July 3, 1764

I HAVE my dear friend’s letter of the 19th of June by me, and thank you for it. You may be sure I am glad to hear the little book agrees with what God has taught you; not glad for the author’s sake, but for Christ’s sake, and for yours. For Christ’s sake, because I live, and preach, and write, to exalt that royal Saviour. Oh! how my heart longs to see him crowned in your soul, when you will go forth as the command is, and see King Solomon with the crown of grace and glory on his head, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart; then all within you will gladly bow to his sceptre: and for your sake, because he is begun to be crowned, since you say you have experienced some of the things in this little book. I wish I may help you, God helping me, to experience more of the glorious majesty of our King of kings, when I come down, and

preach at upon that text; and when I

am setting forth that sovereign Prince and Saviour, may his Spirit then crown him in your conscience, and enthrone him in your heart. But I cannot come the day you mention, because it is my last Sunday at St. Dunstan’s; and the week after I go down to Brighthelmstome, and shall be there for a fortnight, and then set out for your place.

Till that time come, I shall be wishing you what I am always desiring for myself, a stronger sense and clearer feeling of my wants, and more faith to live upon Jesus for the supply of them. When you have nothing in yourself to be pleased with, all wretchedness and helplessness, then should Jesus be most precious, he being the Almighty Saviour of such a wretched, helpless creature. A man that has a plentiful table, thinks it a happiness that he sits down hungry and thirsty; so should you, when everything within you is saying,” Here you can do nothing, there you can do nothing, without

Christ.’” Then faith should say, It is true I cannot; hut he has in him that very thing which I want, and he has promised to give it me, and on him I depend for it. Such a dependence is heaven upon earth. I find it so; nor would I have it otherwise. What would become of me, if I was rich and increased with goods, and found no need of anything 1 Why, then, I should not feel my want of Christ; I could not live upon him, and so should become comfortless. My dear friend, believe me, I have been trying all ways to happiness; but all have failed me till this one, and here I am settled, I want nothing but Christ. People tell me I must submit to this ordinance, and be joined to such a church, and come under church discipline, and must be dipped, &c., &c. I have Christ — I want no more. This is making Christ of him. And this saves us from ten thousand thousand snares and troubles in life. I assure you, it has brought me such peace as I scarce thought it possible to have in this world. Excuse me, then, when I wish you poorer and poorer every day, that you may be richer in Christ. I shall not cease to remember you as above, till you hear farther from yours, in that most sweet and lovely Christ, the fairest, yea, the very beauty itself, of all the fair. Oh! how I love him, and he loves a poor wretch.

W. R.