"God is appearing for brother Huntington's support. There is evidently a work of grace beginning among his people. His old praying women, who belonged to Whitefield's day, say that so good appearances have not been seen in Boston since 1771. But our church is still dead, and still looking to an arm of flesh. We have not got enough yet. We shall have to receive more scourging before we shall be fit for any work. Of all creatures, some of us seemed the most unlikely to be selected to make such a stand in Boston. Whether the selection was of God or man, time must determine. Pray for us...

"But the church, with a few exceptions, are still asleep...

"Our congregation, gathered from all parts, with habits formed until cold preaching, present a cold spectacle, much unlike the congregation of Newark. They must be melted down into one mass by an electric shock from heaven. God send the shock in his own time!"

As way of introduction to today's post...

Some of you may know that just over three years ago God laid on my heart a burden to pray for revival. (For more on that, please see the second portion of my post here re: prayer.) For a few years prior to that time, I had became aware there was something lacking in the Church, and along with many, many others, I reacted out of my flesh, and I began to step onto the missional/emergent bandwagon. But then in His grace, God snatched me off and brought me to my senses, so I might be able to make a Biblical response to the current condition of the Church –– which can only occur as we go back to seek the face of God Himself (after all we are His people, His flock, His Church!) through prayer in conjunction with His inspired, infallible Word. As I did so, I began to discover those things which we are so apt to miss – but which are wholly vital to the welfare of God's Church: prayer and the ministry of the Word (e.g. ~ Acts 6:2; Luke 24:49; Isaiah 62 & 64:1-8; Acts 1:8; Acts 2; Joel 2:28-32; II Tim. 3:16-4:5; Eph. 4:9-16). So much of the western church today continues to operate in vain as we walk according to the imagination of our own hearts and disregard Biblical doctrine and Church history. Just like Israel, we keep trying to invent new things, rather than going back to the old paths!

In other words, so long as we continue to rely on ourselves, so long as we look to the arm of flesh, rather than confess our insufficiency and admit our neediness and look up to Almighty God and importunately plead with Him to have mercy upon us for His name's sake, and to send to us the supplies He alone can provide through His Holy Spirit –– we will remain hard, dead, cold, and wholly ineffectual, and a reproach to His name.

I realize the word "revival" is a loaded word, and I regret to say that there have been perpetuated some very sketchy and Biblically inaccurate and incorrect views of revival. Therefore, in order to give you more of an idea of what revival is and why I'm praying for revival, I present to you the following excerpt from Chapter 16 (What Happens in Revival) of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' book "Revival" (Wheaton: Crossway, 1987), 199-203, boldface mine. (The book was based on a series of sermons ML-J preached on revival in 1959, which was the 100th anniversary of the Welsh Revival.)

And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken:  for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name (Exod. 33.17).

   So far in this particular study we have considered what Moses prayed for, and why he prayed for it, and how he prayed for it. We come now to the point where God heard Moses, and gave him an answer, promising him that he would do the very thing for him and for the Children of Israel, which Moses had requested. So, our subject is, God having pity and mercy upon the Church, and sending his blessing. For, revival, after all, is nothing but God hearing the people and answering them by giving this manifestation of his glory, and his strength, and his power. And it is important, therefore, for us to understand, and to know something of what we should be anticipating and what we should be seeking in our prayers. And, of course, the way to discover that is to go back to the second chapter of Acts.

It is a truism to say that every revival of religion that the Church has ever known has been, in a sense, a kind of repetition of what happened on the day of Pentecost, that it has been a return to that origin, to that beginning, that it has been a reviving. Today there is a great deal of very loose and dangerous talk and writing about what happened on the day of Pentecost. People go accepting uncritically the explanation that what happened on the day of Pentecost was once and for all and never to be repeated.

