In a letter to a friend John Love laments the lack of spiritual power observable in his own ministry and in the preaching of others. In doing so he makes insightful comments concerning himself.
It is peculiarly hard for public teachers to be pure from the blood of all men, in this great shipwreck of immortal souls. There appears little of the genuine light and fire of the Holy Spirit of God in most of our preaching. The awakening and conversion of a single soul is now become a wonderful scarcity....
That preaching which will awaken and save souls must be a strong and felt anticipation of the great day of the Lord, when the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. But how can I awaken others while I am asleep myself? How strange a thing is the spirit of slumber; how long must I cry against it!
I beg the help of your prayers for the awakening influences of the Holy Ghost.
Showing posts with label Letters of John Love on the Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Letters of John Love on the Ministry. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Friday, 20 March 2009
Letters of John Love on the Ministry (4)
Glasgow, 25th December, 1781
Dear Sir
As I supposed you would soon hear of my having communicated to Mr T_____ my acceptance of his offer, I have been the less anxious at the delay of my writing you, occasioned by various circumstances.
I ought to be ashamed that so much regard hath already been shown in your place to one such as I am. And when I compare the greatness of the work which I have undertaken to attempt, with my spiritual poverty and insufficiency, I have the sentence of death in myself; nor can I be relieved otherwise than by trusting in God who quickeneth the dead.
The motives which have determined my acceptance, I hope, have been, in some measure, pleasing in the sight of God. And it is comfortable to me to think that it is the way of God in his grace to choose the weak, foolish, and base things of the world, to be instrumental in the advancement of his kingdom, and to make his wisdom, power and glory to shine through these.
I greatly need and earnestly desire the prayers of the pious people in your place. And the things which I would wish to be prayed for on my behalf are chiefly these:
1. A more pure, fervent, and heavenly zeal for the glory of God and for the souls of all sorts of people among you, old and young, godly and profane, rich and poor.
2. Wisdom to insinuate the truth of God into the hearts and consciences of every sort of persons – the truth of God in his law and in his gospel.
3. Indefatigable strength of spirit to continue unweariedly in private and public labours for the salvation of every one among you, according to my measure and opportunity.
4. A great measure of the spirit of supplication to produce a character corresponding to Isaiah 62:6-7: ‘I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence; and give him no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.’
5. The revelation of the arm of God gloriously to attend and to succeed whatever poor endeavours, in public or in private, I may be enabled to make.
Our moments are flying away, and our eternal Judge is at the door: whatever is to be done for ourselves or others, must be done quickly and with our might.
May the salvation of God eminently come to your house! In this I shall greatly rejoice. J.L.
Dear Sir
As I supposed you would soon hear of my having communicated to Mr T_____ my acceptance of his offer, I have been the less anxious at the delay of my writing you, occasioned by various circumstances.
I ought to be ashamed that so much regard hath already been shown in your place to one such as I am. And when I compare the greatness of the work which I have undertaken to attempt, with my spiritual poverty and insufficiency, I have the sentence of death in myself; nor can I be relieved otherwise than by trusting in God who quickeneth the dead.
The motives which have determined my acceptance, I hope, have been, in some measure, pleasing in the sight of God. And it is comfortable to me to think that it is the way of God in his grace to choose the weak, foolish, and base things of the world, to be instrumental in the advancement of his kingdom, and to make his wisdom, power and glory to shine through these.
I greatly need and earnestly desire the prayers of the pious people in your place. And the things which I would wish to be prayed for on my behalf are chiefly these:
1. A more pure, fervent, and heavenly zeal for the glory of God and for the souls of all sorts of people among you, old and young, godly and profane, rich and poor.
2. Wisdom to insinuate the truth of God into the hearts and consciences of every sort of persons – the truth of God in his law and in his gospel.
3. Indefatigable strength of spirit to continue unweariedly in private and public labours for the salvation of every one among you, according to my measure and opportunity.
