Father and the Son? Alas! it is well if you know what it means! And are you content to have your portion in this world? Do you savour only earthly things? Then I do not wonder, that you are shy to the Methodists; for they are not to your taste! O think and pray to-day! For I do not promise you, that you shall live another year! I now give you a full proof that I am, Your truly affectionate, JOHN WESLEY. TO MR. C Dundee, May 2, 1786. I DOUBT not but both, and you are in trouble, because **** has "changed his religion." Nay, he has changed his opinions, and. mode of worship: but that is not religion: it is quite another thing. "Has he then," you may ask, "sustained no loss by the change?" Yes, unspeakable loss: because his new opinion, and mode of worship, are so unfavourable to religion, that they make it, if not impossible to one that once knew better, yet extremely difficult." "What then is religion?" It is happiness in God, or in the knowledge and love of God. It is "faith working by love." Producing "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." In other words, it is a heart and life devoted to God: or, communion with God the Father and the Son: or, the mind which was in Christ Jesus, enabling us to walk as he walked. Now, either he has this religion, or he has not: if he has, he will not finally perish, notwithstanding the absurd, unscriptural opinions he has embraced, and the superstitious and idolatrous modes of worship. But these are so many shackles, which will greatly retard him in running the race that is set before him. If he has not this religion, if he has not given God his heart, the case is unspeakably worse: I doubt if he ever will; for his new friends will continually endeavour to hinder him, by putting something else in its place, by encouraging him to rest in the form, notions, or externals, without being born again, without having Christ in him, the hope of glory, without being renewed in the image of him that created him. This is the deadly evil. I have often lamented, that he had not this holiness, without which no man can see the Lord. But though he had it not, yet in his hours of cool reflection, he did not hope to go to heaven without it: but now, he is, or will be taught, that let him only have a right faith, (that is, such and such notions,) and add thereunto such and such externals, and he is quite safe. He may indeed roll a few years in purging fire, but he will surely go to heaven at last! Therefore, you and my dear ***, have great need to weep over him: but have you not also need to weep for yourselves? For have you given God your hearts? Are you holy in heart? Have you the kingdom of God within you? Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost? The only true religion under heaven! O cry unto Him that is mighty to save, for this one thing needful: earnestly and diligently use all the means which God hath put plentifully into your hands! Otherwise, I should not at all wonder, if God permit you also to be given up to a strong delusion: but whether you were, or were not;—whether you are Protestants or Papists,-neither you nor he can ever enter into glory, unless you are now cleansed from all pollution of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God! I am, your affectionate, JOHN WESLEY. TO MISS FULLER. MY DEAR SISTER, YOU did well in giving me a plain and circumstantial account of the manner wherein God has dealt with your soul. Your part is now to stand fast in the glorious liberty wherewith Christ has made you free. There is no need that you should ever be entangled again in the bondage of pride, or anger, or desire. God is willing to give always what he grants once. Temptations, indeed, you are to expect. But you may tread them all under your feet: his grace is sufficient for you. And the God of all grace, after you have suffered awhile, shall establish, strengthen, and settle you. I am, my dear Sister, your's, affectionately, TO MISS B DEAR MISS B WE have had a Society in Bath for about thirty years, sometimes larger, and sometimes smaller. It was very small this autumn, consisting only of eleven or twelve persons, of whom Michael Hemmings was leader. I spoke to these one by one, added nine or ten more, divided them into two classes, and appointed half of them to meet with Joseph Harris. But if you are willing to cast in your lot with us, I had rather that the single women in both classes who desire it, should meet with you, and any others who are not afraid of the reproach of Christ. In that little tract, A Plain Account of the People called Methodists, you see our whole plan. We have but one point in view. To be altogether Christians, scriptural, rational Christians. For which we well know, not only the world, but the almost Christians will never forgive us. From these, therefore, if you join heart and hand with us, you are to expect neither justice nor mercy. If you are determined, let me know. But consider what you do. Can you give up all for Christ. The hope of improving your fortune, a fair reputation, and agreeable friends? Can he make you amends for all these? Is he alone a sufficient Portion? I think you will find him And if you were as entirely devoted to God as Jenny Cooper was, you would never have cause to repent of your choice, either in time or in eternity. The more freely you write, the more agreeable it will be to your affectionate JOHN WESLEY. so. Brother, TO MISS B MY DEAR SISTER, Nov. 22, 1769. IT is exceedingly strange. I should really wonder, (if I could wonder at any weakness of human nature,) that so good a woman as, and one who particularly piques herself on her Catholic spirit, should be guilty of such narrowness of spirit. Let us not vary in thought or word from the Methodist principle, "Whosoever doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." We have other instances of persons who now enjoy the peace of God, and yet do not know the time when they received it. And God is sovereign: he may make what exceptions he pleases to his general rule. So this objection is easily set aside; and so is that of your age. The Spirit of the Lord can give understanding, either in a longer or in a shorter time. And I doubt not but he will give you favour in the eyes of your sisters. You have only to go on in simplicity, doing the will of God from the heart, and trusting in the anointing of the Holy One, to teach you of all things. I am glad you are acquainted with Miss Owens. Encourage each other to be altogether Christians. Defy fashion and custom, and labour only to "Steer your useful lives below, By reason and by grace." Let not the gentlewoman entrench upon the Christian. But be a simple follower of the Lamb. At present you are exactly in your place, and I trust no temptation, inward or outward, shall ever induce you to depart from the work to which God has called you. You must expect to be pushed to both extremes by turns; and you need all the power of God to save you from it. And he will save you to the uttermost, provided you still retain the sense of your poverty and helplessness. It is a good prayer, "Shew me as my soul can bear, The depth of inbred sin." And just so he will deal with you, for he remembers that you are but dust. But you should not wait to be thus and thus convinced, in order to be renewed in love. No: pray now for all the mind which was in Christ; and you shall have more and more conviction as it pleases him. Mr. Spencer and Glynn are of excellent spirits, notwithstanding their opinion. I hardly know their fellows. Love is all we want let this fill our hearts, and it is enough. Peace be with your spirit. I am your affectionate Brother, JOHN WESLEY. THE following Letter was written by Mr. Wesley twentynine days before his death, and is supposed to be the last that he wrote to America. TO THE REV. E. C. OF PHILADELPHIA. MY DEAR BROTHER, Near London, Feb. 1, 1791. THOSE that desire to write, or say any thing to me, have no time to lose, for time has shaken me by the hand, and death is not far behind. But I have reason to be thankful for the time that is past: I felt few of the infirmi ties of old age for four-score and six years. It was not till a year and a half ago that my strength and my sight failed. And still I am enabled to scrawl a little, and to creep, though I cannot run. Probably I should not be able to do so much, did not many of you assist me by your prayers. I have given a distinct account of the work of God, which has been wrought in Britain and Ireland, for more than half a century. We want some of you to give us a connected relation of what our Lord has been doing in America, from the time that Richard Boardman accepted the invitation, and left his country to serve you. See that you never give place to one thought of separating from your brethren in Europe. Lose no opportunity of declaring to all men, that the Methodists are one people in all the world, and that it is their full determination so to continue, |