תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

yet a man inspired is not an infallible man. Peter was inspired, and yet he erred in the matter of circumcision; James was inspired, and yet he says, "In many things we offend all;" and David says, "Who can understand his errors?" and yet the Spirit of God was upon him, and it was in his light that he discovered what errors he did; "For whatsoever maketh manifest is light."

If forms of prayers are sufficient, who had more than the Pharisees had? They made many long prayers; and if the Lord's prayer had been intended to have been used as a sufficient form of words on every occasion, why was the Spirit of grace and supplication poured out on the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost? God does nothing in vain, therefore the spirit of supplication is essential to salvation. God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth. I verily believe the form of prayer has a tendency to slacken the operations of the Spirit of God in many young Christians; and I am sure the greatest enemies to my ministry this day in London, are those lifeless professors, or refined Pharisees, who sit under the gospel, and hope in the form of prayer; and many such would leave the gospel entirely, if the form was gone. This shews, that it only settles sinners on their old leaven; and the gospel is used by such, to make them sit more easy on their old bottom.

However, the Spirit was sufficient to instruct all the Patriarchs, the Prophets, and the Apostles,

in the matter of prayer, without any forms of human composition. If you deny the Spirit's sufficiency, you condemn all the prevalent petitions of faith that ever have been put up in the world.

The greatest advocates for a form of godliness, in the days of old, were the Jewish Pharisees; and they were the greatest enemies to the dear Redeemer, and the furthest from the kingdom of God; and why you, a professor of Christ, should undertake their cause, and defend their quarrel, I know not. The word of God, or my own conscience, will never condemn me for enforcing the Spirit's work on the souls of men, nor yet for insisting on his sufficiency in every branch of his enlightening, quickening, and renovating work on the soul; for the gospel itself is a dispensation of the Spirit, which is quite sufficient to make a Christian, and to keep him holy and happy, without being shackled with human forms. This ark will keep on its own wheels, without the arm of Uzza. I must confess I was surprised to hear your weak arguments, which you made use of in so violent a manner when I was last with you, as well as at your rancour in this your letter. I believe you have forgot what you once mentioned to me on the road home, after I had been preaching on the subject of spiritual prayer. You said, with many tears, that this had long been a sore burden on your spirit, namely, because you could not pray. I was amazed when I came to consider

your attendance for so many years on one of the brightest preachers in London, and yet never be able to pour out your soul before God in prayer; and I am more surprised at your speaking so lightly of the blessed Spirit of God, who helpeth our daily infirmities, and maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered, especially now you are so near to the verge of eternity. Dear sir, if this oil be wanting in your vessel, after all your profession, wo be to you!

[ocr errors]

There are many in our day who will laugh at inspiration, that will one day cry heartily for it, as the one thing needful. "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out." However, if you never could pray, inspiration has not troubled you; therefore you have no reason to speak lightly of it. You are not confined, sir, to my ministry; nor did I ever invite you, or any body else, to attend me, nor even attempt to bind them that do. To my own master I stand or fall, and you are at full liberty to choose as much form as you please. But your presence will never awe me in the pulpit, nor shall I alter my subject on your account; for neither my conscience, nor the word of God, condemn me for enforcing the sufficiency of the Spirit, in his operations on the souls of God's elect, as the spirit of grace and supplication. Blessed is that happy soul who has found his way to God, and is favoured with access to him through the rent vail of the dear Redeemer. This is the blessed privilege of all the children

of God. The Lord indulge thee with it, before he takes thee hence to be no more seen.

Amen

and Amen, says

Thy willing Servant in Christ,

W. H. S. S.

VOL. V.

I

LETTER XVI.

I

ARMINIANISM DEMOLISHED.

SIR,

RECEIVED yours of June the 6th, and I read it, but with no satisfaction; that which savours of nothing but flesh and blood, can never be savoury to an heaven-born soul; "That which is born of the flesh is flesh," and will be savoury to the children of the flesh; "but that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," and will be relished by none but spiritual children. If your matter had sprung from the Holy Ghost, it would have been more palatable to my soul; but as it savours neither of sound reason, nor of divinity, it is like Job's tasteless dish; "Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg

For my part I see nothing in the doctrine of election that is so contrary to sound reason. The woman who is now your wife, was chosen for you by your father, as you have owned to me; and when he proposed her to you, you approved of her, and married her in preference to any other. And I suppose that you would have deemed it

« הקודםהמשך »