_To Mr. ――――._
_London, August 22, 1748._
_Very dear Sir_,
IF any thing I have said or written has been made any way serviceable
to your better part, I thank the LORD of all Lords, whose mercy
endureth for ever. I trust the language of my heart towards JESUS
CHRIST, is this:
_If thou excuse, then work thy will,_
_By so unfit an instrument;_
_It will at once thy goodness shew,_
_And prove thy power omnipotent._
I thank you, dear Sir, for your concern about my health. If it should
please GOD to bring me back from _Scotland_ to winter in town, I have
thoughts of submitting to some regimen or another. At present I think
it impracticable. On _Tuesday_, GOD willing, I purpose to set out,
and to go by the way of _York_. I suppose it will be about a two
months circuit. My journals, and last five sermons, I shall send to
Mr. _D――――_, with the journal that I have corrected. Alas, dear Sir,
so many things want altering, that what you propose for _Andrew_ to
do, would be for him a too laborious task. I heartily wish that you
and doctor _D――――_ and Mr. _H――――_ would be pleased to revise them.
I intend publishing a new edition soon. Mr. _H――――_ is of a different
opinion from Dr. _D――――_ concerning the seventh of the _Romans_.
_Adhuc sub judice lis est._ I always do as you desire in respect to
Mr. _W――――_’s sermons. My prayer for him, for myself, and friends, is
this; “LORD, give us clear heads and clean hearts.” I would recommend
bishop Beveridge’s sermons more, but they are too voluminous for the
common people, and I have not read them all. I expect you will do
this yourself, dear Sir, by and by, from the pulpit, and what is more,
recommend his and your master to the choice of poor sinners. You have
now by your excellent letter publickly confessed him. The eyes of all
will be now upon you, to see whether the truths you have delivered to
others, are transcribed into your own heart and copied in your life.
Now indeed may you cry,
_O for a strong, a lasting faith!_
_To credit what the Almighty saith!_
Now the language of your soul should be, “how holy ought I to be in all
manner of conversation and godliness.” Now, dear Sir, let me entreat
you to keep from trimming, or so much as attempting to reconcile two
irreconcilable differences, GOD and the world, CHRIST and _Belial_. You
know me too well to suppose I want you to turn cynic. No, live a social
life. But then, dear Sir, beg of the LORD JESUS to free you from the
love of the world; thence, thence arises that fear of man which now so
shackles and disturbs your soul. Dare, dear Sir, to be singularly good.
If CHRIST be your Saviour, make him a present of your pretty character.
Honour him, and he will honour you. He indulges you much, and gently
leads you on. Let the same love constrain you, dear Sir, to press
forwards, and never rest till you can give up children, name, life, and
all into his hands who gave his precious blood for you. I could enlarge,
but am called away. I make no apology for this; you say you are my
friend.――Accept this, dear Sir, as a token of my believing you sincere
in that profession, from
Yours most affectionately in CHRIST JESUS,
_G. W._