To Mr. J——, of Toven in Wales.
London, Nov. 18, 1742.
My dear Brother,
HOW sweetly does the blessed Jesus guide the meek in his way! I believe your turning back from Ludlow was of God. Dear brother H—— was about that time going into Wales, and the Lord sending me hither (unworthy as I am) to transact affairs for you. I have seen your letter to Mr. L——, and likewise that from brother C——, to the bishop of Bangor. I am just now sending it to him, with a letter from myself, desiring leave to wait upon his Lordship. What the event will be, our Lord only knows. This, however, we know, “All things shall work together for good to those that love God;” and the gates of hell shall never prevail against the church of Jesus Christ. What you have met with, is no more than might be expected long ago. There has been a hook in the Leviathan’s jaws, or otherwise our mouths had been stopped long before this time. I had once the honour of being publickly arraigned, for not reading the Common Prayer in a Meeting-house. At another time, I was taken up by a warrant for correcting a letter wherein were these words, “Shall our Clergy break the Canons.” The prosecutions were unjust, but there is our glory. I remember when Socrates was about to suffer, his friends grieved, that he suffered unjustly. What, says he, would you have me suffer justly? If we are buffetted for our faults, and take it patiently, says a greater than Socrates, we are not to glory; “but if we are reproached for Christ, and suffer as Christians, happy are we.” I think our present sufferings are for him. Surely the spirit of Christ and of glory will rest upon you. However, I trust this storm will soon blow over. If possible, let an open separation from the church be avoided. Mr. H—— can tell you more by word of mouth. I trust the glorious Jesus has sent him amongst you, in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace. He is a dear soul. I am persuaded you are dear to him: I find you are dear to me, though I never saw you. It is enough, that we have drank into one spirit. This creates an indissoluble union. Pray remember my kind love to dear brother C——. I wish him joy with all my heart; but would not have him deny that exhorting is preaching. The Chancellor will be too many for him; for to be sure, exhorting is at least one part of preaching. Granting this, he has warrant enough, notwithstanding, from scripture, to tell others what God has done for his soul, and to bid them come and see and believe in a precious Christ. O that word! How sweet is it to my soul? It is like ointment poured forth. Had I time, I could tell you much of his love. He has been exceeding good to me in Scotland: He is still so to me here. Vile, base, ungrateful as I am, he lets me lean on his bosom night and day. My dear brother, help me to praise him, and engage all the brethren’s prayers in behalf of one, less than the least of all saints, but
Yours most affectionately in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER CCCCLXXVI.
To the Reverend Dr. C——, in Boston.
London, Nov. 18, 1742.