“My dear Sir Jahleel,“I am ashamed when I look at the date of your last kind letter; you must think me a very poor correspondent, I scarcely know what apology to make. I cannot altogether begin with the old stale excuse ‘I have been so busy that I could attend to nothing but what forced itself upon me,’ for there have been several days in which I have done nothing, if I except the ordinary routine of business in the way of writing. The truth is, I have lately been under the necessity of writing so much, that I have contracted such an aversion to writing, such a horror of mental exertion, that the very thought of doing anything which requires application of mind is ready almost to turn me sick. I do not know whether you can sympathize with me in this, shall I call it loathing of exertion, this mental despondency.“Accept of my best thanks for your introductory letter to the Admiral; it was very gratifying to my worthy friend, and after what Admiral Lambert has heard from Captain Vernon and others, he will be pleased to see our African traveller and his curiosities. I mentioned to Mr. Campbell, that if Buonaparte had heard of him and his horn, they might be sent for to Longwood. He was flattered by the joke.“In my former letter I believe I informed you, that I was busy correcting Mr. Campbell’s Journal. My labours have been more connected with blotting, than with filling up; but if I have not added much to its beauty, I have pared off things, whichmight have offended—deformities; and reduced it to a more reasonable size than my worthy friend would have been disposed to confine it to, had he been left to follow his own judgment. Mr. Campbell is a man of sterling principle, he lives with God, and he would not for the world do what he might consider as an unjust, or a dishonourable thing: but when we can say all this for him, as a man, and as a Christian, we must confess we cannot say so much for him as a writer of Travels.“I am not at present in possession of Newton’s Works, and the passage respecting which you ask my opinion, I do not recollect; but I perfectly agree with him, that a continuance in sin is inconsistent with assurance. But it must be wilful transgression which Mr. Newton intends in this passage. I have known few men more sensible of the depravity of human nature than Mr. Newton was. The language he used respecting himself was always expressive of the deepest abasement and humility. Complaining to him one day of the badness of my own heart, he comforted me rather in a singular way, by assuring me that if I had lived as long as he had done, I should feel ten times more of it. ‘I know,’ said he, ‘more evil of my own heart in one day, than I know of the greatest profligate I have ever known.’ I think he was seventy-two years of age when he used this language, and yet while he had those views of himself, he had the firmest assurance. It was the same morning he expressed himself in this manner, that he observed to me, ‘I am like a ship waiting the first fair wind to carry her out of port; I have everything on board, I am quite ready for sea. I never lay my head down at night, but I feel it matter of indifference whether I awake in this world or the next.’“I must confess, though I have failed to make the matter so intelligible as I could have wished, that there is to my apprehension some difference between Mr. Newton and Dr. Chalmers, in the Kilmaney address on this point. The one requires certain things should be done to prepare us for the consolations of the Gospel, the other brings us to the Saviour for those consolations, as necessary to enable us to do those things. The difference is most visible in the first approaches of the penitent to the Saviour for consolation; although all through Mr. Newton’s writings it appears to me, the amiable saint was more intimately, and experimentallyacquainted with the way of access to God, and the grounds of a sinner’s peace with God, than Dr. Chalmers was, when he wrote the address in question.“If a man oppresses the fatherless and the widow, if he accumulates a fortune by unrighteousness, or if he has done these things, or things of a similar nature without repentance and restitution as far as in his power, he can have no claim to the consolations of the Gospel; but a man may feel a constant invasion of vain thoughts, the burden of a worldly spirit, evil passions occasionally struggling for the mastery; and still have the comfort of assurance. If sin is the cause of grief, if it is resisted, it is not inconsistent with a lively hope in the mercy of God. The sin which grieves us, and is resisted, says an old writer, will not condemn us. I frequently feel these evils. I feel that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. I frequently feel cold and formal in my devotions, and these feelings occasionally disturb my peace; but I invariably feel my consolations restored by a renewed application to the blood of Christ. If any man confess his sin, God is faithful and just to forgive him his sin, and to cleanse him from all iniquity. I believe we are both travelling in the same road: that we are both minding the same things: and if we are not exactly of the same opinion in all things, the things in which we are not quite agreed are minor points, and God according to his promise will eventually reveal those things unto us.“There is an excellent Sermon among Mr. Newton’s Discourses on the doctrine of Assurance. I do not know whether you noticed that sermon; if you have not seen it, I would recommend it to your attention. It is many years since I read it, and I cannot state in a particular manner, but I derived much advantage from it, at the time I read it, and the impression made upon my mind by it remains fresh even now. I shall be glad to see the volume you mention, but you need not be in any hurry sending it; I may perhaps see you before I can read much of it.“With best respects to Miss Brenton, and Miss Isabella, in which Mrs. P. desires to unite with me.“I am, my dear Sir Jahleel,“With unabated affection and esteem,“Your’s sincerely,“JOHN PHILIP.”“Cape Town, February 27, 1821.”
