enemy? Surely it cannot be!—And yet I must believe it.—But if any one had told my dear friend, that he would have behaved thus, would he not have cried out, "Is thy servant a dog that he should do this?" Oh, my dear friend, I am in pain for you! Alas! who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? You did run well; who, or what hath hindered you? Not a fear of man, I hope; not a desire of that praise, that cometh of man. I know the time when my dear friend's heart stood stedfast. I know the time when my dear friend was willing to be accounted a fool for Christ's sake, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin, of false politeness, for a season. And why should I despair of my dear friend now? No, I know Jesus Christ was set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel. Our Lord, I trust, has prayed for you, and I hope your faith will not totally fail. Forgive me, I must stop and sigh: God forbid I should be called, at the great day, to say, that my dear Mr. put his hand to the plough and turned back unto perdition. Good God! the thought strikes me as though a dart was shot through my liver. Return, return. My dear friend, I cannot part from you for ever. Do not speak peace to your soul, when there is no peace. Do not turn factor for the devil. Do not prejudice or hurt my brother, and thereby add to the grief you have already occasioned
Your most affectionate friend and servant in Christ,
G. W.
LETTER LVII.
My dear Brother, Bristol, July 31, 1739.
BLESSED be God for bringing you in safety home.—He is a God hearing prayer. May he sanctify our meeting. I hope to see you here this week. I shall set out for Deal on Monday.—I long to hear how the soul of my dear brother prospers.—I long to embrace you in these unworthy arms.—Methinks I could now sing my nunc dimittis with pleasure, if my eyes could see my dear brother's salvation. I hope you have conversed with Mr. Wesley. It will require some degree of boldness to own either of us before men. God