   Now, it is important that we should examine that because, if that is really true, it is very wrong to pray for revival. But, of course, it is just not true. There is only one sense in which what happened on the day of Pentecost cannot be repeated and that is simply that it did happen to be the first of a series. And, of course, you cannot repeat the first. But the fact that you cannot repeat the first does not mean for a moment that what happened on the first occasion cannot happen again. And every revival of religion, I say, is really a repetition of what happened on the day of Pentecost. It is really almost incredible that people should go on saying that what happened at Pentecost was once and for all. Because if you go to Acts 11, and look there at Peter making his defence to the other Apostles for having baptised the Gentile Cornelius and his household, you will see that what he said was,

  
   You notice what he says. He says that the Holy Ghost fell on Cornelius, and his household, 'as on us at the beginning'. He said, 'The same thing happened to them, as happened to us on the day of Pentecost.' In other words, the baptism of the Holy Ghost took place on the day of Pentecost, but it also took place later upon Cornelius, and his household. That is exactly Peter's argument: 'Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift' – the same gift, you see – 'as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?' And he repeats the same argument again in Acts 15.

   So, then, I do trust we are clear about this, and see that we really must cease to say that what happened on the day of Pentecost happened once and for all. It did not, it was simply the first of a series. I am ready to admit that you cannot repeat 'the first'. But that is nothing; what matters is the thing that happened. And the thing that happened at Pentecost happened later in exactly the same way, while Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his household. The Holy Ghost fell upon them, as he had fallen upon these people in the upper room, there in Jerusalem. And, of course, that is exactly what happens in every revival.

   There is indeed even further evidence which I can adduce for you. You will find in Acts 4 that the same thing happened even a few days after the day of Pentecost, to the apostles and to others. There, after they had been prohibited to preach any longer in the name of Jesus Christ, they went back to the gathered Christians and they all prayed together. Then we are told in verse 31, 'And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.' That is exactly the term used in the second chapter. The term baptism is not used in the second chapter, but it means the baptism. Our Lord had said, 'Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem' (Luke 24.49), and had commanded them that 'they should not depart form Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence' (Acts 1.4-5). So what happened on the day of Pentecost was the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It is described in Acts 4, they were filled again with the Holy Ghost. It was not anything that they did, it was that which happened to them. All they did was to pray, then God poured out his Spirit upon them again, and filled them until they were overflowing: 'They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness', (Acts 4.31).

   Now, that is precisely what happens in revival. It is God pouring forth his Spirit, filling his people again. It is not that which is talked of in Ephesians 5.18, which is the command to us, 'Go on being filled with the Spirit.' That is something you and I do, but this is something that is done to us. It is the Spirit falling upon us, being poured out upon us. These are the terms: 'I will pour forth my Spirit.' God alone can do that. But it is you and I who are responsible for going on being filled with the Spirit. We must not grieve the Spirit, we must not quench the Spirit, we must give obedience to the Spirit. And as long as we do that, we shall go on being filled with the Spirit. But this is different, this is the Spirit being poured out upon us until we are filled to overflowing, the Spirit being shed forth – these things are the terms. But so much of the modern teaching never uses these scriptural terms at all. You never find them talking or writing about the Spirit being poured forth, or shed forth, these terms are never mentioned. No, and that is because of the theory, that what happened on the day of Pentecost happened once and for all. There is not a word in Scripture to say that. Indeed, as I have shown you, the Scripture shows quite clearly and explicitly the exact opposite: 'The Spirit fell on them even as on us at the beginning.' Let us be careful that we do not quench the Spirit in the interest of some theory or in a fear of certain freak religious bodies.

   Having cleared that point, let us go on to consider what happens when this takes place. 'What is revival?' says somebody. 'Why are you concerned about this? Why do you go on urging us to pray for it?' The answer is this, above everything else, is what is needed today. When will the Christian Church come to realise that? The feast of Pentecost, our Whitsuntide, is in particular the festival of the Church. Oh, is there any tragedy comparable to the failure of the Church to realise that this is her need, and that this is her only hope? But the Church does not realise it. It is tragic to see different branches of the Church getting together in conferences and assemblies to investigate the situation and to discover the problem of the Church. They are investigating the situation, the problem confronting the church. 'Here are the facts,' they say, 'now then, what are we to do?'

