most of God, I find, are thus minded. And I am persuaded were the effects of our Lord's redemption to depend on a man's own compliance, or was the continuance of God's grace to depend solely on man's improvement, Jesus Christ would
have died in vain. Adam could not stand in paradise when left to his own free-will, how then can we? No, blessed be God, our salvation is put into better hands than our own. Jesus Christ has purchased not only wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, but also eternal redemption for us. Let this thought, my dear Sister, lift up our hands when they hang down, and strengthen our feeble knees; God's gifts and callings are without repentance. There is no condemnation to them that are truly in Christ Jesus. And I write thus peremptorily to you, because I find now you are able to bear it.—Blessed be God! my dear Sister, flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you. I hope ere long our brethren will lay all carnal reasoning aside, and see and preach the truth in this respect, as it is in Jesus. My kindest love to your sister.—What I write to one, I write to both. The Lord direct your going in his way, and cause you to continue instant in prayer for
Your weak brother and servant in Christ, G. W.
LETTER CLVIII. To Mrs. Elizabeth W.
My dear Sister, Savannah, Jan. 31, 1740.
I have been just reading over your letter, and felt a sweet sympathy with the writer. Oh that it may increase till we are filled with all the fulness of God! Some passages in your letter were dangerous to my soul. Whenever you see any growth of grace, pray that I may grow in humility in particular. Oh that I was lowly in heart! Honour and dishonour, good report and evil report would then be alike, and prove a furtherance to me in my christian cause.—I believe the time is shortly coming in which I am to endure something for my Lord and Master; then will I cry out, Who is on the Lord's side? Nothing supports me under a prospect of a trying time, so much as a sense of God's everlasting love. I am persuaded, that neither men nor devils shall ever pluck me out of his
