Wesley Corpus

To Ann Bolton Date: BRISTOL., August 31, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - Many years ago Mr. Hall, then strong in faith, believed God called him to marry my youngest sister. [Kezia Wesley. See letter of Dec. 22, 1747.] He told her so. She fully believed him, and none could convince one or the other to the contrary. I talked with her about it; but she had 'so often made it matter of prayer that she could not be deceived.' In a week he dropped her, courted her elder sister, and as soon as was convenient married her. The disappointed one then found exactly the same temptations that you do now. But neither did she keep the devil's counsel. She told me all that was in her heart; and the consequence was that by the grace of God she gained a complete victory. So will you. And you will be the better enabled by your own experience to guard all, especially young persons, from laying stress upon anything but the written Word of God. Guard them against reasoning in that dangerous manner, 'If I was deceived in this, then I was deceived in thinking myself justified.' Not at all; although nature, or Satan in the latter case, admirably well mimicked the works of God. By mighty prayer repel all those suggestions, and afterwards your faith will be so much the more strengthened, and you will be more than conqueror through Him that loveth you. Whenever you find yourself pressed above measure, you must make another little excursion. While you help others, God will help you. This may be one end of this uncommon dispensation. You must not bury your talent in the earth. Wishing you more and more of that ' lovely, lasting peace of mind,' - I am Yours most affectionately.