fhould have little time for retirement: for I could be fpeaking and going about all the day. O Sir, let us make hafte to live!

The Lord grant you the defire of your foul upon me! O that I may be like iny fpotlefs Master! The thought makes my heart leap again. This is all I thirft for, and fhort of this I will not live. Jefus hath purchased all for me. Pray help me by your prayers!

O my Father, look up! The chariots and horse-men of Ifrael! O for faith to lay hold on all the promifes! Let us pray more than ever, and the Lord will keep us from every fnare of the devil!

I am your affectionate Child and Servant,

[From Mifs M. to the Rev. Mr. Wefley.]

Rev. and dear Sir,

S. R.

October 7, 1762.

Have found you much laid on my heart, and have power

to commend you to Him who is able to help you; and who, I believe, will with-hold from you no manner of thing that is good. He delighteth in the profperity of his fervants; and my heart's defire and prayer for you is, that Jefus may fet you as a feal on his heart, and disclose to you all the fecrets of his love, the hidden myfteries of his kingdom. This is a time when you have need of his eye to guide you. He will direct you in all your paths. I rejoice that that word is true, "My grace is fufficient for thee."

I believe, I need not afk you to forgive the freedom of my ftile, because I am perfuaded you would have me fimply write

the

the language of my heart. I defire to confider you as my Minifter, and to treat you with the respect that character claims.

I have abundant reafon to praise my Lord, for I feel him to be my portion, and he makes me happy by giving me himfelf. I only thirst for a deeper knowledge of Jefus, whom to know is eternal life. There is no complaining in my ftreets, for the voice of joy and gladness is heard in my land: the Lord hath rooted and grounded me in his love, and taught me to come to him for a fupply of my present wants. I ftrove, I laboured to do, and to fuffer the will of God, but I was continually foiled, because I did not believe as my day, my ftrength fhould be; I mean, I ftood in fome measure in the ftrength of the prefent grace, without coming every moment for a fresh fupply. The many arguments I had heard against the doctrine of Salvation from Sin, and the continual attacks of Satan with, How can these things be! And how is this or the other thing confiftent, &c. made me reafon much whether there was fin in my heart? I could not believe there was, and yet I did not dare to fay there was not. But after much reafoning about the matter, fometimes fearing every thing was a delufion, I alway left off juft as I begun, and felt the truth of thofe words, "Man by wifdom knew not God." I ftrove to fearch Him out by my Reafon, but I found Faith alone revealed the Saviour to my heart. When I was taken fick, my reasonings all dropt for a feafon, and I felt a power to take God at his word; my foul was quite happy, and I could not doubt but his precious blood had cleanfed me from fin. I have not doubted ever fince, I feel it such a self-evident thing, fomething fo real! Neither do I find that the Enemy hath power to bring his temptations fo clofe to my heart; but I dwell in the light, and that light fhews me what I am. I do not now feek to find out the ftate of my foul by my Reafon: but I look to Jefus, that his Spirit may reveal his thoughts of me, and I find the whifpers of his

voice is peace. I feel I live in the poffeffion of that promise, "I will not leave you comfortlefs, but becaufe I live, ye fhall live alfo ;" and it is true in him and no lie, for by believing, eternal life abideth in us.

I am weak and helplefs, but in the Lord I have righteouf ness and ftrength. Help me to praife my everlasting Friend, for great is his goodness, great is his bounty. Pray for me; and believe me your obliged Servant in the Lord,

J. C. M,

LETTER

CCXL.

[From the fame.]

October 16, 1762.

Rev. and dear Sir,

I Thank

you for yours.

The Lord is good to all who truft

in him. Whoever make the eternal God their refuge, will prove him to be the strong city; and experience that he hath appointed falvation for walls and bulwarks. The defire of my heart is to receive the law from his mouth, and to lay up his words in my heart; for they are spirit and life: and man liveth by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. My chief bleffing of late has been, in understanding more fully the union between Chrift and my foul; and how much I am one with him. That word has been unspeakably precious to me," "As the Father hath loved me, fo have I loved you. Continue ye in my love." We may well long to know, What manner of love it is wherewith he hath loved us; because it paffeth knowledge. When I read the Scripture, every text is fo full of meaning, that my understanding is too shallow to fearch into all the riches contained therein. The word of God is like himself, incomprehenfible; and I daily learn to know that I know nothing, and can only understand as he, by Von V.

his

his Spirit, explains the hidden mystery: and I rejoice that the fecret of the Lord is with those who fear him.

I am more and more convinced that one thing is needful; and by his grace I am determined only to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. His will I defire to make my rule of action in every minute thing; and if I watch always, I am perfuaded I fhall hear that voice behind me faying, This is the way, walk ye in it.

That the Lord may bless, and fill you with holiness, is the prayer of your obliged and obedient Servant in Chrift,

I

Feel for your present trials; but I hope the Lord will fupport you. It is a matter of comfort that you did not force any of those people to separate from you. I fear for them, and yet I believe they are devoted to God; though there appears a want of bowels of compaffion. I have obferved in them an inattention to that command, "Be ye merciful as your Father which is in heaven is merciful." True is that word, "God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.

But

I praise the Lord, that in fome measure, I experience the falvation you preach; yet not in all the fulness thereof. I find my heart given to God without reserve. My defire is unto him, and unto the remembrance of his name. I do not feel always the fame fervor. Sometimes I experience a kind of heavinefs of fpirit. I think I am always fenfible of the multitude of mercies with which I am furrounded, and

in

in fome degree thankful for them, though I have not fuch a lively sense at sometimes as at others. I find temptations to pride;" but my foul takes refuge under the shadow of the Almighty. I do not feel anger, though I am not fo well-pleafed with all I meet with. I am fenfible I want more tender compaffion for all in affliction. I often think, I was formerly more un feeling than any body; and in all the outward trials I meet with, my greateft is, that I am too little fenfible of them. I want that mind that was in Jefus, when he wept over Jerufalem.

I am found fault with by fome, for being blind to the faults of those I love much. I know it is a comfortable way; for if I was to dwell upon all the evil there appears in every one, I fear my love would be leffened towards them. Before I was a Chriftian I could love nobody, unless my affection was founded on esteem. You will give me your opinion on this head. If we judge of every action rigorously, I know not where we shall find any faved from fin. I believe all the degrees of grace you preach is both fcriptural, and attainable; but I doubt whether any body is truly or properly finless before God.

!

I am, dear Sir, yours, &c.

ارفة.

J. C. M.

LETTER CCXLII.

[From Mr. A. O. to the Rev. Mr. Welley.]

Reverend Sir,

Manchester, Jan. 8, 1763.

AMONGST the many relations you have of the Α

work of God under your direction, I think it my duty to add to your confolation, by acquainting you of the