flant and continued, (whether you feel a defire to it or not.) And in a fhort time the Lord will guide you, as his pillar of fire did the Ifraelites, till every enemy is fallen before you, and you are in full poffeffion of the promifed land! I am, yours, &c. M. B. LETTER CCIX. [From Mrs. S. R. to the Rev. Mr. Welley.] The following Letters, wrote in the courfe of a few months, by one who is now in Abraham's bofom, breathe deep, ftrong fenfe, though unimproved by Education; with a deep, and strong, unaffected Piety. I know few like them in the English Tongue. So much of the Answers to them. is occafionally inferted, as may serve to make the Replies which followed, more readily understood, Rev. and dear Sir, London, Aug. 10, 1757. Have confidered well your Proposal, and it appears to me IH to be the will of God, which my foul defires to do. For this month paft it has been laid upon my mind to pray, that I might be the fervant of his Servants, and that God would ufe me for his glory, in whatever way he pleafed: so that when I received your letter, I saw it was an answer to prayer, and needed not to intreat the Lord, to fhew if it was his will. I am confcious of my own weakness, but truft in him who is everlasting ftrength, and believe, whatsoever he calleth me to, he will give me ftrength to perform. I remain, dear Sir, Your affectionate, but unworthy Child and Servant, S. R. LETTER LETTER [From the fame.] Rev. and dear Sir, CCX. Bristol, Nov. 13, 1757. Received your welcome Letter with much pleasure: it was the mouth of God to my foul. O Sir! God has made me deeply fenfible, what a wondrous work he hath wrought in me, and truly out of nothing, lefs than nothing. I am altogether what you defcribe me to be, and much less. Nothing is fo great a wonder to me, as that God fhould deal fo bountifully with one of yesterday. I do not wonder you fhould tremble for me: I almoft tremble for myself, to think I cannot fear amidst those great fnares and dangers I am furrounded with. If I could have chofe for myself, I should have been glad to be despised by all. But is not God's time best? As to your confidence in me, I am no less amazed: but all is of God. O Sir, often have I faid, fince I have been in your house, if all the Omnipotence of God does not stand on my fide, I shall difhonour Him in this place! But I feel my life is hid with Chrift in God. Dear Sir, pray that all your defires may be answered in me, by me, and upon me. If God is able and willing to keep me, I shall stand, "Firm as a beaten anvil to the stroke!" I find no power to refift any thing: but my foul finks below all. I take it as a great bleffing from God, that you deal with me, as a father with a child. The day that I shall think myself past your help, I fhall have little reason to think well of myself. I truft, God will enable me to keep to your Rules, and to fhine as a light in a land of darkness. It is easy to obey, where God has the heart. We are all in peace with God, and in love with one another. Dear Dear Sir, look not at the things which are feen, but the things which are not feen! Time is well-nigh at an end eternity is at hand! O that with Enoch you may walk with God and be perfect! I pray God, you may forget the things that are behind, and reach forth to the things which are before! I believe you will excufe my fimplicity and freedom with you: that burning love I feel to your foul, makes me almuft forget you are my father in Chrift. Pray, Sir, fpeak plainer fill to me. I find my foul like a little child, waiting to be taught of God. I would not only be free from fin, but worship him as the angels do above! I am your affectionate Child and Servant, S. R. LETTER CCXI. [From the Rev. Mr. Wefley, to Mrs. S. R.] My dear Sifter, MAY Norwich, Nov. 22, 1757. AY the peace and love of God fpring up in your heart, as in time paft, and more abundantly! You have refreshed my bowels in the Lord: I feel your words, and praise God on your behalf. I not only excufe, but love your fimplicity, and whatever freedom you ufe, it will be welcome. Surely God will never suffer me to be ashamed of my confidence in you. I have been cenfured for it by fome of your nearest friends: but I cannot repent of it. Will not you put forth all your strength, (which indeed is not yours; it is the Spirit of the Father which now worketh in you,) 1. In managing all things pertaining to the Houfe, fo as to adorn the Gofpel of God our Saviour? 2. In feeding the sheep he has committed to your immediate care, and carrying the weak and fickly fickly in your bofom? 3. In affifting, quickening and directing the Family at Kingswood, whom I trust you will always bear upon your heart? 4. In reproving, flitring up, or confirming all whom the providence of God fhall put into your hands? And laftly, In watching over, and helping forward in the ways of God, one who has more need of help than all the reft? And who is always willing to receive it from you. because you always fpeak the truth in love. Do you find no interruption or abatement at any time of your joy in the Lord? Do you continually fee God? And that without any cloud, or darknefs, or mist between? Do you pray without ceafing, without ever being diverted from it, by any thing inward or outward? Are you never hindered by any perfon or thing? By the power or fubtlety of Satan, or by the weakness or disorders of the body, preffing down the foul? Can you be thankful for every thing without exception? And do you feel all working together for good? Do you do nothing, great or small, merely to please yourself? Do you feel no touch of any defire or affection, but what fprings from the pure love of God? Do you speak no words but from a principle of love, and under the guidance of his Spirit? O how I long to find you unblameable in all things, and holy as he that hath called you is holy! I am, yours, &c. J. W. CCXII. LETTER [From the Rev. Mr. J. Fletcher, to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.] Rev. and dear Sir, Madely, June 6, 1781. Rejoice to hear that your fpiritual bow abides in strength. I would have wished you joy about it fince my arrival, if I knew where a letter could overtake you. I heartily thank you about the directions you give me to hinder my bow, so far Split, fplit, from breaking quite. Now I muft imitate your pruta dence, or the opportunity of doing it will foon be loft for good. I would do fomething in the Lord's vineyard, but I have not ftrength. I can hardly, without over-doing myself, visit the fick of my Parifh: I was better when I left Switzerland, than I am now; I had a great pull back in venturing to preach in the fields, in the Cevennes, to about two thousand French Proteftants. I rode thirty miles to that place from Mont pellier, on horseback, but was obliged to be brought back in a carriage. And now that I am here I can neither serve my Church, nor get it properly served. Mr. G-s owns, the place is not fit for him, nor he for it. He will go when I can get fome body to help me: could you fpare me brother B-? It would be a charity. Unless I can get a Curate zealous enough to flir among the people, I will give up the place: it would be little comfort to me to stay here to fee the dead bury the dead. I thank God however, for resignation to his will. As foon as I fhall difcern it clearly, I fhall follow it, for I trust I have learned in what ftate foever I am, therewith to be content. What a blessing is Chrift to the foul, and health to the body! When you go to, or come from the Conference, be fo good as to remember that you have now a pilgrim's house in the way from Shrewsbury to Brofeley; and do not go and climb our hills without baiting. At our firft interview, I shall ask your thoughts about a French Work or two I have upon the anvil; but which I fear I fhall not have time to finish. Be that as it will, God needs not the hand of Uzzah nor my finger, to keep up his ark. I read with pleasure and edification, your Arminian Magazine. Your ftoréhouse is inexhaustible. The Lord ftrengthen you to Neftor's years, or rather, to the useful length of St. John's life. It is worth living to serve the Church, and to teach Chriftians to love one another. I am, Rev. and dear Sir, Your affectionate, though unprofitable Servant, LETTER |