LETTER CXXXVIII.
To the Rev. Mr. R. E.
Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739.
Rev. and Dear Sir,
THE cordial and tender love which I bear you, will not permit me to neglect any opportunity of sending to you. I bless the Lord from my soul, for raising you and several other burning and shining lights to appear for him in this midnight of the church. My heart has been much warmed during my voyage, by reading some of your sermons, especially that preached before the associate presbytery. I long more and more to hear the rise and progress of your proceedings, and how far you would willingly carry the reformation of the church of Scotland. There are some expressions which I suppose will be interpreted to your disadvantage, both by your domestic and foreign enemies. I should be glad to know who are those martyrs to which you refer, and of what nature those covenants were which you mention in your sermon. My ignorance of the constitution of the Scotch church is the cause of my writing after this manner. I should be obliged to you, if you would be pleased to recommend to me some useful books, especially such which open the holy sacrament; for in God’s law is my delight. Boston’s fourfold State of Man I like exceedingly. Under God it has been of much service to my soul. I believe I agree with you and him in the essential truths of christianity. I bless God, his spirit has convinced me of our eternal election by the Father through the Son, of our free justification through faith in his blood, of our sanctification as the consequence of that, and of our final perseverance and glorification as the result of all. These I am persuaded God has joined together; these, neither men nor devils shall ever be able to put asunder. My only scruple at present is, “Whether you approve of taking the sword in defence of your religious rights?” One of our English bishops I remember, when I was with him, called you Cameronians. They, I think, took up arms, which I think to be contrary to the spirit of Jesus Christ and his apostles. Some few passages in your sermon before the presbytery, I thought were a little suspicious of favouring that principle. I pray God your next may inform me that I am mistaken: For when zeal carries us to such a length, I think it ceases to be zeal according to knowledge. Dearest Sir, be not angry at my writing thus freely. I love, I honour you in the bowels, and for the sake of Jesus Christ, from my soul. I wish you good luck in all your pious undertakings. I pray God to prosper the works of your hands, and to make you a noble instrument in bringing many sons to glory. Pray send an immediate answer, directed as usual, and care will be taken to have it remitted to, reverend and dear Sir,
Your most affectionate brother, friend, fellow-labourer, and obliged servant,
G. W.
LETTER CXXXIX.
Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739.
Dear Brother,
IT is much upon my heart to send you a line. Although you are not with me, yet as God was pleased to touch you by my unworthy ministry, I love you with a peculiar love. Business prevented my writing to you when in Yorkshire. I was sorry to hear that Brother J—— had reason to blame your conduct. My dear brother, be not offended, if in the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I exhort you to be sober-minded. Follow after, but do not run before the blessed Spirit; if you do, although you may benefit others, and God may over-rule every thing for your good, yet you will certainly destroy the peace of your own soul. God has been pleased to call you by his grace, and to give you joy in the Holy Ghost: But, my brother, I hope it will be more settled and substantial, and joined with meekness and humility of heart. A joy which is the result of inward trials, and flowing from a long experience of the buffeting of satan. Such a joy will make you apt and fit to teach, and keep you from being puffed up above measure. It will exalt, at the same time as it humbles your soul. The Lord direct my dear brother in all things: I wish all his servants were prophets; but let every one be rightly persuaded of his call to public teaching. It is dangerous to touch the ark, though it be falling, without a commission from above. But no more. I am
Your most affectionate brother in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CXL.
Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739.
Dear Mr. B.,
YOUR kind present of flour has been of singular use to me and my family; I pray God, in return, to feed you with that bread which cometh down from heaven. You are one of my first and choicest friends. You have not been ashamed to own me, or to attend on my ministry. It will wonderfully rejoice me, to see you exalted at our Lord’s right-hand in a future state. The way you know. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Through faith in his blood shall you have free access into the holy of holies. I hope dear Mr. B. is not in the number of those, who want to make a Saviour of their own works, and thereby deny the Lord, who has so dearly bought them with his precious blood: No, I am persuaded you are more noble. Mr. B—— has not so learnt Christ. He is willing, I trust, to ascribe his salvation to God’s free grace, and to let Jesus Christ be all in all. I hope your brother, and those young men you brought with you out of Spittlefields, are likewise thus minded. Though absent, yet I do not forget them. O exhort them from me, to save themselves from this untoward generation. My dear friend, do you go before them, and let them learn of you how to walk with God. It is a difficult thing to be a christian indeed. Numbers are Pharisees, and do not know it. I pray God you may be delivered from them, and be made experimentally to know that no one can call Jesus Christ “his Lord,” till he has really received the Holy Ghost. I could dwell on this, but other business obliges me to hasten to subscribe myself, dear Mr. B——,
Your most obliged friend and servant,
G. W.
LETTER CXLI.
Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739.
Reverend Sir,
I AM not willing to go on shore till I have performed my promise, and sent you a line. I heartily wish I could write something which might advance the glory of God and the good of his church. As we both profess ourselves ministers of the gospel, these two things ought to be our chief and only concern, and more especially at this time, when men seek their own and not the things of the Lord Jesus. Oh, dear Sir, the care of souls I find to be a matter of the greatest importance. You have a great number committed to your charge. What a dreadful thing will it be for any of them to perish through your neglect? And yet I fear, Sir, you do not walk worthy of the holy vocation wherewith you are called. It is no good report that I hear of you in common life. Your practice contradicts your doctrine, and what good can you do, if every one of your parishioners, whilst you are preaching, may reply, “Physician heal thyself?” Besides, Sir, how can you preach Christ to others, when you are a stranger to his power yourself? It is next to impossible. I make no apology for this plainness of speech. Simplicity becomes embassadors of Christ. I am, reverend Sir,
Your obliged friend and servant,
G. W.
LETTER CXLII.
Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739.
Dear Mr. G.,
INDEED I love you, though it was so long before I came to see you. Want of time, not of respect, was the cause. God is my judge how earnestly I long after your salvation, and how willingly I would spend and be spent in order to promote it. Oh how closely does true faith in Jesus Christ our head, knit all his members in love to one another; what a divine harmony and attraction is there between them, when they have drank into and been made partakers of one and the same spirit? How does the love of God dilate and enlarge their hearts! How do all little distinctions about externals fall away, and every other name is swallowed up in the name of Jesus Christ? This, my dear brother, is that catholic spirit, which will cement all denominations of sincere professors together. This is the spirit of which free distinguishing grace has made you a partaker, and which I pray God we both may partake of every day more and more. He is faithful who has promised, who also will do it. I find it is not in vain that we have believed in Jesus. He is God, and his work is perfect; his love is like himself unchangeable; his gifts and callings are without repentance, and therefore, though I am but a babe in Christ, yet I am persuaded I shall see you crowned with glory. Then, my dear brother, we shall have time enough together. Then, there will be no parting, no fear of falling; but we shall drink eternally of those pleasures which flow from God’s right hand for evermore. Supported with this hope, what hinders but I may come once again, when the Lord permits, and offer Christ’s everlasting righteousness to poor perishing sinners. The devil and his servants will rage horribly, and perhaps cast me into prison, nay, put me to death: But if you will come and visit me, by the help of my God, I will preach to you even there; for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. I have felt it to be the power of God unto my salvation. Oh, my brother, the fire kindles whilst I am writing; but I must have done. Pray salute those dear souls that I spoke to at your house, and all other friends. Entreat them to pray and give thanks for me; and assure them they are not forgotten by
Ever yours in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CXLIII.
Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739.
Mr. H——,
AS you stand so nearly related to your daughter, who is with me, though I am unknown to you in person, yet I make bold to send you a line to inform you of her welfare. I find she did not confer much with you about her intended voyage; but I hope both you and her will have great reason to rejoice in the end. God has been pleased to visit her with some illness, but now she is perfectly recovered. What is best of all, I hope her soul prospers, and is fitting more day by day for the enjoyment of God. This was the chief end of her going abroad, and give me leave to tell you, this is the chief thing you ought, and must pursue at home. But why do I say at home? A christian hath no home but heaven. He is a stranger and pilgrim while here on earth. I hope you know better, Mr. H——, than to think you was born to drive a team, or plough a piece of ground. These things must be done, but then they should be done in subordination to the care of your better part, the soul. Your daughter tells me, you are now grey headed. Take heed, dear Mr. H——, to make your calling and election sure. Rest not in outward things. Do not flatter yourself that you are a christian, because you go to church, and do no one any harm. Nothing but a living faith in Christ Jesus our dear Lord, can qualify you for eternal life. Without this, God will be to us a consuming fire; and unless we are born again, and made new creatures in Christ, we never shall enter into the kingdom of God. If you know not what I mean by these terms, you may depend upon it, you are a stranger to this new-birth, and consequently in a state of death: but you need not fear; even at the eleventh hour Christ will accept you, if you come to him by faith. He hath shewn mercy to your son and daughter. Why may he not shew mercy to their father also? Whosoever cometh to him, he will in no-wise cast out. Haste then, dear Sir, out of your spiritual Sodom. Linger not. Nothing will more rejoice your dear children, than to see you brought to an experimental knowledge of the truth, that you may be saved. For their sakes, you are particularly remembered by
Your unknown but sincere friend and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CXLIV.
