49. - To Mr. William Wase.
you will help by your prayers and example, my dear brethren, your affectionate brother, and willing servant in Christ,
J. FLETCHER.
49. - TO MR. WILLIAM WASE.
NEWINGTON, Jan. 13, 1777.
MY DEAR BROTHER, - I am two kind letters in your debt. I would have answered them before, but venturing to ride out in the frost, the air was too sharp for my weak lungs, and opened my wound, which has thrown me back again.
I am glad to see, by your last, that you take up your shield again. You will never prove a gainer by vilely casting it away. Voluntary humility, despondency, or even a defeat should not make you give up your confidence; but rather make you hug your shield and embrace your Saviour with redoubled ardour and courage. To whom should you go but to Him “who hath the words of everlasting life;” and if you give up your faith, do you not block up the way by which you should return to him? Let it be the last time you compliment the enemy with what you should fight for to the last drop of your blood.
You must not be above being employed in a little way. The great Mr. Grimshaw was not above walking some miles to preach to seven or eight people; and what are we compared to him? Our neighbourhood will want you more when Mr. Greaves and I are gone: in the meantime grow in meek, humble, patient, resigned love; and your temper, person, and labours will be more acceptable to all around you. I have many things to say to you about your soul; but you will find the substance of them in two of Mr. Wesley’s sermons, the one entitled “The Devices of Satan,” and the other “The Repentance of Believers.” I wish you would read one of them every day till you have reaped all the benefit that can be got from them; nor eat your morsel alone, but let all be benefited by the contents. I am, &c. February 18. You talk of my “last trials;” I can hardly guess what you mean, unless Mr. - - - - - - should have mistaken tears of holy shame before God, and of humble love to my opponents, for great trials; but they only indicated such a trial, as I pray God to make me live and die in, - I mean a deep sense of my unworthiness, and of what I have so often prayed for in these words, -
I would be by myself abhorred,
All glory be to Christ my Lord.
I thank you, however, for the comfort you administer to me upon, I suppose, Mr. - - - - - ’s mistake.
With respect to our intended room, I beg Mr. Palmer, Mr. Lloyd, and yourself to consult about it, and that Mr. Palmer would contract for the whole. For my own part I shall contribute 100l. including 10l. I have had for it from Mr. Ireland, and 10l. from Mr. Thornton. Give my kindest love to all friends and neighbours. I would mention all their dear names, but am strictly forbidden a longer epistle. Farewell in Jesus. Yours, J. FLETCHER.
P. S. If the room cannot be completed for what I have mentioned, and 20l. more be wanting, ask Mr. Lloyd how much the royalty might come to, and tell him I would appropriate it to the building.
50. - TO THE REV. VINCENT PERRONET.
NEWINGTON, Jan. 19, 1777.
DEAR FATHER IN CHRIST, - I beg you would accept my multiplies thanks for your repeated favours. You have twice entertained me, a worthless stranger; and not yet tired of the burden, you kindly invite me, weak and troublesome as I am, to share in the comforts of your house and family. Kind Providence leaves no room, at present, to hang a third burden upon you. The good air and accommodations here, and the nearness to a variety of helps, joined to the kindness of my friends and the weakness of my body, forbid me to remove at present. God reward your labour of love and fatherly offers! Should the Lord raise me, I shall be better able to reap the benefit of your instructions - a pleasure which I promise myself sometime, if the Lord pleases.
J. FLETCHER
51. - TO MISS PERRONET.
NEWINGTON, Jan. 19, 1777.
DEAR MADAM, - I thank you for your care and kind nursing of me when at Shoreham; and especially for the few lines you have favoured me with. They are so much the more agreeable to me, as they treat of the one thing needful for the recovery of our souls, - the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind; together with our need of it, and the grand promise that this need shall be abundantly supplied, - supplied by a baptismal outpouring of that “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which makes us free from the law of sin and death.” May we hunger and thirst after righteousness in the Holy Ghost, and we shall be filled! May we so come to our first Paraclete, Advocate, and Comforter, as to receive the second as an indwelling and overflowing fountain of light, life, and love. My view of this mystery is, I trust, Scriptural. The Father so loved the world as to give us the first Advocate, Paraclete, and Comforter, whom we love and receive as our Redeemer. The first Advocate has told us it was expedient that he should leave us, because in that case he would send another Advocate, Paraclete, or Comforter, to abide with us, and be in us for ever, as our Sanctifier, our Urim and Thummim, “our lights and perfections,” our oracle and guide. This is the grand promise to Christians; called “the promise of the Father,” and bought by the Son. O may it be sealed on our hearts “by the Spirit of promise!” May we ever cry,
Seal thou our breasts, and let us wear
That pledge of love for ever there!
Then we shall be filled with pure, perfect love; for the love of the Spirit perfects that of the Father and Son, and accomplishes the mystery of God in the believing soul. Come, then, let us look for it; this great salvation draws nigh. Let us thank God more thankfully, more joyfully, more humbly, more penitently, for Christ our first Comforter; and hanging on his word, let us ardently pray for the fulness of his Spirit, for the indwelling of our second Comforter, who will lead us into all truth, all love, all power. Let us join the few who besiege the throne of grace, and not give over putting the Lord in remembrance, till he has raised himself a Pentecostal Church again in the earth; I mean a Church of such believers as are all of one heart and one soul. Nor forget to ask, that, when you press into that kingdom and Church, you may be followed by, dear madam, yours, &c, J. FLETCHER.