A Practical Directory for Young Christian Females Part 1

A Practical Directory for Young Christian Females.

by Harvey Newcomb.

PREFACE.

The following Letters were truly, as they profess to have been, written to a younger sister of the author. By the death of her parents, she was left, in a measure, dependent upon him, at an early age. She had been the subject of many prayers, and endeared by many ties. His house, as he humbly trusts, was the place of her second birth. As she was about to leave his roof, for a residence among strangers, the idea occurred to him of imbodying his fraternal counsel in such a form that it might be a friendly monitor to her, in the midst of those dangers and difficulties which beset the path of inexperienced youth. In prosecuting this design, it appeared hardly proper to bestow so much time upon the interests of one individual. Hence the writer concluded to commit these Letters to the press, with the hope that they might be the means of doing some good. This work is intended not merely to be read and laid aside; but, as its t.i.tle imports, to be kept as a kind of _practical directory_ for daily living. This edition has been revised with great care, and much new matter added.

BOSTON, 1851.

LETTER I.

_The Christian's Mark._

"Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I _press_ towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of G.o.d in Christ Jesus."--PHIL. 3:13, 14.

MY DEAR SISTER,

Ever since the death of our dear mother, I have felt a deep interest in your welfare. And your being left, while young, in a measure dependent upon me, has increased my affection for you. You have now left my roof, to sojourn among strangers. You have little knowledge of the world, and your religious experience has been short. I trust, therefore, you will cordially receive a few hints from one whose fraternal affection has been strengthened by many peculiar circ.u.mstances, and who, for many years, has not ceased to remember you in his prayers.

Young Christians, when they first obtain peace and comfort in Christ, are p.r.o.ne to think the struggle over, the victory won. But nothing can be farther from the truth. They have but just enlisted under the banner of the great Captain of their salvation, in a warfare which will never cease till they shall have obtained the final victory over sin and death, and entered into the joy of their Lord. This mistake often leads them to be satisfied with what they have already experienced, and to cease that constant inward strife and earnestness, which they exercised while under conviction, before they found "joy and peace in believing."

They see such a heavenly sweetness in divine things, that they think it impossible they should "lose the relish all their days." This begets self-confidence, and they trust in their own strength to keep where they are, instead of eagerly pressing forward, in the strength of Christ, after higher attainments. The consequence is, they soon lose their lively sense of divine things, backslide from G.o.d, and become cold and barren in their religious affections. A little child, when it first begins to walk, is safe while it keeps hold of the hand of its mother, or faithful nurse. But, when it begins to feel confident of its own strength, and lets go its hold, it soon totters and falls. So with the Christian. He is safe while he keeps a firm hold of Christ's hand. But the moment he attempts to walk alone, he stumbles and falls.

The Scriptures represent the grace of G.o.d in the heart, as a growing principle. It is compared to a mustard-seed, which is the least of all seeds. But, when it springs up, it rises and spreads its branches, till it becomes the greatest of all herbs. The beauty and appropriateness of this figure will not be appreciated, unless we take into consideration the luxuriant growth of plants in Eastern countries. The Jews have a fable of a mustard-tree whose branches were so extensive as to cover a tent. There are two things that no one would expect to see, in the growth of such a plant: (1.) To spring at once into full maturity. (2.) To become stationary in its growth, before it arrives at maturity. If it ceases to grow, it must wither away and die.

The spiritual reign of Christ in the heart is also compared to a _little leaven_, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. It was so little at first that it was said to be _hid_. It could not be seen. So grace, when first implanted in the heart, is often so little in degree, and so much buried up in remaining corruption, that it can scarcely be discovered at all. But the moment the leaven begins to work, it increases without ceasing, till the whole is leavened.

Again; Christ says, "the water that I shall give him shall be _in him_ a well of water, _springing up into everlasting life_." When these words were uttered, our Lord was sitting upon a deep well, in conversation with the woman of Samaria. As his custom was, he drew instruction from the objects around him. He directed her attention away from the water which can only quench animal thirst, to that living water which refreshes the soul. But she, not understanding him, wished to know how he could obtain _living water_ from a deep well, without anything to draw with. In order to show the superiority of the water of life, he told her that those who drank it should have it _in them_, constantly springing up of itself, as if the waters of the well should rise up and overflow, without being drawn. The very idea of a _living spring_ seems to cut off the hope of backsliders. You remember the cold spring that used to flow from the rock, before our father's door. The severest drought never affected it, and in the coldest season of a northern winter it was never frozen. Oft, as I rose in the morning, when the chilling blasts whistled around our dwelling, and everything seemed sealed up with perpetual frost, the ice and snow would be smoking around the spring. Thus, like a steady stream, let your graces flow, unaffected by the drought or barrenness of others, melting the icy hearts around you.

