To Mrs. Crosby

—————

CCCXLVIII. — To Mrs. Crosby.

MY DEAR SISTER, June 14, 1757.

I WAS concerned at not hearing from you for so long a time, whereas I would not willingly pass a fortnight without it. Whenever you have leisure, write; whether any one else does or not. I shall be here near three weeks, and then at York. It comforts me to hear that your love does not decrease: I want it to increase daily. Is there not height and depth in Him with whom you have to do, for your love to rise infinitely higher, and to sink infinitely deeper, into Him than ever it has done yet? Are you fully employed for Him; and yet so as to have some time daily for reading and other private exercises? If you should grow cold, it would afflict me much. Rather let me always rejoice over you. As for me, I seem only to be just beginning to aim feebly at God; though I have found more liberty in the respects you mention lately, than of a long season. Dear Sally, never forget to pray for

Your affectionate brother.

CCCXLIX. — To the Same.

MY DEAR SISTER, LONDON, February 14, 1761.

MISS———— gave me yours on Wednesday night. Hitherto, I think you have not gone too far. You could not well do less. I apprehend all you can do more is, when you meet again, to tell them simply, “You lay me under a great difficulty. The Methodists do not allow of women Preachers: Neither do I take upon me any such character. But I will just nakedly tell you what is in my heart.” This will, in a great measure, obviate the grand objection, and prepare for J. Hampson’s coming. I do not see that you have broken any law. Go on calmly and steadily. If you have time, you may read to them the Notes on any chapter before you speak a few words; or one of the most awakening sermons, as other women have done long ago.

The work of God goes on mightily here, both in conviction and conversion. This morning I have spoken with four or five who seem to have been set at liberty within this month. I believe, within five weeks, six in one class have received remission of sins, and five in one band received a second blessing. Peace be with you all!

I am

Your affectionate brother.

CCCL. — To the Same.

MY DEAR SISTER, KINGSWOOD, October 5, 1765.

YOU oblige me much by speaking so freely. What an admirable teacher is experience! You have great reason to praise God for what He has taught you hereby, and to expect; that he will teach you all things. But, whatever you find now, beware you do not deny what you had once received: I do not say, “a divine assurance that you should never sin, or sustain any spiritual loss.” I know not that ever you received this. But you certainly were saved from sin; and that as clearly, and in as high a degree, as ever Sally Ryan was. And if you have sustained any loss in this, believe, and be made whole.

I never doubted but —— would recover her strength, though she has long walked in a thorny way.

A general temptation now is, the denying what God had wrought. Guard all whom you converse with from this; and from fancying great grace can be preserved without great watchfulness and self-denial. I am

Your affectionate brother.

CCCLI. — To the Same.

MY DEAR SISTER, SLIGO, May 2, 1766.

IT is a long time since I heard either of you, or from you. I hope you think of me oftener than you write to me. Let us but continue in prayer, And mountains rise, and oceans roll,

To sever us, in vain.

I frequently find profit in thinking of you, and should be glad if we had more opportunities of conversing together. If a contrary thought arises, take knowledge from whom it comes: You may judge by the fruit of it; for it weakens your hands, and slackens you from being instant in prayer. I am inclined to think I found the effect of your prayer at my very entrance into this kingdom. And here, especially, we have need of every help; for snares are on every side. Who would not, if it could be done with a clear conscience, run out of the world; wherein the very gifts of God, the work of God, yea, his grace itself, in some sense, are all the occasion of temptation?

I hope your little family remains in peace and love, and that your own soul prospers. I doubt only whether you are so useful as you might be. But herein look to the anointing which you have of God, being willing to follow wherever he leads, and it shall teach you of all things.

There is an amazing increase of the work of God within these few months in the north of Ireland. And no wonder; for the five Preachers who have labored there, are all men devoted to God; men of a single eye, whose whole heart is in the work, and who

Constantly trample on pleasure and pain;

Do they gain ground in London? I am afraid [Christian] perfection should be forgotten. Encourage Richard Blackwell and Mr. Colley to speak plainly, and to press believers to the constant pursuit, and earnest expectation, of it. A general faintness, in this respect, is fallen upon this

whole kingdom. Sometimes I seem almost weary of striving against the stream both of Preachers and people. See that you all strengthen the hands of,

My dear sisters,

Your affectionate brother.

