Wesley Corpus

Dear Sir, Oxon, Dec. 10, 1734. “1. The authority of a parent and the call of Providence are things of so sacred a nature, that a question in which these are any way concerned deserves the most serious consideration. I am, therefore, greatly obliged to you for the pains you have taken to set our question in a clear light; which I now intend to consider more at large, with the utmost attention of which Iam capable. And I shall the more cheerfully do it, as being assured of you joining with me in imploring His guidance, who will not suffer those that trust in him to seek death in the error of their life. “2. I entirely agree ‘that the glory of God, and the different degrees of promoting it, are to be our sole consideration and direction in the choice of any course of life ;? and consequently, that it must wholly turn upon this single point,--which I ought to prefer,--a college life, or that of rector of a parish. I do not say the glory of God is to be my first or my principal consideration: but my only one; since all that are not implied in this, are absolutely of no weight. In presence of this, they all vanish away: they are less than the small dust of the balance. “3. And indeed, till all other considerations were set aside, I could never come to any clear determination: till my eye was single, my whole mind was full of darkness. Whereas, so long as it is fixed on the glory of God, without any other consideration, I have no more doubt of the way wherein I should go, than of the shining of the mid-day sun. “4, Now that life tends most to the glory of God, wherein we most promote holiness in ourselves and others; I say, in ourselves and others; as being fully persuaded that these can never be put asunder. And if not, then whatever state is best on either of these accounts, is so on the other likewise. Ifit be in the whole best, for others, so it is for ourselves: if it be. best for ourselves, it is so for them.