13. - To Mr. Samuel Hatton.

Miss A - - - - d. She emaciates her body by fasting, falls into convulsions, sometimes in the church and sometimes in our private assemblies, and is perpetually tempted to suicide: her constitution is considerably weakened as well as her understanding. What to do in this case I do not know; for those who are tempted in this manner pay as little regard to reason as the miserable people in Bedlam. Prayer and fasting are our only resources: we propose to represent her case to the Lord on Tuesday next, and on all the following Tuesdays. Aid the weakness of our prayers with all the power of yours. Adieu. That the Lord may strengthen you and yours in body and soul, is the earnest prayer of yours, &c,

J. FLETCHER.

13. - TO MR. SAMUEL HATTON.

MADELEY, April 22, 1763.

DEAR SIR, - I am glad to find by your welcome letter that Jesus is still precious to you. O may he be so a hundred fold more both to me and you! May we live only to show forth his praise, and grow up into him in all things!

As for me I have reason to praise God that he gives me patience to throw in my weak line till he gives the word, and enables me to cast the net on the right side, and enclose a multitude of sinners. The hope of this bears me up above the toils of a night of ignorance, perplexity, and trials of every sort. I find, blessed be God, that all things work together for my good, whether it be success or want of success, joy or grief, sickness or ease, bad or good report - all encourages or humbles me!

With respect to Miss Hattons, I hope they will call no man upon earth master, and that they will steer clear of the rocks of prejudice and bigotry, against which so many professors split daily, even when they think they are at the greatest distance from them.

I am quite of your opinion about the mischief that some professors (puffed up in their own fleshly minds) do in the Church of Christ, under the mask of sanctity; but my Master bids me bear with the tares until the harvest, lest in rooting them up I should promiscuously pull up the wheat also. As to Mr. Wesley’s system of perfection, it tends rather to promote humility than pride, if I may credit his description of it in this lines following: - Now let me gain perfections height,

Now let me into nothing fall

Be less than nothing in my sight,

And feel that Christ is all in all.

More than this I do not desire, and I hope that short of this nothing will satisfy either my dear friend or me.

With respect to “one Mr. B - - - - - n, having been so bold as to assert in your room that our salvation is conditional,” he may be orthodox enough, in my poor judgment, although he said so. Indeed, the meritorious part of our salvation is unconditional on our side, and if Mr. B - - - - - n talks of meritorious conditions, he is a stranger to the Gospel: but, that the application of this salvation is conditional, I gather from every doctrinal chapter in the Bible, especially from Luke 13:3, and Mark 16:16. Have you drunk in the doctrine of particular redemption, contrary to the thoughts of your esteemed friend, Count Zinzendorf? But be that as it will, let us still make the best of our way to the dear Saviour, and drop all our particular opinions in his universal, unbounded love; and whereinsoever any of us is wrong, the Lord will reveal it unto us. Pray for my flock; and pray for, dear sir, your sincere friend and affectionate brother in Christ, J. FLETCHER.

14. - TO THE REV. CHARLES WESLEY.

MADELEY, July 26,1763.

MY DEAR SIR, - I have for two months waited impatiently for some news of you, but in vain. Are you alive, paralytic, gouty, slothful, or too busy to write a letter to your friends at Madeley? If you have not leisure to write a line, write a word, I am well, or I am ill - God grant it may be the former! Every thing is pretty quiet here now. Many of our offences die away; though not long ago I had trials in abundance, but, blessed be the Lord, he gave me his peace. It is not, however, without fighting that I keep it. One of my late trials might have had consequences to make me quit Madeley, and I praise God I am ready to do it without looking behind me, even this day. The young person I mentioned as being sorely tempted of the devil, is happily delivered; and we have had the testimonies of Mr. Mould, who preached here three weeks ago, and of Mr. R - - - - - , who spent four days