_To Mr. H――――._
_Edinburgh, Sept. 24, 1742._ _My most endeared Friend and Brother_,
YOUR short letter, dated _July_ the 14th, I received two days ago, to my great satisfaction. I am glad my dear family is removed to Mr. _B――――_, and rejoice, that our glorious GOD had raised him and his brother up, to be such friends in time of need. Our all-wise Saviour saw this, and therefore sent them to be converted at the Orphan-house. O LORD, thou art fearful in praises, glorious in holiness, doing wonders! I trust this will find you, my dear friends, and my dear lambs, happily settled at _Bethesda_. I cannot think, GOD will give you over into the enemies hands, or that he will suffer the enemy to abide in _Georgia_ for any considerable time. My thoughts have been variously exercised, but my heart kept stedfast and joyful in the LORD of all Lords, whose mercy endureth for ever. The kings taking _Lot_, and _Abraham_ recovering him out of their hands, hath been much pressed upon my heart. _Abraham_’s going into the land of _Canaan_, and being driven out by a grievous famine soon after he came there, has also been applied to my soul. And those words of _Moses_, “These enemies which you see, you shall see them no more,” have fallen with great warmth, and wait upon me. These things put together, keep my mind humbly depending upon GOD, in a full assurance that some great and good event for the kingdom of JESUS will ere long be brought about. I am supported in a peculiar manner, and kept from staggering through unbelief.――With this, I send you a continuation of the Orphan-house account, which I printed to satisfy the public, and to promote future collections. The news about the _Spaniards_, perhaps may strike a damp upon the collection at this time; but even this shall work for good. GOD has a wheel within a wheel. O, my dear brother, how do I long to be with you! You need not say, “if possible now come over,” for I have long wished for the wings of a dove to fly to _Georgia_. I yet owe upwards of two hundred and fifty pounds in _England_, upon the Orphan-house account, and have nothing towards it. How is the world mistaken about my circumstances: worth nothing myself, embarrassed for others, and yet looked upon to flow in riches? Our extremity is GOD’s opportunity. O faith, thou hast an all-conquering power! Surely, my dear man, you and the rest of you will grow now in this time of trial. Fear not, neither be dismayed: the LORD your GOD will fight for you. I put my trust in him, and through his mercy I shall not miscarry. He still strengthens me to go on from conquering to conquer. I pray for you, I think and dream of you almost continually. I long, I long to be with you, and methinks could willingly be found at the head of you kneeling and praying, though a _Spaniard_’s sword should be put to my throat. But alas! I know not how I should behave, if put to the trial: only we have a promise, “that as our day is, so our strength shall be.” I would gladly write to you all, but being so variously employed, having the superintendency of so many souls and so many spiritual affairs, in many different places, I feel a little of what St. _Paul_ says, when he wrote these words, “besides that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” What am I? LORD, I adore and worship! I hope ere now you have had letters from brother _G――――_ and _Philadelphia_ friends. Some there, are suspicious that I am joined with the _Moravian_ Brethren, but indeed I am not. My principles are still the same; only as I believe many of them love the LORD JESUS, I would love and be friendly to them, as I would be to all others, who I think bear the image of our common Master, notwithstanding some of my principles differ from theirs, and are as far distant as the East is from the West. Glory be to GOD, for keeping me stedfast to those truths, which himself and not man hath taught me. I feel the power of them more and more every day, and am continually made happier and happier in the righteousness of the glorious Redeemer. O free, sovereign, distinguishing, electing, everlasting, infinitely condescending love! it quite amazes me. The thoughts of this love carry me above every thing. My dear friend, the _Spaniards_ cannot rob us of this, nor can men, or devils. It is immutable and eternal as GOD himself. May the meditation on this, lead us nearer and nearer to GOD in CHRIST, that we may every day, every hour, every moment be more and more conformed to his blessed image, and ripen more and more for eternal glory. But I must have done. Adieu! my dear man, adieu! I am ready to weep tears of love. Humbly hoping, that I shall shortly hear of the spiritual and temporal welfare of you all, I subscribe myself, with the utmost sincerity and affection,
Ever, ever yours,