Chapter I: THANK you, my love, for writing to me, and rejoice that you are happy

God never fails to hear those that call upon him, and is gracious above all that we can either ask or think. As to my illness, it is extremely troublesome, but I believe not dangerous: and I must continue to bear it for a good while longer, without attempting to remove it, because my apothecary himself knows not what to make of it: *however, I am just as I ought to be; I delight to do and to suffer the will of God, and his mercies are sweet to my soul. I am in that happy state of resignation, that I have not a wish, but for an increase of grace and holiness. Sunday my soul longed after the sacrament, and the tears came in my eyes, because I could not go to church. But are the flowing streams of redeeming love confined to place or time? I found indeed they were not; for my soul was at home sweetly replenished with every blessing I could have hoped for at the altar. How much are those to be pitied who know not the love of God! How much are those to be pitied who set their hearts on any thing in this infant-state of existence! How poor, how low, how trifling is every thing, that does not look towards eternity! I have such an experimental sense of the nothingness of all worldly things, that they seem no more to me than dancing puppets; and I am sometimes ready to affront my brother and Mr. ****, by smiling at the important air with which they talk of their _business_, as they call it.――I think there is very little probability that I shall be fit to come to the wedding. Pray God keep your sister’s heart in this time of danger and distraction, and bless you both with the blessings of his children.

****

_January 7, 1755._

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To the Rev. Mr. ****.

_Reverend Sir_,

YOUR character for candour and piety takes from me all fear that you should be offended at the address of a person unknown, _even_ though this address is designed to point out something amiss in you; which it is absolutely necessary (for the good of your own soul, and for the eternal welfare of those who hear you) that you should amend.――――You _believe_!――You _feel_ the power, and live the _life_ of _faith_!――Oh why will you not strive that others may be partakers of like happiness with you?――I know your general manner of preaching: I myself have heard you; and while my ear has been delighted with your affecting delivery, your elegant language, and well-turned periods, my heart has _bled_ to think that _such talents_ should be so miserably perverted: _bled_ for _you_, and for those _poor souls_, whom this way of preaching lulls into a fatal _security_. Pardon my freedom of speech; pardon my boldness towards you; but you yourself will acknowledge, that where the foundation is unsound, the building must fall; and no true foundation can be laid except Jesus Christ. Your own experience must tell you, that a divine power can alone change the heart; that all outward regularity of behaviour, all rounds and forms of devotion, and all moral duties, without this change are, utterly unavailing, and only like beautifying the outside of a sepulchre, which within is full of dead mens bones and of all uncleanness. _You_ are sensible _too_, that faith in a dying Redeemer is the only means given us by which this change of heart can be effected. To what purpose then is it to tell _poor, lost, undone_ man, of the _dignity_ of his _rational_ nature, and the beauty of _virtue_?――Dear sir, for the sake of that God whom you love and _adore_, _away_ with these _shadows_, and substitute in their place realities. How would it delight the heart of several of your friends (who greatly love and esteem you, and who wish well to the gospel of Christ) to see you, with all the force of eloquence, labouring to convince your hearers of the _sin_ of their _nature_, their condemnation in the sight of God, and their utter incapacity to help _themselves_; and then proclaiming to them, “Behold the _Lamb_ of _God_, who taketh away the _sins_ of the world!”

I am sensible of the difficulties you will have to encounter, in thus changing your manner of preaching: but though the battle be hard to fight, great will be the glory of the victory. ’Tis true, your enemies are strong and powerful; the devil, the world, all the wicked, and all the self righteous will be joined together against you: but look up with an eye of faith, and see how many more are for you. Think of the holy angels rejoicing over every sinner converted by your means; think that the Captain of your salvation, your God and Redeemer, will be ever near to help, to strengthen and comfort you! And consider what unutterable joy your soul will feel, when at that period of time which is the most delightful to the true Christian, you can with firm confidence cry out with St. _Paul_, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”

_I am, (though your unknown and unworthy)
Your truly affectionate friend._

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To Mr. G****.