   And what do they suggest? Has there been a great call to prayer and fasting and humiliation? A crying out to God to have mercy, and to baptize us afresh with the Holy Ghost? Is that what is done? No, I think what you will find is that they will appoint special commissions. One group has appointed eight special commissions to enquire into the situation: if it were not so tragic it would indeed be almost laughable. Of course, that is what the politicians do, and that is what a businessman does, and in those realms it is absolutely right. it is the obvious commonsense thing to do. But in the name of God, I ask, is it not tragic that the Christian Church should be doing that? With the world as it is today – commissions to investigate, commissions of enquiry! And, indeed, in one case there is a commission even to report on what the Christian faith is, and how it is to be expressed. With the world on fire, with hell let loose, the Christian Church is trying to discover what her message is. She is seeking for some way of meeting the situation.

   It is true of all sections of the Christian Church. They are all in exactly the same condition. Not a word about the need for the power. Not a call to prayer and humiliation and to agony in the presence of God. The Church does everything except that which the Lord himself commanded the early Church to do. 'Ah,' but the Church says, 'you know, the conditions are different now. This is the twentieth century.' I would insult you by giving you an answer to that. The twentieth century has nothing to do with the situation at all. Man in sin does not change. But, my friends, we are talking about the power of God. And when we are talking about the power of God, to talk about superficial changes in men is not only an irrelevance, it is non-sensical. The world, I say, has always been the same. Look at the position in the book of Acts. Can you imagine any more hopeless position than that? There we find just a handful of people, and they are very ordinary men. They are described later as illiterate and ignorant men. The Lord of glory goes back to heaven, and he leaves his cause and his interest in the hands of these man. The Jews are all against them, as they had been against him. The Gentiles are all pagans. That is the position. A handful of people in an entirely hostile and gainsaying world. Nothing could have been worse than that. Nothing could have been more difficult. But you remember what happened when the Holy Ghost came down upon them. They were like lions, mighty in power, and within three centuries, this little sect became the official religion of the great Roman Empire. How did it happen? Did they hold commissions of enquiry and investigation? Nonsense. They just went on praying, waiting for the promise, the gift of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

   And so it has been through the ages. Again I could take you over the history. Was it not like that at the Protestant Reformation? What hope had that one man Martin Luther, just an unknown monk? Who was he to stand up against all the Church, and fifteen centuries almost, or at least a good twelve to thirteen centuries of tradition in the opposite direction? It seems a sheer impertinence for this one man to get up and say, "I alone am right, and you are all wrong.' That is what would be said about him today. And yet, you see, he was a man with whom the Spirit of God had been dealing. And though he was only one man, he stood, and stood alone, and the Holy Ghost honored him. The Protestant Reformation came in, and has continued, and it has always been the same.

---

Please note (Updated 2/12/2013): Thanks to the MLJ Trust (http://www.mljtrust.org/), you can find and listen to the entire sermon from which this book excerpt was taken, along with 1600 sermons by the late Dr. Martyn-Lloyd Jones by clicking here:  http://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/. The sermon I cited here is titled "The Power of Pentecost," which is 16th sermon in the series of sermons on revival ML-J preached in 1959 and can be found here: http://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/the-power-of-pentecost/. You can access the rest of ML-J's sermons on revival here:  http://www.mljtrust.org/collections/revival/.

You can also access a weekly podcast of one of ML-J's sermons at http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/living-grace/listen/. They're currently broadcasting ML-J's sermons on the book of Ephesians.

If the Lord has given you a burden to pray for reformation and revival in the Church, I invite you to visit tent of meeting, my blog devoted to prayer for revival.