4. A great measure of the spirit of supplication to produce a character corresponding to Isaiah 62:6-7: ‘I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence; and give him no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.’
5. The revelation of the arm of God gloriously to attend and to succeed whatever poor endeavours, in public or in private, I may be enabled to make.
Our moments are flying away, and our eternal Judge is at the door: whatever is to be done for ourselves or others, must be done quickly and with our might.
May the salvation of God eminently come to your house! In this I shall greatly rejoice. J.L.
Letters of John Love on the Ministry (3)
Dear Sir
I ought to take it very kindly that you are pleased to make any enquiry after such a one as I ought to reckon myself. It is no great humility for me to think that I and my preaching deserve to be buried in oblivion and infamy, that is, with regard to what I am in myself, and what of my preaching comes properly from me.
However, it is no part of true humility to speak evil of what is wrought by the Spirit of God in us or by us. I wish I had much more of that kind to speak of than I have; which I might have if it were not my own perverseness and unbelief. It is the sad effect of unbelief to prevent Christ's doing many mighty works.
So far as I can judge, it does not appear that the Lord is at present using me as an instrument of doing great execution as to the work of conviction and conversion. The principal effect of my present labours seems to be with regard to some of the people of God, in their instruction, direction, and consolation, particularly in perplexed and distressed cases. But I think, so far as I am an instrument at all regarded by the Lord, he is rather preparing and polishing me than using me. Though he has had such bad materials to work upon in me, that it seems to require more pains at his hand than is taken with some, the more that this is the case, the greater glory will appear in him who is the great artificer in the kingdom of grace, who is able of stones to raise up children to Abraham; nor is it vain for a poor creature to wait upon him in that empty, hungry, distressed way in which it is ordinary for me to wait upon him. He with whom we have to do is one who brings the blind by a way that they know not, and who makes darkness light and crooked things straight. And, though it is a great thing to us, yet it is not also a great thing in his eyes, in a short time to make a rich compensation (I mean not in the way of death but of grace) for the on-waiting of many years.
I do not think it presumption to comfort myself with such expectations, as that though I may be allowed to seem to toil long to little purpose, yet he may train me up for being at length used as an instrument in an acceptable time, when the wind of the Spirit shall blow with more apparent quickening power than at present, and when trembling at the word of God shall not be so much out of fashion as it now seems to be.
The Lord can soon give such a draught of souls as will be matter of astonishing triumph through eternity. Surely it is worth while to wait long upon the possibility of this, and, with such hope, ‘in the morning to sow our seed, and in the evening not to withhold our hand.’
I have said enough as to myself; I acknowledge myself obliged to have a deep concern for the success of the gospel in your hands, and am desirous of acting much more up to this obligation in the way of earnest prayer than the wretched prevailing of spiritual death will frequently allow. None ought more especially to thank God through Jesus Christ than I, for the ample treasures of sin-conquering and fruit-producing grace.
It will be good news to hear of there having been much of the presence of God with you at your sacramental solemnity, which will probably be over before this comes to hand.
I humbly beg to be remembered in your prayers, JL.
I ought to take it very kindly that you are pleased to make any enquiry after such a one as I ought to reckon myself. It is no great humility for me to think that I and my preaching deserve to be buried in oblivion and infamy, that is, with regard to what I am in myself, and what of my preaching comes properly from me.
However, it is no part of true humility to speak evil of what is wrought by the Spirit of God in us or by us. I wish I had much more of that kind to speak of than I have; which I might have if it were not my own perverseness and unbelief. It is the sad effect of unbelief to prevent Christ's doing many mighty works.
