tion; for all he permits, does work together for my good. I do love my Lord with all my heart.

No, no, all that creation can boaft, is poor and mean com pared with him I love. In him I feel a conftant heaven, and my foul truly fits loofe to all befides. I have victory, through his grace, over all things inward and outward, that are contrary to his will. I have at times various temptations; but they find no place in me, nor at any time diftrefs or bring me into bondage. I have, (glory be to God) the inward teftimony of his spirit, that I please him, and that he dwelleth in me. My body and foul are both the Lord's; and I earnestly defire that his whole will may be done in me and by me. I am a facrifice offered up, through Jefus my adorable high-priest; and am determined, through grace divine, ever to remain fo. I am a pilgrim in a range country, and all my treasure is above.

I am travelling as faft as the wings of time will bear me forward, to my celestial country; though thorns and fnares, and gins, fometimes befet my path; yet, my feet are fhod, my fandals on, and I trample on them. Though the arrows of the archer are flying, I have a shield that turns afide the fiery darts. I have a fhadow from the heat, and a refuge from the ftorm. I live upon the food of angels, and drink largely of the fountain of the water of life. His ways are ways of pleasantnefs, and all his paths are perfect peace How great is the love wherewith he hath loved me! O how large his grace to the most unworthy! "Bless the Lord, O my toul and all that is within me bless his boly name." I have heard from coufin J- R-, and his foul profpers; bleffed be God! I hope, dear Sir, you ever do and ever will remember, at the throne of grace, your most unworthy but truly affectionate child in a precious Jesus. H. A. R LETTER

VOL. XIII.

G

LET TE E R DXVIII.

[From the Rev. Dr. C. to the Rev. J. Welley.J

Hon. and dear Sir,

Briftol, Dec. 15, 1779

Was totally ignorant of your
Was totally ignorant of your Brother's fpirit till very lately.

He appeared to me to be a proud man; but I am now fatisfied that he is a man of genuine humility. I thought him an enemy to Methodism; but I now find him its real friend, as far as Methodism is a friend to the Church of England; and on your plan the Church of England never had fo great a friend. I looked upon the Concerts, which he allows his fons to have in his own houfe, to be highly difhonourable to God; and himself to be criminal, by reafon of his fituation in the Church of Christ: but on mature confideration of all the cir cumstances appertaining to them, I cannot now blame him.

I laboured during part of these two laft years with fome, who faw your Brother in the fame light as I did; and no doubt, their prejudices ferved to heighten mine. Whilft E thus viewed every thing, refpecting him, with a jaundiced eye, it is no wonder that I interpreted all he faid, that would bear a double meaning, in the very worst fenfe. This, I apprehend, was the cafe in respect to those things, which you mention in your last letter to him.

He and I were once converfing about the false fire, which fometimes breaks out in our Band-meetings; particularly the behaviour of Wildman and Platt; when he obferved, "I abominate those Band-meetings." Whether he meant the Band-meetings at the Foundery only, or the inftitution itself, I cannot fay; (though I believe, he meant the former;) however at that time, I put the worft conftruction upon his words, and repeated them afterwards to others. He himself will be able, (and you cannot doubt his word) to give you full fatis faction refpecting this matter.

As to the other point, Mr. C. Wefley's words are mifrepre fented: Mr. C. told me, that his wife, when in company one

day

day with your Brother, expreffed fome difinclination to meet in Clafs; and he faid to her, "I would not have you meet in Clafs, if you don't like it :" in confequence of which the never met afterward. What was the full meaning of his heart, when he fpoke thofe words, he alone can fatisfy you. As to myself, I have such fincere and unfeigned attachment to the Methodist-Discipline, that, highly as I love and respect your Brother, I would rather withdraw myself from that friendship, with which he has lately honoured me, than to fa crifice or abandon that Difcipline.

I am endeavouring to bring matters, respecting the Bath Chapel, to a conclufion. I find it very difficult to get money: yet, I hope, through the Divine bleffing, it will be raised, and feuled upon the plan prefcribed in the Minutes. Brother B. fhall be appointed feward, if you do not object to him. He is a man of peace, loves you, loves the Church of England, and is beloved by all the people.

