Wesley Corpus

To Mrs. Madan Date: LONDON November 9, 1750. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1750) Author: John Wesley --- There h much difficulty in knowing how to act in such a situation as yours is. You are not at liberty to choose what is, absolutely speaking, the most excellent way, which is to cut off all superfluity of every kind -- to expend all our time and all our substance in such a manner as will most conduce to the glory of God and our own eternal happiness. Nor is it easy to say how far you may vary from this: Something must be allowed to the circumstances you are in. But who can say how much Only the Spirit of God, only the unction from above which teacheth us of all things. But perhaps this in general may be said -- all the time you can redeem from fashionable folly you should redeem. Consequentially it is right to throw away as little as possible of that precious talent on dressing, visits of form, useless diversions, and trifling conversation. Hebert well observes: If so thou spend thy time, the sun will cry Against thee; for his light was only lent. [The Temple, The Church Porch, XIV, where it reads ‘If those take up thy day.’] And I can’t but think if you earnestly cry to Him who with every temptation can make a way to escape, [Mrs. Madan here adds a note: ‘And this, I bless God without any alteration of worldly circumstances or my situation of life, was done.’] He will deliver you from abundance of that impertinence which has hithero swallowed up so many of your precious moments.