So far as I can judge, it does not appear that the Lord is at present using me as an instrument of doing great execution as to the work of conviction and conversion. The principal effect of my present labours seems to be with regard to some of the people of God, in their instruction, direction, and consolation, particularly in perplexed and distressed cases. But I think, so far as I am an instrument at all regarded by the Lord, he is rather preparing and polishing me than using me. Though he has had such bad materials to work upon in me, that it seems to require more pains at his hand than is taken with some, the more that this is the case, the greater glory will appear in him who is the great artificer in the kingdom of grace, who is able of stones to raise up children to Abraham; nor is it vain for a poor creature to wait upon him in that empty, hungry, distressed way in which it is ordinary for me to wait upon him. He with whom we have to do is one who brings the blind by a way that they know not, and who makes darkness light and crooked things straight. And, though it is a great thing to us, yet it is not also a great thing in his eyes, in a short time to make a rich compensation (I mean not in the way of death but of grace) for the on-waiting of many years.
I do not think it presumption to comfort myself with such expectations, as that though I may be allowed to seem to toil long to little purpose, yet he may train me up for being at length used as an instrument in an acceptable time, when the wind of the Spirit shall blow with more apparent quickening power than at present, and when trembling at the word of God shall not be so much out of fashion as it now seems to be.
The Lord can soon give such a draught of souls as will be matter of astonishing triumph through eternity. Surely it is worth while to wait long upon the possibility of this, and, with such hope, ‘in the morning to sow our seed, and in the evening not to withhold our hand.’
I have said enough as to myself; I acknowledge myself obliged to have a deep concern for the success of the gospel in your hands, and am desirous of acting much more up to this obligation in the way of earnest prayer than the wretched prevailing of spiritual death will frequently allow. None ought more especially to thank God through Jesus Christ than I, for the ample treasures of sin-conquering and fruit-producing grace.
It will be good news to hear of there having been much of the presence of God with you at your sacramental solemnity, which will probably be over before this comes to hand.
I humbly beg to be remembered in your prayers, JL.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Letters of John Love on the Ministry (2)
Dear Sir
I ought to take it very kindly that you are pleased to make any enquiry after such a one as I ought to reckon myself. It is no great humility for me to think that I and my preaching deserve to be buried in oblivion and infamy, that is, with regard to what I am in myself, and what of my preaching comes properly from me.
However, it is no part of true humility to speak evil of what is wrought by the Spirit of God in us or by us. I wish I had much more of that kind to speak of than I have; which I might have if it were not my own perverseness and unbelief. It is the sad effect of unbelief to prevent Christ's doing many mighty works.
So far as I can judge, it does not appear that the Lord is at present using me as an instrument of doing great execution as to the work of conviction and conversion. The principal effect of my present labours seems to be with regard to some of the people of God, in their instruction, direction, and consolation, particularly in perplexed and distressed cases. But I think, so far as I am an instrument at all regarded by the Lord, he is rather preparing and polishing me than using me. Though he has had such bad materials to work upon in me, that it seems to require more pains at his hand than is taken with some, the more that this is the case, the greater glory will appear in him who is the great artificer in the kingdom of grace, who is able of stones to raise up children to Abraham; nor is it vain for a poor creature to wait upon him in that empty, hungry, distressed way in which it is ordinary for me to wait upon him. He with whom we have to do is one who brings the blind by a way that they know not, and who makes darkness light and crooked things straight. And, though it is a great thing to us, yet it is not also a great thing in his eyes, in a short time to make a rich compensation (I mean not in the way of death but of grace) for the on-waiting of many years.
I do not think it presumption to comfort myself with such expectations, as that though I may be allowed to seem to toil long to little purpose, yet he may train me up for being at length used as an instrument in an acceptable time, when the wind of the Spirit shall blow with more apparent quickening power than at present, and when trembling at the word of God shall not be so much out of fashion as it now seems to be.
The Lord can soon give such a draught of souls as will be matter of astonishing triumph through eternity. Surely it is worth while to wait long upon the possibility of this, and, with such hope, 'in the morning to sow our seed, and in the evening not to withhold our hand.'
I have said enough as to myself; I acknowledge myself obliged to have a deep concern for the success of the gospel in your hands, and am desirous of acting much more up to this obligation in the way of earnest prayer than the wretched prevailing of spiritual death will frequently allow.
