GLASGOW, 9th Oct. 1872.
MY DEAR MISS M.,
—. . . I read with great
interest your own letter about your friend who seems so near despair, and this
morning your sister has given me more particulars from your friend's letter to
you. It is a case that reminds me of the Saviour's words, 'This kind goeth not
out but by prayer and fasting.' It is a case that may well draw out all the
sympathies and continued prayers of believing friends in her behalf. Evidently
there is something to be laid down to the state of her health, and it might be
well for her to remember that Satan, the accuser, does take advantage of such
circumstances. Satan has, no doubt, had something to do with her confusion of
mind and the bitter things she writes against herself. I wonder if she would
admit that in all despair on this side the grave there is rank pride?
The sinner is refusing to be treated as an absolute sinner, one full of
selfishness, hard-heartedness, meanness, self-deception (a 'living lie,' as she
herself writes, in God s view), a sinner who has never repented aright or felt
anything aright. This is the sinner who furnishes Christ with His opportunity
of manifesting grace. Pride of conscience is as subtle as pride of
reason; it says, 'I cannot, I will not, no, I will not, I never will, admit and
believe that Christ's grace will go so far as to welcome me, who am an absolute
mass of guilt and rotten corruption.' This thought and feeling of the awakened
conscience is pride, rank pride.
To say 'I have spent hours struggling with
despair,' and 'I am weak and worn with the agony of conflict,' indicates
the very opposite state of mind from what is found in a receiver of
grace. 'Come to Me all that labour'—struggle, in agony of conflict.
Submit, only submit, to be done struggling. We must receive the kingdom of God
as a little child receives what is held out to him, or as a little child allows
one to put his arms round him and lift him up.
Once more; your friend says
'I feel I have never been a child of God;' but she forgets that we may
be God's children when we do not feel that we are. 'We are children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus;' 'As many as receive Him to them He
gives privilege to become sons of God.' Luther, with his eye on this truth,
repelled Satan's question: 'Martin Luther, do you this day feel that you are a
child of God?' 'No, Satan, I do not feel that I am, but yet I
know that I am.'
O that your friend may, by the Spirit of truth, be
enabled to cease from every effort and every struggle, submitting to the
Righteousness of God. Will she not let the Sun of Righteousness shine on
her? Will she proudly shut her despairing eyes and not look upon the blood that
cleanses from all sin, and the forgiving love of Him whose message to her is,
'Come to me; I will give you rest.'
Excuse me for writing somewhat
hurriedly. May your own soul be blest with 'grace for grace,' day by day, out
of His fulness.
—Yours truly in the Lord Jesus,
ANDREW A. BONAR
Transcribed from Reminiscences of Andrew A.Bonar D.D.
first published
LONDON, HODDER AND STOUGHTON,
27 Paternoster
Row
1895
HTML transcription files copyright © 2001-2006.
Jane Newble
July 2001