LETTER CCXXIV.
To Mr. W D.
Dear Brother W, Boston, September 28, 1740.
I Thank you for your kind letter from Osset; I wish it was written with more life. I fear you are turning almost to a spirit of bondage: but it is good for you to be sifted, to make an experienced minister of Jesus Christ. I could not but smile, to find you wink at the decency of my dress. Alas! my brother, I have known long since what it is to be in that state you are (in my opinion) about to enter into. I myself thought once that christianity required me to go nasty. I neglected myself as much as you would have me, for above a twelvemonth: but when God gave me the spirit of adoption, I then dressed decently, as you call it, out of principle: and I am more and more convinced, that the Lord would have me act, in that respect, as I do. But I am almost ashamed to mention any such thing: rather let us talk and write of the love of Jesus; "Let us stand fast in the liberty wherewith Jesus Christ hath made us free, and not be again entangled in a yoke of bondage." God only knows whether you have done right in leaving the university, or in declining to exhort. If you do not preach till you are perfectly free from all sin, I believe you will never preach again. I could never hear of such a minister or christian yet. My dear brother, I speak freely to you, because I love you in the bowels of Jesus Christ. He sent his disciples to preach before they were perfect; nay, when they were weak in grace. Exercise the talents you have, and that is the way to get more. Thus has God dealt with me for these seven years. "To him that hath, shall be given." Many of our friends talk against election: a good reason may be given. I believe they have never taken pains to search into the true state of the case. What if some abuse that doctrine; is it therefore false? No; by no means. I am persuaded, if any of our friends would examine their experiences, they would find that Jesus Christ freely prevented them by his grace; that he compelled them to come in; and that it is not owing to themselves, but to the will and promise of God, that they are now kept in a state of
