5. - To the Rev. Charles Wesley.

Christ; and do not forget to give your little Charles a kiss of peace and prayer for me. Adieu.

J. FLETCHER.

5. - TO THE REV. CHARLES WESLEY.

LONDON, March 22, 1759.

MY DEAR SIR, - You left me without permitting me to say farewell; but that shall not hinder me from wishing you a good journey, and I flatter myself that you are in the habit of returning my prayers. I have even shared the joy of Mrs. Wesley in seeing you again. Happier than the afflicted Jesus, you leave your own and they regret your absence; you return to your own, and they receive you with joy. You cannot yet be rendered perfect by suffering; your father and mother have never forsaken you: but no matter, you have no doubt your afflictions! And probably the Lord puts you secretly in a crucible, that you may go forth as gold seven times tried in the fire. May he lay his hand upon you and fill you with his strength! He will not forget Mrs. Wesley: I have had some assurances that he will not when I have been enabled to lay at the feet of Jesus, the delightful burden you put upon me by interesting me in her present critical circumstances. If I were more humble I would beg you to present her my humble respects; and if I were strong in faith like Elizabeth, I could say like her, with that fulness of the Spirit which should go to her heart, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!” But it becomes not me to presume so far: I shall be happy if my good wishes may be found sincere before God. The adversary avails himself mightily of the enthusiasm of Miss A - - - - d to prevent the success of my preaching in French; but I believe that my own unworthiness does more for the devil than ten Miss A - - - - ‘s. However, I have thought it my duty to endeavour to stem the torrent of discouragement, praying the Lord to provide for this poor people a pastor after his own heart, whom the wandering sheep may be willing to hear, and who may bring them to himself.

Give me some account of Mrs. Wesley and of the god - father she designs for your little Charles: and that she may not labour under a deception, tell her how greatly I want wisdom, and add that I have no more grace than wisdom. If, after all, she will not reject so unworthy a sponsor, remember that I have taken you for a father and adviser, and that the charge will in the end devolve upon you. Adieu. May the plenitude of Christ fill you, and may some drops of that precious oil run from you to me!

J. FLETCHER.

6. - TO THE REV. MR. CHARLES WESLEY.

TERN, Oct. 24, 1759.

MY DEAR SIR, - For some days past, the hope of hearing from you has been balanced by the fear that you were not in a condition to write. This last idea prevails so much, that I take my pen to entreat you to deliver me from the inquietude which I suffer from your silence. If the gout prevents you from writing, employ the hand of a friend. If you are in the third heaven of contemplation and love, let brotherly love for a moment bring you down; if you wander in the desert of temptation, let sympathy unite you to a miserable man who feels himself undone.

Since my last, I have taken some steps toward the knowledge of myself. If you inquire what I have learned? I answer, that I am naked of every thing but pride and unbelief. Yesterday I was seized with the desire of making rhymes, and I versified my thoughts on the present state. of my soul in a hymn, the first part of which I now send you. If the poetry does not deserve reading, the language will recall to mind your French. How does Mrs. Wesley and your little family do? The rumour here is, that the French are at Liverpool. I am glad they do not think of Bristol. Salute the trembling half of yourself from me, and tell her how much I rejoice that her quarters have been in safety hitherto; and that my hope is they will continue so to the end of the war.

May the care you take of your health have the success I wish: and while I wait the event, may He who enabled St. Paul to say, “When I am weak, then am I strong,” sustain you in all your infirmities, and fill your inward man with his mighty power! At the moment I was going to seal mine, I received your dear letter. You will see by the hymn; in which I have attempted to paint my heart, that I have at present far other things to do than to think of going on to perfection, even laying the foundation of the spiritual house; much less, then, can I help forward those who seek it; I am, &c,

J. FLETCHER.