To the Rev. Mr. P——.
Upper Marlborough (Mary Land) Dec. 8, 1739.
Rev. and dear Sir,
TILL now, I have neither had leisure nor freedom to answer your kind letter. Blessed be God, who has opened the hearts of some of his people at New York to receive the word. May he enable you to water what his own right hand hath planted, and grant to your labours a divine increase! Indeed I wish you good luck in the name of the Lord. I wish all his servants were prophets. Oh that he would be pleased to send forth experimental labourers into his harvest:—for I fear amongst you, as well as in other places, there are many who are well versed in the doctrines of grace, having learned them at the university, but notwithstanding are heart-hypocrites, and enemies to the power of godliness.—Dear Sir, I use this freedom, because I love simplicity. I confess I am but a child in grace, as well as years. Pardon this freedom, for out of the fulness and sincerity of my heart my pen writeth.—I thank your son and dear Mr. S—— for what they did on my account. Alas, I fear they think too highly of me. Oh dear Sir, entreat the God of all grace to give me humility, so shall success not prove my ruin. My most cordial respects and hearty thanks attend dear Mrs. P——, I pray God in all things to make her a help meet for you—As fast as I can snatch a few moments from public business, more New York friends may expect to hear from me—A sense of their favours is still upon my heart—I would willingly remember them, whenever I go in and out before the Lord. Mr. N——’s letter, and my next journal, will acquaint you, how the Lord Jesus has been getting himself the victory, since I left New York—There has been such little opposition, that I have been tempted almost to cry out, “Satan, why sleepest thou?” But God pities my weakness. Oh, dear Sir, thank him in my behalf, for indeed he deals most lovingly with, Rev. Sir,
Your most unworthy brother and fellow-labourer,
G. W.
LETTER CXLV.
Upper Marlborough, Dec. 8, 1739.
Dear Sir,
I Cannot defer writing to dear Mr. N—— any longer.—This afternoon God brought us hither. Some are solicitous for my staying here to-morrow. As it seems to be a call from providence, I have complied with their request. Oh that I may be enabled to lift up my voice like a trumpet, and to speak with the demonstration of the spirit and with power. These parts are in a dead sleep. At Anapolis, I preached twice, and spoke home to some ladies concerning the vanity of their false politeness. But alas, they are wedded to their Quadrille and Ombre. The minister of the place was under convictions—He wept twice, and earnestly begged my prayers. He will not frighten people I believe with harsh doctrine,—he loves to prophesy smooth things.—God blessed the word wonderfully at Philadelphia. I have great reason to think many are brought home to God. When I return, it will then be seen, who has received the word into an honest and good heart. By the divine assistance, I propose revisiting Philadelphia, New York, and to go as far as Boston, and so return to Georgia, before I take shipping again for England—The Lord direct my going in his way! About May you may expect to see me. My dear friend, pray that I may so improve the time of my absence, that at my return my progress may be made known to all men. It shames me to see what little proficiency I have made in the school of Christ. If I do not begin to press forwards, how shall I appear before my blessed Lord? I feel myself to be the chief of sinners; surely never was a greater instance of redeeming distinguishing love. God forbid that I should glory in any thing but free grace: had not God plucked me as a brand out of the fire, I had now either been given over to a reprobate mind, or cast into a place of torment. Oh help me, help me, dearest Mr. N——, help me to be thankful, and accept my thanks, though late, for all favours received when at New York. Indeed I love you in the bowels of our dear Lord Jesus. Salute your dear wife my kind hostess: exhort her to be severely kind to her little boy.—My most cordial respects attend all who ask after me. Entreat them to continue their prayers, dearest Mr. N——, for
Your weak, but affectionate friend, brother and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CXLVI.
To Mr. B——.
Upper Marlborough, Dec. 8, 1739.
