YOUR last brought glad tidings. I endeavour to give thanks for you with my whole heart. I trust God has enabled you to take the advice you gave me, and that you have been kept from idolatry. Oh my dear brother, let us watch and pray, that we may not be led into temptation. The spirit is willing in both; but the flesh, mine in particular, is exceeding weak. Blessed be God for sending me on ship-board. He has given me to see something of that mystery of iniquity, which was in my heart. I have loathed and abhorred my own self. Tears have been my meat day and night; but glory be to God, who has lately assured me of a victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. At present my heart is quite free. You will see what I have written to those of your household. I pray the Lord to send you and many more such labourers into his harvest. I intend resigning the parsonage of Savannah. [♦]The Orphan House I can take care of, supposing I should be kept at a distance; besides, when I have resigned the parish, I shall be more at liberty to take a tour round America, if God should ever call me to such a work. However, I determine nothing, I wait on the Lord. I am persuaded he will shew what is his will: though my heart is as yet perverse, in time I hope to drink deeper into his spirit. How earnestly do I desire to be dissolved, that I may be with Christ! Sometimes my weak body gives me hopes, that I shall not be long in the flesh; but then, the strength that is communicated to me, and the consideration, that I have but just begun my testimony, fills me with fears, lest I should live to be greyheaded. But I endeavour to resign myself wholly to God. I desire his will may be done in me, by me, and upon me. If the Lord preserves me from falling into sin, and dishonouring his holy name, let him do what seemeth him good with
Yours most affectionately in Christ Jesus,
G. W.
[♦] ‘Th’ replaced with ‘The’
LETTER CXV.
To Madam C——.
Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1739.
Madam,
TO be made good by the righteousness and spirit of Jesus Christ, is a distinguishing blessing. To be made good, and yet to be great and rich in this world’s goods, is still more extraordinary. Blessed be God, who has thus highly favoured you. I trust he hath given you that faith, which enables you to overcome the world, and emboldens you to confess both our Lord and his servants, in the midst of a wicked and adulterous generation. Once indeed I feared you had been offended. Dear Mr. M—— soon convinced me of my error. Yourself, Madam, amply satisfied me before I left London, that you were not ashamed of the gospel and ministers of Christ. May the Lord enable you more and more to set your face as a flint, and entirely to live above the fear of man. If the work goes on in England, a trying time will come. I pray God, the same spirit may be found in all that profess the Lord Jesus, as was in the primitive saints, confessors and martyrs. Further opposition then will not hurt, but highly profit the church. The chaff will be winnowed from the wheat, and they that are approved be made manifest. As for my own part, I expect nothing but afflictions and bonds. The spirit, as well as the doctrine of popery, prevails much in many protestants hearts; they already breathe out threatnings. What wonder, if when in their power, they should breathe out slaughters also? This is my comfort, the doctrines I have taught are the doctrines of scripture, the doctrines of our own and of other reformed churches. If I suffer for preaching them, so be it. “Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God!” I rejoice in the prospect of it, and beseech thee, my dear redeemer, to strengthen me in a suffering hour. You, dear Madam, and the rest of my friends, will not be wanting in praying for