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A Last Epistle
The following is the last letter in my possession, written by my father three months before his death. He had been at Leicester on the 18th. The letter was addressed to Mr. Isaac Harrison, Leicester. Dear Friend,—I just drop this line to say that through the kind providence of God, I reached home safely, and thought myself much better for my journey; but we have had some very trying weather here since I came home, and I am now much worse than I was when at Leicester. This morning the weather is very fine, and I have been out, but can scarcely walk for want of breath. O that I were blessed with a little more of the divine breathings of God the Holy Ghost,…
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Questions About The Law
The following article was taken from William Gadsby's work, “The Present State of Religion”, where he dealt with the law as a rule of conduct for the Christian. Dear Sir, Friend G. informs me you wish me to write to you, and inform you what law it is that I say the believer is in no sense under. I therefore write to say (though I cannot help thinking you must know) that it is the law given to Moses on Mount Sinai, commonly called the moral law, or ten commandments, recorded in Exodus 20, and hinted at, with its curses annexed to it, in Deuteronomy 27. This is the law I intend, and do venture to say that the believer in Christ is in no…
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The Nature Of True Holiness Explained
A Discourse Preached By John Brine, Delivered At A Monthly Exercise Of Prayer, With A Sermon, On The 20th Of April, 1749. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness; without which no man shall see the Lord.”—Hebrews 12:14 Preface It is an observation, which I have long made, that those who are charged with being licentious in their principles, at least, because of their firm attachment to the doctrines of the true grace of God, always express an approbation of real holiness: and that discourses of evangelical obedience, are sure to meet with a cordial reception from them, when others of different sentiments about the doctrines of the grace of God, discover a dislike to such discourses. The reason of which is, I am persuaded,…
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A Feeling Religion, Not A Mere Brain Religion
My dear Brother in the great Head of Zion,—I hope you and your spouse are well, and that the dear Lord is leading you more and more into the deep things of God. Remember, if a man is to be taught much of the depths of God's eternal love, he must wade in the depths of his own enmity. If he is to be well instructed in the depths of the glorious atonement of Christ, he must feel and sicken at the awful and damnable depravity of his own nature. And so on in every respect; for we can only feelingly and experimentally know the glory of Christ, but as God the Holy Ghost reveals him to our hearts, and reveals him there as just…
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Strong Faith
Page 65, First Edition Of Gospel Standard. To The Editors Of The Gospel Standard: In looking over the first number of the Gospel Standard, I was certainly gratified to perceive the confidence with which some of the writers assert their certainty of salvation, &c. &c. The most valuable legacy which Jesus, “the true God and eternal life," has left to them who believe in his name, is, “a good hope, through grace" which enables them to look beyond the cares and sorrows of a vain world, rejoicing in the hope of a glorious immortality beyond death and the grave; and the highest attainment which the humble Christian, walking in the light of his Father's countenance, can arrive at on this earth, is, when he attains…
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True Wisdom
My dear young Friend,—I hope by this time, if it be the sovereign pleasure of the Lord, that you are revived, both in body and mind; and that whatever the Lord designs concerning your body, he has graciously been pleased to reveal “Christ in you, the hope of glory;” and if so, you will be enabled to say, All is well. Remember, my dear young friend, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” To be brought by the power of God the Holy Ghost to fear the Lord, to have a tender conscience, and to tremble at God's word, is, in very deed, the beginning of wisdom. And to such poor trembling, broken-hearted souls, the Lord will, in his own time, look…
