immediately made my will, fixing my brother and you to succeed me therein. But it is a poor case, that you and I should be talking thus. Indeed, these things ought not to be. It lay in your power to have prevented all, and yet to have borne testimony to what you call "the truth." If you had disliked my sermon, you might have printed another on the same text, and have answered my proofs, without mentioning my name: this had been fair and friendly. You rank all the maintainers of universal redemption with Socinians themselves. Alas! my brother, do you not know even this, that the Socinians allow no redemption at all? that Socinus himself speaks thus: Tota redemptio nostra per Christum metaphora? [The whole of our redemption by Christ is a metaphor?] and says expressly, "Christ did not die as a ransom for any, but only as an example for all mankind?" How easy were it for me to hit many other palpable blots in that which you call an answer to my sermon! And how above measure contemptible would you then appear to all impartial men, either of sense or learning! But I spare you; mine hand shall not be upon you. The Lord be judge between me and thee! The general tenor both of my public and private exhortations, when I touch thereon at all, as even my enemies know if they would testify, is, "Soare the young man, even Absalom, for my sake." XCV.-To the Same. LEWISHAM, February 21, 1770. MY DEAR BROTHER,-Mr. Keen informed me some time since of your safe arrival in Carolina; of which indeed I could not doubt for a moment, notwithstanding the idle report of your being cast away, which was so current in London. I trust our Lord has more work for you to do in Europe, as well as in America. And who knows, but before your return to England, I may pay another visit to the new world? I have been strongly solicited by several of our friends in New-York and Philadelphia. They urge many reasons, some of which appear to be of considerable weight; and my age is no objection at all; for I bless God, my health is not barely as good, but abundantly better in several respects, than when I was five-and-twenty but there are so many reasons on the other side, that as yet I can determine nothing: so I must wait for farther light. Here I am: let the Lord do with me as seemeth him good. For the present I must beg of you to supply my lack of service, by encouraging our preachers as you judge best; who are as yet comparatively young and inexperienced; by giving them such advices as-you think proper; and above all, by exhorting them, not only to love one another, but, if it be possible, as much as lies in them, to live peaceably with all men. : Some time ago, since you went hence, I heard a circumstance which gave me a good deal of concern'; namely, that the college or academy in Georgia had swallowed up the Orphan house. Shall I give my judgment without being asked? Methinks, friendship requires I should. Are there not then two points which come in view? a point of mercy, and a point of justice? With regard to the former, may it not be inquired, Can any thing on earth be a greater charity, than to bring up orphans? What is a college or an academy compared to this? unless you could have such a college as perhaps is not upon earth. I know the value of learning, and am more in danger of prizing it too much, than too little. But still, I cannot place the giving it to five hundred students, on a level with saving the bodies, if not the souls too, of five hundred orphans. But let us pass on from the point of mercy to that of justice you had land given, and collected money, for an Orphan house; are you at liberty to apply this to any other purpose? at least, while there are any orphans in Georgia left? I just touch upon this, though it is an important point, and leave it to your own consideration, whether part of it, at least, might not properly be applied to carry on the original design? In speaking thus freely, on so tender a subject, I have given you a fresh proof of the sincerity with which I am Your ever affectionate friend and brother. XCVI. To the Reverend James Hervey. LONDON, November 29, 1758. DEAR SIR,-A week or two ago, in my return from Norwich, I met with Mr. Pierce of Bury, who informed me of a conversation which he had had a few days before. Mr. Cudworth, he said, then told him, that he had prevailed on Mr. Hervey to write against me, who likewise, in what he had written, referred to the book which he (Mr. Cudworth) had lately published. Every one is welcome to write what he pleases concerning me. But would it not be well for you to remember, that, before I published any thing concerning you, I sent it to you in a private letter; that I waited for an answer for several months, but was not favoured with one line; that when at length I published part of what I had sent you, I did it in the most inoffensive manner possible,-in the latter end of a larger work, purely designed to preserve those in connection with me from being tossed to and fro by various doctrines? What, therefore, I may fairly expect from