_To Colonel G――――._
_Feb. 8, 1750._
_My very dear C――――_,
YOUR kind letter reached me this day, just as I came out of the country
from preaching the everlasting gospel, and where the blessed Redeemer
was pleased to visit and greatly refresh his people. Last _Monday_ we
had a like feast; and in this place the word has been attended with an
alarming and quickening power. Contrary to my intentions, I have been
prevailed on to stay all this week; so that I do not expect to be at
_Bristol_ till _Monday_ or _Tuesday_ next. A letter, if you are pleased
to favour me with another, may find me there next week. I am sorry to
hear you are ill of an ague; but this, and every thing we meet with
here, is only to shake and free us of our corruptions, and to fit us
more and more for a blessed hereafter. As long as we are below, if we
have not one thing to exercise us, we shall have another. Our trials
will not be removed, but only changed. Sometimes troubles come from
without, sometimes from within, and sometimes from both together.
――Sometimes professed enemies, and sometimes nearest and dearest
friends, are suffered to attack us. But CHRIST is the believer’s
_hollow square_; and if we keep close in that, we are impregnable. Here
only I find my refuge. Garrisoned in this, I can bid defiance to men
and devils. Let who will thwart, desert, or over-reach, whilst I am in
this strong-hold, all their efforts, joined with the prince of darkness,
to disturb or molest me, are only like the throwing chaff against
a brass wall. O my dear Sir, what did I experience on the road this
day! How did I rejoice at the prospect of a judgment to come, and in
the settled conviction, that, to the best of my knowledge, I have no
designs, no views, but to spend and be spent for the good of precious
and immortal souls. O that I may be content to be poor, to make others
rich! O that I may never be suffered to seek my own things, but the
things of the LORD JESUS! His hand, without adding our carnal policy
to it, will support his own cause, and make it more than conqueror over
all. When fleshly wisdom, carnal reason, or human cunning is made use
of, what is it, but, like _Uzza_, to give a wrong touch to GOD’s ark,
and in the end provoke GOD to smite us? I love you, dear Sir, because
I hope and believe you have a tenderness for all that belong to JESUS.
I pray GOD to increase this spirit in you. For what we lose of this,
so much we lose of heaven, and so far are we destitute of the mind that
was and is in JESUS. A bigotted, sectarian, party spirit cometh not
from above, but is sensual, earthly, devilish. Many of GOD’s children
are infected with it; but then they are sick of a bad distemper. May
the Spirit of GOD convince and cure them! But whither am I running?
Excuse, dear Sir, the overflowings of a heart, at present, I hope,
filled with the love of GOD. It is free, unmerited, distinguishing,
infinite love, or it would never flow into my ungrateful soul. As our
LORD enables, I shall remember all you desire. The King and his family
I always remember in the most explicit manner. I hope you will succeed
for _Miles_, and for the poor sufferers in _Ireland_. Learn of _Esther_,
and go in the name of JESUS of _Nazareth_. Your relations are in
the same condition as mine. Are we not as brands plucked out of the
burning? Free grace! free grace! I hope to spend an eternity with you
in praising the LORD of all lords for it. You will remember me to all,
chiefly to the friend of all. You know my name, “The chief of sinners;”
but for CHRIST’s sake, very dear Sir,
Your most obliged, affectionate friend,
and very chearful servant,
_G. W._