Part 1
Transcribed from the [1814] R. Thomas edition by David Price, email [email protected]
[Picture: Public domain book cover]
THE _MORNING_ OF SPIRITUAL YOUTH IMPROVED, IN THE PROSPECT OF Old Age and its Infirmities;
BEING A
LITERAL AND SPIRITUAL PARAPHRASE
_On the Twelfth Chapter of Ecclesiastes_.
In a Series of Letters.
* * * * *
By J. CHURCH, V. D. M.
* * * * *
“Rejoice, O young Man, in thy Youth.”—_Solomon_.
“The prudent Man foreseeth the Evil, and hideth himself.”
“—and add to your Faith Virtue.”—_Peter_.
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LONDON: PRINTED BY R. THOMAS, RED LION STREET, BOROUGH.
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_PREFACE_.
_CHRISTIAN READER_,
_I need make no apology far publishing the following Letters_, _as the Subject was first delivered in several Discourses_, _and is now by the particular desire of many friends_, _published to the Church in the form of familiar Letters—appearing in the homely dress of plain speech_, _they will_, _doubtless_, _meet the censure of the carnal critic_, _but my mind is fully made up on that point—that which is highly esteemed amongst such men_, _is abominable in the sight of God_.
_Being favored with much of the presence of God in preaching the Sermons_, _and since then in writing some of these Letters_, _I trust every wise_, _spiritual_, _and humble Christian_, _into whose hands this Work may fall_, _will be edified_, _reproved_, _comforted_, _and built up on their most holy Faith_.—
_So prays thy witting Servant_ _in Christ Jesus_,
[Picture: Signature of J. Church]
_LETTER I_.
TO AMICUS.
_Lambeth_, 1814.
DEAR FRIEND,
HAVING waded through many deep waters of late, and, I hope, learned many interesting lessons in the School of the Cross, I cannot forbear dropping you a few thoughts on the great things of God. It is my mercy and yours, that our salvation is the joint work of the adorable Trinity in Unity, originating in eternal love, planned in infinite wisdom, and executed by almighty power. This salvation I have been led to prise, of late, more than ever I did; and to bless a covenant God that I ever heard its joyful sound; that I was ever convinced of my need of its blessings; that I ever was enabled to receive it as my own: which glorious salvation consists in the pardon of sin—the acceptation of the Saviour’s obedience—the clear witness of God’s Spirit—and the happy heart-felt communion with God. This is the salvation of the Gospel I have been made acquainted with in some degree, and trust I shall yet more abundantly, even in this present life, and beyond the grave be favored with it in body and soul for ever. This is what I have in humble hope and expedition, and God declares it shall not be cut off. The Spirit of God is given us as an earnest of this, and faith is the evidence of it—and though I am not yet in the enjoyment of it, the promise still stands firm, _Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty—they shall behold the land that is far off_. _Thine_ eyes: are you inclined to ask, Whose eyes?—the answer is ready—those who are in possession of a good work of grace—hence, _having begun the good work_, _he will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ_.—Sometimes you hope, you believe, you trust, nay you are sure this work is begun; then I am sure it will be carried on, and must be completed; for the Man will not be in rest till the great work is done, and he presents us to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, nor any such thing. May you and I live in the pleasing prospect of this, and finally, die to enjoy it—no doubt it will be an heaven worth dying for—when I contemplate this glory, I forget the trials of the way.
But, perhaps, my dear friend, while reading this, is particularly tried _in_ the way; _for as vinegar upon nitre_, _so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart_. Well, then, I must pay you a visit in Achor’s vale, where I know you are truly safe, though miserable; reflecting on the days that are past, and contrasting them with what you now feel and fear—once feeling light, joy, peace, comfort, love, zeal, activity, and diligence; but now you feel darkness, insensibility, lowness the workings of inbred sin, and too often have to lament the out-breakings of them. This may be succeeded by legal bondage, unbelief, fretfulness, enmity, and a sad distance between God and the soul; and instead of activity and diligence, a general stupor; calling all in question, because you cannot act as you have formerly done—quite forgetting him that has said, and who is now making good his promise, _Even the youths shall faint and be weary_, _and the young men shall utterly fail_, _but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength_.
