26 To Hester Ann Roe
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | letter |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-letter-1776-26-to-hester-ann-roe-000 |
| Words | 389 |
To Hester Ann Roe
Date: WHITEHAVEN, May 3, 1776.
Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776)
Author: John Wesley
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MY DEAR HETTY,--With pleasure I sit down to write to my dear Miss Roe, who has been much upon my mind since I left Macclesfield. Once I saw my dear friend Miss Beresford; when I came again, she was in Abraham's bosom. Once I have seen her living picture, drawn by the same hand and breathing the same spirit; and I am afraid I shall hardly see you again till we meet in the Garden of God. But if you should gradually decay, if you be sensible of the hour approaching when your spirit is to return to God, I should be glad to have notice of it, wherever I am, that if possible I might see you once more before you
Clap your glad wing and soar away,
And mingle with the blaze of day.
Perhaps in such a circumstance I might be of some little comfort to your dear mamma, who would stand in much need of comfort; and it may be our blessed Master would enable me to' Teach you at once, and learn of you, to die
In the meantime see that you neglect no probable means of restoring your health, and send me from time to time a particular account of the state wherein you are. Do you feel your own will quite given up to God, so that you have no repugnance to His will in anything Do you find no stirrings of pride no remains of vanity no desire of praise or fear of dispraise Do you enjoy an uninterrupted sense of the loving presence of God How far does the corruptible and decaying body press down the soul Your disorder naturally sinks the spirits and occasions heaviness and dejection. Can you, notwithstanding this, 'rejoice evermore and in everything give thanks'
Mr. Fletcher shows (as does the Plain Account of Christian Perfection) that sanctification is plainly set forth in Scripture. But certainly before the root of sin is taken away believers may live above the power of it. Yet what a difference between the first love and the pure love! You can explain this to Mr. Roe by your own experience. Let him follow on, and how soon may he attain it!