_To Mr. ――――._
_London, Dec. 5, 1752._
_My dear Friend_,
HOW does love meet love! Your long expected letter came last night, and
as the box of books hath been gone some days, I answer you before day
this morning. My dear friend, good-morrow! Blessed be GOD, that the day
dawns, and that the day-star hath risen in your heart. May the Redeemer
give you a _Benjamin_’s mess every hour! He is our great _Joseph_, and
loves to say to his guilty brethren, “Come near me.” Out of his fulness
we may all receive even grace for grace. O how does he continually
watch over us for good! I thought the obstructions that lay in my way
to _York_, were not for nothing. Our times are in our LORD’s hands. We
are immortal till our work is done. This, this shall be the cry of my
soul:
_LORD, at thy command I’ll go,_
_And to the world will gladly tell,_
_That they a risen CHRIST may know,_
_That they the love of CHRIST may feel._
Assured of such a bidding, we may say with _Luther_, “If there was as
many devils lying in wait, as there are tiles on the houses, we need
not fear.” Who knows but in Spring we may have a fair field fight? We
can do all things through CHRIST strengthening us. Methinks I long to
range in your parts, and come to _Leeds_ again. The persons mentioned
need not bid me to remember them. I cannot forget either them or you
night or day. O that we may make some large advances in the divine life,
before we see each other. When will that be? Perhaps in Spring; perhaps
not till we meet in heaven.
_There we shall see CHRIST’s face,_
_and never, never sin;_
_There, from the riches of his grace,_
_Drink endless pleasures in._
Hasten, LORD, that blessed time! Till then, grant us, we beseech thee,
an heaven upon earth! Such we have at the Tabernacle indeed. Last
Lord’s-day we had, if possible, a more blessed sacrament than the
former.
_How sweet, how awful was the place,_
_With CHRIST within the doors,_
_When everlasting Love display’d,_
_The choicest of his stores!_
I must break off this delightful subject. Farewel. Pray for us.
Remember me in the kindest manner to all. My wife heartily joins with
Yours, &c.
_G. W._