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I cannot fay, that I find any Stubbornness, Sloth, or Self-will:

yet I fear to say abfolutely, there is none in me. O Lord, let my fentence come forth from thy prefence! Certainly I do not know myself as God knows me: and perhaps in fome respects, I do not know myself fo well as you know me. Therefore if you difcern any thing of thefe in me, I fhall receive it as a favour if you tell me.

I do not feel any Unbelief, with regard to my own foul. I believe my Saviour hath faved, doth fave, and will fave it everlaftingly. Nevertheless I need to increase in Faith daily, as well as in every grace. All I live for is, to know myself and God more, and I feel a conftant thirst so to do.

Laft Sunday fe'ennight, Mr. preached fuch a Sermon as I never heard him preach before. A folemn, weighty power rested on the whole Congregation. My foul and body were fo penetrated with God, that if I had felt more, I beHieve I must have died. I could only pray, that you and he may be living Witneffes of all he fpake. O that your four did feel always, what my foul felt then! Surely I fhould say, "Now, Lord, letteft thou thy fervant depart in peace: for I have no request unanswered."

I believe your danger is from Persons rather than Things. And fo has mine been. Therefore I know the power of God to fave, even in this refpect. Jefus who has faved me, only knows what I have fuffered from Affection to the Creatures. But I feel the fulleft Confidence in my Deliverer, that all my deaths of this fort are paft. And now the burden laid upon my heart is, that you may be thus faved. O what would I give, that your foul might cleave to Him, in all, and above all Creatures. This would be my higheft happinefs, (next) to the enjoyment of my God) in time and in eternity. O that you may breathe your foul to Him, who knoweth whereof you are made, and is able to change your heart that it may be always true to Him!

How

How often have I wished to tell you all my thoughts! And now God has ftrangely given the opportunity. And I believe, while it answers the end he defigns, neither men nor devils can interrupt it. I find all Referve banifhed from me, and were I now going into Eternity, I should be glad to feel all the Affection to you I do, and to fpeak to you in the fame

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

Rev. and dear Sir,.

Bristol, Feb. 17, 1756.

YOURS

OURS of February 10th, filled me with many thoughts, attended with much prayer. I am thankful you speak your ftate fo plainly. Surely God hath a hand in this thing! Doth he permit your words and actions, small and great, to be marked? O how much of God do I fee in this? Surely, if you marked every motion of your heart alfo, with much prayer, you would gain much ground in the race that is fet before you.

O Sir, what I feel for you, when I confider there is hardly one, that knows how to help you; in this also I fee the Wifdom of God, that you may not lean on an arm of flesh. But dear Sir, do not let your fpirits droop! Surely you do not eye the Lord Almighty: is not this the very way by which God will purify your heart? Let not Satan keep you from much private prayer. If you let your hands hang down in

this, will you not be backward in every duty? I contrive my business, so that from ten to eleven every morning I retire to pray and read. If you could meet me then at the throne of grace, it would not be in vain for your foul and mine. I find more power to pray for you fince your laft, than I have done for a great while. By whatever manner, way or means, may God make you holy: and may his prefence fhine continually on your heart!

The humility I feel does indeed flow from a deep fenfe of my helplessness. And when I look back upon my former life, I am amazed, and fay, What hath God done? Why hath he done this for me? And because I cannot tell, I lie and wonder at his bleffed feet! While my dear friends are approving of me, or what I say, I seem to lose myself. As to my being charged with pride, I do not wonder at it. I am conscious, there is in my manner, that which many may term fo. I find a conftant need of watching against all appearance of evil. I thirst to have matter and manner right. O help me by your prayers!

As to my body, it declines every day. I know nothing will help me, but to rest from labour of every kind. But that I dare not do. So I will make hafte to live!

I am your affectionate Child and Servant,

LETTER

CCXLIX.

S. R.

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

My dear Sifter,

Maldon, Feb. 20, 1758.

Is your eye altogether fingle? Is your heart entirely pure?

I know you gave up the whole to God once: but do you ftand to the gift? Once your will was fwallowed up in God's.

But

But is it now? And will it be fo always? The whole Spirit and Power of God be upon you; stablish, strengthen, settle you! And preferve your fpirit, foul, and body, fpotless and unblamable, unto the coming of Jesus Christ!

I am yours, &c.

J. W.

LETTER

CCL.

[From the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, to the Rev. Mr. Welley.]

Rev. and dear Sir,

Philadelphia, Sept. 25, 1764.

OUR kind Letter, dated in January laft, through the

YOUR

negligence of those that received the parcel, did not reach me till within thefe few days. It found me at Philadelphia, juft returned from my Northern Circuit; and waiting only for cooler weather to set forwards for Georgia. Perhaps that may be my Ne plus ultra. But the Gofpel range is of fuch large extent, that I have, as it were, fcarce begun to begin. Surely nothing but a very loud call of Providence could make me fo much as think of returning to England as yet. I have been mercifully carried through the fummer's heat; and, had ftrength permitted, I might have preached to thoufands and thousands thrice every day. Zealous Ministers are not fo rare in this New World as in other parts. Here is room for a hundred Itinerants. Lord Jefus fend by whom thou wilt fend. Fain would I end my life in rambling after those that have rambled away from Jefus Chrift.

For this let men defpife my name,

I'd fhun no crofs, I'd fear no fhame:
All hail reproach!

I am perfuaded you are like minded. I wifh you and all your dear Fellow-labourers much profperity. O to be kept from turning to the right hand or the left! Methinks for many years, we have heard a voice behind us faying, "This is the way, walk in it." I do not repent being a poor, defpifed, caft out, and now almost worn-out Itinerant. I would do it again if I had my choice. Having loved his own, the altogether lovely Jefus, loves them to the end; even the last glimmerings of an expiring taper, he bleffed to guide fome wandering fouls to himself. At New-England, New-York, and Pennsylvania, the word hath run and been glorified. Scarce one dry meeting fince my arrival. All this is of grace. In various places there hath been a very great flirring among the dry bones. If you, and all yours would join in praying over a poor worthlefs, but willing Pilgrim, it would be a very great act of charity, he being, though less than the least of all, Rev. and very dear Sir,

Ever yours, &c. &c. in Jefus,

LETTER

G. WHITEFIELD.

CCLI.

I

[From the Rev. Mr. Wesley, to the Rev. Mr. Furly.]

Dear Sir,

occur.

Liverpool, July 15, 1764.

Have had many thoughts fince we parted, on the subject of our late converfation. I fend you them just as they "What is it that conflitutes a good Stile?" Perfpicuity, Purity, Propriety, Strength, and Easiness joined together. When any one of thefe is wanting, it is not a good Stile. Dr. Middleton's Stile wants Eafinefs. It is fiff to a high degree. And fliffness in Writing is full as great a fault

as

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