To Mr. Knox

Slio, May 30, 1765

Dear Sir, — Probably this will be the last trouble of the kind which you will receive from me. If you receive it in the same spirit wherein it is wrote, I shall be glad. If not, my reward is with the Most High. I did not choose it should be delivered till I was gone, lest you should think I wanted something from you. By the blessing of God, I want nothing, only that you should be happy in time and in eternity.

Still I cannot but remember the clear light you had with regard to the nature of real. Scriptural Christianity. You saw what heart-religion meant, and the gate of it, justification. You had earnest desires to be a partaker of the whole gospel blessing; and yt)u discovered the sincerity of those desires by the steps you took in your family. So that in every thing you was hastening to be not almost, but altogether, a Christian.

Where is that light now? Do you now see that true religion is not a negative or an external thing, but the life of God in the soul of man; the imagie of God stamped upon the heart? Do you now see that, in order to this, we are justified freely, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus? Where are the desires after this which you once feh? the hungering and thirsting after righteousness? And where are the outward marks of a soul groaning after God, and refusing to be comforted with any thing less than his love?

Will you say, “But if I had gone on in that way, I should have lost my friends and my reputation?” This is partlytrue. You would have lost most of those friends who neither love nor fear God. Happy loss! These are the men who do you more hurt than all the world besides. These are the men whom, if ever you would be a real Christian, you must avoid as you would avoid hell fire. “But then they will censure me.” So they will. They will say you are a fool, a madman, and what not. But what are yon the worse for this? Why, the Spirit of glory and of Christ shall rest upon you. “But it will hurt me in my business.” Suppose it should, the favour of God would make large amends. But ver>- probably it would not. For the winds and the seas are in God’s hands, as well as the hearts of men. “But it is inconsistent with my duty to the church.” Can a man of understanding talk so, and talk so in earnest? Is it not rather a copy of his countenance? Indeed, if you mean, “inconsistent with my pleasing this or that clergyman,” I allow it. But let them be pleased or displeased, please thou God. But are these clergymen the church? Unless they are holy men, earnestly losing and serving God, they are not even members of the church; they are no part of it. And unless they preach the doctrines of the church, contained in her articles and liturg’, they are no true ministers of the church, but are eating her bread and tearing out her bowels!

“But you will not leave the church.” You never will by my advice: I advise just the contrary: I advise you to lose no opportunity of attending the service of the church, and receiving the Lord’s supper, and of showing your regard for all her appointments. I advise steadily to adhere to her doctrine in every branch of it, particularly with re-I gard to the two fundamental points, — justification by faith, I and holiness. But above all, I cannot but earnestly entreat i you not to rest till you experience what she teaches; till (to sum up all in one word) God cleanses the thoughts of your heart by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, that you may perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name. Unless this be done, what will it profit you to increase your fortune, to preserve the fairest reputation, and to gain the favour of the most learned, the most ingenious, and the most honourable clergymen in the kingdom? What will it profit a man to gain all these, and to lose his own soul?

I know that to God all things are possible; therefore it is possible you may take this kindly. If so, I shall hope to receive a line from you. If not, let it be forgotten till we meet at the judgment seat of Christ.

I am, dear sir,

Your affectionate servant