“Then said I, Woe is me for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged."—Isa. 6:5-75Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. 6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. (Isaiah 6:5‑7).
THE Lord is ever swift to bless, slow to judge, He delights in mercy; judgment is His" strange work. David said" The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy" (Psa. 103:88The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (Psalm 103:8)).
Isaiah's experience of this blessed fact is recorded above. Paul wrote with a full heart—"I thank Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained (What? wrath, judgment, an everlasting hell—the due reward of my deeds? No! but) mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." (1 Tim. 1:12-1612And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. (1 Timothy 1:12‑16)).
These witnesses are joined by another to the same effect, who says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.... And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.' (2 Peter 3:9-159The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (2 Peter 3:9‑15)).
Thus it is evident that God, though He must and will assuredly judge sin, delights in blessing, and wants all men to be blessed, and saved. This surely is a fact of immense moment for you and me, dear reader, and if you are yet unsaved shows that the fault is not on God's side. God is slow to judge; man is slow to believe. God hastens to bless and save when the soul takes its true place of self-judgment before Him.
Now if you are not yet saved why should you go any longer unsaved? You cannot answer that query, save by confessing that you do not simply and fully trust the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the deadly evil that afflicts you-unbelief.
But, perhaps you are somewhat anxious to be saved, but cannot see the "way of salvation" clearly. If so may the Lord in His mercy use the simple little narrative which follows this to help you to see clearly His grace, and urgent desire to set your anxious soul at rest in His presence.
One Friday evening, in April, 1872, I received the following letter:—
"April 15th, 1872."
"SIR,”
“I heard Mr. S. and you preaching the gospel on Sunday evening; and, if you remember, you were speaking about the sprinkling of the blood on the door posts (Ex. 12). I understood it was a type of the blood of Jesus, and those that are saved sinners have, as it were, the blood sprinkled on their door posts. Well, I have not got that blood sprinkled upon my door posts. You ask, Why not? I don't know myself, for I would like very much to have it, yet I cannot find it. I suppose I am not seeking for it in earnest, or I would have a share of it with others. I have longed to be saved for six years or more, and I cannot find peace. I believe that Jesus died for all sinners, and that I am one among the worst of them, and I am in great need of a Savior, yet there is something I don't understand. I think it is because I have not faith; but, if you can explain it any better, I will be at the Hall the Sunday after next, if the Lord will spare me, to hear you once more. I am afraid I will never get another chance. I have had the gospel set before me plain enough, both by you and by my parents, but I think I get harder-hearted every time. I have tried to pray for faith but Satan seems to laugh at me, and tell me I am too late. I feel as if he had too fast hold on me now to get away from him.
“Oh, will you pray for me, that I might have light, and that I might find the true Savior? I hope the Lord will bear with me a little longer. I have given up all hopes of being a Christian. I shudder to think of a terrible judgment day.”
As there was no signature appended, and I did not at all know the handwriting, I was quite at a loss to know who the writer could be. That it was a truly anxious soul I was sure, and could only pity any one remaining ten days in such a state of sheer wretchedness, and I looked up to the Lord to give a suited word when the time should come of which the writer spoke.
But God's ways are not as ours, nor His thoughts like ours, "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”
The Lord's day following the receipt of this letter, I was just about to commence a Bible Class with some young men in my own house, when a violent ring of the door bell came, and an urgent message for me to at once see a patient who was thought to be dying, if not already dead. Hastily driving to the house, I found that the mother of the family had suddenly become unconscious, and her husband and several of her children were gathered round her, expecting each breath to be the last.
She certainly was in a most death-like swoon, but as she was breathing, though quite unconscious, I proceeded to apply suitable remedial measures to her, and sought to calm the fears of those who tremblingly watched their loved one. My patient I knew was a Christian, and so also was her husband, and some of the elder members of the family, but at the fireside stood some of whom I was not sure.
Turning to the father I asked, "Are all your children converted yet?" "No, no," said he, "I wish they were." Then, addressing the eldest of this little company round the fire, who had come home from her place of service for two or three hours, and whose name I knew, I said: "Is it true, Mary, that you are still unsaved?" A painful "Yes" was her only reply, but as it was coupled with a deep sigh, I thought she might be anxious, so begged her to come with me into another room that we might be alone for a few moments, while others carried out my directions with regard to the mother.
“I suppose you know where your dear mother would be, if she died?" I said.
“In heaven with Jesus," was Mary's reply.
"And if you died?
“I should go to hell, I know," she answered, bursting into a flood of tears.
“But have you no desire to be saved?”
“Oh, yes, indeed I have. I want to be saved, if I only knew how.”
“How? Why it is very simple, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.' Only believe Him. Just trust Him, as you are—a poor guilty sinner. He has died for sinners, His blood avails to cleanse the most guilty, and He says, ' Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.' Come to Him, that is all you have to do. Just trust Him. Do you think you can?”
“I should like to. I wish I could. Will you pray for me, Doctor?”
“Let us kneel together, before Him," I said, and then while she wept I prayed the Lord to spare the beloved mother, if it was His holy will, and save the sin-burdened child who knelt before Him.
As I rose to go back again to see the sick one, I said, "Don't get off your knees till all is settled, and you have found Jesus." The mother I found decidedly rallying, and she shortly completely recovered. On returning to Mary, after the lapse of some minutes, I found her awaiting me, standing on her feet, with a beaming though still tearful countenance. But these tears were tears of joy, as she said, "I have found Him. Jesus is mine." Yes thank God, she had found Him, and peace and life and joy in Him, and has gone on her way rejoicing ever since.
Two days afterward I learned that Mary was the writer of the anonymous letter!
Was not this just like the Lord, my reader? This anxious soul proposed to itself to wait ten days. But Jesus loves to meet the truly anxious one at once, and thus He must needs let the mother fall sick, and the physician be sent for, just at the moment when the sin-burdened one was by, that His own message of grace might be spoken to her.
May He speak to you now. The seraphim flew to relieve Isaiah. The father ran to meet the prodigal. God makes haste to be gracious to you, my friend. Do you trust Him as simply as Mary did, and pardon, peace, and joy divine are yours forever.
W. T. P. W.