“The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.”
It is our mercy, the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of God’s children, is given to them to _abide_ with them. Never will _he_ leave his own to the power of sin or to satan. The Psalmist was blest with this confidence when he said—“The Lord will perfect that which concerned me; forsake not the work of thy hands; thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever.” This is explained by the apostle being confident of this very thing, that _he_ who hath begun the good work will perform it, until the day of Jesus Christ; and hence Solomon says—“I know that what God doeth is for ever, nothing shall be taken from it, or added to it; and he doeth it that men should fear before him.” This work, in the first operation, is _regeneration_, and its continuance is _sanctification_; its effect is _conversion_, and its renewing, after dead and dark seasons, is a _revival_. Many such I have experienced; which, to relate, would swell this memoir to a vast volume. There is one particular circumstance, among many, which I must here relate, although you are already in possession of the account in my little work, “The Voice of Faith in the Valley of Achor:”—
“After I had been in this furnace some weeks, in which I felt as others do in similar cases, much grief, anger, rebellion, and discontent, but not quite without a spirit of prayer that I might be favored with the very gracious visits of the Saviour, and a sense of God’s approbation in my own soul, though despised by others, I entreated the Lord to shew me the exceeding sinfulness of sin, as well as I could bear it; for I am convinced no man could ever behold sin in all its malignity—none but the God-Man could bear that—yet I desired to see sin as most abominable in God’s sight. These petitions were in time answered; the Lord led me to reflect deeply, in my retired moments, on the nature of sin, original and actual.—This knowledge of it increased, till one evening, being alone, I was most completely overpowered with a solemn stillness of spirit, a view of sin, my own sins of heart, lip, and life; these crowded into my mind. I felt guilty. I stood condemned. I had a fearful apprehension of God’s just displeasure; all was dark within, except sin and the anger of God—these were clear enough; horror overwhelmed me, and I sunk low at the footstool of divine mercy; I feared, I trembled, I was brought low, I was troubled. I saw nothing of a Saviour, though I had so often preached about him. Head notions were nothing now—past experience was hid, and every gracious promise of the Bible was closed up for a time. What a state to be in! But I believe this was drinking of the bitter cup our Saviour drank so deeply; this was, in one sense, being crucified with Christ, and having fellowship with him in his sufferings. These feelings will give a man a real understanding of all those texts which refer to soul trouble, in the book of Job, the Psalms of David, feelings of Jeremiah, and, perhaps, what Paul felt during the three days he was without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. These feelings will make me sympathise with the soul that is afflicted, and experiences the terrors of the Almighty.