Wesley Corpus

To Ann Bolton Date: BRISTOL, September 18, 1787. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1787) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR NANCY, -- Yesterday I received yours of August 24 at my return from a little tour to the islands of Alderney, Jersey, and Guernsey, where we were long shut up by contrary winds. At length a ship returning from France and touching at Guernsey took us in and carried us to Penzance, where we were received as if we had just risen from the dead, and found God was with us wherever we went.[ See letter of Sept. 7.] So I pressed on and will be with you. My Nancy, look up ! The Lord of Hosts is at hand! He has delivered, He does deliver, and He will yet deliver ! He chastens you long for your profit, that you may be a partaker of His holiness. He chastens you also for your profit that you may be more holy and consequently more happy. But His ways are in the deep waters and His footsteps are not known. It is probable I shall see you at Witney in about a month. If I do, remember you are to tell me all your trials that we may both grieve and rejoice together. I cannot well tell you how much I love you; you are e1ceeding near and dear to me. But I am sometimes ready to think that you do not love me so well as you did once. However, I believe you have still some regard for me. Let us still provoke one another to love and to good works. The good Lord be ever with you and unite you more and more to Himself! Then you will not forget, my dear Nancy, Yours in tender affection.