This "_living water_," in the soul, is intended to represent the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In the new birth, there is formed a holy union between the Spirit of G.o.d and the faculties of the soul, so that every correct feeling, with every good act, is produced by the Holy Spirit acting in unison with those faculties. Hence, our bodies are called the temple of the Holy Ghost, and he is said to dwell in us. What a solemn truth! What holy fear and carefulness ought we to feel continually; and how softly should we walk before the Lord of Hosts!

"The righteous," says David, "shall flourish like a palm-tree; he shall _grow_ like a cedar in Lebanon." But if the cedar should cease to grow as soon as it springs up, it would never become a tree. It must wither and die.--Again; it is said, "Ye shall _go forth and grow up as calves of the stall_." A healthy calf, that is fed in the stall, cannot but grow and thrive. And surely the Lord has furnished us, in his holy word, abundant food for our spiritual growth and nourishment. If the calf is diseased, or if he refuses to eat, he will pine away and die; and so with us. The apostle Paul speaks of _growing up_ into Christ, in all things; and of _increasing_ in the knowledge of G.o.d. By this he evidently means, that experimental knowledge of G.o.d in our hearts, by which we are changed into his image. The apostle Peter exhorts us to "_grow_ in the grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Again, he directs us to feed upon the sincere and simple truths of the gospel, as the infant is nourished by its mother's milk, and to _grow_ thereby. As conversion is called being "born again," the young convert is very properly compared to a "new-born babe." As a babe is least when first born, so the Christian, when first converted, has the least grace; unless, indeed, he becomes diseased, and pines away, like a sickly infant. And such is truly the deplorable case of the backslider.

The motives which urge us to seek and maintain an elevated standard of piety are the highest that can be presented to our minds. _The glory of G.o.d requires it._ This is the greatest possible good. It is the manifestation of the divine perfections to his intelligent creatures.

This manifestation is made by discovering to them his works of creation, providence, and grace, and by impressing his moral image upon their hearts. In this their happiness consists. In promoting his own glory, therefore, G.o.d exercises the highest degree of disinterested benevolence. Nothing can add to his happiness; nothing can diminish it.

If the whole creation were blotted out, and G.o.d were the only Being in the universe, he would still be perfectly glorious and happy in himself.

There can be, therefore, no selfishness in his desiring his own glory.

It is the good of the creature alone that is promoted by it. A desire to glorify G.o.d must, then, be the ruling principle of all your conduct, the moving spring of all your actions. But how is the glory of G.o.d promoted by your growth in grace?

1. It is manifested to yourself, by impressing his image upon your heart; and by giving you a spiritual discovery of the excellence, purity and loveliness, of his moral character.

2. It is manifested to others, so far as you maintain a holy life and conversation; for thereby the moral image of Christ is exhibited. The glory of Christ is manifested by the holy walk of his people, just as the glory of the sun appears by the reflected light of the moon.

3. The glory of G.o.d is promoted by making others acquainted with the exhaustless riches of free grace, and bringing them to Christ; for, by that means, they receive spiritual light to behold the beauty and glory of the divine perfections, and his image is stamped upon their souls.

But your usefulness in this respect depends mainly upon the measure of grace you have in your own heart. The reason why many Christians do so little good in the world is, that they have so little piety. If you would be eminently useful, you must be eminently holy.

But, you may ask, "What is the standard at which I must aim?" I answer: The law of G.o.d is the only true standard of moral excellence; and you have the pattern of that law carried out in action, in the perfect life of our blessed Lord and Master. No standard short of this will answer the requirements of the word of G.o.d. "He that abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, EVEN AS HE WALKED." All that we fall short of this is _sin_. There is no want of ability in the case, but what arises from our own voluntary wickedness of heart. Christ says that he came not to _destroy_ the law, but to fulfil it. "We are not released from the _obligation_ of perfect obedience; though grace has taken away the _necessity_ of such obedience as the ground of our acceptance with G.o.d."

The law is not made void, but established, by grace. We cannot be _saved_ by our obedience; because we have already broken the law, and we cannot mend it. But, while we trust alone in Christ, independent of anything in ourselves, for justification before G.o.d, the signs or evidences of our faith must be found within us. There must be a new and holy principle in our hearts; and just as far as this principle prevails, so far it will show itself in obedience to the law of G.o.d.