Related posts:

• Lloyd-Jones 30 years later ~ Thank you, Dr. Lloyd-Jones for preparing the way
• Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Biography & Series Links

• Series Links: The Present of Pentecost (and other posts on the Holy Spirit)
• "descend and crown us now with Fire" - a prayer for Pentecost (John Wesley)
• How much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them who ask
• Naphtali News: God speaking to me about my failures & the one thing needful
• Why not pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit
• trusting the eagles' wings (reliance on the Holy Spirit)
• Blessed dependence ~ "Leaning upon her beloved"
• Pentecost Sunday: Are you laboring but have you forgotten to pray for rain?
• The Present of Pentecost, Part 8: Martyn Lloyd-Jones-"How May We Know That We Have the Spirit?"
• Pentecost Sunday: The Present of Pentecost, Part 10: O Spirit of God...Descend
• God uses men with "no outstanding abilities"
• Mrs. Turner & Charles Wesley's Pentecost | letter 142 on assurance & fighting for joy

• my deep concern for the churches
• Naphtali News: the Ministry of the Word & Prayer (see the second portion on prayer)
• Here I stand & from here I cast (devoted to prayer & the ministry of the Word)
• Prayer & Revival in Ireland (R.A. Torrey) & Livingstone in Africa: Are we in our closets?
• Postcards from England: "the fog is lifting on My Church"
• postcards from England: "The Burden for Revival" (ML-J)
• postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck?
• Can anything good come out of Xanga?
• They went everywhere gossiping the word; shouldn't we also? (Acts 8:4)
• Father, forgive me for joking
• Revival resources, etc.
• More revival resources: opportunity and eyes to see the ruins, a burden from God
• 492 years later: You say you want a reformation? (my theses and a call to prayer)
• the lost treasures of Christianity & the call to pray for revival (Bible reading: Ezra 1)

Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations included in the excerpt from ML-J and others marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El_Greco_006.jpg  / CC BY-SA 3.0
Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vesimyllyn_vett%C3%A4.jpg  / CC BY-SA 3.0 / {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

On Mother's Day, in my post, "Then Abigail Made Haste," I wrote about Abigail's devotion and obedient faith that led her to make haste for the joy of David and the blessing of God, and how we must examine ourselves and our devotion to God and how we must be on guard against complacency in spiritual matters.

Today, jumping ahead thousands of years from the time of Abigail and David, I'd like us to consider a woman who lived in the 18th century. On this day in 1738, the humble and obedient faith of Mrs. Turner (we don't even know her first name!) impacted the life of Charles Wesley for eternity (and countless other lives as a result!). I've written many letters on assurance and fighting for joy, and in the account below, we read of Charles Wesley fervently seeking salvation and the accompanying joy and peace which had eluded him for years. We cannot help but bless God as we see how He deemed to use the "humble instrumentality" of a "plain, illiterate woman" so Wesley might come to receive the gift of faith in Jesus Christ and a firm assurance that his sins were forgiven, thus enjoying the comfort of Christ and rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory! ~ I Corinthians 1:18-31!

The following is excerpted from Thomas Jackson's "Life of the Rev. Charles Wesley" (G. Lane & P.P. Sanford: New York, 1842), 118-123, 126 –– found at <http://archive.org/details/lifeoftherevchar001458mbp>.

As an illustration of the manner in which Mr. Charles Wesley waited upon God for the gift of faith, and of the salvation connected with it, the following selections from his Journal are given:—

"May 12th [1738]. I waked in the same blessed temper, hungry and thirsty after God. I began Isaiah, and seemed to see that to me were the promises made, and would be fulfilled; for that Christ loved me. I found myself more desirous, more assured, I should believe. This day (and indeed my whole time) I spent in discoursing on faith, either with those that had it, or those that sought it; in reading the Scriptures, and in prayer.

"I was much moved at the sight of Mr. Ainsworth, a man of great learning, above seventy, who, like old Simeon, was waiting to see the Lord's salvation, that he might depart in peace. His tears, and vehemence, and childlike simplicity, showed him upon the entrance of the kingdom of heaven.

"In the afternoon I read Isaiah with Mr. Edmunds; saw him full of promises; and that they belonged to me. In the midst of our reading Miss Claggetts came, and asked that they might hear us. We were all encouraged to pursue the glorious prize, held out to us by the evangelical prophet. When the company was gone, I joined with Mr. Bray in prayer and the Scripture; and was so greatly affected that I almost thought Christ was coming that moment. I concluded the night with private, vehement prayer.

