The Letters of Ruth Bryan,
1805-1860
Oh, this wondrous
Savior!
To Miss W.
November 2nd, 1857.
My beloved friend—I rejoice in the token your dear letter
contains of the Lord's leading, which I cannot doubt, though oftentimes you
are not able to realize the teaching of the Spirit as you desire. It seems
to me like that word in Hosea 11:3, 4. All this was done to them of whom it
is said, "My people are bent to backsliding from me," even to poor Ephraim,
who seems in the Word to be often used as a type of the backslider. In this
case he had wandered so long and so far as not at first to recognize the
voice of the Good Shepherd, or to realize that He was really "restoring his
soul, and leading him again in the paths of righteousness for His name's
sake." But nevertheless it was so. The fact remained the same. Ephraim was a
sheep, nor could all his waywardness make him a goat, although it robbed him
for a time of much of the sheep's privilege, and kept him from feeding and
resting in the green pastures; so that, instead of being fat and
flourishing, he was lean from day to day. But now the Shepherd of Israel is
seeking and searching him out from all the places where he has been
scattered, "in the cloudy and dark day," and, though he has become so
bewildered in judgment as not to know where he is, or who is guiding him,
yet his faithful Friend will not leave him. He will bring him out from the
people, and feed him in a good pasture: on the high mountains of Israel
shall his fold be. "Ephraim loved idols." "Ephraim hired lovers." "Ephraim
mixed himself among the people." Ephraim's goodness is "like a morning
cloud, and as the early dew it goes away."
Now can my dear Miss W— trace any of her own features in
this description of Ephraim? Is she convicted, in her own conscience, of the
like evils, as she reads the charges against the backsliding one? Then, let
her listen to the sequel, and, though Satan and unbelief may rob her of the
comfort of many promises, by insinuating that she is not the character
described, and they are not given to her, yet surely she may look for
Ephraim-mercies, and plead Ephraim-promises, and hope in Ephraim's pardoning
God, who says, "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? For since I
spoke against him I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my affections
are troubled for him: I will surely have mercy upon him, says the Lord"
(Hosea 11:8, 9). Ephraim shall say, "What have I to do any more with idols?"
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for my anger is
turned away from him," even from the Surety on whom their sin was found, and
punished. From Him is the Divine anger turned away, because He has endured
the utmost penalty which justice could require, and therefore a holy God can
love us freely (Isaiah 53:6).
Oh, my beloved and longed-for, I know your dear heart is
fully convicted of backsliding; here you can painfully read your name and
character. Well—the Word abounds with rich promises to such; promises of
correction, of reviving, and restoration. Search them out: you will wonder
at their fullness and freeness. If you dare not think any other bosom of
consolation belongs to you, this is an abundant one. May you, by faith,
drink it in and be satisfied, and may the blessed Spirit bring home these
free-grace promises so warmly to your heart, that it shall "dissolve in
wonder, love, and praise." May you, by faith, look upon Him whom you have
pierced, and mourn for Him, while at the same time you rejoice in His
benefits, and receive, by His precious blood, the blotting out of all
transgressions. That blood has blotted them out of the Book, so that, when
sought for, they shall not be found, and it alone can blot them out of the
conscience; this also shall be done (Heb. 9:13, 14). Oh, this efficacious
blood! Oh, this wondrous Savior! He opens the secret of our wanderings
and transgressions, only to declare how entirely He has put them all away by
the sacrifice of Himself.
