Wesley Corpus

To Mrs. Barton Date: TEWKESBURY, March 15, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I rejoice to hear that you stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free; and the more because, although many taste of that heavenly gift, deliverance from inbred sin, yet so few, so exceeding few, retain it one year, hardly one in ten, nay one in thirty. Many hundreds in London were made partakers of it within sixteen or eighteen months; but I doubt whether twenty of them are now as holy and as happy as they were. And hence others had doubted whether God intended that salvation to be enjoyed long. That many have it for a season, that they allow, but are not satisfied that any retain it always. Shall not you for one? You will, if you watch and pray and continue hanging upon Him. Then you will always give matter of rejoicing to, dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother.