33. - To Miss Hatton.
prayer. He breaks not the bruised reed; let the reed be grafted, by simple faith, in the true vine - in the tree of life, and it will bring forth glorious fruit; not only resignation, but power to welcome the king disarmed of his terrors, and turned into a messenger of joy, and a guide under Christ, to heavenly happiness. Let not one feeble breath pass, without carrying an act of desire, or of faith, toward Christ. Bestir yourself to lay hold on God, and when you find an absolute want of power, be you the more careful to lie at the feet of Him who hath all power given him in earth and heaven for you. Farewell, my dear friend; that is, be found in Christ, for there only can we fare well whether we live or die.
J. FLETCHER.
33. - TO MISS HATTON.
MADELEY, Jan. 9, 1767.
MY DEAR FRIEND, - The alteration for the worse I discovered in your health, the last time I had the pleasure of seeing you, makes me sit down to take a survey of our approaching dissolution. The dream of live will soon be over; the morning of eternity will soon succeed. Away then with all the shadows of time. Away from them to the eternal substance - to Jesus, the first and the last, by whom, and for whom all things consist. We stand on the shore of a boundless ocean: death, like a lion, comes to break our bones: let us quietly strip ourselves of our mortal robes, that he may do with us as the Lord shall permit. In the meanwhile, let us step into the ark; Christ is the ark. My dear friend, believe in Jesus; believe that your sins, red as crimson, are made white as snow, by the superior tincture of his blood. Believe yourself into Christ. By simple faith believe he is your everlasting head; nor can you believe a lie, for God hath given that dear Saviour to the worst of sinners, to be received by a lively faith; and hath declared that it shall be done unto us “according to our faith.” If you simply take Jesus to be your head, by the mystery of faith, you will be united to the resurrection and the life. The bitterness of death is passed, my dear friend. Only look to Jesus: he died for you - died in your place - died under the frowns of Heaven, that we might be spared. Stand, then, in him; he found in him; plead that he hath wrought a sinless righteousness for you, and hath more than sufficiently atoned for you by his cruel sufferings and ignominious death. Regard neither unbelief nor doubt; fear neither sin nor hell; choose neither life nor death; all these are swallowed up in the immensity of Christ, and triumphed over in his cross. Believe that he hath made an end of sin, that you are comely in him, that you are pardoned, accepted, and beloved of God, in the one mediator Jesus Christ. Reason not with the law, but only with him who says, “Come, and let us reason together; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Fight the good fight of faith. Hold fast your confidence in the atoning, sanctifying blood of the Lamb of God; through his blood the accuser of the brethren is cast out. Confer no more with flesh and blood. Hunger and thirst after righteousness; eat the flesh, and drink the blood of the Redeemer; and live in Christ, that you may die in him. Up, and be doing the work of God. Believe in him whom he hath sent: kiss the Son, lest he be angry; grasp him, as one who hath fallen into deep waters grasps the branch that hangs over him.
O slumber no more! Go meet the Bridegroom. Behold he cometh! Trim your lamp; hold up the vessel of your heart to the streaming wounds of Jesus, and it shall be filled with the oil of peace and gladness. Quit yourself like a soldier of Jesus. Look back to the world, the things and friends about you, no more. I entreat you as a companion in tribulation; I charge you, as a minister, go at every breath you draw, according to the grace and power given you, to the Physician who gives nobody over - that says, “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out;” and, “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
Ere long there will be time no more. O my friend! stir up yourself to lay hold on him by faith and prayer; and let not those few sands that remain in your glass, flow without the blood of Jesus. They are too precious to be offered up to slothful flesh, which is going to turn out its immortal inhabitant. Gladly resign your dust to the dust whence it was taken, and your spirit to him who gave and redeemed it. Look to him in spite of flesh and blood, of Satan and unbelief; and joyfully sing the believer’s song, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ!” Let your surviving friends rejoice over you, as one faithful unto death - as one triumphing in death itself.
I am just informed of dear Miss Fragena’s death. She caught a fever in visiting the poor, sick of that distemper, and lived a week to stand and rejoice in dying pains. As she lived, she died - a burning and a shining light. Ere long you will meet her in Abraham’s bosom, whence she beckons you