selfish design, will greatly obstruct the eye of the soul. By experi ence, the strongest of all arguments, you have been once and again convinced, that salvation from inbred sin is received by simple faith, although it is certain there is a gradual work both preceding and following. Is it not then your wisdom not willingly to converse with any that oppose this great and important truth? If you play with fire, will you not be burnt sooner or later? Nay, have you not been burnt already? I remain, my dear Nancy, your's, most affectionately, JOHN WESLEY. LETTER VIII. MY DEAR MISS LOXDALE, London, Oct. 8, 1785. NOT once, but many times I have been making all the inquiries I could concerning you. The rather, as I was afraid you might suffer loss by the severe trials you had met with. I should not have wondered if you had; I rather wonder how you have escaped. But indeed, as long as you can say from your heart, "Lord, not as I will, but as thou wilt," no weapon formed against you shall prosper. You unquestionably did enjoy a measure of his pure and perfect love. And as you received it at first by naked faith, just so you may receive it again, and who knows how soon? May you not say, "If thou canst so greatly bow, Friend of sinners, why not now?" I believe Mr. W's nervous disorder gave rise to many, if not most of those temptations, to which many persons of equal grace, but firmer nerves are utter strangers. As you never yet experienced any thing of the kind, so I am persuaded you never will. Yet I do not wonder at the horrid temptations of Gregory Lopez, because he was in a desert, that is so far out of God's way. I thank you for writing freely to me. If I had you now by the hand, I would tell you, you can never write or speak too freely to, My dear Miss Loxdale, your's, most affectionately, LETTERS from the Rev. JOHN WESLEY to Mrs. ELIZ. BENNIS, of Limerick; taken from a small volume of Letters, published by her Son from the original manuscripts, in the year 1809. LETTER I. MY DEAR SISTER, Pembroke, August 23, 1763. YOU did well to write; this is one of the means which God generally uses to convey either light or comfort; even while you are writing you will often find relief: frequently while we propose a doubt, it is removed. There is no doubt but what you at first experienced was a real foretaste of the blessing, although you were not properly possessed of it, till the Whitsunday following; but it is very possible to cast away the gift of God, or to lose it, by little and little ;-though I trust this is not the case with you; and yet you may frequently be in heaviness, and may find your love to God not near so warm at sometimes, as it is at others; many wanderings likewise, and many deficiencies, are consistent with pure love; but the thing you want is, the abiding witness of the Spirit touching this very thing. And this you may boldly claim, on the warrant of that word, "we have received the Spirit that is of God; that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God." I am, my dear sister, your affectionate brother, J. WESLEY. LETTER II. MY DEAR SISTER, - Manchester, March 29, 1766. ONE of our preachers has lately advanced a new position among us, That there is no direct or immediate witness of sanctification, but only a perception or consciousness, that we are changed, filled with love, and cleansed from sin.--But if I understand you right, you find a direct testimony, that you are a child of God. Now certainly if God has given you this light, he did not intend that you should hide it under a bushel.-It is good to conceal the secrets of a king, but it is good to tell the loving kindness of the Lord. -Every one ought to declare what God has done for his soul, and that with all simplicity; only care is to be taken, to declare to several persons, that part of our experience, which they are severally able to bear; and some parts of it, to such alone as are upright and simple of heart. One reason why those who are saved from sin should freely declare it to believers, is, because nothing is a stronger incitement to them, to seek after the same blessing. And we ought by every possible means, to press every serious believer, to forget the things which are behind, and with all earnestness go on to perfection. Indeed, if they are not thirsting after this, it is scarce possible to keep what they have; they can hardly retain any power of faith, if they are not panting after holiness. A thousand infirmities are consistent even with the highest degree of holiness; which is no other than pure love, a heart devoted to God; one design and one desire. Then whatever is done either in word or deed, may be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. Press after all the residue of the promises. I am, my dear sister, your affectionate brother, J. WESLEY. MY DEAR SISTER, LETTER III. Leeds, August 14, 1766. ALTHOUGH I am at present exceedingly hurried with various business, yet love constrains me to write a few lines. Your letters are always welcome to me, as the picture of an honest and affectionate heart. What you say concerning the witness of the Spirit, is agreeable to all sound experience. We may in some measure be satisfied without it, in the time of broad sunshine; but it is absolutely necessary in the time of clouds, and heaviness, and temptation; otherwise it would be hardly possible to hold fast your confidence. Beware of voluntary humility; even this may create a snare ;in the "Thoughts on Christian Perfection," and in the "Farther Thoughts," you have the genuine experience of the adult children of God: oppose that authority to the authority of any that contradict, (if reason and Scripture are disregarded,) and look daily for a deeper and fuller communion with God: O what is it to walk in the light, as he is in the light! Do not cease to pray for your truly affectionate Brother, LETTER IV. DEAR SISTER BENNIS, Dublin, July 25, 1767. WHEN you write to me, you have only to think aloud, just to open the window in your breast; when