and more, and to add daily to the church such as shall be saved. My cordial respects attend your fellow-labourers, and all who are so kind as to ask for me; as fast as opportunity permits, they may expect to hear from, reverend Sir,
Your unworthy brother and fellow-labourer,
G. W.
LETTER CXII.
Dear Mrs. F. Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1739.
I Have now time to answer your last letter. It gave me much satisfaction. I rejoice that you begin to know yourself. If possible, satan will make us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. I can tell this by fatal experience. It is not sudden flashes of joy, but having the humility of Christ Jesus, that must denominate us christians. If we hate reproof, we are so far from being true followers of the Lamb of God, that in the opinion of the wisest of men, we are brutish. I love you and your dear husband in the bowels of Jesus Christ. Under God, I begot you both through the gospel. I therefore think it my bounden duty, from time to time, more particularly to watch over your precious souls. Never account me your enemy for speaking the truth. Tell me of my faults in your turn. I will pray God to give me an hearing ear and an obedient heart. But how do our brethren after their late dispersion? I heard they had in part recovered themselves. Ere now, I trust, they have resumed their courage, and stand stedfast as a wall of brass. If you were all to be carried to prison the next moment, I think you should not decline your christian fellowship and society meetings. My brethren, in this respect, I beseech you to obey God rather than man. Happy are you, if you patiently suffer in such a cause. Our Lord will stand by you; he will fight all your battles, and make you more than conquerors through his love. My heart would say more; but other letters must be wrote. Salute all the brethren by name, and accept this as a token of your not being forgotten by
Your affectionate brother and servant in Christ,
G. W.