"May 13th. I waked without Christ; yet still desirous of finding him. Soon after William Delamotte came, and read me the sixty-sixth Psalm, strangely full of comfortable promises. Toward noon I was enabled to pray with desire and hope, and to lay claim to the promises in general. The afternoon I spent with my friends, in mutual exhortation to wait patiently for the Lord, in prayer and reading. At night my brother came, exceeding heavy. I forced him (as he had often forced me) to sing a hymn to Christ; and almost thought he would come while we were singing: assured he would come quickly. At night I received much light and comfort from the Scriptures.

"May 14th. The beginning of the day I was heavy, weary, and unable to pray; but the desire soon returned, and I found much comfort both in prayer and in the word: my eyes being opened more and more to discover and lay hold upon the promises. I longed to find Christ, that I might show him to all mankind; that I might praise, that I might love him. Several persons called to-day, and were convinced of unbelief. Some of them afterward went to Mr. Broughton, and were soon made as easy as Satan and their own hearts could wish.

"May 17th. To-day I first saw Luther on the Galatians, which Mr. Holland had accidentally lighted upon. We began, and found him nobly full of faith. My friend, in hearing him, was so affected as to breathe out sighs and groans unutterable. I marveled that we were so soon and so entirely removed from him that called us into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel. Who would believe our Church had been founded upon this important article of justification by faith alone! I am astonished I should ever think this a new doctrine; especially while our Articles and Homilies stand unrepealed, and the key of knowledge is not yet taken away."

"From this time I endeavoured to ground as many of our friends as came, in this fundamental truth, salvation by faith alone: not an idle, dead faith; but a faith which works by love, and is necessarily productive of all good works, and all holiness.

"I spent some hours this evening in private with Martin Luther, who was greatly blessed to me, especially his conclusion of the second chapter. I laboured, waited, and prayed to feel, 'who loved me, and gave himself for me.' When nature, near exhausted, forced me to bed, I opened the book upon, 'For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.' After this comfortable assurance that he would come, and would not tarry, I slept in peace.

"May 18th. In the approach of a temptation, I looked up to Christ, and confessed my helplessness. The temptation was immediately beaten down, and continually kept off, by a power not my own. About midnight I was waked by a return of my pleurisy. I felt great pain, and straitness at my heart; but found immediate relief by bleeding. I had some discourse with Mr. Bray; thought myself willing to die the next moment, if I might but believe this: but was sure I could not die till I did believe. I earnestly desired it.

"May 19th. At five this morning the pain and difficulty in breathing returned. The surgeon was sent for; but I fell asleep before he could bleed me a second time. I received the sacrament, but not Christ.

"Mrs. Turner came, and told me I should not rise from that bed till I believed. I believed her saying, and asked, 'Has God then bestowed faith upon you?' 'Yes, he has.' 'Why, have you peace with God?' 'Yes, perfect peace.' And do you love Christ above all things?' 'I do; above all things incomparably.' 'Then, are you willing to die?' 'I am; and would be glad to die this moment; for I know all my sins are blotted out; the hand-writing that was against me is taken out of the way, and nailed to the cross. He has saved me by his death; he has washed me with his blood; he has hid me in his wounds. I have peace in him, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.'

"Her answers were so full, to these and the most searching questions I could ask, that I had no doubt of her having received the atonement; and waited for it myself with a more assured hope. Feeling an anticipation of joy upon her account, and thanking Christ as I could, I looked for him all night, with prayers, and sighs, and unceasing desires."

Such was the manner in which Mr. Charles Wesley waited upon God for that great change in his state and character, upon which he felt that his peace and safety both in time and eternity depended, He was humble, penitent, teachable, and persevering. He read the Holy Scriptures; studied the promises of God; was diligent in prayer, both social and private; and almost daily received the Lord's supper. In obedience to the divine direction, he continued asking, that he might receive; seeking, that he might find; knocking at the door of mercy, that it might be opened; labouring to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the earnest hope that the Holy Spirit would impart the full power of faith, and then witness his adoption, and purify his heart.