There is no resting-place, in the agonizing conflict, till we are "_holy as G.o.d is holy_." I do not say that Christians ever do become perfectly holy in this life. The contrary appears, from the testimony both of Scripture and experience, to be the universal fact. But this is the measure of obligation, and we should strive after it with all the earnestness of which we are capable.

We must not settle down contented with our attainments, while one sin remains unsubdued in our hearts. The Scriptures are full of this doctrine. The apostle Paul expresses far more earnestness of desire after higher attainments in the divine life than is ever felt by such Christians as have only a feeble and glimmering hope of entering the abodes of the blessed. "If _by any means_," says he, "I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead;" or that state of perfect holiness which the saints will have attained at the resurrection. And the kind of effort which he put forth to obtain the object of his desires is most forcibly described in the pa.s.sage quoted at the beginning of this letter. In view of this standard, you will be able to see, in some measure, the exceeding sinfulness of sin; and it will drive you more entirely out of yourself to the cross of Christ. You will see the necessity of daily renewing your repentance, submission, and faith.

You see, from what the apostle says of his own experience, that high spiritual attainments are not to be expected without great labor and strife. True piety is indeed the work of the Holy Spirit; but the fact that G.o.d works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure, is made the ground of Paul's exhortation to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

The attainments of eminent saints are too generally looked upon as out of the reach of common Christians. They seem to think G.o.d is not willing to give all his children the same measure of grace. But he could not have said more than he has in his holy word, to convince them to the contrary. "Open thy mouth _wide_, and I will fill it." Our Lord repeatedly a.s.sures us that G.o.d is more willing to give good things to those that ask him, than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children. And whoever will read the lives of such eminent Christians as Edwards, Whitefield, Brainerd, Martyn, Payson, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs.

Anthony, Mrs. Huntington, James B. Taylor, and many others which might be mentioned,--and take notice of the means which they used, will not be surprised at their attainments. The Bible represents the Christian as in the constant exercise of holy affections; and we should never rest with anything short of this. Some of the persons I have mentioned did arrive at such a state of feeling. President Edwards enjoyed, for many years, the constant light of G.o.d's countenance, and habitual communion with him. And so did Mrs. Edwards, James B. Taylor, and many others.

She, for a long time, enjoyed, as she said, "THE RICHES OF FULL a.s.sURANCE." She felt "an uninterrupted and entire resignation to G.o.d, with respect to health or sickness, ease or pain, life or death; and an entire resignation of the lives of her nearest earthly friends." She also felt a "sweet peace and serenity of soul, without a cloud to interrupt it; a continual rejoicing in all the works of nature and Providence; a wonderful access to G.o.d by prayer, sensibly conversing with him, as much as if G.o.d were here on earth; frequent, plain, sensible, and immediate answers to prayer; all tears wiped away; all former troubles and sorrows of life forgotten, except sorrow for sin; doing everything for G.o.d's glory, with a continual and uninterrupted cheerfulness, peace, and joy." At the same time, she engaged in the common duties of life with great diligence, considering them as a part of the service of G.o.d; and, when done from this motive, she said they were as delightful as prayer itself. She also showed an "extreme anxiety to avoid every sin, and to discharge every moral obligation; she was most exemplary in the performance of every social and relative duty; exhibited great inoffensiveness of life and conversation; great meekness, benevolence, and gentleness of spirit; and avoided, with remarkable conscientiousness, all those things which she regarded as failings in her own character."

How did these persons arrive at this eminence in the Christian life?

Although by free sovereign grace, yet it was by no miracle. If you will use the same means, you may attain the same end. In the early part of his Christian life, President Edwards says,--"I felt a _burning desire_ to be, in everything, a _complete_ Christian, and conformed to the blessed image of Christ. I had an eager thirsting after _progress_ in these things, which put me upon pursuing and _pressing_ after them. It was my _continual strife_, day and night, and constant inquiry, how I should _be_ more holy, and _live_ more holily, and more becoming a child of G.o.d, and a disciple of Christ. I now sought an increase of grace and holiness, and a holy life, with much more earnestness than ever I sought grace before I had it. I used to be continually examining myself, and studying and contriving for likely _ways and means_, how I should live holily, with far greater diligence and earnestness than ever I pursued anything in my life; yet, with too great a dependence on my own strength--which afterwards proved a great damage to me." "Mrs. Edwards had been long in an uncommon manner growing in grace, and rising, by very _sensible degrees_, to higher love to G.o.d, weanedness to the world, and mastery over sin and temptation, through _great trials and conflicts_, and long-continued _struggling_ and _fighting_ with sin, and _earnest_ and _constant prayer_ and _labor_ in religion, and engagedness of mind in the use of all means. This growth had been attended, not only with a great increase of religious affections, but with a most visible alteration of outward behavior; particularly in living above the world, and in a greater degree of steadfastness and strength in the way of duty and self-denial; maintaining the Christian conflict under temptations, and conquering, from time to time, under _great trials_; persisting in an unmoved, untouched calm and rest, under the _changes and accidents_ of time, such as seasons of extreme pain and apparent hazard of immediate death."

