“MY DEAR FRIEND,” My love to your person, my concern for your welfare, and my relation to you as your pastor, urge me to address to you the subsequent lines.
“It is with great surprise and inexpressible grief, that I hear of your persevering in a conversation so inconsistent with your former religious sentiments and feelings, so dishonorable to your Christian profession, so opposite to the doctrine, to the spirit, and to the example of the blessed Redeemer, and so awfully injurious to your own soul. Ten years ago, the nth of May next, you made a public and a solemn profession of your faith and repentance, and you adorned your profession for several years. O that it was with you as in months past! when your conduct was ornamental, when you attended and enjoyed meetings of prayer and conference, when you communed with us at the table of the Lord, and when you were much esteemed and beloved by your Christian brethren. I particularly loved you, and hoped that you would have continued an ornament to your holy profession. You did run well, but ah! what hath hindered you? While so many apostatize from God, will you also, my friend, go away? Will you also crucify the Lord of glory the second time? Will you also add to my grief and discouragement? Will you also draw back to perdition? God forbid. Where, oh, where will your present conduct end? Is it better with you now, with respect to your reputation, peace of mind, and hope of eternal glory, than when you were in fellowship with us, and walked circumspectly with God? As your eternal interest lies near my heart, I most earnestly and affectionately entreat of you, seriously and repeatedly to examine the following passages of Scripture:—Heb. 10:2424And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (Hebrews 10:24), and to the end of the chapter; 2 Pet. 2:20-2220For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (2 Peter 2:20‑22); Matt. 26:2424The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. (Matthew 26:24); Jer. 3:12-1412Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. 13Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. 14Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: (Jeremiah 3:12‑14).
“O my friend, you and I have to do with an infinitely holy God, who will not be mocked, and cannot be deceived. Go to the throne of grace; go to the cross of Christ; neither presume nor despair. O do not oblige us to exclude you from us! O do not exclude yourself from heaven and do not torture my mind with the fear of being a witness against you in the day of judgment. Pray come and see me, that I may have some free conversation with you. Expect nothing from me but love and tenderness, faithfulness and sincerity; and believe me to be,
“Your friend and pastor,
“GEORGE FRANCIS.”
[The writer of the above letter was a minister for many years in Southwark. It is pleasing to be able to record that so faithful a reproof issued in the reclaiming of the wanderer.]