The frequent returns of his pleurisy, and his very enfeebled state, appear to have alarmed his friends, who began to be apprehensive that his end was near. His brother, therefore, and a few others, met together on Saturday evening, and spent the night in prayer. The next day was Whit-Sunday, on the morning of which he was enabled to believe to the saving of his soul. The great change which then passed upon him, and the circumstances connected with it, he has described in his private journal. The following is his own account:––

"Sunday, May 21st, 1738. I waked in hope and expectation of his coming. At nine my brother and some friends came and sung a hymn to the Holy Ghost. My comfort and hope were hereby increased. In about half an hour they went. I betook myself to prayer: the substance as follows:—'O Jesus, thou hast said, I will come unto you. Thou hast said, I will send the Comforter unto you. Thou hast said, My Father and I will come unto you, and make our abode with you. Thou art God, who canst not lie. I wholly rely upon thy most true promise. Accomplish it in thy time and manner.' Having said this, I was composing myself to sleep, in quietness and peace, when I heard one come in, (Mrs. Musgrave, I thought, by the voice,) and say, 'In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, arise, and believe, and thou shalt be healed of all thy infirmities!' I wondered how it should enter into her head to speak in that manner. The words struck me to the heart. I sighed, and said within myself, 'O that Christ would but speak thus to me!' I lay musing and trembling; then I rung; and Mrs. Turner coming, desired her to send up Mrs. Musgrave. She went down, and returning, said, Mrs. Musgrave had not been here. My heart sunk within me at the word; and I hoped it might be Christ indeed. However, I sent her down again to inquire, and felt in the mean time a strange palpitation of heart; and said, yet feared to say, 'I believe! I believe!'

"She came up again, and said, 'It was I, a weak, sinful creature, that spoke; but the words were Christ's. He commanded me to say them; and so constrained me, that I could not forbear.'

"I sent for Mr. Bray, and asked him whether I believed. He answered, I ought not to doubt of it: it was Christ that spoke to me. He knew it, and willed us to pray together. 'But first,' said he, 'I will read what I have casually opened upon: Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.' Still I felt a violent opposition, and reluctance to believe; yet still the Spirit of God strove with my own, and the evil spirit, till by degrees he chased away the darkness of my unbelief. I found myself convinced, I knew not how nor when; and immediately fell to intercession."

The fact is, this plain, illiterate woman, had a deep and solemn conviction that she ought thus to address the afflicted penitent, who was weeping and praying for pardon, peace, and holiness; but recollecting that he was a scholar and a clergyman, she was afraid to do it. She durst not speak to him in this manner face to face, and with difficulty prevailed upon herself to utter these words as she stood upon the stairs. By this humble instrumentality it pleased God to produce in the heart of his servant the vital faith which he so earnestly desired.

"On Sunday morning," says Mr. Charles Wesley, "she took Mr. Bray aside, burst into tears, and informed him of the matter; objecting, she was a poor, weak, sinful creature; and should she go to a minister! She could not do it, nor rest till she did. He asked her whether she had ever found herself so before. 'No, never.' 'Why, then,' said he, 'go. Remember Jonah. You declare promises, not threatenings. Go in the name of the Lord. Fear not your own weakness. Speak you the words. Christ will do the work. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hath he ordained strength.' They prayed together; and she then went up, but durst not come in till she had again prayed by herself. About six minutes after she had left him, he found and felt, while she was speaking the words, that Christ was with us.

"I never heard words uttered with like solemnity. The sound of her voice was entirely changed into that of Mrs. Musgrave. (If I can be sure of any thing sensible.) I rose, and looked into the Scripture. The words that first presented were, 'And now, Lord, what is my hope? Truly, my hope is even in thee.' I then cast down my eye, and met, 'He hath put a new song in my mouth, even a thanksgiving unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall put their trust in the Lord.' Afterward I opened upon Isaiah xl, 1: 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the Lord's hand double for all her sins.'

"I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ. My temper, for the rest of the day, was mistrust of my own great, but before unknown, weakness. I saw that by faith I stood; and the continual support of faith, which kept me from falling, though of myself I am ever sinking into sin. I went to bed still sensible of my own weakness, (I humbly hope to be more and more so,) yet confident of Christ's protection."

. . .

