January 11, 1840.
My Beloved Sister,
I know not dear G... 's address exactly, and this gives me this happy occasion of writing a little word to you, as you will kindly give the enclosed to Mrs. B...., and she will forward it for me.
I should be glad to be paying you a visit now and then, dear sister, to tell to one another of the blessed Jesus. But the principal thing I could tell you of would be discoveries of my weakness and poor, poor faith. We find out that much of energy and grace that may appear in us passes off like chaff before the wind. Oh, dear sister, we are brought to learn humbling lessons at times. But I am sure some of us are too disposed to look at the death in Adam rather than the life in Christ; the ruin and sorrow that have come in through the first man, rather than the mighty, everlasting relief that has been introduced by the Second.
What a thought it is, that corruption and glory so closely touch each other in us! We carry within us the seeds of both. What an illustration is poor Lazarus of that: one moment the feast of dogs at the gate of a rich neighbor—the next, the holy, happy charge of angels carrying him to bright and glowing scenes on high. And this is comforting, and it should help to withdraw our eye from the seed of corruption to the seed of glory in us. Some of us are tempted to brood over the one, and scarcely to lift ourselves up to the other. But Jesus in resurrection invites our eye, and there faith turns.
Our united love awaits you. O, dear sister, I desire to know the power of a little truth, far rather than increase the stock of truths. Farewell. The Lord be with your spirit. A little letter would be pleasant to me, but I do not put it on you. Believe me very unfeignedly,
Ever your affectionate brother,
J. G. B.