Permit me, my brother, just to intimate, that there is nothing singular in your trials; it appears to be the very path the Redeemer went, and the very footsteps of the flock. Hence we read, directly after the Baptism of our dear Lord, when his soul was filled with all the fulness of God; when the Father, with an audible voice, proclaimed from above, _This is my beloved Son_!—and the Holy Spirit was seen hovering over his head, in a body of light, just like a Dove in its descent—the Redeemer rising from the watery tomb, and the gazing spectators astonished at the solemn scene—immediately after this transaction we find him led into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil; and he was with the wild beasts, and evil angels came to him; and upon the back of this, Satan, the head, the chief Devil, most daringly tempted him to presumption, to doubt his Sonship, and to commit suicide!—and can my brother wonder that he is a subject of temptation—_that_ he has forty days of mourning, without a spiritual entertainment, or the manifestative presence of Christ—_that_ he is among the wild beasts of his inbred sins—that evil thoughts stirred up by evil angels, should ever trouble or visit him? And can you wonder that you should be tempted to doubt your sonship—tempted to presume—that is, forbear to use the scripture means in time of trouble, or even tempted to suicide? You think some strange thing has happened to you, but this is the path the Redeemer trod, in his measure—and, recollect, the servant is not greater than his Lord—it is enough to be as he was, that we may be as he _is_. This part of your experience was strikingly exhibited in the case of the Israelites, who came through the Red Sea with joy and praise—shouted victory, through the mercy of Jehovah—and felt happy that they were delivered. But their felicity was soon abated, for they were ordered to encamp at Marah, in the Wilderness. So you find it: you have been convinced of your lost state; you have felt the slavery of sin and the Devil; you have felt the bondage of the Law; you have seen the Redeemer making an atonement for sinners: your faith has received this; your hope has enjoyed this; your love has been led out to him in sweet return; and though you still felt yourself a sinner, yet your mind was happy in Jesus, his glorious Person, and his great Work. Here you sung with Moses and Miriam, with gospel ministers and people, _The Lord is my strength and my song_, _he also is become my salvation_, _and I will exalt him_. But your note was soon changed, for you presently found yourself in the wilderness of fears, lest you had been deluded, and lest you had presumed—lest your grief had been like Esau’s, and your joys the raptures of a way-side hearer; quite forgetting that that religion which comes from God, always leads to God, as our salvation and our eternal all. This was certainly your experience; then why doubt the reality of it? The commandment has gone forth, that you, for wise and God-glorifying purposes, should pitch your tent at Marah; here you must taste of the bitter cup of sorrow. This will only endear the Tree of Life to you, who was cut down, and cast into deeper waters than you can possibly go into; and will lead your faith to apprehend, that though your waters are deep and bitter, yet faith tastes them sweet, by virtue of Christ’s removing the curse—
Thus believing we rejoice, To see the curse removed.
Your path may indeed be hard and thorny, but, bless God, there is no curse in it; let this console your mind, I am sure it will, if the Holy Spirit gives you power to believe it. Your present experience of darkness, guilt, deadness, bondage, contraction of spirit, and great stupor, are the days of evil that Solomon speaks of, which are many, but must at last issue in an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory. But seeing such are the days that must come on the followers of the dear Saviour, how truly important, and how highly interesting that exhortation in the twelfth of Ecclesiastes, _Remember now thy Creator_, _in the days of thy youth_, _while the evil days come not_, _and the years draw nigh_, _wherein thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them_. Solomon could well talk of these things, for he had a wonderful share of them, and wrote the whole Book of Ecclesiastes upon the subject. The word is said by some, to mean the Preacher, but others think it signifies Restoration to the Church. It was also written by him in his old age, after his recovery from backsliding; as such it must be a precious treasure in the hands of a poor sinner, who knows the plague of his heart, the weakness of human nature, the inconstancy and mutability of all transitory things, of all terrestial objects.
This book shews the vanity of all things out of Christ; that they are fleeting, insubstantial, and disappointing; that they elude the grasp of their followers, and leave the soul in darkness, misery, and woe. Having learnt so much by deep heart-felt experience, of the power of grace and the power of sin, and having been deeply taught by the Holy Ghost, he advises as a father to his children, how to act, before the sad days of tribulation come on; and this is agreeable to his own declaration, _The prudent man foreseeth the evil_ (i.e.) _day and hideth himself_, _but the simple pass on and are punished_. Thus in this chapter he exhorts, which, through God’s assistance, I shall consider in an experimental manner; and shew, I hope, the mind of the Spirit upon this important theme.
