MY DEAR SISTER, LETTER XXIV. London, Jan. 18, 1774. A WILL steadily and uniformly devoted to God, is essential to a state of sanctification; but not an uniformity of joy, or peace, or happy communion with God. These may rise and fall in various degrees; nay, and may be affected either by the body, or by diaboli. cal agency, in a manner which all our wisdom can neither understand nor prevent. As to wanderings, you would do right well to consider the Sermon on Wandering Thoughts: you might likewise profit by Elizabeth Harper's Journal, whose experience much resembled yours, only she was more simple: and you may learn from her to go straight to God, as a little child, and tell him all your troubles, and hinderances, and doubts; and desire him to turn them all to good. You are not sent to Waterford to be useless. Stir up the gift of God which is in you: gather together those that have been scattered abroad, and make up a band, if not a class or two. Your best way would be to visit from house to house. By this means you can judge of their conduct and disposition in domestic life, and may have opportunity to speak to the young of the family. By motion you will contract warmth. By imparting life, you will increase it in yourself. As to the circumstance mentioned in the postscript of your last, I should think you would do well to exert yourself in that matter as much as possible. It will be a cross; take up that cross: bear your cross, and it will bear you; and if you do it with a single eye, it will be no loss to your soul. I am, my dear sister, your affectionate Brother, J. WESLEY. LETTER XXV. MY DEAR SISTER, London, March 1, 1774. ELIZABETH HARPER was frequently in clouds too; and in that case, it is the best way to stand still: you can do nothing but simply tell all your wants to him that is both able and willing to supply them. 1 enclose James Perfect's letter, on purpose that you may talk with him. He has both an honest heart, and a good understanding; but you entirely mistake his doctrine. He preaches salvation by faith in the same manner that my brother and have done and as Mr. Fletcher (one of the finest writers of the age) has beautifully explained it. None of us talk of being accepted for our works: that is the Calvinist slander. But we all maintain, we are not saved without works; that works are a condition (though not the meritorious cause) of final salvation. It is by faith in the righteousness and blood of Christ, that we are enabled to do all good works. And it is for the sake of these, that all who fear God and work righteousness, are accepted of him. It is far better for our people not to hear Mr. Hawksworth. Calvinism will do them no good: as to the rest, I refer to my enclosure to Mr. M. with whom I wish you to have some conversation. Be not discouraged: I really believe God will visit poor Waterford in love. Do you go on. Bear up the hands that hang down by faith and prayer support the tottering knee: reprove, encourage. Have you appointed any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace, and persevere therein, and mercy will come down. I am your's, &c. J. WESLEY... MY DEAR SISTER, LETTER XXVI. Leeds, May 2, 1774. UNTIL Mr. Hill and his associates puzzled the cause, it was as plain as plain could be. The Methodists always held, and have declared a thousand times, The death of Christ is the meritorious cause of our salvation, (that is, of pardon, holiness, and glory,) loving obedient faith is the condition of glory. This Mr. Fletcher has so illustrated and confirmed, as I think scarcely any one has done before since the apostles. When Mr. W. wrote me a vehement letter concerning the abuse he had received from the young men in Limerick, and his determination to put them all out of the Society, if they did not acknowledge their fault, I much wondered what could be the matter, and only wrote him word, "I never put any out of our Society for any thing they say of me."-You are come in good time to make peace. Go on, and prosper. Your ever affectionate MY DEAR SISTER, LETTER XXVII. J. WESLEY. London, Dec. 21, 1776. YOU are a great deal less happy than you would be, if you did not reason too much. This frequently gives that subtle adversary an advantage against you. You have need to be continually as a little child, simply looking up for whatever you want. It is devoutly to be wished for, that we may rejoice evermore: and it is certain, the inward kingdom of God, implies not only righteousness and peace, but joy in the Holy Ghost. You have therefore reason to ask for, and expect the whole gospel blessing. Yet it cannot be denied, that many times joy is withheld, even from them that walk uprightly. The great point of all is, a heart and a life entirely devoted to God. Keep only this, and let all the rest go: give him your heart, and it sufficeth. I am, my dear sister, your ever affectionate Brother, J. WESLEY. LETTERS TO LADY MAXWELL. LETTER I. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, June 20, 1764. WILL it be agreeable to my dear lady Maxwell, that I trouble her with a letter so soon? And that I write with so little ceremony? That I use no compliment, but all plainness of speech? If it be not, you must tell me so, and I shall know better how to speak for th time to come. Indeed it would be unpleasing to me to use reserve: the regard I feel for you, strongly inclines me to "think aloud," to tell you every thought which rises in my heart. I think God has taken unusual pains, so to speak, to make you a Christian: a Christian indeed, not in name, worshipping God in spirit and in truth; having in you the mind that was in Christ, and walking as Christ also walked. He has given you affliction upon affliction: he has used every possible means to unhinge your soul from things of earth, that it might fix on him alone. How far the design of his love has succeeded, I could not well judge from a short conversation. Your ladyship will therefore give me leave to inquire, Is the heaviness you frequently feel, merely owing to weakness of body, and the loss of near relations? I will hope it is not. It might indeed, at first spring from these outward pressures But did not the gracious Spirit of God strike in, and take occasion from these, to convince you of sin, of unbelief, of the want of