Lambeth, February 4, 1766

All the blessings of Jesus’ love be with

dear. I was not in a hurry to answer

your letter, because Mr. Berridge promised

to make his acknowledgments to, and

because the time was at hand when my Loi’d Chancellor declared he would end the affair at Blackfriars. You have heard of the event. My friends are rejoicing all around me, and wishing me that joy which I cannot take. It is my Master’s will, and I submit. He knows what is best, both for his own glory and his people’s good; and I am certain he makes no mistake in either of these points. But my head hangs down upon the occasion, through the awful apprehensions which I ever had of the cure of souls. I am frightened to think of watching over two or three thousand, when it is work enough to watch over one. The plague of my own heart almost wearies me to death; what can I do with such a vast number? Besides, I had promised myself a little rest and retirement in the evening of life, and had already sat down with a — soul, take thine ease. And, lo! my fine plan is broke all to pieces. I am called into a public station, and to the sharpest engagement, just as I had got into winter quarters — an engagement, too, for life. I can see nothing before me, so long as the breath is in my body, but war: and that with unreasonable men, a divided parish, an angry clergy, a wicked Sodom, and a wicked world; all to be resisted and overcome. Besides all these, a sworn enemy, subtle and cruel, with whom I can make no peace, no, not a moment’s truce, night and day, with all his children and his host, is aiming at my destruction. When I take counsel of the flesh, I begin to faint. But when I go to the sanctuary, I see my cause good, and my Master is Almighty — a tried friend, and then he makes my courage revive. Although I am no way fit for the work, yet he called me to it, and on him I depend for strength to do it, and for success to crown it. I utterly despair of doing anything as of myself, and therefore the more I have to do, I shall be forced to live more by faith upon him.

In this view, I hope to get a great income by my living. I shall want Jesus more, and shall get closer to him. As he has made my application to him more necessary and more constant, he has given me stronger tokens of his love. Methinks I can hear his sweet voice, “Come closer, come closer, soul! nearer yet; I will bring you into circumstances that you cannot do without me.”

0 that you could always hear that voice, it would be your heaven! And, indeed, it is his language — nothing but love is on his tongue; but the noise of the flesh sometimes drowns his small, still voice. Comfort would flow into your heart like a river, if the ears of faith were but open to attend to the endearments of Jesus.” Soul, thou shalt not live at a distance from me; I bought thee with a great price; thou art mine. When

1 afllict, it is to bring thee nearer to myself; to make thee glad in me, to bring thy heart to me. Thou shalt not make up thy comforts in the streams; come, come up nearer, nearer still, to the fountain-head. To make thee, to force thee to live happy in my fullness, I will dry up the streams, and so will I teach thee * to make me all in all.’”

The infinitely lovely Lamb of God teach you this lesson! All his Word preaches it, all his providences proclaim it. Every cross says. Go to Jesus, live near his bleeding heart, or else I shall break the back of your patience. Every difficulty says. Go to Jesus, and he will make you strong in the power of his might to overcome. The world, and all the things in it, say, and the believer has ears to hear. Go to Jesus, there is no good in us — it is all in him. Whatever comes, I go to Jesus with it, and all is well. His smiles are humbling, his rod is sanctifying; in all his dealings he is good, and doeth good.

I know these things as well in theory as I see the words upon paper. But to practice them is indeed hard, except in His strength to whom all things are possible: in it and by it all things we meet with will not only bring us to live more upon Christ, but will also bring us to live more to Christ. By doing the one we do the other. He that makes him all shows forth most of his praise. What can glorify Christ like that believer who attempts nothing without consulting him, undertakes no work or duty but in his Strength, rejoices in nothing but in Jesus, and in his salvation? O that you may learn, my dear friend, thus to exalt King Jesus! I would have you to be ever bringing some honor to him, by making him your ALL in deed and in truth. Praise his fullness by living always upon it, and then he will make you always happy. Let him be all your salvation, and all your desire: all your salvation, as to the merit of it; all your desire, as to the efficacy of it; all your salvation in purchase, all your desire in enjoyment. So he is in heaven; O that we could make him so upon earth!

I have one favor to beg of you. Do not refuse me. You see my station — you hear my difficulties. Will you remember me to Him, who calleth the things that be not as though they were. He can send to war at his cost, and for his glory. If you love me, make mention of me when you go to Court. Pray for usefulness and for humility. I cease not to mention you.

I have received Lady B ’s money, and

have been much in gaols of late. I am confined to church people; and when I see a prisoner, a dissenter, and cannot relieve him. with a wife and several children, it makes my very heart ache. So I thought your gift was from heaven. I have made one family happy, and shall make others, and by and by will send you the particulars.

W. R.