Pardon, dear Sir, the freedom I have taken, in writing thus freely to you; and believe me to be your most faithful, and dutiful Son in the Gofpel,

LETTER

T. C.

DXIX.

[From Mifs E. R. to the Rev. J. Welley.]

MANY

Dec. 21, 1779.

ANY thanks to my dear and Rev. Father for his last kind favour. In fpirit I am often with you: and a few nights ago I dreamed that I heard you preach a sweet sermon from, "O that I had the wings of a dove: then would I fly away and be at reft." It was food to my foul. I thought you first shewed the reft, which the true followers of Jefus enjoy here, in pure love, amidst all the various trials to which they are exposed. His will is their conftant reft, and a fense of his approbation, their delight; but, when you, in the fecond

place, defcribed the glorious reft, beyond the grave, which remains for the perfevering believer; my foul was ready to join with the holy Pfalmift, and cry, “O that I had the wings of a dove! then would I fly away and plunge into the full fruition of my God." But, dull mortality ftill pinioned down my mounting fpirit; and I awoke with a lively impreffion of eternal things on my mind. How good is the Lord! my dear Sir, who deals bountifully with me, keeps me night and day, and waters me every moment.

Since I wrote laft, it has pleafed the Lord to call me to much exercife both of body and mind. My dear mother was fcarcely raifed from her ilinefs, before my father grew worte, fo that we expected his diffolution every hour. He fuffered so much from conftant ficknefs, added to his other infirmities, that though I felt the lofs of a tender parent would affect me more than I have fometimes, when at a distance, thought it would; yet I could not afk his life; but only cried, "Lord, fully prepare him for thy kingdom, and let thy will be done." It hath pleafed the Lord to restore him a little, and for fome time he hath not had thofe ftrangling fits. I do not remember he had one while fitting up; and he chofe rather not to lie down at all, than to have an iffue fet. He fleeps moft of his time: but has not attempted to go to bed for fome weeks paft. For this fortnight my dear mother has again been very ill. I am daily called to adminifter to their wants, and blessed be God, though I have not all the time I ufed to have for religious exercifes; yet I experience "obedience is better than facrifice" and my gracious Lord favours me with a constant sense of his appro

bation.

At all times I enjoy a peace, which nothing interrupts, and glory be unto my Jefus, ftill fresh streams of living joy defcend into my happy breaft; while by faith I behold every attribute of my God confpires to make me bleft. I feel He does all things well. His every act, refpecting me, "Pure bleffing is, His path unfullied light." And though, at times, dark profpects of what

lies before me, are prefented to my mind; yet I hope I feel a power immediately to look to the Lord, and he graciously keeps my heart in fuch a ftate of fweet refignation to his will, that I dwell entirely free from all anxious cares or diftreffing fears of what lies before me. He hath faid, "As thy day is, fo thy ftrength fhall be;" and on his faithful word my foul relies; but, O my dear, dear Sir, pray for me, for I am all weakness: help me all you can, ftill with greater confidence, to trust in Ifrael's God.

About a month ago I had a sweet letter from dear Mifs She has, I think, fully regained all she had loft; and my spirit feels juft the fame nearness to her which it used to do. I have allo had one truly (piritual letter from lady M. She has not anfwered my laft; but I expect a feaft when it comes. I fometimes think of Mr. P. who ufed to talk of writing you a letter of thanks for the many spiritual friends you have brought him acquainted with. Sure I have moft need to do this. May every bleffing, a thousand fold, be returned into your own breast, that you have been inftrumental in conferring on, my ever dear and honoured Sir, your unworthy, though affectionate E. R.

child

POETRY.

SHORT HYMNS

[By the late Rev. C. Wesley.]

HY M N

IX.

On MATT. iv. ver. 6.—He fhall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they fhall bear thee up.

'S in their hands the angels bear

US

In all our lawful ways:

But fhall we from his precepts err,

And tempt the God of grace?

Ourselves