_Philadelphia, Nov. 28, 1739._
_Mr. H――――_,
AS you stand so nearly related to your daughter, who is with me,
though I am unknown to you in person, yet I make bold to send you a
line to inform you of her welfare. I find she did not confer much with
you about her intended voyage; but I hope both you and her will have
great reason to rejoice in the end. GOD has been pleased to visit her
with some illness, but now she is perfectly recovered. What is best
of all, I hope her soul prospers, and is fitting more day by day for
the enjoyment of GOD. This was the chief end of her going abroad, and
give me leave to tell you, this is the chief thing you ought, and must
pursue at home. But why do I say at home? A christian hath no home
but heaven. He is a stranger and pilgrim while here on earth. I hope
you know better, Mr. _H――――_, than to think you was born to drive a
team, or plough a piece of ground. These things must be done, but then
they should be done in subordination to the care of your better part,
the soul. Your daughter tells me, you are now grey headed. Take heed,
dear Mr. _H――――_, to make your calling and election sure. Rest not
in outward things. Do not flatter yourself that you are a christian,
because you go to church, and do no one any harm. Nothing but a living
faith in CHRIST JESUS our dear LORD, can qualify you for eternal life.
Without this, GOD will be to us a consuming fire; and unless we are
born again, and made new creatures in CHRIST, we never shall enter
into the kingdom of GOD. If you know not what I mean by these terms,
you may depend upon it, you are a stranger to this new-birth, and
consequently in a state of death: but you need not fear; even at the
eleventh hour CHRIST will accept you, if you come to him by faith. He
hath shewn mercy to your son and daughter. Why may he not shew mercy
to their father also? Whosoever cometh to him, he will in no-wise cast
out. Haste then, dear Sir, out of your spiritual _Sodom_. Linger not.
Nothing will more rejoice your dear children, than to see you brought
to an experimental knowledge of the truth, that you may be saved. For
their sakes, you are particularly remembered by
Your unknown but sincere friend and servant in CHRIST,
_G. W._