we love one another, there is no need of either disguise or reserve: I love you, and I verily believe you love me; so you have only to write just what you feel. The essential part of Christian holiness is giving the heart wholly to God, and certainly we need not lose any degree of that light and love which at first attend this: it is our own infirmity if we do; it is not the will of the Lord concerning us. Your present business is, not to reason whether you should call your experience thus or thus ; but to go straight to him that loves you, with all your wants, how great or how many soever they are. Then all things are ready; help, while you ask, is given! you have only to receive it by simple faith; nevertheless you will still be encompassed with numberless infirmities; for you live in a house of clay, and therefore this corruptible body will more or less press down the soul, yet not so as to prevent your rejoicing evermore, and having a witness that your heart is all his; you may claim this, it is your's, for Christ is your's. Believe and feel him near. JOHN WESLEY. My dear Sister, adieu; your's affectionately, LETTER V. DEAR SISTER, Cork, May 30, 1769. SOME years since, I was inclined to think, that none who had once enjoyed and then lost the pure love of God, must ever look to enjoy it again, till they were just stepping into eternity. But experience has taught us better things; we have at present numerous instances of those who had cast away that unspeakable blessing, and now enjoy it in a larger measure than ever; and why should not this be your case? because you are unworthy? so were they; because you have been an unfaithful steward? so had they been also ; yet God healed them freely, and so he will you, only do not reason against him. Look for nothing in yourself but sin and unworthiness. Forget yourself. Worthy is the Lamb, and he has prevailed for you! You shall not die, but live! live all the life of heaven on earth; you need nothing in order to this but faith, and who gives this? he that standeth at the door! I hope to see you at Limerick on Monday next; and I pray, let there never more be any reserve between you, and Your truly affectionate, &c. DEAR SISTER, LETTER VI. JOHN WESLEY. Dublin, July 24, 1769. IF the reading over your papers has no other effect, this it certainly has, it makes me love you abundantly better than I did before: I have now a more intimate knowledge of you; I enter more into your spirit, your tempers, and hopes, and fears, and desires, all which tends to endear you to me. It is plain, one of your constant enemies, and the most dangerous of all, is evil reasoning. Accordingly the thing which you chiefly want is Christian simplicity. Brother Bourke and you should carefully watch over each other in that respect, and let each deal faithfully with the other; let there be no reserve between you; encourage one another also, to pray for, and expect the continual and direct witness of the Spirit. My dear Friend, remember Your's affectionately, &c. JOHN WESLEY. LETTER VII. MY DEAR SISTER, Bristol, Sept. 18, 1769. I WROTE a longer letter to you than I usually do, before I set out from Dublin; where or how it stopped, I cannot imagine. I think of you every day; indeed I do not know that I ever loved you so well as since I was at Limerick last; the more we are acquainted with each other, the more we ought to love one another. I hope brother Bourke and you, faithfully endeavour to help each other on. Is your own soul all alive? all devoted to God? Do you find again what you found once? And are you active for God? Remember you have work to do in your Lord's vineyard; and the more you help others, the more your soul will prosper. I am, my dear Sister, Your's, affectionately, &c. DEAR SISTER, LETTER VIII. JOHN WESLEY. Whitehaven, April 12, 1770. IF two or three letters have miscarried, all will not; so I am determined to write again. How does the work of God go on at Limerick? Does the select society meet constantly? And do you speak freely to each other? What preachers are with you now? Do you converse frankly and openly with them, without any shyness or reserve? Do you find your own soul prosper? Do you hold fast what God has given you? Do you give him all your heart? And do you find the witness of this abiding with you? One who is now in the house with me, has not lost that witness one moment for these ten years. Why should you lose it any more? Are not the gifts of God without repentance? Is he not willing to give always, what he gives once? Lay hold, lay hold on all the promises. I am your affectionate Brother, JOHN WESLEY, LETTER IX. MY DEAR SISTER, Yarm, June 13, 1770. JUST now we have many persons all over England that are exactly in the state you describe; they were some time since renewed in love, and did then rejoice evermore; but after a few years, months, or weeks, they were moved from their steadfastness; yet several of these have within a few months recovered all they had lost, and some with increase, being far more established than ever they were before; and why may it not be so with you? The rather, because you do not deny, or doubt of the work which God did work in you; and that by simple faith. Surely you should be every day expecting the same free gift. And he will not deceive your, hope. If you can guard brother S. against pride, and the applause of well meaning people, he will be a happy man, and an useful labourer. I hope brother M. has not grown cold. Stir up the gift of God which is in you! I am, my dear Sister, DEAR SISTER, Your affectionate Brother, LETTER X. JOHN WESLEY. Ashby, July 27, 1770. WILL you ever find in yourself any thing but unfitness? Otherwise your salvation would be of works not of grace. But you are frequently sick of a bad disease, evil reasoning; which hinders both your holiness and happiness: you want the true Christian simplicity, which is indeed the highest wisdom. Nothing is more clear, according to the plain Bible account, than sanctification; pure love |