CCCLII. — To the Same.

MY DEAR SISTER, CHESTER, March 18, 1769.

THE westerly winds detain me here, I care not how long: Good is the will of the Lord. When I am in Ireland, you have only to direct to Dublin, and the letter will find me.

I advise you, as I did Grace Walton formerly,

1. Pray in private or public, as much as you can.

2. Even in public, you may properly enough intermix short exhortations with prayer; but keep as far from what is called preaching as you can: Therefore never take a text; never speak in a continued discourse, without some break, above four or five minutes. Tell the people, “We shall have another prayer-meeting at such a time and place.” If Hannah Harrison had followed these few directions, she might have been as useful now as ever. As soon as you have time, write more particularly and circumstantially; and let S. Bosanquet do the same. There is now no hindrance in the way; nothing to hinder your speaking as freely as you please to, Dear Sally,

Your affectionate brother.

CCCLIII. — To the Same.

MY DEAR SISTER, LONDONDERRY, June 13, 1771.

I THINK the strength of the cause rests there; on your having an extraordinary call. So I am persuaded has every one of our lay Preachers:

Otherwise, I could not countenance his preaching at all. It is plain to me, that the whole work of God termed Methodism is an extraordinary dispensation of his providence. Therefore, I do not wonder if several things occur therein which do not fall under ordinary rules of discipline. St. Paul’s ordinary rule was, “I permit not a woman to speak in the congregation.” Yet, in extraordinary cases, he made a few exceptions; at Corinth in particular.

I am, my dear sister,

Your affectionate brother.

CCCLIV. — To the Same.

MY DEAR SISTER, NEWCASTLE, May 11.

NEITHER must the witness supersede the fruit, nor the fruit the witness, of the Spirit. Let other men talk this way, or that, the word of the Lord shall stand.

I believe your spending a little time at P. may be of use. Probably it will remove their prejudice against [Christian] perfection. But if Mr. T. has a mind to marry our friend, I think neither you nor I shall forward it. She is far happier, since she is free, so to abide.

Do you never find any tendency to pride? Do you find nothing like anger? Is your mind never ruffled; put out of tune? Do you never feel any useless desire? any desire of pleasure, of ease, of approbation, or increase of fortune? Do you find no stubbornness, sloth, or self-will? no unbelief? Certainly the more freely you speak to me, the better.

I found what you said in your last, helpful. It is of great use to have our minds stirred up by way of remembrance, even of the things which we know already. I speak of myself very little to any one, were it only for fear of hurting them. I have found exceeding few that could bear it. So I am constrained to repress my natural openness. I find scarcely any temptation from anything in the world: My danger is from persons.

O for a heart to praise my God,

A heart from sin set free!

Dear Sally, adieu!

CCCLV. — To the Same.

MY DEAR SISTER, LONDON, November 7, 1784.

TO those who know the world, hardly anything that is wrong or foolish in it appears strange. Otherwise, we should have thought it strange, that so good a woman should take such a step. One would not have expected her to marry at; all; at least none but an eminent Christian. I am more and more inclined to think, that there are none living so established in grace, but that they may possibly fall.

The case of Hetty Rogers was widely different. I know more of it, beginning, middle, and ending, than most people in England. And I am clear, that, first to last, she acted in all good conscience toward God and man. As things stood, it was not a sin for her to marry, but a duty; and to marry when she did. And never was any one woman so owned of God in Dublin as she has been already.

T. Briscoe, I am persuaded, will do some good. But his wife will do much more, if you encourage her, and strengthen her hands. Peace be with all your spirits!

I am

Your affectionate brother.

CCCLVI. — To Miss A——-.

DEAR MISS A——, LONDON, August 21, 1766.

YOUR letters will always be agreeable to me; and the more largely and freely you write, the better. I am deeply concerned for your happiness;