Dear Sir,
GRATITUDE obliges me to send you a letter of thanks for your last kind present, and all other favours; but the love of our Lord Jesus Christ constrains me to write to you, exhorting you earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. I humbly hope the Lord has been pleased to bless my coming in these parts to many, and amongst them to you also. It rejoiced me to find dear Mr. B—— was convinced that I preached the truth as it is in Jesus. It pleased me exceedingly, to find how his eyes were opened to see the direct contrariety there is, between the spirit of Christ and the spirit of the world. What has my dear friend now to do, but to prosecute these convictions, and never rest till they end in a sound conversion. God has given you richly all things to enjoy. Be persuaded henceforward not to be so cumbered about the many trifles of this life, as to neglect the one thing needful, Dare, Sir, to be singularly good, Oh dare to let your light shine before men—Be not ashamed of Christ and his gospel. Come out from your carnal acquaintance, and live as becomes a true follower of our Lord Jesus. Dear Mr. B——, I hope will join with you. God’s spirit has been and is now striving with his heart. I pray God to make this the accepted time, and cause it to be the day of his salvation. How will it fill me with joy at my return to Philadelphia, to see dear Mr. B—— and some other excellent well-meaning people, whom I love, become despised followers of the Lamb of God. If my prayers may be any ways assisting, as God shall enable me you may depend on them—Our dear friend B—— can inform you what God has done for us, since we saw you. One favour more I beg of you; give thanks as well as pray for
Your most obliged friend and servant,
G. W.
LETTER CXLVII.
To Captain B——.
Williamsburgh, (Virginia) Dec. 15, 1739.
HITHER God brought us last night; I trust the same gracious being, by his good providence, has conducted you safe to Philadelphia. I cannot say, I have met with so much as even an almost christian, since I parted from you, till I came to Colonel Whiting’s—There, God put in my way a planter, that is seeking to know the way of God more perfectly—He is now with us, and I hope our conversation will be blessed unto him. Oh dear Mr. B——, strive, I beseech you by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, strive to enter in at the strait gate. God of late has loudly called you—Take heed that neither the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, nor the pride of life prevail on you to lie down in a carnal security again. I am confident you will be most heartily despised, if you are a real christian; but dear Mr. B——’s resolution will be built on a better foundation, than to let a little breath blow it down. In Christ is your strength; look up to him day by day, and as your day is, so shall your strength be. I fear and pray for you. God only knows, how often you have been upon my heart. We have not failed interceding for you at the throne of grace. I shall be much mistaken, if Mr. B—— does not prove a christian indeed. About May I propose, God willing, to be with you again. Then I shall rejoice to sit and hear you tell what God has done for your soul—Be not afraid of conviction. Be not afraid of inward feelings. Now pray to the Lord Jesus, to lay the ax of mortification to the root of your heart. Make thorough work with it. Do not spare yourself in the least.—Now is the accepted time, and that it may be the day of salvation, is the earnest prayer of, dear Mr. B——,
Your obliged affectionate friend and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CXLVIII.
To the Rev. Mr. G—— T——.
Williamsburgh, Dec. 15, 1739.
My dear Brother,
BE not angry because you have not heard from me. Indeed I love and honour you in the bowels of Jesus Christ. You are seldom out of my thoughts; but till now I have not had liberty given me, to send you a line—I trust the work goes on gloriously in your parts. The hand of the Lord brought wondrous things to pass, before we left Pensilvania; but in these parts satan seems to lead people captive at his will. The distance of the plantations prevents people’s assembling themselves together.—Here are no great towns, as in other provinces, and the commonalty is made up of Negroes and convicts, and if they pretend to serve God, their masters, Pharaoh like, cry out, “Ye are idle, ye are idle.” Last night I read the affecting account of your brother John; let me die, O Lord, the death of that righteous man, and let my future state be like his! O my dear friend, my brother, entreat the Lord that I may grow in grace, and pick up the fragments of my time, that not a moment of it may be lost. Teach me, oh teach me the way of God more perfectly. Rebuke, reprove, exhort me with all authority—I feel I am but a babe in Christ. I long to know more of the holy Jesus. He has manifested himself to my soul, both in a way of humiliation and exaltation. Since I saw you, both his rod and staff have comforted me. At present, he makes me young and lively as an eagle; I only wish I was more worthy to subscribe myself
Your affectionate friend and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CXLIX.
To Mrs. C.
Newton, Cape Fear, Dec. 28, 1739.