“My dear Sir Jahleel,
“I am ashamed when I look at the date of your last kind letter; you must think me a very poor correspondent, I scarcely know what apology to make. I cannot altogether begin with the old stale excuse ‘I have been so busy that I could attend to nothing but what forced itself upon me,’ for there have been several days in which I have done nothing, if I except the ordinary routine of business in the way of writing. The truth is, I have lately been under the necessity of writing so much, that I have contracted such an aversion to writing, such a horror of mental exertion, that the very thought of doing anything which requires application of mind is ready almost to turn me sick. I do not know whether you can sympathize with me in this, shall I call it loathing of exertion, this mental despondency.
“Accept of my best thanks for your introductory letter to the Admiral; it was very gratifying to my worthy friend, and after what Admiral Lambert has heard from Captain Vernon and others, he will be pleased to see our African traveller and his curiosities. I mentioned to Mr. Campbell, that if Buonaparte had heard of him and his horn, they might be sent for to Longwood. He was flattered by the joke.
“In my former letter I believe I informed you, that I was busy correcting Mr. Campbell’s Journal. My labours have been more connected with blotting, than with filling up; but if I have not added much to its beauty, I have pared off things, whichmight have offended—deformities; and reduced it to a more reasonable size than my worthy friend would have been disposed to confine it to, had he been left to follow his own judgment. Mr. Campbell is a man of sterling principle, he lives with God, and he would not for the world do what he might consider as an unjust, or a dishonourable thing: but when we can say all this for him, as a man, and as a Christian, we must confess we cannot say so much for him as a writer of Travels.
“I am not at present in possession of Newton’s Works, and the passage respecting which you ask my opinion, I do not recollect; but I perfectly agree with him, that a continuance in sin is inconsistent with assurance. But it must be wilful transgression which Mr. Newton intends in this passage. I have known few men more sensible of the depravity of human nature than Mr. Newton was. The language he used respecting himself was always expressive of the deepest abasement and humility. Complaining to him one day of the badness of my own heart, he comforted me rather in a singular way, by assuring me that if I had lived as long as he had done, I should feel ten times more of it. ‘I know,’ said he, ‘more evil of my own heart in one day, than I know of the greatest profligate I have ever known.’ I think he was seventy-two years of age when he used this language, and yet while he had those views of himself, he had the firmest assurance. It was the same morning he expressed himself in this manner, that he observed to me, ‘I am like a ship waiting the first fair wind to carry her out of port; I have everything on board, I am quite ready for sea. I never lay my head down at night, but I feel it matter of indifference whether I awake in this world or the next.’
“I must confess, though I have failed to make the matter so intelligible as I could have wished, that there is to my apprehension some difference between Mr. Newton and Dr. Chalmers, in the Kilmaney address on this point. The one requires certain things should be done to prepare us for the consolations of the Gospel, the other brings us to the Saviour for those consolations, as necessary to enable us to do those things. The difference is most visible in the first approaches of the penitent to the Saviour for consolation; although all through Mr. Newton’s writings it appears to me, the amiable saint was more intimately, and experimentallyacquainted with the way of access to God, and the grounds of a sinner’s peace with God, than Dr. Chalmers was, when he wrote the address in question.
“If a man oppresses the fatherless and the widow, if he accumulates a fortune by unrighteousness, or if he has done these things, or things of a similar nature without repentance and restitution as far as in his power, he can have no claim to the consolations of the Gospel; but a man may feel a constant invasion of vain thoughts, the burden of a worldly spirit, evil passions occasionally struggling for the mastery; and still have the comfort of assurance. If sin is the cause of grief, if it is resisted, it is not inconsistent with a lively hope in the mercy of God. The sin which grieves us, and is resisted, says an old writer, will not condemn us. I frequently feel these evils. I feel that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. I frequently feel cold and formal in my devotions, and these feelings occasionally disturb my peace; but I invariably feel my consolations restored by a renewed application to the blood of Christ. If any man confess his sin, God is faithful and just to forgive him his sin, and to cleanse him from all iniquity. I believe we are both travelling in the same road: that we are both minding the same things: and if we are not exactly of the same opinion in all things, the things in which we are not quite agreed are minor points, and God according to his promise will eventually reveal those things unto us.
“There is an excellent Sermon among Mr. Newton’s Discourses on the doctrine of Assurance. I do not know whether you noticed that sermon; if you have not seen it, I would recommend it to your attention. It is many years since I read it, and I cannot state in a particular manner, but I derived much advantage from it, at the time I read it, and the impression made upon my mind by it remains fresh even now. I shall be glad to see the volume you mention, but you need not be in any hurry sending it; I may perhaps see you before I can read much of it.
“With best respects to Miss Brenton, and Miss Isabella, in which Mrs. P. desires to unite with me.
“I am, my dear Sir Jahleel,
“With unabated affection and esteem,
“Your’s sincerely,
“JOHN PHILIP.”
“Cape Town, February 27, 1821.”