LETTER LXXXIV.
To .
My dear Brethren in Christ, Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1739.
THE cordial love I bear you, will not suffer me to neglect writing to you: as God has been pleased to bless my ministry to your souls, so I think it my duty to watch over you for good, and assure you, constantly you are all upon my heart. Your last letter gave me great pleasure; but it was too full of acknowledgments, which I by no means deserve. To him alone, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh, be all the thanks and glory; I heartily pray God, that you may be burning and shining lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Though you are not of the church of England, yet if you are persuaded in your own minds of the truth of the way wherein you now walk, I leave it. However, whether Conformists, or Nonconformists, our main concern should be, to be assured that we are called and taught of God; for none but such are fit to minister in holy things. Indeed, my dear brethren, it rejoiced me much to see such dawnings of grace in your souls; only I thought most of you were bowed down too much with a servile fear of man: but as the love of the Creator increases, the fear of the creature will daily decrease in your hearts. Nicodemus, who came at first by night to our Lord, afterwards dared to own him before the whole council in open day. I pray God make you all thus minded. For unless your hearts are free from worldly hopes and worldly fears, you never will speak boldly, as you ought to speak. The good old Puritans, I believe, never preached better, than when in danger of being taken to prison as soon as they had finished their sermon. And however the church may be at peace now, yet I am persuaded, unless you go forth with the same temper, you will never preach with the same demonstration of the spirit, and of power. Study therefore, my brethren, I beseech you by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, study your hearts as well as books—ask yourselves again and again, whether you would preach for Christ, if you were sure to lay down your lives for so doing? If you fear the displeasure of a man for doing your duty now, assure