You will find accounts of similar trials and struggles in the lives of all eminent saints. This is what we may expect. It agrees with the Christian life, as described in G.o.d's word. It is "through much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of heaven." This is the way in which you must go, if you would ever enter there. You must make religion the great business of your life, to which everything else must give place. You must engage with your _whole soul_ in the work, looking to the cross of Christ for strength against your spiritual enemies; and you will come off "conqueror at last," through him that hath loved us, and given himself for us.

Your affectionate Brother.

LETTER II.

_The Importance of a thorough Knowledge of the Doctrines of Christianity--means of obtaining it._

"Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."--John 17:17.

MY DEAR SISTER,

Some people are frightened at the idea of _Doctrine_, as though it were a mere abstraction, which has nothing to do with practical life. This notion is founded on a misapprehension not only of the meaning of the term, but of the connection of actions with established principles of the mind. The general signification of the word _doctrine_ is, the principles upon which any system is founded. As applied to Christianity, it means _divine truth_; for this is the foundation upon which the Christian religion rests. Although the truths of G.o.d's Word are not reduced to a regular system in the Bible, yet, when brought together, they make the most beautiful and perfect of all systems. It is proper, therefore, that we should contemplate them _in a body_, as they appear with the most perfect symmetry, in the plan of G.o.d's moral government.

There is a disposition, at the present day, to undervalue doctrinal knowledge. Many people think it of little consequence what they _believe_, if they are only _sincere_, and manifest much _feeling_ on the subject of religion. But this is a ruinous mistake. There is a most intimate connection between faith and practice. Those principles which are believed and received into the heart govern and control our actions.

The doctrines which G.o.d has revealed in his Word are the principles of his moral government. As we are the subjects of that government, it cannot be a matter of small moment for us to understand, so far as we are capable, the principles upon which it is administered. If we mistake these principles, we may be found in open rebellion, while we think we are doing G.o.d service. For example: G.o.d commands us not to steal. But, if we do not _believe_ that he has given this commandment, we shall feel under no obligation to _obey_ it. And every truth which G.o.d has revealed is as intimately connected with practice as this, although the duty enjoined be, in itself considered, of less consequence. Christianity is called a spiritual building. "Ye are built up a spiritual _house_."

"Whose _house_ are we?" "We are G.o.d's _building_." Now the _foundation_ and _frame-work_ of this building are the doctrines or truths of the Bible. Some of these doctrines are called _fundamental_ or _essential_, because they lie at the _foundation_ of the whole building; and are so _essential_ to it, that, if taken away, the whole would fall to the ground. These are, The Existence of G.o.d in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; the Fall, and consequent Depravity of Man; the Atonement of Christ; Justification by faith in him alone, and the Office of the Holy Spirit in the work of Regeneration. If any _one_ of these were taken away, it would overturn the whole building. These may, therefore, well be called the _foundation_. But you see there are other very important parts of a _frame_ besides the foundation. So there are many other very important truths of Christianity, besides its essential doctrines. But some of these are of more consequence than others. If a _post_ or a _beam_ is taken away, the building is greatly marred and in danger of falling; yet, if well _covered_, it may still be a comfortable dwelling. Again, although a _brace_ or a _pin_ is of service to strengthen the building, yet either may be taken away without very serious injury. But a _frame_ may be _complete_ in all its parts, and yet be no building. Without a _covering_, it will not answer a single design of a house; and just in proportion as it is well covered, will it be a comfortable residence. Just so with Christianity. The covering of the house is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, producing gracious affections, which manifest themselves in a holy life. But the covering of a house cannot exist without some kind of frame-work. So experimental and practical piety cannot exist without a belief of the princ.i.p.al doctrines of the gospel. The Holy Spirit operates upon the heart _through the truth_. He gives it a personal application; brings it home to the heart and conscience, and makes it effectual in changing the heart and life. "Sanctify them _through thy truth_: thy word is truth."

