_To Mr. R――――._
_London, Dec. 22, 1752._
_My very dear Friend_,
WITH great pleasure I received your kind and wished-for letter; and heartily bless GOD that your whole self is in such comfortable circumstances, and that honest _D――――_ is so blest in his work. I read his two letters about ten days ago, and many joined in singing for him the following verses:
_The isles in the North,_ _Remember, O GOD,_ _And feed thy sheep there,_ _With pure gospel food_. _LORD, revive thy blest work_ _In every place,_ _Till thousands and thousands_ _Do triumph through grace._
Do you not think the blessed JESUS will say, _Amen_? Yes, assuredly he will. And if he will work, who shall hinder?
_Thoughts are vain against the LORD,_ _All subserve his mighty word;_ _Wheels encircling wheels shall run,_ _Each in course to bring it on._
Fear not, my dear Sir; if CHRIST hath work for you to do, he will put you into a proper station. But would you be a _Nehemiah_, and have no _Sanballat_ to oppose you? Building the walls of the _New-Jerusalem_, is what the profane and formalists do not approve of. We must expect the serpent will hiss, whenever the gospel seed of the woman is coming into a place to bruise his head. Courage, my dear Sir, courage. GOD is on your side.
_The world, with sin and Satan,_ _In vain our march opposes;_ _Through CHRIST we shall_ _Break through them all,_ _And sing the song of |Moses|._
You see, my dear Sir, how freely I write. The love of CHRIST constraineth me. I am much indebted to you, and hope to see you in _London_ soon. My wife longs to have you under our roof: she hath been ill, but blessed be GOD is now better. We both send cordial and grateful respects to your whole self and all enquiring friends. We have had most solemn sacramental occasions. I sympathize with both our suffering friends: from what unexpected quarters do troubles come! Who would sing a requiem to himself, whilst here below? LORD GOD, prepare us for whatever thou hast prepared for us! I must bid you farewel. A variety of business obliges me to hasten to subscribe myself,
Yours, &c. _G. W._