None ought more especially to thank God through Jesus Christ than I, for the ample treasures of sin-conquering and fruit-producing grace.
It will be good news to hear of there having been much of the presence of God with you at your sacramental solemnity, which will probably be over before this comes to hand.
I humbly beg to be remembered in your prayers, JL.
I ought to take it very kindly that you are pleased to make any enquiry after such a one as I ought to reckon myself. It is no great humility for me to think that I and my preaching deserve to be buried in oblivion and infamy, that is, with regard to what I am in myself, and what of my preaching comes properly from me.
However, it is no part of true humility to speak evil of what is wrought by the Spirit of God in us or by us. I wish I had much more of that kind to speak of than I have; which I might have if it were not my own perverseness and unbelief. It is the sad effect of unbelief to prevent Christ's doing many mighty works.
So far as I can judge, it does not appear that the Lord is at present using me as an instrument of doing great execution as to the work of conviction and conversion. The principal effect of my present labours seems to be with regard to some of the people of God, in their instruction, direction, and consolation, particularly in perplexed and distressed cases. But I think, so far as I am an instrument at all regarded by the Lord, he is rather preparing and polishing me than using me. Though he has had such bad materials to work upon in me, that it seems to require more pains at his hand than is taken with some, the more that this is the case, the greater glory will appear in him who is the great artificer in the kingdom of grace, who is able of stones to raise up children to Abraham; nor is it vain for a poor creature to wait upon him in that empty, hungry, distressed way in which it is ordinary for me to wait upon him. He with whom we have to do is one who brings the blind by a way that they know not, and who makes darkness light and crooked things straight. And, though it is a great thing to us, yet it is not also a great thing in his eyes, in a short time to make a rich compensation (I mean not in the way of death but of grace) for the on-waiting of many years.
I do not think it presumption to comfort myself with such expectations, as that though I may be allowed to seem to toil long to little purpose, yet he may train me up for being at length used as an instrument in an acceptable time, when the wind of the Spirit shall blow with more apparent quickening power than at present, and when trembling at the word of God shall not be so much out of fashion as it now seems to be.
The Lord can soon give such a draught of souls as will be matter of astonishing triumph through eternity. Surely it is worth while to wait long upon the possibility of this, and, with such hope, 'in the morning to sow our seed, and in the evening not to withhold our hand.'
I have said enough as to myself; I acknowledge myself obliged to have a deep concern for the success of the gospel in your hands, and am desirous of acting much more up to this obligation in the way of earnest prayer than the wretched prevailing of spiritual death will frequently allow.
None ought more especially to thank God through Jesus Christ than I, for the ample treasures of sin-conquering and fruit-producing grace.
It will be good news to hear of there having been much of the presence of God with you at your sacramental solemnity, which will probably be over before this comes to hand.
I humbly beg to be remembered in your prayers, JL.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Letters of John Love on the Ministry (1)
Dear Sir (written in 1779)
I hope it is from a good design that I trouble you with this letter; which it will be worth your while to read and mine to write, if thereby you are led to think more seriously than ever on these three things.
1. The vast difficulty of the work of the ministry. I know something of this now by experience. I feel how difficult and supernatural a thing it is to feel in my heart holy love to God and man, so prevailing as to keep self-seeking as to applause etc. in its proper distance from such holy work.
2. How glorious a thing it is to be enabled to preach the gospel from divine supernatural views of it, and from divine supernatural ends, that God may be glorified in the salvation of sinners! If it had not been a glorious thing, Christ would not have been engaged in it, nor would he have made such promises to those who attain to it!
3. How full and free are the treasures of grace in Christ!
I have been preaching as an assistant in R_____ for some time, and have continued for eight Sabbaths past, with a view to the public state of matters, on Habakkuk 3:16: 'When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.'
I beg your help at the throne of grace in the work in which I am engaged.
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