"Of his own will begat he us, _with the word of truth_." "Seeing ye have purified your souls, in _obeying the truth through the Spirit_." "Being born again _by the word of G.o.d_." Thus, the agency of the Spirit is always acknowledged in connection with the truth. Any religious feeling or experience, therefore, which is not produced by the truth made effectual by the Holy Spirit, is not genuine. There is a kind of indefinite religious feeling, which many mistake for Christian experience. They _feel_, and perhaps deeply; but they know not _why_ they feel. Such religious feeling is to be suspected as spurious. It may be the delusion of the devil. By persuading people to rest upon this spurious religious feeling, he accomplishes his purpose as well as if he had kept them in carnal security. And the clearer our views of truth, the more spiritual and holy will be our religious affections. Thus, G.o.dly sorrow arises from a sight of our own depravity, with a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, as committed against a holy G.o.d, and against great light and mercy. Faith is produced by a spiritual view of the atonement of Christ, and of his infinite fulness as a complete and perfect Saviour. Love is excited by a discovery of the excellence of G.o.d's moral perfections. Holy fear and reverence arise from a sight of the majesty and glory of his natural attributes, and a sense of his presence. Joy may come from a sense of the infinite rect.i.tude of his moral government; from the sight of the glory of G.o.d, in his works of providence and grace; or from a general view of the beauty and excellence of divine truth. Comfort may be derived from evidence of the divine favor; and confidence, from an appropriation of G.o.d's promises to ourselves. And in many other ways, also, the Holy Spirit produces spiritual feelings through the instrumentality of the truth. But all religious feeling, produced by impulse, without any rational view of the truth, is to be suspected. It may be the work of Satan, who is very busy in counterfeiting religious experiences for those he wishes to deceive.

Every religious affection has its counterfeit. Thus, sorrow may be produced by the fear of h.e.l.l, without any sense of the evil of sin; a presumption of our own good estate may be mistaken for faith, and this will produce joy; we may exercise a carnal or selfish love to G.o.d, because we think he loves us, and has made us the objects of his special favor; and the promises of G.o.d, so far as they concern the personal good of the believer, may administer as much comfort to the hypocrite as to the real saint.

How exceedingly important is it, then, that you should not only exercise a general belief of the great doctrines of the gospel, but that you should have a right apprehension of them. The _truth_ is so necessary in the Christian warfare, that it is called the _sword of the Spirit_. But of what benefit is the sword to the soldier who knows not how to use it?

The sword is used as much to ward off the blows of the enemy, as to attack him. But the novice, who should engage an enemy, without knowing the use of his weapon, would be thrust through in the first onset.

Hence, the peculiar force of the prayer of our Lord, "Sanctify them through thy truth." It is by the use of the truth, as the "sword of the Spirit," in the Christian warfare, that the work of satisfaction is carried on.

But, as the frame-work of a building, though complete in all its parts, would be no house without a covering; so we may have a perfect knowledge of the abstract doctrines of the Christian religion, and be no Christians. It is the practical and experimental application of these doctrines to our own hearts and lives, that makes the building complete.

Regard yourself as a subject of G.o.d's moral government, and the doctrines of the Bible as the laws of his kingdom; and you will feel such a personal interest in them, that you cannot rest in abstract speculation. Study these doctrines, that you may know how to live to the glory of G.o.d.

I will now give you a few simple directions for obtaining a correct knowledge of the doctrines of the Bible.

1. _Approach the subject with the spirit of a little child._ "As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word." "Except ye be converted and _become as little children_, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." A little child is always satisfied of the truth of what his father tells him. "My father says so," is reason enough for him. He does not say, "I will not believe it, because I cannot understand it." So it should be your first object to ascertain what the Bible teaches, and then submit to it with the confidence of a little child. You cannot expect fully to comprehend the ways of an infinite Being. You can see but a very small part of the system of his moral government. It cannot be strange, then, if you are unable to discover the reasonableness of every truth which he has revealed. Do not try to carry out difficult points beyond what is plainly taught in the Scriptures. G.o.d has revealed all that is necessary for us to know in this life. He knows best where to leave these subjects. If there were no difficulties in the truths revealed, there would be no trial of our faith. It is necessary that we should take some things upon trust. There are also some truths taught which we find it difficult to reconcile with others as plainly revealed. Be content to believe both, on the authority of G.o.d's word. He will reconcile them hereafter. "What I do, thou knowest not _now_, but thou shalt know hereafter." Let this consideration always satisfy you: "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." I am the more particular on this point, as it is the place where error always begins. The setting up of feeble reason in opposition to the word of G.o.d, has been the foundation of all mistakes in religion. And, if we determine to be satisfied of the reasonableness of the truth before we believe it, and carry out the principle, we shall land in downright atheism. By this, I do not mean that any truth is unreasonable. It is not so. Divine truth is the perfection of reason.