Wesley Corpus

To Ebezezer Blackwell Date: WHITEHAVEN, May 28, 1757. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1757) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR, -- Does the rule still hold, ‘Out of sight out of mind’ I am afraid it does with poor Miss Freeman, [See letter of April 26, 1760.] as she does not give me one fine in answer to the long letter I wrote from Liverpool. I was in hopes we might have interchanged several letters in less than six weeks’ time. As for you, I presume you are full of business; and yet not so full of temporal business as to exclude the thoughts of higher concerns -- business that will endure when earth and the works of it are burned up. Were anything temporal even to damp or lessen (though not destroy) our care and zeal for things eternal, what could countervail the loss What could make us amends for the damage thereby sustained Sometimes, indeed, we may go through abundance of business, and yet have God in all our thought. But is this the case always Are not even lawful, nay necessary, things at other times a grievous hindrance, especially when we undertake them without any suspicion of danger, and consequently without any prayer against that danger In this respect, as in many others, I have lately had peculiar reason to be thankful. In every place people flock about me for direction in secular as well as spiritual affairs; and I dare not throw even this burthen off my shoulders, though I have employment enough without it. But it is a burthen, and no burthen; it is no encumbrance, no weight upon my mind. If we see God in all things and do all for Him, then all things are easy. I think it is fourteen or fifteen days since my wife wrote to me. I am afraid she is not well, or is angry at my brother and consequently with me. If any letters for me come enclosed to Mr. Belchier, [See letter of April 9, 1755.] I will be obliged to you if you will not send them to her, but direct them to me at Newcastle, where I hope to be in a few days. Wishing all grace and peace to you and yours, I am, dear sir, Your most affectionate servant. I breakfasted at Keswick last Tuesday.