I do not wish to be exempt from it. What think you?

When I was reading Telemachus with my pupils, I was ftruck with this expreffion," He blufhed to have been born with fo little feeling for men, and to appear to them fo inhuman." I easily applied the firft part, and the fon of Ulyffes gave me an example of Chriftian repentance, which 1 with to follow, till my heart is truly circumcifed. Send me fome remedy, or give me fome advice against this hardness of heart under which I groan. A propos-concerning hardnels of heart; what you fay about reducing a mother to defpair, has made me recollect what I have often thought, that the particular fault of the Swifs is to be without natural affection. With refpect to that preference which my mother fhews me above her other children, I fee clearly, that I am indebted for almost all the affection fhe expreffes for me in her letters, to my ab. fence from her, which hinders her from feeing my faults. Nevertheless, I reproach myself feverely, that I cannot intereft myself in her welfare, as much as I did in that of my deceafed father; and I am aftonifhed at the difference. I believe the time is not yet come, when my prefence may be of fervice to her, and I flatter myself fhe will not be flocked at my refufal, which I have foftened as much as I could.

I fear you did not rightly understand what I wrote about the propofal you made me at London. So far from making conditions, I feel myfelf unworthy of receiving them. Be it what it may, I thank God, that I trouble myfelf with no temporal things; my only fear is that of having too much, rather than too little of the things neceflary for life. I am weary of abundance: I could wish to be poor with my Saviour; and those whom he hath chofen to be rich in faith, appear to me objects of envy in the midft of their wants. Happy fhould I be, if a fecret pride of heart did not difguife itself under thefe appearances of humility! Happy fhould I be if that dangerous ferpent

did not conceal himself under thefe fweet flowers, and feed on their juices! I am &c, I. F.

Mrs. Ryan and Miss Furley.

My dear Sisters,

October 1st, 1759.

I have put off writing to you, left the action of writing fhould divert my foul from the awful and delightful worship it is engaged in. But I now conclude, I shall be no lofer, if I invite you to love him my foul loveth, to dread him my foul dreadeth, to adore him my soul adoreth. Sink with me, or rather, let me fink with you, before the throne of grace; and while cherubims veil their faces, and cry out in tender fear and exquifite trembling, Holy! holy! holy! let us put our mouths in the duft, and echo back the folemn found, Holy! holy! holy! Let us plunge ourfelves into that ocean of purity. Let us try to fathom the depths of divine mercy; and convinced of the impoffibility of fuch an attempt, let us lofe ourfelves in them. Let us be comprehended by God, if we cannot comprehend him. Let us be fupremely happy in God. Let the intenfenefs of our happiness border on mifery, because we can make him no return. Let our head become water, and our eyes fountains of tears, tears of humble repentance, of folemn joy, of filent admiration, of exalted adoration, of raptured defires, of inflamed tranfports, of fpeechlefs awe. My God, and my all-Your God, and your all!—Our God, and our all! Praise him; and with our fouls blended in one by divine love, let us with one mouth glorify the Father of our Lord Jesus Christour Father, who is over all, through all, and in us all.

1 charge you before the Lord Jefus Chrift, who giveth life, and more abundant life; I entreat you, by all the actings of faith, the exertions of hope, the flames of love, you ever felt, fink to greater depths of felf-abafing repentance, and rife to greater heights of Chrift-exalting joy. And let him, who is able to do

exceeding abundantly, more than you can ask or think, carry on and fulfil in you the work of faith with power; with that power, whereby he fubdueth all things to himself. Be fteadfast in hope, immoveable in patience and love, always abounding in the outward, and inward labour of love, and receive the end of your faith, the falvation of your fouls. I am, &c. I. F.

