93. - To Miss Loxdale.

hands of the world and the devil: and agree to crucify the body of sin altogether.

I am still in a strait between the work which Providence cuts out for me here, and the love which draws me to you. When I shall have the pleasure of seeing you, let it not be imbittered by the sorrow of finding any of you half hearted and lukewarm. Let me find you all strong in the Lord, and increased in humble love. Salute from me all that followed with us fifteen years ago. Care still for your old brethren. Let there be no Cain among you, no Esau, no Lot’s wife. Let the love of David and Jonathan, heightened by that of Martha, Mary, Lazarus, and our Lords shine in all your thoughts, your tempers, your words, your looks, and your actions. If you love one another, your little meetings will be a renewed feast; and the God of love, who is peculiarly present where two or three are gathered together in the name of Jesus, and in the spirit of love, will abundantly bless you. Bear me still upon your hearts in prayer, as I do you upon mine! and rejoice with me, that the Lord, who made, redeemed, and comforts us, bears us all upon his heart. I am yours in him,

J. FLETCHER.

93. - TO MISS LOXDALE.

MADELEY, May 24, 1781.

DEAR MADAM, - I embrace the first opportunity of thanking my unknown friend for her kind Christian letter. As I believe you are sincere, and mean what your pen has traced upon paper, I may rejoice over a greater treasure than that of the Indies; I mean the treasure of a Christian friend; for nothing but Christianity could give you the courage to express any degree of friendship for so contemptible a neighbour. I shall preach here next Sunday, please God. If you can, and if you are not afraid of dining upon a bit of cold meat, come and dine with your new and yet old friend, who, though he cannot converse long with his friends, on account of his weakness, will find a quarter of an hour to assure you that, in the faith, hope, and love of the Gospel, he is, madam, your obliged friend and obedient servant,

J. FLETCHER.

94. — TO MISS LOXDALE.

MADELEY, June 22, 1781.

GRACE, mercy, and truth, power, love, and joy, be multiplied to my dear friend, from the Father, Son, and Spirit, the threefold spring of life, light, and love. I never doubted your sincerity, my dear friend; and with pleasure I acknowledge, against the accuser of the brethren, that I can, without wavering, and with the assurance of faith and love, confess you a member of my Lord, a child of my heavenly Father, and a fellow heir of the kingdom, purchased for penitent believers. May the accuser fall as lightning, and his accusation be cast down by this word of my testimony. I believe too that you have received more than forgiving love. thee John 20:22. But whether you have received the other Comforter in his fulness, or the Pentecostal gift of the Holy Ghost, is what it concerns you to inquire into. You may know that measure of grace by the following marks. It is great grace, and abundant life; it destroys self, it fills with power from on high, it perfects in one, it perfects in love. It is, at least, accompanied with the gift of prophecy.f25 It makes us always to triumph in Christ. Ah! my friend, I sympathize with you in the weakness of your body, which does not permit you to take the kingdom of heaven by the violence of that praying, agonizing faith, which some can put forth when their souls come to a pinching want, or to a birth of desire. Take two or three observations about it:

(1.) There are two kinds of wrestlings; the one, in which the Spirit of God in us is very active, and we are almost passive. You may thus passively wrestle, if the power of the Highest helps your infirmities. So some dying persons wrestle sometimes.

(2.) There is another wrestling, in which we are very active, and the Spirit of God helps us imperceptibly. Follow, seek, wait - quietly, meekly, humbly wait for the former power. The latter kind of wrestling may not be so suitable for you. I advise you to imitate the Virgin Mary. Let strong people wrestle in the second manner, but do you gently, believingly, lifting up your head in calm expectation, say, till you are overwhelmed with the power from on high, “‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to thy word.’ For, as for me, I can do nothing but wait for thy salvation, and give glory to thy word of promise.” You shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you. Believe and pray with