I have often been grieved when this precious text has been taken by mere Moralists, who knew nothing of the Spirit’s work upon the heart, as the testifier of Jesus; and applied to youth, literally, who are destitute of the grace of God—and by a mere moral harangue, they have set youth to perform a task they themselves never did. Hence, in general, Sermons are preached to young people from this passage, when the very passage shews they are characters that have been taught of God; else why exhort to a remembrance of that glorious object, Thy Creator? it must imply some knowledge of him; and this great Creator can only be known by his own Word and Spirit; only seen in his own light, _for the world by wisdom knows not God_, nor can all the works of God lead us to God, as some dream; there is no coming to a knowledge of trusting in, or loving, or obeying God, but by the glorious Mediator, and the impulse of the Holy Ghost. I consider it necessary then, my dear Brother, to shew you, _First_, The Characters addressed in this important exhortation—the _Youth_. _Secondly_, the grand object recommended to their attention, _Thy Creators_. _Thirdly_, What is implied in the idea of _remembering him_. _Fourthly_, The _Arguments_ the wise man makes use of to urge this important act, viz. _The approach of evil days and years_—which I shall endeavor to explain in a scriptural and experimental way, to comfort some poor mourner; to show the value of a precious Saviour; and endear salvation, by free grace alone.
On the first head of this subject, I would just observe, the blessedness of being early called by the grace of God, can never be fully appreciated in this world. We read of some who were called at a very early period: Jeremiah was really sanctified from the womb: John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost in the womb; which shews the possibility of a work of grace in the souls of those who die in infancy, as they are in general, if not _all_, influenced by the Holy Spirit before their departure, and are passively the subjects of Regeneration. What a consolation for a parent bereaved of a _lovely babe_!—It appears Joseph was early taught of God; perhaps the first martyr, Abel, was—it is very clear Obadiah, Josiah, David, and Solomon, were early converted. Samuel and Timothy knew the Saviour at a very early period—the Lord was their guide from their youth. This saves a person from many a bitter pang,—many a sigh, many a tear, many a deep, black, sad reflection of parents, broken hearts, violated sabbaths, a despised gospel, a ruined pocket, and constitution. To be sure grace shines very bright in the calling of such; but you and I must say, we are greater debtors to preserving grace. I rejoice your mind was so early imprest with the power of godliness, and that you was directed under a sound ministry, which clearly pointed out the way of salvation, by free grace alone; for the labour of some foolish preachers wearieth every one, because they know not how to go to the city. But this is not the youth in the text, they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed—the seed of God; the seed that was to serve the Lord, called the seed of Jacob; for these the Redeemer entered into a covenant with his Father—for these he travailed in spirit, groaned, cried, obeyed, bled, and died. Hence the promise, _He shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied_. This is begun in our conversion, and will be accomplished in our final glorification. Hence the Psalmist says, _As arrows in the hand of the mighty so are the children of thy youth_. And the matter of the covenant between the Father and the Son, is thus exhibited—_Thy people shall be willing __in the day of thy power_, _in the beauties of holiness_. _From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth_—which beautiful passage Mr. Hervey translates, and paraphrases thus: “As the morning is the mother of dews; produces them, as it were, from a prolific womb; and scatters them with the most lavish abundance, over all the surface of the earth: _So shall thy seed be_, O thou everlasting Father! By the preaching of thy word, shall such an innumerable race of regenerate children be born to thee, and fill all lands. Millions, millions of willing converts, shall _croud_ into thy family, and _replenish_ thy church; till they become like the stars of Heaven, or the sands of the sea, for multitude; or even as _numberless_, as these fine _spangles_, which now cover the face of nature.”
Of the same opinion was the late Mr. Huntington; see his “Light shining in Darkness;” on the 110th _Psalm_. “The youth which is to spring from the womb and is to be numerous as the drops of the dew, seem to _be_ a time yet to come; when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth—when a nation shall be born at once—when a little one shall become a thousand—and when the Lord’s family will consist of strong men in the faith; who are called youth; instead of thy fathers, shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make Princes in the earth;” this must be when the greatest kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the saints of the most high, and they shall take it, and possess it, for
Jesus shall reign where’er the Sun Does his successive journies run.
The truly excellent Dr. Hawker reads this passage in reference to the heavenly extraction of the Lord’s people, to shew, That sovereign grace will give to Christ an abundance of souls, like the dew drops; so numerous as to be perfectly incalculable: “And they shall come of heavenly extraction, as the dew from God, _being born not of the will of the flesh_, _but of God_; and unperceived, unnoticed, and unknown, as the silent drops of the morn; _for the kingdom of God cometh not by observation_: and as they are begotten like the dew, without the aid of man, so also shall they be preserved by the same predisposing cause, without man’s descent.—_Not by might or by power_, _but by my spirit_, _saith the Lord of Hosts_.” Thus the youth to whom Solomon writes are the spiritual seed of God, and not to mere carnal worldly youth, who are destitute of the knowledge of God. Dear _Amicus_, adieu—Grace and peace be with you.
I remain, your’s in the Sinner’s friend,
[Picture: Signature: J. C.]
