I Love an Israelite indeed, I love a catholic spirit destitute of guile; you I am persuaded are thus minded. The Lord hath highly favoured you: he hath given you a meek and quiet spirit. My heart hath been knit to you, ever since God first brought us together. Oh pray, that what I admire in another, I may imitate myself, and have the graces of Jesus Christ stamped upon my heart. It fills me with confusion, whenever I consider how far I am from his likeness. Alas! What would become of me, was I to be saved by any thing within myself. Blessed be God, the Lord Jesus is my whole righteousness. By virtue of that I know I am justified, I believe I shall be sanctified, and am assured I shall be everlastingly redeemed: for God loved me with an everlasting love. Oh, dear Sir, the prospect of an hereafter fills my soul with comfort. Then shall I have enough of your company, and of the other children of God. The Lord give me patience to wait till my blessed change cometh. He often gives me such foretastes of the glory to be revealed in us, that I want to leap my seventy years. But in a degree, I may say with my blessed master, “I have a cup to drink of, and a baptism to be baptized with.” Dear Mr. S—— will see me humbled, I believe, as much as once exalted; I look for “Away with him, away with him,” every day. Then, I trust, I shall begin in earnest to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Even in such an hour, I believe dear Mr. S—— will dare own
His affectionate though most unworthy friend, brother and servant,
G. W.
LETTER CXX.
Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1739.
Dear Sir,
TO think, that you should be engaged publickly to pray for me, hath often given me much satisfaction, and now excites me to send you this letter of thanks: help me still, help me, dear Sir, by your prayers. They will be a means of lifting up my hands when they hang down, and of strengthning my feeble knees. Though in all things we do not, yet in essentials we both think and speak the same things. I wish all names among the saints of God were swallowed up in that one of Christian.—I long for professors to leave off placing religion in saying “I am a Churchman,” “I am a Dissenter.” My language to such is, “Are you of Christ? If so, I love you with all my heart:” for this reason chiefly, dear Sir, my heart is drawn out towards you. On this account, though so long in Christ before me, I make bold to call you brother, and to wish you God speed: blessed be his name, you have little reason to cry out; “My leanness, my leanness.” Many gracious souls are among your flock, they love to be fed with the sincere milk of the word. I hope they will be your joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. I often think of them with pleasure; pray salute them most affectionately in my name, and exhort them to entreat the Lord that I may make full proof of my ministry. In about a twelvemonth, God willing, I intend returning to England; I wish it may be in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace. I think you are happy in the acquaintance of Mr. B—— S——. I trust he will be as good as he is great, and after he is made perfect through manifold temptations and trials, sit down with you, and all the other spirits of just men made perfect, in heaven. This is the hearty prayer of, dear Sir,
Your affectionate brother and fellow labourer in our Lord’s vineyard,
G. W.