IS it true, that one night whilst you was expounding, you told your hearers, from your own experience, that “they could not go on without throwing aside the means of grace?” or words to that purpose? If so, I pity you; for you are not only misled yourself, but are also misguiding others. But this is no more than I expected. I think you begun to teach too soon, and before you had a commission given you from above. Brother J—— was of the same opinion, before I left England. For that reason, I would not take you to Georgia. Blessed be God, I have no such over-forward spirits there. My dear B——, I write in love. For Christ’s sake try your spirit: I fear you was never yet truly humbled. I know you have had joy; but I always thought it was joy floating on the surface of an unmortified heart. From such a joy, good Lord deliver us! O that you had been in the wilderness a little longer! then you might have been an experienced teacher; but I fear you are now only a novice. May the Lord keep you from falling into the condemnation of the devil. I write not this to damp, but to regulate your spirit; if you are humble, you will take it kind. God knows, I wish all the Lord’s servants were prophets; but I would not have my Master’s work suffer by a too heady way of proceeding. Why should you dishonour him by acting above your sphere; whereas you might honour him by acting in it. Every one is not fit to be a public expounder. To build up awakened sinners in private, is what is more wanted at present than young unexperienced preachers. But I have done; I fear I have offended my brother: forgive me this wrong. As God was pleased first to work upon you by my ministry, you must always expect to be watched over by
Your affectionate friend, brother and servant,
G. W.
LETTER CCVI.
Charles-Town, July 11, 1740.
Dear Mr. R——,
YOUR letter much rejoiced me. O that you may still follow on, till you truly know the Lord! I shall be glad to have you for a scribe, if you are well instructed in the things which belong to the kingdom of heaven. Keep close, my dear friend, keep close to the dear Mr. T——s: under God, they will build you up in your most holy faith. It gladdens my heart to hear of their success in the Lord. The Lord increase them more and more, and multiply the number of their spiritual children! I suppose brother G——’s letter informed you what a speedy passage the Lord gave us, and how we were received at Georgia. Surely I shall never see the like again, till I meet the sons of God in glory. Praise the Lord, O my soul! my dear friend, help me to praise the Lord. I have been here above a week. The Lord hath been pleased to work on many hearts. On Sunday the commissary denied me the sacrament; but my dear Master fed me, notwithstanding, with the bread which cometh down from heaven. Persecution seems to be coming on more and more. My dear friend, see that you are rooted and grounded in love and faith; or how will you stand fast in a dying hour? With difficulty I write this before morning service. I preach generally, in town or country, twice a-day. The heat is great; but the Lord enables me to bear the burden of it. Next month, God willing, I go to New-England, and hope to see Philadelphia in November. On Tuesday next I am cited to appear before the commissary and his court in a judicial way: the event I leave to my dear Lord Jesus. O dear Mr. R——, let not the cross keep you from Jesus. If we suffer, we shall reign with him. Salute your honoured mother in my name, and all that love our dear Lord in sincerity, from, dear Mr. R——,
Your affectionate friend and servant in Christ,
G. W.