my friend, is, to mete to me with the same measure: to send to me first, in a private manner, any complaint he has against me; to wait as many months as I did; and, if I give you none or no satisfactory answer, then to lay the matter before the world, if you judge it will be to the glory of God. But I am But whatever you do in this respect, one thing I request of you: Give no countenance to that insolent, scurrilous, virulent libel, which bears the name of William Cudworth. Indeed, how you can converse with a man of his spirit, I cannot comprehend. O leave not your old well tried friends! The new is not comparable to them. I speak not this because I am afraid of what any one can say or do to me. really concerned for you; an evil man has gained the ascendant over you, and has persuaded a dying man, who had shunned it all his life, to enter into controversy as he is stepping into eternity! Put off your armour, my brother! You and I have no moments to spare; let us employ them all in promoting peace and good will among men. may the peace of God keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus! So prays And Your affectionate brother and servant. XCVII. To the Reverend John Fletcher. BIRMINGHAM, March 20, 1768. DEAR SIR,-I was told yesterday, that you are sick of the conversation even of them who profess religion; that you find it quite unprofitable, if not hurtful, to converse with them three or four hours together; and are sometimes almost determined to shut yourself up, as the less evil of the two. I do not wonder at it at all; especially considering with whom you have chiefly conversed for some time past, namely, the hearers of Mr. and Mr. The conversing with them I have rarely found to be profitable to my soul. Rather, it has damped my desires, and has cooled my resolutions; and I have commonly left them with a dry, dissipated spirit. And how can you expect it to be otherwise? For do we not naturally catch their spirit with whom we converse? And what spirit can we expect them to be of, considering the preaching they sit under? Some happy exceptions I allow; but, in general, do men gather grapes of thorns? Do they gather the necessity of inward and outward selt devotion, of constant, universal self-denial, or of the patience of hope, or the labour of love, from the doctrine they hear? Do they gather from that amorous way of praying to Christ, or that luscious way of preaching his righteousness, any real holiness? I never found it so. On the contrary, I have found that even the precious doctrine of salvation by faith has need to be guarded with the greatest care, or those who hear it will slight both inward and outward holiness. I will go a step farther. I seldom find it profitable to converse with any who are not athirst for full salvation; and who are not big with earnest expectation of receiving it every moment. Now, you find none of these among those we are speaking of; but many, on the contrary, who are in various ways, directly or indirectly, opposing this blessed work of God; the work, I mean, which God is carrying on throughout this kingdom, by unlearned and plain men. You have for some time conversed a good deal with the genteel Methodists. Now, it matters not a straw what doctrine they hear, whether they frequent the Lock, or West-street, if they are as salt which has lost its savour; if they are conformed to the maxims, the spirit, the fashions, and customs of the world. Certainly, then, if you converse much with such persons, you will return less a man than you were before. But were either the one or the other of ever so excellent a spirit, you conversed with them too long. One had need to be an angel, not a man, to converse three or four hours at once, to any good purpose. In the latter part of such a conversation, we shall be in great danger of losing all the profit we had gained before. But have you not a remedy for all this in your hands? In order to converse profitably, may you not select a few persons who stand in awe of Him they love; persons who are vigorously working out their salvation; who are athirst for full redemption, and every moment expecting it, if not already enjoying it? Though it is true, these will generally be poor and mean, seldom possessed of either riches or learning, unless there be now and then one of higher rank; if you converse with such as these, humbly and simply, an hour at a time, with earnest prayer for a blessing; you will not complain of the unprofitableness of conversation, or find any need of turning hermit. Do you not observe that all the lay preachers who are connected with me are maintainers of general redemption? And it is undeniable, that they are instrumental of saving souls. God is with them, and he works by them, and has done so for near these thirty years: therefore, the opposing them is neither better nor worse than fighting against God. I am Your ever affectionate brother. XCVIII.