_To Mr. B――――._
_London, Jan. 18, 1751._
_My very dear Friend_,
YOUR kind letter I received this morning. The love I owe you for
CHRIST’s sake, constrains me to send you an immediate answer. From
the same motive I just now wrote to Mr. _B――――_. Poor man! This is a
home-stroke indeed! I hope he and his yoke-fellow will now take a large
step to heaven. May GOD prepare us, my dear friend, for the finishing
trials! We must all have them in our turns. But wherefore should we
fear? Out of very faithfulness, our heavenly Father causes us to be
troubled. Of his infinite mercy he hath lately been pleased to visit me
with a threatening illness. I was just casting anchor;――but it seems I
must put out to sea again. O that it may be to direct others to the way
that leads to the haven of eternal rest! Who knows but I may sound the
gospel once more in _Scotland_? I have some thoughts of coming for a
little while, before I embark for _America_. You will desire all the
societies to pray, that the LORD would order my goings in his way. I
rejoice that they hold on their way. May they hold on and hold out to
the end! My constant prayer for them is, that they may increase with
all the increase of GOD. Many in town have been awakened this Winter. O
that I was humble! When shall that once be? O that I was thankful! Fain
would I burn with love and gratitude like a seraph.
_With arms of love, and wings of faith,_
_I’d fly and take the prize._
Well! Let faith and patience hold out a little longer, and all will be
well. He is faithful, who hath promised, who also will do it. Believers
should look more to JESUS. It is the only way to keep their hands from
hanging down, and to strengthen their feeble knees. Exhort all to this:
and pray salute every enquiring friend, every member of the societies,
in the most endearing manner; for indeed I love my _Scotch_ friends in
the bowels of JESUS CHRIST. Whilst I am writing to and thinking of them,
tears, but tears of love, are ready to gush from mine eyes. O that I
may meet them all in the kingdom of our Father! O that their lamps may
be always trimmed, and their loins girt! Behold JESUS comes quickly,
and his reward is with him: let us not leave him. Let us not flag in
the latter stages of our road. O our bleeding, agonizing, dying JESUS,
how have we pierced thee! At least how have I! O that we may look and
love, look and mourn, even as one that mourneth for a first-born or
an only son. Dear Mr. _B――――_ can now comment on this text. May the
LORD comfort his heart, and be better to him than seven sons! I can no
more. Affections of various kinds quite overflow. I long to begin to do
something for JESUS. A sense of my vileness and unfruitfulness, quite
breaks my heart. Surely I shall sing, free grace in heaven.――I write
this to you as a friend. The LORD be with you, and reward you and
all, for their sympathy with me and mine. Fail not to pray for me; and
believe me to be, my very dear Mr. _B――――_,
Yours in the best of bonds,
_G. W._