I would begin with stating, that the belief of that doctrine which gave peace to my troubled conscience, gave also a degree of stability to my conduct, such as I had never before been able, with my utmost efforts, to attain. Not but that I have still to lament, that sin dwells in me; but, by the grace of God, it does not reign over me, as formerly; and the less I think of myself, and the lower I estimate my own strength, and the more I trust to the gracious promise of imparted strength, from the compassionate and all powerful Redeemer, the stronger I am. Whilst I rejoice in the possession of the new man, I have still to mourn the existence of the old; I find in my experience increasing evidence of the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of the heart, and see increasing reason to be vile in my own eyes, and to pray continually "God be merciful to me a sinner," but I trust in his grace, that he will "fulfil in me all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power," and "preserve me by his power, through faith unto salvation," enabling me to maintain the war of the spirit against the flesh, until I get a complete and eternal victory.
And here I must express my gratitude to God, for the benefit of Christian fellowship, and of pastoral care and instructions. It is now about sixteen years since I first heard you preach, and became a member of the church under your ministry. We have had our trials, to exercise our forbearance and patience; but we have also had our comforts. I still love the brethren, and while I say, "Grace be to all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," I wish for no other fellowship; and while I love all who preach Christ crucified, as the only ground of a sinner's acceptance with a holy God, yet I desire no other teacher than he who first turned my wandering feet into the way that leadeth to life. Your instructions and warnings have, I trust, enabled me to keep in that way with my face Zionward. May the Lord grant, that we may continue to walk together, and be, in our respective stations, comforts to each other on the road, until we arrive at the heavenly Jerusalem;—and there may I be one of those, who shall be to you, "a crown of joy and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord!" There may we rejoice together, in the rich mercy of the great Redeemer, and give him all the praise, for converting and preserving grace, both in the convert and in him who was the instrument of his conversion; and may you have many more in whom to rejoice, besides the subject of this narrative! I thank God for the success with which he has been pleased to bless your labours. There are not a few, who now sit under your ministry, who have received the knowledge of the truth by means of your preaching; and others, I believe, have joined the church above. May the Lord grant you increasing success in turning sinners to God, and in edifying saints; may he bless the labours of all his servants and people; and may his own word have free course and be glorified, by the overturning of the kingdom of sin and of Satan in the world; and may the "kingdoms of this world soon become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ." Amen.
I remain, Dear Pastor,
Your Affectionate Son
In the Faith of the Gospel,
G. B.
GLASGOW, January, 1819.
To the Rev. Ralph Wardlaw.
[33]. The short duration of the peace, however, prevented the fulfilment of it.
[34]. Then assistant to Mr. Ewing; now minister of the congregation in Crown Court, London.