K has wrongly quoted. My dear Brother, did not St. Paul bid Timothy to give himself to reading? What, if the Holy Spirit is to lead us into all truth, does not the Holy Spirit make use of, and lead us by the means? Has he not indited the scriptures? Has he not helped holy men to explain those scriptures? And why may I not, in a due subordination to the Holy Spirit, make use of those men's writings? Has not my dear Brother K bought sermons? And why then does "He make use of other men's words?" O, my dear brother, you are in the wilderness; God bring you safe out of it. I suppose, because the Dissenters oppose some of your new principles, you term them enemies; but, my dear Brother, though there are many Christless talkers, and hypocritical formalists among the Dissenters, as no doubt there are some such in the purest church under heaven; yet many of them hold and practice the truth as it is in Jesus. But I have done. Count me not your enemy, because I tell you the truth. I expect that great numbers will look shy on me, for thus opposing what I think to be error. Thus the Galatians treated St. Paul; but I must be tried every way. I could add a thousand kind things, but I hope you shortly will have a personal interview with
Your affectionate brother and servant in Christ, G. W.
LETTER CCLXIX. To Mrs. J F, in Charles-Town.
On board the Minerva, Feb. 25, 1741.
My very dear Friend,
I Know you will rejoice at the receipt of this: You have abundant reason; the Lord hath been wonderous kind. We are now flying on the wings of the wind, and if it continues, we hope to be at Cowes the beginning of next week. Your kind presents were of great service to my crazy body. The woman passenger has been serviceable in making us bread; and in short, God has wonderfully ordered all things for our great conveniency and comfort. O that my dear friends at Charles-Town, may hereby be excited to thankfulness on our