-To the Same. JANUARY, 1773. DEAR SIR,-What an amazing work has God wrought in these kingdoms, in less than forty years! And it not only continues, but increases, throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland; nay, it has lately spread into New-York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and Carolina. But the wise men of the world say, "When Mr. Wesley drops, then all this is at an end!" And so it surely will, unless, before God calls him hence, one is found to stand in his place. For oux ayadov woduxoipavin. Εις κοίρανος εξω. * I see more and more, unless there be one apoεsws,t the work can never be carried on. The body of the preachers are not united nor will any part of them submit to the rest; so that either there must be one to preside over all, or the work will indeed come to an end. But who is sufficient for these things? qualified to preside both over the preachers and people? He must be a man of faith and love, and one that has a single eye to the advancement of the kingdom of God. He must have a clear understanding; a knowledge of men and things, particularly of the Methodist doctrine and discipline; a ready utterance; diligence and activity, with a tolerable share of health. There must be added to these, favour with the people, with the Methodists in general. For unless God turn their eyes and their hearts toward him, he will be quite incapable of the work. He must likewise have some degree of learning; because there are many adversaries, learned as well as unlearned, whose mouths must be stopped. But this cannot be done, unless he be able to meet them on their own ground. But has God provided one so qualified? Who is he? Thou art the man! God has given you a measure of loving faith; and a single eye to his glory. He has given you some knowledge of men and things; particularly of the old plan of Methodism. You are blessed with some health, activity and diligence; together with a degree of learning. And to all these, he has lately added, by a way none could have foreseen, favour both with the preachers and the whole people. Come out, in the name of God! Come to the help of the Lord against the mighty! Come while I am alive and capable of labour! It is not good that the supreme power should be lodged in many hands: let there be one chief governor.-EDIT. A person who presides over the rest.-EDIT. Dum superest Lachesi quod torqueat, et pedibus me [While a remnant of the thread of life is yet unspun, and I am able to walk without the aid of a staff.] Come while I am able, God assisting, to build you up in faith, to ripen your gifts, and to introduce you to the people. Nil tanti. [Nothing is of equal moment.] What possible employment can you have which is of so great importance? 66 But you will naturally say, 'I am not equal to the task; I have neither grace nor gifts for such an employment." You say true; it is certain you have not. And who has? But do you not know Him who is able to give them? perhaps not at once, but rather day by day: as each is, so shall your strength be. "But this implies," you may say, "a thousand crosses, such as I feel I am not able to hear." You are not able to bear them now; and they are not now come. Whenever they do come, will he not send them in due number, weight, and measure? And will they not all be for your profit, that you may be a par taker of his holiness? Without conferring, therefore, with flesh and blood, come and strengthen the hands, comfort the heart, and share the labour, of Your affectionate friend and brother. XCIX.-To the Same. LONDON, November 24, 1783. DEAR SIR,-There is not a person to whom I would have wished Miss Bosanquet joined besides you. But this union I am thoroughly persuaded, is of God; and so are all the children of God with whom I have spoken. Mr. Bosanquet's being so agreeable to it, I look upon as a token for good; and so was the ready disposing of the house and the stock, which otherwise would have been a great incumbrance. From the first day which you spend together in Madeley, I hope you will lay down an exactly regular plan of living; something like that of the happy family at Leytonstone. Let your light shine to all that are round about you. And let sister Fletcher do as much as she can for God, and no more. To his care I commit you both, and am, my dear friends, C.-Tɔ Mr. Ebenezer Blackwell.* BRISTOL, August 23, 1739. DEAR SIR,-I have not had half an hour's leisure to write since I received yours of the fourteenth instant, in which the note for 15l. 11s. was enclosed. *It is to be regretted, that no biographical account of this very excellent man was ever published; and so many years have now elapsed since his death, that few particulars of his personal history can be recovered. He was a principal partner in a banking establishment in Lombard-street, London; and had a country residence at Lewisham. in Kent, a few miles from the metropolis. For many years he was the intimate ana cordial friend of Mr. Wesley; as the following letters, and numerous passages in Mr. Wesley's Journal, abundantly testify. To Lewisham Mr. Wesley was accustomed to retire when writing for the press; and from that place, it will be |