_To Mrs. Martha B._
_Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739._
_My dear Sister_,
I Call you not _Martha_, but MARY, for I hope you have chosen the
better part, which shall not be taken from you: And yet not so
properly may you be said to chuse, as the LORD to have chosen you;
for we love GOD, because he first loved us. I can trace my conversion
through its several steps, but cannot find one step I first took
towards GOD. I have been a backslider from my very infancy. Had not
GOD called after me, and by his spirit said unto me, as unto _Adam_,
“Where art thou? Into what a dreadful condition hast thou plunged
thyself?” I should have fled from him (if possible) for ever. I am
persuaded you, my dear Sister, can readily say the same; for otherwise
how can we truly value our LORD’s redeeming blood? How can we relish
the doctrine of GOD’s free grace, and our being freely justified by
faith which is in CHRIST JESUS? Oh let us beg of GOD to teach us these
divine truths more and more, (for he alone can teach them) and let us
lay out ourselves to teach them to others. You are happy in being in
fellowship with some, who I hope will be ready, if need be, to seal
these truths with their blood. Be humble, my dear Sister, be humble;
and cease not to pray for
Your affectionate brother and servant in CHRIST,
_G. W._