Christ Only
Manchester, August 14, 1834
Dear Brother in Jesus, the Lord of Zion,—I wish to have nothing to do with party spirit; but I cannot, I dare not, sacrifice truth and a good conscience; and I hope no one will wish me to do so. Through the matchless riches of God’s grace, I have been taught a little of the glorious importance of divine truth in all its bearings; and as far as I know my own heart, I had rather die than shrink back from the truth of God. The Lord keep me!
When I visit you I wish to know nothing among you but Christ and his cross, as couching in it all the glorious gospel of God from the springhead of electing love, made known by redeeming blood, and revealed to the heart by the love and power of God the Holy Ghost; suited to and designed for poor sin-smitten, law-ridden, devil-driven, hell-hunted sinners; and brought with divine power to their hearts. When a poor sinner’s heart is overwhelmed with a flood of pride, lust, and a flowing fountain of filth too detestable to be described, Christ crucified, risen, and exalted, enjoyed by faith under the sweet unction of the blessed Spirit, will set all right. These things, through mercy, I know something of; and these things I wish to proclaim; and I am sure obedience will flow from the real enjoyment of them.
I can assure you I am in a wilderness in many respects, and am often bewildered. Yet I am a child of wonderful mercy. What has God wrought for such a vile mortal as I am! O the wonders of his love! 1 hope, my dear friend, that you are drinking full draughts of it, and that you can feelingly say, “He has done all things well.”
There is a sweetness in the religion of Christ, and a bitterness connected with it also, which none can know but the child of God; and he can know it to good purpose only in proportion as God the Holy Ghost teaches him. Bless the Lord for such a Teacher, such a Guide, and such a Friend—
“Whom, though we cannot comprehend, Feeling he is the sinner’s Friend, We love him and adore.”
I want to live more in the blessed enjoyment of the 2nd chapter of the Song of Solomon.
William Gadsby (1773-1844) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher, writer and philanthropist. John Hazelton wrote of him—
“[Gadsby’s] labours extended to well-nigh every part of the country, and who by his sermons, hymns, and other writings, exerted a wide spiritual influence, and his interest in the poor and needy in Lancashire and elsewhere rendered his public advocacy of their cause of great value. In him we have a man of eminent public spirit, as well as of originality and spiritual force…The first time he preached was in 1798, in an upper room in a yard at Bedworth, from the words, "Unto you therefore which believe, He is precious." His Hymn Book, now so widely known, was first published in 1814, his desire being "to have a selection of hymns free from Arminianism and sound in the faith, that the Church might be edified and God glorified.” He removed to Manchester in 1805, and while over the Church there he travelled over 60,000 miles and preached nearly 12,000 sermons.”
William Gadsby Sermons (Complete)
William Gadsby, Perfect Law Of Liberty (Complete)
William Gadsby's Catechism (Complete)
William Gadsby's Dialogues
William Gadsby's Fragments (Complete)
William Gadsby's Letters (Complete)
