LETTER MCLXII.
To the Reverend Mr. M——.
London, February 17, 1757.
Reverend and very dear Sir,
YOUR kind letter lies before me, for which, be pleased to accept my cordial thanks. I am glad you got safe to Chatham, and heartily pray, that the God of the sea, and the God of the dry land, may be your convoy on the mighty waters. The continuance of your correspondence will be quite agreeable. Who knows but Jesus may bless it to our mutual edification? I want to be stirred up, to begin to begin to do something for him, who hath done and suffered so much for ill and hell-deserving me. Surely, I am a worthless worm, and therefore little moved with whatever judgment an ill-natured, misinformed world may form of me. The great day will discover all. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.—O to be an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile! Simplicity and godly sincerity is all in all. A want of this, I fear, hath led the Count into all his mistakes. With great regret I speak or write of any people’s weaknesses; but I did and do now think, that divine Providence called me to publish what you mention. The Redeemer gave it his blessing. I do not find that their fopperies are continued, and I hear also that they have discharged many debts. You seem to have right notions of the sermon to which you refer. It certainly speaks of a sinless state, which is not attainable in this life. We are called to be saints, but not angels. Strange, that after so many years, such an error should be propagated!—but so it is. Lord, what is man? Glory be to God, there is a time coming, when sin, root and branch, shall be destroyed: I mean at death. Then an eternal stop will be put to the fountain of corruption, and we shall be sinless indeed.—Till then, O Jesus, do thou continue to wash us in thy blood, and cloathe us with thy compleat and everlasting righteousness; and at the same time, out of a principle of love to thee, do thou help us to follow hard after that holiness, without which no man can see the Lord!—But whither am I going? My very dear Sir, excuse prolixity. I write to you, as to one whom I love in the bowels of Jesus Christ. My most cordial respects await all that love him. My wife joins in sending you the same, with, reverend and very dear Sir,
Yours most affectionately in our common Lord,
G. W.