dear Sir, to see bigotry and party-zeal taken away, and all the Lord's servants more knit together. Pray, my due respects to all that are so kind as to enquire after me. Exhort them to pray and give thanks for,
Your unworthy friend, brother, and servant in our
dear Lord's vineyard,
G. W.
LETTER LXIX.
Reverend and dear Sir, Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1739.
MAN appoints, but God disappoints. No doubt it was best, that I should not see your answer to the bishop's letter before I left England. I hope it was wrote with the meekness and gentleness of Christ, and then no doubt God will give his blessing. Oh, dear Sir, how is the glory departed from Israel! In what dregs of time are we born? Boasting of our orthodoxy and primitive purity, and yet alas! butis not this enough, dear Sir, to excite our zeal even till it do eat us up? Wherefore hath God called us by his free grace, and made a difference between us and others, but that we should stand up in defence of his injured honour? Your friend, Mr. , has told me how plentifully you once tasted of the good word of life, and felt the powers of the world to come. Oh that the divine spark may again kindle in the heart till it become a flame of fire! Nothing will so much enforce your arguments as a life exactly conformable to the holy Jesus.—When with you last, I thought you spoke too favourable of horse-races, and such things. But what diversion ought a christian or a clergyman to know or speak of, but that of doing good? Many who are right in their principles, are worse than I could wish in their practice. Oh for a revival of true and undefiled religion in all sects whatsoever! I long to see a catholic spirit over-spread the world; may God vouchsafe to make me an instrument of promoting it! Methinks, I care not what I do or suffer, so that I may see my Lord's kingdom come with power. But I know not my own weakness, till I am tried. Dear Sir, pray for me, that I may be found faithful in an hour of temptation. I expect to be tried to the uttermost, and to hear, that many are become my enemies, who once would, as it were, have plucked out their eyes
