London, Feb 6, 1781

Dear Friend,

Under the care and protection of Jehovah-Jesus, I arrived safe in town: thanks be unto the Lord our God for the same.

I hope Jesus Christ, in His person, and in His work, is the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely in your view and esteem. It is life eternal to know Jesus, to know Him to be Lord and God, and to know Him to be the Lord our God, by the Holy Ghost.

I had the pleasure of hearing holy Romaine, on Thursday evening, expound the second, the third, and fourth chapters of Isaiah. He observed, that the Prophet began with the gospel, and ended with the gospel. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th verses of the second chapter, he said, had respect to the calling of the Gentiles, to Christ's convincing them of sin, and of their want of Him.

I have, says he, seen very great conviction, which has never ended in conversion. No conviction, says he, is of the Holy Spirit, but what leads the soul to see its utter ruined state and leads it to Christ for pardon and salvation. He observed that sin was the cause of all our national distress; that as luxury did abound, God would cut the sinews of it, by taking away our wealth, and employing it in expensive wars; and now people must, if they would live at all, live by faith. He observed, that Christ was the perfection of beauty and glory, and that He made His people beautiful and glorious, by the robe of His righteousness, which He puts upon them, That God calls His people holy, and makes them so. There is no holiness, says he, but in Christ; and those that are in Christ are holy. Christ gives them His Spirit, Who is holy, and Who makes them partakers of a holy nature. He gives them life, not that they may live independently of Christ, but He gives them life in Christ, and life to live upon Christ for every thing. He observed, how safely God's people were safe-guarded and defended, the Lord God being ever with them in their outgoings and incomings. He beautifully observed, how people were mistaken in looking to bring forth fruit without respect to Christ. Christ, says he, is the root, and all the fruit of faith grows by Him, by His divine shining and heavenly influences. He observed, how safe God's people were under the Lord's protection. That as God was with His people in the wilderness, and preserved them from the scorching sun by day, and from the cold by night; just so, as to all spiritual ends and purposes, He was and is, with His dear people.

I am, yours in Jesus,

SEP