London, Nov. 15th, 1759. Rev. Mr. Charles Wesley. My dear Sir,

YOUR letter was not put into my band till eight days after my arrival in London. I carried the enclosed agreeably to its address, and paffed three hours with a modern prodigy,-an humble and pious Courtefs. I went with trembling, and in obedience to your orders; but I foon perceived a little of what the difciples felt, when Chrift faid to them, It is I, be not afraid. She propofed to me fomething of what you hinted to me in your garden; namely, to cele brate the communion fometimes at her houfe of a morning, and to preach when occafion offered; in fuch a manner, however, as not to restrain my liberty, nor to prevent my affifting you, or preaching to the French refugees, and that, only till Providence fhould clearly point out the path in which I fhould go. Charity, politenefs, and reafon, accompanied her offer; and I confefs, in fpite of the refolution which I had almoft abfolutely formed, to fly the houfes of the great, without even the exception of the Counters's, I found myself fo greatly changed, that I fhould have accepted on the fpot, a propofal which I fhould have declined from any other mouth; but my engagement with you withheld me; and thanking the Countefs, I told her, when I had reflected on her obliging offer, I would do myself the honour of waiting upon her again.

Nevertheless, two difficulties ftand in my wayWill it be confiftent with that poverty of spirit which I feek? Can I accept an office, for which I have fuch finall talents; and, fhall I not difhonour the cause of God by ftammering out the mysteries of the gospel, in a place where the most approved minifters of the Lord have preached with fo much power, and fo much fuccefs? I fufpect that iny own vanity gives more weight to this fecond objection, than it deferves to have: What think you ?

I give myself up to your judicious counfels; you take unneceffary pains to affure me, that they are difinterested; for I cannot doubt it. I feel myself unworthy of them; much more ftill of the appellation of friend, with which you honour me. You are an indulgent father to me, and the name of fon, fuits me better than that of brother.

You afk" Whether I can, with confidence, give you up to the mercy of God?" Yes, I can; and I feel that for you, which I do not for myself; I am fo affured of your falvation, that I afk no other place in heaven, than that I may have at your feet. I doubt even if paradife would be a paradife to me, unless it were fhared with you; and the fingle idea which your queftion excited, that we might one day be feparated, pierced my heart, and bathed my eyes with tears. They were fweet tears, which feemed to water and confirm my hope, or rather the certainty I have, that he, who hath begun a good work in us, will alfo finish it; and unite me to you in Chrift, by the bonds of an everlasting love; and not only to you, but to your children and your wife, whom I falute in Chrift. Adieu. I am, &c. I. F.

Dunstable, March 1st, 1760.

The Rev. Mr. Charles Wesley.

My dear Sir,

I HAVE had a pleasant journey as to my body, but an unhappy one for my foul. Every thing requi

red that I fhould cry without ceafing, Lord be merciful to me a sinner; but, alas! I have not done fo. The fine weather invites me to execute a defign I had half formed, of making a forced march to spend next Sunday at Everton, Mr. Beveridge's parifh. There may the voice of the Lord be heard by a poor child of Adam, who, like him, is ftill behind the trees of his ftupidity and impenitence!

for you and your dear

If I do not lofe myself acrofs the fields before I get there, and if the Lord is pleafed to grant me the spirit of fupplication, I will pray fifter at P -, until I can again pray with you. Don't forget me, I befeech you, if the Lord brings me to your remembrancc. Caft your bread on the waters in my behalf, and perhaps, you will find it again after many days. I would fain be with you on thofe folemn occafions, when a thoufand voices are raifed to heaven to obtain those graces, which I have not but God's will be done!

Don't forget to prefent my refpects to the Countefs. If I continue any time at Everton, I fhall take the liberty of giving her fome account of the work of God in thofe parts; if not, I will give it her in perfon. Adieu. The Lord ftrengthen you in foul and body. I am, &c. I. F.

The Hon. Mrs.

My dear Friend,

TO a believer, Jefus is alone the defirable, the everlasting distinction and honour of men. All other advantages, though now fo proudly extolled, fo vehemently coveted, are like the down on the thistle, blown away in a moment, and never fecure to the poffeffor. Riches are incapable of fatisfying, friends are changeable and precarious, the dear relations, who are the delight of our heart, are taken away at a ftroke;-pain and ficknefs follow eafe and health in quick fucceffion; but, amidst all the poffible changes of life, Chrift is a rock. To fee him by faith, to lay