_LETTER II_.
TO AMICUS.
_Lambeth_, 1814.
BELOVED FRIEND,
AMIDST a vast multitude of thoughts which occurred to my mind this morning, one more than all the rest, seemed longest to abide, namely, that as the Lord’s people are called Servants as well as Sons, it appears to me that the services of none are accepted of God, but only the services of those who are Sons by adoption and graces and by the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Such Sons are also called his Servants, who shall serve him: they were by nature the servants of the Devil, wore his livery, and did his will; but Almighty grace having wrought a glorious change in the heart, there is a change of the service; and this service is not in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit; then it must be with a new heart, a new spirit; with new views, aims, pursuits and ends. Into this service we are first pressed—then we become volunteers, and though we meet with many discouragements by the way, yet we are not tired of our Master, nor he of us; nor do we serve in heart, in affection, in word and deed, as we wish we could, yet he kindly accepts the will for the deed, and says, _If there be a willing mind_, _it is accepted according to what a man hath_, _and not according to what he hath not_. In the service of so divine a Lord, our chariot wheels would fain run swift along. My dear Brother can recollect when his feet run cheerfully in the way—_ye did run well_, _who did hinder you_? and you had a divine command for it—_Rejoice_, _O young man_, _in thy youth_, _and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth_. Walk in the way of thy new heart, and in the light of truth that you are favored with; but it is added, that all this work must be tried, judged, and proved, that it may appear to be genuine, that what belongs to God may go to God, and what belongs to nature you may discover, and lament; for this is the design of the furnace, the design of the fire of tribulation—therefore do not be alarmed, as though some unaccountable thing had happened. In the days of prosperity you did right to be joyful; in those days of adversity you must now consider, the Lord approved of the days of your youth, and even promises a renewal of them; and David declared he experienced it: this you may see in the following texts—_I remember thee_, _and the kindness of thy youth_, _and the love of thy __espousals_, _when thou wentest after me in a land that was not sown_.—_He shall return to the days of his youth_. _Thy youth is renewed as the Eagle’s_. This is experienced after a season of backsliding and darkness, deadness, and misery. In these youthful days it is necessary to be diligent, as dark days may come. Hence the exhortation, _Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth_. These youthful days do not so much regard the time of life as the time of the light, love, and liberty of the children of God; these are our first, best, and sweetest days.
Hence it is said, _it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth_: whatever may be the sense of this text, it is a point beyond all controversy, that it is a mercy to be taught out of the Law, in our first setting out, to bear the yoke of our transgressions, and receive deliverance from them by the precious blood and righteousness of Christ. It is likewise a mercy to be in the service of Christ, in health and strength of body and mind; the service of Christ is easy and his burden light; so he told his disciples, _Take my yoke upon you_. The word youth, does not always signify the term of years; this is evident from Job’s pathetic moan—_O that it was with me as in the days of my youth_, when I was blest with health of body, peace of mind, cheerful days, plenty of ordinances, and means to get the knowledge Jesus; and an inclination thereto, while the Spirit taught me to say, _My Father_, _thou art the guide of my youth_. And hence the apostate and backslider is said, to forsake the guide of her youth. Thus it appears the time to remember our creators is the days when first imprest with the good things of God; when powerfully drawn on by the cords of love; when we feel strong, lively, warm, and affectionate; when peace, comfort, and joy, are felt; when the mind is free from care, vexation, temptation, and misery; when God blesses us with health and strength, with ministers and books, with ordinances, and the company of saints. These are our most happy but not most god-glorifying times; yet, while they last, Solomon advises a careful attention to great truths, as we may meet with many crafty, cruel, malicious enemies to God, enemies to the doctrines of the Trinity in Unity; enemies to the Covenant of Redemption; enemies to free Grace, to the Work of the Holy Ghost; to the Divinity and work of the adorable Immanuel; and in fact, to every revealed truth. So Paul advises, _Put on the whole armour of God_, _that ye may stand in the evil day_. Every part of this armour will be needed, for it is provided for poor believers, who have to wrestle hard with sins, and doubts, and fears, nothing short of an experimental knowledge of the truth will abide the furnace, will stand in the days of evil, which are coming on, and which all the Lord’s children, either in a greater or less degree, must endure for it is plain those who fall away had only the form of godliness, without the power: there may be a form of sound words, a form of knowledge; a form of faith, of hope of love, of humility—this is but superficial; my dear Brother, I hope, has been convinced of the danger of this, and that nothing short of the gracious teachings of the Holy Ghost can satisfy his mind. This leads me to consider the second particular I promised to attend to in my first letter—The glorious object—_Thy Creators_.