Your obliged humble servant,
G. W.
LETTER CLXIX.
To the Rev. Mr. J. W.
Savannah, March 26, 1740.
Honoured Sir,
SINCE I returned here, I received your letter and journal.—I thank you for both, and shall wait almost with impatience to see a continuance of your account of what God is doing or has done amongst you—He knows my heart, I rejoice in whatever God has done by your hands. I, præ, sequar, etsi non passibus equis.
I could now send a particular answer to your last; but, my honoured friend and brother, for once hearken to a child, who is willing to wash your feet. I beseech you by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, if you would have my love confirmed towards you; write no more to me about misrepresentations wherein we differ. To the best of my knowledge at present, no sin has dominion over me, yet I feel the strugglings of indwelling sin day by day; I can therefore by no means come into your interpretation of the passage mentioned in the letter, and as explained in your preface to Mr. Halyburton—The doctrine of election, and the final perseverance of those that are truly in Christ, I am ten thousand times more convinced of, if possible, than when I saw you last—You think otherwise: why then should we dispute, when there is no probability of convincing? Will it not in the end destroy brotherly love, and insensibly take from us that cordial union and sweetness of soul, which I pray God may always subsist between us? How glad would the enemies of the Lord be to see us divided? How many would rejoice, should I join and make a party against you? And in one word, how would the cause of our common master every way suffer by our raising disputes about particular points of doctrines? Honoured Sir, let us offer salvation freely to all by the blood of Jesus; and whatever light God has communicated to us, let us freely communicate to others. I have lately read the life of Luther, and think it in no wise to his honour, that the last part of his life was so much taken up in disputing with Zuinglius and others; who in all probability equally loved the Lord Jesus, notwithstanding they might differ from him in other points. Let this, dear Sir, be a caution to us, I hope it will to me; for by the blessing of God, provoke me to it as much as you please, I do not think ever to enter the lists of controversy with you on the points wherein we differ. Only I pray to God, that the more you judge me, the more I may love you, and learn to desire no ones approbation, but that of my Lord and master Jesus Christ.—Ere this reaches you, I suppose you will hear of my late excursion to Charles Town. A great work I believe is begun there. Enclosed I have sent you Mr. Garden’s letters—They will serve to convince you, more and more, of the necessity you lie under to be instant in season and out of season. Oh, dear honoured Sir, I wish you as much success as your own heart can wish. Was you here, I would weep over you with tears of love, and tell you what great things God hath done for my soul, since we parted last. Indeed and indeed, I often and heartily pray for your success in the gospel: May your inward strength and outward sphere increase day by day! May God use you as a choice and singular instrument of promoting his glory on earth, and may I see you crowned with an eternal and exceeding weight of glory in the world to come! This is the hearty desire of, honoured Sir,
Yours most affectionately in Christ Jesus,