The God of peace be with you all! I am, my
Friend, &c. I. F.

dear

Brislington,

Mrs. Thornton.

My dear Friend,

1777.

YOU fhould have heard from me, if fome times want of fpirits to hold a pen, and for fome days, want of paper, had not food in the way of my inclination. Now I have paper and a degree of ftrength, how can I employ both better, than in trying to fulfil with my pen the great commandment, which contains my du ty to God and my neighbour? But what can a pen do here? It can juft teftify what my heart feels-That no words can defcribe, what I owe to my heavenly Benefactor, to my earthly friends, and to you in particular, who have had fo much patience as to fland by me, and bear a fhare in my burdens, for fo many months at home and abroad.

What fhall I fay? Thanks be to God for his unfpeakable gifts for Jefus-for the Spirit of Jefus. for the members of Jefus's myftical body; and in particular am I bound to return thanks for thofe, who have miniftered and ftill do minifter to my wants, and fhare in my infirmities. Your meek humility forbids my faying, that among the many, who for Christ's fake, have debafed themselves fo far, as to take up my crofs with me, and help me to bear it after my Lord, you ftand in the first rank, and the first fruits of my gratitude are due to you. Simon of Cyrene bore our Lord's crofs by compulfion: you have borne that of the most unworthy of his fervants without compulfion and now, what fall I render?-A filent tear whispers, I can render nothing. May the merciful, faithful God, who has promised, that a cup of cold water given to the leaft of his followers fhall not lofe its reward-may that omnipotent God, who fees you in all the ftates of weaknefs, which await you between the prefent moment and the hour of death, give you

all that can make your life comfortable, your trials tolerable, your death triumphant, and your eternity glorious!

What I ask for you, I alfo peculiarly beg for your dear brother and fifter, who have vouchfafed to bind fo dry, fo infignificant (I had almoft faid fo rotten) a ftick as myself, in the bundle of that love, with which they embrace the poor, the lame, the helpless, the loathfome, and thofe, who have their fores without, as Lazarus, or within, as I. May we all be found bound up together in the bundle of life, light and love, with our Lord! And when he fhall make up his jewels, may you all shine among his diamonds of the finelt water and the first magnitude!

You want poffibly to know, how I go on. Though I am not worth a line, I fhall obferve to the glory of my patient, merciful Preferver and Redeemer, that I am kept in fweet peace, and am looking for the triumphant joy of my Lord, and for the fulness expreffed in thefe words, which fweetly filled the fleepless hours of last night

"Drawn-and redeem'd-and feal'd,

I blefs the One and Three;
With Father, Son, and Spirit fill'd
To all eternity!"

With respect to my body, I fleep lefs, and fpit more blood than I did, when you were here, nor can I bear the leaft trot of an eafy horfe. If this continues many days, instead of thinking to go and fee my friends on the Continent, I fhall turn my steps to my earthly home, to be ready to lay my bones in my church yard: and in fuch a cafe, I thall put you in mind of your kind promife, that you would do to the laft office of a guardian angel-hold up my hands in my laft conflict, and clofe my eyes when it is over. Two of my parishioners came to convey me fafe hoine, and had perfuaded me to go with them in a post-chaife; but I had fo bad a night before the day I was to fet out,

that I gave it up. My profpects and ways are shut up, fo that I have nothing to look at but Jefus and the grave. May I fo look at them, as to live in my refurrection and my life; and die in all the meeknefs and holiness of my Lord and my all! 1 humbly requeft a continued intereft in your fervent prayers, that I may be found completely ready, when my Lord's meffenger fhall come for my foul. Adieu my dear friend. God bless and reward you. I am, your most affectionate friend and brother, I. F.

Madeley. Oct. 21st, 1777.