For the long space of ten years had Charles been labouring after holiness, without attaining to it; and for the longer space of twelve or thirteen years had [his brother] John [Wesley] been engaged in the same pursuit, and with the same want of success. They were still in the state which, is described in the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. They were "carnal, and sold under sin." Their struggles to get free from it were powerless and unavailing; so that after a thousand resolutions and efforts, they could only lament, in the bitterness of disappointed hope, "wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Now they were translated from the legal to the evangelical state; and could testify with the apostle, "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." "Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." "Whom, having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." Their friend, the Rev, John Gambold, incumbent of Stanton-Harcourt, and one of their Oxford companions, received the truth at the same time, and through the same instrumentality. Like them, he had long been wandering in the labyrinths of Mysticism, wearying himself for very vanity; and on emerging into light, he appositely denominated the evangelical method of justification by faith, "the sinner's short way to God."

---

Related:

My other letters on assurance and joy including:

Why preach the Gospel? # 1: Bad men need Good News!
Why preach the Gospel? # 2: Dead men need Life!
Reformation Day: Martin Luther on "How One is Justified before God, and of Good Works"
Luther on Galatians 4: any & all false gospels = idolatry
Labor Day: Do you know the blessedness of not working? (Romans 4:1-8)
"What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" (Labor Day)
First Week of Advent: The Most Scandalous Bailout Ever
"Either we accept the atonement of Christ or we repeat it."
A little child shall lead us: Christ died for our sins (precious penal substitution)
The Gospel: Penal substitution? Really? Yes, really!
why we need a new heart (Bible reading - Matthew 5)
The flags unfurled ... Christ's eternal banner | Lloyd-Jones ~ a third type of assurance
The Christian should not just believe the truth, and know it..." | the Father's assurance

Then Abigail Made Haste (complacency & devotion)
Romans 12:1-2 ~ Ann Hasseltine Judson: a willing sacrifice – Are you?
Thank you, Noël Piper (Thank you, pastor's wives)
Bible Reading: I Corinthians 15 & 16: Would we stand firm for 38 years?
What Is ... Making a Difference? Bible Reading: 2 Kings-Two Daughters of Eve Make a Difference
Father's Day ~ William Carey & his son | duty, risk & the obedient Son
my desire: "fearless and uncompromising" like Duncan Campbell, Moses, and Paul
God uses men with "no outstanding abilities"
by the grace of God you can be the greatest you that ever lived
Bible Reading-Mark 4: (6) Kingdom-Obsessed People persevere in scattering seed

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After posting Andrew Fuller's words about The Dangerous Tendency of Delay in the concerns of religion last night, this morning the Holy Spirit brought these words of Edward Payson to my heart:

Through that loving Fatherly discipline, I was strongly encouraged to trust and to go forward. Job 5:17  Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18  For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.  Psalm 16:7  I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

To explain... over the past several weeks, on many, many occasions, I've been tempted to distrust and to shrink back, rather than to trust and to go forward. I'd fallen headfirst into the deadly snare of fixing my eyes on the visible obstacles and impossible situations – instead of setting my affections on the invisible God Who can do the impossible.

I love the Bible, and God has provided many, many encouragements to me through His Word. However, once again, I must take the opportunity to commend to you the reading of well-chosen Christian biography. Though the words are not infallible and inspired as the Scripture is, the Holy Spirit can take the stories and the words of the saints and use them to strengthen and refresh our weak and thirsty souls, for these men and women are part of that great cloud of witnesses which surrounds us.*

Here's the full context of Payson's words (from "Memoir, Select Thoughts and Sermons of the Late Rev. Edward Payson, Volume 1" by Edward Payson (1783-1827) and Asa Cummings, 329-330, emphasis mine). Please note:  though Payson's words were written to a man who is called to the ministry of Gospel preaching, they are helpful and applicable to any believer who is struggling to press on in obedience to the will of God in the face of great temptations and difficulties. If you're not struggling today, soon enough you will be. Though Satan is a defeated foe, he still prowls and seeks to work us woe!