My dear Sister in Christ,
JUST now we have been singing the hymn, which we sung at Broad-oak; and as I generally do at such seasons, I thought of that happy time wherein we sung it in your great hall. It was a time much to be remembered, an anticipation, I believe, of that blessed time when we all shall meet to sing the song of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem—For the adoption of the spirit, if truly received, is the earnest of our promised inheritance. We are sealed thereby to the day of redemption, and therefore may give both men and devils the challenge to separate us, if they can, from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord—I am verily persuaded, that since I left you, all things have worked together for your good. As I am travelling, often does my soul think both of you and yours, and out of the fulness of my heart, do I often pour forth this or such like petitions, “Dearest Lord, be for ever gracious to the houshold of ——!” My conscience hath smote me frequently, for not writing you a longer letter. I send this to ask pardon, and to assure you how often you and your daughters are upon my heart, when I go in and out before the Lord—I long to hear how the Lord Jesus hath magnified his strength in your weakness. It would fill a volume to tell his goodness and truth; and my base ingratitude sometimes comes with such conviction upon my heart, that I can scarce forbear getting off my horse, and humbling myself in the way side. Indeed, I am the chief of sinners, and yet overflowing hath the Lord Jesus been in his love. You will hear more soon by the journal which will be sent. Dear Mrs. C——, my love to all.
Your affectionate though unworthy brother in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CL.
Savannah, Jan. 16, 1740.
Reverend and dear Sir,
WITH much pleasure (tho’ not till last week) I received your kind affectionate letter. I thank you for it with all my soul, and pray God to reward you for this, and all other your works of faith and labours of love. You may depend on my not being prejudiced against you or your brethren, by any evil report. They only endear you to me more and more; and were your enemies to represent you as black as hell, I should think you were the more glorious in the sight of heaven. Your sweet criticisms and remarks upon my journal and sermons, were exceeding acceptable, and very just. I assure you, dear Sir, I am fully convinced of the doctrine of election, free justification, and final perseverance. My observations on the Quakers, were only intended for those particular persons with whom I then conversed. The tenets of the quakers in general, about justification, I take to be false and unscriptural. Your adversaries need take no advantage against you, by any thing I have written; for I think it every minister’s duty to declare against the corruptions of that church to which they belong, and not to look upon those as true members of their communion, who deny its publick constitutions. This is your case in Scotland, and ours in England. I see no other way for us to act at present, than to go on preaching the truth as it is in Jesus; and then if our brethren cast us out, God will direct us to take that course which is most conducive to his glory, and his people’s good. I think I have but one objection against your proceedings; “Your insisting only on presbyterian government, exclusive of all other ways of worshipping God.” Will not this, dear Sir, necessarily lead you (whenever you get the upper-hand) to oppose and persecute all that differ from you in their church government, or outward way of worshipping God? Our dear brother and fellow-labourer Mr. G—— T—— thinks this will be the consequence, and said he would write to you about it. As for my own part, (though I profess myself a minister of the church of England) I am of a catholic spirit; and if I see a man who loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity, I am not very solicitous to what outward communion he belongs. The kingdom of God, I think, does not consist in any such thing. These are my sentiments, dear Sir, and I write them out of love—I am ashamed (because only a babe in Christ) to pretend as it were to direct; but true friendship needs no apology. God is doing great things in America. My journal, which I send over with this, will shew you what he has done already. Your welfare is much upon my heart, and as I am enabled, I make mention of you in my prayers. Affairs of the Orphan-house go on well. Some few, even here, love the Lord Jesus. Oh, dear Sir, pray for us, and especially for
Your weak unworthy brother and fellow-labourer in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CLI.
Savannah, Jan. 22, 1740.
My Hon. Friend and Brother in Christ,
YOUR last letter quite confounded me. What am I, that I should be thus highly favoured! I can only say, that “Less than the least of all God’s mercies,” shall be my motto still. I have experienced many inward trials, since I saw you last. But I find they work continually for my good. I rejoice in what our dear Lord Jesus has done for your soul. May a double portion of his blessed spirit rest upon you; may our glorious ever-blessed Emanuel cause all his glory to pass before you, and may you be filled with all the fulness of God! Since my arrival here, I have received a sweet endearing instructive letter from Mr. Ralph E——; I have answered it, and told him you promised to write about the necessity of a catholic spirit. Dr. C—— also has favoured me with a loving epistle. I have received and read his sermons since I saw you: they are acute and pointed, but I think not searching enough by many degrees—My dear brother, I love writers that go to the bottom—God willing, I hope to be with you at the synod—But what think you? I am sometimes doubting, whether I shall have sufficient matter given me to preach upon. Methinks I hear you say, “O thou of little faith! wherefore dost thou doubt? As thy day is, so shall thy strength be.” Michael and the dragon, I hear, are carrying on war most bravely in England. I really believe we shall not die, till we see the kingdom of God come with power. The affairs of the orphan-house are in great forwardness. I have much to say; but time and business will not permit. Blessed be God, eternity is at hand, and then we shall have time enough. I have read some of your books to my great profit. I want to be taught the way of God more perfectly all the day long. My tenderest respects await the brethren; my dear fellow-travellers salute you—You are often remembered both by them, and
Your affectionate though very weak and unworthy brother, servant and fellow-labourer in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CLII.