Christ? And is not the sense of this, one great cause, if not the greatest, of your present distress. If so, the greatest danger is, either that you should stifle that conviction, not suffering yourself to be convinced, that you are all sin, the chief of sinners: or, that you should heal the wound slightly, that you should rest before you know Christ is yours, before his Spirit witnesses with your spirit, that you are a child of God. My dear lady, be not afraid to know yourself: yea, to know yourself, as you are known. How soon then will you know your Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous! And why not this day? Why not this hour? If you feel your want, I beseech the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to look upon you now! O give thy servant power to believe! To see and feel how thou hast loved her! Now let her sink down into the arms of thy love, and say unto her soul, "I am thy salvation." With regard to particular advices, I know not how far your ladyship would have me to proceed. I would not be backward to do any thing in my power: and yet I would not obtrude. But in any respect you may command, My dear Lady, Your Ladyship's affectionate Servant, MY DEAR LADY, LETTER II. Manchester, July 10, 1764. TILL I had the pleasure of receiving yours, I was almost in doubt, whether you would think it worth your while to write or not. So much the more I rejoiced, when that doubt was removed, and removed in so agreeable a manner. I cannot but think of you often: I seem to see you just by me, panting after God, under the heavy pressure of bodily weakness and faintness, bereaved of your dearest relatives, convinced that you are a sinner, a debtor that has nothing to pay, and just ready to cry out, Jesu, now I have lost my all, Amen, Lord Jesus! thyself into her heart! Speak, for thy servant heareth! Speak Lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees. Let her see thee full of grace and truth, and make her glad with the light of thy countenance ! Do not stop, my dear lady, one moment, " because you have not felt sorrow enough." Your friend above has felt enough of it for you: "O Lamb of God, was ever pain, Was ever love like thine !" Look, look unto him, and be thou saved! He is not a God afar off! He is now hovering over you with eyes of tenderness and love! Only believe! Then he turns your heaviness into joy. Do not think you are not humble enough, not contrite enough, not earnest enough. You are nothing: but Christ is all. And he is yours! The Lord God write it upon your heart, and take you for an habitation of God through the Spirit. O that you may be ever as dead to the world, as you are now. I apprehend the greatest danger from that quarter. If you should be induced to seek happiness out of Christ, how soon would your good desires vanish! Especially, if you should give way to the temptation, to which your person, your youth, and your fortune, will not fail to expose you. If you escape this snare, I trust you will be a real Christian, having the power, as well as the form, of religion. I expect you will then have likewise better health and spirits: perhaps to-morrow. But, O! take Christ to-day! I long to have you happy in him! Surely few have a more earnest desire of your hapvery dear Lady, piness, than, my Your Ladyship's most affectionate Servant, LETTER III. J. WESLEY. MY DEAR LADY, Sept. 22, 1764. YOU need be under no manner of apprehension of writing too often to me. The more frequent your letters are, the more welcome they will be. When I have not heard from you for some time, I begin to be full of fears: I am afraid, either that your bodily weakness increases, or that your desires after God grow cold. I consider, you are at present but a tender, sickly plant, easily hurt by any rough blast. But I trust, this will not be so long: for you have a strong Helper. And the Lord, whom you serve, though feebly and imperfectly, will suddenly come to his temple. When, Lord? Are all things ready now? Here is the sinner: one whose mouth is stopped: who has nothing to pay; who pleads neither her own harmlessness, nor works, nor good desires, nor sincerity: but can adopt that strange word, "I give up every plea beside, Lord, I am damn'd: but thou hast died." He has died therefore you shall live. O do not reason against him! Let him take you now! Let him take you just as you are, and make you what is acceptable in his sight. It gives me pleasure indeed, to hear that God has given you resolution to join the society. Undoubtedly you will suffer reproach on the account; but it is the reproach of Christ. And you will have large amends, when the Spirit of glory and of God shall rest upon you. Yet I foresee a danger: At first you will be inclined to think, that all the members of the society are in earnest. And when you find, that some are otherwise, (which will always be the case, in so large a body of people,) then prejudice may easily steal in, and exceedingly weaken your soul. O beware of this rock of offence. When you see any thing amiss, (upon hearsay you will not readily receive it,) remember our Lord's word, "What is that to thee? Follow thou me." And I entreat you, do not regard the half Methodists, (if we must use the name.) Do not mind them, who endeavour to hold Christ in one hand, and the world in the other. I want you to be all a Christian, such a Christian as the Marquis de Renty, or Gregory Lopez was! Such a one as that saint of God, Jane Cooper! All sweetness, all gentleness, all love! Methinks you are just what she was, when I saw her first. I shrink at the thought of seeing you what she was, when I saw her last. But why should I? What is all the pain of one that is glorifying God in the fires, with, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." May I not take upon me to give you one advice more? Be very wary how you contract new acquaintance. All, even sincere people, will not profit you. I should be pained at your conversing fre quently with any but those who are of a deeply-serious spirit, and who speak closely to the point. You need not condemn them, and yet you may say, "This will not do for me." May He that loves you, richly supply all your wants, and answer your enlarged desires! So prays, my very dear lady, your affectionate servant, J. WESLEY. |