salutations, attend Mr. C, Mr. H, and their respective families. May the Lord bless them, as he did the house of Obededom, for the ark's sake! My advice is, quit yourselves like men, and be strong. If our Lord shall open a door, I fully purpose to have another stroke at Satan's strong-holds in R. Jesus can and will make us more than conquerors over all. Blessed be his name for leading you, my dear friend, more and more into the knowledge of his divine, compleat, and everlasting righteousness. That is a rock against which the gates of hell shall never prevail. If we have a mind to go pleasantly to Canaan, we must lean, not on our frames, not on a stock received, but on our Beloved. Looking to him is the only way of being saved from every evil that annoys and disturbs us. It is his blood, sprinkled by the blessed Spirit upon the conscience, and that alone, which cleanseth from all sin. Whatever, therefore, you want, go to Jesus: that is his name. And why? Because he is to save his people from their sins. And what amazing grace is it, that we should be in the number of his people? Surely that God-exalting, that self-abasing expression, "Why me, Lord, why me?" should always be in the mouth of one redeemed of the Lamb. But I must stop, though with regret. Whilst I am writing the fire kindles. I beg all your prayers;—no one wants them more. My wife returns her love. I believe good Lady H hath no place suitable for the person you mention. Why should she fly from her cross? Sometimes we do best when surrounded by enemies: they keep us upon our watch. Jesus is able to preserve us, though in a burning bush. To his never-failing mercy do I commend you all, and am, dear Sir,
Your affectionate friend and ready servant for Christ's sake, G. W.
LETTER DCCXCIII. To Mr. H.
My dear Mr. H, London, Dec. 13, 1749.
YOUR kind letter almost made me to blush. I little thought, when I left N, that you should have written first; but I have been so engaged since I came to