Hear Him speak, Isaiah 43:22-26. Thus "He receives
sinners, and eats with them," having been made sin for them, that they
"might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Let us join to praise Him,
for, if He had meant to destroy us, He would not have shown us such things
as these. Oh, what mercy that He did not say, "Let them alone, they have
loved idols, after idols let them go." What mercy that by His light He has
manifested our darkness, and searchingly said to us, "Is there any secret
thing with you? Has it not been thus with you?" And has He not caused you to
reply, Psalm 139:23? Christ is the Way (John 14:6). Has He not raised
you from the bed of spiritual sloth, to seek your Beloved? And have you not
caught some little savor of His good ointments, drawing you on in seeking
Him still? Oh, yes; your letter plainly declares it in those little
revivings, inflowings of the Word, and encouragements at the mercy-seat; of
all which you may say, "It is the voice of my Beloved, behold He comes,
leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills." You cannot yet say He
is come so as to embrace you—but His tokens are sure, and by them He is
saying, "You shall see greater things than these." More of your own vile
heart--and more of His loving heart. More of your sin--and more of His great
salvation. More of your deformity--and more of His beauty. The blessed
Spirit discovers both (John 16:8, 14). Fear not, He will "perfect that which
concerns" you; and, though you may not yet have felt the depth of your
nature's evil, as some have, you will learn it more and more as you go on
(Ezek. 8:13). Yet remember, this is not salvation, neither will it bring
rest to your soul. But, in following Isaiah 45:22, "Turn to Me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other."--that will
be found. It is while beholding Jesus by faith you will be changed into
His image (2 Cor. 3:18). I rejoice to hear you say that you are longing
above all to know Him. Go on wrestling for it, and may you fully experience
Phil. 3:7-16.
I, too, have felt the sweetness of that word, Isaiah
42:8. It is a consolation that when He brought us into the banqueting house,
and said, "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love," even then He
knew how faithless we should prove; therefore when that faithlessness came
out in action, it did not diminish His love, or touch our union, though it
did interrupt communion. I am glad, however, that He has so stirred you up,
that you cannot rest without it, and that He has made you willing for any
trial to the flesh, rather than to follow Him afar off. Do still beg for
fuller revelation of Himself and His love. Do not be considering so much how
you love Him, as how He loves you. Your love is but the effect; His
is the cause; and the more you have to do with the cause, the more
fully will the effect flow from it (1 John 4:19, and John 15:9). So with
faith; if you would have it grow, it must be by looking at Him,
not at it. In short, the more you "consider Him," and are continually
coming unto Him, the more lively and healthy will be the graces of the
Spirit in your soul, while yet you rejoice, not in your fruitfulness—but
only in Him and in what He has done and suffered. If the Holy Spirit open
this to you, you will find the secret of peace and power. It is all in
Christ, and He says, "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." Away from
self, away from all besides, to be absorbed in Him. Then shall your peace
flow as a river, and "your righteousness as the waves of the sea" (Micah
5:5; Jer. 23:6). I am ashamed of writing so much—but know not how to leave
off. Jesus is very precious, and you are dear; and I long for your eye and
heart to be fixed on Him. Then will your course be steady, and you will not
be greatly moved by the many changes you will ever find within. Your letter
breathes with tokens of life. You could not feel His blood so precious, and
long for His love, unless you were alive; and I believe He is come to you
that you may have life more abundantly, and that your heart, which seemed
desolate, may be again tilled sown (Ezek. 36:32 to end).
If it is for the Lord's glory that we meet again, He will
bring it about. But if you expect anything from me, you must be
disappointed. "He will not give His glory to another." Jesus will be all
your need, and, if we ever meet, both looking to Him, it will be a warm
meeting indeed.
It has pleased my dear Lord most wonderfully to renew my
bodily health. Oh, for grace to spend all in His service. He has been most
kind, to open the "upper springs" sweetly since my return home. Oh, press on
after a life of faith in Jesus, for it is next in blessedness to a life of
glory with Jesus. Beg of the blessed Spirit to draw your faith out
continually upon His Person and work. Then will you find that He is a "good
land, flowing with milk and honey." I long for you to be brought to rejoice
in the Lord, and have sweet fellowship with Him. May He keep you pleading
and waiting for it, until He shall say "Be it unto you even as you will." He
loves our importunity, and waits to answer prayer.
R. B.
P.S.—You mention that sometimes all you thought you had
enjoyed seems a delusion. You say, "I do not know what to do in such cases."
Come to Jesus afresh, in all your emptiness, as if you never had received
anything from Him, and He will not cast you out; no, never! If you fear you
were deceived, and think you had false peace and comfort, come and tell Him,
and ask Him to take away the wrong, and make you right. Hide nothing from
Him. Thus you will get more relief from self, and victory over Satan, than
by any other means. Let nothing keep you from Him.
R. B.