To the Rev. Mr. C.
Savannah, Jan. 24, 1740
Rev. and dear Sir,
I Received your kind, though undeserving letter, and now snatch a few moments from my other avocations, in order to send you a short answer. May God who knits the elect in one communion and fellowship, sanctify our friendship and correspondence to the stirring up each other to love and to good works!—It pleased me to find you breathe so catholic a spirit.—O that bigotry and party zeal were not so much as once named amongst us, as becometh saints! Since Christ is not divided in himself, why should christians be divided one amongst another? Bigotry, I am sure, can never be the fruit of that wisdom which cometh from above.—No, it is earthly, sensual, and devilish. When I come to New England I shall endeavour to recommend an universal charity amongst all the true members of Christ’s mystical body. Perhaps therefore, the fields may be the most unexceptionable place to preach in. You and your brethren, I am persuaded, will follow our Lord even without the camp, and rejoice to bear his sacred reproach. Assist me, dear Sir, in your prayers, that my coming may be in the fulness of the gospel of peace—I shall come only with my sling and with my stone.—If the Lord shall be pleased so to direct me, that I may strike some self-righteous Goliahs to the heart, I know you will rejoice with, Rev. and dear Sir,
Yours most affectionately in the love of our dear Lord Jesus,
G. W.
LETTER CLIII.
To Mr. W. D.
Savannah, Jan. 31, 1740.
My dear Brother in Christ,
BLESSED be God, for the good report I hear of your zeal for our dear Emanuel. Go on, I beseech you by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus; go on, and I am persuaded the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in your hands. If I am thrown aside as a broken vessel, so I see you and others stirred up to carry on our dear Lord’s kingdom, if my heart does not deceive me, I shall rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. God blesses the affairs of the orphan-house. The work is large, but we have omnipotence for our support.—I believe I shall take in near fifty children. God lets me see every day, that he orders my goings. He visits me with inward trials; but if I had not such thorns in the flesh, what would become of me? Fear not to speak the truth; if driven out of England, here is a noble range for you in America. At present I am restrained; but I could not rest, without letting you have a line from
Your most affectionate friend brother, and servant,
G. W.
LETTER CLIV.
To Mrs. D.
Savannah, Jan. 31, 1740.
Dear Madam,
I Rejoice to hear that you are likely to be cast out of your mother’s Will only for following Christ. This may be only the beginning of temptations. God, I believe, out of love will try you to the uttermost. You have drank deep of heavenly comforts; you must pledge our Lord in his cup of sufferings. Those who saw him on mount Tabor afterwards were with him in the garden. But fear not—The Lord is with you—Neither men nor devils shall hurt you. The sweet communion we have had with God, and through him with one another, often comforts my soul. Who knows, but that time may be again repeated? Indeed, I want words as well as time to express with what thankfulness I desire to subscribe myself, dear madam,
Your unworthy brother and obliged servant in our common Lord,
G. W.
LETTER CLV.
To Captain M.
Savannah, Jan. 31, 1740.
Dear Sir,
I Rejoice to hear of your good health, and take this opportunity of sending you Mr. Law’s and Mr. Haliburton’s life; which I pray God to sanctify to your benefit and comfort. I hope you will watch over your heart, and take care to keep up those convictions, which God once put into your soul. I am afraid of Mr. B. The world, the world I fear has got hold of him. Dear Captain M——, I trust, will not desert his Master.—I am sure he would die, rather than prove false to an earthly prince.—Oh let him not desert his dear Redeemer’s colours. Dear Sir, beg of God to root out of your heart a desire for that honour which cometh of man. Till dead to the world you will not be alive to God. Honour, falsely so called, has destroyed millions. That you may be never carried away with, or ruined by it, is the hearty prayer of, dear Sir,
Your’s, &c.
G. W.