Letter 544

I am, my dear Betsy,

Yours affectionately.

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DXLIV. — To Lady Huntingdon.

MY DEAR LADY, September 14, 1772.

WHEN I received the former letter from your Ladyship, I did not know how to answer; and I judged, not only that silence would be the best answer, but also that with which your Ladyship would be best pleased. When I received your Ladyship’s of the 2nd instant, I immediately saw that it required an answer; only I waited till the hurry of the Conference was over, that I might do nothing rashly. I know your Ladyship would not “servilely deny the truth.” I think, neither would I; especially that great truth, — justification by faith; which Mr. Law indeed flatly denies, (and yet Mr. Law was a child of God,) but for which I have given up all my worldly hopes, my friends, my reputation; yea, for which I have so often hazarded my life, and, by the grace of God, will do again. The principles established in the Minutes, I apprehend to be no way contrary to this, or to that faith, that consistent plan of doctrine, which was “once delivered to the saints.” I believe, whoever calmly considers Mr. Fletcher’s Letters will be convinced of this. I fear therefore, “zeal against those principles” is no less than zeal against the truth, and against the honor of our Lord. The preservation of His honor appears so sacred to me, and has done for above these forty years, that I have counted, and do count, all things loss in comparison of it. But till Mr. Fletcher’s printed letters are answered, I must think everything spoken against those Minutes is totally destructive of His honor, and a palpable affront to Him, both as our Prophet and Priest, but more especially as the King of his people. Those letters, which therefore could not be suppressed without betraying the honor of our Lord, largely prove that the Minutes lay no other foundation than that which is laid in Scripture, and which I have been laying, and teaching others to lay, for between thirty and forty years. Indeed, it would be