Divine contemplations, and spiritual breathings of Mr. Henry Dorney

1661. To T. N. N^o 56.

IN pursuance of my Promise, and also that the mutual Remembrance of each other may be kept alive, I account my self engaged to present you these Lines. 'Tis one comfort that the Lord rules the World; yea, no other but that God to whom the Supplications of his People are always acceptable in Jesus Christ, and that nothing can be perfectly mi∣serable to them who are constituted Heirs of Bles∣sing, and past away from the Curse through the Curse of Christ. And though the glorious Arm and Truths of God seem to be overwhelmed in the World, yet when God shall appear to vindicate his Name, and cloath himself with Jealousie, what Ob∣struction shall hinder his Course, or stop his hand? I know you are not only strugling with difficulties without, as well as I am, but with Enemies within;

and truly that is my case also. And I know nothing that keeps me from being overwhelmed but only this, viz. some blinks of the free and eternal un∣changeable Bounty of God, who has for his own sake only, pitch'd upon such an unworthy Creature, and caused my Soul to hanker after him. When I am tired out with my own Darkness, Infirmity, Pollu∣tion and Unbelief, his good Spirit is pleased sometimes to sway my heart to throw my self, Body and Soul, and all my Sins and Cares upon him through Jesus Christ; and so out of my own Shame and Confusi∣on of face, there darts in sometimes a Beam of Re∣lief from him, who quickeneth the Dead, and calleth the things that are not as if they were. Could we come off more smoothly to own and catch that Hold upon Jesus Christ which the Word of God's Grace doth invite us to, we might lanch forth, and venture se∣curely in the Ark Jesus Christ, when there is not a Foot of dry Ground here below to stand upon. When we cannot pray, then to remember Christ intercedes. When we are all over defiled and confused, to re∣member the Mediator is cloathed with our Nature, and that on our behalf, in perfect Purity, and in the same Nature which each of us doth bear. He did conquer over all that which we are as yet conflicting with (in his Name.) That we are esteemed not ac∣cording to our present Infirmity, but according to that Perfection to which we are entitled in him who is at God's Right Hand. Could we be more exer∣cised in this view and blessed prospect; it would make our dry and dead Limbs recover heat and life; as it was with Jacob when he heard that Joseph was yet alive; Joseph our Brother is yet alive: And all Power is committed into his hands; he has the Keys of Hell and Death, and is himself the Door of Life also.

Oh, how unpersuadable are our hearts for the most part, and loath to credit the Word of his Grace and Truth, so far as to resign up our selves, our sins, our burthens of all sorts to the vertue and power of his Atonement and Soveraignty, who has ended all dif∣ferences, and brought in an everlasting Righteousness and Good Will, that a righteous God and sinful Man might be reconciled together in him who has ballan∣ced the Account exactly; and being gone, has left a Legacy of Blessing and Peace to every Soul that flees to him to feed upon, till the days of full re∣freshing appears, and we see him as he is. When I only muse my own weakness, it makes me more weak; while I converse with anxious thoughts, it makes my heart dark, sower and feeble; but Mil∣lions of Sins, Cares, Fears, and Disquiets fly before one hearty Closure with Christ, his Power and Grace by Faith. If Christ in the Soul saith I AM HE, whole Troops of Adversaries fall backwards, Difficulties vanish, and desponding Consultations of Unbelief in our Flesh fly as Dust before the Wind; and that because our Redeemer is strong, though we are weak. Methinks sometimes 'tis pity that we should hear so much, read so much spoke or writ, to each other so ordinarily of this certain real Refuge, and yet account it not more real. What a thing is this that Christ hath engaged, that not one of his shall be able to lose what he purchased and bequeathed for them! Such a good Will, and free Grace, that our Sins shall never be able to sin away, no more than they can be able to sin away Christ from the Right Hand of his Father; for were it otherwise, we were undone every moment. Who is it that maintains any Thirst after him that enables poor Dust and Ashes to conflict against all the powers of Darkness;

and of weak, sometimes becomes strong? Who is it that maintains any indignation against the Law of our Flesh that is in our Members, but he who hath overcome in his own Person, and will shortly tread down Satan under our feet also, and is hastning the day when the last Enemy shall be destroyed, and every Sigh and Tear removed. Let us comfort our hearts in this, and pray for each other, that we may, as good Soldiers of Jesus Christ, fight this good Fight of Faith, laying hold on Eternal Life; and so sur∣mount the Miseries of a present evil World, &c. Pray present my hearty Respects to your Daughter, whose Soul I know is labouring in this Work, &c.