To a brother, who shrunk from his duty, through depression of mind, and an erroneous opinion of his own qualifications for the ministry.  Lest any should use the authority of Dr. Payson's name to urge men to assume the sacred office without the requisite qualifications, it ought to be stated, that the person addressed in the following letter, besides possessing decided piety, had passed through a regular course of preparatory studies at a theological seminary:

"My dear brother:  Your letter found me more than ordinarily hurried; but I feel it to be so important that you should be licensed this fall, that I must snatch a moment to answer it.  Your feelings, as you describe them, are just like mine, only less aggravated by long continuance.  I mention this that you may pay more regard to my advice.  I am as certain that it is best for you to take license immediately, as I can be of any thing.   Rely upon it, that, if you delay, your difficulties will increase, and you will feel more and more as if it as impossible to preach.  Your only safety lies in placing yourself in circumstances which will make exertion necessary, and which will secure divine assistance.  Never mind your infirmities.  You have nothing to do with them.  Your business is to trust, and go forward.  If you wait till the sea becomes land, you will never walk on it.  You must leave the ship, and, like Peter, set your feet upon the waves, and you will find them marble.  Christ is a good Master.  He won't suffer you to sink; and you will, at length, glory in your infirmities.  I would not give up the precious proofs which I have received, in consequence of my weakness, of his power, faithfulness, and love, for all the comforts of good health.  But be assured, that, if you remain as you are, Satan will weave a net round you, which you will never break.  Every mental and religious effort will become more difficult and painful; your mind will be like the body of a rickety child; you will live a burden to yourself and friend, and die without the consolation of having been made useful.  This would infallibly have been my fate, had I not been thrust into the ministry before I well knew what I was about.  Yet you see I have, somehow or other, been carried along, and so will you be.  Do not then, my dear, dear brother, stand hesitating.  A feeble, nervous man must not deliberate, but act; for his deliberation will not be worth a straw, but his activity may be, and probably will be, useful both to himself and others.

"When Christ told his disciples to feed the multitude with five loaves, they did not hesitate, and say, Lord, let us first see the bread multiplied; if we begin and have not enough, we shall be put to shame; but they distributed what they had, and it increased with the distribution. So you will find it.  You just, therefore, go forward.  There is no reason why you should not.  If you delay, indolence will steal upon you, and bind you in chains, which you will never break.

"I charge you, then, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to be up and doing. There are fifty places in this State [Maine], where the most unconnected things, which your lips could utter, would do good, and be well received.  You have no conception by what apparently feeble means God often works wonders.  Let the next tidings I hear from you be, that you have crossed the Rubicon; or, rather, let me see you here forthwith, in the character of a preacher."

---

Please note: Today's post is an edited/adapted version of a post I originally published here on October 2, 2011.

* Please check out John Piper's biographical messages. God used these to whet my appetite for reading Christian biography, and I pray God might use them similarly in your life if you've not yet come to appreciate the treasure of Christian biography.

Related posts...

on Christian biography...

• Why read Christian biography? To help us examine our love for God.
• "Who wants candles when he has the sun?" ~ Edward Payson | letter 124 on assurance & joy
• "if I would but cease struggling ... I might be happy" (Edward Payson)
• "Happy are they who can say..." ~ J.C. Philpot | Letter 139 on assurance & fighting for joy
• Happy Birthday, John Piper ~ reflections on year-ends, aging, fruit bearing & Christian hedonism
• Romans 12:1-2 ~ Ann Hasseltine Judson: a willing sacrifice – Are you?
• In which circle do you take your stand? ~ Hewitson's holy ambition ~ Are you a true disciple?
• In loss and grief ... "You maun just go the mair to Jesus." ~ James Laing

on God's sufficiency...

• by my God I can leap over a wall (Psalm 18:29b)
• your resolution - "Divine Intervention" by Lecrae
• Naphtali News: God speaking to me about my failures & the one thing needful
• Why not pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit
• trusting the eagles' wings (reliance on the Holy Spirit)
• Blessed dependence ~ "Leaning upon her beloved"
• "As your days, so shall your strength be"
• "Dependence" by William Cowper

Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

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