heavy to be laid on any human mind, the diversities of calls distracting, and the almost utter impossibility of concentrating them so as to see them all brought out into united and harmonious operation — but I had almost forgotten what an Almighty power presides, and what energies He can supply for the accomplishment of His own gracious purposes. If I forget Him, I sink; if I remember Him, not all the inconceivable load of India can overwhelm me. My com-CHAP.. XXXIII.] COMFOBT UNDER DIFFICULTIX0. 405
fort has been all my days, I have but One to please; and He is easily pleased, even in the midst of all our infirmities, where He sees only a desire to please Him. The simplicity of our work is very encouraging — in every place I see the reign of sin and Satan; and in every place I want to introduce the reign of Christ and wisdom and true holiness. Be not discouraged, if you should not be able to accomplish all you wish; you have in that respect the portion of prophets and apostles, and of our blessed Lord himself. You must look to the end, and see ’ the end of the Lord, that He is very pitiful and of tender mercy.’ He will prevail at last, prevail too by the very means which His enemies have recourse to for the counteracting of His designs. With Him at your right hand, you have none to fear; obstacles of every kind you must expect, and they will bring out to your view the secret Majesty of the Most High, and enable you to realize to an inconceivable extent His unbounded power His unerring wisdom. His incomprehensible love. I speak of these things as one who knows them by experience; I have had all the powers of earth and hell against me, but have lived to see that there * are more with me than against me.’ That He’ can and does work by the meanest instruments, I am a living witness; but my sphere has been small, a mere nothing in comparison of others. Yet have I lived to see the triumph of my own principles throughout the land; peradventure you also may live to see the same in your sphere. I have a perfect assurance that He who ordereth all things both in heaven and earth, will prevail at last. Hence then I say, look not at minute points or difficulties, but to the Lord himself, who will keep your mind in perfect peace, and accomplish His own pleasure through your imperfect instrumentality.
“That you want a Grant and Udney I greatly regret; but their God you have, and more you cannot have. In truth, I love to see the creature annihilated in the apprehension, and swallowed up in God; I am then safe, happy, triumphant. And I recommend to you to enter into the chambers of all His glorious perfections, and to shut the doors about you, and there abide till He shall have accomplished all the good purposes of His goodness both in you and by you. Nothing less than a mutual indwelling of God in us, and of us in God, will suffice — beyond that, we want nothing. To tell you of my own sermons before the University must engage a part of another letter; in this I close with imploring all imaginable blessings on your soul.”
To a Friend, on building a Church at Jerusalem.
<<0ot6, 1836.
“My dear,
I write by an amanuensis, not being able to write myself. I have been seized both with cold and gouL But this day,
4M WAITING ON GOD. [cHAP. XXXIO.
tiiroogh the goodness of Godypronounce myself conyalescent I have corresponded with Mr. Uartwright, and expect, at the close of this montn, to converse with him face to face.
My own view of Divine duty is this.
See and follow the pillar and cloud. Moses mistook when, with pious zeal, he hoped to deliver the Jews forty years before the time appointed in the Divine counsels: when the time was come, God made it plain. So afterwards, in the manifestation of the truth to the Gentiles, notwithstanding the commands given were so clear, Peter and the rest of the, apostles waited at least six years before they carried the Gospel to Cornelius. So afterwards Paul would go into Asia, and then to Bithynia, both of which, no doubt, needed his labors very much, but respecting each God said. No: then came the call to Macedonia, and all imaginable blessings flowed from it. Thus I would not be precipitate with Moses — nor tardy with the apostles — nor self-willed (acting on my own will) with Paul: — but I would wait for the clear indications of the Divine will; and, having ‘seen them, would proceed with zeal and vigor. Human zeal would applaud Moses — condemn the apostles — call in question Paul — with human zeal I have nothing to do; the times and seasons are altogether in God’s hands, and 1 am His servant to go, or stay, according to his will. I love your zeal; I join heartily in it; but my mind is passive. I am never in danger, but in action; all goes well with me, when in a passive state — ^I am then saymg, * Lord, what wilt thou have me todof
Now this is the state of mind which I recommend to you. In acting there is pleasure; in waiting there is self-denial; — but in assuring ourselves that God in due season will make our way clear there is exquisite delight.
‘* I am, my very dear friend, your most affectionate fellow-laborer in the Gospel of Christ
•*C. Simeon.**