Dear Brother C——,
YOUR late letters, especially that which you sent me by way of Charles-Town, made me smile.—I was glad to find that you had not so far thrown off all outward things, as to resolve not to write to any one; and I thought I knew the frame of your heart, as though I was within you. My dear, dear George C——, I love you tenderly in the bowels of Jesus Christ, and therefore would not have you be deceived. Alas, why do you pervert this text of scripture, “Be still, and know that I am the Lord,” as if it was designed to keep a christian from striving, or meant a stillness of body, or waiting upon God only in silence? The expression is taken out of the 46th Psalm, where God’s fury against the heathen is described in the most lively colours; and then lest his people should complain of the severity of his dispensations, God commands them to be still, “not to murmur or repine, knowing that he was the Lord, and might do what seemed him good.” Thus Tate and Brady in their translations explain it, and this is the true and genuine meaning of that sentence. It hath no reference to stillness in prayer, or stillness of body. Dear brother, I speak to you plainly, because I love you. I think I know what it is to wait upon the Lord in silence, and to feel the spirit of God making intercession for me with groanings which cannot be uttered. Often have I been at such times filled as it were with the fulness of God, and I do now daily carry on a communion with the most high God and the ever-blessed Jesus. But all this I fear is contrary to the false stillness, you and some others seem to have fallen into. I was just in the same case some years ago at Oxford, when I declined writing, reading, and such like exercises, because I would be still. The Lord convinced me; I pray he may also convince you of this delusion. Dear George, consider how contrary your maxim is to our Saviour’s. You say, “Be still.” He says, “Strive.” As in an agony, “Strive that you may enter in at the strait gate.” Indeed, my dear man, I pity you, knowing you have but a weak judgment, though a well-meaning heart. You once thought that you was born again; then, you found it was only an elapse of the Holy Ghost. You used to say, you wished you could believe from experience in the doctrine of election; now, you find as yet no evidence within yourself that you are a real christian. You take too much refuge, I fear, in the doctrine of universal redemption. It is the finest doctrine in the world to cause a soul to be falsely still, and to say Peace, Peace, when there is no peace. You seem to insist upon sinless perfection, and to think a man hath no real salvation till he literally cannot commit sin. From whose experience do you write this? Not from your own, dear George; for I much question, if ever your heart was truly broken or had a saving closure with Christ. You seem to mention Peter Bochler as an instance; but alas, though he has been washed in the blood of the Lamb, so as to be justified from all his sins, yet like me his feet want washing still, and will, till he bows down his head and gives up the ghost. I have conversed with him intimately. Take heed, brother, of having any thing too much in admiration, or of thinking you must necessarily find Christ at such and such a place. You have been at M——. I believe you have seen many dear children of God; but have you returned home with Christ in your heart? Your letters do not speak much improvement in the school of Christ. If God loves you, he will let you see the vanity of your present imaginations, and bring you to see that salvation is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Dear George, be not given to change; be not too fond of new things. “To the law and to the testimony,” and see what Christ and his apostles have spoken. I speak this out of love, and not in reference to myself. If God blesses another ministry to your soul, I rejoice, yea and will rejoice. But if I see you fall into errors, do not be angry if I tell you the truth. If you are, I will notwithstanding love and pray for you. That errors are crept in among you, I think is too plain: but I suspend my judgment till the Spring, when, God willing, I hope to be in London. In the mean while pray for me, that I may with joy bear to be deserted by those, who once were blessed and awakened by my ministry, and to whom I am a spiritual father, though they may have many instructors. Dear George, may the Lord be with you. He only knows how dear you are to my heart. It is near midnight; but it was much upon my heart to write you this letter. That God may sanctify it to your edification and comfort, is the hearty prayer of
Your affectionate friend, brother and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CCXLI.
To the Rev. Mr. C——.
Good-Hope (South-Carolina) Jan. 1, 1741.
Rev. and dear Sir,
I am now going to Charles-Town, in order to embark for England; the cloud of God’s providence seems to be moving that way; I have enjoyed much of the divine presence since I left Boston, and have had a comfortable Christmas with my dear family at Georgia. At my return, I found my Orphan-houshold removed from Savannah to Bethesda, and great improvements made during the time of my absence. The great house will be finished, God willing, so as to be habitable, in about two months. It would have been finished so far by this time, if the Spaniards had not taken a schooner loaded with bricks and other provisions to a considerable value; but God about the same time stirred up the heart of a planter in South-Carolina, lately brought home at the orphan-house to God, to send my family some rice and beef. At other times, when they have wanted food, the Indians have brought plenty of venison. God, every day, more and more convinces us that this work is of him. His power has been made known, especially among the young ones. I bless God, I have settled my family to my great satisfaction, and verily believe I shall live to see great things come from the Orphan-house. God works upon the hearts of the labourers. One woman hath had a glorious discovery of Christ made to her heart: last week, two or three men where brought into heart-distress, and another young man that came to see us, was made so sick of sin, as to feel the want of, and to enquire after the great and all-powerful physician of souls. My family, I think, consists now of 89 persons. Next year my expences will be contracted much; but at present, I am in debt about 500l. sterling. However, I know in whom I have believed, One who is able to pay it. My public accounts will be published as soon as I arrive at London, with a prospect of the Orphan-house, and other little houses and gardens annexed unto it. I am now at the house of one Mr. Jonathan B——, who, I trust, with his brother Mr. H—— B——, and another young man, lately a player in New-York, are settled by a living faith in Jesus Christ. The latter, I intend for the ministry. Mr. H—— B——’s wife died not long since, rejoicing in God her Saviour. Several others also in these parts are grown in grace, and Mr. C——’s ministry hath been much blessed.—Satan hath been sowing tares in old England. Oh that Boston ministers and people may pray for me! Indeed, I love them in the bowels of the blessed Jesus. Vale! longum etsi spero non in æternum, vale. That Christ’s kingdom may flourish in your heart, and that you may greatly promote it in the souls of others, is the hearty prayer of, Reverend and dear Sir,