Your most affectionate friend, brother and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CCCCXLVII.
To Mr. H—— H——.
Cambuslang, Aug. 26, 1742.
My very dear Brother,
GLAD was I last night to receive a letter from your hands. I love your simple honest heart, and earnestly pray the dear Redeemer to give you a true, lasting, abiding rest in himself. Blessed be his name, I think I can say, through free grace, that I am in a measure entered into it, and know what it is by happy experience, to pass from glory to glory every day. My dear brother, I am opposed on every side; the archers shoot sore at me that I may fall, but the Lord is my helper. He causes my bow to abide in strength, and makes me more than conqueror through his love. The account sent with this, will shew you how often I have been enabled to preach; but with what efficacy and success, pen cannot describe. The glorious Redeemer seems to be advancing from congregation to congregation, carrying all before him. The Messrs. E——’s people have kept a fast for me, and give out, that all the work now in Scotland is only delusion, and by the agency of the devil. O, my dear brother, to what great lengths in bigotry and prejudice may good men run? Blessed be God, I can see the differences between God’s children, and yet love them from my heart. What you said about poor Wales, affected me. I laid upon my face this day, and for some time pleaded with groans unutterable, for direction in that, and several other matters of great consequence. I fear my dear brother thinks too highly of me. Indeed, I feel myself to be a poor sinner, and yet I am rich in Christ, and lean upon his bosom from morning to night; nay, all the night long. By his grace alone I am what I am; and if he is pleased to honour me so far, I should be glad to help the brethren in Wales. I am sorry to hear there has been such divisions. But dividing times generally precede settling times. Upon the receipt of your last, I wrote to Mr. O——. Last night I received his answer. He speaks very honourably of you, but thinks that you are too censorious, in condemning a whole society for the faults of but some, and too bigotted also to your own way. My dear brother will excuse this. I would not deal so freely, or take such liberty, did I not believe you would take it kindly. My brother, my soul loves you. Dear Miss Nancy wrote me word you was at my house, (I rejoiced) and that you prayed heartily for unworthy me. The Lord reward, and fill you with all joy and peace in believing! Our Lord is sovereign in his dealing with his dear children. I walk in much liberty. O free grace! Your being so exercised with inward conflicts, helps you to search hypocrites. But glory be to our heavenly Father, there is a glorious rest awaits us, and all the children of God. I think I feel a foretaste of it now; nay, I believe I feel the thing itself in a degree, and when I speak of it, I speak what I know. O infinitely condescending God! My brother, my heart is full. The Lord Jesus bless you, and fill your dear soul with all his fulness! So prays, with his whole heart,
Your most affectionate though most unworthy brother, and willing servant in Christ,
G. W.