The Right Hon. Lady Mary Fitzgerald.
Honoured and dear Madam,

THE honour of your Chriftian letter humbles me, and the idea of your taking half a dozen fteps, much more that of your taking a journey to confult fo mean a creature, lays me in the duft. My brothers and fif ters invite me to breathe once more my natal air, and the phyficians recommend to me a journey to the Continent. I wait for the laft intimations of Providence to determine me to go. If I do, I fhall, probably, pafs through London, and in that cafe, I could have the honour of waiting upon you. I fay, probably, because I fhall only follow my friend, and a ferious family, which goes to spend the winter in the South of France, or in Spain: and I do not yet know, whether they defign to embark at Dover, or at fome port in the Weft of England. They have all taken a journey, and at their return, I fhall know their determina tion, and be able to fix the time, when I might have it in my power to wait upon you, Madam, either at your houfe, or at our dear friend's in St. James's Place.

With respect to the hints you drop in your letter, concerning your external circumftances, I find it upon my heart, to fay, Abide in the ftate, in which you have been called, till Providence makes a way for you to escape out of what may be contrary to your new

rafte. Your cross has changed its nature with your heart; and we may, in fomne cafes, be called to take up a worldly, as well as a heavenly crofs. Jofeph and Mofes did fo once in Egypt, Efther in Sufa, Daniel in Babylon, John the Baptift at Herod's court, and our Lord in the house of the rich Pharifee. Some great end, to yourself, or to others, may be anfwered by patiently bearing your worldly crofs, till it be taken. from you, or you are removed from under it. Continue to make it matter of earneft prayer to know the will of God concerning you; and whilft your eye watches the motions of the providential cloud, and your heart liten's for the Lord's call, endeavour to keep your will as an even balance at his feet, that the leaft grain of intimation-clear intimation from him, and the leaft diftinct touch of the hand of Providence, may turn the fcale either way, without refiftance on your part. Being thus fully perfuaded, you will do, and fuffer all, with the liberty and courage of faith.

You have been afflicted, as well as dear Mrs. G—, Mrs. L, and myfelf. May our maladies yield the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs, complete deadnefs to the world, and increased faith in the mercy, love, and power of him, who fupports under the greatest trials, and can make our extremity of weaknefs, an opportunity of difplaying the freenefs of his grace, and the greatnefs of his power. Give my duty and thanks to them, and tell them, that I falute them under the cross, with the fympathy of a companion in tribulation; and rejoice at the thought of doing it, where the cross fhall be exchanged for the crown. In the mean time, let us glory in the crofs of our common Head; and firmly believe, that he is exalted to give us whatever is beft for us, in life, in death, and for ever.

I have taken the bark for fome days, and it seems to have been bleffed to the removal of my fpitting blood. Time will decide, whether it be a real removal, or only a fufpenfion of that fymptom. Either will prove a bleffing, as his will is our health. To live

fingly to God, the beft method is to defire it in meeknefs s; to fpread the defire in quietnefs before him who infpireth it; to cffer him now all we have and are, as we can; and to open cur mouth of expectation wide, that he may either fill it with good things, with all his fulness, or that he may try our patience, and trach us to know our total helpleffnefs. With refpect to the weeping frame of repentance, and the joyous one of faith, they are both good alternately; but the latter is the better of the two, because it enables us to do, and fuffer, and praife, which honours Chrift more both are happily mixed. May they be fo in you, Madam, and in your unworthy and obliged fervant. I. F.

Macon in Burgundy, May 17th, 1778.
The Rev. Mess. John and Charles Wesley.
Rev, and dear Sirs,

I HOPE that while I lie by, like a broken vessel, the Lord continues to renew your vigour, and fends you to water his vineyard, and to ftand in the gap against error and vice. I have recovered fome ftrength, bleffed be God, fince I came to the Continent; but have lately had another attack of my old complaints. However, I find my felf better again though I think it yet adviseable not to speak in public.

I preached twice at Marfeilles, but was not permitted to follow the blow. There are few noble, inquifitive Bereans in thefe parts. The minifters in the town of my nativity have been very civil. They have offered me the pulpit; but I fear, if I could accept the offer, it would foon be recalled. I am loth to quit this part of the field without cafting a stone at that giant, Sin, who ftalks about with uncommon boldness. I fhall, therefore, ftay fome months longer, to fee if the Lord will pleafe to give me a little more ftrength to venture an attack.

Gaming and drefs, finful pleafure and love of money, unbelief and falfe philofophy, lightness of fpirit,