God's own precious blood was shed to fave them? Rom. xiv 15. Wherefore should fallen angels govern God's redeemed from year to year, when Revelation verified, would raise the blood-bought kingdoms to the realms of bliss?

[To be continued.]

LETTER S.

LETTER

CCXLIII.

[From Mrs. S. R. to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.]

Bristol, Feb. 8, 1758.

I

Rev. and very dear Sir,

Did not think of writing fo foon; but I cannot help letting you know the goodness of God to all our fouls. Where' fhall I find words to exprefs his mercy to fuch poor, helpless worms as we are? How does my heart burn with love to him who is my God and my All? I find him faithful to his promifes: it is but "Afk, and have!" O for Faith! All his promises are yea and amen to the believing foul.

On Saturday night, brother Carthy, fifter Clark, and I were met together as ufual, when the Lord poured out his Spirit upon us in fuch a manner, that we were all speechless. On Sunday he met us again at his table, and made us drink of the wine of the kingdom. At night I was defired to meet a Clafs and God was there alfo. On Monday my body was very weak with the power of God; but my foul was all on fire. I find the name of Jefus written on my heart with the finger of God. It is as ointment poured forth: I feem to tafte it on my lips. He doubled the bleffing in the evening,

as

as foon as I began to meet my dear Clafs.
because they are dear to my foul, and I
without a peculiar bleffing.
but I could speak no more.

Dear I call them,

never meet them

I fpake to about half of them;
We then began to fing,

"Come let us join our cheerful fongs," &c.

but we could fing only two verfes. We went to prayer, and O the power of God we felt! I did not know what to say or what to do. Such a night I have not feen, since I have bee in Bristol.

O Sir, what shall I fay of fuch a God? And to whom is this grace given? What shall I do, that I may work the works of God? O my dear Sir, help me by your prayers. God will hear you for me. Labour with the Lord, that I may ftand perfect in all the will of God, and grow in every heavenly and holy temper. I am as much athirst, as if I had not one grain of grace.

As to my body, it feems medicines are loft upon me; for I am as bad again, when I walk, pray, fing, or write. I might be better, if I laid them afide. But can I do this? No: God being my helper, while I am in the body, and he gives me power, I will ufe it. I cannot fpend my life for a better Mafter. Prayer only will help me.

Pray, Sir, advise, or reprove, or inftruct me as the Lord fhall enable you. The Lord give you your heart's defire upon me and all your children!

I am your affectionate Child and Servant,

S. R.

LETTER

CCXLIV.

[From the Rev. Mr. Wesley, to Mrs. S. R.]

Feb. 10, 1756.

My dear Sifter,

YOUR

YOUR laft Letter was feasonable indeed. faint in my mind. The being continually watched over for evil, the hearing every word I fpoke, every action I did,

I was growing

fmall

fmall and great, watched over with no friendly eye; the hearing a thousand little, tart, unkind reflections, in return for kindeft words I could devife,

"Like drops of eating water on the marble,

At length have worn my finking spirits down."

Yet I could not fay, "Take thy plague away from me;" but only, "Let me be purified, not confumed."

What kind of humility do you feel? Is it a sense of sinfulness. Is it not a fenfe of helpleffnefs? Of dependence, of emptiness, and as it were, nothingnefs? How do you look back on your paft fins, either of heart or life? What tempers or paffions do you feel, while you are employed in these reflections? Do you feel nothing like pride, while you are comparing your prefent withyour paft ftate! Or while perfons are fhewing their approbation of, or esteem for you? How is it that you are fo frequently charged with pride? Are you careful to abstain from the appearance of it? O how im portant are all your steps! The Lord God guide and support you every moment!

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

Dear Sir,

J. W.

May, 14, 1763.

I Have wrote nothing more concerning Jenny Cooper. Nor has fhe wrote any thing of her laft fix months experience, except what may be found in her Letters. I have often wifhed fhe had: for during that time fhe ripened apace. She

was

was favoured with much of the divine presence; and obeyed that command, "Hear ye him." She attended to the voice of her Shepherd, and her converfation was in heaven. She lived as one redeemed from the earth, and of all the chriftians I ever conversed with, I never obferved fuch fervent love to all, as I faw in her: and in the acquaintance I had with her, particularly the laft fix months, I never faw any thing that had the appearance of evil.

It is a mercy that we are enjoined to be followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. They overcame through the ftrength of him who loved them, and washed them from their fins in his own blood. And the fame Lord who is rich in mercy unto all that call upon him, has alfo undertaken our caufe, and he who has delivered, and doth deliver, will continue to deliver to the end.

I praise the Lord I feel peace, and understand more fully the love of the Father, in giving his only-begotten Son, that whoever believeth on him may not perish. Jefus has truly opened a new and living way into the holieft. An open door is fet before us; we may enter in and find pafture. I rejoice in that word, It hath pleafed the Father that in him fhould all fulness dwell, and from his fulness we receive grace for grace. O how fweet a life is the life of faith, which teaches us to depend on Chrift alone for all we want: which faves the foul from all confidence in the flesh, while it enriches and fills it with love, peace, joy, long-fuffering. It debases, empties, and finks it into nothing, fo that all boating is excluded. There is hardly any thing fo bleft to me as reading the word of God, and fometimes I think I never believed the Bible till within these last nine months; every word feems so spoken to my heart; I fo feel, All is yours.

May the Lord abundantly bless you, and fill you with all his life and love, I often think that I do not enough love and honour you, or fee the use God makes of you in his vineyard. I am, dear Sir, yours, &c.

J. C. M.

LETTER.

[From Mr. Francis Gilbert, to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.]

Antigua, June 18, 1763.

Rev. Sir,

WHEN

THEN I arrived here, I found but little life in the fa mily, and this feemed to be owing to fome fervants whom I had fent out the year before: but thanks be to the Lord he is now giving us more life. The Negroes have no religion, except the two which were in England with my brother, who have not only retained their faith, but have received an abundant increase of it. There are two or three more whom I trust have a work on their fouls. I have been puzzled to know what method to take to inftruct the Negroes, not being able to speak in such a manner as to make them understand me. But yesterday the Lord pointed out a way. Going to feek a Negro woman, I took my brother's waitingman to fhew me her house, and whilft I was speaking to her, my fifter told me, unless I fpoke in their diale& fhe could not understand me: upon this the Negro man spoke to her, and in fuch a manner as astonished me. As he does not negle& private prayer, and has light sufficient to instruct the Blacks for the present, I propose to take fome pains to inftruct him and another and I trust, through the grace of God, they will be useful.

I was foon informed of feveral who were diffatisfied with their prefent condition, and enquired if I did not intend to preach, for they would gladly hear me; fo I perceived the Lord had prepared the ground to receive the feed. Accordingly I have taken a house. But it is not half large enough, though it will contain 200 perfons. It has been crouded every night, while a number of attentive hearers stood without. And what is remarkable, a great part of the con

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